Justice for All (22 page)

After he pulled into the mouth of the alley and cut his engine, he pulled off his helmet and swiveled on the seat to face Irina. “If anyone in there wants you to leave with them, try to put them off. If that doesn’t work, say you’re not going anywhere without me. Say you’re scared because of what happened at the house. Tell them I took care of you, protected you. You feel safe with me along.”

“These men. They are much stronger than you,” Irina said, her hands now resting lightly on the outside of his hips. “You cannot fight them if they force me to go with them.”

Mitch shook his head. “I’m not letting them take you. Don’t worry about that.”

“You could let me go. You could say you couldn’t stop them.”

“They’re not going to let you find your sister,” Mitch said. He believed that to be true, but it didn’t make him feel any better about preying on her fears. Manipulating her. “We can help you find her. But you have to help us.”

She didn’t say anything for a long moment, her eyes probing into his. “They will not be so easy to convince as your friends that we are together.”

“Whatever it takes.”

Irina reached between his legs and squeezed his cock, pressing it into the apex of his thighs. “And if they want proof?”

Mitch laughed hoarsely. “Like what? Unlike flesh-and-blood cocks, mine doesn’t shoot—so what exactly would they see?”

“You would fuck me if they say?”

“Jesus.” Mitch slid his fingers between his cock and Irina’s hand, and clasped her fingers gently. “I’m not going to let them force me to treat you like that. I’ll convince them some other way. Don’t worry.”

“I am not the one to worry.” Irina stroked his face. “It is you they will hurt.”

*

“What the hell were you doing out there, spawning?” Jasmine hissed when Mitch slid into the booth with her and the Kings. An assortment of beers and a vodka on ice sat in the middle of the table already. “Where’s Irina?”

“She went to talk to the bartender.”

“And you let her? What if she slips out the back?”

“She won’t.” At Jasmine’s frown, Mitch said impatiently, “I can see her from here. Besides, if she wanted to ditch me she could have done it anytime today.” He lowered his voice. “What about the backup?”

“I called Frye from my dressing room at the club. They should’ve picked you up on your way here.”

“Okay.” Mitch felt a little steadier knowing that the lieutenant and Watts were outside. Working undercover was lonely and scary, even though it was a rush, too. He glanced past Jasmine and saw Phil craning his neck, watching Irina. He hoped Phil believed him that Irina and he were an item, and that he would keep his word to stay away from her. He especially hoped he was becoming more adept at lying. Sandy always said he sucked at it.

“Uh-oh,” Jasmine whispered. “She’s heading toward the back.”

Mitch pushed out of the booth. “There’s a rear door. If I’m not back in fifteen minutes, check the alley for my bike. If it’s still there but we’re not, it will probably mean we had to go somewhere to keep our cover. Hopefully the lieutenant will pick us up.”

“Just don’t let them take Irina.”

“I’m not planning on it.” Mitch hurried after Irina, knowing events didn’t always turn out as planned.

*

“Hey! What’s going on?” Mitch demanded when he discovered Irina with her back against the wall, pinned by a hulking guy with fair hair cut so close to his head he appeared at first glance to be bald. His arm muscles bunched beneath a tight white T-shirt, and his tree trunk–sized thighs bracketed Irina’s lower body. He turned his head and gave Mitch a flat, cold stare.

Acting on instinct, heart thumping in his chest, Mitch ignored the guy and caressed Irina’s shoulder. “You okay, baby?”

“Who is this?” the man growled in accented English.

“I am with him,” Irina said, a note of defiance in her voice.

The Russian looked Mitch up and down and made a dismissive sound. “You need a man? I can take care of that.”

Irina sneered. “Like Yuri did?”

She pushed against her captor’s chest, and he moved back as if surprised. She had just enough room to slither out from beneath his arm. Mitch immediately pulled her close and angled his body so he was standing between her and the man he presumed was one of the Russian enforcers.

“Yuri did nothing to protect us when the police came,” Irina spat. “Mitch helped me get away. All the others at the house…” She made an angry gesture. “Gone.”

“You come with me,” the Russian said, grabbing her arm.

