The Truth Will Set You Free (closed)

[BeachBum25]

Bryce sped to the Las Cruces Airport. While he drove, he used his phone to check departures. There weren't many, and most of them were just little commuter flights to El Paso. Bryce knew that Sarah would not waste her time driving to Las Cruces and then flying to El Paso, so, those flights were out.

There were two flights that caught his eye; one was to Las Vegas and the other was to Los Angeles. Neither of those flights left for a while. Bryce figured he would be okay. He was certain she would make a scene when she saw him in the airport, but he didn't care.

He pulled into the car rental return and saw the car that Sarah had been driving in the return lane. "Perfect, I guessed right."

Gathering up his backpack, Bryce went inside and spoke to the man at the counter. "Yes, I am going to return the car a few days early." The man told him that they were not going to reimburse him for the days he didn't use. Bryce wasn't in the mood to argue with this guy, so he just let it go.

"The woman who dropped off the car out front, how long ago did she get here?" The guy told Bryce that the woman had returned the car abot20 minutes before Bryce got there. "Good, I will be able to catch up with her inside." The guy snickered a little. Bryce looked at the guy. "No, you won't catch her in there. She tried to change her return to El Paso, We don't allow that. She was going to wait for a flight to El Paso, but then I saw her get in the back seat of a car and head out."

Okay, so, she was heading to El Paso. "I need the keys back. I am paying for the days, I am going to keep the car for that long then." The guy started to protest, but the look Bryce gave him told him that Bryce wasn't going to have anymore of his bullshit.

Bryce got in the car and headed to El Paso. This was going to be more of a challenge... bigger airport.. a lot more flights... and Bryce wasn't sure where she was going.

He got to the rental car return at El Paso, and the guy told him that he had to return the car in Las Cruces. Bryce handed the man the keys. "I am returning it to you. You do whatever the fuck you want with it."

Running toward the terminal, Bryce made a decision. He would go to LA. If he was wrong, he was wrong, but he had a feeling. He went to the ticket counter and got the last seat on the next flight to LA, and was told he needed to hurry, the flight was already boarding.

Sprinting up to security, Bryce was able to get through. As he was running to the gate, he heard the final boarding call for the flight. Approaching the gate, he called out for the gate agent to wait. She told him he was lucky.

As he walked down the aisle to his seat (he was in the last row) Bryce saw a familiar face. As he walked past her, Bryce smiled. "Hello Sarah. It is so nice to see you." Then, he continued back to his seat.

 

[zydrate]

Sarah could feel Bryce's stare the entire flight. What the fuck was he doing here... how did he-- she stopped that thought. She knew how, Justin must have caved. She felt sorry for putting Justin through this, poor thing.

She did not dare look back to see where he was sitting. It just pissed her off. Did he really hate her that much to stop her with this? Was he wanting revenge?

No--maybe she should have listened to his voicemails...?

Sarah stopped the flight attendant, ordering a shot of whiskey. She needed to calm her nerves. OK, this wasn't going to be a problem. She would talk to him, see what he wanted and then be on her way... right?

"Make that 2, and let me get that for you," said the man sitting next to Sarah, paying for her drink.

"Oh no, you don't have to." But the man insisted, "Thanks, I appreciate."

"No problem...Sarah."

"How did you know my name?" She asked wearily.

"That man that walked passed said your name."

"Oh--right, he did." Fucking Bryce had her spooked now.

The drinks arrived and Sarah drank hers quickly. The man didn't touch his yet, "I'm John, John Fitzgerald."

Sarah did a double take, "John Fitzgerald? Like Fitzgerald Publishing? What are you doing flying coach?!"

He shrugged, "Not my thing really. All seats are the same, right? So you know about the publishing business?"

"A little bit." She was going to order another drink when he offered her his untouched drink. She smiled and downed it quickly, "Sorry, I'm trying to relax."

"Nervous flyer?"

"No-- I just had a hectic few days... well, no, months, make that months." She did start to relax a little more. The drinks were probably a mistake as she wasn't a heavy drinker.

"Really? Want to tell me about it? I mean, we have less than 2 hours to kill."

Sarah thought about it and shook her head, "No, I don't want to bore you about the details. But thank you for asking. It's just work related." She hoped he understood. Even though he seemed nice, she still was hesitant to tell anyone of anything just yet. At least all the details she had learned.

"Well, I know we're going to the same city, how about telling me over dinner tonight?"

"No--I have things to do once I'm off this flight."

John didn't push it and nodded. Instead, they talked a little about other things. Sarah was grateful for the conversation, it took her mind off of Bryce, who she could still sense was not taking his eyes off of her.

They finally landed and as they started to get up out of their seats, Sarah wanted to see if she could beat Bryce off the plane, which she was sure she could but she knew he'd catch up to her no matter what. So, instead, after getting off the plane and leaving the gate, she walked at normal pace, waiting for him to catch up because she needed him to say whatever it was and then she would be on her way.

"That dinner invite is still open." John had not left her side after they got off the plane, "Come on...say yes, please?"

Sarah was about to answer but she saw Bryce approaching... perfect.

 

[BeachBum25]

Bryce fully expected Sarah to make a dash for it when she got off the plane. He knew that the one thing that she had listened to him about was travelling light. He had to admit that he was happy that she just walked off the plane and was taking her time. Although, it was obvious the guy walking with her was having a difficult time convincing Sarah to do whatever it was that he wanted her to do.

He walked up beside Sarah on the opposite side of the man. "Hello again Sarah." Then he looked at the guy and then back to Sarah. "I would like to say I am sorry for interrupting your conversation, but, that just wouldn't be my style.... would it?"

