He felt something jump onto his back and turned to try and dislodge the person only to notice it was Devilbunny. Her eyes were wild as she raked her fingers over his face.
For a moment, he was too shocked to realize what was happening before punching her in the face. She had always been a crazy bitch, but she had never been as crazy as she was now. She whimpered before crawling towards her laptop.
Razorback would deal with her later, he reasoned as he continued to fight off the SWAT team who was grabbing hostages even as another team covered the rescue team.
It wasn’t until he heard the deafening sound of plastic cracking and felt the resounding pain shooting through his skull that he realized he should’ve dealt with Devilbunny first. He fell to the floor, everything spinning around him as he saw the laptop in her hands. A smile spread across her face as she flung it towards his head again.
This time the pain was even worse than the first time. He felt the burn of flesh tearing even as the world started to go dark.
30
“Where are we going?” Carson asked, running after Delilah.
“The service corridor, Mac is waiting there for us,” Delilah called over her shoulder without slowing her pace.
“Do you think it’s over yet?” Carson jumped over a body as they passed through the foyer, noticing the police were breaking through the doors there as well.
“No, they’re going to come after us. When you put a rat in a corner, it attacks. They’re not going to stop until they’ve got you.” They rushed towards a smaller corridor and Delilah hoped to God that they would reach the group before the guys following them caught up with them.
“Mac,” she shouted as soon as she turned into the last hallway.
“We’re here!” Mac called back.
“Come on,” Delilah called to Carson over her shoulder as she kept running at full speed. They reached the rest of the hostages and noticed that Mac and two other men were busy disarming the IED.
“Do you know what you’re doing?” Carson asked, out of breath.
“Not really, no, but I’m a technician, and it makes sense if you cut off the signal cable that it won’t explode.”
“Oh God,” Delilah sighed, sinking against the wall. She was in top physical condition, and yet the last thirty minutes had drained her of her last bit of energy. She knew if the cops had hacked into the cameras, she would be just as big a suspect as Razorback and his gang. She needed to get out before they could find her.
“There, we’re almost done,” the guy said, holding the pliers.
Delilah stood up and narrowed her eyes. She didn’t have a lot of experience with bombs, but this one looked familiar. She traced the wires with her eyes before turning to him. “You’re cutting this one, right?”
The guy nodded. “That’s what my head tells me to do.”
“Yeah, I think so too.” Delilah hoped she was right.
“Stand back,” he ordered, holding the pliers closer to the IED.
Mac, Carson, and Delilah took about twenty paces back and held their breath as the man cut the wire. When the IED just beeped as he opened the door, everyone released their breath. There were no police waiting on the other side of the door as they rushed into the basement garage.
The scent of teargas alerted Delilah as she moved through the basement. “We need to get away from here; they’re gassing the building and I think it’s coming through the vents.”
“Come, I know an alleyway,” Mac said, taking the lead again. They walked along the damp alley, trying to miss the rats that were everywhere as they headed to the end. The alley opened up onto the street a block away from the hotel.
“Thank God,” a woman cried out as she stepped out into the evening air.
“The police are waiting in front of the hotel. Head that way, they’ll take care of you,” Delilah said, glancing around. She needed to get out of here and soon.
“What about you?” Mac asked, confused.
“I’ll meet you there. Go, Mac, now!” Delilah said urgently.
Mac nodded once before helping the hostages flee into the night. Carson didn’t move.
“Why aren’t you coming?” Carson asked, confused.
“I checked in under an alias, Carson. I wore a wig. They’ve got me on camera shooting and causing quite a bit of mayhem myself. They’ll think I was part of the gang.”
“They won’t. I’ll cover for you.” Carson urged, brushing his hand along her arm.
“You’ll try, but they won’t fall for it. I need to leave you here; I need to go before they find me.”
“Here,” Carson said, pulling something out of his pocket. “This is the keycard to the hotel I’m staying in across town.”
“I thought you were staying here?” Delilah asked, confused.
Carson laughed, shaking his head. “You’re not the only person that plans ahead. I never sleep where I have a function.”
A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. She had planned to kill Carson at the Pearl Plaza and he wasn’t even planning on sleeping there. Was it fate that had protected him tonight?
She stepped closer and brushed her lips over his. “I’ll meet you there.”
Carson nodded. “I can’t wait.” Their gazes held for a few moments before Carson finally headed in the same direction as Mac and the hostages.
Delilah took a deep breath when she was finally alone. She glanced at the hotel keycard in her hand. It was a nice hotel. Not the Pearl Plaza but its biggest competition at least. Should she take a chance and head there and wait for Carson, or should she disappear?
She was good at disappearing.
She thought for a moment about how it had felt when he touched her, about how wrong she had been about him. Did she want to see where this would lead, or did she want a fresh start away from Molly’s memory?
Delilah felt a tear slip over her cheek as she made her decision. She took a step, but it wasn’t in the direction of Carson’s hotel.
31
Carson felt the fear and tension of the night wash away as he approached the barricade. Mac and the other hostages were already safely in police custody and he was only a few steps away. For a moment he glanced over his shoulder to see if he could still see Delilah. But just as quickly as she had come into his life, she had disappeared.
