19

My mind drifted as I drove down a two-lane highway, leaving New York City behind. I rubbed my bottom lip as question after question ran through my head.

What did Janine want after all these years? What could she possibly have to say to me?

After I'd walked out, I went back to talk to Janine, but she had packed her things and moved out. I'd assumed she'd gone with him and Rodriguez confirmed it a few weeks ago. So, what could she want to talk about now?

While it ate at me to know, no good would come from listening to her explanation. We would never get back together, so what would be the point?

Nikole shifted in her seat, and I kicked myself for ignoring her. I knew I wasn't much of a talker. It was one of the things Janine always said she hated about me. But I enjoyed the silence. There was calmness and safety in it. I grew up with shouting and loud noises. I ran toward them when I was in the military. Now, I just wanted silence, but I knew most people didn't feel that way, so I would try more with Nikole.

"Would you like a bottle of water?" I asked.

She turned to me. "No, I'm good. Thanks."

And resumed looking out the window. Tapping my fingers against the steering wheel, I tried to think of a neutral topic. She didn't want to talk about her nightmare, and I wasn't ready to share my thoughts about Janine with her.

"Do you watch football?"

"Football?" She turned to look at me.

I grinned at the disbelief on her face. "Yeah. You know. The great American game."

She shook her head. "No. I don't watch football. I'm not into any sports."

I nodded and wondered if that had anything to do with her father. None of your business, Jake.

"So, what do you like to do for fun?"

She shifted in her seat again, this time to face me and not the window. "You don't have to do this, you know."

"Do what?"

"Small talk to make me more comfortable. I'm fine just sitting here, looking out the window."

I nodded, a little unnerved by that. Nikole liked silence, too. I knew she wouldn't have said that just to make me feel better. She couldn't have known my preference and Nikole was always straightforward with people.

I leaned back in my seat and turned on the radio to the country music station. Nikole shifted back towards the window and hummed along to the Luke Combs song.

She had a soothing voice. Like a fine whiskey on a cold winter's night. "Can you sing?"

She shook her head. "Not in front of anyone. Only in the shower."

"That can be arranged." The words left my mouth before I could hold them back.

She whipped her head toward me and grinned. "Challenge accepted."

I imagined her singing naked in the shower as the water streamed down her body, and I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. I cleared my throat. "Um, we should be coming up to the place. Do you mind taking photos of the home while I drive up to it?"

"Sure." She pulled her phone out of her purse. "Which one is it?"

There were only farm fields around us. Barns and farmhouses were scattered here and there. But I knew from the street view of the address I checked earlier that Ed Chapman lived in a trailer park.

When his name came up as one of the people who checked out some books at the library, I found it suspicious that he'd come into the city to get them, when there were libraries closer to him than the New York City Public Library. I wanted to know if he was the tourist type, or worked in the city and would find himself there.

"We're coming up to the trailer park at the next turn. His is number 89, painted black and gray."

She nodded and held the camera ready in her lap. As the wheels hit the gravel entrance into the park, I slowed the truck down. Looking at the beat-up trucks on the grass, I realized too late that I probably shouldn't have brought the Escalade if I was trying to be inconspicuous.

"We should have taken my car," she said as she looked around, and I smiled.

"That one." She pointed to a trailer up ahead. It was black and gray, the same as I'd seen on the google street images of the place. There were several large trash bins off to one side. Nikole snapped pictures beside me as I slowly drove past the address and pulled over a couple of homes down the road.

A German Shepard stood sentry at Chapman's front door, which was simply a screen door. It must have been freezing inside, with hardly any protection from the cold. The dog didn't seem to mind; his tail wagged as he stared at our truck.

"I'm going to get out and have a closer look. See if there's anyone inside."

She nodded.

I placed my hand on her shoulder and stared into her eyes. "You are going to stay right here, inside, with the doors locked. Okay?"

She nodded again.

"You have to say it, Nikole."

