All Roads Lead Home (38 page)

Jacob leaned in and whispered in my ear, “We will continue our discussion when we have the private time to do so.”

“Tomorrow morning in my office,” I replied.

“No, tonight in my downtown office along with my team from my FBI task force.”

I said nothing more to him. My silence was not me acquiescing to his request. Jagger was upset in his own right, and with Shane sick, my plate was already too full. I needed to get settled back at my apartment, and then I would decide what to do next.

Our landing was smooth, and we deplaned rather quickly. Shane was feeling better and excitement took over as he took in the city before him. This was his first time ever in New York City. For just a minute he had forgotten the real reason we were all here and his smile faded. I looped my arm with his and promised him that I had everything under control and soon it would all be behind us.

Jagger overheard me talking to Shane, and both men gave me a look as if I was crazy to think the sweet Tumbleweed from Wyoming could handle the bad guys on her own. It was frustrating to no end that they still viewed me as Jamie’s little sister who they always protected. I loved them for that, but I could always take care of myself. Now even Jacob seemed to be doubting me, which was making me very defensive and more determined than ever to see this through and handle it my own way.

The limo pulled up in front of my building, as my doorman greeted us. Jagger tried to be a gentleman and help me out of the car, but my doorman was quicker, receiving a glare from my already stressed out man.

“Hi, Charles, how are you?” I greeted him as he took in my guests.

Jagger and Shane were wearing almost identical outfits from their black Stetson hats down to their cowboy boots. I introduced them to my doorman. “Charles, these are my friends, Jagger Parrish, and Shane Rhodes. They will be staying with me during their time here in New York. Please make building passes for each of them.”

“Yes ma’am, right away.”

“Thank you.”

Charles began collecting the luggage when Jagger and Shane took the bags from him.

“I got it,” said Shane.

I sighed, but remained silent as we all stepped onto the elevator that would bring me to the top floor. Jacob was agitated and wanted to talk, but Jagger didn’t give me a minute to breathe. He was annoyed how I introduced him to Charles.
Um…when I left here over a month ago, I was single. I didn’t feel it was appropriate to discuss my relationship status to my doorman, or anyone for that matter. Having a conversation with Zoey and Tommy will be difficult enough, and I still need to resign my position with the firm.

I was exhausted, and they were exhausted. I was craving a soak in my oversized tub with bubbles all around me. Maybe that would soften my angry cowboy.

Jacob entered the apartment first, having a key and the alarm code. This was news, but he explained it was necessary to secure my protection. The apartment had been checked just hours before our arrival, and Jacob did one more sweep before giving us the “All clear” to enter.

Shane’s eye’s popped out of his head as he took in the luxury before him. My apartment was decorated very uptown chic, nothing that screamed home where you could snuggle on a couch or put your feet up on the coffee table. The apartment was meticulously kept with everything in order.

“Make yourselves comfortable, I’ll give you a tour in a minute,” I called out from the kitchen. I kept a bottle of Vodka in my freezer. I wanted a drink to take the edge off, but was nervous about how Jagger would feel about it.

I casually retrieved a glass from the bar and fixed myself a drink. He raised his eyebrow at me, but said nothing. I enjoyed the cool liquid coating my throat and the burn it left behind. I certainly needed it after the last few hours being closed up on a plane with Jacob, Jagger, and Shane. I took Jagger’s hand and showed him my apartment. His eyes brightened when he took in my bedroom. I had a California King Canopy style bed. It was quite big and decorated with plush pillows. Jagger’s eyes blazed with desire as he cupped my face and kissed me.

“I want you…now,” he voiced ever so slowly, but we were interrupted by Jacob.

“What is it, Jacob?” Jagger shouted as Jacob walked in to my room.

“We need to go, Tenley,” Jacob said directly to me, ignoring my fiancé completely.

“Jacob, I’m tired, and as I explained earlier on the plane, we will discuss this in the morning.”

“No, we will discuss it now, and down in my office.”

“Will you kindly step out of my bedroom and wait for me in the living room?”

“Don’t be long. You have five minutes,” he replied and closed the door behind him.

