Hitman's Revenge (a Forbidden Bad Boy Romance) (8 page)

I
woke
up in a cold sweat, shivering under my thin blanket as I tried to catch my breath. It was one of the familiar scenes that I thought about way too often.

I pulled the covers up to my chin and looked up at the darkened ceiling of my cell, hating the fact that I was here. If it were a normal night, I would be studying for a final to complete my math class, putting me one step further toward my degree in accounting. After working in my father’s garage for nearly all my life, I found out that I had a knack for numbers. Dad balked of course, saying that I really didn’t need to go to college.
“I will always have enough to take care of you,”
he would say with a wink.
“This garage will be yours one day, baby girl.”

I guess it was mine now, along with the house and all its contents. I didn’t know how much money was in the bank, but knowing my dad, it wouldn’t be any small sum. But I didn’t want any of it if I could only have my dad back.

A tear escaped, and I wiped it away with my finger. I hated thinking that my dad was lying in a morgue somewhere, waiting for me to claim his body so that I could cremate him. He had told me a few years ago that he didn’t want all of the fuss and bother of a funeral and to spread his ashes around the garage. I didn’t know about the latter, but I was going to cremate him at least. Maybe he wouldn’t haunt me too badly for my choices.

Shifting in the bed, I thought about the same thing I thought about every night when a nightmare woke me or the pain of my bruised ribs got too much to bear.
Escape. Freedom.
Those words were far too precious to me now. I wanted my old life back, where I didn’t worry about what my dad did and his side dealings, and my biggest concern was that I might not pass my final. What had my dad done to deserve to die and have me captured? What was Colt’s deal, anyway?

The door suddenly opened and I scrambled back against the wall, pulling the blanket up to my chin as the light spilled into the room. It was like déjà vu.

The same two burly guys from earlier entered, standing on either side of the door as I waited to see what this was all about. Colt walked through the door, dressed in a silk shirt and linen pants, his hair ruffled from some unseen wind that I hadn’t felt. He looked irritated, and I smiled inwardly, glad to see him as aggravated as I was.

“To what do I owe this special late night visit?”

He smiled, a deadly grimace that made me extremely nervous, causing me to lose some of my bravado. This wasn’t going to be good at all. “It’s time, Hazel. I have some news. You are about to have a visitor.”

A visitor? I thought, names swirling through my mind. Who had they found? Who was coming? Anyone other than Jack. “I don’t know what you mean,” I said slowly, afraid it was my worst fears coming true.

He crossed his arms over his chest and glared at me to the point that I felt like he had x-ray vision, seeing through my thin blanket and t-shirt. He creeped me out, no doubt about it. “Don’t play coy with me. Jack.”

My heart sped up slightly at the mention of his name. He was coming. He did know I was here. But he had to stay far away… Colt would kill him.

“He’s nothing but a bug under my boot, and it’s time he paid,” Colt continued, grinding the imaginary insect with the heel of his shoe as he moved towards me. The stink of his breath grew close enough to make my stomach turn. “But I wonder if you know everything about your precious Jack?”

I remained silent, daring not to breathe even one word in case I belied my feelings for Jack and his coming to rescue me. I was so conflicted, needing to see him and yet desperately not wanting him to get hurt. But first things first. I needed to play my part in front of Colt.

“Nothing?” Colt asked with a shrug of his shoulders. “Fine. I will tell you anyway. Did you know he slaughtered an innocent man a few months ago? Made a right mess. Strung him up for his two small kids to find after they returned home from school. The family was devastated… You should’ve seen the blood.” Colt paused as if pondering whether or not he should continue. “And then a few days ago, another. A man that was found innocent of his crimes, smothered to death by the hands of
Justice
Jack.”

No, I thought, feeling the bile rising in my throat. Jack wouldn’t do that. Sure his job was a bit unorthodox, but I doubted he killed innocent men… He had morals, a conscience. Not Jack.

