Chapter 16
TREV
“Iknow it doesn’t make sense, but there has to be something to it,” Trev shared as he slowly paced his office, phone glued to his ear. He was trying to unravel the mystery of the message he’d received a few days ago.
“Are you sure someone isn’t just fucking with you?” Kes asked.
Trev shook his head even though Kes couldn’t see him. “No, my gut tells me there is something to this. It’s the same anonymous number and voice as the one that told me to go to the police station to begin with.”
“Okay fine, but what the hell does it mean?”
The desert dog leaves no tracks, only red sand behind him.
Vultures circle wide, looking for their prey, but will soon be closing in to pick the flesh off the bones.
When the sun falls, the trail dies with the light.
Seek the dog, or what it chases will be gone like a flash of purple fading into the dark.
“Well, if I knew, then I wouldn’t need to ask you now, would I?” Trev’s annoyance bled into his tone.
“You’re in a right mood,” Kes grumbled.
Trev walked over to the window of the corner office and stared out at the city.
“I’m sorry, it is highly unusual for me not to be able to piece clues together. I feel like I should know this, and it shouldn’t be this hard to figure out. I’m losing my touch.”
Trev looked over his shoulder as the door opened, and his lip twitched as Cody walked in. He’d had a late business dinner with a new client and was holding a takeout container in his hand. He pointed to it and mouthed that it was for Trev.
“No, I think you’re just over complicating it. If it is from an ally, then they most likely know our past. Who does that fit?” Kes asked.
Trev’s eyebrow rose with irritation. “I doubt the message is about an actual dog. The sands seem to point to our time overseas.”
Trev straightened, his mind traveling back in time to when they’d all been trapped and on the run in the desert. They were being hunted, but there was only one person that even had a nickname close to dog.
“Could it be Wolf?”
“It says dog.”
“No, I mean Wolf, like our Wolf.” Trev marched over to his desk where Cody was now standing and watching him. He pushed a couple papers out of the way and pulled out the code that he’d printed off.
“It’s possible but what about the rest?”
“Okay let’s think about this. The desert dog leaves no tracks. It’s a play on words. Tracks for tracker, dog meaning wolf, but also could mean Jimmy’s dog that Wolf carried on his shoulders. What was his name…Duke. Either way I think it is pointing to Wolf.”
“If that’s the case, then red sands behind him…that would be all of us, and the death that was in our wake. So, meaning the team maybe?” Kes queried.
Trev hit speaker and placed the phone down.
“Cody is here so I’ve got you on speaker phone. Again, assuming we are on the right path then vultures would be enemies, they were always circling us, waiting for our deaths. We continuously threw sand and stones at them to keep them away.”
“What if this one is literal, like enemies are actually circling him? Either they haven’t found him yet and are closing in, or they are waiting for something before they attack.
The part that worries me is the picking flesh from bone.
To me that sounds like it is not just a search it is a kill mission,” Kes ventured.
“Yes, it sounds that way to me too.” Trev scribbled the ideas down on the paper, separating out each line.
Cody wandered over, suit jacket and tie off, shirt unbuttoned to show off a V of skin, and his cuffs rolled up. Trev took a moment to appreciate the sexy man he was lucky to call his.
“I’d say that, when the sun falls, the trail dies with the light, is very matter of fact,” Cody offered and gave a shrug.
“If he’s a tracker then when darkness falls, you’ll lose the trail, or it could be that you’ll lose the opportunity to find him if you don’t act fast. It really could have a double meaning, but both mean act fast.”
Trev smiled at Cody.
“That’s good, so that just leaves the purple fading into the dark. Any suggestions?” Trev looked at Cody who was deep in thought. He could almost hear Kes thinking on the other end of the line.
“No idea about the purple. I can’t think of anything from back then that would fit other than a purple heart or maybe a great sunset…not sure,” Kes offered. Unfortunately, neither of those seemed accurate.
“We’ll keep thinking on that one, but one thing is clear. Assuming we’re not being led on a wild chase, whoever this is is trying to tell us that Wolf is hunting someone, while someone else is hunting him, and they are closing in fast. Time is of the essence.”
