Chapter 6

Chapter 6

“A dog has one aim in life... to bestow his heart.”

― J. R. Ackerley

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Leena blinked and stepped back out of the room, looked around then proceeded back in. “Are you yelling at me? Because I’m pretty damn sure I’m in my own house.”

He wiped a hand down his face and cursed. “You put yourself in danger.”

“I went to see if I could offer help to those down there and give you a chance to see their faces. Which by the attitude I’m assuming you did and that’s what this obnoxiousness is about.”

He ground his jaw and stalked toward her.

She crossed her arms and arched a brow at him. “Think carefully before you make your next move.”

His gaze flicked to Argo who stood alertly beside her, not making any noise, but ready.

John drew up short. “You’d sic him on me?”

“I wouldn’t have to. If he decides I’m in danger he’ll take you out. It’s his job to protect me. He will attack on command of course, but he’s not going to wait until I’m hit before he attacks.”

“I’d never hit you.”

“That was just an example.” She held out her hands. “Look, I get it. You didn’t approve of the methods, but you got your answer, right? It was them? There were two more men in the vehicle. One looked like one of the one’s who stopped me at the rest area. But I’m not sure. I don’t recognize the other two.”

“They’re top men in the family.” He began to pace.

“Maybe you should tell me more about this family.”

“Can we lose the protection?”

“He’ll go away when he’s confident there’s not a problem.” She shrugged. “They all will.”

He glanced around the room. “Fuck.”

“Okay. How about the living room? Can we go there?”

She stepped back gesturing him along. Leena had to give him credit, he didn’t hesitate, just moved by her and the dogs. She joined him in the living room, taking a seat on the other end of the couch from him. “The family?”

“I shouldn’t be talking about this.”

“I shouldn’t have pulled you from the water and not taken you to a hospital. We all do things we shouldn’t.”

He nodded. “They are one of the largest crime families in Oklahoma City. Most people don’t think that there would be any of that out there since it’s not like New York, Miami, or the like. But there is and they’re damn good at what they do.”

“And what is it that they do?”

“You name it. Human trafficking, drugs, guns.”

“So, you were undercover to stop it?”

He scratched the back of his neck. “I was there for the guns. The ATF came and asked me for some help. Asked my captain if I could be borrowed.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Borrowed implies a length of time. How long had you been undercover?”

“Two years and a few months when they caught me.”

“So after all that time, your cover was blown?”

“Yes.”

Her heart broke for him. “And did you solve the gun issue?”

“No. We had just set up for a massive sale, which was when we would’ve taken down that part but…”

“You were compromised.”

“Exactly.”

“Why didn’t they kill you immediately?”

“They wanted to know who I had talked to about what I’d found out while in the organization.”

Anger lined his words. She didn’t blame him.

“I have to find out who did this to me. I need your help to do that.”

“You have it. I may not have known what I signed on for when I put you in my van but I’m in. Just no more yelling at me like I’m a disobedient child. I don’t like it and I sure as hell ain’t putting up with it.”

“Sorry, I saw them and all I could see was them shooting you.”

“They were just asking for directions. Fishing. I was fine.”

He reached for her and drew her across the cushions to lie against his chest. “I was scared for you.”

Not an admission she figured he made often or easily. Turning her head so her ear placed against the solid beat of his heart, she sighed.

“I figured if I told you what I was doing you would try to stop me.”

“Damn straight I would have stopped you.”

She smiled against his torso. “I said try.”

He wrapped his arms around her. “What else did they say?”

“That they were looking for a friend of theirs and thought he’d said he was going to be along our road. I sent them to the closest motel and told them that with this weather, not many were going to be out, and they should seek shelter soon or they would get trapped in their car.”

“They bought it?”

“Why not? I wasn’t nervous. It was nothing but the truth. The roads are damn near impassable now, give it another hour and no one will be coming by.”

“And if they come back?”

“Then they will have a cold night ahead of them. If they cut the power, we use the reserve from my solar power. I’m telling you, John, we’ll be fine.”

He grunted, his uncertainty as plain as the scruff on his face. “Do you have any guns?”

“I do.” She snuggled closer to him. “Why?”

“I’d feel better if I was armed.”

“Not a fan of having them around in the house loaded, but okay. I will get them for you.”

“Why do you have guns if you don’t like them?”

“Desensitizing dogs.”

“Don’t most places use starter guns?”

