HardJustice (6 page)

“I can’t tell you what to do. It’s different for us all,
even though no one else could understand like we do. What I can tell you is if
she truly is the right witch—and I can tell from the tone in your voice and the
fact we’re even speaking of this, she probably is—she will see that side of you
sooner or later. I thought I’d lose Mel when we both went there, and it was
scary as fuck for a while, but we came through stronger. Have faith in your
Layla. She might not be the same as us, but if she loves you, she’ll know how
to deal with it. She will probably also know how to bring you back. Mel could
for me when I needed it. You’d be amazed how inherently strong the partners we
choose for ourselves can be.”

Ben could count on one hand the number of times Daniel had
said so many words together at the one time. Ben thought over what his friend
had said and hoped with all his broken soul that it would prove prophetic.

“You and Melissa will watch out for her? Take care of her if
I can’t manage it?”

“You have my word,” Daniel replied simply. Only when his
friend stated the words did Ben recall a similar conversation when Daniel and
Melissa had first come together. Ben ran a hand over his shaved head, suddenly
feeling awkward.

“It’s uncomfortable, isn’t it?” Daniel chuckled. “Took me
months to get my head around it, and even longer to get used to. Hell, I’m
still not completely used to it. So, the Lost Soul, eh?”

Grateful for the change in topic, Ben nodded.

“Layla and I need a nap. We’re running on only a few hours
rest and we had been up for over twenty-four straight before that. I need to
take Riley home too. He’s been beaten up to shit and has to put his leg up.
Shall the four of us meet outside the Lost Soul at nine? Before the drunks are
too far gone but late enough McRoy will be there?”

“Absolutely,” Daniel confirmed. “It will be just like old
times, I can’t wait.”

Ben laughed.

“Thanks, Dan. I appreciate this.”

“No problems, we’ll see you then. Now take your witch and
collect Riley and get out of there, I’ll call my contact and the place will be
swarming in ten minutes.”

They both hung up and Ben headed outside. Riley had sat down
in the corridor, his injured leg spread out straight. While he looked wiped
out, Ben was relieved to see his color was good and he wasn’t sweating from
pain or exertion. It just appeared as if he were resting his leg.

Layla paced up and down the hall in front of Riley. Small
sparks of energy snapped around her and Ben stared for a moment, drinking in
the gorgeous sight of her. Layla’s long, wavy hair flowed around her head, her
willowy body holding a grace that eased the worry that had clenched around his
heart. Ben could study her forever and not grow tired.

She whirled to face him as he made his way toward them.

“Ben. Circe, I was going mad wondering what was going on in
there. Are you all right?”

Without giving him a chance to reply, she ran to him,
launching herself at his chest. Instinctively he wrapped his arms around her,
relishing the slender warmth of her body pressed into his. He buried his head
in her sweet-smelling hair and they clung to each other. Ben received so much
comfort from the embrace he almost felt as if he could be whole, like this
sensual, loving witch could merge the two polar opposites of him together and
accept him for the wizard he truthfully was.

“I’m fine, babe,” he replied. “We have our lead. I’ve called
another Assassin who’s a buddy of mine—Daniel—to come and help us later
tonight. He’s got strong ties to the Enforcers so the murderer in there will be
dealt with any minute now.”

Riley eased himself up to his feet. Ben reached out his hand
to assist him, but kept an arm wrapped tightly around Layla’s waist as he did
so. He’d never felt possessive of a witch before, but Layla seemed to be
showing new, deeper levels of commitment than he’d had past experience with.
Riley took Ben’s hand to steady himself, then they shook before the three of
them moved down the corridor back toward the street.

“What did he have to say for himself?” Riley asked curiously.

“He insists he’s just a piece of the larger picture.
Apparently a wizard by the name of Jimmy McRoy hired him. I believe what he
said. The wizard was too scared to be lying to me. Besides he knows I’ll
be…unhappy, if he’s lied to us,” Ben filled them both in. “Daniel, Melissa, Layla
and I will meet up with this Jimmy bloke later tonight. If he’s who I’m
recalling Jimmy’s a fixer. He should be able to give us some names and with
luck maybe even a better understanding of what’s really going on behind all
this. You, my friend, we are going to take home so you can rest and heal
properly.”

