Blackstone's Heart (Blackout Security Inc. Book 1) Read online

  She slammed the box closed, tucking the mail into the messenger bag she carried and followed Grant. He had just opened her door at the truck when he let out a grunt a second before slamming into the door frame of the truck. "Grant! Oh my god, what happened!"

  "I'm hit." He hissed, clutching his side. "Get out of here...get to...Ethan."

  "I'm not leaving you." She stated as she looped his arm around her shoulders.

  Grant let out a moan of pain as she helped him into the passenger side. She searched his pockets and found the keys. Tossing the messenger bag onto the seat next to him, she closed the door and slipped her hand into her jacket flipping open her holster. Before she could take two steps she heard the bullet hit the sidewalk to her right.

  People started panicking as the report of the gunshot registered. Drawing her own pistol, Krista dove behind the hood of the truck. Another shot rang out, followed by another. Gritting her teeth, she listened. The shots were coming from one of the taller buildings across from where Grant had parked. Taking a chance, she darted around the hood and threw herself into the driver's seat as a bullet hit the bed of the truck.

  "Fuck! Drive Krista!" Grant yelled as another shot echoed and impacting the bed of the truck.

  Krista started the truck and peeled out of the parking lot. She could hear a few more shots ringing out, heard the sound of them impacting the truck, the back windshield shattering from a round, people screaming but all she cared about was getting her and Grant out of there alive. "How bad are you hit?"

  "Flesh wound." He hissed as he was thrown into the door as Krista turned the corner sharply, cutting off a minivan and a Prius.

  "Do you need a hospital?" She asked, whipping onto highway 183.

  "No, don't think so. Just get us to Blackout in one piece." He said, his breathing sounding labored.

  ***

  Ethan charged through the doors as Krista slammed on the brakes. She was out and rushing to the passenger side before he could reach her. "What happened? You alright?"

  "I'm fine Ethan. Grant was hit. He's holding his left side. The fucker was waiting for us outside the store. I counted about six shots. I didn't hear the one that hit Grant." Krista gritted as she and Ethan helped Grant from the truck.

  "Fuck me that hurts." Grant moaned.

  "Let's get him inside." Ethan said.

  Krista grabbed her bag then helped Ethan get Grant into the building. Lance was waiting for them in a small room that looked like an infirmary. Once Krista and Ethan got Grant onto the exam table, Lance went to work. Krista hugged herself as Grant's shirt was cut off. On his left side there was a gunshot wound and a lot of blood.

  "Looks like it just grazed ya." Lance commented.

  "Yeah well still hurts like a bitch." Grant hissed as Lance cleaned the area.

  "Is he going to be alright?" Krista asked worriedly.

  "Oh yeah, he'll be fine Krista." Lance said to her. "This bastard has had worse than a little flesh wound."

  "Fuck you Hawkeye." Grant chuckled then cursed. "Don't make me laugh. It hurts."

  Frowning again, Lance started poking some more and almost got decked for his troubles when he pressed down in the area of Grant's ribs. "What did you hit after you were shot?"

  "I...don't…fucking know." Grant growled.

  "He hit to door frame on the passenger side after he was hit." Krista answered and she moved to Grant and soothingly stroked his forehead. “I didn’t help matters when I took a sharp turn and he hit the inside of the door.”

  "Looks like you got a bruised rib or two. Not surprising since your truck is a dammed tank practically. Any idea what he was shooting?" Lance looked up at Krista.

  "The shots I heard sounded like rifle shots. Maybe a 17 HMR?" She replied as she felt Grant relax under her fingers.

  Lance merely lifted a brow before turning back to his patient. Krista felt Ethan move behind her and slip his arms around her waist. "Kris, let's let Hawk take care of Grant, okay."

  Krista nodded. She leaned over and softly kissed Grant’s forehead. The Marine opened his eyes and squeezed her hand in thanks. She smiled, squeezed his hand back then let Ethan lead her from the room. As Ethan steered them down a hall, Krista felt her body start to shake. When they reached Ethan's office, she unconsciously dropped her bag on the end table to the left of the door then she dropped onto the sofa against the left wall and buried her face in her hands.

  "Krista? Baby talk to me." Ethan whispered sitting beside her.

  "When Grant went down...Christ Ethan I was so scared for him. I just reacted. I...I got him in the truck, grabbed his keys and got us the hell out of there."

  "Sshh. It's alright baby. You're safe now."

  Ethan lifted her off the sofa then pulled her onto his lap, his arms like steel vices around her. She took a breath and continued, "When that next shot came, I ducked behind the hood, trying to figure out where he was. The third shot hit behind me and I figured he was in one of the building across the street. I just sucked in a breath and ran for the driver's side. I knew I couldn't shoot back with everyone running for cover and I needed to get us the hell out of there."

  Ethan stroked her hair as her head rested against his chest. He was seeing red, but knew he had to remain calm for Krista. She needed him to be calm right now. "You did good honey. You got yourself and my boy out of there. You stayed calm."

  "I…hell, I don’t know how I stayed so calm.” She sighed.

