“I know where the blame lies, and by my calculations we killed three of the five of them,” Rob said to Michael.
“Yes, we did, brother!” Michael attempted to smile through the pain, “and the other two will serve out the remainder of their days in prison cells.”
“So, how are you really?” Michael asked Rob.
“Truthfully, I don’t know. It hasn’t sunk in yet. I do feel awful about what I did to you.”
“Ah!” said Michael. “Remember, I let you do it.”
“If you say so,” Rob bantered with his friend.
It was good that Rob started to return to himself. He had a long, painful road ahead, but this beating freed some of his more base emotions. Rob continued to silently sob the remainder of the ride home. These men had seen him scared, seen him brave, and now they had seen him broken. These men knew him inside and out. He trusted them with his soul, which is why he allowed himself to cry in front of them. Or so he told himself.
By the time they arrived, the sun was beginning to set. They got out of the car and staggered their way down the front walk as the sun dropped below the horizon.
« Chapter Twenty-Four »
Emma lay awake upstairs in her bed thinking about the last time she was with Michael. She longed to feel his lips on her skin. She ached to feel him deep inside her. Would he come back to her? Once the terrorist threat was taken care of, would he still want her with the same ferocity that he wanted her with before?
After an hour of trying to get comfortable, she gave up and figured a hot shower was in order. She needed to clean out her flesh wound, and the hot water would wash away her stress. She spent a good, long twenty minutes in the shower letting the warmth wash over her body. She took great care to wash the wound with soap. It still burned when anything touched it, but it felt a hundred times better than when it first happened over two days ago. Her movements were still limited, but now she could move. She could walk around the house and had even cooked dinner for Tony that night.
With the hot water spraying her naked body, she once again thought of Michael. She prayed on more than two occasions, that he come back to her in one piece. She knew how dangerous these terrorists could be, stopping at nothing to reach their desired end. One had shot her. They were ruthless. And the torture Michael had to put Ahmed through before he gave up the information just went to prove how dedicated they were to achieving that end. She prayed Michael was all right. She prayed no one got hurt. She prayed Michael still wanted her the same way she still wanted him. If anything, after he’d gone on such a dangerous mission, she wanted him all the more. Flesh wound be damned, she would have him when he returned home to her. Funny, this wasn’t her home, yet she thought of it as such because this is where Michael would be returning.
She turned off the water and stepped onto the floor mat in the guest bathroom. She dried herself off and slowly dressed in her shorts and a tank top, standard issue sleeping attire when she was alone. Sure, she owned a negligee or two, but had yet to wear one for Michael. She couldn’t wait to get Michael back to her house so she could try one on for him. How would he react to seeing her dressed in a scandalous see-through lace material and a thong pair of panties? She hoped he would rip the clothes from her body. She liked it when he was rough with her. She remembered him ripping the panties from her body the first night they were together and then smelling them. His reaction had been so primal, so base. There was an extreme amount of power in knowing she did that to him. She drove him to his base urges.
As she was dressing, she heard a car door slam and then another. She finished putting on her top and then raced to the front window. The sight took her breath away. There were three men walking slowly down the front walk towards the door. Michael was following Steve and Rob, so she couldn’t get a good look at Michael.
“Where’s Lizzie,” she thought as she raced down the hallway to the stairs.
She reached the bottom step, the same time the men entered the door. Her breath caught in her throat and tears immediately fell from her eyes. She looked at a battered Michael and ran to him, throwing her arms around his neck and pulling him to her body. Thoughts of Lizzie fled her mind as they were replaced with thoughts of Michael.
“What happened,” she asked lightly touching Michael’s swollen lips. Michael winced, still sore from his beating. He shook his head indicating he didn’t want to talk about it.
“Not now. I’ll tell you later,” Michael said making eye contact with Rob before Rob bowed his head. She would have to wait for an explanation on Michael’s condition. She didn’t want to push, not right now. She looked to Rob.
“Where’s Lizzie,” she innocently asked Rob. Rob had just gained his composure; he didn’t want to lose it again, not in front of Emma.
