Erin felt a nudge in the area of her bottom and jolted awake. Morning light was streaming through the window filling the room with unwelcome light. The past few days of constant moving from one place to the other had worn her out. Not to mention the long night of making love with Eli. The man was insatiable. He found spots on her body that sent her over the edge with one touch. To say he knew his way around the female body would be an understatement.

 She tried to stretch out her body, but found herself held down by Eli's heavily muscled arm wrapped around her middle. Erin lay there, day you were born naked, with Eli's morning wood pulsing right up against her bottom. Maybe she should be embarrassed or awkward here in the bright glare of the morning light, but she absolutely wasn't. As a matter of fact, she was wondering why she hadn't jumped him a long time ago.

She snuggled in closer to his warm body with a yawn. The thought of staying right there for the rest of her life sounded real good at that moment. Eli's big hand slid down from her belly to her thigh. He pulled her back into him.

"Morning, beautiful." He said softly, then kissed her shoulder.

"Hey, you. Let's pull the blinds and shut the world out. What do ya say?" Erin asked, not wanting to move an inch.

"Sounds good to me, as long as you're with me, I could stay here forever." He said. Erin's stomach picked that second to grumble. "Or until we have to eat." He laughed, and got out of bed and slipped on his jeans.

"Where are you going? There's nothing in that empty kitchen for us." Erin scooted up and pulled the sheets over her chest.

Eli pulled his shirt on and grabbed up his phone from the floor. "There's a coffee shop next door. I'll grab us something and be right back. Don't open the door for any reason."

Erin felt suddenly very alone in the vacant apartment. It dawned on her that this was the first time they had been apart in days and that she didn't like it at all. First things first, she needed a shower stat. Erin went into the bathroom and to her surprise there was a stack of towels and a bar of soap. Liston at least thought of the basics. The bathroom was small, but the water was steaming hot. It felt fantastic on her weary body, soothing her sore muscles and knots of tension. For a girl that was put thought a marathon of sexual activity most of the night and now with the subtle soreness between her legs as a reminder of that night, Erin found herself in a spectacular mood. Dare she say she was happy, elated, excited as all hell? Ok. They still didn't know if Pope and his group were going to pop up and start a war in the streets. They didn't get a chance to formulate a plan of taking the man down or getting him to back the fuck off. Two days left and besides from meeting the team, nothing had been decided or planned.

Erin got out of the shower and dried herself. She left her hair unbraided and hurried to pull back on her clothes. They didn't have a chance to go back to the hotel to pick up anything and wearing the same clothes for another day made her feel yucky, but she didn't have any choice. She tossed her underwear in the trash. Commando it would be, until she got a fresh pair.

Eli was back with his arms loaded down with paper bags and coffee containers in both hands. They sat on the bed and ate bagels and cream and a breakfast sandwich. Eli suggested that they take a walk around the city to get their bearings. He was confident that no one knew they were there. Erin wasn't so keen on the whole idea, but by the late afternoon she felt more at ease. Due mainly to the fact that Eli was just so much fun to be around. They stopped for lunch and ate out on the patio to enjoy the abundant sunshine. He told her stories about growing up in a huge family and Erin could almost see herself with his loving family. All of his brothers were public servants of some sort, firefighter, police, and career military. His words were colored with pride when he talked about them.

Erin watched him as all day. He opened doors for her and even strangers. His attention never wavered from her, making her feel as if she were special. Even with his attention on her, she still observed how he kept his focus sharp for any threats. By the time they were headed back to the safe house, the sun was going down. Anticipation sang in her heart at what another night with Eli might bring. Erin found herself hoping that he truly did want to be a country boy in Wayland GA. Thinking of their night of passion caused her heart to beat faster. She'd never experience such desire and pleasure as she had in his arms. The few sexual encounters she had in the past were less than stellar. Eli left no part of her untouched, including her heart.

On the stairs leading to the apartment, he placed a hand on her arm to stop her. "Let me go first, something is off." He said.

Erin clutched his arm as she followed him up the stairs. Her eyes tracked his gaze downward where red splatters of blood stained the stairs. Eli pulled his weapon. Erin's entire body felt stiff with apprehension. She knew that Eli was capable of protecting her. Fear for them both still flooded her system.

The lock on the door wasn't broken, but the door was unlocked.

"Stay right here." He whispered, then entered the apartment, weapon leading his way.

Seconds felt like hours as Erin hugged the wall. Her curious nature was screaming at her to take a peek inside. What if Eli needed her? She wasn't that dumb to even rush in there. She didn't hear any sounds of a struggle or any gun shots.

"Come in love, its safe." Eli called out.

Erin stepped one foot into the room and stopped cold. Eli's team member Kennedy was face down in the middle of the room in a pool of blood.

