Kidnapped Hearts (6 page)
Authors: Cait Jarrod
His mind quickly went to the last time he
saw Jennifer alive.
“When
my job is done, I want you to come home with me to meet my family.”
As
soon as the request left his lips, Jennifer moved out of his embrace and off
the couch.
She
darted from one side of the family room to the other in their small rented
apartment. “Why would you want to do that? It’s not as if we could have a life
together. You’re married to your job.”
Jake
rose. “Jennifer, I have to work twelve hours a day now, but soon, the job will
be over.” He longed to tell her all his secrets, everything the FBI had him do.
He clasped her shoulders, stopping her from pacing. “Come home with me,” he
implored, staring into her eyes.
Tears
welled in her eyes, and she jerked away from his touch. “No, your life as a
fisherman will always take precedence over me.”
The
argument had started so quickly that Jake could hardly make heads or tails out
of it, just like every other time he broached the subject of her meeting his
family, but this time something was off. “Not true.”
Jennifer
grasped the doorknob. “I have to go to work.”
“Jennifer,
don’t leave mad.”
She
paused, looked over her shoulder at him, then said, “I do love you.” Then she
was gone, closing the door behind her.
Jake
flung the front door open and called her name.
She
stopped in the middle of the street and turned his way. A loud engine drew her
attention, and she looked down the street.
A
semi drove straight for her.
She
screamed.
Jake
charged to her side. The driver of the semi flashed his shiny teeth as he drove
off.
He
shifted Jennifer’s limp head in his lap. Blood covered her face, her clothes. Her
entire body lay contorted on the hard pavement. Pain seeped into his bones,
into his heart. It was too late. She was already gone. He didn’t get a chance
to return her words. His heart was so heavy that he didn’t notice when Larry
arrived at his side.
“Snap
out of it, and let’s get the hell out of here. She’s not who you think.”
Jake wanted to punch Larry that day. The
sensation vanished within the hour when he received the news that sent his
whole world into a tailspin. Jennifer not only worked for Sanjar, but she was
also his mistress.
Bile rose to his throat, threatening to
explode and plunging Jake back to the present. He swallowed and raked his
fingers through his hair. Jennifer had been killed because she wanted out of
the organization. No one left Sanjar’s organization alive.
Despite the betrayal, he believed
Jennifer deserved a decent burial. He had loved her, even if he had been unable
to tell her. Jake had Larry bring Jennifer’s body to his hometown and ask Paul
to make the funeral arrangements.
“Jake.” Footsteps pounded behind him. He
ducked inside an entrance to a nearby alley and grabbed his gun. Slowly, he
peeked around the corner. Pamela, surrounded by several men, ran toward him.
Not good. If one of Sanjar’s men saw them, the case would be busted.
Jake snagged Pamela’s elbow as she
approached and tugged her into the alley with him. He motioned for the men to
retreat. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” he said, pulling her
farther down the alley. “I told you what type of men are threatening you, and
you walk outside in broad daylight, calling my name.”
She jerked her arm out of his grasp and
jabbed her hands on her hips. She lifted her chin and glared at him.
He’d never wanted to kiss someone so
badly in his life. Her blue eyes shone like the
headlights look vanished and in its place was one pissed off woman.
“Sorry if I don’t know how to play spy,
but don’t insinuate I’m stupid. You’re the one who dumped a load of crap in my
lap, and then walked away.”
Jake’s eyebrows shot up. He’d been told
by the officer last night that Pamela had had an encounter that made her
vulnerable. He was mistaken. Outside of thunderstorms and bricks flying through
windows, she didn’t appear to have a weak bone in her body.
Jake grabbed her hand and dragged her
farther into the alley. The space was narrow, which didn’t give them much room,
unfortunately. Her body skimmed his, awakening the desires he’d shoved down
last night, the same ones he’d avoided years ago.
She hit his back. “Let go of me. I’m
tired of you manhandling me.”
He stopped and faced her, his eyes tense
and their bodies aligned perfectly. “I haven’t begun to manhandle you.” His
voice rumbled inches from her face.
She blinked, and he watched the veil of
shock slide across her beautiful features. He had said too much. He waited for
her to slip away. Not an easy task in a confined area, yet, she could manage,
if she wanted to.
She didn’t move.
He closed the minute space between them.
“Don’t!” Hands shoved against his chest.
He didn’t budge.
She shifted past him. “How could you try
to kiss me?” She fumed over her shoulder.
Man, he fucked things up. He couldn’t let
her reach the street in this state. As she neared the opening to the alley, he
caught up to her and slid his arm around her waist, holding her still. “Don’t,”
he whispered into her hair.
Her hands landed on his arm, keeping him
close. She leaned her head back against his chest. “Jake.” Her voice dripped of
erotic promises.
Every muscle in his body responded, and
he pressed his lips against her neck. Her skin tasted sweet.
She moaned.
The need to touch her lips overcame him.
He trailed kisses up her neck, across her cheek, until he reached her mouth.
She spun in his arms, and her mouth crushed against his before he could blink.
Her hands raked through his hair as their tongues mingled. Each touch of her
tongue sent a need through his body, and he realized he wasn’t getting enough. He
wanted more of her. Knowing a tent erected in his pants, he grasped her butt
and pulled her taut against him.
She gasped, paused, and eased her head
back far enough that she saw his eyes and nothing else. A second passed as she
studied him, a smile on her face. Suddenly, the veil that covered her face
earlier returned. This time it wasn’t shock. A flurry of rage mixed with
pleasure. “We shouldn’t have done this.”
They stood together, his hands firmly on
her butt pressing her into his erection, and stared at each other. Each of them
stood amazed at what happened.
