by Kane, Janine
Danielle’s analytical brain tried to kick in again, but she reined it in and said, “Down the hall to the right.”
Gray didn’t need any more encouragement than that. He slipped his hands under her butt and pulled her up off the floor. She wrapped her legs around his waist, and they kissed again, almost losing their balance and falling to the floor. When they got to the bedroom, he put her back down on her feet and began undressing her, slowly. As he slipped off her blouse, he kissed her shoulders, down to the top of the tender curve of her breasts. Then, reaching around to find the clasp of her bra, he kissed her mouth again.
Danielle shrugged her bra the rest of the way off, causing Gray make a low moan that sounded like a growl deep in his throat. He bent down and took one of her breasts in his mouth, sucking on it, licking it, and tracing her nipple with his tongue before gently nibbling on it. When he’d finished with that one, he took the other between his lips. Danielle arched her back, willing him not to stop. His kisses were soft and sweet, but his nibbles were hot and sexy.
She reached down low while he was kissing her and unzipped the front of his jeans. Then she slipped her hands underneath his T-shirt and pulled it up as far as she could. He stopped what he was doing long enough to allow her to pull it up over his head. His mouth returned to pleasuring her nipples, and she traced the lines of his sculpted chest with her fingertips.
Eager for more, he pushed her back on the bed. When she was lying flat, he grabbed the top of her skirt and slid it down over her thighs and to her calves. He just stood there for a moment, staring at her. “God, Danielle,” he said, pulling the skirt the rest of the way off and tossing it to the floor.
He picked up one of her legs and began caressing it from her ankle to the top of her thigh, and back again. It felt so good, she could feel her panties start to soak. With her leg raised as it was, she imagined him plunging himself into her. It took all her will not to pull him forward to make that happen.
His hand lingered on her thigh, reaching higher, until his fingers gently brushed the edges of her labia, which was now so swollen, her panties couldn’t hold it in. He pulled her panties off, and then he took off the rest of his clothes as well, and he lay down next to her.
His body was hard, from his neck to his toes, but when she touched it, she felt like an artist who was molding hot clay. She ran her hand across his chest, stopping to allow her fingers to caress his nipples. Then she ran it down further to his abdomen, and when she got close to touching his hard cock that lay throbbing against her, he shivered. She traced her fingers around it for a bit before finally wrapping her hand around it.
She loved the way his shaft felt in her hand, and the fact that her hand could barely encircle it. It throbbed as if it had a mind of its own, and as she gently stroked it, Gray slid his hand down across her nipples and into her wetness. Her pussy was soaked now, and as his rough fingers found her swollen nub and began to rub it, she thought she might cum in his hand.
She scooted back on the bed, hoping he would follow. She wanted to feel him pulsing inside of her the way she felt him pulse in her hand. But instead of climbing on top of her, he lifted both her legs to his shoulders and lowered his lips to her pussy. He licked her swollen clit, teasing it, before plunging his tongue at last deep inside. Feeling a wave of ecstasy building inside of her, Danielle dug her fingernails into his shoulders, but he didn’t seem to mind. She had never felt anything like what he was doing to her, and she never wanted it to stop. She suddenly felt her body convulse as more hot liquid ran out of her pussy and down her thighs.
Gray used his tongue to clean her up before sliding his body on top of hers and, at last, slipping into her. He moaned and whispered her name as he felt her tight warmth wrap itself around him. He moved his hips slowly at first, wanting to savor it… wanting it to last all night. He bent his head and suckled one of her nipples into his mouth as his thrusts became faster and more urgent. Then he raised the top part of his body up so that his hands were on either side of her head. She slid her hands along his arms and up to where his hard biceps bulged, and the veins in them throbbed with the blood his rapid pulse was shooting through his body.
When he came at last, she wrapped her legs tight around him and pulled him into her with her thighs. She came too, shivering, unable to control it. Gray collapsed next to her on the bed, letting himself slide slowly out of her, neither of them wanting it to be over.
When he caught his breath, he rolled over and grabbed her in a bear hug and whispered, “Thank you.” It felt like a compliment.
Danielle smiled. “No, thank you,” she said.
***
Sex with Danielle had been more than amazing. He’d felt like all the stress of the entire past month had left his body. And the way her eyes shined at him now—it struck his soul. As those eyes began to droop in tiredness, he loosened his grip on her a bit, but kept her in his arms while she fell asleep. Watching her eyelids flutter, he wished he knew what she was thinking. He kissed her lips once again, and she smiled and sighed a content sigh. Then he snuggled down into her and also let his dreams overtake him.
Gray slept better than he had in years.
In the morning, neither of them had regrets. Quite the opposite. Before they got out of bed to face the chaos that was bound to come their way, they made love again. This time, as they climaxed, they each held on to the moment, knowing they would use it to carry them through the rest of the day.
******
Corpus Christie, Texas
DEA Field Office
Thursday Morning
Gray walked into work that morning whistling, still basking in the glory that making love to Danielle was, when he realized he was the only one smiling. There was a pall hanging over the building. People looked like they were walking around in a fog, and when Gray asked Sue what was going on, she burst into tears, unable to answer.
