Summer Kisses (245 page)

“What’s going on?” the cashier asked in a hushed tone.

“A man with a young boy came in here. Where are they?”

“He asked to use the bathroom.” The woman’s hand trembled as she pointed to the rear of the store.

“Is there another way out of here?”

Gasps of surprise rose above the radio music floating from the ceiling speakers. His men were encountering civilians. In a few seconds, they’d rush toward the exit, hopefully quiet so as not to alert Gorgon to their presence.

“The back door,” the cashier’s wide eyes darted anxiously toward the back of the building. “It’s off the office. But it’s locked.”

The direction of the office was opposite the bathrooms. Gorgon was trapped. Will squeezed her hand firmly. “Good job. Now, I need you to lead these people off to that side of the building.” He pointed away from the bathroom side of the building in case Gorgon came out. He didn’t want to tip him off that something was amiss by seeing people racing away. Everything had to appear normal. “The State Police are waiting to take to you to safety. Go.”

The woman nodded. She signaled for the customers to follow her and with a minimum of noise they cleared the building.

Biting down on the worry still bubbling up inside him, Will swung around and noted that his men had turned the rounded mirrors that had reflected the back aisles, to the sides. Gorgon didn’t need any help to locate their positions in such a small area.

“Let’s give him room to hang himself,” Will said into his mike as he made his way to the center of the store. “I don’t want him backing into the corner with the kid. Chase, you’ve got the back corner. Aden, cover the front. If the kid sees me, he might move away from Gorgon enough that we can take out Gorgon.”

“Roger that,” both men responded.

Before Will could blink again, he heard Luka’s voice.

“I want my mom.”

“Forget her,” Gorgon growled. “She doesn’t want to be with us.”

They were right on the other side of the aisle moving toward the break in the shelving. Hunched down, Will could only see the top of Gorgon’s head. His fingers tightened around his gun’s stock. After what Gorgon did to Nicole, he would love to stand up and put a cold bullet through the man’s temple, but he couldn’t with Luka right there. He’d take this piece of filth out legally.

“That’s not true,” Luka cried. “She doesn’t want to be with you. You hurt her. I saw her. You’re mean. I want my mom. I want to go home.”

“You’re going to live with me. Now, stop whining before—”

“No. I hate you.”

“
Owww.
Son of a bitch. I’ll teach you to bite me. Come back here.”

Will heard Luka’s scurry toward him and rushed forward––and came face to face with the boy as he rounded the aisle’s corner.

“Uncle Will.” Luka’s expression brightened.

Warmth encased Will’s heart. He grabbed Luka and pulled the boy behind him just as Gorgon rushed around the corner. Will leveled his gun at the Russian’s chest. “Don’t move, Gorgon. U.S. Marshals.”

Gorgon’s gaze bounced from him to Luka who clung to Will’s leg. The Russian’s black brows pulled together. “Uncle? Who are you?” His fingers inched up toward his belt buckle.

“Don’t do it, Gorgon.” Will’s finger tightened on the trigger. “It’s over. You’re surrounded.”

Gorgon’s dark glare flickered past him and Will knew Chase had his back.

“Get the kid out of here, Will,” Aden said, standing with a gun aimed at the man’s back, from a good fifteen feet behind Gorgon.

Gorgon smiled, baring his teeth. His hand stayed in place. “So you’re the man who Katrina whored herself to.”

“He hurt Mom, Uncle Will.” Luka clutched his leg. “She was crying and bleeding.”

Will patted Luka’s back. “I know, kid. She’s okay. She’s waiting to see you.”

Hearing what Will said, Gorgon’s smile faded and between gritted teeth, he asked, “She lives?”

A smile threatened to lift the corners of Will’s mouth. He pressed his hand against Luka’s ear. “Yes. She lives, you bastard. She plans to put your ass in a dark cell for life.”

Watching Gorgon’s jaw clench and his face turn a fire red, Will knew he had poked the guy’s ego too hard. Will’s muscles tensed and he pushed Luka behind him.

