Hacker Beloved, page 3
"This feels different," CJ said.
"Maybe I just need a good night's sleep."
I gathered our dishes and placed them in the sink. “Let’s head to the bedroom and see if I can take your mind off things for a while.”
We grabbed our bags and took the primary bedroom close to where Zayla was sound asleep. The door had barely closed to the room, when CJ pulled his black t-shirt off over his head and let it fall to the floor. I looked at him, skin tingling at the sight of my boyfriend’s bare chest and the smattering of light freckles on the bridge of his nose like stars in a night sky. CJ's eyes met mine, and I knew my partner needed me as much as I needed him.
"Come here," I whispered, taking a step closer to CJ. He reached out and intertwined our fingers, our hands slowly coming together as I tugged him toward the bed. The leather straps connected to the headboard gave me an idea, but for now, I just needed to feel his touch.
CJ ran his hands along the bottom of my shirt and peeled it up my body. Every moment I spent with him, had me thinking back to the moment we’d met in my brother's office. It was the same day a friend I had lost years ago came back into my life. CJ's carefree attitude helped me through some dark times.
With our faces barely inches apart, I brought up a topic that had been on my mind since I laid eyes on Zayla. "I love you so much. Please don’t think the comments about Zayla mean I don’t care about you," I said, searching CJ's face for a hint of understanding.
CJ shifted slightly. "I know. Besides Tessa, it’s not like we haven’t added a woman into our play sessions at the club," he paused, his voice soft and guarded. “But I don’t know if I could open my heart to someone else permanently.”
I took a deep breath understanding his stance. "Then we don’t," I said. “But that doesn’t mean I can’t talk dirty about it during sex.”
He watched as CJ's expression changed, his eyebrows furrowing as if he was trying to figure out where I was going with this. “You play a dirty game, Master.”
My cock went instantly hard when he’d said the word, ‘Sir.’
"Unzip my pants," I instructed, the words coming out in a rush.
CJ’s lips parted, and his tongue darted out playfully. Immediately his fingers tugged at the zipper of my pants, and they fell down to the floor. My heartbeat was fast with desire. I wanted to reach out and wrap my fingers in his sandy blond hair. But I restrained myself, knowing that CJ needed something less rough tonight.
He leaned in, closing the distance between us. I felt his skin heat up as he brushed against my leg, and his scent filled my senses. I wanted to take him in my arms, but I knew I had to wait.
I watched as CJ's hands moved along my body, exploring and savoring every inch of me. His tongue darted out, teasing and tantalizing, and before I knew it, he’d taken me in his mouth completely. I felt his lips suckling me. His tongue lapped up every drop of pleasure. My body tensed as he increased the intensity of his movements, and I felt myself growing more and more aroused.
“Fuck,” I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. With each moment that passed, I felt myself coming closer to the edge. But tonight, I wanted it to last. “Stop.”
Except CJ didn’t stop. A low hum vibrated from his throat as I ran my hands through his hair and tugged his head back.
CJ smiled at me. Then, his lips slowly turned up into a smile as he rose from the floor. My hands went to his belt. There were too many layers of clothes between us.
I leaned forward, capturing his soft lips. We explored each other's mouths as if we were lost in a dream. I felt a warmth spread within me, a feeling of contentment that I got each time we were together.
When we finally broke apart, CJ looked at me, his eyes soft and full of love. "I need you," he said, his voice low.
I nodded, not wanting to let go of the moment. But I knew that sleep would bring us both a fresh start, a chance to rebuild and re-establish our relationship.
We crawled into bed. His hands trailed down my stomach, and I groaned, knowing I had to go grab the lube. I placed a quick kiss on his lips before I rushed to my suitcase and got what I needed. “Roll over.”
CJ rolled onto his stomach. I placed soft kisses along his neck and continued down his spine. I felt myself becoming more and more aroused as I tasted the saltiness of his skin, the smell of his body and arousal making me even hungrier for him.
