HardJustice (9 page)

Ben placed a hand at the small of Layla’s back, urging her
in first. Her handbag was slung over one shoulder, the small revolver back in
its place. Ben grinned as he recalled Layla sheepishly admitting in the car how
she had wished for more bullets while in the pub. He had promised her—his tone
only partially mocking her with his somberness—that he would make it one of his
duties to see she never ran the risk of not enough ammunition ever again.

She had laughed, the last of the residual tension that had
been lingering dissipating in the air. Following her into the small, cramped
main room, Ben cast a glance about, assessing the apartment, his mind in full
work mode. He could feel the eagerness of his darkness, chortling with barely
suppressed anticipation of what would come.

Despite her cool reserve, Ben could sense Melissa, too,
relished the chance to balance the scales. The truth was most Assassins
discovered a higher purpose in their work. They were the Mages who did what
others could not face, so the majority could continue in their blissful,
ignorant day-to-day lives. Ben felt strongly that the reason Assassins mostly
clung to the shadows, hid in the background was not just because fame and glory
did not appeal to them, nor was it they were ashamed of what they did.

Like many warriors, they simply felt their purpose was to
serve those who deserved to live without ever being confronted with the seedy
horrors that all too frequently lay beneath the surface of the world they lived
in. Ben did not consider himself noble, or some knight errant out to save their
kind. But he did feel his magical talents gave him the chance to add something
few were in a position to.

With Layla by his side, loving and accepting the whole of
him on every level, he had no doubt his world was now complete. Ironically her
embracing his darker side urged him even more strongly to keep her protected
from it. She might love him warts and all, but that didn’t mean he was eager to
rub her face in his less tasteful characteristics.

“Daniel is in the back room with Jimmy,” Melissa said as she
closed the door behind them. “He owns this apartment and on paper rents it
under a different name. Since it’s his it has obviously been modified. There’s
only this room, a tiny kitchen one can barely turn around in, a bathroom of a
similar size and the back room with a foldout futon bed. The windows are
triple-glazed and reinforced, the walls on each side are soundproofed. As long
as we don’t go overboard we should be perfectly safe here.”

“I didn’t doubt your partner for a minute,” Ben replied with
a small smile. The grin Melissa shot him was knowing.

“It still saved us both time and energy for me to explain
the contingencies that have been taken,” she said. Ben turned to Layla, took
her hand in his.

“I’d feel better if you waited out here,” he said. “Not
because this is secret men’s business, or I don’t trust you wholeheartedly, but
because for now I don’t feel it’s necessary for you to watch this. Is that
okay?”

Layla searched his face, her blue gaze roaming his features.
Ben felt as if she caressed him with that look, his heart beating hard against
his chest. He’d never get tired of the sensual manner she shared with him
without even being conscious of it.

“I understand. I’m not sure I’d be much help in there,
anyway.”

Ben tilted her face up and pressed his lips to hers. Their
kiss felt like a benediction to him, an ending of all doubt and fear, the
future bright with promise of what they shared and how much they’d come to mean
to each other in this short space of time.

“Thank you,” he said. He pressed a final kiss to her
forehead and glanced at Melissa.

Her gaze was warm, the smile on her face appearing genuine.

“I’ll let you boys do your thing first,” she offered. “I’ll
loiter near the hallway. Call out if you want to add a feminine touch to your
questions.”

Layla sat on one side of the couch, while Melissa leaned
against the wall near the door that led to a hallway. Ben found Daniel waiting
for him against the doorframe into the small bedroom. A wooden chair,
presumably from the kitchen, had been set up in the middle of the room, the
futon having been folded up and pushed against one wall.

“I thought I’d wait to start the party here with you,”
Daniel said without taking his eyes off their captive. Magic sparked around
Daniel’s muscled body, the raw, powerful energy snapping as the two Assassins
stood side by side and gazed down at the pale, sweating wizard.

“He’s being awfully quiet,” Ben kept his tone light, as if
they were three buddies in the midst of pulling a prank. He knew from
experience treating a very serious situation as if it was all a lark unsettled
the least powerful person present. Since he and Daniel were so clearly in
control, he hoped being blasé would have Jimmy telling them everything they
needed to know with a minimum of fuss.

“Oh, he objected strenuously to being tied to the chair,”
Daniel replied with a smirk. “I convinced him it was the best course of action.”

