by Leslie North
She sighed and closed her eyes. If she wasn’t careful she’d fall hard for him.
The door creaked open and she swiveled away fast to hide what he might see on her face.
“I think we need to talk,” Jace said, striding across the room to the mini-fridge near Mark’s desk. “You want something to drink?”
“Nope. I’m good, thanks,” she said.
He pulled out a bottled water then cracked the lid open and took a large sip before taking up residence on the sofa where Mark had sat earlier. Jace raked a hand through his tousled blond hair and Felicity had the crazy urge to rush over and replace his fingers with hers. She did so love his thick curls, gripping them tight as she rode him hard toward fulfillment….
Felicity coughed to clear the lump of desire from her throat. “What did you want to talk about?”
Jace cursed under his breath then leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees, his water bottle dangling from his fingers between them. “Listen, darlin’. I’m sorry about what I said back there, about you putting your work ahead of everything else. I was worked up about the Kevin Quinn stuff and I took my frustrations out on you. That wasn’t right.”
His gloomy expression coupled with his downward gaze had her pushing from her seat to move in beside him. She joined him on the sofa and clasped her hands in her lap to keep from reaching for him. “No. You were right. I have put my career first, probably because that was all I had. But coming out here, meeting you, that changed things.”
He nodded, then frowned, looking over at her. “It did?”
“Yeah, it did.” Now it was her turn to stare at the floor. “I’ve really enjoyed my time here with you, Jace. Seeing what you do, meeting your friends, working together to catch a murderer. It’s been…fun.”
Jace snorted. “Fun? You realize you have a twisted definition of that word right?”
She laughed, deep and loud. “I do. Yep.”
“Yep.” Grinning, he took her hand and leaned back against the cushions, pulling her in closer to his side. “You do.”
They just sat that way for a while, enjoying the quiet time together, until the sounds from the highway in the distance brought her back to sobering reality. “I still think my acting as bait for Quinn is our best bet. He knows I’ve been investigating him since that day Ted and I first went to the Rigsdale mansion. Now, with Kim gone and those hidden cameras in her house, he’s going to know it was me who got her into protective custody too. He’ll be pissed and he’ll want me dead.”
“That’s exactly why I don’t want you doing it, darlin’.” He raised her hand to his lips and gently kissed her knuckles. “I know this sounds crazy, but I care about you. Way more than I should. Way more than I ever thought possible. If anything happened to you because of this sting operation, I’d never forgive myself.”
Felicity turned to look at him, her heart squeezing at the raw affection in his warm brown eyes. “I care about you too, Jace. A lot. But that’s exactly why I have to do this. Quinn’s unhinged. He’ll keep killing SEALs until I stop him. What if you’re next? What if it’s one of your friends? I can’t live with that on my conscience, knowing what he’s capable of and not doing everything in my power to stop him. Surely you can understand that.”
He sighed and hung his head. “There has to be another way.”
“There isn’t.” She held his hand tighter, his warm, soft skin and strong presence giving her courage. “Mark and Geneva will be out watching for Quinn, and I need someone to man the operation while I play sitting duck. I trust you to have my back and to keep me safe. I know you’ll do whatever you have to do to make sure we catch this guy and lock him up forever. Please say you’ll help me. Please.”
“Fuck.” Jace rubbed his eyes with his free hand and stared up at the ceiling. “I hate this.”
“Noted. Does that mean you’ll help me?”
Shaking his head, he chuckled. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but yes.”
“Great.” Felicity leaned over and kissed his cheek. “So, I think the best way for us to approach this is for us to coordinate with Mark and Geneva first thing in the morning. They track Quinn, find out where he’s going and what he’s up to. Meanwhile, I’ll head into town and make a big announcement about how I’m working out at the compound right now, alone, and I’m close to busting this case wide open. Quinn might suspect it’s all a set-up, but hopefully it intrigues him enough to come here anyway. Then, the minute I give you the signal, you rush in commando-style and take him down. Not kill him though. I want that douchebag to stand trial for his crimes. Dying’s too easy for him.”
