Chapter Four
Laura took a quick peek in the rearview mirror. Max was sound asleep in his car seat. She’d thanked both men and told them she needed time to think. Neither of them had wanted to leave, but she assured them both she would contact them by tomorrow, which was today.
The moment they left her apartment the crank calls started. First, no one would say anything. All she heard was a growl and then nothing. But this morning, the threats had started. Not only were they emailing her, now they were calling her and she had no idea how they’d gotten her phone number.
Calling out sick from work, Laura rushed to pack a bag for Max and her, heading straight to Elyria. She wanted to visit her mother’s grave and her best friend Alex. By then maybe the calls would stop.
Before leaving her apartment, she’d called Alex, and her ear still rang from her squeal. Alex ordered her to come spend the night with her. And it had only taken Laura two seconds to agree.
She turned left into Brookdale Cemetery and followed the road all the way to the back. After she parked her car, Laura sat there staring at the row of markers. Her mother’s, the last one in the row, still had the flowers she’d sent last week.
“One year you’ve been gone, Momma.” She opened her door, when her phone started to ring. She grabbed the phone and moaned when Daniel’s number popped up on the screen. She’d been hoping to talk to them tonight, but it looked as if now was going to be the time.
“Afternoon, Daniel. I thought I was going to call you?” She sat on the edge of seat of the car, staring at her mother’s stone.
“We stopped by your place to bring coffee and breakfast to find you gone. So we decided to wait for lunch and came back but you’re still not here. Don’t tell me we scared you off?” He sounded a little put out, but she didn’t care. She’d made no promises and she needed time. What they wanted from her was big and affected not only her but her son as well.
“I needed to come home for a visit. I’ll be staying with my best friend tonight and I was going to call you then. I’m sorry you went out of your way, but I did tell you both I need some time to think. You’re asking me to move to a different state, Daniel, where I won’t know anyone. What happens if you get tired of me and want me out of this apartment? I can’t leave at a moment’s notice, not with a baby. Give me tonight and I’ll give you my answer tomorrow.”
“Where are you?” he asked again with a little bite in his voice.
“I told you. I’m home.” She looked at her phone and frowned.
“I’m standing in front of your home and you are not there, Laura. I don’t like to be lied to,” Daniel informed her coldly.
She stood slowly, slamming her car door before opening her son’s.
“For your information, you are standing at my apartment, not my home. And I don’t lie. Goodbye, Daniel.” She snapped the phone closed and turned it off.
“Sorry, Max. It looks as if we’re once more looking at apartments. Maybe we’ll look around here. It would be good to be around friends right now.” She unhooked the car seat and took Max out of the car, placing him on the ground in front of her mother’s headstone and sitting next to the car seat.
“Well, that problem is solved. Looks as if we won’t be moving to New York. I’d so hoped they would be different.” She started pulling at the weeds around her mother’s grave.
“They both were really cute, Mom. The way they helped me with Warren was amazing.” Laura sat back and sighed. “I should give them another shot since they did help me, but I’m tired of being hurt. How do I know they won’t hurt me? And I have Max to think about too. I wish you were here.”
A lone red-tail hawk circled above her head before it landed in front of her on her mother’s headstone. It stared into her eyes, not moving. This wasn’t the first time something like this happened to her. Some would say she had a gift.
“Okay, Momma. I’ll give them one more shot, but if they hurt me I’m going to rip their balls off.” She laughed when the bird flapped its wings and cried out before taking off.
“You were always one for show, but a hawk? Isn’t that a little much, Mom?” She grinned, looking at her son, who was wide awake and following the bird with his gaze.
“Yep, that’s your grandmother, Max. I wish you two could have met.”
She dug out her phone and turned it back on. At once it rang and Daniel’s number appeared again.
“I’ll be back at the apartment at three tomorrow. I’ll start packing then but tonight I’m staying with a friend,” she said before he could say a word. “And Daniel, if you or Grant ever accuse me of lying again, I won’t hesitate to leave. I’ve never lied before and I won’t start now.”
