by KaLyn Cooper
“It would take something this serious to get me to go to Washington D.C..” Barry then added, “Take care of our girl.”
“Always.” As Alex hung up, he promised that he would take care of her, no matter what.
7
“What do you mean I’m not approved to see her?” Jack screamed at the very young redhead behind the ICU nurses’ desk.
“Sir, you are not on the list of approved visitors so I cannot allow you to see Ms. Hawk,” she tried to diplomatically explain. “Do you by chance know the password for today? I can let you see her if you know the password.”
Jack looked at the determined woman who didn’t look as though she was able to legally drink, say nothing about being a specialized nurse, and decided it was too late for charm, so he tried legal bullshit. “Who created the approved visitors’ list? As her husband, I left specific instructions yesterday.”
Red hair shook side to side. “Mr. Ashworth, we know you’re not Ms. Hawk’s husband. The executor of her living will, Mr. Alex Wolf, presented the paperwork yesterday. He is now in charge of her health and well-being.”
Anger roiled in Jack’s stomach as his breakfast flipped over and over. He had no idea that Katlin had designated fucking Wolf. All Homeland Security agents were required to keep such legal paperwork on file with human resources, but Katlin and her team were only temporarily assigned to Section 7. Since the women were active-duty, the military maintained such documents.
Fuck. He hadn’t taken the time to hunt them down. He’d assumed that her brother, Daniel, was designated to make decisions if she couldn’t. He’d planned to use Nita as a bargaining unit since as soon as she left the hospital she, too, was put into lockdown at his Homeland Security offices. He hadn’t allowed her to go home and see her husband or her adopted brats.
Glancing around, he saw only the nurses behind their tall circular desk. He just needed a minute to assure himself that she was still comatose, yet well taken care of, and to check the room for any kind of video feed. He was in the spy business. Tapping into her video loop would be so easy for his men.
He charged into the patient area.
As he approached Katlin’s room, the child nurse on his heels yelled, “Stop him. He is not permitted in here.”
The six-foot-three overly muscled Guardian bodyguard on duty stepped in front of him and drew his Glock, pointing it at Jack’s heart. Recognition was written all over the man’s face.
“Stop right there, Jack. I will shoot you. You are far from being my favorite person right now.” The man’s southern drawl was exceedingly thick.
It took Jack only a minute to figure out that he was face to face with Parker “Griffin” Mitchell…a true idiot in Jack’s mind. Who would be foolish enough to give up a promising political career to become a Navy SEAL? This former Georgia football player, that’s who. Both his father and grandfather had been embedded in politics all their lives. Griffin, as he preferred to be called, would easily have been elected. His gold trident would’ve assured his win. Instead, he worked for that damned Alex Wolf.
Jack would have to check his records. He thought Griffin Mitchell ran the Miami office for Guardian Security Inc. What the hell was this man doing standing in the ICU at Walter Reed Medical Center? Jack tuned back into the rantings of Grace Hall’s fiancé.
“…Alex will give me a bonus for putting a bullet into you, then I’ll enjoy spending every dime of it on Grace. With you no longer in charge, she’ll be set free from your bullshit quarantine.”
Jack looked into the hazel eyes of the committed man in front of him and knew he would be shot if he stepped one more foot forward. Instead, he inched backward.
Griffin smiled, a thin white slash in a very handsome face.
“You’re smarter than I gave you credit.” Griffin didn’t move and the gun didn’t waver. “I was looking forward to that bonus and the pleasure of shooting you.”
“I’ve denied you the pleasures of Grace and I can continue to do that,” Jack taunted as he watched the flicker in Griffin’s eyes, but the gun held steady. “We can make a deal. Just let me see Katlin for two minutes and I’ll release Grace from lockdown. You could be having dinner with her tonight and sleeping in a warm, no, make that hot, bed tonight. I know exactly how long it’s been since you touched her. Since you ran your hands over that beautiful body of hers. I even know when you last pushed into her until she shook with pleasure.”
Griffin growled.
Good. He was getting to him.
