I mentally note that.
I drop my voice to a whisper. “Grace, swear to me that we do this, you’ll keep him protected from your other ‘friends.’ He’s literally given his body and soul for his country. He deserves to keep his dignity and reputation.”
“I will, I swear. They don’t dare cross me. I have too much on too many of them. I can make things ugly for them. They’ll back off once there’s a public announcement of us getting married.” She grins. “Welcome to the big leagues, Jordan.”
I nod and head down the hall toward the elevator without looking back. I have no way of knowing if she’s got access to the building’s security video, so I act calm all the way downstairs and out the front door.
When I’m a block away, I remove my personal phone from my shirt pocket. I look into the lens, state my full name, the date, and add, “That was a private meeting I just had with Representative Grace Martin, where she attempted to gain my assistance in extorting Vice President Elliot Woodley. I told her a few lies to earn her trust and make her think I’m going to help her. I want to make sure I have ample proof against her about this scheme before I take it to law enforcement.” Then I end the recording.
I still have time in the schedule, so I head to Leo’s, because I need to be alone and think.
Think, and calm myself before I rejoin Elliot. I don’t believe there’s a word in the English language to adequately express the level of rage boiling inside me. Elliot will be able to tell something’s wrong if I go to him now.
Unfortunately, he’ll also assume that I’m upset with him, and I won’t be able to adequately reassure him until we’re alone later.
Yeah, I know my boy intimately well. That’s one of the things that makes me so good at my job.
When I arrive at Leo’s I purposely don’t reset the alarm, because my conversation in the hotel room with Casey the day I hired her comes to mind, giving me the seed of an idea. Other than removing my blazer and shoes, I remain dressed and I carry my phones into the bedroom, where I stretch out on Leo’s bed.
I damn sure can’t tell Leo about Grace’s threat, or include him in my plan to thwart her. Whether Leo brings in law enforcement, or handles it himself, it puts him and Elliot in too much jeopardy. I believe Grace’s claims that she’s connected and has plenty of kompromat on people. In addition to what Leo’s told me about her, it explains too much to be mere boasting on her part.
Add to my growing list of things to do, I have to learn who Grace’s source of info is, either in the campaign or the West Wing.
On my personal cell, I play back the entire video I recorded as my rage courses through me anew. Sometimes, the camera lens is partially or completely obscured by my blazer, but the audio is clear. You can perfectly hear every word she says.
Didn’t imagine it happened. Now, I’ve got to deal with this bitch and protect my boy.
I upload the video to my Dropbox account so I have it backed up.
Right now, just from this piece of evidence, we both look horrible, unless you play it to the end to see my disclaimer. She could be planning on double-crossing me, but I think she’s not at that point yet. I have a very brief window of opportunity to derail this and her. If she is going to double-cross me, I imagine it’d be after the wedding and inauguration, once she’s safe.
Or until she thinks she’s safe.
Resigned, I get out of bed and check Leo’s closet, where his gun safe is hidden. Sure enough, his Glock is there. I’m comfortable handling it, thanks to all the training he’s given me with it. He’s taken me shooting dozens of times over the years, and I’m a pretty decent shot. He has a special carry permit, since he’s a retired federal law enforcement officer, but he usually can’t carry when he’s working, because he’s with Shae.
I take it out of the gun safe. Yes, it’s loaded.
This would be a messy and hard-to-explain option. Getting rid of the gun wouldn’t be a problem, but explaining its disappearance to Leo would.
Not to mention, that puts me squarely in the middle of a murder investigation, because there are too many video cameras in her building that could identify me. I’d have to meet her somewhere else and leave my cell phone at Leo’s to give myself an alibi.
Or involve Leo to alibi me, which I absolutely do not want to do. There are plenty of places I could meet Grace in the DC area where I could evade CCTV cameras and shoot her.
Except, maybe there is another option.
In the gun safe, Leo also has several brand-new burner phones he’s never used. He and Elliot both have and use them. Because I work for Elliot, and live with him, I don’t carry one. I can use Elliot’s, if needed, or I can simply text Leo on my personal cell.
