Target: A Circle of Justice Novel

by L. P. Dover

  He blew out a heavy sigh. “I have to meet one of my clients. There’s a deal I need to terminate. My father asked me if I could handle it while I’m out here.”

  The mention of Glenn made me freeze. I understood the burden of keeping secrets from those you cared about, but keeping this secret would inevitably end up being a strain on my relationship with Wade. “Of course. We’ll be fine here.”

  Taking my hand, he kissed it gently, his gaze penetrating me to the core. “Ready to go inside?”

  My whole body shivered and I nodded. “I want to see if Trinity’s okay. Afterward, I’m all yours.”

  “I’ll be in the bedroom. You know where to find me.” He winked.

  Walking inside, I went straight up the stairs to Trinity’s room, keeping my steps as quiet as I could. Her door was shut and so was the one to Josh’s bedroom. I tapped gently on the door, figuring she probably wasn’t going to answer, but I had to try. I was surprised when the door opened.

  Trinity stood there, still dressed in a pair of pink scrubs, with her blonde hair pulled back in a messy bun. Her eyes were red and she looked utterly exhausted.

  “Can I come in?” I whispered softly.

  Nodding, she opened the door and I walked inside. The walls were a pale yellow, matching the shade of yellow designs in the gray and white comforter on the bed. The room was bright and airy.

  Trinity laid on the bed, and I joined her, resting on my side so I could see her. There were tissues everywhere. “Everything’s going to be okay,” I told her.

  “I know.” She sniffled. “It’s just . . . it’s always one thing after another. I don’t see how you lived through it without going insane.”

  “Trust me, it was hard.” I laughed. “And it still is. You’re strong though. You’ll get through this.” Her phone vibrated and she held it up, sighing as she turned it off. “Who was that?” I asked.

  Lips trembling, she looked over at me. “Warren.”

  “Is that your boyfriend?”

  She shrugged. “Yes and no. I haven’t talked to him today. I’m sure he’s heard about what happened.”

  “He’s got to be worried about you.”

  Tears fell down her cheeks. “I’m sure he is, but I can’t bring myself to talk to him.”

  “Why not?”

  Her gaze never wavered from mine. “You already know.”

  I blew out a breath and smiled. “You’re in love with Josh.”

  “B, I tried to fight it. When I met Warren, he was just what I needed—fun and adventurous. He took my mind off Josh . . . or at least, I tried to convince myself that he did. It doesn’t matter anyway because Dad would never approve of Warren. He isn’t good enough.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  She scoffed. “Because he told me so. Apparently, he makes it a point to know everything I do in my life. Warren doesn’t meet his standards. Maybe that was one of the reasons I’ve stayed with him. It feels good to rebel.”

  I’d told Noah he needed to lighten up, on numerous occasions. He didn’t understand what it was like. When I was the first daughter, there were times it felt like I was in prison. However, I rebelled in a completely different way.

  Placing my hand over hers, I patted it tenderly. “I know,” I whispered. Then I cleared my throat. “Have you and Warren slept together?”

  She closed her eyes, squeezing them tight. “Several times. Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice, but the entire time I’m with him, I imagine it’s Josh making love to me.” Smacking a hand over her face, she groaned in disgust. “You must think I’m such a bitch. I hate myself for putting Josh through all of it. Honestly, I don’t see how he can stand to look at me.”

  Sitting up, I grabbed her hands and pulled them away from her face. “He loves you, Trinity. I just didn’t want you two to get caught up in something if you weren’t sure about your feelings. If you don’t last, it’ll ruin his career. But if being with him is what you want, there’s nothing anyone can do to stop it. Just make sure it’s what you really want.”

  She sat up and a spark of life flashed in her crystal blue eyes. It’d been a long time since I’d seen her like that. “It is, B. I’m in love with him. I’ve tried not to show it, but it’s too hard. I don’t want to fight it anymore.”

  I nodded toward the door. “Then don’t. Go to him, tell him how you feel. He needs to hear it right now. Just don’t leave Warren in the dark. He deserves an explanation.”

