Drake (Men of Versteck Valley Book 3) Page 15

She chuckled. The sound vibrated against his chest. “Again? Already?”

  Not normally he thought just as surprised as her. “Yes, what can I say, you inspire me.” He tugged on her hair, pulling her up and covered her mouth with his. His tongue licked the seam of her lips. His other hand grabbed her hip and squeezed slightly while his tongue slid into her mouth seeking hers. She ground her hips harder against him.

  Gasping, he broke off the kiss. “I’m going to die a happy man, you’re killing me, Faith.”

  “Really?” she asked in a low, husky voice, inching up his chest.

  Pleased by her actions, he inhaled her scent as her breast reached his mouth. She held his head to her nipple gently but with an explicit demand. “Suck it.”

  More than happy to comply, he pulled the taut nub into his mouth, laved it with his tongue, sucked hard and teased it with the edges of his teeth. She shuddered beneath his teasing. He eased one finger inside her, and she hissed at the entry. He sucked harder on her nipple. The juices between her legs and her reaction to his finger said how much she craved him to be inside her. He wanted the words.

  “You like this?” he asked after adding another finger inside her heat.

  “Yes,” she said.

  “What do you want from me?”

  A line appeared between her brows. “Sex.”

  He smiled. She was honest and a woman of few words at times. “Me too.” He removed his fingers and sucked them clean. She tasted phenomenal. When he had the time, he would savor all of her, right now his dick had other plans. It was as if he couldn’t believe she was as tight and sweet as she had been the first time and needed to prove it all over again.

  “Yes,” she groaned and positioned him at her entrance.

  He wanted to tease her nipples longer, plow her with his fingers longer but she wasn’t having it and slapped his hand away while sitting forward, removing her breasts from temptation as she lowered her body onto him.

  “Ahhhh,” she said with a pleased smile as she closed her eyes while he slid inside, filling and stretching her again.

  The first time was no fluke. She was just as tight, her walls throbbed and pulsed against his hard length with the same hungry determination as the first time. She rolled her hips, demanding satisfaction. The scent of her arousal washed over him. His head spun with unslaked desire. She was so wet, so hot, so ready for him that he grabbed her waist with both hands, held her body still and rolled her beneath him.

  He took her hard and deep. His hands dug into the side of her hips giving him leverage to take her the way he wanted, no, the way he needed. The bed shook beneath them. Liquid heat coursed through his veins. He couldn’t think beyond the intensity of how good being inside her felt.

  She would remember him. She would remember this.

  Drake increased his pace, slamming into her over and over until her body stiffened and she clawed at his shoulders screaming his name. Body shaking, her greedy walls pulsed around his cock squeezing it in demand that he release his seed. He wasn’t strong enough to deny himself the pleasure from her body’s command. He threw his head back, opened his mouth and grunted while his body shuddered and convulsed.

  He dropped down onto her for a few moments and when he could move, rolled over pulling her close so that her head rested on his chest. Boneless and satisfied for the moment, he hoped no one would bother them for another hour or so.

  <<<<>>>>

  Three hours later, Faith eased out of bed naked and went to the bathroom to relieve herself. Today had been one for the books. In all her 30 years, she had never had a sexual marathon like today. A few of her sorors mentioned meeting guys who could rock their world and keep it going for hours, but those stories weren’t the majority. Men who could repeatedly make a woman fly apart were rare.

  Drake had been insatiable.

  So had you. She grinned and held the bubble of pride to her chest as she turned on the shower. She had kept up with him. Her sore body was proof of her sexual exploits. She stepped beneath the hot water and allowed the stream to ease away the aches and slight discomforts she experienced. If Rodney, her ex-boyfriend and all-around liar extraordinaire, had been half as good in the bedroom as Drake, she would have lost more than clients behind his BS.

  Rodney had been a real charmer and brilliant attorney. She couldn’t take those qualities from him just because he sucked as a human being and sucked the life from relationships. The shower door opened.

