Perfect Target, page 16
She shrugged. She didn't know if she could even speak.
"This is Wyatt Tanner." He tipped his head toward the brown-haired man who'd been by the arcade. "And Flynn MacKenzie," he added, motioning toward a blond man wearing jeans and a surfing T-shirt.
The men gave her quick nods, then moved away to speak to the police and the medics who'd arrived.
Beck came back to her, his chest bare but splattered with some of Spalding's blood. She drew in a shaky breath at the reminder of how close she'd come once again to dying.
He put a hand on her arm. "Do we need to do the alphabet game?"
She shook her head, her lips tight. "How did you know there were going to be shots?"
"When Spalding looked toward the building across the street, it felt like a signal. I saw a flash of light, and I thought sniper."
"Sniper?" she echoed.
"Yes. This was a targeted attack, Piper. I never should have let you come here. But I didn't think he'd be this bold."
"Spalding said 'not me—her'. He was surprised he was shot. It was just supposed to be me, wasn't it? Did the sniper miss when you pushed me to the ground? Was he aiming for me, and he hit Spalding?"
"Maybe. Or Spalding was a target, too."
"Do you think the shooter will try again?"
"Not here. He's gone now."
"But this isn't over."
"No," he said grimly. "It's not."
An hour later, the pier was empty, cleared of everyone but crime scene investigators, cops, and Beck's fellow agents, one of whom had given him a T-shirt from a booth on the pier to replace the one he'd used to try to save Spalding's life. Beck had hated his former boss, but he'd still tried to save him. Piper wasn't surprised by that. Beck was a good man. He was willing to put his life on the line for others. He'd done that twice for her, and she was feeling more than a little emotional about it all.
When it was finally time to walk back to his car, it all caught up with her. Her legs felt shaky, and she wasn't sure she could walk down the hill. Beck slid his hand into hers and gave her an encouraging smile.
"One foot in front of the other," he said. "Don't look too far ahead."
"I'm afraid to take a step. I'm terrified that another gun will go off or a bomb will explode."
"Neither of those things will happen now. And now is all we're thinking about," he said. "Look at me, Piper."
She met his gaze.
"You can do this," he said. "You're a strong woman. You're a survivor. What you've been through would have put anyone on their knees. But you're still standing."
"Barely."
"That's all that matters."
"Okay. You're right. I can do this." She put one foot in front of the other, and eventually they got to the car. She sank into the passenger seat with relief, but her hands were still shaky as she fastened her seatbelt. "I don't know how you stay so calm, Beck."
"I focus on what's in front of me. Right now, that's getting you home." Despite his words, he didn't immediately start driving. Instead, he gave her an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, Piper. I shouldn't have let you meet him."
She could see the guilt in his gaze. "I wanted to meet him. I wanted to know what he had to say."
"What did he say? I heard bits and pieces, but not all of it."
"He suggested that I wanted payback for seven years ago, and he asked me if Larry was helping me get it."
"Larry helping you?" he echoed in surprise.
"That's what Spalding wanted to know. And then he said I needed to back off or else. That's when you arrived."
"Why would Larry help you get payback? And what kind of payback is he talking about?"
"I don't know," she said, a wave of guilt following her words. Beck had put his life on the line for her, and she was still holding back critical information about her friends, about their mission. She needed to tell him everything.
"We'll talk about it later," Beck said, his concerned gaze raking her face. "Just breathe and try to relax. I'm going to get you out of here."
She was happy to get a pass on more conversation. She was too rattled to think clearly. And when they drove by the apartment building across the street, and she saw the cops on the roof, her heart thudded even harder against her chest. How had she gotten into the middle of all this? She hadn't thought that the bomb on Larry's yacht had anything to do with her, but maybe she was wrong.
An unexpected rush of tears pricked her eyelids. She had to battle them back. She bit down on her lip and stared out the window, trying to be as strong as Beck had just told her she was.
"It's okay, Piper, you can let go," he said, as if he was reading her mind. "Cry if you want."
"Crying doesn't solve anything."
"Sometimes it's a release."
"I'm afraid if I start crying, I won't stop." She forced in one breath after another, then frowned as he made an unexpected turn. "Where are you going? I thought you were taking me home."
"I'm taking you to my house. I have better security, and no one will know you're there. I need to keep you safe, and that's the best place for you. You can trust me, Piper." He sent her a pointed look. "I keep telling you that, but I'm not sure it's ever going to sink in."
Chapter Seventeen
Piper gave him a grim look and then turned her gaze out the window. He wished he could convince her to trust him, but apparently saving her life multiple times still hadn't done the trick. He was a little pissed off about that, but he couldn't say anything else to her now. She'd been through a lot. She needed to calm down, and he needed to let her.
But his mind spun with questions as he drove back to his house. If Spalding and whoever he was working for thought Piper and Brixton were working on some sort of payback together, that added a new dimension to the investigation. On the other hand, what Spalding had said to her might mean nothing. The real reason for the meet was to get Piper to a spot where someone could kill her, and it had come very close to working.
