Scanning the area left and right, Jaeger made his way through the thick foliage and checked for footprints, broken twigs larger than what small game could make, and anything that seemed out of the ordinary. The woods were quiet and still—eerily quiet and still, especially for high noon.
Now on high alert, Jaeger crept over wood debris and soft earth and attempted to be as silent as possible. As a sniper, he knew the necessity of complete silence and stillness, but trekking through the crisp foliage proved more difficult than he liked. He needed to get to higher ground and scan the area. Something didn’t feel right.
He continued to walk for an hour or so, paying careful attention to every sound. Nothing moved, and to the untrained eye and ear, everything would seem calm and serene. But to Jaeger—suspicious by nature—something was off.
When he spied a small outcrop, he placed the handgun against the small of his back and the binoculars around his neck and climbed to the top of the thirty-foot cliff. Finally in his element, he lay down on the warm earth, melded into his surroundings, and slowed his breathing. Jaeger peered through the binoculars and tilted his head. Something was out there. The feeling simmered in his blood. He knew it with everything in his being and training, and they never failed him.
Jaeger might not be a patient man, but he had time. He’d sit in the stillness until he was satisfied that nothing was amiss. The sun was high, and small droplets of sweat trickled from his neck and down his back, but he didn’t move.
He had a clear vantage point to the tiny cabin, the surrounding area, and the gravel drive. Nothing stirred in the vicinity. And then he saw it. A slight glimmer. It might be nothing, but Jaeger didn’t believe in coincidences. Something in the distance caught his eye—a reflection. Without the scope of his rifle, Jaeger had to rely on the allowable distance of the binoculars ―about three miles. A watch catching the reflection of the sun. Two men with backpacks. Hikers? He thought not. From what he could see, the men were too neat to be random hikers, even if they had a cabin in the vicinity. Their boots were too clean, and their jeans and backpacks might as well have the tags still on. They looked more like they belonged in a cantina, sipping tequila.
They seemed to be hiking with a purpose while trying to appear nonchalant and looking for something. Could he and Wren be the something? And if so, how were they discovered? The men were still three miles from where they were staying, but Jaeger didn’t want to take any chances. He elected to watch for a tad bit more and then to retreat to the cabin and contact his SAC. If they were after Wren, Jaeger had the advantage. By their clumsy movements, they appeared to be randomly searching in hopes of finding their treasure. What concerned Jaeger was that they were even in the vicinity. Only a leak could place them in that secluded section of the Adirondacks. Not coincidence.
The air soon began to change as the afternoon dwindled. Jaeger watched the men scan about a mile radius of where he first spotted them and then retreat in the opposite direction—away from his cabin. Still, Jaeger would have to move Wren to a different location. But where?
If he contacted the marshal service and if there was a leak, he’d be placing both their lives in danger, especially the witness he was charged to protect. On the other hand, Jaeger needed to contact his SAC and at least give him the heads-up that they might have been compromised. Maybe Agent Chase was not on the up and up, and if that was the case, Jaeger was up shit creek.
Leaving the security of the outcrop, Jaeger began the trek back, aware of the outlying area and the stillness.
He approached the cabin and deactivated the alarm to let himself in. Wren slept on the couch, stretched out like a cat and hogging the entire area. Jaeger reset the alarm, strode to the comm room, where he opened up a secure line that would scramble the IP address and reroute it all over the world. If anyone attempted to hack into his system, they’d be hard-pressed to follow the trail. In less than two minutes, SAC Chase came onto the line, and Jaeger typed.
Sir, I think we’ve been compromised.
Your reason?
Something I saw. No details available.
Do what you think is best. Should I set something else up?
Jaeger didn’t reply back right away. He was deep in thought. He trusted his boss, but he always relied on his instincts, and they screamed at him to trust no one.
No, I’ll handle it.
Do you need anything from me? You know what is expected? Three weeks.
Yes, sir. I am well aware. But I feel at this time things are not the safest. I’ll make a final decision within twenty-four and then send you a message. Until then I’ll be off-line.
Stay safe.
