Rush

by Beth Yarnall

  Gann was coming for her, expecting her to be ready for him. Why was he doing this? What had she done to attract his attention? The trembling started as a shiver. Before she knew it she was shaking hard enough to make her teeth clack together.

  “Querida.” Lucas came from behind her and wrapped his arms around her, bringing her into his warmth. “Ssh, I’m here.”

  She didn’t want him to know how much Gann’s note shook her so she went for the second equally awful thing. “Tracey was my friend. How could I have been so wrong about her?”

  “Come and sit down with me.” He brought her over to the couch at the foot of the bed. “I know it’s hard when someone you care about deceives you.”

  Mi thought about his ex-fiancée and how Vanessa had deceived him in the worst way. “I guess you would know about that.”

  He gave a brief nod of acknowledgement.

  “I lost two friends in that bombing,” she said, looking out at the Dallas skyline. “Davy and Tracey.” She wished she could cry, maybe that would release the aching knot that had a strangle-hold on her chest. “I don’t have very many friends.”

  “You have me.”

  “Do I?” She couldn’t keep the dull edge of doubt from turning her words hard.

  “If you want me.”

  She looked at him then, weighing his sincerity. What she saw tugged at the knot in her chest, loosening it a little. “Lucas, I…” What? What would she do? Promise him the forever she saw in his eyes, knowing she couldn’t follow through? No, she wouldn’t do that to him. “Why did you sleep on the couch last night?” The question slipped out without having formed into a thought first.

  “I didn’t mean to, but that couch is really comfortable,” he said with a hint of nervous laughter. “I might just keep it.”

  “We could work something out. Like a time share or something.”

  “That wouldn’t work for me. I’m an all or nothing kind of guy.”

  She couldn’t answer, the words crashing against the back of her throat like an eighteen-car pile up. They were right there fully formed yet immobile, all the things she wanted to say.

  Disappointment flashed briefly across his face before he set her hand in her lap and stood up. “Are you hungry?” he asked lightly.

  As if cued, her stomach rumbled.

  “I’ll take that as a yes,” he said, one corner of his mouth kicking up. “Do you want to go out or stay in?”

  “Stay in.”

  They ordered some food and ate it in front of the TV, watching an action adventure movie Lucas chose. Mi picked up the remains of their dinner, purposely missing the bloody fight at the end of the movie. She took the opportunity to call Jason in the privacy of the kitchen.

  “Hey, I was just calling to check in. How’s mom?”

  “Hang on a sec.” She could hear the TV in the background and then quiet. “She’s okay,” he said after a few moments. “Hasn’t tried to choke me or anything so I guess that’s good.”

  Mi ignored his dig. “But she seems calm?”

  “Yeah, maybe even a little calmer than usual. How’s your throat?”

  “It’s okay.” She fingered the scarf around her neck, not wanting to tell him about the scratches and bruises that had bloomed to a violent bluish purple.

  “You know I only went along with what you wanted because of the studio bombing. But I’m telling you, Mi, this is it. She pulls one more crazy ass stunt and I’m turning her in. Whether you okay it or not.”

  “Jason, no. Please promise me you won’t do that.”

  “I’m not making that promise.”

  “Please, Jas.”

  “She tried to kill you.”

  Mi could feel the panic swelling up in her chest. “Jason, if you do that I will take her and move and you will never see us again. I mean it.”

  “Mi—”

  “I mean it.”

  “What the hell’s going on in here?” Lucas asked from the kitchen doorway.

  “Damn it, Mi,” Jason growled.

  “I gotta go. Don’t forget what I said.” Mi clicked the phone off before he could respond.

  Lucas leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed over his chest. “I take it that was Jason.”

  She didn’t respond, thinking about how she could go around him and avoid the coming conversation all together.

  “You’d rather move, leave your brother, your job, your life than get your mother the help she needs?”

  “This is none of your business.”

  “None of my business. Haven’t we been over this?”

  “I don’t want to talk about this right now.” She made a move to go around him, but he blocked her, filling the doorway.

  “What are you hiding?”

