Against The Wall

by Dee J. Adams

  “Does that happen a lot?” Her brows quirked up in a leery muttered from across the room. mt him arch.

  “The dreams?” Or nearly killing an innocent woman? She nodded and he owed her the truth. “Yeah. The dreams happen a lot. But I’ve never attacked anyone because of them before. I’d like to say this was a first and a last.”

  Her eyes widened a fraction before she swallowed and slowly stood. “Next time I’ll poke you with a broom stick or something,”

  Tanner almost grinned. She hadn’t asked him to leave or made him feel worse. She’d made a joke. A minute ago, he doubted anything would make him feel better, but she’d managed to take the edge off. “That might be a good idea,” he said.

  “Or maybe I’ll throw a bucket of water over you.”

  That single sentence took him back more than ten years. To the time he and his sisters were washing the family cars for extra money. The girls had ganged up on him and dumped a bucket of cold, soapy water over his back. He’d retaliated by spraying them with the hose. His dad had stormed out of the house, yelling for them stop. He’d confiscated the hose and lined them all up on the driveway. They’d all been sure they were going to be grounded for a month, but with a wicked grin, Dad stated. “He who controls the hose is master.” Then he’d doused them all senseless. The ensuing water fight had lasted a solid hour with massive bouts of squawking, squealing and yelping. Tanner couldn’t remember a time he’d laughed harder.

  Pushing the memory from his mind, he nodded. He might’ve smiled at Jess’s wry statement, but felt like too much of a scumbag. “Are you okay?”

  “I think so. I’m sorry I hurt your side. We should check the stitches.”

  Tanner saw the blood on his shirt. Not a lot, but it had seeped through the bandages. They’d need to be changed and he’d need Jess to help him. The minute she put her soft little hands on him, his cock would jump, grow rock hard and he’d be in a different kind of pain the rest of the day.

  Fuck that.

  “I can do it. I need to get used to changing them myself anyway. I’ll let you know how it looks.”

  She eyed him suspiciously and slowly shook her head. “No, you won’t.” He started to protest and she cut him off. “Oh, you’ll change the bandages, but you won’t tell me if you need more stitches. I have a feeling Victor was right. None of his patients want to go back to him anytime soon.” Jess eased by him. “He gave me extra bandages last night. I’ll get them for you.”

  She’d nearly moved past him when Tanner snagged her ankle with his hand. She froze.

  He looked up, caught her gaze. That same energy that bounced between them yesterday sizzled up again now. Even through her jeans he felt the tensile strength of her leg. She was tough. Tougher than he’d pegged her for when he’d first seen her arguing with Juneau. The longer he spent with her, the more she impressed him. His sisters would’ve approved and they’d always been tough critics when it came to the girls he’d brought home. Not that he ever planned to bring someone ho every member of your familyt "me again.

  But she stared down at him now and he said, “I’m really sorry.”

  Jess nodded. “I know.” She eased her leg from his grasp and left him on the floor.

  ____________

  An hour later, the doorbell chimed. Tanner had refused Jess’s help and cleaned his wound himself. He assured her she hadn’t pulled out any stitches, but it didn’t make her feel better. It was crazy but she felt guilty that she’d hurt him. Grabbing his side had been the only thing she could think of to get him off her. He’d taken her down so fast…pulled her beneath him on the bed with lightning speed. She fought back a shudder remembering his strength, the way he could’ve snapped her like a twig. That was one lesson hard learned, but she wouldn’t make the same mistake twice. She rarely did.

  They’d been discussing her plan to snag Maurice. It seemed too simple to work, but Jess figured that’s what made it a possibility.

  Now, Jess went to the door, leery because of the early hour. Who’d be at the door at six in the morning? Tanner followed her, staying low and out of sight from the front windows. She checked the peephole but didn’t see anybody and after opening the door a fraction, she spotted a small brown box on the doorstep. Clear tape kept it closed and her name was printed neatly across the top. A wave of dread cycled through her stomach. Small boxes delivered by invisible people? Not good.

