Play With Me

by Patricia Logan

  “Baby…,” Kane groaned as he pulled away. He fucked into him, brushing that spot that always lit up Luca’s nerve endings and sent him reeling.

  “Oh God, Kane, again!” he gasped. “Right there.”

  Kane repeated the slide, brushing over his prostate. Luca cried out and reached down, wrapping his fist around his cock as he began to come.

  “That’s right, baby. Get yourself off. I’m so close,” Kane said, speeding his thrusts.

  Luca gasped again, losing himself in the climax that slammed into him. Kane groaned behind him and from the way his body jerked and the way his cock swelled inside him, he knew he was also lost to his own pleasure. Spunk shot out of his dick, painting the bed covers with puddles of white. Kane stopped thrusting and held Luca tightly to him as he finished inside his body. When the shudders finally stopped wracking him, Luca sighed, relaxing his body as Kane finally released his hips. He knew there would be marks on him in the morning and all he could feel was deeply pleased by that fact.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Shortly before noon the next day, Kane and Kelly were sitting at their desks going over the information Cassidy and Mike had dropped off after their conversation with the Boston PD. Carlow had been on their radar for quite some time but he had always been considered a low-level thug with the Irish mob. Unfortunately, the Boston PD had nothing that could help tie him into any bombings in Boston. He was around the area at the time, but that was really about all they had on him. His record was remarkably clean as a matter of fact. That meant that whatever criminal activities he was involved in weren’t going to show up on paper. He was really good at hiding his activities.

  Marshal Brady had also sent over the file on Freddy Lombardi. Kane had been anxious to look over the information and learn something more about why he’d gone into WITSEC and perhaps expose who would have targeted him. Unfortunately, after reading the file, he wasn’t convinced that his enrolment in the program had anything to do with why Carlow and Ruiz would want him dead. He’d testified in a Texas court case at the age of sixteen after seeing his father—a drug addict—gunned down by a known drug dealer with cartel ties. His whole family had been moved to Los Angeles and his name had been changed to Freddy Lombardi from Gabriel Mason. His surviving mother and sister had already been relocated by WITSEC.

  They’d just decided to go out to grab some lunch when Lincoln Snow and his partner Mac McCallahan walked in. They were accompanied by a third man. Kane stood up when he saw them and smiled, reaching out to shake their hands.

  “Hey, guys,” Kane said.

  “Kane Delancey, meet Casey Watterson. He’s one of our profilers and a really good friend,” Snow said.

  Kane reached out and shook Casey’s hand. “It’s nice to meet you. This is my partner, Kelly Murphy.”

  Casey leaned over and took Kelly’s hand. He grinned widely at her, holding on to her hand possibly longer than he should have. Kelly was a beautiful woman with startling red hair that fell in ringlets when it wasn’t pulled back in a ponytail. She was shapely and had the kind of peaches and cream skin that had always attracted Kane… that was until he met Luca. Casey wasn’t particularly tall. In fact, he looked like a dwarf when standing beside Mac McCallahan who was at least six foot seven. Watterson had brown hair and brown eyes but there was something in his eyes that projected confidence and intelligence. Funny, Kane had never checked out other men before meeting Luca. His life was changing in ways he’d never expected.

  “Why don’t we go into the lieutenant’s office,” Kelly said, staring into Casey’s eyes. There was definitely a spark of interest there, Kane noted.

  “After you,” Casey said, flashing her a brilliant smile.

  Kelly grinned back and Kane was almost sure he saw her bat her eyelashes at him. What the hell? They walked into the lieutenant’s office and pulled up chairs.

  “So, I had a chance to look at the files for Mr. Carlow and Mr. Ruiz as Special Agent Snow asked,” Casey began, pulling out notes. “Of the two, the profile of a bomber doesn’t fit Mr. Ruiz.”

  “That’s what we thought too,” Kelly said.

  “Right. So, are you aware of how the FBI categorizes the profile of bombers?”

  “I am but then again I have a background with the ATF,” Kane said.

