Chapter 12
CHAPTER TWELVE
Three days later . . .
Emmett pulled into his designated spot in the lot behind his apartment complex. Close to the building. Well-lit. A visible security camera mounted on a light pole, towering high from a few feet away.
He cut the engine and fell back against his leather seat with a blown-out breath. It had been the same since that night at the safe house. Actually, no. That was a lie.
It was getting worse.
The maddening what-ifs and gut-churning regret. The unyielding weight he felt from almost getting Janie killed. The reality of what could have happened was like a plague taking over every cell in his body.
She could’ve died.
He’d been right there, literally staring into Janie’s gorgeous blue eyes. His lips had been a hair’s breadth away from hers, his focus hell and back from where it should have been. And if she hadn’t accidentally knocked the spoon from the counter when she did—
Emmett squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block it all out, but he should’ve known better than to think it would work. Every time he let his lids fall, the same memory played on an endless loop in his mind.
The assassin’s bullet whizzing over their heads. The glass shattering as it pierced the window several feet back from where they’d been standing.
He opened his eyes before envisioning her hunched, still body beneath his on the kitchen floor. That was always the worst. Remembering that first, terrifying moment when he thought she was dead.
It was stupid. There hadn’t even been any blood, and almost immediately, it had become clear that Janie hadn’t been hit. But in that brief, fraction-of-a-second, Emmett had feared the absolute worst.
That Janie had been hurt—had been killed—because he’d let his guard down and had gotten too close.
This is exactly why you can’t let anyone in.
When people got close, they left. It was a lesson Emmett had learned early and often, thanks to the realities of life.
For a few, whirlwind days, he’d allowed himself to reconsider his hard-fast rule about letting others inside his heart. He cared about Janie. Far more than he should. And because of his lapse in judgement, she’d come damn close to being killed.
Even now, as his heart thumped with unyielding pressure against his ribs, Emmett knew he deserved the pangs of guilt. A fitting punishment he damn well deserved.
You deserve a hell of a lot worse than that.
A growl of frustration filled the car’s interior as he shoved open his door. He slammed it shut behind him, the sharp echoes calling out into the night. With the key fob in his fist, Emmett locked the doors and forced himself to walk away.
The soles of his boots crunched over tiny pebbles of loosened asphalt as he marched toward the secured, resident-only entrance. When he got to the doors, he quickly punched in the code, entering near the building’s rear elevators.
Emmett chose the stairs, as he had for the past three nights. He could play it off as his way of getting a few extra steps, but deep inside, he knew the truth.
You’re avoiding her.
He ignored the silent admission and began the multi-floor trek. And with each new step, he selfishly prayed Janie was already asleep.
Gwen, who’d agreed to stay with her while he was out, hadn’t said much when he’d called earlier.
Just that all was quiet, their client was holed up in her new room, and most importantly, Janie was safe.
His teammate’s whispered question from that phone call replayed as he carried himself closer to his designated floor—
What were you thinking, bringing her here, to your home?
Emmett knew exactly what he’d been thinking. This was his home turf, and it was familiar. He knew every inch of this building and watching over Janie here would be much easier than in that giant monstrosity of a mansion.
In hindsight, however, Gwen wasn’t the only one questioning the sanity of his decision. Because keeping his distance from the sexy journalist in his two-bedroom apartment was much more challenging than he’d expected.
And it was getting harder every day.
Speaking of hard . . .
He reached down and adjusted the half-swollen cock between his thighs. Inwardly cursing his own body—or rather, his lack of hormonal control—as he continued climbing the concrete stairs.
It was always like this. She didn’t even have to be in the same room. The accidental conjuring of her beautiful face was all it took, and just like that, his dick was instantaneously hard. And the more Emmett fought against it, the stronger his need for Janie seemed to grow.
Ignore it, and it will go away.
It always did, eventually.
He reached his floor and flung open the heavy, fireproof door. Nerves danced in his belly as he carried himself down the long hallway toward his apartment.
This was ridiculous. He didn’t get nervous. He was former MARSOC, for fuck’s sake. He needed to grow the hell up and focus on doing his damn job.
Nothing less, and though he wished it could be different, nothing more.
