by London James
Now that we have the information we need, we need to plan it carefully. I’ve got a dozen men with me, and I want to end this once and for all. Which means I need to be smart about this. Redmond is a formidable opponent. Highly skilled, highly trained, and lethal. But I’m smarter than he is, and I will plan for every contingency.
Intelligence is my biggest advantage, and I plan on exploiting it.
Chapter Thirty-One
Baker
The storm breaks with a fury. Wind makes the trees sway at crazy angles, thunder crashes overhead so loud, the ground shakes, and lightning is constant, creating a strobing effect on the world. Rain comes down in buckets, and as the temperature continues to drop, it’s only a matter of time before it turns into a full out blizzard.
I’ve been puzzling over the problem of what to do for a little while now. Obviously, we can’t go anywhere right now. For the moment, we’re stuck. But there’s no way Hernan’s men will be able to get to us tonight either. We’re stuck, but for the moment, we’re safe.
A fire roars in the fireplace, and Isla is sitting on the couch, looking like she’s absorbed in her book. I can tell she’s not really reading though.
“You’ve been on that same page for the last twenty minutes,” I tease.
She looks up at me and gives me a sheepish grin. “Yeah, I’m a little bit distracted at the moment, I guess.”
“Understandable.”
“I just can’t get over how surreal this situation is,” she says.
“Tell me about it,” I laugh.
She’s silent for a moment, then looks at me with something like genuine sorrow in her eyes. “I’m really sorry you got dragged into this, Baker,” she tells me. “I never meant for –”
“It’s not your fault, Isla,” I interrupt and lock my gaze onto hers. “And truth be told, there is nowhere else I’d rather be right now.”
Her smile is warm and genuine. “Even with men with guns coming to get us?”
“I’m a man with a gun,” I remind her. “And they’re never going to get close to you.”
“Are you always this sure of yourself?”
I nod. “I am,” I say. “When it comes to a fight, I always am.”
“Because you were a Marine?”
I take a sip of my coffee and set it down on the table. “Exactly. Almost twelve years in the Corps taught me to be prepared for a fight,” I explain. “Hernan has more men, but they’re not trained. As long as I keep my head on straight, we’ll get through this.”
“Your confidence makes me feel better.”
I give her a smile and do my best to keep the bravado up. On the one hand, yes, I’m very confident. With my training – and their lack of it – I have the advantage. Plus, I have some tricks outside that will help keep them at bay. But Hernan has more men. I have no idea how many he has, but superior forces are always an advantage. I just have to hope my preparations will mitigate those numbers.
But I don’t want Isla to worry. I don’t want her to fear any more than she has to. She should be afraid. Fear can help us if we let it. It’s simply a matter of channeling it in the right direction. I intend to channel mine and hers in that direction.
“So, did you always want to be a schoolteacher?” I ask, just to steer the conversation in another direction.
She nods. “I did. For as far back as I can remember,” she confides.
“Why?”
She shrugs. “I love learning. And I thought that I’d be good at it,” she explains. “My biggest hope, and how I’ve tried to teach, is to instill that love of learning into my students.”
“And how has that worked out for you?”
A rueful smile touches her lips. “Mixed results,” she says. “Some have a natural inclination to learn. Others hate everything about being in school.”
“That sounds normal.”
She nods. “Yeah, the success rate isn’t great, but the ones who really take to it make it worth it to me.”
“Why history?”
“I don’t know, I’ve just always loved the subject,” she tells me. “I love learning about other cultures in other times. How they lived, how they did things – I love learning about how other cultures came to be, and how the past has shaped them.”
“I was right; you are absolutely a nerd.”
She laughs. “Yes, I am,” she admits. “I can now remember that I’ve seen all of the Star Wars movies at least four times and believe that it is superior to Star Trek in every way.”
“Total nerd.”
“Proudly.”
We laugh together for a moment which makes Stabler raise his head and look at us for a moment before he lays back down and passes out again.