“You could have that tonight if you let me see Katlin. Just for two minutes. That’s all I ask, and Grace will be yours.”
“I should shoot you and do the world a favor, you manipulating sonofabitch.” Griffin’s eyes narrowed. “You are not allowed to be in here. You are not permitted to see Katlin. Turn around and walk away. Don’t bother coming back. When she recovers, she’ll decide when she wants to see you.”
Jack looked past Griffin into the glass-enclosed room and saw Katlin, tubes and monitors surrounding her, recording every function. He had watched her tracker on his computer desktop for hours as her heart beat steadily. In the far upper corner of her room, Jack saw what he was looking for, a small hospital camera. He’d have his men tap into the Walter Reed video so he could see her anytime he chose.
“Very well, I’ll leave. But tell that bastard Wolf he hasn’t won. This is a small battle and I will get to see her. Too bad about Grace, though. The women will stay on lockdown. You’ll think about this moment tonight as you crawl into a cold lonely bed, I guarantee it,” Jack said, smiling back at the bodyguard before he turned and left the ICU, already on the phone to Operational Control and Tech.
His team could tap into any video feed anywhere in the world. The fact that Walter Reed was a military facility made it easier. He could drop in on his woman anytime he wanted, via video. Someday, he would take care of Alex Wolf once and for all.
As he passed the nursing station, Jack smiled inwardly as he recognized the floating nurse’s face. She was being well-paid to oversee Katlin’s special care.
Next order of business was to get Wolf out of that room and away from his Katlin. Thinking of her, he checked his schedule. He had to meet with the department psychologist in five days. He could honestly tell the man that he had been banned from seeing her in the hospital. Lies buried within the truth. He was an expert.
Forty minutes later, Jack walked past his secretary’s empty desk. Glancing at his watch, he realized it was lunchtime. Closing the door as he passed through, he didn’t hear a click. He glanced over his shoulder to see Nikkole Chernakov slither through the crack before turning around— giving him ample opportunity to look at her perfectly sculpted ass—and locking the door.
Jack hated this woman. But he discovered that she was still useful as a Katlin stand-in. She was the one who had reported him to the Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security and the reason that he had spent nearly a year visiting the agency psychologist.
She was also the reason he could live out his fantasies. He couldn’t have Katlin Callahan—yet—but he could have Nikkole Katrina “Kat” Chernakov anytime he wanted and she would do anything he wanted. She’d died her hair blond, underwent plastic surgery, and become the submissive woman he wanted in his bed. He couldn’t stand having this fake Katlin in his life, though. He didn’t trust the manipulative bitch.
“What do you want?” Jack didn’t bother to hide the disdain in his voice.
She prowled her way to his desk, slowly unbuttoning the silky light blue blouse until the ample breasts he’d paid for were exposed. “You haven’t called me in what seems like forever.”
She scooped her breasts out of the lacy blue bra and ran her fingertips around the areola before she rolled her nipples between her thumbs and forefingers. As the small dark raspberries hardened, so did his cock.
Her wicked smile made him throb with every heartbeat. He started to stroke himself through custom-tailored slacks. He knew her games. “What
do you want, Nikkole?”
She lifted the pencil skirt, exposing long, toned legs in three-inch stilettos.
Fuck. She’d bleached her pubic hair blond.
Jack licked his lips.
She ran her fingers through the neatly trimmed strip of hair that matched the recent dye job that fell below her shoulders. “You like it don’t you.” It was a statement. Not a question.
“Nice touch,” he said through clenched teeth.
She gave him two rows of bright white teeth. “I thought you’d like it. It’s the way she keeps hers.”
Heat rushed through his whole body. She had seen Katlin’s patch. Of course, she had. All the women showered together after the recent physical fitness test. The thought of Katlin naked in the shower, soapy water running over her body…
Jack unzipped his pants, freeing his weeping cock, and stroked it.
Nikkole licked her red-painted lips. “I’ll take care of that for you. I know just the way you like it.”
