Prisoner and Together: All of You series complete set (25 page)

Chapter Ten

Lani

I feel like I’ve been sucking on sandpaper.  My head is killing me.  And something doesn’t feel right.  Tony is snoring beside me, a low, deep, comforting sound.  His left arm is around my waist.  I have no idea what he’s thinking, removing the sling just for sex and cuddling.  He’s going to feel it tomorrow.

Jesus, the sex was beyond anything I’ve ever experienced.  I mean, I know he’s amazing, but he outdid himself.  He took it to a whole other level.

That’s when I hear it, a pounding on the front door.  The real reason we picked this house is not the gorgeous back yard with a huge back deck, or the hot tub.  No, the reason we picked it was the front and back doors are both steel reinforced, set in concrete covered by stucco.  Anyone trying to get inside my house uninvited will have a very sore shoulder, or a dislocated hip, before they give up.

“Tony, wake up.  Someone’s trying to get inside.”  His eyes pop open immediately, and he groans when he realizes that he’s not wearing his sling, and he’s used his arm too much.  I reach under the mattress for my spare gun.  I move my finger up to my lips, insisting he stay silent.  He nods.

That’s when we hear the window break, and the alarm goes off.  They should run, but I hear a thump in the living room, meaning they’re actually inside my house.  I don’t think about being naked, all I can think is that my mom is out there.

I throw open the door, and the lights are all out but I can see a man in dark clothes and a ski mask lit well enough from the light in my room.

“Freeze!”  I yell, in my best cop voice.  I’ve got my 9 mm semi-automatic aimed directly at his head.  He’s still on his knees from the fall through the window, and I see blood on my floor.  He’s got a gun in his hand, but he knows if he lifts it, I’ll shoot him.

“Did you really try to break into a cop’s house, you fool?” I ask him.  I feel Tony behind me.  “Call 911,” I order.

“Okay,” he replies, without hesitation.

I can’t see the guy’s eyes, so I have no idea what he’s thinking.  Is he going to try to commit suicide by cop?  “If you even think about lifting your arm, I will shoot you.  Toss the gun.” 

The guy does what I say, thrusting the gun away from him.  But then he decides to run.  And I’m fucking naked.  He climbs back outside, over the broken glass on the windowsill.  “Damn it, he’s running,” I call out.  Tony acts immediately, without thinking.  He’s already put his shorts on, and he slides his feet into his shoes, and runs past me.  My mom must have locked the front door, so he fumbles with it for several seconds.

“Tony, stop.  There might be another guy outside with a gun,” I say, as he’s almost got it open.

“Give me your gun,” he cries out.

“No, I’m not letting you go out there alone,” I reply.

“I’m a SEAL, Lani.  Give me the damn gun!”  He walks back toward me with his hand extended.

“No, it’s too dangerous.”  I don’t think I’ve ever seen him angry before this moment.  His eyes have narrowed until the whites are almost gone, and they are so black it’s scary.  His nostrils are flared, and his lips are two thin, white lines. 

“Give me the
fucking
gun, Lani,” he demands, with his right hand extended.

“No.”  We stare each other down, neither giving an inch, until we hear the sirens approaching.  “It’s too late now.  I’m going to get dressed.” 

“I could have caught him,” he growls.  He stands up straighter, and his shoulders and his chest look huge. 

My mom picks that moment to open the door to her bedroom.  “Jesus Christ, what’s going on?” she yells, through the partially open door.

“Someone tried to break in, Mom.  Stay in your room until I tell you to come out.”  I call out, firmly.

“Okay,” she says, and closes the door quickly.

Tony and I are still staring at each other.  “You could have also run into a fucking ambush, and you could be dead right now,” I counter.

“I’m trained to handle this sort of thing, Lani.”  His voice is calmer now, and that’s even scarier.  “You can’t protect me from it.”

“That’s where you’re wrong.  I can protect you, and I will.  Whether you want me to, or not.”  I flinch first.  I turn away and close the door slightly, and search around on my floor for my clothes.  I put on the same pantsuit I wore earlier.  I hear the knock on the door, and I hear Tony swearing until he finally gets it open. 

