The General's Lover Read online

  James sighed and changed lanes, taking the exit for Riley’s. The streets were pretty empty; it was fucking hot. People were probably in their pools with a nice tall drink. James turned into Riley’s driveway and shut the car off. He looked at the house and had to smile. Riley was not the kind of billionaire who showed off his wealth. In fact, Riley was like no one he’d ever met. His smile was infectious and he had a way of making you do whatever he wanted.

  Only Mark Montgomery seemed immune. And Mark had his own damn special powers. Jesus, the man had married Josh. That had come out of left field since Josh had previously only dated women. James chuckled as he made his way up the walk. He rang the bell and could hear Riley shouting to come in.

  James opened the door and was hit with a blast of arctic air; he stepped in and shut the door quickly.

  “Jesus, you missing Alaska?” James laughed.

  “I am, actually.” Riley came down the hall in cargo shorts and flip-flops. “What’s up with you? You’re smiling.” Riley shivered. “It’s freaking me out.” “Shut up.” James smacked Riley playfully. “What’s for breakfast?”

  “What makes you think I cooked?” Riley smiled making his way into the kitchen.

  “I can smell it.” James looked around the kitchen. He had to laugh; Riley had three different coffee machines. “Mateo?” James gestured to the coffeemakers.

  “Yup, he likes his espresso.” Riley pulled rolls out of the oven. “You know how he gets without his caffeine. I sent Mark and Josh a coffeemaker for Christmas,” Riley giggled. “In fact, I sent all the guys coffeemakers. Dakota and Sawyer were very thankful.” “Yes, I got mine, too,” James laughed. “Thank you so much.”

  “Welcome.” Riley put the rolls on the table and took out eggs and bacon from the oven. “So,” Riley grabbed two plates and silverware. “Tell me what’s going on.” “Derek called me this morning.” James took a bite of eggs and moaned. “What do you put in these?”

  “Can’t tell you.” Riley sipped his coffee. “Now go on.” Riley gestured with his hand. “Derek called.”

  “He invited me to Washington to fish.”

  Riley’s jaw dropped open. “Seriously? And he didn’t take it back?”

  “Nope,” James shook his head. “It wasn’t like when you were in the hospital. I didn’t hear anything in his voice either, he meant it.” “This is huge!” Riley stood up. “Oh my God, Derek asked you to go on vacation with him!”

  “Riley, calm down. I think your whole neighborhood just heard you.” James laughed, buttering his roll.

  “Why are you so calm? You’ve waited six years for this.” Riley narrowed his eyes. “You think he’ll back out?”

  “No, I’m sure he meant to ask me.” James shrugged his shoulders. “I’m not going to freak out until he’s standing in front of me on a boat.”

  “Or lying underneath you on a bed.” Riley snickered.

  James laughed and pulled up that mental image. “Damn, could you imagine Derek naked? Splayed out on a bed for me to play with?” James sighed and sat back in the chair. “Gives me goose bumps just thinking about it.”

  Riley smiled and thought about Mateo. “My God, the first time I laid eyes on Mateo I thought, ‘Fuck, could this guy be any hotter?’” Riley sighed and smiled at the memory of Mateo making love to him for the first time. James raised a brow. “Get out of bed with Mateo.”

  Riley giggled. “I want a full report!”

  “You know I’ll call when I come up for air,” James chuckled softly.

  Riley sighed and rested his chin in his hands. “This is so cool. I always wondered how long it would take for Derek to come to his senses. Josh gave him a beatdown in Alaska, you know.” Riley smiled when James’ mouth fell open. “Oh, you didn’t know?” Riley laughed. “Oh yeah, Josh yelled at him. Called him a coward and shit.”

  James sat back. “And Josh survived? If there’s one thing I know, Derek Jacobs is no coward.”

  “He is when it comes to you and Josh told him in no uncertain terms that if he waited too long, he’d lose you to someone else.” “Oh, really?”

  “Yes, and Derek did not like that thought at all.”

  James shrugged. “Whatever works, I mean if that’s why he invited me I’m not going to complain.”

  “So when is this little ‘trip’ taking place?”

