Naughty Heroes

Chapter Five

Chapter Five

Mitch pulled up in front of the house he’d grown up in. His uncle had moved in with Mitch and his dad after Mitch’s mom died and never left, staying on after Mitch’s dad had passed. Now he was gone, too. The sun wasn’t up yet, but the lights from his truck illuminated an overgrown yard with piles of trash everywhere. Mitch remembered his momma having a kitchen garden and flowers, but it was a faint memory.

He was bone tired, but there was still work to be done. He turned off the truck, pulled out his phone, and dialed a number he’d memorized.

“Walker,” the voice was alert for this time of the morning.

“Hey, Ben. It’s Mitch.” Ben Walker was his contact on the task force. They’d known each other for years. They’d met in the Marines and become friends after discovering they were both from Kentucky.

The sound of clothes rustling in the background. Sounded like he was getting out of bed. “I didn’t expect to hear from you so soon.”

“I just got home now. I went to the bar first.” Mitch leaned his head back against the seat and closed his eyes. “I talked to Sara.”

“That would be Sara Leigh Hawkins, a woman we suspect might being involved in the drug ring.”

He made a sound of impatience. “Sara isn’t involved in anything.”

“You compromised the mission.”

“No, I have an inside track.” Not why he spent time with her, but it was something Walker would understand. “Sara’s been here all along. She knows everyone. And working at the bar, she sees everyone.” It was also what worried him. If anyone suspected why he’d come here, she would be in danger.

“Any suspects so far?”

“Maybe. Johnny Ellis seems prosperous, but that could be legitimate from the bar. It’s a busy place. I’m going back tonight.”

“Won’t people get suspicious with you going back two nights in a row?”

Mitch laughed. “There’s nothing else to do around here. Plus, I’ll be spending time with Sara while she’s working. I gotta go.” He was dead tired and needed some sleep.

“Call when you know anything.” With that final order, Walker hung up.

Mitch tucked his phone away and leaned back in his seat, trying to get comfortable. If the military had taught him anything, it was how to nap whenever there was time. Within seconds he was sound asleep.

His eyes popped open a while later when he heard a noise that didn’t belong. For a second, the lush green hills were replaced by heat and dust. He automatically reached for his weapon, but it wasn’t there.

“Fuck.” He rubbed his hand over his face and shook himself. He wasn’t halfway around the world but home in Kentucky.

He opened the truck door and climbed out, making sure to hold on until he was certain his leg was working properly. It had a tendency to stiffen up when he sat for too long. A large truck was making the turn in front of the house.

Mitch yawned and scrubbed his hand over his face. His stomach growled. He’d give almost anything for a coffee and some breakfast. He yanked out the cooler from behind his seat and opened it. He’d have to settle for having his caffeine cold, or at least lukewarm. Opening one of the warm bottles, he took a long swallow.

The truck had backed in and now released the dumpster from the back. The driver got out and came toward him. “You’ve got your work cut out for you.” He held out an electronic pad for Mitch to sign.

“Yeah, I do.” He left it at that, signed, and watched as the driver pulled away, leaving Mitch alone with the house and the mountain of garbage.

To avoid going inside a bit longer, he set aside his drink, pulled on some work gloves, and got to it.

The hours flew by and the sun climbed higher. His stomach was growling nonstop, but Mitch didn’t pause, driven by some inner demon to keep going. He lifted and hauled years of garbage, tossing it into the dumpster. The way things were going, he might need another one, and he’d sprung for a large one. The work kept him busy. The sheer physicality of it kept his mind occupied so he didn’t have to think about the past or the future.

He finally paused when he heard another vehicle coming. Could be a neighbor stopping in to say hello. His heart leaped at the thought it might be Sara but plummeted when the familiar sheriff’s car pulled in behind the dumpster.

Sheriff Owen Billings climbed out of the car, took off his hat, and swiped a hand over his forehead. “You’ve been busy.”

“Not going to get done any other way.”

He knew he stank to the high heavens with sweat and God only knew what else, but he ambled toward the sheriff, pulling off his gloves as he went. The sheriff glanced at his leg, obviously noticing the limp. Mitch held out his hand. “Sheriff.”

Sheriff Billings didn’t hesitate and shook it. “Mitch. I’m sorry about your uncle.”

Mitch nodded. Not much else to be said.

“You home for good?”

Mitch tucked his hands in the back pockets of his jeans. “Not sure. Going to clean this place up and go through it before I make any decisions.”

“You’re out of the service?”

“Retired.” It still felt strange to say it, to know he was never going back. “What brings you out here this early?” Because even though Mitch had been working for hours it wasn’t noon yet.

“You know how it is around here. I heard you were back within the hour of you hitting Dex’s last night.”

It was what he’d been counting on. He simply nodded. The visit might be a simple hello or it might be to check out his reasons for being here. It was possible someone in the sheriff’s department was involved in the drug ring. Or Sheriff Billings really might have no idea what was going on at the bar. Either way, Mitch needed to be cautious.