“I know you can, and I might let you.” His whole body went as hard as his cock. Why was she here? Now?
When she reached out to touch him, he grabbed her wrist. “First, you’re going to tell me what you really want.” He looked down her body. Luscious breasts exposed, her navy-blue skirt around her waist with nothing on below that except her fuck-me heels.
She ran her fingers through her folds then painted his lips with her wetness.
Jack couldn’t stop himself. His tongue slid out, lapping up her essence.
“The Black Swan team is short one woman. You know I’m ready. I want that position.”
“Never.” Jack scoffed. She had to be fucking kidding. “They’re a tight team. Those women would never follow you.”
She moved in closer, rubbing her bare breasts against his chest. “Just put me on the team. I’ll prove to them, and you, that I’m a valuable asset.” She kissed him, her tongue pushing into his mouth in the same rhythm as she stroked his cock. Breaking the kiss, she kneeled in front of him.
Looking down at the top of her head as she took him deep in her mouth, he imagined it was Katlin, just like he always did. His hips started to rock. She pulled all the way to the end, leaving only the crown in her mouth before releasing it.
“What do you say, Jack? Temporarily assigned me to the Black Swan team, just until she comes back.” She gave the underside of his cock a lick from base to tip then swirled her tongue around the head before lapping up his prerelease.
Fuck. He regretted teaching her how he liked it best. She peered hopefully up at him through special blue contacts that made her eyes looked exactly like Katlin’s.
Katlin. Who was lying unconscious in a hospital bed. The woman on her knees in front of him was not her.
Jack pulled her to standing, twisted her around, and pushed her face down onto his desk. Opening a side drawer, he grabbed a condom and quickly sheathed himself. At this angle, beautiful ass in the air, long blond hair splayed over his desk, he could once again pretend she was Katlin.
As soon as he came, he pulled out and headed for his private bathroom hoping she’d be gone by the time he took care of everything.
To his disappointment, she was sitting in his chair, knees spread, and high heels hooked on the edge of his desk. She was stroking herself, hips rocking, close to coming. “Jack, finish me off.” Her eyes met his. “Please.”
He couldn’t refuse those blue-within-blue eyes. He picked her up out of his chair and set her on his desk. As he sat down in the warm seat, he rolled toward her. Her unique scent, which mentally he had attached to Katlin, filled his nose. His gaze fixed on her fingers as she stroked her swollen clit.
With the back of his hand, he swiped her away. Soaking his fingers in her juices, he shoved two into her channel and circled the bud of nerves with his thumb. She came instantly, hips jerking, those precious sounds filling his office. Jack closed his eyes pretending that he had just finger-fucked Katlin. He ran his fingers under his nose. Eyes still closed, he licked every drop from his hand.
When he was able to force his eyes open, the blue contacts covering Katrina’s brown eyes met his gaze.
“So, what do you say, Jack?” Her eyes searched his. “Temporarily assign me to the Black Swan team. Cycling newer members through established teams is not an unusual practice.”
He needed to wash this bitch off every inch of him. He needed a shower. Jack stood and headed for his bathroom, again, then turned toward the office door. He held the knob as she pulled her skirt down and rebuttoned her blouse. She reached for him, but he knew she wanted a kiss.
He opened the door. “I’ll take your recommendation under advisement, Agent Chernakov.”
As Nikkole left, she passed Mrs. Ward coming in. His assistant handed him a stack of messages. “Please call General Lyon first. He wants the rest of the Black Swans at the National Training Center immediately to work with Black Swan Team 2.”
The smile he gave his fifty-something assistant was joyous. “Thank you, Mrs. Ward. I’ll do that.” Nikkole problem solved.
8
Same yellow tile flecked with gray.
Same beige walls.
Same white ceiling tiles.
Same fucking hard seats covered by one inch of foam and gray plastic.
It was day four and there was no change in Katlin.
Alex had just returned to the waiting room from his allotted ten minutes sitting at her side, holding her soft limp hand in his, listening to the rhythm of beeps. As instructed, he talked to her as though she were awake. He told her about personnel changes he was considering, who he wanted to promote, where he wanted to expand the company next, and always how much he missed her. He never left without telling her exactly how much he loved her.
