by Celia Loren
"Got it," she replies, though her expression is dark.
"I know it's tough, but—" I break off as she looks up and her face changes.
"Hey! What are you doing here?" she asks. I take another sip of beer, resisting looking toward the door to see who just came in.
"You forgot your keys at my place," a deep voice replies. As he nears the bar, Marie leans over it to give him a kiss, and I finally come face to face with Ford. "Thought you might need them."
"Thanks," Marie says. I size the man up out of the corner of my eye. There's no denying he's bigger than me, but I think in a fight we'd be pretty evenly matched. I've been boxing for years, but it would really come down to his training. I'd know more if his records weren't all blacked out.
"Can I help you?" Ford grumbles, and I realize I've been looking at him.
"Don't think so," I reply, and take a sip of my beer.
"He bothering you?" Ford asks Marie.
"No, he's fine," she tells him with a shrug.
"Why don't you go finish that beer over at one of the those tables anyhow," Ford says, nodding to one of the cocktail tables. I stand, and look straight into his eyes. Anger courses through me. I wish I could arrest this motherfucker on the spot. Acting so superior, and he doesn't even know Marie's real name.
"Alright, fellas, don't make me get the hose," Marie chides us. I grab my beer and head over to the table, feeling Ford's gaze on me as I go. As I sit down, I crack my knuckles, and watch Ford lean back over the bar to Marie. He whispers in her ear, and Marie nods.
He brushes a kiss by her ear, then looks back at me as he walks back, shooting me a final, warning glance.
After the door shuts behind him, I look over at Marie, and from the anger in her eyes I can tell that I shouldn't go back over there. I finish my beer in three more gulps and walk out.
Marie's definitely in over her head, but I'm not giving up on her. I've seen undercover cops start identifying with the people they're investigating before, and once they get out and back to normal duty, they quickly readjust. I have faith that once Ford and the Death Dealers are behind bars, Marie will do the same.
Chapter 23 – Marie
I stand outside the gates of the compound, watching for activity. The place is never really empty, which makes it nearly impossible to sneak in. The only positive I can say about having to fend for myself as a teenager was that it made me really good at breaking into places without anyone ever knowing I was there. Of course, back then I was only breaking in to find food or shelter.
I know there are cameras pointed toward the perimeter, but the floodlight nearest me is broken. That fact combined with the mask will make it hard to identify me afterward, as long as I'm not caught in the act, that is.
I can't scale the fences because of the barbed wire at the top, so I wait until someone leaves. There – I see a figure walk out the front doors and get on a bike. The chain link gates open, and the bike passes through. I dart inside, keeping close to the fence. The next part is what I'm most nervous about… I have to run clear across the open space from the fence to the compound's back door. That door is usually open because brothers like to walk out back to smoke.
I take a deep breath and make a break for it. I get into a full out sprint, and my legs are burning by the time I duck into the building's shadow. Now I can move a little more slowly. I crouch down, sticking close to the walls as I head toward the back. I round the corner, and there's the door. I try the handle, and thank god it's open.
I'm in the kitchen, and ahead of me is the hallway with all the bedroom doors off it, and the door to the basement. I can hear giggling from behind some of the doors, and hurry forward, hoping the bedrooms' occupants stay inside. I peer into the main room. It's empty. I cross it, and take out my lock pick. There's no light coming from inside the office, so I know it's empty.
This door has a fancier lock than the door to the basement. I twist my wrist, trying to get the tumblers to fall into place, but no luck. There's laughter from the back hallway, then the sound of voices. Shit. Someone's leaving the bedrooms and headed this way. I feel sweat moisten the inside of my mask. Don't panic. I take a deep breath, steady my hand, and focus. There, I hear a quiet click and the door unlocks.
I push the door open and duck inside, shutting it quietly behind me. I pause, every muscle alert, as I listen for the voices. They're in the main room now, that's certain, but are they coming this way? I hear a sharp, high-pitched laugh and shiver. That's Taz's voice. I wait. There's silence, and then I hear the front door shutting.
