Joseph (16 page)

His hand separated the folds around her labia. He blew over her hot glistening sex. Her hips squirmed slightly against the sensation. Slowly he started his trail of small kisses interspersed with sharp bites along the inside of her thigh. Her body trembled by the time he reached the apex of her leg. With both hands, he spread her sex open wide to him. Unable to hold himself back any longer he stroked one side of her with his tongue. Her clean, sweet taste was an unbelievable aphrodisiac.

He began to torture her with long, languid strokes of his tongue that never quite reached her clitoris. Her body wept with need and he gladly lapped up every bit of her essence. Ember’s low throaty moan and the nearly constant shivering of her muscles urged him on. He lifted on his knees and moved away from her heated center to circle her small tight opening with his tongue. Her body tensed abruptly and her head jerked up. Kissing the soft skin of her ass, he whispered his words against her. “This body is mine to do with as I wish, Ember. Be a good girl and make me proud and I’ll take you to heaven, baby.”

Her head dropped back down between her arms. “Perfect, baby. So good.” He lowered his head and circled her pucker with his tongue pushing in slightly, nipping around the edges of the sensitive nerve endings. One hand found her vaginal opening. He entered her with his fingers at the same time as he circled pressure on her clit. She bucked back against him, her actions begging him for release.

Joseph speared her puckered circle repeatedly with his tongue and loosened the tightness slowly. Her body clenched and her breath caught. She teetered precariously on the edge of orgasm. Joseph stood, centered himself and thrust deep into her. The head of his cock hit her cervix. Ember choked off a cry and whimpered as he bent her further changing his angle so as not to injure her. He liked inflicting pain, but he would never seriously hurt her. He set a sharp, rapid pace, pumping her with fierce intent. Her channel clenched tightly around him as her hips moved in an orgasm-driven reaction. He felt the tight squeeze of her walls, but he refused to be pulled over the edge. No, he wanted more.

He stilled and unscrewed the cap of the lube spreading a thick line along his fingers. He used his slicked fingers to open her virgin ass while his cock remained buried in her. He thrust two fingers into her. She didn’t even try to muffle her cry. He slapped her round buttock cheek with his free hand leaving a bright red handprint. “I love the sounds you make, baby girl. I want to hear them.” His fingers scissored working and stretching the straining ring of muscles opening her further. The insertion of a third finger and more lube forced a deep groan from her.

“That’s my baby girl. Let me take what I want.” He lifted his hand further, placing two fingers in her mouth. “Suck them.” Her hot wet tongue swirled the cream covered fingers and her suction pulled her taste from his skin. “Can you taste how good your cream is, baby?”

Her moan reverberated around his fingers. “That’s right. Don’t stop.” He released his fingers from her hot back channel and pulled her against him. He withdrew his cock from her cream soaked pussy and immediately moved up pushing through the painfully tight ring of muscles guarding her entrance. He held his hand over her mouth, quieting the cry his entrance forced from her. Her ass was so damn tight he knew she was reeling from the burn of his cock impaling her. The intense pleasure of her constricting hot ass almost forced a climax before he seated himself completely. Joseph thrust up burying himself in her and stilled until her body loosened. He could feel her shudder as she struggled to adjust to the fullness of his girth. She whimpered and tried to pull away from him. Her movement echoed deep in his balls. God, the ache to come nearly overtook him. When he regained control, he slid out a scant inch only to press deeper inside her. His hand muffled her gasping cry keeping the delicious sound for himself. God, the grip of her tight body and those sexy as hell little cries. So damn good.

“That’s right, baby. This luscious body is mine. I’ve wanted this ass for over sixteen years. You’re so damn tight. God you feel better than I ever thought you could.”

He moved in and out of her vise-like confines and groaned against her neck. “So fucking good baby girl.”

His hand lowered from her mouth to her mound where he worked his fingers through her folds finding her weeping hot sex. “Oh hell, yeah, you like it too, don’t you, baby?” Her ‘yes’ fell in a guttural sob. He concentrated on bringing her to another orgasm while trying to hold off the molten lava of his own. Her body spasmed. Her muscles clenched with a gripping intensity around his cock and when it did, he erupted inside her again.

