She braced her hands on Delta’s chest and moved harder, faster, throwing her head back on Juju’s shoulder and letting out a low, keening cry as her orgasm dumped her over the edge again.
How pitiful that she’d had the best sex of her life and these guys couldn’t even stay around.
Danger!
Forcibly dragging her thoughts away from that mental image, she instead focused on how well and thoroughly Juju and Delta were fucking her.
Before long, she felt it growing inside her, an orgasm even stronger than before and made more powerful by both their cocks pressing against sensitive nerve endings and eclipsing her previous orgasm by…
A lot.
“That’s it, baby,” Juju said as he pushed her down onto Delta’s chest and started moving, fucking her. Once he’d exploded inside her with a satisfied moan, he pulled her up so Delta could fuck her from below, his hips frantically arching until he, too, came.
She collapsed onto Delta, breathing heavily, happy, sated.
“Love you, guys,” she whispered. “Thank you for this.”
She winced a little as Juju pulled out and went to clean up. He brought her a wet washcloth and got her cleaned up before snuggling in bed with her.
Delta simply rolled to his side, his cock going soft inside her. “Love you, too, sweetie.” He kissed her forehead.
Juju kissed the back of her neck. “Love you, honey.”
“Is that too soon for me to say it? It sounds crazy, but—”
“You forget we’ve seen a lot,” Delta said. “I’d rather say it now and be proven wrong later than never say it and regret never having told you.”
“Ditto,” Juju said.
She sighed, relaxed, and drifted into a nap.
Chapter Twenty-Four
She offered to let the guys do laundry at her house. She knew her parents were at work, so while they were waiting for them to finish drying, they had a quick roll in her bed.
It also allowed her to change clothes, grab more—including something better than the ratty old panties she’d had on—and leave a note on her parents’ bedroom door that she was working some crazy long overtime shifts.
And that she loved them.
Then they went by the gun range so she could work with her gun. Again.
This time, she did far better, both in her confidence breaking the weapon down and reassembling it, but also with her shooting. She still wasn’t a crack shot, but she was better and consistently hitting the target within the outline now.
They also stopped by her office and waited down in the car while she went to go talk to Lou.
“I think I need those personal days off after all,” she said.
He sadly nodded. “I know. I want you to take them.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Oh, you haven’t heard.” He pointed at Bailey’s empty desk. “He was found dead at his apartment last night.”
She sat back, stunned. “Shit.”
“Some sort of drug overdose or something.”
“I…I can work.”
“No, I have temps. I’m pretty much going to order a sleeper sofa for my office on the county’s dime. You need this downtime. Do not feel guilty about what goes on here. You’ve proven yourself and you’ve earned a few days off. The lights will keep running and the cameras will keep spying.” He smiled.
She thought about Waxler’s phone app, which was still on her phone. “Thanks.”
“You work yourself too hard, you’ll end up collapsing. Take five days and then we’ll see how you are.”
“Okay. Thanks.”
On her way out of the office, she paused, staring at Bailey’s desk.
How could he have died of an OD when the Kite lab was gone?
Unless he’d had a spare syringe of the stuff held back like Stu and Waxler did.
Or maybe he’d died because he didn’t get his fix? Would that mean a spate of new cases?
When she got downstairs and into her car, she told the men what she’d found out.
Both of them frowned. “We need to get back and talk to Lima,” Juju said. “Give him an update.”
Lima didn’t like the sound of that, either. “The good news is, it’ll be a fast-burning problem that will run itself out very quickly. The bad news is, no telling how many other people will fall victim to it.” He sighed. “Want some good news?”
“Duh,” all three of them said.
Lima smiled. “Our two newest acquisitions have already found something the whole other team missed and they’re going to try a new trial run of vaccine.”
“That’s good, right?”
“Very.” He waved them off. “Now go have fun. Enjoy life. Live. We won’t be here much longer.”
* * * *
It was her fourth day with the men, and the weather, unfortunately, cleared up. Kant had helped track down the other operatives from the clinic, based on information Shasta had gleaned from the computers.
It wouldn’t be reopening any time soon.
There was no reason for them to stay now. This side mission was complete.
Shasta tried to digest the news. She’d be the first to admit she was self-medicating not with drugs to dull her emotional pain, but losing herself in these two men, who she’d come to love.
Once they were alone again in the room, she addressed the elephant.
“You guys are leaving tomorrow, aren’t you?” she asked, afraid of the answer.
They nodded. “You can come with us,” Delta said.
“I can’t. I have to take care of my parents. I have to work. Without my income, they won’t survive.”
“Money’s not a pro—”
“Dude,” Juju said, a little sharply. “Respect her decision.”
“But—”
“What’d I just say? Don’t make me pull rank.”
She watched the interplay between them, the first time she’d seen them seriously disagree about something. “What’s wrong?” she asked.