“You always have had a way with words,” Ben chuckled. Daniel
was one of the least chatty wizards he knew. His friend shot him a humorous
look and waved a hand to indicate the floor was Ben’s.

“Well, Jimmy,” Ben turned his attention fully to the
restrained wizard. “As you can imagine from all the effort we’ve gone to here,
there’s some information we’d like to discuss with you.”

Ben had expected Jimmy to bluster and continue on in the
same vein like he had at the pub. Without anyone around him, however, he seemed
to have lost much of his confidence. Jimmy shook his head but didn’t utter a
word. Ben crouched beside the wizard, leaning his body in to crowd the man’s
personal space.

“We know you are a very well-connected wizard,” Ben spoke
softly. “You told us, yourself, back at the Lost Soul, if you recall. That is
exactly the reason why we came to see you, Jimmy.”

Ben poked a finger to Jimmy’s chest to punctuate his point.
Jimmy panted, clearly terrified but remaining obstinate.

“I’m thinking you’re hedging your bets,” Ben continued. “You
know if we just kill you then we don’t get the names we want, and hell, we’ll
be saving your colleagues a lot of effort and money on contracts. But neither
my friend here nor I were born yesterday. We’ve been in this business a long
time.”

Jimmy’s eyes flickered from Ben to Daniel and back again,
his terror visibly mounting. Ben knew without having to turn around Daniel
still leaned casually against the doorframe, his arms crossed placidly over his
thick chest. His friend didn’t need to utter a word to be menacing. His
presence lent weight and credibility to the picture Ben was verbally drawing.

Ben let the tension mount for a minute, giving Jimmy a
chance for his imagination to take wing, to insert any number of paths this
could follow. Ben was willing to bet Jimmy had seen any number of horrifying,
torturous questioning sessions in his time. The tables being turned, Ben knew
he didn’t have to be too explicit to get his point across.

Of course, a bit of nudging never hurt, either.

“Now Daniel’s specialty is being able to remove body parts
without severing the nerves or connective tissue fully,” Ben made up. He’d
learned that when threatening the more creative and graphic one could be, the
better. Realistic lying helped, too. “I once saw him remove a wizard’s eyeball
from its socket—still attached, mind you—and so the bastard could see what was
occurring to himself.”

Jimmy swallowed visibly. If anything his skin paled further,
the sweat pouring from him.

“Personally, I prefer the delicacy of flaying a limb,” Ben
spoke in a gentle tone. “There’s a real art to it, a subtlety to exposing the
bone few people can really perform with skill.”

“You guys don’t have the time for that shit,” Jimmy insisted
with a wobbling bravado. Ben snorted.

“I don’t have any other pressing engagements for the next
few days,” Daniel spoke for the first time. Ben grinned wolfishly. He leaned
even closer, until his breath puffed over Jimmy’s damp skin. Ben let the
darkness within him vibrate through his every word, echoing in his tone with a
reverberation that could not be ignored.

“Make no mistake, Jimmy McRoy. We will get the names out of
you. The only question is how long you can hold out. Torture is not my first
choice in these matters, but I can promise you, my friend here and I can hold
out far longer than you could dream possible. I can slice your skin open,
expose the nerves and tap them like piano keys. I can do things to your body
you’ve never dreamed of and still have you conscious, sentient and begging me
for the dark, blissful embrace of death and crying for your mommy like a lost
little boy. Regardless of what path we take, the one thing I can guarantee you
is—one way or the other—you
will
tell us all the names of the Council
members involved in this separation movement, and any other dignitaries or wizards
who support the cause strongly. How long it takes relies completely on your
shoulders.”

Ben struggled to contain the demon roaring for release
within him. He walked a fine line between holding his control and losing it.
Jimmy seemed to sense this and he trembled, his hands clenching the wooden arm
rests of the chair. Ben didn’t look back at Daniel, his entire focus riveted to
the wizard in front of him.

“Okay,” Jimmy gasped, sweat rolling into his eyes. He tried
to blink it away but the shakes racking his body continued anyway. “Okay, I’ll
tell you what I know.”

“Everything,” Ben repeated as he moved back a few inches to
give Jimmy some room. The wizard nodded jerkily.

“I’ve had direct contact mostly with Nolan Hopkirk, the
personal assistant to Tony Barnard, the Council member,” Jimmy explained. “Nolan
has directly spoken of meetings and arrangements with two others, but most of
their support comes from a few of the older families both here in Chicago as
well as down in St. Louis and Omaha.”

