2 comments/ 19436 views/ 48 favorites Love On the Run Pt. 01 By: madam_noe Love On the Run Pt. 01 She sobbed as she came down from it, ready to beg him to stop, but he buried himself deeper. Another finger slid in and they pressed forward. Jessie felt a wall tumble down inside her and her knee buckled. Julian held up her weight easily and pressed on, making every inch of flesh he touched burn with fire and ice. Moisture gushed from her as she climbed quickly to another peak, wailing, her voice hoarse as he drove her to the precipice and flung her off. Her mind knitted itself back together as he stood and scooped her up, depositing her on the bed. "Been a while for you, hasn't it?" he whispered as he bent, searching through their clothes for something. She propped herself up on her elbows and could only jerk a nod, unable to speak. Jessie could barely breathe. To her relief he came up with a foil packet and ripped it open. She watched in rapt fascination as he sheathed himself, and she swallowed. It had been so long...she knew they would fit, but it wasn't going to be easy. That both thrilled and scared her, and then he was on the bed between her legs. "Don't worry," he whispered, claiming her lips in a kiss and thrusting in. She cried out, gripping his arms, and her legs wrapped around his waist instinctually. He held still, and she was wet enough, but damn tight. His bright eyes closed, and he seemed to be holding back, as desperate as she. Julian leaned back and pulled her with him, undoing her bra and tossing it aside. Once more he kissed her and this time it was soft, almost gentle. It stirred something deep inside, and then where they were joined he flexed and she thought her ears might steam. Suddenly he wrapped his arms around her in a bear hug and rolled them on the small bed until she was on top. Together they raised her up, and his hands found her hips. She watched, fascinated as his biceps bulged with the movement of raising her, then slamming her down. Jessie whimpered and caught the rhythm. He was a thing of beauty, such power, and strength. Though he moved fast he was surprisingly gentle, and had been so damn considerate. She caught the tail of another peak then and squeezed her eyes shut, taking over the movement as his hands caressed up to her breasts. He merely brushed his fingers across her aching nipples and she dragged her hips forward, rubbing her clit against him, and went off like a firecracker. While she cried out, digging her nails into his skin he grabbed on and rolled them again. Once on top he let loose and pounded into her. She was still vibrating, contracting inside, and his hard, deep thrusts pushed her further into her climax. Soon he joined her, and his own cry of release was beautiful, haunting, nearly drowning hers out. Julian rode it out until they were both replete. He held himself up off her, and waited until her climax subsided before withdrawing. He rolled aside and for a moment she blinked into the night, a little dumbstruck at his sudden withdrawal, but then he hauled her against his side. "That," he chuckled. "was fantastic." "Ungh," was all she could say. Her experience was limited...okay, very limited in that it had been only one time, with a fellow awkward virgin. If she'd known what she'd been missing, perhaps she would have tried this long ago. Still, it bothered her. With Henry there had been love. Puppy love, but still, they had been in love. This felt uncomfortable, even as it was satisfying. What moments ago had been thrilling was now unsettling and she pushed back, rolling off the bed. "Something wrong?" he asked. She found her clothes and tugged them on, fumbling with the bra. "Not at all," she lied. "Just need some fresh air." She unlocked the long windows and parted the curtains, opening up the French-door style glass and stepping onto the tiny balcony overlooking the main drag. She heard him move, getting dressed, and breathed a sigh of relief. If he left now it could be a mistake, just a wonderful, toe-curling mistake. She could have had four years of mistakes in college, or one here, in the middle of nowhere South America. Given what Jessie had just experienced, she doubted the four years she'd missed would match up. She nearly jumped when Julian came to stand behind her, arms coming around hers as he rested his hands on the railing. He nuzzled her hair and she closed her eyes, pretending for a moment. Pretending they weren't strangers, but true lovers, that he might actually care. "Shit," he said suddenly and jerked back, breaking the spell. He turned her and kissed her deeply. "Sorry, babe, I gotta run. I hope to see you again. Wait for me, or I will find you." With that sensual threat he was off. She turned back to the street and saw the American couples from the bar getting into a rental car. From her motel Julian ran out, down the street, and got into one of his own. He followed them as they drove out of town, God only knew where. He was a mercenary, and could be paid to rob them, hell, kill them. Somehow she got the feeling he was no killer, but what did she know? Maybe that blonde was really his friend's sister. Whether or not she was, he seemed hooked on her, Julian was probably driving away from her bed to challenge the blonde's boyfriend for her. Damn it, why did that hurt? Sure, that meant she'd been used, but hadn't she been using him? It shouldn't matter, she didn't know, didn't even trust Julian was his real name. She certainly hadn't given him hers. She stalked back inside, confused over the strong need to know him once again, despite the disconcerting feeling of sharing her body with someone she did not love, let alone know. Jessie returned to the bathroom and washed up in the shower. Once more she saw the woman in the mirror. She was glowing, her lips plump from his rough kisses still, her breasts covered with marks of their passion. She looked satisfied, dawning uncertainty replacing her earlier fear. Had Jessie really become someone who used a man that way? She'd become a killer, why not this? "Damn it!" she yelled to herself. She'd had no choice but to kill in self-defense, but this...she had so willingly gone down a dark path and now everything seemed changed. A tear slid down her cheek and she brushed it away, vowing something had to change. Before she could stop it, the rest fell, and she went to sleep finally letting all the grief she'd held inside for a decade come out into the open. Love On the Run Pt. 01 Her hands were shaking. She packed her bag, dressed once more in baggy jeans and a hoodie over a tank top. It felt silly to pack the dress and sandals but they reminded her of Julian. Aw, hell, there was time for one more time before she had to meet her contact. She checked out of the motel and found herself walking up the street to his hotel. She'd miss the way his hair fell into his eyes when he woke up, the way he smelled. Even here at the edge of civilization he'd brought expensive shower gel that smelled orgasmic. He liked to sing in the shower, his baritone crooning out Sam Cooke standards. At dinner he always used too much pepper on his salad and insisted she order dessert just so he could sneak a bite. Damn, she had a bad crush, Jessie realized, stopping and blinking. Maybe she should turn and go, have a beer and wait. Or maybe he'd go with her. Someone had paid him to follow that American tourist, but maybe he was down here looking for adventure. Maybe she could confess who and what she was and he'd... What? Accept her paltry savings of five thousand dollars to be her body guard? What if there was a reward on her, and it was higher? He might turn her in for it. No, she shook her head, standing in the street. Julian was a good man, even if he was a mystery. She, on the other hand, was a criminal running from the police, the FBI, the DEA, and Diego's men. No sane person would want to share that risk, not for some good sex and conversation, and that was all they really had. Jessie raised her chin, debating. She could be adult about this, and go inside the blue adobe building, knock on his door, seduce him, and leave. Resolved, she opened the door and passed through the lobby to the stairs. He was on the third floor and she climbed slowly, pausing at the second when her nerves faltered. She caught sight of an open door and something about it caught her attention. It was one of the rooms belonging to the American couples. She'd seen them as she and Julian came and went, and now the second door down was open, though it bore a do not disturb sign. She caught a flash of movement and some curiosity made her step into the hall and creep closer. Julian was inside, and he was on a phone. It was his work, and she shouldn't pry, but Jessie crept closer until she could hear him. "Yeah, George, it's not her. I thought it was, but it's not. I don't get it; right age, right height, blonde, looked like her but her ID checks out." Julian fell silent, still pawing through things. "I don't know, my guy said Costa was meeting her in this commune to take her to Argentina." Her heart froze. Sam Costa was her contact, the man taking her to Argentina. "No, look, I have another week. I don't want to be riding that fucking desk looking over cold cases of damned coke heads. I'll keep looking." Her heart stopped short for a couple beats and then began to hammer. Julian was a DEA agent, and he was down there looking for her. Love