“C’mere,” Slade pulled Knight’s shoulder and shifted until they lay correctly on the bed.
Knight allowed Slade to maneuver him until his head was resting on Slade’s chest and his arm was thrown over Slade’s waist. His arm was low enough that he should have felt the tip of Slade’s hard-on. Instead, all he felt was wet, sticky skin under his arm.
“You good?” Knight asked and ghosted his fingers across Slade’s hip.
“I’m good,” Slade confirmed.
Slade was more than good. He was content, comfortable, and more relaxed with Knight than he had any right to be. The feeling scared the shit out of him since he was so used to being alone both on and off the job. Still, that fear didn’t freak him out to the point that he allowed his body to react.
I barely know him. This is just a hot-as-fuck lust connection, Slade told himself and forced himself to believe just that.
Knight snuggled against Slade and let his partner’s steady heartbeat relax him. He wasn’t a snuggler and not even sure why he was allowing himself to rest his head on Slade’s chest let alone allowing the man to cuddle him close. Knight had no idea why he was so content in Slade’s arms and he tried not to think about it. Tried and failed.
Knight had no reason to feel so connected to Slade. No reason at all since they barely knew each other, but he still felt unreasonably close to the man. Close like they were soulmates or some fucking shit. Knight snorted at his thought before he could stop himself.
“What?” Slade’s hand stopped caressing Knight’s shoulder when his partner made a noise. He wasn’t sure what the sound meant, if anything.
“Nothing,” Knight replied and pushed up from Slade’s chest.
Knight studied Slade and his partner looked as relaxed as Knight felt. In fact, he looked more relaxed than he had all night. That thought had Knight reviewing their evening. He grinned when he thought of his tail thinking he was having sex with his brother. His grin quickly morphed into a frown when he remembered that Slade was stressed when his partner had initially knocked on his door. That same stress was evident when Knight inquired about what was wrong when they returned to the dorm.
Slade watched Knight grin down at him for a few moments before his partner’s plump lips turned the opposite direction to end up in a frown. Slade wracked his brain for what could have changed Knight’s mood. He came up blank.
“What’s wrong?” Slade finally asked.
“Something was bothering you when you showed up here to go to dinner,” Knight reminded Slade. “You dodged explaining what when we got back here.”
“No, I didn’t,” Slade countered. He didn’t purposely initiate sex to avoid telling Knight what he had to tell him. He was just so worked up, and Knight was so fucking hot, that his body took over.
“You just distracted me.” Slade smiled and leaned up to kiss the side of Knight’s mouth.
“Tell me,” Knight demanded when Slade’s head rested back on the pillow.
“I have every intention to,” Slade replied. “I’ll be leaving campus for a few days and wanted to let you know. We’ve been working a case to bust a big trafficker and our guy on the inside has been trying to set up a meeting for me to offer him a bulk shipment of coke. He was finally able to arrange the meeting.”
“So, you’re only going undercover for a few days to do the meet?” Knight asked to clarify.
“Yeah. Fish didn’t think the meeting would happen anytime soon since Fernandez kept refusing.”
“Edwardo Fernandez?” Knight confirmed with concern because even working for TPD, he knew who the trafficker was. “Wasn’t he suspected in taking out that Brazilian cartel?”
“Yes, but not so much taking them out, just destroying their network so that they have to go through him now. He’s made himself a king trafficker and if we can take him down, it will shatter the network from a trafficking empire back to individual cartels and which will make our job much easier.”
“You going in alone?’
“No. Lita will be going in with me and Zep is already part of Fernandez’s inner circle as one of his lieutenants.” Slade reassured Knight. He could see his partner’s concern over his safety and it was touching even though there was no reason for Knight to worry.
“Lita?” Knight couldn’t believe Slade was taking a woman to the meeting as his back-up. Not that there was anything wrong with women working vice, but they usually were utilized in the field earlier in the investigation if they went into the field at all.
