“Finn arranged it. A retired SEAL met us outside the airport.” Darius shut the suitcase and walked over to the table where Clint had his computer set up.
“So walk us through what you have planned.”
“I’m sick of being on the defensive. We need to take this to them. Lydia knows these guys. As soon as her father told them he contacted the DEA she started her own investigation. Everything was lost when she was kidnapped. Then the Marshalls kept her off the net while in the safe house, but since we’ve been together she’s been able to put it all back together and then some.”
“So how do we go on the attack?” Drake asked as he rubbed his hands together.
Clint shared a grin with Darius.
“Ricardo Hidalgo is set to testify against two DEA agents. The DA is still hoping one if not both of them will agree to turn and implicate Guzman. Once we have Guzman, we should have the link between him and the Congressman.”
“And that’s the reason Guzman is trying to wipe out the Hidalgos. Because he knows if the DEA agents turn, both American and Mexican officials will have what they need to take him down. We know this, so tell us something we don’t know,” Drake demanded.
“Lydia damn near did a colonoscopy on Guzman.”
“She couldn’t have gotten more than the task force they’ve had in the US and Mexico,” Darius protested as Clint started to pull up files on his laptop.
“What she has is remarkable, and trust me, it was more.” Clint’s fingers flew over the keys.
“How is that possible?”
“They had people on the inside who were on the take. They were sabotaging the investigations. Lydia might have launched quite the analysis, but she didn’t hack into the Mexican and US files. When I did, she was easily able to point out the missing information. It’s obvious there is someone in each government who is tampering with the accumulation of evidence against Guzman’s cartel.”
“So what do you want to do?” Darius asked.
“I want to topple Guzman’s organization. I want to make it so not everything depends on the DEA testimony.” Clint turned his computer around so both men could see the pictures of Guzman and Sylvan Carter, the Congressman from Texas.
“But won’t they still want the testimony so they can implicate those DEA agents?”
“Yeah, it will still necessary, but there won’t be worries of reprisals if Guzman is out of the picture. So no more shit about the Witness Protection Program for Lydia’s family.” Clint slammed his finger against the image of the drug lord.
“What about Lydia?” Drake asked. “Were you going to join her in the program?”
“If I had to, I would. There is no way I would live my life without her. But we talked, and she wants to live a life outside of the program, even if she has to give up seeing her family. Damn guys. She’s willing to give up her mom, her dad and her sister, to stay with me.” Clint’s voice broke.
They were all silent for a moment.
“Obviously the woman is touched in the head,” Drake said, trying to lighten moment.
“Don’t hate,” Darius said. “One day some woman might be able to put up with your brand of bullshit.”
“What are you talking about? Women love me.”
“We’re not talking the ones who hang out near the base and trip you to the floor. I’m talking about a woman with self-respect and a brain. Trying to get someone like that to overlook your archaic beliefs about a woman’s place is going require a miracle.”
“What the fuck are you talking about Dare?” Clint watched as Drake took actual offense to Darius’ teasing. He tried to smooth things over.
“Look, you’re my wingman when it comes to understanding a woman’s mind. You know how they tick. You can cajole them out of the worst mood, and most times get them eating out of your hand. But you have to admit you tend to want women to stand behind you, not beside you.”
“Fuck yeah, I do!” Drake pulled on Clint’s shoulder and he shoved from his chair to stare at his friend.
“What’s your problem, Drake?”
“There’s nothing the fuck wrong with me wanting to protect women. I don’t care whether it’s my sisters, my mother God rest her soul, Mason’s fiancé Sophia, your Lydia or the woman I’m going to marry. Women need to be protected. They are the most precious gift on Earth.”
“Jesus Drake, I’m not disagreeing with you, Lydia is my world.”
“Well then, you need to find someplace for her to hide, a hole so deep she can never get out until all of this over. She should not be trying to find Guzman! She’s not fucking trained!”
“Drake, it’s so good to see you again.” They all looked up to see Lydia standing in the open doorway. She was wrapped in the bed’s down comforter, her black hair tumbling all around her. She looked young, delicate, and in need of protection. Maybe Drake was right.
“Baby, I’m sorry we woke you.”
“You didn’t, Drake did.” She walked over to where Drake was standing, the comforter dragged on the floor behind her.
“I can’t decide if you need to be kicked in the nuts or need a hug.”
Drake just stood there with a cold and forbidding look on his face.
“I’ve been listening to the shit you’ve been spouting. I don’t know what happened to a woman you loved in the past, but you can’t wrap all of us in cotton wool.”
“You don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about,” Drake snarled at Lydia.
“Drake, I will happily pay the hotel cleaning charges to beat the hell out of you if you don’t start speaking to Lydia with the utmost respect.” It took everything Clint had not to take a swing at his friend, but he knew Lydia would kill him.
“All I’m saying is I know you mean well.” Lydia continued staring at Drake. “If I didn’t know your intentions were good and honorable, I couldn’t stand being around you. But you do mean well, so that means we are going to have to figure out how to work together.” She gripped the comforter even tighter. “I might not have military training, but I’m capable of assisting in this investigation. My father is the reason you all are involved, and I demand to be part of the solution.”
