HIS Choice: An H.I.S. Novel (H.I.S. series Book 2) (17 page)

“Uh. You were right, it is lighter. I like it.” AJ’s eyes moved from her breasts to
her hair.

She swooshed her hair and smiled. “I feel like a
different person.”

When she passed him, he caught her in his arms and jerked her to his chest. His lips melted over hers in a hot, searing kiss that left her limp
with desire.

She slid her hands up his arms, resting on his shoulders before wrapping them around his neck. She pulled closer to him, rubbing herself against his hardness, heating her blood and
her core.

He quickly jerked back, set her away and dropped his hands. After several gulps of air, he spoke, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have
done that.”

Her hands flew to her hips. “Shouldn’t have done what? Kiss me? Make me want you again? Why exactly are you sorry, AJ?”

He ran his fingers through his hair. “You know why.” He turned and escaped into
the bathroom.

What the hell
just happened?

AJ scanned the area outside the hotel room. They needed to move soon. They’d already been here longer than
he liked.

He scooped up the newspaper from the doorstep. A smile escaped him as he noted the front page. He stood and scanned the area once more. Satisfied, he closed and locked the door.

He placed the newspaper on the desk and watched Megan sleep. What he wouldn’t give to wake up to her each morning.
What the fuck am I thinking? She’s Trent’s woman, and only with me because he’
s injured.

Last night he’d overstepped boundaries. His old buddy asked him to keep her safe, not share her. Killers breathed down their necks and distractions could be deadly. And she distracted him. Whenever she approached, blood rushed to his groin and it stood at attention. No matter what he told himself, he wanted her with an urgency he didn’t understand. Didn’t want
to understand.

She woke, stretched and yawned. She had that mussed up morning look. It was damn sexy. Fuck! He should hand her off to someone else. Jesse and Kate offered to take her. He couldn’t handle this attraction to her and not betray
his friend.

She jumped from the bed, picked up the newspaper and gasped. “It’s on the front page, above
the fold!”

Oh how adorable she looked when she saw her articles
in print.

He set a cup of coffee on the desk and smiled at her. He allowed himself to savor being near her, drinking in the sight of her, warmth slowly spreading through him. His heart turned over. She should be his.
If only…

“Front page, two days in a row,” she whispered
in awe.

“Megan, you’re an
exceptional journalist.”

Her excitement burst forth and she stood and hugged him. “Thank you.” When she realized what she had done she jumped back. “I’
m sorry.”

He grunted. Damn, fucking Trent. “Don’t worry about it. You’re happy. A hug isn’t out of line.” Her breasts had brushed against his chest. He couldn’t handle another embrace without throwing her to the floor. Shame there wasn’t a dining table in here. He smiled at the memory and dealt with the pain of his growing erection, tightening
his jeans.

She sat, drank coffee and read the newspaper. Read about her narrow escape
from death.

She had to stop writing anything else about Magic Shop. He needed time to find out about the next prison break. Another convict apprehended would bring their boss out faster than losing drug money from the streets. First he needed to see to their safety. They’d move tomorrow. He’d forgotten to ask his brother to provide him with new wheels. He needed to
rectify that.

He pulled the secure phone from his pocket and dialed. “Jesse said you’d help. We need wheels that won’t attract police attention. Will you
do that?”

“Good morning to you too, my lost
little brother.”

He didn’t need the lecture Devon, another of his older brothers, would give him. Jesse had already burned his ears with their disappointment of how he’d chosen to live. His brother hadn’t actually said disappointed, but AJ knew what he’d meant. Impatiently, he asked, “Can you
do it?”

“How could you even doubt my ability to do something so simple?” Devon
responded indignantly.

“Good. I need it filled with toys so I can work, and I’m not sure exactly what I’
ll need.”

“I can do that, too.” As an ex-CIA agent, his brother provided anything and everything the H.I.S. team needed. AJ had never asked how they acquired their supplies because he wasn’t sure he wanted to know
the answer.