“You will not have my family.” Gorgon’s hand darted inside his coat.

Will fired off a few quick rounds before turning and shoving Luka to the floor, landing on top of him.

Above his head, ammo whizzed through the air. Through a slit of eye he saw his men’s assault slamming into the son of a bitch, rocking him forward and backward. Blood pelted the goods on the shelves and splattered against the tan vinyl flooring.

Chase howled, “Mother Fucker.”

Then silence.

The glassy-eyed Russian with his curses still lingering on his open lips crashed against the shelf, knocking canned goods on top of Will’s legs. Then Gorgon face-panned the concrete floor with a thud.

The refrigeration unit’s whir overtook the silence.

Sulfur filled the air and their lungs.

Aden kicked Gorgon’s gun aside and checked for life. He gave Will a thumbs up before heading to Chase, who held his chest.

“The fucker knocked the wind out of me.”

“He did more than that. Your arm is bleeding,” Aden said, kneeing next to his friend. “Lie still. Let me get something to stop the blood flow.” Aden looked around, spied bandages and gauze, grabbed a box, tore one open and treated Chase’s wound.

Luka coughed and squirmed under Will. He pushed up on his elbows and met the boy’s wide eyes. “Are you okay?”

The kid swallowed. His dark eyes glistened with fright and remained latched on his. Luka knew what had just happened.

Not wanting the boy in therapy for the rest of his life, Will said in a calm tone, “Okay. I want you to close your eyes and keep them closed. Promise me.”

Luka did as he was told while Will stood and scooped him off the floor.

“You two okay?”

“Yeah,” Chase said, presenting a thumb. “Get the boy out of here.

Will nodded, feeling gratitude for the men who had been at his back. Quickly, he carried the boy away from the sight of his dead father and left his team to clean up the scene.

What they both needed was to see Nicole.

