Guarding Light

by Mckoy, Cate

  "Sure." Tasha led the way to her car, unlocking the door with her remote.

  Catlyn got in and laid her head back for the short ride. Tasha for once kept quiet, driving directly to the destination Catlyn had requested. As she made to get out of the car, Tasha stalled her with a hand on her arm.

  "He was just worried Catlyn. He cares very deeply for you."

  "You're defending him treating me like a second grader."

  "Hell nah, that man needs to know us sisters are doing it for ourselves and some of us are very capable and able bodied."

  "Then what?"

  "He was just worried and scared. He lost a longtime friend today. The guy died in his arms. He'd been covered with his friend's blood for hours before he was able to change. Believe me, a death of a good friend is the only thing that would have kept him from you. He sent the next best thing. Someone he trusts. And, you need to realize that he wasn't treating you like a second grader but a woman and not just any woman. His woman! There is a distinction."

  As Catlyn listened, she became more and more remorseful with each word Tasha spoke. She started regretting her hastily spoken words. He had lost a friend, probably in the line of duty and she had acted like a shrew. Of course Jack would be more sensitive regarding her job after losing someone close to him. Looking at Tasha she gave a shaky smile. "Thanks, Tasha. You're a really good friend to him."

  "I consider him my best friend. I'd do anything for him. He's that kind of guy. And believe me, if I could have gotten him to even think of me as a woman for just a second rather than his annoying sister he needs to protect, I'd have took that man to bed long ago."

  Shocked Catlyn shook her head. "Well, forewarned is forearmed."

  Tasha winked and said, "Just remember that the next time you want to spew your venom on him. 'Cause I gots the skillz to turn that man out if he ever gives me a chance. I'd have him addicted to chocolate right quickie."

  Catlyn threateningly moved in close to Tasha. "Don't even try it."

  Tasha's eyes bugged out. And then she laughed. "Ok, nice to know his feelings are returned. My job is done." She reached over into the glove compartment. "Here, he asked me to give you these."

  Catlyn took what looked like two tickets. She pocketed them and got out, waving Tasha off. The other agents let her in wide awake. The cold case box with its files spread all around was on the coffee table in the middle of their living room.

  Like Catlyn's the apartment was nice but in a very bad part of town. Their location was a little worse than Catlyn's. Even though it was after 1:00am in the morning the streets still teemed with activity. Loud conversation, music and cars could be heard perfectly from their living room.

  "Hey, I was restless, couldn't sleep. I thought we could brainstorm a little."

  Jabaria smiled big. "Great. The new forensic reports are in from trace." She showed Catlyn to a comfortable looking recliner situated at an angle to the coffee table.

  "Hot coco, Agent Lyte?" Sharonda offered.

  "Please. Thank you." While Sharonda left to get her drink, Catlyn took off her jacket, purse and unclipped her cell. She remembered to put it back on vibrate. It was on silent while at BJs as per the establishment's policy. She quickly checked her missed calls. There were 8 from Jack. Two were from earlier in the day but 6 were from about the time she hung up on him.

  She listened to the voicemail messages and was brought to tears again.

  Baby, I am sorry about dinner and now I won't be able to pick you up either. Something happened…I-I will tell you about it when I see you. God, Kitten. I need you right now.

  Baby, I am sending Tasha to pick you up. I know you are supposed to walk and make yourself more of a target but I just can't handle that right now, please do this for me. I love you Sweetheart.

  Catlyn, Dammit you know that isn't how I meant it. Baby, I was just scared.

  You aren't gonna answer my phone calls now?

  Baby, I was an ass and I am sorry. Please answer your phone.

  Baby, please I need to be right with you. I need you, please.

  I know I keep fucking up with you, but you have to know it isn't because you're a woman. I love the fact that you're a woman.

  Catlyn all I can say is that I am sorry. I was out of line and I apologize. But you aren't even giving me a chance to make things right. I guess the gift I left with dinner means nothing to you.

  Catlyn almost lost it at the last message. How could he think his precious gift meant nothing to her? She started to dial his cell but then decided against calling. What she needed to say needed to be in person. She would not only tell him what his gift meant to her she would show him. That decision made she settled back into the recliner with the latest forensics report.

  ****

  Jack quietly opened Catlyn's door with the key. Sanchez hadn't wanted to give it to him but after Jack told him it was to apologize for something he did to upset Catlyn he willingly gave the key to him.

  What a day he had. First his friend Bob Newson died. Bob and he had been in Desert Storm together. He was a good man. Bob ran a successful private investigation firm on the West coast. His clients tended to be the wealthy, the famous and the infamous. Years ago when one of Bob's suspects had skipped to Jack's backyard, Bob had asked Jack to wrangle the skipper for him and deposit him back to Bob's neck of the woods. Jack had happily done the favor for his old friend. He had even teased him, saying he would teach him how the superior East coast did things. He had had Bob's suspect bagged, tagged and back to him on the West coast within 24 hours. The next day Bob had a bottle of Jack's favorite scotch delivered with a card saying I owe you. Just let me know when you want to collect.

