Finally Home (Home Series) (42 page)

Getting out, he walked close to the other buildings, pretending to be a phone company worker, checking the wires.  He'd walked the perimeter of the building once before deciding he really needed to figure out a way into the building across the street...if he could get into that building and up to the top floor, he was sure that the thermal would work better. 

He'd gotten so engrossed in his plans that he didn't notice when the black sedan that had left earlier had come back. 
By the time he saw movement from over there, it was too late, that damned big guy Harris had spotted him.

"Hey," Harris called, drawing his attention.  "What are you checking on?"

"I got a work order to check the lines here," Charles replied, hoping his voice didn't sound as shaky to Harris as it did to him.

Harris kept walking toward him. 
Holy shit
, he thought,
the dude is even bigger close up.

"We didn't order any new services and the lines are working fine.  You mind showing me that work order?"

"I can't do that, man, my boss would kill me."

Harris stopped just a few feet from him, his hard eyes sweeping over him, assessing him.

"I'd be worried about me right now, my man.  Show me the papers."

"I can't do that without supervisor approval.  Let me go back to my truck and..."

"What company do you work for?

"Look, man, I'm just doing my job."

"That's fine.  Let me see your papers and..."

Colt cursed when the shorter man bolted.  He was pretty sure he'd just seen Charles Conroy.  He chased after him, confident he would run him down with ease...until the prick pulled a gun and started shooting at him.  Colt ducked behind a dumpster and pulled his own gun, managing to get three shots off before Conroy made it to his truck and sped off.

"Son of a bitch," Colt swore, pulling his phone out.  "Hey, Boss...just had a shootout with Conroy down on the street."

Mike emerged from the warehouse a few minutes later, a deep scowl on his face.  Colt waved him over, standing with his hands on his hips.

"Got him," Colt said, indicating the trail of blood from where he stood to where Conroy had jumped into his truck.

"What was he doing?"

"Looked to me like he had a thermal imaging device...was walking the perimeter of the building when I pulled up, and then looking up at the building across the street when I came out."

"Trying to figure out how to get in there to get a better look."

"Yeah.  He was nervous
...it was hard for me to believe that he was the same guy who shot through the window at her house with such precision."

Mike nodded.  "He's addicted to seeing her.  We've kept her out of the public for weeks.  Going through withdrawals."

"Yeah, yeah...but..."

"What?"

Colt shrugged.  "I don't know, Lainey would probably be the one to ask but he seemed like he'd really gone over the edge.  Like past unstable to just flat out crazy."

"In the eyes?"

"Yeah, eyes were all over the place, like he was jonesing."

"We've seen it before.  Extreme PTSD," Mike told him.

Colt rubbed the back of his neck.  "Yeah...and I guess that's why I didn't take him down right away.  I just...all this craziness aside, he's one of us...and Lainey was the only one giving him the help he needed before it was taken away from him.  And then it pisses me off because of what he did to Tessa and what he's doing to Lainey...but..."

Mike put his hand on Colt's shoulder.  "It's all right.  We owe it to him to try to take him down easy so he can get the help he needs."

Colt shook his head.  "Yeah...but...if it were Sarah he'd been threatening..."

"Colt.  Relax.  This was one opportunity.  There will be more.  We'll get him."

"If he hurts someone else because I didn't act fast enough today..."

"Stop."

Colt took a deep breath.  "I need to check the camera footage.  Get that info to her dad."

"Let's go."

Lainey breathed a sigh of relief when the elevator buzzed and she saw Mike and Colt step inside.  He hadn't given her much of an explanation when he went down, only that Colt had seen something and needed his help out on the street.  Both men looked fine; determined, but fine.  She didn't bother them when they came in and went straight to the computers, but followed Mike, standing behind him as he pulled up the security camera footage.

"Oh, my God!" she gasped when she recognized Charles on the screen.

Mike glanced at her briefly, reaching a hand out to her to draw her to his side.

"It's all right," he told her, "this is actually a good thing.  He's getting desperate for a glimpse of you."

"But how did he know I was here?"

"My guess is he was watching your father," Colt said.

"That's my feeling, too," Mike agreed. 

Lainey's hand tightened on Mike's shoulder.

"Do you think my dad is in danger?"

"I'll call him, make him aware of all of this, but I don't think Conroy will target him.  He wants you.  Hurting your father would not be his best line of defense at this point."

"But surely he knows that if he were to somehow succeed in getting me, my father would come after him. Wouldn't he want to try to take out as many threats to him as possible?"

Mike looked up at her.  "You tell me.  Look at this clinically,
cara
.  Would hurting your father endear him to you?"

"No...but he didn't hesitate to hurt Tessa."

"As far as he knew, Tessa was just some lady cop.  He didn't know of your connection to her," Colt said. 

"True," she agreed.

Charles cursed a blue streak as he poured alcohol over the wound in his thigh.  He hadn't been fast enough.  Damn bullet took a good chunk from the side of his
thigh.  Luckily it was just a flesh wound but it hurt like a bitch.  Damn that Harris!  If not for him, he'd be in that warehouse across the street.  He had no doubt that they were now working on upgrading the security systems of all the surrounding buildings as well. 

He took out a suture kit and began sewing up the wound.  Harris would pay.  He'd take him down first chance he got.  He'd take him quick.  Casiano, on the other hand...Casiano he would make suffer first.  He'd seen the looks that past between him and Lainey at her offices.  He had no doubt that now, weeks later, Casiano had made a move on her. 

