by Elle James
Her heart caught in her throat when she located Charlie. The older woman sat on the floor beside a body of a man in a tuxedo. His head lay across her lap and she held his hand.
Roger Arnold, the butler.
Charlie raised his hand to her cheek and held it there.
Was he dead?
The butler brushed his knuckles across her cheek and his lips moved.
CJ let go of the breath she’d been holding. “I can see the six men dressed as Secret Service agents, the vice president, Charlie, Arnold and the president. I have ten rounds in my gun. I can take them out, but not all at once.”
“Wait until we get in position on the other side,” Cole said.
From where she was, CJ could see that the patio extended around the front of the bar to the other side with a similar setup of tables with umbrellas, chairs and potted plants.
“Gus and Mack met up with Declan. They’re going in through the back door once the war begins,” Cole said. “Jack, Mustang and I can take out the four men close to the vice president.”
“I can take the other two who are closer to my side of the bar,” CJ said.
“What if they’re not Trinity?” Jack asked. “What if they’re really there to protect the VP and president?”
The vice president lifted his weapon and fired at one of the men in black. The man dropped where he stood. The others didn’t flinch.
“I’d say that answers our question,” CJ said.
“On three,” Cole said. “One.”
CJ positioned herself, holding her Glock steady with one hand braced beneath the handle.
“Two.”
The vice president waved his gun at one of the men in black.
That man raised his weapon and aimed it at Charlie.
“He’s going to shoot Charlie,” CJ said, and fired on the guy.
Chapter Thirteen
CJ’s bullet pierced the window with a clean, round hole and hit her target in the side of his head. He fell to the ground.
The president sank to the floor beside Charlie and Arnold, out of range of the bullets flying over their heads.
Cole and Jack dropped their men and CJ hit the second guy on her side in a clean kill, taking him down with a bullet through the chest.
That left the vice president as the only man holding a gun still alive.
Gus, Declan and Mack burst through the back door into the bar, their weapons leveled on Helms, but a second too late.
Helms had grabbed the president from behind and pressed his gun against the man’s temple. Through the holes in the windows, CJ heard the VP say, “Drop your weapons or I’ll shoot him.”
CJ leaped to her feet and raced for the back door, coming to a skidding halt beside Mack and Gus. “If you drop your weapons,” CJ said, “he’ll shoot the president anyway, then he’ll shoot you. That’s what Trinity does. Isn’t that right, Director?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Helms said. “You worked for Trinity. You should know.”
“He shot Roger,” Charlie said, her lips pulled back in a sneer. “He told one of the men to shoot me.”
“Shut up, woman,” Helms yelled. “Or I’ll shoot you myself.” He jerked his head toward Mack. “Now, are you going to put your weapons down, or am I going to put a bullet in the head of your commander in chief?”
“You might as well give up now,” CJ said. “Carpenter is dead. His wife and the Russian are dead. The compound is burned to the ground and your thugs are dead. You’ll be sad to know your plan to burn the kids in the dorms didn’t work. We got all of them out before we lost even one.”
Movement from the floor caught CJ’s attention.
Roger Arnold, Charlie’s butler and former SAS soldier, lunged for Helms, knocking the gun away from the president’s temple and up toward the ceiling.
Helms pulled the trigger. The bullet went wide, lodging somewhere in the ceiling.
Roger fell to the floor, spent.
Helms raised his weapon and aimed it at CJ.
Before he could fire, three bullets hit him, one each from Gus, Mack and CJ’s guns, sending him staggering backward with each impact.
Still, he raised his weapon and aimed again at CJ.
A shot was fired from beside CJ, hitting Helms in the head. The man dropped and lay completely still.
CJ turned to find Cole standing beside her.
“Took you long enough to get here,” she quipped and fell into his arms.
“I thought you had it all under control,” he said, holding her close, his strong arms surrounding her.
She didn’t care if she looked weak or like she couldn’t handle one more Trinity agent. CJ was in Cole’s arms and she liked it there.
* * *
COLE WAS GLAD to hold her. He’d gone through all kinds of hell worrying about her when she’d been out of his sight. And then to walk into the bar and see the vice president aiming his gun at her... He’d done the only thing he could do and shot the man in the head.
Declan reached a hand down to help Charlie to her feet.
She waved his hand away and scooted across the floor in her long gown to brush a hand across Roger Arnold’s forehead. “My hero,” she murmured.
“Mine, too,” said the president. He rose to his feet, straightened his suit jacket and stood tall. “I don’t know who you men are, but I owe you my life.”
Declan straightened and, wincing, pressed a hand to his midsection. “These are my team of Declan’s Defenders. I’m Declan O’Neill. This is Mack Balkman, my second in command.”
Mack raised a hand.
Declan pointed to Mustang. “He’s Frank ‘Mustang’ Ford.”
Mustang nodded.
Declan waved a hand toward Gus. “Gus Walsh.”
“Sir,” Gus said, coming to attention.
Pointing to Cole, Declan said, “Cole McCastlain.”
