“Fantastic,” Ryan said to Elle. “Next time we’re in trouble in an online game, we’ll call you for help.”
“Slow down,” Callum ordered.
For once, Elle did as she was told. They scanned the dimly lit street. Unlike the crowded area they’d left a moment ago, this was deserted.
“There.” Callum pointed, and they craned to see.
Peeking out of a doorway about two-thirds of the way down the street was a huge guy. With a gun.
“I thought he said they were short?” Elle said. “How did he miss this guy? He’s Goliath around here.”
“He isn’t even trying to blend,” Ryan said in disgust.
“He doesn’t need to.” Callum scanned the street. It was shut up tight. “The locals have scattered. Ryan, you get out. Take this side. Elle will drive past and drop me at the other end. Then you park around the corner and wait. Got it?”
He got a round of agreement. Elle pulled over, long enough to let Ryan slip out before she was back in motion. As they passed the house Callum suspected held Joe, he spotted three men. Two flanking the building, hiding in doorways and aiming at the house. The third was sneaking along the perimeter wall, aiming for a window low in the building.
“There.” Callum pointed to a particularly dark section of street.
Elle slowed for him to get out. “Don’t die,” she said cheerily before he shut the door and the car continued down the street into the darkness.
Callum wondered again what the hell he’d been thinking when he’d bought into Benson Security, then he put all of that out of his mind and made his way towards Joe.
There was one window into the basement. The one Joe had been forced to climb through when he’d been cornered. The interior door had been barricaded from the other side. Judging by the locks on the door, the barricading was a standard security habit of the homeowner. Great for the guy who owned the house; not so good for the idiot trapped in his basement.
This whole thing was one huge screw-up. He should never have taken Julia and Patricia to talk to Juan Pablo. He’d buried his damn primitive streak, the one that screamed he had to protect Julia, just so he wouldn’t freak her out. And where had it gotten him? Yeah, he was trapped in an empty house, with a knife wound in his side and a busted lip. Not to mention the bruises that would hurt like a bitch in the morning. But the worst part, the part that was driving him insane, was that he didn’t even know if Julia was safe.
He heard a scraping in the courtyard outside the window. Courtyard. He silently scoffed. It was a strip of dirt between the perimeter wall and the house. The guy attempting to sneak up on him wasn’t trained worth a damn. Experienced, yes. Trained, no. A rookie marine would make less noise than this asshole.
Joe scanned the room behind him, looking for something to board the window, or to hide behind. There was a sink in the corner, piles of woven cloths and a tonne of rodent droppings, but not a whole lot else. He was a sitting duck.
He inched across the room and crouched beneath the window, aiming his gun upwards. If this guy had any sense, he’d hold steady at the window and let his friends creep in to cover him. That was the only way they’d get Joe, if they worked as a team. Otherwise, he planned to pick them off one at a time until Callum arrived.
A stillness overcame him as he waited for his prey. Unlike the men after him, Joe had been trained for this. Not only trained, he’d lived it. Day in, day out for over a decade. He felt emotion drift away and logic take its place. He was ready. He would get out. He’d get back to Julia, and then they were going to have a long talk about following orders in the field. He’d heard her shouting for him. Heard her fighting to get to him. Heard Ed drag her away. As much as her actions warmed his heart, they made the rest of him turn cold. What if she’d been hurt? No. He couldn’t think about it. Not now. Later.
A noise above him. Joe looked up and saw the idiot’s gun poke through the window. He almost shook his head at the stupidity. Reaching up, he grabbed the idiot’s arm and, using all of his upper body strength, pulled his pursuer into the room.
His gun went off. There was shouting outside. A scuffle. Joe noted it in an academic sense. He had the guy disarmed and unconscious in seconds. Amateur.
“You all right in there?” Callum’s deep Scottish brogue cut through the silence.
“Yeah.” Joe looked up at the window as Callum’s head appeared. “Took you long enough.”
“Had to come all the way from London,” the grumpy bastard said. He nodded at the guy at Joe’s feet. “He dead?”
