The Courtship Maneuver, Complete Series (An Alpha Billionaire Club BBW Romance) (17 page)

D
og was getting agitated
. Tim’s body lay prone on the floor between us, a stream of drying blood across his face and the hole in his forehead the only things giving away that he was dead and not just passed out. I didn’t know how much time had gone by since Nolan had called. Not an hour. More than twenty minutes. My eyes tracked Dog’s gun, held tightly in his right hand, swinging with the motion of his arm as he paced the room.

Every so often, he’d stop, abruptly pivot and point the gun at Tim’s body, making a ‘POW’ sound and laughing. Once, he’d turned it on me, but I’d squeezed my eyes shut and held my breath, not wanting to see my death coming. This must not have been entertaining enough for Dog because he didn’t bother to do it again. I couldn’t see, but I was pretty sure my wrists were bleeding from rubbing against the zip-ties. My cut lip throbbed. None of it really bothered me. It could be worse. Tim’s wrists weren’t bleeding. As long as I was alive to bleed, I was in good shape. No matter what happened.

I sucked in a breath, trying to force myself to calm down. One bout of hysteria a day was all I was allowing myself, even considering the stress of being a hostage, hanging out with a dead body, and having a gun pointed at me. Axel’s guys would find me eventually. Nolan was on his way. Sam was out there somewhere. I had a good chance of getting out of this in one piece as long as I was smart.

I tried to relax, pulling slow, deep breaths in through my nose the way they taught in yoga class. I liked yoga when I bothered to go. I’d managed to calm down, at least a little, when the scrape of the door opening sent my heart rate flying all over again. A familiar dark head poked around the corner. Nolan. I sent up a silent prayer that he had a plan. And that if he did, it was better than whatever plan he’d used to get us in this mess in the first place.

Seeing Dog’s gun swing around to point at the door, Nolan shouldered it open and came in, his hands held up in front of his face, palms out.

“Hey, you can put the gun down,” he said, walking slowly toward Dog. “I’m here. No need for that. It’s cool.”

“You got it?” Dog asked, not lowering the gun.

“Yeah. Seriously, put the gun away,” Nolan said, continuing to edge closer to me. When he caught sight of Tim, he stopped, all the blood draining from his face.

“Do what I tell you and you won’t end up like Tim,” Dog said. “Give me the drive.”

Nolan continued to stare down at Tim’s body. Whatever his plan had been when he’d entered, it was forgotten. The sight of his friend lying dead had buried him in shock. I needed him to wake up and get it together.

“Nolan,” I said, keeping my voice barely above a whisper. It didn’t matter, Dog was close enough to hear everything.

“Give it to me,” Dog repeated. Nolan didn’t seem to hear either of us. He looked up at Dog, his face twisted in confusion.

“You killed Tim?” he said, his eyes going from the hole in Tim’s head to Dog’s gun and back again. “You were friends. He trusted you. I didn’t think you two were the one’s behind all this, I thought it was Petr. But Tim never would have betrayed you.”

Nolan might have gone on, but Dog laughed and dropped the gun to fire a shot into Tim’s body. It flinched at the impact, but there was no more bleeding without a living heart to pump the blood. Nolan shrieked at the sound. I froze, my ears ringing, my vision blurring. It took me a few seconds to realize I was crying. Again. When this was all over, I was putting a moratorium on tears.

“Tim was a tweaker,” Dog said, dismissing the dead boy on the floor. “He was useful when he brought you in. And getting that drive to me. But otherwise, he was a waste of time.”

Nolan straightened his spine and stepped over Tim, moving to the side until he was blocking me from Dog.

“Sorry Chloe,” he whispered when he was close enough to be heard.

“Don’t get shot, Nol,” I said. I wasn’t going to tell him it was okay. It wasn’t. But if we could both get out of this alive, I could be convinced to get over it.

“Let Chloe leave and I’ll give you the drive,” he said.

“You have it here?” Dog asked, his index finger tightening a fraction on the trigger.

“It’s encrypted. You can’t access the data without me.”

Dog shrugged. “The buyer has a hacker, too. He can deal with it.”

“Without the key, the data will erase itself,” Nolan said quickly. “It’s un-hackable.”

“You’re lying.”

“Am I?” The thread of smugness in Nolan’s voice must have convinced Dog that Nolan might be telling the truth. He’d put too much into this to risk blowing the whole thing over a hacker’s trick he didn’t understand.

