Handcuffs and Lace 24 - Balls and Chain (6 page)

“Jude!”
“Stay calm,” Jude told him, holding a hand up in his direction. “Don’t move.” Derek held a pizza in his other hand. “I hope you don’t mind my intercepting dinner.” He

sniffed the box dramatically.
“What the fuck are you doing Derek?” Jude bit out.
“Taking care of a slight glitch in Mr. Winston’s plan.”
“You work for Winston?” Jude asked incredulously. The FBI had always suspected

Derek dropped the pizza box on the nearest bed. “Get comfortable. We have guests coming any minute.”
“Who are you expecting?” Sam asked.
Jude motioned for him to stay quiet when Derek’s gun swung in Sam’s direction. From the corner of his eye, he saw Sam quickly sit on the foot of the second bed.
“I like convenience. I like tidying up loose ends even more. What’s more tidy and convenient than taking care of two birds with one stone? Hm?” Derek made a dramatic show of thinking about it. “Can’t think of one. Can you?”
The sound of a car door shutting, the snuffle of a child trying to hold back tears, and another man’s voice brought the reality of their situation glaringly to light. The little girl tripped into the room clutching her teddy bear. Her big blue eyes widened as she saw the gun. The second man, someone Jude didn’t know but thought he should, shoved the girl toward Jude. He caught her easily, squatting down to look her in the eyes.
“You’re Matilda Piltnik, aren’t you?” he asked her.
The girl nodded.
“I’m Agent Cheney. See that man sitting on the bed? That’s my friend, Sam. Can you go sit with him, sweetheart?”
She didn’t look like she trusted him. No wonder considering that an agent, the agent assigned to protect her, had just delivered her to a killer.
“C’mere, honey,” Sam called her.
Derek picked up the pizza box and tossed it to the other bed where Sam and Matilda were. “Eat something. Maybe it’ll shut her up.”
“Derek, what are you doing? She needs to be kept safe.” Jude tried to reason with him.
“You know better than that, Cheney. If an agent’s gonna turn, he’s gonna turn big.”
The unknown man who’d delivered the girl leaned around the motel door. “He’s secured, sir.”
A shadow filled the opening, backlit from the outside light. Jude caught a glimpse of a businessman dressed in a suit coat and tie.
“I want it to look like he did it,” the man told Derek.
“It will. The evidence they find will point directly to Agent Cheney. They’ll think he went rogue, shot the two witnesses and then hung himself,” Cheney assured.
“Good. You, go outside and keep watch.” The second guy disappeared, bumping passed the newcomer as he went.
As the businessman stepped into the room, shutting the door behind him, there was no mistaking his identity. Paul Winston was taking care of business personally. And that realization provided the identity of the other man, his assistant. No wonder he’d looked vaguely familiar. If Jude hadn’t been assigned to specifically watch Sam, he’d have recognized the man instantly.
He still should have known. Not that it changed anything.
“Mr. Winston. Doing your dirty work personally?” Jude asked, hoping to buy time.
“Just not allowing there to be any confusion this time around. You’ve been quite a thorn in my side, Agent Cheney. I don’t like thorns. I pluck them out.”
“Really? We’re going for bad cop-drama dialogue here? Is there a rule book that requires bad use of metaphors for you people?” Sam snapped.
“Geez, Sam,” Jude said, glaring at him. “Not now.”
“Sorry.”
“Mouthy sonofabitch, isn’t he?” Winston said.
“You’d have to ask Cheney. He’s been sucking that one’s cock all week,” Derek snarked. Winston smacked him on the back of the head. “Watch your mouth. There’s a kid here.” “Ow! She’s gonna be dead in ten minutes anyway.”
Matilda started crying. Sam hugged her, running a hand over her hair and making soothing noises. He glared at Derek. “Have some sensitivity, moron. She’s just a kid.”
“Hey,” Jude said, standing. He needed their attention back on him. Anything to keep the gun from being pointed at Sam or Matilda. “What can we do to convince you that you’re safe? Do you want anything? A trade? I can get the sector on the phone and we can have a little chat.”
“Your little office is nothing to me,” Winston said. “I have people everywhere. You’re just an inconvenience.”
“Derek, think about what you’re doing,” Jude cautioned.
“I’ve thought about it. I’ve thought it through two point six million times, and I’ve decided that Mr. Winston has every right to be as secure as he wants.”
“So, you see, Agent Cheney, there’s nothing further to discuss.” Winston motioned at Derek. “Take care of it.”
“Yes, sir.” Derek waved his gun. “Go stand over there. I want you about five feet away.”
“I’m not going to make this easy for you. If you want it to look like suicide by hanging, then you can’t shoot me.”
“Don’t think I can’t use it to my advantage,” Derek argued. “I could always claim that I followed you back here, got a shot off, but was too late. Hanging you was just a suggestion. I can make just about anything work to my advantage. Put your hands on your head and keep them there. Where’s your firearm?”
