Armored Hearts (The Town of Pearl 7)

Prologue

India Brooks had been running around all day. She’d just finished up the job at James Peter’s ten-thousand-square-foot mansion. The man was so filthy rich, yet it hadn’t completely gone to his head.

A full year’s work was coming to an end. A job of designing, decorating, and even providing the finishing touches was finally complete. She stood back and watched as James admired her work in the formal living room. Well, one of the five formal living rooms. They each had a different name and a different layout. This one in particular was one of his favorites. A Victorian era charmer with rich, bold colors, burgundy velvet seating, and, of course, a wet bar.

She reached up to fix the corner of the curtain by the large picture window when she felt the presence behind her and the hand to her waist.

“My God, India, you are an exceptional woman. We could be amazing together,” he told her and she swallowed hard. Her heart only beat a slight bit faster. It wasn’t that James wasn’t an attractive man. On the contrary, he had the looks of a movie star. Dark hair, bold blue eyes and a distinguished presenc

e wherever he was. When he entered a room women swooned over him. Even now, dressed more casually than his usual suits and ties, the man was appealing. Perhaps that was why she wouldn’t sleep with him or date him. Men like James wouldn’t, couldn’t be faithful.

She turned to look at him and today, her last day on the job, he pulled her into his arms and against his chest. His hand swept over her ass and squeezed.

“You’re so damn beautiful. I want you, India. I don’t care what you say or that you’ll try and deny the attraction. I want you.” He leaned down and kissed her deeply.

She gripped his shoulders, shocked at the fact that she felt only the slight spark of attraction. Was it enough to allow him entry into her heart, or into her body?

Her cell rang, interrupting the moment. She pulled from his lips.

“I need to answer that, James.” She pulled from his embrace as she reached for her cell phone then glanced over her shoulder at James. He looked flustered, upset, and ready to reprimand her. She recognized the signs of his expressions. A year working for the man and she’d learned more than she wanted.

Her friend Ava was calling to ask her about meeting them at one of the clubs.

“Come on, India, you could use a break. Isn’t today your last day on the job for rich boy?” Ava asked referring to James. She thought about it, and about the current odd situation she was in right now with said rich boy. She didn’t need the complications, and she truly wasn’t attracted enough to James to have sex.

“I can be there in less than thirty minutes,” she told Ava and then heard James release an annoyed sigh.

She disconnected the call.

“Who is he? What could he possibly have that I don’t have and that I can’t offer you, India?”

James took the one-sided conversation as if she was talking to another man, had a date, and was looking forward to seeing him.

“James, please. That was just a friend. I can’t get involved with you. It just wouldn’t last, and I would feel terrible to destroy this comfortable relationship we have.” She knew it sounded lame but it was a lot less hurtful than saying that she only thought of him as a friend. That could kill a guy’s ego.

He eyed her over.

“We would be amazing together. I’m not giving up on you, India. I’ll get you to let those walls down. I’m not like other men. I’d treat you like the special, amazing woman you are.” He took her hand, brought it to his lips, and kissed the top.

“I need to go. If you have any questions or problems just call me.”

“Oh, I’ll be calling you either way,” he said and winked.

India smiled softly, grabbed her bag and headed out of the room and through the estate.

Walking around the massive home, she wondered if she could actually live in a place like this and to a man like James. They did run in similar circles. Although he was the wealthiest man she knew, that didn’t do anything for her either. Maybe because she made her own money and didn’t have to work if she didn’t want to.

She wasn’t the kind of woman to host parties for people she hardly considered her friends just for social status. Those types of people were backstabbing fakes. Who needed friends like that when you had enemies?

No, she didn’t need a man like James in her life. A man that would complicate things and make her feel like she wasn’t good enough, wealthy enough, or accomplished enough. He was a very handsome man with a great body, but she knew if she slept with him he wouldn’t leave her alone. He would claim ownership and become obsessed with her, just like he did with everything else in his life, including his huge home.