  With a trembling hand, she took the package and locked the door, showing Tanner as she headed into the kitchen for a knife. “No return address,” she told him.

  “I didn’t think there would be,” he said. “Here, let me.” He set the box on the table, took the knife and sliced open the top, careful not to upset the contents. He peeled back the cardboard and a note lay on the brown tissue paper.

  Tanner picked it up by the corner and read. “A token to remind you of what’s at stake.” He swallowed and looked at her before pulling back the tissue paper.

  Jess tried to make sense of what she saw. Three familiar earrings, but something else… Oh God. Her stomach heaved. They were Brendan’s earrings. Along with flesh and blood. Part of an earlobe was still attached to the jewelry. Brendan’s earlobe. Jess ran for the kitchen sink, her gut churning with nausea, bile thick in her throat. Despair hit so hard she couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think.

  How could this be happening? Why did such sick people exist in the world?

  Anger flared and pushed over despair. She hated Maurice for putting her and her family in this position. But she hated Facinetti more. He was an animal. She’d do anything to see him go down. Jess got control of her nerves and the dry heaves stopped. She wiped tears fiercely from her cheeks before turning to Tanner.

  He hadn’t moved from his spot. His dark eyes watched her intently, focused, ready for anything. Well, he’d damn well better be because she wasn’t backing down. All her life she’d been “the good girl Facinetti didatayto.” She’d helped raise her little brothers and as a role model, she’d taught them right from wrong. She’d almost always taken the high road instead of face confrontation. She’d begged her brothers to turn the other cheek. But sometimes a person couldn’t look away. Sometimes a person needed to take action.

  The thought of Brendan bleeding, of his pain…

  Jess took a deep breath. She had no qualms about what she needed to do.

  “Let’s get started. You need something to wear. I want Maurice now. That SOB is going to pay for this. Then Facinetti is going to pay.” They’d already discussed how to get into Maurice’s penthouse and get him to her car. It was the only viable plan. Jess straightened her shoulders. She grabbed the breath mints on the table and popped two into her mouth. Maurice didn’t have a clue as to her capabilities. She couldn’t wait to show him.

  Tanner stopped in front of her on the way out of the room. “You sure you’re okay?”

  His size, his strength, fed her hope. She had a real chance at making this work with his help.

  He had to drive her to the studio to pick up her car, but once they’d done that, everything would start. Jess had her job and Tanner had his. Maurice had his chance to make things right. Now his ass belonged to her.

  Jess brushed by as she passed him. “No.” Not even close. “I’m mad.”

  If her mother had taught her one thing it was this: Never piss off a St. John.

  ____________

  Jay leaned his forehead against the bathroom door, struggled to keep his emotions in check. He didn’t want Terry to see him lose control, so he’d been holding onto it, dearly, with both hands. None of them had gotten much sleep last night and that only put more strain on all their emotions.

  “Your turn,” she said, flushing the toilet and moving to the sink.

  Three men had been taking them in pairs to use the half bathroom outside the basement. The no frills bathroom had a toilet, pedestal sink and two racks with towels. Each pair got five minutes before the door opened and they got yan
ked out. It was the only reprieve from the handcuffs.

  They probably wouldn’t have gone in pairs if two of the boys hadn’t been so badly hurt. Brendan and Danny had a tough time moving, most likely courtesy of a couple broken ribs, and it took Blake and Eric to help their brothers to the bathroom. Terry, who fancied herself an actress, played more hurt than she was to make sure they let Jay go with her. Although Jay didn’t buy her dizzy routine, the goons with guns had.

  Terry washed her hands, splashed water on her face and neck before checking out her eye in the mirror. “Damn. I look like a zombie,” she muttered. All the blood vessels had popped and the whites of her left eye had gone blood red. The opposite jaw had a black and blue mark from the backhand she’d received last night after talking to Jess.

  “It around her waist and pullor behind ’ll heal,” Jay assured her softly. He’d love her even if she looked like the bride of Frankenstein. “As long as you can see out of it, you’re doing okay.” He zipped up his pants, flushed and took the spot next to Terry at the sink. He didn’t look too hot himself. He had a cut along his cheek and one over his eyebrow. He washed his hands and face, noticing the blood on the towels already hanging over the rack as he reached for the cleanest. All four boys had been in here first and all had suffered after last night’s call. Especially Brendan.