“Pleasure to meet you, Mr. President,” Cole said without loosening his hold on CJ.
Declan pointed to Jack. “Our slack man is Jack Snow. The youngest man on the team.”
Jack popped a salute. “It’s an honor, sir!”
The president’s eyes narrowed. “Prior military?”
“Yes, sir,” Declan responded. “Marine Force Recon.”
“The best of the best,” the president murmured. “I take it you’re not in the marines anymore?”
Declan’s lips thinned. “No, sir.”
The president’s brow furrowed. “I’d like to know why.”
“Sir, it’s a long story,” Cole said. “And some of these folks need medical attention.” He looked down at CJ. “No argument.”
“And this young lady is?” The president held out his hand to CJ.
“Nobody you need to concern yourself with,” CJ answered, afraid she’d be arrested if anyone were to recall that Helms had just revealed she’d once been a part of the same organization that had just attempted to assassinate the president.
“You saved my life,” the president said. “I’d say that you are well worth getting to know.”
CJ couldn’t ignore the man’s hand and shook it.
“Thank you for coming to my rescue,” the president said, his tone deep and sincere.
“You’re welcome, sir,” CJ responded, her face suffusing with color.
“Are you blushing?” Cole whispered close to her ear.
She elbowed him in the side. “No.”
He chuckled softly. “Liar.”
“Mrs. Halverson.” The president turned to Charlie.
“Please, sir, call me Charlie,” she said with a smile.
“Your date had a major role in saving my life, as well. I’d like to get to know him better.”
“Sir,” Arnold said in his mild English accent, from his position lying
on the floor. “Roger Arnold, the Queen’s SAS, at your service. Pardon me if I don’t rise. I seem to have caught a bullet.”
Mack removed a headset from one of the dead Trinity gunmen who’d been undercover as a Secret Service agent and tapped into the radio frequency for the president’s men. “We need medical assistance in the rooftop bar. And send more men up to guard the president.”
“I think I’m better off with you gentlemen as my bodyguards,” the president said. “Where does one hire such men?”
Declan turned to Charlie. “Sir, you’ll have to go through our boss. Charlie’s the one who had the idea to pull this team together. She deserves the credit.”
“Far from it,” Charlie said. “I only tapped on some talent the Marine Corps let slip through its fingers. When you get a moment when your life is no longer in danger, Mr. President, I’d like to have a meeting with you on that very subject.”
“I’ll be sure to have my people put you on my schedule. Would you like to meet at my place or yours?”
Charlie laughed. “Yours, of course. You travel with far too much baggage.” She winked and took Arnold’s hand in hers. “I’ll have my people get with your people to make it happen.”
“Yes, ma’am,” the president said with a smile.
The Secret Service men swarmed in on the bar and surrounded the president, hustling him out of the bar and hotel, and into a waiting limousine.
Charlie, CJ and the team waited for emergency medical technicians to arrive and lift Arnold onto the stretcher that was probably the one they’d appropriated to help them get past the guards what felt like hours before.
When Arnold had been loaded into the ambulance, Charlie insisted on going with him. Declan joined them, adamant that someone needed to provide for Charlie’s protection. Based on the blood seeping through his shirt, he needed the trip to the hospital for a recheck on his gunshot wound.
Cole insisted CJ also go to the hospital. She refused.
“Charlie has a doctor who will make house calls,” Mack said. “Let’s get her back to Charlie’s place.”
Mack and Mustang hurried out to where the team had left the SUV parked several blocks away and drove back to collect the other Defenders and CJ.
By the time they’d returned, the blockades had been cleared and they were able to drive up to the front of the hotel.
Tired and dirty, Cole wanted nothing more than to climb into a shower with CJ and then lie in bed with her in his arms, making love until they both fell asleep from sheer exhaustion.
CJ sat silently beside him, all the way to Charlie’s estate.
Cole couldn’t believe it was over and CJ was alive. They’d helped rid the world of the Director in charge of Trinity, the man who’d tried to ruin her life and that of so many others. Along with the burning of the training compound, Trinity would surely crumble.
When they reached the estate, Grace met them on the steps of the mansion.
“Charlie called to say CJ was hurt,” Grace said. She hurried down to her. “The doctor is in the sitting room. He’ll take care of you. If it’s serious enough for surgery, we’ll get you to a hospital ASAP.”
“It’s only a flesh wound,” CJ insisted as they entered the foyer.
Cole’s jaw tightened. “That’s what Declan said. He’s just lucky the bullet didn’t hit any of his internal organs.” He held up a hand when Grace shot a worried look in his direction. “Declan rode with the ambulance to provide protection for Charlie and Arnold. He’ll have the ER doctor do a double check on his own injuries. And, no, he didn’t sustain any more injuries tonight.”
“If you think you can handle things here,” Grace said, “I’d like to go to the hospital and be with Charlie, Roger and Declan.”
“Go,” CJ said. “I’ll be fine.”
Grace squeezed her hand and ran out the front door.
“I’d rather just get a shower and something to eat,” CJ said, dragging her feet across the foyer.
