Slay Bells Ring (An FBI Romance Thriller Book 12) (22 page)

“I didn't mean…”

“I’m sure you didn’t, but you should think about what you say before you open your mouth. Now, if you don’t mind, I’ll get back to work.”

Callen covered his laugh with a cough. “Way to piss of the tech team. They’re like a hive of bees. You go after the queen, and they eventually will attack. You shouldn’t have been talking shit about Elizabeth. You made no friends with them.”

Yeah, Dakota could tell.

Callen looked around the room, taking everything in. The hairs on the back of his neck were standing up, and that worried him.

“Merry, gather everything you can so we can get the hell out of here. It’s late afternoon, and I don’t want to be here for too long. If the killers squatted here, I don’t want to be surprised if they come back.”

She understood.

Callen was obviously thinking about the note, and honestly, they couldn't blame him.

“Hustle up,” she ordered her techs.

Then she got down to work.

                 
* * *  B l a c k h a w k - W h i t e f o x   * * *

Wednesday Evening

His screams were out of control.

They had to muffle them because they were afraid his girlfriend would hear them before she entered the house. That was the last thing they wanted. They needed her to make a matched pair.

Plus, it was ruining the pleasure of listening to Christmas music as they made him bleed.

As he remained strapped in place, writhing in pain, Clyde sliced long lines in his flesh. He wasn’t trying to bleed him too much, but instead, he was trying to mark where they’d make the cuts.

It was easier on a living person as he flexed. He could see where the joints moved, and not have to battle bone when he cut him apart.

There was a method to his madness.

“Anyone coming?” he asked, glancing over at Bonnie. She was perched in a window, watching the driveway.

“Not yet.”

“When she pulls in, let me know. I’ll knock him out.”

She stared out into the night. “Where are we going after this?” Bonnie asked.

“I don’t know. Where would you like to go?”

She thought about it.

“Maybe somewhere warm. I hate the snow. It was never my thing.”

He grinned. “We can do that. I’ll take you wherever you want, doll.”

She smiled sweetly, not willing to make him angry. He was calm tonight, and she needed that to last.

“You know how much I love you.”

Before she could say anything else, there were lights in the driveway. “She’s home.”

The bound man began screaming to warn her.

Well, that wouldn’t do.

Clyde picked up the closest object and hit the man in the head. There was a sickening crunch of bone before he was out cold.

“Let’s get down there.”

When they heard the garage door opening, they each took a side. When the woman called out to her lover, they grinned at each other in the dark.

The fun was about to begin.

As the door to the adjoining garage opened, she stepped in, not expecting them. Then suddenly, she must have noticed that she wasn’t alone.

She went to fight.

Only, it didn't matter.

The Taser to her spine took her to the ground before she could even get in a blow.

“She’s out,” Bonnie stated.

Clyde kissed her. “Shall we get this fun on the road?”

“I’ll go search for valuables.”

With that, she wandered away to leave Clyde to his work. He was humming along with the music, and still in a good mood.

She wanted to give him some space.

It was for the best. He didn't like to be bothered.

Not when he was destroying two people.

It was just how he was.

          
* * *  B l a c k h a w k - W h i t e f o x   * * *

‘That’s the Spot’

Motel

Ethan was out cold on one of the beds. After he’d finished tossing his cookies, Elizabeth held onto him and wiped his tears. Her husband was being chased by so many fears, and that was an issue.

The demons weren’t gone.

While they thought he’d been exorcised of the things that haunted him, this was proof they were wrong.

When they got back to FBI West, Elizabeth was going to call Doctor Carter. For the last few months, they were worried more about Callen, and apparently, Ethan fell through the cracks.

Their family would rally around him, giving Ethan all the support he needed. Hopefully, this little incident wouldn’t set him back.

That was the last thing they needed.

As she sat there in the silence of the room, she knew Callen would be there soon, and she was glad.

She was starving.

Her clothes were ruined.

She was trapped
.

When there was a knock to the door, Elizabeth only prayed it wasn’t the killer, or housekeeping. She wasn’t exactly dressed for company.

As she peeked out, there was a handsome smiling face waiting for her.

“I’m so glad to see you,” she said, opening the door to let him in.

Callen took in the state of the room. It smelled like booze, Elizabeth was in Ethan’s shirt, and he was out cold on the bed.

“Nice place you have here, angel.”

She snorted. It wasn’t that long ago that he took her to a similar place. It ended pretty much the same way, only there wasn’t any booze staining the carpet.

“Thanks. I hope you have food, or I’m going to eat someone in this room, and that’s not nearly as kinky as it sounds.”

Callen held up the takeout bag. “I remembered. We can eat and discuss the case if you’re up for it.”

“We can do that.”

Climbing onto the bed, she waited for him to kick off his boots and pull the takeout from the paper sack.

“I got you your favorite.”

“Spicy shrimp?” she asked, her mouth already watering. “I may kiss you.”

“Well, then…”

Callen made a giant container appear.

She did what she promised, planting one on his mouth. “Bless you. I may have your baby in gratitude.”

He laughed. “Yeah, since it’s already happening, I’m ahead of the game. I guess I owed you.”

