Irresistible Knight (26 page)
“Hey, Teta. I didn't know you were coming today.”
“Me either. I should be at the shooting range right now, but I miss seeing your ugly face. So here I am.”
“I miss you, too, Teta.”
“Cut the crap. What are you doing here hiding like a hermit? Look at you. Look at this house. Looks like you forgot to shave and shower since Taylor left. And I smell old pizza. You looked even better when you were working undercover. What have you been doing these past two days? Staring at these rocks?”
“I'm just busy.”
“Doing what? Moping and thinking about that girl? Don't know why when you could just go and see her.”
“Teta, it's not that easy. She left because—”
“She's hurt. You lied. You're after her father. But you love her and she loves you. Now think about how you two are going to solve your problem. Moping isn't gonna help.”
“Wait. Stop. Did you say she loves me?”
“Only a stupid person wouldn't see that she's in love with you. And I heard her tell your dad that while you were busy with the bastard that I stunned.”
“Dad knew?”
“Oh, the whole family knows about it.”
Could she be? “Okay, say she loves me.”
“She loves you, dolt.”
“Fine. She loves me. But she loves her father more, Teta.”
“Knock, knock. Any brain in there? Wake up, Knight. Think. So she loves her father. She wants him safe. You love her and I guess you'll do everything for her. What are you going to do about the situation?”
“Borrow your gun and stun myself.”
Whack!
“Imbecile.”
“Damn it, Teta. That hurts.” Bors rubbed his elbow where Teta's bag hit him.
“You know, Knight, many men came into my life. Men with thick hair. Handsome mustaches, bulging muscles, some size eight. Beautiful men, like your brothers.”
“What about me?”
“Yes. You, too. They were all great. They taught me pleasures in bed that I would never forget.”
“Um, Teta. Do I have to hear this?”
Size eight? Where is lightning when you need it?
“Yes, you do. But you know, none of them taught me the meaning of love, sacrifices, loyalty. Except for one. My husband. He wasn't perfect. He was horrible at mowing the lawn and I had to show him how to nuzzle—”
“Teta!” Bors took a deep breath and pointed his stare at the rocks lined along the windowsill. “I didn't know you were married.”
“I was. I was a hot babe in my younger years.” Teta huffed. “Anyway, I loved my husband so much that I tried conceiving his baby even though the doctor told me it would be dangerous. But you see, I wanted to give him what he wanted the most.”
“Teta...”
Teta's chubby chin quivered. “I lost the baby. Five months later, my husband died of a heart attack. But you know what? He died happy. He couldn't believe I'd put my life at risk to make him happy. But you know what? I'd do it over again if he were still here. How about you, Knight? Do you love Taylor enough to sacrifice what you value most?”
Chapter Thirteen
Rain hadn't let up yet. The sky was gray and thick with clouds. What horrible weather. Just like his situation. After his illuminating conversation with Teta, he thought about calling Taylor on her cell. But what would he say? Sorry? What could he accomplish by doing that? No, a sorry wouldn't be enough to prove how much she meant to him and it wouldn't be a sacrifice. A sacrifice was what Teta had done for her husband.
Teta pegged him—he would do anything for Taylor. But what he had in mind, he wasn't sure if it would work. After all, he would be bargaining with the devil himself.
Unmindful of the rain, he got out of his truck and walked toward the gated mansion. He stared at the most attractive and imposing lakefront property in Lake Washington. He wondered if Taylor was looking out, waiting for him, or if Jean locked her up in a windowless room and threw away the key. He knew they were both here. Ray, Taylor's bodyguard, told him so through a text. The man followed the instructions he gave him before he took Taylor away. Jean must have decided to stay here to figure out what to do with his daughter.
Bors scanned the windows, hoping to get a glimpse of the woman who rocked his world with her beauty and charm, quirkiness and kind heart. Nothing. No shadows, no movements. What if he was too late? What if Jean had taken her somewhere? What if she was on the plane to Italy? Damn it. He wanted to call Ray but he specifically said not to return his message. Jean probably beat the shit out of him when he let Taylor escape. As much as he would like to text or call him, he wouldn't do it. Jean could be monitoring his cell phone. He owed Ray big time. If it weren't for him, he wouldn't have met Taylor.
