“Chinese,” Nate said hopefully.
“Anything you want,” Noah said as he gently tugged Kali towards the door. “We’ll see you in the morning for the briefing.”
As soon as they were out in the hallway, Noah had her up against the wall, his lips stealing kisses. When she wrapped her arms around his neck, he had what he wanted. He pulled them away he slid her arms so they pressed against the wall of the hallway, arching her high taut breasts against his chest like an offering. She moaned in supplication, and he licked her collarbone, trailing ever downwards to the “V” of her t-shirt, it had been driving him wild all through dinner.
“Someone might see,” she said in a breathy voice making his cock even harder.
“Everybody knows not to come out the door.”
“But…”
He pushed his knee between her legs, tight against the crotch of her jeans, and slid it up and down. As she cried out he thrust his tongue between her parted lips. Back and forth he rocked her. He couldn’t get enough of the flavors of cinnamon, apples and Kali. Please God, he couldn’t hold on much longer, and finally her nails ground into his hands and she shuddered her release. He held her still, sandwiched between the wall and his overheated body. When he thought he could move without doing permanent injury to his dick, he slid one arm around her waist and the other under her knees picking her up.
“I can walk.”
“I like carrying you.” He had no choice, he had to keep her as close as possible, it was a biological imperative.
* * *
She was dizzy, and it seemed to get worse, better, and more intense the longer she was with him. They twined together, mated. Tears pricked her eyes, and she gulped in big breaths of air, trying to get ahold of herself.
Don’t try, I’m right here with you.
He pushed their apartment door closed and had her on the couch before she could respond.
Clothes went flying in every direction. Names called with frantic need. At the exact moment Noah’s perfect lips touched her nipple she arched up to meet him. Just as she was about to ask for a certain touch, his fingers slid through her folds, and she knew to bite his neck hard enough to make him groan.
Truly joined, in sync, they knew each other’s thoughts before they were thoughts. They were parts of the same whole. His other hand helped her undo his jeans so she could unleash his cock, and then he was spearing inside her.
Pleasure swamped him, her, them. She was tight, he was thick. He was hot, she was wet. The friction was sublime. They flew high, so high.
* * *
“So what couldn’t you tell me in front of the others?”
“Dave has decided to break in and talk to Mai. He doesn’t trust she’s being told the truth about what happened. He thinks she has been kept in the dark about her brainwashing.”
“What is the correct procedure?”
“She should be with her parents, her adoptive parents. She needs to be reconditioned. She needs to see these people love her, and what she was led to believe is wrong. It will take time, but it’s what needs to happen. Dave thinks they haven’t told her anything.”
“Why wouldn’t they?”
“He doesn’t know, but he thinks the Taiwanese scientists have always wanted an opportunity to do experiments on Mai, and now they have a legitimate excuse to do so. It’s suspicious they haven’t let the Zhang’s even talk to their daughter since her rescue.”
“I didn’t know that. Her parents have to be frantic.”
“They are, and they have begun a public campaign to get her released. They are making it sound like she is a political prisoner. It’s a good tactic. She’s been high profile since she was found, but when she first played the violin publically at age ten, she became an international sensation. Then the mathematics? Well, she’s Taiwan’s rock star. The idea Mai Zhang is being held prisoner will not go over well with the public.”
“No, I suppose it won’t.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
Baby, please share.
Sometimes I feel less than…
They had been having hot chocolate on the couch, and he plucked her mug out of her hands, pulling her into his arms, and across his lap. She cuddled. He liked how she always did that now.
“I’ve been noticing some things, at first they were kind of subtle, but I really noticed it when we were dealing with Jade.” She was silent and still, just listening to him. “Remember how Jade really didn’t understand how Joe could be assimilating Turkish like he was. She was really struggling when I tried to explain.” Kali didn’t bother to deny it, and he liked that, there was no false protests to protect his feelings. She understood he was a big boy.
“Also, let’s talk about your time spent with Nate. Did you notice he couldn’t wrap his head around Sarah’s healing at first?”
“Sure.”
“Out of all the team, Kota took to it first.”
“Of course he would, he was healed.”
“Nope. It was his background, he’s talked to me about his great uncle who is a Shaman. He is very deferential when he talks about him. He already believes in spiritual and supernatural things like healing powers. Then there is Sierra, she was already onboard with you and I being able to speak telepathically. Nate believed we were just in tune with one another.” Kali was open to him, so he could listen to her process what he was saying.
“Okay, I agree.”
“Nate’s one of my oldest friends. I tried to explain to him we were just coming more into our powers at this point in time, and our time spent together seemed to augment those powers. He wasn’t having any of it.”
Kalie nodded her agreement, remembering back.
“But Kali, you and he had lunch together, just the two of you, and after you explained it to him he seemed to really get it.”
“I didn’t say anything differently than you, Noah.”
“I don’t think you did either baby, but I think the difference is you said it. I think that’s your gift. I didn’t think much of it, but after I listened to you talk to Jade, it became really obvious you have the ability to get through to people. It’s almost like you can educate them.”
