by Lisa Hughey
She pulled up to the employee entrance to the judge’s office.
Alex swung open the door and extricated himself from the little car. “Be back in two hours.”
Chapter 5
After dropping Mr. Grumpy at the judge’s office, Kita headed back to ALIAS. She was going to need hazard pay to deal with the oh-so-serious Deputy Marshal Saunders. She knocked, then opened Jill’s office door.
“How did it go?” Jillian sank onto the delicate wing-back chair with the crewel embroidery, leaned her head back, and closed her eyes.
“Well, as much as the vaunted US Marshal’s service has a stellar reputation, we didn’t solve the case quite yet,” Kita said drily.
“Oh. My. God.”
Kita stalked over to the chair vacated by Alex Saunders. She had the inexplicable urge to dominate the space he’d been occupying earlier. What that said about her she had no idea. She plopped down into the upholstered chair and swore she could still smell his scent, a mix of soap and pine lingering in the air, taunting her all over again. “Jillian. What the heck is really going on?”
Jillian had that old world WASP vibe that always made Kita hesitate to swear in front of her. It was a weird dynamic. Jillian was her boss. Jillian and Marsh had been pals when they’d worked for the US Marshals, while Kita and Marsh had been friends since middle school. Kita always felt a subtle competition for Marsh’s affection between them. She was probably imagining it.
“The judge wants protection.”
Screw it. “The judge is an asshole.”
Jillian laughed. “No argument there.”
“Why us?”
“I have no idea. But I can tell you this.” Jillian straightened and looked Kita right in the eyes. “He knows what we really do. And if we don’t comply, he’ll out us. That threat was very clear.”
Since their main focus was helping innocent people in trouble disappear, their business was extremely hush-hush and confidential. If the word got out about Adams-Larsen’s true business, their clients would be in jeopardy.
“I will not let that fucker win.”
Kita snorted. Just when she thought she had Jillian pegged, she went and did or said something completely out of character.
“What does Marsh say?”
Jillian pressed her lips together. What the heck?
“Jillian?”
“I haven’t heard from Marsh.”
“You….” Kita had just assumed he was on a top secret relocation. They’d had one or two lately so incredibly sensitive that only the bosses knew where the client was being placed. “But I thought—”
“Yeah.” Jillian Larsen rubbed a hand over her forehead. Her perfect French manicure gleamed in the beam of the overhead lights. “He’s AWOL. I don’t know why or how. He told me he needed a little time off. I thought he meant, you know, like a weekend or something.”
“Have you tried his cell?”
“Straight to voice mail.”
“House?”
“Locked up tight.”
“House on the Cape?”
“Empty and dusty.”
“Holy shit.”
“Yeah.” The strain of keeping that information to herself, for the past month, holy freaking cow, surfaced in Jillian’s voice.
“And you think his father has any idea?”
“No. But if we don’t keep the judge happy then he might just go digging.”
So Jill was in a tough spot. Kita could use this to her advantage. “How happy?”
“I need you to keep him safe and keep him off our backs and frankly away from the office. I can’t lie for Marsh forever.” Jillian frowned. “The judge wasn’t giving us the full truth about the letters he’s received. They don’t assign Marshal protection for routine threats.”
That’s what she figured. “You have copies of the letters?”
“Alex Saunders is supposed to forward them to me so I can take a look.”
Alex Saunders. Just his name sent a smattering of goose bumps across Kita’s neck. Her body was still on high alert from his presence. Her core warm and gooey when she remembered his husky laugh in the heated confines of her little car.
Kita hesitated. “I’d like to trace the IP address.”
Jillian squared her shoulders. “Okay. I’ll analyze the letters. I’m stuck here. With Marsh gone, I can’t afford to be away from the office.”
So the judge had made a bid for Jillian. That made sense on several levels. It also meant Kita was going to be doing Jillian a favor. A big favor.
Jillian continued, “The judge may…come on a little strong.”
“I can deal.”
Jillian hesitated again. “Can you handle it if the judge gets overly aggressive?”
“I’ll handle it,” she snipped. Besides, the judge wasn’t too impressed with her charms.
“When he sees you dressed to kill, he may change his mind,” Jillian said as if she’d read Kita’s thoughts.
“I’ll handle him.” Kita dismissed Jillian’s concern. “This assignment isn’t in my job description.”
It was so far from her job description as to be laughable.
“I know. I can’t force you to take the assignment.”
But if Kita did do this…. Possibilities swirled in her brain.
“I’ll make it up to you.” Jillian practically begged. “But I need you to make the judge happy. The future of our business depends on his keeping his mouth shut.”
Kita knew why she was going to do this. Marsh had applauded her out-of-the-box thinking on more than one occasion. She was going to out of the box Hannah Smith right out of a dangerous situation.
“Okay. I’ll do it but I want something in return,” Kita said grimly. “Something worth my while.”
“What?”
“Relocate Hannah Smith and the children pro bono.”
“Are you kidding me?” Jillian reared back as if Kita had advanced aggressively.
“Frank Donner is dangerous,” Kita argued. “He killed her sister and got away with it. He’s beating up Hannah regularly. You know at some point he’ll start hitting his kids.”
