Then I shut it down as quickly as it had started.
“All done.”
I sat on the lounger next to her, the towel strategically placed over my erection. I ate my croissant and enjoyed my orange juice. I was thankful she was drifting in and out of sleep. I checked my phone, but there was nothing from the lab.
She turned as if she had just awoken. Then checked her phone, a smile appeared.
I couldn’t hide the hostility flashing across my face. But this was a chance to be curious, so I reined in the jealous monster and plastered a fake smile on face.
“Who was that?”
“It’s nothing, just Steel.”
Slam. My heart clenched.
“I didn’t mean to pry. I was only curious.” I slammed the orange juice down. “Alex has known Steel for years. His dangerous appeal usually attracts the opposite sex quite easily.”
“What are you saying, Ben?”
Her gaze hit me firmly, as if a warning had been declared.
“From what I’ve heard, Steel finds pleasure in the chase, enjoying the anticipation more than the prize. And once he scores, he’ll move on, seeking someone new.” I couldn’t stop myself. It was if I’d been possessed. “He sees your reluctance as a challenge, and it intrigues him. It excites him to draw you in.” It got worse. “You’re only a game to him, Jordan.”
I had self-control but chose not to use it. Instead, I was fueled by years of obsession. If it meant keeping her away from him, I would do whatever it took. Like lying my ass off right now. Regardless of how much she wanted him, I was the right man for her. Not him, and I was so close to knowing. I’d been so conflicted over years, of denying myself. The truth would be freedom from these chains, either way.
“You sound like your father,” she said.
Obviously, this was far from a compliment.
“I do? In what way?”
That was about the last thing I wanted.
“He would present himself with such intensity, holding everyone at arm’s length. His drive perceived as cold and ruthless.”
She sat up and reached for her breakfast, seemingly unaffected by her own words, even though they cut me deep, she carved out my heart and handed it back to me.
“Is that how you see me?”
“Sometimes, like right now. Yes.”
My father, the bastard that he had been, had placed her within the company without my input, even though I was being groomed to take over the company. But no, he had just handed her the golden ticket—the CEO position—without so much as an explanation.
The no-touch rule had been strictly enforced, and for reasons I didn’t understand, until his death.
“My father believed any kind of weakness makes a man easy prey. People feared him and his ruthless reputation, but he was reckless at times.”
I was curious as to why I would defend him. I should have been slamming his reputation as we spoke.
“He was not an old ass-kisser, that’s for sure.”
Jordan’s smile matched mine.
“No, far from it.” I finished off my breakfast. “Did you fear him? Many did.”
My voice was hesitant.
“No, I saw a deeper side of him, a side he kept hidden.”
I watched her finish her orange juice, contemplating her words.
“But that doesn’t mean I didn’t witness the monster.”
I heard the remnant of hostility in her tone.
“I grew up with that monster. Alex, too. That’s the only side he allowed us to see.”
“Alex left, but you stayed. Why?”
“I was his legacy.”
And you?
The rest of the day we relaxed in silence. Jordan was reading, and I was working on my iPad. I ordered lunch to be brought to us out at the pool. And afterward, we retreated to our separate rooms.
She didn’t ask to have dinner, only confirmed our departure time. I understood, but privately I felt that our trip had been a positive one.
The next day flew by. The airport was a joke, but we got home earlier than expected. The car dropped Jordan off first. We said a casual goodbye, and I was left pondering my mixed emotions alone as the driver sped down the highway.
Then my phone rang.
Unknown, I almost ignored it, but this time, I didn’t.
“Ben Stone.”
“Mr. Stone, I have a Dr. Richmond for you. Can you please hold one minute, as I connect you?”
The sound of my beating heart played out like a marching band. I couldn’t form a single word. I was diving off a cliff, falling free-style into oblivion.
“Sir?”
“Yes, I’m here.”
Come on, elevator music. Fuck!
“Mr. Stone, Dr. Richmond here. I apologize for the delay. We ran into a small problem, but we solved it. We knew you wanted a one-hundred-percent indisputable answer. We have your results.”
“Please, Dr. Richmond, the results.”
I was hanging off a fucking cliff here.
“Negative, sir. No match. We ran it twice, so I hope it’s what you wanted to hear.”
Not. My. Sister.
“Thank you.”
I hung up and called Alex first with a quick update. He had a right to know, too.
I was experiencing a death-defying adrenaline high, as if I had been tossed out of a plane with no parachute.
The years of dreaming, the years of not knowing. All that anxiety. Now it was gone like smoke through the wind.
I was free. The chains had been broken.
Now, how was I going to win her back?
Destiny steps in to challenge the obscurity of the situation. No one is immune, shock coils and twists then strikes, providing emotional protection from the pain and guilt. The numbed belief is soon replaced with unbearable suffering, and the desire to escape the chaotic damage isn’t in your reach. You might rail against fate, questioning why, but no answers will come. Frustration will give way to anger, a welcome feeling, so there’s where I will remain. Frustrated.
