All In: ALL IN KNIGHTS OF MAYHEM (30 page)

Leo

I walk back through the door leaving Avery with my brother, knowing she will get home safe. Dalton and
Cowboy have Malachi secured on his knees in the back room. I storm the door and reach back with all I have and punch him in the jaw knocking him sideways to the floor.

“That is for
Avery, you mother fucker.” I lean over his writhing body.

“Are we done?” For once Kent doesn’t call me down.

Nodding yes although I am nowhere near done, for the second time in my life I have found a human being in this world I could end with my bare hands. Each of them were directly involved in causing Avery pain. Malachi starts to stir, ‘get him back up to his knees.” Kent points down at the limp, quivering Malachi.

Dalton and Cowboy hall him up as Roman and I stand on either side of Kent looking down at the man
, he looks up at us, “What do you want to do now boss?” Dalton shrugs.

Looking around the room, ‘let
’s search the place and see if we can find anything of use, but by the looks of it we are not going to find much.” After securing Malachi, we all rummage through the shack we found a lot of what Kent expected, nothing.

We load up and head back to headquarters
with the jerk off in tow. We all spend several valuable minutes with Malachi but it seems he will only talk to Kent so we leave him to it.

I find the soft leather
sofa in Kent’s office and slump down, before I know it I doze off then jerk awake several hours later, as my body slides down and my head hits the arm rest. I look out the window to see the darkness of night still lays heavily outside. I take out my phone check the time, nine then I debate on whether or not I should call Avery and check on her, I decide to wake Eno up instead, ‘Hey brother how is she?”

I look around the bare walled office, the only thin
g hanging on the paneled walls are certificates and accolades Kent has received over the years. Not one family photo of him and Avery or any of his passed wife. No wonder none of us knew he had a daughter, old fucker great at keeping secrets even better at holding grudges.

Eno’s deep voice
rumbles off details how the drive home last night was, I pick up the conversation mid sentence, “-but she is good, in shock just a little, but that is to be expected brother. I think she will be fine though. Did you get any information from the asshole?” Eno’s voice sounds sharp. He must be letting Beeker and Avery sleep while he keeps watch.

“No, I didn’t it seems
Kent is the only one who can get anything from the fucker so I left.” I rub my hand over my head feeling the prickles of new hair. I hear voices coming down the hall, ‘hey man it's the guys-,”

“Put me on speaker
I want to hear what is said.” I flip the phone over as the team piles into the small office followed by Kent.

“
Everybody grab a seat,’ he eyes me, ‘you feelin better because I have some news on Heratio.” Kent circles his desk pulling out the worn leather rolling chair he sits and pins me again with his eyes, ‘is she okay?”

Nodding, ‘yeah I think the nap helped immensely,’ I hold my phone out, ‘I've got Eno on the horn and he says she is shaken up some but seems to be fine.”
I swallow hard and hate I have to be here working when I could be at home in my warm bed with and even hotter body.

Kent takes a deep breath and surveys us all, ‘you boys are not going to like this.” He pauses and listens to us all groan because we all know what is coming next,
‘we have a tip from the border. Around seven hours ago he or someone who looks a lot like him crossed into Mexico. So the higher ups think it would be prudent to get our asses down there and take a look see.”

Dalton kicks off the wall, ‘wait a minute
, we are going to go down there and hunt someone who may or may not be a part of a ten year investigation?”

“Very well put Dalton, thank you for clearing it up for the rest of us,” Kent shakes his head and continues with more bad news, ‘we will need to ship out as soon as possible. I got them to give us two days from this morning
,” He looks at me with almost sadness in his eyes, ‘so we should go home and get our affairs in order.”

Standing he opens
his desk drawer to pick out his badge and gun, ‘first we have to go see Mavis and ask her a few questions because Malachi said she had been contacting a new man out east.” He tucks his badge back into his belt, ‘so boys get your game faces on and lets go to work.”

