My Biker Bodyguard

by Turner, J. R.

  "We haven't tested her fully yet, but normally when someone awakes functioning at this level, we rarely find there's a need to relearn anything. What she needs most is rest and a chance to build up her strength."

  "Thanks, doc." Mitch held out a hand and Presberg shook it. "We appreciate all you've done for her. Any idea when she'll be released?"

  "Yes," Jared interjected, as if remembering his one and only goal over the last few days. "When can I bring her home?"

  Presberg shrugged. "Maybe in a few days. We'll want to keep an eye on her, make sure she's strong enough to handle the transfer. After that, I think she'll not only be ready, but eager to get back home."

  He chuckled and held up his clipboard. "I've got some rounds to make. I'll leave you to visit until I get back, then you'll have to let her rest for a while."

  "Thank you, Dr. Presberg." Jared waved half-heartedly as the doc headed down the hall. He passed the returning officer, who held a steaming, Styrofoam cup. Jared turned to Mitch. "I suppose it would be all right to go in now, don't you think? I really want to see Beth before the doctor returns."

  "Yeah," Mitch said, "I think it'll be all right now."

  The officer held up his cup. "Thanks, I really needed some java to stay on my toes, y'know?"

  "We're heading in," Mitch said, with a smile. "Keep those eyes peeled."

  "Will do." The officer settled into the chair.

  Mitch followed Jared into the room, wondering, not for the first time, why in the world he felt so damned uncomfortable around Jared lately. Paranoia was a reality of the job. Without at least a good dose of it, you got lazy or complacent, and either one might mean the death of your client.

  But this constant jangling of his intuition might be crossing the line. Jared had nothing to hide. Larson and the FBI had been over every inch of Jared's life at least twice. The money was Jared's already, and if in fact Beth should die, he'd have less than he did now, with Jess inheriting the lion's share.

  Even should Jess have been taken out of the equation didn't automatically mean Jared would get the dough. The odds were against him. Jared wasn't having an affair, Weston Jewelers was floating high on sky-rocketing profits for the last several years. There wasn't any reason for Jared to hire hitmen and try to steal a family fortune he already had full access to.

  Frustrated, Mitch watched as Jared kissed Beth and brushed back that rich, dark blonde hair she shared with Jess. His touch was loving, tender, and the look on his face came straight from his heart.

  How he'd envied that loving relationship. There were times when they completely forgot anyone else was in the room. No, Jared wasn't guilty–couldn't be. Anyone who loved another that much couldn't have them killed.

  His gaze traveled to Jess, where she sat watching the pair. A small smile played on her lips. The skin around her eyes was pink and puffy, brightening the green of her irises until they sparkled. She turned to him. For a moment, the rest of the world dissolved. He felt that envy for Beth and Jared slip away, sluice out of him on a wave of his own feelings for the woman settled on the edge of the bed.

  No, Jared couldn't be guilty. Not if he felt for Beth the way Mitch felt for Jess. Not in a million years. Mitch went to her and she stood. When she nestled into his arms as if she'd always belonged there, he caught Beth's eyes over Jess's shoulder. They were knowing, and approving. It was a welcome to the family kind of look and fleeting guilt passed through him.

  How could he have entertained those thoughts about Jared? He tightened his hold on Jess and smiled. No dreams, goals, not any amount in his savings account, could replace this one moment, this heartbeat in time where he belonged to the love of family.

  * * *

  Jared remained strangely quiet on the way home and Jess hoped it had nothing to do with her. She didn't want to be the cause of any trouble in her mother's life, but she'd gotten the distinct impression Jared resented her. Ever since Beth asked to be alone with her.

  Maybe it was understandable, after all, Jared and her mother had been together for a very long time without having to share their lives, or their love with anyone else. She imagined what it would be like if her father got a girlfriend. The idea of Dirty Dan even dating made her queasy. As much as she wanted her father to be happy, she couldn't imagine any one of the women they knew living under her roof, giving orders in her house, or even taking over the kitchen.

