vittanos willow (32 page)

and was replaced with the need to love. The solid flesh inside her

channel touched her in ways that made her toes curl deep into her

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blankets. He held her hips at such an angle so she could get maximum

pleasure from his cock.

They didn’t kiss. There was no suckling of breasts; but at that

moment, Chantoya experienced more passion than ever. Their gazes

had melded into one another. And she knew what it was like to be

joined with a soul mate in a manner that evolved far beyond the mere

physical.

CJ knew nothing but the touch and love Osten gave her. Her re-

cent terrifying experience was not even a blip on her radar. The frac-

tured rib—painless. She transcended above it all, leaving her alone with

Osten in a world of their own creation, never to be duplicated by

anyone else.

His movement within her had slowed to long, drawn-out

strokes, filling her with such euphoria. The other times with Osten had

been off the charts, but this put them all to shame. The tenderness was

so extreme, it was almost like a dream.

The flames of raging lust that had cried for her to attain an in-

tense release had been replaced by a feeling of absolute completion. She

realized what making love truly was.

“Osten?” she whispered, not wanting to break the magical web

that had woven around them. “Do you…?” Up and down she moved.

“I feel it to, CJ.”

“I’ve never…”

“Me either.” His fingers tightened slightly and eyes locked they

came as one. The pulsing of his cock deep inside her triggered multiple

orgasms. The lights in the room faded as her vision flickered.

CJ’s eyes rolled back as her body fell to pieces. She slumped

forward, trembling, and connected with Osten’s sweaty chest and the

extreme speed of his heartbeat.
It’s beating about as fast as mine.

“Holy hell,” CJ panted.

“Are you okay?” he asked, touching her bandage slightly before

lifting her off his erection.

“I’m perfect,” she promised.

“I agree. Yes, you are.” His lips grazed the top of her head.

“Thank you, Osten.”

“Don’t thank me, CJ. We create this in one another. We are soul

mates.
Sei la mia anima gemella.
”

“What does that mean?” she asked, curving into him even more.

“You are my soul mate.”

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205

“Teach me, teach me how to say that.” CJ blinked back tears.

Who knew life could be this wonderful?

Osten did. And that phrase was the last thing he heard from her

before she fell asleep. Their hearts and breathing were in tandem with

one another not long after.

The rattle of the chains was almost nonexistent. The buckets

placed there for a bathroom had long since been needed changing. Food

was gone and water was not far behind. The lone light bulb above was

beginning to flicker, and the water drip was still there. She sniffed

silently, having long given up the attempt of screaming for help.

The frail body lying on the moldy mattress was a far cry from

the person who had entered the house a year ago. A thin wool blanket

was pulled up in a meager attempt to retain much-needed warmth. It

was a battle between cold and starvation to decide who was escorting in

death to end her suffering.

T w e n t y - F i v e

In a perfectly pressed uniform, Petty Officer Second Class Osten

Scoleri stood at attention before his CO and XO, Harrier and Cade, or

Scott and Tyson. Right now, however, it was Lieutenant Commander

and Lieutenant. There was no emotion on any of their faces. Standing

beside Scott was Special Agent Marks and he was waiting for an expla-

nation.

“What, if anything, do you have to say about these accusations,

Petty Officer?” Scott asked.

“He’s right, sir. I went over to Ms. Jackson’s apartment.” Osten

didn’t dare hesitate with his answer. It was time for him to find out just

how much trouble he was in. A glint of something appeared in Scott’s

gaze, but he knew what had appeared in Tyson’s: humor.
Jayde must

have told him about the baby.

“Something about this situation you find funny, Sailor?” Scott

bellowed.

“Sir, no, sir.” Eyes forward. Just like in boot camp and BUDs.

Never let them see you sweat. Osten wiped the grin he hadn’t even

known he’d been sporting off his face in a flash.

“I want him arrested,” Marks demanded. “You can’t hide him

behind your walls.”

The flare in Scott’s nose told Osten how close the not-so-good

with politics officer was to telling the federal agent what he really

thought about him.

“Permission to speak freely, sir.”

“Go ahead.” Scott relaxed a bit.

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207

“Sir. Special Agent Marks told me I couldn’t see her until they

questioned her. They had already left her apartment when I went over. I

assumed that they had done just that.”

Scott glanced to Marks. “You said that?”

“Well, I didn’t mean the second I stopped questioning her he

could go back. I may have had more questions.” Marks glared at Osten.

“He’s done nothing wrong, Agent Marks,” Scott ripped up the

paper in front of him. “You don’t get him.” He looked to his left and

said, “Make sure Agent Marks is seen out.”

Tyson nodded. “Yes, sir.” He led the protesting agent out the

door.

When it was the two of them, Scott was silent as he looked Osten

over. Osten wasn’t sure what was going to happen and hadn’t moved a

muscle. “At ease.”

Osten relaxed his stance but was still careful to keep a blank

look on his face. He didn’t even jump when Scott threw his pen down

on the desk.

“Damn it! What the hell were you thinking?”

“Nothing but protecting her, sir.”

“Sit down, Baby Boy. Do you realize what could happen if

Marks decides to be more of a prick? They can arrest you for meddling

in a federal investigation.”

Osten sat and ran one hand through his hair. “She called me

from her brother’s phone. She was petrified, alone in that place. How

could I say no to that?”

Hands folded, Scott rested his mouth against his index fingers.

“You couldn’t. Not any more than the rest of us to our women.” He

sighed. “I think that with Chantelle and a bit more persuasion, he will

back off. He seems to have it out for you anyway. What did you do to

him?”

