Page 73 of Chaos has a Name (An FBI Romance/Thriller #66)

Ivan had Blue and his daughters.

Raphael had Saint, and a life.

Hell!

Demeter was dogging Muriel so hard that they all saw the desperation on the big man’s face.

The last thing he wanted was to be alone forever.

At his question, Elizabeth nodded.

“That’s the plan. Wyler has decided to do chemo and get into a trial in DC. We’re going to leave after this case.”

That made this worse.

It hung there.

He pointed out the obvious.

“What if that makes a mess? I shouldn’t have dinner with her if we’re leaving. What if I like her, and then, we leave?”

Gently, Elizabeth covered his mouth with her palm to calm him down and stop his talking.

“Caspian. What if it doesn’t? What if it’s fun?

What if you don’t click and you just make a friend?

You can’t go through life hiding because the potential outcomes could be problematic.

They could be the best moments of your life.

You’re a healthy man in his thirties, and you hide for reasons not everyone is going to have issues with. ”

His stress lines soften.

She was right.

He hid the truth about himself because he needed to. The last thing he wanted was the truth coming out, so he was mocked. God knew he’d spent his whole childhood being torn to shreds by his father, his peers, and even when he was in bootcamp.

It had broken him.

The people he was with now made him feel safe, so he didn’t have the same issue with them. They were a family, and he was protected.

Elizabeth continued.

“You worry about every single outcome. Why don’t you just go have dinner with the nice lady, and go from there?

What if it’s absolutely nothing? What if she just noticed you were decent, and was tired of being around people who weren’t?

Not every woman that smiles at you or buys you dinner expects you to dump your whole life out on the table to be analyzed. ”

She was right.

People did like friends. The men he worked with, and Muriel, were all friendly and invited him to join in with them for a meal, or an outing.

It wasn’t uncommon.

When she moved her hand for a second time, once more, Caspian was calmer, and he wanted to explain himself.

“I’ve always had to weigh every option carefully. My father…”

She touched his cheek.

“You’re not your father. She’s not your father. Stop trying to make every person you meet the boogeyman. They aren’t.”

He had made her that.

Out of fear.

She was beautiful, and he wanted to be able to trust someone.

“Be honest with her, and she’s going to more than likely appreciate that.

You’re a decorated Marine who served his country.

So what if you like Vegan food and are sensitive about certain things?

I mean, I like eating a whole cow with a bottle of steak sauce.

No one says shit about that. What you perceive as being major issues, really aren’t huge.

To you they are, but to everyone else, they aren’t. ”

He laughed.

“For the record, I do talk shit about your meat consumption when you’re not in the room. I’m praying for your colon.”

Sue her.

She liked a burger a lot.

Blame her father.

“And I’m okay with that. I’ve busted your ass about being a Vegan, and it never bothered you before. It’s the same thing. Laugh about it, and don’t take it personal.”

She was right.

“How I speak…”

She stopped him.

“Once you trust her, that’s not an issue either. Do you weigh your words with me now?” she asked.

Caspian shook his head.

“No. I know you won’t make fun of me. I’m safe with you,” he admitted.

Elizabeth continued.

“Go have fun. Make a friend and see that you can trust her not to give a shit. You never know what will happen. Have some mind-blowing sex,” she said. “You’re in your prime. In fact, let me help you out.”

Uriel had no idea what she meant by that.

“YO! Christopher!”

She hoped he heard her. He was in the kitchen, loading their dishes into the dishwasher.

His head popped around the corner.

“Yeah?”

She went there.

“Do you have a condom? I need one for Uriel. There’s a pretty woman who tried to get his attention with Vegan food. He needs to get laid.”

Oh, well, in that case…

Taking out his wallet, he pulled one out and passed it to the man.

Uriel just stared at him and said one thing.

“WHORE.”

Honestly, it made him laugh. So much so, that he felt the need to explain.

“We always have condoms. My HIV virus levels can spike. I never know when the real whore wants to jump me in a closet somewhere. Lesson learned,” he offered.

She snorted.

“I’m totally a whore. You’re welcome, Doctor. Don’t traipse around in aqua scrubs. Some of us like them a little too much.”

Thank God.

Chris was thankful for that.

As for the condom, Uriel was curious.

“Are you kidding? I need more than one. Who goes one round?” he asked.

