by J. L. Drake
Dell appeared at the door and held up his phone. “Logan?”
“Not now.” Cole dismissed him with a short wave.
“Logan,” he repeated in a voice that caused us all to look at him. Cole gave him a curt nod to continue. “Another video has been leaked.”
“Toss it up,” Cole instructed as he looked at the screen.
To say the tension was already thick was an understatement for what we were about to witness. Once again, my team, my brothers, were the stars of a YouTube sensation called Cartel Versus US Army Black Ops. I recognized Chamness, BT, and Rick as they moved through the thick terrain in Southern Mexico. The cameraman looked to be several yards away, up high. Mike cleared his throat as the next clip showed him running through the trees.
“Holy shit,” Mike spat angrily, “I hate being on some fucking reality show.”
I stood and moved closer to the screen. I squinted as something caught my eye, and I asked Dell to rewind it three seconds.
“We are shadows that move in the night. North Rock is our mirror image across the border. We are ghosts as far as they are concerned, so how the hell do they know our route?” I reiterated, “How the hell are we not catching their cameras?” I pointed to the screen where a camera was mounted on a tree trunk. “How can they know our movements before our boots even touch down on their territory?”
A heavy silence filled the room. For the first time in Blackstone’s history, we were unsure of our next move.
After three more hours of digging under every rock and going through every possible scenario, Cole dismissed us. We were all exhausted and frustrated, and it didn’t help that I’d gotten very little sleep last night…not that I was complaining.
“Savi, have you seen Sloane this morning?”
A knowing eyebrow lifted at me, and a playful smile ran across her lips as she went back to cutting up grapes for Mark’s little one, who was buckled into a chair at the table.
“All I know is she showed up in the kitchen earlier with Dell. She had an overnight bag and a stack of files. She said she had to go to North Dakota for something. Don’t worry, though,” she added looking up at me. “She said Daniel approved it.” I sank down on the counter and pulled out my phone.
John: I feel used.
I started to put my phone away when I saw the dots to show she was texting back.
Sloane: I left two hundred on the bedside table.
I laughed, and Savi glanced over at me with a question.
John: You good?
Sloane: I found something that couldn’t wait. I saw you were still in the meeting, so I couldn’t say goodbye. See you tomorrow, at the latest.
John: Call tonight?
Sloane: Sure thing.
“So,” Savi started, “I couldn’t help but notice your room was empty this morning, and Tripper was missing again.”
Just as I went to feed her some bullshit line, I spotted Olivia outside about to attack Liam and Ethan with her Nerf gun.
“Look at her go.” I nodded in her direction proudly. “That’s my girl. Take out the little shits.” As Savannah watched, I slipped out of the kitchen and headed for my beloved peak. I needed to clear my head.
“You play dirty, Black.” She chuckled as I headed for the door.
I jogged down the path and gave a wave to the guys who were at their posts scattered throughout the woods. This really was the one place I could relax and not be hyperaware of my surroundings. The base of the mountain welcomed me as I prepared myself for another climb.
The toe of my shoe wedged into a tiny crack while my hand swung out and gripped a barely protruding bit of rock. My mind calculated my next move. With no ropes, no cleats, no helmet, just the clothes on my back and my brain focused only on climbing, I slowly made my way up the familiar cliff face. I glanced down at the forest seventy-five feet below me and felt energized. As a member of Blackstone, we faced death on every mission. We were all responsible for each other. If one slipped up, we all slipped up. Here on my mountain, I faced death on my own terms. I challenged myself constantly to be the best I could be. I’d let down one person in my life, and I refused to repeat that with my brothers.
Once at the top, I plucked one of the yellow flags from a baggie I kept up there. I would add it to the others back in my room. This would be my seventy-third successful climb to cheat death.
I brushed the dirt off my hands and made my way down the path toward Shadows, but before I hit the driveway, my phone rang. I didn’t have to look at it to know who it was. “Hey, Dad, what’s up?”
