Locked and Loaded

by Mandy Baxter

  *

  Charlie thought she might swallow her tongue. She was sick and tired of people telling her everything was going to be all right when it clearly wasn’t. The whole just-another-day-at-the-office mentality was getting old. Fast.

  Mason got out of the car and put his back to Kieran’s. If this was the sort of thing that regularly happened undercover, Charlie wanted none of it.

  “Lose the piece, motherfucker!” an angry voice called out.

  Kieran’s mocking laughter didn’t do anything for Charlie’s fraying nerves. Was there anything that scared him? “Yeah, that’s not gonna happen.” His stance remained relaxed, his expression calm.

  “Whatever you think we have, you’re welcome to it!” Mason said. Kieran gave him a look from over his shoulder that said, Really? “We don’t want any trouble.”

  “Speak for yourself,” Kieran said in a conversational tone. “I have zero patience for gangbangers. No imagination and totally not willing to work for a living. I think we should put them in their place.”

  Charlie’s eyes rolled so hard she thought they might fall right out of her head. Dialing 9-1-1 seemed like a much better solution to their problem.

  “You might not want trouble, but you got it!”

  Charlie took note of their assailants. Rough, tough, clearly violent, and without conscience. Kieran might be right that they lacked imagination, but it was clear they meant business. They had something these men wanted. Nothing was going to stand in the way of that.

  “Here!” Charlie scrambled out of the car and held the black case with the remainder of the diamonds aloft. “This is what you want, right? Take it and leave.”

  Kieran looked at her as though she’d lost her damned mind. He might not be willing to let go of twenty grand, but Charlie would much rather let the diamonds go than die.

  “Don’t you think that’s the sort of decision we should be making as a group?” His brow arched curiously. “I mean, the stones are mine after all.”

  Really? “No, I don’t. You said it yourself, worst case, we’re out twenty K. I’m not dying over a few thousand dollars in flawed diamonds, Kieran.”

  Kieran laughed off her comment. “No one’s going to die today, Charlie. At least, none of us.”

  Again, not the response she was looking for.

  “I have a better idea!” Kieran shouted. “Why don’t you come over here and suck my cock!”

  Oh dear Lord. Charlie’s gaze flitted to Mason, who didn’t look the least bit surprised by Kieran’s cocky show. “Get in the car, Charlie.” The urgency of his instruction got her moving in a hurry. “Now.” Apparently, Mason had been in similar situations with Kieran. She ducked back into the front seat at the exact moment Kieran opened fire.

  Oh God! She was going to die in a dirty back alley. Not the way she wanted to go out.

  Gunfire erupted around them like angry thunder. Bullets struck the window and Charlie ducked well below the dash. Adrenaline dumped into her bloodstream and her teeth chattered from the violent tremors that shook her body. Both Kieran and Mason dove back into the car. The engine roared to life. Kieran rolled down his window and stuck his arm out, squeezing off several wild shots before he put the car into reverse and punched the accelerator. The tires squealed in angry protest and Charlie covered her ears as more shots rang out, this time from the backseat.

  If they made it out of this alive, it would be a freaking miracle.

  “Hang on!”

  Charlie was really beginning to hate those words. Not a second after Kieran said them, she was thrown forward with a violent jerk. Her head smacked into the dashboard and the coppery tang of blood invaded her mouth as her teeth bit into her cheek. The screech and smash of metal meeting metal as they crashed into one of the cars caused Charlie’s heart to lurch up into her throat. Dark spots swam in her vision and her breathing became rapid and shallow. Passing out would definitely be a better alternative than dying from a heart attack at this point. At least if she was unconscious, her heart might stop trying to beat out of her rib cage.

  They met resistance and Kieran punched his foot down on the accelerator. Angry shouts accompanied the thunderous gunshots and Charlie couldn’t tell what was friendly fire and what wasn’t. Kieran put the car into gear, drove forward, threw it back into reverse and crashed into the vehicle blocking them one last time. Their car swung out into the street and once again Charlie felt as though she was being whipped from one end of the vehicle to the other.

  “Hold on, Charlie!”

