“Is she going to be okay?” Louis asked the paramedic as he finished bandaging the cut on her forehead and took her vitals. Louis was about to lose it as the paramedic kept smiling and blushing as Illeanna answered his questions and talked to him as if nothing happened back in the kitchen. She was playing tough, but she was scared. He would never forget the look in her eyes as the guy grabbed her and held the blade to her neck.
There was a moment when she looked at him and Julien as if memorizing their faces, as if it would be the last time she saw them. He swallowed the tightness in his chest and adjusted his stance as he watched over her.
The young paramedic was finishing up just as another young woman came rushing toward the paramedic.
“Illeanna, oh my God, are you okay? What the hell happened back there? Did you hear about Jacque? He was shot. That could have been you, Illeanna, if you went out there.” The young woman carried on talking nonstop as Louis absorbed her words. It could have been Illeanna who exited the kitchen when the gunman was shooting. Illeanna could have been killed.
“Oh my God, Jacque was shot?” Illeanna asked.
“Yeah. He’s going to be okay, but he’s a lot bigger than you are, plus all those rolls of fat. The prick still was asking if the senator was there to compliment his food. What a sicko.”
“No way, Leeza? He actually thought the senator would stick around to compliment him when some gunman was loose?” Illeanna asked.
They shook their heads as others gathered around Illeanna.
The agents began to ask Illeanna more questions when they heard another voice in the crowd.
“Break it up, clear it out, and let me through.”
Louis saw Illeanna’s facial expression as their brother Detective Franco Boudoux emerged through the crowd.
* * * *
Illeanna nearly passed out when Franco arrived on the scene. Dressed in tight black jeans, a black button-down shirt, wearing black sunglasses, he looked like a sexy badass. She gulped hard trying to hide her reaction. She didn’t have to look to the right to see that Julien and Louis had busted her. She tried to brush off the reaction and the possessive feelings she felt as Leeza nearly jumped Franco.
The paramedic just moved out of the way when Franco caught her eyes then looked at Julien and Louis.
“What in God’s name is going on? Why is she up there? Is she hurt?” he asked as he brushed by Leeza but did look the young woman over in a glance. Leeza was petite and cute with blonde hair and blue eyes. She didn’t have a boyfriend but dated a lot. Illeanna hoped that the three Boudoux didn’t find Leeza the least bit attractive.
She shook the thoughts from her head. The Boudoux were not her type at all. She didn’t care for their attitudes, their cockiness, or their dangerous lifestyles. As much as she envied her sister Angelique and her courage to engage in a ménage relationship, Illeanna still felt it wasn’t the right relationship for her. At least not with the five Boudoux brothers who could make her putty in their hands.
They each had intoxicating looks, bodies, and personalities. They were lethal to unsuspecting females before they even spoke a word.
Louis and Julien were beginning to explain what went down when Illeanna tried to get down from the back of the ambulance.
“Ouch!” Illeanna stated as she lost her balance and felt her ankle give out. Franco caught her and immediately lifted her into the cradle position.
“Your ankle hurts?” he asked as she held on to his shoulders. Oh damn, did the man have nice, wide, muscular shoulders. He definitely worked out. Damn, she could feel the definition under her fingertips. Why couldn’t he be one of those overweight, obnoxious homicide detectives from the old police shows on television? Like the ones that drank too much and had whiskers growing unneatly on their face, who spoke without manners as they burped or chewed gum like a cow? Instead there were men in law enforcement like Franco, Gustave, Johnny, Julien, and Louis. Oh God, she was in trouble. Quickly she reached for her ankle to take attention off of her face and what her expression may reveal.
Illeanna placed her hand over her ankle and began to rub it.
“I think I hurt my ankle when that guy tackled me on the stairs,” she stated, and all three men huddled around her as Franco placed her back down onto the back of the ambulance.
“You! Over here now. Her ankle hurts,” Franco yelled at the young paramedic, making both him and Illeanna jump in fear.
Damn, could Franco be demanding and scary. She swallowed hard and again felt the tinge of uncertainty about being close to any of the Boudoux. They were rough around the edges and came from a large family all living in New Orleans and parts of Louisiana. Their accents were thick and bold just like their personalities. She felt her body begin to shake inside. She knew she was a bit of a control freak when it came to personal decisions and her lifestyle, but these men demanded control every second and in everything they involved themselves in. That right there made her fearful.
“What does she mean when the gunman tackled her down the stairs?” Franco asked his brothers in a voice that made her shake. Julien began to give a quick explanation.
She could get lost in their power and control. She could lose herself, and that would mean losing any independence she had. She clutched her pants, as the paramedic looked her ankle over. The shaking increased. It wasn’t a lot but enough that she noticed, and she wondered if the adrenaline rush was beginning to wear off. It would explain how she walked over here to the ambulance from the back of the building. Not that it was far, but she was still all wired up from the fall, the situation, and the close proximity of the men.
“I’ll be fine, Franco, really. I think I just need some ice.” She tried to minimize the attention they were giving her. After all, she was a grown woman, she was handling everything fine on her own, and she was alive. The sooner they realized that she did not like their coddling the sooner they would leave her alone.
