Sliding her guitar off the end of the couch, she climbed over onto his lap and sat facing him. Placing her left hand behind his neck to massage the edge of his hairline, she ran her right hand through the hair along the side of his head. At the same time, Michael ran his own hands up and down the length of her back in a comforting fashion, sitting and looking into each other’s souls.
Hidden Agendas
Sitting so comfortably with her, Michael felt the temptation to wipe away the conversation as he rubbed his hands over her warm flesh. He loved being with her, and it was a fine afternoon for such a thing. Kissing her deeply, he could feel the nag in the back of his mind, and he knew he wasn’t ready to give up on sorting things out if she were ready to share.
Staring into her eyes as she sat on his lap, he pushed for more. “Tell me about your secret job then. Do you think it was making the hits, or more than that?”
She drew a deep breath, reluctantly sliding back to her seat next to him, but remaining close enough to massage his chest as she spoke.
“I’m really scared it was more than that,” she admitted quietly. “So much happened that I wasn’t privy to, so many hidden agendas. Like The Organization. All of that shit was deep dark secret, but Eddie was getting me access bit by bit. Teaching me things or telling me to find out things. I didn’t give all that stuff to the Feds, either; and looking back I’m really glad I kept it to myself.”
Remembering her weapons, she inhaled sharply and tucked her sock covered feet underneath her. “You remember my pistol and knife? The ones I have now? They knew I had those,” she poked his chest firmly as she spoke. “I told them when I was arrested for beating up those thugs, told Jim Godfry I had them and where to find them. He let me walk out of the police station with the knife in my pocket and he never did anything about the Beretta. Don’t you think that’s odd?”
Michael quickly agreed, “I think it’s more than odd.” Sliding his arm behind her, he pulled her close, “I’m gonna look out for you the best I can. I love you so much,” he whispered into her hair.
She clung to him for several minutes, her heart thumping in her ears. She loved him too, and cursed Terry for being right and herself for not believing him.
Sliding back onto his lap, she began kissing him more demandingly, and although he seemed to want to continue the conversation, she no longer cared to talk about the past. Pulling her shirt off in a quick, excited motion, she ran her hands across his chest, and he watched the pink flower as it rose and fell on the side of her left breast.
Michael loved the fact she had put his name over Eddie’s scar. Running his hands up and down her back, he could feel himself expanding in his tight jeans, with her warm hollow pressing down on him through the fabric. He made love to her every day, two or three times a day and still it wasn’t enough. Either she was insatiable, or he was.
Their petting grew heavy, and he lifted her off of himself, laying her down onto the living room floor. Grasping the front of her pants, he opened the fly and slid them off of her cleanly shaven legs. He enjoyed the way she always kept herself smooth and groomed for him. He grinned mischievously as his fingers slid across the short hairs that covered her folds of skin.
Bending over, he used his mouth to satisfy her, and she clawed at his head and shoulders as he finished her. He found her to be dripping wet when he finally removed his own clothing and sank his hardness deep inside her. She made loud noises as he drove her on the carpet, completely submissive to his need, and for a moment he wondered if she really had enjoyed what the men who came before him did to her. He lay over her panting heavily as he recovered, almost certain he would never find out.
The couple had exited the shower and were getting dressed when there came a loud knock on their front door. Surprised, Michael left her to finish making herself decent while he went to see who it could be, visiting on a Sunday. He returned to her a few minutes later, telling her to put on her makeup, as they had been requested at the diner.
She eyed him with suspicion, but he only shrugged, and they finished dressing before walking down the street in the early evening sun. Reaching the door, they were greeted by a crazy and joyous surprise inside. Virtually everyone they knew waited within the café, eager to give the couple a proper wedding reception.
Michael could see the shocked surprise on her face as Tori’s eyes swept around the room. He smiled broadly at her when she walked over to the tall white cake that sat on a table, wanting to inspect the tiny figures that rested on the top.
She cracked a small grin as she noticed how the couple resembled her husband and herself. Sliding her hand into his, she looked sheepishly at the floor, realizing everyone knew how she felt. It was harder for her than she would have thought, not feeling like she owned her feelings anymore, now that they were public.
In addition to the cake, they had food to eat and gifts for the young couple. The pair opened them together, making sure to thank each giver loudly. Michael enjoyed the warm flush on her face, her pleasure at receiving the attention obvious. By nightfall, it had been a well spent day, and they had no doubt they were respected members of the community in which they lived.
Seeing Tori head off for a visit with Trish, Michael decided to have a quick word with Marge, who sat alone in a booth. Sliding into the opposite side, he greeted her with a grin, “And how have you been?”
Marge looked surprised by his warm gesture, and smiled slightly as she replied, “I been gettin’ by.”
Nodding, he informed her, “You should come by sometime, see what Tori and I have done with the place.”
She gave him a reassuring nod, telling him, “I jus’ might have t’ do that.”
At that moment, Tori made her way over to take a seat next to him, and she smiled at the older woman, but did not speak. Taking her husband’s hand, she squeezed it firmly, and sat looking into his eyes.
