Avenging Kiss (Savage Security Book 2)

by Karen Tjebben

Jack did have a problem, and his name was Eric James. What the hell kind of parent gives their kid two first names? Although, the parents couldn’t do much about their last name being a first name. Life just sucked for some people.

  Jack smiled at the old woman, trying his best to use his charm and act nonchalant.

  She cocked her head a fraction, as if acknowledging him, and narrowed her eyes at him the way only a crabby, old woman could.

  Jack smiled again at the old woman and then looked over the endcap at Bella.

  Bella walked farther down the aisle and stopped in front of the yeast infection medications. The boxes were confusing. The ovules ranged from one day, to three day, and then seven day. Who in their right mind would choose the seven day cure when there was a one day cure?

  Jack hadn’t felt so relieved in a long time. Air easily flowed in and out of his lungs again. She had a yeast infection. That was perfect! In his twisted mind, that was a good thing. He turned back to Mike and whispered, “Let’s go.” He couldn’t help but smile on his way back to his food.

  Mike’s eyebrows pulled together when he noted the twinkle in Jack’s eye. He wasn’t sure what suddenly had Jack in such a good mood. He nodded to the old woman who still stared at them, one hand on her cart and the other on her purse strap.

  They made their way back to the table, relieved their food still sat there. Apparently the café workers weren’t overly ambitious when it came to keeping the tables clean.

  Jack sat where he could observe the patrons as they exited the check-out counters. There were two exits; one on each side of the store. He wasn’t sure which one Bella would use. As much as he wanted to talk to her. he didn’t want to risk embarrassing her. That would only work against him.

  Bella huffed and grabbed the store brand, one-day cure. She couldn’t wait to get back to work. She needed that itch cream like a junkie needed his next hit. She paid and grabbed the plastic bag that contained her sanity and headed towards the exit. She adjusted her purse strap on her shoulder and glanced around.

  Nerves flitted through her when she saw Jack. He was staring at her. What is he doing here? She didn’t want to go up to them holding her see-through bag of feminine products. So she politely waved and bee-lined it out the exit.

  Jack read Bella’s body language as she fled the store. Knowing that she saw him and didn’t come over to say hi cut a little chunk out of his heart, but then again, she was holding a bag of ‘girl’ stuff. Maybe she wanted to say hi but was too embarrassed. He sighed, embarrassed that he was thinking like a thirteen-year-old prepubescent boy instead of a take-charge man.

  Mike threw away the trash while Jack refilled his drink. They met again at the exit and made their way back to Mike’s truck.

  Mike slid behind the wheel as Jack buckled up. He set his wrist on the top of the steering wheel and turned his head to look at Jack. “Look man, that was weird in there. Please tell me that you grasp that.” Maybe Jack really did have a problem.

  Okay, Jack had to admit it was a little weird, but he hadn’t planned it that way. It just happened. It started with the innocent desire to invite her to lunch, and then he got sucked in when she looked at the condoms. He couldn’t help that she bought that other stuff and that made it awkward to say anything to her. “Yeah, it was a little weird,” Jack agreed, nodding his head.

  “Pfft,” Mike huffed. “A little?” Mike started the truck and pulled out of the parking space. He glanced at Jack, curious why he was flashing that blinding smile. “What’s with the smile?”

  Jack rested his arm on the passenger door and put his other hand on his knee as he rotated to look at Mike. “We have time,” excitement laced his words. “This gives me a few days.”

  Mike thought about that, and it didn’t make any sense. “What gives you time? Explain. You sound like a crazy man.”

  Jack flicked his wrist and added confidently, “She’s got a yeast infection. She’s not having sex with anyone right now.” He couldn’t help but smile. “I can dig into this Eric’s,” he said the name with disgust, “background and make sure he’s legit.”

  Mike chuckled, his shoulders shaking. “How do you know she’s hasn’t already had sex with him?”

  He didn’t know if they’d had sex, but the probability was good that they hadn’t. “First, she was looking at condoms. If they’d had sex, they’d already have the condoms.”

