Shadow Guardian Read online

  “Where are we meeting?”

  “Garden Hotel in Murfreesboro. I asked Z to book the Honeymoon suite in case Mercy needs a break.”

  “Smart. I’ll find the schematics for the hotel, and Trace and I will look at the security situation while you’re with Mercy.”

  Nico nodded. “Thanks.” When he returned to the office, Mercy was seated in the big leather chair behind the desk, head tipped back and eyes closed, fatigue evident on her face.

  He stepped inside the room and closed the door. After setting the water and tissues on the desk, Nico crouched beside the chair. Despite the bruises, Mercy Powers was a beautiful woman, one he’d love to know better.

  He hated to wake her, but Marcus should be home by now. “Mercy.”

  Heavy eyelids raised. “Sorry. I only meant to close my eyes for a minute. Is it time?”

  “No need to apologize.” Nico wiggled the mouse and entered the information necessary to connect with Marcus. A moment later, his friend’s face appeared on the screen.

  “Good to see you, Nico.” Marcus’s gaze shifted to Mercy. “I’m Marcus. Three things you should know before we begin, Mercy. Anything you tell me will not leave my office. No one will know we talked unless you tell them. Second, if you need to stop and regroup, tell me. We’ll take a short break. Third, knowing Nico, I assume he’ll want to stay in the room to provide protection. If you don’t want him to overhear what you’re saying, he can slip on his headphones and listen to music or an audiobook. If you allow him to listen, he’ll keep your confidence as well. Tell him what you want him to do.”

  Her gaze locked on Nico’s. “You don’t need headphones. I’ve already told you most of what happened anyway.”

  Most? She’d been holding something back. He looked at the computer screen. “The feds want to interrogate Mercy tomorrow.”

  “Ah. Mercy, start at the beginning. Tell me where you were and why.”

  As Mercy related her story to Marcus, Nico moved one of the chairs around behind the desk. He sat out of camera range but was close enough to press a handful of tissues into Mercy’s hand when tears began to roll down her cheeks.

  Hearing what she’d gone through gutted him and brought back memories of his own experience. Once Mercy was safe, he might call Marcus to silence his own nightmares again.

  By the time Mercy’s session with Marcus ended, she was swaying from fatigue. With the counselor still on screen, she said to Nico, “I’m going to rest for a while. Talk to Marcus.” She cupped his cheek for a second, then left the room.

  He slid into the seat Mercy had vacated. “Thanks, Marcus.”

  “No problem. Tell me what’s going on with you.”

  “I’m fine.”

  Marcus smiled. “Mercy doesn’t seem to agree. Why does she think you need to talk to me?”

  Nico dragged a hand down his face, wondering how she’d figured out her story had triggered deep-seated emotions in him. “I was taken captive last year by human traffickers. When they weren’t torturing me, they locked me in a cave.”

  “Hearing Mercy talk about her experience in Mexico must have brought up some bad memories.”

  “Yeah, it did. I was going to call you about it after she was safe.”

  “Did you get counseling?”

  “Maddox had one of our counselors in Bayside before the jet carrying Shadow landed. He stayed with me the full month I was in Sorensen’s recovery room.”

  “Tell me what happened, Nico.”

  An hour later, he ended the video chat with Marcus after promising to call him if he or Mercy needed to talk. Nico polished off the rest of his water and pushed away from the desk. He walked into the kitchen and pulled up short when he saw Mercy sitting at the breakfast bar. “I thought you were resting.”

  She slid off the stool and crossed the expanse of the kitchen to stand in front of him. “Are you angry with me?”

  “Why would I be?”

  Mercy dropped her gaze to his chest. “I shouldn’t have insisted that you talk to Marcus. I’m sorry for overstepping my boundaries.”

  “Hey.” Nico cupped her chin with the palm of his hand and lifted her head so he could look her in the eyes. “You were trying to help, and you were right.”

  Her eyes widened. “I was?”

  “Hearing what you went through triggered memories of my own. Talking to Marcus helped. Thank you.” He brushed his thumb lightly over her bottom lip. “You didn’t tell me Hector threatened to rape you, then sell you to the highest bidder.”

