Second Chances (Athena Group Novel Book 1)

by C. W. Stokes

  Shelby saw the war going on in his face again. “Are you ready to go?” she asked him.

  “Yes” was all he could manage to get out.

  Pulling out her phone, she watched as Liz met Roger in the lobby. She activated the audio on the cameras so she could hear their exchange.

  ###

  Liz met Roger at the security desk. “Roger, what a surprise. I wasn’t expecting you today. Is everything ok?” She smiled at him.

  “Liz, it is always a pleasure to see you. I just wanted to come by and talk about a trip that I need to take. I would like for you to accompany me.” He caressed her arm.

  She pulled away. “Of course, we can discuss it in my office. Follow me.” She led him to a side office next to the main conference room in the lobby.

  He appeared to be on edge, which was never a good thing. “Roger, have a seat and tell me what’s bothering you.” He finally had a seat across from her.

  “Liz, one of my contacts in Asia has informed me that someone's been snooping around one of my subsidiaries Entertainment Consultants.” He told her.

  ###

  Shelby took Max down to the main lobby and over to the elevator that would take them down to the basement. John, Tabby, Jo and Ross were all waiting for them. They went to the end of the hall opening the door into a bay area of the building which housed the garage. Shelby opened the door to a black Mercedes ML63 SUV and motioned for Max and John to get in. Tabby, Jo and Ross got into the same type of SUV. The bay doors opened and they pulled out of the TAG complex heading to the airport.

  Max watched as Shelby pulled up an image of the office where Liz was meeting Roger on the computer screen. He felt John tense up next to him. Looking at him the muscle along his jaw was twitching as he watched Liz on the screen. He glanced over at Shelby and she seemed just as tense. “Would someone like to tell me what is going on?” he asked openly.

  Shelby answered, “From the beginning he has always tried to figure out a way to get Liz to be more than a business partner. Anytime he’s tried one of these visits, one of us has always been able to intervene.” She punched in a number into the car phone and immediately Alex’s voice came online.

  “Hey Shelby, what’s up?”

  “Liz is at TAG with Roger. The rest of us are on our way to the airport to get Tabby, Jo and Ross on the plane to New York by this evening. He didn't have an appointment.” she said with urgency.

  “I’m on my way. I should be there in approximately five minutes. Where are they?” Alex asked.

  “She is meeting with him in the office next to the main conference room.” Shelby responded.

  “OK, I’ll call you as soon as I arrive. I’m assuming you are monitoring the room?”

  “Yes and so far everything seems in order except….” She stopped short remembering that John was in the car with her. She glanced quickly in the rearview mirror and saw the tight face of John.

  “What is it Shelby?” Alex asked,

  “Roger is taking a trip and he’s trying to convince Liz to go with him.” Looking at John she saw the black fury cross his face.

  “I see, he’s persistent if nothing else. How many times can she refuse him? I’ll call you back shortly. I’m in the car now.” She hung up.

  They arrived at the airport and pulled up in the hangar just as the jet was ready to go. The car monitor beeped, and Shelby saw Alex’s face. “Alex, are you there?”

  “I’m going to see if I can interrupt the meeting.”

  “Thanks, Alex.” She looked at John. “We'll feel better knowing that you have Liz’s back.” She saw John relax just a little bit and hoped it was enough, but he kept brooding as he always did.

  The wind had picked up a bit as they were getting out of their cars. A storm was fast approaching. Tabby ran over. “How are things with Liz progressing?” she asked Shelby.

  “They're alright; Alex is there with her now.” Shelby told her.

  “Good, I knew she’d make it back." Looking at the sky "We've got to get out of here before that storm rolls in. One of us will contact you as soon as we land.” She waved at Shelby as she hurried over to the opening as Jo and Ross got onto the plane. Immediately the door was closed, and they were cleared for take-off. Shelby, Max and John, watched as the plane taxied to the runway and took off into the night for their final destination, New York City. They would check in as soon as they landed and settled in at the loft.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Arriving back at TAG just before the storms broke open and let the rain fall, Liz walked out of the office as they were exiting the elevator. She looked tired, but Shelby knew that anytime she had to deal with Roger was always trying for her. John walked over to her, but Liz put her hands up and backed away. His shoulders stiffened and he stood back.