  Taking a deep breath, she wiped her eyes. “I know. I’ll talk to him soon, I promise.” She got up and I walked her out into the hall, watching her quietly sneak into Josh’s room.

  Heading to Wade’s bedroom, I realized I needed to take my own advice. Warren wasn’t the only one being kept in the dark.

  Wade

  “I don’t think we’re the only ones who had a good time last night.” Brina chuckled.

  I watched her slip her bikini top over her bare breasts. There were red marks all over from where I’d sucked them too hard. I couldn’t get enough. “What’s your brother going to say about it?” I asked.

  Shrugging, she slipped on her denim shorts and threw her golden hair into a messy pile on top of her head. How the hell was I ever going to let her go? I didn’t want to, but there was no other choice. I couldn’t let her know what I was.

  “I don’t think there’s anything he can do about it. If he tries to keep them apart, it’ll only bring them together more.”

  She was right. I could hear them downstairs, fumbling around in the kitchen. Brina kissed me and rubbed a hand down my chest. “I’m going downstairs to make breakfast. I’m dying for some banana pancakes. What time do you need to leave?”

  I looked over at the clock. “In about an hour. I also need to call my brothers, so they can fly out here and get us.”

  She kissed me again. “See ya downstairs.” She walked out of the room and I waited for her footsteps to disappear down the hall before I pressed the button to call Ian.

  “What’s up,” Ian answered.

  “I need your help.”

  He laughed. “I’m sure you do. Didn’t know you’d turned into a bodyguard.”

  Blowing out a heavy sigh, I could hear Brina and Trinity talking in the kitchen. “I have to keep them safe.”

  “What do you need?”

  “I need you to fly us to Charlotte. There’s a private airfield right outside Malibu.”

  “And when do you want this to happen?”

  “Tomorrow. I have some business to take care of today.”

  “So I heard. How do you think your girlfriend’s going to react when she finds out the man who killed her father is dead?” he asked.

  In all honesty, I had no clue. “Hopefully, she’ll find happiness, and get closure. He would’ve already been dead if the situation was turned.”

  “Got that right. The fucker doesn’t deserve to live.”

  “No, he doesn’t,” I huffed. I was ready for the bastard to be gone.

  “So, how serious are you and the former first daughter anyway?”

  “Like that’s any of your fucking business.”

  He chuckled. “I’m trying to be serious here. I’ve seen the tabloids, brother. What are you going to do if she wants to take the next step? Are you going to tell her what you are?”

  My jaw clenched. “It won’t get that far.” I didn’t want to lie to her.

  “Sure about that?”

  “Yes,” I growled. “Once everything’s settled down, she’ll be heading back to Charleston.”

  “Whatever you say.” He snickered. “I’ll be there tomorrow with Bryce and Reed.”

  “Sounds good. See you then,” I snapped, hanging up the phone. The cocksucker knew how to get under my skin. However, the thought of seeing Reed soothed my frustration. I hadn’t seen my youngest brother in months. He was already an FBI agent, and he’d soon be initiated into the Circle of Justice.

  The scent of bacon filled the air, so I threw on a pair of jeans and a T-
shirt before heading into the kitchen. I had to leave soon, to get into position where the prison bus was going to stop for fuel. It was time for me to kill the man who’d assassinated Brina’s father. What shocked me more than anything was that Brina hadn’t said one word about it.

  Turning the corner into the kitchen, Brina and Trinity were busy finishing up breakfast. “Are your brothers going to pick us up tomorrow?” Brina asked, flipping the last of the banana pancakes.

  When I nodded, Trinity’s eyes widened and she smiled. It was a big change from yesterday. Even Josh looked happier, sitting at the table with a cup of coffee.

  Trinity handed me a plate of eggs and bacon. “I don’t ever see much about your brothers. What are they like?” She sat across from me at the table, while Brina settled in on my right.

  “They’re a little different from me.” I chuckled. “That’s why they live in Wyoming. They wanted to be free from the politics of Chandler Enterprises. Don’t get me wrong, they’ll be at my side if I ask them, but I respect their decision.”

