On Thin Ice (Special Ops) (18 page)

“Henri…” she sighed. “She’s probably gorgeous. With a name like that she has to be otherwise people would pick on her.”

He laughed. “She’s beautiful and she’s tough. Trust me; nobody in their right mind would bully that woman over anything, but especially her name. Lethal doesn’t even begin to describe her.” He took her hand in his and kissed the back of it before releasing it and putting both hands back on the wheel.

He navigated the terrain down the mountain, back to the path which was easier to take in the truck and then made his way to Henri’s place. The sun was cresting the sky at that point and Henri was already up doing target practice.

“Jet, I see you brought somebody rather beautiful to meet me.” She smiled as she approached them. “I’m Henri.”

“Akira,” she extended her hand and shook Henri’s hand.

“I’m glad my information was accurate.”

“Highly,” he nodded. “You won’t have to worry about them invading your space here.”

“I wasn’t worried. I have enough ammunition to go to war with a rather large country. I think I’m covered.” She assured him. “So what’s next for the two of you?”

“I’m dropping off your gear,” he smiled at her. “I didn’t use even one bullet so you still have a full load.”

“I prefer guns. This guy prefers going hand to hand. Crazy man,” she looked at Akira and smiled at her. Henri was right, if he could avoid gunfire he preferred hand to hand combat, but it wasn’t always avoidable in which case he had no trouble pulling the trigger.

“Her father is going to pull some strings to make it easier for us to get out of here without going back to the city. I need to get to a pickup location, but I need to get this truck back to the city too.”

“I’ll take you to your pickup and I’ll get the truck back. Don’t worry about it.”

“Thanks,” he patted her on the shoulder. “Let me help you get this gear inside.”

An hour later and he and Akira had cleaned up as much as they could given their lack of a change of clothes. Henri was too tall for any of her clothes to fit Akira, but she had let her have one of her tank tops to change into. He also had received the phone call that told him it was clear to leave. Aaron had told him the local authorities wanted full credit for the rescue. Jet was fine with that. His rescue missions were best if people didn’t know who he was. Trying to blend in worked best if people didn’t know he was “that” guy who rescued the famous figure skater. He wanted to keep his anonymity when it came to things like this otherwise he might have to find a new profession.

“So what about Nathan, also known as Nikifor?” Henri asked as she drove them toward the landing strip.

“Apparently his parents went underground in the witness protection program. It’s why they dropped off the radar, and he, being underage, went with them. His father wanted out, and as you know…”

“There is no out.”

“Exactly. Anyway, Nathan wanted a real life. He wanted to be a cop and for some insane reason he wanted to be that cop in Alaska. Apparently he was always drawn to the wilderness of it. What he wanted was the wide open spaces.”

“Seems stupid to get his face plastered all over television in a high profile case.”

“Agreed. Apparently Nathan likes to be the head cheese too. So he dropped out of the program, became a cop, fudged some credentials and landed in Alaska. This case was just a happy accident for him. He took over as the spokesman, wanting the attention, craving it. The FBI and the U.S. Marshals want him to consider going back into the program. He has refused and the local authorities have his back. They say they’re keeping him and there’s nothing the Feds can do about it.”

She laughed. “Yeah, there’s a turf war brewing here between Feds and locals. The local law doesn’t like the federal agents much so it doesn’t surprise me that they’re standing up for Nathan.”

“I think they’re planning to use him for everything they can. Now that they know there’s still an active cell in Alaska they want them—all of them.”

“Really? Well, now that could get interesting.”

“Henri, what are you plotting?”

“Nothing at all,” she assured him. “I have my own things going on I don’t need a Russian neo-mafia war to add to it.”

He shook his head. “Thanks for the lift. Get the truck back for me.”

“I will. And Jet…I’m glad it worked out for the two of you.”

Jet could tell she was talking about more than just his bringing Akira down off that mountain. “Me too,” he said. “Me too. Now, I’m going to get her home. Her parents are desperate to see her.”

“Nice meeting you, Akira. I’m sure we’ll see each other again.”

Jet watched Akira smile politely and return the courteous response of it being nice to meet her too. When he got Akira onto the plane he talked with the pilot first and then took the seat across from Akira. He smiled as they started taking off. “She’s just a friend—always has been, always will be.”

She laughed. “You are too perceptive. She’s gorgeous.”

“She’s pretty,” he admitted. “But when it comes to a woman whose beauty takes my breath away that would be you. Your spirit, your heart, even your outer beauty—you have me completely, Akira. I’m completely yours.”

“Good, because I’m completely yours too.”

When the plane leveled off he unsnapped her seatbelt and pulled her into his arms. There is where she sat for the duration of the flight and together they slept as he held her in his arms.

