Prisoner (All of You Book 1) (17 page)

Chapter Twenty-two

Tony

“The president wants to talk to me?”  I ask, more than a little stunned.  I thought his lawyer would call my lawyer, or whatever.

“Yea, he didn’t call your hospital room to talk the Sexy Sentinel.”  Oh, her and her mouth.  All of the things I love about her mouth. 

“I guess he needs the side-kick, Gladiator,” I say with a grin.  I take the phone and say, “Hello, Mr. President.”

“Is that you, Gladiator?”  He laughs for a moment, then says, “Chief Petty Officer Antony Roman?”  Oh, shit, the president heard me fucking around.

“Yes, sir,” I reply, and my eyes are on Lani.  I scrunch the phone up between my shoulder and my chin, and reach out to touch her cheek.  She covers my hand with hers, and smiles up at me expectantly.  I can’t believe, less than a month after meeting this girl, I have hope that I might go free.

“Son, I want to apologize for the man who put you in this situation.  That jackass couldn’t lead his way out of a brown paper bag.  I’d like to let you know that I have my best and brightest working on your case, and I hope to have good news soon, for you and your team.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“Take care, son, and stay safe,” he says, and I hear a click.

I move closer to her, hang up the phone, and grab her waist.  I pull her against my body, roughly.  “I just spoke to the president.  I bet Killian’s never spoken to the president.  Think he’ll be jealous?” 

“I just spoke to him too,” she says, but she’s breathless.  She’s breathless just from being close to me.  She tips her head back, and licks her lips, and damn I want to be inside her.  “What did he say?”  She’s obviously excited, and her voice is much higher than normal.  Her cheeks are bright pink, and her eyes look like leaves in summer rain.  I wonder if she’ll look like this on our wedding day, or our wedding night.  I feel like I have a chance for this now.  I might actually walk down the aisle with this smart, strong, beautiful woman.  I might have a baby.  I might actually have a future.  I might be able to love someone who will fight for me.

I can’t help it, I have to kiss her.  I bend forward, scoop her up, and watch her as our lips touch.  She closes her eyes right before it happens, and I sigh into her parted lips.  “I love you,” I moan, as I lick, and kiss, and suck on her beautiful mouth.  I carry her, with one arm, into the bathroom, and lock the door behind us.  I set her down gently, untie my pants, and ask, “Do you want it bent over the sink?”

She bends down onto her knees, and tugs at the waistband, causing my hard-on to flop out at her.  “I’m sorry,” I say, as it lands right on her lips.

She says nothing, but sucks it into her mouth quickly.  One of her hands touches my thigh, and the other grabs my balls.  “No, baby, not today.  I’m not coming in your mouth.  I’m coming deep inside your sweet little pussy.”

Her response is to try to take more in, and to touch that spot under my balls again.  What am I supposed to do?  Stop her?  Ha!  I don’t even know if I can stand on my own two feet much longer.  My legs are shaking, and she’s got hold of my balls like a vise grip.  I put my hand in her hair, and she pulls back a little, and manipulates that spot right under the head. 

I grab her hair and pull, just enough to get her off me.  She stands up, and as she does, she pulls her pants down.  I’ve seen strippers that don’t move as sexily as her.  I don’t know how she does it, but I think I might be about fourteen inches long right now.  My ears are starting to ring.  “Damn, baby, you make my dick so hard.  Bend over that sink, and show me your ass.”

Her eyes grow wide, and she groans, “God, yes.”  She turns, and places her hands on the back of the sink, then glances up into the mirror.  I’m behind her, watching her every move.  Our eyes lock in the mirror, as I slide into her tight pussy.  “Yes, Tony, you know what I like.”  I move up slightly, and I find that spot.  “Ah!” she squeals.  I grab a washcloth, and put it against her mouth. 

“Shhh, baby.  I love your screaming, honey, but not in here.”  It’s almost like the cloth is freeing for her.  She squeals into it, loudly, but it’s muffled.  I use my thighs and my hips to push into her harder.  Her noises, and the look in her eyes, are almost too much.  “Lani, your pussy makes me crazy, baby.  You are the best, baby.”

Her muscles tighten, and I’m afraid I might pass out.  I don’t know if I see stars, or if it’s just her eyes.  They roll back into her head, and she screams into the cloth.  She’s probably going to squirt all over our clothes.  “Shut up, now,” I say, and she whimpers.  I take the cloth, and place it under her, just as she soaks it with her juices.

“Fuck,” she moans.  “You’re so fucking good.”  That’s when I come, too.  I hold my breath, trying not to cry out, and it comes out as a grunt. 

“Lani, you’re going to be the death of me.  You’re going to give me a heart attack,” I say, as I slide out of her gently.  She whimpers again.  She makes those little noises when I pull out, as if I’m taking something from her.  “I love you baby, but I have to know.  Is your cottage soundproofed, or are the cops going to be at our house every night?”  I smile as I say it.  I hope she realizes I’m teasing.

