Love in Electric Blue (Westlake Enterprises)

by Marie Harte

  Jurek frowned at it. “He says he’s in trouble. He wants out. He’ll share whatever we want to know if we can get him out alive. Do we believe him?”

  “Yeah,” J.D. agreed. “How the hell do we know this is for real? Maybe he made up all that crap he sent with the note.”

  Cole answered, “To venture a guess, I think he’s on the level. He’s already shared more financial secrets than I’d consider healthy for Carter to let us know. Max is already working to shut down Carter’s overseas connections while Jurek’s been intercepting the national ones.”

  Jurek nodded. “First we cut his purse strings. Then we move in for the kill.”

  “But to do that, we need to know exactly where he is,” Cole said. “We have to stop him now, for good this time.”

  “Agreed.” Hunter Greye walked through the doorway and took a seat next to J.D.

  Remy noted the satisfaction on Max’s face and wondered what power plays she’d been missing while hiding out with her lover.

  Hunter continued, “From what we’ve gathered, Bellamy is a straight-laced grad student. He comes from a decent family in Maryland. His brother’s FBI, his father’s retired Navy. No skeletons or scandals.”

  “How the hell did he contact us? Does anyone else feel like this is a setup?” J.D. asked. Remy agreed with him. This seemed too convenient.

  “He squirreled out those files to his brother, who in turn asked the right questions of the right people. They in turn sent him to me,” Jurek said. “You see, Max? It pays to be friends with important people.”

  “Kiss-ass,” Max taunted, then grinned. “You have a point.”

  “Or it could be that Bellamy is a liar and he’s laying a well-thought-out trap,” Hunter offered, his steely eyes missing nothing. “Either way, it’s an opening. At this point, it’s the best lead we have going.”

  “Agreed.” Max nodded. “He wants a meet. Says he’s close to being found out and eliminated, like the others. I think he’s being truthful. From what he’s already shared, Carter is in deep with some very influential people he’d hate for us to know about. If Bellamy can give us his location and secret lab, we’re nearly home free.”

  “I want to be there,” Remy announced.

  Together, J.D. and Cole said, “No.”

  She’d known this wouldn’t be easy. “Look, as much as it pains all of you, I know Carter better than anyone here. His habits, how he thinks, what he’ll do. He wants me back, badly. And he wants J.D. His men know what J.D. can do, and they ran back and told my uncle everything. J.D. and I need to work this together. Let us steal the show while you wait and watch. Then, while Carter is busy dealing with us, you nab him.”

  The room was quiet.

  “She’s got a point,” Hunter murmured.

  “I don’t like it.” J.D. glared at her.

  “I don’t like it either,” she admitted, not happy with his attitude. He loved her, and he had to trust her. “But this will work. I know it. Let me meet Bellamy, feel him out.”

  “Hell. Once I touch him, I’ll know if he’s lying.” Cole had a point.

  “True, but you’re a lot more threatening than I am.”

  “Yeah, she’s cute. Tiny, not exactly sending danger warnings.” Hunter shrugged. “Sorry, Remy, but you’re just…cute.”

  “I know.” Normally it annoyed her to be discounted because of her smaller size and looks. But in this instance, it would help them.

  “She should go.” Max sat with steepled fingers against his lips. “This will work.”

  “Will?” J.D. narrowed his gaze. “You been talking to your clairvoyants?”

  “You mean Luc?” Cole sighed. “My cousin isn’t as spot-on as your boy Rafe, but he has his moments.” He paused, and Remy could feel the burst of energy from him to his uncle.

  “Hey, quit with the telepathy. Share,” J.D. demanded.

  “Just some uncle-nephew chatter. Relax, man. What happened to you being the charming Westlake guy? Hunter’s abrasive.”

  “Thanks a lot,” Hunter drawled.

  “And Rafe is obnoxious,” Cole said. “You’re supposed to be thoughtful and smooth.” Cole winked at Remy. “You seem a little tense, buddy.”

  She bit her lip to keep from smiling. “J.D., relax. None of us likes this scenario, but we need to act before it’s too late.” She turned to Max. “How much time do we have?”

