Act of Blood (An FBI/Romance Thriller ~ Book 16)

by Kelley, Morgan

  “It must be a Native thing. You Indians like getting shot a little too much,” she teased.

  Callen snorted. “Yeah, we’re the ones who like it,” he stated. “Maybe, Cupid, we should get back to work?”

  Elizabeth agreed.

  “A woman’s work is never done.”

  As they headed out, she stopped at the door and stared into Merry’s eyes. “Do you trust me?” she asked.

  “Yes, I do.”

  “Go with your heart. It’s right this time. Don’t be afraid to give up what you know for the unknown.”

  She watched her boss walk away.

  “What’s she talking about?” Boone asked.

  Merry touched the letter that was folded in her pocket. She thought back to Boone’s words.

  “She’s talking about you, Boone.”

  And she left it at that.

  For now.

  * * * B l a c k h a w k - W h i t e f o x * * *

  Tonight was the night.

  It was going to be one hell of a production. By the time it was over, they were going to be left staring, and there would be a lot of clapping.

  Maybe even a standing ovation.

  This was turning into one hell of a tale. When the curtain went up, it was going to be a free for all.

  ‘King Lear’ was a favorite and with good reason.

  It was a classic.

  After it was all said and done, the FBI, Elizabeth Blackhawk and Callen Whitefox, would be left confused.

  Irritated.

  And wanting more.

  With a good story, you always did.

  And they were going to get plenty more.

  This was far from over.

  The ending had yet to be written.

  * * * B l a c k h a w k - W h i t e f o x * * *

  Fort Whitefox-Blackhawk

  Tuesday Evening

  Honestly, it had been a long time since any of them had gotten this dressed up to go out. Yes, they had to deal with the political parties, Ethan’s new career, and the other bullshit that went along with it, but a date?

  Yeah, this was going to be fun.

  Well, for Elizabeth.

  When she had gotten home, she immediately took a shower and set her hair. There was no doubt there was going to be media all over the place.

  There was no doubt that when they arrived the cameras would be snapping pictures left and right. That’s why she had to make sure she looked good.

  No.

  She had to look perfect for the two men in her life. If she even hinted at frumpy, that would be the headline, and honestly, she didn’t want to be known as their ‘ragged old wife’.

  Elizabeth wanted them to stare, drool, and have media asking what the hell was going on.

  Yeah, that was her plan. It had to be a good one too. After all, she was attending with bestselling author, Jackson James, and Deputy Director Blackhawk.

  They were two fine specimens of men, and she couldn’t be outdone. As the men were upstairs getting showered and their hair blow dried, Elizabeth took a moment to sit in the kitchen and talk to Wyler.

  He was happily cleaning up.

  “Can we talk?” she asked.

  He stared over at her. “Is it going to be a good talk or a bad talk, sweetheart?”

  Maeve had left for the night, and it seemed like a good time to do this. Elizabeth had been biding her time, and she couldn’t hold it in anymore. All day, she’d been hearing wind chimes everywhere she went, and it was important that they have this talk—not only for her, but for Timothy.

  “It depends.”

  “On?”

  “Your answer.”

  He didn’t like the sound of that. In fact, it made him nervous as hell.

  “Well, then you should get it off your chest, Elizabeth,” Wyler offered.

  “Are you going to leave us?” she asked. “Are you going to run off with Maeve and ditch your kids and grandkids?”

  He stared at her.

  “What?”

  “I don’t think you need me to repeat that, Wyler. I’m pretty sure it was self-explanatory.”

  He was horrified.

  “Why would you think I would ever do that?”

  “I see how happy you are with Maeve, and I’m wondering if watching the kids is cramping your dating style. If it is, you only have to tell us. We can find someone else if you want out.”

  His eyes filled with tears.

  This had been his fear.

  “Are you firing me? Did the boys send you because you’re the gentle one?”

  She shook her head. “They don’t know I’m having this conversation with you. I’m here of my own volition. I’m here because all day, I’ve felt like I’m being watched, and I’m getting signs from Timothy.”

  That made him pause.

  “Like what?”

  Elizabeth had been practicing her Shamanism. It mattered that her kids knew all about their heritage. If the men in her life couldn’t practice a religion, she’d do it for them.

  After all, she’d made that promise.

  “I’m hearing wind chimes. When I do, I know that Timothy is giving me a warning. Then today, as I was driving into work, our whole drive way was covered.”

  “With?”

  “Ravens.”

  “Messengers,” he muttered. “I need to show you something.”

  He went to his bag hanging by the door. When he opened it, there was some rustling and then he carried it toward her. Gently, he placed the carving on the counter.

  It was a white feather.

  “I feel off about the energy in the universe. I’ve had the overwhelming need to carve this.”

  “What does it mean?” she asked.

  “A change is coming.”

  And that’s why she was there. “Is that change going to be you bailing on the kids? I don’t care if you don’t want to watch them, Wyler, but I don’t want to see you walk away.”

  He understood.

  In his past, he’d done just that.

