by Avery Gale
Realizing her bladder was tired of being ignored, Jen decided to continue playing the meek, frightened victim card and asked sweetly to use the restroom. When the men protested, she stood and started to dance around and gave crying her best effort until they finally relented. The captors' English wasn’t the best, but it wasn’t the worst either so she planned to continue pretending she couldn’t understand any of their Spanish bickering about who was going to accompany the Albino bitch to the latrine. Jen thanked her guardian angel when the smaller of the two men stepped forward and motioned her out the door with his rifle.
Even though she’d had weapons training when she’d joined the department, Jen had never seen anything that looked remotely like the gun he was carrying. If she had to guess, she’d put her money on World War II leftovers. Geez, with the lucrative drug markets in this part of the world you’d think his boss would at least get him a gun from the Vietnam era. Once they got to the small bathroom, Jen knew the real struggle was about to begin.
When he started to follow her inside, she halted him and shook her head no. She swung the door wide open and pointed around the interior, “See? No windows and no doors. Where would I go? I just want to pee and wash my hands. That’s all.”
The asshat must have been satisfied because he’d stepped back, and snapped, “I be waiting. Go fast.” She’d nodded, barely resisting the urge to give him a mocking salute and ducked inside and flipped the lock on the heavy wooden door. Moron. Jen had just finished washing her hands when she heard a loud thump against the door, stepping to the side she looked for something, anything, to use as a weapon and the only thing she found was a spray can of air freshener. Shrugging, she grabbed it, positioned herself behind the door, and waited.
*****
Sam had been surprised at how few men there were guarding the small embassy compound, something that reeked of an inside job in his view. Hell, it had taken them less than a minute to make their way into the main building and into the dank basement. The clown standing outside the restroom hadn’t even heard them descend the stairs and with one well-placed move he’d been dispatched and dropped like a stone. As he’d secured the thug in flexi-cuffs, the rest of his team had moved down the hall. They’d quickly dispatched the other captor and left Sage to secure the man while they led two women out of the building...neither women was the sassy sprite he’d expected to see. Suddenly realizing why the man had been guarding the bathroom door, Sam moved back down the hall and pulled on the handle. Locked.
Cursing under his breath, “Fuck. Can’t anything be easy with her?” He gave the door a solid kick with his boot and sent it flying inward just as he found himself in a mist of some sort of sickeningly sweet spray that made his damned eyes water and stole his breath. “Goddammit, what the fuck? Jen?”
He heard her gasp, “Sam?”
“Yeah, doll. Mind telling me what that was about.” He’d barely managed to cough out the words before she’d launched herself at his chest wrapping her arms and legs around him like a spider monkey. For just one heartbeat he relished the feel of her small body pressed against his and was keenly aware of the fact her sex was pressing against his rapidly inflating cock. His big head had finally come back on-line and when his training kicked in, he’d sprinted toward the exit.
It was a damned good thing this was his last mission because there was no way he’d ever live down coming out of a snatch and grab smelling like he’d taken a walk through his sweet granny’s flower garden. I hope like hell this shit washes off or it’s gonna be a long fucking ride to the airport.
Stepping outside into a deluge, Sam was grateful for the impromptu shower, but knew immediately there was no way their transport would be taking off anytime soon, so they’d be switching to their backup plan for evacuating any Americans who wanted out. Stepping into the back of the truck with Jen still clinging to him, he turned to his brother, “How many are we taking?”
“Just her. The other girls were locals and refused any further help. The place is secure for now.” Sage’s words might have been purely professional, but his expression was anything but. He’d leaned close and whispered against Jen’s ear, “You okay, sweet cheeks?” Her face was pressed against Sam’s neck but he’d felt her quick nod. Sage looked at him, “She need a medic? If not, we need to get the hell out of Dodge because the other two women indicated they believed Jen was the original target.”
Sam knew he hadn’t hidden his anger when the other men looked at him with raised brows. Waving them off, he started trying to pry her arms from their locked position around his neck so he could look at her. “Come on, Jen. Let me get a look at you. We need to make sure you are alright.” She finally eased her hold and pulled back enough for him to become lost in the most beautiful crystal blue eyes he’s ever seen. God, how had he forgotten how easy they were to fall into? He’d seen every ocean and many of the seas the good earth had to showcase, but he’d never seen a single body of water that could match the sparkling depth of color of Jen’s eyes. When she finally let him put a few more inches between them he brushed her hair aside and smiled. “That’s a good girl. Now, did they hurt you?” He felt a flood of relief when she shook her head. “When is the last time you ate?”
He could tell the last question had surprised her, but she’d recovered quickly and answered, “I’m not sure, really…yesterday afternoon, I think.” His Dominant nature nearly exploded through his surface calm. How dare she not take better care of herself? Well that fucking changes as of this moment. He took the small bottle of water Sage passed him and unscrewed the lid before handing it to her. His brother’s stern look told Sam he wasn’t happy with her response either.
