Facing Fire

by HelenKay Dimon

  Fact was, Josiah had handed her the gun on their way out of the building without hesitation because deep down he knew she wouldn’t turn it on him. She’d had every chance. She could have wiped out part of the team numerous times and didn’t. Never planted a device or came out shooting. Benton wanted her with them for some reason, but Josiah didn’t buy Harlan’s reasoning.

  “Ellery cleared her,” Josiah said, pointing out the strongest argument. The one not based on a gut feeling and instincts.

  “Benton didn’t know about that location. He couldn’t. Tasha acquired it after Jake Pearce was already dead. Right?” Harlan looked at Tasha for confirmation but she stayed quiet. “This isn’t about an inside man feeding Benton information.” Harlan hesitated for a second. “Unless he has someone else on the inside.”

  Sutton stood up and inched her way around the couch, away from Harlan. “I can’t believe this.”

  “Hold up.” Mike caught her as she turned the corner. Caught her and put her behind his back and faced down Harlan. “It wasn’t her.”

  “Both of you now?” Harlan exhaled with what sounded like a wealth of frustration.

  Josiah appreciated the support. With Mike next to him they formed a protective wall in front of Sutton. Anyone who wanted to go after her would have to come through them. But Josiah didn’t want it to go this way. In-fighting would destroy them, and right now they needed to be in top form.

  “This, all of this, was a setup,” Josiah said as he laid out his theory, the one he’d been mentally working through as they waited. The only one that made sense and answered all the questions once he realized Sutton truly wasn’t a spy sent in by Benton. “He used the incident at the school to locate us, then track us. There’s no other reason to take the risk at such a high-security facility.”

  “Unless he wanted to destroy Gabe.” Harlan looked to Tasha again. “Isn’t that Benton’s big plan? To take us all apart.”

  “Nah, Josiah’s right.” Mike crossed his arms in front of him. “There were other ways. They could have gone right for the kid or went in like we did. But through the front gates? That’s ballsy shit. Kind of stupid and Benton doesn’t do stupid.”

  Relief nearly pummeled Josiah. He didn’t realize he was holding his breath until he let it go. Knowing Mike had his back on this made it easier.

  “But the kid was not the main priority of that job. Finding us was.” All the pieces clicked together in Josiah’s brain until he didn’t know why he hadn’t seen it before. “Then tonight he goes after Ellery and Drew simultaneously. Our focus was split with Drew.”

  “A decoy.” They were the first words Tasha had spoken. She stood there, taking it all in as she always did. She listened and assessed.

  Josiah wanted to sell it to her because he knew he was right and because he needed her support. He’d go around her if necessary but he’d hate it and be at a disadvantage. He needed her help. “Exactly. The plan was simple but brilliant. Have our people scrambling. Take out Lucas and put Mike on edge.”

  Tasha nodded. “And I had to give the scatter code.”

  “What does that mean?” Sutton asked.

  Sensing the worst of the fight had passed, Josiah moved to the side and brought her up beside him. “We keep team members away from each other to prevent the sort of thing that happened tonight where we potentially all go down at once.”

  “Now I have to keep the team and assets in the U.S. We can’t get Alliance reinforcements here quickly, so we’re vulnerable. Or as vulnerable as these guys can be,” Tasha said in a voice growing angrier with each word. “If he wanted to separate us and take care of us first, this is the right way to go. Pretty smart on Benton’s part. With Pearce gone he had a problem and he fixed it.”

  Harlan stepped back as some of the stiffness left his shoulders, leaving only the usual amount of stiffness. “But that still leaves Ellery in danger.”

  “If he wanted to go after the heart of us, taking her would do it,” Tasha said as she turned to Sutton. “Knowing what you know is now imperative.”

  “My mother dated a man named Ronald Kirn,” Sutton said, then stopped.

  The name meant nothing to Josiah. “Should we know him?”

  “He worked as a scientist at a place called Blennen Richard.”