Forty minutes later we all roll up in four blacked out SUVs parking tw
o blocks down from the drug den. Kent’s voice comes over my ear piece, ‘Leo, Roman and Dalton take the back to make sure she doesn’t run. Cowboy and the rest of us will flank around the house.” We file out and start to strap on our vests.

Dalton is all
smiles, he lives for this shit. I use to but now everything is different, ‘don’t you wish the girls could see us now?” He slaps the velcro on his vest closed over his chest. The street lamp behind me reflects off the white letters plastered across his chest, announcing us as DEA.

“No I don’t,
because Avery would shit a brick if she knew I was doing this.” I eject the clip of my nine and check for a full magazine. Clicking it back in place I tuck it down in the back waistband of my jeans.

“Piper would
be so hot right now.” He does the same with his side arm pulling back and looking down the inside of the barrel as a glint of excitement hits his eyes.

Roman acts like he is gagging, ‘dude shut up about my sister.” Cowboy is ready
and waiting for us, always efficient and the silent one of the group. I am thankful he has my back because it is always the quiet ones who are the most deadly and he has proven my point on more than one occasion.

“Could you boys please use the head on your shoulders to think with until we get this taken care of,’
Kent turns to the tall blonde to my right, ‘Dalton that means you.” With all of our checks made we all split off into our predetermined groups and make our way silently up the street to Mavis’ house. Kent silently directs us to the sides Roman and I head to the left while Dalton and Cowboy take the right. Kent and two other agents step up on the porch to assess the lights on in the house.

I take lead with gun drawn
, I duck under the side window slightly cracked and I am immediately hit with a very distinctive smell. Nodding in Roman’s direction and then to the window to see if he smells the same. Taking a deep breath I proceed to the back as instructed. Stepping up on the porch the house is eerily silent, which is never a good sign.

Waiting for the signal from the front I turn to Roman, ‘did you smell it?”

Chewing hard on the gum in his mouth, ‘I did.”

“Kinda makes us being quiet a moot point, don’t ya think?”

“I do.” His eyes dart around the structures littering the backyard. The wind has picked up and is throwing the branches of the large tree in the middle of her back yard around, making the street light give off dancing shadows around us.

“Go!” I hear Kent command through the ear piece. Without hesitation I turn and kick the door in and I step into the dark kitchen
. I clear right as Roman clears left. I winch as the smell of rotting flesh infiltrates my nose. I turn and look at Roman and Dalton as they follow me and they both have the same reaction to the smell.

I clear the room and move to the d
oor with them close on my heels. We meet the other team as they clear the front of the house and we hear Kent, ‘she is up here.” I take the steps two at a time to reach the landing, where the smell is almost unbearable.

Holding my hand up to my nose until I can acclimate myself to the smell, Kent steps from the bathroom and points, ‘in the tub, she has been gone awhile.”

I step around him to take a look inside, Mavis is laid out in the tub naked with the word rat carved into her chest. The tiled floor is covered in blood and I take care not to get my boot prints mixed in so as not to make the forensic teams job harder.

“Call it in and get backup out here,’ he addresses me, ‘we can't take the house apart until it is cleared.”

“Gonna be another long night uh boss?” Dalton takes a look at the carnage in the room, ‘man who do you think did this?”

“Heratio.” Kent and I both answer at the same time, ‘I wonder if Cain ordered this?” I move out of the way for the other men to see and tuck my gun back into my waistband.

“If not, we need to collar him before Cain finds out and calls in a few favors.” Kent starts down the stairs, ‘Leo a word please.” Cowboy slaps me on the back as I pass him to follow Kent out of the house. I walk pass the others agents milling around the front porch waiting for the go ahead to tear the place apart.

“Go home, see to Avery and met us back at HQ on Sunday,’ rubbing his eyes, ‘you need to go ahead and tell her all she needs to know so you can leave.”

“I was figuring as much.”

