Flash Point Read online

  Justice Shaw was quiet for a few moments, and then said, “I’m glad you’re here.”

  She stayed silent, her eyes glued to her lap where she was twisting her thumb ring between her fingers.

  “Kat, look at me.”

  “Please don’t call me that,” she said, still focused on her ring. Though she gave off an irritated vibe, the fact that she was fidgeting meant she was anxious.

  Hmm. Faking the bravado, maybe?

  Her father sighed again. “Fine. Katherine.” When she had no comment, he said, “I called you here because there have been a few…developments, and it’s best if you stay close by while the police look into it. These gentlemen here will be keeping an eye on things, and I’ve already set up your old room—”

  “Wait, what?” Her head jerked up and she finally looked at her father. “I’m not staying here.”

  “I’m sorry, but you don’t have any other choice.”

  “The hell I don’t,” she said, leaping to her feet. “I have classes—”

  “I’ll reach out to your professors. I’m sure they’ll be accommodating.”

  “I have a life there—”

  “It’ll be there when you get back.”

  “I’m not staying in this fucking house.”

  “Language, Katherine.”

  “I’m sorry. I meant I’m not staying in this damn house.”

  No wonder the man was completely grey at the relatively young age of fifty-five. From what Jason had seen so far, the headstrong woman would drive anyone to madness.

  Looks like I was right on about the daddy issues…

  With a resigned sigh, she sat back down and motioned for him to continue.

  “As I was saying. You’ll be staying here until we get this whole mess sorted out. I know that’s not ideal for you, but your safety is more important.”

  “Now that’s what’s ironic. You want me to stay in this house…where I’ll be safe. Really.” She shook her head. “I’d be safer sleeping under an overpass downtown.”

  “These fine men here won’t let anyone come within breathing space of you, so for now, this is where you’ll be safe. I’ve got a huge case coming up next week, and I’ll have peace of mind knowing you’re here and protected.”

  “When is it not a huge case?” she asked.

  “Some are bigger than others, as you know.” He took off his glasses and wiped them with a cloth from his inside jacket pocket. “I assume that means you stopped watching the news.”

  “Nothing positive ever comes from watching that stuff. Just a bunch of stories designed to scare you from leaving your house because everyone out there is a rapist.”

  Sliding the glasses back on his face, her father said, “Fair enough. I’ve got a capital punishment case that’s garnering a lot of national press, so you may have a bit more attention than usual.”

  Katherine clucked her tongue and looked toward the entryway, where her friend had quietly approached. Waving him over, she said, “Should’ve packed a bag. Looks like it’ll be an all-nighter, Chambers.”

  Her friend’s eyes widened as he looked nervously around the room at the group gathered. No doubt they were an intimidating bunch. Not one of them was under six foot two, and the job required a certain fitness level that had the boy standing in the doorway slumping his shoulders in defeat.

  I almost feel bad for the guy…almost.

  “Come on in and have a seat, Steven,” her father said, and he began the introductions. “Katherine, these are Agents Thompson, Rhodes, Kirkpatrick, and Garrett. Everything we do needs to go through them first, and if they tell you to do something, don’t question it. Do you understand?”

  Katherine looked as though she were ready to get the whole thing over with, and agreed. “Yes, yes. Whatever they say.”

  “Good.” His eyes softened, and he leaned forward. “Do you have any questions for me?”

  “No,” she said quickly.

  The corners of his mouth turned down, and he asked, “Nothing you want to know about?”

  “No.”

  “Okay, then.”

  “Wait. I do have one question.”

  The Justice inclined his head and waited for her to speak.

  “Would it be unreasonable for them to come to campus with me instead?”

  “Katherine—”

  She put her hand up. “I know, I know. It’s dangerous, but I’ve already had a long break from school, and I’m finally back in classes, and it just doesn’t make sense for me to have to start all over again later. You’ve been pushing for me to go back and finish my education, and now I have. Can’t I just”—she looked around the room at the bodyguards, her gaze stopping on Jason—“split them in half or something? I take two and you take two?”

