Criminal Minds Ch. 5
"Spinelli!! Pay attention!" Maxie said for the billionth time. "Don't you get that my career in fashion is being unfairly hijacked?"
She was prancing back and forth behind Spinelli, every so often looking over his shoulder to ensure that no footage of her and Franco would pop up on his screen. Her nerves were shot, to say the least, and she had to make sure Spinelli never found out about her regrettable one night stand with the dark artist.
"While the fair Maximista certainly has troubling news of the upmost concern about her do-worthy post at Crimson, the Jackal must concentrate on finding the illusive Franco for Stone Cold. This is of extreme importance and the Jackal cannot let him down," Spinelli said not looking away once from his computer screen.
"Ughhhhh! Spinelli, this is so not fair. Please look at me. A. Franco only gets in touch with people on his own time and B. Haven't you heard a word I've said?!" Maxie said taking Spinelli's computer away from him.
"Why yes, the Jackal always pays attention to what my fair Maximista has to say, and I understand the serious implications of the Original Blonde One obtaining the crucial Spring Fashion photo shoot, but what the Jackal does not understand is what that has to do with my pending investigation," Spinelli said looking up at Maxie from Jason's leather couch.
"Spinelli, okay what I'm about to tell you will solve a lot of your problems, but it has to be met with certain conditions," Maxie said sighing deeply.
"Speak fair one, the Jackal is all ears."
"Ok, the photographer that agreed to do the shoot next week is in fact Franco himself."
"Oh my, if what the fair Maximista says is true, this may be the news the Jackal needs to break to Stone Cold so that he may track down this Franco character," Spinelli said springing up from his seat.
"Yes! That's what I've been saying all along. But, Spinelli, if Jason is right about this Franco character then I want you to promise me that you will under no circumstances meet with this creeper," Maxie said pulling out her best pout. "I cannot bear to have my dear Jackal hurt or worse."
"My fair Maximista's worry is most noted. The Jackal promises to keep himself out of harms way."
"Good. That's good," Maxie said as relief swept momentarily through her body. Now, if Lulu would just answer one of the million texts she had sent her tonight, maybe then Maxie wouldn't be so worried about the premature wrinkles this stress would cause to her complexion. What the hell was Lulu doing that was so damn important tonight?
Lulu wasn't crazy about this situation.
It wasn't that she was scared of Dante or anything like that. No, she'd just had a wonderful evening with the guy and she liked hanging out with him. But here she was, in a fancy New York hotel being forced to spend the night with him.
It could be worse though, right? I mean, think about starving kids in Africa--you're in a much better predicament than them, she told herself.
She stood by and watched as he checked them in. It was the third hotel they tried and they finally found one with vacancy. Apparently, this blizzard was the real thing and a lot of people were forced into staying in the city for the night.
Her hands didn't know what to do with themselves. They straightened her coat for the umpteenth time, ran through her hair--now damp from snow that had settled there and melted, and wrung together as Dominic paid for their room.
"I'm sorry sir, the only room we have available has a king-sized bed. No more double rooms tonight, I'm afraid," the concierge told Dante after looking at his screen for what seemed like eternity.
Why hadn't she had more to drink at dinner? Maybe then she wouldn't be so worried about what her hands were doing. She had to find something to keep her mind off of tonight, off of what she thought he thought was probably going to happen.
Well if he's thinking any funny business, he's got another thing coming, Lulu told herself again. You are a strong, single, independent woman, Lulu--No means no.
With her new found self-confidence, she strolled right up to the front desk and smiled at Dante.
"Everything ok?" she asked.
"Just dandy," he answered with a smile matching hers.
"Fantastic!" Lulu said as she spotted a bowl of candy canes on the desk. "Ooh, I love these!"
She grabbed one and removed the package just as the concierge handed the hotel key over to Dante.
"Room 3008, I hope you enjoy your stay."
Dante and Lulu headed towards the elevator and Dante pressed the "30" button. The elevator doors closed on them and both Dante and Lulu shifted on their feet. Suddenly all of Dante's senses heightened in the enclosed space. He was enveloped by the honeysuckle smell of her hair, he could sense her fidgeting right next to him. Finally, he took a sideways glance at Lulu who seemed extremely preoccupied with the candy cane in her mouth. He watch as her red-stained lips closed around the white and red candy, and it took all of his energy not to groan right then and there. Her fingers held the other end of the candy cane and pushed it further into her mouth. Dante watched as her tongue made a quick dart around the sugary piece as her hand pulled the candy a few millimeters out of her mouth again.
He gaped at her lips.
In and out went the candy cane.
Dante sighed and tore his eyes away, looking up at the floor indicator. Eighth floor!!! This had to be the slowest elevator ride in all of history.
In and out.
Damn it, don't look Dante, don't look man it's just going to make this all worse. He told himself over and over.
