Jade (The Kings of Guardian Book 9)

by Kris Michaels

  "I'm a lawyer. We state facts and get acknowledgements. It's kinda our thing." He lowered his lips toward hers and stopped a hair's breadth away from her. "I like thinking of you as mine. Even though you are slightly violent."

  His? Jade gasped right before Nic sealed his lips over hers. Her hand pulled out of the position he'd pinned it to and snaked up into his hair. She freed the other hand and pulled him down to her. Fuck it. If he was going to call her his, she sure as fuck was going to claim his ass and own it, too. Nic shifted and brought her closer against his body. There was no mistaking the hardness that pressed against her hip. She pulled away interspersing several small kisses as she broke the separation. "I have conditions."

  "Too late, not stipulated before the agreement was brokered." Nic winked at her and kissed along her jaw ending up at that spot behind her ear that sent shudders of sensation through her body.

  "Ah, no… Defense submits that the Plaintiff withheld exculpatory evidence and demands a re-examination of the terms of said agreement." Jade drew a deep breath and braced, forcing Nic's shoulders away. God, she really, really did not want to do that, but hey, she had the right to have a say since this was supposed to be a real relationship. Fifty-fifty and all that shit.

  Nic loosened his hold on her and leaned against the counter bringing her to stand between his legs-his long, muscled, sexy as fuck legs. Jade fought a shiver of delight as it raced down her spine and pooled deep inside her.

  "I thought you had conditions?"

  Oh, yeah… conditions. "Yes. First, I do my job. You do yours. No crossing lines. I won't let you interfere with what I do. So you stay out of my shit, and I'll stay out of yours. Agreed?"

  "Absolutely, unless it has to do with my mother's case and then we discuss it first." Nic bent and kissed her briefly. "Next condition."

  "If this doesn't work out, we agree to walk away. No massive fights, no blow-up. Got it?"

  "I promise I will not blow up. I have tended to avoid confrontations with my past liaisons, so I don't anticipate changing my ways. Yet, I can't help but wonder why you would agree to a relationship if you already assume one of us will be walking away."

  "No, counselor, I didn't say that. I said if this doesn't work we separate amicably." The more she thought about an idea of being with only one man the more panicked she got, but the thing that kept her from backing away from this agreement was Nicolas Fucking DeMarco. The man had somehow made his way under her skin. Continuous, distracting thoughts of him were festering right there… like a splinter. One she couldn't remove and irritating enough she couldn't forget it was there. Great, her relationship was like a fucking splinter-a sore, puss-filled… Jade shook her head.

  Nic held her attention when no others had managed to do so. His quiet assurance that he was the best she'd ever had and his wicked sense of humor were the cornerstones for an attraction that was quite unlike any thing she'd ever felt. Well, that and his fucking good looks and the molten hot sex.

  "Okay, are you done?" Nic asked, and she nodded. Jade opened her mouth to speak, but he lifted a finger and put it on her lips. "My conditions are next."

  Jade lifted an eyebrow. He wants to put conditions on a relationship that he asked for in the first place? She could hardly wait to hear what they were. She pulled away from his finger. "Sure, let's hear it. What constraints do you require on the relationship?" She leaned into him and couldn't resist putting her head on his shoulder and yawning. She needed another energy drink. It had been a long 24 hours.

  "Your family and my mother don't know about this until we figure it out."

  Jade popped her head off his shoulder and grabbed his biceps. "Oh, God! I concur. "Telling the families would be monumentally stupid and open us up to a shit-ton of grief." The vivid picture his words prompted sent a jolt of adrenaline through her system. She was no longer tired. The thought of her family getting a hold of the fact that she was actually in a relationship put gooseflesh on her arms. No, just no. Her brothers would have a field day. She'd have to kill them. And probably her sisters, too… maybe even her mom. Nah, she couldn't do that to her mom, but her brothers and sisters? A real possibility. Getting your ass arrested for a serial murder of your entire family probably wasn't a good thing. There definitely wasn't enough money in her 'Bail Jade out of Jail' account for a murder spree.