“Not yet.” The asshole had tried to kill him. Worse, he’d tried to kill Julia. It was only a matter of time before Joe returned the favour.
“What do you want to do with him?”
That was the sixty-four-million-dollar question. “Probably a good idea to question him. Make sure more of Juan Pablo’s crew won’t come after us.”
“Then he’s coming with us.” Callum turned and whistled. A moment later, Ryan appeared.
“You couldn’t have got yourself in a mess at sea level, could you?” He looked a bit green around the gills.
“Lift your guy up and feed him out to us,” Callum said.
“What about the other guys?” Joe said. “Can’t we use them? This son of a bitch looks heavy.”
Callum’s eyes were flat. “That isn’t possible.” In other words, they weren’t alive enough to talk.
“Damn it.” This was going to open the knife wound in his side again, and it had just stopped bleeding.
He bent over and lifted the guy with a grunt, throwing him over his shoulders in a fireman’s hold. Joe backed up to the window and aimed the guy through the opening. There was a thud. Joe looked around, but didn’t see anything. He angled the guy at the window again and shoved. Two more thuds. This time Joe realised what it was. The guy’s head had hit the wall. Hell.
Joe looked up at Callum, who was staring down at him as though he was completely incompetent. Ryan was trying not to laugh.
“I’m injured,” Joe said. “One of you want to climb in here and heave him out the window?”
“You’re doing great.” Ryan choked the words out.
“Asshole.”
Joe thought the guy’s head had probably suffered enough, so he turned and tried to angle him out the window feet first.
“Somebody reach in and pull his ankles,” Joe ordered as he lifted the guy’s legs to the window.
It was too high. The angle was off. The guy slipped right off Joe’s shoulder and landed on the concrete floor. Head first.
“Well, hell.” Joe looked down at him.
“He still alive?” Callum said.
Joe knelt and felt for a pulse. Nothing. There went their informant. He stood, hands on his hips, and stared down at his now-dead attacker. When he looked back up at Ryan and Callum, Callum was shaking his head and Ryan was staring at the sky while biting his lip.
“We never mention this again,” Joe said.
“Scout’s honour,” Ryan said.
Joe crouched over the man, rolled him on to his back and checked his pockets for ID. There was nothing. But he did recognise him as the guy who’d used a knife on him in the alley.
He stood and reached for the ledge, ready to pull himself up.
“Mind the walls,” Ryan said. “Wouldn’t want you to hurt your head.”
Chapter 13
It was late by the time they made it back to the hotel. When Joe threw the door of the suite open, he found Ed pointing a gun at him. The relief on the older man’s face was palpable.
“Am I glad to see you.” He put the gun away. “We tried calling.”
Joe scanned the room behind him. “Lost my phone.”
Patricia came rushing up and wrapped Joe in a hug. “Are you hurt?” She held him at arm’s length and looked him over. The same way his mother had done when he was a kid.
“A bit beaten up, but good.” He stepped around her. “Julia?”
Callum strode into th
e room behind him, followed closely by the rest of the team.
“Um, Joe?” Patricia asked nervously, backing away from the newcomers.
“My team.” As far as Joe was concerned, that was enough introduction. “Where is Julia?” The demand cut through the chaos around him. Silence fell, all eyes on him.
Patricia stirred first. “She’s fine, Joe. She’s fine. She went into our room earlier, saying she needed some peace to think.” Her face softened. “She’s been very worried about you.”
Joe was already striding towards one of the twin rooms. “She’s staying in my room from now on,” he called over his shoulder, uncaring as to what anybody thought about his declaration. All he could think about was getting to Julia.
As the volume rose behind him, Joe let himself into Julia’s room. One small lamp let off a yellow glow beside a pristine bed. The other bed had a suitcase on top of it, with clothes scattered over the surface. It didn’t take a genius to figure out which bed belonged to Julia.
