Innocent Target Read online

  He’d tried to be careful with her, give her space, support, but he wasn’t a fool, and if she didn’t want him, and her reluctance to let him in said she didn’t, then he wouldn’t push it any further. They both had good jobs with Alliance, and he wouldn’t jeopardize that by forcing something that clearly wasn’t there for her.

  Reaching into the fridge, he took the water jug and poured himself a drink, lifting it and downing the cool liquid as his skin tingled with the awareness of her behind him. He’d just got Abbie back to sleep after her two am feed and found himself wide awake and thirsty, so had come out the kitchen looking for a drink. What he really needed was a whiskey, but he had no intention of indulging while his niece was under his sole care.

  The muscles in his back tensed as he felt the feather-light brush of her fingertips against his back. Goosebumps broke out on his skin as the electricity sizzled between them, and he felt her lips on his back. He clenched his fists, looking to the ceiling, not wanting to fuck this up like he had everything else in his life.

  “Mercy?” The desire in his voice gave the word a gravelly sound.

  He spun and reached out to steady her as she swayed from his sudden movement. Her eyes dropped to the floor as he gazed at her, realizing he was out of his depth with this woman. She’d made him care for her without trying, and he didn’t know if she really wanted him or a quick fuck. But he couldn’t care at that moment as her head tipped back to look at him, her warm eyes darkening with passion, her lips wet and pouty.

  He watched the pulse in her neck hammer with nerves as he kept himself rigidly in check. He wouldn’t touch her until she gave him permission, not prepared to make a fool of himself again. “Tell me what you need.”

  “I want you, James, just you.”

  In one swift motion, he lifted her, grasping her ass as she wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. His lips were on hers, the taste of cherry, the feel of pure silk as they fought for dominance, neither prepared to concede to the other. James squeezed her ass, and she whimpered into his mouth, making his cock harden to the point of pain.

  He broke the kiss. “Where’s your room?”

  “Left at the end of the hallway.”

  Her breathy, innocent words were enough to have him moving faster. Shoving through the door, he closed it quietly not wanting to wake anyone, most especially Abbie.

  Tumbling to the double bed with her, he kept his weight from her as he devoured her mouth, tangling his tongue with hers until they were both breathless. James smoothed his hand up the taught, silky skin of her thigh, his hand diving under the cotton pajama shorts and gripping the sexy curve of her ass.

  She whimpered into his mouth, and he ground his erection against the wet heat of her center, the motion inflaming arousal in his blood.

  Pulling away from her mouth, he trailed wet kisses down her neck, over the sensitive skin of her collarbone until he found the perfect mounds of her breasts. James pulled the top over her head, revealing her toned body to his eyes in the dim light.

  Lowering his head, he sucked a nipple into his mouth, laving the tender nub as she writhed against him, making him ache to be inside her. He gave the same attention to the other nipple, as she grasped his head, holding him in place.

  The thin barrier of her pajamas and his gym shorts did nothing to hide the arousal they felt; he knew she wanted him, but he also knew Mercy better than she realized. He didn’t want to push this by making love to her here if it resulted in her feeling uncomfortable afterwards.

  “Merc, do you want this, or would you rather wait until we’re alone?”

  Her answer surprised him as she roamed her hands over his chest and abs, her touch making his stomach muscles ripple in awareness.

  “I want you now.”

  “Do you have protection? I don’t have any with me.”

  She pointed to her bag on the floor. “Pass my bag.”

  James levered off her as she dug around in her wash bag and pulled out a foil-wrapped condom. Mercy handed it over, and he caught the way she ducked her head in shyness.

  A year ago it would have surprised him, but now he knew her better, he realized she was pretty private about this sort of thing.

  Laying the condom on the bed beside him, he kissed her again, wanting her to stay out of her head. Her hands tunneled into his hair, pulling at his scalp, making his dick twitch with need. Breaking his lips from hers, he kissed his way down her body, pulling her shorts off as he went. The triangle of trimmed hair at her apex was perfect as he swept a finger over the wet desire of her pussy.

