Chavez: Jagged Edge Series #7 (Jagged Edge Series, Alpha-male, Romance)

by A. L Long

  I was well rewarded when I put my cock deep inside her as I took her in the alley. She had no problem accepting my little kinky side, which led me to believe that I would be able to show her so much more. There were so many things I would love to do to her, but I needed to take things slow. The last thing that I wanted was to scare her away, especially since I was so close to winning her over.

  I would have loved to stay with her for the day, but there was still a lot of work that needed to be done at the shop. I was pretty confident that I wouldn’t gather any more information on her if I continued to follow her. I was, however, concerned about seeing Kataryna at the café and why she was there. I also was curious about the gentleman sitting with her. I did have to admit, the look on her face was priceless. Watching Gabrielle pass her after our little fling in the alley, there wouldn’t be any reason for her to seduce me again.

  Stepping up my game, I had to get a move on. I could have spent the day thinking about Gabrielle, but my focus needed to be elsewhere. Crossing the street, I headed to my 4-Runner. To play it safe, I parked it a couple of blocks away from where Gabrielle walked into the boutique. I was pretty sure that she would be able to spot my truck if I parked any closer and I couldn’t risk her knowing that I was in the vicinity.

  When I got to the shop, Graham was already in the back sitting in front of his computer. The way he was scratching his head, I knew that something was up. Walking up behind him, all I could see on the monitor were lines of numbers, symbols, and letters. It almost looked like his computer was going nuts. Tapping him on the shoulder, I said hesitantly, “That doesn’t look good.”

  Shrugging his shoulder in a pissed off manner, he cursed. “No shit, Sherlock. Every time I think I’m closer to breaking this code to the system, it sends me this. I have gone through three computers to try and figure it out. This system is unhackable.”

  “Let me give it a try,” I offered, watching Graham get up from his seat and moving over to the seat next to the computer.

  Watching the screen for a second, I tried to focus on any pattern that the symbols and letters might create. As I concentrated on the screen, I noticed that there was a pattern. Keeping my eyes on the screen, I said, “Grab a notebook and write down everything I say.”

  Focusing, I began rattling off, “A, X, $, *, * B, 8, 0,” and hoped that he would be able to keep up with me.

  When I was finished giving him the sequence of letters, numbers and symbols, I took the notebook and began deciphering what he had written down. Whoever created this code knew exactly what they were doing. Walking over to the copier, I made a copy of the page with all the information on it and handed it over to Graham. I figured if we were going to have a chance at breaking this code, it was going to take the two of us to do it.

  ~****~

  Not only were my eyes hurting from trying to figure out the code, my mind was going a mile a minute. This must have been how Newton felt when he discovered the Law of Physics. The minute I closed my eyes, numbers and letters started popping in. My brain was running a marathon trying to figure out what all of this meant. There was no way I was going to be able to sleep with my thoughts having a heyday. Picking up my phone from the nightstand, I brought it to life to see that I had a missed call and a voice message was left.

  Pressing *86, I listen to the recording. ‘Michael, something is terribly wrong. Someone has been in the penthouse. Please come as fast as you can. God, I hope you get this soon.’ When I looked down at the screen, I saw the call came in ten minutes ago. I would know that voice anywhere. It was Kataryna, and by the sounds of it, she was in trouble.

  Slipping on my jeans and a t-shirt, I grabbed the keys to my 4-Runner and my boots. Standing in front of my 4-Runner, the only thing that crossed my mind was whether or not this was an actual emergency or if she was playing another one of her games. I pulled my boots on and called the number that Kataryna called from. Waiting for her to pick up, my efforts were wasted when her voice message came on.

  More frantic than before, I hissed, “Damn woman,” hoping that she wasn’t pulling my chain.

  Hopping in my truck, I headed down the drive hoping that no one was out at this hour. The way I took off, the last thing I needed was to cause an accident. Stepping on the gas, I headed out and to Manhattan. It was at times like these that I wished I didn’t live on the outskirts of the city. I could have used the extra time.

  Twenty minutes later, I was pulling up to Kataryna’s penthouse condo on Park Avenue. I knew that I would be getting a parking ticket by the way I was parked, but at this stage, it was a moot point. Heading inside, I was thankful to see that the security guard was away from his station. With him gone, it allowed me to get the elevators without being stopped. Hopefully this elevator was faster than before.

  I guess you get what you pay for, because it only took five seconds to get to Kataryna’s floor. Like a rocket, I was off of the elevator and walking towards her door. There was definitely something wrong. Her door was cracked open. Kicking myself in the head, I was in such a hurry that I forgot to grab my piece from my 4-Runner. Approaching the door with caution, I grabbed the crystal vase that was sitting on a fancy iron-rod table just outside the door and spilled its contents on the floor. Placing my hand against the door, I slowly pushed it open in anticipation that there would be someone waiting for me on the other side.