Elizabeth dove into the food. It was so hard not to talk with her mouth full. She was so damn hungry.

“What did you eat today?” Callen asked, watching her devour the Chinese.”

“Coffee, coffee, and two sticks of chewing gum. I swallowed them to appease the pregnancy deity growing in my belly. Does that count as food?”

He shook his head in admonishment. “Angel, you have to eat more often than that. You’re growing a child.”

It was the same song, just a different singer.

Ethan said the same to her last pregnancy. It wasn’t like she didn't know that. Only, she had one hell of a crazy job that took precedence. It wasn’t like every place they visited had a vending machine packed with delicious delicacies.

The men got bitchy when she ate candy bars as a meal.

“Well, in my defense, I didn't plan on skipping lunch. Ethan had a meltdown, and I couldn’t leave.”

“Why didn't you walk next door? There’s a sub place. I’m sure you could leave him for a few minutes.”

She pointed at her clothes. “This is all I have to wear. I hope you have extra gear in your vehicle.”

He did.

Callen had learned his lesson.

Now he began laughing. “Wait until I bust his ass over this one. He did the same shit to me when I accosted you.”

Then he stopped.

Something wasn’t right.

In fact, her face said it all.

She wasn’t laughing. Instead, Elizabeth looked concerned.

“Wait. What happened? Why do you look like you want to cry?”

Elizabeth told him everything. She knew that Callen needed to know. They might have a long road ahead of them, and he might have to help her bear the weight.

“He cried?”

She nodded. “The only time I’ve ever seen him really break down was when Timothy died, or our children were born. Ethan isn’t exactly one to weep.”

Callen was a little concerned.

“Lyzee, I don’t know what to say.” Callen knew his brother, and he was pretty sure that the ‘rape’ was the part that was going to get them buried in a shitload of issues. Ethan was a gentleman, especially since he wasn’t in their youth. He wore it like a badge of honor.

“I’m scared shitless.”

“He didn't hurt you, did he?”

“Hell no! It wasn’t his suavest of moves in the bedroom department, but trust me when I say that I got off too. Only, how do I get him to believe that?”

He put himself in his brother’s place.

It wouldn’t be easy.

Neither man had ever physically hurt a woman. Elizabeth was the one they fought valiantly to protect. If Ethan thought he actually raped her, he’d be a mess.

“We have to keep him from losing it.”

He agreed.

“How about we take a break from all the insanity and talk case in the morning? We’ll wait for him to wake up and shower. Then Ethan won’t feel left out. It’ll give him something to focus on.”

She agreed.

“Can I ask you something and not piss you off?” Callen inquired.

“Well, I am pregnant, so you know that it’s ask at your own risk. What?”

“Today, you and Dakota were talking about pickle chips. Why didn't you tell us?” he asked. “I thought we shared everything. I mean, you trust me, right?”

“I do, Callen. Both you and Ethan are the two people I trust most in the world.”

“Well, then why didn't I know you liked them? It may seem silly, but it’s bugging the shit out of me.”

Elizabeth sighed. “Honestly, I’m ashamed.”

“Of deep friend food?” he asked, pulling three egg rolls out. “Then can I have yours?” he teased, trying not to stress her further.

“Do you really want to know why I didn't tell you anything about him?”

“Yes.”

“Right now, are you Callen my husband or Callen my best friend?” she asked.

“Best friend, if that’s what you need.”

She weighed her options, and then finally went for it. After all, this was Callen, and he was the one person on the planet she usually told everything to.

He was her confidant.

“I don’t like to think about Dakota.”

“Why?”

“I broke his heart. I knew after the first time we kissed that he wasn’t the one. Yet, I still stayed in the relationship. It was nice having someone to talk shop to, and he was away a lot of those six months, and so was I. It was an easy relationship to fall in and out of when need be. We’d call, meet up, have sex, and go our separate ways. When he asked me to marry him, I was pretty freaked out.”

“Why?”

“I didn't love him, and I couldn’t believe I’d let it go that far. He obviously felt more for me, and I was so absorbed in my job that I didn't notice. I should have. Contrary to popular belief, I don’t like to hurt people.”

“So, when he proposed?”

“I was sick over it. It was in the middle of this nice Italian place, and he was on his knee. There was this big dopey grin on his face, and I had to either make him happy, or break his heart.”

“You didn't love him. That’s not your fault.”

“You know that and I know that, but he didn't. I had to say no, and when I did, it was ugly.”

He could only imagine. He’d only asked two people to marry him, and both had said yes. Only, Callen wished the first one turned him down. He’d only proposed to Desdemona to forget that he was in love with Elizabeth and couldn’t have her.

“Did he lose it?”

She laughed. “Oh, yeah, he did.”

“I’m sorry, Lyzee.”

She shrugged. “I deserved it. I broke his heart. I stayed away from men after that. It took me a while to trust myself.”

“Who was next?”

She shook her head. “Oh, I have a bad track record. After him, I hooked up with my partner. I was lonely and wanted to forget the life I’d chosen. I’d convinced myself that cops shouldn’t marry. My father was the prime example of that, and I believed that as his daughter, I was too. It was my legacy of screw-ups. ”