Deadly Arrival (Hardy Brothers Security Book 16) (7 page)

“Aren’t you worried they’ll be arrested for beating Lupo?” Jake asked.

“Not particularly,” Peter replied. “The cops merely want to get their hands on Lupo. They don’t care what shape he’s in when they do it.”

“That’s a start,” James said. “All the women are going to be watched from here on out. We’ve got added security on the business and individual tails for each woman. Mandy will be safe as long as she stays in the courthouse, and I intend to take her lunch every day to make sure she doesn’t do anything stupid.”

“Yeah, Mandy is going to give your photograph to courthouse security and have them bar you from the building after tonight,” Grady countered. “Good luck with that.”

James sighed. “I can deal with her being angry,” he said. “I can’t deal with losing her. She’ll understand.”

Grady arched a dubious eyebrow.

“Fine. She’ll eventually understand.”

“Let’s face it, we’re all going to have miserable nights,” Grady said. “We might as well get moving on them. The longer we leave them in there plotting against us, the worse we’re going to have it when we get them home.”

“I just want Emma to … talk,” Finn said, his voice cracking. “Life is swallowing her whole right now.”

James squeezed Finn’s shoulder. “She’s going to be okay,” he said. “The most important thing is keeping her safe. Once we get Pritchard, she’ll be able to relax again.”

“I hope so,” Finn said. “If this goes on too long, she’s going to wreck herself with worry. I don’t know how to help her.”

“Just love her,” James said.

“The good news for you is that Emma doesn’t want to kill you,” Grady offered brightly. “You’re better off than us right now.”

Finn forced a smile for his brother’s benefit. “There
is
that.”

James found Mandy sitting in the middle of their bed eating Almond Joys about a half hour after everyone left. He purposely gave her space to stew, hoping she would calm herself before they saw each other. One look at her dour face told him that was a wasted wish.

“Peter was thrilled with your mushrooms,” James said, yanking his shirt off and tossing it in the hamper before moving toward the bathroom. “You did a good job with the cooking tonight, baby.”

Mandy ignored him as she unwrapped another miniature candy bar.

James took the opportunity to splash cold water on his face, brush his teeth, and shed his blue jeans. When he returned to the bedroom she remained in exactly the same spot with her candy.

“Where did the Almond Joys come from?” James asked, moving closer. “I didn’t know we had any of those.”

“I had them in my closet,” Mandy replied. “I was hiding them because … well … I didn’t want to eat them all in front of you and hear fat jokes.”

James made a face that would’ve been comical under different circumstances. “Yes. I often make fat jokes where you’re concerned. I just can’t seem to stop myself.”

“You make them in my head,” Mandy said, biting into another candy piece. “My stupid, stupid girl head.”

“You know what? You need to start screaming now,” James instructed. “We’re not going to bed angry, and you’re obviously ready to blow. Let me have it.”

“I’m good.”

James frowned. He preferred fighting over the cold distance Mandy was putting between them. “I know you’re upset because we took the conversation to the guesthouse,” he said, hoping he could reason with her. “You have to understand that Emma was hanging on by a thread. She didn’t want to hear what we were talking about. I didn’t want to upset her.”

“Right,” Mandy said, digging through the bag again. She was going to make herself sick at the rate she was eating. “Emma is a weak female and needs to be protected even though her father is the one coming after us. The rest of us are lumped in as weak females because we have ovaries and we need big, strong men to swoop in and save us at every turn. I’ve got it. Don’t worry about it.”

Her tone was flat enough to cause James’ temper to spike. “That is not what I said and you know it!”

“I
do
know exactly what you think of me,” Mandy agreed, pushing herself off the bed and shuffling to her closet to stash the candy. James was secretly thankful she was putting it away herself because he didn’t want to risk taking it from her. She had a weak stomach at times, though, and the last thing he wanted was to watch her throw up all night.

“And what do I think about you, Mandy?”

“You think I need to be watched and talked down to like I’m a child,” Mandy replied. “I’ve got it. You have no reason to worry. I shall sit at my desk like a good girl and not leave the courthouse all week. You have nothing to worry about … and there will be no need to stop by with lunch. I would rather starve.”

“Well, that’s not what’s going to happen,” James said. “I’m bringing you lunch and we’re spending time together. Period.”

“Oh, well, great,” Mandy said. “I’m glad I have a say in the matter. Of course, I’m a weak female, so I don’t deserve a vote.”