  The breath that I had been holding in as I opened the door expelled when I saw no one was there. I held back in calling out for Kataryna in case the intruder was still in her condo. Taking cautious steps, careful not to make a sound, I worked my way down the hallway to her room. Pushing the door open, she wasn’t in her room, nor was anyone else, or so I thought until I heard a shriek coming from the bathroom. Thinking that I needed something other than a vase to protect myself, I scanned the room to find a long letter opener on a desk near the window.

  Blasting through the door ready to kill, my eyes fell upon Kataryna, who was no more in danger than I was. Lying in a pool of bubbles that could have choked a horse, she was singing some god-awful song that sound like she was being tortured. I couldn’t take the sounds coming from her mouth any longer. Pulling the earbuds from her ears, I was able to get her attention. The look she gave me wasn’t one of surprise, but one of a woman in need.

  Kataryna lifted her body from a reclining position, causing the bubbles that were covering most of her body to part like the red sea. Even though I knew that her breasts were fake, I had to admit, I couldn’t take my eyes off of them. I would have to be gay in order not to reach out and touch them.

  “I know what you want, Michael.” Her hands rose from the water to her breasts, caressing and kneading them like they were dough.

  She was absolutely right. I did want to caress them, but more than that, I wanted to suck on them. Lifting her from the tub, the warmth of her wet body pressed to mine soaked the t-shirt I was wearing. As I placed her on the vanity, her hands were on me in an instant, ridding me of my wet shirt. Just as quickly as she had my shirt off, her lips were on mine. By the taste of her lips, she had been drinking. I may be a horny bastard at times, but one thing I would never consider doing was take advantage of a woman who had been drinking. It didn’t matter how sexy they were.

  Pulling my lips from hers, I looked into her eyes to see if I could tell just how much she had drank. The blue of her eyes was just like crystal rocks glistening against the ocean. My instinct told me that she had consumed enough and wasn’t aware of her actions. Handing her a towel from the counter, I wrapped it around her and said, “I think you need some sleep and I need to go.”

  “Wait, you can’t go, what about the person who broke into my condo? He could be back,” she cried.

  “I highly doubt that, Kataryna,” I replied.

  “You never know. He may have forgotten something or worse, he could have been waiting for me to come home.”

  Her point was beginning to make sense. Whoever broke into her home wanted something and by t
he looks of it, nothing was taken. There could have been a chance that he was hoping she would be home. So, the chances, however slight they were, made me rethink my position.

  “Okay, here is the deal. I will stay with you until daylight. In the morning, I will have one of the guys stay with you, outside your door,” I emphasized, “Until we can figure this out.” I could see her wheels begin to turn. I wasn’t sure what she might have been thinking, but whatever it was, it definitely wasn’t going to include me.

  ~****~

  Making sure that Kataryna was safely tucked into her bed, I took my spot on the couch. Trying to catch some shut-eye myself, my mind kept wandering back to those damn numbers and letters. My brain must have finally given up, because an hour later, my eyes felt like weights and closed.

  No sooner were my eyes closed than an annoying sound began pulsating above my head. “Damn cell,” I said, to myself as I reached above my head with no success.

  I must have fallen into a hard sleep. I had no idea that Kataryna had made her way out of her bed and right on top of me on the couch. Adjusting my position, I was finally able to find my cell. Swiping my hand across the screen, I said, “Hello.”

  “Chavez, is that you? What are you doing answering Kataryna’s phone?”

  The minute I heard Gabrielle’s voice, I knew I had picked up the wrong phone. Pulling it from my ear, there it was: an iPhone with a pink sparkly cover. “Damn, fuck, shit,” I hissed.

  “Baby, hang up the phone and go back to sleep. I need cuddles,” Kataryna demanded.

  Placing the phone back to my ear, I heard the wrath of a woman gone mad. “Cuddles? Fuck you, Chavez.”

  Still half dazed by the whole conversation, I couldn’t get my mind clear to even explain what just happened. All I knew was that I was going to have to weasel my way out of this one.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Gabrielle

  I was so angry at Chavez that I totally forgot to tell him the reason I was calling so early in the morning. The last thing that I wanted to do was to call him back. How could I have been so stupid to think that he and I might have something together? It was clear that he had a different agenda for our relationship. Knowing that there was no way I would be able to talk to him, I decided the best thing to do was to text him.

  Gabrielle: Sorry to have interrupted your fuck date with the fake bitch, but you need to be at FBI headquarters ASAP. So, put your cock back in your pants and get here.

  I was surprised to find that he responded so quickly.

  Chavez: Gabrielle, I am not sure what you think may be going on between Kataryna and myself, but I can assure you, you are way off base. I am on my way.

  Gabrielle: You can lie all you want. I am no dummy.

  Chavez: Not Lying. We will talk about this when I get there.

  Gabrielle: Nothing to talk about. Where you decide to stick your dick is your choice, but it most definitely won’t be me. EVER!

