Retribution Boxed Set (Books One and Two) (35 page)

“No.” He shook his head. “Hunter—you might
remember seeing him at Nicole and Xander’s wedding.”

“I remember Christian, but that’s it.”

“Hunter was the initial force behind our group. In
one way or the other, we’ve all been affected by people who’ve escaped justice.
Hunter brought us together.”

“Isn’t that kind of wrong? I mean using
information you learn at the police station or lying about stuff to them,
couldn’t you get into trouble for that?”

He met her gaze dead on. “Absolutely.”

“Then why do you do it? It’s kind of an oxymoron
to me. You stand up for justice and then you do illegal things.” She held up a
hand. “Please don’t be offended or take this the wrong way, but doesn’t that
make you something of a traitor, too?”

He heaved a heavy sigh and nodded. “I’ve
struggled with that since the beginning. It goes against everything I was
brought up with. But when you watch a man beat your sister to death and then
walk because of a missed loophole, it kind of changes a person’s perspective. I
used to see things in strictly black and white. Time and pain have altered
that.” He captured her gaze and held it, intensity emanating from his eyes. “I’ve
never abused that power. We’ve never gone after a person that wasn’t one
hundred percent guilty.” Except Nicole, but those were unusual circumstances,
and in the end, they’d caught the true criminal.

“How can you know for sure? Isn’t that what the
justice system is for? Innocent until proven guilty?”

“We’d all like to think so, but there are many
people behind bars who don’t belong there, and plenty who escape justice. We’re
doing what we can to help people who’ve been let down by the system.”

A few moments passed in silence, and she let them.
They were talking some heavy stuff, and they both needed a minute to let it
settle.

“Do you want to tell me about your sister?” she
finally asked in a quiet voice. She didn’t want to push him. Didn’t want to
examine old wounds if he didn’t. She knew well enough from her own experience
how painful that could be.

He smiled, but it was tempered with sadness. “Diane
was great.”

She didn’t like the way he said “was”.

“There was barely a year between us, so we grew
up very close. We didn’t fight like most siblings did. I don’t know what it
was, but we just liked each other. We understood each other, you know?”

She nodded. She didn’t really understand because
she’d never had that kind of a relationship, but she could guess at how nice it
would be.

“We stayed close after high school even though we
attended different colleges. Then one day, she stopped calling and texting like
she usually did. I asked her about it, but she said life had gotten busy. She’d
decided to drop out of school, and she had a new job and a new boyfriend. It
all made sense. She sounded happy on the phone. Until the night she called from
the emergency room, saying they wouldn’t release her unless she had a ride
home.”

He compressed his lips, raw pain radiating from him,
planting a deep ache in her heart. Not that she had anyone to watch her make
her stupid mistakes, but it still gave her an insight on what it felt like to
see a person be destroyed from the inside out. She stood and walked to his side
of the table, and pulled his head against her chest. He wrapped strong arms
around her, and she held him like that for a few minutes until he pulled away.

But she didn’t let him go completely. She ran her
fingers down his jaw line, trapping his gaze with hers. “I’m so sorry. I
understand where she was coming from, but I’m so sorry for the hurt it caused
you.”

He pulled her hands from his face and tugged her
down next to him. He faced inward on the bench while she faced outward. “Unlike
you, she had somewhere to go. People who loved her. People who would have
helped her. If my dad didn’t kick the guy’s ass, I would have.”

She swallowed and nodded, wishing she could have
known that kind of devotion from her family.

“She hid it,” he continued. “Made excuses. And of
course, we wanted to believe her. When we did see her, she acted like she was
completely in love, and we wanted her to be happy. By the time we figured out
it was all a lie, it was too late. She was in a coma in the hospital. She’d
been beaten so badly she never woke up.” His voice hitched, and he cleared his
throat. “I wonder if she was too ashamed of what she’d let him do to her that
she didn’t want to face us.”

“No.” Hot tears sprang to her eyes. “I’m sure she
knew how much you loved her and knew you would support her if she’d asked.” She
wiped her cheeks. “Sometimes, things creep up on us, and we find ourselves
embroiled in dark situations that we think we can get out of. We don’t ask for
help because we’re embarrassed and because we think we can manage.”

He watched her now with an intense gaze as though
she had all the answers in the world. Maybe in some way, he could learn
something from her, too.

“The night Paul attacked me, it took me by
surprise. Up until the point he pushed me into the shower, I didn’t think he’d
actually be capable of hurting me beyond healing. I’m sure it was the same for
your sister. Maybe she had plans to get out, too.” She took his hand and
squeezed. “You can’t second guess her. But from what you told me about her, I
know she loved you, and that she wouldn’t want this hurt for you.”