Joseph held her tight against his chest while they both pulled ragged lungfuls of air. When his cock softened and slipped from her body, he gently maneuvered her forward toward the bed. Once he got her situated in the middle, he went into the bathroom and cleaned up, bringing a damp cloth back to care for her. Joseph threw the towel toward the bathroom before he lay beside her, careful not to pull any of his repairing wounds. He ran his fingers through her silky red curls.

“You’re a gift.”

Ember turned towards him and snuggled close to his chest. Her muffled voice responded, “I’m not sorry I told you I loved you, Joey. I do.” She lifted up on her elbow and looked down at him. “I used to think love came with a white picket fence. Now I know it comes with an expiration date. It hurts, Joey, not being able to have a normal relationship.”

He could see her internal battle and the hurt that drifted across her expression. He lifted a hand to her cheek and moved her curls from her face. “Who gets to say what normal is, little one? Who gets to decide what love is or how long it lasts? Who can say with absolute certainty that love is only traditional sex between traditional couples? I believe God made each person unique. Who’s to say each person’s reality of love can’t be unique too? Does what we do and what we have right now, at this moment in time, make you feel good?”

He watched as she searched his face before she lowered her eyes and nodded. “I’ve never done the things I’ve done with you. I love the way you make me feel. I love it when you use my body to make us both feel good. But, I’m not going to lie. I want forever.”

He pushed a random curl away from her face and pulled her closer. “Forever is the one thing I can’t give.”

Ember sat quietly on a bench outside Dr. Cassidy’s office at the clinic. In her opinion, Guardian’s mental health expert had come way too early to conduct his sessions. Ember’s head ached miserably. When she woke this morning, a bottle of water and two aspirin were on the bedside table. Joseph taking care of her, no doubt.

Her head did ache, but worse, she couldn’t find a comfortable position to sit. Every time her body moved, her aching muscles reminded her of last night, of Joey. A smile lingered on her face as the warm feeling once again flushed through her body. She had told him she loved him. The freeing sensation that hit her last night still lifted her like a kite on a strong wind. Her heart soared with buoyancy until reality crashed around her. He would be gone soon. Gone from her life—forever. How could she possibly deal with that?

Keelee’s advice landed right on target. She would never regret letting him know her feelings, no matter the personal cost. She sincerely hoped that somehow her new friend would be able to tear down the walls in her own world. Ember slowly leaned back against the back of the couch and closed her eyes.

With an effort, she diverted her mind’s wandering from her personal issues to the door across the hall. Doc had been in with the clinical psychologist for a long time. Chief had already had his session and had called her when he was finished, almost an hour ago. Joseph was scheduled to go in after her. Ember jumped when the cushion suddenly sank next to her. She gasped and hit Joey in the arm. “Don’t sneak up on me!”

His laughter carried through the small sitting area. “Feisty this morning aren’t you, little girl?”

Ember immediately blushed as he pulled her onto his lap. She positioned herself to sit on her hip rather than her bottom. He nuzzled her neck and whispered, “Are you sore?” Joseph’s hand moved down to her backside where he held her softly, undeniably claiming what he knew was his.

Ember melted inside. This massive man, an assassin, who had endured more pain in his life than she could ever imagine, held her like she was a priceless object. The way they made love might be rougher than what she’d once considered proper, but she wouldn’t have it any other way. She snuggled against his chest and rested her head on his shoulder. “I’m a little sore. But I like being reminded of what we did.”

The door to Doc’s office opened. Ember tried to move off Joey’s lap, but he held her securely. Adam walked out giving both of them a distracted nod before he headed down the hallway and out the door.

“Good morning sunshine! How the hell are you?” Ember jumped when she saw the doctor who followed Adam out the door. His greeting was the same one he used every morning for a year during their rotations together.

“Oh my God! Remi Wheeler! What are you doing here?” Ember launched from Joseph’ lap and jumped into the arms of the massive tattooed doctor who loomed in the doorway.

“I could ask you the exact same question, Red.” He pulled her tight and twirled her around before setting her down and planting a kiss on her upturned lips.

