In the Line of Fire [Love on the Rocks 6] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)

by Dixie Lynn Dwyer

  “I need more. Fuck, I’ll never get enough of you. You’re incredible. Holy shit,” Corporal told her. As Grady pulled out, Corporal rolled her to her back, gripped her thighs higher against his hips and stood up at the edge of the bed. He thrust faster and faster and her breasts bounced and he looked so fierce and needy. “Mine. Forever, Berlin. Forever,” he said.

  “Yes. Oh God, I’m coming, Corporal. Oh!” she exclaimed and he thrust so fast, so deep she thought he might reach her womb when he roared and came. He shook between her legs and he wrapped her up into his arms and kissed her everywhere his lips could reach. She hugged him tight and caressed his back and ass.

  He cupped her cheeks and held her gaze.

  “I’m finally home. That’s what you are, baby. Home,” he said to her and tears rolled down her cheeks as she held him tight and looked at Damon, Grady, and Drover pulling on their boxers, smiling.

  “Home,” she whispered, and knew in that moment exactly how Corporal felt. Home was wherever her four men were. Nothing else mattered but them.

  * * * *

  Corporal held Berlin against his chest and caressed her bare skin. He wished the danger was over, and that he could fall into the blissfulness that Berlin made him and his cousins feel, but it wasn’t over. It wouldn’t be until Forte, Mozely, Yanni, and Banks were behind bars or dead.

  He kissed her temple and she titled up to look into his eyes.

  “This is a fantasy come true,” he said to her.

  She was silent a moment, then lifted up. She ran her fingers along his nipple and held his gaze.

  “Why didn’t you kiss me sooner? Why did you wait to tell me how you really felt?” she asked.

  He sighed. “I’ve gone over that many times, and the answer is simple. I was scared, and I wasn’t ready.”

  “What made you feel ready?”

  “Your selflessness, your eagerness to face danger and protect Vaile, and of course you saving my life twice.”

  “Hmmm, so you feel in debt to me?” she teased.

  He gave her ass a spank. “You watch that teasing. I’m sure my cousins have been teaching you the rules.”

  “What rules?” she asked and he raised one of his eyebrows up at her. “Oh, you mean that you all are in charge in the bedroom? Yeah, I got that,” she said as he caressed her ass cheek.

  He chuckled, squeezing her tight. “I wish it was over but it isn’t.”

  “I figured as much. What can we do?” she asked.

  “You are not doing a thing but staying here under protection. I’m going hunting.”

  She sat up fully and narrowed her eyes at him. “Hunting? You mean you’re going after them? You’re leaving me again?” she asked. Tears filled her eyes. He reached up and cupped her cheek.

  “They need to go down. We can’t live in fear and constant worry that they could show up at any time.”

  “Do you even know where they are?”

  “We have friends working on that,” Drover said, joining them in the bedroom.

  She glanced at Drover. “I don’t want him to leave again. I just got you back, Corporal,” she said to him.

  He sat up. “We need to do this.” He got serious. He slid off the bed and ran his fingers through his hair.

  She climbed up behind him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. “I’m sorry. I’m being selfish.”

  He turned to look at her. “Are you out of your mind? You’re the least selfish person I know. I got you into the middle of this shit. You could have been raped, killed, and these people will stop at nothing to find you and eliminate you.”

  “I made the decision to get involved. I was helping Vaile and wound up seeing those cops get shot. I went to help Vaile again to save her brother and didn’t know it was a lie until it was too late.”

  “You killed a man to save me.”

  “I guess I knew sooner that I was in love with you than you knew that you were in love with me,” she said and Drover chuckled and Corporal pulled her onto his lap in a cradle position. He looked at her body, her large, plump breasts, the love bites him and his cousins made along her skin while loving her. He felt possessive and protective and scared. So fucking scared. He drew her close and looked at Drover.

  “Are the others ready to go over things? The conference call set up?” he asked him.

  “We’re ready when you are.”

  She pulled back. “What’s going on?”

  “Some friends have an update for us.”

