FlakJacket (16 page)

Dr. Lambert shook her head and moved to the door. “You need to eat, Madison, and rest now. I’m available if you need me.”

Madison thanked her, but her immediate thought was that this had happened because of her. Jordan had been targeted, but he was still alive. It was time to fight for him; she was done running and letting others determine her fate. The baby kicked her again. “I hear you little one. I hear you.”

K
eeping him settled was a full time job; Jordan did not play well with others, defying everyone but her as to his rest. Madison wanted to lock him in his room. He didn’t listen worth a damn, trying to walk the house to get his strength back. It had been nearly two weeks since the shooting, and he was chomping at the bit to get back to his work. He had even been working out with weights much to his doctor’s despair. The doctor was pushing to keep him off the job for another week, but it was proving to be a losing battle. Madison made him work on the computer, urging him to use the time to research some of his earlier leads.

Jordan had demanded to go with her to her next doctor’s visit and been warmly received by the nurses, the other waiting mothers to be in the office and by the doctor herself much to Madison’s chagrin. While Madison was there, Jordan sat her in front of him and held her hands together in his. The baby’s blood test had been ordered at his request, but it was to allow him to monitor for a disease that sometimes ran in the males of his family; he was happy to note that the child was free of the problem. He told Madison that he knew that the baby was his from the very beginning. Damn, she had been a virgin when he took her and never out of his bed or out of his or his men’s sights for seven months now. How could he not believe her?

He knew she was a witch, but he impressed upon her that he had never doubted his paternity especially after that fantastic, first night together, and she finally believed him. His hands touched her face, remembering that he almost hadn’t made it to this point in his life. She happily buried her anger, thankful that he was still with her, but she made up her mind that she would never take him for granted again. There was always the possibility of death in his line of work as there was in hers. But the child must be protected at all costs.

She awoke in the middle of night to hard, masculine hands surrounding her waist, and small kisses on her abdomen where her sleep pants had been at bedtime; they were now suspiciously missing. Those same hands were cruising down the tops of her legs, and clever fingers were moving into her, finding her already wet. “Um-mm. I like wet,” came a low voice. Then a tongue followed the fingers. Her body pulsed beneath him.

“Jordan.”

“Madison.”

“You need to rest. It’s only been three weeks.”

“I need to have wild, passionate sex to make sure everything works; this will be a test run, followed by more test runs until I’m sure everything is in its proper place.” His tongue continued to delve into her belly button as he pushed her thighs further apart. Her cry made his fingers inside her work harder.

She was finding her breathing more difficult. “What if you break open the wound?” Her hands wound in his dark hair, pulling it hard to stop him.

“What if I take you on your hands and knees?” and he flipped her over to do just that, removing her camisole like a magician and pulling her up to her knees, bending her upper body to the bed’s surface. He palmed both breasts. “God woman. Your breasts are fuller. I can thank my son for that.” Her deep cry set him off, and his kisses traced her spine from the top of her neck to the bottom of her ass. She could feel him pressing into her from behind, and she wanted him with every fiber of her being as she tensed beneath his onslaught.

She heard Jordan’s soft laugh behind her as she did, and his hand palmed her butt cheek and gave it a love tap. It happened a second and a third time, sensual slaps. “You’re lucky I’ve gotten over being angry with you for your disappearing act.” His hand connected in another soft slap, bringing sharp shards of sexual awareness into her system in a flood; her body actually gushed around him, and his warm breath fell on her back as he nibbled on her. “You’re a sight for sore eyes.”

He could hear teasing in her voice as she said from beneath him, “You’re not nearly as strong as you were.”

The next slap settled that argument to her loud “Ouch. Jordan!”

“You’d best remember with whom you are playing,” but he kissed the spot where his hard hand had landed.

“I want to touch you, please.” He pulled her up to sit on her legs with her back to him and brought her arms and hands back, placing them on his upper body. “Seconds. That’s what you get before I take you.”

