Breaking Down Barriers

Thank you for all the encouragement. If I didn't thank you personally, I will. I also want to thank Margaret for agreeing to be my beta once more. And I want to thank JE for creating the characters for us to play with :)

This chapter contains the slightest bit of smut. Nothing too bad :)

Chapter 2 — Three Strikes and You're Out

Hector's POV

Of course I turned down the safe house. Didn't they know me better? There was was no way I was heading to Spain when opening day at Citi Field was four days away. Despite all odds, I was a tried and true Met fan. I'd wear my cap low and brave the crowds, but I was going. No way would I give up my $259 seat. Yeah, I've heard it all. 'I was a traitor', - the 'Phillies were right around the corner' and 'everyone is a Yankee fan'. Well, everyone but me. Uh uh. Nope. I wasn't going anywhere.

My phone rang again. I looked at the caller ID. First it was Tank, then it was Ranger and now? Hell, it was Brown. Bobby usually goes with me to see the Mets, why would he even think to call? I picked up.

"Yo."

"What do you think you're doing? You've got a mad man who wants to cut off your balls and feed them to you and you're braving crowds and photo ops with those conspicuous seats of yours. Are you insane?"

"Sí. And you know better than to ask. Don't you have tickets too?"

"I don't have a deranged person after me. And my seats won't be sure to be televised."

"Tank ask you to call?"

"Stephanie. Listen I can't make you leave the country but can you at least rethink being so public on Monday?"

"No. And you of all people know better than to even ask. I stay at Rangeman. I do my job. I find who hacked in and I go to the Mets' game. This is who I am. This is what I do."

"Ok man. Sorry to even bring it up but at least drive there with me and Ashley. We'll take a Hummer."

"I tink about it."

I was busy tracing the electronic footprint back to its source and talking to Bobby at the same time. Something about this path seemed familiar. I think I've followed these exact same coordinates before.

"Shit," I said out loud.

"What is it?" Bobby asked from the other end of my cell, which I'd put down and on speaker.

"I tink I got something and you won't be happy."

"Want me to get Santos and stop by?"

"I tink we need to call Ranger, but yeah come over and help me retrace this again. If I get same coordinates a second time, we're fucked."

The coordinates I picked up originated in Langley, Virginia. And every crime fiction reader knows whose offices are located there. The freaking FBI. Was this a 'Briggs' all over again? Was Tank getting death threats from someone within the Bureau? Yeah we'd worked with them last year when we joined forces to get to Briggs, but I doubted that Tank pissed anyone off to that extent. We could always call David White to see what he could find out, but before I did anything, I was going to ask Santos and Bobby to run the path again. Something could have gotten fucked up...but I seriously doubted it.

There was a knock on the door to my lab. I assumed it was Bobby or Les but one can never be too sure, so I checked the camera feed for this hallway. It was Les so I got up and unlocked the door to let him in.

"Now you're locking doors Santiago?"

"Top secret shit. I can't have just anyone poking around."

Another knock. Les opened the door for Bobby. I showed them what I had and where to start. I asked them to repeat the process and let me know what they came up with while I contemplated the next move.

I knew Ranger would want to know immediately, especially with Tank getting ready to leave the country, but I didn't want to worry him unless I had to. It would take Bobby and Les about twenty minutes to get coordinates on the origination of our security compromise. While they worked I had to do something so I called Alex.

Alex Dasilva was a recent hire for our data security division and an all-around good guy. He went with us to Campbell's Soup when we pitched and won the business and was almost as good a hacker as I was. And he'd recently moved in to our last remaining apartment on four.

"Alex, Hec. You up? Can I get your help on someting?"

He didn't even ask what. "Be right down."

"Alex is joining us too," I said to Les and Bobby as I went to the door to wait for his arrival. My tech lab is small and it was going to be tight in there with the four of us, but it was close to eleven and in between shifts so I could probably leave the door open for some air.

I saw Alex coming through the stairway door, buttoning his shirt as he walked. I really hoped I didn't wake him up. I walked towards him and motioned us into Bobby's infirmary next door so I could get him up to speed and not disturb Bobby and Les' train of thought.

Stephanie's POV

We left for our house in Belmar around four. I knew Carlos had been out a few times over the winter to check on things, but this was going to be my first time since my birthday in October. The house held fond memories for me. Me and Carlos having sex in the hot tub. Me and a Carlos going at it on one of the Adirondack chairs. Me and Carlos doing it on pillows on the living room floor. Me and Carlos...yeah, lots of good memories.

"Babe? You ok?" Carlos asked taking me out of my little trip down memory lane.

"Sorry, I was just thinking about the house."

"You sure? That smile on your face tells me you were thinking about something else. Probably something involving the two of us and a bed."

I was caught. "Um."

"Well you won't have to rely on your memory, we should be there in twenty minutes and in just about twenty-five I hope to have you naked and arching for me."

"Carlos!"

"All true Babe," he said, placing his hand lovingly on my thigh as he drove. I reached over and stroked his hand. I would have stroked something else, but at seventy miles an hour I wasn't sure if that was such a good idea.

When we arrived at the house Carlos parked in the circular driveway in front but made no effort to get out of the Hummer. Instead he pulled me over the console and kissed me.

"Are you ready for a weekend of debauchery?"

"Mmmm Carlos. Let's go inside. In fact let's head straight for the bedroom."