Joe scanned the room. Somewhere small, that was where she’d be, if she was feeling insecure. The bathroom door was ajar, and he covered the distance to it. No Julia. That left the closet. He opened the door, saw the light from her ever-present iPad and felt something settle inside of him.
“Hey, you.” He crouched in front of the open door.
Julia was sitting on the floor, staring at her iPad and hugging her knees. “Joe?” Her eyes went wide. The iPad fell to the floor.
“Hey, baby.” He smiled at her, burying his need to grab her and hold her, in case he spooked her.
“Joe!” She launched herself at him, making him land on his backside.
Julia straddled his legs and wrapped her arms tight around him. She pressed her face in the crook of his neck, and he felt the wetness of her tears. He held her fast against him as a deep peace flooded his body.
“It’s okay, baby. I’m okay.”
Her sobs were quiet, as though she was afraid to be heard. Joe scooted them back until he was leaning against the end of the bed. The soft light wrapped around them like a blanket and everything felt right with the world. Joe was vaguely aware of the murmur of voices outside the bedroom door, but all that mattered was the woman in his arms. He cooed nonsense to her as she cried, soothing her with his touch, breathing her in and letting the warmth of her body ease his lingering tension. He let her cry it out even though he knew there were people outside waiting to talk to them. None of that was as important as Julia. Nothing was as important as Julia ever.
“I thought you’d been killed.” Her words were a trembling breath against his throat.
He stroked up her back until he clasped her head. “I’m hard to kill.”
“You scared me,” she whispered.
“I know. I’m sorry.” He pressed her closer to him, merging their heat.
“You can’t die.” It was a desperate declaration. Joe stilled, his instincts hearing something in her words that his brain told him was simply wishful thinking.
“Why’s that?” he murmured.
It felt as though his heart was pounding hard enough to hear.
“Because you’re Joe.”
He would have been disappointed, but he heard something more in her voice, something she wasn’t saying. Something he had to hear her say.
“Is that it? That’s the only reason?” He kept his tone soft, a gentle tease.
She seemed to burrow into him and whispered, “No, it’s because you’re my Joe.”
Joe wasn’t sure he would have believed he’d heard it, if he hadn’t felt the words against his skin. A surge of pure, unadulterated possession almost overwhelmed him. He wanted to roll them to the floor and show her just how much he belonged to her. He wanted to mark her as his, so that everyone would know. It took all of his will to control his urges. Instead, he gently coaxed Julia to look at him.
He fought a smug smile when she kept her hands flat on his shoulders. She even looked him in the eyes. Shyly, but without fear. Joe gently cupped her cheek. He used his thumb to wipe away the last of her tears.
“I am, you know,” he said softly. “I am completely yours.”
“Joe?” Her fingers curled in his shirt. Confusion, hope, need, fear—it was all there in her eyes.
“Always.” He rubbed his thumb across her full bottom lip. “Always yours.”
“Joe.” She seemed to melt under his touch. Surrendering. Accepting. Hoping.
“Come here.” His hand on her hip pressed her towards him.
Her eyes went wide but she didn’t resist.
“Need you,” he whispered against her lips. “Kiss me.”
Her eyes fluttered shut and she pressed her soft, soft lips against his. The kiss was heaven. An intoxicating merging of heart, body and soul. Her sweet fragrance filled his mind. Her warm curves pressed against him. The gentle, seeking touch of her lips and tongue made him want to roar. She was perfect. She was home.
Julia was lost in Joe’s kiss. Each touch of his lips against hers proved he was real. He was alive. He was there. With her. His kiss was a soft, slow seduction. A sensual tangling of lips and tongues that made everything else fade to insignificance. Being with Joe, breathing him in, getting lost in his confident touch, made Julia feel safe. Needed. Wanted.
And oh how she wanted him too. His lips were firm but satin soft. His musky scent was intoxicating. Addictive. Julia knew she would never get enough of it. Strong muscles flexed under her fingertips, reminding her of the strength Joe possessed. Not only physically, but in every way possible. He was an immovable force that persistently and consistently pressed towards his goal.