  “You’re worried.”

  “I am.”

  “I can tell. You’re calling me by my name and not ‘Dad’. What can I do to reassure you that I’m not leaving them, or you three?”

  “The truth and your word.”

  He sat beside her. “I never want to be away from the kids. I wake up every day, and I think…God! You’re so damn lucky and don’t deserve this shot in life.”

  “With the kids or Maeve?”

  “I guess both.” He thought about it. “I know I talked to the boys about her being part of my life, but I never sat down with you,” he admitted.

  “No, you didn’t.”

  “I figured you’d be happy for me.”

  “I am happy, but I’m worried about you.”

  He didn’t understand what she was talking about. He was perfectly fine.

  “I don’t want you to get your heart broken,” she stated, playing with one of his long black braids. It reminded her of Timothy’s, only not filled with gray. Wyler was still in the prime of his life.

  “How so?”

  “I’ve watched you the last few weeks. You are cautious, but the past few days, you’ve been whistling and excited.”

  “And that’s bad?”

  She never thought she’d say this. “Are you moving too fast?” she asked. “Are you going full speed ahead?”

  He laughed. “At my age, you have to move fast. There’s not many days left.”

  She didn’t speak.

  He knew the jig was up.

  Elizabeth was too smart to bullshit. She was very much like Timothy in that respect. It was likely why she’d been given the family to protect.

  The raven missed nothing.

  “Maybe I am. Maybe I’m afraid that this is my final chance at happiness. When I made my mistakes, the one with Catherine, the one with Charlene, and the one with…”

  He couldn’t even say her name. That woman had created a monster in his third son, and it had nearly
killed Elizabeth.

  “It’s okay, Dad.”

  “I know Maeve isn’t my soulmate.”

  Elizabeth listened. “But? I hear a but coming.”

  “She’s pretty awesome, right? I mean, she’s interested in me, and that’s huge.”

  There was one constant with the Blackhawk men. Their hearts had been kicked around. They often sold themselves short.

  There was the flight attendant who was cruel to Ethan.

  Desdemona had beat down Callen’s heart.

  Bly had bullied Wyler.

  They always picked shitty women.

  Well, until her.

  “She’s lucky to have you, Dad. If you’re sure, and you really think that she’s the one you want to spend the rest of your life with, I support you.”

  He stared into her icy blue eyes.

  “Do you like her?”

  Elizabeth thought about it. “Yeah, I really do. I didn’t like Bly. In fact, she bugged the shit out of me. Maeve is sweet, and she follows you around as if you’re the center of the world. You deserve that.”

  It was new to him.

  No one ever looked at him like that before. Well…Catherine had, but he’d screwed that up, thinking about his penis and sex.

  “She makes me feel good about myself. With Bly, I always felt like I had to earn her affection. Maeve gives it to me freely.”

  “That’s how love works.”

  He recalled.

  “Just slow it down a little, okay? I know you’re happy, but you need to know that no relationship is perfect. There will be bumps, and you have to navigate them.”

  “I hope I can.”

  “You will. I believe in you, Dad.”

  He relaxed once she started using the term again.

  He patted her cheek.

  Wyler really did love his sons’ wife. They had both chosen well—the first time out the gate. He was taking a lesson from them on this one.

  When it came to matters of the heart, he was watching how they were with Elizabeth, and he tied to emulate them.

  Let’s face it.

  He sucked at wooing a woman. He’d had a fast relationship with Catherine, marrying her in a matter of days. When you knew, you just knew.

  With Callen’s mother, it was all about the sex.

  Then there was the debacle with Bly. He rushed into it because he was lonely.

  He wanted something between him and Maeve. Wyler wanted to foster that relationship like he would with any of his art.

  “I really just want you to be happy.”

  Oh, he was.

  “Well, I really am happy. I finally get to have…”

  He shut up.

  Wyler zipped his lips.

  “Pie?” she asked.

  He laughed and then gave her a hug. The second she leaned against him, Wyler had peace. Elizabeth had that effect on the men in the family.

  She was their protective raven.

  “Yeah, I like pie.”

  “We all like pie, Dad. Your sons are pie freaks. They need therapy.”

  He found that amusing.

  “I’m glad they found you, Elizabeth. You’re a blessing. My father saw it, the boys saw it, and I want you to know I see it too. You’re my child. We may not be blood, but you’re mine here,” he said, touching his heart.

  She smiled. “You’re my father, Wyler. Charlie, had he lived, would have liked you. He would have enjoyed spending time with you.”

  He didn’t doubt that.

  The man had an awesome daughter.

  “You should go get ready. I’m not leaving my family. I’ll never leave my grandchildren. They keep me young and on my toes.”

  “Yeah, because you’re afraid of them,” she teased.

  He snorted.

  Wyler wasn’t afraid of those five angels. They were perfect.

  “They’re a handful. Look out world,” he teased.

  She got up and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “I love you, Dad. Don’t forget it.”

  “Before you leave,” he said, picking up the white feather. “I think you should have it. I think it’s meant to be yours.”

