Saved by Sin [Paladin Protection Agency 1] (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Susan Hayes

  “Hi and welcome to Paladin Airways. I’m your pilot, Jase,” a friendly male voice chimed in over her headphones. “Our flight from lake-in-the-middle-of-nowhere to Sea-Tac helipad will take approximately ninety minutes, most of which will be spent staring at nothing but trees. Jesus, Sin, could you have picked a more desolate location for your recovery? Have you heard of this thing called civilization?”

  “Sin?” Michelle glanced at Sinjin and stifled a laugh at the wry expression on his face.

  “You can shut up any time now, Jase.” Sinjin snarked into his mic, sending their pilot into a fit of laughter.

  “No threatening the pilot,” Jase shot back. “And you still haven’t introduced me to the lovely lady accompanying you.”

  “Hi, Jase. I’m Michelle. It’s nice to meet you. Thank you so much for coming to get us,” Michelle jumped in before Sinjin could growl another of his threats.

  “Oh, she’s got manners! I like her already.”

  “Don’t encourage him, baby. He’s not worthy of your attention.”

  “Oh, man, I am cut to the quick here. I thought we were friends, Sin!”

  “Why do you call him Sin?” Michelle couldn’t help but ask despite the surly look Sinjin shot her way.

  Jase just laughed. “If you have to ask, then he’s clearly not treating you right, sweetheart.”

  “Back off, Jase.” There was no mistaking the jealous tone in Sinjin’s voice, not even through the noise and distortion of the headphones.

  “So much for rule number three,” Jase snickered.

  “What’s rule number three?”

  “Remington’s Rules. Rule number three is ‘never get involved with a female client,’” Jase explained as Sinjin’s hand tightened around hers.

  “Ah, well then no, he didn’t break rule number three.” Michelle grinned to herself as she continued. “I wasn’t a client when I jumped him the first time.”

  There was a spluttering cough of laughter from Jase, and he turned around to grin at them both. “You are one lucky man.”

  “Yes I am.” Sinjin’s voice rumbled over the radio as his thumb moved over the palm of her hand in a slow, sensual caress.

  The rest of the flight passed in light conversation and laughter, and when the helicopter finally landed, Michelle felt like she’d made a new friend. Sinjin helped her out of the harness and then eased her into his arms as the blades slowly spun down over their heads. “Jase, grab our bags will you? Michelle’s too injured to walk.”

  “I am not!” she protested, tossing an apologetic look back at Jase. “Sorry.”

  “Do not apologize to that flirtatious scum. He’s not going to be breathing long enough to enjoy it.”

  “Why, Sin, are you jealous?” she teased, testing out his newly discovered nickname.

  “I am not jealous of that flyboy!” He ground out the words as he carried her into the terminal.

  “Oh, all right then, I was going reassure you with a kiss, but if you’re not jealous….” She trailed off and laughed as he stopped dead and tipped his head down to look at her.

  “Well, maybe a bit. But only because you were enjoying talking to him so much.” He glowered at her, his dark eyes crinkling, belying his angry tone. He was so different from Robert, who was forever getting jealous for no reason and then taking it out on her. Sinjin’s laughing response made her happier than she knew she should be considering everything that had happened to her lately.

  “Well if you are only a little jealous, then you only get a little kiss.” She brushed her lips over his and then smiled as he kissed her back, his mouth slanting over hers with a possessive little growl that made her toes curl.

  “Oh man, get a room.” Jase’s voice came from behind them. “My poor virgin eyes do not need to be exposed to such lewd behavior.”

  “Virgin my ass.” Sinjin turned around so they could both face Jase, and Michelle’s stomach did a little flutter. Where Sin was dark, Jase was light. He had blond hair and his green eyes the color of Chinese jade met her gaze. He was almost as tall as Sinjin, but his build was leaner. And he moved with the grace of a jungle cat as he hurried to catch up to them.

  “Does Paladin only hire hotties?” she blurted out and then turned crimson as she realized she’d spoken aloud, suddenly wishing for the floor to split open and swallow her whole.