Riley grumbled but did not actually disagree with Ben’s
decision. That, more powerfully than any argument to the contrary, told Ben
just how exhausted the Tracker was. For the second time in as many hours, they
hurried to the car a few steps ahead of the Enforcers. Riley lowered himself
tenderly into the front seat and stretched his leg out with a sigh.

“Smear that damn poultice on,” Ben growled. He felt guilty,
hoped his pushing Riley wouldn’t have consequences on his health.

“I’ll be home in ten minutes. I’ll do it then,” Riley leaned
his head back and closed his eyes as Ben came around to slide behind the wheel.
Layla had already bucked herself into the backseat. Ben wondered if Riley
closed his eyes to ward off further arguments, or whether pain beat at him.

His guilt increasing, Ben sped away down the road and
debated within himself whether to take Riley back to Damon. Moving the rearview
mirror so he could catch Layla’s gaze, Ben tried to gauge what she thought
without uttering a word. She met his eyes in the mirror, her blue gaze warm
with love.

She smiled, and he instantly felt his spirits lift at the
sight of those gorgeous dimples. Ben divided his attention between the road and
the serenity he felt warming him from Layla’s look. Surprised by the peace that
encompassed him from her mere presence, Ben felt his soul soothed.

“Do you need me to swing by Damon’s again?” Ben offered.
Riley turned his face, cracked open an eye and glanced at him. Ben kept his
face impassive. He wasn’t teasing his friend but genuinely concerned. Riley
appeared to recognize this and closed his eye once again.

“Nah, but thanks,” he grunted. “Damon was really good.
Despite the pain I can feel the muscle is knitted together, healthier. I’ll go home,
smear that smelly shit onto the wound, give it a good few hours rest and then
see where I stand.”

“I want your word you will call me if you need a lift—to
Damon’s or your regular Healer.” Ben glanced at his friend as he continued to
drive. “Layla and I will just be chilling, resting and catching up on some
sleep before we meet Daniel and Melissa at nine.”

“I’ll manage,” Riley insisted with a chuckle. He twisted his
head to grin at Layla in the backseat. “You see what a big girl he is?
Seriously, the man can put the fear of Death itself into anyone if he tries to,
but deep inside he’s soft as anything.”

Ben focused hard on the road, not wanting to look at either
Layla or Riley. He knew better,
he
knew only too well what resided in
the core of his soul. He bore Riley’s teasing compliment by ignoring it.

“I know what he’s really like deep inside,” Layla insisted.
Her tone suggested she hid laughter, finding Riley’s words amusing. For a
moment Ben felt panic infuse him. His eyes flew to the mirror again to catch
sight of her. How could she have seen the darkness within him? He hadn’t— Ben
saw that her face radiated happiness, a joy that suggested despite her words
she
hadn’t
seen the depths of his bloodlust or rage.

You’re going to have to show her sooner or later
, his
subconscious urged. Ben sighed, feeling the weight of truth behind that
understanding. They drove back to Riley’s apartment in relative silence. Ben
pulled into the parking lot and turned in his seat. Part of him wanted to offer
his friend help in getting to his door, but he could see the look of
determination and pride etched onto the Tracker’s face.

Deciding to remain silent, Ben held out his hand again to
shake with Riley. The other wizard nodded and clasped his hands.

“Always a pleasure,” Riley said with a wry grin. Ben leaned
over to open the glove box. Pulling out the small leather-wrapped poultice, he
handed it to Riley.

“Don’t forget to call,” Ben warned him. Riley huffed.

“You can bet your ass I’ll call. I want to know what
happens. Kick some ass for me, okay? Those bastards owe me a chunk of flesh.”

“I think I can manage an extra kick or two on your behalf,”
Ben smirked. Riley slowly climbed from the car, limping once again as he made
his way up the footpath. Ben waited, the engine idling, as Layla came around to
sit in the passenger seat. Ben watched as Riley pulled his key from his pocket
and opened his door. Throwing a wave to them, the Tracker stepped inside.
Satisfied, Ben pulled onto the road.