  “Aren’t two of them twins?” Trinity asked.

  Brina snorted. “I’ll have to show you pictures of them when we get home. They used to terrorize me.”

  Trinity giggled. “It’s so crazy how you two knew each other a long time ago, and now you’ve ended up together.”

  “The same thing goes for you and Josh,” Brina added. “I’ve known him since we were seven years old.”

  “You guys have a lot of history together.” Trinity’s brows furrowed. “Do you not find it odd how you all ended up in the same place? I’m five years younger than you and I don’t have any close friends from when I was little,” she said, looking at Brina. “And you’re here with two of them.”

  Brina and Josh shared a look I couldn’t decipher, almost as if there was something going on she wasn’t telling me about. She shrugged and laughed it off. “Must be fate.”

  Josh nudged Trinity in the side. “Why don’t we take a swim after we eat?”

  Trinity brightened. “Sure. Brina, you joining us?”

  Brina nodded. “I just need to call Lexi first, and make sure she’s okay at the shop. You guys go on ahead.”

  Once they were done eating, Trinity and Josh cleaned up their mess. Before going outside, Trinity stopped at the door. “Thank you for letting me stay here,” she murmured. “I feel bad for imposing. I know you didn’t ask for any of this.”

  I held up a hand. “I want to help.”

  A sad smile spread across her face. “I appreciate it.”

  Brina and I watched them walk out the back door to the pool. “She has no idea how hard it’s going to be when she goes back. I just hope they can handle it,” Brina said softly. “The press will be all over them.”

  “That’s going to happen no matter who she’s with. It would be hard not to fall for you if I had to guard you twenty-four-seven. Maybe your brother should’ve gotten someone older to be her bodyguard.” If I had a daughter, I sure as hell wouldn’t have gotten a man close to her age to keep her safe.

  Brina giggled and stared at them playing around in the pool. “Maybe you’re right. But Josh always put others first, even when we were kids. I guess you could say he was my bodyguard growing up. Once he got older, he fulfilled his dream, and my brother hired him instantly.”

  “Have you talked to Noah today?” I asked her.

  She nodded. “I did before you came down. He’s flying back to D.C. tomorrow. He knows we’re leaving to go to Charlotte.”

  Time started to slip away, so I finished my food and took our empty plates to the sink. “What are you going to do while I’m gone?”

  “Not sure. I’ll figure something out though. I don’t know if I want to be stuck outside watching that,” she said, pointing out the window. I could only see Trinity and Josh’s heads, but I didn’t want to think about what they were doing in my pool.

  Taking her hand, I pulled her to the side door that led out to the five-car garage. I opened the door and turned on the light. Brina’s mouth gaped wide open. “Wow.”

  Inside, there were two golf carts, a motorcycle, and an old Bronco that I’d had fixed up several years ago. “If you get bored, the keys to the golf carts are on that wall over there.” I pointed to the keys. “I have twelve acres of land. It’s all guarded by a privacy fence. No one can sneak through without me knowing. You’ll be perfectly safe.”

  Grinning wide, she kissed my cheek. “Sounds like fun. Maybe there’s a chance I won’t miss you like crazy.”

  I looked at my watch, knowing damn well I was running out of time. Pulling her to me, I kissed her hard. “I’ll see you soon. And I will miss you like crazy.”

  Today was for her.

  “Are you there?” my father asked.

  “Yep. I’m on the roof of an abandoned restaurant about a thousand yards away.” That way I could get it done and get out before anyone would even think to find me. Long range shooting was my specialty.

  “Good. Do you see the gas station?”

  I looked through my scope and adjusted it. “Got it.”

  “You only have one chance, son.”

  “I won’t fail.”

  “You never have. Call me when it’s done.”

  The bus was supposed to stop at the gas station to refill and give the inmates a bathroom break. It was unheard of for that to happen since it exposed the public to risk, but my father had pulled some strings. The first person getting out of that bus would be Keith Sanders.

