In the Darkest Hour

by Dixie Lynn Dwyer

  “I think I drink too much coffee. I’ve changed those habits.”

  “And that isn’t working. Just tell her about how you feel when Johnny is around,” Marina said to her. Obviously, Georgia’s friend thought something else was going on here.

  “I don’t know how to explain it. Maybe I’m just imagining it. I’m not sure, but when Johnny is around, when he comes over and we talk, maybe have some wine or eat something, I get in this mood. It’s like I can feel what’s going on around me, yet I can’t grasp it as real or not. It’s strange. I think maybe I drank too much and am tipsy. I don’t really know. Johnny takes care of me though.”

  “Misty Ann, tell her about how your body feels. About the bruising.”

  “Bruising?” Georgia asked.

  “Oh God, Marina. I told you that Johnny and I are intimate, and we get a little wild sometimes.”

  “You don’t remember what you did with him though.”

  “What?” Georgia asked.

  “I do. Some of it I do. I mean, we talk about the role playing before you know, while we’re drinking or eating,” she said and swallowed hard, and then looked away. “I can’t do this. It isn’t a big deal and I like him so much. We’re good for one another. We just both work a lot and can only get together here and there.”

  “What’s this guy’s last name?” Georgia asked.

  “Forget it. I shouldn’t have said anything. I’m fine, really. In fact, I need to go. It was nice meeting you, Georgia.” Misty Ann stood up, pulled her bag into her shoulder, and hurried away despite Marina’s concern and push for her to stay.

  “Damn it. Something isn’t right, Georgia. She has been acting funny for the last two weeks. Like complete personality change.”

  “Could she be doing drugs?” Georgia asked.

  Marina widened her eyes. “She was straight as an arrow until this guy she met. She kept him a secret for a while. Then she would get text messages from him, and after the weekend she would come into work and be off, like under the weather a bit. By Tuesday or Wednesday she starts shaking, blamed it on caffeine, but I don’t know. After Derrick and Jovi, and not picking up on the signs they had maybe I’m just overly concerned.”

  “Don’t be silly. Derrick and Jovi hid their addictions well. None of us had a clue, and within a few weeks they were so far gone, nowhere near here to even intervene. It was out of your control.”

  “I still feel guilty. Maybe that’s why I’m overthinking things with Misty Ann. My gut doesn’t think so, but what do I know?”

  “You’re a daughter of a Marine, and a family of first responders. It’s in your blood. Look at the work you do on the fundraising committee.”

  “I’m an accountant.”

  “Who works for an organization that helps first responders.”

  “Well, what do we do about Misty Ann?”

  “There isn’t much I can do if she isn’t willing to explain fully what she feels might be going on. If things continue, if she comes to work with injuries she can’t explain, or if she seems worse with those shakes, which could be side effects to drugs she may be doing over the weekend.”

  “What?”

  “I’ve seen it before. People think that they can just do drugs recreationally, when they want to, like a weekend thing, kind of like drinking alcohol. Some people use enhancement drugs to increase sensations during sex, too.”

  “Jesus. I didn’t even think about that.”

  “There are lots of possibilities and I’m afraid that without her asking for help or indicating that’s something criminal, or something against her will is going on, then no law enforcement action can be taken.”

  “Shit. I guess I’ll just keep trying to get her to confide in me with better details, or maybe I can get his name and see what we can find out.”

  “Be careful. I don’t want you trying to act like a detective and then this guy will come after you with a lawsuit or something.”

  Marina laughed. “I’ll leave the detective work to you. So, speaking of sex.”

  “Oh brother.”

  Marina laughed. “How did the date go the other night?”

  “Crash and burn. A total asshole. Like completely felt inferior of me because I’m already a black belt and he doesn’t even know martial arts. He copped an attitude and I swear, I think he wanted to challenge me. He was overly aggressive, like steroids aggressive, and I put on the brakes, pretended that I got a text on a case I’m working and I ended the date. I threw down the cash and got the hell out of there. Total jerk.”

  “He was a doctor, right?”

  “Conceited, very well built, completely into his body but he just couldn’t stop talking about himself and his achievements. I never should have accepted the date.”

  “No, you need to start dating again. It’s been two years.”

  “Yeah, don’t remind me. I’m never dating another rich guy again, and definitely no long distance relationships.”

  “Bite your tongue. A rich guy would be awesome, then he can whisk you off out of the dangerous job you do and into the sunset for a life of yachts and caviar,” Marina said to her.

