POTTER (The Trident Series Book 2)

by Jaime Lewis

  “I love them both already, too.” She started to grin her toothy smile.

  “Well, you know, along with Potter and Tenley, everyone here tonight,” she motioned around to all of the guys on the team, “including myself, all love you as well. We are all kind of one big family.”

  “Really!?” She asked with wide eyes. “I only had my mommy and daddy, but here I would have a ginormous family.” Alex chuckled as she watched Alejandra look around at the guys.

  “Yep. You can consider the guys, your uncles, and me, your aunt. How does that sound?”

  “You’re nice and pretty, Aunt Alex,” Alejandra stated, shocking the hell out of Alex and rendering her speechless. She swallowed the large lump in her throat. She saw Tenley and Potter walking towards them, and she was thankful because she was afraid that if this conversation continued, she was going to be a blubbering mess.

  “What are you two talking about over here?” Tenley asked as Potter let go of her hand, bending down to pick up a giggling Alejandra and kissing her on the cheek.

  Alex gave a wink to Alejandra, then looked at Tenley and shrugged her shoulders. “Just some girl talk.”

  Tenley didn’t respond. She just raised an eyebrow, and Alex knew her friend would know she’d tell her when they were alone. Alex then lifted her glass of champagne and handed Tenley one and the two besties toasted.

  ◆◆◆

  Potter was drinking a beer and staring at the woods that backed up to the yard. Even though there was a six-foot privacy fence around the backyard, he couldn’t shake that all too familiar sensation he got out in the field. Someone was watching the festivities, and it wasn’t sitting right with him.

  Ace approached and slapped Potter on the back. “You okay, man? You look like something caught your eye.”

  Potter took another drink from the bottle, but never took his eyes off a certain area of the woods. “I’m not sure,” Then he nodded toward the woods and spoke low, so only Ace could hear him. “The hairs standing up on the back of my neck are telling me someone’s enjoying the party as much as we are.”

  Ace turned and looked at him with a serious expression. “Are you fucking with me right now?”

  Potter shook his head. “Wish I was.” Anytime Potter’s sixth sense kicked in, nine times out of ten, he was correct, and he knew that was exactly what Ace was thinking at the moment.

  “Fuck,” Ace sighed. “What do you think? Things are starting to wind down. Why don’t you take your wife and head back to your house?”

  “What about Alejandra?”

  Ace grinned. “Alex and I offered Shelia and Alejandra a room here at our place for the night, so you and Tenley can be alone on your wedding night.”

  Potter smiled uncharacteristically. “Thanks, man. I appreciate that.”

  Ace tipped his bottle and tapped it against Potter’s. “You’re my brother, and I couldn’t be any happier for you.”

  “Well, you’ll be in my shoes in just a couple of weeks,” Potter added, referring to Ace and Alex’s upcoming nuptials. Ace grinned back at him.

  “I sure as hell will. It’s hard to believe that all because one little Intel Analyst walked into our lives, not only has she made me the happiest man, but she brought along her best friend who has now made you a happy man.”

  Potter glanced over at Ace and then looked around at everyone who was left. He leaned closer to Ace and whispered, “You better not let Alex hear you calling her little.” Ace laughed but nodded, and Potter slung his arm around Ace’s shoulders. “We’re both lucky men.”

  “That we are.” They clanked bottles and downed the rest of their beers.

  ◆◆◆

  Miguel sat perched in a large oak tree in the wooded area behind the house where Tenley was getting married. He felt a slight pang in his heart when he saw Derek Connors walking Tenley down the makeshift aisle. She was a beautiful bride in her white dress and smiling wide. He couldn’t help but take notice of Juliette, who sat in the front row looking on as her daughter recited her wedding vows.

