Bedlam

by Susanna Strom

  “What did you do before the pandemic?” Sunny asked the woman.

  “Bounty hunter.”

  Sunny’s brows drew together. I bet Rachel was the first bounty hunter Sunny met. “Did you work here in Oregon?” she asked.

  “Nah. Bounty hunting is… well, was… illegal in Oregon. I was licensed in California. That’s where I met this guy.” She elbowed Marcus. “In Sacramento, about five weeks after the pandemic got started. He and a group of survivors from his base were heading north. We were all ambushed and pinned down at a roadblock on I-5. By the time it was over, I’d decided to stick with Havoc.”

  “Are you two—um—involved?” Sunny asked. I tossed her a sideways glance. I’d wondered the same thing myself. Marcus and Rachel seemed mighty comfortable together. Maybe fraternization rules had gone the way of uniforms. But who asks a question like that of perfect strangers? I bit back a smile. Sunny does.

  Rachel’s lip curled back. “Ew. No. Sleeping with Havoc would be like sleeping with my brother.” She shuddered.

  Sara looked down at her lap, but not before I spied a small smile on her face.

  Interesting.

  Marcus threw his hands in the air and shot me a See what I have to put up with look. I glanced around the room, my gaze moving from face to face. I’m not sure what I expected from Havoc’s resistance movement, but this wasn’t it. Of course, my knowledge of military operations came entirely from TV and the news. Did I expect a war room full of stiff, formal, grim-faced soldiers obsessed with protocol? Well, yeah.

  “How about you two?” Rachel pointed to Sara and Rocco. “You guys hooking up?”

  “No.” Sara glanced at Marcus. “Rocco and I are just friends.”

  “Can we talk about the plan to rescue Finn?” Sunny asked. “Sara, Rocco, and I were held prisoner in the Women’s Ward of the old penitentiary. Finn might be there. Or, I suppose, Mr. Allsop might keep him at the house. Or someplace entirely different.”

  “Assuming he’s still alive,” Sara said. “I watched Allsop’s men kill Gavin in cold blood. I hate to say it, but it’s possible that they’ve already executed Finn.”

  “Yeah, it’s possible,” Marcus said. “But it makes more sense to keep him alive. They’ll want to extract information from him about our operation here.”

  Sunny shivered and I wrapped an arm around her shoulders, drawing her close.

  “Kyle says you have a second spy in Boise who might know where he’s being held,” Sunny said.

  “I do,” Marcus said. “Allsop keeps a small security force with him at all times. No more than ten men. The bulk of his men are barracked in town, at what used to be a hotel. They have a support staff, recruited—well, recruited and commandeered—from the local survivors. People who do the cleaning, cooking, serving food. People who fade into the background. Georgia has been embedded with the support staff for the past two weeks. We’re hoping the men will talk in front of her, and she’ll pick up valuable intel about the organization.”

  “You don’t know if she’s heard anything about Finn?” Sunny frowned.

  “It’s been less than twenty-four hours since his capture,” Marcus reminded her. “Boise is too far away for radio communication. Message drop isn’t scheduled for another five days.”

  “So what’s the plan?” Sunny persisted. “When do we go in?”

  We? I jerked, whirling to face her. “We’re not going anywhere, Sunny. You’re staying put in Pendleton.”

  “What are you saying?” she sputtered, genuine confusion on her face. “Of course I’m going with you. We’ve been talking about it all day.”

  Huh? “We’ve been talking about me going, not you,” I said, totally bewildered.

  “Guess again.” She snorted. “I’m not staying behind while you ride to the rescue. Finn is my friend. I want to help. And I don’t want to be separated from you. Don’t you get that?”

  Sunny had no idea what she was suggesting. It wasn’t her fault. Once upon a time I’d been just as clueless, just as sheltered as she was. She’d never stood toe-to-toe with a man intent on killing her. She’d never pulled a trigger and ended a life. Thank God.

  “Sweetheart, you don’t know what you’re saying—” I started. Sunny’s brows shot up almost to her forehead.

  In the background, Rachel hooted. “Where’s the popcorn?” She mimed plucking kernels from an invisible bowl.

  I looked at Sunny, whose cheeks had flushed pink.