  Georgia laughed. “Are you kidding me? I would die miserably. I need action. I need to solve crimes and lock up bad guys, until I’m physically too weak to handle the rolling around in the dirt and hopping fences.”

  “You haven’t had to hop fences in quite some time.”

  “Not so much since becoming a detective and working the cases after the fact. I think I kind of prefer this anyway. It brings me even more satisfaction to find the ones responsible for murder and bringing justice to the families. Although a good foot chase every now and then makes my gym sessions worthwhile.”

  Marina chuckled. “You are definitely better than I am in those classes.”

  “You should try the ones offered for free by that guy who runs that private military dojo. Lou, right?”

  “Oh God. Talk about intimidating and scary.”

  “Yeah, they have two cousins that work in SWAT, I think, and they are just as big and as lethal. Hot though. The ladies go gaga for them.”

  “Yeah, not my thing. I’m thinking maybe going out with someone different and less intimidating,” Marina said as Georgia snickered.

  “Not Byron. Please don’t accept a date with Byron.”

  “Why not? He seems nice and respectful,” Marina replied and played with her water bottle.

  “He’s strange and he stares at your breasts.”

  “Who doesn’t? You share a similar problem with your huge chest too, except most of the time it’s covered in that bullet proof vest and wind breaker you wear.”

  “Yeah well, that totally turns me off and is a definitely a no, no if the guy can only look at your boobs and not into your eyes.”

  “I suppose you’re right.”

  “Don’t be intimated by such macho men. In the long run they’re the ones that will make you satisfied.”

  “Your hot wealthy guy kept you satisfied for a while,” Marina pointed out to Georgia.

  “I grew bored quickly. It was a matter of convenience and satisfaction for both of us, but nothing deeper. Eventually we would have broken off.”

  “He still wants you back.”

  “Not going to happen.”

  “It will if you don’t date again.”

  “I need time after that last jerk. Well, I’d better get going. I’ll see you next week though at the party.”

  “Awesome, and thanks again for trying with Misty Ann.”

  “Don’t give up on her. Keep engaging her and maybe she will come clean and explain things.”

  “I hope so. I’m worried, but if she doesn’t want help then I guess I can’t do much more than just be here for her.”

  Chapter 6

  “Czeck.” Alaska pushed his palm off her ass and stepped from his grasp. They were out on the front porch of the main house in Warrior’s Way and numerous people were around.

  “I can’t help it. You look
so damn edible in this outfit.” He snagged her around the waist, and she didn’t bother to resist this time. He was relentless, and truth be told, she wanted to touch him, too. She thought about him and the others constantly. About their bodies, their scars and injuries, and about each of their personalities. In the now, two weeks they were dating, if she could even call it that. She’d learned so much about them. Czeck was actually even more resistant than Asher when it came to discussing his injuries, the lasting effects and scheduling physical therapy accordingly. She nearly dropped the file with the schedule she coordinated for him, and even Asher to do at the same time and same location to make it easier for Magnar.

  Czeck squeezed her closer, and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders as he kissed her neck. He suckled against a sensitive spot and she giggled. “Yep. Just what I thought. You taste as edible as you look.”

  “Hmm, I don’t know about that, but what I do know is that you can’t keep grabbing me and kissing me like this while I’m working.” She eased back and he narrowed his dark blue eyes at her. With that scruff along his chin and his wild hair, he looked pretty intimidating. She licked her lower lip and he followed with his eyes. “It isn’t professional.”

  He squeezed her to him. “It lets your other clients know that you’re taken.”

  “Oh, so this is a ploy you and the team have, huh? Well it has to stop. I have other men I need to see and discuss things with. Now back to the schedule.” She pulled from his arms and he immediately crossed his arms in front of his chest and glared at her. At first, she was a bit taken aback by that, but then realized he was teasing her and she shook her head and poked him in the stomach a bit harder than she’d intended, but her pointer hit stone. That brought on a surge of desire, and a need to see him naked with all those muscles, his tanned, scarred skin from combat. Jesus, she was losing her mind. Then she thought about the others, too, and knew they were at the house. She grabbed his arm. “Let’s go,” she said and walked over to the table that her phone and her purse was on and he followed.

  “Where are we going now?”

  “Your place,” she said over her shoulder, and that scowl turned into a smile.

  He snagged her around the waist just as they got down the steps to stop her. He whispered into her ear, “It is so hot that you want us as much as we want you, but baby, this little bit of power right now will be put to a halt when I get you in my house. I expect submission or they’ll be discipline,” he warned her.