Back in the ICU waiting room, he opened his personal computer. He’d been using his cell phone as a secure hotspot, placing it on the window ledge to get better coverage than that offered by the hospital. Most often he was the only one in the barren room during the day. Some of the other patients would get company during evening visitor hours, but they were long gone by nine o’clock, just like tonight. Thanks to Dr. Tobias, Alex could come and go anytime day or night.
The same arrangement had been made for her brother, Daniel. His CIA hours were just as erratic as Alex’s, the difference being his soon-to-be brother-in-law also had two small children. Often arriving well after normal visiting hours, when his two little ones were tucked away in bed and safe with their nanny, Daniel would make the long drive to the other side of D.C. to see his sister.
Alex made sure someone stood guard duty twenty-four hours a day even though Jack hadn’t attempted to see her again.
Alex just didn’t trust that man.
“Alex, I’m going to lunch.” The cute little redhead with freckles across her nose and cheeks smiled at him through the open door. “You can go in a bit early if you’d like. I’ll come get you when I return.”
Thirty whole minutes with Katlin.
Stuffing his computer into his briefcase and cell phone into a side pocket of his cargo pants, he wasted no time in getting to her room. Nathaniel stood guard.
“I’ll be here for the next thirty minutes, or until Nurse Kramer returns. Why don’t you go take a break?”
“Thank you, sir.” Nathaniel beamed ear to ear. “Maybe I’ll just happen to have lunch with Nancy.” He then corrected himself. “I mean, Nurse Kramer.”
Alex smiled at the anxious younger man. “She is cute.” He slapped the man on the shoulder. “Good luck with that.”
“Hey, babe, I’m back,” he announced as he set his briefcase on the floor next to the guest chair and kissed her dry lips. He automatically picked up the lip balm and spread it over her usually soft lips. He noticed her heartbeat increased slightly, just as it had every time he entered.
At least she knows it’s me and I’m here.
“Top Cooper will be back from his vacation tomorrow. He and Gina are headed straight here. That gnarly o
ld Marine loves you, you know.” Alex took her hand and wove their fingers together. “He tried to come back as soon as he heard about your accident, but I insisted he stay and enjoy his first vacation in years. Gina couldn’t remember when they’d been alone together for more than forty-eight hours.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Alex caught a glimpse of the camera. He’d known from the first minute entering the room that it was there. Not for the first time, he wondered who was watching and listening. He knew the men and women at the nurses’ station watched each patient carefully but only turned on the volume when a patient became restless. They were all so kind to Alex and his men. Most of the single women were a little flirtatious, but nothing his men weren’t used to handling, one way or the other.
When the door opened to Katlin’s room, Alex expected to see Nancy declaring it was time for him to leave. Instead, Daniel Callahan stepped quietly into the room.
“They said I could come in, but I can only have a few minutes.” Daniel walked over and stood beside Alex’s chair.
Unwilling to give up his connection to Katlin, Alex remained seated.
“Any change?” Daniel queried.
After releasing a heavy sigh, Alex quietly admitted, “No.” Wanting to change the subject, he asked, “I take it Jack-ass hasn’t released the Black Swans yet.”
Daniel smiled. “They’re supposed to be able to come home for half a day tomorrow…then there leaving for training in Nevada. I actually think it was orchestrated by Aunt Ava pressuring General Lyon to get our women away from Jack’s lockdown.”
Alex chuckled at how well-connected the Callahan family was to others in the military as well as the government. “I love how you call newly promoted Marine Corps Major General Ava Standish, Aunt Ava. Is she still dating your Uncle Tom? I wasn’t about to ask him when he and your Uncle Francis were here yesterday.”
It was Daniel’s turn to chuckle. “They’ve been dating for years. I have no idea why they’ve never married. I’m constantly surprised that their relationship has never gone public, but they seem to be able to keep it private. I guess that’s the way they prefer.”