“I can’t let her go, man,” Dog said, sounding almost apologetic. “There are too many people she can pull down on us. And I have a buyer for her, too. Just give me the key and I’ll let you walk. That’s the deal.”

“And leave my sister with you?” Nolan asked, incredulous. “Let you sell her? Not going to happen.”

“Then I’ll shoot you and torture the key out of you.” Dog angled the gun down and fired. Nolan flew back, landing against my legs, his head rolling to my knee. Blood welled through a hole in his jeans in the middle of his thigh, slowly at first, then in a thick stream, staining his jeans black.

“That’s not too bad,” Dog said, watching Nolan bleed. I whimpered, completely helpless as long as I was strapped to the chair. “You’ve got some time. Give me the key and the drive or I’ll shoot you again.”

“What good will that do?” Nolan asked, struggling to his feet. “If I’m dead you won’t be able to access the drive.”

“No, but I’ll still have Chloe. She’s worth more than you’d think.”

Nolan managed to stand, wobbling a little, blood pooling around his injured leg.

“Fine,” he said. “Get me a computer so I can decrypt this thing and I’ll walk. You can have Chloe.”

“Finally,” Dog said. He edged across the room to a table in the corner I hadn’t noticed before. A thin laptop rested on top, the screen closed. Dog picked it up, but Nolan stopped him.

“Leave it there,” he said, limping across the room. For the first time since I’d been tied to the chair, Dog turned his back on me. The first moment Dog, and his gun, were nowhere near my position, Nolan shouted, “Now!”

Everything happened at once. The door opened, and I heard a clanking sound, then something rolling. Before I could register that the cavalry might be here, there was a flash, the sound of a shot, and the room filled with smoke. It happened again less than a second later, a blinding flash, a bang and the smoke was even thicker.

I couldn’t see anything. My ears were ringing. I thought I heard footsteps and shuffling where Nolan and Dog had been, but the smoke had me confused and I couldn’t tell what was going on. Then I was moving, the chair I was in tilting back and rising in the air. I couldn’t help it, I screamed. My brain was lagging behind my instincts, and my instincts were telling me to scream bloody murder. So I did.

At least until a hand slapped over my mouth and shut me up. My breath puffed in and out of my nose in short, panicked bursts. I heard another bang, and this time I could identify it as a bullet. Then two more in rapid succession and another scream, this one male. Nolan? I had no way to tell. I was being carried, still strapped to the chair.

Less than a minute later I was outside. Without the smoke obscuring my vision, I relaxed a little. At least now I could see what was going on. Then Sam was there, kneeling in front of me, cupping my face in his hands, his familiar blue eyes tight with fear and worry.

“I’m okay,” I whispered. “I’m okay. I’m sorry, I was stupid. Tim said Nolan was hurt, and I was going to call Axel but I thought I had time and then I didn’t. I’m sorry, Sam.” I was babbling, not making any sense, but that didn’t seem to matter.

Before Sam could speak, Axel crouched behind me and set to work freeing me from the chair. As he cut the plastic zip ties, he said,

“The whole point of a trap, Chloe, is that you don’t know it’s a trap until it’s too late. You’re not an operative, and you were worried about your brother. Let it go. You’re safe, we got Nolan, and the bad guys are neutralized. Let’s just count this as a win and move on, okay?”

“Axle’s right, honey,” Sam said. “Don’t beat yourself up over it. All that matters is that you’re safe.”

Finally I was free. Before I could get up, Sam was there, lifting me into his arms, and tucking me against his chest. To Axel, he said, “Are we calling an ambulance or are you taking Nolan to the hospital?”

“Don’t know. Have to make a quick call. Chloe should have someone look at those wrists. And she might need a stitch or two for that lip.”

I looked at Sam, suddenly remembering the last few minutes before the smoke and the flashing light. My eyes flicked to Axel, but he’d stepped away and was already talking on the phone.

“Sam, Nolan was shot. He was bleeding so much. Dog killed Tim. He shot him right in front of me.” I was babbling, the memories rushing at me in staccato bursts. “Where’s Nolan?” I asked.

Axel stepped back over to us. “We’re taking Nolan to Tsepov,” he said. I struggled against Sam’s chest, wanting to stand up, but his arms tightened and he refused to put me down.

“He was shot,” I said. “He needs to go to the hospital.” Axel looked at me with somber eyes and shook his head.