  A low moan erupted from her lips as she arched her back, his fingers swirling over the bundle of nerves before they slid inside her tight body.

  James licked her from front to back, the taste of her exploding on his tongue and making his cock leak with pre-cum. He fucked her with his fingers, curling and rubbing the sensitive spot inside her as he sucked her clit into his mouth. Her orgasm rocked through her as she tensed, throwing an arm over her face and silently screaming into her elbow.

  As he lightened his movements, her trembling eased, and he sat up, shedding his shorts and rolling the condom down his cock. Holding the base of his cock, he rubbed against the wet evidence of her climax before pushing in slow and steady until he bottomed out inside her.

  “You good?” His voice was strained as he tried to hold off from moving until he knew she was okay.

  Her nod and the clench of her slender legs around his waist had him rocking into her, slowly at first, until she arched toward him. James linked his fingers with hers, holding them above her head as he kissed her hard, the movement of his tongue matching the motion of his hips. This was better than he’d ever imagined, and he knew he wouldn’t last long, but wanted to get her off one more time first. Lifting, he let one hand go and applied pressure to her clit as he angled his hips to hit her g-spot.

  “Oh, God.”

  Her mumbled words made him grin as his muscles shook with the need to climax. “You’re so fucking beautiful, Merc. Do you have any idea how many times I dreamed of fucking this tight pussy?”

  Her body tensed for a second and then her pussy clenched as her climax hit her and, as she arched with a moan, he swallowed it with a kiss. He felt his orgasm tingle down his spine, and then he spilled his seed into her, seeing white spots dance in his eyes, his breath coming in gasps.

  When they were both spent, he collapsed to the side, pinching the condom, and standing to deal with it. He dropped a kiss on her lips before moving to the bathroom. After washing his hands, he returned to see her lying on her side, the barriers already coming up.

  He wasn’t going to allow that, not now he knew how good they were together and how much that had meant to him.

  Slipping in behind her, he pulled her naked back into his front and kissed her shoulder. “Thank you.”

  She angled her head. “What for?”

  “For trusting me, for sharing your body with me.”

  Mercy snorted, and the tension left her. “It wasn’t exactly a hardship, James. You have some moves, you know.”

  “I aim to please.”

  “You did, and that’s what scares me.”

  He stroked her hair back from her face gently. “You’re safe with me, Mercy.”

  Her fingers played with his arm. “I know, but are you safe with me?”

  He had no answer to that, so he just held her and prayed they all got out of this alive because one thing he knew, he wasn’t letting her go.

  Chapter Twelve

  Mercy was in a warm cocoon. It took a moment for her brain to push away the fog, and it was James’s scent and the slow beating of his heart against her cheek that brought her back to the surface. It was so tempting to ignore everything and burrow deeper into his arms, but even the memory of what they’d shared couldn’t make her overlook the mission.

  Her eyelids fluttered open, and she groaned at the dawn filtering through the closed blinds.

  Ja
mes’s chest vibrated with contained laughter. “I know you’re awake.”

  With a sigh, she buried deeper into him as his hands roamed her back. “I’m not awake.”

  “Well, you’re the most awake sleeper I’ve ever seen, Mercy Broussard.”

  The delight in his voice made her abandon the muscled nest and look up. Her mouth met his and the kiss felt better than morning coffee, revving her system in matters of seconds.

  James didn’t indulge her as long as she desired, breaking the kiss with a groan of his own. “Abbie will wake up soon, and I don’t want to start something I won’t be able to finish. And I especially want to make sure you have a grandiose finish. Over and over and over again.”

  The shiver of lust coursing down her spine made her push her hips forward, and she met his erection, turning his groan into a growl. “Save me from temptation.”

  This time, it was her turn to laugh. “Okay. I’ll have mercy on you as it’s also my name. And because I’m feeling so satisfied, I think I can wait a little longer to indulge in your talents.”