Uneasiness flooded his system suddenly. Would she be waiting for him at the hotel or was that the last he had seen of her? Something made him realize he wouldn’t. She wasn’t the settle-down-and live-happily-ever-after type.
In fact, he didn’t even know what type she was. He didn’t even know what she did for a living, although he wouldn’t be surprised if she was in security or some other form of protection. How else did someone learn that level of skill? How else would she have owned all those weapons?
A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, knowing that if he hadn’t explained quickly, he wouldn’t have stood a chance against her expertise. Delilah Blake wouldn’t let anyone stand in her way. For a moment he considered going back and trying to find her, but he knew she would be long gone. She didn’t wait for anyone or answer to anyone.
“Carson Blake?” a man asked, approaching him.
“Yeah.” Carson sighed, knowing it was too late to turn around now.
“How?” the man asked, confused, glancing at the bullet holes in Carson’s suit.
“Bulletproof vest. Damn glad I wore it, come to think of it.”
“Did you know what was coming?” the policeman asked, suddenly suspicious.
Carson shook his head with a sigh. “No. I always wear this whenever I have a function. A lot of people don’t like my money.”
The police man nodded. “Lieutenant Walters. Glad to see you’re still alive and safe. Do you know what tonight was about?”
Carson shook his head. “A bunch of assholes trying to make a quick buck?”
“That, but they were after you as well.”
Carson felt his blood run cold. He had known tha
t they were after his money, but he hadn’t realized he was the main target.
“We’ll need a statement from you. Follow me; the medics can check you out before you give it.”
“I’m fine,” Carson insisted. He wanted to get to the hotel; he wanted this night over. He wanted to lose himself in Delilah, if she was there.
“Please, do it for me. Everyone is acting brave. As soon as you go to the medics, the others will follow,” the lieutenant pleaded.
Carson sighed with a nod. “Fine, but I’m fucking tired, irritated, and honestly just want to get to my hotel.”
“Of course.”
The medics quickly assessed Carson; except for the blue bruises where the bullets had slammed against his bulletproof vest, he was fine. After that, Lieutenant Walters personally took his initial statement. He would need to head into the police station later today to go over it again. As soon as he was alone, he went in search of Mac. He didn’t know how he was going to ask him, but he had to ask him.
“Don’t mention Delilah’s name,” Carson said hurriedly.
“What? Why? If it wasn’t for her, we would be dead now,” Mac said, confused.
“I know, but please, Mac. She begged me to keep her name out of this. I’m not sure why, just don’t give them her name.”
“She saved me. I’ll keep her secret.” Mac nodded. “Just do me a favor. If you ever see her again, tell her I said thank you.”
“I will.” Carson nodded, hoping he would have the chance.
As he stood with Mac, he noticed Jeanine being brought out in cuffs. The one side of her face was mangled by Razorback’s knife. Blood was still trickling from the wound. Behind her, two members of the SWAT team escorted Razorback out. Carson frowned, realizing who it was. He knew the Weldons from their charity events. This was Dale Weldon, their son. He had always seemed a little strange to Carson, but he had never thought the nondescript brunette man would amount to anything.
Apparently he had been wrong.
He kept watching as they brought out gang members in restraints. The hostages walked out of the broken-down doors, relieved to still be alive. Those that couldn’t walk were carried out by paramedics. The bodies were left inside to be identified first.
Carson sighed, shaking his head. When had the night he had intended to make amends turned into a fucking bloody nightmare? He swallowed back the guilt; none of this was his fault. He hadn’t known this would happen, but he would make sure the families that had lost loved ones tonight were compensated.
Silence fell over the street as a girl was carried out, screaming and kicking, by two men. Her calavera makeup was smudged, her clothes torn, the one side of her face swollen from Razorback’s assault, but she kept screaming and fighting against them.
For a moment, Carson’s heart squeezed in his chest. Devilbunny was so young; she should be planning her college education, not be part of heists with a psychopath like Razorback. Carson walked to the lieutenant in charge. “Take her to the medics; I think she’s having a breakdown of some sort.”
Walters frowned. “She’s one of them.”
“For fuck’s sake, look how young she is. Whatever they made her do, she was brainwashed to do it. She needs help.”
Walters shrugged and walked towards the men holding her. Carson watched as Devilbunny was taken to an ambulance to be sedated.
“Do you need me for anything else?” Carson asked Walters when he returned.
“No, as long as you come by the station later today.”
Carson nodded and went to find Mac. They shared a cab, dropping Mac off at home first before Carson headed to his hotel. He couldn’t help the foolish act of crossing his fingers when the cab pulled up outside.
32
Delilah swiped the keycard through the lock and heard the satisfying click of the door opening. She stepped inside and sighed. She had been halfway across town, heading to the airport, when she had asked the cab driver to bring her here instead. She had her escape plan mapped out; get to the airport after the hit, fly to Europe, and spend six months reveling in her triumph and deciding what to do with the rest of her life.
