Page 35 of Missing Pieces (Brantley Walker: Off the Books #12)

“Maybe later,” Reese answered, patting the couch cushion. “Sit.”

“Let me grab some water.”

Reese shifted on the couch so he could watch Brantley in the kitchen. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothin’.”

“Brantley.”

With a bottle of water in hand, Brantley stood tall and sighed. “I talked to Travis.”

Well, that pretty much said it all. “And?”

“And he wants us to work with Simon to find Meredith Prescott.”

“I assume you didn’t tell him about their conspiracy theory.”

“No. And I’d like to keep that under wraps until there’s even an ounce of truth to it.”

“I agree.” Reese turned around as Brantley joined him. “I emailed the team, told them we’d meet at HQ tomorrow afternoon to discuss a case. I asked them all to be there.”

“Good. I’d like to get their input.” Brantley took a swallow of water. “I talked to Baz. JJ’s sleepin’ and the babies are doin’ good. No names yet.”

“I’m sure she’ll come up with something soon enough.”

“If not, we’ll just call ’em Baz and JJ junior.”

“I’m sure that’ll go over well.” Reese grabbed the remote and turned on the television. “I talked to Z and got Archer’s paperwork started. He said he’d fast-track it.”

“You also tell Z that we can’t afford for Archer to spend a month in Dallas?”

“I did. Considering his background, Z agreed it wasn’t necessary. I’ll be interested in watchin’ him in the simulations, though.”

“We got another trainin’ session comin’ up soon, huh?”

“End of next week if all goes well.”

Reese waited when Brantley went silent. He could tell there was still something on his mind.

Unfortunately, Brantley being Brantley, he didn’t cough it up easily.

“All right. Let’s hear it. We talked about JJ and the babies, Travis, the case, and Archer comin’ on board. I can tell somethin’ else is botherin’ you. What is it?”

“Besides me lookin’ forward to watchin’ Jason Statham kick some serious ass?”

“Yes.” Reese chuckled. “Besides that.”

“Besides me wantin’ to get you naked so I can do dirty things to you?”

A chill—the good kind—danced down Reese’s spine. “Besides that.”

Brantley passed the water bottle over. Reese set it on the end table.

“I’d like to find a way to keep Simon close while this all plays out.”

Reese frowned. “Why?”

“For starters, I’d like to control the information he gets.”

“That defeats the purpose of his podcast.”

“Ask me if I care,” Brantley grumbled. “This is my family we’re talkin’ about. Travis is my cousin. So is Braydon. The last damn thing I wanna do is dig up somethin’ that might cause them more pain. Remember, Jessie’s gonna have to go through it all again if Simon chooses to rehash what happened.”

Reese considered those words carefully. Brantley wasn’t wrong. And Reese understood the need to protect family. They were, after all, Reese’s family now, too.

“Okay,” he told Brantley. “Let’s come up with a way to talk to Simon without puttin’ him on the defensive. Maybe it’s as simple as askin’ him to work as a member of the task force for the duration of the case.”

“Not a bad idea.”

“That might have to come with a paycheck,” Reese noted, watching Brantley.

“I’m not sure that’s exactly a bad thing.”

Reese got comfortable, resting his shoulder against Brantley’s. “No?”

“We can always use another set of eyes.”

“True.”

“Now, would you mind startin’ that movie?”

“Eager to watch Jason Statham?”

Brantley shifted closer. “Eager to do dirty things to you in the dark.”

Reese felt his cheeks warm even as his cock thickened with anticipation. He lifted the remote to turn on the movie, but before he could, Brantley grabbed it from his hand. He tossed it aside, and in one swift move, Reese was flat on his back, Brantley’s comforting weight on top of him.

“I know you would never keep somethin’ from me unless you had a good reason.”

Reese’s breath caught as he stared up into Brantley’s face. His expression was hard, cold almost.

“Never.”

“Don’t do it again, Reese.”

He heard the pain in Brantley’s voice. He wouldn’t admit it, but he clearly felt betrayed.

“I expect you to trust me.”

“I do trust you,” Reese declared.

“Trust me to do the right thing. I wouldn’t’ve let anything delay our wedding.”

Reese nodded. He knew that. Deep down, he knew that was true.

At the time, he’d been overwhelmed with so much going on.

It hadn’t been Brantley he didn’t trust, but rather JJ.

The woman was fiercely headstrong, and when she wanted something, she dug in her heels.

And she had the ability to derail the best of intentions. Not on purpose, of course.

Brantley gripped Reese’s jaw firmly. “Trust me, Reese.”