Her small hands slid down his hard abdomen without her sight to his expanded length and then up again, feeling him grow beneath them; then her those hands circled him. His tip was weeping, and her finger swept it bringing the moisture around to her lips. “God woman. Don’t do that.” He pulled her hand away and pushed her back down into the soft mattress, her ass in the air as he covered her and pushed deeply into her very willing body, filling her. She pushed back to take all of him as his own hands palmed her belly. “Mine, little one.” That was directed at his son. “She’s mine, so don’t get too comfortable in there.”

Madison’s giggle erupted as he pulled out again and pushed into her harder, claiming her to his own groan. “God, Madison. I missed you; I missed this,” and he slammed into her again, picking up speed and pulling on her sensitive breast tips to her sweet cries. He seemed to be all around her filling her with his touch, his scent, and his sounds, his life. His hands had moved up to her neck, pulling her red hair back arching her body to open it to his deeper thrusts and her muted tones. The torture went on and on. “Jordan. They’ll hear us.” Jordan had kept two men in the house overnight for better protection for Madison.

“Let’s make sure it happens. I’ll make you scream louder,” and the tension on her hair increased, pulling her backwards to him and arching her body as he thrust into her again, reaching deeply and hitting bundles of nerves along the way.

Her body closed around him, her need at its peak, and Jordan’s hand barely covered her mouth before she screamed his name as her climax slammed into her, drawing his forth as well. He flooded her with his seed, holding her tightly to him as he pulsed into her. It was life affirming for him.

They lay that way for some time, he still in her, his body covering hers. Her soft voice caught him: “I think everything is in working order, Jordan.” Her sweet voice taunted him from beneath his hot body. He pulled out of her and turned her, laying her out again like a feast for a king.

“I’m the only one who knows this body, and I’m going to keep it that way.” She reached up to nuzzle his chin and then reached higher for his mouth, nipping at him. Her full-on kiss nearly blew him away.

“I think I’m up to another round if your old body can take it.” She mused as her fingers traced the scar that marred his chest and heat reigned where her fingers had been. “God, Jordan. You could have died.”

He licked her breast in response and placed her whole areola in his mouth, sucking and tugging on it to her surprised cry. “But I didn’t.”
Witch.
He determined to know every inch of her and to keep her safe, and he started his seduction of her body all over again. He had never felt so alive or so protective. But he still was not in love with her; he was sure of that.

Jordan was back at work in the next week, his hours curtailed by an overbearing staff and an even more intimidating woman. Tim hovered around the sitting room, waiting for Jordan; he had been told to meet him there wondering what the boss was up to now.

“All right. Who’s going to tell me what is going on here?” Madison swept into the room.

Jordan came out putting on his suit jacket, as he turned to her, ready for battle. “I’m going to see Neville Houser. I have an appointment.” Her whole body went on alert as Jordan prepared to leave with Tim.

“Oh good,” she said sweetly. “Then I’m going with you. I just need to change.”

“Madison, no. I don’t want you to come.”

“Oh well, that’s good then. I don’t want you to go. We can just stay here.” She had drawn the battle lines. He closed his mouth in a stubborn line as he surveyed her jeans and maternity top.

“Five minutes, Witch. That’s all you get.” Tim put down his head so that Jordan wouldn’t see the smile that crossed his face. The boss’s woman had his number, that’s for sure. “You better not be laughing at me, Tim.”

Tim straightened his face and looked up. “Now why would I do that, sir?”

Jordan crossed to him, his eyes suddenly sincere and his voice low. “I owe you. If anything happens to me, you need to keep them both safe. I’ve set up funds for just that should it happen; my lawyer will be in touch with you to go over the documents.  Madison doesn’t need to know.”

Tim nodded. “But it isn’t going to happen, sir.” He looked up to see Madison floating down the stairs in a short, empire waist maternity dress, her legs in matching leggings. Her baby bump was barely visible, but Jordan’s eyes were on it.

“You’re wearing that? Isn’t it a little short for winter?” She grimaced with a look in her eyes that said he’d better deal with it. He pursed his lips but kept his dismay contained. “Don’t bend over. You’ll be able to see right up it.” He added, ”The legs are great though.’ Then he helped her on with her coat. There was a threat of snow in the air.