“You hush now. We’ll be talking more ’bout this later,” Franco stated firmly as the paramedic began to mess with her ankle. It was very sore but more than likely a sprain. She opted not to go to the hospital but instead follow up with her doctor in Orchidea. Why was he threatening to talk to her later? Like she was going to give them the opportunity? Don’t think so. The sooner they left her alone the better off she would be. In an instant the thought made her belly ache and awareness fill her deep inside. She couldn’t still be in danger. She had nothing to do with this event that had taken place except be in the line of a killer’s escape route. She looked at the men. It must be her nerves.
“I’ll wrap it up for you, Illeanna, but you be sure to follow up with your doctor if it begins to swell or continues to hurt. I would ice it as much as you can tolerate.”
“I will,” she began to say when Franco interrupted.
“She will.”
The next hour consisted of repeating her side of the story numerous times to the agents. Agent Mertoff asked if they could identify the other gunman who got away, but they couldn’t.
“The kitchen staff probably got a good look at him,” Barkley added as he looked over his notes and the names of the staff.
“Did you get a good look at him, Miss Aubert?” Agent Mertoff asked.
“Yes. I could describe him to you.”
She began to answer their questions about any distinguishing marks and the clothing he was wearing as well as his facial structure, eye color, and anything else she could offer. She was feeling a bit frustrated trying to remember exactly what he looked like and tried to describe him. It was Agent Barkley that stood next to her and took her hand into his own.
She immediately felt the tension around the small circle of men. Louis, Julien, and Franco eyed the agent with daggers in their eyes.
“Try closing your eyes, darling. Just relax and think about the kitchen and when the first gunman entered.”
She did as the agent said and took a few deep breaths then recalled what she could about the
man. She surprised herself when she remembered that he had a piercing in his right ear and part of a tattoo sticking out from the collar of the dress shirt he wore.
When she finished describing all she could, she felt the agent squeeze her hand. She opened her eyes and locked gazes with him.
“You did really good, Illeanna. I’m going to give you my card. I want you to call me if you remember anything else. We’ll be in touch,” he stated, still holding her hand.
She looked at the men and cringed a moment. The agent seemed to pick up on the Boudoux men watching as he winked at Illeanna. Was he purposely trying to piss them off?
“My personal cell phone is listed on the back. You call me at that number if you need anything.” He looked at the men before he smirked then walked away. Oh yeah, he knew exactly what he was doing.
“What an asshole,” Louis stated, and his brothers chuckled then looked at Illeanna.
“I thought he was kind of nice,” Illeanna couldn’t help but add before she took another glance toward the direction the agent walked off in.
It was Franco who crossed his arms in front of his chest and looked her over.
She felt her body tingle as he stared at the cleavage of her breasts then her face. The nerve of him to think that he could look at her with hungry eyes. She wasn’t some bimbo who went all gaga over nailing a Boudoux. She had more class than that.
“Am I free to go now?” she asked him, and he raised his eyebrow at her.
“Did you drive to work?” Julien asked, and she nodded.
“Your keys and purse inside the kitchen?” Louis asked.
“Yes, why?” she asked.
“Because Louis is driving you home, and Julien will drive your car. I’ll meet you at the house in a bit,” Franco informed her.
“I’m fine really. I don’t need you driving me home, and I need to make sure that the kitchen is all right,” she demanded.
“The restaurant is closed as they investigate. There’s a crime scene in there, sugar,” Franco told her.
“A crime scene? You mean Jacque died? Leeza said he was alive.”
“Not Jacque, honey, another guy that the two gunmen intended to kill. This is an official investigation,” Franco stated then looked at his brothers.
“Take care of her and keep me posted on the ankle. I’ll be there as soon as things are wrapped up here. The agents are going to want to talk with you two tomorrow.”
“We know and we’ll handle it,” Julien stated as Illeanna tried to walk herself toward the restaurant. They were all being so authoritative, and it made her uncomfortable. She wasn’t a child. She was a grown woman.
Immediately Louis lifted her up and began carrying her.
“Put me down, Louis!”
She locked gazes with him as Julien touched her cheek. She had to look up toward both men to hold their gazes.
“Not a chance in hell, sugar. You’re in our care now so just comply.”
His statement outraged her as he began to head toward the restaurant’s back entrance. She swallowed hard, despite not wanting to see any crime scene or accept what had really taken place in the kitchen, the moment they entered she found herself latching on to Louis as she stared wide-eyed at the mess.
“If it’s too much for ya, being back in here, Julien will grab your things.” Louis told her in a soft, calm tone. She contemplated giving in to the uncomfortable feeling she felt and hiding her emotions from these two men. She took too long to answer as Louis held her a little tighter.
“Where they at, sugar?” Julien asked, and she whispered where he could find her belongings.
“Let’s get you home,” Louis stated then carried her back out and toward his truck.
Chapter 2
Great. Now she was stuck in an enclosed vehicle inhaling Louis’s amazing cologne. It was fresh like soap and aftershave. She hadn’t been this close to him in over a year. She swallowed hard.
“You sure you feeling okay?” he asked her for the third time.