Looking at the guy again, Bryce gave him a smile. "Sarah and I need to talk. Have a great time in LA." Bryce placed his hand on Sarah's elbow and guided her away from the man and into a gate waiting area. He felt her tense up when he placed his hand on her elbow; he dug his fingers in as if to say, don't make a scene.

When they were in the waiting area, away from everyone Bryce stopped. He stared down at Sarah. "It didn't have to be this hard. If you had just answered your damned phone, I could be sitting home having delivered this message to you about a week ago. Instead, I have been all over fucking New Mexico and now I am in LA. I hate LA."

He took a deep breath as he felt his agitation rising. "It is a real simple message that I have for you Sarah. You are in more danger than you realize." He saw Sarah's look. It was the same look she always gave him when he tried to talk to her about being safe.

"Sarah, the Mexican government has been calling the US government complaining about "American troops" going into a village and holding people hostage. Do you know what that means?" He waited for a response from Sarah, but he got none. Her facial expression didn't change. In fact, he was pretty sure she rolled her eyes at him.

"Listen, just hear me out without the attitude. I have been visited by the Secretary of State. I have had a phone call from the Department of Defense. Both of them have received phone calls from Mexican officials high up in the government. Of course, the first person they think about doing something like that is me. They talk about a woman and her daughter being held hostage for a while before being released."

Still no reaction.

"What that says is that Coriz isn't worried about the government finding out what he does or shutting him down. It says that he has people on his payroll that are in high places in the Mexican government. It means that his reach is much further than you think, and that the next time you go there, it won't just be him looking for you, it will also be people in the government.. probably the Federales."

He took a breath. "You can do whatever you want with the information. I am only here because I want you to be safe. Hell, I want you to be safe more than you want to be safe. Now, if you hurry up, you can catch up with that guy and he can buy you a drink or buy you dinner or whatever else he was offering. I need to go out and get a ticket for the next flight home. My work here is done."

Bryce didn't wait for a response from Sarah. He didn't want an argument. He wanted her safe. He wished she would listen to him, but he had long ago given up on that. He turned and headed out to find a flight home.

 

[zydrate]

Sarah saw the look on Bryce's face as she approached and she was tempted to tell John to run but didn't have time. The poor guy looked shocked as he was literally just brushed off by Sarah but also someone interrupting them. He probably wasn't used to that.

Sarah listened to everything he said and she thought she was doing a pretty good job trying not to be a...well, a bitch about it, but she listened. She took everything in. Even the part about hating L.A.... that was something she would need to ask about later.

When he finished, yes, it did make sense. This was really big. Explosive really. And in fact, it was too big for some little news magazine to handle...

Don't get a big head, Sarah, she thought. Get the information first and then, go from there.

Bryce walked away.

As always.

Sarah was irritated enough, she called after him, "You could've just called!" She yelled out loudly.

She walked away in the opposite direction before turning around, still yelling "THANKS! BUT I KNEW THAT ALREADY! BESIDES! I'M GOING AFTER HIS FAMILY!!" Her voice cracked at the end as she turned again and started to walk away faster. Of course several people turned to look but most ignored her. It was L.A. after all.

Muttering curses under her breath, Sarah followed the signs for the rental car agency.

Outside, she stood near a group people that were also waiting for a shuttle to take them to the car rental agency. It was there she decided to take a few deep breaths to calm herself. She was starting to realize that he literally crossed the country to give her a message?! But, in fairness, he was right, she should have called him back. Goddamnit, he picked a hell of a time to get to her.

Sarah was so deep in her thoughts, she didn't notice the others around her scrambling away... or the screeching of the tires all followed by loud popping... gunshots?! She turned to the sound and before she could react, she felt a sharp hit on her side, knocking her down. People screamed. Sarah had her breath knocked out of her and she tried hard to catch it. She was on her hands and knees as she reached to her side, expecting to feel blood... or at the very least, a hole in her side.

Nothing. But it hurt like fuck!

She tried to get up but hadn't completely gotten her balance and had rolled over on her back as she felt in her jacket pocket--the burner flip phone she had gotten back in Las Cruces... the one she used as a dummy phone to give to others that phone number instead of her personal phone. She pulled it out and saw a bullet lodged in the top right of it. "My phone.." was all she could manage to say as people gathered around her.

GET UP! her mind screamed... she needed to move and get to safety. With a hard groan, she got up and did her best to push through the crowd.

"Fuck!" was all she said as she tried to hail a cab. Perhaps, right now wasn't a good time to get a rental car.

 

[BeachBum25]

Bryce was approaching the ticket counter when he heard a lot of commotion outside the terminal. He just shook his head. "Fucking LA," he said to out loud.

He heard a woman screaming that somebody was shooting. At first, Bryce really didn't think much about it. He figured it was just a gang dispute or something. He talked to the ticket agent about getting a plane ticket home.

Then it struck him. "Sarah."

He went running out of the terminal. People were still running around. One man was yelling, "call 911 she needs an ambulance. She's been shot."

Bryce continued to look around. He didn't see any blood. He didn't see anyone on the ground. He didn't see anyone with a gun.

He stopped a woman running past him. "Whose been shot?" She pointed in the direction she was running from. "A girl." Then she continued running away. Bryce looked around. He was looking for one person. He automatically reached into the back of his waistband. "FUCK." He didn't have a weapon. He was flying commercially, so, he couldn't carry any weapons.

Then, Bryce heard a shot. He looked in the direction it was coming from and saw where the man was aiming. Then, he saw Sarah. She was waving for a taxi. Bryce ran to her and pushed her down behind a car that the driver had abandoned as they were trying to pick someone up. He opened the door to the car and told her to crawl in and stay by the floor.

