by K. S. Adkins
Mack declared this an official case and is working on a joint venture with the FBI and Homeland Security. We don’t have all the details yet, but before he left to go back to DC he made it clear what’s happening here is a priority. Frankly, we need all the help we can get.
My team rented a house nearby so we can be accessible to each other while we put everything in order. Max and the guys are inseparable, and for some odd reason they thought they could boss me around like he does. I put that to rest immediately. Rogan and Rafe keep Venessa and Macy close. When they aren’t here going over intel and assisting us with our plans they have them under lock and key. The girls do not like that, but then again, they don’t have to.
Once a day I speak with Lina on the phone, but mostly we text. So far she’s found three cops that want in, five that want out, and eight that need to be extinguished. Our current problem is, we can’t go around extinguishing people, so we have to decide where to hold them and what to do with them once we have gotten everything useful from them. Lina says she’s monitoring them all and will keep us posted. It’s amazing how good she is at getting the truth.
Our goal is once we have a fair amount of good cops, we’ll need them to monitor the bad cops and give Lina a break. So yes, Hank was actually right for once. Cops will turn against cops.
This entire process is difficult because it’s being kept from the Captain. Lina is good at getting the truth, but every day my worry reaches new heights in case she runs into situation she isn’t prepared for. Tony has been close a few times, which she doesn’t like, but she manages to lose him. Between taking cases and doing her own research, Lina is exhausted. It doesn’t take much for people to talk. It takes even less for people to get itchy. Lina works with the very people she’s questioning. It’s still a betrayal, even if it’s for the greater good. It’s risky, and I don’t like her being out there alone.
Picking up the phone while Max is cooking dinner, I call her to check in. More than anything it’s for my peace of mind, and she knows that so she always answers.
“Hello, mother,” she says when she picks up.
“Update me, but first,” I say, “How are you?”
“Working,” she says. “Dead cop, called to the scene, no suspects.”
“Cause of death?”
“Gunshot wound,” she says. “Execution style.”
“Shit.”
“Pretty much,” she says. “I’ll call you later, I have to focus.”
“Wait,” I say quickly. “Have you heard from him?”
“He’s a problem for another day,” she says. “I have my hands full here. You’re not tipping him off, are you?”
“What?” I ask, offended. “No!”
“Didn’t think so,” she says. “It’s disgusting how good he is at this.”
“Lina,” I say. “Did you ever think to him this isn’t a game?”
“Of course it is,” she says. “It’s all a game. May the best man win. Which will be me, by the way, even though I don’t sport a cock. I might as well given how these idiots at the scene are a bunch of pussies. They are an embarrassment to pussy everywhere.”
“You’re getting off track,” I say. “Wrap it up.”
“Fine,” she says, blowing out a breath. “No one wants this solved, Red. They don’t care about this cop; they care about themselves. Same goes for Tony. He doesn’t care about us, he cares about him. It’s survival of the fittest, darling girl, and if we know anything its survival.”
“True,” I admit. “But I think you may be reading him all wrong; he could help you.”
“He helps those who help him, Red,” she says. “He’s an opportunist, he has too many secrets, and I have a job to do. I get that you’re Team Tony, but he’s holding on back on all of us. We don’t need him for this; I’ve got it under control.”
“I’m Team Lina all the way and you know it. I never thought I’d say this, Lina,” I say. “But you are a terrible liar.”
“But you love me,” she says. “I’m loveable, you can’t help it.”
“Yeah, you’re right,” I say. “Watch your six.” When there’s no answer I say her name several times. When she finally comes back to the line she says, “He’s here,” then disconnects.
Blowing out a whistle I lean back in my chair and smirk a bit. She may not trust him yet, but she wants him bad. Watching Lina play hard to get is going to be hilarious, if she doesn’t get herself killed first.
“How is she?”
“Tony caught up with her,” I say. “So she’s not smiling right now.”
