Coveted Kiss (Savage Security Book 3)

by Karen Tjebben

  “You get my text? I want in on this,” Jack said.

  “Yes, I know. Don’t you want to stay with Bella?” Cole wanted Jack out in the field, but he understood the protectiveness Jack would feel towards her.

  Fuck yeah, he did. But he also couldn’t sit on the sidelines on this. He wanted to take out whoever was coming at them. It wasn’t because he didn’t trust his teammates. It was because he couldn’t rely on others to solve his problems. It was his job to take care of shit like this.

  “I’ll bring her with me,” Jack said. There was no way he’d leave her alone at her apartment. Besides, he didn’t know if her place was bugged. The smarmy little bastard had been there. There could be a bug or a camera here. The idea pissed him off.

  “Okay. Watch your back,” Cole said. He knew he didn’t need to say it, but he did anyway. He didn’t need another team member’s life going to hell. They had too much to do.

  Jack disconnect the call and set his cell on the coffee table. Walking near Bella, he knelt beside the sofa and let his fingers brush through her silky hair. “Hey,” he said, moving her hair and touching her cheek with his knuckle. “Bella, time to wake up.”

  Her facial muscles ticked through her discomfort as she rolled onto her back and looked up at him. “What’s wrong?” She sat up, and a wave of dizziness washed over her. She steadied herself by gripping the sofa arm.

  Jack wanted to touch her knee and let her feel his affection, but he also didn’t want to scare her away by pushing too quickly. “We need to go to work.”

  “Work?” she said the word in confusion. “Cole expects me to work?” she said with disdain. Good lord, a full twenty-four hours hadn’t even passed and Cole wanted her back in the office. She knew she worked with a bunch of hard asses, but she had expected a little more compassion.

  Jack chuckled at her statement. “No, I have to go in.”

  Bella’s mouth dropped open. Maybe her brain wasn’t working right with all the drugs and trauma. “Oh, that makes a lot more sense. I’ll stay here,” she replied. She wasn’t sure why he hadn’t thought of that. She looked around the room for the pain meds and spotted them on the kitchen table. “Would you give me my pills before you go?”

  Part of him wished she could sleep off the pain and trauma, but there was no way he was leaving her alone in the apartment. He strode to the kitchen and found a piece of paper and pen and scratched out a note. He walked back to the sofa, placing his finger over his lips to give her the quiet signal.

  Taking the note, Bella’s mouth dropped open as she read.

  Logan was bugged. Your place may be too. Pack a bag.

  Her eyes rounded, and her heart raced. Nervous tingles rushed along her skin, zipping away the fog that clouded her mind and set her thoughts racing. Had Eric done that? Was someone watching her? Did they record her in the shower?

  She swallowed back the bile that rose in her throat. Had she been someone’s entertainment? Panic started to rise in her as her breaths came quickly.

  Suddenly, all Bella could see were the places where Eric had been. She stood from the sofa, disgusted as she recalled all the ways they’d touched each other on the sofa. She’d groped at his erection through his clothes as he’d played with her nipples, teasing them with his hands. She’d even been happy when he came in his pants. Thank God she hadn’t slept with him. The thought disgusted her now.

  Logan noticed the anxiety in her eyes. He hadn’t meant to scare her, but she needed to know the situation. He followed her as she walked to her bedroom.

  Opening her closet, she pulled out her floral printed duffle bag and started with the basics, gathering her bras and panties.

  Jack gave her privacy while she rummaged through her closet, pulling clothes off hangers, but he needed to do something. Moving to the bed, he straightened the sheet and blanket and then pulled the quilt to the top of the bed. Spotting the decorative pillows on the floor, he arranged them on top.

  Bella couldn’t think straight. Between the meds and her battered body, she’d been struggling just to come to terms with Eric’s betrayal. What turns a man into a monster? She hadn’t deserved to be brutalized like that. Where would she stay? Would she stay at the office? She hoped not. They only had the basics there. Maybe she’d call a friend.

  Jack noticed her hands shaking as she shoved clothes into her bag. He moved to her and knelt, touching her arm with his fingertips to catch her attention. Leaning forward, he whispered in her ear, “You’re safe.” He hoped she could draw strength from his words and his presence.