“Incredible teammate that you’ll meet once you’re done with training,” Slade smirked and couldn’t wait to see Knight’s face when he met Eddie Hypolita. “I’ll be fine. This isn’t my first rodeo.”
Knight snorted. “When are you heading out?”
“Tomorrow.” Slade felt Knight stiffen and knew what his partner was thinking. He was correct when Knight replied.
“They are sending you in with only tonight to prep?” Knight pushed to get off Slade, but his partner’s arms tightened around him. “What the fuck are you doing here with me? You should be getting ready.”
Knight frowned sternly down at Slade. Whether INET had been working on the case for months or not, prepping to go undercover in less than twenty-four hours was just asking for trouble and inviting danger.
“The meeting isn’t until tomorrow night. I’ve got plenty of time to prep so I am right where I want to be.” Slade leaned up and placed another kiss on the side of Knight’s frowning mouth.
Knight wasn’t happy that his new partner was going undercover. He tried to rationalize that it was because Slade had minimal prep time and that his back up only consisted of two agents. One of which was a woman. However, he knew it had more to do with Slade going undercover without him. Not that Knight thought for even a moment that Slade couldn’t handle himself undercover. No, Knight just wanted to be the one to have Slade’s back.
“Hey,” Slade’s voice pulled Knight out of his thoughts. “You’re training is almost finished. Do what you need to do here and I’ll be back before you know it. I am sure you can live without me for two days.”
Slade paused with a smile and Knight leaned into his hand that was threading through the hair above Knight’s ear.
“Kiss me,” Slade requested and Knight leaned back down to comply. “We have lots of things we can do without supplies,” Slade whispered against Knight’s lips when they separated to breathe. “Let’s give them something more entertaining to listen to than our voices.”
Knight was onboard with that when he smirked and pinched Slade’s nipple. Hard. His partner hissed against his lips before the painful sound turned into a moan.
“Let’s,” Knight agreed and took Slade’s mouth in a brutal, controlling kiss. And Slade let him.
Knight went to his classes the next day like a good little INET student. He continued his charade to make his fellow classmates think he was their tail, but he knew most of those who were orange banded because of him had spread the word about what he was up to. Still, by dinner, the number of bands had increased so not everyone trusted that he wasn’t really their tail. There were actually several of his classmates that he hadn’t even engaged that he would bet guessed he was their tail based solely on the fact he hadn’t talked to them at all.
Tommy Billinger was banded so Knight no longer needed to be concerned the guy would identify him. Not that Knight was concerned to begin with since he found Billinger’s secret through his online investigation. Everything else on Billinger that Knight typed up into his report after lunch were observations he made while they were in class, on the firing range, or in the cafeteria.
His tail was still lurking on the fringes and Knight was dying to know how much of the bullshit he spewed would end up in the guy’s report along with the ‘incest’ pictures of him and Slade in the gym. The reports had to be turned in tomorrow before breach training so he would find out soon enough.
Knight tried to keep himself busy so he wouldn’t think about
where Slade was and how his partner’s meeting with Fernandez could go south in a heartbeat. It was no use and his mind was still on Slade even after he exhausted his body on the heavy bag in the gym.
Slade smoothed down his suit jacket and stood for a moment before he descended the private jet’s stairs. Lita was directly in front of him carrying the briefcase that contained not only the almost pure sample of cocaine, but the test kit that could prove the quality to Fernandez.
“Mr. Ruiz, this way please.”
The dark haired man who addressed Slade indicated he should follow to the waiting limo as if Slade couldn’t see the vehicle and determine that was his transportation. When the man opened the back door, Lita stepped in front of Slade protectively. Fernandez’s goon reached for his gun, but Lita’s glare stilled the man’s hand.
Slade forced himself not to smirk. This wasn’t the first time he and Eddie Hypolita played these roles. It wasn’t the first time Slade had seen a man pause when Lita leveled that particular gaze on them either.
