“I’ll meet you right by the reception area. It is secure.” He added those words for her brothers’ sake, and they both nodded as they exited the room with Dawn on their heels.
As soon as the office door was closed, and her brothers turned to her, Dawn put up her hand. “I can’t. I can’t explain or apologize anymore.”
Joseph shook his head. “No, it’s not that. It’s Mom.”
“What about Mom?” Dawn reacted swiftly. “Is something wrong?”
“No, it’s not like that. We just want you to call her today. She should hear about all of this from you.” Dawn swallowed. Hard. Her brothers were giving her the chance to explain to her mother what was happening. She appreciated it.
“She already knew about the investigation, but it was under wraps. She doesn’t know about your involvement. We have to let her know what is going on. We can see this guy means something to you. We just wanted to give you a chance to explain first,” Jonathan remarked. Joseph was the more stubborn of the two.
“Thank you. I appreciate that.”
Jonathan looked at his watch. “I have a meeting with her at ten, Dawnie. I’m sorry, but please let her know before that. It’s just after nine. I’d call her now if you can.”
“Okay, I will.” She resigned herself to having to call her mother from the reception area while waiting for Jack. Both her brothers gave her a big bear hug whispering, “Be safe”, and “We love you”, before they headed out. Then, she made her way to reception to let her mother know that she was in danger, but also to tell Tawny she had fallen in love, real love. She hated doing it over the phone, but time was of the essence. It wasn’t fair to keep her mother in the dark. She hoped her mother would understand, and someday give her blessing to her and Jack. It was too much to hope that she would give it now, especially under these unusual circumstances.
*
Dawn was safely tucked upstairs in her hotel suite later that evening. Her mother had come to see her in person to check on her well-being. After their phone conversation, Tawny wanted to hold her daughter. She also wanted to meet Jack in person. She knew about him and his work at the casino but was totally caught off guard by Dawn’s revelations.
Dawn’s heart held hope after her mother left. To her amazement, Tawny Sassacus had been gracious and welcomed Jack to the family. “Seeing you two together, a mother just knows, toose.”
Dawn cried.
Tawny had let both Dawn and Jack know that the FBI had called her earlier as well to update her on the new track the investigation was taking. Any run-ins with Jackson Black at the casino had to appear as if he was not a welcome suitor for her daughter. So, Tawny wanted to reassure the couple that they had her blessing in person, and that she would do her best to play her part in public until this calamity was behind them.
“I am most concerned about Dawn’s safety, Jack. But I want her to be happy, too. I can see it in both your eyes. Love. I am happy for you both. But you must promise me you will keep her safe.”
“Yes, Ms. Sassacus. I promise. We want the same things,” he reassured the matriarch of the family. He had been put through the wringer by her brothers; and though he didn’t feel like he deserved it, he appreciated her not judging him too harshly and condemning him like Dawn’s brothers had done.
“Please call me Tawny. In private, of course, until this is done. My sons are stubborn, but they will come around, too, Jack, when they see how happy Dawn is. My daughter means the world to me. All my children, their spouses, my grandson and grandchild-to-be, are all I have, Mr. Gable. Please keep my baby safe.”
“I vow to you, Tawny, I will. Agents are assigned to each family member. You will all be protected.” And for good measure, he added, “I love your daughter very much, Tawny.”
As Tawny left the two, she was happy for her daughter. She had found her mate, and despite the terrifying circumstances, after meeting the man in person and seeing him with Dawn, she believed his love to be true and that he would do whatever it took to keep her daughter safe. Tawny, unlike her sons, saw the situation for what it was as she had been there herself. You could not stop yourself from falling in love when the right person came along, even if the timing was atrocious. She had suffered that pain most of her life. She gladly gave her daughter the blessing she asked for and would support her decision to help this investigation come to a conclusion. If it meant giving her daughter the chance to have real love and a real relationship, one that could be out in the open like her siblings, then she would do her part. Everyone deserved that. Her children most of all.