I replace the gun in the safe. Instead, I take one of the burners, lock the safe, move his clothes back into position, and put the burner phone on a charger. After I turn off the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on it, I use the phone’s cell data to do a little research.
Fifteen minutes later, I’m feeling a lot calmer. I’m reasonably certain I won’t have to shoot Grace after all. I strip and don a pair of jeans from my drawer of spare clothes I keep here. Then I grab one of Leo’s black T-shirts, which hangs large on me. That’s fine—I want it to. I have an old pair of sneakers in his closet and I put those on, along with a dark knit cap.
Perfect.
I leave everything else here, including my personal and work phones, because I’ll return here first to change clothes again. Leaving the alarm off—and hoping Leo doesn’t come home or try to call me—I have just enough time to run another errand before I head to campaign headquarters and rejoin my boy.
As long as I don’t rush the steps or fuck this up, I’m confident I can save Elliot without sacrificing myself.
I hope.
Chapter Fifty-Two
I make it to the campaign headquarters fifteen minutes before Elliot’s ready to leave. All I told him about my absence this evening was that I had errands to run. He knows not to question me beyond that. That if it’s an errand he’s required to know about for any reason, I’d tell him.
Otherwise, it’s info he doesn’t need in his brain, either because it doesn’t matter, or because I don’t want him to know to protect him.
He’s my very good boy, too. I know he won’t ask.
On the way home, he lies across the back seat with his head in my lap and his eyes closed. I’m holding his glasses for him in one hand, and massaging his scalp with the other. That he’s doing this in the car tells me he’s near the end of his rope. He doesn’t know Leo’s spending the night tonight because I wanted that to be a good surprise for him.
Also, I know better than to count on a schedule not changing at the last second. I didn’t want Elliot disappointed in case Leo had to cancel.
Yes, I absolutely manage Elliot in this way. Leo and I both do. Elliot knows we’re doing it, too. It’s easiest on all of us that way.
When we arrive at the residence, Elliot’s walking ahead of me and nearly all the way up the steps when the front door opens, and there stands Leo. He’s still dressed in his suit and looking like he’s ready for work.
Fuck, he’s a gorgeous sight.
I know Leo and I are the only ones close enough to hear Elliot’s gasp that borders on a relieved sob. Elliot rushes forward, inside, leaving the door standing open for me and I barely get it closed behind me before he’s falling into Leo’s arms.
“Please take him upstairs,” I tell Leo as I shift everything in my arms so I can lock the door and reset the alarm. “I’ll be up in a minute. He’s already had dinner.” God, it really is like Elliot’s a puppy.
I start for the kitchen when Leo clears his throat, pulling me up short. I turn, meeting his gaze.
He’s still holding Elliot and wearing a playful smirk. “I thought Elliot’s Sir was taking the night off?”
I step in for a kiss. “Sorry, Sir. Elliot’s frazzled and working on a headache, and I’m not far behind him. I want to wash our travel mugs
and get stuff ready for in the morning.”
I mean, that is part of what I want to do. Omitting something isn’t exactly a lie.
Especially if it’s an omission that will protect the men I love.
“Ah.” He holds an arm out to me and I happily lean in for a quick hug and another kiss. “I’ll get the pet upstairs while you do that. Hurry.” I’m no dummy—that last word is an order.
“Yes, please, Sir. Feel free to start without me.”
They head upstairs, Leo’s arm around Elliot’s waist. I know from the look Leo gave me that there will likely be a question about me stopping by his apartment earlier, but he also knows not to say anything in front of Elliot.
Sometimes, this is because I don’t want to rub it in that I have freedoms Elliot no longer has. It’s one of the things Leo leaves up to me.
But I can almost guarantee there will be a question later.
I already have my answer prepared. And it’s not even a huge lie. Not totally. He didn’t try calling me, and I looked at the alarm log and saw the door wasn’t opened while I was gone.
I’ll say I needed decompression time and took a nap, and that I was so frazzled and exhausted, I forgot to reset the alarm while I was there. It’ll earn me a spanking, but that’s still a win-win, in my book.
