Bronco's Rough Ride (Bad Boys of Beta Squad, 0.5) Read online

  “Easy, John, I know you’re frustrated.” Lindsey stroked his chest and arm with her warm fingers. “Just breathe easy for me. This won’t go on much longer, I promise.” She crouched beside his head and pressed her lips to his temple. “God, have they even bothered to bathe you at all?”

  She raised her head to meet his gaze and he blinked once. Her mouth tightened and anger flashed in her beautiful brown eyes as she stood. “Well, that will definitely have to change. I will not tolerate my possessions to be mistreated.” Her voice had risen so anyone listening could hear. “I’ll make sure you’re bathed so you’re ready for whenever I want you.”

  Oh, he’d be ready. He just wished he could fully participate. Damn, he couldn’t even move his lips or tongue to feast on her pussy. A pussy hidden beneath the fabric not more than eight inches from his face. He suspected it would be as luscious and tasty as the woman looked. The fragrance of her arousal reached his nose as she walked around his head to his other side. She stroked his head as she knelt again to put her face level with his.

  “Listen to me carefully, John. Today is Thursday and the Man Cave Club is only bustling on Fridays and Saturdays. I can’t get you out before then.” She kissed his other temple. “I’ll get you to a safe house where we can talk about what you experienced and get enough evidence to bring this bitch down.”

  The slide of her nose against his cheek and ear calmed him while her words generated excitement. He only had to wait two more days at most and he’d be free of this nightmare. I can do anything for two days.

  “I’ll also have a nullifier to help with the ketamine in your system. With the lower dosage, I’m hoping it will act faster than usual.” She slid her hand over his chest and played with his nipples, her motions casual. “I won’t be able to carry you, so you’ll have to give me what strength you can. But I promise I’ll get you out, John.”

  Lindsey paused and raised her head to look him in the eyes. “Is your name really John?”

  He blinked twice and a real smile spread across her kissable lips. She ducked her head to press her lips against his face. “Very nice to meet you, John Andrews.”

  He blinked twice. This woman offered him a way out, hope, and a chance to break free and wreak havoc on an organization that needed to crumble. She needed evidence? He’d give her everything he knew, right down to the way they snagged their victims. Hell, he’d sit with a sketch artist to describe each and every woman he remembered.

  Lindsey drew back and smiled at him. “I’ll be back tonight to check on you and make sure they’re following my instructions on your care.” Her gaze skittered down his body and she took a deep breath. “My goodness, you’re beautiful.” She gave his semi-hard shaft one farewell stroke before she retreated to the door. “Don’t worry, John. I plan on using that cock again soon.”

  Lindsey grinned before ducking through the door. It clanged shut with finality, but he held on to the hope she’d engendered. She’d made small changes, but it was enough to restore his patience. He was a SEAL, and SEALs could outwait anyone. Hell, it’s only two days at most. Two days is nothing. With his balls finally empty, Bronco settled down to sleep.

  Chapter Four

  Friday morning couldn’t come fast enough for Lindsey. She had to go through the motions of being the Black Widow, and that included shopping at the Forum Shoppes in Caesar’s Palace and lunch with her “friends” Thursday afternoon. She had to play the part, but the over-indulgent lifestyle wore thin and the edges had begun to fray.

  As promised, she checked in on John and made sure the techs only gave him her new prescription of ketamine, but she retreated to her suite and went to bed early. Everything hinged on the meeting with her handler in the morning and nervous excitement ate at her. Damn, I’m twitchier than a greyhound at the track.

  Lindsey woke before her alarm and shot out of bed to start her day. But in the shower, her Muay Thai instructor’s voice tsked with disapproval from her memories.

  “Too much mind, Ms. Lindsey. Too much mind. If you’re too aware of yourself, you will show your strike before you make it.” Master Chaiya’s serene, weathered face nodded in her mind’s eye. “Be like the wind in the grass. So ubiquitous as to go unnoticed despite its motion. They should not see you coming until it is too late”

  Lindsey remembered the roundhouse kick he’d landed before she noticed. Damn, for such a small man, he’d had a hell of a lot of power. Closing her eyes, Lindsey allowed the water to wash away her tension and let her thoughts go with it.

