Taken by Fire (31 page)

“A great love, for sure.” Stryker paused. “He and Gabe seem to be doing okay.”

“Love comes at a cost—and seemingly against all odds—for an operative,” Mel mused.

“I guess that’s why it feels so damned good.” He unzipped his
pants, let them fall to the ground. The next casualty was her blanket and then he wrapped his arms around her instead. Carried her to the bathroom and started the shower.

“Stryker, please—”

“I’m not letting you go without a fight, dammit. We’re going to wash that bitch off us, and then we’re going to make it right.”

She struggled, but she was no match for him. And he knew she wouldn’t use her powers against him, so he held her fast until he got them under the warm spray, pushed her back against the tile wall and released her after he shut the glass door behind him. He grabbed the body wash and squirted it on the puff he found. Gently, he washed her, lathering her breasts, her belly … then reached down between her legs.

She stood silently, letting him have his way. And when he was done, she took the puff from him and did the same to him, focusing on his chest, his neck … and finally, she brought her hands to his cock and washed him with tender care. And then they stood under the water together, letting the suds run off their bodies and disappear down the drain.

A fresh start. Symbolic.

He’d been hard in her hands, and now he was throbbing against her. “I want you, Mel.”

She smiled wanly. “The drug …”

“This has nothing to do with the drug Phoebe gave me and everything to do with you,” he told her. “You need to believe that, Mel. I’ve never fucking lied to you, and I’m not about to start now.”

As if to prove it, he picked her up, forcing her to wrap her legs around him as his cock probed her sex. With her back once again against the tile, he penetrated her in a long, slow stroke that made them both groan.

“So right,” he murmured into her ear. “You can’t stop me from doing this to you—from wanting you. You can’t deny us, Mel, no matter how hard you try.”

“Stryker … please.” She buried her head against his shoulder
as he drove into her, her wet heat like a tight fist, milking him to orgasm. And he needed one—needed to have it inside of her.

“With me, Mel. Come with me.” He fingered her clit and she gasped. She was so close … and when she began to contract around him, he went over the edge as well, spurting in a hot rush inside her.

Devlin and his agents returned to ACRO in the early morning hours. First, they were attended to by medical—most of their injuries had been taken care of on the long jet ride home, but there was medication to be prescribed, X rays to be taken. Healing to be done.

Luckily, TAG had sent their biokinetic healer to help out, and though she wasn’t even a tenth as powerful as Faith or Wyatt, the Finnish woman had been able to almost completely heal Devlin’s ribs. It made for much easier breathing and it stopped Gabriel from fussing over him like crazy. But there were still cuts and bruises, because the fight had not been an easy one for any of them.

After that, there was miles of paperwork to catch up on, various other fires that Marlena and the others left behind had dealt with as best they could—and had done a damned fine job, for the most part.

Still, it was nice to know Dev was needed.

Old man, my ass
. He scoffed at Ender’s words, because he’d taken this op on and he’d won. They’d all won. ACRO had come
out on top … and the miserable bastard who’d fathered him was dead and in ACRO’s morgue, where he belonged.

As for Mel and Phoebe … well, he’d deal with Phoebe. Find a way for Mel to take over the body permanently. And then spend time showing her that she was safe.

So yes, things on the ACRO front were good. Now, faced with more decisions of a different sort, he paced the first floor of his house and wondered if he could really deliver on the promise he’d made before the battle with Alek and Itor had begun.

It had worked out this time. But there would be other battles …

“Cut this shit, Devlin—it’s called life. You told Gabe you loved him and it was all right, you can’t go back on your promise.” Oz’s voice drifted up from behind him.

He turned and started with, “Oz, what the hell …” Trailed off when he saw the man—
really
saw him.

Oz shrugged. “I called in a favor.”

Oz was there, truly there, although he was still semi-corporeal. And when he put his lips onto Dev’s, Dev felt the familiar thrill.

His mind also went directly to Gabriel.

“Good, that’s good, Devlin,” Oz told him. “He’s the right one for you—always has been. I was simply a stand-in for him.”

“You were never just a stand-in to me.” Dev heard the tears in his voice … saw them in Oz’s eyes. They’d been to hell and back a number of times. Some days, Dev still couldn’t believe he was gone.

“Thanks, Dev.” Oz paused. “I couldn’t be there to help you in the final battle … and this is the last time I can visit. I’ve been granted peace. I’d like to give you the same thing.”

Devlin sat and listened while Oz laid out his plan, wondering how he could ever truly say good-bye to this man, all the while knowing he would have to.

* * *

T
he message had simply said
My house, ten
P.M
.

So like Devlin it had made Gabe’s heart tug.

Gabe had been debriefed for the entire day following his return from Australia. Now he noted that the other excedos looked at him with a newfound respect that he liked. He finally felt as though he’d earned it.

He’d never take his training lightly again. His job—ACRO—was too important to let that slide. He’d been granted a chance he’d never thought he’d have, and he wasn’t going to throw it away. Any of it.

When he went to Devlin’s house, he found the door open. Called out and heard Devlin telling him to come inside and lock up behind him.

Gabe did, walked upstairs and into the bedroom to see white candles everywhere. It looked like a church and Dev was cursing about wax being everywhere and
all of this is bullshit and don’t expect it every time I want to fuck
.

Gabe shut him up with a kiss. Hard and fast, tongues dueling until Gabe could barely breathe. Even then, he didn’t want to stop, threaded his fingers through Dev’s spiky hair and held the man there as their cocks ground together.