“He enjoys his job,” Colt continued with a sneer. “Very much so. If I were to put out a hit on his own grandmother—if he had one—there would be no doubt in my mind that he would do the job, and do it well.”

“You’re wrong,” I forced out, unable to take anymore. “Jack isn’t like that.”

He wasn’t.

He was kind and caring, even if he had been scarce the last few years, he would still be the man I knew, the little boy I’d grown up with. But perhaps Colt was right, all those years alone, what had he become? Could he have become a soulless monster…?

“And he’s probably not even coming for you, he’s coming to kill me. Revenge is in his blood. But maybe, just maybe, in the crossfire… Well, who knows what will happen? There might be an accident, and his last remaining family will be killed by his own hands.”

Colt paused for dramatic effect letting his words sink deep down within me, causing my skin to prickle with goose bumps. “And I can’t wait to watch him lose you. To see the look on his face as he realizes what he’s done, when you die in his arms. Payback will be sweet for him taking my boy.”

His boy?
But before I could ponder that tidbit of information Colt signaled to his men, who then approached the bed menacingly. I shrank back as they grabbed for me, kicking my feet and legs at them with all the strength I could muster and grinning when I connected with one of their noses.

“Shit!” one yelled, falling back, cupping his hand over his nose to catch the spray of blood that spurted out of it. The other looked at his partner dancing around like a little girl distracted for a split-second. It was all I needed, as I took the opportunity to spring off of the bed, running for the door. All I had to do was get past Colt and I would be closer to freedom.

The sound of a hammer being cocked stopped me dead in my tracks. The muzzle of a gun pressed against my forehead. “Nice try,” Colt drawled, his leather face coming into view, “but this is not what I had in mind, Hazel. But you do get an A for effort, I’ll give you that.”

“I had to give it a shot,” I said bitterly, swallowing hard. Was he going to blow my head off now? But then the thought crossed my mind that he truly wanted me alive—at least until he trapped Jack into killing me. That was his plan all along.

I took a hesitant step forward, testing him, the gun still in my face, edging my way closer to the open door, but he merely tutted and shook his head. I felt someone grab me from behind, wrestling my arms behind me painfully. Colt removed the gun and slid it back into the waistband of his pants, smiling ruefully at me. “I like your fight. You will definitely be good bait…”

I spat at him, my spittle landing in a glob on his lapel.

“…But I think we might have to do something about that mouth of yours.” And before I could register his word his palm made contact with my cheek, jolting my head back violently.

The goon manhandled me into the hall as fire burned my cheek. I looked down between the tears that sprang free at the concrete space, noting that it was actually an open corridor. The cool night air hit my starving skin and caused pinpricks in its wake. It felt wonderful and yet at the same time my body shook uncontrollably. It had been so long since I had felt moving air on my skin, the breeze in my hair. These were all things I had taken for granted.

They forced me down a sheltered outdoor corridor into what looked to be the main house, and I caught a glimpse of the darkened ocean through the massive windows. The house itself was very modern, the furniture an eclectic mix of old and new designs. I saw no one else as we made our way up the stairs to the second level and down another hall, the floor cold under my bare feet.

Where on earth were they taking me? How would they set Jack up? A thousand thoughts ran through my mind. What was he going to do? After being left in that hell hole I thought had been a basement, I was at a loss, with no more clues to unearth. Colt would soon show his hand, though. It seemed like he relished doing so.

The man holding his nose brushed past us and opened the door near the end of the hall. I was forced inside and my mouth gaped at the sight. It was a gorgeous bedroom, nothing at all like the cement cell I had been spending my time in. The king-sized bed was massive; the covering so luxurious that I could assume it was the top of the line. The furniture was solidly made, none of that cheap crap that they sold in discount stores, and I was even more ecstatic to see that there was a balcony that overlooked the ocean. A means of escape. Surely Colt wasn’t stupid enough to put me in this room?

“Welcome to your updated accommodations, my dear,” he said, following behind as I looked around the room. “I’m sure this is more to your liking, after your recent stay with me.”