  Jay’s stomach lurched remembering last night. They’d all been helpless as one of the goons ripped out Brendan’s earrings taking half of his earlobe with it. They’d all lunged, screamed and cursed. None of it had done anything but amuse the men watching. Brendan—wild thing that he was, a trait he clearly inherited from his mother—with blood running down his neck and dripping onto his shoulder, had spit at the man who’d hurt him. That stupid move only got him a kick to the ribs. Jay wanted to throttle him, but he couldn’t help but be proud at the smile Brendan gave his attacker. The “fuck you” could not have been clearer if the words had spewed from his son’s mouth.

  It had taken time for Jay to get used to the idea of his son getting an ear pierced, but when Brendan had come home with three earrings in one ear, Jay nearly had a coronary. Now he wished he’d taken Brendan up on the offer to get his ear pierced as well because at least then, they might’ve hurt him and not his son. He’d be able to make a joke about it now instead of consoling his distraught wife. Hey honey, I went a couple of rounds with Tyson. Evander and Me…we’re like this. But he couldn’t joke.

  Jay suspected the earrings, and that piece of Brendan, were headed directly to Jess. God willing, she had listened to the clues they’d given her. Then maybe she had a chance of finding them.

  Jay straightened, saw Terry leaning her head against the door as he’d done a few minutes ago. Only her shoulders were shaking as she silently wept. Jay’s chest constricted and he wanted to howl. No one made his wife cry.

  No one.

  He turned her around, pulled her close. Terry never cried. Yeah, okay, maybe because of a death or a sad movie, but in tough situations, she didn’t break down. She acted. But not this time. He knew his wife. The helplessness was eating her up inside.

  Terry wrapped her arms around his waist as she cried into his shirt. This many years later, he could still be surprised at how small she was against him. How much he towered over her. She was always so strong, so ready to take on anything that he always considered her more of a giant.

  Jay kissed the top of her head, stroked her back. “We’re going to get out of here. I promise,” he told her. He checked his watch. He had two more minutes of alone time with his wife. He hefted her onto the sink’s edge and cupped her face in his hands. “Do you believe me?”

  She tried to break free of his grasp, but he held her still. Finally she met his gaze, her blue eyes desolate. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” she whispered.

  Jay shook his head. “I wouldn’t do that.” He muttered from across the room. mt him leaned close, brushed his lips against hers. She tilted her head a fraction, made it easier for him to take more of her mouth and he did without hesitation. Maybe she thought this was the last time they’d kiss because she wrapped her legs around his hips, pulled him close and sucked the living hell out of him. She’d always been a little wild, a little wicked, as evidenced by getting pregnant and having their first baby at sixteen. Sure, he’d been just as responsible… or irresponsible. Terry had a sex drive that would keep two men happy much less one. But this kiss wasn’t about sex. It was about love. Survival. It was about vows they’d spoken twenty-four years ago when Terry had finally agreed to marry him after two years of him begging. For better or worse, richer or poorer, sickness and health. There’d been no mention of kidnapping, but that clearly fell into the “worse” category.

  Jay pulled away, looked into the blue eyes he loved so well. The blue eyes she’d given to all their sons. “I’m going to get us out of here. We’re not going to die.”

  Tears shimmered in her eyes. “You heard him last night.” Yes, Jay had. They still didn’t know his name. He said he’d start killing them one by one if he didn’t get what he wanted. Something Jess could get him. “Who is this guy? What does he want?”

  “I wish I knew.” Maybe that’s what Jay needed to do. Find out what this guy wanted and see if he could get it for him. It beat not trying anything at all.

  Jay leaned forward and kissed her again, more softly this time. The kind of kiss he gave her when he planned for seduction at night. The slow this-is-just-a-taste-of-what’s-coming-later kiss.

  Someone banged on the door three seconds before it burst open. Two men with guns waited in the hall. One of them dangled the cuffs in his hand. “Time’s up,” he said.