“I was wondering if you and Sloane were going to come by today. Your sister seems a little off.”
“Sloane is away with work. Is Ellie okay?”
There was a pause before he spoke again. “She’s all right, but your mom would like you two to come by again soon, maybe for dinner this week.”
“Dad, I don’t see that happening. Things are really stressful here at work.”
“Okay, just if you have the time, it would be nice to see you.”
“I’ll try.”
The heaviness the mountain had relieved settled right back down on my shoulders and ate away at my gut. A rustle in the trees told me Keith wasn’t far. I spotted him next to the trunk of a tree.
“Everything all right, Black?”
“All things considered, yup.” I didn’t know how much he’d heard, so I turned the conversation. “When do Lexi and B arrive?”
“Tomorrow afternoon. Catalina comes in the next day.”
“Have you told Abby yet about Lexi?”
He shrugged with a small grin. “I thought it might be more fun for them to see it for themselves.”
“That’ll be fun. It’s about time things got back to normal around here.” I paused. “Well, almost.”
“Agreed. Long overdue.” He gave a short wave as he sank back into the trees.
Sloane: Just got back to the hotel. Going to have a quick shower. I’ll call in twenty.
With a grin on my face, I jogged back down to the house.
Chapter Ten
Sloane
My laptop was balanced on my knees as I tried to type up my notes. The weaving roads of Montana made it difficult, but I wanted to get the information out while it was still fresh in my mind. I had the opportunity to speak to a couple of friends of BT and Danny, who were members of North Rock. Frank had mentioned a possibility of a leak somewhere and asked me to dig a little deeper into their lives. Though the military knew almost everything, only friends really knew the little hidden secrets of your life, things that could make someone flip. I didn’t want to believe it, but it wasn’t my job to pick sides. My job was to dig.
“I’m sorry you weren’t able to find anything to help Blackstone, Sloane.” Dell glanced at me in the rearview mirror. I had chosen to ride in the back so I could spread my papers out around me.
“Sometimes what we can’t see right away can lead to something later.”
“Can I ask you something? Off the record.”
“Sure,” I answered without looking up.
“North Rock has collaborated with Blackstone for the past twenty years. I heard your last case you worked with members of the mob, so you know evil when you see it. In your gut, do you believe one of North Rock could have flipped?”
I removed my glasses and thought about my answer. “Humans are capable of pretty much anything. Given the right amount of money and the right incentive, anyone can flip. However, in this particular case and in my gut, no, I don’t believe a member has flipped.”
His shoulders loosened, and his grip on the wheel relaxed. Dell was younger and wore his heart on his sleeve. I really admired him for wanting to see the good in his friends.
I unpacked and got dressed and saw a missed text from Savannah explaining we were having company tonight and to dress accordingly. With the mystery guest on my mind, I chose a simple, black blouse and a pair of dark jeans, and then chose a pop of color in my heels, silver to match
my earrings and bracelet.
I should have caught the mood in the house. The lightness that usually hung in the air was replaced with stiff postures and stiff drinks. Mark immediately handed me a martini and nodded across the room. I thought my stomach was going to bottom out when his blue eyes latched on to mine.
“There she is,” he boomed across the room with a proud smile.
“You know the devir-al?” Mark whispered in shock. “You know who that is, right? That’s General Csaba.”
“You could say that.” I took a step forward. “Hello, Father.” I greeted him with a kiss on the cheek. I could swear the air was sucked out of the room in one fell swoop.
“Damn,” Mark hissed behind me, “now we know how Mike felt when he figured out who Catalina was.”
“Marcus!” Abigail scolded. “Mind your manners.”
“What are you doing here, Dad?”
“Frank invited me to visit, and I felt it was about time I came to see how you were doing out here in the wilderness.” He eyed my shoes.
“Ah, let’s all go to the table. Dinner is ready.” Abigail hastily waved her arms toward the dining room.
