“I know you’re not. I’m trying to keep you upright, not feed you. What you need is some real food and to lie down. But I know you won’t do that.”
“Thanks,” I whispered. “I’m sorry.”
“Stop apologizing. We’ve got your back, Emily.”
Where the hell was Jasper? The guys told me he went dark, meaning he had cut off all communication in order to find where Liam was hiding. He hadn’t checked in in a long time. What if something happened to him, too? I would never recover if I lost Connor, Jasper, and Jason.
Never.
***
Jasper
The sun had finally set, and I was in position. The house was situated as such I couldn’t approach without there being shadows cast on the west, even with the trees. The east side was floor-to-ceiling windows and no cover on the north and south. I had no choice but to sit and wait.
My last communication with Levi was him confirming that Liam was in the house. The drone had shown two heat signatures, and the satellite had picked up Liam when he went out to get a box out of a shed that was in a clearing. Thank God for modern technology. I checked my phone was completely powered down one last time and touched my HK on my hip.
The cabin was small, one room. According to planning and zoning, there was a kitchenette and a bathroom. No other rooms were partitioned off. That didn’t mean shit though; the owner could’ve built something after the final inspection. As much as I hated relying on intel that had not been confirmed, I had no choice.
I peeked in the side window and saw Jason sitting on the floor his back to the wall with what looked like an old-school Gameboy in his hands. I couldn’t see if he was injured, but he was breathing – that’s all that mattered. Gains was pacing the floor. I had no choice but to break the door down and pray it wasn’t boarded on the other side. It was a calculated risk with no gear that would allow me to go through the window uncut. It was my only option.
I shouldered the door hard and fast, it opened and splintered under my weight. I rushed Gains and put him in a headlock from behind, lifting him off his feet. I reached into the waistband of his jeans, found his gun, and tossed it aside. I caught movement out of the corner of my eye, and saw Jason standing there, his eyes wide in fear.
“Everything’s fine, bud. I need you to close your eyes and cover your ears. Hurry,” I yelled.
Gains was struggling and kicking my shin, it hurt like a son-of-a-bitch. I wasn’t applying enough pressure to choke him out, I wanted the fucker awake when he died.
In a split-second decision, I opted against my gun. Shooting a .45acp in this small space would be deafening, not to mention the shot would’ve been heard for miles. I yanked my knife out of my uniform pocket and flipped the blade open.
“You fucked with the wrong boy,” I said and sank the blade of my knife into the side of his neck. “See you in hell.” With a twist of my blade, the last of his air left his body, and I let him fall to the ground.
Without thinking, I rushed to Jason and scooped him up. The moment I did, I wished I had taken off my uniform blouse. My hand and shirt had Liam’s blood all over them.
“Are you hurt?” I asked.
“I’m scared.” Jason started to cry in my arms.
“I know you are, bud. You’re safe now. But are you hurt anywhere?” I asked again.
“No.”
“Good. We’re going home.”
I ran half a mile before I stopped to pull my phone out.
“Update?” Levi asked.
“Done. I need clothes for both of us and a gallon of water for clean-up.”
“Copy that.” Levi disconnected.
“Almost there. You’re doing great.”
Jason didn’t answer, but he held on tight as I ran us another three miles back to the SUV.
Jason was safe.
Liam Gains was dead. He’d never touch them again.
Chapter Twenty
Emily
Connor was in his room in ICU. The doctor explained that he was still in critical condition and it would be touch and go through the night. They had to repair his liver, stomach, and remove his gallbladder. He was lucky - the bullet had barely missed his spine. We were allowed to visit him one at a time for five minutes only.
I looked in on him from the other side of the glass wall, his door was closed silencing the beeping and whooshing sounds the machines keeping him alive made. He looked horrible – like he’d been shot in the gut.
Please, God, let him be okay. I can’t lose him, too.
“Emily, I need you to come with me,” Lenox said, “Clark will stay here with Connor.”
