Chapter 9) Cuddle Buddies

Vic’s heart thundered against her chest but not because she had been running over soft ground for the past three miles, the anticipation of triumph kept her muscles primed and her blood pumping. She glanced over her shoulder and caught sight of Max still behind her by a few paces and smiled as the tip of a large tin style roof peaked over the vast mostly open terrain. Vic took a few deep breaths and adjusted her luggage as she waited for Max to get a little closer. The moment his head lifted, and he caught sight of Vic’s figure, Max squared his shoulders and offered her a wide smile that spread across his face. “Almost there, sweet buns.” he sang, and Vic let a few chirping giggles blast from her chest. “You better hurry up Maxie boy, if I get there first you might end up on the porch.” she yelled back, and Max only shrugged. “Bad puppies sleep outside doll, now move that ass.” he said with an almost predatory energy that had Vic’s heart picking up the pace long before she turned and made a break for the finish.

The closer she got to the bunkhouse, the bigger she realized it was. The porch seemed to wrap around each side, and everything looked deserted. There was a soft glow coming from the few windows lining the side of the building she could see in the drooping light of dusk. A single porch light flicked on, and Vic took that as a sign to pump her legs as fast as she could. Ascending the stairs, she opened her mouth to cry out in triumph but just as she reached the top steps the door flung open, and Rowan charged out like a raging bull. The enormous man lunged with his head down and slammed his shoulder into Vic’s stomach before wrapping his arms around her waist and lifting her from the ground as he marched forward, carrying her further from the winning frame of the bunkhouse door that now hung open wide enough for Vic to hear the faint sounds of life inside. Vic began to grunt and curse as the sound of Max whistling indicated how near he was getting. “Get the fuck off me Rowan.” she groaned and was only met with a strained chuckle as the large man pressed his weight against her until they were falling to the ground. Vic wiggled her legs out from under Rowan and forced his hips to tilt until she could use the leverage of her own weight to throw him. Rowan didn’t flip over completely but he did land on his side as Vic scrambled out from underneath him just as Max walked past her. The cheerful bounce of his lazy blonde curls as he carefully bent over to grab the bags Vic had dropped in her tussle with Rowan was almost surreal. As she reached for him, she heard the roar of angry testosterone from behind her just before Rowan’s entire weight slammed her to the dirt, ending the almost dreamy moment.

Max hopped up the steps and disappeared into the dull glow of the internal light. Vic tried to pull herself up, but Rowan’s weight was everywhere no matter how she bucked and struggled, and unfortunately the more she moved the more dirt and dust kicked up into her mouth. Vic made a desperate gasping sound trying to breathe when Rowan’s weight suddenly disappeared, leaving her gasping for air as she sat up and began to scramble away from the silent behemoth as quickly as possible. The sarcastic sound of slow clapping snapped Vic’s eyes to the side of the cabin as Rocco came sauntering out from the shadows. “Looks like your first day with us has been a great success Vic, already writing checks that ass can’t cash.” he taunted as he casually skipped down the steps and squatted so he was eye to eye with Vic.  Rocco watched with a sense of wonder as the silent dust covered woman on the floor looked at him with a murderous glow in her eyes. Rocco smirked and reached forward, catching one of her braids between his fingers. “What are you gonna do if Max decides you sleep on the porch, or worse?” he asked, with so much tenderness in his voice Vic had to swallow the sudden rush of vulnerability the question forced her to feel. Instead, the irate woman shoved herself to her feet without a word and turned away from the grinning pair of men. She marched up the stairs and took a deep breath before stepping over the threshold in search of Max and the fate of her sleeping arrangements.