Jaeger shut down the chat and rescrambled the address. He sat for a bit and watched the screens, but nothing moved. The two men he had seen could be nothing or could be something, but Jaeger couldn’t take chances. And as he told SAC Chase, he’d make the final decision within the next twenty-four hours. He had a feeling they’d be on the move by tomorrow night. The one thing in his favor was that the men, if they indeed were after his witness, didn’t look like the outdoor type and might not traverse the woods in the dark. If need be he and Wren would leave the Adirondacks and keep traveling or go deeper into the forest.
Wren needed to appear in court in three weeks. They had a vehicle, camping equipment, and enough supplies to sustain them on their own. And a bag full of cash. It would have been nice to stay in one spot, but so be it.
CHAPTER SIX
WREN WOKE to the clicking of keys on a computer keyboard. Jaeger must have left the door open. He was none too pleased that he’d fallen asleep and Jaeger strolled right past him, but he was exhausted—physically and mentally. The last few months had been demanding to his physical well-being as well as his psyche. He’d uncovered a long laundry list of ruthless crimes his family had committed. Wren simply wanted the previous year of his life to fade away.
The sun set, and a chill crept into the cabin. Wren lit a fire to take the edge off the temperature in the large living space. His stomach grumbled. It had been hours since lunch.
The task of cooking had fallen to Wren, so he went to the kitchen and gathered the ingredients for chicken parmesan. He pounded and fried the cutlets, placed them in the oven with tomato sauce and cheese, set the water to boil, and assembled a salad and chopped away.
“We may have a bit of trouble, but I’m not sure yet.”
Wren stopped midchop and looked up at Jaeger.
“What do you mean?”
“When I was patrolling this afternoon, I spotted two men walking in the surrounding area. A few miles away, but—”
Wren asked, “Why are you worried about them? Can’t they just be campers or hikers or whatever? The Adirondacks are full of vacationers, you said.” Wren turned back to the vegetables and crudely finished chopping as tension crept through his neck and shoulders. Just when he was getting close, it could all go to shit. “Does this mean we have to leave? Where will we go? How did they find us?”
“Look, I’m still not sure. So I’ll watch for another day or so, unless I feel that things have gone belly up. But if I say we go, we do it right away. No questions asked. Got it?”
Jaeger’s tone brooked no discussion, and Wren knew he’d have to comply if he planned to survive.
Warmth spread through Wren as Jaeger stepped behind him and rubbed small, soothing circles on his lower back. Wren leaned into that small touch to draw on the only comfort he’d received in a long time.
The knife clanged on the cutting board when Wren turned to face Jaeger, and Jaeger encircled him with his arms.
“Please.” Wren leaned into Jaeger’s space with his eyes on the prize—Jaeger’s plump rosy lips. His face was so close to Jaeger’s that Wren could feel his breath. Wren longed to taste his lips, feel the scrape of his scruff, and smell the musky outdoors on his skin.
He closed his eyes and pressed his lips to Jaeger’s, and he silently implored Jaeger to open up and allow him to taste. Jaeger moane
d, and Wren wrapped his arms around Jaeger’s waist and rubbed up and down his well-muscled back.
Then he relinquished control and allowed Jaeger to take the reins and devour his mouth. Their tongues dueled, their teeth mashed, and Jaeger tilted Wren’s head, held him tight, and consumed him. When the need to breathe finally took over, Wren leaned his forehead on Jaeger’s shoulder.
I MUST be nuts. What the hell was he thinking? Pawing and kissing a man who represented all he hated and was a protected witness. But fuck if Wren wasn’t fine. It wasn’t what Jaeger expected, but every time he came into proximity with the damn kid, his heart pounded just a little faster, his blood simmered, and his scar burned.
The desire to kill lingered in the periphery of Jaeger’s psyche. Little moans and sighs came from Wren, but Jaeger shouldn’t bed him, especially under their current circumstances.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have kissed you,” Wren said.
Jaeger swept his hands up and down Wren’s back. “Your lips,” Wren continued. “They were just there… and it’s been so long since I’ve touched anyone. I’m not explaining myself very well.”