  Jurek answered. “David says he’s prepared to meet us in two days. Some convoluted escape plan he came up with. I don’t know if it will even work, but if it does, we need to be there to meet him.”

  Remy agreed. “I don’t know Bellamy, but I guarantee Carter will have someone on his tail. He doesn’t trust anyone. The thing is, anyone watching Bellamy will no doubt recognize me. Carter’s been trying to grab me for years. Every one of his people knows what I look like. When they focus on me, you guys follow then take them out.”

  J.D. tried again, “I get what you’re saying. But why not use me as bait instead? He knows I’m alive. Let me take the hit.”

  “But she looks like better bait.” Cole shook his head. “Like Hunter said, she’s less threatening. Besides, we’ll have you with us to watch over her. You see anyone that looks off, we’ll be all over him before he can hurt Remy, right?”

  J.D. looked at her, his worry and affection clear. “Hell. I hate this, but okay. I trust you.”

  Her eyes watered. “I trust you too.” Finally. He’d taken that extra step, and it meant the world to her.

  He smiled and put his hand over hers on the tabletop. In clear view of everyone.

  “For God’s sake,” Cole muttered.

  “Really, J.D. This is embarrassing.” Hunter shook his head.

  “What?”

  Cole answered, disgusted, “It’s like Love Connection in here. First Hunter, then Rafe, now you. Really, Jurek, are all your people this bad?”

  “Asshole,” Hunter growled.

  “What he said.” J.D. scowled.

  Remy put her other hand over his to stop him from shocking Cole. “Ignore him.”

  “I mean, we’re on a mission. This isn’t the time to play footsie.” Cole smirked, and she could tell he was getting a kick out of rubbing it in.

  She had to work to stifle her own grin.

  Max rolled his eyes. “Cole,” he warned then said to Remy, “Can you tell us if Bellamy’s correct in that Carter used to experiment on stealing electricity?”

  “Knowing my uncle, he hasn’t stopped trying to perfect the machine he created years ago. He attempted to harness and use the energy J.D. and I circulate naturally.” She squeezed J.D.’s hand then let him go. “And he did it once that I recall.”

  “He took what would kill any of you,” J.D. explained. “Voltage and current are what’s important when it comes to handling electricity. That and resistance. Remy and I manage our resistance differently. I’m not sure how, we just do. Power that would stop your heart or fry your brain is nothing to us.”

  “Like when you shocked me,” Cole said.

  “Or when you surf the Internet,” Jurek added. “You literally swim in the sea of information.”

  “Uh, well, yeah. I hadn’t realized you knew that.” J.D. sounded unsure, and Remy wondered if Jurek had ever given him any hints that his power wouldn’t be welcome.

  “J.D., I know everything that goes on in my company.” He gave Hunter a look.

  “What?”

  “We need to talk later. My office is not your personal playground.”

  Hunter flushed. Remy and the others stared at him. From what she knew, it took a lot to unnerve Hunter Greye, but Jurek had done it.

  “Oh hell. Stop thinking so loudly.” Max grimaced. “Hunter, you tell Alex I want to see her when this meeting is done. I swear, you’re corrupting my niece.”

  “I really don’t want to know,” Cole said quickly and held up his hands. To Hunter, he growled, “You—stay away from me.” Because if Cole touched something of Hunter’s, he’d probably see m
ore than he wanted to.

  Despite the danger they faced, Remy liked the easy camaraderie they all seemed to share. Like a family. Everyone worked together, focused on the mission, and prepared to protect her and J.D. with their lives, if need be.

  “You’re family,” Max said to her.

  She smiled at him. “I guess I am.”

  “Right. So our plan of attack, if I can recap,” Hunter interjected. “Myself, Cole and J.D. will be watching while Remy meets this Bellamy character in that stupid nightclub in Atlanta. He’s been there before, so it won’t look weird for him to be there again, so he said. He’s due for a free weekend starting the fourteenth, per his email.

  “We’ll have Remy approach him while the two of you…” he nodded at J.D. and Cole “…sit on the sidelines. I’ll be there, making my presence more than visible. Carter’s men aren’t stupid. They’ll know we’d never send Remy alone. But if we do it right, they won’t see either of you until they have to.”

  Cole nodded. “I’m good.”

