25. Lee
Lee
I’ve never been so loved, so worshipped, or so well fucked. My body still aches, and I don’t think I’ll ever walk right again.
Last night, we didn’t have sex. We just curled up together in the dark, trading slow kisses while they both told me how much they love me. How they want to give me babies. How they want to keep me between them for the rest of our lives.
I want that too. God, I want it so badly it hurts. But I also know I have to end this shit before any of us can have it.
Elliot must have already gotten up.
When I roll over, Julian is still in bed, watching me. His beard is longer, and he gives me a look like I’m the most beautiful person in the world. It makes butterflies erupt in my stomach.
He crawls over me without a word and pulls the sheet off so nothing is between us. My legs open for him automatically, wrapping around his hips as he settles between them.
“You are so fucking gorgeous,” he tells me then sinks deep inside me.
I gasp at the fullness. Or maybe the love he always gives me makes me breathless.
He moves in and out of me with a rhythm that is slow and deliberate. It’s like he’s trying to mold my body to his.
I reach up and trace the wrinkle on his head.
“Are you okay, baby?” I ask him.
He closes his eyes and tips his head up for a second. When he opens them again, they’re glassy.
“Say it again,” he breathes.
It takes me a minute to figure out what he means.
“Baby… I love you, baby,” I whisper and cup my hand around his cheek. He leans into it and looks down at me.
He takes a deep, shaky breath. His hips snap harder now, driving into me with more urgency. I wrap my legs tighter around him, pulling him in as deep as he can go.
“I love you,” he says against my mouth, voice rough. “Fuck, I love you so much.”
I feel it building fast. He keeps dragging his hard cock over my G-spot. His body is pressed so tightly to mine. My hands slide into his hair as I start to come, clenching around him.
I whisper how much I love him.
Julian follows right after me, burying himself deep as he comes. He groans my name into my neck, hips jerking as he spills inside me. I hold him through it, stroking the back of his head while he shudders above me.
For a long moment, neither of us moves. He stays buried, breathing hard against my skin. I run my fingers through his hair.
Eventually, he lifts his head and looks at me. His eyes are still soft, but there’s something heavier underneath now.
“I want this,” I say quietly, tracing his bottom lip. “You and me. A baby. Mornings where I wake up with each of you by my side. We have a lot against us right now. But if I could fast-forward to the next part… this is what I want next.”
“I’ve got you,” he whispers, so soft I almost miss it. “Always. I’ll love you always. Everything will be all right.”
And for one perfect, terrible moment, I believe him.
“It’s early, Ettie. Go back to sleep.”
I shake my head. “No, I need to get up. We're getting closer to when Fuller is back. We need everything ready for the press release. Where’s Elliot anyway?”
Something dark flashes in his eyes. He doesn’t answer. I start to push off the bed to go find him. Panic rises in my chest, but Julian doesn’t move above me. He cages me beneath him. Whatever is going to happen next is going to be bad. He reaches for something on the nightstand.
“I love you. You are my everything,” he whispers in my ear.
Then I feel the prick in my neck. But this time, I’m too exhausted to do much more than widen my eyes in surprise. A single tear falls down his cheek, and I want to make it stop. All of it. But before I can say anything, I'm surrounded by the deep black.
My legs start working faster this time, and I can eventually push off the bed. I fucking swear I’m going to murder Julian. Both of them. As soon as I find them.
I make my way down the short hallway, one hand braced against the wall to keep steady. Silence in the cabin gives me goose bumps.
Julian’s medical bag is gone from the hook by the door. The satellite phone is missing.
I go back to the computer in the spare room. Every time I look at it, my techy heart leaps, because I love it so much. I didn’t even get to tell Elliot’s stupid ass how much before he bailed.
On the desk is a tablet I’ve only seen being used while Julian is reading. I tap it awake.
The data map is open, and I see the last searched location. I set it down and shake the mouse to wake up the big screen. Did I mention I love it? A piece of yellow paper sticks out, and I swipe it from the bottom of the monitor.
A single line of text is written across it in Elliot’s handwriting on a torn piece of paper.
Stay here with Julian. I will finish this.
I read it twice. Then a third time.
But Julian is gone too.
He left me behind. Both of them did. Julian didn’t even say bye before he drugged me a second time. Elliot went off to do what?
