Darkness Of Truth (An FBI/Romance Thriller~ Book 6)

by Kelley, Morgan

  The three loaded up into the Denali.

  “Shall we head to the lab and then back to the house?” Blackhawk inquired, smiling at his wife.

  “Yes, tonight we celebrate life!”

  Julian pulled her into the cabin, the door slamming loudly behind them. They fell against the wall together as their mouths met frenetically. Hands wandered and lips devoured completely. It was as if Julian was dying of thirst and his woman was the only way to quench it.

  “Tori,” he muttered into the kiss, pressing her into the wall as his hands began ripping the clothing from her body. When her hands ran to his own pants and yanked open the button, Julian was pretty sure he was going to explode right there.

  She was lost in the kiss, as the rest of her went along for the ride, pulling at his remaining attire to get him free. In life, Tori could count her most favorite things on one hand, and Julian’s body was at the top of the list. “Bed,” she muttered as he bit her lip.

  Nodding, he started walking them towards the room, still joined at the lips, while hands finished removing anything in their way.

  A few times they stumbled, laughing and giggling at the desperation. To say they were giddy would be an understatement. Both of them were dunk on love and the prospect of finally being complete.

  Once inside their bedroom, they tumbled to the bed in a tangle of limbs, and still they didn't slow down the pace.

  “I missed you,” he whispered, nipping her on the neck and enjoying the shudder that ran through her body. “Never leave me again,” he begged, as her hands found his erection and began stroking him. Now it was his body that shook with pleasure.

  Tori rolled with Julian until he was beneath her, and she stared down into his face. Smoky blue eyes met speckled gold, and the love was evident between them. “I won’t Julian.” She began leaving kisses down his chest, gently leaving a trail over her name. She never was a fan of tattoos, but this one warmed her heart. Going even lower, he groaned when her mouth found its intended target.

  “So amazing, Honey,” he whispered, closing his eyes as she worshiped him lavishly. Never was there a better way to have his body attended to than with his woman’s mouth. All the pain he’d been feeling all day dissipated at her touch.

  Running her hand and lips up and down his erection, the pleading and begging for her to never stop was making her wild. The simple sound of Julian’s pleas were intoxicating. All Tori wanted was to push him over the edge, making him feel absolute pleasure by her hand.

  It was getting hard to concentrate, and Julian knew he wouldn’t last if she kept it up. Dragging her up his body, he rolled and placed the love of his life beneath him. “I love you, Victoria,” he stated, driving into the warmth of her.

  Now it was her turn to moan, as the full length of him invaded her without warning. It was a delicious feeling to finally be at home with him. “I want you, Julian,” she whispered, staring up into his eyes. “Make me yours.”

  The words drove him wild, and the need to claim his fiancée took over. The desire to give her what she wanted was there, just below the heat and lust. “You’re mine,” he muttered, sliding in and out of her body. Julian offered everything in him, gave freely and completely, to bind them together in love.

  Tori ran her hands down Julian’s shoulders, enjoying the ripple of muscle as he held himself above her, framing her body as he took her. “I love you and always will,” she promised. At her words, the gentle was gone and the pace increased, driving the man insane.

  “God, I love the way you feel,” he admitted, lowering his mouth to her breasts, to taste and torment them both wickedly.

  Tori moaned, knowing the inevitable was coming. When Julian shifted, finding that perfect spot everything around her shattered and color exploded behind her eyes. “Julian!”

  As her body began the quaking, he debated on staying in control or allowing her to pull him over. The warmth won, as Tori’s body took him along for the ride. She squeezed at him and lured him to the edge. “Tori!” he shouted back, leaping after the woman that owned his heart and soul.

  The world rolled as she finally came to a stop with her head on his shoulder, inches from the tattoo of her name. Both were breathing heavily after the frenetic coupling had passed.

  “I can’t believe you’re going to marry me,” he said, finally. “I don’t deserve this.”