The crinkling of a folding newspaper reached his ears. “This journalist is trouble, AJ. She’s making it worse. Can’t you
stop her?”

He chuckled. “Are you kidding me? She’s just as eager as I am to get the fucker. If I tried to stop her, she’d just take off on her own to get things done. At least now I can watch over her.” He glanced her way, catching her absorbed in reading
the newspaper.

“Have you talked her in to coming
here yet?”

“
She refused.”

“Why won’t you walk away? At least until everyone returns? You know we’ll help you
with this.”

“He tried to have me killed, Dev. I won’t walk away, and I’m
not waiting.”

His brother sighed. “Okay. Where
and when?”

He provided an address, and they agreed on a time transportation would be available. A small weight lifted from his shoulders. One
thing down.

“We need to get on the Internet without
being located.”

“Ha, little brother, you know I can do that quicker than you can pick up
a woman.”

He smiled. “You take good care of me, Dev.”

“Just remember that when I need something from you.” His
brother chuckled.

Megan stood and walked to her suitcase with a sly smile on her face. Ah, she’d
been listening.

She lugged her bag to the bathroom with her. “I have the
shower first.”

She’d paid attention to him about not unpacking in the event they had to depart quickly. He hated she had to live this way, but he was damn proud of her for taking it in stride. He’d keep her safe until he could return her back to her world.
And Trent.

* * * * *

AJ couldn’t wait any longer to make his calls even if Megan listened. He pulled out the
burner phone.

“Blade, I
need information.”

“Whatcha’ want, AJ?”

“I need
the Magician.”

The man chuckled. “Come on. We’ve been through that before. I don’t know who he is or where
he hides.”

He’d met Blade when he’d been sent to give him a message. It had been eye-opening. Jimmy Baldwin liked to have him regularly beaten up to show the other dealers he could and would hurt them if they didn’t remain loyal. AJ couldn’t figure out why Jimmy chose this particular dealer as his victim, and Blade wouldn’t
share why.

His informant wanted Jimmy to have payback, but he wasn’t capable of doing it himself. AJ promised to take care of the man if he helped him find the organization’s boss. Blade knew he’d be out of a job if that happened, but didn’t care as someone else would take over almost immediately. Someone he hoped to whom he wouldn’t be
the example.

“I know you don’t know who he is, but someone else might. I need him. I need you to dig deeper. Find new friends and see if you can find out where he is or when he’s coming around. I’m also looking for anything you hear about an upcoming
secret mission.”

“All right, man. Let me see what I can
find out.”

“That’s all I ask. Call me on this phone when you have something. Don’t let anyone know
we spoke.”

“I never do. I heard they’re going fucking nuts looking for you. You’d best keep your head down,”
Blade advised.

“I’ll
do that.”

He didn’t expect the dealer to have anything new when he’d called, but he was AJ’s best informant. He could ferret out information like no one else. He had no doubt the man would find
something useful.

Megan held his gaze with a raised eyebrow. “Blade?”

Of course, she’
d listened.

“He wants to sound dangerous,” he answered with a mischievous smile.

“I have some contacts too, but I need
the phone.”

They’d been useful to her before. She’d exposed several dealers on the streets plus the councilman. Hell, she’d been at his meeting with Damian. A meeting only three people, well four if you count the Magician, knew about. They were damn good sources. They could use all of the help they could get
right now.

“Come on. I won’t say where we are or that I’m with you.” She tilted her head and added a
charming smile.

“Make
it quick.”

“May I give them this number so they can call me when they find
out something?”

He sighed. “
Go ahead.”

She jumped up and took the phone from him. “Oh, and I’m
calling Kristen.”

He shrugged. Devon had cleared her boss. “Be careful what you say. Talk where I can
hear you.”

* * * * *

Megan watched AJ stretch out his glorious body on his bed, his back propped against the headboard, his feet crossed with a bored look on his face. She wanted to kiss it away, watch his eyes darken with desire. She wanted him and wouldn’t fight it
any longer.