  "Right. Come on. Let's eat. Then I need to finish some work. I've told Jared I'll be working the night shift for the foreseeable future." Nic kissed her again, long and slow.

  Jade tipped her head up and arched away from him, more than a little curious. "Why?"

  "I figure Mom is safe as possible at the courthouse. The transit time between the courthouse and home is when she is most vulnerable. I want to be available to back you up if necessary. Besides, when you take her to work in the morning, most of the people I need to get updates from are already at work. I can assign duties and responsibilities, get briefings and get one hell of a lot more done at night than I could with constant interruptions during the day. Jared and I have worked split shifts in the past when things got hot and heavy. It works out well for everyone."

  Jade pulled her phone out of her back pocket. She peeked at the status of the alarm system and readouts of movements throughout the house. "Okay, food, then you and I both do what we get paid to do." She pushed up on her tiptoes and kissed him again. "I look forward to consummating this thing between us." Jade leaned against his hard cock and ground her hips against him.

  "It's a relationship. And fuck, don't start something we can't finish." Nic grabbed her butt and hauled her even closer.

  "Oh, I'll finish it, but not until your mother is under the protection of the US Marshals Service."

  Chapter Seventeen

  Nic collapsed and grabbed his chest as he rolled onto his back. His heart threatened to give out. He was forty years old, and this woman was going to kill him. Death by sex. Damn, what a way to go. "Oh man, I liked that. We need to do that again." Jade's breathless panting made him feel a little better. The woman had ridden him reverse cowgirl until his eyes crossed and he saw the heavens open up. God, could she ride, but he'd taken over because damn, the woman was a hunger he couldn't satisfy. He'd moved her to her hands and knees and finished with the hard fucking that they both loved. She was insatiable, and God help him, around her, so was he.

  "Yeah, okay. But give me a couple minutes." Nic pulled off the condom and tied it before he tossed it into the trash can. He flopped back down, rolling her toward him as he did. "Were there any problems at the courthouse this morning?" His mom was in the second week of the Triad trial. The U.S. Marshals Service continued to impress Nic with the all-out effort they made to ensure his mother's safety while she was in court. The FBI had subtly increased its presence, but it was appreciated nonetheless. There were armed guards everywhere. The Triad would be idiots to try to breach security.

  "Nope. I'm using different entrances and exits every day. Overall, the weakest point in our protection is when I exit the vehicle and go in to get her and then when she walks out at night with the marshals. I know we have eyes on the vehicle from above, but that distance makes me a little wonkey."

  "Is there anything we could do to mitigate the issue?" Nic ran his hand down her spine. His fingers traveled over her soft skin sending small shivers through her. Aftershocks of great sex, she'd called it once.

  "The New York office has two shadows on my tail going and coming from the courthouse. I have snipers on top of the building when I escort her in or out. The layers are effective and efficient. If this were my mom, I would know that I was doing everything I could to make sure she was safe." Jade trailed her fingertips through the hair on his chest. "Have there been any more leads from the FBI or NYPD?"

  Nic shook his head. "No. The Triad contingency in the city has been silent." As in dead silent and that was concerning as fuck. "The Ga
ngland Task Force is on pins and needles. The sergeant in charge of the group told me that he believes something big is brewing, but they have no solid intel to back up his supposition. Just the gut feelings of cops who've been doing the job forever."

  Jade pushed away from him and rolled onto her stomach, rising up on her elbows. She pulled her bottom lip into her mouth and nodded her head as she stared at the headboard. She shot him a sideways glance. "Something big? Okay, so let's spitball. A grand gesture by a gang. Drive-by shooting maybe?"

  "That, unfortunately, is an everyday thing." Nic put his arm under his head and stared at the ceiling. "But what about a full on assault? If they came en masse?"

