HIS Desire: An H.I.S. Novel (H.I.S. series Book 1)

by Kell, Sheila

  Her anger with this shooter turned poisoner turned bomber intensified.

  “Kate, you’ll stay.”

  She turned her head toward Jesse too fast and winced at the pain. “Are you sure everyone else was okay?”

  “Everyone is fine. Ariana said she’d have to wear pant suits for a while to cover the bruises and cuts on her calves, but that’s it.” He tried to give her a reassuring smile, but failed.

  It could have been much worse. She hated what Agents Brent and Keller were about to deal with, but they’d screwed up and she could’ve died.

  AJ would have new FBI agents assigned to her, if not already. They might have to park out on the road well away from Jesse’s house, because after this fiasco he probably wouldn’t allow them on his property. This was going to be a battle of wills between brothers because both were going to want her in their safe house.

  No one cared what she had to say even though she was the one they were protecting. Well, she had a big voice, and they were going to listen.

  The doctor gave an order to the nurse then turned his attention to Kate. “I’m leaving you something to help with the nausea and the headache. I’ll see you in the morning.” He and the nurse turned and left the room.

  Jesse approached the bed and took her in his arms. His hug was gentle, tentative, like he held glass. “I thought that I’d lost you.” His hoarse, tortured voice was barely above a whisper. “I thought I’d lost you.”

  She didn’t know what to say to his display of emotion. It touched her heart and broke it at the same time. “I’m all right.”

  “You could have been in that SUV.”

  “You could have been too.” She shuddered at the thought.

  He released her and reached for her face, avoiding the bruise on her cheek. With her face in his hands, he leaned down and kissed her, soft, tender and loving. She wanted more and tried to deepen the kiss, but he wouldn’t allow it.

  “We’re going to find this bastard, so you can be safe again. I don’t know how you can’t hate me for bringing this to your doorstep.”

  She’d forgotten this had started with him. “I couldn’t hate you, Jesse.” In fact, I love you.

  “I’m going to make sure he doesn’t hurt you again.”

  “Will you stay with me?”

  He looked into her eyes and took hold of her hand. “You couldn’t drag me away.”

  Ariana knocked on the half-open door. “Kate, are you all right?” She eyed their joined hands.

  “Hi, Ariana. I’m fine. Just a bump on the head. I want to go home, but no one will listen to me.” She tilted her head toward Jesse, immediately regretting it.

  “I’ll give you two some privacy.” He left the room and closed the door behind him.

  Her sister sat in the chair beside the bed. “He was really torn up about this.”

  “He blames himself.” She needed to find out what was going on inside his head. She couldn’t let him blame himself for today. He’d warned her how dangerous it could be. She should have known better.

  “Kate, I told you that he cares for you.”

  “I know he cares, but I want him to love me.”

  She adjusted the controls on her bed to sit up, unable to find a comfortable position. Her sister had changed into a navy blue pant suit. Kate felt self-conscious in the hospital gown. She reached up to run her fingers through her wavy hair, trying to control it somewhat and make herself presentable. No matter how much she worked at it, her sister would outshine her.

  “You could tell him that you love him. You are living in his house, and I’m guessing the same room.” She raised her eyebrows challenging her sister to contradict her.

  “He would run if he knew that I loved him. It’s not a conversation I’m willing to have with him yet. Not a chance I’m willing to take.”

  “The two of you are made for each other. It’ll work out. Give it time.”

  Time. How much time did she have to make Jesse fall in love with her? It was a terrible thing that she hoped they didn’t catch the killer just yet. She needed that time with him. “I forgot to ask, how badly were you injured today?”

  “Nothing serious. I was treated on the spot. You gave us quite a scare when you didn’t wake up. I thought Jesse was going to strangle the cute ambulance driver for taking so long to get there.”

  “I can’t believe he made me come to the hospital. It was just a knock on the head. Now, they won’t let me go home.” Whatever the doctor had given her had begun working. Her headache still pained her, but at least, she could tolerate it now. She felt herself start to float. Before long, she’d be in a drug-induced euphoric state.

  “It won’t hurt you to spend the night here.”

  “The bed is uncomfortable, and the food is going to be terrible. It’s not like a night at the Ritz.” She shouldn’t be whining. She should be thanking God that she was alive, but right now, she just wanted to go home.

  Ariana laughed. “You have to take what you can get.”

  “Well, I bet you could’ve negotiated a way to be released already.”

  “Probably.”

  They laughed. When her head throbbed harder, Kate stopped laughing.

  A special news alert of the bombing flashed on the wall-mounted TV. A journalist broadcasted live on the scene with the burned out shell of an SUV in the background. She imagined the spa was having a fit. No one should be blown up at their spa. She wondered if they loved Ariana enough to welcome her back.

  The journalist talked about Kate, connecting the shooting, Joy’s death and now the bombing. She turned off the TV. “Is it bad?”

  “Your boyfriend and his handsome, broad-chested brothers chased the reporters out of the hospital. I doubt you’ll have to worry about them.” She chuckled, looking as if she was privy to a private joke.