He knocked on Lewis’s door, and when the supervising agent invited him to come in, Gray pushed it open to see him, Gomez, Director Kemp, and Freeman in a group. Freeman’s eyes were wet and puffy.
Freeman crying did not compute in Gray’s head.
“What happened?” he questioned, afraid to hear the answer.
“Agent Dillon is dead,” the director told him.
Gray steeled himself. He knew Sam wasn’t the good guy he had once thought he was, but he had been his friend for a very long time. The ache in his chest was for the man Gray knew Sam could have been if Vincent Heston hadn’t come into his life.
“How?” he asked.
He sat down while Gomez told him what had happened. The officer outside Sam’s house had been knocked out cold. He had one hell of a concussion, but he should be okay. Whoever had attacked the officer had then blasted the door of the house down to get in. Sam was killed instantly when the buck shot had ripped through the door. Whoever had killed him had ransacked the house; they were looking for something. Gray wondered if they found it.
“Where’s Heston?” Gray demanded. This was all Vincent’s fault. He had been the one who manipulated Sam into doing his bidding. Gray wanted—no, he needed—to talk to the bastard face to face.
“He’s in the holding cell at the office in San Antonio. We’re going to have to move him to County today. He lawyered up right away, and he’s barely spoken a word since last night, unless it’s to ask for a pillow or more dessert.”
“Can I talk to him?” Gray asked.
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea, Agent Alexander,” the director said.
“What’s the harm? He can refuse to talk to me if he wants to. And his lawyer can be present. Just give me a few minutes.”
The director looked at Gomez and Lewis. Lewis nodded, and Gomez shrugged. Turning back towards Gray, he said, “Okay, but keep your cool with this guy. We don’t want him to skate on something because you go in there and kick his ass.”
“I would never,” Gray assured them, standing up. As he passed by Freeman, who hadn’t said any
thing, he placed his hand on his friend’s shoulder. “How are you?”
Freeman nodded slowly, and then he said, “Lady Antebellum will be in Houston next month. Two tickets, front row center.”
Gray laughed. “You got it guy,” he said before leaving.
******
San Antonio, Texas
DEA Office
Gray looked at Heston through the two way security glass. As the bastard sat shackled to the table, wearing an orange jumpsuit, he didn’t look like such an imposing man. His shoulders were hunched forward, and he had bags under his eyes.
Walking into the room with a bright smile, Gray shouted, “Vincent Heston! It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”
Heston looked up and gave Gray a once over. “Who are you? The janitor?”
Gray threw his head back and laughed at his dig. “No, Mr. Heston. I’m Special Agent Grayson Alexander. I’m with the DEA, and might I just say that it is my pleasure to be involved in bringing down one of the greats. I’ll just bet someday I’ll get to do a Dateline interview, or 24 Hours. That is going to be so cool. I’ll almost be as famous as you.”
Vincent looked at the other man, obviously trying to decide if he was making fun of him or not.
I am, Gray thought.
“You look like a dirty biker,” Vincent spat. But a curious look overcame him. Gray could see the gears turning in Vincent’s mind. He was probably wondering how much time off of his sentence they might offer in exchange for all the information he could give them about Ayden.
If that is what you’re thinking, Vincent, then you’re playing right into my hands.
***
“I know you have a lawyer, Mr. Heston,” Agent Alexander stated. “Believe me, I am not here to ask you any questions. The cameras are rolling with sound, so I wouldn’t dare risk causing grounds for a future appeal. I just had to see the man himself, in person.”
Without even realizing it, Vincent’s shoulders began to push back and his head rose as he looked the agent square in the eye. Vincent hated rats with a passion, but he had to wonder if telling these bastards things about a particular biker gang was the same as snitching on one of his own. He didn’t think so, but he wasn’t sure he wanted to test it. Ayden Styles ran things behind the iron gates, and if Vincent told these agents the things he knew, Ayden may well end up in lock-up with him, if Vincent lived long enough.
“What am I in this room for?” Vincent asked. They had taken him from that shithole of a cell and brought him here. He thought his attorney may have been here to see him.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Heston. I apologize. I just had to see you in person. I’ll go now and let you go back to your cell.”
As the agent stood, Vincent thought about going back to that holding cell, and from there to the county jail, where it would be nearly impossible for him to avoid a knife in his back or a cock up his ass. Then… prison. Vincent had done time once. Using his father’s name to stay out of trouble, he had only served three years. His father was old now, and most men in America no longer knew who Gilberto Sanchez was. Vincent thought himself too soft and too pretty for prison. He would die there, quickly. The only thing worse would be dying there slowly.
“Mr. Alexander,” Vincent called, right as the agent was about to leave.
“Yes,” he said with another dazzling smile.
“What if I spoke to my attorney about a deal? What if I could tell you things that would solve a litany of open cases on your books?”
“If that is true, Mr. Heston, I advise you to do two things. Number one: talk to your lawyer before you do the DA. And number two: make protective custody one of your requests.”
“If I can get protective custody, the other animals won’t be able to get to me?”