“Sh. It’s okay. Maybe we both crossed the line a little bit.” Jaeger stepped back out of Wren’s space.
“We were both in the wrong. I know this may sound crazy, and I hope you can appreciate my honesty, but I should hate you and everything you represent. And add to the fact that I’m your protector, mauling you should not be in my thoughts, but fuck if I don’t just want to toss you down and screw you senseless.” Jaeger scrubbed his hands on his scruffy cheeks and looked into Wren’s eyes.
“Yeah, there’s definitely an attraction,” Wren said as he resumed his chopping, and Jaeger was glad when he broke eye contact. “But I also completely understand. Let’s just eat and afterward, if you want, you can tell me more about these guys you saw.”
They ate in silence. Jaeger was deep in thought about the hikers he saw. In his gut he knew they were not campers, but men sent to find and kill Wren. Although Jaeger wondered, if they were the family, how did they find them? There had to be a leak, even though the Marshal Service sent them to a secure location. SAC Chase had told him they were off the grid, and the few communications Jaeger had with his boss had been encrypted. No one was to know where they were. Something was up, and Jaeger needed to get to the bottom of it if he wanted to save himself and Wren.
Jaeger helped Wren clear the table and wash and dry the dishes. Then he retrieved a mug of coffee and sequestered himself in the comm room. Wren wanted to talk about the men he’d seen, but Jaeger needed more information.
He had a few options. He could get back on the line, chat with SAC Chase, and pick his brain about a potential leak. He could suit up and hit the forest to track the men to wherever they were staying and snoop around. Or he could sit tight and wait until the next morning to see if they roamed again, maybe double back to find their cabin and search it, and then decide whether to run with Wren or stay.
Sit tight seemed like the appropriate option for the time being, especially if he assumed the men weren’t locals and didn’t know how to travel the woods in the dark.
Distracted by a slight rap on the door, Jaeger turned in his chair and peered at Wren.
“Sorry to bother you, but I just wanted to let you know I was going to hit the sack. You know, to rest in case we have to run. Do you think we’ll have to run?” Wren shifted from foot to foot, which endeared him to Jaeger.
“That works. I think the best course of action is to sit tight for now. All the alarms are set, and it’s like Fort Knox in here, so there’s nothing to worry about.” Jaeger rose from the chair when Wren moved from the doorway to head to his room. Wren strode to his door and stopped in the hall when Jaeger called to him. “Wren?”
“Yeah?” Wren appeared to be even younger than his chronological age of twenty-eight, with his hair disheveled, and chewing his plump bottom lip with worry.
“It’s going to be okay.” Jaeger infused confidence in his voice and hoped the message conveyed to his young charge.
“Thanks. I know. You’re the US Marshal.”
Wren’s parting words caused Jaeger to chuckle. Damn right. US Marshal.
Jaeger pissed, brushed his teeth, exited the bathroom, and flopped down on the bed. Exhausted, he wiggled under the covers. He had checked everything three times before he decided to retire. All the alarms were set, the cameras and motion sensors on, and his gun was on the nightstand. Jaeger’s senses were on full alert and his nerves tingled, but he knew he needed to take a page from Wren’s playbook and get some shut-eye. If things went south, he’d have to be on his game to protect Wren—even more so if they had to leave the safety of the cabin.
The thought of the fine specimen of man in the room down the hall was enough to make Jaeger’s dick perk up. His body might be tired, but his little head had the will to stand up. Jaeger reached under the covers. His dick swelled in his hand, and a drop of precum escaped from the tip and slid down his rod. Maybe he could take off the edge and get some much-needed rest.
Jaeger gritted his teeth. The slide of his calloused hand on the smooth skin of his dick caused a moan to slip from his lips. He needed to stay quiet to avoid drawing the attention of his roomie. But damn if it didn’t feel good. Up and down, Jaeger set a languid pace and savored the sensations—the tingle in his balls as it began to build and the dribble of fluid that slid down and coated his palm. He was close, and even though he wanted to draw it out, he bent his legs, dug his heels into the mattress, and funneled his rod into his tight fist. Every upglide found him caressing the underside of his crown or flicking the tip, adding to the sensations.