Tony

I feel so fucking useless.  She makes me feel fucking useless.  This is something I could have done.  I could have protected her, and she refused to allow me to.  I watch as she directs the crime scene, which is in reality her living room, that once looked so cozy and happy, patiently and unemotionally.  She’s not human, she can’t be.  She just had a man with a gun break into her house, and she’s chatting with her partner who is way too fucking good looking for my sanity.  Does every man in her life look like a male model?  If so, what in the hell does she want with me?

She glances over at me, and continues to talk to her partner.  I’m trying really hard not to get angry again. 

“Can you believe it?” Liberty asks me.  She’s sitting in one of the recliners.  “I’ve never been so fucking scared in my life.”  I stare at her, silently.  “I need a cup of tea.”

She walks toward the kitchen, until I hear, “My wife and my daughter are in there.”  I glance over to see Doctor Foster in the doorway.  Liberty runs to him, wraps her arms around him, and begins to cry.  That’s how women are supposed to act.  I watch for several moments, until Doctor Foster notices me sitting on the couch. 

“Where is your sling?” he demands.  As if this night couldn’t get any fucking worse.

“I… um…”  I don’t even know how to answer his question. 
I took it off to fuck your daughter as roughly as possible
.  That just doesn’t seem to be the correct answer, especially since he already thinks I’m an ape who caused her to have a miscarriage.  “I’ll go get it.”  I say it, but he’s already ignoring me.  He’s speaking softly to Liberty, and she’s sobbing loudly.

I walk into the bedroom, close the door, and slide down onto my ass beside it.  I didn’t even take in just how pretty her bedroom is earlier.  All I could think about was fucking her.  One wall is painted a soft orange that reminds me of a sunset, and her comforter is varying shades of orange and soft pink.  The colors are echoed around the room.

After several moments I guess she finally misses me, because there’s a knock.  “It’s open,” I call out. 

Charlie Vaden opens it a crack, and says, “Roman, it’s me, Chief Vaden.”

I look toward the bed, where blood and other bodily fluids are mixed on the sheets.  “Hold on,” I say, and pull the blanket up over it.  Her dad doesn’t need to see that.  I blink my eyes several times, and realize I’m crying.  I’m fucking crying.  I wipe my cheeks, and clear my throat.  “Come in.”  I turn away from him, and try to put on the sling I found wrapped up in the sheets.

“How are you doing, son?” he asks me.  He’s probably not even ten years older than me, and he’s calling me son.  It’s just another thing to piss me off tonight.

“I’m fine.  Did they catch the guy?  Lani hasn’t told me anything.”  I hate admitting that.  I hate saying aloud that Lani’s ignoring me.

“The FBI guard outside is dead,” he states.

That shocks me.  “Riley?”

“No, it was his night-shift replacement, Agent Gold.  Uniformed officers caught two people speeding away from the house.  The SUV flipped, and they’re both in the hospital right now.”  He seems rather calm, just like his daughter, but of course this is their job.

I have the sling on now, but I’m still only wearing shorts and shoes.  I don’t even want to go back into the living room.  “What happens now?”

As I say it, Burke makes his way to the bedroom.  “We’re bringing you and Lani both back to the hotel.  We think her house was just an easier target.  They didn’t want to try to get past all the security cameras and other employees in a hotel setting, but here there was just the one guard.  He was shot in the head.”

“Is Lani on board?” I ask.  Burke nods.  “Sorry about your agent.  I should have insisted that Lani stay at the hotel.”  I’m even more fucking pissed off now.  I feel like the agent’s blood is on my hands too, and I’ve got way too much of it lately.

“I should have insisted.  But Lani does what Lani wants to do,” Burke argues. 

“Gather your things, Roman.  I’m forcing her to go tonight if I have to cuff her and take her myself,” her dad states.

“What about her mom?”  I look down at the floor, at my stuff that’s still in the plastic bags.

“Foster’s taking her home,” Charlie says.  He again sounds too calm.

“I’ll let you change, and I’ll escort you and Lani to the hotel,” Burke says, before leaving the room.