“You sure are a quiet one,” Marge commented as she observed the newlyweds. “You know it was you who convinced Georgie t’ sell you that place.”
Tori looked at her with a raised brow, pretending she didn’t know what the woman was talking about, so Marge elaborated, “That day you came t’ the house. Somethin’ about the way you begged him convinced him t’ sell you th’ garage. Afterwards, he’d go down an’ watch th’ two o’ you while you worked so hard on it, happy with what he saw. It meant a lot t’ him that you was breathin’ life back int’ somethin’ he had spent s’ much o’ his own t’ build. It brought him a lot o’ joy those las’ few months.”
Michael could not help thinking what a sweet woman she really was. George had been a lucky man. Kissing the back of Tori’s hand, he whispered, “We better go,” and the couple said goodnight to the older woman before making a brief speech of thanks and excusing themselves to head home.
The next few days went by quietly, and school let out for the last time. Summer in a small town, the couple couldn’t have been happier on the surface. Inside, they both could feel the darkness coming. Lying awake after making love in the June night air, Tori massaged the hair on his chest, toying with her name, while Michael appeared lost in thought. “What’re you thinking?” she asked quietly, seeing that he wasn’t really with her.
Coming back with a small shake of his head, he replied, “I’m thinking we should close everything up and make a road trip. I dunno,” he gave a small shrug of his broad shoulders, “Someplace we don’t buy anything. We still have lots of money, and we have been pretty successful with the bikes. You do a fantastic job on them, and we get top dollar.”
“We do a fantastic job,” she corrected him, adjusting the sheets. “So where are we going?” she asked as if the decision had already been made. “Take your bike and just head out?”
He nodded his agreement, “Maybe. I think we need to be away from here. Like we’ve stayed in one place for too long. You kept $50k in cash; we could live on the road a long time on that.”
Silently, she had to agree, as the tension around th
em seemed almost palpable many days. They both ignored it the best they could, but in the end, they both knew it was there. And they would always have their home to come back to when they were ready. Drifting off to sleep, they each thought about what was coming, whether they wanted it to or not.
The next morning, Michael helped her clean up the shop extra well. They put all the tools away where they would be waiting for their return. Washing the sheets on the bed and packing up things inside the house, Tori hid her guitar inside a closet, rubbing it fondly as she remembered how he had given it to her on Christmas morning.
It had been the most special gift, and tears touched her eyes at having to leave it behind. When she could not find the words to express her feelings, she could always rely on it to set her spirit free, and she would miss it as the dearest of friends.
Throwing their clothes into their backpacks for them, they would have two changes each. Tori smiled, knowing things would be different traveling with Michael. She felt relieved her nightly duties would be something she wanted to do and rather enjoyed. Twisting her ring that held his message of love pressed against her finger, she smiled with elation. Looking around as she gave the house one last inspection on the way out, she locked the door and trotted back into the shop, carrying their packs.
Walking in quick strides, she realized most people would have been heartbroken to have to leave their home under such circumstances. How odd that she would be almost giddy at the prospect of riding across the country, just the two of them.
She had never been one for worldly possessions. He was the thing that meant the most to her, and therefore she had all she would ever need when he was with her.
Turning from the office into the garage, she stopped cold at the sight that lay before her. Michael stood waiting there, looking at the floor, Special Agent Eli Founder beside him.
Seeing her come in, Eli looked over and a small smile spread across his lips. “Hello,” he spoke in a quiet, patronizing voice.
Dropping the bags, she did not return the greeting. Staring at him icily, she crept up to her husband and slid her arm around his waist in a protective manner.
Michael gazed over at her, his heart racing as she looked him in the eye. Only an inch or so shorter than him, he leaned his forehead easily against hers and closed his eyes as she held him.
We should have left yesterday, he thought to himself. Slipping his arm around her as well, he whispered, “It’s gonna be ok.”
Eli cleared his throat nervously, indicating they should break it up. The couple ignored him, having no respect for the man. Pushing harder, he said in a demanding voice, “Can I have a word alone with her now, please?”
Loosening his grip enough to turn and face him, Michael could feel his face flush, “No, you can’t.”
Eli gave him an angry glare, so he let loose with a controlled tirade, “No, you may not speak to my wife in private. Whatever you have to say, you can say in front of me, or you don’t need to say it. I don’t know what game you and your people are playing, but we both know you’re toying with her. You can’t just erase a decade of someone’s life because it suits you. I know why you did it, so you could keep tabs on her better, control her a little more. Whatever you want, she’s not doing it.”
Eli only stared at him calmly. She’ll do what we need her to do, one way or the other. Aloud, he countered, “You don’t really have a choice. I’m here under orders to escort you to New York. We have an urgent matter there and need you. Now.” He spoke the last word with a threatening tone, his body growing stiff.
Shifting his gaze out into the street, Michael could see Eli had not come alone. Considering their options, he ran his hand up and down her back in a slow circular motion. Using their German, he asked her in a low tone, “What do you think?”
She drew a ragged breath, still clinging to him and whispered in kind, “I think we’re going to New York.”
