Hard Core (Onyx Group)

by Jennifer Lowery

  “Then why discuss it?”

  It hurt that he so casually dismissed their night together. What did she expect? She’d said no commitment. She didn’t want commitment from a man who killed for a living. She wanted what her parents had. An honest, open marriage full of love and respect. Cristian was not that man.

  She’d wanted one night. He’d given it to her. Unselfishly. Cristian made her feel like a woman, uninhibited and sexually aggressive. She’d liked it. Liked herself with him. Liked what he did to her body. Liked losing control and giving herself wholly to him.

  But, he was a hired gun. Did it really surprise her he could walk away so easily?

  Confused by the ambiguous ground she walked on, Alana tossed her cup into the sink. “Forget it.”

  His phone blipped. He clipped, “Slade,” and started talking quietly.

  She didn’t try to listen, didn’t care. She needed time to get over this.

  What a mess. She wanted to be back on the island, back to her life, back with her father. Her breath hitched at the thought and she covered her mouth with her hand. She wouldn’t go there. Not yet. Not until she was in a place where she could grieve properly. If she allowed it now, she would fall apart. She wouldn’t do that again in front of Cristian or his team. Maybe when she was out of danger and settled…where? Where would she go? She’d left her life behind years ago. It wouldn’t be there waiting. She’d failed out of her internship. They weren’t going to give her a second chance. There were no second chances.

  Her life had been on the island. Where did she go now?

  She had no rock, no security. And no idea where to go next. She couldn’t breathe. It settled deep inside her, weighed her down.

  “Time to go,” Cristian announced from across the room.

  Alana clutched her chest, willing the ache to go away. “Go where?” she managed so he wouldn’t know she struggled.

  A knock sounded on the door. Seconds later, two men entered the room. His team. The tall, lanky one with sandy blond hair set her at ease. But, the somber one with the dark eyes set her on edge, despite his tendency to remain in the shadows. The tightness in her chest released when she realized the one with the golden eyes wasn’t there. The way he looked at her made her uncomfortable. Like he could read her thoughts and deepest, darkest secrets.

  “LZ thirty minutes. We have to get moving.”

  Alana spun around. “LZ? What does that mean?”

  “Landing Zone. It means we’re leaving.”

  “Where are we going?”

  Cristian’s eyes narrowed on her and she fought for composure. After a moment he said, “You’re going to Chicago, your patient to Louisiana.”

  Chicago? He wanted her to leave her home? That was the farthest thing from her mind. Her life was here. Even without…she pushed that thought away.

  “No. I’m not going.”

  * * * *

  Slade hated it when Mercer was right.

  The stubborn set to Alana’s chin told him he had a fight on his hands. A fight he really didn’t need this morning. He was already on edge after last night. Making love to Alana had been more than sex.

  He strode to where she stood. “You’re getting on that chopper. My penthouse is the safest place right now.”

  “Your penthouse?” She seemed genuinely surprised. “Will I be a prisoner there too?”

  “You aren’t a prisoner.”

  “Then I’m staying.”

  Slade growled low in his throat. Was nothing easy with this woman? “By now Ross has found my boat. It won’t take him long to find us. Need I remind you he wants you dead?”

  “No, you don’t have to remind me,” she snapped. “I’m well aware of what Gavin Ross wants. I know how to stay hidden, Cristian. He’ll eventually give up.”

  “He will never give up. Not until you’re dead.”

  Her eyes widened. “You don’t know that.”

  “Are you willing to risk it?”

  “It’s my life to risk.”

  “Alana,” he warned.

  “Well, it is. I don’t like being bullied.”

  Slade crossed his arms over his chest. “Fine,” he said. “Will you please go to my penthouse so I can keep you safe?”

  “Now you’re mocking me. But, I appreciate being asked instead of told. I’m sorry. I can’t go with you right now.”

  Frustration warred inside him. “And what would change your mind?”

  “Taking me back to the island so I can bury my family.”

  Slade glanced at Ryden and Sarver, who both shook their heads. “Not going to happen.”

