Deadly Payback (Hardy Brothers Security Book 22)

by Lily Harper Hart

  “I know what would make you feel better,” Mandy teased, leaning forward so she could kiss the ridge of his ear. It sent an involuntary shudder down his spine as he pressed his eyes shut. “We should go to bed early.”

  James cupped the hand she held to his jaw and kissed the tip of her nose. “Not tonight.”

  Mandy frowned. “What? Do you have a headache?”

  “No,” James replied. “I have remnants of heartache. I don’t want to do that when you’re hurt and Clint is out there. Once these people are out of our house and I’m sure I won’t hurt you … .”

  “It’s fine,” Mandy said, not even bothering to hide her annoyance. “If you don’t feel you’re up to it … .”

  James made a throat-clearing sound as he regarded her. “I know what you’re doing,” he said. “If you think calling my manhood into question is going to make me give you what you want in this instance, you’re sadly mistaken.”

  “That’s not what I was doing,” Mandy countered. “I was simply stating a fact. You’re probably still weak from lack of sleep.”

  “Don’t push me, Mandy,” James warned, wagging a finger. “I want you to be completely healed before we do that.”

  “That’s not going to happen for weeks, and if you think I’m waiting that long, you’re crazy,” Mandy said. “I’ll just have to find someone else who is up to the job if you’re not willing to do it.”

  James scorched her with a dark look. “That’s not even funny to joke about.”

  Mandy was instantly contrite. “I’m sorry. That wasn’t fair. I want to be with you, though.”

  “Baby, you’re hurt and still recovering from what happened … .”

  Mandy decided to switch tactics before he had a chance to finish his sentence. “It’s fine.” She adopted a piteous look as she waved her hand. “If you don’t feel that way about me … or if something has changed because you’re not attracted to me … I understand. Maybe we can get twin beds or something.”

  “Oh, knock that off right this second,” James growled, grabbing her wrist. “You know that’s not true. I just … the house is full of people and you’re still fragile.”

  “I’m stronger than you think.”

  “You’re the strongest person I know,” James said. “I just … .”

  Mandy decided to play her trump card. It was manipulative, but she couldn’t help herself. “I thought you loved me.”

  “That did it.” James hopped to his feet and grabbed Mandy around the waist, heaving her over his shoulder instead of carrying her like a princess as he’d been doing over the past few days. “We’re going to bed.”

  Grady raised his eyebrows as he locked gazes with his brother, shaking his head as Mandy giggled and James bounded toward the stairs. “Seriously? Are you guys animals?”

  “I guess so,” James said. “My hen won’t stop clucking and now I’m going to shut her up.”

  “If she’s quiet, you’re doing it wrong,” Grady said, earning a pointed glare for his effort. “Have fun, though. We’ll see you in the morning.”

  “Yes, I can’t wait,” James said. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, my wife needs to be taught a very important lesson about pushing the wrong buttons.”

  “Oh, you say that like it’s a bad thing, but from where I’m standing … er, kind of laying … this has worked out well for me,” Mandy sputtered.

  “Keep thinking that, wife,” James said, ascending the stairs. “You might change your mind in a few minutes.”

  Mandy was defiant. “Never.”

  “Well, we’ll just see about that, won’t we? To the rest of you, we’ll see you in the morning. Don’t even think of bothering us.”

  “We would never,” Finn said, shaking his head as James and Mandy disappeared from view. “It’s good to know they’re still sick, huh?”

  “Are they doing what I think they’re doing?” Bradshaw asked, dumbfounded.

  “Yes, and they’re going to be doing it for hours,” Grady said. “Who wants that cake we’ve been hiding from Mandy? I think now is the time to break it out.”

  “You had me at cake,” Jake said, grinning.

  “Me, too,” Bradshaw said, shaking his head as he turned away from the staircase. “This really is an odd family. You know that, right?”

  “Know it? We’re proud of it.”