He nodded, a solemn look on his face.

“She’s at peace now, you know? She might not be
here, but she’s not in pain any longer, either.”

“I know. But she should be here, damn it. She
should be here so she can meet you.”

His words snuck up on her and blew her away. That
he would think her important enough to meet his sister. She nodded, unable to
speak, and leaned over to hug him. He buried his face in her hair, and she held
him like that for a long time. His sister’s story brought home exactly how
close to death she might have come. She’d always thought she could survive Paul,
but what if she wouldn’t have? She thought of all the things she’d miss. A
chance at love. The rare snowfalls in the city. Babies. The joys and pains of
growing old.

The thought of it overwhelmed her.

“Can we go for a walk?” she finally asked. “It’s
such a beautiful day, and I think the best thing we can do is enjoy it. For
your sister’s sake, okay?”

They both stood and dumped their remaining food
and wrappings into a nearby garbage can.

Before they started down the grassy hill toward
the river, he pulled her into another embrace. “Thanks for that. Sorry I
unloaded on you. We were supposed to be blowing off steam, not creating more. I
hope I didn’t ruin our day.”

“Of course not.” She was touched he’d chosen to
share such a personal experience with her. It had certainly given her a new
view on both of their lives. She searched the depths of his eyes, amazed at how
they mimicked the surprising depths of his soul. She skimmed his face with
gentle fingertips.

She’d meant the caress to be comforting, but the
second she touched him, it sparked into something more. A flash of desire
burned the sadness out of his gaze. She tried to remove her hand, but he
quickly caught her and held her fist to his chest. She relaxed her fingers, his
heartbeat thundering beneath her hand.

“Janie,” he whispered as he drew closer.

Sam’s mouth claimed hers as unbelievable heat
flared inside Janie. His kiss was gentle, coaxing her to open for him. She
tilted her head to access him better. He pulled her tighter to him, and she
fisted his shirt in response. The slightest touch set her on fire, leaving her
with little control.

She didn’t know how he’d broken through her
security measures so easily, but he had. Instead of following her first
instinct and fighting the emotions he stirred in her, she allowed them to
resonate inside her. A warmth like she’d never felt filled her, the intensity
of it scaring her until she pulled away. She released a nervous laugh. “Wow,”
she whispered.

He grinned, apparently liking how he affected her.
“I’d ask you if you liked that, too, but I can tell you did.”

His playful arrogance made her laugh and broke
the tension that had compounded inside her. “Are you sure about that?”

“Pretty damn sure. If I wasn’t, I’d kiss you
again right here, right now.”

She wanted to dare him to, but couldn’t. Instead,
she smiled. “Fine. I liked it, okay?”

He puffed out his chest. “I knew you did.” He
held out the crook of his arm. “Let’s take a walk.”

They couldn’t get super close to the river
because of the train tracks that raced along the side of the massive Columbia. But
that was okay with her. The river was so big and so deep, if she fell in, she’d
be a goner.

They walked for a ways in silence, and she couldn’t
help but wonder what he was thinking about. Her? His sister? Their heated kiss?
She had no clue where they’d take things from there, but then she decided she
wouldn’t worry about that at the moment.

She was learning there were good things in the
world. Perhaps she just needed to let them come to her.

He halted and used her forward momentum to twist
her toward him. A mischievous grin tilted his mouth. “You know, I…” He hauled
her to him and claimed her with scorching lips. She didn’t think he realized
exactly how much his tender assault shook her to the core. She leaned into him
as a gasp of pleasure escaped her. Then he set her aside just as quickly. “Sorry.
I needed one more taste.” His gaze zoned in on her mouth again. An electric
current tied her to him. Then he kissed her. “Make that two. I’ll behave now.”

Lighthearted joy bubbled inside her. “I’m not
sure I believe that.”

“What? He put a hand on his chest and gave her a
wounded look. “I swear. If you want another kiss, you’re going to have to make
the move.”

Warm excitement shot through her, but she didn’t
answer and instead, sent him a teasing look.

They made it down along the river and back to the
motorcycle before she gave in. He took his helmet off the seat, and before he
could put it on his head, she surprised him by wrapping her arms around his
neck and pulling him into her kiss.

She made sure it was long and heated before she
leaned away. “Didn’t want you to think I wasn’t interested.”

He cocked a brow, a satisfied look on his face. “How
am I supposed to ride a bike now?”

She laughed. “I’m sure you’ll figure it out.”

He made a few inconspicuous adjustments before he
climbed onto the seat. She made sure she scooted extra close to him when she
got on behind.

He turned the handlebars until he could see her
in his rearview mirror. “You’re a big tease,” he said.