“Lydia, you almost died yesterday,” Drake’s voice was pained, almost pleading. “Clint loves you too much to deny you anything. But I have more perspective. You stay here, and we’ll go to the front lines so to speak.”
“No.” Her voice quiet and firm.
“What the fuck do you mean ‘no’?” Drake looked at her like she was speaking a foreign language.
“I mean where Clint goes, I go.”
“You’ll be a liability.”
She turned all of her attention to Clint. “Will I? Because if I will, then I’ll do what Drake suggests. I would never let my pride put you in harm’s way.”
He pulled her into his arms, carefully making sure the comforter stayed in place. He was pretty sure she was naked underneath, and he sure as hell didn’t want to share all of that beauty with Darius and Drake. He used the moment to formulate his answer.
“Lydia, as long as you listen to what I say, and stay put when I need you to, then this will work out fine. You already know I think all the information you provided is invaluable. What’s more, as things start to escalate I think you staying on top of your network of sources will be critical.”
She pressed closer to him.
“You are so fucking pussy whipped, Clint.” Drake groaned.
“You are so fucking jealous, Drake.” Darius laughed.
****
Lydia watched out of the corner of her eye as Clint let himself into the room they shared.
“Why are you getting dressed?”
Lydia stood up straight and tried to unobtrusively adjust herself into the cups of her bra. Apparently it wasn’t working, because Clint was staring.
“I’m getting dressed because we have guests.”
“Huh?” How in the hell could a big man move as fast as he could? He was suddenly in front of her
staring down at the light blue silk of her underwire bra. Men were obsessed with breasts, that’s all there was to it.
“I’ll be out in a minute, why don’t you go back out there with Drake and Darius.”
“They’ve left.” He slipped the straps of her bra down her arms.
“I thought they were staying in the suite with us.”
“According to Drake, Finn knew we would want privacy.” She leaned her forehead against his chest. She didn’t know whether to be embarrassed or thankful. She’d figure it out later. She tried to lift her arms to start unbuttoning his shirt, but her arms were bound to her sides by her lingerie. Lydia began to unlatch her bra, when Clint stayed her hands.
“Leave it.” He bent and picked her up and placed her on the huge bed. He had a wild look in his eyes. She’d seen it on and off since the shooting. There was no hint of her playful lover.
After the conversation with Drake it all made sense. Clint was holding on by a thread. He had the exact same instincts as Drake, he wanted to hide her away someplace safe. He just hid his caveman side better than Drake did. Last night probably terrified him.
She tried to lift her arms to offer him solace, but once again realized she was trapped by the straps of her bra.
“Please let me take this off.”
“On one condition,” Clint said. She never heard his voice so deep before. It was as if it was coming from a place deep in his core.
“What?”
“You do whatever I say tonight. I almost lost you and it’s eating me alive. Will you do this?” Damn, she could see he was unsure, and it about killed her.
“Clint, we’re still new to one another. But know this. Whenever it is within my power to give to you, I will always provide what you need.” He framed her face, his eyes assessing, finally he nodded. Peeling off her bra, he took her hands so they touched the suede headboard.
“Keep your hands there, okay baby?” Lydia swallowed and nodded.
Clint got off the bed and stripped, then slid her panties down and off her legs. He stood beside the bed and looked down at her for long, long moments.
Lydia’s nipples tightened and her mouth watered as Clint’s erect flesh came into view. She was pretty sure tonight wasn’t just about making love for Clint, it was about him needing to claim her. For her, it was an affirmation of life.
She never saw men battle before. Hearing the gunshots, seeing the dead body in their bedroom, and then having Clint go outside had frightened her to death. Intellectually she knew he was a capable soldier, a SEAL, but she was scared out of her mind he was going to die. This was their first time to really be close again, and she needed everything he could give her.
“Lydia, will you keep your hands where I told you?”
“Yes,” she breathed out softly.
He sat down beside her and splayed his hand out on her stomach. She looked down and loved seeing how they looked together. Masculine to feminine. His hand made her feel so safe, but then he stroked through her curls, and parted her intimate flesh, his fingers met with a warm wet welcome.
“Baby, you couldn’t be any more perfect.” He delved further and sank inside her. “Spread your legs for me.”
Lydia shuddered at the carnal request. She wanted to do what he asked. She wanted to give him exactly what seemed to so desperately need, but years of conditioning made it so difficult.
“Lydia, I love your body, and the idea of you showing it to me, pleases me.”
As if he uttered a magic phrase, Lydia parted her legs. Dots hovered around the edges of her vision as she forgot to breathe.
“You mean everything to me. Pleasuring you…loving you…keeping you safe…will be my life’s work.”
Clint loved her gently at first, his hand, fingers and tongue a symphony on her flesh guiding her ever upwards. As she soared, he demanded more from her, his strokes turning even more powerful, her body’s responses were not her own. She didn’t even know pleasure could be so brutal or she could embrace such need, such a frenzy of passion.
“Again,” he demanded.
“I can’t,” she said as her hands finally moved to touch his head.
