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

by Kell, Sheila

  AJ sighed. “I can’t do that, Jesse. But I’ve informed them that H.I.S. is the lead and they’re backup. They won’t screw up when you need them.”

  He grunted and glared at the unknown FBI agents then nodded at Danny and Mike before he entered Kate’s room. Sound asleep, she looked peaceful, no hint of worry about a madman trying to kill her and almost succeeding today.

  He plopped in the chair beside her bed. Today had been too close. He never should have let her go to the spa without his team. Hell, he never should have let her go to begin with, but he had a hard time telling her no. Besides, he doubted he could have stopped her. She would have had the FBI detail take her or gone alone. She’d been that adamant about meeting her sister. If she’d gone without him, she’d be dead.

  His team would never have made that mistake. They never would have let his SUV out of their sight. But all he’d had at the time to protect her had been the FBI detail. He’d been FBI, knew the men and trusted them. But they’d become lazy, complacent. Now, he didn’t trust the life of the woman he loved with anyone but his brothers and his team.

  Sighing, he leaned forward, put his elbows on his thighs and covered his face with his hands. He loved her. There was no question about it. Almost losing her today made him realize his true feelings for her. He swore he would never love again, but he couldn’t help but love her. His Kate. A stubborn, frustrating, independent, kind and compassionate woman, all wrapped into one beautiful package.

  She’d impressed him with how she excelled as an FBI agent. She and AJ had closed more cases than anyone else at their field office. She’d be an asset to H.I.S. if he could get her to leave the FBI and join them. She might be as devoted to the agency as his brother though. They’d tried to recruit him to join H.I.S. when they’d created it, but he’d refused. Still refused.

  Her benevolence toward the children at the Children’s Hospital humbled him. She’d make a great mother for Reagan. His daughter loved her and had asked him if she was going to be her new mommy. He hadn’t known what to say. At the time, he’d planned to have Kate move in with him. How did you explain to a five-year-old that you planned to shack up?

  Kate had taken his heart and turned his world upside down, and he wasn’t sure what to do at this point. She didn’t love him. Sure, she cared about him, liked having him in her bed, but she held something of herself back. Until he figured out what it was holding her back from loving him, he couldn’t tell her that he loved her. He wouldn’t put his heart out there to be squashed, destroyed. If she wasn’t ready to hear it, she’d send him packing.

  There was only one thing to do. Make her fall in love with him. Trust him. Be his wife.

  He felt as if he cheated Jen’s memory by falling in love with Kate. The thing about it was he loved Kate more than he’d ever loved Jen, and he didn’t think that could have been possible.

  His chest tightened. Falling in love with her placed him in a similar situation he’d lived through before. The pain of his wife’s death and his not saving her had torn him up for years. Hell, it still did. Talking with Kate had helped him deal with what was inside him, but the memory still existed.

  He put his chin in the palms of his hands and looked up at his sleeping woman. He had her to protect. But unlike with Jen, he knew a killer came after Kate. He had his chance at redemption. This time he would save the woman he loved.

  He stood and leaned over the bed to lightly kiss Kate on the forehead. He whispered, “I love you, Kate.” He stiffened when she moaned and turned to her side. When her eyes didn’t open, he relaxed and moved to the couch and tried to get comfortable. He trusted the men outside the room with her life, but he still wouldn’t leave her side.

  * * * * *

  Looking up from her plate of uneaten scrambled eggs when Brad and Matt entered her hospital room, Kate couldn’t hide her disappointment that they weren’t the doctor. “Good morning.” She forced a smile on her face tugging at her headache that with the medicine she’d taken was bearable.

  “Mornin’, Kate.” Matt’s smile was bright. “How’re you feeling?”

  “Here.” Brad placed an overnight bag on the side of her bed. “Em put it together for you. Thought you might need some clothes.”

  Her pasted smile turned into a painfully, joyous smile. She finally had clothes to wear, clothes that weren’t torn, dirty or gaping in the back. Thank goodness they had a sister who kept them in line.

