He reached out to Rocky and Felix for backup on his way to work. He’d argued that calling one of them from his office to confirm the meet time and location would be just as effective as sharing the details with Avery.
“How often does Avery miss work?” Felix asked.
“He doesn’t,” Jonah admitted reluctantly.
“I think it would look suspicious, especially since it’s your first day back after an injury,” Rocky said.
“Unless Avery is one hell of an actor, everyone at the office has to know how much he adores you,” Felix said.
The remark warmed Jonah, even if he was aggravated his friends were annoyingly hashtag team Avery. “I can’t allow Avery to become a casualty of my war.”
“Our war,” Felix and Rocky said at once.
“Awww,” Jonah said. “Look at the two of you bonding.”
“Bonding?” Felix scoffed. “We agree on one point.”
“It’s not like you caught us in bed together,” Rocky added.
Felix snorted. “As if.”
“You’d never be the same,” Rocky said smugly.
“Ruined for other men or put off sex altogether?” Felix countered.
“Okay, I’m out,” Jonah said.
“Hey, big guy,” Felix said, stopping Jonah before he could disconnect.
“Yeah?”
“Keep your head in the game. That’s how you and Avery will stay safe.”
“Fine,” Jonah grumbled as he pulled into the GBI parking lot. “I’ll talk to you two nitwits later.”
“Nitwits?” Felix and Rocky repeated.
Jonah disconnected the call with a chuckle. Closing his eyes, he counted backward from twenty. Felix was right. He couldn’t allow his emotions to cloud his judgment or things would go sideways. Stick to the mission.
A tap on his window startled him. Jonah opened his eyes and found Trexler glaring at him. Jonah knew there would be a showdown but here? Now? Jonah hit the button to roll down his window. “Sir?”
“You either have balls of steel or the hit you took from your mugger last week has addled your brain,” Trexler said.
“Good morning to you too, sir,” Jonah somehow managed to say with a straight face.
Trexler narrowed his eyes as an angry blush crept up his neck and face. If he were a cartoon character, steam would soon escape through his ears. Ignoring Jonah’s cavalier response, his supervisor continued. “Or maybe you just don’t value your career. Is that it?” Trexler ambushing him in the parking lot was precisely what Jonah needed to get in the right frame of mind. “You’d piss away the opportunities the deputy director gave you in favor of the podcast with those losers?”
“I wasn’t aware you subscribed to Sinister in Savannah,” Jonah said, finding immense pleasure in goading the man.
“I don’t, but Deputy Director Malcolm does. He’s not a happy man this morning, St. John.”
“I look forward to hearing it directly from him,” Jonah replied. “Or are you meeting me at my car to inform me I’ve been fired? If not, I think this approach is very unprofessional.”
“Unprofessional?” Trexler asked. “You’re going to fucking lecture me? I’ll have your—”
Jonah rolled up his window while Trexler’s tirade continued. He heard the man swear he’d have Jonah’s badge, but for once, the threat instilled hope inside Jonah instead of concern. He had the skillset to assist law enforcement in other ways. Computers with artificial intelligence were the tool of the future, and Jonah could carve his own career path. The microchip he designed for GBI? Fuck that. He’d keep the rights and sell it to the highest bidder. Jonah killed the engine, then opened his car door so fast his supervisor had to quickly step back to avoid getting hit with it.
Slamming the door shut, Jonah squared off against Trexler. “Are you firing me?” Jonah asked. Trexler swallowed hard. “If Deputy Director Malcolm wishes to express his disappointment, he knows where to find me.”
“He has meetings away from the office all day,” Trexler replied. Of course, he does.
“Did he advise you to greet me at my car and give me a stern lecture?” Jonah asked.
“No.”
“Did he instruct you to fire me?”
Trexler shook his head. Had he rendered the man speechless? A fucking first.
“Then get out of my face,” Jonah said.