  Elizabeth cradled the wooden sculpture in her hands. “I’ll keep it safe.”

  He knew she would—just like she did with all of their hearts.

  “Pace yourself, Dad. You can get sick from binging on pie,” Elizabeth warned.

  He didn’t think that was possible.

  Wyler was in pie heaven, and he was never going back. He’d finally found some happiness, and he was holding onto it for as long as he could.

  As she reached the doorway, Elizabeth was compelled to add something else, so she stopped at the door. “Oh, tell Maeve one thing for me.”

  “What?” he asked.

  “Tell her I said I’m happy you both found each other.”

  He smiled. “I will.”

  “And then tell her if she fucks you over or breaks your heart, there won’t be enough of her for the DC police to put her back together again.”

  She was still smiling.

  He wasn’t.

  “Uh, Elizabeth.”

  Her melodious laughter filled the room.

  Then it stopped.

  “I mean it. I protect this family. Timothy gave me the job, and I plan to do it.”

  He grinned at her.

  “And this is why you’re my favorite.”

  She blew him a kiss and walked away. Elizabeth was dead serious.

  If Maeve hurt him, she was in for a world of pain. There were some things she’d screw around with, but this…

  Yeah, it wasn’t one.

  Family came first.

  Hers?

  They mattered the most.

  * * * B l a c k h a w k - W h i t e f o x * * *

  One Hour Later

  The men were waiting for her downstairs in the family room. Ethan and Callen had both chosen well-tailored suits. Callen had gone with a red tie, and Ethan a blue that matched Elizabeth’s eyes. They knew that she was going to be gorgeous, no matter what she wore.

  While they sat there, Ethan studied his brother. He looked nervous. That was odd for him. Normally, Callen was chill. The man was so laid back that nothing really rattled him.

  “You looked three days past freaked out. Is it the fact we’re heading out as a threesome, or that you’re going to be Jackson James tonight?” he asked.

  “I think both. Four years ago, this never seemed possible. I never believed that we’d be able to be ourselves.”

  He understood.

  “I was just ready to come out for the media, when the asshole who stole my book ratted my ass out.”

  Ethan thought about it. “What if it wasn’t the same person?” he asked.

  Callen glanced over. “What do you mean?”

  “Think about it. Your book gets stolen from the literary agent, and the next day the world knows you’re Jackson James.”

  Callen tried to put it together in his head.

  “So you think my book wasn’t really stolen?” he asked.

  Ethan shrugged. “I don’t know about that, but if it was stolen, what if Leslie Jefferson is covering her trail by leaking your name? Look at the publicity you just got.”

  He had a point.

  Callen liked to trust people, but the cold hard fact was that the world was full of snakes and manipulators.

  “Plus, it kind of buries the fact that your book was taken. She might be doing damage control in her own way.”

  He stared at his brother. “That’s shitty.”

  Ethan didn’t disagree for a second. He happened to be with his brother on this one. Callen only wanted to write to secure his future if he couldn’t be a Fed.

  It was never about fame.

  Fortune.

  Prestige.

  This was about supporting his family after he’d been shot. To Ethan, this whole thing felt off.

  “I really don’t know what to think about this,” he admitted.

  Ethan figur
ed that.

  It was insane.

  “I just find it odd that it was immediately afterward. Now, it could be the person who stole the book. If they did hack that email, like Leslie thinks, then your name was in there. There aren’t that many people out there with your name, bro.”

  He knew he was right.

  “What are the chances that some burglar hacked the computer? That takes skill. Most penny ante crooks don’t have any kind of talents like that.”

  His brother had a very valid point.

  “This is why I’m walking away from her agency. I feel betrayed.”

  “Hang in there, Jackson James. You write a killer book.”

  He grinned. “I guess I do.”

  “You absolutely do,” Elizabeth said from the doorway. “I’m proud of my husbands—both of them.”

  Both men glanced over.

  There stood their woman, and she was absolutely lovely. No, she looked more than lovely. She looked drop dead gorgeous. She was wearing a simple wrap dress in red, but it showed off her curves. It was low cut in the front, and she’d opted to wear the necklace Callen had given her.

  The feather signified their heritage, and she loved it.

  “Wow! Someone is smoking hot!” Callen offered, as she came their way.

  “Yeah, both of you.”

  She went into Callen’s arms, and gave him a kiss. When she pulled away, she ran her fingers down the red silk tie. “You clean up really nice, Jackson James. I think we match.”

  He wiggled his eyebrows. “Red is my favorite color, and clean isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. I don’t mind getting dirty either.”

  She snorted.

  Here was her resident perv, and she loved him for it.

  When he set her free, she went to Ethan and gave him that same exact kiss. It was soft, gentle, and filled with love.

  When she broke away, his lower lip was between her teeth. Elizabeth took that moment to savor the feel of his body against hers.

  “You look as handsome as ever, Deputy Director Blackhawk. I’m a lucky girl to have you both as my dates tonight,” she admitted.