Becoming Three (27 page)

Jasper's entire body heaved with exertion and desire, and he couldn't look away from the burn in Jace's gaze. “Don't stop.” He squeezed all the muscles around and in his ass, desperate to keep Jace inside. Jace groaned and stroked him with another deep slide, and Jasper made an equally needful noise in return, clamping his eyes shut and finding the rhythm again. “Ohhh God, Jace…Jace.” Jasper pushed his cheek into the bed and spread his legs wider for the other man's cock. “Fuck me till I come.”
“Will…will…” Jace curled his hands around Jasper's hips and pulled him back to accept every deep piercing of his dick. “Won't stop.”
“Don't.” Panting into the tangled bedding, Jasper fought his way through the bizarre rawness and intimacy of another man fucking him. So deep and so hard and so goddamn good.
Jace suddenly sawed right over that concentrated knot of joy inside Jasper, an area he'd never known existed until last night.
“Ohhh fuck.” Jasper gritted his teeth and jammed himself back on Jace's taking, choking through the ball of fierce pleasure. “Nail me there.” His nuts pulled up, his cock ached with rigidity, and his entire body shrieked with the need to come. “Again.” He grunted as he took the pounding. “Again.”
Jace swore and fell onto Jasper, fucking him in the way he saw animals do. “So tight, man.” He reached under, held Jasper around the chest with one arm, and wrapped his fist around Jasper's cock with the other, jerking him off. “So hard.”
Jasper didn't know which of them he meant, but Sarah's moan and the buzz of what could only be the vibrator suddenly tickled Jasper's ears. He snapped his eyes open to the picture of Sarah, desire filling her gaze as she watched Jace fuck him. Her face glistened with moisture, her breathing was uneven, and she had a hand tucked at her mound with the tip of the vibrator between her closed legs.
“Put it in,” Jasper ordered, bringing her focus to him. He didn't know where the command in his voice came from, but he was in such a raw place and so close to coming that nothing felt wrong. “Put it inside you and let me see.”
She shifted, and Jasper could tell she had Jace's attention too. She spread her legs and poised the silver head of the toy at her pussy, looked at him first, and then lifted to Jace. Waiting, she watched Jace slowly pull out of Jasper's ass, making his passage quiver and him moan. As soon as Jace pushed back in with agonizing slowness, Sarah sank the vibe deep into her cunt.
Watching her find pace with Jace inside him, and feeling Jace's hand pull in full strokes over his cock, Jasper soon slipped to a place of no return. He pushed back blindly, eagerly grabbing for Jace's penis, and watched Sarah pleasure herself faster to keep up with him. “One more…” He reached back and grabbed Jace's leg, whimpering as his prick and ass tightened, anticipating coming. “Just one more.”
Jace plunged deep and pulled hard on Jasper's pained erection, and Jasper shouted loud enough to shake the rafters. He spewed into the bed with joy, his rectum clamped around Jace in a stranglehold, and that triggered a quick response in the man on top of him. Jace reared up and once again locked a hold on Jasper's hips. With one final drive deep into Jasper's ass, Jace let out a hoarse cry and succumbed to orgasm, dumping into the condom, still buried inside Jasper's ass. Sarah bit her lip, and her legs trembled as she held the vibrator deep in her pussy, letting the waves of power roll through her in the throes of release too.
Long minutes later, while they were all still shaking, Jace slowly withdrew from Jasper's body and disposed of the condom in the trash under Sarah's nightstand. He fell in between Jasper and Sarah and pressed a kiss to Jasper's cheek first. “You were incredible.”
Jace's pale eyes were open in a way Jasper had never seen before, and it drew him in to sharing another soft kiss.
“I might not sit my horse right tomorrow”—Jasper's butt felt tender and strange—“but I liked what you did to me.”
Jace turned onto his back and pulled Sarah close to him too. After pecking a kiss on her head, he said, “Give me a few minutes to recover, and I'll carry you each to the bath.”
Within five minutes, he was out like a light. Sarah and Jasper got up and cleaned themselves at the bathroom sink, then brought a couple of washcloths back into the bedroom and tended to Jace too.
The man never stirred once.

Jace leaned against the youth-center wall and sipped his punch. Jasper braced his shoulder next to him in a similar stance, and they both had their eyes on the woman across the room.
Fuck. She looked amazing.
