Nobody's Hero (37 page)

That’s it, baby. I’m ready when you are.

In a flash, Karla grabbed onto the wrist in
which Julio held the knife and using both of her hands pulled his
down as she pivoted and raised her left knee into his elbow. The
knife clattered to the floor as Julio’s elbow cracked and he
screamed in pain. Before Adam could lunge forward to pull her away
from danger, she completed the move, jamming the heel of her foot
into the back of his knee and Julio began to crumple.

Good girl.

Before Adam could reach her, Damián grabbed
Karla and pulled her away from Julio. Her scream of frustration
indicated she wasn’t quite finished with him yet, but once Karla
was safely out of harm’s way, Adam took the dickwad the rest of the
way to the floor and grabbed his throat, choking the life out of
him.

“No, Adam! Don’t kill him!”

Why not? He could have killed you
. But
Adam realized the man was no longer a threat. He blubbered like a
baby, his arm laying at a grotesque angle. Karla definitely had
broken it somewhere. Not taking any chance on him hurting her he
pressed on Julio’s carotid artery until he cut off the oxygen to
his brain. Julio’s body relaxed as he passed out.

Adam looked up to find Karla gasping for
breath, Damián’s arm around her waist to keep her from going at
Julio again—or maybe she wanted to go after Adam to keep him from
killing the jerk. Damn, that woman could fight. He left the trash
on the floor and turned to Karla who broke free from Damián and ran
into Adam's arms. He felt her body trembling as she wrapped her
arms around him.

The wail of sirens sounded in the distance.
He hoped they weren’t up on the 5, which paralleled the
neighborhood, but actually headed here.

“Oh, God. I can’t believe it really
worked!”

He chuckled. “Yes, tiger. You did well.”

“I froze. I think I was waiting for you or
Damián to rescue me. Then you raised your hands and I knew what I
had to do.”

“You did everything you needed to do. Didn’t
even need us. You’ll be able to take care of yourself any
time.”

For the first time, Adam noticed Damián
standing over Julio, his pistol pointed at the dickwad’s head.

Fuck
. “Stand down, son. He’s not worth
it. Your family needs you to not be stuck in prison right now. Let
the police take care of him.”

Damián stared down at the unconscious man
with a cold, calculating look in his eyes. Adam understood his
wanting to finish him off. Hell, he’d come close to strangling him
a few minutes ago himself for threatening Karla. For what he’d done
to Teresa, and now the attack on Karla, Julio wouldn’t be getting
out of prison anytime soon. “Damián, go meet the police and let
them know they're clear to come inside.”

Damián didn’t move for several moments, then
seemed to come to a decision and took a step away, holstering his
Magnum behind his back. Adam closed his eyes in relief. He hadn’t
been sure he’d be able to get through to him, not after what Julio
had done.

Suddenly, Damián hauled off and kicked Julio
right in the nuts. Julio grunted, but remained unconscious. Adam
grinned. The dickwad would wonder for a quite a while why his balls
and dick were so sore. Served him right; deserved a lot worse.

Damián led two police officers into the
utility room and they had the now conscious Julio on his stomach
with his hands cuffed behind his back in no time. The pain in the
jerk’s broken arm or elbow had him screaming like a baby as they
manhandled him. Good. He needed to feel more pain, after all that
he’d caused others. They lifted him up to the sound of more howls
and dragged him out the door.

Adam watched Damián grow tense when he looked
toward the doorway again. On alert, in case Julio had somehow
gotten loose, which seemed unlikely, Adam’s gaze followed. A
sobbing Teresa ran in with a petite brunette behind her. Seeing
Damián, Teresa ran across the room and into his arms.

“Uncle Damo, I was so afraid he’d hurt you or
Karla.”

Adam felt the unknown woman’s scrutiny on
first Karla then him Damián. She furrowed her brow as if she
disapproved. What the fuck? But his attention went back to Teresa.
“Hon, you did well. Proud of you.”

Teresa looked over at Adam and gave a
quivering smile. “After I called the police, I chickened out and
called my counselor to come over, too.”