  Jason had to hold back his laugh at her suggestion, but the man seemed to be actually considering it.

  Katherine turned her pleading eyes on her father, seeming to know just how to work him. “Please. They’ll keep me safe.”

  Jason watched the Justice’s eyes flick to Agent Thompson, who looked thoughtful, and he seemed to deliberate for a moment. “I’ll discuss it with the security team and see what they say. Fair enough?”

  Looks like she’s going to get her way. Nice sympathy play.

  “Fair enough,” she said, her shoulders visibly relaxing.

  “Good. Now can you two please go dry off somewhere so you don’t catch pneumonia? It’s the middle of winter.”

  Katherine ran her fingers through her hair and looked Jason’s way as she answered her father. “Can’t have a wet head, now can we?”

  Add bold to the list. Interesting…

  When Jason didn’t outwardly react to her double entendre, a half-smile crossed her lips, and then she stood up and linked arms with Steven.

  As they headed upstairs, presumably in search of a hair dryer and towels, Justice Shaw let out a heavy sigh and rubbed his forehead. When he opened his eyes, they settled on Agent Thompson.

  “So,” her father said. “What should we do about that request? Is it even feasible?”

  “Well, we’d have to move her to a private room and alert the university, but I’d say as long as she is strictly going to and from classes and her room, safety shouldn’t be an issue,” Thompson replied.

  “Shouldn’t be an issue? Or won’t?”

  Thompson shook his head. “It won’t be an issue. We can go over logistics now, if you’d like.”

  When Justice Shaw nodded, Agent Thompson looked over at him. The man didn’t need to say anything, and Jason understood the order.

  He made his way out of the room to keep an eye on Katherine, and as he went, he heard a pair of hands clap, and then, “Now let’s make a game plan.”

  HALF AN HOUR later, Katherine shrugged back into her clothes, warm against her skin after a tumble in the dryer. Piling her damp hair into a bun on top of her head, she took a last look around her old bedroom that remained unchanged and untouched since her senior year.

  Pictures of her and her friends in happier times lined the dresser mirror. In the frames were family photos with her mom and dad, the last one taken during Halloween, when, along with Steven, they’d all dressed up as The Addams Family.

  A sad smile curved her lips as she reached out to trace another photo, one of her and her mom when she was a baby. She hadn’t realized how much they’d favored each other. Her mom had been the same age in the picture as Katherine was now¸ just barely twenty-two. She unsnapped the back of the frame, slid the photo out, and put it into her back pocket. Then she grabbed her jacket on the way out.

  As she passed a closed door at the top of the stairs, she hesitated. An uneasy feeling settled into the pit of her stomach, but it didn’t stop her from opening the door. Her mother’s art room. The smell of paint still overwhelmed the vast space, her artwork covering every spare inch, and Katherine took a shuddering breath.

  “Do you think Mommy will like it?” Katherine asked as she clumsily wielded the paintb
rush in her small hands. They were painting the walls of what her daddy told her would be an art room for her mom to draw pictures in. Maybe one day, she could draw pictures in there too.

  “I know she’ll love it,” he said, smiling down at her and wiping his brush underneath the spot she’d painted on the wall to catch the dripping. “It’ll be a special place, just for her.”

  She beamed up at him. “Like the seesaw at the playground is our special place?”

  He laughed and took the brush from her hand, then lifted her on his hip so he could place a kiss on her temple. “Just like that.”

  Resting her head on his shoulder, she asked, “Daddy?”

  “Yes, sweetheart?”

  “You and Mommy won’t have any more babies, right?”

  He broke out into raucous laughter. “Where did that come from?”

  “If you have more babies, then it won’t be just our special place anymore.”

  “Ah,” he said, lifting her chin to look at him. “You want to be the most important one in the family, do you?”