  Tori went up on her elbow and stared down at him. “Yes you do. You’re an amazing man with a giant heart. I’m a very lucky girl. I promise I’ll love you the rest of my life, Julian. You never have to worry I’ll stray. You're the one.”

  He simply touched her cheek, too overwhelmed with emotion to speak.

  “Did you think about me becoming your business partner?” Tori asked, laying her head back against his shoulder. “I was serious. I don’t want to spend a minute away from you.”

  “Is this really what you want, Honey? You have a really good job at the FBI and great bosses. I’m simple and if you toss away your career, our lives will pretty much be exactly like this. I don’t want you to have regrets.”

  She cuddled against the warmth of his body. “Julian, I’d die for you. I don’t care about things, I only care about us.”

  “That was an awfully large check for half of my business. I’m pretty sure you could buy me out four or five times with it.”

  “It’ll be business capital to keep your investigation agency going a few years until we’re sustainable,” she answered. “Besides, if we have to contract to the FBI, you know Ethan will have plenty of work for you. He always does.”

  “You’re my treasure.” The woman was willing to marry him, leave a great job, and jump into the unknown. “We need an office somewhere.”

  Tori kissed his throat. “Not Red River,” she teased. “Let’s pick a location far from James Duffy. If he keeps up the taunting, I’ll have to kill him myself,” she stated simply.

  Julian laughed. “Can I watch?”

  She slid up his frame and ran her hand down the length of him. “How about you participate,” she purred into his ear as his body responded.

  Julian wanted her again. “Count me in,” he whispered, pulling her mouth down to his to celebrate some more.

  Elizabeth linked her arms through Ethan and Callen’s, as they strolled into the make shift lab. At one time they’d tried to keep their personal life quiet, and now they simply didn’t care about the speculation and questions. They were a family and that’s all that mattered.

  “Hey Doctors! How’s it going?” she asked, in a damn good mood. Tori and Julian found each other, James Duffy got his ass kicked by a woman, and they were going to celebrate in a little while. All in all, it was one of the better moments they’d had embroiled in a murder investigation.

  “We have a problem,” began Chris Leonard, waiting for them to brace themselves.

  Letting out a sigh, she closed her eyes- so much for a good day. “Damn it! I hate when people say that to me,” she replied, stepping towards the table.

  “Christina did the testing on the samples and the results are in.” The ME handed her the print outs and watched her face to see when she saw it.

  Elizabeth sighed and handed them to Callen. “Welcome to the evidence mire. It just sucked us in.”

  Whitefox read over the reports, searching for whatever it was that had her frustrated. “The feathers don’t match. Shaman Tallman handed over a genuine eagle feather.”

  Ethan rubbed the bridge of his nose and thought it out. “He might have done that on purpose.”

  “Or the killer’s not Native,” added Elizabeth, considering the other pink elephant in the room.

  Chis handed her another paper, hoping the rest didn't push her over the edge. “I hate to be the one that tells you this, boss, but it’s about to get worse.”

  She scanned and then handed that to the men too. “And the peyote isn’t the same either. So basically we’re three bodies in and have zero when it comes to leads.”

  Blackh
awk dwelled on it. “What can you tell us about the peyote?”

  The ME pulled off his glasses and rubbed his weary eyes. “The sample that the shaman handed over was a live sample. If the killer burned that in the fire, it wouldn’t give off the same toxicity due to the concentration of water in the plant cells. I can without a shadow of a doubt, tell you that the killer used dried herbs during the killings.”

  Callen thought about it. “I’m betting the chief of police knows who deals on the Rez. Maybe we can go get some samples and test them. We can run a cross comparison to find the dealer and then track it to the killer.”

  Blackhawk patted his brother on the back. “Way to think outside the box. That’s exactly how a good boss rolls with the punches. I think we should let him have control back over this assignment, Lyzee.”

  “Works for me,” answered Elizabeth, laughing at the pure look of terror on his face.

  Whitefox objected. “Seriously, you both are doing an excellent job. Who am I to steal all your crime solving glory? I don’t think I could live with myself if I took over.”