“What the fuck, Tenley! That guy is a dick, and he’s one step away from getting my fist in his mouth.” Jagger balled up his fists and paced my room.

“Jagger, first off, no one is punching anyone, so get that thought out of your head, and second, Jacob is not a bad guy. He’s just a little mad at me right now. You must understand how it works in my world. We spent thousands of man hours on this investigation. This goes way beyond land deals and muscling in on someone’s business. Jagger, we are talking city corruption, back room mob dealings, and with the head of a crime family now in jail, it just made our jobs even more tasking than ever before.”

I continued, “I need to see this through, and I’ve come up with a solution that I think will work. The crux of the problem right now is that Jacob disagrees with me, and I will not relent on my decision. You and Shane being here is also a complication, but please do not mix my words. I love you, and I want nothing more than to walk freely around the city and show you the sights and have an amazing time with you, but my work has to come first. Please tell me you understand this? Jagger, this is all I know. And I know how it makes me sound, but you know the real me behind the wall. I’m still the same girl you fell in love with, and the same girl you gave this ring to.”

I showed him my beautiful engagement ring, as he placed a kiss down on it.

“I love you baby, so much, but I’m also so worried for you. Please let me help you?” he said.

“I’ll be alright, I promise. I have to go with Jacob, but I will try to wrap things up quickly and be back soon. There’s take-out menus in the kitchen, so order anything you want and charge it to me.”

“I think I can pay for my own meal,” he said in a clipped tone.

“Okay then. I love you.”
Please tell me you love me too.
He was silent for a minute, and I turned to leave when he pulled me back to his chest and hugged me.

“I love you too. Please be careful.”

“I will.”

Shane settled into the guest bedroom and was watching a game on my big screen. He was in his glory as he stretched out on the bed which also happened to be a King size. My apartment was huge, and although I really didn’t entertain too many overnight guests, I decorated it in hopes that maybe my family from back home would have visited me. But they never did.

That’s my fault for distancing them, but no more. We have come full circle in our relationship, and now with me engaged to Jagger, my parents were in complete bliss. I was happy and in love with Jagger Parrish. He soon would be my husband, something I have dreamed of since I was seventeen years old, but thought I lost when I left him.

“I’m sorry, Tenley,” Jacob said as we entered the waiting car.

“For what?” I say, as I roll my eyes at him.

“I guess I deserved that. But your safety is everything to me, and I will not risk you getting hurt because you are too stubborn to ask for help.”

“Jacob, I appreciate your concern, but…this is me. When we first met, you seemed to not have a problem with how I operated, and now you do. So what gives? Why the sudden 180 on me?”

“You’ve changed. It’s so obvious that you don’t even see it.”

“See what?”

“A year ago, you were focused, driven, and commanded a room to bring the biggest men to their knees. And now…”

“Now what?” I demanded to know.

“Now…You have something to lose.”

“I don’t understand, Jacob. Where are you going with this?”

“Exactly my point, Tenley. You’re in love, and the minute I saw you in Wyoming, I knew it. You found the other piece of your heart, and that’s a beautiful thing, but it also makes you vulnerable and an easy target.”

“Jacob, I think the conversation has just shifted. This is not about me, but maybe more you. I’m a lawyer, not a big, bad FBI Agent. Yes, I’m in a dangerous situation right now, but that’s not how it normally is. I just happened to get caught up in something bigger than any of us ever realized, but just because I have a personal life does not mean I have lost my drive. I know exactly how to handle Bornarelli, and I will stop him. Are you in? Or are you out? Because I need to know now before we go any further.”

“I’m in, but you have to be straight up with me and not go out on your own, deal?”

“Deal,” I said. He smirked at me, and I wasn’t too sure if he completely believed me, but I didn’t say anything more on the subject.

After hours of discussing our plan with Jacob’s field commander, I was more than ready to return home to Jagger. Jacob was close by in a nearby apartment that the agency was using for surveillance to watch my apartment. It was after midnight, and my home was dark. I peeked in on Shane, who was out cold. I saw a few beers next to his side table with popcorn and chicken wings.
Oh, my poor linens!