“Can we go back to my place?” Layla asked. Ben shot her a
quick glance before he replied.

“Sure. Since it might be a long night I only wanted to
suggest we have a nap, rest a bit to recharge ourselves. Do you want me to drop
you off? Or would you rather I catch you up after we talk to Jimmy? It’s not in
a nice area. I didn’t mean to imply you had to come or anything.”

“I didn’t word myself properly,” Layla rested a hand on his
arm. Ben felt heat from the sparks that ignited between them. Hope surged
within him at this physical, undeniable proof something more than lust, more
than a casual fucking lay between them. “I’d like it if we can
both
go
back to my place. I want some fresh clothes and we can both rest there just as
easily as at yours.”

“Sure,” Ben agreed. As Layla directed him, Ben tried to
think of why he felt so jittery about her casual ease around him. Part of him
wanted to take her faith in him and run with it. To not doubt or question but
just enjoy his luck that such a beautiful witch appeared to so innocently
accept him at face value.

It felt insane that he should think about setting her
straight, forcing her to look beneath his surface. But the more he wanted her,
the less happy he felt to have lies between them.

“Doesn’t what I do bother you?” He finally broke the silence
between them. From the corner of his eye, he saw her turn to face him. Ben
couldn’t bring himself to meet her gaze, worried about what he might find
there.

“I’ve never bought in to the stigma many people feel is
attached to being an Assassin,” she replied. “Holding the form your power takes
would be the same as disliking you for your eye color, or your height. You’re
an Assassin because that’s where your talent lies.”

Ben heard the calmness in her tone and was grateful that—at
the least—they were able to talk about this. He knew plenty of witches who
would shut their minds to such an open discussion about the less savory aspects
of his magic. Again a part of his mind whispered in his ear to take her
blindness to his failings and leave it be.

The silence grew between them and Ben knew he had to push
this. Already after only a few short days, he felt so connected to Layla he knew
it would be a short step to falling in love with her. He didn’t want to be
broken later when she left because he lacked courage right now.

“I could have chosen a different path,” he spoke. His tone
sounded flat to his ears but he pushed on. “I’m not some gallant knight, or a
savior. I kill people. I get the jobs done that no one else relishes doing. Do
you really not feel any worry or curiosity about what I did in that apartment?”

“Got the answers we needed,” she replied softly. Hearing the
change in her tone, Ben cast a quick look to her. Layla’s gaze was serious, but
she still didn’t look repulsed or upset. Her hand gently squeezed him, showing
a strength of support that baffled and amazed him.

“Ben, I’m not saying I relish what you do, but Assassins are
needed. Where would we be if dangerous, rogue Mages ran wild? If people like
you weren’t here to protect us and do the distasteful but necessary hard tasks,
our world wouldn’t be what it is today.”

“What if I am one of those dangerous wizards?” he asked, his
voice rough with harshness. “I’ve spent years learning to control the potential
for evil within me. One day I might lose the struggle, I might become even
worse than those monsters you’re referring to.”

“Ben, love, you just answered your own point. You control
the potential for evil within you. You fight, you struggle and you always
overcome it. Do you really think Riley and I couldn’t hear you inside that tiny
apartment? You didn’t lose control. You simply did what was necessary.”

Pulling the car up to the curb, he parked it, unsnapped his
seat belt and turned to properly face Layla. She removed her seat belt but
remained in her seat, staring at him with a small smile.

“This hunger inside me, babe, it’s not something I want you
to see,” he confessed. She laughed softly, leaned forward and cupped his jaw in
her hand.

“You are a good man, Ben Jackson. I trust you. You might not
be able to see the strength of your character, but it’s clear to me. You’re no
saint, but I didn’t sign up for that. I’m falling in love with
you
, not
some mythical perfect wizard.”

“It worries me that you don’t see me clearly. I don’t want
you to turn away from me one day when you truly see what and who I am.”

“Ben,” she chided him, exasperation in her tone for the
first time. “I’m a big girl. I’m not fickle, either. Do you trust me to know my
own mind? My own heart?”

Relief swamped him. He did trust her. In that moment he knew
his fears and worried were just that—faceless shadows he couldn’t control or
let ruin the beauty of what flourished between them.