A tidal wave of emotion swept through him. Reese grabbed Brantley as he lifted his head, seeking his lips. Their mouths crashed together, hard and demanding.

As he hoped, that triggered Brantley’s desire to dominate. Sex—hard, punishing sex—was a surefire way for Brantley to burn off the residual frustration. Reese needed that. Needed to submit to this man, his husband. Needed to atone for his lapse in judgment.

“Fuck,” Brantley hissed when Reese bit his bottom lip.

“You can have what you want from me, Brantley,” Reese growled. “But I won’t make it easy.”

Brantley’s grin was fierce. “That’s why I love you.”

When Brantley attempted to flip him, Reese wrestled out from under him, falling to the floor. They rolled together, tongues and teeth clashing as they drove the need higher and higher.

Fighting for air, Reese managed to get to his feet, stumbling down the hall with Brantley right behind him. He barely made it into the bedroom when Brantley was on him, knocking him onto the bed before climbing on top of him.

Reese used every ounce of strength he had to buck Brantley off so he could flip over. As soon as he was on his back, Brantley was on him again, straddling his thighs and pinning him to the bed. They were both panting, their breaths labored, bodies primed.

Brantley managed to shackle his wrists with one hand. The other began jerking the button on his jeans, yanking down the zipper. When his husband fisted his cock, Reese cried out, the pleasure so intense, it blinded him momentarily.

“Fuck my hand,” Brantley commanded, his voice raspy with desire. “Now, Reese.”

His body had a mind of its own, his hips lifting as he began thrusting into Brantley’s fist. It wasn’t enough, but he chased the pleasure because it felt so damn good.

But as quickly as it came, it disappeared when Brantley released him, jumping to his feet.

The next thing Reese knew, Brantley was manhandling him, yanking his boots off, then his socks, jeans, boxer briefs.

He helped by discarding his shirt, crying out in surprise when Brantley deep-throated his cock without warning.

“Oh, fuck … oh, fuck. Brantley … don’t … not yet.”

He tried to fight the man bringing him to the brink of orgasm, but it was no use. Brantley was on a mission, clearly intent on sending Reese into hyperspace with his exquisite mouth.

His cock jerked and he was seconds from detonating when Brantley released him.

Rough hands grabbed behind his knees, shoving his legs toward his chest. Reese had mere seconds to brace for what was coming, but it didn’t matter.

Brantley tongue-fucked his hole with brutal accuracy, driving him to the brink once again.

“Fuck me, Brantley,” he pleaded, jerking his cock in time with the rhythmic thrust of Brantley’s tongue. “Oh, fuck … yes!”

He came with a roar, sensation assaulting every nerve ending.

When he came back to himself a few minutes later, Brantley had stripped his clothes off and was crawling onto the bed with him.

The ferocity was still glowing hot on Brantley’s face as he straddled Reese’s chest. “My turn.”

Yes, it most definitely was.

Reese stared up at Brantley’s thick, heavy cock, admiring the way he stroked himself, firmly, almost roughly.

He opened his mouth, eager to taste him, desperate to give him the same pleasure. But most importantly, eager to surrender, to let Brantley use him. He couldn’t explain why he loved that so much, but he did.

“Wider,” Brantley growled, the thick head pressing against Reese’s bottom lip.

He relaxed his jaw, opening as wide as he could. Watching Brantley’s face, he saw the relief that passed over his features when he began thrusting into his mouth.

“God, yes. I love that fuckin’ mouth.”

Brantley planted both hands on the bed and began fucking Reese’s face. Slow and deep.

It took effort and focus to breathe through his nose, but Reese managed. He let Brantley use him for long minutes.

“I’m gonna come,” Brantley warned. “Oh … fuck … Reese … baby.”

Reese lifted his head, meeting Brantley’s thrust and was rewarded by the pulse against tongue, the spray against the back of his throat. He swallowed, taking everything Brantley had to give him.

When Brantley flopped down on him, Reese wrapped his arms around him.

Words weren’t necessary as they both dragged air into overtaxed lungs.

He knew without a doubt that Brantley had forgiven him for not sharing the information when he should have.

That was the way Brantley worked. He got it out of his system, and then they moved on.

“I love you,” he whispered, pressing his lips to Brantley’s shoulder. “So much.”

“I love you, too.” Brantley lifted his head. “But don’t hold out on me again.”

Reese met his gaze and willed him to see his sincerity as he said, “Never. Promise.”

Brantley smirked. “How about that movie now?”

Reese agreed, knowing that there would be a round two before the night was over. And he looked forward to it as much as Brantley looked forward to watching Jason Statham kick bad-guy ass.