Bryce ran around and jumped in the driver's seat and sped off. A shot came through the back window and lodged in the headrest of the passenger seat. Fortunately, Sarah had listened to him and stayed down.

Driving out of the airport, Bryce headed for one of the off-site car rental locations. They couldn't keep driving in a car with bullet holes, especially one he had just stolen. "You stay here, I will be right back.

When Bryce returned with an SUV, he pulled up next to the car and had Sarah get in. "Put the seat back and lay down. I don't know who it is that is looking for you, but they obviously know you are in town. He drove away, and headed north on the 405. He zig zagged on the freeways. Bryce had no idea where he was going. He relied on the navigation to tell him where they were.

Finally, they found themselves on the 15 heading out into the desert. When they got to Barstow, he found a hotel and got them a room.

They hadn't said a word to one another during the entire trip. Bryce was too focused on driving; watching to see if anyone was following them and getting them away from the city. Once they were settled in the hotel room, Bryce looked at Sarah. "Are you okay? I didn't see any blood, so, I assumed you weren't hit."

 

[zydrate]

To Sarah’s surprise, some of the pain gradually went away so but there was a hard soreness. She was able to walk normally, even rush when Bryce had her get in the SUV. She lay in the passenger seat and draped an arm over her eyes, trying to remember if she remembered anything clearly.

The pain. She did remember that clearly.

Her other hand was holding her side. God, it still hurt and was tender as hell.

When they got into the hotel room, her face was flushed, mostly because now it was starting to hurt a little more. She collapsed on the bed (only one bed, really?) and sighed out loud.

Then Bryce asked if she was OK. She looked at him… well, glared at him and stood up, yanked the second cellphone with the bullet in it and tossed it at him, “No, but someone owes me another dummy phone...” and then pulled off her jean jacket, trying not to make a face from the soreness.

She stood in front of the mirror of the dresser and pulled up her shirt, exposing the left side of her stomach and saw the redness form the impact from the phone after the bullet impacted it. She made a humorless laugh at the rectangle shape… Yanking her shirt back down, she walked to the bathroom and grabbed a washcloth and ran it under the cold water before wringing it out and then taking it back to the bed and laying down, lifting her shirt again, placing the washcloth on it.

“Well, shit… I guess I got on someone’s nerve…”

 

[BeachBum25]

He caught the phone when Sarah tossed it to him. He resisted making a smart ass comment about sending the bill to Coriz. She wouldn't think it was funny and there was no reason to start any shit with her. She had just been shot, and a cheap ass burner phone probably saved her life.

Bryce watched as Sarah lifted her shirt revealing a bruise in the shape of her burner phone. He knew she was in pain despite all of her efforts to hide it. She didn't want Bryce to have any reason to say, "told ya so."

While Sarah was in the bathroom, Bryce made a phone call. He had to find someplace to get a couple of weapons. Getting a gun wasn't easy in California, so, he had to utilize some of his contacts to get him a couple handguns. He needed to protect Sarah. Coriz knew she was here, and it was obvious he wanted her dead.

"Yes, Sarah, I would say that you got on someone's nerve." He wanted to say so much more, but he knew she would just turn him off, so, he just left it at that. She couldn't be mad at him for saying it. After all, he was agreeing with what she had said. Instead, he got up and grabbed the ice bucket and walked out to the ice machine. When he got back to the room, he grabbed the other wash cloth, wet it, then wrapped some of the ice cubes in it. He walked over to Sarah, took away the wash cloth she had on her bruise and replaced it with the ice. "That should help numb it a little."

He went over and sat in the chair by the window. As soon as he sat down, he got a text. Standing back up, he looked to Sarah. "I will be right back. Don't open the door for anyone.. even for me. If I want to get in, I have the key." Bryce left the room and got into the SUV. He drove west on the I5 to a big box store. He went inside and bought a rake. As he walked back to the SUV, he noticed a man get out of another SUV with a bag. As they passed between parked cars, the man handed him the bag. No words were exchanged. Bryce leaned the rake against the cart return and walked back to his rental SUV.

While he was out, he went through a drive through and got a few burgers, chicken sandwiches, fries and a couple of sodas. Pulling back into the hotel parking lot, Bryce looked around. He didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. He went back into the hotel and up to their room. He entered quietly, hoping Sarah was asleep. Once inside, he sat the food and drinks on a table and opened the other bag. Inside were 2 Glock 19 Gen 5s with extended clips, and 2 boxes of ammunition. "Hopefully, this will do."

Seeing that Sarah was still asleep, Bryce moved the chair around so that he was facing the door. If anyone came through the door, they were going to be sorry. He knew that he would never be able to keep Sarah from her story, but maybe what just happened will slow her down.

His phone buzzed again with a text. It was one of The Team members. The guys were worried. The shooting at the airport had made the national news, and one of the networks had video of Bryce driving away in what they were reporting to be a stolen car. He texted back, "All good for now. Have everyone stand down. This is personal. For the time being, Alpha is in charge. I will let you know when I am back."

 

[zydrate]

She waved him off when he said he would be back and not to open the door for anyone. Once he left, Sarah spoke out loud, "I'm not 5..." but yes, sometimes she knew she acted like it.

Getting her real phone, Sarah looked for any messages from anyone. Nothing. That was fine. She was just glad she didn't miss anything. She did send a text to Justin, telling him she made it to L.A.... kinda. Right now, she didn't know where she was. Looking at the address on the small notepad by the room phone, Sarah saw the city, Barstow.

BARSTOW? What the hell?! Goddamn, when Bryce wanted to get them far away from the scene, he didn't hold back.

She sent another text to Justin, telling him she was in Barstow.

He didn't respond. Which was fine. He was probably mad at her for Bryce coming after him. He'd get over it though... she hoped.

