10. Silas
10
SILAS
T he world swims into focus and I blink my eyes until my vision clears. I’m sitting on a bench in a park outside. The birds are chirping and I can feel the cool breeze on my skin. I look up and see that the leaves are beginning to change from bright green to shades of red and orange.
“I’m leaving for a while, Si, and you have to promise me you’ll take care of yourself.” Declan’s voice pulls my attention away from the trees above me. His mouth is set in a firm line and there is concern etched in his eyes.
My stomach drops at his words. “You can’t just leave me here. Mom and dad just…they’re gone. I can’t lose you too.” I choke back the sob caught in my throat and kick a rock with the toe of my converse.
“Silas, I can’t stay here.” He reaches over and squeezes my knee gently. “I need to do something with my life before it falls to shit.”
“Take me with you,” I beg and blink back the tears stinging my eyes.
“I don’t think you’ll survive the training,” he says and releases a sigh.
“I’m tougher than I look, Declan,” I respond and straighten my spine. It’s going to take more than some hard labor and screaming men to break me. Although, it’s probably hard to break someone who is already dead inside.
My vision goes dark for a moment and then a bright light nearly blinds me. I raise my hand to protect my eyes and groan at the pain in my head. “Get up! We have to move! Now!” A deep voice growls in my ear and I feel myself being lifted by a hand under my left arm. My feet feel like lead blocks as I stumble forward.
My head feels like it just went three rounds between the cymbals of one of those clapping monkeys. I look around and watch three men in black special ops gear canvas the room with rifles strapped to their backs and pistols at the ready in their hands. My back hits the wall as I sway on my feet.
A pair of hands grip my biceps so I don’t hit the floor. “Steady there, dude, hold on just a little longer.” I look up and I’m met with a pair of dark brown eyes. It’s the only part of his face that I can see. The lower part of his face is hidden by a mask with a skeleton jaw and teeth and the skin around his eyes is painted with black war paint. The fabric of the mask is moving, like he’s talking, but I can’t look away from his eyes.
He blinks at me expectantly and after a few minutes, I realize he was asking me questions. “What?” I ask hoarsely.
“What’s your name?” he repeats patiently and tightens his grip on my arms.
“Kennedy,” I respond automatically. It’s the only name I’ve gone by in years.
The man reaches up and tugs down his mask to reveal a hard jaw lined with dark stubble. “We’re going to get you out of here, okay? But you have to trust me.”
“Sullivan,” one of the other men barks out. The man in front of me turns and nods once before pulling his mask back into place. Then he grabs my arm and slings me over his shoulder as if I weigh nothing and don’t have about 80 pounds of gear on myself.
The sudden shift makes my head swim again and darkness begins to seep into my vision. “Trust me,” I hear him whisper as my consciousness slips away.
I’m not sure why, but I do trust him. He’s safe. I feel it in my bones. And I know that I can trust him with my life.
I open my eyes to a blinding white light. Tears sting my eyes as I blink rapidly, trying to orient myself. I look over and see Declan leaning against a wall with his arms folded across his chest, dressed in black gear with a pistol strapped to his hip. “I’m not doing it,” he says sternly.
The director of our unit sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose before running his fingers through his salt-and-pepper hair. “Kennedy, you don’t have a choice. This isn’t up for debate. It’s a direct order.”
“We don’t need a replacement,” my brother snaps back and pushes off the wall. “We can manage as a two-man team. Right?” He looks at me for confirmation, his green eyes flashing dangerously.
I nod mutely and look back at the director. I have a vague recollection that we’re talking about replacing the partner we lost on our last mission overseas.
“You cannot work at this caliber with only two people, one of which won’t even be in the field,” the director argues and squares his shoulders.
A knock at the door causes all of us to turn simultaneously and watch as a tall young man dressed in a black suit walks in. His dark eyes flash and his lips turn up into a slight smirk as he regards me. The man moves to stand beside the director with his hand clasping his wrist in front of him.
“Sullivan,” the director says in acknowledgement. Sullivan nods without taking his eyes off me. I shiver tickles my spine and I fight the blush creeping up my neck. “Like I said… It’s not up for discussion. This is your new partner Hayden Sullivan. Sullivan, meet your new team, the Kennedy twins.” He motions with his hands between us.
Declan scowls and makes no move to introduce himself. I step forward to shake his hand. “Silas,” I say quietly. As soon as his fingers wrap around my palm my brain registers that this man is familiar to me. I remember that name being shouted in the foggy haze of memories. “You’re THE Sullivan?”
“The one and only,” he quips arrogantly, and gives my hand another squeeze before letting go. “How’s your head?”
My cheeks heat with embarrassment and I take a step back toward Declan. “My memories are a little hazy,” I respond and look over my shoulder to my brother, who is still scowling.
“How do you two know each other?” Declan asks and I can tell by the set of his jaw that he is furious. He hates being told what to do. Almost as much as he hates meeting new people.
“He’s the one who got me out. Him and his team completed the second half of the Red Viper Mission,” I explain and meet Hayden’s eyes again. My stomach dips slightly when I realize that he’s been watching me the entire time.
