by Bex Dane
I found Falcon in the dining room with four other men. Peeking around the corner, I only recognized Rogan. The other three must've been part of the team he mentioned last night. I paused in the doorway to eavesdrop, but they stopped talking, and five pairs of eyes appraised me in my robe.
Great job, Aida. You're wearing a slinky robe, with no bra, in front of a bunch of very macho, very buff guys.
My voice stuck in my throat. "I'd like to go see Gaspar. And, uh, Diesel."
Falcon coughed and stood from the table. His brow furrowed as he walked to me with his head tipped down and one hand over his stomach. He looked better today in a fresh pair of black cargo pants and a maroon waffle Henley, but he limped like walking caused him pain. His eye still didn't open fully, and his face was tired. "Give me a minute, mi paloma, and I'll take you to the hospital."
Oh well, that was sweeter than what I expected. "What're you guys talking about?" I whispered.
"Nothing."
"I want to know." I leaned to the side to see them sitting in silence. Two of them with eyes on me, Rogan and the other guy looking down at their laptops. "Did you tell them about Ivan?"
He glanced over his shoulder, and the two who were watching us looked away. "We're going after him."
"You're going to kill him?"
He held up a finger and touched my lips. "Shh. He shot Gaspar Evaristo and a member of my team. He's toast."
Oh my goodness, they were planning a murder! "I want to know everything."
"No." He said it curtly and condescending.
"I want to rescue more girls."
"No," he repeated more firmly, no room for discussion.
"Screw you, Falcon." The same fight we had weeks ago. He hadn't changed his stance at all.
"You are not in charge of this one, and we won't involve you."
Why the heck not? Why was he pushing me away when I was the one in the middle of all of this? "I can help. I know how he operates. I know how to find the girls. I have 1,500 women ready to help. Let's do a sting."
He chuckled. "No."
"What is your problem? It's not illegal to meet these women and offer them a way out. They come of their own will. Then I help them transition back to a normal life. The survivors will help me. We are so powerful. More powerful than you and your muscles and murder plans." I pointed into the room. The guys were talking quietly, but I couldn't hear a word.
Falcon looked to the ceiling and counted to three. When his eyes returned to mine, they were patient and unperturbed. "You need to let me handle this. If you interfere, I'll handcuff you to the bed and leave you there for days wearing nothing but a red ass and a ball gag."
I gulped and stared up into his bright blue gaze. With the bandage and bruises, he looked even more dangerous than before. I'd always thought of him as infallible, but his injuries made him human. We all bleed. We are all imperfect. I'd missed him so much and having him back felt good. Getting tied up sounded like fun, but I couldn't allow it.
He caught my look and his eyes heated. "You want that, I can arrange it for you." The corner of his sexy lips turned up and a warmth spread between my legs. Gah! This man!
"Take me to Gaspar now." I crossed my arms under my boobs and pouted.
"If Ivan is paying someone to hunt you down and kill you, eliminating Ivan gets rid of their money source. We save you first. We'll talk about a sting," he rolled his eyes, "later."
"Whatever. Take me to the hospital now."
He chuckled. "Alright."
"Fine." Something had changed with him. I couldn't put my finger on it, but he was making it challenging to stay angry at him.
"I'll be in my room." I spun on my heels and clicked away from him.
***
"Gaspar looked so weak. He's usually so strong. I hated seeing him like that."
We were back at the house after a full day at the hospital. I plopped on my bed and took off my heels. Falcon closed the door and sat in a chair next to a table in my room.
"I'd like to be alone," I said to him.
He shook his head. "Not leaving."
He'd been quiet all day, and I still had no clue where I stood with him. "You can go back to your strategy session with your commandos."
"Strategy can wait." His voice was tired. His eye looked less red and swollen, but he still needed to rest.
"I see no reason for you to remain in my room. If you wish to return to your job as bodyguard, you can stand outside the door."
"Like I said, not leaving."
"Why the hell not?"
"You need me."