  Forget this being modern times, the queen had a lot more clout in the castle than the princess would. Biker princess, that's all she was. Jess stifled a snort as they got out of the limo and filed into the foyer. Living in luxury had given her too many high ideas about her place in life. Despite her mother's wealth, she was Dirty Dan's daughter. In a way, she would be glad to return home and to the familiar routine of her days. Especially with Mitch at her side.

  She smiled as Mitch retreated to the back of the estate, muttering something about getting Pullman to start preparing for Beth's return. There was a man who would help her learn what it was like to be her own woman.

  Or am I trading one role for another?

  Jess frowned. Mitch was not her father, he didn't need her to keep him out of trouble, to keep him on the right side of the law. He may not be a cop or the FBI, but Mitch was about as close to law enforcement as you could get without it being official. He did need her in a way, she thought as she went up the stairs to her room.

  He needed her in the way that she needed him, in the way that Jared needed Beth. Because life without your own love, something that you chose but was not born into, was to never really know if you were lovable, if you mattered, if you were worthy of love for your own merit.

  A mother, a father, a sibling, a blood relation–that was automatic love on one level or another. To find your own love, to make it from the person you are rather than who you were born as, was to truly discover yourself. Wasn't it?

  Now that her mother was awake and Grady soon to be captured, the future was wide open, as the song went. Gone were the days when her biggest concern was wondering if Trash would get mixed up with the wrong girl or if J.D. would find fault with every lube job and tranny she rebuilt. Now, she would think of Mitch and what his day was like, who'd hired him, what danger he would face.

  She stopped at the top of the stairs and realized that she'd be sitting in the tattoo parlor or kneeling in front of the brake lines on a Harley, worrying if he'd survive his latest job.

  No way. I can't do that.

  She would go insane in a month, locked up in a loony bin by two. They were going to have to talk about what kind of work he'd do in Milwaukee. What if he didn't want to give up the protection racket? She wandered to her bedroom and stood in the doorway, thinking.

  Who was she to dictate to him what he did with his life? If he didn't…she was back to her living in fear again, only worse. This wasn't like being afraid her father would end up back in prison or that Trash and J.D. would follow him. Mitch could turn up dead.

  She couldn't live like that. She just couldn't. Her stomach tightened. Did she have the guts to tell him this? What if he refused to change professions, do something other than what he'd built his life around, what would she do? Would she refuse him?

  "Are you willing, Jess? Will you take this chance with me?"

  Why did this always happen to her? Why did she leap before she looked? This was supposed to be the best day of her life–she'd been reunited with her mother and Mitch had said he loved her.

  "No, he said I think I love you," she whispered to the silent room. Not exactly a promise of happily ever after.

  Jess turned and flopped backward on her bed, staring at the tray ceiling. What the hell am I going to do now?

  Mind going blank, her eyes burning, and the bed cradling every sore muscle in her body, she stretched and yawned. How long since she'd had a good night's sleep? She couldn't remember. Back in Milwaukee, she'd been so upset by Mitch and what his visit meant, she'd tossed and turned more than she'd slept. Since coming here, she'd
never felt truly comfortable.

  Meeting her mother, awake, had relieved much of her discomfort. Grady seemed a far-off threat, who didn't really matter anymore. Eyes heavy, Jess thought she might close them for a little while and get some much needed rest.

  A soft knock on the door startled her awake. She'd drifted. From the darkness behind the curtains, she must have slept for a good while.

  "Come in." She called and sat up on the end of the bed, scrubbing her face back to life.

  It was Mitch. His dark smile urged the steady cantor of her heart into a gallop. Oh boy. All the vultures of fear began circling in her brain again, ready to pick apart her happiness. Could she give up feeling this intensely alive whenever he was near?

  "How you doin' sleepy head?" He came in and closed the door behind him.

  "Good." Smiling to cover her worry, she stood and slid her hands into the back pocket of her jeans. "And you?"

