Pursuit of a Kiss (6 page)
Authors: Lola Drake
“Don’t bullshit me. You know as well as I do the
police department can leak like a sieve. All it takes is one corrupt cop
willing to accept a bribe and they’ll get all the information about her they
need. Juliet, you need to come home with me.”
“You heard what the lawyer said. I can’t leave
right now.”
“I don’t give a damn what the lawyer said. Your
life is worth more than a guilty verdict for some gangster.”
Juliet turned pleading eyes on Jake once more.
With a sigh, he put a hand on Aaron’s shoulder. “Look, I know how you feel. But
I checked out Harris and Reed, and they’re good men. And from what I’ve heard,
Wetherby has an impressive conviction rate in gang-related homicides.”
“If the gang knows that, it could just make them
more motivated to eliminate the star witness.” Jake grimaced slightly, his
expression gone almost before it became noticeable. But Aaron knew him too
well. “What is it? What aren’t you saying?”
While doing a background check on the major
players involved in the case, he’d discovered that Wetherby tended to prosecute
capital murder cases. He had succeeded several times in sending felons to death
row. That could either work for Juliet, in that
penalty, or it could really work against her just as Aaron had suggested by
making
Jake didn’t know if he should tell Juliet that
this could be a death penalty case. If she shared her brother’s opinion on such
matters, she’d oppose it, which might make her more reluctant to testify. He
personally thought all murderers should fry, along with rapists, pedophiles,
and several other criminals he’d come across during his years with the bureau.
“Jake, you make me nervous when you suddenly
stop talking.” Juliet poked him in the ribs to get his attention. “What are you
thinking about?”
Damn, why did all women seem to ask that
question at the exact moment you didn’t want to answer them? “Wetherby wants to
charge
murder to benefit a gang. Then he can throw in one count of attempted murder
for shooting at Juliet and one count of street terrorism. If
will ask for the death penalty. But if Juliet isn’t able to testify, the
prosecution’s case gets a whole lot weaker.”
The color drained so quickly from Aaron’s face
Jake wondered how he managed to remain standing. Maybe he should have lied
about the possible dangers. Juliet seemed to be handling it better than Aaron.
Either that or the reality of her situation hadn’t hit her yet.
She turned to look at him. “Did Wetherby really
mention witness protection? Did he mean the whole new identity, changing my
entire life kind of witness protection? Or just protection for me, a witness...?”
“No, he didn’t mean the Federal program. You
might have to relocate temporarily, but I doubt it will come to that.”
“I’m taking you with me to
insisted.
“And I said no way in hell. I’ll be fine here. I
have guards, remember?”
Aaron looked unconvinced.
“Would it make you feel better if I volunteered
to be her personal bodyguard? After all, not every witness merits their very
own FBI shadow.” Jake flashed his trademark cocky smile at Aaron, hoping to
convince him. The idea of being glued to Juliet appealed to him in ways he
didn’t want to think about too closely. He tried to picture the Juliet he had
first met as a gawky twelve-year-old with ridiculous multi-colored glasses, a
mouthful of braces, and such a spindly figure her clothes always seemed too big
for her. It didn’t help. The Juliet before him was definitely all grown up and
so striking he wished he could shove Aaron out the door and pick up where
they’d left off.
The arrival of the doctor distracted Jake
momentarily, much to his relief.
“Can you give us some good news, Dr. Goldman?”
Aaron asked. He clearly couldn’t handle any more bad news.
Both Juliet and Jake turned to the doctor in
surprise.
“Where’s Dr. Erosou?” Juliet asked.
“Who?” Dr. Goldman picked up Juliet’s chart,
barely looking at her. “Sorry it took me so long, Mr. Morris. Everything here
looks fine. She’s healing nicely. We can release her in the morning.”
“Thank you, Doctor. That’s a huge relief.” Aaron
gratefully shook the doctor’s hand. “I know I’ve been pestering you, so I
appreciate you stopping by.”
“Dr. Erosou. Where is he?” Juliet repeated.
Jake could see Juliet’s fury building at being
ignored. Justifiably, he acknowledged. Was this doctor from the Stone Age where
he wouldn’t discuss a woman’s medical problems with her directly?
Dr. Goldman finally glanced in her direction.
“I’m not familiar with Dr. Erosou. He might be new.” With that he gave a final
nod to Aaron and left the room.
Aaron seemed to calm down slightly at Juliet’s
progressing recovery, but he continued to clutch her hand pretty hard.
“Jake, since I can’t drag Juliet bodily to
on you to look after her?”
“Yeah, of course. I won’t let anything happen to
her.”
“Okay then.” He clasped Jake on the shoulder,
clearly nervous about leaving. “I’ll leave her in your capable hands. Please
take good care of her.”
Jake gritted his teeth, trying hard not to let
his mind wander to precisely where he wished his “capable hands” could go. He
caught Juliet’s gaze flickering toward him before fastening itself on her brother.
“Don’t worry, I’ll look after her. Not a problem
at all.”
But considering the images of Juliet he couldn’t
stop from flooding his brain, he wondered if she wouldn’t be safer far away
from him.
Chapter Three
It’s Getting Hot in Here
Juliet emerged from the shower, relieved to be
out of the hospital and back at her own house. Pulling off the plastic bag that
had kept her arm dry, she limped to the closet – her hip still a bit sore from
the “flesh wound.” Easy for doctors to say––it wasn’t their flesh that bullet
had blazed a path across. She knew she had far more pressing things to worry
about, but she couldn’t help taking a moment to hope the scar wouldn’t be too
ugly once it healed.
