All This Time (14 page)

Chapter
Twenty-Five

After
backing my motorcycle down the driveway silently, I hit the ignition and streak
through the dark suburbs in Peachtree City. When I arrive at home, I pass the
empty driveway to park around the block. Keeping up with his charade of being
in lockup, Russ’ GTO still sits at the other house, and if I know Kris, she’s
at her parents this weekend. Skulking around the backside of my neighbors’
houses, I finally reach my back door and after fishing the spare key out of the
small gardening box, I slip inside undetected. Casually walking through the
kitchen toward the muted television flashing in the living room, I spot Russ
passed out on the leather sofa.

“Hey
sleeping beauty,” I growl next to his ear before nuzzling my boot against his
knee, draping off the edge. “Wake up Russ.”

“What?”
Russ moans all sleepy eyed. He scrubs his palms roughly over them and then pushes
up to sit on the side of the sofa. “What time is it?” he asks around a yawn.

“Around
three in the morning,” I say plopping down beside him. “Tell me what was so
important that you risked blowing my cover by calling me on my work cell.”

“I
tried your other one for two hours before I gave in and broke policy.” He yawns
again and stretches his arms above his head.

“Come
on, let’s get some coffee going and you can tell me what’s up.”

“Okay,”
Russ follows me into the kitchen and drags out a chair from the table to take a
seat. “Did you have a nice time at the Kennedy mansion? God, do you know how
long I wanted to get inside that big bastard?”

“It
was extreme, that’s for sure.” I shrug, switching on the coffee pot. “I met
Nelson. Well, actually I saw him and met Camille. I got lady woody watching him
be so comfortable and free, completely unaware that the one who will bring his
fucking ass down was sitting only inches away from him.”

Russ
chuckles while running a hand through his messy hair. “I have no doubts that
you will do it too.”

I
pour the steaming hot coffee into two large mugs and pass one to Russ before
taking the seat beside him. He glares at me for a brief moment and I notice
that maybe he really is a little jealous that I’m on the inside where he wanted
to be for over a year. I know that if the roles were reversed I would be madder
than a motherfucker.

“I
was set up,” he states matter-of-factly.

“What?”
I choke, sipping on my drink.
“How?
Who?”

“After
the bust one of the DA’s came to see me in lock up and told me that there were
two uniforms on scene that were suspected to be tied to Kennedy.”

“No
shit?”

Bobbing
his head, Russ continues, “Yeah, another one of the guys overhead one of them
say that he picked me up just after crossing the state line. The guy he spoke
to was the shift Sergeant who called for the shutdown of the eastbound side of
the interstate about twenty minutes later.”

“Okay,
so who would set you up like that? It had to come from the inside. You didn’t
tell anyone other than me about the transport, right?”

“Nope,”
he confirms, taking a big gulp from his cup. “After you gave me Blues’ card, I
called him immediately. He had me come to his office in Atlanta and then I left
from there to meet you. What doesn’t add up is why Blues’ would intentionally
sabotage a shipment that big? Was it simply to get me out of the way?”

“Could
it have been anyone else?” I ask, eliminating all of the possibilities before I
decide on who I need to watch more.

“Decks,”
he states coolly.
“How long after I was gone, did he come to
you?”

I
laugh loudly, clutching my hand around my waist. “Please do not tell me that
you think Decks set you up so that he could secure a hook up with me.”

“Yeah,
that’s exactly what I’m saying, Sam.”

“That
is the most ridiculous shit I’ve ever heard, Russ. It has to be someone else.”

I
sit silently for a few minutes, sipping on my coffee while Russ pierces me with
a serious glare. The heaviness in the air can be felt like a cement block
strapped to my feet pulling me deeper into the center of a dark ocean of
disbelief. I don’t believe for a second that Decks would do something like this
just so he could have me. Secrets are our life, and it’s imperative that I
don’t let Russ know about what happened between me and Blues. He’s certain that
Decks is the one that rolled over on him and orchestrated the bust, but I don’t
think it’s that simple. Blues is the one who gave him the transport, but what
would he have to gain with compromising his business affairs. I need to get
closer to him. After seeing me that night at Russ’ house, could he have been
pissed off enough to do something so shitty?

“Don’t
do anything foolish. If Decks is the one who set me up then just let it go. You
know he won’t admit to a damn thing anyway. Protect yourself and if shit goes
down call me.” My eyebrows arch up. “I’ll be close by.”

“I
don’t think that’s a good idea. With all the eyes that the Kennedy’s have
lingering around you’ll be made and then our entire case is wasted. I’m close
Russ. Let me finish this.”

