Relentless (Benson's Boys Book 2)

by Janet Elizabeth Henderson

  With languorous movements, her thighs relaxed to release his hand, and she shuddered when his finger slid out of her. A slow, heavy flutter of her eyelids before she looked up at him. No, she looked into him. In that moment, he knew she could see his soul. He only hoped she knew what she was looking at, because his soul was tattooed with her name. He was hers. Forever.

  Julia lay sated and pliant as Joe slid her sleep pants and underwear down her legs. He stood to take off his jeans, lost for words at the sight of her, naked on his bed. A second later, he was crawling between her thighs, pressing his body against hers. He stared into her eyes, wanting to tell her he loved her, terrified it would ruin everything if he did. All he could do was show her.

  His kiss was gentle, slow, teasing as he pressed his hard length into her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hooked her feet over his thighs, surrounding him. Grounding him. The world faded completely as he slid inside her. There was only Julia. He couldn’t put what was happening into words. His mind was recording every sensation, every movement, every sound she made. He felt her wet heat grip him tight. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he noted how perfectly they fit, but it was a fleeting whisper of a thought. In this place, a place where only they existed, there was no space for thought. Only feeling. Knowing. Showing.

  As he rocked his hips, he watched her eyes close in slow motion, as though it was too much effort to keep them open. Joe slid a hand under her rear, angling her the way he needed her, until he pressed against that secret part of her that sent shocks of wildfire dancing over her skin. She clenched around him, making him groan. He wanted this to last for hours but knew it would be over far too soon.

  Their hips moved as one, in a perfect rhythm that had them gasping for air. Her legs tightened around him. Joe felt her nipples rasp against his chest. He leaned up to watch her face as he spoke to her with his body. As he told her she was it for him. She was his forever. And she would always belong to him.

  He felt the tightening at the base of his cock. His legs tingled. His muscles clenched.

  “Mine,” he barked. “Mine.”

  He moved his hand out from under her, splaying his fingers low on her abdomen, aiming for that little button of pleasure, stroking it hard, making her tense with him. Making her fall with him. Together. Always.

  Her head fell back, her neck flexed, she wailed her release and he felt her milk him with muscles deep inside of her. A second later, he followed, in an explosion of jerking muscle and blinding sensation.

  It was over too soon, his muscles suddenly unable to hold his weight, but he wasn’t ready to release her. So he rolled until Julia was spread on top of him and he was still inside of her.

  She groaned her complaint, but otherwise didn’t move. They lay there, boneless and worn out, sated for the time being. Joe stroked his hand down her back to the curve of her behind. So much more to touch, to do. He’d need a lifetime to learn her.

  Julia wriggled a little, sending shock waves throughout his body.

  “I can’t believe we did that with an angel watching,” she said with a husky voice. “That is so wrong.”

  Joe looked up at the painting facing the bed and started to chuckle. He held Julia tight as he rocked her body with his laughter. Which grew even more raucous when Julia grumbled at him. He wrapped his arms tight around her and felt her smooth, soft roundness against him.

  Bliss. This was bliss. Now he just had to convince her that this was forever.

  Because he wouldn’t settle for less.

  Chapter 19

  The summons came as Julia was getting out of the shower. Five minutes later, the team were assembled in Patricia’s living area. They were sombre and Patricia was shaking—Esteban had been in touch.

  “Did you sleep at all?” Julia said as she hugged her gran tightly.

  “No, but we’re almost finished reading the textiles. We’ll have an exact location soon.”

  “You need a nap first, and some food.”

  “No.” Patricia kissed her head before stepping back. “First we need to watch Alice again.”

  “Did they say anything or just give you another internet address?”

  “They said they wanted the mummy and I told them I needed more time. They said I could have more time, but they had a message from Alice first. That’s when a text with another internet address came through.”

  “Elle?” Julia called. “Is it a different address?” In other words, was Alice still being held in the same location?

  “Yeah.” Elle stopped hooking her laptop up to the TV for a second to hold Julia’s eyes. Julia saw the same worry she felt reflected back at her. “I’m going to try for a trace while they broadcast. Hopefully, we’ll get a lock on the new IP.”

