We met the breach team on the lawn and jogged to the door. After two pounding knocks, Bruce waited a moment before he told his man to break in the door. Bruce peeled off left, and, with my weapon drawn I went right with Jason behind me. We cleared the living room and the kitchen, finding both empty.
“Upstairs,” Jason said, taking the lead.
Two of the local guys followed us up, breaking away once we hit the upstairs landing.
“Got something.” Came through my earpiece.
Jason and I continued into the master bedroom. “Is that the shower?” he asked.
“Sounds like it.”
“Shit.” I let Jason breach the bathroom door not wanting to have to pull a naked Derek out of the shower.
“DEA, put your hands where I can see them!” Jason yelled.
“What the fuck?” Derek returned.
“Turn the water off and step out of the shower.”
“Can I grab a towel?”
There was silence for a moment before Jason’s back came into view, his gun still out in front of him. Both men appeared in the bedroom and, instead of the embarrassment I thought I’d find on Derek’s face at being forcibly removed from the shower at gunpoint, when his eyes landed on me a sly smirk crossed his face.
“Well, hello.”
“Shut the fuck up and put some pants on.”
And that was my cue to turn around. Normally I wouldn’t have cared, I’d seen my fair share of perps in all manners of undress, but I didn’t like the look on Derek’s face.
“You don’t need to turn. I’m not shy.”
“Clothes,” Jason growled.
“We have lab equipment,” Bruce said through the comm.
“Put your hands behind your back,” Jason told Derek.
Once Derek was cuffed, I holstered my weapon and watched Jason take him by the arm and walk him down the stairs. I went into the room next to the master bedroom and was shocked at the sophisticated lab Derek had. Metal shelves lined the walls with rows of chemicals neatly arranged. A full shelf of over the counter cough syrup and stacked boxes of sinus medication was below that. On the floor there were gallon jugs of different solvents. All of that was bad, but the scales, glass beakers, Bunsen burners, and vials rounded out his setup.
“He’s making more than GHL,” I noted.
“I’d say you’re right.”
Derek Lowe had a full-on meth lab next to his bedroom, in a nice house, in a nice neighborhood. And, to add insult to injury, he was a teacher. A man the community had trusted to teach and guide their children.
“Good, clean takedown today, James. Appreciate all the help from your team,” Bruce said. “Ready to take this asshole downtown and see if he’s ready to talk?”
“Absolutely.”
I made my way downstairs, hoping Jason would be in a better mood now that Lowe was in custody. And the sole reason behind the easy bust was Delaney. The sun was barely over the horizon and we had a drug dealer off the streets. All in all it was a great day.
23
Even though Derek Lowe was technically the local drug task force’s bust there was still an outrageous amount of paperwork that had to be filled out. Lowe’s interrogation had been short. The second he was behind the table in the interview room he’d lawyered up. As a matter of fact, he’d said nothing after I’d cuffed him. Not a single word had slipped past his foul lips. He wouldn’t even confirm his name was Derek Lowe until he sat at the table and said lawyer.
I’d given a lot of thought to what Mercy had said about how tough I’d been on Delaney. She was right, I had been hard on my sister but the thought of what Lowe could’ve done to her made me go ballistic. And after his smug ass was arrested it hadn’t made it any better. The guy was a complete scumbag. His home lab was a testament to how dangerous he really was. But because Delaney had followed Derek, we hit pay dirt. We were able to take him at home without incident. At the end of the day, no one had been hurt and Lowe was off the streets.
I owed Delaney a small apology and a huge thank you. I pulled into Mercy’s driveway happy to see Delaney’s car still parked in the driveway. She and Mercy must still be talking. After we’d left the office Mercy was going straight home, and I’d gone to pick up my dry cleaning.
When I’d walked in the door I hadn’t expected to find my mom sitting on the couch next to Mercy and Delaney. The three of them all had wine glasses in their hands and they were laughing. What the hell was going on?
“Hey,” I greeted them.
Mercy smiled, Delaney looked shy, and my mom was beaming.
