Target: A Circle of Justice Novel

by L. P. Dover

  “Uh-uh-uh. Naughty girl.” He shook his head. “I have you at my mercy. You’ll do what I want you to do.”

  I tried to move, but he held on tighter, smiling smugly down at me. “You can let me up any day now.” I wasn’t about to let him get the better of me.

  “Not yet.” His smile faded. “As much as I like having you where you are, there’s something you need to learn.”

  “What?” I whispered.

  The grip he had on my wrists tightened. “Never, under any circumstances, let another man immobilize your arms like this. The only person who should ever get to hold you down like this is me. Nevertheless, it doesn’t always work like that.”

  The haunted look in his eyes made me shiver. For a man who’d killed his fair share of rapists, he had to know their backgrounds and what they’d done.

  Wade loosened his grip and let my wrists go, but kept his weight on me. “I want you to be prepared, in case anything like this ever happened to you. Unfortunately, most guys are going to take you to the floor and you’ll be in this position. You can punch the shit out of them all you want, but all that’s going to do is piss them off.”

  I looked up at him. “What am I supposed to do then, lay there and take it?”

  “Yes. And most importantly, you use that time to concentrate. When someone takes you down, you will have a split second to react. Do you see this?” he asked, putting his hands on the floor by both sides of my head. When I nodded, he continued. “Okay, when my arms are like this, you need to bring yours up between mine, like you’re diving into a pool, and then sweep down, hard. This motion will take my arms out from under me, which will make me lose my balance and fall forward.”

  We practiced the move in slow motion until I got the movement correctly.

  “Okay, next, you take the palm of your hand and jab it upwards toward my nose, before I have the chance to catch myself with my arms. This type of blow will make the nose break, eyes water, and your attacker will lose focus. Afterward, you can always beat the shit out of him and run away.”

  I practiced the upward motion a few times before he nodded and grabbed my wrists, pulling me up to my feet.

  “Now, let’s practice it all together. Just don’t break my nose.”

  I winked and got into position. “I’ll try not to.”

  As soon as I was ready, he went on the attack and took me back down to the mat. Before he could grab my wrists, I did what he said and swiped his own arms out from under him and stopped with my palm at his nose. When I moved my hand aside, he smirked down at me.

  “That’s fucking amazing. I honestly didn’t think you’d get it that fast.” He laid there, star-fished on top of me, breathing hard.

  I could feel his heartbeat thumping and see the sweat above his brow. Instinctively, I clenched my lower stomach and his dick pushed against me.

  “The shit you do to me,” he growled, pressing his forehead to mine. “I’m not the kind of man to lose control.” The need in his blue stare made me shiver in his arms.

  “It sure as hell feels good though.”

  “I want you so fucking bad right now.” Digging his fingers into my hips, he stood and lifted me up.

  He lifted his shirt over his head and dropped it to the floor. “Hold onto me,” he commanded. Placing his hands on my waist, he turned me around so I faced the mirror with him at my back. I watched as his hands splayed across my stomach, before traveling under my shirt to my breasts, squeezing them. My eyes rolled into the back of my head and I moaned.

  “Do you like watching me touch you?”

  “Yes,” I breathed, leaning back into him.

  He lifted my tank top and sports bra over my head and groaned when he saw my naked flesh in the mirror. “I think I like watching it too.” He lowered his hands to the waistband of my shorts and slid them to the floor, along with my underwear. He kept his gaze on mine as he dropped his shorts to the ground and pressed his rigid cock against my ass. “Would you like to watch me make love to you?”

  My clit throbbed and I grew wet between my legs. “You have no idea.”

  Turning me around, he picked me up in his arms and I straddled his waist. Walking forward, my back came up against one of the mirrors. It was cold, but it warmed up from the heat of my body.

  “Then hold on tight, sunshine.”

  Brina

  (Three Days Later)

  “What did my dad say?” Trinity asked.