Juju took her hand in his, kissing it before clasping it against his chest. “I promise you, we won’t go screwing around on you. As soon as this shit is handled, and that might only be a couple of months now, if that, we’ll come back for you.”
She glanced at Delta, who now burned holes in his partner’s skull with the dark glare he was giving the man.
With her free hand, she reached out to him. “It’s okay,” she gently told him.
Delta blinked, returning his focus to her. “I don’t want to walk away from you, babe.”
“Neither do I, but he’s right. I can barely shoot. I’m not a fighter. I have to take care of my parents. They need me. I’m all they have, and I couldn’t live with myself if I left and they lost everything.”
She pressed their hands against her chest. “I don’t want anybody but you two monkeys.” She forced a smile. “So let’s make my brains explode tonight. It’ll have to hold me until you guys come back for me.”
“Oh, we’ll do that and more, baby,” Juju said, his voice sounding hoarse, ragged.
She hoped they didn’t act sad, because if they did she couldn’t stand it. She wanted to pretend this wasn’t a good-bye, just a brief time away from them.
And tonight she wanted to focus only on them, their strength, their sexy bodies, and how they made her feel things inside and out, mentally, physically, and emotionally that she’d never dreamed possible.
Tonight’s lovemaking, unlike most of the previous times, was tender, gentle, slow. As if the men were doing the exact same thing she was and trying to memorize every inch of her body.
“I’ll wait for you guys,” she promised. “But remember your promise. You have to come back to me.”
“We will,” Juju said. “We promise.”
Nothing crazy or wild this time, just three people ignoring the inevitable for a few more hours. Juju climbed between her legs and licked her pussy, quickly making her come before he leisurely fucked her.
Delta cuddled her clos
e. “Give us what we want, baby. We want you to come again.”
Yes, they’d spent the last several days together mostly making her come.
Not complaining, though.
And yes, Juju managed to coax another orgasm from her before he let go and fucked her harder, faster, his grunt of release another sound she filed in her mental library.
One more thing she didn’t want to lose.
Then it was Delta’s turn, his brown gaze boring into hers as he slowly fucked her. “You just wait,” he said. “Next time you see us, we’ll be boinking you crazy wherever we are. I promise you.”
She reached up and cupped his palm. “Another promise I’ll hold you both to.”
Then his orgasm crested and he emptied inside her.
Idly, she thought about babies, about wondering if the three of them would ever get to that point to even have the conversation, much less be able to have them.
Cuddling together, she tried not to cry as she went to sleep.
* * * *
The three of them ate breakfast alone the next morning at the hotel. Before they left, she stood by her car with Delta and Juju and hugged and kissed both of them.
“I want to come,” she said. “I really want to come with you. But without my income, Mom and Dad will lose everything.”
Juju cupped her face in his hands. “Baby, you don’t owe us an explanation. We know you’d come if you could.” He pressed a tender kiss to her forehead. “We’ll be back before you know it.”
“Yeah,” Delta echoed, finally getting his chance to hold and kiss her. “Just be patient and stay safe.”
“And take the safety off if you’re going to shoot someone,” Juju lightly teased.
They pulled out. She waited until they did to leave, afraid she’d follow them if she spotted their exact path.
But when she drove to work, she sat out in the parking lot and cried for nearly an hour.
* * * *
Neither man spoke until well after they were in Panda’s plane and on the way to Georgia.
“You could have asked her to come with us,” Delta said.
“No. You heard her, she couldn’t afford it.” Then he looked at Delta. “Didn’t you see the pictures of what Silo’s guys did to Scooter’s friends? Do you really want her possibly getting hurt like that?”
He sighed. “No.”
“Okay, then.”
Delta laid his head back against the seat, closed his eyes, and tried not to think about her gorgeous blue eyes and those cute glasses of hers.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Shasta sat at her desk, chin propped up in her palm as she stared at her monitor.
Stu had been avenged, even though she couldn’t really tell anyone that. Not even her parents.
Kite the drug couldn’t be manufactured in Houston any longer. At least not at that site.
They’d stymied Reverend Silo’s plans in this way, at least.
So why the fuck do I feel like shit?
Oh, yeah. Juju and Delta.
In the two weeks since they’d flown out of her life, she realized how empty her life now felt. And it shocked her to realize that after only a couple of days with the men, yes, she could honestly say she thought she was in love with them. Crazy, foolhardy, stupid, naive—and true.
Is this all there is now?
Work. Home. Work.
There wouldn’t be a social life for her in the foreseeable future. Not unless Lou wanted a fag-hag girlfriend.
How could any man match up to Juju and Delta? Not just the sex, either. The men themselves. Their personalities.
What she felt for them.
She damn sure would wait until they returned, even if it was months or…hell, years.
Although the thought if it maybe being that long made her feel really sick to her stomach.
Not quite as sick as the thought that they might not come back at all.
That was something she refused to contemplate. They had to come back to her.