  “Sweetheart, you don’t know what you’re saying,” she repeated. “Are you trying to act like a patronizing dickhead?”

  Patronizing dickhead? Because I knew more than she did about the dangers of the real world? Because I wanted to keep her safe? My temper flared, but I swallowed back my angry retort. “Listen, Sunny.” I made a herculean effort to keep my tone reasonable. “I’m sure you have the best intentions in the world, but let’s get real. You don’t have the experience or the skill set to be helpful on a rescue mission.”

  My sensible words and rational tone didn’t help one bit, not from the expression on her face or the way she crossed her arms and glowered at me.

  “I’m gonna break in here,” Marcus said. “Sunny, tell me why you think you should come along on the mission.”

  “All right, I will. Thank you for asking.” She offered Marcus a small smile, then turned her back to me. “I’ve lived in Boise all my life, and I know every corner of the city. I’ve spent the past three months working for the Haven. I’ve been breaking into strangers’ houses looking for food and medicine. It’s true that I don’t know how to shoot, but I’d bring other skills to the mission. I’ve kept my cool in some dicey situations. I’m smart and levelheaded. I know where other scavengers live. People who would help us if we got into trouble.”

  Marcus scratched his jaw, apparently considering her words.

  “Tell me, how do you plan to reach out to Georgia if she works at the hotel?” Sunny continued. “I could walk in, pretending to be an old acquaintance of hers looking for a job. I could act all wide-eyed and innocent, nobody they’d suspect is a spy.”

  “This is crazy,” I burst out, throwing my hands in the air and turning to Marcus. “Brody Allsop wants her to have his babies, a new generation of little Allsops. You can’t send her to Boise and risk Brody getting his hands on her.”

  “My choice, Kyle,” Sunny said quietly. “In order to save Finn, I’m willing to take the risk.”

  “They’ll recognize you,” I said. “Elliot Allsop, Brody, Jonesy, the team from the house, they all know what you look like. Any one of them could ID you.”

  “We could color her hair or slap a blond wig on her,” Rachel said.

  “I’m serious,” I said, exasperation coloring my voice. “It’s too dangerous.”

  “That’s the thing about the new world,” Sara spoke up. “It is a dangerous place, but we’ll never get back what we lost without taking risks. The question isn’t whether sending Sunny back to Boise is dangerous. It is. The question is whether she can do the job.”

  “You think Sunny can do the job?” Marcus asked the doctor.

  “In the months I’ve known her, Sunny has never backed away from a commitment,” Sara said. “She shows up day after day and does the work. She keeps her word. She never complains. She’s created a network of people who care about her and would help her if she gets in trouble. Do I think she could keep her cool and get the job done? Yes, I do.”

  “Do you think the soldiers at the barracks would let their guard down around Sunny?” Marcus asked.

  “Sunny could charm anybody,” Rocco said. “She’s got mad people skills. I say use them.”

  Marcus glanced at Rachel. “That wig shop downtown, you think you could find something there that would alter Sunny’s looks enough that nobody would recognize her?”

  “From a distance, yes,” Rachel said. “Up close, probably not, unless they weren’t paying attention. But chances are none of Allsop’s personal team would come to the hotel
.”

  “Bring a few wigs here for her to try on tomorrow morning,” Marcus ordered.

  That was it? The man in charge gave his approval and Sunny was going? I sat back, at a loss for words. How could Sunny—how could any of them—be so damned blasé about the risks she’d face? Possessiveness roared through me.

  What would Ripper do?

  Shit. I already know the answer to that question. When Ripper infiltrated the Wilcox Brigade, Kenzie accompanied him on his undercover mission. Ripper hadn’t liked it. It went against all his protective instincts, but he’d gritted his teeth and brought her along. Because she could help him do his job. Because she refused to be separated from him again in an uncertain world.

  Marcus had agreed to take Sunny along on the rescue. Not only was I beat, I’d drive a wedge between Sunny and me if I continued to argue. I glanced at her. She sat perfectly still, her back stiff and her jaw tight, like she was bracing for a fight. I didn’t want to fight. If the rescue went awry, tonight might be our last night together.

  I laid a hand on her arm. She turned wary eyes toward me. “I’m sorry,” I said. “I let worry get the better of me, and I handled it badly.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “What are you saying?”