Carl Phillips was one of the best SEAL teammates Sam had ever worked with, but the man drove like an Indy racer so they were all being tossed around in the back of the truck like peas in a boxcar. Just as Sam opened his mouth to ask him what the rush was, he noticed lights behind them. Sage was already digging through the open bag at his feet and Sam watched as his brother slid the slim titanium bracelet around Jen’s wrist and locked it into place before she had even had a chance to question him. There were only two keys to the small lock, and he and Sage were each wearing one around their necks. How Jax had managed to have the high tech tracking device waiting for them when they’d arrived was just another one of the mysteries of the universe Sam didn’t have time to figure out.
“What is this? Where did you get it? What does it do?” Oh yeah, there she is, there’s the bold, questioning woman we met in Costa Rica.
“Glad to see that brilliant mind is coming back on-line so quickly, doll.” Nodding to her wrist, he continued, “That is a gift from Jax, it will help us find you if we get separated for any reason.” He caught her chin with his fingers and forced her to focus on his face before he continued, “We don’t plan on needing it, so I want you to just consider it a very expensive piece of jewelry for now, understand? It’s important that you not think about it as anything else. If you do, you may unconsciously pay particular attention to it, and even the most subtle attention wouldn’t be missed by someone who wanted to hurt you. Do you understand?”
Watching her eyes dilate as she listened to his instructions was one of the sexiest things he’d ever seen. Here she was obviously physically and emotionally spent to the point of exhaustion, there was no question she had to be famished, and she still reacted to his Dom voice as only a true submissive would. She’s fucking perfect. And she’s ours.
Chapter Three
Jen stood in the small bathroom of the seedy hotel they’d checked into and shivered, despite the fact the room was fast closing in on becoming a sauna. It hadn’t taken the SEALs long to lose the Jeep that had been following them. Note to self…never—ever—ride anywhere with Carl Phillips unless I’m trying to outrun bad guys. Holy hairballs the man had some serious driving issues, but he’d gotten them safely to a small hotel not far from the airport, so Jen figured she should just count her blessings and call it a
day. The water in the shower had been running for several minutes and was just beginning to feel lukewarm. “I swear the first thing I’m going to do when I get back to my apartment is kiss my water heater.”
“What was that, sweet cheeks?” Jen would have smacked her forehead in exasperation if she’d had the energy. Great, she should have known that as soon as she started talking to herself one of the McCall brothers would be standing just outside the door.
“Um, nothing. I was just muttering to myself.” Pulling back the shower curtain, she shrieked as a cockroach the size of a small bus scurried up the wall. The door slammed open and Sage stepped in front of her scanning the shower before turning back to her. Looking up into his dark eyes nearly gave her a case of vertigo, even though she had to lean her head back to see into his face, the feeling of falling forward into his gaze made her head spin.
“Whoa. Hold on, sweet cheeks. Here, sit down for a minute.” He’d put a towel on the closed lid of the toilet before settling her onto it. “Do not move, got it?” When she nodded, he stepped out and she could hear him telling the others she was alright and they’d be out before Sam returned with their food. Returning to the small bath, he unbuckled his gun belt and set it aside before stripping quickly.
“Wait. What are you doing? I can’t take a shower with you.” Jen silently cursed the fact her protest had sounded weak, even to her own ears.
“And why would that be?” The corners of his mouth looked like they were turning up in amusement, but she was trying so hard to perfect her scowl that she wasn’t sure. “It won’t be the first time we’ve been wet together, sweetness.” This time it was easy to see the devilment in his eyes and it made her want to roll hers. But she remembered all too vividly what the results of that had been in her hotel suite after Jax, Gracie, and Micah’s wedding reception, and it seemed foolish to tempt fate again. Damn, her ass had been tender for several days and the thought of the long flights ahead of her kept her from wanting to repeat the experience.
The paddling they’d given her for her bratty behavior had both infuriated her and ignited a curiosity and passion she’d barely been managing to contain for years. Thinking about the hundreds of erotic romance novels she’d read and all the times she’d wondered how it would feel to be the heroine caught between two demanding Doms was not a good plan when she was facing the very impressive and rapidly hardening cock of one of the most attractive men she’d ever known. Boy oh boy, I wonder if he really does taste as good as I remember or if my mind has manufactured a memory that is better than reality...because, I really hate it when that happens. Maybe I can lean forward and just take a quick taste and…
Blinking back to the moment, Jen realized Sage had knelt in front of her so they were face to face. Kind of a pity, really. “Baby, that little mental field trip you just went on is part of what concerns me. I’m worried you’re headed for an adrenaline crash of Biblical proportions and I’d just as soon we didn’t have to stitch up any of your lovely body parts after you kissed the concrete.” Once again he was standing in front of her with his legs spread apart in a no nonsense stance, totally unembarrassed by his nakedness. And why the hell should he be? Leaping lizards the man is cut like a Greek God. It seemed as if her eyes had decided to play hooky from her brain as they zeroed in on his erect cock and the pearly drop at the very tip. She hadn’t even realized she’d licked her lips until she heard him growl.
