Mandy beamed, the expression lighting up her beautiful face and causing James’ heart to flip. “You’re about to get really lucky.”
“Are you going to change into one of your work skirts?”
“Maybe tomorrow,” Mandy said. “I’m already naked. It would seem like a waste of time to get dressed just so you could rip my clothes off of me.”
“I’m glad you’re so pragmatic, wife,” James teased, narrowing his eyes as she shuffled across the floor in his direction. “What do you have planned now?”
“I’m going to make you cry out for me this time.”
“Oh, really?” James arched a challenging eyebrow. “How are you going to do that, wife?”
Mandy knelt in front of James, resting her hands on his bare thighs as she shifted her blue eyes so they were looking directly into his soul. “You need to sit there and not try to take control of this situation.”
James smirked. “When do I try to take control of a situation?”
“Every day.”
“When do I try to take control of a sexual situation?” James tried again.
“Every day,” Mandy replied, refusing to back down. “You get impatient when you think I’m not moving fast enough or if you had plans to do something else. This is my moment.”
“I see,” James said, reaching over and brushing a strand of Mandy’s flaxen hair away from her face. “What are you going to do with your moment?”
Mandy’s grin was twisted and mischievous. “Just you watch.”
“I’m looking forward to it, baby. I … oh, wow.” James moaned as Mandy pushed his thighs apart and immediately lowered her head. He was erect and ready as she approached, the promise of fun floating through the room. He thought he was going to get a little more warning before she wrapped her lips around his length. The force of her oral onslaught was overwhelming.
Her mouth was warm and her hands were soft as they rubbed the inside of his thighs. James’ eyes rolled back into his head as he felt her tongue lick the bottom of his throbbing shaft. She massaged his inner thigh with one hand and used the other to cup his testicles, rubbing and squeezing them until he cried out. “Baby!”
James orgasmed quickly, the haste of the act taking him by surprise. His wife knew exactly what buttons to push when they got in bed, and that was only one of the multitude of reasons he loved her.
His thighs were shaking as Mandy finished what she was doing, and instead of immediately climbing on top of him she extended her tongue and licked the inside of his thighs. She looked smug – and proud of herself – when she lifted her eyes to his. “I told you I was going to make you cry out for me.”
“That was wholly impressive, baby,” James said as he worked to collect himself. He wasn’t used to losing control, but he had to give her kudos for the effort. “I … wow. Come here.”
Mandy shook her head, her eyes lighting up. “Who says I’m done?”
“I do,” James said, smirking. “You literally can’t do anything to me for at least five minutes. I’m going to use that time to do something to you.”
“I can try.”
“You can,” James agreed. “I’m going to try first, though.” He reached down and grabbed her around the waist, tugging her onto the bed so he could roll on top of her. She was giggling and the sound made his heart soar. He would never tire of that sound. There would never be enough time together that her laugh would cease to charm him.
James wrestled Mandy down underneath him, and even though she was trying to pretend she was angry at his dominance, he knew she was ready for him to make her quiver. James playfully pinned Mandy’s hands above her head with one hand and then used the other to tickle her ribs.
“Tell me you love me,” James ordered.
“No way,” Mandy said, jutting her lower lip out. “I was supposed to be in control.”
“Oh, baby, you were in control,” James countered. “I’m embarrassed by how little control I just showed there.”
“Embarrassed?”
“That was a shameful showing for a man who is trying to impress his wife with his longevity.”
“I like knowing I can make you call out like that,” Mandy admitted, biting her lower lip.
“Oh, yeah? I like knowing it, too. Now I’m going to make you call out for me.”
“Are you going to use your tongue?” Mandy looked excited at the prospect.
“I don’t know,” James said, resting his weight on top of her and slipping his fingers down her flat abdomen, not stopping until they were at the core of her being. “I thought I would start with my fingers.”
“I like your tongue better.”
