He never stopped making love to her breasts as he helped her get her shorts off. She lifted her hips to give him room to loosen his pants, and only seconds later, he pressed gently into her. Explosion after explosion went off through her body as he pushed all the way inside, leaving her breathless and wanting more.
"More, Dustin, please."
He mumbled some incomprehensible words as his hands moved to her hips and the pace increased. Breathy, unintelligible noises escaped her as he pushed them closer to the magic they both sought. When she didn't think she could take any more, he bit down on the nipple he'd been toying with, and she flew into a zillion pieces. Her body tightened around him, and she called out his name. His mouth released her, and she opened her eyes to see ecstasy cross his face when he went over that edge with her.
She laid her head down on his shoulder, intending to say something after she caught her breath, but her body relaxed, and it became difficult to keep her eyes open.
Dustin didn't move as he held the most incredible woman he'd ever been with against his chest until he was certain she was asleep. He wasn't sure what pleased him more: the fact she felt comfortable enough to abandon herself to passion in his arms or to drift off to sleep next to him. On a scale of one to ten, they were both a twelve in his book. Carefully, he moved her off him until she rested beside him. Reaching across her, he retrieved his PCD and dialed Grady's number.
When his friend answered, Dustin spoke softly. “Lexi wants to give a formal statement."
Grady's voice was rough from sleep. “We can meet at my house at seven. I've got some new information for you. I'll give it to you then."
"We'll be there.” When Grady didn't respond for several seconds, Dustin grew impatient. “What?"
"She's there with you, isn't she?"
Dustin knew Grady was referring to Lexi being in bed with him, and for a second, Dustin considered playing dumb. “Don't start."
"We'll discuss this tomorrow."
Dustin didn't like the tone of his partner's voice. He also knew the only reason Grady wasn't talking about it now was because their conversations were monitored on the company communicators. “We'll see. Later."
He disconnected before Grady could get another word in. Placing the device back on the nightstand, Dustin pulled Lexi into his arms. He knew each and every rule he was breaking. Hell, he and Grady had written the policy manual for their organization, and Dustin could still recite it verbatim. Lexi shifted, tossing an arm across his chest and snuggling closer in her sleep.
Dustin looked down at the sleeping beauty in his arms. When they'd written that damn manual, he'd never thought a woman would be worth breaking all the rules for. He almost laughed at his own arrogance as he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.
[Back to Table of Contents]
Chapter Eight
Dustin sat at the dining room table in Grady and Miranda's home and tried to look as if the story Lexi just finished telling the team hadn't gutted him. His jaw clenched so tight, he was surprised his teeth weren't cracking and popping. God, he'd thought this would be easier to hear the second time. It was almost funny how wrong he was.
The coffee in front of him was cold, but not nearly as cold as he felt. Obviously, the rest of the people in the room were as appalled as he was if the silence was any indication.
Grady shuffled the papers in front of him. “As hard as this must be for you, I need to ask you a few questions."
Lexi looked over at Dustin for reassurance and then back at Grady. “Okay."
"What's your real name?” Grady asked with pen in hand.
Lexi blinked a couple of times at the question as if she hadn't been expecting it. “Elizabeth Alexandria Corbitt Hart."
The room fell into another silence as they all digested the new information. Dominik found his voice first. “The Hart heiress?"
"Yes.” Her voice was barely a whisper.
Dustin tamped down on the hurt and anger that ran through his veins at her response. He'd thought she was starting to trust him, but obviously he was wrong. He couldn't keep the disappointment from his voice. “You're one surprise after another. What else are you hiding from us, Elizabeth?"
Her eyes narrowed and he knew he'd touched a nerve. “I now go by Lexi Corbitt. I left Elizabeth Hart behind fifteen years ago. Lexi is the identity that has kept me alive all this time. I won't apologize for it, and I won't let you or anyone else make me feel guilty about my choices."
"You should have told us upfront you were such a high profile missing person. We would have put more security around you and been more cautious ourselves. If we had, our colleagues might still be alive. Have you thought of that?” The cold, heartless words were out of his mouth before Dustin could stop them. He knew he should have kept his mouth closed, but his resentment over the loss of his coworkers compounded by her lack of trust in him was too much.
Lexi leaned back. She couldn't have looked more shocked if he'd have slapped her, but she held his gaze. “I have. Why do you think I decided to tell you everything? I'll live with the guilt the rest of my life.” She pushed her chair back and stood without breaking eye contact with him. “On the bright side, I'm sure Reverend Fairchild will ensure those days aren't many."
Lexi stalked out of the room without a backward glance. Miranda and Alora both gave him dirty looks before following her. Dustin rubbed his eyes before looking at the two men left at the table with him.
Grady gave a disgusted shake of the head before turning his attention back to the folder in front of him.
Dominik wasn't so kind. “What? Did you get up today and take an entire bottle of stupid pills?"
Dustin snarled at his friend. “I don't need this right now."
"And you think she does? I'm not sure you are the best person to be watching her at the moment."
Dustin lowered his voice and narrowed his eyes. “Let me guess. You'd be better at this moment."
