Saved by Sin [Paladin Protection Agency 1] (Siren Publishing Classic) (10 page)

“Yes, sir.” He chuckled as he hung up the phone. His boss was one of the toughest men he’d ever met, but underneath all the bluster, he was a good man, and a close friend.

He sat still for a moment longer, enjoying watching Michelle sleep. Soon he’d have to wake her up and tell her it was time to pack her things. He couldn’t protect her here. It was time to take this fight to his home turf, back to Seattle, and Paladin.

The helicopter arrived by late afternoon, and Michelle had climbed aboard without looking back once. She was sad to realize that her family’s cabin and the lake she’d once loved as a second home were forever tainted for her now. Thanks to Robert, it would always be a place of dark danger and bad memories, never again a place of peaceful solitude and simple joys. It was another thing that he had managed to take away from her.

It hadn’t taken her long to pack. She’d barely begun unpacking before things had all started going wrong. She’d organized a small bag of clothes and toiletries for herself and then locked the place up tight. Sinjin had promised her that they’d be back to get her vehicle and the rest of her things once this was over, and Michelle had readily agreed. Sinjin believed his friends at Paladin could help protect her, and she was desperately hoping he was right. She had to get free of Robert’s ghost and get back in control of her life. As she took her seat, she was struck by a strong sense of déjà vu. It only took her a moment to realize why this all felt so familiar. She was running away again, running away from Robert. She was so damned tired of always being on the move. Of having to always be looking over her shoulder, afraid someone was chasing her.

Sinjin stowed her bag and helped her strap in before taking the seat next to hers in the cramped space. He had to hunch over when he stood, and the interior was not made to accommodate his long legs. Once he got himself strapped in, he had reached for her hand, his fingers closing around hers gently. When she squeezed back, he’d nodded their readiness to the pilot seated in front of them. The pilot gave them a thumbs-up, his gaze falling on their joined hands. Michelle could have sworn she caught a flash of a grin behind the helmet before their pilot faced forward again and touched the controls, initiating take-off.

“Hi and welcome to Paladin Airways. I’m your pilot, Jase,” a friendly male voice chimed in over her headphones. “Our flight from lake-in-the-middle-of-nowhere to Sea-Tac helipad will take approximately ninety minutes, most of which will be spent staring at nothing but trees. Jesus, Sin, could you have picked a more desolate location for your recovery? Have you heard of this thing called civilization?”

“Sin?” Michelle glanced at Sinjin and stifled a laugh at the wry expression on his face.

“You can shut up any time now, Jase.” Sinjin snarked into his mic, sending their pilot into a fit of laughter.

“No threatening the pilot,” Jase shot back. “And you still haven’t introduced me to the lovely lady accompanying you.”

“Hi, Jase. I’m Michelle. It’s nice to meet you. Thank you so much for coming to get us,” Michelle jumped in before Sinjin could growl another of his threats.

“Oh, she’s got manners! I like her already.”

“Don’t encourage him, baby. He’s not worthy of your attention.”

“Oh, man, I am cut to the quick here. I thought we were friends, Sin!”

“Why do you call him Sin?” Michelle couldn’t help but ask despite the surly look Sinjin shot her way.

Jase just laughed. “If you have to ask, then he’s clearly not treating you right, sweetheart.”

“Back off, Jase.” There was no mistaking the jealous tone in Sinjin’s voice, not even through the noise and distortion of the headphones.

“So much for rule number three,” Jase snickered.

“What’s rule number three?”

“Remington’s Rules. Rule number three is ‘never get involved with a female client,’” Jase explained as Sinjin’s hand tightened around hers.

“Ah, well then no, he didn’t break rule number three.” Michelle grinned to herself as she continued. “I wasn’t a client when I jumped him the first time.”

There was a spluttering cough of laughter from Jase, and he turned around to grin at them both. “You are one lucky man.”

“Yes I am.” Sinjin’s voice rumbled over the radio as his thumb moved over the palm of her hand in a slow, sensual caress.

The rest of the flight passed in light conversation and laughter, and when the helicopter finally landed, Michelle felt like she’d made a new friend. Sinjin helped her out of the harness and then eased her into his arms as the blades slowly spun down over their heads. “Jase, grab our bags will you? Michelle’s too injured to walk.”