He cleared his throat. It didn’t help.
His voice was still gravely when he said, “No, we shouldn’t have.”
“I better get back. The other agents will
be looking for me.”
Shit. The other agents had probably seen
them. “We’ll talk later.”
Pamela stepped away, then looked back,
catching Jake adjusting himself. She bit her lip to stop from smiling. “Really,
we can’t do this again. I can’t … I don’t know how … after what happened…”
Pamela stopped talking and shook her head. “I can’t, not now.”
He couldn’t either. Her words described
his feelings exactly, word for unspoken word. He shoved his hands into his
pockets and smiled.
She blinked and walked away from him. He
pulled out a hand and pushed it through his hair. “Damn.”
“You can say that again.”
Jake looked in the opposite direction
from where Pamela left. “Larry.” His hand dropped to his side. “What the hell
are you doing here?”
“Didn’t I tell you to remember the
Jake groaned. “I know. It wasn’t planned.
It just happened.”
“This stuff is never planned. Don’t get
yourself killed because you’re horny.”
“Larry.” Jake had numerous things to
retort, but he kept them quiet. “I’ve got to deal with my brother right now. I
don’t have time to deal with your shit.”
Larry chuckled. “Out of the pot to the
frying pan, or is it the frying pan to the pot? It doesn’t matter. Either way,
you’re screwed when Paul sees you.”
“Don’t forget you’re the person who put
me in this position.”
Larry advanced. Close enough that when he
spoke his spit landed on Jake’s face. “I beg your pardon, Agent Gibson,
Jennifer Glass put you in that position. I cleaned up the mess to save your
hide.”
Jake wiped the saliva away and glared at
Larry. A beat later, he smacked Larry on the back. “I know. Thanks. You always
have my back.”
****
Jake slid into his black Chevelle. Today
would be the first time in over three years since he’d seen Paul, his foster
brother. He didn’t expect the confrontation to go well.
Pulling out into traffic, Jake scanned
the streets for Athletes R Us. He was still coming down from the adrenaline
rush between Pamela and the heated discussion with Larry.
His left foot anxiously tapped on the
floorboard as Panama Jack’s name flashed in his mind. Was this guy Pamela’s
love interest? The thought dug under his skin. He and Panama Jack needed to
have a talk. The man might have information about the case. Doubtful, but it’d
give him reason to question the handyman.
He didn’t like the feelings that flooded
his body when he thought of Pamela. The same feelings he had had years ago when
he saw her around the café. He hit his hand on his steering wheel. Given his
history with women, he would be smart to remember Jennifer’s duplicity and
refuse to be taken in by another. No matter how much his body demanded
something different.
The Athletes R Us sign glimmered on the
right side of the road. Good. He needed to think about something else, rather
than blue eyes and raven hair. He parked and ambled inside. After talking to
the clerk, he learned that Paul had gone on a coffee run to a shop a street
over.
On foot, he arrived within a few minutes.
He pulled the door open. Inside, the air-conditioning cooled his dampened body,
but the chilly glare he received from the only customer in the place sent an
ache into his bones. Paul glared at him from a corner of the restaurant.
Jake placed his order at the counter.
After the chirpy blonde-haired woman had refused to take his money, he moved
toward Paul and the inevitable conversation. “We should talk,” Jake said,
dropping into the chair across from Paul.
“We should have talked three years ago.
Instead, the girl you were dating died, and you bailed.”
The blonde strolled over, set a fresh cup
of coffee in front of Paul, and smiled.
“Thanks.” Paul squeezed her hand.
“Anytime,” the waitress winked as she
wandered behind the counter.
Jake watched the rapport between the two.
Paul always charmed the women. His green eyes and deep dimples helped. “Still
have women eating out of your hands,” Jake commented.
“I bet you didn’t pay for your coffee,
either.”
Jake sipped said coffee and winked.
“She has a thing for single guys.” Paul
grinned.
This part of the conversation resembled
old times. Damn, he missed his brother.
Paul leaned his elbows on the table and
clasped his hands together. “Lay it on me.” Paul’s knuckles whitened, the
effects of his temper staying in check. “Why dump your girlfriend’s body on
me?”
“Can’t say.”
Paul’s infuriated glare told Jake his
opinion of his careless response. “You ass, you owe me an explanation!”
Jake’s eyes flicked toward the counter.
No one was in the coffee shop, except the waitress, and she had disappeared
into the back. It was time his brother knew the truth. After all, he’d come to
wipe the slate clean. He leaned his elbows on the table, meeting the eyes of
the man whose family opened their hearts and offered him a stable home. “My
girlfriend, Jennifer, betrayed me.”
Paul flinched. “With whom?”
“A terrorist named Sanjar.”
Paul’s eyebrow arched as air gushed out of
his lungs. “Was the car accident intentional?”
“Truck accident, and yes.”
“Damn.” Paul leaned back in his chair.
“Why didn’t you contact me?”
“I couldn’t speak to anyone. Larry Newman
flew me to a remote location. The FBI even had another agent living in my house
for a while. Eventually, the agent closed it up, and I got my dog.”
“I noticed. It’s kind of weird watching
people roam around your brother’s home, and you can’t do anything about it.
Larry did contact Mom and Dad and me first before anyone entered.”
“He knew you’d beat the crap out of them
if he didn’t.”
Paul gave him a sideways glance. “I want
to beat the crap out of you now.”
Jake twisted. He didn’t want to fight his
brother.
After a few seconds of glaring, Paul
rested back in his chair. “Larry wouldn’t give any details. He said it was best
that we were kept in the dark.”