“Back off,” Mitch warned, hoping he’d be able to get off at least one punch before the guy planted one of his huge fists in his face.

“She comes with me,” the Russian said.

Mitch shook his head. “No way.”

Just when he was sure the guy was going to swing, Jasmine appeared out of nowhere. “There you are!” she exclaimed, rushing up. “We’re ready for the next stop.” She looped her arm through Irina’s, dragging her a few feet down the hall. “I just love club hopping.” Over her shoulder she called to Mitch, “Are you coming or are you going to let the other boys have all the fun?”

The Russian’s eyes flamed. “You are making a mistake, Irina.”

She slowed until Mitch reached her side, then said, “Tell Olik if he wants me, he has to come himself. Not send his lapdog.”

When the Russian’s face suffused with fury, Mitch hurried both Irina and Jasmine back into the main part of the bar.

“Jealous boyfriend?” Jasmine said archly.

Irina gave her a feral smile. “I would not let him fuck my shoe.”

“Oh, poor Mitch.” Jasmine laughed. “You’re going to run him ragged.”

“He does not wear out easily.” Irina whispered in Mitch’s ear, “We should go before he calls someone.”

“I guess that’s my cue to get started,” Mitch said with a grin. “We’ll catch you all another night.”

When the Kings called good night, Mitch noticed that Phil didn’t look up from the table.

“What about this guy Olik?” Mitch asked Irina as they headed for the door. “How do we get to him?”

She flicked a long, dark strand of hair away from her face. “He will come for me.”

Rebecca slipped into bed just before dawn. When Catherine turned toward her, she said, “You don’t need to wake up just yet.”

“Mmm.” Catherine ran her hands up and down Rebecca’s back. “You’re warm. Feels nice.” She burrowed into Rebecca’s neck. “Smells nice.”

Rebecca chuckled. “I took a shower in the guest room. I was trying not to wake you up.”

Catherine slipped a firm thigh between Rebecca’s. “I thought you promised you would.”

Rebecca sucked in a breath. The silky glide of Catherine’s flesh between her legs teased her into full arousal in seconds. “I didn’t think I’d be so late.”

“Is everything all right?”

“Yes.” Rebecca couldn’t manage more than short sentences as Catherine rocked her leg steadily, insistently, into her. “Stayed to watch Mitch. All quiet.”

“You’re making my leg wet,” Catherine whispered. “So hot, so slick.”

Rebecca groaned. Her vision grew dark at the edges as she stroked her hand along the curve of Catherine’s hip, to the dip at her waist, and up to cradle the full oval of her breast. She rubbed the pad of her thumb over the tight ball of Catherine’s nipple. Catherine surged in her arms, her thigh driving high between Rebecca’s legs—opening her, cleaving her. Rebecca arched her hips and thrust, tormenting her already tortured clitoris, forcing it back and forth over Catherine’s leg. Her mouth was on Catherine’s, and she matched the pulsations between her legs with deep, probing sweeps of her tongue. When Catherine gripped her hips to increase the force of her thrusting thigh, Rebecca broke away, panting for breath.

“You’re going to make me come,” she warned.

“That’s right. I love it when you come,” Catherine said fervently. “I love to feel you shatter in my arms, so beautiful.”
I love it when you need me,
she didn’t say.
I love to protect you.
“Oh God, touch me. I can’t stand it. I’ve needed to come for hours.”

Rebecca pushed her hand between their bodies and cupped Catherine’s sex, her fingers sliding up and down the smooth, hot valley, her thumb sweeping back and forth across the rigid clitoris. Catherine jerked in her arms, and Rebecca felt her control unravel. She concentrated, bearing down with her thumb.

“Oh, darling,” Catherine murmured, burying her face in Rebecca’s neck. “So good. You’re so good. Stay on it, darling, stay—oh God, just like that.”

“Catherine,” Rebecca moaned, her clitoris threatening to release. The pressure was agonizing, her mind incapable of thought. Her hips pumped, and the burning spread outward from the apex of her thighs. “It’s coming. I can’t…oh,
fuck,
here I come.”