  “What was he doing showing up here without an appointment?” John demanded.

  “He had a situation in Asia and needed some help to remedy the problem. So he came to me first. He thought he was going to have to travel to take care of it and wanted to persuade me to go with him, but he knows that I don’t travel with clients, ever. When Alex showed up we were able to assess the situation and make the appropriate recommendations. He seemed pleased when he left.” She sighed.

  “I trust that everyone got off without any problems?” Alex asked.

  “Yes. The group is on their way to New York. They will contact me as soon as they land and get settled in. There shouldn’t be anything to report this evening other than that they've arrived. I'll continue to monitor them and track their locations at all times. I’m going to go and check on Amanda. Thanks Alex, I knew you were in the middle of an assignment, but we needed you.”

  “You know that I'll always drop whatever I’m working on to come to any one of you as you would for me. Liz, I’m going upstairs and do some work before I head back to Las Vegas.” She hugged Liz and then Shelby and walked towards the elevator.

  “Thank you Shelby for filling in at the last minute this evening. Once they check in with you, call me and go spend some time with Amanda. I’ll see you in the morning. Good night.” She turned and walked away.

  John looked after her. “I’m going to retire for the evening as well. Max, let me know as soon as you hear from Ross. Shelby.” He nodded and followed the path that Liz had taken.

  “What is going on between those two?” Max asked her.

  “Nothing, they’ve been friends for a long time.” She replied.

  “Maybe so, but when they are in the same room you can feel the electricity radiating between the two of them. Kind of like when we are in the same room.” He smirked.

  She gasped as he took her hand and pulled her to the elevator. When they got on the elevator she eyed him warily, but he didn’t move nor did he let go of her hand. As they got off of the elevator, he followed her into her apartment. The apartment was quiet, and Amanda had already gone to bed. Shelby went into the kitchen and pulled out a soda and offered Max a beer.

  “Shelby, you ok?” he asked.

  “I don’t like Roger and his unplanned arrival today doesn’t sit well with me.”

  “It’s apparent that no one at TAG cares for him. What I don’t understand is why? Why keep him as a client if you can’t stand him?”

  She sat down at the table. How could she answer that question when she didn’t even know the real reason that Liz kept him as a client. Liz wanted to be the one to take him down, and she was sure it had something to do with why she left the bureau. She too, had her own reasons. She looked at Max and felt her heart squeeze. Her heart broke for the past and the years of longing that happened when he disappeared and the anguish of bearing his child alone.

  He got up from his chair and walked behind her. Lifting her ponytail to loosen its hold her hair fall down around her shoulders. He wrapped his fingers around her shoulders and started kneading the muscles. She moaned as he worked the knots out of her shoulders as his fingers worked their magic her body was heating up rapidly.

>   She stood up, took his hands and pulled him into her bedroom. Unhooking her weapon and the two knives she locked them in a safe in her nightstand. She closed the door to the bedroom and turned to him.

  “Stay with me Max.” she whispered with baited breath. She was taking a chance in asking him to stay. She had never had anyone stay the night with her, especially with Amanda under the same roof and knew she ran the risk of them running into each other again, but at this moment she needed him.

  Max felt his chest tighten when she whispered her request. She carried major fire power on her but in that moment she looked vulnerable. He walked over and pulled her close feeling her in his arms he knew in that moment that wasn't going to let her go.

  He cupped her face in his hands and gently kissed her. When she let out a little moan, he deepened the kiss and without thinking she wrapped her arms around his shoulders sliding down his back. She pushed his jacket off his shoulders and jerked his shirt out of his jean because she had to feel his skin beneath her fingers.

