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 out of here,” I told Quinn as we had one last drink. Wexler and Holmes had parted ways before I could get close enough to hear what they were saying, with Holmes actually leaving the ball. So I concentrated on making sure Wexler had a miserable time.


Quinn smiled at me. “If I stay any longer, I’ll turn into a pumpkin.”


“Yes, I’m ready to call it a night too.” Mrs. Mann joined us, smothering a dainty yawn with the hand on which she still wore Nigel Mann’s rings.


I spotted Senator Wexler making his way to the men’s room. “I’ll be right back.”


“I just have to…” I wouldn’t say ‘take a leak’ in front of a classy lady like Portia Mann. “…see a man about a horse. I won’t be long.” I gave Quinn an innocent smile. I didn’t really have to use the facilities, but it would be one more way to let the senator know I was still around and watching him.


Chapter 56