Stakeout

by Karen Raines

  Colby turns and we see Colm… Frankie doing up his belt with a passed-out Nadia in bed. He’s still smirking at the camera like he’s conquered Mount Everest.

  He turns on his heel and walks towards the bedroom door but not before turning back to the camera and mouthing something. The sounds down, but I don’t need it to see what he’s trying to say.

  I’m coming for you.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  Colby

  It’s late and no matter how hard I try to shut my brain off, I can’t. Things have taken a fucked-up turn and headed straight into Shitsville. How that piece of shit is Briella’s father, I’ll never know. He wasn’t a good man back then and he sure as fuck isn’t one now.

  Briella tosses and turns in her sleep, a sure sign that this is playing on her mind. She’s usually such a sound sleeper. Sighing, I step into the shower and try to wash away some of the funk. Not that I hold out much hope.

  The funny thing is, it’s all starting to make a bit of sense. We have no proof that what Calvin suspects is true but it’s more than plausible. The Mayor wants Frankie out of the picture, Frankie wants the Mayor to comply, so he goes after his wife as ammunition. If pictures or videos of Nadia fucking around go viral, it will ruin the Mayors campaign. It’s all so cliché, a tried and tested ruse of blackmail.

  And the Mayor? Well, what better way to get intel on the mob boss than to have a surveillance team watching him 24/7. The bit that’s throwing me for a loop is Calvin. Can he be trusted? The facts say yes, but that isn’t enough to place all our trust in him. I need the guys back home to get back to us with some information.

  I shut the water off and step back out into the warm room. Even late at night, the temperature is still high. Within minutes my skin is dry, and I go back to my pacing the floor. What is all of this doing to my girl? And she is my girl. I can try to kid myself all I want but some time over the last few days, best friends or fuck buddies stopped being relevant. She is more.

  “If you’re going to parade about looking all brooding and sexy, the least you can do is take off the damn towel.”

  Briella is laying on her side, eyes blinking open sleepily and looking so fucking adorable, it makes my heart hurt.

  “I was trying not to wake you.”

  She shrugs and sits up against the headboard. “Anything happening?”

  I gesture to the monitors and shake my head. “She’s been sleeping for hours. The only reason I know she isn’t dead is ‘cause of her elephant snores. She needs another nose job by the sounds of it.”

  Briella smiles and for a moment I think she is going to say something, but she just shakes her head and brings her knees up to her chest. I can’t leave her there looking all sad. I sit on the side of the bed and place a hand on her thigh.

  “I know it’s all gone to shit but we’ll get to the bottom of it Bri.”

  She offers a small nod. “I know that. I just can’t believe that he’s involved. Of all the cases, all the jobs, why did he have to be on the biggest one of my career?”

  I don’t have an answer, but then, she doesn’t expect me to. Instead, I crawl onto the bed beside her and wrap her up in my arms. She comes willingly, her head burrowing into my chest and the smell of her coconut shampoo teases my nose. Her fingers trace lazy circles on my bicep, her legs twine with my own. I can’t ever remember a time when I felt so wrapped up in a woman. Oh, a few had tried and that was usually when I faked coughing up a lung and got the hell out of dodge.

  This right now, it feels so necessary, so right. And that’s the moment I know for sure what’s happening to me.

  I’m growing a vagina.

  My hand shoots down under the sheet, seeking out my best friend and I blow out a sigh of relief when I feel him there, nestled between my legs and now waking up.

  “What the hell are you doing?” she grumbles.

  “Just checking I still had a cock.”

  She lifts her head and regards me with one eye. “Do I even want to know?”

  “Umm… no. No, you don’t.” At least not yet, I thought to myself.

  She shakes her head, an amused smile on her lips and I can’t have that. I capture those lips with my own and slowly, so slowly, suckle at her bottom lip. She sighs contentedly and tries to deepen the kiss. As much as I love it when she goes all aggressor on me, I have a feeling that isn’t what she really needs tonight.