“The bad thing is son, I don’t know how long we will be gone and you cannot tell her where we are going, understand?”

“Yes sir.”

“Now go on and I will see you in two days.” He turns then pauses, ‘tell her I love her will ya?”

“You aren’t going to come by and see her too?”

“No, I don’t think she will want to see me.”
His sad eyes glance over at me and then he disappears back into the house following the forensic team closing the busted door behind him.

****

Avery

After a very long restless sleep I am
standing and let the hot water run over my body. I have scrubbed my skin raw trying to rid it of the disgusting remnants of Malachi’s touch. I am rocked by a full body shiver, I lay my forehead against the cool tile to regain some sort of calmness to my body.

I look down at my hands and notice I a
m starting to prune and decide I am going to have to eventually face the reality outside the shower stall. Stepping out I shake the towel out and wrap my hair up and then take one around under my arms.

I slump onto our bed and turn to bury my face in his pillow, my
Leo, I sigh but my Leo isn’t the Leo I thought he was, he is a stranger. My gut wrenches as the decisions I am going to have to make wash through my head.

A slight knock at the door stirs me from my belly aching and I am grateful, ‘yes.”

“Avery, Eno is cooking some food, you hungry?” Beeker mumbles through the small crack he has created by slightly opening the door.

Another sigh slips between my lips I roll my head to look at the clock and it is just passed
nine at night. My stomach growls on cue, ‘yeah, I will be down in a bit okay?”

A slight pause, ‘you okay girl?” His voice is laced with concern. The past couple of weeks Beeker and I had grown close and I don’t feel at all strange he is worried about me.

“Beeker, I let you know in about fifty years.”

His
trivial laugh echoes through the door, ‘yeah I know, see you in a minute.”

I join the boys in the kitchen ten minutes later, ‘hey guys.” I take the vacant stool beside
Beeker.

He smiles at me while he tosses a piece of bacon into his mouth, ‘hey beautiful.” He takes my chin in his hand and turns it to get a better look at the shiner courtesy of
Malachi and whistles, ‘I need to take a picture of this and send it to Leo.” He moves to take his phone out of his back pocket.

“
Beeker leave it, Leo is worked up enough he doesn’t need any more fuel to his already out of control fire.” Eno chastises the younger man.

“
Damn I was hoping Leo would deliver a few sucker punches for me.” He goes back to his late night breakfast.

“
So Avery how do you like your eggs cooked?’ I smile as my eyes drift of Eno who is a shorter wider version of Leo. By no means is the man over weight, but Leo is taller and leaner.

“
Fried with a runny yellow.” I take a piece of bacon from Beeker's plate, ‘so is anybody going to tell me what the hell is going the on.”

Both men freeze mid action
, Eno is the first to address my question, ‘Avery as much as I would love to tell you the whole story, it is not mine to tell and besides my brother would kick my ass.”

“Ditto.” Beeker agrees with a mouth full of food.

“I was taken against my will by a bunch of gun totting mercenaries, only to be tied up so the coward could slap me around and then he felt me up so I think I am due a little bit of information.” My voice gets louder with every word.

Eno turns
to me and sighs, ‘honey I would love to tell you everything but like I said before Leo would have my ass, I love you girl I do, but I am here to make sure you are in pristine condition when my brother returns.”

“Are you scared of him Eno?”
I cock my head to the side smiling at the big man.

He looks down at his combat boot, ‘tell ya the truth,’ his boyish grin is enduring, ‘a little.”

“Especially when it comes to you, Avery.” Beeker interjects nodding his head Eno agrees with a bob of his head.

“Okay so you guys are not going to tell me anything?” I look at them both as they shake their heads no, ‘okay what if I talk and if I get something right you nod?”

“Sorry Avery no can do.” Eno goes back to making me food.

I stand, ‘you
know what I am not hungry, I am just going back up to bed.” I relent knowing I am fighting a losing battle and I was going to get nowhere with these two, dejected I climb the stairs one at a time. My body numb and my head full of stupid notions.