“Is that right?” Declan mutters and finally steps forward to offer Hayden a hand. “I guess that means I owe you one for saving my little brother.”
“By seven and a half minutes,” I mutter under my breath, and catch the smirk on Declan’s face.
“I’m not usually in the business of saving lives,” Hayden says with a chuckle. “Usually, I’m only ending them. It was a nice change of pace; plus, I couldn’t just let that go to waste.” He gestures to all of me and I bite the inside of my cheek to try to keep from blushing and getting aroused at the same time.
What the fuck is wrong with me? I need to get my shit together, and fast.
“He’s the best hacker I’ve ever seen,” Hayden continues with a smirk.
My chest deflates, and my heart falls to the floor. He wasn’t flirting with me? Of course he wasn’t. Why would he flirt with me, especially in front of everyone so blatantly? I clear my throat and look back at the director, who has been standing off to the side during our introductions. “So, what are we in for now?”
The director smiles and walks over to the desk, spreading out papers and opening files until the entire surface is covered. “You’re going to Bucharest,” he says and jumps into a detailed description of our next outing.
As his voice drones on, I feel myself slipping back into the abyss. I try to pull my consciousness forward, but the waves of darkness surge forward and pull me under like the tide.
“Hayden! Get your ass back here right now!” Declan’s voice is the first thing I register as I emerge into the memory. I look around and find that I’m crammed into the corner of a surveillance van with six computer monitors mounted on the wall in front of me. The blue lights of the screens make the inside of the van appear washed out and dull.
The comm device in my ear cracks and static is the only sound. Declan rips his device out of his ear and throws it back into the case. “Those are shit and I want new ones ASAP,” he snaps and pulls a gun from the hidden compartment on the back of the driver’s seat. He pulls back and loads a bullet into the chamber with a distinct click. “What do you have for me?”
I click across the screen and pull up the camera feed. “He’s in the west wing of the building. The alarms are disabled so he won’t trigger anything. Most of the targets are in a conference room on the fourth floor on the east side.”
Declan nods and pulls out another gun and multiple full magazine cartridges. “Keep the signal jammed and don’t open that door for anyone. Got it?”
I roll my eyes and salute him with my middle finger. “Aye, aye, Captain.” He glares at me for a few seconds before slamming the door and heading into the dark building.
The static clicks in my ear. “Is he gone now?” Hayden’s voice in my ear makes my skin prickle.
“He’s heading inside now,” I confirm and pull up a different camera feed. “You are such a dick, do you know that?”
I hear him chuckle. “Sometimes he just needs to be taken down a few notches. He’s been pissing me off lately.”
I roll my eyes and put in a few codes. “Don’t do anything stupid,” I say and enter the last few numbers to generate the order. “Explosions set for ten minutes.”
“I’ll get everything done in seven,” he retorts and I watch him through the camera on my screen. He lifts his arm and flags Declan over. They both crouch with their heads close together and I watch their hands move as they go through the details.
Declan looks over his shoulder and scans the area until his eyes land on the security camera that I’m hacked into. He gives me the thumbs up. “Tell him I’m heading to the location,” I say to Hayden, but he just shakes his head. “Again, you’re an asshole.” I click a few keys until the camera shifts up and then down in a makeshift nod.
I sign out of the systems and watch the screens shut off one at a time. As the last one goes out, my vision fades to black and I’m pulled from the memory.
“It’s time for you to show me what else you can do with that sharp tongue.” Her voice awakens something deep inside me, like an ember finally being exposed to oxygen. Heat radiates inside my chest and my heart swells.
Emelia.
I open my eyes and look up at her from where I’m sitting on the foot of her bed. She’s standing in front of me wearing a tight burgundy dress with a slit all the way up to her hip. She looks stunning. Hayden walks into my line of sight and stands just behind her left shoulder. He smiles down at me and a wave of desire rushes through me so hard my toes are curling.
“Take off his tie,” she instructs Hayden, who obeys without a word. His fingers loosen the knot and pull the fabric over my head without touching my skin. “Bind his wrists behind his back.” Again, he obeys without question. My cock throbs heavily against my thigh as Hayden pulls the tie tightly around my wrists. “Now,” she says seductively and puts her hands on her hips, “get on your knees.”
I obey instantly and drop to my knees in front of her. Who wouldn’t? She’s a fucking vision like this. Emelia lifts her leg and places her foot on my sternum. The sharp point of her heel digs into my skin, but I couldn’t care less. “Kiss,” she demands and I drop an open-mouth kiss to the soft skin of her ankle. She puts pressure on my chest with her foot until I lie back. My hands are bound underneath me and my shoulders are aching at the angle, but I hardly even notice. “Good boy,” she murmurs and pulls her dress up until she can sit down on my chest.
The door behind Hayden opens and Declan strolls in. “You should leave,” Emelia says over her shoulder. “I don’t think you want to watch what we’re about to do to your brother.”
Declan pulls the computer chair over and sinks down into the seat. His eyes flash in the low light. “Maybe I want to watch and imagine you doing it to me instead,” he responds darkly, and leans forward to rest his arms on his knees.