“Nothing. He doesn’t like SEALs,” Osten explained. “He rung

out, but I didn’t do anything to him.” Shifting in his seat, Osten felt

uncomfortable, nervous even.

“Something else on your mind?” Scott asked as Tyson walked

back in the room.

“Just that…that…well, I’d like some advice on how hard it is to

keep a marriage while being in the Teams.”

Both men smiled knowingly. They shared a glance with one

another before they looked back at him. “What say we go grab a drink,

talk about this,” Scott said. “You do have a change of clothes right?”

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“Yes.”

“Good. Meet at the usual place in fifteen.” Scott stood and

walked out with a wave and Tyson followed.

Dezarae handed CJ a cold drink. Everyone had gathered at Ross

and Dezarae’s house for the day. “How are you doing, sweetie?” Dez

asked.

“I’m okay.” CJ had, with Osten beside her, cleaned out her stuff

and gave it away. She bought new sheets, underclothes, lotion, and

shower soap—new scents, new memories to be made with them.

“We are looking for a place to get together and then we’ll see

what happens from there.” CJ smiled as she met Osten’s gaze across the

room and he winked at her.

“I know where it’s going. The same place it did, or is…sorry,

Kacy…for the rest of us,” Dez said. The five women laughed, bringing

all the male attention to rest on them.

“I think they believe we are up to something,” Lex said, laugh-

ing harder.

The others agreed. As they sat in the living room while dinner

finished cooking, CJ asked, curled up in Osten’s arms, “Do you know if

they ever found Gordon’s wife?”

Silence fell as eight men and four women looked at her. “His

wife?” Tyson asked.

“Yes. All through school he said he had a wife but when I asked

him about her, he just got this freaky look in his eyes and said she was

happy and in Virginia Beach. I hate to think he has another woman

locked up somewhere.” Chantoya pressed closer to Osten.

“What about that list of aliases he used?” Osten questioned.

Ross scrambled and grabbed a pen and paper, handing them to

Osten. “Do you know what her name is?”

CJ frowned. “Um, Layla. But if he has so many aliases I don’t

know if that is true or not.”

“Ross, computer?” Tyson asked as he sat down. Ross gave him

one that he took to work with him. Tyson powered it up and within

seconds had his fingers skimming across the keys. “Let me know when

you are ready for the names.” Osten had written them down from

memory the second he’d gotten hold of the paper.

“Go,” Tyson ordered. The rest of the room watching in silence.

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209

Kacy got up to get the pitcher of iced tea and was refilling

people’s glasses when she stopped and interrupted Osten. “What was

that last name you said?”

CJ looked at Kacy. She was very impressed with the saucy elec-

trician; she had met her a few times before now, courtesy of Dez being a

good friend to them both. She was such a kind and honest soul.

Osten looked up at her. “Butler Amos. Why?”

She waved him off, grabbed her phone from her belt, and placed

a call. Setting the pitcher on the counter, CJ watched her as she spoke

into the phone. “Brett, hey, it’s me, Kacy. What was the name of that

scary man who had the isolated room in the basement? Are you sure?

Thanks.” She hung up and faced the group.

“Okay, here it is. We did work on a house for a man named But-

ler Amos. It was a huge mess but the strange thing was that he had a

room in the basement on a different power source. One light bulb,

possibly soundproof.” Kacy walked around, took the pen from Osten

and wrote on his paper. “There’s his addy.”

Osten looked up at her and said, “Thanks, Kacy.” He pulled off

his cell phone and opened it. “I’m gonna give it to Marks. Maybe it’ll

make him happy.” CJ smiled as he pressed a kiss to her forehead before

standing and making his call off to the side.

“What do you think?” Osten asked Chantoya, his hands on her

waist, the lovely spring air surrounding them.

“I think it will be wonderful.” She leaned back into him, confi-

dent he would not let her fall.

Osten grinned. It was an older townhouse, but it was a corner

lot and it was all theirs. Spinning her in his embrace, he kissed her,

telling her without words just how much she meant to him.

“Hey, is this why you called us over? To move your things while

y’all make out?” Dimitri’s teasing voice asked.

The whole team and families were helping out. “Pretty much,

Merlin,” Osten tossed to him. “I figured you should do some work

somewhere.”

Dimitri muttered something back that had Osten laughing.

Leave it to him to be so blunt. At least he’d said it in Greek, although

the meaning was obvious.

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They all went out for a huge dinner afterward, and once Osten

and CJ were in front of their new home, he pulled her to him. Wrapping

his arms around her, they looked into the bay window of their future.

Things were well. CJ was back to teaching, Layla had been

found; and though she had a long road to recovery, at least she was

alive.

His lips brushed her temple. “I love you, Chantoya.”

Burrowing back as if taking more of his heat, CJ said, “Love you,

too, Osten.”

“What do you see? When you look in the window?”

“Besides the numerous boxes I have to unpack?”

Chuckling, his teeth nipped her neck. “Yes, besides those.”

“Happiness,” she murmured. “I see happiness in there.”

“Close your eyes.” Tipping his head so he could make sure they

were closed, he kissed her cheek and said, “Now what do you see?”

“Oh, Osten,” she breathed. Her trembling hands reached out to

take the box he held out in front of her. Inside the small box sat a

diamond ring.

“Will you marry me, Chantoya?” He held his breath as he

waited for her answer.

“Yes, oh, God, yes!” she squealed as she spun around and

jumped into his arms, kissing him wildly.

Osten made love to his fiancé that night in their new home on

the eve of the start of their grandest adventure. Around two in the

morning, he awoke and rose up on one strong arm, staring down at the

woman sleeping soundly beside him.

His free hand reached out and traced along the curve of her jaw.

A tender smile crossed his face as he saw what the darkness was