Ember laughed and turned to Joseph still hugging the newcomer. “Joey, this is Remi Wheeler. He and I were on the same rotations during medical school. We put up with the same doddering old doctors and dealt with the same hospital politics and med school bureaucracy before we went our different ways.”

The doctor released Ember and held out his hand. “Dr. Jeremiah Wheeler. I take it you two are friends.”

Joseph extended a hand and grasped the doctor’s. “No, she is more than a friend. In the interest of full disclosure, if you kiss her like that again, I’ll kill you.”

Holy shit!
Ember’s head whipped around at the comment. No laugh followed Joey’s statement. Aggression rolled off him in waves. She had to give Remi credit. He didn’t flinch.

“Yeah? Well, if you kill me it won’t be sanctioned.”

Ember watched the two men square off. She moved over and stood beside Joseph. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and tucked her close to his side.

“True, but the idea of an off-the-books hit doesn’t bother me right now. Make an informed decision, Doc. It may be your last.” Ember trembled at the threat, but Remi threw back his head and laughed.

“Fair enough. You have no worries. I have a woman in Hollister that would string me up by the balls if I stray off the reservation. Now, since I sense absolute zero trust from you big guy, why don’t we do our session first and if Ember agrees you can sit in when I talk to her about last week?”

Ember rushed to agree. “That’s fine. I think I’d actually prefer Joey to be with me.” She felt his muscles relax at her response and said a silent prayer of thanks. Remi always could read people.

*

Joseph sat in the chair across from the shrink. The dude looked more like a biker. Tall guy, six three, athletic—favoring his left leg—he wore his black hair long and loose almost hiding a snake tattoo slithering up the right side of his neck. Two forearms of very impressive ink were revealed when the doctor pushed his long sleeve t-shirt up toward his elbows.

“Done measuring me?”

“Yes.” Joseph had learned early the only way to get a “go” on any evaluation was to be brutally honest.

“Tell me. What do you see?”

“Clarify the question.”

“You sized me up. What do you see?” The man leaned back in his chair.

“You appear relaxed. You’re not. You limp slightly on your left leg. I would exploit that weakness should I decide to kill you. Your heart rate is elevated. Your repetitious clicking of that pen indicates you’re nervous. Smart man. You’ve read my file, and my relationship with an old friend of yours has upset you. Most likely because of what you’ve learned from that data. You’ve been around hard people. You’re comfortable in that environment. You’re not comfortable around me. Probably because what I do upsets your morals.”

Joseph watched the effect of his words. The doctor stopped clicking the pen and put it down gently on the notebook on his lap.

“You’re very astute, Joey.”

Fuck you, asshole. You don’t get to call me that
. “If I weren't, I wouldn’t be alive. Knowing my environment and my enemy is essential. My name is Joseph.”

“I’m not your enemy and Ember called you Joey.”

“You’re not my friend. Therefore you’re a potential enemy. She is the only one who calls me Joey.”

“The fact you limit your friends isn’t surprising. Why is Red the only one who calls you Joey?”

Because I love her, fuckwad.
“I allow her to do so.”

“Do you have to control everything? Even what people call you?”

Well, no shit, stupid.
“Yes.”

“Why.”

“I want to live.”

Joseph waited for several minutes. He knew this game too. The doctor was waiting for him to add more to the conversation.
Keep waiting, doc. Hell will freeze over first
.

Finally, the man spoke. “You almost didn’t live. Your last assignment almost killed you.”

“Yes.”

“Tell me about it.”

“Clarify the question.”

“Tell me what happened after your cover was blown.” The shrink crossed his leg at the ankle and leaned back into the chair willing to wait for an answer.

“I was taken.”

“And then?”

“I woke in a dungeon with my hands tied to a wooden pole. They didn’t secure my legs.” Joseph stopped and focused his vision just left of the man’s ear as the doctor wrote a note on his pad. “That was their second mistake.”

“Go on.”

“Things got uncomfortable. You read my file. You know very well what happened.”

“How did you endure the pain?”

Joseph blinked and looked back at the man. “Clarify the question.”

“According to the medical records your skin was peeled off your back. The pain must have been excruciating. How did you deal with the pain?”

“I focused.”

“On what?”

“Killing the mother fucker.”

