“That has nothing to do with-”
“Of course it does! You never like anything that I do.”
“No, wait a minute.”
“You heard me. I am going to do what I have to do here, so get out of my way!”
“Mel, wait!”
“And I’m not leaving either!” Amelia threw her towel at him and spun on her heels and opened the door to leave.
“Mel!”
“And you can forget about the dinner I was going to cook for you! Believe me; I don’t cook for anyone!”
“Mel. Mel!” Jack shouted after her.
“What? She said but didn’t turn around to face him.
“I’m sorry,” he said walking up to her before she could retreat to the locker room again.
“What?”
Jack knew his words had stung, but he didn’t realize how much he had hurt her let alone how much hurting her had affected him.
“I’m sorry for what I had said.”
Amelia turned around just then, and Jack swore he could see tears in her eyes. “It’s not true you know.”
“I know. I just, I shouldn’t have said that.” Jack sighed and muttered, “I’m not very good at this.”
“At what?”
“Explaining. Talking. I shouldn’t have said what I did.”
“Maybe I didn’t think about how abrasive I can be,” she said after a moment. “But you had no right to say all those things you said.”
“I hurt your feelings. I’m sorry. Really.”
“Well, that’s a start I guess.”
“A start?”
“Well you are tough to get along with too, you know.”
“Me?” Jack step forward. “You think I’m hard to deal with?”
“Yes. But I’ll admit that I can be hard to deal with too. I didn’t want to hear anything bad, I guess. I’ve been very fulfilled here.”
“I can see that. Will you still have dinner with me?”
“Really?” Amelia beamed.
“Yeah, but let me cook. As a peace offering.”
“Okay.” Amelia beamed. “I’ll meet you in the parking garage an hour.”
“Alright,” Jack said in agreement. When Amelia smiled, he always got a strange feeling. His heart always dropped, and it left him breathless. As she walked away to shower up and get ready, he just stood there like an idiot and wondered about himself. The thought of having dinner with her made him feel unusually happy. After years of being alone, Jack surprised himself by feeling glad she was here.
Chapter Seven
An hour later, Amelia headed into the parking garage and kept on walking to find Jack’s car to see if he was already waiting there or by the elevators. As Agent Smith passed by waving her a good night a few minutes later, Amelia noticed a red light pointed at his back. She quickly scanned the garage and saw two men she recognized in a dark vehicle with a gun pointed directly at Agent Smith.
Amelia ducked as she pulled Agent Smith to the ground between the elevator wall and a parked car. Gunfire aimed at the car shattered its windows onto them. Amelia sat up slowly and slowly opened the door to try and hotwire it to start. She fumbled with the wires and managed to jump the engine and shifts the car in reverse as the gunfire continued. Unfortunately for her, the other car with the two men in it blocked its path and get gets smashed into. Without hesitation, Amelia opened the car door and rolls out into a somersault out of the way of the collision as Agent Smith took off running back to CIA headquarters.
Amelia picked up her bag and starts running down the parking garage lane trying to evade the car. Meanwhile, the surviving man sluggishly got out of his own vehicle, blood running down the side of his face. He cautiously walked up to the damaged vehicle Amelia was just in only to see no one inside and then heard rapid footsteps ways away.
Amelia continued to dart quickly in the parking garage as the shooter spotted her and quickly followed after her. After she reached another elevator on the other side of the garage, Amelia frantically pounds on the up/down button only to realize the OUT OF ORDER sign. She started to hear rapid footsteps nearing her and Amelia quickly hides in between some of the closest cars. Amelia was breathing heavily due to both exhaustion and adrenaline and could hear the footsteps nearby.
The steps started to slow down, and Amelia peeked through the corner of a car window and saw the gunman walking around as he checked each car one-by-one. Amelia made a quick decision and rushed him from behind and punched the gunman and knocked the gun out of his grasp. He tried hitting her but she had moved out of the way; he countered with a quick hook to her rib cage followed by an overhand punch to her face; Amelia gasped as she fell to the ground out of breath. Angrily she managed to sweep his leg, and the gunman fell backward onto the trunk of a parked car and quickly grabbed the gun on the ground and shot him twice in the chest. His body sunk to the ground, lifeless.
Amelia breathed heavily as she gasped for air and tried to calm down. She could hear footsteps behind her and Amelia quickly turned around with her gun pointed at Jack with a few agents behind him.
“Jack, I – I….”
“Shh, it’s okay now. I’ve got you.” Jack cooed as he pulled Amelia into his arms. “I was on the third level getting my car when I heard the shots and car tires screeching, and I got a call from Smith about what had just happened, I called ops for back up and ran down as fast as I could. I’m sorry that I couldn’t get here sooner.”
“It’s okay. Can we go get dinner now?” Amelia said holding him tighter, and Jack laughs.
“Okay, I’ll let ops handle clean up. Give me a few minutes for updates.”
A couple of hours later, they made it to Jack’s home after he decided to not make a quick stop at the grocery store. He wanted nothing more than to ensure her safety. After scanning his fridge, he decided he had enough ingredients to make Coq Au Vin, a French, chicken braised with wine recipe.
