“He’s still in surgery,” Hunt reported. “They haven’t told me anything else, but from what I gathered from Knight’s cam, Payne had a chest wound that caused him to code before he was even loaded into the medevac.”
Hunt hoped his report didn’t sound as panicked over Payne’s condition as he felt. By the intense gaze Slade leveled on him, he doubted he had sounded as detached as he should over a fellow agent’s injuries.
Knight studied Hunt just as he knew Slade was doing. He’d gotten to know his teammate a little bit over the last few weeks of living together for this op. However, the man he had gotten to know wasn’t the one who currently faced his lover. No, this man was someone altogether different. If Knight didn’t already know better, he would think Hunt and Payne were lovers by the way Hunt was acting. But Knight did know better and that was what made Hunt’s behavior so interesting.
Knight quickly mentally sifted through his teammates’ personnel files. He disregarded the INET agents on Slade’s team that he had yet to meet. They were of no consequence for the information he sought.
Hunt and Payne hadn’t worked together long, six months at the most, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t have had a relationship during that time especially considering INET’s policies. Watching Slade interact with Hunt made Knight think that if Hunt and Payne were involved with one another, his lover wasn’t aware of the relationship. Unaware or not, Knight decided there must be one or Hunt wouldn’t be so worried about Payne.
“Slade,” Knight called to his lover and was glad when the man walked over to him. “One of us should stay here until we know Payne’s status. Maybe that should be Hunt.”
“Hunt’s needed at HQ to sort and file the surveillance.”
“I can do that. Hunt taught me.” Knight glanced at his redheaded teammate and gave him a smile. “I can’t go back into the field anytime soon anyway, so working on the surveillance will give me something to do.” Knight ignored Slade’s look of suspicion. “And you know I need something to fucking do if I’m stuck at a desk.” That was actually a lie because Slade was the one who would need something to occupy his time or he would drive them all bat shit crazy.
“Okay,” Slade reluctantly agreed with his lover because he sensed Knight knew something that he didn’t. He would find out what it was soon enough. “Hunt, stay here and keep us updated on Payne.”
“Will do,” Hunt replied and was already pacing again before Slade, Lita, and Knight left the small waiting room.
***
Spider was pissed and confused over Zep’s behavior. More pissed at himself than with Zep because he was confused. He had thought Zep felt the same about them as he had even though the man was surprised when he called him ‘love’ in the heat of the moment during the raid.
If Zep didn’t feel the same, Spider could accept that especially after how much of a bastard he had been to the man their entire youth. But, Zep not having the balls to at least tell him to fuck off pissed him off even more.
When Spider exited the ER doors and found no sight of Zep after he scanned the parking lot, his anger spiked again. He knew Zep ran when the man was afraid, but Spider thought he had proven that Zep had nothing to fear from him anymore.
It was almost thirty minutes later before Spider realized exactly why Zep feared him now. That realization brought a small smile to Spider’s lips while he sat on a stone bench outside of the emergency room doors.
***
Hunt sat in an uncomfortable visitor chair the hospital provided in the ICU room. He still couldn’t believe that Slade had ‘ordered’ him to stay so he could keep INET updated on Payne’s condition. Of course, Hunt wasn’t so freaked out about Payne’s status in surgery to not notice Knight’s conversation with his team leader.
Why Knight suggested Hunt stay behind was something Hunt frequently pondered while he sat by Payne’s bedside. Whatever his newest teammates reason, it didn’t matter because he was right where he wanted, needed, to be.
The sound of Payne’s monitors beeping filled the room, but Hunt had become accustomed to the annoying noises. They had taken Payne off the respirator two days ago, but his fellow agent had yet to wake up. The hospital staff assured him that Payne’s surgeries were successful and that he was heavily medicated. They said Payne wasn’t in a coma, but would wake when his body was ready. Everything looked good, so now it was a waiting game. A waiting game that Hunt hated like there was no tomorrow.
If Hunt hadn’t been staring at Payne’s beautiful face he never would have noticed the crease in the man’s brow that was indicative of a struggle to wake. Hunt leaned forward in his chair and held his breath as Payne’s eyes fluttered. They slowly opened and Hunt couldn’t help his breathless exhale.
“Payne?”
Payne blinked a few times before his pale gaze shifted in Hunt’s direction. “Hunter?”
Payne’s tone was graveled from lack of use and having tubes stuck down his throat. Confusion was also clear when the man said Hunt’s name, but none of that mattered. Just hearing Payne speak at all was music to Hunt’s ears.
“I’m here,” Hunt whispered and leaned forward to place his hand on top of Payne’s where it lay on the bed.
“Good. I’m glad.”
That was all Payne managed to say before his eyes closed. Hunt didn’t care if Payne even knew what he had said. The fact that the man had spoken at all was enough for his heart to swell.
***
It had been two months since Zep walked out of the emergency room in Miami and away from Spider. Three times in the first month he had come home to notes shoved under his front door. Everyone was from Spider. They were simple notes, with simple messages.
‘We need to talk, here is my private number.’
‘I want to talk, call me.’
‘We should really talk, please call me.’