“And did you?”

“Yes.”

“How?”

“I freed my left hand and severed his carotid artery with a scalpel.”

“How did you escape?”

“I ran.”

“Just ran? Nobody said anything to you about the strips of skin hanging off you? The blood? That must have been obvious.”

“An old woman saved my life. She hid me underneath the floor in the kitchen of the compound where I was held. Two days after she moved me out of the crawl space, they found it. She refused to tell them where the women of the village had hidden me. They pulled her into the town square and raped her–broke every bone in her body and then eviscerated her alive as a warning to others never to help the enemy again.”

“Intelligence reports indicate all the men in that compound were mutilated and dismembered.”

“Do they?”

“Yes. Did you do that, Joseph?”

“No.”

“Then who did?”

“I don’t speculate.”

“Ah heck, just this once, give it a try. It’ll stay between us.”

Joseph stopped looking past him and focused on the man. He noted the way the doctor shifted uncomfortably under his stare.
No different than any other man.

“I killed them, doc. Clean, quiet. When I finished, I opened the compound gates and drove one of the guard’s trucks away. The women must have done what is indicated in the reports.”

“Women? You believe old women committed this…this atrocity?” Rampant disbelief dripped from the man’s inquiry. Inquiry…hell it was an accusation.

“Aside from the fact that it takes a fair degree of strength to dismember a body and I was not at my best, those men took everything from that village. They murdered husbands and sons. Daughters as young as eight vanished into the compound never to return. The women spoke of the screams they heard at night, the helplessness and guilt they lived with. Those bastards kept them alive to be servants and the dogs were treated better than they were. I’m an assassin, Doctor. They were victims. I made it safe for them. What they or anyone else did after I left isn’t my concern.”

“You’re very matter of fact about this abomination.”

Joseph laughed. He watched the doctor flinch. Yeah, the man may be tough, but he didn’t do evil well.

“I don’t fabricate drama or surround myself in fantasies, doctor. You asked for the facts then you asked me to speculate. I provided you both. How you process the information isn’t my concern. Your outrage is your baggage. You deal with it.”

The doctor paused and glanced at his notes before he underlined a word and cleared his throat. Twice. “Okay, let’s backtrack for just a second. You said leaving your legs untied was the enemy’s second mistake. What was the first?”

“They didn’t kill me immediately. Rank amateurs.”

“Tell me, do you care about the lives you took?”

“Bingo. The money question sprung after a distraction. Do they teach that in Shrink 101? Every fucking one of you have the technique down. I don’t have sociopathic tendencies, doctor. Why don’t I save us both some time and effort? Do I value human life? Yes, I do. Would I have taken those lives if it were not for the requirements of my job, for my safety, or to protect those women? No. Did I have average family attachments growing up? Yes, I love my family. They’re big, noisy, and messed up, but they are mine. Do I have healthy relationships with women? If you asked me before Ember came back into my life, I would say no. I used women for sex. Do I have problems dealing with what I do for a living? Absolutely not. I have never had a sleepless night. I trust my handlers at Guardian implicitly.”

“Since Ember came back into your life? You knew her before?”

“Yes.”

“Would you care to elaborate?”

“No.”

“You threatened to kill me if I kissed Ember again. That is territorial and in direct conflict to your stated reasons for killing—your job and safety.”

“Yes.”

“Please explain.”

“Ember is a part of me and you threatened that part.”

“With a simple kiss?”

“Yes.”

“Don’t you trust her?”

“Of course I do, but I don’t trust you.”

“Why not? Guardian does. Gabriel does. He directed you to talk to me.”

“If a complete stranger did the same to your woman in Hollister would you trust him?”

Doctor Wheeler shook his head as a smile parted his lips. “No. Can’t say that I would. But I don’t think I would threaten to kill him.”

“No, you’d just think it. The difference between me and your polite society? I act.”

“And still you maintain you have no sociopathic tendencies?”

Joseph chuckled and shrugged. “I’ve been tested. The results are in the records you hold. Now can we cut the hypothetical bullshit about what I would or wouldn’t do?”

“Alright, let’s talk about this past week. How many people have you killed in the last seven days.”

“Three.”