On the Run Pt. 01 He glanced at her and his eyes softened, just slightly, before he turned back to the road. "Hmm." She sighed, knowing she would have to get him stared. "Is your name really Julian or is that some kind of code name?" "I'm not James Bond. My last name is Vasquez. I'm thirty-one, and I was born in New York. My father came over from Cuba when he was five, and my mother came from a working class Irish family. I have five siblings, two brothers and three sisters and we grew up hating The Brady Bunch." She was too curious about him to stop his speech, and she liked his voice. It was rich, deep, soothing, though she knew all too well when it lowered to a husky whisper it was beyond arousing. "We grew up poor, hardworking. I was a skinny kid, tall and gangly when I was little. My dad made me enroll in Big Brothers Big Sisters and my 'brother' was an army man. When there was no money for school, I followed his steps into the army, and I was good at it. "After awhile I was a ranger. Those were...good and bad years. I've seen things I never want to see again, but I got to travel to new, exciting places, meet new, exciting people, and kill them." His eyes slid to hers at the attempt at a joke and Jessie could only offer a half smile. "Anyway, when I got out I still wanted adventure, so I joined the DEA. I've been a field agent for a few years but recently got busted down to desk duty, archives. Going through cold case files I found yours. I read what you went through and-" "Yeah," she said quickly, cutting him off. She didn't want to talk about those dark years with Jimmy and if she heard pity, she'd open the door and tuck and roll her way into peace and quiet. "Don't want to talk about it?" "I got a raw deal, most kids do. No matter how bad, I've seen some of the poorest areas on earth, and I know I still had it a lot better than most." "A lawyer came in, plead your case. Worked for some charity. Said he knew you personally, told us a lot of details." "I don't know any lawyer." "Know anybody from your teenage years that would become one?" She couldn't think of one. Her friends were mainly cheerleaders and their boyfriends, good, sweet people, but not a Rhodes scholar among them. Henry was smart, but he'd dreamed of being a science teacher or biochemist. "Nobody comes to mind." "It was high profile, and you were the poster child for lost causes, a pretty blonde teenager, a cheerleader to boot. I don't have all the records, but probably a lot of people came forward to help." "Hmm. So how did you find me?" He took the hint. "I connected those three dead bagmen of Diego's and figured out your path south. It took me just a week with old contacts, but I found out you were headed to Argentina. Why?" "I haven't seen one of you guys in eight years, I thought you'd forgotten about me," she murmured, yawning. "Hmm. The DEA did, your file was buried in archives. Lucky for you, I found it." "Lucky for me?" She nearly laughed. "I was about to walk into Argentina, buy a plane ticket, and leave the continent. I was home free!" "And one of Diego's men killed your contact!" "He probably followed you! It's been five years since I got even a glimpse of one of Diego's men!" Silence loomed once more as they both contemplated that. She tried sleeping but it didn't work, and once bored she played with radio. When she could find nothing on she liked Jessie tried again to get him to talk. "So...got a wife and kids back home?" He nearly swerved off the highway, earning a honk from an approaching truck. "God damn it! I couldn't have slept with you if I did!" "All right, all right, all right! Watch the road!" She slumped down and hugged herself, feeling embarrassed. "I was just curious." "Jesus, who do you think I am?" "Some guy I thought was just a loose cannon, a random mercenary I fucked who turned out to be the federal agent hunting me!?" The look he gave her was unreadable, and they lapsed into silence once more. Jessie knew she was being churlish to cover her own embarrassment, but she bit back her apology. She was still not completely trusting. After a catnap she woke to see the sunrise, and it told her they were heading north. "Why are we going north?" "By now Diego will know you're with me. We're going to leave the car somewhere north and double back." It was smart, but she had no idea how they'd accomplish it. even with the coffee she was too tired to think. "Please, talk more. I won't interrupt or ask questions." "Hmm," he said once more, smiling in his doubt. He went into a story from boot camp, when he was seventeen and clueless, and it was funny. She fell asleep smiling before he could finish. Love On the Run Pt. 02 © Nora Quick 2013 Love On the Run Pt. 02 All that should matter was that he could protect her. She would treat him as a bed mate, a partner in fun, and soon enough they would part ways. As always, when she thought that, there was a wince in her chest. Love On the Run Pt. 02 Julian set the bags on the bed and took they keys as she wandered. The bathroom was old, exposed copper piping and large claw-footed tub, the other fixtures tiny and porcelain. There was a nice size balcony, open to the humid strong breeze coming off the South Atlantic in line of sight. She would have called it paradise if this is where she landed ten years ago, but in her journeys she had strayed from the beaten path many times. She'd seen waterfalls hidden in lush forests barricaded by a three day hike. She'd seen rainbows ending on cliffs veritably untouched by man. She'd swum in lagoons that appeared on no postcard and had likely never seen skin as pale as hers before. Would she ever come back? Hiding in Diego's backyard had the appeal of safety. She knew the dangers here and could blend in, but once she testified, and if they every found that money and figured out what it was Diego wanted so badly, she'd be marked for death. It probably meant witness protection. New name, placement somewhere in the US in the middle of nowhere. The sound of a rumba came from a café just doors down and teenagers laughed and danced in the streets. She could smell fresh, spicy food over the scent of the ocean and the alley to the side. Would she ever be happy in Nowheresville, Kansas after this? She would be safe, and t was worth the price. It had to be. The room door closed and she turned to face Julian. Yes, they were tired, the odd sleep schedule had been merely snatches in time on a long journey. Damn him, he looked refreshed, rested, ready to pounce. Her body was still thrumming with the needs he'd awoken in the car but wonder and new worries had buried it. They'd both napped, showered, and eaten, but it was night and all she wanted to do was sleep. "Are you going to call the DEA now?" "In the morning. There's something I need to tell you, have a seat." She came in from the balcony but leaned against the open door. "I'll stand." He sighed deeply. "I'm on vacation, I'm not here officially. My supervisor knew I was on your trail, but I was supposed to observe and call you in so he could send someone to get you. Obviously, given what...happened between us changed things. "When I call in in the morning I am going to say I found you here and had Carlos bring you in. I'll be leaving on my own and the DEA will send someone for you." It was exactly what she'd been hoping to hear, but a hollow place in her chest suddenly let itself be known. She couldn't speak and just jerked a nod. "You're okay with this?" "Fine," she sighed out. Julian felt like laughing. He knew enough about women to know 'fine' was merely a warning sign, the updraft before a large storm. So far he'd found her range of emotional response to be highly entertaining, so the little devil on his shoulder curled his tail around his ear and urged him on. "Of course, if it's that you're just afraid to be left alone-" "I am not!" she shouted, standing up straight. "I was just fine before you came along! I survived ten years no problem, and in just two weeks I would have been in Portugal, living a new life, free of all this." "Oh, so you're just afraid you won't have anyone to make you scream." She stalked close to him, her eyes glittering pure death up at him. "Maybe you should call your boss tonight. Now." "You don't want that," he fairly growled and grabbed her. She was shocked, but warmed to his kiss quickly. He hadn't been wrong then, and even as she relaxed against him Julian felt his own body taking over control, his mind slipping under, and had to wonder just who was conquering whom. Jessie was trembling. Damn the irritating man, he'd pricked her skin and gotten too close to the truth. Now that he had entered her life she was off-balance and slightly scared to be alone. Worse, her body craved exactly this, despite her best efforts not to. His hands slipped the straps of her dress and bra down her shoulders as his mouth plundered hers. He tasted of spice and man, an intoxicating brew, and her head swam as his lightly brushed his knuckles over her shoulders and arms, raising goosebumps. She could wait no more and grabbed for his shirt, trying to pull it apart. Julian chuckled and grabbed her hands. Whirling them he pressed her against the door and pinned her hands above her head. She groaned as he bit her lips and pulled, licking it, sending shivers racing through her. Julian ground against her, pressing his erection into the valley between her thighs, and she felt her