Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

Bear

We were still laughing when we left the kitchen earlier, and even now, when I think about the conversation, I start to laugh. I love being around that bunch. They're so funny. I was especially impressed when Tony went to the door and told the two security agents outside to quit staring at the trees and come in for some food. Their names are RoyceHopkins and CharlesWaters, and they're both just as funny and friendly as Steve, Tony, and Nikki. I love how the Walters treat everybody like family. It makes me proud to know them.

The rest of the day is uneventful. Dinner is a treat; Nikki starts cooking at about four o'clock after she comes back from taking Fiona to see the horse, and we have a huge Italian feast, with four kinds of sauce, all kinds of pastas, beef and cheese cannelloni, a beautiful salad, focaccia, and cannoli stuffed with strawberries and a light, fluffy cream cheese concoction. Tony brought about a dozen bottles of wine, and we laugh and eat and drink until we're all stuffed.

By the time we finish helping with cleanup and get back to the cottage, it's late. "Think I'm gonna take a quick shower. I feel a little grubby."

"Yeah, me too," she replies.

"Wanna shower with me?"

"Nah. I'll wait until you're finished." Sela drops onto the sofa and picks up a magazine. It's some kind of science publication―I like those―and she starts flipping pages, so I wander to the bathroom, strip off, and climb in. I'm done in fifteen minutes.

"All yours," I call out. When I look up, she's already in the bathroom doorway, completely bare. "Well, you were ready."

"You'd better be ready when I come out," she whispers as she walks by and tweaks one of my nipples. Awww, damn. And then I'll have to shower again. Guess that's okay.

She's only in there for a few minutes and comes out smelling all fresh and flowery. Her towel falls as soon as she gets close to the bed, where I've already taken up residence, and she snaps the sheet back. "Oh. You didn't put on anything either. Guess you're ready."

"Do I look ready?" I ask and grin, then point to my dick.

"Really, really ready." If I wasn't already hard, watching her panther-crawl across the bed toward me would be plenty arousing. She keeps going until she's between my legs, then stops. "Mmmm. Can't wait to taste this." Oh, damn. My balls are aching now, and I pull up to brace myself on my elbows so I can watch.

She doesn't do a warm-up. There's no licking up my shaft or anything like that. She just opens her mouth and takes me right down. "Oh, holy hell. Damn, baby! That's… wow," I gasp and drop my head back. Oh, fuck, this feels amazing.

"Mmmm-mm-mmmmm," she hums around me, and the vibration makes me suck in a breath. I want this to last, but I don't think it will. It's like she's sucking a climax right out of me, like my cock is a straw and she's drawing out something deep inside me. Just when I think she's got some kind of rhythm, she breaks it, laps around the head, then takes it down even deeper. I can feel her throat close around my hardness and I'm overcome with the sensations.

"Oh, god, Sela." I feel her hands start to corkscrew around my shaft and I know I'm about to lose my battle. It's building painfully. "Fuck, babe. I'm, oh, damn. No, no, no, not yet. Shit. Sela, I… Oh, babe." Her tongue is stroking up and down my shaft. "Oh, baby, please. Oh, oh, damn, oh, Sela…" That's the moment I lose my battle.

It takes everything I have not to grab her head and hold her mouth on my cock, but I don't. Unless she asks me to, if she ever does, I'd never do that, but oh, fuck, I really want to. My hips are churning just a bit, but she manages to hold on. "Sela, stop, babe. Sela? Sela, please… oh, god." I'm beginning to think she's going to torture me, but she finally quits. "Oh, fuck, babe."

"Good, huh?" she asks, a wicked grin stretching her lips.

"Uh, yeah."

"And now I have to do it again," she says in a fake whine.

"Why?"

"You wanna fuck me, right? You have to be hard for that, and that's the best way, right?"

"Uh, yeah, I―"

"One hard cock, comin' right up." I don't get a chance to say anything before she drops that beautiful, sexy mouth back down over me again and I feel myself stiffening instantly. That only goes on for a couple of minutes and, sure enough, I'm tree-trunk hard. She stops and climbs aboard me like I'm her favorite carnival ride. "How do I look up here?" she asks, her eyes slitted.

"Like the most beautiful, slutty banrigh I've ever seen. Damn, girl, those tits are pretty." My hands have already grabbed them, and I squeeze them roughly, sliding my fingers back toward me until I'm gripping only her nipples. There's a gasp from her lips as I twist them, and she smiles salaciously at me. "Like it rough?"

"Oh, yeah. You know I do. Give 'em hell, baby." I pull, twist, and roll between my fingers as hard as I can. Those gasps coming from her tell me she's enjoying it. "More, Miles." Pulled outward as far as I dare, I give her nubs a vicious twist and she cries out, "Oh, damn, yeah! Oh, fuck, more!" Twisted as they are, I give them a hard yank. "Oh, god! Oh, fuck! Yeah! Pull hard! Twist hard! Make 'em hurt! Oh, yeah, so good." I've been so focused on her nipples that I haven't even paid attention to how she's riding me. She's bouncing like crazy, and wild thoughts go through my head, ideas of things I can do to her, ways to make her scream. What I really want in this moment is to force her onto her hands and knees and fuck her so hard that she sees stars, but she's really enjoying herself, and honestly, I am too. "Don't you have some nipple clamps around here?"

