The stunner was on its highest voltage when I put it in his side and he dropped, within seconds. For a man like him the terror must be insurmountable. It has always been my belief that anyone who preys on those weaker than they are, are nothing more than cowards and I wasn’t expecting him to be any different.
Personally, I’d like to end him right then and there but I needed some answers. As the head honcho in this part of the world, he’d have lots of contacts. I needed names and locations. I dragged his ass to the van where the others were waiting and we got the hell out of there. It was only a matter of time before the bodies of his guards were found and I wanted to be long gone before then.
It was great to be back in New York. Even though it had taken three days to get shit done, that was still less time than I’d ever spent on a job like this. I’d worked around the clock, living on fumes just so I could get back to her. At least I’d left knowing that I’d done all that could be done for now.
I had no doubt that there would be another ring setup before the week was out, that’s just the way these things work. But at least we had taken down one of the biggest child sex trafficking outfits in the world.
Whoever took their place will hopefully have to start from the bottom, and I’d left things in place to dismantle them as soon as they were up and running. It was the only way to combat their evil, by staying ten steps ahead of them.
For every one of these fucks we took down, there were always another two or three scumbags waiting in the wings to step into their shoes. If the world at large knew half of the shit that went on as they slept, they’d never take another wink.
But that’s where I come in. Me and my team and the many others out there like us. We’re the guardians who wade through the shit that the average Joe doesn’t even know exist, to keep the world safe. The fact that some of the people responsible for these atrocities are men and women in high positions, people who commanded great wealth and power in their respective nations only makes it worse.
By the time the jet landed, I had thrown off one mantle and put on another. Cierra! She’s all the fuck I want to think about for the next week at least. Not like she’d been far from my mind these last few days. No matter what I was doing, she was always there, lingering in the background. Especially at night, nights were hard as fuck.
I stepped off the plane and inhaled deeply of the clean fresh air before heading to the waiting car. I was tempted to call her as I had been every night since we’d been apart, but the thought of surprising her in bed again was too appealing.
I wanted to rush right to her, but first I needed to get home to get the stink of the underbelly of South East Asia off of me. The thing about moving in the world I live in, you can never quite get the stench off no matter how much you tried.
I didn’t pick up a tail at the airstrip, so there was no need for outmaneuvering tactics on the way home, just a straight shoot into the city and home. I needed to call the boys and check in, let them know I was back and their services were no longer needed.
They’d been keeping me up to date on her movements while I was gone, making sure she was safe, while giving me shit for having eyes on her. Like they don’t do the same shit with their wives.
I grabbed a quick shower but my need was such that I couldn’t wait any longer. Hopping out of the steam, I headed right for the monitor. It was the middle of the night so there was only one place she should be.
My brothers told me she had the same routine each day, something I was going to have to caution the Special Agent about. You never know who was watching so it was always a good idea to mix things up.
She went to the New York offices and then home every evening around five thirty. Sometimes she ordered in, sometimes she cooked. Both Jaxx and Adrien had been by to see her since I’ve been gone, just to eyeball her and make sure she was okay. They both knew if I came back here and all was not well there would be hell to pay.
I didn’t call her personally while I was away. I couldn’t stand to hear her voice from so far away and not see her, touch her. Plus I couldn’t forget that she was technically here to bring me down for the agency, I wasn’t about to make it easy for her. But it hadn’t been easy. One thing I did learn, I didn’t like that rift between us. A man and his woman shouldn’t be at odds. Yet another reason to get shit cleared up between us.
I’d told her I was coming back for her, but did she really understand what that meant? Did she know that I intend to keep her? Because I’d left her before we could solidify things, there was no telling what was going through her mind. She’s smart enough though to know that our one night together wouldn’t end there. I’m aware of what she thinks of what she calls my womanizing playboy ways. Maybe she thinks this is just more of the same. Well I’m back now and she’ll soon learn different.
I smiled to myself as I ran a towel over my hair while walking through to my office. The flashing light on my message machine brought me up short. Shit, I hadn’t spoken to the other woman in my life in three days either. Mom could wait. I’ll catch her in the morning. It didn’t matter when I called anyway. At this point she was still going to give me shit.
I switched on the monitor with a stupid smile on my face and my heart beating out of time. It felt like forever since I’d seen her, and even though I planned to slip into her bed in the next half an hour or so, I couldn’t wait for just one glimpse of her.
At first the sight that met my eyes was a little confusing. I guess because I wasn’t expecting to see it, it threw me for a second. My heart did some weird shit in my chest as I watched through the monitor. There were two bodies in the bed. The bottom fell the fuck out.
“What the fuck?” I stepped back as if shot, with a hole of burning pain already starting to grow in my gut. A buzz started in my ears and my vision blurred, I couldn’t fucking breathe. I took this all in-in the few seconds it took for me to process just what the fuck I was looking at.
My cool was long gone and not even my years of training was of any use to me. I stared at the scene before me with a mix of disbelief and hot rage. The rational part of my brain tried to convince me that there had to be a reasonable explanation for what I was seeing, but the other side was already in ‘fuck this shit’ mode.