“I’ll be right behind you.”  Charlie lingers, then continues, “Do you know why Lani was suspended?  I just found out at noon when I went downstairs to take her to lunch, and Barrett is only saying she broke procedural rules.  What the fuck does that mean?”

I shake my head.  “You’ll have to ask Lani.”  At least I don’t lie and say I don’t know.

“Believe me, I will.”  He says it, but I’m not sure he’ll get an answer.  He closes the door, to give me some privacy.  So now I’ll have to remove the sling again and actually put on a shirt. 

“Fucking shitty night,” I mutter aloud.

“Tell me about it.”  She’s closing the door behind her.  I didn’t even hear her open it.  She’s no longer adversarial.  She comes to me quickly, and falls into my arms.  But I’m still pissed, damn it.  She starts to cry, and I close my eyes as if I can shut out her tears.  She wraps her arms around my waist, and I can’t resist any longer.  I wrap mine around her, and hold her, even though my left shoulder hurts like hell.  “I don’t know what I would have done if they’d hurt my mother, or you.  I was so scared.”

“Lani, you have to stop trying to protect me.  I am supposed to protect you.”  My tone is as forceful as my words.  I grab her shoulders, and push her slightly away.  “I’m a man, Lani.  Not only am I a man, I’m a SEAL.  You have to stop treating me like I’m some weak, frightened person who can’t take care of myself, much less you.”

Her eyes search mine.  “I have to protect you, Tony.  That’s what I do.”

“It’s what I do too, Lani.  You have to understand that.”  She tries to snuggle into my arms again, but I hold her biceps firmly.  “You have to.  Do you understand me?”

“Yes,” she replies.  I continue to hold her away from me, waiting until I feel like she’s being truthful.  “Yes, I’m sorry, Tony.”

“Okay,” I say, and pull her into my body.  “Okay, I believe you.”  I rub her hair, and her back, until we hear a knock on the door.  “One minute,” I call out.

“Can I help you dress?” she asks me.  I nod.  “Okay.”  As she says it, she searches in the bags.  She pulls out a jogging suit, and I nod again.  I pull down the shorts, and she holds the pants for me to step into, then pulls them up.  Then she gently places a tank top over my shoulders, and I pull it down as she holds the jacket.  When I’m dressed, and the sling is again over my shoulder, she opens the door.

“Gather your things.  We’re leaving in fifteen minutes,” her father orders. 

“Can I join you at the hospital?”  She’s looking at her father as she asks it.

“As soon as you tell me why you were suspended,” he replies.  She opens her mouth, and he continues, “The real truth, not some made up bullshit.”  She shuts up quickly.  “Then I guess you’ll find out who’s in the hospital tomorrow.  Now, pack.”

She doesn’t argue with her father, which surprises me.  He closes the door, and she begins to gather her pantsuits into a designer suitcase.  She pulls out another case, and says, “You can use this one.”

“Thanks,” I reply.  I feel empty.  I don’t trust her, because she doesn’t trust me.  It hurts like hell to not trust someone who I love so damn much.  I throw the bags into the suitcase, and zip it up.  She’s also got a case, and an overnight bag full of her toiletries, and opens the door.  When her dad sees her, he enters to help her carry her stuff outside.  I follow along, dejectedly.

“Hello, Roman, I’m James Johnson.  I’m Lani’s partner, well…”  He holds his hand out for me to shake.  I drop the suitcase, and shake his hand.  “I wish we had met under better circumstances,” the impossibly handsome man with dark hair, dark skin, and bright blue eyes says with a smile. 

Why do I want to punch him so badly?  “Yea, me too.”  I reach for the case, but he grabs it first.

“I’ll help you out to the car,” he says, pleasantly.  It just irritates me.

“Thanks,” I reply, without emotion, and step outside toward Burke’s waiting SUV.

