Taking It Slow (Code of Honor Book 4)

by Reese Knightley

  Spencer held the man’s gaze.

  “What does the FBI want with me?” he said hoarsely.

  Dimples flashed in Director Taylor’s cheeks, making him seem more approachable than he’d first come across. The man’s next words killed that.

  “You’ve been up to some very shady dealings, Captain Turner.”

  “What?” Stunned at the accusation, he couldn’t swallow at first.

  Director Taylor slapped a thick file on the table and took a seat across from him.

  “Let’s see,” Taylor said, opening the file as if reading. “Assault and battery of a CPS agent.”

  “He attacked me!” He glared at Taylor. “You’re one to talk. Is this the way the FBI does things?” He pointed to his head and ribs.

  “I’m sorry about that,” Forest said, and then glanced down at the file before looking up.

  “You’re also accused of bribing a CPS agent.” One of Taylor’s perfectly blond eyebrows rose.

  Spencer swallowed and his gut soured. “There’s a reason for that.”

  “I know.”

  The softly spoken response turned him speechless.

  “We’ve had our eye on the county’s CPS agency for quite some time.”

  “You have?”

  “Yes.”

  “And?” he probed when Forest went quiet as if assessing him.

  “I’ve studied your situation, Spencer. And I think that you’re being forced to give them money to keep your brother out of foster care.”

  “Yes,” was all he got out through a tight throat.

  Forest nodded. “I thought so. I was looking at your jacket.” Forest flicked a finger at the file. “It’s impressive. And I thought to myself, a man with this much integrity must be being blackmailed.”

  “Yes,” he said hoarsely again.

  “I need your help to nail this bastard and the whole ring.”

  Relief swept through him and he finally let out the breath he was holding. “I’m an Army captain. I have to report to the chain of command. I can’t take this on without them knowing.”

  Forest rubbed at the barely there goatee on his chin and nodded. “Let’s say I get or I’ve gotten approval. Are you interested?”

  “Hell yes. What would you need me to do?”

  “First, let me tell you that this goes higher than Mayer.”

  “It does?”

  “Oh yes, much higher. We’re going to set up a sting and take the whole damned lot of them out.”

  “Thank fuck.”

  Forest turned over the papers in the file and withdrew one to slide across to him.

  He glanced down at the arrest report. “What am I looking at?”

  “That’s a breakdown of Wheeler and Mayer’s dealings. You’re not the only family affected. They’ve put children in hostile homes before, extorted money from the parents to keep them from being sent there again, and gave the shitty foster care parents a cut of the money.”

  “Jesus. The whole thing is a scam?”

  “Yes, everything from the shitty home, to saving the day, to extorting money, it’s all a set up.” Forest paused and looked away.

  “What aren’t you telling me?”

  “Wheeler was at your house just before the call came into emergency services.”

  Realization dawned and he slammed back in his chair, rising to his feet.

  The door flew open and several men started to enter.

  “Get out,” Forest snapped. Nobody hesitated, they fell over themselves to exit and shut the door.

  Once again, they were alone. Forest held his gaze.

  “He shot my mother.”

  “Yes. I suspected that she had threatened to spill the beans about the money you were giving him.”

  “Wesley didn’t say anything about Wheeler being there.”

  “Maybe he doesn’t know.”

  “Liam said Wesley was in his room the whole time,” he agreed slowly.

  “Liam?”

  “Colonel Liam Cobalt collected Wesley when I couldn’t be reached.”

  “I see.” Forest rubbed at his chin.

  “I need to get home.” Wesley and Liam had to be worried sick.

  “No. For now, you need to stay out of sight so they don’t think their operation is blown.”

  “It’s probably already blown.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I fought with Wheeler. He had to have called Mayer by now.”

  “No, we picked up Wheeler just as he was leaving the off base parking lot.”

  “I thought he pressed charges.”

  “The assault charges were my way of getting you to the jail so I could collect you without Mayer and his boss knowing about your involvement.”