“We were too late,” Rob whispered, bowing his head careful to avoid Emma’s eyes. If he saw sympathy there, he would lose it all over again.
Emma let go of Michael and stepped away. She found the couch and sat down waiting for an explanation. She looked up from her hands as Tony entered the room. He sat down next to her. “So, fill us in,” Tony said to Rob and Steve.
Michael joined Emma on the couch and tucked her safely under his arm. He had missed her something fierce. He just needed to touch her, even just her shoulder to reassure himself that he had made all of the right decisions. He needed to breathe and touching her allowed him to do that. Once she was safely in his arms, he met her gaze. His eyes misted up but not from the pain. Tears started to fall at the thought they had traded Emma’s life for Lizzie’s. Guilt was a bitch, and he was feeling it right now. He pressed his forehead against hers and lingered there while Steve started to speak.
Steve told Tony and Emma everything they had been through to stop the terrorist cell. He told of finding Lizzie’s lifeless body tied to the bed. He spoke of the condition in which they found her. Emma clutched Michael closer. She couldn’t believe they were too late. They were so confident they would get to her in time. Rob had just heard her the day before. What could have happened to her that killed her that quickly. She had read of older couples losing a spouse; once that happened, it wasn’t long until the spouse who remained died of a broken heart. Was Lizzie’s heartbroken from what they did to her? Did they kill her? Did they starve her to death? Did she die of dehydration? “How did she die?” She asked looking up to Michael for the answer.
“We won’t know until they finish with the autopsy,” Michael replied.
Rob couldn’t take anymore; he had to leave the room. He made his way to his bedroom and dove face first onto the bed he had shared with his Lizzie.
He gathered her pillow close and inhaled her scent. It smelled like Lizzie, uniquely her own scent. He sobbed into her pillow holding it close to his face. His pleas for release from the pain were so strong, no noise escaped his throat. He took her scent for granted every single day, and now he would never smell her again. He bartered with God to allow him to hold Lizzie one more time. Just one more time, and then he would accept that she was dead. He could let her go if he got to hold her one more time.
He eventually cried himself to sleep.
Downstairs with Michael seated at the kitchen table, Emma kneeled in front of him much the same way he had once kneeled in front of her. She gently dabbed the dried blood from Michael’s face with a warm wash cloth.
“Are you going to tell me how this happened?” she asked, agitated at how Michael was once again keeping her in the dark about himself. He didn’t like to talk about himself that much was clear, but she needed to know what had happened. Had a terrorist got a hold of him?
“You won’t like the answer, and I don’t want you thinking less of him,” Michael responded meeting Emma’s determined crystal blue eyes. “He is my best friend.”
“What? Rob did this to you? Why?” She asked, furious that Rob would lay a hand on him.
“You don’t understand, Emma,” Michael said stoking her face with the back side of his fingers trying
to ease her mental state.
“Try me. I’m real good at understanding.”
“He blamed you and me for what happened to Lizzie. He wanted an outlet for his anguish. I was there. He didn’t do anything to me I didn’t let happen.”
Her misty eyes met his. “Why does he think that? I stole all of the information from my employer to save Lizzie. Why would he think we were to blame for Lizzie’s death?” she rambled.
“Because we saved you first,” Michael exhaled the secret hoping Emma would not start blaming herself. He was doing enough of that for the both of them.
Tears streamed down her face. She felt for Rob, but she couldn’t bring herself to understand how he could hurt his best friend. “So, you look like this because of me,” she muttered. He met her gaze with determination.
“It is not because of you. Do not think, for one second, we would have done anything differently. We had to save you. I could never let anything happen to you. The way I feel about you, Emma, doesn’t make sense, but I feel it nonetheless.”
“But Lizzie died because you were saving me,” she cried, lowering her head into Michael’s lap. She left her head there, turned to the side, torturing Michael with her tears.