  Mason’s voice was a beacon, reaching through the confusion in her mind. She held on to the sound, to the unflinching reassurance in his deep, rumbling tone. He wouldn’t let anything happen to her. She knew it as well as she knew herself. They’d get out of this alive because Mason would make sure they did.

  Kieran slammed the shifter into drive and the tires squealed against the pavement as he took off down the street. Charlie didn’t dare look up, and chose to remain blind to their surroundings as the car lurched and wove through traffic. Kieran’s countenance remained calm, his jaw set with concentration. He probably got into dicey situations like this regularly. Charlie, not so much.

  “Are they following us?” Kieran might be calm, but Charlie couldn’t curb the frantic worry in her own words. “Where are they?”

  The rush of wind through the windows accompanied the occasional honk of a horn as Kieran continued to speed down the narrow streets. He didn’t let up on the gas, didn’t stop at a single light. It was a wonder they hadn’t drawn police attention or been smashed into oblivion, which was a true testament to his driving skills.

  Twilight gave way to full dark and Charlie remained crouched beneath the dash. She couldn’t bring herself to look up. To take a deep breath. To relax a single muscle. Hell, she didn’t think she’d ever be able to relax again after tonight. They’d almost been killed. And whereas she wanted to blame Kieran’s rash behavior for the shootout, she had a distinct feeling that if he hadn’t acted, the outcome would have been the same.

  Jesus.

  The air drained from Charlie’s lungs and she fought for a breath. Mason leaned over the seat toward her, the lines of concern etched into his face, accentuated by the encroaching darkness and the light from the dash.

  He reached down and grabbed her by the hand, hauling her over the center console and into the backseat. “Hey!” Kieran complained as she kicked his arm. “Careful. I didn’t avoid getting shot tonight to get my arm broken.” Charlie couldn’t muster a response. She still couldn’t believe he was so cool and collected. It would take her a month to calm down from this!

  Mason gathered Charlie in his arms and held her close. Emotion rose in her chest, threatening once again to choke her as she fought for a few decent breaths.

  “Shhhh.” His warm breath in her ear was a welcome comfort. “It’s okay, Charlie. You’re okay. Just breathe. I’ve got you.”

  She relaxed against him. When Mason held her, she felt as though nothing could touch her. “I-is anyone hurt?” Her teeth chattered on the words and she willed herself to sound strong.

  “I’m fine,” Mason assured her. “Kieran?”

  “Please.” He let out an arrogant snort. “As if any of those children had the skill to hit any of us.”

  Cocky even in the face of death. But Charlie couldn’t deny that she was glad they were all relatively unscathed.

  “What about you?” Mason’s fingers lightly caressed her temple and Charlie sucked in a sharp breath. “You’ve got a nasty bump. Are you hurt anywhere else?”

  She looked up to find his jaw clenched, lips thinned. His brilliant green eyes blazed with an angry fire, as though he was ready to turn around and beat those gangbangers to a bloody pulp.

  “I hit my head on the dash,” she said. “I’m okay though.”

  Kieran looked over his shoulder. “You sure?”

  “I’m sure.”

  A quiet moment passed. Kieran turned down Lombard toward Charlie’
s hotel. “Well, this rental is seriously fucked,” he remarked as though they were talking about a recent fender bender. “That’s going to cut a chunk out of our profits.”

  Mason chose not to respond and Charlie followed his lead.

  “Any idea who they were?” Mason broke the silence.

  “None,” Kieran said. “You?”

  “No.” Charlie looked up at Mason’s dark tone. Something had him riled, but she didn’t know what. “But you can bet your ass I’m going to find out.”

  “Good.” Kieran looked up into the rearview mirror. “Those little shits are going to regret trying to rob us.”

  The rest of the drive passed quietly. When Kieran pulled up in the hotel’s breezeway, she put her mouth close to Mason’s ear. She hated that she couldn’t stop trembling. “Will you stay with me tonight?”

  His eyes met hers. “Yeah. Of course.”

  Charlie let out a relieved breath. She was still way too shaken up to be alone. Something didn’t add up. The attempted robbery had been too well timed. Mason knew it. She saw the suspicion in his eyes. She couldn’t shake the thought that someone wanted them dead.