The inside of the bunkhouse was alive with activity. There were at least nine grown men in various stages of undress spread throughout the mostly open floor plan of the large cabin. Vic did her best not to ogle with an open mouth, but the physique of each man was like a different exotic candy she couldn’t tear her eyes away from. Every single one of these men were sporting lean bodies of every variety; some swollen with bulging muscles and others with a lean, taught, athletic, swagger that seemed almost feline. “Careful baby, ya gonna make me jealous.” Max purred in her ear. Vic tried not to squeak as she gasped from the sudden shock of Max’s voice blowing against the side of her neck like a hot breeze. Vic squared her shoulders and tilted her head to look at Max, whose toothy grin stretched across his face so seductively Vic couldn’t help but offer her own small but genuine smile in return. “You cheated, but a deal’s a deal. Where am I sleeping?” she asked with a little more sarcasm hanging on the end of her voice than she intended to let slip.  Max screwed his lips up to the side of his mouth as he tapped his index finger against his chin in an overdramatic act of thought. “Well let’s see. You threatened to make me sleep on the porch so I could return the favor, or make you sleep with Rowan.” Max said with a smirk as his eyes shot to something behind Vic. When she turned to look over her shoulder, she was met with the deadly sneer of the very man in question.

“Try it Max and she sleeps on the floor, naked.” Rowan growled before stomping down the hallway. Rocco slid in behind Vic and closed the door. The moment the lock stuck in its latch, silence enveloped the cabin in a way that Vic found earie and almost deafening. Max elbowed Vic to get her attention then leaned into her ear. “Don’t worry princess, you can bunk with me. I promise to be a good boy and keep my hands to myself.” he whispered then wiggled his fingers in her face. Vic tried not to laugh as she shoved Max’s hands away from her face. Just then, one of the many shirtless wonders walking around broke the strange silence. “What happened to no pussy in the bunkhouse Roc?” he asked, and although Vic didn’t react, she watched a small fire ignite in Max’s eyes.

Rocco clapped Vic on the shoulder and leaned into her ear as he walked past her. “Welcome home sweetheart.” he chuckled before addressing the crowd. “Luca, the rules remain the same. No fucking on the Volkov compound. Bringing sexual delights to the bunkhouse puts us all in danger, not to mention the boss,” Rocco growled and when Luca started to point at Vic Rocco slid his hand to center of her back and pulled her forward. They weren’t quite standing in the middle of the cabin, but every eye was now zeroed in on Vic. “This is Vic.” Rocco announced, and when the low rumble of disapproval started to flow through the crowd, Rocco raised his hand and was met with silence. “Boys I realize when the boss said Vic would be joining our team that we all assumed Vic was a man.” Rocco began, and a very tan, toned man in his tight boxer-briefs sauntered toward them. “So, she like a half man or some shit Roc? Her arms are almost as big as mine.” he said, then stuffed the half-eaten sandwich he was holding in his mouth and proceeded to flex several different times. 

“Settle the fuck down Jose. As far as I know, Victora Bura, or Vic, was born female and remains female. She also happens to be the Bura family ‘Ghost’, so you might want to watch where your hands try to roam gentleman, because if you get sticky fingers and she breaks them off I don’t think the boss is gonna take your side.” he stated. Jose leaned back against a nearby couch chewing his food and Rocco began to point to different people in the room. “Vic let me introduce you to everyone while they are all here.” Vic watched several sets of eyes look toward the hand at her back, so she stepped away from Rocco while he spoke. “We are split into three branches, but we are all the same team.” he shouted, and Vic wasn’t sure if Rocco was telling her or reminding the men who began scowling at her or sizing her up like their next opponent. “I head Alpha team and directly under me is Luca, Jose, and Nickola.” Each time Rocco said a name a man would raise his hand. “Bravo team leader is Rowan and with him is Mario, Ashley, and Jakub.” Vic looked around the room and noticed that although none of them were warm, Jakub seemed to look at her with a particular sense of anger Vic had recognized before as being eventually volatile. “Finally, we have eagle team, our eyes.” he began, and pointed at Max. “Max is a retired ranger and expert long-range marksman, he hand-picked his team; Marty, Zachariah, and Guerra.” Rocco finished, and when Vic turned to look at Max, he simply winked at her with the same lazy smile.

