Ultimate Kill (Book 1 Ultimate CORE Trilogy) (CORE Series) (14 page)

“But?” he asked, his heart racing. He’d come here for answers, received a few and ended up realizing his feelings for Naomi hadn’t changed. He still wanted her in his life.

“I can’t help worrying he’ll come back and try and hurt me through you. I couldn’t let that happen five years ago and I can’t let that happen now.”

Let the bastard try.
 

He cupped her cheek. “Did you ever consider letting it be
my
choice?”

“I knew what your answer would be,” she said, a tear slipping down her soft skin. “I couldn’t let—”

“Stop. I was with Marine Division Recon—1
^st
Reconnaissance Battalion. I’ve been shot at, blown up and did quite a bit of my own ass kicking. I’m not afraid of this bastard. Give me his name and I’ll end this.”

“No.”

“Fine.” He clenched his jaw and tamped down his frustration. “Look. No pressure. But I’m going to want to see you again after this weekend.”

“What if he surfaces?” she asked, the terror and worry in her eyes infuriating him.
 

When he was back in Chicago, he would make it his mission to find the pathetic prick who’d kept her living in fear. “I’m willing to take the risk.” He gently squeezed her shoulder. “Just as I would have been five years ago.”

She swiped at a tear and drew in a shaky breath. “Long distance relationships never work.”

“We did just fine when I was stationed in Iraq.”

“That was different.”

“No. At least now I can hop in a plane and be here in a few hours.”

Although some of the fear had left her eyes, the worry lingered. “We’ll take baby steps, right?”

“Baby steps work,” he said. Considering what had just happened in her bed, he’d say they were beyond taking baby steps. He wasn’t going to mince words though. He planned to enjoy the rest of the weekend with her, go back to Chicago on Monday and begin his search for her stalker. While he was at it, he planned to call her daily and ease his way back into her life. Now that they’d put the past to rest, he planned to remind her they deserved a shot at a future.

Chapter 6

HARRISON EASED OUT of Santiago’s SUV and stretched. While the Columbian pumped gas and Vlad smoked a cigarette on a grassy patch away from the gas station, Harrison looked toward the front passenger door. When his brother remained seated, he rapped on the closed window. Mickey waved him off, then folded his arms across his chest. Although worried about his brother and how this job was affecting him, Harrison had bigger worries. As of tonight, the laptop would no longer be in his possession unless Honey Badger allowed it.
 

After they’d left Bloomington yesterday, they drove to Columbus, did the job, then quickly left for Knoxville. They’d been in and out of Columbus so quickly that Santiago had decided to forego the motel room. Which was fine by Harrison. Over the past week, he’d seen enough shitty motel rooms to last him a lifetime. Plus, that meant he didn’t have to be subjected to Vlad’s chain smoking. Also a nice break. His lungs were happy. Santiago wouldn’t allow Vlad to smoke in the SUV, which meant Harrison had been free of secondhand smoke for almost the entire day. Not much of a silver lining, but considering what he suspected him and Mickey were up against, especially once they reached Norfolk, he’d take it.

Knoxville had been a different story. Santiago had found them another shitty motel room, then the Columbian and Mickey planted the device. Harrison had then done his part, syncing the device to the laptop.
 

They’d left first thing this morning to make the eight hour drive back to Norfolk and were now halfway there. His stomach clenched. According to Vlad, they had one more device to plant before they were finished. Once done, Vlad promised that tonight they’d stay at Norfolk’s downtown Marriott. Not exactly the Ritz-Carlton, but the Marriott beat the hell out of staying in places that had reminded him of the Bates Motel. Vlad also said he’d make good on his word and treat Harrison to dinner, drinks and a sexy redhead. With how nauseous and anxious his stomach had been, he didn’t think he could eat. As much as he’d love to drown his worries in a bottle of gin, his queasy gut told him not to bother, and his mind agreed. He didn’t want to be hung over tomorrow when he finally met Honey Badger. Given the chance to be alone with the laptop, he wanted to have his wits about him and install the virus he hadn’t had time to program into the laptop when they’d been in Bloomington.
 