  She tilted her head so she could lock gazes with him. “I’m not afraid of a little discipline, Czeck. In fact, I kind of like it,” she said and pulled forward to hurry to her car. He got inside and she quickly headed out of there and down through the back road to their house. She saw him pull out his cell phone. “Don’t even think about warning them,” she said and winked.

  He chuckled. “Hot damn. woman. You’ll be lucky if you even get into our hose before I strip you naked and shove my cock balls deep in that pussy.” He slid his palm up under her skirt and right to her cunt. She gripped the steering wheel and felt on fire. “Just as I suspected, hot, and wet.” He suckled against her neck as she drove. She didn’t know how she kept control, but she did. She got into the long driveway, relieved that no other houses were near theirs, and she turned off the engine. He immediately pulled her by her hair and neck toward him and they started making out right there in the car.

  He unclipped her seatbelt and then lifted her up out of her seat as if she weighed nothing at all. She straddled his hips and he undid his jeans and was wiggling out of them. It was a tight space and she gripped the window frame and his shoulder as she lifted up and tore her panties off of her.

  “Fuck me now,” he ordered, and holy God, she obeyed. She sunk down over his cock, and the moment he was balls deep, they both moaned. It was like they felt so incredible, desperate to be one, and now that they were, a satisfaction began to encompass them. Up and down, he thrust his hips and she gripped his shoulders and rocked down over his cock. She didn’t even pay attention to a door slamming, or the crunch of boots on the gravel drive. No, all she cared about was getting his cock deeper into her cunt, all the way to her womb where that itch eased with every thrust.

  He slid his palm up her throat and held her possessively. “I’m going to come,” he said with his teeth clenched.

  “Not yet,” she ordered.

  “Holy fuck this is hot,” Gordo added as he and Asher joined them by the car.

  She moaned and then thrust faster, feeling her body begin to convulse. “Come for me, Czeck. Come now,” she ordered.

  She heard Asher and Gordo whistle, and then Czeck growled out a wild sound as he came inside of her. She fell against his chest and he squeezed her ass tight then smacked it. They calmed their breathing and he smacked her ass again. “You got one punishment coming up, woman.”

  “What?” she asked.

  “I warned you about who was in control when we got here.”

  Asher reached inside and cupped her cheek. “Magnar picked up the lube. I’m sure she’ll get the rules while we’re spanking that ass, fucking it, and filling her up with our cocks,” he said, and she nearly moaned just thinking about them taking her together. Asher pressed his lips to hers.

  Czeck chuckled. “We got a wild one, and she’s gonna need taming.”

  “Get out of the car now, Alaska. Training officially begins,” Gordo said, and Asher released her to open the door and she slowly lifted herself from Czeck’s body with him moaning and her feeling like she got a bit wild there with him, yet she was content. Gordo picked her up and carried her into the house as Czeck leaned back and exhaled. Asher chuckled.

  Gordo was already hard and ready, but Alaska stopped him when she realized that Magnar wasn’t there.

  “Where is Magnar?” she asked.

  “He’s fine. He’ll join us in a little bit,” Asher said as he and Czeck entered the house and closed the front door.

  “I saw the truck outside. Is he okay?” she asked with concern. Her gorgeous baby blues showed such emotion and care. He loved her already, and so did the others, they were just trying to be so macho about it. He didn’t want to tell her that Magnar was suffering all morning with a migraine and was lying down. It would piss the commander off to show weakness of any kind, especially in front of Alaska.

  “Gordo, is he suffering with a migraine? Is he lying down?” she asked and started to head toward the hallway.

  He grabbed her wrist. “Don’t, Alaska. He’ll be pissed off.”

  “What do you mean?”

  They all looked uncomfortable, but they didn’t need to spell it out. She was a doctor and she was a woman.

  “Seriously? Doesn’t he know that I of all people would not see him as weak because he’s in pain? I could help him,” she said.

  “He took the medication and he used some of the cream.”

  “Well, I have other methods as well,” she said and tried to go, but Gordo shook his head.

  “Come on. Come with me,” she said and pulled, and he walked along with her.

  Magnar was going to be pissed off.

  Magnar knew the second that someone entered his room. He heard them come down the hallway. He didn’t open his eyes, he just lay there wishing the pain would go away. Even his neck hurt now from tightening up. When he inhaled and smelt the familiar scent, he growled. “Get her out of here. Now!” he yelled and then cringed.