Electra Chapter 15
Electra:
It took all my strength to shake off the effects of that kiss.
I thought the one at my house was incredible, but this last one was even better.
When Swerve moved to sit on the bed, I hadn’t expected him to take my mouth or for him to touch my breasts.
The feel of him kneading them and plucking at my nipples had revved my desire higher.
I was burning up, and it wasn’t due to the fever.
If Rhodes hadn’t interrupted us, I would’ve stripped naked and begged him to take me.
Based on the erection I’d spotted tenting his jeans, Swerve was as turned on as I was.
I almost called him back when he left the room, and Rhodes entered.
I wondered what it was he had to take care of.
His insistence that we finish discussing the kisses partially scared me.
I had no defense against his kisses. If he did it again, I’d give myself to Swerve.
I forced myself to focus on what Rhodes was saying. He entered, shut the door, and sat in the chair next to the bed.
“I’m sorry, what did you say? I seem to be having trouble concentrating. It must be this infection,” I lied.
“I said that we have to figure out where to go from here. I can’t risk contacting anyone at the office or using an FBI safe house. I hate to say it, but we’ve got to stay, at least for a day or maybe two. I need time to find us a place.”
“Rho, you can’t run off and hide with me.
You’re a supervisory special agent. You have agents to protect and provide oversight and guidance.
They need you. We don’t know how long staying out of sight will need to last. You can’t be away from the job that long.
I appreciate your help in finding a place, but I’ll stay there alone,” I vowed.
His scowl was nothing short of scary, but I knew that look, and he couldn’t use it on me like he did on others. I was immune. Rho knew this, which made his scowl grow. I waited for him to try something else. He sighed deeply.
“I swear to God, you love making me want to rip my hair out with my bare hands. I don’t want you left on your own. You need help,” he argued.
“I agree that help is nice, but I can do it by myself if necessary. I’ll help find a bolt hole for myself. Between the two of us, surely we can find something.”
“What you need to do is shake off this infection. I can’t be moving you if you’re sick and need medical attention,” he replied.
“If they give us the IV medication, I can administer it to myself. And it’s likely only to be a few days of that. I’m tough.”
“Ellie, you are tough, but even you are mortal. You were shot, for God’s sake.
Moving and doing it yourself compounds the risk.
I won’t lie and say that being here at the mercy of a club of bikers thrills me.
They appear to be aboveboard, but they might not be.
They weren’t happy to find out you were FBI. ”
“They weren’t happy, and I can’t say I blame them. However, even if they are trustworthy, staying here endangers them all. There are women and kids who live here, Rho. I can’t risk them.”
“Shit, I know there are. I can’t disagree with keeping them out of it.
Civilians shouldn’t get mixed up in this.
Alright, we’ll get to work on a safe hidey-hole.
We’ll debate whether I should stay with you later.
Right now, you need to get your rest. But before you do, I want to ask you something. ” Rhodes was giving me a grave look.
“What is it?” I asked.
“What is going on between you and Swerve?”
I prayed that he wouldn’t notice or, at the very least, not mention it. I tried to fake it. I raised an eyebrow and sent him a look of confusion.
“He’s my peer, slash kinda my boss at Recovery. You know that.”
“I do know that, but it’s not what I mean, and you know it. There’s more between you than being colleagues. He’s protective and unhappy with me being near you. And I saw you watching him as he drove us here last night. You’re into him.”
I chuckled to throw him off before I answered. “Rhodes, open your eyes. I’d have to be dead and blind not to see his attractiveness. Swerve is a man with a lot going for him. It’s plain admiration. You check out pretty women, so why can’t I do the same to a good-looking man?”
“You’re right, I do. And you can, but it’s more than that, Ellie.”
“Say that I was interested in him. It would be a waste because it can’t go anywhere. He’s a biker. I’m an agent. We’re vastly different people. It’s fun to fantasize a little, but it doesn’t go past that.”
Rhodes studied me for a long five minutes without saying another word. I knew what he was doing. He wanted me to crack. However, I was familiar with this game and had used it on suspects many times. I fought down panic. Finally, he threw up his hands.
“I don’t know if you’re telling the truth or not. For your sake, I hope you are. I don’t want you getting hurt.”
