10. Lee
10
LEE
F ury pulsed through my veins. I wanted to kill these jerks for interrupting the most mind-blowing kiss I’d ever experienced. At the same time, I wanted to kick my own ass. I’d let Viktoria distract me, and not just that. I’d let her consume me so completely that I hadn’t sensed the threat until it was almost too late.
Pretending to nibble on her neck, my mind whipped through attack plans, potential ways this scene could play out. If we had a shootout in this place, it would attract the police. Viktoria and I would be stuck in this town, and the media would descend like a pack of wolves, which would be in direct violation of my mandate to ensure Viktoria’s location remained confidential. I doubted this town could provide much in the way of security, making us prime targets until we were finally cleared to leave.
I had to handle this quickly and quietly, then get Viktoria out of here before the police could stop us. “I doubt these guys are looking for a shootout,” I whispered against her skin, hating how hard her pulse thundered against me. “My guess is, they need you alive.”
She stiffened and I cursed at my blunt delivery. I had to remember I wasn’t talking to a soldier.
Hoping more information would calm her, I kept on talking. “Having a firefight in the dark would be dangerous and bring the police.” Most likely they’d use knives or knuckles. “And I can’t imagine they want that kind of attention.”
Her chest steadily rose and fell but she wasn’t hyperventilating. Warrior woman . I ignored how my heart raced, having her near. First, I’d keep her heart beating, then I’d worry about my own, how she’d cracked it wide open. Destroyed my defenses.
She pressed her cheek against mine and whispered, “What’s the plan?”
I pushed down my overwhelming need to kiss her. Her capitulating control and letting me know she’d follow orders without arguing filled me with determination to show her she could trust me.
“It’s not far to either exit, but the men have positioned themselves to block both.” I glanced at the screen but didn’t pay attention to the action unfolding. I wanted to be gone long before the movie ended. “Follow me.”
Standing, I used my body to help Viktoria hide the gun. Her cotton stretch pants weren’t strong enough to stuff the Sig Sauer into her waistband, and she recognized that. She smartly kept her arm tight to her side, with the Sig resting against her thigh.
Sure enough, the second we got to the aisle and moved toward the fire exit, the man sitting in the front row stood. He adjusted his jacket in a way that might’ve looked casual to someone without training, but I wasn’t fooled, not even for a moment.
The other man rose and began strolling up the aisle, trapping me and Viktoria between himself and his partner. I clenched my jaw.
Trapped, but not for long .
I leaned in so close my lips grazed Viktoria’s earlobe, and whispered, “When I say go, run to the ticket booth. Get down and stay down. I’ll be right there.” The light from the screen played across Viktoria’s eyes—which were frightened but resolute. She’d be okay. I gripped her arms, a comforting squeeze. “Do whatever you have to, but keep the ticket clerk down, too. I’m counting on you to protect him.”
Viktoria nodded tightly, eyes steady with purpose. I smiled. She was ready. Giving her someone else to focus on would ease her nerves, but it also happened to be a real and important task. I needed to make sure that kid didn’t try to play hero at the wrong time.
I held Viktoria’s elbow as we meandered up the aisle. She shifted the Sig to the front of her thigh and kept pace with me beautifully.
With every step up the incline, the man behind us eased closer. I waited until the last possible minute, then whirled. I smashed the bastard’s larynx with the flat of my hand, effectively silencing him. The guy jerked back, his hands flying to his throat. He went down gagging, gasping for breath. I pounced without waiting and kicked him in the balls, so hard his eyes rolled back in his head. I flung him aside just as the second man pounced on me. He was a solid wall of muscle, hard and hatchet-faced. Viktoria gasped, and I shoved her aside, out of the way of an oncoming punch. She ducked down and bolted straight out the door. The man lunged toward her.
“Run, Viktoria,” I called out.
Viktoria ran faster. I grabbed her assailant by his too-tight collar, spun him around, and butted him in the face. I felt the man’s nose smash on the flat of my skull, then a meaty fist swung up and caught me in the belly. I stumbled, gasping, and the man twisted away. He barreled out the door and through the empty lobby, straight for the ticket booth. Straight for Viktoria.
I sprinted after him, blinking away the spots in my eyes. I caught up at the counter and shoved the big man against it. The guy fell against the lighted glass snack counter, grabbed a huge tub of lollipops, and tossed it at me. I ducked, throwing my arms up to protect my eyes.
The man took advantage of the opening and flung himself at the ticket window. He vaulted over the counter, and two frightened faces shrank away—Viktoria and the ticket clerk, both staring wide-eyed.
I leaped over the counter and tackled the man from behind. We landed hard on the carpet and rolled over and over until we hit the back wall with me on top. The big man punched up at me, and I ducked to the side, throwing my own punch—but the angle was bad and the punch wasn’t hard enough to slow the man down. My attacker bucked his hips and tossed me off him. I rolled with the motion and found my feet, just as a third man raced in from outside, bellowing something in a foreign language.
Viktoria bolted through a door marked STAFF ONLY. My attacker glowered after her, frustration reddening his skin. He gave a battle cry and rushed me like a linebacker. I barely had enough time to brace for the blow before the guy’s shoulder rammed into my belly, driving me back against the counter. The air fled my lungs.
Enough!
I charged the big man and pounded his face, one punch after another. Fear for Viktoria thrummed in my veins, making me desperate. Making me mad . I had to protect her from this new threat.
The big man drew back, protecting his face. I jabbed him in the throat with two fingers, cutting off his air. The guy’s eyes bugged, and he clutched at his neck. I brought my elbow down on that sweet spot on his skull, knocking the man out, and?—
CLANG!
