AN: Sorry for the delay, dears. Bit of a writer's block took me for a tumble. Enjoy!
Reviews are appreciated!
Olivia considered the odd coincidence of being both asleep and aware of her surroundings. Her body urged her to lie still beneath the thin fleece blanket, but her mind raced with the sounds of Kruger's grating voice and the whispered talk of his men. The conversation didn't quite register yet, but whatever it was didn't concern her. When she groaned, the voices stopped, but only for a moment. She blinked through the morning light and pulled the blanket tighter. No, she wasn't ready yet. Let her lie along the floor, please.
When the sound of heavy boots came her way, she knew her silent prayers for rest would go unanswered. The blanket was tugged out of her grip and thrown away. Olivia instinctively curled her body, tucking her knees into her abdomen.
"Me and my boys are hungry," Kruger knelt by her head and surprised her by running his hand over her hair. "Time to wake up."
"Okay, okay..." she attempted to shrug away from his touch, but instead only accomplished nuzzling into his palm. Her body reacted accordingly as she rubbed her thighs and felt her nipples peak through the thin cotton shirt. Her morning-muddled thoughts didn't recognize the sensations until he grinned and stepped away, returning to the conversation at hand with Drake and Crowe.
Olivia had no shift to report in for today, thankfully. Once the men would leave, she planned to crawl back into bed and find sleep once more. Maybe even take a chance and lie in his own bed, just to appease her curiosity. But maybe not, since she imagined an animal like him would be able to catch her scent, especially if she were to rub against the sheets and bury her face in his pillow.
She presented the men with plates of some tasteless grits and scrambled eggs.
"What, no meat?" Kruger piped up, as if he spoke in disappointment for everyone at the table, despite the other two eating their meals with gusto. "We're growing boys, ya know. Well, two of 'em anyway."
"There's nothing in the fridge," she said, replenishing their mugs of coffee. "I'm not at work today, so I'll go to the market."
He grunted his approval and finally dug into his meal.
Something in Olivia took pride in seeing her cooking being enjoyed. Back home, her mother always took control of the cookery when it came to preparing meals. When she began to teach her the way around the kitchen, her excuse for learning had been typical. "One day you're going to be cooking for someone else, at least I hope so," quickly followed by Olivia's "I don't plan on it."
She watched them head for the outskirts of town from the rooftop. Kruger had mentioned he would likely be gone for a day or two at least, but he failed to say where. She attributed that to the organization that tugged at his leash - hush-hush mission that he would not be allowed to discuss. But Kruger truly didn't seem like the kind of man to care whether or not secrets slipped. But for what reason would he ever disclose anything to her? Come to think of it, why should she care where he's based? Yes, she would lose her so to speak "landlord" if anything went awry, but the unsettling clench deep in her chest pegged more worrisome questions.
'No woman wants a dead soldier,' her thoughts proposed. 'Starting to become attached?'
Olivia shook her head no as if she were answering someone who wasn't there.
'We don't necessarily get to pick what the heart wants, sweetheart.'
She threw down the broom, fists clenching at her sides. If only she had something to target her frustration at. She began to snatch the laundry from the clothesline and twisted a bundle of sheets in her hands. They would do.
The rainforest was no place for a man like Kruger. Having been raised in the dry summers of his homeland and becoming fond of the Los Angeles heat, the humidity around him seemed too thick to breathe. Everything on him felt weighed down by the moisture of the air, and if it weren't for the constant threat of buzzing disease-carrying insects, he would be cutting through the dense greeneries naked. His men seemed to agree as they expressed their protests from behind.
"Something just bit me," Drake swatted at his thigh, trying to calm the sudden prickling sensation.
Crowe laughed at his friend's misfortune. "At least something's willing to touch ya."
"Think you're forgetting something, boet. Got myself a kiss last night."
"And you're forgettin' she was drunk off her ass." Kruger chimed in, putting an end to the pointless chatter.
The bearded merc was the first to spot the shack where they would make camp. Stationed by the CCB and kept equipped with enough rations to last a few days: Lord knows how long the hovel had been standing. Kruger himself was familiar with it, thanks to an assignment years before he met his boys. Even if the shack arranged room for at least a squadron of four, he would fix a place for himself and make the other two take the other space. They would take turns keeping watch, rest, and then venture off on foot in a few hours.