  Jase grinned. “Hear that, Sin? She thinks I’m hot.”

  “Let’s see how hot you look with a black eye.”

  “Oh stop it.” Michelle tugged at Sinjin’s long hair and drew him down for another kiss. “I’m all yours, Sin, no one else’s.” She heard herself say the words and realized that it was the absolute truth. She wanted Sinjin and no one else, and somehow she suspected she would never change her mind about that.

  “Damn right you are.”

  “All right, all right, I surrender.” Jase threw up his hands, still grinning. “Clearly she’s a woman of great compassion and limited eyesight, and has decided to take pity on you, Sin.” He fell in beside them, green eyes looking intently at Michelle now. “So, all kidding aside, do I need to call ahead for medical to take a look at Michelle when we get to headquarters?”

  “No.” She shook her head. “It’s nothing serious. I cut up my feet on some rocks last night, and it’s not a lot of fun walking just yet.”

  “Sin, do you concur with the lady’s assessment?”

  Sinjin nodded, and Michelle glowered from one to the other. “You did not just ignore me to check with him, did you, Jase? Sinjin, put me down so I can give this flyboy a piece of my mind! I am my own person, damn it! If I say I’m fine, I’m fine!” She wriggled in Sinjin’s arms, but he simply held on tighter and laughed.

  “And she’s spunky, too! Maybe I need to go recuperate in the boondocks for a month and see if there are any more like her out there.” Jase inclined his head slightly toward Michelle in a respectful gesture. “I didn’t mean to insult you, but the big lug holding you happens to outrank me, which means he also outranks you. If he’d said to call ahead, I’d of called ahead. But please, feel free to give me a piece of your mind anytime you feel the need.” He gave her an entirely unrepentant grin.

  “Can you quit flirting with her for two minutes and get the door?” Sinjin nodded to the exit up ahead. “I swear you’ve gotten worse while I was away.”

  Jase jogged ahead and got the door open before they got there, still grinning.

  As promised, a car was waiting, a black SUV with tinted windows and a driver that might as well have been carved out of granite for all the reaction he showed at their arrival. With their few things stowed in the back, Michelle, Sinjin, and Jase relaxed inside the surprisingly well-appointed interior.

  “This is definitely not what I was expecting.” She looked around the inside, which had been radically customized to resemble something more like a limousine than a truck. Soft leather seats wrapped around the exterior wall, and the walls and floor were upholstered in a dark, plush fabric.

  “He must have really missed you, Sin. The last car I got picked up in had duct tape holding the seats together.” Jase sprawled his frame into a seat with a dramatic sigh of contentment.

  “He, as in Remington, the man who runs Paladin?” Michelle asked, recalling the name Sinjin and Jase had both used earlier.

  “Geoff Remington.” Sinjin nodded from his seat beside her, his arm curving around her shoulders. “He’s the owner, head of operations, and a good friend. He’s the one we’re going to be meeting. If anyone can figure out how to help you with your problem, it’s him.”

  Jase cocked a brow at the pair of them. “Are you going to share with the class? Or do I have to wait for the scuttlebutt later?”

  Michelle glanced at Jase and made a decision. “Sin, can Jase come to this meeting? Please? I imagine we’re going to need help with this at some point, and I’d rather it was someone I knew, at least a little bit.”

  “You got any other assignments coming up, Jase?” Sinjin asked, his voice
carefully neutral.

  “I’m my own man for the next few days, and I would be honored to help you and your lady with whatever it is she’s facing.”

  Michelle felt a surge of relief. “Thank you. Though I’m not sure you’re not going to regret agreeing when you find out what’s been going on.”

  “Whatever it is, I can handle it,” Jase declared with complete confidence.

  “Really?” Sinjin’s voice was tinged with amusement. “Are you weapons certified for proton packs? We might just be needing them.”

  Michelle nodded, her eyes watching Jase for his reaction.