Cody nodded. “Yeah, I’d say that is correct. Fucking weird. Who the hell is this?”
“I can only think of two people that aren’t dead…
Dean and Morry.” Trev walked over to his desk and pulled out the Righteous phone.
“The only issue is that they both have my number and neither has called, and they certainly wouldn’t tell me like this.
I don’t understand, but I’m going to try calling Wolf. ”
“Keep me posted.”
Kes hung up and Trev rolled his eyes. There were some things you just couldn’t teach an old dog, and apparently politeness was that for Kes.
Trev tossed his cell down and quickly dialed Wolf’s number, but it beeped like it was out of service. He looked up at Cody, worry setting in. He tried again and nothing. He tried Dean and got the same response. Morry’s rang but went to voicemail.
“Is the entire team in trouble?”
“I don’t know, and after all the weird glitches and blocking of information…I won’t dare contact the Righteous,” Trev said, his heart heavy.
“You really think they’re compromised?” Cody asked as stepped around Trev’s desk to stand in front of him.
“I do. I think there is something wrong within the org. and we could all be in danger. Maybe old enemies from jobs we’ve done, or the government cleaning house, not wanting to take the chance that we are out in the world.
It’s happened before. I just don’t understand what any of this has to do with drugs, or the cartel, or how Morrison knew so much about us. I don’t like it.”
Cody reached out and grabbed Trev’s hands, thumbs rubbing over his skin. “You’re going to have a heart attack with all the stress you put yourself under.” With a little tug, Trev moved between Cody’s legs, giving Cody a smirk.
“Is that so?”
“It is and that can’t happen. I refuse to lose you, so I think what you need is to relax,” Cody informed, voice dropping suggestively.
Trev’s cock stirred. “And you’re planning on helping me?”
“I’m not planning, I’m going to.” Cody pushed himself up off the desk, their bodies brushing as they stood chest to chest.
Trev’s smirk died on his lips the second Cody dragged him in for a bruising kiss. It was deep and claiming, tongues clashing, teeth scraping. The kind of kiss that shoved everything else…the codes, the war, the ghosts…out of his mind and replaced it with just Cody.
“Bossy bastard,” Trev muttered against Cody’s mouth, as he gripped Cody’s ass to pull him closer.
“You fucking love it,” Cody growled back, grinding their hips together until Trev hissed. “I think it’s time we broke in this new office.”
Cody guided Trev back until his legs hit the edge of the couch. Cody’s hands were everywhere. Skimming up his sides, tugging his shirt free, pinching his nipple hard enough to make Trev gasp. Normally, he liked to be in charge, but tonight Trev was happy to let Cody take the lead.
“Fuck,” Trev snarled, but the sound broke into a groan when Cody bit down on the side of his neck, sucking until he knew a bruise would bloom there. Marking him.
Asshole.
But Trev didn’t push Cody away and instead held him tighter. If he had to wear concealer for a few days, so be it.
Cody leaned back just enough to pull Trev’s tie loose, and then took the time to unbutton his shirt one agonizing little piece of plastic at a time.
Trev appreciated the care he took with everything.
Cody was the most thoughtful person he’d ever met and was always thinking about everyone else before himself.
It was only one of the things Trev loved most about Cody.
“So, you want to be in control,” Trev teased, breathless as the shirt was pushed off his shoulders and fell onto the couch. The way Cody paused to move the shirt to the coffee table so it wouldn’t wrinkle made Trev smirk.
Trev had always been meticulous to the point of annoying, but Cody didn’t see him that way which made his chest warm.
“Always,” Cody shot back. Undoing Trev’s belt and pants, Cody pushed them and Trev’s boxers down over his ass. They pooled on the floor and before Trev could step out of them, Cody shoved him back on the couch.
He sat there, cock hard, staring up at Cody, who was happily smirking down at him. “I really do love it when you let me have all the control.”
“I bet you do,” Trev laughed, as Cody grabbed the pants from the floor and laid them with the shirt.
Trev sucked in a deep, shuddering breath as Cody got on his knees in front of him.
Fuck, he was sexy.