  The sun was warm against my skin and getting hotter by the minute. I picked up one of the rocks from our pile on the dock and skipped it across the water. “That he’s okay and everything’s fine. His people are still busy trying to find the man who shot him.” I’d also told him about Wade and who he really was. Considering who his father was, he wasn’t shocked at all.

  “Do you think they’ll find who did it?”

  We always do. “Eventually,” I replied. Only sometimes it wasn’t fast enough.

  A sound came from the barn, catching my attention. It sounded like the table saw cutting wood, but it wasn’t Wade; he was at work. Leaning up on my elbows, I turned my focus to Trinity, who was sprawled out beside me in her bathing suit. Her sunglasses covered her eyes and I could tell they were closed.

  “What’s Josh doing in there?”

  “He asked Wade this morning if he could try his hand at table making. He’s been fascinated with the ones Wade’s made.”

  They were amazing. I was going to see if he’d let me take a couple to Charleston. “That’s cool. Just thought he’d want to be out here with you. You two have been inseparable.”

  With a heavy sigh, she sat up and lifted her sunglasses. The necklace he’d given her sparkled in the sun, blinding me.

  I squinted against the brightness. “Do you never take that thing off?”

  Shaking her head, she placed a hand over it, shielding me from the glare. “It means too much to me.” By the look on her face, something was wrong.

  “You wanna tell me what’s going on?”

  She held up her hand. “Don’t worry, it’s nothing we can’t get past. He’s just a little upset with me right now, even if he pretends otherwise.”

  “Why?”

  “He doesn’t want me around Warren when I get back to campus.”

  “Have you even talked to him?” I asked curiously.

  Grabbing one of the rocks, she tossed it into the water. “I did the other day.”

  “And?” I questioned, waiting for her answer.

  She took a deep breath. “I told him I wasn’t coming back to school.”

  “You’re what?” I shrieked incredulously. “Quitting college is not what you want to do right now.”

  She held up her hand and laughed. “Would you let me finish? I told Warren things wouldn’t work out because I’m transferring, not quitting. And after talking for a bit, he offered to help me pack up my things. Josh wasn’t happy when I said yes.”

  “I can see where he’s coming from,” I confessed. “Especially if Warren doesn’t know you have feelings for someone else.”

  By the expression on her face, she’d obviously left that part out. “I didn’t want to hurt him like that, Brina. I’m the one in the wrong, not him. I have no plans to lead him on when I get back to Boston.”

  “So, where do you want to transfer to? I’m assuming you’ll keep majoring in Business?”

  A wide grin spread across her face. “That, and I’m thinking of a second major.”

  I waved my hand impatiently. “Go on. I’m listening.”

  “Marine Biology. I want to go to Charleston. I know you enjoyed it there.”

  Excitement bubbled in my chest. “Seriously? Oh my God, you’ll love it.” I hugged her tight.

  “And think of it this way. I can see you anytime I want, and maybe even help out at your store.”

  Smile fading, reality finally set in. I slowly let her go and sighed. “Yes, you will.”

  Her brows furrowed. “What’s wrong?”

  I
glanced back at Wade’s house, emotions swirling inside me. “I haven’t thought about what it’s going to be like when all of this is over and I’m back in Charleston.”

  “Oh yeah,” she murmured sadly. “I’m assuming you and Wade haven’t talked about your future?”

  “No,” I answered with a shake of my head. “His life is here, while mine is in Charleston. I don’t see how it’s going to work, long term.”

  Her hand touched my shoulder and I faced her. “It’ll work out, B. I’ve seen the way he looks at you. There’s no way he’s going to let you slip away.”

  I placed my hand on top of hers. “I hope not.”

  My phone rang and Trinity saw who it was first. “Speaking of someone slipping away.”

  I look down at my phone and it was Chris. I’d avoided his calls because I knew my brother was going to tell him the truth about me. I wasn’t ready to hear what he had to say.

  “Might as well answer it, B. We all know how he is. I’m actually surprised he hasn’t showed up here.”