I pull my pants up, and she’s still gasping for air.  As I’m trying to tie them up with one hand, I bend down and kiss her cheek and her lips.  “I love you, Lani.  I love you, and I wish I could give you even half of what you’ve given me.”

“Hello?”  Someone is in the room.  Lani jumps when she hears it, and she is dressed in two seconds flat.

“How many times were you caught with a boy in your house?”  I ask, as I check to make sure she’s dressed before I open the door. 

“I was never caught,” she chuckles, and washes her hands quickly.

“Hello?”  I hear again. 

Killian is standing by the bed, glancing at the TV.  “The guard said Lani was still here.”  I approach him, and shake his hand.

“I’m here,” she says, as she exits the bathroom. 

“You’re being released today.  You’re both getting a hotel room.  She’s being put under protective custody now too.”  He glances at Lani, and asks, “Are you bleeding?”  I turn toward her, too, thinking it’s from when we had sex.

“No, it’s probably just…” she chuckles and looks at me.  I look over her beautiful face and gorgeous tits.  I can still smell her perfume on my skin.  Then I look down at her ugly pantsuit, and…

“Lani, you’re bleeding,” Killian states.

“Call Doctor Foster,” I say.  Killian is just standing there, staring at her.  She looks down, and sees the blood, and runs to the bathroom.  I run out to the hallway, and scream, “Nurse!  Nurse!  I need help!”

Lani

“Have you been having rough sex?”  Doctor Dad asks. 

“I don’t think that’s any of your business,” Tony replies. 

“Her OB/GYN will be here soon.  Just answer me,” he insists.

“There’s nothing rough about it.  I’ve never touched her that way,” Tony insists, firmly.  “I know you think you have to ask, but I’m still offended.”

“Lani?” he asks me.

“Are you sure it’s my period?”  I ask again.

“It’s
probably
your period, Melanie Grace.  Is he hurting you?”  Doctor Dad glares at Tony.  He has me in the bed, and he’s already taken my temperature, my pulse, and my blood pressure.  Tony is in the chair beside the bed. 

I don’t want to look at Tony, or Doctor Dad.  I feel so sad.  I’m sad because, although I doubted I was pregnant, and I actually took the morning after pill, once Doctor Dad told me I was pregnant, I wanted a baby.  Tony and my father both wanted me to be pregnant, too. 

“Of course he isn’t hurting me.  He’s gentle, and loving.  He’s a very considerate lover,” I say, but I don’t look at him.  “And I want this discussion to end right now.  I’m not talking any more about my sex life with you.”

Thankfully the door opens just then.  My lady parts doctor enters, and as she and Doctor Dad greet each other.  He fills her in on my vitals, and glares at Tony one last time before he leaves the room.  “Have a good afternoon, Doctor Foster,” Tony calls out as the door closes.

“So, Lani, Doctor Foster let me in a little on what’s going on.  Do you feel comfortable with,” Doctor Reynolds glances over at Tony, and grins, “Is this your partner?”

“Yes.  It’s fine to discuss this with Tony in the room.  He needs to know what’s going on too,” I answer. 

“How long since your last period?” she asks. 

“It’s been about five and a half weeks,” I say.  “I should have started last week, that’s why I thought maybe Doctor Foster was right about me being pregnant.”

“You took the morning after pill, right?”  I nod.  “It could have affected your hormone levels.  And there are always false positives and negatives, even with blood tests.  You’ve had a very trying couple of weeks, you’ve been out of your comfort zone.  That could have caused you to be late.”

I nod, because the past four weeks have definitely been a struggle.  “Yes, Doctor Reynolds.”

“So, I think it is far too early to label this as a miscarriage, even though you had a positive blood test.  I don’t see any reason why you shouldn’t keep trying, if you want to get pregnant.  If this period lasts longer than normal, or you start to run a fever, don’t hesitate to call me, okay?”  Doctor Reynolds pats my hand, then turns to Tony and pats his shoulder.  “Everyone okay?”

“Yes,” we both answer in unison.

When she’s gone, I finally glance over at Tony.  “I guess you dodged another bullet,” he says.  I stare at him for several minutes, until he feels uncomfortable and looks away.  He waits several moments before he speaks again.  “I’m sorry.  That was the wrong thing to say, and I apologize sincerely.”

“Thanks,” I say, as a nurse brings me yet another set of scrubs, and a few pads.  I thank her before she leaves, and I head to the bathroom.  As I’m pulling off my trousers, all I can think about is, there is no baby now.  There is no baby.  Did Tony cause it?  Did the sex that’s so good it almost hurts cause me to lose my pregnancy?