  “August, he comes home in July, which is good for me because I’m due vacation time. I’m headed to D.C. for a few days to talk to Keegan about Markov.”

  “You still plan on sending him in to bring Markov in? Isn’t Keegan a bit…” Riley scrunched his brow. “Delicate?” James smiled and leaned back in the chair. “Keegan is perfect. First, he’s been working this case since he started at the Bureau, and believe me we’ve been training him for months just for this assignment. Second, he’s so fucking adorable you can’t help but like him.” “This is true. If he were my type I’d be all over him.” Riley sat back in thought. “Why not just talk to Vince yourself?” James shook his head. “Nope. Even Devin agrees - I have a look of seniority and Vince hates government officials.”

  “The Russian thing, huh?” Riley said. “I kinda feel bad for the guy, even though he’s notoriously vicious. Could you imagine? Having to watch your mother and sister slaughtered right in front of you?” Riley shivered. “No wonder he’s damaged.” The front door opened and Riley smiled at James. “Uh oh.”

  “I heard that!” Mateo shouted from the front room.

  “Do you not want him to know?” Riley whispered.

  “I don’t want him calling Derek and freaking him out.” James sighed and watched as Mateo came into the kitchen. He stopped and looked from Riley to James. “Okay, what did I miss?” Mateo sat down at the table.

  Riley took Mateo’s face in his hands. “You are sworn to secrecy, and if you open your mouth I cut you off for a month.” “Jesus!” Mateo put his hands up in defense. “I won’t say a word.”

  “Promise!” Riley growled.

  “I promise.” Mateo kissed Riley. “Now what’s up?”

  “Derek asked me to go to Washington with him when he comes back from Afghanistan.” James said. Mateo sat back in the chair and looked from Riley to James. “So Josh’s talk worked.”

  Riley nodded. “Yep, I think so. I think the thought of James with anyone other than himself freaked him out enough.” “It’s about time.” Mateo smiled grabbing a roll. “You two belong together, always have.”

  “Thanks Mateo.” James looked at his watch. “Ah crap, I have to get back home and pack. I will call you when I know what’s going on though.” James stood up and got a hug from Riley and a handshake from Mateo. “You two have fun.” “Always.” Riley smiled. “You take care of yourself, James. I look forward to hearing from you.”

  “Oh, you will.” James winked.

  ~~ Derek was sweating like a drunken celebrity at a sobriety test. The MRAP was packed, and being in close quarters with so many men in the fucking heat was stifling. He grabbed another bottle of water and poured it over his head. They were driving down a dirt road, weaving back and forth to avoid IEDs on their way to a small village. He was going to have dinner with one of the village leaders. He’d wanted to go with just a few of his men but was given a no-go on that shit. As a general, he was a target.

  “Sir?”

  Derek wiped the sweat from his brow. “Yes?”

  “We’re here.”

  An explosion rocked the MRAP and Derek stood up. “Back the fuck up!” Derek looked at his men; most of them were frozen in

  place. “Jesus!” Derek pushed his way to the front of the vehicle and hauled the driver out of the seat. More IEDs were going off under them as he pulled back and turned the monster vehicle around. He got on the radio and informed the base of what was happening. One of his soldiers was finally blinking.

  “Jessup!” Derek shouted. “Pull your head out of your ass!”

  “Yes sir!”

  “Get behind the fucking wheel!” Derek grabbed Jessup by his sleeve and hauled him up.

  “Sir?”

  “Drive!” Scrambling into the turret, Derek positioned himself and waited for the gunfire to erupt. He didn’t have to wait long.

  Rounds hit the side of the MRAP and Derek fired back with the .50 caliber machine gun. Insurgents were running around the meeting house and Derek tore up the ground all the way to the front door.

  “Get us the fuck out of here!” Derek shouted down below.

  The MRAP ran over another IED and the vehicle almost flipped. Derek kept firing until they were far enough away; he slipped down from the turret and looked at the men. They were all ready and waiting for orders. Derek ran a hand through his hair.

  “Look, I know for some of you guys this is your first tour, but you cannot freeze up like that! All it takes is one damn second and you’re gone. It’s you or them, do you get that?” Derek shouted.

