by Tl Reeve
He fucked her with wild animalistic strokes, and all she could do was hold on. The sounds he made as he powered into her drove her higher until all she could do was feel. She whimpered his name. Her hand grabbed his ass, urging him on until she couldn’t take another second of the sweet torture he inflicted on her. Her mouth fell open. Her back arched to him, and when Kyle’s mouth latched onto her nipple, she imploded. Bright flashes of multicolored lights filled her vision as Stuart slammed home one last time and groaned. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, nuzzling her there while Kyle placed kisses across her chest.
“So good morning,” she moaned, feeling Stuart slip from her.
“Indeed.” Kyle laughed. “I believe I could get used to waking up with you between us, Sabine. How did you sleep?”
Like a baby? Like she’d never slept so well in her entire life? “Great.” She rolled over and watched as each man took turns in the bathroom then returned moments later. “What are we doing today?”
“Today we’re going to talk about what happened last night when I left here,” Kyle said. “But first, we’re all going to grab showers and get something to eat. What I have to tell you shouldn’t be done on an empty stomach.”
She nodded her head, knowing that their perfect moment together had come to an end. She would have to answer their questions and, obviously, hear what they had to say.
“Okay, give me twenty, and I’ll be ready.” She threw the covers back, uncaring of her state of undress, and walked into Stuart’s bathroom.
With the door closed, she turned on the water and waited for it to warm up. She had known that reality would invade the fantasy life she’d dreamt up, but did it have to happen so soon? Both men had rocked her world, and she felt complete in their arms. Now she was alone once more. Only she didn’t want to be by herself anymore. She’d had a taste of what it could be like with two men totally devoted to her, and to know it could be ripped from her was devastating. When the water was warm enough, she stepped into the spray and lifted her face to it.
She wanted a do over. Sabine yearned for a life with two loving parents who showed her what it could be liked to be loved, what she could look forward to when the right man or men walked into her life.
Sabine went about washing herself, trying not to dwell on the impending meeting. She craved five more minutes to pretend. But no matter how much she tried to think of something other than her kidnapping, her mind returned to it. No matter how many times she tried to push aside the worry and the angst, it pushed back to the forefront of her mind. Silly, unrelenting questions swirled in her gray matter while she finished showering and toweling off. What were the chances of all of them being found and kidnapped again?
When she finally emerged from the bedroom in her towel, a terry cloth robe had been placed on Stuart’s bed for her. Sabine couldn’t help the small smile that played along her lips. He cared. She knew he did, but that niggle of doubt plagued her, demanding reassurance. How long would it last?
“Breakfast is ready,” Stuart said, standing at his bedroom door. Kyle came up behind him and grinned.
“Great, I’ll be right there,” she said, slipping on her robe.
“Take your time, baby.” With that Stuart turned around and left her there with Kyle. He didn’t move into the room; just watched her.
“I wanted you to know this wasn’t a one-time thing, Sabine. We want you.” She could see he was choosing his words carefully for her benefit.
“If it’s all the same to you, Kyle, I’d like to take this a day at a time, and right now, there is way too much shit going on.” She didn’t want to hurt him, but all this talk of making a future with them when she didn’t know if she would live past tomorrow seemed foolhardy.
“Fine. We’ll discuss it later.” He turned away from the door and disappeared down the hall.
Shit. She’d hurt him unintentionally. Why couldn’t she have one moment to be normal? Why did all the bad shit have to happen to her? Sabine glanced in the mirror one last time and made her way to the kitchen. She glanced at Kyle, and he showed no hint of emotion on his face, nor did Stuart, and her gut squeezed. “So what’s going on?” she asked as she sat down, not even touching the plate of food in front of her.
“We got some more intel about the case last night. That’s where I went. Our informant said this case goes higher than we imagined.” Kyle took a swallow of his coffee and shrugged. “That’s nothing new when it comes to high profile cases. However, what stuck out was what I discovered afterward. The warehouses down by the ports had been investigated before for suspicious activity.”
“What do you mean ‘suspicious activity’?” Stuart piped up, echoing her sentiments.
“Well, it seems that, after being on the selling block for ten plus years, the warehouses were bought. All of them are in the same area, and all of them were bought by the same person. The new owner is one James Clayburne. So I did a little checking on the guy. He’s got a rap sheet a mile long, and guess whose path he’s crossed several times?”
“Steffen’s,” Stuart snarled.
“Bingo. They also found one of the warehouses empty, but with a room like you described, Sabine. The upstairs had been ransacked, and it looked like someone tried to set the place on fire, but unfortunately for them, it didn’t work.”
“Why did Steffen get into the kidnapping ring?” Stuart asked.
“Who knows, man. But it’s the first solid lead we’ve had since we found Sabine.” Kyle shrugged then turned his attention to Sabine. “Do you happen to know James Claymore?”
“No, I don’t.” She stood up. “You know, I think I’m kind of tired. I’m going to go lie down.”
Stuart stood up and came over to her. “What’s wrong, baby?”