  His lips grazed her ear. As his warm breath caressed her, the fine hairs on her arms rose. Goose bumps shivered over her. She turned her head, and his eyes were inches from hers.

  He froze as she stared at him. Time slowed as her dark brown eyes met his. He felt the heat in her gaze, and he suddenly felt what it must have been like when his gaze had penetrated her. Lust shimmered in her eyes, and her gaze dropped to his lips. When her tongue darted out and licked her lips, the trust in her gaze shot right through him and pierced his heart. What was he doing?

  He abruptly stood, knowing that if he didn’t get away from her that he’d pull her mouth to his. And no matter how much he wanted to kiss her, she was vulnerable right now, and he’d respect that.

  Maybe he shouldn’t have told her that he had a crush on her. It was normal for victims to latch onto their rescuer. He’d seen it repeatedly in his line of work. The white knight syndrome. He understood it, but that wasn’t why he wanted Bella to like him.

  Bella felt the heat in her face as she flushed when he suddenly moved away. She’d embarrassed herself by looking at him like he was a warm, triple chocolate cake covered in ganache with a side of ice cream on the buffet table that she couldn’t wait to sink her teeth into.

  But he had to be used to it, right? He was a good-looking man, the kind that turned heads wherever he went. She didn’t want to think about how many women had already sunk their teeth into him. How many other women had tasted his sweet affection? Could she even maintain a relationship with him, or would he tire of her when another woman came along?

  Tearing her eyes from him, she zipped up the bag and caught her breath. Too much was happening too fast. She still grappled with Eric’s attack. What was she doing thinking about another man? She stood and held the bag straps in her hand, ready to haul the bag onto her shoulders.

  “Don’t,” Jack said, gesturing with his hand towards the bag. “I’ll get it.” The last thing her ribs needed was the weight of the bag pulling on her side. He took the fabric straps in his hand and easily lifted it onto his shoulder.

  Bella grabbed a toiletry bag. “Bathroom,” she mouthed. Walking past him, she gathered her necessities and organized them in the little bag. Was someone watching her now? Had a camera been placed in the bathroom? Zipping the bag, she met Jack by the sofa. He had his stuff already put away in his backpack.

  Bella looked at the Christmas tree that sat in the corner. Jack had already unplugged it. The corner now looked cold and lonely. Lost was the Christmas cheer that she’d enjoyed earlier.

  Jack opened the door and they walked out of her apartment. He moved to the side in the hallway to make room for her. She turned and locked up. Then, after a shared glance, they made their way to Jack’s truck.

  Jack helped her into the truck cab and closed the passenger door for her. Sliding behind the steering wheel, he reached across the space and took her hand in his. “Don’t worry.” They locked eyes. “Nothing is going to happen to you. I won’t let it.”

  Her lips curved into an easy smile. “I bet you say that to all the girls.”

  He raised an eyebrow. The smile and flirty words were a welcome sign. Anytime someone could find a little happiness in a tough situation was awesome. Once again, she was showing her scrappy side.

  “What happened to Logan?” she asked as he backed out of the parking space. She knew something went down, but she wasn’t sure what. “Is he okay?”

>   He didn’t want to give her too much information. Most of what was going on would be held close to the chest by only those involved. He didn’t want her to know too much. That would just make playing ignorant with the police or reporters more difficult.

  Jack raked his hand over his chin. He’d keep it simple, stick to the official story. “Logan was seeing a woman, Aditya Chopra. She killed herself last night.”

  Bella’s mouth gaped as the words clanked around in her head. “She killed herself?” she said in shock? “Why?” Had Aditya been aligned with Eric? “If she was bad, why didn’t she shoot Logan instead of herself?”

  Jack had been asking himself that same question since he’d been told about the situation. Aditya was a successful killer, and Logan had been in her crosshairs. It didn’t make sense that she killed herself when she could have killed Logan and escaped. Assassins don’t suddenly grow a conscience.