“Yes, but you know as well as anyone that not all guns sound the same. What’s that same dog going to do when he hears a shotgun for the first time? They need to have a variety of sounds to know it’s not going to be a reason for fear and locking up.”

“Never looked at it that way.”

“Not many do.” She lifted her head and watched her dogs lie down nearby. “I start with firecrackers when they’re young and go up from there.”

“Don’t have a .50 cal lying around do you?”

“No, sorry,” she laughed. “Not today.” Head back on his chest, she closed her eyes. “I could scrounge one up for you if you give me some time.”

“I’m starting to think you’d be able to do just that, Leena. How, I’m not sure how, but I wouldn’t put it past you.”

“Sounded suspiciously like a compliment.”

“Can’t have that.” He buried his nose in her hair and for a while they lay there, the winds outside growing stronger with each passing minute. Not many loved winter, but she did. Loved how silent things became, how pure.

Lying inside a warm embrace like this didn’t hurt, either.

She must have fallen asleep when her eyes opened she was alone, covered by the crocheted blanket that usually hung over the back of her couch. Outside was pitch dark but the house warmly lit. She yawned and stretched. Argo lay near her and watched her as she sat. The fire burned powerfully and the air was full of…beef stew?

She got to her feet and yawned again. Walking to the kitchen, she found John in there, chopping up some fruit and putting it in a bowl.

“Evening, sleepyhead,” he said looking at her with a smile.

Her gut clenched, pussy growing wet at the glance. Damn it. He’d not shaved and his five o’clock shadow was even more prevalent. She wanted to feel it on the inner skin of her thighs as he ate her.

“You don’t have to cook for me.”

“Says the woman who didn’t have to save my life. I hardly think some stew is going to make us even.” He popped the strawberry in his mouth and she almost whimpered. John crooked his finger at her and like a puppet on a string, she went to him, unable to stop her body’s instant obedience to his command. “Open.”

He slid a strawberry piece between her lips when she listened. She curled her tongue along one of his fingers before he could take them back. His gaze burned into hers, his gray eyes becoming molten steel.

“Leena,” he rumbled.

Strawberry gone, she stepped closer, keeping his fingers in her mouth as she sucked on them. Releasing them with a pop, she smiled. “John.”

“Stop distracting me woman.” Even as he spoke, he pulled her flush to his hard body. A place she loved being. “Shit, who am I kidding? You breathing is a distraction to me.”

“Fine, I’ll be good. For now. What can I do to help?” She leaned back and brushed some hair away from his face. “Bread? Set the table?” She covered his cock with her hand and squeezed. “Blow job?”

“Christ, you’re killing me here.”

She released him and stepped back. “Fine. I’ll remove myself. I’m going to go check on the boarders. Back in a few. And before you start complaining, I’m taking Argo with me. I always take one with me. They would be able to get me back to the house if I get turned around. I’ll be fine.”

Before he could argue with her about her decision, she had left the kitchen and was bundling up to head out in the blizzard, Argo, her silent companion. Hood up protecting her face, she stepped outside into the cold. The force of it took her breath away.

Shit, this is freezing.She dropped her hand and found Argo beside her. “Come on, boy,” she said even though she was certain the wind tore her words away from him. The struggle through the snow to the kennel, took her energy and she was glad not to be out on a night like this. Yanking the door open, she breathed in relief the moment she closed it on the cold behind her.

“At least it’s warm in here. Thank God we’ve not lost power.” The four dogs in there barked as she walked up the aisle. “Argo, go lay down.” She closed the kennel door to keep him out.

He did and she didn’t waste any time taking care of the dogs. While she cleaned one side, she allowed those dogs to run around her. Then they went back and she did the same to the other side. Once all was clean and the dogs had some running time, she fixed them some food and kenneled them all back up again. Ensuring all was secure, she made sure they had enough water then left leaving them to eat with one light on and some music.

Argo waited until she got all bundled up before he leisurely rose and stretched. “Yeah, yeah,” she sniped. “Show off. I don’t have a coat like you, so I need layers. Lots and lots of layers.” She zipped up her heavy coat and turned up the hood, the fur surrounding her face. “I look and feel like a mummy. Okay, let’s go, Argo.” She sneered at the ease in which he moved by her. “You bundle up until you feel like a pig in a blanket and let’s see how fast you move. Or is that like a bloated tick. I’m not sure, either way, this is my downside to winter, right here.”

Together, they stepped out into the night.