  “Then have a nice trip home.”

  Seeing her father massacred wouldn’t give her closure. He knew what that kind of violence did to a person. It haunted.

  “You don’t want to see what Ross did, Alana,” he said quietly. “I’ll tell you what you want to know. And I will send a team back for burial.”

  She blinked away tears. “You promise?”

  “Yes.” And with that he was bound. They both knew it.

  With a nod, she squared her shoulders. “Then I’ll go to your penthouse until Gavin Ross is no longer a threat. But, know this. You will tell me what I want to know as soon as the threat is gone.”

  She brushed past him and walked over to the two men waiting at the door, and went with them into the hall. They shot him a look that said they were happy not to be in his shoes. Hell, he didn’t want to be in his shoes.

  Feeling like he’d just made a deal with the devil, Slade grabbed his pack and followed.

  Chapter 14

  “Those scrubs will be easy to spot,” Sarver said once they were in the hallway.

  Slade glanced at Alana’s wrinkled gray-green surgical scrubs and noticed the color matched her eyes. How had he missed that before? Sarver was right. She would stand out like a sore thumb. A beacon to Ross.

  Alana looked down at her scrubs. “I don’t have anything else.”

  “Give us five minutes.” Slade pulled her back inside the room and closed the door. He dug a pair of pants and shirt out of his pack. “Put these on.”

  “They aren’t going to fit,” she said, accepting them.

  “We’ll improvise. Go.”

  She disappeared into the bathroom. Minutes later she emerged in cargos and t-shirt that were two sizes too big for her.

  “I told you, they’re too big.”

  Slade knelt in front of her and rolled the pant legs. She tucked the shirt in, but the waistband hung loose. He ripped the drawstring out of her scrub pants and handed it to her. “Use that for a belt.”

  She quickly looped it through the belt loops and tied it. Not perfect, but it would do.

  “Won’t Gavin notice the military colors?” she asked.

  “We won’t be in town long. Let’s go.”

  They joined the others in the hall and made their way down the stairs. Alana’s patient--named Dave, Ryden had managed to find out--kept casting wary glances at her and steered clear of both her and him. Fine with Slade, he still wasn’t happy about him attacking Alana on the beach.

  They went out the back door into the crowded street. Slade kept Alana close by his side, shielding her as much as he could.

  “Car’s parked over there.” Sarver darted around an elderly woman and her cart full of fruit. “It’ll take us part of the way. The rest we have to hike.”

  They moved through the crowded street, dodging tourists and street vendors. The scents of fish and rice filled the square, along with a healthy dose of sweat. People milled around beat-up trucks selling wares off the tailgate. The hairs on Slade’s neck bristled and he scanned the area around him, but saw nothing. Ross’s men were here, he was sure. But where?

  “What’s wrong?” Alana asked him.

  He glanced at her and muttered a low curse. Her red hair stood out worse than the scrubs. It would give away their position like a neon sign.

  “Ryden, throw me your hat.”

  Ryden frowned back
at him, but took off his ball cap and tossed it to him. Slade handed it to Alana. “Put that on.”

  Understanding dawned in her eyes and she quickly twisted her hair into a bun, tucked it inside the hat and pulled the brim down low so her face was partially concealed.

  “Slade, got two tangos at eleven o’clock.” Sarver moved closer to Alana.

  His instincts had been on. They’d been spotted.

  “What does that mean?” Alana asked when she found herself boxed in between the two men.

  “Two of Ross’s men are trailing us. There will be more soon.” The men were pushing through the crowd, one of them talking into a lip mic. “How far to the car, Sarver?”

  “Fifty feet.”

  “We gotta move. Mercer, throw up interference?”

  Mercer nodded and fell back.

  “They saw my hair, didn’t they?” Alana asked, pressing closer to him. “I should have covered it sooner.”

  “They were looking for us.” Slade pushed her faster. They ran through the crowd now. Mercer would hold them off without pulling his gun. Too many tourists, too dangerous to fire into the crowd.

  “Uh-oh, he’s in trouble.” Alana glanced over her shoulder.