Elizabeth could see he’d been talked down off of the ledge.

“And that’s how you make a really, really, really, really good friend,” she admitted.

The other man could help there too. Chris headed up to get him some. He was pretty sure there were some in his luggage.

As he was gone, Elizabeth focused on the man.

“Live a little. When’s the last time you had some fun in the sack?”

Oh, Jesus.

It had been a LONG while.

She didn’t need an answer. His face said it all.

“Well, then, it’s time to get your sex on. Go,” she said, getting up to go to the liquor cabinet.

Once there, she grabbed some wine and handed him the bottle of expensive booze that would make the sex even more fun.

“She bought dinner. It’s only fair that you buy the drinks. Don’t get shitfaced drunk. Ivan will ride your ass like a thong tomorrow on duty.”

That made him laugh.

He wasn’t much of a drinker. At the most, he’d have a glass—so he could stay in control.

When Chris jogged down the stairs, he had a full box of condoms in his hands. Once he gave it to Uriel, the man stared at it.

“That should do.”

It caught Chris off guard and he laughed.

The man was actually funny, when you got to know him. Caspian was an interesting character.

“Ah, to be in my thirties again. Those were the days. I remember when…”

His wife was staring at him.

“You’re just lucky I was there for that part of the ride too, because if this turns into another woman story, you’re a dead man.”

He reassured her by sitting beside her and pulling his wife into his lap.

She knew damn well that when they broke up, he didn’t have sex with anyone until Cyra came along, and that was it.

So three women in his entire sex life.

He definitely wasn’t the whore, but he’d learned to behave like one thanks to her insatiable need that fed his.

“Thank you for this,” Caspian said, as he took a bunch of condoms and passed the box back to the two people he admired.

“Now, go and have dinner. Be honest. It’s the best policy,” she said.

He was aware, especially since she’d told him that the truth went a long way with her. So, that was what he was going to do with Rayna.

Hopefully, it worked out.

That was up to the universe now.

After accepting the gift, Caspian kissed her on the cheek, and then, because he was giving him condoms, he hugged Chris.

Then, he was gone, silently, much like the way he arrived.

That was when Wyler just shook his head.

“It must be exhausting to be everyone’s mother,” he admitted.

It wasn’t.

In fact, she cherished it.

The Marines were special and part of her life. They’d adopted them, and that meant they got access to all of her love—even when they needed a mother.

“They need me, and I need them. It’s symbiotic. You know I love me some Marines.”

Truer words had never been spoken.

“We have weird, complex, complicated lives,” Chris admitted, as he held his wife.

That was half the fun.

“And?” she asked.

Oh, he knew what she was hinting at.

“And I love each second of the chaos,” Chris admitted.

Yeah, her too.

After all, how could she not?

They were all a bunch of nuts.

Her.

Nuts.

* * * The Blackhawk Family * * *

The Woods

Same Time

They’d watched, making sure they got pictures of each and every one so they could come up with a plan of action for their next step.

They needed the next target, since their captive had managed to escape right from under their noses.

Oh, The Hollow had been angered at that too.

Losing Elizabeth Blackhawk…

They’d be punished.

There was no doubt about that.

While she and her Native husbands were of the tribe, they shouldn’t dig into what wasn’t their business. It wasn’t their place.

Why?

They sided with the FBI.

They had also been contenders in the ‘who is the next Native to die’ contest, all throughout their lives.

Their father had been a shit human being, drinking in the bar all day and night.

The two boys had run wild, desecrating the sacredness of the lands.

The only reason they had slipped away was because they’d left and had cleaned up their act.

Besides, when Callen Whitefox had been Chief of Reservation Police, he’d become untouchable.

Taking that job had given him too much attention to make it look like he’d slipped away and moved on with his life.

They didn’t need the attention.

That would be bad.

Unfortunately for them, they now had another Chief of Police sticking her nose where it didn’t belong. She could have turned a blind eye, like the others, but no.

She had to go to the FBI.

Well, that was definitely problematic.

For.

Her.

“We need to talk this out,” he said to the other one. “We need to make sure we pick the perfect person. They need to know that angering The Hollow is punishable.”

By their own death.

Because this rez had rules. The wicked would be sacrificed, and those who caused The Hollow stress would also fall.

Out of principle.

And nothing less.