by Susan Stoker
“I love you, Mackenzie Morgan.”
“And I love you, Daxton Chambers, but you are hearing what I’m saying, aren’t you?”
“I hear you, baby. But trust me when I say, you taking your last breaths of oxygen, is not something anyone else can ever learn from.”
Mackenzie snuggled into Daxton’s arms, ignoring the others around them. “I hate him.”
“Me too.”
“But I hate him for what he did to you more than what he did to me. It’s one thing to know, abstractly, that I’m dying, it’s another thing altogether to see someone you love dying. I hate that he did that to you. I wish I could make you unsee it.”
“Mack—”
“No, really. It’s like when I was thirteen and I accidentally walked into the bathroom when Matthew was in there. I can never unsee that. Seriously. Seeing your brother’s you-know-what when you’re on the verge of womanhood is never a good thing. I thought I’d be scarred for life. I’m surprised I even let Donny what’s-his-name get to second base at prom when I was a junior. All I’m saying is that some things can’t be unseen, and that’s one of those things that should never have been seen in the first place. Damn Jordan whatever, for doing that to you. It sucks, and I hate it. I’m glad he’s dead. I’m glad he got blown away. Fucker.”
“Bloodthirsty little thing, isn’t she?” Conor commented from the chair across from the sofa.
“Yeah.” Dax’s agreement was soft and heartfelt. “All I see now is you, here in my arms. Alive, breathing, and making me want to laugh and roll my eyes at the same time, Mack. Go with it.”
“Okay. Are you guys hungry? I’m hungry. They wouldn’t give me anything at the hospital and Daxton wouldn’t stop to get me fries on the way home. Anyone want pizza? Maybe we can order some pizza. Oh and Daxton, you heard Mark and Matthew are coming over right? We never did get to that family get-together we had planned. Between your job and me being kidnapped by a psycho serial killer, we haven’t made it over there yet. There was no way I could say no when they said they wanted to see me. Don’t be surprised if mom comes over with them.”
“I knew they were coming, Mack. No worries.”
“Okay, but remember what I said about them. They’re a little crazy.”
Laine piped in at that. “They are a little crazy. Mack, remember that time we wanted to go to that party and Matthew busted us? I said I’d be at your house and you said you’d be at mine. He came home from college and wanted to see you and called over to my house. My mom told him we were at your house. He knew where the party was usually held, and pulled us out of that hotel room kicking and screaming.
Mackenzie smiled at her friend. “Yeah, how embarrassing.” She looked back at Daxton. “See? Even my best friend thinks my family is crazy.”
“Okay, sweetheart.”
“Good. Oh, and are we still going to Austin? Because I think I could go for that. Hotel Ella sounded so awesome. I looked it up and did you know some of the suites are bigger than my apartment? Don’t get one of those, though, what a waste of space, especially if we’re going to spend all our time in bed. Oh shit, I didn’t mean to say that out loud. Please forget you heard that, guys. Oh, and you should know, I’m not a Longhorn fan. I know, it’s sacrilegious, but I thought you should know in case you wanted to walk around the UT campus oohing and ahhing about everything. I’m weird and couldn’t really give a crap about football or basketball or anything related to college. I went, got my degree, and I’m really proud of that, but I’m not into all the hoopla with the sports. Sorry.”
“It’s okay, Mack.”
“But I am a fan of law enforcement. I’ve always loved a man in uniform and I think I love them even more now that my rescue went down with like four different agencies participating. It’s a girl’s dream come true, no offense, Hayden. You’re hot in your uniform too, though I don’t go that way, but it’s okay if you—”
Dax had enough. He leaned over, cutting off Mack’s passionate babbling with a gentle hand on her mouth. “You mean, I’m your dream come true.”
Mackenzie turned her serious eyes up to Daxton. When he moved his hand she said, “I vaguely remember you telling me a story about a little boy dreaming about the girl of his dreams. Didn’t I?” At Daxton’s nod, she continued. “I had the same dream. I knew I’d find you, it just took longer than I wanted it to.”