  “Very good, Ms. Lindsey. Become the façade they wish you to be. In this way, they will not see where you are going, only where you have been.”

  By the time she finished her shower, her Black Widow façade settled over her like a soft glove and all signs of tension had disappeared from her reflection. Lindsey raised her chin and smiled. I got this and I’ll get John clear. It’s all wind in the grass from here on out.

  She dressed in one of her favorite summer dresses, a soft gold confection with spaghetti straps and a handkerchief hem. It will complement John’s eyes. Her mind filled with a vision of them standing together as a real couple and a sense of longing filled her chest for a moment.

  Get that vision out of there before you break your cover. You don’t know him beyond a cock in your hand and a body on the slab. Lindsey took a deep breath and allowed only the good feelings of being with John to filter into her mind. The Black Widow liked feeling good and having things her way made her happy. John makes you happy. He did and she’d leave it at that.

  She arrived at the Blue Bean a few minutes late—usual for her persona—and strode inside with her ‘royal bitch’ mask in place. Courtney waved from a booth near a sunny window and she nodded back before ordering her sweet and creamy coffee. She splurged on a raspberry scone and joined Court at the table.

  “How was the send-off for scouts this morning?” Lindsey settled herself after giving Courtney air-kisses.

  “Good. And they won’t be back until dinner time on Sunday. I get the whole weekend to play.” Courtney wiggled a little in her seat, but her eyes showed none of her gaiety.

  “Excellent. Can I entice you to come with me to the Club this weekend? It’ll be fun.” Lindsey smiled around a bite of scone.

  “Not this time, sweetie. Bill and I are going to take advantage of Jeremy’s absence and make it a stay-cation.”

  Lindsey snorted. “Ugh, why are you still with that one man? Don’t you remember that line from the Robin Hood movie? Allah wishes wondrous variety. Where’s the variety, Court?”

  “Heh. I’m done with variety. I had enough of that just trying to find someone worth all the effort.” Courtney rolled her eyes. “I suspect you’ll get to that point soon enough, Jenna.”

  Lindsey raised her chin. “Not today.”

  “No, I suppose not.” Courtney sipped her coffee. “Oh, I wanted to show you. I was at the Marie Kinney counter at the mall yesterday and they were handing out free samples of mascara. I know how much you love their cosmetics, so I grabbed one for you.”

  Courtney looked excited. Lindsey couldn’t find a crack in her disguise at all. Damn, she’s good. That’s why she’s the handler and I’m the undercover cop. Courtney grabbed her purse and pulled out a little paper gift bag in traditional Marie Kinney pink. She handed it to Lindsey and though she smiled, her eyes filled with solemnity.

  “They also had lip gloss, foundation, and moisturizing cream. I got you a little sampler.”

  Before taking this gig, Lindsey wouldn’t have known mascara from eyeliner, but Jenna Black was a woman who kept up with the Joneses and knew all the makeup and which brands were best.

  “Oh, thank you so much. I was almost out of their Luscious Lash mascara.” She pulled out the tube of mascara and surveyed it. The lab guys had outdone themselves in terms of disguise. She’d never know it held a syringe unless she opened it. “This is perfect. Thanks again.”

  “No problem, Jenna. I know you go through that st
uff like water.”

  “And I love it, too.” Lindsey winked and dropped the little pink bag into her purse. She had the nullifier, now she just needed the safe house. “So tell me about this stay-cation.” She tightened her lips. “Are you going to the lake house this weekend?”

  “No, it still has to be cleaned from the last time my sister was in town. You know how she parties.” Courtney grimaced and shook her head. “Apparently, she’d vomited all over the carpet in the guest room and the whole house smells like stomach acid.”

  Lindsey’s gut sank. No safe house. “Oh, that’s awful. How soon can it be cleaned? I’d hate for you to miss the opportunity to get away kid-free.”

  Courtney laughed. “You just wanted to house-sit, didn’t you?”

  Lindsey bit her lip. “Guilty as charged. You have such a lovely view of Lake Las Vegas. Are you sure you can’t go?”