Emmett inserted his key and unlocked the door. “Don’t shoot, it’s just me,” he announced in a half-joking way, despite having texted Gwen on the drive, letting her know he was on his way here.
“Welcome home.” Gwen smiled up at him from her place on his couch. “Find out anything new?”
“Nothing useful.” He bent down and unlaced his brown boots. When he was done, he slid them off and sat them neatly against the wall near his door.
While his teammate tossed the magazine in her hands onto the coffee table before her, he turned around to reset the alarm. Emmett entered the code and made his way into the living room area, meeting his teammate halfway.
“Is she down for the night?”
Please let her be asleep.
But the tips of Gwen’s ponytail swayed. “She took a shower not long ago. I heard the water shut off about five minutes ago, so I’m sure she’s still awake.”
She said this like it was a good thing. Little did she know.
“How’s she doing?”
“Good, I think.”
“You think?”
His teammate stared up at him with those big, blue eyes with a what more do you want expression. “Well I’m not exactly a mind reader, Emmett, but from our earlier conversation, I’d say she’s good.”
He didn’t dare ask what the two women had discussed, feeling certain he didn’t want to know. So Instead he relieved the demolitions expert of her duties.
“Thanks for being here, Gwen. I really appreciate it.”
“Anytime, boss.” She smiled. “As far as babysitting jobs go, this one’s actually been pretty enjoyable.
” Gwen grabbed her black, leather jacket from where she’d left it on one of the living room chairs and began sliding her arms through the sleeves.
“Janie’s great.” She reached back and pulled her hair free.
“She’s sweet, funny, smart . . . Single. ”
The woman’s obvious emphasis of that last attribute had his gaze narrowing slightly. “What does her being single have to do with anything?”
“Oh, it doesn’t.” Her tone was flippant, and without even a hint of sincerity as she walked his way. “Just thought it was worth mentioning.”
“Why?”
Gwen came to a stop about a foot from where he stood.
“No reason, really.” The lie was plain as day to see.
“I just found it surprising to learn that she was still unattached. I doubt she’ll stay like that much longer, though.
A woman like that . . .” A small shrug. “She seems like a real catch to me. Someone’s bound to catch her eye sooner or later.
Once her life is no longer in danger, that is.
” Gwen went to the door, giving his shoulder a friendly slap on her way past. “But for now, she’s all yours. ’Night boss.”
All mine?
Emmett turned as his teammate stepped out into the hall. “Call if you need anything. Otherwise, I’ll see you first thing in the morning.”
She shut the door, leaving him there to wonder if her words had intentionally held a much deeper meaning.
He went to the control panel mounted on the wall near the door. His legs moved woodenly, his mind filled with all sorts of conflicting thoughts as he double-checked the alarm a final time.
Emmett went to the kitchen, grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator, and downed the entire thing in one huge, seconds-long gulp. He tossed the bottle and its cap into the can marked for recycling and started for the hall.
The water didn’t help. Neither did a long, cold shower. Hoping a full belly would do the trick, he left his bedroom for the kitchen despite not being hungry in the least.
Emmett’s bare feet carried him back into the other room as he returned to the stainless steel fridge. The blast of cold air was a welcomed sensation when it struck the warm skin on his face. He stood with the door propped open wide, scanning the scarce shelves for something he felt he could eat.
“You’re back.”
Janie’s soft rasp sent his heart leaping into his throat, and Emmett had no choice but to turn and face her. He nearly choked on his own tongue the second he saw her.
Her long, damp hair fell over one shoulder in a waterfall of shimmering waves. Her skin held a glow, having been freshly washed clean of any makeup. And the shirt she had on was a white button-down that looked to be about four sizes too big.
Hold up. Was she wearing what he thought she was wearing?
“Is that . . .” Emmett swallowed. “Are you wearing my shirt?”
Holy hell.
Even more surprising than her mouthwatering appearance was the fact that she had nothing covering her legs.
Long, bare, and from the way they shone beneath the overhead lights, skin he was confident would be silky to the touch.
“I’ll answer your question as soon as you’ve answered a few of mine. Let’s start with one that’s easy.” She smiled with a lift of her chin. “True or false.”
“I’m not into playing games,” he told the seductive woman point-blank.
Though, he could think of a few he wouldn’t mind playing with her.