Halfway Between (10 page)

“
My bosses have given us permission to watch the interrogation via satellite.  We can speak directly to the officer who will be questioning him.  They are giving us twenty-four hours to get what we want to know together and call,” Joel said.

Jessie raised his hand. 
“Can we find out who killed JFK, always wanted to know that.”  Thane rolled his eyes and hit him on the back of the head.

“
Continue,” Thane said.

“
My contact is telling me he found multiple tracking devices on your families and friends.  This included yours, Alex.  I called Bailey already, they are checking.  He ran a low level frequency tracker with locations we knew our family was.  His screen lit up like a Christmas tree.  The last family member missing is Sam Roge’s cousin.  Melanie Shook.  She is the only relative he has, both of them lost their parents—were only children and grew up together in a foster home.  Her last location is right here in San Diego, she had an apartment in the same building as Sam, she moved a few weeks ago and her new apartment still has boxes stacked inside, it doesn’t look like she has been there.  Current listing of employers is the Department of State.  I am still trying to find where she is assigned.  So far, I have found she is in the Foreign Dignitary section,” Harper said.

Thane stood and pointed to the first screen,
“Refocus on these missions only, call everyone we have to in order to get an answer.  I turned off my phone when we arrived, so it wouldn’t be traced, when I turned it back on, I had messages from our friend.  They were all about what was going to happen to Joel and how to fix it.  They even had his location in the last one.  The only way we are getting this info is because someone close to whoever responsible has turned on them.  I have tried to contact but no luck, however I was able to track one message that led me to this cell tower, so anything in this circle we can find would help greatly.  I tried calling Dario, I keep getting the same chick over and over, she tells me he is not in the United States, but I have checked his Visa, so if he is here, he is in danger.  I have a feeling he is the mole, and is trying to get help.”

They hashed out and discussed what their next move was going to be, but soon, very soon they would have all the answers they needed in order to move forward with finding and beating the shit out of the person who is pulling all these strings.  They all knew although no one wanted to say it out loud.

After the meeting, the guys had their lists.  Joel and Drake ran their programs for their searches.  Then went to find Tank, whose men were set to arrive in the morning, they were his partners.  Men who had been in the same section and forced to find another avenue to work, doing what they loved because their covers had been blown too much.

“Tank,” Joel called to the large monster who was standing in the area that Harper intended to turn into her new office. 

“
Sir,” the man said as he turned, he was so freaking serious.  “Did you hear, Harper has hired my men and me?  We are going to be section leaders in the company she is starting.  Looks like we are coming to Healing as well when all this is done.”

Drake nodded. 
“She told us.  Hey, do you think you could tell us where the closest gun store is?  We wanna get her something.” 

Tank laughed. 
“Wow, really?  Well, I guess if there was ever one woman I would say that was appropriate for, it would be her.  She is a real ball-buster.  I can’t wait for her to meet the guys.  A few of them are gonna be taken down a peg or two.  It is needed, but I am going to love watching the show.”

“
Should be entertaining, make sure we are there for that.  You gotta love a chick who can kick a guy's ass,” Joel snorted.

“
For sure, okay, gun shop, you guys are in luck.  I happen to know a guy, he will come here too.  Just give him a call, tell him what you are thinking of, he will bring an assortment.  Trust me, describe Harper and he will nail it,” Tank said and grabbed a notebook from his pocket and wrote down a phone number. 

When Drake looked down at it he laughed,
“The Nose?”

“
Ya, he likes to think he is still in the mob, but he is harmless, all of his friends are either dead or in prison.  He went legit years ago.  Just says he likes to keep up the image.”  Tank laughed and walked away.

“
You or me?” Drake asked Joel.

“
Me, you will probably try to use your "Cagney" impression and scare the shit out of him.  You always come off sounding like a psychopath,” Joel drawled and held out his hand.

“
Good, gives me time to talk to the cook, we are having dinner in Harper's room tonight.”  Drake rubbed his hands together.  “If things go well, we will be waking up with her in that room as well.”