My senses were extra sharp, as anyone in this field knows it’s life or death. Predators are destined to attack without warning. You face them knowing bloodshed will spill. The only question was from who.
Sirens wailed in the distance as I made my way to PI Securities, where an old warehouse sat hidden in disguise between the rows of empty buildings. One after another was abandoned, vacant, and broken. As I drove down the gravel road, the sound crunched beneath me as my speed slowed to a slow crawl. I parked at the back-parking lot.
I used the hidden entrance to my office/training center, where Flynn awaited me. He’d met with the team earlier, and now we would go over every detail, piecing together what had gone wrong.
“I’m glad you’re here.”
His raspy voice washed over me, tempering my rage. I knew I could depend on him, and I always had.
“Follow me.”
He sensed my anguish, but he was fighting his own torture. I could feel his gaze on me, even from behind.
I led him through the corridors, and once we were in the conference room, our expressionless gazes locked in solitude. I was hungry for revenge; we both were. The taste for blood was ever present, and the toxic emotions stirred like a storm brewing beneath the surface, ready to destroy everything in its path.
“These men are under our watch, Flynn.”
My insides twisted with the knowledge I feared would come.
“I share your grief, Steel.”
“Where did you find him?”
“At the scene. Kenneth and Sean were assigned surveillance. Routine, actually.”
Flynn words drifted, and his eyes burned with hatred, just like mine.
“They lured them in with what appeared to be gunfire. They went in prepared, weapons in place. We both know we never underestimate the power of artillery, so they weren’t outgunned. It was a trap.”
“And Kenneth?”
My knuckles leaned on the table, my head sink
ing to my chest. I was acutely aware of the hot trickle of sweat running down my spine.
“He found Sean much in the same manner as Travis. Throat slit, the number two carved on his chest.”
“This confirms it. This is a personal attack on us, on me.” I lost a little more of my soul as horrific imagines played out in my mind. “I was too late.” Realizing someone was acting on pure revenge. I questioned if I was being paranoid, but now I know for sure.
“Steel, we won’t rest until we find who’s responsible. Our paths will cross, and they will pay. That I can promise you.”
“In our world, we don’t turn the other cheek. We exterminate, before the killer strikes again. Flynn, I want the entire team scavenging any, and all leads.”
“On it, sir.”
“Take me from the top.”
I’d been told I had a calm about me, but undermining my power would be foolish. I lived with blood on my hands. We all did. We were guardians protecting the innocent from evil.
The devil had arrived, and I pitied the man, because the moment we were face-to-face would be his last.
The serrated mountains loomed in the distance as I drove home. My mind instantly turned to Jordan, suddenly aware that she was my path back to normal. My escape to an ordinary life. I was thankful for the peace she brought, and how she silenced my quiet insanity. I was a grenade about to go off, but she could calm the turmoil that existed right through to my very core.
Needing that more than my next breath, I sent her a quick text inviting her over. She accepted without hesitation. The only thing I knew was how I felt in her presence. My raging soul would settle, preparing for battle another day.
I showered quickly, the reflection in the mirror echoing my troubled thoughts. I dragged my hand down my face. My jaw was deeply shadowed with stubble. The stress settled under my eyes, and there was an unforgiving edge gazing back at me. A look I wasn’t eager to share with Jordan.
I heard the gate buzz and pressed the remote, allowing her in. I avoided the fact that for safety reasons, I was left with no choice. If we were to meet, it had to be here within the safety of my fortress.
“Hey, boy, Jordan’s here.”
I opened the door, allowing him to wait on the porch. Within seconds, I heard the sweet chant of puppy talk.
”Well, aren’t you a sweet boy? Yes, you are. Good boy. Sit, Whiskey.”
Then, “Knock, knock.”
“Come in.”
Whiskey followed behind her, and I noticed she was carrying several white bags.
“Chinese. I wasn’t sure what you liked, so I ordered half of everything.”
She was grinning at me as if everything was right in the world. Right now, I craved a part of that world.
“That was thoughtful. I would have cooked for you.”
“Next time.”
She let the words drift with newfound hope. And now that she was here with me, something about her calmed my demons, and a sense of comfort washed over me. The emptiness inside me felt the magnetic pull of her intoxicating allure.
Whiskey nudged her, wanting more attention. Then he tucked his nose under her elbow, urging her to respond.
“You want more?” Her gaze dropped to him as I grabbed the bags and made a place for them on the counter. She gave him one more stroke, patting his head as her smile brightened.
“Second in line, once again.”
But I smiled and rounded the island, pulling her to my body.
“Not to worry. I happen to know you’re a better kisser.”
“Just to be sure…”
Moving closer, I leaned into her, a breath from her mouth then gently pressed my lips to hers.
My body ignited below, electricity arcing through my veins, reminding me who was in charge. Her sweet scent took me to a place where control didn’t exist. I ended the kiss, at war, my mind versus my need. I took a step back, unsure I could manage the distance.