“What about you?” she asks. “What made you decide on the career path you did?”
I shrug. “Like I told you, I’m not cut out for the board room,” I confide in turn. “But, a life of service and one with meaning made sense to me at the time. It resonated with me.”
“And did you find that meaning as a Marine and a U.S. Marshal?”
I think about it for a minute and nod. “Yeah, I did,” I say. “More as a Marine than a Marshal.”
“Why is that?”
“The Marshal’s Service does a great job. They do a good service for people for the most part,” I answer. “But it sometimes requires you to make deals with the devil. That was one part I never enjoyed. There are some really bad people being protected by the U.S. government.”
“Like my brother.”
“On the bad person scale, he doesn’t even rate, Isla,” I say. “He kept the books. It’s not like he was out there killing people himself.”
“No, but he allowed them to keep on killing people by moving their money around for them,” she says, her voice bitter and angry. “In my mind, he’s as guilty as they are.”
I nod, not wanting to argue the point with her. “I can understand why you’d feel that way,” I tell her. “I absolutely do.”
“More than anything, that’s what I can’t forgive him for,” she admits. “He enabled these people to do what they do. And of course, selfishly, the fact that my life is now in danger because of him – that’s not sitting real well with me either.”
A rueful laugh passes my lips. “If not for him though, we probably never would have met.”
She smiles. “That’s true,” she says. “I guess I should be grateful to him for that.”
“I don’t even know him, and I’m thankful.”
We gaze into each other’s eyes for a long moment, the firelight flickering off her smooth skin and making her hair look like it’s on fire. My heart beats harder as I look at her, and my throat goes dry. She has such a profound impact on me that it makes my head spin. It’s not what I was expecting or even wanting, but here it is all the same.
And I wouldn’t have had it any other way.
My heart swells as I look at her, and I reach out, taking her face in my hands. I lean forward and place a soft kiss upon her lips. Isla melts into me and kisses me back. It’s soft and sweet at first but quickly grows in passion and intensity.
I pull her to me, kissing her with every ounce of feeling inside of me and run my hands up and down her back. Her body is tight and tense, but her kiss is so warm and willing. I pull back and look her in the eye. I can’t tell if she wants this or not.
“Are you okay?” I ask.
She nods. “I was just thinking how strange this is,” she answers, her tone light and teasing. “It sounds like the end of the world outside, we have a small army coming to kill us, and the only thing I can think of is having you inside of me. What in the hell is wrong with us?”
I shake my head. “I have no idea,” I say. “But I like it. I like it a lot. You’re like this drug, Isla. I can’t get enough of you. I can’t keep my mind off of you. You’re in my every waking thought.”
“I know what you mean,” she tells me, her voice breathy and high.
“Maybe we need this,” I
say. “Maybe we need to feel something good to combat all of the bad that’s coming our way.”
She nods. “I agree.”
She stands up and grabs my hand. I let her lead me back to the bedroom, my cock stirring in my pants every step of the way. She has her shirt and bra off before we even step through the door. I admire the way her full breasts spill out of her bra. They’re round, full, and perfect. Her pert pink nipples look so inviting, so I grab hold of Isla and push her up against the wall beside the bedroom door. I take her breasts in my hands, gently kneading them as I take one of her nipples into my mouth. I lick and suck on it, then give it a good nip, drawing a squeak from her.
As I suck on her breasts, Isla slides her hands down and grips my cock through my jeans. She squeezes and strokes me, sending electric bolts flaring through me. I press her harder against the wall, the heat within me rising.
“I need you,” I whisper.
“Good,” she breathes. “And if you were planning on being gentle with me – don’t.”
A salacious grin spread across my face as she pushes off the wall and walks into the bedroom. I reach out and slap her ass playfully, making her yelp sharply. She looks back over her shoulder at me, biting her bottom lip, and gives me a flirty smile.
