by Rita Hestand
Tony nodded slowly, "So…"
"There's no easy way to tell you this Tony."
"Best way is to spit it out." Tony smiled at him.
"Alright. Tony, your father…has been killed."
Tony sat very still and he leaned his head back on the pillow and sighed a minute. "A-are you sure?" His voice wavered just the tiniest bit.
"We're sure…"
"Who did it?"
"His bosses took him out."
Tony nodded woodenly. "When's the funeral?"
Dan stared at him, seeing he was doing his best to hide his emotions. "I don't know. But it will be over before we …"
"I can't go to the funeral?" Tony's eyebrows met in the center of his nose.
"No, it's too dangerous."
"They are after me?" Tony got up and walked around the room, his movements agitated.
"Yeah, that's about the size of it."
"And her…?"
"Yeah."
"That's why you been so keyed up, isn't it? You're afraid they are coming after us?"
"I know they will. But it will take a little time for them to get wind of our movements. If I did my job well enough, they won't find us. If they do, we have to be ready to move out and quick. Do you understand."
"Are we safe here?"
"For the time being, yeah." Dan assured him.
"Why do they want me?" Tony asked and waited anxiously for his answer.
"They think you probably saw too much. You are his kid, it's pretty routine for them to think you might know too much about what he was doing."
"And her?"
"The same reason."
"But she doesn't know anything, except…"
"I know that, and you know that, but they don't. And they don’t' care. They won't leave a witness alive if they can help it."
"So what are we going to do?"
"Sit tight, but very tight from here on out. They've already been to the school asking questions. Tony, there's something I think you should know about your father…"
"Yeah…what?"
"Before he died, he tried to tell them you didn't know anything."
Tony stared at Dan and one tear escaped, and fell on his bed as he stood motionless.
"They wouldn't believe that." Tony thought about that a minute, "How do you know that he said that?"
"We got an undercover cop with them."
"They'll wipe him out…" Tony cried, his first reaction since telling him the news.
"He's taking every precaution and he's done this many times." Dan assured him.
"It don't matter. They'll find out and take him out, Dan. I know that. They can smell a cop." Tony sat back on the bed, on the other side and then laid down again. He covered his eyes for a minute and Dan turned away to give him some privacy.
"Are you going to be alright?"
"Can you leave me alone awhile?" He asked softly.
"Sure kid, I'll be outside there." Dan started to leave, but turned at the door, "I'm sorry Tony. I really am."
Tony didn't say anything, he'd covered his face with his arms and until Dan left, he hadn't whimpered. But as Dan stood just outside his door, he heard him crying.
Dan sighed, he needed a beer.
Chapter Thirteen
He got himself a beer and knocked lightly on Gabby's door. He wasn't sure about telling her anything, because it could get more tense.
She hollered for him to come in.
He went inside and closed the door.
"Can we talk a minute?" He asked.
"Sure," she switched the television off and turned to look at him. She was on the floor, in jeans and t-shirt, and barefoot.
"Turn it back on, I don't want Tony listening to this."
She turned to look at him, her long lashes flew up and her eyes held his gaze. Her mouth dropped open.
She flipped the television back on. "So what's up?" her brows drew together obviously expecting the worst.
"Joe's dead!" He blurted.
She seemed momentarily speechless. She sat there very still, taking in this news with mixed emotions from the look on her face.
Her eyes followed him now. Her voice croaked a bit. "Dead!"
"Yeah, his bosses caught up to him. Something we hadn't quite expected."
"Oh my God! Tony! Does he know?"
"I just told him." Dan said, his face mirroring his own emotions.
"Oh the poor kid." Gabby cried. "I should go in there and see if I can comfort him."
"Give him a few minutes to compose himself."
"Was he crying?" She asked with concern.
"No, not while I was there. But I heard through the door. He needs some time to himself first."
"I didn't expect this either." She shook her head. "I mean it's hard to believe."
"Not in his line of work, it isn't." Dan replied drily. "But you're right. I didn't expect this, either."
Then something dawned on her, "Are they…after us now?"
"Yeah. I wondered when you'd catch on. The two of you know things you shouldn't. You saw the dope in the drawers. Tony saw his own father murder a cop. Well practically. Tony knows entirely too much about what is his father was into. They know this. So now, things get serious around here. That's why we had to move. And also why from now on, we become very watchful of everything. It won't be a game or fun anymore."
"No loud music, or television too loud. No making a bunch of unnecessary noise. Do nothing to attract attention of neighbors. Although I don't think there are too many neighbors here. And…absolutely no phone calls to boyfriends."
She grimaced, "I knew you'd bring that up eventually."
"I have to, it's my job. I know the routine and I remember it well. You don't. I have to remind you both. We are now on full alert here. At all times. And Gabby, remember this, it could mean your life or his." He told her.
"You make it sound very dangerous." She quipped.
"It is very dangerous. These aren't little thugs like Joe. These are the big time guys. And they don't think twice about blowing someone's head off. Remember that."
"You sound like one of those tv cops."
"Well honey," he came closer. "I’m gonna sound more like it as they get closer."