  “Because it didn’t happen. You had enough on your shoulders without me adding a threat that didn’t materialize.”

  “Mercy, if it concerns you, I want to know about it. I don’t care if it’s big or small.”

  “Why?”

  “You matter to me.”

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Mercy’s heart skipped a beat at Nico’s words. How could she matter to him? Did he mean she mattered because she was a job? She couldn’t deny the possibility disappointed her. “Because you’re protecting me.”

  His dark eyes stared down into hers as his hand left her chin and curled around her nape. “Is that what you think? That you’re just a job to me?”

  “I don’t know what to think.”

  “Yeah, Mercy, you do. You don’t know if you’re ready or willing to explore the attraction.” Nico moved a step closer and slowly lowered his head until his lips touched hers. “I hope I can change your mind.”

  Heart slamming against her ribcage, she stood still and waited to see if he would deepen the kiss or leave her with a tantalizing taste of him on her lips. It had been three years since her last kiss, Mercy realized. Aiden had been deployed for a year when he died.

  Nico changed the angle of his head by infinite degrees until he found the perfect fit. Mercy’s blood heated, anticipating the deeper caress she suddenly craved. When he kept the kiss light, teasing her lips with the tip of his tongue and igniting a wildfire inside her, Mercy increased the pressure herself and initiated the kiss she wanted more than her next breath.

  His thumb brushed against the side of her neck, and he let Mercy control the kiss. She edged closer still with a soft moan as her pulse soared. It had been a long time since she’d been held like this. Sometime during the kiss, Nico’s other arm had wrapped around her waist and held her tight against him.

  When he broke the kiss, Mercy whispered, “No. Not yet.”

  “Easy, kitten,” he murmured. “Company.”

  As the rush of emotion eased, she became aware of voices drawing closer. Nico’s teammates. She should move away from him, but Mercy didn’t think her legs would hold her weight. Now that she was more cognizant, she realized she was leaning heavily against Nico and he was taking the brunt of her weight. “Kitten?”

  “Your hair reminds me of the color of my childhood pet and it feels as soft as a kitten’s fur. Do you mind if I call you that?”

  She shook her head, grateful he didn’t call her Sweetie like Aiden had.

  The back door opened and the male voices she’d been hearing petered off into silence.

  Face burning, Mercy started to move away from Nico, but he tightened his grip around her waist to hold her in place and continued to stroke her neck with his thumb. Instead of fighting against of his hold, she relaxed into his embrace and rested her cheek against his heart.

  “Do you have a security plan worked out?” Nico asked his teammates.

  “We do. When you have a chance, we’ll go over it with you. You can evaluate the plan for weaknesses,” Trace said.

  “You already know there are several weaknesses. We can’t secure all the rooms on the floor with such short notice, and we can’t lock down the hotel.”

  “Not to mention the feds coming and going,” Joe commented. “They’re not inconspicuous. We thought it would be better to leave Sam in the suite with you and Mercy. Trace, Ben, and I will cover security at the door, the stairs, and the elevator.”

  “We have
the schematics on Joe’s computer,” Trace said. “Ben offered suggestions between security rounds.”

  “I need to take over the watch,” Joe said and left the kitchen.

  “I’ll meet you outside,” Trace said. A moment later, a door closed, and the kitchen was silent again.

  Nico cupped her cheek. “Do you want to see the hotel’s schematics and know the security plan? Might help you feel more secure.”

  “I’ll pass.” After the kiss she’d shared with Nico, Mercy wouldn’t be able to concentrate long enough to make sense of the plan.

  He bent down and brushed his lips over hers in a brief caress and eased away from her. “Stay inside the house. If there’s trouble, wake Sam. She’ll know what to do. I’ll be on the patio.”

  When he closed the door behind him, Mercy leaned against the closest wall, hissing when her injured shoulder pressed too hard against the flat surface. Good grief. Nico Rivera’s kiss almost melted her into a puddle on the floor.

