21.
A JAX
“If you needed me to cull your herd of goons and assholes, you should have just given me a call, Greg.”
“Agent Jacobs! It’s been a while.”
“The purse strings just snapped closed, so unless you want me to find you and kill you, I suggest you end the job now.”
“You know I can’t do that.”
“Your client just accepted a deal from the federal prosecutor and surrendered all of his assets, including the ones he thought he was hiding in the Caymans. He will die of old age in Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary.”
There were a few seconds of silence before Greg asked, “Why so specific?”
“Because I still have people at Leavenworth and I asked them to be specific.”
“I was paid to do a job and even though the situation has changed, it’s still the point of the matter. I’ve got a reputation to uphold, and that reputation was made by getting the job done. You know that, Eric.”
“That’s true. Death is usually the end result of a contract, at least the ones you take.”
“Sadly, yes.”
“Why aren’t your dogs making a fuss?”
“What?”
“Your dogs. You still have ‘em, right? Shouldn’t they be barking right now?”
“ What the fuck have you done, Ajax?” Greg hissed.
“I’m sure you remember my good buddy Lurk, asshole. Don’t worry. He’s got a way with animals and will take care of yours after he kills you.”
“You motherfucker.”
“Tag, Greg. You’re it!”
In the background, I heard my friend laughing. I smiled when the call ended because I knew that meant there was one more asshole out there trying to breathe through a new hole in his throat, which was Lurk’s favorite way to get rid of them, especially when he had a grudge. Lurk had been gunning for Greg, a man who had made his life a living hell while he was in the prison system and then mine after I got out and started working.
I wondered how effective Lurk would be on my upcoming jobs since he was currently taking a trophy from the ultimate prey and his heart probably wouldn’t be in any more hunts. I shrugged that thought off and was happy to think that meant my old friend might settle down in the mountains, far away from the civilization that didn’t understand him and that he hated so much, to find happiness like I’d found with my Sandi.
Sandi was probably going to kill me the second we laid eyes on each other, which meant I’d have to tread carefully for a while until I got back into her good graces.
I couldn’t wait for that challenge and planned to tackle it the second I could get out of this shithole town and away from the dregs of society that the rest of the world called politicians and lawmakers.
“Are you good to take her to her children and help them get settled somewhere safe?”
My friend smiled at me and nodded before he said, “It’s going to be an adventure, I’m sure.”
“I’m loving the one I’m on, and if you stick to it, I’m sure you’ll feel the same way at some point.”
“I guess we’ll see,” he said before he looked over at the truck where Abigail was patiently waiting. “I’m gonna take some time off.”
“Sounds good. I think I will too.”
“Sure. That’s what you always say.”
“Yeah, but this time I’ll need a little extra time to recover once Sandi gets her hands on me.”
“The best intentions will get your ass kicked. If I haven’t learned anything else from this fiasco, it’s that.” As he walked off with a smile, he called out, “Ride safe, and take care of my bike until I can make it over to pick it up.”
“Of course,” I said as I walked toward the motorcycle I’d be riding for the next few days, only stopping when I couldn’t stay awake since I didn’t want to go another day without Sandi by my side, most likely yelling at me, but I’d become accustomed to that.
I knew that when the yelling stopped, the loving would start, though. That was all that kept me going.
◆◆◆
SANDI
“Fuck! I hate that we’re too busy to catch up,” Cheryl said as she picked up her tablet and glanced at the board to see which patient was up next. “I really want to get the scoop on what happened this weekend.”
“Not a damn thing. The last time I talked to Ajax was on Friday morning right before I came in. It goes straight to voicemail when I call him now.”
“Do you think something happened to him?” Cheryl asked in concern.
“Roux said that he probably had to go back to his volcano and recharge, whatever the fuck that means, but he did say that he was fit and healthy, which is good. That will make it much more rewarding when I fucking kill him.”
“He hasn’t called you in three days?”
“Not even a text.”
“That’s not good,” Cheryl mumbled. “I’m on evenings all week, so I probably won’t be able to catch up with you until I’m back on days.”
“Text me, and we’ll get together this weekend.”
“Can’t do it. My sweetheart booked a surprise Valentine’s staycation, and I’ll be having a spa treatment at The Four Seasons.”
“And he will be handsomely rewarded, I’m sure.”
“That reward started in the shower before he left for work this morning.”
“Atta girl.”
“I’ve gotta go. The patient in 14 has been giving you fits?”
“For the last two hours. Margaret doesn’t seem to understand that her lack of planning does not constitute an emergency on our part, so you have fun with that.”
“I can’t believe that the first thing I have to look at today is a half-waxed vag.”
“It’s not half-waxed. It’s glued together.”
“Fuck!” Cheryl hissed as she walked away. Over her shoulder, she ordered, “Go home and relax while you plan his imminent and painful demise.”
“That’s my plan!”