  24

  Twenty-Four

  “Are you afraid?”

  James sat on the couch the next afternoon, Mandy’s legs resting on his lap. The house was empty for the first time since Heidi died. It was just the two of them – something he thought he wanted – but now he felt paralyzed by the plan of action they agreed to.

  The group spent hours the night before going through every possible scenario. They went through time frames, security, and even contingency plans. James knew it was their best move, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that Mandy would fall into Clint’s clutches when they made a mistake. It wasn’t an “if” situation. It was a “when” situation.

  “I’m not afraid, James,” Mandy said, resting her head on his shoulder. “You’re here. I’ll be fine.”

  “I was at the courthouse, too,” James reminded her. “I was in the parking garage. Heck, I was probably in the parking garage when he took you out of that building. We still don’t know how he did that.”

  “He put me in the mail basket,” Mandy said. “I kind of remember it. I was hazy. He dumped me in it and walked out the side door. He didn’t take me through the garage. There was nothing you could’ve done to stop what happened.”

  “I could’ve gone with you,” James argued. “If I was by your side – where I belonged, mind you – he never would’ve taken you.”

  “That time,” Mandy said. “He just would’ve waited until he got another chance. We both know it. What would’ve happened if he chose a time when no one would’ve noticed I was gone until it was hours too late? You were minutes behind me. It’s because of that you managed to find me.”

  “I didn’t find you, though, baby,” James said. “Grady did. Maverick did the computer work. Finn and Jake did the work at the gun shop. I didn’t do anything but … cry.”

  Mandy pursed her lips and ran her finger down his cheek. “You loved me. I felt you. I knew you were coming.”

  “I failed,” James said, his expression earnest as he locked gazes with his wife. “I failed you … and I’m so sorry.”

  “You didn’t fail me,” Mandy countered, annoyed. “Stop saying that. I don’t understand how you can even think that. You did the best you could.”

  “I still failed you.”

  “Okay, if you want to believe that, I guess it’s only fair for me to believe that I failed Heidi,” Mandy said, adjusting her approach. “I guess we’re both failures.”

  “Knock that off,” James chided, wagging a finger in her face. “You did not fail Heidi. There was no way you could’ve known what Clint was. He fooled us all.”

  “Then why do you think you should’ve been superhuman and somehow saved me from something none of us expected?”

  “I see what you’re doing, wife, and I appreciate it,” James said. “I still feel as if I failed you. I cannot change that. No matter what, though, I refuse to fail you tonight. I’ll protect you with my dying breath if it comes to it.”

  “It had better not come to it,” Mandy said. “In fact … I need you to promise me something.”

  “What?” James was suspicious. He could tell by her tone she was about to manipulate him.

  “I want you to promise that you won’t kill Clint when he comes for me,” Mandy said. “I need you to swear it to me.”

  “What? No!” James was incensed. “He took you from me. He just … took you. He kept you tied to a chair. He slapped you. He killed Heidi. I’m killing him.”

  “No, you’re not,” Mandy said, her voice firm as she shook her head. “You’re not killing him because if you do it the wrong way you could end up in jail. I can’t take that. It will break
me.”

  “Baby, that’s not going to happen,” James protested. “The sheriff is in on the plan. He knows what’s going down.”

  “I don’t care,” Mandy said. “Clint killed Heidi and feels no remorse. You’re not Clint, though. You’ll feel something … and I’ll definitely feel something. I don’t want Clint haunting us. Not in that way, at least.

  “I want Clint to spend the rest of his life in jail,” she continued. “I saw those photographs Peter collected from Clint’s house. I want to make copies of them and send a photo to Clint every month. I also want to take a series of selfies of us kissing and include those in his care package, too.

  “If you kill him tonight, it will be over and he’ll never pay for what he’s done,” she said. “I want him to live a long time. I want him in the general population of a prison – where I know he won’t do well – and I want him to suffer. I do not want him to change the trajectory of our lives. I do want to forever alter his, though.”

