Elizabeth hung upside down, and she couldn’t wait. Now she could stop thinking, and just feel.
It was time to simply be his wife.
In the shower, Callen put her on her feet, pressed her to the glass wall, and then took over. He found his way back into the wetness, and he wasn’t going to give her a chance to escape.
It was his turn.
Driving himself into her, her feet actually came off the floor from the force of each thrust.
“You’re mine,” he hissed.
With each punishing stroke, she moved closer to falling. Callen didn’t give up. She could feel his body getting ready to explode in hers.
When she stopped holding back, letting herself fall, Callen pulled out.
She tumbled into the spirals and colors, enjoying the way the orgasm wrapped around her battered body and soul.
It was perfect.
As she floated to the surface, Callen was waiting for her.
And he was breathing heavily.
Spinning her around, he shoved his wife to her knees. “If you’re going to jerk a man off, here’s how it should be done,” he muttered, as his hand worked his own erection.
Elizabeth stared up at him, her big icy blue eyes never leaving his face.
It drove him wild.
She looked so innocent, sweet, and precious. The fact that he was about to cum all over her…
Yeah, that was going in a book too.
With four strokes, he was on the edge. Her hands were on his thighs, and he needed that one little thing to push him over the edge.
Reading his mind, she gave him exactly what he needed to fall.
“Cum all over me,” she begged.
The visual in his head was more than he could handle.
Callen lost it.
Yeah, he wasn’t in control of this little interlude at all.
Elizabeth definitely was.
As he finished exploding for the second time, he hit the shower and pulled her to her feet.
His wife was a mess.
“Let me help you,” he said softly, leaving kisses across her shoulder and neck.
“Yes,” she said, leaning into his body to be comforted by her big strong Native.
This tenderness…it was her favorite part.
And Callen knew it.
With his love, he re-filled her battered heart.
When they’d finished their water games, cleaning up, and getting dressed, Callen remembered why he’d gone upstairs the hour earlier.
“Uh, Gabe called. He’s on his way here. Well, he’s likely here. We took a little too long in the fornication department,” he teased.
“It was worth it,” she admitted. Elizabeth was focused, calm, and ready to go. There was nothing like a sexy romp to clear her mind.
Callen laughed. “I feel so damn cheap. You used me,” he teased.
“Yes, yes, I did, but I believe you had your fun too.”
Hell yes, he did!
“What did Gabe want?” she asked, pulling on her beat up cowboy boots. “It’s not like him to make a social call. He’s usually a ‘meet me in my office’ kind of guy.”
He was aware.
“No clue, but he gave Ethan a heads-up, regarding the visit,” he offered.
“Uh oh.”
She wasn’t going to like this—not one bit.
“Livy is coming. They need to talk to all three of us about something.”
She sighed.
“Think positive,” he ordered.
That wasn’t it.
“I don’t need this today, but I guess it doesn’t matter what I want.”
Callen knew what she needed.
“This is my fault.”
Elizabeth buckled her belt and glanced over. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I was supposed to escape with you out the window, but, instead, we opted to get nasty in our bedroom. My bad. I get distracted so damn easily.”
She snorted. “Just help me keep my cool, okay?” she asked. “Last night was the last tears I plan on shedding for the next twenty years. I’m not crying again until our kids start getting married.”
He didn’t buy that for a second, but who was he to break the bad news to her. She was likely going to cry when Christopher Anthony took his first step.
That was closer than twenty years.
He kissed her on the lips. “Angel, that’s my favorite thing to do in a day.”
“Liar.”
“Yeah, but it’s more romantic than saying I get off watching you beat people up.”
She patted him on the ass.
“You found me out. That’s my favorite thing to do in a day. I’m such a whore.”
She snorted. “My whore. Now, let’s go, Callen James. I have a mess to avoid.”
And she hoped she could do it.
Downstairs, Ethan was pouring his boss, and partner in running the FBI, a coffee. Livy was there, and so was Amy, but they were sitting in the living room.
“What’s going on?” Ethan asked.
“Amy wanted to see Elizabeth, and we knew you were busy. I hope you don’t mind that I brought Livy here.”
“She’s welcome, as long as she doesn’t start swinging at anyone,” Ethan admitted.
“I promise, but speaking of swinging,” he said, pointing at Ethan’s cheek.
“Marlee Whittaker hit me.”
Gabe stared at him.
“Um…”
He stopped his boss from speculating. “It’s not what you’re thinking. It wasn’t during some raunchy sex. Again, I didn’t cheat on my wife.”
Gabe sipped his coffee. “Okay, now that you cleared that up, and for the record, I wasn’t thinking sex. I figured Elizabeth pissed someone off in an interrogation, and you blocked her from being punched. That’s always my go to explanation.”
He laughed.
And, he was glad.
Someone had faith in him.
“I took Elizabeth to that function that you and I both initially bailed on. We were there to bait Bonnie.”
“Always stupid,” he added.
Yeah, he was aware.
“Anyway, Marlee provoked Elizabeth, telling her she slept with me.”
Gabe sipped his coffee.
But said nothing.