“Scream at me, Mandy!” James bellowed. “Unload. I know you want to.”

“You don’t care what I want,” Mandy shot back. “You made that clear tonight.”

“Here we go,” James said. “Mandy, I didn’t want to take the conversation away from you. I was fine with you hearing it. I’ll repeat it all for you now if it makes you happy.”

“I don’t care about your stupid secret conversation.”

James narrowed his eyes. “I love you more than anything, but you really do act like a spoiled brat sometimes. Try thinking about Emma instead of yourself for five minutes.”

Mandy stilled, hurt washing over her features. James immediately wanted to take the words back, but it was too late.

“Do you think I’m not worried about Emma?” Mandy asked, her voice cracking before she regained control of herself. “Emma is the one thing I’m worried about more than anything right now. She needs to know what’s going on. You’re not helping her by protecting her. She needs to find her strength.”

“I shouldn’t have said that,” James said, holding his hands up. “I’m sorry. That was … terrible.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Mandy said. “You said it. You meant it. You probably have a point. The problem is that you refuse to listen to me when I’m making a point.”

“Emma is too weak to deal with this right now,” James said. “She needs to be coddled. I needed you to coddle her while we took care of business.”

“She doesn’t need to be coddled, James,” Mandy countered. “That’s the last thing she needs. Emma is stronger than you’re giving her credit for. She needs a kick in the pants. Finn has to be the one to do that.”

“I disagree.”

“You disagree because you want to control everyone,” Mandy said. “I may be a spoiled brat, but you’re a control freak.”

“I shouldn’t have called you that,” James said. “I didn’t mean it. You were just … frustrating me. I’m sorry. If you want to yell and scream, go for it. I’m ready.”

“I don’t want to yell and scream,” Mandy replied. “It’s not going to do any good. Our fights are one-sided that way.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“It means that when I’m angry you simply overpower me until you force me to forgive you,” Mandy answered. “You tickle me … or wrestle me down … or you just follow me around until I have no choice but to give you what you want.

“When you’re angry with me, though, it’s a different story,” she continued. “You storm downstairs and sleep on the couch of your office rather than talking to me. You send me into the hotel bedroom like you did in Louisiana even though my heart hurt that night.”

“I came to you that night,” James protested.

“After you sent me to bed like a child and I spent an hour crying,” Mandy clarified. “You came to me on your terms. I wasn’t allowed to argue with you on my terms. That’s the way our marriage is. You’re not going to let me be angry tonight, so … .” Mandy surprised James when she whipped her T-shirt over her head.

“What are you doing?” James asked, confused.

“You want sex, right? Come and take what you want.”

“Now, wait just a minute,” James said, racking his memory for the fight instances Mandy referred to. He hated to admit it, but when he thought back over those arguments, she had a point. “I … .”

Mandy widened her eyes to comical proportions as she tugged her sleep shorts down and stood next to him completely naked. “Let’s have sex.”

James’ expression softened. She was hurt. He preferred her angry to hurt. He grabbed Mandy around the waist and forced her to sit on his lap at the end of the bed. He ran his fingers over her stiff shoulders as he considered how best to proceed.

“Mandy, you are the love of my life and I will never compromise when it comes to your safety,” James said. “You’re my … everything. If I took a one-sided approach in our fights, well, I’m sorry.

“I never considered it from your point-of-view,” he continued. “When I go after you because you’re angry, it’s because my heart hurts not to be close to you. It’s not because I’m trying to take control away from you.”

Mandy remained silent.

“You have to know that I love your fighting spirit,” James tried again. “When I put distance between us after those fights, it was because I didn’t want to say something truly awful. When I threw that chair at the wall that night in the apartment, I saw the look on your face. For a second, baby, you were frightened of me. I don’t ever want that.”

“I wasn’t frightened that you were going to hurt me,” Mandy clarified. “I was frightened you were going to hurt yourself. You were out of control.”

“That’s what happens when someone threatens the people I love,” James said. “In New Orleans I wasn’t angry because you’re fiery and mouthy. I was angry because someone could’ve hurt you. I don’t mean to dominate you. You know that, right?”

“I know that you want things a specific way,” Mandy replied, choosing her words carefully. “You’re my husband, James. You’re not my king. You have to at least ask me about some of this stuff instead of decreeing it.”

