Forever Finn Read online

  As Croft hammered her sheath more insistently, her body responded and began to ascend again to the pinnacle of pleasure he seemed intent on having her achieve in unison with his own.

  “Please, Croft,” she called to him huskily. “Finish with me.”

  He kissed her again as she reached the height of her pleasure again, and he spilled himself deeply inside her. He had ceased to actively stroke her, but Finn could feel his cock still spurting the last remnants of cum. As he had before, he rolled to his back, taking her with him without withdrawing. He stroked her back as the last fevered shivers quieted in her body.

  “I thought John told you not to fuck me too hard.”

  Croft chuckled. “He did … and I didn’t. Trust me, babe, that’s nothing compared to what I plan to do you when I have the time and it doesn’t matter that you’re sore when I’m done.”

  Finn shook her head and giggled, laying her head on his chest. She was fairly certain that wasn’t a sound she had made since she was a toddler. “Is it wrong to feel what I do with you when my brother isn’t safe?”

  “Look at me, Finn.”

  She did so.

  “From everything you’ve said, your brother loves you. You finding comfort and some sense of happiness with all that’s happening would only reassure him that you will be fine regardless of whatever unfolds this afternoon. Once he sees you’re safe and sound and knows Fariq will leave him alone, he’ll be able to get over the guilt he’s going to have about ever having involved you.”

  “But he didn’t involve me,” she protested.

  “I know, babe, but he’s not going to see it that way. Having you happy and settled with a man who loves you will make him feel better.”

  “And you think I’m settled?”

  “I think you damn well better think so. Because if you don’t, I’ll ensure your backside is just as sore as your pussy before I’m done.”

  Finn shook her head and kissed him. “You really are a jackass.”

  He nodded. “I really am. We’ve got some time to kill before we need to get ready to go. The other thing John told me was not to worry about what we might need for the operation. My only concern before we leave is to reassure you and make this as easy on you as we can make it.”

  “I take it, then, he’d approve of me lying on top of you, impaled on your cock.”

  Croft glanced down at his watch. “I’m fairly sure that right about now his Mandy is in a similar position.”

  Finn rolled her eyes. “The whole lot of you are jackasses.”

  “Damn right,” Croft said as he sat up and brought her legs around him.

  “Did you sleep well?” she asked, suddenly shy and unable to look him in the eye.

  “It’s just me, Finn. Nothing has changed in the past few minutes except we’re sitting up. And yes, babe, as long as I’m sleeping curled up with you, I sleep better than I ever have in my life.”

  “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to seem wishy-washy. This has just been so fast, and I never expected anyone like you in my life.”

  “You mean some ex-SEAL, ex-cowboy who only wears a suit when he absolutely has to?”

  She laughed. “God, I wish. That doesn’t bother me at all. What I’m having trouble accepting is the whole dominant/submissive thing. I’ve never, ever thought of myself in those terms.”

  “Good. I’ve never wanted a submissive. Some couples thrive in that dynamic, but I want a woman who’s my equal and makes a choice to yield to my authority. I don’t think there’s any one right or wrong way. I think people need to find their own way that works for them. For us, I think ideologically you have an objection to not being the dominant partner, but deep down inside, the largest part of you has been looking for me as long as I’ve been looking for you.”

  “Do you really think so?”

  He nodded. “I do. There’s just too many societal norms that tell you not to.”

  “Doesn’t that bother you?”

  “No, I think at some point too many men got lazy and abandoned what I see as their natural role to be the dominant partner. Someone has to be, so a lot of women were forced to step up and assume that position. Problem is, a lot of men now want it back because they think it means they get their own way. They want all the goodies, so to speak, and none of the responsibilities. I think most women, if given the opportunity to be with a man who can actually lead, prefer it that way. But they aren’t going to be put in the position of having to yield, if the guy’s an idiot and wants them to still do all the work. Frankly, I don’t blame them.”

  He made it all sound so easy. “What about your friend Avery? Is she involved?”