She rolled her eyes. "Okay. I'm going to stay right here unless I see you're in trouble."

I sighed. "There are no exceptions. You stay in the truck."

She pressed her lips together.

I wasn't going to get her to say it. "If there's any trouble, you can call the police. There's not much else you could do for me."

She stuck out her hand. "Fine."

I shook it, then checked my holster and put in my earpiece. I asked Jager to be on standby should there be something he could look up for me quickly as I explored the property.

Stepping out of my truck, I looked around for anyone walking up the street or sitting in their front yard. The weather was nearing the freezing mark, so there wasn't anyone outside. I noticed a curtain move in the home directly across from where I parked and I waited a few minutes, but no one came outside. I wondered momentarily if Nikole would be safer next to me, but I wasn't sure what I would find on Chapman's property, so a locked vehicle was the safest spot.

The soft crunch of gravel under my shoes was the loudest noise in the neighborhood. I knew to be wary of the silence.

Despite the cold weather, there were weeds and tall shrubs surrounding Ed Chapman's trailer. There were also spare car parts in the front yard and firewood stacked against the house. The windows were all covered with what appeared to be dark flannel sheets, making it nearly impossible to decipher any movement or a shadow inside.

My stomach tightened, and my vision blurred for a second. I remembered the last time I'd felt this way. A bomb had gone off in front of me and sent a man flying twenty yards ahead.

My hand stayed ready on my weapon as I moved closer to Chapman's home. When I reached the gravel just in front of his trailer, the dog barked.

He barked, and he barked until I knew if no one had noticed my truck or me before, they definitely would be checking me out now.

"Shut up, Dahmer." An older man, wearing dirty faded blue jeans and a ragged Giants sweatshirt, pulled the dog aside.

My hand relaxed, and I dropped it away from my weapon. This wasn't the man in the video footage from the governor's office. It wasn't the delivery guy. This man was a lot older.

He looked to the left first, but then saw me. His eyes narrowed, and he called from inside, "Kid. You better get over here!"

In the next moment, a man appeared from the side of the house, pointing a rifle at my chest. He wore a black trench coat and army boots. "Get off my property!" he shouted.

My fingers inched toward my weapon. Not because he shouted at me. I was used to that. Not because he pointed a weapon at me. That had happened countless times before.

No, I wanted my gun because when I saw his face, I recognized him.

He was our guy. The same guy from the security videos. I knew it with every fiber of my body.

He primed his rifle, and I raised my hands in the air.

"Jake," a voice shouted from within the truck, and my heart stopped.

No, no, no.

I took a step back to divert his attention, but he paid no notice. I knew instantly that he had recognized her. His eyes grew bigger and he ever so slightly dropped his weapon, only to readjust it a second later.

"I didn't mean to step on your property," I said, hoping to get him to focus on me and pray that she stayed far from his shooting range.

"I'll go and won't bother you. You can put your gun down."

He didn't, but at least his eyes were on me now. His gaze drifted back and forth between me and Nikole, but he didn't move his weapon in her direction, for which I said a silent prayer of thanks.

As I walked backward slowly, feeling the ground before I took each step, Chapman raised his shoulders. He did not drop his weapon or lower it even an inch.

The feeling in my stomach grew, and I knew that something was about to happen. I didn't know what, but I knew it wouldn't be good.

When I was nearly ten feet away from my truck, I heard the engine start and Chapman looked up and pointed his gun towards Nikole.

I spun around, looking for Nikole, but she wasn't on the street. Instead, she opened the truck's front door, and I raced toward it. A shot went off, and then another.

A bullet hit my open door, narrowly missing my leg. Pulling myself up to the steering wheel, I put the truck into drive and slammed my foot on the gas. The wheels squealed, dust clouded around the tires, and the door slammed shut as the truck launched forward and barreled down the street.

"Oh, my god! Oh my god! He shot you!" Nikole screamed beside me. "Pull over."

