Chapter 29
Trouble Brewing
Carter
When I woke up, I found myself in heaven. The bed was warm and comfy, and the air coming through the open window was crisp and fresh. I could hear the birds singing outside, louder than the sounds of traffic. And there was a firm, muscular chest under my cheek instead of a pillow. The massive body next to me stretched, making me smile before I heard a low and sleepy, “Good morning.”
I raised my head, only to find the baby blue eyes watching me.
“Good morning,” I said, as the memories of last night flashed through my mind. I hoped I wasn’t blushing like a teenager, because what I could remember was pretty hot.
“Are you okay?” Tye asked me, studying my face as if he was searching for hidden clues.
I nodded, despite the sweet pain that I could feel in every inch of my body, including my toes, probably because I spent too much time on my knees last night. “Yeah. You?”
“I’m great,” he replied, running his fingers down my arm. “In fact, I can’t believe last night really happened.”
When I felt him harden against me, I had to smile, because he was clearly thinking about the same things as I. I was also aware of my rapidly growing erection, but more than that, of my sore behind.
“Don’t get any ideas, Mister,” I said sternly. “My ass hurts.”
He chuckled. “Yeah, I gave it to you good, didn't I?”
His dick did a number on me last night, but I loved every second of it.
“By the way,” he said, looking at me behind his lashes. “Do you still love me? Or was that part only a dream?”
“Yes, I still love you. No, it wasn’t a dream.”
He caressed my cheek. “I love you, too. You have no idea how much.”
“I’m glad you didn’t give up on me,” I said honestly. “Thank you for that. Thank you for waiting for me.”
“No, thank you, baby,” he said, kissing my lips. “I will be the best boyfriend you’ll ever have, because you won’t have another one.”
I burst out laughing. “Possessive much?”
“You have no idea. By the way, are we going to tell the others? About us, I mean.”
When my phone rang, I rolled my eyes. “Now what?”
“Fuck. Don’t answer.”
“I have to. It’s Shelly.”
I reached for my phone, glaring at Tye when he bit my ass. He merely grinned and winked at me.
“What’s up, Shel?” I answered, slapping Tye’s hand away when he reached for my dick.
“It’s Bruce,” she replied, sobbing. “He… he had a heart attack.”
I dragged my hand down my face. “Shit.”
Tye shifted closer to me, reading my expression. He caressed my back as I tried to get more information from Shelly, who sounded incoherent. After I hung up and gave him the rundown of what had happened, we quickly dressed and headed to the hospital. When we got there, we found the others in the waiting room, and they all looked shaken up.
“Chief Bibb just left,” Shelly said through tears as I hugged her. “He talked to the doctor who admitted Bruce.”
“What did the doctor say?”
She shrugged, sniffling. “It’s too early to tell. His odds are not bad, but they’re not good either.”
“What happened?” Tye asked her, glancing at me with a worried look on his face.
“He collapsed in the station,” Shelly replied, pulling out of my arms and wiping away her tears. “I was the only one there, so when he fell to the floor, all red in the face, I called the ambulance. I did everything I could to help him, but… I don’t know if it’s enough.”
I wiped away fresh tears as I tried to comfort her. “There’s nothing more you could have done, Shel. Bruce will be alright. He’s a tough guy.”
“Where the hell have you two been?” Jordan said, sniffling. “We have been trying to reach you, but neither of you picked up.”
Tye and I looked at each other as Adam snickered, having a field day.
“They have been shagging,” he said, rolling his eyes. “How dumb are you, weirdo?”
Tye pulled Shelly into his arms, ignoring his comment. I could feel my ears burn, but I ignored him, too.
The rest of the day was equally shitty, to little or no surprise. We sat in the crowded waiting room, waiting for the news on Bruce for what seemed like forever. Shelly was staring at the wall while Adam and Jordan bickered over nothing. Then the doctor appeared and gave us a rundown of what had happened, which could be summarized as, “He should be fine. You can see him tomorrow.” After that, we went to the station in the foulest of moods.
