Mark Vincent has risen from senior special agent to Director of Interior Affairs in the WBIS. Lately, life has been sweet for him -- in addition to his promotion, he's found a partner in Quinton Mann, who can almost match his ability in the intelligence field, in spite of the fact Quinn's CIA. Mark has also found a condo in Alexandria with the help of Portia Mann, Quinn's mother, and it's closer to Quinn's town house than Mark's present apartment. Sweetest of all, Mark plans to take Quinn to his island in the Caribbean for the holidays.<br><br>Quinn's glad he has the holiday with Mark to look forward to -- something is going on at Langley, and he feels he's being kept out of the loop. To make matters even worse, useless missions and sleepless nights filled with nightmares are leaving him exhausted. But then his mother's life if threatened, and Quinn discovers the accident that resulted in her hospitalization was no accident. The obsessively self-absorbed Senator Wexler is involved, and while Quinn considers himself a civilized man, now he's out for blood.<br><br>Up until this point, Mark has stayed out of Quinn's CIA business. But hurting Quinn and those he loves isn't a smart move, and Mark has every intention of seeing Wexler pays. Quinn demands to come along, and while Mark isn't happy, he finally agrees, and they set out together to deal with the senator. There's just one catch: this will be the first time Quinn sees Mark at his deadly best, and Mark isn't sure how his lover will react.

Forever

“I’m so sorry, Senator.” I took a paper napkin from the stack on the bar and wiped at the spill. If it had been my intent, I could have doctored his drink right then without his ever being aware. “Let me help you with that.”


“No, no. That’s fine. I didn’t see you there. Er…accidents will happen.”


“I thought gin was your poison, Senator.”


“You did mean your wife, didn’t you, Senator?”


“Yes. Of course that’s who I meant. Who else would I be getting it for?”


“Oh, I don’t know.” I let it drop for the time being. The bartender brought my club soda. A wedge of lime was on the rim of the glass. “Thank you.” I squeezed the lime into the soda, stirred it with a swizzle stick, and took a sip. “Are you enjoying yourself, Senator?”


“Yes. It’s amazing what oil money can procure.”


“Oh, er…there’s my wife. I must get her this before the ice melts.”


Chapter 54