Once I finish in the kitchen, I head upstairs, muss the bed in the guest room, and grab my clothes for in the morning. When I enter the bedroom, there’s a puddle of clothes on the floor, Duck’s tipped over and lying there, along with his liners and socks and everything, and the two of them are going at it in the middle of the bed. Elliot’s truly feral, at this point. Leo has him pinned facedown, but Elliot’s fighting, throwing his head back and trying to headbutt Leo, and not giving up.
I don’t interrupt. Elliot desperately needs this, and it means he’ll sleep well tonight. We’ll put Leo between us so we can both snuggle with him.
I set my clothes out and choose Elliot’s outfit for tomorrow, including switching his flag lapel pin to the new blazer. I won’t pack for this weekend yet, because his valet will come in tomorrow morning, grab the dirty laundry, and have it back here by tomorrow afternoon. Then I can stop by, pack, and we can leave for Andrews from here.
It’ll mean a trip on Marine Two, which Elliot won’t like, but he can’t get away with a motorcade during rush hour traffic.
With that taken care of, the two of them are still wrestling as I collect Duck and everything and carry it all into the bathroom to deal with, including putting Duck back where it belongs next to the bench at the end of the bed after I finish wiping it out.
They’re still wrestling.
I strip, not interrupting, because I’m not stupid. Once it’s safe for me to enter the fray, Leo will tag me in.
Meanwhile, I watch them together.
I don’t know if Elliot’s ever bested Leo in a struggle. If he has, I don’t know if it was an honest fight, or if Leo let him win.
One of these days, I’ll remember to ask.
“Ready to give up, pet?” Leo grits out, but Elliot responds by trying to throw Leo off.
I walk around the end of the bed and take up a position on the far side, so I can get a look at Leo’s face.
Oh, crap. He’s in pain and barely hanging on. Usually, there’s a dark light in his eyes when they wrestle like this, because his sadist loves the fight.
Tonight, I see nothing but pain.
The bad kind of pain. Along with a heaping helping of exhaustion.
Without overthinking it, I reach out and fist Elliot’s hair with my left hand. With my right, I hook my fingers in his nostrils and force his head up and back. It allows Leo the chance to finally get a good enough grip on Elliot to wrench his left arm up enough to make Elliot tap out.
Immediately, Leo flips him over, shoves Elliot’s thighs apart, and starts to fuck him right there across the bed. I hope Leo gave him the chance to lube himself first.
Leo grabs Elliot’s wrists and shoves them over his head, pinning them to the bed while he leans in and kisses Elliot as he fucks him. It’s not tender lovemaking, either. Their fucking looks nearly as brutal as their fighting. Every thrust Leo slams into Elliot shakes the whole bed. I watch Elliot’s face, looking for any sign of distress, even though I know beyond all doubts Leo would stop if he thought he was harming Elliot.
Elliot’s…gone. He’s softly moaning in that happy way which tells me his brain’s totally unplugged. If the US went to war right this second, it’d be without the vice president for at least the next hour or so, or longer. When he’s this deep, he’s literally the functional equivalent of being drunk.
I rarely can get him this deep. It comes in part from the vicious, painful, unhinged, and totally feral depth of play they engage in. Leo doesn’t hold back, other than making sure he doesn’t harm Elliot, or hit him where bruises might be visible to the public.
Even when I’m in charge, Elliot holds back, worried about accidentally hurting me. Leo knows how far he can push my body and how deep he can take me and doesn’t hold back as much.
But our sweet pet, our wonderful boy, he’s got a far softer heart than Leo and I do.
I climb onto the bed, where I sit propped against the headboard and await my turn. I wouldn’t mind getting myself fucked tonight, but Elliot’s more important. I need him at his best. Besides, when I turn my focus to Leo, I’m worried about him.
He’s barely hanging on.
Honestly? As hot and sexy as they are, my cock wilts because I’m worried about them, and especially Leo. Leo is our foundation, and Elliot needs to function.