He rolled his balls in his hand and then tugged and squeezed them to further along his orgasm. Jaeger just needed something to tip him over the edge. He knew exactly what it was. He pictured the tight ass of the green-eyed Wren, and his wide smile and white teeth did just the trick. Two more strokes and Jaeger was overcome. The tingling started in the base of his spine and traveled down to his balls just as his jizz erupted from the tip of his dick, covered his hand, and dribbled onto his stomach.
He panted and waited for his heart rate to return to normal. Once he had his libido under control, Jaeger reached for his discarded shirt and wiped his hand and belly clean of spunk. Then he rolled over, punched the pillow, and fell into a deep slumber.
“YOU WANT me to kill the lord?” Jaeger asked his new liege. The one he’d pledged the blood oath to.
“Aye. I do. And then the world will be yours.”
Somewhere in the recesses of his mind, Jaeger knew he was dreaming, yet he couldn’t wake himself up. He was himself, but he definitely wasn’t dressed like himself. What lord was he supposed to kill? Did he do it? In his dream he wore tattered clothes. He was dirty and disheveled.
The more he attempted to wake up, the more something held him back. His scar sent sharp, burning pains through his arm and into his chest. Kill. Kill. Kill. The words reverberated in his mind to the pulse of his heartbeat. Could he be having a heart attack? The thought made him fight all the more, as did the knowledge that he needed to protect Wren.
Wren. Wren? Lord Wren? Why did that ring a distant bell? The first time he laid eyes on Wren was in SAC Chase’s office. Never before. Yet… the pressure in his chest was immense. Jaeger thrashed about with a memory on the periphery of his mind, just within his grasp. And then….
“Jaeger. Jaeger, wake up. You’re having a dream. A nightmare.”
Jaeger shot up in bed, covered in sweat, a hand still on his chest. Wren.
“What? Oh fuck. I must have been dreaming. Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.” Jaeger looked down at the smooth, tanned hand that rested in the center of his chest. No calluses on those fingertips. His heart rate increased just a little at the thought of Wren touching his naked body, and looking up, Jaeger saw concern and even lust in Wren’s eyes. Jaeger had quickly learned that Wren bit his bottom lip when he was worried.
&
nbsp; It would be easy for Jaeger to reach out and touch Wren, but he knew better. Fucking his witness was wrong in so many ways, even if his cock thought differently.
“I’m okay. Really,” Jaeger assured Wren and patted the hand that rested on his body. “Go back to sleep. I’m just going to check the screens, and then I’ll hit the sack again.” Jaeger squeezed his hand in reassurance. “Really. It’s okay.”
He held Wren’s hand for just a tad bit longer than necessary and then released him and watched him stroll to the door.
“You’re sure?”
Jaeger nodded and rubbed his leather-clad wrist. The throb was palpable.
He extricated himself from the covers, reached for a pair of sleep pants, and shuffled down the hall to the comm room. It was still the middle of the night, and Jaeger hoped that once he looked around, he’d be able to put his mind at ease and return to bed, minus the nagging dream.
CHAPTER SEVEN
SAC CHASE sat in his nondescript vehicle at the back of a fast-food restaurant parking lot. He hated meeting with the man who currently sat in the passenger seat, but it was a necessary evil.
“Well, let me start out by saying that your men stuck out like a sore thumb. What the fuck were they thinking? I told you my man was experienced and could spot a tail a mile away. He’s highly qualified and trained.” Chase could not believe the cojones the guy had. His arrogance would eventually be his downfall. But Chase needed him if his plan was to work. Then he’d retire to a small island in the Caribbean in peace and quiet. Or he’d be dead. Chase was starting to believe the latter was more likely.
“So, what do you have in mind now that your men have been made?” asked Chase.
“Your man doesn’t know for sure who they were, and his first goal is to protect O’Riley, so I don’t think we have too much to worry about. Do you think your marshal will go after them or simply take O’Riley and run?” The inflection in his voice never changed, and he never broke a sweat. Even with the air conditioner running in the car, the New York sun was baking Chase in the front seat. And his nerves were shot.
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