  “Turn around.”

  The twins rolled their eyes but turned.

  She didn’t want the gown to open in the back and her flash them.

  Jesse didn’t turn, but whistled when she removed her hand from the back of her gown to open the bathroom door.

  She leaned against the closed door in the bathroom to steady herself. She still had some dizziness that accompanied her headache, but she’d leave the hospital this morning. She looked at herself in the mirror and cringed. Her waves of hair on her right side had frizzed out while the waves on her left side had flattened from sleep.

  Scratches and bruises decorated her right cheek. A shiver surged down her spine. Had she not looked at her sister’s car arrive, it would have been the front of her face, maybe even her eyes.

  This time the killer had gone too far. He’d tried to kill Jesse too. He could’ve killed Ariana at the same time.

  She should’ve waited like Jesse had insisted. She’d let her guard slip like the agents had. All three of them had disregarded their FBI training and made stupid mistakes because they felt safe at the spa. No one knew Kate planned to be there, and according to the agents, no one had followed them. The three of them never expected a time delayed bomb to be attached to Jesse’s SUV.

  She pulled the clothes from the bag and changed out of her hospital gown. She’d had a dream last night that Jesse had told her he loved her. If only it hadn’t been a dream. She still had time with him. She’d hear those words one day soon.

  Dressed and ready to tackle the Hamilton brothers, she opened the bathroom door and was surprised to see Dr. Richardson standing in the room. He caught Kate’s eye and smiled, relief shown on his face.

  “Good morning, Ms. Ross.”

  “Good morning, Dr. Richardson. What are you doing here?”

  His smile widened. “I was informed that you were here and decided I’d check your hand. Have you had any problems with it?”

  “It’s fine.” She held out her injured hand to him.

  Jesse waved off his brothers and stayed close to her. His legs braced apart and his hands crossed over his massive chest while the doctor examined her hand. He had to be the reason Dr. Richardson arrived when he had.

  “Let’s get those stitches out. Shall we?”

  Those words made Kate want to kiss the doctor. She remained still while the sutures were snipped out and listened intently as Dr. Richardson explained the exercises he expected her to complete several times a day until she could follow up with a physical therapist. She would do whatever it took to regain the strength in her right hand, so she could be an agent again.

  That thought didn’t sound as tantalizing as it had before. The two FBI agents, her friends and colleagues, had almost let her die instead of protecting her like they were supposed to. She was so angry at herself, them, at the agency and even at AJ since he’d assigned them. She knew most of her anger was misplaced, but she and the ones she loved could have died.

  Jesse told her that her partner had visited while she’d slept. He’d been riddled with guilt since he’d assigned the agents that had screwed up. As she’d expected, he’d assigned another team and Jesse had refused to let them near her or his property. AJ could have pushed the issue, but he trusted his brother to keep her alive.

  She sat on the bed waiting for her doctor so she could be discharged. She was surprised Jesse hadn’t forced him to see her already.

  The twins looked at Jesse wearing grim faces.

  “What wrong?” She could tell the brothers were keeping something from her.<
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  Matt rubbed his hand on the back of his neck. “With all that’s been going on, we, um, forgot Dev’s birthday.”

  Jesse ran his fingers through his short hair leaving a few strands standing. “Hell. It’s today isn’t it? Did you get him anything?”

  They both shook their heads.

  “At least I won’t be alone.”

  Kate looked at the men, distress written all over their faces. She smiled. “Well then, let’s at least have a party.”

  “Em and Mrs. Kessler are already on the party.”

  “Well, let’s get me out of here so we can shop. You don’t want to show up empty-handed.”

  The twins groaned.

  Jesse leaned over and kissed her lightly on the lips. “Thank you.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY SIX

  Kate didn’t argue with Jesse when they’d returned to his home and he’d guided her to his bed. She’d needed to lie down. Her waves of dizziness hadn’t subsided. After taking the medicine the doctor had prescribed, she’d lain in Jesse’s arms savoring his gentle and reassuring hold.

