Melissa nodded her head.
“You have a point, but remember they’re already attracted to the woman who has shown independence, courage, and determination. They know you care for them because you gave them a part of you that no other man will ever have. This time apart, them giving you the space and the encouragement to follow your heart, might help you to accept their love, their protection, and all they have to offer you as their woman.”
Diane understood that. She just hoped that the men would, and that nagging sensation in her gut she had hearing Drake and Mark talk about an old lover and fellow agent, who went missing, wasn’t something more. Something that could tear them apart before they were even fully together.
* * * *
“Is he still in his office on the phone?” Drake asked Lucas as Lucas walked into the workroom. Drake was putting together the clock mechanisms before adding them to the new clock he just completed. The next step would be staining it to the color the customer ordered.
“He is.”
“What the fuck? He said he was done. He told us he was going to tell his commander that he was through with the agency.”
“Drake, you know that leaving something like this isn’t that easy. It may take some time.”
“Time he could be spending getting to know Diane. Learning about her wants and desires.”
“I know that, and he’ll be with her, too, when she comes here later tonight. This case is different.”
“Because of Brenda. He wasn’t even honest about what she meant to him.”
“Drake, you’re blowing this out of proportion.”
“Am I, Lucas? Think about it. It’s like he needs to be the one to find her. Let someone else do it. Hell, what about her current boyfriend?”
“It’s not like that. I’m telling you that he said they were friends and he feels obligated to try and help with this case. After all, it was something they were involved in that fell through and the agency never revisited.”
“Until now. What if something happens to him? You didn’t hear him this morning or see him staring at Brenda’s picture.”
Lucas’s eyes widened and then he looked more serious. “He told Diane he loves her. We both heard him.”
“Well, he has a hell of a way of showing it.” Drake looked back down at the clock and continued to work. He glanced up a few minutes later and saw Lucas staring at Diane’s picture on his desk. He took that shot six months ago in the park. She didn’t even see him with the camera.
“I miss her,” Lucas whispered.
“I do, too.” Just then Drake and Lucas’s cell phone beeped indicating they had a text message.
They both reached for their phones and glanced down.
“Diane?” Lucas asked Drake and Drake nodded.
“Guess we’re doing dinner out tonight with Sage and her men,” Drake added.
“This is a good thing? I’m not a social person,” Lucas stated.
Drake chuckled. “Welcome to having a girlfriend, brother. No more being a hermit. Sage and Diane are best friends. We get along very well with Dale, Virgo, Matt, and Quaid. It might be fun.”
Lucas rolled his eyes. “I’d rather stay home with Diane and just be with her.”
Drake smiled. Maybe this would be good for Lucas, and could help him be more social. Drake just hoped that the night would take away the trepidation he felt inside. Could Mark give up this case and focus on Diane with them? Or would his brother become obsessed with finding out what really happened to Brenda? Feeling frustrated and angry, he released a sigh and focused on his work and on seeing Diane tonight. He’d worry about Mark later.
* * * *
“I want to know the minute the raid is complete. From my connections, Marzban’s hands are all over this. He won’t be able to pin it on someone else. He screwed up, and now we’ve got him,” Mark stated into the phone as he pulled up the live surveillance of the shipping docks off the Florida Keys.
“You did great, Mark. This is what we needed. Did you hear from your other informant? Was Brenda sighted again?” Mark asked Brenda’s commander.
“No. There’s been no sign of her, but Marzban is on the move and here in the United States. He’s not far from the location of this shipment,” Commander Liam Franks told him.
“Wouldn’t that be great if Marzban was in the shipyard when SWAT and FBI raid the place?”
Franks chuckled. “That would be too easy. Thanks again for your help, and I will keep you posted.” Mark disconnected the call and then looked at his phone. He had a text message. When he saw it was from Diane, he smiled.
He read the text and saw that she sent the message about dinner to Drake and Lucas. His brother was pissed at him. He was going to be even angrier when he told Drake he needed to stay on this case for a few more days at least. He was helping to solve that old crime and to halt the efforts of illegal stolen weapons to be shipped overseas. This was big stuff, important steps in securing this country and the innocent people. It would hit Marzban where it would hurt most. In his pockets.
Plus, it would also send a message that he wasn’t too smart to trick everyone, and if Brenda was still alive, she would figure out that Mark was the one behind the raid and figuring things out. She knew how resourceful he was, and how many informants he had. Maybe there would be good news by tonight, and he could solely focus on Diane and making love to her again. He missed her and wondered, as he texted her back, why his stomach ached, and why he felt guilty.
He glanced at the computer screen and Brenda’s picture. He couldn’t get himself to believe that she committed treason and was in cahoots with Marzban. Something was entirely wrong about this operation, and he was going to figure out what.
Chapter 10
“He’s a dead man. He wants to fuck with me? He wants to try and destroy what I have been working so hard for? Let’s see how he feels about this!” Marzban yelled into the phone at Zand Yousef and then slammed the phone down.
He stood up, walked toward the balcony of the private villa and stared at the sunset.