"Why can't we just go into the witness protection plan now?" She asked.
"We could. If I could get you out of here without being noticed by someone. But I can't. I'm not familiar with this place. I'm not at all comfortable here."
"Are you going to gun them down like Dirty Harry?" She asked with a smirk.
But he wasn't smiling, "If I have to, yes!"
Her brows met again at her nose, "You mean that?"
"I sure as hell do."
He turned to open her door. "You can go see how he is now."
"Alright…" She looked at him.
She was in the room a long time. There was no noise. He wondered what she was telling him.
He realized he sounded like a Dirty Harry movie, but they just didn't realize how serious this really was, and he hoped to God, they didn't have to see how close to reality it was. Drug Lords did not play clean. They had no idea what might be in store.
Dan did.
He doubted he'd relax until he got them out of here.
Being unable to talk to Harry was making him uneasy. He had no idea how close they might be to discovering them. But he knew he still had to maintain their cover as long as possible.
But later that night after Tony went to bed, he knocked on her door again.
"Another visit, kind of late, isn't it?"
"Yeah, but I need to know something."
"Sure, what?"
"How much will that teacher friend tell them, and how much did you tell him? I need to know everything you told him. Because that's exactly what they will want to get out of him."
"I didn't give him any real information, I just told him me and Tony were fine and that we were in protection."
"Great, you told him that?"
"Well, he wanted to know what was going on."
"After I told you explicitly not to tell anyone."
"Okay, I made a mistake, I'm sorry."
She walked away from him.
"Look," he came closer, and turned her around by the elbow. "I know you and Tony are tired of playing cops and robbers. But right now, it's crucial. We are in a predicament. A real one. One that could leave one or all of us dead. Now do you get it."
"I get it," She pulled out of his grasp.
"I don't enjoy this anymore than you do. I also don't enjoy killing either. But it's my job and if I have to, I will." He told her in no uncertain terms. "Gabby, I’m a cop, a real one. And I do what I have to do to protect the innocent."
"Well I can tell you I am so bored out of my mind, I don't know what I'm doing. I'd rather grade a mile-high stack of papers, then sit here day after day doing nothing."
"What do you want me to do about that?" He shouted.
"Nothing…" she whipped about to face him. "I'm just taking my frustration out on you. Hasn't anyone else ever done that?"
"Yeah, a time or two," he smiled crookedly.
She stared for a long time, and suddenly he pulled her unresisting body against his. Without thinking he kissed her long and possessively. She moaned and then her arms went around his neck and she pulled him to her for another one.
It was getting hot in the room. It felt like a steam bath and they were so locked onto each other that Dan wasn't sure he could be objective. He was sincerely sure he couldn't keep his hand to himself.
Without thought, his hand ran up her t-shirt and found the warm soft globes of her breasts. He groaned as his palm spread over one full breast. Her nipple came to life, hardening against the inner skin of his palm, sensitizing it.
She wasn't wearing a bra again and he was so glad. To touch her there was heaven and his mind quit working as his body went into overdrive.
He raised her t-shirt and his lips found the sweetness of one taut breast.
She leaned her head back and sucked in breath from the exquisite pleasures he was evoking.
He picked her up and took her to the bed, laying her on the cool blue sheets. He pulled her t-shirt over her head, and after laving her nipples for long lingering moments, he reached for her jeans. With a hind thought, he raised up and locked the door, quickly returning to her side.
Then he hurriedly took off his clothes and joined her. She was naked now and inviting him into her arms.
He looked at her, just looked without touching. He wondered if she had any idea how provocative she looked with her chest boldly announcing itself to him, and her knees raised and spread just a bit. She was an invitation.
"I shouldn't do this, I shouldn't take this advantage, but it sure will relieve some tension in both of us."
"I know," she purred. "Let's don't think about it too much."
"Honey, I've done nothing but think about it for the past couple of weeks now. Since that first hot kiss we shared." His hand went over her, stopping at points of interest. "Smelling you every day, that sweet scent of yours, wondering if you were wearing a bra or not. Wondering if you'd slap my face if I reached to find out. Wondering what it might be like to crawl inside you and stay a while. Wondering what an invite might be like if you ask me to."
He kissed her shoulder, then moved her arm to kiss her breasts.
"Red-heads have the prettiest breasts." He murmured.
"And you would know because…?"
He chuckled. "Because I talk too much. But yours are sure something…"
He stopped for a minute and looked up at her. "Say, you really aren't on the pill"
She pulled the sheet up over her and pouted. "What a time to ask."
"Well, are you?"
"I've been on the pill since I had my first monthly." She told him.
"That long. Didn't you tell me before you had no protection?"
She smiled seductively, "That's the best way to stave off a hot copy. My father insisted." She stared into his eyes.
"Your father?" He raised up to look into her eyes.
He laid on top of her now, supporting himself by the elbows as he looked into her face.
"So, you're okay with us…"
"With us what?"
"You know, doing it?"
"You sure take the glamor out of it, dear." She shot him a look of disgust. "I thought you might use a little imagination."