Since when did he care what I needed? "I admit I'm shaken. It was very difficult seeing Diesel laid up in a hospital bed. And Gaspar is like my father. It would kill me to lose him. But I don't need you to comfort me. I need to be alone."
"We need to talk." He took a deep breath and leaned forward with his elbows on his knees.
Falcon kept getting weirder. He'd never asked me to talk about anything before. "About what?"
"About our arrangement."
Oh lord. "Our arrangement ended when you called me delusional and hoped I got my head blown off, which nearly happened, by the way, so thank you very much for wishing death on me."
"I fucked up." He leveled his sparkling blue eyes on me. I had to look away to resist the way they always made me want to drop my panties and spread my legs.
"Clearly. What else is new?"
He squeezed one eye shut and I watched my jab sink through him. Falcon and I knew all the right things to say to hurt each other.
"I want to fuck you."
Oh well, okay. He felt it too. "This is the deep talk we need to have?"
"I shouldn't have left."
No, he shouldn't have. "Okay. And?"
"I want us to keep fucking."
Too much had passed between us. We couldn't go backward. "Falcon, I'm not following you. Our arrangement for sex is over. I'm not interested anymore."
"I fucked up."
"Can you articulate a little better? Is this an apology? It's not working."
"I've never fucked the same woman more than twice."
"Never?"
"No. Only you."
"Are you saying I'm special?"
"I'm saying I want to see where this goes."
Oh. Wow. That was something. "So I'm supposed to feel honored to be the only woman you've fucked more than twice?"
"Yes."
"And you want to see where this goes?" Whatever the hell that meant.
"Yes."
My inner teenager jumped up out of her seat and clutched her hands over her chest. "By having more sex with me?"
He nodded.
Falcon was trying. He'd clearly never asked a girl to date him before. He was cute struggling with his words and it made me feel special to watch him squirm.
I decided to help him out. "Like a new arrangement?"
He nodded. "Let's call it an understanding."
This was my chance to get what I wanted. When men wanted sex, you could get them to agree to anything. "Before I agree to any understanding, I have one condition."
He raised his brow and wrinkled his forehead.
"You let me in on the mission to get Ivan."
"No."
"And we plan a sting. A big one. All the men you can find. My team helps too, and we rescue as many girls from Ivan as possible before you kill him."
He shook his head and looked out the window. "That's insane."
"Ivan ruining the lives of so many young girls is insane. It will take someone crazy to bring him down, and you are certifiably nutso. Those guys out there? Serious badasses, but I'd bet they have a streak of loco in them too. Tell them how many women Ivan has sold into trafficking, and they will be begging to be part of a sting."
"They know the numbers. We've faced this problem many times. They work in small cells. It's impossible to break down a large ring."
"We can do it. If you attack the top and I attack from the bottom,
the middle will have nowhere to go."
His eyes looked over my face as I waited for his response. "Rogan has a buddy. Torrez. Ivan kidnapped his wife when she was a child. He forced her to marry his son. He abused her and kept her as a floor model for the other women he sold."
I sucked in a sharp breath. "Really?"
"Yeah."
"Oh my God. A lot of the girls had been kidnapped. I didn't know he went so far as to have them on display for sale."
"Torrez has a buddy, Zook. His wife, same thing."
"He needs to be stopped."
"Rogan had his step-father convince the U.N. to file an indictment. Waiting for him to leave the country."
"He might never leave the country."
"Torrez has a plan to infiltrate."
"Good. What's he planning?"
"Not sharing that with you."
"C'mon, Falc. Share or no understanding and no more sex." That would be sad, but this meant a lot to me. I'd do it if I had to.
"I don't want you involved." This time I saw true concern for my well-being in his eyes.
"I have the information you need to pull off something huge. Not just kill Ivan, but dismantle his infrastructure at the same time."
He leaned back and winced as he touched the bandage over his eye. "Alright. Let's negotiate. I'll let you in on plans for Ivan and any kind of sting operation we set up. But on the nights either of those events go down, you are handcuffed to the bed."
