Deadly Adventure (Hardy Brothers Security Book 19) (19 page)
Read Deadly Adventure (Hardy Brothers Security Book 19) Online
Authors: Lily Harper Hart
“If you were in trouble you should’ve come to me, Jesse,” James said. “You shouldn’t have gone after my wife.”
Jesse snorted. “Are you saying you would’ve given me a million bucks?”
“No,” James replied, opting for honesty. “I would’ve helped you in other ways, though. I would’ve gotten you the help you clearly need.”
“Yeah, I don’t need help,” Jesse said. “I just need your money. You’re going to give it to me or I’m going to kill your wife.”
“If you put one hand on my wife I’ll rip your heart out with my bare hands,” James warned, his voice positively dripping with hostility. “I’ll kill you.”
“There he is,” Jesse crowed. “There’s the James Hardy I know. Of course, all of this crying about a woman is tedious. You’ll get over it when she’s out of your life, though. We might even be able to be friends again once you realize that there’s no reason to mourn something you won’t even miss.”
“You’re going to want to be very careful right now,” James intoned. “If you threaten my wife … .”
“You’ll what?” Jesse challenged, brandishing the gun and waving it in front of him. “I’m the one who is armed here. I’m the one who’s going to set you free. You should be thanking me.”
“I’ll kill you,” James said. “Make no mistake about it. I love that woman more than I’ve ever loved anything in my life. All I want is her. I don’t care about the money. Frankly, I’ve given up caring about you, too. Step away from my wife or you’ll regret it.”
“Those are big words for an unarmed guy,” Jesse said, taking a step in James’ direction. “Do you want to duke it out? Maybe we should trade punches. I’ve always wondered if I could beat you.”
“I think you’re going to keep wondering,” James said, exhaling heavily as he caught sight of Grady pushing open the door next to Mandy’s desk and grabbing her arm. The action was happening behind Jesse. Becky, Danny, and Jesse were all focused on him.
Mandy silently let Grady pull her away from the desk and shove her into the hallway. James patiently waited until Jake appeared at Grady’s side, and then he made his move.
“I’m not giving you anything, Jesse,” James said. “You’ve burned your bridges and lost my friendship. You can rot in Hell for all I care.”
“And what about Mandy?” Jesse asked. “Are you going to stand there and watch me kill her?”
“No.”
“I think you need some motivation,” Jesse said, turning back toward Mandy’s desk. His eyes widened when he saw her seat empty and Grady’s fist careening toward her face. “What the … ?”
Grady punched Jesse hard enough to rock the man backward.
Jake moved quickly, grabbing Jesse’s wrist and pointing the gun toward the ceiling. It turned out to be a good move because Jesse inadvertently fired a round. It went nowhere, though, and the assembled courthouse visitors screamed and scattered.
Sven hopped two rows of chairs in the melee before grabbing Danny’s head and slamming it into the lectern, knocking the man out cold.
“Danny!” Becky was beside herself as she rushed toward her husband, but Sven easily held her off.
“I don’t generally hit women, but I’ll make an exception in your case,” Sven warned.
As the last courthouse innocent rushed out of the room, the deputies and security guards swarmed in. Grady held Jesse prone on the ground until he was in handcuffs. James glared at his former friend, willing him to say something to explain his actions. Jesse remained mute, though, and James grew distracted when he heard the side door open and felt Mandy’s presence.
He shifted his eyes as she raced to him, catching her in mid-air.
“I knew you would come.”
“I’ll always come for you, baby,” James said, kissing her. “It’s you and me forever. Never forget that.”
“
H
ey
, husband,” Mandy said later that night, moving to join James on the back patio. He had a beer in his hand and a faraway look in his eyes. “Do you want to be alone?”
“Never,” James said, shifting his eyes to Mandy and setting his beer bottle on the table. “Come sit with me, baby.”
Mandy settled on his lap, relishing the warmth of his body as he wrapped himself around her. “Do you want to talk or is this a quiet moment?”
James chuckled. “We can talk,” he said. “Are you okay? Jesse didn’t hurt you, did he?”
“He never touched me.”
“That’s good.”
“Can I ask you something?” Mandy’s blue eyes were bright as the setting sun glanced off of them.