  So, when she would have pushed me to my back, I roll her onto hers and settle between her thighs, leaving my towel on the bed beside us. She glances up at me beneath lowered lashes, looking every inch the vixen. I take my time and lower my head until our mouths are inches apart. Breaths mingling, our eyes connect and something tangible passes between us again. Only this time, I wasn’t running.

  She arches beneath me as I draw her tank up and over her head, relishing in the way her breasts push up against my chest. She shivers, her eyes closing when I wrap my lips around one of those rosy nipples. My hand slides down her body, feeling all the curves I have come to love so much until I reach the top of her boy shorts. They slip easily down with her body moving to help.

  My forehead drops to hers, my mind going crazy as I feel her soaked pussy bare against my ridiculously hard cock. I let her pussy tease me for a moment, my dick sliding through her sex, almost weeping with the need to thrust deep and hard. When I can’t take it any longer, I slide home.

  Her mouth opens, a silent gasp filling the space between us as I bottom out. My gaze holds hers and I’m lost. Lost in the depths, lost in the emotion I can see swirling behind the sheen. My hips draw back, only to surge in deep again and fuck me, it’s like nothing I have ever experienced before, even with her.

  There’s a connection I hadn’t counted on. She can feel it too. Her eyes are shining at me, hope and something we haven’t named. Our bodies keep pace, perfectly in time, thrust after thrust and yet I can’t take my eyes from hers. Her hands have long abandoned the headboard and are now fisting the sheets beneath us. And when her pussy contracts around my dick, that’s the moment I lose all control and pump back into her with abandon.

  Once, twice and then my lips capture hers as I come, deep into her very core. Everything is trembling as my cock twitches in his favorite place. Collapsing on top of her, a groan of satisfaction rumbles in my chest and wraps around my heart that I swear is beating twice as fast as it should be.

  I hear a sniffle and raise my head so I can see Briella’s face. Her eyes have closed and a lone tear slips from the corner of one eye.

  “Bri?”

  “I’m fine, really. I just… fuck I needed that!”

  Chuckling, I roll off her and flump down onto the sheets. She turns toward me and lays a hand on my chest. “Thanks Colby.”

  “You’re thanking me for blowing my load? Really, it was nothing.”

  She slaps me, hard I might add, but at least she’s smiling. “Smart ass. Thank you for being here with me. It helps.”

  My hand pushes away the hair falling over her beautiful eyes. “Bri, I wouldn’t be anywhere else.”

  “While we’re here,” she whispers.

  It’s cute she still thinks this is a short-term gig. She and I? We are happening. I’m not about to go through an evolutional change only to lose my girl, no fucking chance. Briella and I are together now, but if she needs time to get used to it, I can do that.

  “While we’re here,” I confirm.

  Her gaze lowers and if she hadn’t dropped a kiss to my chest and snuggled in close, I would have sworn she was upset. I’m about to ask her when movement outside the cabin window catches my attention. Glancing up, I lock eyes with a hooded figure. I leap from the bed, gun snatched from the bedside table and lunge for the door. Cock flapping in the wind, I chase around the side of the cabin and launch myself at the trespasser, more than willing to put a cap in the ass of this freak.

  “Who the fuck are you?” I growl, pinning the man to the deck. He grunts beneath my knee, not even putting up an ounce of re
sistance. “I’ll ask you one more motherfucking time. Who. Are. You?”

  “Well,” comes a bored voice from behind me. “Some of us like to call him asshole.”

  “Skylar?” Bri whispers excitedly, wrapping her friend up in her arms. I take my knee from the lump on the ground and kick him over. The cocky asshole is grinning.

  “Did you miss me, baby?” Marcus croons, holding out a crushed flower to me.

  I have a feeling things are about to get a whole lot more interesting.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  Briella

  “I fucking knew it!”

  “I can see why… look at that ass.”

  “Ass? Look at those tits.”

  Shit! I jump out of bed on high alert running after Colby without a second thought to covering up.

  “For fucks sake, shut the door Colby!” I scream while trying to scramble for a blanket.

