by Dana Volney
“Adam?”
The sound of her terrified voice and her goodbyes made him lightheaded. He had to get a grip. This is a mission like any other. Get the hostage and get out. Use force. Make it happen. Adam’s fight instinct heightened—he didn’t believe in flight.
He put his free hand to his temple. He pushed his feelings out of the way. They were no good right now. He set his jaw and steeled his eyes.
“Are you there?” She was trying to control her voice, but he could hear the fright.
“Baby, I’m here.” He tried not to inflect this voice. He didn’t want to give away the double meaning, but he had to at least try to let her know.
He glanced at his watch. Go time.
Liv started to speak, but he pressed the mute key and slipped the phone into his breast pocket, raising his M16. He took a deep breath, let it out and shot. The bullet dropped Victor before the bang rang in his ear. Adam swiftly moved toward the commotion, rifle by his cheek. He popped off another shot as a big, muscular guy came into view.
Adam stopped short of the door and peeked around the corner. He knew Liv wasn’t alone, but he didn’t know if one or two men accompanied her. The last thing he’d wanted: a standoff. But at this point, he was committed. The opportunity to neutralize Victor had been too good. If this ended quickly, then Victor had a chance to live. If not, then, so be it.
Adam poked his head around the corner and ducked back as a bullet zinged by his ear.
“I have her!” a man shouted. “You need to surrender!”
Adam set his jaw and surveyed the vast expanse of the empty warehouse. When he answered, his voice barely registered in his ears. “And what if I don’t?” It was always nice to know if the loose cannon with a gun to your girlfriend’s head had an escape plan.
“I’ll kill her and then I’ll kill you!”
The man’s stability was a “not so much.” This guy only knew panic, which made for itchy trigger fingers. Adam let out a loud sigh and untangled himself from his gun. He had no choice.
“All right. I’m surrendering.” He moved his arms slowly into the doorway and then his body. He kept eye contact with the man. “Now what?”
“Slowly lay your gun down and kick it over here.”
Adam didn’t move. “How do I know we’re both getting out of here alive?” His stare slid to Neil’s lifeless body slumped on the ground.
The man snorted. “You don’t.”
“Then why would I give you my gun?”
“Because I’ll kill her.” He jabbed his pistol into Liv’s neck.
Adam gradually moved his attention from the cold, black metal pressed in her neck up to her lips and soft cheeks, until he met her petrified stare.
Adam bent down and set his M16 on the ground gently.
“Kick it over here.”
Adam slowly obliged and then he saw a slight shadow above them. Sword’s ready. Adam moved his stare back on the guy, not drawing attention to the man’s fate above him.
“Move faster! I’ll kill her!”
“That would be a very bad idea.” Adam slanted his head from left to right. “Ya see, this lady here, the one you have at gunpoint, she holds the heart of a very protective, selfish, and dangerous fella who doesn’t want to live a day without her. If you believe for one second that he’s not going to come after you with every crazy fiber of his being, then you are sadly mistaken. In fact, he’s probably pretty pissed that you’re in the same vicinity as her.” Adam paused, his eyes projecting his dark side. “If I were you, I’d back the hell off and blow your brains out before he does it for you.”
“Right.” The man scoffed, loosening the muzzle on Liv’s skin. “If that’s true, then where is he? We’ve had her for a while.”
“At a movie, asshole.”
Shots rang out, glass shattered, and Adam ran toward Liv. Adam crouched as he moved to grab the handgun tucked in his boot. Sword had nailed the bastard in his gun-wielding arm. He squirmed on the ground, holding his right arm and shouting obscenities in pain.
Adam cut Liv out of the ties binding her hands and feet. He knew Sword held his position on the roof and would shoot if anyone tried anything. Adam knelt face to face with her.
“Are you okay?” The question always seemed trite in these situations; either someone was alive or dead. But now all he wanted to know was if Liv was “okay.”
She nodded and tears flowed down her cheeks. He brushed back her hair and kissed her forehead. She’s okay. She’s okay. He took his first deep breath since entering the commander’s office. He moved his hands to her face and gently brushed the tears away with his thumbs.