  Oh, how her heart flipped at his wicked smile. It would’ve been almost impossible to resist if not for the insisting buzzing sound from his cell phone still in his shorts pocket on the floor. James almost fell off the bed trying to grab it, but Mercy didn’t mind ogling his gorgeous ass in his clumsy process.

  “James speaking… Hold on, Shane, let me put you on speakerphone.”

  Mercy was glad it wasn’t a video call as their boss wouldn’t be happy about their rather naked and intimate fraternization on the job.

  “Hey, guys. Sorry to call so early, but I suspected you two would be up. Taking care of Abbie, I mean.”

  James winked at her, and she poked her tongue at him to hide her blush. Part of her found the banter reassuring. She’d feared that opening up would change that, but it was still there.

  “No hiccups on the security front last night. Mercy, you chose well. Perfect situation and whoever was following lost you. That plays in our favor. And you should stay with your friend for as long as it stays that way. It will be safer for both of you, and especially for Abbie.”

  James shifted. “Any update on Bethany?”

  The hope in his voice made Mercy reach for his hand, and she only realized what she’d done when his fingers closed over hers. She might have noticed her skipping heart, but Shane was answering the question.

  “Not lately, which means either the MC got her or she’s found a perfect hiding spot. I’m leaning toward the second one.” Shane was being optimistic, and the three of them knew it. “On another note, I got hold of my FBI insider, and he put me in contact with a guy who’s been investigating the Havoc Henchmen MC for some time now. Not really investigating, but more like keeping an eye on them, building a file. He’s in Florida and agreed to a meet. We choose the time and place.”

  Mercy shifted. “Is this guy of yours reliable? And his contact? We’re walking a fine line here, and we can’t afford to make mistakes or follow the wrong lead if we want to save Bethany. Also, she’s been burnt by agents before. How can we be sure he won’t try to play us so they can find her for their own purposes?”

  The pause on the line was revealing, and a bit scary. “Zero risk doesn’t exist. Not in our line of work. From what I gathered without giving up too much, he’s our safest bet, and right now, I don’t have any other tricks up my sleeve. Unless you have another suggestion?”

  James locked eyes with her. “No, Shane. You’re right. We need insight with the Henchmen, and we don’t have enough time to dig into everything on our own. Call the man, set up a meeting.”

  Abbie stirred through the baby monitor, and Mercy took it as her cue. She rushed to get herself decent and scooped up the now wailing infant as James wrapped up the call.

  A quick sniff told her it wasn’t a case of Abbie needing a diaper change so Mercy headed to the kitchen with her. Abbie had no intention of calming down and was wriggling like a pink worm. “Easy, Abbie, I’m gonna find your formula and heat it in a second.”

  Ian rolled into the kitchen, a ridiculous and amused grin on his face. “Hey, kid! Busy morning, I see.”

  “I can’t hear you over the screaming banshee here.”

  Ian grabbed one of the bags and put it on the table, checking inside. He pulled out a bottle of formula. He didn’t say a word, and like a pro, proceeded to warm up the bottle, as Mercy tried her best to appease Abbie.

  It seemed like an eternity, but when Ian finally handed her the formula, Abbie latched on, looking up at her with big blue eyes still full of tears.

  James arrived, having donned gym shorts and a t-shirt, his cell phone in his hand. “Whoa, thanks for taking care of Abbie. Shane wanted to give me a heads up about security.”

  Mercy went to the living room and gently lowered herself on the rocking chair in the corner. “I think she shattered my eardrums. If you need to invest in her education, I’d put my money on an opera singer for her future career.”

  With a snort, James turned to go back to the kitchen, but Ian told him to stay put. “I’ll go make coffee and breakfast. Relax, take it easy. Those moments don’t last.”

  James sat on the sofa in front of her, leaning back with a sigh. “You’re a natural, Ms. Broussard.”

  “I don’t think so. I just got her a bottle. If she starts crying again, you’re up.”