  He wished his life had turned out differently, but it hadn’t, and he was now paying the price for it. Though he was jealous of the life he missed out on with Juliette and Tenley, he was content that they both had found happiness. Juliette with Derek and now Tenley with her new husband. But most importantly, they were both safe. Well, for the most part. Tenley, he was concerned about, because he had got word after the raid in Colombia that Esteban was planning to use Tenley to bait him. He wasn’t a fool. He knew full well they wanted the heroin. But they didn’t know that all the heroin had been destroyed. Since he was working with the FBI, he turned over all of the products to them. Onyx was pretty much now an afterthought in the criminal world.

  He may not have been there physically for his daughter when she was growing up, but he damn sure wasn’t going to sit back while her life hung in the balance because of him. This was the reason he never inserted himself into her life. Being related to a leader of an organization such as Onyx automatically put a target on your back.

  Once he helped the FBI nab Esteban, his duties to the United States would be complete. In return for his loyal and cooperative assistance, the government would help him gain a new identity and make his old life disappear. The only downfall was that he would no longer exist. Word would spread fast that Miguel Dias and Dante Cortez had died in a raid on his compound.

  Financially, he was set for life. He had several offshore bank accounts under alias names.

  He looked at his watch. He needed to get on the road as he was due to meet with his lawyer in Richmond tomorrow morning. After they drew up some papers handling his legal affairs, he was driving to Washington, D.C., to meet with Agent Harper to go over some last-minute details.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Tenley and Alex walked into Bayside, giggling. They said hi to Frost, Dino, and Irish as they passed by them on their way to the bar.

  Frost glanced at Dino and Irish. “That can’t be good,” He motioned to the bar where the girls were talking with Paul, the owner of the bar. “I know those smiles. Trust me; they are definitely up to something.”

  “God only knows with those two,” Dino said, taking a sip from his beer. “I know that I wouldn’t want to make them angry. Remember what they did to Skittles last year when they found out he had hacked into Alex’s home computer and uploaded some program that tracked her web searching?”

  Frost laughed. “I don’t think anyone will forget. I can still remember the Commander’s expression when Skittles opened up his laptop during our team meeting, and the dancing and singing dicks appeared on the screen. Christ, I don’t think I’ve seen anyone’s face turn as red as Skittle’s did.”

  Dino was laughing. “The worst part was the poor kid was just doing what Ace had asked him to.”

  “Who would’ve thought Alex would call one of her IT buddies at the company she used to work for to get back at Skittles. They conned him good by getting him to bring over his computer to help with what she claimed was research for her clinic. He’ll think twice before he leaves his computer accessible and unattended for even a second. Especially around those two.” Irish said, looking over towards the bar where the women were standing, and he grinned.

  “Well, why don’t we go find out? I’m surprised Ace or Potter aren’t with them. With everything going on with Tenley, there is no way either one of them would let the two of them venture out by themselves without protection.” Frost started to stand, but then Tenley and Alex turned and started walking towards the table with drinks in their hands.

  “What’s going on guys?” Tenley asked the three of them as she and Alex took a seat at the table.

  “Where are Potter and Ace?” Frost asked in his usual abrupt tone. “And please do not tell me the two of you concocted some scheme to sneak out by yourselves.”

  Tenley and Alex both started laughing, and Frost got the idea that the two brilliant women had pulled a fast one on their men, but then he saw Potter
and Ace walk in. However, they didn’t appear happy. Frost thought they both looked a bit uncomfortable.

  They both took the open seats on the opposite side of the table from the ladies, and a waitress brought over beers for them. Coming here as often as they did, all the staff knew what they drank, and judging from the way they both downed half their beer in one gulp; something had happened.

  The three guys watched Ace and Potter as they placed their bottles down on the table before glaring at Tenley and Alex.

  Frost knew those looks all too well, and he bet that his best friends were up to their old shenanigans. Especially now that the two of them couldn’t keep a straight face when looking at Potter and Ace.

  “Okay, who wants to explain why these two can’t stop laughing and why you two look like you’re ready to pop a hemorrhoid?”

  Potter was the first to make a move as he raised an eyebrow in Tenley’s direction as if challenging her, but it was Alex who spoke up.

  “They say that Ten and I made them uncomfortable while shopping today.”