  “Maybe they used them all up,” Mike offered in reply. He couldn’t help that one side of his mouth curved into a smile.

  “If that were true, then she wouldn’t be debating over what kind to buy. Second, she has a yeast infection,” Jack said, motioning with his hands for emphasis. “No sane man puts his cock in anything that’s foaming at the mouth.”

  Mike laughed out loud and shook his head as he stared at the road. When his laugh finally subsided he turned his head to look at Jack. In a serious voice he said, “So you’re saying there is a muff too tough?”

  “You’re an ass,” Jack stated. “You’re just trying to piss me off.”

  “Busted,” Mike laughed. “But for real, whatever you do, don’t ever let her know that you were happy that she had a yeast infection. Chicks consider that an unpardonable sin.”

  “What!” Jack snorted, glaring at Mike. “You think I’m an idiot?”

  “I’m reserving judgment.”

  12

  Aditya checked her appearance once more in the mirror. She fluffed her hair and added a little lip gloss, rubbing her lips together to smooth out the color. Grabbing her purse, she slid the strap onto her shoulder as she opened the door.

  The hotel was nice enough. She always stayed at a place that gave her a separate bedroom from the sitting area and the kitchenette. She liked having the space. Plus, this hotel catered to the white-collar worker on a business trip and families who enjoyed a little more room when they vacationed. Staying at the hotel gave her anonymity and the ability to disappear quickly. She didn’t need to make friends or explain her absence. At a hotel, no one cared when she disappeared.

  Aditya exited the elevator and walked out the front lobby doors. As she cut through the parking lot, she looked around for anyone suspicious or who seemed out of place and grabbed her keys from inside her purse. She hit the button on the key fob, and the car chirped as it unlocked. Looking around, she opened the door and eased onto the seat. She pulled out of the parking lot and headed towards Logan’s.

  Logan took a quick trip through his house to ensure that everything was in its place and put away. He really like Aditya and wanted to make a good impression. Even though they planned a casual meal of delivery pizza, he hoped that their night would end on a romantic high. He’d gotten a little taste of her yesterday, and he wanted more.

  Mojo barked and paced at the front door. The dog must have heard the slam of the car door as it closed. Logan recognized Mojo’s behavior. They had company.

  Logan had worked last night after she’d left. He’d researched Eric James, digging into the man’s past. He didn’t look forward to digging into Aditya’s past. Depending on how things went tonight would decide if he mentioned Aditya to Cole. If he thought he’d see her again, he’d have to look into her background. He always felt bad about breaking that trust, but it’s what they did. They took precautions. They recognized potential problems and dealt with them. But Logan couldn’t fathom that Aditya would be a problem.

  Aditya pressed the doorbell and Mojo’s deep bark answered in reply. Logan’s voice cut through the barking as he commanded the dog to stop barking and to sit.

  Being with Logan was the most pleasant job she’d ever done. She’d had to deal with chauvinists, sadists, and just overall disgusting men. Logan was none of those things. He was kind, funny, and brilliant with a dash of humility that gave him the appearance of confidence rather than arrogance.

  As the door opened, Aditya was greeted with a warm smile. She held up the bottle of wine that she brought and said, “Special delivery. I have the nectar of the
gods.”

  Logan loved the way her face lit up when she smiled. Her cheeks rose, and her eyes sparkled. The dark brown of her eyes mesmerized him. They reminded him of the melted chocolate at his favorite fondue restaurant. When she stepped into his arms, he welcomed the floral scent of her perfume. The fragrance didn’t overwhelm, but instead lured him into her embrace. Tucking his face into her beautiful hair, he enjoyed the fruity smell of her shampoo.

  She pulled out of the embrace and gazed into his eyes. “It feels good to be back in your arms.” The sad truth was that she did enjoy his company, too much. The feel of his body pressed against her, even in an innocent hug, warmed her. She enjoyed the warmth and hardness of his masculine frame. When she’d decided to stand up for women and put an end to men who hurt and dominated women, she hadn’t taken into account the loss of physical and emotional affection on her psyche. She could see why Riya gave up her independence for what she perceived to be love. It was tempting. The smiles and affection of a handsome, worthy man was a treasure that many women sought, but few found.

