Agent S5: Jaydan

by Joni Hahn

  Chapter 5

  Hope stood beside Jaydan at the corner of the outdoor bar, scouring the crowd of people. The luau wasn’t much of a luau at all. It felt more like an outdoor party, with an open bar, large buffet tables scattered throughout the area, and several rows of tables filled with people in beach wear. Hula dancers performed to ukuleles and bongo drums on the stage, while young girls handed out leis and beads to the crowd.

  The evening breeze felt warm for late March, the sun sinking in the western sky amid shades of pink, coral and blue. Jaydan looked handsome in the ivory linen shirt that dipped low on his chest, exposing the powerful muscles beneath. The draft lifted the hair off his neck, his day-old beard giving him the gruff façade of a pirate. He appeared relaxed in his cargo shorts and bare feet, though she could feel the tension in his tight grip on her hand.

  As soon as they pulled into the parking lot, she ran the DNA tracker on her tablet. Keegan Meeks was there. But, what of their friend?

  D.I.R.E.’s computer-generated composite sketch of Keegan portrayed her as a very attractive woman. She would easily stand out in this crowd.

  Jaydan tugged her against his side. “Stay close.”

  He led her through the crowd to the other side of the bar. While he searched right, she searched left.

  To no avail.

  Turning around, she ran smack into… a really hot guy. With red wavy hair and chiseled jaw, he lowered his sunglasses down his nose to expose piercing, sky blue eyes. He gave her body a slow perusal.

  “Can I help you?” Jaydan growled as he stepped between them.

  “No,” he said on a chuckle. “But, she can. Damn...”

  He moved to pass Jaydan.

  Jaydan’s arm shot out to the side, blocking his way. The man stopped dead, his eyes zeroing in on the D.I.R.E. armband exposed by his raised sleeve.

  His sharp gaze flew to Jaydan’s face. “I thought D.I.R.E. was fiction.”

  Jaydan lifted the corner of his mouth. “Consider me your imaginary friend. Or, would that be you?”

  “I don’t – “ The man’s guilty gaze darted past Jaydan’s shoulder.

  Hope glanced back. If the woman being escorted to a private table by a bodyguard wasn’t Keegan Meeks, she had to be a clone.

  Rather than an elegant beauty like Natalie, she held an exotic appeal, her cat-like, green-gold eyes made up to look dark and dramatic. Where Natalie’s hair was more burnished copper, this woman’s hair shone strawberry blonde with streaks of copper gold. Her graceful carriage told of class and distinction, her lack of smile, her isolation.

  Hope knew her to be the woman she’d connected with in her remote view last night. She recognized the loneliness, the hopelessness.

  The desperation.

  Her beauty and her bodyguard drew the gazes of those around them, including Jaydan’s piercing stare.

  “I’m going to talk to her.” She spoke to Jaydan in a low voice.

  The man spoke from the other side of Jaydan. “He won’t let you get near her.”

  “I don’t need his permission.” She leaned around Jaydan to look at him. “Besides, I have my own bodyguard.”

  She started toward Keegan. Jaydan pulled her back, a firm hand around her arm. “No messing around, Les. I’ll keep an eye on you.”

  Even though they had no real connection, she knew Jaydan would look out for her, for Riordan’s sake.

  Nodding, she turned away. He pulled her back again.

  She couldn’t keep the exasperation from her voice. “What?”

  With a slight tug toward him, Jaydan laid his mouth against hers, his lips firm, light against her own. A starburst of tingles lit her body from within, surprising her.

  Exciting her.

  His scent cocooned them, blocking out the smell of the ocean, the food, the aroma of dendrobiums in the air. The heat of his hand at her back sent a shiver down her spine.

  She could see it so clearly now. Making love with Jaydan Rose would be pure ecstasy. She could feel it in her bones, see it in his dark eyes. It would mean nothing beyond raw indulgence and pleasure, but it would be beyond anything she’d ever experienced.

  Rather than fighting it, she’d embrace it.

  Rising up on her toes, she cupped his face in both hands. She kissed him with brazen promise, her mouth open over his, her tongue asking for entrance – and receiving it. She gave him a taste of things to come, knowing it would happen, reveling in it.