He just lost over three million dollars of an investment. Never mind the twelve men who were overseeing the operation. Zand and Arshad were lucky to have placed someone else in charge of completing the operation or the feds would have them in custody, too. Now he had to send men in to kill off those men so no one would snitch him out. This was supposed to be a foolproof operation. Who gave them up? Who double-crossed them? He paced the balcony and thought about the key players. It came to him suddenly as he stared toward the closed bedroom door. Brenda was supposed to be taking a bath.
His phone rang. He walked toward his desk to answer it. He saw that it was Arshad.
“I’ve got a few names. Do you want it done messy or just a warning? Give me all the details. I will decide who will die and who will live with the fear of not knowing where or when I will get them, just that I’m coming. The message must be loud and clear,” Marzban replied.
* * * *
Diane was smiling after Drake, Lucas, and Mark expressed in kisses how much they missed her today. She was overwhelmed with desire, and they still needed to get through dinner with Sage and her men and of course the main topic of discussion, New York. Sage had texted fifteen minutes ago and said that her men were concerned and not certain they felt comfortable letting her go. But she also added that she had ways of convincing them and hoped Diane didn’t mind if they left dinner early. Diane chuckled. She wondered if someday she would have that type of relationship with Drake, Lucas, and Mark.
Drake squeezed her hand as Lucas placed his arm around her waist and both guided her through the back room of the restaurant. Abigail had saved a large table in the back corner for the nine guests.
They greeted their friends, and Lucas squeezed her hand. She knew that he wasn’t into the social scene and preferred time alone, but she was glad he was here. She wondered if he was doing it because of her, and that kind of made her feel guilty for questioning their commitment. But t
hey really didn’t specifically say they were committed to only her. They said they had wanted her for a long time and that they cared for her, but how serious was this relationship and did they just expect her to fall right into the place by their side as their woman because they spent one night together? That was moving fast, and her fear, her insecurities were begging for them to put on the breaks.
“You look beautiful tonight, Diane,” Matt told her as he kissed her cheek hello.
“Thank you. This was a great idea, getting together for dinner,” she added, as Quaid and Virgo said hello while Dale shook Lucas’s hand. Mark kissed Sage’s cheek hello and then they all took a seat around the table.
“Well, considering that you two planned this little gathering to talk about New York, I’m sure it’s going to be memorable,” Matt replied as he gave Sage the stare down. Sage lowered her eyes and tried to hide her smirk.
Diane felt her own cheeks warm and then Drake’s hand squeeze her knee under the table.
“Did you really think that we forgot about you leaving us for New York?” he asked.
She opened her mouth to speak and then closed it again. Gathering her thoughts, she looked toward Lucas and Mark, then Sage and smiled.
“Of course not. This is something that I need to do and I thought Sage might enjoy it as well.”
“Her men aren’t too keen on her going off to New York alone with you,” Mark stated.
“We’re not going to be alone. We’re going with Elvira. We’ll have an escort as soon as we land in New York, and a limo driver throughout our stay. Monique has thought of everything.”
“Not everything,” Drake added and then crossed his arms in front of his chest.
“I spoke with her before I came to pick you up,” Mark told her and then nodded toward Matt.
“We both did,” Matt said.
Diane was shocked. “Why would you do that? How did you—”
“You are our responsibility now,” Mark told her.
“As Sage is ours,” Quaid added.
She saw their firm expressions and the reality of their commitment to Sage, and her own men’s commitment to her was becoming clearer. She couldn’t find fault in this. It kind of made her feel aroused for some odd reason. She pretended annoyance until Mark nodded toward Matt. “Want to explain the details?”
Matt held a firm expression and glanced at Sage.
“Monique is changing a few things around. Mark and I made some calls to New York and just so happen to know the owner of the security firm responsible for security of the building you’ll be modeling in and where you’ll be spending most of the time you’re in New York. We expect Sage to keep us abreast of your schedule and where you’ll be at all times,” Matt told them.
“Sage has been briefed on our expectations and what she needs to do to ensure your safety and her own,” Mark added.
“Briefed?” Diane asked, feeling her belly tighten and other parts begin to react to this authoritative side of Mark. That was when she felt Drake’s hand inch between her thighs.
She swallowed hard, straightened her shoulders, and nodded her head.
“Well then, let’s enjoy dinner,” Diane stated and nearly moaned as Drake’s fingers pressed against her mound. She knew her panties were instantly wet, and she prayed she got through dinner. These men were definitely laying down the law in their own special way. Surprisingly, she enjoyed it, and looked forward to what they surely had in store for her once they got her to their place.
* * * *
The scent of her perfume, the sexy little skirt and top she wore, and simply the way her abundant, chocolate locks cascaded down her back was too much for him to resist. Drake lifted her up into his arms before they even reached the truck.
“Drake,” she scolded him as she gripped his shoulders and looked down into his eyes. He surely hoped that she saw the instant desire and the need to be inside of her. Drake didn’t want her to leave New York, but after talking with Matt and Quaid, and their ideas of security for the women, plus their insight into why Diane was so insistent on going, they knew they needed to allow this space.