  Jack hadn't really seriously thought about collecting. He considered it a favor for a good friend. Over, done with, gone. But Bob had told him his talent for seeking out information on anyone was unmatched. At first he thought Bob had just been bragging as guys tend to do with their buddies. But using his own resources Jack had found out that Bob Newson had a way of finding out the deepest, darkest of secrets of anyone no matter how well they hid it. Jack didn't think even his office or the FBI, CIA could have ferretted out the information Bob had been able to reveal. It was why he was so successful. Important people paid big bucks for the information Bob accumulated.

  Jack had known, if there was something to find out about J.T. Dark, Bob would find it and bring it to light. It seemed like a simple task. Something Bob did every damn day. He wasn't supposed to die over a fucking favor. And he still had no idea what the deal was with J.T.

  Then as if his day wasn't bad enough he and Catlyn had this misunderstanding. And Jack hoped that was all it was. He hadn't meant to speak to Catlyn in that tone but when Tasha had called saying she thought Catlyn was in trouble and she didn't know where she was Jack had gone nuts thinking about losing someone else close to him today. He didn't want to lose anyone else close to him and especially not his woman. And that is what Catlyn was, his woman. He just had to get her to see that.

  Exhaustion went through his body. Glancing at his watch, he groaned. 4:00a.m., it was too late or early, depending on your point of view, to start any long discussion with Catlyn. He needed her in his arms.

  He quietly made his way to the darkened bedroom. He could just make out her shape. She was laying facing away from him. Her hair loose, covering her face. He frowned puzzled. She wasn't wearing her nightgown. From what he could see she wore nothing on top and just a pair of brief panties.

  Jack smiled. She would forgive him. She wouldn't be here waiting for him undressed if she were still angry. He quickly stripped to his boxers, leaving his clothes on the chest at the foot of the bed.

  Being careful not to wake her he slipped into bed and cuddled her from behind. His nostrils flared. She changed her perfume. He liked the cucumber melon she usually wore. But this scent wasn't unpleasant just different. He pulled her back against him, letting his cock rest in the cleft of her ass. He moaned as he started to kiss her s
houlder.

  She shifted in her sleep, seeking closer contact with him, giving a breathy moan. He leaned up, one hand slipping into her panties to cup her mound while his other hand took her breast to feed it to his hungry mouth. In that same fraction of a second, she gasps a name, "Oh, Kyle."

  Jack froze as his senses went into overdrive and communicated several things to him all at once. The woman in his arms was not Catlyn, she called another man's name and she was now fully awake. Before Jack could release her the woman exploded into action.

  His wrist was gripped in an unforgiving vice, twisted as she pulled hard on his wrist. In the dimness Jack could see her do some sort of fancy cartwheel and flipped over his body into a standing position next to the bed, taking his wrist with her. Her motion pulled him to the edge of the bed and then over the side in an undignified heap on the floor with the woman's bare foot planted in the center of his chest and his arm twisted into an awkward angle.

  Jack's reflexes and training kicked in. He gripped her ankle, pulled and spun at the same time, effectively bringing her down and untwisting his arm. He went to grab her but she was fast, lighting fast.

  She was on her feet in seconds and the room was suddenly flooded in light. Her swiftness allowed her to flick the light switch before Jack even stood. Pissed, Jack rolled to his feet in one smooth motion. The woman struck a fighting stance. Was she kidding?

  Jack could only stare. She was black like Catlyn. She was beautiful like Catlyn. She had a killer body like Catlyn. But she sure the hell wasn't Catlyn. Out of respect for Catlyn he kept his eyes on the woman's face, knowing she was naked from the waist up. Her eyes had a slightly Asian slant to them. Those exotic eyes watched him.

  He took a step towards her. Which he found out too late was a mistake. She advanced and struck out. She was really fast. Jack almost didn't block the punch headed to his throat. Didn't even see the one to his head coming and the shove backward was even more of a surprise. She then gave him a series of hard kicks to his side, ribs, chest and she did it all with only raising her leg once. Jack was sent backward several feet with the force of her kicks.

  Her leg went down and rose again to give him another kick. Jack caught her foot, controlling the momentum and force. Or so he thought, without any hesitation, she did a quarter turn and her other leg came up in a back flip, kicking hard him in the chin. Reflexively he released her foot and she finished the flip with both legs, landing expertly on her feet facing away from him.

  Jack saw his chance. He charged her thinking he would propel her into the wall and restrain her. He was able to get to her before she could turn back to him. He used his greater strength to force her forward towards the wall. He almost had her against the wall, abruptly her weight shifted against him and she did a wall run. She literally ran up the wall and when her body was a straight line, using his left shoulder, she planted both her hands and spun in mid-air landing directly behind him as though she were a gymnast dismounting.

  Before he could react he was slammed against the wall by a blow delivered to his back between his shoulder blades, followed immediately by a kick to the back of his right knee, then the left, bringing him to his knees. As she pulled his hair he received her knee to his kidneys, right then left. She then slammed his head against the wall.