His pulse jumped again at the reminder. He never would have expected a hit in that crowded and very public location, but Spalding had probably figured that Piper wouldn't agree to meet anywhere more private. He should have listened to his gut. He wouldn't make that error again.
He took a roundabout way home. When he felt confident there was no one following him, he pulled into the garage of his townhouse and turned off the engine. "We're home."
Piper gave him a weak smile and followed him out of the car. He didn't live by the beach, but his townhouse had the same modern feel hers did. He'd hired a decorator to put up pictures and spread a few throw pillows and blankets around the house, but beyond that he preferred a sparse, organized feel, which was, of course, the exact opposite of the kind of houses he'd grown up in.
He gave her a quick tour of the downstairs, which included the kitchen, a living room/dining room, an office, a bathroom, and a door he chose not to open.
"What's in there?" she asked.
"My security center," he replied. "There's a sophisticated alarm system, cameras around the perimeter, other things you don't need to worry about. Just know that you're safe. The master bedroom is upstairs," he added as they ended up in the middle of the living room. "You can sleep there. I'll take the couch in my office."
She frowned. "I can't let you sleep on the couch again, Beck. You did that last night."
"I can sleep anywhere. It doesn't matter. Anyway, that's for later. Can I get you something to drink, to eat?"
"I feel wired, like I've had too many cups of coffee."
"It's the adrenaline. It will pass."
"Really? It doesn't seem like it will." She gave him a conflicted look but didn't say anything else.
"What's on your mind?" he asked, feeling a new tension between them.
"There's so much uncertainty and chaos in my life. It feels like I don't know what's going to happen from one minute to the next."
"You don't have to know anything right now. You're safe."
"Now might be all I have. How many more misses or close calls can I survive?"
"As many as you need to. But I'm going to do a better job going forward."
"A better job?" she echoed. "You've been amazing, Beck. You climbed down a mountain for me. You put your body in front of a bullet for me. You walked me through anxiety, and you brought me to your house, so I'll be safe. You're even willing to give up your bed for me. How much more do you think you can do?"
"A lot more, Piper. I'm not going to let anything happen to you."
"Why do you care so much?" she asked in wonder.
"Because I do." He drew in a breath. "It started seven years ago. I couldn't get you out of my mind. Your face haunted me. I knew I'd let you down."
"So, you're doing all this out of guilt over what you think you didn't do seven years ago?"
He saw the question in her eyes. "It would be easy to say that was the only reason, but it's not."
Her gaze clung to his. "It's not?"
"No. I like you, Piper. I've probably let things get too personal, but I can change that going forward. I can get someone else to look after you."
"I don't want someone else. I want you, Beck." She took a breath. "And I'm not just talking about you protecting me. I want you. I want to be with you. There's something between us. I can feel it, too."
She took a step forward, her intent clear, but he still couldn’t believe what she was saying.
"Piper," he said, stiffening as she put her hands on his hips. "This is not a good idea."
"I'm sure I've had worse," she said.
"You're in shock. You're vulnerable. You don't know what you want, and I won't take advantage of you."
"I know exactly what I want." She gazed up at him with certainty in her eyes. "I've never been more sure."
"It's the adrenaline. You're looking for a release from the tension, an escape from reality."
"What if I am?" she challenged.
He couldn't come up with an answer because even with only her hands on his waist, the blood was rushing out of his head, firing up other parts of his body.
She gave him a smile. "If you won't take advantage of me, Beck, then can I take advantage of you?"
Before he could answer, she put her lips on his. The heat was instant and electrifying. He closed his eyes as hot pleasure swept through him. He tried to resist the taste of her mouth, but it was damned near impossible. Somehow, he found the will to pull back. He grabbed her arms and held her away from him, trying to ignore the look of surprised hurt in her eyes.
"No," he said. "This isn't the way I want this to happen."
"So, you do want it to happen?" she asked.
"More than you know. But not like this."
"If you want it to happen, why are you fighting me? It doesn't have to mean anything, Beck. We can just be together. We can have really good, meaningless sex. No morning after regrets. I promise."
"Dammit, Piper!"
"Is that a yes?"
"It shouldn't be."
"If it's what we both want, then what's the problem?" she challenged.
"Oh, hell! You are impossible to resist."
She put her arms around his neck. "Then stop resisting. Kiss me, Beck."
Her breath parted his lips and all conscious thought fled as he gave her the kiss she wanted. As he dove into the warm heat of her mouth, desire ran through him like a tidal wave. Kiss after kiss, and he couldn't get enough of her. He wanted to touch her and taste her. He wanted to drive them both mad. And Piper was on board, keeping the pace fast and hot.
He ripped off his shirt, and she slipped out of her dress, only giving him a brief glimpse of a lacy blue bra before she ripped it off and pressed her breasts against his chest. And then she pulled him over to the couch, falling back against the cushions as she wiggled out of her thong.
"We have to slow down," he said breathlessly, as he pulled off his jeans.
"Next time," she said, reaching for him.