“They’re his kids.”
Kita knew that. It was why Jill had refused the first time around. It was why Hannah Smith was taking self-defense classes from Kita. But she wasn’t responding to the self-defense training. “I know.”
“That’s….”
“Technically against the law.”
“Kita, we already had this discussion. That would take us into an area I don’t want to tread.” Jillian’s gaze was troubled. “Everything we do is done legally. I can’t start breaking the law.”
“What about Frank Donner?”
“We don’t have the right to take his children away.”
“Tammy Donner disappeared. Hannah knows he killed her.”
“The police investigated. He was cleared,” Jill shot back. “He has an airtight alibi.”
“Hannah doesn’t know how he did it, but she’s sure he killed her sister.”
Jill sighed.
“Do you really want Hannah Smith’s death on your conscience?” ’Cause Kita sure as hell didn’t. “What if we just relocate them for a temporary time?”
“You’re talking Amber Alerts and nationwide attention if the father goes public. The FBI would be called in if we transport them across state lines.”
“I’m betting he won’t.”
“And if you’re wrong?”
Jill was caving. She could feel it. “Fire me. I’ll take all the heat. The authorities won’t even know ALIAS had anything to do with it. After all, I met Hannah at the shelter.”
“I can’t afford to fire you. I need you. My pool of qualified employees keeps shrinking.” Jillian sat in the fancy formal chair, her head back and a weary expression on her face. “I’m not promising anything but let me look into the situation.”
Kita knew she had her. “I’ll get you the sister’s hospital records.”
“Okay,” Jil
l said. “I’ll consider temporary housing, in the District of Columbia. We can’t move her or the kids across a state line and it can only be temporary until…unless we can prove the brother-in-law is dangerous.”
Inside Kita was doing a serious fist pump. Yes! As long as she kept the judge happy and off Jillian’s back, Hannah and her nieces would be safe.
“You won’t regret this.”
Jillian lifted her head. “I already do. But I don’t have a choice.”
Kita’s smile was hurting her face. “Thank you. Thank you.”
“It’s going to take a few days to set up.”
Kita didn’t care. All she cared about was that Hannah and those girls had a chance now.
Jillian glanced at the slim Cartier tank on her wrist. “Come on. We’ve only got one hundred and five minutes to turn you into the judge’s slut du jour.”
“Slut?”
“Sorry, classy assistant aka new toy.”
“Can’t we blackmail the judge with that?”
“It’s an open secret that he screws his office staff,” Jillian said with disgust. “And they keep getting younger and younger. Horny old goat.”
“You don’t expect me to….”
“Of course not. But you may have to dodge him. The good news is Alex Saunders is a by-the-book agent. You won’t ever be alone with the judge in a private setting.”
“You know him?” Kita tried to act casual.
“I did a little checking while you were interviewing your suspect.”
“Anything I should know?” She tried to keep the question casual but Jillian saw right through her.
“He’s got a solid rep for following the rules.” Jillian said with a sly smile, “You’re interested.”
Kita flushed. Maybe. But she only shrugged.
“He looked like he’d like to get to know you a whole lot better.”
Kita blushed at Jill’s teasing.
“He’s going to have a cow when he figures out that Marsh and I worked for the Marshals and the reasons we left.” Jillian’s smile was not nice. “Make sure you don’t spill any secrets if he screws you blind.”
“Jill!” She could feel the embarrassment flood her face.
No chance of that happening.
Not if he followed the rules like Jillian thought he did.
“There’s nothing that states that the protectorate can’t get involved with someone from a different agency.”
Okay the mind-reading was getting a little freaky. Better switch subjects to something a little more practical.
Office assistant and girlfriend, but bodyguard on the down low, for Judge Adams. Kita spent her days in yoga pants and workout tops. Her closet was full of Lucy and Title IX. Hardly the proper attire for this gig.
“I don’t have the clothes for this assignment.”
“Don’t worry.” Jillian went over to the desk and hit the intercom button. “Maria. Check out the closet in the spare bedroom. We need to outfit Kita for the judge, so bring the slinky stuff.”
Oh boy.
Chapter 6
Alex sat in the antechamber of the judge’s office and skimmed information on his phone.
The security just to get in the building was tight, and technically Alex shouldn’t be in chambers when a confidential pretrial meeting was happening.
So he’d spent the past hour waiting out here and researching Adams-Larsen, the supposedly high-end public relations and consulting firm run by Jillian Larsen and Marsh Adams.
Except he hadn’t been able to acquire much information. The general consensus was their client list was so exclusive and their work so confidential that no one knew who actually used their services. The research he’d garnered did nothing to reassure him that having one of their employees act as his backup was a good idea.
Alex was hamstrung between his personal code of conduct and the unusual circumstances of this protection detail.
Which meant the probability of a cluster-fuck was astronomical.
He hated that he’d barely started and the rules were being thrown out the window. The only way to maintain control of a situation was to follow the rules, especially with so many variables in play. He had to manage this operation. He had to supervise the unexpected operative. He had to control Judge Adams.