Harper made her calls and then had time to spare.  Even though they call the Internet the information highway
—no one knows how many things you have to search and compare to get the correct information.  She wasn’t making a mistake, Dallas had called her and said this was her first paying case, they were hiring her company to help the guys. 

Drake hadn
’t been happy but he backed down when Alex and the others agreed.  She could take care of herself; however, she knew she wasn’t Super Woman, which was why she hired Tank.

All of the guys that had been placed there, he was their leader.  He assured her that he had more men to use on his other sites since he worked technically for Steve and Jolly.  But with one phone call the men agreed to the change, they were sending his replacement so he could help her.  Tank made a few phone calls and her new employees were set to arrive in the morning.  She explained to Tank she wanted to build more than a consulting firm, there were a lot of areas besides security, she refused to compete with Alex
’s family, this was just to give them more to choose from if they needed it. 

Harper wandered through the first level smiling and talking to the guys.  They were all doing their thing, and the cook had provided lunch for them in the office.  As for dinner
—she wasn’t sure what was going to happen, she hoped her, Drake, and Joel would get a few minutes alone. 
Well there was no hope about it
, she thought.  They were going to spend time alone, she just didn’t want to be blatant about it. 

Maybe she should go and shower, get cleaned up.  When they had been talking about everything, Drake and Joel had continually brushed their shoulders against hers, or put their arms on the back of her chair, and played with her hair.  That had each even held her hand, running their thumbs over her knuckles.  It drove her nuts.  And she need to freshen up her downtown area before she saw them again.

Up in her room she sat and looked around.  She had requested her things be brought there and her apartment turned over for someone else to rent.  Tank had taken care of everything.  Her little trinkets looked out of place, maybe she would be able to decorate better when all this was said and done.  Her IKEA stuff seemed cheap, compared to the solid oak bed, and fashionable walls. 

She stripped and walked into the shower.  Thinking of the two men who had haunted her, she turned the water to cold.  She needed to be fully awake and alert when dealing with them, or they were going to confuse her. 
It sucked.

She made it quick, washing the girly bits, and shivering, then jumping out of the stall and grabbing a towel.  Thank goodness for those towel warmer things.  She at least was able to feel the heat rather quickly.  Cuddled in the thick towel she walked out of her bathroom into her room and she screamed. 

“What the fuck?!” Harper yelled at the two men who were laying on her bed, one on either side with their legs stretched out in front of them and crossed at the ankle.  In between them was a brightly wrapped box and she narrowed her eyes.

“
Hey,” Drake said before she could yell at them further.

“
Yeah, we brought food too,” Joel interrupted.  She turned her head and looked at the table now set up in the corner.  There were three plates with covers on them, and a bottle of wine in a bucket and a small tray setting to the side, which she hoped was dessert. 

“
Okay, can I at least get dressed?” Harper said.

“
No,” Drake said smugly.  “It will only make it a hassle when we have to take the clothing back off.  Here is a robe.  This will do I think.”

Harper looked at the silky long midnight blue robe he held out to her.  She rolled her eyes and took it before stepping back into the bathroom.  If it weren
’t for the fact she only had dirty clothes in the bathroom, she would have probably defied them and dressed.  As it was, she was stuck.  And their big ass attitudes needed to get taken down a few notches.

She stepped back out into the room and wanted to laugh.  They were standing by the table holding out their hands to her in order to help her sit.

“First things first,” Drake said when she was situated.  “Dinner is some kind of fish with a creamy looking sauce, potatoes, and a green veggie.”

“
Wow, that was so cool,” Harper laughed.

“
Hey, the cook told me, and I couldn’t remember what she said.  Something about dill and lemon, there you go,” Drake said and Joel shook his head.

“
And second?” she laughed.

“
Well, that is a bit more complicated,” Joel said.  “To be honest we have been trying to figure out how to approach you with this.  I mean, we have been both struggling a little, so we called our friends.  They said you wouldn't appreciate the whole soft and sweet shit.”

Harper raised an eyebrow. 
“Oh really, and what was this based on?”

“
The fact you shot a man in the nuts and never blinked.  It was strangely arousing and a little disturbing all at the same time,” Drake said.  “We didn’t want you to think we don’t think you are sexy, and hot.  Heck, the boners we have had should have been indication enough.  No, we figured you would appreciate that we are laying it all out there, giving you a choice,” Drake said.