India got into her car and headed out of the long winding driveway. She was going to the club to hang out with friends. Her circle of upper-class professionals who loved to wind down after a full week of board meetings, power plays, kissing ass, or even getting their asses kissed. She chuckled. She needed a drink. Just one or two and then some mingling. Tomorrow she had plans to visit with Aspen and do lunch.

* * * *

It was late when India decided to head home from the club. She made her way down the quiet sidewalk where barely anyone was walking around. Seeing the cab in the distance, she raised her hand, waved, and hurried toward the street. A black van sped up and over toward the sidewalk. She was shocked and didn’t step away fast enough as the side door opened and two men grabbed her, threw her into the back of the van, and took off.

India was screaming as she kicked her legs and tried to fight off the men holding her down. Why was this happening to her? What did they want? Were they robbers, rapists? She continued to fight, using all her strength to dislodge their hold on her. The hand went over her mouth, smothering her screams. Her heart pounded inside of her chest. She could hear the sound of tires squealing and the van rocking as it made a turn too quickly.

“Cooperate,” the man said in a Russian accent. She nearly lost her breath and the fear hit her instantly.

She could tell that the van was heading out of the city. She knew the route well enough. The long exit ramp that led to the highway and then the one that brought them toward the water, then deeper into the suburbs. She was crying now as she realized she was no match for her abductors. Suddenly the van turned and then slowed down. The van stopped. The side door opened and the two men in the back lifted her up to her knees. There stood Iakov. Andrei’s main man. This had everything to do with Aspen. These men were part of the Russian mob. Why were they after her?

He eyed her over, and she thought of his reputation. She thought about what Aspen had told her about Iakov. She knew he was evil a sleazy womanizer, maybe even a batterer a rapist. He looked at her as if she were meaningless.

“What do you want from me?”

“To give Aspen a message from Andrei. Remind her who she’s working for.” He struck her across the face once, twice, then a third time as she fell over onto her side.

He held the gun to her head, pressed the barrel to her temple, and she instantly felt the pain. “I could kill you right here and right now and it wouldn’t even matter. But I think your friend seeing you afterwards will bring more pain, more confirmation that we mean business.” He struck her with the barrel of the gun and then the others joined in, using her as a punching bag. They ripped her clothing, touched her breasts, her intimate parts, making her fear they would rape her but instead they beat her everywhere. She wanted to die. She’d never felt such pain before and wondered if death would come. He was yelling at her as he held her upright. He threatened her again, his words muffled by the pain she had everywhere, including her head. She felt the surge of anger and her last bit of strength. She spit in his face and he said something before he beat her some more. Finally she passed out from the pain.

Chapter 1

The bullet whizzed by Fenton Lewis’s head as he covered the package with his entire body. The man had to make it out alive or Fenton, Ford, and Flynn would lose their hefty pay.

“What the fuck? Where are those coming from?” Fenton asked Flynn as Flynn pulled out the sniper rifle, aimed, and took several shots. The bullets flying through the air instantly halted.

“The coast is clear, let’s move,” Flynn said, placing the black rifle back over his shoulder and standing.

Whoever had been trying to kill them and prevent Mr. Smith, their package, from leaving, was now taken out of commission.

Ford helped Mr. Smith stand up as Fenton moved forward, taking the front position, gun pointed and eyes scanning their escape route.

“Our ride is going to land in that clearing in about one minute ten seconds. Let’s take cover in that brush by the side there,” Ford ordered. He was their commander, their best friend, and always would be. They’d each officially retired five years ago from the service. However, now they took on secret jobs for close friends, for the military, for people they trusted, and for large amounts of money. The five of them were very well trained and Special Forces.

Fenton was still recovering from the bullets that w

hizzed by his head. The adrenaline rush got so intense sometimes, he felt as if he could feel his own blood pumping through every vein. His hearing was impeccable. They all had excellent hearing, and as he listened, he could hear the slight hum of rotors from the helicopter making its way toward them. Just as the chopper came into sight over the horizon, the sound of more bullets hitting the tree trunks around them and the three of them plus Mr. Smith took cover.

“These fuckers are relentless, Flynn. I thought you took them all out,” he teased Flynn as Flynn and Ford took out their guns.