“This is a fantastic place, Jack! It’s huge! How long have you lived here?”
“About ten years,” Jack called from the kitchen. It was big and styled as a chef’s kitchen. He walked over and watched her look around his living room. Exploring the décor, his trinkets, photographs and old books. He found himself staring for a bit before he set about making dinner.
Amelia joined him a few minutes later and started to talk about the happiest moments from her childhood living in foster homes before adoption. She was careful not to provide any clues to her association to Baladin but was able to talk about the ordinary things.
Jack tried to listen to the details and cook as much as he could, but he mostly watched her talk. The sparkle in her eyes, her mischievous smile and her enthusiasm were endearing. He found himself upbeat around her. Energy radiated her like warmth from the sun. It cheered him up.
She rambled and got in his way without being of use, so he ushered her back to the counter and asked her to prepare the bread and salad. She completed whatever task he put in front of her, and ninety minutes later, the food was ready at last.
They ate at the kitchen island counter, and it felt comfortable that way. Jack was happy to listen to her ramble on and on and paid little attention to the dinner he had just cooked. Amelia’s energy seemed to be limitless and infectious.
When it was time for dessert, he suddenly found his mind drifting to what it would be like to kiss her again; a thought that surprised the hell out of him.
She found him staring and as she propped her chin on her hands, “What are you thinking about?”
“What?” Jack asked as he woke up from his trance.
“I asked what you were thinking about.”
“Oh, dessert.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, but that’s the one thing I do not have.”
“That’s okay. I am full, thank you for dinner.”
“You are most welcome. I do have some Roda Cirsion red wine if you would like to join me in the living room.”
“Sure I’d love to.”
Jack showed up later with an uncorked bottle of Cirsion and two wine glasses. He poured expertly and handed her a glass and then poured one for himself.
“I feel like I want to ask you a million questions, but lucky for you I won’t.” Amelia joked as she quickly emptied the wine glass.
“That was incredible. I don’t drink wine, but you might have just made me a fan.”
Jack remained quiet and watched Amelia stretch every muscle in her lean frame as he leaned back against the crook in the couch to watch. Both toned and very feminine.
“This is a comfortable home. Seems very cozy.” She said as she adjusted herself and scooted closer to him to get more comfortable.
After a long conversation about Jack and his upbringing, Amelia was surprised that he was wealthy because he didn’t come across as such unless you considered his suits and car, but without seeing those things, you wouldn’t have guessed. He certainly didn’t live like it.
Amelia yawned and kissed him on the cheek and rested her head on his shoulder. Jack surprised himself as he wrapped his arms around her as she stretched again before settling into his arms. His thumb caressed her cheek and smoothed her bangs out of her face. Jack gazed at her and felt his throat tighten as he gulped. His mouth went dry with the realization entered his mind of what Amelia being in his arms meant. He surveyed the shape of her thighs, the softness of her check and the fullness of her lips. Her curves pressed against the cotton fabric of her blouse. He could not look away. Jack promised himself weeks ago he wouldn’t go there; he didn’t want to disappoint or hurt her, but he couldn’t help it; it had been a long time.
He titled her chin up as she gazed back him. His eyes sought hers, and she looked at him with awareness and understanding, something in her eyes got to him. His lips hovered as his thumb caressed her bottom lip, and then he kissed her. It was a soft and sweet kiss; he wanted to take his time as much as he could. The intention eventually turned to urgency. He anxiously started to fumble with his suit jacket and a button-down shirt and let them fall to the floor without letting her go.
He began to unbutton Amelia’s dress shirt and slipped it off of her in one fluid movement leaving a white undershirt. Jack closed his eyes feeling ridiculous at first, but he didn’t care anymore. He didn’t care what happened tonight, all he cared about was here and now.
Amelia bit his bottom lip, and her hands reached up underneath his tank top and caressed his chest before sliding lower, and Jack started to groan in anticipation. Amelia’s lips moved to his neck and the feeling of her hot breath on his, burned through him. He could feel the rise of her chest against his, and his fingers moved of its own accord underneath the cotton fabric. He pulled the material down and cupped her breast with his palm.
Amelia grabbed at him through his slacks, and the pressure of the fabric felt like agony to him. He pushed her gently onto her back, lifting the undershirt higher until he managed it off of her and kissed her there. She dug her fingers into his hair as her breaths became more intensified. Jack reached down and undid her pants and slid them along with the silk material down her legs until they fell to the floor beneath them. Jack grabbed his belt buckle and unclasped it before unzipping his slacks.
Without wasting time, Jack reached behind Amelia grabbed her from behind and pulled her to him anxiously as he guided himself into her. He thrust into her roughly as he pulled her against him and buried his face in the crook of her neck. She arched her back during their lovemaking, and he moved more quickly as his hands gripped her buttocks tightly. Jack began to grunt like a mad man or an animal that echoed in the big, silent house.
Her nails dug into his back, and his movements increased higher and higher until he was close to climaxing and she screamed in pleasure against his neck. Her legs wrapped tightly around him, and he let out a cry of his own.
Shuddering and then collapsing on her, he laid there breathing heavily. They were both sweaty from their lovemaking, and neither one said a word nor moved for a long time.
