Despite It All by Reese Knightley

 

Greene

The door opened and he took a deep breath, held it, and then walked out of Summer Peterson’s kitchen. The smell of pizza filled the confines of the small apartment.

Forest stood near the front door and he looked his fill.

Their gazes collided.

Forest had changed clothing into dark jeans and a tight t-shirt that clung to every inch of his lean frame beneath the open front of the heavy wool coat. He looked like a professor, except for the shoes. The red shoes still attached to his feet, still defiant with that fuck you to the world.

“What the hell is going on?” he growled.

“Sometimes,” Forest spoke slowly, looking directly at him. “I need to do things that you won’t be privy to.”

“Privy to?” he said low and menacing.

“Stand down,” Liam ordered and lifted his cell phone.

They stood like that, the silence stretched thickly between them, his blood boiling for reasons he didn’t completely understand, and that boiled his blood even more.

Forest held his complete attention and he couldn’t look away from those pure blue eyes, wouldn’t look away, until he got answers.

“Dave?” Liam said into the phone.

The wide blue abyss sucked at him, and the colonel’s voice sounded far away, as if through a fog.

“Liam? What’s going on?” the Secretary of Defense’s voice came through the speaker.

“It’s time,” Liam told Dave.

Forest yanked his eyes away and he was finally released, but he would have done anything at that very second to get them locked back on him.

Halting steps brought him further into the living room along with the rest of the unit. Only Link and Eagle remained outside guarding the front.

What did Liam mean, it’s time?

“Forest?” Dave asked.

“I’m here.”

Dave’s sigh came tiredly over the phone.

“The unit’s here as well,” Liam said.

“All right then, I’ll say this once and that will be the end of it. The men you ran up against tonight are former and current CIA operatives.”

“Which one are you?” Crossing his arms, he stared at Forest.

“Former.”

“You sure?” he clipped out.

“Yes.” Forest’s chin tipped, eyes narrowed.

“You should have told us Forest used to be CIA!” He took his anger out on the SOD.

“It’s classified!” Dave growled back.

“We went in blind.” He smacked his fist down on the counter and the whole thing shook.

Silence rang through the apartment, and everyone on the team looked at him. He didn’t give a shit, it was time to fucking talk.

He sent his fingers thrusting through his dark hair, and gave a heavy sigh.

“Sorry, sir,” he muttered.

“Greene, you know I trust you. It wasn’t a matter of not. Forest was working the mole. The unit wasn’t even supposed to be in that apartment,” Dave said.

“That’s my fault,” Liam said. “I sent them down there when we smelled fresh paint and the super told us it was rented to Hardier.”

“You guys are too fucking much,” Dave huffed.

He took it as a compliment.

“What can you tell us?” he asked Dave.

Forest had stopped looking at him and instead stared at the phone in Liam’s hand.

“What I can tell you is that the man with Forest last night is a CIA operative, he doesn’t operate on US soil.”

“Then what was last night?” he growled.

“A mistake. One that I’ll be talking to him about. Mason has a habit of helping Forest.”

“Who is this Mason guy?” He frowned, crossed his arms, and slanted his gaze to Forest, who still hadn’t looked back at him.

“Mason and Forest have worked on and off for me since around the time they left the Army. Like I told you before, Forest reports to me.”

He squinted at the side of Forest’s head. He’d stare a hole in his head if he wouldn’t look at him.

“CIA being involved is a big fucking omission,” Isaac said, leaning against the wall that connected the hallway to the living room.

“I’ll handle it. There won’t be any more involvement from him,” Dave assured them.

He wasn’t as sure as Dave appeared to be.

“I have a question,” he said, and finally Forest swung his gaze around, and he took full advantage by directing his question to Dave but staring at Forest.

“Ask it,” Dave said.

“Why didn’t you just have us all work together?”

“Forest is listed as Summer’s next of kin. It goes against FBI policy to have a loved one working a case.”

“And this op doesn’t go against policy?” He snorted.

There was a long, uncomfortable silence, then Dave finally spoke. “I’ll stick to my first initial assessment. You will cover more ground apart.”