  "Good." He grinned now and she couldn't help but smile in return. "Hungry? Dinner's ready. We're planning on visiting Beth again after we eat."

  He came to her and wrapped his arms around her waist. His hands hot and comfortable on the slope of her back. She held his strong forearms, enjoying the play of muscle beneath the fabric of the long-sleeved navy shirt he'd changed into. "Dinner sounds good."

  Her stomach rumbled loudly between them.

  "Sounds like the rest of you agrees." He pulled her tight against him and lighting struck the sensitive region beneath her belly button.

  "Guess so." That wasn't all it agreed with. They met halfway in a kiss that made her hunger for more than just food. His strong hands slid up her back, fingers threading through her hair, palm cradling her head. When he pulled back, her face felt flushed and she was slightly dizzy. The best feeling in the world. "You're like a drug I can't get enough of."

  His hooded eyes smoldered. She was intensely aware of every part of him that pressed against her, the contact of her breasts against his hard chest, the thrust of him against her pelvis, his hands at her hip and neck. He kissed her again, this time more urgently, more demanding.

  He breathed harshly when he pulled back. "We should stop. Jared's waiting for us."

  She couldn't catch her breath any easier. "Okay." At that moment, he could have suggested they run naked through the house in a game of tag and she would have agreed.

  Reality washed back over her as he opened her bedroom door and looked back, waiting for her to go out ahead of him. She cleared her throat, tucked the stray ends of her unbound hair behind her ears, and with more confidence, repeated, "Okay."

  Behind her, Mitch uttered a low laugh. "Can't wait for dessert."

  Her body tingled in response. No, giving up Mitch is not an option. Either she had to resign herself to living in utter fear, or she would have to find a way to suggest that putting himself in danger was not all that fun anymore. Some way for him to see that loving her was more important than dying for a job.

  She had no doubt that whatever client he took next, he would protect them with his life if the need arose. Mitch was just too damned honorable to do anything less. With that thought, she forced the scowl off her face for Jared and went downstairs.

  Chapter Sixteen Mitch couldn't wait for the meal to be over so they could visit Beth and come home and go to bed. He listened and laughed at all the appropriate moments when Jared and Jess touched on amusing stories from their pasts.

  Every tidbit about her life deepened his sense of belonging to her, to her family, to the life he had originally been born into. A life that no longer meant struggle and street survival, but one built on the concrete foundation of hard work and good times.

  If she gave him another flash of that dimple, another of those sweet side-long smiles, he would demand she get her rest and drag her up to his room. Where, in all likelihood, they would get very little rest at all.

  "When Beth found out the Ladies League was going to start traveling, she resigned from the committee." Jared paused to swallow a bit of salmon. "She said she didn't want to be that far from me and that rooming with a bunch of busy-body bored women was not her idea of serving the community."

  Jess laughed. "From what you've told me, I can understand that. I'm really looking forward to telling my dad that she's okay. I was gonna call when we got back, but I…got distracted."

  Mitch chuckled. "You mean you fell asleep."

  "That too." She smiled around the edge of her glass. "But I'll call him as soon as we get back from the hospital." "I've got a lot of work to catch up on too." Jared tossed

  his napkin on the table. "I've been so worried over Beth and all

  that's been happening, I've barely gotten a thing done." The door opened and Pullman stuck his head in the room.

  Instantly alert, Mitch asked, "What's happened?"

  Pullman smiled sheepishly. "Hate to disturb your meal

  folks, but Detective Larson's on the phone for Mitch." "Be right back." He stood and caught Jess's worried

  frown as he went toward the door. She had worn the same

  expression upstairs before dinner. There was something going

  on with her, something that she wasn't talking about. He

  tucked that thought away to mull over later, and followed

  Pullman into the hall.

  "Why didn't he call me on my cell?" Mitch checked his

  phone and saw the charge was gone. Figured. "Never mind.

  My battery's dead. Did he say what he wanted?"