She had on a fitted white shirt that cuffed at the elbow, a dressy little pair of black shorts, and high-heeled sandals. He didn't know shit about clothes, but with her hair pulled back in a sleek ponytail and a little bit of silver and turquoise jewelry, she somehow made the whole getup classy as hell.
Sexy too.
A little boy ran up to her and gave her a hug. Sarah hugged him back and stretched out her hand, presumably to the child's mother.
Jasper brought his cup up to his mouth and leaned in a little closer to Jace. “I know it ain't right, and believe me, I'm payin' attention to other things too, but you gotta admit she has the most amazin' legs you ever saw on a woman.”
Smiling, Jace nodded as he exchanged a glance with Jasper. “Killer legs.”
“Vegas-girl good.”
“The best.”
Damn
. Jace was having a hell of a lot of fun sharing this time with Jasper, trading looks and comments of pride about the woman they both knew so intimately now. Together.
Damn again
. Nobody ever told him life was supposed to feel this good. This right.
Jace watched Sarah point at a framed picture, laugh, and shake her head. “It's a crying shame she can't paint or draw to save her life,” he added. Jace knew she showed the parent her own work on the wall. She'd already shown it to Jace and Jasper, insisting the kids wanted it up there as part of the exhibit.
Jasper chuckled. “Yeah, she isn't too good.” He crumpled up his paper cup and tossed it into a trash can to his right, his gaze never leaving Sarah as he did it. “She knows it, though. She ain't foolin' herself or tryin' to fake it to any of the folks runnin' the center.”
“Wouldn't matter if she did.” Jace watched as a teenager with a “counselor” name tag came up and tapped her on the shoulder. “Have you noticed how many times Ty has come and traded whispers with her, and how the other volunteers check in with her as much as they do him? She's a freaking organizing machine, and if the sheriff isn't careful, his own son is going to steal away the sole reason our station runs without a hitch.”
A streak of blond hair attached to a male body entered the spacious room, caught Jace's full attention, and had him shoving his shoulder blades away from the wall. “What the fuck is he doing here?” Alexander Quick shook hands with Ty Boone. “Shit.” Jace zeroed in on another man, this one with black hair. That person ushered two adults and two kids into the youth center. “That bastard too?” Peter Robbins had a hand on the small of each adult's back. “With Ginger's family? What is he thinking?”
Looked like the sheriff wondered the same. He moved across the room with a sense of purpose and greeted Ginger's family as if they were his own. Then he drew Peter aside. Sarah separated from her kids for a moment, drifted to Ty's side, and leaned in to give Quick a hug. He pecked her cheek in return, and Jace growled.
Jasper straightened and locked in on the man too. “I still don't like that guy.”
“Me either. He's too”—Jace absorbed the millionaire's short blond hair, not a bit of it out of place, his starched shirt, dark jeans, and expensive leather shoes, and he vibrated with another noise—“perfect. Nobody can honestly be that perfect in real life.”
Sarah glanced up at them right then, and her stare narrowed, just a hair, but enough for Jace to wince and Jasper to mutter a curse. She moved to them quickly, her heels
click click clicking
on the tile floor.
“Stop glaring,” she whispered in a clipped voice. “The both of you. Alex is not only a nice guy, he's also a wealthy man. If his business works out in this community, he could become a very reliable contributor to the youth center.”
“Sorry,” Jace muttered.
Jasper took her hand and kissed it. “I apologize too. We're here for you. Whatever you want, you got.”
“Thank you.” She beamed as she looked around, bouncing on the balls of her feet. “It's going well. Don't you think?”
Peter Robbins joined their growing group before either man could answer. “Was that death stare for me, Deputy?” he asked in a pleasant voice.
“Hadn't gotten to you yet.”
“Jace.” Sarah implored him to behave with her eyes.
He gritted his teeth and added, “Hadn't gotten around to saying hello, I mean.”
“Right.” Skepticism coated Peter's answer. “Like I just told your boss, the Carltons' son has a painting displayed today, and as much as I know it hurts them terribly to be around people right now, their son is still here and deserves their support, no matter how painful it is for them to deal with the condolences of the public.” Peter turned his attention to the Carltons, and, for a moment, his gaze lingered on their haunted faces. Their son ran up to them and took the father's hand. Peter turned back to Sarah and stuck his hand out to her. “Miss Tennison, hello to you again. Danny told me you are one of his instructors here at the center.”