  Faith spun around and swallowed her fear when she saw Drake enter. “I called your name first, you didn’t hear me,” he said in that slow, sexy, drawl that tugged at her core.

  “I…I was thinking about something,” she said turning and placing her face beneath the shower.

  “Really? Anything you want to share?”

  She snorted and shook her head. When he touched her with a soapy towel, she jumped.

  “Easy. I’m going to clean you up, that’s all,” he said, his voice mellow. With long, easy strokes he swiped the towel over her, starting with her neck and ending with the sole of her feet. A warm curl of lust swelled inside, but she pushed it away.

  On his knees with water running over and down his back, he pushed her legs apart. “Open wide.”

  Her knees buckled as he gently cleaned between her legs with the towel and then kissed her wet mound before patting the front of it and standing. Struggling to breathe normally, she watched as he washed quickly before she could think to return the favor.

  “Wait,” she said as he stepped out.

  Drake turned and looked at her. He pushed her wet hair from her face and cupped her cheek. “We’ve got an important call coming in five minutes from Asher. I think they’ve found her.”

  It took a few moments for his words to penetrate her lust-filled brain. “Found her?”

  “Francesca. Get dressed, we need food in case we’ve got to go and get to her.” He turned and walked out.

  “Francesca?” Yes, your client. The reason Drake and Asher and a host of other people have taken over your life. Get moving. “Oh Lord, Francesca,” she said and picked up the comb to do something with her hair while deciding what to wear.

  Ten minutes later, dressed in loose-fitting sweats to give her private area a break, and matching top, she met Drake in the kitchen. He slid a plate of spaghetti and meatballs to her without taking a break in eating.

  Starved, she attacked the food, drank a couple bottles of water and followed Drake to her office when they were done. He closed the door, conducted the scan and booted up his laptop. Asher’s face filled the screen moments later.

  “We’re waiting for a positive identification, but I’m 99% sure the woman we found is your client Francesca Blake. The two men with her were dead. She wasn’t far from that state and is in a coma. I’ve sent her to a doctor who will work on her in secrecy and give you updates of her condition, Faith. Right now, I don’t know what her chances are, but she’s still alive.”

  Stunned and uncertain what to say, Faith stared at the monitor. “Who were the men with her? The dead guys?” Why she asked that question, she wasn’t sure.

  “I believe they were her security detail. I’ve released their bodies so that their families will have closure,” Asher said slowly watching her closely.

  “How?” she asked, confused. They were supposed to work in the background not turning over bodies to the police.

  “We left their bodies in a place they can be found,” Asher clarified.

  “That was the right thing to do. Francesca was close to them, she said some had been with her since the beginning of the affair. She’d want their families to know,” Faith said relieved they hadn’t done anything that would violate Francesca’s instructions.

  “Which means the Senator will know soon, and so will whoever killed them,” Drake said. “They’ll search for her.”

  “They won’t find her,” Asher said with absolute confidence. He paused. “Faith, once the doctor has done what he can to stabilize Francesca, I’ll
need to move her. I suggest we move her to Versteck Mecca where she’ll be my guest. You have my word she’ll be safe during the investigation.”

  Faith frowned. “Mecca? What’s that?”

  “It’s a secure building I own and run my operations out of. It’s off the map and for the most part, impenetrable. We’ll have a registered nurse take over her care. If she’s a typical coma patient and comes out of it in two to three weeks, it won’t be long before she’s awake and can tell you what to do and what happened,” Asher said.

  “I suppose this is my decision,” she said unsure that it was.

  “You have her instructions in this matter. I have a copy of them which is all I need to do my job…legally,” Asher added.

  Faith looked at Drake. “What do you think?”

  “There’s no safer place. Eventually, you’ll need to go there as well when she wakes. Did Francesca set any other triggers that you know of?” Drake asked.

  She thought about it. “Not that I’m aware of, but that doesn’t mean she didn’t. What’re you thinking?”