There was no way in hell I was pulling over. Not until I was at least ten miles away from this place. I turned the corner and headed straight out of the park.

I ignored the speed limit down the dirt road, and passed the farmhouses, all while Nikole smacked my arm, and shouted at me to stop the car.

"You could bleed out. Stop and let me look at it."

"I'm fine. I just need to get us to a safe spot."

I should never have brought her with me. I knew better than to bring a civilian into a danger zone. What the fuck was I thinking?

I smacked the steering wheel and swore under my breath. Nikole backed away. At first, I was relieved, but then realized she sat lower in her seat.

"I'm sorry. I'll get you to safety. I promise."

She shook her head and bit the skin on the side of her thumb.

Shit. Fuck. Fuck. Shit.

I wanted to slam the steering wheel again, but I didn't want to scare her more than she already was.

Finally, fifteen minutes later, after I checked that no one was following us, I pulled onto another dirt road and hid the truck behind some large trees.

Shutting off the engine, I turned to her. "I'm so sorry, Nikole. I'm sorry I brought you here and put you in danger."

She shook her head. "No. No. I'm sorry that you got shot because of me."

"I'm not shot, sweetheart. I'm fine."

She blinked at me several times, then placed her hand on my forehead. "Do you feel lightheaded?"

I frowned. "No," I said, but a burning sensation tingled up my calf. I turned my head to take a closer look and sucked in a breath.

Where did all that blood come from?

A pool of dark blood gathered on the black mat underneath my feet.

"Oh my god, I knew it. I thought I saw blood on your pants when you crawled up on your seat. Let me take a closer look."

With the console between us, Nikole struggled to get closer. I pushed my seat further back to give myself room, then rolled up my pants. I'd seen enough bullet wounds to know this one had just grazed my calf. "I have a change of clothes in the backseat. Can you grab the bag for me?"

Nikole sprang into action, launching her body over the console and bending to search for the bag. She sprang back with the black sack in her hands. "Here."

"Thank you."

I unzipped the bag and pulled out a white T-shirt. Ripping the T-shirt in half, I tied a piece of the shirt just above the wound tightly. Then I used the rest of the material to wrap the wound.

Exhausted from the flight or fight response, I threw my head back against my seat and closed my eyes.

Nikole moved closer to me; her breath quickened next to mine. We held hands on top of the console and I rubbed my thumb over her fingers and knuckles, reassuring myself that she was safe.

"You're not hurt, are you?" I asked with my eyes still closed.

"No. I'm not hurt."

I nodded. "I'm sorry you were scared."

"I'm not afraid anymore. Only concerned about you."

"Don't worry about me. I've been hurt worse fighting extreme radicals."

"I thought you were a peacekeeper."

"I was talking about Canada."

She laughed, and my heart warmed at the sound. Listening to her giggle with my eyes closed, I imagined we were someplace else. "I wish we were on my boat right now."

"Why?" she asked, amusement still in her voice.

"Because I would sweep you off your feet and make you feel safe and cared for. I want you to feel like the most important person in the world."

"You want that?" she asked, quietly, all amusement gone, and whispered, "Do you want me?"

I turned and opened my eyes. Heat crept up my body as I thought about kissing her. "How could I not want you?"

She looked down at our hands, still intertwined. "The other night. When you said you were tired, I thought you were brushing me off. I thought us being together was just a casual thing for you."

"I thought it was casual sex for you," I said.

Go on, tell her all of it.

"This is embarrassing," I explained, "but the next morning, I heard you tell Sarah that you considered me vulnerable. I didn't want to be a ‘pity' project you'd get tired of and leave."

"Is that what you think? That I would leave you like that?"

I didn't move a muscle. It was exactly what I thought, but to admit it sounded pathetic.

So, I held my head high and watched as she searched my face for the answer.

I didn't know if she read the truth in it, but the next minute, she licked her lips and said, "I'm not going anywhere." Then she pulled herself over the console and straddled me.