  Logan wrapped an arm around her and rested his hand on the small of her back. He wanted to hold her close. He wanted to kiss her and touch her skin, but he also didn’t want to rush things. “Are you hungry?” he asked.

  “Famished,” she whispered in his ear. She couldn’t deny it. She wanted him. She wanted him like she hadn’t wanted a man in years. She’d had sex, lots of bad sex, but she knew it wouldn’t be bad with him. Even his gentle touch sent her body into overdrive.

  They walked into the kitchen with Mojo trailing behind. Logan handed her his iPad and opened the link to his favorite pizza restaurant. “Take a look at what they have and tell me what interests you.”

  Aditya rested the iPad on the kitchen counter and read the menu. It looked delicious with the options of calzones, pasta, and pizza. “I’m starved,” she began. She noted they listed fettucine alfredo as a house specialty, but she wasn’t sure she wanted to deal with the mess of eating pasta drenched in a cheesy cream sauce on a date. She could imagine the long noodles draping over her chin and leaving her splattered with sauce. “I love pizza. My favorite is ham and pineapple. Pepperoni and pineapple is good, too. The spice of the pepperoni mixed with the sweetness of the pineapple makes a great combination.”

  He’d had that before, and it was good. “Okay. Do you see any appetizers you want to try?”

  “I love mozzarella sticks, but they’ll cool on the drive here.” She tilted her head to the side as she studied the menu. “The stuffed mushrooms sound good,” she said, looking up at him through her lashes.

  “Sounds perfect.” Logan grabbed his phone and dialed.

  As he ordered, Aditya wandered into the family room. She wasn’t surprised by the large television or the awesome stereo system. He was a man of technology and gadgets. She also enjoyed the bits and bobbles of science. They eased life in so many ways and transformed the world. Lives were saved through gadgets that regulated heartbeats and cleaned blood supplies.

  She stood at the bookcase looking over his books. He read a lot of non-fiction. Books on science and technology took up over half the shelf space. He also had a few political and psychological thrillers. She’d read several of the same books.

  Warm hands smoothed over her hips and rested dangerously low on her abdomen. His fingertips, while still on the outside of her clothes, rested low, right where her panties began. As he pulled her back to lean on his chest, warmth raced through her as her heart rate increased.

  Logan wanted his hands on her. He wanted so much more of himself on her. He leaned over and whispered in her ear, “Dinner’s on its way.”

  She craned her head to look at him. “That’s good, because I’m starving.” She leaned up and kissed him, sucking his top lip into her mouth.

  He moaned as she traced his lip with her tongue. One hand pulled her closer while the other hand charted a course for her breast.

  His hardness pressed into her as he pulled her flush against him. As much as she wanted to explore his muscled body, she needed him panting for her, not the other way around. She pulled away from the hug and turned so that she faced him. Pressing her hands against his chest, she felt the thudding of his heart. She glanced down and noticed the tenting in his pants. Men always responded quickly to her, and that pleased her. Men had trouble seeing reality once blood flooded to their smaller head.

  She glanced towards the couch. “Shall we?”

  He took the hint, taking her hand in his. Logan sat first and pulled her into his lap.

  She wiggled, feeling his hardness under her. One of his hands circled low around her hip while the other rested over her legs. “How was work?” Aditya traced the outer edge of his ear with her tongue.

  Her touch threw him off balance. All he could think of was the desire to be with her. To explore her body and taste her. He was glad she wore a skirt. That would make it so much easier to get his hands on her. He slipped his hand under her skirt and rested his palm on her thigh. “There’s not a whole lot to tell. I looked through a lot of code and studied schematics for a company that wants us to handle their security systems. What did you do today?”

  Honestly, there wasn’t much she could tell him, so she settled for deception. “I usually work from home, but today I had a meeting downtown.” She found it best to keep a little truth in her lies, that tended to prevent problems. “A client needs me to upgrade their system. I can do some of it remotely.” She cradled his neck in her hand and brushed her thumb back and forth through his hair. “You know how that is.”

