"They're helping us. If Jacob or Jason knew that they were here, it would cause difficulties, for everyone."
"Right. Not an issue as far as I'm concerned. But you owe me." Jewell glanced at the digital display on the stove and then back at Zane.
"For?"
"I was supposed to have awesome morning sex." Jewell picked up her purse and tossed his keys to him.
Zane caught the keys in midair and groaned. "Yeah, believe me, I thought about that."
"Well, you get to think about it all day." She turned her back on him and slid her hand down her ass. "The thong will be waiting for you." Jewell threw back her head and laughed when she heard his pained groan. She waited at the door for him. Lifting onto her tiptoes, she kissed him chastely on the jaw. "I'm worth the wait."
He slid his arm around her and lowered his lips to hers. "I know. That's why I'm still here. I love you." The words were a mere whisper against her lips. Jewell leaned into the kiss. She let his words sink into her soul. She wanted to be able to tell him the same thing. She wanted desperately to be in love with this man, but she was afraid that this wonderful little bubble they were living in would implode. If she gave him her heart, where would she be when that happened?
Chapter Twenty-Two
"You're playing with fire." Anubis sat down across from Zane at the small restaurant where he was picking up his and Jewell's lunch.
"I am. But you knew that when I briefed you on the phone. You don't have to be here." Zane pushed his water bottle to the side and leveled his stare at his…well for the lack of any other term, his friend.
"I have five people in my life that I would extend my neck for. You are one. If you hadn't been there for me in Bolivia, I wouldn't be alive."
Zane nodded. Anubis had been between a rock and a hard place. He'd successfully poisoned his mark, but the poison he'd been able to use was incredibly unstable and worked too fast. The entire kitchen and wait staff for the party had been thrown into holding cells, and they were being systematically tortured and then executed. Anubis was four hours into his torture session when Zane had made it into the backwater hell hole where he was being held. He'd fought like the beast they'd named him after. Hand to hand combat was his forte and that day he killed fifteen people to get Anubis out of that place. That rescue mission had been the beginning of the end for Bengal.
"Why?" Anubis's question brought him back from his thoughts.
"Why, what?"
"Why did you risk your life to save mine? It isn't worth the air you breathe." The man's eyes never stopped searching the small restaurant as if the ghosts of his enemies would appear out of the vinyl booths that lined the walls.
Zane remembered the mission vividly. Thanatos had given Zane Anubis's location. They were to meet and combine forces for the next mission. Thanatos had to go after their mark, but Bengal was between missions, so he went after Anubis. There had been no hesitation, but a rescue wasn't expected. Assassins knew the risk, and they knew if they were caught they were dead.
"Because we all deserve a chance to live a life other than the one you have now. I made it out. You can too."
Anubis fixed his stare out the picture window and shrugged. "I'm fine. I belong to my evil tendencies."
"That is a decision only you can make." Zane rolled the water bottle in his hands. "But it is a decision. You can stop."
The evil laugh that floated across the table stilled Zane's hands. "What if I told you I enjoyed my work? I take great pleasure in ensuring the scum of the world no longer prey upon the weak or the innocent." Anubis's eyes locked with Zane's for an instant. It was enough. Zane understood the need. He'd been driven once upon a time.
"Then it's good. Hopefully, this little detour will be over before long." Zane watched as Thanatos walked into the establishment. He'd waited to make sure no one was being followed before he'd entered the diner.
Zane nodded to the man as he sat down and started his brief without hesitation. "The intel that we've been given is the target in this operation has been looking for muscle. The man is a ghost and a computer hacker. I haven't met many that were experts in other fields and also ours."
Both men chuckled. Assassins had many skills, but it was unheard of for a specialist from another field to also be an assassin. "So he'll hire out his grunt work." Anubis finished their mutual thoughts.
"Jewell has left a piece of cheese for our rat. Should he discover and take the bait, I'll be his target. I'm going to leave Jewell at the facility. I've arranged it with her brothers. They are making accommodations for her, so she doesn't need to leave."