“You are right and I’m sorry. What convinced you to move, if I may ask?” Daniel asked.
She straightened her legs out and looked up at the hawk. “I don’t know if you’ll believe me, but oh well. Let’s just say my mom told me to go for it and my mother is never wrong.” The hawk dipped down and landed on a grave marker two feet away from her. It stared at her son as it jumped to a closer stone.
“I thought your mother died last year,” Daniel asked, sounding confused.
“Do you know how beautiful red-tail hawks are? It’s rare for them to be so close to humans but one is visiting us at my mother’s grave marker. Right now it’s staring down at Max—quite an amazing sight. It’s astonishing what spirits can do when they want to communicate.”
On speakerphone, Grant looked at Daniel and frowned. “You’re at your mother’s gravesite and you have a hawk talking to you?”
He heard Laura’s sigh into the phone. “No, Grant, the bird didn’t talk to me and no I’m not crazy. My mother was a witch. Animals would come up to her naturally. She was one with Mother Nature herself. I have a little of her gift and I asked her about the both of you. Actually I asked if I should give you a second shot. That is when the hawk appeared and landed on her headstone.” She paused and he could hear her moving around.
“Do you still want me to move, even knowing I have this gift?” Laura asked as Daniel heard her say goodbye to her mother.
Both men stared out at the front of his truck, which was parked in front of her apartment building. A red-tail hawk had landed on the middle of his hood and was staring at them both. “Umm, Laura, it seems we have a visitor here on my hood,” Daniel said into the speakerphone, shocked.
She laughed. “No wonder the hawk took off. Mom must have found a different animal. It’s just my mother’s way to let you know she’s watching.”
“Okay, we’ll see you tomorrow, and Laura, be careful on the road please.” Daniel said as they watched the bird stretch out its wings and scream before it took off again.
“Daniel…oh never mind. We’ll be fine. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Laura disconnected the phone and he turned to his brother who shook his head.
“Don’t even say it. We are not going to mention this again. Did you call Mike and have him turn on the utilities at the condo?”
He started the truck and pulled out onto the street heading toward their hotel. “Yes, it all will be ready for her. Dad was there when I was talking with Mike. They want to meet Laura.”
His brother moaned. “I don’t know why they have to meet every woman we see. It’s not as if we’re ready to commit to anything yet.”
Daniel snorted. “You are wrong there and you know it. There is something special with Laura. You’re just afraid to admit it.”
“Don’t push it, Daniel. I agree she’s beautiful and she’ll be ours, but right now I can’t promise anything more.” His brother snapped and looked out the window.
“Do we have her medical records?” He asked as they pulled into the Marriott parking lot.
“Yes and she is all clean. I’ll call a moving company when we get upstairs and have them arrange to meet us there tomorrow. As far as her car goes, it’s a junker and not safe. I’ll have one of the local salvage places come and pick it up.”
His phone rang as he parked the truck and Laura’s phone number flashed on his phone. “Hello, Laura, something wrong?” Daniel sat in the truck turning on the speakerphone for his brother to listen also.
“I was putting my son in the car when I noticed another vehicle. Someone is following me and taking pictures. Could it be someone from the press? I mean, your family is very wealthy and I’m sure they are always looking to get the dirt on you. I thought the crank calls would stop if I left for a while and now this. I really don’t want any publicity, Daniel, and my friend doesn’t need it either.” She paused and he heard her shifting gears before the cussing started on the phone.
“Stupid ass son-of-a-bitch! I don’t care who you are, asshole. You don’t cut me off and slow down, fuckwad,” Laura screamed into the phone.
Daniel’s gut tightened as he looked at his brother.
He too was staring at the phone between them. Grant shifted on his seat. “What’s going on, Laura? Talk to us!”