In and out.
Ding!
"Oh thank you Jesus!!" Dante exclaimed out loud stepping out of the elevator quickly.
"What is your problem?" Lulu said confused as to what had just transpired.
Carly tucked Morgan into bed that night not knowing where her firstborn was at the moment. Michael hadn't answered any of her calls to his cellphone and Jax had done a quick sweep of the main streets of the town, but hadn't seen Michael's car in any of the popular teen hangouts, Jake's or Kelly's.
Carly knew that every young man had a rebellious phase, but Michael's situation was so much worse than just simple teenage rebellion. The fact that Morgan had been affected tonight made her decision for her, and Jax had agreed. Come Monday morning, she was going to call Lucky and put an end to this whole thing.
She had spoken to Diane and was informed that at the most, she and Jax would have to do community service for their obstruction of justice charge and that Michael would most likely be mandated to a psychiatrist to deal with the situation. Under state law, Carly would be held accountable for their actions regarding Michael but considering the circumstances and especially Carly's condition at the time of Claudia's death, they would probably receive no worse than a slap on the wrist.
What's more, Diane was going to ensure that judge Stevenson would be assigned to the case and he had a record for being lenient when in came to juvenile cases.
Carly looked joined Jax in their bed and looked up at the ceiling. For the first time in a long time, she began to pray.
"It's so beautiful," Lulu said as she looked out to the lights that shone just beyond the hotel room she and Dante were currently staying in. The decor of the hotel room was completely different from the MetroCourt in Port Charles. It was more "zen" if that was at all the appropriate word to describe the ambiance of their room. Spacious without being pretentious, the room was welcoming while not becoming homey. It was modern but not off-putting.
Dante joined her in front of the window that overlooked the snow-covered buildings of NYC and glanced over at her. Their floor was situated so they had a pretty amazing view of the city night below and the red, green and white lights that dominated the city only accentuated the mood of the season.
"It is pretty remarkable," he said not once looking out the window.
Lulu looked at him and blushed at the intensity his eyes had suddenly shot out. It was clear, they were out of jokes for the evening. Her phone vibrated once again from her purse.
She studied him as she stepped away from the window and took a seat on the plush cream chaise lounge nearby. Quickly, she put her phone on silent, just as he had done with his moments before. Her feet were killing her. So much for the leather ankle boots. Their killer 4 inch heels were great in theory but her Chuck high tops sounded so much more like heaven right now. She unzipped them and took them off, then placed them off to the side.
He was still by the window, and had turned his gaze to the city beyond them.
"How do you do it?" Lulu asked, noting how pensive he had become in the past minutes. She massaged her feet hoping to relieve some of the tension there.
"Do what?" He moved over to the bed and sat there looking at her.
"Stay sane." Lulu said gently. "This whole situation, with your mother, Sonny, Johnny, Carly... I'm not judging you. I just want to know, how do you not lose it?"
Dante exhaled quickly and looked down at his hands. "I've come close a couple of times."
She remained quiet as she waited for him to continue.
"I know you're close to everyone I'm trying to get information from, so I understand why it's been hard for you to keep this secret," Dante said as his gaze remained down.
"I don't want you to take this the wrong way, but it's pretty damn clear to me that Sonny needs to pay for the things he's done, the wrongs he's committed. I know you don't trust the justice system, but for me, it's been the one constant that I could count on all my years undercover." Dante said looking up at her. "Until recently."
"Does it take it's toll, pretending to be someone else for months at a time?" Lulu asked again. She stopped the ministrations on her feet. "How do you have so much patience? If it were me, well let's just say I'm glad its not me."
"Yeah, well the stipend's a pretty good incentive," Dante said but the joke fell flat. He shrugged. "Lulu to tell you the truth, I ask myself those same questions every single day. I still don't have an answer."
She ran her fingers through her hair. The snow had destroyed the time she had spent straightening it this morning and now it looked like a wild mane, surrounding her shoulders, cascading down her back. He looked at the deep red polish on her toes and noticed that it matched her lipstick. The smallest things about her undid him.
"Can I ask you a question?" Dante said, his tone perking up.
"Shoot."
"What did you wish for tonight?" He asked earnestly.
Lulu laughed. It was just like him to turn this around on her.
"Can't tell you. Bound by the rules of wish-making," she said simply.
"Ahh. Ok, can I ask you another question?" He asked getting up from his spot on the bed.
"Go for it..." Lulu said hesitantly.
"Why are you so afraid?"
"Afraid of what? I don't know what you're talking about." Lulu said suddenly getting defensive. She got up from her seat and walked over to the window facing him with her arms crossed. They were facing each other with only the bed between them.
"I think you do know what I'm talking about." Dante said quietly. He wanted to be careful, he didn't want to push her away. But just like he was stuck in his case against Sonny, he was also stuck in his next move with her.
