Nelson, page 11
part #21 of SEALs of Honor Series
“Maybe,” Nelson said. “But I’m not heading in that direction.”
Just then Elizabeth walked around the bed and bent over to put away her clothes. He swallowed hard as the boxers rode up perfectly rounded cheeks and very long legs. With a muffled oath he got up off his chair and stormed across to the bed where he threw himself down and grabbed the remote. “I need something to do,” he said.
“Definitely—if you want to get any sleep tonight,” Taylor said with a chuckle. “But nice to know you’re as affected as the rest of us.”
“Are you interested?” Nelson stared at Taylor with a frown. “I didn’t think she was your type.”
“She isn’t,” Taylor said. “But that doesn’t mean I’m not interested. The thing is though, she’s interested in you, not me.”
“Hah,” Nelson said. “Not likely. I’m just here helping her find out what happened to her brother.”
“More than that. Every chance she gets, it’s you she goes to. And you might want to acknowledge that it’s always you wrapping your arms around her.”
“Sure, but it’s better if we appear as a couple. Gives me an excuse to be here and gives her my protection as being my girlfriend.” Nelson knew it was a feeble excuse. There was really no better answer he could give. And it seemed foolish, but he wasn’t quite ready to acknowledge it, although she had felt wonderful in his arms, and no way could he look at her barely clad body without having a physical reaction. It would make life very difficult for him tonight. Just the thought of her sweetness lying close to him was enough to make his body react. He took several deep calming breaths.
“Would it be so bad?”
Confused for a moment as he was caught up in his own thoughts, he turned to look at Taylor. “Would what be so bad?”
“If something did happen between the two of you?”
Instantly, all the work he’d done to calm down his body was like it had never happened. He took a deep breath. “I’m not into one-night stands anymore.”
“Nothing one-night stand about this,” Taylor said. “You both live in the same town, you both have a lot of similar interests. You know there’s no reason you couldn’t have a relationship.”
“That’s true,” Nelson said, “if, back at home, she still wants anything to do with me. But, while we’re on a job, no.”
“Ah, we’re back to being honorable again then, are we?”
“I’m always honorable,” Nelson said quietly. “Taking advantage of a woman while she’s desperate for answers, looking for help, that’s not my idea of a relationship.”
At that, Taylor nodded. “I agree totally. But she’ll be home in a few days. You might want to follow up on the advantage you have now.”
“Well, if it’s an advantage,” Nelson said, “it’s still not something fair then, is it?”
Taylor looked at him in exasperation. “Stop being so nitpicky. There’s obviously an attraction between the two of you. You’d be fools to not see where it went when we go home.”
“Possibly,” Nelson said. “And I’ll keep your comments under advisement.” He turned back to the TV and tried to bury himself in a horror movie. It suited his mood right now.
Chapter 9
Elizabeth lay in bed, wondering if the men had any idea how easily their words carried. Or were they speaking deliberately loud so she did hear? No, they weren’t the type to play games. At least she didn’t think so. She remembered her brother talking about Nelson years ago, being a bit of a wild card and a definite ladies’ man.
She could see both in him, but maybe it was the navy that had made a man out of him, not just a playboy. There was something extra about the package that definitely appealed. Dark hair, square jaw, and those piercing blue eyes. How was it he had longer eyelashes than she did?
So not fair.
In the background she could hear them talking, but their voices were softer as if they were either getting into bed themselves or suddenly aware she might hear them.
Her night was not ending the way her day had begun—it was better. There was something comforting about not being alone right now. Especially after seeing her other hotel room trashed.
The men’s voices picked up. She sat up to listen. Then realized they were talking about tomorrow’s schedule. She lay back down quietly, feeling like she was eavesdropping, but she didn’t care.
It was their fault. She’d had the television on and was puttering around the room getting ready for bed when she heard their conversation start. It was all she could do to not rush in and hear the half of what she was missing. But some of it stuck with her. Most of it she agreed with. Certainly the fact that there was an attraction between the two of them.
And, yes, she did turn to Nelson every time she could. And he did wrap her up in his arms often. And maybe it was because of the job, but she also felt something much more, something much deeper was between them. And, if he wanted to pick it up when they got home, she was on board with that. In fact, she looked forward to it.
She also agreed it was a good thing not to start something like this while they were both dealing with difficult emotions, particularly her. That didn’t stop her heart or mind from heading in the direction.
And her body? Well, it had a mind of its own.
There was a warm glow around her as she lay here. It had been a while since her last relationship, and that one was more of an office romance. Two people thrown together, who liked each other, and things had progressed from there. But it hadn’t had that same glow to it that she currently felt.
She turned out the light, eager to go to sleep with hopefully happy dreams. Tomorrow was a whole new day. And maybe, just maybe, they’d get some answers. Time was running out. She didn’t know how long she could stay, but she knew the men only had two more nights. Then she’d decide if she was going to stay longer.
She closed her eyes and sent out a whisper to her brother. Stay safe. Stay alive. We’re coming.
*
Nelson had always been a light sleeper, but whoever walked down their hallway right now needed to work on his technique. He attempted to be stealthy but was anything but.