“Is everything okay?” I asked. “Is it Jason?”
“Everything’s great. Come on.”
Lenox hurried us to the elevator and ushered me in. “We didn’t want to bring Jason up here.”
“He’s here? Jasper got him?” I was shaking so badly Lenox pulled me to his side before I lost my balance.
“He’s here,” Lenox confirmed. “I told you Jasper would bring him back.”
“Is he hurt?”
“No.”
Thank you, God!
The elevator dinged, the door opened, and Lenox walked us out of the hospital. Thankfully Lenox was holding me up, or I would’ve fallen to the ground.
There they were, once again Jason was wrapped around Jasper. He stalked toward me, his eyes never leaving mine. They were assessing and dangerous. He did a full body scan, and when he took in my knees his nose flared, and he shot a look at Lenox before they came back to me. He stepped into my personal space, hooked an arm around me, and pulled me out of Lenox’s arms and into his.
He held us while I cried and mumbled unintelligible words, and sobbed some more. I was so overcome with emotion I couldn’t catch my breath enough to ask any questions. I peppered Jason’s little face with kisses, unable to stop myself from touching him. He was here, he was unharmed – we’d work through the rest.
“Connor?” Jasper asked over my head.
“Stable but critical,” Lenox replied.
“She eat anything?”
“Not a thing,” Lenox tattled on me. How did either of them expect me to eat food while my son was missing? What was it with food?
“Copy. We’re going home,” he said.
“We can’t leave,” I protested. “Connor’s up there.”
“Yeah, he is. And he’ll be there in the morning. Baby, I just spent the last eight hours stalking through the woods. I’m emotionally wrecked. I want to take my woman home, clean her fucking knees up, get her and my boy into bed, wrap my arms around both of them, and sleep for a week.”
I’d let the fucking go in front of Jason, just this once. But only because he called me his woman and Jason his boy.
“Okay.” Now that I got myself under control enough to talk I pushed Jason’s hair off his forehead and gave him a kiss. “I love you, baby boy.”
“I missed you, Mommy.”
“I missed you, too. You ready to go home?” I asked.
I was afraid to ask him anything about his time with Liam. I needed to be sitting with my boy in my arms before I could handle hearing what happened.
“To Jasper’s house, right?” Jason asked.
“Yeah, baby. Is that okay?” I asked.
“Jasper? You’re not gonna leave us, are you?” Jason asked,
“I’m not going anywhere, bud. I promise.” He kissed the top of Jason’s head.
“Thanks, man,” Jasper said to Lenox.
“No need.”
“I’m sorry I was so crazy. Thank you for all your help.” I pulled away from Jasper and wrapped my arms around Lenox, giving him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Lenox squeezed me back and let me go. “You better get going. Your man looks impatient,” he whispered.
“Let’s go home.” Jasper hooked me around the middle and walked us to the parking lot. Well, Jasper walked, I floated. I was on cloud nine. Jason was home, and hopefully, we’d get good news about Connor soon.
/> ***
Jason was quiet on the drive home. I sat with him in the backseat after I pried him out of Jasper’s arms. Seems that neither of them wanted to let go of each other. However, Jasper had to drive, and I wanted to hold my son.
I carried him into the house, and he stayed on my lap while Jasper cleaned the gravel and blood off my knees. Once they were cleaned, they didn’t look that bad, a few scrapes that would scab over and heal in a few days. The physical proof of Jason’s kidnapping would be gone long before the emotional bruises would be. I could only pray that those, too, would scab over and heal and not turn into lasting scars.
I tried to ask Jason a few questions, but he wouldn’t answer. Jasper softly told me to be patient; Jason was still in shock and it would take time for him to open up. We piled into Jasper’s bed. Jason curled into my front, Jasper at my back. He had his strong arms wrapped around both of us, blanketing us with his protection.
