Hitman's Revenge (a Forbidden Bad Boy Romance) (12 page)

“
S
o
, you gonna explain, or do I have to pry it out of you like I’m doing to the shrapnel in your body?”

I looked at Sophia’s expression as she sucked in a breath while probing the bullet wound on my shoulder. It hurt like hell, but I fought against the pain, knowing that it was only going to get worse before it got better. “She’s… that’s Hazel.”

“Tell me something I don’t know,” she chuckled as she saw the expression on my face. “Come on, Jack. You wouldn’t take a bullet for just anyone. It had to be Hazel. Now sit tight, I gotta get that bullet out. You want some tequila? It worked last time.”

I shook my head no, knowing that my mind had to be as sharp as possible. Coming to Sophia’s, my haven, wasn’t the plan, and I’d put her at risk, too. So I needed my wits about me if I was going to protect the both of them from what was about to land on our doorstep.

Sophia shrugged her shoulders and turned back to her instruments, readying herself. Sophia had been the one to put me back together each time I had a brush with death, a housekeeper at one of my safe-houses with a surgical nursing background. The first time, I’d startled her with my bleeding self after a bullet tore through my side, but she’d taken it all in stride and had been ever ready to put the stuffing back in me and sew me back up like a ragged old teddy-bear ever since. Over the years Sophia had become a kind of confidant, a listener, and though she didn’t pry, well, she knew all about Hazel.

“You know, I didn’t expect her to look like that,” she continued, dabbing at the wound with some disinfectant that made me hiss. “You didn’t tell me she was so pretty.”

I forced my mind to think of Hazel’s face, wondering if she was freaking out downstairs. She had torn out of the room like it was the last place she wanted to be, and I couldn’t blame her. Today had been a complete and utter disaster, and she had been thrown into a situation I never wanted to put her in. Still, overall she’d handled it well, and I was eternally grateful for her getting us here. Otherwise, I would’ve been pushing daises up from six feet under.

“Hold on, you aren’t going to like this,” Sophia said as I felt her tweezers start to probe the hole. A searing hot pain shot through my shoulder, as I felt every agonizing brush of the steel instrument… then it was lights out.

R
ain fell softly
on the window, making me wish I had a warm blanket and a good book to pass the time. Not that I could have concentrated on it by any means.

With a sigh I walked across the room, my hands on my arms as I waited for the woman to come downstairs and tell me that Jack was going to be okay. I had no idea who she was, but obviously Jack trusted her, so I had no choice but to do the same. I just needed for him to be okay, to sruvive.

I looked around the living room, taking in the comfortable furniture and big screen TV hanging on the wall above a stone fireplace, wondering if this was Jack’s home away from home. The minimalistic but warm tones seemed to contradict the darkness that I was starting to know as Jack Steele.

After leaving them, I’d come straight down the stairs and ended up in this room, forcing myself to get a hold of the situation. The problem was I couldn’t make it go away. Jack was severely injured, and we were still being hunted by Colt and his goons. The only way this was going to end was to sever the head of the group, that head being Colt, or us being killed. To do that, especially now, we would have to let him get close, and I didn’t know how I felt about that. What if he got too close and we couldn’t stop him? What if Jack couldn’t fight anymore? As much as I could see some toughness in the older woman upstairs, I doubted that she was any sort of assassin.

The sound of footsteps caught my attention and I whirled around, watching as she entered the room wiping her hands on a cloth. “I’m so sorry, my dear. I am Sophia, the housekeeper and resident patcher-upper at this fine establishment. You’re Hazel, correct?”

I nodded. “How is he?” I asked anxiously, my heart aching to hear that he was okay. She smiled and let out a tense breath, knowing that he was at least still alive. It had looked so bad, all that blood…

“He’s going to be just fine,” she announced. “The bullet was easy to get out, and he’s resting right now. You can go see him in a minute.”

My knees weakened and I fell onto the couch, my head swimming from the relief. Jack was going to be okay.

“What happened?”

Unsure of why I was telling a complete stranger my life’s story, I quickly relived the absolute worst days of my life, my eyes tearing up as I got to the part when Jack had gotten shot. Sophia remained quiet but reached over and patted my shoulder when I struggled with the words. “And he told me to come here,” I finished, exhaling hard, “so I did. He didn’t tell me you’d be here, though.”

“He wouldn’t, the rascal.” A warm smile played upon her lips, one that would put anyone at ease. “Jack, well, he’s very private as you might know. I’m glad you were able to bring him here. And in a day or two he will be as good as new.”

“But we don’t have a day or two,” I said, slumping against the couch. Colt wasn’t going to wait around for Jack to get better.

Sophia reached over and patted me on the shoulder once more, her gaze seeming to show understanding of my plight. “Honey, sometimes we have to take it into our own hands. Can’t always rely on the men. My husband, Roger, God rest his soul, died when I was just forty years old. I realized how dependent I’d been on him and decided from that day on that I wouldn’t be dependent on anyone anymore, except myself.”