He cupped her ass cheeks as he thrust upward just as they reached the truck. He pressed her against the side door.
“I can’t wait to be inside of you. I wish I could take you right here against the truck.”
“Oh God, Drake, I wish that, too,” she told him, making his dick even harder.
“Get her in the truck,” Mark ordered.
She shivered in Drake’s arms.
“I think someone likes being ordered around.” He covered her lips and plunged his tongue deeply inside of her mouth. He explored her thoroughly until he felt the light shove against his back. Lucas was getting him back on track.
Drake lifted her into the backseat and climbed right in over her body, causing her to lie down flat across the leather seats. He caressed her thighs, pushing the material of her skirt to her waist.
“I love the color pink,” he told her as his eyes zeroed in on the pink, lace, see-through panties she wore. He heard the door close, the engine start and the truck begin to move.
“These are in the way of dessert.”
Her eyes glistened with desire. He nearly lost all control as Diane gripped the small material and pulled it off her and tossed it to the front seat onto Mark who was driving.
“Diane,” Mark reprimanded with teeth clenched.
Diane smirked at Drake, giving him a wink, the little minx.
He pressed his palms up her thighs and brought his thumbs to her cunt and pressed against her wet pussy lips.
“Oh, baby, you’re nice and wet, and ready for my cock, aren’t you?” he teased.
She nodded her head. He couldn’t stand it. He couldn’t wait to have her. Drake lifted up and undid his belt buckle. He pulled down the zipper and watched Diane spread her thighs wider and then pressed her fingers over her cunt. “Fuck.” He stood up only to bang his head on the inside interior of the roof of the truck. She chuckled, and he clenched his teeth.
“Oh, I’m not going easy on you. I’m taking you hard and fast, baby.” He pulled one leg out of his jeans, nearly falling forward onto her as Mark swerved the truck.
“I need you, Drake,” she whispered. He pulled her closer, aligned his cock with her pussy, and thrust into her to the hilt. They both moaned. He felt that instant, powerful, deep connection that only being inside of Diane gave him. He gripped her hips, raised her legs, and thrust in and out of her channel.
“Yes, oh God, Drake, more, more,” she chanted. He lost all focus, all comprehension of where they were.
“Fucking drive faster, Mark,” Lucas scolded his brother as Drake stroked Diane’s cunt over and over again. He pressed his hands to her ass cheeks, spread them wider, massaged them with every in-and-out thrust of his hips.
“You’re ours, baby. We’re going to take the next five days to show you how much we need you and what you mean to us so no other fucking guy can ever take you away from us,” he told her then suckled against her neck.
“Oh, Drake!” She screamed her release and bucked beneath him. He thrust two more times and growled against her shoulder as he shot his seed into her channel. Drake squeezed her tight and enjoyed the aftermath of their lovemaking until the truck came to an abrupt halt. He heard the doors slam as he tried looking into Diane’s eyes in the darkness of the truck.
“I love you, baby. Know that always.” He kissed her lips and she hugged his head to her chest.
* * * *
Lucas watched his brother Drake climb up off of Diane and out of the truck nearly losing his balance. He grabbed onto him.
“Fuck, I’m dizzy. She’s incredible,” Drake stated, and then stepped to the side, not even bothering to pull up his pants that hung to the ankle on one leg.
Lucas opened his arms to Diane. “Come to me, baby,” he whispered. She lifted up, her beautiful hair was all a mess from the wild bout of lovemaking in the backseat of their truck. His view o
f the backseat of the truck was forever altered in his mind. In fact, he may just have to make love to her in there, too.
He lifted her up into his arms, and she straddled his waist. His hands covered her bare ass as he rubbed his face slowly between her abundant breasts. The feel of her hands gripping his hair and head made his dick hard and his need to have her greater.
“Let’s get inside,” Mark stated firmly as Lucas felt Diane’s fingers trying to undo his jeans.
“You want it badly don’t you?” Lucas asked her as he pulled back to look into her eyes. Her blouse was opened wider, revealing the deep cleavage of her breasts. She was breathing funny and holding his gaze.
“Take me now,” she whispered, yet even in the moonlit night he could see her cheeks blush. She was shy and trying to be so assertive.
“Fuck it,” Lucas stated and then reached underneath him to undo his jeans as he pressed Diane against the truck.
She started suckling his neck and thrusting her wet pussy down against his hands. He could feel the wetness against his knuckles as he fumbled with the zipper.
“Oh shit.” He growled and then pressed his jeans down and adjusted his stance.
“Open for me,” he told her as he attacked her neck with his tongue and teeth while pressing his cock to her pussy.
Diane thrust downward as he thrust forward and they both gasped. “Diane, holy shit, Diane.” He grunted and then began a series of short, hard thrusts. His cock was so damn hard he thought he might not make it long. She had him so fired up, so wild with desire he wasn’t capable of controlling his body, his reaction to her.
Diane [The Town of Pearl 6] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 13