It was late in the evening, and I was catching up on paperwork when my phone rang. I picked it up, sighing when I saw an unknown number.
Now what?
“Yes?” I answered, only to hear a voice that sounded faintly familiar.
“Hey. It’s me.”
“Who is me?”
“Luz.”
As soon as I looked at Tye, he stood up and reached for his gun, reading my expression.
“How did you get my phone number?”
“I called the big guy, but he wasn’t picking up. Then I called the station and told them I was your brother and that our dad died.”
“I don’t have a brother.”
“I charmed the guy who answered the phone. Erm… I’m also in trouble.”
“Where are you?” I said, heading toward the exit.
“At the corner of Mayflower and 9th. I think I’m being followed.”
“Okay. Make a circle around the block and try to lose them. I will call you in ten minutes.”
I was passing by Jordan’s desk when he waved at me.
“Hey, Carter! My condolences, by the way. I just heard.”
I stifled a groan and waved back, deciding it would be better to drop it than explain it.
“Condolences?” Tye said, opening the door for me.
“Don’t ask.”
Fifteen minutes later we reached Mayflower Street, and Tye left the car while I called Luz.
“Are you still being followed?”
“I don’t think so, but I’m not sure.”
“Okay. Meet me in Rosemary Park in half an hour. Take the longer route behind the market and then turn left.”
“‘Kay.”
I was standing in the shadow of a large oak in Rosemary Park when I saw Luz hurrying toward me. He was dressed in jeans and a wrinkled shirt that looked as if he had slept in it. His wavy blonde hair was tangled, and he was ghastly pale.
“Whassup?” he said when he reached me, sounding more at ease than his restless eyes suggested.
I looked over his shoulder only to see Tye walking up to us.
“No one’s tailing him,” Tye said, pointing his chin at the bar across the street. “Let’s talk over there.”
Once we settled in the booth and ordered coffee, Luz shared the news with us.
“I think I’m being followed.”
“Since when?” Tye asked him.
“For a while now. At first, it felt as if someone was watching me, but I thought it was just my imagination. Then I thought I heard footsteps behind me a few times when I was going back home from the club. But I was never alone, so I guess the psycho killer didn’t have a chance to attack me.”
“You think it’s the guy who killed Sophie?” I said, scribbling into my notepad.
“No shit, handsome. And then the other night, I was in my bathroom when I heard the knob turning in my front door. I almost got a heart attack. Luckily for me, some kids broke into the grocery store across the street, so the cops showed up, and the guy left. But if it weren’t for that, I would probably be dead.”
“Did the intruder say anything? Or leave anything behind?” I asked him.
“Not that I noticed, although I didn’t stick around to investigate. I’ve slept at my friend’s place, and I never returned home.”
“I’ll tell John Smith to dust the front door,” Tye said, pulling out his phone. “Although I doubt that we’ll find anything.”
I nodded in agreement.
“Look, I’m scared to death, okay?” Luz said, looking around nervously. “Do something. Protect me. That’s what you guys do, isn’t it? Or should I just take a cab, go home, and wait for someone to bludgeon me to death?”
His words made me think.
“You said that Sophie took the cab before you parted ways. But you couldn’t remember the plates or the car model, right?”
“That’s right. I went to Nirvana on foot while she took the cab. I helped her get inside because she was tipsy.”
I frowned, going through my notes.
“You didn’t say that last time. You said she took the cab, but not that you helped her inside.”
“So? What does it matter?”
“Did the driver say anything?”
“No. Actually, yes. He asked if she was off the clock.”
Tye’s eyes swiftly moved and found mine.
“He thought Sophie was a sex worker,” he said, confirming my suspicions.
Luz frowned. “Wait… Do you think that cabbie killed her?”
“What did he look like?”
He rubbed his forehead with a frown. “I can’t remember… I think he was bald. Slim. Pretty, but his eyes seemed creepy. But nothing more than that, sorry.”
