by Apryl Baker
“Didn’t they threaten to ban you from my room if they caught you in bed with me again?” Angel laughed when he shrugged. Leave it to her husband to flaunt rules.
“It’s not like I’m going to finger fuck you. You’re recovering from a concussion and shock.”
“Who says I’m too ill to be finger fucked?” The idea excited her, especially with the nurses coming and going so often. She’d always been an exhibitionist. Her past as a stripper attested to that. Kade, though, was as prudish as they came, and she loved him more because of it.
When she scooted over, she moved a little too fast. The walls spun slightly. Not as bad as before, but still enough to make her close her eyes.
“That says you’re too ill to be finger fucked.” Kade slid in beside her, his arm pulling her close. “Tomorrow will be soon enough for fucking.”
“Spoilsport.” She cuddled into him and reached for her sandwich at the same time, feeling more content than she had all day. She was tucked up against her husband, good food, her child safely growing beneath her heart, and with a plan to rescue her other child. She knew it would be difficult, but she could handle difficult.
“I was thinking that as soon as we get Matthew back, we should renew our vows.” Kade filched a fry from her plate. “What better way to solidify our family than to go before God and recommit ourselves and our family?”
That had to be the sweetest thing he’d ever said to her. Kade knew how religious she was. Sure, she never pushed her religion on anyone, and she didn’t really talk about it, but her parents had ingrained a healthy respect for the Church in both her and her brother, Peter.
Kade grew up in the Church, but he didn’t really think about it as much as she did. For him, he knew God existed, but he didn’t go to services, and she suspected he rarely prayed. Not because he wasn’t raised to be devout. He’d just suffered a lot in life that steered him away from prayer and churchgoing. This offer from Kade spoke to his love for her more than his love of the Church.
A tear leaked out, and she brushed it away. Damn hormones.
“Hey, now, sweetheart, I didn’t mean to make you cry.” He swiped at another tear that escaped. “I thought this would make you happy.”
“It does.” She hiccupped. “I don’t know why I’m crying. Stupid hormones.”
“I know our first wedding wasn’t what you wanted. It was in front of the justice of the peace with your brother and Jasmine as witnesses.”
“And a white summer dress from Target. Not even close to a wedding dress.” She remembered that day vividly. It had been pouring down rain. At the time, she thought it was a bad omen, and later, after the losing the baby and Peter’s murder, she’d thought she should have listened to her instincts about the rain. Rain, however, was not a bad omen. It was a very good omen, so in retrospect, that good omen had brought her and Kade back together again.
“I think Peter grouched about that dress more than you did.” Kade chuckled, and it vibrated through her. She loved his laugh. It made her want to grin all the time.
“He was pissed about the whole thing. He wanted me to have a church wedding but gave in when you said your family couldn’t come.”
“I did a lot of lying back in those days.” The somber tone that slid over her this time made her tense. He had lied so much back then. She’d never really known him, only the pieces he allowed her to see. “I wanted so much to tell you everything, but my handler wouldn’t let me. I was scared shitless you’d leave me when you found out the truth, so I didn’t push him.”
“I would have left you.” Angel turned so she could look him in the eyes. “I was a stubborn, hotheaded ass who thought I knew everything. I would have left, and Peter still would have died. Stop blaming yourself for everything. We can’t change the past. We can only move forward and try to make the future better than what we left behind us.”
“You are a wise woman, wife.” He swooped down and kissed her. Her toes curled when he deepened the kiss, and she wanted to yank him back the moment he withdrew. “Ah-ah, woman. Do you want me to get kicked out?”
“No.” She settled back against him, aroused and knowing there wasn’t a damn thing Kade could do about it. Bastard.
“Then stop acting like a spoiled brat.” He took the sting out of the words with a kiss to her temple. “Eat, get some sleep, and tomorrow we’ll be on our way to Florida.”
“If it’s a boy, I want to name him Peter.”
Kade was silent for a moment. “I think that’s a great idea, baby. Peter Ronin Kincaid.”
“Your father’s name?” Angel asked, surprised. She was certain he’d want to add in his own name.
“Yes. I’m worried about him. He’s had this ongoing cough for a while. I think Dimitri talked him into going to the doctor, but I’m afraid. I want him to meet his grandson named for him in case he’s sick.”
“Then we’ll name him Ronin Peter. We don’t want the kid picked on and called names. Peter was tormented in school over his name.”
Kade laughed and hugged her. “Thank you, baby.”
“You’re very welcome. Now, let’s eat before my stomach claws its way out to reach the food.”
They settled in for the night, and Angel couldn’t really think of anything but tomorrow and the flight to Miami. She would have her baby back soon.
And if anyone stood between her and her son, God help them.
Chapter Fourteen
The morning had rushed by. Between another CT, the police detectives, and the general nonsense of getting released from the hospital, Angel had been about ready to scream.
Security was yet another hassle at the airport. TSA held her up, doing one of their random searches and chemical tests. Just her luck to be the recipient of the special attention. It wasn’t until they were in the air and on their way that she’d relaxed.