  “What if there’s another trigger that will start the authorities to search for her? What if she never planned for the inability to stop her triggers?” he said watching her.

  “Her note did mention her not stopping the first trigger.” She nodded. “That’s good thinking and a real possibility. You think she’s sent something to the press?”

  “Maybe. My real concern and question is, did she include you in the next trigger?” Drake said.

  Faith’s eyes rounded. “No. She wouldn’t.” In her heart, she realized it was a distinct possibility.

  “Or she could tell you to access the red satchel,” Drake said.

  She hadn’t thought of that. “But she’s not dead.”

  “She doesn’t know that,” Drake said.

  Faith met his gaze, realized he was right and wondered for the hundredth time, what had she stepped into. “Oh my god.”

  “I’ll send someone to the office to pick up the mail from today and bring it here. We’re not going to the office tomorrow either. Asher will have a live feed for you to see Francesca so you can spend a little time with her,” Drake said.

  Faith wanted to see Francesca, and yet she didn’t. Not bruised and battered and half-dead, but she would. “If the doctor places earphones on her, I’ll talk to her, read a few things, so she hears my voice and knows she’s not alone.”

  “Once she’s stabilized, I’ll make sure that happens,” Asher said.

  Faith had forgotten he was online and faced him. “Thanks. Thank you for all you’ve done. Have you talked to Gavin? Does he know you think you’ve found her?”

  “Yes. He’s got someone on Capitol Hill watching Senator Bloom. The man isn’t well. He hasn’t left the facility, and his wife’s been seen coming and going for short visits,” Asher said.

  “He doesn’t want to be with her, he wants Francesca,” Faith said with certainty. “When he hears about her security team…it’ll be interesting to hear or see what he does. I think he’s going to look for her.”

  “He’s already looking for her,” Drake said. “I would if I were him.”

  Faith met his gaze, read the seriousness of his answer and nodded. “In that case, the killer isn’t the only one searching for her. Will you be able to tell the good guys from the bad guys?” she asked Asher.

  “I won’t see them. That’s a question for you and your security team. It’s possible the men who tried to stop you on the road worked indirectly for the Senator. By now he’s aware you exist and that Francesca used you for some reason. How he handles that information…” Asher shrugged. “I don’t know. What I do know is we won’t let anyone take you, period.”

  Faith felt a lot better with his fervent declaration.

  “Do I have your permission to hide your client in the Mecca?” Asher asked.

  “Yes. Please take good care of her. She’s my sister as well.”

  Asher nodded. “Be prepared to leave town at any moment if things get too hot, we’ll take you there as well.”

  Faith looked at Drake. “Alright.”

  “Glad the two of you are working together better. Drake can help you handle your cases so you don’t get behind. I’ll contact you later so you can spend time with your client.” Asher clicked off oblivious to Faith’s burning cheeks at his implication about her and Drake.

  She wrapped her arm around her waist. “I’m so glad she’s alive. Now I can admit this...I thought she was dead,” she whispered. She sucked in a deep breath and shook her head. “A coma? What did they do to her?”

  Drake sat next to her and wrapped her in his arms. The fresh scent of soap tickled her nose.

  “Don’t think about that, she wouldn’t want you to focus on her condition. She needs you to focus on her staying alive, and if that fails, she wants justice.” He squeezed her shoulder.

  She lay her head back against his arm. “I can’t believe the Senator had anything to do with her being in that condition. Based on everything she told me and seeing those pictures, he’s in love with her. Deeply, just as she loved him.”

  “Who stood to gain anything with her death? His wife?” Drake asked.

  “I don’t think so. Francesca’s been in his life for close to 19 years. He and his wife have been married for 24 years. Most of their married life Francesca’s been with them. Plus, Davina’s in love with some other guy. Do you have his name or any information on him yet?” She looked up at him.

  “I haven’t checked, I’ll look in a bit. Who else would gain anything by her death?” he asked.