I took a gulp of my martini on the way to the table and graciously accepted a glass of red wine from Frank.
He leaned into me and whispered, “It’s all good, kid. You got this.”
John arrived late and took the seat next to me. He didn’t miss a beat with his hand on my leg to greet me with a private hello. He eyed the table, picking up the vibe, and glanced at me with a questioning look.
“Hey, John,” Mark smirked, “I would like you to meet Sloane’s father, General Csaba.”
To my surprise, John spoke confidently. “Welcome to Shadows, General.” He didn’t seem to be fazed like the others.
“Agent Black, I’ve heard of your recent mission. Well done, son.”
“Actually, it was Sloane who planted the seed of doubt in the mission for me, so really the praise should go to her.”
My hand froze as I reached for my wine. I was so used to Grant taking all the glory, even when it wasn’t deserved, I wasn’t used to someone putting the limelight on me.
“Well, that’s very nice to hear.” He raised his glass to me.
The conversation slowly picked up, and I glanced at John and mouthed “thank you.” He returned a smile and put his hand over mine. Mark stopped talking and homed in on what he just did. John was normally very private, so this was new.
“Sloane.” My father’s tone changed and caught my attention, and I noticed his eyes on John’s hand too. “Grant has called a few times and is worried about you. I think we can both agree he deserves a phone call.”
“I have spoken to Grant, and we both know where we stand. Thank you, Father.” My tone was not lost on him or the table.
“Very well.”
Abigail and Savannah started to discuss decorating the house for Thanksgiving and what supplies they would need. Mark chimed in a few times with menu suggestions, and Keith made sure cookies were on the list. I appreciated their diversion and swallowed down a few more gulps of my dry red, thanks to June, who just topped up my glass. John removed his hand after a few beats while I glanced out the window and saw Liam and Ethan playing laser tag and wished it was me out there.
“Today’s pain is tomorrow’s strength.” John’s words broke into my thoughts and brought me back mid-conversation. “Those were the words, sir,” he addressed my father, “that you said to me at a time I really needed to hear it.”
I looked from John to my father, who had placed his fork on the table and leaned back in his chair. He studied John’s face intently. I was unsure what this was all about.
“I remember that, son.”
“I always wanted to thank you, but I wasn’t sure how.”
“No need for thanks. That’s what the Army is for, family, one blood.”
Mark, through a mouthful of food, shook his head. “I’m so lost right now.” Laughter followed as dessert was served.
Abigail’s earth-shattering squeal from the kitchen made Mark jump up and slap a hand over his mouth. He looked guilty as hell.
“You didn’t.” John pointed his fork at him.
“It wasn’t meant for her!”
“Marcus!” she shouted.
My father glanced around the table, just as confused as I was.
“It was for Savannah,” Mark appealed. He was red in the face from holding back his laughter.
“You promised that thing would never enter this house,” Savannah hissed.
“It was Mike!” Mark was already in tears of laughter when Savannah turned to face my father.
“Forgive my family, General.” She swatted Mark with her napkin. “We sometimes forget our manners.”
“It’s quite all right, dear, but I must say I’m curious as to just what is going on.”
“It’s a Dusk tradition.” Dell spoke up. “Cole’s daughter got a Furby for a gift one year, and it was supposedly left at Dusk. It speaks whenever its motion sensor is tripped.”
“You can imagine the fun we have.” Mark was still trying to get hold of himself.
My father laughed, and I cringed at the fury little monster in Abby’s hand.
“I’m tossing it out!”
“Over my dead body.” Mark jumped up and chased her into the kitchen while the table all burst into laughter.
“This is what I get for living with a bunch of boys.” Savannah sighed playfully.
Once again, the house managed to make me smile even when I was completely out of my comfort zone.
I stood in the living room by the fire, feeling a little lost, when my father came up to me and put a warm arm around my shoulders.
“I missed you, sweetheart.”