Chapter Eleven

Lani

I woke up this morning, thinking I was back in jail.  It was the weirdest feeling, I could almost hear Sammy’s voice chattering away from the top bunk, telling me to be a good girl.  Maybe part of it was waking up with Tony, because it reminded me of when we first met, of when they threw us together.  I woke up first, and slipped out of bed silently.  Even though I love Tony, and I would never, ever want to go back to the time before I met him, sometimes I miss my alone time.  I made coffee, and sat near a window in silence, waiting for my alarm to go off.

When he woke up, he made himself a cup of coffee, and took a seat on the couch.  He didn’t talk to me, didn’t ask me how I was.  So when my alarm went off, I quietly headed to the bedroom to turn it off, then got in the shower.

Now, we’re both sitting at the tiny table, and he’s still distant.  I don’t like it.  This is the man that I love, the man that I’ve decided to give myself to, and spend the rest of my life loving even if I can’t be with him.  I want to talk about last night, about the great sex we had, and of course about what happened after.  But I stir creamer into my coffee, and watch as he eats bacon and tries to ignore me.

The phone rings while we’re eating, and he runs to it.  If I didn’t know better, I’d think he had a girlfriend.  “Hello?  Lauren?” I hear him say, as he turns away from me.  I deserve that, I know I do, but it still hurts.  Coupled with the way he’s been acting since last night, all I can think is I’m glad I have an office to get away to.

I carry my coffee into the bedroom, and finish getting dressed.  As I pull my hair into a ponytail, I’m reminded that he hates it.  He practically told me so last night.  I’m also wearing one of the pantsuits he dislikes.  What does he expect me to wear?  I’m a cop.  I chase suspects, and sometimes I have to wrestle them, including grown men.  I can’t wear skirts and button down blouses every day.  I saved those for when I had to seduce someone.  I smile into the mirror as I think about that day with Connie.

“What are ya thinking about?”  I hear it from behind me, and I turn quickly to find him leaning against the door frame. 

“How much you hate my hair,” I grumble. 

“Why were you smiling like that?”  He walks toward me, and takes my ponytail in his hand.  I shrug, but I gaze into his dark eyes hopefully.  His voice is playful, as he says, “I don’t hate it, I just want it back to the way it was.” 

“It sure didn’t sound that way last night.  I should be going, or I’ll be late.”  I’m still a little ticked, and it carries over into my tone. 

“Wait a minute, baby.”  His hand leaves my hair, and trails down my spine.  I inhale and hold my breath, so I won’t react.  “I was just on the phone with Lauren.  She’s hired an attorney.”  My eyes grow wide at those words.  “Well, she called the courthouse and they suggested a Legal Aid family lawyer.  She’s got a court date, and she hopes she and Max will be able to come and visit for Thanksgiving.”  I continue to stare at him.  “That’s like two weeks away.”

“So your kids will be here, in two weeks?”  Suddenly my knees are shaking.  I’m very afraid. 

“Maybe, if I’m lucky, baby.  Aren’t you happy?”  He touches his thumb to my bottom lip, and I automatically move into his hand and close my eyes.  “Say you’re happy for me, Lani.”  His voice becomes colder.

He could be locked up again in two weeks.  Doesn’t he understand that?  “I’m very happy for you, Tony.”  It’s little more than a breathless sigh.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?  You’ve been acting like the badass ice princess ever since we got to the hotel last night.”  His voice is as harsh as his words, and so is his frown.

“What the fuck is wrong with me?  You’ve been ignoring me since you got pissed off because I wouldn’t let you get killed.”  I raise my voice.  I can’t stop it.

“Why didn’t you want me to meet your partner?  You talked to him for fifteen minutes, while you acted like I wasn’t in the room.”  I open my mouth, but nothing comes out.  He groans, “Are you fucking him too, Lani?”

“No, I’m not fucking him.  I have never fucked Jamie Johnson.”  I say it emphatically.  “Jesus Christ, Tony, I haven’t fucked everyone I work with.”

“Then why didn’t you introduce me?”  He’s challenging me, and he’s pissing me off.  I didn’t think I’d ever be this angry at him.  His black eyes are as hot as coals.