  She dropped back on her feet, breathing hard. Jaydan’s eyes glowed pitch black, his nostrils flared.

  “Is this the line?” the man said over Jaydan’s shoulder.

  Hope chuckled as Jaydan grabbed him by the shirtfront. “Go,” he said to her, with a low note of warning. “Be careful.”

  Taking a deep breath, she picked up a mimosa from a passing waiter’s tray, her throat parched after the scorching heat of that kiss. She weaved through the crowd, making her way to the buffet board beside the woman’s table. Setting down her drink in front of the woman, Hope smiled at her. The handsome bodyguard standing behind her watched with keen interest.

  “Do you mind if I set this here while I fill my plate?”

  The woman gave her a hesitant smile, her gold highlights dancing in the flames of a lamp standing a foot or so away. “Not at all.”

  Perusing the layout, she picked up a slice of banana bread and some fresh fruit salad. She hesitated over the pasta and rice dishes.

  “I recommend the pasta.”

  Glancing over her shoulder, Hope smiled at her. Despite the dim lighting, desperation shone clear in Keegan’s slanted, hazel eyes.

  The sense of loss she’d felt in her remote view sat like a block of ice inside Hope’s chest. She had to help her. If she didn’t connect tonight, she may never get another chance.

  “So, besides the pasta, what else do you recommend?”

  The woman clapped as the dancers on stage finished their routine, her gaze connecting with Hope. “The pulled pork, the fruit is always fresh – oh, and the sweet potatoes.”

  Filling her plate, Hope pulled out a chair across the table from the woman. Her eyes widened in fear as the guard stepped forward.

  “I’m sorry, miss, you’ll have to move.” His tone brooked no argument.

  “I don’t see a reserved sign on the table.” She gave the woman a direct gaze. “Unless you’d prefer to be alone.”

  Her brilliant smile made Hope’s heart lighten. The poor woman hungered for companionship.

  “I would love the company. Thank you.”

  The guard bent over to speak in the woman’s ear. “Mr. Ma-“

  She held up a hand to halt his speech. “I understand the circumstances. I don’t think there is any harm in simply speaking to another human being. Please leave us.”

  With hesitant steps, the guard backed away. Covering his mouth, he spoke into his Bluetooth, his eyes on Hope.

  In that moment, Hope knew she would do whatever it took to get her out of this situation, whether she was Keegan Meeks or not.

  She held out a hand across the table. “I’m Les.”

  The woman’s hand felt cold against her palm. “I’m Kiki.”

  Keegan… Kiki. Hope liked the odds.

  “Cute. Is that your birth name or something your friends call you?”

  The woman pulled a bite of banana bread from a slice on her plate. “A nickname given to me by my… family. I really don’t get out much to make friends.”

  “Are you here on vacation?” Hope spoke around a bite of fruit salad.

  “Actually, I live here.”

  “You live here?” Hope said, with feigned surprise. “If I lived here, I would be out all the time.”

  She dropped her gaze. “Yes, well, my circumstances don’t allow me to wander out much.”

  Hope tried to keep her tone light. “We’ll have to exchange phone numbers then. Maybe we can meet for lunch while I’m in town. It would give you a good excuse to venture out.” Taking a sip of her mi
mosa, she said, “Maybe you could even visit me in San Diego.”

  Kiki’s sharp gaze shot to Hope’s face. “You live in San Diego?”

  Nodding, Hope spoke after a bite of the delicious pork. “Yes, I’ve lived there all my life.”

  “Do you live there with your husband?” She nodded at Jaydan sitting at the bar.

  Hope chuckled aloud. “He’s not my husband. I’m afraid we can’t be in the same room for more than two minutes without taking off a layer of each other’s skin.”

  She gave Hope a coy smile. “It sure didn’t look that way earlier. You two looked pretty friendly to me.”

  Sighing, a part of Hope wished it were true. “He works with my brother. We’re here to find my future sister-in-law’s sister.” Glancing at the guard who stared a hole through her, she placed a hand beside her mouth and lowered her voice. “Perhaps, you know her? Keegan Meeks?”

  Her eyes rounded with shock - before she burst into tears. “You know… Natalie?”