Vlad dropped the cigarette, crushed it under his boot heel, then made his way toward the SUV. “Vlad needs to visit little boy room,” he said to Santiago, but kept his ice blue eyes on Harrison. “You come, Harry?”

Harrison had come to realize Vlad might be his only way out of the mess Mickey had placed them in with this Honey Badger. He and the Russian had spent the majority of the trip together. During that time, Vlad had kept offering him advice, giving him pep talks on what Harrison should do with his life. At one point, Harrison had joked that Vlad could quit his day job and become a life coach. The Russian, with his good sense of humor, had laughed and agreed. But Harrison had also noticed the longing in Vlad’s eyes. As if the man might really harbor the desire to leave the line of work he was in and explore other options.
 

“Yeah, I gotta go, too,” Harrison said, then rapped on the passenger window again. “Mick, you want anything from the store?”

His brother shook his head and kept his arms folded. Mickey hadn’t eaten a thing since yesterday morning. Now that Harrison thought about it, he didn’t remember seeing his brother drink anything either. He’d buy Mickey something anyway. If things ended up going bad later today or tomorrow, his brother needed to be ready. Not dehydrated or weak from lack of sustenance.
 

Harrison fell into step with Vlad and headed toward the gas station bathrooms, which were located inside the store. “Good,” Vlad said when he opened the bathroom door. “Two urinals. We can
моча
together.”

Harrison chuckled and unzipped his jeans. “You’re starting to freak me out, Vlad.”

The Russian grinned as he used the urinal. “No worry, Harry. Vlad told you. I like—”

“Big titties,” Harrison said and finished his business. “Just messing with you, man. I know you and Santiago don’t like to leave me and Mickey alone.”

Vlad zipped his fly and looked at him. “Vlad only following orders.”

“Is Santiago your boss?”

“
нет
.” The Russian shook his head. “Vlad listen to Honey Badger only. But…Santiago and Honey Badger go way back. Remember, Harry, we are all throwaway.”

Throwaway?
Vlad’s broken English, at times, made communication difficult. “I’m not sure I’m following,” he said and washed his hands.

“
одноразовый
,” Vlad said in Russian. “Like dirty diaper.”

“Do you mean
disposable
?”

“
да
.” He nodded and pumped soap into his large hands. “Vlad with Honey Badger long time, but can go bye-bye like that,” he said with a snap of his soapy fingers. “Harry and Mickey Mouse…”

Harrison’s nauseous stomach knotted. “What about us?” His mind raced, all of his suspicions clicking into place. “Are you saying when the job is over, Honey Badger is going to dispose of us?”

The Russian put a wet hand on Harrison’s shoulder. “Tomorrow night you must go. With or without the mouse. Understand?”

“No. Explain.”

“Harry, Vlad fears for your life. Honey Badger makes
русская мафия
look like saints.”

“English, damn it.”

“Russian mafia.” Vlad dropped his hand and reached for a paper towel. “Trust Vlad. Many years the
русская мафия
owned me. They brutal killers. Honey Badger worse. Much worse. Once Harry sees Honey Badger’s face…” He shook his head. “Vlad fears for Harry and the mouse.”

“What if we sneak away tonight?” Harrison asked, thinking of how he and Mickey could leave Norfolk, leave the frickin’ state and go into hiding. If they could do that, he could go to the authorities and warn them.
 

“No, Harry.” He shrugged. “Vlad not ready to die.”

“But can you help—”

A man and young boy entered the bathroom. Vlad ushered Harrison out the door and toward the coolers. “Pick something and we go. Santiago waits for us.”

“Vlad. I need to know—”

“Enough,” the Russian said, his voice low, intimidating. “Keep silent. Vlad will find a way.” He handed him a bag of Doritos. “Eat snack, no worry.”

