As soon at they’d stepped out into the night, Blaster had felt a telltale prickle run down his spine. He’d almost dragged her to cover with that arm around her waist but then the distinct shuffle of movement in the shadows convinced him whoever was behind them were pitiful amateurs.
“I guess I could hear a suggestion or two, but what the hell, I like these clothes.” He waved a hand at himself and used the motion to flash Marine hand signals that two people were following them.
Jas snorted. “Like I didn’t know that, hillbilly boy. You look like a pickup-drivin’, tobacco-chewing, honky-tonk-type jerk. Just the sort this sista is itching to get her hands on tonight.” While she spoke, her hand flashed the location behind them of the figures following.
Apparently sheepish, Blaster grinned. “Well, you’re in luck. I don’t care where you put your hands.”
Jas’ smile was predatory and her tilted, honey-brown eyes sparkled with a child’s enjoyment of a wicked plan. Anticipation zipped around her and she couldn’t resist a chuckle that sounded suspiciously like delight. “I neva’ did enjoy myself today, bubba. Dressin’ you down should be fun.”
She’d told him she knew the stalkers were there, described them to him and stated her intention to deal with them. All in a few sentences that sounded as if it were part of their conversation.
She was good. Her observation skills were on a par with his. Dropping into slang was a handy device for communication in code and it also shot a barb of satisfaction through him. She expected him to know she didn’t speak that way normally. It was a small bit of confidence in his abilities that made him ridiculously happy. She’d been paying attention.
Blaster paused, his hand contracted briefly on her hip as he leaned to brush his lips over her ear. “Do. Not. Kill. Anyone,” he whispered in warning.
The two men jumped just as Jas and Blaster arrived at her room door. Appearing totally unaware as they faced the door, the slightly clumsy stalkers had felt secure in their attack. Two surprised grunts and both bodies landed with muffled thuds in the parking lot. No screams disturbed the night. Both men were unconscious before they hit the ground.
Blaster hefted one attacker over his shoulder. Jas grabbed the other unconscious man’s collar and began dragging him to her room.
Blaster got there first and was waiting patiently for her with his burden. “I’d have gotten him for you, angel,” he told her cheerfully.
Jas let the man slump against the wall and fished her room key out of her pocket. “I take care of my own messes,” she told him calmly as she opened her door. “He smells. I don’t want that stink all over my jacket.” She dragged her still unconscious man in and deposited him against the wall next to the one Blaster had placed there. Blaster patted both men down quickly but didn’t come across anything more threatening than a key chain.
They stood back to survey the would-be attackers. The two were average, scruffy young men. There were no jackets over the threadbare T-shirts. Both pairs of jeans had the grimy look of being worn for days without being taken off. The only fresh thing about these two was on their feet.
“The boys have new shoes,” Blaster grunted.
Jas raised an eyebrow. “Ya think?” Her tone was condescending. It was an obvious detail she’d noticed already. “Looks like we have the donators for the fake prints under the tree. Too bad these dumb fucks weren’t the shooters. We would have caught Stumble and Fumble.” Jas shook her head as she regarded the men.
Jas abruptly turned to the bathroom, grabbed the cheap ice bucket off her dresser and took it to the sink. Coming back, she grinned at Blaster. “Ready?”
In two quick flicks of her wrist half the bucket of water hit one man in the face, followed by the rest of it in his buddy’s.
Sputtering and groggy, both men started to come around. Looking up, they were faced with Blaster and Jas standing a short distance away. Both began to scramble up.
“Bad idea, boys. Y’all get to your feet and she’ll put ya’ down again,” Blaster drawled casually.
“Fuck that,” the larger man snarled as he made it to a crouch.
Jas stepped forward and slammed the heel of her open palm into his temple. The man crumpled into unconsciousness. The move was fast and smooth, appearing effortless on her part. The other man’s eyes rounded at the vicious hit that effectively incapacitated his companion. He slowly relaxed back to the floor.