"No. Didn't know I was going to be entertaining a pain slut. Want more?" I snarl.

"Oh, god, yeah." Fingers never leaving the left nipple, I slide my right hand downward and start to stroke her clit. "Oh, fuck's sake, Miles. Damn." I watch in wonder as she braces herself with her hands behind her on my thighs and leans back, exposing everything, bouncing on me, giving me a full view of my dick slamming into her. It's amazing. "Oh, fuck, I'm gonna come, Miles. Oh, fuck, oh, fuck."

"Do it, Sela. Come hard, girl. I wanna see you shake." The fingers of my left hand are still tormenting her nipple, and I stretch it out, fold it over my middle finger, and give her whole tit a hard yank.

"Ahhhh! Oh, fuck!" she screams out, her belly spasming and legs shaking. I'm still stroking her clit, and I double down, watching her squirm and shriek, still torturing her nipple and driving her orgasm on. "Oh, god, Miles, stop!"

"No. You'll come again and it'll take you down, Sela. Do it. I want to watch you come apart," I growl at her.

"Oh, god, no. Oh, no. No, no. I can't. Oh, fuck, I can't―"

"Yes you can. Let go, Sela. Come for me. I wanna feel you squeezing my cock again, girl. I know you can."

"Oh, Miles. Oh, fuck me."

"You're gonna get fucked, trust me. But do it again, Sela. Come on. Let go." I speed up my stroking and watch her face, a mixture of fear and desire, knowing when she comes, she'll be at my mercy.

"Oh, oh, damn. Oh, fuck, Miles. Oh, oh, oh!" Her whole body bows, her hips raking her sex up and down on my pubic bone, pussy pulsing and shoulders shaking. The tit I've been mauling is forgotten as I grab her, a hand around the back of her neck, and pull her face down to mine to kiss her hard, my teeth scraping her lips, my tongue searching her mouth, a silent scream breathed into my throat. Her hands have fallen to my chest, pushing against me, and I decide that maybe she's had enough, so I move my fingers from her clit and wait until she collapses on top of me.

I'm still way too hard, but I let her lie there for a couple of minutes, panting and sometimes twitching, on top of me. As soon as she stops jerking, I roll her to the side and pull out of her, then head straight for my closet, my cock bobbing like a flagpole. My toolbox is in there, and I know exactly what I'm looking for…

"What are you doing?" she mumbles as I get to work.

"I'm not finished with you yet," I announce as I snap one pair on.

"Wha… What are those?" Now I've got her attention.

"They're locking pliers." Each little pair is only about three inches long.

"What are you doing?" she shrieks.

I've got a nipple between my thumb and forefinger. "You'd better be still or this is going to be worse."

"Jesus, Miles! What are you doing to me?"

"Isn't it obvious?" I snap the other pair on. "Here we go."

There's a tightening knob on the end of each pair, and I grab the first one and crank about three turns. She moans loudly. "Hurt?"

"God, yeah." So I do the second one. "Oh, shit."

"Yeah. That's doing the trick, right?"

"Oh, hell, Miles. That's a delicious kind of pain," she mumbles, and I smile. I knew she'd like them. I take two more turns on both of them. "Oh, holy fuck. That fucking hurts."

"Want me to take them off?"

"No. I don't think I can take more, but―" I crank down two more times on one of them. "Oh, fuck!" Then I do the other one. "Miles, son of a bitch! That fucking hurts!"

"Yeah. I know. It's bound to." Two more turns and her nipples are turning white. "Just… a little… more." Two more turns apiece and she's howling. "There we go." Without hesitating, I grab them, pull them outward, and then twist.

"OH, FUCK ME!" she screams.

"I'm going to." That gets another twist, and she shrieks. "Hmmm. That looks gorgeous."

Her eyes glance down, then roll back. "Oh, hell, that's fucking scary looking. Can't you find a fucking adult store and, I dunno, get something with rhinestones on them or some shit like that?"

"Look at them, Sela. Just look." As soon as she looks down again, I grab them, pull outward, and twist.

"Oh, fuck you, Miles! That fucking hurts!"

"It's supposed to. Now comes the fun part. Up on your hands and knees." As soon as she moves, she cries out again. "Yeah, they hurt when they move, huh?"

"Yeah. A lot." It takes her some time, but she's finally on her hands and knees. The pliers are swinging underneath her, and she's moaning. I walk around the bed and grab them, then give them a hard pull. "Damn! Oh, fuck!"

