Exposed (19 page)

Because based on that sensual look she’d just given him, if he didn’t get them out of here soon, he doubted they’d be leaving her townhouse at all tonight.

Julia eyed him with that pale, smoldering gaze, lingered on his chest and shoulders again for a second before answering. “Oh, I’m definitely hungry. Do you have anywhere important to be tomorrow morning?”

Her question made it clear she was hoping he spent the night. As much as he wanted that, he wasn’t sure it was a good idea. He thought again of the truck he’d seen turning the corner up the street last night, wondered if she was being honest with him. Whether he could really trust her.

But then he reminded himself that he was a cynical, paranoid bastard and let it go. He’d vetted her carefully long before ever considering asking her out. She was clean, no threat to him that he could tell.

But he was a huge threat to her, and she didn’t realize it. It made his conscience squirm. “Have a work thing I’ve got to leave early for.”

“How early?”

“Before dawn.”

Disappointment showed in her eyes. “In town?”

“No. Down in the Keys.” Key West, to be exact, but he wasn’t going to tell her that.

He trusted her, to a point, but if anything happened, the less she knew about him and his activities, the better. For her own safety, so his enemies couldn’t target her or use her to get to him. If things somehow progressed between them he’d reevaluate that policy later.

“Oh.” There was a wealth of disappointment in that one word response, and it surprised him. She didn’t know him. Not the real him, and he felt bad for duping her. But he couldn’t very well tell her he was a private assassin for one of Fuentes’s strongest lieutenants.

“Well then,” she said when he didn’t respond. “We’d better make the most of the time we’ve got.”

Her words hit him square in the heart. His work was dangerous. The unidentified shooter was still out there, might be targeting him. He knew he was a selfish asshole for coming here, possibly exposing her to the danger.

And yet…he couldn’t stay away. He’d lived in the darkness for too long. At this point she was the only light in his life. His way forward. She was strong but soft, smart and sweet, and for whatever reason, she cared about him. That was enough for now, even though he longed for more.

Needing to touch her, he lifted a hand, reached out to stroke a lock of her shiny chocolate-brown hair behind her ear. Her breathing hitched. Her eyes flashed up to his, her pupils dilating. His heartbeat sped up in reaction.

“I’m not the man you think I am,” he admitted quietly into the silent room, feeling like he needed to be at least that honest with her, give her this last out. A final chance to save herself, turn him away before it was too late.

Because if she invited him to her bed tonight, there was no way he could let her go. He wanted out of the darkness he’d been trapped in, wanted to be with her, but he also wanted to protect her. And he knew he couldn’t have it both ways.

Even though the kindest thing would be to walk away, he just didn’t have the strength. Not with her.

Understanding filled her gaze and she leaned into his touch, a soft smile on her face. “Yes you are.” She set the flowers down on a small table next to the door, raised an arm to twine it around his neck as she stepped into him, pressing that sweet body full length to his.

He went rock hard in his dress slacks, automatically slid his hands around her waist.

“You’re exactly the man I think you are. I admire you more than you’ll ever know.”

The snick of the deadbolt sounded as she locked the door, then a digital beeping as she set the alarm. The act of her locking them in together made fire burst to life deep in his gut.

“And whether it makes sense or not, I’m crazy about the man standing in front of me,” she finished, her seductive whisper pouring accelerant on the fire raging inside him.

When she slipped her other arm around his neck and stood on tiptoe to kiss him, his control snapped.

One hand cupping the back of her head, he curved his other arm around her ass and hoisted her off the floor, turning to pin her against the wall with his body. She gave a hungry mewl and eagerly met the bold stroke of his tongue, her long legs coming to wrap around his waist, hands sliding up to grip his hair. He could feel her need, the urgency driving her, and it fueled his own.

They weren’t going to dinner. Weren’t going anywhere but her bed, and he wasn’t leaving it until morning.

It was the best damn thing that had happened to him in recent memory.