  The computer genius was dressed in tiny red shorts and a white t-shirt with a red printed photo of Princess Leia wielding a gun and the words A Woman’s Place Is in the Resistance. Julia was wearing shorts too. Ones she’d bought in La Paz airport after the dress fiasco. Unlike Elle’s, Julia’s were what her sister liked to call “mom shorts”—because they came almost to her knees.

  “You about ready?” Elle asked Patricia.

  “Yes. Of course.”

  But Julia could see her gran’s hands shake.

  “Will this be the same as last time?” Julia asked Elle. “Are we just watching?”

  “I think so. I won’t enable any cameras or sound at our end unless we have to.”

  Julia reached out to put a hand on her gran’s back, offering comfort, as her eyes automatically found Joe’s. He was standing by the door, talking in whispered tones to Ryan and Callum, but he didn’t take his eyes from her. It was reassuring, and she somehow drew strength from his attentiveness.

  “Right, I’ve typed in the address. I’m going to press enter. Pick your spot and settle down,” Elle said.

  Joe immediately came over to stand beside Julia. He didn’t touch her, and she was grateful for that; it would have shattered the thin control that was keeping her sane while she waited to see Alice at the mercy of a madman. Julia felt someone else come up, and was pleased when Ed took her gran’s hand in his.

  “This will be over soon,” Ed said to Patricia. “You’ll feel better once you get back to work on the textiles. You’re doing a great job, so close to finishing. Concentrate on that instead of this. It will help. You’ll both be much safer once the gold is in our hands.”

  Gran gave him a weak smile.

  The large TV blinked on, and they were watching another nondescript brick room. The room was mostly dark, the single bulb illuminating a cone of space beneath it.

  Alice staggered into the light, as though someone pushed her. Julia folded her arms to stop from shaking. Alice was rumpled and dirty. Her hair was messy and there were dark circles under her eyes that made her seem gaunt.

  “Patricia? Patricia darling, I’m sorry I haven’t been in touch. We’ve been busy scouting locations for my new show.”

  Julia felt Joe tense at her side, his attention firmly on the screen.

  “I met the new director.” Alice’s smile was wide and terrifyingly manic. “He’s had a lot of experience making TV shows and he’s very powerful within the industry. I’m lucky to be working with him. He’s going to make me a star for sure.”

  Her act was fooling no one. She wasn’t even putting any effort into it this time. The whole thing was desperate and a touch hysterical. It filled Julia with a cold sort of dread that seeped into her bones. She felt Joe’s arms wrap around her and his front press against her back, before she even realised he’d moved. She’d been wrong—his touch didn’t destabilise her. It made her stronger. And she needed his strength while she watched helplessly as the terrified Alice tried to be brave.

  “The new boss, Mr. Esteban.” Alice’s voice faltered, and Callum cursed under his breath.

  Julia felt Joe’s arms flex and realised that Alice knowing her captor’s name wasn’t a good thing.

  “Mr. Esteban”—A
lice cleared her throat—“wants to remind you that you need to deliver his mummy.” There was no joke this time. All attempts to play a part had vanished.

  Alice’s eyes kept straying off camera, and she visibly paled.

  “H-he wants you to understand that time is running out.” Suddenly her eyes went wide. “No,” she said. “No.” She backed away from the camera.

  Julia stopped breathing. Joe’s hold tightened.

  Arms appeared out of the darkness behind Alice. A man with a mask. He held her upper arms and jerked her back into a chair.

  “No! No! I did what you wanted. I told her.” She looked at the camera, frantic now, tears streaming down her face. “I told you, Patricia. You heard me, I know you did. I told you.” She started shaking her head frantically.

  Julia curled her hands around Joe’s arm and held on tight. The world stopped. Tilted. She became disorientated as she tried to make sense of what she was seeing.

  “What are they doing?” Patricia was panicked. “What are they doing to her?”

