Draw Blood

by Cynthia Rayne

  And once again, Ten was his customary unruffled self.

  ***

  “Polly? I was just callin’ to check in with you. Give me a ring when you get this.”

  Aggie woke up to the sounds of a running shower down the hall. Ten must’ve gotten up early. For a second, she was tempted to join him, but thought better of it.

  She’d been playing phone tag with Polly for hours now, but they hadn’t connected. Polly had been worried ever since the cops had brought her in for questioning.

  Aggie needed to reassure her friend, but she also wanted to talk with Polly about Ten.

  She was confused and needed a sounding board, even an unwilling one. Last night had been the most peaceful sleep Aggie had gotten since her mother died. She sensed it had been therapeutic for Ten, too. He was opening up to her, letting her in, and she only wanted to get closer.

  But where’s this going?

  Aggie had always said she couldn’t get serious about anyone because she’d only leave them behind when her time came. Even before she’d had the genetic test, she strongly suspected she’d inherited the gene. The odds had been fifty/fifty, and she hadn’t won the heritage lottery.

  Yet Ten wasn’t like most men. He was strong, resilient, and he could handle the loss of a partner.

  No, this isn’t an option.

  Maybe it’s the situation?

  They were trying to save children from human traffickers, and she was afraid for her life. So maybe they were caught up in the moment, and the danger ramped up the intensity, that’s all.

  And I could be full of shit, too.

  “Good mornin’.”

  Ten had just gotten out of the shower, and he was a sight. He wasn’t wearing those blasted shades either, so she could actually look him in the eye if she weren’t so distracted by the rest of him.

  A white towel was swathed around his hips. Water slid down his muscled arms and legs. Droplets clung to his brow, his chin, and his chiseled chest. Below his navel, a dark trail of hair began, and she wanted to follow its path.

  He made her mouth water.

  She’d wanted him for days, but they’d been infuriatingly platonic. Aggie was afraid to push for more after all he’d been through, yet it was hard denying her feelings for him.

  And what if they took this to the next level? What would happen once they parted ways? Aggie had an awful feeling she’d miss him. This time she’d gotten attached.

  “Why are you lookin’ at me like that?” Ten asked.

  “Because you’re very attractive.” She licked her suddenly dry lips and her voice had gone alarmingly breathy.

  “So you like what you see?” He sounded unsure.

  All she could do was nod.

  There was a long, throbbing pause.

  His lips parted. “You haven’t even seen all of me.”

  “There’s an easy remedy for the situation.” She nodded to the towel around his waist.

  Ten grasped the edge of the fabric but hesitated.

  Dear God, was he going to…?

  And then he dropped it.

  She swallowed.

  Aggie didn’t even notice the scars in this light. His body was a work of art, like one of those classical statues—proportioned and lean. She longed to run her fingers over the ridges of his abs, feel the crisp hair on his arms, and taste his mouth again.

  And then her gaze dropped lower.

  He was still flaccid, but his cock was large, hanging to the left side of his thigh.

  “Ten, do you…? Would you?” She tripped over her own tongue. “I just wanna get my hands on you, but it won’t go any further.”

  His nostrils flared.

  Aggie was about to withdraw the offer when he dipped his head in assent.

  “Will you come over here?”

  “Sure.” Ten padded over to the bed on bare feet and sat beside her.

  “Here, lay back.” She pushed the covers down and made room for him, so his back rested against the pillows, his feet pointing to the headboard.

  His cock twitched, but his hands clutched the bedding.

  A muscle in his jaw jumped, and Aggie knew she had her work cut out for her. She wanted him to enjoy this, to find pleasure in her touch.

  “Are you uneasy?”

  “A bit, but I’m also excited.”

  His gaze never left her face, and Ten’s eyes were wide and trusting, if a bit wary.

  “I would never hurt you.” Aggie kissed him once more. Then she took his hand in hers and pressed a kiss to the palm, before resting it against her cheek.