  “Okay, so then you know this bomber is not a group cause bomber. The bomb wasn’t set in order to protest anything or send a message. Also, I don’t believe he’s a personal cause bomber, though I looked at both of those scenarios carefully due to the fact that the bomb was set off in a gay bar. After going out to the scene yesterday,” Casey said, “I’m not convinced that he decided to blow up the bar because of any prejudice directed toward the patrons or employees of the bar.”

  “Because there was a murder immediately before the bombing?” Kelly asked.

  Casey smiled at her. “That and the fact that he didn’t take credit for the bombing. Personal cause bombers always take credit for why they bomb. A lot of the time, they write long manifestos explaining why they set off the bomb. They are compelled to let everyone know why they picked a specific target.”

  “Well, we checked with Stephen Auerbach, the owner of Marty’s and he swears he was never contacted by the bomber. At our request, we asked him to check his mail, phone, and email,” Kane said. “Nothing.”

  “Exactly,” Casey said. “So, we can safely rule out a personal cause bomber. I also don’t believe he’s a psychologically disorganized bomber. What he did was precise. The bombs had the signature of other bombs which were set off in Boston down to the last ball bearing, nail, and needle. One of your suspects, Mr. Carlow, has ties to the Irish mob out of Boston. This all leaves us with a simple criminal bomb set off to cover the murder of Mr. Lombardi.”

  “We came to the same conclusion,” Kane said, sounding slightly irritated. He really wished that Casey had come armed with something other than what they already knew. “So, what can you tell us that we don’t know?”

  Kelly shot him a dirty look. “Let him finish, Delancey.”

  “It’s okay, Kelly. I’d like to add that as profilers, we look at five elements. First, we compare the bombing to other bombings, then we go out to the crime scene, then we look at victimology to see if there was anyone else in the bar who might have been the target by looking into their backgrounds and activities for a possible motive and connection. In this case, everyone else who died or was injured in the bar had relatively clean criminal backgrounds with minor exceptions. I couldn’t find a better motive than the one we already know of—the connection between Mr. Lombardi and Slade Ruiz. That’s the fourth element.”

  “And the final element?” Kelly asked.

  “I developed a description of the offender to be compared with previous cases but you already have the best suspects in my opinion, Mr. Carlow and Mr. Ruiz. My team is still working to conduct a psychological autopsy of your two suspects but I’ve been at this a while and I can tell you, I’m quite certain Mr. Carlow is your bomber. Mr. Ruiz may have pulled the trigger that killed Lombardi, but Carlow is your bomber. He went into the bar prepared with two bombs, determined to cover up the murder with no regard to who else he hurt or killed. There’s also this.”

  Watterson reached down and unzipped the laptop case he’d brought with him, pulling out his computer and setting it on the lieutenant’s desk where everyone could see it. He cued up a file and Kane recognized security camera footage from outside of Marty’s right before the bomb went off.

  “This is from the camera at 24 Hour Fitness, next door to the bar.” He pushed the button and it began to play. Since Kane hadn’t seen this footage, he watched closely. When Carlow walked out of the bar, Casey stopped the tape. “Watch his face when he turns fully toward the camera.” He zoomed in on Carlow’s face and then resumed the tape in slow motion. Carlow turned toward the camera and then his lips thinned. “There. Note his micro expressions. The way his lips thin and the way he has tiny frown lines appear in his forehea
d. Those micro expressions tell me that he was displeased with something.” He rewound the tape and played it two more times so they could all get a glimpse at Carlow’s expression.

  “What do those micro expressions mean?” Kelly asked.

  “Well, first of all, bombers are loners. They rarely if ever work with a partner so the fact that he was in a bar with Ruiz is a puzzle to me. Secondly, they are extreme narcissists who take great pride in their bombmaking skills. Since he had to share this moment with someone, he didn’t like it,” Casey said.

  “Maybe that’s why he did this in broad daylight,” Kane said, glancing around the room to look at the others. “If he set the bombs at night, it would have been harder to see him. I never could figure out why he allowed himself to be caught on security cameras.”

  “That makes sense,” Casey said. “Even though overtly taking credit for the bomb isn’t a compulsion with these kinds of bombers, his narcissism wouldn’t allow him to be completely ignored. Even though he knew it was possible that he would be tied to the crime, he deliberately used a bomb with the signature of other bombs in Boston and he showed his face to the camera to make sure we knew he was the creator of this masterpiece. He can’t help himself.”