His green eyes glittered upwards. “Do you want me to stop? Really?”
“No! I need you inside me. Please, I need us together this time.” Then she saw the real Clint. Ah God, he was feeling guilty. Just for an instant, she saw the emotion flash across his face. That was why he was denying himself. Not on her watch!
“Please, you promised to give me what I needed. You promised, Clint.” He hesitated.
“Lydia, I–”
“We love each other. The only way this will ever work is if we are both here for each other. Please love, please, I’m begging you. Let me be here for you too.” She watched as he struggled. He bent his head to her tummy.
“I can’t lose you, Lydia.”
“You denying us, will tear us apart.” She ran her fingers through his hair, and then tugged so he was forced to look at her. “You know this. You know you saved me. I know I’m always going to be able to depend on you.”
“But it was so close.” His breathing was ragged.
She pulled out the big guns.
“Not only do I trust you with my life, I trust you with our children’s lives. We are all going to be safe with you watching over us Clint Anthony Archer.”
He went wild. He pulled her hands away from his head and pressed them back against the headboard.
“Now keep them there.”
His lips bit kisses all over her body. She writhed against him, she couldn’t get close enough. Vaguely she noted him finally putting on protection, happy they were finally going to make love, but sad there needed to be a barrier between them. Still the man hesitated.
“Clint, don’t make me beg.”
“Never.” He slid against her entrance and she jerked upwards. He held her down. “We agreed my way tonight.” He waited for her nod.
Lydia reveled in his gentle advancements, she had no recourse but to try to tempt him with her body, and hold him tight so he would stay.
“You’re killing me.” Clint’s expression was grim, as he tried to continue to go slow, but Lydia was as determined he go fast. She was desperate for the feel of her man. She closed her eyes, concentrating on their joined bodies, and moisture pulsed in welcome.
“Fuck!” Clint lunged and Lydia cried with rapture. But even then Clint gave her a quick look of concern, and flipped them over so she was on top. Soon they were twisting and twining their bodies merged, both trying to please the other. Finally thought was no longer possible, only feeling was left, and they skyrocketed to another dimension, safe in one another’s arms.
****
Lydia was still trying to figure out if it felt totally wrong, or totally right to be sitting up naked in bed next to Clint with her laptop and headset talking to one of her shadiest friends.
She would have preferred to be making love yet again, but Clint refused. He insisted she needed to rest. The damn man was right, she was physically exhausted, but she felt fantastic. She’d tried to sleep, but her eyes refused to close. She finally wheedled enough so she could see what she had missed on-line for the last two days. That’s when she’d seen the messages from Melvin.
Clint had his computer in his lap, supposedly he was going to work as well, but once again he seemed to be ogling her breasts. She’d asked him if he was going to always do that. He said in sixty years it was possible he might stop, but he doubted it. She did her best to block out Clint so she could focus on what Melvin was saying.
“No, I told you, I can’t video skype tonight, Melvin. You’ll just have to cope with audio.”
“But seeing your beautiful face is one of the things that gets me through the day, my gorgeous kitten.” Lydia rolled her eyes at Clint.
“If your information is good, we’ll video skype next week.” Clint gave her a steely look and shook his head. Yeah, she didn’t think it would work anymore. Melvin was pretty sleaz
y, but he always had the best information. So what if she smiled and wore tight sweaters to help get that info?
“Okay my kitten, here is what you needed to know. Guzman’s son Berto is trying to win Daddy’s love, and the apple didn’t fall far from the tree.”
“Sure, I know about Berto, but he’s never really been on my radar. Why are you mentioning him?”
“Because Daddy told him if he got rid of your dad and the rest of you he would get to take over some new venture. They are calling it Operation Omega. I guess daddy has an end game in mind.” Lydia felt gooseflesh begin to form, but then Clint put his arm around her and it helped make her feel better.
“Why isn’t Guzman taking care of it himself? Why is he relegating this to Berto?”
“Word on the street is he wants to continue to run the drug side of the business, but he wants his son to spearhead this new venture.”
“So is Berto behind the hits?”
“He has friends that are basically psychos. But Berto was behind it all right.”
“What proof do you have?”
“Berto’s friends are novices on the dark web. They have been doing a lot of recruiting out there, and also buying and selling illegal weapons. They’ve been stupid enough to have mentioned their friend BG. They went further to explain about a hit they were doing in Florida and in Illinois for BG. What do you think? Sounds like evidence to me.” Melvin sounded like he was doing the pee-pee dance he was so excited.
“Do you have this backed up?”
“It’s being sent to your secure drop account as we speak, Kitten. I’ve been waiting for you to connect with me before I sent it over to you. I wanted to make sure you were safe and it would be you who would pick it up.”
The man was pragmatic. He wouldn’t want anyone to be able to trace back the information to him if her accounts were being monitored by the Guzman’s.
“Is there anything else I need to be aware of?”
“You need to talk to Sylvia. I track guns and drugs. She’s the one who tracks dirty money. You might have to have your new friend video skype with her to get the information you’re going to need.” Lydia frowned, Sylvia was like Melvin from a female perspective she really liked her men. At least that’s the part she played.
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