Nelson slipped out from under the bedcovers, turning to look at Taylor. Taylor’s eyes gleamed in the darkness. He also slid out of bed.
The footsteps went past their door and slowed. Nelson pulled on his jeans as he tiptoed across the opening to Elizabeth’s bedroom. He went to her bedside, clapped a hand over her mouth and whispered in her ear, “Wake up.”
Her eyes opened wide, but she didn’t struggle. She just lay here and stared at him.
With her ear still close to his mouth, he whispered, “Looks like you’ve got company.” He could feel the shudder work through her. “Know that I’m here,” he said. “I’ll stay down on this side of the bed. Taylor is closing the door between us. But it’s not shutting him out. It’ll be slightly ajar so he can push it open and get in here.”
Again she didn’t say anything. She stared, her eyes huge, the pupils almost indiscernible in the darkness.
He heard somebody at her door. Elizabeth shifted so she could watch it. He held her close, gave her a hug and said, “I need you to pretend to be asleep.”
She nodded.
He released his hand over her mouth, pulled the covers up, gave her a squeeze on the shoulder and whispered, “I’m here. Remember that.”
She settled as if his words were finally drifting into her psyche. With her head back on the pillow, she closed her eyes, facing the door.
He knew that was instinct. Nobody wanted to be turned away from the door, waiting for that attack to come. As long as she didn’t open her eyes and give it away.
He also couldn’t take the chance that somebody would just stand at the door and shoot her. The intruder was still working on the door. He crept past her bed, up against the wall where the bathroom was. They had to come in at least enough to see her. That should allow him time to grab any weapon.
He held a finger up to his lips as the door finally went click. Elizabeth slammed her eyes closed. Her body, although tense, appeared relaxed. He held his breath, not daring to breathe as the door swung open.
A little bit of light from the hallway filtered inside. But it wasn’t a fancy hotel where subdued running lights were out there. It was more of a dim shadow from the one remaining bulb still on.
The door was closed behind the intruder. Soft footsteps crept forward and then halted. He wasn’t sure if the person’s eyes had adjusted and could see Elizabeth or not, but, sure enough, an arm came up. An arm holding a gun.
Nelson didn’t waste any time. He grabbed the arm, shoving it upward, and, with his right hand, connected with the jaw of the person who had come into the room. He had expected a fight. He had expected something much more solid. Instead the person completely collapsed on the ground. Unconscious.
Taylor burst into the room and turned on the lights. And there on the floor was King’s ladylove. They looked down at the gun, then back at Chelsea.
Elizabeth got up from the bed, walked over and stared down at her. “Why would she do this?” she whispered.
“I warned you,” Nelson said. “She didn’t like the attention King was paying you.”
Elizabeth wrapped her arms around her chest and, realizing how little she wore, grabbed her bathrobe.
Nelson was sorry to see her pull it on, covering such a soft silky material that clung to all her curves, making her even more seductive. She went to him and snuggled up close. He wrapped an arm around her, remembering Taylor’s earlier words. Still, he held her closer as she snuggled in deeper.
“Now what do we do?”
“We need to get word to King,” Taylor said. “He needs to know what his ladylove is up to.”
“Will he kill her?” Elizabeth asked.
Both men turned to look at her.
Elizabeth shrugged. “Okay. I get it. She tried to kill me, but it was out of jealousy, or maybe it was out of self-preservation.”
“What do you mean by that last bit?” Nelson asked.
She tilted her head to look up at him. “If King’s such an ugly character, what are the chances he would order her to either be a hooker on the street or have someone take her out in the back and shoot her?”
Silence.
“Because, if so, that would explain why she’s gone to such lengths to get rid of me.”
“But she still can’t go unpunished,” Taylor said. “She won’t forgive you for trespassing on her man. She sure as hell won’t thank you for getting her killed by her man or for showing some compassion here for her.”
“So then what the hell does she want me to do?”
The scratchy voice from the floor said, “Die would be nice.”
Nelson looked down at the woman, seeing the hate in her gaze. “We get that you’re jealous. We get that you would like Elizabeth to disappear because King showed her attention. But she’s mine,” Nelson stated firmly. “And I don’t give up anything of mine I don’t want to.”
“You won’t have a choice,” Chelsea said, waving her hand as if he was nothing. “If King wants her, King gets her.”
“And the only way you saw to stop that was to kill me?” Elizabeth asked in disbelief. “What did I ever do to you?”
Chelsea snorted. “You think I give a shit about what you think? I have to maintain my position in that hierarchy.”
“And just exactly what is your position?” Elizabeth asked. She shoved her hands into her bathrobe pocket and glared down at the woman. “What are you? His whore? You’re hardly a girlfriend or a wife or a mistress, not if he thinks you’re disposable.”
“I’m no man’s whore,” she snapped viciously. She tried to kick Elizabeth, but she was too far away.
Nelson stomped on her thigh, crushing her flat onto the thin carpet.
“Oh, big man,” the woman snapped. “Do you really think I haven’t felt a man’s fist or his boots before?”
“I’m pretty sure you have,” Nelson said. “The question is, if this isn’t a life you want, why don’t you change it?”