  “Nothing.” But she couldn’t meet his gaze, couldn’t give him the answers he wanted.

  “Oh, you’re hiding something all right and I’m going to find out what it is. Either you can tell me yourself or Malcolm will find out what it is for me.”

  Her gaze snapped up to his. “You’re having me investigated?”

  “What has you so scared you’re willing to throw away your life to protect it?”

  “Leave it alone.” She shoved at him, her efforts as useless as if she pushed on a brick wall. “Let me go.”

  “No. Not until you tell me what’s going on. What affects you affects me.”

  Her laugh sounded sharp and harsh, an echoing alarm that she was on the edge of control. “None of this affects you. Don’t you get it? We’re temporary. As soon as Doyle Gann is caught whatever this is between us is over.”

  “Is that what you want?”

  “That’s what is.” She made a back and forth motion between them. “This was never going to last. We let off some steam, that’s all. It was great. Really great. But it was just sex.” Her argument sounded hollow even to her ears.

  He gave her a pitying look. “Just some really great sex. Sure.” He pivoted, giving her room to pass. “Good night. I hope you sleep well… fuck buddy,” he said just as she went by him.

  She kept walking, the stabbing pain of his words making it difficult to breathe. She’d asked for it, provoked him, but that didn’t make it hurt less. Didn’t make what she was doing any easier. It was the right thing, making the break early. It would be better in the long run, she repeated to herself a dozen or more times as she lay alone in the big bed that night with Lucas back in the spare bedroom down the hall.

  The scent of their nights together on the sheets brought images of their bodies twisted and twined. She hugged his pillow, the smell of him mocking her every time she inhaled. The cat leapt on the bed and curled into the small of her back. At least she wouldn’t be alone with her memories.

  *****

  Lucas awoke to darkness and silence. But something was off. He could feel it in the air. He listened hard, straining to separate out the normal household noises from what had woken him up. Nothing. The sense of wrongness came again this time stronger. Yeah, definitely off. He put his hand on his gun, lifting it from the nightstand without a sound. Using the skills he’d honed over the years, he climbed out of bed, controlling his movements and breathing.

  He crept down the hall. His only thought was to get to Mi and make sure she was safe. Hugging the wall, gun in hand at his side, he moved closer to the master bedroom. A low murmur then a gasp from the bedroom brought his head up. Everything in him screamed for him to rush the room. His training kicked in, quickly tamping down that instinct. More deep whispers, then a squeak of protest suddenly cut off. He adjusted his grip on the gun as the outline of a man against the light of the windows came into view.

  In the dimness he could make out Mi on the bed looking up at the man, her head back, her hair fisted in his hand. Fury white-hot and rabid exploded through him. He raised his gun and waited, sighting a kill shot. He had to be sure the bastard didn’t have a weapon on her. The man pulled her from the bed. Her muffled yelp arrowed through him. She resisted the intruder’
s efforts to drag her toward the door, toward Lucas. Good girl.

  Lucas inched closer. He ran a hand along the wall inside the bedroom. The man hauled her up, speaking in a harsh murmur. Mi nodded, her head bobbing up and down in instant agreement. With a smothered sob, she stopped resisting. The fucking bastard reached down and cupped her ass, bringing her up against his body. He whispered something, then chuckled, grinding his pelvis into her stomach. Fuck.

  Lucas flipped the light switch, bathing the room in light. The first thing he noted was the knife in Gann’s hand pressed against Mi’s throat.

  His finger tensed on the trigger. “Let her go.”

  Pulling Mi around in front of him, Gann laughed. “I’m taking what I came for.” He jerked her head back by her hair, rubbing the edge of the blade along the bruises on her neck. He licked her cheek. “You and me got a date to keep. Ain’t that right sweet thing?”

  Mi leaned back against Gann, gripping his knife arm, barely keeping her balance on tiptoe. Her eyes wide, mouth parted, she stared at Lucas, scarcely breathing. One false move and she’d come down on the knife at her throat. Lucas had the shot, two to the head. Mi would go down when Gann did. Lucas kept his focus on Gann’s movement.

