Monkey's Uncle Read online

  “Then turn around,” she said.

  “Yankee, who was driving, brought he truck to a stop. “What?”

  “Turn around. Go back to the house.”

  “Why?”

  “Because. Just do it.”

  The brothers conferred. “What do you think?” Yankee asked Oscar.

  “I don’t—”

  “Chrissake.” She reached for the door handle, but Oscar, who was sitting in back with her, reached across her and pulled the door closed again.

  “No!”

  “Then turn this farking thing around. I’m going to make sure they don’t get suspicious about you guys.”

  Yankee finally shrugged and turned around. “Where to?”

  “Just park in front of the house.”

  Once he turned them around and drove up to the house, she got out and walked up to the front door. Mary came out, Eduardo bolting past her to grab hold of India’s legs in a bear hug.

  After a moment of talking with Mary, India coaxed the little boy into letting go and returned to the vehicle.

  “What’d you tell her?” Oscar asked.

  “Basically the same thing we told Mama. You’re part of a group moving to another clinic elsewhere, and needed to stop here for a little while. That Kite messed up your travel plans and you didn’t want to end up in a hostile place by accident. Which is why you were keeping quiet about who you guys were, because you hadn’t talked to me yet when you first got here.”

  “She buy it?” Yankee asked.

  She smiled. “She did, yes. And why I didn’t think to add that little nugget to the story I told Mama yesterday, I don’t know. But I will. So from this point on, don’t worry. Just stay quiet and try not to draw undue attention to yourselves. But if anyone runs into you, they’ll think you belong here. For a while, at least. I just bought you guys some time and breathing room until you can get your next move planned.”

  When they reached the safe house, cleared their stick tests before coming inside, and she got the full round of introductions, she had to fight to keep her jaw from dropping. All of the Drunk Monkeys were gorgeous men, every last one of them. In nearly every flavor and color she could imagine wanting.

  Still…

  The twunks already had a special place in her heart. And she’d be lying if she tried to deny it.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Oscar had to hand it to India, she was brilliant. Now that they had an in with her, someone trusted and well-respected in the community, they’d be able to go about their business without worrying about attracting unwanted attention.

  They filled Papa in on what happened.

  “You know,” Papa said, “I could have saved myself a lot of stress if we’d met you first.” He extended a hand to her and they shook. “Thanks.”

  “No worries.” Oscar didn’t miss the glare she shot at Mac. “I want to help.”

  “You realize there’s a huge bounty on these men’s heads, right?” Papa asked. “All the people from The List?”

  “Yeah, but money won’t do anyone any good if the farking world’s gone to shit, will it? This morning in my e-mail, I saw alerts about more riots in Los Angeles, and a small one in New York. People are getting pissed off that there isn’t a vaccine yet, and that’s only going to lead to worse things.”

  Oscar didn’t miss the look Papa exchanged with Alpha. Apparently, that was the answer they’d hoped to hear.

  “We need to plan a trip to Mexico City,” Papa said. “We’re in the process of arranging a meeting to expose the leak in the command food chain. I’d like your opinion on our plans. Specifically, regional logistics.”

  “I can do that. Even better, I’ll go with you.”

  “No,” Yankee and Oscar both said.

  Papa gave them a look that clearly said shut up. “While I appreciate the offer, I just need your input. I’m not looking to put you in danger.”

  “Look, let me go with you,” India insisted. “I want to help.”

  Oscar wanted to nip that shit in the bud. “Like hell you will. We’ll go.”

  “You two don’t speak a word of Spanish,” she shot back. “You need someone with you who’s a native speaker. I’m as good as one.”

  “Omega speaks it,” Yankee said. Oscar was glad to see he and his brother were on the same page.

  She jammed her fists on her hips. “Really?” she asked.

  He didn’t understand her dubious look. “What?”

  “You don’t think he might draw just a tiny little bit of unwanted attention to this whole thing?”

  “What?” both men asked.