  She’d slept through lunch and woke alone in his large bed. Slowly standing, she felt relieved that she hadn’t had to fight off dizziness. She took medicine for her headache then joined the family downstairs.

  Mrs. Kessler made her eat before she could help prepare for the small birthday party.

  Emily left the girls in the men’s care while she helped Mrs. Kessler prepare.

  As soon as Kate finished her turkey sandwich, washing it down with the milk Mrs. Kessler instructed her to drink, Emily directed her to pull out the plates, napkins and silverware.

  The professionally looking cake decoration, a computer, three monitors and a keyboard that looked like Devon’s setup, had been decorated by Mrs. Kessler. She’d also made the cake from scratch. The men were lucky to have someone who loved them so much.

  Emily finished chopping, and they put together the snack trays of vegetables and fresh fruit. Although Reagan and Amber ate some fruit and vegetables, Emily made peanut butter sandwiches, cut into small triangles with no crust. She also made the girls a cracker and cheese tray.

  Plates of food for the men stationed outside were set aside to be delivered once cake could be added.

  “How old is Devon?” Kate didn’t know Jesse’s age, but she knew he was two years older than Devon.

  “Thirty-one.”

  That made Jesse thirty-three. They were separated by five years. That wasn’t too much for people to talk. Hell. Let them talk. She didn’t care about their age difference.

  “I think we’re ready to bring it all out to them.”

  They each grabbed a tray, leaving the cake on the table, and walked into the living room. Kate stopped. A tidal wave of warmth flowed through her. Amber giggled as Devon tossed her up then caught her. Reagan had Jesse, AJ, Matt and Brad focused on a story she told them about her and Dottie playing. Dottie lay at her feet.

  She’d never remembered times like this with Jay Ross. He’d been a serious man who worked all of the time, whether in the office or at home. As a little girl, she’d craved his attention and didn’t understand what she’d done wrong. Ariana would comfort her when she’d cried because he hadn’t attended her events, like her first grade play where she’d played a tree.

  She’d feared he hadn’t wanted her because she wasn’t his daughter like Ariana.

  Somewhere along the way, Kelly straightened Jay out, and he worked less. As a teenager, she’d had his full attention. Unfortunately, those were the years she could have done without it. He hadn’t approved of her tight, short clothing. Hadn’t approved of her wearing makeup. And, most certainly hadn’t approved of any boy she’d brought home.

  He’d told her when she’d graduated high school that he’d finally had to accept she was grown and no longer his little girl. The little girl he’d missed growing up. The little girl he loved.

  She loved them. Loved that they had taken her in. Helped her heal. They hadn’t needed to adopt her. She’d been one of the lucky orphans. She knew it and appreciated every moment she’d had with them. Their sudden death had devastated her.

  “Are you going to just stand there staring, or are you going to bring that tray in here?” Jesse had Reagan on his hip, her small arms wrapped tightly around his neck.

  Her smile was instantaneous. This would be her family. It wouldn’t be only her and Ariana any longer.

  “You didn’t have to do this for my birthday.”

  “Of course we had to.” Emily set a tray on the coffee table. “You’re my brother. And I like making fun of you getting old.”

  Devon ruffled his sister’s hair. “Thanks a lot, kiddo.”

  The men scheduled to work the upcoming security shift arrived early to wish Devon a happy birthday and partake in birthday cake. Now she understood why Mrs. Kessler made such a large cake.

  Jesse set his daughter on her feet then reached out and pulled Kate close. “What are you doing? You don’t belong on the sidelines. Your place is here. Beside me.”

  She melted into his side. This was good. Real good.

  He leaned down to her ear and whispered where only she could hear, “I’m already getting hard thinking about what I’m going to do to you tonight, Kate. I can’t wait to taste you, watch you as you make that climb, then come on my tongue.”

  His touch and those few words wooed her into that damn sensual haze. Her pulse raced, her breathing turned hard and erratic, her nipples hardened, her breasts ached to be touched, heat pooled between her thighs. She reached her hands up to touch his chest.