“Hi, son.”
“Did I miss your car outside?”
“No. Dad dropped me off. He’ll be back in a few minutes, he went to pick up a pizza.”
Well, damn. I hoped someone had thought to ask Mercy and they hadn’t just invited themselves over. My family had a tiny problem with boundaries, as in, they didn’t have any. When my parents had wanted to see me, they just showed up. If they wanted to have dinner they came over with food in hand and invited themselves in. Same with my sisters. A pang in my stomach hit me hard, they hadn’t just shown up in a long time. They’d called and asked, and when I’d said I wasn’t up for company they’d mumble their disappointment and leave me to my brooding. Shit. I was an asshole.
“I invited them,” Mercy spoke up. “I didn’t think you’d mind.”
Mind?
It was her house. I was a live-in guest in her home. I wasn’t sure how I was supposed to respond to her statement, and the longer I stood there the stupider I felt.
“Come here, Mercy.”
She got up from the couch and when she was within reaching distance, I tugged her into my arms and buried my face in her neck. “Thank you,” I whispered.
I felt her nod, and she held me tighter. I wasn’t sure what I was thankful for exactly but I was appreciative of something. I was lost in my own world surrounded by Mercy’s scent and her warmth as we embraced. I thought I heard someone sniffle but, before I could look, there was a knock on the front door, and I heard my dad.
“Yo. I’m back.”
I closed my eyes against the emotions threatening to bubble up. How many times have I heard my dad enter a room with a, “yo”? And how long had it been since I’ve heard it? Too damn long.
“Good, you’re home,” he started. “What’s your take on this Lowe asshole?”
He walked past us not giving us, locked in an embrace, a second glance and set the pizza boxes down on the kitchen table.
“I’d say he’s pretty much screwed. The reports coming in show traces of methamphetamines and GHL in his lab. His storage unit came up with liquid GHL already dosed out and ready for distribution. He also had gram bags of his homemade meth ready to sell. When I left, the narc we had in place at Polytech had brought in two high school girls for questioning.”
“Fucking scumbag,” my dad said under his breath. “Who’s hungry?”
“You ready?” Mercy quietly asked.
“Are you sure about this?”
“Positive.” I kept my eyes trained on hers for any signs she wasn’t telling the truth. “I bought this house a few years ago. I’ve lived in it alone. No family. The only person who’d ever been here for dinner was Tuesday. So, yes, I’m ready. This is the first time since I’ve lived here it’s felt like a home.”
“Damn, I love you.”
I didn’t have to look away this time to confirm I’d heard sniffling. And I knew it’d come from my mom. When Mercy broke away with a chaste kiss and walked to the kitchen, my family didn’t bother trying to hide. They’d heard. They’d watched our interaction. They also didn’t try to cover their smiles. And in my mom’s case, tears. Damn, I’d been such an ass.
The hours passed in a blink. We ate, the women drank wine, Dad and I had a few beers, but mostly we laughed. It was the best night I’d had in as long as I could remember. When my parents were getting ready to leave, they both pulled Mercy in for a hug. My mom held onto her
for a long time, I couldn’t hear what she said but I knew she was telling Mercy something in a hushed voice.
Delaney moved closer to me and murmured that Mom had been losing it all night and tearing up. I pulled my sister in for a hug. “Sorry, sis. I may’ve overreacted.”
“You didn’t. I get it, I screwed up. After Dad gave me a dressing down he reminded me of all the ways I could’ve screwed up your investigation. I didn’t mean—”
“I know you didn’t. You also didn’t have all the facts. The mere thought of someone hurting you makes me see red.”
“I love you, big bro.” Then she leaned in closer and whispered, “All teasing aside about Mom, I’m really happy for you. You deserve this.”
“I’m not—”
“Well, I am. I’m positive, and little sisters are always right.”
“I missed you, sis.”
“Ditto. I’m gonna drag Mom out of here for you. You can add it to the list of favors you owe me.”