  “Bill and I are thinking of maybe renting one of the cabins up at Mt. Charleston for the weekend. I’m sure we’ll come up with something. Don’t worry.” Courtney reached out and firmly squeezed Lindsey’s hand. “But I have other good news. Remember that guy you told me about? The cute one from the same party where my sister over-indulged?”

  “Yes.” Lindsey stuck her tongue out for effect. “Don’t tell me. He’s married.”

  “No, silly.” Courtney laughed and pulled out a card in a lavender envelope. “I got his name, number, and address for you. It’s all there.” She grinned. “Are you going to call him?”

  “Well, aren’t you just the little matchmaker.” Lindsey matched her grin and threw in a wink. “I might.”

  “Oh, come on, Jenna. He was cute.”

  “He was. But I like to keep my options open. You know, wondrous variety?”

  “Yes, yes. Well, at least check him out. You might find more of value than you first thought.”

  Lindsey ignored the foreboding in Courtney’s voice and nodded with an easy smile as she dropped the card in her purse beside the Marie Kinney bag. Both items called to her with a siren’s song of temptation, but she steadfastly ignored them as she finished her coffee and scone with Courtney.

  Keeping relaxed proved to be a challenge as her mind churned with concern over the safe house. Courtney promised her something when she said they’d rent, but Lindsey was running out of time. John couldn’t stay under much longer. Not without endangering his health. Hell, the detox from even this amount of time would be painful.

  “Well, I gotta run and take care of that cabin rental.” Courtney gathered up her trash and dumped it in the nearest can before grabbing her purse. “What’s your day looking like?”

  “I haven’t quite decided. I think I might run to the gym today before I get a manicure.” Lindsey rose and hooked her purse over her shoulder, careful not to lose the bag or card. “My nails are a little ragged and I want to look my best.”

  “Are you going to the club tonight?” Courtney’s question held a wealth of meaning.

  “It depends on if I can get ahold of this guy.” Lindsey patted her purse and smiled. “It might be fun to have a little company.” They both laughed. “Let me know how it goes with your stay-cation.”

  “Will do. Laters.”

  Lindsey strode to her car and sat inside, chewing her lower lip. This part of the game sucked. She couldn’t move forward until Courtney gave her the word, but John was running out of time and needed to be pulled out. So come up with Plan Bravo. If Courtney couldn’t arrange a safe house, Lindsey had to find an alternative, even if it meant going dark for a while.

  So what will you do, Jarvis? Where could you go without anyone finding you?

  She backed her car out of its slot and turned onto Charleston Boulevard, heading west. She blindly drove toward Red Rock Canyon with the tourists, her mind churning with any possibility to get John out safely.

  Sunlight slanted off the walls of red-striped sandstone ahead of her as she pulled into a public overlook and parked. Red Rock had always been one of the places she’d felt peaceful and safe as a kid. The ancient stone had weathered more problems than could be dreamt of in a single human lifetime, and such endurance gave her the courage to face her own challenges.

  The overlook stood relatively empty in the mid-morning heat. Lindsey took a deep breath as she listened to the wind and crickets rattling in the brush. Hooking a hip on the retaining wall, she settled against the warm stone and pulled the lavender envelope out of her purse. She scanned the overlook steeling herself for whatever lay within the folded paper. Only a desert tortoise methodically picking his way among the creosote bushes kept her company.

  She opened the envelope and pulled out a letter. Lindsey snorted with amusement. Only Courtney would put official information on pale lilac paper with lacy filigree along the top edge.

  Chief Petty Officer John Hector Andrews, US Navy. DOB May 22 19… The ink smudged over the year, but she wasn’t worried about his age. Stationed in Little Creek, Virginia until June 10th. Expected in Coronado, California July 1st for a Permanent Change of Station. Only ten days remained in June. John wouldn’t be missed until a week from Monday. At least she wouldn’t have the Navy breathing down her neck anytime soon.

  If he’s traveling across country, he’d have a car full of stuff, probably.