“In the bag,” Jude told him, tipping his chin toward the duffle. He glanced briefly for the toiletries kit that had fallen on the ground. He didn’t see it.
Sam continued to gently shush the child, whispering calm words and sending her small smiles. The little girl suddenly broke free.
“Mister,” she said, looking up at Jude. Her lips trembled and she looked terrified. “Please take care of Boodle-jinx for me.” Her tiny hands covered his eyes, as though she protected him from seeing.
“Honey, you should hang on to him,” Jude told her gently.
She shook her head wildly. “No! I don’t want him to see.” Her huge blue eyes watered.
Jude looked to Derek and Winston for permission. “Seeing her parents die freaked her out enough. Do you mind?”
“Make it quick,” Winston barked.
Jude took the bear from her shaking hands, careful to put his hands over the bear’s eyes like she had. “I’ll make sure he’s okay,” he told her.
The bear’s little backpack was heavy. He shot a quick look at Sam. Sam gave him an almost imperceptible nod. The gun.
Matilda ran back to Sam’s outstretched arms and huddled there. Jude left one hand over the bear’s eyes. Then, not giving himself time to over-think it, he reached into the tiny pack and grabbed the gun. Its comfortable weight settled in his palm. Peace washed over him. This was his talent. These moments were made for him.
With the stuffed bear pressed to his chest, the other two men didn’t know yet what Jude knew. Another gun had just joined the fray. There was a guy outside keeping watch. He’d hear the gun when it fired. There was Derek with a firearm of his own, he’d be first. Winston wouldn’t want to dirty his hands.
In one swift move, Jude stepped between Derek and Sam, pulling the gun free. He got off a shot, nicking Derek’s upper arm and rendering his hand useless. Derek bellowed, reeling backward, his gun flying into the wall and dropping behind the bedside table.
Winston ran for the door.
“Don’t,” Jude warned him.
The door opened anyway. The assistant was blocking Winston’s path. Jude leaped across the distance grabbing Winston by the collar and hauling him backward, gun at the base of his skull.
“Stay right where you are.”
The assistant backed into the room. At least Jude could count on the pencil pusher to be unarmed.
“Go hang out with Derek over there. Sam, get my cell. Hit the one key and call this in. I’ll keep them busy.”
Behind him Jude heard the rushed exchange between Sam and the person on the other end of the phone. Calm under pressure. Pride in Sam swelled in Jude’s chest. Any doubt he’d had that Sam was his, evaporated. He was perfect, and as soon as this mess was over Jude was going to dedicate himself to proving it to Sam until he agreed.
* * * *
Sam strained his neck, looking for Jude. The courtroom was packed. Reporters filled the aisles and bulbs flashed as Winston was escorted away.
Now
, it was over. But where was Jude?
Because of the criminal homicide attempts, and the murder of Gregg Christiansen, the case had been expedited through the legal system. A little over a month after the motel gun fight, and a jury had already found Winston guilty on fourteen counts of first degree murder along with several other criminal charges. Winston wouldn’t be seeing the light of day for a long, long time.
Other than quick phone calls, he hadn’t seen Jude since the arrest. He didn’t know how he’d come to need Jude so quickly, but he did. He needed to hear his voice, needed to see him. He’d been counting on Jude to be there for the reading of the verdict. He’d promised.
The courtroom cleared. Negligently leaning on the back wall, like he was holding it up, Jude folded his arms and watched him. A smile softened his lips, and there was a happy light in his eyes. Sam’s breath caught. Relaxed, happy, and smiling at him was exactly the way Sam had chosen to remember him. It was like revisiting those precious moments after the last time Jude had kissed him. Before all hell had broken loose.
Sam didn’t wait for an invitation. He crossed the room to Jude. Jude stood, waiting for him. He didn’t even hesitate when Sam got there, just held him tightly in his arms. Sam sighed.
“I thought you hadn’t come,” Sam confessed.
“I couldn’t miss this. You needed me. I always want to be here when you need me.”
Sam looked up at him hopefully. “I need you every day. Think you can swing that?”
Jude’s easy smile warmed Sam to the core. “I thought it was going to be a lot harder to convince you of that.”
Sam raised an eyebrow. “You thought
you
needed to convince
me
?”
“I was fully prepared for a total seduction taking as long as necessary.”
“Hey, now, we don’t need to rule that out just yet.”
Jude threw his head back, laughing. Sam’s skin tingled, alive at the sound of Jude letting go. When Jude’s laugh returned to twinkling eyes and toothy grin, he pressed a kiss to Sam’s lips. “I have some other news for you too.”
“Oh?”
“Gifford told me you’d been asking about Matilda’s circumstances,” Jude began.
“Yeah, I’ve been worried about her.”
