"Life? I think you mean Sam." Stone pulled me to his chest for a bear hug. "That's over now. He was right about one thing: you have so much to offer the world. And you have a new life to look forward to, one without him endangering you or weighing you down. You need real friends, real stability in your life."
God, how right he was. From the start Stone had driven home one message: take care of yourself.
I sank into his warmth, my mind a fog. The hug lasted longer than I'd expected, and he moved into my body, rubbing my back in long waves. The unrequited sensuality I'd felt earlier rekindled. Or was it the wine?
Stone's hands slid from my shoulder blades down to my waist. How good he felt. And very distracting. His head lowered as he kissed my neck where my blouse fell open. I let Stone's mouth flow down my neck, as his hands pressed harder at my back.
Why wasn't I stopping him?
I turned my face away when his kisses moved to my mouth. His hand tried to hold my face steady for another try.
"Stop." My arm crossed with his as he slid his hand under my blouse. "What are you doing?" I shoved him back. "Stop it."
He turned, raking his hair with his fingers, his jaw clenched.
Daniels was through the door. I gripped my blouse tight, pressing my back into the counter. Stone raised a hand to hold Daniels back, and then he waved me onward, like he was granting me permission to leave the room.
I tried to walk straight as I headed for my bedroom. Daniels looked me up and down, reminding me I was drunk. When I slipped into my room, I turned the lock, a snub to Stone's orders to keep doors unlocked.
Soon I heard Stone's fork hit the plate as he finished his meal, alone. And I knew I'd pay.
***
Voices collided beyond my bedroom walls. Dawn hadn't even erupted and my bedside clock read "too damn early." Who the hell could possibly be—
"Get down," someone yelled. Metal clanged, dishes shattered.
I hobbled out of bed, a hangover all too apparent in my unsteady feet, and ducked into the closet. Agents would surely catch the intruder.
"I've got a hall pass, damn it." Sam's voice jolted me like a shot of espresso. I jumped to the bedroom door and listened.
"Back pocket," said Sam. Then he groaned a bit dramatically, even for him.
Peeking through the door, I watched Daniels wrench Sam's arm behind his back, then wrap another arm around Sam's neck. Daniels' choke hold was keeping Sam upright as Stone stepped into Sam's face.
"You're not cleared to be here, Agent." Stone patted him down. "Until my orders change, you're trespassing. And considering she's gone state's witness, that's a federal offense."
"Just checking on teams," Sam muttered, his face bright red.
Stone pulled Sam's Glock, chambered a round, and shoved the muzzle into Sam's shoulder. "Not this team."
CHAPTER 27
"Got em right here, promise," Sam grunted out, but when he reached for the papers in his pocket, Daniels and Stone dropped him face-first onto the breakfast trolley, dislodging the metal cover and smashing his cheek into a pile of scrambled eggs.
I stepped into the hall. "You're hurting him."
Sam's head popped up with an affable smile, as if he and the fellas were all just kidding around. "Hey, Jules." As he looked me over, his eyes widened. I wore only his Cougar sweatshirt over my underwear. "Whoa."
"Go back to your room," snapped Stone.
"I'm okay, Jules. Do as he says." Sam's face then contorted in pain as Stone pressed his thumb against Sam's throat.
"You don't talk to her, you talk to me," said Stone. He yanked the backup gun at Sam's ankle and pocketed it. "He's clear."
Daniels ripped the papers from Sam's back pocket and snapped them open for Stone to read.
"All signed and pretty." Sam winked at me.
I edged forward, but I couldn't help Sam without giving away our relationship. Then again, why would I help a man who'd betrayed me, and his wife?
"Call it in." Stone took Sam's arm from Daniels, yanking it higher behind Sam's back. "You better not be lying. I hear agents get their badges pulled for shit like this. You were always a little showy, Sam, but this stunt's going to bite you in the ass. And I mean hard." He pushed Sam off the trolley. "If you're lying, Agent Fields, which I hope is the case, you're going into custody. And I will personally ensure the DA presses charges this time."
Daniels pulled a cell from inside his blazer and removed himself to the hall, while Stone stood between me and Sam like a shield.
"Sorry to alarm you with all this," Stone whispered to me, setting a hand on my shoulder. "You can go back to sleep. I'll call you when we're ready to move."