panties dampen, sticking to her as he slid up and down. She was lost then, even as he lowered her hands so he could pull her dress down. Gripping his shoulders she gasped as he palmed her breasts, massaging them almost harshly, his palms pressing and brushing against her nipples making her want more. His mouth side across her mouth without grace to her cheek and she cried out, wanting it back as his fingers found her nipples and gave her what she craved. Jessie didn't need any more, she wanted to be filled, right then, or she'd go mad. The sun slid down in the sky, casting golden-red light on their skin and Julian licked a bead of sweat from her breast. "Now, fuck me now!" He just chuckled and drove on hand into her hair, pulling her head back. His teeth claimed her neck as his other hand slid up her thigh with maddening slowness. Once more she reached for his shirt only to find herself picked up and thrown to the bed. He was on her in seconds flat and pulled his belt from his loops. Before she could ask what he was about he pulled her arms through her dress and bra straps only to wrap the belt around her wrists and tighten it. "I'm going to teach you patience, Jessie." She began to protest but a sudden dark shudder of arousal claimed her and her mouth formed an O but could make no sound. He pulled her dress and bra free of her body and spread her legs. Sliding down, he kissed her through her panties, licking the seam there, making her gasp. "Why tease me when you know you want to fuck me?" He chuckled once more. "I told you I would teach you patience. Good things come to those who wait." Suddenly he stood and undid the buttons on his shirt. She raised her head, watching in rapt fascination as he stripped first the shirt and then his pants. Beneath them he was naked, and at the glorious sight of hiss nude body, so harshly defined, she licked her lips. His eyes zeroed in on the movement and a slow Cheshire grin spread as he began to stroke his hard cock. She whimpered, unable to look away at the forbidden moment as he stalked towards her, still stroking. Even as Julian knelt on the bed she was helplessly caught. He brought his cock towards her lips and stroked the plump head against them. She licked at the trail of wetness he left there and his eyes darkened. "Open for me." She did, glad to be filled in some way. He pressed her arms down and leaned over her, letting Jessie take as much of his cock into her mouth as she could. He was velvet on steel, salty and potent. He slid in and out, and she licked all she could, sucking, hoping to arouse him and push him over the edge until Julian gave her what she truly wanted. Instead he kept up his steady rhythm, flexing his hips, sliding in and out slowly. She lost herself to sensation, closing her eyes she simply enjoyed his sounds of pleasure and the feel of him inside her mouth. Soon he moved faster, and she sucked harder, desperate to lick every inch, and then he came. She drank it all, wanting more, caring for nothing beyond the moment. He groaned with the pleasure, thrusting so hard and deep she nearly gagged. Finally Julian nearly hissed as he withdrew his newly sensitive cock and he rolled aside to his back for a moment, panting. "Oh, babe...you have such a good mouth." "Mmm. Will you undo the damn belt now?" "Not a chance." Laying on his side now he claimed the peak of a breast with his hand, toying with her nipple. "You've been patient...time for your reward." "Ungh," His other hand wandered again on her thigh, smoothly trailing up to her cunt, hot and damp with wanting him. he toyed with her nipple gently as he did her pussy through her panties. Jessie cried out, arching her back, wordlessly begging for more. Still he kept on teasing her, watching her reaction, delighting in his power over her. Julian needed a long moment to regain control. The way she had sucked his cock...god, he didn't want to leave her. He needed a month alone with her, no interruptions, and then perhaps finally he'd grow tired of her. But for now...oh, for now he didn't want the moment to end. She was panting, making the sweetest little noises even as her body violently lurched, begging him to fuck her. And damn, how he wanted to, but he'd promised himself he'd make her beg, let her simmer, and make it worth both their whiles. Jessie was lost in the vortex of pure need, and a strange kind of languor spread as he moved down. His lips pressed hotly to her inner thigh and she gasped, keening, eager for what was surely next to come. He just skimmed past her hips though and gifted her with the gentle bite of teeth below her belly button. She was so hot, burning all over with wanting him, and yet Julian seemed determined to move slowly. Easy for him, he'd already had a climax, she grumbled. He laughed and moved up to kiss along her ribs, hands smoothing up her sides. She felt her breasts grow even heavier with the anticipation as he settle between hem, his legs between hers. She brought her belted hands around his neck, hooking the belt to the base of his ponytail and tried to tug him higher. It was like tilting at a bronze statue, she was hopelessly ineffective. For her efforts he gifted the insides of her breasts with deep, licking kisses, distracting Jessie. On and on it went as he explored every inch of skin but those that craved his touch. She was pushed into a plane of desire never before experienced, and he didn't begin to quench the fire he'd built until the moon rose high in the sky. Then he pulled her panties off, covered her body, and his lips claimed the peak of a breast as he slid in. She was so far gone Jessie didn't feel the buildup, she merely exploded on a long wail. The orgasm was powerful, almost a shift on conscious state, and he hadn't yet begun to move. Julian thrummed one nipple and teased the other with lips and teeth and tongue. Once the storm passed, finally he began to move. She lost count of her peaks quickly, they came with ease now riding the tails of sheer desperate need. Julian savored each and every one, coaxing her with steady movements and quiet murmurs. When her voice was hoarse from shouting and her body felt heavy as lead, finally Jessie began to beg. "No more, Julian, please, I can't take it. Come for me, come with me, please!" "Yesss," he hissed and began to fuck her hard. Their positions haad changed several times, and now he was curled around her back, fucking her from behind, one hand buried at her pussy. His fingers formed a V, stroking her clit with every movement. She cried out, whimpering as she built to another climax. Inside her Julian felt so hard, so thick, she thought she'd go mad from the perfect way he filled her alone. Deeper in this position he bumped her deep inside, light pain an added spice to the pleasure. He tumbled first and when she felt him spill deep inside her it triggered her own orgasm. She screamed out what began as his name but quickly changed into a wail as he fucked her hard, pushing incredibly deep. Even as they fell lax the contractions still gripped her and she moaned, rubbing her sweaty face into the covers. His hands trailed over her reverently until she stilled, and then he undid the belt and held her close. For an eternal moment she lay there, eyes closed, panting, feeling the sweat making their bodies stick. He still filled her, softening, and surrounded her. It felt good, too damn good. Suddenly reason dawned. "Holy shit! We forgot the condom!" He went rigid behind her and then cursed loudly in Spanish, pulling out and issuing apologies. She placed a still-numb hand on his chest. "Julian, I- I'm on the pill. It keeps me regular." He stopped and swiped his now-loose hair back. "And you've been taking it regularly?" "Every morning. And, uh, I'm clean. I know that for sure." What she didn't say lay hanging between them, creating a gulf. Finally Julian sat back on the bed with her. "I've been tested regularly, but there have been one or two since my last test. I've always used condoms, I've never forgotten before." She supposed she should take it as a compliment, but all her mind heard was "one or two." Maybe the great sex had stopped higher functioning, but she felt like a primate wanting to mark territory without any thought to consequence. She sighed, squelching the urge. He was leaving in the morning and she was exhausted, desperate for sleep. "Whatever," she finally said, and got up to use the bathroom. Julian watched the door close and felt his hands tremble. Yes, there had been a few ladies, not just one or two, since his last test, but damn him if he could remember their names. He didn't want to. What they had just shared was so perfect, so incredible. She was so responsive he was nearly hard again thinking about it, remembering the feeling of her damp sheath gripping him. Oh, the way she had surrendered, going down fighting...she was a little tiger, unafraid to snarly and use her claws, but when he found her belly she purred like a dream. A man could get used to this. Suddenly he wanted to know more about her. What was her favorite food? What kind of music did she listen to? Did she ever get the chance to see a movie, and did she like them? This was not good, not good at all. If he were smart, he'd leave right now. So with a heavy heart, Julian found his clothes and bags, and while he heard the shower running, he slipped out the door. He had to go, now, before he gave in to his foolish