  “I won’t lie,” I said. “I’d much prefer that you stay safe in Pendleton, but I understand that it’s not my call. If I could spare you from danger, from experiencing the crap that I have, I would. But Sara’s right. The world’s a dangerous place, and we all have to do our part to make it better.”

  “I’ll be careful,” she said. “I don’t want to lose my chance at a life with you. And I need you to be careful, too.”

  “I will,” I promised. I wove my fingers through hers, stroking the center of her palm with my thumb. “We have an early start tomorrow. Let’s go back to our room.”

  She smiled, sunlight breaking through storm clouds. “Yeah, let’s.” Jumping to her feet, she tugged on my hand. “We’re going to bed,” she announced to the group. “Good night, everybody.”

  Rachel flashed a thumbs-up, and a chorus of good nights accompanied our exit from the room.

  “Be back here at eight,” Marcus called.

  “Will do,” I replied.

  Arms slung around each other’s waists, we dashed across the parking lot to the motel. Once inside our room, Sunny switched on the solar lantern sitting on the dresser. She unwound the scarf from around her neck and kicked off her shoes, then padded barefoot toward me, halting mere inches from my body.

  “Can I do whatever I like?” she asked with a smile that made my heart flip-flop. “Because I’ve been fantasizing all day about all the things I want to do to you.”

  She had?

  “Sure,” I croaked, my voice catching in my throat like a prepubescent teenager.

  Smooth, Chamberlain. Real smooth.

  “Thank you,” she said sweetly, her eyes shining. Rising up on her toes, she kissed me, her lips soft against mine. She gently bit my lower lip and sucked it into her mouth. The tip of her tongue brushed over mine, and I tasted chocolate and peanut butter. Moaning, Sunny swayed, splaying her fingers against my shoulders. She caught her balance, then slid her hands down my chest and scraped fingernails across my nipples.

  “Off,” she ordered, tugging at the hem of my tee. I peeled off my shirt and dropped it onto the floor. “Much better,” she breathed.

  She touched my chest once again, her face alight with wonder as she petted my pecs. If the hard-won muscles made Sunny smile, all the hours I’d spent in the gym during the past few years were definitely worthwhile. Her fingers trailed over my stomach, and my abs tightened. Her hand slid lower, cupping my denim-covered cock. Sunny sank to her knees, holding onto my hips as she pressed her mouth against my groin. She blew out a slow, warm breath, an exhalation that speared through the fabric and heated my cock.

  I closed my eyes against the sight of Sunny kneeling before me, her eyelids heavy with desire as she caressed the bulge with her cheek. I threaded the fingers of one hand through her hair. With the other, I gripped the edge of the table behind me. No way I’d let myself topple over like some overstimulated virgin.

  One by one, Sunny lifted my feet and pulled off my shoes. Her fingers slipped under the waistband of my jeans, then worked the buttons on my fly. She dragged my boxers and jeans down my hips, then paused. The cool air kissed my newly bared skin, then her lips bestowed a similar benediction. She caught the waistband again and tugged, pulling the jeans down to my ankles. Again, she lifted my feet one by one, then tossed the pants aside.

  Naked and sightless, I strained to hear the slightest sound. My skin tingled with anticipation. This voluntary blindness rendered me oddly vulnerable, with no idea when or where Sunny would touch me next.

  She ran her hand over the length of my cock, the touch tentative, uncertain. “I’ve been thinking about tasting you all day. May I?”

  My head bobbed enthusiastically, almost as if it had a life of its own.

  With a wide, flat tongue, she slowly licked the underside of my cock from base to tip. My eyes flew open, and I gaped at her upturned face.

  “Was that okay?” she asked.

  “Mm-hmm.” My voice was a rasp. “That was good.”

  With a happy wriggle, Sunny acquainted herself with my cock. She brushed her cheek over the shaft, inhaling deeply, before licking again. Her fingers circled the base as her tongue flicked back and forth on the underside. Rising up on her knees, she sucked the head into her mouth. Her tongue swirled around the tip, and she slid her hand up and down the shaft.

