Under Pressure (Body Armor #1)(2)

“The hell I will.”

Hearing the elevated voice, he turned just in time to dodge a thick fist. Still holding her bag, Leese landed a knee to the man’s midsection, then flattened him with an elbow to the chin.

The guy’s eyes rolled back and he collapsed like a rag doll, one leg bent awkwardly beneath him, his jaw slack.

Eyeing the remaining two, Leese popped his neck and waited. “Anyone else?”

Being wiser than they looked, they declined further violence.

As the downed man came around with a groan, Leese backed up with Catalina. “Get your friend out of the slush, before hypothermia sets in.” It was so bitter cold, it wouldn’t take long for the elements to affect a body, especially when drenched in wet snow.

While Wayne remained hostile, the other man rushed forward to help his friend back to his feet. Tottering, he made his way to a curb where he slumped, still unsteady.

There were no more smiles when Wayne said, “She owes me.”

“How much?” Paying off the guy would be easier than debating it on such a bitter night, and more expedient than refusing them with his fists.

Wayne’s eyes narrowed. “Not money.”

“Ah, well, I can’t even up with you, then. Guess you’re out of luck.”

Jaw grinding, Wayne glared at him. “I gave her a place to stay. I fed her. Bought her those boots and coat—”

“And you figured on getting paid how?”

Throughout it all, Catalina stayed behind him.

Wayne growled, “She knows what I expected.”

Leaning around, tone apologetic, Catalina whispered, “Yeah, about that... I never planned to sleep with you, Wayne. I’m sorry. I promise I will repay you, I just can’t right now. But I do have your address, so—”

“Fuck you,” Wayne snarled.

Growing impatient, Leese said, “Apparently that’s not happening.” He set down the suitcase and pushed aside his open coat, showing the Glock in a belt holster at his side.

The men stared uneasily. Catalina sucked in a startled breath.

Ignoring those reactions, Leese looked at her boots, then lifted the collar of the coat, examining it. While they were decent protection against the elements, they weren’t high-end items. Probably bought at a discount department store.

Definitely not worth Catalina prostituting herself.

He withdrew his wallet and pulled out a few hundreds. “This will have to suffice.” He folded the money, walked up to Wayne and held it out.

After a ripe hesitation, Wayne took the cash.

With a dose of menace, Leese warned, “Don’t come after her again.”

Wayne nodded, said something low to the uninjured man and the three of them retreated behind the tall buildings.

Leese felt Catalina retreating as well.

Out of patience and feeling stern, he faced her. “Don’t run.”

Eyes huge, her face pale except for the pink of her cold nose, she swallowed hard. “You were sent to bring me home, weren’t you?”

Body Armor, the agency where he worked, had sent him...but his job was to keep her safe, period. “You don’t have to be afraid.”

With a shake of her head, she stepped back.

Leese saw it in her eyes; she would run. “Don’t.”

She whirled to flee and plowed headlong into Justice. The impact was solid enough that she bounced back, her feet slid out from under her on the icy surface and she landed flat in the frozen snow. Given the way she wheezed, she’d knocked the wind out of herself.

She didn’t sink in the snow as the other guy had. Nope. She might as well have hit solid ground. At least he didn’t have to worry about her getting hypothermia.

Leese knelt beside her. “Shh.” He cupped the back of her head. “Hold still.” To Justice, he said, “You were supposed to wait at the car.”

“I saw it was clear and wanted to hurry you along.”

Justice was still learning patience. He was here today with Leese to get a handle on the job. So far, he failed with flying colors. “Carry her bag to the car. We’ll be right there. And, Justice, stay sharp, and stay with the car.”

On his way past, Justice told her, “Sorry about that, honey. Didn’t mean to startle you.” He carried the bag as if it weighed nothing, but then, Justice was a six-foot-five former heavyweight MMA fighter made of solid muscle.

Drawing her into a sitting position and raising her arms over her head, Leese said, “Take it easy. You’re all right.”

She sucked in a strained breath, coughed and wheezed again.

“Running into Justice is like hitting the side of a mountain. Did you hurt anything?”

She got her breath back with a vengeance. “Who are you people?”

Her hat had come loose and silky brown hair tangled around her face. With very cold hands, Leese brushed it back. Gloves would have been nice.

But gloves skewed his accuracy whenever he needed to draw his weapon.

He never discounted that possibility, so no gloves.

“I’m a bodyguard with the Body Armor agency. I was hired to keep you safe.”

“Oh God.” Elbows on her knees, she dropped her head forward and rocked in agitation.

Sitting in the cold was not his idea of fun. “You’re okay?” Instinct had him rubbing her back. She didn’t seem to mind.