  Always a scientist. They messed up more cases. Almost made Josiah distrust the entire field.

  Mike spun the nearest laptop around and started typing. His gaze moved over whatever he pulled up in front of him. “The company did serious research on all sorts of nasty chemicals. It operated as a public front but got most of its work through black-ops jobs, testing all sorts of potential weapons. It got shut down due to security issues.”

  The words “black ops” set off a warning bell in Josiah’s head. The “security issues” part sounded pretty shitty as well. “I think I hate where this is going.”

  “I don’t know what he did, but he spooked my mom.” Sutton rubbed her hands together until her skin turned pink. “My mother knew him, how isn’t clear.” Sutton delivered the information in a clear voice. “I know now that she reported him to the FBI. Looks like she then helped to gather information on him while pretending to get close to him.”

  Mike whistled. “Ballsy.”

  “Tough.” Like mother, like daughter, as far as Josiah could tell.

  Sutton smiled. “All five-five of her. Petite and a great shot and not someone who rattled easily.”

  “This was a police assignment?” Josiah asked.

  “No, personal. That’s why it’s not in her official file.” Mike looked around the room but his gaze landed on her. “She, or someone in the FBI on her behalf, made her involvement almost impossible to find.”

  Harlan moved to stand behind Mike and watched the typing from over his shoulder. “Ronald is Benton?”

  “No, Ronald is dead. Killed years ago in a raid in a private lab he’d set up. A raid that came about, in part, because of my mom’s reporting.” Sutton balled her hands into fists. “Upon investigating it became clear he’d been selling weaponized anthrax and some other treats. Had stockpiled a lot of money.” She hesitated. “Well, in theory.”

  Josiah could see it all. A policewoman, curious and questioning by nature, runs into a mess in her personal life and digs deeper. Hits on something way beyond her expectations. “Meaning?”

  “The money went missing right around the time his half brother, Rick, supposedly died.” Sutton shot them all a lopsided smile. “I think he’s your Benton, my Bane. He’s had other names over the years.”

  Mike shrugged. “That might explain how he got into the terrorism and weapons selling business.”

  “Here we are racing all over the world and we find him by accident.” Tasha laughed. “It’s as odd as the Son of Sam being found because of a parking ticket.”

  “I had no idea he was a terrorist or someone people other than me were hunting.”

  Josiah had mentioned something about investigating a con artist. Her fervor went well beyond that. “But you think he killed your mom.”

  Her gaze didn’t waver. “Yes.”

  Josiah got it now. This was personal and ingrained. A part of her she could not let go. Her drive and determination. Why she didn’t just cough up the information. Trust would be as difficult and unnatural for her as it was for them. “That all could make a difference. Thanks for telling us.”

  “Right.” Tasha opened another laptop. “Now we have somewhere to start, another avenue to explore, so we’re not just sitting around waiting.”

  Mike nodded. “Maybe we can get to Benton before he comes for us.”

  “We need to take shifts. You two should get some rest.” Tasha motioned for Josiah to take Sutton and go. “Mike, I want you to stick with me and search through this. Harlan, you too.”

  Mike stepped around the table. “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Sutton, Josiah—go.” With a wave of her hand, Tasha dismissed them and went back to her phone. “Josiah, you can relieve
Mike in a few hours, unless we’re ready to go before then.”

  Duty tugged at him. Josiah didn’t walk away from an investigation but one look at Sutton and he changed his mind. She’d pulled off a pretty big information dump. One that had to impact her on an emotional level. They needed her and for now she needed him.

  Before she could balk or insist on being in on the investigation, he took her hand. Walked with her in silence toward their assigned bedroom. She followed him inside and shut the door behind her.

  When he turned, she stood there looking drained and tired and ready to drop. “That was impressive.”

  “What?” But the spark in her eyes said she knew.

  “You didn’t have to give all that up.”

  “Yeah, I did. I want him caught.” Her body listed to one side. “But right now I could sleep standing up.”