“Thank you, Mr. Lassiter. You can make sure that I don’t bend over.” She went out the door. Jordan looked at Tim, shook his head and followed her. “Hey. You need a hat!”

T
he meeting was set for Neville Houser in his Senate office. Jordan took the steps, two at a time while holding onto Madison’s hand. She skipped to keep up. Her eyes fell on a particular section of the steps, and she pulled him to a stop. He looked back. “What?”

“This is where it happened. You fell right here.” She stooped and touched her hand to the step, and she was within inches of the spot where he had fallen. He looked at her as he helped her up. She went on. “I want to say this before we go in. I think you were the target that day, not the Jordanian minister. A flash came before her eyes and she saw the minister shaking hands with the Senator. “Jordan. He’s in on it—your ambassador is part of the problem. He’s sold his country out.”

“You’ve seen it.” She nodded. “You were the one who was to die. It was an ambush, but it was to be yours. Senator Houser wanted you dead.” Jordan processed her words and knew she was right. She went on. “Why didn’t you have your bulletproof vest that day?”

His mind went back to his final meeting with his men in the embassy. When he reached for the protective vest, it was gone. He assumed he had forgotten it in his haste to get to the Capitol, but he thought he had taken it with him. Someone had moved it intentionally. Her eyes caught his in warning, and he saw the fear in them. “Forewarned in forearmed, Madison. I will just have to be more careful, and I will. I promise you.” The fear didn’t diminish, so he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her closer. “Remember, no bending in the office, and keep your feet flat on the floor; no crossing your knees.” She couldn’t believe he was more worried about men seeing her body than about his own safety.

Tim said in some trepidation. “I have a weapon with me, sir. I thought I should tell you.”

“I’m not sure we’ll get it through the surveillance cameras and X-ray machines.” Tim coughed.

“It’s a pen, sir, and they’ll never catch it. In addition, I have a camera and microphone on me to record this meeting. I didn’t tell you, so you have no knowledge of it.” Jordan smiled and nodded.

“None at all.”

They walked into the building to give their names to the greeters and the minders, and then they were escorted up the stairs to the Senator’s office. “Stay close to me,” was Jordan’s last growled warning. “I mean it.”
Witch
. She lowered her eyes and smiled. The baby chose that minute to kick her hard.

She whispered to her stomach, “No ganging up on me with your father.” Jordan heard her and smiled.

Neville stood to greet his visitors.
Damn
, the woman was beautiful. Why had no one told him how gorgeous she was; ah, and she was obviously pregnant. He speculated on what he had heard about this child’s abilities to see the future. There were rumors everywhere about her as well, and he felt vaguely uncomfortable with her eyes on him. She, too, was supposed to have insight, and he certainly didn’t want her looking too closely at his life. He straightened his tie. “Let me take your coats.”

He knew the man who walked by her side by reputation, a man of his word and on the right side of the law. That was too bad; he could have used a man like him in his ranks. Jordan Lassiter shouldn’t even be here; he should have died on the capitol steps. “Mr. Lassiter. How nice to finally meet you. You’re looking well after your attack. And this must be Ms. Kelly. It’s a pleasure.” He took her hand and felt a bolt of lightning go up his arm, causing him to almost pull his hand from hers. He couldn’t meet her pale blues eyes. She unnerved him. Jordan introduced Tim as a member of his staff, and the four of them sat down. Madison made herself comfortable, her mind probing his.

“What brings you to my office?”

“I understand you are planning on calling Miss Kelly to your committee hearing to have her testify about her work with the Jordanian refugees. If that is true, you need to give it some additional thought. She has been the target of the opponents of the refugee crisis for some time. For you to bring her into a situation where she is vulnerable to an open verbal attack is not acceptable to me.”

The senator played for time. “What is your relationship, if I may ask?”

“I am her close protection. I’m sure you know that I was shot on the Capitol steps protecting the Ambassador of Agriculture of Jordan. But I suspect that you and he have a business arrangement on the side that precludes your acting in American’s behalf on this crisis.” Neville pushed back in his chair, stung by the accusation. He corralled his expression as he sought to get the details.