  She had a point. I reached for my phone and stood. “I’ll be back.”

  Once I was far enough away, I answered. “Hey, Chris.”

  “Why haven’t you answered my calls?” he asked, voice tired. Just hearing it made my heart hurt.

  “I’m sorry. I wasn’t ready to talk to you.”

  “Why? Because you knew Noah was going to tell me the truth?” Sucking in a breath, I couldn’t even form a set of words. “It’s okay, Brina. It all makes sense now.”

  “I wanted to tell you, but I couldn’t. I didn’t know what you’d think of me, knowing what I’ve done—what I still do.”

  “I would’ve loved you. There’s nothing you could’ve done that would’ve made me feel otherwise. Are you going to tell Chandler?”

  Swallowing hard, I sat down on the grassy bank. “He already knows.”

  He blew out a shaky breath. “I see. Well, now that I know the truth, at least we can get some closure.”

  “True,” I agreed, rubbing my burning eyes. “You have to know it killed me to keep secrets from you. I cared about you, Chris. I still do.”

  “I know,” he murmured. “I really do wish you the best. Be safe out there. I’m always here if you need me.”

  “Take care of yourself.”

  “You too.”

  We hung up and I breathed a sigh of relief. It went better than I thought it would. I started to get up and walk back to Trinity when my phone rang again. It was Lexi.

  “Hey, Lex. How’s the shop?” I asked excitedly.

  “Great, as a matter of fact. We’ve had customers in here left and right.”

  “That’s exactly what I needed to hear right now,” I said with a sigh.

  “I’m glad, because that’s the good news, and I don’t think you’re going to want to hear what I have to say next.”

  My gut clenched and I stood. “What’s wrong?”

  Her voice lowered. “A man came in here looking for you today. I told him you weren’t available. Then he kept asking questions on where you were and when you’d be back.”

  The more she said, the more I went on the alert. “What did he look like? Was he with the press?”

  “I doubt it. He looked like he was in his mid-thirties, sandy blonde hair. He was wearing a baseball cap, so I can’t say how long or short it was underneath. I’ve never seen him around here before. All I can say is I felt like something was off about him. He made me super uncomfortable.”

  Hurrying into the house, I went to Wade’s bedroom and shut the door. “If he comes back, call the police. I don’t know who he is, or what he’s doing, but I don’t like the sound of it.”

  “Do you think this has to do with your brother’s shooting?”

  Chills ran down my spine. What if he was the man who did it? “I don’t know, but I’m sure as hell going to find out.”

  Wade

  “Good morning, Mr. Chandler,” Mrs. Marshall greeted.

  “Good morning.” I walked to her desk and she handed me my messages. “Anything going on today I should know about?”

  She stood and smoothed her hands down her pink sweater. “Your father’s waiting for you in your office.”

  Chuckling, I shook my head. “The man retires and he’s here more now than when he ran the place.”

  She giggled. “I think you’re right about that. It’s nice having him here though.” She pointed at the stack of messages in my hand. “You had several phone calls from people seeking your help. Oh, and the Cougars have their first home pregame in about three weeks. I wrote you a note. Thought you’d want to add it to your calendar.”

  “Perfect. Thanks.” I could ask Brina to join me. With everything going on, we hadn’t even gone out on a normal date.

  When I got to my office, my father was in the chair across from my desk, tapping his fingers together. “Took your time getting here today,” he announced, greeting me with a smile.

  I looked at my watch. “It’s only ten o’clock.”

  “Never thought I’d see the day.” He chuckled. “I couldn’t be more proud of you and Brina.”

  “Is that what you came here to talk about?” I asked, taking a seat. That was when I looked at what was on my desk. “What are these?” There was a stack of pictures, all taken in Charleston. The first one was of the house I grew up in, only we didn’t own it anymore. Brina’s home could be seen just off the side.

  “Keep looking,” my father suggested.

