Hijacked (A Retribution Novel) (17 page)

“
What
?” Eliana asked, flicking her gaze between Christian and Sam as defiance roared in her heart. “I’m not going into hiding.”

“Eliana.” Christian gave her shoulders a squeeze. “It’s not going to be for very long. Just until we get Hardy behind bars.”

She shrugged him off. “Oh, no. No, no, no, and no. You’re not sending me away. This is as much my fight as it is yours.” She glanced at all the faces around the table and watched as they deferred to Christian.

He gave her a gentle smile. “I’m not saying it’s not your fight. But I can’t have you in harm’s way. You’ve already been hurt once.”

“By my brother, not Hardy. Besides, you’ve been shot before, too.” She scoffed. “It’s not your choice. My life. I say what I can and can’t do.”

“Good girl. Don’t let him put you down,” Janie said under her breath.

Christian eyed her. “You’re not helping.”

Janie shrugged and smiled. “Been there. Done that. Not letting anyone push me around again, either. You should appreciate her for her strength.”

“I do,” Christian argued. “That doesn’t mean I want her hurt…or worse.”

“That doesn’t mean we want
any
of you hurt or worse, either,” Nicole added.

Eliana held back her smile as Christian looked between the two women. “Hell, Janie. I took a bullet protecting you. You’re like a sister to me. You, too, Nicole. Plus, I’m your boss. Where’s my love and support?” When neither conceded, he switched his gaze to Sam. “Tell them.”

Sam held up his hands. “I’m not wading anywhere into that shit. I’m expecting some loving tonight, and I’m not about to do anything to fuck that up.”

“Smart guy.” Janie winked at her husband.

Christian slammed his palms on the table and stood, eliciting a startle from Eliana. “What the hell is wrong with you people? We’re talking about the woman I love getting mixed up with deadly criminals. She’s not taking a casual stroll along the beach. I moved in to watch over Janie, and I had Xander’s and Ryan’s backs. You all owe me.”

Love
…? Eliana’s brain stuttered over the word. From the open-mouth, wide-eyed stares of everyone around the table, Christian had surprised them as well.

“What?” he asked as he glanced from face to face. Even Hunter had stopped working and stared. Then Christian rolled his eyes and sighed. He must have realized what he’d said. He turned to face her. “Yes, Eliana. I do love you, and I will do anything in my power to protect you.”

Her heart trembled like she’d never known. The expression on his face promised that he meant every word, and she didn’t know what to do. She couldn’t think. Wasn’t even sure she could breathe.

He moved closer and took her hand, his features now a mask of concern. “Say something. You look like I just told you that you were going to die.”

She shook her head as tears came to her eyes. He loved her.
He really loved her.

She’d been so certain she’d live the remainder of her life without ever truly discovering the most beautiful thing that he laid before her now. Here, in front of everyone who meant so much to him.

“Christian,” she whispered and held out her hand. He pulled her to her feet and crushed her in his embrace.

“Awww…” Violet said. “That’s so tender.”

Christian pulled back and trapped Eliana’s gaze. “Are you okay?”

She nodded quickly, wanting to reassure him that he hadn’t done anything wrong, but instead had done everything so very right. “I love you, too,” she whispered.

He captured her mouth in a bruising kiss that stole what little breath she had.

“Here we go again,” Ryan said. “Someone send them downstairs.”

Christian chuckled and broke away. “Sorry,” he said to his friends. “Unexpected moment.”

Violet stood and walked to them, wrapping her arms around them both. “I’m so glad we were here to witness it. You make a lovely couple. Don’t they, Ryan?”

Ryan lifted his glass. “Yes, ma’am. Here’s to the new couple.”

Eliana laughed through her tears. “I’m sorry. I’m not usually so emotional.”

“Look at what you’ve been through recently.” Christian wiped tears from her cheeks, the pads of his thumbs rough against her skin. “This is going to get better. I promise.”

She sniffed and took the tissue Nicole offered her. “I want you to know that just because we love each other doesn’t mean I’m bowing out of this. I’ll see it through to the end, same as you.”

Christian raised his gaze to the ceiling and shook his head. “Dammit.” He focused on her. “What’s it going to take to get you to change your mind?”

“You can’t,” she said matter-of-factly. “I’m deeper in Hardy’s organization than you are, and I’m not backing out. Not until my brother is safely off the streets. I don’t care if he’s in jail or a mental hospital. I need to get him away from Hardy.”

When Christian looked like he was about to interrupt and argue, she held up her hand to stop him. “I’ve made up my mind, Christian. So you’d better figure out a way we can work together or forget everything.”

Xander chuckled. “Better stop fighting with each other because you’re wasting energy. If Eliana’s hell bent on staying involved, we need to decide how we’re going to keep her as safe as possible.”

“
Sweet Mary, Mother of Jesus
.” Christian plowed his hands through his hair. “This is not okay.”

His apprehension on her behalf touched her deeply. She wrapped her hands over his and tucked them against her chest. “It’s okay. I’m going to be fine. We’re going to blow these bastards out of the water so hard they won’t know what hit them.” She nodded when he tried to disagree. “You need me, and I’ll be safer with you all than doing this alone.”

He shook his head, disapproval written across his worried forehead and buried in his beautiful eyes.

“We do need her,” Hunter said from across the room. Eliana shot an I-told-you-so-smile at Christian, but didn’t rub it in too hard.

“The best way to keep her safe is to make sure Hardy believes she’s doing this completely on her own,” Sam said. “No ties to anyone.”

“He did question why I want to be involved,” Eliana admitted, drawing another curse from Christian.

“What did you say?” Ryan asked.

Eliana turned her gaze to the sexy military guy. At first, his demeanor had intimidated her, but she quickly realized he had a very sweet heart. Especially where Violet was concerned. “I told him I had no life. That I was bored and that I liked the thrill of danger.”

