HIS Choice: An H.I.S. Novel (H.I.S. series Book 2) (27 page)

“Okay, this is our first real foray into public together. We need to find out when the next prison break will occur. Any other information is a bonus. I want you to keep your scarf up over your face and your hat
pulled low.”

AJ’s stress had his gut twisted. After what happened with Alex, AJ didn’t feel as safe as he’d like taking Megan with him. Thankfully, Kate had their
back today.

He’d wasted his breath attempting to convince Megan to remain in their room with Kate while he hurriedly sought out what they needed. Wow. He’d thought she had fire before. She refused to stay put stating this was also her revenge. Then a flutter whipped through his heart when she’d worried if she kept his sister-in-law, no one would have
his back.

To have someone as unique as Megan with him forever would be a dream come true. No matter how much he loved her, they’d be separated once this was over. His boss would see to it. Loved her? What
the fuck?

Yes, he loved her with a fierceness that ripped his heart apart knowing
their future.

“Okay. No one will see anything but my eyes. Will that work?” She pulled her hat down to her brow and pulled her scarf to her nose. Her beautiful blue eyes
twinkled playfully.

He conducted one final check on her Kevlar vest before he zipped her jacket. She readily agreed to keep her handgun and a phone in her pockets. Although she didn’t like that he said the phone was in case they
were separated.

“Let’s go. We should arrive just in time to meet with
your source.”

They approached a nervous Tyrone, shuffling his feet, his eyes darting around and his hands stuffed in his thick Baltimore Ravens’ jacket. When he noticed AJ, she thought he’
d bolt.

“Who’s he?” her
source asked.

“He’s okay. He has the same goal as I do. You said you have something
for me.”

He looked anxiously at AJ before turning to her. “They have a big buy coming in a
few days.”

What the fuck? How had Byron, the DEA agent on the task force been unaware of
this information?

Uh oh. She had that look he’d come to know all too well. That joyful, I’m going to do something that will get me in trouble and make your life harder, AJ, look.

“That’s awesome! How confident are you
about this?”

“Very.”

She hugged the man. The green-eyed monster
ripped forth.

“Bye, Tyrone. Thank you, again.”

“Keep your head down,”
AJ growled.

He had to speak with Byron about this. A thought occurred to AJ. He pulled the secure phone from his pocket. Sure enough he’d missed a call when he’d been
rescuing Megan.

“This is good isn’t it?”
she asked.

He kicked a chunk of ice that hadn’t melted in the sunny, warmer weather today. “If it’s accurate, it would be extremely helpful. What the agent had to use for our plan had
been weak.”

They silently continued down the street. She hadn’t asked it yet, but he knew what the next question from her mouth would be. She’d be sorely disappointed with his answer, but she’d remain alive.

He decided to head it off. “You’re not going to watch the buy.” He cringed at the dictatorial tone of
his voice.

“You’ve got to be kidding me. This is too good for me to
pass up.”

“We need this bust,” he said watching her tense. “You know we need him pissed off at each of his advisors for screwing things up and losing a shipment is far better than what we’d planned
for Carl.”

“I thought you didn’t want to catch him or Jimmy. How can you
avoid it?”

He shook his head. “They’re paranoid bastards. They send someone else to their buys, someone expendable. No one has the balls to cheat the Magician. It keeps the two of them out of it. Keeps their
hands clean.”

“Well, I still want to
witness it.”

“Not happening. DEA won’t allow it. I won’t allow it.” He put his foot down. She would listen and obey him
this time.

She stopped and jammed her hands on her hips. “Won’t allow it? Who do you think
you are?”

He stopped. “Megan, it’s not safe. There could
be gunfire.”

“How will I get the information if I’m
not there?”

“I’ll have a DEA agent call you after the bust. He’ll provide
the details.”

Step one of their plan. He’d reviewed it again with the other agents. They fed everything to him, and he’d use Megan to publicize their results. It had
to work.

She hugged him. “Thank you. Thank you.” She pressed kisses all over his face before his lips
captured hers.

A loud vulgar comment reached his ears. How did Kate ever learn to talk
like that?

He took Megan’s hand in his. They were on their way into the thick of things. He held it tighter. He’d keep her alive. He
had to.

* * * * *

“We’ve had enough for one day. Let’s head back. Keep your head down. We’ve been very lucky no one has recognized you.” People still feared AJ from his time in the enforcer role so he’d been safer than he’
d expected.

Two blocks from their room, Kate shouted, “AJ,
get down!”

He spun around, pulled his weapon and shoved Megan behind him as several shots rang out. He spotted Trey dropping to the ground. Kate rushed past them, kicking Trey’s
weapon away.

Confident they were safe AJ turned to Megan with
shaky hands.

“Are you okay? Are you hit?” AJ asked with full-blown panic. His hands traced over her body to ensure she had no injuries. When he found her uninjured, relief coursed through him and he hugged her tight. Thank God Kate had been on
the ball.

“AJ, you’ve been shot,” Megan exclaimed, pushing back and pointing to his
left leg.

He looked down at his the blood soaking his pants. Funny he hadn’t felt the pain when he’d been worried about his
little dove.

He now knew what it felt like to be shot. It fucking hurt like hell. Heat and sharp pain radiated down his leg. He removed her scarf and tied it above the wound with
shaky hands.

“Let’s get back to the room. Now.” His gravelly voice shocked him. He needed to get off his feet before he landed face first on
the sidewalk.

“You need a hospital, AJ,” she protested, the unmistakable look of fear in
her eyes.

“No. Get me back to the room.” She didn’t understand. He couldn’t go to the hospital. Someone who had witnessed it might get word to Damian. They’d check the hospitals and while they removed the bullet, she’d
be vulnerable.