  His smooth, taut muscles rippled beneath her fingers, and the evidence of his desire was clear when he pulled her in tighter. Dipping her fingers beneath the waist of his jeans she couldn’t stop herself from moving her hands around to the front and found herself unsnapping the button. She didn't hesitate; she knew what she wanted. She knelt down in front of him unzipping his jeans she pulled them open and wrapped her fingers around him beginning a slow stroke. Bending forward she licked the bead of moisture on the tip. How delicious that little drop was on her tongue as it danced across her tongue. She drew him into her mouth and swirled her tongue around him as she pulled him deeper into her warm velvet mouth. Peeking up to see Max’s face bathed in the soft light of the table lamp his eyes were no longer the blue she had come to know, but a deep dark sapphire as he watched her mouth surround him. She was taking delight in the way she was making him feel and had never realized what power she could wield over a man until now.

  “Enough!” He pulled her back up popping the snaps on her corset pulled her shirt up over her head and sucked her beaded nipple into his mouth. She threw her head back and reveled in the feel of his mouth on her. Just a soft little blow on her nipple sent tingles down her body as he reached down slipping his hands deep into her slacks straight into the moist core of her body. He slipped a second finger inside as the palm of his hand rubbed against her sensitive nub. She pushed down on his hand as he stroked her as his tongue moved with hers to match the movements of his hand moving her closer to the edge.

  How did he turn the tables on her? She was the one in control, but he was making her body dance to his tune. Just as she was about to go over the edge he wrapped his hands in her hair pulling her head back to look at her. “Let go Shelby!” He demanded, and her sex exploded on his command around his fingers as they continued to move deep inside her. He pulled her close as she rode his fingers and rocked into his hand as wave upon wave sluiced through her body and crashed back down to earth.

  Coming to her senses she could still feel his desire pressed against her. He picked her up and laid her on the bed; quickly shedding his clothes, he leaned over her and pulled her pants off leaving her completely exposed to him. He grinned as he leaned down and nuzzled her belly and she wanted him inside her, but he was not to be hurried. He slowly trailed kisses down her belly to the apex of her thighs nipping the inside of her thigh lightly with his teeth. She jumped at the electricity that went through her body. Licking the juices from her sex, he savored the flavor on his tongue as he opened her wider, allowing him full access to lick the pink pearl buried within. Each nip of his lips brought her closer and closer to the edge again. No longer able to withstand the sweet torture she reached over to the night stand pulling a foil wrapper out of the drawer she pulled on his hair forcing him back up. He watched as sheathed him with the condom wrapping her fingers around him and without hesitation he plunged deep inside her. He stilled for a moment to let her adjust, but she wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him in deeper. Rocking her hips to match his thrusts her nails left trails down his back and the feel of his skin against her was sending her into a tailspin. She arched against him as he reached between them to rub her swollen clit just as the spasms began to build her legs tightened around his flanks as she exploded; he thrust one final time into her and let himself go.

  He rolled them to the side still joined wrapping her in his arms he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and kissed her on her the tip of her nose. His was looking at her intently. “Hey, you ok?” he asked.

  “Yeah.” Pausing. “I’m sorry about Mexico. I had no intention of ever seeing you again, and I thought it would be easy to walk away.”

  “It wasn’t as easy as you thought it would be was it?”

  “No, it wasn’t." Suddenly her stomach growled. “Oh goodness” She rubbed her stomach in embarrassment. “Are you hungry?”

  “I’m always hungry.” He leered at her.

  “For food!” Throwing the pillow at him as he laughed.

  “Yeah, I could eat.”

  “Amanda ordered Chinese, and there are always left overs. Even if I don’t eat with her, she always orders something for me to eat later.”

  “Do you need any help?” He winked at her.

  “No, I’ll be right back. Amanda's asleep and just in case she does wake up I don’t want to have to explain you.” She watched him as she got up and pulled on her robe.

  “Good point.” He pulled her back by the sash on her robe and kissed her. “Hurry back.”