  Both of them laughed. “You’re back up to bat. Send all the reports to Director Whitefox. He’s agent in charge again,” she stated to her ME, laughing.

  Chris Leonard nodded, willing to email whomever they wanted, since neither lost their minds when he gave them the bad news about the feather and the peyote. They were being fairly laid back.

  “You both just threw me under the bus,” Whitefox hissed, wishing he’d kept his mouth shut about the chief of police.

  Elizabeth and Ethan fist bumped, enjoying his discomfort.

  “Yeah, we did.”

  Julian and Tori were lying together in bed, still naked from their celebration. They’d rolled around a couple of times and were still trying to catch their breaths. When glancing over at her, she was smiling at him, and his heart melted. His girl was pretty damn amazing.

  “What’s going on up here, Jules?” she asked, tapping his forehead before running a finger down his cheek.

  The use of his nickname made his gut tighten. “I was thinking that we need to call my family and tell them the good news.” His mother had been harassing him to pop the question and make the girl marry him since meeting her. Finally, he’d be able to give her the call she’d always wanted.

  “Want me to give you some time alone to do it?” she offered, unsure if he wanted her there with him or not.

  “Hell no, Victoria! From this day out, you and I are on this journey together. There’s nothing that we can’t do side by side.”

  She kissed him again, as he fumbled with his phone.

  God, what he wouldn’t give to go another round with her, but he was three days past exhausted. “Need some time,” he mumbled into the kiss “I need to recoup.”

  Tori started giggling, as she laid her head on his shoulder and cuddled into his body. “Call your mom,” she replied, lightly caressing the tattoo.

  Dialing the phone, again that feeling of supreme accomplishment overwhelmed him. He’d gotten the girl and was about to live happily ever after.

  On the third ring Clarissa Littlemoon answered. “Oh, my son has decided to call me. What do you know?” she teased. “Apparently, his mother now matters.”

  “You're on speaker phone, so behave.” Julian replied.

  “Is my red haired spitfire there with you?” Clarissa inquired, referring to Tori. From the day she met her, she’s loved the woman. Tori was tough, wouldn’t take any crap from Julian, and could stand up to the horde without running in retreat.

  “I am Ma’am.”

  Julian grinned about to drop the bomb. “Mom, I had to call to tell you something.”

  Clarissa waited for it. “Boy, I don’t have all day. Spill it!”

  He gave her what she wanted. “Tori just agreed to marry me.”

  There were yells and screams on the other end of the phone, as they both laughed. It was evident that his mom was a little bit more than excited at the news.

  “It’s about damn time!” she stated adamantly. “I can’t believe it took you both this long.”

  Tori defended herself and tossed Julian under the mom bus. “He didn’t ask before today. I would have married him weeks ago.”

  Julian just stared at her. “Really?”

  She nodded. “Yep.”

  Clarissa started laughing. “I told you to ask her the last four times I saw you, Julian. When will you learn that your mom is always right?”

  Now he was laughing, wishing he’d asked earlier. They could have been married by now.

  “We have to celebrate! You both will be coming here tonight for dinner. You have no choice. You’re brothers and sister will be so happy for you.”

  Julian paused. “Mom, we made plans with our bosses.”

  Clarissa didn’t care. “You bring them here. The more the merrier. Are they Native?”

  Tori chimed in, entertained at the prospect of the Littlemoon clan running headlong into the Blackhawks. Talk about a fun fest this was destined to be. “Yes and no. The men are, but the woman isn’t. I think you’ll like her though, Ma’am.”

  There was this ‘hrmmph’ sound. “Ma’am? You plan on calling me that for the rest of my life? You’re sleeping with my son and marrying him, and you don’t have the decency to call me anything else.”

  Julian started laughing at the look on Tori’s face. It was somewhere between nervousness and amusement.

  Clarissa continued, being her bossy self. “You call me what all my children call me. You are now marrying my boy. I’m your mom. Don’t make me mad, or I’ll take you out back and teach you manners.”

  Tori’s eyes filled with tears. “Thank you, Mom.”

