by Sybil Bartel
I pulled my slightly swollen lip into my mouth and gently ran my tongue across it before releasing it. “He kissed me.”
His jaw ticked. “Are you his?”
“Are you jealous?” Was he even capable of that?
“Who do you belong to?”
Viking was an impenetrable warrior, aloof and imposing and untouchable, but up close, inches from my face, gripping me like I was his, he was a force of nature. Consuming and mesmerizing, he sucked me into his vortex. And all I wanted was for his dominating grip to slide down and land on my ass. “Belong?”
As if he read my mind, his free hand landed on my hip, but he didn’t hold me. He didn’t even grip me. He wrapped his large fingers around the swell of my ass and he branded me. “Scott. The boy’s father.”
His touch this time wasn’t about pulling a zipper down to manipulate sore muscles. This touch was magnetic and dangerous and I couldn’t begin to imagine what it would feel like to have both of his hands on me. Like an idiot, I swayed into him. “That isn’t a question.”
Quick, calculated, the hand gripping my chin moved to my jaw. Holding me back, not letting me come an inch closer, he commanded the distance between us as his penetrating gaze cut through my defenses. “You want to be fucked.”
My weight against his restraining hands, my body aching to feel his, I was already fucked. “No, I don’t.” I wanted more.
“You lie to me one more time, it will be the last.” Harsh and unyielding, there was no room for argument in his tone.
But that didn’t stop the words from spilling out of my mouth. “It wasn’t a lie.”
“The truth,” he ordered.
I flinched at his sharp tone and swallowed past his hold on my jaw and neck, but I didn’t move because it would be a mistake. This was a test and I was going to fail it. Intentionally. “I don’t want to be fucked. I want to be loved.”
His grip released so quickly, I stumbled forward. If he hadn’t already walked out, I would’ve fallen into him.
MY HANDS SHAKING, MY HEART pounding, I knew what kind of game Viking was playing and I was never going to win. But the longer I took to get back out there, the more ground I lost because respect was the only currency I’d ever gain on him.
I ran my fingers through my loose curls and smoothed my hands down the slacks I’d dressed in this morning. It felt like a lifetime ago instead of just this morning that I’d buttoned up my silk blouse and stepped into my heels. Feigning confidence, I walked out of the bedroom.
Viking’s cold stare met me first, followed by André’s frown.
“Mama!” A banana in one hand, a cookie in the other, Conner grinned.
I took the stool next to him and kissed his forehead. “Hi, sweet boy.” My chest hurt. I didn’t want to send him away.
André crossed his arms and leaned a hip against the kitchen counter. “We have a visitor downstairs.”
I glanced at Viking, who stood on the other side of Conner, but his expression didn’t give anything away. I looked back at André. “That didn’t take long. Candle?”
André shook his head. “Tanner. I haven’t sent him away yet.”
I slipped off the stool. “Watch Conner. I’ll go talk to him.”
“Hold up.” André stopped me. “What’s the game plan?”
I glanced at my son and forced a smile then looked back at André. “I’ll tell him what I think of his stunt this morning, then you can do whatever you want with him.”
Viking said “No” at the same time André said “Chica.”
“You said it was my call,” I protested.
André shook his head once. “No, I said I hadn’t sent him away yet. You know why he’s here. All he’s going to do is tell you to hand over the product.”
“Then he can go fu—”
“Language,” Viking barked.
I refrained from holding my middle finger up, just barely. “This is my mess and he’s my ex. I get to talk to him. I won’t tell him a damn thing about the guns but I am going to let him know he blew it. Conner and I are done with him and he needs to know that. Then you can kick him out or tell him to take a hike or whatever it is you do in these situations.”
André drew his eyebrows together and glanced at Viking.
“What the hell was that look for?” I snapped.
Viking’s penetrating stare hadn’t left me since I’d walked into the kitchen. “He is up to something.”
“That’s real helpful. Tell me something I don’t know.” What the fuck? Jason Tanner was always up to something.