I jerked my head up, and my jaw dropped open. Viktoria stood with her legs spread shoulder-width apart, awkwardly holding a stanchion still connected to a navy velvet rope. Her hair had come loose and streamed wildly around her head. The third man dropped to the floor in an unconscious heap.
The ticket clerk stumbled out of the booth, tripping over his Converse shoes.
Viktoria’s chest heaved as she gripped the stanchion tight.
Not caring who saw, I marched across the lobby and grabbed Viktoria’s face. I claimed her mouth with a vengeance but couldn’t linger.
Growling at having to cut it short, I pulled away and fished in my pocket for the last bit of cash I had left, then slapped it into the teenager’s hand. “Sorry about the mess.”
The kid grabbed the money and tucked it away, but his eyes kept darting between Viktoria and one of the framed movie posters on the wall.
I followed his line of sight and stifled a laugh. With her hair flowing free and the stanchion in her hands like a spear, Viktoria resembled the Valkyrie heroine on the poster.
“Come on, Brunnhilde.” I took the stanchion and set it aside, then grasped Viktoria’s hand in my own. “We have to go.” I collected my gun off the counter, and we moved to the car as fast as we could without attracting too much attention. It didn’t take long to get back to the airport.
“Copilot’s ten minutes out,” Mike said, the second we boarded.
“Thank God,” I answered, clapping the man on the shoulder. “Have the pilot get this plane ready to go, and stay alert. We might have unwanted company, but I think the bastards are with the police by now.”
“Something happen?” Mike’s frown deepened.
“Yes.” I moved past him, spying the new security guard Boom had sent. “I’m Lee McCallister.” I held out my hand.
“Andrew Smith.” The newcomer looked like he’d lost a fight with a wall, but he shook my hand with a respectable tightness. Then his eyes fixed on a spot over my shoulder, just as the scent of wildflowers permeated the air. Yeah. I knew exactly what the guy was gawking at.
“Viktoria Jonsdottir.” I shifted to let her pass. “Meet Andrew.”
She shook Andrew’s hand. “I’m just going to go change.” She headed toward the bedroom with the plastic bag from the secondhand store.
“Good idea.” I pointed at Andrew, then toward the stairs still leading to the tarmac, ignoring Viktoria’s exquisite ass as she sashayed by in her snug stretch pants. “You, guard that door. Only the copilot’s allowed to board. I’ll fill you and Mike in when I talk to Boom.”
Striding to the bedroom, I didn’t bother knocking. I let myself in and found Viktoria standing by the bed. The door swung shut behind me, and I closed the distance between us. “You were amazing,” I said.
Viktoria’s pupils were huge, nearly obscuring her irises. “I can’t stop shaking,” she said, the corners of her lips pulling down. “It’s infuriating.”
“Adrenaline,” I answered, rubbing her biceps. “Coming down from it sucks.” Swiping a lock of hair off her shoulders, I curled my other palm against her cheek. “You were impressive back there. You protected that kid and brought down a man by yourself, and all without firing a single shot. Just like I asked. Thank you.”
She blinked and her gaze drifted to my lips.
Don’t do it, Lee. Back away. You can’t cross this line again ?—
I swooped in and kissed her, picking up where I’d left off in the theater lobby. Her hands slid around my neck, and she melted into me, parting her lips. I took possession of her mouth and traced my hands down her back, grabbing that round ass that drove me so crazy.
Knock. Knock.
“Lee,” Mike called through the door. “Copilot’s here. We’re taking off in a minute.”
Ending the kiss, I rested my forehead against hers. “What do you need to calm down? Sleep? A drink? Your laptop?” I tapped my thumbs on her lower back. “I’ll be tied up for a while with my boss, Mike, and Andrew, so I can’t help.”
She nodded. “I’m going to shower first, then I should probably get some work done, even though I’m exhausted.”
I gave her back a final tap, then stepped back. “I’ll bring your laptop in.”
I gathered Viktoria’s computer from the desk in the main cabin and slipped back into her room to the sound of water running. Wicked fantasies flooded my mind, but I pushed them aside. I sat for takeoff on Viktoria’s bed, then set up the laptop as the jet leveled off.
Leaving the bedroom, I gathered Mike and Andrew for my call to Boom. Once I’d filled everyone in on the latest developments, I asked, “Have any of you figured out who could be after Viktoria? No one should have known where we landed. How did they find us with no notice? No flight plan?”
“There are a few possibilities,” Boom answered. “But nothing concrete.”
“There’s something else,” I continued. “After listening to Viktoria conduct business in Icelandic for hours, I’m pretty sure I heard the same language from one of the men at the movie theater.” I attempted to repeat the words the goon had spoken.
“That’s interesting,” Boom grunted.
“Why?” I straightened, Mike and Andrew doing the same.
“Well,” Boom replied, “my analysts and I thought there might be a US-based or even Russian organization moving in on her, but that doesn’t make sense if the attackers are Icelandic. I’ll get the team working on this right away. In the meantime, keep her safe.”
Hanging up, I stared at the blue sky beyond the window. There had been too many close calls today, and the culpability for the latest fell squarely on my shoulders. I’d been irresponsible. From now on, no more outings until this job was done. If something happened to Viktoria, I’d…
My first thought should’ve been about losing my job, but it wasn’t. This afternoon had changed so much—not just kissing Viktoria, but everything else. I’d already been drawn to her inner steel, to her strength, to her smarts. But seeing her in that thrift store, relaxed and playing…then watching her step up like a hardened warrior…
I scrubbed at my face. Me shouting Timber seemed more and more imminent. Not only had I broken the hands-off edict, but like a dumbass, I’d let my heart get involved. If I didn’t get myself under control and stop breaking the rules, I’d lose my job as well as my heart.