by Wade, Maddie
He turned and the second attacker moved in with a haymaker punch which Blake stopped at a distance with a brutal straight jab with his foot to the area between his foreleg and hip, shattering the neck of his femur as the man went down screaming in agony.
Arms came around his neck in an Indian Death Lock from behind. Blake immediately dropped and threw his attacker over his head, his elbow shattering as it hit the hard surface of the carpark. With only two men left, Blake sized them up. One stood in front and one behind him. Trying to keep moving, he let the man behind him think he had the upper hand by putting him in a shoulder lock and bending him over. Blake executed a forward roll bringing his legs into contact and knocking the attacker face down into the tarmac before neatly rolling to his feet.
The fifth and last man standing tried to run but Blake wasted no time and stalked him like a predatory cat and pinned him down and restrained him using the man’s shoelaces on his feet and thumbs. The entire encounter had taken less than twenty seconds, but it always felt more protracted in the slow moments as he assessed each attack.
With a last look to the drunken men sprawled on the ground around him, he withdrew his phone and put in an anonymous call to the police and then one to Will to get the CCTV cleared from the bar. He headed to the car to see Pax with her mouth slightly open in shock watching him. He tapped on the window to get her to unlock the car as she just stared at him. With a shake of her head she seemed to snap out of the fog she was in and opened the door allowing to climb in.
“You okay, Gracie?” he asked softly taking in her shocked expression as she seemed to look at him like she hadn’t seen him before.
“How did you…? Where did you…? Can you teach me?” she asked jumbling the three questions into one on top of the next.
He chuckled as he turned the ignition on and leaned over to fix her seatbelt then his own. “Systema. Hereford, and yes, I can,” he said answering her questions. He shifted his head to her from the road and she was watching him again. Her eyes dark glassy pools, her face flushed. His body reacted to her unhidden desire, his dick twitching from being close to her, dancing with her, and now the leftover adrenalin.
“You keep looking at me like that and we won’t make it home.”
She blushed red even in the darkness of the cab he could see it. “That was so fucking hot.”
So was her dirty fucking mouth.
Blake pressed the pedal on the accelerator and drove faster wanting to be inside this woman more than his next breath.
Chapter Twenty-Six
As they drove to the hospital the next morning to see her father and try and get some answers from him, Pax kept sneaking glances at Blake. Seeing him take care of those five men on his own as if they were no more than flies to be swatted was something else. She had known he was skilled but had no idea he was that highly trained.
He had been like a machine, an action hero like she had seen in movies not the sweet, cheeky man she loved. It had been hot as hell and the sex after had her blushing as she remembered practically climbing him as he tried to get them upstairs without waking anyone.
Blake was an enigma in some ways. To look at him no one would ever know he could do the things he could, but she should have guessed Jack and Eidolon did not just take on men who were trained, they took on men who were exceptional at what they did. Each man had a skill set that was second to none and Blake’s was close protection and protect he had—not even breaking a sweat or breathing hard.
He glanced across at her as she sighed in contentment. “Everything all right?”
Pax nodded as she smiled. “Just reliving last night. I still can’t believe you took out five men like that.”
Blake shrugged as if it was nothing and maybe to him it wasn’t. “Just sorry it messed up our first date.”
“Are you kidding? That was the best date ever.”
Blake snorted. “I’m beginning to think you have a bloodthirsty streak.”
“Yeah, maybe. Nothing like watching your man fight to the death protecting you to get the juices flowing,” she teased back.
“It wasn’t exactly to the death, Grace.”
“Hush, you’re spoiling it,” she said making a silence motion with her hand but the smile on her face gave her away and made him shake his head on a laugh.
“Right, woman, back to business. We need to find out if your father has any idea where Clark Baker might be. The prints from the Nixons are his and from what I can get from chatter Will is collecting, and what our guys have seen, he’s in the wind.”
Pax glanced at him. “When did you hear that?”
“Will sent me the results through a few minutes ago.”
“I’m not sure Dad will be much help,” she replied sobering at the thought Clark was out there, and they had no idea where.
The rest of the drive was quiet, and they pulled into the hospital car park before taking the elevator to the fifth floor where her father was now recovering well. They approached the room and saw Eddie seated outside.
“Hey, Eddie,” she greeted him with a smile.
Pete and Eddie had always been kind and loyal. When Blake had called Pete earlier with news of Clark being a suspect and unreachable, he had immediately agreed to make sure Henrietta and Robert were covered at all times.
Her grandfather had not been so easily convinced and dismissed the idea until she asked him to be careful for her sake. Not able to resist his granddaughter’s pleas, he had agreed to have his security team look into things.
“Hey, Miss Grace,” he said and nodded at Blake.
“He awake?” she asked motioning to her father’s room as sudden butterflies took flight in her tummy. She hadn’t spoken to him since the argument at his place and things had been said that couldn’t be taken back. He’d still been unconscious when she’d seen him just after his surgery.
“I’ll say. He’s chomping at the bit to get home already.”