  “I’ll kill them.” Colby growls… but shuts the door thank god.

  “When you two are done playing house, we have some matters to discuss.” Marcus laughs.

  I quickly wrap myself in a crumpled-up sheet on the floor. They could pop back in any second. I turn my head towards Colby and see him scowling at the door.

  “Oh stop. They’re nice tits.”

  “That’s not funny. Those bastards shouldn’t have seen what’s mine.”

  “Yours?” I roll my eyes, I remember his comment from a few moments ago. While we’re here.

  “And don’t forget it baby.” He lays a kiss on me before grabbing some gym shorts off the ground. “And put some clothes on, I can see your nipples straight through that bad boy.”

  “Can’t have that now, can we?” I laugh but follow suit figuring I should get my ass covered as well.

  Once Colby’s satisfied that I’m covered enough in my yoga pants and tank, of course he yelled at me when I put it on without a bra, so now my puppies are caged and we’re ready for this little pow wow that has come to our doorstep far sooner than it was supposed to.

  Sky, Syd and Chantel are the first to barrel through the door straight for me. We all hug as they drop lines like god he’s hung, no wonder you’ve always had a crush on him, I bet he fucks like a stallion.

  “Guys, we’ll talk later, preferably when we’re alone.” I let my eyes point in the direction of the guys so they know we have an audience.

  “Gotcha. Alright gather round!” Chantel calls everyone over. “We ran into a bit of a situation that’s going to affect our living situation while we’re here.”

  “What are you talking about? I booked the other huts.” I say in confusion.

  “You did, but the people staying in the second one up the beach wanted to stay another week so I’m afraid to say we’re going to be seven bad ass super sleuths in two fucking huts.”

  “We know this is definitely a fucking hut. DIBS!” Marcus laughs then groans after Colby punches him in the arm.

  I know what’s coming and I can’t say I’m too thrilled. Living with Colby these past few days has been… easy. Like we’ve been doing it forever. But to expect Sky, Chantel and Syd to room with Marcus and Cross just isn’t logical. Poor Syd and Chantel would be cursing me out when Sky tried something on the sly with Marcus. If they’re even still a thing. I look over towards Marcus and see him eyeing my friend. Yup, he’s still into her. His eyes catch mine and I wink at him. Sucker. She’s a man eater. But I can tell by the side eye she’s giving him that she’s playing hard to get. I’ll have to remind her that’s something you do before the sex starts.

  I laugh to myself and everyone looks my way. I clear my throat and give Colby my best I’m sorry face for what I’m about to say.

  “The girls and I will take a hut and you guys can take another.” I shrug my shoulders trying to show indifference instead of the heart wrenching in my chest. While we’re here.

  “No fucking way!”

  “Colby, it’s the only way. And it’s probably best for this case.”

  “What if they come after you ladies? You need to be protected.”

  That angers me. As if we haven’t been trained. As if I can’t kick Colby’s ass if I needed to.

  “Oh, I’m sorry. How silly of me. Ladies, how are we ever going to fend for ourselves without a big strong man around?” I use my fake sugary sweet southern accent. “Come on, help me pack.” The girls spring into action helping me get all my stuff.

  I feel a hand around my wrist and stop. When I look up I give Colby my best fuck off eyes and when he starts to laugh I get even angrier. He knows how mad I get when people underestimate me or don’t take me seriously.

  “Listen, you know I’m protective of you.”

  I pull my arm from his grasp. “No worries Colby. We were just having fun. You should be happy to be rooming with your boys for the rest of the time.” I throw the last article of clothing in my bag and walk for the front door without a backwards glance. The girls are already waiting with some of my other bags. We don’t need the surveillance equipment because we’ll set up stuff in our own hut.

  “After we get our stuff up and running, we’ll meet for breakfast in the morning. Does that work for you all?” Syd asks and is met with a bunch of hell yeah’s. “Good, see ya later boys.”

  Once we step outside the door I take a deep breath.

  “Bri, I don’t think he meant it that way.”