*
After ordering dinner to be delivered to their room, Jack and Dawn sat in her suite in the living room area to relax and unwind. It had been a grueling day. “That went rather well,” Jack stated as he and Dawn reclined on the small sofa positioned in front of a large flat screen. The TV was on, though neither of them were watching it.
“I told you she had given us her blessing.” Dawn curled into Jack.
“But that she came in person. I appreciated it. Your brothers really raked me over the coals, and I guess I just expected her to do the same.”
Dawn smiled and fought the tears that threatened to fall. She too had not expected her mom’s complete approval, and it meant the world to her to have it. It was the bright spot of her day so far. That and being with Jack, like this. “My mom has had a rough road in the love department, and I think she wants all her children to have what she didn’t get to have.” Dawn explained her family history to Jack, what she knew of her father. A man who had been in Tawny’s life not once, but twice, and both times her mother ended up alone to raise their children.
“I give credit to your mom. She gave the guy a second chance, and he blew it. Then she has done all of this and raised you alone.” He indicated the casino with a grand gesture of his hands.
“Not really. I mean, yes, she has done great things. But she has not had to do it completely alone. When you grow up Native, and on a reservation, you are never alone. You’ll understand that someday, I hope. But the community helps each other. My uncle and his two best friends, Chief Daniels and Tom Watson, have helped to raise us and guide us. My mother’s friend, Senator Silver, has been in and out of our lives a lot. Those three men mean the world to my mother. We had our grandmother, too, and our people.”
Jack reflected on his own childhood. His family had been small. Just him and his parents, his uncle and his wife and their daughter. It would have been nice to have a whole community of people to look out for you. It made him hope that his children with Dawn would have more than either one of them had—a father to dote on them and an entire community. “That sounds great. Like the way it used to be everywhere. That sense of community doesn’t seem to be around as much as it used to.”
Dawn agreed. It seemed as the world grew closer with technology and social media, it grew apart in other important ways.
Jack glanced at the clock. It was getting late, and he knew he needed to head downstairs soon to be visible in case any of the Santorini clan wanted to make a connection with him tonight. Reluctantly, he kissed her and left, but he knew she would be safe upstairs. She had two excellent agents camped out right next door. Cooper and Bronson were good men, and he trusted them both. They had the night shift tonight. Emerson and Johnson would relieve them in the wee hours of the morning.
The agents would occupy the suite next door. It had been outfitted with all the equipment they needed to monitor her and keep her safe when she and Jack were not together. They could observe the elevators, the stairwells, and the hall via feeds Tom sent directly to their room with a few additional cameras installed per orders of the FBI. All entrances and exits that led to her were covered. Then the agents could also enter her suite through an adjoining door if there was trouble, to protect her and usher her out through the suite they were in.
But, alas, he did need to keep up appearances. His cover as a gambler had to go on. If the mob got wind that he was an undercover FBI age
nt, then all bets were off. Seeing him gambling, winning and losing, was important to the RICO investigation. It would make the gang feel more secure if he was out and about.
So, after leaving Dawn safely upstairs in her suite, he joined a small group at a blackjack table with three civilians. Within ten minutes he knew he was being watched. His sixth sense kicked in, and he could feel eyes on him. Across the room, another agent he knew signaled that eyes were on him at his four o’clock. A quick glance to the right and he caught sight of Leo with Joe. The two were having a drink at one of the many bars scattered about the main floor. Neither made any sign of acknowledgement. He knew they would not agree to Dawn’s scheme right away. They would want to check out her story. He’d had to come, though. It was good to be seen. After several hours of gambling, he was ahead about a grand and had spotted two other Santorini associates, but no one in the last hour. Feeling as if he had done all he could that night, he felt safe to head back to Dawn’s suite. It had only been twenty-four hours since they had been taken to meet the bosses. But he hoped they did not have to wait too much longer. He wanted this over soon. The sooner the better and he could start his life with Dawn.
