Innocent Target Read online

  A shiver slid through her at the possibility of what could’ve happened if James and Nick hadn’t turned up to rescue her. Mercy had never seen herself as someone who needed saving, having fought tooth and nail not to become her mother.

  James’s arm tightened around her. “Cold?” His breath fanned her face, the hot skin of his bare chest vital under her palms, his heartbeat stable and robust.

  “No, just thinking about the last few days.”

  The growl she felt under her touch rumbled through her fingertips, and she stroked the hard muscle to soothe him. The genuine threat that his sister would end up at the hands of Scorpion and the MC was on everyone’s minds. Then there was the precious baby who was now in the care of the MC. The silence left by Abbie was deafening. In only a short space of time, the little one had wriggled her way into Mercy’s heart.

  “I don’t even want to consider what might have happened if—” He stopped, and she knew he didn’t want to say the words, but they hung between them.

  “It didn’t. You and Nick saved me.” It was easier to voice the thoughts than she had thought it would be. Growing up as she had, Mercy had wanted to leave all her vulnerabilities behind.

  “You would have found a way, Merc. I’ve never met a more resilient and stronger woman.”

  Mercy tensed waiting for the but, or for him to tell her how unladylike it was, but the words never came. Deep down, she knew they wouldn’t. James wasn’t her father, and she needed him to understand why her relationship with her parents was almost non-existent.

  His fingers brushed patterns on her shoulder, and she snuggled closer, her legs tangled with his in a comforting, relaxed way as if they’d been together for years rather than a week or so.

  “My mother and father are very different from me.”

  James remained silent as if he sensed she needed to get this out and wasn’t comfortable sharing.

  “My mom was the typical Stepford wife. She cooked, cleaned, kept house, always looked immaculate, and never made a single decision for herself. My dad ruled our home. He worked, but that was all he did. My mother ran the home and did as he told her. I think when I was born, they were excited that I would be the same, and at first, I was. I never got in trouble. I did as I was told, wore what I was told. But as I got older, I saw how fucked up it was that my mother had no life of her own and could only do something if my father decreed it ladylike or acceptable for a woman.”

  James rolled them so they were facing each other, and she knew he could see her face in the moonlight from the gap in the curtains. His expression had a gentle look as he threaded his fingers through hers and held her hand to his heart, the other resting on the naked skin of her hip. “That sounds awful. For a woman as brave and adventurous as you are, it must’ve been stifling. What happened?”

  “I began to hide clothes at school, hang out with the wilder girls. I didn’t go off the rails, but as far as my parents were concerned, I was a delinquent, even though my grades were good. I left home at sixteen and joined the local traveling circus doing high wire stuff, but as soon as I got a chance, I learned to fly, and I was good at it. I began to get gigs doing air shows as a stuntwoman, though I knew it wasn’t what I really wanted.” Mercy was lost in her memories as she felt the tears prick her eyes. “A friend of mine was killed by her boyfriend, and I saw the way the police department made a difference to her family by putting him away. I joined up, and Ian was the first person I met the day I graduated from the academy. He’s the father I wish I’d had. Don’t get me wrong, I love my parents, I always will, but we’re different people.”

  James brushed the wetness from her cheeks, not judging her or telling her she was a weak female, just supporting her, and she fell even more in love with him.

  “I can see why you don’t like to look weak. You don’t want to end up like your mom.”

  Mercy sniffed. “Exactly. I was always so scared of becoming her that I sought out every wild thing I could, the circus, flying, the police force. None of those are jobs my father would consider appropriate for a woman.”

  “Well, it’s his loss. You’re a wonderful woman, full of courage, kindness, and talent. If he can’t find it in him to look at you and be proud, he doesn’t deserve you.”

  Mercy rolled into him so he went to his back beneath her, her hands landing on his chest as she felt the stony ridge of his erect cock at her center. James’s hands landed on her hips as he caressed her skin, making her shiver with desire for him.