Pax let a laugh escape at the idea of her dad driving the staff crazy. Opening the door she saw him propped up in bed. A giant grin lit his face at the sight of her and she had to fight the urge to run to him as she had when she was a girl. Blake at her back kept her grounded as she noticed the monitors.
“Gracie,” he exclaimed with a welcoming smile.
She moved to stand beside the bed, and he reached for her hand. She let him take it and tried not to let tears show. “How do you feel?”
“Like I got charged by a bull elephant but other than that good.” His face had some colour, but he still looked weaker than she could ever remember seeing him.
“Do feel up to answering some questions?”
He looked at her with sadness. “Of course. I’ll do whatever I can to help.”
She and Blake took a seat beside him.
“Robert, can you tell us how you met Henrietta?” Blake was taking the lead knowing some of the questions might be difficult for her to ask.
A smile crossed her father’s face that she had never seen before as he began to speak. “She was the most beautiful woman I’d ever met. Long red hair, pale skin, and a smile that lit the whole room. I was gone for her the second we met, and to my utter amazement she felt the same. I was working as a scientist for Collatech and she was visiting with her father.”
“Wasn’t Collatech owned by Lance Baker?” Blake interrupted.
Her dad nodded. “Yes, and from what I know it was sinking. Albert was going to invest money in the company as soon as Clark and Henri married but then we met, and she couldn’t go through with it. I know it was wrong—we both did—but we were in love. I never knew it could feel like that. She broke off the engagement and Albert was furious, but he wanted the world to see how much he supported his family, so he had the idea to start Sana with me as the lead scientist and MD.”
“How did Clark end up on the board?” Pax asked learning more than she ever had.
“Albert said he owed him after what we had done, and his appointment appeased Lance Baker, Cla
rk’s dad, who was his best friend. We didn’t care as long as we were together. Everything was great. We had a beautiful daughter who was the light of our lives. Henrietta would spend hours just holding you in her arms gazing at you.”
“What happened?”
He shook his head as if confused. “I’m not sure. When you were around thirteen, she started to withdraw and began cheating on me.”
“You knew?” Blake asked as Pax swallowed.
“Of course I did but I love her. She is still my Henri and I know she got lonely when I was building the business.”
“Tell me about Sally Nixon and the drug trial you offered them.” Blake had finally asked the question they most needed the answer to.
Robert looked confused. “I didn’t offer them a trial. I sent your mother to offer to pay the medical bills. I know how much that boy meant to you, Gracie, and we wanted to help.”
Pax shook her head as she stood and paced to the window. “No, Momma told me you offered them an illegal trial of a drug you knew was dangerous.”
“Never,” he exclaimed looking angry. “I would never do such a thing. I am many things, Grace, but I would never harm a child or perform illegal trials. I thought you were lashing out because I hadn’t invented a drug that could help him.”
Pax saw the truth in his face all these years she had believed him a monster when it was all a lie. “Why did she lie to me?”
“Jealousy,” Blake said beside her.
She turned to look at him. “Jealousy?”
“She was jealous of you, Grace. You said yourself you were the apple of your father’s eye as she had been. I thought it before but now I’m convinced that’s the case.”
“So who offered the Nixons the trial?” Robert asked not wanting to acknowledge his wife’s lies to his daughter. Pax took her dad’s hand, guilt flooding her at the way she had believed her mother and subsequently treated her father.
“My guess is Clark Baker, but I need to make some calls and have a few things checked out.” Blake stood and squeezed her shoulder. “You okay here for a bit? I’ll just be in the hall.”
“Yes, go. I’ll wait.” Pax watched Blake leave but not before flashing her a wink that made her heart jump in her throat.
“He loves you,” her father said quietly.
“I love him too.”
“I know you do, my sweet girl. I can see it in your face. You look at him like Henri used to look at me.”
“I’m so sorry, Daddy,” she said as a sob pushed through her voice.
“Nonsense.”
Her father opened his arms and she flew into them, careful not to disturb the monitors. The familiar feeling of her daddy’s arms around her opened a flood gate of emotion that had backed up for years. Her father held her tight making her feel like a little girl again. Not wanting to put too much strain on him she pulled herself together and pushed the emotion down to be dealt with later.
Wiping her eyes and nose on a tissue he handed her from the box beside the bed she smiled at him. “I really am sorry. I should never have believed her.”
“Why wouldn’t you? She’s your mother and as far as you knew, she had no reason to lie to you. I’m just sorry it came to this.”
“I guess we all have a lot of talking to do when everything is sorted.”
He took her hand and squeezed. “I’d like that. What I still can’t understand is how your mother knew about the trial if I didn’t?”
“Would grandfather have told her?”
Her father shook his head. “No. He and Henri weren’t close after she married me. Another thing I blame myself for.”
“I think I know,” Blake said as he stepped back into the room. “Eddie told me that on the day he drove your mother to see Sally Nixon about paying the hospital bills she saw Clark leaving the house. She had been standing at the front door for a few moments when she rushed back to the car without knocking and got in. She asked him to wait around the corner and twenty minutes or so later Clark came out.”
“So, Mom knew all along and never said anything?” Pax felt hurt squeeze her chest.