Trexler’s mouth snapped open, and he emitted a stunned gasp. His supervisor continued to gape at him as if his jaw hinges had broken. Jonah pivoted and headed toward the building. That’s when he noticed Avery and several other agents and staff members observing his altercation with Trexler. Most wore shocked expressions, while others looked smug. Did they consider Jonah standing up to Trexler as his “Hulk out” moment? Were they calculating their office pool winnings? Jonah’s gaze finally landed on Avery, who was leaning against his car, smiling his approval. Avery’s opinion was the only one he cared about. Jonah winked playfully at his feisty intern without breaking stride. Once inside the building, he greeted the people who hadn’t witnessed the altercation with a serene smile and head nod. He wondered how long it would take for word to spread throughout the building. Like wildfire, not long.
Jonah found a bag of Caramel Bugles waiting for him in the middle of his desk. He dropped into his chair and immediately tore into the bag. “Breakfast of champions,” he said before digging in.
Predictably, Avery didn’t follow immediately behind him. It was Monday morning, after all, and there would be a ton of gossip for him to enjoy. Jonah was halfway through typing his resignation before his intern entered his office. He imagined every Tom, Dick, and Harriet stopped Avery to talk about what transpired in the parking lot.
“Good morning, Jonah.” Avery’s professional voice was so different from the one that called out Jonah’s name in pleasure over the weekend. Jonah wanted so badly to add to the climax count but wouldn’t risk it. For all they knew, Malcolm had planted cameras in Jonah’s office.
Even so, Jonah couldn’t resist crooking his finger at Avery. “Good morning, Avery.” There was no disguising the warmth in his voice or the significance of Jonah pushing back his chair and patting his thighs. Just a few kisses wouldn’t hurt.
Avery locked the door and crossed the room, skirting around the desk until he reached Jonah’s chair. Jonah wondered about the logistics of where arms and legs would go for Avery’s comfort, but his intern demonstrated how often he’d fantasized about sexy times with Jonah in the office. Avery pushed the buttons on the outside of the armrests, which lowered them enough to enable Avery to straddle Jonah’s waist.
“You were magnificent,” Avery said once he settled comfortably on Jonah’s lap.
“You think so? I wish I hadn’t let Trexler get a rise out of me,” he said, not bothering to keep the desire out of his voice. Let Malcolm think he was too preoccupied with Avery to mount forces against him. Jonah ran his nose alongside Avery’s neck, breathing in his fresh scent and detecting faint hints of his favorite spicy tea. Avery wiggled his ass against Jonah’s rising erection. Jonah nipped his neck to discourage Avery, but it had an adverse effect. Avery gasped and bucked, making Jonah’s eyes roll back in his head.
“The jerk had it coming.”
“He did,” Jonah agreed.
“Oh, I owe you twenty bucks,” Avery said.
Jonah knitted his brows. “Why?”
“Bill and Ashley are back together again,” Avery replied.
“Jesus.”
“I don’t have any cash on me, so do you think we could work out some kind of exchange?” Avery waggled his brows.
Jonah cupped Avery’s head and pulled that luscious mouth closer. If this was going to be his last day working for the GBI, Jonah planned to make it a real humdinger. “I think we can work something out.”
Just a few kisses. Just a few kisses. Just a few…
Avery pressed his mouth against Jonah’s, and the rest of the world disappeared along with his conviction. Jonah
would’ve liked to think he’d have stopped before the clothes came off if his desk phone hadn’t rung, startling them apart.
They stared at each other for a few heartbeats before Jonah recovered enough of his faculties to answer the phone.
“Agent St. John,” he said.
“Welcome back, Jonah.” Charlie Malcolm’s voice was warm, friendly, and familiar. The reaction it stirred within Jonah was the exact opposite. He wouldn’t let this man fuck with his head anymore.
“Good morning, sir,” Jonah replied. To beat a duplicitous son of a bitch, you had to become one. No one would know from his pleasant tone that he was planning to take this man down in ten hours.
“How are you feeling?” the deputy director asked in his best Uncle Charlie voice.
“I’m fine, sir. I don’t even have a slight headache.”
“Great news, Jonah. I’m glad to hear it. Have the police found a suspect yet?”
“No, sir. I didn’t get a look at the guy, so it would be impossible for me to identify him,” Jonah said.
“That’s too bad,” Malcolm said. “Listen, I won’t be in the office today, but maybe the two of us could have lunch tomorrow. There are some things I’d like to discuss with you.”