After Jason had fallen asleep, Jasper told me how he’d found where Liam was holding Jason, why he had to wait so long, and finally what Jason had been doing in the cabin when he broke in. I’d finally mustered up the courage to ask the question that was on my mind since I first saw them at the hospital.
“Why is Jason in different clothes?” I held my breath waiting to hear Jasper’s answer. He’d said that he found Jason unharmed. But that didn’t explain why my son had changed clothes.
“There was blood on his clothes. I didn’t want him in bloody clothes, and I didn’t want you to see him like that.”
“Where are you hurt?” I asked.
“It wasn’t my blood.”
“Will you tell me?” I asked.
Jasper was quiet for a moment then asked, “Do you want to know?”
“Yes,” I answered. I wasn’t sure I wanted details, but I had to know if Liam would come after us again.
“He’s dead.”
That was it – no elaboration, no apology, no remorse in his tone. Very matter of fact. I wondered if this was the Special Operator Jasper that Lenox was telling me about. The Jasper who had to be cold and detached.
“Thank you.”
I wasn’t sure what kind of human being it made me, but I was happy Liam was dead. The only thing I was sorry about was Jasper had Liam’s death on his conscience.
Jasper kissed the back of my head and spooned in closer. “Let’s get some sleep, yeah?” he asked.
“Yeah.”
It was many hours before I fell asleep in Jasper’s arms. My mind raced with the events of the last two days. What all of this meant for me and Jasper, Jasper and Jason, and for the three of us. I still hadn’t answered Jasper’s question about moving in. Jasper said he was ready to make promises. However, there was still a nagging feeling in the back of my mind. Something that Jasper had said to me was giving me pause. He had looked into Liz and Alesha’s medical records, but he never said if he had faced her family or if he had visited them. I was afraid there was a hole in his heart, and he was using me as a Band-Aid instead of finding the closure he needed.
Chapter Twenty-One
Jasper
It had been a week since Gains took Jason. A good week, no actually it’d been a great week. Emily was still working through some issues with not wanting Jason out of her sight, but she was getting better. It had taken some convincing to let him go back to school. After I pushed her, she finally broke down crying telling me her fears. After I reassured her that Gains was gone and would never touch Jason again, she allowed him back to school. We had a similar situation with Jason sleeping by himself.
We did go to the mall, and the furniture store, and the grocery store. I dropped a mint on new living room furniture and a bedroom set for Jason. Now that they were here, we needed more than two recliners. Emily helped pick out a large sectional and some crap to go on the walls. After the second time she asked my opinion on what she called wall art, I informed her that she was in charge of such items. I would handle the garage, grill, general maintenance, and clean up – the décor and the rest of the house were hers.
She refused to allow me to buy her and Jason new clothes. After a lengthy discussion, I knew I wasn’t going to win and wisely shut my mouth on the issue. I did, however, put my foot down when it came to the groceries. We were learning, compromising, and it felt fucking wonderful. I admit I waited for the pinching in my gut when the one-week mark hit. As fucked up as it was, I hadn’t been with a woman for over a week since high school. The day came and went, and all I felt was a deepening connection, a gratefulness I’d had them in my life.
Jason was doing great. Emily got him to open up about what happened. Hearing it through his eyes made me wish I had spent a little more time pushing my blade into Gains' throat and twisting slower. Jason said that he was scared, but Gains wasn’t mean to him and hadn’t hurt him in any way. When they got to the cabin, Gains basically handed him a video game and told him to sit and wait for his mom to come and get him.
Lenox and Lily had invited all of us over for a barbeque and poker. Jason was ready sitting on the couch playing on the tablet I had bought for him. Emily refused to acknowledge that it was Jason’s and referred to it as mine, saying I was letting Jason play with it. Whatever made her feel better – it was Jason’s. But I wasn’t going to split cunt hairs over it. I was learning – picking my battles.
I went back to the bedroom to see what was taking Emily so long. We were already ten minutes late. I found her staring at herself in the mirror.
