Stripped Defenseless (22 page)

“Of
course. All I have to do is sneak in and quietly—who’s that?” She watched a
tall brunette slip through the shadows and scoop up a black cat.

“Shit.
What is she doing here?”

The
woman glanced their way and then headed toward the back of the cabin.

“That’s
Lucy Quinn. She’s a friend of Kade’s, and she’s one of us.”

“One
of us? What the hell are you people anyway?”

“Don’t
worry about it. Just get the money before she does so we can get out of here.”
Jax handed Poppy the gun, and she clenched it in her hands.

“Okay.
Here goes nothin′.”

* * * * *

Ava
sat up on the couch and shot Zack her best glare.

He
didn’t seem impressed as he chuckled and waved the gun at her. “I can’t believe
I was ever attracted to a whore like you. You see that case beside you? That
thing is filled with cash. Do you know why?”

“’Cause
you’re a pussy who couldn’t catch me on your own?” She snapped and then bit
into her tongue. It wasn’t exactly a good idea to antagonize a madman with a
gun, but she couldn’t help herself. Zack Moreno was an ass.

His
face reddened as he moved up closer, straightening the gun. “Wrong answer,
bitch.” He shot a hole in the couch beside her head.

Her
breath caught in her throat, too frightened to move.

“That
money spells revenge,” Zack said. “Did you think I was going to just let you
run out of my life?” He raised his voice. “I warned you, Ava. People don’t
leave me. I leave them.”

The
sound of the gunshot and the smell of the burnt leather forced Ava to realize
this situation was completely out of her control. “So what do want? What do you
want me to say?” she asked out of desperation.

“You
can’t say a goddamn thing. It’s too late for you. You could’ve been my wife,
but you fucked up. And now I have to make good on my promise.” He held the gun
pointed directly between her eyes.

But
the sound of the front door opening distracted him.

* * * * *

Still
in a daze, Kade heard the sound of a sharp slap and felt a stinging sensation
on his cheek. It repeated over and again until he finally forced his eyes open
to see what or who was causing it.

Lucy
was sitting on him, constricting his airway and bringing her hand up to strike
him again.

He
tried to grab her arm but couldn’t move. “Get off,” he managed to croak out
just as her hand made contact again.

“Finally,”
she whispered loudly and swiveled to his side. “What the hell are you doing out
here? Your target’s in danger.”

Ava.
“Where is she?” He lifted his
throbbing head and attempted to gather his wits.

“Thank
God the cat led me to you. The woman’s inside with Moreno. I just heard a
gunshot, but I don’t know whose gun it was.”

“What?
A gunshot?” Blood pulsed against his temples, and he forced himself to sit up.
“I need to get to her.” He prayed it wasn’t too late. The whole situation had
blown up in their faces, and it was entirely his fault. How had he expected Ava
to trust him if he hadn’t given her a reason to?

“Where’s
your gun, Kade?” Lucy asked. “How many times have I told you to always carry it
with you?” She stood and held out her hand.

“I
know.” He accepted her help and slowly stood up on wobbly legs. “I fucked up.
But I need to save her. Let me borrow yours.”

“No
way in hell.”

“Please.
You have to help me out. I can’t lose her.” Kade took in the way her hard eyes
softened as he spoke. “I’m in love with her.”

“That’s
the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.” She reached inside her jacket and pulled
out a black pistol with a pink handle. “If you lose my gun, I’ll kill you.”

Kade
took it from her. “Thank you, Luce. I owe you.”

She
shrugged and grinned with those beautifully-painted lips. The woman was a
knock-out, he couldn’t deny. Why he hadn’t fallen for her was a mystery. All he
knew was how much he desired Ava, the one woman who ignited him from the inside
out.

“I’m
sorry about us,” he whispered as he gripped the gun.

She
rolled her big brown eyes. “
Please
. You weren’t even that good. Just go
get your woman. I’ll take care of the problem out front.”

“What
problem?”

“Jax
Cullen. He’s probably got his eye on Moreno’s money. I’ll get rid of him.”

Kade
nodded and headed back to the cabin, watching Lucy sprint away in the other
direction.

* * * * *

“Poppy?”
Ava narrowed her eyes at the blonde as she walked in with a gun pointed toward
Zack. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m
here to collect. That man owes me.”

“I
can’t believe this shit.” Zack laughed. “How the fuck did you find me?”

They
knew each other? Ava watched on, confused and relieved at the same time. “Shoot
him, Poppy,” she urged and jumped over the couch to stand next to her friend.

The
gun shook in Poppy’s hand, but there was a determination in her eyes that gave
Ava hope. This wasn’t the same woman she had known at the strip club. No, this
was someone strong and unyielding. Someone on a mission.

“Shoot
him before he shoots you.”

“Shut
up!” Zack yelled. “Neither one of you bitches is going to take me down. I’m the
goddamn man here.” He rushed at Poppy before Ava could blink.

Poppy
shot. And missed, hitting the wall behind him. He grabbed the gun from her hand
before she could shoot again and lifted his arm to strike her.
No.
Ava
jumped on his back, attempting to save her friend from the familiar assault.
She wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck and squeezed
as hard as she could.

But
he was too strong. Zack grabbed Ava from behind and heaved her toward Poppy,
sending them both to the ground. With fury in his eyes, he held Poppy’s gun in
one hand and his in the other. One pointed at each woman.

Chapter Twelve

Jax
was giving Poppy two more seconds before going in after the money himself. The
more he contemplated, the better the idea sounded. Why he had ever thought that
petite-sized whore would have a chance against Moreno was a mystery. Time to
get the job done right. He reached under his seat and pulled out his backup
gun.

The
sound of his passenger door opening forced him to aim it at whatever unlucky
son of a bitch was on the other side.