I throw myself back onto the bed and curl up into a ball wrapping my arms around my
legs; a small tear blanches on the pillow under my cheek as I drift off into a nightmarish sleep replaying the events of the past two days in horrific detail.

****

The dip of the bed stirs me from a restless sleep, I am tugged back into the cradle of warmth and the hot breath tickles my neck, ‘Avery baby.” He whispers as he grinds his hips into my rear.

I reach my hand back
to feel the stubble on his face, ‘Leo.”

“He will never touch you again.” He grinds out through his gritted teeth.

“What did you do?” I arch backwards into him.

“W
hat I had to,’ He tucks his head deep into my hair, ‘Avery I am so sorry for this,’ he pauses as he breathes me in, ‘if I had known.” He stops before he finishes pain fills his eyes and compassion makes his body almost soft against mine.

I turn to look at him his face is bathed in the moon light seeping through the bay window of the bedroom, ‘if you would have known
you would have what, left me alone?“

“
No, that was never an option, obviously look how many times I have tried,’ he rolls us so I am on the bottom and his weight presses me into the mattress. His thumbs stroke my temples as he looks into my eyes, ‘I would not have let you go to work again, kept you away, told you everything so you would have known the dangers.”

I raise my hand to his cheek as he leans into it, ‘you can't control everything Leo.”
His eyes are sad and the inner turmoil has his face twisted up, ‘no permanent damage done, I am not some china doll. I am stronger than you give me credit for.” I rise slightly and kiss his lips and thump my head back down on the pillow.

His mouth lowers to mine and gently makes a pass, ‘I know but
it doesn’t make things easier for me.” He leans his head down and places his lips on mine again. His tongue begs entrance as my mouth falls open he kisses me as if it is the last time. My heart clenches at the thought with dread for some reason. His hands dig into my hair tilting my head back for a better angle.

“Avery I need this from you tonight.” It is more a demand than a question. I nod for there are no words because I need him as much as he needs me.

I arch my back offering up my body to his veracious sexual appetite. He tugs my shirt over my head as his lips find purchase on the receptive skin of my shoulder. He kisses across my chest stopping only to lave affection on my budded breasts. Sucking each up into his mouth letting them go only when the blood has been almost painfully brought to the surface.

‘Are you ready for this Avery or do you want to wait?” Wait what the hell is he talking about I am always ready for him.

“I want you more than you will ever know Leo.” I mewl as my hands are caressing the taut muscles of his back as they flex under the skin.

“Y
ou read my mind woman.” He groans as he rubs his hips into me.

He shifts his weight to throw the towel he had around his waist loose leaving nothing between us.
I feel his heated skin against my thighs that have fallen open begging him in. I press my head back into the pillow giving him the skin at my neck, his lips dance across them accompanied by wet strokes of his tongue.

I moan my appreciation of his affection, ‘oh Leo.” His hand has traveled down my thigh and
his deft fingers are mussing the skin at my hip. He is nipping at my ear lobe as his other hand is pulling the hair at the nap of my neck. His hand has started to traverse lower to my wet and ready entrance inserting a finger into me.

“O
hh.” I arch into him giving him permission to do whatever he wants to me. He adds another thick finger as he presses in and then retreats. His mouth leaves a trail hot liquid fire kisses down my breast and then my belly laving his tongue around my belly button before continue on. Finally his tongue has joined the fray of my pleasure flicking and then sucking my swollen clit into his capable mouth. My blood has turned to pure lava under his ministrations, my body aches for release and revels in the slow burn he is coaxing from it.

Suddenly the cool air against the hot folds makes me jump as he stills me
with a hand on each hip, ‘baby I need you, to be in you now.” His voice is strained and he is struggling for each breath of control.