  The words she hadn’t be able to say before came easily now. “I love you, James. I don’t know when it happened, but it did. You let me be me, with no judgment or expectations.”

  His eyes sought hers as his hands skimmed over her breasts, cupping them, making her moan at the sensations flooding her body. She knew he wouldn’t make love to her tonight, she was too exhausted anyway, but this intimate closeness was enough for now.

  “I love you, too, Mercy. I think I have from the first moment we met. You bowled me over with your strength and sweetness. No wonder Abbie adores you as much as I do.”

  “Do you want kids, James?”

  He angled his head to look at her. “Yes, I always have. I come from a big family and loved every crazy minute.” His hands on her body stilled. “What about you? Do you see yourself as a mom someday?”

  Mercy balanced on his chest as she carefully thought about it, choosing her words carefully. “I never used to want kids. My experience wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t sunshine and rainbows, either, but lately I find myself wanting that. Especially being around Abbie. It’s hard not to get clucky around that angel.”

  James rolled, so he was looming over her, holding his body weight from her. “Just Abbie?”

  Mercy smirked. “Well, her uncle is pretty hot.” He bent and nipped her neck playfully, and she laughed. “Seeing you with Abbie made me wonder what it would be like to have a family with a man like you.”

  He cocked an arrogant brow. “You want my babies, Merc?”

  “Hold your swimmers, Romeo. I said maybe one day, if it’s even possible with my issues.”

  “I’ll convince you.”

  She laughed as he kissed her again, but she thought perhaps he would, and she found she didn’t mind. James was throwing out all her preconceived ideas about family life and replacing them with healthy ones she found she wanted too. But first, they had to rescue Abbie and Beth from the Henchmen, and come hell or high water, she’d make sure they did. That stubborn part of her personality would always remain. Plus, she wanted this to end happily for the man who held her in his arms, because her happiness was now tied to his.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Being in the dark was almost as difficult as waiting. James died a little inside when he allowed himself to think about his sister and niece. He had to remind himself that for their sakes, he needed to keep his mind sharp and emotionless. Their survival depended on it.

  Imari was deep in her research but had sent some interesting information for them to start looking at. Nick, Ian, Mercy, and James assembled at the kitchen table, all eyes on the laptop screen. On it was a map Imari had sent them, cross-referencing all the places Rao had been since he’d arrived in Florida with Hull’s locations and some of the more influential members of his MC.

  North Florida was dotted with specs of color and only a few cities or towns hadn’t been checked by the two men in their search for Bethany.

  After countless minutes of examination, Nick was the first to sigh in defeat. “Come on. Look at all the places they’ve checked and they still haven’t found your sister.”

  Mercy seemed to agree. “Yes, but what I see are the places between those dots. What if she’s hiding in one of those?”

  Logically, what they were stating was true, but didn’t make James feel any better. So, he was apprehensive when Ian leaned forward.

  “I think Mercy has a good point. When we searched for fugitives, we started with the normal avenues, such as what Hull and
Rao have done. When that didn’t work, our next step was to dig more into the person’s past, their habits. What has your sister been up to in the last few years?”

  James wished he had more to offer on that. “Bethany was always an unruly child, unpredictable but sweet. I think she trusts people too easily and it’s probably why she fell into Hull’s clutches.”

  Mercy slid her hand onto his knee, and he gladly accepted it. Having her by his side made him stronger, steadier.

  “James, we’re responsible for our own actions. We can’t wallow on what-might-have-beens, we can only move forward and do our best to rescue her. And we will.”

  James nodded. “Our last few calls were brief. The last time I had an actual conversation with her was a little over a year ago. She was having diving lessons and couldn’t shut up about it. It was the first time I’d heard her so enthusiastic about anything, so much so I thought she’d finally found the one thing that would turn her life around. I guess she met Hull not long after that.”

  Mercy’s grip tightened on his hand her blue eyes sharp. “Do you know where she had those lessons?”

  With a frown, James tried to recall the conversation. “I don’t know. I think she was on the East Coast but was vague regarding where she was. Which isn’t surprising. Our parents were on her case about settling down and not wandering aimlessly around, and Bethany withdrew, even from me.”