  “I don’t know,” Jack said. He didn’t like unknowns. They triggered a need in him to solve the puzzle. He understood why she went after Logan. In her twisted mind, she was getting revenge for her sister’s death, but why shoot it all to hell by killing herself when she could have killed Logan? “We’ll find out.”

  Bella fiddled with her nails. She scraped one nail under another as a distraction. It was a nervous habit that she’d developed in college when she’d finally outgrown biting her nails. “Is someone going to check my place for bugs?” She knew they had the equipment at the office.

  Jack nodded. “Yeah, I can do that. I’m not sure I’ll get to it today. We have to move while everything’s hot.”

  She rested her elbow on the door and looked out the window as they neared Savage Securities. She’d heard about homegrown terror, but she never thought that she’d be on the receiving end of it. “Do you think you’ll catch them?” She cut her gaze to Jack. He filled the space behind the steering wheel. His muscular arms were hidden by his shirt, but she could still see the firm shape of his defined muscles. He hadn’t shaven recently either, so stubble toughened his face.

  “That’s the plan,” he replied.

  She scoffed and rested her head on her hand.

  “What?” he asked, his eyes darting to her.

  Did she dare be honest with him? Would it make things weird? She decided to go for it since he’d been honest with her. “I was just looking at you. You’re the exact opposite of Eric. Eric was attractive, but it was not in a ‘manly’ man kind of way.” She giggled at her own lame description of Jack.

  Jack barked a gruff laugh. “I’ll take that as a compliment.” He also took it as a good sign that she was checking him out. He wanted to ask her what she’d seen in Eric, but he didn’t dare. That would just make her feel guilty or stupid for falling for his con.

  She laughed. “It was meant as one.” She reached into her purse and pulled out her cell and scrolled through her contacts list.

  Jack drove with one hand at twelve o’clock on the wheel and the other arm rested on the car door. He glanced at her as she scrolled through her phone. “What are you doing?”

  “Looking for someone to call. I guess I should find a place to stay.”

  Jack interrupted. “Place to stay?”

  She rested the cell in her lap and looked at him. “Alisha would let me crash there, don’t you think?”

  “You’ll stay at my place.” He suddenly realized that he hadn’t informed her of that. He just figured that’s what would happen.

  “With you?” Her voice rose in question. “Alone?” Her mind raced to all kinds of scenarios. Each one ending in either sex or awkwardness or even worse, awkward sex.

  Jack snorted, “I’m not the Big Bad Wolf. You don’t need to sound so scared.” He eased the truck into the parking lot.

  She twirled her finger into a lock of hair and collected her thoughts. “I don’t want to impose on you. If you check my place for bugs, I can go home. You won’t have to worry about me.” She didn’t want to be a bother, especially since she knew the guys would be busy hunting for the terrorist cell.

  Jack realized that she didn’t get it. “You’d never be an imposition. I have plenty of space. I won’t even make you sleep on the couch,” he said with a wink and pulled into the parking space. “You’ll have your own room and bathroom.” He cut the engine and focused on her. “Really, you won’t be in the way at all.”

  She wasn’t sure how smart that was. He’d told her that he was interested in her, and she was feeling grateful to him for saving her. Then again, she was going to impose on someone, and Jack was offering. Biting her bottom lip, she said, “Thanks. That would be nice.”

  13

  Bella wasn’t sure what to expect when she arrived at work. As she and Jack walked into Savage Security, her heart rate increased and sweat dampened her armpits. Her body was reacting to the scene of her attack. Even though it was obvious the men had been working on cleaning up the office, it didn’t help. Fear and pain barreled down on her, fogging her eyes and stealing her breath. She swiped a hand along the back of her neck and felt the misting of sweat along her hair line.

  Shit. Jack recognized her nerves. The muscles of her face tightened, and her chest rose and fell in a rush to get air. Needing to calm her, he put his hand on her back and stepped closer to her, hoping his presence would bring her peace. He should’ve asked Cole how the office looked. “Don’t look around. I’ll guide you into my office. You can close your eyes if you want.”

  Bella nodded and clamped her eyes shut. She tried to get a deep breath of air, but the expansion of her chest sent an ache through her ribs, an all too physical reminder of the violence.