I can wait.
Besides, with Grace’s threat on my mind, that sort of takes the starch out of my shorts, too.
Changing positions, I stretch out along the bed so I can stroke Elliot’s hair and nuzzle his forehead. I don’t need either of them to make me come. If Leo gives me permission, I can make myself come just fine. Obviously, it’s more fun when it’s not just me doing it.
Given a choice of getting fucked or snuggling with both my men?
I’ll pick the snuggling. Every time.
Because this is an increasingly rare occurrence, and will continue to be rare, until we’re past the election.
Although it is tempting to point out to Elliot how cool it’d be not only for the Chief Justice to swear him in, but also marry the two of them immediately after.
When I look down Elliot’s body, I spot his hard cock bouncing between them with every thrust. I don’t know if Leo’s holding back or trying to get him off like that, but I decide to intervene again, which is something I usually don’t do between them. Intervening twice in one night is a record.
I settle in next to Elliot, Leo releasing his wrists and grabbing his knees instead as I ease an arm under Elliot’s head.
Nipping the shell of his ear, I whisper, “Be my good boy.” Then I slide my other hand between their bodies, wrapping my fingers around his cock.
He turns his head toward me, kissing me, coming almost immediately and coating my hand and both of them with his hot, slick juices.
It also does what I expected it would and trips Leo over the edge, too.
“That’s my good boy.” I kiss Elliot, focus on him for a moment before bringing my hand up to his lips.
Yeah, he’s still deep in the zone. With glassy eyes, he licks everything off my fingers while Leo watches. When Leo eventually withdraws and heads to the bathroom, that allows me to stretch out next to Elliot, my body pressed along his and holding him tucked against me. I hear Leo wash up in the bathroom. He returns a moment later with a warm, wet washcloth and a towel, cleans Elliot up, and I move so Elliot can turn around on the bed to lie the correct way.
He looks so peaceful right now, more relaxed than he’s been in weeks.
My mind flashes to Grace Martin’s jagged smile earlier.
How cavalierly she talked about ruining Elliot’s life on a lie, all because she wants to be in control.
No w
ay in hell will I allow her to hurt my boy. Over my fucking dead body.
Or hers.
I head to the bathroom to use it and wash my hands. I’m finishing up and startle when I look up from the sink and, in the mirror, see Leo standing right behind me. I can’t believe I didn’t hear or sense him there.
“Jesus, Leo.” I laugh. “Fucking scared me.”
His gaze doesn’t leave mine in the mirror. “Want to talk about earlier?”
“What do you mean?” Oh, I know what he means.
Leo might be exhausted and in pain, but he’s still fast. Before I can process it, there’s a hand gripping the front of my throat. His other arm’s wrapped around my waist and pulling my body against his.
He presses his cheek to mine, coarse evening stubble lightly rasping my flesh. “Want to try again, baby boy?” The hand around my throat tightens, demanding compliance.
I want to confess everything. I want to hand this heavy load to Him and let Him fix it.
Except for one problem—Leo will always sacrifice himself for us.
Meaning I can’t risk telling him a damn thing right now.
“Executive privilege, Daddy,” I finally manage. “I had work errands.”
Finally, he eases his grip on my throat and nuzzles my ear. His other hand slips down, cupping my cock and balls. Which…
Yeah. Even as much as I’ve missed him and really wanted to do something, my body’s not willing tonight.
Not when I can see the exhaustion and pain he’s wearing like a thick, heavy blanket, and can still hear the borderline glee in Grace’s voice when she thought I was agreeing to help with her scheme.
Leo softly sighs even as his hand rises again, flat against my abs now. “What’s wrong, baby boy?”
I turn in his arms, letting him hold me, and I drop my head so it’s against his shoulder. This way, I don’t have to look him in the eyes. “I miss you, and I’m tired, and I don’t feel like I’m doing a very good job for him.”
I love his tight hugs. “Baby boy, you’re doing an amazing job, and I’m so fucking proud of you.”
Innocent (Inequitable Trilogy Book 2) Page 56