"No, no I don't," she said getting annoyed. She shifted her weight to her left foot and tucked a lock of her hair behind her right ear. "Care to elaborate?"
"Getting close to anyone...I don't mean me specifically."
"What-- have you already gotten tired of my "I don't believe in love" spiel?" Lulu said with a dry laugh. "It's not going to change anytime soon."
Dante sighed, ran his fingers through his damp hair and chose his next words carefully.
"Then why are you here with me?"
Lulu's face flushed with anger. "You arrogant, self-centered-- Have you considered that maybe I'm trapped here because of the damn weather outside? Maybe I just like your company and that's as far as it goes. And maybe your big ego can't handle that. Maybe I just feel compelled to hang out with you because I feel sorry for you!"
"Bullshit, Lulu," Dante said raising his voice to match hers. He never lost his temper but her transparent lies were getting old. Her pushing him away was getting old. This game was getting old and he couldn't play any longer. "Don't lie to me."
Lulu couldn't think about anything except how angry he was making her. Tears of fury were brimming in her eyes and she'd be damned if he made her cry. She forced them back and lifted her chin.
"It is the way it is, Dante. I'm sorry if you can't accept it, but that's the way I feel." Lulu said sternly, arms closed, locked.
"You're fucking right." He said angrily. "I can't accept it."
And then he was everywhere. He jumped the bed in one quick bound and pushed her against the window, his hand cradled the back of her head to cushion the blow. The cool pane absorbed through her black, silk blouse and hit her back in a flash. His mouth came down on hers, crushing his lips against hers. His body was a hot contrast to the cool from the glass window. She felt dizzy from emotion and couldn't understand what had shifted. His mouth contorted over hers as his tongue dashed out and begged for entrance. He was making his point, she knew this. She wanted to push him away, slap him away from her, make him wish he had never crossed her.
Instead, she opened her mouth and his tongue assaulted her. It dove in to explore what she had to offer and he moved his body closer to her, his hips crushing her abdomen, forcing her to heave heavy breaths. Her candy cane and the taste of pale ale mixed together to form a new poison, and she knew she was addicted. Her hands found their rightful place on his back, his neck, his hair. He kept his on her hips, driving them closer leaving no room for misunderstandings. His lips were caressing her neck now, finding its curves and crevices. He was memorizing her: her taste, her warmth, her touch. He trailed a warm wet path to her decolletage, kissing her there softly, weaving her into him, convincing her this was the way they were supposed to be. His fingers massaged her scalp and he gently tugged at the nape of her hair.
His hands wandered and skimmed the skin between her skinny jeans and her soft, silk blouse. Her stomach did backflips and a wanting she didn't know could exist started between her legs. Lulu felt like she was on the brink of some new discovery, some new adventure lay before her and she wanted to jump forward with it. But her sanity was on the brink, too. He was driving her to the edge of it and she didn't know if she would ever find her way back.
But then, she felt nothing but air and emptiness.
He stood five feet from her, breathing heavy; his lips red from their kisses. He looked down at the ground and formed a fist with his hand.
"I...I'm sorry."
Lulu stood motionless. She could still feel him on her.
"I'm not."
He looked at her and smiled.
This time, she rushed to him and kissed him. All of her fears, doubts and worries vanished in his presence again. It was like his kisses were the medicine she had been searching for all of this time. And hell yeah, she was scared, but it felt too good to deny this, it would be wrong to deny this. This kiss was different. It didn't prove a point, it was just easy. She wanted to make it better for him, too. She wanted to do the same thing for him that he was doing to her.
Their tongues danced together like old lovers reconnecting. It was a slow build, but it was worth the wait. He shifted the angle of his mouth and entered deeply, making the kiss frantic. His left hand grasped her hair tightly while his right explored her back. She couldn't seem to get close enough, so she led them back to the window, her back pressed against the cool surface again. His breathing was becoming labored and she at once realized he was still wearing his coat. She ran both of her hands up the hard plane of his chest and enjoyed the rock hard feeling against the palms of her hand. At once, she lifted the coat back and with a hard plop, it landed on the floor somewhere.
He resumed his attack on her neck, but the sensation of her hands running up and down his arms were driving him crazy. With one hand, he lifted her right leg up and placed it behind his back, lifting her and pointedly placed his hip bone at her center. She broke their kiss and gasped into his ear. The sound urged him on, and he sucked on her neck. Pleasure spiked through Lulu and she rocked her hips against his, hoping to increase the feeling. Dante grabbed her butt to gain more leverage and his other hand found her breast. He rocked his hips, while his thumb found her nipple through her shirt and bra. She met his lips again and pulled his hair, desperate for something, anything, she didn't know what.
