19
Hazeem tensed when he saw the text message from Aditya asking for another meeting. They weren’t supposed to contact each other. They had predetermined meetings scheduled, and to break protocol opened them up to danger. As he made his way to the Sultan’s Feast Restaurant, he went over his plan. Everything was falling into place. He walked down the stairs into the basement of the restaurant and took a seat across from her at the little card table.
“We have a problem,” Aditya stated. She tried to keep the drama out of her voice, but she was nervous. She’d never come this close to being caught. “We have to act fast or drop this and let them go.”
Dropping this wasn’t going to happen. Hazeem didn’t care if she fled like the scared bitch that she was. She could do what she wanted, but he wasn’t going to let the people who killed Riya and his friends survive. “I’m not leaving.” He drummed his finely manicured nails on the table. “Can I assume that this panic attack of yours is brought on by your own foolish actions?”
Aditya hated Hazeem. If the men from Savage Security didn’t kill him, she’d kill him herself. “They are onto us,” she bit out. She wasn’t sure if she was angry, disappointed, or scared. Part of her wanted to go, flee to somewhere safe and not worry about the rest of the Americans. She had considered not telling Hazeem that they were running out of time. She could leave, save herself, and leave him for the Americans to capture. She was confident that he’d do something stupid to get himself caught.
He crossed his arms and glared at her. She was so unlike Riya. Riya’s countenance scattered happiness and peace wherever she went. He didn’t see happiness in Aditya. He saw a woman struggling to conquer a man. A woman who didn’t know her place. “You mean onto you,” he replied.
She heard the contempt in his voice. “If it were not for me, we would not have this information. I planted the bug.”
She sat there so smug and arrogant, as if he couldn’t do this mission without her. “After you whored yourself,” he bit out. “You bring shame to your family.” He knew her best work was done between her legs. He also knew how sweet that pussy was. It angered him that he couldn’t look at Aditya and not think of the pleasure he’d found in Riya.
She ignored his stupidity. If anyone was responsible for shaming their family, it was him. He’d turned his back on every advantage given to him to embrace an ideology of hate and murder, and he’d dragged Riya into the mire with him. “Savage Security will receive the pictures and videos their military has of the training camp before it was bombed. You will be in there. Riya will be in there.”
He drummed his fingers on the card table and inhaled. This could be a problem, but everything was in place. “I’m not concerned,” he refused to let her see him frustrated.
As far as she was concerned, that statement confirmed his ignorance.
“I have everything in place. I can plant the bombs tonight and disappear.”
“Leave everything to chance with a few bombs and a timer?” She laughed. That didn’t surprise her. He’d never have the balls to look his prey in the eye and kill them. But that’s what she did. She faced men who outweighed her by a hundred pounds. Hazeem was a coward. “A timer is completely unreliable.”
“No,” he snapped. “What I have in mind is perfect.”
“What time will you set it for?” she said, her eyebrows raised in question. “What time will they all be in that location? You cannot possibly predict their whereabouts. You could end up killing only one of them. What good would that do you?”
He couldn’t guarantee all of their deaths, but he could promise a blow that crippled them. “It makes no difference if all of them or only one of them is killed. The seed of fear will be planted. The men who attacked us will know that they can’t come home to America and feel safe. They will know that we can get them in their homes, their places of work, and not even their families will be safe.”
Aditya didn’t work like that. She didn’t want to scatter seeds of fear and randomly hurt innocents. That’s how her sister had died. That was wrong.
Aditya stared at him, his hardened eyes and sneer told her that he would not be swayed. He had a plan, and he was not going to deviate from it. “Fine,” she began. “Good luck placing the bombs. There must be cameras everywhere.”
“The cameras do not matter. By the time someone looks through the surveillance footage, the job will be done. It will be too late for them.”