She snorted. “What’s not wrong? From what all this sounds like, these thugs are in the business of taking girls. Not only that, but there is more than one warehouse where other girls could be held.” She began to pace. “What if I’m caught again? What then? I don’t want to go back. I can’t go back.” She sounded hysterical even to her own ears, but everything she said was the truth. She couldn’t stand the thought of her, of any of them, being caged again. “I need to go lay down. I can’t do this right now.” Sidestepping Stuart, she walked back to her room and closed the door. She needed time and space. She couldn’t stand the idea that someone would get hurt, and it could all be her fault.
Chapter Nine
“Shit man, she’s freaking out.” Stuart rubbed the back of his neck and sat back down at the table.
“She’s been through something traumatic. I can’t say that I blame her. Can you?” Kyle blew out a breath of frustration and stared out the window overlooking the river.
“No. I can honestly say I don’t know how I would act in her situation,” he said, sitting back in his chair. “You know, we both claimed her this morning. She’s probably having a hard time reconciling those feelings, too.” He pounded his hand on the table and cursed. “We’re overwhelming her, man. We can’t keep pushing her, or we’ll push her away completely.”
“Yeah, I know. But she’s the one.” Kyle realized it the moment they saw her lying in her hospital bed. “What about you?”
Stuart had been burned a couple of times, but Kyle had also seen him with Sabine. She brought out something in him Kyle hadn’t seen in a long time. “Yeah, man. I can’t leave her. No matter what, this is where I belong. The only question is how do we convince her of that?” Stuart asked.
“Leave that to me. Right now, we need to focus on the case and keep Sabine safe. All of the files are on my computer. Why don’t you look them over, and I’ll take breakfast to our girl.”
Stuart nodded and grabbed his coffee cup before walking into the living room.
Kyle gathered up her plate of scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, and coffee and placed it on a tray. He made his way to her room. Slow and steady wins the race. Explain what’s going to happen now, and then tell her how you feel.
“I guess so,” she shrugged.
What he wouldn’t give to see her come unhinged again. “I wanted to talk to you about what just happened. I know what you heard is overwhelming. And I know you’re worried about the other girls. But you can’t blame yourself. Okay? You saved them. You got them out.”
“Yeah, I got it,” she whispered before reaching for glass of juice on the tray. “I’m not sure how I feel about all this, Kyle.”
“What do you mean?” he asked, holding his breath.
She put down her cup and shrugged. “I worked for the crook that has ties to a man who bought warehouses, more specifically, a warehouse I was kept in with other women. What does that make me?”
“Innocent,” Kyle said without hesitation. “How would you have known? We didn’t even know until we dug a little more.”
“I guess deep down I know you’re right. But shouldn’t I have seen something? Known there was something out of place?” Worry and unease crossed her features.
“Look, Steffen Rutherford is a slick guy,” Kyle said. “I believe he’s never been to the club per se. He’s had to keep a low profile due to his status on the FBI’s most wanted list. However, he’ll make a mistake, and when he does, we’ll be there to catch him.”
“But what made me so special, Kyle?” Sabine grabbed a piece of bacon and nibbled on it.
Kyle leaned forward and took her hand. “You’re the daughter of the mayor, one of the most influential people in the city. You’re his get-out-of-jail-free card if shit goes down.”
Sabine snorted. “Boy, is he barking up the wrong tree. My dad obviously doesn’t care. Besides, I got away.” Her tone dripped with disdain for her father. He couldn’t say he blamed her. As far as he was concerned, the old man didn’t deserve to call Sabine his daughter.
“Nonetheless, baby, he knows who your father is; I am certain of it. He’ll do whatever he can to get something for nothing.” He stood up and placed his hands on his hips. “I believe the reason you were never touched was because Steffen couldn’t risk it.”
She laughed.
“I have to agree with Kyle, Sabine.” Stuart stood at the entrance to her room.
“Because this,” she pointed to her wounded upper torso, “is safe.”
“Ah, but he didn’t do that to you. One of his goons did while you were escaping.” He hated being the one to give her truths about kidnappers—especially ones who held people for ransom.
“So what do we do now?”
“We don’t do anything. The only thing you need to worry about, sweetheart, is getting better for us. Stuart and I will handle the rest.” Kyle leaned against the bed and bent his head, kissing her forehead. “Now finish your breakfast.”
***
Stuart walked into the station with Kyle. Since they had received the information from their informant, things had been tense between them. They had a meeting set up with SWAT to take down the club and, more specifically, Rutherford, if he was there. It seemed straightforward to Stuart, but in the pit of his stomach, something wasn’t sitting right with him.
Together, they made their way down the long hallway to a group of small conference rooms attached to the back half of the station. Inside, their SWAT team waited along with the chief. Stuart took position up front and waited for everyone to get comfortable. On the podium in front of him were photos of the bar and of Steffen Rutherford. This takedown would be one of skill and silence. Not a sound could be made to alert the mobster.
“Good morning, gentlemen. Today we’re going over the plan to take down one Steffen Rutherford, one of the FBI’s most wanted.” One of the SWAT officers raised his hand, and Stuart called on him.