Easy for him to say. Harrison was beyond worried and scared. Mickey might’ve had no clue what he’d gotten them in to, but based on the way he’d been acting, his brother knew now. Even though Harrison didn’t know the truth behind the job they were working, Vlad had confirmed his suspicions and fears. Mickey had involved them in a deadly game that would result in the deaths of hundreds, maybe thousands of innocent people. With Vlad’s cryptic warning in mind, Harrison could group his brother and himself with those people, even if he and Mickey weren’t so innocent.
 

As he stood next to Vlad, who paid for their drinks and food, Harrison knew in his gut Honey Badger wasn’t going to let them walk away from this. He and Mickey knew too much and by tomorrow night, if they didn’t find a way to escape, they’d be dead.

*

Jake rested a hand on his full stomach and smiled at Naomi. “You’re going to make me fat.” He eyed the half eaten cookie left on his plate, tempted to gorge himself with another bite. “I forgot what a great cook you are.”

She pushed her plate aside. “Please. You haven’t put a pound on in years. I think you can afford to eat my cooking.”

“How do you know?”

“I have eyes.” Her lips tilted in a sexy smile. “And I’ve seen you naked.”

“Only a couple of times. I think you’d have to see me naked at least a dozen times before you can come to any conclusion.”

“Oh, really? Hmm. You might be on to something.” She tapped her chin and eyed him. “Okay, strip.”

He laughed and held up a hand. “Not sure if your neighbors would appreciate the experiment.”

“The widow next door might,” she said with a chuckle. “But you’re right. Help me take the dishes inside, then strip.”

He’d always been ready to ditch his and her clothes. Anytime. Anywhere. Their sexual chemistry had never been a problem. He’d never not wanted her, had never left their bed dissatisfied. And he was more than ready to take her to bed again right now.
 

Rising, he reached for his plate. “You really have gotten bossy over the years.”

“Have I?” she asked, her eyes innocent and teasing. “Sorry. But I know what I want. At this moment, it’s you. Naked.”

Now fully aroused, if she didn’t stop with the naked talk, he’d strip her and take her against the kitchen island. Actually, that’s exactly what he’d do. Bend her over and—

His cell phone rang. Releasing a sigh, he grabbed the phone off the patio table and checked the caller ID.
Rachel
.

“I’m sorry. I have to take this call. The gal I work with is arranging my flight for tomorrow.”

Although Naomi smiled at him, she caught a hint of disappointment at the mention of his leaving tomorrow. “Go ahead. I’ve got the dishes. But when you’re through, prepare for me to get all kinds of bossy on you.”

Smiling at the prospect, he answered the call and entered the house. “Hey, Rachel. How are you?”

“Wow,” Rachel began, “I’m sorry, I must have the wrong number. The guy who I’m looking for is a total crab-ass, not…perky.”

Perky?
“I don’t think anyone has ever called me perky. Quite frankly, I’m good with that.”

“You’re right,” she said, the keyboard clicking away in the background. “Perky isn’t a very manly word. How about sprightly, bouncy, buoyant or—”

“How about closing out of the thesaurus and sticking with happy.”

“Jake Tyler is happy? Wow. Stop the presses, this is big news.”

Grinning, he shook his head and headed into the guest room where he’d stowed his suitcase and laptop. “I don’t know how Owen puts up with you,” he said, and pulled a pen and notepad from his briefcase.

“He loves me so much he tells me all the time that I’m a work of art.”

“No. He tells you you’re a piece of work. Meaning, you’re a pain in the ass.”

“Why do you hurt me?” she asked, her tone teasing. “Especially after I just took time out of my Sunday—my day off by the way—to help take care of your travel arrangements.”

“You’re right. I’m sorry. You’re not a pain in the ass. At least not all the time.”

She chuckled. “Okay, I’ll take that. As for getting out of there tomorrow, the earliest nonstop flight I could find out of Jacksonville leaves at twelve-thirty. I’ve emailed you your e-ticket.”

The drive from Woodbine to Jacksonville was about forty minutes. Calculating the time it would take to drop off the rental and check in at the gate, he’d need to leave around ten-thirty. He wished he could stay longer, but at least he’d have tonight and tomorrow morning with Naomi.