urges and tried to build a castle in the sky. Jessie was a good woman. She'd work with someone else in the agency and find that money. He'd work the other end, getting Diego out of hiding. She would get a new life, resume it where she should have been. College, a stable job, some very lucky man, and a passel of kids were in her future. God, she'd make a terrific mother, tough but patient and compassionate. And he? Julian would work his way back into the field, back into undercover work. He'd hobnob with criminals and degenerates always running the risk of becoming one. An undercover agent couldn't work the drug world without becoming part of it. Better he go now, than drag her down with him. Love On the Run Pt. 02 "However, if your testimony does lead to this money, they've agreed to put you into witness protection." She was quiet for a moment. "How do you know so much?" He laughed, a rich, deep sound that was half an octave lower than the laugh of the boy she'd once known. "Did they tell you that years ago a lawyer brokered the first deal for immunity? That was my father. I followed the case closely and you're the reason I went into international law." Shocked, Jessie could say nothing. "I'm sure you saw what I sent was more than enough for a night. It's going to be a week before I can hammer out the exact details. In the morning I want you to move on to Malaga and find somewhere to stay there. In a larger city you'll be safe. Check in with me and by tomorrow I may have your itinerary." "Henry, I don't know how to thank you." "Just stay safe. Keeping yourself in one piece is thanks enough. And Jessie?" "Hmm?" "I've missed you." "I'll call you tomorrow, Henry," she replied awkwardly. They said goodbye and she hung up, mind heavy. This was exactly what she wanted, if she was reading between the lines correctly. Henry, her first love, was indeed waiting for her. He'd chosen a career just to help her. She'd dreamed of it for so long, but why was it now when she thought of seeing the man he'd become, feeling his arms around her once more, the vision that swam in her head was of Julian, not Henry? She laid on the bed and cried herself to sleep. Love On the Run Pt. 02 Standing there was Henry, but a version of Henry that was half boy she'd known and half his father. He was still tall but had filled out into those broad shoulders, his waist still trim. His blonde hair was light and cut short, stylishly. His beard was short and well-trimmed, a goatee with a small chinstrap that framed the hard lines of his face, almost softening them and making his green eyes glow. Jessie stood frozen for a moment as did he, each taking in the changes of ten years. Finally he grinned and she broke into a run and slammed into his arms. He picked her up and swung her around, laughing. At the sound off a clearing throat he set her down and turned her, slinging an arm over her shoulders. "Julian! This is Henry Williams. Henry this is-" "Agent Vasquez," Julian said quickly, offering his hand. Henry let her go and took Julian's hand. Both men squeezed hard until Jessie cleared her throat and they broke apart. "Henry, what are you doing here?" "Agent Vasquez here will want to take you straight in. Not that you should really need it, but your lawyer should be here. You have a car waiting for you, Agent Vasquez?" Henry asked and Julian nodded. "I'll follow you with Jessica in my car. I can't think of a better way to ensure lawyer-client confidentiality. Is that all right with you?" "Yes," Jessie quickly said, though the question had been directed at Julian who just nodded. He could barely speak. This Henry, the boy she'd spoken so lovingly about, was all grown up. He was quite handsome, strongly built, looked good in his suit, and had the perfect boy next door look. He was clearly respectable and well-to-do, the kind of man a woman like Jessie belonged with. Though Henry's warm smile at his seemed genuine Julian wanted to punch the grin off his face. In fact, Julian wanted to slam his fists into Henry's face until he wasn't so damn pretty. Great, now Jessie had somehow warped him into a jealous thug. The woman was getting under his skin and he didn't like it one bit. Never before had any woman managed to make him feel anything more than lust and mild interest. This one had him tied up in knots, and worse, though a part of him wanted to walk away and leave her to the Henrys of the world, another part wanted to grab her and kiss her until she couldn't pronounce her own name, let alone even look at another man. He stalked away from them to the baggage claim, hands curled to fists at his sides. Soon he was going to have to make a decision: leave her completely, or claim her in some way, for something he did not yet know. Julian had never been more unsure of anything in his life. Love On the Run Pt. 03 © Nora Quick 2013 Love On the Run Pt. 03 "Oh, you can take that offer and shove it up your ass," she ground out. The older agent was waving frantically, mad Jessie was trying to piss off Gonzalez. "I have the money Diego is after. I want to exchange it for leaving me the fuck alone. I give it to you, and you guarantee me safe passage. That's the only deal I'm interested in." He was silent for a moment and Helen tried to grab the phone. Jessie danced away, but was still tethered to the recording device. "You don't have the money, puta. Why pretend?" "I know where it is." He was silent for a moment and she heard movement in the background. "So you have the key. I have my men watching that area twenty-four-seven, you'll never get it. I can get the money and you, same time. You an' me, we have some fun before I send Diego your head." "Fuck you," Jessie said, and hung up, shaken knowing his threat was very real. Helen was staring at her, horrified. "What the hell was that!?" "He was never going to make the deal, he'd smell a trap. But now we know, just like Jimmy usually did, he hid the money, and he hid it here. A bank safety deposit box, or more likely a bus locker. Jimmy always licked bus lockers, they were cheap and convenient. The key is what we should have been looking for." "You little shit, you ruined everything! Call him back, right now!" the younger agent yelled. Helen put up her hand and glared at him, silencing the young man. "She has a point. Gonzalez might have been too suspicious. I would say wait until tomorrow and call back. Say you have the key and negotiate for turning it over. He might buy that." "Before we go forward, I want to talk to Agent Vasquez," Jessie demanded. "Hello?" They turned as the door opened, revealing Henry. Dressed in jeans and a t-shirt he looked incredible, even better than in a suit and now that he'd shaved his beard down to just a goatee. His blonde hair was loose and soft looking, and he carried a bag that smelled like heaven in one hand, something large and pink in the other. "I'd like to meet with my client. Why was there shouting?" "Just a misunderstanding, we were just leaving," Helen said, and stood, gathering her things. "Attorney-client privilege, James," she said when the younger agent tried to object. "We'll make a full report and file the recording, but tomorrow you'll need to call Gonzalez back. I'll tell your handler you want to speak with him." Jessie nodded, her eyes indicating Henry should go into the kitchen, and he did. The young tech disconnected her phone and packed everything into a padded metal case, following his superior out. Jessie watched them go and waved at Jimenez, the current agent on her door. She saw he was playing Tetris on his phone and it made her smile. It was nice to see the agents were human, and she felt plenty safe with a guarded gate, and agents all around. As long as she didn't have to deal with any more sticks-up-their-asses agents like Helene and her minion, Jessie might be all right. Still, Gonzalez's threat made her feel shaky. She wanted Julian there, wanted to be held by him. It was silly, she knew, and so she pushed that need aside, wondering what brought Henry to the safehouse. "What brings you here?" she asked Henry when the door closed, walking to the kitchen and stopping in the doorway. "I brought you dinner, and the backpack you left at my house ten years ago. I packed it with a few things to help you with boredom. And lastly, I've come to keep you company." Nervously she crossed to the small table and grabbed for the food bag. "Mmm, this smells great, what is it?" He'd been washing his hands and dried them now, smiling. "Your favorite meal." She turned and grinned. "Pabellon Criollo!?" His smile slipped. "Um, my uncle Eddie's fried chicken, coleslaw, biscuits with honey, and bacon mac 'n' cheese." "Oh." He sighed softly. "It was your favorite ten years ago. Silly me, we've both changed in the last decade, haven't we?" She put her hand on his arm and felt hard muscle. "I'm sorry, Henry." "For what? Sit at the table, let me serve. I brought a good wine too. At least my bones remind me that ten years have passed and we can both appreciate good wine." "You're twenty-eight, Henry, hardly old." "I feel it, sometimes." He opened the wine and set it to breathe. "I do too," she murmured, going to the cabinet to grab plates and everything she needed to set the table. He served the food family style and the smells finally brought her back to simpler times. Eddie was Henry's maternal uncle, and he owned a restaurant off the beach serving traditional