“Are you hurt? Did they hurt you?” Adam glanced around the room at the three men on the floor. At least two of them were still alive to torture.
She spoke slower than normal. “I will be okay. Thank you … for saving me … again.” She tried a smile as her eyes reddened. “I promise this’ll be the last time.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner.” Adam looked fixedly at the floor and his hands slid to her lap. Tears welled in his eyes. Shit. He focused on breathing quietly to steady his nerves.
She wove her hands in his hair at the top of his head and circled them back down under his ears. Chills mixed with heavy desire ran down his back to his toes. Liv was, hands down, the sexiest woman he’d ever known. Her touch set him ablaze and the lump in his throat grew. She gently raised his head and he met brilliant green and blue eyes.
I’m responsible for this happening. “As soon as I found out—”
“I am so in love with you,” Liv interrupted and followed with a kiss.
Her kiss exuded relief and need. Adam gave in. I love you, too. Her soft lips moved over his and he hugged her to him. His breath caught and he deepened their kiss, feeling her tongue tease his. He needed to feel her alive, warm body next to his. He never wanted to let her go.
“Lark. Let’s move.” Darby’s voice boomed in his ears. He stood in the room, his weapon still posed on his hip, and Adam glanced up to see Sword leaning over the new hole in the roof.
Adam put his hand around Liv’s to help her stand. Her bloodied wrists caught his attention and he mashed his lips together. The bastards were gonna pay.
“Did you call?” Adam called up to Sword.
“Yep. Didn’t you hear the sirens?” Sword’s brows furrowed. “DEA, too.”
He hadn’t heard or seen anything but Liv.
“Don’t leave his side.” Adam pointed to Victor lying on the concrete floor in a slow pool of blood. Adam and Sword exchanged a glance they’d used on too many occasions to count. Neither man thought this was over.
Liv took a step but faltered by his side. “They had me tied up tight. My legs fell asleep.” She rubbed her thighs and her mouth pursed to the side apologetically.
Adam lifted her across his chest and she draped her arms around his neck, leaning her head on his shoulder. He breathed in her faint coconut and lime smell and relaxed. She’s safe. She’s going to be okay. And she loves me. A discreet smile edged his lips. He walked out the way he’d silently entered. Four police cars, two ambulances, and a handful of unmarked vehicles huddled around the entrance. Adam cut through the clusters of people and headed straight to the ambulance.
The back doors of the ambulance were propped open and he set her down on the step. An EMT stepped closer to assess Liv.
“I’m fine. Nothing major,” she said to the short red-haired toothpick.
Adam gave her the stinkeye and crossed his arms.
“Fine.” She waved “whatever” with her hands to the EMT. “Go ahead.”
He watched the EMT check her vitals and gently tend to her wounded wrists and ankles.
“Livvy!” The commander and his wife rushed beyond the sirens. She hugged them from her perch on the back of the ambulance.
“Are you okay? What happened?” Mrs. Wingfield swatted at her husband. “I told you, Leon, that something bad was going to happen!” She turned the gla
re for the commander into loving concern for her daughter as she rubbed Liv’s head. “I knew we should’ve done more than change her last name. This is because of what you do, isn’t it? Isn’t it?”
“I’m good, Mom.” Liv tried to speak over her mother. “I swear.”
Adam stepped back. This family business didn’t concern him. He frowned.
“Lark.”
Adam turned to see the commander’s sharp eyes on him.
“Sir.”
“Well done.” The commander stuck his hand out and Adam shook it.
Was this really the best time? Adam glanced in Liv’s direction. She and Mrs. Wingfield were in deep discussion. He swiveled back to see a body being wheeled out in a coroner’s bag. Neil.
Adam cleared his throat. “Thank you, sir.” Maybe this could wait until later. “Sword is on the Victor Gamble detail with DEA. I’m going to have a chat with Victor after he’s cleared medically.” Cleared or not, that chat would happen tonight.
The commander nodded. He probably didn’t want to talk about business, or maybe he did. Whatever the case may be, Adam still had two things on his mind: Liv and Victor.