Dominik's black eyes shimmered with anger in the early morning light. “Yeah, because at least I wouldn't be thinking with my—"
"Quiet. Both of you.” Grady's words cut through the air, bringing a sudden end to the escalating argument.
Dustin watched as Grady passed the electronic data-pad across the dining room table for them to look at. “I received this report late last night and didn't get around to looking at it until only minutes before all of you arrived. Unfortunately, it looks like Lexi was right on one account."
Grady's grave tone caused Dustin to frown. “And that would be?"
"The Reverend Fairchild has minions in all areas, including ours."
"Are you saying we've been compromised?"
"Yes. After the bombing, we started tracking down all employees. We couldn't get in contact with Simon, so Finch and Wilton went by his apartment last night. They found him dead. His employee identification was missing. We believe the intruders took the badge and used it to forge one. All of us assumed the temporary receptionist yesterday had security clearance. She didn't."
Dustin's stomach knotted. “You mean someone without clearance made it past our security?"
Grady looked Dustin in the eyes. “Yes. The security cameras caught her bringing the bomb in yesterday morning. She placed it on her desk. She was carrying it to the back room when she dropped it. It was made to detonate when the box was opened. Apparently, it ripped when it hit the ground."
Dominik's voice was rough when he spoke. “If she'd have gotten all the way into the office area, most likely more people would have died."
"Yeah,” Grady replied. “Thank God she didn't, or the loss would have been much worse."
The three men fell silent, and Dustin was sure Dominik was as shocked to hear Simon was dead as Dustin was. They'd lost five co-workers in less than twenty-four hours. He wanted to drink until he couldn't remember anything and stay that way for a month, but there wasn't time.
Grady cleared his throat. “Finch called this morning before you arrived with an update
. The bomb scene investigators found the part of the packaging that held the device intact."
Dominik looked up from the page he was studying. “Please tell me it produced a lead."
Grady's face showed no emotion. “The package was addressed to Dustin."
Dustin pushed down the feelings that threatened to paralyze him. This wasn't the first time he'd been targeted by a low-life, and odds were it wouldn't be the last. He could deal with it. As long as Lexi came out unscathed, he didn't give a damn what happened to him. His stomach clenched, and his pulse sped up ever so slightly. He knew, without looking, she was behind him.
Turning, he saw her watching him with eyes that had seen way too much horror for one person. Until now, he had been capable of blocking a victim's pain and detaching himself from the personal aspect of the crime, but all the self-defense mechanisms he normally used crumbled in this woman's presence. God help him, but he was certain if anything happened to her, he would lose his sanity. She hadn't moved, and he worried about what was going through her mind.
Dustin held out his hand. “Lexi, come have a seat. We'll get something to eat."
Lexi blinked, took a deep breath, and turned to Grady. “If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to request Mr. Hodge as my bodyguard."
Her heart hammered so hard inside her chest, she was sure it was about to free itself. She could feel Dustin's gaze boring into her and forced her eyes to stay away from him. If she were the fainting type, she would have embarrassed herself when she heard the bomb was meant for him, but she wasn't. Instead, she did what she'd learned to do so well over the years—run.
There was no way she would escape from any of these three men, but she could put some distance between herself and Dustin. In just two days, this group of people had breached her emotional barriers unlike anyone in the last fifteen years. She needed someplace where she could regroup, and Dominik appeared to be the most level-headed one in the group.
"Why?” Grady asked as he studied her.
Lexi was positive Grady would protect her to his dying breath, but he also adored his wife. Oh, they were both extremely professional, but only a blind person could fail to see the looks they exchanged when they thought no one was paying attention. Or the way they held hands under the table, comforting each other as Lexi told her story. She couldn't bring herself to do anything that might endanger either of them.
"If Mr. Martinez is being targeted by the Reverend, then he needs to concentrate on his own protection. Therefore, he can't totally focus on mine."
Dominik pinned her with his bottomless black eyes. “If it were anyone other than Dustin, I'd say you had a valid reason for your concern. But Dustin happens to be the best in the business at keeping a witness alive. You would be in more danger if one of us took over."
Lexi looked over at Dustin, and he winked at her. She wanted to scream and stamp her feet. Instead, she ground her teeth and clenched her fists. “Well, guess I'm fortunate."
Dustin pulled out the chair next to him. “Come, have a seat. We need you to look at some pictures and see if you recognize any of these people."
She took the seat next to him. How he could be so cool about all of this? Her insides couldn't be any jumpier if an earthquake hit. Leaning over, she studied the picture Dustin placed in front of her as the three men talked and the other two women came back into the room.
"The woman in this picture is Nancy Cambridge. She's about five years younger than me. Nancy was at Reverend Fairchild's school the same time I was. She was one of the few students there who would talk to me. Why do you have her picture?"
Dustin reached over and put his fingers on the picture next to hers. He was so close, she could feel his body heat and smell the spicy scent that was all his. His closeness comforted her, but his next words chilled her to the bone. “She's the one who carried the bomb into the office yesterday."