"Crawl over here," I order, and she crawls to the edge of the bed. I've already wrapped a hand around my cock. "Suck me."

As she sucks my dick, those pliers swing, and she's moaning and whimpering the whole time. Fuck, I didn't realize how exciting it could be to see her like this, but it really is. She's given me so much shit for so long now, and to see her suffering this way is a little too arousing, but I know she likes it too. She's made no attempt to fight me off or to take them off, so she's getting off on this. After five minutes of sucking, I pull away and step back around the bed, sliding on a condom as I go. "Might want to crawl back a little. Wouldn't want to slam your head into the headboard."

What takes place is the most glorious fucking I've ever given a woman. The whole time I'm pounding into her, those pliers are swinging and she's crying out and screaming. Every time I hear them clank together, I swear I get a little harder. Fuck, I needed this so badly! I pull out for just a second to look, and my cock is huge and purple, so engorged that it's visually throbbing. The sight makes me even harder, and I can't pound her hard enough. "Getting enough cock in you, banrigh ?"

"Harder. Deeper," she gasps back to me. Damn, I had no idea she'd enjoy it this much. I'm pounding her so hard now that the pliers are constantly clinking together, and I know that's gotta be ridiculously painful. "Oh, god, gonna come. Oh, fuck, more cock. Please, more cock. Oh, god, more cock. Please. Please, please. Twist and pull. Please twist and pull," she mutters, and I know she means her nipples.

"Can't reach 'em, babe. Can you do it?"

"No. I'll fall. Oh, shit," she barks, the pliers banging together again. "Oh, need more hands," she groans. Hmmm. Wonder how she'd feel about me inviting somebody else in with us? The idea of me, her, and another guy fucking her at the same time really appeals to me. That would be amazing. Never thought I'd share a woman with anybody else, but there's so damn much of her that I really need more hands and an extra cock to satisfy her. Much as I love her, she's a heavy-duty fuck, and she needs the attention.

"You realize you're getting an ass fucking after this, right?" I snarl at her back.

She doesn't miss a beat. "Oh, fuck. Yeah. I want it, Miles. Give it to me."

I don't know if she's about to come, and I don't care. I pull out of her pussy and ram right into her ass. She lets out a squeal. "You wanted it, you got it."

"Oh, fuck that ass, babe. Fuck it good," she moans. Jesus! What the hell have I unleashed? "Oh, fuck, my tits hurt. They hurt so good. Oh, damn. Oh, damn," she groans, and I feel her shift. Her right shoulder rises just a little, and I realize what she's doing.

She's stroking her clit. Damn. She's coming apart at the seams, and I'm getting to watch the whole thing. Hell, I'm fucking her into it, and it's better than anything I've ever experienced in my life. I'm just about to the end of my rope when I feel her jerk, and the pliers are swinging wildly as her body turns loose. There's a long, low, "Uhhhhhhhhh," coming from her throat, and I know she's just tipped right over the edge, too far gone to care what I'm doing to her ass.

And there it is―a tiny little bit harder, a tiny little bit longer, and I spill everything I've got into the condom. She's back to both hands on the mattress, and her spine has dropped, her shoulder blades pronounced. As soon as I pull out, I flip her onto her back, and she screams as the pliers clank together. "We've gotta get these off you. Hang on." I turn the knob on one slowly, slowly, slowly, to let the jaws start to open. When they're wide enough, I snap the pliers open and she screams again as blood rushes into the tissue. I do the same for the other one, and she screams again. Without hesitating, I press my mouth over one and she cries out, her hand slapping my head, but in a few seconds, she calms.

I'm exhausted. As soon as my back drops to the mattress, I let out a huge sigh. What the hell just happened here? She's lying beside me, her nipples still dented and purple, her chest heaving, and her eyes closed. This was what my body wanted to do before, but my heart wouldn't let me. Now that I feel more secure in the relationship, I can give her this if she wants, if I want, and I know she understands that I love her. I know she loves me. We can do whatever we want with each other and it'll be okay. It takes me a minute to squeeze out, "You okay, babe?"

"Oh, god. Been years since I was fucked so good."

"Yeah? You like those pliers?"

"Oh, fuck, yeah. God, they fucking hurt so much. It was amazing."

"And the ass fucking?"

"Burns like a motherfucker. I'll walk funny for a week."

"That's a shame. I was gonna do it again in a couple of hours."

"I don't know about the ass fucking part, but you can sure fuck me again. And get those damn pliers ready. Those were fucking hot ," she says breathlessly.

"You liked that? I thought you wanted something pretty and girly."

"Oh, god, looking at them turned me on so hard."

I lie there for a minute, not sure if I want to bring it up, and then I decide that yeah, maybe this is the right time. "How would you feel about bringing somebody else in here?"

"I don't know what you mean."

"Like me and another guy to both fuck you. Would you like that?"

"A threesome?"

"Yeah. I guess so. Ménage à trois . Would you like that?"

"Would you fuck him too?"

