Page 38

Story: What's Left of You

I watch Jo as she approaches Sterling, and he sets aside the phone. If he didn’t overhear anything I’d be surprised, and he watches her cautiously as she hands him the coffee. It’s cooled down by now, but he takes a sip and holds her gaze anyway.
That seems to be the cue she’s looking for, and circles around his chair. “You’re too stressed. Serial killers are goingto turn your hair prematurely grey. Let me massage your shoulders.”
I snort when he tenses, his shoulders rising to his ears. “Is that a good idea, Jo?”
“It’s only a bad idea if you don’t like where it will end up,” she says seriously, stepping behind him. Before she starts she tugs the hairband off of her wrist and pulls her hair back into a ponytail high on her head. Once it’s situated, she winks at me.
That makes my smile return. Her confidence is growing, and she’s falling back into something that she likes. I’m just not sure how far Sterling will let it go.
He moans when she presses her palms into his shoulders, and I’ve had plenty of massages from Jo and given just as many in return. She’s good at it, but I imagine Sterling has a lot of knots with all the stress he’s under. It’s different from what either of us are experiencing with Alastair missing.
“Sex is how I cope when I’m struggling,” she says, and for once Sterling doesn’t freak out over her bluntness. “Sometimes it numbs the pain, but mostly it makes me focus on things that make me feel good, which is what matters.”
Sterling shakes his head, but he doesn’t shrug her off. He’s helpless beneath her touch, and that’s the kind of effect Jo has on people. Alastair never fell this hard for her charms, but I suppose he might have a different response after so many years. If Jo has the chance to fulfill that fantasy at all.
“I need to be working,” he says, looking towards me. I shrug, letting him know he’ll get no help from me. He can easily stand and leave if he wants to, just like the last time. “We’re in the middle of an investigation. Victim eight-”
“Is there anything you can do about it right now?” Jo asks, tilting her head. It’s late in the afternoon now, and if Sterling ever took a break from his work realistically he wouldbe getting off shift soon. “Will it make a difference if you get up right now and keep working?”
He fidgets as she presses her hands down, moving her attention more to his back. “Her family might appreciate it.”
“You found the family already? You’re doing better with her than victim six then. You have a whole team working this case. I think they can spare you for a while. This won’t take as long as you think.”
Sterling moans again as she slides her hands to his front, down his chest, and leans over the chair. I think she kisses his cheek, but it’s hard to tell from this angle. I don’t approach, deciding to keep watching for now and see how she plays this.
“If you want to punish yourself for not doing a better job, you may as well let us do it for you,” she says after a moment, standing up straight. “We can punish you for not catching the killers yet. Do you like pain with pleasure?”
My eyes flash, and I move across the room towards them. Jo likes pain too, but she’s usually the receiver not the dealer. Inflicting pain isn’t something she typically desires.
Sterling, like the smart boy he is, glances towards me. I smirk and sit across from them on the couch, opposite of how we were last time, and cross my arms. “Pick your poison, Agent. Trauma will take what she needs if you don’t say no.”
He groans, and Jo stops her half-assed massage to circle the chair. Just like I do to her, she catches his chin and meets his gaze. “If you fuck me, Sterling, you’ll give me everything you have. None of this wimping out, panicking shit. I want you to fuck me like you’ve been waiting to for years.”
I grin when he looks between us. She called him out, and he doesn’t know how to respond. Jo’s kind enough to save him from doing so, reaching forward towards his pants. He wiggles around to give her easier access instead of batting her handsaway, and whatever reservations he has about this seem to bleed away. She’s not shy, so there’s no reason he should have to be.
Her nimble fingers make quick work of his clothes, and his cock is free a moment later. I reach behind me and pull the curtains closed, which does nothing to distract Jo as she licks his tip, and Sterling is immediately lost to us as he throws his head back with a groan.
I watch as she sets a quick rhythm, wasting no time getting his cock wet with her mouth. The piercings disappear the father down his cock she goes, and Sterling’s hand finds its way around her ponytail until he’s setting the rhythm. I keep one eye on them, passing by to lock the door before I circle around behind the chair. Sterling’s eyes lift to meet mine, and I give him a subtle nod.
If he fucks up, he’ll know in an instant. There’s no question about that.
I move the footstool from across the room until it’s behind Jo, the sound of her gagging around Sterling the only noise. She doesn’t flinch as I set up behind her, running my hands up and down her back as she keeps going, never breaking the rhythm they’ve set together.
Meeting Sterling’s eyes, I flip up the dress. She’s bare beneath, like I knew she would be, but his eyes widen at the surprise. I let him stare as I work off my own belt, letting the buckle jingle in the quiet so Jo’s well aware of what comes next.
He can’t tear his gaze away from mine as I start folding the belt, and Jo takes over the blowjob again as he’s distracted. “My turn.”
Chapter 12
I never really know what to expect with these two, but watching Vinny fashion a makeshift set of handcuffs with his belt while Jo blows me wasn’t what I envisioned coming over here for. I honestly thought we’d talk about the case.
“You follow my command,” Vinny tells me, and anything else I could possibly think about falls away into the background. “If Jo tells us to stop, that’s it. No exceptions.”
I nod, trying to focus as she goes deep, my eyes rolling at the feel. I’ve fisted her hair so tight my knuckles have gone white, but it doesn’t seem to bother her as she struggles to breathe for a moment before letting up again.
When she looks up, she winks at me. “And first, Vinny’s going to follow mine.”
What?