Stone tried to usher me to the bedroom, but my eyes were fixed on Sam, who wiped eggs and syrup from his face and his chocolate leather coat. He was dressed in the same clothes as when we'd parted, and his eyes had the same dark circles as when I'd met him.
Sam drew his finger across a breakfast plate of pancakes. "Hey. Real maple syrup." He stared at me from under his brows as he sucked his finger. "Delicious."
You lying, cheating sonava...
I turned into my bedroom and slammed the door on both of them. The sound rattled through my tender brain.
Clothes, where the hell were my clothes?
I grabbed my jeans, hopped around as I buttoned the rivets, ripped off the damned sweatshirt, hitched myself into a bra and a clean T-shirt. No, I'd wear the silk blouse, stains and all. At the mirror, I combed my hair, pinched my cheeks, rolled on lip gloss. He was going to know what he was missing, the two-timing bastard.
When I opened the door, I rocked back on my heels to avoid colliding with Stone's chest. He caught my arms before I landed on my ass. "Whoa, there, going somewhere?"
"I thought I'd get breakfast. Before it's completely ruined." I gave a sharp glance Sam's way, and Sam answered by pointing at his chest and raising his brows. That innocent routine wasn't paying rent anymore.
Stone looked over his shoulder at Sam, who started scrubbing his face with a linen napkin. "Maybe you should stay in your room till this blows over. I can bring the food to you so you're more comfortable." Bulking out his chest, Stone braced an arm across my doorway.
I ducked under Stone's arm. I didn't need him coddling me, controlling me, or cheating me out of delivering Sam's comeuppance.
Aiming for the kitchen took me right past Sam, who swiveled with my air stream. I jerked open the refrigerator. The cold blast of air couldn't cool down my temper fast enough, or ease the throbbing in my head. Juice in hand, I slammed that door as well, hiding my wince of pain.
Then I stepped into Sam's face. "I want my dog. Today."
Sam stared back with that boyish "what did I do?" look. I could play this game all day if he insisted on stonewalling.
"No excuses, Sam."
Daniels poked his bulldog head into the suite and cleared his throat.
"What?" I snapped, sizing Daniels up, ready to take him on, too.
Noting my standoff and the men's frowns, Daniels said sheepishly, "Uh, Reynolds is offline for a couple hours." Then he backed out of the room in a hurry and shut the door before Stone could respond.
"Great." Stone turned a scathing eye on Sam. "In the meantime, Agent Fields, I'm trusting you, a courtesy from our former days. But don't test me." He returned Sam's weapons, grip first. "No one, and I mean no one, endangers my witness."
Their silent stares made my heart stop.
Sam took the guns in slow motion. I waited for the pop of gunfire or the blow of fists. Sam's shoulders relaxed and he stepped off the battle line with a low glance my way.
"Mind if I clean up?" Sam turned his back to me and lifted his jacket, sliding his Glock into his jeans over his tight, delicious ass. An ass I should kick, I reminded my hormones.
"Please, before you stink up the place." I nodded Sam toward my bathroom.
Stone waved for me to join him at the table. "Why don't you try to eat something?"
I awarded Stone's open arm, holding my chin high as he curled his arm over my shoulder. When I looked back, Sam's smug grin had dropped. He looked as punched in the gut as I felt.
Stone pulled out my chair, handed me a napkin. He was overdoing the chivalry, and I was eating up Sam's disapproval.
"At least there's food left." I snapped my napkin open. "Since there isn't any peace."
Stone paused as he took up his napkin, probably surprised to hear me so snippy, a side of me Sam knew well enough not to cross.
"Thought you were going to the restroom," I said when Sam approached.
He gestured to his shirt. "Got anything I can wear besides hollandaise sauce? I'm gonna get ripe fast. And seeing we have a couple hours to wait, well…"
Stone shook his head. "This isn't a department store, Agent."
"I think tonic water gets out stains," Sam said. "Like on that silk shirt you're wearing."
Glancing down, I remembered the wine stain on my silk blouse. Spite in my eyes, I turned and found Sam's boy scout face cut with those adorable, damnable dimples.
I threw my napkin on the table and stormed to my bedroom. The thunder in my head nearly dropped me onto the bed. Don't let him pull on you, I told myself, and don't crack under pressure. Returning to the room, I shoved the sweatshirt into Sam's gut as I passed him.
