by Tina Donahue
He rounded the wall and froze at what he saw, astonishment registering on his face. His hand flew to his shoulder holster.
Cubrero fired. His gun’s silencer made a noise like the bursting of a single kernel of popcorn. So insignificant, yet devastating.
Toby staggered back, his head dipping to his chest, the blood blossoming on it, staining his shirt.
Gasping, Lea reached for him. Cubrero twisted her hair, keeping her from moving closer.
Toby fell against the wall, sliding down it to the floor, his eyes wide with horror.
From above, Jake’s footfalls sounded on the stairs.
No. She opened her mouth to shout an alarm. Only a croaking sound escaped.
Jake continued down the stairs until Lea could see his legs. Inexplicably, thankfully, he stopped.
Cubrero tightened his grip on her hair.
Bending at the waist, Jake glanced in Toby’s direction, then hers.
Again, Cubrero aimed.
“No!” Lea screamed. She rammed her body against his, repeatedly thrusting her elbow into his ribs.
His arm jerked. He fired again and again. These shots were wild, one striking a bronze statue, another a lamp, the next the banister.
Growling, he released her hair and grabbed her throat.
Lea clawed his hand and face, her rage liberating, uncontrolled at him taking Danielle from her and now Toby. Bastard! He wouldn’t get Jake. Lea would kill him first. She gouged the skin beneath his eyes.
He swore in Spanish and swung the gun to her, directing the muzzle at her forehead.
She expected to hear the click of its trigger. A sharp bang sounded instead.
Cubrero pushed to his toes, his eyes widened, unbelieving. Blood gushed from the side of his neck.
His hand fell from her throat. He dropped to the floor.
Lea scuttered back and looked up.
Jake was sagging against the stairway, his gun in both hands, the barrel still pointed at Cubrero, blood staining the leg of his jeans.
Chapter Thirteen
“How’s the pain?”
Jake turned from the hospital’s hallway to the young doctor who’d treated his injury, a through-and-through. The bullet hadn’t hit any major blood vessels or bone. He couldn’t recall it even hurting. His worry had been over Lea.
And Toby.
Don’t go there, Jake ordered himself. He didn’t want the doctor to see his distress and misinterpret or question it. Talking wasn’t what he needed to do. He had to forget.
His memories wouldn’t allow it.
Toby’s face swam before him, pale and damp with sweat, his expression frozen in fear. There’d been so much blood. More than Jake could ever recall seeing in all of his days in the service. It wasn’t as though he’d never seen the aftermath of a killer’s carnage. He had. He’d even witnessed another marshal’s charge being killed, the act random and sudden when an out-of-control car had careened into her.
It was part of his job to see death. He’d expected and accepted it, until Toby.
“Deputy Gabriel?”
He regarded the physician, a pretty woman with green eyes, reddish hair and a surprisingly creamy complexion. No freckles. Weeks ago, Jake would have asked her out.
Weeks before, he hadn’t known Lea.
“Is the pain manageable?” the doctor asked.
“It’s fine.”
His wounds would heal long before he recovered from what had happened. Cubrero’s actions had changed Jake in a way he never would have suspected. For the first time since he was a child, love mattered to him again. Nothing else could come close.
The doctor searched his face. “I can prescribe something stronger.”
“I don’t need it.” He wanted to feel everything, whether it was good or bad. Never again would he anesthetize himself against life. It meant too much to him now. “I’m all right, really.”
With a nod, she gave in. “I’m here if you need me.”
Not wanting to encourage her obvious interest in him, Jake didn’t comment. The moment she moved away, he glanced down the hall again.
At the end of it was a waiting room with a series of beige vinyl chairs where Lea sat…next to her mother. At fifty, the woman was still lovely, her features remarkably similar to Lea’s, their coloring the same. As she spoke to her daughter, she touched Lea’s hand, her arm, her cheek, as though wanting to make certain she wasn’t imagining this. The child she’d tried so hard to protect was actually here.
Lea allowed the woman what she willed, making no move to curb her chatter or to hurry it along.
There was no need any longer.
For the first time in decades, Lea and her mother were truly safe, permitted to be themselves, free of witness protection or a life filled with lies. A little over a week had passed since Cubrero’s death, but already his cartel was in disarray, his lieutenants battling for control.
They didn’t care that Manuel Morales’ testimony had put Cubrero’s father in prison. That had always been his fight, not theirs. Lea and her mother were not their concern or even on their radar.
Mother and daughter could pick up their lives and get to know each other now. Lea could learn to love the woman who’d given up so very much for her.
She patted her mother’s hand. Encouraged, the older woman smiled. So did Lea.