  “That’s how it works babe, you either panic and freeze or you react.” He assured her.

  Krista suddenly tensed and scrambled off of Ethan’s lap. “The package!”

  "What package?"

  Krista moved to the small table at the left side of the door. She had dropped her messenger bag there when they walked in. She grabbed the bag and pulled it off the table. "There was a package for me. I grabbed it and the rest of the mail before we left."

  Ethan watched her pull out the contents of her bag and laid them on his desk. The stench hit him first as she pulled out the contents. A plastic bag was pulled out and the smell grew worse. For a split second, the smell took Ethan back to that last mission. It was a smell of death. Shaking his head, he focused back on the present as Krista sorted the rest of the mail she had collected. He moved closer to her and the desk, and a thought broke through, he would need to replace his desk and have his whole office hosed down with antiseptic once they were done.

  "Okay, these two are from my editor and publisher, these four from fans, but this letter and package are from him. See how the writing on both the package and envelope are the same." Krista explained.

  "Yeah I see it. Okay, do you want Jimmy and Cain here for this?" Ethan nodded looking at her.

  "Might as well. But they don't know that I'm Kris James, Ethan." She replied.

  "You don’t have to be present for the meeting. If you want to be, I can run you by your place so you can change then bring you back. That would give them time to get here." He offered.

  "Yeah, I want to be here. Also, Grant said something had happened this morning but felt it would be better if you told me."

  "Yeah, your dad got a letter this morning."

  "Fuck." She growled and started pacing. "Okay, call Jimmy and Cain. Then run by my house so I can change. Tell them to get here in an hour. Might as well tell Dad too and see if he can make it. If he can't we'll fill him in later."

  Ethan couldn't stop the smirk. "Yes ma'am."

  "Oh bite me."

  Laughing, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her hungrily. "Oh I plan to. After I spank that ass for your smart mouth."

  Krista shivered. "You make the sweetest promises."

  Chapter 12

  Krista made it all of three steps into her bedroom before Ethan grabbed her and all but tossed her on the bed. He was on her in seconds, peeling at her clothes as he kissed her senseless. Krista moaned his name as she clawed at his own clothes.

  "I need you now Krista."

  "I need you too Et
han. Now. Right now."

  In record time they were naked and she screamed his name as he plunged hard and deep inside her. Ethan grabbed her wrists and cuffed them above her head with one of his while he found her clit with the other. Krista was soaring into an orgasm so fast she could barely catch her.

  "That's it. Take me Krista. Take all of me." He growled.

  "More Ethan. I love your cock." She gasped, trying to arch her hips to meet him.

  "Fuck you’re so wet baby. Love this pussy."

  Another climax rushed through her, her body tensing beneath him as he rode her. She knew she would be sore but at the moment could care less. She was alive and Ethan was proving that to her, to both of them. And she wanted it.

  "One more Krista. Ohh, give me one more."

  "Ethan!"

  When she came a third time she felt Ethan's release explode into her. The intensity of it stole both their breaths. Gasping as if they both had just run a marathon, Ethan sagged against her. Shakily, Krista slid her arms around him, cradling him to her. She planted soft kisses along his neck as she stroked his hair.

  "Thank you." She sighed.

  "Christ, when you called telling me Grant was shot..." He couldn't finish the sentence.

  "All I knew was to get me and Grant out of there and get to you."

  Ethan lifted his head and kissed her softly. "Kris I..."

  Krista covered his lips with her finger. "Don't Ethan. Don't say something you're not sure you mean."

  Ethan rolled off her and onto his back. He watched Krista slip from the bed and head for the bathroom. What the hell was he thinking? Did he still love her? He knew he did when he was seventeen, hell they both thought that and had said they loved each other freely. But now? Ever since she came back into his life he had been doing a lot of thinking where she was concerned. Trying to understand the feelings he felt toward her.

  He didn't do relationships once he got into the Marines. He was a hit and quit it guy back then. It was just better that way given the fact that he had been in a combat unit and later MARSOC. He was always off in some desert or some Afghan mountains for months on end and when he was stateside he was off training. That was no life to put a woman through. That didn't mean that he didn't know men who did and made it work.

  "You might want to grab a shower too. Unless you want to walk into this meeting smelling like sex." Krista teased walking out of the bathroom. "Not that I would mind you reeking of sex. That just means I’m doing my job."

  Ethan sat up. "You really are asking for that spanking aren't you?"

  "You can spank me tonight. But right now we got the Feds and my dad to fill in." She winked.

  Ethan laughed and climbed out of bed. As he passed her he reached out and smacked her ass making her squeak. "That's just a taste of tonight."

  "Yes Sir." She grinned, her eyes clouding a little with lust.

  ***

  Ethan had just finished setting up his board in the conference room, when Jimmy and Cain walked in. "Sorry we're late. Cops have traffic blocked off after that shooting this morning." Cain said.

  "Yeah, that's why I called you." Ethan nodded shaking their hands.

  "Wait, are you saying that was your guys?" Jimmy asked.

