Leverage (The Brannock Siblings) (15 page)

I wrapped my arms around him and dug my fingers into his
back, urging him forward, needing more of him.

He got the message and thrust harder, faster, until I was at
the precipice, ready to fall.

"Come with me, Ash," he said.

That's all it took. One command from him and my body fell
over the edge, white lights flashing in my eyes. He buried his face in my neck,
groaning my name and every muscle in his body tightened as he spilled himself
inside of me as wave after wave crashed through me.

His thrusts slowed, still stroking me as he tried to catch
his breath. Then I felt his lips start moving down my neck, over my collarbone
then back up until he was kissing my lips, trying to bring me back from that
blissful place.

I closed my eyes, savoring his taste, his touch. It was all
I could feel.

He rolled us to the side, still inside me, and pulled me
closer. I wrapped my leg over his hip and he surrounded me in his arms. Our
breaths had slowed, but my body still buzzed with awareness.

After a long moment, he slipped out of me and off the bed
into the bathroom. I heard water running, then he was back with a washcloth in
hand. My brow furrowed in confusion and he shot me a crooked grin before
leaning over me and kissing me on the forehead. "I really should draw you
a bath, but you look too comfortable."

He placed the warm washcloth over me and I felt a moment of
mortification that quickly disappeared when I saw his expression. He looked
proud and affectionate as he cleaned me, intimately. He looked happy and I felt
cherished as he wiped away the evidence of my virginity. A lump formed in my
throat and my eyes stung from the devotion I saw in his.

He tossed the towel into his hamper and spread out on the
bed next to me, pulling me into his arms and tucking my head under his chin. I
lightly ran my fingers over his chest and stomach then back up as I got control
of my emotions.

I still hadn't said anything and my mind began replaying
what we had just shared.

"That was…" I trailed off.

"Yeah."

"I never thought…"

"Yeah."

"Can we do it again?" I asked.

He chuckled and rolled onto his back, spreading me out on
top of him. "Are you sore at all?"

I shook my head and leaned forward to kiss his chin then
made a trail down his throat to his collar bone and nibbled.

He grunted on a sigh and I smiled against his skin, knowing
he would give me what I wanted. "Then yes, please."

Lucas

He couldn't stop smiling.

He woke up late the next morning with Ash sprawled out on
her stomach next to him, the morning light making her skin glow. He couldn't help
but touch that silky skin again, making her shift and sigh.

They had made love several times during the night, neither
one of them able to keep their hands off each other. He had woken her a couple
of times with his mouth on her body and when she had done the same just before
the sun came up, he knew he was ruined for the rest of his life.

He was going to marry her.

She stirred again as he rounded her perfect ass and trailed
his fingers down the back of her leg, leaving goose bumps behind.

He chuckled to himself and moved over her, straddling her
legs and leaning over to place tender kisses down her spine.

"Oh, that's glorious," she mumbled.

"I can't get enough of you," he murmured against
her skin then trailed a hand over her hip and up the side of her body, sliding
it beneath her to cup her breast.

"Mmmmm," she hummed and shifted her hips.

He kissed up the back of her neck, moving her hair over a
shoulder, and nibbled on her ear. "But first, we need food."

Her stomach rumbled a split second after he said it and he
laughed.

"Yes! Please!" she cried and if the sound of her
cry wasn't the sexiest thing he had ever heard, he would have probably left her
to get food right then and there.

But it
was
the sexiest thing he had ever heard and
his body took over. He shifted above her, spread her legs apart just enough and
slowly sank into her from behind, making her gasp and turn her head into the
pillow. The feel of her around him, hot and tight, was something he would never
be able to forget.

This right here… this is heaven
, he thought to
himself.

"I'm not going in today," he said hoarsely,
thrusting into her as he lifted her hips off the bed. "We're staying
here."

"Yes, okay," she cried again.

He moved faster, slamming into her with each thrust,
bringing them both closer to the edge. "I'm going to make you come for the
rest of the day, until you can't remember your name," he grunted and
nearly lost it when she pressed back into him, pulling him deeper.

"I already don't remember it," she breathed.

He was close. After all the times they made love in the
night, he still felt like a teenager experiencing his first time with her. It
took everything he had to hold back, but he did.

She lifted up on her elbows and arched her back, making him
growl as she clenched around him when he hit just the right angle inside of
her.

He moved his hand over her breast and pulled her up until
she was on her knees, her back to his chest, and sitting on his lap as he
thrust in and out, driving both of them closer.

