HIS Choice: An H.I.S. Novel (H.I.S. series Book 2) (32 page)

“AJ, I forgot. When Alex held me captive, he used your real name. They’ve known for a while who you
really are.”

He shrugged to assure her it was no big deal. The more he thought about it, the closer he came to
the rat.

She moved to the desk, pulled her hair back in a clip, her face serious and began typing. Knowing at the end she’d stretch…
Fuck
. Brad would see her perfect breasts push out, asking to be suckled. AJ would have to distract him at the right moment. No way would he have his hound dog of a brother salivating over what
was his.

Today had been a good day. They’d captured Jimmy and picked up twenty Magic Shop dealers. She had another front page article. It had to burn the Magician reading her articles when not only should she be dead, but she more or less flaunted
his failures.

His eyes honed in on her long, silky neck. Blood pulsed and began their flow to his groin. He looked away. He couldn’t get enough
of her.

His burner
phone rang.

“Hello.”

“Did you create this chaos?”
Blade asked.

AJ smiled. “What makes you
think that?”

“I’ve come to know you. You’re trying to seriously piss him off, aren’
t you?”

He ignored his question. He’d protected Blade on the bust but the dealer didn’t need to be aware of that or any of his plans. “What’s the word on
the street?”

“There’s talk the dealers arrested are on their own. That’s pissed off the ones who were lucky. They were hot after Jimmy until they heard he got arrested too. An escaped convict. Huh. The dealers want Carl now. They refuse to go on the street until he can provide them protection
from DEA.”

“It’s very unfortunate things are as they are.” AJ wanted to fist pump. The dealers revolting made this all
the better.

His informant chuckled. “You’
re good.”

AJ’s smile broadened. He couldn’t be more pleased with the day’s results. “I don’t know what you’re
talking about.”

“Okay, whatever you say. Thanks for getting Jimmy
for me.”

“I told you a long time ago, you help me, and I help you. Stay off the streets for a few
more days.”

“Gotcha. Keep it up.” Blade ended
the call.

Carl was in a bigger shit storm than they’d planned. The dealers refusing to work helped
their cause.

They’d made good progress. First had been Damian. He’d allowed them to live and Megan to publish her articles. The two of them had made Magic Shop lives hell. AJ couldn’t be prouder of the work she’d done. He couldn’t see the big boss appreciating his advisor’
s failure.

Next had been Carl. Losing that shipment had been a big hit. Real big hit since the drivers freely shared the transportation routes. Then, he’d lost twenty dealers and quite a bit of money and product. The bonus was that he’d lost Jimmy which had to make him squirm since he also was an escaped convict. But he’d have to go on the streets to straighten out his problems. Problems he would have a hard
time explaining.

Tomorrow would be Erin and Paul’s turn. With Tony’s disappearance, the escape might be cancelled. If so, AJ had been told by the task team leader that was it. They were done. They’d get what they could and get out. The other agents were
getting antsy.

The secure cell phone rang. Who knew he’d be such a popular guy. And when he wanted to lay low. “Hamilton.”

“Hey, AJ. I hear you’ve got something going tomorrow. I want in,”
Todd said.

Fucking Arthur.
AJ should’ve known he couldn’t put a team together without others finding out. “I’ve already got
it covered.”

“What’s going on? It must be big because everyone is tight-lipped, and I hear it’s a joint
agency venture.”

“That’s because they don’t know what they’ll be
doing yet.”

“Is it big? You know I want in. I promised to protect
your back.”

AJ chuckled. “Don’t worry, Todd. It’s not big, and it has nothing to do with what I’m entangled in right now. This is a favor for my brothers. Besides, you’d be bored being a part of this. I’ll make sure to let you know when I finalize things here so you can be a part
of it.”

He hated lying but he couldn’t afford anyone, including his partner, to know the plan. He liked Todd but the man liked to drink which led him to say more than he should. AJ had carried him home on more than
one occasion.

“If you
say so.”

“Bye, Todd.”

Megan swiveled around the minute he put the
phone down.

“I’m finished. Did you want to
read it?”