But damn, he hadn’t heard from Sharon.

~~~

There was a strong presence guarding her. Nicole’s eyelashes brushed against her cheeks as she fought to open her eyes.

“Nicole.” She heard the gentle voice calling to her.

“Will.” His face was the most beautiful sight she’d ever witnessed. She reached up and ran her fingers across the rough stubble covering his chin. “You look like hell.”

A throaty chuckle escaped him. His blue eyes twinkled as they traced her face, caressing her with warmth. “Well, you look beautiful.”

“I feel like shit. Where am I?”

“In the hospital?”

The memory of Gorgon’s hands on her, and the fear in Luka’s eyes as Gorgon carried him away, rushed back to her. Her wrist and her arm were bandaged with thick padding. An IV drip hung from the side of the bed and clear liquid ran through the tubing and into her left hand through a needle that pinched like hell. Using her elbows, she shifted up on the mattress.

“Luka. Where’s Luka? Gorgon took him.”

Will eased her back onto the bed. “He’s okay. He’s waiting outside.”

She looked at the closed door and then back to him. “I want to see him.”

He smiled. “Don’t you trust me?”

“Of course I do. I just need to see him for myself.” She kicked her casted foot out from under the sheet intending to get out of bed, put Will stopped her and covered her again.

“Oh, no. You stay put. I’ll bring Luka to you in a minute, sweetheart, but first I need to talk to you.”

Will’s gaze fell to the bed between them.

“What’s wrong?” She stroked the back of his hand.

“Nothing is wrong.” He shook his head. “Gorgon is dead.”

He stared at her. She knew he was searching for any sorrow on her part. After all, she had been Gorgon’s woman for seven years. But she only felt hatred for the man, nothing more, and she showed her relief. She relaxed against the mattress. “Are you sure?”

“I was there.”

“Luka. Did he…?” She couldn’t imagine the sense of loss her little boy must feel.

“He was there, but he’s okay. He was trying to get away from Gorgon. He saw what Gorgon did to you and he didn’t want to go with him. He wanted you. He fought to get away and when he did, I was there.” He took her hand between his warm ones. “Gorgon knew about us.”

She nodded. “He overheard me talking to Sharon earlier.”

“Seeing me and having Luka choosing me over him, put Gorgon over the edge. He pulled a gun, but before he got off a shot, my team took him out.”

Her nightmare was over. A tear of joy escaped out of the corner of Nicole’s eye. Her thoughts turned to her son. “Did Luka see what happened?”

“No. I wouldn’t let him see his father afterwards. He didn’t ask to either. Luka knows what happened and he knows his father was a bad man. I’m sure it’s going to take time and counseling, but I think the kid is going to be all right. He’s got a strong mom who loves him, and me to help him--if you let me. I love you Nicole and if you’ll have me, I’d like to be part your lives.”

Tears blurred her vision. A few short hours ago she thought she was going to die and that she’d never see Luka or Will again. Now, she had a life filled with love to look forward to. “I love you too.”

Will rose from the chair. His bright eyes stared into hers, promising decades of happiness.

She pulled Will to her and lost herself in his warm kiss.

The door creaked open. Sharon coughed. “Will, I can’t hold them off much longer.”

Breathless, Will pulled back from her embrace.

“Them?”
She searched his face. “What is she talking about?”

“I have a surprise for you. Let them in, Sharon.”

“What? Who?”

Grinning, Will stood and took her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

The hospital door swung open and in the threshold stood her parents. Tears of happiness flooded down her cheeks. Luka was cradled on her father’s hip and clinging to his neck, just as she had done as a child.

Autumn Jordon, labeled a quiet nut with a reputation for finding trouble, is a Romance Writer’s of America National Golden Heart finalist and a Golden Leaf Winner. She enjoys a wide range of interests, too many to mention in this allotted space. Whether she is quietly reading or on the hot trail to find the answers to today’s havoc, she’s always plotting out ideas to place her romantic suspense characters in grave danger while falling hopelessly in love. If you’d like to keep abreast of the mayhem she finds herself involved in, join her newsletter at
www.autumnjordon.com
. Maybe she’ll reiterate ‘the neighbor and tee-towel tale’.

“Autumn Jordon writes with a real-world understanding of her characters. She lights up the page.” –New York Times Best Selling Author Kasey Michaels

“Autumn Jordon delivers delicious heat and heart-thumping thrills!”

–Joy Nash, USA Today Best Selling Author of
The Unforgiven
.

“Jordon delivers a smart suspense with heart-warming romance”.

–2009 Golden Heart Finalist & Carina Press Author of
Under Fire
, Rita Henuber.

“Autumn Jordon writes with such a breathtaking ease, you forget you’re reading a book and not living every delicious and heart-stopping moment yourself.”

–Darynda Jones, NY Times Best Selling Author of
Third Grave Dead Ahead
.

HIS WITNESS TO EVIL

IN THE PRESENCE OF EVIL

OBSESSED BY WILDFIRE

PERFECT

PERFECT HEARTS

BY

JACIE FLOYD

While longing to break free from a lifetime of responsibility, Annabel Morgan has never ventured away from the corners of Straight and Narrow. With her stepdaughter heading off for college, now might be the time to pursue her dreams of going to film school, traveling to Paris… dating guys with tattoos.

Living on the edge is the only way larger-than-life Investigative Reporter Mad Max Williams knows how to roll. He’s known for partying with strippers, riding a Harley, and standing up for the little guys. With New York calling, he’s ready to move up and on in his career.

As wary acquaintances and rivals for a local media award, they deeply disapprove of one another—except for that zing of attraction they can’t quite ignore. When they’re matched up for a date on a television talk show, can Mad Max convince conventional Annabel to take a ride on the wild side?

“And the winner of this year’s Community First award is—” Annabel heightened the imaginary suspense with a mental drum roll as she pulled into the local television station’s parking lot. Beelining for an empty spot at the end of the row, she allowed hometown favorite George Clooney to announce, “Challenging Destiny, Lasting Productions, Annabel Morgan and Howard Lasting, producers!”