"Then I'll make you come until you forget
mine
."

"We'll never make it out of here," she said,
lifting up and down with him.

He moved his fingers down between her legs and found that
sensitive bundle that would send her into oblivion.

"My point exactly."

***

"What the… Who the hell is
that
?" Ash asked
from the bedroom window. She had been sipping her coffee in the chair next to
it and playing with the locket he had given her. He loved that she was wearing
his gift again. The day he had given it to her had been the first time he
hinted that she meant something more to him than just a sister and he had
secretly hoped she took that hint.

She was staring through the break in the curtains and her
eyes narrowed while Lucas pulled on his shirt, the first time he had been
dressed in over 12 hours, and stalked toward her.

He peered out the crack in the curtain and watched as a car
tore away from the curb across the street, sending gravel and dust into the
air. Then he noticed a familiar car that was screeching to a halt in his
driveway.

Gibbs and Montgomery.

"Stay here, baby. I'll be right back."

She nodded and clutched her mug tightly while staring up at
him with worry in her eyes.

He traced his fingers over her jaw and grinned, "Don't
worry. They know better than to show up for no good reason."

He kissed her quickly and hurried out of the room and down
the hall to his front door. He didn't bother getting his gun, it wouldn't help
him at all. He tore open his front door just as Gibbs was running up his porch.
Montgomery was still at the hood of the car and looking out in the distance to
where the other car had driven off.

"What the hell is going on?" he shouted.

Gibbs froze and stared at him with wide eyes and a confused
expression. "We were just about to ask the same thing?" he bit out.
"That's the same car we have seen all week."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

Montgomery was now making his way towards them and looked
like he was trying to solve a riddle. He had been hoping the two of them would
give him one day of peace so he could spend it with Ash, he should have known
better.

"That car has been watching your house for the past
five nights. Haven't been able to see who it is because they keep driving off
every time they see us coming and the plate light is out."

His stomach dropped. Someone had been watching his house?
Shit, did they see him bring Ash over last night? He felt the blood drain from
his face. He shouldn't have been so careless. He had been so determined to drag
her out of there, he hadn't kept his head straight.

"We came by last night around ten thirty, they weren't
around then, but we saw you making your way over to the Brannock's and figured
there wasn't much we would see if you were there with Conall and Fergus, so we
left right away. Don't know if they came around. That right there is their
favorite spot, though," Montgomery explained pointing to the now empty
place across the street, sending relief coursing through him.

He would have noticed a strange car sitting across the
street from his house while he was bringing Ash over. No doubt in his mind.

"I have no idea who the hell is watching me, but I will
find out. Why are
you
guys watching me?" He crossed his arms over
his chest and eyed both of them carefully.

Gibbs smiled, not a friendly smile, but a devious one that
sent chills down Lucas' spine. "We wanted to catch you doing something
stupid, but it doesn't look like we will."

"Oh?" he responded sarcastically.

"Yeah. We were hoping whoever was watching you would
give us some kind of a clue, but they see us coming before we even see
them
."

Lucas was furious and he was about to lose it when
Montgomery put his hands up in surrender. "We're sorry, Shade. We have
been following evidence that points to you and haven't thought twice about it.
After the last week, I think it's safe to say you aren't the leak we have been
looking for."

"Shit, I've already told you that, but I understand not
taking my word for it. So why the hell are you guys on my porch now?"

"We want to run a few ideas by you. Think we can come
in?"

Lucas glanced down the hall toward his bedroom door then
looked back at the two men who had been riding his ass ever since he took over
the Banetti case. He wasn't about to risk Ash just because they finally saw the
light.

"How do I know I can trust you?"

"You can't, but if it would make you feel any better,
we can go get the Brannock's and have them in on this, too. It's really the
only option we have anyway since we know
they
aren't the leak,"
Gibbs replied, looking sheepish. He wasn't one to ever admit he was wrong,
something the captain had tried to beat out of him, but never could. The fact
that he was standing on his porch, asking to work together, was huge.

"No need, let's all go there." Lucas said and
backed away from the door to let them in. He felt like he could trust them, but
he didn't want to risk them knowing Ash's presence. "Come on in, I've got
coffee in the kitchen. Grab a cup and we'll head over there."

They both nodded and strolled through the kitchen door as
Lucas scanned his eyes out the front door and down the street both ways.
Nothing out of the ordinary. He locked his front door and hurried down the hall
to Ash. When he walked in the room, she was still sitting at the window, and
looked like she was about to throw up.