“Nolan’s fine. He took one in the thigh and another in the shoulder just after we got here. Bleeding’s already slowing, doesn’t look like he’ll need surgery.”

“You go to the hospital when you get shot,” I said. Was I the only one who knew that? What was wrong with them? Axel shook his head again.

“Nolan’s survival depends on his boss’s goodwill, Chloe. An ER doctor will have to report gunshot wounds to the police and that will not make Tsepov happy. Do you understand? Tsepov has his own doctors. They’ll take care of Nolan. Most important, Tsepov will be happy and your brother will remain alive. That’s the best we can do for him.”

I relaxed into Sam’s chest and dropped my head to his shoulder, breaking eye contact with Axel. I got it. In a very real way, Nolan was out of my reach now. He would always be my brother, and I would always love him. Always. But it was becoming clear he was no longer my responsibility. He’d tied himself to a man who created his own laws in a world I wouldn’t enter. Not even for my brother.

I started to shiver in Sam’s arms, suddenly cold and aware again of the throbbing pain in my lip and in my wrists. Sam rubbed the bottom of his chin against the top of my head in comfort, and said to Axel, “Can you get someone to drive us to the hospital? I’ll call Daniel and have him pick us up.”

“Yeah give me a second.”

We stood there, watching as men in black combat gear and visored helmets left the smoky warehouse. Two of them carried Dog’s body between them. Based on the bullet holes in Dog’s chest, I assumed he was dead. Maybe that made me a bad person, but I was glad. Tim’s body followed next. I had no idea what they were doing with them, and I didn’t care. That was Axel’s problem. Or maybe Tsepov’s. It wasn’t mine. Or Sam’s.

Nolan came out last, half supported by one of Axel’s men, limping, a rough bandage tied tightly around his thigh. He met my eyes, then looked away. I didn’t know what to say to him, and I didn’t have a chance to figure it out. He was gone a moment later, hustled into the same huge SUV that held Tim and Dog’s bodies. It started up and pulled away from the warehouse, taking Nolan with it and out of my life, at least for now.

Sam carried me to another SUV, laying me gently in the back, before climbing in beside me. He pulled me into his arms, cradling me against his chest. He didn’t say anything, just rested his cheek on the top of my head and held me, all the way to the hospital.

T
here were
questions at the hospital. My injuries were more than a little suspect. Sam and I both assured the staff that everything was fine. Apparently a split lip that required two stitches plus badly abraded wrists were suspicious, but did not require a police report. We got more than our share of hard eyes from the nurses and two doctors who treated me. A plastic surgeon took care of my lip. There wasn’t much they could do for my wrists aside from antibiotic ointment and bandages.

I was given a prescription for a painkiller which Daniel filled at the hospital pharmacy when he picked us up. Knowing it would be uncomfortable to eat anything, Sam asked him to stop and get me a chocolate milkshake which I used to wash down the pill. Less than an hour later, adrenaline gone and the pill in my bloodstream, I fell asleep. I woke the next morning, naked in bed, curled into Sam.

Sam babied me like crazy for the rest of the week. He refused to let me go into work, bringing home a shiny new laptop he said was set up to connect to my desktop at the office, in case something came up that couldn’t wait. He didn’t go in either, canceling all of his meetings and insisting on staying within arms reach. It was only a day and a half, so I didn’t protest too much. Besides, after everything I’d been through, work didn’t seem as important.

All I really wanted was to be with Sam. Well, I also wanted to see Nolan and assure myself that he was all right. My wish was not granted. The only way to see Nolan, who was recovering from his gunshot wounds, was to go to Tsepov. Sam refused to take me anywhere near the Russian, and I didn’t argue that much. I wanted to see Nolan. But Sam was right. Our lives had intersected with Tsepov’s too much in the past week, and no one wanted that trend to continue.

I did receive an enormous bouquet of red roses and white lilies with a handwritten note that read,
Be well. I’ll look after your family as if he was my own. T

It was not entirely reassuring. Sam wanted to throw out the flowers. I told him it was a waste, and gave them to Marte, who was more than happy to take them home. She fussed over both me and Sam, cooking our meals and baking treats, seemingly happy to have us to take care of. I was used to being the one who took care of everyone else, but I was enjoying it. I’d be back to my normal self soon enough.