Ah, the stranger. The brunette stepped
forward and extended her hand, and seemed confused that Karla was
pressed up against him. She looked from Karla to Damián and back
again, then offered her hand to Adam. “I’m Savi Baker.”

“Nice to meet you, Ms. Baker. Thanks for
coming over for Teresa.”

Three more officers came in and insisting on
separating Damián, Adam, and Karlafor questioning. He didn't want
to leave Karla, but had no choice.

Adam cleared his throat and looked at the
counselor. "Ms. Baker, why don't you and Teresa wait outside?"

"Oh! Of course. Teresa, let's go find some
place to talk and process some of this, sweetheart."

They left and the officers split up, taking
Karla into the living room, Adam into the kitchen, and Damián
remained in the utility room.

After they'd given their accounts to the
officers, Adam went in search of her. He found her curled up on the
sofa, shivering. Adrenaline drop. He walked over to her and quickly
scooped her up. "I’ve got you, baby.”

She rested her head on his shoulder, her
entire body trembling. He held her tighter against him and pulled
an afghan over her.

“Don’t let me go, Adam.”

Adam wished he could hold her forever, but
would settle for this moment and as long as she’d put up with him.
Seeing that sharp blade pressed against her thin, fragile neck
nearly gutted him. Thank God she hadn’t been cut or hurt in the
scuffle.

"I'm better now. You can put me down." He
looked down at Karla, seeing a flush on her cheeks.

“No, kitten. I need to have you in my arms
right now.” He pulled her closer and she relaxed against him.

* * *

Karla’s face grew hot from the embarrassment
of being coddled like a child, but had to admit she really didn’t
want Adam to put her down. She wasn’t sure she’d be able to stand
yet, anyway. The feel of the steel blade against her throat was
singed into her body’s memory and her chest felt sore from how hard
her heart had been pounding against it.

Everything had happened so quickly—and yet
time had stood still. It took forever for her to even remember her
training and how to respond to the attack. One minute, she and
Teresa were laughing about a music video and the next she was being
threatened with a knife.

“Thank God they have him. He can’t hurt her
anymore.”

She burrowed like a lost kitten into the
afghan and snuggled against his chest.

“You were incredibly brave, little
tiger.”

“I was scared to death.”

“But you kept a clear head and dealt with the
dicl—bastard—despite your fear. That’s what a hero does.”

“Oh, Adam, I’m not a hero.”

“Nonsense.” His arms tightened around her.
“No one was hurt or killed except the attacker, who has been
neutralized for the foreseeable future, thanks to you. Definitely a
hero in my book.”

Karla remembered the tattoo on his back and
began to realize why, by his definition, he could never be
considered a hero. She played her hand over his pec and felt his
heart beating against it. “Sometimes a hero can’t save everyone,
but it doesn’t stop him from trying and from saving as many as he
can.”

He held his breath.
Oh, Adam. You’ll
always be a hero to me.
“Thanks for helping me remember what to
do in there.”

With a grunt, he laid his chin on her head.
If he thought she was going to shut her up, he had another think
coming. “I don’t think I’d have remembered what to do
otherwise.”

“Nonsense. Your training would have kicked
in.”

“But when? I was supposed to execute that
move within seconds. I froze.”

“You got the job done, tiger. Quit beating
yourself up over it.”

“Like you beat yourself up over Afghanistan?”
He pulled back as if she were about to explode in his hands.
Well, for once you’re thinking with your big head.
“Marc
told me you saved a lot of men in that ambush.”

“Marc needs to keep his mouth shut.”

“Why can’t you admit you’re a hero? You did
well. Instead, you’re always saying things like, ‘I did what anyone
would have done.’” She pulled away from the comfort of his chest
and stared him in the eyes. “But not everyone would have gone into
an ambush to save his troops. Not everyone would have gotten
involved in an altercation in a bus station to save a stupid
teenager who didn’t have the sense God gave a goose. And not
everyone would entice a mountain lion to chase after him to save
someone else.” She poked her index finger in his chest. “You’re a
hero, Adam, whether you choose to accept the title or not.”

* * *

The image of his father lying in a pool of
blood flashed before his eyes. The walls were closing in on him.
His hands became cold, despite the blanket over them. If this
conversation didn’t take a new direction soon, he’d need to get out
of here.