  When she gave him a big smile and nodded enthusiastically, he chuckled again. Bringing his forehead to hers, he told her, “You will always be the center of our world. Just the three of us.”

  “You promise?”

  “I promise.”

  Her hand gripped the doorway before quickly pulling it shut. Too many bad memories suffocated the good ones now, and lingering much longer would only put her in a headspace she didn’t need to go back into.

  Heading downstairs to join Steven, she felt someone behind her and whirled around. The hot bodyguard she’d seen earlier in the living room was standing at the top of the stairs.

  Had he been up there watching her this whole time?

  There was an intensity in his gaze as she locked eyes with his hazel ones, and for the second time since she’d been here, she thought how strikingly attractive he was. Not in a model kind of way, but in a masculine, throw-you-up-against-the-wall kind of way. An unexpected shot of desire coursed through her as her eyes involuntarily scanned over his body, unable to help from noticing the way he filled out his tailored black suit in a way that had her wondering what was underneath it.

  He cleared his throat, and her eyes shot back up to his, heat filling her cheeks at being caught at the obvious perusal. Straightening her shoulders to project a confident air instead of the embarrassment she felt, she told him, “I wasn’t going to escape, if that’s why you’re following me.”

  His face was impassive as he cocked his head to the side, not saying a word.

  “Are you guys not allowed to talk to clients or something?”

  Still, he stared at her, his silence infuriating, though she couldn’t say why. It wasn’t like she wanted to befriend any of these guys. Maybe just tell him to take his clothes off.

  Raising an eyebrow, she said, “Nice chat,” and then headed toward the kitchen, where Steven had no doubt been raiding the pantry.

  He had a bag of chips out on the counter, and she wrinkled her nose as she passed him. “Salt and vinegar is disgusting. No wonder you don’t have a girlfriend.”

  “You’re the only girl I know that hates these. Besides, vinegar is good for lowering blood pressure.”

  She laughed. “That’s apple cider vinegar, dumbass.”

  “Ohh, right. I knew that.”

  Shaking her head, she opened the fridge and whistled. “Fully stocked fridge. I’m shocked.” Taking out containers of grapes and cheese, she tossed them onto the granite countertop. “I wonder when he started shopping and skipping takeout.”

  “Nah, he must’ve hired someone. Look, they even took the stems off,” Steven said, holding up a grape and then throwing it in the air and catching it with his mouth.

  “Well isn’t that fancy.”

  “Come on, Kat. It’s time to give the old guy a break. He’s got a lot on his plate being a big-time Georgia Supreme Court Justice. Hell, it’s not his fault—”

  Shutting the refrigerator, she said, “I know you’re not about to give me the you-should-really-make-up-with-your-dad-because-he’s-the-only-parent-you-have lecture. Don’t make me regret inviting you.”

  “I volunteered.”

  “Same thing.” She grabbed a handful of grapes and shoved them inside her mouth, not bothering to swallow before talking. “Don’t act like you’d want to stay here any more than I do.”

  “I understood about two words of what you just said. You really should learn to swallow before you have a conversation.”

  She gulped down the remaining fruit and gave him a pointed look. “That’s what he said.”

  “Maybe they’ll be able to work something out, and we’ll be back on the road before you know it.”

  Not if it’s what I think it is. “Maybe.”

  Steven glanced behind him at the stoic guard standing on the outskirts of the kitchen and then back to her.

  Lowering his voice to a whisper, he said, “But…do you really want to be alone with those guys? They give me the fucking creeps. They just stand there like men in black or some shit and pretend not to listen. I keep thinking they’re gonna bust out with those mind-eraser guns and suddenly we’ve forgotten the last five years.”

  A pain seared through her heart, and she bit her bottom lip. “Wouldn’t that be nice…”

  Steven’s eyes widened. “Shit, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—”

  “Oh, stop,” she said, waving her hand. “I know you didn’t.”

  They sat there eating in silence, and she looked over Steven’s shoulder, able to openly study the intimidating man now that his back was to them. He was several inches taller than her father’s six-foot frame, his hair closely buzzed to his scalp.