Even now looking at him had her heartbeat accelerating. But why had he quit kissing her? Why was he sorry? And what was it
she knew?

“Yo.”

“Raven, what’s the word on
the street?”

“Lady, word is that everyone is looking for you. The good guys and bad. I heard Feds
got involved.”

“Yeah. I’m kind of in a bind. I need information. I’m looking for the Magician or where I can
find him.”

“Since when did you jump back to the top? I thought you wanted to take down every level of Magic Shop before you got
to him?”

“You know my plan was for him all along. I just had to start at the bottom because it was all
I had.”

“Well, if this helps, I heard a rumor he’s pissed with Damian. The one you got a picture of offing those guys. That
was bitchin’.”

“Thanks. Would you try to find out where I can find the man? This
is important.”

“He’s got a hit out on you. Why are you trying to find him? Do you have a death wish
or something?”

Why did everyone keep asking her that? “It’s because he has a hit on me that I want to find him, besides you know he had my
brother killed.”

He sighed. “Okay. I’ll see what I
can do.”

“I’ll take anything you can
find out.”

“
Will do.”

“Thanks, Raven.”

She disconnected the call and looked at AJ. “The boss is pissed
at Damian.”

AJ’s eyes remained focused on the television. “Of course he is but Damian can’t help us find what we need because he’s probably in hiding. You did plaster his photo across the front page of
your newspaper.”

“Don’t you think it’s time we share information? It might help us get closer to finding him.” She crossed her fingers behind her back.
Please. Please.

“Not yet. I’m sure you don’t have anything I
can use.”

Dang him for being right
.
He knew all about them. She didn’t have a story if she couldn’t get more information. “Why won’t you share
with me?”

“Because, you’ll use the information to write an article that broadens the bull’s-eye on your back. And, we’d probably lose
our chance.”

She would write about it. That’s what she did. “I’m not worried about me. People have a right to know what’s happening on the streets of Baltimore.” She sighed. “But, for the sake of our investigation, I might not write it. Yet.”

He’d tried to put his foot down on her writing articles. No way would she listen to him on her work. She knew her articles would help them. He just didn’t
see it.

“Finished with your calls? I have more
to make.”

He wouldn’t budge on sharing. She’d keep at it. She needed what he knew about the organization. “No. I have another call to make. Can’t you use your
other phone?”

He gave her a look that had her rolling her eyes. “Okay, I’ll
be quick.”

She called Tyrone and learned that since things got screwed up the big boss might personally
get involved.

Maybe her witnessing Damian killing Hank would bring out the boss. That was the best news she’
d heard.

She needed to call Kristen before AJ changed his mind. She dialed
the newsroom.

“Michaels.”

“Hello, Kristen.”

“Megan! Where are you? Are
you safe?”

“I’
m safe.”

“Good Good. Your article is a hit. Our sales are through
the roof.”

Elation filled Megan. The more people knew what happens in Magic Shop the better. “Thanks for the front
page exposure.”

“The story deserved it. What’s next? What do you have on
the Magician?”

“Nothing. But I’m not giving up. I have my sources
on it.”

“Well, being on the run could negatively impact writing stories. I don’t expect anything out of you. I considered yesterday
a bonus.”

“I’ll find something. Just give
me time.”

“Megan, come in and let’s get you to the FBI. They’ve been driving
me nuts.”

Megan’s hands shook at the thought of the feds tracking her down. “If you tell them we talked, we won’t be able
to anymore.”

“I understand. Oh, that bastard Marcus called to see if I’d heard from you. He sounded
truly worried.”

Megan tightened her grip on the phone. “
Ignore him.”

“Done. I don’t like you on the run
by yourself.”

She wished she could tell her not to worry, that she was with AJ. “How’s
the team?”

“Worried about you. Tell me where you are, and I’ll drive you personally to the
FBI office.”

“Sorry, Kristen. I don’t
trust them.”

She had to end the call before she slipped and told Kristen everything. “I have to go. You can reach me at this number for a day or two.” She rattled off the number, not knowing when AJ would change out
the phones.