The Killing Times (An FBI Romance Thriller (book 1))

by Kelley, Morgan

  “Don’t worry, Ethan, they cry like this all the time,” said Gabe, holding out his hand and continuing, “Eventually, you get used to it.”

  “I hope so,” he answered.

  “You let her drive?” he lifted a brow. He had vaguely remembering his agent telling everyone that no one drove his car unless they were the love of his life. It had to mean something significant.

  “Yes, and I must be insane. By the way, she almost got us pulled over. I was going to tell them it was FBI business. If it happens on the way home, don’t be shocked tomorrow when the report is on your desk.”

  Gabriel Rothschild laughed. “Just so you know, Ethan. You have red lip marks on your cheek. It’s very cute.”

  Blackhawk turned and gave her a look.

  Elizabeth laughed and teased him. “Payback for the daisy, Cowboy. Now we’re even.” When the corners of his lips curled, she laughed even harder.

  Gabe snickered and sucked in a breath, as his wife elbowed him to get his attention. “Sorry Ethan, this is my beautiful, but deadly wife, Livy.”

  Blackhawk held out his hand and was surprised that she hugged him instead. “Oh, hello!” Ethan didn’t know what to say, as the tiny woman embraced him fiercely. It was nice to feel instantly welcomed into their family.

  Elizabeth embraced Gabriel, and he picked her up off her feet, swinging her around. He leaned down, whispering in her ear, and wiped a tear from her cheek. This man was one of the loves in her life. Since marrying her best friend, she had come to love him like he was part of her too. His whispered words of sympathy for her father, and she felt her heart tighten.

  “We’re here for you,” Gabe promised.

  “I know,” she replied back, patting his cheek, and then kissing him. “Thank you.”

  Blackhawk couldn’t help but feel envious, but he didn't feel it for long. Livy had him by the arm and was pulling him towards the house. Now he understood how the two women were best friends. They were very much alike.

  “Welcome to our home, Ethan. I’m so glad to meet you, and I’ve heard a lot about you,” she said, smiling gently.

  “Thank you, I wish I could say the same, but I still feel like I’m dreaming. It’s hard to believe that Gabriel Rothschild, the Dragon Slayer, has a wife and a house in suburbia.”

  Livy laughed and informed him, “If you must know, I gave him that name many years ago. I’m entertained that it stuck,” she laughed at the look on his face. “Yes, I fell in love with the Dragon Slayer. What’s even scarier is that at one time, he was my boss in the FBI.”

  Blackhawk didn’t know what to say. First, he finds out Gabe is human, and then he had a wife who worked under him in the FBI. He broke the rules, and dated an agent he was supervising.

  Holy shit, it just got more and more bizarre.

  “Hey, stop flirting with my wife,” Gabe laughed, putting his arm around Elizabeth.

  “Don’t growl, Gabe,” she stated. “It frightens people,” Elizabeth giggled. “Well, some people.”

  “I just like to keep private and professional separate,” he interjected, looking at the both of them, knowing they had already crossed the line. Who was he to judge? At one time, he did too and it worked out just fine. He grinned at his wife, lovingly. Sometimes you had to make an exception to find the love of your life.

  “Okay, where are the kids?” inquired Elizabeth, as she walked through their house. “I need to see my Godchildren and fast!”

  “Outside,” instructed Livy, as she followed her, knowing her husband needed a few moments alone with his agent.

  When they had the room to themselves, he asked, “How’s she doing?”

  Blackhawk shrugged, answering, “Today okay, but tomorrow, I don’t know if she’ll pull it off. It’s going to be ugly.”

  “I don’t want her there,” he said, acrimoniously. “Not for this, Ethan.”

  “I don’t either, but we can’t stop her. Elizabeth is a big girl, and she’s stubborn as hell.”

  “You noticed?” he laughed. “I’ve gone a couple rounds with her, she fights dirty too. Let that be a warning.”

  Blackhawk scratched his chin at the mere idea of a physical altercation with her. He didn’t think that he could pull it off. Just the idea of intentionally taking a swing at her made him sick. “I need to know something, and I need the truth,” he suddenly said, looking at his boss. “Why did you send me to Salem?”

