Being in charge of a branch of a multi-million dollar operation like The Eye meant that Miguel didn’t need to go home to regroup. His wife had probably let the FBI into the house to search. Unless they were morons, they’d found Gary’s body where he’d hastily buried it near the tall privacy fence. Nope, home was not a place he’d visit again. However he did have cash and credit cards in alternate names stashed all around the state. The Eye also had several safe houses. After the agents had discovered the New Day Church, he’d moved resources away from there.
Down the street, he’d invested in a nightclub that catered to the gays. It was pulling in a pretty hefty profit. Those gays certainly liked their alcohol and techno music. Whatever. Gary had done a nice job moving his assets, so that’s where Miguel went first. Since it was a bright, sunny Monday morning, the street was deserted. He accessed the back entrance easily. This particular place had a panic room built into what had been intended as a bomb shelter when the original establishment had been erected in the Sixties. He stayed there, resting and letting his wounds heal, until the next morning. When he finally left, dawn was breaking on a new day, and he had a new van and a rocket launcher.
He headed for Herman Caldwell’s house. Though it would be guarded, they’d expect him to sneak in and attack from a close range. The shoulder-fired missile he intended to use would be very accurate from a distance of three-hundred meters, though he’d still hit the house if he had to set up farther away. Caldwell lived in an area where the houses were set on one acre, and every lawn was manicured to within an inch of its life. The landscaping was lush and pampered, much like the people who lived there. And a golf course wound through the community and provided all the access he needed.
Miguel set up a quarter of a mile away, at the crest of a hill that overlooked the eleventh hole. He had a view of Caldwell’s house, and a strategically placed natural area supplied cover. Thank goodness for ponds, cattails, and willow trees. This nasty hazard had eaten more than a few of his balls. Until a few months ago, he’d thought Caldwell was a friend, and he’d debated bringing him into The Eye as a true believer. That was before the fucker had taken a hard line on several cases that messed up critical operations.
Oh, well. Friendship, like life, was fragile and fleeting. He had a far better candidate for the position of judge.
He drove the van onto the course, which was largely abandoned. The people in this golfing community were having breakfast and preparing for work, and maintenance would be easy to avoid. Peak tee times began at eleven, when the more daring broke for an early lunch and a few holes. He parked the van and peered through binoculars to find his target. The judge and his wife were having breakfast in the nook that overlooked the back patio and the impressive sixteenth hole. Agents were posted inside the house, and though he didn’t spot agents posted outside, he knew they were there. Lockmeyer was annoying, but she wasn’t inept. He readied the equipment, opened the back of the van, and fired the missile. The whole event took seconds, and he drove away with a hopeful smile after the explosion rocked the sleepy neighborhood.
Jordan woke to the sound of the door opening slowly. Darcy tiptoed into the darkened room, heading straight for the changing table where she grabbed several diapers and a box of wipes. In this dim light, Jordan was struck by how much the sisters resembled one another. He’d thought Darcy was cute when he’d met her, but Amy was the one who’d swept him off his feet.
Darcy glanced over, a contented smile curving her lips, and gasped softly. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you. Though, if you want, my parents are up, so you can use the guest room. That bed is much more comfortable than being crunched on a loveseat.”
He’d slept in places far less comfortable, but that didn’t mean he was going to turn down a perfectly good mattress. Shifting Amy, he cradled her against his body so that she wouldn’t wake up. He followed Darcy to the guest room, where the bed was neatly made.
Darcy turned down the covers and whispered, “Fresh sheets.”
He put Amy down, and then he took off his shirt and jeans and crashed next to her. The next time he woke, he found his mother standing over him, shaking his shoulder. “Jordie, honey, wake up. I want to see you for a little while before we have to leave.”
“Leave?” He sat up. “Where are you going?”
“Home. We’ve been here for almost a week, and it hasn’t exactly been a vacation. Though, I suppose it could have been worse. Thank goodness Darcy came over and told us the truth.” Her voice caught, and she threw her arms around him. “I’m so happy you’re alive.”
Next to him, Amy shifted. While still holding his mother, he put a restraining hand on Amy’s shoulder. “You can sleep some more.”