“What? You don’t have a comment?” he asked.
Gabriel shrugged. “I know what kind of man you are, Ethan, and even if I doubted that, I have eyes and ears all over the Hoover building. Had I gotten word that you were jumping women, that you aren’t married to, I would have stopped in for the come to Jesus talk.”
He listened.
“And, I also know that when you’re running that nut farm, there’s no time for extracurricular activities. When I run it alone, sex is the LAST thing on my mind.”
That had been the case with him, except he was monopolized with how to save his marriage.
“Continue,” Gabe offered. “We haven’t gotten to the striking part, but I’m sure it’ll be titillating. With you three, it always is.”
He laughed. “Thanks.”
“My pleasure.”
“Elizabeth, after being provoked, ‘accidentally’ dumped wine down her dress, and left. When I went to see what happened, she started belittling my wife in front of the people there.”
Oh, Gabe had heard all of this from the President that morning. He simply wanted Ethan’s side of the story. While he trusted the man, this was a lesson in cleaning up your own mess—like Livy and Amy were about to do.
Once he got both sides, then, like a good boss, he’d investigate.
“I told her off, she got angry, and I got hit.”
“Did you hit her back?” he asked, sipping again.
“I don’t cheat on my wife, and I don’t hit women. Other than that, yes, I’m a freaking bastard.”
Gabe patted him on the arm. “I heard all of this, but thank you for your side.”
“And you made me rehash it?” he asked. “You’re an as
shole.”
“I lead a very tame life compared to you, Ethan. I have to live vicariously through you. Humor me.”
Ethan shook his head.
“Great. Now tell me what do I do?”
“Nothing. She wasn’t the one who went to the President. Apparently, Marcus Hunter, head of the US Marshals out of DC was there. He called him to report the Secretary of Defense’s bad behavior. Apparently, she’s hit on him, and pretty much everyone with power in DC. You have a witness.”
He was going to kiss his friend.
Better yet, he’d let him win in golf for the rest of their lives.
“Think she’ll stay away?”
“Yep. If she’s smart. Elizabeth is wicked. Right now, she’s off her game. Once she is back in control, someone’s going to pay dearly if she tries to come at her again.”
Yeah, he had that right.
Ethan heard his wife and brother heading down the stairs. “Marjorie, can you bring everyone coffee?” he called into the living room. “Can you tell Livy and Amy we’re about to begin?” he asked the housekeeper they’d hired to replace Maeve.
“Yes, sir,” she called back before heading into the kitchen.
“Thank you.”
“We had better get in there and run interference,” Gabe stated. “This might go bad.”
Ethan still didn’t know what was happening, but his friend looked worried.
That said it all.
The shit was going to hit the fan.
In their home.
Again.
In the living room, Elizabeth came to a stop. Livy and Amy were on the couch, and the kid looked scared shitless.
Something was going on, but she wasn’t quite sure what it was.
“Hey, kiddo. Got a hug for me?” she asked, trying to help Amy through whatever it was that was bothering her.
Amy went to her and promptly burst into tears as she held onto her.
Elizabeth was confused.
“What’s wrong?” Elizabeth asked her.
Gabe came to a stop behind his wife on the couch. “Our daughter has done something, and she needs to tell you what it is. That’s why we’re here today.”
Ethan moved to Elizabeth’s side.
When he’d first met Amy, she was about ten years old. She was growing into a beautiful woman.
Elizabeth lifted her chin and wiped her tears. “Kiddo, what’s going on?”
Livy’s heart skipped. There was such love in that one motion. That was a mother’s love, and in that moment, she trusted the woman who’d once been her friend.
She wouldn’t hurt Amy, despite what had gone down.
“I’m the one who left the note on Uncle Ethan’s car about your past relationship,” she stated.
Callen started choking on his coffee the second she’d said it. That was NOT what he’d been expecting.
But that solved that mystery.
“What?” Elizabeth and Ethan said at the same time.
“It was me.”
Elizabeth didn’t get why.
“What did I do to you, Amy?” she asked. “You nearly destroyed our marriage with that stunt. What could I have possibly done to deserve that?”
She stood there, and she wiped her eyes. “You and Mom had a fight, and I immediately took Mom’s side. I didn’t know the whole story, and I was wrong.”
Wow!
This was…something.
“I’m sorry. Please don’t hate me, Aunt Lyzee. Uncle Ethan, I shouldn’t have done that to you. You’ve never been mean or horrible. I was just trying to get revenge for my Mom.”
Elizabeth didn’t know what to say.
“Oh, Amy.”
Truthfully, Elizabeth felt horrible. She’d basically blamed Livy—just like she’d blamed Ethan without any proof.
Well, shit!
She’d broken the cardinal rule of investigating.
Evidence mattered.
“I’m so sorry,” she sobbed.
Ethan hated seeing the kid suffer. Heading her way, he gave her a hug.
“While what you did was shitty, Amy, it forced me to take a deep long look at myself. It allowed me to change. I’m not angry at you. I certainly don’t hate you. Thank you for being honest. We were wondering who did it.”