  James ran his tongue over his teeth as he considered the impassioned plea. She was earnest and determined. He understood what she was asking, and part of him agreed with her. The other part wanted to rip out Clint’s throat and make him feel a world of pain before he snuffed out the light behind his eyes.

  “I promise to do my best to keep him alive,” James said finally. “You know I can’t promise to do it no matter what in case things get out of hand. If he puts his hands on you … .”

  “I understand that,” Mandy said, leaning forward so she could press a soft kiss to the corner of his mouth. “I know you’ll do your best. This really is going to be okay.”

  “It had better be,” James said, pulling Mandy tight so he could hug her. “I want to spend some time in our hot tub. I don’t even care if I have to wrap your foot in a baggie.”

  “Oh, the hot tub sounds nice,” Mandy said. “I just want to get naked again. I know you’re not going to do that until Clint is locked up and you’re convinced you won’t hurt me. You treated me like broken glass last night. We’re handing one – if not both – of those things tonight.”

  James barked out a curt laugh. “Oh, I love you, baby. Never change.”

  “I love you, too.”

  They exchanged a sweet kiss.

  “Are you ready for this?” James asked.

  “I’m ready.”

  “Then let’s do it,” James said, scooping her into his arms and moving toward the kitchen. “If we’re lucky, this will be over soon.”

  “I’m feeling lucky.”

  “Since when?”

  “Since the moment you came back into my life,” Mandy replied.

  “Right back at you, baby.”

  “BABY, I’m going to the guesthouse for a few minutes,” James called out, his hand on the sliding glass door handle. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

  Mandy met his gaze from her spot on the couch. “Okay. I’m just going to pick out a movie while you’re gone.”

  Even though it was part of their plan, James hated leaving her. “I won’t be long.”

  “I’ll be waiting.”

  James sucked in a breath as he hit the back patio. The sun was essentially gone, sinking below the horizon a few minutes before and leaving nothing but a warm glow as the cool night sky descended. Every nerve in James’ body stood on end as he tugged his T-shirt over his cargo shorts and trudged in the direction of the guesthouse. If all of their calculations were correct, Clint would go after James first.

  James was almost at the guesthouse when he saw a figure detach from the side of the building. He recognized Clint’s gait before the man drew close enough for James to make out his features. He had a gun in his hand, and logically James knew he should be afraid, but all he felt was outright anger when he caught sight of the man who tried to steal his wife.

  “Clint.”

  For his part, the security guard looked surprised by James’ calm greeting. He was expecting shrieks of fear … or at least an “Omigod I thought you were dead.” Instead he got an even glare and cool reception.

  “You almost act as if you were expecting me,” Clint said, briefly shifting his eyes toward the house before focusing his full attention on James. “Is my wife inside?”

  “No, my wife is inside,” James replied. “She’s getting ready to put a shark movie into the Blu-ray player. I’m going to romance the crap out of her as soon as we’ve taken care of you.”

  “You’re funny,” Clint said, making a face. “Why would she be watching a shark movie?”

  It was only then that James realized Clint didn’t know Mandy enough to love her. He fell in love with the idea of her. He had no familiarity with the real woman at all.

  “Because my wife has a shark fetish,” James replied. “Watching sharks eat people turns her on.”

  “Stop calling her that,” Clint spat, annoyed. “And … I don’t believe you about the other.”

  “Oh, yeah?” James refused to let Clint ruffle him. He knew Grady, Finn, and Jake were moving in as the two men talked. Heck, they were probably already there. That was on top of Sven and Rodrigo collapsing on the house to protect Mandy. As soon as Clint came out of hiding the plan went into action. “Then you’re even dumber than we initially thought.”

  “You see I’m holding a gun, right?” Clint tightened his grip on the weapon. “I would be very careful how you address me.”

