"I'm good with that. I need to say goodbye to Tillie, and I'll need to spend a day or two packing up my apartment."
Mal squeezed her hand. She'd been back to the apartment once since she'd been abducted. He leaned over and whispered, "We can have a moving company come in and pack you up."
She lifted her head and accepted the kiss he offered. "True, but I want to get a few things anyway."
"We'll make the trip, then." He was rewarded with a dazzling smile.
They drove up to the house and exited the car. A long string of vehicles crested the hill in a procession to the house. "Well, son, are you ready for this?" His mother stood on the steps and looked at the slow-moving vehicles heading their way.
He put his arm around Poet and held her close as he glanced at his mother. "None of us are ever ready for days like today, but we'll do the best we can."
He held his mother's elbow as the last couple left the porch where they'd put on the reception. "I'm exhausted."
He had no doubt. She'd been 'on,' ensuring the food and drink was perfect, that each guest was greeted, and smiled through countless stories of her late husband. Richard had paid his respects and left shortly after arriving. "I can imagine. Richard didn't stay long." He turned his mom toward the house, and they strolled together.
"Oh, he's in a snit. He'll get over it. He can be quite child-like if he doesn't get his way. Much like your father was when we first were married."
"Did you ever think Dad was your soulmate?" They entered the house and their footsteps echoed on the elaborate marquetry floor.
"No. We married because it was expected." She stopped and turned to him. "I rue the day your father hurt you, and then I was complicit with my silence, but sadly it did have one silver lining. Clarissa wasn't right for you."
"Ours was a shallow relationship, of course at the time, her lack of faith hurt."
"I’m sure it did. But now you have Poet. She's such a wonderful person."
"Would you have thought that ten years ago?"
His mother blushed and shook her head. "No, but I'm not who I was ten years ago."
"Nor am I."
"She's wonderful, and I can see the connection between you."
"We're happy together and hoping for a future." He was falling in love with the woman, of that he was certain. The future was still unfolding. They'd agreed to take it one day at a time, and it seemed that pace was where they needed to be.
"Hopefully that future will include marriage."
"One day, perhaps." He patted his mother's hand and started walking toward the stairs leading to her quarters.
"Have I mentioned I'd like grandchildren?"
"At least once a day since we've taken up residence."
His mother laughed, "Only once? I'll have to do better."
She stopped him at the bottom of the stairs and nodded to the guest wing where they'd been staying. "I can make it to my room. I'll have the chef send something up for dinner. You two spend some time together."
"We'll do that." He lowered and kissed his mother on the cheek. "Good night."
He watched her climb the stairs and then headed the other direction to the suite of rooms that overlooked the gardens.
Poet smiled at him when he walked in. With a careless shrug he lost his suit jacket and flopped it over the back of one of the sofas on his way to her. He tugged at his silk tie and loosened the knot before he unfastened the button at his throat. Straddling her legs on the chaise lounge, he crawled to her and kissed her before he landed on his side and moved her closer.
"It was a long day. I bet you're exhausted." She pushed his hair from his brow and then ran her fingers through his beard. Her fascination with his beard made him smile every time she combed through it.
She kissed him, and he lost himself for a moment. She moved away and placed her good hand on his chest. "How's your mom?"
"Tired. How are you?"
"Fine. I needed to take some anti-inflammatories and keep this elevated for a bit. The swelling is gone." She wiggled the fingers of her casted arm, tickling his stomach. "I'm sorry for leaving early."
"A half hour is not early. I'm sorry for my mother's comments… again."
Poet chuckled. "How about a compromise. You stop apologizing about your mother's comments, and I'll stop apologizing about my mother's. They are cut from the same fabric. I think they've already planned our wedding and named their grandchildren." She used her good hand to unbutton the rest of his shirt.
"Nothing like outside pressure." He removed his tie and unfastened his cufflinks, dropping them onto the table beside the chaise.
"They’re harmless. We have so many other things we need to worry about." She leaned forward and kissed his throat.
"Like?" He pushed his hips into her.
"Like how long will it take us to get to the bed." She smiled up at him.
"That is definitely a worry. What else?" He rolled on top of her and kissed her collarbone, moving her silky top with his lips.
"Is Guardian going to accept my application? Where are we going to live? How many orgasms are you going to give me tonight? How many am I going to give you?"
He lifted her shirt and kissed the lace edge of her bra. "Guardian would be a fool not to accept you. We'll live together. The place is irrelevant." He nudged the fabric out of the way and swirled his tongue, teasing her nipple until it tightened. "What was the other concern?"
"Ahh… orgasms. Mine… yours." She ran her hand through his hair as he delved lower and dipped his tongue into her belly button. She giggled and curved up, dislodging him.
He stood and extended a hand to her. She took his hand, and he helped her to stand, then wrapped his arms around that small waist and walked her backward as they kissed. They bumped into an end table and something hit the floor with a thud. She attempted to pull away, but he kept walking her backward, kissing her until she wrapped her good arm around him. The closed bedroom door played backstop for several minutes. He managed to undo her slacks and drop them to the floor. She stepped from them and tilted her head back as he feasted on her long, slender neck.