Thank god. I glance around the nearly black room. It would be completely dark, except for the computer on the nearest desk that hasn't gone into sleep mode yet. I dart over to it. Since I'm here, I might as well see if I can look in their files. I click the return key, and am asked for a password. Forget it. I don't have any kind of computer skills.
I take the bug out of my pocket and move toward the office in the back. This desk is made of solid wood unlike the other metal ones, and has a framed photo of Liz sitting on it. Definitely belongs to Tank.
I take a small flashlight off my belt and flick it on, then move it around the room. There's a filing cabinet in the corner that makes my fingers itch, but first I need to plant this bug. I walk around the back of the desk, then crouch under it. The thing is solid, so there aren't any panels to hide it behind. I try the drawers, but they're locked.
I glance over to a standing lamp in the corner. I tilt the base of it over, and see that the inside is hollow. Perfect. No one's going to happen to look here. I stick the bug up the base as far as I can, then set the lamp back down.
I've only been in here for two minutes, so I think I have time for the filing cabinet now. I take a step toward it, but stop in horror as I hear the sound of the door opening.
I pull back and duck under the desk as the overhead lights switch on. Fuck, fuck, fuck.
"I'm looking at your desk, and I don't see it," I hear Tank say. I bite down hard on my lip to keep from shaking. "Fine, I'll look," he says with a sigh, and I hear him walk toward the back, toward his office, toward the desk I'm hiding under.
I quietly pull myself as far back as I can. He won't be able to see me unless he sits in his desk chair or crouches down. I consider his size. I don't think I have much of a chance in a fight, especially since I'm already cornered.
"Just call it, will you?" he says, and I can tell by the respectful tone of his voice he's talking to Liz. Holy shit, I'm about to get caught because Liz forgot her phone here. He steps toward the desk, and I can see the toe of his black, steel-toed boot edging around it. We're both silent for a moment, and then a buzzing noise breaks the stillness. "Hang on, I think I hear it."
He walks away from the desk, and I can hear him rummaging. "Got it. You left it in this jacket thing. The blue one. You want that, too? Uh-huh. Anything else I can pick up for you?" he adds sarcastically.
His footsteps retreat toward the door, and I hear the door shut. I pull the mask up over my mouth for a second so I can take a deep breath. That was too close. If Tank had caught me, I'd be dead in a heartbeat. If I were lucky.
I wait another couple minutes to make sure he's gone, then get out from under the desk. As I crawl out, I lean toward the base of the lamp.
"This better be worth it," I whisper, hoping Drew and the Captain might hear it and feel some kind of guilt for making me take such a risk.
I head back out the way I came in, though I have to wait for two hours for another brother to leave so that I can sneak back out of the gate. As I hurry toward where I parked my car almost a mile away, I think about Ford.
How much longer can I continue to lie to him? I rip off my mask as tears come to my eyes. I know how I feel about him, and I think I know how he feels about me. I'm consumed by guilt. I should have never let it go so far between us.
Maybe in another world… But we're not in another world. And in this one, I've betrayed him from the very start of our relationship.
Even calling it a relationship is false. A relationship can't be built on lies. He deserves so much better.
Chapter 24 - Ford
I watch Beth as she brushes her teeth. She looks so fucking sexy in just the big t-shirt she wears to bed when she stays over, but she did seem distracted during dinner. As she heads back into the bedroom though and looks at me lying in bed, she smiles.
"You're quite a sight," she says, picking up the sheet and sliding under it. Her soft hands find my stomach and stretch across it.
"You're not tired of me yet?" I ask with a grin.
"Not possible," she replies, sliding her fingers under my boxers. I groan as she takes my hard cock in her hands. She pulls the sheet down, and then takes off my boxers and tosses them on the ground. Her leg slides over me, and she lifts herself to sitting across my hips.