It looked so fucking sad, Jake wanted to do something about it, but didn’t know what. In the last few days, she’d lost a lot of weight. She couldn’t eat. Rarely slept. Dark circles ringed her eyes.
He knew she was thinking about Danielle and Toby, blaming herself for what happened.
Nothing Jake had said convinced Lea otherwise. He’d reasoned, then argued, finally giving her space in the hope that she’d eventually forgive herself.
She pushed from her chair, then bent down and kissed her mother’s forehead. The woman looked as though she might cry. She held onto Lea’s wrist, her mouth moving quickly with her words. Clearly, she didn’t want her to go.
Lea pressed her mother’s hand to her cheek. They talked a bit more until the older woman seemed comforted.
Turning, Lea looked at Jake. He smiled immediately, an involuntary reaction he wouldn’t have curbed if he could.
Lea smiled softly in return, her feelings for him evident in her expression. She came down the hall and rested her hand on his. “What did the doctor say?”
“The same thing I’ve been telling you for days. I’m fine.”
She glanced at the cane he was using until his leg could bear his weight again. “You’re not going back to work sooner than you’d planned, are you?”
No. He needed time off, had for years, not realizing it until Lea had come along. “I’m still taking a couple of months.”
Relief swept her features. She laced her fingers through his. “I told my mother about you…us.”
“No shit.” He couldn’t help but tease. “Is that why she was about to cry?”
Lea slapped his arm. “Behave.”
“Sure you want that?”
She ran her free hand down his tee and managed a happier smile than the ones he’d been seeing. “No. But you don’t have a choice. She wants you to come over for supper. She’s going to make you ajiaco, that’s chicken soup. I told her no, that we’d take her to a restaurant, but she insists, wanting to take care of us. My God, she’s so sweet.”
Her surprise made him smile. “She’s your mom.”
Lea tightened her fingers on his tee as though she needed to hang onto something. “I don’t know how to feel. She’s a stranger, Jake. A nice lady, but—what do I say or do? I don’t want to hurt her by not reacting as I should.”
“Give it time. It’s only been a few days.”
“I know, but I’m afraid.”
“I’m sure she is too.”
Lea glanced over at her mother. The woman was pressing a handkerchief to her eyes. “I haven’t told her about Toby.”
Jake couldn’t blame her. “She does
n’t have to know everything that happened or will.” He squeezed Lea’s fingers and continued to tease. “Wouldn’t want to give her a heart attack.”
She pinched his arm.
He faked a frown. “Ow.”
“Baby.” Lea kissed the spot. “I told her Toby was a friend of ours, not that I love you both. I’ll have to tell her the truth eventually. It’s not like I can hide him from her.”
“Yeah, I know. He is pretty big. Not as big as me, of course, but then what guy is?”
Lea rolled her eyes.
“Hey,” Jake said, “Toby would agree readily.”
“Only because he’s so doped up. Just wait until he’s fully recovered…he will be, right?”
That’s what the doctors had been saying after the first awful night when the EMTs had raced Toby here, losing him twice on the way, shocking him back to life. Yesterday, they’d moved him from the ICU to a private room. He wouldn’t be running marathons anytime soon, but he was on the mend. “As good as he was before this happened, which will make him nearly as good as me.”
She arched one brow. “What happens when all of this is over and we’re back to normal?”
Jake chuckled. “Oh, baby, we’re never gonna be normal.”
“I know. That’s what I’m talking about. My mom’s going to insist on visiting us. What do we do then?”
“Make her chicken soup?”
Lea laughed.
The sound tinkled in the drab green hall, signaling a return of her joy. Nice. Jake liked to see her happy. Seductive and sassy was good too. He wanted that part of her back, the woman she’d been when performing as SiNN.
Not that she’d be returning to The Second Circle. No fucking way would he or Toby ever allow that. They’d support Lea while she got her degree. She’d spend her days at her college classes and her nights tending to them.
Jake checked his watch. Visiting hours had just begun. “Ready to see Toby?” he asked.
“Always. Wait.” Lea grabbed his arm and spoke quietly, “I don’t want to hear any talk about whose cock is biggest. You’re both adequate, all right?”
“Adequate?”
She gave him an innocent look. “You don’t think you are? Aw, baby, I’m so sorry you feel that way.”
Jake wanted to swat her ass, but noticed her mother watching, wearing an expression all moms do when their daughters are with guys. Keep your hands to yourself, her stare said.
Nothing but death would make Jake do that.
Leaning down to Lea, he murmured, “Wait ‘til I get you home.”
She turned her face into his. “We’ll record it for Toby, no?”
Now there was an idea Jake hadn’t considered. The heat in his groin told him how much he’d enjoy starring in their own adult flicks. “You bet. It’ll be one hell of a homecoming present.”
“So will everything I have planned for him.” On that promise, she led Jake into Toby’s room.