He trailed his hands down his stomach, feeling the muscles beneath his touch as they contracted and expanded with each movement. He continued his descent, his fingers dancing around the waistband of his trousers as he pulled them down. The breath hitched in my throat as his eyes feasted on his erection, hard and inviting.
CJ moaned as I dripped lube on his body. As I worked it in his rosebud, I reached around and stroked his hard cock. “Imagine if we had another person with us. While I’m deep inside of you, their lips could be wrapped around your hard cock.”
CJ pushed his ass back, taking more of my fingers. “I’m ready.”
I released his cock and brought my hand down hard on his ass, loving the way he tightened around my fingers. I needed him almost as much as my next breath. I kneeled behind him, and he pushed himself backward, taking me deep inside with one thrust. We both moaned with pleasure.
With the blow job, I was already on edge and wouldn’t last long. CJ’s moans got louder with each thrust. I reached around and grasped his cock in my hands. “Let go,” I whispered in his ear, and CJ moaned as he came, and I followed right behind him.
We stayed connected for a moment, both of us breathing heavily. I leaned backward, pulling away and went to the bathroom to clean up. CJ was still in the center of the bed when I came back with a washcloth. He sighed as I ran the warm cloth over his body and tossed it in the hamper.
CJ pulled me close, his heavy arm draped over my stomach and his head resting on my chest. I stared at the ceiling, my mind replaying the scene of Zayla tied to the medical table. From years of experience, I knew the killer would be pissed we had messed up his plan and could turn his sights on the people who’d helped Zayla, which put CJ in danger.
4
ZAYLA
My eyes snapped open, while memories of being tied to a cold metal table flooded my mind. I could still hear his robotic voice warning me of a punishment I would have to endure, because two figures had entered the warehouse and set off an alarm.
A sudden realization hit me like a wave—this wasn't my bedroom. The sheets were silky smooth against my skin as the moonlight cascaded through the curtains creating an ethereal atmosphere. I jolted up from the bed and stumbled toward the window.
I gazed outside and saw a pitch-black forest that appeared to stretch on forever. I spun around and studied the room, but all I could make out were the outlines of furniture. Then I thought back to the warehouse and those two mysterious figures who had been there. Did they save me, or was this some twisted game concocted by the serial killer? I couldn't shake his words. “We will be playing a game.”
My mind raced with fear as I scanned the room for a weapon. My gaze settled on the nightstand; a white lamp sat atop. With trembling hands, I unplugged it and held it in front of me like a shield. I took a steadying breath and stepped toward the door, but my foot caught on the corner of a decorative rug. I stumbled forward, trying to catch myself, but it was too late. The lamp flew from my grip and smashed against the hardwood floor—the glass base shattering into fragments. I tried to fall to the side, but I came down on the glass shards. Pain shot through my hand as one piece pierced my skin.
I held my breath as I slowly sat up, cradling my throbbing hand. The noise of the falling vase seemed to echo in the otherwise quiet room. My heart sank as I heard the tell-tale sign of footsteps, and with each passing second they got louder. Panic rose up in me like bile as the doorknob turned, opening the door, and two tall figures stood in the doorway. The one on the left flicked on the light switch temporarily blinding me with its intensity.
“You’re bleeding,” a deep voice stated the obvious.
I blinked a couple of times, and my vision slowly came into focus. “You’re naked!”
The man on the right scratched his eight-pack ab and chuckled. It took a moment for me to realize it was Asher, and the taller blond next to him was CJ.
CJ flashed her a pearly white smile. "We were naked a moment ago, but we put on boxers," he said, his eyes twinkling with mischief.
My eyes traveled back down their male model bodies and verified they both had on boxer briefs that left nothing to the imagination. "I'm sorry I woke you."
"We weren’t sure when the drugs would wear off, and I didn’t think you would react any better if we’d camped out in your room," Asher said with a sly grin.