  Cole kept his thoughts and emotions in check as Bella made her way to Jack’s office. Her eyes were squeezed shut as Jack guided her down the hallway. He was thankful that the carpet had been fixed in the office and hallway. At least she hadn’t seen the blood.

  Hearing Jack’s voice, Tyson and Ryan stepped out of the conference room. “Hey, Bella, good to see you,” Tyson said. She bore the cuts and bruises of a violent attack. It sickened him. She hadn’t deserved any of this. He hoped Eric was getting a share of his own brutality.

  Tyson’s deep voice warmed her. She stopped and turned towards him. Opening her eyes, she gave Tyson a smile. “Hey,” she said, and realized that Ryan was there too. She saw strength in their eyes. They’d been through hell before; she could survive it too.

  Jack escorted her to his office. It wasn’t very big, but everything in there was organized. His desk and chair faced the door and along the side wall was an old sofa. She’d always thought it was ugly with its horrible 80s fabric, but right now, it looked like Heaven.

  “You can hang out here.” Jack pointed to the sofa. “I know it’s old, but hey,” he shrugged, “it was free.” He laughed. His grandparents had given him that sofa when he moved into his own place. It was better than anything he could afford at the time, especially since he wasn’t home much and didn’t want to invest in anything expensive.

  Bella sat and rested her elbow on the sofa arm. “It’s perfect,” she said optimistically. “I’ll stream some shows on my laptop. Who knows, I may even fall asleep.” She’d already slept most of the day away, hopefully she’d be able to sleep at night.

  Cole stepped into Jack’s office, catching Bella’s attention. “Bella,” Cole started, “I’m sorry that you got caught up in this mess.” He knew her bruises were temporary, but the scars on her psyche would be harder to mend. “We’ll get to the bottom of this.”

  Bella nodded and tucked some hair behind her ear. “Thanks.” She felt stupid in front of the guys. She’d been totally gaga over Eric, and it had all been a con. She knew she looked foolish. How could she not? She shouldn’t have worn her heart on her sleeve. And then she thought about Jack. What was she going to do about him and his attraction?

  Cole made eye contact with Jack. “Once you’re ready, I’ve got some news for you.”

  Jack nodded and knelt in front of Bella. “I’ll j
ust be in the conference room. Do you need anything? Water? Soda?” Her smile sucker punched him.

  She knew she looked awful. She’d seen the damage in the bathroom mirror at her apartment, but the way Jack looked at her made her feel beautiful. It was like he didn’t see the damage she’d sustained. “No, thanks. I’m good.” She held up her laptop. “Gonna binge watch some shows.” She wasn’t sure what she wanted to watch. Her typical favorites were the thrillers, but she wasn’t sure she was up for watching anything with violence, and chick flicks or romantic comedies were definitely not an option.

  Jack wanted to brush a kiss along her lips to taste her sweetness, but that would be presumptuous. So instead he covered her knee with his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Just yell if you need anything.” Standing, he walked away from her and donned his other persona. The persona that kicked ass and took names.

  Alisha stood in the hallway and waited for Jack to leave his office so she could be with Bella. This attack situation was surreal, throwing her back to her kidnapping and the response of the men. She’d never forget what they’d done for her, saving her from Pacey and his twisted mind. And now, here she stood, waiting to comfort Bella, one of the nicest women she knew who’d been so cruelly used by a man she’d trusted.

  Jack exited his office to go to the meeting with Cole and the others in the conference room. He stopped when he saw Alisha waiting in the hallway. He gave her a tight smile, and Alisha read the stress on his face. After giving her a curt nod, he entered the conference room.

  Meeting the others in the conference room, Jack paced around the table before jerking out his chair and easing into it. He felt the heavy stares of the men around him. Clearing his throat, he leaned forward, crossed his arms on the table, and focused on Cole.

  14

  Alisha rapped softly on the door and spotted Bella on the sofa in Jack’s office. “Hey,” she said as she stepped into the room. She was shocked by the bruises that covered Bella’s face and neck. Bella looked worse than she had after Pacey kidnapped her. “Can I join you?”