“Dammit,
Sam,” he bolts up from his chair and storms around the kitchen, “I’m sending
someone else in with you. I don’t trust the fuckers even more now. If it is you
that he’s after then I can’t leave you alone in there.”

“No,”
I shout, reaching up for his arm and halting his tirade. “Give me two months.
I’ll get the information and we’ll shut it down. But no one else is coming
inside until then. We can’t afford for anyone to get suspicious.” He stares at
me, clearly wanting to argue against my pleas. “Just until after the new year,
Russ,” I beg again.

Taking
a seat again, Russ scrubs both hands over his head, dragging them down his face
and I see the sadness veiling the usually happy sparkle in his eyes. He shakes
his head slowly before letting out a heavy sigh.

“Sam,
I trust you, but those bastards don’t play. Someone will pay for this shipment
gone wrong. Please keep your head down and watch your back.” I nod, feeling
relieved that he relented without a total meltdown.

“Alright,
good,” I smile sweetly and stand. “Is Kris at your folks?”

“Yeah,
she’s going to be pissed that you came here when she was gone.”

“I
hope to get back here soon. I’ll leave her a note in her bathroom.” He nods.
“Well, gotta get back to the Kingston’s” I place my coffee cup in the
dishwasher and turn back around to face him. “. Hey, did you ever find out who
else is working undercover inside the group?”

“No.
Why? Do you have some suspicions?” He glares at me momentarily and begins
shaking his head. “Whatever you’re thinking, in that pretty little head of
yours,
forget
it, I’ve already told you not to trust
anyone.”

I
shrug and say, “I don’t trust anyone. It was just a question.”

Chapter
Twenty-Six

“What
the fuck?” I shout, rolling my head over the pillow and reaching over for my buzzing
cell phone. With my eyes closed I press the call button and snap, “What!”

Heavy
male chuckling on the other end makes me open my eyes, finding Decks name on
the screen. “Well, good morning sunshine.”

“Ugh,
why are you calling me so damn early?” I growl, pulling the pillow over my face
to block out the blaring sun streaking through the window blinds across the
room.

“It’s
Monday,” Decks singsongs, with another chuckle he adds, “I’ll be over to pick
you up in an hour.”

“Fine,”
I muffle a reply from under the pillow.

“You
better be out of that bed by the time I get there or you’ll regret it.”

“Shit,
I’m up,” I moan and whine, ending the call and throwing my heavenly pillow
across the room at the piercing light. I roll out of the bed and drag my nearly
dead body into the shower, knowing very well that Decks’ threat is far from
empty.

If
it wasn’t for the fact that he will follow through with dragging my ass out of
this bed, I would stay tucked under the covers and sink back into the dream I
was so rudely ripped away from. I hate to admit that I’ve been dreaming about
Blues since the night we met and each vision is hotter than the last, albeit
none are like the inferno that is the real thing. Lovers have taken me to
heights that left my mind spinning from the altitude, but with Blues it is
something more like astronomical.

In
my fantasy, the way he looks at me, like a hunger crawling under his skin, is
maddening. Blues is a starving man with only an appetite for one thing: me. His
solid caress on my skin begins as a sizzle, expanding so quickly that it burns
out my ability to draw in oxygen. Sipping on his dark, delicious lips is enough
to make me give up all other decadent desserts for life. Nothing is sweeter
than his lips, tongue, or flesh. Each sensation is incredible individually, but
to experience all of it combined with him sliding his massive length into me
takes me to a level of ultimate. Being a strong, independent woman in life is
the way I like to play it, but in the bedroom I want a man to dominate me, take
me and make me do things that I didn’t even realize could be so enjoyable.
Getting fucked from behind against a closed door has never even entered my
fantasy world realm, and yet since Blues took me that way it’s all I can
fucking think about.
He’s making me so dumb
.

I
scrub the sleep out of my eyes, wash my hair and shave from hip to toe before
climbing out of the shower. Dressing in a loose tee-shirt, soft white shorts
and running shoes, I straighten my hair and loop it through a hair band to keep
it out of my eyes while we move my junk. Jogging down the steps, I find Natalie
in the kitchen, folding laundry.

“Boo,”
I shout, sneaking up behind her. She screams bloody murder, jumps and swats at
me, but I duck away before she makes contact.

“Ah
damn, you scared me.” She giggles, placing the stacks of kid clothes into the
laundry basket.

I
pour a cup of coffee and sit at the table smiling at Simone’s cheetah leotard
on top of the clothes pile. “I’m beat, but Decks will be here in about fifteen
minutes to move me out.”

She
nods then sits beside me. “I’m glad we got to stay up last night talking. I’m
going to miss having you around.” Natalie smiles and softly adds, “And I know
Simone will be lost without her new best friend.”