“Whoever this is, he’s smart. He’s trying to make me stop but I’ve got a surprise for him. Did you know I use to race cars in high school with a bunch of my friends? Loved it! I’ll have to check into it when we get to New York. Oh no you didn’t, dickhead. Why am I getting the feeling this is not the freaking press?”
He heard the squeal of tires.
“Laura, don’t stop, whatever you do. Go to the police station. Grant is going to call them now so they’ll be waiting for you. What city are you in?” He started his truck, while Grant pulled out his phone and waited.
“Where do you think I’m trying to get to? Elyria. I’m sure not bringing this psycho to my friend’s house.” Once more he heard the grinding of her car’s motor. “That’s right, my car might look like shit, but you don’t know what I’ve got underneath the hood, prick.”
While Grant called the police, he programmed the GPS in the rental truck and at once started off on their journey. According to the GPS they had a four-hour trip ahead of them.
“Daniel, do you know who this is? He’s not giving up! Shit!”
She screamed as he heard a loud bang.
“What happened?” he yelled and turned onto the highway. In the seat next to him, Grant was informing the local police what was happening.
“The asshole rammed the back of my car! Do you believe this shit? I hear sirens and I’m close to the police station right around the corner. He’s turning down a street. He must know the city. I’m here at the station. Gotta go.” She disconnected the phone and his heart sank.
“Hager! It has to be him.” Daniel took a quick glance at Grant who nodded. A man they had considered a friend at one time, but found out later it all had been a ruse.
As one of the top ten terrorists in the world, Hager was a chameleon and a thorn in both his and Grant’s sides. The thought of Laura being targeted by him had both men in military mode.
“If he’s around, he’ll be calling in the rest of his team—at least the ones who we haven’t killed,” his brother said, and dialed another number.
Daniel’s stomach knotted and his old combat instincts kicked in. It seemed that Laura now had no choice. She would come with them no matter what, if she and her son wanted to survive.
Chapter Five
Laura sat in the small cold room, her anger rising by the minute. Her son, thank God, had fallen asleep after she’d fed and changed him. She’d been stuck inside this room for the past three-and-a-half hours.
Oh sure they’d brought her drinks, food and such, but they refused to say a word to her until six military men came into the room. They surrounded her and started asking all sorts of questions.
She squirmed in her seat, remembering how gorgeous they were.
Each of them reassured her they knew Daniel and Grant. That they were there to protect her and Max. But they turned around and left in ten minutes without another word. She stood and reached for the door, but jumped back as Daniel and Grant came into the room.
“Thank God you’re okay,” Daniel said and yanked her into his arms, almost crushing her ribs. Grant ran his hand down her back and squeezed her ass.
“You don’t know how worried we’ve been, and I for one don’t like to be worried.” Daniel leaned down and kissed her cheek.
“Let go, Daniel.” She pulled out of his arms and glared at both men. “Now explain!” She tapped her foot and crossed her arms. “I want to get out of this room. I need to call my friend and tell her I’ll be late. Your goons took my phone! Give it back.” She held out her hand.
They each pulled out a chair and sat down as they shook their heads. “No phone. Sorry, but until we’re out of here you will listen to every word we say.” Daniel leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. He stared at her before reaching out and pulling her in between his legs.
“It’s not just one man out there now, Laura. It’s a whole team of specially trained men who’ve gone AWOL. They’ve centered their attention on you. I’m afraid they are trying to even the score with us. I can’t tell you all of it since the information is only for high-clearance personnel, but the gist of it is we took out most of his team a few months back.”
He slid his hands up her shirt and rested them on the bare skin of her back. “Grant and I are semiretired special agents and right now our team is slowly coming together. I have three men right now at your friend’s house. When the rest of our men arrive we’ll leave. Looks as if we’ll be spending some time in one of our own safe houses.” He lifted her shirt and leaned in, kissing her belly.