“Very well.” Aditya needed to see Logan. She hated how her feelings towards him had shifted. She wasn’t so sure that he was the enemy. He was a good man. He sacrificed himself for others. It wasn’t his fault that Riya had placed herself in that camp. Aditya knew that she needed to put the responsibility for Riya’s death in Hazeem’s and Riya’s laps. They made their choices, and Riya had died for hers. Aditya would be sure that Hazeem paid too.
20
Logan knocked on Cole’s door. He had to come clean, especially after learning about the Black Widow. It sickened him that Shaw had died such a death. There was no honor in being brutally murdered by someone you trusted, even if the trust was misguided. Shaw deserved better. But Logan knew Aditya wasn’t Shaw’s killer. She didn’t have it in her. She was the embodiment of loveliness and all things beautiful.
“Come in,” Cole called from behind the door.
Logan entered the room, his laptop in his hands.
Cole pointed to the chair across from his desk. “Have a seat. What’s up?”
Logan held his laptop over Cole’s desk, eyeing him for permission to set the computer on the desk.
“Go ahead.” Cole nodded. He scraped his hand over his beard and leaned back in his chair as he waited for Logan to begin.
Logan sat and took in Cole’s appearance. He looked tired. A few gray hairs were working their way into his beard, and little lines etched creases near his eyes. He worked too much, and he needed to take better care of himself. Cole needed a woman to dote on him and ease some of his stress. That’s what Aditya did for him. She’d given him someone to look forward to being with in his free time. “I’m sorry to hear about Shaw. That’s terrible.” He’d only met Shaw a few times, but he’d liked him.
“It is.” Cole was determined to find the woman who’d crossed the line and killed one of their own. That could not be forgiven.
Logan took a deep breath, regretting the scrutiny that would come down on Aditya. He’d searched into Alisha’s and Eric’s pasts. He’d dug through their banking, credit, and even their internet browser history. He knew more about both of them than he wanted to know, and he for damn sure didn’t let Alisha know what he knew about her. He hoped she could forgive him if she ever learned of his intrusion into her privacy.
“I’ve met a woman,” Logan began.
Cole’s stomach knotted. The timing couldn’t be worse. Cole leaned forward in his chair and set his arms on his desk. “Tell me about her.”
“Her name’s Aditya Chopra.” Logan shook his head. “She couldn’t be the Black Widow.” Logan knew that with certainty. “She’s lived in the States since middle school.”
Cole felt a smidge of relief at the knowledge that she’d lived in the States for so long. Not many women traded the freedom of America for the shackles of archaic, misogynistic thinking. There was little chance that she’d be related to the woman who’d planted herself in the middle of a terrorist camp. “You know we need to do a full background check.”
“I do. That’s why I’m here. Do you want me to do it, or do you want someone else to look into her?”
That was a hard question to answer. Cole trusted Logan. He knew Logan would peel back the layers of this woman, but that put him in an awkward position. Sometimes people needed their privacy in relationships. They needed to be able to share the intimate details of their lives on their terms and in their timing. Doing a background check would rob their relationship of the privilege of privacy.
Cole figured there was little chance that Aditya was dangerous.
What were the odds? “No, I’ll get someone else on it. You focus on the pictures of the Black Widow’s victims. See if there’s anything to learn from the photos. Most importantly, try to get some details from the image of her.”
“You know that’s going to be hard,” Logan stated. “Everything is grainy.”
“Yeah, I know. The picture’s shit.” He tossed his hand to the side in a dismissive wave. “But it’s all we’ve got for now. The satellite images and photos that our sources took before the bombing are on their way. If the Black Widow’s relative is in there, we may get a good picture or some type of clue. There can’t be that many females in the camp.”
“True. Do you know when the photos and videos are coming in?”
“No. Sometime today or tonight. I’ll ask Tony’s group to do Aditya’s background check.”
Logan liked Tony. He’d met him a few times. The man was smart and determined. He’d opened his own private security company when he’d retired from the military. Tony’s men could be trusted to be thorough and discrete. “Sounds good.”