I don’t even know how to answer him, but if I don’t answer he’ll think I was trying to disrespect him, or lie about him to Jamie.  “You think Jamie doesn’t know about you?  You were sitting on my couch, in just your shorts.  You think everyone that I work with didn’t see that?”  I take a breath, and another, to try to calm myself down.  “I’ve never brought in guys to meet the other cops.  I never have dinner at their houses with their wives.  It’s hard as hell being the only female detective.  They treat me differently, especially since my dad is their boss.”  I look away, and notice that I only have thirty minutes to be at the Bureau, and it will take me every second of that to get there.  “I’m sorry, Tony.  I need to go.  But it’s not you, it’s them, and I know it sounds stupid but it’s the truth.”

I take a step away, but he grabs my wrist.  “Did they meet Burke?”

“After a while, yea.  But only after we’d been together for more than a year, and we needed his help on a case.”  I shrug.  “I’m sorry.  Hate me if you want, but I have to go.”  He releases my hand and follows me into the other room.  When my hand is on the door, I turn to find him right behind me.  He is way too big to be able to move that quietly.  “I am happy for you, Tony.  Everything seems to be going your way, and everything in my life is going to shit.”

I open the door, and he catches me again.  “I love you, Lani.  We’ll talk more when you get home.”  He reaches down and gently but firmly kisses my lips.

“I love you, too,” I say as I pull away, and glance at Riley.  “I’m sorry about Agent Gold.”

“Yea, me, too.”  He glances from me to Tony.  “Me too.”  I feel so much dread as I step into the elevator.  I do not want to leave, but I know he can take care of himself.

Tony

My shoulder is killing me, and now my heart feels like it’s going to explode inside my chest.  I watch her enter the elevator, and as the door closes she puts up her hand to wave at me.  Why does it feel so final?  I walk over to the phone, because I feel the need to call her.  I don’t want the conversation to end there. 

I see she’s left me a present.  Right beside the phone is the tiniest little gun I’ve ever seen.  I have to pop out the magazine to make sure it’s real.  It’s just the cutest.  It weighs about an ounce.  I’m pretty sure if I shot someone with it they would laugh.

I grab the phone, and call her.  “Detective Vaden,” she answers.

“Hello, Detective Vaden.  Thank you for the present you left me.  I feel so much safer now.”  I actually giggle when I say it.

“Well, as you reminded me last night, you are trained.  Apparently you do need protection, and more than the Bureau can provide you.  If anything happened to you while I was gone…”  She lets the thought trail off.

“Do you have yours?  Because if anything happened to you while I wasn’t there, I’d never forgive myself.”  I’m reminding her that I can take care of her.  Apparently she needs to hear it.

“I love you, Tony.  We’re stronger together.” 

“I already knew that, baby.  I love you, too,” I reply.  Then I hear a beep, and the line goes dead.

Lani

“Who is in the hospital?”  My dad is on the other line, so I have to abruptly end the call with Tony.  At least I told him I love him.

“Hello, Lani, how are you sweetheart?  I am still your father, and I am still worried about you, especially after your home was broken into last night.”  By the time he’s finished, I feel sufficiently chastised.

“Sorry, Dad,” I say in a low, meek voice.

“How are you and Tony doing?” 

“Did you pick up on the tension last night?”  I wish I had been nicer to him last night, but cop Lani kinda took over.  I’ll have to apologize to him again.

“I think he was crying, Lani.  What did you do to the poor man to make him cry?”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” I say.

“Melanie Grace, I do not like all the secrets.  Tell me why Barrett suspended you, and tell me right now,” he demands harshly.

“I’m not a child, Dad.  I’m not going to be intimidated by the use of my middle name.”  I’m not as angry as I sound.  I pause for several moments, and he is silent as well.  “He is pissed off that I forged his signature.  He’s suspended me until I give up my accomplice, and I won’t do that.”

“Jamie?  Who else does he think is going to help you?”  He chuckles when he says it. 

“Dad, I was sleeping with Lieutenant Barrett.”  It’s much easier to say it over the phone.  Maybe he’ll forget about it when I see him again.  “I’ve slept with most of my CO’s.  I thought I could get away with anything while sleeping with my bosses.  But I had to tell him it was over when I met Tony, and he didn’t take it very well.”