  Kate relaxed at the news. Maybe it was the medicine that had her relaxing. Her muscles began to feel like they had after her massage, like melted butter. She sighed. “How’s it going at Ross?”

  “Things are good. We’ve settled everything on the new station.”

  “What are you going to do now?” She readjusted her bed, wondering if the couch would be more comfortable and if she could make it to it without falling flat on her face.

  “We’re going to look at more syndicated talk shows. The talk radio listening audience has grown faster than expected. We have an opportunity to gain more listeners if we add a few more hosts and shows. Lee’s been chomping at the bit to do this, so I’m going to give him full reign to make it happen.”

  “I’d love to hear about them when you put them together. You know that I love talk radio.” She had to get more involved with Ross in case her career in the FBI was over. She should be involved more even if her career was safe. She owed it to Ariana and the Rosses.

  “Of course. I wouldn’t exclude you.” Ariana frowned. “So, what’s going on with the bombing? Do they know who did it?”

  “Jesse thinks it’s the same guy that shot at us and tried to poison me. They still don’t know who he is. They haven’t had any luck finding the driver from the shooting. Once they have him, they’ll get the killer, and this will be over.”

  “I still can’t believe someone wants to kill you.”

  “It’s a nightmare. Jesse says I should hate him for getting me mixed up in this, but I can’t.” If she hadn’t have been mistaken for someone he loved, she never would have let herself get this close to him, never let herself fall in love with him. She almost wanted to thank the killer. Almost.

  “I’m angry at him for getting you tangled up in this. I don’t care how much you love him. Because of him, we were almost blown up today.”

  “We were almost blown up because there’s a madman out there who has decided to target me.” She’d have to stay away from her sister in the near future to keep her safe. Today had been too close to losing her, the only family she had left.

  “Are you going to tell me where you’re hiding away so I can com
e see for myself that you’re safe?”

  Always the protective big sister worrying about her. “I’ll ask Jesse. He doesn’t want anyone to know where we are. Come to think of it, I couldn’t even tell you the address.”

  Ariana stood and took Kate’s left hand in hers. “The only thing that matters now is that he takes care of you.” She squeezed Kate’s hand and left the room.

  Jesse entered carrying a large bouquet of fall flowers, sunflowers accompanied by peach roses, white lilies and purple flowers she couldn’t identify, in a lovely green vase.

  “Everything all right? Did you have a good visit? Ariana didn’t look happy when she left.”

  Kate smiled at his thoughtfulness. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d received flowers and hated she’d almost been blown up to receive them this time. “Thank you for the flowers. I had a good visit with her. She’s upset about the bombing.”

  He sat the flowers on her bedside table. “That’s understandable.” He pulled her hand to his lips. “How are you feeling?”

  The feel of his lips on her sent a tingling sensation through her limp muscles. “I’m all better now. I really think I should be able to leave.”

  He chuckled. “You are a persistent little thing. You’re staying right here until the doctor says different.”

  She made a face at him and was rewarded with a hearty laugh.

  “Now,” he sat on the bed, “the doctor said no strenuous activity, but he didn’t say no playing.” Jesse pushed the button to move her bed down before climbing in beside her.

  “I hate to start off our relationship with this, but I have a headache.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

  Son of a bitch! He’d failed. Again. He’d waited so long to try again. He seethed at the fact that she remained lucky. The bomb should’ve worked. He’d known Jesse would be in the SUV also, but, at this point, it didn’t matter. He had a job to do, and he always completed his jobs.

  There was no more time he needed to finish this.

  They were hiding out. He smiled with satisfaction in knowing that big, bad Jesse Hamilton hid out with his women because of him. He never should have let Kate out in the open. He chuckled. Jesse had given him the opportunity to kill her today.

  His loose end needed to be take care of. He didn’t trust Ed to keep his mouth shut should the FBI capture him. Someone hunted Ed and had almost found him. It had to be that relentless H.I.S. team. He had an idea where his driver hid out, and he’d find him first and make sure that he had no chance of identifying him.

  He sat down on his couch with a cold drink in his hand. He didn’t feel the condensation from the glass wetting his hand or the comfort of the burgundy leather sofa. He leaned back and crossed an ankle over his knee. Things were not going according to plan. He’d never had this problem taking someone out.

  He’d ignored the divorce papers and tried to reconcile with his wife again. She’d refused to see him, letting him know she had a new life. One without him. It made him angrier. Jesse and his big mouth had convinced her he was a killer. His life had fallen apart because of Jesse Hamilton.

  His mind drifted back to Kate. He needed a foolproof plan to kill her. His past attempts shouldn’t have failed. Jesse had ruined everything. Again. He’d been there to save her each time. He had to separate her from him.

  He’d done the shooting himself because he’d wanted to feel the satisfaction of ruining Jesse’s life. The setup had been perfect. He would have been able to fill her body with bullets before she’d known what was happening. But, Jesse had been there and saved her.

  He’d built the bomb himself. Having shady contacts had its benefits. She didn’t get into the SUV when she should have. The delay had been timed perfectly. She should have been on the road when it blew. She should be dead. He corrected himself, they should be dead.

  And, he had an alibi for every time he’d attempted to kill her.