  “I suppose I can’t listen in?” she asked.

  “No need for you to be involved at this point. Why don’t you take a shower and rest? Then we’ll all make dinner together,” Drover told her.

  “I need to head down to the cabin for something else to wear. I’ll shower there and then come back and we can cook. If you’re all still on the phone I’ll start cooking without you, but you all are cleaning up,” she said and they smiled.

  Corporal kissed her shoulder then helped her stand. He stared at her body as she walked over to her clothes and got dressed.

  * * * *

  “So the investigation is leading to witnesses that were at the house when Vaile and Brothers were killed?” Corporal asked Graham over the phone.

  “Yes, and Vincent just said that Internal Affairs has gotten hold of phone conversations between the dirty cops and Forte. They confirm the shooting of those three cops who wouldn’t turn and go dirty for him, and they confirm the names of other investigators. Corporal, Scuba is working for Forte,” Graham told him.

  “Son of a bitch. I had a feeling after those men showed up at the safe house and his questions on the phone. I lied about where I was sending Berlin. I told them I had family in Virginia and she would be safe there.”

  “They could figure it out easy enough and are probably sending in people now. Vincent said a warrant was issued for Scuba’s arrest, but he disappeared. Vincent also confirmed that the feds who are gathering up the information and arresting people connected to Forte are also looking for these men Mozely, Yanni, and Banks,” Graham said to them.

  “What is it Corporal?” Damon asked him.

  “Those are the men that tried to rape her and chased her through the woods. They know she’s a witness to the murders and to the deals. They find her, they’ll kill her, but not before they have some fun.”

  “Shit. She should be with us right now,” Grady stated.

  “Go down to the cabin and get her. She should be finished showering by now,” Corporal stated. As Grady started to walk out of the office all the lights went out.

  “Fuck,” Damon said.

  “What’s going on?” Graham asked.

  “They’re here. Lights went out,” Corporal stated and then disconnected the call.

  “Grab the guns,” he whispered to them and Drover already was passing them out.

  “We have to get to Berlin,” Corporal stated and then a gunshot came through the widow. They all ducked down low.

  “Let’s not shoot one another please,” Drover said to them.

  “Grady and I will head down to the cabin to grab Berlin. You and Drover take out who you can along the house. We’ll get anyone on our way to the cabin. Let’s go,” Corporal stated, but as they started to separate, the windows shattered and multiple men began to filter into their home. All hell broke loose as they fired their weapons and began to defend their home and fight for their lives.

  * * * *

  Berlin was just about ready to head up to the house. She had put on a warm sweater since it was a cool night, was carrying a pie, and opened the front door. She gasped when she saw Scuba standing there. Then she heard the gunshots. He shoved her back inside.

  “Quick. We need to go. I have to get you out of here.”

  “What? What do you mean? What’s going on? Who’s shooting?”

  “Forte’s men found you. I was notifying Corporal and his cousins. He said to get to you, get you to safety, and they would come when this was over. Come on, now,” he de
manded, taking her arm. She dropped the pie. “Come on,” he yelled at her and she hurried along with him. She knew that he was working the case with Corporal.

  “Will Corporal and his cousins be okay?”

  “I don’t know. All I know is that you’re the only witness to all these murders and deals and you need to be protected. Come on.”

  She didn’t know how he was seeing through the darkness as they made their way to one of the trails. They followed it higher and higher toward the mountainous terrain. “Why are we heading this way? We should head down the trail toward the road and to town. We could hide out in an empty cabin and wait for Corporal to call you.”

  “No. This way.” He gripped her arms tight and her gut clenched.

  “How did you get here? How did you find us?” she asked.

  “Corporal told me.”

  “When?”

  “Who the hell cares? Let’s go.”

  She had a bad feeling and pulled her arm free. “No. I’m not going anywhere until you call Corporal and confirm all this for me.”

  The backhand to her mouth shocked her, as did the punch to her stomach.