“Quite the effort.” The commander rocked back on his heels and surveyed the growing crowd of various agents.
He knew. Adam brought his arms down from his chest and shoved them in his cargo pants pockets. Now or never, Lark. You just saved his daughter. He’s got to be in a generous mood.
“Sir.” He looked directly at his superior and inhaled a shaky breath. “I’d go to hell and back for her. I’m completely in love with your daughter.” Adam didn’t move; he didn’t hardly breathe. He showed no weakness. He couldn’t. He wanted the commander’s blessing.
• • •
“Liv!” Sadie and Hannah burst through the emergency room curtains at the hospital.
Her mother insisted the EMT take her all the way to the hospital. She’d protested, but years of trying to fight that force told her it would be futile. Besides, Adam had already left and the sooner she gave in, the sooner she could get home. She craved peace and quiet. She needed to collect her scattered thoughts.
“Hey.” She wrinkled her forehead in confusion. “How’d you know I was here?”
“Your mom answered your phone. Told us you’d been taken to the ER.”
She faintly remembered her mother on the phone in the ambulance but thought she’d called any number of her aunts. Her purse must’ve been recovered at the warehouse and somehow, although Liv suspected it was through her dad, retrieved.
“Oh.” Liv nodded and spied her leather satchel lying with her mom’s things on the tiny chair by the bed she sat on.
Her mother had gone to find the doctor, may God help that poor man; her parents hadn’t stopped pestering them since she’d arrived. Liv felt fine; she didn’t need any serious medical attention. The bandages and cream the nurse had applied had done wonders for the stinging pain. They couldn’t have used cuffs, huh? Those I could’ve picked. She really didn’t want any scarring to remind her of this ordeal. A flashback of Victor’s sinister eyes haunted her vision momentarily. She glanced around the sterile room, hoping Adam was just that good at hiding in the shadows. Nope, still nothing. He hadn’t left her side, even when her parents showed up. Liv had nervously watched Adam and her dad talk, but she couldn’t hear them. Whatever had transpired, both men were their serious selves and Adam’s jaw sat firmly clenched when he’d walked back toward her. He’d put his hands gently on the sides of her shoulders, kissed her forehead, and told her he had something to take care of. She’d stared into his eyes and watched the loving Adam go away. The hardened Adam had returned and she’d done everything she could not to cry before he turned and walked away.
What did he have left to do? Liv searched through the hazy events. The men had been captured. No one had gotten away. Why couldn’t he stay with me? What happened between him and Dad? Does he love me back? Liv’s internal voice froze. He’d never said it back. Her words had been truthful. She knew, without doubt, she’d fallen in love with Adam Lark. Hard. He’d come for her. He’d rescued her. But so did his team, and her father employed them. Her dad sent them. Dread filled her. She couldn’t swallow, she could barely breathe, and all she heard was an increased beeping and people shouting her name.
“Liv!” The girls stood on either side of her hospital bed.
She focused on their wide-eyed faces and bit her bottom lip. “I’m here.”
“What happened?” Sadie asked, peering over her should at the now-calm monitor.
“I was kidnapped.” She couldn’t believe she was saying those words.
“By who?”
“Victor. So was Neil. He’s … he’s dead.”
“Holy shit,” Hannah whispered and put her hand on Liv’s.
“Yeah,” she said with no inflection. Her emotion allotment for the day was spent.
“Who’s Victor?” Sadie asked.
“The guy who apparently was supposed to buy my houseboat.”
“How did you get out of it?” Hannah sat on the edge of the hospital bed. “I heard you have to try everything to not go with them because chances of survival decrease once they have you in a vehicle.”
No shit, Sherlock. Liv had added to that sad statistic tonight, even though she lived to tell about it. “They were going to kill me.” Her words stunned her senses. She’d almost died today. There’s so much I still want to do with my life. “Adam saved me.”
“Adam?” both women asked in unison.
“Co-owner Adam?” Sadie clarified.
Liv nodded. “He works for my dad.” She couldn’t bring herself to tell them she loved him. Her chest pressed inward. It hurt to even admit it to herself. Unrequited love was a bitch.