southern food in a shack that was cheek-to-jowl with chic cosmopolitan restaurants. After games when Henry was riding high as the star they would go there with their respective teams, though many nights after practice it had been just the two of them. The taste brought those memories back and for a moment she saw the shaggy-haired youth imposed on the man. "Tell me about your life," she said quickly for distraction. "Well after you left I went to school, Northwestern. I decided to go into law, just like dad, but I knew it would be international law. I was hoping you were out there, doing all right. I wanted to make sure when you came back I could help you." That warmed her and made her feel nagging guilt at the same time. Though in the ensuing years on the run he'd been in her thoughts often, never once had Jessie made a decision with him in mind. She'd always known Henry could take care of himself. "You said you almost got married." He laughed and licked grease from his fingers. "I did. Sharon Meyers, she was a year ahead of me school. Smart, pretty, funny. We had several classes together and study groups, we sort of fell into dating. I never thought it was very serious but then graduation came. She sort of blindsided me, Sharon actually proposed to me." "Really?" She laughed with him, trying to picture it. Henry was a gentle soul, but a traditional manly-man in many ways and this Sharon had to be one hell of a woman to pop the question. "Yes. It was a farce. She came from a family practice in Chicago. I tried it, but our only real client was one family straight out of Dynasty. I liked the youngest member of the family, Sebastian Kellner, but the rest...I wished them to hell. "I didn't fit in. I belong in a land where there's no real winter, and I didn't belong with a woman who expected me to turn my back on my dreams to fit hers...I broke it off quickly and came home. I started with my father's firm but when the chance came to join a better firm geared solely towards international law came, I took it." "So have there been any other women?" She asked quickly out of sheer curiosity. He blushed slightly. "Why do you ask?" "Just curious." He set his fork down, expression forlorn. "You really mean it. No jealousy whatsoever." Though it was a statement she sighed and set her napkin on the table, reaching for her wineglass. "Henry, I-" That was all she got out as he moved, setting her glass down. He kissed her, and once more it was nice, hell, he was great, but there was just no...oompf to it. Her body didn't light up like a fireworks display on the fourth, the juices didn't flow. Henry cupped her cheek, tipped her head back, and did his best, but when it became clear she wasn't responding he pulled back. Still holding her face, he pulled back, his eyes filled with regret. "I thought so." "You thought what?" she asked. He pulled away and leaned against the counter, his hands gripping the edge. Henry smiled softly and shook his head. "You've slept with Agent Vasquez, didn't you?" "That's none of your business!" "I'm not accusing. Jessie, you've changed in some ways, you're even tougher than I remember and even with that ridiculous hair you're far more beautiful than you've been in my dreams, but in other ways you haven't changed. You're not the kind of woman to enjoy casual sex." She snorted, thinking of the night she met Julian, when her loneliness and sexual hunger had reached a fever pitch. When he sauntered into her life, she hadn't been thinking past the next hour, and what a glorious hour it had been. "No matter what you've convinced yourself is true, I know that to be real. Vasquez is a good man." She sputtered, blushing for a moment before a chug of wine steadied her. "Henry, I have no idea what you're trying to say." He grinned at that. "Don't get me wrong, I'm quite a catch. I have women lined up three-deep...some nights. If I'm going to have to concede, it had better be to someone halfway decent." "I think you're blathering. Henry, this has nothing to do with anyone else but you and me. It's been ten years, and a lot has changed. We can't go back to what it was, and it's foolish to try. I'm sorry, but I just don't...want you...that way. Any longer," she rambled on, blushing furiously. "I love you, but I'm not in love with you any more. It's been too long, too much has happened." He stepped close and chucked her chin. "I pushed too fast, too hard. I'm sorry, Jessie. I've just had this dream, this fantasy every night for ten years." "I know. I had it too." She felt a tear at the corner of her eye and his thumbed swiped it away. "I'll always be your friend, and I'm still your lawyer. But I think the window of opportunity for anything else passed long ago. What I'm trying to say is I know your attentions are engaged elsewhere. I'm trying to tell you it's all right. I want you to be happy as well as safe." She grabbed his hand with both of hers, turning it, she kissed his palm. For so long she'd dreamed of this every night as well, but now someone else haunted her dreams. "I wish things were different, Henry." They heard a noise outside the kitchen window, overlooking the front landing. "Shift change?" She checked her watch. "We still have an hour or so." "Wait here." Henry tensed and stepped into the living room, checking the peephole. "Damn it, that scared me. Just the agent in front having a cigarette." Grateful the sad spell of regret seemed broken, Jessie smiled. "Since you are my lawyer, let me update you on the case." He followed her back to the kitchen and as they talked they cleared the table and did the dishes together. "I think you did the right thing," he said, drying the last dish after she told him what she had said on the phone call. "Gonzalez is going to need some time to check on things. Talk to him again tomorrow, keep being surly, it seems to be working." "So two weeks until the marshal service can take me. Where will I go?" "Someplace safe. If events are put in motion that Diego will be put away, it might only need to be temporary. Jessie, the easiest way to get through this is to focus on one thing at a time. First, getting as much info from Gonzalez as you can. If it's enough, we'll concentrate on finding the money. Then you can work with the DEA to get Diego. Then we'll worry about a new life." Suddenly her mind flashed to his earlier comment on her hair and she touched it. "Do you really think this is ridiculous?" He kissed her temple as he dried his hands. "I was just always a sucker for a blond. So...now that we're all nice and friendly, tell me about Agent Vasquez." She couldn't help herself and the story spilled. She told him everything from her decade of celibacy ended in a single impulsive moment to the desperate couplings the night before. If anything pained Henry he was good enough not to show it, nodded, asking small questions here and there. They ended up finishing a second glass of wine each in the living room as she finished the story, and Henry laughed. "What the hell is so funny?" "You have feelings for him, Jessie." "No I don't!" she insisted. "You don't want to, but you do. There's no shame in it." "Except he wants nothing to do with me beyond a roll in the hay." "My friendship doesn't extend right now to helping you secure another man, so all I can tell you is to follow your heart, Jessie. If it's meant to be, it will be." "You should get work as a phone psychic if things ever slow down at the firm." He grinned, and it was devastating. He was truly handsome, but meant for someone else, she thought wistfully. Ah, well. "I'm billing the DEA for my work. Thanks to you I can buy a vacation home soon." "You already live in paradise, where would you buy a vacation home?" "Paris," he said, surprising her. Indeed in the years they had grown up apart Henry had indeed changed, adding new depths. Checking his watch, he stood. "Shift change is in ten minutes. I'd rather not be here when Vasquez is. I love you, Jessie, and I always will. It's going to take a little time to get over being in love with you. As much as I want you happy, I want to break his nose." She stood as well and set her glass down. "Most women dream of two men fighting over them. I'd rather have a root canal." Laughing he kissed her temple and walked to the door. "I'll call before I stop by tomorrow. I want to be here when you make the second call. Someone's got to protect you, and though there are many good people in the DEA, ultimately keeping you safe is not their priority. Getting Diego is. Remember that, Jessie." She said goodbye and watched him go, nodding to the agent on the door stubbing out his cigarette. Closing the door behind Henry she had to wonder if that warning extended to Julian. Love On the Run Pt. 03 His balls were tight and he was leaking fluid, Jessie knew he was close. Relishing this power she had, she backed off, hoping to delay his orgasm. "Bruja", he growled, and pulled out. Deftly Julian rolled off the bed and he grabbed her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, clamping her legs to his waist. He backed her to the wall and just as in the shower he slammed in. She cried out at the angle, every sweet spot hit as he began to fuck her hard. She kissed him, giving him her moans and cries, swallowing his as he rode her hard and fast. He reached the peak first and she opened her eyes, watching him as he shook and shuddered against her. Impossibly, it was that