“She’s in foster care. She’s doing well. Gifford wanted to let you know that if you wanted to adopt her, he’d put a recommendation in for you.”
A smile split Sam’s face as he failed to contain the joy he was feeling. The man he’d fallen for wanted him and the little girl who’d stolen his heart could become his daughter. “Really? Based on the motel thing?”
“That and because of your persistence in making sure she’s been safe this past month. I may have put in a good word for you too,” Jude said.
Sam kissed him. God, he loved this man.
“I love you too.”
Sam blinked.
“What? You didn’t know you’d said that out loud?” Jude teased.
Sam blushed.
“C’mon. Let me take you home and show you exactly how much I liked hearing it.”
Sam’s nerves were jumping by the time they got to his apartment. Everything was a mess, like it had been searched. Jude didn’t let him get distracted though. He pulled him close, kicking the door shut behind him.
Jude took his hand and led him to the bedroom.
“How do you know where to go?” Sam asked.
“I was the one who discovered that the bugs in your apartment weren’t ours.”
“You’ve been in here.”
Jude smiled mysteriously. “Yeah. I may have stopped to smell your aftershave.”
Sam grinned. He’d been doing a lot of that today. It felt good to be this happy. Jude unbuttoned Sam’s oxford shirt. He tugged on Sam’s belt, and Sam lost himself in the heated expression that baring his body had on Jude. Knowing that a man like Jude—self-sufficient, sexy as hell, competent—wanted him as badly as Sam did him, turned him on in a big way.
Sam stepped out of his pants. He reached down to rid himself of his shoes and socks and pushed down his underwear. He stood naked and hard before Jude.
“Last time you were fully dressed and I was naked, my ass was sore,” Sam reminded him.
“If you don’t mind, I don’t want to do that this time.”
“Good. I was hoping for something a little less aggressive.”
Jude pulled off his shirt. Sam’s fingers glided over his pristinely muscled chest, nudged his flat, tan nipples. “Like what?”
“No distractions or complications. Just us.” Jude sucked in sharply when Sam’s fingers dipped to his waistband.
“Just us sounds fantastic.” Sam unbuttoned Jude’s jeans, pushing them down much the same way Jude had just done to Sam.
Jude walked away.
“Where are you going?” Sam asked.
“Getting your stash of condoms.” Jude reappeared from the bathroom a moment later with condoms and the flavored lubricant Sam favored.
“Right. You’ve been through my things.”
Jude stripped the rest of his clothes. It was the first really good look Sam had of him. He was every wet dream come to life. Jude’s thick cock jutted toward Sam as though it led the man it was attached to.
Jude tossed the condoms and lube on the bed, and took both of Sam’s hands. “This time, I’m not rushing. I want to see every minute of you coming.”
Sam linked their fingers. His throat closed with emotion and he swallowed passed the lump that had formed. “Sounds good.”
Sam pulled Jude on top of him on the bed. He shuddered as their naked bodies pressed together. Jude’s big brown eyes stared candidly into his. Sam’s cock flexed against Jude’s deliciously.
“We have something here. You know that right?” Sam said.
Jude kissed him. Leisurely, he tasted Sam’s lips, exploring them, fitting against them, drugging Sam with every wicked sweet of his mouth against Sam’s. “I’m fully aware,” he murmured.
Teasing kisses trailed along Sam’s jaw, savored his neck with long shivering sucks, and traced downward to his nipple. He’d never be particularly sensitive there, but with Jude claiming one in a deep sucking pull, Sam nearly came off the bed. He groaned, burying his hands in Jude’s hair to keep him on that spot.
Jude wouldn’t be deterred. After devoting himself to both nipples equally, he kissed the tips and tracked toothy nips down Sam’s belly to his cock. Cool, tingly mint lube slicked his shaft. Sam gasped. He tried to push Jude’s head toward his aching cock, but Jude chuckled and happily licked Sam’s balls instead.
“I love these. They’re so pretty,” Jude murmured. “Hairless, gorgeous pink nuggets that fit right in my—”
Sam yelped as Jude’s hot mouth closed on his balls. He tossed his head. The sensations crashed into each other leaving Sam speechless but for the unintelligible noises he couldn’t hold back.
Jude’s curious lips came off to press wet kisses to the length of his cock. But it was when Jude closed on his tip that Sam's mind went blank. His tongue probed the tiny hole, flickered under the head and Jude seemed to relish every inch.
Sam bucked, sinking his cock deeper into the welcome warmth of Jude’s mouth. “Jude, I can’t wait.”
Jude sucked harder. He palmed Sam’s balls in a gentle massage that gave Sam the permission he needed. He lifted his hips feeling the spiraling tingle of orgasm burn low and hot. His balls tightened. Jude’s tongue pressed firmly. Sam shouted as cum raced up his cock, exploding into Jude’s mouth.