Michael cradled her head and stroked her hair. “No, Lizzie died because of what the terrorists did to her. It wasn’t because of you. You were only trying to help her, just like I was. But what Rob is going through, Rob just needed to take out the pain he was feeling on someone. I was there. I’m his best friend. I understand how he works, so I let myself be his punching bag. I will heal. I will heal a lot sooner than he will. He will feel the loss of Lizzie for a long time to come. Look at me,” he said grabbing her chin and forcing her cloudy blue eyes to his. “You are not to blame for Lizzie’s death; I won’t have it. There was nothing we could have done to save her. God knows we tried. We just got there too late.”
“Yeah, because you were too busy saving me. I will never forgive myself, Michael. Never.”
Michael felt lost. What could he do to convince her it wasn’t her fault? Although he felt guilty himself, he would never blame her.
He rationalized out loud for both their sakes. “Look. I would never have met you if it wasn’t for the terrorists threatening Rob with Lizzie’s life. I would never have come to your home and tried to kidnap you. We would never have had to steal the documents and prototype if the terrorists didn’t threaten Rob with Lizzie’s life. We wouldn’t have had to save you, if the terrorists didn’t try to cut Rob and Lizzie out of the picture by kidnapping you. This all leads back to the terrorists. I need you to see that,” he declared.
She parted his knees by leaning into him. She needed to feel he didn’t blame her. It was bad enough she blamed herself. She leaned in and pressed her lips softly to Michael’s. Michael pressed his tongue against her lips asking for entrance. She parted her lips, and he gently stroked at her bottom lip with his tongue. She tasted his guilt and his pain. She felt the depths of his feelings for her, and she tried to communicate the same. Their tender kiss lasted until Tony entered the room excusing himself with a cough.
Emma and Michael looked at him with a look of contentment in their eyes and tear tracks staining their faces.
“Are you hungry?” Tony asked not waiting for an answer. “Steve is. I can make something. Breakfast ingredients are all Rob has left,” Tony said. Michael was starving. He couldn’t remember the last time he ate.
Tony placed the scrambled eggs and bacon on the table. Michael served Emma bacon and she looked at him coyly from hooded lashes. Then he served himself. Although it was difficult for Michael to eat, he managed to get the food over his lips and into his stomach.
« Chapter Twenty-Five »
It was 0800 when Tony announced, “All the arrangements have been made. Her parents are driving down today, but they are staying at the Hampton Inn in town.”
“Good. There isn’t enough room at my house, and I can’t bear the thought of having to face them right now,” Rob replied. “I am having a hard enough time making it through the day, and it just started.”
Rob hadn’t cried since his mother arrived the day before. Having her there helped him a great deal. She cooked and cleaned and took care of him just like she did when he was younger. Of course, he was her baby. He could always lean on her, and lean on her he did.
“It’s only been two days, man. Cut yourself some slack. You suffered a great loss. I can’t even begin to imagine how you feel,” Tony said.
“I feel empty,” Rob offered. “I feel like I have no reason to live.”
“Don’t talk like that. You have your mother and five brothers who will kick your ass for even hearing you say that,” Tony countered.
“I know man. I just don’t know how I am going to get through tomorrow.”
“We will all be there with you. You’re not alone,” Tony assured him.
“I’m sorry, Tony, but you have no idea how this feels,” Rob said, so obviously dejected.
Tony walked across the room to Rob and threw his arms around the man. He held him close and tight like the tough son-of-a-bitch Tony knew him to be. Tony lent him his strength, and Rob soaked up every ounce.
Upstairs, Emma wriggled closer to Michael’s back. He had his arm draped around her mid-section careful not to touch her healing wound. Michael himself had healed a great deal in the last two days. He had a few cuts on his eyebrow and lip, but they were closed and healing. He had some nasty looking bruises on his face that, in all honesty, looked a lot worse than they felt. Unless someone touched them, he could forget about them.
