Chapter 20
Chapter Twenty
Jericho
Thursday morning, Sean and I were watching television in his condo while he was monitoring the vote on the anti-puberty blocker legislation that had passed the House with a narrow margin—or so he explained to me.
It was now in committee in the Senate, and if it was voted out of committee, it would be debated before a final vote before the summer break in August.
Nothing about the shooting at Potomac Place the previous day had hit the news yet.
Sean said, “My neighbors are two district court judges, a bunch of lawyers, and an assistant DC prosecutor. They have the power to lock down the story for the time being to keep the lookie-loos from swarming the building in search of a scoop.” I had no doubt.
None of the residents wanted the publicity or the attention it would bring. Sean had been told not to talk to Eileen Rowe about Marvin Thompson. The FBI would reach out first.
My phone buzzed on the table next to the couch, so I picked it up, seeing it was Lawry Schatz. “Hey. What’s going on?”
“We heard what happened. We just wanted to check on you guys. Either of you get hurt?” he asked.
I figured he already knew Sean had been shot, so I filled him in. “Yeah, a bullet grazed the side of Sean’s head, but he’s okay.” I reached over and took Sean’s hand, kissing the top of it.
He was spread out on the couch with his head in my lap while he watched C-SPAN as they debated the bill he was trying to kill. He turned the closed captioning on and the sound off so I could take the call. He was truly a beautiful, considerate man.
I rested our hands on his T-shirt over his heart and stared at him as he intently watched the television. I hoped to fuck the people he was working with held up their end of things when it came to the vote.
“So, did you hear about the shit in North Carolina? Nemo is down there for the next few weeks with his family. When Heath Palmer’s mother called to tell me Heath was murdered, I texted Nemo about it, and he drove out to Southern Pines to see what’s going on.
He said that the camp was closed and has been designated a crime scene.
The police are interviewing everyone who was at the camp, which takes time, but they have taken a few members into custody while they sort everything out.
The FBI has been called in to take over the case. ”
That was what the cops in DC had said when they came to the hospital to talk to Sean. I hoped to hell it didn’t drag out forever. If they hadn’t arrested all of the members of that fucking cult, Sean was still in danger.
“Do you think they’ll be able to tie the cases together?” God, I hoped so.
“After the Special Agent assigned to the case reads an anonymous package delivered to the local police department with all the dirt I found on the members and the multiple sources of their income streams, they’ll be able to tie it all up with a nice bow.
It won’t be overnight because this fucking thing has as many tentacles as a giant octopus. ”
I remembered Lawry telling me about Heath’s mother saying Heath’s cousin was missing. God, that had to be hard to know your son was murdered by a bunch of assholes and your nephew was missing. “Did they find the cousin?”
“They’re holding him as a person of interest. According to a friend of mine at the FBI, the kid said it was staged to make him look guilty. We’ll see. Anyway, are you headed back to Davidsonville?” I could hear Schatz pecking on his keyboard in the background.
Hell if I knew how to answer that question. I needed to get home, but God knew I didn’t want to leave Sean behind.
“Yes!” Sean shot up off the couch and pumped his arm in the air. I glanced at the television to see the closed captioning read that the anti-trans bill had failed in the Senate. No wonder my guy was so excited.
“What happens now?” I asked.
“Happens about what?” Schatz asked.
“Oh, uh, I was talking to Sean. Uh, keep me updated on what you find out about the Defenders. I’m worried Sean’s still in danger. I’d like to know what’s going on with the case if you feel me.”
“Sure, Jericho. I’ll be in touch.” He ended the call, and I put my phone on the table.
I glanced at Sean as he stood in front of me. “What happens now?”
“After the Fourth of July, Congress half-ass works until the beginning of August and then they break until September. Bills in committee go dormant over the summer recess, though some deals can be made over the break if it’s a priority.
Mostly the members visit their districts to take the temperature of their constituents.
If they’re still dead set on passing the legislation, they’ll have to take it up when the new session starts in September. ”
The expression of happiness on his face was incredible. “I’m so proud of you for sticking up for our rights. That’s just one of the reasons I love you, Sean.”
Sean startled, freezing in front of me. “You... You don’t... You don’t mean that like it sounds.”