  “I know, but this will make it easier.” I fight the tears back that are threatening to spill over.

  “Make what easier?”

  “When we’re back home and go back to being friends. If it hurts this much leaving him now, it’s better I distance myself for the rest of the trip and focus on what needs to get done for this case. We can’t afford any fuck ups.”

  Syd throws her arm around my shoulder’s as we walk to our little hut just a short distance away. We arrive in two minutes and we’re set up an hour later. I’m dead to the world after that. It’s been a freaking day and I just want to sleep this off.

  My eyes crack open as my phone rings on the table next to me. I turn to grab it and a twinge in my back makes me wince. I’m not sure if it’s from sleeping on the couch or Colby last night.

  “Hello.”

  “Be at the clearing on the south side of the beach in 15 minutes.” Calvin. That’s all he says before hanging up a second later.

  “Shit!” I run around to find my shoes and tell the girls what’s going on. They’re all half groggy but jump out of bed in an attempt to help me.

  “I think one of us should go with you.” Chantel states. “It’s not safe and we don’t know if we can trust him yet.”

  “He doesn’t know you guys. I don’t want to give him a reason to run. Plus, you all could come in handy down the line if the opportunity arises.”

  “I’m calling Colby then. Someone needs your back. What if it’s an ambush?”

  “I’ll be fine mom. I have my baby with me.” I pat my Glock snuggly sitting in the waistband of my shorts and head out the door knowing full well they’ll call Colby and he’ll be right behind me. I can only pray he’s sleeping like the dead.

  As I’m approaching where I think Calvin will be, I spot him between some palm trees. I slowly walk towards him to give myself a chance to scan the area for threats and try to get a lock on anything about to go down. Nothing looks suspicious, so I approach my uncle under the cover of the trees.

  “What’s going on?”

  “Not here, walk with me.”

  But I don’t move. “Where?” I squint my eyes at the rising sun.

  “I’m not going to double cross you Bri. I have some information and we’re in plain sight.”

  “Fine, lead the way.”

  We walk for several minutes until we’re in the middle of all the beach goers on the public beach on the other side of the island. It would be the perfect cover if Calvin were wearing something that blended in a little. No, he’s wearing a three-piece suit in this gorgeous 85-degree weather. I honestly can’t beli
eve this many people are out and about all ready. Aren’t these people on vacation?

  “I don’t have much time. My brother thinks I’m checking in on Nadia.”

  “What’s up?”

  “He has no idea who you are. But you have intrigued him. He hasn’t stopped talking about you…”

  “Just say it.”

  “He has a weird fascination with you and I’m worried it has to do with his business.”

  “He thinks I’m pregnant. Who would pimp out a pregnant woman?” Not to mention I’m his daughter but I’m thankful he hasn’t figured that out yet.

  “That’s like telling a guy like him to start his engines. He loves a good challenge. And you’d be surprised, some guys aren’t at all picky.”

  “Fuck, that’s gross on so many levels. Did you hear anything else?”

  “He knows the Mayor is watching him, last night was him sending a message that he’s onto him. He’s planning on getting the camera’s out today.”

  “Let him, we’ll put in more.”

  “Bri, you need to be careful. He’s a dangerous man and he has no sense of family, whether he recognizes you or not.”

  “It wouldn’t matter. Something tells me I’d be in just as much danger if he knew.”

  “Sadly, that’s true. I found out that he’s having a party tonight and he’s trying to hunt you and Colby down to give you an invite. The party’s a cover. They’re expecting a huge shipment to come in on the north side of the island at the docks and want to be inconspicuous. He’s already paid off a shit ton of people to ensure it goes unseen.”

  “Well him showing up where we’re staying is less than ideal. We’ll figure something out. And ... well that’s all.” I almost tell him we have the team here already, but think better of it. A few tricks up our sleeves might be necessary at some point.

  I go to get up and he does the same. We face off against each other and he smiles. “I hope this is the act of good faith you’ve been looking for.”

  I study him for a moment. “I hope so too.”