Jagger appeared to be sleeping, so I tried to be quiet. I changed in my bathroom and got ready for bed. He was sitting up when I came back into the bedroom.

“Hi,” I said shyly, as his eyes roamed over my body. I was only wearing sleep shorts and a camisole top. My nipples were already erect with how Jagger was looking at me. I was exhausted, but I wanted him as much as he wanted me.

“Come here, Tenley.”

I didn’t hesitate and quickly walked over to the bed, where Jagger’s strong arms pulled me up to straddle him.

“I love you so much,” he said as his hard length pressed against my entrance. I rocked back and forth on top of him until he flipped me over to my back, hovering over me.

“I hope you’re not too tired, baby, because I want nothing more than to bury myself deep inside of you and fuck you harder than ever before. Can you handle that?”

I stuttered in my response, but it was clearly a “Yes.”

I was suddenly wide awake and would take all of him. Jagger pulled me up into a sitting position while he lifted my top. My panties were another story. One flick of his finger and they were ripped and thrown over his shoulder. He held my hands over my head with one of his, but not too tightly where I was restrained. He was so damn sexy, I couldn’t stand it. Jagger pelted my neck with wet kisses that he trailed down between my breasts and made his way to my heated core. I was on fire. Fuck the foreplay, I wanted him inside…and now!

He tortured me with every lick, kiss, and bite. Was this his way of punishing me? Men could use sex as a weapon just as much as a woman can, and right now with Jagger, I felt I was being punished. He slowly entered my sex, taking in a breath and entering me with his tongue. When I was close to climaxing, he withdrew and took a breath. My legs were pulsating, my sex was dripping with arousal. He leaned in again with me, this time latching onto his thick hair. I even pulled a bit to let him know how frustrated I was with him holding back.

“Fuck me, Jagger. Stop this now, and fuck me,” I all but screamed at him.

He wickedly smiled back at me with his perfect white teeth.

“Problem baby?” he asked.

“You can say that. Why do you keep stopping?”

“I’ll get you there baby, don’t worry. I just need to explore your body, taste every inch of you, and drive you to the brink of insanity. Kind of how you made me feel when we were on the plane.”

“Jagger, please fuck me,” I was almost whimpering, as he entered me again with his two fingers.

He said nothing as he continued to fuck me with his tongue and fingers. I was just about to come again, and he stopped. I was out of my mind. I wanted to claw his back with my fingernails and probably draw blood. I was so pent up with sexual want for him.

My face was heated as my sex was too. I placed my hands on his face and looked intently into his eyes, showing him how much I loved and wanted him. I was begging him to love me back. He kissed me, as I tasted myself on his tongue.

I let out moans of pleasure as Jagger finally entered me. I was swollen to the point where I felt every delicious inch of him piercing through me like a razor edged sword. He was strong, feral, and pounding into me with perfectly tuned thrusts. I was so close to coming, I thought I would pass out.

“You are so mine baby. I love you, and I need to hear you say it. Scream it, and don’t hold back.” He clutched my face as he pounded harder into my sex.

“I love you, Jagger! I’m yours, only yours. No man will ever fuck me. My body is yours! Make me come!”

“Yes!” he screamed out as my words tipped him over the edge and he exploded inside of me. He stayed connected with me and didn’t move for a few minutes.

I feared I may not be able to walk in the morning. My pussy was still vibrating as he pulled out of me. I clutched my legs together on account of how sore I was. I’ve had rough sex before, but this went way beyond anything I have ever experienced. This was Jagger unequivocally marking me and making my body his.

I couldn’t move and had no want to do so. Jagger placed a warm scented washcloth on my sex as he cleaned me. I was already asleep when he climbed back into bed and held me for the rest of the night. He whispered he loved me as I fell deeper and deeper into a sound sleep. He took over my dreams as I pictured him riding She-devil along with me and Jazzy, but we were not alone. Our son was nestled in front of him, as Jagger was teaching him to ride. My heart was bursting with love for the two men in my life.

Marrying the man I love was a dream I never thought could happen, and now I’m dreaming of having babies with him? How did I get here?
I thought as I settled back into sleep, thanking the heavens for giving me another chance with Jagger. I was already in over my head and so much in love.