The notes under his apartment door stopped three weeks ago and Zep wasn’t sure if he was relieved or not. Every time he came home and found a slip of paper under his door, his heart pounded and he had to resist the urge to call the man.
The ache in his chest flared every time, but he couldn’t help but respect Spider for not taking a more direct method to contact him. The man worked for ATF and knew he was an INET agent. Not only an INET agent, but one that was part of a co-agency op. So, Zep knew Spider had several other options to contact him more directly.
Still, Zep resisted the urge to call the private number that Spider always scrawled at the bottom of the notes. He hadn’t had another note for almost a month now and instead of being relieved, he was heartbroken.
This was what I wanted, Zep remined himself while he typed up another report on the Satan’s Blades’ raid. What I feel now would be worse if we tried for something more.
Zep reminded himself again and opened up a video file he was supposed to transcribe. When the image of Spider filled his screen, Zep’s gut clenched at the thought that Spider had given up and moved on. He knew how he felt wasn’t fair to Spider or even to himself. Still, that didn’t stop the feeling.
“Zep.” Zep looked up when Slade called his name. “Fish’s office.”
Zep nodded and stood. Their boss had been calling them all randomly into his office since they came back from the Blades’ op, so Zep gave it no thought that he was being summoned again. In fact, he didn’t envy their boss since the man had to deal with ICE and ATF for this case.
He stepped into Fish’s office behind Slade and fought to school his features when Slade stopped inside. Seated in front of Fish’s desk was Spider. It wasn’t the Spider that filled Zep’s last memories of the man from their time spent in the shitty motel room or the Spider Zep frequently had to watch in the surveillance videos. No, this was a Spider Zep had never seen before and the sight sent a wrecking ball to the walls Zep convinced himself to build around his heart where the man was concerned.
Spider sat in a chair in front of Fish’s desk. He wore a pale blue button-down shirt, of all things, with t
he sleeves folded up to his muscular forearms. Dark black jeans covered his strong thighs and he had one foot resting on the knee of his opposite leg. His dark hair was gelled enough to not fall into his face, but regardless of Spider’s changed appearance nothing could change the dark brown eyes that stared at him when he walked into his boss’ office.
“Grab a chair, Zep,” Fish ordered and somehow Zep found himself sitting next to Spider across from his boss.
Zep could feel Spider’s gaze on him as if the man were sensually caressing him. He purposely ignored Spider and focused on Fish because this meeting was surely one between ATF and INET and didn’t have a damn thing to do with anything that had happened between him and Spider.
Fuck if he wasn’t proved so far beyond wrong that it should have been God damn funny. It wasn’t and Zep didn’t feel the smallest urge to laugh after Fish spoke.
“Agent Webb, after many years of Slade hounding him, has decided to take up Slade’s offer to join INET.”
Fish didn’t look at Spider or Slade who stood off to the side of their boss’ desk. No, Fish stared directly at Zep and it took every bit of willpower that Zep possessed not to squirm under the man’s scrutiny.
“However,” Fish continued. “Agent Webb felt the need to disclose some information that wasn’t revealed in the reports of our co-agency bust of the Blades before he would accept our offer of employment.”
Zep watched Fish’s gaze shift from him to glare at Spider. His boss didn’t look happy that he had to deal with what Zep was sure Fish thought was bullshit.
“Agent Webb is concerned that if he becomes an INET agent, specifically an agent on Slade’s team that it might cause some discord because of events that may have occurred outside of the parameters of the Blades’ op.”
The inflection on certain words told Zep everything he needed to know. Spider had disclosed their intimate relationship. At first, Zep was shocked that Spider would share their private time together with his boss. However, that shock was soon replaced by the thought of what Fish was actually saying.
Fish is leaving it up to me if Spider is allowed to join INET. Zep was blown away.
The only reason he distanced himself from Spider was because he knew they were headed for heartbreak worse than he already felt if they continued to work for different agencies. Now, he had the opportunity for them to work together, to both be INET agents which wouldn’t stop them from being in a serious relationship. No sooner did that thought cross his mind did Zep realize that Spider was leaving ATF to take Slade’s offer to join INET because of him.
What if we don’t work out? The random thought streaked across Zep’s mind.
“Agent Zepple,” Fish’s stern voice pulled Zep out of his mental spiral. “I need to know if you will be able to work with Agent Webb regardless of your past history together.”
Zep looked away from Fish’s inquiring and demanding gaze to look at Spider. Spider’s body still appeared relaxed, but his chocolate brown eyes were anything but. They held a gleam that Zep could only describe as begging laced with want and desire. The emotions and Spider’s regard had Zep speaking without any thought about the consequences of his words.
“We can work together,” Zep said without breaking Spider’s gaze so he didn’t miss the relieved expression that crossed the man’s face.
Zep went back to work after Fish dismissed him and Slade. He was distracted by thoughts of working with Spider on a daily basis and those thoughts were still swirling around his in mind when he walked into his apartment that evening.
Zep hadn’t even walked five steps into his apartment when there was a solid knock on his door. He frowned, but still had a good idea who was on the other side. His heart hammered in his chest as he turned back to open his door.