Lexi's head swam, and for one terrifying moment, she thought she would pass out. But then anger took over, because no matter how horrible Nancy's act had been, the blame lay squarely in Reverend Fairchild's lap. “What can I do to help stop this monster?"
Dustin reached out and took her hand in his. This time when she looked into his eyes, there wasn't even a small glimpse of the carefree man she knew he could be. This side of Dustin Martinez was hard as granite and colder than the North Atlantic waters. He was ready to do business ... deadly business. “I've got a plan, but it's risky."
Lexi wondered what it would be like to have friends who wouldn't turn their backs when the going got rough. Of course, to have friends, one had to be a friend, and she would be the first to admit she wasn't the friendliest person around.
Dustin moved his thumb across the back of her hand in a gentle caress. The touch sent warmth spreading though her body, and it took her a moment to recognize the feeling for what it was—contentment. It was strange to have this feeling now, when her life was anything but orderly and safe, but she didn't care. For the first time in years, she felt hopeful that one day she might have a real life.
She looked back at their hands and marveled at how wonderful it felt to be connected to someone. Dustin started talking, and she focused on his words and what needed to be done, because this connection wasn't going to be short-lived if she had anything to say about it.
* * * *
The sun was low as Lexi paced the floor inside the old warehouse SPD used for training purposes. After Dustin told them his plan for exposing Fairchild, the team spent a few hours refining the details. Now, they were ready to put the plan in motion, but Lexi worried this was all being done too fast. The others seemed to take it in stride, as though it were an everyday event. She, on the other hand, was a bundle of nerves.
Through the window, she watched as a solar-glider pulled up, and Grady stepped out. He walked around the car, opening the door for Miranda, and then the pair strolled toward the warehouse hand in hand.. As the couple entered the building, the PFU activated and out stepped Alora. Three seconds later, Dominik exited the same unit.
Watching the two women approach, Lexi experienced an odd sense of dislocation. If she hadn't known who they were, she'd have thought them carbon copies of herself. After leaving the meeting, she and Dustin had dropped by her store where Lexi spoke with her manager then grabbed some needed items. Now, all three women were dressed in identical, Meteor Design Outdoor Wear and chunky mountain boots. The other two women wore matching wigs and colored contacts to complete their disguises.
All three women had the same basic build and size, with only an inch or two difference in their heights. Under close inspection, neither would pass for Lexi, but from a distance it would be hard to tell the three of them apart. Seeing Alora and Miranda brought home the cold, hard reality of what they were about to attempt, and anxiety settled in Lexi's gut like a meteor rock.
She moved closer to Dustin. “Maybe this isn't such a good idea. What if one of them gets hurt?"
He turned and looked her in the eyes. “This is our job, Lexi. It's what we do."
"How can you take this so lightly?” She winced at her words.
He reached out with one hand and gently ran a thumb over her lips. His eyes darkened, and his breath caught in his lungs at the touch, just as hers did. She knew he was remembering every stroke and kiss they'd shared in the hours before dawn. “Do you really think of me as so shallow?"
Her face heated, because her words were unfair. She'd worked beside him after the bomb blast and knew exactly how deep each injury and death reached inside of him. “No, you aren't superficial. I just don't see how all of you can be nonchalant about this when something so bad has happened."
He captured her chin and tilted her head back so he could study her face. “We're not nearly as unconcerned as we appear. But this is our job, and it's what we've all trained for. The job has also taught all of us to enjoy life, one moment at a time. It's all any of us can do."
The corners of his lips turned up as he leaned closer to her. “I plan on packi
ng a lifetime of living into the time we have together, and right now, I think we'd both enjoy this."
His lips brushed across hers so softly, she might have thought it never happened if it weren't for her racing pulse and the way her toes curled in her climbing boots. When she looked back at him, there was a distinctively devilish gleam in his eye. “I'm warning you, I plan on enjoying many more of these moments."
He pulled away and turned as the others reached them. Lexi couldn't help but notice the speculative looks in their eyes. “I'm glad the clothes I picked fit you."
The other two women commented on the outfits briefly before Dustin took over the conversation. “You've all memorized the information I gave you?"
Grady held out his hand, and all five of them placed the pieces of papers containing the information in his palm. The next second, the slips of paper burst into flames. Grady had told them they were not to store this data in their communicators or to leave it written down where someone could find it.
When the paper was nothing but ashes, Dustin started to speak. “Each couple needs to remember who goes first. That person will need to enter the activation code for the next location. I've hacked into each of the PFU's and embedded the needed program into them. Once the flash starts, there's only a total of five seconds for a two person trip, so you'll have to move fast. If something happens to one of you...” Dustin paused as if the thought hurt deeply, “...then you'll need to use the secondary code."
"What's the secondary code for?” Dominik asked from where he stood next to Alora.
"The secondary code will automatically reroute you to the closest SPD office."
Alora raised one eyebrow. “So, the second code is only if we are injured."
"Or if you are being followed and need a safe place to pop into, so make sure you use the correct code. We'll regroup tomorrow at our final destination. Hopefully, all the different sightings of Lexi will confuse the Reverend and his followers,” Dustin continued as he studied the group. “Everybody armed?"
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