Chapter 19
CHAPTER NINETEEN
A ll Val wanted to do was get Saint home, but they couldn’t leave the crime scene.
The owners of the upholstery factory had been notified of the fire when the fire truck arrived, and the crew got to work putting out the fire.
Officers questioned them, taking their statements and confirming details.
They were lucky Mason still had some connections at the police department from his former detective days.
Thankfully, Pete had witnessed everything, and his story matched up with the information the officers had gathered from Saint and the rest of them. The first thing Pete told the police about what the man Adrian had hired to take his family hostage, and the police called it in immediately.
SWAT officers arrived at Pete’s house to find a man holding Pete’s wife and son at gunpoint.
Poor Pete was beside himself, pacing while SWAT tried to de-escalate the situation and get his family out safely.
An hour later, they were informed the gunman was in custody and had confessed to being hired by Adrian Floyde.
Saint refused to press charges against Pete, and the police let Pete go home to his family. While the police wrapped things up, Val stood to one side with Saint, who’d told him everything that happened inside the factory.
“The guys didn’t say it,” Val said quietly, “but I could tell they were worried. When you told Joker to get everyone away from the building, we did, and when we turned around, we realized King was missing.”
“I have no idea how or when he got inside,” Saint said, frown deep. “But he got there just in time. Took Adrian out with one shot.”
Val cocked his head to one side in thought. “Do you think he could have taken Adrian alive?”
Saint met his gaze but didn’t reply, which was answer enough.
As far as the police were concerned, Adrian had taken hostages, and King had the shot, so he took it, saving both Pete and Saint.
Pete confirmed that if King hadn’t taken Adrian down, he would most likely have died in that explosion along with Saint. The kill was justified.
Would King still have taken Adrian out if he hadn’t taken Pete hostage? Guess they would never know.
Several hours later, they were all free to go home, and Val couldn’t be more relieved.
“I can’t believe it’s over,” Val said as he walked with Saint and the others to the parking lot where they’d left their vehicles.
The fire department was still there, but the fire had been put out.
He tried not to think about how Saint had been in there.
Val stopped and turned to face their friends.
“Thank you for everything. I hate to think how all this might have turned out without you all.”
Ace patted Saint’s shoulder, his smile warm. “Of course. You and Saint are family.” He looked at King, who nodded, his expression grim.
“That’s right. And we take care of family,” King said.
Val was grateful and lucky he was considered a part of this nutty yet wonderful family. He could tell Saint was moved by King’s words, and Saint smiled wide when King stretched out a hand. Saint took it, and King pulled him into a fierce embrace, patting his back before letting him go.
“What are you going to tell Leo?” Saint asked quietly. “You know he’s going to want to know.”
King’s lips quirked in the corners. “The truth. You know he won’t accept anything else.”
“And he’s going to be okay with that?” Val asked, concerned. Leo wasn’t a soldier. He had a very different way of looking at things.
“Leo understands difficult choices,” King replied. “He’s had to make some himself. He might not like it, but he’ll understand it. And he’ll be happy that you two are no longer in danger.”
Val couldn’t disagree. They reached the parking lot and parted ways, Saint opting to go with Val in his SUV. They’d pick his truck up tomorrow. Everything felt surreal. Even as he drove them home, Val couldn’t believe everything they’d been through tonight.
Neither of them spoke on the ride home, each one lost in his own thoughts. When Val pulled into the garage, he turned off the engine and just sat there.
“Hey,” Saint said softly and covered Val’s hand with his. “Are you okay?”
“I don’t know,” Val admitted. “I almost lost you. Twice in one night.”
“But you didn’t. Remember, no what-ifs.”
Val chuckled. “I remember. Come on. Let’s go inside. It’s been a long night.” He locked the car and closed the garage door on their way inside the house. It was so good to be home.
“I need a shower,” Saint said as he walked into the hall. He turned and waggled his eyebrows. “Yours or mine?”
“Mine.” Val’s reply was so quick that it made Saint laugh. They started undressing on the way to the bedroom, dropping their clothes into the hamper. Val would have preferred to burn them in the hopes of forgetting tonight and how close he’d come to losing Saint.
Shower running and both of them naked, they got in, and unlike other times, neither jumped into initiating sex. They didn’t say a word at first, but they didn’t have to. Val had a feeling they were both on the same page. Tonight could have ended so differently.