“Hey, Sandi,” I heard someone call out from the hallway. I peeked around the corner and was surprised to find one of the doctors standing there with a tablet in hand. I started toward him as he looked up and said, “I know you’re supposed to be leaving, but I’ve got a patient I could really use your help on.”
I glanced at the room he was standing next to and thought back to the board I’d just been working to organize. I was positive that this room should be empty and worried that a patient had somehow fallen through the cracks, so I said, “Of course. What can I do?”
“He’s probably the most obstinate patient I have ever encountered, but I’m sure you’ll find a way to get him to comply.”
I managed to hold back a groan and gave the doctor a tight smile before I held my hand out for the clipboard and said, “I’ll see what I can do.”
“Thanks. You’re the best. I noticed that they changed the schedule and you’re off until next Monday?”
I looked at him in alarm and shook my head. “I shouldn’t be.”
He winked at me as he put his hand on my shoulder and nudged me toward the exam room. “But you are.”
I decided to conquer that problem in a few minutes because it had to be a mistake. I hadn’t asked for any time off and still had three days left in my work week before I started my three-day weekend. I tapped on the screen of the tablet to get it to wake up so I could figure out what was going on as I pushed the door open to the exam room.
When I heard the clink of metal on metal, my head jerked up in surprise and I gasped when I saw who was in the bed.
“What are you doing here?” I asked as I rushed across the room. “What’s wrong? How are you hurt?” I did a quick visual scan of Ajax’s body and didn’t see any blood, but that didn’t really mean anything. I looked back to his face and asked again, “What’s wrong?”
Ajax lifted his hand until the cuff around his wrist stopped his movement and smiled at me before he said, “I thought you might enjoy having me in a position where I can’t get away while you torture me.”
“You’re home,” I whispered, forgetting my anger at him for not keeping me in the loop and going radio silent for the last few days. I leaned over and gave him a long kiss and then took a deep breath to take in the scent of the man that I’d missed for over a week now. He smelled like sunshine and wind, leather and man . . . combinations that I would always associate with him. When I lifted my head and stared into his eyes, I asked, “When did you get back?”
“About ten minutes before you walked through the door,” Ajax answered. He smiled before he said, “I thought about going home to wait for you, but I couldn’t make myself do that. I didn’t want another minute to go by without seeing you again.”
“You’re really working it, aren’t you?”
“I’ve learned a few things since the first time you cuffed me to the bed and tortured me.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah. You do better when I’m nice and sweet, and if I can manage to get my lips on you for a second, sometimes you even forget why you’re mad at me.”
“Oh, really?”
Ajax tilted his head at my question, but he continued, “I’m hoping that you’ll be sweet enough to dig the key to these things out of my pocket and uncuff me so I can give you a ride on my motorcycle and then take you home to give you an entirely different kind of ride.”
“Oh, really?”
Ajax laughed softly before he asked, “Is the record stuck? Why do you keep saying that?”
“I’ve been listening to a podcast to help me control my anger.”
“And?”
“And it’s taught me to say ‘oh, really?’ when what I really want to say is ‘fuck off!’”
Ajax burst out laughing and pulled me closer until I was laying on top of him, which was quite a feat considering he only had the use of one arm. “God, I’ve missed you, Ratched.”
“I missed you a little bit. Sometimes.”
“A little birdy told me that you’ve got a week off. I was wondering how you’d feel about spending a while on the back of my motorcycle.”
“How did that happen, and how do you know Doctor Martinique?”
“I did some work for him a few years ago when his sister had a problem with an ex who got too attached.”
“Oh. So you’ve had him watching me too?”
“I have.”
“And that’s how I got a week off?” I asked.
“It is. Wanna take a ride to Texas with me?”
“You know I love to ride with you.”
“Do you think you’d like to ride all the way to Rojo and spend a few days there before we ride home?”
I smiled at him before I asked, “Do you want to go to Rojo?”
“We were invited to dinner with my brother, and a couple of my friends' kids are having a huge blowout party for their birthdays and to celebrate their engagement. I thought you might enjoy that, and it would give you some time to catch up with the friends you made while you were working there.”
“You really do know how to tame the beast, don’t you?”
“I’m learning more and more every day I’m with you.”
“Take me to Rojo, Ajax. I need to spend some time with Jewel so I can siphon some of her sarcasm and get myself back in the right headspace to deal with you.”
“First thing I’m going to do is take you home and make love to you like I’ve been dreaming about for the last week, then spoon you and get a good night’s sleep before we get on the road in the morning.”
I pinched the back of Ajax’s hand when he refused to let me go and was finally able to get off of him and stand beside the bed. I reached into his pocket and fished out the handcuff key, making sure to rub against his already-hard cock in the process, and then took a step away and smiled down at him.
“You think I’m an easy mark now that you’ve realized I enjoy a good foot rub and a few orgasms, don’t you?”
“Ain’t nothing about living with you that’s easy, Attila. That’s for damn sure. You always keep me on my toes.”
“Good. Then what I’m about to do won’t shock you,” I said as I spun around and started for the door.
“Hey!Uncuff me!”
“No.”