She stood and moved toward the door. “Think on it, Hazel. He’ll need you now more than ever. I’m going to fix some tea. Take your time, then go see him.”

I watched her leave, her words sinking into my very core. Was I dependent on Jack? Had I been dependent on my father? I didn’t want to be. I wanted to be my own person, and now that my father was gone, I wasn’t going to have much of a choice. I also seriously doubted that Jack was going to hang around long once all of this was over, no matter how much I wanted him to. But I didn’t want him to leave me again, either.

Sure I had grown up, gotten over the fact that my life didn’t even remotely compare to the exciting, dangerous life that he led. But that didn’t mean I wasn’t hanging on to that one shred of hope that he had come back for
me
. It had to mean something, something more than just doing his duty, out of respect for my father.

I rose from the couch, determined now. I had to see him, I had to make him see once and for all what he truly meant to me.

H
azel entered the room quietly
, but I could still hear her shoes squeaking on the wooden floors that were so clean you could practically eat off of them. Sophia didn’t believe in a dirty house; her years in sterile operating rooms made her a perfect housekeeper. It also helped that she could sew up a mean bullet hole.

I waited for Hazel to approach the bed, seeing the concern on her face as she looked over at my bandaged shoulder—a minor setback but one I would have to overcome.

“How do you feel?” she asked softly.

“I’m fine,” I grated out even though it felt like I had been poked with hot irons. Sophia had tried to get me to take some pain meds, but in the end I had settled with some antibiotic pills to ward off any infection. I couldn’t allow anything to muddle my brain, not if I wanted to keep us alive.

Hazel looked at my shoulder, and I sighed, a bit irritated that she didn’t believe me. “Really, Hazel. It’s not as bad as it looks.”

Her lower lip trembled, the confidence that she’d come in with evaporating before my eyes, and I cursed inwardly, hating the fact that I couldn’t lay off being a complete asshole to her for just one moment. “Don’t cry.”

“I can’t help it,” she gulped, the first tears sparkling in her eyes. “I was so worried about you, Jack. I don’t know what I would’ve done if…”

I reached out and pulled her down to the bed, ignoring the pain as I shifted so she could recline on the pillow beside me. Her body was reluctant and hesitant at first but, eventually it molded next to mine. Her scent filled my nostrils, and I felt the twinge of another pain, one that was going to really be the death of me one day.

Gingerly, I wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her against my good one, feeling her sharp intake of breath against my chest. Her head felt so natural against my shoulder, like it belonged there, her soft hair trailing over my bare skin. I sucked in my own breath, surprised by the need that was coursing through my body.

“I’m going to be okay, I’ve been through worse,” I started out softly, hoping that she wouldn’t see the damn tent that was starting to form under my sheet. “If it makes you feel any better, this isn’t the first time I’ve let Sophia sew me up.”

“Oh yeah, that makes me feel great,” she choked out, relaxing against me. I grinned and my hand curled around her waist like it was the most natural thing to do. I shouldn’t be touching her, but I couldn’t help myself. “For the record, this is only the second bullet wound. Because even though you probably don’t think it, I’m actually pretty good at my job.”

Hazel raised her head, her eyes boring into mine, but at least the tears were gone now. “Where?”

Shifting on the bed, I exposed my side, where a bullet had gone through, the scar barely visible now. “Right there. I was working a, uh, job and got caught in a crossfire with another uh, well, another interested party.”

Hazel’s eyes travelled down to my side and before I realized it, her fingers danced along the raised skin, like a wildfire trailing along a dry forest. I suddenly wanted her hands all over my body, the touch just as soft but still stoking the flames that were raging within me. I was struggling to remember that technically she was off-limits, wanting more than ever to forget the promise I’d made to the old man.

When her fingers danced up my rib cage, I let out a soft growl, pulling her back against me with my good hand and trapping her hand in between us. I had to gain control of this, I had to stay focused. This was Hazel, not just any other woman. This was the only woman that I gave a damn about.

The only one that could break me.

“I have something for you,” I said, and she looked at me questioningly. Was that hope in her eyes? “Check my right pocket.”

She frowned but did as instructed, her fingers easing down my side and into my pocket. As her fingers grasped the gift I’d given her long ago and pulled it out, her eyes widened.

“You found it? I thought it was lost forever,” she whispered, staring between the diamond pendant she held and me. “You know I never took it off, not until they killed my dad and…” I bit my tongue as tremors filled her voice.

“Shh,” I soothed, “It’s over for now. You’re safe.”

Her head fell back on my shoulder, and her hand splayed on my chest, the warmth of her touch scorching my skin. Instead of moving it, I decided that I liked it there. It made me feel whole again, that maybe the darkness hadn’t been the best place to be. Most of all, it made me feel like someone actually cared for me and for a little while, I would allow myself that small concession. I pulled her closer still.