Lucy’s
red-painted nails gripped the door handle as she lifted herself into the cab.
“Long time, no see,” she said, with her signature dazzling smile.

Ever
since Jax had first laid eyes on the woman, he’d wanted to rip that
condescending grin off her face by jamming his tongue down her throat and his
cock up her pussy. She was a good PI. Too good. In fact, she routinely turned
down the assignments Jax and Kade were more than happy to take.

So
what the hell was she doing here?

“Why
the sour face, Cullen? I thought you liked me.” She scooted up close. Her short
skirt bunched up, showing him the inside of her thigh.

Jax
dropped his gun to nudge the barrel against the creamy skin of her blushed
cheek. “There’s a huge difference between liking a woman and wanting to fuck
her brains out. I didn’t realize you were so naïve.”

Her
arched brow rose as she crooked her neck and licked the tip of his gun with her
pink, slick tongue. “You know this is more exciting than frightening for me,
right?”

His
cock hardened. “Really? You like it rough, eh? Have you ever had one of these
inside of you?”

“Fully
loaded,” she said with a smirk.

He
licked his lips. The woman was surely up to no good, but who the fuck cared? He
had a few moments to waste. And if she tried anything, she was going to get a
hole in her head.

“I
bet you’ve never had a man like me inside you.” He grabbed her hand and rammed
it against his hard erection.

She
rubbed against it. “No, I don’t think I have.”

“Do
you want it?”

“Why
don’t you tell me?” She guided his free hand under her skirt to the heat
between her legs.

Jax
grinned. Having Lucy Quinn in a screaming orgasm under his control was a
fantasy he’d played over in his head more than a few times. “We should get
together sometime. I can show you what it’s like to be fucked by a real man.”

“Why
not now?” She slid her leg over his lap and straddled him. “Just a quickie to
take the edge off while we wait to see how all this Moreno business plays out.”

Jax’s
mind and cock went into overdrive. She was so close. He could take her right
now. She leaned in and pressed her soft red lips to his. Her delicate tongue
slid out and edged into his mouth, driving him crazy.

He
jammed her skirt up to her waist to see the red lace thong she had on
underneath. He slipped his finger in the crotch and tugged hard, ripping it
open. She moaned and he grabbed her ass, confining her wet pussy against the
stiffness in his jeans.

She
crushed her lips to his again and purred into his mouth as she shifted her
pelvis against him. “You’re so much better than Kade.”

Damn
right. He thrust his tongue into her mouth and let her suck on it.

“Mmm,”
she moaned.

And
then she bit down.

Fuck.
Jax pushed her away and attempted to get hold of his gun. But it was no longer
in his grasp. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

Lucy
had it aimed at his head and was now hurrying her way toward the passenger
door. “Sorry, Cullen. But this isn’t your mission, and it’s time for you to move
on.”

“Bitch,”
he growled. His throbbing tongue wouldn’t allow him to tell her what he really
thought. Who ever made her the goddamn PI police?

“Bye,
love.” She blew him a kiss. “Take off now, and I won’t mention this to anyone
else.”

Jax
hit his hand against the steering wheel. “You’re gonna regret this, Luce,” he
slurred.

“We’ll
see.” She smiled, jumped out of the truck, and waited as Jax started up the
engine and drove back down the hill he had quietly driven up not long ago.

* * * * *

Ava
looked up at Zack who had murder in his eyes. This was it. But she refused to
give him one tear. That was one element he didn’t have control over.

And,
luckily, next to her, Poppy was dry as the desert. Her sight was fixated on the
briefcase that had fallen onto the floor beside the couch.

“Why
don’t you let Poppy go?” Ava asked. “She doesn’t have anything to do with
this.”

“Why
don’t you shut the hell up?” Zack bumped the barrel against her forehead. “This
isn’t a negotiation. This is me teaching you a lesson.” Sweat poured down his
temples onto his cheeks.

“Then
do it,” she whispered. “Shoot me.”
Don’t give him control. Don’t let him
have the last word.

“Not
so fast,” he said in a jarringly calm voice. “I think I’d like to have a little
fun before we end this.”

Ava
gulped as bile rose in her throat. Just the thought of being touched by him
again was revolting.

“You
like that idea, I see. Get up on your feet or your friend dies.”

Reluctantly,
Ava stood.

“Take
off your clothes.”

“Let
Poppy leave first.”

“Shy?
That’s so cute. And here I thought you were a dirty little girl.” He shook his
head. “Get out, Poppy.”

“I
can stay,” Poppy said, still staring at the case.

“I
said get out!”

Slowly,
Poppy stood and headed toward the front door.

“Okay.”
Zack sneered down at Ava. “Undress.”

Nauseous
and lightheaded, she tugged her shirt off, exposing her bare breasts to her
worst enemy. It was both humiliating and infuriating. How had she ever trusted
this man enough to allow him to make love to her? Enough to move in with him
and entertain the thought of spending the rest of her life with him?

“Very
nice.” Zack kneeled in front of her, pointing one gun at her head while the
other jammed against her nipple. “Too bad Gavin’s not around to see this. I’d
think he’d appreciate a nice show. What did you do? Knock him unconscious out
there?”

She
clenched her mouth shut. Clearly, Zack knew enough about Kade’s vulnerable
situation. He must have watched from the back door.

Zack
shrugged. “Okay. No talking. Just action. Where’s his bedroom? I don’t think
he’d mind too much if we used it, do you? So I can show you what you’ve been
missing.”

“He’ll
kill you,” Ava said. “He loves me, and if you touch me, he’ll hunt you down and
murder your ass.”

“Then
I guess I’ll have to take a trip to that old shed out there when I’m done with
you and get rid of that little problem.”