"That's an excellent idea. A hardened facility would require more than just hired muscle to take down." Thanatos spoke in a low tone after the waiter had passed.
"I'll make myself vulnerable. The secondary address I've given you is her apartment and where I'll be commuting to and from. If he's as smart as they say, he'd find out where the person in charge of C3 is staying. I need to make sure there aren't any warning flags for this guy. I'm hoping to give this guy the opportunity to grab me. Then I will pull him from his hole and give us the opportunity to take him."
"Take him?" Anubis chuckled. "Well, that will be a new one for me."
"Yeah, we need him alive if possible. Jewell thinks he's got something big planned as retribution. We need to find out what he has in his devious mind and allow her to plug any holes that son of a bitch has drilled into Guardian's computer systems."
A waiter approached but was waived off by Zane. The disgruntled look that was tossed his way made him chuckle. He'd tip the kid for using the back booth for his meeting.
"Not a lot to go on." Thanatos picked up a menu from the metal clip on top of the condiment holder.
"Agreed. But it's all we can do. This bastard is good. I have to be able to draw him out. If I have you two at my back, I'll let them take me to him."
"We have your back." Anubis's statement was clipped. Zane glanced over at the man. "I owe you my life, so does he. We have your back."
Zane nodded. The intensity of Anubis's reply struck him. He'd wondered earlier if the man was a friend. There was no doubt in his mind now.
"Shit."
Zane's head snapped toward the door. A smirk spread across his face. Fury slipped into the booth next to Zane.
"So, these two are your backup plan." Fury grabbed Zane's water bottle, cracked the seal and downed half of it in one gulp.
"Yes." Zane's expression remained neutral. Joseph King could ruin everything.
Anubis leaned onto his forearms and stared at Fury. "I thought you were dead."
"I am." Fury's eyes bored into Anubis.
"Huh. Good to know my sources were correct." Anubis smiled and had the balls to wink at one of the coldest killers ever to walk the earth.
"Don't fuck this up." Fury handed him his water bottle back and lifted out of the booth. The man walked out of the diner without a backward glance. Zane let out a breath. Fury wasn't going to report what he knew. He'd have his back-up and work the plan to ensure Jewell was safe.
"Well, that went well." Thanatos chuckled and motioned the waiter over. He ordered enough for three people and then looked at Anubis. The man shook his head and ordered a cheeseburger. Zane placed his order to go and waited for the angsty waiter to repeat the lengthy order before he left.
"So when do you start playing mouse to this fucker's cat?" Thanatos asked.
"Tonight." Jewell was going to have some choice words for his timing, but he'd try to mitigate any damage. Zane's mind wandered to the blue thong the woman was currently wearing. She'd been wanton with her teasing all morning. Hell, he'd sported wood most of the time he was in her office.
Anubis's eyes scanned the room. "Then let the games begin."
"Say what now?" Jewell's question shot back at him from where she sat behind her console.
"I have ar
ranged for one of the offices on the lower levels to be converted into a bedroom for you. It is next to the gym, and I know you've showered there while I wasn't here. You'll be safe, and I won't need to worry about you while I'm taking care of business out there."
"Wow, I really thought you were different." Jewell closed her eyes and shook her head. Zane felt as if he had walked into a minefield. He was sure one wrong step and that woman across the room would detonate. He'd seen it happen and he didn't want to be on the receiving end of it again.
"I'm going to be honest here and tell you I don't really understand that comment." Zane watched as she rubbed her forehead. Another sign of her frustration. Yeah, he'd stepped in it.
"You have decided for me, that it would be best if I stay here. Because if Vista is tracking you, you don't want to be distracted worrying about me." Jewell's finger pointed at herself and him with each emphasized word.
Zane nodded. He didn't want to piss her off even more.