Viking didn’t hesitate. “He was arrested, arraigned, and posted bail in record time then he spoke with Scott, went off grid for an hour and showed up here.”
“So?”
“He’s driving a vehicle registered to a Marissa Riley.”
That lying piece of shit. Jason said he wasn’t coming around because they broke up.
Viking wasn’t finished. “She was reported missing over a week ago by her employer.”
I sank back down on the stool, dumbfounded. “What does that have to do with me?” Jesus. What the hell did he do?
“Who is she?” André asked.
“The woman he left me for. Is she dead?”
André didn’t bother sugarcoating it. “Dead or running.”
“Which one?”
Neither of them responded.
I grasped at straws. “Maybe she’s not missing for real. Maybe it’s for show.” I looked at André. “Did you ask Jason?”
“He’s not talking.”
Fuck me. “Fine, same plan, nothing changes. I’m going downstairs.” I shoved off the stool and kissed Conner. “Be right back, baby.” I glanced at André. “Can you watch him for five minutes?”
André shook his head but it was more in resignation than anything else. “I’m not agreeing to this.”
He didn’t say no, so I took it as consent. “Thanks,” I muttered.
I didn’t remember walking to the elevator and I didn’t remember jabbing the down button, but I remembered every second of what it felt like to have my heart ripped out by Jason. And now he was going to pin me for what? Guns?
A warm hand closed over my shoulder and Viking’s quiet voice repeated my words from the kitchen. “This changes nothing.” Even though they sounded a hell of a lot better coming from him, I didn’t want to hear it.
“Who invited you to the party?” I crossed my arms, refusing to turn around and look at him.
“He is a convicted felon who was in possession of stolen military weapons.”
“No shit. I know his history better than you.” The elevator arrived and I stomped inside.
Viking silently followed, pushed the button and waited till the doors closed. “No, you do not.”
I spun. “What’s that supposed to mean? You and André looked into him?”
“André had nothing to do with it.”
“Bullshit.” André had the security company, not Viking. “Contractors are PI’s now? And why were you even looking in the first place? I didn’t ask for your help. I didn’t ask you for shit but you showed up and now both you and André are involved in my mess and that’s fucked-up!” I knew I needed help, I knew I was in over my head, but since the moment Viking showed up at the strip club, my life had spiraled out of my control and goddamn it, I was pissed.
“He is not a father. He should not be around the child.”
“Seriously?” I threw my hands up. “Now you’re adding insult to injury? You think I don’t know that? I would’ve thought a Viking was above that shit.”
His head tilted and the corner of his mouth moved. Then he stilled. “Viking.”
One word. One word was all it took to get me to stop my ridiculous tantrum. His voice didn’t change, his expression didn’t waver, but that one word, spoken with just a hint of amusement was enough. “Fine.” I exhaled. “Make fun of me, or whatever secretive bullshit that means when the left side of your mouth tips up like something is fu
nny as hell to you. Any other person would just smile. Or laugh. Either way, it wouldn’t fucking kill you to show some kind of emotion every now and then.”
He went all serious as shit again. “I did not make fun of you.”
“No, you didn’t. But you were amused, or whatever it is that happens in your head when you think something is funny. Or stupid, or whatever.”
“I would not laugh at you.”
“Jesus Christ, Neil.” I rubbed my fingers over my forehead. “Did I say you were making fun of me?” A vicious headache started behind my eyes. “What does it matter anyway? Laugh all you want. I don’t give a shit. I just want to get this over with. And stop following me.” I regretted the last sentence as soon as I said it because I was a glutton for punishment. Good or bad, I didn’t want his attention to stop. I knew it would never go anywhere. The amount of frustration I was causing him, I was sure I was everything but what he wanted in a woman. Not that it mattered because I wasn’t going there. The elevator stopped.
“Ariella.”
Quiet and soft, his tone pulled me in but I wasn’t going to fall down that rabbit hole, not with him or Jason or any man, not anymore. “What?” I asked wearily.