  “You pain in the ass bitch. You caused so much shit. The feds and I.A. are after me. Corporal also sent out more than a dozen men protecting you. All he had to do was turn his head while Forte knocked you off. It’s all fucked up.”

  She felt the throbbing pain as she knelt on the ground. “You’re part of this? You’re a dirty cop!” she screamed at him, and he went to strike her but she nailed him in the balls with her fist.

  “Fuck.” He groaned and fell to his knees.

  She forearmed him to the nose. “You asshole. Corporal is going to kill you.”

  She turned around and could barely make out the trail when she heard the click of a gun. Her eyes landed on Banks, then Yanni and Mozely. She stepped back.

  “Move. And I’ll kill you right here,” Banks said. She jumped when she heard the gunshot and turned to see Yanni shoot Scuba.

  “Let’s go,” Banks stated and she knew she was going to die. Everything Corporal sacrificed to keep her alive all ended here tonight.

  * * * *

  “They got her. Son of bitch, they got her,” Corporal said to Damon as they ran into the cabin and saw the broken pie plate and pie on the floor. When they heard the gunshot they both looked at one another.

  “We’re going to need these,” Damon said and pulled out the night vision glasses.

  “Fuck yeah. This ends here, cuz. It ends here,” Corporal stated.

  Just as they headed out of the cabin, Grady and Drover joined them. “We got about fifteen minutes before the sheriff and deputies pull up into the campsite. Lights are turning on down below,” Grady said to them.

  “We do this now. Take no prisoners. They’ve got Berlin,” Damon said.

  Grady shadowed Corporal while Drover shadowed Damon since they didn’t have night vision glasses on them.

  Corporal’s heart was pounding inside his chest when he spotted the body on the ground. As they approached they saw it was Scuba. Damon bent down and checked to be sure he was dead. “Dead,” he whispered. “Good, the bastard,” Corporal whispered.

  “Which way?” Drover asked. “Follow the trail up. Maybe they plan on going to the other side and down into that small campsite,” Damon said.

  As they quickly followed the trail they could hear the voices. Corporal heard Berlin scream.

  “Go to hell,” she yelled. “You’ll never get away with this. Stop touching me.”

  They got closer and could see the three men with Berlin. Damon gave hand signals for them to split up and surround them, but as they stepped closer, twigs snapped, the men turned and fired, and Berlin took off running.

  “Get her. She can’t live,” Banks yelled. Corporal recognized the voice and knew it was him. The other two had to be Mozely and Yanni.

  Damon shot his gun and took out one guy. The others scrambled after Berlin and the other men. The brush was thick and even with the night vision glasses, Corporal couldn’t make out who was who. Shots rang out. Wood split against the tree by his head, nearly hitting him. He heard Berlin scream, “No,” just as Forte appeared, turned, and fired at him. Berlin slammed her hand over Forte’s arm and then ran toward Corporal as he ducked. He pointed his gun, heard the shot, and then Berlin screamed and fell forward. He shot her. Forte shot her. Corporal fired his weapon as he hurried forward, hitting Forte three times.

  Then more shots rang out and he heard his cousins.

  “They’re all dead. Corporal, where are you? Where’s Berlin?” Drover yelled out.

  “Hurry, she’s been shot,” he screamed, his voice cracked as he fell to the ground, pulled off his night vision goggles and moved her. She didn’t make a sound. “No! Goddamn it, no!” he roared. Light shined upon him as his cousins all hurried around them. He saw the blood on her forehead and the large rock on the ground, then the blood against her chest and shoulder.

  “Let me see,” Grady said and fell to his knees. The sirens could be heard in the distance, lights illumined the woods from down below.

  “Get help up here. Get an ambulance up here,” Corporal yelled at Drover.

  Grady shined the light against the wound and then pulled off his shirt and covered the front of it. “Was she facing the shooter or walking away?” he asked Corporal.

  “Walking away. Forte went to shoot me and she knocked the gun from his hands and ran. He shot her in the back,” Corporal said. “I think it went clear through.” He applied pressure to the wound.

