Shadow Guardian

by Rebecca Deel

  Instead of continuing to the parking garage, he wrapped his left arm around Mercy’s waist and exited the stairwell into the hotel lobby. “To the left,” he whispered, nuzzling the side of her head as though absorbed with her and unaware of his surroundings. The tenseness of his body told Mercy a different story.

  Nico guided her toward the hallway to the left. Before they reached the entrance, he nudged her against the wall and captured her mouth in a deep kiss.

  As fabulous as his kisses were, how could he think about kissing her at a time like this? Before she could pull away and ask him, footsteps approached from the hallway.

  Nico moved closer, angling his body to prevent anyone from seeing her face, not changing his apparent focus on her.

  The footsteps drew closer, paused at the entrance to hall, then continued on after a beat.

  Nico had recognized the danger and reacted.

  When the footsteps faded away, he raised his head. “This way.” Once again, he clasped her hand. The hall was long with hotel rooms on either side. When faced with a choice between going right or left, Nico made sure the corridor was clear, then veered to the right and kept going.

  “How do you know where to go?” As direction challenged as she was, Mercy didn’t have a clue where they were in relation to the street.

  “I memorized the hotel layout last night while I was on watch.”

  Her head whipped his direction. “Seriously?”

  He spared her a glance. “We all did. It’s the best way to protect you in case we need an alternate escape route.” When they reached a door with an exit sign hung overhead, Nico held up his hand, signaling Mercy to wait.

  She nodded and stood to the side with her back pressed against the wall. The operative gave her an approving smile, then slipped from the corridor into an alley. A moment later, he returned. “The SUV is ten feet away. Back door is open for us.” Nico wrapped his arm around her and held Mercy tight against his side.

  In the alley, the two Fortress SUVs idled, lights off. Nico rushed Mercy from the hotel toward the first SUV. They had almost reached the vehicle when something moved from behind the Dumpster.

  Nico shoved Mercy toward the vehicle and turned to face the threat.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Nico hurried toward the man who had separated from the deep shadows behind the Dumpster, scowled when he spotted the second one. “Trace, go.” A second later, the SUV carrying Mercy raced from the alley.

  Ben scrambled from the second SUV. “Got dibs on the second clown,” he muttered.

  Suited Nico. The first man looked as though he had been a boxer. Big, beefy, and muscle bound, his face twisted in a snarl of frustration as his prize escaped from the trap he and his buddy set. Moonlight glinted off the knife in his right hand. From his stance and the way he held the knife, Boxer had training.

  Anticipation firing in his blood, Nico moved into the shadows and balanced on the balls of his feet. Boxer pivoted and attacked. His size belied the man’s speed. Nico blocked the knife strike and delivered a short punch to his ribs.

  Boxer grunted, swept Nico’s legs out from under him, and leaped on him with his bulky weight. Yeah, this guy had to weigh a good 270 pounds, all of it muscle.

  He blocked another knife strike, wrapped his leg around his opponent’s, and flipped them. Boxer managed to catch him on the jaw with an elbow. He saw stars for an instant. When his vision cleared, Nico twisted to avoid the blade and knew he was a second too slow. He ignored the sting of the steel slicing into his side.

  He jabbed his finger into Boxer’s right eye. When the thug howled and reflexively raised his hands to fend off another blow to the eyes, Nico slammed his fist into the other man’s diaphragm, temporarily cutting off his oxygen. Three more roundhouse punches to the face and Boxer was out.

  Breathing hard, Nico searched the man for ID and found zip. He did, however, find a Sig and a garrote. The latter made him growl in fury.

  He glanced over his shoulder. Ben was also searching his target. “Anything?”

  “Nothing except a knife and a sweet Sig.”

  “Same. Take his picture and prints and send them to Fortress.” He did the same with Boxer. When he finished, Nico climbed to his feet, hissing at the pain in his side. Yep, Boxer had gotten him with the blade.

  He clamped a hand to his side to staunch the blood streaming from the wound.

  “What do we do with these clowns?” Ben stood, wiping sweat from his forehead with his sleeve.