Finally, he turned the knob on the door, and they almost fell when it swung open. Her laughter and his preceded them to the bed. He broke the kiss long enough to remove the rest of her clothing, careful not to catch her shirt on the cast. She squirmed to the middle of the bed as he shrugged out of his clothes and moved to cover her.
He entered her slowly and bare. They'd ditched the condoms after they’d agreed to a committed relationship. The definition for both of them was exclusive. Any other labels weren't welcome. The sexual chemistry flowed between them like molten lava, and from that current, the progression of their time together produced a fertile soil to nurture their relationship.
He held his weight over her, careful of the cast. They'd experimented, finding ways to stoke the heat between them. She wrapped one arm around his neck, but he didn't lower to her this time. Her flushed cheeks and kiss-swollen lips were the most beautiful things he'd ever seen.
"What?" She smiled up at him and arched her hips, seating him deeper inside of her.
"Is it too early to tell you that I'm in love with you?" He withdrew and moved forward slowly.
Her eyes fluttered shut, and she sighed. "I know."
He chuckled. "You know?"
"Mmmm... just like you know I love you." She opened her blue eyes and tugged at him again, wanting a kiss.
He lowered and spoke against her lips. "You're amazing."
A low sexy laugh rumbled through her. "We're amazing… together. Now shut up and give me an orgasm."
"Bossy." He nipped at her lips with his teeth, finally kissing her when she begged.
He held her as she shattered under him. His orgasm was stolen from him when her body gripped tightly around his shaft.
Poet rolled on her good arm and pressed against him, connecting flesh against flesh. "I'm looking forward to finding my future, with you."
He traile
d his fingertips along her arm. "It won't be easy."
She sighed. "Nothing in life that is worthwhile is easy, but I promise to do the best I can to be your lover, and partner in life, each and every day."
He turned toward her and lifted her chin, echoing her words back to her. "I promise to do the best I can to be your lover, and partner in life, each and every day."
"Don't tell our moms, but I think we made a commitment." She kissed him and snuggled closer.
He sighed and closed his eyes. They had. It was a commitment, a promise, and a new way of looking at life. One he'd cherish and grow with each passing day.
Epilogue
Mal took a drink of his green tea. “The sentencing wasn’t a surprise to anyone.”
“I hate it. That bastard should be in jail, not a mental institution.” Jason leaned back and took a long pull from his soda can.
“Poet called it. Giles and Watson were in this together. Finding all the recordings on Giles’ computer put the murders on Watson. Same mask, same clothes, same size and the eyes when they are on film match Watson. That phone with the URLs on it had to have been dropped by Watson or Giles at the first death scene. As far as the computer files Jewell extracted, the originating IP address was the same each time. The same IP assigned to the computer equipment that was taken from the house. Watson killed those women and Giles had the films for each of the murders. I feel sorry for his half brother. The man was in the absolute wrong place at the wrong time.”
"Why did his brother go to the house? I never understood the timing or the reason for that man showing up."
"Yeah, the half brother was the actual owner of the house. He was paying Watson for the house. It was a purchase agreement they'd finalized with a lawyer. Jewell tracked the money and the paperwork."
"I got that, but why that day?" Jason took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
"Believe it or not a water bill is why he went down to the house."
"A what?"
"His girlfriend said he got a water bill for the house that was over three hundred dollars. Since they'd only stayed at the house once they thought a pipe may have broken. He went to the house to check on it."
"What was Watson using so much water on?"
"He wasn't. The pipe from the road had broken. That's why it was so damn muddy when I was going through the woods."
"How did Watson think he could get away murdering his brother?"
"I don't know. When I stopped him in front of the house, he was trying to get Poet to his car. My gut is telling me he was going to finish what he started. He had a fall back plan, but I don't know if we'll ever find out what that was. He's not talking."
"The DNA on the mask had both Watson's and his half brother's markers on the inside." Jason shook his head. “He isn’t mentally insane."
Mal shook his head. "I don't know. I saw him in that jail cell before they transferred him. He was having a conversation, but there was no one in the cell with him. Seemed like there was enough evidence to support a possible psychiatric diagnosis to me."
"I don't believe that act for a second, but the shrinks must. He’s fucking smart and devious. He should be on death row.” Jason growled. “But rehashing Watson isn’t why you’re here. Is it?”
“I’ll trash that man every chance I get, but no. I was hoping for a final decision.”
Jason reached for and opened a file on his desk and nodded. “We’ve approved your proposal. It’ll be an uphill struggle. The areas they drop you into could be hostile." Jason tossed the folder across his desk.
Mal picked it up and fixated on the big red ‘Approved’ sticker on the outside of the cover. "Anything worthwhile always is a struggle, and I'm confident we'll be able to cover each other's six." He'd brought this proposal to Jason six months ago. After it had been reviewed by God and creation, Jason had finally signed off on his request to become a deployable medic. The prompt for the idea came after they'd lost several team members that might have made it if a medic could be deployed to reach the injured Guardian within the first twenty-four hours. It was what he trained in the Air Force to do, but now he was doing it as a doctor, with his assistant.