Cole shook his head. “You’re seeing the doctor. He’ll determine how badly you’re injured.”
“Does anyone know what happened to all the kids from the compound?” CJ asked as Cole led her into the sitting room.
Jonah appeared in the hallway, coming out of the study. “They’ve been taken to a church’s gymnasium for now until they can all be identified and cross-referenced against the missing or exploited children’s database. Charlie had offered to set up a commission to handle the children.”
“I’d like to be part of helping them through the repatriation process,” CJ said.
“Later,” Cole insisted. “You’re having your shoulder examined right now.”
“I know, but—” CJ started.
“But nothing,” Cole grabbed the elbow of her good arm and marched her into the sitting room.
The doctor asked her to take a seat on a small ottoman.
Cole helped her remove her bloodstained jacket and shirt. The fabric stuck to her skin with the dried blood.
“I’ll get a damp cloth,” Cole said as he hurried out of the room.
Mack met him in the hallway with a towel, a bucket of warm water and a washcloth. “Thought she might need these.”
Cole threw the towel over his shoulder. “Thanks.”
Mack lifted his chin toward the sitting room. “Is she going to be all right?”
“Haven’t got to the wound yet.” Cole took the bucket and the washcloth. “I’ll let you know.”
“She was pretty amazing tonight,” Mack said as he released the handle of the bucket.
Cole’s chest tightened. CJ was everything. Skilled at warfare, a great shooter, tough, tender and had a heart buried deep in all that Trinity training. “Tell me about it.”
“I don’t know what’s going on between you two, but she’s a keeper. She could probably do better, but you can’t.” Mack grinned and clapped a hand on Cole’s shoulder. “Be nice and she might stick around.”
Cole walked back into the sitting room, mulling over what Mack had said.
The doctor draped the towel around CJ and used the washcloth and warm water to wet the fabric stuck in dried blood. Before long, the water did the trick and he was able to ease the fabric away from the wound and remove the shirt altogether. She sat in a white lace bra, completely at ease with her body and the fact that she was in the presence of two men in only her underwear.
Cole smiled. Tough and confident. That was CJ.
Once he had the wound cleaned, the doctor could better see how bad it was. “You’re lucky. It doesn’t appear to have damaged any muscle tissue,” he said. After applying a local anesthetic around the gash, he removed the bullet and sutured the skin together with three small stitches. “You’ll be fine, as long as you keep it clean and watch for infection. I’ll be back to take the stitches out at the end of next week.”
CJ nodded. “Thanks.” Then she draped the damp towel over her shoulders. “Any problem with showering? I’d like to wash the rest of the dirt and soot from my body.”
“No problem at all. Once you’re done, apply this antibiotic cream to the wound and cover it in gauze and tape.” He pulled out the supplies she’d need and gave her instructions on the care and cleaning of the wound for the next week. “If you suspect it’s getting infected, don’t wait, call me. I’ll be back out.”
Cole and CJ walked the doctor to the door.
“Not many doctors perform house calls anymore,” Cole remarked. “Thank you for making the effort.”
The doctor shook his head. “I would do anything for Charlie. She’s done so much for me.” He shook hands with Cole and CJ and then left.
“Seems Charlie has a fan club,” CJ remarked as she headed for the stairs.
Cole followed. “The woman has saved so many lives through her generosity.”
CJ glanced up at him as they climb
ed the staircase side by side. “Like yours and all of Declan’s Defenders’?”
He nodded. “When we were dishonorably discharged, no one would hire us. And what skills did we bring to the table? Who wanted combat-trained men in their factories or businesses?”
CJ nodded. “I face the same situation, only worse. My résumé would read ‘trained assassin.’ The only people who are going to hire me are men wanting to off their wives to collect insurance money or to keep them from having to pay alimony or half their fortunes to an ex.” She snorted. “I’m done with killing. I’d rather spend my time helping the children Trinity recruited to reclaim their childhoods before they become like me.”
They were at the top of the stairs when Cole turned CJ to face him. “They’d be lucky to become like you. You’re amazingly strong, both physically and here—” he touched a finger to her chest “—where it counts most. Even though Trinity tried to brainwash you into becoming a killing machine, you knew, deep down, right from wrong and fought for what you believed. That took more chutzpah than toeing the Trinity line and completing their list of hits.”
He tipped her chin up and brushed at the line of soot smeared across her cheek. “You’re beautiful inside and out.” He bent to touch his lips to hers. “I wouldn’t want you any other way.”
She pushed up on her toes to meet his mouth, returning the pressure in a kiss as gentle as it was passionate.
When they broke apart, CJ laughed. “Look at us, all filthy when there’s a shower not ten feet away.” She took his hand and led him down the hall to the bathroom.
Once inside, she shut the door and pushed the jacket from his shoulders. It dropped to the ground, sending up a waft of soot to sting their noses.
Cole removed the towel from her shoulders and let it slide to the floor to join his jacket. Then he helped her out of her leggings and shoes until she stood there in her panties and bra.
“Before we go any further, I have one question for you.”