“You started it,” she said with a grin that
quickly spread to his face, too.

They headed back toward Portland, taking a few
side trips to view the roadside waterfalls. At each stop, it had become a game
to see who could kiss who without anyone else seeing them.

One stop required a short hike along a
tree-covered hillside that led them back into a recessed cove. Sparkling water
rushed over the edge above them, landing hard enough in the pool at the bottom
that it sent tiny droplets of water spraying toward them.

They leaned against the metal railing and watched
the misty forces of Mother Nature.

“I should have come here more often,” Janie said.
“This isn’t that far away from home, and it’s so beautiful. So peaceful.”

“It cleanses the soul.” He turned so that his
back was to the waterfall. He placed a leg on the other side of hers and he
pulled her toward him, wrapping her in his embrace. The tilted trail forced her
to rest against him.

Wind from the rushing water teased her face with
carefree strands of her hair. He tamed the wild strands with his fingers before
framing her face. “You are so beautiful.”

Heat rushed to her cheeks. “Don’t,” she said with
a laugh. “You’re embarrassing me.”

“Too bad.” He pulled her in for a soft kiss that
left her weak.

For the life of her, she couldn’t understand why
a guy who seemed to have everything going for him would want to get tangled up
with a girl who was in such a mess. “I thought we weren’t going to let anyone
catch us kissing,” she whispered in his ear as a group of Asian tourists walked
past.

“Too late.” He kissed her again, pulling her into
a foggy mist of passion like the spray coming from the waterfall, and she
stopped caring what passersby might think.

“I have a problem,” he said against her mouth.

She pulled back and looked at him, expecting to
find something other than need burning in his eyes.

He trailed a finger down her cheek and across her
lips, sizzling her nerves. “I want you.”

A hot shock of energy zipped through her. She
didn’t know how to respond.

He kissed her again, sending her thoughts and emotions
tumbling over the precipice. “I don’t know if you feel the same. I don’t want
to push you into something you’re not ready for, but I can’t stop thinking
about you. About the way you taste. The way you’ll feel….”

She tried to breathe, but her constricted chest
made it hard to accept air. “I…” was all she managed to get out.

“You don’t have to answer. Don’t have to do
anything.” He blew out a breath. “In fact, you should probably tell me to go to
hell.”

“No….” She shook her head.

“I—anyway we should go. It’s getting late, and I
told Christian we’d be back before dinner. He’s not going into the pub until
later tonight, and he wanted the three of us to grill some steaks. He’s invited
another friend of ours, Ryan. Not sure if he’ll show, but if he can make it,
I’d like to introduce you to him.”

“Okay.”

He took her hand and led her back along the
trail, the way they’d entered.

Another introduction. To someone important to Sam.
Little by little he was inching his way into her heart. That’s what scared the
hell out of her. Sex with Sam would be amazing. But it wouldn’t be just sex for
him.

She was afraid it wouldn’t be for her, either.

*        *        *

Christian refused any help with dinner, so while
he cooked, Janie showered off the day’s grime. Being out in nature freed her
spirit, but she found she couldn’t get that close to nature without bringing
some of it back with her, not to mention, the hours beneath a helmet didn’t
help her hair.

Thoughts of Sam’s proposition replayed through
her mind as she dried her hair and reapplied makeup. She slipped into a sleeveless,
button-down shirt, loving the way the silky lavender material caressed her skin.
When she felt presentable, she headed to the main area of the house.

She caught sight of the three men sitting outside
on the back patio, and an odd sensation overtook her. A month ago, she knew
none of them with the exception of the brief meeting with Sam. Now, she lived
with two of them. And one wanted to make love with her.

Despite their activities this side of the law,
they seemed to be good, upstanding men. At least Sam, Christian and Xander did.
She
should
probably trust them. They were on her side.

Anxiety tightened her nerves, but she took a big
breath and walked outside.

Sam stood the moment she stepped onto the patio. The
other men turned to her, Christian with a friendly smile. A man with
almost-shaved dark hair and piercing green eyes assessed her in a
not-unfriendly manner.

Sam stepped forward, putting a reassuring hand on
her back. “Janie, this is Ryan Atwood, a friend of mine. Ryan, I’d like you to
meet Janie Singleton.”

Ryan stood and shook her hand in a firm greeting.
“Nice to meet you, ma’am.” He had a slight southern accent that left her
feeling very feminine. “Sam has told me a lot about you.”

Her heart sunk. She hated that her weakness, her
mistakes were a topic of conversation between these strong, vibrant men.

“He said you’re a great chef,” Ryan continued as
though he’d picked up on her sad vibrations, and his compliment raised her
spirits. “I was kind of hoping I’d get a taste of your cooking tonight.” He
aimed a glance at Christian. “But at least Chris is good on the grill.”