“I love you, Mack.”
“I love you back, Daxton.”
“Enough snutaling on the couch, you two. Mack’s family is coming over, you better not be naked when they get here,” TJ warned with a laugh.
“Snutaling? Is that a word?” Mackenzie asked chuckling.
“Who cares? You get what I mean.”
“Okay, Daxton will stop snutaling. I need to get up and get ready to see my family.”
Dax kissed Mack on the lips hard. “You look fine the way you are, Cruz will get the door when they get here.”
Without a word of protest, Mackenzie eased herself back into Daxton’s arms. If she didn’t have to get up, she wouldn’t. There was no place she’d rather be than right there, safe, in Daxton’s arms, surrounded by their friends.
Chapter Eighteen
Mackenzie stretched, feeling delicious. She felt a hand on her stomach and then felt Daxton lick at her folds. She groaned in delight. “Oh my God, Daxton. Seriously?”
“I can’t get enough of you…of us.”
“Aren’t you tired? What time is it?”
Dax grinned up at Mackenzie. He’d left the table lamp on next to the bed so he could see Mack as he made love with her. “It’s around three.”
“Daxton,” Mackenzie moaned and squirmed in his grip as he ran his hands over her stomach and down to her thighs, parting them so he could fit more comfortably between them. “It’s only been two hours since you last made love to me. You can’t possibly be ready to go again.”
“Mack, I’m not fifteen anymore, of course I’m not ready to go again yet, but I can’t resist you. And women aren’t made like men are. You can come over and over.”
“Daxton…” The word came out as a whine.
“This time we’re coming together, sweetheart. No, don’t protest. I haven’t pushed, and you’re so primed, you’ll be screaming my name before too long. It’ll take me longer to get there so we’ll have time to work you up, this won’t be a problem. Trust me.”
“Touch me, Daxton. Please. I need you.”
Dax pushed one finger into Mackenzie’s folds and felt her clench down on him. “This is just as sexy as I knew it would be. You are fucking soaked with both our juices. I wish you could see yourself. My cum is slowly seeping out of you, and the more worked up you get, the faster it comes out.” Dax knew he was being crude, but he couldn’t help it. He scooped up some of their juices with his fingers and brought it to his mouth. “Fucking fantastic.”
Before Mack could say anything, Dax moved so he was on his back and Mackenzie was straddling his stomach. He held on to her hips with his hands until she was steady.
Mackenzie looked down at Daxton with heavy-lidded eyes, ready for whatever he wanted. They’d been adventurous in bed, and if he wanted her to ride him, she was ready. They’d done that before and he’d made her explode right before he’d taken her hard.
“Come up here, I want more of that.”
“Oh my God, Daxton, no.”
Ignoring her embarrassment, Dax grabbed Mack by her hips and encouraged her to scoot up his chest until she was kneeling over him. He looked up at her folds before moving. “Yes. Can you feel us, Mack?”
She could. Mack could feel their fluids dripping from inside her to dampen her inner thighs. “Daxton…” She tried again to move.
“Oh no, stay right where you are.” Dax pulled Mack down to him and got to work building her up to another orgasm. He used his lips and his mouth to lick and suck until she was shaking and he knew she was on the verge of exploding.
Macken
zie had never, in all her sexually active years, had a man want to taste her after he’d come inside her. She thought it’d be weird, or even gross, but if she was honest with herself, it was hotter than hell.
Dax pushed Mack down his body, loving the feel of her wetness smearing over his chest and stomach. Finally she rested on his lower abs. “Take me in your hand, baby. Feel how much I love this, love you. Put me in. Take me.”
He didn’t have to say it twice. Mackenzie rose on her knees just far enough to reach under herself and grab him. She fit him to her, scooted back into place and sank down with a groan.
“That’s it. Now ride me, Mack. Take what you need. Take me.”
Mackenzie concentrated on the amazing feeling of Dax inside her. She could feel him flex within her and she squeezed him as she pulled up, then slammed back down. She placed her hands on his chest to brace herself, and did it again, then again. Each time she came down on him, she clasped him with her inner muscles with all her strength.