  Tip toeing down the hall she poked her head into Amanda’s room to check on her, and as she suspected was sound asleep with her television playing in the background. She always fell asleep while watching one of her many recorded shows that she liked to watch. Whether it was Modern Family, Project Runway or Tosh.O she would set out to watch them and ultimately fall asleep. She crept in and gave her a quick kiss on her forehead, then turned the television off as she slipped back out.

  In the kitchen, she pulled out the Chinese takeout containers where she found the Lo Mein that she always ordered. She liked it because you could eat it warm or cold. Pulling out two plates, a beer and a bottle of water she placed everything on a tray thinking that despite what was happening with Hawk, she felt surprisingly relaxed. Amazing what good sex could do for you. Giggling to herself as she walked back into the bedroom, she wondered why whenever he was around she giggled. Grown women don’t giggle, but he knew how to open something deep inside her that made her happy and scared at the same time. He was here for an assignment, but she was going to have to talk to him about Amanda sooner or later.

  When she walked back into the bedroom he was gone. The bathroom door was closed, and the shower was running, so she set the tray on the dresser and opened the bathroom door. The moment she opened the door; steam enveloped her body and her hunger changed as she watched him from the doorway. She watched as his soapy hands glided across his arms and down his torso then back up his chest as she approached the shower.

  Could she be this brave? Could she open the door and slide in next to him? Taking the chance, she dropped her robe and stepped into the shower. He turned when he felt her behind him and smiled down at her handing her the soap.

  She knelt before him and lathered her hands. She placed her hands on his thighs and began to work the soap around his legs. She was at eye level with his erection and immediately diverted her hands to wrap around the full length of him. She squeezed him tightly between her fingers. Cupping his sac in her other hand as she stroked him.

  “Shelby.” He warned, but she didn’t stop.

  Without another thought, she sucked him deep into her mouth letting her tongue glide over the hardened length. She could feel the ridged veins against her tongue and felt his pulse throbbing deep in her throat. She wrapped her hands around his ass to push him deeper into her mouth. He moaned as he placed his hands on the shower walls to brace himself for her onslaught. She pulled back and sucked on
the tip before she pushed him back deep into her mouth. Her lips were fucking him, and she was enjoying it. She felt his sack against her chin with each thrust into her mouth. He pushed his hips into her as she sucked on his cock.

  “Shit! Shelby!” and with one final thrust she wrapped her lips around him and drank as he spilled himself deep into her mouth. She sat there and tasted him as he shivered and delighted in what she had done. She had never done anything so erotic in her life.

  He pulled out of her mouth and pulled her up pushing her against the shower stall he took her mouth in a savage kiss. He pinned her hands above her head, stooped down and took her nipple into his mouth. She yelped when he bit the tip of her nipple pulling it between his teeth twirling it before sucking it into his mouth. Letting go of her hands he picked her up, wrapped her legs around his waist as his hands kneaded her ass, he continued to suck on her nipples. She didn’t know what was happening, and she didn’t care. He was assaulting her senses, and she wanted him to release her from the tension building in her body. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pushed his hand between her ass and pushed his fingers into her warm flesh. She jumped with the feel of him entering her. He continued twirling her nipple between his teeth, pulling on them as his fingers slid in and out of her with a rapid beat. She felt him getting hard again and before she could do anything he slammed his cock deep into her core. She grabbed onto his shoulders and held on for the ride. Throwing her head back as her orgasm blinded her at the same moment, he thrust deep and roared with an earth shattering orgasm.

  He wrapped his arms around her and slid down to the floor holding her for what seemed like eternity. As the water grew cold, he knew they needed to get out, but he was still in awe of what just happened. His feelings for her slammed back into him hard than they had so many years before. He picked her up and stood her in front of the mirror. Looking at him with so much trust and wonder, he picked up a towel to begin drying her off and wrapped her robe around her. Wrapping a towel around his waist, he kissed her gently; he pulled her into the bedroom and made her sit on the bed. He saw the tray of food that she brought in, and he picked it up bringing it over to the bed.