The Bodyguard: A BWWM Bad Body Romance(64)

“No.” There was no need to mince words. She wouldn’t bother to lie to him anymore.

“Ouch.” She expected that he might be angry. Instead, Solomon only sounded mildly amused. “Someone’s gotten feisty on her little vacation.”

Juliet fought the urge to throw the phone across the bathroom. Feisty her ass. “A lot can happen when another man dips his dick in you.” She immediately stiffened, her blood running cold. “But he’s paid for that, I suppose. Still, there are some things you can’t get back.”

“Don’t you fucking touch him,” she seethed, her tone venomous. “Or I swear to God-”

“You swear what, dulce? I’ve already ruined his face. Maybe I move onto choicer parts of him next.” Being so angry that moisture stained her cheeks was a new sensation for Juliet - one that only Solomon had ever inspired. Now, she bit her lip so hard it bled as her vision blurred.

“You fucking monster.”

“You know me best amor. You always have. That’s why I need you.” He didn’t need her. He only wanted to possess her. That was all he had ever wanted. “I’m so looking forward to seeing you.”

“I wish I could say the same.” This time she couldn’t hide her grief.

“I’m sure you’ll be happy to see this FBI pendejo, yeah?” For the first time, Solomon’s voice went tight with anger. “If I let you see him.”

Juliet felt her heart drop into her stomach. What the hell did he mean if? “It’s occurred to me that I don’t like this fucker very much. I don’t like anyone who touches my property. It might serve me better to just put him down like the dog he is.”

“No.” The word escaped her before she could stop it - and the desperation in Juliet’s voice was painfully clear. “Please.”

“Ah.” The smug satisfaction in Solomon’s tone made her tremble. “That’s what I like to hear. You are so lovely when you beg, amor.” What was the point of all this? Had he called her just to gloat? He would get what he wanted the next day - at least in theory. Had he suddenly changed his mind and decided to go off book?

The muffled sound of movement came through the receiver a moment before he continued. “I want you, Juliet. And I want you tonight.” He might have shocked her more if he revealed he was in the bathroom behind her.

“Solomon, what-”

“Listen to what I’m telling you, Julieta,” he hissed in demand. “You’re coming to me, tonight. Within the next hour. Either you find a way to get here, alone, or I hang your little toy from the nearest streetlight.”

He would do it. There was no doubt in Juliet’s mind that he would.

“Solomon,” she tried to reason with him, her voice admirably calm. “I’m surrounded by FBI agents. After Blackjack-”

“You killed Blackjack, you little puta. You did - and you’ll deal with the consequences. I don’t care what it takes. You’re here in an hour. Do you understand me?”

“Yes.” Juliet didn’t hesitate. “I understand.”

“Good.” She could all but see his smug smile. “See you soon, amor.”

For a full minute after the call ended, Juliet sat in the middle of the bathroom floor, wondering what the hell she was going to do. There was no way she could get away from the plethora of agents in the room and around the hotel. Thanks to the incident with Blackjack last week, they were watching her like a hawk. She wouldn’t get away - and certainly not in an hour.

She could tell Simmons what had happened...and risk the time it took to come up with another plan. She had an hour - less than that now. An hour before Solomon took Hank’s life...and left her to live with the guilt.

What the hell was she supposed to do?





Chapter 14: Choice


He was fucked up.

Hank had endured his fair share of injuries during his storied career with the government, and he’d dealt with them all in stride. He knew enough about his body to know that some of the damage Solomon had done was beyond repair.

While Solomon had promised to exchange him for Juliet, Hank knew better. The fucker was out of his mind. Instead of killing him all at once, he had been doing it steadily for the past week. He had no intention of giving him back alive. As soon as he saw Juliet, all hell was going to break loose - at least, that’s what Hank thought until he heard the man demand that Juliet come that very night.

He should have known.

Solomon never had any intention of letting him go. The only thing that was certain was that the bastard derived some kind of perverted satisfaction from beating the shit out of him. That, and coveting Juliet.

Hank had believed for a short while that Solomon actually intended on going through with the trade. And why not? He wanted Juliet so damned badly that it was hard for him to see past that obsession. The way things were planned, he might have gotten her. Not that Hank expected Simmons to give her up without a plan of his own, but, all things considered, something might have gone wrong. What he was doing now was simply reckless. Solomon was depending on whatever attachment Juliet had to Hank to lead her back to him...and Hank worried the tactic would work.

Juliet had grown a lot over the past few months. She had learned not to let her past define her - that she could reach forward into the future with hope. In a perfect world, she wouldn’t fall into Solomon’s trap. She’d realize that Hank was nothing compared to the future that lie ahead of her and leave it to Simmons to bring him in.