  “Leave them. I’m more interested in making sure Mercy is safe than questioning a couple thugs who are trying to cash in on the bounty.”

  “They wanted to hurt or kill your woman. How can you let that slide?” Ben demanded.

  He paused before climbing into the back of the SUV and stared at his teammate. “If the cops show before they wake up, they won’t have anything to hold them on except maybe illegal weapons possession. We have their prints. We can find them later.”

  Ben held up his hand, climbed into the shotgun seat, and slammed the door.

  What was bugging him? Nico shook his head and got into the vehicle. As soon as he was in, Joe raced after Trace.

  “You guys okay?” Sam asked.

  “I’m fine,” Ben snapped. “Nico isn’t.”

  The medic scanned him. “Where?”

  “Right side. I’ll live. You can patch me up when we’re back at the safe house. Any word from Trace?”

  “No problems. They’re in the parking lot of a diner off Interstate 65, waiting to rendezvous with us.” Joe activated the Bluetooth.

  “Go,” Trace said in greeting.

  “We’re clear. We’ll be approaching your exit in ten minutes.”

  “Copy that.”

  “No one followed you?” Nico asked.

  “Negative. The tangos might not have realized there were five of us guarding Mercy. Sam, you need to check Mercy’s shoulder when we reach the safe house.”

  Nico straightened. “What happened, Mercy?”

  “I’m okay, Nico. My shoulder hit the door frame when I dove into the backseat.”

  “Sam will check it anyway. You might have popped stitches. Trace, stay alert.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Forty-five minutes later, the two SUVs parked in the driveway of the safe house. Anxious to see for himself that Mercy was okay, Nico flung open the door as soon as the vehicle stopped.

  He hurried to Trace’s SUV. Mercy scrambled from the vehicle and threw herself into Nico’s arms. “Are you sure you’re okay?” he whispered in her ear.

  She nodded.

  The last of the tension left his body. “Come on. Let’s get you inside.” Nico turned and hustled her inside the cabin.

  As soon as the cabin was cleared and the doors secured, Sam hoisted her mike bag to her shoulder. “My sitting room, Nico.”

  Mercy’s face paled. “Nico. You’re hurt?”

  “Just a scratch.” Although the pain escalating by the minute hinted at more than a scratch.

  She wrapped her hand around his and tugged. “Upstairs. I want to see for myself.”

  He followed her, bemused at her worry over his injury. Besides, he could have Sam check Mercy’s shoulder after she finished patching him up.

  Inside the suite, Mercy pulled at his shirt. “Off. I want to see.”

  Lips curving at her insistence, Nico reached behind his head and yanked off his shirt. He grimaced at the intensified pain.

  Mercy dragged in a breath. “Oh, Nico.” Her soft hand trailed along his side.

  He glanced down at himself, winced. Oh, man. No wonder he hurt. Boxer got him with the tip of the blade. The knife sliced a five-inch gash in his side.

  Sam whistled. “Just a scratch, huh?” She opened her mike bag. “After I clean your cut, we’ll see how many stitches you need.”

  “How can I help?” Mercy asked Sam.

  “Go into my bathroom for a washcloth and towel. There’s a metal bowl in there, too. Fill it with
warm water and bring everything to me.”

  As she hurried away, Nico eyed Sam. “Are you giving her tasks to keep her busy?”

  The medic shrugged. “I can take care of you without those things. It will be easier with them. Keeping her mind occupied is an added bonus. She’ll crash soon. Mercy needs you taken care of before the adrenaline dump hits. She cares about you, Nico. I don’t think she realizes how much.” A pointed look from his teammate. “Don’t hurt her.”

  When Mercy returned a minute later, she had the items Sam requested. Her teeth were chattering. Sam caught his eye and inclined her head toward Mercy.

  “Sit with me, kitten.” Nico brought her to the couch with him and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Remember when my teammates told you I don’t like needles?”

  She nodded.

  “They weren’t lying. I hate needles. You should hold me so I won’t be afraid while Sam pokes and prods me.” He twisted toward Mercy, leaving his injured side accessible for Sam, and urged the woman in his arms to lay her head against his shoulder.