****

Eli didn't like where this day was heading. Sure, he had hoped to put off the inevitable when he took Erin out that afternoon. He wasn't ready for the two days to be over. Now he was looking into the face of his friend who was bleeding out at his feet.

Eli looked up when Erin came in. Her face was a shade ashen brown and her hands went to her middle. Eli rolled Kennedy over and the man groaned opening pain glazed forest green eyes.

"Eli, thank God, I guessed right." He said through clenched teeth.

"It's ok sweet, let me get your jacket?" Eli took her cotton hoodie and placed it over the wound. It looked like a through and through to the shoulder.

Kennedy grabbed a hold of his shirt as Eli moved away. "They caught up to me right out of town. Following me. I don’t know how they keep finding us, but I believe I lost them."

Eli nodded. Erin came forward and switched places with him. She silently took over holding the piece of material to the wound. Eli had a bad feeling about the whole situation and he lived by his instincts. He put his back to the wall and craned his neck to peek out the window. Night was closing in but there was still enough light out. Nothing out of the ordinary.

"Do you have a ride bro?" He asked.

Erin was helping Kennedy to a sitting position. "Yeah, an old ford focus I acquired."

Eli nodded, keeping his eyes trained on the street below. This was not the perfect position to be in if they were to find them. The apartment faced the street with only one way in and a one story drop from the back. A police cruiser slowly turned onto the street, a little too slow. It came to a stop in front of their building and three men got out. Only one of the men wore a uniform. Nope, not cops, Eli concluded.

"We got company. Erin I need you to help Kennedy out the back window. Get him to the car."

Erin helped Kennedy to his feet. His friend leaned heavily onto Erin's shoulders.

"But, what about you?" She turned fear filled eyes to him.

Eli helped them to the window. He made sure that no one was in the alley. "Climb onto the overhang, the drop isn't that far sweetheart. Once you are in the car, start the engine. Give me five minutes and if I'm not there, take off."

"No, Eli. I can't leave you."

Kennedy slung one leg out the window. He tugged her hand and Erin reluctantly pulled her eyes from Eli. "He knows what he's doing Erin. That's why he's head dog. Come on, let's get you out of here."

Eli watched her open her mouth to take then close it after Kennedy groaned loudly when he dropped to the overhang. She didn't want to leave him, the anguish on her face was evident. He had to get them safely away before the fake police got in. Killing the lights, Eli moved away from the window allowing himself one last glance to make sure Erin and Ken had made it softly to the ground.

The front door burst open, right no knock and identify yourself that was for real cops. The pounding of feet echoed through the empty apartment. Eli took position next to the bedroom door. The first man through the door, took an elbow to the neck that knocked him back against the door. Eli twisted the man's body in front of him, stepped out the doorway. The uniformed man turned, Eli pushed his captive on top of uniformed guy, whose shot went through his companion. Ducking low, Eli popped a cap into uniform's kneecap that brought the man to the ground with the dead weight of his friend on top of him. Third intruder was on top of him in a flash. The man was a huge one. Eli grunted when the man's thick arms caught him in the chest and slung him to the floor. He rolled to his back as bullets split the wood floor where he was laying just seconds before. Hesitation was paramount to death. Eli, while still on his back raised his gun, both arms straight out and shot, hitting the man center mass. The big man hit the floor with a jarring thump, but not before firing. Searing pain shot through Eli's side. He couldn't spare a second for that. Eli stood quickly, put a bullet in his head, spun just in time to spot uniform push the dead body away. Eli didn't give him time to move. He put his boot on the man's chest and his gun in his face.

"If you don't want a gap tooth smile, you'd better tell me where's Pope." Eli demanded through his teeth.

"I don't know where he is." The man said, then spit a stream of blood on the floor.

"Alright, you're funereal."  Eli's leaned the gun in closer.

Uniform groaned and turned his face to the side. "Ok. Alright. He's somewhere in Georgia. That's all I know. Said he was getting shit ready." He struggled under Eli's boot. "That's it man. All I know. I got paid to do this and get rid of the bodies. I don't get specifics. He has a second hand guy who contacted me. Pope does everything through this dude."

"What's this dude's name?"

"Hell if I know. He's former military or CIA. Some cloak and dagger guy, real secretive, looked like death walking. No names and shit. He's crazier than Pope by a long motherfucking shot. Now, that's all I know." He grumbled.

Eli took pity on the fucker and used the butt of his gun on him, knocking him out cold before putting a towel over his wound and going to look for Erin and Kennedy. Pope was in Georgia and that couldn't be good. He had to be in Wayland, but for what purpose. If he sent men to this safe house, then he had to be planning on using Erin's family in order to get to her and in turn him. On the side street he found a red ford focus idling at the curb. He couldn't tell Erin about Pope and his fears for her family. Not just yet. Darkness filled the corners of his vision. His body felt too heavy to take another step. He had to make it to the car. Forcing his legs to move he fell into the driver's door and then there was nothing but darkness.