  “Oh, farking seriously?” She turned and pointed to Omega. “An eight-foot tall gorgeous hunky black dude running around Mexico City? No, that’s totally discreet and won’t draw a bit of attention to you guys,” she snarked.

  Omega smiled. “Thanks. I don’t get called hunky very often.”

  Pandora looked up at him. “I think you’re hunky.”

  “You never said it.”

  She shrugged. “Sorry. You’re all hunky, in your own ways.”

  “He’s not eight feet tall,” Yankee grumbled. “He’s like six five.”

  “He’s farking huge!” India countered. “Not saying that’s a bad thing. But there aren’t a lot of black guys like him in Mexico City, capisce? Even you two are going to stick out like a couple of sore thumbs.”

  She extended her tanned left arm and tapped it with her right hand. “I at least slightly resemble the general population around here. Enough so that I don’t draw attention to myself. And my accent sounds like I’m from Colima, so at least I’m able to pass as a native speaker. Like it or not, your best bet is if I go. There’s obviously too much riding on this for you two to be pulling the protective card right now.”

  “She’s got a point,” Papa said.

  Both brothers gaped. “Seriously?” Oscar asked. “You can’t be saying we’re going to let her go?”

  “I am,” Papa said. “Because she’s right. She’s been to Mexico City before and obviously never got herself murdered.”

  The brothers locked gazes before turning as one on their CO. “No offense intended,” Yankee said, “but that’s a stupid idea.”

  “Why?” Papa asked.

  His brother stared at their CO, then looked at him.

  Shit.

  Oscar already knew how this was going to end.

  Because no matter how much they hated the idea, she was right, and so was Papa.

  “Dammit,” Oscar muttered.

  Papa smiled. “Glad to see this won’t be a problem, gentlemen.”

  “We go with her,” Oscar said.

  “Maybe. First we need a plan.”

  “What about Foxtrot? Or Roscoe?” Yankee asked, the desperation in his voice obvious to Oscar’s ears. “Don’t they speak Spanish?” Foxtrot was currently dozing in one of the bedrooms before his watch later that night. Roscoe was currently outside on watch with Niner.

  Papa smiled, belying his words. “That’s a fairly racist thing to say, isn’t it?”

  Yankee blinked. “What?”

  “Just because they look Hispanic, or have Hispanic names, they must speak Spanish?”

  If it were any other situation, Oscar would enjoy sadistic pleasure at his twin’s sudden discomfort. “No! I didn’t mean it like that. Foxtrot speaks Vietnamese and French, right? Roscoe speaks Russian. I just thought—”

  “I know what you thought,” Papa said, obviously enjoying having backed Yankee into a corner. “You thought wrong. India’s right—she needs to go.” He focused on her. “How often do you go to Mexico City?”

  “An average of once a month for supplies and to receive shipments from CMI. Sometimes they ship them there, sometimes to Guadalajara. Depends where they can get the cheapest shipping rates at the time. I can’t say I have the streets memorized or anything, but I can get around there well enough.”

  “All right, then. That’s settled.”

  Yankee ob
viously didn’t consider it settled. Neither did Oscar, but he wasn’t stupid enough to argue with their CO.

  Yankee tried again. “But—”

  Papa pointed a finger at him, anger burning in his gaze. “Don’t,” he quietly said. “She’s volunteered. We’ve all volunteered, here. We have a job to do, orders to follow.”

  “A world to save,” India snarked.

  Oscar couldn’t stifle his snort. She had balls as well as brains.

  Papa pointed at her. “That. While I am sympathetic to you men’s feelings, I’m going to give you a version of the talk I gave to Doc and Tango. She’s part of the team now. She’s one of us. Would you hesitate to allow any of your brothers to go on a mission if he volunteered?”

  “Well, no, but—”

  “No buts,” Papa said. “Discussion closed.” He turned to India and extended his hand, shaking with her. “Glad to have you aboard, Clara.”

  She frowned. “Clara?”

  Papa smiled. “Clara Barton, founder of the Red Cross. Am I right?”