  Her attention was on Abbie, but she could feel James’s eyes on her.

  Ian came back with a tray on his lap, carrying three cups. “I know how this one takes her coffee, but I didn’t know about you, young man.”

  “Thanks, Ian. It’s fine, as long as it has caffeine in it, I’ll take it any way I can get it.”

  Ian put her cup beside her, but her hands were full, and she didn’t mind delaying her morning fix for this little one.

  “I know what you mean. I had both my kids one after the other, and I was working shifts. Marnie had her hands full, and sleeping was so far down our to-do list, I have almost no memory of that part of my life.”

  Mercy snickered. “Not that you had a brain to start with.”

  “Ha, ha, Miss Smart-ass. Be careful what you say, I might be tempted to reveal humiliating and hilarious secrets of my own.”

  James wagged his eyebrows. “I’m so interested. I think that I might take you up on that offer, Ian. And for a beer when everything is over. I don’t think we’ll have much time before the meeting with the FBI is set.”

  Mercy was grateful as James brought Ian up to date. Her former partner was a smart man, and his experience was invaluable.

  “I never liked the FBI. I know there are good agents there, but they often have ulterior motives. Mercy and I had more than a few problems with them in New Orleans.”

  James took another sip. “I know. I need to find my sister though, and if I can get anything from the FBI, even if I have to sell my soul, I’ll do it for her.”

  Mercy wished she could do more to alleviate his worry and fear for his family. “I’m sure the meeting will give you answers. I’ll take care of Abbie with Ian. She’s safe and you can focus on finding Bethany.”

  James relaxed a little. “That’s what Shane wanted to talk to me about. He’s sending more reinforcements. If Ian is okay with it, you’ll come with me to the meeting. Abbie will be safe with him and the team.”

  Leaving Abbie behind made Mercy uncomfortable. Not that she didn’t trust Ian with the baby, he was the most resourceful man she knew, but something kept gnawing at her gut. “I think it would be better if I stayed to take care of Abbie.”

  James frowned, but Ian interrupted. “I understand, Mercy, but this isn’t a normal situation. Time is of the essence. Of all the people I know, you have an infallible instinct for bullshit. And with the FBI, you need a sharp one. If this is the one chance to bring back the mother of this little angel, I think you need to do everything you can.”

  Mercy didn’t like it, but she turned to James, as it was his call.

  Fo
r the longest moment, he didn’t say a word, looking at her as if she could provide an answer, but this was a call only he could make.

  He was clearly conflicted as he rose and went to the window. So much was on his shoulders, she desperately wanted to alleviate his worry. All she could do was offer her help and her loyalty.

  “I need you by my side for this, Mercy. I know you trust the team as I do, and if you trust Ian, he has my trust too. I know that if we all work together, we can see this through.”

  Mercy nodded, tightening her hold on Abbie a little. James might not know it, but Abbie had her loyalty too, and she was pretty much ready to do anything for her, and her handsome uncle.

  Chapter Thirteen

  James sighed in relief when Mercy agreed to go with him to the meet. He wasn’t needy, but he trusted her judgment, and he also trusted the team to look after Abbie. Mercy was taking a nap while Abbie slept, the sudden plunge into parenthood hitting them both like a ton of bricks.

  It was the most intense thing he’d ever encountered, a learning curve like no other, and they were doing it while on the run and trying to investigate his sister’s disappearance. James looked out onto the gorgeous vista at the back of Ian’s home. It was elevated, a valley of color below that was breathtaking and yet calming.

  “It takes your breath away, don’t it?”

  James turned from where he stood, his hands in the pockets of his jeans to look at Ian before turning his eyes back to the view. “Sure does.”

  “That’s the charm of this place. It has calm beauty with a steel core running through it.”

  James got the feeling they weren’t really talking about the view. Part of him bristled that a man who hardly knew him was warning him about Mercy, but the other half was glad she had someone looking out for her. Mercy was closed off about her family, and he knew they weren’t close.