Grant reached over and pulled her out of Daniel’s arms and into his lap. Laura slapped at his hands but he paid little attention as he arranged her legs so she straddled his lap. Her skirt, now pushed up to her stomach, exposed her panties and Laura knew they would see the wet spot on them.
She tried to get up but Grant held her hips. “Stay put. We need to touch you and make sure you’re okay. Hearing the crash when he rammed you put my stomach in my mouth.”
He looked into her eyes.
“Daniel was right, you’re something special, and we won’t lose you. We’re in this for the long haul, Laura. I never believed in this first-sight crap and I know this is all too quick, but we’ll get through it. This isn’t the website or just sexual. We want all of you for however long we can get.” He rubbed his cheek against her breasts and took a deep breath.
Shaking her head, Laura tried once more to get up but Daniel rose and came in behind her. He slid his hands under her shirt, pushing up her bra so he could cup her breasts. “Ours! You are ours, Laura and every chance we get we’ll be demonstrating how much we need you and want you.” He nipped the side of her neck and she moaned.
“You’ve got to stop. Anyone could walk in,” she pleaded, but they didn’t listen. Grant traced the edge of her panties before slipping his fingers underneath and pushing two fingers into her pussy.
“That excites you more, doesn’t it, Laura? The thought of someone walking in while we touch and nibble on you? Tell me, what did you think of our men?” Grant asked, twisting his fingers inside her pussy as he pumped them in and out slowly. She could have sworn the door opened behind them, but Laura couldn’t even think straight right now.
“Big. Please…” She had never been so turned on in her life. Cool air slipped over her now-exposed breasts.
“You’re so beautiful. Your skin is flushed and I can see your little nub all swollen and needing attention. Do you want to come, Laura?” Grant asked as Daniel slid over to her side and sucked one of her nipples into his mouth.
“So close, but not yet. Open your eyes, Laura,” Grant ordered in a whisper, yet it was powerful enough that she opened her eyes.
She’d been right. Laura had heard the door earlier. Three of their men stood behind him, watching. They too were hard as rocks, if the outlines of their pants were any indicator. Laura’s face heated as she turned her gaze back onto Grant.
She sucked in her breath, the same time Grant stroked her clit, sending her
over the edge. “Come!”
Her scream was muffled when Daniel released her breast and covered her mouth with his. His kiss was hard and demanding. “Others will watch, but none will touch you unless we allow it. This pussy, this body, is ours now, Laura. Isn’t it?” Grant asked and licked her other nipple as another fine tremor soared through her.
Daniel lifted his head a fraction, but held her chin in his grasp. “Tell us you’re ours, that you want us as badly as we want you.”
Her body hummed with sexual gratification, but could she really commit to these two men? “I don’t know…” She buried her face into Grant’s neck when Daniel released her and stood behind her.
“Shhh, we have plenty of time to convince you.” Grant tucked her breasts back into her bra and lowered her shirt. She didn’t look up.
“Are all the men here now, Seth?” Daniel asked.
“All but two,” a deep baritone voice informed him. A shiver ran up her spine and she peeked up to see to whom the voice belonged.
Grant laughed and nipped her ear. “Sorry. He can watch, but that’s all. I’ve lost too many women to him.”
The man in question had to be close to seven feet tall and was as black as the night. His biceps rippled when he laughed and he slapped Grant on the back lightly, so as not to jar Laura. “You two weren’t serious about those women. I wouldn’t do that to you with this one—she’s a keeper. Treat her well, my friend.” He winked at Laura.
“Or I’ll personally come down and kick your ass,” added the Hispanic gentleman with tattoos running up and down both arms. “My name is Zenith, pretty lady. Any time one of these dumbasses gives you trouble, you just call me and I’ll make sure to thump on them.” He leaned down and kissed the top of her head.
“Watch it, Sergeant!” Grant snapped. He stood and slowly lowered her to the ground and smiled down at her. “Just so you know, I’m the one who is in command here.”
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