Harder (The Unit #3) Page 15

  “How many are there?” Michael asked.

  “There were only three at the house this morning,” Tony replied.

  “Well, that’s three already. Do you recognize all of these men?” Rob asked as he stood above Michael and Tony and watched them regain their breath from the brutal beatings they had given the two men.

  Tony stood. “No. I only recognize this one,” Tony said as he motioned to the bloody and broken man that lay at his feet. “This one is Joey. This morning there were two others with him.”

  “Then these other men must be part of the Barone organization,” Rob declared.

  “We have to continue clearing the ship until we find Jules. She has to be here,” Tony insisted.

  “You go that way,” Tony said to Rob, motioning to his left. Rob didn’t wait for further instructions; he just took off down the hall, gun drawn.

  “You go that way,” Tony said to Michael, motioning to the front hallway with his hand.

  “I’m going right, where this man came from. Let’s clear ’em and find Jules. Alert me when we have her,” Tony ordered into his comm. because the men had already taken off in their respective directions.

  “Copy,” both men said in Tony’s ear.

  Jules hid in a storage closet on the third floor below the weather deck. She stayed perfectly quiet, but it was hard to stay still because she was in so much pain. She had no idea what she was going to do now. Her only hope was Tony. He had to find her. He said he would.

  Suddenly, Jules heard a loud bang that sounded like gunfire. Her hope soared. Tony. He was here looking for her. She needed to leave the safety of her closet so that he could find her. Slowly, she pushed the door open and peeked her head outside. All clear. She struggled to stay on her feet as she walked heavily through the belly of the ship. She had to find the stairs. The gunshot sounded like it came from upstairs.

  But what if she was wrong? What if it wasn’t Tony? Was she walking into a trap? They had to notice her missing by now. Frankie had enough time to pick himself up and call out for Joey or Antonio. What if it was a trick? She turned around, about to head back to the safety of the closet, but something was gnawing at her gut. Her gut said that Tony was on the ship, that he was there to rescue her. She turned back around and began looking for the stairs once more.

  Limping, she huffed at the pain she was in. Each move of her legs pulling on her torso sent another tear down her face, but she was tough. She had to do this. She wasn’t going to lie down and die. She would live—especially now that she and Tony had confessed their love for each other. She wanted a life with him, and he professed to want a life with her.

  Limping to the other side of the deck, she found the stairs. She walked painfully up one tread at a time, pausing at each step to catch her breath. Breathing heavily from fighting the pain, she stopped when she heard another gunshot ring out, this time closer than the last two. She had to be closing in on Tony. She knew he wouldn’t let her go, not after everything they shared the night before. He was out of the army and a civilian now. He was ready to settle down, or so she told herself. Finally reaching the top step, she peeked around the corner and, not seeing anyone, she continued onto the second floor below the weather deck. She was only one deck away from freedom.

  The ship rocked back and forth, and she fought extra hard to keep her footing. They were definitely at sea. How did Tony manage to get on this ship? How were they going to get off? She didn’t want any more experiences of being passed out in the water. She hated bodies of water, and they were at sea. As she traversed carefully through the second-deck belly, she kept a keen eye out for anyone, especially Tony.

  Halfway through the second deck, where she was held hanging upside down, she noticed that Frankie was gone and that the floor where she had been was covered in blood. The thought that it was Frankie’s blood as well as hers had the corner of her mouth pulling up in a slight grin.

  There was an office on this floor. She walked past the open space where she was held hours ago and the cargo containers that lined the side of the space, heading straight into the line of sight of Antonio.

  He raised his gun and pointed at her. The look on his face dared her to turn and run. She stood motionless. She knew the boss wanted her alive, but for what she didn’t know.

  Antonio motioned with his gun for her to come into the office. Holding onto the wall for balance, she made her way to the door, but instead of opening it, she just stood on the other side of it. With his gun still drawn, he walked over and opened the door.