Laying back down, Sarah felt like pain going away. Right now, it was just soreness... like she did a million crunches followed by the same number of planks.

Too much excitement Sarah... she thought to herself, covering her eyes with her arm. She hadn't realized she had fallen back asleep until her phone rang. She always made sure to answer whoever called, no matter what time (well...except for when Bryce called...)

She sat up, groaning and then answered the phone.

“This is Sarah—”

Two loud pops rang over the phone. Was it a bad connection… She still wasn’t fully awake, “Who is this?”

“Your friend Justin is dead. Now, come home and let’s talk.”

The call ended.

“Wait… what?” Nothing made sense until Sarah stood up from the bed, “Oh shit!” She needed to get her things together… get her bag… as she was doing so, or at least trying to do so, she tried to call Justin back… his phone kept ringing. “No no no… I have to get to him!” Sure, Justin wasn’t just a co-worker and partner, he was her friend.

 

[BeachBum25]

Bryce heard Sarah freaking out. He moved over to her. "Sarah, what is it. what's the matter? What are you doing?"

She proceeded to tell him about the phone call. She told him about hearing the gunshots. She told them what the person on the other end of the call said. She was panicking and he needed to settle her down and talk to her.

Bryce grabbed Sarah by the shoulders. "Stop. Look at me. Listen to me." He waited until she made eye contact with him. "Now, first things first, You don't know that they killed Justin. All you heard was two pops. That call could have come from anywhere. It is just a way of getting you to come to them so they don't have to find you."

He waited a second to let that sink in. "Secondly, and I know this will be hard to accept, but, if they did kill Justin, there is nothing that you can accomplish by running to them. They are playing on your emotions. They are hoping that you feel like you can help him by going back there. If they killed him, there is nothing you can do that will change that."

Maintaining his grip on her shoulders, Bryce continued. "That call is probably just to draw you out. They want to get you back in public.... heading back to the airport where they will try to ambush you. They don't want to talk to you Sarah. They want to eliminate a problem. Whatever story you are working on is a problem for them. Without you there is no story and therefore, no problem."

Walking her backward, he sat her down on the bed. Bryce tried to soften his approach. "I know you don't want to listen to me Sarah. I know you purposely do the opposite of what I tell you to do. What you need to understand is nothing that I say to you is an attempt to control you. I want to keep you safe.. nothing more.. nothing less. I don't want to see you harmed in any way. That has always been my goal with you. Maybe I come off different than that, but that is all I want."

He stepped back from her waiting for her to start yelling at him or for her to make a dash for the door. She could yell all she wanted, but there was no way that Bryce was going to let her leave. She was too emotional and would make really stupid decisions. He looked into her beautiful eyes and he could see her mind racing. Bryce could tell she was trying to figure out her next move. He was hoping that she would relax and talk things through with him... the little guy in his head laughed. "yea right, that will never happen."

 

[zydrate]

Sarah thought and nodded, looking away from Bryce, whispering, "Draw me out...draw me out..." She jumped back up and stood in front of him, "Oh shit! I told Justin where I was. I sent him a text earlier when you left for whatever." How long ago was that?!

Without thinking, Sarah threw her arms around Bryce's neck, "I'm sorry... " Great, she thought she could handle this herself and that no one would or could get hurt. "What am I going to do?" She said, more to herself than to Bryce.

Pulling away from him, Sarah grabbed her bag, "I can't stay.... Bryce, you can't stay either..." Yeah, she still wasn't thinking but she had refused his help so many times before she figured he would just go. "I can do this... I'll just..." She stopped... What...? What was she going to do?

She needed help.

And yes, by help she needed his help.

She turned to him, "Help me please."

 

[BeachBum25]

"Okay, let's get out of here. You just gave out the information, so, we have some time. There is no way that they have someone close enough to fucking Barstow to be here that quickly. We need to go now Sarah."

They were out the door and in the SUV quickly. He thought about having Sarah lay on the back seat so nobody would see her, because the rental SUV did not have tinted windows, but it probably wouldn't help since he was sure they would know what he looked like now. As Bryce looked at the GPS he was pissed off at himself for choosing Barstow; no northern road to take. Going south put them closer to Mexico and reinforcements for Coriz. Going east took them to Las Vegas, which was certainly not ideal, and going west took them back to LA... not an option.

They had to go back toward LA a little to find a road heading north. It was a good thing that the sun was starting to set; it would give them a little bit of cover as they drove. Bryce sensed Sarah's fear. It was something she had never shown before. It was one of the things that always worried Bryce about Sarah... no fear. Fear was something that kept you on your toes... kept you on edge. Not being afraid often led to making bad decisions. Bryce felt fear before every mission.. he had to.. ha had to make sure that everything was well planned and that his men had every opportunity to return home safely.

He placed his hand on Sarah's knee as he drove. Bryce didn't say anything; he just wanted her to try to relax. He also hoped that by remaining quiet that she would understand that he was supporting her and he would help her through this.

Bryce drove through the night; stopping only to get fuel and food. Sarah slept off and on, and when she was awake she remained quiet. Bryce continued to be quiet himself. Talking this over while driving would not be ideal. They would talk when they stopped.

Pulling in to Carson City, NV, Bryce decided it was time for the 2 of them to get some rest. He pulled into a hotel parking lot and looked over at Sarah. He almost told her to lock the doors and stay in the SUV, but he needed to stop treating her like a child. He squeezed her knee. "I'll be right out."

After getting the room, Bryce parked the SUV in the back, despite the room they had being in the front. He had no idea if they knew what vehicle they were driving. He was pretty sure that they didn't, but he took every precaution.