  Julian hugged her to his body, knowing it had been a long time since she’d had anyone wanting to be her mother. When he saw the woman, she was going to get some extra kisses from him.

  Clarissa softened, remembering the conversation they had regarding Tori’s mother abandoning her at a young age. “You wipe those tears little one. You have a big family now and if you cry like a baby, they’ll eat you alive- especially my girls.”

  Tori started laughing, knowing she was probably right. Liana and Claire were tough. The idea that soon she’d have brothers and sisters in her life, lightened her heart and soul.

  “I’ll see you both in two hours. I have cooking to do!”

  Julian hung up with his mother. “You think the Blackhawks and Callen will be okay with changing plans?” he asked, not wanting to blow them off, but desperately wanting to be with his family on this night too.

  Pulling out her phone, Tori dialed her boss to ask.

  “Shouldn’t you be naked and in bed?” inquired Elizabeth over the speaker. “Why the hell are you calling me?”

  Julian started laughing, not even knowing where to begin this conversation with the woman. “Uh, so you know, you’re on speaker phone, Elizabeth, and we are actually naked in bed.”

  There was laughter on the other end.

  “We just told Julian’s mom about the engagement, and she’s insistent we go there for dinner. We wanted you three to come with us. The woman makes amazing food.”

  “If you want to spend it with your family, we can celebrate tomorrow.” Elizabeth didn’t want the family to feel obligated.

  Tori remembered everything they did for her, including when they personally gave up their New Year’s Eve to ride with her to the VA hospital. “You three are my family. I don’t have anyone but you, Ethan and Callen. It would mean everything to me if you’d come and be there with me.”

  Elizabeth’s eyes filled with tears and she began to sniffle at her agent’s words. Here was a woman that was deserving of the girlfriend code. Right then and there, Elizabeth knew she didn't make a mistake again.

  “If you come, you get to meet Julian’s twin. It’s funny to watch.” Tori tried to lure her in with anything at that point. She was desperate to have her friend at her side.

  Julian grinned. “I wa
nt you there too,” he said, reassuring them. “My mother makes the best fry bread on the Rez.”

  It was obvious the man knew her well. “You had me at fry bread. Email me the directions and the time, and we’ll be there.”

  Tori disconnected the call. “Okay, that’s settled. Now, do we get out of bed and go help your mother, or do we stay in bed and make out.”

  He began laughing. “Gee go to my mom’s or make out with the sexiest woman in the world. That’s really a damn difficult decision,” Julian teased.

  When she slid down his body and took him in her mouth, his eyes glazed over, his heart pounded in his chest and his mouth went dry. Apparently, he wasn’t too tired after all.

  “Okay, decisions made.”

  “Why are you all weepy now, Baby?” inquired Blackhawk, starting to get dressed for dinner.

  “Tori called us her family, and I’m pregnant and hormonal,” she stated. “We’re going to Julian’s mother’s house. So be on your best behavior.”

  Callen started laughing at the woman he loved. When it came down to it, the offending party would most likely be their woman. “Someone should be telling you that, not us. Do you need examples? I’m sure I can come up with a few right off the top of my head.”

  She gave him the look, crossed her arms and almost dared him to do it. “Bring your guns, boys.”

  Blackhawk lifted a brow at the request. “Are you expecting trouble, Tex? I’m sure everything will be more than fine at the OK corral.” he stated. When his wife simply stared open mouthed, he continued. “It’s not like you to want a weapon at a family dinner.”

  Whitefox jumped in. “Unless it’s Christmas, Easter, May Day, Groundhog Day…” He looked like he could go on forever with the list.

  Elizabeth punched him in the arm. “Okay, I get your point. I tend to be overly cautious.”

  “I don’t think that word covers it,” stated Blackhawk.

  “Oh you two are a laugh a minute. For your information, I want to be armed on the Rez. It has nothing to do with Julian’s family and everything to do with the fact, that I don’t like roaming around with this killer lurking in the dark. That’s all.” She didn't like the idea that the killer was targeting men.