They’d promised.
She turned and stared at the two empty desks. Desks Lou was already on the way to filling. Shasta felt damned sorry for Bailey and Waxler. Especially for Waxler’s wife and kids.
Inside, she hurt. Ached. Not just the grief over Stu and her own simmering anger, but…
Alone.
The worse part was not being able to pick up a phone and just call Delta and Juju.
Had it not been for the money, sure, she’d have left with them. Especially since her parents were safe. But she had to take care of them.
They needed her. She couldn’t just bail and say, see ya, I’m off to save the world, sorry I can’t chip in anymore.
Downstairs at lunchtime, she went outside to sit in the shade and eat the sandwich she’d brought with her. She didn’t want to socialize, and she’d needed time away from her desk.
Away from other people.
At first, she didn’t pay any attention to the older man walking toward her.
Until she realized he was walking up to her.
She tensed until she recognized him. Although, even then, the wariness didn’t fully leave her.
“May I sit down?”
“What do you want?”
He offered a smile. “Just a couple of minutes of your time.”
Finally, she nodded.
He settled a comfortable distance away. Close enough to talk without having to raise their voices, but far enough away she didn’t think he could reach out and grab her.
It sucked that she had to think like that now, but she’d seen a different side of the world than she’d wanted to admit existed, and in her own backyard.
“So what’s your real name?” she asked.
“I can’t tell you that,” he said. “For my protection as well as yours. Let’s just say I come bearing gifts.”
“You’re not Greek, are you?”
He grinned. “I’m impressed. Not many people your age know that phrase.”
“I’m well-read. It was a cheap hobby growing up. And I’m almost thirty.”
“My apologies.” He reached into his jacket, slowing his motions when she tensed. “Sorry. Just getting something for you.” His hand emerged with an envelope.
He reached across the space and handed it to her.
She didn’t take it, at first. “What’s that?”
“An offer.”
“What kind of offer?”
“I suggest you open it and find out.” He didn’t shake the envelope at her, but the implication was there.
She finally reached out and took it. No writing on it, the plain white envelope was sealed. It felt like there was maybe a small piece of paper in it, not very much.
“I’m not going to open this and like anthrax or something is going to fall out in my lap, right?”
“I damn sure hope not. I’ve been carrying it around with me since I came back here from…where I came back here from.”
“Not going to tell me for your protection and mine?”
“Right.”
“So you left after…what happened, and then came back here?”
He nodded.
A thought hit her. “Is this from…J and D?” She didn’t know if she was under surveillance. She didn’t think she was, but she knew there were parabolic microphones that could pick stuff up at a distance. Or he could be wearing a wire.
“I suggest you open it and find out.”
She reached into her back pocket and took out the knife Juju had given her. Just looking at it made her want to cry, and she was not a crier. Not usually.
Not before…this.
Before the absolute totality of the permanence of her losses had started to really settle in and burrow under her skin.
She eased the tip of the knife under the flap and slowly sliced the envelope open.
Inside lay a three-by-five index card. On the blank side, likely printed by a computer, were several lines of text. The first two lines were a series of numbers.
Followed by three more lines.
BGSI
@littleth@nKYoU7roMu$
ty7U@wJDk2#4
As the truth started to sink in, her hand trembled. She knew exactly what this meant.
“What is this?” she finally whispered.
“Oh, you know what it is,” the man whose real name she did not know said. “The question is, Bubba said you now have a choice to make.”
Her vision blurred, tripled, as she stared at that card.
“Check it out for yourself, if you don’t believe me. That’s a tablet in your lap, is it not?”
It took her four tries to pull up the website because her fingers trembled so badly she couldn’t type right.
The login information worked.
And the line with the little commas and a decimal point?
As she’d suspected, it was a bank balance.
She immediately transferred twenty-five dollars from that account into her own personal checking account.
Her phone buzzed seconds later with a text alert, telling her she had just received a direct deposit of twenty-five dollars.
He made no move to get up, to leave.
“What…am I supposed to do with this?”
“Whatever you want. As the username says…well, you’re a hacker. You can figure it out.” He smiled.
She stared at him.
He reached—slowly—into his jacket again and pulled out an airline ticket folder. He showed her two tickets.
One with her name on it.
To depart the Houston airport that same night for Memphis.
“What’s in Memphis?” she asked.
“A friend who’s a pilot who will transfer you from my safekeeping to a destination I truly believe you wish you were at this time.”
“Is this from…them?”
“They don’t know anything about this. After Bubba debriefed me regarding my last…mission, he made an executive decision.”
The man leaned in. “You see, there’s something a lot of us old spooks don’t want to get out. We’re romantics at heart. We do what we do hoping the good guys will win and everyone lives happily-ever-after. This is your chance to find that happily-ever-after. I remembered that you said you couldn’t leave your parents because they couldn’t afford to pay the bills without your income.” He nodded. “There ya go.”
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