  “What a pleasant surprise. I’m so glad you could join me. Geez, did you do a number on Frankie. We’re going to have to stop at the next port to get him to the hospital,” Antonio said with a diabolical look in his eyes. He focused his gaze straight into the fire-filled eyes of Jules.

  “You know the Unit’s here and you don’t stand a chance against them, right?” Jules declared, raising her chin but keeping eye contact with him. “Tony is a Green Beret, one of the best trained warriors in the world. And he loves me. You don’t stand a chance.”

  “Why don’t you let me worry about that.” Joey motioned for her to take a seat. “I’m sure you’re in pain,” he said with a grin.

  Jules dragged her right foot as she made her way to the chair. She would sit and wait for Tony to find her. As she sat down, she took care not to further pull the carving.

  The office that she was in was surrounded by windows halfway up the wall to the ceiling. Tony would definitely see her in there. But what would he do? How would he get her out?

  Joey stood behind Jules in the chair. “Boy, did Frankie put a hurtin on you?”

  “Why do you want me? What does your boss plan to do with me?”

  “He wants to torture you and make you beg for death. The begging for death part was what the ATG wanted. Mr. Barone, well, he just wants you dead. But those ATG boys are sick fucks. So now, only when you no longer want to live, will he kill you,” Joey said with an evil look in his eyes.

  “Your boss is in jail. Just how does he plan to do that?”

  “Didn’t you hear? He won his appeal. He’s out of jail. That’s why we’re traveling to Florida.”

  Hearing that made Jules’s stomach drop. Bile rose in the back of her throat, but she swallowed it back down. She wasn’t going to give this asshole the pleasure of seeing her scared.

  All her hard work down the drain. She had fought long and hard to get that story. She had to befriend some unsavory people, but she got the books and made the connection that made the case. Was the judge on Barone’s payroll? That was the only thing that made sense. Maybe she shouldn’t have run the story? She shook her head to clear that thought. She was proud of the work she had done.

  Just then, she looked up and saw Tony standing in the middle of some cargo containers. He shook his head and brought his finger to his lips, indicating for Jules to be quiet. Tony squatted down to below the windows and made his way to the office. There was only one entry, and Tony would need to stand to get a shot to take down Joey.

  When Tony popped back up, he saw him. He grabbed Jules’s hair and yanked her up, shielding himself with her body. Jules tried to stay still so Tony could get off a good shot. She wanted to elbow him and give Tony the shot he needed, but the pain she was in meant that she couldn’t move drastically.

  Tony just stood there, staring at Jules. All of the pain she felt was nothing to the pain she saw in his eyes. She knew he walked past the blood and probably thought that it was all hers. She was just in her bra, so Tony could see the cuts on her body. His eyes turned hard when they focused on Joey.

  Joey shifted his hold on Jules. She felt lightheaded and dizzy as he cut off her air supply. She had to do something.

  “I just want you to know, in case I don’t make it, Mr. Barone will never stop until he completes his plan for you,” Joey said with spittle speckling her cheek.

  At that thought, Jules found the courage she needed. She fought through the pain and elb
owed him as hard as she could in his side. The momentary pain she caused him made it so he let go of her neck. She moved out of the way and heard a single shot. She watched as he fell limply to the ground. Tony ran to her. He wanted to crush her in a hug, but instead, he didn’t touch her, just stared at the word carved into her flesh.

  “Are we done? Can we go home?” Jules asked, trying to lighten the mood.

  “My God, Jules. What the fuck did they do to you?”

  “Can I explain later?” she asked as Tony wrapped an arm under hers to help her walk to the top deck. Michael appeared with a blanket to wrap around her. Tony had to watch her sway and struggle to get up the steps and it killed him that carrying her would cause her more pain than relief. Once on the weather deck, Tony radioed for the patrol boat to pick them up. Within minutes, the men, with an injured Jules, walked down the stairs to the boat and boarded. She was finally safe, but how was she going to tell Tony about Barone’s plan? How was she going to tell him that she was forced to suck another man’s cock? How was she going to tell Tony how much she missed him? There weren’t words.