Nodding, he told Eli they needed to lock up. They grabbed their packs and followed him to the car that awaited out front. Looking down the narrow street, he wished they had had the chance to explain things to Trish, as he could see the small group of federal agents and pair of black cars had not gone unnoticed in the small town.
Before placing them into the back seat, Eli asked for her weapons, and Tori pulled them out of her bag to hand them to him, a sour expression on her delicate features. Placing the couple inside the vehicle, he made his way around to the passenger side to climb in himself. Michael smiled at the fact that he had disarmed her, perhaps afraid she would use them to escape; in essence, they were scared of her.
Looking back at their shop, he had a stab of sadness at the realization they may never see it again. Laying his arm on the seat behind her, he knew that the most important thing sat beside him. They were permitted to be alone in the rear compartment and rode comfortably in silence, allowing their fingers to say what needed to be said.
It took a couple of hours for them to arrive in San Antonio, where they would board a non-stop flight to New York. Stopping at a small eatery, they were allowed to have a meal while they waited for the time to board the plane. Tori had only been on a plane the one time she flew from Chicago to LA, and the prospect began to make her tense.
Michael held her close to him, loving the way she felt in his arms. They had shared a few months together in peace, and he knew it had been more than she had ever had before. But, like the eye of a hurricane, the calm doesn’t last for long. Silently, he hoped they would be able to return when whatever this turned out to be had ended. If they did, he intended make Marge an offer to buy her old house.
He and Tori might not be able to make babies, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t adopt a few. He had the urge to have a real family with the girl, and would be eager to run it by her when the time was right.
When it came time for them to board, Eli walked beside her in silence, but he could feel the ache in his chest. Giving Michael an angry look, jealousy raged inside him.
Michael gave him an icy glare as they moved to take their seats. By their body language, their hatred for one another would have only been clearer if they had begun exchanging blows.
Seeing the stares and sensing the tension, Tori had never had to deal with anything like this. She felt at a loss as to what she should do. Watching her mate helplessly, she only hoped he knew how much she truly loved him.
Making it onto the plane, they located their seats in the center row. Michael then realized he had no desire to sit next to the man who had used his love so heartlessly, but on the other hand he didn’t want her to sit next to him either. The dilemma tore at him on the inside, and he suggested in an even tone, “Hey, why don’t you take a seat someplace else. Neither of us cares to share your company.”
Ignoring him, Eli spoke to her in French. “Look,” he said quietly, “I really would like to speak to you. Just for a few minutes. I have some things I need to clear up.”
Shooting him a seething stare, “Guilty conscience?” she asked coldly.
Taken aback, he shook his head, and then began in a flat tone. “You know, you can be angry all you want. What happened between us wasn’t entirely my fault. I asked you to go to your room, remember?” He pointed his finger at her and around in the air as he spoke, indicating the room he had wanted to send her to. He spoke more loudly, still in French, and people were beginning to stare.
“You chose to stay, you wanted to be there. Don’t act all high and mighty, miss innocent, because we both know you’re not.” His words were sharp with rage on the verge of breaking loose.
Quietly, she said they should take their seats and stop drawing attention, looking around anxiously at all the eyes that were on them.
Michael glared at Eli, his eyes like daggers; he wanted to beat the hell out of him at that moment, all she had to do was give the word.
Tori sat down, and following her lead, Michael took the seat to her right. Eli took the seat to her left, adjusting his tie and straightening h
is suit. She stared straight ahead, keenly aware that Eli might have tried to keep his words between them, but as Michael was fluent in French as well, he had understood every word that had been spoken. It was going to be a long five hours.
Feeling the plane taxi to the runway, Michael could see Tori’s face tense. Sensing her trepidation, he looped his fingers with hers and kissed her hand lovingly. “It’s ok,” he whispered, “Nothing to be afraid of.”
Eli’s head snapped to look at him, but Tori obstructed his view.
Michael grinned to himself; he had won either way, as she was wearing his ring, not Eli’s.
After the plane leveled out, Tori gave Michael’s hand a squeeze, and they shared a deep kiss, causing the man to her left to squirm. She had wanted to establish where her loyalties lay before she continued the conversation with the man who had used her.
Turning towards him after the kiss ended, she spoke in a low tone, maintaining the French. Michael could still hear, but at least the conversation would stay amongst the three of them more than likely.
“Ok,” she admitted quietly, “I’m not innocent. Far from it. And I did want what happened between us at the time.” She stared at her lap as she spoke. “But you knew the Feds were playing games with me. Are still playing games with me. I trusted you. You don’t have any remorse for that?” Tori looked up at him, his blue eyes watching her as she laid the guilt on him.
Swallowing, he nodded slightly, and replied curtly, “I was doing my job.”
She cut in sharply, “Were you still doing your job the night you laid with me? I don’t get it Eli. You wrote that message to me in the fairy tale book. You made it sound like you loved me, like you were going to be waiting for me. You have no idea how much it hurt when I realized you weren’t in Chicago anymore, and it was all a lie.”
A New Life Series - Starter Kit Page 47