“Her parents are leaving too. We’d love for us all to have lunch together.”
Jordan glanced at the digital clock across the room. It was past noon. “Okay. Let us get showered and changed.” He assumed Amy had the rest of his clothes. She’d thoughtfully left a complete change for him at the cottage.
Lunch was an interesting affair. Amy’s parents seemed relieved that they were an item, which was an about-face from the suspicious way they’d treated him last time. Though, if he thought about it from a parent’s perspective, he wouldn’t be pleased to find a half-naked man at his daughter’s house either. Once he announced their engagement, their entire demeanor brightened.
Her mother eyed her warily. “Are you pregnant?”
“No,” Amy said.
Fran clapped her hands together. “Then that’s fabulous news. It’s a little fast, but wonderful nonetheless. Both of my girls will finally be married. I’m so happy for all of you.”
Her father nailed him with a firm look. “As long as you make my little girl happy, I won’t have a problem with you.”
His parents were ecstatic. His mother hugged him and kissed Amy’s cheeks. “You’re going to make beautiful babies together.”
Amy’s eyebrows shot into her hairline. They hadn’t discussed children. Jordan was on the fence about them. Right now, he didn’t have room in his life, but maybe in ten or so years, he might be ready to commit to something like that. He squeezed her knee under the table.
His father congratulated him and hugged Amy. “Welcome to the family.”
Though her parents seemed surprised, his didn’t, and he chalked that up to the fact that he’d begun mentioning her over a year ago. The last time he’d visited home, his mother had grilled him about when he intended to make a move on Amy. Good women don’t stay single forever. And Jamie had no doubt regaled them with every detail of her interactions with Amy.
Darcy beamed in Amy’s direction. She offered her congratulations, but in a way that revealed this was not news to her. Malcolm was similarly reserved. They’d already talked about the engagement.
“Will you be moving to Ann Arbor?” Paul, Amy’s father took a big bite of his sandwich as soon as he finished speaking.
Darcy handed Colin to Malcolm. “You’re both welcome to stay here for as long as you need. The house will take some time to rebuild. We managed to salvage a few things, but the house will need to be torn down.”
Though Malcolm didn’t protest, he didn’t echo his wife’s invitation. Jordan finished chewing—he’d been starving—before responding. “Thanks for the offer, but Amy will move into my apartment for now. We’ll figure out the rest after we meet with insurance and sort through what I’m sure will be mounds of paperwork.”
He hadn’t discussed this with Amy, but a glance in her direction confirmed that she was on board with his plan. As his little and his fiancée, she had almost no room for protest. And if she had an issue with his decision, he knew she would wait until they were alone to voice it. He loved her submissive respect. Because he couldn’t help himself, he leaned over and gave her a kiss. She met him halfway, her eyes soft with affection.
“I’m going to put Colin down for his nap,” Malcolm said. He stood with his son. “Grandparents, I know you’re plannin
g to leave before he gets up, so come get your goodbye slobbers, uh, kisses now.”
They had a pleasant lunch, and afterward Amy’s parents headed toward their RV. Jesse exited as they opened the door to board. Fran put her hand to her heart as she faced the formidable security specialist. He grinned. “I swept it for bugs and bombs. It’s clean.”
Jordan frowned at Fran’s reaction. Jesse hadn’t done anything to make her uncomfortable. Before he could say anything, Amy giggled. “She thinks he’s hot.”
“Your mother?”
“Um, yeah.” She said it like he should have known. “He’s cute, very buff, and wearing one of those tight T-shirts that shows off every muscle.”
He turned that frown on Amy. “You can’t look at other guys.”
She rolled her eyes. “Looking and touching are two different things. You can’t order me not to look any more than I could expect you not to look. That’s not a realistic expectation. Frankie is cute too, and she wears tight shirts. I’m sure you’ve checked out her rack a few times. You can’t help it. Even I’ve checked out her girls a few times. It’s the second thing you notice about her.”