Christian shrugged. “A single guy has to know how
to grill a steak if he wants to survive.” The other two agreed with him, making
her smile. It was obvious they enjoyed each other’s company. Like brothers.

Sam led her to the remaining chair. “You look
amazing,” he whispered as he helped her sit.

“Thank you.” Nervous flutters tickled her stomach.
Even though Sam had said she didn’t have to give him an answer, she felt like
she did. She studied his hands as he sat next to her, imagining him touching
her skin. She’d like to slip
her
fingers beneath his shirt and discover
his chest. She wondered if he liked to have his neck kissed. If he liked to be
on top or bottom.

She caught his gaze, and her face warmed. Definitely
on top.

“Janie did make us dessert, though,” Sam
announced, never taking his eyes off her. “Chocolate cake.”

Ryan widened his eyes. “My favorite. My mamma
used to make us chocolate cake every Sunday.”

The rest of his sentence faded into a buzz. Oh my.
Sam’s fevered gaze confirmed he was thinking about the same thing as she was. She
swallowed, wishing she could cool down her skin, not to mention her insides. She
caught a scent of his cologne and had to hold back a moan. She wanted the man. Bad.
She closed her eyes as the center of her liquefied.

“Would you like a drink?” Sam whispered.

“Please.” Her voice came out breathless, drawing
the attention of the other two men. She cleared her throat. “I’ll have a beer
with the rest of you.”

She held Sam’s gaze as he pulled a bottle out of
a small ice-filled container and opened it for her. He watched as she placed
her lips on the rim and swallowed. She’d never known such an innocent act could
become adult-rated.

She took another swallow and looked away from Sam.
If she continued to stare at him, she’d combust into a pile of ashes right in
front of everyone.

*        *        *

Paul opened the door to his apartment and nearly
vomited from the sour stench. “What the hell is that smell?” he asked Brent.

“I don’t know.” The kid widened his eyes. “I’ve
searched the place and can’t find anything.”

“Jesus.” Paul shut the door before the neighbors
started peeking out into the hallway. He plugged his nose as he did a quick
search of the surrounding area.

“Bitch,” he whispered when his gaze stumbled on
the lamp she’d busted over his head.

“I thought it might be all your blood in the
kitchen so I cleaned that up, but it still stinks. I know you wanted me to keep
an eye on the place, but it was hard to stay in here for very long.”

“It’s gotta be something in the kitchen. Did you
take out the trash?”

“I did.” The kid’s voice rose higher in protest.

“Chill. I’m not your fucking dad making you do
chores.” He made his way to the couch. He needed to sit for a minute. It was
hard to catch his breath after walking up the flight of stairs.

Brent headed for the kitchen and then returned to
him. “It’s something in this room, I think. It smells way worse than the
kitchen.”

Paul heaved in a determined breath and released
it, the putrid scent making him gag, but he needed air. “Open a goddamn window,
will you?”

The kid scrambled to open all the windows. It
helped, but not enough to keep his head from pounding.

His cell rang, and he pulled it from his pocket. Shit.
It was Hardy. “Give a guy a fucking minute to heal, would ya?” he said before
pushing the answer button. “Hey. How are you doing, Hardy?”

“Where’s the girl? Angel’s voice came across the
line deep and graveled from years of smoking. Paul could picture the ex-con
sitting in the isolated small house near the edge of town. The guy had done
well for himself after being released from prison, but he didn’t show it.

“We’ve got eyes out for her. Don’t worry. She’s
either left town, or she’s gone underground because she knows I’m after her
ass.” He
knew
asking Janie to move in with him would come back to bite
him. But he didn’t like waiting when he was horny and needed a good fuck. And
at first, he liked the way she made him want to be a better man. Until the
stress of keeping up pretenses became too much. Still, he’d been good to her.

“That’s not good enough. I’ve cut you some slack
because you’ve been laid up, but the time is now. There’s only one thing that
will keep her from talking. You know what you gotta do.”

“I do.” He’d take pleasure in it, too. She should
have known better than to cause him this kind of grief. “I’ve got plans in
place to draw her out.”

“How long?”

“A week?”

“I’ll give you five days. After that, you’re dead
to us. We can’t have any loose ends.”

A sick chill rushed through him. He was smart
enough to know “dead to us” actually meant “dead to everyone”.

He hung up the phone and opened the apartment
door to see if he could get a crosswind to clear out the stench. As he leaned
against the doorframe, he noticed the dead flowers lying next to Janie’s vase
on the table. He leaned to the side to pick them up when the smell overwhelmed
him. He looked inside the vase. “What the fuck died in here?”