“And have more crap like this happen,” he pointed out.

Amusement swept through Forest’s eyes and tipped his lips. The guy was being awfully quiet, and that made him very fucking suspicious. The humor didn’t help.

“At this point, I’ll leave it up to you if you want to work together or not. I’ll talk to Parish about the family regulation policy. Either way, find Summer and find that goddamned mole,” Dave hissed through his teeth.

Liam took the cell off of speaker, tucked it against his ear, and walked out onto the back patio.

Forest spun around and left through the front door.

He launched across the room in seconds flat after the guy. If Forest thought he could just walk out, walk away and act like none of this had happened, then he could fucking think again.

He yanked open the door, stepped out, and snapped it shut. Eagle and Link were nowhere to be found.

Stalking across the small landing, he drew up short when he found Forest standing there.

Was he waiting for him?

Just in case Forest thought to make a run for it, he reached out and fisted his hand in Forest’s coat and pulled him around the corner from the front door and placed the man’s back to the wall.

Forest wasn’t too happy about being manhandled, but he stopped struggling when he realized he wasn’t going to let him just walk away.

“What do you want?” Forest hissed, a scowl sweeping over his face, ocean eyes filled like a storm brewing on the horizon.

Well, screw that.

Bring on the thunder, throw down the lightning.

“You lied to me.”

“I’m sorry.”

He squinted, holding his gaze, wondering if the regret he saw in their depths was real. He liked to think it was.

“Who’s Mason to you?”

“He’s my brother.” Forest leaned in so close, he could see the small flecks of black in those blue eyes.

“Your twin?” He planted his hands on either side of Forest’s head.

“Yeah, how’d you know?”

“Dave gave us a file on you.” He tipped his head to the side.

“Great, now can I leave?” Forest’s tongue swept over his bottom lip and he released a sigh with a breath of air that brushed against his chin.

He fingered the blond strands of hair near his hand, but kept his eyes glued on Forest, trying to read the expressions flitting over the man’s attractive face. Forest probably had men throwing themselves at his feet all the time just like Beckett had said.

Forest probably never had to work for anything in his whole goddamned life, like he had. Never been denied what he wanted. Like he wanted those lips on his. Everything inside shouted at him that this wouldn’t work. They couldn’t work.

Wait until he finds out what you are.

Lean hands reached out to push against his chest, slipping inside of his open leather jacket. Palms landed against his black t-shirt and slipped up over his pecs, causing him to suck in a hard breath.

Tell him.

He stepped back.

Forest gripped the edges of his jacket in both hands. Was he preventing him from backing away? Laughable. He could lift Forest with one hand if he wanted to get away. If he wanted that, but he didn’t want to back away and he didn’t need to tell Forest anything. Not right now and maybe never.

He could keep this casual.

His gaze dropped to Forest’s parted lips.

“Joshua.”

The small whisper of his name sent his cock from semi-hard to brick hard in one second flat. He flattened his hands to the bricks and bent his arms, lowering his body closer. He searched Forest’s face looking for any hesitation, for any signs that this was a bad idea. He already knew it was, but found no hesitation, no reservations in those blue eyes devouring him.

A shaky breath left that sweetly parted mouth and he was gone. His mouth pressed against soft lips, his beard brushing against soft skin. A tongue darted out, licked at his bottom lip, then darted away.

He brushed his thumbs beneath Forest’s chin, tipping his face upward and he slanted his mouth down hard, forcing those minty flavored lips apart. Forest’s tongue was ready and it laved and tangled against his. Forest moaned, and the sound brought his head up, ending the kiss. Soft pants swept over his mouth.

He nosed into the soft curls near Forest’s ear and drew in deeply of the slight mandarin scent found at the base of his throat, and he forgot for a moment where they were and that nothing this good lasted.

Voices near the door jerked him away from Forest, and when Liam stepped out, he was several steps away with those big eyes locked on him.

“I need you both inside.” Liam jerked his head.

Forest shoved from the wall and moved past Liam back into the apartment.

