He was so gone in his diatribe he didn’t see the punch coming in time to avoid it. He had enough time to move a bit and Rory’s first connected to his jaw.
They tumbled down onto the ground, cursing and screaming at each other. He got a good hit into Rory’s nose, but he felt a few jabs to his ribs. Rory was drunk and not able to fight that well. It only took him a few moments to pin his hands down and dominate him.
They were both breathing heavily. On any other day, this would be sexy. Now, he wanted to throw up.
“Get a hold of yourself.”
The dangerous look he was leveling at Zeke didn’t deter him. He straddled him then took him by the shoulders and shook him.
“You can’t do this. I can’t watch you do it.”
Something he said must have hit Rory. The anger on his face slowly dissolved.
“Oh, babe, I’m sorry.”
He blinked. “What?”
“I’m sorry.”
“You’re sorry?”
“Yes.” He studied him. “What?”
“I mean this is momentous. Rory McAllister just said he was sorry. This is close to admitting you were wrong.”
Rory toppled Zeke over and switched positions, clasping his hands above his head.
“You’re such a bleeding smart ass.”
He chuckled then sighed as Rory kissed him. It was the first real physical contact he’d had since they’d returned. They had slept in the same bed every night, but not once had they reached out for each other. He reveled in the kiss.
Rory kissed his way down Zeke’s body, grasping his shirt and tearing it open. Buttons flew everywhere, but Zeke ignored it. All that mattered was Rory’s mouth on his skin and the way his tongue slid against him as he moved down his body. He pulled Zeke’s pants off and took his cock in his hand and then into his mouth. Zeke spread his hands into his hair. He knew this wasn’t the answer, but right now, he needed the connection, the primal instinct of connecting with one of his mates.
He thrust up into Rory’s mouth, over and over again. Finally, Rory pulled back and tore at his own jeans. Zeke sat up and grabbed the waistband and yanked the buttons lose. Rory’s cock thrust out into Zeke’s greedy hands. He pumped him, fast and furious. The edge he’d been feeling, the need to connect drove him. It was frantic and overwhelming.
Rory groaned and pulled back, turning around, he straddled Zeke’s head upside down. Zeke took Rory’s cock into his mouth willingly. Rory groaned and did the same to Zeke. Both of them were so close it didn’t take but a few strokes and they were both coming, their ecstasy overtaking both of them as they gave themselves over to the joy of their primal connection.
* * * *
Later, they lay in bed and Rory sighed. He hurt Zeke in so many ways over the years, he couldn’t really fault his lover for what he said.
“Love, it’s okay. I...deserve it.”
Zee shook his head. “No, no one deserves that.”
“I do a little. I just...I hate seeing her that way.”
Zee studied him for a second, then said, “Love sometimes hurts.”
“I didn’t say I loved her.”
“Jesus, there is no one here but us. Admit it.”
“I...okay, I sort of love her.”
Zee chuckled. “I guess we can take that for now.”
He settled his head on Rory’s chest and snuggled closer. “So what do we do?”
“We can’t do anything right now. She’s in pain and she’s hurt. Yelling at Maura will not work.”
“You yelled at me and it worked.”
“You’re an asshole, she’s not.”
Rory couldn’t argue with that. “So we just wait?”
“She needs some time.”
“How much?”
Zee looked up at him a small smile playing over his lips. “Not sure, but we have to be there when she figures it out.”
“What if she doesn’t figure it out?”
“Then we yell at her.”
Rory smiled. “That, I can do.”
“You have to understand that Maura was not raised to confront and that is part of her personality. Well, she does confront, but not in the way other people do. She thinks things through, then goes for what she wants. She doesn’t do much without thinking it through.”
“And so we wait.”
“For a little while.”
The phone rang and Rory saw the number. “Shit, probably Conner.”
Zee picked it up. “Hey, Conner. Yeah. I was busy, that’s why I didn’t answer my phone. What? Oh, so...the threat is over?”
“Okay.”
He hung up.
“Well that was short and I am assuming not so sweet.”
Zee clicked the phone off. “Yeah. Well, apparently Conner found out that Petersen’s been taken into witness protection.”
“He found that out?”
“Officially, he seems to have been killed in an accident, but Conner still has a few connections. He’s turned state’s evidence. They got some little nobody to turn on the big guy. We’re no longer in danger. So, that’s that.”
“You think he called Maura?”
“Yeah. Probably before us.”
“You should call her still.”
He glanced at Rory. “Why don’t you?”
“She needs you more.”
He frowned. “That’s an asinine thing to say. She needs both of us. She’s being stubborn, which is nothing new. As Jillian pointed out, she hates anyone to know that she is weak.”
Rory said nothing to that, just stared up at the ceiling.
“I talked to her before you got home.”
“Maura?”
“No, Jillian. Apparently, Maura’s been seeing a shrink.”
Rory glanced at him, then back up at the ceiling. “She is?”
“Yeah, I didn’t know. She talks to her all the time, apparently.”
Another beat of silence.
“She hides things from a lot of people, Rory, not just you.”