Holy Shit!

My heart went off, beating a drum against my rib cage. She lowered her soft body onto my lap and held my face with both hands.

She stared at me, and my body fought for control. One beat, two beats. Hell, I couldn't wait any longer.

I grabbed the back of her head and pulled her in for a kiss. Our lips met and there was a frenzy between us I'd never felt with her or anyone else before. An incredible need to be filled that second or I couldn't breathe.

Her fingers tore at my T-shirt, yanking it from inside my jeans. She pushed the material up my chest and ran her hands over my pecs and abs. "I fuckin' love your body," she growled.

I would have laughed if her hand hadn't stopped at my nipple and caressed it. The flat tip hardened, and my dick, right along with it. I groaned into her mouth when she pressed her lips against mine.

"I want you so bad, baby," I whispered between breaths. "I want to feel every inch of you."

She met my words with a fervent kiss, her tongue darting in and out of my mouth, teasing me and driving me insane. I needed to feel her, every part of her. I unclasped her bra and ran my hands over her back and front. The tips of my fingers found her nipples already rigid, and I smiled, knowing she wanted me as much as I wanted her. I pulled up her sweater and licked each one slowly, intentionally, and growled when they puckered for me. "That's it, baby."

Her back arched when I encircled my mouth around her breast and I pressed her body closer to me. I was lost in her body, deaf to the world around us, all my senses focused on her.

I had to have her.

Unbuttoning her jeans, she lifted herself and pulled them away, along with her panties. Next, she reached for me. With the same efficiency, she pulled me out and held me tightly in her hand.

I looked down at our bodies, and my blood heated to a volcanic temperature. My dick was aching to explode as she massaged and pumped me.

Grabbing her ass cheeks, I lifted her from my lap, slowly lowering her body onto my shaft. Her mouth opened, and I pulled her head down for a kiss, moaning in pleasure at having entered her sweet, sweet pussy.

"Ah." I pressed my head back against the seat as she slowly rode me. My balls tightened and my thighs burned when she moved faster and harder. I held onto her hips and kissed her breasts as she bounced to find her pleasure.

Her breath echoed next to my ear, and I knew she was close. So damn close, I could feel her walls tightening on my cock.

We weren't using protection, so I couldn't come inside of her, but there was no way she wouldn't reach climax. I licked my thumb and pressed it to her clit, circling gently at first, and then faster. Her breathing became erratic and her body jerked, but she still hadn't come. With my tongue, I flicked her nipple and pressed down hard on her clit and she exploded all over my cock.

Immediately, I pulled her off of me as I knew I couldn't hold back when she climaxed so beautifully in front of me. My thumb returned to her clit to ease the waves as she came down from her high.

With hooded eyes, she noticed my enormous erection. "You didn't finish," she said breathlessly.

"No," I said and closed my eyes regretfully. "I don't have a condom."

She placed her hand on me, pumping while the other cupped my balls. "Fuck," I whispered, as I couldn't believe how erotic a hand job was at this moment. I opened my eyes and watched as desire filled her face, her cheeks flushed and her lips a little swollen.

I'd done that to her. I'd made her come and find pleasure. Now, she was giving it to me. I wanted to last and enjoy this, but the visual in front of me was too much. Lifting my T-shirt, I felt the hot pulse of cum all over my chest. My chest heaved and sweat gathered at my nape. I'd never felt better in my entire life.

Grabbing another pair of shorts from my bag, I cleaned myself up and immediately felt the pain in my leg. She must have noticed me cringe, because she immediately jumped off my lap and into her seat. "I'm so sorry. Your leg."

I checked the bandage; it was a little bloody but nothing too serious. "I'm fine. It was worth it," I panted and smiled. "Come here."

I cupped the back of her head and pulled her in for another kiss. This one was gentler, slower, like we had all the time in the world.

And maybe we did. Maybe this was just the beginning.