Jace sat back, his jaw clenched, and for several seconds she thought he might refuse. Then finally, he exhaled and nodded. “Fine. But if things go south, I’m killing that asshole, no questions asked. Agreed?”
“Agreed.”
15
The next day Felicity was on the phone with Geneva while Jace drove her to the Ortega courthouse where she’d pulled some strings and gotten some local press to show up for an impromptu bogus press conference to make her announcement that she’d finally solved the mystery of the SEAL suicides and how they were connected to the death of Tim Rigsdale. “So, what’s happening with Quinn this morning?”
“We tracked him to the local BP station,” Geneva said. “He’s been inside for a while now. I’m guessing maybe he’s got a situation in the bathroom.”
“Okay. Ew. TMI.” Felicity snorted.
“What?” Jace said, glancing over at her from behind the wheel.
“Nothing. Quinn’s at a gas station. He’s apparently been in the bathroom for awhile.”
Jace chuckled. “Guess he had enough gas after all.”
“Seriously?” Felicity rolled her eyes as Geneva cracked up over the line. She put the call on speaker. “Guys, sober up. Potty humor aside, do you think maybe he escaped. Is there a back exit?”
“Mark just went inside to check,” Geneva said.
Moments later there was a ruckus as Mark got on the line. “He’s gone.”
“Shit.” Jace met Felicity’s gaze. “What’s the plan now?”
“I vote we abort the whole mission,” Mark said. “Meet back at the compound and regroup.”
“No.” Felicity shook her head. “We’re in too deep now. He must’ve heard about Kim Rigsdale turning against him and his financial situation has to be getting desperate. If we don’t act now, he could bolt and we’d never find him. We need to draw him out. I’m going to do my press conference.”
“Listen, darlin’. I—” Jace started.
“We’re sticking to the plan. That’s it.” Felicity exhaled. “He’s due for another killing soon and I don’t want to risk another innocent person losing their life to this psycho. Given the fact we’ve got his back to the wall, he might even push the date up and break his pattern, kill someone randomly. Desperation makes people reckless. I can’t risk waiting any longer.”
Mark cursed then sighed. “If you’re sure….”
“I am.” She ended the call, Jace’s stare burning a hole through her left temple. “What?”
“So you’re not willing to risk innocent lives, but don’t give a rat’s ass about your own?”
“I’ll be fine.” She swallowed hard. “I’m a trained FBI agent. I know how to deal with people like him. I’m the perfect bait.”
“Stop calling yourself that.” Jace’s scowl darkened. “I hate the idea of you luring him in.”
“You agreed before.”
“Yeah? Well, things have changed.” He stopped at a red light and faced her. “I don’t want anything to happen to you, okay? If he hurt you, I don’t know what I’d do.”
She cupped his cheek, needing to touch him, needing reassurance that the connection between them was still strong, still vital. “I won’t let that happen.”
“Neither will I.” He kissed her hard and hot and deep, only letting her go when the car behind them honked. The light had turned green. Wavi
ng to the irate driver behind him in the rearview mirror, Jace sped toward the courthouse. He took her hand and squeezed it tight. “If you’re going to do this, then I’m right by your side every step of the way.”
“You don’t have to—”
“I do.” He glanced over at her and winked. “See, I didn’t plan any of this, but somehow, you got inside me, into my heart, and filled a hole I didn’t even know was there. If I lose you now, I’m not sure I’d survive.”
Funny thing was, she felt the same way about him.
It was nuts. They’d hadn’t known each other nearly long enough.
Yet feeling this close to Jace felt like the most natural, most perfect thing in the world.
Felicity laced her fingers with his and stared out the window. Suddenly, her career at the FBI didn’t seem nearly as enticing as it had before she’d come to California. In fact, the thought of flying back to DC only filled her with dread and sadness. Which was also insane, because it wasn’t like they’d discussed any sort of long-term plans. Hell, Jace hadn’t even mentioned if he wanted to continue their relationship once Kevin Quinn was captured.