“Oh, well, in that case … .” James lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her with such intensity he sucked the oxygen out of her lungs. He slipped his tongue into her mouth, letting it dance with hers, and then he pulled his mouth away. He didn’t speak. Mandy’s eyes were pressed shut because of his busy fingers, and she was murmuring at his ministrations. Instead, James lowered his mouth to her nipple and sucked it in, rolling the hardened flesh across the tip of his tongue.
“Oh!” Mandy bucked up as his fingers hit a particularly sensitive spot. James held on to her nipple and sucked harder. “Oh!” Mandy convulsed beneath him, her first orgasm washing over her.
James continued to rub her for a few seconds, and it wasn’t until Mandy wrenched open her eyes that she realized he’d released her hands from above her head. “That was pretty good,” Mandy murmured.
“It was, huh? Only pretty good?”
“I … .”
James wagged a finger in her face. “I can’t stand for ‘pretty good,’ baby.” James pressed his lips against hers again, taking her breath away. After a few minutes, he moved completely down her body, pushing her thighs up and hooking them over his shoulders so he could have easy access to her prize.
James extended his tongue, flattening it, and licked her up and down with deliberate strokes.
“James,” Mandy moaned. “I … oh … I’m too sensitive from the last one.”
That was exactly what James was banking on. He attacked her with gusto, holding her thighs firm as she began to thrash. She arched her back when the second orgasm hit, and James fought to keep his mouth in place until the last tremor subsided. Only then did he crawl up her body and return his mouth to hers.
She was so wet James had no problem sliding inside of her, the excitement of her cries causing him to easily rise for a second round. He was hard and ready as he thrust, his hands traveling beneath Mandy to cup her rounded rear.
Mandy’s legs lifted and wrapped around his waist and James plowed forward relentlessly. Since she’d almost died on him, he’d been cautious with their lovemaking. He had no intention of hurting her when she was so frail. She wasn’t frail now, and he was ready to give her everything he had.
This time when Mandy tipped over the edge for her third orgasm, James careened into the abyss with her, his sweaty body resting on top of hers as their hearts hammered in unison.
Mandy trailed a lazy hand up his back and rubbed his head with the other as she whispered into his ear. “I love you so much.”
“I love you, my baby,” James murmured.
They drifted off a few minutes later, not bothering to change positions or even climb under the covers.
A half hour later, James’ cell phone rang on the nightstand. He swore under his breath and reluctantly reached for it. Under normal circumstances, he would ignore it. They weren’t living under normal circumstances these days, though. “Hello.”
James listened to the voice on the other end of the phone, his face sobering as horrific realization washed over him. When he disconnected, Mandy was on him. She read his hardening body language and knew something was terribly wrong.
“What?”
“Baby, I need you to remain calm,” James pleaded, cupping the back of her neck so he could hold her steady.
“What is it? I … what?”
“That was Judge MacI
ntosh,” James said, terrified he was about to shatter the wife who had been so happy only moments before. “Someone broke into Heidi’s house. They beat Clint up pretty badly and … took … Heidi.”
“What?” Mandy’s hand flew to her mouth. “But … why?”
“It was a message to us, baby,” James said. “We … they want to make a deal with Peter or they’re going to kill her.”
Mandy instantly burst into tears and James had no idea how to comfort her so he pulled her close and held her as rage coursed through him. He proceeded to rock her as he formed a plan. This couldn’t go without retaliation.
Twenty-Two
“I’m going to kill these monsters,” James seethed as he met Grady at the front door an hour later.
Sophie trailed behind Grady, a duffel bag clutched in her hand. Her face was unreadable, but James saw rage hidden beneath the usually unflappable depths of her eyes. “How is Mandy?”
“Not good,” James said.
“Where is she?” Grady asked.
“Upstairs. She wants to be alone right now. She’s … blaming herself.”
“Why would she be blaming herself?” Sophie asked.