Kate jogged up to them. “Shit.”

“Don’t argue, Megan. I need to get you back to
the room.”

“He’s right. Let’s move.” His sister-in-law put an arm under his left shoulder
for support.

He took Megan’s trembling hand and pulled
her along.

As soon as they entered the room, AJ dropped into the closest chair warding off the dizziness that had
assailed him.

Kate pulled out her phone. “Megan, see
to AJ.”

“Get the first aid kit from my bag.” Sweat trickled down his temple, an intense throbbing at the site of the wound. Having a red-hot poker shoved in his leg would hurt less
than this.

The bleeding had slowed. He experienced another wave of lightheadedness. He couldn’t pass out. He had to even out his breathing, focus on something besides the pain. Not fucking possible.

“Don’t you dare yell at me, Jesse Hamilton! I told him to get down. Like you, he doesn’
t listen.”

AJ chuckled at his old partner’s angry voice. He
missed it.

Megan returned with the first aid kit, opened it and panicked as all of the items fell out on the table. “
Oh no.”

“Don’t worry about it. I need your help. We have to stop the bleeding. Can you do this, Megan? Can you
help me?”

She hadn’t been this affected when Trent had been shot in the leg. And she’d just been used for target practice. He couldn’t remember ever being so happy and so disheartened at the same time.

Megan nodded.

He held on by a thread. Kate had to hurry. His body couldn’t tolerate the pain much longer and remain conscious. “We just need to clean
it up.”

They cleaned it and she wrapped a bandage around his leg. Splotches of tears on his pants attested to the care and worry she had
for him.

“Quit worrying, my little dove. We’ll leave for the
hospital shortly.”

Kate returned. “Let’
s go.”

* * * * *

Megan and Kate used every bit of strength they had to move a semi-conscious AJ, who could barely put weight on this leg, into the SUV. Megan fought to keep him awake while his sister-in-law raced to
the hospital.

Twins in jeans, turtlenecks, leather jackets and weapons holstered on their right sides walked towards their vehicle, a menacing look
about them.

Her heart raced. “Please tell me these men are here to help us and not
kill us.”

Kate smiled. “Relax. We’re safe. They’re the
good guys.”

That didn’t help her relax
one bit.

The twins pulled AJ from the vehicle and managed to support him as he hopped passed two fierce looking men guarding a hallway labeled ‘Employees Only.’ She gazed at the men warily, bit her lip and
followed Kate.

They halted in front of a group of men who rallied
around AJ.

A beehive of activity, a medical group preparing for something, his surgery maybe, took her attention away from
the group.

“Ms. Rogers, we’ll move you to the private room he’ll have after surgery, instead of time in recovery. If you’ll follow me,” the twin wearing the dark blue
turtleneck said.

She wrapped her arms around herself and looked at AJ. His pallor had turned gray. How he still stood, well not actually standing on his own,
amazed her.

“Megan, it’s okay. They’ll take care of you while they’re removing the bullet. You don’t need to worry about me. I trust these men and someone will be also outside my door. Now go. I’ll see you when I
wake up.”

When she didn’t budge, he leaned in and brushed a light kiss across her lips. “Mmm. I want to taste more of that stuff on your lips when I
wake up.”

They introduced her around the group. She went through the motions and then followed Brad, the twin who had attempted to lead her away before, to the fourth floor. He opened a private hospital room door and a man walked out. They nodded at each other. “This is a safe place for you to wait. I’ll be outside
your door.”

“Wait. Can’t we see him
in ICU?”

He shook his head. “He won’t be in ICU. A private nurse is on her way. The doctor reluctantly approved his coming straight here as long as
she stayed.”

After she walked into the room, he closed the door behind her, leaving
her alone.

AJ had been shot. He had to
be okay.

Her gaze roved around the bright room and spotted the couch. She sat. The intense pain in her heart unleashed her tears. She could’ve lost him today. She knew she might lose him someday, but she didn’t want to lose him this soon, or
to death.

Startled, she opened her eyes as Kate sat next to her. “Come here.” She opened her arms and Megan fell
into them.

“I love him,” she said through another flow
of tears.

“
I know.”

* * * * *

Kate returned home, leaving Megan pacing the room. How long would this take? She looked at her watch. Time passed
so slowly.

The forgotten phone in her pocket rang. “Hello,” she said
through sniffles.

“Megan, are you okay? You don’t sound well,”
Kristen asked.

“No, I’
m fine.”

“I was worried when I didn’t hear from you yesterday or receive
a story.”

Megan hadn’t thought about a story last night. “Well, I was taken hostage yesterday,” she informed
her boss.

“What?”

“An enforcer used me
as bait.”

“I take it your hero saved you since you’re talking with
me now.”

Her face split into a wide grin. “Yeah, he
saved me.”

“I talked to your mother yesterday and told her you were safe. She’s worried sick
about you.”

Megan’s stomach turned on itself.

She missed her family. Her mother didn’t deserve this. Megan understood the need for caution, but she wanted to be the one telling her that she was fine. She wanted to speak with AJ about allowing her to contact her mother, but didn’t want to push her luck. He already let her communicate with her boss and Victoria, but she knew that was because they were useful
to him.

Her friends must be frantic. Kristen would keep them informed, but it wouldn’t be the same. Janet didn’t need the stress of worrying about her. It can’t be good for a pregnant woman. Kelly would wear a hole in the carpet, pacing, fretting. Kyle’s tie would remain loose. And Merissa. Well, she wouldn’t
miss Megan.

She fought the onslaught of new tears. “Thank you for doing that, Kristen. I can’t communicate with her personally, and it’s
killing me.”

“She seems to understand, although I’m sure she’d prefer she was speaking
with you.”