He spun them around, his arms locked around her. He would give as much as he got, show her what she meant to him, the softer side that only a handful of people had ever seen.

He’d give her pleasure, not pain.

Then come morning, he’d climb into his truck and head to Key West for his next kill. But until then, he had hours to explore this woman who’d managed to tangle him into knots and he was looking forward to every second of it.

Keeping their mouths fused together, he headed for the stairs that led to her bedroom.

****

Marisol shut down her computer with a sense of satisfaction and leaned back to stretch her arms over her head. It was after nine and she’d made enough headway to call it a night and be able to put her feet up for the rest of the night. With Ethan.

As if on cue, her phone buzzed. Sure enough, she found a text from him.
Thinking about you. I loved making you purr for me this afternoon, kitt’n
.

Oh, she’d more than purred. If he hadn’t had the sense to cover her mouth at the end, Frank would have heard her ecstatic cries all the way down in his office.

She flushed at the reminder of what Ethan had done to her in here just a few short hours ago. Then she smiled to herself. He’d done exactly what he’d set out to do. She’d never be able to set foot in her office again or sit in this chair without remembering it.

I’m done with work, will be heading to house soon
, she typed.
You coming over?

Is that a trick question?
he responded a moment later.

She grinned.
So that’s a yes?

Absolutely. See you there.

Marisol bit her lip as anticipation built inside her. She couldn’t
wait
.

With any luck she’d get there a while before he did so she could take a shower and freshen up. She’d cleaned up a bit in the ladies’ room earlier but she wanted a proper shower. Tonight was going to be one of the most important nights of her life and she wanted to be comfortable and confident when it happened.

Filled with excitement about the coming evening, she gathered her purse and some important files she’d need for the trip to Key West in the morning. When she opened her door she saw Frank coming out of his office down the hall.

“You outta here?” her boss called out.

“Yes. Meet you in the morning for the thing, at the place with the guy,” she said in her best Jersey/Mafia accent. The marshals assigned to her would drive her to a location to meet Frank, then accompany them to Key West for extra security. She was glad to have them coming along, it made her feel that much safer given everything that had happened lately.

He chuckled. “Yeah, see you then.”

“Don’t work too much longer. And you should probably take your wife out for a late dinner tonight, before she gets fed up with you and leaves you for a younger man who’s not a workaholic.”

“Nah, already bought her a diamond bracelet as a preemptive strike on the weekend. I’m covered.”

Marisol shook her head. “I’d never be bought off so easily.”

“I pity the man who sets his sights on you,” he teased.

Marisol smiled. “He’d have to be pretty special. You know I don’t settle.”

“I know, and that’s one of the reasons I like you so much. Have a good night.”

She waved goodnight and started down the hall, a secret smile on her face. Ethan was far more than special. A delicious thrill curled through her at the thought of seeing him tonight. She couldn’t wait to get him alone, take off his shirt and explore all the hard muscles she’d felt beneath her hands today, touch him, taste him.

As long as what she and Ethan did together was her decision and it felt right, then it wasn’t settling. Even if it turned out to be a brief affair, as long as it was meaningful to both of them she could deal with that. It would hurt when he went back to Virginia, but better to have the experience with him than not at all.

She hastened her steps toward the elevator. One of the marshals assigned to her was waiting in the lounge. He stood, tossed aside the magazine he’d been reading when she approached. “Ready to go?”

“All set,” she answered. He tapped his earpiece and relayed the message to the other two men on her detail. They stepped into the elevator and rode down to the lobby together.

When the doors opened he stopped her at the corner where she had to turn to head to the front entrance. “Fisher’s just bringing the vehicle around. We’ll wait here another few seconds.”

Marisol stayed where she was and waited for him to give the all clear. He led the way, rounding the corner into the main lobby. One of the other marshals was waiting near the front door. Marisol was partway there when a shout came from outside.

The marshal in front of her stopped, whipped an arm out to stop her. She backed up a step, a jolt of alarm hitting her.