  He rubbed Mercy’s back as her body processed the adrenaline coursing through her system from the alley attack and the race to safety.

  When the body shakes and chattering teeth stilled, she sighed and buried her face against his neck. “I don’t know how you and your teammates handle this all the time. Every time something like this happens, I fall apart.”

  He pressed a soft kiss to her temple as Sam cleaned his wound. His grip on Mercy’s hair tightened as the antiseptic seeped into the injury and burned like fire. “Having the shakes is not falling apart. It’s normal. My teammates and I react in different ways. You also have to remember we deal with the adrenaline rush every time we go on a mission.”

  “You’re incredible,” she whispered.

  “Are you flirting with me, Ms. Powers?” he teased.

  “I’m stating facts. I didn’t see much because Trace left so fast, but I saw enough to know you are trained several cuts above a regular soldier.” He felt her smile against his neck. “And at least two or three cuts above Aiden. I don’t know what you were in the military, Nico, but I think Fortress sharpened and honed those skills to a level I never knew existed.”

  He nuzzled the side of her head, pleased with her assessment.

  “Little stick,” Sam murmured.

  Mercy lifted her head and tried to moved away, but Nico held her still. “Stay, please.”

  She settled again.

  “How is your shoulder?” he asked as Sam injected meds to numb his side.

  “Aches. I’ll take something for pain after I’m sure you’re all right.”

  Nico glanced at Sam. “Check Mercy’s shoulder while we wait for the meds to kick in.”

  “Good idea. Close your eyes, Nico. Mercy, let me look at the stitches.”

  Although he kept his eyes closed, Nico moved his hands to Mercy’s waist. Sam would need to unbutton the shirt and tug it aside enough to check Mercy’s shoulder.

  After a moment, the medic said, “Looks good. I don’t see evidence of a popped stitch. Here, take this pain reliever. If you’re not too sore, we’ll try leaving off the sling for a while tomorrow.”

  “Thank goodness. I hate this thing.” Clothing rustled, then Mercy settled against Nico again. “You can open your eyes now.”

  He looked at Sam again, his eyebrow raised in silent question. The medic gave him a short nod. Good. At least he didn’t have to worry that he’d hurt Mercy when he shoved her toward the SUV.

  Sam examined Nico’s side again. “Tell me if you can feel this.” She pinched his side.

  “Pressure. No pain.”

  “Hold onto your girl, Nico. She looks like she could fall asleep.” A grin. “Maybe she thinks you’re boring.”

  Mercy laughed. “Bite your tongue, Sam. I’m not in the market for more excitement at the moment.”

  “Spoilsport,” Nico murmured. “I’d planned to take you skydiving tomorrow. Liven up your life.”

  “Never in this lifetime, Nico Rivera. There is no reason to jump out of a perfectly good airplane.”

  “What do you like to do on dates?”

  Mercy’s body jerked. “Dates?”

  “Yeah, dinner, movies. Dates.”

  “I don’t know. I haven’t dated in six years.”

  “More proof the men in Kentucky are idiots not to have asked you out. Think about what you’d like to do on our first date.”

  She raised her head. “You’re asking me out?”

  He traced her the outline of her lips with his fingertip. “Are you going to reject me in front of Sam? She’s ruthless when she has blackmail material.”

  Sam snorted and kept working.

  “We live in two different states.”

  “Not at the moment.”

  “What about when the danger is over and I return to Kentucky?”

  “There’s this amazing thing called the interstate system that connects Tennessee to Kentucky. You live four hours from Nashville.”

  “How do you know that?”

  “I checked when you were asleep. I can drive to Sherwood when we’re not deployed or on rotation.” Not as often as he’d like, but he’d make the most of his time with Mercy if she would give him a chance.

  “Long distance relationships are hard.”

  “You made one work for years. Shadow isn’t deployed for a year at a time, unlike the military. Plus, we’re due for a break. Once you’re safe, I want to spend time with you.”

  She sighed. “I have baggage.”