"Wait, hold on." He dug into the pocket of his jeans for his wallet, for a condom.
"Always protecting me," she said, giving him a smile that washed over him with more incredible heat.
He was about to rip open the condom when she stopped him. She took it out of his hand and put it on the coffee table. "We'll get to that," she said. "I have a few other ideas first."
His heart jumped out of his chest at the promise in her eyes. "So do I. Me first. I want to drive you wild."
"Let's see what you've got," she said with a wicked gleam in her eyes.
He pressed her back against the cushions and showed her exactly what he had in mind.
The sun had set when Piper snuggled into Beck's arms, feeling more than a little happy, satisfied, and calm. She'd wanted a release from the stress and the fear, but she'd gotten a lot more than that. Beck had been everything she'd imagined and more. He seemed to know exactly how to touch her, to taste her, to take her to the edge and then hold back until she really, really needed him.
He'd taken control and given her control. And the generosity of that had touched her more than she could say. She'd never been with anyone like him. And that thought scared her a little, but she pushed the fear away. She didn't want to ruin the moment.
She lifted her head and smiled into Beck's now open eyes. "Sorry for drifting off."
"I was right there with you."
"Every step of the way," she murmured in agreement. "That was…nice."
"Nice? That's all you've got?"
"How about amazing?"
"I like that. I like you." He cupped the back of her head and pulled her down for a kiss. "Next time we make it to the bed."
"I like the sound of a next time." But as she said the words, she wondered if there could be a next time. She wiggled out of Beck's arms.
"Hey, where are you going?" he asked in surprise.
"I'm going to get dressed. I'll be back. Don't worry." She grabbed her clothes and ran up the stairs. She could have used the downstairs bathroom, but she needed a little more space between them now.
Beck's bedroom was as beautiful and as neat as every other room in the house. She tossed her clothes on the king-size bed and began to dress. While the bed tried to distract her with thoughts about what she and Beck could do together on that mattress, her mind kept pulling her back to a more pressing matter. She needed to talk to Beck. She needed to be honest with him. It was past time. She just had a feeling that when she did, that would be the end of whatever they'd just started.
She sat down on the bed, wondering what she should do.
Something was wrong. Beck had used the downstairs bathroom, put on his clothes, and downed a soda, and he was still waiting for Piper. It was very quiet upstairs, and that bothered him, too. He was about to go look for her when she came down the stairs.
She stood in the middle of the living room, a look on her face that was confusing and unsettling.
"What's going on?" he asked warily. "Are you regretting what just—"
"No," she said quickly. "No regrets. It was wonderful."
"Then what's the problem? And don't tell me there isn't one, because I can see it on your face."
"In the car, you asked me to trust you."
"I've been asking you that for a while now."
"It finally sank in. I do trust you, Beck."
"Okay," he said warily. "What does that mean?"
"It means…" She took a deep breath and let it out. "I want to tell you the other ten percent."
He was both surprised and relieved by her words.
"I haven't told you everything before now," she continued. "Because it's not just my secret, which makes it complicated."
"Why don't we sit down?"
She nodded, then took a seat in one of the two armchairs facing the couch, deliberately staying away from the sofa where they'd just made each other crazy. He took the other chair.
"Start whenever you're ready," he said.
She gave him a shaky smile. "I'm not sure where to begin."
"Take your time."
Piper cleared her throat. "After Juliette's memorial service, I met up with friends I hadn't seen in a long time, but who were a big part of my youth. We went to the beach, and we started talking about Juliette's suicide, and why she did it. A lot of stories came out. Some I hadn't heard before. Many of us had been suffering and keeping secrets about men like Kevin Richards. We talked about how Juliette never got the justice she deserved and how many other people were still being hurt by certain powerful men. Someone needed to protect them."
"Was that someone you?"
"It was all of us. We decided to do something about it."
"About what exactly?"
"Kevin Richards was part of a group of men who used their power to abuse others, mostly girls, but some boys. They were rich and well-connected, and they always got away with whatever they did. They made sure anyone who became a problem lost their career. Each one was powerful on his own, but working together, protecting each other, they were untouchable. We knew they'd never go to jail, but we thought maybe we could pick away at their reputations. Maybe we could ruin them the way they ruined us."
"Who are the men? Was Larry Brixton one of them?"
"Yes," she said. "Larry never hurt me. I think I was too close to him. He had to work with me every day, but one of the other people in the group had been hurt by him."
"And the other guys? Let me guess. John Nicholson is one of them."
"And Congressman Trent."
"I should have figured that since they all went to college together. I'm guessing Kevin Richards was at USC at the same."
She nodded. "Yes. And Ethan Cawley."
"Which explains your sudden interest in his party." He leaned forward, interested to know more. "What are you doing to get back at them?"
"That's where it gets tricky. Not all of our actions are legal, so I can tell you what I did, but I don't want to say anything about anyone else."
He shook his head. "No, Piper. I need you to tell me everything, every last bit of it."
"I can't hurt these people more than they've already been hurt, Beck. That's the deal."