He stood in front of the intercom. After two deep breaths, he pressed the button. Someone answered right away.
“What do you want?”
“I'm Agent Bors Knight. I need to talk to Congressman Jean.”
“Agent Knight. The agent that zapped Rocco and kidnapped Miss Taylor? You fucking nuts?”
No. I'm in love.
“Tell Jean I'm here.”
Bors heard the man talk to someone and they all laughed.
Fucking pigs.
He was about to press the button again when the gate slowly swung open.
A black man three times his size and a Shaquille O'Neil lookalike, stood behind the gate, obviously waiting for him. He held a golf club that he swung back and forth, pretending to hit a golf ball. Bors bet this guy could take his head off in one shot. He quickly assessed the perimeter, but other than Shaq here, no one was around. But he knew better. Jean's kind felt safe when surrounded by goons and guns. Somewhere, he knew, guns were aimed at him. He'd bet his house on it.
“Gun,” the man said, pointing the head of his club on his chest. “On the ground.”
Bors removed his gun he tucked from his waistband. Without taking his eyes off the man, he did what he was told.
“Follow me.” Without picking up the gun off the ground, the man walked ahead of him, whistling.
Nerves on high alert, Bors followed the man inside the house. He could be walking to his death right now. A fat chance that he wouldn't come out alive hovered in his head. He thought about his parents and siblings. Before coming here, he left them a message. A short one.
Love you all.
Now that he thought about it, he shouldn't have done it. They were probably worried sick right now. If Jean let him come out of here in one piece, he'd explain to his family why he had to do this. They would understand. He hoped. Bors sighed. Teta's right. He was an imbecile at times.
If the mansion was an eye catcher on the outside, inside it looked simple and yet elegant. Every corner of the room boasted good taste and wealth. Just like Taylor when he had first met her. She looked so refined, beautiful and simple.
They passed the living room and walked in a long and wide hallway that opened to another big room—billiards room.
“This is Miss Taylor's home. So don't touch anything.”
“Where is she?”
“You're not here to see my daughter,” Jean, who stood by the bar, spat the words with enough venom and contempt. “How dare you defile my daughter? How dare you touch her with your fucking hands!”
Bors just stared at him. If Jean thought he'd cower, that he would tuck his tail in and whimper from his shouts, he was wrong. Jean could turn blue from screaming, but he would never back down. He knew why Jean was mad, but fuckin’ eh, he should blame himself for what happened. “What's wrong with my hands, Jean? I would think mine are cleaner than yours.”
The black man he had yet to learn the name raised his club. Bors reacted quickly and took a step back. The club hit the table and left a hole in the middle.
“Big, stay out of this.”
Big. So apt.
“Yeah, Big. Stay out of this if you want to stay big.”
“Shut your fucking mouth, agent. You're arrogant, aren't you? Why, you think your father's power could match mine? I can kill you right now and he won't be able to do a damn thing.”
“That's what you think, Jean.”
“Ah, you spent a week with my daughter and now you think you know everything about me.”
“I know enough.”
“What you know—”
“Is hurting your daughter, you son of a bitch. Do you have any idea how much your fucking dirty business is killing her?”
“Killing her? My business gave her this house, expensive clothes. She lives in a luxury reserved only for the rich.”
“Do you honestly think that money and all of the material things you offered at her feet made her happy? Yes, you gave her everything, but you took away her freedom. Treated her like some criminal, guarded and under twenty-four-seven watch.”
“It's for her own good. This...” Jean spanned his arms wide, “is all for Taylor. Everything that's under my name is for Taylor. I did what I had to do to keep her away from bastards like you.”
“I think you got it backward, Congressman. You live in a world of filth. You think everyone else is the same like you. You're afraid Taylor will meet a man as dirty as you, fuck ass. That's why you built Taylor her own prison.”
“Because I love her. I should have sent her to an island because this prison is not good enough,” Jean said, breathless with rage.
“And she loves you, too. She ran away to see my dad so she could ask for his advice.”
“What advice?”