“We’ve been over this before. I’m not going
to talk about this now.”

Her hand reached out of the blanket and up to
his cheek, warm and comforting, but he pulled away. “You don’t know
the half of what I’ve done, the people I’ve gotten hurt…or
killed.”

“You’d never hurt anyone intentionally.
You’re a guardian. A protector. You take care of those you
love.”

Okay, now it just got worse. “I don’t have
what it takes to love anyone, either. The sooner you get that into
your head, the better off we’ll both be.”

Karla’s hand that had been pressed against
his cheek drew into a fist. At first, he thought she was going to
deck him, then she drew it back under the blanket in a protective
move.

“I never promised you anything more.”

Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears, making
her voice raspy. “I know.”

“Let’s talk about something else.”

“I don’t think there’s anything else to talk
about. Except maybe when we’re heading back to Denver.”

At least, she still wanted to be with
him.

“I’d like to get back on stage. I’ve missed
performing.”

Okay, maybe she wasn’t interested in being
there with him. What did she expect? Friends with benefits and
Dom/sub was all he’d ever offered.

“I never lied to you.”

“No. I just saw something in you that you
obviously can’t see.”

What the fuck was that supposed to mean?

She pushed the blanket off herself. “I’m
going to go check on Teresa.”

She scooted off his lap and handed him the
blanket, which he laid over the armrest. He watched her walk out
and sat for a long time, just staring at the doorway. Why had she
gotten so hung up on hero talk? Then he realized he’d been the one
who initiated the topic.

Immediately, he missed having his arms around
her, but if she couldn’t take him the way he was and kept conjuring
up this fantasy hero, then it probably was for the best that there
was some distance between them.

No way was he ever going to let himself fall
in love with her. Love just led to pain. Hurt.

Not much fucking different than what he felt
right now.

* * *

Damián motioned Teresa and her counselor into
the kitchen after he’d finished with the police.

“Savan…Savi, can I get you something to
drink?”

A haunted expression came over her face.
What? Did she think he didn’t remember her?

“We’ve got water, tea, Kool-Aid.”

Teresa punched his arm and giggled. “Uncle
Damo, I don’t think she’s gonna drink Kool-Aid.” It was good to see
his niece bounce back so fast after what had just happened in the
utility room.

“What’s wrong with Kool-Aid? It’s
grape—José’s and my favorite.”

Teresa just rolled her eyes. “Ms. Savi, can I
get you something more grown-up, like a Coke?”

“I’m fine. I need to be getting back home. I
left Mari with a friend, but it’s homework time.” Her expression
grew serious as she homed in on Teresa. “I want you to take some
time to journal about what happened tonight, sweetie. Don’t forget
the three positives every today. We’ll talk more during our next
session. As always, though, feel free to call me if you need me.
Any time.”

Teresa crossed the room and gave Savi a hug.
Damián couldn’t help but feel jealous that he couldn’t do the
same.

He cleared his throat. “Thanks for
everything, Savi. I’m glad you could be here for Teresa
tonight.”

She glanced at him, then down at the floor.
“Not a problem.”

Karla came into the room, looking like she
could spit nails. Well, the way she’d taken Julio down, he figured
she probably could. “Leaving so soon, Ms. Baker?”

“Please, it’s Savi. But, yes, I need to get
back to my daughter.”

She reached into her tight jeans and pulled
out her keys. After assuring Teresa she could call her anytime, she
left the room. He couldn’t keep his eyes off her ass, encased in
those blue jeans like a second skin.

Hell, he needed to see her out. “I need to go
clean up that glass and board up the broken window.” He was just a
couple yards away when she reached for the door handle. “How’ve you
been, Savannah?”

Her body grew stiff. Her fingers gripped the
handle, but she didn’t turn around. “Don’t call me that. Savannah
Gentry is dead.”

Of all the things he’d fantasized about her
saying to him—like ‘I’ve never forgotten you or our perfect day at
the beach’—that sure as hell wasn’t one of them. Fr. Martine said
she’d come to St. Miguel’s troubled. What the fuck had happened to
her?