  “Because she needed our help, and I thought that I’d teach you once and for all what happens when you break the rules. It gets you in over your head and one day you won’t be able to get out.”

  Blackhawk grinned wickedly, “Save that for our wedding toast,” he tossed over his shoulder, as he walked away to find her.

  Gabe laughed.

  “I certainly will, Cowboy. I certainly will.”

  * * *

  All four deputies met up at ‘The Barrel’ to grab dinner. They were worried about their boss, especially Tony. As they sat at the table, Beatrice took their orders.

  “Where’s the sheriff? I haven’t seen hide nor hair of her for a bit now. She usually comes in for a coffee.”

  Sara smiled up at the woman. She liked Beatrice-she was good people. “She headed to Quantico for…” she didn't get to finish, since Christopher Santana kicked her under the table. It didn't take her long to recover and continued, “Some things related to the killings. They both went, but they should be back in a day or so.”

  “Oh, I see,” she said, snapping her gum. “I saw her on the news, handing off control to the agent.”

  Tony nodded, knowing he was the reason why she did it. “Yeah, well the FBI has the resources and the man power, and we’re stretched pretty thin,” he replied nonchalantly as he ordered.

  “I think they look right cute together,” she continued, laughing and walking back to put in the order with George.

  Tony grumbled something inaudible.

  “We have to keep this quiet,” whispered Chris, apologizing for kicking Sara in the leg.

  “I understand, but it’s only Beatrice.”

  Everyone but Sara laughed, “She is the biggest gossip monger in the town, you want the news out, tell Beatrice.” Tyrell sipped his Coke. “Remember when you were seeing the dentist and she knew before your own mother?”

  “Yeah, I get it,” she said.

  “Okay, so we keep this quiet, agreed?” said Santana.

  “Agreed,” they all said. “We protect the boss at all cost.”

  * * *

  Ethan Blackhawk saw the most amazing thing.

  He found Elizabeth LaRue out in the yard running from five girls. They chased her with water guns, and were trying to shoot her. She had taken off her shoes, and was running in and out of trees and bushes, trying to not to get wet, and it made his heart skip a beat. Never once in his life had he ever wanted a wife or kids with any woman he dated, and now he suddenly wanted both with her. At her scream, he jumped and then realized she was playing. She grabbed her chest, spun in a dramatic circle, and hit the ground as if she were dead.

  “Mom! Mom! We killed Lyzee!” They all screamed and jumped up and down. The dog barked and ran around her in circles, then licked her face.

  “Okay girls, don’t kill her too much, she came for dinner not a death match. Don’t ruin her dress either; it looks too pretty on her!”

  “Yuck, dog kisses,” she sat up, noticing that he was watching her. She waved and blew him a kiss. Something about how he stared at her heated her blood, and made her heart skip in her chest. She wasn’t going to let him escape, she loved him too much.

  “Oh, you have it bad,” said Gabe, handing him a beer. “You should see the look on your face right now.”

  “You aren’t telling me anything I don’t already know.”

  “How bad do you have it, son?”

  Blackhawk looked over at his boss, “Crazy, stupid, marry her right this damn second bad.”

  He tapped his bottle off of the agent’s and asked, �
�Does she know that you’re going to make her marry you?”

  “I told her I loved her today, and she said it back. As to if she knows I’m going to marry her, and make her have my kids… Probably not quite yet, but I’ll hit her with that later, or tomorrow.” He said it with such assurance.

  Gabe laughed.

  “Now, if you don’t mind, I must go rescue my woman from your girls and that ferocious dog,” he winked, handing his boss his beer, and sneaking down into the yard. Ethan could hear them talking about taking her to jail for robbing the bank, and he wanted to laugh. He found a ball and threw it across the yard to distract the dog. When the mutt ran, the girls followed. Ethan knew it was time to make his move. He rushed to her, scooping her up in his arms and raced towards the house.

  Elizabeth couldn’t help but laugh. He had such an infectious smile on his face, and she just felt joy in that moment. Her laughter gave them away, and the dog and kids retaliated, charging them and shooting them both with water guns. She laughed more when he slowly lowered her to the ground to her feet, and then raised his hands in the air.