All I could do was focus on the balcony, but I forced my eyes away, trying not to bring their attention to what was perhaps their mistake. I salivated for the first chance to be left alone. How far was it down to the ground? Could I survive a jump?

“You will find clothes in the wardrobe,” Colt was saying as he walked around the room. “Of course you will note that I will be locking this door for your own safety. Can’t let you get hurt… at least not yet.”

“Why are you doing this?” I asked softly, afraid to ask. There had to be a reason, something sinister, ‘cause it wasn’t adding up. He could have left me where I was, forced Jack to rescue me from there… led him into that trap. What was so special about this room?

He paused at the doorway, turning back to look at me. There was a sneer on his face, one that sent a shiver down my spine. “What can I say? Security was on the fritz in your old room, so I thought an upgrade was in order. And this way I can keep a better eye on you,” he responded, looking me up and down.

“Don’t worry, Hazel, nothing has changed between us. We aren’t going to be friends, and I am not going to let you go. You will die, under my watch, at the time that I want you to die.” He then laughed. “Oh, and I’m not a complete idiot. Those balcony doors are solid. There is no way you’re going to break through them, but if for some reason you did, the snipers guarding your room have orders to kill you on sight. Revenge or no revenge… you won’t be getting out alive. Sleep tight.”

The door closed, and I waited a full second before I let my guard down, marching over to the balcony doors and attempting to pull them open. I knew it was useless to even try, but my conscience wouldn’t allow me not to. When they didn’t budge, I slid down onto the cool wooden floor, my head in my hands.

He was using me as a pawn, I knew it, and my knight was going to end up getting sacrificed. But it did mean that Jack was on his way; maybe I could warn him somehow. Something had spooked Colt. Something made him take me and put me here with only one way in and one way out… and no doubt more cameras to watch the whole event unfold.

He couldn’t just waltz up to this door and unlock it. If he did, the snipers would shoot him dead anyway… or maybe they were just for show.

My hand moved to the empty space around my neck, to the now missing pendant I’d always worn. Jack’s graduation present to me all those years ago. Had he changed so very much from the man who’d given me the gorgeous diamond?

My mind floated to Colt’s words earlier about Jack, about what type of man he was today, the man he had become. Had Jack lost his moral conscience? Lost himself and who he was? Surely not. We were talking about the boy who had protected me from damn near everything, who had allowed me to follow him around like a puppy dog. And even when he got older he was always still there for me, even though I was three years younger. My friends in school had giggled uncontrollably when he used to pick me up from school. It dawned on me then that he was way hotter than any of the high school boys, and once that revelation was planted in my head, there was no way of denying it.

Jack had an air about him, a quick grin that oozed confidence, but the more he trained for his profession, that grin started to disappear. His confidence soared of course, but the smile I dreamt about was replaced by a hardened look,
a killer look
.

What was Jack like now? I wondered as I pushed myself off of the floor. Would I even recognize him? Would he recognize me? Our last meeting hadn’t gone so great, and I had dissolved into a mess of tears, shoving that heart-rending moment way back into my heart. Of all the people in my life, even counting my dad, Jack was the one person that I could count as breaking my heart with one word, one look.

No other man had ever come close. Maybe it was because I had steeled myself against any other man since then. Maybe no one else compared. He was always the one for me, even though I could never have him.

With a sigh, I walked into the adjoining bathroom, my body humming with anticipation as I looked at the glass-walled shower. I hadn’t had a good shower in so long. If Colt was going to corral me in here, then I was going to take full advantage very quickly and at least look presentable when, or if Jack came for me. If Colt was going to have his way, and our last moments together would be me dying in Jack’s arms, then I would make sure I at least looked like myself.

H
azel crept
around the corner of the darkened garage, the sounds coming from the main car lift. She was working late, catching up on ordering some much needed supplies for the garage when she noticed the sound of someone in the main area, causing the hair on the back of her neck to stand on end.