Megan’s excitement in offering to let him read her articles first, made him want to reach for her, enclose her in his arms and
run away.

He cleared his throat. He needed to stop thinking such foolishness. “No. Go ahead and send it. Make sure to let your boss know that tomorrow you’ll have a story that’s so big you’ll need most of the
front page.”

His time of living in hell was finally coming to an end. But would he just move to another form of hell without Megan at
his side?

Megan wanted to squeal like little Reagan had when she’d spied her Uncle AJ. He’d allowed her to watch the takedown of the convict and the team. To make it even better, Devon had provided her with a digital camera to use. Excitement swooshed through her body, leaving her euphoric
and lightheaded.

She stood in an airport hangar watching deputy U.S. marshals, or DUSMs, and half of the Hamilton brothers’ team suit up in assault gear and prepare many, many weapons. AJ had checked with her five times to ensure she’d worn her vest and to remind her she was not to leave Rob’s side. She doubted Rob enjoyed the fact he had babysitting duty instead of participating. The man took it seriously because they were never separated by more than a
few inches.

From their hiding spot, they watched two SUVs drove up the tarmac and stopped near the hangar, just as Tony said. Walt and Ben were the names of the two men who stepped from the vehicle. They made new identities and set convicts up in new locations, new lives. She fought a snort. The marshals should use them to help set up people in WitSec. Heck, they’d hid escapees for years without being located. They definitely had skills. Unfortunately, they chose to use them on the wrong side of
the law.

The men silently swept from the hangar. The united team was an impressive sight. Her heart swelled with pride at the image of AJ leading
the men.

They rushed the men waiting for the plane to land, MP5s and AR-15s pointed in their faces with DUSMs yelling, “Police! U.S. marshal. Let me see your hands!” They had to repeat it before the men did as instructed. Having all of that firepower shoved in her face would’ve frozen her to the
spot also.

Two marshals returned with their cuffed prisoners. The remaining four blended with AJ, Brad, Matt and Ken, the H.I.S. team leader, and filled the
waiting SUVs.

Ha! Criminals shouldn’t get tinted windows. It made it easy for them to get closer to where the plane would taxi. Their plan sounded easy enough but she witnessed a few grim faces in the crowd. Maybe they’d have rather been the ones in
the SUV.

Anticipation seeped into her every pore. She would see everything unfold before her. The only glitch to her achieving full giddiness was her concern that AJ could be shot again. She should’ve fought for him to stay with her. She’d asked but he’d quickly told her that he wouldn’t miss being involved in
the action.

Hopped up on adrenaline, she had a hard time standing still. She would watch a big part of Magic Shop destroyed. And, she would have the exclusive on it. This would surprise the public. Who would have thought the Magician, or really anyone, would do something like this for
a living?

Thanks to the data Devon had retrieved from Paul’s computer, deputy U.S. marshals had been watching the escaped convicts around the nation that Magic Shop had helped escape. To avoid leaks to their plan, AJ and his brothers had personally coordinated with the U.S. marshal they trusted in each area where a convict now resided. They waited for the signal to re-arrest them. It had to be a synchronized event so there could be no tip-offs.

She held her hands over her ears at the noise from the Gulfstream taxiing toward the hangar and then stopping in front of the SUVs. Three men walked down the stairs of the jet. Once they’d stepped on the tarmac the doors of the SUVs burst open and men ran from the hangar. “Police! U.S. Marshals! Let me see
your hands!”

Megan peeked around Rob, who blocked her view of the scene, snapping photos. She heard gunfire as someone shoved her to
the ground.

She remained still until the man on top of her spoke, “Are
you okay?”

“I can’t breathe,” she struggled
to say.

The weight lifted from Megan and strong arms pulled her into a warm, tight embrace. Taking in AJ’s scent, she clung
to him.

A warm breath washed over her ear. “Thank God you’
re okay.”

Large hands rubbed themselves up and down her back and arms, soothing her, warming her blood and
calming her.

“You’ve been shot. Let me see.” The emotional pain in his voice slammed
into her.

“That’s not her blood.” Rob stood beside them, holding
his arm.