They pulled into a parking spot along the street in front of the courthouse and Jace cut the engine. “You sure you want to do this?”
“I’m sure.” Felicity unbuckled her seatbelt and got out, taking a deep breath of fresh morning air before jogging up the steps to the southwestern-style building. Her boss back in DC wouldn’t be thrilled that she was using her FBI contacts to pull some strings, given this wasn’t technically official business, but if she caught the Bureau a killer, Felicity figured all would be forgiven.
Inside the lobby, she was met by a small cluster of reporters, jostling for position.
A receptionist waved her over to the desk. “Are you Special Agent Felicity Belasko?”
“I am.”
“Good.” The receptionist stood and gestured toward a small conference room to her right. “We’ve got you set up in here for the press conference.”
“Great. Thanks.” She and Jace headed for the door. “I appreciate you letting me hold it here.”
Minutes later, lights had been set up and turned on around a podium at the front of the room. The reporters took their spots before her and Felicity clicked on the mic, wincing as a shrill whine pierced the air. Finally, she tapped the mic and smiled. “Everyone ready?”
The low murmur of the crowd died down as she began.
“Thank you for coming today. As you know, I’m Special Agent Felicity Belasko of the FBI. I’m here in Ortega working to investigate the recent rash of mysterious deaths involving Navy SEALs in the area.”
“Agent Belasko, haven’t those deaths already been ruled suicides?” one of the press corps asked.
“Yes.” She glanced over at Jace. “But we have reason to believe the deaths were not self-inflicted after all.”
“So you’re saying they’re murders?” This from another reporter.
“From the evidence I’ve uncovered, I believe so. Yes.”
“What evidence?” A guy with a steno pad called.
“I’m sorry. I’m not at liberty to discuss specifics of the case.” Her skin prickled as the lights beaming down on her grew warmer. “Suffice it to say that we have witness testimony that proves these crimes were funded by a group with anti-military views.”
A gasp rang out through the room followed by a flurry of questions. “Do you have any suspects?”
“Who are persons of suspicion?”
“Based on this information do you expect more deaths in the future?”
Felicity held up a hand to stem the tide of comments and smiled. “Yes, based on the pattern of deaths so far, we expect another murder is imminent. If anyone has any information on the whereabouts of Mr. Kevin Quinn, please contact me at The Brothers In Arms compound. I’ll be staying there indefinitely until this case is solved. Thank you.”
As she stepped away from the podium, she spotted a figure lurking in the shadows near the back of the room, same height and build as Kevin Quinn. Given that he’d eluded Mark and Geneva at the gas station, it was entirely possible he’d found a way here to her press conference. If so, that would mean he’d heard her spiel and hopefully would track her back to the compound.
Jace took her arm and led her toward the exit. At the side door, she glanced back one last time and spotted the figure, now moving out into the light. Yep. It was Kevin Quinn all right.
Good. Let’s get this party started.
On the way back to the car, she told Jace what she’d seen.
“So what happens now?” he asked. “Want me to take him out now and save you the trouble?”
“No.” She climbed into the passenger seat of his truck and snapped her seatbelt into place. “We need him alive so we can get his confession. So, we wait.”
16
Hours later, Jace sat back behind his desk at Brothers In Arms, twiddling his thumbs and becoming more jacked on adrenaline by the second. He’d learned a long time ago during his time as a SEAL that it wasn't so much the bullets or the bombs that took the greatest toll on a warrior. It was dealing with mind-numbing boredom between the battles. The tedium of waiting for hours until the enemy showed, and often for nothing. The quiet was a silent killer, easing even the most vigilant warrior into comfort and softness and, if you weren’t careful, sleep. His eyelids grew heavier and his breathing slowed and the sight of Felicity sitting on the sofa across the room, thumbing through a magazine while they waited for Quinn to show up, grew blurry and faded to black.