Lita was an imposing man. He stood a little over 6’6” and was the perfect image of a fucking Norse God. All he needed was a hammer and he could be Thor personified. He was tall, buff, had long blond hair, and piercing green eyes. However, it wasn’t only Lita’s size that made him an excellent undercover agent. It was his intelligence and his ability to morph his personality into any role. He could play the big, dumb hick, or a steely-eyed, stone cold, deadly bodyguard, and anything in between. Slade’s teammate was like a personality chameleon.
Slade gave Lita a nod and Lita looked in the limo. When he stood, Lita faced Slade and nodded to indicate the limo was empty. He stepped aside for Slade to climb into the limo then followed.
The drive from the private airfield in San Antonio to the meeting location did not take long. Slade sat relaxed, as if he didn’t have a care in the world, while Lita scowled at Fernandez’s goon who had joined them in the back of the limo. When they arrived at an estate that Slade was positive did not belong to Fernandez, Lita exited the limo after Fernandez’s man.
“Clear, Sir,” Lita said without looking into the limo at Slade.
Slade stepped out of the car, smoothed down his suit jacket again, and took a cursory glance around at the property. He quickly cataloged what he saw, but kept his expression unimpressed.
“This way, please.”
The goon indicated the front door, as if they didn’t already know it was the entrance to the house. Slade followed with Lita directly behind him carrying the briefcase. Once inside, they were led to a study.
“Mr. Fernandez will be with you shortly. Please help yourself to the refreshments.”
Fernandez’s goon closed the door and Slade took a seat in a leather-backed chair that faced the door. Lita placed the briefcase next to Slade’s chair and stood directly behind him. Neither man spoke. There was no need and if they were being watched, they would be expected to be nothing more than employer and employee.
Slade knew that Fernandez was purposely keeping him waiting. He didn’t need to look at the very expensive watch that INET provided for this op to know they were nearing the thirty minute mark. However, Slade didn’t fidget, neither did Lita, but instead, both men projected nothing other than boredom. There was no way to hurry Fernandez along, so all they could do was wait.
Nineteen
Another hour had passed by the time the door to Fernandez’s study opened. Slade recognized the first of the three men who entered. Rob Zepple was just average enough looking with his sandy brown hair and hazel eyes that he tended to blend in perfectly in almost any undercover situation. He was several inches shorter than Slade and his lanky frame was misleading. Slade knew the agent was fit as hell even if his suit did make him seem rail thin.
Zep had been deep undercover for over a year as he worked his way up Fernandez’s ranks. Prior to this case, Slade and Lita had worked with Zep for almost eight years and Slade was sure Lita missed the guy as much as he did, if not more. Even knowing each other so well and for so long, Zep was a pro when undercover. Not a flicker of recognition crossed Zep’s face when he made eye contact with Lita.
Behind Zep, another man entered and Slade knew this was one of Fernandez’s other lieutenants based on Zep’s intel. He was a few inches taller than Zep, but still not as tall as Slade and nowhere near Lita’s height. The guy’s head was shaved and he sported a dirty blond goatee. However, unlike Zep, this guy just looked like a thug wearing a decent suit.
Fernandez was the last to enter and he strode into the room like he owned the place. Again, Slade was sure he didn’t. Fernandez looked typically Columbian; dark hair and dark eyes. His Armani suit was impeccable, but ruined by the amount of gold necklaces and rings he wore. He was just another dressed up thug.
Slade waited until the trafficking kingpin fully entered the room before he lazily stood and straightened his jacket.
“Mr. Ruiz, I am sure you will understand that my men need to ensure you are unarmed,” Fernandez smiled politely, but Slade knew there wasn’t a polite bone in the man’s body. There likely wasn’t an intelligent one either since the smart thing to do would have been to disarm them before they entered the house.
“Of course,” Slade agreed amicably. “Ike, slowly give the gentleman your weapon,” Slade ordered Lita to hand over his gun. He knew that Lita also carried a knife, but Lita didn’t need either to be deadly.
Zep and Fernandez’s other lieutenant tensed when Lita slowly opened his jacket, reached in, and removed his weapon. Lita frowned, but set his Beretta down on the table closest to them. Fernandez’s lackey stepped forward and picked up Lita’s gun before turning to Slade.