  “Uncomfortable? You try walking around the mall for a good hour with your dick as hard as a steel pipe and tell me if it’s just uncomfortable. I think my dick has a permanent tattoo from the zipper.” Ace barked at Alex, which only made her start laughing again.

  “Now I have to hear this story,” Irish said, getting in on the laughter.

  Potter had no intention of sitting here with his buddies and talking about his wife’s lingerie shopping experience.

  “Let’s just say that these two,” Potter said, pointing to Tenley and Alex, “had been sharing a dressing room while trying on some accessories, and Ace and I sat in the waiting area that just so happened be right around the corner from their room.”

  “What’s wrong with that?” Irish asked, looking upset because the story sounded like it was going to be a bust.

  Ace took a deep breath. “One of them had some difficulty pulling her selection on, but what they didn’t know was that every man sitting in the waiting area with us could hear them loud and clear.”

  Tenley laughed, taking a sip of her drink. “Potter, we said we were sorry. We didn’t know our conversation could’ve been misconstrued by someone who couldn’t see what we were doing.”

  Alex moved over and crawled onto Ace’s lap and hugged him. Leaning forward to pick up her drink, she added to Tenley’s comments, “Long story short. I had some trouble trying a bra on.”

  “Alex!” Ace practically growled and squeezed her as if warning her.

  She turned and slapped his chest. “Oh, cool your britches caveman. It’s just a bra for god’s sake,” She turned back to the others. “Anyway, the design of this particular bra was unique and was made to fit a little snug, you know one of those that can really give the girls a lift. She was helping me get the clasp closed.”

  Ace growled at Alex. “You were shouting at her to ‘get it in there’ while she was yelling back at you, ‘no, it’s too tight.’ Then after I assume you finally got yourself situated, you let out a sigh before saying, ‘Damn that feels nice.’” Ace looked at the guys. “Now…you tell me what you would have thought was going on behind those closed doors if you heard something like that?” He ran a hand through his hair. “Christ, I don’t know if I was more turned on or pissed off. But the Alpha in me wanted to murder those other three men in the waiting area for hearing what they did. Although, I think you might have given the poor elderly man that was waiting for his wife a heart attack.”

  Ace kissed Alex on her head. “No more Victoria’s Secret stores for you, baby. Anything you want from there, you can shop for it online.”

  “What?!”

  “I don’t want any other men watching you pick out lingerie. Especially lingerie, you’ll be wearing for my eyes only.”

  “Freaking alpha males. You can’t live with them, and you can’t live without them.” Alex mumbled under her breath.

  Irish chuckled and looked at Tenley and Alex, and smirked. “Well, I hope the two of you got yourselves something nice to share with your men for putting them through such torture.”

  Alex winked at Tenley. “Oh, yeah, that we did.” She kissed Ace on his cheek.

  “Well, if you ladies need someone to preview your purchases, I’d be happy to volunteer,” Irish said and then quickly moved out of the reach of Ace before he could hit him upside the head. Unfortunately, his reaction brought him closer to Potter. Potter stuck his leg out, hooked his foot under the wrung of the chair and lifted, sending Irish’s chair backward.

  Everyone laughed, including Irish, who laid sprawled out on the floor. The laughter was cut short when Ace’s phone rang, and it was the commander calling. After what seemed to be a one-sided conversation, Ace told the commander he’d see him in a few and then hung up and placed his phone back in his pocket.

  “I hate to cut short our fun afternoon, but the commander needs us all to report in,” He looked at Potter, “Can you make sure the others get the message?” Potter already had his phone out and was dialing.

  “We bugging out?” Frost asked as he waved the waitress down and paid the bill.

  “Don’t know. Derek didn’t give any indication either way.”

  He turned to Alex and cupped her cheek. “Since we all rode together, you and Tenley take my truck. Potter and I can catch a ride with one of these guys. You ladies go straight home.”

  “We need to pick up Alejandra from her class before we go home, remember?”