She hugged him back. “Uncle Ethan, I’ll never do anything like that again. I’ve learned my lesson.”
“I’m sure you have, honey. This had to be very hard to own up to,” he admitted. He knew from his past he’d run.
Amy faced it.
Kudos to her.
Amy glanced over at Elizabeth, and she was saying nothing. In fact, she was standing there with her arms crossed and a blank look on her face.
“Aunt Lyzee?”
No one spoke.
Since most of the damage had been to Elizabeth, she had the final say in this. She’d taken the hit.
She’d felt the most pain.
Livy wanted to help her daughter. She wanted to rush in and save her, only that wasn’t going to help. She’d done that way too much, like Gabe did with her.
Amy was at this woman’s mercy.
“Lyzee?” Gabe asked, hoping the woman took it easy on the girl. With Elizabeth, you never quite knew what she’d say or do.
“I don’t hate you. In fact, I’m glad you’re here. There’s something I want to say to you, and your parents.”
Gabe cringed.
Here it came.
“What?” Amy asked.
“I owe your mother and father an apology too. All those weeks ago, when your father was diagnosed with cancer, I bailed, too, thanks to my own issues. I left DC, and that was the wrong move—not only because I left Ethan behind, but I wasn’t here for you or your mom. I hope you can both forgive me for that. I preached friendship, and out of anger, I did something I regret.”
Livy stared at her.
Was she really apologizing?
Ethan and Callen each took their place beside her, resting their hands on her back. They supported her choice, since this was the right thing to do.
“I didn’t make Amy do this so you’d forgive me, Elizabeth. I was a shitty friend, and you deserved better all those years. Amy wanted to do this to make it right.”
“And that Uncle Ethan would have found me anyway,” she admitted.
He winked at the kid.
“Probably. No Gitmo for you. It looks like you lucked out on that one,” he teased.
Elizabeth continued, “I know you didn’t, Livy. I know that you raised your daughter to be a good person, and that’s why I’m sorry I wasn’t here. I wasn’t a good role model to her. I know the time while Baldy was getting chemo had to be hard.”
“ELIZABETH!” Gabe said. “Really?” he stated, running his hand over his shiny scalp.
“What? It’s the pink elephant in the room. We all know why you’re really bald. Grass doesn’t grow on a busy street. Your wife is handsy.”
Amy made gagging noises. “Please. I have to not think about that or Uncle Ethan and Uncle Callen trying to…never mind. This family has way too many pervs.”
From the mouths of babes.
She pointed at Callen. “Don’t do it.”
He shut it, and fast.
“I wanted you both to know I should have been there for you. I let you fall, so we’ll take this whole thing and let it cancel itself out.”
Gabe moved toward her. “You’ve been here for us for years, Elizabeth. I knew you were thinking about me.”
Livy agreed. “All that porn. Thanks for that,” she teased her.
Gabe touched her hand. “I’ve known for many years that you’ve always had my back. Before Livy, you were my confidante, and I knew you were here for me.”
He hugged her.
Elizabeth went into his arms. It felt nice not to be at odds with anyone she truly loved.
Arguing was exhausting.
She rubbed his bald head. “So hot.”
Gabe looked horrified.
“Wha
t? Like you thought I’d behave any differently? This is my home.”
He laughed. “This is just NOT how I saw this going,” he admitted. “I saw a meltdown and war.”
Nah, that wasn’t going to happen.
“Don’t try to control freak me. I have two I deal with already,” she stated.
Her husbands began laughing.
She felt better.
Ethan and she were on better ground, she’d molested Callen, and the mysterious betrayer had been found.
It helped her heal.
Then she thought about it.
Food was love.
“Are you hungry, Amy? Marjorie makes kick ass pancakes,” she offered, tucking the girl under her arm. When she stopped, she held out her hand to Livy. “You too, momma. I need to fuel up, and I’d like to do it with people I love.”
Tears filled Livy’s eyes.
This was one hell of a miracle.
One she’d never forget.
The pancakes were to die for, and they were all stuffed. As they ate, Marjorie kept making them. As they were finishing up, one of Ethan’s security peeked his head in.
“Sir, we didn’t want to bother you with Director Rothschild, but there are two US Marshals at the gate. What do you want us to do?”
“Shoot them,” he stated.
Elizabeth laughed. “Cowboy, not in front of the stiff,” she said, pointing at Gabe.
He grinned. “Okay then, send them up,” he stated.
Elizabeth pointed at Marjorie. “He eats for twenty. You better keep going,” she stated.
The woman smiled, pulled her long brown hair back, and got down to business.
When the two marshals walked in, they both stopped. One sight of Gabriel Rothschild was enough to have them ready to leave.
“Stop,” he said, sipping his coffee at the giant kitchen island. “This is informal. If you run, there’s enough security outside this house to catch you before you get to your ride.”
He had a point.
As for the informal…the man wasn’t so sure. This was Gabriel Rothschild.
The man had a reputation.
He knew how tough the man was to work with, and he didn’t want to piss him off.
Revenge has Come (An FBI/Romance Thriller Book 19) Page 40