  “Seriously?” He looked from Sinjin to Michelle, his expression one of almost gleeful surprise. “Well, this will be one for the resume then. Do you think we actually have proton packs in the armory? Because that would be really damned cool.”

  Michelle tried to smother the fit of giggles that overtook her and failed completely. Out of all the reactions she’d been prepared for, from laughter to accusations of insanity, Jase’s yearning for Ghostbusters’ gear had her in stitches. Giggles turned to laughter, and soon all of them were joking and teasing each other. For the rest of the journey into Seattle, they took turns butchering lines from the Ghostbusters movies and falling into fresh gales of laughter. It was a lot easier to joke and ignore the knowledge that somewhere out there, Robert was waiting for her.

  They pulled into an underground parking lot and drew to a stop at a security gate. Their driver identified himself and his occupants in crisp tones that made Michelle feel like she was entering a military compound.

  When they got out this time, the driver got their bags and headed for one set of doors while Sinjin and Jase headed for another, with Michelle once again ensconced in Sinjin’s arms.

  “You know, the novelty of being carried everywhere is wearing off fast,” she grumbled as they made their way through a maze of corridors. They occasionally passed men and women who all stopped to smile at Sin, welcoming him back before giving her quizzical glances. Finally they stepped into an elevator, and when they debarked, she felt as if they had gone from military compound to corporate headquarters. The lighting was muted, the worn linoleum floors had been replaced by marble tiles, and the simple gray-and-white color scheme of the lower floors was now a subtle blend of polished wood and cream-colored walls.

  “Wow,” Michelle murmured as she glanced around her.

  “Yeah, it’s a whole different world up here,” Jase agreed, and she noticed even his enthusiastic manner was somewhat more subdued now.

  “A world you’re not supposed to be in unless invited, Waters.” A firm voice sounded from just down the corridor. “Funny thing, I don’t remember inviting you.”

  “I invited him, sir,” Sinjin answered, and she could feel his body tense slightly, coming to attention despite having her in his arms.

  “I see.” The owner of the voice stepped around the corner, and Michelle knew instantly that this had to be Geoff Remington. He wore his authority like a cloak, and he ran his eyes over the three of them in an assessment that suddenly had her wishing she’d taken time to clean herself up before arriving for this meeting.

  “Sir, this is Michelle Jamieson. Michelle, this is Geoff Remington.”

  “I take it this is the damsel in distress?”

  “I am not a damsel!” Michelle snapped at him. “Though I am most definitely in distress. But for the love of heaven please can we stop with the fairy tale references. My life is strange enough already. It doesn’t need embellishment.”

  Remington’s steel-gray eyes widened slightly at her outburst, but he remained silent as Michelle and he traded stares for what felt like an age before Sinjin finally spoke into the silence.

  “Sir, can we take this into your office? I’m sure Michelle would like to sit down. I know I would. It’s been a hell of a day.”

  “Good idea.” Remington stepped back and gestured for the others to enter first. Once the door was closed, he turned back to face them and cleared his throat. “I apologize for my comment in the hallway, Ms. Jamieson. It was uncalled for and unprofessional.” He took a seat behind a broad desk of polished marble and steel as the two men stood staring, both of them clearly stunned by Remington’s apology.

  “Holy shit, he apologized. I’m pretty sure that’s a sign the world is ending,” Jase declared in a stage whisper that nearly had Michelle giggling again.

  “And he didn’t even burst into flames. Who’d of believed it?” Sinjin added as he settled her onto a leather sofa and took a seat beside her, one arm draped along her shoulders in a gesture that was equal parts protective and possessive.

  Remington simply snorted with laughter and shook his head at them. “That’s enough out of you two.”

  He ran a hand over his crew-cut hair and let his gaze settle back on Michelle, and once again she felt the weight of his assessing stare. “I’d like to record this meeting Ms. Jamieson, so we can review it later. Do I have your permission?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then we’ll begin.” He moved his hand to a small console on his desk. “We’re now being recorded. If you’re thirsty or hungry, I’ll have something brought in for you.”