  Ten relaxed, leaning into her.

  “I’m gonna take this slow. If you want me to stop, just say so.”

  Having this big, powerful man at her mercy was humbling, delicious. He was deadly, dangerous and yet he let her do what she wanted with him.

  “Okay, but stoppin’ is the last thing on my mind.”

  Aggie grinned. And then she took her time, running her fingertips up and down his thighs, over his chest, and just barely grazing his cock.

  His dick perked up, half hard. She stroked him gently, running her palms up and down his body, but not touching him there, just yet. And his cock strained, slanting toward her, as though needing her touch. By the time she was done teasing him, his cock stood tall and proud.

  And still, she didn’t take him in hand.

  Instead, she rubbed his chest, loving the sheen the water gave his body. Aggie turned her attention to his corded arms, feeling his biceps and he flexed under her touch, almost unconsciously. Next, she stroked his thighs, rubbing his balls, but stopped short of going any further.

  And then Aggie bent over and breathed against the head of his cock, her lips scarcely an inch away.

  He sighed, leaning up on his elbows to watch her. She loved to see the fire burning in his eyes, the hunger. With a wicked grin, she touched the tip of her tongue to the head.

  “What are you…oh!”

  “Wanna finish that sentence?”

  He shook his head. “Nope. Can’t think, let alone speak.”

  “Good.” She mouthed him, pressing wet, sloppy kisses to the top, but didn’t take his cock down her throat.

  Then she took his prick between her palms and slowly stroked him, running her fingertips lightly over the length, before pressing the straining column of him against his flat abdomen and stroking. He groaned, hips bucking up for more. Every once in a while, she rubbed the palm of her hand over the head of his dick, and he swore a blue streak.

  Aggie stroked him more insistently, making him stiffer, harder. His head fell back, and he grumbled when she suddenly stopped.

  So she did it again and again.

  She stopped and started, as he shifted restlessly beneath her questing hands. Aggie needed Ten to lose himself in the sensation. She didn’t want Ten to think about his past or the abuse he’d suffered. She longed to make this pleasurable for him, to give him an uncomplicated release.

  Sex should be a joy, and expression of love, or at least of need, mutual desire. She’d never slept with anyone she was in love with. Until now.

  Woah, back to the matter at hand, or in my hand, as the case may be.

  Aggie played with speed, varied her grip on him. He was fidgety, hips driving along with her movements and she pressed a hand against his abdomen to quiet him.

  “Aggie!” His tone was imploring, yet edgy.

  “Yes?”

  “I need to…”

  Ten trailed off, but Aggie knew exactly what he needed, and she wanted to be the one to give it to him.

  Finally, it was time to make him come.

  “Look at me.”

  His eyes were fastened on hers. She leaned across his body to kiss his mouth, even as she kept stroking. The sensation was too much—his big, thick cock straining in her hand, his tongue in her mouth.

  She was starting to lose focus, control.

  Aggie was wet, swollen between her thighs, and so ready to have his length deep inside her
. She’d promised him it wouldn’t go any further though and Aggie was regretting her restraint big time.

  Ten seemed to sense her distress. “Are you…?”

  “Needin’ to come?”

  He nodded.

  “God, yes.”

  “Come with me then. I want to see you.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Positive.”

  Aggie didn’t have to be asked twice. “I’m just gonna rub myself against you, that’s all. Okay?”

  He nodded.

  She climbed astride his hips and positioned his cock between the lips of her sex. The sensitive head grazed her clit. She ground on him, keeping the swollen length of him between her slippery lips, gliding up and down, rubbing more than fucking him. His cock never went inside her. It was somewhere between mutual masturbation and lovemaking, and a first for her.

  It was also torture—heaven and hell all at once.

  The friction was intense, as they ground against one another. It reminded her of those dry humps she’d had in the backseat of a minivan in high school, only this time the clothing was off.