  Before she reached his chest, his phone rang. “Don’t move. I’m not done with you yet.” He growled into the phone, “Hello.”

  Her eyes widened. She’d forgotten they were in the middle of a party, with his daughter in attendance. He’d had her so worked up, she’d been about to reach up and pull his head down for a hard, demanding kiss. Demanding he make good on his promise, right now, right there. She closed her eyes. By God, he’d turned her into a nympho.

  Jesse stiffened and listened intently to the caller. He sighed in relief. “Great job, Joe. AJ will meet you at the field office then get your ass back here.” He turned to the group standing around eating cake and joking.

  “Listen up.” Jesse had to speak up over the noise in the room. “Joe caught Ed.”

  Excitement rippled through the group. The men set their plates of cake down, the party atmosphere vanished, their bodies rigid, their focus on Jesse, their demeanors all business.

  “He’s bringing him back for the FBI. AJ can meet him at the field office.”

  AJ nodded, but remained silent, patiently waiting for the remainder of what Jesse had to tell them.

  “Joe got him to give up the shooter. We’re after Richard Freeman.”

  Son of a bitch was said by multiple men.

  Kate believed it. She despised the man. Could see him as a killer. Now the way he’d watched her when she and AJ had interviewed him made sense.

  “You were right,” Devon said to Jesse. “I dug deep on him like you asked but couldn’t find anything that pointed to him. I’ve got one thing I haven’t been able to access.”

  A surprised look appeared across the men’s faces. Devon had always been able to access whatever he wanted through his computer. She really wanted to know what he’d done for the CIA.

  “A few minutes ago, I got an idea of what might work. I’ll try it as soon as we’re finished.”

  “Men, war room.” Jesse turned to Kate and Emily. “Excuse us, ladies.”

  She put her hands on her hips and blocked his path. “No. Not this time. You are not leaving me out. I will be a part of this. He’s tried to kill me three times. I owe him.”

  He studied her. She thought she’d have to push past him and rush into the room before he could stop her. He wiped his hand over his face and slowly nodded. “Okay. You can be in on the planning, but you are not taking part in capturing him. Is that clear?” />
  She wanted to be the one to capture him. Put the cuffs on him. She deserved to have the right. But, she still didn’t have a strong firing hand. She’d be stupid to participate. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t be there, watching. “Okay.”

  AJ approached Jesse. “It’s our job to capture him and you know it.”

  “Look, AJ. This has been too personal. We’ll bring him to you. I promise in one piece.”

  “Dammit, Jesse! Why can’t you let me do my job without interfering?”

  “Do your job then. Make sure Ed isn’t holding anything back. Joe’s bringing him to you.” He wouldn’t back down on H.I.S. capturing Richard. She felt the same way.

  Her partner balled his hands into tight fists to reign in his anger. “All right. Don’t screw this up.” He turned and stalked out.

  “Daddy, Daddy.” Reagan tugged on his shirt. “Are you going to catch the bad guy?”

  He knelt down on one knee beside her. “We are, pumpkin.”

  “What about Kate? Will she stay with us after you make her safe?”

  Kate held her breath, waiting for his reply. If he wanted her to stay, she would. She’d give herself more time to get him to love her. But, if he didn’t…well, she didn’t want to think about that. Especially since everything was about to be over.

  “We’ll talk about this later. Go with Aunt Em until we’re done.”

  She cocked her head to the right, a scrunched up face concentrated on her father as if she could read his mind. She straightened her head and smiled. “Okay, Daddy.”

  He kissed her. “I love you, Reagan.”

  “I love you too, Daddy.” She skipped to Emily.

  “Let’s get this bastard.” Jesse took Kate’s hand and led her to the war room.

  * * * * *

  Jesse looked up from the floor plan Devon had quickly pulled from somewhere online. “Any questions?”

  He’d outlined their plan to capture Richard, livid that his brothers refused to allow him to participate since he’d also become a target. Even though they were right, it didn’t make it any easier for him to accept. This bastard had tried to kill the woman he loved.