They’re out there right now, walking into whatever hell they went to find, because they still think I am the one who needs saving. They should know by now that is not how I play.
Fuck them both.
I shake the mouse, and the screen lights up. My fingers fly across the keys, looking for a clue of what they are doing.
I open a single folder on the desktop with quick, angry clicks.
The suicide report, the reframed addiction logs, the closing memo all sit organized on the desktop.
It was a mess before. All of it packaged and ready.
A full media bundle queued and ready to drop straight to his contact at the Times. Why the fuck would he do that?
My hands go still on the keyboard. He’s going to kill him and send this to the press. Both of them decided I was too fragile, too breakable, too much of a liability to stand with them while they went off to die or disappear for me.
Pure and blinding rage hits me.
I shove the chair back so hard it slams into the wall.
They do not get to make that choice for me.
I open the private server we use to set up poker games and kick Julian out. Not that I think he can check the messages right now, but still.
He’s out. Asshole.
Riley: Damn that’s cold, Lee. What did he do now?
Me: Riley. I’m going to need some help. Can you figure out what the hell Julian is doing?
Me: Cal. Meet me in an hour. Bring all your ninja shit.
Thirty seconds later, Cal replies.
Cal: Yippee-Ki-Yay. Or whatever ninjas say before they start dropping bodies. I’ll bring the new rocket launcher. And the guys.
I stare at the screen for a second then type back.
Me: I need Bash too.
Cal: On it. I’ll bring the Vegas. Who we definitely don’t need for whatever disaster you’re about to start, because I am plenty equipped. Just ask Georgie. But I’ll send out the invite. We can compare rocket launcher sizes. I’m sure Christian will find his inadequately smaller.
Despite everything, I laugh and shake my head.
Riley: I already know where Julian is, and it’s really gonna piss you off. Not sure who can take his place in poker because I think this might be his last day on Earth.
Me: Tell me.
Riley: Eligere. I’ll get him out of it.
Cal: Riley, fix whatever Julian’s doing. It’s too hard to replace a reliable player. Plus he’s so easy to beat.
Me: Fuck Riley. He’s a doctor, not…us. He can’t deal with all this.
Cal: We got him. He is really terrible at poker. He knows, right?
Me: Focus, Ninja Shit. Killing. Getting Julian. Stopping Elliot from murder (I’m on that one). Oh, and I need a ride.
Riley: On it. Welcome to the party, pal.
Riley: I couldn’t make that Die Hard reference work. Cal always takes the good ones.
Me: Riley!
Riley: Chopper will be there in fifteen.
Me: I love it when a plan comes together.
Riley: Damn it. The A-Team. Not you too, Lee.
Cal: Get to the choppa, Lee.
Riley: I’m so out of my league.
Cal: Do better, Ri. Hasta lavista, baby.
Me: He deserved that.
Riley: That was uncalled for.
Me: Was it though?
Riley: I’m your Huckleberry, Lee. I’ll do better.
Me: Duh. But seriously. Go get Julian. I need someone to come get Jasper from the cabin. He is not spending a night alone in the murder woods.
Riley: Got the location you just sent. I’m sending Saint. He loves cats.
Me: Thank you. There’s a lot of shit I need to tell you. But first I need to go kill some fuckers.
Riley: See you there. You don’t have to tell us. We’ve got your back.
Cal: And we got some grenades. See you there.
Jasper trots into the room like he knows I’m about to do something reckless, rubbing against my ankle with one annoyed little yowl.
“I know, buddy.” I bend down and scoop him up against my chest. “Your dads are idiots.”
I carry him, snuggled against me, to the bedroom and grab his carrier from beside the dresser. I shove one of Julian’s soft shirts inside before settling him in. He complains immediately and lets out a sad meow.
“I’m sorry. I’ll get Julian to buy you catnip and treats for this.”
He turns in a tight circle, sniffs Julian’s shirt, then sinks down on top of it with a wounded little huff.
“You’re right. He should buy the real expensive treats.”
I hack into Fuller’s phone. He’s been out of the country and laying low according to Elliot, but I’m about to make him an offer he won’t be able to refuse.
Me.
That’s the trap.
I shove away from the desk and grab my boots, yanking them on hard enough to make the leather creak.
If the Eligere or Fuller kills my men before I get there, I’m going to bring them back just so I can murder them myself.