English, some didn’t. It didn’t really matter.” Bruce shrugged.
“And you never investigated your boss? Never tried to learn about him?” Cole asked in mock amazement.
“Sure I did. The only reason I’ve lived so long here is because I found out one juicy bit of gossip that could ID him. See, you asked me the wrong questions. You asked if I’d met him. You never asked if I knew his identity.”
Gemma jumped as the alarm above her head sounded. The door was thrown open by a concerned-looking warden. “I see my time has come early. Who knew women would be all our downfalls?” Bruce said as he stood.
“There’s a riot. Somehow the prisoners got loose. I’ve got to get you all to safety.” The warden grabbed Bruce and waited for the group to stand up.
“Who is he, Bruce?” Cy demanded as he burst from his seat.
“He’s . . .” In one quick motion, Warden Cummings slashed Bruce’s throat.
Gemma stood frozen as she watched Bruce’s body fall to the floor, blood gushing from his neck. Ahmed shoved her back as Cy rocketed himself across the table and onto Warden Cummings. Cole was by Bruce’s side with his hand pressed against his throat trying to slow the bleeding.
“Do something,” she screamed as Cy and Cummings wrestled on the floor.
“Come on,” Ahmed grabbed her wrist and pulled her toward the door.
“We can’t leave them.” Ahmed didn’t say anything as he shoved her behind the door and went to Cole’s side first. Cole shook his head and stood up just as Cy delivered a staggering blow to Warden Cummings. The warden’s head slammed back against the concrete floor, stopping his fighting.
Cy stood up and looked down on him. “Why?”
“I got a letter with a picture of my wife and daughter at the playground two hours after Bruce was imprisoned here. I was told to call a number if anyone came to see him and I’d be given instructions. If I didn’t follow them, they'd kill my family slowly,” Cummings said as he slowly sat up. “Tell them I love them.”
Before Cy could move, the warden reached out and grabbed the guard’s gun and shot himself. Gemma choked back a sob as she stared at the destruction in the room. Then the sound of gunfire snapped her back to reality. The prison was rioting and they were not safe.
“We have to get out of here. Cy and I will take point. Cole, make sure she gets out of here alive.” Ahmed and Cy pulled out guns from everywhere.
Cole looked down at his service weapon. “Well, I sure feel inadequate,” he said in such a dry voice that Gemma actually let out a nervous laugh in the middle of all this chaos.
Ahmed pushed out the door first, followed by Cy. The interview hallway was empty, but the sounds of the riot were growing closer as they hurried toward the exit. Pounding erupted beside them as they passed the visitors’ section. It sounded as if the prisoners were trying to knock down the strong door separating the meeting area from the hallway leading to the cells.
With a final bang, the door was pried open and men rushed through it, past the small tables, to another door leading to the hallway where Gemma and her group were. Cole pushed Gemma, forcing her to start running again, but when she turned back toward the entrance, she froze as she faced a wall of guards in riot gear.
“FBI,” Cole shouted as he raised his badge. “Let us through.”
Cy pushed forward toward the guards but it was too late. The visitors’ door crashed opened and they were now caught between the prisoners and the guards in the middle of the wide hallway. The prisoners smiled as they saw Gemma, and Cy felt his heart turn to ice. No way were they getting their hands on her. With a quick glance, he looked back and saw that Cole had shoved her behind him and was backing her up toward the guards.
Cy turned to Ahmed who gave him a barely visible nod and raised his weapon. The prisoner who was leading the riot stopped and smiled at him. The tattoos covering his neck moved as he swallowed. “Hand over the girl and get out of the way, man. Maybe we’ll let you live.”
“Um, let me think about it. No.” Cy cocked his gun and the man covered in gang tattoos just laughed.
“You think you can stop me?
Cy didn’t have time for this. He pulled the trigger and heard the scream as the man grabbed his knee, falling to the floor. His minions looked stunned. “Who else wants to find out if they’re badasses?” They looked at each other and then to the advancing wall of guards and decided they weren’t gods after all. With their hands up, they backed through the door and ran back into the mob.
“Hands up,” a guard shouted.
Cy rolled his eyes. “CIA,” he said as he lifted his badge. “Now will someone be kind enough to escort us out?”
Gemma sat on the couch in Mo’s plane. She was worn out. Her adrenaline was now depleted and all she wanted was to sleep for days. Cy took the seat between her and Cole as Ahmed chose a chair across the aisle from them.
They started talking about the night and the criminal network, but it was almost three in the morning and she was too tired to participate. Her body shook with exhaustion and Cy put his arm over her shoulder as he continued to talk. She knew she shouldn’t, but she couldn’t resist putting her head on his chest and snuggling closer to him. He was so warm and safe. She had finally done it; she’d gone and fallen for him. Oh, she knew he was trouble the second she crashed into him.
She had been trying to ignore the feelings, trying to tell herself that she wasn't his type, but it hadn’t worked. When she saw him leap across the desk and put himself in danger, her heart had tripped and she couldn’t imagine him not in her life anymore. Cy talked and gently rubbed her shoulder as Gemma felt her eyes flutter. Soon the low rumble of his voice and the warmth of his embrace had her fast asleep dreaming of what might be.
Cy never wanted to move. Gemma felt so perfect in his arms. He spent the short plane ride talking to Ahmed and Cole, all the while perfectly aware of every gentle breath she took. Halfway through the flight, she rested her hand on his stomach and he thought he’d never felt anything so sweet in his whole life.
“Honey, we’re landing,” he whispered into her ear.
“Mm-hmm,” she mumbled and buried her head deeper into his chest. The plane landed with a bump and she tightened her hand on his shirt but didn’t wake up.
“Man, she’s out of it. Want my help getting her home?” Cole asked.
“Nah, I got it. Just make sure I don’t fall down the stairs.” Cy stood up and in one easy motion picked her up. Cole went ahead of him and told him where the steps were as he exited the plane.
“Sleep well. We’ll talk tomorrow. Good night, Ahmed.”
Ahmed nodded to Cole and Cy and took off in his car. Cole gave him one last wave and got into his truck.
“Come on, honey, it’s time for me to get you into bed,” Cy whispered as he put her into the truck.
“Okay,” she mumbled.
Cy felt himself hold his breath. Okay to what? To helping her home or okay to getting into bed with her? Either idea had him pondering quietly as he drove back to Miss Lily’s.
Cy balanced Gemma in his arms as he unlocked her door. He carried her to the large bed and again wondered at her invitation. No. He was a gentleman and gentlemen didn’t take advantage of women. He would do the right thing and get her into bed. Then, tomorrow, he would properly try to earn his way into her bed.
He grinned as he took off her sandals and placed a blanket over her. Gemma’s hair tumbled onto the pillow. She had curled up on her side and was hugging the other pillow when her eyes fluttered and she looked up at him.
“Good night, Gemma,” Cy whispered as he rose to leave.
“Kiss me. Just once?”
Cy felt the invitation instantly. He looked down at her and knew he shouldn’t, but when she smiled up at him and held out her hand, he was done for. He bent forward and brushed her bottom lip with his thumb gently before touching his lips to her. He ran his tongue along her lip as she opened for him. Cy knew it would be like this. He knew that once he got his first taste, he’d never be able to forget her. Now all he wanted to do was worship