After Jack had caught his breath, he propped himself up, still above her he caressed her face with his hands as his eyes sought hers again.
“Doing okay?” Jack inquired.
“I’m doing great considering.” Amelia smiled and gives Jack a quick peck on the lips.
Holding her face in his hands, Jacks starts to envelop her in another kiss and starts to thrust into her slowly for a second round. Determined to take his time.
“Good night Mel,” Jack whispered later as he laid there for an extended period of time holding Amelia in his arms contemplating recent events. He hadn’t thought about women in years; he hadn’t let anyone get close enough.
He rarely ever looked at other women and contemplated sexual thoughts about them, not the way she did. Sitting there, listening to her breathe, hearing her heartbeat and feeling her warmth. He laid there content to hold her and eventually closed his eyes.
Amelia woke up the next morning covered in a thick blanket on the same love seat from the night before, but where was Jack?
Suddenly she heard voices outside. She got dressed quickly and quietly walked to a window and saw Jack outside talking with Agent Greyson Clarke.
“I thought he was on vacation,” Amelia said to herself. Just then her phone vibrated. It was from an unknown sender. The text read: One for One. The deal is not done. It ends tonight. It must have been the work of Aleksandr Baladin or one of his henchmen.
Amelia looked up as Greyson, and Jack talked. They both glanced up at her, and she backed away from the window and went to sit back down on the love seat.
Just then she heard the two men come inside.
“What’s going on?”
“Uh. Maybe you should tell Mel.” Greyson said.
“Smith is gone,” Jack explained.
“What? What do you mean gone?”
“He’s dead.”
“How? What happened? Tell me!”
“We think it was Baladin. Smith was investigating a tip alone last night and was determined especially with what happened to both of you yesterday. He didn’t tell anyone. They found his body this morning in an alleyway near where anyone last saw him.”
“Oh my God.”
“Yeah, I know. We’ve got to get back to the office and get the team together. Mel, you stay here. I’ll be right back.”
“Okay.”
“Come on, let’s go.” Greyson urged as Jack grabbed his holster, badge and suit jacket.
“I’ll come back for you, I promise,” Jack said quickly and kissed Amelia on the forehead before he took off with Agent Clarke.
Amelia didn’t know what to do. For the first time, she was unsure. Her entire plan was unraveling. She came here with every intention of taking care of this but not only were her parents in town, but Baladin and his men were as well.
And now, the CIA will be going after all of them, including her parents. What will Jack think when he discovers her true identity and her entire plan. He will find out that was the daughter of Russian assassins affiliated with the KGB, which made her an accomplice as well.
What will he think? But she couldn’t betray her family. She was expected to side with them. But she didn’t want Jack, Greyson, and the team to come into any harm. She had to do something, and she had to do it quick. She had to stop everything from being destroyed tonight.
Amelia had just hung up with the cab company when she heard a knock on the door, Jack must have forgotten something. Amelia opened the front door, “What did you forget this time?”
It was Natasha.
“Mama, what are you doing here?” Amelia said surprised.
“I could ask you the same thing, Myshka,” Natasha said as she walked into the living room.
“I-I…” was all Amelia could say.
“Don’t think I don’t know what’s going on, lucky for you, we took care of it.”
“Took care of
what?” Amelia asked.
Natasha didn’t answer right then and surveyed the living room instead, looking at the belongings that made up Jack West’s psyche.
“Took care of what, Mama?” Amelia pleaded.
“Took care of what you couldn’t, Amelia. Two of our men were killed yesterday, and it infuriated Aleksandr. Your father and I had to take care of it quickly.”
“It was you, wasn’t it? You killed Agent Eli Smith didn’t you?”
“He was responsible for the death of those men and for your Uncle Nicolai, we heard it on surveillance.” Natasha nodded towards Amelia’s pocket.
Amelia reached in into her pocket and pulled out her cellphone. “You put a bug in my phone?”
“It wasn’t my idea. We are all tracked remember.” Natasha had reminded Amelia before she opened the front door to leave. “Amelia, promise me you’ll remember which side you’re on, and you need to end whatever you have going on with Jack immediately.”
“Mama…”
“Immediately, Amelia,” Natasha said as she shut the front door and took off.
Taking the cab back to headquarters, Amelia rushed to find Jack. He was standing around the conference room table with other agents, most Level 6 except Greyson, Johnson, and Woods looking at copies of the Baladin dossier and engagement plans. Remembering what Jack said about being a bystander, Amelia paced around frantically.
A few minutes later they emerged from the conference room, loading up their glocks and badges.
Amelia ran to Jack. “Let me come with you!”
“Mel? What are you doing here? I asked you to stay at my house.”
“I couldn’t just sit there. Take me with you please.”
“Mel-”
“Please!” Amelia pleaded.
“Fine. Clarke!”
“Yeah, Jack?” Greyson said as he jogged over.
“Accompany, Woods and Johnson and check out the intel on the Warehouse on 3rd and Wilshire. Mel will investigate the Langley Inn with me.”
One Little Letter_A Bad Boy, Second Chance Romance Page 12