The room smelled of him; his aftershave scented the air. How long had he been staying in the hotel? she wondered as she walked through the penthouse suite. The carpet was thick and soft beneath her feet, the walls painted a muted blue. From the balcony, she was sure he could see the entire parade if he wanted.
But instead he had arranged a charity ball, a ball where he would’ve made amends for the wrongs he had done over the years. Was that why she was here? To make sure he held his word about giving her family twenty-five percent of the shares of his company?
She shook her head as a smile spread on her face. She didn’t know why she was here, but she knew it wasn’t for the stock. Something had happened earlier tonight; something had shifted inside her when she had looked into Carson’s eyes. Inside her, something had clicked for the first time since standing over her sister’s grave. She didn’t know what it meant, but she knew that click was the reason she had come to his hotel instead of the airport.
The mirror caught her gaze as she wandered through the bedroom. She stopped and took a closer look. It wasn’t the same person looking back at her as the person that had carefully applied her makeup hours before.
This time she seemed softer somehow. Her eyes didn’t hold the same glare of vengeance she had carried with her for so many years. She tugged off the wig and let it fall to the ground, allowing her own hair to fall over her shoulders. The contacts slipped out and fell to the floor as well as she looked at her appearance.
If she was going to face Carson Royal again, this time he would be looking at the real her. Not the woman who had meant to seduce and kill him. The chef’s clothes she wore were spattered with blood from all the men she had taken down in the name of saving others and Carson. One by one, the pieces of clothing fell to the floor until there was nothing left but Delilah.
Her hands coasted over her body as if seeing it for the first time. What had Carson seen when he looked at her earlier? What would he see if he returned?
Unsure of what the answer would be, Delilah headed into the bathroom. The waterfall shower was boxed in with glass, the numerous jets promising a relaxing shower. That was what she needed. Delilah stepped into the shower, opening the water on full stream before letting her head fall back.
As the water flowed over her back and washed away beneath her feet, she let the anger, the grief, and the years of disappointment wash away as well. She felt lighter for it, happier as well.
She had no idea what she wanted to do with the rest of her life, but she knew she didn’t want to take one more life. The lives she had taken before tonight had never been in vain, but after tonight she couldn’t bear the thought of picking up a weapon again. She wanted a fresh start, a new life, a way to move on and leave the past in the past.
A way to move on and remind her parents of who they once were, who their family once was. She thought of Cody and knew he would’ve heard about the situation at the hotel tonight. He would have been keeping a keen eye on the news for the announcement of Carson’s death. She needed to phone him.
As she reached for the shower gel, the shower door opened and Carson stepped inside. Their eyes met and Delilah felt all the fatigue from the night fall away. His eyes were bluer than before, his smile broader as he reached for her. Her body grew heavy with desire even as her breathing shallowed.
“I didn’t think you would come,” Carson said, slipping a hand behind neck.
Delilah smiled with a shrug. “Neither did I.”
“Why did you?” Carson stepped closer, slipping his other hand around her waist. She hadn’t heard him come in, but he had been in the room long enough to discard his clothing and the bulletproof jacket that had saved him more than once. Her hands trailed up his back, feeling the muscled ridges beneath as they slipped lower, over the mounds of his firm rear.
“Because … I’m not sure …
I just had to,” Delilah whispered.
“Because of this?” Carson pressed his lips against hers. This time there was no hurry. The kiss was long, lingering, sweet, and sensual, unlike any other kiss Delilah had ever experienced before. Need pooled between her thighs. Her breasts swelled with desire as she explored his mouth with her own.
Carson pulled back for a moment, flashing a cocky grin, the question still in his eyes. She couldn’t help but smile back. “I’ve never felt this way before.” The admission made her feel vulnerable and more exposed than she had been running into that ballroom with guns aiming for her head.
“Would you believe me if I said, neither have I?” Delilah didn’t bother to answer; she could see the truth in his eyes.
This time when he moved closer, he pressed his arousal against her tummy, pushing her against the tiled wall of the shower. Delilah gasped as his mouth closed over her nipple, tugging and teasing it with his teeth before moving lower.
Her hands sought his shoulders. They were firm and broad beneath her hands as she felt Carson’s mouth move even lower. His touch was gentle enough to entice; just firm enough to ignite. Her heart galloped in her chest as he drove her higher and higher with his mouth.
She wanted more of this, more of him, she wanted …
Delilah pulled him up by the shoulders, and ravished his body with kisses as she explored with her hands; this time, she took.
When Carson reached for her knees, wrapping them around her waist, Delilah felt the anticipation flooding her body. He slipped inside, thick and strong, and pumped until she felt her world start to fall away.
By the time they were both breathless, seeking the comfort of towels, Delilah knew that was why she had come back. Because no one had ever made her feel since the day she had buried her sister.
Carson made her feel more than she wanted.
Wrapped up in towels, they climbed into bed, both exhausted but grateful for each other’s company, when Carson turned to her.
“We need to talk,” Carson said, brushing a wet strand of hair from her face as they lay facing each other.
Billionaire's Killer Page 12