“Good,” Hunter said coming over to join them. “But I think you need more. What’s something that she wouldn’t easily admit?”

Janie snorted, holding up the cards in her hands. “What about a gambling debt?”

“I don’t gamble,” Eliana said. “I’ve never played for money.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Hunter replied. “We can fix that.”

“I can kill her credit score,” Xander offered. “Doctor up some fake accounts that make it look like she’s had money in the past, but that her luck is running dry right now.”

“You’re going to kill my credit score?” She frowned. She’d worked damn hard to make that thing sparkle.

“It’s temporary,” Christian said.

Some of the heaviness in her heart lifted. “You’re on board, then?”

He expelled a breath. “Does it look like I have a choice? They’ve teamed up with you instead of supporting their brother.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him to her. “I love you.” She kissed him softly. “This will be okay.”

“I know a loan shark I can ask to pay her a visit. He’s well-known and will do anything for money,” Sam added. “We can start with that to give Hardy’s men a heads-up so they’ll know where to dig deeper. As soon as Hardy sees her track record, he’ll understand her motives and exploit them, which also means he’ll trust her more.”

“I don’t like it.” Christian shook his head as he lifted his beer bottle for a drink.

Ryan clapped him on the shoulder. “She never needs to get involved in anything deep or dangerous. Her job will be to be our eyes and ears.”

Christian turned to Ryan. “The last time she was there, Hardy had her deliver heroin to the coast. I don’t see how that’s not dangerous. Just being around those people is bad.”

“It’s okay.” She needed to reassure him whether she truly believed her words or not. Now that she had something precious to lose, she wouldn’t do anything foolish, but she had to know her brother was safe before she’d be free to love Christian or live the rest of her life in peace.

Christian heaved a weighted sigh that tugged on her heart. “Fine. I’ll go along with you. But if I lose her, I’ll never forgive any of you.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face against him, listening to the strong beat of his heart and reveling in her newfound love. “We’ll make it. We have to.” God wouldn’t have given Christian to her only to rip him away so soon. That would be too cruel.

*        *        *

“I can’t believe you detonated that bomb in front of all of us,” Xander said in hushed tones as he walked alongside Christian, both of them keeping to the shadows along the waterfront park trail.

“What? Telling Eliana I loved her?” Christian scanned the dark area ahead of them, making sure Lorenzo was a fair distance away.

“Yeah. That was a total surprise.” It wasn’t often that Christian saw his friend out of a shirt and tie, but tonight they’d both dressed in dark t-shirts and jeans, hoping to catch Lorenzo talking to another, unknown entity in the game.

“I didn’t mean to.” Christian stopped, seeking shelter behind a tree. “I always pictured it being somehow more romantic, but I was caught up in Eliana’s insistence that she continue to play this fucking game, and it slipped out.”

Xander blew out a breath. “Yeah, man. I understand. But don’t worry. We’re all watching her, and we’re willing to put our lives on the line for her.”

“But it’s all so fucking ridiculous. She doesn’t
need
to be involved.”

“Good luck convincing her of that. She seems to be as stubborn as you are.”

Christian snorted. “Thanks for that. Wait.” He held up a hand as he came to a stop. “Lorenzo’s talking to someone.”

Ahead of him, Christian could make out the lanky shape of Lorenzo and another person. He couldn’t tell if it was a man or a woman.

“You stay here so he can’t identify you while I get closer.” Xander circled around along the edge of the walkway to the opposite side, keeping his head low, like he wasn’t aware of anyone around him.

Christian stayed to the shadows and crept closer. By the time Xander stopped, they had them flanked. Lorenzo spent several minutes talking to his contact, and then they separated.

As the contact moved away, Christian gained the impression she was a woman. That or a very graceful man. Lorenzo stayed by the waterfront, and as the contact passed Xander, he moved in behind her, taking care not to get too close.

When Lorenzo started moving again, Christian followed. The thin slice of moon hovering in the sky gave off little light, and Christian had a harder time following the punk as he moved farther away from the streetlights.

Five minutes later, Lorenzo stopped again, this time to talk to another person. Another woman by the sound of her laugh. He wrapped his arms around her, kissing her, and then groped her breast.

“Hell,” Christian whispered as he turned away. The last thing he wanted to do was watch the dumb fuck get off. A whimper stopped him in his tracks.

When he looked back, it appeared the woman was on the ground. Then Lorenzo jerked her to her feet and dragged her off into the darkened trees.

“Fuck.” He stayed rooted where he was. He didn’t want to get involved. Couldn’t afford to blow his cover. Maybe the girl liked it rough.

Another muffled scream came from that direction and forced his hand. When he came upon them, Lorenzo had her on the ground. His hand covered her mouth as he shoved his way between her legs. She fought back, but couldn’t escape him.

“Open up, bitch. You know you want this,” Lorenzo whispered, his voice strained from exertion.

“Dude,” Christian said, startling Lorenzo.

He half rolled off her before he recognized Christian. “What the fuck do you want? Can’t you see I’m busy?” From the look in his eye and the sound of his voice, he was also high on something.

“Let the girl go.”

“
Get the fuck out of here
.”

“I said, let her go before I make you.”

That was apparently enough to piss him off. Lorenzo got to his feet, ignoring his victim and pulled a switchblade from his pocket. “Fuck, brother. You don’t want to mess with me.”

Christian laughed. “You’re right. I don’t. But I’m not going to let you rape her, either.”

Lorenzo took a step closer as the girl got to her feet and raced away. He tilted his neck to the side, releasing several cracking sounds. “I guess if I’m not going to get a good fuck, at least I’ll be able to fuck you up. Gideon won’t blame me. He thinks you’re a fuck up as it is.”