The friction was killing him. Fuck. “I’m going to come in my damned pants,” he breathed when he pulled away from Devlin.

The man simply licked his lips, and Gabe almost came right then and there. With a deep breath, he kept it together, because he wanted all of this to last.

“Why now?”

“Why not now?” was Dev’s answer. Gabe looked at the candles and finally caught sight of the bags piled in the corner. His bags.

His bags in Devlin’s house.

“I’d have put them away for you, but I wouldn’t want to be accused of being controlling.” Dev’s eyes twinkled.

“I think this kind of counts as controlling.”

“It’s what you wanted. It’s what I wanted. Life’s too damned short, okay?”

Gabe felt emotion clog his throat, couldn’t form the words, and so he simply nodded and let Devlin hug him and they remained there together.

But they weren’t alone.

No, the ghost of the past was with them—except this time, it was in the form of the dark-haired man sitting at the edge of the bed.

“Oz,” he said, and Dev stared at Gabe, asked, “You can see him?”

Gabe nodded. “He watches us sometimes.” He bit his lower lip as Oz reached out and caressed Dev’s neck. Smiling, Dev closed his eyes. “Shit, you can feel that?”

Dev nodded. “Yeah, I can.”

“I can leave,” Gabe said, not sure he wanted to intrude on this and wondering why the hell he didn’t feel jealous.

Because he’s yours
, Oz whispered in his ear, even though he remained where Gabe could see him across the room.
Always was—I just kept him safe for you
.

And then Oz motioned for Gabe to come closer, and what the hell was going to happen here?

But he knew. He only wondered what it would mean when it was all over.

It means that everything’s going to be the way you wanted it to be
, Oz told him.
Now, stop thinking so much
.

And that’s when Gabe felt the touch of a hand running down his back. Oz had moved behind him, was pulling his shirt off, dropping it to the floor, and began to do the same with his cargos. Dev was watching Oz strip Gabe naked, and holy shit, Gabe was so turned on his balls were boiling with come and impending release.

He must’ve spoken that sentiment out loud because Dev told Gabe, “Don’t—not yet.”

A shiver down his spine expanded over his body when Dev dropped to his knees and took Gabe’s cock in his warm mouth as Oz caressed Gabe’s back.

Gabriel shuddered under both men’s touches. He was alternately hot and cold, his skin felt too tight and he ached with a need so great he was nearly vibrating. And when Devlin finally let him come, he did so harder than he ever had, barely stayed on his feet as Dev milked every last drop from him.

And then he let Oz lead him to the bed. Lay him down, stroke his brow, and Dev moved to top him.

“Wait,” Gabe said, and Dev raised a brow. “I have a request.”

“What is it, Gabriel?” Devlin’s cock was hard and heavy, brushed his belly, and Gabe wondered if he asked, whether Devlin would laugh … say no …

Ask him, Gabriel
, Oz commanded him, and his dick hardened again at the sound of the … man’s … voice.

“I want … I want to watch,” Gabe said. “You and Oz … I want to see him with you. I’ve imagined it, but I want to see it.”

Devlin smiled then, didn’t say no, but told him, “You need to be involved in this, Gabriel.”

Before Gabe could respond, Dev kissed him, then blazed a path down his chest as he fingered Gabe’s ass, preparing him with a knuckle that brushed his prostate. Two fingers opened him up wide, so he’d feel more pleasure than pain when he was penetrated.

Gabe couldn’t see Oz’s face, but whatever he was doing made Devlin’s normally calm demeanor become frenzied. Dev’s full mouth opened and he panted as Gabe rocked against his hand, his cock dripping pre-cum.

Oz rose up behind Devlin, continuing to make Devlin crazy with pleasure. And then Dev’s fingers were gone and he moved forward, his cock breaching the tight ring of muscle, and Gabe groaned, grabbed for Devlin.

He was so fucking full and stretched. Devlin didn’t move yet,
was watching to make sure he was ready. And when Gabe nodded, he saw Oz’s expression go slack with ecstasy at the same time Dev hissed with pleasure and pain mixed—it all showed on his face—as Oz penetrated him. Gabe was mesmerized watching Oz and Devlin having their intimate moment … and they were including him.

Because when Oz began to rock against Devlin, Devlin did the same to Gabe, and then the three of them were moving as a single, sensual unit, faster and faster, and even though Gabe wanted the moment to last, he knew it wouldn’t.

When he came, he refused to close his eyes, watched the men in front of him orgasm at the same time, the groans mixing with one another, names cried out … sweat and tears mingling until Gabe felt grounded enough again to actually breathe.

And then, Dev bent down and kissed him. Tenderly. Passionately.

“You don’t need me anymore. You can handle anything. Just turn to him,” Oz said, for both men to hear. When Dev pulled back from the kiss, his eyes filled with tears but he smiled at Gabe through them. And Gabe watched over Dev’s shoulder as Oz floated upward, disappearing before he reached the ceiling.

Annika had waited for years to go on the mission that would dismantle Itor. There had been no doubt in her mind that she would have spearheaded the operation. She’d fantasized about it, dreamed about it, had pictured frying Alek to a crisp.

So to not have been there when it all went down should have made her as pissed off as a wet cat and grumpier than a bear awakened early from hibernation. But as she sat in her living room listening to Dev recount the events, one hand rocking the bassinet where Renee was sleeping, Annika couldn’t be sorry she’d stayed here with her baby and Creed.