He runs his hands over his head looking down at me, ‘s
hit Avery,‘ he has set up and I feel the bed shift under his weight, ‘I can't wait any longer I have to be in you.” He stalks up the bed his large body hovering over mine. I watch down my buffeted torso as he rests his hips in the v of my legs, as if we were two pieces of the same puzzle the fit is perfect. I moan as the pressure of his body presses me into the mattress.

The warm safe feeling I had long
ed for only hours ago is back with full force as Leo is claiming what is his, and I am a willing object. The head of his cock rubs against my sensitive cleft, I press my feet into the mattress serving my hips up and offering my body for his taking and when he does it is not gentle but hard and fast. He seats himself deep pushing all the air from my lungs. When he is filling me completely he holds still letting me adjust to him.

“Shit Avery.” He hisses through clenched teeth.

“Oh Leo.” My hands caress him up his back then I grasp his upper arms as he begins to rock into me then recedes. I feel has his arms are trying to hold him up but are quivering under the strains.

“Just let go
Leo, I want to feel you.” He releases his restraints and I feel the full pressure of his large body on me. It is sheer bliss the intimacy of this is what I crave, Leo on me, making love to me slow and hard. My hands travel down his lean body and feel the muscles contort with each thrust. I have two hands full of his fine ass kneading it with each stroke pushing him harder into me as my body rocks up into him.

“Wrap your legs around me.”
His voice is strained, ‘you have got to stop fucking moving Avery or this isn’t going to last long.” His motions slow as I take my legs up from the bed and surround his waist. His hand has left my hair and is gripping my thigh. His breath is heavy and hot on my neck as his teeth pull at the skin.

We intertwine our other hands as they drift up over my head, he has me stretched out
under him. He has started slowly rocking back into me with control measures. With my legs around him I had less control over my own pleasure, ‘I want this to last.” His groan shudders through me.

I writhe under him as he grinds down into me. We roll against each other as we dance through the throws of passion. His hard against my soft, my legs around him
, I am at his mercy. The feeling builds against him. I roll the feelings from my head down through my shoulders arching out my chest rolling my hips out and down the best I can with the angle I am at.

He continues his tortuous grinding down into me filling me with each movement upward as our hands are stretched above my head. My legs leave his hips and travel down his taunt thighs to hook my ankles at his knees. Finally I can move again. I roll my hips upward as he drives down. I roll my
hips as he glides up, ‘fuck Avery, I can't-” He doesn’t finish his words but our bodies do the rest as a shudder moves through me I feel him convulse on his last pound into me.

“
Oh fuck Leo.” I gasp as the last tendril of the rubber band twist me up and then all of a sudden break loose and sets free the orgasm of the year. I contort and writhe under him as he moves slowly through our release. Finally he slumps down giving me his full weight, I heave air out of my lungs. Amazing, simply amazing.

Tracing circles around his shoulder blades as we both wrangle in our heart rates, ‘Leo?”

“Yeah babe?” His voice is muffled as he has his mouth buried in my neck.”

“When are we going to have
a talk?” He rolls taking me with him, tucking me snuggly under his arm and resting his head back into his pillow settling for the night.

“Avery can I promise you it will be
in the morning, will that be enough for you to let me get a descent night’s sleep?” he rest his arm over his eyes heaving out a long hard tired breath.

Wetting my lips at the sight of his bared tattooed arm
I smile at him, ‘tomorrow then?” I begin to trace the intricate details of each scene of ink on his chest waiting for him to answer me. His breath has evened out and I feel as his chest rising and falling in a steady cadence. Extricating myself from under his heavy arm I lean up on my hand and look down at his sleeping face. His tense features have relaxed and the lines surrounding his eyes are not as noticeable. Lifting my finger I trace around his eye and down his strong chin, he reflexively leans his face into my open palm. I feel his hot breath tickle my arm making the hair raise, sending a zinger down my body. I smile softly down at him as his boyish face relaxes even more with my petting, ‘oh Leo you are a very complicated man but I love you.” I lean in and gently place a kiss on his slightly parted lips.