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αβ

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John didn’t like this.It was too quiet. Sure, the storm had ended, at least the wind, it still snowed but even that quiet was too quiet. Something wasn’t right and he hated he couldn’t put his finger on it. Glancing over his shoulder from where he stood at the window, he could barely make out the prone figure of the woman whose bed he just left. Leena had come into his life at the point where he wasn’t sure he had a life left but now he wanted to make sure he did. Wanted to be with her.

Sure, part of him wondered if it wasn’t gratitude for being rescued by her, but the more time he spent with her, the less sure he was that was his reason. There was something about her that called to him. Something she struck within him no one else had ever come close to touching.

And while he hated putting any civilian in harm’s way, she was different. It bothered him on a whole other level to acknowledge he’d put her in danger from the family he’d infiltrated.

He sighed and ran a hand over the growth on his face. She may seem confident those men would have left, he wasn’t sure about that. They would be after him to make an example of him to the rest of the people they worked with. To show what happened to those who betrayed the family.

“If I could just figure out who sold me out.”

He didn’t want to think about what could happen to his brother or mother if the one who’d exposed him knew of his family. Hell, of course they did, if they had his real name they could just look him up.

Rubbing his temples, he tried to recall if they’d called him by his real name. He couldn’t remember but then a lot of the time he’d been held there was a blur. Except for the pain, that much he could remember with startling clarity. The cigarettes put out on his skin, the jumper cables, the electrodes, the knives and other varied sharp objects.

A shuddering breath left him, and he turned from the window and sank down the wall to the floor. A warm body settled next to him and he sank his fingers into the plush coat. “Pax,” he whispered to the room. The young male put his head on his lap.

“I have to figure this out. I can’t be the one responsible for your owner’s death. She’s come to mean far too much for that.” And he’d only known her for a few days. Okay, a bit longer, but he was out for a good chunk of that and wasn’t counting it as actual time that he’d gotten to know her.

“I hope you guys are as good as she thinks you are.”

A shadow passed the light coming in from the hall where she had her nightlight plugged in, she’d been leaving it on since she had to take care of him and said she’d just left it on so he could see without tripping over the dogs. John looked up to see the other three dogs looking at him.

“I get it, you’re better.”

Argo walked off but the others lingered. After a few moments, John got to his feet and made his way to her office. He pulled up the stuff they’d compiled so far, and he stared at the maps, still unable to figure out where he’d been held.

Closing his eyes, he tried to conjure up any tiny detail he could use but drew a blank. All he could see clearly were disturbing images of him killing people. Not even hesitating. He cracked his knuckles and refused to back away.

There were images of so much. Drug filled parties. Sex orgies. Rich people behavior. But still, nothing that would jeopardize any of the operations. He could remember the house he’d been in. Large, sprawling actually with all of its opulence. Available women for him at any hour of the day. All he had to do was pick what he wanted her to look like and she would be delivered to his room. Something he rarely took them up on, those times, he drugged the woman so he never had to touch her. Some may have been there willingly, but definitely not all were, and forcing a woman wasn’t his style.

His direct boss, Marlo, had consistently tried to get him to do more, he refused. Drugs messed up thinking so he didn’t touch those, and women, he always said he preferred women who weren’t served up on a platter. He enjoyed the chase.

The thought of Leena in a place like that made his blood run cold.

“Maybe if I work from what places I am sure of and go out from there, I can work something out in my head.” Even as he spoke, he reached for the phone to call his brother. It was almost time. They’d set up this time and the line would be secure. John had been unable to sleep for fear of missing the time.

He dialed the number and waited.

“John?”

Relief slammed into him. “Davis. How’s Mom?”

“I had her go stay with some family. Told her it was something to do with a case I was working on and I wanted her away from all the news on it. I sent her to Uncle Nathan’s house.”

John relaxed a fraction. “Safest place for her. No way they get to her there.”

“Never knew having her crazy prepper brother would come in handy. Thank God he’s not completely antigovernment. He didn’t want to talk to me, but when I told him his sister was in danger and that’s why I was calling, he listened. Helped when I told him I didn’t trust the cops in this matter.”

“I’m sure it did. What about you?”

“What about me? I’m a detective, it won’t do for me to up and run off somewhere. I don’t have a wife and kids so I can’t pretend we’re going to the in-laws. I’m staying alert and digging into what I can, but this family, Christ, John.”

“I know. I know.”

“Why exactly did you agree to work with the ATF on this?”

“I thought I would be able to do some good, Davis. You know how that is.”

“You already do good with SRT.”