The sense of betrayal was deeper than any, I’d ever felt and I’ve had plenty of that in my life. But none had ever cut so deep, or been this close to my heart. I was in love with her. The sudden realization on the heels of this shit was not welcome.
The sudden red haze that fell over my vision wasn’t much help, neither was the rage that climbed into my gut and filled me with tension. My limbs shook, as I stood there transfixed, my eyes glued to the screen as I willed myself to calm the fuck down.
“You’re both dead.” My voice was cold and detached even though inside I was a steaming riot of emotion. I couldn’t look away even though I knew I probably should if I ever wanted my heart to beat right again. I clenched my fists. I’m going to need them later no sense in damaging them now by planting them in the screen.
My calm rationale finally kicked in and I knew I needed backup. Not for me, for her. As much as I want to in this moment, I can’t kill her, but I sure as fuck am going to destroy her. As to whoever that was in bed with her, he’d be lucky if he lives out the hour. “Right!”
As I threw on some clothes that I grabbed blindly from the closet I called the one man I knew outside of my brothers would know what I needed. But unlike my brothers he’d help, they’d try to stop me.
“Jace you better come get me brother.”
“Why what’s going on?” I had awakened him no doubt, from the scratchy quality of his voice.
“I’m not going to make it to dinner.” It was code that I knew he would understand.
“Why what happened?” I could hear sheets rustling as he left his bed.
“She’s in bed with a man.”
“Fuck it Hank, stay where you are don’t fucking move.” I hung up the phone.
I was cold and empty as I checked my gun’s chamber and the sharp edge of my knife, before slipping one into its familiar place in the small of my back and the other at my ankle. Some part of me knew that I was going in too hot, that I needed to calm down before I did anything rash. That was the trained assassin; the man didn’t give a fuck.
I was so gone I didn’t stop to think of my shadow or who might be watching. All my years of covert outmaneuvering went up in smoke as I drove through the streets of New York. Another testament to what she’d done to me, and my well-earned reputation.
Because I’d entered the game so young, I’d skipped the falling in love bullshit. Over the years I’d had flings that never amounted to much of anything, so the emotions wreaking havoc inside me now were all new and unfamiliar territory.
I’d also never had a woman betray me like this before either. And as much as I played the field, it was always my way to end one dalliance before starting another. How could she do it? Better still how had she duped me so completely? I hadn’t seen this in her. That morning I left her…
No I won’t think of that now. Won’t remember the soft sweet look I had of her in my head that had stayed with me while I was gone. From now on the only thing I’ll remember of her, if I remember her at all when this was over, is this; the sight of her, lying next to someone else.
I felt murderous rage as I made my way to her, not knowing what was to be the outcome of this day, but knowing it wasn’t going to be good. What I’d felt for her an hour ago warred with what was inside me now and even as a little voice told me to take it easy and not jump to conclusions, I couldn’t un-see what the fuck I’d seen.
She’d been a virgin when I took her. Or had that too been a lie? No, I’d seen the blood of her innocence on my cock when I pierced her, felt the give of her virginity. No way that was a lie. But what if it was the price she was willing to pay to get what she wanted?
What if the Bureau had sent her after me because they knew she was wiling to go to any lengths to get their man? I went from cold to ice at the thought. I’ll wring her fucking neck right after I end the bastard she’s in bed with.
I made it to her place in record time, not quite sure which route I took or how I got there. Not even aware of whether or not I’d been followed. Already I could’ve found my way to her in my sleep. Fucking idiot! Haven’t I always known that people cannot be trusted? That it’s those you let closest who betrays you in the end?
And why hadn’t my brothers warned me of this? They had to have known. Unless they were complete idiots they would’ve seen something while watching over her for me. No, I won’t believe that of them. At least them I knew I could trust.
I’ll talk to them later and hope I didn’t do anything to them that would make ma too annoyed if they didn’t tell me what I wanted to hear. What the hell am I thinking? Of course she would’ve kept this from them, the little sneak. Deceitful bi…I cut my thoughts off. Even now I couldn’t bring myself to degrade her even in my thoughts. Even though I was now on my way to behead her.
I wasn’t my usual quiet self when I entered her place, though I didn’t bust the door down, since I wanted to keep the element of surprise on my side. But I almost wished he, whoever he was would come out to see who was breaking in. I wanted a fight dammit. Wanted his blood in my teeth.
I kept seeing the outline of the other body in the bed next to her, and being thankful that that’s all I saw. I don’t know what I would’ve done had I seen them doing more than that. The thought made bile rise in my throat. Weak, she’d made me weak and for that I will not forgive her.
I’m sure the vision would’ve haunted me for the rest of my life. As it stands, I don’t think I’ll ever forget this either, but at least I was spared that atrocity. I didn’t need my imagination to remind me of just what he would’ve felt as he…fuck this.
I made my way to the bedroom with my weapon drawn. I guess I knew what I was going to do after all. I’ll think about cleanup later, right now I wanted to make her pay. I barely spared Cierra’s sleeping form, a glance before making my way to the other side of the bed. I’ll deal with her cheating ass later.