Alex’s only hope was that when Kita Kim arrived, the judge would deem her completely unsuitable. Alex wasn’t sure what would happen then but at least he’d have another chance to convince the judge to stick with an all Marshal protection detail.
Jesus, he didn’t want her on this op. She was a distraction with her sensuality, quick wit, and smart mouth—he was crazy attracted to her even if she was all wrong for him.
She’d freaking executed a search on a suspect’s computer without authorization. But more than her flaunting of proper procedure, which maybe he could forgive since she wasn’t actually engaged in law enforcement activities, she was a danger to his peace of mind.
Perfect example. Right now he should be reviewing the emails sent to the judge, instead he was remembering her delicate scent and her strong fingers and the way she’d taken care of those plants for Mr. Gauss.
The dichotomy between tough girl and gentle soul intrigued him.
He didn’t have time to be intrigued. He needed to get this case solved and hopefully get reinstated to his former position.
“Come in, Ms. Kim.” Alex heard the disembodied voice of Judge Adams’s receptionist. “Follow the hallway. The judge is in chambers but Mr. Saunders is expecting you.”
The click of high heels on the gleaming wood floors preceded Kita Kim’s entrance. Alex found himself holding his breath.
She’d incited a carnal response from his body while she’d been sweaty and disheveled.
He didn’t even want to speculate about his reaction to her when she was all spiffed up to be Judge Adams’s staff aide slash playmate.
Kita Kim strode around the corner and into the antechamber with a determined purpose. Like a punch to the gut, her appearance sucked the breath out of his lungs and left him gasping for air.
His gaze locked onto her like a tractor beam pulling two separate forces together.
A few hours ago he’d been dropped off by a plain Asian woman with clear skin, slicked-back hair in a messy ponytail, and sculpted biceps in a tight spandex top. He was equal parts hopeful the judge wouldn’t use her and scornful that the judge couldn’t see her worth. Through it all he’d wondered how she would fare against the judge’s obvious chauvinism. If Alex had the judge pegged, he liked them young, elegant, and sexily vacant.
Of which, the only one that applied to Kita was young. And even then he put her age at around twenty-eight or twenty-nine, so not too young.
She had transformed from the sweaty kick-ass girl to the businesslike employee, and now to a chic, sophisticated woman.
Wow. The exclamation slipped into his consciousness before he could censor it.
He was unable to stop staring, rooted to the floor by some indescribable force field. Her skin was flawless, a warm golden hue with the slightest blush of peach shimmering on her high cheekbones. Smoky charcoal shadowed the lids of her tilted eyes, and a liner emphasized the lush sweep of her thick black eyelashes.
Her mouth, Jesus, her mouth. The lush curve of her lower lip, slicked with a deep coral gloss, exuded the forbidden, and would tempt the pope to forsake his vows. The sharply defined muscles so clearly displayed by her workout shorts and tank top were expertly showcased by the form-fitting jade-green dress. The deep V of her neckline revealed her cleavage and her perfect handful-sized breasts. Her skin gleamed in the unforgiving office fluorescent light. The material hugged her curvy ass, ending just above the knee and revealing sleekly muscled legs. The final touches were the shiny pumps that matched the color of her lips and single smooth bracelet of pale celadon jade that circled her right wrist.
His brain supplied images of him slowly unzipping the classic tank dress and peeling away the clingy material
to expose the plump curves of her breasts. He had a curious urge to run his tongue along the sharp curve of her collarbone.
Attraction sizzled through him, lighting up his veins and churning through his body. She made his blood run hot and his mind turn to exploits better left unimagined.
Kita Kim didn’t back down, didn’t look away, and yet he could still sense how absolutely uncomfortable she was with his scrutiny. She was hot and gorgeous and the judge was going to have his hands all over her. He couldn’t explain why that thought zapped him with a lightning bolt of rage.
“Are you sure this is wise?” Alex stepped closer to her, his words soft, meant only for her. As if they existed inside their own private bubble, already connected on some tenth string of awareness. He had the disconcerting feeling that he could say anything to her no matter how shocking and she would take it in stride. Understanding him, understanding his lust-filled thoughts, as well as forgiving him with the same compassion she’d shown toward Mr. Gauss.
Why he thought she’d forgive him was beyond him and stupid, stupid, stupid.
“It’s my job.” She dismissed his concerns with a flicker of her eyelashes.
“I know you can hold your own physically.” Alex complimented her but she just shrugged.
He ran his gaze over her trim form, hyperaware of the warm citrus scent wafting around her. Sweat sheened on her skin as he leaned imperceptibly closer. She shivered, a little shimmy of arousal. If he had run his hands over her bare skin, she couldn’t have had a more immediate physical and sensual reaction to him. And dammit, he wanted to touch her. To drown in her. But that was a terrible idea. “You’re quick, responsive, and intuitive.”
“And that’s a problem?” She quivered, and he could literally feel her desire to get away from him.
“No, but you’re also a distraction.” Alex took a step back. He skimmed his gaze over her. “I can’t do my job if I’m more worried about the judge’s reaction to you and protecting you from him than about him.”
“Your feelings are your problem,” she replied coolly. “I am not responsible for them.”
Alex went cold at her words.
