by A. L Long
Rolling over to my side, I could see that the time was one o’clock in the morning. Pushing to a sitting position, I swung my legs over the side of the bed, careful not to wake Oliver, and slowly walked to the closed door of the bedroom making careful movements as to not stub my toe on the chair that was pushed up against the desk near the door. Reaching out my arms using them like a blind person would, I made it to the door with no injury.
The lights were still on downstairs as I went down the stairs. It made me wonder what could be keeping Hawk up at this hour. As I turned the corner to get a drink of water from the kitchen, Hawk was sitting at the kitchen table. The minute I stepped into the kitchen his head lifted and his eyes focused on mine. Pushing his chair from the table, he stood and headed my way. Reaching me, he placed his hand on my shoulder as asked, “How are you feeling, Darlin’?”
“I got thirsty,” was all I could manage to say.
‘Let me get you something to drink,” he offered as he made his way to the fridge. As he opened the door and pulled out the water, he continued, “I heard from Cop. He and the guys landed safely. I was going to get you so that you could talk to him, but he insisted I let you rest.”
“I wish you would have anyway,” I said, disappointed that he didn’t wake me.
“I know,” he replied, handing me an open bottle of water.
“How was he? When he called,” I asked.
“I think he’s kicking himself in the ass for not saying goodbye to you in person. He shouldn’t have left the way he did.”
After our conversation, I headed back to the bedroom with my half-full bottle of water. Hawk was right. Cop should have felt bad for the way he left. Leaving a note was not the goodbye I wanted, especially not knowing how long he would be gone.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Sabrina
It has been a week since Cop left for Nicaragua. Even though my body is in New York, my heart is with him. The last time we had heard anything from him was a few days ago when he contacted Hawk to let him know that they wouldn’t be able to communicate for a couple of days. Every day I had been trying to keep busy to keep my mind off of Cop, but it was becoming exceedingly harder with each day that he was gone. Working at the gallery and putting in a lot of hours has helped, but as soon as the day was finished, my mind found its way back to thinking about Cop and what he was doing and if he was safe.
Hawk had also tried to keep me busy. I had really gotten to know the guy that had been assigned to protect me. I hadn’t heard from Sean. I was hoping that he had finally wised up and decided to leave the States. Every time I quizzed Hawk about him, he only gave me a minimal amount of information. I knew there was much more to it than not knowing where he was.
Finishing up entering the purchase invoices into the system, I headed back to Lilly’s office to let her know that I was beat and was calling it a day. Over the last few days we both had been on pins and needles. Now it was just me. Peter came back to the States a few days after leaving for the mission. When I asked how Cop was, he only said that he was fine and that he was thinking about me. This made my heart sing and break at the same time, knowing that he cared and yet unable to hold him.
Gathering my things, it was late and I was ready to go home. I wasn’t sure how much longer I could stay at the cabin, since it was always lonely and made me think too much about Cop. Even though Hawk was there, most of the time he was either outside scanning the area or cleaning his gun. One thing he did do a lot of, though, was cook fantastic meals.
Entering the cabin, I headed up to the bedroom while Hawk went to the kitchen to prepare our meal. I guess tuna casserole was on the menu tonight. I didn’t have the heart to tell him that I wasn’t really hungry, considering I had been telling him that over the past week. Just as Cop had left me, so had my appetite. It was no wonder I had the strength I did. Setting my things on the bed. I slowly undressed and went to the bathroom. Looking in the mirror, I hardly recognized myself. My eyes had dark circles under them and the lack of appetite was beginning to take a toll on my body. Even the curves that Cop had loved so much were beginning to melt away.
Standing under the spray, I tried to think good thoughts, but the only thoughts that came to mind were of him. Closing my eyes, I began imagining him in the shower with me as his hands began gliding down my wet body. How he gently wrapped his arms around me before his soft lips took mine in a heated kiss. I could feel the hardness of his bicep muscles as I ran my hands up his arms before he cupped my ass cheeks and lifted me, pressing my body against the cool tile of the shower wall. His eager lips trailing wet kisses down my neck between my breasts, before they rested on the hard bud of my nipple. Taking hold of my breast, I imagined it was his touch against my breasts as I took the hard peak between my fingers, pinching them firmly, sending a wave of pleasure to my core. Dipping one hand lower, I parted my folds and inserted a finger inside my wet channel, picturing it was Cop pushing deep inside me.
I could only see his face as I increased my movements before I added another finger while my thumb circled my swollen clit. As my fingers filled my channel, my other fingers twisted and squeezed my nipple. I didn’t know if it was the lack of sex that had my body on fire or the fact that I was thinking only of Cop touching my body as I continued pleasuring myself. My cry of release echoed off the shower walls as my orgasm peaked, leaving me satisfied, but my heart torn and empty.