  Jack's anger burst forth. Enough of this shit. He turned slightly and rammed his considerable shoulder into her stomach. She cried out and doubled over. Jack caught her around the waist, spinning into a standing position he slammed her hard against the wall, continuing to steal her breath. He pushed his body against hers, his front to her back, with her front against the wall. He used his much bigger body to control her struggles as he slipped her into a full-nelson. Unbelievable! She still struggled. Jack put even more of his weight against her.

  Suddenly, he was grabbed by powerful hands and was flung across the room, hitting the dresser. Ignoring the pain to his ribs Jack came quickly to his feet and squared off with another stranger, a man. His bright blue eyes glared icicles at Jack as he went into a fighting stance. Jack followed suit. They began to circle each other. The woman stood next to the man also going into fight mode. Without taking his eyes off Jack the man said to the woman. "No, he's mine. I 'd like nothing better than to beat the living shit out of a pussy who'd beat a defenseless woman."

  Jack's eyes bugged. Was he fucking serious? What defenseless woman was he talking about? Because she sure the shit wasn't in this room.

  The woman stepped back. And the man struck out. Jack blocked. Extremely happy he didn't need to pull his punches anymore. He fought hard. Jack and the stranger traded blows and blocks. They were very evenly matched in size, strength and skill. Then Jack broke the guy's nose. The woman cried out and sprang into action. But before Jack could sidestep her, the man caught her around the waist, spun her into the corner of the room, giving her a terse, "Stay."

  He faced off with Jack again and within 10 seconds the guy broke Jack's nose. Going full out the two men swapped injuries until suddenly Catlyn was between them. Jack pulled his latest punch hoping it was enough not to hurt Catlyn. The stranger did the same. Their weakened punches landed harmlessly against each of Catlyn's shoulders.

  "What is this?" Catlyn screamed.

  Before either he or the strange man could answer, the woman came away from the corner she was told to stay in and grabbed Catlyn into a hug, "Cat!"

  "Mack?" Catlyn hugged the woman back.

  "Cat, it's an attack." She pointed a finger at Jack.

  Confused Catlyn looked from the woman to the man to Jack. "No it is not." Catlyn told them.

  The man walked to the women. Removing his black leather jacket he placed it around the woman's shoulders. "Ashley, are you alright?" With a tenderness that shocked Jack he took the woman in his arms. The woman nodded and looked deeply into the man's eyes. The man returned her gaze. Jack's eyebrows rose. The look the couple exchanged was beyond heated.

  Catlyn came to his side. He took her in his arms, burying his face in her neck. Mmm cucumber melon, this was his woman. Even through his blood-blocked nostril her heavenly scent engulfed him. Pulling her more tightly in his arms Jack looked over her shoulder and his eyes connected with the strange man. He gave Jack a knowing look. Jack glanced at the woman in the stranger's arms and gave him the same knowing smirk.

  Catlyn pulled back and then gave all of them a look. "What is going on? "

  Everyone started talking at once. Catlyn held up a hand for quiet. "I can only hear one of you at a time."

  Thinking she would choose him to speak first he gave the couple a smug glance. Then she said. "Mack?"

  The woman gave Jack a smug smile before giving Catlyn her attention. "I was here waiting for you. I got tired. I took one of my pain meds and lay down to get some rest until you got here."

  Catlyn nodded, with her so far, "And?"

  "And then the next thing I know this guy's hands are all over me, one in my panties and one on my breast."

  Instantly Jack had hostile eyes on him. The man stepped to him. "You fucking touched her?"

  Jack not liking the guy's rabid look and liking Catlyn's hurt look even less, put up his hands in a halting motion. "No, I fucking touched Catlyn, or at least, I thought I was touching Catlyn."

  "Dude, ever hear of a light switch?" The woman inquired testily.

  He turned to Catlyn, pulling her back into his arms, ignoring the man and woman. "Kitten, you were so angry with me. I just wanted to apologize. So I came here thinking we could kiss and make up."

  She turned watery eyes on him and he felt his heart skip a beat. "You didn't know it wasn't me?"

  Jack wanted to die at her look of hurt. "Baby, it was dark, this is your place, your bed." He lowered his voice, "A bed where we have made love." He stroked her back, keeping her close. "There were clues instantly that told me things were different, but not enough to make me think it really wasn't you believe me the second I touched her pus- uh b-body, I knew it wasn't you."


  Looking deeply into his eyes, Catlyn asked. "What clues?"

  A quick look at the couple showed their interest in his answer as well. They both watched him with laser-like eyes. Jack felt his blush to the roots of his hair. "Well, uh, the first clue was that she wasn't wearing a nightgown. With the exception of panties she was naked."

  "And you thought that was me?"

  Still blushing he added, "I thought you were letting me know you were willing to accept my apology."

  Catlyn stepped out of his embrace and crossed her arms beneath her breasts. "Go on."

  Jack noticed the man's amused smile. Jack narrowed his eyes at the man. He would wipe that arrogant look off his face. "When I lay down next to her I knew her perfume or shampoo was different. But, I just thought you changed it for whatever reason."

  Catlyn nodded acceptingly.