Jason (Blue Halo Book 2)

Jason talked as the tension eased from Courtney’s body. The muscles in her arms, which hugged her legs, had visibly loosened. The lines around her eyes had smoothed out just a fraction.

He watched as she chatted a bit about her coffee shop. She’d never been able to speak to him without stress jumbling or stealing her words. He liked this side of her. It was like the fear of the elevator distracted her from how nervous he made her.

Her lips curled up when she started a story about a particular customer. His heart gave a little thump against his ribs. The passion this woman had for her business was damn sexy. She was damn sexy.

And then there were her eyes. Two different shades, one green, one the lightest brown. Her eyes were as unique as the rest of her.

The customer story led into a spider story. Her eyes turned wide. “I hate spiders. Like, if-I-see-one-I-freak-the-heck-out kind of hate.” There was a small pause as she looked around. “I guess I can add small spaces to my hate list, too.”

The smile began to slip from her mouth.

“What made you open your shop?” He was a desperate man. Desperate to see more of those smiles. Desperate to see the light wash over her face rather than the fear.

Her smile faded completely. Jeez, did he ask the wrong question?

“It was an idea my cousin and I had together. We dreamed about opening this colorful coffee shop in a small town.” Courtney touched her necklace. “She, um, died a couple years ago.”

Jason’s muscles tensed. “I’m sorry.”

“Thank you. We were really close growing up, but then she moved away for work. Even though we weren’t as close when she died, losing her was still hard.”

“Of course.” He wanted to touch her. Her knee. Her thigh. Offer some sort of comfort. He didn’t, having no idea how she would react. “What did you both do for work back then?”

“She moved to Richmond and worked as a nurse while I stayed in Jacksonville and worked as an architect. My dad’s an architect and runs his own business. It was almost a foregone conclusion while I was growing up that I would join him and take over the company one day.”

Her thumb rubbed in circles on the gem at the bottom of the necklace.

He couldn’t imagine this woman being an architect. She had too much energy to sit at a drafting table or computer all day.

“And I did work with him for a while. But then Jessica died, and I guess you could say it woke me up. Made me acknowledge that life isn’t forever, and you never know which day will be your last. I was doing what was expected of me, rather than what I wanted. So I left my family in Jacksonville, chose the town with the cutest name I could find, and used all my savings to open The Grind. I turned the dream that Jessica and I had into a reality.”

So the woman was brave as well as beautiful.

Jason knew better than anyone that uprooting your entire life was anything but easy. “I know the feeling. I left the Army after five years to pursue a science degree.”

Her head shot up. “Really?”

“Yeah. I got this itch, like there was something else I needed to do. When I graduated from pharmaceutical science at MIT, I got a job with the government, working on performance-enhancing drugs.”

Surprise flickered over her face. “Were they the drugs…”

“That were used on me and my team while we were held hostage? Yep.”

It didn’t take long for him to realize the drugs they were working on did more than they should. All it had taken was one conversation with his boss, and that night, he’d been taken. Held hostage for years. Drugged. Forced to train.

“I’m not angry, though. I’m a strong believer in everything happening for a reason. I was supposed to learn about Project Arma so I could help destroy it. I was supposed to meet my teammates, now my best friends and business partners. And I was supposed to be what I am now, so that I can help people.”

Courtney’s hand went to his forearm, and damn if he didn’t feel her touch deep, like she’d singed him with fire. “You’re amazing.”

No. He’d just learned how to survive what had been thrown his way. “How did your cousin die?”

She sighed, her hand falling from his arm. He missed her touch immediately.

“Home invasion. She was, ah… beaten to death.”

Every part of him tensed at that. Fuck, he hated lowlife scumbags who preyed on those weaker than them.

She shook her head. “What were you doing when Grace called?”

He wanted to ask more about her cousin. About her life. Hell, he wanted to learn everything there was to know about this woman. He didn’t. “I went to buy some stuff for the reception desk at Blue Halo. We just hired a receptionist, and I think she was less than impressed with the supplies.”

“But more than impressed by the muscle?” For a second her eyes widened, like she couldn’t believe the words had come out of her mouth.

