Lethal Memory (A Counterstrike Novel Book 2)

by Jannine Gallant

  “Of course. I’m glad you’re safe, miss.”

  Noah squeezed her hand before letting her go. Once Riley was seated in the patrol car, he called Luna. “I found Riley. Some bastard in a Hummer chased her up to the ski area, but she got away.”

  “Thank God. Is she okay?”

  “Just half frozen and shaken up.” He opened the Subaru’s rear door. “Hop in, Stormy.” After the dog jumped into the car, he set the laptop inside and shut the door. “It’s so late now, I think we’ll just drive back to Boston and spend what’s left of the night at headquarters.”

  “I’ll head home to get a little sleep, then.”

  “At least Riley will be safe until we figure out who the hell came after her, but we can’t stay at headquarters forever.”

  “I’m feeling a little braindead right now, but I’ll see what I can find out about the Hummer after I get a couple hours of sleep.”

  “Thank you, Luna. You’ve been terrific through this whole nightmare.”

  “That’s me. Terrific.” She sounded exhausted. “Go take care of Riley.”

  “I will.” He hung up and walked over to the other officer. “What’s going to happen to Yvonne’s car?”

  “I called to have it towed to the garage in town. I’ll notify Mrs. Rigley in the morning.”

  “When you do, can you tell her Riley is safe and I’ll be in touch with her about paying for the damages to her car.”

  “Of course.” He nodded toward the patrol car. “It looks like Jeffers is finished taking your girlfriend’s statement. You’re free to go.”

  “Thank you.” Noah smiled as Riley approached him, carrying her purse. “Ready to take off?”

  “God, yes.”

  He opened the passenger door for her, and she slid onto the seat. By the time he rounded the car and climbed inside, her eyes were closed.

  “I thought we’d drive back to Boston and spend the night at headquarters. No one’s going to bother you there.”

  “Sounds good.” She turned her head on the seat back to look his way. “You must be just as tired as I am.”

  He started the engine and pulled away from the police cruisers. “I’m still running on adrenaline. I was damned scared someone had kidnapped you again. My heartrate still hasn’t slowed down.”

  “I’m sorry.” Her voice cracked. “I just want this to be over. I want to go home and not have to worry about who might show up at my door.”

  “Soon. Murdock’s in custody, and we’ll nail everyone else involved.”

  When she didn’t respond, he looked away from the road to study her sleeping face, shadowy in the glow of the dashboard lights. His heart ached, knowing he could so easily have lost her. He’d known Riley for less than a month, yet he couldn’t imagine his life without her.

  Noah turned up the heat to ward off the chill and spent the drive thinking about what he wanted once Riley was safe. There was still the issue of her less than ethical conduct using her grandfather as a test subject, but he realized he honestly didn’t care. Maybe she’d made choices he wouldn’t have, but that didn’t make him love her any less. And if he was willing to look past her not so principled behavior, maybe he should think long and hard about judging his brother in the same way. Garth had always said he had a stick up his ass when it came to right and wrong.

  He’s probably right.

  A wide yawn nearly cracked his jaw, and he blinked a few times as the road in front of him blurred. He was too tired to think straight. Until Riley was safe, nothing else mattered. He’d focus on the primary goal, nailing the bastard who was intent on getting her laptop.

  Whoever it was.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Riley woke slowly in an unfamiliar room. Light crept around the edges of the drawn curtains, illuminating an imposing wardrobe and an oak dresser with an ornate mirror hanging above it. Before she could panic, wondering where the hell she was, memories of the previous night came flooding back.

  Her brain still hadn’t fully processed her surroundings when a strong arm wrapped around her waist, drawing her back against a hard, warm chest.

  “Morning.” Noah’s breath caressed her ear. “How’re you feeling?”

  She assessed her minor aches and stiff neck before rolling onto her back to look up at him. “Not bad. Sorry I fell asleep in the car last night.”

  “Stress and fear will knock you out once the adrenaline wears off.” He stroked her hair off her cheek with his thumb. I crashed hard the second my head hit the pillow.”