"Uh, not sure about that."

"Because I'd love that."

"What? Really? You'd like to watch me fuck another guy?"

"Or him fuck you."

Like that's never happened before. I had enough of that in prison. "I don't think I want another guy fucking me. I've been down that road."

"Oh, yeah. Forgot. Guess that wasn't great."

"Nope. Not too. I'm straight as they come. So that's a no, but I might fuck another guy if he was fucking you too."

"I'm gonna have to think on that." She rolls toward me and bats those big, beautiful eyelashes. "Pinch my nipples again and twist them."

"Right now?" She nods, so I roll toward her, pinch them both between my thumbs and fingers, and then give them a hard twist.

"Ohhh, yeah."

"You want more?" She nods again. "Right now?" Another nod. "Sela, I'm not sure I have it in me."

"Yeah, but I want it in me."

"Damn, girl, you're insatiable!" I say and laugh.

She frowns. "You say that like it's a bad thing."

"Lawd, no. Don't think that. I think it's great. But I'm not sure that's a good idea. I don't want to hurt you―"

"But I want you to hurt me," she whines.

"I mean injure you. I don't want to injure you. That's what I meant."

"Oh. Got it. Afraid for me to bleed?"

"I don't want to be the cause of it."

"Uh-huh. Okay. Guess we'll―"

Whatever she was about to say is interrupted by a loud banging on the door. "Who the hell?" I mumble, grab my boxer briefs, and head to the door. And I get a big surprise.

Tony, Steve, and Patch are standing there. "What the―"

"Get your pants on, and get Sela up. We need to talk. Now," Steve orders.

"Uh, okay. Hang on." I take off toward the bedroom and when I'm inside, I close the door behind me. Sela's lying on the bed, stroking herself. I swear to god, she wasn't kidding. She's ready again. "Hey," I whisper softly. "Get your clothes on and get out in the living room."

That makes her stop, and she cranes her head up to look at me. "What's going on? Who was out there?"

"It's Tony, Steve, and Patch."

"I said maybe another guy, not three more," she mutters.

"What? I didn't… No. It's something important. I don't know what. But it's…" I look at the clock for the first time. It's ten after two in the morning. That's a bad omen. "Just get up and put some clothes on."

"Sure you don't want me to go out there just like this?" she asks, fingers gripping her nipples and pulling out on them sharply.

"No. Dressed. Hurry up." I step through the door and back into the living room. "Sorry. She's being stubborn. We weren't exactly expecting guests."

"We weren't exactly expecting to be over here either, but here we are," Tony says, and something in his tone sets me on edge.

"Hey, guys, what's all the fuss?" Sela asks as she steps into the room. She's thankfully put on her pajamas. I was afraid she'd walk out here stark naked.

Tony's face is blank. "I just got off the phone with Angelo, and I've got some really bad news."

"Oh?" Sela says. I can't speak. I'm terrified.

"Yeah. The two guys here in town, the ones you saw today? The cartel don hired those two men to take out you and Natalie. They're supposed to be some kind of extra crazy sumbitches who never quit until the job is done. And some of the things he said are really disturbing."

"Such as?" I ask. Do I really want to know?

"Their orders aren't to kill instantly. They're to torture for at least three days before killing." I watch the big, dark man measure his words. "And I'm not sure killing them will help. He'll only send more."

"So this will be an ongoing threat," Sela says, too much resignation in her voice.

"I'm afraid so. The only way to stop them is to stop DonJulio, and so far, nobody's been able to do that." Then he grins. "But that was before I sicced Angelo on him."

"So you think he can do something to stop this?"

"He's going to try. I'm not going to lie. It was hard for me to make that ask. That's huge. A very dangerous ask, and my cugino has a wife and kids. So do most of his men. But if he could neutralize DonJulio during this, it would save a lot of lives in the long run, between the people the asshole kills and the people his drugs kill. It would do the world a huge favor."

Sela nods. "And he's agreed?"

"Says he's ready for it. Been waiting his whole life to take on somebody like this. He's started calling in markers, and operatives from all over the world who owe him are coming to assist. This will be a big operation, but he says he's taking care of it and the only thing we have to worry about is keeping everybody here safe."

"As if that's not enough," I mutter.

"It'll be hard, but not impossible. But we do need to enlist local law enforcement and any folks you know who could help―"

"I'm calling Ethan tomorrow. We'll see what he says. He might be able to talk a couple of his guys into coming," Patch says.

"I've got extra guys coming, probably ten or fifteen," Steve says.

Everyone is converging on the farm. I see the magnitude, the ramifications. I'm about to say something when Steve says, "I've already told Tony and Nikki that they have to go. They're high-value targets, and we can't afford that."

Sela's eyes are sad, and I wonder what she's about to say, but I'm floored when the words come out. "Maybe I should just leave."

Tony's head snaps around and his eyes are fiery as he looks at her. "Why? They're after Natalie too. Removing you won't really help, and besides, you belong here now. This is your home."

