“Rosa’s been discharged,” Jonah said. “Told me to tell you she’ll meet you guys there. Dale’s anxious to speak with her.”
Curiosity sparked, the idea of Rosa reuniting with Dale after so many years apart. Dale had kept in touch with Hendrick, and it was through their friendship Rosa was still somewhat informed of Tami’s progress with testing and unethical experimentation. But…would she be mad at the billionaire? Annoyed with him, perhaps, for feeding Hendrick with the intel and indirectly resulting in his death?
Within another half-hour, Luke was discharged, seeming to supremely piss off the nurse who was trying to read through his home recovery details line by line. The woman must be new to the job, because he surely wouldn’t be her only patient hellbent on getting out of there.
Once we arrived at a hotel outside the hub of LA, Jonah led us to a suite where we found Dale speaking with Rosa on the couch. Tramer lounged on a chair opposite of Fox. At the end of the half-circle of plush furniture another man rested. Hands behind his head, legs sprawled out and crossed at his ankles, he seemed completely at ease. Calm.
Funny. I wouldn’t think calm suited Xol mutants with their skewered hormones and unreliable moods. It was the tall, tan-skinned Xol who’d arrived at Tami’s lab, one of the men Tramer had introduced as a former hostage from overseas. Seeing him without the mask was deceiving because he almost looked…human.
He is human. I held back a frown at my judgment. He was a human. And now he’s…something more. Whether he could be trusted remained to be seen, but if these people gathered in this room could take faith in his loyalty, I’d try to as well.
“There she is.” Rosa gestured to me and started to stand.
“No, no. Sit,” Luke said. He headed toward them, using his crutches with ease, and claimed a seat next to Dale. I perched on the armrest of the couch, not caring if it made me seem clingy to Luke.
I crossed my arms and sighed. “So who’s going to tell me what’s been going on?”
Dale laughed once and shook his head.
“Girlie, you have scared about thirty years off my damn life.”
I grinned at Zero’s voice. Facing the phone lying screen-up on the coffee table, I replied, “Z, you have no idea how much I miss you.” How long had it been since I’d hung out in his apartment, or brought him his favorite macchiato from Starbucks, or caught snippets of jazz down the hall?
Too long.
“Miss? I’ve been with you throughout this whole fiasco.”
And without him, I had no clue where I’d be.
“Thanks, Z, for—”
He tutted. “Not yet. Not yet. We’ve only just started.”
Between Zero and Dale, I learned that those two were taking whistleblower to an entirely new epic level. That would explain the news choppers hovering over Tami’s facility that fast, and the mob of press flooding the hotel lobby.
Dale had been on the phone nonstop, pulling in favors and even bribing his associates. From a couple of congressmen, to foreign ambassadors, to various pharmaceutical corporations, he’d been in touch with numerous people who helped to spread the word of the top-secret agenda Tami had worked on since she’d faked her death. The science and medical fields were lit with the scandalous news.
Zero had the task of sharing proof of Project Xol’s corruption. It was a trail as long as it was layered. Dismantling Project Xol wouldn’t happen in one night, but I had no doubt Zero would ferret out every single crime and wrongdoing they’d committed in their attempt of creating a new subspecies of regenerative humans.
I’d shared my side of the story as well, explaining what happened since I woke up in the plane. Rosa collaborated details with me, and when I’d discussed Tami’s specific speech about wanting to use my eggs, Rosa lashed out in Spanish profanity.
Tramer filled us in on his part in the rescue as well. He’d killed the Xol who’d taken the vial—which was smashed in the jungles of Mexico. How he’d ended the freak’s life… Well, some things were too gory to willingly listen to. Hearing that the remaining vial was gone was the last nail of victory. No more readily accessible sources of that coveted beta DNA. The axolotls remained in their native habitat, and I supposed as long as they lived, the threat would remain to those who knew of their research possibilities.