  Julia watched in horror as they strapped Alice’s wrists to the arms of the chair. Alice was crying hysterically now, shouting nonsense, kicking her legs out. Struggling. Another man appeared in the frame and fastened her ankles to the legs of the chair.

  The man behind Alice grabbed a handful of her hair and tugged her head back until she screamed. Julia recoiled, her nails digging into Joe’s arm. Inside, she was screaming along with Alice. The masked man held Alice’s head by her hair. The other man was holding her knees. A third masked man appeared on the left. He held something in his hand.

  Julia saw a glint a millisecond before he used the object in his hand.

  Garden shears.

  There was no hesitation when he grabbed hold of Alice’s hand and clipped off the small finger.

  “Fuck!” Joe roared as Alice’s blood-curdling scream filled the room.

  Julia’s knees gave out. She couldn’t rip her eyes from the horror on the screen. Joe spun her, blocking her view with his body, but he couldn’t stop her from hearing Alice’s agonised sobs. Or the words of the man who spoke when Alice fell deathly silent.

  “For every day we do not have the mummy, we will remove a body part. How much of your friend we return is up to you. I will contact you tomorrow.”

  Julia was shaking so badly that she couldn’t stay upright. There was a commotion in the room. Noise. Voices. Shouting. All Julia saw was the blood. Red and pouring from Alice’s hand. Blood. So much blood. Her ears rang with Alice’s scream of shock and pain.

  Her finger. Oh Lord. Her finger.

  “Tea,” Joe barked, and Julia felt herself being lifted.

  Next thing she knew, she was sitting on Joe’s lap on the sofa. She was shaking hard. No—the thought penetrated the grim loop in her mind—not shaking, shivering. Just as she realised that was what she was doing, someone placed a blanket over her and Joe tucked it around them.

  “This is my fault. I did this.” Julia rocked against Joe. “We should have handed over the mummy as soon as we found it. Alice would have been fine if we’d given him the mummy.”

  “Shh, baby.”

  She barely registered the words. “I thought I was so smart. Find the treasure; hand that over instead. I wasn’t smart. I was arrogant. This is my fault. I hurt Alice.”

  “Where is that tea?” Joe barked.

  “I hurt Alice. I did it. Me.” She rocked harder.

  Strong arms tightened around her.

  “Stop it!” A barked order snapped through her rising panic. Her eyes shot to Joe.

  “Joe?” she whispered.

  His hand clasped in her hair. “This wasn’t you.”

  She tried to shake her head. “My plan. It was my plan.”

  “No.” His grip tightened, bringing her focus to him, forcing her out of her mind. “This is all on Esteban. Not you. Your plan is good. This is all on him. Do you hear me?”

  She felt tears rolling down her cheeks as she clung to Joe—her lifeline.

  “We should have given him the mummy.”

  “He would still have hurt Alice. It’s what he does. You know that. You did the research. Think.”

  “Her finger, Joe.” Her voice was a trembling mess.

  “I know, baby, I know. But if we’d given him the mummy, he would have come after your gran and Alice would have died. At least now, she’s still alive and there’s a chance of saving her. This isn’t on you. It’s on him.”

  Julia buried her face in his chest and sobbed as his words penetrated. She knew he was right. But it hurt so bad.

  Chapter 20

  “Here, drink this.” A cup was pressed against her lips. “Julia.” Joe’s voice was firm. “Sip the tea.” She did as she was told.

  She didn’t know how long she sat there, cocooned against Joe, while he soothed her pain. Eventually she became aware of voices and Joe’s firm chest under her cheek. The images in her head had faded, as though a gauzy veil was hanging between her sanity and the horror she’d witnessed. Self-preservation. Her ever-efficient mind was protecting her.

  She felt wrung out. Her throat ached and her eyes were gritty and swollen. Deep inside there was acceptance. And guilt. Joe was right, this was on Esteban, but she’d played a part too. And she wasn’t sure she’d ever get over it.

  “You doin’ okay?”

  She looked up to find Joe’s focus entirely on her. It was intense and comforting at the same time.