I returned to the pretense of dining, and even managed a few bites in silence. Eggs, on a hangover stomach. Worse, both men were staring at me, tying me up with their expectation strings. I had to stop being entangled by so many men, pulled in so many directions. Everyone thought they could manipulate me, own me.
"I'd like to eat without being watched, gentlemen." I looked at Stone. "Both of you."
When Stone dropped his gaze and Sam headed to the restroom, my shoulders settled. But a few more bites and my stomach roiled all over again. Worse, I could feel the pressure in my eyes building.
"I'll get rid of him." Stone didn't raise his head to chance my reprisal. "You can wait in your room till we ship out, if you like."
"There's no need to baby me, detective. My blood sugar's a little low, that's all. Once I eat, I'll be fine." But even I could hear my voice waver. When Sam emerged, his sweatshirt inside out, I added, "I promise not to kill anyone in the meantime."
Sam dropped his leather coat and shirt over the sofa, stared at the flat-screen TV above the fireplace and slapped his hands together so loud, I startled. "Game day." He plopped lengthwise on the sofa with the remote and surfed channels. "Hey, Jules, get a look at the size of this. Must be sixty inches. Told you your TV was too small for watching football."
"Your TV," said Stone, leaning forward with those wingback shoulders of his. Without another word, Stone shoved a sausage into his mouth and chewed with force.
My fork hovered as Stone's eyes bored into me. As far as I knew, Stone hadn't discovered that I'd hidden Sam after my park abduction, though he clearly suspected a relationship between us now. Lord knows the agents and staff at the hospital had reason to gossip.
Sam turned, saw me frozen under the pressure of Stone's attack pose. "Like I said, Jules. Those hospital TVs are crap. Maybe you already had a flat screen in your apartment, huh? Insurance should buy you a new one." He winked at me.
Whether Sam was covering for my sake or his wasn't clear, but my hate for him got doused with a little gratitude.
Stone continued watching me. "Why are you really here, Agent Fields? She's in better hands now."
"Boss sent me. Maybe you know Special Agent Vilet's penchant for accountability." Sam stretched, taking up the whole couch. "Procedures, due diligence. All that shit. Laying down the law these days. A real prick, if you ask me. Never trust a prick, I always say."
Stone's chewing slowed. "Watch your mouth, Agent."
I focused on my plate. "I thought you weren't on the case anymore."
"Nope," said Sam. "More like the procedure Nazi now. Hopping location to location. Wherever Vilet assigns me. Mostly low-level cases, checking use of funds, man posts, shift changes, room layouts. How many agents in a room at any given time. Probably my punishment for rookie mistakes. You remember me making those, don't you?" Sam craned his neck to catch Stone's glare. "Speaking of duty roster. A little shy on men in the room today. Maybe I should stay till your full detail shows. Or are they downstairs at the bar?"
"We don't need your assistance, Agent, and as soon as I get that call from Reynolds, I want you ghosted." Stone scraped his plate, a bull dragging his hoof into the dirt.
"Reynolds is your lead, not mine. Special Agent Vilet is my direct boss now," Sam said. "But don't worry. As soon as I secure what I came for, I'm gone." Sam narrowed his eyes on me before turning back to the game.
My hands shook under the table. No, my whole body was shaking. Maybe it was just the hangover, or maybe I couldn't take any more pissing contests.
A halftime college band blared on the television, their horns and drums crashing through the room like a battlefield. I could feel that old post-traumatic crap creeping up on me again, the rising temperature of anxiety, the pounding of blood. Rubbing my temples, I resisted the urge to duck and cover.
"Please turn down the noise," I muttered.
"Why don't you go lay down, and I'll take care of our guest." Stone's voice was low, and then he turned and yelled, "She said turn it down, asshole." Then he reached for my hand, but I withdrew.
"I just forgot to take my pill."
Clicking off the game, Sam leaned over the sofa. "Jules, what's wrong?"
My head dropped to my hands. Every time Sam called my name, he spoke my heart. I wanted to go back and undo it all—the day Luke died, the day I kicked Sam out. The day I fell into his bed. I was lost, just as Sam had recommended, but he never said how lonely it would feel, or how much pain I'd endure to get free of him.
"Jules, look at me." Sam squatted at my side. "Tell me you're okay."
"I got it covered." Stone towered over us. "She's fine. She just needs to take her meds. Go back to your game, Agent Fields."