Krystal Clear (Shattered Book 2) Read online

  When we got outside into the crisp cold air of nighttime, I expressed my concerns to the SWAT police officers. They laughed and one of them went into one of their vans and pulled out a small handheld helicopter looking thing.

  “It’s a drone,” I exclaimed.

  “Yeah, we’ll let this baby go airborne to fly in a widening spiral. It will report back any gunshots or haphazard groupings of cars or people. Come on, get in the van with us. We have extra weapons and ammunition. I’m Lt Jay Brown, by the way. Good to have an ATF agent with us.” Lt Brown was a small man with a raspy voice, but it was obvious the other men respected him.

  The five of us pulled ourselves into the van. Lt Brown, who seemed to be in charge, pulled his helmet off, and I suddenly realized that he was a she. She shook her head and, as everyone was buckling up and loading weapons, went to a mini fridge under her seat and started pulling out waters.

  “Everyone want water?” she asked. Grunts followed and she tossed them around. I drank my down in one long gulp. I hadn't realized how thirsty I was.

  The man in the driver's seat turned on the van at the same time the man at the communications console started flicking buttons. A dull beeping noise sounded along with police radio chatter. The com man said to me, “The beeping noise is the drone. When the pitch gets higher or the beep gets faster, it's time to seriously monitor for activity.”

  The man suddenly stiffened and turned towards the radio, listening. “Lou, the radio is reporting multiple gunshots in the South Cleveland industrial area.”

  “Let's go,” Brown said as she put her helmet back on, Beekman, send the drone that way.” Our speed increased and an occasional whoop-whoop of a siren caught the attention of civilian drivers.

  “We don't want to go in, lights and sirens blazing,” said the Lieutenant, “I'm going to have us park a few blocks away. Maybe we will be able to sneak up on whatever is happening and assess the situation before we go in.”

  We ended up parking the van behind an abandoned warehouse that was two warehouses down from where we could faintly hear gunfire and shouting. The five of us carefully ran behind them and came around the side of the apparently abandoned one, to see my ATF team and their two vans in a shootout with gunmen and snipers. I now knew these were Cartel members. I didn't know if Derick knew that. There were some men down on both sides, though it looked as if the Cartel had been heavier hit. But my ATF guys couldn't keep it up without reinforcements. They were just too outnumbered and outgunned.

  I grinned fiercely. That was what my extra five was going to do; even up the numbers. Then, Brown waved Beckmann and myself to a concealed position by some empty oil drums and two men up a fire escape to an empty doorway in the next building over. All the SWAT men had vests, helmets and were loaded for bear with weapons, including grenades, I was glad to see.

  She counted down and, quietly, we started picking off the Cartel men. They were exposed from our positions. They didn't even realize what was happening at first. It was as if their men were just falling dead from magic gunfire that came out of nowhere.

  Suddenly, I saw one man dart into the empty warehouse. From my position I could follow him without making a target of myself, so I motioned my partner as to where I was going and duck walked into the old building. The man I was chasing was securing a truck, closing its cargo doors and then jumping into the driver's seat. I ran towards him, shooting a few times to hopefully scare him.

  He didn't scare easily, but I got close enough to make a leap to the passenger side door handle. The heavy truck door swung open, and I used the weight of my body to swing it back. I swung into the passenger seat next to the man who was trying to get away with what I guessed was their most recent shipment of drugs.

  As I raised my fist to hit him in his face, I was surprised to see it was Aaron Favoloras, the leader of the Cartel, the man who was wanted for the death of Flower’s mother, and the man who had declared blood debt on Flower and me.

  I practically shook with fury and rage. This man had almost single-handedly destroyed our life in Louisville. In the seconds that thought occurred to me, my fist landed on his nose, which started spurting blood. Favoloras raised his gun, trying to point it at me and shoot. Mine was already half-aimed at his stomach and I pulled the trigger. Favoloras jerked from the impact, but either he was very brave, or the shock of the bullet was so great that he felt no pain, because he continued to try and pull the barrel of his gun up towards my head. However, he had very little strength left, and I easily knocked the gun from his hand and then took my gun and hit him over the head as hard as I could. There was part of me that hoped I had killed him, because I knew a connected man like this could always cause trouble, even while incarcerated.