“Don’t stop, I’m close,” Catherine gasped, her teeth setting into the muscle stretched taut along Rebecca’s neck. “I’m so so clo…oh!”

Catherine’s cry ignited Rebecca, and she shuddered as heat raced through her. She fired fast, peaked hard, and came down quickly, but Catherine kept pulsing in her hand, undulating waves of pleasure filling her palm.

“Oh God, oh God, oh God,” Catherine whimpered breathlessly.

Rebecca massaged her until the last spasms quieted, then wrapped her tightly in her arms. “I love you.”

“Oh, I love you.” Catherine rested her face against Rebecca’s chest. “Don’t leave me.”

“I won’t,” Rebecca promised, her heart twisting. She knew Catherine would never have asked if all her defenses hadn’t just been shattered, and she might not even remember it later. But Rebecca would not forget the helpless plea in her voice. She kissed her, slowly, as she stroked her hair and her back, calming her. “I won’t.”

Catherine smoothed trembling fingers lightly over Rebecca’s mouth, as if to stop her from making promises impossible to keep. “Hold me. Just hold me.”

Rebecca could give her that, and she did.

*

“Hey,” Michael whispered, resting both hands on Sloan’s shoulders. “Any chance I could talk you into coming to bed? It’s late, and you didn’t get much sleep last night.”

Sloan tilted her head back against Michael’s midsection and closed her eyes. When Michael’s fingers threaded through her hair and massaged her scalp, she groaned.

Laughing softly, Michael leaned down and kissed the angle of her jaw. Circling her fingertips over Sloan’s temples, she said, “You’re tired, darling. And this case is just getting started.”

“Someone’s trying to crack my system,” Sloan murmured, her eyes still closed. “But they’re playing games.”

“What does that mean?” Michael asked with a frown.

“They’re not really trying to hide what they’re doing. They’re letting me see them, like a game of hide and seek.” Sloan grasped Michael’s hand and pressed a kiss to her palm. “Or chess.”

“Really? Why would a hacker do that?”

Sloan shook her head. “Arrogance. Boredom. Maybe he hasn’t had anyone at his level to compete with. Because he’s good. Very good. I can’t find his trail.” She took a deep breath and let it out with a frustrated sigh. “He knows how to bait the hook.”

“Playing with you.” Michael caressed Sloan’s neck, then slid a hand under the top of her T-shirt and rubbed her chest. “Not very smart.”

Sloan arched in the chair, her hand drifting away from the keyboard for the first time in hours. “Michael. You’re cheating.”

“I never cheat,” Michael whispered softly in her ear. “I just play to win. Are you coming to bed?” She caught her breath as Sloan’s eyes opened and sought hers, unguarded arousal shimmering through the blue depths. “God, darling. Say yes.”

Sloan stood, shoved the desk chair away with her foot, and caught Michael against her chest. She kissed her, filling her hands with Michael’s hair and her senses with Michael’s scent. “Yes. Definitely, yes.”

*

Sandy sat up, instantly alert, at the quiet snick of the door lock catching. Dell looked even paler than usual in the gray early-morning light, her eyes shadowed and wary. The bedside clock said 6:30 a.m. She’d been out all night. With Irina. Dell stood statue still as if awaiting judgment until Sandy flicked back the sheet, indicating the bed beside her.

Wordlessly, Dell stripped, then climbed into bed and lay on her back.

“Are you all right?” Sandy asked.

“Yeah.”

“Did something happen?”

“Not really.”

“How come you’re so late?”

Dell sighed. She’d wanted to come earlier, but she didn’t want to leave Irina until she was certain no one had followed them. She couldn’t leave her unprotected.

“Sorry.”

“I didn’t ask you to be sorry.” Sandy rolled onto her side and put her hand on Dell’s stomach. The muscles were hard as wood. Dell’s stomach felt that way when she was getting ready to come, or when she was really upset. Sandy rubbed up and down, slow steady sweeps, and Dell shivered. “You’re really wired, baby.”

“Things got a little tense for a few minutes. They sent muscle to collect Irina.”