Cody’s silvery eyes locked with Trev’s, all heat and demanding. Cody’s hot mouth closed around him, taking him deep, tongue pressing hard along the underside of his shaft. Trev’s hand gripped the back of Cody’s neck.
“Christ, you’re too good at that,” Trev groaned, head tipping back to rest on the couch.
His body was taut, strung like wire. Cody had the ability to unravel Trev with every touch. The drag of his tongue, every scrape of teeth, and tease pushed him higher. He’d been tense for days, and now the stress was fading away with each curse and groan that filled the office.
Cody pulled off, lips wet. “Relax, Trev. Let go for once.”
“Not a chance,” Trev panted, grabbing him by the shoulders and hauling him up off the floor, the two of them collapsing on the couch like a pair of rabid animals.
His hands roamed all over Cody’s hard body, annoyed that he was still clothed.
Their mouths crashed together, their tongues battling for control.
Rolling Cody over, Trev unbuttoned Cody’s shirt and feasted on the muscled chest that flexed under his touch. Kissing his chest, he teased every square inch and could feel the need building.
“You just can’t help taking control,” Cody groaned as Trev undid his belt.
He smirked. “True, I might have an issue.”
Cody chuckled as he lifted his ass so that Trev could get him out his pants.
“Might?”
“Fine I do, but you unequivocally love it.” Trev ran his hand up Cody’s hard shaft, squeezing enough to drag a low, guttural sound out of him.
“Cocky bastard,” Cody gasped.
“Always but…” Trev whispered, leaning in close, his lips brushed against Cody’s ear. “I’m your cocky bastard.”
Cody cursed, his body shuddering as Trev’s grip tightened, pace quickening. Cody craved the feel of him, his body lighting up whenever Trev was around. “Fuck, yes.”
Trev waited until Cody was panting heavily and knew he was getting close. Letting go of Cody, Trev pointed and didn’t have to say a word. Cody pulled off his shirt, tossed it aside, and got on his knees on the couch.
Trev marched over to his desk and grabbed the lube he kept hidden and walked back, twisting off the cap.
“You’re going to ruin your new leather couch if we keep this up,” Cody said.
Trev smiled, coating himself and Cody’s ass. “I’ll buy a new couch everyday if I need to.”
“Big spender,” Cody chimed, making Trev laugh. He was known for his more eclectic and very expensive tastes.
“For you…I’d buy the world if I need to.” Trev teased the tip of his cock over Cody’s ass.
“You know that all I want is you,” Cody whispered, looking over his shoulder.
Trev captured his mouth as he started to push into his tight ass and loved how Cody’s entire body shuddered. Trev ate every sound Cody made until his cock was fully seated inside and they were both panting.
“I know…which is why I would do anything for you.” Trev began to move in and out, sighing at the tight, hot sensation wrapped around his shaft.
“I’d buy you anything. Kill anyone that hurt you.
Cut off the hands of anyone that thought they could take what is mine.
And I’ll love you unconditionally, today—tomorrow—forever,” he growled in Cody’s ear.
He could feel Cody’s pulse thumping under his fingertips and how it picked up the faster he thrust.
“Oh fuck…you’re going to make me come,” Cody groaned.
“Stroke yourself, come for me.”
Trev tightened his hold on Cody’s neck and bowed his body back just enough that he could fuck him and watch Cody’s hand work on his own cock. His ass flexed, body going ridged.
“Oh God…yes right there…fuck,” Cody growled through clenched teeth, his body spasming as he came.
Trev let go of his tightly wound control and fucked his ass hard, their bodies slapping together, sweat running down his back.
“Ahh,” with a roar Trev came. With each thrust, he claimed the man he loved again, unable to imagine life without him.
They collapsed on the couch, Trev still firmly lodged in Cody’s ass, as he held him tight.
Trev could hear the smirk in Cody’s rough voice. “Better?”
Trev let out a shaky laugh, still riding the aftershocks. “I’ll let you know once I’ve had you again.”
Cody chuckled. “I love you. I can’t wait to marry you.”
Trev kissed the side of his neck and closed his eyes. “I love you too. But you’re still not getting me to agree to anything pink for the wedding.”
He could feel Cody smile. “We’ll see.”