Page 64 of Tainted Truth

“Shit, shit, shit,” I chant as I claw at my bindings. The electricity of ecstasy pumping through my body causes my back to bow off the table as pleasure crescendos and overtakes my senses.

“You come so pretty for us, Mama,” Rio whispers in my ear.

I sigh when my bra is righted, my thong and pants slide up my legs, and my shirt is adjusted back over my frame.

I didn’t know I could be so content. I didn’t know this kind of happiness was possible in this life. But being here surrounded by these men—my men—I feel my troubles slip away, one at a time.

CHAPTER 25

ASHER

Ireally hope I don’t get fired for that. But if I do, what a way to go. I’ll never be able to question a killer in there again without thinking of how amazing Spencer sounds. I could listen to her come every day, and it would never be enough.

I was supposed to remain the impartial one—the distant one—so I could have a level head when all of this inevitably goes to shit.

It always goes to shit.

Good things don’t last for men like us.

But what we just did, I’ll hold on with both hands until this thing we have going on turns to dust.

I run the back of my index finger down the side of Spencer’s face as she lies blissed out on the table. “I have a few things to wrap up, and then we can head home.”

Spencer smiles up at me. “Okay, sounds good. But is there a more comfortable place to relax? This table sucks.”

Rio chuckles. “Asher has a couch in his office. You can lie there.”

Zane and Rio walk Spencer in the direction of my office while I head the opposite way to Marreli’s office. I knock twice on the closed door.

“Come in!”

When I enter, he’s typing away at his computer with his glasses resting on the end of his nose. Aaron Marreli is a hardworking agent who, unfortunately, gets stuck with a lot of paperwork. He’d be more useful in the field, but after he was shot in the leg by a bank robber, he rides the desk. He’s in his late fifties and probably not retiring anytime soon. His dark hair is peppered with gray, and his face has minute traces of smile lines and crow’s feet. He’s not a cheery man, but he’s fair.

I take a seat in one of the two barely padded chairs in front of his desk. “I just finished my interview with Spencer Gray. I’m pretty sure her ex, Anthony Cole, is our guy. I wouldn’t be surprised if he tried to take her again soon. DNA still hasn’t been run yet. The lab is backed up. But I’m sure the DNA Ms. Gray got from her attacker will match the DNA from our latest crime scene.”

“How did you make the connection?” He pauses typing and looks up from the screen.

“The flowers. Purple hyacinths aren’t that common.”

He rests his elbows on his desk and steeples his fingers. “Good work. Stay on Gray. You are to be her shadow. I don’t want her to so much as sneeze without you knowing. I agree that Anthony will try for her again. I want you there with her when he does.”

Fuck, he’s right.

Back to babysitting duty.

“If you need a team or to rotate watch, you have the green light.”

My head snaps up. “Not necessary, sir. I got it.”

Over my fucking dead body will someone else protect what’s mine.

Marreli’s eyes widen slightly, letting me know I’ve possibly given away too much.

“Ms. Gray can stay at my house. Kingston lives with me, so between the two of us, we’ll have eyes on her twenty-four-seven.”

He doesn’t need to know that Spencer has already been living with me for the last several days, and that there are multiple reasons why she’s safest with us.

He nods and waves a hand in dismissal. “Update your teammates and get back to Ms. Gray. I have a feeling you won’t be waiting long for Cole to make his move.”

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