Damn, I’d missed this closeness with my family. Missed the dinners and laughter. True to her word, Delaney pulled Mom out the door, leaving me alone with Mercy. She’d never looked more beautiful than in that moment. Big smile on her face, relaxed and happy. What was even better than her pretty grin was that she was looking at me like she was hungry.
“Thank you for tonight,” I told her.
“It was fun.”
“It was.”
She stepped closer to me, her eyes raking over my body as she moved. “You tired?”
“Not even a little bit.”
“Good.” Mercy stopped in front of me and gathered the hem of my T-shirt in her hands and started to lift. “I need you.”
“Here?” I looked around the living room, already knowing where I was going to take her.
Mercy didn’t answer, instead she pulled my shirt up and over my head. She quickly followed, yanking hers off and tossing it next to mine. Her eyes didn’t waver, they remained glued to mine as her pants, then panties, fell away.
“You’re still dressed,” she noted.
“I am.”
I tugged her closer, her perfect, perky tits against my bare chest. My mouth went to her neck, her head tilted to the side, and she moaned. I knew every sweet spot, every place that would make her grind into me and writhe. I played with both of her pink tipped tits, sucking and nipping her nipples into tiny, hard nubs. I alternated between near-painful bites and gentle swipes of my tongue. Both I knew drove her wild. And, tonight, I wanted wild.
“Are you wet for me?” I asked as my hand was making its way south.
I knew the answer before she could mutter her confirmation. I toyed with her wet folds, not giving her what she wanted. Not yet. I wanted her begging first.
“Bend over the couch.” Mercy did as I said. “More. Rest your cheek on the cushion. I want your ass in the air.” She lowered herself more, and my hands roamed. Down the silky skin of her back to her firm ass. “You have a great ass.”
With a swat that was just enough to pull a groan from her sweet lips, I went back to teasing her. Circling her opening until she pushed back trying to impale herself on my fingers. I pulled my hand away and went back to her ass, kneading and massaging the pink mark I’d left.
“Please.”
“Please what, Mercy?” Her ass wiggled, and she pushed back. “That’s not an answer.”
“I want you inside of me.”
“Like this?” I roughly thrusted two fingers inside her heat and didn’t let up. “Is this what you want?”
“Oh, God. Yes.”
I continued to finger her until her hips bucked and her inner walls started tightening. I pulled my fingers free and went back to teasing her slit.
“Jason!”
“Hmm?”
“I’m so close. Please.”
“What do you want?” I asked.
“I want you to fuck me.”
There were the words I wanted to hear. I made quick work of releasing my dick from the confines of my slacks and pressed the head to her drenched pussy. In a single thrust I was fully enveloped in her heat.
“Yes.”
I curled over her back, biting her shoulder before I kissed away the sting. “Is this what you need?”
“Yes.”
My mouth worked her neck, up to her ear, and back down again as I pounded into her from behind. Home. Bliss. Love. Warmth. The feel of her wrapped around my dick pulled every emotion from me and merged them with the physical pleasure only her body could provide. I was mindless in my pursuit of ecstasy. Tingling heat started at the base of my spine, euphoria started to take over. I needed her to go with me.
“Reach down and play with your clit.”
I unfolded and grabbed her hip with one hand and used the other to rub her backside. I didn’t have to see to know her fingers had found the sensitive bundle of nerves. Mercy’s erratic movements told me she was rubbing herself.
“I’m close,” she moaned. “So fucking close, Jason.”
I couldn’t stop the sensations from barreling forward if I’d tried. It was too good. She was too good. Fluttering in her pussy started, and it would only be seconds before she exploded, and the clench of her orgasm would detonate mine.
With two consecutive hard smacks to her ass and with a growl I demanded, “Come for me. Now, Mercy. Right fucking now.”
I planted as deep as I could and let go. I didn’t need to move, Mercy bucking and her inner muscles tightening was all it took. My head fell forward, and my release shot out of my dick with such force I couldn’t keep my eyes open.
“Mercy!”