“I’m here,” Saint said quietly as he lathered up Val, his soapy hands slowly running up Val’s arms, then over to his pecs and down his chest. They took the time to caress each other, to let it all sink in.
It was okay, they were safe, and they were together.
Once they’d finished showering and dried off, they headed into the bedroom.
Before they climbed into bed, Saint took hold of Val’s hand and turned him around. He smiled sweetly and brushed his lips over Val’s.
“You know, I get tested at work quarterly and just had one done recently. I can bring the results up on my phone.”
Val blinked at him. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying? Because I can bring up my results in a heartbeat.”
“No condoms, then?”
“No condoms.” Val kissed Saint, moving him toward the bed until the back of Saint’s legs hit the mattress. He dropped down onto it with a chuckle, and the look he gave Val was sinful.
“Ooh, that look means I’m going to like whatever comes next.” Val knelt on the mattress between Saint’s open legs and leaned in for a kiss.
“I want to try,” Saint said, and Val pulled back, noticing the flush on Saint’s face. What was he talking about?
“Try what?” It took Val longer than it should have for him to realize what Saint was asking. “Are you sure?”
Saint nodded and slipped his hand around Val’s neck, tugging him close for a kiss. It was slow, sweet, and Val could have stayed there all night just kissing, but Saint had other ideas. He stopped kissing Val and motioned toward the nightstand.
“Let’s go, Chief.”
With a playful growl and a kiss to Saint’s lips, Val got up and grabbed the lube from the nightstand, turning and almost coming right then and there at the sight of Saint on his back, his knees drawn up as he slowly jerked himself off.
Val groaned. “You started without me.”
“Better hurry up then,” Saint teased.
This guy. Val shook his head and jumped onto the bed, making Saint laugh.
He crawled over Saint, between his knees, and kissed him, their tongues tangling as their kisses grew heated.
All of Val’s emotions over tonight poured through him as he kissed Saint.
He moved his lips to Saint’s neck, loving the sound of Saint’s panting breath.
Saint thrust his hips up, his erection trapped between them.
He let out a moan as Val nipped at his skin and then trailed kisses down his neck to his collarbone.
He made his way down Saint’s body, stopping at his nipple where he sucked it in between his teeth, loving the way Saint sucked in a sharp breath.
Val continued his sweet torture, caressing Saint’s body while licking, sucking, and nipping at first one nipple, then the other. Saint threw his head back, his fingers grabbing fistfuls of the sheets.
“Val….”
“Not yet,” Val said as he kissed his way down Saint’s torso.
He was going to make sure Saint knew he was loved and cherished.
He licked a stripe up the crease between Saint’s groin and his leg, smiling when Saint cursed under his breath.
Before Saint could say whatever he’d been about to say, Val swallowed Saint’s cock.
“Holy fuck!” Saint looked down at Val and groaned. “Fuck that’s so hot.”
Val replied by sucking harder, chuckling around Saint’s erection when Saint dropped his head back onto the bed. Everything about Saint was beautiful, every curved muscle, every scar, every inch of tanned skin. Val couldn’t get enough of him.
Placing some lube on his finger, Val kept his gaze on Saint when he pressed the tip to Saint’s hole. Saint jumped, his knees instinctively tightening around Val.
“Keep going,” Saint pleaded, and Val did as he asked, slowly pushing his finger against Saint’s hole until he’d breached the tight ring.
He continued to suck Saint, his erection having softened slightly.
Saint nodded, and Val pushed his finger in.
He slowly moved it in and out so Saint could get used to the feeling a little, then he pushed in and crooked his finger.
Saint cried out, and he punched his hips up. Confident that Saint wasn’t uncomfortable, Val added a second finger and slowly fucked Saint’s ass. The noises Saint made spurred Val on, and he was already leaking precome, knowing he would soon be inside Saint.
It took some time and gentle coaxing, but soon Val had managed to stretch Saint enough.
He took more time than he normally would, even with Saint writhing beneath him and begging him for more.
He didn’t want to overwhelm Saint; wanted to make it as good for him as possible.
When Saint looked as if he might come apart, Val popped off him and lined the tip of his cock up with Saint’s hole.
“Put your hands behind your knees and pull them to your chest,” Val said.
Saint did as Val instructed, and Val groaned.