Conner met them when they landed. The what-the-fuck look on her face prompted Kade to explain his brother had driven down last night. Conner wouldn’t have been able to transport weapons on the plane. They’d have tossed his ass in jail.
“Get in. We have company.”
Shit. Angel glanced around, but she didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. Then again, she wasn’t trained for that. She hustled and got in the back seat with Kade. Conner tossed their luggage in the back then climbed in the vehicle.
“How many?” Kade kept his voice low and calm, but Angel could see his white knuckles.
“At least four, maybe more. I spotted them about five minutes before your plane landed. You’ll find guns in the duffle bag back there. Yours should be on top.”
Angel hated guns. Hated them, but she wasn’t about to complain this second. Kade pulled out some kind of large handgun and tested it out.
“We don’t want to shoot up the freeway with an automatic.” Kade tossed the bag onto Angel’s lap after extracting his personal Beretta. “Go straight to the police station. Some of my team from the BAU will be waiting for us there.”
“I figured. I already have the GPS set for it.”
“No.” Angel looked at the route on the GPS and shook her head. “That will take you straight into the heart of the traffic. Cut off on the next left and go straight through seven lights, then turn left. The police station will be three lights after that.”
“She grew up around here. I’d trust her.”
Conner shrugged and did as she told him. Angel had no wish to get stuck in traffic and not be able to defend themselves if the cartel decided to make a move while they were stalled.
“I forgot how fucking humid it is down here.” Kade wiped his brow. “Is the AC on?”
Conner turned the AC on full blast, and the cool air hit Angel in the face. While it was still technically spring, the heat in Florida had kicked in full force. It would be even hotter come summer. She turned her attention to the streets they passed. Kids played outside in the small suburb they were going through. Sprinklers were turned on, and several children were squealing as they ran back and forth under
them. Palm trees swayed in the wind the closer they got to the beach. She’d missed this place so much.
Angel had liked Boston well enough, and New York was…well, it was New York. Nothing truly compared to it, but Miami had been her home for the first twenty years of her life. She loved it from the unbearable humidity to the overcrowded beaches. The ocean at night had been her favorite place. Her mom used to take her and Peter to play on the beach at night. She’d sit beside her mother and listen to the sound of the surf hitting the rocks. It had been the most soothing sound she’d ever heard.
It was the memory of her mother she cherished the most. After her mother died, she’d sneak out of the house at night and go to the beach and listen to the waves crash against the tide wall. It scared Peter senseless when he figured out what she was doing. He forbade her to do it again unless he was with her. She hadn’t been wise to the world back then, not knowing what could happened to an unchaperoned kid late at night on an almost deserted beach.
And then there was Kade. She’d met him here. Granted, their first meeting had not gone as she would have expected. She’d just come in from changing the oil in her car, her face and hands streaked with motor oil. God only knew what he thought the first time he’d seen her. She’d been so embarrassed she’d run to her room and stayed there until she was sure he and Peter had left. She laughed softly to herself thinking about it. She’d been such a child back then.
But she hadn’t been a child when he’d walked into the strip club where she worked. In fact, Angel was pretty sure she’d blown his mind when she danced that night. She’d been dancing just for him, wanting to prove the dirty little grease monkey wasn’t who she really was.
It had been a while later when he’d found her on the beach, lounging with Jasmine and some of the other girls from the club. He’d grinned with such confidence and said, “Hi.” That had been the real start of their relationship. She’d met him in Miami, fallen in love and married him here, and lost their child. She’d been devastated by him in a hospital and learned to hate him here. Miami held the best and worst memories of her life.
It was home.
“You okay?” Kade nudged her, concerned.
“I’m fine, just thinking about the past.”
His forehead creased with his frown. “Don’t get lost in the past, moye serdste. We’re only focusing on the future, remember?”
“Yes, I know, but it’s good to remember the past. I was thinking of the first time you saw me strip and the look on your face.”
“Strip?” Conner turned his head to look back at her for a moment, curiosity all over his face. “You worked as a stripper?”
“Exotic dancer,” Kade clarified, and Angel laughed out loud. Stripping was stripping.
“I danced, but I was a stripper. Kade hated it.”
“There’s nothing wrong with being a stripper.” Conner turned his attention back to the road. “Strippers make more money than some executives do.”
“See, your brother gets it.” Angel settled back and went to move the duffle bag off her lap, but Kade stopped her.
“I might need to change guns quickly if these guys decide to start shooting. Leave it in your lap.”
There went that idea. “Are they still following us?”
Kade nodded. “Three cars.”
“Four.” Conner pointed to a car barely visible between the houses on their right side. It was driving down a parallel street. “My guess is they’re going to try to box us in at the end of this street.”
“I really don’t want to get into a gunfight here.” Kade checked his weapon, noticing how pale Angel was. He knew she despised guns. It was a bone of contention between them from the moment they’d met. She’d always nagged Peter about his, and then Kade when he became a permanent fixture in both their lives. She’d told him she’d give up stripping when he got rid of his guns right after they’d gotten engaged. Wasn’t happening then and sure as hell wasn’t happening now.
“Yeah, too many kids who can get caught in the crossfire.” Conner kicked down on the gas, and Kade and Angel were thrown back at the sudden burst of speed.