"No. First, if Vista is tracking you, I am not on his radar. Second, we don't even know if he found the information that would lead him to you. Third, I thought you were different. Why would you unilaterally decide a course of action without consulting me? Didn't we have this huge blow up with my brothers about the exact same thing? Damn it, when will people quit treating me like I can't make a fucking decision?"
"May I answer those questions or do you just want to rant?" Zane almost flinched at the glare she sent his way. The woman was shooting daggers that's for sure.
"Oh, by all means, explain those tactics. I dare you." She folded her arms across her chest and leaned back in her chair. The office door clicked open, and Alonzo walked in. He glanced up at Jewell and then over to Zane before he froze and bounced his eyes between them again. He swallowed hard, extended his arm and placed a piece of paper on Jewell's workstation. "I'll come back." He turned and left, shutting the door behind him.
"I'm waiting."
"First we don't know that Vista has found the information you left for him. No, you aren't a target, but if he doesn't find that information, everyone who works for Guardian, and I mean everyone, will have a target on their back. This guy is in pain. His brother is dead. I'm sure he blames us. In his position, I would. So even though he doesn't know who you are, if you come into or leave this building you are a target." Zane leaned forward and put his forearms on his knees. "Second, I didn't unilaterally decide to lock you in this facility. You've stayed here for days at a time without the benefit of a bed to sleep in. I need you here. If he takes me, my backup will get in contact with you, here. You need to be here to mobilize this place. I don't know what type of talent Vista was able to hire, and minutes will matter. We need to have you at the helm to make sure this guy doesn't pull a fast one and flit away after snuffing me out. I'm assuming you'd be able to track him if he gets on his computer again?"
Jewell's eyes narrowed, and she nodded, so he continued, "Okay. I have a plan. One that will piss him off, but a mad hacker may make a mistake, right? Plus if he thinks I'm the one who tracked him, he might not be as careful." Jewell nodded again. "Then please, be here, for me. Be ready. If you get that phone call, get your brothers on board. I'll try to get him to come online."
"How?" Jewell's question told him he'd defused the bomb she was sitting on.
"Leave that to me."
"I don't like the sound of that." She uncrossed her arms and stared out the window of her office. Her people manned their stations in the theater setting. She shook her head. "I don't like the fact that you are out there and I'm in here."
"I know."
"I feel useless." She turned toward him. He saw the worry in her eyes. Zane stood and headed to her chair. He lowered until he knelt in front of her.
"You are the most precious thing in my life. I can't risk you walking out of this building when that bastard has the money and the means to hire goons to hurt the people who work here. You are the best there is. Get into that computer world of yours and find out who he hired and what he's planning on doing. I know if anyone can do it, you can."
"Promise me you'll be careful? If he is able to hurt you, I don't know what I would do." She placed her hand on his heart, and he covered it with his. He felt her love for him whether or not she could put that emotion into words.
"I have everything to live for. I love you, and I know you have feelings for me. I'm not going to let that guy take this away from us."
"When will this start?"
"Tonight."
Jewell sucked her bottom lip in and worried it. He put his thumb on her chin and removed it leaning in to kiss the swollen flesh. "I haven't shown you the bedroom."
Jewell leaned her forehead against his. "Does the room have a lock?"
"As a matter of fact, it does."
Jewell pushed her chair away from him and stood. She glanced at the paper Alonzo had put on her desk and dropped it to the top of her workstation. "I'm through for the day. I think I need a nap if I'm working the night shift. I assume you'll be here during the day?"
Zane stood and nodded.
"Good. You owe me one hell of an orgasm." She headed toward the door and glanced behind her. "Are you coming?"
"Not yet, but I think it is inevitable." Zane adjusted his cock in his pants and buttoned his suit jacket to camouflage the tenting that he couldn't hide.
"Oh, not only is it inevitable, it's guaranteed." Jewell winked and stepped out of her office.