“Wise choice,” Blaster smiled. “I see you boys gotcha some new shoes. What happened to the old ones?”
“My shoes? You wanna know ’bout shoes?” Confused, the skinny man glanced at his feet. Not an overly small man, he managed to appear smaller than he was because of his leanness. Ferret-like in appearance and mannerisms of quick glances and nervous jerks.
Blaster’s smile was his standard I’m a nice guy friendly grin. “I figure it’s the beginning. Thought I’d let you start there so as not to confuse yourself. The lady is impatient and if you start stumbling all over a lie, well, as I said, she’s impatient.”
“I know my rights. I don’t hafta’ say nothin’. You got no evidence and you hafta’ let us go. Hit us again and we’ll sue!” The man on the floor warmed up to his threats and the last was yelled at them in a futile attempt to draw attention from anyone who could hear the noise.
Blaster laughed softly before he squatted to be on eye level with the boy. “Do I look like the law? You have no rights, idiot. You attacked us. You’re inside the door of our temporary home. Someone could accidentally shoot you both and we’d probably get off. Now I figure you and the napping bubba were set up. I’m giving you a chance to explain. It’s a sure bet the boys who put you up to this never mentioned angel face is trained to kill. Alone and defending herself against two men would likely involve a kill. Why don’t you start with the shoes and explain what happened today?”
“Nobody said nothin’ about killin’ anyone.” The man’s wide eyes flicked to Jas who leaned one shoulder against the door. Her arms were folded and she appeared relaxed as Blaster questioned the man.
“What were you supposed to do?” Blaster asked insistently.
“Ah, it weren’t nothin’.” Glancing at the woman who’d so effectively knocked his buddy out—twice—the skinny man made a choice to talk. “They told us to have a little fun…” He paused as he stumbled over amending his instructions. “Make sure her face was bruised and let her know there’d be more if she didn’t shut up…” He stopped talking as Jas slowly straightened from the door.
“Your job was to beat and rape me?” Her voice was silky with menace.
“Ah, no, no!” the man denied, shaking his head. “Jus’, ah, they said you needed a les… Earl and I was to…” The man looked desperately at Blaster. “It was a job, man. Just a job. There ain’t many jobs,” he insisted earnestly.
“Is that right?” Blaster scratched his jaw as if he were considering that. “Seems to me y’all got lots of jobs with the movie people in town. Has this motel ever been full before? How about the diner, ever had a line before? And the U-Haul rental at the gas station, has it ever been used up before? What do you think happens if you mess up the lady’s face? The movie people leave and there are no more jobs. What do you suppose the folk around here are gonna do with you and Earl when they figure what you did? Mighty shortsighted plan you got. Now start at the beginning and tell us what happened today.”
The man on the floor gaped at Blaster a few seconds as he absorbed that bit of logic. It seemed to penetrate and he glanced down at his shoes.
“These two guys jus’ bought our old shoes this morning. Paid us a hundred dollars for ’em. Then they was in the bar this evening and told us they had a job for us. Paid us a hundred dollars each this time. We was supposed to rough her up. Said it’d be easy…” Wide eyes darting between them, he gulped in air.
“What’s your name anyway?” Blaster asked calmly.
“Morley, my name is Morley. This is Earl,” he nervously indicated the slumped man besid
e him.
“Have you ever raped a woman, Morley?” Blaster asked gravely.
“Ah, no, sir. We wasn’t…”
“Don’t start lying now, it’ll make her mad. The thing you need to understand is rape is not about the sex, Morley. It’s about control and dominance. It’s a violent act meant to destroy more than her looks. Right now the lady is having fun and the two of you are looking a little banged up on the floor.