  “Want me to wait for you?” Kieran asked Mason as he got out of the car and let Charlie out as well.

  “Nah. I’m good. I’ll call you in the morning, though.”

  Kieran looked from Charlie to Mason and back again. His mouth turned down like a kid who’d just had his cookie taken away. He let out a resigned sigh. “All right. I’ll pick you up tomorrow afternoon, Charlie, for our meeting.”

  Oh crap. She’d forgotten all about it. The thought of going anywhere with Kieran and without Mason sent a renewed rush of anxiety into her bloodstream. One last meeting, she promised herself, and then she’d fade into the background and let Mason take over. “I’ll be ready,” she said. “Good night, Kieran.”

  “Take it easy.” He put the car into gear. “Later, Mason.”

  They stood in the breezeway and watched the battered Mercedes drive off.

  “Thanks for staying.” Charlie’s voice sounded small in her ears.

  “I’m not going anywhere.” Mason held her tight.

  Thank God. Charlie didn’t think she could handle being alone tonight. It scared her that over the course of a month she’d become so dependent on the comfort of Mason’s presence. And she didn’t see that changing anytime soon.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  “Where are we going?”

  Kieran slid into the driver’s seat and buckled his seat belt. “You’ll see.”

  Charlie didn’t like not knowing where they were headed. Especially after yesterday’s near miss. She was still pretty shaken up and without Mason beside her, she felt entirely too exposed.

  Both Mason and Carrera had insisted that she wear a wire, but Charlie hadn’t been comfortable with it. Not when Kieran was still a little twitchy as well. Instead, Carrera had made her agree to a tail. Carrera put two of his best men on it, and they’d guaranteed her that Kieran wouldn’t be the wiser. Mason hadn’t been quite so lax, though. He didn’t trust a couple of marshals following in their car to keep an eye on her. Not with the way Kieran had gone grand-theft-auto through the streets of San Francisco last night. He’d activated the find-friends app on Charlie’s phone. That way he could personally keep an eye on her. She had to admit, knowing he could monitor where she was made her feel a hell of a lot more comfortable.

  Tonight wasn’t the night to be wound up and nervous. Kieran needed to see her at ease. Relaxed. Business as usual.

  “Just an FYI, I’m not a huge fan of surprises.”

  Kieran’s eyes lit with an impish spark. “Really? I am.”

  “Okay, then why don’t you tell me where we’re going, and later I’ll jump out from around a corner and scare you. It’ll be a win-win.”

  He chuckled. “Are you worried?”

  Charlie leveled her gaze. “Should I be?”

  “No. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

  Somehow, Charlie didn’t find Kieran’s words all that reassuring. She had a sneaking suspicion that once again he’d intentionally separated her from Mason. Best-case scenario, his reasons were purely selfish, which Charlie could easily deal with. Worst? He was on to them. In which case, she sure as hell hoped those marshals tailing them were good at their job.

  The sun hadn’t quite set yet, and reflected off the water in the bay like a pirate’s lost treasure beneath them. Kieran turned the radio up and Charlie wished he’d turn the damn thing off. Rather than pass the time in silence, she decided to use it to her advantage. She could do a little reconnaissance of her own.

  “Did you know Mason was looking for you before he contacted Jensen?”

  Kieran’s lips quirked in a half smile. “What makes you think that?”

  “Mason said the reason you’ve eluded an arrest for so long is because you’re one step ahead of the feds all the time. And that you know what they’re going to do before they do it, which is why no one can ever pin anything on you.”

  “I had no idea he spoke so highly of me,” he said with a laugh.

  “Is it true?”

  Kieran’s expression grew serious. He kept his eyes on the road, but Charlie noticed the squaring of his jaw. “I have friends here and there who throw information my way every once in a while.”

  “I could use a few more friends like that.” Boy, wasn’t that the truth? Charlie needed intel on Faction Five. It would be nice if some concerned acquaintances threw her a bone here or there. “I figured you’ve eluded capture for so long by simply staying out of the country.”

  Kieran shrugged. “I had a reason to come back.”