She shrugs resignedly. "I can go back to Atlanta."

Her hands are limp in her lap, and I reach for one and take it. "Is that what you want?" I ask quietly.

"Does it matter?"

"It matters to me! I don't want you to leave. And I know you don't want to leave. Do you?"

"No."

"Then we fight on." I turn and look at Tony, Steve, and Patch. "We fight on."

Tony stands and steps toward the door. "We fight on. When I learn more, I'll share more. But know that you're not fighting alone. My whole family, everyone and everything, is at your disposal. We won't let you fall. You can depend on that."

"Thank you. This is our place. And we defend it to the end. Nobody leaves here, and nobody dies," Patch says. "My promise to both of you," he says and looks from me to Sela. "You're my people, and no one will hurt you without a fight."

This isn't a battle. It's a war. And for the first time since I found out what was actually going on, I feel like I'm on the winning team.

Sela

I want to be elated. I've just gotten the best fucking of my life. Epic fucking. And a promise of a double fucking. There aren't enough words to say how happy that idea makes me. Two or three dicks plowing me at the same time? That would be awesome.

And it all had to come crashing down. Just when I should be able to concentrate on the fun of a gang bang, a cartel is after me and Natalie and wants to kill us. My luck.

Miles draws me close in the big bed and I sigh into his chest. "You okay, babe?"

"I wish I could rewind the clock about an hour, go back to when you were fucking the daylights out of me. That was amazing. I don't want to think about this."

"But we have to. We need to start talking about how all of this is going to affect us. How we need to respond. How we're going to change what we're doing to make allowances and stay safe."

"I've already got one."

"Yeah?"

"Wherever Natalie is, I need to be there too. That way, we can concentrate our efforts in one place."

"But don't you think the two of you being somewhat separate would help us divide and conquer?"

I hadn't thought of it that way. Hmmm. Now I've got to rethink that. "Why don't we do some hard fucking while we're thinking about it?"

"Damn, Sela, what's gotten into you? You're like a supreme horn dog. Aren't you tired?"

"Those pliers did something to me. I just want more."

"You're gonna have to wait. I'm exhausted, and my brain is so full that I don't think I could get it up if I had to."

"I can help you with that," I say and spin to sit squatted on the bed, then reach for the sheet.

Miles' hands clamp down across his chest, clutching the sheet. "No. Be serious here. We need to think about this."

"Can't you think and fuck at the same time?"

He lets out an irritated sigh. "Not successfully, no."

"Bummer." I just spin around and lie back down. "You're no fun."

"Fun is highly overrated when you're dead ," he mutters.

He's got a point there. Never thought about it in those terms before. "Okay. What are we thinking about?"

"I'm thinking how we need to find a way for me to protect you."

"You do. I've seen armored personnel carriers that looked flimsy compared to that body. Look at you! Nobody's gonna fuck with me if you're around."

"No. I mean like a weapon."

"But you're a felon. And that's a federal law," I point out.

"I know."

"What would it take?"

He shrugs. "I dunno. Pardon from the president?"

"Could he do that?"

"Maybe. Never heard about it happening before, but I suppose it could. Wouldn't even know how to go about that or who to approach."

Everything in my brain lights up. "Yes, you do. I do too."

He side-eyes me. "I don't get it."

"Who do we know who's a federal judge?"

"Natalie, but she can't―"

"Not her. One of her federal judge friends. Maybe her boss. And then they take that to the governor, who approaches the president, and―"

"Wait, wait, whoa. How the hell do you think we're going to―"

"Tony!" I shout maybe a little too exuberantly. "Don't you think he could maybe―"

"Oh. I remember them talking about the governor being a friend of his. Oh, and his sister-in-law was tapped for a spot on a Congressional subcommittee for sexual assault in the military. The president actually called her during a family dinner. So she has connections in Washington."

"Right. We need to put all of this in play. Fast. We need to get every one of you armed as quickly as possible. And the women too."

"What are we going to do about the kids?" Miles asks. That's been on my mind too.

"I'm still thinking about that. There's got to be something we can do."

Miles stares at the ceiling. "We send them home with Sarah and Lenny to Lenny's house. They can take them back and forth to school. I'm thinking if they're gone before the assholes start their operation, they won't even realize there were kids here."

"See? We're figuring this out. Morning will be better. You'll see. Now, about that fucking…"

"Sela …"

"What? You know you want to!"

"No. I don't. Not right this minute."

"I can change that," I say with a grin.

"Sela, stop. This is serious."

"So am I! I like your hard cock all shoved up in me!"

"Gah. My sweet, slutty little horn dog," he says and kisses me on the temple.

"Awww. Nobody's ever called me that before," I coo.

"Yeah, well, you want something hard? Sleep. Because it's going to be hard for me to sleep tonight. I'm way too worried about you."

"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. Or dead. Either way, you'll be fine."