Never had I ever loved someone so thoroughly and completely. Physically, mentally, with an all-consuming soul need.
24
A week had slid by in the blink of an eye.
I don’t think I’d ever been happier it was a Friday. Jason’s new case had kept him busy throughout the work week, some days he hadn’t been in the office at all. A major deal was going down. A motorcycle club from Ohio wanted to move product through another MC’s territory. We had a local informant inside the club, and he’d tipped off Jason’s task force. Negotiations were underway and the shipment was due to pass through our stretch of I-95 at anytime.
The FBI had punted a pharma lead to my division. After a week digging through prescriptions written to dead patients of the nursing home, we knew we were onto something big.
Jason had texted me he was already home and was cooking. Tuesday was home and finally coming over to meet Jason. I don’t know why I was nervous. They’d spoken on the phone several times, Tuesday was likeable, Jason was sweet and funny; I knew they’d hit it off. But I couldn’t shake this dread in the pit of my stomach.
Everything was going great. We were totally compatible in every way. I was even thinking about asking him if he wanted to move in. Which may’ve been a little fast, but I’ve always done what I wanted, when I wanted. I lived by my own set of rules, and neither of us cared what other people thought of our relationship. But what had started as a tingle this morning after Jason had left for work before me had turned into a nag by the end of the day.
Nothing had changed, Jason was Jason, loving, kind, and considerate. He’d brought me a cup of coffee into the bathroom as I got ready for work. He’d smiled, kissed me, told me he loved me, and was out the door. But there was still this feeling. I didn’t like it. I didn’t want anything to ruin our night with Tuesday. I’d missed my best friend and couldn’t wait to hear all about her travels.
I made my way into the house and found Jason in the kitchen.
“There you are.” He smiled.
He pulled me in for a kiss, which I happily returned, muttering how much he’d missed me.
“You just saw me before you left.” I pecked his cheek and looked around. “Wow. It smells wonderful in here.”
“I thought I’d make something easy. It’s Honor’s recipe.”
“She’s married to Ethan, right?”
“
Good memory.”
“I feel like I should take notes when you tell me about your family. Maybe once I put faces with the names it will be easier to remember them all.” Jason stared at me with a funny look and I tried to backtrack. “I mean, that is, if you want me to meet them. One day, I mean. When you’re—”
“Sh.” He placed a finger on my lips. “I love that you want to meet the rest of my family.”
He lowered his head and took my mouth in a panty-melting kiss that made me wish Tuesday wasn’t coming until later.
As if on cue I heard her raspy voice call out from the front door, “Hey. I’m here.”
Jason broke the kiss, and I muttered, “Remind me to take away her key.”
“Wow. Sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt,” Tuesday said.
I broke away from Jason and all but skipped to my friend, pulling her into a bear hug. “I missed you.”
“No, you didn’t.” She laughed.
“I did so.”
“Um. No. You didn’t. How could you with all of that to keep you occupied?”
Tuesday’s hand motioned to Jason, his face blushing under my friend’s compliment. I couldn’t stop the laugh that broke free at seeing Jason embarrassed.
“You got me there. He is pretty cute.”
Jason shifted from side to side, clearly uncomfortable. Which only made me want to continue.
“Cute? Honey, I work with male models all day long. And they got nothing on him.” Tuesday pointed at Jason, and his face blossomed from pink to cherry-red.
“Yeah. He’s a keeper for sure.” Deciding to have pity on Jason with him not knowing Tuesday and her flair for dramatics I thought it was better to cut him a break. “Jason, this is Tuesday Knowls, international model extraordinaire. Tuesday, this is Jason.”
“What? I don’t get anything after my name?” Jason joked.
“Oh, I could throw in some adjectives but I thought I’d save those for girl talk later.”
With a groan and a shake of his head he offered Tuesday his hand, followed by a nice to meet you. Tuesday looked at his hand and laughed. Stepping up to him she wrapped her arms around him and squeezed.
Finding Mercy: The Next Generation Page 12
