Coveted Kiss (Savage Security Book 3)

by Karen Tjebben

  Suit smiled and nodded at Wooly. Hazeem craned his head and watched as Wooly grabbed another paper cup and put it under the tap. Lifting the lever, water gurgled into the cup. Hazeem smacked his lips in anticipation as Wooly paced back to the table.

  Taylor set the cup on the table beside Hazeem’s hands. He wasn’t a nurse. He wasn’t going to hold the cup to the bastard’s mouth.

  Dr. Quinn pushed the pills within reach of Hazeem and waited.

  Hazeem grabbed at the pills and held them in one hand. “Hey, how am I supposed to take these with my hands still cuffed?”

  Suit cocked his head and smiled. “You’re a clever man. Figure it out.”

  Rage boiled in Hazeem, he was cooperating, but they were still playing with him. “Fuck you!” he screamed.

  Wooly picked up the cup and gulped down its contents. Then he crumpled the cup in his hand and set it on the table in front of Hazeem.

  Tears threatened to fill Hazeem’s eyes, but he fought them back. No way was he crying in front of these assholes. “That was mine,” he seethed. Narrowing his eyes on Suit, he hissed, “Your trained monkey just drank my water.”

  Dr. Quinn lifted his hands and shrugged. “We gave you what you needed. Do you see your mommy here? We don’t hand feed our residents.”

  “Residents,” Hazeem sputtered in disbelief. “You mean prisoners.”

  “You had everything you needed in front of you. There have been plenty in that seat who have figured out how to get relief. Tell me something else, and you will get another cup of water.” Suit leaned back in his chair with his hands folded nicely on the table.

  Hazeem knew he was helpless. He despised the fact that they had power over him, but he wasn’t stupid. He needed water and the pills. After taking a deep breath, he said, “Adeel. Adeel Shah is my contact.”

  “Adeel,” Dr. Quinn repeated softly and nodded to Taylor. “Where do you meet this Adeel?”

  Hazeem watched as Wooly strode back to the cooler. “We meet at his brother’s restaurant. It’s called Sultan’s Feast.”

  Wooly paced back to the table and set the cup of water within Hazeem’s reach.

  Hazeem stood the best he could and leaned forward. His body nearly covered his side of the table. He shoved the two pills into his mouth and then brought the cup to his lips. Water dribbled from the sides of his mouth as he gulped it down.

  Dr. Quinn’s lips pulled into a tight smile. “Now, let’s get back to business.”

  8

  Adeel Shah worked his hands along the steering wheel, frantically twisting and gripping the worn leather that covered the plastic wheel. When a friend at the mosque approached him about joining their cell, he knew he would be fighting for a cause that was bigger than anything he’d ever been involved in. He’d studied their handbooks and enrolled in self-defense classes to give himself an edge in hand-to-hand contact. He’d been a great soldier, doing what they wanted when they wanted it. But nerves now nauseated him as he thought about the repercussions for failure.

  Would they forgive him and give him leniency? Would they hurt his family? That’s what his brother, Suliman, feared. Suliman had always maintained that the members of a terrorist cell could not be trusted. What would happen to him or his family if the government captured him?

  He pulled his beat-up Nissan into the driveway and looked at his house. It was old and dated, but this was a safe neighborhood. The bungalow style house was big enough for him and his wife. Their children were now in college and lived in the dorms. He knew that wouldn’t save them, but perhaps it would give them an advantage so they wouldn’t be swept up in this mess if the government came for him. But if he were captured, and his face was plastered on the news, his children would be shamed. With a heavy sigh, he decided not to worry about that right now.

  He shut off the car and slid out the door. The curtain in the window beside the front door moved. His wife was watching him. Slamming the car door shut, he shoved his keys into his pocket and headed up the walk to the front door.

  Amani Shah pulled open the front door and stood to the side so Adeel could enter. “Husband,” she shuddered. “Are you okay?” She’d spent the night pacing the floors and then tossing and turning in their bed. She knew he was up to something because he wouldn’t tell her anything. He’d simply packed a bag the night before and left, telling her not to call him.