“That’s why Sophie’s crime scene felt different,” I mused. “Because the killer came to her apartment and realized she wasn’t a sex worker, unlike the other victims. And it made him angry.”
“And now he’s cleaning up his tracks,” Tye said, pointing his chin at Luz.
I nodded. “Mad equals sloppy.”
“And mad people make mistakes.”
I looked at Luz. “Do you have a place where you can stay? Somewhere safe?”
“No,” he scoffed. “Where the fuck would that be?”
“Okay. We’ll arrange a safe house for you tomorrow. But tonight, I’m not letting you out of my sight.”
Thorsen
“You can sleep in the spare bedroom,” Carter said as Luz followed him into the living room. “The kitchen is over there, and the bathroom is at the end of the hall. Across from it is my bedroom, but I hope I won’t see your face until tomorrow morning. Then we’ll figure out what to do.”
“Okay,” Luz said, looking out the window. “Thanks, by the way. I know you don’t do this for every eyewitness in trouble.”
“No, you’re his first stray,” I said with a smirk, pouring myself a glass of water.
Luz rolled his eyes. “Chill, big guy. I can read between the lines. Incidentally…”
He turned to look at us, his eyes narrowing suspiciously.
“Something happened here,” he said, pointing his finger at the space between me and Carter. “You two are not as worked up as the last time I saw you, which means someone got dicked. I’m just not sure who got dicked and who did the dicking. Hmm… that’s strange. I can usually tell.”
“Can you tell when it's a good time for you to shut up?” Carter asked him, cocking his eyebrows.
Luz grinned. “More often than not, pretty boy. But if I don’t do as you say, will you punish me? Handcuff me, perhaps? Shut my mouth with your—?”
I headed toward him, clenching my fists, when Carter stood in my way.
“No, Tye. He’s provoking you on purpose. Come on.”
Only his hands on my hips prevented me from throwing that little shit out the window.
“Look at him the wrong way and I will make you regret it,” I said through my teeth, pointing my finger at Luz. “You will wish you took shelter with the killer instead of with us.”
“Oh, it’s us now?” Luz mused. “Have you checked with your date if you two are on the same page before you start building a white picket fence? Maybe it’s not your first rodeo, but I have a feeling that it’s his.”
I pulled out my gun and pointed it at him when Carter pushed me out of the room.
“Jeez, Tye. Come on. I’m the one they call Trigger. Not you.”
“Hey, I get it,” Luz bellowed. “You have made yourself clear, big guy. He’s yours.”
“Then you’re smarter than I thought,” I shouted as Carter pushed me down the hall and into his bedroom.
“Stop it,” he whispered, closing the door behind us. “You know he’s a mouthy little shit. Don’t let him get to you.”
“I should introduce him to Bazooka. He always knew how to deal with loudmouthed little brats. Zero patience and all that.”
“Hey,” Carter said, touching my jaw to get my attention. “What did I say? Forget about him. Also, if you want to start building a white picket fence, I don’t mind. I know all I need to know.”
I grinned like an idiot. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
“Isn’t it too soon?”
Carter rolled his eyes. “I’m almost forty. Screw it.”
“Let’s just go to my place,” I said with a pout, wrapping my arms around his waist. “We can be alone there. And cuddle. And do some of the naughty stuff.”
“Unfortunately, we can’t leave that troublemaker alone no matter how annoying he is. It doesn’t mean we can’t have fun, though.”
I frowned in confusion when he started to unbutton my shirt.
“Are you sure about that?” I said in a low voice as he slid the shirt off me. “With him around, I mean.”
Carter grinned, biting his lip at the sight of my bare chest. “Yeah. We’ll lock the door. He can drool on the other side.”
“Aren’t you sore?” I asked him, cursing myself for my sensitivity.
“Nope. Just addicted to your dick.”
Jesus Christ.
“We’re going to have to be quiet,” I said, kissing his lips greedily. “Can you be quiet, baby?”
