Despite It All by Reese Knightley
Forest
Aphone ringing brought him out of a dead sleep and he lifted his head.
Holy fuck that hurt. He faceplanted back in the pillow and slapped at the nightstand for the cell.
After another week in the hospital, he’d made it home and to his own bedroom. He rolled over, pushing the colorful accessory pillows to the floor with a groan. Still stiff, he winced and huffed out a breath. Fuck, he was sore as all hell. “Son of a bitch,” he moaned and sat up, finally finding the phone under the spare pillow. The pillow that had Greene’s imprint still in it. Stupid ass thing hadn’t been on the nightstand. Who in their right mind put a phone beneath a pillow? Greene, probably.
“Hello?” his voice came out groggy.
“Agent Taylor?”
“Travis?”
“Yeah, just wanted to tell you that our office is back open.” Internal Affairs and Liam Cobalt’s unit had been all over it for two weeks.
“I’m glad.”
“They laid ASAC Parish to rest today,” Travis said roughly.
“I know.” He’d wanted to be there, but his doctor had advised against going out so soon. Greene had backed up the doctor and he’d caved, because he was still as weak as a kitten.
“Colonel Cobalt and his men are pulling out. The Director made me the interim Supervisory Agent for now.”
“Congratulations.” He rubbed the back of his neck. He was glad for the guy.
“Summer’s out of the hospital and back here driving me crazy,” Travis continued.
“I heard.” He scooted against the pillows. His best friend was known for driving people nuts, but he wouldn’t change her for the world. She’d recovered from her ordeal quickly and was raring to get back into the thick of things. He was surprised she hadn’t followed him and Greene home.
“Yeah.” Travis laughed. “She said you saved her.”
“She saved herself.”
“I think so too. She told me that Hardier had snatched her at her home and kept her in his apartment for a few days before handing her over to Shawl. Hardier painted to cover up evidence she was ever in his apartment.”
He didn’t have anything to say to that, so a silence swept over the phone. He silently wished Travis all the success in the world.
“You’re coming back, aren’t you, Forest?”
“I don’t know, but I’ll be in touch.” He rubbed at his chest.
“Okay, get well.” Travis hung up.
He stared at the phone before placing it on the nightstand. Robert Shawl’s betrayal hurt the most. Robert and Hardier and Renee had all been in on it together. Liam had found evidence that pointed to them all on Renee’s laptop.
He still felt in shock. Greene told him that not only had she murdered Parish, but she’d been the female voice in the room ordering them to throw him off the balcony.
The people leaking information to the terrorists were gone and last night, the unit had finished arresting a small cell of terrorists associated with the betrayal.
“How are you feeling?”
There he was. He let out a breath and turned to gaze at the man in the doorway, drinking in the sight of Greene still in a t-shirt and boxer shorts. He clearly hadn’t left his side.
“Good.”
“How’s Summer?”
“She’s back to work.”
“Who was on the phone?”
“Why? Jealous?”
Greene squinted. “Yes,” came out all growly, and he loved it. He tipped his chin and curved his lips.
“Travis, he’s been appointed interim supervisor. He went to Parish’s funeral.”
He plucked at the sheet.
“I’m so sorry you didn’t get to go.”
Greene came and sat on the side of the bed.
“He didn’t deserve to die.”
Scooting over on the bed, he tugged at Greene. The man came willingly into his arms.
They hadn’t had time to discuss anything beyond that they wanted to make it work. He drew in a deep breath and asked the one question he’d been dreading.
“When do you have to return to base?”
“I took some personal leave.”
“Oh yeah?” He released a long breath and smiled up into the man’s face, not giving a crap that he probably had bad breath.
Greene dipped his head and pressed his lips to his, sharing the tiny piece of white mint. He moaned into his mouth, stroking his tongue. When he came up for air, he pulled Greene further down and into his arms. Greene’s beard nuzzled into his neck.
“Can we stay in bed the whole day?”
A chuckle brushed his skin and he tipped his head back, allowing Greene more room to roam.
Careful hands brushed away his briefs and lifted the t-shirt over his head, and then Greene yanked off his own clothing and was back. Stretching that hard, muscled body over his, he arched when Greene trailed his mouth and beard down the scar on his stomach, kissing it and his bruises and his skin as if he were the most beautiful thing in the world.
The feeling was mutual and as the sun crept across the sky and dipped down low over the ocean, he showed Greene just how much he was loved.
Later, he sat on the patio and sipped his hot coffee and he reached into his pocket for the box he’d kept in the nightstand.
“What’s that?” Greene eyed the box, gray eyes wide.
“For you.”
“When did you get that?”
“On Amazon a few weeks ago.”
Greene squinted and took the box. When he opened it, his mouth dropped open and then he smiled.
“I knew I’d get you out of those shoes.” Greene pulled out the small keychain with a red pair of sneakers dangling.
“You did not get me out of my shoes.” He waved a hand. “Those are a pair of your very own.”
“Man, I’ve dreamed of having one of these.” Greene clipped the novelty keyring to his keys like an excited little boy.
Reaching for his hand, Greene lifted his fingers to his lips.
“Tell me your dreams,” Greene said.
“Why?” He tipped his head to the side, catching those gray eyes.
“I want to make them all come true,” Greene murmured against his knuckles.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”