“Let me see, Rob.” Megan reached for
his arm.

“Don’t sweat it. It’s just
a scratch.”

She knew better, but wouldn’t argue. Let him do his macho stuff and act like it’s nothing while
he suffers.

AJ nodded and Rob
walked away.

“Megan, I think it’s time for you to go home with Jesse and stay there with Kate until this
is over.”

She looked up at him. “What? After all I’ve been through you want me to hide? You’ve some nerve. I told you we’re finishing this together, and I
meant it.”

A smile slowly crept up his face, more of a satisfied smirk. “Don’t you have an article to write and a deadline
to meet?”

* * * * *

AJ dreaded the expected phone call. He’d have pissed off plenty of people. Not only had he organized the captures of twenty escaped convicts plus prison escape secret team, he’d done it as a wanted man by the FBI. His brothers had a lot of pull. They’d kept the marshals from dragging him and Megan
away earlier.

He heaved a weighted sigh when the phone rang. “Hamilton.”

“What
the fuck?”

He had to move the phone away from his ear at the volume of Arthur’
s voice.

“You’re capturing escaped convicts all over the nation and keeping it from me and the marshals’ office. Even though it was a win for them, they have been up my ass the last hour that I didn’t clue them in on
the mission.”

AJ waited for his deputy director to finish his tirade. He’d certainly
earned it.

“Son of a bitch! You should’ve told me!” A fist slamming loudly on a desk exploded through the phone. “Are you trying to make me regret bringing you in on
this assignment?”

He still
remained silent.

“Well, what do you have to say
for yourself?”

He’d witnessed the man rip into supervisors. This had been child’s play compared to those sessions. “Arthur, I had to keep it quiet to ensure we captured all the convicts. I’ve told you before that I don’t trust
your phone.”

A sigh reached his ears. “Did you acquire this info from your search of Paul’
s home?”

“I did. We walked away with much more. Look, it’s a great day. We’ve cleaned up the streets, captured a bunch of criminals, all the good guy stuff. With the success of the past few days, the FBI, DEA and U.S. marshals look
like heroes.”

So he hadn’t completely followed the book. He’d had a warrant and had left it at Paul’s although he might not find it for a day
or two.

The convicts were escapees captured no matter how they’d acquired that information. They could fight it all they wanted. No judge would release them based on that. For them, captured was captured. The marshals accepted tip-offs all of the time, and H.I.S. happened to be the ones to anonymously tip them off
this time.

They’d figure out how to use or not use the remainder of the information they’d found. He’d leave that to his brothers and the FBI. It was good information, but they didn’t need it to
be successful.

The man chuckled. “It is a great day. Congratulations, AJ. You did a
good job.”

“Thanks, Arthur.” The man didn’t praise people often so this meant a great deal to AJ. Maybe this could keep him from being arrested when he eventually turned
Megan over.

“It’s time for you to come in. We have enough to put them away. Your cover has been blown, and you’ve been shot. Megan Rogers is innocent in all of this, and we need her alive. Get out now, and get
out alive.”

AJ tightened his grip on the phone. “I’m not stopping without the Magician. I want him out of commission and behind bars. I just need the time the task force has allowed me. If I can’t bring him in by then, they can make their arrests, and I’ll walk away as directed.” He’d never let it go. He’d just do it on his
own time.

“I think you misunderstood. Get your ass back here and bring the girl. That’s
an order.”

He dropped his head and rubbed his forehead with his hand. He’d made his choice when he’d decided to keep Megan from the FBI. Right or wrong decision, she belonged with him. He wouldn’t change his
mind now.

“Then I guess we part ways here because I’m not quitting and I’m not turning her over.” The man tried to have him murdered, was responsible for so much carnage and pain, and his boss wanted him to walk away. AJ thought Arthur knew him better than that. Wasn’t that why he’d chosen him for the mission? He’d said something about his inability to
back down.

“You have three days. After that you’re on your own, and I won’t stop the law from
chasing you.”

Hell.

It was what AJ expected…it was what he would have done. But he would see this through till the end, no matter
the consequences.