  He fell limply in his seat. I checked his pulse which was thready and weak. I wasn't hearing any more gunfire from outside the building so I pulled the radio that the police had given me out of my pocket and called the Lieutenant.

  “Hey Donahue, what are you doing? We’re cleaning up the last of the mess out here. Where are you?”

  “Well, Lieutenant," I said, with a hoarse voice, realizing my throat was parched and felt like sandpaper. “I'm sitting in the cargo truck, filled with drugs, with a critically wounded Aaron Favoloras. I guess we need a secured ambulance and, if you know where Special Agent Black is, I'd sure like to see him.”

  “Yeah, son, right now he’s cussing out the medic who's trying to wrap the little bullet wound he got in his shoulder." I'll send those two into you. None of the good guys fell today, but we have a few wounded. I can't say the same for the other side.”

  The Lieutenant didn't sound upset at all.

  In a few minutes, I had the quiet, deep voice of Special Agent Black, my boss, my mentor, my friend. He was good-naturedly cursing at the woman with him, giving her grief over trying to make his wound seem worse than it was.

  “Hey, Black, you're not dead?” I shouted as I jumped out of the truck. “If not, shut your mouth and let that medic check our prisoner and see if he’s dead.”

  I walked my way over to Derick, and slapped his back, as we swung our guns up to cover Favoloras while the medic checked him.

  “Shit,” the little medic said, “You didn't hit him hard, did you, Sam?” Then she pulled her radio and started to direct an emergency bus into the warehouse. More FBI, police and ATF came swarming to take custody of one of the most highly wanted drug lord, sex trafficker, and gun runner, in the Americas. As he was placed on a stretcher and loaded into an ambulance, Derick and I grinned at each other.

  “Let's go home Sam,” Derick said, “You've got some major groveling to do.”

  “Yes Derick, I surely do, I sure do.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Samuel

  I looked at the small loaded U-Haul truck with the belongings we were taking back to Louisville with us. Most of the furniture stayed with the house. We were taking the kitchen table and the sunflower porch swing, plus the same personal stuff we had brought with us. Flower was fussing about the careful packing and loading of the baby things she had gotten at the baby shower here in Tennessee. One of her friends from her art class had hosted it, much to my surprise. It just went to show what a ray of beauty and love, my sweet Flower was, that in the short months we had been here, she had made so many friends.

  Ariel and Missy had come, along with a whole crowd from the dog rescue. Neighbors were there with casseroles and gifts. Police Officers, FBI Agents and their women were there. They had given us a gift certificate that was the amount found in a small bank. The dog rescuers had brought their dogs, and after a few growls and posturing at the strangers, Ziva gave in and was happily running around the back yard with her new friends. We had a great time and while I knew Maeve, Flower and I were going to miss our new friends, we were happy to be going back to our interrupted life in Kentucky.

  As Maeve hopped in the driver’s seat of the U-Haul and pulled forward. “You riding with me, Special Agent Black?”

 
Derick looked at her somberly, and then pulled open the passenger door and fluidly pulled himself into the seat of the truck. Flower and I, plus Ziva the hero dog, were going to drive Maeve’s car, Derick. She had refused to get rid of it. She had great fun teasing Derick the man, about how both the car and him were old men.

  I called for Flower and helped her get into the ragged passenger seat, and we started waving to the neighbors who were out to see us off. I opened my door, and Ziva sailed gracefully into the small back seat, then I got in and started the car.

  We followed Maeve onto the highway, and we were both content. Flower and I were going to stop in Knoxville to break up the ride. She was almost in her third trimester and riding in an uncomfortable jouncing old car with bad heat for six hours in December wasn't something I was going to subject her to.

  Besides, I had groveled to Flower, constantly and thoroughly. My jealous behavior when Jack had lied to me about Flower flirting with Carl had been dreadful. Some of the things I said to her were unforgivable. Luckily, Flower was an angel on earth, and had sweetly forgiven me. She and I had not had any alone time since the arrests, so I splurged for an expensive room in a nice hotel in Knoxville. I was looking forward to being close once again with my sweet-smelling Flower.

