by Sheila Kell
She stepped back. “Let me.” In mere moments she’d shed her pants and reached to remove her jacket and sweater.
He ripped off his jacket, body armor and shirt and then roughly pulled her to him, one hand behind her head, possessively, not willing to let her go.
She reached for his pants opened and released him. Her hand wrapped around his hard member. Every nerve ending in his body sizzled.
A primal growl ripped from his body. He turned her around and lightly pushed her forward until her hands rested on the edge of the bed. He touched her only long enough to find her hot, wet, ready.
Pushing his pants down, he positioned himself, grasped her hips and filled her in a swift thrust, stilled and gritted his teeth at the pleasure threatening to erupt from his cock surrounded by her heat.
He moved, his thighs slapped hard against her, thrust after thrust. Each one harder, faster and pushing him deeper into a slippery friction snatching away his fears, allowing him to focus only on her and the fact she was alive and with him.
Keeping his hands on her hips, holding her while he stroked in and out, he leaned forward and spread kisses on her back. Between his tongue and wet kisses, he felt Megan quiver and heard her moan, dropping her head down.
This would be quick, and he couldn’t help it this time. He couldn’t hold back. That fear and excitement of the evening ballooned in him, ready to pop at any moment. Feeling her tight around him was what he’d needed. Now he needed for them to burst into a euphoric state.
Releasing one hand, he moved it around and staged on assault on her clitoris. She moaned and pushed her heat closer into his hand. He gave her tight friction, adapted to each of her moves and soft, erotic sounds.
Between kisses on her back, AJ murmured, “You feel so good, so right, my little dove.”
Sweat broke out on his brow. His cock was ready to explode. He set his jaw tight in an attempt to hold off his orgasm until she came. But damn being this deep inside her, with his balls slapping her, he had to fight harder than ever.
She arched her back, her breathing frantic.
“Let go, Megan.”
She cried out his name in a hoarse voice, her body trembled, her legs weakening, almost buckling.
Her sweet sound of ecstasy ruptured the last of his resolve. His balls grew tight. He drove into her once more before pulling out. Semen from deep inside him exploded in hot, wet spurts on her back.
She collapsed forward. His legs threatening to give out on him, he dropped beside her.
Holy shit! He willed his muscles to work but hated for the pleasure that claimed them to disappear.
He turned his head to her. “Are you okay?” Had he been too rough with her?
She smiled and murmured, “Perfect.”
He stood, went to the bathroom and returned with a cloth to clean her back. Shit. He’d forgotten.
He cleared his throat. “Megan, the first time we…uh…we didn’t use protection.”
“Don’t worry. We’re okay.”
“Does that mean we don’t have to use protection? I’m clean.”
She turned to sit on the edge of the bed. “I am too. Is that what you want?”
He tossed the towel on the floor and gathered her in his arms. “I’d like that very much.” He kissed her on her nose. “Come on. It’s well past time for us to sleep.”
Lying in each other’s arms, she whispered, “I’m sorry, AJ.”
He placed a finger under her chin and tilted it until their eyes met. “You didn’t do anything wrong. I’m sorry I didn’t think to tell you that Jesse had left, and no one was keeping watch.”
“Oh. I forgot. Tyrone has something big for me. He won’t know what to think when I didn’t show up. I have to call him.”
AJ caught her as she attempted to launch herself from the bed and pulled her back to him. “Megan, it’s almost five in the morning. I think he’d prefer you call him at a normal time.” He kissed the top of her head.
“Now. We both need to get some sleep. We’ve got a big day tomorrow.” He wanted her again. Blood had already surged to his growing erection. But, she’d been through too much. They both needed rest more than they needed more sex.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
“Okay, this is our first real foray into public together. We need to find out when the next prison break will occur. Any other information is a bonus. I want you to keep your scarf up over your face and your hat pulled low.”
AJ’s stress had his gut twisted. After what happened with Alex, AJ didn’t feel as safe as he’d like taking Megan with him. Thankfully, Kate had their back today.
He’d wasted his breath attempting to convince Megan to remain in their room with Kate while he hurriedly sought out what they needed. Wow. He’d thought she had fire before. She refused to stay put stating this was also her revenge. Then a flutter whipped through his heart when she’d worried if she kept his sister-in-law, no one would have his back.
To have someone as unique as Megan with him forever would be a dream come true. No matter how much he loved her, they’d be separated once this was over. His boss would see to it. Loved her? What the fuck?
Yes, he loved her with a fierceness that ripped his heart apart knowing their future.
“Okay. No one will see anything but my eyes. Will that work?” She pulled her hat down to her brow and pulled her scarf to her nose. Her beautiful blue eyes twinkled playfully.
He conducted one final check on her Kevlar vest before he zipped her jacket. She readily agreed to keep her handgun and a phone in her pockets. Although she didn’t like that he said the phone was in case they were separated.
“Let’s go. We should arrive just in time to meet with your source.”
They approached a nervous Tyrone, shuffling his feet, his eyes darting around and his hands stuffed in his thick Baltimore Ravens’ jacket. When he noticed AJ, she thought he’d bolt.