“Anything else?” Cole asked. He really hoped no one else came into his office to tell him about a budding romance. Now just wasn’t the time. Everyone needed to keep it in their pants until this was over.
“No,” Logan replied, shaking his head. “I’ll get to work on that image.” Logan stood and picked up his laptop. He knew the next few hours wouldn’t be fun. Staring at a grainy image and trying to get it to be clear just wasn’t on his list of ‘things he loved to do’. At least he knew he’d see Aditya later. She had a way of making him feel better.
21
6 pm
Bella was saddened by the news of Lieutenant Shaw’s death. She’d never met him, but she heard stories about him all day from the guys. They carried a heavy burden; too many of their friends died way too young. And now, whatever they were working on, had their full attention. She’d noticed that the men worked quietly in their own offices, pouring over something on their computers. She wondered if the new job was at all related to the news of Lieutenant Shaw’s death. She knew better than to ask.
Relief filled her as the day drew to an end. It needed to be over. The guys needed to get away from work, process their friend’s death, and grieve. She’d watched as they’d filed out the door at the end of the day. She wanted to say something supportive, but she never found the right words.
Bella walked down the hallway towards Cole’s office. He was always the last one out the door. She knocked on his door.
“Come in,” Cole said. He pulled his eyes off his computer screen and watched as Bella entered. Even with her red-rimmed eyes she was a breath of fresh air in the office. It was so easy for his men and him to get caught up in their work and lose sight of why they did what they did. They worked themselves tirelessly to protect the people they loved and to protect the ones too weak to defend themselves. It was a noble calling. One he was thankful to perform, but it was also nice to have a softer side of life to cling to.
Bella smiled, noting the stress that marred Cole’s face. She’d already said she was sorry for his loss; she really didn’t know what else to say regarding Lieutenant Shaw’s death. “I’m gonna head out,” she motioned down the hallway towards the exit with her hand. “Is there anything you need? Do you want me to make you another pot of coffee?”
The last thing Cole needed was more coffee. He’d been consuming it all day as if it was flowing into his veins intravenously. There was probably more coffee than plasma in his blood, and the caffeine flooded his system. “No, thanks. If I drink any more coffee, I’ll be able to power a generator.”
Bella laughed lightly. “Okay. Do you want me to close your door?” She stepped into the hallway with her hand on the door handle.
“Please,” he said as his phone rang. He reached for it and tipped his head to her in goodbye as he answered the phone.
“See you tomorrow,” she mouthed and shut the door. She headed back to her desk, trying to figure out how she’d get her flowers home. She didn’t want the vase to tip or the petals to be crushed on the drive home, so she went into the copy room and grabbed an empty paper box. She doubted that they’d fit, but it was worth a try.
Taking the box back to her desk, she scrunched up her face as she compared the two. There was no way the flowers would fit into the box without damaging the petals. “Hmm,” she mumbled to herself.
A knock on the door behind her caught her attention, and she couldn’t help but smile when she saw Eric’s face though the glass. She quickly walked across the room and opened the door. “Hi, there,” she said, stretching out her arms and encircling Eric as he stepped into the office. “Did I mention that I love the flowers?”
“Maybe once or twice, or perhaps a hundred times in your texts,” Eric murmured in her ear as he snaked his hands around her waist and pulled her to him. Her body pressed against him in all the best places. Her flat stomach pressed against his cock, and her breasts squished against his chest. He wondered how those nipples would feel in his mouth while his hand searched out her wetness. He would try tonight, and he hoped that she’d be receptive to his advances. So far they’d done a little messing around, but she’d consistently shut him down when he went for the goods between her legs.
She raised herself up on her tiptoes and sought out his lips. With a gentle moan, she ran her tongue along the seam of his lips as she pressed a kiss to his mouth. Pulling away, she said, “I thought we were going to meet at the restaurant.”