  “No shit?” He stared, amazed with Forest.

  “No shit. I’ll have you placed in protective custody.”

  “Where?”

  Forest looked at his watch. “I’m not sure, it could take a while to get you situated.”

  “I might have a better idea.”

  Liam

  “I want him found and I want him home now,” his voice boomed out over the situation room.

  Every one of Infinity’s soldiers snapped to attention. The only ones missing were Maddox and River. Several soldiers closest to him quaked in their fucking boots.

  Good, Liam had no regrets.

  If it took a goddamned army and he was demoted for using his unit for personal use, then so fucking be it.

  One of their own was missing.

  “Colonel,” Link’s quiet voice came from just behind his shoulder and Liam closed his eyes, so fucking thankful Fury had finally arrived.

  “Link. Eagle.” He turned to the pair of leading experts in what they did best. Track, kill, and rescue.

  “What’s his last known location?” Link asked.

  “The county jail,” Liam said tightly.

  “Do you have the time of his disappearance?”

  “The local sheriff said he was removed from his cell at twenty hundred hours and taken out through the service entrance.”

  “Sounds like FBI or CIA,” Eagle said.

  Liam frowned. “Could be, but nobody is fucking talking.”

  He waved a hand at Infinity. “Dismissed. Stay ready.” His voice was tight with rage and Infinity hurried from the room.

  They knew him by now. They all better be ready to hit the ground running. The only Infinity member left in the room was Dillon. The soldier stood with his arms crossed over his chest and a worried look on his chiseled face.

  Both Eagle and Link stood strong and silent in front of Liam.

  “We can’t do shit until we have an idea of where he’s at,” Link said bluntly.

  “I know. And that’s where my brother comes in.” He nodded toward his twin.

  Logan stood off to his right on the phone trying to get through to someone. Just then, Logan snapped up right. “Fear? I need a favor.”

  Liam stepped closer when his brother explained the situation over the phone.

  “Who’s Fear?” Link asked.

  “He works for Phoenix,” Dillon replied. “Code name Fear. Used to be with Infinity. He’s best friends with the Secretary of Defense.”

  Eagle shot Dillon a curious look. “Really? Isn’t that Giovanni Rossi’s group?”

  “Yes.”

  “We can handle shit they can’t.” Link scratched the back of his neck.

  “You’d be wrong,” Dillon replied.

  “How do you know them?”

  Dillon smirked. “I got to know each of them during a joint rescue op.”

  Link’s eyes narrowed. “That doesn’t mean shit.”

  “Okay, let’s dial it down,” Eagle hissed at Link. “You don’t know what Phoenix is capable of, so shut the hell up.”

  Liam sent a dark look at Link.

  Dillon gave Link a disgusted look and then turned toward a small table that held fixings for coffee and poured a cup.

  “Phoenix goes w
herever they are needed. In fact, they can reach more places than Infinity,” Liam informed Link.

  “But not more places than Fury,” Eagle added.

  Liam gazed at the pair. “True, but in this case, more bodies are better. Not to mention, Phoenix is so goddamned lethal it would make your head spin.”

  Link blinked and then nodded.

  Liam waited to see if Logan got anywhere with Fear. If he had to, Liam would personally call Rossi to get his help and that was the reason Link and Eagle were here.

  With Fury, Infinity, and possibly Phoenix on the job, they’d find Spencer in no time. He hoped.

  “Colonel?”

  He spun when Maddox entered the room with River by his side.

  “What happened?” Maddox asked tightly.

  Liam took a deep breath and filled Maddox and River in on Spencer’s situation.

  “No way in hell would Spencer assault someone,” Maddox growled on behalf of his best friend.

  River placed a hand on Maddox’s shoulder and the captain took a long, slow breath.

  “He didn’t. That fucker came up and hit him from behind with a flashlight,” Eagle told Maddox. “I was there.”