She looked fucking gorgeous in a knee-length sundress, her long silky black hair braided over one shoulder exposing the other. She was a goddamn miracle. I couldn’t stop, better yet, I didn’t want to stop myself when I walked up behind her wrapping my arms around her middle and kissing her exposed neck. She angled her head giving me better access, and I wondered if she’d kick my ass if I gave her a hickey. I wanted to. I wanted to suck and bite her soft skin and mark her for everyone to see. Mine.
“That feels so good,” she moaned.
I loved that sound. We still hadn’t moved past the making out and touching stage yet. Anytime she tried to go further, I put the brakes on. I barely let us round third base. The hand jobs and kissing and fingering were crazy good. Getting to know her body and feeling her hands touch me drove me to the point of insanity. Each time I had stopped us from going any further was torture. Sweet anticipation.
It was time.
“Tonight,” I whispered against her shoulder kissing her there. “You’ll be saying the same thing when I slide inside of you.” I watched in the mirror as her eyes fluttered shut and her body trembled. “Do you like that idea?”
“Yes.”
“What were you thinking about when I came in?” I asked.
Her eyes came open, and she smiled. “How happy I am.”
I reached over and shut the door. Turning her in my arms, I picked her up and sat her on the vanity spreading her legs to accommodate my large frame between them.
I kissed her deep and sound, laden with hunger and promise. When I pulled away, her lips were red and wet, so much like other parts of her body when I was done.
“You think you can give me one quick one?” I asked.
Her beautiful blue orbs glazed over with need. “The question is, can you give me a quick one?”
Game on.
“You better grab that hand towel,” I told her.
“Why?”
“You’re gonna need something to muffle your scream. You won’t have my mouth to swallow your pleasure. It’s gonna be a little busy.”
Her eyes flared, and she tried to tighten her legs around me.
“Oh no, baby, spread ‘em. I’m hungry.”
I quickly locked the bathroom door and got to my knees. I draped her legs over my shoulders and pushed her panties to the side.
With the first lick, I was drunk with desire. She tasted so damn good. My tongue teased at her entrance, and my thumb lightly grazed her clit.
“Oh my God,” she
mumbled.
My last thought before I went to work devouring her pussy was I hoped she remembered the towel. Because I was going to tongue fuck her like she’d never been before.
It might have been minutes, hell it could’ve been an hour, but when she exploded on my tongue, the evidence of her orgasm dripping down my chin, all I wanted to do was start all over. She writhed and ground herself against my mouth taking everything she wanted. It was so fucking sexy I could feel the wet spot of pre-come in my boxers. All it would take was one touch, and I’d shoot off like a schoolboy.
I stood up and wiped my face with the hand towel before I kissed her again. I pulled back remembering we had to go.
“Don’t change your panties,” I instructed.
“What? Why not? They’re all wet.”
“I know they are. I want you in wet panties. I want you to think about me licking your sweet pussy all day. And baby, when we get home tonight, I am gonna fuck you senseless, and after that, I’m gonna lay you down and love you the rest of the night.”
With one last peck on the lips, I opened the door and left her standing there to think about what I said. The thought had crossed my mind to brush my teeth. However, I wanted the taste of her on my lips.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Emily
“So, you and Jasper, huh?” Lily asked as soon as she could corner me alone.
I couldn’t help the smile that had formed. My plan was to play it cool, not show how head-over-heels in love I was with him. However, at the first mention of his name I failed miserably.
We were sitting on her back deck, watching Jason play with baby Carter on a blanket in the grass. I couldn’t believe how much Carter had grown in the last month.
“He’s getting so big. Have you started planning his first birthday party yet?” I asked.
“You’re deflecting.” She laughed.
Okay, I was. But not for the reasons she thought.
“I feel like it’s too good to be true,” I explained.
“How good is it?” She dropped her voice and leaned in close.
“I wouldn’t know.”
“What?” she screeched.
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