Page 41 of Ignite

“Shit,” Cornelius said aloud as he expanded his search. Another report popped up of a man in Canada who died in his apartment under mysterious circumstances. By all indications, he’d suffocated, but it was unknown how it happened.

One by one, the scam-shielders were being picked off. Why? Cornelius’s mind immediately thought of the massive network that had collapsed recently. He was sure Jazzyhands brought them down. Those gargantuan call centers had fallen and hadn’t recovered yet. Probably never would. Millions, perhaps billions, were lost, and several legit businesses had been affected. It was both impressive and scary as hell that a single person had that kind of talent to create something so destructive. If Jazzyhands wasn’t such a good person, there’s no telling how much damage she could do.

A movement caught Cornelius’s eye. It was brief, just a blip at the edge of his home security screen, but it was enough for his fear to grow cold and morph into anger. He picked up his cell phone and pulled up a number. The phone rang twice before it was answered.

“What’s up, Bruiser?”

“Hey, Table. I got company at my place, and I don’t think it’s the good kind. Mind gettin’ me some help?”

“Mute and Dodge are here. You want me to text Stud and Forge?”

Cornelius, aka Bruiser, said, “That’s a good idea. Come armed. Whoever’s out there knows my cameras’ blind spots.”

“Shit, brother, are you being targeted?”

“Seems like it.”

“On the way.”

Bruiser strained his eyes for any more movement. His cabin was eerily quiet, and his hand hovered over the button that would blaze the lights all around his home. They were ranged at 120 lumens, which was enough to cause temporary blindness that could last from a few minutes to several hours. He’d used them only once before when a past two-legged intruder thought his cabin would be easy pickings. The powerful lights plus some well-placed buckshot dissuaded that notion. Bruiser had a feeling he would need more than buckshot this time.

Another motion in the dark close to his deck. He sensed it more than saw it. His fingers descended to hit the banks of lights at the same time a barely audiblechinksounded in the air. Bruiser looked down to see a small red spot appear on his chest. One that slowly spread into a blooming flower.

“Oh, fuck, no.”

23

AStar Warsmovie was playing, the lights from the screen dancing gently around the room. Wolf thought it wasRogue Onebut wasn’t sure, as neither he nor Jazz paid much attention to it. When he came home, he found her working on her computer for the inventory program she hosted and listening to movies for background noise. No makeup, hair in a loose pile on her head, and glasses perched on her nose, she’d looked up and smiled at him in a genuine warm welcome.

No duplicity.

No fakeness.

No manipulations or lies.

Just pure joy at his presence.

Fuck, how much time had passed before he’d recognized the happiness that was right in front of him?

“Almost done?”

Her answer was to close the program and move into his arms. A minute later, they were on the bed, her legs spread as he feasted on her. Her moans and cries as he teased her over and over again were music to his ears. She didn’t hold back, showing him the pleasure he gave her. He never tired of her taste, her sounds, feeling her come on his tongue and around his cock, her very essence, and all that made her the perfect woman for him.

A lifetime wouldn’t be long enough.

Now, they lay cuddled on the bed, still naked with him on his back and her half on, half off him. He traced random patterns over her shoulders as the movie continued.

“I guess you had a rough day?” she asked as her own fingers ran over the details of his ink.

“You could say that. I had to fire Candie.”

Her touch stilled. “Oh?”

“She crossed the line too many times. Ignored the rules and policies until I couldn’t let it go anymore. Only so far you can push before you come up against a wall.”

“I’m sorry?”

“Not your problem, baby. She started it. I finished it. I had to do that a lot when I was military.”

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