“Why isn’t the FBI in on this?” The man had a point, but Kyle and Stuart thought there was a rat in the department, and they believed it was their chief. Something had stunk about him from the first day, but proving it would be nearly impossible.
“Good question. Right now, due to the delicacy of the situation, and how dangerous the suspect is, we don’t want to alert him to our intentions. Bringing in the FBI would do just that. So, for now, we’re going to do this on our own.” He held up a picture of the last time Steffen had been cornered. “Five NYPD officers lost their lives trying to take this man down. If we don’t want a repeat, we have to be smarter.”
“Do we have a time frame?” asked another officer, a bit farther away from the first.
“No, we only know he’ll be there tonight. The place is open to the general public from now until three a.m. We wanted to put a few plainclothes detectives inside to try and put eyes on Rutherford.” He pulled out a sheet of paper and listed off four of the detectives. “They’ll arrive at about four p.m. for an after-work happy hour. From there, we’ll get updates. The tactical truck will be parked far enough out of the way so as not to tip anyone off.”
Kyle stood up and looked at the group of men. “He might be looking for someone specific, so if he doesn’t see that person right away, he could rabbit. We have to be careful not to give away our positions while we prepare for the takedown.”
Stuart glanced over at his chief, and the man had a neutral expression on his face. “Any other questions before we go over our setup?” The men sat forward, and no one said a word. “Great. Now here is how this is going to work.”
An hour later, they walked out of the conference room with a plan all laid out for the takedown. Stuart called Sabine to make sure she was okay. Just hearing her voice made him hard as a rock. He wish he could go home and forget about Rutherford.
The rest of the day dragged by. Kyle and Stuart spent most of it trying to distract themselves from the takedown. Stuart even picked up the Sanchez case and went over more of the evidence and witness statements. Hell, he even played a game of Frogger on his phone just so he didn’t have to think about the job.
On their lunch break, Stuart wanted to go home and check on their girl, but neither he or Kyle could risk it. The two officers they had placed at the door were supposed to call them immediately if there were any issues. However, no one had phoned in.
Four p.m. couldn’t come soon enough for him. That antsy, uneasy twinge in the pit of his stomach only grew more intense as they changed from their suits into jeans and fitted T-shirts and got ready to head out with the team. Soon the team would be leaving.
Stuart picked up his phone again and called the house. The phone rang a few times before going to voicemail. He knew they’d worn out Sabine both physically and emotionally, so he assumed she’d been sleeping. He would try again later.
Nerves. It’s all nerves. You’re worried about your girl. Keep focused. Yeah, easier said than done.
Chapter Ten
Sabine was restless. Once the guys left, the house became absolutely quiet. The two guards at the door checked on her a few times before taking a lunch break. Sure, it seemed weird to her that both men would leave, but who was she to question it?
After a quick catnap, she’d gotten dressed and had decided to go out. If anything, they could follow her, keeping her company. The taste of freedom she had experienced with Stuart had only heightened the call of fresh air and sunshine. After everything the guys had told her about Rutherford and her father, she need time to think. God knows she had plenty of it on her hands now that the guys were gone.
She grabbed her phone off the counter and stepped outside. It was a warm early summer day, so a jacket was unnecessary. She paused. The plainclothes officers were gone, and a note was taped to the door. She opened it, read it quickly, and smiled. The officers had left an hour ago while she was napping, and the guys would be home soon. Everything was fine. The bust went well. Thank God.
The first place she wanted to go was one of her old haunts. Momma Jane made a mean dirty rice, and if she was going to be stuck with the guys until everything blew over, she
might as well feed them. She made her way down the street, and, for a moment, all her worries went away. Sabine lifted her head to the sun and closed her eyes, basking in its warmth. It felt as though it had been weeks since she’d been able to do just this. The sound of jazz music and laughter in the French Quarter washed over her, causing her to smile.
She continued her trek. Each block she crossed—each step she took—gave her a sense of independence. She knew the guys would want her to stay indoors, but, honestly, she couldn’t hide. If she were going to be taken again, they would do it, no matter what. Staying at Kyle and Stuart’s place wouldn’t stop them forever. Besides, as long as she stayed away from the bar, she would be fine. No one would know she was out of the house. No one would know she was walking around the city.
When she arrived at Momma Jane’s, she walked inside and smiled. The scent of Cajun food filled her senses and made her mouth water. Kyle and Stuart were going to love dinner. “Big Momma? You around?” she called out, not seeing anyone at the counter. A few seconds later, a curvy little woman wearing an apron appeared from behind the swinging door leading to the kitchen. Her hair was braided and wrapped in a bun. Her glasses hung from a chain around her neck. Sabine wasn’t exactly sure how old Momma was, but the woman was spry for her age.
“Sabine, my baby. I haven’t see you in a long time, child. Where you been hiding?” Momma’s voice was chipper and filled with love.
“Here and there,” she answered, unsure what she should tell her friend.
“Mmm-hmm, does it have anything to do with getting yourself kidnapped?” Sabine blinked and looked at the woman standing in front of her. How could she have known? “Big Momma knows everything, girl. Including how you got kidnapped and was rescued by two fine policemen. When you gonna bring them ’round here?”