  Adeel shut the front door, careful to turn the deadbolt. Then he pulled Amani in for a hug. Her arms wrapped around his waist, and he buried his nose in her hair. He hated to admit it, but she gave him strength. Her unwavering love for him was his lifeblood. And although he’d strayed a few times, he knew she would never betray him.

  He pulled away and cradled her face in his hands. He stared at her, wondering what to say or do. Her eyebrows drew together and worry marred her face. He didn’t like that look on her. Did she not trust him to take care of her? “Pack a bag. We’re leaving,” he ordered.

  He pulled out of her embrace and stalked down the hallway towards their bedroom. He’d need to stop at the ATM machine and get cash. If Hazeem had been captured, it was just a matter of time before his name as conspirator was revealed.

  “Pack a bag?” she repeated as she traipsed after him. “What is going on?” She nervously twisted her fingers in front of her. She’d known it was bad. She’d even watched the news all morning, waiting for a headline to break concerning a shooting or attack of some kind. But she hadn’t expected him to come home so fearful.

  Adeel dug through the bedroom closet, pushing clothes and shoes out of his way. Then he stood and planted his hands on his hips and cut his gaze to Amani. “I need a duffle bag or suitcase,” he barked. “Where are they?”

  She pressed her lips together to keep them from trembling. His behavior scared her. His eyes were distant and cold and a little sheen of sweat wet his brow. “They’re in the spare bedroom closet,” she replied, still fidgeting with her hands. As much as she hated the wars in her homeland, she’d wanted to leave that life of violence behind when they moved here, not bring the violence into her home.

  Adeel brushed past her, but she followed closely on his heels. “Adeel, please stop,” she begged. “Tell me what I can know.” She knew he wouldn’t tell her much. He would protect her like that, but she needed some piece of information. How much trouble were they in? What would happen to their children?

  Adeel pulled open the spare bedroom closet door and immediately spied a rolling suitcase in the corner on the floor. Grabbing it by the handle, he pulled it out of the closet and turned towards her. He rested a hand on her shoulder and noted how small her frame was compared to his. “We will take a little vacation. Stay at a hotel somewhere, just you and me. It will be a second honeymoon.”

  She snorted, insulted at his attempt to calm her with that lame suggestion about a honeymoon. “You mean our first honeymoon.” They’d spent their wedding night in his family’s house. She’d been nervous. It was her first time, and the walls were thin. She’d spent the next week with her face covered to hide her blush from his parents.

  Adeel hated that he hadn’t given her a real honeymoon, but that sort of thing wasn’t important where they came from. Everyone knew what a man did with his wife, so he never understood her embarrassment. He was proud that his family had heard him loving his wife. As far as he was concerned, that was a good thing.

  He placed his hand against her cheek. “Then it will be our first honeymoon,” he crooned. “Now get a bag and pack.”

  She took his hand in hers and patted it. Nerves jumbled in her stomach, souring the coffee she’d choked down earlier. “Okay, for how long? How much should I pack?” Were they disappearing for good? Would they leave everything behind? That crushed her. She liked it here. She had friends here.

  “At least a week. We can always find a laundromat. Pack some food too.”

  A laundromat? At those words, she knew they were in serious trouble, maybe the kind that required one to disappear forever. Would
the kids be dragged into it? Would they be safe?

  She grabbed a suitcase from the closet and rolled it into their bedroom. Setting her hands on her hips, she looked around the room. What items were too precious to leave behind? Her mother’s necklace was a must. It wasn’t expensive, but it was sentimental. She remembered playing with the chain as a girl. She’d trace the glittering light as it sparkled off the gold.

  Adeel worked feverishly, gathering his clothes and toiletries that he required as she methodically packed her suitcase and hid her treasured heirlooms among the clothes.

  When he finished, he zipped up the suitcase and said, “I’m going to the ATM. Get a cooler and pack some food. We’ll find a place with a little refrigerator.” He stepped to her and set his hands on her arms and looked her in the eyes. “Don’t worry. We’ll get through this.”