Carter unbuckled my belt and pushed my pants down my hips, along with my boxers. When my dick sprung out, rock-hard, he licked his lips and grinned. “The real question is, can you?”
I had time only to blink before he took my dick into his mouth, gagging.
“Motherfucker,” I hissed, throwing my head back. “Oh, my G-God, fuck!”
I could feel him chuckle even with his mouth full, but him sucking me off wasn’t a survivable scenario for me. I looked down at him, only to see those jungle greens watching me as his mouth moved up and down my length.
“Baby,” I whispered, tangling my fingers in his hair. “What are you doing to me, baby?”
He blinked, swallowing as much of me as possible before the jungle greens found me again. His mouth was hot, ruthless. His throat, heaven. The wet sounds his mouth made drove me insane. When he sucked my nuts into his mouth, I hissed, and my knees buckled. I gritted my teeth, trying to endure it, but those jungle greens were killing me.
“Enough,” I said when I couldn’t take it anymore, pulling him to his feet. “Let’s fuck. Now. Get into some fuckable position before I lose my goddamn mind.”
“Lie down, lover boy,” he said, pushing me down on my back. “I want to ride you.”
Ride me. Right. Fuck.
I reached for the lube and slathered the fluid on my dick with trembling fingers.
“Hurry,” I whispered as he straddled my lap. “Hurry, baby.”
He smiled and reached for the lube, then opened it.
“May I?”
I gulped, watching him as he slowly squirted the gel-like fluid on his fingers and then even more slowly applied it to his crack. Too slow. My eyes narrowed in suspicion as he smiled at me. Was he fucking with me? He slowly pushed his finger into his ass, then he pulled it out and squirted some more lube on his digits. Taking his time.
“You will regret this,” I said through my teeth.
He batted his lashes innocently while pushing two fingers inside him.
“But I have to prep myself for that big dick of yours, baby. How else will I be able to take that bad boy into my ass?”
“Oh, it’s on,” I bit out, gritting my teeth. “Just you wait.”
After a few more moments of torture, he finally reached behind him and brought my dick to his hole. When he sank down, we both cried out, forgetting that we should be silent.
“You’re a big motherfucker,” he gasped, sliding down my dick until he bottomed out with a shout. “Oh, fu-fucking hell.”
I lost the capacity to speak when he started to ride me. His massive, tattooed chest was damp with perspiration, every muscle rippling as he moved up and down. His biceps bulged deliciously as he shifted from position to position. His long, thick dick kept bouncing heavily and hitting his belly, and I couldn’t take my eyes off it.
“Ah, God, look at this,” Carter growled, gripping my pecs and squeezing them with gusto. “I love this!”
“Knock yourself out, baby,” I said, throwing my head back. “I'm yours. All yours.”
I made a mental note to flaunt my chest muscles in front of him as often as possible when he quickened his movements, making the mattress squeak even louder.
“This is fantastic,” he said in an awed whisper. “My God. I could do this forever.”
Forever would probably kill me, but I kept it to myself, feeling brain dead. I just lay there with my hands on his hips and my toes curled, wondering if I would survive this.
“How am I doing, Tye? Am I doing you good?”
God, that foul mouth of his will be the death of me.
I smiled weakly. “You’re killing me, baby. Just killing me.”
When he leaned in to kiss my lips, I whispered, “Get on your knees. Let’s switch it up before I blow too soon.”
He grinned. “Oh? You want to be a cowboy now? Is this the part when you'll really give it to me?”
He was getting cheeky. It was time to punish that.
I flipped him on his back, enjoying his squeal when I caught him by surprise. He barely landed on his back when I flipped him over and pulled him onto his knees, making him gasp. For once I was glad that I was a strong motherfucker.
“A headboard would be a good idea,” I bit out, pushing my dick inside him so hard and fast he almost lost his balance. “Now, this is the part when I’ll really give it to you. Try not to scream.”
When I pulled out and slammed inside him, he gasped and gripped the headboard with both hands. It made his ass stick out so deliciously I all but started to drool.