  Pullman shook his head. "No, but he sounds excited." He nodded and accepted the cordless. "Mitch here." "They got Grady. They're inbound right now." Larson

  spoke fast and breathless.

  "What? Wait." Why didn't Mordstrom and Davis tell

  them they'd finally caught up to Grady? Mitch glared at

  Pullman who happened to be in the line of fire. "When did

  they catch him?"

  "Yesterday, can you believe it? I just now found out."

  Larson used a few choice words.

  Mitch echoed them. "They're flying him back?" "Their ETA is at LAX, in about an hour, you want a ride?

  I'm on my way there now."

  "Yes. I'll be waiting." Mitch nodded at Pullman who was

  gesturing, begging to know if it was about Grady. Finally the

  bastard had been caught, and Larson had informed him. They

  were back on friendly terms. "Thanks."

  "Not a problem. I'm on my way."

  Mitch turned off the phone and handed it back to Pullman.

  "Tell the gate Larson's on his way up."

  "Yes, sir." Pullman's bland face lit up in a wide grin.

  "This is great news, isn't it?"

  "It is." Mitch clapped Pullman on the shoulder and went

  to tell Jess, and Jared too. When he returned, they were silently

  staring at the table. At the sound of the door, they jumped and

  regarded him with questioning eyes.

  "What's happening?" Jared asked quickly.

  "The FBI got Grady and they're already in flight. They're

  due to land in about an hour. Larson's picking me up and I'm

  gonna head out there with him. We'll go tell Beth the good

  news when I get back."

  "I want to go with you." Jess stood, her chair nearly

  toppling in her haste. She steadied it without looking. "I don't know if that's such a good idea, Jess." Mitch

  didn't want to be responsible for watching her in such a busy

  and crowded public arena as an airport. Too much could

  happen and there was no way to really tell if the danger was

  completely over now or not. "It's safer here."

  "I thought once Grady was caught," Jared said, "we'd be

  able to return to business as usual?"

  "You will," Mitch said, "but until we're sure no other hits

  were contracted, we can't be certain. Jess," he went to her and

&nb
sp; rubbed her shoulder. "I don't want to lose sight of you. That

  would be hard enough without the FBI bringing in a captured

  killer. Stay here where you'll be safe. Okay?"

  She studied him for a tense moment than nodded. "Okay,

  I will. But call me as soon as you can. Let me know you're

  okay."

  "I will," Mitch promised. His cell wouldn't charge in

  time, but he could use a payphone. "I'll be back soon to let you

  both know how it goes."

  Jared sat back looking drained. "Thank you, Mitch. I'll

  just be glad when it's all over and done with."

  "We all will." Mitch kissed Jess quickly and firmly on the

  mouth. "I'll be back before you know it."

  "Better be," Jess said with a searching gaze. "I'll be

  worrying about you."

  "Don't." Mitch strode to the door, eager to get his gear on

  and head out to wait for Larson. Tonight could mark the end of

  this job and send him on a new journey–one to Milwaukee and

  a new life. He only hoped nothing went wrong at the airport. * * *

  In her room, Jess debated changing into an oversized

  sweatshirt in order to escape her bra. The tension in her neck

  and shoulders, waiting to hear from Mitch, was nearly enough

  to ask Jared if they had a masseuse on retainer. Instead, she

  perched on the edge of her bed and called her father. She

  waited through ten rings and then tried the parlor.

  "Tattoo's and Tails, spit it out," J.D. said over the music

  punched up a notch for the Friday night crowd.

  "J.D." Jess grinned, "Is my dad there?"

  "What? You didn't call to talk to me?"

  She chuckled. "Well of course. Hi, how ya doin?" "I'm about as broke down as Trash's sex life."

  "Did he break up with what's her name?"

  "Yeah, and now he gets why I wouldn't let him tattoo her

  name on his arm!" The last he yelled away from the phone, as

  if he shouted so Trash could hear.

  "I'm sure he's beside himself with gratitude, J.D." Jess

  shook her head. How much she missed all of them. "But hey,