Well, he hadn’t. Not really. Okay, maybe he’d looked, but he hadn’t stared. He appreciated tits in general, but he loved Amy’s. Wait—had she said she’d checked out Frankie’s rack? He stowed that though for a later date. “What’s the first thing you noticed?”
“Her eyes.” Amy wobbled on her good foot, and he caught her. “She has very expressive eyes.”
He lifted her in his arms. “Nice job changing the subject. We’ll talk about this later.”
She slid her arm around his neck. “Okay, but only if you promise to put on a tight shirt and flex for me.”
He was so very tempted to pinch her bottom, but instead he put her down in front of her parents so she could see them off. Next, his parents left to catch their flight home. As his father hugged him goodbye, he said, “She’s very sweet, son, and I think you’ll have a happy life together. You’re going to have to bring her home next time you come.”
“Of course.” His days of traveling alone were finished.
As they waved goodbye, Frankie and Jesse descended on them. Jesse herded them toward the front door. “Get inside.”
Amy limped a few steps, and he carried her the rest of the way. Once inside, she grinned at Jesse. “It must be difficult to protect someone like Jordan who is used to fending for himself.”
Jesse cracked a smile. “You have no idea.”
“Ha. Ha.” Jordan wasn’t the one who needed protection. He set Amy down in the living room next to Darcy. “We’re leaving in ten minutes. I’ll pack our things. You wait here.”
Malcolm followed him upstairs. “You know, you are welcome to stay here.” He spoke tentatively, and his voice trailed off.
“Just not right now.” Jordan wasn’t offended. In Mal’s shoes, he’d do the same thing. Having him and Amy there put Darcy and Colin in danger, and Malcolm’s primary responsibility was to protect his family.
“I knew you’d understand. And, given the way Amy didn’t protest, I think she wants some time alone with you.”
Jordan threw their things into the two bags they’d been living out of for the past week. “I’m leaving Frankie here, just in case. She’s a damn good operative. I worked with her in South America. You’re in great hands.”
“That’s not necessary. I’m sending Darcy and Colin to my parents’ house, and I’m coming to stay with you. Amy means the world to Darcy, and so she means the world to me. I’m not going to sit here while she’s at risk.” Danger glittered from Malcolm’s eyes.
Jordan chucked him on the shoulder. “Good to know she’s your only concern. Here I thought you loved me like a brother, but I see how it is.”
“Save the lovefest for later.” Frankie came into the room and nailed them both with a firm look. “Malcolm, you can’t come with us, and Jordan, I’m not staying here. Brandy hired us to protect you and Amy. That’s the job I signed on for, and that’s the job I’m going to do.”
“Protecting Darcy is protecting Amy,” Jordan said. “She’d never forgive herself if fallout from this hurt Darcy, Colin, or Malcolm.” Anybody, really. Amy loved sunshine and rainbows, and he was going to move mountains and perhaps a few waterfalls to make sure her life had lots of that once this problem was neutralized. “I’ll take Jesse with us.”
“Nope.” Frankie wasn’t going to compromise. “But I can pull in Eastridge or Alloway. Probably Eastridge.”
“Fine. How fast can he get here?” Jordan didn’t know Frankie’s colleagues, but if she trusted them, that was good enough for him.
She extracted a phone from her pocket, punched some numbers, and left the room.
Malcolm watched her go. “I’m still shipping Darcy and Colin away from the house. If there’s even the slightest chance Lawrence could show up here, I don’t want them here. Let’s get this guy, Jordan.”
“Lockmeyer wants him alive.” He knew the drift of his buddy’s thoughts.
“I don’t give a shit about that. I want him off the streets. He’s a domestic terrorist. I want this threat neutralized.”
“I agree.” Jordan zipped the bag. He wasn’t certain he wanted to go down this rabbit hole with Malcolm, but he also wasn’t sure he had a choice. If he hadn’t been drugged and suffering from a concussion, would he have stopped beating Lawrence before he was sure the man was dead? He wasn’t sure. “But first we need to get our families to safety.”