A finger and thumb capture my chin and he turns my face to his. "I would not be fine if you died. I would never be fine again. I'd be better off dead too, because being without you is unthinkable, Sela. You don't get it, do you?"

My mind goes back to an hour ago. This guy was giving it his all to give me what I need. He backed away the other day. "What changed?"

"Huh?"

"What changed? The other day, you were ready to go after me, but you backed off. Tonight, you went for it. What changed?"

"You. I wasn't sure you really cared that much about me before, and it didn't seem right, turning loose to just do whatever because it felt good. I felt like I was using you."

"And now?"

"You're still here. That means you really do care about me."

"I love you, Miles. I mean that when I say it."

"And I love you too. So yeah, that was about bustin' a nut earlier, but it was about giving you what you need. And did you get what you need?"

"Yeah, but I could use some more," I say again, hopeful.

He sighs and chuckles. "Go to sleep, my horny little banrigh . There's more where that came from, but not tonight."

I tweak his nipple again. "Can't blame a girl for trying."

"No. You most certainly cannot."

Now to find another cock. I have no idea where to start, but I'm sure I'll think of something or someone. And I can barely wait.

I knew today would be different, but I didn't realize just how different.

We step into the kitchen for breakfast to find a group of men sitting there, eating. Steve's right in the middle of them. "I thought you guys were going," I say as I sit down across from him.

"They did. I insisted Tony and Nikki go on home. You've met Marshall," he says and tips his head toward the big man beside him.

"Yeah, sure have. How's it goin'?" I ask the security agent.

"Pretty good if we can get you over this hump. And we will," Marshall assures me.

"No doubt."

"You'll learn everybody's names in time. Right now, we're just doing some planning and strategizing." I hear the door open again, and I turn.

Natalie's walking in, and she's got two guys with her. I'm certain they're feebs. But she's supposed to be at the courthouse. "Hey, what are you doing here?"

"They got a call to bring me here, so here I am. What's going on?" she asks as she sits down beside me. A cup of coffee appears in front of me, and I look up to find Miles smiling down at me.

I point at the two agents. "Who are your friends?"

Instead of answering me, one of them sticks out a hand. "AgentBaldwin?" Well, excuse me for not wanting to take it. He waits a couple of seconds, then withdraws it.

"Not for much longer."

"Gotcha. Sorry to hear that. It'll be the bureau's loss. I'm SSATom Mathis, and this is SSABob Arterburn. We're Natalie's detail. Andrew told us to be sure to introduce ourselves to you. Sorry about what happened with Morreau and Landrum. They're dickheads."

I stick out my hand to him, and he takes it. Arterburn does likewise. I like these guys. "Yeah, they are. Glad to have somebody different with us. This is SteveMcCoy from Citadel Security, and these are his men."

"Glad to be working with you, Mr.McCoy," Arterburn says and stretches out a hand to Steve. Now I really like these guys.

"We've got a few more people coming. They'll be here shortly. Have a seat, guys," Steve says, and I see Hollywood, Miles, and Patch hustling to get coffee to everybody. I'm staying right here. My ass is on the line, and I want in on this.

More of the farm's residents―I guess I should say more of us―are filtering in, and all the men take cups of coffee and sit down at the table with all of the men who've come to help. I hear a voice behind me and someone asks, "What can we do to help?" When I turn, I'm shocked.

It's PrestonRamage, JustinLark, and MartyLamb from the Hazard Police Department, standing there, hands on their tool belts. "Join us. We're about to start a brainstorming event, and you're invited," Steve says.

"Are we welcome too?" a deep voice says, and behind the three Hazard Police Department officers I see SheriffCurtis Stafford and two of his deputies, MattStegner and DarrenDrake.

"We can't have too much help. Have a seat," Steve says and we all wait as they join us.

"Before we get started, can I ask you a question?" I say to Steve.

"Sure."

I motion to Miles. "Is there any way we can get these guys' rights to firearms reinstated? It would make everything so much simpler."

Steve sits there for a second. "I think it's unlikely or almost impossible, but I can ask. Tony knows the governor, so he could maybe help if he's so inclined, but I'm not sure how fast that could be done. Who out here still can't have a firearm?"

"Priest, Miles, um, Bear, Ghost."

"Gotta say, I'm not optimistic, but I'll sure start asking. They were convicted in other states, so having our governor pardon their convictions is unlikely. Matter of fact, if any of the families of their victims found out, I'm pretty sure that would kill it. But I will ask." He turns his attention to the larger group as my heart sinks. "Okay, everybody, let's get started. Let's see what we come up with."

We talk for over an hour. We've got a commitment of at least eight Hazard Police Department officers and six KnottCounty Sheriff's Office deputies. Mathis and Arterburn say they think they can get at least eight agents, so that's hopeful. We've got the five guys here who can arm themselves. Steve says he's got fifteen guys easy and probably more if he rotates them out a bit. We're all batting ideas around when Steve excuses himself to answer the phone. When he comes back, his face is drawn and tired. Nobody else seems to notice it, but I do. "What's wrong?"

