“Okay, coming down.” She suddenly hesitated and eyed him sharply. “You can let go of my ass now.”
Holden released her backside on command. Jackie slid down his body, since there was little room between them and the stilt to which he was cuffed. She suddenly hesitated, slowly looked down to his crotch, and then met his gaze with a look of surprise.
“Seriously?” she blurted out. “That turned you on?”
Holden appeared embarrassed and avoided looking her in the eyes. “Hey, I had a face full of breast and a hand full of ass. Something had to give.”
Jackie hid her smile to his embarrassment and removed her cuffed hands from around his neck. She slipped out beneath his arm between him and the pipe. She ran her hand firmly along the enlarged bulge in his pants as she passed. Holden jumped with surprise and stared at her.
“Oh, but that’s okay?”
Jackie snickered softly as she waded through the knee-deep water. She grabbed the keys from the nearby cart, unlocked her handcuffs, and then returned to Holden still cuffed to the pipe. She offered a teasing smile while dangling the keys.
“This is becoming a little too familiar.”
“Don’t you dare!”
The look on his face was priceless. “I would, but we’re pressed for time.”
She unlocked his handcuffs, releasing him from the pipe. He grabbed her hand and pulled her through the water toward the steps. Judging by the aggressively rising water, they were truly pressed for time. Getting out was more urgent now than before.
Chapter Thirty-one
Jackie and Holden hurried across the kitchen, his hand firmly gripping hers as they ran. Both immediately stopped when they saw a large piece of driftwood had shattered one of the heavy glass doors to the deck. Rain poured through the broken glass and into the house from the gusting winds, nearly flooding the floor. The area beyond the broken glass door was completely black. They couldn’t even see the beach anymore. It was part of the ocean now. Jackie felt alarm spread through her entire body to the seriousness of the hurricane just outside their door.
“This house is going to be in the Atlantic in less than an hour,” Holden announced and looked at Jackie. “Does Monroe have another car?”
“Yes, but I don’t think he’d--”
“I don’t really care what he thinks. Where are the keys?” Holden demanded.
“On his dresser.”
Holden yanked firmly on her hand and pulled her up the stairs behind him. His grip on her hand was so tight; she felt it cut off her circulation. Holden entered Monroe’s bedroom with Jackie only an arm’s length behind him. The bedroom window facing the ocean was shattered as well. Wind blew rain into the bedroom, leaving standing water on the floor.
“Where are the guns?” Holden demanded while turning to face her and finally released her hand.
“In a hidden cabinet inside his closet,” she replied.
Jackie opened the closet and showed him the gun cabinet hidden in the wall. Holden removed two semiautomatics and additional clips for each. Jackie hurried past him, grabbed the car keys from the dresser, and removed her duffle bag from under the bed. Thankfully, it had been hidden or their street thug friends would have taken it. As she approached, Holden handed her one of the guns in a shoulder holster. She slipped into the shoulder holster as he placed the other gun into his empty holster. He removed a leather jacket from the closet and tossed it to her.
“I don’t think we need to worry about Dexter right now,” Jackie informed him. “That hurricane might do us in long before he does.”
“People become irrational and sometimes violent when confronted by disaster--like our friends who left us to die,” Holden remarked. “We need to be prepared for anything, and I don’t mind the added insurance.”
Holden again grabbed her hand and hurried her from the bedroom. As they ran down the stairs, they could hear the wind ripping at the house, creating a strange thumping sound. Neither commented, but Jackie was certain they were both thinking the same thing. They paused at the bottom of the stairs and looked at the storm beyond the glass doors. The deck was already gone, having been torn away from the house. Both stared with alarm as water from the ocean greeted them in the kitchen, partially flooding the floor. It was Jackie’s turn to pull Holden behind her. They ran from the kitchen for the front door and higher elevation.
Upon stepping outside, the day appeared as dark as night. Jackie had never before seen nature look so unfriendly. The wind blew objects and rain in every direction. Palm trees were bending unnaturally, and the entire beach was now part of the ocean. Jackie and Holden hurried through the pouring rain for the detached garage, which, thankfully, was built higher up than the house, so it wasn’t yet underwater. Holden opened the garage door and stared at the red Ferrari. Despite the violent storm, he grinned with the appearance of a schoolboy.
“Well, if you’re going to die, you may as well do it in style,” he announced with a little too much enthusiasm then looked at her. “I’m driving.”
Jackie groaned and gave him the keys. “Just try not to get us killed.”
“It’s not me you have to worry about,” he muttered while looking back at the rising water.
†
Tree branches were scattered across mild to moderately flooded roadways with several abandoned cars stranded within the deep, standing water off to the sides of the road. The Ferrari avoided several larger branches across the road then slowed as it approached a fallen tree on top of a car, which was now blocking the main road leading away from the rising ocean. Beyond the fallen tree was the severely flooded bridge. There appeared to be people still within the smashed car. Judging by the damage to the car, the condition of the passengers was easily assumed. Holden and Jackie got out of the sports car, ran through the pouring rain, and approached the mangled car beneath the massive tree. The rain continued to drench them as they paused before the driver’s side to check on the passengers. Sal, Wes, and Mandy were crushed within the car. It was difficult to tell the mangled metal and fiberglass from their mutilated bodies. Blood covered the entire mess. Jackie grimaced at the sight and turned away. Holden reached into the car through the broken window and removed his badge and gun from what was left of Mandy’s body.