  Nick turned the laptop in front of him and flexed his shoulders, cracking his fingers. “I may not be as amazing as Imari but I can research better than any other member of the team. Watch me.”

  James appreciated his enthusiasm, even though he knew for a fact that Nick wasn’t in the top three computer specialists in the Agency.

  After many groans, a few curses, and countless hair raking, Nick finally hissed in victory. “I started by checking for any payments made to dive schools and dive excursion companies from Maine to Florida. Nothing. She must’ve used cash or a cloned card. Then I checked her first name with diving companies on the east coast. And I found multiple pay stubs in her name from a dive place near Richmond Hill, Georgia, called Deep Blue Excursions. Not only did she learn to dive there, but it seems she worked for them too. From what I could see, she was there for almost six months.”

  Ian nodded. “Bingo.”

  Mercy smiled. “I’m pretty sure your sister is as friendly and outgoing as you are, James, which means she probably formed a bond with the people there. If she were in trouble, she’d go to them. And what better place to hide than on a boat?”

  James felt a tingle down his fingers. “So, we’re heading to Georgia?”

  Nick scrunched his face at the screen, not answering for the longest moment. “Did you know that Deep Blue Excursions has an office here in Daytona Beach?”

  “What? How do we know if Bethany went to Georgia or stopped at Daytona?” Frustration threatened to rise in him, but Mercy offered a solution.

  “Well, we check the pay stubs. I’m sure that whoever is running Deep Blue would use Bethany on one of their charters, keep her on the water as much as possible. Maybe they aren’t using her real name, but I’d check for a female constantly working on those charters.”

  Without answering, Nick turned the screen back to himself and started typing.

  Ian gave a friendly punch on Mercy’s shoulder. “That’s my girl and her bright brain. I knew I saw potential in that stubborn blonde head of yours.”

  Mercy laughed and punched Ian’s shoulder too, lightening the mood with only that beautiful sound.

  Far from being distracted, Nick ignored them, grumbling to himself, his tall frame hunched over the keyboard as if he were about to jump behind the metal frame.

  “Got it!” Mercy and Ian jumped at Nick’s outburst. “Daytona. Marie Smith. Just appeared in the books, and since she’s started, she’s been on every charter they’ve had. I’m pretty sure that’s your sister, James.”

  At last, he had a direction. Turning to Mercy, he winked. “Wanna go on a boat ride? Always wanted to see you in a bikini.”

  Even though they moved fast, James made sure they weren’t followed. It was clear that Ian’s home was compromised, and arrangements were made to relocate him for the time being. The former cop wasn’t happy, but agreed to the plan, at least for now.

  Nick drove to a safe house with Ian, and would head to Daytona as soon as possible, while James and Mercy went their way. They planned to take several detours to make sure nobody followed them. Deep Blue Excursions were booked on a fishing trip for the afternoon, but Ian had a contact at the marina, a friend of his who’d offered his boat for their impromptu recon. The goal was to intercept the Deep Blue boat and check if Bethany was on board.

  Nick would secure the area around the marina when he returned, keeping an eye on everything, and making sure they weren’t faced with a welcoming committee on way back. Other team members were also on their way. The timing was tight, maybe too much so, but they finally had their chance at getting Bethany back and keeping her safe.

  As expected, Ray Duarte was waiting for them exactly where Ian had said he’d be, beside his gleaming white cabin cruiser. The 47-foot beauty wasn’t brand new, but was in beautiful shape, obviously the pride and joy of its owner. The man himself was hard to miss with his bright smile and even more colorful shirt.

  “Hi. You must be James and Mercy. It’s great to meet you. Ian said you needed my help, and as my stubborn friend never asks for anything, I had a feeling it was important.”

  Ray shook Mercy’s hand, and his hold remained a little bit longer as his eyes roamed over her body. Not that James could blame the man, Mercy looked like a summer fantasy, in a sheer flowery dress over a blue bikini that James was dying to unwrap. They were on a mission, but the woman was a fascinating distraction.