“Good,” he says, handing me a bottle of water. ‘It was time to stop running anyway. She proved her point, he got it.”
“Is that right,” I say, leaning forward. “You tipped him off, didn’t you?”
“Maybe,” he says, shrugging. “Are you pissed that I did it?”
“No,” I say. “Sometimes she has trouble getting out of her own way. Tony seems like a bulldozer; she could use some authority in her life. Not like she ever listened to me much.”
“He cares about her a lot,” he says. “He won’t say it, but I think he fell for her. But since he can’t get a read on her he won’t do shit about it. He’s a control freak. I don’t blame her for leaving, Tony has a way of upsetting people. She’s got backbone; it will work out if it’s meant to.”
When it comes to Lina and Tony we’re both right. We see it even if they don’t, but time will tell, I suppose. In the meantime, I have a husband whose entire focus is waiting on me. It’s been weeks, so yeah, he can wait on me now. He can wait for me to come, while his head is buried between my legs.
I called Rafe in an act of desperation. Most days the guy makes no sense, but every once in a while he pulls through.
“You need my help, huh?” he says, answering. “I won’t make you beg for it, but just so you know, I saw this coming.”
“I want to have sex,” I explain. “Being without her is driving me nuts. The doctor said—”
“Oh! I know this one! The doctor said four to six weeks, but she’s wanting to ride the Maxwell express and you happen to have an extra ticket.”
“The fact that Macy married you baffles me.”
“Women know their bodies; be easy with her and she’ll do the rest.” As I sit here thinking it over he continues, “And she married me because I’m more badass than Captain John Smith, you dick.”
She’s got that look in her eyes.
Rafe told me women know their bodies and to expect this, but as much as I want back in there I can’t forget she has a fucking hole in her back. She approaches me slowly, sitting on my lap. Like I don’t see what she’s up to?
“Maxwell,” she says, putting her head on my shoulder. “I’d like to make you a deal.”
“I’m listening,” I tell her, rubbing her arms. “All ears, Blue.”
“I need to come badly,” she says, with so much need I start to harden under her lap. “You need to come, too. I also think if I asked you to fuck me you’d tell me it’s too soon even though I know my body, but if you’ll make me come I’ll do the same for you. Do we have a deal?”
Swallowing hard, I answer, “Yeah, Blue, you’ve got a deal.” Reaching my hand between her legs I brush my fingers over her, causing her to gasp. “You do need to come don’t you?”
Nodding her head rigorously she reaches for my zipper. “You first,” I tell her, working my fingers faster. “You’ll soak my hand; then you can suck my cock.”
“Deal,” she says, fighting for air. “More please, Max.”
“Only because you asked nicely,” I say moving her underwear out of the way. Removing my hand, she whimpers, but then when I lick my fingers her eyes start to close and she smiles “Open,” I order her, and her gaze snaps up to mine.
Working my wet fingers over her, inside of her and picking up speed, she’s coming all over my hand in seconds. Once she calms and starts to go lax I see her eyes closing and try to help her up so she can get in
bed to sleep. “Come on, Blue,” I say gently lifting her. “Let’s get you to bed.”
“Nuh-uh,” she says, kneeling down. “It’s your turn.”
“Blue,” I say, reaching out to pull her up. “I can have my turn tomorr—fuck!”
“You’re coming now,” she says, wrapping her tiny fist around me. “I’m taking these jeans off, yanking your boxers down, and sucking your cock. If you have a problem with that you can file a formal complaint after.”
“Shit,” I groan, locking my knees. “Proceed.”
And she does.
Sucking, licking, and gently biting, she has my back sweating in no time. Sinking my hands into her and guiding her mouth she takes me deep then shallow, then deep again. She pulls back, cups my balls, and spits on my cock only to work me even harder. She’s moaning while digging her nails into my thighs. She has never blown me like this before. I’m thinking my wife missed my cock.
“Look at me,” I order her. “I’m going to come,” I advise her. “You’re going to swallow it.”