As soon as Tramer saw to the destruction of that vial, he’d called Fox for transport, and by that time, they’d learned of a request for a delicate hostage rescue—me, in Tami’s lab. It was a perfect overlap that Dale had spoken with his acquaintances, the right ones, it seemed, because Fox was tasked with rounding up a team of elite retired soldiers ready to fight at a moment’s notice.
Our “meeting” lasted well past the night and into the morning. Only once we were all up-to-date with everyone’s role of the night, we agreed to part ways. In a matter of hours, Dale was scheduled for a press conference, with Rosa at his side. As a remaining member of the original Xol research team, she was a source of many answers and her predictions would be trusted. Tramer and Fox needed to debrief with superiors, and many of the people behind the scenes of blowing up Project Xol would be meeting with all of us respectively. For the short term, Jonah, Luke, and I were spared having to give our statements to the stratified demands from various government branches. After we settled some, we’d be expected to share our stories to further the widespread investigation into Project Xol.
“I have to head back,” Jonah said. “I mean, not today.” He yawned, standing from his seat. I’d slumped down to wedge next to Luke, comfily trapped between his hard, hot body and the plush softness of the couch armrest. “My front desk guy said reporters are already showing up at the gym.”
Our names had been slipped in the news of our involvement in the mass arrest at the Xol lab. In result, the brothers’ last name garnered some unexpected PR for Jonah’s gym. Ripples of after-effects of the Project Xol frenzy would likely last for a while.
The rest of the people in the room bade their goodbyes, needing sleep. Rosa was given the room next to the suite. Tramer and Fox, along with the “good” Xol, went to the floor below us for hastily-prepared vacant rooms. At least the hotel was more than accommodating with us camping out here for the night—day. Whatever. I’d lost track of the time, but my body was insisting on sleep. Seated next to Luke had calmed me enough that I was sure I could sleep.
“You guys sticking around here for long?” Jonah asked.
I shrugged. I had no clue what was coming next, and as long as Luke was with me, I didn’t care much what happened.
“Maybe for a day. I don’t want to fly too soon with my leg like this,” Luke admitted. He shifted and I cringed at his hiss of pain.
I patted his good thigh. “Come on.” I pushed to stand. “Jonah? Do you think he can get up?” I held out Luke’s crutches and looked at Jonah expectantly, waiting for him to crouch over and help his brother stand.
“Pretty sure you’re better at answering that than me.”
Luke groaned and pretended to kick out at him with his uninjured leg.
I shook my head, smiling at his lameness.
“And here I thought you weren’t some young punk anymore,” Luke said.
Jonah chuckled, helping Luke stand. “Come on. She walked right into that one.”
Luke rolled his eyes, accepting his crutches. “Good night,” he said as he followed me out the main room of the suite. Halfway across the baby-soft, high-ply carpet, I paused in the short walk to the room Dale had said we could have. I turned around and returned to Jonah.
“Even if you can be too much sometimes,” I said and reached on my tiptoes to press a kiss to his cheek, “thank you. For helping us.”
One side of his lips tipped up in a smile and he patted my back. “You take care of him, all right?”
I nodded and went back to Luke.
“Remember you’re on light duty restrictions, man.”
Luke shook his head again at his brother’s words. I grinned, enjoying this banter betwee
n the siblings.
We were silent in the room. Unlike the last time we’d had a chance to be alone with each other, this setting was nice. I didn’t care if the room was fancier and elegant compared to the place in Xochimilco. It had a bed, I had my man, and we needed to sleep.
We didn’t waste energy on words. Maybe because we were spent on sharing our stories of what had happened in the time we’d been apart, or because we were beat—physically and mentally. As we moved in sync, anticipating what the other needed, I realized we were just that tuned in to each other. Grounded in each other’s presence and tender touch, we took our time undressing and stepping into the spacious stall with double showerheads. In any other circumstances, I would have taken the moment to appreciate and ooh and ahh at such a posh spa-like room.
With Luke’s injury, and our fatigue, we simply cleaned up. Every touch of his taut skin and rock-hard muscles was like a gentle reacquaintance of him, promising me in the bare flesh that he was here. With me.