Spider knew he gambled when he walked into INET headquarters and requested to speak with Slade. Slade had been after him for years to join INET. Spider also knew the man had no idea why he continually declined. However, Spider wasn’t sure Slade’s invitation still stood after the man knew about him and Zep.
The instant meeting with the director wasn’t expected. Having the director call Zep into the meeting was even less so, but Spider understood the man’s motivations. Once Zep became part of his interview process, Spider wasn’t sure which way things would go especially since Zep refused to contact him after he left notes requesting the man call him.
The moment Zep stated they could work together, Spider’s heart soared. He suffered through the rest of the hiring Bullshit and couldn’t get out of INET’s HQ fast enough.
Now, he stood in front of Zep’s apartment door. He’d already knocked and was currently trying to calm his racing heart while he prayed Zep would answer the door. A small voice in his mind whispered that he was a fool to believe the kid he relentlessly bullied would want anything further to do with him even though they had a few awesome sexual encounters. Spider squashed that voice and resisted pounding on Zep’s door again. He was glad he did because the door finally opened.
“I knew it was you.”
“Is that a good thing?” Spider asked nervously and couldn’t stop himself from visually devouring Zep.
“I’m still not sure,” Zep replied and returned Spider’s head to toe gaze. His heart was pounding and he fought to keep his breathing steady.
“Want to find out?” Spider asked and hoped he didn’t sound like he was begging because he actually was begging and didn’t feel a damn bit of shame about doing so.
“Yeah, I think I do.”
Zep hesitantly smiled and opened his door enough for Spider to enter his apartment. His eyes never left Spider while he closed and locked his door, so he wasn’t caught off guard when Spider moved.
It was like Spider was a vampire and permission to enter was all he needed to do what he wanted with the man in front of him. How he managed to let Zep lock the door before he pressed into the man he had fallen for and aggressively attacked Zep’s mouth, he had no idea. Thankfully, Zep was on board with his desire for a taste.
Zep wasn’t surprised by Spider’s attack. In fact, he expected it and the moan that escaped his lips into Spider’s mouth was one of anticipation and relief. They kissed as if they were starved men finally presented with a buffet. Hands fought with clothing and neither man paused at the sound of a piece of cloth tearing. It was only when they were both shirtless with their pants pushed down to their thighs that they paused.
“Bedroom,” Spider panted into Zep’s mouth.
“Yeah,” Zep agreed and buried his face in the crook of Spider’s neck. “Need you in me.”
Spider groaned and forced himself to step away from Zep. The distance between them didn’t last long because Zep dragged him down the hall and pushed him onto the bed. Zep fell on top of Spider and had no idea how they both shed the rest of their clothes. He also had no idea when he retrieved the lube or condom before Spider was buried deep inside of him.
They collapsed all too soon onto Zep’s bed and Spider was still reeling from his orgasm. It was a minor miracle he had managed to fall to the side of Zep instead of collapsing on top of the man. Spider fought to catch his breath, but that didn’t stop him from caressing Zep’s thigh with one hand while his other rubbed Zep’s release into his abs.
The glitter that floated before Zep’s eyes finally cleared and he became aware of Spider’s fingers rubbing against his skin. It was several minutes before his breathing evened out enough for him to speak.
“Did you finally take up Slade’s offer because of me?” Zep just had to know.
Spider turned his head to look at Zep. His man was staring at the ceiling, so he rolled onto his side to face him.
“Yes, Rob.”
“Why?” Zep rolled his head so he could look at Spider.
“If I’d said yes to Slade sooner, it would have hurt you.”
“What?” Zep asked and practically jerked away from Spider.
“You would have still been afraid of me and that would’ve h
urt you and affected your job with INET. I couldn’t chance you being distracted undercover because I was part of your team, so I’ve always told Slade no when he tried to recruit me.”
“But you want to be an INET agent, right?”
“Since the day Slade approached me, but…”
“But you realized I was an INET agent on Slade’s team.”
Spider shrugged and Zep rolled onto his side so he could look his lover in the eyes to ensure that Spider knew he meant every word he was about to say.
“I’m glad you’re an agent with us now.”
“I’m glad I finally have you.” Spider pulled Zep close.
They were drifting off to sleep when Zep whispered softly, “I am too.”
##~~##
About the Author
Brenda is unlike most authors since she only began writing a few years ago. She is an Amazon and ARe best-selling author and her love for reading fantasy, paranormal, and contemporary erotic romance has allowed her to apply her Bachelor’s degrees in management and marketing to her new career.
Brenda resides in Tampa, FL with her husband, seven cats, a dog, a turtle named Tammy, and a rabbit named Alice. She is active in the Tampa Bay GLBT, kink, & leather communities, is an associate member in the Tampa Leather Club, and the owner of Florida Leather & Fetish Pride weekend.
When not putting the voices in her head on paper, Brenda is attending book and fantasy/Sci-fi conventions or leather/kink events as Ms. Florida Leather & Fetish Pride 2016.
She would love to hear from you! Visit her on the following:
Website: www.bcothernbooks.com
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