“I missed you too, Dad.” I really did. My father and I had always been close, just as my brother and mother were close. As a family, we were all very tight growing up. I knew my brother’s move was weighing on all of us.
“You seem happy here.”
“I am.” I glanced at John across the room.
“He’s a good man.” He nodded to where I was looking. “Great soldier and well respected within his team. That says a lot to me. I know you had your problems with Grant, but I thought he was a good fit for you. I just want you to be happy.”
“I think I am, now. I know this lifestyle may not be easy, but it’s not like I’m not used to it, Dad. I did grow up in it.”
“God, I raised you well, didn’t I?” He beamed proudly. “I had a little help from your mother, of course.” He chuckled as he glanced at his watch. “All right, I can report back to your mother you are well, so my job here is done. I will let Grant know to back off and that you’ve moved on.”
“I would appreciate that, thanks. Maybe he’ll finally back off if you say something.”
“Of course.” He nodded. “I fly out in a few hours, and I have a few things to wrap up, so this is my goodbye.” He kissed me on top of the head. “I love you, sweetheart.”
I noticed the team seemed to be in deep conversation at the table, and the girls were still planning events, so I slipped out and headed toward my cabin with Tripper on my heels. I peeled off my clothes and stepped into the warm spray of the shower, trying to let my mind accept that the General devir-al, as Mark called him, was just here and apparently had a connection with John. Funny how one of my concerns was put to rest so easily. I knew my father had a reputation of being a very difficult man to work with and had very little patience for those who annoyed him. As I towel-dried my hair, I skipped my clothes and went straight for a plushy bathrobe, then picked up my favorite book, went downstairs, and snuggled down by the fire to read. It wasn’t long before my eyes grew heavy.
Something warm pulled me from the dream I was having. It faded away and then returned with a vengeance; the force of it made me gasp. I struggled to pull myself from sleep.
“Ohhh,” escaped from my throat as the heat became more intense. My insides clenche
d, and my stomach coiled like a snake.
John reached inside my mind, his blond hair messy, his eyes hungry, and his muscles taut as he thrust inside of me.
I reached for my nipple, and I gently rolled it between the pads of my thumb and finger. A wild storm brewed inside my chest and stomach and created a feverish heat that warmed my blood as I sucked air into my starved lungs.
“Open your eyes, Sloane.” John’s cool breath brushed over my neck, but I was too far gone to care if this was real or just one hell of a fantasy.
My legs were spread open, and velvet nudged at my opening.
Yes! Oh, my God, yes!
“Open your eyes,” he whispered again, and I cried out, needing release. I wouldn’t risk the dream. I wouldn’t risk waking up to find myself alone. I was too pent-up. No, I’m so close.
A deep growl vibrated against my chest from his, and just as my eyes fluttered open, he plunged inward. His neck muscles ticked as he waited for my walls to adjust to him.
“Are you always so hard to wake up?” He strained to speak.
“I didn’t want to risk it.” I tried to think as he moved from side to side to get a little deeper. “It was so good, too good to wake up and find out it might be just a dream.”
He hauled me up so he could sit, and I straddled his lap. My breast brushed by his lips, so he stuck his tongue out and flicked my nipple.
“Do women often have dirty dreams?” He gently used his teeth to nibble the sensitive skin.
“Only when given a reason to.” I tipped my head back and bowed my spine when his hands came around me and a finger dragged down the center of my back slowly.
“Did I not give you enough the last time?” he whispered in amusement.
“That’s the problem.” I nearly wilted at his touch. His erection was warm and wet against my leg. “It’s all I can think about.”
His hand landed on my hip, and the other moved around my front between my breasts.
“Well, I guess that makes two of us.” He looked up at me with such a hungry, content look on his face it nearly made me come right on his lap. “I think,” his eyes dragged down my front, “this is my most favorite spot.” His hand swiped down to my stomach, and his thumb circled my sensitive nub.