“Oh.” Sadie looked up to the ceiling. “That makes sense. I bet your dad is pissed. Are the people who did this still alive? Because I doubt they will be for long.”
Liv felt her eyes burn. “I don’t know actually. There was a lot of gunfire and blood.”
“Oh, sweetie.” Hannah hugged her. “It’s going to be okay. You can stay with one of us tonight to make sure you’re not in any danger.”
Sadie rubbed circles gently on Liv’s back and then grabbed her hand. Liv hadn’t realized she clutched her hands tightly in her lap until her friend pried then apart. Sadie studied Liv’s face and she could practically see Sadie connecting the dots.
“Where’s Adam now?” she asked and glanced around the room as if she’d missed him when they’d rushed in.
I swear she’s psychic. The three women were the best of friends, but somehow Sadie could always read Liv’s mind. A tear she didn’t know she had left escaped and she shrugged. “He saved me. Really saved me, ya know?” Liv dried her wet cheek. “Then he left.”
Liv realized her dad had disappeared, too. They were probably together somewhere working. Just once, Liv would like to be put before the job. “Duty called” took on a whole other meaning growing up in her household. She didn’t like it before and she surely didn’t want it for her future.
Her heart sank deeper. Adam put the job first, too. It was in his DNA. She wanted to ball up in the corner and cry.
• • •
Adam walked through the light blue walls and made his way to the hospital floor Victor was fortunate enough to be alive on. Adam had known, even through his rage-filled lenses, he needed Victor alive.
Adam found Sword at the nurses’ station parked in front of Victor’s room. He didn’t like anything about Victor or the Haros cartel before they kidnapped Liv and now he would do anything to see the bunch rot in hell.
“Anything?” he asked Sword.
“That was fucking perfect, man. At a movie, asshole. Then bam!” Sword smacked his hands together for emphasis and laughed. “Love it when a plan comes together.”
Adam shook his head and smirked. It had been pretty epic. He couldn’t have planned it better. Sword handed over the file in his hand and Adam flipped through it. The g
overnment profile of Victor Gamble included his cartel connections, arrests, suspected dealings, and aliases.
“Has he said anything?” Adam snapped the file shut. He’d read the same file when they’d taken the Haros cartel assignment.
“He’s doped up. It was a clean shot, but he lost a lot of blood. They said maybe tomorrow he’d be up to talking.”
“Lawyer?”
“Not yet.” Sword raised his brow. “Are you gonna wait till he’s lucid?”
“Nope.” Adam handed the file back to Sword.
Adam walked into Victor’s room, nodding at the guard. He didn’t try to stop Adam as he entered the dimly lit room.
When Victor slowly moved his eyes to see his new visitor, he squinted, then rolled his head toward the guard. Ah, he probably is drugged up.
“Get him out of here.” Victor’s voice was gruff, but the undertone of hate was clear.
Adam didn’t move. He wasn’t going anywhere.
“Victor, old pal, old buddy, how ya doing?”
Victor moved his eyes to Adam but not his head.
“Yeah, I’ve had better, too. Victor, Victor, Victor.” Adam tsked and moved to stand at the foot of the hospital bed. “Is there anything you’d like to say to me?”
Adam stared in silence as Victor didn’t move a muscle.
“Let me help you. ‘Adam, I’m sorry for kidnapping Liv.’” Adam prompted Victor by circling his hand. Getting more of nothing, he said, “Victor, you and I are business guys, right? This isn’t going to look too good for you. The kidnapping, the whole shooting Neil in the face thing, not actually getting the bag back from Liv’s boat. We’re running prints on the sniper rifle and at last count it had six hits to unsolved murders.” Adam walked around the hospital bed to stand by Victor’s side.
“I bet you’re asking yourself right now how you’re going to get out of this jam. I gotta tell you. I’m not sure. We can probably agree on one thing though, you’re gonna die in prison.” Adam turned the monitor with Victor’s vital stats toward him and huffed. “You’re welcome. Nice knowing ya.” Adam headed for the door.
“I suppose you have a clever idea for this … predicament.”