  She thought about it. “I don’t know the movers and shakers in politics. If he’s being considered for the Minority Leader position, is there a chance the information about him and Francesca would’ve gotten out, and someone wanted to nip it in the bud before the nomination?”

  Drake shrugged. “Possibly, but that wouldn’t change the fact that he had been in an extramarital affair most of his marriage. Plus, killing her for that is extreme, don’t you think?”

  Faith had no clue. “I couldn’t do what she did, so I have no point of reference.”

  “What? You couldn’t be a rich and powerful man’s Mistress? His hidden tease? Or dirty secret?” He grinned and moved to the side when she hit him with a small decorative pillow.

  “No to all the above. I don’t share well with others which is why I’m single. Most guys want one-sided buffet relationships so they can taste several women at the same time.”

  “Several women at the same time? How’s that even done?” he asked, his tone mocking.

  “You know what I mean.” Again, her thoughts traveled to that devastating relationship she’d had with Rodney. How could she have been so stupid?

  “What’s that look on your face about?” he asked.

  Faith looked at him. “What look?”

  “You had this scrunched, contorted, I’m going to kill somebody look.” He held up his hand when she glared at him. “Swear, honestly. The look you’re giving me now is peaceful compared to the one before.” He paused. “So spill. Who were you thinking about that put that look on your face?”

  “Rodney Merrifield,” she spat.

  “The boy-wonder district attorney in Newark?” Drake sounded confused.

  She had to remember Drake was also an attorney. “One and the same, although I wouldn’t call him a boy-wonder. They’ll discover his deficiencies soon enough.”

  “I’ve seen him work, Merrifield’s good at the job,” Drake said.

  “His deficiencies are in his rotten core,” she snapped.

  Drake nodded slowly. “I see. You know him on a personal level?”

  “Knew him, past tense, thank god.” She shook her head and released a long breath. Four years had passed, why did it still bother her? Because he stole her dream which set her back several years. Or had he? She owned her firm. It wasn’t what she initially planned and didn’t happen according to her original schedule but she had acc
omplished that goal. Her clients weren’t the Fortune 500 ones she wooed early on before Rodney’s poison. His actions delayed her dreams but didn’t eradicate them. Now she called the shots, had a decent staff, and except for this latest case, her work was satisfying and interesting.

  “Now you’re looking…I want to say speculative, but I’m not sure. What’s going on inside that mind of yours?” Drake asked.

  “Just putting some old demons to rest, that’s all. Rodney and I dated several years ago, fresh out of law school. I was green and impressionable. My sorority sister introduced me to some heavy hitters to woo as clients. Things were going well, it looked as if I’d be signing them on and then they stopped cold. Wouldn’t return my calls or invitations. My soror told me later that Rodney went behind my back, lied on me and tried to get them to sign on with him at his firm. They refused.”

  “Can’t blame them,” Drake said.

  “In retrospect, neither can I. When I confronted Rodney about it, he lied at first, claimed it wasn’t true. When I wouldn’t let it go, he spread more lies about me, called me unprofessional, and that I’d cost my firm thousands of dollars by blowing off high profile clients. I lost my job behind that.”

  “What?”

  “That was a blessing anyway, they were crooks. It pays to be in the best and only worthwhile sorority.” Pride flowed through her. “I had friends in high places who squashed the rumors and made sure the truth got out. Two months later I got on with Allso, Hammers, and Yearson.”

  “Which is why you don’t date attorneys. You think they’re liars and cheats,” Drake drawled.

  Heat snaked up her chest and rested in her cheeks. “Gavin mentioned that? Wonder why?” she said rather than answer his question.

  “I think he was warning me off, so I wouldn’t get my feelings hurt. He’s my friend too,” Drake said with a sly glint in his gaze.

  “Warning you off? From me? Doubtful. He refused to answer my questions when I asked him about you.” Immediately she realized what she had just admitted.

  Drake’s whole face lit up. “You asked him about me? He never mentioned that. When I asked about you…he laughed at me.”