Forever.
I swallowed hard as he hugged me tight to him, his slick skin sealing our bodies together. He sighed, and I feared he’d topple over asleep right then and there, if not for the erection prodding at me to prove he was very much alert in one obvious way.
“I love you,” he said on another long exhale. “I love you, Cassidy.”
My heart thudded faster. For the first time in too long, I was revved up not by fear or adrenaline, but at the thrill he matched my feelings.
I had no reason to worry that he wouldn’t be able or willing to have something more than a month of being on the run.
Love.
He was in this as deep as I was.
I craned my neck, bringing my face to his. Our long kiss was slow and tender, a perfect preview of what I wanted with him. Him, and every facet of him that was both gentle and rough.
“I love you, too,” I whispered against his lips.
He rocked his hips against me. “So now what? You’ll have to teach me how this works.”
“Oh?” I kissed his neck and he growled, gripping my ass. The man needed no help in that department.
“I’ve never had a girlfriend before.”
I hummed, spreading more kisses down to his shoulder. I’d be more than happy to be his first. And only.
“Now what?” I answered his question with an echo.
For once, we were free to do whatever we’d want. No more letters pleading for my help. No more requests for retrieving things long-since buried. Nothing but each other.
“Besides abiding by your light-duty restrictions?” I ground against him, hitching my breath at the friction between us.
“Nothing is ever going to hold me back from you.”
I couldn’t reply until he was satisfied he’d stolen my breath with a kiss even headier and more urgent than the previous one.
“Now…” I leaned back and gazed into his intense stare. The depth of love I felt in his embrace, under his scrutiny…it consumed me. I could only answer honestly. “Now we love each other.”
He grinned a mischievous smile, the hard angles of his face softened under the water streaming down. With a slow nod, he leaned down to whisper, “Forever.”
Epilogue
Cassidy
One year later…
“Luke.” I gasped his name as he hitched my skirt up. My back slammed against the edge of a bookcase and I winced before grinning. Pleasure and pain…he always made sure it was the former he gave me in the end.
“Uh-huh,” he whispered at my neck. He sucked hard at my skin and I closed my eyes, gripping his hair. “I’m right here.”
“That’s the problem.”
I felt his smile against my collarbone. He hoisted me higher against the bookcase in the back corner of the bookstore. The move caged me to him and freed his hand.
My panties weren’t any defense against his fingers as he teased my already wet entrance.
“Problem?” he taunted. With his teeth, he yanked my shirt open more. “It doesn’t feel like there’s any problem here.”
I gritted my teeth, falling into need for him despite my better logic.
“You can’t just storm in here and…and…”
He covered my nipple with his mouth, laving the peak through my bra.
“Oh, my God…” I clutched his head to me, arching into his wicked intentions.
“I sure as hell can come in here and love on my wife. Whenever I damn well want to.”
I whimpered as he thrust his fingers into me, circling his thumb at my clit.
This wasn’t the fast, frantic rush through foreplay we normally found time for. He was dragging out his caress, slowly stoking and blowing more fuel into the fire of desire.
Which, damn, I missed the luxury of making love with my husband like there was no tomorrow. But—
“I’m at work.” I panted as he shifted. His zipper seemed deafeningly loud in the small indie bookstore I’d started working at after I’d moved to Cincy with Luke months ago.
“And seeing as you’re the manager, I’ve got all the permission I need here.”
Unlike the way he needed the say-so for sexy time at home.
“Anyone could come see—”
He silenced me with a kiss as he drove deep into me. I keened into his mouth, wishing I could be quiet. Just once, to keep the volume down. His tongue dueled with mine as he slammed into me again. Faster and faster.
We broke for air and our ragged breaths only turned me on more.
No matter how fast or slow we could take it, my man never failed to drive me crazy. I’d never admit it to him, but yeah, going at it hard and fast in this hidden nook was filthy and unexpected, and I loved it.