When she lights up at my order she goes insane over my cock being in her mouth. When my muscles tighten I pull her head back and fuck her mouth as far and as hard as she’ll let me. When I erupt she keeps her eyes on me, and two gulps later she slowly removing herself from the floor and back onto my lap.
“Now you can carry me,” she says, yawning. “I have orgasmic paralysis.”
“Is that a thing?”
“If it isn’t it should be,” she says, as I lay her in our bed. “Are you tired?”
“Getting there,” I tell her, tucking her in. “I’m going to check in with the team and make sure my club is still standing, then I’ll grab your meds and come to bed.”
“Okay,” she says, tossing her shirt from her body and snuggling in. “I’ll wait up.”
“Okay, Blue,” I say laughing. “I won’t be long.”
“Max?” she asks, dozing off and she’s so fucking beautiful I almost crumble from the force of it. Seeing her so small and tired. My wife is never small and tired; she’s enormous with endless energy, and just like the events that brought her to this wreck me. I could have lost her.
“Yeah, Blue?”
“You’re the best husband ever,” is all she says before her mouth goes slack and she starts drooling. Even then there is nothing more beautiful to me.
Calling the guys, I’m assured the club is flourishing. I call bullshit, but whatever; until I see a lawsuit I’m not worrying about it. They are keeping their eyes and ears open for any news that comes through those doors, and I’m grateful to them for that.
Mack insisted on emails of her progress and it was a condition I didn’t mind adhering to. So each night I drop him a quick line letting him know she’s doing well. Rogan and Rafe are laying low with the girls. The Captain has them on shit cases and they aren’t too happy about that, considering the city has bigger fish to fry, but they also are using being back on the streets to their advantage. They’ve been hearing all sorts of shit. Things like an uprising, turf war, Armageddon Detroit-style.
My last call is Tony. He’s been very secretive lately, and I don’t much care for it. We’ve all got a lot of shit to deal with, and now is not the time to be keeping anything from anyone. Dialing him, I grab her meds and a bottle of water to take up once we’re finished.
“Yes, Max,” he says, annoyed. “We’re alive. How can I help you?”
“For starters,” I say, “You can thank me for helping you and then you can tell me how she’s doing.”
“Thank you,” he says dryly. “She’s just fine; her ass is tender, but no worse for the wear.”
“I meant in the head,” I say, rolling my eyes.
“Let’s go with determined,” he says, evading the question, which tells me she’s close by. “She’s quite skilled at getting people to do her bidding; I’m proud. My influence is finally wearing off on her.”
“Cocksuckingsonofabitchlyingwhore!” she yells in the background, causing Tony to laugh. “See? Smooth sailing.”
“Christ, you’re enjoying, this aren’t you?”
“Not even a little bit,” he says, laughing even harder. “That was a lie, by the way.”
He disconnects and I stand there scratching my head. It wasn’t too long ago I tried something similar, and we all know how that turned out. Laughing to myself, I grab her things and head upstairs, wondering if he’s going to benefit as much as I have. Then I shake my head of those thoughts, because no one could benefit like I have. I hit the god damn lottery.
I paid for my mother’s cremation, squared her debt, and had her ashes sent to me. For weeks I left them out on the balcony, but on one particular night when I was missing Max something awful, I went to the balcony and brought her inside. I don’t know why I did it. Maybe because in the end, despite everything I was grateful she kept me, even if she didn’t love me.
I know what being unloved feels like. But I have to believe at one point she did love me just a little bit. That next morning I woke up, grabbed her urn, and put it in my passenger seat. She always said because of me she was never able to travel. So I took her for a tour of DC, told her what I did for a living, and told her that even if she didn’t love me that I still loved her. True, I didn’t like her much, but deep down I held a small amount of love for her.
Pulling up to the old bridge that time forgot, I opened the urn and let the breeze take her wherever it was she needed to go. I will say this, if she taught me how to do anything, it was to forgive. Life with her demanded I had a forgiving nature.