He followed and took up a spot near the fluffy couch, arms crossed over his chest.

This ought to be good. Maybe Liam was going to set down some rules. Someone needed to, otherwise Forest was going to keep running amuck.

“You believe Hardier’s the mole?” Liam asked.

“I don’t know.” Forest brushed his hair out of his eyes and leaned back against the wall.

“You think maybe he’s being used by the mole?” Liam asked.

“Maybe.” Forest held up a flash drive. “Mason is looking into this information. This was from Hardier’s laptop. I’m hoping like hell it will give us something on Summer’s whereabouts.”

“Where is the laptop?”

“I already put it back in his safe,” Forest told Liam.

“Why would you take his laptop contents if you don’t suspect he’s involved?” he rasped, shoving his hands into his leather jacket pockets, feeling his smokes and lighter.

“I’m investigating him. Like I said, I don’t know if he’s involved, but he could be.” Forest squinted at him, eyes like blue fire.

“Okay. Greene, you take a break. Holden, you stick with Forest,” Liam said.

The room wavered and heat blasted up his neck and into his face. Why the ever living fuck would Liam put Forest with Holden? Had Liam suspected they’d kiss? He growled and uncrossed his arms.

“I don’t need anyone sticking with me.” Forest glared at Liam.

“Forest.”

“No.” The agent turned away from Liam, stalked out of the apartment, and banged the door closed before anyone could move.

“I’m watching him,” he snarled at Holden, ready to beat the soldier down if he got in his way.

Holden held his hands out, pointed to the door, and smirked.

“For fuck’s sake, somebody watch him!” Liam threw up his hands.

Stalking across the room, he was out the front door at a dead run. He leaped down the stairs, not even bothering with any of the steps, and landed at the bottom. He launched across the pavement and caught Forest just as he stepped off the curb. He fisted a hand in the back of his coat, stopping his forward march.

Forest turned on him, right hand punching out, but this time, he was ready for it. He blocked the punch aimed for his solar plexus and caught Forest’s right wrist and spun him around. His chest to Forest’s back, he wrapped his arms around his waist and held on tight.

“Not this time,” he whispered, his mouth behind Forest’s ear.

One of the man’s legs lifted and he pulled his boot out of the way to avoid the stomp that was coming. He barely missed.

“Nice try.”

“You’re asking for it!”

“I hope so,” he said huskily against Forest’s nape.

After another moment, Forest sagged and stopped fighting him. He smiled and released his grip.

Forest whirled around and shoved him hard. He stumbled and his boot caught on the curb, a pain jolting through his knee. His hand smacked the cement, catching himself from face planting. A hop and slight jump and he righted himself. Turning on Forest, he found the agent with his hands on his hips, a curl on his lips.

“You okay?”

“Yeah.” He watched the man warily. “Where are you staying?”

“I usually stay at a safe house during the week.”

A safe house? He frowned, brushing off the gravel from his palm. Why would he stay at one of those? Was Forest like him, without a place to call his own?

“How far is it?”

“Not far.” Forest pulled his keys and hit the fob. A slight chirp echoed on the street and it took him a few seconds to comprehend the car. If you could call that thing a car. It was more like a half of a car. The Volkswagen was two toned, baby green body with lime green fenders and top.

“Think you’ll fit?”

Forest poked his tongue in his cheek, eyes dancing.

He’d fit in that fucking thing if it was the last thing he ever did, and it just might be. He stalked closer, opened the passenger door, and sat on the seat. He tucked his legs beneath the dash and then ducked his head. He couldn’t straighten up, so he hitched his ass sideways, so he was resting on one ass cheek, and slammed the door closed. He hoped like hell it wouldn’t pop open.

Forest slipped behind the wheel, started the engine, and he swore he heard laughter over the chug, chug.

“How far is it?”

“Twenty minutes.”

Yeah, that was humor. Oh, he was definitely getting revenge for this.

“Have fun, you two!”

He squished his head to the side to glare one eyed at Holden standing on the sidewalk waving.

Forest laughed then, laughed loud and long all the way down the street.