When I return, he’s staring up at the TV.  The news story of the day is the AG reopening his SEAL team’s cases.  He looks up at me, and I can see that he’s hurt, too.  We gaze at each other, but he doesn’t say anything, and neither do I.  So I turn my back to him, and watch the TV, until Killian joins us again.

He looks at Tony, then at me, and he can tell that something’s wrong.  “Are you ready to go to the hotel?” 

“Am I allowed to stop at my cottage and get my clothes?”  Killian nods at me.  “Can you tell me why I have to go into protective custody?” 

“Because you can’t stop bullets, as much as you want to think you can, Sexy Sentinel.”  He’s really starting to piss me off with that.

“I’m a cop, okay?  I’m twenty-nine years old, and I’ve been a detective for two years.  I’m Detective Vaden.  I am not afraid of a stupid man with a gun who doesn’t know better than to pull it out in the middle of a dozen FBI agents.”  By the time I’m finished, I’m yelling.  I look over at Tony, and I can tell he’s shocked and confused.

The phone rings again, and Killian answers it this time.  “Special Agent Burke.”  He listens for a moment, and his eyes get wide, and he glances at Tony.  “Can I ask who is calling?”  He nods as he listens, and says, “Okay, hold on.”

“It’s for you,” he says, as he hands the phone toward Tony.  “She says her name is Lauren Ferris.” 

Tony’s mouth pops open, then his eyes grow wide.  He is staring at me, and I just say, “Answer the phone.”  But it comes out a little harsher than I expect it to.

After several moments of stunned silence, he takes the phone and says, “Hello.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

Tony

“Hello,” I mutter.  I’m too nervous.  I have no idea what to say.

“Are you my dad?” a young girl asks.  She sounds like a younger version of her mother, like Lucy did when I first met her.

“Yes, I think so.  Is your mother Lucy?”  My voice is shaking as much as my insides are.  I hear Killian and Lani move across the room, and start talking in hushed voices.

“Yea, Lucy Ferris.  But I saw my birth certificate, and my birth name is Roman.  I asked my mom about it, but she wouldn’t answer me.”  She exhales loudly, as if she feels relieved.  “Now I know.”

“I’m sorry I had to go away.  I miss you every day.”  I’m so choked up, I can barely speak.  “I never meant to leave you.  I never wanted to leave you.” 

“I know.  I know that now.  I understand now why he treated us differently.”  I hear the pain in her voice, and I think I know what she means.  “We have a little sister, me and Max, and our dad always treated her better.”

“Did he hurt you baby?  Did he touch you?”  I don’t want to ask, but I have to know.  I swear, I will go back to prison again if he has.

“No, nothing like that.  I promise.  He just didn’t love us that much, that’s all.  And we look nothing like him or my mom.  Our eyes are just like yours.”  I shiver when she says it.  I remember looking into their eyes when they were little, and knowing how much they look like mine. 

“I’ve loved you every day of your life.  I loved you since you were born.  I was deployed, but the doctor took video and sent it to me.  And when I held you the first time, you stole my heart.”  I stutter, and try really hard not to cry, but I can’t stop it.  Tears pour down my cheeks. 

“Dad, can I come live with you?”  She doesn’t mean to break my heart, I’m sure.  But she does.

“I’m still technically a prisoner, baby.  I have no way to come to you.  I have no money.  I have nothing.  I’m so sorry, baby.”  My words come out in sobs.

“The news said you’re going to get a lot of money, like millions of dollars.  And you’re probably going to be free soon, maybe even back in the navy, maybe in Hawaii.”  How in the world does she know all of this? 

“How do you know?  How did you find out where I am?”  I hear Lani and Killian arguing, but trying to keep it quiet. 

“I searched the internet until I found where you are.  When the nurse asked if I was family, I told her the truth.  If you move to Hawaii, can I come too?”  She sounds distraught, but so does Lani. 

“Give me your phone number, and I’ll call you when I get settled into the hotel the FBI are taking me to.  Are you okay with that?”

“Sure,” she says with a little sigh, and recites the digits, as I write them down.

“Okay, baby, I’ll call you as soon as I can.  Maybe I can talk to your brother too.  Okay?  I love you Lauren, more than I can tell you.”

“Okay.  Bye Dad.  I’ll talk to you soon.”  And then the line goes dead.

As soon as I hang up the phone, Lani and Killian become silent.  Something is going on between the two of them, something they don’t want to share with me.  They walk toward me, so close I want to rip Killian’s head off. 

“Lani will be staying alone tonight.  She’s decided to go back to work.”  Killian speaks, and Lani avoids my eyes.  “She’s going to be working with the FBI for a few weeks, to help with the investigation into her sister’s death, and other women at the jail.”

