by Jessie Lane
Wall agreed with him, then asked, “Who knows this area?”
That was when the other ATF agent spoke up. “I think I know the perfect place.”
“Where?” Wall asked.
“On his own territory.”
My eyebrows shot up in surprise. That suggestion was more than a little ballsy. It was possibly suicidal.
“Before you all say no, think about it like this … Who knows Wellington’s building better than his daughter and Kahn? We can get the layout from them and come up with possibilities from there. Unless anyone have a better idea?”
Okay, so maybe the man was only slightly suicidal, but he did have a damn good point. We were in an unfamiliar city, without the usual intel we would normally have on a mission. Therefore, the chances of one of us coming up with a better idea on short notice were slim.
I exhaled long and hard as I looked up at the ceiling, feeling a little defeated. Then I did what I fucking had to do. Looking over at my commander, I said, “I think we should do it.”
That earned me a few raised eyebrows from my team, but the commander seemed to be thinking along the same lines.
It was seriously fucking risky to track and infiltrate Wellington’s own building, but the ATF agent had a point. We had two people here with the kind of inside information we wouldn’t normally have for a mission. We also had no knowledge of the surrounding area, which meant no way to ensure that any place wouldn’t be populated by civilians who might get hurt. That didn’t leave us with many options, and the only viable one was to go in and storm the self-appointed king of Chicago in his own damn castle.
Kahn spoke up from the end of the table where he had been sitting quietly. “From an insider’s perspective, I also think it’s the best idea. Shall I go and get Virginia so we can start going over the building’s layout?”
I stood up and started walking toward the door. “You fucking stay away from her, Kahn. No one is going to get my girl, but me.”
Ginny
I was sitting at a small, round table in some sort of breakroom one of the ATF agents had shown me for what only felt like minutes when Lucas came in and started dragging me down the hall, back to the room where we had all originally congregated.
“Lucas, what in the world are you doing?”
“Sorry to say it, but we have to put you to work, angel.”
That ominous statement had me digging my heels in, stopping our forward motion. Lucas looked back at me to see what was wrong.
“What do you mean, put me to work?”
“We need your help with your father’s takedown.”
“Are you going to use me as bait again?” I shrieked. “Because I can’t do that. I’m sorry, but I cannot go through that again!”
Lucas tugged me against his body and wrapped his large arms around me, molding me to him. His warmth soothed my frazzled emotions. He just instinctively felt like home.
Placing his finger under my chin, he tipped my head back so I was looking at his face when he said, “You’re not bait, babe. I told them that was a no-go. What we want you to do is tell us everything you know about the layout of your dad’s building, where he usually keeps men stationed, and what his security is like.”
Confused, I told him, “The only reason you would need to know all that is if you are going to try to go in there, and that would be stupid.” His silence gave me all the answer I needed. “Oh, my God, Lucas! You can’t do that! You’ll get yourself killed.”
He shook his head. “No, I won’t. I’m sorry, but we don’t have time for this. I know it’s a dick thing to say, but I need you to pull up your big girl panties and have some fucking faith in me.”
“But—”
“Faith, Gin.”
I stood there for a second, looking at the face I knew every angle and curve of by heart. I was terrified that if I did this, I would be sending the man I loved to his death. On the other hand, he was asking me to trust him. Trust his judgement, his skills, his commitment to me … something he had been repeatedly trying to prove since the day he had taken me out of Chicago. Was it too much to ask for me to give him that?
In that moment, the only thing I could think of was to silently pray.
Dear Lord, if I do this, please keep him safe for me.
I didn’t get an answer, not that I was really expecting one. What I did get was the notion that, if I didn’t do this, if I didn’t put all my faith and trust in Lucas right now at this minute, something would irrevocably break between us.
His eyes, still boring into mine, repeated his plea.
Faith, Gin.
Gathering up my courage, I did what I probably should have done months ago. I put my faith and trust in the man I loved.
Grabbing his hand, I mutely started to pull him into the conference room. Stepping through the door with him right behind me, I told all the men whose eyes were now on me, “Okay, let’s do this.”
~~~
Using a black dry erase marker, I put an X on the room my father’s main henchman, Dexter, usually occupied. It was a small meeting room, just off to the side of the only entrance in and out of my father’s top floor penthouse.
Stepping back from my handy work, I felt the eyes of ten men on me and tried not to squirm under the pressure. Putting the cap back on the marker, I stepped to the side so everyone could see my detailed diagram.
Then I turned around to find three guys with their mouths hanging open wide enough to start their own fly motels, another five guys with completely shocked expressions, one ex-fiancé with a very thoughtful expression, and one maybe-boyfriend who just looked downright smug.
Not knowing what else to say, I hesitantly asked the only thing that came to mind, “Any questions?”
“Yeah, where in the hell did you learn to draw like that?” Chase was the first one to speak. “Damn, girl, you’re like a modern-day Picasso.”
A blush spread over my face at the compliment.
Looking back at my rough sketch of my father’s building, I couldn’t help thinking that Chase was more than a little nuts.
“Thank you, but comparing me to someone like Picasso is too much of a stretch.”