Once in the room, he took Sarah in his arms and held her. He knew that this was something that she really needed about 6 hours ago, but they had to get out of Barstow quickly. Bryce said nothing to her still. He was just letting her know that he was there for her and would do anything and everything for her, His hands caressed her back lightly and he kissed the top of her head as she stood in his embrace.

 

[zydrate]

The ride was long, but it did give Sarah time to think. Think about her mistakes. Why the fuck didn’t she just stop. Justin warned her… Bryce was trying to warn her… But she didn’t listen.

As per usual.

It wasn’t that she didn’t know about the danger. She was well aware… wasn’t she?

Now Justin could be dead, and it was her fault.

She was shot. That was also her fault. That should have been enough to stop anyone. At least, her side wasn’t hurting as much now.

Sarah rested her head on Bryce’s shoulder and took a deep breath, holding on to him. God, she had missed this. She didn’t fight it and they embraced for a few minutes more before she gently pushed away from him, sniffling, “Stop or I’m going to think you really have emotions…” She sat on the bed and buried her face in her hands, “Ugggh…shit, what am I going to do? I was so fucking close…”

She felt him sit down next to her and draw her to him. With a sigh, she spoke quietly, “I know I asked for your help Bryce, but I don’t want you to get hurt either. So, if you want to go from here, that’s fine. I still need to check on Justin and make sure--” she had almost said make sure he’s dead…but that sounded awful to say out loud, “And then…”

Then what?

As much as she had a terrible relationship she had with her father, she would need to talk to him, see what he knew. That meant going to Washington and well, as much as Bryce hated LA (which she still needed to find out why), she hated D.C.

 

[BeachBum25]

"Sarah, I am here for the long haul. The Team knows that I will be back when I am good and ready. I am not leaving you until I know that you are safe.. .and not just in the moment... for good." Bryce pulled her closer to him. "I will reach out to a few people and find out about Justin. I know you care about him, and I know you feel responsible for whatever may have happened to him. However, you have to understand that there is nothing you can do. They are trying to draw you out of hiding and get you someplace where they can eliminate you and kill whatever story you are working on. I am not going to ask you about the story. If you want to tell me about it, you can, but I will not pressure you."

Bryce knew she was trying to figure out what her next steps should be. He had a feeling that everything that was going on was starting to make her understand that she really was in danger. He also knew that it had been hard for her to ask him for help. She is stubborn and hard-headed, and she was probably asking herself if she really meant it when she asked him or if it was just a temporary thought that she would get over quickly.

Moving around in front of her, kneeling on the floor, he took her hands away from her face. "Look at me Sarah. Look into my eyes. I am not going anywhere. I am here to protect you. No lectures, No telling you what to do. I am your personal bodyguard, here to prevent anything from happening, or die trying. Whatever you want and/ or need, I will give it to you."

He kept her hands in his and spread her legs apart so he could move in closer to her. Their eyes fixed on each other. Bryce's face was inches away from Sarah's. "You need to trust me. I am here for you." Their lips met, briefly. Then Sarah pulled back. Bryce looked at her. "Sorry Sarah. I didn't mean to...."

 

[zydrate]

Sarah knew Bryce didn’t mean it but when he said ‘kill you’ to her so casually it scared her. She knew what he did… up to a point but other than that, it sucked having a hit on your head.

He said he’d be with her until she was safe… that made her think, what if she never was? No, she couldn’t put him through that… And even if she was to let them know she would stop the story, what was that to stop them from not killing her?

She looked into Bryce’s eyes, taking in everything he said, and actually listening to him. She nodded at him saying she needed to trust him. If only he knew she did, she just didn’t want to accept it at times.

When their lips met, Sarah only pulled back because she was surprised… surprised it happened. Shaking her head slightly, her eyes still locked with his, “I meant to.” Then she leaned forward, kissing him… this time lightly and then, harder, needing to taste him. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders and as their kiss deepened, she felt his hands move down her side and she pulled back, gasping. She looked down at her side and sighed, “I forgot about that…” she saw the concern in his face, and she brushed it off, “don’t worry, it’s fine… I’m fine…but if I find out who did this to me, I'm going to kick them so hard..." What else was she going to do? Talk them to death?

Her arms where still wrapped around him as she kissed him again, they shouldn't be doing this but Sarah needed this. She wanted this now! "Please Bryce... please..." she said in between kisses, "I've missed you..."

 

[BeachBum25]

He kissed her deeply, something he had wanted to do for a long time.. something that at another time would have resulted in a fight. Not now. Now, their lips came together and reveled in one another. He kept his hands at Sarah's sides' avoiding where her cell phone had been when it took the bullet for her.

Standing up, he leaned into her, laying Sarah back on the bed. Kneeling above Sarah, straddling her hips, his hands on either side of her, Bryce leaned down and kissed her hard and deep. His tongue slid across her lips, and searched for her tongue; curling around it.

Then, Bryce rolled onto his back, gently rolling Sarah over on top of him. This way, his weight would not press down on her injuries and result in her wincing from pain. He placed his hands on her hips as they resumed kissing. "Yes Sarah, I have missed you. Have wanted to do this for a long time."

Bryce slid his hands to Sarah's tight ass and pressed her down to him harder. He loved having her so close. He wanted to keep her close to him. Then, he slowly, carefully moved his hands up her sides.. his thumbs brushing over her breasts as the kiss became deeper and even more passionate. He took her breasts in his hands and caressed them through her top and bra. The feel of her breasts in his hands heightened his arousal even more; making him harder as he pressed his hips up to her.

 

[zydrate]

Sarah fed off of Bryce’s kisses, both were fighting for dominance with their tongues and lips… and she had realized she had missed this from him and only him. There hadn’t been anyone else besides Bryce in the past few years they’ve known each other. She just wasn’t interested in anyone else.