“Did you know she’s a fully trained Marine? When a Marine lays hand to weapon, it’s a serious thing, Morley. What do you suppose would happen if she felt threatened? The fellas who sent you know all about her training and how effectively she uses it. I ’spect she has at least two guns and possibly four knives on her. It’s hard to tell. Do you get what I’m saying?” Blaster was still on his haunches looking Morley square in the eye.
Morley glanced apprehensively at Jas, who smiled at him, and then she chuckled as he shrank back, flattening himself against the wall. Standing with one shoulder leaning on the door, she was cleaning the undersides of her nails with a wicked-looking knife. Its matte finish made it appear even more threatening. In weak light from the overhead fixture, the dark blade managed to glow menacingly as it moved in her hand.
“I see you got the picture. Those guys were hoping she’d kill one or both of you. Do you understand me?” Blaster paused for the information to sink in. Morley nodded mutely after a moment. “So your new best buddies sent you here to die. They made sure of it by warming her up to full defensive alert by shooting at her this morning and then sent you two idiots to attack her. Your part of the plan was to die so they could have her arrested and shut down the movie.”
Morley gulped as he glanced between Blaster and Jas. He appeared to be making every effort to meld with the wall as his eyes ricocheted between them.
Beside Morley, Earl groggily grunted and grabbed his head. “That bitch broke my skull. She fucking…” Earl’s eyes slowly opened and he looked around, his face twisting in an ugly snarl.
“Shut up, Earl!” Morley hissed without taking eyes off Jas, who’d straightened from the door. The knife had disappeared on her body somewhere and she stood with her arms slightly bent. Obviously in ready stance, though the look on her face was barely interested.
Earl, still holding his head, gaped at Morley. “What the fuck? Since when do you fuckin’ order me around? I’m gonna beat you to a goddamn pulp right after I’m finished with the bitch.”
“Shut the fuck up!” Morley repeated slowly as he watched Jas stroll the short distance to stand beside Blaster, who was still on his haunches.
Blaster stood as Earl pushed himself up, using the wall. It was apparent he was dizzy for a moment then he got a hold of himself. Even though Earl was obviously quite young, he had a heavy look about him. He carried the oily weight of too much to drink, too much to eat and too little time in a shower. The skin under his eyes sagged as if it were already tired of being on his face. His thick lips had a tendency to hang open. It was a shame because the open mouth showed how little he knew about dental hygiene.
“You hit me, bitch. You fuckin’ hit me and you’re gonna pay.” Earl’s thick, but soft body weight shifted, telegraphing his intention to rush Jas. Morley moved amazingly fast, straightening off the floor and grabbing his buddy by the shoulders to pin him against the wall.
“For once in your life you’re gonna shut up and listen to me, Earl. These people are killers. Think about it. They put us down without breaking a sweat. They can do it again.” Morley glanced over his shoulder at Blaster and Jas. “Just let us go and you’ll never see us again, mister. Honest.”
Blaster shrugged. “It’s up to the lady.”
“Ma’am, please. He’s an idiot. He’s got two kids to support. Killin’ him would close down your movie for sure. Please, ma’am. You’ll never see us again.”
“What the fuck?” Earl mumbled in consternation at Morley’s strange behavior.
“There’s the door, idiot. You’re not tied up.” Jas flicked a graceful arm at the door. “And I wouldn’t kill him. Just have a little fun. Why don’t you let ol’ Earl go, hon? Baby boy wants to dance and he’s sweet-talked me into the mood.” Her smile was soft as her head tilted to the side in charming question. Her arms hung loosely at her sides, the only sign of danger were her hands. They slowly opened and closed at her sides.
Morley turned to Earl. Nose to nose he gritted out between clenched teeth, “You damn, dumb fuck. You do something stupid and leave my sister to raise those kids alone, I’ll kill you myself. You’re gonna walk outta here and do it with your mouth shut. Come on.”
Morley dragged a confused, muttering Earl out the door.