  Slade shook his head without looking back to where he knew Mercer had engaged the two men.

  “Cristian, you have to help him. There are four men now.” Alana pulled against him.

  Mercer was an expert at hand-to-hand combat and CQC--Close Quarters Combat. He’d specialized in both in the Green Berets. Four to one odds weren’t terrible, but not great either. No other option. Mercer would handle it.

  “Don’t look back. Move.” He urged her forward.

  They reached the car and he shoved her and Dave inside the small foreign rust bucket. When Slade cocked a brow at Sarver, he shrugged. “This is all they had.” He jumped in the back seat next to Dave. Ryden got behind the wheel and Slade slid into the backseat next to Alana, leaving the front seat for Mercer. A tight squeeze, but they had no choice.

  A bullet shattered the back window. Slade pushed Alana’s head down and yelled, “Floor it!”

  Dave had already ducked by time Slade pulled his gun out of his waistband and aimed it out the missing window.

  “What about Mercer?” Alana asked from between her knees. “We can’t leave him behind.”

  The little car squealed around a corner and threw them sideways. Two black sedans followed in pursuit.

  “Take that left,” Slade yelled.

  Ryden jerked the wheel hard. They flew down a narrow alley. Sarver returned fire. Slade covered Alana and Dave.

  “We have to go back and get Mercer.” Another bullet hit the roof of the car and she flinched. Sarver leaned out the window to return fire.

  Slade pressed down on her head. “Stay down.” Her need to save the world was going to get her killed.

  “But--”

  “Mercer can take care of himself. Now stay down before you get shot.” He tapped the back of Ryden’s seat. “Circle around.”

  Bullets bounced off the back of the car as Ryden pushed it to its limits. The engine whined down the alley.

  “Can’t this thing go any faster?” Sarver yelled, half out the window.

  “I’ve got it floored.” Ryden braked for a corner.

  Dave moved to the floor, huddled against Sarver’s legs, shell-shocked. Alana’s hand squeezed Slade’s knee every time a bullet struck the car.

  They whipped around a corner and doubled back. A man ran toward them, jumping a pile of mangoes.

  “Slow down.”

  Ryden slammed on the brakes. The car slowed and Alana’s head came up. Slade pushed her back down. With the car still moving, Mercer threw open the door and jumped in.

  “Go, go, go!”

  Ryden pushed the car forward, directing it down side streets and out of town toward the jungle.

  “We gotta shake these tails.” Sarver ducked back inside the car. “Slade, how much ammo you got on you?”

  “Not enough.”

  “Can’t risk a grenade. Too many people.”

  “How far until we’re out of town?” Slade asked Ryden.

  “Five miles. Bad news, we’re bogged down with all this weight. We aren’t going to get there fast.”

  “Push her as hard as she’ll go. At least get us out of town. I’d rather not be a sitting duck.” Slade looked over his shoulder to see two cars still in pursuit.

  Alana patted his knee to get his attention and turned her head sideways to look at him. “Are you bleeding?” she asked.

  “No.”

  She frowned. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes.”

  She let it go, but he knew if there’d been room, she would be checking his wounds to see for sure. Her dedication to her patients was noble, but damn well going to get her shot if she didn’t start listening.

  “I feel sick,” Dave said from the floor.

  A complication they did not need.

  “Here, squeeze my hand.” Alana reached out to him. For the first time he didn’t cower from her. Progress, Slade thought, and let her deal with him. There was no other choice, they weren’t pulling over. If he got sick they’d have a mess in the car because the tangos were hot on their tail and gaining fast.

  “It’s okay,” Alana said. “These men are--”

  Slade cast her a sharp glance and she cut off.

  “Going to protect us,” she finished. “Breathe slowly in through your nose and out your mouth.”

  Dave did as told with Alana coaching like a Lamaze instructor. He actually let her hold his hand.

  Something exploded and the car veered sharply right, jumped off the street, and came to a jarring halt.

  “Tire’s blown out.” Ryden threw open his door. “We’re humping it.”