*
Jack quietly knocked on Dawn’s door. After glancing through the peephole to see who it was, Dawn opened her door, relieved to see him. Though it had been just a few hours since he’d gone downstairs, she had worked herself into a frenzy thinking all sorts of horrible things could happen. The moment the door was closed she threw herself into his arms. “I don’t know how I’m going to deal with you doing this all the time. I’m scared for both of us.”
He held her. Inside his gut twisted. He loved his job and hoped her worry wouldn’t be an issue between them. “I promise I’ll always come back to you, Dawn. I don’t always do undercover work, you know, but I do on occasion.”
He heard her sigh in his arms, but she said nothing. This was something she would have to get used to. A lot of agents had wives, though he knew for some of the women there were problems. He also knew he would do whatever it took to make Dawn happy and to always keep communicating. “A lot of wives have trouble with what we do, but they make it work. I will always keep you in the loop when I can. I will come home to you every night when I am not undercover. I promise.”
She relaxed in his arms a bit. “God, Jack. I can’t believe how hard I’ve fallen. I just don’t want to lose you when I’ve just found you,” she admitted her worst fear. The fear that had grabbed an icy hold of her heart the past four hours.
“I love you too, kitten.” He peered down into her chocolate brown eyes sparkling up at him and had to kiss her. His heart was hers. The feel of her lips on his had his heart pounding. He loved this waif of a woman as she curled into his embrace. He knew he never wanted to lose what he’d found with her, either. It was too precious. She was too precious. If she worried too much about his job, maybe he’d find something else. Whatever it took, he vowed to himself, he would do.
When the kiss ended, they stood forehead to forehead, lost in the moment, until a soft tap on the door to the suite beside them alerted them that one of the agents may have news. Jack crossed the room swiftly and then opened the door to Agent Cooper. “Yes?” Jack asked.
“The agent downstairs reported no Santorini associates have been spotted at the casino for an hour. There will be one agent with eyes in the lobby tonight, and I’ll be next door monitoring the stairwell, elevator, and hall.”
“Great. I’ll be spending the night, so I’ll be here, too.”
Dawn listened as the two agents conversed briefly but was relieved when Jack softly closed the door. Being in his arms was the only thing that would soothe her tattered nerves.
“There will be shift change at six AM, but other than that we shouldn’t be disturbed until morning, unless there is a sign of trouble,” Jack said as he crossed the room toward Dawn. He could see her brow was still furrowed with worry, and he wanted to do something about that. “Come,” he beckoned and took her hand and crossed over to the bathroom, tugging her as he went.
“What?” she asked, confused. “Where are we going?”
“I need a shower, and I thought you might want to join me.” That would definitely get her mind off her worries.
His eyes were full of mischief. “Are you trying to distract me?” she asked coyly, her mood brightening.
He laughed. “Only in the most pleasant of ways. Are you interested, kitten?” His words were a challenge, and one she definitely wanted to accept.
Her answer was a nod and a skip, and he had to laugh at her sweetness. Scooping her up into his arms, he carried her the rest of the way to the bathroom. When they were inside, her lowered her onto the marbled tile floor. “Strip,” he commanded as he began to remove his clothes and laughed when Dawn complied hastily, making it a race, but he beat her to it and turned the water on to warm the room while she finished. He stepped into the beautiful marble walk-in shower to get wet and rinse off, and she was right behind him.
“My kitten is in a hurry,” he laughed, turning to her when he felt her sweet claws rake down his back. The feeling was divine.
“I’ve never showered with a man before, so this is new for me. You’ll have to show me the ropes.”
Knowing he was the first to experience this with her made his heart swell. He wanted to share a lot of firsts with her, and he would make sure this was an experience she would never forget.
He was already wet, so he took her slender shoulders in his hand and turned her so she could get under the warm spray, and he watched as rivulets of water ran down her smooth beige skin and a trail of water slid between her breasts. His cock sprung to attention.