  He stood and stepped to the bar to refill his glass with his sixteen hundred dollar bottle of Glen Garioch forty-six year old scotch. He’d lost count of the number of glasses he’d refilled. He stopped in front of the full length mirror and frowned. Since losing his wife, he’d let himself go. He’d lost weight and had a haunted look about him. Sleep didn’t come easily for him, nor did eating. All he could think about was Kathy and how Jesse had destroyed his life.

  He wasn’t sure what his new plan would be. He wanted to walk up to them and shoot her with Jesse standing by. But, he wasn’t going to jail. He couldn’t risk being seen killing her. Jesse may never know who killed the woman he loved, but he would still suffer.

  He needed to find out where they were hiding. He’d had to back off following them when they’d left her apartment because of the security that had surrounded them.

  He smiled. He thought of a way to find them.

  He would not fail again.

  CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE

  “You have to put more pressure on your informants and find this bastard. This last attempt was too close. It’s a miracle no one was killed in the explosion.” Jesse spoke quietly but angrily to his brother. They stood outside Kate’s hospital room while she slept.

  He didn’t need AJ’s help, but since her life was at stake, he’d take anything he could get. H.I.S. pushed harder than he’d ever seen them. They usually remained emotionally detached in order to be at their best. But, they’d come to know and like Kate, a lovable and friendly person, a treasure to know. The men treated her like family, H.I.S. family. And she was or would be.

  “Jesse, we’re pushing hard. One of our own is at risk, we aren’t playing around. This last attempt included you. You were supposed to be in that SUV also.”

  The bomb blast shattered the windows in the waiting vehicles and the massive front window of the spa. Luckily no one had been killed.

  The valet stand had protected the valets. He, Ariana and the agents were far enough away from the blast to avoid serious injury. He swallowed the lump in his throat. Kate had been too close to the SUV. He hadn’t stopped her in time. He never should have let her shake out of his grasp. He should’ve held on. She’d caught him off guard when she’d wrenched away and briskly walked off. He’d started after her, but he hadn’t caught up to her in time. A moment before he’d reached her, the explosive happened, and she’d fallen on the marble curbside.

  “I know you’re doing all you can. It’s frustrating knowing someone out there is after Kate and none of us can find him.” His every muscle remained tense, on edge.

  “We’re going to catch him.”

  “But, will we catch him in time?” He’d never felt helpless in an investigation. He’d never been this personally involved in one either. “I want the information on that bomb as soon as you can get it to me, AJ. If it’s going to take too long to process, I’ll pay to have it processed at the fastest lab money can buy.” Money didn’t matter to him where Kate’s safety was involved. “This might finally be our break. There’s bound to be a signature there. Something to lead us to him.”

  H.I.S. hadn’t waited for the FBI to find clues to the bombing. Devon had pulled local surveillance tapes hoping for a glimpse of their killer, and H.I.S. team combed the area for any other clues. Joe followed another lead to Ed. And the men on the street dug in deeper.

  The bastard couldn’t stay hidden forever.

  “How do you think he found you?”

  Jesse never should have let his men go on the other assignment. He’d had to rely solely on the FBI detail. They’d let someone follow them. Hell, they’d let someone almost blow them up. They’d let Kate get hurt. He wanted to kill the two of them. “I think you know what happened.”

  AJ nodded, knowing his team had been at fault.

  They’d already argued about the new men AJ had assigned. Jesse threatened to shoot them himself if they got near Kate.

  AJ stared down the desolate hospital hallway, visiting hours over long ago. He cleared this throat before he spoke, “I’m worried about somet
hing.”

  Jesse chuckled. “Only one thing?”

  AJ looked at his brother with a concentrated frown on his face. “His threats have been directed at Kate. On both previous attempts he could have killed both of you, but this time, he planned to kill both of you.”

  “I still think he was after Kate the first time and didn’t expect me to be there. We haven’t given him a shot at Kate alone. He may not have felt he had any other option but to include me this time.” It didn’t make sense to him either.

  This bomb changed everything. With Jesse also targeted, his brothers were going to tighten the net around him. They’d try to push him out of the investigation. He’d never let that happen. He was protecting Kate. There would be no arguing about it.

  “Are you going to take her to the safe house now?”

  Jesse looked down the hall. The stuffy smell of sickness hung in the air, the dimly lit corridor quiet. Besides him and his brother, only two H.I.S. men, both carrying concealed weapons against hospital policy, with hostile stares at the FBI agents standing across the hall and a plump, sleepy nurse at the nurse’s station were outside the closed doors of the hospital rooms.

  He looked back at AJ. “No. We’re going to my house, and she’s staying put.” He’d keep her there even if he had to tie her down. That brought a visual of her tight naked body on his bed, her dark, brown hair spread out on his pillow, her arms bound above her head automatically pushing out her creamy breasts. His cock twitched thinking about sinking deep inside her. He needed a good kick in the ass. She lay in a hospital bed, had a killer after her and he was thinking about fucking her.

  Before they said good night, he reminded his brother, “Don’t forget to take your team with you.” He’d refused to allow them to be included in Kate’s protection.