“Fuck, woman. You’re going to be the death of me. Come here.” He grabbed her hands and pulled her to her feet before scooping her up and setting her over the edge of the large cast iron tub. Stepping in so he faced her, he moved her back until the warm water sprayed against the back of her head soaking her hair before cascading down her back and the rolling over her ass in whispering rivulets that were teasing her entire body to attention. “Lean back, sweetness. Let’s get you nice and wet.” His double innuendo hadn’t been lost on her, and when she did as he’d told her, he leaned down and kissed the tip of her nose. “Good girl. I’m going to help you so I don’t worry about having to rush in to rescue you from some enormous insect or rodent.” She appreciated his attempt to lighten the mood between them and smiled up at him. He quickly lathered up her long hair with the small bottle of shampoo he’d pulled from his bag before he’d sent her in to shower.
His strong fingers massaged her scalp making her moan at the pleasure his hands were bringing. She’d always loved having someone else wash her hair, hell, that was absolutely the best part of her monthly haircuts in her opinion. “You like that, sweetness?” Sage’s voice had become raspy and she’d have opened her eyes to answer but she was too lost in the bliss his touch was creating, she just couldn’t manage to lift her eyelids. When she finally managed to groan, he’d chuckled, “I’ll take that as a yes.” He’d continued moving his hand through the wet strands of her hair and she let out a little yelp of surprise when he licked first one nipple and then the other. “You are so beautiful. I’ve dreamt about your soft skin and the beautiful curves of these perfect breasts, sweet cheeks. Your nipples are the sweetest rosy pink color. And remembering the way your sweet pussy felt squeezing my cock as you screamed my name has fueled every single fantasy I’ve had for the past year.”
Feeling his lips brushing reverently over her skin was like setting a match to gasoline and she was suddenly much more interested in an entirely different kind of relief. Arching her back in an attempt to press her breasts against his chest was purely instinct driven. Sage leaned back, and when he rolled both of her nipples between his fingers until they were tight buds she felt herself sway against him just before her knees folded out from under her. Thank heaven he’d moved one of his arms and wrapped it around her waist or she’d have collapsed into the tub. “Come on, sweetness. Let’s get you out of here. I promise Sam and I will give your body the relief it is craving, but first we need to get you warm and fed.”
*****
Sage wanted to howl in victory at the way Jen had responded to his touch as he’d washed her hair. When he’d run his soapy hands up and down her arms he’d felt her shiver beneath his fingers. And when she’d leaned toward him as he’d repeated the soapy massage up and down both legs, it had taken every ounce of self-discipline he had to keep from pressing his mouth against her waxed sex and giving her the orgasm her body had been chasing. Though he knew she would have enjoyed the release immensely—he’d have seen that she’d come hard enough to scream his name—that wasn’t how he and his brother wanted to begin with her. The plan was to work together until the relationship was well established. They both understood the value of one-on-one time in a permanent polyamorous relationship, but they also knew in the beginning they needed to present a united front.
In the back of his mind he’d heard he and Sam’s friend and mentor, Cameron Barnes, repeating what they’d joked must be his mantra. Begin as you intend to go might not have been what his cock had wanted to hear, but as a trained Dom, Sage prided himself on having more control than giving in to a quick fuck in a pathetically antiquated shower. That wasn’t anywhere close to what they had planned for the beauty wrapped in his arms. He dried her quickly before pulling one of his t-shirts over her head. Christ she was so petite the damned thing hit her below the knees. When she’d tried to put her panties back on he’d shaken his head and stuffed them into one of the pockets of his cargo pants.
“Come on, I’ll comb out your hair. Turn around and stand still for me.” She’d given him a wide-eyed stare but slowly turned until she faced the cracked and cloudy mirror over the pedestal sink basin. He made short work of detangling her hair and when he saw the questions in her eyes, he grinned. “It isn’t what you think. Sam and I have a couple of sisters and a whole tribe of nieces who love to spend time with us. We learned real fast that bath time was much more peaceful if we knew how to comb out tangles without yanking out handfuls of their hair.”
Turning her toward the door, he gave her curvy little ass a swat, “Come on, I’m sure our din
ner is probably here by now.” He’d pulled his pants back on but hadn’t bothered with the shirt, no sense in trying to fool either Carl or Peter. Both were experienced Doms and Sage knew either one of them would have done exactly what he’d done if they’d been given the opportunity. Not a chance in hell, assholes. This one belongs to us.
Sam returned to their room carrying several bags of food so they sat Jen between them and dished up. The conversation between the five of them quickly turned to the information the other two hostages had shared with Peter. When he had explained the two women had mentioned Costa Rica, Jen started trembling and her fork had clattered to the floor. She’d looked like every bit of the blood had drained from her face and Sage noticed her breathing had become little more than frantic pants. Placing his hands on either side of her face, Sage forced her to focus on him. “Slow down, Jen. Breathe with me, sweetness. Come on.” When her eyes appeared to become even wilder he sharpened his tone, “Stop. Right. Fucking. Now.” When she hiccupped a breath he nodded, “Better. Now, match your breaths to mine, baby.”