“Turn around.”
My stomach tightened and dangerous hope flared so quick, I had to shut it down. “No.”
His hand landed on my shoulder and something more than awareness shot through my nerves. “Take a breath.”
His touch, his voice, the heat from his body radiating around my back, I inhaled. Deeply.
“Again,” he said, softer still.
“Don’t think for one second that this means I’m okay with you telling me what to do.”
“Breathe, Ariella.” His hand tightened.
I hated how I was drawing strength from his presence. I hated how he made me feel invincible when he was by my side and I hated how much I liked having him around. “I got this. I’m fine.”
His voice went back to being cold. “Do not give him any information.”
The warning made me hate him almost as much as I hated Jason right now. “What information? You haven’t told me shit.”
The doors slid open and Viking’s grasp slid down to my arm. He led us out of the elevator but we weren’t on the first floor. The sea of cubicles and offices in front of us was the second floor, the heart of André’s business.
I faltered a step because I never came up to the second floor. I was always in the reception area on the first floor or the break room. More than a dozen sets of eyes glanced at us then went back to working as if nothing was out of the ordinary. There was so much chatter and men moving around, you’d never know this many people worked at Luna and Associates from seeing the lobby.
It didn’t matter that I was next to the most capable man I knew, every step toward the opposite bank of elevators made my heart beat faster and my mouth go drier. In theory I’d wanted to get the confrontation with Jason over with, but now I was remembering every good moment we’d ever had like Jason was the fucking prince of boyfriends.
Viking led us into the next elevator and pushed the button for the garage level. “I will handle any questions he has.”
Something wasn’t right. “He’s not in the lobby?”
“No.”
The doors closed and I grasped for meaning. “Are you sure? He came through the garage?” That wasn’t like Jason. He wouldn’t come in the back door like he was ashamed or hiding.
“Yes. Is there a problem?”
I didn’t have time to answer. The doors slid open and I was staring at the father of my son.
“Elle.” Jason didn’t smile. No sunshine spread across his face and lit up his eyes. He didn’t hold his arms out. He didn’t close the two strides between us. He didn’t even call me baby.
My stomach dropped and fear crawled up my spine. “Jason.”
He didn’t move.
No tired smile. No apologetic smile. No weary smile. Jason was his smile.
Oh God.
Oh God.
Viking was right. It was a trap.
“Neil,” I whispered.
VIKING MOVED.
In a blink of an eye, he hit the panic button on the elevator and was in front of me. Before I could register that no elevator alarm was going off, Jason’s neck was in one of Viking’s huge hands while the other had reached behind him and pulled a gun out of his back waistband. Viking shoved the barrel to Jason’s temple just as a van came barreling down the ramp. Crashing through the security gate, the driver braked at the last moment. The sound of tires screeching echoed through the garage as the van skidded to a stop two feet in front of us. The back doors flew open.
Weapons drawn, LCs spilled out like ants.
Two dozen pairs of boots hit the pavement as a sea of guns pointed at us.
Jason didn’t even blink. “She comes with us and no one gets hurt.”
“You think you are not going to get hurt?” Viking’s quiet response wasn’t a question, it was a deadly warning.
Candle casually got out of the front passenger seat of the van. “Can’t wait to see you get out of this one, Christensen.”
“Thirty seconds,” Viking warned.
Candle smirked then inclined his head at the security cameras. “Feed’s on a loop. No one upstairs is the wiser.” He glanced at me. “C’mon, sweetheart, step out of the elevator.”
Fuck, fuck, fuck. I stepped out.
“Back inside, Ariella,” Viking snapped. “Release the hold.”
Candle drew his gun. “One step, babe, and I shoot your boyfriend.”
Jason’s focus swung to me. “You’re fucking him?”
Viking tightened his grip and Jason’s eyes bulged as he made a choking gasp. “Watch your language. Go, Ariella.”