  That was the last thing on his mind. He backed her up against the wall. Balanced her there and hovered over her, not touching. Not yet. “You did great tonight.”

  She flattened her hands on his chest. Instead of pushing him away she skimmed her fingers back and forth over him. “Unloading all of that makes it real again. I feel like I could break into a million pieces at any moment.”

  His insides churned with need. She talked about sleeping and all he could think about was getting inside her. It took all of his willpower just to keep the mundane conversation going, but he sensed she needed to talk. “That’s normal aftermath. I can’t think about my uncle’s last moments or I’ll get derailed from the job. The mourning will come later.”

  “How do you handle it?” Her hand snaked up to the base of his neck. Her thumb slid over his chin.

  The gentle touches drove him wild. “I usually punch things.”

  She smiled, so sweet and alluring. “Well, let’s not do that.”

  “I have other ideas.” All kinds of ideas that involved them getting naked and all over each other. He tried to push the thoughts back but they kept creeping into his head. If she needed time or distance for all the horrors, he’d give it to her. Somehow.

  “Huh.”

  He couldn’t read her. Not right now. “What does that mean?”

  “I thought this sort of thing was a bad idea on the job.”

  Very true. Not smart at all, but with her the need bubbled up from a purely personal place and spilled over. Wiped out his common sense. All of his rules faded away and the last bit of control holding him back finally snapped. Completely abandoned him, leaving him ready to touch her . . . taste her.

  He inhaled and let go of every good argument about why he should stay away from her. “You act as if I can resist you, which I can’t.”

  “Interesting.” She pressed a quick kiss to his lips. “Tell me about those other ideas of yours.”

  He leaned in and brushed his mouth over hers. Once then twice. “I’d rather show you.”

  “Your friends are down the hall.”

  He’d thought about that problem, then decided to ignore it. “It’s a long hallway and we’ll be quiet.”

  He kissed her then. Not the flirting, lingering type. No, this was about taking possession. His mouth covered hers as he pinned her hands against the wall by her head. He heard the thump of her body against the wood, felt every curve as he slid against her.

  Heat overwhelmed him. She lured him in and made him crazy like no one else. He knew he should pull back and walk away. Maybe do some work and wait until she fell asleep to slip back into the room. Should but wasn’t going to. Not when she looked like that, kissed like that.

  He lifted his head and smiled at the sight of her swollen lips and the way she opened her mouth as if she wanted his finger inside. Felt the small puffs of air against his cheek as she fought for breath.

  He wanted her so fucking much. “Sutton?”

  “Yes.” Her hand traveled down to his stomach.

  But he needed to be honest. “I’m not stopping this time.”

  She started to undo his belt. “Sounds like we’re finally on the same page.”

  16

  ALL THE uncertainty and trauma of the last few days fell away when Josiah kissed her neck. His hot mouth touched bare skin, and every nerve ending sparked to life. His body rubbed against hers as a harsh groan escaped his lips. The sound vibrated through her. It was as if her body hummed in time with his.

  Sensations bombarded her. Excitement whipped up inside. Sutton didn’t fight the loss of control. She turned off her mind and let her body go. The list of things she should be doing had been playing in her head, overwhelming her. Threatening to suck her under. Now she only saw him. Felt him.

  When he switched from kissing to tiny nibbling bites, her breath hiccupped in her chest. She tilted her head to the side to give him more room. “God yes.”

  She wanted to touch him, strip those clothes off him, but the feel of being held down set off something wild inside her. She never got into submission, but this . . . he didn’t hurt her or order her around. He took charge and threw them both straight into the fire. And the way he slid his lower half across hers made her crazed with need.

  “Josiah. Bed.” That’s all she could get out.

  He mumbled something before licking a long line up her throat. With a tug, she came off the wall, but her feet didn’t stay on the floor. He lifted her and held her there until she wrapped her arms and legs around him. There was no part of her that didn’t touch him. She fit against him snug and perfect.