“Rho, I love you, and you’re so damn sweet sometimes, but I’m a big girl. You don’t have to take care of me. I can do it for myself.”
He leaned closer from his spot on the edge of the bed. He’d moved closer as we talked. “I’ll always need to take care of you. You’re the only sister I have left. I’ll fight to the death for you.”
As his arms encircled me, I put mine around him, fought the prickle of tears in my eyes, and whispered back, “And I’ll fight the same for you, big brother.”
???
I spent the bulk of the day in bed. When I wasn’t sleeping or having Paige or Wolverine checking up on me, I had visitors. Rho spent some time with me, and the rest of the time, he was behind closed doors, working to find a place to stash me.
Swerve popped back in, but I had Jauhnna with me, so he didn’t stay long.
He told me that we’d speak later. I knew it would be about the kiss, and I was somewhat scared.
I wasn’t sure if I was ready to explain to him that while I was more than turned on by him, we had to be smart and not start something.
Besides, being one of many wasn’t my idea of fun.
Paige came in after Rhodes left the first time.
She’d gotten the IV antibiotics. She explained there was a doctor she worked with at the clinic, Dr. Neeson.
They mutually respected each other, and when she asked for things, such as antibiotics, the good doctor trusted her reasons and did as she requested.
Paige swabbed my wound earlier, then cleaned it.
That was on its way to a lab for testing, to ensure the antibiotic could kill the organism.
If it were found not to be, then the medication would be changed.
Wolverine was worried that my pain medicine wasn’t working hard enough.
I assured him it was adequate. I refused to take anything that would make my brain fuzzy.
Meals were brought to me three times throughout the day. If I said I wasn’t hungry, whoever brought it would tattle to Swerve or threaten to do it. Eventually, I stopped trying. The day crawled by, but Swerve hadn’t come back to see me. I felt let down yet relieved.
Dinner had been a couple of hours ago. I was sitting up in bed, having tried to find something on the television to entertain me without success.
I disliked being stuck here. There were people in the common area, but if I tried to join them, I’d be run off to bed.
I was nicely ordered back to my room to rest earlier after taking a walk alone in the halls of the club.
I stared up at the dark ceiling. A faint glow came from the light across the room, but that was all that I had on. I was having a pity party over how no one wanted to spend time with me for more than brief visits of duty. It was utter nonsense, but it was the kind of mood I was in.
I was about to roll over and wrap my pillow around my head when a scream ripped through the night and me.
I gasped and frantically looked around as if trying to locate who it was.
Then I heard deep laughter. There were no more screams. They must be having a great time.
No more than a minute later, there was a sharp knock at the door. It startled me, and I jumped.
Assuming it had to be Rho since he mentioned that he’d be back to talk to me after he finished making some plans, I called out, “Come in, it’s unlocked.”
Seconds later, I saw I was mistaken. It wasn’t Rho entering my room. It was Swerve. There was a sparkle in his eyes and the way he pushed his wheelchair into the room, pausing not just to shut the door but to lock it, reckoning time had come. God, help me.
“Swerve, I thought you’d be home by now. Where’s Dozer? You have a busy day tomorrow, no doubt,” I mumbled.
“Dozer is relaxing and having fun in the common room with Jaycee, Chasin, and the other dogs. He’s in heaven. As for work, I adjust my schedule as needed. There’s no way I’m heading home until after we have our talk. I told you we would.”
“Yes, you did, but I figured you had an epiphany and came to the conclusion that we had nothing to discuss. I heard screaming. Is everyone alright?”
“Everyone is great. That was Paige. Scorpion was tormenting her. He’s out there kissing up to her because he thinks she’s mad at him, but it’s all a game. I saw the grin on her face.”
“Your club is slightly crazy but fun.”
“They are, but forget about them for the moment. We’re the topic.” He pushed his chair to the edge of the bed and locked the wheels.
“Scoot,” he demanded.
I found myself doing it without a protest. Pushover.
When I was in the center of the bed, Swerve hoisted himself up and twisted around, sitting on the bed.
He used his hands to lift his legs onto the mattress.
He leaned back against the headboard, mimicking my position. He turned his head to stare at me.