A loud pop sounded from outside, then something smashed through the front glass door. A female intern near the entrance let out a shriek and ducked under her desk.

Gunshot.

Automatically she dropped to the floor. The marshal did the same next to her and quickly rolled her beneath him. Her purse and files scattered on the granite tile.

She lay on her belly with the man’s weight squashing her, barely daring to breathe. Turning her head, her gaze sought the front door and she saw the hole punched through the middle of it, the glass spider-webbing outward.

Her mouth went dry, her muscles turned rigid.

Suddenly the marshal lifted off her, grabbed her beneath the arms and hauled her upright. Her heels clattered to the floor as he half dragged, half pushed her back around the corner near the elevator. He flattened her up against the wall, his body between her and whoever had taken that shot.

Out in the lobby people were shouting. The marshal was speaking to someone via his earpiece. She swallowed and stayed still, willing her heart back down her throat. Had
el Santo
just targeted her? As far as she knew, he’d never missed a target before. If that bullet had been meant for her, she was lucky to still be breathing.

A strange weakness set in, sapping her leg muscles of strength. She locked her knees, refused to give into it. If she was still in danger she needed to keep a clear head and be able to run.

A commotion broke out near the front entrance as more security rushed to the scene. The marshal’s body relaxed slightly and he eased away from her. Marisol drew in a deep breath and found her voice. “What’s going on?”

“Security took down the shooter.”

El Santo? They got him?
Her heart drummed in her ears as she waited. The stairwell door shoved open and the marshal whirled, weapon in hand. Frank froze in the doorway, raised both his hands. “What the hell’s going on?”

“Someone just took a shot through the front door,” Marisol told him as the marshal lowered his weapon, her voice surprisingly shaky. “Security just took someone into custody.”

Frank muttered a curse. “Is the building secure?” he asked the marshal, who nodded. “Wait here until I know what’s going on.” He headed for the entry.

It took nearly twenty minutes for Frank to come back. He was scowling, his expression black. “Not
el Santo
,” he told them. “Just a fucking punk gangbanger I put away four years ago for possession and dealing. He got out on parole this week. Tonight he went and got high and decided to come down and even the score with me. When he couldn’t get into the building because of the extra security, he decided to take a shot through the door instead to make a statement.”

He ran a hand through his hair, shook his head in disgust. “I’m just glad nobody got hurt.”

Marisol let out a deep breath as relief flooded her. Frank’s gaze shot to the marshal. “You taking her out of here now?”

“Yes. As soon as my team gets in position and verifies that the building is secure. We’ll be going out the back this time.”

Frank nodded and looked her way. “I think you’re right. I do need to take Dianne to dinner tonight.”

Marisol gave him a stiff smile and nodded. Even though she hadn’t been the target this time, she was still a little rattled. Right now she wanted Ethan. Once she felt his arms around her she’d know she was truly safe, and not until.

Chapter Fourteen

The same marshal from the night before let Ethan into the back door of the safe house.

“How is she?” Ethan demanded when he stepped inside. He’d only found out about the shooting from the marshal who’d stopped him when he’d started up the driveway. It made him angry that she hadn’t called him yet again. What was it going to take to make her reach out to him?

“Fine. She’s upstairs taking a shower. Said you’d be by.” The guy eyed him. “You staying for a while?”

“For a few hours, yeah.” He didn’t elaborate because he didn’t want anyone knowing his and Marisol’s business, and also because he wasn’t sure how long he had.

There was a chance he could get called back in for another op if they received more intel in the coming hours. They were gunning for Perez next, the lieutenant protected by
el Santo
. If a critical piece of intel came in, they’d have to move fast on it. Perez had proven impossible to corner thus far.

The marshal nodded. “My guys are watching the house and the neighborhood. Since you’re HRT and on her approved list of visitors, I can give you some privacy. I’ll be in my vehicle if you need me.”