  Logan hung up the phone and turned to the group.

  Liam held his identical twin’s green gaze.

  “Fear’s waiting for the SOD to call him back,” Logan said.

  “Let’s hope to God they can help us,” Liam growled and dropped into the chair behind his desk.

  “Surely the Secretary of Defense could find out who took Spencer,” Link said.

  “That’s if he was taken by the government,” Maddox responded worriedly.

  Liam’s stomach turned sour. He refused to think it might be someone other than a government entity that had taken Spencer.

  His cell phone buzzed with an incoming call and he frowned at the 562 area code.

  “Hello?”

  “Colonel Liam Cobalt?”

  He snapped up straighter. “This is he,” he growled into the phone.

  “My name is FBI Director Forest Taylor and I have someone here who wants to speak with you.”

  His breath stalled and his eyes watered. There was a rustling over the phone and then the voice he’d been waiting for spoke, bringing the world back into focus.

  “Liam?”

  “Spencer,” he breathed, clutching the phone tightly. “Where are you?”

  “Well, I’m on my way to your house, but you need to keep it a secret. Director Taylor and I will fill you in when we get there,” Spencer said. “Is that okay?”

  “Fuck yes, it’s okay.” The words came out harsh and gritty. His palms dampened around the phone and he felt like throwing up.

  “You’ll need to clear out the house of everyone but immediate family.”

  “Okay, but I’m not at home yet,” he whispered tightly.

  “Well, I’ll be there in an hour.”

  “Okay.” He sounded like a robot.

  “Liam?”

  “Yeah?”

  “I love you.”

  He closed his eyes and his mouth went dry, the world spun, and he couldn’t say a word to save his life. After a moment, the line went dead and with more regret then he’d thought possible, he missed his chance to respond.

  “What’s going on?” Logan questioned, stepping closer, keeping his voice low and calm.

  “I need you all to trust me. I’m calling off the search. I can’t say more than that at this time, because I don’t know. But I will when I can. This is a matter of Spencer’s safety.”

  All eyes in the room were on him and then collectively, they nodded. Really, though, who was going to question his word? Well, Logan would, but never in front of his men.

  “I’ll contact Fear. He’s probably left a message, but nothing that can’t be smoothed over.”

  “Thank you, bro.”

  “Let us know if there’s anything you need,” Maddox said gruffly.

  “I’ll find out the details. If there’s any way that I can tell you about it, I will,” he promised. “Just know Spencer sounds safe.”

  After returning his brother’s hug, Liam jogged out of the building and ran to his truck.

  He was home in record time.

  Spencer

  “What happened to a clear house?”

  “I only called in Zane and Isaac,” Liam responded tightly.

  The strain around Liam’s eyes tightened Spencer’s stomach.

  “Can you give me a fucking minute?” Spencer let out a harsh growl and ran a hand over his shorn head.

  Liam caught his eyes over the top of the group of men. Forest had two FBI agents with him as well.

  “Yeah, we can give you a minute,” Forest said and pointed toward the door. Nobody argued. Even Zane and Isaac left the room Liam used as a home office.

  Liam shut the door and the quiet stretched between them.

  Spencer couldn’t look away from Liam.

  He hadn’t said it back. Liam hadn’t said that he loved him.

  “Did you hear me?” he whispered.

  Liam scowled. “Yeah, I heard you.”

  Oh, his colonel was not happy.

  “And?” He clenched his teeth. Damn, the man was irritating.

  “Come here,” Liam ordered and pointed to the spot in front of him. “Come over here and say it to my face.”

  His heart lurched and then tapped double time. Several long strides brought him across the room and he stood in front of Liam.

  How could he have ever thought he could only be friends with this man? He must have been out of his mind. Liam was nothing like the men of his past. His solemn colonel would never use his money to belittle him.

  “Say it,” Liam said huskily.

  “I love you.” He wanted to say it with all the confidence he felt, but it came out wobbly and raspy in his throat.

