Unexpected Destiny (Assassins and Sweethearts Book 3) (2 page)

Chapter Two

Aidan turned off the faucet and caught the reflection of those gorgeous brown eyes in the mirror.

“Oops. Wrong door,” said his girl as she turned around.

“I can share.” He could handle the surveillance later. This woman deserved his attention.

She stopped and turned around. “Okay then.” She took a step toward him. “You know what? I should have asked for confirmation earlier.” Her gaze was full of mischief.

“You’re right. You should have asked.” He took a hold of her hand and pulled her close. “I sure would like to see that tiny scrap of lace.” And just like that his night got infinitely better.

She stopped her forward movement when their chests were a mere inch apart. A nice rosy blush heated her cheeks. He kept hold of her hand while her other played with the lapel of his dark leather jacket. “I can’t believe I’m doing this.”

“You need to get back to your friends?”

“Yes, but…” She licked her bottom lip. “Maybe I could stay here for a few minutes.”

“At least a few.” He tapped the bottom of her chin. “How about you start by telling me your name?”

“Liz.” Her gaze met his and he wanted time to stop. Something about the lonely look in her eyes called to him to not let her get away. She shifted closer. “Who are you?”

He pushed his finger over her waistband, rubbing her hipbone. “I’m Aidan.” He squeezed the hand he still held. Her soft body relaxed against his.

“I should probably go. I need to get my friends home.”

“I don’t think you should go anywhere.” He brushed his nose against hers.

A delicious moan slipped from her lips. “I don’t want to leave but I need to make sure they get home safely.”

“It’s nice of you to look out for them.” Damn, she smelled good. It was lilacs or roses or something.

“I’d rather stay here with you.” She leaned in and their lips almost met. “My friends are always right. I should have gone out with them months ago.”

“Stay a few more minutes.” He caressed over her hips to her round ass. Hot tension filled his thoughts. Forget a few more minutes, he’d take all night and then some to explore this beautiful woman.

“More.” She scraped her teeth over her bottom lip.

A second later, the door opened. “Lizzy, we got to go. Emily isn’t feeling well.”

She dropped her head to his shoulder and he wrapped his arms around her.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, Lizzy.” The woman held the door open. “You’re right. He is cute. Bring him with you. Emily won’t mind.”

“She’ll be right out,” he said. Once the friend left the bathroom, he brushed her hair behind her shoulders and stroked her back.

“I feel like I’m cursed.”

“You and me both, sweetheart.” He didn’t let her go.

“Well.” She looked up at him from under her long, dark lashes. “It’s not what I had in mind but would you help me with my friends?” The soft tone of her voice had him imagining how she’d purr if he made her come. “I think I might be the only one sober and they can be a bit much to wrangle into a cab. They live north in Edgewater and then we could do something, maybe go back to my place.” She worried her poor bottom lip once more.

“I’d like that.” He squeezed her ass. “Sure. I’ll help, Lizzy.” He tugged on her hair. Then he’d help himself to more of her.

“Cute.” She shook her head.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been called cute.”

“No, but I can imagine a few things you’ve probably been called.” She looked him up and down. “Oh and you can call me Elizabeth or Liz. Lizzy if you must but not Beth or Bethy.”

“Not Bethy.” A smile pushed its way in. “Got it. I’m good with Aidan.” A need to know more of her preferences and show her several of his own stirred his thoughts.

It took both of them and a little too much persistence to get her two friends into the cab. After giving the cabbie a large tip, Liz ended up sitting on his lap. His night was finally looking up in more ways than one. Her hot sweet ass rocked against his cock most of the way as they sped north on Lake Shore Drive.

“Aidan, I’d like you to meet my two best friends, Sherri and Emily.”

“It’s nice to meet you both. You must be getting married.” Aidan said to Emily, the drunker of the two friends.

“I am! How did you know?” Emily looked back and forth between all of them. “Is he some kind of wizard?”

“Emily, sweetheart.” Sherri tugged on Emily’s veil.

“Oh, right. I totally forgot.” Emily pulled it from her head. “What else did I forget?”

“You’ll remember it all in the morning.” Liz giggled.

“Oh no.” All three laughed. They clearly got along well. His own friends might not share in the same kind of jokes but the support felt just as obvious.

“I used to live up here,” Aidan observed as they flew past Irving Park. Memories of his early days in Chicago brought his grandmother back to him. “Do you know a few blocks inland are large homes with yards?” He pointed to the left as they past Buena Park.

“Of course she does,” said the less drunk friend. “Lizzy used to live over there.”

“Yeah, this is where she met that husband of hers,” said Emily. “Too bad she didn’t meet you instead. I wonder how different things would have turned out.”

“We’re not talking about Reese, remember?” Liz’s cheeks turned a deep shade of crimson.

Shit. He didn’t remember seeing a ring. Beautiful woman or not, he didn’t miss details. He glanced at her hand. No ring.

If Reese had been the one who’d given her those bruises, he’d make damn sure he never laid another hand on her no matter what their marital status looked like.

“He did leave you a great apartment and because of him you bought the villa in Tuscany. Lizzy’s letting us use it for our honeymoon. That husband wasn’t completely worthless.” She tapped her on the shoulder. “He left you a couple of great properties.”

“True, although they’re both sucking dry what’s left of his bank accounts.”

“Just don’t sell the place in Italy until we get back.” Emily’s eyes got very wide.

“Don’t worry. The realtor knows to wait until she hears from me.”

“What’s your name, cutie pie?” said Sherri. “We should Google him and make sure he’s not an ax-murderer or something.”

“Oh! Right. What’s your name, hot stuff?” Emily asked.

“Aidan Clery.” He liked these girls. They didn’t have all their faculties but they were still thinking.