She grins and turns back to me. “Take his clothes off,” she instructs Hayden as she stands up and slips out of her dress, revealing a sinful piece of black and red lingerie. My cock jumps as Hayden pulls my clothes off one piece at a time, careful not to touch my skin with his fingers. Damn, this is going to be painful. “Toss him that bar,” she tells Declan and points to the spreader bar on the bed.
Fuck. Me.
Hayden takes the piece and secures it around my ankles. Emelia sinks down until her knees are on either side of my head. “You aren’t allowed to come. Got it?”
I nod eagerly and lick my lips. She frowns, turns her body, and smacks my cock hard. The sharp sting only makes me harder and I can feel a drop of precum oozing down my shaft. “Yes, ma’am,” I correct with a groan as Hayden wraps his fingers around me and squeezes.
Emelia sinks down until she’s completely sitting on my face and my tongue dips into her wet folds. My eyes close as I drink her in. She’s deliciously torturous. My tongue curls around her clit as she shifts and lets out a small moan.
I whimper and arch against my restraints as Hayden takes me in his mouth and swirls his tongue around the head of my cock as Emelia moves her hips against my face. I twist my tongue and move it just the way she likes it. My fingers itch to be inside her. To curl and hit that spot just to the right on her inner wall that makes her squirt. Her fingers twist into my hair and pull sharply.
She shifts her body off me, leans down, and licks the shell of my ear just as Hayden takes me deep into his throat and swallows. The sensations of his muscles tightening around me and her tongue on my neck and ear almost sends me over the edge. I groan loudly and buck my hips up into Hayden’s mouth.
Then everything stops. Hayden lets go of me and Emelia pulls away just as I was about to explode. I lay there, chest heaving as I try to catch my breath. “Atta boy,” she murmurs and strokes her fingers across my cheek. “Again,” she orders and they both take their positions once more.
My cock aches with the need to release as they repeat their torture, bringing me to the edge and then yanking me back so many times that I’ve lost count. “Please, please, please,” I sob out as Hayden releases my cock again.
Emelia smiles down at me. “You look so good on the floor begging for me,” she whispers in my ear and bites my lobe. I moan at the sharp pain and my cock pulses again. They both stand and leave me with a clear few of my very red and angry cock. There’s a steady stream of saliva and precum oozing from the tip and it twitches every few seconds. I’m so painfully hard and I have no idea how I haven’t come already. “Switch,” Emelia says and drops to her knees, her lips hovering just over my tip.
I look up at Declan still sitting in the chair. He’s leaning back with his knees wide and his cock is in his hand. His fingers move up and down his shaft slowly as he watches them torture me with denial after denial.
Hayden drops to his knees with a grin and touches the tip of his cock to my lips. The metal of his piercing is cold against my heated skin. My tongue darts out and laps up the drop of precum he left. “I can’t wait to pump you full of my cum,” he whispers and twists his fingers into my hair.
My cock jumps just as Emelia takes me deep into her throat and hums in approval. Hayden jerks his hips forward until his cock hits the back of my throat and I gag. I feel his piercing drag against the roof of my mouth.
Oh, holy fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck.
I moan and buck my hips against Emelia’s sinful lips as she swirls her tongue around my head and circles her finger around my tight opening. I shake my head and make a noise of protest. If she does that I’m done for. I can’t handle any more right now.
Hayden groans as I swallow and looks down at me. My eyes sting and I can feel the tears streaming down my cheeks as he fucks me. “Shh,” he whispers when he sees the desperation in my eyes. “You’ve been such a good boy. You can come now.”
Emelia slips her finger inside, curls it around, and strokes my prostate. My entire body jerks like I’ve been electrocuted. My muscles tighten and my legs shake as she sucks my cock deep into her throat.
I groan around Hayden’s cock and that’s enough to send him over the edge. He thrusts deep into my throat and pours himself into me. I swallow eagerly, and the feel of him throbbing on my tongue along with Emelia’s wicked ministrations rips my orgasm from me. My hips jerk up and my back arches off the floor as I explode on the back of her tongue.
Emelia swallows everything I give her and licks her lips as Hayden pulls out of my mouth. I lay there panting and twitching as I come down from my high. “Holy fuck,” I whisper and blink away the stars from my vision.
“What a good boy,” Emelia coos and drags her nails up and down my thighs. “Come back to us, Silas.” Her voice distorts and echoes through my mind. My vision swims and then everything goes dark again as I slip away.
Come back to them.
My eyes open and I inhale deeply. Pain shoots through my entire body and it sends my mind reeling. My lungs are on fire and my skin feels too tight across my body. I’m covered in bandages and wires and there are too many machines beeping around my head. I’m instantly overstimulated and want to find my gun to shoot out the nearest machine.
“Easy there,” a soft voice cuts through the chaos, and gentle hands touch my shoulders, pushing me back into the pillows. “Easy.” A pair of dark blue eyes come into focus, followed by a pretty face surrounded by curly red hair. She gives me a warm smile as I take in her blue scrubs and medical toolbelt.
“Welcome back to the land of the living.”