Page 35 of Fatal Temptation

“Cover me,” he said to Evan who gave him an affirmative nod.

He took a deep breath and then he ran. He slid behind the kitchen island, heart pounding in his chest, Evan’s cover fire keeping him in one piece as he crossed the room.

He stood the second there was a reprieve in the shooting and raised his gun. He had a clear shot and they didn’t see him before it was too late.

The first one went down with a scream and the other tried to make a run for it, heading toward the blacked-out windows to their left. He got tackled to the floor by Mo, the two SWAT officers on his six.

Mo let SWAT take over and stood while one of the officers dug his knee into the man’s back, reaching for his handcuffs. The sergeant was standing over the one Lucas had shot and when Lucas stepped closer, he asked him, “You got them?”

The sergeant gave him an affirmative nod and he turned to wave Evan and Mo forward as he headed toward the door behind the overturned bookcase.

He motioned for Evan to cover him and held his gun over the hand he used to grab the handle. He pulled the door open and let the others enter ahead of him, then raised his gun and followed.

Holy fuck.

Girls of a different range of ages and ethnicities sat around the room on dirty mattresses, most of them looking too strung out to truly notice them though there were a few who looked at them with fear and apprehension in their eyes.

He prepared himself for a long evening of paperwork and realized that he could breathe easier already. Akio had made that happen. Without him, they might never have found this place. These girls would’ve remained drugged and used. They were all safe now.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Akio

THE WAIT was killing him. The lack of contact? Not knowing? Fuck. He hated it. He knew it came with Lucas’ job, but that didn’t mean he had to like it. After pacing the apartment for what felt like hours, he’d finally ended up on the couch, wrapped in the blue blanket while he watched whatever popped up on the TV.

It was well past midnight when the front door opened. He pulled the blanket back and padded into the kitchen. Lucas was wearing a dark blue FBI jacket over the clothes he’d left in, a tired look on his face as he smiled at Akio.

He walked straight into Lucas, forcing the man to wrap his arms around him.

“You okay?” Akio whispered, face buried in Lucas’ neck to breathe in his scent, the spicy smell of his cologne mixed with sweat and something he didn’t want to discern.

“I’m fine.”

Hands found Akio’s face and tugged him back until he was looking up into Lucas’ green eyes.

“Areyou?” Lucas asked, worry creasing his brows.

Akio nodded and tried for a smile. Lucas didn’t relax so he figured he failed miserably.

“There were eighteen girls there,” Lucas said, his voice catching for a second. “They’re all safe now because of you.”

Akio felt his throat close up.

“They wouldn’t have been there in the first place if it wasn’t for me.”

Something dark flashed in Lucas’ eyes and he gripped Akio by the arms.

“Don’t you dare think that. It happenedtoyou, Akio. Not because of you.”

Lucas was not talking about the girls. He was talking about Kaito.

He shook his head, tears prickling in his eyes.

“I know,” he whispered, his voice coming out croaky.

Lucas pulled him tight against his chest and held him there, face buried in Akio’s hair, hands on his back keeping him from moving away. Not that he wanted to.

He could happily stay just like that forever, wrapped in Lucas. In the warmth of the man’s embrace.

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