“You’re head doesn’t hurt? You don’t feel dizzy or faint?” he asked, and she nodded. She didn’t want to engage in conversation with him. The more they talked the more he would weave his charms and try to seduce her. She learned a lot in a year, and she was not going to go all gaga over physical attractions and let her sexual frustration lead her mind. Damn it! Why am I even thinking about sex? She looked back over at Louis and the way his large hands gripped the steering wheel and how his fingers looked long and thick. He was a handsome man and right now looked intense and focused. He turned to look at her, and quickly she looked away. She held her purse in her lap and felt her cell phone ringing. Glad for the interruption on her overactive libido, she quickly answered the phone
Illeanna assured her sisters that she was fine and that she was caught in the middle of a crazy situation. Aside from her small cut on her forehead and sprained ankle, she would recover in no time. Her sisters Angelina and Ellena were going to bring over some food from Aubert’s.
“So Julien and Louis were there to rescue you?” Angelina asked, sounding all giddy.
“Not really. I was the one who tackled the shooter so the Feds could get him.”
“Oh my God, Louis and Julien were probably so pissed at you and so worried. Did they swoop you up into their arms and kiss you breathless?”
Illeanna rolled her eyes. This was not one of her romance novels. This was real life.
“No, silly. I have to go. I will be stopping by Dr. Walter’s first as per insistence of my personal chauffeur. Then I’ll be home.”
“Love you and glad you’re okay,” Angelina stated.
“Love you, too. Later.”
* * * *
It took about twenty minutes to get rid of Julien and Louis. Thank God the Feds wanted to speak with them. She took the food from Aubert’s and placed it on the counter in the kitchen. Then she decided that she had been stressed out enough and needed a bath. She got undressed and in between turned on the faucets to fill the bathtub with water. Julien and Louis had made certain that she saw the doctor as soon as they arrived in Orchidea, and he verified that she in fact had sprained her ankle. She unwrapped it and got into the hot bubble bath to enjoy the peace and quiet when she heard her doorbell ring.
“I am so not answering that. I couldn’t, even if I wanted to,” she whispered as she closed her eyes and hoped that the caller got the hint and went away.
There was no such luck as about thirty seconds later Sheriff Johnny Boudoux, and his brother Deputy Gustave Boudoux barged into the bathroom, guns drawn.
Illeanna gasped as she sat up, unintentionally flashed the men then quickly covered herself and yelled at them.
“For crying out loud, what in God’s name are you doing barging into my bathroom, never mind my home?”
They placed their guns in their holsters and stared at her as if she had been the one who committed a crime.
“Why didn’t you answer the door?” Johnny asked with his hands leaning on his holster.
“Duh!” she blurted out as she lowered herself to her chin in the tub of bubbles and hoped they hadn’t seen too much of her when they entered.
“Don’t you get sassy with us, sugar. Franco, Julien, and Louis were worried about you. They’re on their way over now, said for us to check on you and keep an eye on things,” Johnny added as Gustave took a seat on the closed toilet bowl as if he had every right to be in the bathroom while she was bathing. They were out of their minds. She felt her cheeks warm and her insides do a series of somersaults.
Both men dressed in their Orchidea Sheriff’s uniforms looking sexy as damn ever and cocky as damn hell. She was certain they had seen their share and then some of naked women in bathtubs, showers, and beds, but that didn’t give them the right to invade her privacy.
She pointed to the door, trying her hardest to not allow their dark good looks affect her rational thinking. She didn’t need to have perfect eyesight
to see that both Gustave and Johnny were sporting hard-ons and were obviously aroused and ready for action. The material near the zipper of their pants revealed their arousals, and she was annoyed at herself for even looking there. They had been trying to get down her pants for years, but she wasn’t biting.
“Get out!” she yelled at them, but they stood their ground.
“I told you to get out, Sheriff, and take your deputy with ya. This is my house, and I want my privacy!” she yelled. Gustave remained where he was with his arms crossed and staring at her face. She wondered what the hell he was staring at and hadn’t even noticed that Johnny now stood directly by the side of the tub. Thank goodness the bubbles were covering the water, or he would be getting a hell of a show.
“The guy did that to your forehead and neck?” Johnny asked, and she swallowed hard and suddenly felt bad for yelling. They were just being concerned. She had known them for years, and neighbors in Orchidea were family.
She raised her fingers to her neck and to where the bandage was.
“I’m fine, Johnny.”
“We’ll determine that,” Gustave stated firmly, and she felt a tingling sensation travel through her body. Damn, did these Boudoux men have charisma and nerve. She was shaking again despite the heat.
“Can I please just soak a bit? I’m achy and feel drained. Please just leave,” she asked, but they remained where they were, so she closed her eyes and leaned her head back.
* * * *
Johnny watched Illeanna soak in the tub. When he and Gustave had first arrived at Illeanna’s home, they were impatient to see her and ensure for themselves that she was in fact okay. After hearing about what had happened in Monte at Carlile’s, they were in a panic to see her. To top things off Julien and Louis were concerned for her safety and the fact that one gunman was still at large. The news was broadcasting up-to-date information on the manhunt and the fact that the senator was present during the time of the shooting.
Illeanna Page 3