“Well, that was disappointing.” Jas shut the door behind them and turned to grin at Blaster. “But interesting. Why did you make me out to be the devil with tits? Damn, I was beginning to believe I could grow horns with the best of them. We both know who the real killer in the room is.”
“Seemed the boys needed a little fear to spread around to their friends and you’re fully capable of everything I said. Certainly armed with more weapons than I mentioned.”
Blaster ran a hand around the back of his neck as he eyed her leaning against the door again. Through the tank top he could see her breasts puckered in excitement. The intoxicating aroma that was so singularly hers barely tinged the air he breathed. She was aroused and wet. Sweet Jesus, how was anyone supposed to resist her? He answered himself—by remembering she could probably remove a man’s balls before the message got to his brain that they were missing.
Blaster recognized the move she’d used to put Earl down was from an Eastern discipline. The core of that art was speed and stealth. It taught its students to work with their own strengths regardless of the size of their opponent. He’d never studied it himself, but he’d seen the results when an outwardly small master got through with an opponent. Jas appeared quite proficient. Damn, his dick was a rain stick pointing at the astounding woman.
Jas raised a brow and chuckled. “And how many weapons do you have stashed? More than four I’m betting.”
“I told you I’m a prepared sorta of guy.” Blaster let his eyes travel up and down her. “And I know for a fact that you’re carrying more than four.” She was vibrating with energy. Adrenaline still sang in her veins as it did in his own.
“Oh yeah? How do you know that?” The purr in her voice was perilous and he knew it as she pushed away from the door to stroll into his space again.
Blaster let a lazy smile tug at the corner of his lips. She stopped intimately close. His hands slowly cupped the two guns holstered under her arms hidden by her jacket. “’Coz I saw these.” His hands trailed down to her waist then to her hips. Palms on her hip bones slowly moved around to her back, in a whisper he counted, “Three and four,” as his hands passed over two knives. He stopped. “Want me to go on?”
Taut under his touch, she was motionless in the fashion of a cat that’s done stalking and waiting to pounce. He expected her to move away with a smart comment or knee him in the nuts. Both of them were dangerously high on the sexual struggle that’d sprung up. He knew it was stupid to give in to the temptation to touch her but, damn, she’d walked her luscious self into his space one too many times. He wasn’t made of good intentions. At the moment he didn’t have one good intention on him.
“I believe it’s my turn to search.” Jas smiled, looking directly into his eyes. Lids lowered over large, liquid-soft eyes in sexy half blinks. He noticed she never actually blinked but it looked as if she did. Another skill. Her opponent was supposed to think she was relaxed, even flirting with him, but in reality she never took her eyes off him, even to blink.
Jas reached around behind him and placed both hands on the globes of his ass, squeezing lightly. Blaster’s eyes narrowed in surprise but he didn’t move. Her hands slid to the dents in his hips where male muscles flexed when he walked. Pausing there, her hands moved up and down in a slow, exploratory caress while
she watched his soul pace behind his pupils.
This man was made for sex. Sweaty, nasty, satisfying sex. There was no puppy adoration in his eyes when he looked at her. No dazzled worship that could easily morph into obsession. This rippling specimen carried the intoxicating spice of danger and complete awareness. And it was amazing to watch the beast jerk on its chain.
It was the respect of his awareness that really did it for her. He didn’t assume a thing, he expected her to be a challenge. Damn, it felt good to play on equal footing.
This man knew all about control. He would show her the animal within but never let her have it. Surrendering the beast would be too high a price for a free spirit this used to moving on. That was okay. Teasing a beast was often more fun than actual playtime. And this particular one was so damn sexy.
“Mmmm, nothing here.” Jas’ hands were low on his hips and sliding slowly to the front of his pants. Blaster’s pupils dilated, blue disappearing into black. An interesting indicator as her hands slid to the hard thigh muscle bunched in front. Her left thumb rested lightly along the bulge going down his pant leg. Both of them were still.
Wanna Play (Ghost Unit, Book Three) Page 4