erotic sight that took her over the edge one last time, and she creamed his name against his lips even as he was collapsing to his knees. Awkwardly the fell even as she thrummed with the peak, and Jessie began to laugh between gasps of pleasure. Tangled up he held still inside her and kissed her face as she came down, and only when her legs stopped twitching did he pull out. "Are you okay? She laughed again, softly. "I might never be okay after that." "Good." He rose and held out his hand. She took his hand and he jerked her to her feet, hauling her to his chest he kissed her again. Jessie clasped her body to his, but then he let her go. "I need to use the dryer." She watched him go, confused. He went to the bathroom and she heard him moving around as she found a box of tissues and cleaned herself off. Just what the hell was that? She heard the door of the dryer slam and the machine began. Temper sizzling she stalked naked to the kitchen where he stood, hands on the corner of the dryer, staring at the closed lid like it held state secrets. "What the fuck was that?" "What?" He asked softly without turning. "We agreed to keep this on the down-low, but god damn it, Julian, it's never been just about a quick lay between us." Muscles taut he turned and she had to force her eyes to meet his, ignoring his naked body. "Never? What about that first night?" "I didn't know you then! I've spent ten years, ten fucking years celibate, alone, and afraid. In that time, no man has ever made even a little bit tempted to break my solitude, not until you strode up and sat at my table! Since that night you know damn well there's been something between us!" Her own anger startled her, and Jessie shook her head as she closed her mouth. It was like something possessed her. It had to be casual sex. She would go on to a new life, hiding from the very people he hunted for a living. Why did she feel compelled to push this? "I saw you." Julian stalked closer, his eyes narrowed. "If there really was something between us, how could you kiss Henry?" A strange relief soared through her and Jessie barked out a laugh. "Jealousy? This is about jealousy? Aren't you the one who suggested I, what, court Henry in the day, fuck you in the night?" Silence greeted her, spurring her on despite the tight set of his jaw. "What you saw was Henry kissing me, not me kissing him. He was kissing me because he realized I no longer have feelings for him, and he needed to prove it to himself. He knows about us, for chrissakes, and he gave us his blessing!" Julian made a strangled sound and stomped his way to her, grabbing her arms tightly. "Is that true? You don't want him?" "No! You, I want you, god damn it!" He kissed her then, and just as before it felt like a claiming, but there was something else to it. She couldn't deny the passion, but Jessie felt the need to comfort him as he trembled in her arms. She stroked his shoulders, arms, back, everywhere she could touch, trying to sooth even as his mouth incited a riot in her soul. "What's wrong now?" she asked as he pulled back. His eyes were dark as the midnight sky, glittering down at her. "You're secretive, you're a criminal, you're stubborn, and you're too damn smart for your own good. You're funny, independent, but you don't trust anyone and you don't truly give anything of yourself. And I think I might love you." Love On the Run Pt. 03 "I have something to tell you, but before I do, I want you to tell me something." "What?" he repeated, unsure if he could hold his temper back. "Tell me why you joined the DEA. Tell me everything." He turned and looked down at her, her face open and eager, eyes shuttered. Sighing he strode back to the railing and laid his forearms down on it, leaning forward. She looked so damn vulnerable right then she made him feel like a monster. "Why? Why does it matter, Jessie?" "I need to know." He laughed. "I don't give a damn about your needs." "Then don't think of e as your lover. Think of me as a witness with valuable information who needs to know she can trust you." He had never met a woman who was more convoluted, who twisted him into more knots, yet she was the only woman he'd ever met who did it without malice or intent. Fine, he'd play her games, but Julian played to win. "I didn't know what else to do. I'm going to have to back up." "How much time before the day team comes?" He checked his watch. "Enough." "Continue, please." "Where I grew up there weren't many ways out. You were poor, your parents were poor, and there was no way out except drugs or the military. My brother Al choose drugs. He was killed when I was seventeen, shot down by a rival dealer. "I joined the Army just to get out. I wanted to go somewhere where it didn't matter where I'd come from, what my last name was, what color my skin was. The Army gave me that. I was good at what I did, and long story short, I ended up in the rangers. Not guts, no glory, they say, but all it really means is rangers get the glory because all you see is guts. "It was hard. I was good at it, but I didn't like it. When they let me go I finished school and a friend told me I could put my skills to good use, travel the world, and meet beautiful women with the DEA. He lied, for the most part," Julian added quickly at her quirked smile. "My dad left right after my youngest sister was born. Five kids was too many. My sisters all got married with kids of their own, all before they hit twenty. My brother Jimmy was headed in Al's footsteps until he died, hit by a car while walking our nephew to school. Mom's just not the same. "I think sometimes she's angry at me. We're all angry, but she blames me for leaving. I came to visit her after I was discharged and she called me by my father's name. Her mind has been eaten away by losing two sons, and it kills her the two men who left have better lives. So I send checks, but I don't go back. "I stay because I'm making a difference. The best thing is when I get those guys off the street, guys like Jimmy. When we really get through to them and they clean up their lives...that's why I stay. "Now, what is it you wanted to tell me?" She unfolded her arms and showed him something. Staring, Julian realized it was a locker key. "What is that?" "It's the key to the locker where my step-father likely hid the money and whatever it is Diego wants so badly." "Where was it?" he asked tersely, afraid she'd had it all the while. "Hear me out. The night I left a packed a gym bag of things I needed and a backpack of things I wanted. When Henry's father sent me off to Texas all I could take was the gym bag. Henry kept the backpack all these years and dropped it off. When I looked through it tonight I found it. "For a moment I realized I could be free. I could call Johnny Bones, give this over and buy my way out. No DEA, no red tape, just freedom, the freedom I've always wanted. Hell, the freedom to stay here if I wanted. So, I called Gonzalez." "Jessie," he growled out but she held her palms out. "I arranged the meeting for Friday, just like we talked about. I'm doing this right. You call the shots. It's set up for Friday, ten a.m. at the bus station. And here," she gave him the locker key, her soft hands closing her hand over it. "This is yours." "Jessie," he started. Her eyes were wide open and trusting. "Go inside," he said quickly. "I- I'm going to take a shower," she said and left him. The door opened to reveal agent Klein who stood there, rumpled from sleep yet his eyes were alert. "Morning," he said and let her pass. He closed the door and pulled out his cigarettes, offering one to Julian who refused. "Man, you better put some distance between you and that girl." "Klein, it's none of your business." "Look, it happens to the best of us. She's pretty, and whom among us doesn't like the whole damsel in distress thing." Julian turned to face the city again, sighing. "Something you wanted, Klein?" "Did you ever stop to wonder how guys like Diego and Johnny Bones, have survived so much longer than anyone else?" "So?" "So, they have help on the inside." At Julian's look of disbelief Klein blew out a smoke ring and shrugged. "It happens all the time. Some of us fuck witnesses and suspects, some of us take payouts, but eventually, everyone succumbs. " "Do you know this for a fact?" More smoke rings. "No, but it makes sense. You know how many chances we had to take down her old man back in the day? I read the file. Or even Johnny Bones now. We have a million ways to get to Diego and they've all gone to pot. Hell, even the case that got you stuck riding a desk would have paid off. It seemed overblown you got busted down." "If you're trying to sell me something, Klein, this isn't the way." "Somebody in our organization doesn't want Diego taken down. I heard what was said out here. That woman has an iron-clad plan to take him down. This means someone is going to try and stop her. They'll kill her or discredit her, but if you're involved with her it will happen to you too." "There's no traitor, Klein." "Yes there is." He unfolded a piece of a paper and set it next to Julian before climbed down the stairs as the day crew arrived. Julian opened it and his heart nearly stopped. Love On the Run Pt. 03 "What is old George doing?" Klein asked, toying with a cigarette so furiously it started to fall apart. "Monitoring from the office, radio backup. Everyone set?" Julian looked to them all and Jessie jerked a