Hunted (FBI Heat Book 1) (15 page)

The gray hoodie came out of nowhere and slammed into Ben.

Amber screamed.

If Ben hadn’t spun her behind him the second before, she would’ve been hit full force and been lying on the ground instead of watching in fear and disbelief. Amazingly, Ben took a single step back as he absorbed the blow.

Jeremy, on the other hand, hadn’t anticipated the brick wall of Ben’s body. He swore as he bounced off and stumbled backward before falling to the ground.

Frantically, Amber dug in her purse for her gun.

Ben launched himself at the guy, rolled him onto his stomach, and yanked his arms behind him. He straddled the man and dropped onto his back. Jeremy yelled in pain when Ben pushed his arms higher up his back.

Her fingers closed around the reassuring metal as she yanked out the pistol. Automatically widening her stance and releasing the safety, she gripped the gun with both hands. Despite her panic, she held the weapon steady. “Don’t move or I’ll shoot!”

Ben’s head whipped around, alarm in his eyes but calm in his voice when he said, “Great job, babe, but I got this.”

The words didn’t register over her pounding heart and gasping breath.

His expression grew more serious. “I got it under control. Lower… the… gun,” he said with unquestionable authority.

Air whooshed out of her lungs. She lifted her finger off the trigger and let her arms fall.

“Let’s get a good look at you, asshole,” Ben said.

He jerked the hood down, pulling hair with it.

Jeremy howled.

“Son of a bitch,” Ben growled. “C’mere, babe.”

She told herself there was no reason to be afraid. Ben sat atop Jeremy on the concrete with her stalker’s arms pinned to his back. Her former boyfriend couldn’t harm her. Yet her feet refused to move. All the times he’d hurt her flashed through her mind. He got off on it. He enjoyed it. The mere sight of Jeremy, subdued or not, terrified her.

Ben turned to face her. “It’s okay. Come see.”

She glanced down at the gun in her hand and decided not to put it in her purse. Its cold hardness empowered her.

Putting one foot in front of the other, she lurched forward until she stood beside Ben and Jeremy. “You b-bastard,” she hissed.

Ben smacked the back of the man’s head. “Look at her.”

Slowly, the guy turned his head.

Amber gasped. Her mind went blank. She stared at the man who should’ve been Jeremy.

But wasn’t.

“What… the…?”

“Yeah, Gary. What the hell? Answer the lady.”

“It’s… just… a… game,” he ground out between pants for air.

“A game? Aren’t you a little old for Capture the Flag or Ghost in the Graveyard?”

“Get… off… me. You’re… crushing… my… goddamn… back.”

Ben slapped his head again. “Watch your mouth. Show some respect.”

He climbed off his victim, but not without putting a knee in the small of his back. Gary groaned.

“It’s… n-not… h-he’s… n-not…,” she stammered.

“Nope.” He moved beside her, took the gun from her hand, and set the safety. “You okay?”

“I-I guess. What…?”

He wrapped one arm around her shaking shoulders. “Yeah, Gary, what screwed-up game are you playing?”

Moaning, Gary rolled onto his back and lay spread-eagle on the concrete with his eyes closed. “It’s called Knockout. All the gangbangers play it in the big cities. They catch people unaware and knock them out.”

“Christ. Yeah, I’ve heard of it. But it’s not a game; it’s assault. Are you a gangsta wannabe?”

“Not really. My buds dared me to do it.”

“Tell your ‘buds’ that you tried it on an FBI agent, and I kicked your ass. If I ever catch any of you doing this shit again, I’ll call my contacts in the SDPD. Got that, homey?”

“Yeah, sorry, dude. You too, ma’am.”

“I bet you are,” Amber said under her breath.

* * *

Ben chuckled. After slipping the gun into her purse, he took Amber by the arm and led her to the stairs. He hesitated a moment and scanned the courtyard, searching the shadows, and then along the upstairs walkway. The hair on his nape stood on end again. He felt… watched. “C’mon. Let’s get you inside.”

After he locked the door behind them, Amber looked at him, bewildered. “That was odd.”

“Stupid game.”

“Yeah, definitely, but I meant Gary calling me ma’am was odd.”

He stared at her. Damn, he was glad she hadn’t fought him about putting the disguise back on to come home. “You’ve got short brown, not long blond, hair.”

“But… but you called me Amber.”

He thought a second. “No, I called you babe.”

“But my voice.”

“How many times have you talked to Gary?”

“Once.”

“And tonight, your voice was really shaky and soft. He didn’t recognize you. Besides, he was scared shitless.”

She splayed her hand over her eyes and shook her head. “You’re right.”

He pulled her into his arms and nuzzled her ear. “Don’t be too hard on yourself. You’re dealing with a lot right now.”