  I wallowed in pleasure for a good five minutes, savoring every stroke of her tongue, every glide of her fingers over slippery skin, every sound she made as she sucked and licked and hummed.

  “Hey.” I touched her face. She lifted bleary eyes to mine. “I want to finish inside of you, unless you’re too sore after yesterday.”

  “I’ve been thinking about that all day, too,” she said, wiping her hand across her chin.

  I pulled her to her feet and shoved down her black yoga pants. Laughing, she kicked them across the room and peeled off her shirt. I’d planned ahead, hopeful lech that I am, and a condom was within easy reach on the nightstand. We climbed between the sheets and lay side by side, facing each other. Her racing pulse tapped against the thin skin at the base of her throat. A sheen of perspiration glistened on her chest and shoulders. Sunny sidled close to me and threw a leg across my hips.

  “Would you indulge me—” she began.

  “Yes.” I cut her query off.

  “But you don’t know what—”

  “Whatever it is, the answer is yes. I’ll indulge any fantasy you have.” With my thumb, I traced the outline of the most perfect, most kissable mouth ever.

  She laughed and rolled on top of me. Sitting up, she straddled my waist. “Careful, Chamberlain.” Her lips curved in a sly smile. “I’ve had years to fantasize about all the depraved things I want to do with you.” She tapped a finger to her lips, studying me through narrowed eyes. “You know,” she said slowly. “When I used to lie in bed at night, thinking about you—”

  “I already know I’m going to like this,” I interrupted.

  “Shhh.” She bent over and laid a finger across my lips. Her soft pink nipples grazed my chest, and I swear to God that electricity sparked across my skin from the contact. Shivering, I raised my hips. “Ohhhh, that’s nice,” Sunny moaned, gliding her wet sex up and down my hard and ready cock.

  I fought the urge to grab hold of her hips, to drive my cock deep inside her heated core. I’d promised. Her fantasy. Balling my hands into fists, I forced my protesting limbs to hold still.

  “You used to lie in your bed, thinking about me,” I prompted her to continue.

  “Yes.” With a wanton smile, Sunny rose up on her knees. She slipped a finger into her mouth. Her lips parted and her tongue swirled around the digit, wetting it. She dragged her fingertip across her full lower lip, down her throat and betw
een her breasts, pausing at her navel. She toyed with the gold-and-diamond piercing, then slid her flat palm down her belly. Her fingers parted slick, swollen folds. Closing her eyes, she arched her back, her perfect breasts jutting into the air.

  “What are you doing?” I choked out, my body rioting.

  “I’d touch myself.” Rocking gently back and forth, her finger sketching lazy circles around her clit, she gazed at me through slitted eyes. “I’d fantasize that you were watching me. I’d play with myself. For you.” Her lips parted, and she drew in air, then she exhaled slowly. “You’d watch my skin flush, hear my breath catch. You’d scent how turned on I was. You could almost taste it. Then I’d come. For you.”

  Jesus Christ, the woman was killing me.

  “Would I only watch?” My hips rose and fell as I mimicked her rocking motion.

  “No,” she breathed. “You’d touch my breasts.”

  That was all the permission I needed. I slid my palms up her thighs and over her ass before gliding across her ribs. I cupped her breasts. The soft mounds filled my hands as I gently squeezed, brushing my thumbs across the tips. No longer soft and smooth, her nipples had puckered into rigid peaks.

  “Like this?” I asked.

  “Yes,” she gasped. Her head fell back, and her chest rose and fell beneath my hands. “And then...”

  “Then… what?” I demanded, my voice hoarse.

  Her finger moved more quickly now, going round and round that supersensitive bundle of nerves. “Then you’d roll my nipples between your fingers.”

  I pinched her nipples between my thumbs and forefingers, twisting and elongating the taut nubs. She moaned, and a pretty pink blush spread across her cheeks and chest.

  “Come for me, Sunshine,” I ordered.

  As if on command, her body bucked and spasmed. She cried out, then slumped forward, collapsing over my chest. I stroked her back, from the curve of her ass to her shoulders.

  “I like your fantasies,” I murmured into her ear.

  She turned her head to meet my eyes, her expression sleepy and sated. “Baby, we’ve barely scratched the surface of my fantasies. There’s a lot more I want to do with you.”