“Yeah,
she won’t have anyone to climb on anymore.”

“Next
week we’re getting a babysitter and going to Holidays. Will you be there?”

Sipping
from my cup, I shrug and say, “Probably. I think Decks goes every weekend, but
even if he doesn’t I’ll be there if you’re going.”

“Awesome,
and then Christmas is only a few weeks away. If you don’t have plans, I would
love for you to spend it with us.” I wince and she adds, “You don’t have to buy
us anything.”

“That’s
not it.” I shake my head. “I don’t know if I’ll be around. My friend in
Savannah wants me to visit her for the holidays and it has been forever since
I’ve seen her.” Truthfully, I will be with Kris and her family only a few miles
north of here, but I use Savannah as a diversion for this case.

“Oh,
I understand. Well, we can celebrate once you get back,” she says hopeful.

The
doorbell rings and I glance at the time glowing on the microwave. Given that it
has been exactly an hour since I’ve spoken with Decks, it’s only logical that
he’s the one at the front door.

“I’ve
got it,” I say to Natalie. “We’ll be out of here in about twenty minutes.”

Walking
out of the kitchen toward the front door, I glance back and see a frown bending
on her lips. Her sadness tugs at my heart. I didn’t think getting involved with
anyone in this group would make me feel this way, but Natalie is such a
genuinely good person that I know if we weren’t on opposing sides of the drug
war we would be friends for real. When all of this is said and done, she will
hate me…they always do.

Pulling
open the door, I freeze, completely at a loss for words. Luckily for me, Decks
shoves past the equally solidified statue of Blues, grabs me into a big bear
hug and then spins me around the small front foyer so that I’m not left
standing in the doorway looking like a complete dumb ass. Decks gingerly puts
me back down on my feet with a kiss on my forehead.

“Aw,
I’m kind of disappointed that you obeyed my order,” Decks says with a sideways
grin. “I was hoping to drag you out kicking and screaming. If you would have
been naked that could have been a bonus.”

“Shut
up,” I smack him before glancing back at a pissed off Blues. “What are you
doing here?”

“Decks
asked me to help him move a friend,” he glances from me to Decks then adds, “I
didn’t know that it was you who’s moving in with him.”

“Does
it matter?”
Decks asks
Blues before turning back to me
with a more serious look on his face. “We have business to take care of
afterward.”

“Oh,”
I say, staring between the two men. “You know, I could take care of this myself
if you two need to go ahead.”

“Oh,
no you don’t,” Decks argues grabbing my hand and lacing our fingers together.
“You’re coming with us. I have something I want to show you.”

Combinations
of feelings wash through me, uneasiness with Blues being here to help move me
into Decks’ and beside myself with excitement that Decks is including me in
their business affairs dominates all of them. I nod and turn around, walking
back toward the kitchen.
Do not get caught up in Blues being here. Be cool
!

“Hey
Nat,” Decks says, following too close behind me.

“Hey,
Decks,” she says smiling at him then says, “Oh, hey Ethan. I had no idea you
would be here helping move Angel into Decks’ place.”

“Hey
Natalie,” Blues says, leaning his back against the row of cabinets just inside
the kitchen and running a hand roughly through his hair.

He
appears displeased or annoyed. Clearly he believes that Decks and I are taking
a serious step with our relationship. I’m kind of torn on how to handle things
at this point. I had hoped that Blues would find out about my new address from
another source, but it looks like fate wants to mess with me today. If I set
the record straight in front of everyone maybe all things can still work out in
my favor.

“I
want to thank you again for letting me move in, Decks.” I say honestly. “Most
guys would assume that when a girl moves in with them that it’s an automatic
hook up. I’m glad we understand each other and plan to take things slowly.”

Natalie
giggles behind me and I turn around to see what is so funny. “I’m sorry, but
that is a riot. Did he really promise you that he wouldn’t jump your bones?
Because we all know that he will break that promise tonight.”

I
break my gaze from her and look at Decks. His smile drops to a frown instantly
after hearing her words. He crosses his arms over his chest while piercing her
with an angry glare. And dammit, it ticks me off that she thinks I’m that
naive.

“I
trust him,” I counter, lifting my chin defiantly and glancing back at her with
a serious look to which she understands. Stealing a glance at the sex-god, I
see insurmountable misery etched in his gorgeous face.

“Okay,
then. I’m sorry,” she says to me before turning to him. “You just better take
care of my girl, Decks or you’ll answer to me.”

“That’s
all I want to do, Nat.”
Decks relaxes
his harsh
stance, smiles sincerely at her and then winks at me.