Vic knew from years of working with the kind of men her father employed that this was not going to be an easy transition for them, so instead of trying to introduce herself she turned to Max and shrugged. “So, eagle leader Maximus uses his friends to kick my ass. Where do I bunk down?” she asked. She tried not to laugh as the way Max’s entire body lit up with the sound of the silly nickname, she gave him reminded her of a happy golden retriever puppy. “I already told ya Vicki baby, we are cuddle buddies for the night. And for the record it’s not cheating to utilize your team to achieve your goal.” He finished and winked at her again.  Max reached forward and tugged on the ends of Vic’s braids. “My room is down the hall, I put your shit on the bed. I will take the sleeping bag on the floor, and you can keep that room when we head back tomorrow.” he finished then reached up to tweak her nose. Vic rolled her eyes and jabbed two of her fingers directly into the center of Max’s bellybutton, causing the lean but surprisingly muscular man to half laugh, half groan playfully.

“Hey Vicki baby, why don’t you come to my room later and I will show you how to utilize your team right here.” Jakub yelled as he grabbed a handful of the meat swinging between his legs and wiggled it aggressively. Vic turned to address the pig in the room when Rocco let a single sharp whistle burst from his lips. “We don’t fuck in the bunkhouse, and we don’t shit where we eat.” he growled, looking at Max with what Vic could only describe as pure malice before he turned to Jakub and the other disgruntled men in the cabin. “Vic is part of the team, fuck with a part of the team and fuck with us all. That means that if I find out one of you so much as puts itch powder in her pants or steals her monthly supplies, I will have you off this detail and buried in the farthest reaches of the Sahara Desert, am I clear?” Rocco growled and was met with an unenthusiastic murmur of compliance. “Now, finish your food, shower, shit, shave and bed down for the night. Team leaders and I sleep here tonight before we start Vic’s training in the morning.” He finished before someone waved to get his attention. “Roc, she gonna go through the gauntlet?” someone Vic couldn’t remember asked, and Rocco shook his head. “I don’t think so Ash, boss got The Ghost to shadow Maddie.” he said matter-of-factly, and Vic watched puzzled as the team in its entirety seemed almost relieved.

Without another word, most of the men turned back to what they had been doing before Vic’s entire existence halted their evening and even Rocco sauntered over to a game of cards that was being played at a small table. Max bumped Vics shoulder with his own. “Hungry?” he asked, and she shook her head. “No thanks, can I just go to bed?” she asked, suddenly very unsure of what exactly it was she had to ask permission to do and what she was just expected to do without direction.

Max wrapped his arm around Vics shoulders and walked her down a hallway in the opposite direction of the commotion. “Come on sweetness, let’s get you to bed.” He purred and when Vic gave him a sideways look he winked at her again. “It’s time for sleep, you naughty woman. Tomorrow is your first big day, and you want to make a good impression, don’t you?” he said with his lips pursed in a ridiculous way. Vic grabbed Max’s face with one hand as he attempted to lean forward and kiss her cheek. “If you try to kiss me again, I’m going to leave an impression on your face.” she said playfully before he pushed one of the many doors lining the hallway open and motioned for her to step inside. “Welcome home hottie.” he chirped, and Vic tried not to grin at him as she passed into the small but cozy space.

The room was dark except for a sliver of moonlight peeking in through the small window and for a split second, Vic considered throwing herself out the window and running. Instead, she moved her bags from the top of the bed and turned to find Max leaning against the now closed door, just watching her. “You really are the eyes, aren’t you?” she teased. Max gave her a serious look. “You better believe it sweetie, don’t let these glasses fool you. I’m the best long-range marksman alive.” he said, and Vic smiled at him. “Goodnight, Max.” she whispered before she pulled her sneakers off without untying them and slipped under the cool soft covers of the bed that smelled entirely too alluring and entirely too much like Max.