Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"Never mind, said Hachiko each day. Here I wait, for my friend who’s late. I will stay, just to walk beside you for one more day."

— Jess C. Scott (Skins, Animal Stories)

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Leena chewed on her thumbnail as she watched her dogs run in the snow via the back window. The temperature had plummeted after all the snow. They weren’t going anywhere for a while. She needed to bring in more wood. Better now than after darkness arrived.

“What’s going on in that head of yours?”

She couldn’t help the tug on her lips his voice gave her. She really enjoyed being around him. He’d definitely gotten better, each day his strength returned. She watched him at times he wasn’t aware and tried to envision him as a SRT member. It wasn’t a hard sell, at least not in her mind. To see him decked out in his full tactical gear didn’t do anything other than turn her on and get her wet.

“Just thinking I need to get some more wood up here while there’s still some light out. And how much fun the dogs are having.”

“Weren’t you just out?”

“I was, with the boarders. I gave them some running time but had to keep a close eye on them all, too cold for them to be out long.”

He moved up behind her, taking up ninety-nine percent of her attention. “How about I go get some of the wood and you stay in here where it’s warm.”

“I don’t mind. I was just—” she shrugged—“daydreaming I suppose.”

He settled his large, strong hands on her hips and drew her body back closer to his. The second his lips touched the curve of her neck, she tipped her head allowing him more access. A whimper slid from her and she accepted the fact she had fallen for this man. Hard.

“Say yes.”

Pure temptation fell from his lips and it wasn’t even sex he was talking about. Or was it? The hard ridge of his cock pressed into her ass as they stood there together.

“Leena.”

God, she would follow him anywhere if he would only talk to her in that tone. Her legs trembled and her nipples were painfully taut. “Yes.” The word took her three tries to push by her mouth, but she finally she managed to make it happen.

He slid his left hand along her belly to the front of her pants and pushed below the waistband. His fingertips brushed her panties and she fought for breath. Down, move down. Goddamnit, she wanted his thick fingers in her pussy. And his tongue. Or cock. Hell, any of them. All. Just something more than this teasing.

Right before he dipped below the elastic of her lacy boy shorts it clicked in her head what she was supposed to be doing there. Paying attention so the dogs didn’t stay out in the cold too long.

“I have to go.”

He nipped her neck and her clit pulsed. Gritting her teeth, she refused to beg him to just finish her off quick and took a deep—albeit shaky—breath.

“You stay in, I’ll get the dogs and wood.”

Already have the wood. “Thank you,” she managed to mutter. The moment she was alone, she slumped over and struggled not to rub her legs together, anything to give her pussy some friction to allow her to come. “God, I’m pathetic.”

To take her mind off him and what she really longed to do with him, she went to the kitchen for about five seconds then she went to her office and pulled up her email. Falling into the comfortable routine of answering her emails she lost track of time and only when a glass of wine was placed before her did, she stop to look at her watch.

She’d been in there for three hours. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. You have a business to run.”

“I didn’t even think I’d been in here that long.”

“I figured that.” He lowered himself to the edge of the desk. “Your dogs knew too. They just kind of hung out with me. Well, except Argo, I’m not even chopped liver to that boy of yours.”

Even as the smile crossed her face, she looked into the corner where Argo’s bed was. Sure enough, he lay there. Eyes may be closed but she knew he was paying attention to her on some level. “He is a one owner dog.”

“I can see that.” He dragged his knuckles along the side of her face, reawakening all those emotions she’d tried to control earlier. “Are you at a good stopping point?”

“For wine? Maybe.”

“Just wine?” He moved his touch further down her neck and along the collar of her shirt.

“God, you could tempt me to spend the rest of my life naked.”

The second he grinned, she groaned. “Yes, babe, you said that out loud and I have to say, that’s a huge ego boost.” He rolled her closer. “I’d be happy to have you naked for the rest of our lives as well.”

Deep down, she knew they didn’t have a future together, but her belly still flipped a few times at his words. Just the hint of a forever with him and she was ready to swoon like a schoolgirl. Shoving back the disappointment, she managed a smile.

“Yes, I am. Why?”

“Food’s ready.”

“You cooked again?”

“If I didn’t see how well you ate my beef stew I would take offense by that look. I do have skills in the kitchen. Tonight, however, I just put pizza in the oven.” The warmth in his gaze did more to make her realize this man fit into her life.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that. Just that you’re my guest. I should be cooking for you.”