"What are we even doing here?" Crowe threw down his pack and looked to the canopy overhead. "Thought you said the exchange already took place?"
"I did," Kruger waved for Drake to quickly survey the outskirts of camp. "And it did."
"And?"
"And they're expecting their boys to show up for the cargo. Only they'll be getting us instead," their leader grinned, relaying the details as soon as Drake claimed the closure safe.
Mike hadn't lied when he revealed the plan of exchange between the dealer's and their distributors. When Kruger reported the newly gathered information, he had been cleared for further action, which included taking out whoever he could get his hands on. He had managed to leave the parking deck alive, but he couldn't say the same for the other 9. Before snapping the neck of the last man standing, he collected all that he needed and sent another report. The next step sent his team to Guyana, where they now sat around a fire.
The drug ring was nothing new to the CCB's (and in turn Elysium's) list of troubles. Drugs were not an issue most of the time, especially since many of their soldiers enjoyed the unrestricted use of the substances the CCB provided for their hard work. Purely recreational. The problem lay in the cartels. This group in particular were making themselves famous for smuggling information out of the torus, however that may be. The authorities of Elysium were desperately trying to keep their composure during their embarrassment of being unable to handle the issue. So far, the citizens were none the wiser, and they wanted it kept that way, or else there would be a rush of reports of complaints and worry over the safety they were guaranteed. Always at the ready to deal with the threats of Earth, the CCB took it upon themselves to send squadrons into any potential environment where the cartel made their stops. Luckily they weren't always able to properly cover their tracks, which left just enough of an opening to pinpoint a location and deploy a team as soon as possible.
Kruger sent Drake and Crowe inside, while he would take watch for the first shift. He threw another log on their fire and took a seat back against the nearest tree. At night the jungle seemed to breathe, and the weight of the humidity lifted. Scratching at his beard, he stared into the fire. He would stay up for a few hours, then kick Crowe awake to cover him. For a while he sat back and stared up to study the stars peeking through the thick canopy. With civilization nowhere to be found, the stars shone bright. His peaceful watch was interrupted by a steady bout of bear-like snoring from inside the shack. Kruger made for the far side of camp, shoving himself under the shadow of a thick huasai. The promise of a long night lay ahead of him, but at least there was the anticipation of the early morning's hunt.
Back at home, Olivia stood at the foot of Kruger's bed, taking in the disheveled mess and worn pillow. There was a noticeable dent where he laid his head every night, and she made a mental note to use her next collection of tips to impress him with a new one. She pushed her sweats down her legs and climbed onto the bed, falling back to lie in the unmade sheets. She squeaked as a spring poking through the mattress nicked her thigh. It made sense that he could bring himself to sleep on this bed every night, since he was weathered and hard muscle, unlike her soft physique. After a bit of squirming, she found a soft spot (she assumed it was where he slept) and curled onto her side, nuzzling into the pillow. Immediately she thought of the smell of the dusty city, along with the thick scent of tobacco, but there was something else. She searched her mind for a visual match, and despite coming up with nothing, she smiled.
'Maybe I am becoming attached.'
Another part of her replied with a childish 'I told you so' that stung just a bit.
Olivia gave the pillow a squeeze, shutting her eyes tight and breathing in, slow and steady. She wondered if in another life she would be lying in bed as Kruger's woman. She excluded 'under different circumstances', since no matter what, Kruger would always be the frightful beast she'd come to know. And while being fearful of him kept her at a safe distance, he held magnetism over her. This man would be dangerous to her health if she continued to indulge her attachment.
And yet, with him in mind, she rolled onto her back, raising her knees and parting her thighs. How long had it been since she last had the chance to masturbate? Olivia was a needy woman, but ever since moving in, she had been too afraid to risk the chance of him catching her. Even in the middle of the night, she refused to slip her hand beneath the covers in fear that the slick sound of her pussy would draw his attention. But now, here in his bed, she felt ready to give in and seize the moment. She nestled deeper into the dip of the mattress and squeezed her thighs, momentarily relieving the ache. She let go of a shaky breath and urged her body to relax. No matter if Kruger was miles away, she couldn't shake the fear that at any moment he would storm through the door. So she stared at the bedroom's doorway, hand slipping up her t-shirt, and waited, but nothing came.