“Such as?” Jonah prompted.
Malcolm laughed good-naturedly. “I don’t have time to get into it with you right now. We’ll chat over lunch. You pick the place, and I’ll treat.”
“Sounds great, sir.”
Malcolm wished him a good day, which Jonah returned before replacing the phone receiver in its cradle.
“The deputy director just wanted to make sure I was doing okay and invite me to lunch tomorrow,” Jonah said.
Avery scrunched up his nose adorably. “Trexler has a different story to tell. He’s such an asshat.”
“Maybe Trexler was telling the truth, and Malcolm is planning to talk to me about my podcast participation tomorrow.”
“Maybe,” Avery conceded. “Speaking of the podcast, tonight sounds like a big deal.”
“It is,” Jonah replied. They hadn’t rehearsed when they’d have the conversation about the meeting, but this seemed like a natural opening. Felix and Rocky were right about Avery’s intuition, but Jonah didn’t plan to tell them any time soon. Their egos were big enough as it was. “I’m eager to interview this prison guard.”
“What’s his name?”
“I can’t share the information yet,” Jonah said.
“Not even with me?” Avery’s pout was adorable.
“Not even you,” Jonah said. “I can meet you afterward for dinner though. I might have looser lips by then.” Avery’s wicked smile said he knew exactly how to make Jonah talk. “I’m meeting the guard at six and should probably be done in thirty minutes to an hour tops.” There was no need to give Avery the location since Malcolm was tracking his car. He’d just get in position early enough to allow the traitor to arrive and make his move at the destined time.
“Sounds good. I’m picking the movie and the dinner this time,” Avery said. He picked up the notepad and scrawled another message. What are you eating for lunch?
Jonah met Avery’s gaze with a sensual smile before writing his reply. You.
Avery shivered as he responded. My apartment is closer.
Adrenaline and courage seemed like strange bedfellows, but one didn’t work so well without the other. Courage was the decision to do something in the face of grave danger or great sacrifice. Adrenaline triggers the fight instincts and fuels the brain to execute the plan. The two could feed off each other to increase a man’s chance of survival, but too much of either could send him to his death. Jonah strove for the right balance as he pulled into the parking lot of WBM Logistics warehouse on Knowlton Way.
With access to the Port of Savannah nearby, WBM supported some of the largest retailers in the world. The location was isolated enough they wouldn’t have to worry about pedestrian traffic and civilians getting caught up in the crossfire if things went south. There were enough warehouses and freight containers onsite to provide excellent cover for their team.
It had been many years since Jonah had felt this amped up on adrenaline, and he took several deep breaths to slow his racing heart.
“Doing okay?” Felix asked through his earpiece. “Sounds like you’re breathing awfully hard.”
“Exercise to combat the adrenaline,” Jonah replied as he turned into the warehouse parking lot.
“I thought he was practicing heavy breathing to get a job at one of those nine hundred numbers since he tendered his resignation,” Rocky said.
“Do those still exist?” Royce asked.
“I think everything is web-based these days,” Sawyer countered. “Jonah could still rock that though.”
“Thanks,” Jonah said.
“Can we focus, people?” Ellie asked.
“Oh, fuck. I forgot the commish was listening,” Royce said.
“Who happens to be Jonah’s aunt,” she reminded them.
“Sorry,” several male voices said at once, making Ellie and Jonah chuckle.
“I got eyes on Jonah,” Felix said. “So far, everything is working perfectly. No sign of Malcolm or any civilians.”
Rocky and Felix were staked out on opposite corners of the building. Felix saw the front of the building as well as the right side. Rocky’s position allowed him to see the rear and left side, while Ellen, Royce, and Sawyer were hidden inside the warehouse. Each of them was wired for sound. Rocky or Felix would let them know as soon as Malcolm arrived.
“Stay alert,” Jonah said as he parked the car. “I’ve learned from experience that the more perfect a mission seems, the likelier it is to blow up in your face. Literally. Expect the unexpected.”
“We got you covered out here, big guy,” Felix said.
“My team has you covered inside,” Ellen said.