  Three months later

  Tony lay in bed next to Jules, watching her sleep. His arm was draped around her waist and her firm behind pushed up against his cock. He was so thankful that she had recovered from the surgery to repair where Barone’s men had carved his name into her torso and was completely his. It took her six weeks to heal, but after she did, they couldn’t keep their hands off each other. Tony had such a hard time waiting, but he did so with complete love and compassion. He wanted her, but he knew it was important that she heal first. Now that she was better, they had explored many of his fantasies.

  Bringing his hand up, he stroked her hair and gently woke her up. She stirred, wiggling further back, pushing in to his body. Flipping over in his arms, she smiled and looked up at him with doe eyes. Leaning down, he pressed a soft kiss to her lips and ran a finger down her neck, following down between her breasts all the way to her belly button. “Say it,” he said. “I need to hear it.”

  “I’m yours, Tony, and I love you so very much.”

  He grinned down at her, and the love he felt for her shone in his eyes like a beacon from a lighthouse. Today, he was going to make love to her. He didn’t want it rough; he wanted her to feel his love. Crawling on top of her, he braced himself with his forearms next to her head and planted featherlight kisses along her jawline and down her neck, nibbling as he went and causing goose bumps to rise on her skin. When she arched into him, he rubbed his cock against her pussy. Dipping his head, he took her taut nipple into his mouth and suckled while he placed his hand on her other breast, teasing the nipple.

  “What do you want, baby?” he murmured into her ear. Again, goose bumps rose on her skin, and she wriggled under him.

  “I want you, Tony. I want you to make love to me. Today, I want to feel how deeply you love me.”

  With her words, Tony entered her. They moaned at the feel of his cock inside her moving slowly. Tony cupped her face as he slid in and out, kissing her with all the love and passion he felt. He made love to her mouth and body.

  He growled, “I can’t get enough of you. I can’t get close enough.” He conveyed the depth of his love as he pushed her higher and higher. Unable to control himself, his pace increased. He wrapped his arms around her and thrust himself deep into her. Her legs were wrapped around his, and she pushed against each of his thrusts, so much so that it felt like her pussy was sucking on his cock. He’d never felt anything like it. “I can’t get enough of you.” She pushed against him, rubbing her clit to hit his pubic bone with each thrust.

  “God, baby, you’re amazing. The feeling is so intense,” Jules admitted.

  He knew she was the best he ever had. He only hoped he was her best. Pushing the thoughts out of his head, he continued the glorious rhythm that had her arching her back. Looking down, he saw her eyes rolling back into her head.

  “Tony,” she moaned. He continued, faster now. Keeping up with his thrusts, her moans turned to cries. “Tony. Oh my God. Tony, please don’t stop. Don’t stop. Oh God, don’t stop.”

  He didn’t know how much longer he could hang on as he moved inside her wet, warm pussy. Her cries turned into a scream as she broke apart in his arms. He felt her pussy clench his cock, and he couldn’t hold himself back. He broke inside her. Heavy breathing. Cries of pleasure. Moans of love. They came together in each other’s arms. Jules stroked his back with her fingertips as he came down from his brilliant high, a high only she could bring him to.

  “I love you,” he said as her phone rang. “Do you have to get it?”

  “I’d better. I’m waiting on a source to call me. Hello,” she said into the phone. “Yes. I’m familiar with it.” She paused. “Okay, I’ll meet you there.”

  “Was it your source?” Tony questioned as he got out of bed and headed to the bathroom.

  “Yes. He wants me to meet him at a café downtown,” she said, swinging her legs off the bed. “Do you mind if I shower first? He wants to meet in an hour.”

  “Sure,” he said, reentering the bedroom. “I’ll wait until you’re done, but I don’t want you going without me.”

  “Tony,” she begged, “we’ve talked about this. I am more than capable of doing my job.”

  “Yes,” he countered, “and we’ve also talked about you being mine. That means I’m going to protect you.”

  “Tony, this man is sixty years old. I really doubt I’m in any danger.”