  We drove the two and a half hours to Knoxville without problems, using the time to talk and share our lives with each other. It felt like we were relaxing and entering back into our real lives and our real selves. I pulled up to the hotel in Knoxville and laughed under my breath when I gave the keys to the ragged car to the astounded parking valet, and then smirked when Ziva flowed out of the car, seemingly never to end. She was a large dog. This hotel was pet friendly, but I wasn't sure a monster dog as big as Ziva, was what they had in mind. I handed our single duffle bag to the bell hop as he was staring nervously at her. Front Desk had our key cards ready, so all I had to do was sign my name and we were whisked up the elevator to the twelfth floor. The bellhop opened the door to a large VIP suite. Flower gasped when we walked in. The living area was done in deep burgundies with touches of grays and taupes.

  You could see into the bedroom to the high king-sized bed with its gray comforter and plethora of soft pillows. Flower tiptoed into the bathroom and actually squealed in delight at the huge rainforest shower and the soaking tub that was set in the middle of the huge space, tiled in pristine white. Ziva immediately jumped on the couch and made herself at home, her large tongue lolling from her mouth.

  I tipped the bellhop, and much to his chagrin went with him, downstairs with Ziva to take her out for a quick walk. When we got back upstairs, Flower was still wandering around the suite as if she were afraid to touch anything. So I scooped her into my arms and threw her gently onto the huge bed. She sank amidst the fluffy comforter, soft sheets and the millions of pillows, laughing loudly. Ziva jumped up on the bed and started barking. I smiled at her and the dog, then chuckled. It was so rare that she laughed out loud; it made me happy to see her so happy.

  Then she told me, “I'm hungry Blue. Let's order the pizza.”

  God forbid that my three girls would go hungry, so I pulled up the Papa John’s app and ordered two large pizzas, one with everything but olives and anchovies, and one plain. Then, I called room service and ordered a few desserts and a pot of decaf coffee. I pulled Ziva’s travel dishes from our duffle and opened a packet of food for her. As far as I was concerned, she could never get too much special treatment. She had saved my beloved girl from Aaron Favoloras. I owed Ziva for the life of the woman I loved, and our baby.

  Then, I was ready and willing to spoil my sweet baby for the rest of the night. I owed it to her for what I put her through because of my lack of faith in her. I went in the bathroom and started the hot steaming water flowing in that huge tub. I walked to the bed and carefully undressed my pretty girl, helped her tie her hair into a messy bun on top of her head, and carried her into the tub, sliding her into the deep, hot water. She sighed and slipped down until the water covered her neck. I could see the curves of her body wavering in the clear water. Her pregnancy had caused her to have a curvier figure, but she was still like a tiny doll to me, not weighing enough to make carrying her at all difficult. She was my Krystal Flower.

  Krystal

  Blue knelt next to the tub where he had placed a soft sponge and citrusy smelling body wash. He carefully started washing my front, gently stroking over my nipples again and again. I moaned with the amazing sensations that shot straight to my core. He didn't stay there, instead moving down until he was holding one leg out of the water to wash, and then the other. I felt limp from the warm water and Blue’s ministrations.

  Then he pulled my legs apart, putting each over a different side of the tub. I was spread as wide as I possibly could be. He growled at me. “Flower, your pussy looks like a beautiful pink rose. Your clit is peeping out of its little cover and looking so needy.”

  I couldn't help but groan. Then he took the sponge and rubbed it gently over and around my clit. At the same time, he leaned over and sucked my nipple into his mouth.

  As he rubbed my clit and sucked on my nipple, he took his other hand and slid one then two fingers into my vagina and out again. He continued that, and curved his fingers slightly, so with each in and out slide he put pressure on that special spot that caused such tingling to travel up to my center and out again. I bowed my back and tossed back my head as the hot white lightning shot through me and launched me like an arrow into an endless midnight sky sprinkled with bright flashing stars. Somewhere in the far distance, I heard a knock-knock, but paid it little mind.