  “Okay, pick her up and then go straight home. No detours; park in the garage, and Tenley and Alejandra can cut through the backyard to their house. Or they can stay at our house with you until one of your uncles can get over there.”

  Alex placed her hands on his chest and looked into Ace’s eyes. “I promise. We’ll be fine. You guys go take care of what you need to.” She placed her hands on his hips and got up on her tiptoes and gave him a light kiss. “I love you.”

  He squeezed her tight, “I love you too, baby.” He eased back and looked at the guys. “Let’s go.”

  Before they all left, Potter gave Tenley the same speech that Ace gave Alex. ‘Pick up Alejandra, go straight home. No gallivanting.’

  ◆◆◆

  Two hours later, Frost pulled his Chevy Tahoe into Ace and Alex’s driveway. “Thanks for dropping us off, man.” Ace said to him as both he and Potter got out.

  “Anytime. I’ll see you guys later this evening.” Ace gave him a chin lift before shutting the door.

  Ace looked at Potter, neither one of them were pleased they were being shipped out.

  “I’ll meet you out here in front. I need to make some calls to ensure someone will be able to look after Tenley and Alejandra while I’m gone. Then I want to spend some time with Alejandra since this will be the first time I’ve had to leave since she’s been with us.” Potter said to Ace while walking up the driveway to his house.

  “At least you don’t have to tell your fiancé that she has to postpone her wedding.”

  Potter turned back around. “Fuck, man. I’m sorry.”

  Ace gripped the back of his neck and rubbed it hard, trying to work some of the stress out. “It is what it is. I just can’t believe all this time it’s been quiet then five days before the wedding, we get called up.” Potter just nodded his head. “Anyways, I’ll see you in a few.”

  Ace opened the front door and walked into the house with a heavy heart. Fuck, he didn’t want to have to do this. Alex had worked so hard on the arrangements for both the ceremony and the reception. Now he had to put a squash on all of her hard work.

  He walked up the stairs with an overly excited Zuma, their chocolate lab following right on his heels wagging his tail. Turning down the hallway toward their bedroom, he heard music coming from the guest room across the hall. He smiled, knowing she was in there, probably getting things ready for what was supposed to be the happiest day of their lives—the day where the two of them would become one. But knowing the news he had to deliver
to her wiped the smile right off of his face.

  He looked at Zuma and scratched him behind his ears. “This sucks, doesn’t it, buddy?” Zuma licked his hand in return.

  He knocked gently on the door. “Hey, sweetheart. I’m home.”

  The music shut off, and the door opened. She was smiling from ear-to-ear, and it made him feel even worse.

  She got up on her tiptoes like she did every day when he got home from work and gave him a kiss, except this time he cradled the back of her head and took control of the kiss.

  When she went to pull back, he tightened his grip and held her in place against him.

  “Ace, what’s wrong?” She asked, and he could feel her warm breath penetrate through the material of his t-shirt.

  Leave it to his woman to know when something was off with him. Nothing got by her.

  “We need to talk.” It was all he said as he pulled her across the hall and into their bedroom. He sat down on the edge of the bed and pulled her between his legs. Her lips were wet and swollen from their kiss. She was a sight to take in wearing an orange V-neck t-shirt and a pair of cropped low rise jeans that hugged her shapely ass. She was barefooted with her little purple painted toes standing out. Her hair was clipped up with little pieces that fell, framing her beautiful face. She was everything he’d ever wanted and then some.

  She placed her hands on his face and looked into his eyes. “You’ve been called up?” She asked as a question, but he knew it was more of a statement.

  He nodded. “Yeah.”

  “Please tell me that you aren’t leaving until after the wedding. It’s in five days.” He could see her eyes start to get glassy. She didn’t cry often, but when she did, her tears killed him.

  “I’m sorry.” He pulled her onto his lap and hugged her. He heard her sniffle and knew she was trying to be strong. He hated shipping out and having to leave her. But this time, it was even harder. Of all the times for something in the world to go to shit, it had to be days before he was due to get married.