“I am not!” she protested, tossing an apologetic look back at Jase. “Sorry.”

“Do not apologize to that flirtatious scum. He’s not going to be breathing long enough to enjoy it.”

“Why, Sin, are you jealous?” she teased, testing out his newly discovered nickname.

“I am not jealous of that flyboy!” He ground out the words as he carried her into the terminal.

“Oh, all right then, I was going reassure you with a kiss, but if you’re not jealous….” She trailed off and laughed as he stopped dead and tipped his head down to look at her.

“Well, maybe a bit. But only because you were enjoying talking to him so much.” He glowered at her, his dark eyes crinkling, belying his angry tone. He was so different from Robert, who was forever getting jealous for no reason and then taking it out on her. Sinjin’s laughing response made her happier than she knew she should be considering everything that had happened to her lately.

“Well if you are only a little jealous, then you only get a little kiss.” She brushed her lips over his and then smiled as he kissed her back, his mouth slanting over hers with a possessive little growl that made her toes curl.

“Oh man, get a room.” Jase’s voice came from behind them. “My poor virgin eyes do not need to be exposed to such lewd behavior.”

“Virgin my ass.” Sinjin turned around so they could both face Jase, and Michelle’s stomach did a little flutter. Where Sin was dark, Jase was light. He had blond hair and his green eyes the color of Chinese jade met her gaze. He was almost as tall as Sinjin, but his build was leaner. And he moved with the grace of a jungle cat as he hurried to catch up to them.

“Does Paladin only hire hotties?” she blurted out and then turned crimson as she realized she’d spoken aloud, suddenly wishing for the floor to split open and swallow her whole.

Jase grinned. “Hear that, Sin? She thinks I’m hot.”

“Let’s see how hot you look with a black eye.”

“Oh stop it.” Michelle tugged at Sinjin’s long hair and drew him down for another kiss. “I’m all yours, Sin, no one else’s.” She heard herself say the words and realized that it was the absolute truth. She wanted Sinjin and no one else, and somehow she suspected she would never change her mind about that.

“Damn right you are.”

“All right, all right, I surrender.” Jase threw up his hands, still grinning. “Clearly she’s a woman of great compassion and limited eyesight, and has decided to take pity on you, Sin.” He fell in beside them, green eyes looking intently at Michelle now. “So, all kidding aside, do I need to call ahead for medical to take a look at Michelle when we get to headquarters?”

“No.” She shook her head. “It’s nothing serious. I cut up my feet on some rocks last night, and it’s not a lot of fun walking just yet.”

“Sin, do you concur with the lady’s assessment?”

Sinjin nodded, and Michelle glowered from one to the other. “You did not just ignore me to check with him, did you, Jase? Sinjin, put me down so I can give this flyboy a piece of my mind! I am my own person, damn it! If I say I’m fine, I’m fine!” She wriggled in Sinjin’s arms, but he simply held on tighter and laughed.

“And she’s spunky, too! Maybe I need to go recuperate in the boondocks for a month and see if there are any more like her out there.” Jase inclined his head slightly toward Michelle in a respectful gesture. “I didn’t mean to insult you, but the big lug holding you happens to outrank me, which means he also outranks you. If he’d said to call ahead, I’d of called ahead. But please, feel free to give me a piece of your mind anytime you feel the need.” He gave her an entirely unrepentant grin.

“Can you quit flirting with her for two minutes and get the door?” Sinjin nodded to the exit up ahead. “I swear you’ve gotten worse while I was away.”

Jase jogged ahead and got the door open before they got there, still grinning.

As promised, a car was waiting, a black SUV with tinted windows and a driver that might as well have been carved out of granite for all the reaction he showed at their arrival. With their few things stowed in the back, Michelle, Sinjin, and Jase relaxed inside the surprisingly well-appointed interior.

“This is definitely not what I was expecting.” She looked around the inside, which had been radically customized to resemble something more like a limousine than a truck. Soft leather seats wrapped around the exterior wall, and the walls and floor were upholstered in a dark, plush fabric.

“He must have really missed you, Sin. The last car I got picked up in had duct tape holding the seats together.” Jase sprawled his frame into a seat with a dramatic sigh of contentment.

“He, as in Remington, the man who runs Paladin?” Michelle asked, recalling the name Sinjin and Jase had both used earlier.