  “I’m not, but I’ll do it.” J.D. didn’t look pleased.

  “Remy?”

  She nodded. “Just remember, Carter has never played fair in his entire life. I hope David Bellamy is sincere in his intentions. But plan for the worst. You should tag me, so that if I’m taken, you can find me.”

  “Of course.” Hunter looked offended. “That wasn’t an option. You get bugged or you don’t go.”

  “She can fry it if she wants to,” J.D. reminded them.

  “But I won’t. The last thing I want is to be alone with my uncle again.” Terrified, yet strangely excited about seeing this through, she wanted to leave right now and find Bellamy. To see her uncle again and stop him, the way she’d tried to long ago.

  The others planned on jailing him. But Remy knew bars couldn’t hold her uncle. Something more permanent needed to come into play. She didn’t want to kill him, but she didn’t see any other choice.

  “You won’t have another choice,” Max said. “Luc saw something we need to talk about. This mission, you at the bar with Bellamy. It has to happen, honey, I’m sorry.”

  She just looked at him while the others talked. “I think I’ve always known it has to be me to take him down.”

  “Not just you,” he told her. “But yes, this is for you and J.D. to fix. You’re on the right track, Remy. Trust and faith will see you through.”

  “We’ll have to take Carter’s men down,” Hunter was saying.

  “I will. Just, if it doesn’t go right, can you watch after him for me?” She glanced at J.D., so in love and wanting them to have a tomorrow. She blinked to force away tears, not wanting anyone to see her upset.

  “Of course. But we hope it won’t come to that.”

  “Hope it won’t”, not “we know it won’t come to that”. She sighed, and J.D. took her hand in his.

  The meeting wrapped up before she knew it. J.D. took her aside before she could follow the others out. He shut the conference door, closing them together. “Hey. You okay?”

  She was about as far from okay with this as she could be. So she lied. “Sure. I’m good.”

  “Remy, it’s me. Tell the truth.”

  “The truth? My uncle is a killer. Being anywhere near him terrifies me. But I won’t let him hurt us again. I can’t let him destroy more lives.” Because of me and what I inspired him to do.

  “It’s not just your fight, you know.” He drew her into his arms. “He’s a bad man. But you’re not responsible for his actions.”

  She pulled back, wishing he spoke true. “Aren’t I? It all started with my abilities. He hunted others down because of me, using us all like puppets.”

  “Yeah, and if it hadn’t been you, it would have been something or someone else. I’ve met guys like Benjamin Carter before. Narcissists who care only about what they want, and screw anyone who gets in the way.” He took her chin in hand. “Nothing that happened was your fault.”

  “Do you mean that?” she whispered, needing to know the past was just that. He’d said he loved her. That he trusted her. But she had to hear it again.

  “I do.” His solemn oath. “Honey, I’ve let it go. You have to too. Okay, yeah, you fried my ass but good ten years ago.” He made a face, and she smiled around tears. “I didn’t get it then, but I do now. Because of you I had a chance to live. You weren’t so lucky. I know you want to be big and brave, to show your uncle you aren’t afraid anymore. But, Jesus, I’m scared for you. Let me protect you, okay? Not for you, but for me. Let me put my neck on the line for the woman I love, the way you once did for me.”

  She stared at him, in awe and so in love it hurt to breathe. She nodded, unable to speak.

  “There’s my girl.” He kissed her, so full of tenderness she melted into his arms. “I finally have you, Remy. And I’m never letting you go.” He hugged her tight and warned, “So if you even get one hair messed on this deal with Bellamy, I will paddle your ass ’til you can’t sit. That’s right. We haven’t played around with the Dom/sub thing yet. And there’s still that cute ass I want to take. So many things I have yet to teach you.”

  “Perv.”

  “But I’m a cute perv.”

  She sighed and hugged him, content to stay with him forever.

  Two nights later, sitting next to Hunter in his truck under the blackness of a cold December night, Remy wondered how the evening would end. Her neck on the chopping block? Or Carter’s head on a platter? She’d give anything to see the future just now. Too bad Rafe was on his honeymoon and Luc had nothing more to give her.

  “You okay?” Hunter asked.