James brushed his lips against her cheek. “Pritchard is not messing around, baby,” he said. “I need you safe. Will you please let Peter’s man watch you? Will you please stay in the courthouse at lunch?”

“Yes.”

James tightened his arms around her waist. “Thank you.”

“All you had to do was ask,” Mandy pointed out. “I like to think that I’m not so unreasonable that I would purposely put others in danger.”

“I didn’t say you were.”

“You said I was a spoiled brat.”

“And there it is,” James said, shifting Mandy on his lap so he could study her face. “I’m sorry.”

“You’re going to be sorry,” Mandy said. “Now you have to make me feel better.”

“And how do you want me to do that?”

Mandy graced him with the first real smile he’d seen in hours and his heart soared at the expression. “I think you’re going to have to … give me sex.”

James grinned. “Oh, yeah?”

Mandy nodded.

James pressed a soft kiss to her mouth, relieved when she sank into it. His hands were gentle as they rubbed her bare back. He kissed her like that for a few moments and then tipped her back on the mattress and rolled on top of her. “Your wish is my command,” he murmured, giving her one more kiss before shifting his mouth lower so he could latch onto her breast.

Mandy groaned when he swirled his tongue around the hardened nub, twining her fingers in his hair as she pressed her eyes shut.

James took his time, enjoying the feeling of her skin as she shifted beneath him. He switched to her other nipple, rolling to his side so he could shed his boxers and crush their skin together when he climbed back on top of her. He kept her nipple in his mouth as he slipped his hand under her bottom and pushed her farther up the mattress. He wanted her comfortable.

Once her head was situated on the pillows, he kissed his way down her flat abdomen, spending a few seconds dipping his tongue into her belly button before moving lower. He pushed her thighs apart, licking the quivering flesh on each one before flattening his tongue and slipping it between her ready folds.

“James.” Mandy’s voice came out in a ragged gasp and he tightened his grip on her thighs and attacked her with gusto. He needed her to be happy and relaxed. As long as he lived, that was the one thing he wanted above all else.

Most of the time when they fought they ended up clawing each other’s clothes off and going at each other like angry animals the first go around. James didn’t want to control her this time, though. He didn’t want to claim her. He wanted to be with her.

Mandy orgasmed swiftly, her shoulders pulling up from the mattress as she cried out. James remained on task until the shaking subsided, and then he crawled up her body. His mouth was soft when it joined with hers, and Mandy dug her fingers into the hard muscles of his back when he slid inside of her.

“I love you, Mandy,” James whispered, sucking her earlobe into his mouth as he picked a steady rhythm. “Never doubt that.”

“James,” Mandy murmured, lifting her thighs so they could rest on his hips and give him easier access.

James wanted things to be slow and sensual, but when she licked her lips and spurred him on with her legs he acquiesced and increased the pace. They came together a few minutes later, whimpers and moans filling the room. James exploded inside of her, passion and love sweeping over him. He collapsed on top of her, knowing she preferred to feel his weight for a few minutes before they separated.

James remained there until their hearts returned to a normal rhythm, and then he pressed her tightly to his chest and rolled so they were still joined, but she was on top. Mandy was surprised at the move.

“What … ?”

“You’re going to be in charge for our second round,” James said, kissing her cheek. “You’re an equal in this relationship, baby. I didn’t mean to make you feel like you weren’t.”

“James, I shouldn’t have said that,” Mandy said, her voice small. “It wasn’t fair to you.”

“It
was
fair,” James argued. “I love you, my baby. You’re my forever. If you want to dominate me, I’m all for it.”

Mandy smirked, but her eyes were serious. “I love you. I don’t mean to upset you.”

“You complete me,” James said. “You can’t help but be upset when you love someone. I’m going to do better on the bossy thing.”

Mandy snorted. “We’ll see.”

“Hey, I’m laying here and waiting for you to boss me around,” James pointed out. “We’re not going to sleep until you get your way.”

This time Mandy’s eyes flashed with mirth when she smiled. “Well, I guess we’d better get started on that, huh? We need sleep because I’m going to want to boss you around in the shower tomorrow morning, too.”

“Now that’s the way to take control, baby,” James said. “I … oh, holy … baby.” He was taken aback when she shifted her hips. His softening erection flared to life inside of her as she changed the angle of entry and internally squeezed him. “Wow. If I didn’t love you before … .”