  Thirty minutes later, the bus came into view. It pulled around to the back of the diesel pumps. Luckily, there were no other cars using those pumps. Looking through my scope, I honed in on the bus. One of the guards exited and stood by the door, while another one stepped down. Then, he appeared. Dressed in all orange and shackled in chains, was Keith Sanders. Rage consumed me and I’d have given anything to beat the fucker to death.

  “Good riddance, cocksucker.” Taking a deep breath, I let it out slow and placed my finger on the trigger.

  I was about to squeeze the trigger, when out of nowhere, his head explodes. Blood splattering across the guards, Sanders fell to the ground, his face blown clear off. Heart racing, I set my rifle down and grabbed the binoculars. What the fuck just happened? This was the second time someone had beaten me to a kill in the last month.

  Looking through the binoculars, the guards hid behind the bus with their guns drawn. Judging by the wound on Sanders’ head, the shot came from my left, where two rows of apartments stood.

  Grabbing my phone, I quickly called my father. “Is it done?” he asked.

  “Oh, it’s done, but I didn’t do it.”

  “What do you mean?”

  I huffed, scanning the apartment buildings through the binoculars. “The fucker got his head blown off. Someone else is out here. I’m trying to find him.”

  “Dammit. It’s got to be one of Noah’s men. I’ve researched the people working for him and I can only assume Josh Addington and Emmitt Townsend.”

  I kept scanning. “I can agree with those. But I know for a fact Josh and Emmitt aren’t here. Emmitt hasn’t left the hospital, and Josh is at the ranch with Brina and Trinity.”

  “Then who could be the third?”

  “I don’t know. Wait . . . I just saw something.” Scanning the apartments, a movement caught my eye. Slowly, I started from one end of the building, and onto the next. That was when I saw it, a purple suitcase being pulled across the parking lot by the last person I ever expected to see. “Holy fucking shit. I can’t believe this.”

  “What?” my father shouted impatiently. “What do you see?”

  “It’s not what, it’s who,” I replied.

  “Who is it?”

  Confusion swept over me as I watched the suitcase being placed carefully in the trunk of Josh’s rental car. “It’s Brina,” I answered, barely getting the words out. “My God, it’s fucking Brina.” She got in the car with the widest grin on her face. What in the fuck of all fucks wa
s going on?

  My father sucked in a breath and the line went silent. There were no words.

  Brina

  “I can’t believe you did it. It’s finally done.”

  Closing my eyes, I breathed in the ocean air and smiled. I did do it . . . and it felt damn good. I’d waited years for this opportunity. “I didn’t think I’d be able to get away. I’m just glad Wade had to meet with a client.”

  “Where are you now?” Noah asked.

  I opened my eyes, wishing like hell I could be out on the waves with the other surfers. “I’m at the beach. I needed some time to wind down before going back to the ranch.” I couldn’t go back there yet. Too many emotions competed for attention. I didn’t know if I should laugh or cry. And a big part of me wasn’t satisfied. Sanders should’ve seen my face, to know it was me who killed him.

  “The media has already blown up. Every station is covering the murder.”

  “Hopefully, the person who went after you is pissing themselves, because they’re next.” I grabbed a handful of sand and let it slide through my fingers.

  To the world, I was Brina Carmichael, former first daughter. In reality, I was an assassin. It was the one secret I’d kept from everyone, other than my brother, Josh, and Emmitt. I worked for Noah, killed for him. But today, I killed for myself, in honor of my father. Keith Sanders had taken him away from me. It was high time he paid his debt.

  Noah sighed. “We’re still trying to figure that one out. Emmitt says he can’t find a single damn thing on any of the other agents. They’re all clean.”

  “Then who would’ve spilled your location?”

  “I don’t know. Until we figure it out, I don’t want Trinity in the line of fire. She still has a few more weeks before college starts. We’ll find the shooter before then.” And I’ll kill them. “Stay safe, Brina. We’re on our way back to Washington. I had to get out of there.”

  “Be careful, big brother. Try not to get yourself shot again.”

  He tried to laugh but ended up growling in pain. “I’m hoping not. We can’t let this person win.”

  “They won’t.”