"Take off your shirt," I tell her, and she obediently pulls it off. I sit up and wrap my arms around her waist, pulling one of her tits into my mouth. She moans, and I flick my tongue around her swollen nipple. I slide my hands around to her ass, my fingers questing over her. I bring one hand around to her front, and slide it across her wet clit as I press a finger inside her ass.
"I want to fuck you here tonight," I tell her.
"I'm nervous," she murmurs. I circle my finger faster across her clit, tempting her. "Will it hurt?"
"It might at first," I tell her truthfully. "Do you trust me?"
"Yes," she breathes.
"I'm going to make you feel so good," I promise her, sliding a finger inside her slit.
She reaches out her arms to steady herself on my shoulders. Her closed eyelids flicker as I rub my thumb back and forth across her clit. She begins to pant, but I keep going without making my pace too fast. I need her to be dripping wet.
"Ford…" she groans, begging me for release.
"I know," I tell her. "I just needed to make sure you're ready." I pick her up by the waist and put her next to me on the bed. She leans over, putting herself on all fours. I move behind her, and get up onto my knees. I line my cock up with her slit, and press inside her. She feels so good that part of me wants to fuck her like this, but another part wants to finally lay claim to that tight ass.
I wrap my hands around her hips and push her forward, then bring her back against me. Her ass slaps against me with a satisfying clap. I thrust in and out of her a few times, feeling her tightening around me. She's ready, and now we've got all the natural lubricant we need.
I pull out of her, and line up my cock with her ass. I slide one hand around to her clit to keep her relaxed, then slowly press my cock inside her. I hear her gasp, and stop.
"It's okay," she tells me. "Just go slow." I wait for a second, and then continue to thrust forward. With every centimeter, I feel her tight ass envelop me, and grit my teeth to stop myself from moving too quickly, as tempting as it is. When about half of my cock is buried inside her, I begin to pull out. When just my tip remains, I thrust back in again, just as slowly. I make it a little further this time before I feel her tighten up.
Four more thrusts, and she takes my whole cock inside her ass. "That's it, baby," I murmur. I stay there for a minute, gently circling my hips and flicking her clit back and forth. I hear her moan softly, and pull back out. With my next thrust, I move a little faster, then a little faster again. I have to move one hand around her hip to hold her steady and I press in and out of her.
"Oh, Ford," she groans, and her hips tilt upward, begging me for more. I give it to her, driving in and out of her ass, making her mine. I see her elbows begin to shake, and I know she's close. With a scream, she comes, the orgasm ripping through her body. I shout with pleasure, and release myself inside of her.
After a few finishing thrusts, I pull out of her. She drops to her stomach in front of me, exhausted. I grab a tissue from the bathroom to wipe myself off, then return to her carrying a few more. She giggles as I wipe it between her butt cheeks, gently cleaning her off.
"Sore?" I ask, as I get back into bed next to her.
"A little," she tells me with a grin. I pull a strand of her hair off her sweaty forehead. I stare at her green eyes, feeling a deep peace come over me. "What are you thinking about? The next time?" she asks me teasingly.
"Not exactly," I tell her. "You want kids, right?"
She clears her throat. "Well, yeah. I'm not sure that's the right way to make them, though," she adds.
"No, that way's just for fun," I agree with a grin. "And what do you think of the Death Dealers? Seems like you have fun with all the old ladies and everything."
"Of course, you know I do."
"Because there's something I've been wanting to ask you." I take a deep breath. "Beth, I love you," I finally say.
"Really?" she asks, and I see tears forming in her eyes. "I love you, too."
"I've never even thought about settling down before. I thought it wasn't for me. But then, when I met you…that all changed."
"Ford…"
"I can picture spending the rest of my life with you. I want to give you my patch."
"That's…I just…" she stammers. I frown, and my stomach sinks. Why does she sound so hesitant? "I'm worried we're moving too fast."
"We've known each other for months."
"Well, three months," she corrects me.