“He’s the owner and operator at Aidan Clery Enterprises,” Sherri read from her phone and all three nodded like it sounded impressive.

He’d told Nadia not to list the company name but she’d insisted when she found it on his tax returns, claiming any kind of online presence was better than none. None sounded just fine to him.

“Sounds kind of important,” said Emily. “There’s a review. Click on it. Let’s see what they have to say about our man Aidan here.”

“Okay.” Sherri said. “It’s coming up. Here it is. Nadia Duskin gives Aidan five stars for customer service. That’s nice.”

“Customer service is very important. You take good care of Lizzy here.” Emily pointed at him. “Okay?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Apparently something was better than nothing.

“I’ve got another test.” Emily raised her hand. “Are you good to your grandmother?”

“Oh, good one,” Liz said.

“I was actually. My parents weren’t around much when I was little. My grandmother was my whole world and the reason I spent so much time in Buena Park.”

“You’re lucky to have had her. My situation wasn’t too different. When did she pass?” Liz asked.

“Over a decade ago.”

“I’m sorry.” She squeezed his hand. “Grandma’s are the best. I’m not sure I would have made it to twenty without my grandma. She passed about six years ago.”

“I’m sorry.” His grandmother would have liked Liz. The thought warmed him all over.

By the time they got to the girls’ apartment, a high rise near Catalpa, the two friends were able to get themselves out of the cab. Liz was kind enough to help them upstairs without him. She promised to be quick with her return.

He shifted his hard cock as he watched her disappear into the building. The last time a woman had distracted him from his work, it hadn’t turned out pretty. But the way his adrenaline was running, maybe he’d be able to taste the sweet Liz and take care of business tonight.

One way or another, he’d have to take care of one of his jobs tonight. He pulled out his auction envelope. Letting the clock tick by was a simple way to get your own name added to the next auction. Forty-eight hours wasn’t a long time, especially when you planned to do a whole lot of fucking in the middle of it.

He pulled the first contract out and reviewed all the details. The photo the auction house provided appeared to be the wedding photo. The thing looked only a few years old. The skyline he recognized with the lights of Navy Pier in the background. The photo must have been taken from one of the hotel balconies downtown. Then he noticed the bride, familiar eyes stared back at him.

“Holy shit.” Lizzy. What kind of crappy luck would he have to have to meet a mark this way?

He checked the name of his target. Elizabeth Martin. “Damn.”

Frozen, he stared at the picture of lovely Liz and her innocent happy eyes. He didn’t know much about her, but knew she didn’t deserve this sentence. Thank God Gavin had heard about this contract in time for him to get involved. He snapped a picture of the paperwork and sent it to his brother and Sam, his security tech.

His thumb crumpled the image of what must be Reese Martin. The asshole would pay for his actions. At least he had an added reason not to let the beauty out of his sight, except he didn’t at the moment.

The broken lights near the bar flashed through his thoughts. What if he wasn’t the only one looking for Liz tonight? He rubbed his neck, jamming his fingers into his aching shoulder muscle.

A quick look at the exterior of the building did little to settle him. He pulled out his cell and called one of the few men he could trust.

“Gavin, hey brother.” Aidan got out of the cab.

“Did you get the contract?”

“Yes, they titled it husband wants wife dead. There was no missing it. The information your contact provided was right on point. Just sent you a photo.” He tucked the paperwork back into his coat pocket. “The auction house isn’t usually so bold in their listings.”

“I’ll add it to our list of grievances for the place.”

“Good idea. I did get a couple other contracts too.” He looked around the cab and counted the parked cars.

“Dammit, Aidan.”

“I’ll take care of it. Listen, have you ever known a client to purchase several hits on one target?” All the parked cars along the street appeared empty except for a dark sedan facing the wrong direction.

“It’s rare but it happens. What did you witness?”

“Coincidences.”

“Enough said. I should have known there would be more to this job.”

“Do you mind telling me now how you found out about this one?” Aidan checked his watch.

“I’ll try to find out how the other assassin was hired and attempt to get more information out of my contact. I’m calling a meeting for tomorrow, one o’clock.”

“Good. Call Sam. He can help and I can make sure nothing happens to the wife.” He stepped in close to the building and listened.

“Aidan?”

“It’s fine. I found a way in.” He stepped back and held the door open for Liz while he checked on the sedan.

“The girls are settled.” Liz sauntered out of the complex and stopped in front of him. “We’re free.”

“Who’s that?” Gavin grumbled in his ear.

“The contract. I’ll call you later.” He hung up on his cursing brother.

Grabbing hold of Liz’s hand, he tugged her back to the cab. She climbed in and gave the cabbie her address. Getting her out of the city would be the smartest move but Aidan always preferred to walk directly into a situation. Her place could provide several answers, whether they’d answer more about the woman or why her husband wanted her dead mattered little at the moment.

He pulled her closer and stretched his arm around her shoulder. After a quick check on the sedan, he caught it pulling from the curb and head in the opposite direction. Experience told him it wasn’t necessarily a good thing.

Her little hand landed on his thigh. “What are you looking at?”

“Nothing.” Eventually he’d have to tell her at least one person had been hired to kill her. He’d much rather it was later after she had a reason to believe it wouldn’t be him.

He kept decent observations of the cars driving around them. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary which pissed him off. Plenty of the killers in the city didn’t hesitate to complete their contracts. Aidan knew the unrushed assassin would be harder to eliminate. He’d seen how quickly a target could be lost.

She rested her head on his shoulder and they rode in silence. The sounds of the city filled the space, the rattling of the L train, honking horns, and several dogs barked in the distance. He finally found a woman unafraid of quiet moments.