  “Aggie?”

  “Yes?”

  “It’s time.” With a low, pained groan he came for her, crying out. She slid up and down a few more times and shouted as she came.

  And then she subsided against him, collapsing on top of Ten.

  He flipped her over, so she was nestled against his side. He kissed her brow and then her mouth, before grasping her close, as though he never wanted to let her go.

  “Thank you, that was…”

  “What?”

  “I don’t have words.”

  “Mmm, I’m glad.” She patted his arm. “I like makin’ men speechless.”

  “I don’t like to think about you with other men.”

  “Sorry.” Aggie didn’t know what to make of the statement.

  “S’okay, Giselle.” He sounded sleepy, his words a bit slurred. “Next time I wanna be on top, inside you.”

  “Amen to that.”

  Ten chuckled. “Do we have to worry about…? I didn’t wear a condom.” Even though he hadn’t been completely inside her, her pussy was streaked with his come.

  “I have an IUD.” Aggie had taken precautions against having children. “And I get tested all the time, so I’m clean.” Normally, she insisted on rubbers, but Aggie had been too worked up to remember.

  He nodded. “Me, too. I haven’t had a partner in years, so I’m fine.”

  Although she was left with another great big mess—her encounters had all been exciting, but empty. It was like she’d been subsisting on the sexual equivalent of fast food and she’d just had a home cooked meal.

  The difference was glaring.

  Her eyes were already drifting closed and Aggie shut the deep thoughts down because she was still exhausted. The tension release and lack of sleep over the past few nights had caught up with her.

  “How about takin’ a quick nap?” Aggie asked.

  “Sure. Thirty minutes?”

  “Yup.” She’d worry about what the future held later.

  Chapter Thirteen

  “What are you thinkin’ about?”

  After they’d taken a cat nap, Ten was driving them over to see Vick again. He’d woken up twenty minutes ago when Vick had called with some news. She’d been irritatingly vague on the phone, so Ten prayed they’d finally caught a break in this case. He was about to face down a ruthless killer, and yet he’d never felt so good in his life.

  “Ten?” Aggie prompted.

  “Right, sorry. I’ve been thinkin’ about you, mostly.”

  Making love with Aggie had been a revelation, and like it or not, he didn’t have a better term for what had just occurred between them.

  Aggie already knew some of his darkest secrets.

  Hell, Aggie had witnessed him kill a man, and she hadn’t been put off. When he’d first seen her, he’d thought she might be special, and it turns out he’d been correct. If he wanted to make this work, and Ten thought he might, he had to take off some of his armor, expose himself even more.

  It was terrifying, but he didn’t see a way around it.

  “What about me?”

  “Actually, I’ve been wonderin’ about you, me, us,” he babbled.

  Their time together would be coming to an end in the very near future. Never seeing her again bothered him more than he cared to admit. And yet, if he didn’t say something, he’d kick himself later.

  She nodded. “I understand.”

  “Do you? Because I’m a bit fuzzy.”

  “You wanna have the relationship talk.”

  “There’s a specific discussion?” He had so much to learn.

  “Yes, everyone has the ‘where is this going’ chat.” She made air quotes with her fingers.

  Then he wasn’t weird for pondering these questions at all, which was a relief. Ten was usually pretty far from the norm.

  “Okay, where’s this going?” He turned to glance at her.

  Aggie shrugged “I don’t know. Tomorrow, we might be dead. And even if Santiago doesn’t kill me, we both know I’m not long for this earth.”

  “I hate it when you do that.”

  “Do what?”

  “Make light of your death.” He stared straight ahead, gripping the steering wheel.

  “I got one of two options—laugh or cry, so the decision’s easy.”

  And yet he got the impression she wasn’t dealing with it at all. Aggie seemed to be avoiding the situation by distracting herself with pleasurable diversions or burying herself in work. Neither one of them allowed her to truly come to terms with her mortality.