"Handcuffed? Do you mean literally or metaphorically?"
"You gonna stay out of any action?"
"Probably."
"Then it's metaphoric. Unless you'd like to be handcuffed to the bed while I'm out murdering someone. Does that turn you on?"
"Uh, no. I mean I'd be open to handcuffing me to the bed, but not if you leave, and definitely not while you're out risking your life."
He smirked. "Lots of information there. So you like handcuffs and you care about my life?"
"I didn't say that."
"You did."
"I said I'd probably agree to stay out of any action if I get to be part of the planning. Is that what you're offering?"
"Yes. You have good intel we can use. I gotta keep some things from you in case you're questioned."
"I can keep a secret. Ask the LASD and the FBI if they pulled anything out of me last night. They got nothing."
He stood and walked over to me. His eyes grew dark, and the heat from his fingers spread through my body as his hands gripped my hips.
He blinked twice before a white grin spread across his gorgeous face. "Ding, ding, ding. We have an understanding."
"No. We have one condition. I'm in on the planning of a sting."
"If a sting occurs."
"Right."
"I'd like to negotiate another condition." His eyes narrowed and his voice grew sinister. I was in way over my head with Falcon.
"What's that?" I swallowed the big lump in my throat.
"You get emotional, I fuck you."
A loud laugh burst from my lips. "No way."
"You bust out your diva act around me, I fuck you."
"No. Don't be ridiculous."
"You lie and manipulate me or anyone else, I fuck you."
"We are not having sex again. It's so not worth it. Hype. All hype."
He ignored my insult like I hadn't spoken. "You wear a dress that gives me and every man watching a hard-on..."
"You fuck me?"
"Ding, ding, ding. Another condition approved."
I laughed. He'd tricked me into that one. "I didn't agree."
"And our understanding starts right now. Did you have a rough day, honey?"
"You know I did."
"Feeling sad and worried?"
"Be quiet. It's not polite to joke about."
"Oh, I'm not joking. I am seriously going to fuck you right now."
His hands on my hips pulled me up against his hard body and, oh my God, very hard to say no to that but, "No."
His lips hit my neck and sucked. I allowed it for a second because it felt good. The sucking intensified and a sting sprouted in the spot.
I pulled back. "Don't give me a hickey."
"I thought you were off for a few weeks?"
"I am, but still. I can't be seen in public with a hickey!"
"Alright. I'll put it somewhere they can't see it."
"No, no." My forehead crashed to his chest.
He chuckled. "You need some time? Still upset about the shooting? I can give you that."
"Please. Let me go. I've had a horrible day. I need to rest and recover. I can't handle you right now and your tricks and games."
"Fine." He released me and stepped back. "No tricks. No games." He held his hands up in a peace offering. Oh my God, he was so cute.
"Thank you."
"But you will love our new understanding. Think about it. A long-term contract with the titanium dick." He grabbed his crotch and squeezed.
God, so vulgar. "Get out of here and go plan a murder."
He smiled and closed the door behind him.
Chapter 20
That night we slept in the same bed again without having sex. He'd worked all day and needed sleep to recover from his injuries. Thinking of Gaspar and Diesel in the hospital made my desire for him seem selfish and untimely. In the end, the distance he gave me made me feel respected and honored because he understood our situation, and he wanted to spend time with me even if he knew he wasn't getting sex.
Before I went down to look for Falcon the next morning, I put on a black skirt with a thin yellow stripe through the sheer ruffle at the knee. I paired it with a black and yellow bandeau blouse with off-the-shoulder sleeves. The gathered bodice clung to my ribs and tummy and ended in another ruffle at the hip.
I did my full makeup and hair routine, and added a red cardigan and matching sandals. I looked more put together than when I wore the robe, so hopefully my appearance would create less of a stir when I found Falcon and his friends.
No such luck.
They had the exact same reaction.