“Who’s he?” her source asked.
“He’s okay. He has the same goal as I do. You said you have something for me.”
He looked anxiously at AJ before turning to her. “They have a big buy coming in a few days.”
What the fuck? How had Byron, the DEA agent on the task force been unaware of this information?
Uh oh. She had that look he’d come to know all too well. That joyful, I’m going to do something that will get me in trouble and make your life harder, AJ, look.
“That’s awesome! How confident are you about this?”
“Very.”
She hugged the man. The green-eyed monster ripped forth.
“Bye, Tyrone. Thank you, again.”
“Keep your head down,” AJ growled.
He had to speak with Byron about this. A thought occurred to AJ. He pulled the secure phone from his pocket. Sure enough he’d missed a call when he’d been rescuing Megan.
“This is good isn’t it?” she asked.
He kicked a chunk of ice that hadn’t melted in the sunny, warmer weather today. “If it’s accurate, it would be extremely helpful. What the agent had to use for our plan had been weak.”
They silently continued down the street. She hadn’t asked it yet, but he knew what the next question from her mouth would be. She’d be sorely disappointed with his answer, but she’d remain alive.
He decided to head it off. “You’re not going to watch the buy.” He cringed at the dictatorial tone of his voice.
“You’ve got to be kidding me. This is too good for me to pass up.”
“We need this bust,” he said watching her tense. “You know we need him pissed off at each of his advisors for screwing things up and losing a shipment is far better than what we’d planned for Carl.”
“I thought you didn’t want to catch him or Jimmy. How can you avoid it?”
He shook his head. “They’re paranoid bastar
ds. They send someone else to their buys, someone expendable. No one has the balls to cheat the Magician. It keeps the two of them out of it. Keeps their hands clean.”
“Well, I still want to witness it.”
“Not happening. DEA won’t allow it. I won’t allow it.” He put his foot down. She would listen and obey him this time.
She stopped and jammed her hands on her hips. “Won’t allow it? Who do you think you are?”
He stopped. “Megan, it’s not safe. There could be gunfire.”
“How will I get the information if I’m not there?”
“I’ll have a DEA agent call you after the bust. He’ll provide the details.”
Step one of their plan. He’d reviewed it again with the other agents. They fed everything to him, and he’d use Megan to publicize their results. It had to work.
She hugged him. “Thank you. Thank you.” She pressed kisses all over his face before his lips captured hers.
A loud vulgar comment reached his ears. How did Kate ever learn to talk like that?
He took Megan’s hand in his. They were on their way into the thick of things. He held it tighter. He’d keep her alive. He had to.
* * * * *
“We’ve had enough for one day. Let’s head back. Keep your head down. We’ve been very lucky no one has recognized you.” People still feared AJ from his time in the enforcer role so he’d been safer than he’d expected.
Two blocks from their room, Kate shouted, “AJ, get down!”
He spun around, pulled his weapon and shoved Megan behind him as several shots rang out. He spotted Trey dropping to the ground. Kate rushed past them, kicking Trey’s weapon away.
Confident they were safe AJ turned to Megan with shaky hands.
“Are you okay? Are you hit?” AJ asked with full-blown panic. His hands traced over her body to ensure she had no injuries. When he found her uninjured, relief coursed through him and he hugged her tight. Thank God Kate had been on the ball.
“AJ, you’ve been shot,” Megan exclaimed, pushing back and pointing to his left leg.
He looked down at his the blood soaking his pants. Funny he hadn’t felt the pain when he’d been worried about his little dove.
He now knew what it felt like to be shot. It fucking hurt like hell. Heat and sharp pain radiated down his leg. He removed her scarf and tied it above the wound with shaky hands.
“Let’s get back to the room. Now.” His gravelly voice shocked him. He needed to get off his feet before he landed face first on the sidewalk.
“You need a hospital, AJ,” she protested, the unmistakable look of fear in her eyes.
“No. Get me back to the room.” She didn’t understand. He couldn’t go to the hospital. Someone who had witnessed it might get word to Damian. They’d check the hospitals and while they removed the bullet, she’d be vulnerable.
Kate jogged up to them. “Shit.”
“Don’t argue, Megan. I need to get you back to the room.”
“He’s right. Let’s move.” His sister-in-law put an arm under his left shoulder for support.
He took Megan’s trembling hand and pulled her along.
As soon as they entered the room, AJ dropped into the closest chair warding off the dizziness that had assailed him.
Kate pulled out her phone. “Megan, see to AJ.”
“Get the first aid kit from my bag.” Sweat trickled down his temple, an intense throbbing at the site of the wound. Having a red-hot poker shoved in his leg would hurt less than this.
The bleeding had slowed. He experienced another wave of lightheadedness. He couldn’t pass out. He had to even out his breathing, focus on something besides the pain. Not fucking possible.
“Don’t you dare yell at me, Jesse Hamilton! I told him to get down. Like you, he doesn’t listen.”
AJ chuckled at his old partner’s angry voice. He missed it.
Megan returned with the first aid kit, opened it and panicked as all of the items fell out on the table. “Oh no.”