No one else was supposed to be here, she thought.

Her dad had left two hours before, going to his weekly poker game where he would get drunk and lose a ton of money. Still, she knew he looked forward to it, and there was no way she was going to tell him he couldn’t go. But being alone in the garage tonight she wished she’d begged him to stay.

Hazel gripped the heavy wrench in her sweaty hands, hoping that she could scare the intruder off with her impressive show of wrench wielding. There was no gun on the premise when her dad left, and while she had contemplated getting one for herself, she had yet to do so. The work at the garage and her schoolwork kept her so busy that mostly everything slipped her mind nowadays. Now Hazel wished she hadn’t been so lax.

The sounds grew louder as she entered the main part of the garage and saw a dark figure hunkered down on the far side. There was only one intruder from what she could tell, which was a plus on her side, but still she knew she should just call the cops even though her dad hated them.

She crept forward and could tell that the intruder was a big guy, removing any thought that she might win this battle.
This was a bad mistake, Hazel.
Still, she couldn’t allow someone to steal anything from this place. It was her bread and butter, and if she had to go down fighting, she would. Only then she would call the police if she survived. The police weren’t huge fans of her father or any of his former work from his earlier days, so the less they were involved, the easier it was on both Hazel and her dad.

Hazel got as close as she could to the guy, and as she reached back with the wrench to wind up her swing, the intruder suddenly turned and immobilized her only weapon in an instant. She felt herself being backed up against the cold wall of the garage, a thousand thoughts running through her mind of what was going to happen next.

“Let me go!” she yelled, fighting back against his brute strength, but he had her pinned, his body rough up against hers. “The cops are on their way!”

Her intruder wedged his knee in between her legs, and Hazel gasped, finding herself helpless, at his mercy.

“Now, I know that is not what you would do first.”

“J-Jack?” she asked, shock and surprise filling her body. His breath tickled her cheek as she struggled to see him in the dim light, trying to make out the familiar lines of his face. “Oh my god, it’s you!”

He let her go, the warmth of his body leaving hers, and she rushed him, throwing her arms around his neck. “I’m so happy to see you! What are you doing here? Does Dad know?” Her dad would be ecstatic to see him.

He didn’t say anything but swiftly removed her arms from around his neck, the sizzle of his hands touching her bare skin. “You can’t tell him I was here,” he said firmly. Hazel pulled her arms away from his grip, her heart hammering in her chest. “But he would love to see you, Jack. We miss you. I miss you.”

“I knew this was a mistake,” he muttered, running a hand through his hair. Hazel took the opportunity to flip on the overhead light, gasping as she saw the state that he was in. His clothing was disheveled and the front part of his shirt was torn, revealing a long slice of red on his chest. There was a bruise blooming on his cheek, and as she reached out to touch it, he backed away, his eyes narrowing.

“Let me help you,” she said softly, her heart breaking. He was older, harder than she remembered, no longer the happy-go-lucky boy who had held her hand during the storms or tucked her in at night when she had gotten scared. This man, well, she didn’t recognize him anymore.

“I don’t need your help,” he said harshly, picking up the jacket that was thrown over the motorcycle near the closed door. “This was a mistake. I thought the place was empty.”

Hazel reached out and touched his arm, halting his movements. “Please Jack,” she said, her voice trembling. “Please let me help you.”

He moved so fast she didn’t realize what was happening and before she knew it, Hazel was back in the same position they had started in. Except this time, she could smell his scent, see the shadow of his beard on his strong jaw and the feral look in his eyes. She could admire the gorgeousness of his face, the way his sharp features made him even more unbelievably handsome than she remembered. Most of all, she could see the worry lines on his face, lines that she knew were a direct result of what he did for a living. He didn’t say anything, his keen eyes searching her face hesitantly; the hardness in them only made her heart beat faster.