“Stop flirting with Ms. Wellington and put your mind on the job, Anderson,” Commander Wall grumbled.
The questions started flying in from that point.
“How many floors?” one of the DEA agents asked.
“Thirteen.”
“Does he own the entire building?” Baker asked.
“Yes.”
“How many men does he have guarding the place?” the ATF agent asked.
“Usually two to three men on each floor. There’s always at least one stationed by the elevator and another stationed by the door to the stairwell.”
“What about the technical security?” Chase asked next.
Pursing my lips together, I tried to find the best way to explain that. “I’m not a tech girl, but what I will say is that we’re talking about a man who likes the best of the best. So, there’s no doubt in my mind that he would want that for his security, too.”
“Wellington’s system is comparable to my family’s home system,” Jay finally spoke up. “Best on the open market and impossible to penetrate.”
“If it’s impenetrable, why didn’t you say something sooner, instead of letting us all waste our time doing this shit?” Chase snapped.
“Perhaps because I have an idea of how to get you in?” he replied smoothly.
Commander Wall leaned forward and braced his arms on the table. “Tell us.”
“I’ll arrange a meeting with Wellington. Tell him I have information on Virginia’s whereabouts. When I go in, I’ll take a few of your men with me, posing as my bodyguards for the day.”
“And the security there will just let you waltz in with two or three guys armed with no problem?”
Jay nodded. “Since the deal we made to join businesses if I would marry Virginia, Wellington lets me come and go from his building with my bod
yguards armed. He trusts me, and that will be his downfall.”
Chapter
12
Ginny
Three hours later, the plans were laid out, and the wheels were set in motion.
The men had decided that three of them would go with Jay to meet Wellington for a business meeting. One of those men had to be one of the three agents already on the case. Agent Boyd had volunteered to go since he had apparently worked with Lucas’s team in the past.
Then it had been down to the nitty gritty on who from Lucas’s team would go. A selfish part of me had hoped he wouldn’t. I knew that wasn’t fair to the others who might have girlfriends, wives, or families, but I couldn’t help how I felt. I didn’t want my lover anywhere near my father if I could help it. Thing was, I didn’t have a say so.
When Commander Wall had asked his men who wanted to go, every single one of them had volunteered. However, Lucas had stood from his seat and told them all no. This was his mission, and he would be the one going. Then he had reminded them that, if it had been their woman in danger, they would feel the exact same way.
Apparently, all of them had understood that sentiment because not one of them had said a thing after that. Wall had then stated he would go in with Lucas. The team hadn’t seemed surprised at that development, either.
Now, I stood quietly in a corner with my arms crossed, my stomach doing cartwheels from the anxiety. The need for a drink was overwhelming, but I was trying to not think about it. Instead, I focused all my attention on Lucas, soaking up the sight of him.
I had an overwhelming need to feel him in my arms. I wanted him to hold me tightly and tell me everything would be okay.
Just then, Commander Wall’s voice pitched to a higher volume and caught my attention.
“All right, boys, we’re set to go in two and a half hours. Chase, I want you to set up Agent Boyd and his friends with our comm. links and make sure everything is ready. Chavez, dig out four of our bulletproof vests from the go-bag and bring them back to this room. We’ll get everyone suited up underneath their clothes before we leave. Everyone else, take a break. Eat, take a piss—do whatever you want. Just don’t leave this building and have your asses back here in two hours.”
With that, the men seemed to have been dismissed and all of them stood up from the table. A couple of Lucas’s teammates followed Boyd and the other agents out of the room. I overheard them saying something about food.
I watched as Lucas spoke to his commander for a few minutes, and then he turned on his heel and headed toward me. He then grabbed my hand and dragged me out of the door.
This whole dragging me thing was getting old fast. I let him know it, too.
“Are you a caveman, Lucas Young?”
He looked at me briefly from over his shoulder before turning his attention back to where he was walking. “When it comes to you, angel, yes.”
We were walking a little further into the building’s parking garage, and I had no idea why. The only thing in this direction was the van we had come in, and an elevator to the upper floors.
Suddenly, a scene popped into my mind. Me and Lucas on that elevator with my skirt hiked up around my waist, legs wrapped around his hips as he pinned me to the elevator’s wall and thrust inside me …
Fingers snapped in front of my face. “Earth to Ginny. Damn, woman, what has you blushing like that?”
I gave Lucas a shy smile and bit my bottom lip to make myself stay quiet. There was no way in hell I would tell him what I had just been daydreaming about. However, as a smile slowly spread across his face and he got that devilish glint in his eyes, I guessed he had caught on to the nature of my thoughts.
“Great minds think alike, angel. Follow me.”
My heart skipped a beat, and I panicked at the idea that he was really going to take me to the elevator to ravage me like a caveman. But I couldn’t find the words to tell him no.
He didn’t take me toward the elevator, however; he took us to the van, where he opened the side door and told me to climb in.
“Are we going somewhere?” I asked in confusion.
“I’m not sure about the going part, sweetheart, but I can definitely tell you there will be a lot of coming. Now, climb the hell in already.”