The pouring rain easily cleaned his badge of the young woman’s blood. Despite the pouring rain, both took a moment to assess the road ahead of them. Water from the river ran over the bridge and was at least two feet deep. The bridge was now part of the raging river of murky discolored water containing debris, some of it being fairly large. They watched a small car being swept away in the rushing water. Thankfully, it had no passengers. Even if there had been, there was nothing they could have done to help. The bridge was impassable, assuming the bridge was still intact beneath the raging water. They exchanged looks as the rain drenched them. The storm was closing in on them, and with how bad the conditions were surrounding them, they still weren’t seeing the worst of the hurricane. Holden hurried Jackie back to the sports car. Their options were limited and time was running out. They had to find suitable shelter as far from the coast as they could safely get before the storm was directly upon them.
†
Several new, expensive homes were lined along the streets of the recently built development further inland. All the homes appeared abandoned, or in some instances, were still under construction. Everyone had been evacuated despite being a few miles inland and at a higher elevation, possibly due more to the high, damaging winds than flooding waters. The Ferrari pulled up to the first stately home and parked in front of the garage. Jackie and Holden ran through the rain to the large, covered porch. Holden knocked on the door, not expecting an answer. When there was no response, he kicked in the door. The lock gave more easily than an expensive home should.
“They just don’t make locks like they used to,” he remarked with disgust.
Jackie cast a look at him. “That’s breaking and entering, Agent Falcone.”
�
�I prefer the term ‘commandeer’.”
He hurried her inside and shut the door behind them. Thankfully, the deadbolt still worked after his assault on the door; otherwise, the door wouldn’t stay closed. Jackie looked around the new home and marveled at its grandeur while Holden checked the hall phone for a dial tone. Not surprising, there wasn’t one. He frowned and replaced the phone.
“I think we’ll be safe here until the hurricane passes,” he informed her. “Make yourself comfortable. We’re going to be here until morning.”
Jackie flipped the light switch. Nothing happened. “No power,” she informed him with a dreary sigh and looked around. “We should probably find some flashlights or candles before it gets dark. I’d rather not spend the entire evening in darkness.” She then glanced at him. “I’d like to get my bag from the car and change into some dry clothes.”
“I’ll bring the car into the garage and get your bag,” Holden replied. “You look for flashlights and see if there’s any bottled water.”
She folded her arms across her chest and glared at him. “You still don’t trust me, do you? There’s no place to go, yet you think I’m going to steal my friend’s car and make the great escape to who the hell knows where.”
“Why should I trust you?” he asked with surprise. “You’ve used every trick in the book to evade protective custody.”
“No,” she replied firmly, “I didn’t want to see anyone else killed because the governor has a hard on for me.”
“We have all night to debate it,” he remarked, attempting to avoid another argument with her that he couldn’t possibly hope to win. “I need to get the car into the garage or it may not be there after the hurricane hits.”
Holden headed into the kitchen and left the house through the garage. A few seconds later, Jackie heard the garage door being manually opened. She sank into thought and considered her next move. There was a clunk from upstairs. She looked up the steps, wondering what she had heard, and then headed cautiously up the massive, spiral staircase.
Chapter Thirty-two
Holden pulled the sports car into the empty garage that apparently hadn’t been used for anything since being built. The garage was nearly spotless, indicating the people living there had recently moved into the brand new home in the influential neighborhood. Holden got out of the car, manually shut the garage door, and retrieved Jackie’s bag from the small storage area behind the car’s seat. Holden entered the house through the kitchen and headed into the rapidly darkening grand hallway. He set Jackie’s bag near the stairs and looked around. She wasn’t anywhere to be found. Everything was eerily quiet.
“Jackie, bell service.” There was no response or sound except for the howling wind and rain pounding against the roof and sides of the house. Holden approached the living room and looked around. “Jackie?”
Holden looked toward the stairs, appeared curious, and cautiously headed up them. The second floor was even darker than the first floor. There was a loud clunk from one of the nearby bedrooms. He hesitated, removed his gun, and slowly pushed on the partially open bedroom door. The generous sized master bedroom was dimly lit by a flashlight lying on the floor. Holden stepped into the doorway with his gun in his hand.
“No games, Jackie.”
Across the massive room, Jackie lie limp on the bed with a nylon curtain cord around her neck. The bed was slightly rumpled and several objects within the room were overturned. Holden appeared alarmed, hurried for the bed, and removed the cord from around her neck. Jackie grabbed his wrist and used her leg to toss him over her and onto the bed. As if anticipating her actions, Holden counter flipped her onto her back and pinned her to the bed by her wrists while on top of her. She was startled by the swiftness of his counterattack.
“Nice try,” he mocked.
Jackie attempted to get leverage with her free leg, so she’d be able to kick him. Holden pinned her leg with his and held her immobile with nearly every part of his body. Jackie made another attempt to free her wrists. Holden appeared humored and chuckled softly.