“Someone needs to go through every file, to weed out the deaths that might be suspicious. 
I
need to get the information on the doctor who signed her death certificate, Tony. 
I
need to finish this, no matter how long it takes me.”  She’s still avoiding my eyes.  I had no idea I could be so happy, with my daughter calling me, and Lani is hurting my heart almost as much as Lauren did.

“Doesn’t the FBI have forensic auditors who can go through and figure that stuff out?”  I wonder aloud.  She glances at Killian. 

“Sure, if we want to send the files out to Quantico,” Killian states.

I wipe my cheeks, because I feel like I’m crying again.  “Can I talk to you alone for a moment?” I plead. 

“Sure,” Killian says.  “Sure, I’ll be back in five.”

Lani begins gathering up her stuff, shoving it back into the bag her father brought her.  She’s not talking, and now I have no idea what to say or do.

“Lani, look at me.”  She stops what she’s doing, and turns toward me.  Her eyes aren’t sparkling.  They’re cold and empty.  I shudder from the chill I see there.  “What happened, baby?  What’s wrong?”

She stares at me as if I’m stupid.  I don’t like it.  “Apparently nothing is wrong.”  She snaps, and heads toward the bathroom.  I quickly grab her hand to stop her, and turn her around toward me. 

“Baby, you have to talk to me.  Tell me, what’s the matter?”  She jerks her hand away, and I could hold on, but I let go. 

“I don’t want to be locked up in a hotel, under guard, while so many things are going on right now,” she says. 

“Would staying in a hotel with me for a while be such a bad thing?  Earlier you said you didn’t want to go back to work,” I remind her.  If she thinks I’m going to forget anything, she’s wrong.

“That was before,” she says, and continues to the bathroom.  I’m almost afraid she’s going to shut the door.

“Before what?” I ask, from the doorway. 

She packs up her toiletries, and I feel like she’s abandoning me.  She stares at me, her eyes hard, and I shrug.  “Before I found out I’m not pregnant.”  She returns to her task, and when she’s finished she slips past me.  “I’m sorry that doesn’t matter to you.”

“What?” I demand, as she places her purse over her shoulder, and looks down at her watch.  “What are you talking about?”

“Everything’s going great for you.  Million dollar book deals, you’re going to get released,
and
be reunited with your children.  Nothing is wrong in your life.”  She continues to rant, and I still have no idea why.

“Is this about you not being pregnant?  Because you’re afraid you’re too old to try again?”  I chuckle, and she looks at me like she wants to rip my head off.  And she probably could if she tried.  She really looks like she wants to try.  Her eyes are blazing with anger, her nostrils are flaring, and her jaw is set so tight her lips are disappearing.  “I’m sorry, Lani.  Really.  I swear I didn’t mean it.  I was teasing.”  I move toward her, and she flinches and steps away.  “Lani, you’re young, and you’re fertile, and you’ll be pregnant again soon.”  I’ve only spent a handful of nights with her, and she’s already tired of my shit.  She’s already had enough of me.  “I mean, you were the one who tried to end it.  You’re the one who took the pill.  That’s probably why you started your period, not because I’m too rough with you.”

The louder I speak, the wider her eyes get.  And when I realize she’s not looking at me, but at a point behind my shoulder, it’s too late.  I turn around swiftly to find her step-dad standing in the doorway.  I have no idea how much of that he’s heard, but I’ve never felt like such an ass in my life.  “I’m sorry,” I say to Doctor Foster, then I turn back to Lani. “I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean it.  You know I didn’t mean it.”

“I just came by to see how you were both doing, but I think that’s obvious.”  Lani’s looking at me like she feels nothing, like she’s never felt anything in her life.  Her face is beautiful, normal, but her eyes are flat.  She’s staring at me like I’m a stranger.  I think my heart might be completely shattered by that look.

“Hey, I’m about ready to leave for the day.  Do you need a ride?”  Doctor Foster says, and I realize he’s talking to Lani. 

“Sure,” she says, and walks toward him, around me, without saying a word.

Killian busts in just then, triumphantly, and says, “Hey, look what we’ve retrieved from the prison,” he says.  He’s holding up a picture of me with my kids, one of the last pictures Lucy took of the three of us, on Max’s fifth birthday, right before I deployed.  Three months later, the village incident happened.  I was in the hospital for four months after the Army Rangers found us, shot in the right side.  I don’t know how long I lay there bleeding before I was saved.  After that, the legal shit happened. 

“See, you don’t need a baby,” she says, and walks out the door.  We’re being separated again, but this time it’s Lani who’s doing it.  I try to follow her, but Killian tries to stop me.  When I put my hand on his shoulder and push him away, the guards sitting at my door both draw their guns. 

I place my hands up at my shoulders.   “Sorry.  Sorry.  I’m not going to fight.”  I can see Lani getting on the elevator with her step-dad.  She doesn’t even look back at me.  “Lani!”  I scream, but the doors close.  I wish I could punch something.