  “Fuck,” my Blue whispered. “Stay there Flower." He removed his fingers from my body and got off the bathroom floor, leaving the room as I became a limp, boneless mess in the hot water of the tub.

  I continued to float in my mindless state, feeling the aftershocks of my orgasm, until sometime later, Blue came back.

  “Come on, honey, you're getting pruney. The pizza is here.”

  He helped me out of the tub and wrapped a warm towel from the heated towel rack around me. I had never been around such luxury before now.

  Then, he picked me up in his arms and carried me to the bed. He had straightened it and pulled the covers down and plumped the pillows so I was sitting half leaning against them. He lovingly tucked the covers around me and my heated towel.

  I giggled, “All I need are grapes for you to drop one by one into my mouth, and I'd feel like Cleopatra.”

  Blue replied, “You're going to have to make due with pizza and juice from the mini bar. Besides, you're way prettier than she ever was.”

  We sat in bed watching TV and eating pizza. Eventually, room service knocked and delivered vanilla ice cream, hot chocolate molten cake and warm, cherry pie. It looked so good, and we ate a few bites of everything. Ziva ate a piece of pizza and a cup of vanilla ice cream. I protested, but Blue said she deserved a treat. Blue cleaned up the leftovers and put the ice cream in the little freezer. The cake he sat on top of the microwave.

  Finally, Blue crawled into bed and handed me a small box. “Flower,” he said, “I think it's time you become my wife for real. I think our ‘practice run’ went great so please say yes.” I opened the box and saw a delicate gold filigree antique ring. It was set with a beveled cut diamond surrounded by small rubies. I looked at him with astonished eyes. I was so overwhelmed I couldn't speak.

  Then Blue said, “Will you marry me, darlin’?”

  I nodded my head vigorously, throwing my arms around his neck and kissing him over his entire face. He smiled and kissed me on my lips, sucking my lower lip into his mouth and rubbing his tongue back and forth over it.

  Then he kissed down my neck till he reached my ear. He whispered, “Thank you, baby, for forgiving me. I promise I will always trust you from now on. I was stupid to take someone else's word over yours.”

  Then, he pulled me around so his front was spooning my back. I rubbed my bare ass against his stiffening cock I wanted to recipro
cate for our bathroom adventure, and for his proposal and the beautiful apology. I knew he was trying to make up for his lack of trust in me. I couldn't be angry at Blue for long. He made a mistake, and hurt me badly. However, I loved him and I had promised him forever. Forgiveness was easy. We snuggled and I was so tired my half-shut eyes drifted totally shut and I fell asleep.

  ---

  I woke up halfway through an orgasm, and I moaned, “Oh Blue." Light was peeking through the closed curtains, telling me it was morning already.

  He was behind me with his cock going smoothly and slowly in and out of my dripping wet vagina. Each in and out of his cock was an excruciatingly pleasurable touch against that special G Spot, and then, as only his tip was left inside me, it rubbed hard against my clit. I was still half asleep and building to another climax. I pushed my ass back against Blue and raised my upper leg to give him more room. He moaned as he pushed even further into me. He felt so good. He rotated his hips and I started pushing back and forward, when suddenly Blue’s steady strokes got faster and harder. I tried to keep up with him as I felt my own orgasm coming like a tsunami.

  Blue’s movements got jerky and more erratic, and I felt his cock get impossibly harder and bigger.

  “I'm going to come, Flower,” he said urgently, “Come with me.”

  Evidently, that's what I was waiting for, because as I felt his hot streams pour into me, I let go and allowed that huge wave to drown me in darkness and heat. It was as if I was tumbling endlessly in a warm sea, wrapped in Blue’s protective arms.

  Sometime later I awoke, and I really was wrapped in his arms. He was on his back and I was halfway pulled onto his chest and able to hear his comforting slow heartbeats. I listened for long minutes before I whispered, “Love you, Blue.”

  He said it back, nearly inaudibly, “Love you too, darlin’.”

  Then we both fell asleep again, wrapped in each other’s arms, and in renewed trust and love.