  And who am I to judge?

  He’d been running from his past for years, making himself so big and bad nobody would ever mess with him again, but had he gotten over it? No.

  In many ways, Ten was still a prisoner in the basement and always would be. And he was the one who had the key to unlock the door, but he wouldn’t use it. Sometimes, it was easier to exist down there, not taking chances.

  Although Aggie made him want to take some risks.

  “Maybe we should talk about this later?” Aggie offered.

  “Okay, when?” Ten was relieved for the reprieve, even though he’d brought up the topic.

  “Later on tonight?”

  “Fine.” There might be a slight delay, but Aggie couldn’t avoid this forever. And by then, he’d know what to say.

  When they walked into Vick’s office, she was waiting for them. They took a seat on the other side of her desk.

  Ten had the almost undeniable urge to hold Aggie’s hand, but he stuffed his fingers into his jacket pocket instead.

  What has she done to me?

  “Okay, I’ve got bad and worse news.” Vick shook her head.

  Aggie frowned. “I don’t like the sound of that.”

  “Me neither.” Ten braced himself.

  “I still can’t find Santiago.”

  They both groaned.

  “You didn’t let me finish.” She held up a finger. “I can’t tell you where Santiago is, but I can tell you where the auction is located. It’s a couple of days from now and I’ll pinpoint all the particulars after I do a bit more pokin’ around.”

  Ten was relieved. The thought of those girls being bought and sold had been eating at him for days. At least they had the location down and a timeframe. Next, they could formulate an extraction plan.

  “Where is it being held?” Aggie asked.

  “Let me show you.” She typed something on the keyboard and then swiveled the monitor around so they could see. “It’s takin’ place outside of Mexico City at a private estate.”

  It made sense. Santiago couldn’t auction off women and children at the local Holiday Inn. He certainly wouldn’t try something so bold in the United States.

  “Won’t somebody notice a slave sale?” Aggie gestured to the screen.

  “My guess is he’s paid off the Mexican officials so they’
ll look the other way,” Vick said.

  “Besides, the thing’s the size of a small city.” Ten shook his head. “The neighbors might not even notice.”

  The estate was massive with tennis courts, an outdoor swimming pool, and gardens.

  Mexico was a country with many dichotomies. The very rich had everything they wanted, while the poor hardly got by. Whoever owned the mansion was living large on the earnings they made from illegal activities. Santiago had probably cut the owners in on the human trafficking profits.

  “Hmm.” Ten scrutinized the map. “You didn’t get this from Google Earth.”

  She waggled her brows. “No, I had other sources.”

  “Like what?” Aggie leaned forward, inspecting the images with renewed interest.

  “I might’ve hacked into a database or two.” Lickety split, she swiveled the monitor around. “Which brings me to more craptacular news, since I helped myself to the government’s information, I picked up some chatter about a big operation.”

  “Chatter?” Aggie asked.

  “Yes, I’ve been hackin’ into restricted databases for years, and you pick up a thing or two. They are callin’ this Operation Cobalt and I’m bettin’ the CIA and military are in on this. Maybe it’s a joint investigation?”

  “I can see the overlap. I’m sure they have mutual persons of interest attendin’ this soiree.” Ten had been on similar missions.

  “Well, isn’t this good news?” Aggie leaned back in her chair. “It means they’ll bust this party up and rescue everyone, so Ten and I don’t have to storm the castle.” She sighed. “I mean the place is basically a fortress. I saw a guard tower, fences, and gun-totin’ bodyguards in the surveillance images. There’s no way the two of us could get in there unnoticed.”

  “I ain’t so sure about that.”

  Ten was a touch smug about his military prowess. He’d snuck into all kinds of fortified structures, albeit with the aid of a highly trained team and the latest in weaponry. This maneuver would be a bit more DIY.

  “Okay, commando, maybe you can get in, but I’m relieved we don’t have to.”