“Not if it’s going to be one of those deep and meaningful questions you ask … like if I had to do it all over again would I ravish you when I was still in high school,” James replied, tickling her ribs. “The answer to that is still no. I was too old for you back then. There’s no way you can turn that scenario sexy.”
“Not that,” Mandy said, making a face. “I saw you at the police station after you left the interrogation room with Jesse. Did he explain things in a way you can understand, or will this always bother you?”
“He explained things,” James replied. “It’s not in a way I can ever understand, though. He doesn’t grasp that I love you. He doesn’t accept it. He’s … lost.”
“Do you think he was always that way, or do you think something happened to change him?”
“You’re a curious little thing, aren’t you?”
Mandy mutely waited.
“I don’t know, baby,” James said finally. “I want to believe the man I knew all those years ago was real. That’s what I choose to believe. The man who we ran into that night at the pub is not the same man. They don’t even resemble one another.”
“And what about Becky and Danny? What’s going to happen to them?”
“They were knee deep in all of this so they’re looking at hard time,” James answered. “Grady retrieved the book and turned over the financial information to the police. It’s their problem now. My understanding is that Interpol will be taking over most of that investigation.”
“What about Jesse? Will he face trial here or over there?”
“Probably both,” James answered. “He’ll face charges here first, including attempted murder. You’re going to have to testify.”
“I know.”
“Are you okay with that?”
“I’m okay as long as you’re okay.”
James sighed as he leaned over to kiss his wife’s cheek. “I’m okay as long as I have you,” he whispered.
Mandy cuddled closer, burrowing her face in the hollow of his neck as she enjoyed the sounds of the oncoming night. “I’m sorry this happened to you.”
“It happened to you, too.”
“Yes, but Jesse wasn’t my friend,” Mandy pointed out. “He didn’t betray me. He worked against me and tried to ruin our marriage, but the betrayal was to you.”
“I think Jesse was living in a world of his own creation,” James explained. “He didn’t know love so he couldn’t fathom my feelings for you. He thought it would be easy to implode our marriage. He never realized that some things are forever.”
“Like us?”
“Definitely like us.” James tightened his grip around Mandy’s waist. “What did the judge say? Is he angry?”
“He’s fine,” Mandy replied. “He says it’s the most excitement he’s seen in years and he’s going to put it to good use with his wife tonight. I was … mortified.”
James burst out laughing, his chest shaking. “He sounds like me.”
“He does,” Mandy agreed. “There’s only one you, though, and for that I thank my lucky stars every night.”
“Right back at you, baby,” James said, kissing her cheek again, this time letting his lips linger. “Do you want to give me pity sex?”
“Wow. Nice shift there.”
“I try.”
“I’m not going to give you pity sex,” Mandy countered. “I am going to be the shark this evening, though, because I have a feeling you’re tired and you’ll be easy pickings.”
“I love the way your mind works.”
“Grady called while I was inside, by the way,” Mandy said. “He finished my car paperwork and it will be here in the morning. I don’t have to work tomorrow, though, because the courtroom is still a crime scene.”
James’ eyes brightened. “Does that mean we can spend the day together?”
“We’re going to spend forever together,” Mandy clarified. “We can start with a naked day tomorrow, though. We’re going to have to order in food. We have nothing.”
“I married you for your looks, not your cooking abilities.”
“Very cute.”
“I know,” James said, shifting Mandy slightly so she was facing him. “You’re okay, right?”
“I’m okay.”
“We’re okay, right?”
“We’re great,” Mandy replied. “I’ve never felt closer to you. It’s sad to admit, but the fight and anguish brought us closer. It always does.”
“I would prefer getting close to you without death and destruction.”
“Then never eat my cooking.”
James laughed as he pressed a soft kiss to her mouth. “I truly do love you, wife,” he said. “You buy ugly cars, you paint beautiful memories, and you fill my heart with joy. You’re my absolute favorite thing in this world.”
“Right back at you.”
James pulled his head back slightly. “I don’t buy ugly cars, wife.”
“You fill my heart with joy, though,” Mandy said. “I don’t suppose you want to fill me with something else, do you?”
“Start running, wife,” James said, pushing her up on her feet and pointing her toward the hot tub. “You’d better be naked by the time we hit the water.”
“Finally something I want to do.”
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
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