  Croft laughed. “Avery proves my point. When the right man comes along and takes Avery in hand, she’ll fall into line and be incredibly happy and a great partner. But he’s going to have to be every bit as tough and fearless as she is. Otherwise, Avery will do what she’s always done in the past and roll right through the middle of him without breaking stride.”

  “So, it won’t bother you that some guy is beating her ass? Don’t you want him to respect her?”

  “You mean spank her? Not if she’s done something to deserve it. And knowing Avery, she will. Do you feel disrespected by me or anyone you’ve met so far with the firm? Because I can assure you, you’ll never find a group of men who has more respect and admiration for the crap women have to put up with than me and the guys I work with.”

  “They kept looking to you for answers instead of me,” Finn protested.

  “Only on the question of whether or not you were going to the meeting. And yeah, that’s one we’re all going to defer to the man involved, provided we know he’s going to do the right thing for his woman.”

  Finn processed what he’d said and felt better about their relationship that seemed to be proceeding at warp speed. She still had questions and concerns but did feel as though they were headed in the right direction and that, as he said, he did respect her. She was doing fine until the enormity of the entire situation landed on her like a giant weight that had been suspended above her had its mooring cut and it fell.

  Without her saying a word, Croft seemed to know the instant it did and gathered her close, rocking her gently and stroking her hair and back. In a most unusual act for her, Finn burst into tears and buried her head in his neck, accepting the solace he sought to provide while whispering comforting words in her ear. When the storm of her tears had passed, he wiped them gently from her cheeks with his thumbs and brushed his lips against hers.

  “Better?”

  “You knew I’d fall apart,” she accused softly.

  He nodded. “I knew when you felt completely safe, you’d let down your guard. I’m glad it happened now while I could be there for you. It’s just me, Finn. You have nothing you ever need to hide from me … nothing.” He grinned at her. “And if you ever lie to me or use those crocodile tears on me, you and my belt will have an in-depth discussion of why you won’t want to do it again.”

  “Jackass,” she laughed.

  “Yep. How about we see what we can put together for breakfast and then see how much time we have? If we have enough, maybe we’ll go saddle a couple of horses and take a brief ride before it gets too intense.”

  She nodded. “Any chance we could ride Jasper and Sam? I’ve grown kind of fond of that appaloosa mule of Willa’s.”

  “As I said, he’s a good mount, and I don’t mind riding Sam at all.”

  Croft helped her up off his cock and out of his lap, and the two went into the kitchen. They fell into cooking together as easily as they had many other things and quickly had breakfast ready and consumed.

  There wasn’t a lot of time, but they managed to take a brief ride. Finn could tell Croft was trying to keep her mind occupied and reassure her without ever mentioning what they could expect that afternoon.

  “Do you think Christian will be all right?” she asked as they rubbed down the two mules and put them in their stalls.

  “Fariq sa
id he’d gotten him cared for, and I have no reason to doubt him. He also indicated this whole thing with your brother was done without his knowledge, and I tend to believe him. It’s not that I don’t think he’s capable of kidnapping and torturing someone, but remaining in the States is not his normal MO. He prefers to operate in neutral waters where there’s little anyone can do about it afterward.”

  “You almost sound as though you like him.”

  “Like? Hardly. He’s ruthless and a killer. But, in his own way, he’s honorable and, at the end of the day, he’s a professional and a businessman. He’s a lot easier to deal with than some hopped-up junkie or a committed terrorist. As I said, we’ve dealt with him before. We’re a known entity for him. He knows as long as things go down the way they’re supposed to this afternoon, he’ll have no issues from us. He also knows that if it doesn’t, we won’t stop coming until we’ve put him out of business … permanently.”

  She nodded as he wrapped her in his arms and kissed her. They returned to his cottage, as Finn liked to think of it, each took a shower and got ready to leave. They hopped in the truck for the short drive back to the firm’s headquarters where they were to convene before leaving for Las Vegas. As they drove up and parked, Finn was reassured to see the team and a larger helicopter waiting.