  It was her. They’d found Keegan Meeks. She wouldn’t think about the ease at which it had happened, just that it had happened. Thank God.

  “Yes.” Hope gave her a brilliant smile. “She’s going to marry my brother.”

  The guard gave her a ferocious glare as he spoke to Keegan. “Miss, we must go…” He placed a hand on her arm.

  With a shaky hand, Keegan shoved it away, silent tears rolling down her cheeks. She turned back to Hope and lowered her voice.

  “You have no idea how long I’ve prayed for this.” Covering her mouth with her hand, she sobbed. “I can’t believe it. How did you find me?”

  Elation blossomed in Hope’s chest. She wanted to walk around the table and hug her but knew the guard would really have a conniption. Reaching for a napkin, she held it across the table. Keegan’s eyes shot to the diamond bracelets glittering on Hope’s wrist.

  Sheer terror vaporized the relief in Keegan’s face. Standing, she backed away, her eyes wide with fright. “Who are you?”

  Straightening in her seat, Hope frowned at her sudden change. “I told you…“

  The bodyguard slid across the table on his bum and grabbed Hope by the arm. Hauling her out of the chair, she stumbled to her feet just as Jaydan swung him around. Picking him up by the shirtfront, Jaydan held him above his head and threw him to the ground. He skidded across the pavement and into some tables, knocking food and drinks to the floor. Screams and gasps carried over the crowd as their mysterious, new friend punched the guard in the face, knocking him out cold. He turned wide eyes to Jaydan.

  “Are you okay, baby?” Jaydan gave her a quick onceover.

  Swallowing hard, she nodded, shock reverberating through her in small tremors.

  Two men rushed toward them through the gathering crowd. Jaydan shoved her behind him.

  “Get back.”

  Hope receded to the edge of the crowd, her heart pounding. One guard jumped onto the table and sprang in the air, his leg extended toward Jaydan’s face. Rose caught him by the foot and twisted him in midair, before shoving him into the buffet board. Fruit and roasted pig tumbled to the ground in an array of color, the man holding his groin and moaning.

  The second quickly followed, his meaty fist aimed at Jaydan’s face. Rose blocked blow after blow with raised arms, the guard growling in frustration. Picking up a chair, he swung it at Jaydan like a baseball bat. Rose caught it with two hands and lifted the guard high in the air. The man stared down at him with round eyes before Rose tossed him across the expanse and into the bar. Screams fell over the crowd as they hurried away, the granite counter splitting in two and dropping to the ground. The guard laid unconscious, liquor streaming down his face.

  “Are you all right, darling?”

  A blond, godlike male went to Keegan, his swirling blue gaze boring into Jaydan. His short hair was cut in the latest style, his ivory suit a Boss or maybe Calvin Klein. With a chiseled jaw and perfect white teeth, he looked like he stepped from a magazine advertisement and every girl’s fantasy - except for the hard, malicious gleam in his eyes.

  He held up a hand to halt the police officers that rushed to the scene. They stopped short in front of the split bar.

  Keegan’s voice shook when she spoke. “I want to go.”

  His eyes went from Jaydan to Hope, before giving her a thorough onceover. “Before you’ve introduced me to your beautiful, new friend? That would be poor manners.” He held out a well-manicured hand across the table. “Cyrus Matheson.”

  Extending her arm, Hope jumped when Jaydan blocked her hand. Cyrus’ gaze flew to her diamond bracelets, his eyes swirling with undeniable interest. She swept her hand behind her back.

  Cyrus made no bones about studying Jaydan’s copper and gold armbands either, nor his hand at her back. His intent gaze sent a quiver of unease through her, as though a dark side lingered inside him. She tucked herself against Jaydan’s side.

  “I’m Les and this is -“

  “Jay,” Rose said. “Her fiancé.”

  Keegan’s eyes darted to Hope’s face, mistrust rimming her watery, hazel eyes. Dammit. Why’d Rose say that?

  She touched Cyrus’ shoulder. “I want to go.”

  “But, we haven’t exchanged numbers yet.” Hope smiled, trying to connect again.

  Another guard appeared beside Cyrus. He spoke in low tones before the man rushed away to tend to his injured comrade at the bar.