  “Wow, this is interesting,” Kelly said.

  “Thank you for coming in and confirming what we suspected,” Kane said. “It’s good to know the two men aren’t exactly fond of working together also.”

  “It’s a need-based partnership in my opinion,” Casey said. “They had a goal and the goal has been met. The partnership will fracture. Unless they have another target where they are forced to work together, they won’t. These men aren’t friends. Carlow may even decide that Slade Ruiz is a liability to him and dispose of him as well.”

  Kane chuckled, looking at Snow and McCallahan. “We can only hope.”

  Lincoln grinned at him. “It would save us all a hell of a lot of work.” Lincoln reached for Casey’s hand. “Thanks, my friend. I know you left your team in Hawaii just to fly back and look at the bar.”

  “No problem, Lincoln. You know I’ll always be here when you need me.”

  The rest of them shook hands with Casey and Kane was quick to note how Kelly slipped up beside him as he walked out the door. The two of them were still talking when she walked him to the elevator, leaving Kane, Lincoln, and Mac standing in the bull pen looking at their backs as they slowly strolled away from them. Lincoln chuckled and Kane shot him a dirty look.

  “Looks like your partner likes Casey,” Lincoln said.

  Kane grimaced. “Yeah, I think so.”

  “You’re not interested?” Mac asked.

  Kane’s eyes widened. “In Watterson?”

  Lincoln burst out laughing. “No. In Kelly.”

  Kane felt himself flush. He wanted to tell him that he would have been interested in her but the man in his bed made him forget about everything and everyone. The only person in his fantasy life was a slender jeweler with the greatest ass he’d ever held in two hands and the softest lips he’d ever kissed. Instead of outing himself, he opted for a shake of his head.

  “I don’t date my partners,” he said with a shrug of his shoulders.

  “Uh-huh. Okay,” Lincoln said.

  Kane reached out and took the two men’s hands, shaking them again. “Thanks for bringing us the profile. It really helped, guys,” he said.

  “No problem,” Snow said. “You owe us lunch.”

  “Kelly and I were actually just about to grab lunch. You want to go now?” he asked, staring at his watch.

  Lincoln exchanged a glance with Mac who nodded. “Yeah, why not? Casey has to get back on a plane in an hour and a half but the two of us can go. My partner never turns down a meal.”

  Kane grinned at the massive ginger. “I’ll bet. Let’s go then.” Kane followed them all to the elevators where Kelly and Casey stood laughing at something private.

  ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

  “You have to come out with me tonight, Luca,” Corey whined into the phone.

  Luca rolled his eyes. He loved his best friend but these days all he really wanted to do was stay home and roll around in the sheets of his bed with his new boyfriend. He stopped and thought about that for a second. Was Kane his boyfriend? They’d spent every night in bed together since Kane had come back and apologized to him. He knew Kane probably couldn’t wrap his mind around the idea that he was a boyfriend but what other description could Luca give them? Were labels even important?

  “What’s going on tonight and where are you going?” he asked, turning to make sure that Sebastian had noticed the customer who’d just walked in. When he walked over to greet her in front of the diamond cases, Luca moved farther away with his phone to continue listening to Corey.

  “It’s Josh’s birthday. We were going to meet at Dance Hall Boys.”

  “Oh, man, Josh? I can’t stand that guy,” Luca moaned.

  “Why? Josh is so fun!” Corey protested.

  “Oh, yeah, right. I forgot you were busy playing tonsil hockey with that Carmine guy when Josh was giving me a blow by blow description of how great his stylist is at bleaching his asshole,” Luca said, shuddering. He remembered the conversation like it was yesterday because he’d spent the whole time trying not to gag as Josh went on and on about bleaching his pucker.

  Corey burst out laughing. “He didn’t!”

  “Swear to God, Corey. If I have to hear about his butt waxing or asshole bleaching one more time, I’m just going to vomit all over his feet. I mean how hairy can a guy’s ass be before it needs waxing? He’s not a fucking Wookie.” Corey roared in laughter as Luca continued. “Besides, I think Kane said something about going out for Indian food tonight.”