Dad is quiet again for several moments, and I wonder if he’s maybe had a heart attack or a stroke.  “I already suspected.  There were rumors, Lani, but I ignored them.  You’re a good cop, and there are always affairs between cops.  I’m glad you’ve finally settled down, and with a pretty good guy too.”

“Yea, me too,” I admit.

“I’ll talk to him,” he offers.

“Just give me a few more days to figure out the deal with the medical examiner, okay?”

“Okay, sweetheart.”  He sounds very conciliatory now.  It’s time to ask.

“Dad, who is in the hospital?” 

“It’s De Soto.  He’s the one who broke into your house.”

“Fuck, he was the one who made all the sexual jokes and innuendos.”  I wonder if he planned to rape me before he killed me.  I don’t say it out loud, though.  I don’t want Dad thinking I’m paranoid.  “Who was the other?”

“She’s a female.  Her name is Hughes.  She’s out of the hospital and in jail now.  De Soto had a gash on his thigh from the window, so he had to be sewn up and looked at.”

I groan loudly when I hear that.  “Hughes, really?  And I fucking liked her.” 

“Sorry, Lani.  They were both arrested from the beginning of the investigation, and obviously they lost their jobs.  I think they probably assume if you and Tony disappear their lives would go back to normal.” 

“How were they free then?” I wonder aloud.

“Because they were released on their own recognizance, like most of the other guards who were arrested.” 

That means there could be many others out there, just waiting for their chance to strike.  I can only think of one thing.  “Should we put another guard on Tony?”  I’m finally at the FBI office.  I grab my stuff and head toward the building.  “I’ll talk to Killian about it.”

“Be careful, Lani.  I do love you.”  He sounds uber serious. 

“I love you too, Daddy.”  I end the call, and enter the building.

“I’ve already scheduled an appointment to question Hughes and De Soto.  If you can keep your hands to yourself, you can come too.”  This is how Killian greets me when I knock on his door.  I guess I deserve it.  “Want to go grab some breakfast?”

“Sure,” I reply with a shrug.

We stop at the diner by the jail.  The waitresses welcome me back happily, because I’m probably the best tipper on the force, and most of them flirt with Killian shamelessly, which he eats up.  Afterward, we drive to the jail to question Hughes. 

I’m dreading this.  I actually thought Hughes was one of the good guys.  So, since I’m anxious, I begin to talk.

“We’re like, a mile and a half from the hotel.  If you’d told me you’d wanted to eat, we could have met here.  It would have saved me the hassle of driving all the way to Oakville.”

“Because I live to make your life easier, Lani,” he grumbles. 

“Thank you again.  Really, you’ve been so good to me and Tony.”  We’re entering the precinct, and Killian has to explain to the guard at the metal detector why I should have a gun.  And I said hello to him practically every day for nine years.  It’s a little frustrating.  I’m about to lay into a tirade, when I see Jamie heading toward the exit with Peters.  He’s right, Barrett did partner him with a bozo. 

“Hey, Sexy Sentinel!” Jamie exclaims when he sees me.  I roll my eyes, as we perform our super-secret handshake.  “What brings you and the Fed ex to your old stomping ground?”

“Have you been waiting for the chance to say that?”  I can’t hold in my chuckle, but Killian doesn’t look as entertained I am.  “You remember Special Agent Killian Burke, don’t you?”

The men shake hands, then Killian says, “Who’s taking the case of Lani’s break in?  We’re here to co-ordinate and question Hughes, and after that De Soto.”

Jamie looks from Killian to me.  “You’re fucking with me right now, aren’t you?”  I shake my head.  “Because we signed Hughes out to Federal custody, about half an hour ago.”

“Holy crap!” Killian exclaims.  He immediately pulls his phone out of his pocket, and begins dialing. 

“Set up an All Points Bulletin for Hughes, and let your guards at the hospital know what’s happening.”  As I speak, I notice Barrett staring at me from the doorway of his office.  “And you might want to tell your boss what’s going on, Peters.”