~****~
I knew that Hawk had to have sensed that something was up with me. Even though the meal looked and smelled amazing, I ended up only picking at it and taking a few bites. Taking my barely eaten food to the kitchen, I dumped it in the sink, hoping that Hawk wasn’t angry that I wasted his meal. The conversation during dinner was minimal other than the customary ‘How was your day’ exchange that took place.
Once again, I headed to bed, while Hawk went outside to scan the area. Getting ready for bed, I noticed that Oliver didn’t follow me up the steps. Heading back down, I began calling for him. I wasn’t sure where he could be hiding, so as I called out for him. I searched the rooms on the main floor. When he didn’t come, my only thought was that Hawk must have let him outside to go with him. Just as I reached the stairs, I had a sick feeling in my stomach. Something was wrong. Turning around slowly, the last person I expected to see was standing in front of me with Oliver in his arms.
Running up the stairs as fast as I could, I felt the pull of my ankle as a tight grip took hold. I tried to kick to get away, but it was no use. My only thought was to scream and hope that Hawk would hear me. Trying my best to get the words out, a hand came across my cheek before I could make a sound. The only thing I could hear was Oliver crying in the background. Before I knew what happened, the same hand came down on my face saying, “I told you no one would ever have you but me.”
Waking up, what I thought must have been a few hours later, I tasted a hint of blood in my throat. There was a blindfold over my eyes and my hands and feet had been tied. I wasn’t certain where I was, but I knew that I was in a vehicle by the way I could feel the engine vibrating under me. The floor was hard, so I had a pretty good idea that I was in the back of a van. I wasn’t sure how many people were in the van. The only voice I could hear was Sean’s, as he was giving another person directions to where they were taking me.
When I felt the brushing of a hand across my cheek, I knew that touch. It had been a touch that I knew all too well. That was when I was thankful that at least my mouth was free. As his finger grazed my top lip, I opened my mouth and took whatever I could take and hammered down on it. “You fucking cunt. You really shouldn’t have done that,” Sean said, madder than I had ever heard. It was only after his hand came down on my face in what felt like a closed fist that I knew biting him was a mistake. The pop to my face was hard enough that I no longer needed the blindfold. I was out.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Cop
When I talked to Hawk to check up on Brie, I never expected to hear that she wasn’t doin
g so well. She wasn’t eating and had lost at least ten pounds, according to Hawk. He also said that she was mostly running on autopilot, going to work, then coming home and remaining in the bedroom most of the night. Even the conversation was limited to ‘How was your day and I’m not really hungry.’ God, how I wished I was there to take care of her. I knew that it was my fault that she was sad and killing herself over my departure.
Most of my days here were filled with memories of her. I was hurting as well. At least this mission had kept my mind off of Brie during the day. It was the nights that became the hardest. Lying in bed was the worst, as I kept picturing her perfect naked body beneath mine as I fucked her until she screamed my name. It didn’t matter that I neglected to get a picture of her that I could carry with me before I left. Her beauty was carved in my brain. I would never forget how beautiful she was.
One thing that was good about this mission was that we were getting closer to the people behind the trafficking. There was a female agent that the government had commissioned to be on the inside who had been purposely taken. Luckily they still hadn’t caught on to her and she was able to keep in contact with us. Mike Chavez, one of the brothers on our team, was also able to get inside, pretending to be a native of Nicaragua needing a job. The government also provided fake documents for Mike, allowing him to get inside the operation as one of the captors. It was only a matter of time until we would have all of them in custody. The only person we had yet to get a take on was the leader. He was very careful not to get his hands dirty in the business by steering clear of the abductions and the exchanges. We knew what he looked like and that he was still in the country. We just needed to find a way to lure him out of hiding and make himself visible.
With everything in place, all we had to do was sit and wait for another exchange. With Peter back in the States, I was left in charge and decided to take the first shift while the other men rested. We were camped out far enough away from the compound where they were holding the women that they were oblivious to our presence.
Making myself comfortable on the hill, I leaned my body against the tree and waited for any movements. The night was pretty quiet, with only a few trucks coming in to drop of supplies. I was beginning to get restless and could feel my eyes beginning to get heavy. Changing my position, I felt the vibration in my pants pocket from my cell. I had turned it to vibrate in the event Peter or Hawk called. The last thing I wanted was the blaring sound of my cell to echo down the hill to the compound below.
Pulling it from my pocket, I could see that it was Hawk calling. The only reason he would be calling is if something had happened to Brie. Normally I was the one who called him to check on things with Brie. Swiping the screen, I answered with concern. “The only reason you would be calling is to let me know something happened.”
“Cop, I don’t know how to break this to you, but Sean got to Sabrina,” Hawk said on the other end.
“What do you mean, he got to her?” I replied confused as hell.
“I was outside scanning the area, and then that damn cat got out and I had to chase him down. By the time I got back to the cabin, Sabrina was gone. I’m not sure how he got in, but he did.”
My heart sunk to the pit of my stomach. “How the hell is that even possible with all the security I have? That place is more secure than Fort Knox,” I cursed.