nod. God, she wanted to rip the cigarette from Klein's hands and light it, smoke a few puffs, then throw herself into Julian's arms. But she was made of tougher stuff, she could do this. There was the light of pride and something more in his eyes, and it warmed her, calming her. "All right, we leave first. Soto, give us a ten minute head start, then leave the south gate and catch a cab." "All right." Jessie watched everyone file out, leaving her alone with Soto. "Thank you," she said when the door closed. The agent looked fidgety and nervous. "Thank you. This will close a giant chapter in the agency's history." Jessie worried her loose t-shirt. "What will happen after?" Soto looked sad. "It's going to be a mess for a couple days. Your lawyer will meet us at the station. You'll have to sign some affidavits, possibly make some IDs. It all depends on what exactly we find in the locker. Then you'll go into protective custody probably with the marshals. You'll be settled into a new life and called back to testify when it comes to trial." "So basically in a day or two I'm gone from Miami for good.' Soto looked at her watch. "It's time, come on." They strolled out and Soto used a key on a small pedestrian gate. They had to walk a ways but finally caught a cab and Soto gave an address downtown. Neither spoke on the ride over, the only things they could discuss weren't safe topics of discussion in front of the cab driver. They were dropped off in front of a three story parking garage. Soto paid the driver and lead her inside. "So a beater. I guess it fits our image," Jessie said conversationally as they climbed to the s econd floor. Soto said nothing and stopped in front of a red BMW. "Wait a minute, this isn't a beater,' Jessie said. Soto pulled something from her pocket, her eyes sad. "I'm sorry, Jessie.' Before Jessie could do anything Soto jammed something against her arm. A zap rang out and her her arm buzzed. Jessie felt her legs go weak and she fell against the car as she realized she'd been stun gunned. Soto caught her and used a key to open the back door. "Sorry Jessie. I have to do this. You're going to see Johnny Bones, but the DEA isn't coming with." Then Soto slipped a black bag over her head and shoved her in the backseat. Jessie was helpless, unable to move, drooling and fuming. She'd been betrayed, and now she knew with every bone in her body, she was going to die. Love On the Run Pt. 04 Author's Note: this is the final installment of Love On the Run. I hope you have enjoyed it. As always I sincerely welcome comments/feedback. You'll note, particularly in Chapter Sixteen, mention of the kellners of Chicago. Sebastian Kellner's story is told in Out of the Past also available on here. If you enjoyed this story, I recommend checking that one out. Love On the Run Pt. 04 "Yes, deep inside you. And you have no idea? In all those nights after your mother died you spent alone with that creep Juarez, he never told you?" She tried not to think of that time in her life. Her stepfather had always been a creep. After leading her mother down a dark path of drug addiction that led to her death, he had started giving her very unfatherly looks, trying to "accidentally" walk in the bathroom. "He didn't tell, he ordered." "Didn't you ever wonder why he was so keen to have you?" "All I know is he was a creep rapist, the lowest of the low," she gave the goon on the outside door a hard look as she said the last. "No, there's a prize in whoever claims you." "Claims me?" Rage filled her. "I am a human being, not some fucking prize." He stood and the knife caressed her cheek, forcing her to keep still as the sharp blade slid along her skin. "Yes, you are. Diego wants you very badly." "Diego has been trying to kill me. He sent three assassins after me and I sent them back in body bags." "Did you really think Diego sent killers after you? Stupid girl," the linebacker said laughingly, and the goons laughed with her. "Yes," Jessie ground out. "Those men you killed didn't belong to Diego. They belonged to Salazar." "Who?" She was honestly clueless, and again they laughed. For some reason that caustic laughter enraged her more than the physical threat of the knife and she jerked her head back. "Who the fuck is Salazar?!" "Jesus Salazar, the biggest drug lord supplying the west coast." "I've never met the man, why would he want me dead?" The knife withdrew but the linebacker's eyes glittered. "Because your stupid stepfather was a rat. He worked for Salazar who put him into Diego's organization as a spy. So when you thought you killed Diego's man, you killed Salazar." Her head was spinning. "Just tell me what the hell this about!" "Stupid cunt," one of the goons muttered. "If you're going to hurt me, hurt me. If it's story time, tell me what's going on. Just stop the games!" The knife returned in a flash and Jessie realized her mistake. The linebacker loomed over her, eyes glittering coldly. "Story time then, but one more word out of your mother and I will cut these clothes off you and let Gianni shove whatever he likes into your stupid twat. Understand?" Shuddering Jessie slowly nodded. The knife lingered a little longer and she felt a hot prick, then blood trailed slowly down her cheek as they all laughed. Finally the linebacker sat back down and the way he looked at the knife made her think he would lick the blood off, but he just set it down on the bumper of the car. "Your mother was quite the slut, it seems. She used to belong to Salazar, but she left for love. How touching. She had you, but she knew the penalty for leaving Salazar was that you were his property. She tried to hide you, but then your daddy died, and Salazar found you. He's smart, and he sent Jimmy Juarez to keep you safe. "See, turf wars keep cropping up. Gangs distribute here, but the two main suppliers have always been Salazar and Diego. Imagine what they could do if they combined forces? Salazar has no children, no woman he could trust. So he promised you to Diego. Do you follow?" Jessie shook her head, lost. "Salazar, my dear, is your uncle. This means you're his heir, but everyone knows a stupid cunt can't run an organization. So whatever man you squat out a son for gets the entire west coast. If that man was Diego, two empires become one. Jimmy was supposed to be the only one who knew, but he liked to talk when he sampled product. Johnny Bones found out and that was why they argued the night you shot Jimmy. Johnny wanted you too. "Then you had to go and kill Jimmy and take off. The problem is what was with that cash. It was the contract. Jimmy was to keep you safe until Diego collected you. Unlike your scum stepfather, Diego likes his women grown up. He wasn't planning to collect you until after college." Her head swam, and some things she had always wondered about made sense. Her entire life on the run came from killing Jimmy after he attacked her. The argument had started when he found out she'd lost her virginity to Henry. No wonder. She almost laughed at the thought of Henry, good, honorable grown boy scout that he was, inheriting a multi-billion dollar drug empire. "It's good to know you haven't had any kids yet. But take heart, I won't let Gianni rape you in any way that could get you pregnant." Her heart shriveled in terror. "W-why?" The linebacker stood. "Because whoever knocks you up gets the prize. All we have to do is find that contract guaranteeing it, and then that honor is mine." She cried out and jerked so hard the chair fell back, landing on her bound hands. Jessie screamed in pain and suddenly one of the goons was smothering her, cutting off the noise. Her mind raced, desperate to stall. "I know where the contract is!" "Lift her up," she heard the linebacker say. They did and the sharp pain in her left wrist told it was sprained, possibly broken. A tear slid out. "Where?" He asked almost silkily as the knife danced across her throat. "If I tell you, swear to me you won't let them touch me. J-just y-you." He smiled as if he knew saying that made her skin crawl. "I do prefer to do my own cutting. They'll video tape it, of course. But I want nothing out of you other than a son. The moment you're pregnant and the sex is confirmed, you'll be their toy. And when you give birth, I'll let them kill you." Nausea roiled through her and she fought not to vomit. Time, it's time. It's nine months or more to escape. And stalling now means Julian can find you.. "Johnny Bones has it." "If you're lying, I will make sure you regret it." She felt the knife again and more blood. "I- I swear it's true. He told me he had the money, he knew where Jimmy liked to hide things." "You two, go and get the contract from Johnny. Gianni, stay here. Put her in the cage for now. I have some calls to make." Oh, god, Julian, please come was her last thought before hands wrapped around her throat and began to squeeze hard. Love On the Run Pt. 04 The man made decent money, what the hell did he want to inherit an empire filled with nothing but death, evil, and destruction? Damn it, George was the man who'd taught Julian how much damage the cartels could do, how precious life was. They both had no pure moral objection to drugs, but the swath the resulting crime cut through the streets was what they fought. Overriding all those thoughts was worry for Jessie. A search of the bodies had produced the contract, and basically whomever knocked Jessie up first was the