  Ethan rubbed the back of his neck. "Grant had accompanied Ms. James to collect the fan mail from the UPS store where she has a P.O. Box. I had a hunch there could be something after the bomb at Jerry's office. They had just got to Grant's truck when this asshole fired a shot. Grant was hit, but Ms. James got him in the truck and got them here."

  Jimmy and Cain faced Krista. "Are you alright Ms. James?" Cain questioned.

  "I'm fine. I was a bit shaken right after we got back here, but I'll live. Ethan's hunch was right. There was a letter and a package for me this morning. We figured since you and Blackout are both working this case, we might as well have the meeting here. Plus, there's something I need to tell the two of you." Krista sighed.

  On the drive over she had told Ethan she was going to tell Jimmy and Cain the truth. Plus, since her dad was on his way, they were bound to figure it out. Ethan had agreed with the move. After all she and Ethan had known Jimmy and Cain all their lives and knew they would keep it quiet.

  "What's that?" Jimmy inquired, lifting a brow.

  Taking a slow breath, she pulled off her wig. Next she took out the contacts and removed the makeup that concealed her face. When she faced the two men their mouths fell open in shock. At that moment Nick walked in.

  "Krista?" Jimmy gaped.

  "Yeah, it's me Jimmy." Krista smiled.

  "I should have pieced this together when Danny called us," Cain chuckled. "Why didn't you tell us sooner babe?"

  Krista elbowed Ethan when he growled at Cain for calling her babe. "Oh behave Ethan, he’s always called me babe and you know it.” Ethan snorted and walked off to say hi to Nick. “I didn’t tell you guys because I wanted to keep the short list of people who knew short.”

  “We wouldn’t have said anything Krista.” Cain argued.

  Krista lay a hand on his arm. “Oh I know that Cain. We’ve known each other our whole lives. But When I started this career, I promised myself that no more than twelve people would know the truth. Not counting my family and Jerry. Hell Jerry was the one who helped me come up with my pseudonym back in college. Other than you two, only my girlfriends know.

  Cain snorted at the mention of her girlfriends. “You mean you ten hyenas are still close.”

  Krista slapped his arm playfully. “Keep it up Harker and I’ll tell them all you called us hyenas. They’d track you down in a heartbeat.”

  “Alright, alright. Jeeze.” Cain mumbled as Jimmy laughed.

  “Anyway, the main reason I didn’t tell you guys is I'm a target as Krista James anyway if someone wanted revenge against dad. Can you two imagine how much bigger that target would be if they knew me and Kris James the bestselling author were one in the same?”

  “I get it.” Cain nodded.

  "Good point." Jimmy agreed. Then Jimmy spotted Nick and Ethan walking over. "Hello sir.”

  “Hello Jimmy, Cain. I’m glad Krista finally told you both the truth. I think that will make this easier for all parties involved.” Nick smiled shaking Jimmy and Cain’s hands.

  “I agree. Well, let's sit down and I can get everyone caught up to speed.” Ethan instructed as he stood next to his board at the head of the table.

  Krista sat next to her dad and listened as Ethan explained to Jimmy and Cain what had been going on and how Blackout became involved. She had to admit that he was in total control. The men sitting around the table obviously respected him. And despite the shitty situation, she found this side of Ethan, the boss man, sexy and hot as fuck.

  Watching him was beautiful and hot. All that manliness was hers, at least for the moment. She couldn't stop her mind from drifting back to the words he nearly said. She had stopped him because she didn't want him saying words in the heat of the moment. They had done that plenty of times when they had been kids. But they weren't kids anymore. Though she was pretty sure about her own feelings toward him, she didn't want him to feel he had to say the words if he didn't actually feel that way. Before her thoughts could drift anymore, she pulled herself back to the task at hand and the reason for this meeting.

  "Alright gentlemen, that's where we stand. Now, Krista retrieved the mail this morning before the bullets began flying. Krista, you want to handle this part?" Ethan concluded.

  Giving him a nod, she stood and moved to where the mail was laid out on the table. "This was all that was in the box today. These here are from my publishing house so they don't count. These here, are regular fan letters that just happened to be picked up today. This letter and package are from my stalker. The handwriting is the same on both. Before we took them out, Grant scanned all of them for explosives. They came up clean. I haven't opened them. If you want, we can do that now."

  "Let's do that." Jimmy said.

  Everyone groaned at the smel
l when the package was pulled out of the bio-hazard bag that Ethan had put it in before they earlier. Krista’s hands shook just a bit as she laid the package on the table with the letter beside it. She took a slow breath through her mouth, trying to breath past the smell.

  Krista was handed a pair of gloves by Cain. She slipped them on, as did everyone else. She started with the letter. Carefully she opened the envelope, making not of the postmark and date. It said San Antonio and dated the day before. There was only one sheet this time. She laid it flat on the table. Closing her eyes, she calmed herself. Her nerves still feeling a bit raw after the mornings events, but she needed to stay focused here. Opening her eyes, she looked down and started reading the letter.