  She nodded, but she didn’t believe him. He’d never been this scared before in his life. It frightened her.

  9

  Bella eased open her eyes. Her head pounded with the blinding pulse of a clogger’s shoes on a wooden dance floor. As she inhaled deeply, pain shot from her ribs and caught her breath. “Oh,” she moaned and tossed an arm over her head, instantly regretting the movement because it put stress on her tender ribs. Wincing, she settled her arm along her side again and focused on taking shallow breaths.

  She lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling as she did her best to remember what happened. She’d gone on a date with Eric James. They’d had a wonderful time, and then he took her back to work to pick up the flowers that he’d sent her earlier in the day. She’d gone to the bathroom, and when she returned she’d found him in the conference room at Savage Security. He’d been taping something to the underside of the table. That was when all hell broke loose.

  His hazel eyes had shifted from light and easy to dark and foreboding. He’d charged at her when she’d confronted him. She still couldn’t believe that he’d attacked her.

  She gingerly touched her neck where Eric had gripped her with a strangling hold. Thank God she’d hit the panic button before he got the chance to kill her. She did her best to force the dark thoughts from her mind.

  The overwhelming need to pee filled her. Had they given her an IV at the hospital? She wasn’t sure. She remembered being in the ambulance. Voices had surrounded her, some talking to her, questioning her as she was poked and prodded. But one voice had encouraged her. Had that voice belonged to the one who stroked her arm and held her hand? Had Jack been with her? Did that make sense? Her memory was so clouded that she didn’t know what was real and what wasn’t.

  Easing the covers off her body, she stopped when she realized what she was wearing. All she had on was her lace bra and matching undies. Shame filled her. She’d started to wear sexy lingerie in case things with Eric progressed. They’d made-out plenty, but they hadn’t had intercourse because of a yeast infection.

  “Ugh,” she moaned as she brushed her hand over her bruised ribs. For the life of her, she couldn’t remember peeling off her clothes, but she must have been with it enough to lay them neatly over the chair by the window. She was surprised that she hadn’t just left them on the floor by the bed.

  How did she get home? She racked her mind, and an image of Jack popped into her head. He’d been there. A flash of sensation flooded her as she remembered his hands on her body, not in a sexual way, but in a desperate, purposeful way. He’d begged her to open her eyes. Jack was the one who’d saved her.

  She rolled onto her side, gritting her teeth at the pain, and then sat up. Her legs dangled over the side of the bed as she waited for the dizziness to settle. When the world stopped spinning, she stood and gently touched her bruised ribs. What had Eric done to her? It felt as if a python had used her as a cuddly. Fear slithered around her as she wondered what else Eric had done that she didn’t remember. Did she even want to know? She’d scoff at herself if the action wouldn’t kill her throat.

  Taking in a breath and shoving the negative thoughts from her mind, she opened her bedroom door and trudged to the bathroom.

  Her heart sank at her reflection in the mirror. One eye was completely black and blue. Tiny veins bled into the whites of her eye. One cheek was swollen and badly bruised, and Eric’s handprints were visible on her neck. As horrible as she looked, she was thankful that none of it would scar. She didn’t want to look in the mirror every day of her life and relive the nightmare that almost killed her. Turning away from the mirror, she went to the toilet and did her business.

  Jack sat up at the sound of the toilet flushing. She was awake. His heart stuttered. What would she remember? How would she be? Glancing at his watch, he realized he’d gotten a few hours of sleep. Hopefully she felt better after the rest. The bathroom door slowly opened and out she walked.

  Shit! His blood raced south when she came out of the bathroom in only her lace bra and panties. All of her was on display in the daylight, and she was better than he’d ever fantasized. He did his best to keep his eyes on her face, but her other parts drew his eyes downward with the strength of a rare-earth super magnet.

  She neared him, rubbing the pad of her hand over her forehead with her eyes closed. “Uh,” he started. “Hey, Bella.” He’d stand, but then his reaction to her would be obvious.

  She screamed at the sound of the man’s voice, and her whole body jerked. Her arm banded around her breasts while the other hand flew in front of her panties. “What!” Her heart raced as the memory of Eric’s hands tightening on her neck rushed through her mind.

