Absolution (Honor Guard 1)

“The hell it won’t.” He put the phone to his ear and snapped, “Yes?”

“Don’t yell at my dad,” she whispered.

That gained her a scowl in return. She shrugged and stomped into her bedroom. They would need to leave, and she couldn’t wander the streets wearing a bathrobe. His muffled voice filtered through the closed bedroom door while she threw some clothes on. She didn’t need him walking in on her naked. She had a hard enough time resisting him. No sooner had she pulled her shirt over her head than a knock sounded on the door.

“Come in.”

Joseph swaggered in, his gaze hovering on her low-cut neckline. She’d chosen the garment because it showed off her cle**age quite deliciously. Or, so she’d been told by her friends. It couldn’t hurt to look good in front of an ex-boyfriend, right? Heck, every woman likes to show off how hot she looks to an ex, and she wasn’t any different, right?

If I say it enough times, I might believe it, too.

“Pack a few changes of clothing. We won’t be coming back. We’ll have to stop somewhere to grab clothes for me. I’d planned on getting them later tonight from my place, but now we need to move to a more secure location. Fast.”

She blushed and smoothed her hair. “I have a few things of yours. I didn’t get a chance to throw them out yet.” Lowering to her hands and knees, she reached under the bed for the Rubbermaid container. She’d kept these things because they were his favorites—and they smelled of his cologne and soap. Whenever she had a wretched day, she removed them and inhaled his scent—even though any trace of him had disappeared long ago.

He took the container, shooting her a curious look. The bin was clear plastic, so he could see what she’d chosen to keep. And he seemed to know why, too.

“Thank you, Eva.”

His voice cracked, bringing tears to her eyes. Damn it, why did it have to be so hard to forget the feelings she’d had for him?

Because they’d never went away.

Not meeting his gaze, she waved a hand in front of her face. “I’ll get the stuff I need from the bathroom while you finish up in here.”

“Eva, please. Listen to something before we go.”

“No, we better hurry. I don’t want to get shot at again. Talk later.” She chose to call her exit a nicely timed retreat, but in all reality, calling it a coward’s run would have been more accurate.

Chapter Four

As Eva walked away, Joseph locked his gaze on her swinging ass, enjoying the sight for a moment before he kicked the bedpost. Why wouldn’t she let him explain? He’d been trying to get through to her for six weeks, only to be detoured at every attempt.

Once he got her to safety, he would tell her everything. What had happened the day he’d broken her heart. She might not want to hear it, but she would damn well listen, even if he had to tie her up to accomplish it. But she had been right in one aspect. He needed to get her somewhere safe. Then, all bets were off.

He put the container on the bed and ripped off the lid. His breath caught at what she’d chosen to keep. The shirt she’d always stolen to sleep in because she liked how it smelled like him. The jeans he’d worn every Saturday for walking through the local farmer’s market. The sweatshirt she’d bought him on their first vacation. The list went on and on, each item more sentimental than the last. How had she managed to keep anything if she’d thrown of his stuff out the window?

Dare he hope she still had feelings for him? She’d kicked him out and refused his calls. He hadn’t seen her since the day he had stumbled away from her, broken and confused. Now, he came to find she hadn’t banished him quite as completely as she would like him to think.

And if he stood even a one in a million chance of having her allow him back in, he wouldn’t rest until she damn well let him explain the truth behind what she had seen that day. One way or the other, he would make her see reason even if he had to tie her up to force her to listen to him.

What the hell did he have to lose?

Slamming the lid back on the container, he tucked it under his arm and exited her room. After one last look at her bed, he shut the door. He didn’t dare to retrieve the ring with her so close. Maybe someday, if she ever let him talk, he would return, get the diamond, and propose. If not, he could always leave it there to rot in hell. Like him.

Eva exited the bathroom with an overnight bag, and when she saw him standing guard outside, she grimaced. “Your charge is ready to leave.”

He groaned. “I think we both know you’re more than a mere assignment to me, Eva. So cut the drama.”

She blushed and charged for the door, but he caught her elbow before she could make it out. Redirecting her behind him, he drew his gun and turned his head from left to right, checking for any unwanted visitors lurking. Two uniformed officers stood at the end of the hallway, and Joseph nodded at them. They approached, and he returned his pistol to the holster on his lower back.

He seized Eva’s fingers. “Stay close to me, no matter what.”

“Okay,” she murmured.

Her petite hand clutched his, and his heart did an odd little flip-flop. Using his body to shield her, he stepped out into the hallway. The hair on the back of his neck tingled, and he threw Eva to the ground along with his belongings and drew his gun. The officer on the right pulled his gun, aiming at where Eva had stood mere seconds before. Rage pumped through Joseph’s veins. The punk dared to try to kill his woman? Two quick shots and the Cartel thugs crumbled to the ground. He rushed toward them, kicked their weapons out of reach, and checked for pulses…finding none. Each man had hidden a pistol behind their backs, and had fresh blood on soles of their shoes.

“Son of a bitch.”

He helped Eva to her feet, grabbed their stuff, and hurried her out of the apartment. She stumbled behind him, her breath catching as they passed the bodies.

“Why’d you kill them?” she squeaked.

“They’re not federales. I’m guessing the actual policia are dead somewhere in the building.” They entered the staircase, and he halted. “Right here. You better not look.”

The men had been shot in the head. Joseph cringed at the carnage and continued on, releasing Eva’s hand to grab his phone from his pocket. He hit the speed dial button and waited for an answer.

“Oh, my God. Those poor men.”

He glanced at her to see if she was okay. Her gaze darted between him and the dead men. She turned white followed by an odd shade of green. Lurching to the trashcan, she threw up. He couldn’t blame her. Two men with their brains sprayed over the place never looked pretty.