“Interesting,” Daniel urged him on. “And the names?”

Ben memorized the list Jimmy began to rattle off. Daniel
didn’t blink as the names flowed from Jimmy, though Ben felt a spurt of
surprise at just how many there were. This was not some grassroots operation, a
few disgruntled people. This was a small but fierce movement.

Ben had the feeling Grant Gower—the Council member leading
the Investigation and whose daughter, Tanya, had been killed earlier in the
week for uncovering the conspiracy—would be pleased and very interested in the
phone call Ben planned to make soon. Jimmy continued to talk. Now he’d begun,
there was no stopping him. Eager to understand every detail, Ben listened
intently.

“You really love Ben, don’t you?” Melissa said as Layla felt
the witch’s attention move from the next room and focus on her.

“Is it that obvious? Please don’t tell me I get some sappy,
starry-eyed look when I watch him,” she replied with a grin.

“Oh no, nothing that bad, but for those of us who know him
it’s easy to see how much he loves you. I worried for him initially. It’s not
easy to be with an Assassin. Socially there’s a stigma, but also the
relationship itself is fraught with possible issues. We’re not simple
creatures, by and large.”

“I’m sure we’ll have our pitfalls and arguments, but yes, I
love him deeply,” Layla reassured the blonde.

“Well, I’m glad to have that sorted out.” Melissa turned as
the sound of footfalls came down the hall. Ben entered the room with Daniel
directly behind him.

“I think we have enough to be going on with,” Ben said.
Layla could see the difference in him. His eyes had a hard glint in them, his
posture was rigid. He was clearly on edge. She guessed his senses were humming,
jacked up to feed his magical powers but also to keep him ultra-alert.

It was different, seeing this other side to her lover, but
she still did not fear this darker, harsher side to him. Layla knew he would
never knowingly, willfully hurt her.

“I want to bring Gower in now,” Ben said to the three of
them. “It was his daughter, Tanya, who stumbled onto this first. They murdered
her. He’s on a crusade right now with all the backing of the Council to bear
behind him.”

Daniel and Melissa exchanged a look. The wizard tilted his
head faintly and then Melissa turned back to Ben.

“That sounds fine,” she agreed. “Are we going to turn Jimmy
over? Have you got all you can from him?”

“I think he’s still holding out on us, but giving him the
chance to stew, get cocky and think he’s home free will make it easier to break
the last of it from him later,” Ben explained. “For now I think Gower needs to
start acting on what we have. Jimmy certainly has given us a head start.”

“The phone’s in the kitchen,” Daniel offered. Ben cut
through the room, walked through the archway and found the phone attached to
the wall. Lifting it, he punched in the number.

“Hey!” Jimmy shouted from the back room, “Hey, are we done
here? I need to go. You’re signing my death warrant here. I have to get out of
here before they come after me. Hey! Are you assholes listening to me? They’re
everywhere
,
haven’t you schmucks worked that out for yourselves yet?”

Layla listened as Ben asked to speak with Grant Gower. They
ignored Jimmy as he continued to yell.

“Mr. Gower? It’s Ben Jackson here. I have some new
information about that mission we worked on earlier in the week if you’re
interested?” Ben paused for a moment and then continued. “Yes. Some colleagues
and I have discovered a wizard whom we believe will be of great interest to
you. His name is Jimmy McRoy and he’s a fixer. He has been used to perform
numerous tasks by those you seek. I must point out that he is not your garden-variety
fixer, though. He will need…er…a harder hand, if you understand.”

There was silence again as Grant spoke on the other end. Ben
nodded at whatever the other wizard said.

“Exactly. If you have a pen and paper handy I can list those
he willingly fingered. A bit more pressure and I am sure he will reveal the
full depths of how far the conspiracy reaches.”

Layla had worked on the fringes of the Council and Tribunal
for most of her career. Many of the names Ben recited were a shock, some of
whom she had personally worked on missions for. Her eyes were opened far more
than she would have wished for, a deep regret settling in her stomach.

“We’re happy to deliver McRoy into trustworthy hands, if you
would like to nominate a representative…and where?”

“Enforcer HQ,” Ben mouthed to them. Daniel nodded his head
and Melissa sighed—Layla got the feeling the witch still didn’t fully trust the
Enforcers—but despite her clear reservations, Melissa indicated her assent.