“True. And you’ve been great about helping me cope.” She ran her hand down the front of his shirt, past his belt, to his fly and stroked his package. “I owe you for earlier.”

His dick jerked awake. “I’m not keeping score.” He kissed her earlobe.

“Don’t you need some stress relief?” She caressed the swelling bulge.

“No.” He trailed butterfly kisses down her neck. “I need you.”

She giggled and pushed out of his arms. “Last one naked has to be on the bottom,” she said and darted for the bedroom.

They made love hard and fast. She fell asleep within minutes afterward.

Ben lay awake, sated but uneasy. His gut had been warning him tonight, and not about shit-for-brains Gary. Was Jeremy nearby? Had he been watching? Had he recognized Amber?
Dammit, Jeremy, stay away just one more day.

He glanced at the alarm clock: eleven p.m. According to Pedro, Loco would breach the border fence with his customers around midnight. The coyote would be expecting business as usual tomorrow. Ben planned to ruin his day.

Sliding away from Amber, he stretched and kicked off the sheet. Their lovemaking had been awesome, but he was still wired. Taking slow, deep breaths, he closed his eyes. He needed to get to sleep because zero dark thirty would come sooner than later.

And Thursday was going to be a helluva day.

* * *

“Wake up, babe. We need to get going.” Ben’s voice filtered into her consciousness.

“Hmmm?”

“Rise and shine.”

The sheet left her body. With her eyes still closed, she reached for it, but it had disappeared. She curled into a fetal position and drifted back toward sleep.

“Babe. I have to be at the office by four. Get a move on.” He jostled her shoulder.

Blinking her eyes open, she attempted a frown. “By four? Crap, what time is it?”

“Three.”

“I don’t do three.” She closed her eyes again.

“You do today.”

Fingertips ran up and down her ribs. His tickling resulted in convulsive laughter and indignation.

“Stop! S-stop right n-now!” she squealed.

He raised his hands. “Are you getting up?”

“No,” she snapped, shifting to sit against the headboard. Unbelievably, Ben was already dressed in black jeans and a black T-shirt.

He shoved both hands through his hair. “Amber, I can’t be late. I’m team leader, and the organizer of the whole damn op.”

“Fine. Go. I’m not keeping you here.” She crossed her arms over her breasts, which of course drew his intense gaze. Her traitorous nipples puckered.

“No, you’re coming with me.” A muscle in his jaw twitched.

“Ben, be reasonable. You’re going to be gone for God knows how many hours. Am I supposed to sit like a prisoner in that stupid little room?”

“You’ll be a
safe
prisoner.”

“I’ll be safe
here
.”

“We agreed.”

“No, you assumed.”

He paced to the bedroom door and back. “I can’t leave you here alone. Jeremy’s out there. I felt him last night.”

Her eyes widened for a second, but then she looked away. “I know. But I promise not to go ‘out there.’ Think about it. No one knows I’m in your apartment. Even Gary thinks I’m some brunette chick you hooked up with. I won’t go outside or even on the balcony. I’ll keep perfectly quiet: no TV or music. I’ll sleep, read, eat, and soak in the tub.” She swung her gaze back to meet his. “And worry about you. Be careful.”

“Don’t change the subject.”

“I won’t answer the door. I won’t make any phone calls. But the main thing is that no one would be looking for me in your apartment anyway.”

She could see his brain analyzing her arguments. They were solid points. She really would be safe here. Could his male pride and protectiveness accept it?

He glanced at his watch. “I don’t like it. I feel responsible—”

She jerked ramrod straight. “Don’t go there. I am responsible for myself. No one gave you control—”

“That’s not what I meant, and you know it.” He stomped across the room and peeked out the window blinds.

“I’ll keep the blinds closed too.” She snorted.

He whirled on her. “This isn’t a goddamn joke. From what you’ve told me, Jeremy is serious business. He wants to hurt you.”

Neither of them spoke for a minute. Sighing, she reached for him. His face rigid with anger, he marched to the bed and sat down.

“The truth is… I’m more scared about you doing that raid than I am for me. Here, I can distract myself until you call and tell me it’s over and you’re fine. If I have to sit in that room, worrying every second that something may happen to you, I’ll go crazy. Certifiably crazy. And that’s not a pretty sight.”

Before Ben reached the apex of the Coronado Bridge at three thirty Thursday morning, he glanced back across the bay at the apartment complex. Damn, he hated leaving Amber there.
Alone.
Why did she have to be such a stubborn woman?
And independent and smart and responsible.
The last thing she wanted was a man hovering over her, or worse, controlling her. But dammit, he wanted—no, needed—to protect her. From herself, to some extent. He slapped his palm against the steering wheel.