Birds sang, and the morning sun kissed her eyelids. Amy stretched, enjoying the soft slide of the sheet over her naked breasts. Last night, Jordan had made love to her twice. The first time, he’d dressed her in a white silk nightie and treated her like she was fragile. The second time, he’d tied her up and used these huge suction cups on her boobs. Each one fit a whole breast, and the sensations they caused were incredible. With a smile on her face, she turned toward the source of heat next to her and snuggled closer. “Good morning.”
He wiggled lower and rested his cheek on her boob. He might have mumbled a greeting, but his eyes didn’t open. Just when she thought he was going to stay asleep, she felt his cock stir against her leg. Without opening his eyes, he groped for a condom on the bedside table and handed it to her. “Put it on.”
The order wasn’t mumbled, but Amy chose to let her mischievous side loose. She set it on his head. “On what?”
Just like that, she found herself face down with her ass hiked into the air. She looked back to see Jordan kneeling between her legs, sleepily donning the condom. He pushed into her without waiting for her natural wetness to ease the path. The lubrication on the condom could only do so much. She both yelped and moaned because it hurt and felt good.
“Hands above you. No coming,” he said as he fucked her to a quick pace.
Her body caught up, and moisture flooded her pussy. She didn’t know if it was the position or his order that she couldn’t climax, but suddenly an orgasm loomed on the horizon. “Please? Daddy, please let me come!”
“No. Good girls get orgasms. Bratty girls don’t. Next time do as you’re told.”
That light, out-of-body feeling started in her abdomen. “Daddy, I can’t. Oh, please!”
He thrust one last time, and she felt his cock pulse deep in her pussy. She barely managed to keep from following him over the precipice. His softened cock slid out, and he got out of bed. “Stay there. Don’t move.”
She felt and heard him moving around the sterile bedroom as he dressed. The position in which he’d ordered her to stay presented her private parts for his viewing pleasure. She knew her pussy glistened with her juices, and she hoped he was enjoying this proof of her submission. As seconds passed, she felt herself falling deeper into the peace that came with giving herself completely to him.
“You can get up now. Shower and get dressed.”
Popping up quickly, she ran to the bathroom. Morning sex was one thing, but she kind of wished she’d awake
ned five minutes earlier to gargle and use the facilities so she could be fresh for him. Though, he didn’t seem to mind one way or the other.
On her way to the kitchen, she passed Frankie and Jesse in the living room, and she blushed to think they’d probably heard her begging. Oh, well. The only person whose opinion mattered was in the kitchen talking on the phone.
“Hi, Frankie. Good morning, Jesse. I hope you slept well.” She knew they slept in shifts, though whoever was slumbering remained on call.
“I slept fine. I had the second shift, so your screaming didn’t bother me at all.” Jesse barely kept a straight face as he answered.
Frankie bent in half from laughing so hard.
Amy went into the kitchen to find Jordan listening to whomever was on the other end of the line. His expression was inscrutable, and that was never a good sign. She poured a mug of coffee and a bowl of cereal. She settled for shredded wheat because they had frosting. As she sat down to eat, he ended the call.
“What’s wrong?”
He turned his face away, but not before she saw his struggle to control his emotions. Rage and sadness flashed, and then they were gone. “Frankie, Jesse, we’ve got a problem.”
Frankie and Jesse came into the kitchen. Jordan’s apartment wasn’t large, and it was sparsely furnished with steel and leather furniture, which gave it an antiseptic feel. Though he’d put out a few framed photos since her last visit, this place still lacked a homey vibe. She aimed to change that.
“Judge Caldwell’s house was hit with a shoulder-fired missile fifteen minutes ago. He fired from behind a natural hazard a good distance away, and so they didn’t see the vehicle he was driving. Nobody was on the golf course, but two members of the grounds crew reported seeing a white van. They thought it was a delivery for a pavilion being constructed nearby.”
The cereal and coffee in Amy’s stomach mixed unpleasantly as the safe bubble around her burst. For some reason, she’d thought she would be out of harm's way here. With Jordan, Frankie, and Jesse, nobody could sneak up on them or drug their food. Jordan had even taken her to the doctor the day before to have her ankle x-rayed. It wasn’t broken, but she had a nifty boot to wear that made it easier to bear weight.
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