“Get your ass in here,” she orders.
I’m kicking my shoes across the room and unbuckling my pants as I follow her in. She’s naked and on the bed already, waiting for me. I get my shirt and pants off quickly, only to look up and see Isla is touching herself. My cock is standing straight out and is rock hard. I stop to watch her rubbing her clit with one hand and driving two fingers into her with the other. Watching her masturbate gets me impossibly hard and sends my level of desire for her through the roof.
“Sorry,” she smirks. “I couldn’t wait.”
“Don’t mind me,” I tell her. “I’m enjoying the view.”
“Stop watching,” she says, breathless. “I need your cock, Baker.”
I grab her feet and pull her to the end of the bed. She laughs and squeals as I roll her over onto her stomach. She thrusts her ass into the air, and I grab hold of her hips. I plunge my fingers into her from behind, making her cry out. I bang her hard and fast from behind, and she grips the comforter tightly. She’s so wet and smooth; my fingers slide in and out with ease. I pull them out, and she looks over her shoulder at me as I lick them clean of her juices.
Stepping forward, I grab a handful of her hair and pull her head back. She cries out as I drive my cock into her hard and deep. I thrust myself in until I’m fully sheathed inside of her. She shudders and moans, her entire body trembling.
I start to thrust my hips, starting off slow, then building to a hard, steady rhythm. The sound of our flesh cracking together fills the room as I pound her from behind. She’s moaning loud as I slap her ass, making her yelp again. Over and over again, I plunge my cock into her, reveling in the warmth and wetness of her.
“Fuck, Isla,” I gasp.
“Yes, baby. Fuck me,” she cries out. “Fuck me harder, Baker. Give it to me.”
I drive myself into her as hard and fast as I can, my cock reaching her innermost depths. The sensations flowing through me are vivid and intense. My entire body shakes, and I call out her name as I continue to fuck her.
Isla looks back at me and smiles. She pulls herself forward, and my cock falls out of her. She turns around and looks at me.
“Lay down,” she instructs.
I grin at her and lay down on the bed. Isla straddles my lap and grips my cock. She looks down at me with fire in her eyes. She lowers herself down onto my cock, slipping the head of it between the velvety folds of her pussy. She keeps lowering herself, taking me into her inch by inch until she has me buried to the hilt inside of her.
Isla throws her head back and moans as she starts to rock her hips. She leans forward and plants her hands on my chest for leverage as she starts to bounce herself up and down on my cock. I let out a long breath, my hands cupping her ass as she rides me. She thrusts herself up and down with more intensity. I reach up and take her breasts in my hands, giving her stiff nipples a hard pinch.
She moans louder and louder, calling my name softly as she fucks me. Her body feels so soft and so good on mine, and I feel the pressure already building up within me. I grab her hips to roll her over, but she slaps my hands away. I smile up at her.
“I’m in charge here,” she purrs.
“Yes ma’am,” I say. “By all means, keep fucking me.”
“That’s my plan.”
I grip her ass harder and give it a sharp smack. The crack of flesh meeting flesh blending with our cries of passion. Isla and I just seem to fit together in so many different ways – the bedroom being just one of them. She’s so snug and so warm inside that she feels almost made for me.
Isla grits her teeth and growls as she rides me. She picks up her pace, bouncing on my cock harder and faster, taking me deeper into her.
“You are so fucking amazing,” I tell her, my voice low and husky.
Watching her ride me, taking in every bit of her body as she moves, as she writhes on me is like watching a work of art in motion. She’s utterly amazing to me in every way, and her beauty to me is sheer perfection. She’s soft yet taut, rounded in all the right places.
As I look at her sitting astride me, moving herself up and down on my cock, I feel my pulse soar to new heights. I reach down and rub her clit as she rides me. She gasps and all at once, her body starts to shake. She cries out as her body tightens up, her muscles inside of her gripping my cock tightly. She comes hard for me, losing her rhythm entirely.