  Sam walked into the kitchen a moment later, her eyebrows rising when she saw Mercy against the wall. “Are you okay?”

  “Sure.”

  A frown. “I’m not convinced. What’s wrong? Is it your shoulder or leg?”

  “They’re fine.”

  “Well, something is up. Talk to me, Mercy.”

  She hesitated a moment. Should she tell her what happened a moment ago? Two of Sam’s teammates already knew or suspected. Mercy had a feeling Nico’s team was close knit. Wouldn’t take long for Trace and Joe to pass the word to Sam and Ben that something was going on between Mercy and Nico. “It’s Nico.”

  “Is he okay?”

  “More than.”

  Sam stared, then a smile curved her mouth. “Oh. This sounds like a story. I need coffee, then tell me all the details.” She swept past Mercy, filled her mug, and glanced around. “Too much potential for male traffic through here. There’s a suite with a sitting room on the second floor. Let’s sit in there. Joe won’t do a security sweep in the suite.”

  “You have the watch schedule memorized?”

  The medic’s face reddened. “Not really.”

  Hmm. “Sounds like you have a story to share, too. Come on. Show me the suite. Why won’t Joe do a sweep through there?”

  “It’s where he and the others put me. The suite is large enough to serve as an infirmary if we need one.”

  If Shadow needed an infirmary, it would mean the Scorpions had found them and one of the unit was injured. Mercy prayed that would never happen. She didn’t want to be responsible for an injury to one of these brave men or Sam.

  As soon as they were behind the closed door of the suite and settled on the couch, Mercy said, “You go first. Is something going on between you and Joe?”

  “I don’t know.” Sam looked frustrated. “He’s hard to read.”

  “He hasn’t made a move?”

  The other woman shook head. “He has had opportunities. Shadow unit usually works in pairs except for Nico. He’s comfortable working alone if the rest of us are paired off. Anyway, if Joe isn’t working with Trace, he’s with me. I’ve given him chances, but he must not be interested enough to follow through.”

  “I don’t know about that. I’ve seen the way he looks at you when your back is turned. Perhaps he’s afraid of ruining your working relationship by changing the dynamics.”

  “Other units have married couples working together. I don’t see why we can’t do the same if we’re dating.”

  “If you try a relationship and it doesn’t work out, what will that do to the group’s cohesiveness?”

  “We’re adults. We’ll figure it out.”

  “Maybe you need to convince Joe a relationship is worth the risk.”

  Sam sighed. “I’ll think about it. Enough about me. I brought you up here to talk about you. Dish, Mercy. Why were you holding up the wall in the kitchen?”

  Should she tell Sam what happened? The others might suspect, but they wouldn’t know for sure unless Nico confirmed their suspicions.

  “Don’t even think about holding back.” Sam narrowed her eyes. “I already spilled my deepest secret. Your turn.”

  Maybe the medic would have some insight. Right now, Mercy’s thoughts were running in circles and getting her nowhere. “Nico kissed me.”

  “Yes! I thought he was attracted to you. He’s never treated our principals the way he treats you or looked at them the same way. I never dreamed he’d act on his attraction while we were here. I figured he’d wait until we took down the Scorpions.” She stopped abruptly. “Wait. Are you interested in him?”

  “I’m attracted to him.” Boy, was she. Her pulse was still elevated. “More important, I like him and I like spending time with him.”

  “But?”

  “But I never thought I’d be interested in anyone again after I lost Aiden. Whatever is going on between me and Nico seems to be developing at warp speed. I don’t know what to do with that.”

  “Happens a lot in our business.” Sam set aside her mug. “Our work is intense and dangerous. Because of that, we realize life is unpredictable. If we wait, we might miss the chance of a lifetime.”

  Mercy knew that from her own life with Aiden. She’d lost him much too soon, but if they hadn’t grabbed their chance at a life together, she and Aiden wouldn’t have shared four wonderful years as husband and wife despite him being deployed for more than half of those years. She wouldn’t have traded one minute of their time together even knowing the pain that awaited her. The time she spent with him had changed her for the better, and she believed the same was true for him.