“In half an hour?” Ben repeated, glancing at them to see if
anyone objected. “We’ll see you there.”

Ben replaced the phone to its cradle on the wall. Jimmy had
fallen silent, evidently listening to this side of the conversation with
interest. When it became clear they were finished, Jimmy started up again, banging
his chair against the wall and screaming at the top of his lungs.

“You can’t do this! I’m going to hire the finest fucking
lawyer and have your collective asses in a sling. I have power you have no idea
about and—”

“Oh, give me a break,” Melissa muttered, sounding disgusted.
“I’m going to gag him. I’ll be damned if I bloody well have to listen to this
all the way in to HQ.”

With that she left the room. A minute later Jimmy shrieked
and his shouts became muffled thereafter.

“We should drive in my sedan,” Daniel offered. “I have
permission to park under HQ. My plates have a talisman on them for recognition.
I consult with the Enforcers regularly. It will be easier to keep a lid on
Jimmy if we can catch the lift directly up there and hand him over.”

“That would be fantastic,” Ben agreed.

“Gotta admit, it’s never boring when you drag me into these
kinds of things,” Daniel said with a small grin. “Mel insisted I exaggerated,
but now she knows otherwise.”

“I’ll never doubt you again, love,” Melissa laughed as she
wrapped an arm around Daniel’s waist as she returned. “Are we ready? To be
frank, I’ve had quite enough of McRoy’s charming personality for one evening.”

“I can’t quite believe it’s over,” Layla said. The whole
last week had been a blur of activity, danger and rushing about. She reeled
slightly at everything that had changed for her. Melissa looked at her with
unmasked sympathy.

“These things are never really over,” Melissa said in a
gentle tone. “The players come and go, the names and faces changing, but in all
honesty as soon as we weed out one group another takes its place.”

Layla felt depressed at the thought, but she knew the truth
of Melissa’s statement. Time and again she had seen the corruption behind the
politics of the Council or the Tribunal, the petty in-fighting, the slander and
setups. The danger she usually faced was more political and less physical, but
it was no less prevalent than the problems Melissa spoke of.

Layla sighed and exchanged a weary glance with Ben.

“Time enough to dwell on that later,” he said. Layla melted
into his side as he wrapped an arm around her. She hugged him, loving the
strength of offered her freely.

“Let’s take this win—and it’s a significant one—and let
tomorrow come at its own pace,” Ben suggested.

“Mel, take Layla to the car, would you?” Daniel said. “The
big guy here and I can ready our buddy Jimmy for transport.”

Layla caught a speaking glance that passed between the
wizards. The muffled shouts still emanated from the back room. Considering the
bloodshed and long-lasting ramifications of what the group Jimmy represented
had wrought, she decided that whatever Daniel and Ben had planned would be
better than the alternative.

Melissa headed for the front door. After only the slightest
of pauses, Layla followed her.

* * * * *

“So what did you really do to Jimmy while you transported
him?” Layla asked as they walked up the footpath to Ben’s home. He cast her a
wicked grin, attempting to put the most innocent of looks on his face.

She wasn’t fooled.

“What do you mean?” he asked. Not even Ben could keep a
straight face. They laughed as he dug his keys out of his pocket. She nudged
him, not needing to repeat her question. He knew very well what she asked.

“Let’s just say Daniel and I impressed upon our friend McRoy
the importance of his continuing assistance, or he might receive unfriendly
visits from one or both of us,” Ben replied. Layla had presumed something of
the sort and was willing to leave it at that.

Ben held the door open for her. She purposely brushed her
body against his as she entered. His head turned, his gaze following her hotly
as she sashayed into the house.

First Layla dropped her handbag in the middle of the floor,
then she toed out of her shoes. Continuing her walk, she put more sway into her
ass as she pulled her jacket off, tossing it onto the couch and stalking past,
making a beeline for the hallway. Quickly she unbuttoned her shirt, swishing
her hair back as she threw him a saucy look over her shoulder.

The front door slammed shut behind him. Ben’s gaze didn’t
wavering from her impromptu striptease. Hunger etched across his face as he
started to follow her across the room.

Satisfied she had his complete attention, Layla turned her
head to face forward again. Shrugging her arms, she let the shirt slip down
until the arms caught in the crook of her elbows. Her back partially exposed,
she swayed her hips for two steps, then let the shirt drop to a crumpled heap
on the floor.