"What's going on?" she asked.

He knelt in front of her and grabbed both of her hands in
his. "Everything is okay. I think we may be able to find a way to smoke
out the leak and end all of this, but I need you to stay here."

 She nodded, but gripped his hands harder, "Are they
here to arrest you?"

He shook his head, "No, they are here to help. We're
going to talk to Con and Gus, then I'll let you know, okay? Stay here,
please."

"I will. I promise. I'm not about to jeopardize
everything you have been working so hard for, Lucas."

He smiled at her and finally leaned forward and kissed her.
He wasn't happy about these guys coming here and interrupting his day with her,
but he wanted her to have her life back, so he would take what he could get.

"My house is yours, baby. Make yourself comfortable and
I'll bring you some more clothes when I get back in a couple hours."

She stood, the robe he had given her to wear falling open
and revealing the skin he had spent hours exploring. He snaked his hand in and
pulled her against him.

"Maybe make that one hour… tops," he said with a
grin.

She smacked his shoulder and pulled away before walking into
his bathroom with a little wave and a giggle. He loved when she giggled.

He shoved his feet into his shoes and grabbed his leather
jacket out of the closet before he made his way to the kitchen, finding Gibbs
and Montgomery both sipping coffee and looking anxious. He got a burst of
energy from the knowledge that he wasn't the only one realizing he was in over
his head. It made him less desperate.

Desperation makes you do stupid things.

"Let's go."

***

Half an hour later, their plan was set in stone.

"She's going to be pissed when she finds out,
Luke," Conall said just loud enough for Lucas to hear and raking a hand
through his hair. He knew what it was like to be on the other side of Ash's
wrath and even though they consistently played it off coolly, her brothers had
always been a little afraid of what she was capable of.

"I hate lying to her, man, but it's the only way. She
wouldn't let me go through with it. She wouldn't let
any
of us go
through with it if she knew."

Conall nodded in agreement, but still didn't look like he
thought it was the best idea.

Fortunately, they had all been able to keep Ash's presence a
secret from Gibbs and Montgomery. He only trusted that information with the
people who would give their lives for her. They didn't fit into that category
even though they had been trying to protect her all along. Gibbs had admitted
to him that he was sure someone would get to her when she went back to Ohio and
he had thought it would be Lucas. He had only been trying to keep her safe and
he and her brothers told him they were grateful to him.

Still didn't change anything.

"She'll be a sitting duck, Luke." Conall's voice
was filled with anxiety and he quickly glanced over at Fergus who was still
going over details with the two detectives. "What if something goes
wrong?"

"I've thought about that. No one is going to know that
she is here, Con. So they won't think to look at my house if I'm not there.
Whoever this shithead is, he's going to be following
me
. She'll be safe
and she won't go anywhere until she's told to. You guys taught her well over
the years and she's too stubborn to do anything that would jeopardize
any
of us, even if it meant getting her freedom from all of this."

"Yeah, I feel awful about that, too," he replied
and dropped his head in his hands.

Lucas squeezed his shoulder, "Me too. None of us have
let her live her life. Even when she was gone. When this is all over, it's
going to change."

"Only because she has
you
now. We know she'll
always be safe. That's all we ever wanted for her. She's our sister."

They went silent when Gibbs started making his way over to
them. "Let's hope this goes smoothly. This may be our only chance."

"It
is
our only chance. The only shot we have of
getting this guy to screw up somehow. We can't fuck this up," Lucas
stated, his heart pounding with nervous energy.

Gibbs nodded toward his partner, "We're going to head
back to the station now, see if we can connect all this shit to someone else,
give us a little more play. We'll see you tomorrow."

They walked out of the house, Fergus leading them out and
shaking their hands, before locking the door behind them.

"You think we can trust them," he asked when he
came back into the living room and plopped down next to Lucas on the couch.

He shrugged, "We can't trust anybody, but we also can't
not
trust
someone
."

"True," both of the brothers replied in unison.

They were all silent for a few more minutes, each of them
going over the details of the plan in their heads, none of them really wanting
to ask what all of them were thinking.

Fergus sighed and went in for the kill. "What are you
going to tell her?"

It was the only thing he didn't have a good idea for. If he
didn't lie to her, she would try to stop them, but lying to her was still a
risk, even if it was the lesser of two evils.

"I don't know. She's too smart to not be suspicious.
I've never really been able to outright lie to her before."