Dax reached up, took Mack’s breasts in his hands, and grasped her a little harder than he would if they were just getting started. He pinched her nipples. “Harder, Mack. Do it. Fuck me, baby.”
At his words, Mackenzie did as he asked. She slammed herself up and down on Dax, lost in the exquisite sensations.
“Touch yourself, Mack. Rub your clit. Do it. Now. Make yourself come all over my dick.”
Lost in the moment, and not feeling any embarrassment, Mackenzie trailed one hand where they were joined and rubbed against her bundle of nerves, hard. She immediately felt the orgasm building.
“It’s coming, Daxton. Almost…”
“Keep riding me, baby. There you go. You’re beautiful. Fucking beautiful, and mine. Keep going, harder. That’s it.”
Mackenzie let Daxton’s words wash over her. She felt beautiful. In his arms, in his bed, she felt like the prettiest woman in the world. She wasn’t thinking about what had happened to her with Staal or of how awkward sex had been previously for her. Her orgasm was coming, and coming fast.
She touched herself one last time and hunched forward as she felt her orgasm start to move through her. “Oh God, yes, Daxton!”
Dax felt the fingernails of Mack’s left hand digging into his chest and ignored them. He slammed Mack down on himself twice more then held her there as she shook and trembled in his arms through her climax.
Finally, he eased her down, still twitching. “Easy, Mack. That’s it. Just relax. I’ve got you. Good girl.” Dax continued to murmur to her until she finally came back to herself and her surroundings.
“You killed me, Daxton. Seriously. But you didn’t—”
“I did.”
“What?”
Dax chuckled. “We came at the same time, sweetheart.”
Mackenzie sat up and braced herself on Daxton’s chest. “No we didn’t.”
“Yeah, we did.” Dax rubbed one thumb over Mack’s sensitive clit and she shuddered. “Can’t you feel me inside? You drained me dry, Mack. We came together.”
Mackenzie burst into tears and collapsed on his chest. Dax simply wrapped his arms around the woman he loved and smiled, waiting for her to get it all out, knowing why she was crying.
“I d-d-didn’t think I’d ever be able to—”
“Shhhh, I know. I knew you could. You just needed to get out of your head to do it.”
“I love you. I fucking love you so much.”
“I love you too, Mack. And just so you know, that wasn’t a one-off. It’s gonna happen again. Not every time, no. But it will happen again.”
“Good. I liked it.”
“Good. Sleep, baby.”
“Are you gonna let me sleep? Or are you gonna wake me up in twenty minutes to go again?”
Dax chuckled. “Sleep for now. We’ll play it by ear and see how it goes.”
Dax held Mackenzie close, still inside her, as she slid into sleep. He brushed her hair back behind her ear and listened to her breathe. He’d never take such a simple thing for granted again. Seeing Mack take her last breath would haunt him for the rest of his life. He was very grateful he’d been able to get to her in time to breathe life back into her, but it’d been close, too close.
Thank God for Cruz searching Staal’s house so quickly after everything had gone down. If it hadn’t been for him, they wouldn’t have found Mack in time. If they’d found her twenty minutes, ten minutes…hell, even five minutes later than they did, he would’ve had to stand at the side of her grave in a cemetery. He owed Cruz everything.
Dax had driven to Austin with Mack to Hotel Ella to hide out after the press had hounded them. Everyone wanted an interview with the woman who’d been kidnapped by a serial killer, and died, but then been brought back to life. Mackenzie had given a few interviews then called it quits. She’d told Dax she understood why people were curious, and she’d told her story, but enough was enough.
They’d been in Austin for three days, and just like they’d originally planned, hadn’t left the hotel room and hadn’t worn any real clothes for the entire time they’d been there. They’d just enjoyed being with each other, alive and well.
Dax leaned down and kissed the top of Mack’s head. He was the luckiest man in the world.