“I am.” Sarah shook Peter's hand. “He's a great kid. We missed him during our two sessions last week, but we understand. This is Jasper Simmons.” She slipped her arm around Jasper's waist. “And you already know Deputy Maxwell.”
“Nice to meet you, sir.” Jasper clasped Peter's hand.
When Jasper clearly moved to withdraw, Peter tugged and kept them connected. He didn't blink at all, and it appeared as though he looked right through Jasper. “You've had sex with Ginger,” he said. He rubbed his other hand up Jasper's arm to the elbow and back down, then tilted his head to the side, as if listening intently. “She liked you. She thought you were sweet”— his mouth turned up in a half smile—“but very, very innocent and naive.”
Looking like his skin crawled, Jasper untangled his hand from Peter's and crossed his arms in a protective gesture. “She was a nice girl,” he said. “I knew her a long time ago.”
“Yes, I know.” Peter waved his hand in a dismissive manner. “You didn't kill her. I don't feel the darkness in you for it.” His eyes cleared and he shifted his focus to Jace. “This still challenges me greatly, Deputy. I still feel the male presence around her very strongly, and that a local cowboy with blond hair was the last to be with her while she was alive. Yet the more I'm here, the more I know she was in love with a woman and had contact with her in her final hours. This lover's name and face still elude me, but the shock of white in my vision remains strong. She definitely has blonde hair. It looks like a flowing river in my vision, so I suspect the hair is very long.”
Jace grabbed Peter's arm and hissed, “Do you know nothing about how to keep your mouth shut?”
“Don't fuck with my process, Deputy.” Peter wrenched himself out of Jace's hold. “Information leads to arrests. It shouldn't matter how you get it, if it leads to insight and a killer. I'm sure I don't have to tell you that.” He opened his mouth again, but he suddenly diverted his attention sharply to the left. “Excuse me. It looks like the Carltons need some support.”
Duke stood close to the family, as did others who Jace guessed attempted to offer condolences. Ginger's parents appeared to be having a rough time of it, and as Peter approached, Duke pulled his cell phone off his belt and moved away.
Jasper rubbed his hands up and down his bare forearms, where Jace could see goose bumps marring his skin. “That guy gave me the creeps.”
“Son of a bitch doesn't know when to hold his tongue,” Jace said, his voice soft.
Glancing his way, Jasper said, “I ain't—
won't
—say anything about what he said.”
“Me either.” Sarah looked around the gathering, and Jace followed her gaze to each cluster of people. “And I don't think anybody was close enough to hear.”
“Thank God for small miracles.”
Across the room, Duke rejoined the Carltons. He shook hands with Ginger's parents, dipped his head, and then made his way toward their small gathering. “Sarah, Jasper”—he acknowledged each with a pat on the shoulder—“good to see you.” He looked at Jace, and his lips thinned. “Jace, we need to head over to the station.”
Something about the case.
Jace nodded. “Right.”
He turned and slid a hand under Sarah's elbow. “You're doing a bang-up job, honey. I'll see you at home tonight.” Without a second thought, he brushed his lips with a clinging caress to hers, savored it, then curled his hand around Jasper's waist and did the same to him. “You too, cowboy,” he said.
As Jace pulled away, he saw a dozen faces staring openly at him. At what he had just done.
Oh shit.

Jace looked at the shock not only on Sarah's and Jasper's faces, but on the myriad of other people surrounding them. Including his boss.
Oh. Fuck. What did I do?
Beads of sweat broke out on the back of Jace's neck and trickled down his back. He looked to Sarah and Jasper with horror in his heart for his lapse in restraint. “I'm so sorry.”
Sarah put a finger to his mouth, silencing him. “It's okay, Jace.” She caressed his cheek, and a twinkle of humor even lit her gaze.
Jasper shrugged, even though his entire face burned red. “If we're really gonna do this, folks were gonna figure it out anyway.” He rubbed Jace's shoulder as Ty and Ren joined them. “Go do your work. We got this covered here.”
“Trust me when I say nobody is going to derail my kids' event today with gossip,” Ty said, the familiar steel of his adopted father in his voice. “The counselors, volunteers, and staff will make sure the focus remains on the center.”