“Again, frozen pizza doesn’t count as cooking, so I didn’t really do anything. I need to do something around here to help you.” He leaned closer. “Unless you’d like me as a boy toy.”

“You could be a toy sure but I’m damn positive there’s nothing boy about you.” Her gaze flicked down to his groin and back to meet the devilish glint in his eyes.

“Good of you to notice.” He lifted her from the seat to stand between his legs.

“Hard not to.”

“Pizza,” he groaned.

“Pizza,” she conceded. “Do I get to pick what I want for dessert?”

“As long as I’m part of it, of course.” He hopped off and slipped his hand in hers. The gesture while simple meant more than she wanted to admit.

They watched a movie while they ate, and she cleaned up since he’d prepared the food. After bedding down the kennel dogs for the night, they brought up more wood and got her dogs situated as well. Then he took her back to the couch and drew her down to lay against him before the fire.

“What got you into doing dog training?”

“My parents were cops. My dad was a K-9 officer. He had built the training facility here to help his connection with his partner. Leelo, was his first one. She was a Dutch shepherd. I was just small, but I would spend hours out there watching them work. When I got my first dog, my dad put me out on the course and Sparky—who was a lab—and I would go through the course as well. Nothing nearly as good as dad but it grew on me. I joined a training class and started competing by age nine in the ring. I’ve seen a lot of trainers both good and bad and I’ve implemented what works for me. I’ve studied wolves and see how their hierarchy works, as well as other pack animals.”

He shifted and lay a leg out along the back of the couch then readjusted her to lie back against him. She snuggled close, enjoying being in his arms.

“When we lost mom to cancer, he stopped going out as much and became an instructor. So, then this building went up and he began holding classes out here. I was teaching them by the time I was in high school. The older dad got the more of the teaching I took over, but he was still there, watching, correcting, offering up his suggestions. All the while he was dropping hints, we should have a kennel as well. So, eventually that went up.”

“When did you lose him?”

Her heart clenched and tears burned the insides of her lids. “It’s been a while now. He’s been gone for eight years.”

His lips moved along her temple. “I’m sorry for your loss. I can’t imagine what it would be like to lose my mom.”

She rubbed his forearm. “What about your father?”

“Some deadbeat, not sure. Left us when Davis was months old and she was pregnant with me. I guess he’d changed a diaper and found it to be much more difficult than lifting a beer to his lips. So, it became that going out for something reason and not ever coming back.”

“For what it’s worth, your mom did a super job in raising you.”

“She is a hell of a woman. She’ll like you.”

More of that talk which indicated a future. She tried not to let it take root and grow more hope, but it was a futile effort attempting to stop it. Shit worked like it ate fifty pounds of MiracleGro.

“How did you get into SRT?”

“Walking a beat just didn’t hold the appeal for me. Nothing wrong with it, just I am addicted to the adrenaline. And when we get a call, it’s a situation that has that pumped up.”

“Any women on your team or just men?”

“Men. We had a woman on the team once, but she was off for maternity leave before I went under. Although I wouldn’t put it past her to have tried to suit up even knocked up.”

She smiled at the visual. “Are you busy?” She moved and stretched out her toes. “I mean, were you called out a lot?”

“It rode different highs and lows. We could be balls to the wall one day and nothing the next. I loved the uncertainty how you never knew if you would be in house all day or if you’d be going through the city in your truck.”

“You sound like a little kid in a toy or candy store.”

“Don’t get me wrong, I hate that bad shit happens, but I love my job.”

And there went part of the root holding down that newfound hope for a future. “I can hear that in your voice. Not to mention if you didn’t, I doubt you would have given it up to help out another agency.”

“I’m surprised you didn’t become a cop if both parents were in blue.”

“A lot of people, were but in truth I’m much better with dogs than people. I don’t do so well with them. I tend to find them annoying and unfortunately stupid, worrying about petty items and let’s face it, nasty. Dogs aren’t mean.” She yawned and checked the fire. “Besides, when I was ten, dad told me I couldn’t be a cop.”

“He told you that?”

“Yes. I was busy telling another child how wrong they were for how they had the collar on their dog and wasn’t being very nice about it. According to him, the tact that made people good cops had missed me by a few galaxies.”

His laugh moved her as she lay against his chest. “I would have liked to have met your father.”

“He would have liked you right up until he found out you’d touched me.”