  “Yes.”

  “Good girl.” He kissed her forehead. “You’re too strong to be knocked out by this.”

  She wasn’t sure about that. “Gran?”

  His arms flexed, but his voice was soft. “We had to sedate her. She’s sleeping.”

  A million thoughts flitted through Julia’s mind, ordering themselves, formulating a plan. “We can’t decode the rest of the textile without her.”

  She glanced over at the mummy sitting on the coffee table in the corner of the room. Shouldn’t it smell? The only scent coming from it was one of dusty old books. She made a mental note to ask Gran about it. Later. On some level, she was aware that her brain was focusing on the bizarre details around her to stop from thinking about Alice. For once, she was grateful for her weird ways.

  “She needed sleep.” Joe stroked her arm, making her melt into his strength. For once, she was completely uncaring that they had an audience for his affection. She needed it. His touch grounded her, reminding her that she wasn’t helpless. She had her mind, her team and Joe.

  “It could take days for her to decode the textile. Longer even to find the treasure.” If the treasure was still there after all this time. “Gran seemed confident we would be able to get to it by tomorrow night. She said, from what she’s decoded already, it’s somewhere in the Sacred Valley. That isn’t far from here.”

  She already knew what Joe was going to say, and prepared herself.

  “Tomorrow might be too late,” he said gently.

  “Julia?” Elle said, coming over to them. She looked as shocked as Julia still felt. “What about the plan we talked about on the plane?”

  Julia shook her head. “No more plans. They backfire and people get hurt.”

  “No.” Joe put his fingers on her jaw to turn her face to him. “You can’t think like that. In this business, we plan, we try, and sometimes we win, sometimes we don’t. But we always try, because our chances of succeeding when people need us are higher than the failure rate.”

  “I can’t…” She closed her eyes and saw Alice.

  “Right now,” Joe said, “our only option is to give him the mummy. You know if we do that, we may as well be signing Alice’s death certificate. And Esteban won’t stop until he has the only person on the planet who can read the map. If you have another idea, we need to hear it. You owe it to your gran, to Alice, to give us everything you have.”

  Julia felt her vision blur as she looked up at Elle.

  “I thought it was a good plan,” Elle said. There were te
ars in her eyes too.

  “What if it gets everyone killed?” Julia whispered.

  “What if it doesn’t?” Joe said. He leaned in until his lips brushed her ear. “You’re stronger than this, Jules. You had a shock, but you can do it. Tell us your idea. Let the team decide if it’s a good one. Trust us. Trust yourself. Trust me.”

  He leaned back then pressed a soft kiss to her mouth. When she opened her eyes, she saw the strength that was Joe.

  “I’ll get my iPad,” she said.

  His smile was beautiful—just like the man.

  “Then I’ll get Callum. He’s making calls in his room.” He lifted her and placed her on the sofa, the blanket still around her. “You need Elle’s magic cube?”

  Against all odds, he made her smile. “Yes, I do.”

  “Okay, you two sort out your notes. And don’t forget to drink your tea.”

  “Yes, sir.” She gave him a mock salute.

  His eyes sparkled. “I like the sound of that. Use it often.” And then he strode out of the room to fetch Callum.

  “There’s a team in the area who can assist if you’re desperate,” Lake said in Callum’s ear.

  Callum rubbed his thigh and looked out over the red roofs of Cusco. “We’re past desperate,” he told his business partner and friend. “They’re chopping bits off their hostage.”

  “She knows who’s holding her?”

  “Aye.”

  There was silence for a fraction of a beat. “Then they’re going to kill her.”

  “Aye. My guess, knowing Esteban’s history, is that he’ll tire of playing and get rid of her sooner rather than later. Then he’ll wage an outright war to get Patricia and the mummy. It’s Patricia he really wants. He isn’t going to wait much longer.”

  “You said Alice is in a new location?”

  “They moved her out of the compound. She’s in a village up in the mountains. A village Esteban rules. It bothers me that he moved her. I can’t see his reasoning. She was secure in his main complex.”