"Is she jump certified yet?"
"Hell, yeah. We both recertified. Accelerated Freefall Skydive Training. Poet aced her advanced EMT certification, and we've both made it through the physical skills challenge at The Rose."
Jason chuckled. "How did she take to staying above ground at the facility and being blindfolded on the drive?"
"Honestly, she fell asleep on the way there and back. Poet doesn't want to know anything about the place. She never suspected there was anything underground. She and Tempest spent time together when I wasn’t around. Other than that, she studied and kicked ass on all her tests."
"How is Tempest?"
"He's... he's recovering. He's getting back into training. He's determined. He'll make it."
"It's been a long slow recovery."
"Physically, Ember could release him at any time. He's fit enough."
"Wheeler has a few more assessments to do."
"Agreed. One other thing. Poet and I are getting married. You're invited. My mom and hers are going crazy with the plans. Poet told them she was picking her dress and the rest of it was totally up to them. So, would you care to be one of the multitudes coming to the event?"
"Multitudes?"
"People we didn't even know we knew are coming. Six hundred guests so far."
"Holy hell. Do you need crowd control?"
"Don't offer it, I may take you up on it."
"I think I may decline. Taking the family into crowds takes extra teams for security."
"Sure, I get that, but you're giving up a chance to see Joseph in a tux."
Jason froze and blinked once before turning his head slowly back to him. "What?"
He smiled. "He's my best man."
"Does the rest of the family know?"
Mal smiled and stood up. "Nah, I thought I'd leave that pleasure to you."
"Holy fuck, Mal, you made my year." Jason stood and cuffed him on the shoulder with one of his meaty paws.
Mal caught himself before he stumbled forward. "And you made mine by approving this program. Poet and I will be an asset."
"I know it. Otherwise I wouldn't have authorized it." Jason gave him another pat on the back before he made his exit. Damn, that man did not know his own strength.
He made his way to the elevator and got in. As the door started to close a hand split the doors and they reopened. Holy shit.
Mal chuckled and extended his hand. "Damn, I didn't expect to see you here."
The man smiled and shook his hand. "I'm not really here, so..."
He knew John from his workings at The Rose. What he did to alter government documentation and personal histories was fucking amazing. He was rumored to have worked for several agencies at one time. It was also whispered that one of those agencies had tried to have him eliminated. Why he was in D.C. was beyond his limited comprehension. "I understand. How have you been?"
"I've been... existing." The man shrugged.
Mal wondered if his past haunted him, if the rumors were true and he was a hunted man. It wasn’t his concern, but he liked the guy. "Sometimes that's all we can do."
"Indeed." He smiled briefly and spoke as the door opened. "My stop. Good day, Doctor Blue."
"Good day, Mr. Smith." Mal watched the man until the door shut. He glanced at the lighted display as the floors descended, and it occurred to him that the demons of past lives and deeds haunted most people. It appeared John Smith was no exception.
The End
Also by Kris Michaels
Hope City
HOPE CITY DUET - Brock and Sean
HOPE CITY - Brody- Book 3
Kings of the Guardian Series
Jacob: Kings of the Guardian Book 1
Joseph: Kings of the Guardian Book 2
Adam: Kings of the Guardian Book 3
Jason: Kings of the Guardian Book 4
Jared: Kings of the Guardian Book 5
Jasmine: Kings of the Guardian Book 6
Chief: The Kings of Guardian Book 7
Jewell: Kings of the Guardian Book 8
Jade: Kings of the Guardian Book 9
Justin: Kings of the Guardian Book 10
Christmas with the Kings The Kings of Guardian
Drake: Kings of the Guardian Book 11
Dixon: Kings of the Guardian Book 12
Passages: The Kings of Guardian Book 13
A Backwater Blessing: A Kings of Guardian and Heart's Desire Crossover Novella
Montana Guardian: A Kings of Guardian Novella
Guardian Defenders Series
Gabriel
Maliki
Guardian Security Shadow World
Anubis (Guardian Shadow World Book 1)
Asp (Guardian Shadow World Book 2)
Lycos (Guardian Shadow World Book 3)
Thanatos (Guardian Shadow World Book 4)
Everlight Series
An Evidence of Magic (Everlight Book 1)
An Incident of Magic (Everlight Book 2)
STAND ALONE NOVELS
SEAL Forever - Silver SEALs
A Heart's Desire - Stand Alone
Hot SEAL, Single Malt (SEALs in Paradise)
Hot SEAL, Savannah Nights (SEALs in Paradise)
About the Author
USA Today and Amazon Bestselling Author, Kris Michaels is the alter ego of a happily married wife and mother. She writes romance, usually with characters from military and law enforcement backgrounds.
Maliki (Guardian Defenders Book 2) Page 25