  The next picture was of him and a little girl with strawberry blonde hair and green eyes. Memories came flooding back and I could see her in my mind. It was hard to remember everything about those days, but her laugh was easiest to recall.

  “I found these while looking through your mother’s photo albums. Thought you’d like to show them to Brina.”

  The rest of the pictures were of me and her, playing in the sand, in her swimming pool, or covered in chocolate ice cream. “It’s hard to believe this is me and Brina. So much has changed over the years.”

  My father smiled wistfully. “You two were so much alike back then, and even more so now.”

  “Thanks for these. I’ll show Brina tonight.” I placed them on my desk and he picked them up, looking through them again. “How are things between you two?”

  “Good. I’ve been training with her. She’s a damn good shot, but she lacks the necessary fighting skills for hand to hand combat. I think Josh and Emmitt held back on her, afraid they’d hurt her.”

  He nodded. “Understandable. She was in the public eye. If she’d been seen covered in bruises, there’d be questions.”

  I rubbed my cheek where the bruise had finally disappeared. “I know the feeling.”

  “How long is she staying in town?”

  My cell rang before I could respond. It was a question I asked myself every day. Brina’s name flashed across the screen and I answered it. “Hey.”

  “I think I have a problem.” The sound of her voice made me tense.

  “What’s going on?”

  She huffed. “Someone’s looking for me. Lexi called and said a man came into the shop asking for me, wondering where I was, and when I’d be back. She said she didn’t get a good vibe from him.”

  “Fuck,” I hissed. “And she has no clue who it was?”

  “No.”

  So many scenarios ran rampant through my mind. It could always be someone from the press, but you could never be too sure. “All right, I’ll get on it. Let me make a call and I’ll get right back to you.”

  “Okay,” she murmured. “Love you.”

  “I love you too.” My father’s eyes widened in shock, maybe it was in awe, I wasn’t sure. All I could think about was finding out who was looking for her. I called Peter’s number.

  “Chandler,” he answered, “there’s nothing new on my end just yet.”

  Not only was Emmitt looking into things on the president’s side, but I’d had Peter and some of his techs in the Circle of Justice
investigating the situation too. “That’s not what I’m calling about.” I huffed. “I need your help.” I went on to explain everything, my father listening as well.

  “Give me an hour and I’ll have something for you,” Peter said and hung up.

  I grabbed my messages and pictures off the desk. “Looks like I’ll be working from home today.”

  My father stood. “Go. I’ll handle what needs to get done here.”

  Charging for the door, I stopped at his next words.

  “She’s been a target all her life, son. It’s your turn to keep her safe now.”

  “I will.” If anyone tried to hurt her, they’d have to go through me first.

  It’d only been forty-five minutes since I’d received her call, but it felt like a fucking lifetime. Even Brina seemed to be on edge when I arrived back home, which led me to believe I wasn’t paranoid. All we could do was wait. And even then, there was a good chance Peter wouldn’t be able to find anything. Booting up my laptop, I logged in with my government access code. From there, I could see the list of targets.

  Brina opened my office door and locked it behind her. It was the room I kept all my secrets in. “Josh and Trinity are cooking dinner for us tonight. Trinity wanted to do something nice for you.” She walked over and squeezed my shoulders. I could smell the sunscreen on her skin and feel the warmth in her hands as she slid them down my chest. “I think she’s picking up on the tension. I don’t want her knowing what’s going on just yet.”

  “I don’t blame you. Here, sit down,” I said, switching places with her.

  Her gaze narrowed in on my computer screen. “What’s all this?”

  I was already in the North Carolina file, where several targets were listed—some of which were in the Charlotte area. I clicked on one of the names and the target’s picture popped up. “This is the list I told you about. You see this man?” I said, pointing at the bastard’s picture. “He’s been charged with three counts of violent rape. They let him out for good behavior. The son of a bitch deserves to rot in hell.” Looking at the list enraged the hell out of me. I wanted each and every one of those fuckers to suffer.