“Well, this is a pleasant change,” he announced cheerfully. “I have no idea what game we’re playing, but I think I’m winning for a change.”
“Fine, you won,” she scoffed. “Get off me!”
“No, I don’t think so,” he snapped in response and turned serious. “I know you hate me, but can we get through one crisis at a time?”
Jackie finally stopped struggling, frowned, and avoided looking at him.
“And back to the silent treatment,” he muttered with a defeated sigh.
There was a long silence between them. The only sound came from the raging storm outside just waiting to tear the house from its concrete pad. Neither moved. Jackie remained completely relaxed and non-threatening beneath him. Holden remained tense and distrustful of her peaceful nature. She knew her actions caused him concern. Jackie learned that sometimes the most threatening words were the ones not spoken. Her silence and lack of aggression was causing him stress, she could tell. She reflected on his earlier words and lost enthusiasm to fight him.
“I don’t hate you, Agent Falcone,” she finally replied in a soft tone without looking at him then carefully considered her next comment. “I don’t even dislike you.”
Holden appeared curious by her comment but dismissed it. “If I get off of you, are you going to behave?” he asked as he stared at her profile.
“No.”
“At least you’re honest,” he groaned with defeat. “So we’re going to stay like this all night?”
“I’m quite comfortable.”
“Fine, then I’ll just make myself comfortable too,” he remarked sternly.
Holden maneuvered his legs between hers, placing them in a compromising position. She was startled by his actions. There was no denying he was attempting to make a point, but his motive was puzzling to her. What did he hope to achieve? What was the purpose of trying to beat her at her own game? He had to know she could feel the enthusiasm rising in his pants. Apart from her quickening pulse, his actions made no sense.
“Asserting that male dominance?” she asked and finally met his gaze.
She attempted to remain cool despite his body pressed against hers. She felt embarrassed by her flushed cheeks, although, it wasn’t as if he could see them in the dim lighting.
“It gets your attention,” he replied while staring back at her.
She raised her brows in a slightly seductive manner while staring at him through the dim lighting from the flashlight. Jackie then said with all seriousness, “Try asserting it a little to the left.”
Holden stared at her a moment with a strange look then uncertainly moved his hips slightly to the left.
Jackie groaned softly to the sensation of his arousal pressed against her. She smiled lustfully while staring at him. “Assert away, Agent Falcone.”
Holden was clearly surprised by her reaction. He suddenly groaned and kissed her passionately yet aggressively on the mouth while pressing his hips eagerly against her. Jackie gasped softly from his body pressing into hers and wasted little time returning the aggressive kiss. His passionate kiss sent shockwaves through her entire body, and she ached for him. It had been a long time since she wanted a man this badly. Holden appeared hesitant to release her wrists; although, it was obvious he wanted to. She could feel his conflict about her intentions, since she’d tricked him several times before, but she needed him to release her if this was going to work. Jackie broke off the aggressive kiss and immediately kissed his neck while breathing heavily.
She cooed softly in his ear, “You’ve got me where I want me. I’m not going anywhere.”
Holden hesitated only a moment to consider his next move and possibly her sincerity then released her wrists. His mouth again sought hers as his right hand firmly caressed her breast and traveled along her side to her thigh and buttocks. She clung to him and attempted to keep up with his aggressive kiss and rising passion. He moved to his knees and wasted little tim
e removing his jacket, shoulder holster, and shirt. She couldn’t deny that the way he hastily shed his clothing was an instant turn on. She could only compare it to the Navy’s thirteen-button salute. As Jackie sat up, she felt Holden tense to her sudden movement. It was cute that he feared her intentions yet was brave enough to want her anyway. She grinned in response as she removed her tank top. He appeared relieved when she tossed her shirt to the floor. Jackie immediately reached for his belt buckle and worked on opening it with one hand while caressing his hard bulge with the other. Holden groaned softly, gathered her in his arms, and tackled her to the bed.
†
An hour later, Holden and Jackie lie naked in each other’s arms beneath the covers while panting heavily. Both appeared exhausted while listening to the raging storm outside. It almost sounded as if the house was about to lift off from its concrete pad. The banging sound continued from outside, which was undoubtedly siding being torn away from the house. The devastation outside was furthest from their minds. It certainly hadn’t interfered with their wild sexual fling. The boyish grin on Holden’s face conveyed he hadn’t a care in the world. Jackie rested her head on his chest and listened to his pounding heart while she weaved her fingers through his chest hair.
“I have a newly found appreciation for your aggression,” he announced with a soft chuckle.
“That was all you, Agent Falcone,” she announced teasingly while attempting to control her own elevated heart rate. “I suspect all that pent up sexual frustration finally exploded.” As she thought about her comment, she was aware she could have easily been describing herself.
“It may have been awhile, but I don’t remember it ever being like that.”
Jackie couldn’t help feeling a little proud of his comment. Although she’d never admit it aloud, she had good training in that department. Navy SEALs weren’t just highly skilled in combat. They tended to overachieve at everything. She lifted her head from his chest, met his gaze, and smiled lustfully.
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