  “She probably hit her head on that large rock, knocking her out. Will she be okay, Grady?” Damon asked and they heard Drover yelling to the sheriff about an ambulance and someone being shot.

  It was complete chaos and it felt like it took forever for the ambulance to arrive. As they loaded her onto the gurney and rolled it down the path through the woods, Corporal and his cousins followed. Drover was explaining what happened and about the investigation to the sheriff. Before Berlin was even in the ambulance, the feds and investigators were there at the campsite.

  “She’s waking up,” Grady stated and they all stopped and looked at her. Corporal covered her arm with his hand, Grady caressed her cheek, Damon kept a hand on her thigh, and Drover stopped talking to the sheriff and came to the gurney, too.

  “Forte?” she asked.

  “Dead, baby.”

  She looked at Corporal. Her eyes widened and she cringe. “You hurt?”

  “No. You’re crazy, do you know that? I’m supposed to rescue you and save you, not the other way around,” he said to her with tears in his eyes.

  “You lied to me,” she said and he squinted and looked at his cousins, then back at her.

  “I lied about what?”

  “Getting shot hurts,” she said and tears spilled from her eyes.

  They all comforted her.

  “We’re going to take good care of you, sweetie. No more danger,” Corporal said and then leaned over and kissed her lips.

  “We need to get her to the hospital,” the paramedic said.

  “We’ll follow,” Drover stated.

  “You need to stay, Corporal. This is one hell of a fucking mess,” the sheriff said.

  His cousins looked at him as they walked with the gurney.

  “We’ll take care of her. Meet us at the hospital,” Grady said.

  He nodded and knew that his cousins would protect her and love her until he could get through this mess and then put it all behind them once and for all. When it was all finished, they would spend the rest of their lives loving, protecting, and cherishing every moment with Berlin.

  Epilogue

  Berlin took a sip of the concoction the men called “in the line of fire,” named after her for jumping in front of a gun to save her men from getting shot and killed. They joked around about it now, but they were fussing over her still and carrying her everywhere. Except for today. After she had the drink and they toasted the small snow sto
rm that hit the mountains, she insisted that they walk outside despite the layer of snow. It was gorgeous with all the trees covered in white, and the ground as well, and finally she was headache free.

  She crossed her arms, feeling only a slight ache in her chest and shoulder. She inhaled.

  “Are you okay?” Corporal asked, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her close.

  She smiled. “Yes, Corporal. Are you?” she countered.

  Smack.

  “Ouch,” she exclaimed and jumped.

  “Watch the wiseass remarks, you. I’ve already told you to get used to us caring about you, protecting you at all times, and being sure that you don’t take any risks or push yourself too hard too fast. You were shot, damn it, and had a major concussion and could have died.”

  She stopped walking, took his hands, and brought them around her hips. She rubbed her palms up and down his chest and smiled up at him. She glanced at the others. Damon took position behind her and held onto her hips. Damon and Drover stood on either side, staring at her straight-faced.

  “I know that it was scary, but I would do it again. I would do it for each of you because I know the four of you would jump into the line of fire for me, too. That’s true love. That’s a bond so strong and a connection so deep, nothing can destroy it. Only certain things can make it even stronger though,” she said and gave him a wink.

  “What would that be?” Drover asked.

  She looked at each of them and leaned back against Damon. “Making love, over and over and over again.”

  She gasped as Damon lifted her up with one arm, swinging her into his arms in a cradle position and heading back down the path.

  “Hey, what are you doing? I said I wanted to go for a walk.”

  “Later, baby. We’ve got bonding to work on and a love so strong you won’t ever have to step in front of the line of fire. Just climb into bed every night with all of us and wake up in our arms every morning for the rest of our lives.”

  She couldn’t help but to smile. “Damon, you’re turning into quite the romantic. Not so hard and disciplinary anymore, huh?” she teased and he made a noise as he carried her into the house and up the stairs with his brothers following behind them. She knew she was egging him on but she never expected his next move. As he set her down onto the bed and pressed a bent knee between her legs, he began to remove her clothing.