“She’s not hiding. She’s just not there, Zee. I don’t know how to deal with that.”
It hurt to say the words—worse than the gunshot wound he took in the chest a few years earlier.
“You have to give her space, but I guess we should call her.”
Neither of them moved.
“You do it, Rory.”
He glanced at Zee. “Why me?”
“Because, she will expect me to. If you call, it might surprise her a little.”
He got up out of bed and searched for his jeans. He hit the contact icon for Maura and waited for her to answer.
“Hey, Rory.”
“I guess you talked to your brother.”
She sighed. “Yes, but then I never thought it was all that important. Petersen wasn’t involved.”
He wanted to argue but he didn’t. She retreated completely when he confronted her.
“So, I guess we don’t need the detail anymore,“ she said.
Something told him he should just do it, to ease her mind, but with Maura, Zee had told him being up front and truthful went a longer way than any pretty words.
“Yeah, I guess not. You still have that kick ass security system.”
She said nothing.
“Maura--”
“Look, I have some work here to do.”
“Okay. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
“Sure,” she said and hung up. He turned off his phone and looked at Zee. “She’s not happy.”
“You got to see Maura at her best, but I’ve told you, love, life isn’t about just being happy. You have to make it through those tough times to appreciate the good times.”
“And when do the good times come back?” Rory asked. The moment he said the words, he wanted to call them back. Even with Zee he hated showing his vulnerability—especially when it came to Maura.
Zee held out his hand and waited for Rory to take it and join him back in bed. He pulled him close and Rory settled his head aga
inst Zee’s shoulder.
“I’m not sure, love, but I hope not long,” Zee said.
Rory just prayed Zee’s wishes became reality. He wasn’t sure just how much he take.
“I love you, Zee.”
“I love you too.”
But now the love seemed incomplete…as if something was missing. Something was—or he should say someone. They needed Maura, because Rory wasn’t sure how long Zee and he would last without her.
Chapter Nineteen
Maura gripped the wheel tighter as she drove home. Maybe the guys were right. Maybe she was imagining things. But something was wrong. Really wrong. Could be that she hadn’t had a good night’s sleep since the attack. The only time she had slept had been the few nights Rory and Zeke had stayed over.
She was not about to admit that though. She thought they might be one step away from calling her brother to commit her.
She pulled off the highway and rolled to a stop at the light.
Why did men always think women were hysterical? They all seemed to have thought she lost her mind in some way. She hadn’t, she knew that without a doubt. But, they all seemed to think she did. She rubbed her temples trying to will away the perpetual headache that seemed to follow her everywhere these days.
Someone honked behind her and she took off. Damn, she was tired. She needed a long night’s sleep, and maybe tonight she would just take some of the meds they gave her. She had abstained from the heavier pain relievers because she was afraid to sleep too deeply.
Maura took a right turn and for once, noticed the car behind her followed her. She blew out a breath and ordered herself to calm down. So, the person behind her took the same turn. That happened every day all the time. It wasn’t something new.
Did the bastard need to get so close to her? She slowed down a bit, hoping the guy would pass her. The road was dark and deserted. Why had she waited until late to go home. Instead of passing her though, the car slowed down so much he was almost a spec in the distance.
She was going crazy. Her brother and the guys were right. But before she could follow that line of thinking, brights flashed in her rearview mirror. She looked up and the car was coming so fast behind Maura was sure it would hit her. She couldn’t get out of the way fast enough. She jolted from the hit, and worked the wheel like her brother told her, turning into the way the car was spinning to even it out. He was coming at her again, when she saw another car coming in the opposite direction. She turned down the street she knew would lead her to the local police precinct. Her bother had always told her if she were being followed to go to the closet police station or military base. She floored it, breaking the speed limit and getting as much space between the bastard and her as she could. She turned down the next street and sighed when she saw the police building. She sped into the parking lot, paying no attention if the car followed her or not.
* * * *
Zeke slammed the door of his truck and stalked to the front door of the police station. Rory wasn’t far behind him.
“You go in there looking like that and she’s going to be pissed,” Rory said.
“She’s already going to be pissed. If Frank hadn’t rung me up, then I would have never known.”
And damn her for not calling them...him. He had been her friend all these years and now she acted like she didn’t want to have anything to do with either one of them. She was in danger and she went to the police. She didn’t call them. He knew that she was trying to keep her distance now that they returned, but Zeke was sure she was trying to hurt him by not calling him.
He continued stalking. He couldn’t help it. He was fucking pissed...and hurt, but he would deal with that later.
He saw her in the conference room and headed in that direction. Before he could make it there though, Frank stepped in front of him.
“Hey, man, calm down. She’s fine.”
He looked at him. “What kind of damage was done to the car?”
He sighed. “Not much and seriously, I hate to say this about your woman, man, but I think she might be delusional. She thinks there’s someone after her.”
“There is.”
His eyebrows shot up. “Oh, well...”
“We broke the Petersen case.”
“Oh, she mentioned that, but she thinks it is someone else. Someone who is after her personally. She said she was attacked in Hawaii.”