We came together in a flash of drugging perfection. Sated, I relaxed in his arms. He pushed me against the bookcase some more as he caught his breath, his hot exhales whipping at the cooling wetness he’d left on my bra. As he came down from his orgasm, he leaned into me even more, as though he couldn’t stand. My legs were shaky too, wrapped around his hips, but I hugged him to me, letting him recover. He heaved out a deep breath and the motion shifted my back toward the books behind me. One hardback fell down and he jerked his face up at the loud noise.
I stared at him, widening my eyes. I clamped my lips into the sternest mock-scowl I could manage. His eyes burned with laughter and he chuckled once. “Don’t blame me.”
“Oh. Right. Because I wasn’t back here minding my own business, doing my job…”
He released me, kissing me gently until I was on my own two feet again.
“No, you can’t.” He tucked himself back into his pants and helped me adjust my clothes. “Blame those angels sleeping in your office.”
I knocked my head side to side, granting him that point.
Elle and Hendrick were sweet angels when they slept. If only the twins could sleep at night. Or at any other predictable hour of the day.
No one said having babies would be a breeze.
“Mrs. Phelan is watching them today?” he asked.
I’d only just returned to work. The three months I’d given myself as maternity leave held many precious moments I’d treasure forever. But I’d been ready to ease into working a day or two for sanity. Mrs. Phelan had closed her bookstore in Ann Arbor and moved here to be my assistant. So besotted with the twins, she offered to watch them in the nursery area I’d set up in the office. It was the perfect arrangement, because as much as I wanted some me-time to work, I’d hated the idea of not being by my babies. Jonah and Luke made quick work of renovating the office for my needs.
Luke couldn’t blame our twins for all the obstacles to our sex life—which was damned fine, if you asked me. The brothers had been busy over the last year. Dixon Gym’s business exploded, and Jonah just opened a new branch in another town. Their reno work of flipping houses was still their side gig, and it was a miracle Luke and I had been able to compromise our lives as a couple.
We had a small marriage ceremony a month a
fter we’d destroyed Tami’s goal of starting a new generation of regenerative Xol mutants. Rosa, Tramer, Dale, and Jonah were the only guests, with Zero officiating. One month after that, we’d learned that we had babies on the way.
Elena Dixon was the easy one, but delivering our little boy was a pain like no other.
So if we’re going to keep this up…we need to think about spacing out kids.
Elena Casal hadn’t lived to meet our gorgeous little girl.
In the series of information we gained after that fateful night outside LA, we learned that she’d died. Even though Tami had given her Last Time, to prevent her from death, the initial stab wound to her heart was too hard to repair. Every time the regeneration process tried to override the injury, scar tissue prevented a full regeneration. When we’d heard of her demise, I’d been thankful she wasn’t stuck in an agonizing limbo of a body both failing and regenerating over and over.
“Is Rosa still coming in to visit tonight?” he asked me as we walked to the office.
“Yeah. Dale too.”
While my mother wasn’t showing any sign of romantic intimacy with the CEO who had since restarted Project Xol, she was certainly rebuilding a friendship with the man.
In the year since Project Xol had been exposed to the world, Rosa and Dale relaunched the science—carefully and cautiously. The pipedream of a cure for cancer was too big to ever ignore, but this time, there were multiple levels of ethical checks and balances to prevent anyone like Tami to ruin the hope again. Last we’d heard, they were almost done inventorying the DNA of all the axolotl subspecies in the Xochimilco Lakes. There was sure to be a years’ wait for a testable cure again, but it was a step in the right direction.
I slept at night knowing Tami, Michael, Jolene, and others behind the Project were behind bars. It took unique and extreme measures to truly keep them locked up, but I had to have faith they were never leaving their specially made prisons. Many charges were pressed against the people behind Project Xol. All over the world, men and women were brought to light as perpetrators of the unethical torture and handling of Xol patients. It seemed that each time someone was busted, it shed light on another scandal—a true network of corruption and evil that would require diligence and time to erase from the earth.
Given: Project Xol Page 10
