Page 9 of Waiting for Him
Boomer took a deep breath and let it out. “Well, Ian called Keon to get us ID for her along with a death certificate.” The ID they could’ve gotten from one of their contacts who was a master forger, but the certificate was a little harder because of the raised stamp authenticating it. Besides, they were better off having documents officially forged by the FBI. “He’s also getting us the file on Volkov. We should be able to head to Norfolk tonight and be at the bank early tomorrow morning.” He shrugged. “Where we go from there depends on what’s in the box.”
Handing Katerina her coffee with milk, Rick nodded his agreement. “I’ll go with you.”
“No, you won’t.”
Boomer’s dad narrowed his eyes at him. “What do you mean ‘no’? You can’t do this alone. You need backup.”
“And I’ll have it, Pop. But I don’t know how long we’ll be, and your birthday is Friday. Mom would kill both of us if you missed it.”
Boomer wouldn’t tell his dad that his mom had made special plans for his birthday. She’d gotten tickets for an intimate concert starring Rick’s favorite singer, Billy Joel. There were only one hundred tickets available, and she’d won hers through a local radio station two months ago. Since the event date was the same as his birthday, she’d decided to make it a surprise.
“Ian will probably send Jake with me. We’ve got it covered.” Not wanting his dad to think he didn’t need or trust him to help out, he added, “After Friday, if this isn’t settled, you can cover my six if you want, but don’t get Mom pissed at me again. She’s still mad that I won’t go out with her friend’s niece.”
Rick harrumphed but then smiled. “You made the right choice there, son. I’ve met Diane’s niece, and she gives new meaning to the word . . . uh, never mind. You’re just better off and leave it at that.” Boomer and Kat chuckled. It was evident Rick had forgotten she was in the room for a moment. “As for not going with you, fine. As long as someone from the team has your six. And promise me, if you need me, you’ll call no matter what.”
“Of course. There’s no one else I’d rather have covering my ass.” Boomer’s cell phone rang, so he stood and grabbed it from the counter. Glancing at the screen, he hit the call button. “Hey, Boss-man . . . uh-huh . . . okay. See you in thirty.”
He hung up, looking at Rick and then Kat. “Ian’s got info for us, so we’re heading to Trident. You have about fifteen minutes for a quick shower if you want, and we’ll grab some breakfast on the way.”
Rick finished the last of his coffee and set the cup in the sink as Kat left the room to go shower. He patted Boomer on the back before walking toward the front door. “I’ll run to the bagel place you all like and grab breakfast for everyone. This way, you don’t have to stop. I’ll meet you at the compound.”
As he headed toward his own shower, Boomer glanced over his shoulder. “Thanks, Pop. Grab a few extras because I’m not sure how many of us will be there. See you in a few.”
As Kat lathered the shampoo into her hair, she replayed the conversation she’d had with Benny the night before. After she’d thanked him for helping her, his response had been, “No problem. It’s what I do.” It was close to what Tiny had said when she’d thanked the big man earlier.
Well, what did she expect Benny to say after all this time? She’d been “dead” to him for longer than the seven years she’d been in his life. He had gone on to live without her. Now, she was just a girl he used to know who needed to hire him to keep her safe and help her escape the mess she was in. Nothing more.
Rinsing her hair, she thought about how good he looked this morning after she’d recovered from the shock of seeing his dad again. He must have rolled out of bed a few minutes before she did. His dark brown hair was a bit shaggy and sticking up in several places. His eyes were tired-looking, yet still the sexiest ones she’d ever seen. Her dreams of him over the years hadn’t done the man he was now justice. He was handsome as hell, with a body that would make a nun have dirty thoughts. She may still be a virgin, but it didn’t mean she was naïve about sex. In this day and age, it wasn’t possible. Sex was all over the TV and the internet. It was in the movies she saw and the books and newspapers she read daily.
The thought of Benny and sex aroused her, and she mentally calculated how much time she had before they left the condo. Taking her bottle of body gel, she squirted a small amount into the washcloth she’d found under the bathroom sink, along with a few guest towels. She washed her entire body before sliding the lathered material between her legs. She gasped as it rasped over her clit and sent waves of desire through her. Dropping the cloth, she replaced it with her fingers and rubbed earnestly. She imagined her fingers were Benny’s and how he would arouse her further before replacing them with his lips and tongue. The daydream sent her over the edge faster than she expected, and she bit her bottom lip to keep from yelling out her pleasure.
After she recovered, she picked up the washcloth again and wiped away the evidence of her masturbation. She pushed her wants and needs for Benny back into the furthest corner of her mind, shutting and locking the metaphorical door behind them. Now was not the time to think about him . . . about them . . . about how good she knew they would be together. Her life was in danger, and by him helping her, so was his. Sex and fantasies were out . . . logic and reality were in.
Damn.
When they walked out the condo front door a short while later, it was within the allotted time he’d given her. Waiting outside the door was a good-looking man whom Ben introduced as Jake Donovan, a.k.a. Reverend, one of his teammates at Trident and in the SEALs. He was a few inches taller and older than Benny, but otherwise, he had a similar physique—broad, hard, and sinewy. His hair color was a shade somewhere between her own light brown and Benny’s dark brown, and his eyes were covered by sunglasses, which only enhanced his Hollywood good looks.
He smiled and shook her outstretched hand before turning around and leading the way to the parking lot, with Benny taking the position behind her. She realized they’d placed themselves to protect her like bodyguards would.
Well, that’s what they are, you idiot. That’s why you came here—for protection and nothing more. At least not yet.
Benny drove her back to the Trident compound with Jake following him in his own vehicle. As she sat in the passenger seat of his Dodge Charger in silence, her stomach growled, and her cheeks burned red when he chuckled at her.
“My dad’s getting us breakfast, so we can go straight to Trident.”
“Okay.” She turned in her seat to look at him without straining her neck. “If Ian has what we need, are we going to Norfolk?”
He checked his side and rearview mirrors, then changed lanes before answering her. “Most likely. I wish I could leave you here and run up there myself, but I’m not sure what safeguards your father might have left. I may be unable to do it without you since you’re his next of kin.”
His words impaled her like a sword. “I wish I could leave you here . . .”
Whatever he’d said after that was a jumbled mess. She knew she’d been hoping for the impossible. He didn’t want to be near her. He’d rather do what needed to be done and kick her out of town when it was over. When she didn’t say anything more, he glanced over. She kept her eyes downcast and took a ragged breath.
“Kat, what’s wrong?” She didn’t answer. “Damn it, Kat, look at me. What’s wrong?” A few seconds ticked by before he cursed. “Fuck!”
She flinched but refused to look at him. He slowed down and then stopped at a red traffic light. Reaching over, he tilted her chin up until her gaze met his. “Kat, I didn’t mean whatever you think I meant. When I said I wanted to go up there alone, it was from a tactical standpoint. It would be safer for you to stay at the compound. I don’t know what’ll be waiting for us in Norfolk, and the last thing I want is you in a position of danger. That’s all.”
The driver behind Jake honked his horn, and they both looked up to see the light had turned green again. Taking his foot off the brake, Benny accelerated and split his attention between her and the road. “Do you understand me?”