She drew back so sharply she hit her head on his chin. “Are you saying I brainwash them?”
“No, not at all. Baby, I’m saying you are able to help people see things more clearly. You have the ability to impart knowledge, to help educate people. That’s why you’re a teacher.”
“I don’t buy it. You’re saying I’m putting thoughts in people’s heads, leading them, ultimately changing their thinking. That’s brainwashing.”
Noah was getting frustrated. “If I had managed to convince Nate that Sarah’s healing was just a natural progression of the found abilities, and if I could have explained to Jade how each found child was able to assimilate languages in their first few years here, and Joe was doing that now because he had basically been in stasis, would I have been brainwashing them?”
“Well, no,” Kali said slowly.
“Am I brainwashing you now as I’m convincing you on the validity of my argument?” He watched as she smiled. She hit his bare chest. That smile, and her in his shirt was making him hard.
“See, you do have special abilities, Beautiful.”
“Making you horny?”
“That definitely heads the list. However, I think your ability to explain and convince people is going to be our ace in the hole, especially when we have to explain things to people like Sakuro’s superiors.”
“What do you mean? I thought he was in charge?”
“Everybody has a boss. Sakuro hasn’t said anything, but my guess is eventually as we go after Rixitron there will be repercussions. Your ability to explain and educate people will be invaluable.” He could see and feel her doubt, but as time went on, and they were in more situations where she used her skills, she would see what he meant.
“Kali, in the city of Chicago were there any other teache
rs with a zero drop-out rate for your grade?”
“There were three.”
“How many years in a row did you accomplish this?”
“Only two years in a row.”
“Did the other three?”
“No,” she reluctantly admitted. He decided to drop the subject. He could feel her considering what he had said. “Are you sure convincing people isn’t your ability?”
He gave her question serious consideration. “I think it’s because we’re linked. It’s why you could find me. I think because we are paired, I’ve taken on some of your abilities, and you’ve taken on some of mine.”
“I can only find you.”
“Just like I can only convince you. Maybe this is something we can work at.” He could see she was tired. “Come on, let’s go to bed. Maybe there is something else I can convince you of.” He liked seeing the blush suffuse her face.
Chapter Thirty-Four
“Riley, get your ass back here. If you haven’t found her after all this time, then she’s safe from the idiots at Rixitron,” Nate said in disgust.
“I want Sam, I mean Noah to get out here and help find her.” The connection was scratchy but Riley’s determination came through loud and clear.
“Why? She’s safe. Obviously Seth’s grandmother has her holed up so tight nobody can get to her, why should we interfere?”
Nate had a point. What’s more, bringing her in, would eventually make her more of a target. Noah wasn’t sure how long they could keep this location in Orange County under wraps.
“The grandmother is in her late seventies. The baby is less than six months old, and they had to get to wherever the hell this is by horseback. This is not good. I understand she is hidden from the fuckers, but she is not in a safe place. It’s our job to keep civilians safe. I would have thought the child of a found would have mattered to you, Noah.”
“God dammit, any child matters to me, Riley.”
“Don’t use the Lord’s name in vain.”
Noah was about to lose it. But he wasn’t sure at who. Riley was making sense.
“Ah fuck,” Nate said. Noah looked around the table. Everybody was gathered, listening to the phone, and it was clear Noah would be going to New Mexico. He looked at Sierra, and she looked up from her damn computer and nodded her head. His ticket had been booked.
“I’ll be there Riley.”
“Has anyone found a way to talk to that motherfucker, Seth Natani?” Riley demanded.
“Not without blowing his cover,” Sierra replied.
“Tell me again, why the hell hasn’t the DEA managed to notice him?” Nate demanded. The fact Seth married someone else during an investigation while his girlfriend gave birth to his child wasn’t sitting well with any of them.
“We got lucky with our facial recognition software,” Cyrus said. “I still disagree with your decision not to notify his superiors of his location.”
“Duly noted, Captain. But as a member of an organization recently infiltrated, I’m saying Seth had a reason for choosing not to trust his chain of command. We need to respect his decision.”
“Or he’s gone rogue.”
“How do you account for all those tips the DEA has received in the last six months? Has to be Seth. He hasn’t gone rogue, at least not when it comes to his duty towards his job,” Riley said, through the phone.
“How are we going to tell Annie when we find her?” Kali asked.
“We sit her down with shots of tequila, and we tell her. Then we give her a nutcracker, and let her at him,” Sarah said, her voice filled with venom.
“Nah, we give her a knife, a serrated hunting knife, a rusty one. Girl can do a lot of damage with one of those,” Sierra said knowledgeably.
Noah winced. Somewhere out there was a man who had done her wrong, but he had the feeling he had paid for it.
“First Noah has to find her. When will you be here?”
“He’ll be there tonight, I’m texting you his itinerary right now,” Sierra said. “He’ll be staying at the same motel as you.”
“I’ll be waiting.” Riley hung up. Everybody looked at one another.
“Shit, he’s wound tight,” Kota said. “It’s a good thing you’re going to be there, Lieutenant. This assignment is hitting him hard.”