I’m not sure there was any perfect way to wake up from being rescued from a kidnapper. I took a deep breath to collect my thoughts. It was hard with these two handsome and confident men who appeared to have no issues with showing off their bodies. I couldn’t help but stare.
"Let me help you get your hands cleaned up," CJ said. "And Asher will make us all a midnight snack."
CJ stepped further into the room, and suddenly the bedroom felt much too small.
“I’ll meet you both in the kitchen,” Asher said before he turned, and I caught sight of his perfect backside.
“I like to watch him walk away as well. He sure does have a nice ass.”
My cheeks burned at being caught checking out the other man’s fiancée. I’d seen the articles about the two of them posted online. “I’m so sorry.”
CJ hunched down next to me, and his knee brushed against my arm. “Don’t be. And for the record, your cheeks turn bright red when you're embarrassed.”
“I should probably ask before I go with you anywhere that this wasn’t a second kidnapping, was it?”
“No,” CJ’s smile disappeared. “We did bring you to a safe house until we figure out more. The fucker was gone when we got back to where he had held you. He’d also erased the hard drive, but we can talk more about it while we fix your hand up.”
CJ stood and extended his hand, and I grabbed it with the one not bleeding. As he pulled me onto my feet, I felt a wave of warmth wash over me. My hand still ached, and I glanced down, noting the rivulets of blood racing across it.
He led me down a long hallway into an open foyer. This house was huge, but I didn’t have time to look around before he nudged me toward the kitchen. When I stepped into the modern kitchen, I noticed Asher by the counter, busily making us sandwiches. The smell of melted cheese filled the air, and I couldn’t help but smile at the kindness of the gesture.
Asher noticed us and waved. “Come sit. I’m almost done,” he said.
I glanced at CJ. He pressed his hand to my back, and led me to a chair. “Have a seat while I go grab some things to play doctor,” he uttered.
“How does your head feel? Some sedatives can give you a killer headache.”
“No headache, but my brain does feel foggy.” Or I was still dreaming, and the two half-naked men didn’t rescue me.
I watched Asher place a tomato on the sandwich before he grabbed some cut-up onions. He glanced up from the plate. “I know it’s the middle of the night, and you hurt your hand, but it’s probably best we go over what happened. We need as much information as possible to find this fucker.”
“The interrogation can wait for us to finish eating,” CJ declared as he walked back over to the counter with a bowl of water and a first aid kit. He set the supplies on the island and brushed his fingers against my hand. I winced as he wiped the blood away, but he kept his touch gentle and steady.
Asher leaned his hip against the counter. “I only made food for Zayla.”
CJ's hand stopped moving. “I’m hungry.”
“You ate only a couple of hours ago.”
“But I had a workout afterward,” CJ’s voice deepened, and his cheeks turned a little pinkish.
Now heat coursed through my body as I thought about the naked workout the two men probably had.
Asher winked, “I guess you deserve a snack.”
CJ applied a bandage and then stepped back. “It wasn’t deep,” he said, “you should be alright.”
I looked down at my hand and smiled. I was grateful for CJ’s help.
Asher finished making the sandwiches, and we all sat down at the kitchen table. As I took a bite of my sandwich and glanced around the room, I realized how lucky I was that they’d showed up before the kidnapper changed his mind and killed me.
I’d just taken a bite when Asher asked, “Can you explain how he got in your house? I tried to figure it out from your room, but nothing made sense.”
"I was putting my laundry away when I heard the back door open," I began, recounting my steps.
Asher’s brow shot up. “But I checked your back door, and there was no sign of a break-in. We have to figure out how he got a key.”
I couldn’t help but wince. “The door was unlocked.”
Asher’s mouth shot open. CJ reached over and squeezed his hand. “This is not a time to discuss the importance of locking doors.” Asher narrowed his eyes at CJ, but CJ continued. “It’s also not the time to discuss her dead battery on the Ring doorbell or the fact she doesn’t have a seven-foot fence.”
“So, I can discuss lawn lasers?” Asher asked.