"Three months is 'months.' I knew everything I needed to know about you in the first minute I met you."
"I'm not sure that’s true," she says, rolling over and picking up her shirt.
"What are you talking about? You just said you loved me."
"I do love you," she insists, pulling the shirt on over her head.
"Then what's the problem?"
"I just, I can't…"
"Tell me!" I demand, sitting up.
"There's some things you don't know about me, that's all. And maybe if you knew them, you wouldn't want me in your life."
"Like what? Like what?" I press her, my voice rising in frustration as I get out of bed.
"I can't tell you!" she cries, tears beginning to fall down her cheeks.
"Bullshit. You can, you just don't want to."
"No, no, that's not it at all." She moves toward me, and tries to wrap her arms around me, but I back away. "I do love you. I really do. I've never felt this way about anyone before."
"I don't believe you," I growl. This person I thought I knew, the woman I love, seems to transform before my very eyes.
"Well, it's true. I just want things to keep going like they have been, okay?"
"We can't go back. I can't. We can't pretend like this never happened," I tell her, pulling on my boxers and jeans.
"Yes, we can," she insists. "We love each other, that's all that's important."
"No, it's not. What could you possibly be hiding from me? Something else about your stepfather?"
"No, no. It's not important."
"Of course it's important! It's keeping you from saying yes."
"Let's just…Let's go to sleep, and in the morning things will—"
"Are you fucking serious right now?" I retort, my voice rising. "We can't go back to the way things were, Beth!"
"I love you, why isn't that enough?"
"It's just not. I've never hidden anything from you. You think this is normal for me? You think I offer my patch to a woman every day?"
"I'm honored that you—"
"Fuck 'honored,'" I spit back at her. "I'm leaving." I pull a shirt on and head for the bedroom door.
"No, don't leave!" she cries, stepping in front of me.
"Explain or I leave," I tell her, staring down into her green eyes. She looks down.
"I can't," she whispers.
Without another word, I step around her and head for the door. I stuff my feet into my boots as I cross out of the front hallway, and then slam the front door behind me. I storm over to my bike and my tires screech as I pull out of the driveway.
I drive for a while without knowing where I'm going, or even where I am. My chest feels l
ike it's exploding.
The clubhouse will feel too quiet right now. I need a place where I can get drunk and won't be able to hear my own thoughts. Not the Keep, since Beth works there. The Spot, that's where I'll go.
I'm almost there anyway. I take a sharp left and ten blocks later, there it is. I park my bike by the front and nod to the prospect who's guarding the door. As I walk in, the dark lights and throbbing music feel like medicine. I head for the bar.
"What can I get you?"
"That bottle of Jack," I say, spotting it behind him.
"The bottle?"
"You fucking heard me." He backs up and holds it out to me. I take a long swig from it as I head for a dark booth in the corner.
As I slide in, the next dancer is announced. "Gentlemen, please welcome to the stage… Tanya!"
Sounds familiar. I take another long drink of the Jack. As she takes the stage in a thong and fishnet top, I recognize her. The girl that Vicki and I had a threesome with. I lick my lips as she bends down, showing off her tight ass to the rapt audience.
They say there's only one way to get over a woman: get under another one.
Chapter 25 – Drew
I sit in the corner of the Captain's office, reviewing the tapes. I listen live as much as I can, but I'm still a detective with other duties. And since the Captain, Marie, and I are the only ones working on this case, there's no one else to fill in.
I fast-forward through a few hours of silence. It's been three days since Marie put the bug in the president's office, and so far the most interesting thing I've heard is a good dirty joke.
Captain Ebert walks inside and gives me a questioning glance. I shake my head and pull the headphones off of one ear. "Nothing yet."
He sits down behind his desk and I watch him out of the corner of my eye. Marie might be pissed at me, but she doesn't know that I've been pressing the Captain about her safety. The whole bug thing, that was the Captain's idea, and I fought him hard on it.