Equipment stood to the side of the bed, monitoring his heart rate and temperature. From what little Jake knew about medical stuff, Toby’s stats seemed normal.
He looked like hell. Eyes closed, he was propped against the pillows, face drawn, the longer parts of his hair in disarray, his face still unshaved, his weight loss as bad as Lea’s. Bandages covered his left pec. According to the surgeon who’d operated on him, the bullet had missed his heart by a fraction of an inch.
Lea ran her fingertips down his cheek, then brushed her lips over his in a gentle, awakening kiss.
Toby responded immediately, telling Jake the man had been faking sleep. His hand went to the back of Lea’s head and his mouth opened against hers, his tongue no doubt thrusting inside.
Yep, he was definitely on the mend.
Good for him. Jake ran his thumb across his bottom lip, waiting for Toby to finish with Lea.
He took his time, giving her a hungry kiss, complete with his own grunts and her soft, submissive moans. When he was through, Lea’s cheeks flushed a dark pink. She turned to the door as though expecting one of the staff or her mother to be peering through its window.
“No one saw, except for me.” Jake said, then spoke to Toby. “Very nice.” He wiggled his brows.
Lea sighed. “Are you trying to relapse?” she asked Toby. “What is the matter with you?”
“He’s horny,” Jake said. “Right?”
“Fucking A.” Toby pushed the top sheet down. “I’ll show you.”
“No, you won’t.” Lea yanked the linen right back up, smoothing it over his waist. “Are you in a lot of pain?”
“You’re kidding, right? My balls are about to burst. Suck them. Make the ache go away.”
Jake laughed. Lea bit Toby’s shoulder. He sighed. “Not as good, but it’ll do for starters.”
She ran her fingers through his short hair. “You are feeling better, aren’t you?”
“Bite me again and I’ll tell you.”
Lea licked his neck.
Toby’s chin lifted with his quiet moan.
The door opened. A female orderly peeked inside. “Ms. Baptista, your mother wanted me to tell you she’ll be in the cafeteria when you’re through here.”
Lea had already taken several steps away from the bed. She nodded quickly. “Thanks.”
Toby waited until the orderly left. “Have you told your mom about me? That is, all of us?”
“Not yet,” Jake said. “Lea’s waiting for the right time.”
Toby’s eyes widened. “You mean there is one?”
“I’ll make her understand, somehow,” Lea said, looking mystified as to how she might pull it off. “I don’t want to lose either of you.”
“Don’t worry, you won’t.” Jake took Lea’s hand, bringing her to Toby. “We’re not going anywhere.”
Never again would she be alone among strangers…without family. Those days were gone forever.
Lea glanced down at Toby taking her hand. She caressed Jake’s fingers. “Is this really going to work?”
She sounded so doubtful, so worried, Jake joked, “You don’t think I’d ever consider leaving you to him, do you?”
“Excuse me?” Toby said. “No way are you getting all of her.”
“Oh yeah?” Jake eased Lea’s hand behind her back, using it to pull her closer to him. “Think you’re going to be able to stop me?”
“You have to sleep sometime, right?”
“You honestly believe you can last that long?”
“Can you?”
Lea laughed. “Okay, I get it. Now, I want you guys to behave.”
“No fucking way,” Jake said.
“Ever again,” Toby added, his tone as rough. “We’re going to do exactly what we want with you.”
“For as long as we want,” Jake promised. Releasing her hand, he gripped her sweet ass as hard as he wanted, telling Lea in no uncertain terms that she belonged to him now. She belonged to them both. Body, heart and soul. She’d bare her breasts when he and Toby demanded it. She’d spread her legs and display her cunt. They’d mount her together and separately, reveling in her passion, fueling her love.
Lea’s color rose once more. Her expression softened, her manner grew yielding, obedient.
Nice. But for Jake it wasn’t yet enough. He demanded it all, knowing Toby felt the same. Leaning closer, he murmured, “Got it?”
“Answer him,” Toby said.
Desire flared in her eyes. She breathed, “Yes sir. Oh, yes sir, I got it bad.”
About the Author
Tina Donahue is an award-winning, bestselling novelist in erotic romance, and an admitted chocoholic known to down semi-sweet candy bars in grocery checkout lines. She lives with her family in Palm Springs, California, where tires melt in the 120-degree summer heat and an occasional earthquake puts everyone on notice to bolt things down. When she’s not writing her steamy stories, trying to stay cool or crawling beneath her desk during a trembler, she loves shopping, eating at her favorite Mexican restaurant and meeting other authors. Befor
e she wrote romance, Tina was the editor of an award-winning Midwestern newspaper and worked in Story Direction for a Hollywood production company.
Tina welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.
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