  India smiled. “Right.”

  “Then I can’t think of a better code name for you.”

  “I thought only members of the team got code names?”

  “Your point is?”

  She grinned. “Is that an invitation?”

  “What’s one more person? Besides, I’m not going to refuse another trained medical professional’s help with this.”

  “Please tell me I can give Mac his code name?”

  “Deal.”

  “Sin,” she said.

  Mac, who had disappeared into the makeshift lab with Q as soon as they arrived, wasn’t there to argue. “Sure,” Papa said. “But can I ask why?”

  “His last name is McInnis. Last three letters backward. Sin.”

  “Sounds good to me. I’ll break it to him later. Right now, he’s busy with Q.” He glanced at Oscar and Yankee. “Planning meeting tomorrow night then. The fact that we don’t have to worry about bugging out of Colima immediately, and we’ll have her help with this, means I need to contact Bubba and update him before we finalize any plans. Can I come back to the clinic and use your sat-link?”

  “Of course. I’ll loan you a spare set of keys so your guys can come use the laundry, too.”

  “Thank you.”

  After eating dinner, they left Mac at the house. Someone would bring him back early the next morning to work at the clinic. Papa followed them back to the clinic and India gave him a quick tour and instructions on the laundry equipment before handing him a small key ring.

  “Use the back door,” she said. “People won’t see you coming and going, and it leads right into the laundry room anyway.”

  “Okay. I’ll let myself out when I’m done so I don’t disturb you. Enjoy the rest of your night.”

  From his smile, Oscar knew damn well Papa understood what was going on between the three of them. The commander went into the exam room and closed the door, leaving them alone.

  India walked over to them. “I’m not afraid to do this, guys. I want to do this. I want to help. I want to make a difference. If me going helps Q and Mac get stuff they need to create a vaccine for Kite, that’s worth everything.”

  “It’s not that simple,” Oscar said. “We’ve got a damn mole to worry about. The whole point of the plan is to try to draw him or her out. I suspect it’s a him, because there aren’t many women in Arliss’ food chain that would have access to the info. It could get really dangerous.”

  She shrugged. “So? You heard the man, I am part of the team. CMI’s e-mail this morning said they’ve got a real doctor and a nurse on the way. I was due to get out of here in a couple of weeks anyway. Considering all the time I’ve put into running this damn clinic by myself, I don’t feel any guilt about going with you when you all leave.”

  Oscar felt the tight band around his heart snap. Relief set in. “You sure you don’t want to stay in Colima?”

  “Not if Papa’s letting me join your merry band of monkeys for good.”

  Yankee stepped close, sandwiching her between them. “You mean it?”

  “Damn right I mean it. Before you guys, I thought Colima would end up being my life. And I was happy enough for that to happen. But this, you… Now I have a chance to help save the world. To keep Kite from hopefully reaching Colima in the first place. You think I’m going to pass that up and let you two slip through my fingers, you’re nuts. And not in a good way.”

  Chapter Twenty

  India didn’t want to sit there and hash it out with them. She wanted to crawl into bed with the twunks again and make wild, passionate monkey sex.

  Literally.

  Well, in a figurative sort of way.

  She led them into her bedroom, locking the door behind them before turning and pressing her back against it. “You heard the man. We have a night to enjoy.”

  She reached down to the hem of her T-shirt and pulled it up and off over her head before tossing it onto the small desk next to the door.

  The men were, she was happy to see, quick studies. They crossed the room in two strides and engulfed her in their arms.

  “Things might get pretty dangerous,” Yankee told her. “Not just the trip to Mexico City. Whoever’s controlling the mole, once they realize the mole’s been compromised, they might opt to outright come after us.”

  She knew it was Yankee from the small, faint scar along his left jaw. “I don’t care.”

  “He’s right,” Oscar said. “I don’t think I could stand it if you got hurt.”