  Liam reached a hand out and gripped him by the shirt to pull him close.

  “Ditto, babe. It’s about damned time,” the man muttered and then Liam’s mouth was on his.

  Spencer groaned and sank his fingers into Liam’s hair, gripping it tight. He slanted his head and deepened the kiss, tangling his tongue with Liam’s and tasting him. His cock agreed wholeheartedly with Liam’s kiss and Spencer moved closer to grind his own hardness against Liam’s jean-covered cock.

  Liam moaned and bit at his lips before drawing in a harsh breath and breaking the kiss.

  “You’re fucking killing me,” Liam husked and cupped the nape of his neck.

  The hand on his neck caressed the beginning of his scalp, sending chills down his spine.

  “Fuck,” he gasped.

  Liam leaned in and settled his forehead to his and they stood like that. Spencer couldn’t take his eyes from Liam’s to save his life.

  It felt like he’d just woken up from a long sleep. Woken up from his own stupidity, and Liam was there waiting for him.

  “I’m sorry,” he began to try and explain.

  “No.” Liam shook his head, drew back, and touched his fingers over his lips. “Don’t be sorry. Everything happens in its own time.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Yeah.”

  The breath he held shuddered out. “We’re still going to need to set some boundaries.”

  Liam frowned. “What boundaries?”

  “Regarding your money.” He clenched his teeth. “And your desire to pay like I’m some charity case.”

  “I’m not.”

  “You are.”

  Liam let out a sharp, annoyed breath. “Yeah, we sure the hell are going to talk about that.”

  The knock at the door was expected, but it irritated him that he couldn’t get this said and done.

  “Come in!” Liam barked in a hard tone. The loving man from moments ago, gone.

  “Spencer!” Wesley rushed through the door and toward him.

  Spencer caught his brother tightly in his arms.

  “Shhhh, I’m okay,” he whispered to Wesley.

&nbs
p; “I thought you weren’t coming back.” Tears clogged his brother’s voice.

  “What have I always told you?” he murmured.

  “That you’ll always come home.”

  He left it at that. Catching Forest’s gaze over the top of Wesley’s head, he nodded.

  “I hate to do this, Wesley, but I need to take care of something with these guys. Think you can hang out with Adam and Jessica until I’m done?”

  Wesley drew back with a nod, then wiped a sleeve at his eyes. “Yeah, I can do that.”

  With one last glance his way, his brother left the room.

  That left Forest, Zane, and Isaac along with Liam remaining.

  Forest shut the door and walked over to take a seat at the small conference table on one side of Liam’s office.

  They all took a seat.

  Liam sat on the opposite side. Good thing, Spencer needed a clear head.

  Forest cleared his throat. “We’re dealing with some pretty powerful government officials.”

  “Good thing we have the SOD in our corner then, isn’t it?” Isaac said.

  “True,” Forest agreed. “When push comes to shove, we might need the Secretary’s pull to get the last puzzle piece out of office.”

  “And who is the last puzzle piece?” he growled.

  “Councilman James Coulier.” Forest lifted his briefcase and withdrew several documents.

  “No shit?” Zane gaped at Forest.

  “Yes. No shit. And not only does Coulier have his hands in extorting money from scared and terrified parents, he also takes advantage of children whose parents don’t care.”

  “How?” Liam frowned.

  “Coulier is selling some of the children that pass through CPS to human traffickers.”

  “Jesus, fuck,” Zane muttered.

  “Yeah. It’s another way to line his pockets.”

  “Damn it,” Isaac said tightly. “It’s bad enough homeless kids are snatched off the streets by traffickers, but to have them delivered by someone in our own fucking government?”

  “It’s sickening,” Forest agreed.

  “What’s the plan?” he asked, bringing it back to the solution rather than the problem.

  “Because of Colonel Cobalt’s level of security and access to more, I’ve okayed for you to stay here for your protection.”