“Don’t worry about it. I need your help. We have to stop the bleeding. Can you do this, Megan? Can you help me?”
She hadn’t been this affected when Trent had been shot in the leg. And she’d just been used for target practice. He couldn’t remember ever being so happy and so disheartened at the same time.
Megan nodded.
He held on by a thread. Kate had to hurry. His body couldn’t tolerate the pain much longer and remain conscious. “We just need to clean it up.”
They cleaned it and she wrapped a bandage around his leg. Splotches of tears on his pants attested to the care and worry she had for him.
“Quit worrying, my little dove. We’ll leave for the hospital shortly.”
Kate returned. “Let’s go.”
* * * * *
Megan and Kate used every bit of strength they had to move a semi-conscious AJ, who could barely put weight on this leg, into the SUV. Megan fought to keep him awake while his sister-in-law raced to the hospital.
Twins in jeans, turtlenecks, leather jackets and weapons holstered on their right sides walked towards their vehicle, a menacing look about them.
Her heart raced. “Please tell me these men are here to help us and not kill us.”
Kate smiled. “Relax. We’re safe. They’re the good guys.”
That didn’t help her relax one bit.
The twins pulled AJ from the vehicle and managed to support him as he hopped passed two fierce looking men guarding a hallway labeled ‘Employees Only.’ She gazed at the men warily, bit her lip and followed Kate.
They halted in front of a group of men who rallied around AJ.
A beehive of activity, a medical group preparing for something, his surgery maybe, took her attention away from the group.
“Ms. Rogers, we’ll move you to the private room he’ll have after surgery, instead of time in recovery. If you’ll follow me,” the twin wearing the dark blue turtleneck said.
She wrapped her arms around herself and looked at AJ. His pallor had turned gray. How he still stood, well not actually standing on his own, amazed her.
“Megan, it’s okay. They’ll take care of you while they’re removing the bullet. You don’t need to worry about me. I trust these men and someone will be also outside my door. Now go. I’ll see you when I wake up.”
When she didn’t budge, he leaned in and brushed a light kiss across her lips. “Mmm. I want to taste more of that stuff on your lips when I wake up.”
They introduced her around the group. She went through the motions and then followed Brad, the twin who had attempted to lead her away before, to the fourth floor. He opened a private hospital room door and a man walked out. They nodded at each other. “This is a safe place for you to wait. I’ll be outside your door.”
“Wait. Can’t we see him in ICU?”
He shook his head. “He won’t be in ICU. A private nurse is on her way. The doctor reluctantly approved his coming straight here as long as she stayed.”
After she walked into the room, he closed the door behind her, leaving her alone.
AJ had been shot. He had to be okay.
Her gaze roved around the bright room and spotted the couch. She sat. The intense pain in her heart unleashed her tears. She could’ve lost him today. She knew she might lose him someday, but she didn’t want to lose him this soon, or to death.
Startled, she opened her eyes as Kate sat next to her. “Come here.” She opened her arms and Megan fell into them.
“I love him,” she said through another flow of tears.
“I know.”
* * * * *
Kate returned home, leaving Megan pacing the room. How long would this take? She looked at her watch. Time passed so slowly.
The forgotten phone in her pocket rang. “Hello,” she said through
sniffles.
“Megan, are you okay? You don’t sound well,” Kristen asked.
“No, I’m fine.”
“I was worried when I didn’t hear from you yesterday or receive a story.”
Megan hadn’t thought about a story last night. “Well, I was taken hostage yesterday,” she informed her boss.
“What?”
“An enforcer used me as bait.”
“I take it your hero saved you since you’re talking with me now.”
Her face split into a wide grin. “Yeah, he saved me.”
“I talked to your mother yesterday and told her you were safe. She’s worried sick about you.”
Megan’s stomach turned on itself.
She missed her family. Her mother didn’t deserve this. Megan understood the need for caution, but she wanted to be the one telling her that she was fine. She wanted to speak with AJ about allowing her to contact her mother, but didn’t want to push her luck. He already let her communicate with her boss and Victoria, but she knew that was because they were useful to him.
Her friends must be frantic. Kristen would keep them informed, but it wouldn’t be the same. Janet didn’t need the stress of worrying about her. It can’t be good for a pregnant woman. Kelly would wear a hole in the carpet, pacing, fretting. Kyle’s tie would remain loose. And Merissa. Well, she wouldn’t miss Megan.
She fought the onslaught of new tears. “Thank you for doing that, Kristen. I can’t communicate with her personally, and it’s killing me.”
“She seems to understand, although I’m sure she’d prefer she was speaking with you.”
“Well, I’m surprised I was able to speak with you at all.”
“Code blue room 328, code blue room 328,” bled over the loud speaker.
“Megan, what’s that? Where are you? Are you at a hospital?”
Her heart skipped a beat. What could she say? “Kristen, don’t worry about me. I’m safe.”
“Hold on, Megan. Merissa, what do you want?”
Her boss covered the receiver so she couldn’t hear the conversation. Had the journalist been eavesdropping on their conversation? She wouldn’t put it past her.
“Okay. I’m back.”