He took her face between his hands as his thumb worked a magic against the softness of her cheek. "Look, I'm not here to jump your bones. I'm attracted to you. But, if you don't want this, say the word. I'll understand and respect it. But I can tell you now, we can't live with much more tension. And I did buy some condoms at the store."
'You're very sure of yourself, aren't you?"
"Honey you are too hot to handle and I'm too horny not to have bought them."
"It does relieve tension, you said." She seemed almost nervous now. "It's just…not like I thought it would be."
He stopped and leaned on one elbow to look into her eyes. Stormy eyes, as though she were weighing what she was doing. "I guess I have sort of rushed things."
He looked at those pink lips. "From the moment I met you I wondered what it would be like to kiss your pink lips. After I tasted them, I wanted your pink nipples. Now I've tasted them, I want everything, all of you."
She stared at him now. Her eyes, her beautiful eyes captured him.
"They are pretty lips, not too full, not too thin, kissable lips." He said and he slowly covered them with his own. Over and over he kissed her, winding them both up into a knot of needs.
When he looked into her eyes, he saw some of the tension gone, more sweet compliance.
He'd been rushing things, and he suddenly realized she was a dish to be tasted and consumed slowly, and very thoroughly. He wanted her, he wanted all of her, and he wanted an invitation too.
The lust that had been between them was slowly changing. Dissolving into something more meaningful.
Her eyes closed for a moment and he reached to kiss her eyelids, her nose, her temple, her cheek, and then back to her waiting lips that welcomed him.
He felt the surge or arousal, but he tempered it. Taking Gabby was a moment he wanted to enjoy to its fullest. Her arousal was more important than his and he intended to make sure he did it right. Because he also realized how special this moment was. He'd never wanted a woman, quite this badly before.
But something hit him full in the gut. He had to find out. Had to know. "You aren't a virgin are you?"
"No, of course not." She frowned, gasping at the way he was making love to her.
Then he kissed her and everything changed. She felt like putty in his arms and her body seemed to awaken to his. She certainly didn't kiss like a virgin. Her kisses were warm, inviting and welcoming. He suddenly envied all the men that had kissed her. And he wanted to be different, to stand out in her mind. He wanted her so wound up, so ready for him that she'd hardly notice when he took her.
Already her breasts beaded against his chest, her lips became almost liquid beneath his.
He made a long lingering trail down her neck, enticing her to arousal.
His lips found her breasts once more and he feasted upon them, supping them, kissing them, devouring them.
When he moved to her neck, she relaxed and gave him leave. When he moved back to her breasts she began to move about, beneath him.
His lips went all over her then, all over her tummy and then slowly down lower to her most feminine core. He spread her legs, and feasted on her beauty within her. He stared for long lingering moments, telling her how beautiful she was. Then slowly, his tongue shot out to wrap around her most intimate secrets. She bolted against him in reaction. He was mesmerizing her with his talents.
She moaned softly and pulled at the sheets, then she began to direct his head to fit her perfectly there and she raised up to meet his wet hot lips. He licked, tasted and devoured her sweet gifts, and her ha
nds in his hair told him she was thoroughly enjoying it.
He laved her for a long time and suddenly she shuddered almost violently and kept herself against him for a long minute or two. She didn’t' say a word, but the look on her face was priceless.
Collapsing she turned her head to the pillow, and tears came.
God he didn't want her to cry.
"Don't cry baby, you were sensational." He whispered.
She grabbed him and kissed him for all he was worth. Never had he experienced such a hot delicious kiss, that was both wanton and needy at the same time. Her tongue sought to mate with his, and her hands came around him grabbing at him, her nails digging into him. The more she dug, the more he enjoyed it. She was on fire, and he matched her.
He was panting by the time she came up for air, and he crawled inside her like a slick, hot branding iron and thrust himself as high as he could inside her. But he realized way too late that he had broken a barrier and his brain tried to register the fact. It was already too late, he exploded inside her and he pulled out slowly savoring the hot sweetness of her.
She's a virgin! Damn! He'd never taken a virgin!
Trying to calm his own desires, he slowly pulled himself out of her and moved away, sitting on the edge of the bed, his head hung, his breathing frantic.
He put his hands on his head and wiped his brow. She was a virgin! My God, she'd lied to him!
Who would have ever thought it? The way she had of seducing him with her innocent eyes and hot body.
"Why didn't you say something?" he muttered miserably. "Why didn't you tell me."
She pulled her legs up and wrapped her arms around her knees and hugged herself.
She looked at him strangely, "I figured I had to do it sooner or later, and I'd rather do it with someone who knew what they were doing. I figured you did. I knew you did."
"My God, honey, did I hurt you?" He turned to look at her now.
"No, but now I can say I've been thoroughly made love to, can't I?" She smiled sweetly.
"If I'd have known, I wouldn't…." He cast her a glance over his shoulder, seeing a mixture of guilt and innocence in her face. "I'd have never guessed you a virgin, not as hot and ready as you were."
"Well, I had an orgasm…" she said almost proudly. "Two to be exact. I've never had one before…It's as good as they said it was."