  “Who doesn’t? Unpack yours. I’ll unpack mine, and we’ll put away the suitcases.”

  Sam sat back and ripped off her gloves. “Finished.” She dug into the mike bag, pulled out two packets, and pressed them into Nico’s hand. “You know the drill. Take the antibiotics until they’re gone. Two a day. Mild pain killers as you need them. I’m going to the kitchen for coffee.” She left the suite without a backward glance.

  Nico shoved the pills into his pocket and cupped Mercy’s nape. “What do you say? Will you take a chance on me?”

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Mercy stared into Nico’s dark eyes, astonished at his words. He wanted to date her? She felt guilty for even contemplating agreeing to his request. But her husband had been gone for two years, and Aiden would tell her to go for it if Nico was a good man. He hadn’t wanted her to mourn him and be alone the rest of her life if he lost his life in combat.

  She and her husband had talked about her possible future without him before they married. Aiden’s job had been dangerous, and he was deployed in hotspots around the world. The possibility of Aiden dying was one Mercy had faced before their wedding day. He returned from deployment with a bullet wound to his side the day before the ceremony. Rather than waste time regretting his loss following his death, Mercy had given thanks for every day they’d shared. Her only regret was not having started a family with him before he was killed. Another phase in their lives she and Aiden had looked forward to before he’d been taken from her too soon.

  And now Nico was asking her to risk her heart again with someone whose job was more dangerous than Aiden’s. If she agreed, the relationship wouldn’t be friends going on a date now and again for fun. Mercy wasn’t built that way. “I don’t do casual dating, Nico,” she warned him. “For me, dating has a deeper purpose.”

  Tenderness filled his gaze. He pressed a soft kiss to her lips. “I feel the same. Take a chance on us. I know this is fast. I don’t know what’s happening between us, but I want the opportunity to find out.”

  Did she dare? She wanted to fling aside caution and leap into the void. Although her brain screamed to choose caution over courage, Mercy’s heart reminded her of the joy she’d shared with Aiden, a joy that made all the sorrow worthwhile. If she chose to walk away from Nico, she might lose an unexpected gift.

  “I’m not ashamed to beg, Mercy. I need you in my life to balance out the darkness.”

  At his words, h
er heart melted. Mercy wrapped her arm around his neck and captured his lips with hers. She let the heat take them under. When she managed to ease away from him, Mercy knew what she needed to do. “Yes.”

  Relief flooded his face as he wrapped his arms around her. “Thank God. You won’t regret trusting me, kitten. I swear it.”

  “Long-distance relationships are a lot of work. You may regret this.”

  “Never. You are worth the effort.” The operative grinned at her, happiness gleaming in his eyes. “I’m going to enjoy romancing you, Mercy Powers.”

  After another lingering kiss, Nico released her and stood. “I’ll grab a clean shirt and we’ll join the others in the kitchen.” He helped Mercy to her feet and led her to his room.

  Along the way, Mercy had a good view of his back. A maze of scars marred the broad surface. An accident? She studied the lines across his beautiful skin as they walked toward his room.

  No, not an accident. The lines were too symmetrical. A knife had caused the injuries and from the look of the scars, the damage had been done in the recent past.

  A year ago? Mercy’s heart ached at what Nico had suffered to protect those children.

  Nico turned on the light in his room and walked to his bag with her hand still clasped in his. He let go to grab another black t-shirt. When he started to shrug on the shirt, Mercy laid her hand on his back.

  Nico froze, then slowly lowered his hands and stood still while she trailed her fingertips over the scars. “I’m sorry,” he said, his voice thick. “I forgot.”

  “Shh.” Mercy replaced her hand with her lips and brushed kisses along the raised ridges. By the time she finished the task, Nico’s muscles twitched at every touch. “From your cave experience?”

  He nodded.

  “Those children are alive because of what you endured.” She pressed another kiss to the middle of his back and circled to stand in front of him. She took the shirt from his hands and reached up to kiss him.

  Nico tugged her against his chest, his grip tight, and gave her a fevered kiss. When he broke the kiss, he eased back to stare into her eyes. “Do the scars bother you?”