Chelsea gave an almost hysterical laugh. “What do you think I could do to change it?”
“What do we do with her now?” Elizabeth asked.
Taylor walked into the other room and came back a few minutes later with a shirt and jacket on. He made some sort of motion to Nelson before slipping out the door.
Nelson called out to Taylor, “Watch your back. Her two favorite henchmen will be out there.”
“I know,” he said. And with that he was gone.
Nelson looked down at the woman on the floor. “How much do you want to keep those two henchmen?” He watched the consternation across her face. He shrugged. “What did you expect? You came here to kill Elizabeth. No way I can allow that, so you have to find another way to solve this problem.”
“There is no other way,” Chelsea said bleakly. “I’ve seen it before. And it doesn’t matter what you think. King has spies and killers everywhere. If he wants her, he’ll mow you down to get to her.”
Elizabeth sank down on the bed. “I don’t want anything to do with him. We enjoyed some fun on the piano, and that was it.”
“That fun is a connection he’s never had with anybody else. It’s a connection he desperately wants. And it’s a connection only you can give him. So what the hell did you think you were doing?”
Nelson winced at the accusatory tone in Chelsea’s voice. “I don’t think she was thinking,” he said gently. “I think she was just feeling. Enjoying the moment.”
“Yeah, well, that moment is about to ruin my life and possibly a bunch of other people’s lives.”
“Who else could possibly be affected?” Elizabeth asked in astonishment.
The woman sneered. “You. And him. And the guy who just left. King just wipes you all out. Buries you deep. Nobody ever knows where to even go looking.”
“Did he kill my brother?” Elizabeth asked in horror. “Did he bury him deeper so there’s no way I’ll ever find him?”
“No, surprisingly enough,” the woman said. “I don’t think he had anything to do with that. I know he laughed about how screwed up the seamen were. He’s often made comments about how they talk about being the best in the world and how disciplined they are, yet they go and kill one of their own, and another one is off and running. You see? People are the same no matter what field they are in. And, at the bottom of it all, men are just animals.”
“You can get away from it all,” Nelson said. “Right now. You could leave. Go a long way away.”
“I know too much,” Chelsea said quietly. “I’ll just get buried too. It won’t be today. It might not be tomorrow. But very, very quickly I’ll just turn around, and the bullet with my name on it will find me.”
“Why did you get into this life?” Elizabeth asked.
Chelsea shot Elizabeth a look of disbelief and amusement. She turned to look back at Nelson. “Is she for real?”
“Yes, she is,” Nelson said. “She doesn’t belong in this world. She doesn’t know anything about it.”
“She would learn fast enough,” Chelsea snapped. “Or else she’d die.”
“No,” Elizabeth said. “I don’t think I could.”
“He won’t give you the choice. That’s what you don’t understand. I was born on the streets.” Chelsea’s voice was glacial and hard. “And don’t feel any sympathy for me. I know these streets inside and out.”
“What made you hook up with King?” Elizabeth asked as if she really didn’t understand.
Nelson had a pretty good idea. Women tended to gravitate to the biggest protector they could find. Chelsea had had a very difficult life on the streets. No way she avoided all the abuses that went on regularly.
“He wanted me,” Chelsea said with a toss of her hair. She scrunched back so she was sitting up, leaning against the wall. “He desired me. I was the most beautiful woman around.”
“And now you’re afraid your looks are fading?” Nelson asked. “You’re afraid he’s looking for somebody new?”
“I wasn’t worried about her in the beginning.” Chelsea darted a hard, angry glance toward Elizabeth again. “But now, obviously she’s an issue.”
“No, I’m not,” Elizabeth said. “I have no intention of taking your place.”
The woman just shook her head. “You really don’t get it, do you? I keep telling you, you won’t have a choice.”
Elizabeth shrugged. “I trust Nelson that I won’t end up in that situation.”
The woman looked at her, puzzled. “This is King we’re talking about.”
“And this is Nelson,” Elizabeth said quietly. “They’re fairly equal. Nelson doesn’t have an entire team of killers at his beck and call. And he doesn’t need them. Because we don’t live that lifestyle. But I think King understands us. And I think that King realizes I’m not somebody he can just pluck off the street and keep as his own little pet, that there will be people who would stop him and even more people to bring justice to this part of the world.”
Chelsea sneered. “God, you’re unbelievable.”
“Yes,” Elizabeth said. “I am very different from you. I get that. We’re not here to cause trouble. We’re here to find my brother. That’s it.”
Chelsea, in a sudden move, jumped to her feet. But she was weak and could only lean against the wall, her arms across her chest. She looked at Nelson. “Since you are some sort of big hero to her, what exactly is it you’ll do to me?”
Nelson smiled. “Depends what Taylor tells us when he comes back.”
Chelsea glanced nervously at the door. “Where’s he gone?”
“To find King,” Nelson said. “No way we’ll watch our backs with you all the time. Obviously you’ve got to be stopped. But we don’t want to have you killed or taken out.”
As Nelson watched, the color drained from Chelsea’s face. She clenched her hands tight together, her nails biting into her palms.