Emma was rewarded with his stiff erection pressed against her butt. She pushed in closer. It felt like forever since the last time they’d been intimate with each other. The last two days had been about healing, physically, and helping Rob cope with his loss. Now she craved Michael. She hungered for him with an ache deep in her core. She needed to feel him enter her and possess her again. She rolled in his arms until she was facing him. She pressed up against his hard body and was rewarded with a low growl that escaped his throat. He rubbed up against her belly with his erection. She met him with equal force. Without saying a word, she gently stroked his eyebrow and ran her finger down his face. She leaned in and pressed her lips to his sensitive neck. She felt him shudder at her touch. He pulled her closer to him until every part of her touched him. She tangled her legs with his and nipped at his neck. He hummed his approval in her ear. He nibbled at her earlobe causing her to purr in satisfaction. She ran her fingers through his chest hair down to his happy trail. She wanted to make love to Michael. She didn’t want him to take her fast and hard. This time she wanted slow and strong.
She traced the center line of his chest lazily with her nails causing chills to spread throughout his body. He coveted her with the deepest part of his being. He wanted to feel her tight core sheath his hungry member. He leaned up on his elbow and cradled the back of her head with his hand. He brought her mouth closer to his and kissed her with a passion he had never known. She moaned into his mouth at the feel of his lips pressed against hers, so soft and inviting. She could easily get lost in his kiss. She felt a tingle start at the top of her spine and spread downward. Chill bumps raised on her skin. She felt lightheaded; he left her breathless.
He removed his boxer briefs while lying down and tossed them onto the floor. He then helped her wiggle out of her panties, pulling them down her legs trailing with his fingertips as he went. He wanted to do more than please her. He wanted her to remember this morning for the rest of her life. He slowly dragged his fingertips back up her legs in a methodical manner. When he reached the apex of her thighs, he parted the hair that protected her entrance and gently applied pressure to her throbbing nub while he leaned in to nip and then kiss her neck. She leaned her head back to allow him greater access. She ran her hands up and down every place she could reach. She palmed the large muscles in his arms and then trailed her fingertips up and down them. She placed her open palm a
gainst his face gently caressing it as he made love to her with his mouth. She arched under his touch. She was aching from the gift he was bestowing upon her with his fingers. He dipped his hand lower and slightly crooked two fingers. He pushed inside her entrance and she moaned loudly at the intrusion. She was so wet, he longed to taste her juices, but this morning was all about her. He easily and slowly slid two fingers in and out of her rubbing this thumb against her clit as he did. He applied just the right amount of pressure to her nub and was stroking with his fingers. He took his time, exploring her body. She had never had anyone take this kind of time learning her body before. He was worshipping at his temple, learning everything he could. He would always bring her pleasure before he sought his own.
She reached the edge of her orgasm as he continued to slide his fingers in and out of her body. She climbed higher until she reached the height of pleasure. Her orgasm overtook her. She shuddered, and her legs trembled. She burst into tiny shards of light as she arched her head back and called out his name.
Hearing his name torn from her lips was more than Michael could bear. He was close, just watching her receive his pleasure. The way her body responded to his amazed him. He had never been with a woman who was so responsive to his every touch. The way she trembled told him she had achieved her orgasm. He lay on top of her, bracing himself with his forearms so he could look into her beautiful, electric eyes. “Keep your eyes open. I want to watch you,” he said as he positioned himself at her entrance.
He was careful to work her back up, rubbing the head against her nub. He moved back and forth against her, applying pressure. In no time, she was begging for him to enter her. “Michael, please. I want to feel you inside me,” she begged.
He leaned forward and kissed her gently as he slid into her. They both moaned at the feeling of him inside her. He pulled out slowly and drove back into her while he kissed her shoulder and then her neck, finally making his way back to her lips. She parted her lips and opened her mouth to allow his tongue access. He thrust his tongue inside her mouth with the same controlled movements he was making into her core. She sucked on his tongue the same way her body sucked at his cock. He was in a state of bliss. He drove into her slow and steady, just the way she needed. Her hands roamed his back, massaging his muscles. He caressed her face with his hand, gently stroking her cheek. He gazed into her eyes as he entered her. Their eyes connected, communicating all of the love and trust neither one could voice. His strong and steady thrusts brought her closer to the edge. She met each thrust rubbing her pelvis against his pubic bone. The stimulation was too much.
Closer (The Unit #1) Page 16