It didn't take him but a nanosecond to respond. He was out the driver's door and in front of mine. He opened it, pulled me into his arms and carried me to the house, barely pausing to kick the car door closed. Once he fobbed us in my clothes started disappearing and their trail, like breadcrumbs, led from the foyer to our bedroom.

"Relax Babe," he said, sensing my tenseness while trailing a series of kisses along my neck and down my shoulders. "Let's go out to the hot tub so I can take your mind off all the demons."

I knew he would too, so after he kissed my breasts and teased a nipple with his mouth I let him help me into a terry robe and lead me out back. Obviously he'd told Philipe to check the temperature and chemical levels since the tub was bubbling when we reached the shelter that housed it.

There's a small refrigerator in the cabana, so after he got me situated the way he wanted me, he got out of the tub and came back with an open bottle of champagne and two flutes.

He poured us each a glass and handed me both while he made himself comfortable next to me. He took one from me and we clinked glasses.

"To us Babe. To our future together."

I nodded, bit my lip and suddenly the tears were streaming down my face.

"Did I say something wrong?"

"No Carlos, you said everything right, but what if he gets to me and we don't have a future together?"

"Not going there Babe. We'll find him this weekend. Don't worry needlessly."

That was the problem. I couldn't stop worrying. Needless or not.

Somehow our glasses disappeared and Carlos had pulled me onto his lap. He was saying soothing words in Spanish that I didn't understand but knew they were words of love...and I felt the tension leave my body. He was really magical that way.

"Better Babe?" he asked, obviously sensing the change in my demeanor.

"Much. Thank you."

"Let's go inside then."

My man is single-minded when it comes to getting what he wants, and right now he wanted me. His dick was at half-mast as he helped me into my robe and carried me back to the house. Come to think of it, he was always at half-mast and just about ready for full staff, anytime I was around. God I loved that man.

I could feel Carlos laughing as we walked. "I love you too Babe."

"I said that out loud, didn't I?"

"And you've already put me at full staff."

Yep. I could feel it poking me now.

Carlos carried me straight through to our bedroom, engaging the alarm system on his way. Seemed like he didn't want to be disturbed tonight.

He kicked the bedroom door closed, let me down gently and pulled me to him by the collar on my robe. He had that dilated-black hungry look to his eyes and I was pinned between him and the now-closed door. And then he kissed me. A long, open-mouthed kiss, that left me wanting more. Next thing I knew my robe was slipped from my shoulders and Carlos was licking and kissing any exposed flesh he could find. And it was all exposed.

He lingered on my neck and sensations started flooding through my body and pooled somewhere around my doodah. God I wanted him. I pushed him towards the bed, but we never made it that far. The Flokati rug was super soft and plush and he'd reached for pillows to cushion us.

"With your hair fanned out and your face flushed like that, you look so beautiful. Like an erotic piece of art," he stated, staring at my naked body on the rug.

Then he was all over me and I ended up straddling his face. I couldn't even figure out how we got into this position, but I wasn't going to complain as I was being treated to a very first-class experience. "Oh God Carlos," I moaned as my first orgasm hit. As I was riding it out, he put a couple of fingers inside of me, sucked me hard and I came again.

Then he picked me up and carried me to the bed for more.

I vaguely heard a phone ringing somewhere and felt the bed shift slightly. I guessed Carlos got up to answer it. Glad it wasn't me. After the evening we had, I didn't have the strength nor the inclination to get up until somewhere around noon. Yeah, Carlos is that good.

Sometime later I sensed he was back in bed with me, so I snuggled close and got myself all nice and comfy on my Carlos pillow.

"Babe, Hector and Santos will be here around eight."

"Um hmm," I said and snuggled closer.

"Do you want to shower before they get here?"

"Sleep," I barely got out before my pillow moved, kissed me then replaced himself with a couple of real pillows.

"I'll put some coffee on. We'll be in my office."

Too many words.

Then it dawned on me. We were supposed to alone this weekend.

"Did something happen?" I asked, now partially awake.

"Hector was able to trace the origin of the hacker that got into our system. They're bringing some things over and want to replicate their data trail again from here."

"Should we be worried?"

"Probably."

I was awake now. "What do you mean, 'probably'? I'm getting up, I want to know everything. Quick shower," I said, knowing my train of thought was still a little scrambled.

I did my morning routine as fast as I could. I hoped I had enough time to get some information out of Carlos before Hector and Les got here. I didn't like being left in the dark, even if it meant a little sleep deprivation.

I was putting my hair back into a pony tail when I heard the buzz of someone at our gate. I pulled out my tube of mascara and quickly globbed it on both eyes then pulled on a T-shirt and jeans and padded out barefoot. I'd find shoes later.

I made it to the kitchen just as our front doorbell rang. I grabbed a kiss from Carlos and poured myself a cup of coffee. I noticed a dozen eggs, some already sautéed onions, mushrooms and spinach and some cubed cheese out on the counter and the large omelet pan was on the stove. Guessed Carlos was making us breakfast. It was a wonderful thing to have a man that cooked. Cooking was never going to be one of my specialities. I could just about manage coffee.

And speaking of coffee, I'd taken my first sip when I heard Lester behind me.

"Hey Beautiful, what got you out of bed so early?" He said coming over and giving me a squeeze and a kiss on the cheek.

"Hands, Santos," Carlos said following Les and Hector into the kitchen.

Let's just say he doesn't miss a trick and is jealous as hell. Luckily he just said 'hands' and not 'mats' for that one. I rolled my eyes at him and gave Hector a peck on the cheek. These were my guys too.