CJ blew out his breath. “No.” He turned toward me. “We won’t keep interrupting you. Please explain how he found you.”
“When I heard the back door open, I rushed into my bedroom and dove into the back of my closet. He found me right away, and before I could register what happened, he stuck a needle in my arm. I didn’t wake up again until I was in that room strapped to the table.” I paused for a moment and then realized I had no clue how they found me. “How did you track my location?”
“First, I unlocked your phone to check the Ring came-”
Asher cut CJ off. “That won’t happen again, because I plan to hire a contractor to have the doorbell wired to the electricity in your house. Also we’ll be installing a full security system.”
CJ rolled his eyes. “You will learn quickly that the Ross men take protection to the next level. I’m on your side and understand how easy it is to forget to charge the battery. Let’s get back on track with how I found you. After I couldn’t get any information on the app, I accessed your computer to find out what the last thing you worked on was. I noticed Spytrap was installed on your computer. I was able to backdoor into the software and find the location he was transmitting to.”
My stomach curled, remembering the row of monitors. “He wasn’t only watching me. Each monitor had a different family on display.”
CJ and Asher exchanged a glance, their faces unreadable.
I continued, my voice growing stronger. "He wanted me to play a game, and if I didn’t listen, he would punish me. If I reach five punishments, the last one will be my death."
Asher yanked his phone from his pocket. "We’ve had the profile wrong all along. A serial killer always has a reason for his or her killing. We need to go back and review each of the murders and expand our research."
CJ nodded, “If he had other people on camera, they could be playing the game, or he plans to go after them. Are you sending Antonio a text?”
“Yes, I added you and Kat to the chat?” Asher spoke while he typed on his phone.
CJ groaned. “You know she will be here by morning. And when she gets involved in a case outside of Ft. Lauderdale, we end up having to clean up all the bodies.”
“She?” I asked.
Asher glanced up from his phone. “Kat. If I keep her out of a mission, she will go behind my back. It’s better we bring her in from the start. Especially since she is obsessed with your podcast.”
“I’m confused. I know you’ve mentioned she has experience. I don’t want to take her away from her kids.”
“Kat is glued to her kids all the time…well, until a case that interests her comes up. Then my nieces and nephews go to my parents' house. You will hear us complain about her, but I will deny these words ever left my mouth. My brother and I served together and started AA Security, but I would choose Kat to have my six on any mission, even over my twin. In time you will learn about Kat’s background, but for now, let’s talk more about what that fucker said.”
"All this sounds like a lot, and you are having more people from your company help. I think we should really discuss the cost," I said, tears threatening to spill from my eyes. Nobody had ever been this kind to me or wanted to help me before.
Asher’s hand shot out and grabbed mine. "I told you from the start this is free.” His thumb caressed the side of my thumb.
CJ nodded, taking her other hand in his. His touch was gentle and reassuring. "Antonio and Asher take cases pro bono all the time. They overcharge the government and celebrities to keep the bills paid. Furthermore, Kat likes you, and if we would even think of charging you, she would feed us to her pet gators in her backyard." CJ chuckled.
I couldn’t hold back a giggle. “I only talked to Kat a few times. I know you’re joking, but she would seem like someone who might have pet alligators.”
“He’s not joking. My sister-in-law has gators living in her backyard.” Asher ran his hand through his hair. “But we can talk about Kat later. Tell me what else happened.”
"He wore a mask the entire time and had a black box over his mouth that altered his voice,” I said.
Asher popped the last bite of his sandwich into his mouth. "So the killer could be a woman," he said, his voice firm.
"There is only a fifteen percent chance it’s a woman. We could ask Jessica for more statistics, but I think woman killers use poisons more than knives." CJ countered.
I had tunnel vision when researching, assuming the killer was a man. “You’re right, but the people who’ve died didn’t die from stabbings. The original death was a heart attack. That’s why the police never investigated. Wouldn’t that point toward a woman?”