  “How’d you get in here?” Lucas asked, watching for an opening, waiting for a shot that wouldn’t risk Mi.

  “Well, see, that’s an interesting story. But I don’t have time for that now.”

  “Probably be all lies anyway,” Lucas taunted.

  Gann tightened his hold on Mi, the blade slid against her skin. A thin trickle ran down her neck from where he’d pierced her. The blood pounded in Lucas’s ears, his vision narrowed, hazed over in red.

  “The bitches love me, always have. You’ll see baby,” Gann said to Mi. “I fuck real good. Your neighbor thought so,” he said to Lucas. “Paid her a little attention and she practically fell on her back, legs spread. See, I been watching. Watching and waiting. Picked the right bird and she brings me right in.”

  Gann glanced around. “Her apartment’s not as nice as this, but that didn’t matter for what I had in mind. Knew what floor you were on, figured I’d kill two birds with one stone.” He chuckled to himself. “Two birds. One stone. Get it?” The knife glinted.

  “Still doesn’t explain how you got in,” Lucas said, sliding into the room.

  “This building’s just like pussy, once you’re in you’re golden. It’s the getting in that’s the trick and I got in.” He winked at Mi. “Then I got in. And here I am, baby, just like I promised.”

  “Let her go and I’ll let you live,” Lucas replied.

  Gann snorted. “You don’t get it. She don’t come with me and I won’t care if I live or die.”

  “And you don’t get that she’s not going anywhere with you.”

  “I’ll kill her. And welcome death. We can’t be together in life.” Gann jerked Mi’s head. “We’ll be together in death.”

  The coldness of Gann’s words seemed to freeze something in Mi. She looked at Lucas as though she wanted to give up. “I’ll go,” Mi conceded, drawing Gann’s arm down. “Let us pass, Lucas.”

  Gann’s face split into a terrible smile of triumph. “You heard her. Move back, asshole!”

  Lucas could see that Mi had her feet under her now. He took a half step to the side, away from the door, his gun still trained on the center of Gann’s forehead. They shifted toward him.

  “Go on. Get back,” Gann ordered, caressing the side of Mi’s face with the hand that had held her hair. “My baby and me’s got plans. I’ve waited three years. I came for you just like I said I would, didn’t I, baby?”

  Lucas took another step, keeping at an angle.

  “Yes, you did,” Mi replied, her gaze fastened on Lucas. “Just like you promised.”

  “I’m good at keeping promises. I’m gonna do all those things I wrote you about in my letter.” Gann ran his hand down her chest, pinching at her breast.

  Mi’s eyes widened, her lips pressing together. Rage burned a scorching path through Lucas, wavering his vision.

  “Uh, you like that, do you?” Gann asked her, pressing into her from behind. “Feel that? That’s all for you, baby. Just wait till I get you alone.”

  Mi seemed to sigh in enjoyment, sagging a little, drawing Gann off balance. Lucas took the shot. Two. Just as he’d trained. Gann’s expression flipped from cocky to shocked. He spiraled backwards in a slow motion arc.

  Mi used her grip on Gann’s arm to push herself away from Gann and the knife. Lucas rushed her, catching her before she hit her head on the side of the bed. He kicked the knife away even though it was clear the fucker was dead.

  Lucas cradled her against him. “Jesus, Querida. Are you all right?”

  She tilted her head back. “I think he might have nicked me, but I’m okay.” She shuddered. “He had his hands on me… the things he said…”

  He examined her neck, frowning over the shallow cuts oozing blood. “He can’t ever get to you again.”

  “He’s… dead?”

  Lucas would make the shot again, would have made it even sooner had it been safe, but that assertion did little to relieve the grimness of taking a life. “Yeah.”

  She looked up at him, her amazing amber eyes shining with unshed tears. He swallowed hard. How did she see him now? He’d done what he had to. Given the choice he’d do it again. Would that change how she viewed him?

  “Thank you,” she whispered.

  Aw, fuck. Gratitude. “Don’t.”

  She reached up and stroked the side of his face. “I know it wasn’t easy for you.”