  Jack stood and turned around so that his back was to her. “It’s me. Jack,” he said, taking a few settling breaths. He waved his hand in the air like an idiot. This wasn’t how he’d expected things to go. “I’m sorry that I scared you.” His voice was tentative and apologetic. He shoved his hands into his pockets.

  She looked at him, his back still to her, and then she rushed back into the bathroom. Her heart pounded against her ribs, which only made them hurt more.

  Perfect! Her coworker had seen her in her lace skivvies. The humiliation was overwhelming. The only consolation was that he’d probably seen so many naked women that she’d be easily forgotten from his memory.

  Grabbing a bath towel and wrapping it around her body, she walked back into the hallway to get some answers.

  Jack willed his body under control and adjusted himself. You can’t show a man a gorgeous, nearly-naked woman and not expect his body to notice. No need to advertise his feelings for her. Now wasn’t the right time.

  “What are you doing here?” she asked. She wasn’t sure if she was relieved or upset at his presence, but she was certainly confused.

  He hated the worry in her voice. “Can I turn around?” He risked a quick look over his shoulder and saw her cloaked in a bath towel. An image of her in the shower with him flashed through his mind.

  “Yes,” she said, needing to take a deep breath but not wanting the pain to tear through her again. “Why are you here?”

  Jack turned so that he faced her. He wanted to go to her, wrap her up in his arms and cradle her close to his body, but she clearly wasn’t thrilled with his presence. “Do you remember much about last night?” He wasn’t sure what to do with his hands, so he shoved them back into his pockets.

  The question bothered her because not much made sense to her, and she didn’t know what to think. “Not a whole lot,” she replied honestly. “Eric attacked me. I’m not sure why.” Tears threatened to spill down her face as the memory rushed back. She’d trusted Eric. She’d liked him. She’d wanted to take their relationship to the next level sexually. Thank God for the yeast infection that had kept her from having sex with him.

  Jack cut the distance between them in an instant and pulled her against him. She nestled the uninjured part of her face into his chest as his arms banded around her back. His heart thudded dramatically in her ear as his fingers traced up and down her back in a relaxing rhythm.

  “Does this hurt?” Jack asked, rubbing he
r gently. He wanted to bring her comfort in some way, even if was only in a thoughtful gesture.

  “No,” she murmured, her lips brushing against his shirt. “It feels good.” It did. Something about Jack’s strength and gentleness settled her, made her feel safe.

  The warmth of her breath heated his chest through his shirt. He couldn’t help but kiss the top of her head. Pulling away slightly, he asked, “Do you have a bathrobe? I’ll get it for you.” He wanted more of her covered. Bella wrapped in a towel was too distracting.

  She appreciated his thoughtfulness. How could they carry on the conversation that they needed to with her nearly naked? “Yes. In my closet.”

  Jack left her and wandered into her bedroom. The queen bed caught his attention. There’d be plenty of room for him in that bed, especially if they cuddled together. Who was he kidding? If he made it into her bed, he wouldn’t be sleeping.

  Pulling open the closet door, he was impressed by the volume of shoes and the quantity of clothes that she’d squeezed into the space. Pushing back the hangers, he pulled her plush bathrobe off the hanger and laughed as he inspected it.

  He hadn’t expected her to have a Game of Thrones bathrobe. Bella apparently had a thing for John Snow because his image dominated the fabric.

  Bella felt weird standing in the hallway in a towel. Frustrated and confused, she made her way into her bedroom and leaned against the door. She smiled, but hated that the simple action pained her. “You like?” she asked, noting the smile on Jack’s face.

  Jack glanced at the bathrobe and then back at her. “John Snow, huh?” He moved to stand behind her and eased her arm into the sleeve.

  “He’s a fan favorite.” She felt silly that Jack now knew about her crush on an actor. “I guess I’m drawn to alpha males.” As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she regretted them. She felt like a silly school girl, and she knew she looked pathetic since she worked with a group of men who epitomized the phrase, ‘alpha male’.