With her heart pounding heavily in her ears, Olivia pushed her hand down to the soft space between her legs, fingertips pressing over her cotton-covered clit. Her body rolled in response. She hadn't expected the response to be so overwhelming. Blocking out the sounds of the nightlife just outside, she continued to rub circles around the nub, hips lifting from the mattress whenever she found a particularly sensitive spot. It didn't take long for her thoughts to turn to Kruger. Her mind's eye considered his tan, warm skin, taut over hardened muscle. The fantasy placed him in the sunlight of the rooftop, where he stood over his grill and allowed the heat of the flames to lick at his abdomen. Her hand nudged her panties aside, where her fingers now ran up and down her slit in slow strokes. Meanwhile, the image of Kruger threw back a swig of beer, the sweat of the chilled bottle hissing as it dripped onto his collar.
Suddenly her breathing quickened, and the hand that had been resting beneath the thin cotton of her shirt now curved over her breast. Her tits had always been one of her more sensitive and provocative features, and with her fingers softly kneading, the projection of Kruger now stood at the foot of the bed, watching and waiting with interest. Just to be sure, she glanced up only to find no one there.
'It's like you're just asking for him to be here,' her thoughts teased. They were right of course.
"Shut up."
Olivia focused her attention on her clit once more, rubbing the pad of her fingertip in quick rounds. The last thing she needed were internal voices chastising her.
While she thumbed over her nipple, the hand playing down below was busy testing the slick warmth. Easing her fingers between the lips of her pussy, she thought of Kruger kneeling along the bed, just between her spread legs, making the mattress dip beneath them. The streetlamp just outside the window cast shadows across his body, hiding not only his eyes, but also the narrow dip of his waist and his pelvis, where she hoped there was an erect cock. When had this Kruger undressed? A moment ago, before her fingers were soaked, he had been dressed from head to toe in his fatigues.
"F-Fuck," Olivia whined at the tightness building around her touch.
The fantasy of Kruger loomed over her trembling figure, refusing to touch or even speak to her. He felt so close, so real, that she could smell the dust of the earth on his skin and the sunlight in his hair. Why wouldn't he touch her? She should be able to control this imaginary Kruger, force him to paw at her round hips, bite at her throat, anything. Hell, she should be able to force him on bended knee and beg for her pussy. But even as an illusion he lived to tease her, bringing her closer and closer into his dark corner.
At the imagined feeling of his breathing against her blushing skin, Olivia arched from the sheets, toes curled and nipples erect as her climax pushed her over the edge. Her whimpering echoed across the room and into the rest of the apartment. The sound of the night seemed muffled as she stretched across the bed and calmed her heart. Her eyes adjusted to the dark once more before she rolled onto her front, sighing with relief into his pillow. Olivia wasn't used to being this brazen, and she knew that there existed a chance that Kruger would know of her masturbating in his bed. More beast than man, something told her he would be able to catch her scent and add this evening to the evidence of her lust. Presently, she couldn't care less, and fell into dreamless sleep with a contented smile.
Olivia failed to notice she wasn't alone until the heavy sound of a belt hit the floor. Her body responded, quivering, while she desperately tried to claw her way through the haze of sleep.
"Don't have to leave on my account, eh?" she heard Kruger's voice rumble somewhere close by. "I'd enjoy the company."
She rolled onto her side, ignoring the way the sheets clung and twisted with her exposed legs. Through her tousled hair she found the mercenary at her bedside, undressing and smiling to himself. Her mind tried to find an excuse for him to be back from his mission so early.
"Always wanted to come home to a woman in my bed. Congratulations," he flashed a toothy grin. The honest mirth in his voice felt odd. "You're the first."
Olivia pulled herself from the bed, snatching up her sweats still pooled at the foot of the bed. Her hands were shaking as she threw the sheets about the bed. "I'm so sorry—"
"Don't bother," his tone shifted, all traces of amusement nowhere to be found. Maybe he was disappointed in her refusal to join. "I need the rest." He was down to his trousers now. She didn't plan on lingering a moment longer to see much more.
She left him to sleep while she threw herself onto the couch, her body feeling tight and upset with her for pushing herself from her own slumber so quickly.
He couldn't have been gone for less than 24 hours. Either they had failed, or they truly were the skilled hunters they more than likely claimed to be. Either way, he was home, safe, and Olivia quietly savored the flutter of satisfaction in her chest.