  “And why is that?” James challenged. The longer he was in Clint’s presence, the more his anger ebbed. He wanted to understand Clint, but he also grasped the fact that the man was beyond reason. “Is this part of that spy gig you told your mother about?” James chuckled because he knew it would annoy Clint. “I really liked the part where you lied and told her you met Mandy on a mission.”

  “I never lied,” Clint hissed. “I … that’s all true. Mandy didn’t tell you because she didn’t want to hurt your feelings.”

  “I don’t know who you’re trying to convince when you tell that story, but it can’t possibly be me,” James said. “I know you’re a fake and a fraud. Soon, your mother will, too.”

  “My mother believes in me,” Clint shot back. “She knows I’m special and gifted.”

  “Is that your problem?” James asked. “Do you want to be special? Do you think Mandy fell in love with me because I’m gifted?”

  “Don’t ever say that,” Clint warned, waving the gun for emphasis. “Mandy loves me. She doesn’t love you.”

  “That’s not true.”

  James internally cringed when he heard Mandy’s voice, casting a dark look over his shoulder when he saw her emerge from the shadows. “I am going to kill you,” he muttered. “You were supposed to stay in the house.”

  “I had to see,” Mandy said, wisely keeping her distance from the two men. “I wanted to see him one last time.”

  “Last time?” Clint was confused. “This is just the beginning. We’re going to have a life together. I’m going to kill James and we’re going to run away together. We’ll finally be free. We’re going to fall in love and live happily ever after.”

  “No, we’re not,” Mandy said, shaking her head as she leaned against one of the outside loungers to alleviate the weight on her bandaged foot. “I wouldn’t care about you if the world was overrun with spiders and you were the only one with access to Raid.”

  “Oh, nice one, baby,” James said. He was still annoyed with her insistence on coming outside, but once he caught sight of Rodrigo and Sven near the house – they hung back so she could get her say in – he visibly relaxed. Even if Clint did manage to get a shot off in his direction, Mandy would be safe. That was all that mattered to him.

  “Thank you,” Mandy said, beaming. “Why haven’t you punched him yet?”

  “We’re still talking,” James said. “Sadly, I don’t think Clint realizes this was all a set-up.”

  The words finally penetrated Clint’s muddled brain and he was confused when he glanced in James’ direction. “What did you just say?”
>
  “I said this was a trap,” James answered. “We did all of this to draw you in.”

  “No.” Clint shook his head. “They found a body they thought was mine near the cabin. That was a stroke of luck, huh? That’s why your family left.”

  “Or maybe we just wanted you to believe we left,” Grady called out, slipping into view on the other side of the pool. He had his gun drawn and leveled on Clint. “The sheriff was keen to help.”

  “No.”

  “Yes,” Finn said, walking out from behind the guesthouse. “We took a step back because we knew you would rush forward. We wanted you to think you were ahead even though we were right behind you.”

  “It’s over, Clint,” James said, his voice even. “You never had a chance.”

  “No, he had a chance,” Mandy corrected, scowling when she realized Clint was smiling at her. “He never had a chance with me, mind you, but he had a chance at a real life with Heidi.” Mandy hobbled forward, almost tripping before Sven caught her arm and steadied her.

  “Heidi loved you, Clint,” Mandy said, her voice cracking. “She thought you were a good man. She thought you were her future. You abused the trust she placed in you and killed your own unborn child. You make me sick.”

  “Baby, maybe you should go back inside,” James suggested, worry coursing through him. “This might be too much.”

  “It’s not too much,” Mandy countered. “I want him to hear me before you get rid of him. I want him to know exactly what I think.”

  “Okay.” James was resigned. She needed to get this out of her system. It was the only way she would be able to let go of the past and look forward to the future. “Go ahead, wife. Let him have it.”

  “Do you want to know why I could never love you, Clint?” Mandy asked. “I mean, other than the obvious, of course.”

  “What is that supposed to mean?” Despite his predicament, Clint remained mesmerized by Mandy’s presence. He wasn’t even looking for a way to escape.