  Jade nodded, considering his words. "But against who? Your mom was the only one we know of that was threatened. The house is secure. The courthouse has more guns in it than a third-world country. The witnesses are in protective custody. Your mom said if the lawyers don't pull anything unexpected they should wrap up the arguments within two weeks and remand it to the jury. She sequestered the jury the moment they took their oath, so tampering with them is a moot point. That leaves a limited window for them to strike a blow at someone who would force a mistrial: the prosecutor or his team or hell, maybe even the defense's own team-anything that would force a mistrial, I guess."

  "That would give them time to change the judge or find a way to manipulate a juror, maybe get a hung jury or even a not guilty judgement." Nic sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed. He knew in his gut something ominous hung over this case, but he couldn't figure out what it was or where it would be coming from. He and Jade had run these scenarios repeatedly. There was nothing but supposition and a heaping helping of paranoia.

  He reached back and smacked Jade on the ass. "Get some sleep. I have a conference with Jason and Jared, so I'm up for a couple more hours."

  "What is the conference about?" Jade stretched, pulling the sheet down and exposing her long, sexy back. Her ivory skin sang him a siren's song. Fuck, he'd never had a woman enthrall him like she did.

  "Hey, DeMarco, close the mouth and eyes up here."

  He tugged his eyes away from the sensuous dip of her back and up to her laughing face.

  "That's it, big boy. Conference?"

  Nic shook his head and smirked. "My business, not yours. No crossing lines, remember? Your condition."

  Jade softened a burst of laughter and waved her hand at him. "Fine, go forth and push paper. I'm going to cuddle into these soft sheets and go to sleep." She pulled the sheet up over her shoulder and snuggled down into the pillow. "Don't forget to check the security feeds before you lock yourself in the office." Her words emerged muffled from the depths of the pillow.

  "Stop working and go to sleep." Nic went into the guest room's ensuite and took a quick shower. He needed to clear the cobwebs before the meeting. They were discussing a case that needed a specialized skillset, and Nic wasn't exactly convinced that Jason's idea to meet those needs was going to work.

  He checked the feeds after his shower and then headed downstairs. Nic made a single cup of coffee. He settled into his desk where he clicked open his browser and started to log back into Guardian's system.

  The video conference icon was active. Nic clicked on it and brought up three screens. Jason, Jared, and Jacob were each in their own environment. When they noticed his log on, all three unmuted.

  "Good morning. Nic, I know we are reaching into your evening hours, but we need to sort this case out so we can set the groundwork." Jason pulled a few sheets of paper toward him and then examined the computer video screen.

  "Not a problem. I appreciate you letting me work the alternate schedule." Nic lifted his coffee cup and saluted the big guy.

  "Whatever it takes." Jason's distracted words received three unanimous and immediate replies, "As long as it takes."

  Nic sipped his coffee and relaxed in his chair. They hashed out the details of the case, with all four of the members brainstorming the best tactic for combining an overseas and domestic approach to prevent a known counterfeiter's seemingly miraculous jumps from continent to continent.

  "No, I don't think he's using commercial aircraft. It has to be a private conveyance and the lag of times before he appears again…"

  "Fuck! Did you see that? Turn on the news! Now!" Jacob's urgent interruption swung Nic's head to the television. He stood and grabbed the remote. It took several seconds before he understood what he was seeing.No… no!

  He grabbed his phone and bolted out the office door toward the front of the house, screaming at the top of his lungs, "Jade! Jade! Wake the fuck up! The courthouse has been bombed!"

  Jade stumbled down the stairs as he started up them. She had her weapons, shoes, and shirt in her hand. The woman had thrown on a sports bra and tugged her jeans on but left them unfastened.

  "Lets go! You drive!" Jade lobbed him the keys as she spoke.

  Nic caught the keyring, and they flew out of the front door. Jade slammed the front door shut and scurried into the passenger side as Nic threw the SUV into gear. He flipped on the SUV's emergency lights and siren. Her phone rang once before she answered it and put it on speaker. Her phone landed in a cup holder as Jason's voice came over the vehicle's Bluetooth speaker. "We are in contact with NYPD and the U.S. Marshals office. The explosion was in the southeast corner of the building."