  “We aren’t late, are we?” she asked Croft.

  “No, babe. We just all tend to be chronically early. I’m usually the one who’s here first. I plan to blame it on you … an excuse they will all understand.”

  She rolled her eyes, and he laughed as he kissed her again. Finn had to give it to him — for a tough ex-SEAL, ex-cowboy he tended to be very affectionate and loving.

  ***

  Croft was glad to see that while Finn’s body had a bit more tension in it than earlier in the day, she seemed far more relaxed and confident than when they had first started. John had been right when he’d advised Croft to keep her occupied and make her feel as safe as he could yesterday and this morning.

  “Morning, Finn. I don’t know if you remember from yesterday, but I’m Baez.”

  She nodded. “Rafael Baez, if I remember correctly.” She turned to the other two men. “You’re John Hampton, second in command, as I recall, and you’re Noah Taylor.”

  Both men tipped their hats. Croft wasn’t sure why her behavior made him feel even prouder to be with her.

  “Your pilot is Avery,” she went on, “but I don’t know that I met the man with her.”

  “That’s Junior,” said John. “He’s our backup pilot as well as sniper. If it all goes to rat shit, Junior’s the guy you want coming for you.”

  “But you think it’ll be okay, right?” she asked, looking at Croft.

  “We do,” said Croft. “Like John said, Junior and Avery are our backup. They’ll be linked in on our communications. I don’t expect any problems with Fariq, but it’s a bit bothersome that this happened in the first place. Not at all like him. If he’s got something going on in his organization, there may be a power play we know nothing about.”

  The men and Avery all nodded.

  “We’re the just-in-case team,” Avery said with a grin. “Things start to go sideways, Junior and I come in, guns blazing.”

  “But only two extra guns,” said Finn.

  “And a fully armed helicopter,” Avery informed her. “This is the one that isn’t registered with anyone, anywhere. Trust me, I can take out the back wall of the Four Seasons dining room before Fariq and his goons know what hit them.”

  Finn smiled back at her. “You know, Avery, I think you and I will become great friends. I rather suspect you know all sorts of interesting stories about Croft.”

  “I do indeed. And unlike the boys in the band here, you don’t have to get me drunk to get me to tell.”

  Avery walked over, disengaged his arm from Finn, and linked arms with her.

  “Why don’t you sit up front with me,” she continued as she led Finn to the chopper.

  “Oh, that’s not good,” teased Baez. “She knows way too much about you.”

  “Me?” answered Croft. “I’m not the one we had to bail out of the brothel in Morocco.”

  “All right, gentlemen, that’s enough. Let’s go get Finn’s brother,” said Avery.

  The team climbed into the helicopter, and Avery lifted off, heading for Las Vegas. As always, Croft was impressed by her skill behind the controls. She was deliberately keeping off the highways and flying illegally, under the radar. She would want to ensure that if Fariq was looking for their approach, it wouldn’t be easy.

  They made good time and landed at Circus Circus in Las Vegas. With the exception of Junior and Avery, the rest of the team, including Finn, walked to the Four Seasons. They arrived early. They had chosen the smaller dining room. Baez and Finn held back just outside the kitchen. Croft didn’t want her in play until they had a chance to scope out the meeting.

  Croft took up residence at one of the tables by the back window. Noah and John assumed positions on either side of the room and kept themselves visible and alert. They wanted Fariq to know they were there in case of trouble.

  Time crawled by. Thom, who was back at HQ, ensured that all of their communications were working properly.

  “Here we go,” whispered John as Fariq and his men entered the room.

  Croft looked up and sighed with relief. “They have Christian with them.”

  Finn’s brother was moving slow, but he seemed to be relatively unharmed. Fariq, Christian, and a man unknown to Croft from Fariq’s organization sat down at another table. Two men he did recognize went to stand where they could see the whole room. Unlike the Wild Mustang team, they could not do it from opposite sides as the fourth side was solid windows and Croft was at one of the tables.