Grogginess overtook him. He was only resting his eyes for a minute. He’d not been sleeping well, despite having Felicity’s warm, soft curves beside him in the darkness. There was too much going on, too much at stake. Mark and Geneva were due back soon, to help keep watch over Felicity while Jace went out to perform another perimeter check of the compound. His loaded Glock sat snug in the holder at his waist, within easy drawing distance if that asshole Quinn dared to make an appearance in the office. He’d only rest just a second, only allow himself a few brief seconds before….
Bam, bam, bam!
Three hard knocks on the locked office door.
“Open up!” Mark called. “I forgot my key.”
Jace’s eyes snapped open, squinting into the daylight as he looked around, a bit disoriented before spotting Felicity still sitting on the sofa, reading her magazine.
Damn. So much for a quick power nap. Wouldn’t make that mistake again.
He pushed out of his chair and headed for the door, one hand on his weapon just in case. He unlocked the door and peeked through the crack with one eye. Mark and no one else. Jace waved him inside then re-secured the door. “What the hell took you so long?”
“The gas station had Quinn’s car towed,” Mark said, stalking over to his desk. He sat and stared at Jace, his green gaze narrowed. “Not like you to fall asleep during a mission.”
“I didn’t.” The words sputtered out, his voice still rough and a bit slurred. “I just closed my eyes for a minute.”
“He was sleeping,” Felicity said, giving Jace a small wink. “It’s okay though. I can take care of myself.”
Jace frowned and rubbed his eyes, focusing on Mark. “So no car means he’ll be coming here on foot.”
“Yep.” Mark grabbed the key to the gun cabinet. “I have a bad feeling about this.”
“Where’s Geneva?” Jace asked.
“She’s barricaded inside my farmhouse. We’ll hunker down there and keep an eye on the compound entrance.” Mark grabbed his Desert Eagle and a couple ammo clips then relocked the cabinet, clipping a walkie-talkie to his waistband then tossing a second one to Jace. “We can keep communicating through these. Old school, I know, but they work well in a pinch.” Mark headed out of the office again.
“Wait a minute.” Jace scowled. “What about Felicity?”
“I need to get back to Geneva. If things go south, the three of us are armed. She’s not. Besides, yo
u’re here. You’ll protect her.”
“Shit.” Jace’s already buzzing nervous system went haywire. He grabbed the keys from Mark and reopened the cabinet, taking out his sniper rifle and extra bullets. Protect her was exactly his plan, but in order to do that, it would mean leaving her alone at the office, at least for a little while. And yeah, she was a trained FBI agent. Didn’t mean he wouldn’t guard the woman he loved.
Loved?
The realization caught him totally by surprise.
He stopped in his tracks and stared over at Felicity.
Yep. Somewhere in the midst of all this cockeyed bullshit with Kevin Quinn, he’d fallen hard for her. Now, he’d make damned fucking sure she survived this crazy scheme of hers. Mark wasn’t the only one whose instincts were on edge about what was about to go down. Quinn had trained as a SEAL, even though he’d flunked out in the end. He knew their ways, knew their strategies. He’d be prepared and Lord knew he wasn’t afraid to kill.
Travis was proof of that. So were the rest of his dead SEAL comrades.
“What the hell are you going to do with that?” Mark snatched the keys away again.
“I’m going out to patrol the perimeter. If Quinn’s coming on foot, I want to be ready for him. It’s better than sitting here like a target, waiting for him to strike.” He chambered a round then clicked on the safety. “Felicity, you stay here and barricade yourself inside until I get back.”
She tossed her magazine aside and stood, giving him a flat look. “Yeah. Okay, Rambo. Not sure who died and made you think you’re in charge here, but this is still my mission. We’re doing this my way. We know Quinn’s arriving on foot now. I’m staying here and waiting. It’s the safest way.”
“Well, I’m not going to sit around until Quinn decides to blow your brains out,” Jace growled. “I’m patrolling the perimeter. End of story.”