He rocked his hips against her center harder and heard her cry out again. He wanted to make that noise happen again and again, it awoke something in him, a primal feeling arose and with one quick movement he took her shirt off, painfully aware that her breathing made her breasts rise and fall against his chest. She moved her hands beneath his shirt and scratched him as he moved them towards the bed. The lace in her bra scratched against his shirt as he shifted her on the bed and then he kneeled over her, bringing his mouth to her bellybutton, causing her hips to buck wildly. Her hair laid fanned out beneath her head and her eyes rolled back in pleasure. He looked down at her and found himself melting. He ran his hands against her breasts again, then down her body, down her waist to the button of her jeans. He unzipped the tight pants, which were damp from the snow, and peeled them off her legs. He kissed her ankles, her calfs, her knees. He went back to her and as he did, her smooth legs brushed by his ribs on either side and he found himself between them. He kissed her wildly, his passion was taking over him but he wanted to see hers take over her whole body.
She ran her hands behind his back again and took off the offending barrier of his shirt. He could feel her, skin to skin and the electricity that pulsated between them made them both shiver. As he kissed her neck again, his hand found its way between them until it was at the crucial fork in the road where her panties met her thighs. He felt her excitement there and rubbed the edge of her panty until she was panting for more. He let his lips travel down to the valley between her breasts as his middle finger bi-passed the silky cloth and made its way inside of her. He moved his finger up and down, deep and shallow, circling her core. His movements caused her to writhe on the bed, her eyes rolling back in pleasure, her lips uttering non-sensicals that only he understood. Lulu didn't know where she was. This was a high she hadn't felt before, an unchartered island where she didn't know the rules but knew she wanted to break them. She felt reckless passion overtake her, and she couldn't remember how she had gotten there. Couldn't remember her own name.
"Lulu," Dante groaned. Yes that was it. He twirled his finger again and Lulu felt herself being twined harder and harder. She rocked her hips without abandoned as he added a second finger, and his mouth quickly moved to her breast, biting her there all at once. "Yes," she whispered. Her whimpered sounds broke the last barrier and she shuddered in his hands. Her body overtaken by quivers, she gripped his fingers tightly inside of her, until they subsided.
Quickly she shoved his jeans down for round two. He reached behind him to find a condom in his back pocket, and then behind her to remove her bra. She laid back down on the bed and raised her hips, moving down her panties before throwing them across the room. She watched him as he worked the condom down his length, and a spike of wanting ran down her once more. He looked down at her and saw her pert nipples greet him. He kissed her chest and moved to the valley between her breasts once more. As he positioned himself over her, they both looked at each other in the eye and felt the same electric charge they had earlier in the car, the same electric charge that seemed to appear whenever they were around each other. This time however, it was being indulged. They were diving in, both set for the ride.
He moved his mouth over to her right breast and took it into his mouth, playing with her nipple against his tongue. The roughness of his tongue sent pleasure from her chest to her core, and he finished his ministrations on that breast to continue on the other. She arched her back to bring him closer and as she did, he slipped his hand to the small of her back and positioned himself at her entrance. All at once he entered her and Lulu cried out his name. Slowly, he drew back, his mouth still on her breast, sucking hard and filled her up deeper as Lulu's hands gripped at his hair. She crossed her legs behind his back, bringing him closer still and enjoying the sensation of having him inside of her, working her, filling her. Dante sat up, bringing her with him and she and him worked out a rhythm that matched beat for beat. Her breasts heaved up and down against his chest as Dante moved his hands down to her hips to bring her down on his manhood harder each time. Their lovemaking became frantic, both grasping at the other, wanting to make it together. Lulu sank her mouth down on his and the reunion of their tongues made their bodies sing. Dante's hips began to make frantic movements, rubbing against Lulu's bead, he was so close, and then as he released himself, he laid her down once more deepening his thrusts, so that she was right behind him all the way.
******************
Carly opened her eyes and immediately knew something was wrong. A creeping feeling crawled into her stomach and she sat up to look at the clock. It was five fifteen in the morning. Without waking Jax, she pulled the covers off of her and grabbed the robe from the chair across the room.
As she made her way down the hallway, the feeling got worse, overtaking her and making her shake all over. She opened Michael's room and found him in bed, snoring soundly. What time he had made it home was a mystery to her, but he was glad he was there. Next was Jocelyn's room, the baby was still sleeping, though it would be an hour or so when she woke up, ready for her bottle.
As she reached Morgan's room, awareness ran through her, an instinct, a pain coursed through her body. She opened the door and stepped into the dark room. Everything was in place, nothing was disturbed, but there on the bed, where Morgan should have been was a bump covered up by the covers. As Carly got closer, her heart began to beat faster, faster. She held one hand out, fingers shaking until she reached the duvet.
She pulled the covers back and screamed.