  “Anyone know who the guy with Fariq is?” asked Noah.

  “No,” said Croft. “That’s a bit worrisome. Make sure you keep a sharp eye on him.”

  Fariq caught his eye and nodded. Croft acknowledged him and heard John in his ear.

  “Okay, Baez, bring in Finn. We didn’t leave them with much of a choice; their table is in the middle. Their two goons are together and on the side opposite the windows.”

  “You want to do this, Finn?” asked Baez. Croft heard nothing until Baez continued, “Okay, she’s nodding. How does her brother look?”

  “Better even than I thought he would, babe. Just hang on for a little while longer,” said Croft in a reassuring voice.

  “I’m assuming you’re talking to Finn, right? Because I told you, Croft, you aren’t to call me babe anymore.”

  With that, Croft could hear Finn laugh and was fairly sure she mumbled something about jackasses. Baez escorted her to Fariq’s table but held her back from her brother until Fariq and his man stood and walked away.

  The next few moments would be forever etched in Croft’s memory. Suddenly the man closest to Fariq pulled his gun and tried to shoot the arms dealer. Fariq’s two bodyguards opened fire on the man who was able to snatch Finn from Baez’s grasp. Realizing he had lost Finn, Baez grabbed Christian and took him to the floor, shielding his body with his own. The other few diners in the room dove under their tables.

  Noah, John, and Croft all drew their weapons. Croft took aim and dropped one of Fariq’s men as Noah did the same. Croft grabbed Fariq and pushed him to the floor. John took aim and fired at the man who was leaving with Finn as his hostage but missed. Croft heard the chopper’s blades cutting through air outside the dining room but saw John wave him off as John and Noah started after the man with Finn.

  “Croft, you and Baez secure Christian and Abdal in the helicopter. Tell Avery to get you out of here. Junior, Noah, and I will get after the guy with Finn,” ordered John.

  “No,” Croft said, running with Fariq in custody and intercepting Junior. “You take him and get back on the helicopter. I’m going after Finn.”

  Before Junior could question him, John barked into their comms, “Do it, Junior. Croft, get your ass
in gear.”

  Croft was running before the sentence was complete. Unfortunately, the Four Seasons did not have a casino to mask any of the noise from the gunfire … not that there had been much. All of the weapons involved were equipped with silencers. What had alerted the other diners was the exploding glassware, but what seemed to garner most people’s attention was the large helicopter hovering just outside the back windows.

  All three men from Wild Mustang quickly put their weapons away and calmly searched the first floor and lobby of the hotel.

  “I’ve got her in sight,” said Noah. “He’s pushing her into a town car.”

  “Finn,” said Croft in a desperate tone, “if you can hear me, behave. Do whatever they tell you to do. Don’t make any trouble. They’ll probably take your comm unit away, but we’ll find you. You do whatever you have to in order to stay alive. I will come for you.”

  Christian grabbed the communication device, “Finn? It’s Christian. Your people have me. I’m okay, Finn. You listen to Croft. I’m sorry, Finn. Cooperate with them. Tell them I’ll do whatever they want.”

  Croft watched the team and Christian’s reactions when they heard the sound of Finn’s device being crushed and the resulting dead air.

  “Thom? Do you have any idea where they might be headed?” asked John.

  “Nothing to triangulate with, but based on the direction of the car, my guess is one of the private airports or helipads. I’m already contacting all of them to give us a heads-up. Do you want me to call the cops?”

  “No,” said Baez. “Our buddy Fariq here is pretty freaked out. The guy who engineered this whole thing with kidnapping Christian was the brother of the guy who started the shooting. You were right, Croft, there’s some kind of power play, and I’m afraid Finn is in the middle of it. Avery knows the people at Circus Circus. We’ve got clearance to land there. Let’s rendezvous there and get airborne.”

  “No cops, then,” said Thom. “I’ll ask that people not try to intercept but to tell me where they leave from and if they have a flight path.”