  “Easier than seeing him paw at you.”

  “I’m glad he’s dead.”

  He glanced down at the still form, slowly bleeding into his bedroom carpet. He felt something close to gladness, relief maybe? “Let’s get you out of here. We need to call Rolls and report this.”

  *****

  An hour and a half later, the apartment swarmed with cops and a tech crew. Lucas sat in the living room with Rolls. Mi was with another detective in the kitchen. They confiscated Lucas’s gun, which he’d expected. Rolls took Lucas through his story again, asking a lot of the same questions he had the first time around.

  “We’ll talk again,” Rolls finally said. “I’m not gonna arrest you tonight. Chances are there won’t be any charges, but you’re gonna need to stay in town.”

  “Sure. We’ll probably stay in a hotel tonight. You’ve got my cell number.”

  Rolls stood as Mi came into the room with the other detective and addressed his comments to her. “From what we can tell, looks like Gann acted alone.”

  “So it’s over,” she said, relief making her words a sigh.

  “Yeah,” Rolls answered, his gaze flicking back and forth between Lucas and Mi. “Looks like. You’re free to go. Smith’ll go with you to pack a bag if you want.”

  Mi nodded and followed the other detective into the bedroom.

  An officer approached Rolls and whispered something to him. “Jesus H. Christmas! Are you sure?” The officer answered too low for Lucas to hear. “Shoot.” Rolls responded. “All right. Better have the tech guys head on down there next. I’ll be along shortly.” Rolls shook his head, turning back to Lucas. “We found that neighbor Gann talked ‘bout.” Rolls said to Lucas. “Dead.”

  “Damn.”

  “You saved the tax payers a lot of money.” Rolls nudged Lucas with his elbow, that just-us-buds smile accordioning his face. “Nice placement. Two right to the center of the forehead.” He shook his head. “Sure you don’t want to come over to our side? We could sure use you, what with your training and all.”

  There was nothing except a black hole in Lucas where the expected pride should have been. What was there to be proud of? He wasn’t sorry Gann was dead, but he wasn’t happy about it either. “I’ll think about it.” He wouldn’t. He admired cops, he just didn’t see himself as ever being one.

  Rolls reached up and clapped him on the shoulder. “You
do that. You do that. I’d best check on things in the other room. You take care of your lady.” He left Lucas standing in the living room with people moving around him like a rock in a stream.

  Lucas didn’t correct him. Mi wasn’t his lady or anything else at the moment. His role as her bodyguard was officially over. He jammed his hands in the front pockets of his jeans. She’d made it clear their time was limited. Hell, she’d pretty much said it was already over. So where did that leave them now?

  Mi came back into the room, carrying two overnight bags and a pet carrier. “I crated Gooch and packed some things for you, too.” She handed him one of the bags.

  He took that one and the other one as well. “Are you ready?”

  “Sure.”

  Wanting to remember how things once were, he gave the apartment one last look with all of Mi’s things in it. They’d all go back tomorrow along with her most likely. Dawn crested, tinting the buildings orange and yellow and casting that light into the room in thin golden rays. Over. Finished. Complete. How sick was he that he almost wished Gann wasn’t dead? Wished they had more time to work things out.

  They stepped into the elevator and stood side by side, staring up at the decreasing numbers in silence.

  Mi cast Lucas an uncertain glance. He’d been so quiet since the shooting. She worried about him. Knowing his past, she understood how hard it had been for him to pull the trigger. He’d given up that life when he’d left the military and yet here he was back in it to defend her. She slipped her hand into his. Out of the corner of her eye she caught his surprise at the gesture.

  She gave his hand a little squeeze. “Where are we going?”

  “I was thinking a hotel.”

  The unspoken question was there, dangling in the spaces between his words. He was giving her the choice. In or out? With me or not? She drifted closer, leaning against his arm. She was grateful for what he’d done for her, but it wasn’t gratitude that colored her decision. She wanted one more night with him, one night to show him all of the things she couldn’t say. One more chance to give back a fraction of what he’d given her. One more night in his arms, in his bed. One more memory to take and one to leave.