Before the conversation could go any further, another car pulled in. Mitch recognized it and swore under his breath as Sara climbed out. “Morning, Sheriff.” She opened the back door and pulled out a large wicker hamper.

Mitch didn’t like the speculative look Billings was giving Sara. “You’re out here pretty early, Sara,” the sheriff pointed out.

She laughed, a sunny smile on her face. “I knew what he’d be facing. And I knew he probably hadn’t taken the time to get any groceries. Thought I’d stop by with some food.”

Mitch was watching the sheriff, but it was hard to get a read on his reaction. “Mighty neighborly,” Billings added.

Sara simply kept on smiling, but now there was an edge to it. “I’m sure you heard about Mitch following me home last night almost as soon as he’d parked in the driveway.”

“Connor isn’t going to like that.”

Mitch was startled when the sheriff mentioned Sara’s ex.

“Connor and I are no longer married.” Sara came forward but paused a foot away. “You need to clean up before you eat anything, Mitch McCoy.”

He couldn’t help but grin. “Yes, ma’am.” She rolled her eyes but her smile was genuine. Mitch turned to the sheriff. “Thanks for stopping by.” It was a dismissal and they both knew it.

Billings wasn’t smiling when he climbed back into his vehicle and left. In fact, he was already on the phone. Not the radio, the phone. Who was he calling?

“He’s probably tattling to Connor.” Sara stood alongside him and watched until the car was out of sight.

“Problems with Connor?” It had never occurred to him that her ex might be causing her grief.

She shrugged. “Other than he’s spoiled enough to believe everything should go his way. No. He hangs out at the bar sometimes, but he mostly leaves me alone.”

Mostly wasn’t all the time, but Mitch let it drop for now. “You brought me breakfast.”

“More like an early lunch.” I wasn’t sure if you had any food and it’s a long time between now and supper.

“I don’t know what it’s like inside.” He stared toward the front door.

“You haven’t gone in yet?” She stood beside him and tentatively put her fingertips on his arm.

“No time like the present.” He pulled away and dug his keys out of his front pocket. The lock worked smoothly but the hinges creaked when he shoved the door open. The air was stale and a little musty. First thing he did was shove the nearest window open.

There was no smell of rotting food. Someone must have cleared out the place after his uncle passed. Surprisingly, it wasn’t too bad. Sure, a ton of clutter and dust covered the furniture, but it could have been worse.

“I’ll clear off the table if you want to get cleaned up.” Sara headed toward the kitchen. He opted to follow her.

“I’ll just wash up. No point in getting a shower until I’m done for the day.” Plus, he wasn’t letting her go into the kitchen alone until he knew what she’d be facing.

“Someone’s been here.” Mitch glanced around the room at the familiar fading wallpaper, the ripped linoleum flooring his mother had been so proud of when it went down new all those years ago. There were no dishes in the sink or garbage lying around.

“Some of your cousins stayed here for the funeral. Most likely their wives cleaned it up while they were here.”

“Most likely the cousins helped themselves to whatever they wanted while they were here, too,” he pointed out. Not that it really bothered him. They’d never had much, and he knew his cousins wouldn’t take anything of real value, just stuff lying around the yard and screened in back porch that they might be able to use. Better that than in the dumpster. He considered it a fair trade for the work they’d done inside.

Sara shrugged and laid the basket on one of the chairs before going to the sink and turning on the tap. Water sputtered a bit but finally flowed. She dug into a drawer, found a cloth, and wet it. “You wash up while I clean.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He gave her a salute and went to work, enjoying her laughter. By the time he was as clean as he was going to get without a shower, she had a plastic floral tablecloth spread over the old chrome table and a feast set out.

He sniffed the air. “Is that coffee?”

She laughed again. “It should still be warm.” She poured it from a thermos and handed it to him. “Sit and eat.”

He dug in, consuming the sandwiches and potato salad she’d made, topping it off with chocolate chip cookies and more coffee. They didn’t talk as they ate, but he was more content than he’d been in a long time.

Sara was wearing jeans and a tank top the color of ripe raspberries. She looked fresh and pretty, a flower among the weeds. He wanted to scoop her up and take her to the bedroom. Only thing stopping him was he knew how dirty he was in spite of washing up at the sink. She deserved better. That didn’t stop his c**k from thrusting against the zipper of his jeans or his balls from aching. He needed to pick up some condoms today, even if that meant he had to drive an hour out of the way to get them.

“So,” she began. “Didn’t take the sheriff long to drop by.”

Mitch nodded and began to clean up from the meal. Thankfully, Sara had brought paper plates and napkins, so it all went into the trash bag she’d also brought along. “Yeah, he was curious. Wanted to know if I was staying.”

“And are you?”

“Told him I hadn’t decided yet.” Mitch closed the gap between them. Maybe he couldn’t put his hands on her, but he could kiss her. “One thing at a time.” Then he leaned down and pressed his lips against hers.