  “What time is it?”

  “After eight, but I’m not in a rush to get up.” He slid over her, pressing her into the mattress as he kissed the side of her neck. “Are you?”

  “Not when you do that.” Goose bumps shivered across her body as she ran her hands up and down his back. “I’d be happy to stay right here forever.”

  “Me, too. Let’s make the most of it before reality intrudes.”

  Riley arched against him as he kissed her, her body fully sensitized to each movement. The heat of his mouth as their tongues entwined. The friction of his hair-roughened legs sliding over hers. The weight of him as he pressed intimately against her. A raw need pooled at her center. The urge to capture pleasure after so narrowly escaping death.

  Wrapping her legs around his hips, she kissed him back, tasting each crevice of his mouth. She sank her fingers into his hair, and let out a cry of protest when he finally broke contact. But when his lips moved downward, fastening over the tip of one breast, the tugging sensation nearly sent her over the edge.

  “Oh. My. God.” The words were ripped from her throat.

  “I can’t hold out much longer.” He pressed his cheek against her stomach, the stubble of his beard creating another degree of need.

  “I don’t want you to.”

  Sliding back up her body, Noah cupped her face in his hands and kissed her as he sank deep inside her. “Jesus.” The single word came out with a moan.

  Riley moved against him, so reactive to each stroke, the passion and heat built like a wildfire, consuming her. Far too soon, she cried out, gripping his sweat-dampened shoulders. While she was still shaking with the intensity of her release, he collapsed on top of her.

  It was several minutes before her heartbeat slowed. Lying on the bed beneath Noah, fulfillment warmed her inside and out. She pressed a kiss to his neck and let out a deep sigh.

  “Wow.” Levering up on his elbows, he stared into her eyes. “We obviously needed to relieve all that built up tension.”

  “Much better than punching a wall.”

  He grinned. “I did that once. Not smart.” Rolling to his side, he pulled her with him.

  She cuddled close, listening to the rhythmic thud of his heart beneath her cheek.

  “We should probably get up.” He didn’t move, despite his words.

  “I know.” She closed her eyes tight. “Reality still exists, and we can’t hide from it forever.”

  “Too bad.” Finally, he released her and sat up. “Just as soon as I take a shower, I’ll go see if Luna’s made any progress tracking down that Hummer.”

  Riley’s eyes popped open, and she jerked upright, clutching the sheet to her chest. “Where’s Stormy?”

  Noah crossed the room to check the connecting bath. “I’m not sure. She was in here when we went to bed last night.”

  Her panic faded. “Someone must have let her out.”

  “Probably Wolf. He always arrives early when he doesn’t spend the night. We all tend to half-live here.”

  When he returned to her side, Riley leaned against his shoulder. “Don’t any of your team have husbands, wives, or significant others to go home to?”

  “Just Scarlet, and she generally works from Eli’s house down on Cape Cod. I’m pretty sure Wolf used to be married. He let a comment slip once, but I don’t know what happened. I think we were all recruited, in part, because we lack emotional entanglements.”

  She reared back. “Is that how you
see relationships? As something that holds you down?”

  “Of course not.” Noah tugged her closer, and the sheet fell away, leaving her breasts bare. His gaze dropped. “Uh, I just meant this job is demanding . . . and dangerous. It’s a lot, asking someone to live with that.”

  She tipped his chin upward to make eye contact. “Believe me, I get it. I’ve always been a total workaholic. While hanging out in a lab isn’t life-threatening—at least I never expected it to be—my work has always been all-consuming. I didn’t have time for relationships, and the ones I attempted fizzled pretty fast. I may not remember all the details, but I know they didn’t last.”

  “Maybe we’ve both learned a little something about the importance of personal connections, of keeping balance in our lives.”

  “I’d like to think so. I’d like to think we can find a way around all the obstacles.”

  “I’m confident we can.” He pressed a quick kiss to her lips. “I’d better take that shower before I topple you back into bed. I’m tempted.”