  “Does that reason have anything to do with our errand tonight?”

  “More or less.”

  Gah! She was so tired of his cryptic responses. Spit it out already! “It’s lucky for me you decided to come back. Me and Mason.”

  “You really trust him?”

  “I do.” Kieran might have lingering doubts about Mason, but Charlie was going to quash them. “He was about to quit CBP, you know.” He’d already quit by the time the task force snapped him up, but Kieran didn’t need to know that.

  Kieran’s gaze slid to the side. “Why’s that?”

  “They wouldn’t promote him. Used him for undercover work and to give them insight on smuggling rings and whatnot. But they made it pretty clear that because of his familial ties, he wouldn’t ever see advancement.”

  Kieran snorted. “I warned him. Before he made the stupid decision to enter the police academy, I told him they’d treat him like a pariah. But Mason had to prove himself to the world. I guess he thought he’d do it by going in the polar opposite direction of his family. Now he’s got wasted years under his belt when he could have been making some real money. What did it net him—breaking from the pack—taking the honorable route? Not a damn thing, that’s what.”

  It was obvious that Mason’s departure from the family business was a sore spot. One that hadn’t quite healed for Kieran. Charlie hoped that when it was time to arrest Kieran, she could protect Mason somehow from having to take any responsibility for it. Of course he’d said he had no qualms about bringing Kieran down, but Charlie knew that he still considered Kieran family. If she could spare him that emotional fallout, she would.

  “I like Jensen,” Charlie remarked offhand. “Of course, he’s got a reputation for being likable.”

  Kieran’s jaw squared once again. Charlie wondered at the sudden change as his lips thinned and his gaze narrowed on the highway. His hands gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white. He let out a slow and measured breath, as though trying to temper his anger, before his body relaxed by small degrees. “Jensen is a legend.” His response lacked the warmth with which he spoke of Mason. “He took me off the street, gave me a home, a brother. Taught me everything he knows.”

  Those were all statements of fact, but Kieran failed to mention anything about having any true affection for th
e man who’d become a father to him.

  “It must have been nice for you and Mason both.” Charlie wanted Kieran nice and relaxed. As far from agitated as possible. “I bet his childhood was pretty lonely until you showed up.”

  “Yeah,” Kieran said. “Jensen is all smiles and charm when he needs to be, but don’t let that fool you. He’s ruthless as a fucking wolf.”

  A reminder Charlie needed. She’d become complacent over the past couple of weeks. Charmed by Kieran and Katarina and even Mason. Their larger-than-life personalities easily seduced her. Still … there was honest affection between Kieran and Mason. True brotherhood.

  “You looked out for him. Didn’t you?”

  Kieran shifted in his seat. “We looked out for each other.”

  Jensen Decker, the quintessential gentleman thief, obviously had a darker side to his personality that few knew anything about. “You’re still looking out for each other,” Charlie pointed out.

  “After a bit of a hiatus.” Kieran’s tone soured. “But that’s all in the past now. Right?”

  A chill danced the length of Charlie’s spine. “I hope so. Especially if you can hook us up with whatever cash cow you’ve got the inside track on.”

  “You really don’t like being in the dark, do you?”

  At least there were some parts of Charlie’s personality that she didn’t have to fake. “I freaking hate it.”

  Kieran snorted. “Control freak.”

  “Yep, and proud of it.”

  “Mason’s problem has always been his undying faith in the system,” Kieran said. “Makes no fucking sense, either. We were taught the system was broken. That so-called honest men were more corrupt than any criminal. For some damned reason, Mason didn’t believe Jensen. Maybe if the old man hadn’t been such a lousy son of a bitch to him as we got older, Mason would’ve been more inclined to trust him.”

  With every word out of Kieran’s mouth, Charlie realized there were a good couple decades of emotional baggage that both he and Mason carried around. When she first met Mason, her impression had been that he carried an unnecessarily large chip around on his shoulder. Now she realized that chip was totally justified. After all, he’d been jerked around by everyone: his dad, his brother, the very system he’d had so much faith in. Was there anyone or anything in this world that hadn’t let Mason Decker down at some point?