I pressed my gun to his head, wondering what kind of man slept with the covers pulled up over his head like a bitch. My whistle in the still of the night followed by the sudden feel of cold hard steel against the back of his head soon roused him, and Cierra wasn’t far behind.
“Get the fuck up.”
“Hank?” She was rubbing her eyes and blinking from the glare of the light I had trained on them. “Quiet, I’ll deal with you next.” I didn’t even spare her a glance. I couldn’t bear to. My fucking traitorous heart wanted to believe the innocence in her voice. Never again; I’m not falling for that shit.
“Cierra what…?” I almost dropped the gun at the sound of a female voice, as whoever it was made her way out from under the mountain of covers. A female form finally broke free and she looked me up and down, first with apprehension and then recognition.
“Well shit, you weren’t kidding, he sure is one fine piece of flesh. I can see why you lost your damn mind and risked everything you’ve worked so hard for. You mind getting your gun out of my face?” What the fuck? I moved the gun away from her and looked from one to the other as my body and mind processed.
She said all that in one sentence. Not bad for someone who’d awakened with a strange man holding a gun to her head. My eyes went to Cierra who looked as though she was still was still half asleep. “What are you doing here, I thought you weren’t back for at least another couple of days?”
“Yeah, change of plans.” I put my glock away and took that second to acknowledge the complete joy I felt. She hadn’t betrayed me after all.
“Can I go back to sleep now? I had a long trip in and it’s been a long day.” The bed’s other occupant complained. I recognized her now. It was Gracie, Cierra’s roommate at Quantico. Way to fuck shit up Hank. Just then I heard the door break in and Jace was shouting my name.
“Shit, I forgot I called him.” What a fucking mess. Cierra seemed to be awake now and her eyes flew open when Jace rushed into the room gun drawn. He took in the situation at a glance and then raised his brow in question before clearing his throat. “Uh, somebody want to fill me in?”
“Jace get out of here, my woman isn’t dressed.” I tossed her the robe that was on the chair by the window so she could cover up the tee shirt she slept in. I wondered where the hell she’d gotten one of my shirts from, I don’t remember leaving it here.
“I thought I told you to stay put bro.” He took in the scene in one fell swoop before putting away his gun. I ignored him and made my way over to the other side of the bed. “Hi baby.” She was still in a daze it seemed but that didn’t stop me from pulling her into my arms and kissing the shit out of her. “I missed you.” I whispered in her ear as I held her head against my shoulder.
I said a quick prayer of thanks that I had been wrong, that she hadn’t betrayed me. That she was still only mine. What I felt for her in that moment cannot be put into words. I held her a little tighter than was necessary, totally forgetting that we had an audience. “I missed you baby.” I pulled her head back and kissed her like my life depended on it.
One of the others cleared their throat; I’m guessing it was Gracie. I released her lips grudgingly and glared at the two of them, but they were busy eyeing each other like opponents in the ring.
“And who might you be?” Gracie eyed Jace like he was a slug and he was eyeing her like a wolf on the hunt. I know that look. But I wasn’t in the mood to deal with any of this shit right now. I just wanted to be alone with my girl.
“Gracie will you be okay here alone for the rest of the night?” I heard a snicker but she and Jace were still having their face off. I was already lifting my woman out of bed and heading for the door anyway. The two of them could work it out. Knowing Jace there could only be one result.
“Where are you taking me?” I kissed her lips to shut her up and kept
going. My heart was still beating a hole in my chest, but it had switched gears. Now it beat with the excitement of holding her again.
This time because she was involved, I made sure the coast was clear before opening the door and stepping out into the early morning air. “You cold baby?” She shook her head no against my chest and I kissed her forehead just because.
Once we reached my ride I sat her in the passenger seat and belted her in. I’d gone from sixty to zero in no time. From wanting to kill her for cheating on me, to just wanting to get inside her fast. I had to erase what I thought I’d seen from my conscience. Had to get back inside her to reclaim what I thought I’d lost.
I sped through the quiet streets, back the way I came only a few minutes ago, and wondered if this is what my life was going to be like from now on. Would I always act before thinking when it came to her? That’s the complete opposite of everything I’ve ever taught myself to do. It can also be dangerous. Somehow I don’t think it would ever change. I don’t think my training, or my infamous control stood a damn chance when it comes to her.
I’ve seen both my brothers make asses of themselves over my sisters in law and was afraid it was my turn. It didn’t seem to matter that I’m not the kind of man to lose his head over a woman. Something I’ve sworn since my late teens would never happen. I reached for her hand and raised it to my lips before resting our clasped hands on my thigh as we headed for my place in silence.
7
Mancini
She settled back in her seat with her hand held firmly in mine and dozed off. I felt at ease, relaxed, go figure. I haven’t felt peaceful since I learned what went on behind the scenes in the world. I looked between her and the road as I drove, not believing the ups and downs of the last hour.
Hold Me If You Can (Mancini Way 2) Page 4