She wanted to luxuriate in his strength. To wallow in it. She wanted to crawl so deep inside of him that no one would ever get to her. She wanted Joe surrounding her, a barrier to the world, an anchor for her continuously spinning mind.
Joe slowed the kiss down, leaving Julia breathless and longing. He rested his forehead against hers.
“The natives are getting restless.” His voice was husky as he stroked up and down the length of her back.
Julia felt like she was floating and Joe was the ocean. She flicked out her tongue to taste him against her lips, and he moaned.
“You’re killing me. You’re not ready for what I want, and if we don’t go deal with the team, they’ll come in here to get us.”
The word slowly penetrated her daze. “Team?”
He leaned back and smiled at her. Somehow that smile felt as though it was unique, one he kept solely for her.
“Half the office flew out to rescue us.”
She blinked hard as the fog lifted from her mind, and her cheeks began to burn for an entirely different reason.
“My work colleagues are out there while we’re in here kissing?” Her voice became increasingly hysterical as the words rushed out.
“It’s okay. Nobody cares what we’re doing in here.”
“Oh my goodness.” Julia shot to her feet. “This is so unprofessional.”
“Babe.” Joe followed her. “You aren’t working. This is a personal trip. You can’t be unprofessional on a personal trip.”
He tried to hide it, but Julia caught his wince when he straightened.
“You’re hurt!”
“It’s nothing. I’m fine.” Joe was gentle as he tried to stop her from lifting his shirt.
“That’s blood.” Julia was outraged.
She’d thought the stain on his shirt was dirt, but it was blood. His blood. Joe was bleeding. She fought past his attempts to discourage her and pulled his shirt up and over his head.
“Joe!” She traced the gash on his waist. A knife wound. Someone had tried to stab him and skimmed him instead. It was shallow, but bleeding again. The horror of it hit her. He was bleeding because she’d climbed all over him.
“It’s nothing. I’ve had worse.” He covered her hand with his, pressing it flat against his side. His hot flesh seared her, but she didn’t let herself think about the fact Joe was standing
half-naked in front of her.
“That does not reassure me, Joe Barone.” She knocked his hand out of the way to examine him. There were cuts and bruises everywhere. How could she have missed them? “I shouldn’t have thrown myself at you like that. You’re hurt. I was selfish.”
“Hey.” Joe cupped her cheek. “You can throw yourself at me anytime. Trust me, it isn’t selfish when I want it too.”
“You’re impossible.” She grabbed his hand and led him to the door. “We need to find a good first-aid kit. I only have a little one in my bag, and it won’t be enough for your injuries. We have to get those wounds cleaned and treated.”
He followed behind her, holding her hand, as though he was afraid to release her in case she disappeared on him. He didn’t seem to care that she was bossing him around. In fact, he seemed oddly pleased about it.
“There’s a kit in my room,” he said.
“Of course there is.”
She opened the door to the living area and stopped dead. In her urgency to get Joe fixed up, she’d forgotten about the team. It felt like the room was packed, and every set of eyes was on them.
Joe reached for her waist, and she felt his heat at her back an instant before his body touched hers. Julia’s eyes lowered to focus on the floor and she took a step back, pressing herself against Joe—her safe haven. The silence was heavy, and Julia desperately wished she was back inside the closet.
“I see you’ve all met,” Joe said, walking her into the room.
“I see you two have done a whole lot more than meet.” Ryan gave them a cheeky grin.
Julia’s face must have been luminous, because the burn in her cheeks was painful. Danger! Danger! Abort! Abort! There was silence as Julia willed herself to become invisible.
“Come on.” Joe stepped in front of Julia, still holding her hand. “Let’s get that medical kit.”
He strode across the living room towards his bedroom.
“Hey, Julia, glad to see you’re alive,” Elle said as they passed.
Julia dared to look up at the woman who was becoming her friend. “I’m pleased you’re here.” There was no amusement or judgment in Elle’s eyes.
Relentless (Benson's Boys Book 2) Page 10