frontrunner for heir to the west coast drug trade. If anyone had touched her...he would make their deaths slow and painful. "At least we know she's there," Henry aid in the silence as the car screeched around a corner, heading back towards the center of town. Julian had made sure to grab one of the henchmen before he bled out and confirm George had Jessie and what was planned. It was a ten minute drive in light traffic, twenty in normal, and nine the way Julian drove, but it seemed to take forever. They screeched to a halt around the corner and nearly slammed into the car in front of them. Julian was out before he turned the engine off and Henry tumbled after. The neighborhood was typical, quiet, clean, and the only people out were those walking dogs or pushing strollers down towards the park. It was quiet, and after the noise of the shootout at Henry's it was too quiet for Julian. He drew his gun and they ran towards the house. Not wanting to draw attention Julian motioned Henry to follow him to the door from the yard into the garage. He kicked it in and inside they found a strange chair with shackles on it and cut ropes laying close. Seeing red, Julian still cut off Henry's bellow of rage. "Stay behind me, don't leave yourself exposed. Gun up." So far the lawyer had proven to have impressive street smarts and Julian felt he could trust him to do as instructed. He opened the door the kitchen and it was clear. Julian had been inside this home dozens of times and everything looked as it always did. Orderly, neat, if a little Spartan in traditional bachelor style, though George had accrued more furniture since his divorce was finalized. Suddenly they heard a scream, a masculine cry, and a thud. "Jessie!" Julian was running, all his training forgotten as he followed the noises to the basement. He'd never been down here before and there was one large area and a hallways filled with doors. The large room was empty and so he went crashed down until the last room revealed a vignette. Jessie stood there, bruised and shocked over the prone body of a man. A pool of blood was spreading by his head and there was a hammer on the floor next to her feet. Clutched in the man's hands was pepper spray. "Julian," Jessie called. Then her eyes rolled back and she fell. Love On the Run Pt. 04 Jessie changed into comfortable denim shorts and a tank top, popped a bowl of popcorn, and sat in the living room with a bottle of Coke. The entertainment system was huge and not for the first time she wondered why the house lay abandoned. The story of the Kellners must have been something out an eighties nighttime soap opera. She watched some thrillers and dozed off on the couch after the third film. "Jessie?" She woke to her name, wondering why Henry had returned. "Ungh?" The light flicked on and the sight that greeted her was a mad one. Julian stood there, deeply tanned, his hair looked darker, almost black, and it was shorter, shaggy to his collar. So many times she had dreamt of him but always he looked as he had the last time she'd seen him. "Julian?" She sat up. His look was intense and he reached for her. She clutched at him and met his lips desperately. If this was a dream, it was a doozy. He tasted like smoke and man, something spicy and unique to Julian. His hands were rough as they slid beneath her tank top, and when he felt her bare breasts unhindered by a bra he made a sound like a whimper. She arched into the touch as his thumbs slid across her nipples. Clutching at his arms she wanted more, and felt his shirt realizing it buttoned up. With her own animal cry of lust she ripped it open, buttons popping off. Her shirt went over her head and he knelt before her. Splaying her hands on his chest Jessie could only throw her head back when his hungry mouth found the tip of a breast. Digging her fingers into his hair now she arched into him, desperate for more. One of his hands popped the button on her shorts and slid in, finding her already wet. She shrieked when one thick finger parted her lips and stroked her clit, pumping her hips. At her moans he groaned and ducked his head to her other breast. "Juli-An!" He chuckled, turned her, and forced her to lie back down. Julian kissed her lips, sliding his mouth against hrs again and again, his tongue filling her as he jerked her shorts down. He tore the panties and then a thick finger filled her. He twisted his hand until his thumb covered her clit and then he began to move it. Impatiently she reached down and found his pants secured with a tie. Undoing it she reached and found his cock bare and hard. He cried out against her as she cupped him, squeezing tight, but he got the message. His pants were off quickly and he settled between her legs. "Jessie," he breathed, holding himself above her his eyes stared down into hers as his cock brushed against her wet folds. "Julian," she pled, nearly sobbing, and he slammed in. He froze there, their eyes locked. She was tight from all those long, lonely months, and it felt as if he were even bigger than she remembered. "No," he said, a decision reached, and he pulled out. She cried and tried to follow as he climbed off but with supreme confidence Julian pushed her back, but turned her so her feet hit the floor. Kneeling between her legs he cupped her ass, brought her forward, and proceeded to torture her. Jessie slung her legs over his shoulders as he licked, sucked, and drove her mad. A finger joined the effort of his mouth as his tongue flicked over her clit. When the finger speared hr and pressed against the spot inside her, a wall fell and with swift agony Jessie climaxed. Julian moaned in approval, the vibrations pushing her to a fever pitch, and she thrashed on the couch, pinned by him as he refused to give her quarter. Before it faded he dropped her, kneeling still he straightened, and slammed back in. She rode him, or maybe he rode her, she couldn't tell. Their bare flesh pressed together as her sliding thrusts met his. She felt full, swollen, needful, and simmered on the verge of another climax. Julian fucked her hard, desperate. He bit her lip and smiled at her cry, but surrendered to the feel of her tongue sliding along his. Over and over and over they clashed together, sliding in harmony, taking each other deeper and deeper. Jessie lost herself to his driving thrusts, wrapped in his arms, surrounded by Julian. It was real, truly real, and tears filled her eyes even as her muscles tightened and her mind spiraled upward. His panting breaths came closer and closer as his hard cock filled her deliciously. She tightened and then exploded, screaming out her pleasure. Julian roared and filled her with his hot cum, his fingers clamped hard on her hips. Jessie wailed with it, hips jerking, riding out the storm. It felt like an eon before they came down, dizzily kissing. "How?" She asked between kisses. "When?" She moaned at the feel of his tongue. "Why?" Laughing, he pulled back. "I miss your real hair," he said pulling back. "I don't like yours short," she said, miffed those had been his first real words. He pulled out and stood, holding a hand out. "Come on, Henry tells me you have a great bathroom. Let's clean up and I'll tell you everything." She lead him up to the master bath where there was a tub that could fit six. She filled it and added some soap before sliding in. Julian ceased nuzzling her and joined her, leaning back facing her. He looked at her oddly. "You know, I don't want to tell you details. I want to leave that life behind." "What do you mean?" "I quit. Everyone who ever wanted you hurt is dead or in prison. Luckily there weren't that many left. I saw it through and quit last month. In Henry's line of work he needed help, a kind of private detective. That's far more interesting, and less people shoot at me." "Henry told me my mother had some money, it's mine now." "It's not that. Jessie, I was the one who begged Henry to help you. If you'd gone with the Marshals I'd never have found you again. You didn't let me tell you what I wanted to that last night.' He sat up and grabbed one of the stacked washcloths, pulling a leg and scrubbing her foot. "I had to make sure you were safe, but once you were I was going to follow you. The second we rounded up all of Salazar's men I quit. I gave a deposition just two days ago. They think I'm dead." She blinked, surprised. Jessie's mouth opened but no words came out. "Henry did the same thing for me. You're looking at Jonathon Garcia." She laughed. It was a rich, freeing sound, and once she began she couldn't stop. He watched her, bemused, until she laughed herself out. 'This is mad." "Henry found work for me here. You'll go to school, we'll squat in this strange joint, and when you're finished we can partner." "Oh, Julian." He meant it. He'd left his life behind for her. They were both free to start again. Tears filled her eyes once more. "Jessie, there's only one thing left to ask you." "Oh?" She grabbed another washcloth and dabbed at her eyes. He dropped her leg and reached for her hands. "Will you marry me?" She cried harder. "Yes," she sobbed out. He jerked her forward and kissed her tears away. They made love again and said goodbye to Jessica Andrews and Julian Vasquez. Staying up all night they planned their lives, both happy to have a plan, a free and bright future. But best of all, there was a future of hope and love and stability; there was no more love on the run.