  “I surrender.”

  Gabe tried to keep a straight face as he spoke to his daughters, “Girls, what did Daddy teach you about people who surrender without a fight?”

  “That they’re cowards! Attack!” The oldest one yelled, as they tackled him to the ground.

  All five girls sat on him. Blackhawk couldn’t be more charmed if they tried. Here were these dress wearing hellions, running wild, and it reminded him of Elizabeth. His heart pounded even more in his chest. There was something to be said for out of control women.

  Elizabeth laughed so hard; she knelt beside him and gave him a slow kiss, brushing the strand of hair from his cheek. The smile on his face was so breathtaking she wanted to weep. “You’ll always be my hero,” and she meant it. “I love you.”

  Blackhawk’s stomach flipped at the words and at how easily she shared them.

  “I love you too.” Ethan accepted another kiss and laughed, when Gabe’s daughters started making kissy noises.

  “Okay girls! Off the guests and to the play house,” ordered Livy, waving her arms. Miraculously, they obeyed.

  Gabe offered his agent a hand, and pulled him to his feet.

  “Here I thought, ‘look how adorable he has daughters’, but now I think I should have been more scared.” Ethan stared in awe, as he watched them attack the tire swing, with foam swords and bows and arrows. “You're creating the next generation of CIA operatives!”

  “Tell me about it,” he laughed, leading them up to the patio. “Have a seat,” he offered, as his wife sat in his lap.

  Blackhawk couldn’t help but notice how effortlessly they came together, and how much in love they had for each other. Hope bloomed in him, that he could have that easiness with Elizabeth. Suddenly, he knew what he wanted. There was no doubt; he wanted the house, the kids, the dog, and the woman.

  “Lyzee, I keep work and personal separate, but I have to go there briefly, so forgive me,” he paused, “I don’t want you there at the cemetery tomorrow.”

  “Okay, I hear you, Gabe.”

  Blackhawk looked amazed. The man before him was a miracle worker. He spoke and she obeyed. “What? It’s that easy? Gabe says it and you say okay?”

  Elizabeth patted his cheek, “I didn’t say I’d listen. I just told him what he needed to hear. This is how Gabe and I work. He barks an order, I nod and pretend I’m going to listen and he thinks he won.”

  “She never did listen to me,” he shook his head. “She played fast and hard with the rules too, but she was worse. She makes you look tame in the field, if you can believe that.”

  Blackhawk wanted to know. “She was worse than me?”

  “You’re a controlled reckless. Elizabeth was just reckless and a danger to herself,” he laughed. “But the best damn agent I ever had,” and it was the truth. “I hate to tell you, Ethan, but before you were the cowboy in our unit, Lyzee had the title.”

  Elizabeth snorted. “And you thought the boots were just a fashion statement. Gabe bought me my first pair for a reason.”

  Ethan laughed, finally getting it.

  Livy kissed her husband, nodding in agreement. “Oh, the stories I could tell you about them both, Ethan,” she giggled when he bit her neck. “Together they were scary and intimidating in the field.”

  “Could but won’t,” Gabe added.

  “Oh, I know how reckless she is, and that’s what scares the hell out of me.” He looked at her completely serious. “I don’t want you there either, but I know you need to do this, and I accept it,” he kissed her before continuing, “I support your decision, baby.”

  She brought her lips to his, grateful for his support.

  “Awww Gabe, remember when you used to look at me that way?” inquired Livy, smiling at them both.

  “Yeah, that’s how I got kid one, two, three, four, five and now six,” he said, laughing as Elizabeth didn’t get it at first.

  When she understood, she jumped up and kissed her best friend, right before she burst into tears. “I’m so happy for you!” She wiped her eyes and hugged Gabe, still crying.

  Elizabeth sat back down and Livy handed her a tissue. “This wasn’t supposed to upset you, Lyzee,” informed her friend. “We’re incredibly happy! We wanted more kids!”

  “I’m sorry, but it’s been an emotional few days. Someone’s killing people, I find out my dad has been murdered, you’re having another baby, and I fall in love. I’m on an emotional rollercoaster; I may need medication before the week is out or therapy, possibly both at this rate.”