  She’d have to text Courtney to have his vehicle found and impounded to return to him when he got out of this mess. If he gets out. What the hell am I going to do with him if Court can’t get a safe house?

  Her gaze drifted from the motion of a ground squirrel skittering through the brush toward the striped walls to the west. Beyond them lay dry mountains for a few miles before dropping down into the valley housing Pahrump. Little pink houses for you and me, right? Amusement dragged a smile across her lips before it faded into memory.

  Lindsey had spent summers in Pahrump when in elementary school. Her paternal uncle and aunt had a cabin in the little town of Alpine Springs located at the pass between Vegas and Pahrump. It served as a retreat from the Mojave heat. Her uncle’s cabin sat nestled in a secluded spot across Windfall creek from any neighbors. She’d only visited as a kid and since going undercover she’d had to let familial connections go. But she doubted her uncle would have disposed of the cabin.

  Plan Bravo.

  Pulling a lighter out of her purse, she lit the lacy paper on fire and watched it burn against the rough rock of the retaining wall. If Courtney couldn’t get her a safe house, she’d take John to her uncle’s cabin and hide out there until the coast was clear. She snorted. Great adage, Jarvis, considering your victim is a Navy guy.

  When the paper turned to black ash, Lindsey retreated to her car and got in. She pulled out of the overlook and headed west up 160 toward Pahrump. Better to check if the cabin was occupied now than have to be surprised when she really needed it.

  Her mind worked on a plan for the forty-five minute drive to Alpine Springs. By the time she turned off the highway onto the unlined road to her uncle’s cabin, she’d already compiled a list of what she’d need to hole-up for a few days. She slowed down as she approached the cabin, not wanting to see anyone she knew from her previous life. This would only work as a safe house if no one knew where she’d gone.

  The small A-frame building sat alone in the clearing and the robust weeds in the drive suggested no one had been there for a while. Perfect. She parked before the weathered front door with a small square window at eye level and got out. The temperature sat at least ten degrees cooler than Vegas here in the Spring Mountains and the warm vanilla scent of ponderosa pine filled the clearing. Just like John. The thought cheered her more than it should have, but she shoved it aside as she searched for the extra key. She hoped it remained hidden beneath the third loose rock in the sandstone flowerbed border just as it had her last summer there.

  Relief poured through her as she grasped the cool metal. She quickly replaced the rock and returned to the door. The interior of the cabin sat in musty darkness and more of Lindsey’s tension fled. She pushe
d open some of the drapes to let in the light. The floors had been swept and the counters washed recently. Shit, would they come back this weekend? Think, Jarvis! Father’s Day weekend had already passed and she recalled her uncle coming to the cabin every year to celebrate.

  If they’d come for Father’s Day, more than likely, they wouldn’t be back until Fourth of July and she had at least ten days before they returned for the holiday weekend. That should be enough time to get him safely out and cleaned up. John would need the detox time from the chemical cocktail LeBeau pumped into him.

  Lindsey flipped on the lights, grateful for the soft glow of low wattage. John probably wouldn’t like bright light. She checked the pilot light on the stove and water heater to be sure they’d have gas, and opened the kitchen taps. The water ran clear.

  “Good.” The house would be ready for them. If not that night, then on Saturday. If Courtney doesn’t come up with another option.

  Lindsey turned off all the lights, checked the doors and windows, and retreated to her car. Now all she had to do was wait. Her jaw tightened as she headed back to the highway. Waiting sucked. To distract herself, she ran over the list of items she’d need if they stayed at the cabin. Non-perishables, can-opener, bottled water, flashlight, blankets, men’s clothing, shoes…

  Burner phone and a suit. He has to look great for the Club.

  But she just had to get him out. No one would be looking at the brand or cut in the darkness of the Club. Once in the car, it wouldn’t matter. Excitement tightened her belly. They’d be out in less than thirty-six hours, and John would be safe.

  Chapter Five

  Lindsey took a deep breath as she waited for the valet. Her mind rechecked her inventory to make sure she hadn’t forgotten anything. She had her own casual clothes in addition to what she’d purchased the day before. Jenna Black would go missing that evening, right along with Chief Petty Officer JH Andrews.