I reached for the waistband of his shorts and pulled him to sit on my lap.
“You want a list? Okay. You’re gorgeous.
You’re sweet, but you don’t take any shit from anyone.
I love that you’re so persuasive, even when you have to be a hard ass.
I love you because you’re fair. You’re passionate about the things you care about, and you are a fighter.
Those are just a few reasons off the top of my head. I mean it when I say I love you.”
Sean’s eyes doubled in size. “You mean that? Do you really mean that?”
“Yes, I do. If you don’t feel the same, that’s okay.
You’ve been honest with me about how you feel about relationships, but I wanted to tell you the truth because I know you deal with liars and thieves every day.
I’m neither of those... Well, I might tell a white lie along the way, but not when it really matters.
” I kissed his cheek and wondered what to do next.
I’d poured out my soul. If he didn’t feel it, I’d go back home to lick my wounds, but nothing would make me not love him for the rest of my life.
Sean didn’t say anything as he stared into my eyes, and finally, it became uncomfortable. “I need to call Mom and let her know you’re okay, and I’ll be home tonight.”
“You’re going home tonight?” He seemed completely perplexed.
I started to move him so I could get away before I got emotional.
“Yeah, uh, I’ll get out of your hair because you’ve got to meet with Senator Collins tomorrow, so you probably want to prepare.
Uh, I’m gonna throw in a load of laundry while I pack up my stuff, if you don’t mind. You got anything to go into a load?”
He pushed me back onto the couch and straddled me. “Are you fucking kidding me? I understand that you need to get home to your mother and your animals, but will you wait for me to finish with Collins so I can go with you? I can go with you, can’t I?”
I nearly choked on my own spit. “Of course you can come home with me. What about your job?”
Sean leaned forward and brushed his lips over mine. “I love you too, Jeri. You’re the best gift I ever got. You’re so perfect for me, and I had no idea there was anyone out there like you. I can’t tell you how happy I am that you found me.”
I chuckled at the way he said I’d found him. As I thought about it, it was strange that we were brought together. We couldn’t have been more different, but something about us worked.
“Sean, how will we—?”
“We’ll figure it out together, cowboy. We love each other. I’m not a wistful person, but I promise we’re meant to be together. We’ll figure out a way that this works for us.” He leaned forward to kiss my mouth, his passion like a hurricane that blew over me.
I moved him off my lap and pulled his shorts down, releasing his hard cock so I could bend over to take him in my mouth. Sucking him. Tasting him. God, it was so fucking fantastic.
“I beg you not to stop,” Sean gasped. Oh, I wouldn’t dare.
Bobbing on his length. Drinking in his taste and smell. Showing him how much I loved him. It was nothing I ever thought I’d get a chance to do, but hearing his gasps and moans had me about to come in my shorts.
“I’m about to come.” Sean’s breathy whisper had me sucking a bit harder and swirling my tongue around the swollen head. When his salty-sweet essence landed on my tongue, I shot off into my shorts—hands free. It was fucking incredible and just a little bit embarrassing.
Nothing like that had ever happened to me. I damn well wanted it to happen again.
I refused to let Sean go to the Capitol building on Friday because I wasn’t convinced that someone there wasn’t giving information to those crazy fuckers in North Carolina. Instead, I chose a place nearby where he could meet Senator Collins so I could be there if he needed me.
In my mind, Sean wasn’t out of danger, and after the meeting with the senator, Sean had agreed to go back to the ranch with me for the break. I wasn’t letting him out of my sight for a minute.
For the foreseeable future, Sean would be mine.
I’d get to kiss him good morning every day and good night every night.
I still didn’t know how we’d work out spending time together, but I wanted to end up by his side.
Maybe over that time, we could figure out how to get into a rhythm that we could sustain until he got his fill of wheeling and dealing in Washington. That was my hope, anyway.
I followed Sean to a pub near the Capitol building, my suede jacket covering my shoulder holster and my Glock 22 that was ready to take out anyone who tried to harm the man I loved.
Sean had called Leslie Collins to meet us at the pub, but he said she wasn’t too happy about him not coming to her office. She was the one who wanted to seek his advice about her impending divorce. She could live with a little inconvenience, in my opinion.