  He looked deadly. Deadly and fucking gorgeous.

  He still hadn’t bothered to say anything to them; he had just assumed the position of following them around wherever they moved. It was just as well; they wouldn’t be around long enough to make it worth the effort of befriending.

  Munching on another handful of chips, Steven asked, “Did your dad say anything else before I came in? About what started all this?”

  “Nope. You know as much as I do.” Lie. He doesn’t have to tell me. I can already guess. And what I’m thinking terrifies me.

  “And you don’t care to ask?”

  “No.” Another lie. If I ask and he tells me, that confirms that the nightmare has started all over again. Better to stay defensive. Better to stay in the dark. Better not to know if the threat is closing in.

  Her stomach flipped as she sat down on one of the island barstools, but she kept her face impassive.

  “Why? Why don’t you care?”

  She shrugged, trying desperately for nonchalance. “It’s nothing good or I wouldn’t be here. It’s not like I can do anything about whatever’s going on.”

  His brow furrowed. “But aren’t you curious?”

  “No, I’m not. I don’t care about whatever case has us on lockdown. I’d rather it all just be over and done with soon. And he’s out of his mind if he thinks I’m actually gonna stay here overnight.” Well, at least the last one’s the truth.

  Steven shook his head. “Good luck with that one. Although your begging back there was priceless.”

  “It wasn’t begging. It was a reasonable question.”

  “Doesn’t it worry you even a little bit that someone could be out there trying to hurt you?”

  The unsettled feeling in her stomach flared. Don’t let him see you panic. No need to freak him out…yet. Nodding over at the tall figure across the room, she said, “Jason Statham over there can walk me to classes.”

  She thought she saw the bodyguard’s shoulders stiffen then. No doubt he’d look at this as just another helpless woman he had to watch over, though he’d be wrong. But, hey, if she had to be miserable, everyone else should too. He would be nice to look at on a daily basis, though.

  Steven shifted back to face her, and the old stool he was perched on creak
ed in protest. “Well, I can walk you to classes too, ya know.”

  “Oh yeah? And what’s your weapon?”

  “My killer smile?” he said, flashing a grin.

  “God,” she said, shielding her eyes. “Make it stop. It’s blinding.”

  Steven’s smile faltered and his expression turned serious. “You know I’d never let anything happen to you, right?”

  “Yeah, of course,” she said, brushing him off.

  His hand reached out to cover hers, and he waited until she looked at him to speak. “I mean it. You’re safe with me.”

  That was the problem and the comfort—she was safe with him. Too safe. There was nothing more she wanted than to look at him the way he was looking at her now. The way those piercing blue eyes looked at her all the time. Even beneath his jokes and the inherent familiarity she always felt with him, there was always the sense of expectation, of sand sifting through the hourglass and counting down, as he waited until the time she inevitably felt the same way.

  With a wistful smile, she said, “I know.”

  AS FAR AS clients went, Jason preferred not to think about them at all. Of course, in his line of work, and with the proximity he had to keep, he couldn’t help but hear their inane conversations. Most of which were tedious and boring. “Mrs. Betty Forest didn’t say hello at church this morning so she must have a stick up her too-large-to-fit-in-the-pew britches,” and “Honey, I’m so sorry, but we’ll have to take the helicopter to our private island this year instead of the yacht.”

  If he hadn’t established the fine art of tuning out the unnecessary noise, he’d have gone crazy a long time ago.

  Rarely was he the topic of interest while standing only a few feet away, however, so when Miss Shaw said his name, he tensed. She was comparing him to some action star, and he had to close his eyes to keep from rolling them. If he had a dime for every time he heard that…

  Their voices became quieter, and he didn’t have to turn around to know the air in the room had abruptly changed to something softer. Sentimental, even. His mind began to wander again until Thompson stuck his head out in the hallway to let him know to bring them back in.