Flicking his eyes down, Dawn followed his gaze, and he enjoyed the smile that curved her cherry lips at the sight of his engorged cock. She did this to him.
“Mmm, hard already.” Her words were sultry, and he hoped he could control the pace.
“For you. Always.” His voice was gravel.
“Oh, Jack,” she breathed heavily and reached for him, the anticipation too much.
She got on her tiptoes to put her arms around him and taking his time with her was soon forgotten. Grabbing a handful of her dark wet hair, he pushed her against the marbled wall of her shower.
When Jack’s lips crashed onto hers and his tongue plunged into her mouth seeking entrance, she whimpered her desire. The heat of the shower, the hazy curls of steam surrounding them made her feel wanton. His skin was hot from the spray and the feel of it was like satin as her hands roamed his back. She met his seeking and probing tongue as her need for him grew. He was giving her what she wanted with this kiss, but it was not enough. She wanted and needed more.
Sensing her need, Jack lifted Dawn by her tiny waist, and her legs immediately circled his torso. He was able to support her effortlessly with one hand under her bottom and her back against the wall. Using his free hand, he parted her slick folds to find her clit, and after licking his index finger, touched her sensitive bundle of nerves, sending a jolt of electricity that ripped through her body. She hissed through her teeth. He circled it a few more times and watched as her head began tossing from side to side at the pleasure he was giving her. But he needed to be inside her.
Her little sigh of disappointment when he removed his hand ended when she saw him using his hand to guide his cock to her entrance. Once in position, he looked into her brown eyes, and seeing she wanted this just as much as he did, he plunged into her depths. Filling her, stretching her, making them one.
Though he wanted to begin the primal dance that would bring them the climax they both wanted, he knew her body needed time to adjust. When he felt her relax at his invasion, he began to move inside of her, sliding in and then out again. The heat of the water sluicing between their bodies made it easy for her to slide against his rib cage, but the sweet friction on her clit was not there, and she tried to arch her back to reach his pelvis to bring herself closer.
“Touch yourself, ba
by,” he encouraged. Dawn’s eyes flittered open, batting at the spray, but following his command she used one hand as he supported her to flick her clit while he drove into her again and again. Her eyes remained locked on his, and she loved seeing his face contort as he watched her touching herself for him.
She’d never done anything hotter and felt her orgasm approaching each time he plowed into her, his cock filling her over and over again as he took her hard. The moment he threw back his head and released, she knew she wanted to do this again. Seeing his pleasure as he continued to rock inside of her sent waves of pleasure convulsing in her core; and when she felt his teeth graze her nipple, she exploded, screaming out her passion, not caring, not even thinking about the two FBI agents who were in the next room. “Oh, God, yes, yes, Jack. Fuck!” The last word came out garbled as she quaked around his softening shaft and felt him slipping out of her.
Jack allowed Dawn a moment to recover before letting her slide down onto shaky legs, her forehead pressed against his chest until her breathing slowed. He reached around her to adjust the temperature of the water, making it cooler. “Oh my God, that was intense,” Dawn murmured and then laughed. He joined her in the laugh.
“It sure was, kitten. But let’s get washed now, and. . .” he winked when she looked up at him, “finish this in a bit.”
“We’re not finished?” she gulped, wondering what he could do to top what they had just done.
“I’ll never be finished with you.” His smile lit up the room.
*
After their shower, they climbed into bed, but instead of making love again right away, Jack found that he felt like talking. He told Dawn all about himself.
“You know, kitten, I’ve been alone for a long time, and in just these two months with you, the feeling of loneliness is gone. It’s a good feeling, having someone, belonging to someone. When my parents were killed in that automobile accident, I was lost without them. That’s one of the reasons why I joined the military so young.”
Dawn snuggled closer to him; it was so good to hear him be so open with her.
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