  Back to the basement they went.

  ____________

  After Jess pulled herself together, she and Tanner rummaged through her brother’s closet and found a uniform for him. Apparently, Danny worked summers as a valet for private parties. The white dress shirt could’ve been a touch bigger, but considering it even came close to stretching over his shoulders, Tanner didn’t balk. The snug shirt rubbed against his bandages, but he didn’t bitch about that either.

  While Jess had scrounged for the vest, Tanner had eyed the family photos on Danny’s shelves. Her father wasn’t a tiny man either. Actually, Tanner had thought her father was an older brother until Jess had told him differently, but they’d all had on sunglasses and baseball caps and there’d been no distinguishing between them.

  She’d been quiet as she rifled through her brother’s things. Angrily so. He didn’t blame her. If anyone fucked with one of his sisters, he’d be likely to kill them, and she obviously had a soft spot for her brothers. All of whom were younger. That tidbit almost made him smile considering they were all monsters like himself.

  Now, in his Volvo, Tanner followed Jess’s tiny Smart car to a high rise building on Wilshire Boulevard. He didn’. “Not a problem. I satt see how a human fit in that tin can of a car, but she clearly loved the thing and it was exactly the kind of vehicle they needed to make this con work. They both realized how tricky the situation was. The fact that Jess had paperwork Juneau needed for his meeting this morning was luck on her part. Asking for her paycheck just added to the reasons to be here. Once Juneau’s car wouldn’t start, the con was on.

  Jess pulled toward the garage, spoke with one of the two men on duty and pointed back to Tanner’s Volvo where he forced himself to smile benignly.

  The building itself had to be twenty stories. Large balconies decorated with potted plants or wrought iron furniture dotted the exterior. Behind a glass revolving door, a giant lobby with marble floors reeked of wealth.

  Whatever Jess said worked because the gate opened and the men signaled him to follow her. Tanner waved as he drove past. Friendly, friendly. Once in the garage he parked in a visitor spot and quickly caught up with Jess where she’d parked in the back near Juneau’s black Town Car. More than a dozen cars still littered the garage so there was still a chance that someon
e might see him. Jess looked around as she opened the door and then popped the hood of the sleek car.

  “Merry Christmas,” she said quietly. “It’s all yours. Do your worst. I told the guys up front that you’re a new hire and this is your first day. They’ll leave you alone. You’ve only got fifteen minutes, max, before we’ll be down. Maurice doesn’t like to be late and he’s got a business breakfast this morning at eight.”

  “You’re sure he won’t throw you out on your ass and call for a cab when he gets down here?”

  Jess held up the large folder in her hand. “He needs this research for his meeting, so he can’t throw me out until he has it. I told him I’d get it to him this morning plus it’s going to take him a few extra minutes to make out my check. A cab will take too long to get here and he wouldn’t get in Hector’s beat up Chevy if you paid him money. He’ll beg me to take him, and for the nominal fee of the cash in his wallet, I’ll do him a huge favor and drive him to his meeting. My car is a two-seater. His guys will be stuck here waiting for the auto club. Just make sure whatever you do is something they can’t fix fast.”

  Tanner lifted his eyebrows. “You doubt me?”

  She shook her head, her big brown eyes luminous. Tanner read her fear, but mostly he saw determination. He wanted to tell her that everything was going to work out, but he honestly didn’t know if it would.

  Jess popped two little breath mints in her mouth and headed to the elevator at a jog. Her tight little ass called to Tanner in a big way. Yeah, he’d keep his distance, but he didn’t know for how long. Getting back to business, he lifted the hood on the car. With a last glance over his shoulder, he went to work, loosening wires and discreetly slicing hoses. This was just plain fun.

  He finished with plenty of time to spare, got back in his car and waited for Jess to come down. He was supposed to leave the building, but wanted to make sure everything went off as planned. Juneau had no idea what car Tanner drove and he wouldn’t be expecting him after last night anyway. Tanner want something else sated to be close in case Jess needed him. He owed her that much and more.