I glanced over my shoulder. Two feet to the elevator. But if I left Viking, they’d kill him. Could I even clear two feet before Candle pulled the trigger? No. But I could dive. Or swerve or something. But then what? How long did it take for the doors to close? Were they bulletproof? Could I live with myself if I let them execute Neil? Oh God, oh God. Conner needed me. Viking didn’t. There wasn’t a choice. I inhaled.
Candle smiled. “You know what’s gonna happen if you take that step, sweetheart?”
I tried to swallow.
“You will miss the shot,” Viking answered.
Candle didn’t even glance at him. “He’s wrong,” he answered confidently. “You’ll rush the elevator, probably even dive, and I’ll fire. Yes, I’ll miss you on the first shot because your boyfriend will throw your old man in front of you and he’ll go down. But I’ll already have two more shots off before Tanner drops. The second will sink into your boyfriend’s head and the third will burn like fuck as I shoot you in the leg. Then I’ll throw you in the van and watch you bleed until you tell me where my shipment is.”
My heart stopped.
Viking glared at Candle. “I will kill you first.”
Candle shrugged. “Doubtful. But I’m up for seeing who’s the better shot.”
“Neil,” I begged.
“Elevator,” he repeated.
Candle swung his calculated gaze from Viking to me. “Guess you better ask yourself if you wanna see your kid again.”
There wasn’t a way out. I couldn’t clear the elevator. I couldn’t save Viking. I couldn’t even tell Candle where his guns were, but he didn’t know that. God help me, I took a step forward and prayed like hell that André and his men would figure out what happened before Candle killed me.
“She does not know where the guns are,” Viking barked.
“You think I’m stupid?” Candle sneered.
“Do not take another step, Ariella,” Viking warned.
Fuck. “There’s no way out, Neil.”
“Five more seconds,” Viking said confidently.
Candle glanced at the stairwell and frowned. Then he looked pointedly at the LC nearest to him. “Take them both. I don’t care if you have to shoot them.” He turn
ed to get back in the van.
Neil moved so quick it was a blur but the sickening crunch as his forehead slammed into Jason’s skull echoed off the concrete walls a split second before he fired a warning shot at Candle’s feet.
Two LCs rushed Neil, their guns aimed at his head.
Blood spurting from his face, Jason crumpled to the ground. The stairwell door burst open and André, Tyler and two other guys rushed out. Their automatic weapons aimed at the LCs, they spread out so quickly, it had to be a practiced maneuver.
The two LCs rushing Neil halted.
Candle casually glanced at each of André’s men as two more Luna and Associates guys came down the ramp, weapons drawn.
André aimed his weapon at Candle. “You’re trespassing.”
Tyler whispered behind me, “Get in the elevator, babe.”
His gun in his hand at his side, Candle glanced at the two men who’d come up behind him. “So sue me.”
“Leave,” André warned.
Candle turned back to André. “Give me what I want and I will.”
Slow and careful, I moved a tiny step backwards.
“Good,” Tyler whispered. “One more.”
André didn’t take his eyes off Candle. “I don’t have what you want. Last chance. Leave on your own while you still can.”
Candle laughed. “You think you have the advantage?”
“I don’t think, I know.” André lifted his head from his sights just long enough to incline it at his men. “We’ve got automatic weapons, tactical gear and better training—you do the math.”
“Now,” Tyler whispered to me.
I stepped back and my heel hit the threshold of the elevator.
Candle’s arm shot up and he fired.
Tyler grunted and all hell broke loose.
Firing whatever weapon they had, every LC rushed us like they didn’t care if they lived or died. Tyler shoved me to the ground and dropped to one knee in front of me. Blood pouring from his left shoulder, he hefted his weapon single-handedly and started picking off shots.
Viking kicked one of the LCs closest to him in the groin as he reached for the second one’s weapon. Thrusting up, Viking held the LC’s gun firm as he trained his gun on his thigh and fired point-blank.