* * * * *

It had only been a few hours, but Sara had missed Mitch something fierce and been unable to stay away. She’d also worried about him facing his family home alone. Food was a great excuse to come here.

Finding the sheriff with him had thrown her, but Mitch had seemed relaxed. The difference between the two men had really stood out. The sheriff had postured and let his hands rest on his waist, near his gun, trying to look official. Mitch had stood there, dirty and tired, looking competent and deadly.

Now he was kissing her. His clothing was dark with sweat and dirt and the trash he’d been heaving all morning. But the smell was slightly buried beneath the more recent fragrance of the soap he’d used. Since he’d scrubbed his entire arms, she felt safe in putting her hands there.

He groaned and put his hands on her butt but didn’t pull her closer.

Her heart swelled. Even now he was looking out for her, not wanting to get her clothing dirty.

She went up on her toes and deepened the kiss. Their tongues tangled, their breath mingled. A deep yearning grew inside her, and it wasn’t only for s*x. She’d missed this sense of connection, of belonging. Mitch was the only person who made her feel this way.

God help her, but she still loved him. Being with him had shown her that she had never really stopped. In spite of the years apart and her marriage, Mitch had always been there in the shadow of her mind.

By his own admission, he might not be staying. Was she crazy to get involved with him again? Probably. Was she going to stop? Never. She’d lived without him once, but she had only been half alive. Whatever happened, she wasn’t going to regret their time together.

She ran her hands up and down his arms. They were thick with muscle and strong, but she knew how tender and gentle he could be. He groaned and placed his hands on her waist, squeezing before pushing her back.

She opened her eyes and stared into his. They were so dark and deep and filled with an emotion she couldn’t place. He looked as though he was in pain—physical and emotional. “What is it?”

He shook his head and sighed before dropping a quick kiss on her lips. “I should get back to work.”

He was closing her out. The old Sara would have meekly nodded and let him. But not the new and improved version. “You think the sheriff is involved in the drug ring?”

Mitch shot her an unreadable glance and shrugged. “Maybe. There’s always a lot going on, and they’re usually short staffed, but it’s most likely someone there at least suspects something.”

He was right, but there was no knowing who was involved. Could be entire families or maybe only a select few people. “What will you do?”

He tapped her on the nose. “Right now, I’m going to keep at the work. I expect a few more folks will drop by as the day goes on.”

“Why won’t you let me help you?” Frustrated, she began to slam the empty containers back into the hamper.

He caught her by the shoulders. “Because I don’t want you hurt.” He leaned down and pressed his forehead against hers. “I couldn’t stand it if you were hurt.”

She touched her fingers to his jaw. “I don’t want you hurt either.” He’d already had more than his share.

He laughed. “Where does that leave us?”

“Together.” She was here for him whether he wanted it or not. She hadn’t been strong enough when she was seventeen. Now she was.

They both turned when they heard a truck pulling up outside. Mitch swore, kissed her lips, and then ran his thumb over them. “We’ll talk more later. Right now I’m simply getting the lay of the land.”

And he was likely safe enough working on his home. There was no reason for anyone to suspect he was here for any other reason than to see to family matters.

“Should I cook supper later?”

He shook his head. “I’ll keep working until six, shower, and then head into town. I’ll get something at Dex’s.” Sara wrinkled her nose and made him laugh. “I’ve eaten much worse,” he assured her.

She imagined he had. There was a whole part of his life, an important part that she knew nothing about. She supposed it was how he felt about her marriage and the years he’d been away. “If you change your mind call.”

He grinned then. “I don’t have your number.” As she rattled it off, he took out his phone and added it to his contacts. Then he left her alone in the house and went to greet whoever had arrived. While she packed empty containers back into the hamper, she heard several male voices. When she was done, she went outside.

The men stopped talking. She knew them and they all nodded politely to her as she passed.

“Thanks again for the lunch.” Mitch came over and took the basket from her, storing it in the back seat of her car. “I’ll see you later.” Then he kissed her. It was quick and over with almost as soon as it started, but it wasn’t about her or them. It was for their audience.

She wasn’t sure how she felt about him using her and their attraction in that way. He was watching her, waiting to see if she’d object. It occurred to her that this was one way she could help him in solidifying his reasons for being here.

She smiled. “I’ll see you later.” Doubts crowded in as she drove home. She didn’t think he’d have approached her simply so he could use her for cover, but he obviously wasn’t averse to taking advantage of their connection.

“You wanted to help him,” she muttered. “He didn’t have to tell you why he was really here either.” He was trusting her with his mission and possibly his life. Because drug runners wouldn’t hesitate to put down any threat to their operation.

Sara took a deep breath. She had to get her head on straight before she went to work. The plan had been to help Mitch at the house, but since that hadn’t happened, she’d go home and clean her own place, put clean sheets on the bed. Because if she had things her way, she wouldn’t be going home alone tonight.