For the first few days after Nolan was shot, Sam had a hard time letting me out of his sight. For my part, I wasn’t too keen on being alone, so it worked out well. In the space of an hour I’d gone from a woman who’d never heard a gunshot in real life to one who saw a man take a bullet to the forehead and ended up covered in her brother’s blood.

I slept a lot for a day or two. I think I needed that, to block out everything and relax with Sam. But by the end of the weekend, I was feeling much steadier, ready to get back to normal life. Or whatever would constitute the new normal, now that everything had changed between Sam and me.

Without asking me, Sam had hired people to clean up my apartment and pack what belongings I had that weren’t damaged. They arrived that Saturday morning in a moving truck. Sam directed them to unload the boxes into an unused garage bay. Incredulous, I asked him,

“What is that? What are all these boxes?”

Hands in his pockets, Sam shrugged, a little sheepish as he said, “I had your things moved here. Was there any furniture you wanted from your apartment?”

“What?” Not an informative response, but I didn’t have one of those yet. “What are you talking about? Did you move me out of my apartment without asking me?” I put my hands on my hips, but the flare of pain reminded me they didn’t like being bent that way and I dropped my arms to my sides.

“You weren’t going back there, were you?” Sam crossed his arms over his chest in challenge.

“Sam, you can’t just move me out of my apartment without asking. And did you even ask Daniel how he feels?”

Sam stared at me. “Are you kidding? If you move out I think my dad would make me leave with you. Is that what you want? To go back to your apartment? Because I thought this was a really good,” he said, his hand waving between us.

“It is, but, I just-” I broke off, trying to think. Did I want to go back to the apartment? No, I didn’t. And not just because I couldn’t forget seeing strangers break in, knowing they’d torn the place apart. I wanted to be here, with Sam. He watched me, his normally confident blue eyes anxious and uncertain. “I don’t want to leave, Sam. I want to be with you. But isn’t this too soon?”

“Is it? Chloe, it can’t be too soon. We’ve spent every day together for three years, and for at least two of those you’ve been so much more than my assistant, you’ve been my best friend. I love you. You love me. So what else is there to wait for?”

“Nothing,” I said. There was nothing else to wait for. Sam took me in his arms and kissed me. He pulled away before I was ready, and looked into my eyes, studying my face. Whatever it was he was looking for, he must’ve found it because he led me into the kitchen and lifted me to sit on the island.

“Stay there,” he said. “Don’t move, I’ll be right back.”

I waited, confused, the house empty but for the sounds of the movers going in and out of the garage in the distance. Sam was back a minute later, carrying something in his closed fist.

“I was going to wait,” he said. “Do a big thing. But we don’t need a big thing, we just need this.”

I had no idea what he was talking about. He moved to stand in front of me. I spread my legs a little, stretching out my feet to catch him with my heels and tug him closer. He complied, moving forward until I could wrap my legs around him. I was thinking about stealing a kiss, at least until it looked down and saw a square turquoise box wrapped in a white ribbon.

“Open it,” Sam said. I did, tugging on the ribbon until it fell away and lifting the top off of the pretty blue box. Inside was a smaller black velvet box. My heart clenched in my chest and I looked at Sam’s face.

“Open it, Chloe,” he whispered, tipping the blue box toward me so the velvet one slid out into my waiting hands.

With trembling fingers, I turned the box right side up and lifted the lid. Diamonds and platinum sparkled in the bright lights of the kitchen, blinding me with joy.

“Sam?” I asked, needing to hear him say it. Carefully, he pulled the ring from the box and took my left hand in his.

“Chloe Henson, you’re my best friend, my partner, the most beautiful, strong, amazing, sexy woman I’ve ever known and the only woman I’ll ever want by my side. I love you. Will you be my wife?” He held the ring just in front of my fingertip, waiting for my answer before sliding it on.

“Yes, yes I will.” Sam slipped the ring on and we both stared at my hand. “I’ve loved you forever Sam,” I said, unable to take my eyes off the ring he’d chosen for me. It was stunning. I couldn’t have imagined anything that represented our love better. Though it was kind of big. But I knew Sam. He wouldn’t have been able to help himself. It seemed he wanted everyone to know that I was his. Which was fine with me, because I wanted everyone to know, too.

He raised my hand to his lips and kissed it, saying, “I’ve loved you forever too, Chloe. It just took me a little longer to figure it out.”

With that, he scooped me up off the kitchen counter and carried me down the hall, kicking our bedroom door shut behind us.