“Let’s do this,” Jonah said, pushing open his door and climbing from the car. He had an urge to text Avery once more, but that wasn’t the deal. Avery made Jonah promise he’d go to his parents’ house and stay there until he sent the all clear text. Besides, what would be an appropriate thing to text him before a mission? Going in. See you on the other side.
How lame.
I love you.
Jonah’s steps faltered as his heart tripped over itself before plummeting to his stomach. He had the insane urge to laugh because holy fuck. He’d been out of the relationship game for a seriously long time, but even he knew that confessing your feelings via text was all wrong.
“It’s showtime,” Jonah said as he entered the warehouse.
He looked around the space. He couldn’t detect any of Ellie’s team hiding among the massive shelves holding air conditioners, household appliances, coiled black pipe, lumber, and just about everything else you’d expect to find in a home improvement store.
“There’s an ancient Cadillac pulling in. The driver is an older man who looks to be in his mid-sixties.”
“Is that your decoy?” Rocky asked.
“Yeah, that’s him,” Jonah said. “I’d think a person who drives a Woody Wagon would appreciate a classic car like the Cadillac, Felix.”
“To each their own, I guess,” the reporter replied. “Here comes your guy. He’s wearing a light blue polo shirt, khaki pants, and an Atlanta Braves ball cap. Who is this guy? Something about him is familiar.”
“I’ll introduce you when this is over,” Jonah replied, glancing up when their decoy walked in. It had been so long since Jonah had seen Ricky, he probably wouldn’t have recognized him if he passed the man on the street until he looked into those dark eyes sparkling with mischief. “What’s up, Ricky?”
“What’s up?” Ricky, not Richard, Rick, and especially never Dick, repeated drolly as he looked around. “This isn’t what I expected.”
“That’s because you’ve watched too many police dramas. The team is in place and ready for when Malcolm shows up. Did you study the photo I sent you?”
Ric
ky nodded. “There were so many boys who came through the clubs back then, so I can’t be sure I’ve met him. If Earl brought him around, it didn’t leave a lasting impression.”
Jonah stepped closer to Ricky, hoping his proximity would settle any nerves his friend was experiencing. “Scared?”
“Of many things, but not this. Is he going to kill me? He’ll have to get in line behind cancer.” Jonah must’ve slipped and let his sorrow show because Ricky reached for him. “I’m sorry, baby,” Ricky said, slipping into Marla’s persona right before Jonah’s eyes. “I don’t mean to hurt you.”
“I’m not ready,” Jonah said, not caring his friends could hear him.
“I know, baby. I know.”
“Heads up,” Rocky said. “There’s a vehicle slowly approaching from the—”
Jonah checked to make sure his earpiece was firmly in place when Rocky’s voice suddenly cut out. Tapping on it, he said, “Rocky?” Silence. “Felix?” Nothing. “Can you hear me, Sawyer, Royce, or Ellen?” No response. Jonah met Ricky’s concerned gaze. “Malcolm must’ve deployed a jammer to block our signal. We still have the upper hand because he’s not aware some of SPD’s finest are covering us right now.”
Jonah believed his words until Charlie Malcolm entered the warehouse with one arm wrapped around Avery’s neck and the other holding a gun to Avery’s head.
Avery stumbled when he met Jonah’s gaze. Malcolm’s arm tightened against Avery’s windpipe, making him choke and gag. Avery’s eyes widened as he strained against the hold. He lifted his hands to Malcolm’s forearm, but his tightly bound wrists rendered his fingers useless. The deputy director, a man Jonah had admired so much, laughed at Avery’s struggle. Rage stirred the tempest within, straining to be unleashed, but acting on his fury would only get someone killed.
Malcolm squeezed tighter until Avery stopped struggling and dropped his hands. “Move,” he angrily hissed, pushing the gun barrel harder against Avery’s temple.
Avery coughed, sputtered, and gasped for air but did as he was told. With Malcolm using Avery as a human shield, Jonah knew no one on the task force was going to take a shot at Malcolm. This plan had blown up epically and resembled a scene straight out of Jonah’s worst nightmare. He couldn’t afford to give in to the rising panic, so he focused on regulating his breathing and maintaining his wits.
Ride the Lightning : Sinister in Savannah Book 1 Page 25