“Because Clint was hurt protecting her,” Grady supplied. “Heidi blames Mandy for Clint being hurt because he wouldn’t have been if Mandy hadn’t insisted on going back to work so soon.”
“But that’s … ridiculous,” Sophie snapped. “Mandy had no way of knowing what would happen.”
“She’s still blaming herself,” James said. “You guys are prepared to stay here for the duration, right? I don’t want this family separated right now.”
“We’re here,” Grady said. “It’s going to put a crimp in my sex plans, but we’re here.”
James made a face.
“It was a lame joke,” Grady said, holding up his hands. “I want Sophie here with everyone else. I’m just … I don’t even know what to say about this.”
“You don’t think they would really … hurt … Heidi, do you?” Sophie’s lower lip quivered slightly before she regained control of herself.
“I think these people are animals,” James replied. “I think they’ve killed … God only knows how many women. I think the few who survived are in real trouble. I think Heidi is in danger.”
“This is such crap,” Sophie muttered. “Peter is on his way, right?”
James nodded.
“Peter will kill them,” Sophie said, not batting an eyelash at how bloodthirsty she sounded. “Peter will skin them alive and make them eat their own flesh.”
“Okay, sugar,” Grady said, running a hand up and down Sophie’s back and exchanging a worried glance with James. “I think you need a drink.”
“Where is everyone else?” Sophie asked.
“On their way,” James said. “Everyone is living here until we get Heidi back and this is … over.”
“It will be like the slumber party none of us ever wanted,” Sophie said, her tone blasé. “I think you’re right. I want a drink.”
“We’re all getting a drink.”
IT TOOK almost two hours for everyone to arrive at the house and when they trudged inside, some members of the Hardy family were less than thrilled to be put under house arrest – to say the least.
“No way!”
“You’re staying here whether you like it or not, angel,” Jake snapped. “I’ve listened to you complain for two hours. There’s nothing I can do to change this right now. You’re staying here so I know you’re safe. Period.”
“You are not the boss of me,” Ally argued.
“Lay down the law, Whipped Jake,” Grady ordered. “Don’t put up with her crap.”
Ally’s brown eyes were dangerous slits when she turned them on Grady. “What did you just say?”
“I said you’re my favorite sister,” Grady replied, pasting his best “you love me and you can’t kill me” look on his face. “I love you dearly, Ally, but we’re in crisis mode here. You’re staying – and you’re going to like it.”
Ally crossed her arms over her chest, her mind busy as she tried to come up with an argument to support her side in the matter. When she couldn’t, she let loose with a resigned sigh. “Fine. The second this is over with, though, I want Olive Garden and a back rub.”
“I’m sure I can promise both of those things,” Jake said, leaning over so he could brush a soft kiss against Ally’s temple. “I know you’re upset, angel. We have to pull together on this, though.”
“I don’t understand how this happened,” Emma said, wringing her hands as she settled on the couch. “How could someone take Heidi? She’s the nicest person in the world.”
“They took her because we weren’t thinking clearly,” James answered. “They took her because they couldn’t get close enough to Mandy … or Sophie, for that matter …to take them. They would’ve preferred the two of them. They would’ve settled for you and Ally. You two were locked up, too. They went the only route they could, and I can’t help but think we should’ve seen it coming.”
For his part, Peter was mostly quiet as he sat in one of the armchairs at the edge of the room. He was sipping a brandy and taking in everyone’s words, but he wasn’t commenting.
“What are we going to do?” Sophie asked, stepping in front of him so he had nowhere to look but her direction.
“We’re going to burn their house to the ground,” Peter replied, his voice flat. “I have men out now ascertaining their location. It won’t be long.”
“How are you going to find them if they’ve taken Heidi and found some hole to crawl inside?” Sophie pressed.
“I had men watching Jasper and Winona already,” Peter admitted. “They’re moving now. When I get a location, I will move on them.”
“Are you sure that’s the way to go?” James asked, hating that he had to question Peter’s leadership ability but seeing no way around it.