  Jade grabbed Nic's arm. "We don't know if court was in session."

  Nic glanced at the digital clock. 10:30 a.m. Unless the court was in a recess… Fuck, his mother's chambers were with the other judges on the fourth floor on the north side of the building. He could only pray she was in her office. The courtrooms, clerk's offices, and meeting rooms were staggered throughout the facility. The massive devastation he saw on the brief glimpse of video footage meant the bomb was big enough to demolish one side of the cement and marble structure.

  "First responder reports are coming in. Nic, the marshals are trying to secure the scene, and they will give me an update as soon as they know anything." That was Jared's voice.

  "J, do they know if my mom's court was in session?" Nic slammed on the brakes and took a corner on two wheels. He cast a quick glance at Jade. The momentum of the corner damn near ejected her out of her seat. Jade didn't say a word, but grabbed her shoe that had tumbled into the back seat. Stoic and unshakable, she continued to get dressed.

  "Hold on. I've got the marshals on line." Jason's gravelly voice answered.

  Jade pulled on her shirt and shoulder holster. She clipped on her badge and handcuffs on the waistband of her jeans. Nic slammed his foot on the accelerator and jerked the wheel violently, steering the SUV over a curb, along a sidewalk, and back down past a car that refused to get out of the way.

  "Dude, there could have been pedestrians." Jade reached for her seatbelt and strapped it on.

  "There weren't." Nic pushed the vehicle to its limits, weaving in and out of traffic. Even with the urgency with which he was driving, it would take too long to get to the courthouse. "What are you hearing, J?" Nic knew his best friend wouldn't blow smoke up his ass.

  "It doesn't look good. I'm waiting for Jason just like you, but the pictures being broadcast… the entire building has received damage. A few ambulances are on scene along with the first wave of fire and rescue. It's bad." Jared's voice seemed to echo in the cabin of the SUV. Jade pointed toward a vacant lane and Nic swerved into it and accelerated.

  "Nic, you need to slow down, or you will kill us or someone else." Jade's calm voice floated from the passenger seat.

  He peered down at the speedometer. Seventy in a forty zone. He drew a deep breath and lifted his foot slightly. She was right, but fuck, he needed to get to that courthouse.

  "Nic, your mom's court was in session. According to the marshal I spoke with, it was on the opposite side of the building. The U.S. Marshals Service cannot reach the men assigned t
o your mother's location. The floors above the level your mom's court was on have collapsed. Three courtrooms, all in session, are now unreachable. First responders can see some movement through the windows, and they are working on getting to that side of the building, but they are dealing with a gas main break and unstable debris at the front of the building first."

  "Son of a bitch! We knew they were going to do something big. How the fuck did they get close enough to put a fucking bomb outside the building?" Nic slammed his fist against the steering wheel and swore bitterly. He stared out the front windshield and tried to get a grip on his runaway emotions.

  "I do know the U.S. Marshals Service has checked the logs. There were no reports of anyone outside the building for the last twenty-four hours. Nothing immediately before the explosion either. We don't know the bomb was located outside the facility. It could have been inside or a projectile." Jason's calm voice fed them the information.

  "Who is the on-scene commander and where is the entry control point set up?" Jade asked as they flew past cars and weaved through traffic.

  "Your point of contact will be Captain Young, NYFD. You can't get within two blocks right now. They are expanding the cordon from five hundred feet to three thousand, so you're going to have to find someplace to ditch the truck soon. The gas leak is endangering first responders and survivors. Utilities are working on it…" Jewell's voice came over the phone.

  Until that moment, he hadn't realized Jason had mobilized all available resources and Guardian personnel in the D.C. Headquarters to deal with this disaster.

  Nic floored the accelerator and drove like a bat flying straight out of hell. There were no more communications from Guardian Headquarters. He knew they had the phone on mute while they scrambled for information and rerouted resources in the area to help.