“
If you want us to fuck off, we will leave.  But if we stay, you are not getting out of this.  We are in this for the long haul, sweetheart,” Joel said.

Harper had no idea how to respond.  It had been exactly what she was thinking.  How could they have read her mind.  She nodded slowly.

“Good, we are going to give you a present, have a nice meal, and dessert.  Then you can kick us out or not, up to you,” Drake said and reached below the table, pulling out the brightly wrapped package that had been sitting on the bed.  They put in on her plate and smiled like two kids who were proud of something.

She laughed and picked up the lid of the box and then frowned.  She stood and looked closer.  Nestled in the paper was a 9mm with flowers carved in the handle, which was a pretty pink instead of black.  She was stunned, it was a girly-gun.

“Oh, it's adorable.  Kinda small, I mean, I have handled bigger but wow, I have never seen a gun like this,” Harper said, looking at the guys who were sitting back and smiling like the cat who swallowed the canary.  These men knew exactly what she would like.  She was humbled they took into consideration there were two sides to her. 
Well, until Drake spoke.

“
See, I told you she would like the pink,” Drake said and Joel rolled his eyes.

Harper laughed and sat back down and pulled the gun out of the box.  It had a leather pink holster that she grinned at.  The guys began to talk at the same time, pointing out the carvings.  She could only laugh.

“Okay, who thought of this?” she asked when they had settled down and she put the gun back in the box for further inspection later.

“
Bailey, we give credit where it is due.  We were going to order flowers and stuff, and she said that showing you that we understood you, would mean more that flowers that would die in a week,” Drake said.

“
She was right, now if dinner and the talk is going to be as cool, we are making a good start,” she said and leaned back to watch them both move quickly to get her plate ready.

When they were settled, she said,
“So ménage 101.  Let me have it, since I am pretty sure that is what we are talking about.  By the way, I got the basics, read about it online while I was working, and last night when I couldn’t sleep because you bastards kissed me and left—I bought a book on my laptop and read it.  I find that I enjoyed it immensely and to be honest, if this is anything like that book—we are good to go.  So lay it on me,” Harper said and began to eat and listen to them explain what their thoughts were. 

She agreed with them for the most part, threw in her two cents when they talked about protection and shit.  But other than that, it was exactly as she had read.

“Before you answer,” Drake added, “be very sure, because if you say yes, we are not going back.  We are in this for the long haul, no other men, and yes no other women.  If you truly don’t like something, tell us, we don’t know how this is going to work either and the only way this will work is communication.”

Joel gently turned her to face him, his fingers gentle on her chin. 
“It’s all about your pleasure, honey.  Our pleasure depends on your pleasure.”  She gasped when his thumb caressed her bottom lip.  “So, what’s it gonna be?  Will you agree?  Will you trust us to take care of you, and worship you?” 

Inhaling deeply, she whispered,
“Yes,” before she could change her mind.  She touched her tongue to Joel’s thumb.  Startled at herself, she tried to pull back.  She had turned into a wanton woman much to her surprise, maybe she had been doing this wrong over the years, she needed someone stronger than her to tame her, how interesting.

“
Oh, no, you don’t.”  Joel pulled her onto his lap, as he sat on the edge of the bed.  “You said yes, and teased me with that little tongue.  You’re all ours now, darlin’.”

With that, he began to kiss her, his tongue sweeping into her mouth in a kiss like none she had ever experienced before.  He tasted like chocolate and caramel her two favorite flavors in one, as he teased her with his tongue, urging her to play with him.  His fingers pulled her robe aside and began to explore.

“Beautiful,” she vaguely heard Drake as Joel continued his devious assault.  Running his hands over her breasts, he murmured to Drake, “Feel how smooth and soft she is.”  He continued to explore a naked breast while Drake reached over for his own inspection.

“
Baby, your breasts feel so good, soft here,” he circled her breast with his callused hand, “and sensitive here.”  He tweaked a nipple, and then pinched it lightly between his thumb and forefinger.