“Geoff Remington.” Sinjin nodded from his seat beside her, his arm curving around her shoulders. “He’s the owner, head of operations, and a good friend. He’s the one we’re going to be meeting. If anyone can figure out how to help you with your problem, it’s him.”

Jase cocked a brow at the pair of them. “Are you going to share with the class? Or do I have to wait for the scuttlebutt later?”

Michelle glanced at Jase and made a decision. “Sin, can Jase come to this meeting? Please? I imagine we’re going to need help with this at some point, and I’d rather it was someone I knew, at least a little bit.”

“You got any other assignments coming up, Jase?” Sinjin asked, his voice carefully neutral.

“I’m my own man for the next few days, and I would be honored to help you and your lady with whatever it is she’s facing.”

Michelle felt a surge of relief. “Thank you. Though I’m not sure you’re not going to regret agreeing when you find out what’s been going on.”

“Whatever it is, I can handle it,” Jase declared with complete confidence.

“Really?” Sinjin’s voice was tinged with amusement. “Are you weapons certified for proton packs? We might just be needing them.”

Michelle nodded, her eyes watching Jase for his reaction.

“Seriously?” He looked from Sinjin to Michelle, his expression one of almost gleeful surprise. “Well, this will be one for the resume then. Do you think we actually have proton packs in the armory? Because that would be really damned cool.”

Michelle tried to smother the fit of giggles that overtook her and failed completely. Out of all the reactions she’d been prepared for, from laughter to accusations of insanity, Jase’s yearning for Ghostbusters’ gear had her in stitches. Giggles turned to laughter, and soon all of them were joking and teasing each other. For the rest of the journey into Seattle, they took turns butchering lines from the
Ghostbusters
movies and falling into fresh gales of laughter. It was a lot easier to joke and ignore the knowledge that somewhere out there, Robert was waiting for her.

They pulled into an underground parking lot and drew to a stop at a security gate. Their driver identified himself and his occupants in crisp tones that made Michelle feel like she was entering a military compound.

When they got out this time, the driver got their bags and headed for one set of doors while Sinjin and Jase headed for another, with Michelle once again ensconced in Sinjin’s arms.

“You know, the novelty of being carried everywhere is wearing off fast,” she grumbled as they made their way through a maze of corridors. They occasionally passed men and women who all stopped to smile at Sin, welcoming him back before giving her quizzical glances. Finally they stepped into an elevator, and when they debarked, she felt as if they had gone from military compound to corporate headquarters. The lighting was muted, the worn linoleum floors had been replaced by marble tiles, and the simple gray-and-white color scheme of the lower floors was now a subtle blend of polished wood and cream-colored walls.

“Wow,” Michelle murmured as she glanced around her.

“Yeah, it’s a whole different world up here,” Jase agreed, and she noticed even his enthusiastic manner was somewhat more subdued now.

“A world you’re not supposed to be in unless invited, Waters.” A firm voice sounded from just down the corridor. “Funny thing, I don’t remember inviting you.”

“I invited him, sir,” Sinjin answered, and she could feel his body tense slightly, coming to attention despite having her in his arms.

“I see.” The owner of the voice stepped around the corner, and Michelle knew instantly that this had to be Geoff Remington. He wore his authority like a cloak, and he ran his eyes over the three of them in an assessment that suddenly had her wishing she’d taken time to clean herself up before arriving for this meeting.

“Sir, this is Michelle Jamieson. Michelle, this is Geoff Remington.”

“I take it this is the damsel in distress?”

“I am not a damsel!” Michelle snapped at him. “Though I am most definitely in distress. But for the love of heaven please can we stop with the fairy tale references. My life is strange enough already. It doesn’t need embellishment.”

Remington’s steel-gray eyes widened slightly at her outburst, but he remained silent as Michelle and he traded stares for what felt like an age before Sinjin finally spoke into the silence.

“Sir, can we take this into your office? I’m sure Michelle would like to sit down. I know I would. It’s been a hell of a day.”

“Good idea.” Remington stepped back and gestured for the others to enter first. Once the door was closed, he turned back to face them and cleared his throat. “I apologize for my comment in the hallway, Ms. Jamieson. It was uncalled for and unprofessional.” He took a seat behind a broad desk of polished marble and steel as the two men stood staring, both of them clearly stunned by Remington’s apology.