“Fuck this ass,” I gasped, spitting onto his crack and spreading the saliva around it with my thumb. “Such a beautiful ass.”
I could hear him moan and shout as I fucked him, but my control was gone. There was nothing gentle about it this time—it was just hot, rough, dirty, relentless fucking. I watched his snug hole swallow my shaft before closing my eyes because it was too much. Then I slapped his ass because it was too much.
“Tah-aye!” he shouted as I slapped his ass again, gritting my teeth. And again. And again.
“Yeah, baby,” I groaned, wondering how much longer I could last with him driving me crazy like that. “You take me so fucking good.”
When I heard the door open, I stifled the need to murder someone. Myself primarily, because I forgot to lock it.
“Can I play too?” Luz said huskily, peeking inside through the barely opened door. “It sounds like porno in here.”
“Get the fuck out!” I growled, never stopping my movements. “Now, you little shit!”
His eyes widened. “Wow… look at his dick. It’s huge.”
I threw lube at him, hoping to hit his tented pants, but the bottle hit the door just before he closed it.
I looked at Carter, but he seemed unaware of it, or he just didn’t care.
“Are you coming, baby?” I asked him, reaching for his dick.
He nodded with his eyes closed, whining when I touched him.
“Yeah,” I said, stroking him good and fast. “That’s my obedient boy.”
He garbled out something unintelligible and spilled into my hand. I watched the powerful spurts hitting the sheet and the pillow before pulling out of him abruptly. I came all over his ass and back, watching the hot spurts hitting the inked skin until my balls were empty and aching. Carter moaned with satisfaction before his knees gave out and he collapsed on the bed, with me landing next to him.
When I came down from my high, and it took me a while, I turned toward him and kissed his shoulder. “Thank you, babe.”
“For what?” he murmured, sounding spent.
“For being so perfect.”
“By the way, if you slap my ass again, I will kill you,” he added, making me chuckle.
“Worth it, babe. So worth it.”
After an eternity of kissing and cuddling, I put on my boxers and climbed out of bed.
“I need water. You want some?”
“Mm-mm,” Carter replied, sounding sleepy. “But hurry back.”
“Of course. Don’t fall asleep without me.”
“I won’t.”
“I love you.”
“I love you too.”
When I came to the kitchen and found Luz there, I barely stopped myself from wringing his neck. He was scrolling through his phone, and there was a half-eaten apple on the table in front of him.
“You two should get married,” he said as I opened the fridge, trying to ignore him.
“Why?” I asked him despite my better judgment.
“Because neither of you will ever want anyone else.”
I opened the bottle of water and started to drink greedily.
“How do you know that?” I said when I drank half of it, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand.
“Only someone who is truly committed would refuse this ass,” he replied, slapping his behind.
I chuckled, shaking my head in disbelief. “Sorry, but you’re not my type, Luz.”
“Why? Not brooding enough?”
“Something like that.”
“You’re not my type either,” he countered. “But your partner is, ‘cause I like them troubled and resisting. Maybe I will steal him from you. He’s fucking gorgeous. And hung like a horse.”
“Why am I being objectified?” Carter complained, entering the kitchen before I could hit that little shit in the face. When he came up to me and kissed my lips, I smiled, immediately forgetting about everything except him.
“Because God made you perfect.”
He rolled his eyes. “Oh, shut up.”
“If you have a pal, hook me up with him, handsome,” Luz said, pouting. “But only if he’s an asshole. I want my heart broken.”
“Are you coming to bed?” Carter asked me, ignoring him.
I nodded. “In a moment. Wait for me?”
“Of course.”
“I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
“You two are making me sick,” Luz said, rolling his eyes. “Perhaps I should have taken my chances with the psycho killer. It would have been easier to digest than all this mush.” When his gaze slid down our bodies, he whined. “And you’re both hard again. Fucking hell. Look, just so that you know, if you decide to fuck again, I’m joining you. I’m not made out of stone.”
Oh, we fucked again, alright. A few times. But this time, we locked the door.