  Blackhawk pulled her against his body and kissed her on the forehead. “You can cry all you want. I promise we’ll get through this together.”

  She put her head on his shoulder.

  Livy watched her friend and the man who she was clinging to and couldn’t help but smile. At first, after the Ray incident, she never wanted her friend to be near another agent again, and now she saw how she needed this man. It was funny how it all went full circle. She had been introduced to her husband by Elizabeth, and now she had no doubt that Elizabeth had met her future one through Gabe.

  Blackhawk kissed her again, catching the foam arrow in his peripheral vision, as it sailed onto the porch hitting Gabe. They both laughed. How could they not? It was priceless. The man so in control of so many agents, had no control over five little girls.

  “Laugh it up! One day if you have kids, you may have all boys,” he said, tossing the arrow back over the porch rail.

  Elizabeth felt him tense at the mention of kids, and she wondered if he even wanted them at all. God, she hoped so. In her mind, she pictured five little boys with black hair like their father and tan skin, raising complete hell in their back yard. It gave her absolute happiness at the thought. There was something endearing about some Blackhawk boys running wild.

  Livy stood, offering her best friend her hand. “I say we go get the meat, and let the men do the grilling while we go catch up.” It was girlfriend code for ‘talk about the new man’.

  “Deal.”

  “Ethan, I’m leaving you in charge of the grill. The Dragon Slayer is grounded. He likes charbroiling things a bit too much,” she winked, walking towards the house as she laughed over her shoulder.

  “Wow, she’s tougher than you,” he grinned, finishing his beer.

  “She has to be. We have five girls, and hopefully a boy for the next one. Between me and you,” he looked at the house, “If I don’t get a son soon, I may go out of my mind.”

  Both men laughed.

  When his wife returned, he took the platter of steaks and other meats from her and kissed her on the cheek. As she opened her mouth to speak, he cut her off, “Yes dear, to whatever the question is.” Gabe winked, as Livy stuck her tongue out before retreating.

  As they stood at the giant grill overlooking the yard, Blackhawk suddenly understood why the place outside the city and away from Quantico. “How lon
g have you been married?” he questioned his boss, still having a hard time believing any of it.

  “Almost nine years.” He slapped steaks on the grill like a pro. “You're shocked that I’m happily married?”

  “Well, honestly, I didn’t even know you had a wife, let alone a house full of kids. You don’t seem like the type,” he replied, picking up the tongs to roll a hot dog over.

  Gabe observed the quiet demeanor of his agent. There was no doubt in his mind he was a perfect match for Elizabeth. They were polar opposites, much like he and Livy with the exception of their recklessness. That was a trait they shared. “So what type am I, if you don’t mind me asking?”

  “You're more the ‘runs his team with an iron fist’ type, storming the castle and slaying the dragons. I can’t seem to picture you as suburban, carpooling dad. This just seems too normal for you.”

  “At one time Livy was an agent. In fact, she and Elizabeth went through the academy together and tied for top of their class. They were both handfuls right out of training. They were assigned to me as partners.”

  “I bet that was fun to watch,” he laughed, only imagining how chaotic that would have been.

  “You have no idea. I worked with Lyzee on a few assignments before she partnered with Livy, when I was still out in the field. I fell madly in love with her,” he watched his agent flinch. “Not that kind of love, Ethan. She’s like a sister, and I’d kill to protect her. She’ll tell you the same. The only thing that’s ever been between us is camaraderie, and brotherly/sisterly love. You have nothing to worry about. I found the woman I’m supposed to be with,” he jerked his head towards the house.

  “I understand.” Ethan relaxed immediately, as he was completely grateful she didn’t have a past with him.

  “Elizabeth ordered me to ask Livy out on a date. Then she pressured me, nagged me, and I still managed to stand my ground. Then one day, Livy threw me off balance. She walked right up to me out of the blue and kissed me, and then proceeded to tell me we were going out for dinner,” he looked toward the house. “I picked her up on time, broke the rules, and here we are today. It’s all history.”