She knew he was being careful with her, and that just made her want him more.

Finding herself on top of him, she continued to kiss him before briefly sitting up right and tugging off her t-shirt and then her bra... finally, she felt his hands on her skin and she signed contently. His warms hands over her skin, causing her to shiver with want. She ground her hips against his arousal and even though her jeans and his pants, she could feel it straining against her.

Sarah wanted to feel him against her, she leaned over, kissing him again before sitting up and pulling at his shirt and tugging it off of him when he sat up a little before she pushed him back down on the bed, her lips still locked on his. It was as if they were in a battle to remove each other’s clothes because they had wanted each other so badly. It had been way too long, and she had thought this would never happen again.

 

[BeachBum25]

Bryce took Sarah's firm breasts in his hands and caressed them. He had missed her wonderful body. He rolled her nipples between his fingers, then, he pulled on them... HARD. The kiss was deep... .passionate..... NEEDY. Yes, they needed each other. They would both deny it if someone asked them, but there was no doubt that Sarah and Bryce needed each other.

he removed his hands from her breasts and pulled her in close to him.. pressing her perfect breasts to his chest. Then his hands moved to the waistband of her pants. He wanted to get them off. He wanted to feel all of her body against his.

After undoing and unzipping her pants, Bryce pushed them down enough that he could get his hands on her ass. He loved her ass. In his mind, it was one of the many parts of her body that he deemed to be perfect. He caressed her ass hard as they continued to battle in the kiss. Neither of them were going to back off of the kiss. Each of them wanted to be the one to control the kiss. Each of them wanted to be in control of everything between the two of them. It is what made them so combative, but it is also what made them so great together when it came to sex.

Bryce rolled Sarah onto her back again. Sliding off the bed, he grabbed her pants and her panties and removed them simultaneously. He was about to take charge of the situation. He smiled at Sarah as she laid on the bed. Spreading her legs, he began to kiss up her calves, over her knees and up to her thighs..... SLOWLY. He knew this would drive her crazy.

He licked and nibbled her inner thighs while looking up into Sarah's eyes. As he moved closer to her silky pussy, Sarah grabbed him by the hair and pulled him to her resulting in his tongue sliding over her moist lips before finding her clit. He started licking her clit wildly before sucking it into his mouth and holding it in his lips.. looking up at Sarah as he pulled her clit with his lips.

 

[zydrate]

Fuck! His hands felt good on her bare skin… to say she missed this was an understatement. Their sex life matched their verbal arguments in both heat and passion. Sarah bit her bottom lip to keep from crying out when he pulled at her nipples as her hands gripped his wrists, encouraging him not to stop. She fell easily into his needs as they matched her own.

Her kiss deepened when his hands grabbed her ass. She felt his hands move to the front of her jeans and she arched her back a bit so he could have an easier time with her jeans. Sarah’s kisses led from his lips to the side of his face and down his neck before she felt him roll her onto her back. She leaned up, not even acknowledging the protest from her bruised side. She was sure if he could, he would tear her jeans off of her… it had happened before…

“Goddamnit Bryce…” she whispered… it pissed her off when he slowed down but he knew she loved it.. to a point and that’s when she grabbed at him and dragged him further up between her legs! When his tongue finally brushed over her pussy, Sarah let go… she was leaning up on her elbows and dropped her head back when his mouth found her clit, “Ohhh fuuuuuckkk!”

Sarah’s hips were moving in time with his tongue as she lay back completely on her back and wrapped her legs around his shoulders, keeping him in place. Sarah pushed down toward him, crying out with each lap of his tongue against her! Sarah nearly lost it when she felt him fingering her pussy and that pushed her over the edge almost too soon! She couldn’t hold back and covered her mouth with her hands as she screamed out in pure pleasure, her hips grinding against his face.

It seemed like forever before Sarah came down back to reality when she pushed back up, sitting up on the edge of the bed… Bryce was standing before her and she didn’t hesitate and immediately grabbed him by the waist of his pants, focused on getting them off of him… she had felt his need earlier but now, she needed it…

Pushing his pants down, Sarah could only smile as she kissed his stomach, then moved on to a scar near his waist… as she was kissing him, she reached one hand up and wrapped it around his throbbing cock… she heard him inhale hard and she took her other hand, stroking him lightly before lightly scoring it with her nails. Their eyes locked as Sarah took the head of his cock into her mouth, sucking on it gently, almost teasing him in the same manner he did to her…

 

[BeachBum25]

"Fuck." She knew just what to do. She knew that her fingernails drove him crazy. He could tell by the look on her face that she was proud of the reaction that she got from him. When she took the swollen head of his cock between her lips, she looked straight into his eyes. Yes, she was saying that two could play the teasing game, and damn was she good at it.

Bryce cupped Sarah's cheek as she gently sucked on the head of his cock. "You are fucking amazing." He caressed her cheek with his thumb while maintaining the eye contact with her. He was in no hurry, she could tease all she wanted, they were still going to end up the same way.

He tried to resist moving his hips. He knew that Sarah was trying to drive him crazy and she was doing an incredible job of it. Bryce started moving his hips, pushing his cock deeper into Sarah's mouth. Her lips and tongue made him harder and raised his arousal to incredible heights. He moved a hand to the back of her head and ran his fingers through her hair. Gawd she was amazing. She knew just what to do, and she did it so fucking well.

He pulled his cock out of her mouth and then he pushed Sarah back onto the bed. He wanted to be inside her. He wanted to fill her with hard cock. Sliding between her legs, he allowed his hard cock to brush over her pussy as he leaned down and kissed her hard and deep. Once again, they both battled for control of the kiss.