"That was Tony. Angelo told him they're headed to Colombia to hopefully take out this cartel head and stop the madness. If anybody can, it's Angelo and his team. They're unstoppable. True mercenaries. Our task now is to figure out how to monitor our surroundings here, where the weak spots are, how to protect those, and what to do if they infiltrate, and I do believe that's what they'll do."

That's another hour, complete with Patch producing a map of the farm and everyone looking at it. Nearing the two-hour mark, I can't take any more, and I slip out the back door where there's some peace and quiet. I haven't been standing there for more than two minutes when the door opens and Miles steps out. What he does next surprises and thrills me.

He doesn't say a word. Instead, he just steps up in front of me, opens his arms, and wraps them around me. As I lean into his chest, he squeezes me tightly against him, and his hugeness makes me feel safe. After all the years of being alone, I realize this was what I missed―the feeling of someone who doesn't need to say words to me, who comforts me just with his presence. That's how I feel―comforted. I'm not alone in this. There's someone else here for me, someone who loves me and wants to see me safe and protected. Miles is that person. In that moment, I understand more than I ever have what true love is, and this is it. Being here with him, having him hold me with no words necessary, fills me with a peace I've never known. Mountains crumble, oceans dry up, the sky turns dark and tornadoes form, but Miles is here, sheltering me, caring for me, protecting me. My arms slide up his sides and my hands cup his shoulders from behind, hanging on, begging him to keep holding me. When he does speak, he whispers, "I'd die for you, banrigh . I'd do anything for you."

"And I you, babe. I love you, Miles."

"I love you too. We're going to make it, babe. I know we are." I wish I was so convinced, but I do feel like there's hope now that he's with me. I would've gone this alone before. Now I don't have to.

Patch was on the phone when we came back in, and he turns toward the group. "Just got off the phone with Ethan. Zeke and Drew are coming, and Brock will be standing by if he can do anything to help." I remember ZekeCalhoun and DrewKoopman from some of the things I was invited to out here. Drew was a Virginia State Police trooper, and Zeke was a Green Beret. Those two will be able to help us, I'm sure. "Who is Brock?" I whisper up to Miles.

"BrockMabrey. U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. If we need him," he explains in a returned whisper.

"I've met those boys. They're good people, and they'll be a lot of help," Preston says, then turns and smiles at me, and I try to return it. I'm feeling more hopeful, but there's so much to do.

Everyone keeps talking, passing around ideas, but I'm numb. I hear Miles' voice say something, and I'm moving. I don't even realize what's happening until I hear the door close behind us, and I'm propelled downward until my ass hits something hard. People are moving around me, and I hear another voice say, "Bend over, Sela. Head between your knees." Something cold and wet hits the back of my neck, and I feel myself suck in a deep breath. "It's okay. You're okay. Just breathe, okay?"

I turn my head just enough to see, and Justin is squatted there beside me. "What happened?"

"You almost fainted."

"I've never fainted in my life, fuck you very much."

"I think you're totally overwhelmed. Bear caught you before you went down." So Miles was the one who led me out here. I take another look around and discover that I'm out back of the kitchen again. "Just stay bent over. You're okay."

"But I don't faint."

"I believe you. Probably just low blood sugar or something." Well, he's being kind to the idiot who probably quit breathing in the kitchen. I could feel myself getting more and more tense, but I didn't realize I was that tense.

"Here, babe. Sit up." Miles is sitting beside me, and he hands me a cup. I take one swig and make a face. "No, drink it up. It's peach nectar. Audrey said it's got more sugar in it than anything else she's got in there, and I think you need it."

"I don't understand," I say as I wipe some from my chin where it dribbled out the sides of the glass.

"You're exhausted, banrigh . You're not one hundred percent anyway, and this is stressful." He ain't wrong about that. I've done a lot of crazy things in my life, and this is the most stressful thing I've ever been involved in short of the hostage situation. "You should get some rest."

I hear the door open again, and look over to see Preston standing there. "Everybody okay here?"

"Yeah, she's fine. Just worn out," Miles says.

My cup is empty, and Justin hands it to Preston. "Hey, babe, can you refill this for her? She needs some more." What? Babe?

"Sure. What is it?"

"Peach nectar. Audrey gave it to us."

"Yeah. I'll get some more. Just a sec." And Preston disappears.

Did I mention I'm confused? I stare at Justin. "Babe?"

I can see the panic in his eyes. "Oh, shit. I didn't mean to…"

"Wait. Are you two…" Miles starts, pointing back and forth from Justin to the door.

The young officer holds up his hand and points to a small tattoo at the base of his left ring finger on the palm side. "Yeah. A couple of years ago."

"Wow. I mean, that's cool, but wow. How did everybody take that?"