Charles cried out in frustrated agony.  Lainey was his!  No one else had a right to touch her.  No one!  He wanted to go after Casiano.  He wanted him to suffer.  He wanted him to bleed!  Then Lainey would finally see him.  When the Casiano was out of the way, his Lainey would finally see him as someone who could take care of her.

Chapter Thirty

Mike and Colt worked well into the night, adding to the security system of the warehouse, installing more exterior cameras and sensors.  They also coordinated and checked in with Whit and Coop
who were "hunting" for Charles. Lainey felt like she was at loose ends.  While the guys worked, she concentrated on emailing her patients' parents, just staying in-touch with them.  She delighted in some of the success stories they reported and offered words of encouragement to those who were struggling.  Several asked when she would be returning and she had to tell them she hoped soon but wasn't sure.  They were all aware of the situation and were understanding, but the kids wanted her back.

Colt left late, only after he was fully satisfied that all alarm sensors and cameras were operational and he knew that Whit and Coop were once again stationed outside.  She hated that those three had spent so many nights on guard duty while she and Mike were comfortable in the loft but they assured her they were perfectly fine and had slept in worse conditions.  Still, she hated that this trouble with her was keeping them from their families, well, Coop from his and Whit from further progressing things with Melissa.

She watched Mike go into the kitchen and pour himself a bit of whiskey and down it.  He didn't drink often so she knew he was stressed. He poured more and then she watched him carry it over to the piano and sit down.  She finished the last of her emails listening to him play.  For a moment, she stayed on the couch, eyes on him, watching his every move.  He had his eyes closed again, playing from memory just as he had when he'd so flawlessly played Moonlight Sonata that first night. She didn't recognize the melody he played now, but it was beautiful.

His body swayed with the music in that way that piano players
did.  It was fascinating to watch and the longer he played, the more she felt herself becoming aroused.  Fifty feet or more separated them, but Lainey couldn't help feeling that this was one of the most intimate, private moments she'd ever shared with him.  Instinctively, she knew that not many had seen him like this; had watched him on the bench, fingers moving over the keys like a dance.  She thought of all the things those very capable hands could do...from chopping vegetables like the best of gourmet chefs, wield a gun or knife, to no doubt killing with no weapon at all, to skimming over her body and bringing the most pleasure she'd ever experienced.  She shivered just thinking about it.

When he began a third song, she got up and went to him, leaning against the piano's edge to watch him.  Of course, even with his eyes closed, he'd known when she approached and to her surprise, he stopped mid-song and he began playing the notes to
Love Me Tender
.  Smiling, she began singing, delighting when those hauntingly beautiful eyes opened and settled on her.  After she finished, he stood and lifted her into his arms, kissing her deep as he carried her upstairs.  She was amazed that he'd been able to walk that whole way without hesitation while still kissing her, but supposed he was attuned to his environment. 

In his room, he let her slide slowly down his body to her feet, pulling her sweater over her head and unhooking her bra to toss them both quickly aside.
She grabbed the sides of his shirt and pulled it from his pants, lifting it up to his chest and letting him pull it the rest of the way off.  His arm circled her waist and he lifted her so that her breasts crushed against his chest while he kissed her, taking her to the bed and covering her as he laid her down.  Lainey cupped his face in her hands while they kissed then let her fingers slide into his hair when he kissed his way from her mouth to her breasts, down her abdomen to the waist of her pants, then curled his fingers in them, pulling pants and panties off together.  She didn't even have time to think before he spread her legs and his mouth settled on her center, tongue lapping and delving, sending her spiraling over the edge faster than she ever thought possible.

She was still trembling from that release when he moved back up her body, covering her mouth with his, sharing her taste while his fingers thrust inside her to keep her in a frenzy of need.  Tongues dueling, her hips thrusting against his hand, she came apart again.

"Mike," she breathed, clinging to him, "please."

"What do you want,
cara mia
?"

"I want
you inside me.  Now, Commander," she said, reaching for his belt buckle. 

Her hands were trembling too much so he stood and quickly stripped, then moved back over her on the bed
.  He smoothed her hair from her brow and held her gaze as he entered her, groaning when her welcoming heat surrounded him.  Those big emerald eyes focused on him and he swore in that moment he could have done anything, been anything, just to keep her looking at him like that.

Her hands smoothed over his chest, fingers trailing over his scars, nails raking gently over his skin as she explored.  He knew, looking down at her as they moved together, there would never
be anyone else for him.  Lainey was the only woman he wanted to be with like this.  He'd known it from just one look at her when she was seventeen years old.  Something had just clicked; however sappy it sounded, he believed his soul recognized hers; that they were meant to be.

"Mike," she said, pulling his thoughts back to the present.  "Let me up," she insisted.

Alarmed, he immediately withdrew, afraid he'd somehow hurt her.  She sat up and raked her hand through her hair, then immediately turned and pushed him so that he was laying on his back, then climbed astride him and took him in, riding him in agonizingly slow and sensual movements.  His mind checked out on him then, watching her move, eyes raking her entire body, hands going to her breasts.

Lainey reveled in watching Mike give himself over to the pleasure.  She actually saw the minute his mind let go and his body took over.  His eyes glazed and became hooded, his head tilted back.  His hands
on her breasts eventually fell away as she rode him.  Her rigid, stoic Commander was finally, at least for this little while, giving control over to her and allowing himself to be taken. 

Leaning down so that the tips of her breasts skimmed the scarred skin of his chest, she concentrated on pushing them both to the edge of the cliff.  As she felt her peak coming, Mike's arm snaked around her waist and reversed
their positions once again, taking her with a frenzied force that had her holding tight to his arms, nails digging in.