  “No, I’m fine. I just want this over with. The sooner I tell you what’s happening, the sooner we can figure out what to do about it.” She took a deep breath, her gaze moving from Remington to Jase. “In the past three days, I’ve been stalked and assaulted by my former boyfriend, Robert Tanner III. Today he also attacked Sinjin.”

  Jase gaped at her in shock, while Remington frowned. “Robert Tanner, the former Vice President of Tanner Entertainment? Ms. Jamieson, that’s impossible. The man’s been dead for almost a week.”

  Michelle gathered her courage and squared her shoulders, determined to make them all understand. “I’m aware of that, Mr. Remington. However, the fact remains that since his funeral three days ago, I’ve had several contacts with someone or something that sounds and acts just like Robert did before his death. I know it’s him. I don’t know how he’s managed it, but he’s haunting me, and I want it to stop.”

  “Sin?” Remington’s gaze shifted off of her, and Michelle knew he was looking for confirmation that she wasn’t making this up, or worse, was suffering some sort of delusion.

  “Yesterday I witnessed a completely localized windstorm that appeared just as Michelle arrived at the lake, and later on I swear I heard a male voice state very clearly that Michelle was his. I’ve heard his voice before, sir, I believe it was Tanner.” Michelle felt a wave of relief as his firm tone and confidence eased her worries.

  Sin continued, “Today I was attacked. Another freak windstorm came howling across the lake while we were swimming in the shallows. One minute there was nothing but blue sky overhead, and the lake was as calm as a millpond. The next thing I know Michelle is yelling out a warning and then a wave of water hit me. I didn’t see anything, but it seemed as though there was something underneath the water, and it grabbed me. I mean physically grabbed me and hauled me under the surface and away from shore. It was the most surreal moment of my life. Like something out of a nightmare. There was nothing there, and yet something kept grabbing hold of my legs and pulling me down. If Michelle hadn’t swum out to me, I believe it, or he, would have killed me.”

  “Jesus,” Jase swore, staring at Sinjin now. “Death by jealous ghost is not a good way to go.”

  “So Ms. Jamieson pulled you back to shore?” Remington’s question refocused them all.

  “No, sir. Michelle grabbed onto me and then informed the entity we believe is Robert Tanner that she wasn’t going to let go of me, so either he had to kill us both or let us go. I distinctly heard Tanner’s voice say that Michelle belonged to him, he used the word forever, and then she repeated her intention. The wind immediately died, the lake calmed, and we were able to swim to shore without further difficulty.”

  “Is this how you recall things, Ms. Jamieson?” Remington turned his attention back to her, and she nodde
d, still processing what Sin had said. They’d never discussed what he’d experienced, and she was reminded anew just how close he’d come to dying.

  “That’s the gist, yes. I saw the wind and waves coming, but by the time I realized what I was looking at and tried to warn Sin, it was too late.”

  Remington’s hand passed over the console again, and the red light shut off. “I am pausing the recording because after that story, I’m in need of a drink.” He stood and crossed the room to a discretely situated cabinet, opening it to reveal a myriad of bottles and decanters. “Thanks to you two, I’m going to need to add another rule to the list. Rule number ninety-seven, just because a man’s dead, doesn’t mean he isn’t still going to be a problem.”

  Chapter 9

  Michelle insisted on walking when they left Remington’s office an hour later, needing to exert at least a little independence in a life that felt like it was entirely out of her control. Sinjin hadn’t argued with her, but he had not budged from her side either. He’d patiently kept pace with her, letting her lean on him as she limped down the hall. Jase had said his good-byes at the elevator before heading home. It was finally just the two of them again. At least it would be once they got to their room. In the hallway, she was still subjected to polite glances and curious stares.

  “So where are we staying again?” she asked as Sinjin fished a key card from his wallet and waved it in front of a small black console.

  “There’s a dozen or so rooms set up as temporary quarters for those nights we can’t or don’t go home. We’ll be staying in one of them tonight.” He opened the door and led her inside, flipping on the lights as they entered.