Why the hell had she talked him into letting her stay home instead of coming to the office? Why couldn’t she be reasonable? He narrowed his eyes. Hadn’t she said the same thing about him?

Okay, he had to admit her points were valid. If forced, he would agree Jeremy didn’t know Amber was living—no, staying—with him. Hadn’t she been wearing one of her disguises every time she’d come or gone from his apartment? He also believed the stalker had
not
discovered her apartment number.

But Jeremy was close. Of that, Ben was certain.

Today, if Amber did all the things she’d promised, she should be safe.
Should
was the problem. He’d seen too many
shoulds
go terribly wrong in his career and in his life.

Amber’s safety was more important than… than…

He blinked. Twice. Where was he going with this line of thinking? Exactly how important had Amber Jollett become to him? Crap, they’d only known each other a couple of weeks. Besides, they’d had an understanding from the beginning that neither was looking for a long-term serious relationship. Him, because of Marissa. Her, because of Jeremy.

He frowned. The last few times he’d spoken to Marissa had been different. The pain was gone. Sure, they were still close and oddly connected through her premonitions, but the heartbreak had healed. Her refusal to transfer to San Diego with him made sense now. Unfortunately, it had been based on an erroneous premonition of him falling in love with someone else, presumably Staci. Marissa’s revelation had finally erased the guilt of thinking he’d somehow ruined their relationship. With the guilt gone, was he more ready to move on than he’d thought?

Amber’s conflict with Jeremy might also be coming to an end soon. No, not “might.”
Would
be ending soon. He’d make damn sure of that. How would freedom from Jeremy’s stalking change Amber’s plans for the future?

His chest tightened. Disappointment pressed down on him.

She’d move back to Kansas. That’s exactly what she would do. In their conversations, she spoke so longingly of the family and friends she’d left behind to escape Jeremy. With her stalker out of the picture, her first instinct would be to head home. Her real home. Not her “
mi casa es su casa.
”

Well, hell.
By getting rid of her stalker, he would be sending her away.

He sighed.
Damn, this sucks.
But not helping her wasn’t an option. No one should have to live with the fear Jeremy caused. His outstanding arrest warrants added legal justification to Ben’s moral reasons for ending his reign of terror. Jeremy Nelson was a very bad guy, and Ben Alfren caught bad guys. It was that simple.

What exactly did he feel for Amber? Lust, for sure. The physical attraction and sexual chemistry were undeniable. But he also felt something far beyond desire. He admired her intelligence and courage. Their personalities meshed well. Her sense of humor cracked him up. Crap, he liked her… a lot. Did his need to protect her mean his feelings went beyond “like”?

Speeding through downtown on the freeway, he shook his head vigorously. This morning was not the time to be delving into such deep emotional shit. His career had to take priority.

Today’s raids would be risky and dangerous. Amber had realized it without even knowing the details of the operation. Loco and Hermosillo’s goons wouldn’t go down without a fight. Armed men guarded the dormitory and halfway house. The apartment where the female immigrants stayed would be guarded also. Weapons hadn’t been obvious at the Dream Makers clinic, but there was always the possibility some employees had access to hidden ones. If Raul Garcia proved to be as ruthless as his cousin, that part of the operation could get real ugly too.

The presence of hostages always created extraordinary risks and required special precautions. The women at the apartment and the men at the halfway house weren’t technically hostages—not yet, anyway—because they’d voluntarily hired Loco to get them across the border. But if things went downhill, the guards could quickly utilize the immigrants as bargaining chips or worse, as human shields. However, the dormitory already represented a hostage situation. Unfortunately, they didn’t have an exact count of how many women were housed there. Two different Dream Makers employees had indicated the company had approximately forty surrogates, so Ben had used their number in his planning. That many innocent lives required the use of a Hostage Rescue Team in the dormitory raid. Two HRT agents had also been assigned to the apartment and house raids. The SWAT team’s assistance had been scheduled also.

He released an anxious breath.

This op had so many moving parts that something was bound to go wrong.

* * *

Staring at the ceiling, Amber lay in bed until four a.m. No matter how hard she tried, sleep evaded her while guilt grew over the earlier argument with Ben.

Why do I have to be so stubborn? Would it have killed me to get up and go to his office this morning?
His deep concern about Jeremy was so heartwarming and reassuring. Couldn’t she have cooperated simply out of appreciation?

She sighed. Apparently, obstinate independence was a by-product of dealing with an obsessive, domineering former boyfriend. It was her only excuse, and she was sticking with it.

The bigger picture keeping her awake was fear for Ben’s safety. She’d never been close to a policeman, fireman, soldier, or anyone who put his life at risk as a normal part of his job. Accidents happened to everyone, but people like Ben faced a much higher probability of encountering a life-and-death situation on a daily basis.
How do spouses of these brave souls cope?