Layla arched her back seductively as she quickly unbuttoned
her slacks and pushed them over the curve of her hips. Stepping out of them,
she strode with confident steps toward the bedroom only in her bra and thong.
The matching set was one of her favorite and ones she had chosen to wear to
inflame Ben.

Made from sheer see-through lacy netting, they were a deep,
rich purple which she knew brought out the warm highlights in her long hair and
looked sexy against her pale skin. Kicking more swing into her ass, she swayed
down the corridor, her naked butt cheeks feeling cool in the evening air.

She paused as she reached the doorway to the bedroom,
turning to lean forward and arch into the frame. Layla thrust her breasts out,
loving the way Ben’s dark gaze devoured her.

“You look incredible,” he murmured. She grinned, thrilled
with the reaction. His cock tented in his pants, jutting up with clear
enthusiasm.

“Someone’s overdressed,” she teased him in a low tone. “And
since I’m a few hard tugs from being completely naked, I’m not the guilty one
here.”

Ben kicked off his shoes where he stood in the hall,
fumbling with his belt and pants. When he lifted his shirt over his head, she
moved into the bedroom. Just as she wondered if she should maybe dance a little
for him to further inflame him, his warm, strongly muscled arms wrapped around
her waist, lifted her clear off the ground and carried her to the bed.

She laughed as he eased her down onto the mattress, enjoying
his mastery as he took control.

“I was thinking about maybe dancing for you,” she snickered.
He lightly tapped her ass. His fingers threaded under the thin elastic at the
waist of her thong and he pulled the tiny piece down her legs and tossed it to
the floor.

“Next time, I promise. My heart couldn’t bear to wait any
longer.”

Eager as he, Layla lifted her hands to her back and
unsnapped the matching bra. Discarding the garment, she spread her legs to wrap
them around Ben’s waist as he closed the distance between them. Kissing the
hard muscles of his pecs, she traced her tongue over them, drawing damp
patterns on his skin.

“I’m so hot for you, babe,” he groaned. His fingers spread
her slick lips wide and without further foreplay he thrust three fingers deeply
into her core. Layla arched into the penetration, gasping at the speed with
which he took them, but her pounding heart and wet core proved her readiness
for him.

“Circe, you’re perfect, in every way,” he mumbled. Pumping
his fingers greedily in and out of her, he stroked her hard. The tip of one
finger grazed lightly over her G-spot as he crooked the digit, causing sparks
of pleasure to course through her body hotly.

“Fuck yes,” she groaned. “Remember how perfect I am next
time I ask you a million questions you don’t feel in the mood to answer.”

Ben chuckled and kissed her lips. They licked each other,
their tongues tangling intimately as he penetrated her as deeply as possible.
Layla arched up into his fingers, riding him hard as her heart raced in her
chest. She reached a hand down between their body, finding his shaft thick and
his head slickly coated with pre-cum.

Her lover appeared as eager as she.

Layla ran her thumb over his head, coating him with his own
juices. She fisted him, caressing his shaft firmly in the same manner he had
shown her last time. Up and down, she stroked until he moaned and shuddered in her
hands, clearly close to the limits of his endurance.

“I can’t wait,” he pleaded. Layla lifted her hips and guided
him to her soaked pussy.

“Then don’t,” she murmured huskily. He kissed her again and
entered her in a deep, long thrust. Even though his body vibrated with hunger
he was not violent with her. Need made him rough, his actions stemming from raw
craving but she could feel the overriding tenderness of his love for her. His
desire gave their lovemaking an edge, but at no point did she fear him or the
inherent violence that resided within his core.

“Fuck me,” she pleaded with him. “Take me, give me
everything. Please, I want it all.”

Ben swore as he pumped hard within her body. They rose
together at a fast, driving pace as their passion overwhelmed them. All too
soon Layla found herself cresting, shooting over the knife edge as she reached
her climax.

She screamed loudly, her body clenching as it contracted
around his prick as he continued to trust deeply within her walls. One thrust,
and then a second and he managed to find his own release. Ben shouted hoarsely,
his body arching as he spasmed, his hips jerking forward in quick, decisive
snaps as he emptied himself into her waiting body.

Panting hard, he rolled to the side and collapsed next to
her on the bed, small beads of sweat dotting his brow. Tenderly, she reached
out to wipe at his face, loving that she had the freedom to touch him, taste
him at will.