She leans forward, putting all her weight on hands that are now planted on my chest, her breathing ragged. I seize the opportunity and grab her by the hips. In one smooth motion, I roll her over so that her body is pinned beneath mine, my cock still sheathed firmly inside of her.
She looks dazed, her orgasm having rocked her to the core. Isla quickly recovers though and smiles at me.
“Cheater,” she says. “I was distracted.”
“Your loss, my gain,” I reply with a laugh.
I take Isla’s legs and put them both up on my shoulders. Leaning forward, I drive my cock into her. In this position, I can drive myself even deeper into her. I start to thrust my hips harder, fucking her with abandon. Isla cries out, digging her nails into my forearms. She feels so amazing, and the sensations are so vibrant, so intense, that I’m having a hard time holding on. I don’t want this to end just yet.
Isla has other plans though. “Fuck me, Baker. Deeper, baby. You’re going to make me come, baby.”
She arches her back, and I plunge myself into her again, sliding deeper into her tight opening. I grip her legs hard, thrusting my hips with all the force I can muster. Isla is crying out, her voice loud and lusty. An animalistic sound bursts from my throat as I feel myself reaching the pinnacle.
Isla squeezes my dick with the muscles inside of her, and that’s it for me. I lose control with a loud cry. My cock pulses as I blow my seed deep into her. That triggers an orgasmic explosion inside of her. Isla’s body shakes hard, and her cry is half gasp, half stutter. She tries to call out my name but can’t quite form the word.
Together we come hard. Our bodies tensing and relaxing as our orgasms wash over us.
Slowly, our breathing returns to normal. I roll off her and pull her over to me. She lays her head on my chest, and I wrap my arms around her. We lay in silence for a long moment, each of us relishing the bliss permeating our bodies.
I listen to her breathing as it grows even and steadier, and it’s not long before she falls asleep. And not long after that, I follow her into the world of dreams.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Isla
I wake up to our naked bodies still intertwined. I’m filled with a sense of warmth and peace – something I never knew I could feel. I look up to find Baker looking at me, his dark eyes glittering and filled with what looks like love to me.
<
br /> “Good morning,” he says. “How did you sleep?”
“Amazingly well considering what’s going on,” I reply with a smile.
For a while, it was nice to shut it all out. To push all of the negative away and focus on the positive. The life-affirming bond Baker and I are developing. There’s something deep forming between us, and it fills me with a sense of happiness. A deep, fulfilling happiness.
“Do you hear that?” I ask lazily.
“What’s that?”
“Nothing,” I say. “No wind, no thunder. It’s silent.”
Baker’s body fills with tension, and his eyes open wide. He sits up on the bed quickly, and I scramble to join him.
“What is it?” I ask.
“Storm must have broken in the night.”
I look to the windows and the world outside is still gray and gloomy. Dark clouds are still socking us in, but the storm appears to have blown itself out for the moment.
“Shit,” he mutters and jumps off the bed.
“Baker, what’s wrong?”
“If there’s a break in the storm, Hernan will be coming.”
A shot of adrenaline shoots through me, and a yawning pit opens in my stomach. I hadn’t even thought of that, but he’s probably right. I jump off the bed and start pulling on my clothes. By the time I’m dressed, Baker is already out in the backyard. He’s standing statue still and appears to be listening. Stabler, who is normally bounding all over the place, is standing still by his side, neither of them moving.
The storm had dumped a hell of a lot of snow on us overnight. Baker is standing up to his knees in the stuff. I stand on the back porch watching.
“Do you hear something?” I ask.
He turns, and his face is grim. “Snowmobiles,” he replies.
He runs into the house. “Come on,” he calls.
I follow him into the house, and he leads me back to the security suite. Flipping on all the computers, he’s studying the computer monitors in front of him. I stand behind him and feel my heart sink when I see half a dozen snowmobiles zipping across an open field.