  Cyrus gave them a pleasant smile. “Enjoy the islands.” With a hand around Keegan’s bicep, he turned her away, his gaze still on them. “Will you be staying long?”

  Jaydan’s voice rang of sound assurance. “As long as it takes.”

  With a lingering, narrow-eyed glare, Cyrus steered away Keegan.

  Jaydan stared after them. “That dude has sick and twisted written all over him.”

  Hope sensed it too, with his possessive hold on Keegan’s arm and his obvious control over the local police. Though outwardly he’d been nothing but polite, Cyrus definitely gave her the heebee jeebees. And his interest in her mother’s bracelets put him at the top of her to-be-watched list.

  Taking her hand, Jaydan steered her through the wreckage of tables. Whispers followed them as the crowd backed away to give them room. Head held high, Hope walked behind Jaydan as though he hadn’t just held two grown men in the air and thrown them several feet across the area. The two officers watched them walk past, their eyes darting to Jaydan’s armbands before bouncing to her.

  Reaching the parking lot, Jaydan’s stride slowed. She pulled him up short.

  “Why did you tell them we were engaged?” She backhanded him on the chest.

  Ow.

  She shook out her hand. “Now, she really doesn’t trust me.”

  Releasing her, Jaydan stared at her with a ferocious frown. “I wanted Matheson to know that where you go, I go.”

  Tilting her head, Hope gave him a deadpan stare. “I think tossing around his security guards like beach balls got the message across.”

  “Good,” he said in a raised voice. “Why is it a big deal, anyway? What did you tell her?”

  She crossed her arms over her chest. “The truth. That you work with my brother and that we can’t stay in the same room with each other for more than two minutes without arguing.”

  The anger drained from his face, his shoulders slumping. Why did they fight so much?

  And why did it hurt her to say those words?

  Storming off to the SUV in the far corner of the lot, her own anger had fled by the time she reached the door. She hated the fighting. Hated the arguing.

  Turning around, she watched Jaydan approach with slow steps. He looked drained, his face pale.

  The pain.

  She’d forgotten all about the pain that followed his use of strength. Her own selfishness had overruled any other thought in her head.

  Rushing to him, she brushed back the hair from his face. “Are you okay?”

  He shrugged away her touch. “I’m fine.”


  “Obviously, you’re not.” She held out her hand. “Give me the keys. I’ll drive.”

  “Hell no.” Pulling the keys from his pocket, he clicked the remote.

  “Jaydan, don’t be so stubborn. Just let me do this while you re-cooperate. It’s not that far.”

  His leery gaze studied her face before he dropped the keys in her palm. Opening the door, she climbed in behind the wheel and waited for him to get situated in his seat. Pressing the button to start the engine, she nodded at the seatbelt. With a sigh, he buckled in.

  A loud tap sounded against Hope’s window. Whipping around, she gasped when she saw the small circle that splintered into tiny sunrays.

  “Gun it,” Jaydan cried, as he shifted the SUV into drive. “They’re shooting at us.”

  Chapter 6

  His heart took off as Hope peeled away from the parking space, tires squealing on the pavement. Taps sounded along the side of the bullet-proof vehicle as it flew through the lot. The SUV bounced off the curb and hit the street.

  Dammit, he shouldn’t have let her drive.

  He winced at the pain that throbbed inside his arms, his legs… his entire damned body. It wasn’t anything he couldn’t handle. It had just come at an inopportune time.

  “Keep it steady, Les. We want to live through this.”

  Her eyes were steady on the road, her grip on the steering wheel, tight. “I got this, Rose.”

  His little hellion would never admit otherwise.

  Clutching at his arm, Jaydan glanced back. No one followed them. It didn’t mean there wasn’t a welcoming committee at the house.

  “Prove it, Les. Let’s see what you’ve got.”

  Glancing over at him, she gave him the hottest damned smile he’d ever seen – before she floored it.

  A car raced into the intersection from their left, cutting them off. Hope swerved, jumping up on the walk. Pedestrians scrambled as she sped down the sidewalk and into the street, knocking his head against the passenger window. She fled ahead, taking the first right, and barreled down the street.

  Dumbfounded, he stared at her – before he let out a rebel yell.

  Her grin made him laugh. “You’re such a redneck, Rose.”