  She saw the hunger in his eyes, and she felt the burning of lust in herself. She leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his lips. She was surprised to admit to herself that she would miss Logan. Their time together would end, and she’d move on to her next job.

  Logan’s hand snaked higher up her thigh as she deepened the kiss. His heart pulsed with the force and power that rivaled the pounding waves of a hurricane. As his fingers inched higher, the heat from her body encouraged him. When her fingers inched down the V of his polo shirt, and she slid her palm over his chest, he was good to go.

  He turned on the couch and laid her on the cushions. Pulling away, he looked at her as she lay before him. Her dark curls fanned out on the throw pillow, and her cheeks were flushed with passion. Mischief grew in her eyes as she stared at him. He watched as she slowly unbuttoned her shirt and peeled it away, revealing a white lace bra. Dark nipples peeked at him through the lace.

  “Your turn,” she cooed as she sat up and grabbed the bottom of his shirt. She ran her fingers over his toned abs as he pulled the shirt over his head.

  She liked what she saw. Most of the men she was with were fleshy or sported rotund bellies. But Logan was toned and cut. She knew she could ride him and enjoy the feel of his hard muscles under her hands as she levered herself against his body.

  She lifted her hips and undid the button and zipper on the back of the skirt.

  He followed her cue and slid the skirt over her hips and down her legs. Tossing the skirt to the floor, his mouth went dry. Her dark pussy was visible through the white lace thong. The contrast pulled at him. He couldn’t resist cupping her there, letting his fingers revel in her wetness.

  She moaned and her eyelids fluttered as his fingers massaged her. His touch heightened her desire for him, and an ache built between her legs. She rocked into his hand, silently begging him not to stop. She wanted more of him. She stretched a hand out and cupped him through his pants. “Take those off,” she urged.

  The sweet pressure of her hand against him nearly undid him. He stood and quickly shucked his pants and briefs. He took a moment to appreciate the smile on her face. He was going to make sure she did that a lot tonight.

  13

  Hazeem stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist. Water dripped from his hair and beaded down his back. He wiped a hand towel over the mirror to remove the steam. A few scars covered his body. He may have
escaped that night, but his body still bore the marks of the attack. A jagged scar cut a path from his left nipple to his hip. That one had almost killed him. He’d required antibiotics intravenously to finally obliterate the infection that threatened his life.

  The night of the attack haunted him daily. He’d been dealing with it for years now. The reality of how close he’d come to death strengthened his resolve and determination to destroy the infidels. In that attack, the Americans crippled teams of warriors, gathered information that they used to take out other teams, and killed the love of his life and his unborn child. It had taken a long time for his people to gather the information on the men responsible, but they’d finally done it.

  Thinking back, he knew it was a miracle that he hadn’t been killed. He’d been in bed with Riya when she realized that she’d forgotten her lotion in the jeep. She’d turned her beautiful dark eyes onto him and whispered in her soothing voice, “Would you get it for me?” She’d traced his nipple with her nail and placed a kiss on his lips.

  He could not deny her. He’d gotten out of bed, eased his feet into his shoes, and grabbed the keys to the jeep. The night was clear and stars lit the sky. The sound of men laughing and snoring permeated the thin plywood walls of the tents and filled the air. He’d gone to the passenger side door of the jeep and looked around. The lotion lay on the floor mat. He’d grabbed it and headed back towards to Riya.

  The rumbling roar of jets had cut through the air and turned his blood cold.

  Hazeem had raced towards Riya, but there hadn’t been enough time. The bombs dropped, and his heart stopped. The explosion rocked the ground and decimated the camp. He’d been thrown backwards. When he came to, large splinters of plywood protruded from his flesh. A bad cut sliced down his torso, and his blood seeped into the sand.

  Everything was gone.

  He’d focused his energy and stood. The world had spun, and blood trickled into his eyes. He’d smeared the blood as he wiped the back of his hand over his face in an attempt to clear his vision. Stumbling forward, trying to block out the pained cries of the few survivors, he’d come to a stop where his tent had been. Only a smoky hole and burned out fragments remained.