Darkness Of Truth (An FBI/Romance Thriller~ Book 6) (64 page)

“You make sure Wyler takes the long way home. Take a scenic route and head to FBI
West first. Park in the garage, switch out the SUV for a Denali and head home with that. I don’t want you both going directly to the house in my car in case you are followed.”

Bly patted her on the cheek. “We will dear.”

When she was gone, Elizabeth stared at both men. “You both should go with her.”

Ethan knew hell would freeze over first.
“Not going to happen.”

“We’re not leaving you here, Angel.”

Elizabeth rushed towards them, going into their bodies and burying her face in Ethan’s shoulder. “Please don’t let him take you,” she whispered to both men. “I can’t go on without either of you.”

Both men closed around her protectively and stared at each other. A silent message was passed between them.

They would all be going home together.

One way or another.

Tori woke to an empty bed. It seemed that Julian was once again battling demons, and choosing to do it alone. They were going
to have a discussion soon about how his choices were making her feel like she wasn’t part of the relationship.

At first she thought he’d gone out to the horses and for a ride, but they were both there and
this time his motorcycle was missing. Maybe he went for the paper.

She was getting worried, especially since Elizabeth told them last night to stick together.
Sending him a text message, she prayed he’d reply.

Tori
decided to turn on the coffee and grab a shower while she worried more. Once the pot was started, she wandered through their living room and into their bathroom. There was no sign that Julian had shaved, so hopefully he’d be returning soon.

Turning on the water, she stripped from the t-shirt
covering her body. It was the one he’d been wearing the previous day, and it smelled like his aftershave. Standing under the water, Tori relaxed into the heat as the warmth wrapped around her.

She was so lost in the
moment that the motion behind her was missed. When arms pushed her forward against the tile, her first instinct was to fight.

“I need you,” he whispered in her ear as his hands began their assault.

“Julian,” she replied, being spun around. His eyes looked haunted and there was no peace to be found in his face.

“I need to forget for a while, Victoria,” he pleaded. While she slept,
Julian had snuck out, going to his father’s burial site. Sitting there, he thought he’d find calm, but all that filled him was anger and pain. “Save me.”

Tori would die for the man, offering him peace was a small thing after all he
gave her. Slipping the necklace he’d once given her from her neck, she placed it over his head. “You need this now, Julian. It’ll chase what follows you and keep you safe. I’ll take care of the rest.”

His eyes filled with tears and pain.

“Take what you need,” she offered. “I love you.”

Julian took that moment to pull her mouth to his and plunder, trying desperately to find any iota of peace
. Need crashed through him as he pressed her against the cold tiles, seeking solace. “So empty,” he muttered into her mouth.

Tori held on through the storm. She’d never seen Julian like this before. It was as if he was trying to climb into her to find a safe place to hide. “I’m here,” she whispered as his hands wandered her body, stroking, touching and taking.

He wanted to be gentle, but everything in him was demanding that he just take and forget for a while. He grabbed her by the back of the hair, pulling her head back to have access to her throat. Julian left a trail of kisses to the valley between her breasts. “I need you, Victoria. I need you so much.”

Her heart ached at his words. “I’m here
, Jules. I’ll always be here,” she reassured.

As he dropped to his knees, he stared up into her smoky
blue eyes. Everything in his heart wanted to tell her all the words trapped there. Instead, he allowed his hands and mouth to tell the story. Diving into her warmth, he explored the familiarity of her body. As she moaned, he wanted more and more with her.

“Julian,” she whispered, sliding her hands into his wet hair. All her nerve endings quivered as he touched her in just the right spots.
When he nipped her, she shattered and prayed her legs would hold her up.

He waited until her body stopped vibrating before he stood. “I want to feel you around me,” he stated, lifting her.

Tori wrapped her legs around his waist and slid him into her body. “Julian,” she gasped, right before his mouth took hers again. He didn’t move in her, simply continued devouring her.

“Our bed,” he muttered, carrying her from the bathroom. Laying her in the center of their
mattress, he remained connected. “Forgive me,” he whispered, as he began the invasion. There was no gentleness now, only the need flowing from his body. Julian couldn’t control the desire and buried himself repeatedly in the woman that gave him peace.

She gasped and arched into him as he began finding pleasure in her. “Julian,” she moaned, her nails digging into his shoulders
, the slight pain offering distraction from the hurt in his heart.

“God, Victoria. I need more,” he muttered, as he stared down into her beautiful face. Nothing would save his heart but her. It was battered, bruised and needed her
love. Only the woman beneath him would heal him.

Her body shook again. “Julian, so close,” she whispered, meeting his body thrust for thrust.

“Ohhh Tori,” he moaned, feeling the end fast approaching. When she shattered around him, luring his body to the precipice, he let go to fall into the bliss. Colors cascaded and the world ceased to exist. All there was in life was the woman beneath him.

Tori lay pressed
against him, running her hands over his back offering comfort. “It’s okay, Julian. I’m here and never leaving you,” she promised. “We can get through anything.”

He nodded and allowed himself a
minute of weakness as the tears came, fell, and offered relief from the pain in his heart. For that one moment he found what he was looking for with the love of his life.

Escape
.

The three
packed up Elizabeth’s SUV and hurriedly loaded up their two children. Placing kisses on each of their heads, they closed the doors and waved goodbye. Now it was a matter of Wyler protecting their family as he drove away.