  Slade pushed his door open and grabbed Alana. “Let’s go.” He nodded to Sarver, who reached for Dave. Time was not in their favor.

  “This way.” Ryden led the way toward the jungle looming in the distance. It would be a fairly short trek to reach it for cover. Until then, they were targets.

  Slade pushed Alana along with Ryden in the lead. Sarver protected Dave, and Mercer brought up the rear. They ran along a narrow, dirt road that led out of town. There weren’t many cars passing and the houses thinned as they went, the fauna growing denser.

  “We gotta get off this road,” Sarver said as a bullet winged over their heads. They had Alana and Dave securely surrounded so there was very little chance of a bullet hitting them. It would hit Slade or a member of his team first.

  “No cover for another hundred yards.” Ryden threw a glance over his shoulder.

  They ran for the trees, Alana sticking close to Slade. “We need to split up. Throw them off.”

  Ryden and Sarver went in one direction with Dave and Mercer and Slade stayed with Alana. They moved quickly and swiftly through the jungle in a zigzag pattern to lose their tail.

  Beside him Alana’s breath sawed in and out of her lungs, more out of fear than exertion. She was in shape. Slade remembered just how good of shape from last night’s interludes.

  He pushed those thoughts firmly out of his head and focused on getting her to the chopper. Now was not the time to analyze why sex with Alana shook him to the core. Or why every time he looked at her he wanted her again. That dangerous attraction could get them all killed.

  It didn’t take long to lose the tangos. By time they reached the chopper, they were all sweating. Ryden and Sarver were already on the chopper, with Ryden in the pilot’s seat and the blades spinning.

  “Go, Go, Go!” Slade shouted over the noise. They herded Alana onto the chopper. Mercer jumped on behind her. Slade hung back, waiting until she boarded to back away. Ignoring the churning in his gut, he nodded to Mercer, who shouted at Ryden. The chopper started to lift off and Slade watched Alana’s eyes widen in realization. He should have told her, should have warned her.

  Too late now.

  Shaking her head, she leapt
toward the door. “No!” she screamed.

  Mercer stopped her at the door with an arm around her waist and pulled her back inside.

  Slade hardened his heart, turned and walked away. It was for the best. He had a job to do. He couldn’t do it and protect her at the same time.

  It had to be this way.

  Maybe she would forgive him.

  Mercer shouted.

  Slade turned to see Alana jump off the lifting chopper before anyone could grab her. He stopped just as she threw herself at him, stumbled backward, and caught her before they both tumbled to the ground.

  Alana pummeled his chest with her fists. “You bastard!” she shouted. “You were going to leave me.”

  He pulled her against him, pinning her arms at her sides. She trembled against him.

  “I have no one left, Cristian,” she wailed into his chest, her arms finding their way around his waist and holding tight. “How could you leave me?”

  Slade cursed and cupped the back of her head, holding her tight.

  “Don’t leave me,” she pleaded softly. “Please. Not yet.”

  The chopper was back on the ground. Slade looked over Alana’s shoulder to see Mercer and Sarver waiting with impatient expressions. How she’d gotten away from them was a mystery. Although, she did have a way of getting what she wanted. Just one of the things he admired about her.

  Sarver motioned for him to get moving and when a shudder ran through Alana, he knew what he had to do. It wasn’t the right thing. Not what he should do. But with the sexy red-haired doctor, he lost all objectivity.

  He was starting to care.

  “Okay, Doc,” he said. “Back on the chopper.”

  Her head lifted, her smoky green eyes wet. “You’re coming too?”

  “Yeah, I’m coming too.”

  * * * *

  Alana grasped Mercer’s hand and he propelled her onto the chopper. This time she made sure Cristian was right behind her. Bracing on the doorframe, he jumped aboard with the chopper already airborne.

  A bullet pinged off the side and she ducked. She covered her ears when Sarver returned fire with a big, lethal-looking gun. The helicopter lifted and banked right, throwing her against Cristian, sitting next to her on the narrow bench seat. Dave sat across from them, sandwiched between Sarver and Mercer.