  Remy glanced at the large man sitting so still by her side. His golden eyes seemed to glow in the dark, and she blinked to clear her vision. When she looked at him again he seemed normal enough. He’d been more than solicitous for the past half hour as they sat in wait for David Bellamy.

  “For the tenth time, I’m fine.”

  He grunted and took another sip of coffee. “Hey, don’t kill the messenger. I’ve got strict orders from nerd central to make sure nothing happens to one hair on your beautiful head.”

  She snorted. “Nerd central?”

  “Hey, when I first met J.D., he was wearing an honest-to-God pocket protector and worked in IT. Granted, the ladies seemed to like him.” He quickly continued, smarter than he looked. “I mean, back then. No ladies but you now. J.D.’s only been in the field the past year or so. He’s not a bad guy. He’s annoying, sure, and he’s too nice.”

  “Not to me.”

  “That’s because he—”

  When he said nothing more, she prodded, “Yes?”

  “Hell. He’s in to you. Any fool can see that.”

  Remy considered her companion. She hadn’t figured he’d be so talkative, or intrusive, for that matter. “Since when did you get so chatty?” Hunter’s reputation as a fierce predator had been well-earned. She’d read his files. The man was swift, silent and deadly. Too bad the silent part seemed to be off tonight.

  Hunter sighed. “Blame my wife. I’m usually not this talkative, but seeing as you and J.D. have a thing, I thought I’d give it a go. Besides, I’m curious to see the woman who has him so jumpy lately.”

  “That’s J.D. Like a hot wire you can’t seem to hold on to.”

  “For as long as I’ve known him, J.D.’s been too smart for his own good, and he charms too easily. Always in a good mood, the man with all the answers. Then the last few weeks, he’s acting weird.”

  “Oh?” Fascinating insights into her lover.

  “He’s been kind of nervy. Short-tempered, ignoring women like he can’t see them. Acting kind of like, ah, Rafe, actually.”

  She thought he might have been thinking of himself, but let it slide. Everyone knew how unpleasant Hunter had been before he’d married Alex.

  “But now he’s all lovey-dovey with you. Mooning at you during the meeting. He caught the marriage bug, all right.”

  She blushed. “I don’t know about
marriage. My relationship with J.D. is complicated.”

  “Bullshit. You love each other or you don’t. Don’t complicate it with nonsense.” His look froze her in place.

  Before she could answer, headlights swung into the already crowded lot.

  “Heads up, another car pulling in,” Cole’s voice came through the handheld radio on the dash.

  “No shit.” Hunter snorted.

  They’d already checked out the club, with no sign of Bellamy. Was this him?

  A dark van pulled into an open spot a few rows behind them. A man got out and walked quickly under the parking lights.

  “Bingo,” Hunter murmured. Into the radio, he said, “We’ve got him. It’s Bellamy.”

  “Roger that.” Cole signed off. It was his and J.D.’s cue to spot Bellamy inside, where they moved to lie in wait.

  Bellamy hurried across the lot and bypassed the line of people trying to get in. He subtly handed the large man by the door some money and entered the club.

  “Showtime. You ready?” Hunter left the truck and waited for Remy, by her side.

  “I was born ready. Let’s go.” And let’s pray I don’t have a major meltdown before I see this through. For you, J.D. Then she corrected herself. No. For us.

  Chapter Fourteen

  She didn’t see J.D. or Cole, but could feel J.D. inside, despite the massive energy in Club Z. Stupid name for a place that catered to a young crowd of wealthy up-and-comers. A glance down at her fashionable skirt, black boots and black sweater convinced her she’d fit in, even as she felt more out of place here than she’d ever felt anywhere else.

  Hunter, to her surprise, had no problem acclimating. He did bad ass without trying, and the bouncers at the door waved them in without a problem. He wore a discreet earpiece and mic, designed by J.D., so it was top of the line. Cole and J.D. would direct them while inside, all of them maintaining communication.

  “I’m your constant shadow tonight. Even if you don’t feel me standing by, I’m always able to see you and hear you.” He glanced at the pin she wore, a locator and transmitter. “The good news is anyone watching Bellamy sees you with me.” He nodded ahead of them at Bellamy standing on the edge of the dance floor.