  “He hasn’t dumped you yet?” Corey said snidely, all trace of his previous humor gone.

  Luca rolled his eyes, glancing at the front door to make sure he hadn’t missed a customer. The only customer in the store was trying on watches at the ladies’ watch case with Sebastian. He sighed loud enough for Corey to hear and turned back around to continue his conversation with his best friend.

  “Listen, I know you hate him but for now at least, he’s going to be a part of my life. You need to meet him and spend some time with him. How about instead of you going to listen to Josh describe his most recent trip to the salon, you come out to eat with us?”

  “Even if I had an interest in being a third wheel on your date, I wouldn’t give that asshole the time of day.” He paused to add emphasis. “He’s gonna hurt you, babe. You are soft-hearted and the most amazing man in the world. You deserve a better man than Kane Delancey. Trust me, he may be a hot lay but one of these days he’s going to break your heart, Luca.”

  Luca didn’t know what to say. He feared the same thing at times but he could only try to believe in Kane. He was making an effort to be a good boyfriend and Luca could only try his best to trust him and believe the things he was saying. Besides, every time he thought about the lopsided ashtray, or the way he’d acted with Pimporn, or any of a hundred other things that Corey hadn’t seen, he knew he had to give Kane another chance.

  “I love him, Corey.”

  “Don’t. Don’t love him, Luca. He’s not good for you,” Corey said. “Anyway, I’m gonna hang up before I say something I’ll regret. Have a good night, babe.”

  “Night, Corey.” Luca hung up the phone, biting his lower lip. He knew he should at least consider what Corey said but he just couldn’t. Every time he was with Kane, he fell deeper down the rabbit hole. It was dangerous, but for Luca at least, it was way too late.

  ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

  Two hours later, Luca nearly fell through the front door of his apartment. He was exhausted but even though he missed the hell out of Corey, he was really glad he hadn’t taken him up on his offer of going to that idiot Josh’s birthday. He grinned as he shut and locked the front door, imagining the look on Kane’s face if he told him about his conversation with Jos
h. He was still grinning as he got into the shower to clean off before Kane got there with the Indian takeout he’d promised to pick up. He almost felt guilty that Kane had to make the drive back and forth from West LA to the Valley and then back to Luca’s place. At least when he’d been at the ATF, his office was in Glendale. A stop to feed the ferrets and pick up clean clothes before coming over to Luca’s would be easier once he went back to work at the ATF full-time. Luca knew Kane missed his old job but he’d explained that what he was doing to help out the US Marshals was very important.

  Fifteen minutes after he stepped out of the shower, the doorbell rang. He set aside his latest gay romance novel and stood up from the couch, padding over to the door in stockinged feet. Strangely enough, he never wore socks except with his work dress shoes and at home. When he was out at a club or bumming around on a day off, he didn’t wear them at all. Kane had told him it was sexy and that made him smile a whole lot. When he opened the door, Kane was standing there looking exceptionally handsome. He held two large brown paper bags and Luca could smell the food as he greeted Kane with a kiss then let him into the apartment.

  “Hey,” Kane said, smirking at him. “You smell good. I almost wish you’d waited to shower until I got here. I smell gamey from sitting at a desk all day.”

  Luca grinned, taking one of the bags of food and setting it on the dinner table. “You mean you wanted to shower with me?”

  Kane set down his bag and then slipped both arms around Luca, pressing into his back as he leaned in and kissed up the side of his neck to his ear. “That would have been nice,” he whispered.

  Luca shuddered. “Well, maybe after you mess me all up, we can do that.”

  Kane chuckled and then turned him in his arms, leaning down to kiss him soundly. Luca sighed and slid both arms around his neck, kissing Kane back. He melted against Kane’s stronger larger body, loving how it felt to be pressed against such a strong, virile man. Everything about the federal agent thrilled him. He hadn’t been lying when he’d told Corey that he was in love with Kane. He couldn’t help himself. Luca was the kind of man who never did anything by halves and his love life was no exception to that. He’d never been in love with anyone before but Kane Delancey was everything he wanted in a man. He felt safe with him and even though he knew he should guard his heart, he couldn’t. When Kane finally let go of him several minutes later, they were both hard.