  Ian’s friend invited them on board, and they quickly left the marina with Ray at the helm. “Normally, half-day fishing trips are never more than four hours. Before you arrived, I checked with the marina, and the Deep Blue charter left two hours ago. I’ll position the boat as close as possible to the usual return route. How do you want to do it?”

  James saw Mercy nod at the plan. “We’ll do exactly that, and when we get a visual, kill the engines and ask for help. I think that’s the best approach without them suspecting anything.”

  Ray gave them a sharp salute and focused on leaving the marina. James stayed by his side, examining their surroundings, his eyes on the nearby vessels and the people on board. Even with his sunglasses on, the reflection of the sunlight on the rippling water made it difficult to discern the faces. James only allowed himself to relax when civilization disappeared behind them. Danger was never far away, but they would overcome. This team would see it through; it was only a question of time and laser-sharp focus.

  Once the boat was cruising the sapphire waters, James went to check on Mercy and stopped in his tracks when he discovered her lounging in the back in her bikini, a delicious expanse of golden skin soaking up the sun. With her hair covered by a wide-brimmed hat and her eyes behind her sunglasses, all he could do was admire the woman who was his, remembering the last time she was in his arms.

  “What are you contemplating, big guy?”

  James smiled as her tongue licked her lips. “I’m convinced you’re a temptress and we need to plan a boat trip when all this is over.”

  “The two of us, alone, in the middle of the sea? Preferably naked? You’re reading my mind.”

  He would have lingered on the sensual banter longer but the boat slowed, and the engines shut off.

  He didn’t need to say anything, Mercy was on her feet, wrapping her sundress around her. “Keep back, James. If they think we’re a stranded couple, we’ll look less threatening.” With a kiss on his cheek, she walked toward the front of the boat. “As soon as I make contact, I promise I’ll let you know.”

  Everything in him rebelled at staying behind but it was clear that whoever was on that charter were Bethany’s friends and wo
uld be protective of his sister. If they couldn’t get on board and the crew got away, it would be even more challenging to find her again, or even worse it could push her to act rashly and send her into Hull’s or Rao’s clutches.

  James waited inside the cabin, making sure he stayed hidden and unseen. The charter had quite a large group of fishermen and they all appeared to be celebrating an abundant catch, which made it easier to detect the Deep Blue crew, that, and their bright polo shirts.

  A tall handsome man shouted something at Ray who threw a rope to tie both boats together. A second guy, with pale blond hair, offered his hand to Mercy, who gracefully climbed on board, all flirty smiles, but her head was on a swivel, making sure to check everyone out.

  The fishermen cheered, celebrating Mercy’s arrival and probably also her tanned legs, and James saw her.

  With her hair much darker than the last time he’d seen her, Bethany moved with a box in her arms, trying to blend into the boat as she worked, but even with a bag on her head, James would’ve recognized her.

  He was moving before he realized it, jumping between the boats, evading the two crew members, yelling her name.

  “Bethany!”

  His sister froze, clearly panicked until she recognized him. Box forgotten as it fell to the ground, Bethany launched herself at him. When he closed his arms around his sister, she clung to him, sobbing, and James felt a piece of his soul returning to him. Now she was safe in his arms, guilt invaded his newfound relief. Even if he’d failed his sister by losing Abbie, he silently vowed to reunite his niece with her mother, and strengthen his family against any menace or storm coming his way.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Seeing James holding his sister as if he’d never let her go filled her heart with warmth and her throat clogged with emotion. Her hand shot out to stop the crew member who’d greeted her as he moved to get between the siblings.

  “No.” Her eyes shot to the man who looked torn, and Mercy had the feeling his relationship with Beth was more profound than the others. “James is her brother. He’s been worried sick about her.” She felt resistance against her palm as the man struggled with what to do, but he seemed to conclude that, as Beth was crying into her brother’s shirt, he wasn’t a threat.