There was no reason to fear Jack regardless of what he did, and her body reacted to the excitement of who was in front of her, touching her. She had dreamed of him, woken up in hot sweats from the constant and unshakeable lust for him. Even though they had practically grown up together, she had never considered him her brother, far from it. And right now a hot-blooded man—the man she longed for—stood before her, and her knees weakened at the thought of him touching her… kissing her, of taking what was rightfully his. She’d waited for so long.

“What are you going to do to me?” she asked softly, wetting her lips in anticipation, wishing he would move in closer. His eyes widened, and she knew she had caught him off-guard. Did he think of her in a different light, too?

“You’re playing with fire, Hazel,” he finally replied, leaning close enough that she could stretch out and kiss his soft lips if she wanted to. What would they feel like under hers? Jack was nothing like the guys from college. He was dangerous and sexy and off-limits.

He took one step closer until the hardness of his chest brushed against her already erect nipples, painfully touching them. Oh god, having him here felt so right! Jack’s nostrils flared and Hazel’s insides soared—she was having an effect on him and they both knew it.

Taking the initiative and a giant leap of faith, she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. She felt the first tremor go through Jack, and she remained where she was, enjoying the softness of his lips against hers. Her insides were going crazy, warning bells shooting off in the distance, but somewhere, deep down, Hazel felt how unbelievably right this was in the moment. She could show him how much she loved him, how much she needed him, just like he needed her. She could give him something else besides his killing to live for. She could make that tortured look in his eyes go away.

When his hand came up to cup her cheek, Hazel sighed. His tongue slid into her mouth and did a delicious tango with hers. The blood was rushing to her head, and she couldn’t think of anything but the way that Jack was kissing her. She never wanted it to end.

Jack jerked back and pushed away from her, the absence of his body causing goose bumps to appear on her exposed skin. “Shit, Hazel!”

“Jack, it’s okay,” she tried, reaching out for him. “I-I love you.” She had loved him all of her life and would continue to do so until he told her otherwise. This was way more than lust, and she had to make him understand. She wanted him for her own.

He turned, and Hazel caught a glimpse of desperation in his eyes before they hardened, his mouth settling into a firm line. He rushed back at her, pressed her up against the wall again, grinding his body against hers. There was no tenderness in his face, no tenderness in his touch.

“You love me?” he asked harshly, his hands roaming over her body. “I don’t need love.”

“Jack,” she replied, a tremble in her voice for an altogether different reason. She didn’t like this Jack, not at all.

“Love means nothing. I like to fuck real hard,” he continued, his breath right above her ear. “I like it down and dirty. Can you give that to me, Hazel? Can you make me hard?”

“Let me go, Jack,” she said firmly, pushing at his shoulders. This had gone very differently from what she imagined, and though she desperately wanted to give her body to him, she didn’t want it like that. She’d saved herself for him, and she had envisaged that on their night together he would be gentle and loving. “Let’s just sit down and talk about this.” He dropped his hands and stepped back, reaching for his belt and unbuckling it himself.

“I’m not touching you, babe. Come on, show me what you can do for me. Show me how much you love me with that mouth of yours.”

She eyed him, the hardness in his eyes, and her heart sank. “Please don’t be like this. Why are you saying these things?”

Jack laughed hollowly, crossing his arms over his chest. “This is me Hazel, me. If you don’t like this, well, I don’t need you. Hell, I don’t need this place or the old man! Y’all mean nothing to me, just a figment of my past now. There is no room in my life for you now unless you want to be my fucking whore.”

Hazel reacted so fast she didn’t realize she had slapped him until her hand was stinging and she caught a glimpse of Jack’s face, the redness rapidly fading. “Get the hell out.”

“Gladly,” he replied, thrusting his arms through his jacket and quickly doing his pants back up. “So long, Hazel.”

Hazel said nothing as he pulled up the garage door with a clatter and rolled the motorcycle out. She refused to meet his side-long glance as he strode away. She waited until he had roared away on his bike before the tears started to fall, her shoulders shaking at what had just happened.

There was none of the old Jack left, none at all.