With one arm, she rubbed the towel across her
body to dry off as best she could then pulled a pair of sweat pants out of the
closet. Fortunately she could step into those easily. Now came the real
challenge: a shirt. She finally found a huge flannel shirt she’d stolen from
her dad some years ago and had never bothered to throw away. Gingerly she poked
her injured arm through the sleeve, then the good one, and eventually decided
to leave it unbuttoned for the moment while she tried to brush her teeth with
her left hand.
Carly had come over that morning to help, but
Juliet had felt so sore and tired she just wanted to pop one of the pain pills
the doctor had given her and crawl into bed. Now she wished she’d let Carly
help her with all of these things first. This would have been so much easier
with a pair of working hands.
Ablutions complete, she sank, exhausted, onto
the chair in front of her old-fashioned white vanity. Her mother had used that
vanity as a teenager, and she’d given it to Juliet for her sixteenth birthday.
Now, even at twenty-nine, Juliet still loved using it. Somehow she always felt
prettier seeing her reflection in that ornate antique mirror than she did
anywhere else, especially in the last few years since her mother died. She
trailed her finger over a tiny crack in the wood. Her mother had been furious when
Juliet had done that. Now, however, as she rested her palm upon it, she
couldn’t think of anything in the world she wanted more than a hug from her
mother and her reassuring voice saying everything would be all right.
The soft knock on the door startled her. “Come
in.”
Jake poked his head in the doorway. “Are you
doing OK? Need any help?”
“I’m managing.”
“You in a lot of pain?”
Juliet shook her head, attempting to brush her
hair left-handed. “The medication helps. I’m more frustrated than anything.”
“So let me help.”
Jake came up behind her, took the brush from her
hand, and stroked it through her hair. His thumb grazed the back of her neck as
he gathered up a section of curls, holding them so he wouldn’t pull at her head
as he worked out a tangle. Their eyes met in the mirror and held. Juliet’s
heart thumped in her chest so loudly she wondered if Jake could hear it. If he
did, he gave nothing away as he ran his long fingers gently across her scalp.
“You have beautiful hair.”
Juliet chuckled. “Now I know you’re feeling
sorry for me. My hair’s brown and boring.”
Jake shook his head, gently separating out a few
strands. His eyes met hers in the mirror once more. “No it’s not. It has shades
of auburn and even gold under certain light. It’s beautiful.”
Her breath caught. The air around them grew
heavy with expectation as once more their eyes locked through the mirror.
Slowly, as though afraid any movement might startle him like a frightened deer
in the woods, Juliet turned around to face him. Desire flared inside her. She’d
wanted him for so long, and now, with the heat in his gaze… was he finally
going to kiss her after all these years?
Keeping her eyes glued to his, she rose, their
bodies so close they practically touched. Jake’s breath warmed her cheek and a
need, a hunger flared in his eyes. As he leaned in, Juliet’s eyes drifted
closed, the anticipation of having his mouth on hers at last overwhelming her.
And then it happened, his lips touched her––on the forehead.
What the…?
Juliet’s eyes flew open.
Jake abruptly stepped back, setting down her
brush. “Got any good movies? Let’s go watch a movie. I need a beer.” He turned
on his heel and practically sprinted from the room.
Juliet couldn’t understand what the hell had
just happened. She did know she wished she had thrown the brush at his
retreating back. He clearly wanted her. Didn’t he?
A photo of her and Aaron from her high school
graduation caught her eye. Oh yeah. Aaron. Maybe that had prompted Jake’s
decision not to touch her? At least, she hoped that was the reason and not that
he still thought of her as an ungainly kid sister. But she felt sure she hadn’t
imagined anything. He had lightly licked in his lips in that moment before
leaning in, and the way he had caressed her hair definitely didn’t feel like
something a brother would do. She shuddered, disgusted at this last thought.
No, Jake wanted her. And she would convince him
to see that.
Juliet managed to put on a touch of mascara and
some lip-gloss before heading into the living room to join Jake. He sat on the
couch flipping channels so she sank down beside him, letting her thigh rest
against his.
“Want me to make popcorn?”
He seemed about to stand up, so Juliet put her
hand on his thigh to keep him in place. Jake swallowed, hard.
“I’m not hungry.” Juliet tried to flirtatiously
flip her hair back with her left hand, but it ended up smacking Jake in the
cheek. To distract him from that less-than-attractive maneuver, she slid her
fingers lightly up and down his thigh. He started to blush, making him even
more adorable.
“But, um, movies are always better with popcorn.
Right?”
“Why are you acting so nervous?”
Jake laughed, but it sounded so tight and high
he’d clearly forced itout. “Nervous? I’m not nervous.”
“Uh huh.” She smirked, letting her fingers graze
his upper thigh as she pulled her hand back. His breath gave a slight hitch.
“Look, Juliet…”
“Here it comes.”
“What? I only wanted to say…” he trailed off as
a car that clearly had no muffler grew progressively louder. “Any of your
neighbors drive cars like that?”
Juliet shook her head.
“Shit. Get down!”
Jake threw himself over her just as the windows
exploded. He dragged them both behind the couch and pressed her against the
carpet as bullets whizzed through the air. Glass fragments cascaded down around
them, falling to the carpet where they glittered like deadly sharp diamonds.
The TV shattered. Wood chips knocked from the bookshelves spewed into the air,
surrounding them with the scent of saw dust.
Then came the pungent scent of gasoline as a
bottle smashed beside them. Flames filled the room, their heat pushing against
Juliet like a wrecking ball. She crawled backward on the rug to get away,
crying out at the weight placed on her injured arm.