But, I could no longer push the truth away. My selfishness, my desire might put her at risk. It didn’t matter if these feelings were real. It was far different from the past I’ve known, where I had darted in and out of relationships that only left me cold and empty.
“Miss me?”
The look in her eyes stirred the slow-burning flame simmering underneath my restrained desire.
“More than you know.”
The blue cotton dress reaching mid-thigh was both sexy and sweet.
Her hair framed her features in wisp of blonde. It was always loose and flowing. My hand reached out, and I forked my fingers through her silken waves. I was dying to touch more, but I resisted the urge.
“I’ll light a fire, and we can eat in the family room.”
I looked over my shoulder as she reached for plates on the top shelf, admiring the view of her creamy skin and sun-kissed complexion. I had to force myself to look away, desire was beating at my door.
“I’ll get drinks.”
She set everything on the coffee table, and we settled in naturally, enjoying our dinner. The flames were burning strong, as Whiskey sat at her feet.
“Something’s happened.” It wasn’t a question. “Am I wrong?”
“You’re not wrong. Yes, something’s happened.”
I inhaled slowly, stepping onto hot coals, the dangerous ground beneath me threatening to swallow me into the depths of hell. No, my two worlds mustn’t collide. “But that’s a whole other matter.”
She tapped into a secret place I kept hidden, the beast behind the man.
“I understand, and I respect the need for confidentiality.”
Yet she knew, and I found the thought sobering. I understood basic human behavior more than most, but her sharp perception amazed me. I wasn’t prepared to share the dangers lurking in my world, or expose who I really was. How I become a killer. Jordan, she was innocent, detached from my reality. I wanted to keep her as far away from my horrors as possible.
I redirected my thoughts as we carried all the remnants from dinner into the kitchen. Once back on the couch, a silent comfort settled between us. I cataloged her every feature. Her movements were all so graceful, her penetrating eyes provoking voracious thoughts when my gaze found hers.
Seated close together, my body curled around hers in peaceful bliss. She lifted her head, which was resting on my shoulder. Her lips reached for mine, and I leaned over slowly, meeting her and closing the final distance. Hot and sweet, her mouth caused my body to stir.
My arms curled around her, rubbing gentle circles on her shoulders and back, as
the slightest of movements sparked my desire.
“My track record,” I confessed. “It knows little about relationships.”
“I guess we have that in common.” she says.
Feeling the beat of my frantic heart. I was watching everything, observing her for any sign.
“What are you afraid of, Steel?” she asked softly, the question lingered.
“You, Jordan. I’m afraid of you, of us.”
I swallowed hard, cut open by my own words.
“Steel.”
I liked the way she said my name, so I drew in a calming breath. Then I reached for her.
“Come with me.”
For a brief moment she held my gaze, then she reached for my hand, cradling between both of hers. Her gaze shifted, and my heart stopped.
“I want to move forward with you Steel, I do.” Her amber eyes soften as they reach mine. “But it doesn’t feel right, not yet.” She pulled her hand away.
“You’re right.” I answered, but for different reasons entirely. I don’t have the luxury to love or be loved. Something could go wrong, I would be putting her in danger. I cling to her putting my arms around her. Taking it slow, sorting out the threat. I’ll figure out whoever’s behind this. And stop him for good.
“In the meantime.” She held on to me, our gaze locked. “One day at a time?” I lifted her chin in acknowledgement. And placed a gentle kiss on her lips. I knew I don’t wan
t to be without her.
“I’d like you to stay.” The seconds flew by. “Just to hold you close.”
“I’d like that, too. I’ll have to shower early in the morning for work.”
“Be my guest.”
Her face turned to mine, and a soft smile appeared.
We walked into my bedroom, kicked off my shoes and we climbed under the covers, pulling her to me, my arm draped over her waist. I closed my eyes and tried to focus on her, and not the world outside. Our world.
I woke to the ringing of my satellite phone. I glanced at the clock: five am. Causing my blood pressure to spike. I jumped out of bed, and sprinted for the phone.
"Steel,” I answered out of breath.
“You might want to sit down and breathe.” Flynn said, as my entire body slowed to a cold freeze, sending red flags up to warn me.
“Oh no, I’m far from calm, proceed.”
He didn’t respond for a few moments.
“The killer has taken another man, Kenneth. This time in his own home. His place was secured, as well as yours or mine. The killer’s MO appears to be the same.”
“Jesus.” I dragged my hand down my face, my insides torn apart. “Another brother, Flynn. We may need to bring in assistance.”
For the very first time since I had formed the team, I was losing men, and I had to admit it.
“The killer responsible, is keenly intelligent. But Steel, this time there was a message.”
“What kind of message?”
“We’re coming for everyone you love, Steel,” he read out. “They wrote it on Kenneth’s camo jacket, but they didn’t carve a number this time.”
My mind was unable to process the facts.
“Flynn, these are all highly trained soldiers, being taken down one by one with little effort, this is virtually impossible.”
Surviving Jordon Page 8