Epilogue
“I don’t like it, Cruz.” Daxton tried to reason with his friend. “Why the hell do you have to be the one?”
“Look, it’s only for a couple of months, then I’ll be back. There simply isn’t anyone else who can do it.”
“Bullshit. Going undercover for months isn’t healthy. I’ve known too many people who get completely fucked up in the head by being under for too long.”
“I appreciate your concern, Dax, but I’m doing it.”
Dax sighed and ran his hand through his hair. “Tell me again what you can.”
“You know as well as I do the drug situation is getting out of control. We do everything possible, but they won’t stop. I’m going undercover to try to see if I can find out where they’re coming from. We keep getting the low-level players, and they don’t matter. We need to find the source.”
“And how do you think you’ll be able to infiltrate the drug ring in a month or so without drawing suspicion to yourself?”
Cruz sighed, knowing his friend wasn’t going to like what he had to tell him. “We think we know who the mid-level man of one of the drug rings is. He’s the leader of a motorcycle gang. Word is that he has a girlfriend who doesn’t know anything about what he’s doing. I don’t believe it. I’m going to see if I can—”
“Fuck, Cruz!” Dax exploded. “You can’t bring a woman into this. You know as well as I do how fucked-up that is. Not to mention, cozying up to an MC president’s girlfriend isn’t the smartest move.”
“Look, first, she’s already in it, I’m not bringing her into anything. Innocent or not, whether she knows what’s going on or not, she’s in there. All I’m going to do is see if I can’t get her to open up to me. I want to check it out, see if she’s as innocent as the other agents think she is. Personally, I think she’s hiding something. How the hell can she not know her boyfriend is a fucking drug runner? Do you know how many people have been killed by this shit?”
“You’re using her.” Dax knew how it worked. He’d done an undercover assignment or two in his time, but he wasn’t sure this one was a good idea.
“Yeah, but think of how many lives I’ll be saving.”
“You’ll stay in touch?”
Cruz smiled at his friend. “Yeah, I’ll stay in touch.”
“If you need help, you’ll let me know?”
“Yeah.”
“You were there for me when Mack was taken. I’m not taking this lightly, Cruz. You’re my brother, I’d do anything for you. Promise me, if this shit goes bad, you’ll get out. You know how upset Mack would be if something happened to you. Hell, she’s not going to like that she can’t talk to you for a couple of months. You’d better find some
way to appease her.”
Cruz grinned. He loved how Mackenzie and Dax were together. Dax was a completely different person around Mack, and didn’t give a fuck how cheesy he acted. They were in love. Truly in love. Cruz was happy for his friend.
“I will. Give her my love, will ya?”
“Yeah, and the others will want to know what’s going on as well. If you just disappear for a couple of months, they’re gonna notice and question it.”
That was another thing that had come out of Mackenzie’s kidnapping and Staal’s death. The group of friends had gotten even closer. They made it a point now to hang out together. They went out for drinks, and had dinner together all the time. Even though they were all from different law enforcement agencies, with different priorities and missions, they were all on the same side. Working together to find and rescue Mackenzie had solidified their relationships.
“I thought maybe you could let them know what was up once I was gone.”
“Fucking hell, Cruz.”
“Well?”
“Okay, shit. Yeah, I’ll let them know. Only if you check in regularly though.”
“You got it.”
“Keep your head down. Don’t let them catch on. And don’t fuck with that woman. If she knows, fine, get out and let your Director know. If she doesn’t, do what you can to get her away from him, but if she won’t go, fuck it. Don’t get caught in the middle.”
“This isn’t my first rodeo, Dax. I fucking know how this works.”
“Okay then. I’ll talk to you soon, and see you in a few months?”
“Yeah.”
“Stay safe, my friend.”
“You too, Dax.”
Cruz walked away, his mind already moving to his upcoming undercover mission. He’d take down the drug ring if it was the last thing he did. He didn’t care who got in his way; he’d use his own mother, God rest her soul, if it meant getting more drugs off the street. He owed his ex-wife that, at the very least.