“I have done that, haven’t I?” He moved his hands over her breasts, awakening her body further.

“More than once, I’d say.”

“I think you’re right and I think I should do it again.” He turned her head and kissed her. “A lot more.”

She rolled into him and wound her arms up around his neck. I think you should as well. An encouraging moan left her mouth as his hands slipped up beneath her shirt. This is how my nights should all end.

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αβ

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The ringingof the phone woke him from the sated sleep that he’d found solace in after enjoying Leena’s body. Reaching out he fumbled around until he found the item and pulled it to his ear.

“Hello?” he rasped.

“Did I wake you?”

The amusement in his brother’s voice tugged the last vestiges of sleep from him. “Go to hell, Davis.” His location sank in. “What are you calling about? And why am I answering her phone?”

He sat only to find he was alone in the room. Not even a dog in there for company. The overcast day still snowed, but not nearly as hard as it had been yesterday. But sure enough, he’d answered her phone as if he lived there.

Yawning, he climbed out of bed. “What’s up, Davis?”

“I got something.”

Three words that wiped away his exhaustion. “I’m listening.” He searched for his pants and tugged them on one handed as he made his way down to her office. There he sat at the desk and pulled up the information he had been trying to sort out.

“ATF agent Wilson Snow. Ring any bells?”

“Yes. I remember him. Like he should have been on a recruiting poster for the military. Big, muscles, lacking a brain. Why?”

“He’s got a few private accounts in the Caymans.”

“How’d he keep them from being discovered?”

“It took my girl a bit to dig them up. Whoever he has hiding his money is damn good.”

A smile twitched. “Not better than your girl though, huh?”

“No one is.” Davis cleared his throat. “And here’s where it gets good. She found a link between one of his accounts to a holding company for your favorite gun running and all around shitty family the Fyodorov’s.”

“Shit, we got them.”

“Not really. Keep in mind what she did wasn’t exactly legal and I’m not giving her up for something they can get thrown out with a good lawyer because it wasn’t following the letter of the law. We have to get them another way.”

“Damn it.” As much as he wanted to argue, he knew Davis was right. He wasn’t going to risk this woman going to jail for breaking the law when she’d done it to assist him. “Okay, put what dirt you dug up on that fuck in the email account she set up for me. I’ll print it off and start reading.”

“So sure there’s more on him?”

“You said nobody was better. I’m taking you at that word so I’m sure she found something else we can work with.”

“When are you coming home?”

“We’re snowed in right now, so I’m not going anywhere until the roads are passable.”

“Let’s assume the roads were passable. When would you be coming home?”

“I don’t know, Davis. Until I know who and what numbers I’m up against, I don’t think I should be coming back. I don’t want to have to run again before I can take them down. And if they have a connection in the ATF I’m going to assume they have one in the department I was in as well.”

“Oh, they do.”

“Who?” God, he could use some coffee. Leena had been insatiable last night, and he wasn’t complaining, but he was exhausted. How the hell did that woman get out of bed, he’d been sure she was as beat as he’d been by the time, they stopped fucking like bunnies.

“Stop thinking about your piece of ass, John and listen.”

“Who says I wasn’t?”

“Because you moaned her name.”

“Blow me,” he snapped. Pushing away from the desk he went to start some coffee only to find a pot waiting for him. “I’m listening, just getting some coffee if that’s okay with you, big brother.”

“Tiltman is their contact in your department.”

“Bobby? Are you sure about that? Shit, he knows about Mom, damn near everything. I’m sure he has people watching my place. He knows exactly where it is. And about you, you’ve met him.”

“I remember. In fact, I just saw him and he acted like nothing was wrong. Like he’d not sold you out to the family.”

“Davis,” he warned. “Davis don’t.”

“She found some video of them together. Tiltman has more than just a small connection to the family, he’s related.”

John dropped the spoon he’d been mixing the sugar into the java with. “What? How the hell did no one see that?”

“People bury things they don’t want known. They created an entire false identity to put him in the department.”

“What the fuck for?” He clenched his fist. How many other UC’s had this fucker ratted out?

“I suspect the same thing you do. To have someone on the inside. Money trails can be followed but if you have someone on the inside you can trust, it’s all the difference. You know that.”

The exact reason, he’d gone undercover. To try and bring them down from the inside. “This is all fucked up.”

“Not ideal, I won’t lie.”

John smiled at the sight of the dogs running through the snow as Leena drove by plowing the driveway. “What about the leader of the operation within the ATF? Think they can be trusted?”