  “Sir?”

  Derek looked at the private who’d spoken, he looked about eighteen. “Connelly?”

  “We…” Connelly looked at the rest of the guys. “A lot of us have never been deployed, sir. This is our first tour. I wasn’t prepared for this, sir.”

  “You’re never prepared for this shit, Connelly.” Derek put his hand on Connelly’s shoulder. “Learn a lesson from this because if you don’t, you just left your wife a widow and your kids without a father. Got it?”

  “Yes, sir!” the chorus of men erupted.

  By the time they pulled back into the base the sun was down. Derek jumped from the MRAP and was greeted by the General of the Army, Prescott.

  “Jesus, Jacobs, you really like living life on the edge,” Prescott smiled. “Looks like our MRAP are just that, mine resistant and ambush protected.” Prescott laughed at the look on Derek’s face.

  “What the hell happened, sir? This was supposed to be a friendly meeting.” Derek followed the general back to operations.

  “I am trying to get Intel on that now. As far as we knew, that’s exactly what this was.”

  “Well, their welcome was a little less than desirable.” Derek sat down and put his feet up. “My guys were shitting themselves.”

  “We should have sent you with more seasoned soldiers.”

  “No, this was good for them. They need to know what to do when shit like this happens. None of them were prepared. Jessup was the only one who snapped out of it.”

  Prescott leaned over the desk. “You loved every second of it.”

  Derek smiled and leaned back in the chair. “Come on, you know what it’s like. Once you put rank on, they feel like you can’t take a piss anymore. Today just proved I can be in the fight just like my men.”

  “Well, you get to leave all this soon.” Prescott motioned to the miles and miles of sand.

  Derek sighed and looked out the window. “I wasn’t sure if I was ready to retire.” Derek looked up. “It’s time. I’ve been deployed for most of my career in one way or another. Sure, it’s great for rising in the ranks but my personal life is shit.”

  “Hell, I’ve been divorced three times.” Prescott leaned against the desk. “Being gone half the marriage didn’t help.”

  “That’s why I never got married.” Derek looked at his bare ring hand.

  “Oh?” Prescott leaned over. “I thought it was because you are in love with Agent Pruitt.”

  Derek almost fell off the chair. As it was, he stumbled getting up and stammered. “What?”

  Prescott laughed loud. “Oh my God, if you could see your face right now. Calm down, Derek, I figured it out a long time ago at one of the meetings. The way you look at him says it all. And no, I haven’t said a fucking word. It’s your business who you fuck or don’t fuck and you are one hell of a soldier.”

  Derek sighed and sat back down. “Jesus, and here I thought I was being all covert and shit.”

  “I pay attention,” Prescott winked. “Now, call your man and tell him you are just fine and you’ll be home soon.”

  Derek stood and shook Prescott’s hand and watched as the man left his office. He looked at the time and wondered if James was even up. Looking out the window, he watched the men he’d just returned with getting an ass chewing. He knew what that was like. He’d only frozen up one time and that was in Somalia. Derek put his head on the desk and banged it.

  “Sir?”

  Derek looked up to see Jessup looking at him. “Yes?”

  “I just wanted to tell you…” Jessup sighed loudly. “Permission to speak freely, sir?”

  “Granted.”

  “I fucked up, sir. It won’t happen again.”

  Derek stood up and came around the desk. “Yes it will and let me tell you why. Every situation is different out here and you have to know what to do. You won’t always have the luxury of knowing that. Sometimes you have to improvise.” Derek sat against the desk and crossed his arms. “You came through today after a little screaming.”

  “You are one hell of a badass,” Jessup smiled. “I hope one day I am as confident as you are.”

  “Years and years of practice.” Derek took Jessup by the shoulders. “Don’t get dead.”

  “Yes, sir.” Jessup walked to the door and turned. “So, a game of spades later with the guys?”

  Derek chuckled. “Prepare to lose.”

  “No, sir.” Jessup laughed and left.