The small office was at the end of the corridor past all the other temporary offices that lined the hall. They were used by returning teams, PSOs, and new hires that had yet to be cleared at the higher levels. Zane put his finger on the pad, and the lock clicked open. He pushed the door in and held it, allowing Jewell to enter first. It was utilitarian at best, but it had a bed, her clothes from her locker in the gym and a small television. There were several bottles of water on the desk. Someone had pushed the office furniture up against the wall. A small coffee maker and a small box of coffee pods sat on the corner of the desk. That had to be Sonya's doing. Zane didn't think Jason would take the time for the creature comforts. Or maybe he would. He'd tended to believe the worst about her brothers based on the way she'd been worked when he was here previously. But he'd seen nothing but care and concern since he'd returned. Misguided, granted, but he'd have to give them all another chance.
Jewell shut the door and turned toward him. She dropped her purse onto the floor and started unbuttoning her shirt.
Zane caught her hands in his.
"Oh, no. You don't get to tell me we aren't going to make love." The anger in her voice almost detracted from the fact that she'd said they'd be making love.
He didn't think the words were misspoken. She always said what she meant, even if the timing was inappropriate. "We will make love, but I have a present under these clothes. I get to unwrap it." He let her hands go and reached up to her hair pulling the end of the tightly twisted bun out from where he'd watched her tuck it this morning. Her hair was so thick, and she'd wound it so tight that it was still damp when he unraveled it and let it fall past her shoulders. The faint smell of shampoo filled his senses.
He unbuttoned the tight cuffs of her long sleeve blouse. The tiny little buttons were a pain in the ass to unfasten, but he wasn't letting a bit of cloth and plastic deter him from his goal. His mind flashed to her gorgeous ass and that sky blue thong. He lowered to his knees and lifted the tail of her shirt out of her slacks. His hands traveled north under the material, sliding against her soft skin up to her ribcage. His thumbs caressed the bra that matched her thong and found her hardened nipples. He leaned forward and kissed her stomach through the material of her blouse. "I love you." He whispered the words. He did love her, but his words were said to the child he hoped and prayed she was carrying. It was selfish and insane, but the thought of a family was something he couldn't have dr
eamed of two years ago. Now, it was all he wanted.
Zane skimmed his hands down her side and left the warm expanse of skin to reach up to unbutton her shirt. He kissed her where the material parted following the expanding opening of her shirt. He freed the hook on her slacks and unzipped them before he let them drop down her long, sexy legs to her feet. He removed her shoes and pushed the material away. He leaned back on his heels to admire the woman before him. Her hair floated over her shoulders almost covering the blue lace of the bra she wore. Her breasts lifted in a rapid beat mirroring the pounding of the pulse in her neck.
He reached forward and placed his hands on her hips. They fit perfectly in the curve of her waist. He leaned forward and ran his tongue over the thin line of elastic lace that held the small triangle of blue material. Her hand cradled his head, and her fingers ran through his hair. He lowered and nuzzled the material out of his way. Both of her hands found purchase in his hair, and her fingers tightened when he spread her open so he could taste her.
He nudged her legs apart and brought her closer. His hands snaked through her legs wrapping around them with his hands back on her hips. He was able to pull her closer to him and hold her there. He loved the taste of her, the way her thighs shook when he sucked her clit into his mouth and the jerk of her body when he released it. Her hands landed on his shoulders, and he felt her brace against them. He renewed his efforts, using the flat of his tongue to tease her before he sucked her into his mouth again. She hipped forward at the suction, and he tightened his hold and worked her until her fingernails dug into his shoulders through his jacket and shirt. He released her and used two fingers to enter her. His reward was a startled gasp. Her body stiffened. Every muscle contracted before she bucked against his face.
"Yes, God yes… Zane!"
He continued to tease her sensitive skin until she drew away. Her bra and panties took seconds to remove before he laid her boneless body on the bed. Their eyes locked as he removed his clothes. The desire that filled her eyes made him feel bulletproof. His briefs dropped at the same time as she crooked her finger at him.
Jewell (The Kings of Guardian Book 8) Page 17