“Yours too.”
Slade raised a brow in disdain that the man dared to address him, but still replied in a thick Argentinian accent. “I am not armed.”
“Yeah, sure you aren’t,” the guy sneered and put Lita’s gun in his waistband before stepping closer to Slade.
The man barely reached for Slade before Lita’s hand shot out and grasped the man’s wrist tightly. “He said he’s not armed,” Lita spoke so quietly that his tone even sent chills down Slade’s spine.
“Ike,” Slade reprimanded softly. Lita tightened his grasp on the man’s wrist enough to make him wince before he released him and stepped back.
Slade slowly opened his suit jacket and removed the garment. He handed it to Lita before, just as slowly, turning in a circle to show he was indeed unarmed.
“Good,” Fernandez smiled. “Now, we just need to ensure our ears are the only ones that shall hear what we wish to discuss.”
“I am impressed,” Slade met Fernandez’s gaze as he took his expensive suit jacket back from Lita and put it back on. “You’re level of security bodes well for our acquaintance.”
Zep stepped forward with a monitoring detection device. Slade and Lita did not acknowledge their fellow teammate and agent as he waved the wand over them to ensure they weren’t wearing a wire. Slade and Lita weren’t wired. There was no need to be because they didn’t need to wear one to take Fernandez down. Zep knew this, too, but went through the motions for Fernandez’s benefit.
“They’re clean,” Zep stepped away.
“Excellent,” Fernandez smiled. “Shall we get started then?” Fernandez took a seat on the sofa. “Please, sit and show me what I might be interested in that will encourage business between us.”
Slade resumed his seat and nodded to Lita. He had no need to speak, his nod was communication enough. Lita opened the briefcase on the coffee table and removed the testing equipment. He was still setting everything up when Fernandez spoke again.
“If you don’t mind,” Fernandez snapped his fingers over his shoulder and his lackey returned with a separate testing kit set-up. “Not that I do not trust you, but I am sure you understand.”
“Of course,” Slade replied and waved at Lita absently to stop setting up the kit they brought.
Lita stepped back far enough for the second testi
ng kit to be assembled. Once it was, Slade gave him a nod and Lita removed the ounce of cocaine they had bought to sway Fernandez to order a shipment from them.
“Let his man, Ike,” Slade ordered Lita in his sexy accented voice. Lita handed the coke to Fernandez’s man and returned to stand next to Slade’s chair.
Both INET agents watched passively as the cocaine was tested, they both knew how the results would turn out. All they had to do was wait for the vials to turn blue and set up a delivery date so they could take the asshole down. They didn’t have to wait for long while they watched Fernandez’s face as he watched the drugs react in the test tubes on the table in front of them.
“Ha, ha, ha, excellent!” Fernandez clapped his hands together in excitement. “I do believe we have much to talk about, my friend. Come,” Fernandez motioned for Slade to stand. “Let’s have a drink and come to an agreement on a reasonable offer.”
Slade pushed himself out of the chair, tugged down his jacket, and followed Fernandez to the bar across the room. The trafficker was as good as caught. Slade just needed to set the hook and reel him in when they delivered the shipment that would bust his ass.
“Did you know about this?” Monroe stormed into Fisher’s office and waved a file. “What kind of shit are you trying to pull?” She tossed the file onto his desk.
Fish glanced down at the file folder and noticed it was labeled with Michael Knight’s name before the papers in the folder splayed across his desk.
“You recruited an agent’s brother and enrolled him under an alias and didn’t bother to tell any of us?” Monroe paced. “And as if that wasn’t enough, you recruited brothers who are way closer than any siblings should be! What were you thinking Fish?”
Monroe ranted while Fish straightened out the messy file on his desk. Once he shuffled the papers into some semblance of order, he glanced down at the first sheet. It was obviously a surveillance report on Knight. Fish wasn’t surprised since that was the class Monroe taught the new INET trainees.
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