Without warning, Bryce pressed the swollen head of his hard cock into Sarah's tight, wet pussy. In one, long, steady thrust of his hips, Bryce filled Sarah with his cock. Buried deep inside her, Bryce swallowed Sarah's gasps and moan as the kiss continued. He stayed buried inside her; pulsing his cock while it filled her.

Then, Bryce began to move. He took his time. He moved his hips in long, slow, deep, steady thrusts; pushing his cock deeper each time... filling her so good.. stretching her pussy. She felt so good wrapped around him. He missed this so much. They were so good together.

Their bodies moved in unison. The familiarity of each other meant that they moved perfectly together. His hips crashed into hers with every thrust. His balls slapped her ass. Bryce started thrusting into Sarah harder. This is what they both really needed. They needed each other for that hard fuck that only they could provide to each other. Bryce continued to slam his hips to Sarah. At this pace and in this frenzy, he was not going to last much longer.

 

[zydrate]

Sarah tried her best not to cry out with each thrust of Bryce’s cock into her wanting pussy. She had wanted this so bad from him and it was, at times, as if they couldn’t get enough of each other… at least when they weren’t fighting each other for control…

She felt him bite her lip after he entered her and she was so lost in the ecstasy of feeling him fill her, she arched her back to him, urging him for more.

His thrusts became harder… faster and Sarah did her best to keep up… she could tell by his breathing he was close and that’s when she wrapped her legs around his waist, stopping him, keeping his rock hard cock in her dripping wet pussy… their breathing matched…both labored, she dared him to keep going before she pushed at his chest and he rolled onto his back with her on top of him.

Sarah’s hands used Bryce’s shoulders for support as she rolled her hips up and down, taking control, at least she thought she was for the moment at least… she sat up, riding him, her head tossed back and her cries filling the room, her hips slamming against his and feeling his hands on her hips, guiding her and moving her… Sarah wasn’t able to hold back anymore as she came again… came hard, feeling her pussy convulsing around Bryce’s cock, urging him into joining her as they came together!

She collapsed on top of him, her breasts smashing against his chest, her face nestled in the crook of his neck… their breathing heavy and hard. Sarah closed her eyes, relaxing on top of him, her body completely exhausted from not only just what happened between them but what happened from the past few hours…

 

[BeachBum25]

It was like they had never been apart. They moved together so perfectly. They anticipated what the other was going to do and they countered it with a movement that increased the pleasure for both of them. t was amazing how Sarah moved her body once Bryce rolled onto his back. As she rode him, Bryce's hands moved to her ass and pushed her down further on him; forcing his cock deeper into her tight, wet pussy.

When Bryce felt Sarah's body start to stiffen, and her pussy begin to convulse, he couldn't hold back anymore. It was her invitation to join her in orgasmic pleasure. He erupted; shooting giant ropes of cum deep inside her. He continued to move in and out of her until they were both spent and Sarah collapsed on top of him.

Bryce held her close to him. He loved the feel of her body against his. Her breasts felt incredible pressed to his chest. Yes, he had missed having her close to him like this. His one hand rested on her ass while his other hand caressed her back; his fingertips moving slowly up and down her spine feeling every vertebrae.

He felt her relax in his arms. Her breathing became shallow. Sarah fell asleep in his arms. Many men might be upset about the woman he was with falling asleep just then, but not Bryce. He knew what she had been through. She deserved to relax. She deserved to sleep. He almost laughed out loud at the way he was thinking after all of the yelling he had done at her recently.

While Sarah slept on top of him, and his hands continued to caress her body lightly, Bryce's thoughts drifted to Coriz. Over the past few days, all Bryce thought about was protecting Sarah. He did not have time to think about the cause of the danger to her... Coriz. Now, he did. Bryce had only met him briefly, and at the time had no real feelings for him. He was in a zone at the time and was only concerned with getting Sarah away from him. That was the mission.

Now, Bryce was thinking about Coriz in different terms. He was thinking about a mission that would eliminate Coriz. As he thought about it, he wondered if it was more than just Coriz that was responsible for Sarah being in danger. Did it extend to the Mexican government? Then he started wondering if it wasn't Coriz' mother who had the connections to the government. There were still a lot of questions that he would have to get answered before he could go after Coriz, but it was very clear he was going to go after Coriz for what he did and was doing to Sarah.

The biggest challenge to getting information on Coriz would be Sarah. He was going to have to go slow with her. She would not want to tell him what she was working on.... not in detail anyway. Bryce was going to have to find a way or ways to get it out of her... make her understand how that information could help him make her safe.

After a while, he drifted off to sleep... Sarah still on top of him, in his arms. Yes, she was where she belonged. He wondered if Sarah thought that too.

 

[zydrate]

She wasn’t sorry. That’s the first thought that crept into Sarah’s mind as she slowly woke up, still in Bryce’s arms, but laying next to him on the bed. It felt like a dream… or nightmare really with all that happened to her in the past 48 hours… not last night with Bryce of course, but with all the shit she had going on with Coriz. Traveling from New Mexico to California… getting shot… Justin….

She had almost forgot about getting shot (even though the phone took the bullet) as she pushed up from Bryce’s arms… Sarah groaned and flopped back down on the bed. “Shit…” she said, holding her side. The sun was threatening overflow the room with brightness as she sat up, holding the sheet to her chest and running a hand through her hair.

Her mind was racing, as it did most mornings… and afternoons—hell, she was always thinking, so it wasn’t anything new. This whole deal with this ass Coriz was foremost on her mind. If he did get to Justin… then like Bryce said, there was nothing she could do… but she had to find out first. As much as she wanted to continue with this story, she couldn’t risk it because if Coriz found her friend, then what lengths would he go to find her family?

