Badass: Deadly Target (Complete): Military Romantic Suspense by Leslie Johnson, Elle Dawson Read Free Book Online Page B

down now, the box still tucked under his arm. I go to Mia, who’s now slumped on the floor, scooping up Black’s gun on the way. “Come on,” I say, pulling her to her feet. “We have to go. Now.” I tuck the gun in my pants, pulling the polo out to cover it a little.
    She’s shaky, but on her feet, and I pull her toward the door. “Grab the box,” I tell her. “I’ll check the exit.”
    Not knowing who’s waiting on the other side, I whip the door open, hoping the element of surprise will be my friend. But there’s no one there, and I step into the hall. Right. Left. Nothing.
    I step back into the room to see Mia struggling to wrestle the box free of our attacker’s large bulk.
    “Got it!” she gasps and steps over Black’s prone figure, but his hand darts out and grabs her ankle, sending her sprawling. She doesn’t have time to break her fall and lands hard on the heavy metal box, her breath coming out with a sharp cry.
    Even as she curls onto her side, gasping for breath, I dive toward Black as he’s getting to his feet, taking him back down. Rolling us until he’s on his back, I pin him to the floor by his massive neck, trying to choke him into unconsciousness. Giant fists connect with the sides of my head, but the rush of adrenaline covers the pain. I reposition until my knees are on his muscular biceps, pinning him in place as he bucks to throw me off him.
    “Go!” I shout to Mia. “Run!”
    “Where?” she asks, her voice thin and trembling. “I don’t know where to go!”
    I stare at her.
    She might be innocent after all. Otherwise, she’d take this opportunity to get away.
    Making a command decision, I let go of Black’s throat and grab hold of his shaved head. Lifting it off the floor, I smash it down once, twice. All fight flees him as he stares up at me, too dazed to fight back.
    As I get up to join Mia, I catch a glimpse of something under his jacket. Coming down hard on his gut with my knee, I rip open the jacket and curse. It’s a badge pinned to his shirt pocket. Reality stops for a minute as I consider this new development.
    It doesn’t make sense.
    With zero time to consider the possibilities, I’m up and grab Mia’s purse and my jacket, then take her hand, helping her up. She clasps the box to her chest as I steer her down the hall. The lower level of the massive bank branches out in a labyrinth of corridors, and I struggle to remember the way back to the stairway I’d descended earlier.
    “There!” she shouts, pointing down the hall and begins to run.
    I pull her back. “Slow and easy. There are security cameras everywhere. We don’t want to look panicked.”
    Beside me, she runs her hand through her long hair as we walk, pushing it back from her forehead, finger combing the tangles. “Do I look okay?” she asks. “I mean, do I look like I’ve been in a fight?”
    “You look beautiful.” The truth blurts out. “Your lip’s bleeding, though.” I take a second to pause at a water fountain and wet my fingers. “Here.” I stop her just before we ascend the steps, and she turns to me, meeting my eyes as I wipe away the blood on her chin. We need to look as normal as possible. “Want me to carry that?”
    She shakes her head quickly. I don’t argue, just toss my jacket across it, making sure the majority of the metal is covered.
    “Good as new,” I say and grab her hand again, pulling her behind me up the stairs. Her fingers fit into mine perfectly. Absolutely perfectly. “Just be cool,” I remind her, and she loosens the tight grip on the metal box she’s holding. She smiles at me, a way too bright smile that looks plastered on her pretty face. It’s good enough. I guide her into the cavernous bank lobby.
    Her palm is sweating against mine, but we’re almost there. I spot Mr. Lunden, and he just looks at us curiously. I lift a hand and give him an “I got two prizes today” grin. He grins back and gives me a little salute. A few steps later, I’m