“Hey!” Kade shot his brother an angry look, while trying to keep Angel from face-planting against the seat in front of her.
“Sorry, we need to go. There’s five.” Conner leaned forward, and the car went faster.
Kade barked at Angel to put on her seatbelt while he got ready in case gunfire erupted. This was one of KS&I’s SUVs, which meant the windows were bulletproof, but that meant shit if their tires got blown.
The sound of motors revving reached him. The cartel’s cars were older models, muscle cars meant for racing. He didn’t know as much about cars as Nik did, but he’d seen enough of his brother’s racing cars to recognize what the ones behind them were. They could outrun this SUV in a heartbeat. He’d need to look into finding ways to make these things faster.
“We’re not going to outrun them.”
“I fucking know that!” Conner spat. “Let me think.”
He twisted the car at the end of the block, barely missing the Mustang that came around the corner the same time he did. Fuckers. Kade looked back to see all five cars following them. How the fuck were they going to get out of this one?
Damn, he was a stupid fucker. He called Jeremy Bradford, the FBI agent waiting for him at the police department.
“Bradford.”
“Jeremy, we have five cars on our tail. They followed us from the airport.”
“Location?”
Kade looked around and spotted a street sign. “We just turned onto Northwest 20th, heading to Perimeter Road.”
“Stay on that heading and I’ll have cruisers intercept you.” The phone disconnected, and Kade tossed it at Angel.
“Backup is on the way. Stay straight until you get to the turnoff for Perimeter.”
“Gotcha.”
Kade noticed the cars behind slowed just a fraction. Conner must have noticed it as well, because his grip on the steering wheel should have broken it in two.
“They might have a listening device.” Conner didn’t let up on the gas.
“They can’t have bugged the car.” Kade craned his head to watch the vehicles behind them. “Unless they followed you down here.”
“That’s possible, but they don’t have to have bugged the car. There are devices that will allow you to listen from a certain distance away. They magnify voices.” Conner turned on the stereo and maxed out the volume. “You should know this, brat. You’re in private security.”
Fucker would have to point out a shortcoming, wouldn’t he? The brothers were notorious for that, though, so Kade didn’t hold it against him. Truthfully, he should have known. Just one more thing to get up to speed on.
Bullets rang out of nowhere, hitting the glass and sounding like a hail storm. Angel yelped, but didn’t scream, much to Kade’s relief. He had no time to calm her down between trying to find a good angle to shoot from and tune out Conner’s cursing and the blare of the music. He needed to focus.
He rolled down his window just enough to get the muzzle of the gun out and aim at any car that rolled up beside them. He didn’t have to wait long. The old yellow Mustang appeared in his line of sight first. Kade ignored the driver and aimed at the wheels. Two shots, and the tire blew, spinning the Mustang out of control. One down, four to go.
The roar of another engine muffled the sound of shattering glass. An old model Dodge pulled alongside them and got off a shot before Kade could. The glass held, and he aimed at the guy hanging out of the passenger window. Three short shots, and he smiled tightly when the fucker dropped his gun on the pavement. Kade prided himself on his aim. He practiced daily.
He hit the car’s back wheel on the first shot. This driver must have been expecting it because he controlled the spin and kept the car alongside them. The gunman had a new gun in his hand, which was dripping blood. He took his cues from Kade and shot at their wheels.
Conner was zigzagging now,
probably having seen what was happening through his side mirror. His brother was quick on his feet and stomped the brakes, letting the Dodge get in front of them. He then rammed the car and drove it into the clump of trees on the edge of the street. Whipping the car around, he shot forward on the connecting street that led to Perimeter.
“Where the fuck did you learn to drive?” Kade hissed when his head bounced against the window. That was going to hurt later.
“Afghanistan.”
Police sirens sounded, but Conner made no move to slow down. He just put his foot on the gas and sped up. Kade didn’t blame him. There were still three cars following them, albeit a little more cautiously. Conner never stopped when they met the four police cruisers that converged on them. He just kept driving, listening to Angel’s directions.
A police cruiser pulled in behind them, his blue lights flashing, but still Conner kept driving until they parked in front of the Miami Police Department. The officer got out cussing, but Conner ignored him.
“Everybody okay?” He looked over Angel, very aware she was pregnant. Kade suspected he’d not driven like he’d wanted to for fear of doing something to harm the baby.
“We’re fine.” Kade got out of the car and waited for the officer to finally calm down. “Are you done?”
That only incited the older man to another round of cussing. Kade understood they’d technically fled the scene of an accident, but he wasn’t giving the cartel the opportunity to murder them. He sent a text to Jeremy to come collect them before they were arrested. Conner got out of the car and opened Angel’s door, helping her out. Kade knew he was hiding the bag of weapons in one of the secret compartments in the vehicle. Letting the police know they were packing illegal weapons wasn’t the best move.
Jeremy Bradford walked out into the noon sunshine and squinted before putting on his shades. He was tall, his skin a creamy caramel. He knew Jeremy’s mother was white and his father black, which attested to the man’s light hazel eyes. Angel called him drool-worthy, gorgeous eye candy, which never sat well with Kade.