Going silent, looking up from their laptops, and staring at me with curious eyes. Two more men arrived last night, adding to the four who arrived yesterday. One bulky Latino with his hair shaved short and a gorgeous blue-eyed guy wearing a cowboy hat and a scruffy beard. He wasn't as big as the other guys and a little less intimidating, but also totally handsome. Did Falcon only play commando with hot guys?
Falcon stood up, a hint of a grin on his face and walked to me. Good to see he wasn't limping or clutching his side. "Hi," he said softly so that only I could hear.
"Hi," I answered back equally as soft. "Can I, uh, join you?"
My cheeks burned. Had a woman ever asked to join their secret justice league before? Did I want to join their group? The familiar nausea of stagefright roiled in my chest. Well, if I'd faced down rooms full of evil directors who would rip me to shreds, I could handle some hot-as-fuck commandos.
He frowned and his eyes settled on my lips. "No."
"We have an understanding, remember?" The details seemed fuzzy today, but I was pretty sure he'd agreed to let me sit in on strategy sessions. "C'mon. I'll sit quietly."
He stared at me as he deliberated. God, he could intimidate King Triton with his glare and the rugged strength of his jawline.
With a quiet grunt, he lowered his chin, placed his hand on the small of my back, and gave me a gentle push into the room.
Yay! I won.
We entered the room like the Beast escorting Belle into the ball. The six men stiffened and stared at Falcon like he'd just walked in with a kraken.
"This is Aida. She has intel on Ivan's operations at the street level. She finds the victims online and makes contact. She offers them assistance and helps them assimilate back into society."
Their eyes appraised me. I took a deep breath and gave them my audition smile. Confident yet humble.
"You know Rogan. This is Dallas, Ruger, Oz, Torrez, an
d Zook."
D, R, O, T, Z. I used my little trick to remember names when I first meet people. Got it.
"Can we trust her?" Dallas, the oldest of the bunch, asked. He had a few more wrinkles than the other guys and a hint of silver at his temples. Looked fabulous on him, by the way.
"Two days ago," Falcon responded, "After being shot at, she was interrogated by the LA Sheriff's Department and the FBI. She did not break and didn't let on a word about Ivan's connection to the bombing, the murders, or the shooting."
A few head nods and grunts of approval.
Good. I'd earned their respect.
I sat down next to Falcon and leaned back in my chair, crossing my legs at the ankles and my hands in my lap. My posture made it clear I intended to listen and not lead.
Rogan spoke first. "Torrez was briefing us on the Sharshinbaev's background."
I turned my gaze to Torrez and watched him throw a map toward the center of the table.
"Three palaces in Veranistaad. Zook and I got Soraya and Cecelia out of this one." He pointed to a map. Torrez kept his eyes down while he spoke but his voice scraped with a hard edge. "He's not a legitimate king. The monarchy died during the dissolution of the Soviet Union. He had three sons."
"Maksim is dead," Zook proclaimed in a deep, intimidating voice.
"Yegor's dead too," Torrez said with equal seriousness as he looked around the room.
Zook made eye contact with Torrez and something private passed between them.
"Killed by his brother," Torrez said casually. "The last remaining son, Pavel, fled the country. Hasn't been seen in months."
"Awesome." Zook grinned.
"Keep going," Rogan said, annoyed at whatever secret Zook and Torrez were sharing.
Torrez' eyes scanned the group of men. "NB Oil is a shell company. He ships weapons and women in cargo tankers. The network is nebulous. We've identified a few key handlers. He pays them to kidnap women and children and they receive a cut of any sale. He sells to anyone who will buy. Oil sheiks, Vegas pimps, Russian Bratva. He's known as the go-to man for trained virgins. Buyers pay top dollar for his girls."
Zook stood up and paced to the window.
"Rogan's mom and stepfather pushed for a United Nations indictment for murder, kidnapping, and human trafficking. The U.N. can't extradite Ivan. It's unclear what kind of diplomatic immunity he might have. The laws in his country are vague and rarely prosecuted. It's just a way of life there. The U.N. is our only hope for legal action, but we need to catch him leaving the country, and we need solid evidence. The word of two victims won't be enough."