“Thanks, kid.” Duke pressed a kiss to the side of Ty's head. “You're doing great today. I'm not sure where Ruby dragged Risa. Can you tell them I had to leave?”
“One of us will let them know, Dad,” Ren answered. “Come on, Jas.” He chuckled as he put his arm around Jasper's shoulder and gave him a noogie. “I'll give you a quick lesson in how to politely fend off inappropriate questions about your love life.”
Jace hung suspended for a moment, watching Ren lead Jasper away. Ty and Sarah put their heads together too and made their way back to the groups of parents and children. Jace's arms ached with the desire to pull them back to his side so he could snarl and snap at anyone who looked at either of them with judgment, but he forced his legs to turn and followed Duke out of the youth center.
As soon as they hit the sidewalk, Duke slid an assessing look his way. “Is that going to cause a problem down at the station?” he asked as they briskly walked the short distance to the station.
Jace's eyes widened, and his stomach somersaulted. “No, sir. Absolutely not.”
“Then that's all I need to know.”
“Thank you, sir.”
They walked in silence for several minutes, and Jace held his professional curiosity while they were still on the street. As soon as they reached the station, he held open the door for the sheriff and asked, “Did we get an update or new evidence for Ginger's case?” His drive to solve Ginger's murder almost matched his need for the two people he had left back at the youth center. Christ, he hated walking away from them.
“Not for Ginger's case,” Duke corrected. “I just received a text from one of Robyn's people that he e-mailed the station an update on our Jane Doe.” The sheriff smiled at his part-time receptionist/dispatcher. “Hello, Margaret. Where are Cade and Max?”
“Good afternoon, Sheriff,” the older woman answered with a smile. “Deputy McKenna made a list of some follow-ups on various cases and decided to take care of them back-to-back. He left about ten minutes ago in one of the SUVs. Deputy Stuart is on patrol. She's been out for almost an hour. Do you need me to call either of them back?”
“I'll let you know.” He walked backward as he answered. “We'll be in my office. Thank you.”
Jace followed Duke inside and shut the door. He took a seat and once again held his questions while Duke got into his work e-mail and opened the report. The man's already hard face grew somehow more rigid. “Son of a bitch.” He looked up at Jace. “Her name is Sonya Mayer, out of Boston. Picked up once two years ago when vice busted an escort service.” Duke looked like he wanted to hit something. Or maybe throw up. “Our Jane Doe was another prostitute.”
Jace shot up from his slouch, surprised, although he shouldn't have been. The stereotypes of drug use and an abused-looking body were there, but somehow it still stunned him to hear. He knew what it meant.
Duke said it for him. “We might be on the verge of having ourselves a serial killer.”
“Wait a minute. Hold on.” Something significant scratched at Jace's brain. “Did you say she was from Boston?”
“Yep.” Duke referred back to the computer. “File says someone reported her missing six months ago. No follow-up notes to the original file. I'm going to guess whoever took the report saw she was a hooker and figured she ran off or a john or pimp killed her, and she would eventually turn up as a dead body.”
That insistent, invisible finger of awareness tapped at Jace's skull, trying to nudge the information free.
Of course
. Son of a bitch. Adrenaline waved all over under the surface of Jace's skin. He looked right at his boss and said, “Alexander Quick is from Boston.”
“No shit.” Duke started clicking away at his computer again; Jace guessed doing a search on the man.
“He has a multimillion-dollar business whose main offices are located in Boston, Massachusetts. I looked it up when”—
when he started sniffing around what's mine
—“when he showed up and decided to stick around town. Son of a motherfucker; Boston is one of the places Ginger visited when she started traveling.” Jace jumped up and strode to the door. “He is in a fucking building full of our family and friends right now.” Fear mingled in with the adrenaline rushing through Jace, making his hands and voice shake. “We need to go get him.”
“Wait a minute.” Duke's voice rang with authority. “Sit back down.” He lifted a finger at Jace, picked up the phone, and a moment later said, “Margaret, please contact Deputy Stuart and have her pick up a Mr. Alexander Quick from the youth center. She knows who he is. There are a lot of kids there, so please tell her to be discreet and start with asking politely. Have her make it clear to him we don't want to put cuffs on anyone in front of children if we don't have to. Thank you.”
He hung up the phone, steepled his fingers, and looked at Jace. “Now we wait.”