“Let’s get inside. I don’t want to be standing out here,” stated Elizabeth, concerned for the men in her life.

“Me either,” added Callen, placing his body protectively alongside his pregnant partner.

Ethan mimicked the action as he pulled out his cell phone and dialed the office. Calmly he requested security to allow Wyler in with the kids and to assist him in transferring the children to one of the Denali’s. He tagged it important and explained the situation. Security was more than happy to help keep his
little ones safe, no questions asked.

Once inside they sat on the couch and no one spoke for a while, unsure of a safe topic that wouldn’t turn into a brawl.
Elizabeth wanted the men to leave, and she knew they were thinking the same thing about her too.

“I think it’s best if we simply skip it and save ourselves the fight,” suggested Blackhawk, knowing what was bouncing through his wife’s head.

“Agreed,” Callen stated.

She would have to let this one go and since they were willing to not boss her around, she’d do the same. “Tell me what the killer was thinking
by leaving us the feather, Ethan.”

He leaned his head back and contemplated her question. “He’s upping the stakes. We’re worthy adversaries and now we’re being forewarned.
In his state of mind, he’ll believe he’s doing us a favor by giving us a chance to out maneuver his next move.”

Callen didn’t like this at all. “He’s making it a game.”

Blackhawk nodded in agreement. “Yes, he’s probably assuming that we don’t have a clue about there being two killers. He’s either trying to give us another clue, or tagging one of us as his next victim.”

She thought about it. “Today I want to hit up council and talk to the
shaman and the chief. I don’t like that everything we have is pointing to a council member for the first three killings. It’s hardly coincidence.”

“I’m with you there,” Blackhawk agreed. “We need to stay one step ahead of the killer with this one. Keeping as much
information quiet as possible.”

There was a crunch of gravel in the driveway. “Were we expecting anyone?” Callen asked, walking to the window. “Oh holy hell!” he exclaimed.

“What?” Elizabeth raced to the window. “Oh shit, the media found us now too!”

Blackhawk joined them. “Someone
sent them to our doorstep,” he stated. “No one knew we’re here but the chief of police and our team.”

“And the killer,” Elizabeth added, glancing at the men. “We’re not going to get out of here without dealing with them, so which one of us is going to pony up and make a statement?”

The men went with their standby and did rock, paper, scissors. Callen won and laughed triumphantly. “Between you two,” he stated, grinning.

Elizabeth smiled at her husband as he prepared to challenge her. “I’ll have really kinky sex for a week if you take
one for the team.”

That had his attention. “Just
the two of us?”

Callen protested
, his hopes dashed at being excluded in the sex-fest. “Hey!”

“Yep,” she answered, leaning in and whispering in his ear. “Just you me and that.”

For half of what she was offering up he’d walk on nails and eat live scorpions. “Deal. Let me go get my suit on.” Blackhawk walked away whistling.

“What did you just score?” Callen had to know. Of the three of them, Ethan and Elizabeth hated the media and it had to be monumental
for his brother to take it willingly.

She leaned in and repeated the deal.

“Holy shit, Elizabeth! That’s an option?”

Elizabeth shrugged. “I like to save it for the times I need leverage against the men in my life,” she answered.

Blackhawk laughed from the stairs. “She’s a wild card Cal. You never know when she’ll offer up a deal, but when media is involved it’s a given.”

Callen kicked the sofa. “I’m never winning rock, paper, scissors ever again!”

Elizabeth simply grinned, grabbing her cup of coffee. She loved the men in her life enough that she knew she’d cave and let Callen in on it too.

                                          *   *   *

Christina woke up with a pounding headache and a note beside her on the hotel bed. She was tired, sore and hung over. Then she remembered what she did and sat up, scanning the room.

Her lips were swollen and she was pretty sure tequila and the
night of incredible sex was going to come back and bite her in the ass.

“Oh my God!
What did I do?” Picking up the note, she read it and wanted to puke. “Yep, I did what I thought I did,” she said out loud to an empty room. “Apparently repeatedly.”

Again she re-read the words:

Chrissy,

I had to be at work before seven. I’ll see you

t
here and for the record… just wow!

Kane

“I’m a dead woman,” she muttered lying back on the bed and closing her eyes. Bits and pieces of the night flashed through
Christina’s mind, as her body heated at the thought of the evening’s festivities. How he talked her into tequila and sex was beyond her. Generally, she was logical and thought everything through.

Then it hit her. He’d seen the scars marring her chest and arms. “Oh crap,” Christina muttered, wanting to cry. If she could cal
l in sick, she absolutely would, but she knew the truth. That wouldn’t fly with Elizabeth Blackhawk. It looked like she was going to have to face the music.

Or in her case, a sexy man that saw her at her most vulnerable.

             
                            *   *   *

Ethan Blackhawk was an imposing man when
need be. When dealing with the media hounds, there had to be a boundary set right from the start. If they thought they could bully the FBI, they’d try at every given chance. Going in imposing was the only way to have complete and total control.

Once he’d put on his tailored finery, he was ready to handle the mess
brewing on their doorstep. Walking down the stairs, he paused at the mirror to make sure his tie was perfectly knotted and he was projecting an air of superiority. 

Elizabeth whistled. “Hey Cowboy, you plan on schooling the media dogs or what?” When her husband put on the power suit in all black and the flame red tie, there was going to be a battle. “You look sexy.”