“If that’s the case, she’s in danger too. A lab tech that worked on the trial has just been found dead in her home. A single gunshot to the head. It seems Clark is killing everyone who had information about the trial.”
“Does he know she saw him?” Robert asked clearly distressed now.
Pax rubbed her father’s arm. “It’s okay, Dad. We’ll go over now and make sure mom is safe.” She looked at Blake who nodded.
“Okay good. She isn’t a bad person, Grace.”
“I know,” she responded but wasn’t entirely sure what she believed any more. With a kiss to her father’s cheek she slid her hand into Blake’s and turned for the door.
“Blake?” her father called.
“Yes?”
“Take care of my girl—please.”
“With my life, sir.”
The words reverberated around her causing a sick feeling to lurch in her tummy. Part love that he would do that for her and part fear that he would do that for her.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Blake was on the phone to Reid, Waggs, and Decker as soon as he hit the car. He needed eyes on Clark. The feeling of urgency swirled through him at the thought of him killing Henrietta and what that might do to Grace.
“Reid,” he said as soon as the man picked up. “I need you to go to Henrietta Paxton’s home and make sure she’s safe. Pax and I are on our way there now, but it looks like she had knowledge of the trial. We don’t know if Clark knows so she could be in danger.”
“Shit. Okay, on my way now. Will update as soon as I get eyes on her.” He hung up and Blake quickly dialled Waggs and confirmed he hadn’t seen Clark either. Blake told him to get inside his house and see if he could find any evidence that included the trial or his possible whereabouts. Blake knew he was blurring the lines of legality, but he didn’t care, they could deal with that later. Right now he needed information fast.
The last call was to Decker. “Decker, please tell me you have eyes on Clark?”
“No, I haven’t had eyes on him since before the Nixon shooting. He must be holed up somewhere, but I’ve got a lead on a fishing cabin in San Bernardino that his sister owns with her husband. I’m going to check it out.”
“Okay, check in as soon as you know anything and be careful. This asshole has already killed three people in cold blood.”
“Relax, Blake, I know what I’m doing.”
Blake hung up and looked at Pax who had been quiet since they’d left the hospital. “How you doing?”
She shrugged. “Not sure. I feel a little numb. I’m relieved my dad didn’t do those things, but it’s tempered with guilt that I believed my mom. Then there’s the fact she lied to me and hurt me. I guess I’m confused and need more answers.”
Blake took her hand and kissed the knuckles. “We’ll get them.” They were halfway to her home when Reid called.
He answered with the hands-free. “Reid you’re on speaker.”
Reid paused and Blake knew the news wasn’t good.
“Tell me,” Pax demanded.
“I’m at your parent’s place and it looks trashed. Your mom is gone, and Pete is dead.” Reid delivered the news clinically and concisely. Blake heard Pax suck in a breath at the words, but she remained calm.
“Shit. Any leads?” Blake asked.
“Nothing but someone is injured as there’s blood in the hallway that can’t belong to Pete.”
“Okay, I’m calling Decker. Stay off your phone. I’ll call you straight back.” Blake hung up and called Decker and explained. “The cabin is our best lead. Send me the address and wait for us to get there before you approach.”
He called Waggs to re-route him to the cabin and then did the same with Reid. The drive was tense as they were lost in their own thoughts. He couldn’t do the thing he wanted most—which was to drop Grace somewhere safe and go find Clark. He respected her, and she
would never allow it.
They were met by Decker and Waggs on the road about a mile out from the cabin, the two men looking every inch the operators they were. Both dressed in black combat pants, black long sleeved shirts, and black military boots. Only their faces were visible along with the diver’s watches they wore.
“We have eyes on them?” Blake said as he got out of the car.
“Yes, we have eyes on Clark and Henrietta. He’s injured. Looks like a gunshot to the thigh, probably from Pete,” Decker replied calmly.
“And my mom?”
“She’s fine but looks shaken.”
“Where’s Reid?”
“He’s watching the cabin from higher up the ridge. He’s scoping out the best points of access for a rescue.”
Twenty minutes later Reid had joined them again. Blake looked at his teammates and Pax. “Okay. Let’s discuss a plan.” Ten minutes later the plan was set, all they needed was the darkness of night to fall.
As they waited, Blake changed into the same clothes as the other men and they checked and re-checked the weapons Waggs had provided for them.
“Will you be okay staying in the car alone?”
Pax rolled her lips in as she nodded. “Yes, I’d rather be there, but I know I’d get in the way. Plus, I have a gun and the comms you gave me.”
Not willing to be totally out of the loop Pax had demanded a comms so she could listen in. Blake hadn’t liked it, but Reid had convinced him it was a good idea for peace of mind for him and her. The birds began to quiet as the dusk settled around them, blanketing the secluded cabin in darkness.
“Time to go,” he said sliding his hand into Pax’s hair and cupping her head so he could kiss her.
The kiss was over before he wanted but going to rescue her mother with an erection was not part of the plan. He watched Pax lock the car’s doors and put her gun on her lap before he gave a short wave and walked away. He hated leaving her, but he had no choice.