  Although I thought that he would be responding back with a text, my cell began to ring. Even though I didn’t have his number programed into my phone, I knew exactly who was calling. Pushing the ignore button, I threw my phone across the room and watched as it fell to the floor, just missing the coffee table and landing on the rug underneath it. I knew then that I needed to get my temper under control. Grabbing my bag, I walked over to my phone, which was face down, and checked it for any damage. Luckily for me, I wouldn’t be purchasing a new cell. Stuffing it inside my bag, I headed out of the apartment and to FBI headquarters.

  ~****~

  Parking my car in my designated spot, I headed to the garage elevators to the tenth floor. As I rode the elevator, all I could think about was what a fool I had been, thinking that I might have actually found someone I could see spending my life with. Boy, did I feel stupid. When the elevator opened, I was surprised to see that Chavez was already here. Walking up to him, I interrupted his conversation with Delaney, and said, “What’s this all about, Delaney?”

  I had no idea what they were talking about, but Delaney must have been filling Chavez in. “I have something to show you, Jackson, and you aren’t going to like it.”

  Following him to the conference room with Chavez on my heels, I could only imagine what he needed to show me that I wasn’t going to like. My thoughts were cut short when I felt Chavez’s warm breath on my neck.

  “I wouldn’t lie to you, Gabrielle. Nothing happened between me and Kataryna,” he whispered.

  “Then what were you doing answering her cell, and why would she plead with you to end the call?” I hissed in a soft but angry voice.

  “She called about an intruder. I thought she was in danger.”

  “Likely story. Do you expect me to believe that?”

  “It’s the truth.”

  Before I could respond to his remark, Delaney turned slightly, giving us both a look of annoyance. I knew then that this was not the place or the time to be discussing this. Opening the door to the conference room, Delaney stepped aside to allow me and Chavez to enter. Most of the guys from Jagged Edge were already seated, along with Graham. As I took a seat, I watched Chavez take a seat next to me as Delaney moved to the front of the room.

  Fumbling with a laptop computer, Delaney adjusted the projector so that the image clearly appeared on the vinyl screen. It was then that I felt like a ton of bricks landed on my heart. On one side of the screen was a picture of my father, while on the other was a picture of Elliott Crawford. If that wasn’t bad enough, picture after picture revealed gruesome photos of bloody bodies that were unrecognizable.

  Halting my fixation on the screen, I heard Delaney’s voice. “The pictures that I am showing come as an unwelcoming surprise. Never in all my life have I ever had to deal with something so tragic and inconceivable. More importantly than that, these malicious acts are closer to home than we think. Jackson, would you care to explain?” he questioned sarcastically.

  I wasn’t sure what Delaney expected me to explain, but I knew nothing about this. “I don’t know what to say. I had no idea!” I cried, disgusted by the whole thing.

  “Gentleman, since Gabrielle seems to be at a loss for words, let me explain the reason for this meeting. When Agent Jackson first started the FBI program, an extensive background check was conducted on her as it was with all cadets. We all found it a little strange when we looked into the deaths of her parents. Supposedly her father, Abraham Jackson, was killed in a terrible accident at the Excelsior hotel. We could never find information on how it happened. The only thing we were able to find was his obituary stating that he died there. This information was never publicized. Another strange thing. Anyway, to make a long story short, Gabrielle’s father, Abraham Jackson, is Elliott Crawford.” Delaney looked at me with a hardened stare. “Now, Gabrielle, would you care to explain?”

  “I have no idea what you are talking about. I never knew he did those things. I was very young when he died.” Why I was trying to justify what I knew? I needed to get out of here. My lungs were tightening and I couldn’t breathe.

  ~****~

  I had no idea where the hell I was going. When I exited the parking garage, all I wanted to do was get away as far as possible, so I just drove. Flinging my phone out the window was probably not the best idea either, but it wouldn’t stop ringing and I had to make it stop. Keeping the window down, I took in the warmth and my lungs began to open as the air blew inside my car. With each breath I took, my mind also began to clear.

  Taking a sharp left, down a dirt road, I had to pull over and got out of the car. Locking my car, I took off walking. No matter what I did to try and think of something else, I just couldn’t. The look on their faces was something I would never forget. Feeling like my entire life had been taken from me, I lowered by body and began sobbing like a child.

  I wasn’t sure how long I had been crying or how long I was crouched down on the hard dirt. Everything was completely drained out of me to the point that I was numb. Pushing to a sitting position, I could
hear the crunching of the dirt beneath a pair of feet. Looking over my shoulder, the sun was so bright that I could barely make out the form that was coming toward me. All I saw was a large shadow, which told me that whoever was approaching was at least twice my size. Getting to my feet as quickly as I could, I drew my weapon and ordered, “Don’t come any closer or I will shoot.”

  “Gabrielle, don’t shoot.”

  The minute I heard his voice, I knew it was Chavez. The last person on this earth that I wanted to see. Lowering my weapon, I placed it back in my holster and proceeded to walk in his direction. When I got within inches of him, I fisted my hand and swung it in the direction of his face. I missed my target completely, and he had me turned with my back against his chest holding me tightly against him. It felt like I no more strength to fight. Letting him take control of me, I took in a deep breath and began to cry again.