  The look he gave her made her heart beat a little faster, but she pulled the sheet up and tucked it beneath her arms. “Later. I want to find Stormy.”

  “Okay.” He kissed her again, then rose to his feet and headed toward the bathroom.

  Riley forced her gaze away from his naked backside and climbed off the bed. After pulling her fleece robe from her suitcase, she put it on and tightened the belt. Taking a brush to her tousled hair, she hoped she didn’t look like she’d just spent the last half-hour making love. Not that anyone she ran into in the house would be terribly surprised.

  Riley left the room and was halfway down the hall when Stormy bounded up the stairs to greet her. “Hey, baby. I wondered where you were.”

  Wolf stepped out of an open doorway to her right. He towered over her and would have been intimidating if his pale blue eyes hadn’t been filled with warmth as he smiled.

  “She was whining to get out so I took her for a walk a couple of hours ago.”

  “Thank you. I slept so soundly, I didn’t even hear her.”

  “After what you went through, I’m not surprised. How’re you feeling?”

  “Not bad, all things considered. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate Counterstrike’s dedication to helping me.”

  “Hey, we care, and Patch obviously has a very personal stake in your safety.” Wolf patted her shoulder with one big hand. “We’re family here. Helping each other is what we do. Luna’s downstairs right now, trying to track down the bastard who rammed your car last night. This will be over soon, Riley.”

  “The end can’t come fast enough.”

  “Agreed.” When his phone chimed, Wolf pulled it out of his pocket and glanced at the screen. “Excuse me. I have to take this.”

  “Of course.”

  He answered the call as he disappeared into what must have been his office. “What’s going on, Scarlet? Did you speak to the victim’s family?”

  Riley turned and headed back to the bedroom. “Come on, Stormy. I need to shower and dress. It sounds like Noah might be busy in the near future.”

  “What was that?” Noah walked out of the bathroom wearing jeans and a faded NYU T-shirt as she entered the room behind her dog.

  “Scarlet just called Wolf. Something about talking to a victim’s family.”

  His brow knit in a frown. “Don’t worry. I have no intention of leaving you alone.”

  “I’ll be more upset if you let my presence here interfere with your job.” She clenched her fists at her sides. “Someone needs your help. I know what that feels like.”

  “Granted, but—”

  “No buts.” She did her best to keep her voice even, despite the knot of tension in her stomach. “I’ll call the agency Dex works for, Olde Town Security, and have them send me one of their people while you’re gone. By the way, Dex is out of the hospital. I didn’t get a chance to tell you before.”

  “I’m glad, but don’t try to change the subject. No way am I going anywhere. Not when you’re—”

  “I need to take a shower.” She interrupted him. “Check in with Wolf. Maybe you won’t be gone for long.”

  Noah gave her a level look as she passed him. “This discussion isn’t over.”

  “You can talk all you want. Doesn’t mean I’m going to agree with you.” She shut the bathroom door with a thump and winced when he swore. Squaring her shoulders, she stalked over to the shower and turned the knob. Hot water poured down, filling the already steamy room with warmth as she dropped her robe. On shaking legs, she stepped into the enclosure and closed the opaque glass door.

  She refused to be one of those entanglements Noah had mentioned, the reason the members of Counterstrike were mostly single. She refused to be a burden. Even if the thought of not having him around when she was at the top of someone’s hit list scared her silly.

  After washing her hair and scrubbing her body until her skin turned pink, she shut off the water and wrapped the only dry towel on the rack around herself. Ten minutes later, she’d dressed, combed her still damp hair, and put on a little mascara. Deciding she would pass, she went in search of her purse and pulled out her phone. She’d missed a second call from Detective Brasher and several from Becca. Not in the mood to talk to anyone, Riley slid her phone into the pocket of her yoga pants, pushed her feet into slippers, and headed out of the room to look for Noah.