“She’s still checking. Honestly, John. I want to keep this circle small. To ones we trust.”

“You, me, a hacker, and a daughter of two cops.” He gave a wry chuckle. “This is going to be interesting.”

“She’s not just the daughter of cops, John. She’s very well known. Cops most places know her, or rather at least know of her name and that of her kennel.”

“I know. We talked about it.”

“And you’re sure you can trust a woman who had cops as parents? She may feel some loyalty to the brotherhood and give you up.”

“No chance.” The words fell without hesitation from his lips. “I trust her with my life. She’s had cops out here and hasn’t turned me in to them yet. She knows I was undercover but she didn’t turn me in knowing they would be looking.”

“I’m not sure.”

“Look, Davis,” he said, voice hard. “I don’t have tons of options here, I get that, of who I can trust but Leena is one of them. I trust her. You can trust her.”

“I get it, I’ll back off. She said she needs to know if there’s anything you can think of what may help her narrow down the search of if there’s a connection between Tiltman and this family. Was there any place that he may have frequented but paid cash so not to leave a trail?”

“He liked his strip clubs and bars. But he also frequented casinos. They have close circuit cameras, though, she won’t be able to tap into them, will she?”

“She will.”

“I think I need to meet this woman of yours.”

“Not mine but you come home and I’ll set up a meeting for you.”

“Don’t look now, brother, but you’re sounding possessive even while you spout that she’s not yours.”

“Fuck you.”

“Perhaps you should take her up on that.”

“John,” he growled.

“Just a suggestion.” He held up his hand as if his brother were before him and could see the gesture. “I’m done. I’ll do some thinking and get it into the email.”

“Good. I’ll let you get back to whatever you were doing.”

“I was in bed.”

“Not asking, bro.”

“Sleeping you ass. She’s outside.”

“Let me get this straight. It’s basically a snowed in situation and instead of being in where it’s warm with you, she’s out in the cold and snow?”

“Just because it’s snowing doesn’t mean she doesn’t have work to do. She’s got boarders here.”

“Get that woman in bed, brother.”

“Says the man who turned down sex from someone who he obviously wants.”

“Remind me to beat you up when I see you next.”

“I’ll remind you to try.”

“I’m still your older brother.”

“Who’s been unable to whup my ass in years. I’ve healed from the shit they put me through, so you don’t stand a chance.”

“We’ll see. Keep yourself safe, John. I expect to see you soon.”

“You too, Davis.” He ended the call and drank half the cup of coffee. Tiltman. Damn fucker. I’ll make you pay for this. Not to mention the bastard in the ATF as well. He wasn’t sure which one sold him out, both knew he was a cop so either could have spilled. However, if it had come from Tiltman surely he would have been found out sooner if they’d asked their contacts within the department. Unless it had just taken them that long. Either way someone was going to pay.

The rumble of the engine drew his attention from the problems at hand to the woman on the tractor. Her face was ruddy from the cold, even her darker skin couldn’t hide all of that. The smile bespoke of her joy and the dogs ran around her, avoiding her but still keeping pace.

He looked around and saw she’d done in front of her garage and on down the driveway as well as a path to the kennel and training facility. When she drove out of sight, he shoved his feet into boots and shrugged into a coat and stepped outside to join her.

The cold air slapped him hard and he swore. The warm bed was so much better. Pax ran over to him followed by Hope and Erma. Argo turned his head in John’s direction but that was the extent of his welcome.

“Good to see you too, boy,” he muttered dryly. Patting Pax on the head, he followed the dogs to where Leena disembarked from the tractor. Her black pants clung to her form and he whistled.

She turned and waved as she tugged up the collar on her green coat. “Morning.”

“You snuck out of bed.”

“Trust me, as sore as I am, there was no sneaking. I basically groaned with every move I made. I’m surprised I didn’t wake you but then you’re still recovering from your injuries.”

He let the comment go. It bothered him he’d not known she’d gotten up. “What are you doing?”

“Daily workings. I don’t want there to be too much snow to plow. So this way it keeps it manageable. I have to bring the dogs back in. I think they’ve been out long enough.”

“They seem happy enough.”

“The boarding ones. Not mine.”

He fell into step beside her and with a comfortable silence between them, they went to the kennel. As she continued on to the training center, he returned to the house and printed off the files Davis had sent him and got to reading.