“Yeah, well, he got in somehow and got to her. I have Peter working on information as to where he might have taken her. I’m really sorry, Cop. I never should have ran after that damn cat.”
~****~
Hearing those words from Hawk that Brie had been taken, just about made me lose all control. I knew that it wasn’t his fault that Sean got to Sabrina. He was no dummy. He probably had a pretty good idea how the cabin was laid out and where he could wait until he could get close to Brie.
Gritting my teeth, I said, “Fuck, I’m on the next flight home.”
“Peter and I will find her. You finish what you need to up there,” Hawk said.
“You can’t talk me out of this, Hawk. I’m coming home.”
“Cop, this mission needs you. You can’t just abandon it.”
“The fuck I can’t.”
I didn’t give Hawk a chance to argue with me. After tonight, Sly was officially in change and I was out of this god-forsaken country. There was no way I was going to stay here knowing that Sabrina was in the hands of that fucking psychopath.
Morning didn’t come soon enough. It was four in the morning and Lou was ready to take the next shift. Leaving him to keep watch, I needed to talk to Sly. I knew that he would still be asleep so I walked over to where he was bunked. Unzipping the door, I heard the click of his gun and his cocky voice. “One step closer motherfucker, and your face is hamburger.”
“Take a chill, Sly. It’s only me,” I said.
Sly had the light on me in an instant as he lowered his weapon. “Jesus fucking Christ, Coppoletti, I could have shot your face off.”
“Sorry,” I began, kneeling in front of him. “I needed to let you know that I have to abort the mission. Shit is happening back home and I have to be there.”
“Yeah, I was wondering when you were going to tell me. Peter called and let me know the scoop. Told me to convince you to finish the mission,” Sly confirmed.
“You can’t talk me out of this, bro. If anything happened to Brie, I would just die.”
“That bad, huh?” Sly asked.
“Yeah.”
“Then far be it for me to talk you into staying. I know if it was my girl, I would do the same.”
Finishing our little man to man, I headed across the ridge to where we had our convoy of vehicles parked. I climbed into the one closest to the road and hightailed it out of there. Turning the key and throwing it into drive, I headed down the long road. I only loaded what I needed inside my backpack because at this point, stopping back at the hotel wasn’t an option. I needed to get back to the States and fast.
~****~
Pulling up to my place, I could see that Peter’s Camaro was in the drive. Grabbing my bag, I headed inside the house to get a rundown on what had transpired since I was up in the air in that piece of shit scrap metal. It was the only form of transportation I could get on such short notice. Placing my things by the door, I could hear Peter and Hawk talking in the kitchen. As I headed that way, I tried not to think about all the things that could be happening to Brie. Every second she was with that motherfucker increased the chances that he would kill her. Given the way she looked the last time he got a piece of her, her chance with him was next to null even with the little self-defense moves I showed her.
Peter and Hawk were sitting at the table looking through some documents that looked more like location maps. As my boots hit the ceramic tile, both of their heads turned. Peter shook his head before he said, “Bro, you should have stayed in Nicaragua.”
“Peter, you of all people should know better than to say that. What if it was Lilly? Would you feel the same way?” I asked, knowing his answer.
“Point taken, Cop,” he replied.
Taking a seat next to Hawk, I picked up the maps and questioned them both. “So what are these?”
“We found them in the sleazy hotel Sean was staying at. It looks like terrain maps of some sort. We’re trying to figure out where it may be,” Peter confirmed.
As I looked at the maps more closely, I recognized the area on one of the maps. “I think I might know where this is at,” I said, pointing at the sight in the middle of one of the maps. “I think this is where a missile site used to be. My dad used to take me there when I was a kid.”
“Do you know how to get there?” Hawk asked.
“Yeah, it’s up-state, by the Adirondacks. Do you guys think he took her there?”
“I think it would be worth it for us to check it out,”Peter claimed.
It was a good four-hour drive from where we were at to the Adirondacks. Even though my body was beat from lack of sleep. I knew we couldn’t w
aste any more time. If Brie was there, we needed to get to her as soon as possible.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Sabrina
I wasn’t sure where Sean had taken me, but the room I was left in felt cold and damp. There was also a musty, damp smell, like it could have been in a cellar. Even though I was no longer blindfolded, my eyes were having a hard time adjusting to the darkness. Adjusting my position, I managed to sit upright and eventually stand. I began scanning the room, but found that I couldn’t see anything. Putting my arms out in front of me, my only option was to hopefully find a wall that I could move along until I was able to find a door or anything that would give me some small hope for an escape.
When I finally touched the cold concrete wall, I began walking along it trying to make my body cooperate. My legs felt like I had run a marathon and my right angle throbbed like it may have been sprained. I knew I must have been getting closer to the door because the temperature had changed and I could now feel a cold breeze hit my face. The air made my face feel a lot better. I could only image what a wreck it was after the fight I put up with Sean.