Her sister Abigail. She was a student at Harvard, finishing up her final year there. Although Sarah used Morris as her last name, Abigail used the surname Hartford…

She couldn’t tell her sister to go into hiding. Although they weren’t too close anymore, they still were sisters and when Coriz figured that out, then he would use that to his advantage. Sarah was sure of that.

Sarah lay back down, her back to Bryce as she was thinking, when she started the research--she didn’t know, at the time, how hairy it could get if she discovered things. Mentally, she went through everything in her head… and instantly, she came back to what Bryce was saying at the airport in L.A., Coriz’s reach is further than she had anticipated.

So, he had some in the Mexican government in his pocket, that much she could figure out. But, if that was the case, then it wouldn’t stop there… it meant that those in the US government could be bought also because of him… Goddamnit, she needed more time... more—Another part of her told her to drop it. One person could be dead and more could come of it should she continue. Her sister was in danger if she didn’t stop…

One thing was for certain, Bryce wouldn’t let her go. He probably wouldn’t let her out of his sight. And she knew what she asked of him last night that he was going to stick to her like glue…

Did a little voice in her head tell her to talk it over with Bryce?

Yes.

Was she going to listen? Well… she wasn’t sure yet.

The same little voice also told her to drop the story. It wasn’t worth it.

Or was it?

First, she needed to find out about her co-worker and friend. Then, she would continue from there.

Assuming Bryce was still asleep, Sarah got up from bed and went to the bathroom. She turned on the shower water and washed up, her mind still going…

 

[BeachBum25]

Bryce laid in the bed after Sarah rolled off of him and got out of bed. He was wide awake once she flopped back down on the bed, but he did not let on. It really sucked, but Bryce wasn't in a position where he felt he could really trust Sarah, yet. He wanted to see whether she would try to sneak out while he was asleep, or while she thought he was asleep. He certainly hoped she wouldn't

He didn't know what he would do if she tried to leave. Would he try to stop her? Bryce's mind raced. He wondered if he would let her go. As much as he liked her.... no, loved her... it was getting tiring chasing her constantly; trying to get her to understand that she was putting herself in a ridiculous amount of danger. There were other stories to chase. Important ones that would not put her life in danger. She never listened to him, though.

Would Justin being dead, would her getting shot and having a burner phone save her life get Sarah to understand that it wasn't worth it. Hell, Coriz wasn't going to just let it go as it is, what does she think he will do if she goes through with the story?

Bryce stiffened when he felt her get up off the bed. Was she going to leave? He heard the shower start. Maybe not. Maybe she wasn't leaving. Maybe she understands this time. She wouldn't take a shower before trying to sneak out. It would risk him waking up.

Getting up out of the bed, Bryce walked into the bathroom. He stepped into the shower behind Sarah. Wrapping his arms around her waist from behind, Will pulled her back to him and kissed her shoulder. "Good morning Beautiful."

 

[zydrate]

The water felt so good as the water relaxed her some of her tensed muscles. She had just finish rinsing off her long hair when she felt Bryce come up behind her and pull her gently to him. She reached up and her hand held his face as she turned her head to him and their lips met, kissing each other deeply.

As they kissed, Sarah pressed her ass against Bryce, feeling his cock push against her. She remembered their past times like this. Once, they spent an entire week together, holed up at Sarah’s home, worshipping each other. The one time they were truly themselves it seemed… then the assignment on Coriz came into the picture and Sarah had known playtime was over.

If she really had to think about, could she see a future with him? In a perfect world, yes. But the world wasn’t perfect and their personalities outside of the bedroom… well, not their personalities but their work style, seemed to conflict in one way or another. At least Sarah thought so.

But yes, if things were different, she could see herself with Bryce. Hell, why not? She loved him. Almost had from the day they met. He was just…different. There was no other way to put it.

Work. Work always got in the way. At least her work. But so did his. Their worlds conflicted so much it just made sense they found comfort in each other.

Sarah turned to face Bryce and they stared into each other’s eyes for a moment more, as if both were searching for answers with each other about what was going to happen next… not next in the shower, but next…just in life.

Leaning forward and tipping her head, Sarah kissed Bryce hard… she felt his hands caressing her body as she wrapped her arms about his neck. She let one hand wander down the side of his body as she felt his hard cock find it’s way into her hand and she started to stroke it as she continued to kiss him hard and deep...

 

[BeachBum25]

When Sarah turned to face him, their eyes met. There was something there. Bryce saw it. He was sure of it. He knew Sarah well enough. Not as much as he wanted to, but she always found a way to distance herself from him; at least partially.

The look told him that this was Sarah saying goodbye... again. She was never going to be tied down. He wondered if he was misreading it. He certainly hoped so. His mind wandered, and it certainly took the mood he had been in when he entered the shower in a different direction.

She felt the kiss as she started to stroke his hard cock. He wanted her so badly... but not just now... he wanted her permanently. Was that something that Sarah wanted? If it was, was it something she could commit to? He had his doubts.

Bryce stepped back from Sarah. Looking down at her...s taring into her eyes. "I can't do this Sarah. I can't do this thinking that you are just saying goodbye to me." He moved back against the shower wall. "I have chased you. I have tried to protect you. I have come when you called me. I have done all of that without complaining, because I love you. However, now, you have been shot, and you still can't commit to doing the safe thing for yourself. You still want to go after Coriz.... the man who has already kidnapped you and who has wanted you dead. And you plan on doing it without asking me to go with you."

He stared into her eyes, ignoring the incredible body standing in front of him with water from the shower running down her perfect form. "Please tell me I am misreading the situation and I am overreacting."