“It’s the baby. His father abandoned him and his mother when he was a baby, and he can’t stand seeing Annie vulnerable.”
“No he didn’t,” Nate disagreed with Sierra. “His Dad is a preacher. He holds him up on a pedestal.”
“That’s his stepdad. He’s a wonderful guy, took them in, treats Riley’s mom like a queen. But Riley never forgot those early years. He had it rough until he was about five.”
“It explains why this has become such a personal quest for him,” Kali nodded. “I’d wondered.”
“I figured it was because he had been stuck in the trunk, and he wanted to make the Rixitron bastard pay,” Nate said, with a shrug.
“You really are oblivious, aren’t you?” Sarah said shaking her head. She got up from the table. “We’re done, right?”
“No, we’re not Sarah, we need to discuss Jared Spellman.”
“Ah damn, I’m sorry,” she said to Kali as she sat back down.
“Sierra, what do you have?” Noah asked.
“Ashley has the worst taste in boyfriends.”
“Skip the commentary, Sierra,” Nate grumbled.
“They’re due back three days from now. Anyway, she has to start her shift at the casino that night, so we should be able to question him at her house or take him, whichever way we want to play it.”
“Sounds like it will be me and Kota, since you’ll be in New Mexico,” Nate said decisively.
“I think you should take me as well.” All eyes swung to Kali.
“The last person Jared is going to expect to have questioning him is me. What’s more, Noah and I have been talking, I think I would be useful during questioning.”
Fuck. Every muscle in Noah’s body stiffened to the point of pain. She was right.
“I really think I should be the one who goes,” Cyrus said gently. “Questioning suspects is actually one of my job duties.”
“Exactly cop, it’s why you aren’t going. You have a badge to protect, we don’t want you doing anything to tarnish it.”
“Cyrus, Nate’s right and so is Kali.” There was silence around the table.
“This concludes this morning’s briefing,” Sierra said.
Noah wanted to follow Kali back to their apartment, but he had to make sure he kept up on everything. He watched as everyone left the conference room, until only Sierra remained.
“What’s up, boss?”
“Three things. First, how tight is our security here? Second, has anyone been trying to tap into us? Third, I understand the DEA trying to contact Seth could put him at risk, but what about us? I’m sure you have a plan, what have you thought through in that devious mind of yours?”
“Seth…”
“Let’s start with number one.”
“I haven’t heard a peep. So far our cover as corporate housing for a company out of Delaware is holding just fine. Universal Concepts is a consulting firm that routinely does this type of thing. I would have made us employees of one of the top three consulting firms, but they’re like ants, they are all over Southern California, and they might have wanted to be social.”
“Okay, so our cover is tight as far as the apartment housing, what about when we start trying to doing some reconnaissance? Have you been able to come up with some decent covers?”
“Security, and I’m not talking the security for a booth or patrols the building, I’m talking the real security that monitors the cameras and takes care of the high end executive needs.”
“Don’t they have seasoned people?”
“They do, yes.”
“But their top security guy is finally going to be offered a job in one of the Caribbean Islands like he has always wanted. Then one of
their other guys is going to end up taking a nasty fall, resulting in a broken leg.”
“How are you going to guarantee we’ll be the replacements?”
“Sakuro is old friends with the head of the agency who supplies security for Rixitron. We just lucked into that one.”
“I’ll never turn down luck, it’s saved my ass too damn often. Now, tell me about Seth.”
“I hate him.”
“You and every other woman in the room.”
“Don’t forget Riley, he hates him too,” Sierra reminded Noah.
“I wasn’t going to be able to forget, now was I? So what’s the word, I’m sure you’ve figured out a way for us to get close to him.”
“It’s still in its infancy stages. I’ll let you know when you get back from New Mexico. In the meantime, you stay safe. I know Riley has counted the Rixitron guy out, but I’ve checked on him. He’s one of their security guys, and he’s good. He’s former special ops. I’m actually relieved you’re going to be there with Riley.”
“Got it.” Noah left and made a beeline for Kali. Sierra might be worried about Riley, but he was worried for Kali.
He got to the apartment, and Kali was in the kitchen making grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. She knew it was one of his favorites.
“That’s not going to work.”
“Sex is next.”
“That might work.” His neck still hurt, every time he thought about her in danger his neck hurt. If he wasn’t careful he’d develop a twitch. She turned off the stove, and put the food on the table.
“Nate and Kota are going to be with me. Everything we’ve heard about Jared says he just got lucky when he kidnapped me.”
“He damn near tortured you to death. I’d say he got more than lucky.” He gently grasped her hands, pulled her towards him, and rubbed his thumbs over the scars on her wrists.
“Noah, I refuse to live my life in fear. Besides Jared, there’s Rixitron. I’m not going to live holed up in this apartment forever. I’m going to go back and visit my parents. So is Sarah. We’re taking back our lives. This is the first step.” She pulled away, and rubbed the kinks in his neck, hitting just the right spots.
Revealed (The Found Book 1) Page 19