“I know. This was different.”

“I get it. I mean, I don’t agree with you doing it, but I do understand. I have a hacker friend who’s doing some digging that I can’t do.”

“You? A hacker friend? Has to be a set of breasts involved there. No way, you let a male hacker walk free.” Davis cleared his throat and John laughed. “Thought so.”

“Are you ready to listen or no?”

“Sorry, didn’t realize I was touching a sensitive subject. Why don’t you just ask her out?”

“She’s a hacker.”

“So what? You’re a man, she’s a woman. I’m sure there’s something you could find to do with her that had nothing to do with her skills as a hacker and you being a detective.”

“Am I on a secure line with my brother who is in hiding from the ass who ratted him out to discuss my love life? Or help him get home?”

“Point taken, Davis. And given how prickly you are about it, I’ll let it go. Obviously you’ve thought about this more than once. Sorry she turned you down.”

“She didn’t turn me down, I turned her down.”

John frowned at the level of frustration in his brother’s voice. “Wait, what?”

“I’m a cop, John. Christ, please let this go. If she is with me, it will because she wants to be not because I can turn her in for hacking.”

“So you turned her down? You are such a dumbass. Her offer was because she wanted to be with you. Don’t forget as a hacker, she can do hella shit to your life and ruin it if she wants. She wanted you and you said no. Go to her, push her up against the wall and give her one chance to say no. If she doesn’t… Well, if you need me from that point on, all that porn you watched in college has gone to waste.”

“Again, focusing on your problem.”

“Mine? I got some tonight. Did you? And I’m the one who’s got people after them, I’m still getting sex. Mind blowing, toe curling, hot sweaty sex.”

“More information than I needed or ever wanted to know, John. Although I will say Ms. Leena is a looker.”

“And we’re done with this conversation. Back to the one who sold me out.”

“Thought so,” Davis teased. However, as with his brother, he was right on with his next statement. “I’ve gone to the ATF and asked them what they know. Still being stonewalled there. What exactly was the purpose of your assignment?”

“Infiltrate and bring down.”

“See, and not trashing your skills but this is why I’m so damn suspicious. They wanted you to do that when they have agents undercover in there who were supposed to have been doing the same damn thing. They could have pulled an ATF agent from another part of the country and sent them in. Why pull a member of SRT?”

“I’ve wondered that since they came to me. All I can figure is they have a mole and wanted someone from outside their circle.”

“So maybe their own undercover has turned and joined with the family, giving them intel for continued riches.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time an undercover has lost themselves. Christ, it wasn’t easy for me, Davis. Decadence everywhere you look. The lifestyle. Fast cars, sexy women, you wanted it, you had it. Sure, we had a business, but let’s face it we weren’t selling or buying guns all the time.” He shifted on the seat. “There was lots and lots of downtime. And I was just in that one aspect of their world. That family’s connections has connections.”

“Okay, I’ll see if she can hack into ATF and get me a list of their undercovers. And you’re sure about the woman you’re with now? Leena?”

“I truly doubt she’s working with them. Like I said before about it and you’ve seen her picture. Plus, if I’m all the way out here in Washington that would have been one hell of a coincidence to have her be the one to find me in that river. I hadn’t known I’d even make it that far. Or anywhere for that fact.”

“True, but until you’re home I’m going to worry. Also, let’s not forget this family hasn’t acquired all it has by being foolish. They’re damn good at what they do and very protective of their assets.”

“I know. But I trust her. Have your friend look into their ATF’s UC’s and especially with this family. I need a list of names and descriptions. Can she email them to me? Or set up a dummy email account and have you give me the log in and password so I can view their pictures without putting it into one of Leena’s email accounts?”

“I’ll have her do it.”

“Thank you, Davis.”

“You’re my brother. My baby brother. I’ll do what I have to in order to get you out of this clusterfuck and back home where you belong.”

“Thank you.” Even as the words left his mouth, he hated the idea of leaving Leena. Her place had started to feel more like home than his apartment did in Oklahoma City.

He did a bit more on trying to figure this out before he called it quits, turned off the light and walked through the still quiet house back to her bed where she slept. Pausing by the side of the mattress, he sighed then slipped beneath the covers. Leena curved into him instantly and he gathered her close.

Hell, if I have to be hiding for a while to figure out who this mole is, I can’t think of a better place to be.That thought changed seconds later when she curled one leg over him aligning his cock with her pussy. A thrust of his hips and he was deep inside her. Now there’s no better place.