“What do you suggest?”
“What about calling Sheriff Morgan?”
Peter balked at the suggestion. “I don’t usually work with law enforcement when I’m planning on killing someone.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t kill them,” James said. “I … I’m not telling you how to conduct your business. We need to find more than Heidi, though. There are possibly a couple of women out there in danger. Even if we get Heidi back, if you kill Jasper and Winona, what happens to those women?”
Peter licked his lips, unsure. “I … you’re right, of course. We have no choice but to call the sheriff.”
“You could leave now,” Sophie offered. “You don’t have to be here when he gets here.”
“No, my dear, that’s where you’re wrong,” Peter replied. “I do have to be here when the sheriff gets here. We’re all going to have to work together to pull this one off.”
“I’ll call him,” Grady said, getting to his feet. “I … I’m not sure how he’s going to feel about this.”
“Neither am I,” James said. “We can’t move on Jasper and Winona without him, though. We could end up in jail if we try. Now, I’m willing to go to jail to save Heidi, but I’d rather not leave my wife a virtual widow while I do hard time if it’s not necessary.”
“Agreed,” Grady said, sighing. “I’ll call him and explain the situation. I’m sure he’ll at least come over here to talk to us.”
Ally lifted her head and glanced around the living room, her internal scan coming up one blonde short. “Speaking of your wife, where is she?”
James sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “She’s upstairs.”
“Why?”
“Why do you think? She’s upset and she blames herself.”
Ally rolled her eyes and placed her half-finished glass of wine on the table. “Now is not the time for her to fall apart,” she said, getting to her feet. “I’ll handle this.”
“Don’t go up there and make things worse, Ally,” James warned.
“Can they get any worse?”
James didn’t know how to answer so
he stood rooted to his spot, helpless, and watched Ally ascend the stairs. He had no idea if letting Ally tackle Mandy was the right decision, but he didn’t think it could do any harm. Mandy was already falling apart and she needed tough love. James wasn’t capable of looking in those tear-filled blue eyes and ordering his wife to snap out of it.
Ally was, though, and she appeared up for the task.
ALLY didn’t bother knocking as she entered James and Mandy’s bedroom. She found Mandy curled up on the bed, her face buried beneath a pillow, and launched herself onto the mattress next to her best friend.
“What are you doing?”
Mandy didn’t answer so Ally reached over and jerked the pillow away. She wasn’t surprised to see fresh tears running down Mandy’s cheeks.
“Get up,” Ally ordered.
“No.”
“Get up.”
“I don’t want to.” Mandy’s sadness was quickly turning to anger. “No one invited you in here. Get out.”
“I will when you get up.”
“Get out!”
“You’re being a baby, Mandy,” Ally said. “I know you’re upset and I don’t blame you for being upset. You think this is your fault because you went back to work when you shouldn’t have done it. I get that. I think I would probably be feeling the exact same thing if I was you.”
“Get out,” Mandy repeated. “I want to be alone.”
“Well, you can’t be alone,” Ally said, wrinkling her nose. “We’re all in a spot here and we need you to get over yourself to help us.”
“I can’t help,” Mandy replied bitterly. “I’m here … safe in my bed … and there are horrible people doing God knows what to Heidi. What can I do?”
“Oh, you’re right,” Ally said. “Sitting up here and feeling sorry for yourself is a great way to help Heidi. I must have missed that somehow.”
“Go away, Ally.”
“Get up and get it together, Mandy,” Ally countered. “This isn’t helping anyone … and, quite frankly, it’s hurting Heidi. She needs you to be strong. So, suck it up and get strong. We have to face this together.”
“Heidi could be getting raped … or beaten … or something even worse right now,” Mandy said, fresh tears pooling in her eyes. “If that’s happening to her we both know it’s my fault.”
Deadly Dealings (Hardy Brothers Security Book 13) Page 17