He sighs loudly. " Everybody doesn't know. We've kept it really quiet. They all think we're roommates because we can afford a nicer place on the two incomes, but it's more than that."

I'm stunned. My gaydar is usually calibrated pretty well, and I missed this completely. "So you're both gay."

"No. I mean, yeah. I mean, no, we're both bi, but we fell for each other and just decided to make it official. But we both like women too. Just didn't find one we liked as well as we liked each other." That look of panic returns. "Please don't say anything to anybody. Please?"

"No. Neither of us would do that," Miles says decisively, and when he looks at me, I shake my head. "Wouldn't dream of it."

"Yeah. No. Never," I assure him.

"How have you managed to cover this long?" Miles asks, and that's a question I'd like to hear an answer to too.

"We've got this friend, Carmen. Cute girl. Late twenties. She comes over every once in a while and we have a threesome, get our lady lust satisfied. The guys know we do that, so they think we're straight and like to share. That's been good so far. We're hoping they never figure it out."

"Oh. So you don't mind sharing?" Miles asks.

"Hell no. It's fun, the three of us. We both like to watch too, so it works out really well."

I can practically see the gears turning in Miles' brain. "Uh-huh." When he glances at me, I give him a nod only he can see. "So when this is all over, I'd like to talk to you some more about this, if that's okay. Bring Preston into it too."

"I don't…" Justin stops, then glances from me to Miles and back to me. "Oh. Oh! Oh, I get it. You're thinking…" Miles gives him a knowing nod. "Oh, wow. Yeah. That would be… Hell, I can't speak for Preston, but I'm definitely interested. We can talk about it―"

"Talk about what?" I hear Preston's voice ask as he steps back outside.

"You know our arrangement with Carmen?" Justin asks, and Preston's face goes pale. "Relax. They know, and they're cool."

Preston side-eyes Justin. "What about Carmen?"

Justin just says, "Well, Bear and Sela…"

Preston stands there for a minute, looking from one to the other of the three of us several times, then chirps, "Oh! Oh, wow. That would be…" Can't wait to hear the end of this. "Fucking amazing. Here," he says and thrusts the cup toward me. "Gotta go take care of something." And he disappears back inside.

Miles starts to laugh. "Is he―"

"Highly excitable. He definitely is. He needs some privacy. I've got a whole lot more self-control than he does. Apparently more than I realized," Justin says, laughing. "Right now, we've got to keep you safe, doll, but when this is over, yeah. We definitely want to pursue this line of thinking. If that's what you both want."

"It definitely is," Miles says. "Sela?"

My body has started to hum. "The three of you? Awww, hell yeah. That would be awesome."

"Good. Now, I'm going back inside to get my head together and see what's going on. Guess I'd better check on Pres too. He's only got so long in the bathroom before everybody starts to wonder what he's doing." Justin is still chuckling as he heads inside.

"Well, that was a surprise," I hear Miles say under his breath.

"Yeah, for real. So does that intimidate you at all? I mean, they're pretty young and they're both really good-looking."

"Intimidate me? Hell no. The four of us together? Or even five? Damn. I may have to excuse myself too," he says with a grin.

"Or we could go back to your cottage," I offer.

"Sela, this shit is serious. Your life is at stake."

"I know. But I keep thinking about those pliers…" He chuckles again. "Well, I do! That was profound! I mean, it was life-changing!"

"Glad you liked it. We'll do it again, and I'll run to the craft store and get you some rhinestones or crystals or something." That makes me chuckle. "But right now, we've gotta stay focused."

The ground is soft under my shoes as I stand. "You're treating me like I'm not serious about this."

"I'm not. I know you're serious about it. But damn, babe, you've got a one-track mind. Try training it on the problem at hand instead of my dick."

"But I love your dick," I whine.

"And I love your pussy. But if you're dead, I don't have you or your pussy, so that's a bit concerning to me." He holds the door open, and I can hear all the voices from inside. "Get in here and eat something. You need it."

Natalie is in the thick of things, and Arterburn and Mathis seem to be engaged as well. It's like everybody is involved. I'm just overwhelmed. Steve looks over at me and smiles before he says, "I need a whiteboard."

"Everybody!" a voice calls out loudly, and the voices all die down as SheriffStafford stands. "Be at my office at two o'clock today. We can use the conference room and map out all of this. I've got the whiteboards, markers, stickers, everything we need to get this organized. I think we've got it all covered, but we really need to clarify everything so we all know what's going on."

"That's great," Steve says loudly. "Two o'clock, everybody. Please be there. Everybody will know for sure what they're doing and we'll be ready to fight."

Fight. We're fighting. This time, it's for Natalie's life. It's for my life. Everybody is finishing their food but as they file out, they come by and take my hand or give me a hug. A week ago, I would've recoiled in horror. Today, it feels like I'm finally with my tribe. My platoon. My squadron.

My warriors. This banrigh has trained all her life for this. Let the games begin.