“On how to help you to save your soul. That's love. Your daughter loves you so much she's willing to leave this fucking wealth you wrapped her in. She doesn't need it. She needs you. She believes somewhere deep in your black heart kindness lurks. She didn't run away to stab you in the back. Why do you think she came back to you without a fight? Because she learned who I am—the man who is after your fucking ass. She would rather remain your prisoner so long as she can keep an eye on you and make sure you don't sit your ass in jail. Right now, she's probably looking for another way to help you before it's too late.”
“You fucking liar.”
“I didn't come here just to lie to you.”
“Tell me why you came here again?”
Bors stared at Jean. He came here for one reason—Taylor. “To help Taylor get her wish. If you really love her, you will cut a deal with me.”
“You. An FBI agent who has been after my blood—wants to cut a deal?”
Bors ignored Jean's supercilious comment. “Give Taylor the right to live without your bodyguards, end your business for her sake. Give me everything about the girls, their whereabouts, and other people involved and you won't sit your ass behind bars. You will be under protective custody.”
“I have powerful connections, agent. Protection is not my problem.”
“What about Taylor's. Have you thought about her?”
“Taylor has nothing to do with my business. My daughter is innocent.” Jean's voice shook from anger. His eyes turned into slits.
“Then agree with me. Prove that you love her.”
“What about you? Agent Knight, you wouldn't come here to cut a deal with me if my daughter didn't mean anything to you. You came in my pit, alone. Why?”
“What I feel toward Taylor has nothing to do with my deal.”
“Bullshit. You're not stupid so don't act like it. I'm a man, Knight. My daughter is beautiful like her late mother. If living with her for a week didn't have an effect on you, then there must be something wrong with you. So, I'll ask you again. How important is my daughter to you?”
Bors didn't hesitate. He took out his badge from his pocket and tossed it on the table. He dug in his pocket, took out the rock he carried all the time and gently placed it on the table. “Deal with me.”
Jean's brows rose. “A badge for a deal. Can you believe this, Big?”
“Yeah, boss,” Big sneered.
Bors was about to repeat himself when a man carrying a high-powered machine gun barged in the room.
“Sir, there's an Agent Branyan outside the gate, three angry looking guys, and a mad woman with purple hair. They want this agent.”
Fuck! What the heck are they doing here?
“Your reinforcements, Knight?”
“Your worst nightmare.”
Bags in the trunk of his car, Bors sat in the driver's seat and stared at his parents’ house. When he came out of Jean's house in one piece, he received his brothers’ wrath while Branyan watched. They called him all kinds of names before each one hugged him roughly. But it was Teta's screams that had him kicking himself in the ass. He made them worried to their stomach.
For the first time, he let his work get to him on a personal level. A bad thing, a big no-no. Thus the reason why his bags were packed. Simms accepted his resignation from the bureau and offered him a ride to desk at the citizenship and immigration office in San Diego. It was a less than desirable job, but it would do. With his sterling resume, USCIS San Diego was more than happy to take him.
It would be the farthest he'd ever lived from home.
He and his brothers, including Kirsten, promised their parents that they wouldn't wander too far, that they'd stick close enough to the home base. When he called his parents and siblings, he could tell they didn't like the idea of him moving, but they supported him nevertheless. Besides, he'd be back here during the holidays. The weekend visits ... well, he'd call instead.
He picked up the box from the passenger's seat and got out of the car. Darn Kirsten. Why did she have to throw a goodbye party? It would only make the leaving harder on his parents, especially his mom.
Well, time to face the family and say their goodbyes. He walked up to the front door. He didn't have to unlock it. Percival, who must have seen him arrive, opened the door. His brother clapped him on the shoulder. “Good to see you, bro. You really want to do this?”
“Yeah. I hear music. Did Kirsten invite the whole town?”
“Go see for yourself.”
“Man.” Bors walked toward the back of the house and all the way to the backyard. The house was big enough to fit in two more families, but like a vortex, they would always converge in the backyard. He'd miss the scrimmage with his raucous brothers, the brat, and his parents. His chest constricted.
Damn, it isn't like I'm going to a different continent for good.
This assignment would keep him away for at least two years, but he'd be back.