  The door to Wolf’s office was open, but the room was empty. Continuing toward the stairs with Stormy leading the way, she ran down them and followed the sound of voices and the smell of bacon to an old-fashioned, eat-in kitchen at the back of the house. Luna sat at the table with her computer open in front of her. Wolf leaned against the black and white tile counter, while Noah stood at the stove, scrambling eggs in a skillet.

  Luna saw her first and smiled. Dressed in bike shorts and a jersey, with her dark hair pulled back into a messy ponytail, the woman was still so beautiful, Riley couldn’t help wondering why Noah had never dated her. She was also smart and extremely nice.

  Luna patted the chair next to her. “Come sit down. Perfect timing since I think those eggs are about done.”

  “They are.” Noah spooned fluffy piles onto two plates and added strips of bacon and English muffins. “Does anyone else want some?”

  “I had a protein drink after my ride.” Luna glanced back down at her computer and started typing.

  When Wolf shook his head, Noah dumped the rest of the eggs onto the plates and carried them to the table. Stormy sat down next to Riley’s chair and whined pitifully.

  “I’m pretty sure you had breakfast, beggar.”

  “I fed her earlier.” Wolf joined them at the table. “Eat, and then we’ll settle a few things.”

  “What’s to settle?” Noah returned to the table and placed a mug of steaming coffee in front of Riley before taking a seat. “I’m not leaving Boston.”

  Riley dropped her fork and scowled. “Dammit. I said I’d call the security company for protection.”

  “No need.” Jaimee breezed through the doorway into the big kitchen with Watson following her. The two dogs sniffed each other and wagged before they both plopped their butts on the floor to stare at Riley’s plate. “Eli left for New York this morning, and I’m all yours for the next couple of days.”

  “I don’t know . . .” Noah took a bite of eggs and chewed. “It’s not that I don’t have complete faith in you, Scarlet, but—”

  “That sounds like a perfect solution. Thank you, Jaimee. While I wish I wasn’t such a callosal inconvenience, I’m happy to have you babysit me.” She glanced over at Noah. “Again.”

  The other woman laughed out loud. “I used to make five bucks an hour babysitting.”

  Riley sipped her coffee and grinned. “I think I can afford that.”

  “Does anyone care what I think?” Noah set down his fork.

  Riley turned to regard his irritated expression. “Not on this topic. It isn’t open for debate. I’m not
going to put some poor innocent person’s life at risk because you won’t leave me to do your job.”

  “Fine.” He snapped a piece of bacon in two and tossed the halves to the dogs. “When do we leave?”

  “Sparrow is filing flight plans right now.” Wolf checked his phone when it dinged. “Our destination is the Bahamas. We’re waiting for a key piece of intel to confirm on which island the victim is being held. It looks like we’ll have that soon, and GQ said he’ll meet us at the airstrip.”

  Noah looked up from his plate. “Who was kidnapped?”

  “A teenage boy from a very rich family who was taken for ransom while on vacation.”

  “Sounds pretty cut and dried to me, especially if we know where he’s being held.” Noah went back to eating his meal.

  Riley tried to eat, but the food seemed to lodge in her throat. Apparently knowing Noah would be going into a risky situation, even if the team acted like it was just another day at the office, didn’t get any easier. As Jaimee walked past, she squeezed Riley’s shoulder and gave her a sympathetic look.

  At least someone seemed to understand how she was feeling.

  Wolf’s phone dinged again. “It’s a go.” He pushed back his chair. “Ten minutes, people.”

  Noah stood, took her hand, and pulled her over to the door leading to the narrow backyard behind the house. “Promise me you won’t go anywhere without Scarlet.”

  “I won’t. I’m not brave like the rest of you. That car chase last night scared the crap out of me, and I’m not looking for a repeat performance.”

  He drew her against him and bent to kiss her. A slow, aching caress that left her longing for more. He hadn’t gone yet, and she already missed him.

  “You have more courage than all of us. Anyone with less fortitude would have ditched the laptop to save herself. Not you, Riley.”

  “Maybe I’m just stubborn. It took me a long time to recreate those files.”

  “Joke if you want, but you have a will of steel.” He kissed her again. “Stay safe.”