“Stay with me,” I whispered to her, the pull of sleep trying to claim me even though I wanted nothing more than to stare into her eyes.

She nodded and nestled in to my side, her hand tracing soothing circles up and down my side as I fell into a deep slumber, the woman of my dreams in my arms.

I
startled awake
, my heart hammering against my chest as I tried to make sense of my surroundings. Then I remembered. Jack shot, bringing him to his safe house. The feel of his skin under my fingers.

My neck protested as I shifted my position on the bed, not wanting to wake the slumbering man next to me. While I knew I should’ve left the bed, I couldn’t find the energy, nor did I want to leave his side. I loved the feeling of the gentle rise and fall of his chest under my hand, the warmth of his hand at my waist as he had pulled me close. I think I would have begged him to stay if he had kicked me out, but he hadn’t, and we had both fallen asleep.

Looking up, I allowed myself to view Jack’s strong jaw in the dim light, the way he didn’t seem so serious when he was relaxed in his sleep. He reminded me of the boy I had known, the one with a quick smile and the need to protect.

Sophia’s words hadn’t left me. Did I really need someone to protect me? But Jack needed someone to protect him as well, and I was selfish for not realizing that sooner. All his life he’d been there for me; it was my turn to look after him. This ‘accident’ had opened my eyes to the harsh reality that was Jack’s life now. But who looked out for him? Who made sure that his back was covered? There was no doubt that this whole ordeal was far from over, and now that Jack was limited in his movement, he would need help. That had to be me. I had to shape up and help him as much as I could. Otherwise, we wouldn’t last long.

Jack shifted suddenly and pulled me close as he muttered something in his dream. I wouldn’t leave him. I wouldn’t abandon him, either.

“I’m here, Jack,” I whispered, pressing a kiss on his chest lightly. Come hell or high water I would always be by his side whether he liked it or not.

“
N
o
.”

“Jack, can’t you see this is for the best? If we are going to survive this, you
will
need me. Think about it.”

Jack looked at me sullenly, his soup before him untouched. “Oh, you want me to think about it? Fine, hell no, Hazel. I am not putting you in danger.”

“I’m not some innocent kid, Jack. Okay, I was the damsel in distress for a while there, but just think about where you would be if I hadn’t gotten into that car,” I reminded him, pushing my own bowl away. We were sitting in the kitchen, a marvel that rivaled any gourmet one, and yet there was only a can of soup between us. Neither felt much in the way of cooking or eating but Sophia had insisted we eat at least something to keep our strength up.

Sophia had helped Jack get cleaned up and checked his wound while I took an overdue shower, the effects of waking up next to the man before me still swimming around in my brain. There had been a great deal of throat clearing, and I had escaped before the awkwardness got too intense. In the shower I’d built upon my plan to protect Jack, so by the time we sat down at the granite island, I had worked myself into a frenzy thinking what I was going to say. Unfortunately, Jack hated the idea.

“Face it you need me.”

“I don’t need anyone,” he said, his voice echoing off the silent walls of the kitchen. I watched as he pushed himself off the stool and stalked out, his arm tucked against his chest as the reminder that he wasn’t hundred percent at all.

“Don’t you walk away from me!” I followed him, not wanting to let this die. He had a simple choice, either Sophia or I would need to have his back, and I dearly didn’t want to lose our surgeon. There was no point cowering in the corner while Jack fended off whatever violence came our way, and certainly not when I had functioning arms that could at least assist. I was ready, I knew I was. I could help him.

I found him out on the back deck, a huge place that had a covered hot tub and overlooked miles of dense woods at every angle. He was staring into the distance, his stance tense. “Jack,” I started, walking over to him. “You’ve got to listen to me. This is the only way we are going to win this and get back to our lives.”

He laughed harshly, shaking his head. “It’s the damn stupidest idea I’ve ever heard. I am not, I repeat, am not, going to let you be in any danger ever again. I will handle this.”

“You can’t, Jack,” I exploded as he turned to look at me with his hooded expression. “You have a banged-up shoulder. What are you going to do? Beat them with your sling?”

“Watch what you say,” he warned.

“I’m not saying anything that isn’t true,” I said softly, my eyes straying to his sling. “I just want to help, Jack. I’d rather go down fighting than helpless and without you by my side.”

He took a step closer to me, and I felt the shift in the air, waiting for the explosion that was boiling inside of Jack. He was mad, there was no doubt about it.

“You want to help?” he asked, his voice dangerously low.

I nodded, looking up into his steely blue eyes. He needed me, he just didn’t want to admit it. His pride or something else was getting in the way of logic. Jack leaned down until our noses nearly touched, the smell of his cologne tickling my senses.

“You need me, Jack. We’ve always needed each other,” I whispered, daring to tiptoe across that line.

“Get the hell out of my head, Hazel!”

Startled, I took a step back as he brushed past, surprised at his words. I gasped at the shock that he too had been thinking of me.

Finally we were getting somewhere.