Chapter Ten

T
he private car waiting for them at the airport had the dark tinted windows he knew they would need. Alex had told him the media circus was camped out in front of their house. They didn’t know that Akira was on the way home. The police hadn’t released that information in their press conference, but the media had been outside the gates to Aaron’s estate waiting to get a glimpse of him or a statement from him.

“I feel like I need more sleep,” she eased onto the back seat and scooted over for Jet to have a space. He laughed.

“You look like you need more sleep too.”

“Get out,” she pushed her hand against his shoulder playfully. “Maybe I should try to see if my mom left any lipstick or something in here. I don’t wear makeup, but I probably need something to take attention away from the bruises.”

“You look fine,” he pulled her closer to his body and wrapped his arm around her. “You’re beautiful, nothing will ever change that.”

“You’re beautiful too…pretty…cute,” she laughed. “Very handsome.”

“Thanks.”

“You have some bruises here,” she tipped her head back and kissed him on his cheek. He knew he had bruises. He expected as much because while one bastard held him down he took a world class beating from the other.

“Thanks to you I’ll live.”

She smiled at him. “Well, from what I remember you are probably more bruised than just here.” She brushed her finger over his cheek.

“Abs, ribs…you name it and it’s probably going to be bruised.” He held her just a little tighter. “He got a couple kicks into my thigh too.”

“Oh,” she sighed. “Later, I’ll have to kiss them all for you and make them better.”

“Promises,” he pushed stray strands of hair back from her face. She had ditched the scrunchie and had left her hair down and pulled back, but she still had a few curls that felt the need to fall in her face and cover those beautiful eyes.

“I mean every one of those promises too.”

“We’ll get to that,” he assured her. “After we’re married. I won’t take you before that.”

“But…wait, did you just say after we’re married?”

He nodded. “That is if you want me on a forever basis. I have to ask for your father’s permission first.”

“I want you,” she said quickly. “I want you forever and always. You don’t have to ask my dad.”

“Oh yes I do. I’m going to do this right. I’ve already asked you for permission and that’s the most important part, but I am going to be a man and talk with your father. I’ll let him know how much I love you, will always love you and will take care of you and protect you. I’ll state my case as to why I’m the best man for his only daughter.”

“And if he were to say no?”

“Then I’ll just have to work harder to prove it to him. And I’m sure after we’re married he would come around.”

She laughed. The sound of her laugh was like heaven to his ears. He loved her laugh, her voice, her honest innocence. He loved her. He had every intention of marrying this woman. There would never be anybody else for him. He wanted her father’s and her mother’s blessing, but he would marry her with or without it. This kind of love didn’t come around too often and he was a firm believer that when he found the right woman he wouldn’t let her go. Well, he had found the right woman. He had started to think he never would, but he had, and he wasn’t walking away from her or from the love they shared.

When they pulled through the gated estate and the driver pulled around back he gave Akira one more kiss. “You’re home.”

“So I am,” she smiled. “It feels really good to be here, to be safe, and I owe it all to you.”

“And to yourself too. You did really well back there, and you helped save my life too. Don’t forget that. Now, come on; your parents are waiting for you.” He pointed out the window. Her parents were already standing and waiting as if in shock, wondering if it was really them. He saw Alex was still there as well.

When the driver opened the door he got out and then extended his hand to Akira in order to help her out as well. When she turned around and saw her parents he could see the realization in her eyes, she may have known it before, but now she could truly feel how safe she was. She could truly process the reality of being home.

“Mom; Dad.” She ran to them and threw her arms around them. Jet stepped away from the car giving the driver room to continue around the circular drive. Aaron had designed his home in a unique fashion. One horse shoe drive in the front that had an off shoot to wrap around the back of the house and then reconnect at the other side of the front drive. It was like a double horseshoe with the house in the center of one and a water feature in the center of the other. The man had style, although he would imagine Sakura had a lot to do with the design given the Japanese inspired look out back.

“Oh, my poor baby.” Sakura took in Akira’s bruises and split lip. Jet could see the frown on Alex’s face too. None of them liked to have a constant reminder that the person they went to save had endured torture. Usually those people were just the package, but that didn’t mean that looking at a woman with bruises from torture didn’t leave a bitter taste in their mouth. When it turned out to be somebody they knew and loved then that bitter taste amplified and sparked sheer rage.

“I’m okay,” she hugged her mother once more. “I’m just a little bruised, but nothing’s broken.” She looked back to Jet and smiled. She extended her hand for him to come forward and so he did. When he reached her side she took his hand in her hand. “He saved my life, and yet he still has a hard time with me thanking him.”