When she’d raised herself up on her toes, her body dragged against his, and his cock thickened. He focused on her beautiful eyes and slowed his breathing in order to get his stampeding heart to slow and his cock to thin. No need to start poking her in the lobby of her workplace. Besides, he wasn’t sure if the angry one from Saturday night was around. He really didn’t care to meet him again. Eric looked down the hallway. Everything seemed quiet. He did note the camera focused on the lobby and her desk.
“You’re right,” he said. “But I thought about the flowers and didn’t want them to wilt in the car while we ate.” He tenderly tucked her hair behind her ear. “I thought I could drive us to the restaurant and then swing back by here so you can pick them up and take them home.”
“Aww, that’s sweet.” She quirked her head to the side and took his hand. “Just let me get my purse.” She led him to her desk and opened the bottom drawer. She glanced up at him as she pulled out her purse. He was looking down the hallway. “Who are you looking for?” Was he nervous about seeing Jack? Jack had given him a hard time the other night.
“No one in particular,” he replied. “Did everyone go home?”
“Not everyone. Cole’s still here.” She shut the drawer and then stuck her nose near the flowers, enjoying their fragrance. “They smell great, don’t they?”
He knew she’d like them. He’d noticed the floral scents in her perfume. “They’re beautiful, but they are nothing compared to you.” He eased his hand behind her neck and pulled her to him. It had been a while since he’d enjoyed a woman, and he missed the connection and release that sex provided. He sucked her lip into his mouth. She tasted so sweet, like honey on his lips. He savored the kiss and finally pulled away and said, “We should get going.”
“Of course.” She slipped her hand into his as they headed towards the exit.
He pushed open the door and held it for her. “After you.”
“Thanks,” she said as he let go of the door to let it close behind them.
Eric looked at the automatic lock on the door. Did it lock automatically at a certain time? “For a security company, I’m surprised they don’t require you to buzz people in.”
“Believe me, they’ve thought about it,” she said. “Sometimes they can be a little paranoid,” she added in a teasing way, and then she adjusted her purse on her shoulder.
“I hope the guys didn’t give you grief because of the flowers. I wasn’t sure about sending them to your work.”
/> She laughed. “No, they thought the flowers were nice.” She turned to face him as they walked towards his car in the parking lot. “Although Jack surprised me today.”
Really? “Yeah, how?” Eric asked. Of all the guys she worked with, he knew Jack would be the hardest one to deal with.
“He apologized.” She leaned against the front passenger door and looked up at him.
That surprised Eric. Jack didn’t seem like the type to apologize. “For what?”
She tilted her head, feigning exasperation. “For being rude to you Saturday night.”
He knew it. The guy wanted in her pants. That didn’t surprise him, but he was surprised that she hadn’t figured it out yet. Everyone at the table that night knew Jack wanted her. “Well, that was nice of him.” He rubbed a hand down her arm and then opened the door for Bella. She kissed him before easing onto the seat.
He closed her door and walked around the car. He wouldn’t worry about Jack for now. He was the one on the date with her. Jack was alone somewhere, probably worrying about what he was going to do with Bella.
22
5:30 pm
As Jack made his way down the hallway towards the exit, he heard Bella talking to Eric on the phone. His stomach churned as they discussed their dinner plans for the night. He was torn between eavesdropping or minding his own business. The idea of Eric with Bella offended him, and she deserved her privacy, so he kept walking. He slowed long enough to give a little wave as he passed her desk and focused on getting out the office door.
The excitement in her voice clawed at him. Was he being too hard on the guy because of his jealousy? Had his bullshit detector been so affected by his emotions that he was misjudging the man? Although Eric had passed their background check, Jack still planned on digging a little more. He planned to call Eric’s parents again. He wanted to get a feel for their son through their eyes and their words. Obviously parents would lie to protect their child, but he also knew how to listen for the dishonesty in their voices. The pauses and hesitations would be signs of untruth.
Avenging Kiss (Savage Security Book 2) Page 12