Spouses?
She gulped. Why had her brain made that leap? The idea was ridiculous.

Annoyed with herself, she threw off the sheet and got up. Glancing down at her naked body, she recalled their hard and fast lovemaking last night. She cringed. Had the intensity been prompted by a subconscious fear it could be their last time if…?

No!
She refused to finish the thought.

She pulled on pajama pants with a tank top and shuffled into the kitchen. Before turning on the overhead light, she closed the blinds tightly. She fully intended to honor all the precautions she’d promised Ben. After fixing a cup of coffee with the Keurig, she sat down at the small table in the dining area and sipped the strong brew.

Funny how some of her usual anxiety at Jeremy’s approach had faded with Ben’s involvement. She felt safer in his apartment—even without him—than she ever did in her own. It was almost like being a different person. Was this how it’d feel to be Mrs. Alfren?

Her breath caught, and she sloshed hot liquid on her hand.
What the hell is wrong with me today?
She set the cup down and wiped her hand on a napkin. Then she rested her elbows on the table and pressed her fingertips to her temples. Her heart was running away with her brain, and she desperately needed to get it back under control.

Objective analysis seemed like a good place to start.

Her joint efforts with Ben to catch Jeremy had two potential outcomes: They did or they didn’t stop him.

If they didn’t catch her stalker in a reasonable amount of time, she faced a tough decision. She could run as usual or take the chance of Jeremy attacking her. Without question, she’d opt for Door Number One.

If they did catch Jeremy and put him behind bars, what would she do? It had been so long since she’d truly believed it possible to end her ordeal, she didn’t have a ready answer. The image of celebrating with champagne and chocolate made her chuckle. Of course, celebrations would come after calling her family and friends with the good news. She smiled at the thought of delivering such a joyous report to her mother.

Her mom’s voice popped into her head.
When are you coming home, Amber?

Home? She glanced around the apartment. No, not Ben’s place, but her real home at the farm outside Topeka. It had been sooo long. Of course, that’s where she’d go immediately.

Go… and stay.

Jeremy had been the only reason she’d left. Putting an end to his stalking meant she didn’t have to live anywhere else. The bedroom in her parents’ home would be just as she’d left it two years ago. She wouldn’t have to worry about getting a job, because the Topeka surrogate mother clinic would hire her back in a flash. After staying with her parents for a while, she’d get her own apartment again in town. She could pick up her old life right where she’d left off.

The realization weighed on her shoulders like one of those lead-lined X-ray pads.

Oh God, either way, I’ll be leaving… Ben.

Why had she been so stupid to let herself get attached? She knew better. But the truth was she’d never been tempted by any guy since she’d gone on the run. No man had interested her enough to dare to take the chance of staying.

Understanding why she’d let down her guard and gotten close to Ben didn’t make the conclusion any easier to accept. It only reinforced how precious their remaining time together was.

* * *

His boss was the only person who beat Ben to the office. Sometimes he wondered if Rex spent the night and had a change of clothes hidden in his desk.

“Did you have a chance to review the plans again?” he asked after knocking on the open door.

Rex gave him an are-you-serious glare and stroked his chin. “Looked tight to me. Again.”

“Lots of details.”

“Yeah, but you have them all covered.”

“Thanks.” He dropped into one of the chairs. “I’m worried about the choppers being able to find the handoff from the semi to the two vans. Pedro said it happens before dawn, but we don’t dare use spotlights in the search.”

“Agreed.”

“If we haven’t spotted the transfer before the men’s van arrives at the halfway house, we’ll know we missed it. At least we already have the location of the dormitory so we can nab Loco there even if we can’t find the apartment.”

Rex stroked his chin again. “Your plan says we’ll grab the guards and women who aren’t kidnapped when they show up at the house tomorrow evening.”

“Yeah. But that could get screwed up if those guards try to contact Loco and he’s already in custody. They might get suspicious and do something drastic if they can’t get in touch with their boss.”

“I bet we could turn one of the guards to tell us where the apartment is by offering him a deal.”

Ben nodded. “Understood. We’ll try that first. If it doesn’t work, we’ll just have to wait at the house for them.”

“Even if a couple of Loco’s goons and a few female immigrants avoid our traps, I’ll still be satisfied.”

“Great. Is all the communication equipment set up for you to coordinate the four teams from here?” Ben asked.

“Yes, we just have to get everyone plugged in and suited up.”

“I need to contact the surveillance teams who’ve been at the dormitory and halfway house overnight.”

“Right.”

“Anything else, Boss?”

“Nope. Go catch me some bad guys.”