“She was. But, we’re convinced it had something to do with the government’s case.”
“Ah. And she had a concussion?”
“Yeah.”
“She’s not mental if that’s what you’re thinking,” Rory said.
“Hey, buddy, I was only saying that sometimes an injury like that takes some time to recover. Her fender is dented though.”
“Can we see her?”
“Sure, she’s not in trouble. She was really shaken up though and I didn’t want her going home alone. Dillon would never forgive me and believe me, that is one guy I don’t want on my bad side.”
Zeke said nothing as he turned and walked to the door. Rory followed after thanking Frank. Before he could open the door, Rory caught up with him.
“Now, babe, keep your voice calm. Maura reacts to your anger in a totally different way.”
He glanced at Rory. “Yeah, what way is that?”
“She sees it as a challenge. Or something like that.”
“Okay, I will remain calm.”
He opened the door and his heart melted. She’d laid her head down on the table and she had her eyes closed. She was so damned tired. It was easy to see from the dark smudges under her eyes. She was pale too. In less than a week, she had seemed to lose the tan she had gained from her beach time in Hawaii. And that pissed him off.
“What the bloody hell, Maura? You didn’t call us?”
She jolted awake. She blinked a couple of times, her gaze focused on the two of them.
“What are you doing here?”
“Frank called us,” Zeke said, his voice vibrating with anger. He couldn’t seem to keep it completely beneath the surface.
She looked past them with a glare.
“Office Duggan, I expected better.”
The fifteen-year veteran flushed. Maura could make most men feel like naughty boys when she was disappointed in them. “Ms. Dillon, I couldn’t release you after you said you had a concussion less than two weeks ago. Especially since you refused to go to the hospital.”
“I can fix that,” Zeke said. He stepped forward to grab her arm but she jerked away from him. It felt like a fucking knife to his heart.
Before he could just haul her over his shoulder, Rory stepped between them.
“Hey, why don’t I take Maura home and you follow.”
Zeke hesitated. Rory didn’t always offer to do things like this. Hysterical women were not his thing; although, looking at the woman who was glaring at him at the moment he probably wouldn’t put her in the hysterical category.
“Okay.”
She had her arms crossed over her chest and she wasn’t budging. He could tell from the stubborn set of her chin and the mutinous look in her eyes.
“I can take myself home.”
“You can. And I can call Conner and talk to him about it. He might just pull out of active status and put you on…well, I guess you could call it house arrest.”
He knew she was smart enough to know it wasn’t a good thing for her to drive right now. Zeke also knew she needed an excuse to follow his orders. Threatening her with Conner was the only way to get her up out of that seat and into the car. Truth was, Zeke would do it in a heartbeat and he wasn’t too sure he wouldn’t do it now. Conner would be pissed if he found out what happened from someone else, so he would probably call his friend—even if he weren’t really talking to him.
“Fine.”
She stood up and marched out of the room and through the crowded outer office. Rory gave him a grim smile and followed her.
“I hope Ms. Dillon isn’t too mad at me,�
� Duggan said.
He shook his head. “No problem. She’ll get over it. She’s not been herself since the attack in Hawaii. Once they clear all this Petersen shit up, she’ll settle.”
* * * *
The car ride back to Maura’s house was silent. Not the comfortable silence between two lovers, Rory thought. No, this one was heavy on the tension and it had been that way since they returned from Hawaii.
“I was not imagining it. There is someone stalking me.”
“I didn’t say there wasn’t,” he responded calmly.
More silence. He wasn’t sure there was someone, but wasn’t about to admit that to her. He knew just how badly the mind could play tricks on you after something like what happened in Hawaii.
Rory glanced over at her. She was staring out the window, slumped in the seat. She had dark circles under her eyes.
“We’re going to put someone on you. I don’t like the idea of you riding around out there if this truly is a stalker.”
She said nothing to that and he noticed she had closed her eyes.
“Maura?”
“Please, don’t patronize me.” She opened her eyes and the back of his throat tickled a bit when he saw they were watery. Damn, he hated when women cried. “I am not an idiot. I know people think I am stupid.”
“We don’t think you’re stupid.”
She sniffed at that and looked back out the window. “Sure.”
He stopped at a red light. “I’m serious.”
“Sure.”
“No, I believe you. There is someone messing with you. But, in my mind, I think it is probably someone with Petersen.”
“It has nothing to do with that. I told you in Hawaii the guy had an Irish accent.”
He pulled up to her driveway and punched in the code. The gate opened. He drove through and parked the car before he spoke.
“Maura, we checked. Anyone who would be after us is either dead or in prison.” Most of them were dead but he wasn’t going to admit that to her. Zeke and Rory didn’t leave behind many people when they were hunting terrorists. It had been one of the reasons they had been paid so well by the British government.
“What?”
“We called around. We talked to everyone. All of our cases are accounted for. No one should be after us. Most of them wouldn’t have had the means to do it by the time they got out anyway. And, just so you know, most of those people didn’t know our names.
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