  “Don’t be afraid to take a chance, Mercy. Nico is worth the risk.”

  She already knew that much. Was she willing to suffer heartbreak again? His job was more dangerous than Aiden’s. What if she agreed to see where the attraction went, fell in love with Nico, and then lost him? Could she handle the pain of losing another mate?

  Enough. She couldn’t make a snap decision. Besides, Nico had only kissed her, not vowed undying love and begged for her hand in marriage. Time to change the subject. “How long have you and Joe worked together?”

  “Five years.”

  She laughed. “That’s not an example of a fast-moving relationship, Sam.”

  The medic grimaced. “I know. Some men are stubborn. Joe happens to be one of them.”

  “Does he know you’re attracted to him?”

  “Of course.” She stopped, frowned. “I think.”

  “Sounds like you should show him.”

  “If he gives me the chance.”

  “Create an opportunity.” She grinned. “I dare you. I’d love to see a relationship work out between you and Joe.”

  A knock on the sitting room door brought their conversation to a halt. Joe stepped inside. “Everything okay?”

  “Yes. Why?” Sam asked.

  “Nico was concerned when he couldn’t find Mercy.”

  Mercy straightened. “Does he need me for something?”

  “He has information. Says it’s important.”

  Both women rose and followed the operative to the patio. When Nico came toward them, Sam reached over and squeezed Mercy’s hand, then crossed the patio to sit beside Trace and study the schematics on the computer.

  Nico stopped in front of Mercy, his body blocking her from the view of his teammates. “You’re all right?” he asked softly.

  She nodded. “Sam and I were talking in her sitting room.”

  He studied her face. “Did I scare you?”

  Amusement bubbled inside her. “It takes more than a kiss to scare me off, Nico.”

  Satisfaction filled his gaze. “Good to know because I want to kiss you again. Will you let me?”

  Whew. Talk about moving at warp speed. Fine. She could be honest and see what he did with the information. “Yes, because I want to kiss you again, too.”

  His eyes darkened. “Tell me that again when we’re alone,” he murmured. Nico lifted her hand to plant a kiss o
n her palm then drew her toward the outdoor couch they’d sat on earlier. “Zane sent photos you need to see.”

  Nico tapped the screen of his phone and showed her a snapshot.

  Her eyes widened. “That’s my living room. Someone broke into my house.” And trashed everything she owned from the looks of the photo.

  “Zane activated a bot to keep track of any mention of your name. He caught this from a police activity report. Your neighbor called when he saw someone leaving your house in the middle of the night and knew you were still gone.”

  “Mr. Stonebridge,” she said. “He’s retired and keeps watch over the neighborhood at night. Are there more photos?”

  Nico scrolled through the pictures. Each photo shot an arrow straight to Mercy’s heart. Items that she and Aiden chose for their home had been destroyed. By the time Nico showed her the last picture, Mercy couldn’t see the images.

  Tears spilled down her cheeks. Handiwork of the Scorpions. What purpose would the destruction of her home serve? Nothing in there would indicate where she was hiding. This had been petty and mean, a way of reminding her that they intended to find her and punish her. But for what? She wasn’t of value to them.

  “I’m sorry, Mercy.” Nico wrapped his arm around her shoulders and tugged her gently into his embrace. “We’ll make sure everything is replaced.”

  She let him hide her face from his teammates. Her belongings could be replaced, but seeing the physical representation of her and Aiden’s hopes and dreams destroyed devastated her. It was almost as though she lost the last part of Aiden. She had memories and photos, items that were more valuable to her than the furniture, dishes, and her framed drawings. Still, seeing the destruction gutted her.

  As though from a great distance, she heard Nico say something to one of his teammates. When Mercy lifted her head, Nico pressed a handful of tissues into her hand. “Thanks,” she choked out. After drying her face and blowing her nose, she glanced around the patio and found it empty except for the two of them. “Guess I chased away your teammates with the waterworks.”

  “They thought you would be more comfortable without an audience.” Nico cupped her face between his rough palms. “Please, don’t cry anymore. I can’t take your tears.”