“Yes, sir,” the agent told him. “It’s definitely an option. You’d be in there with some notorious killers, though. They won’t do anything to lose their status, but just so you know.”
“Thank you,” Vincent Heston said to the agent as he walked out. He knew Grayson Alexander had merely gone behind the glass to watch him, but he didn’t care. The man had provided him an opportunity.
When the correctional officer came to take Vincent back to the holding cell, he made a request. “I wish to speak to my attorney,” he said, “and the District Attorney as well.”
Chapter Sixteen
A Fierce Love
Sutherland Springs, Texas
Four Months Later
“Tyler, please move out of the doorway. My feet are swollen to the size of a full-grown elephant, and I have to pee like a race horse.”
Tyler did as the mother of his child asked.
When he did, a room full of people appeared and yelled, “Surprise!”
Trish smiled at the room, but through gritted teeth she whispered to Tyler, “I’m going to kill you and bury you in the backyard.”
Eva came over to her and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Happy birthday, sweetie!” she said. Reaching into a bag she had on her arm, she took out a small box and handed it to her. Before Trish could thank her, she pulled out another box, this on wrapped in sky blue paper, and shouted, “And happy baby shower!”
“You know it’s a boy?” Trish asked. She had only recently found out herself that she was carrying a little baby boy. Tyler must have spilled the secret.
Eva nodded. “Tyler told us you plan to name him Tanner.”
Trish decided not to be mad. She was touched Tyler had gone out of his way to plan this surprise for her, likely with Eva’s help. The other guests flocked around to wish her, “Happy birthday!” Trish was happy to see everyone there, but at the same time, she really had to pee. After more people than she could handle felt her baby bump, she politely excused herself.
Halfway down the hall to the bathroom, Tyler caught up with her. “Can I tell them?” he begged, like a small child.
“We will tell them together. After I pee,” she said. God she loved her man. No matter how big of a pain in the ass he was.
When she got back to the living room, Danielle came over and said hello, and then she guided Trish into the dining room and showed her two cakes. She’d hired Cheryl to make them. One was for her birthday and had balloons and streamers, and the other for her baby boy, Tanner. It said, “Welcome to the World.”
“I love them, Danielle! Thank you.”
Danielle beamed. “Please, call me Dani.”
“Is Cheryl here?”
“Eva said she’d be along in a while.”
Her new friend looked so happy. Trish knew a lot of it had to do with Gray. She felt pretty proud of herself for setting them up. Maybe she should go into the dating business.
“Where is Gray?” she asked.
“He’s out back telling Zack and Brandon all about the perils of the past few months. It’s been a whirlwind since Vincent Heston was locked up, especially after he ratted out Ayden, my client. I can’t say I’ve enjoyed the adventure of it all, but having Gray by my side has definitely made it all easier. I wanted to thank you for that night at the barbecue.”
“All you two did was argue that night,” Trish said. “Who would have known you would end up all gooey-eyed in love?”
“I know,” Danielle said. “Life takes some funny turns sometimes. But I think that night started it for me. After that, I wasn’t able to stop thinking about him. So, thank you.”
Trish gave her a hug, the best one she could with her growing belly. “You’re welcome, honey.”
Tyler found her again, as eager as ever. “Can we tell them now?”
Trish giggled. “Go gather ‘em up. Get the boys out of the backyard.”
Danielle had one eyebrow raised. “What’s that all about?”
“Follow me into the living room and you’ll see,” Trish said, a secretive smile on her lips.
Once Tyler had assembled everyone, he grabbed her hand and said, “Ladies and Gentlemen… and Flynn.” Everyone laughed. “I’d like to present to you all... my wife.”<
br />
“Oh my goodness!” Eva screamed before coming over to hug them both. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
Trish was glad her friend wasn’t upset. “We were in town today for my appointment. I was laying on that table with goo all over my belly, and we were listening to our little man’s heartbeat, and Tyler, ever the romantic, kneeled himself right down in that room at the end of the gurney, where my feet were in stirrups, and said, ‘I want my little man to come into this world with two parents who are not just together, but united. Will you marry me?’ Unable to wait, we went straight to the registry right after.”
Tyler looked at her with endless affection. “Today is a wonderful day. Not only is it the day Trish became my wife, but being her birthday, it’s also the day those above made the world perfect by putting her in it.”
***
Trish and Tyler were married. And they were expecting a little bundle of joy. Gray marveled at how lives could change so quickly, almost overnight. His own was changing too, and for the better. He was dating Dani, and he couldn’t be happier about it. She was beautiful and smart and spunky, and he had fallen fast and hard for her, but that was the way he did mostly everything.
In such a short time, they’d been through a lot together. Their relationship, though new, had been put to the test. But they’d survived, and were stronger for it.
Vincent Heston had started talking, once the DA promised protective custody and no death penalty. He told them where Tammy and Hank were… in Matamoros. Both were brought back, safe but not necessarily sound. Poor Tammy was traumatized. Her husband was dead, and her baby didn’t remember her. But she was alive, and Gray believed anyone could start over, with the right support.