  “Nevertheless,” he said with an air of authority, “I’m coming with you.”

  “Fine, but you have to wait in the car.”

  “If that’s as good as I’m going to get,” he conceded, “I’ll take it. But you have to promise that, if something doesn’t feel right, you’ll come to me immediately.”

  “Tony,” she exhaled, “I’ll be fine.” She stood on her tiptoes and gave him an Eskimo kiss. They smiled at their term of affection. “Okay,” she said, “let me go. I have to have a shower.”

  “Go.” He swatted her ass, and she squeaked and jumped.

  Tony lay on the bed waiting for her to get out of the shower so he could take his turn. Thoughts ran through his head. Twice he almost lost her. He had to protect her. Now that she freely and completely gave herself to him, to his dominant nature, he was never letting her go. Tony knew he would never love anyone like he loved Jules. He was one of the lucky ones. He got a second chance with his first love. And everyone knew there was no love like one’s first love. He thanked God for Jules and his second chance.

  What would he have done had she gotten severely injured or died? He shook the unpleasant thoughts from his head. She was safe. He was protecting her. There was no mention of the Barone family in the three months it took her to heal. Still, he couldn’t help worry because of what Antonio said to her before he died. They would keep coming for her until Barone got what he wanted—her begging him to die.

  Barone was a sick bastard. Tony had done his research. Barone had his hands in drugs, trafficking, prostitution, smuggling, and worst of all, he wasn’t the least bit afraid of getting caught. But he was careful not to let anything lead directly back to him. His reach was long and his family was large and growing all the time. Barone was the type of mob boss that killed first and asked questions later.

  Tony didn’t know why he had it out for Jules. Sure, she wrote a story that sent him to jail briefly. Maybe it was the fact that Jules was the only one who’d brought him down in his entire life. He was sure that Barone would never let Jules go. He would search the world over for her and strike when they let down their guards. That’s why he could never let down his guard. Barone had officials in his pocket. As strange of a thought as that was for Tony, that’s the only way he could have gotten his conviction overturned.

  Tony would protect what was his. And Jules was his. He wouldn’t fail her.

  “Whatcha thinking about?” Jules asked. “I said your name three times before you heard me
. What’s so serious?”

  “You,” he offered. “You know I’ll never let anything happen to you. I think you should take me into the meeting with you today. What if it’s Barone looking to get his hands on you again?”

  “Tony,” she begged, “we can’t live like this. We can’t continuously look over our shoulders, worrying about something that may never happen.”

  “Oh, I know people like Barone, and I know he won’t stop until he has what he wants.”

  “I’m sorry, Tony,” she said, drying her hair with the towel, “but you know I have to meet sources alone, or they won’t talk to me. It’s hard enough gaining their trust in the first place.”

  “Can you tell me what information this source is supposed to give you?”

  “It’s about the Barone family,” she cringed as she answered him. She knew he wouldn’t like it.

  “Jules,” he admonished, “haven’t you learned your lesson. His name is carved into your flesh.”

  “I’m not going to let him scare me into not doing a job that I have trained years for, a job that I love. He isn’t taking that away from me. I’m sorry, Tony, but I have to get this man and bring him down for good.”

  “You can’t do that.” Tony added, “His reach is long. You know as well as I do that he has people in his pockets. And we don’t know how high up the chain his reach extends.”

  Tony pulled into a parking spot a block down from the café. “Please be safe,” he begged as he turned off the car. “Remember, if something doesn’t feel right, you have to get out of there.”

  “I know. I’ll be fine. I’ve done this for a long time now. I’ll trust my gut.”

  He leaned over and grabbed the back of her head, bringing it to meet his before kissing her passionately. He had a bad feeling about this meeting, but try as he might, he couldn’t convince her to not go alone. She was strong and independent, and he loved that about her. It thrilled him that she let him take control in the bedroom. Still, she had made it perfectly clear to him that she was keeping her job and keeping the tough assignments. She would never go down without a fight. She had good stamina. The thought of her as a fighter brought him comfort.