I felt my blush spread even farther down my body, until I swore I could feel the warmth between my thighs.
Climbing up into the van, I sat on the third-row seat and scooted all the way over as Lucas climbed in right after me, slamming the door closed behind him. Then he lifted the key fob and pressed the lock button so that no one could come in after us.
Like a lion stalking his prey, he slowly made his way toward me, pulling his shirt off and over his head as he went. Meanwhile, I couldn’t seem to do more than nibble on my bottom lip out of nervousness. What if someone saw us? What if I got too loud?
“Maybe we shouldn’t, Lucas. I don’t want anyone to hear or see us.”
He made a clicking sound with his tongue. “Now, now, angel, don’t go and get all shy on me. Don’t you worry about a thing. I made damn sure no one is coming near this van before I brought you out here.”
I choked on my own air at his implications.
“You told your commander what we were doing?” I asked with a strangled voice.
He put one knee on my bench seat and moved closer. “Well, I didn’t spell it out for him, but I did tell him we needed some privacy, and that I would cut out the eyeballs of anyone who came within a twenty-foot radius of the van.”
“Lucas!” I gasped, horrified. “They’re all going to know!”
He shrugged. “Then let them know. I don’t give a shit. The only thing I want to know right now is what you were thinking to put that pretty blush all over your face. If you weren’t thinking about us in this van, then what?”
I didn’t think it was possible, but I felt myself grow even warmer from embarrassment. I probably looked like a human lobster at this point.
“Look at that pretty blush on you, baby. Come on; tell me what you were thinking. I bet it’s going to make me harder than hell.”
“The elevator,” I finally whispered. “I was thinking about us making love in the elevator.”
Lucas groaned. “Jesus Christ, my dick is so hard I’m afraid there’s not enough blood getting to my other head.”
I couldn’t help it; I giggled at that thought.
“You’re a mean, mean woman to be laughing at a man in this condition, Ginny Wellington.”
The sound of my father’s last name made me flinch. It also killed my mood.
Lucas sensed this. Catching me by surprise, he grabbed one of my legs and pulled me until I was lying flat on my back on the bench seat. Then he climbed between my legs and hovered over me so he could look me in the eye.
“We’re going to change that soon, angel.”
Baffled at his meaning, I asked, “Change what?”
“Your last name.”
Everything inside of me melted. I had waited so many years to hear words like those from the boy who had lived across the street from me. Now that I had heard them, I was torn apart by varying emotions. I was over the moon with happiness, yet also afraid I would wake up any second and it would have all just been a dream. However, feeling him against me, feeling the heat of his skin and his hardness pressed against me, I was made well aware of how much this was not a dream.
“You mean that, Lucas?”
His face was ever so slowly dropped down toward mine. “Absolutely, baby. As soon as we leave here and get you and your mom to my house, I’m going to put a ring on that finger. After that, I’ll let you arrange whatever you want, as long as you make it soon. Got me?”
Happy tears overflowed from my eyes. “Is this real? Because, after all this time, it feels too good to be true.”
Lucas started pulling my pants and panties down my legs, and then off, leaving them on the floorboard. Taking one of his hands, he ran his fingers over my aching slit as he asked, “Does this feel real
, angel?”
I gasped at his touch and nodded. It felt more than real. It felt otherworldly, as if I was living a dream come true.
As he slipped one finger inside of me and started rubbing my clit with his thumb, he murmured again, “Tell me, Gin; does this feel real?”
That finger hit a spot deep inside me that made me arch off the bench. “Yes. Yes, Lucas.”
A smug grin covered his face as he pumped his finger in and out of me. “Good. Now let me show you just how real this is.”
Lucas
The layout was an exact match to Gin’s drawing. As much as I didn’t trust Sanjay Kahn, he was accurate in his assessment that we would get in without a second glance while fully armed.
As a soldier, I was comfortable wearing my camos, weapon in hand. However, walking through the space in casual slacks and a side arm made me anxious. I wanted nothing more than to waltz into Wellington’s home, using a rapid-fire takedown, and then rushing out with Ginny’s mom and Barbara the maid.
If only it could be so simple.
Richard Wellington, being the Kingpin he was, wouldn’t allow the meet to take place just anywhere. Kahn again knew his target, and knew his play when he had arranged this, because Wellington didn’t doubt the ambition of the man, nor his seriousness in getting Ginny back.
I had to fight to keep the jealousy at bay. The man giving us the easy way in was also the man to first promise my woman a life together. It was agony to think of all the mistakes I had made over the years, causing me to miss that first promise. One thing was certain, though. I would be the last.
I meant every word I had said to Ginny. She would be my wife, to have and to hold, for life. I might not have been the first to make the promise, but I would be the last, and I would be the one to make it happen.
Knowing I needed to steady my mind, I blanked everything out, except the mission to acquire Ginny’s mom and the maid before assisting in getting Richard Wellington into custody.
As Ginny predicted, Dexter was the first enemy we encountered. The man eyed me suspiciously, his gaze resting on me longer than any of the others. I wanted to put a bullet between his eyes, just to protect our mission.