  Derek smiled and sat down looking at his desk. It’d been close today. Derek looked at the time, he had just enough time to get a shower and eat before heading out to play cards. As a general he wasn’t supposed to consort with lower ranking soldiers. Derek laughed and stood up, as if he ever followed the rules. Camaraderie was important, and he made it his business to know the men who took orders from him. Derek flipped the light off in his office and headed for the showers, he’d call James later.

  Chapter Two James pulled up to the office of Homeland Security in D.C. at nine in the morning. He flashed his badge and was escorted to the elevators. James looked at his phone; Derek would be on his way to bed. He’d wanted to call him and let him know what was going on but didn’t have the time. James got out on the third floor and went to the director’s office; he knocked and got the ‘come in’ from behind the door.

  “Morning, Director Simmons.” James sat down in the plush leather chair. “Morning, Pruitt. Keegan’s on his way up.” Simmons folded his hands and looked at James. “Are you sure he’s the best man for the job?”

  James nodded and sat forward gripping his hands together. “He’s been watching these guys for years. He knows Markov backwards and forwards. I’m telling you, with Keegan’s looks and demeanor, Markov’s going to cave.”

  “I just hope it’s worth it. After what Ripley’s been through he can’t afford to be taken captive again. Especially if Markov decides he’s in a torturing mood.”

  “I don’t think that’s going to happen. Vince Markov may be a killer but he’s got reasons behind his madness.”

  Simmons raised a brow. “You saw the pictures of those Russian guards. He was seventeen then. What the hell do you think he’s capable of now?”

  “No offense, sir, but they killed his whole family. I think I’d be a bit upset, too.”

  “He butchered them, tore them limb from limb.” Simmons sat back and sighed. “I don’t know if I can risk Ripley, he’s too valuable.” Simmons looked up as there was a soft knock on the door. “Come in.”

  “Morning.” Keegan stepped in and took the chair next to Pruitt.

  “I was just telling Director Simmons that you would be perfect to reel in Vince Markov. He seems to think Markov is too dangerous.” James winked at Keegan.

  Keegan smiled. “He is dangerous, but now is the time to strike. He’s still vulnerable from his divorce and he’s mellowed since having Nikolai.”

  Simmons nodded. “His son.” Simmons looked at Keegan. “I’ve heard Nikolai is just like his father - ruthless and without mercy.”

  “Yes he is, but I think I’ve seen a different side to Vince. I can do this, sir. I’m the only one who knows Vince Markov the man.”

  James’ cell phone rang and he stood up and excused himself to the hallway to answer.

  “Pruitt.”

  “James, I need you on a plane ASAP. We had an issue with one of the leaders in Rijay. I know you’ve met Aasim Abur; he was supposed to have a friendly meeting with the Army. It didn’t go as planned.”

  James gripped the phone. “What happened?”

  “Your friend, General Jacobs, and some of his men were under attack. The MRAP they were in suffered multiple IED explosions.”

  “Oh, God,” James whispered. “Was anyone killed?”

  “No. From what I hear the general took initiative and got his men out of there and back to the base. Look, this one’s going to get rough; we’ve already got a man on his way but we need you.”

  “Yes, sir. I’m on my way right now.”

  “Get to Reagan; we’ll have a plane on standby.”

  James hung up and went back into the room. Simmons was on the phone and James looked at Keegan. “What?”

  “Head honcho at the CIA,” Keegan shrugged.

  Simmons hung up the phone. “Well, James seems you are on your way out.” Simmons raised his eyebrows. “Seems you hold more than one job with more than one agency, and I believe that was the Secretary of Defense on your phone just now?”

  “I’m Pruitt, James Pruitt,” James winked and shook Keegan’s and Simmons’ hands. “If you know that, you also know I can put Keegan on this without your consent,” James smirked at Simmons. “I have to go; we’ll talk when I get back, Keegan.”

  James practically ran out of the building and hailed a cab. As soon as he got to the airport he boarded the plane and grabbed his phone. It rang five times before Derek’s voice came over the line.

  “Hello?”

  “Damn you!” James shouted into the phone.

  Derek sat up in bed. “Shit, who told you?”

  “Does it matter? Jesus Christ, Derek! You could have been killed.”

  “But I wasn’t. Please calm down, James. I was going to call you, I promise. Where are you?”