  She grabbed his chin and tipped his face down so she could look him in those gorgeous, blue eyes. “I. Don’t. Care. They’d have to find us, first. You think I want to sit idly by while you two trot out of my life, think again. I have a chance to make a big-picture kind of good difference in the world. I’m fine with whatever risks are out there. I can take care of myself. I’ve been doing a pretty decent job of it for a while now.”

  “You sure you don’t want to go back to the US?” Yankee asked.

  “Like it’s really going to be any safer there? I keep up with the news. Violence is on the upswing. Riots. Crime. You think I’d be able to find a job there that pays as good as I’m doing here, think again. My expenses were paid for me here. I banked nearly all that money. I have a nest egg that wouldn’t last me more than a few years back in the States, even with working full time.”

  She hooked a finger of her other hand in the neckline of Yankee’s T-shirt and drew him in close. “And I wouldn’t have you two. I’m no dummy. I keep in touch with friends from college. Most of them, they don’t have a guy at all. I’ve got not one, but two drool-worthy hunks all to myself. I thought I made it clear I’ve staked a claim on you two.”

  Oscar grabbed her hand, the one holding his chin, and kissed her palm. The sensation of his warm lips against her flesh blasted a flurry of desire through her body. “If you’re sure.”

  “Oh, I’m farking sure,” she said. “Never been more sure of anything in my life. What, I’m supposed to go back to St. Louis and move in with my parents and fight with them day and night about religion and let them leech off me? I don’t think so. I love them, but they’re on their own. Maybe that sounds cold, but they’re adults. They made their choices.”

  Yankee lifted her hand from his shirt and kissed that palm, too. The contact sent more flutters of need spiraling through her body. “We won’t share you with anyone, just to let you know.” He smiled. “In case you were thinking about getting greedy.”

  She laughed. “Oh, believe me, you two will be plenty enough for me to handle. No offense intended to the other guys, but I’m just not into them like that.” The other guys were hunks, sure.

  But Oscar and Yankee…

  Nom!

  They quickly wound up naked in her bed. She didn’t want slow and easy foreplay, either. That could come later. Right now, she wanted hard and hot loving from the two twunks.

  Oscar ended up underneath her, her pussy impaled on his
ready cock. He smiled up at her. “I think I could get used to this on a regular basis.”

  “I’m not looking for you guys to pledge undying love to me right now, either,” she said. “I’m a big girl. I can take care of my heart. Just don’t ever lie to me, okay?”

  “Deal,” Oscar said.

  Yankee nibbled on her shoulder. “Deal,” he echoed.

  Relief washed through her. She had a new direction, a new focus.

  With her replacements on the way, she wouldn’t have to say good-bye to the men just because she didn’t have someone to take over for her at the clinic.

  It was perfect.

  For tonight she wanted to give her racing brain a rest and revel in the men’s sexy brand of stereo lovin’.

  She started rocking on Oscar’s cock while Yankee knelt behind her, holding her, one hand sliding down to her pussy.

  Oscar reached up and started playing with her nipples. “Yeah, just like that,” Oscar said, his tone already husky with desire.

  She could see spending any amount of time with these guys would be deadly to any kind of self-control she had in terms of her libido. Already, Yankee was in control of her body and driving her hard and fast toward her first release, only enhanced by the feel of Oscar’s ample cock embedded in her cunt.

  Yeesss…

  Maybe this was her karmic reward for working four years in Colima and having a sex life as dry as the high desert. Two men who knew exactly how and what to give her.

  She rocked harder, faster, the bed apparently sturdier than she ever gave it credit for. Before long, she was fucking Oscar as hard as she could in that position, impaling herself deep at the bottom of every stroke when Yankee got her over the first edge.

  Oscar let out a groan that matched hers. “Fuck, baby, I can feel that.” She didn’t stop, and neither did Yankee, matching her movements and teasing a long, rolling orgasm out of her sensitive clit.

  Finally, Oscar’s hands dropped to her hips as he started thrusting up into her. “I can’t hold it,” he said, and soon had his cock buried to the hilt inside her, groaning again as his balls emptied a load of cum into her pussy.