After being unwanted and unloved, I was still able to forgive her.
But I’ll never forget.
For days we’ve all been following up on leads, with Lina’s help building our army and making progress. Which is why I’m confused at the sudden dinner that’s a must-attend by everyone. Our kitchen is stocked and when the team isn’t here scouring it they go for Coney or to the brewery, so maybe everyone has cabin fever or some shit? Either way Max says we have to go, and when he issues an order, I listen. Well, not always, but I don’t need an excuse to take a break to spend time with my friends. Yes, I had wanted to stay in because I still want him to myself as much as possible but if I have to share, it might as well be with the group.
Max yells to wrap it up, so I do. With the weather starting to turn I grab a pullover and head downstairs. He orders me nicely to check the weather, yelling forecast details to him, he exits the back door and I hear him fire up his bike. Doing a little tap dance in place, I grab my phone and helmet and meet him in the driveway. Helping me climb on because I’m still a bit tender, he takes his time getting me to our destination. That’s another thing about Max, he’s never in a hurry.
“You’re quiet back there,” he says.
“Just enjoying the ride,” I say back. “Where are we going?”
“Green Dot Stables,” he says. “It was the girls’ idea, there was no turning them down.”
“Then who are we to argue?” I ask laughing, then molding myself to him as he takes a corner. The last week or so I’ve noticed Lina has been more relaxed, open, and at the same time reserved. Tony has been super alpha, pushy, and not relaxed in the slightest. Rogan, Venessa, Rafe, and Macy are still power couples who seldom separate. My team loves Max like I do, and if I didn’t put my foot down they’d steal him from me. Eric Young is helping Mack and due to test in for a spot on our team soon. He would be a welcome addition.
Walking into the Green Dot there are phones flashing and yelling. Squinting my eyes to see who in the fuck they’re yelling at it’s not until Max guides me to our table that I see it’s me.
“Happy Birthday!” they yell, then break into song. My face flushes every shade of red imaginable.
They remembered.
I hadn’t.
Hugs, kisses, fist bumps, and an ass pinch (Bishop), we sit down and I’m surrounded by presents. It’s not every day a girl like me gets presents so when I was looking uncomfor
table, Duffy chimes in to lighten the mood.
“Told you,” he says, slapping Saint. “She don’t like parties, dick; you owe me fifty bucks.”
“You don’t like parties?” asks Tony, pulling Lina closer. “Who doesn’t like a party in their honor?”
“Uh, her,” says Lina, rolling her eyes and trying to move away. “Don’t.” he says and just like that she stops moving. He leans in and whispers something else, and her eyes close. She also does something I have never seen her do. She smiled at him.
“Whatever,” says Venessa. “We used to do parties all the time; I even brought our drink of choice.” Pulling several bottles of strawberry Boone’s Farm from her bag I start laughing, hard.
“You don’t even drink anymore, Venessa, and you can’t bring booze in here.” I say, reaching for one.
“For you,” she says, raising the bottle, “I’ll make an exception and shut up before we get busted.”
“To Jules,” says Macy, raising her bottle. “A badass in her own right. A bullet couldn’t bring her down, but Max sure could.”
“Hey!”
“To Jules,” says the group, each lifting a bottle.
“To Blue,” says Max, pulling me to him. “My wife, my warrior, my hero.”
“Don’t do it, Boss,” says Bishop, wiping his eyes. “Don’t you fucking do it.”
“I’m not doing anything asshole.” I laugh, walking over to him. “You are.”
When he sniffles, I hug him around his big neck. “Love you, Bishop.”
“Love you, Boss,” he says quietly. Then looking around the table, he says, “Love all these cockfuckers.”
“You on your period?” asks Rafe, which got an actual laugh out of Rogan and Jumbo. “It’s just a birthday party man. Ain’t nothing to go all hallway movie over, damn.”