  The room spun as he turned and walked them to the bed. The world blurred around her. She expected him to throw her on the mattress and crawl on top of her. She welcomed it. But not him. With an arm supporting her, he lowered her, slow, inch by inch, watching her the entire time. Her body bent back and his mouth went to her stomach but that gaze never left her face.

  When she finally reached the mattress, she reached for him. But he had other ideas. Still wearing her jeans, all her clothes, he spread her legs and knelt between her thighs.

  “I’m going to savor you.” His palms traveled up her legs, starting at her knees.

  The slow trail amounted to sensual torture. Her body revved up and the need churned. She’d never felt like so desperate to touch and taste.

  “I can’t . . . we can’t . . .” She’d explode. Scream and chant his name. Bring the others running.

  “I’ve been dreaming about this from the first time I saw you.” He opened the button at the top of her jeans. “Of fucking you.” The zipper made a ticking sound as he lowered it.

  “Josiah, please.” She didn’t even know what she wanted. His hands, his mouth. The feeling of him over her, inside her. Anything. He had her mind spinning and all sense of self-preservation fleeing.

  Her underwear peeked out and he opened the jeans wider. Pressed his palm over her. “This?”

  The heat from his hand seeped into her. The promise of those fingers had her shifting her legs. “More.”

  Taking his time, not stripping her or jumping on her, he slipped his hands inside her jeans and peeled them down. Actually peeled them, letting the rough edge of the denim brush against her now sensitive skin. When he got to her ankles, she kicked the jeans off. She would have done anything to get naked and start on his clothes.

  She started to jackknife into a sitting position, but he gave her a gentle push to send her sprawling again. Her hair fanned out around her, as she watched his hand start moving again. Those palms traced the line back up her legs until his finger disappeared under the elastic band of her underwear.

  Air pumped through her with enough force to make her chest rise and fall in rapid succession. Those skillful fingers danced around her, learned every inch of her. Then a finger slid inside her. Not deep and not hard. A steady back and forth, in and out, that had her shoulders lifting off the bed.

  “You’re wet.” His voice was filled with awe. “Tell me what you need.”

  She was ready and willing but she couldn’t say the words. Every time she tried to speak she could only fo
rce out a puff of air. But she could show him. She gripped his arm and pushed his finger deeper. Raised her knees and trapped him there between her legs.

  He leaned down and kissed her knees, one then the other. “Tell me.”

  She couldn’t breathe. Her whole body shook.

  “You. Everything.” She opened her legs wider. Her hand went to his shirt and she tried to lift it off. She didn’t want the barrier. The clothes scratched against her, making her even more excited and ready for his touches.

  He leaned back on his heels and his hands left her. Need crashed through her as she struggled to sit up with muscles that had turned to jelly. The pleading died in her throat as he stripped off his shirt. Up and over his head. As it fell to the floor she studied him. The scars and cuts on a body so sleek and muscled he qualified as a weapon.

  She didn’t ask for explanations. Didn’t want to know. This one time her brain didn’t seek out information because her heart knew the pain of knowing all he’d been through would double her over. She skimmed her fingers over a pucker of skin near his collarbone. Kissed the obvious scar from a knife wound under his left nipple. He’d been attacked and lucky to survive, and now all she wanted was to hold and love him.

  With aching slowness, she fell back on the bed and dragged him with her. This time he didn’t hold back. His body came down, crushing her into the mattress. The weight anchored her, freed her. Her hands skimmed over his skin, loving the hard angles of his body . . . those muscles.

  He shifted his legs and his erection pressed against her. There was no question he wanted her. And she was on the verge of losing her mind. She wanted to feel all of him. Her fingers dipped into the space between the waistband of his jeans and his lower back to touch the top of his underwear. She felt the band and his warm skin.

  “I want you naked.”

  He didn’t say anything. Just nodded as he lifted his lower body off her. Without waiting, she slipped her hands between them. Found the bulge behind his zipper and cupped him.

  “Jesus.” His head dropped to her shoulder as he groaned.