Jason only just held back a grin.

Suddenly, the elevator lurched.

Courtney leaned forward, grabbing his wrist in a tight hold. “Sweet Jesus, what was that?”

Taking her hand in his, Jason stood, tugging her up with him. He scanned the hatch he’d opened at the top of the car. “I think it might be time we got—”

Before he could finish, the elevator started moving again. Fortunately, it wasn’t a lurch this time, but a normal pace.

Had someone finally fixed it?

Courtney just about sagged into his side, the tense fingers that had wrapped around his own in a death grip finally easing.

“Oh, good. It’s working again. We’re not going to die. Not today.”

“No one’s dying today, honey.” His voice was light, just to keep her at ease, but in reality, he’d been moments away from throwing the woman over his shoulder and jumping through the top of the elevator.

They’d barely begun moving when the car stopped again. Peering up, he found the fourth-floor light glowing. When the doors opened, he expected to see someone waiting to get in.

He didn’t. They were greeted by a large office space. Empty desks were scattered about the place. A few chairs and the odd bookcase.

What the hell?

Stepping forward, Jason pressed the button to close the doors. They waited a few seconds. Then a few more. The doors remained open, elevator unmoving.

“Let’s just get out of here,” Courtney said quietly, a sliver of unease in her voice. “Maybe the stairs are available again.”

She slipped her hand from his and stepped out. The second her feet hit the fourth floor, she sighed so loudly it echoed off the walls. But her sigh wasn’t the only thing Jason heard.

Voices. So quiet he almost missed them. Would have missed them if it wasn’t for his enhanced hearing.

He swung his gaze to one side of the huge space, spotting an open door. Three men suddenly stepped out of what appeared to be a supply closet, each of them wearing a janitor’s uniform. They looked to be around mid-thirties, all with dark hair and fit physiques.

The guy in front studied Courtney with interest before eyeing Jason. Then he almost looked angry.

Out of instinct, Jason took a half-step in front of her.

The guy’s gaze narrowed. “What are you doing here?”

Jason tilted his head, trying to work out why these guys had his protective instincts pounding to the forefront. “There’s a problem with the elevator. It delivered us here.”

The guy sucked in a sharp breath. “I recognize you.”

Of course he did. It had only been a few short months since his entire team had been plastered all over the Internet on every news report and social media platform.

The guy’s eyes widened. “You’re one of the soldiers who escaped that project. Had those experimental drugs used on him.” He scanned Jason from head to toe, like he was looking for a second head to pop out or something.

“I am.”

Now the guy looked nervous. Why? Because Jason was powerful? Strong?

The man nearest him started to move forward, but the front guy held out his arm, stopping him.

A voice, from what had to be an earpiece, pricked Jason’s ears. It was quiet, even for him, designed only for anyone wearing the device to hear. The voice was too muffled to understand.

The one man who had yet to move or speak angled his body away from them, responding to the voice by saying low and quiet, “No.”

One word. No to what?

“Well, I think you should be going now,” said the man who had done all the talking so far. “We have a lot of work to do here.”

Jason remained where he was for a second. Then Courtney’s hand grazed his arm, tugging at his attention.

“Jason. Let’s go.”

He nodded as the three men continued to watch them closely. Placing a hand on the small of Courtney’s back, he walked her toward the door at the other end of the large room with an exit sign above the frame.

Eyes pierced his back the entire time. He listened for the slightest movement from the men. Even the rustling of clothing. There was only silence.

Jason had almost reached the door when he turned. “Does it always take three men to clean an unoccupied office?”

Something flashed in Front Guy’s eyes. It was so fleeting, Jason couldn’t quite identify it before it disappeared. “We’re just doing the job we were asked to do.”

Jason could spot a lie. People gave themselves away with shifts in breathing patterns. Hesitation in voices. This guy was telling the truth.

Turning, Jason followed Courtney down the last three flights of stairs. He continued to listen to everything around them. There was something about those guys that felt… off.

As they stepped outside, Courtney closed her eyes. “Fresh air has never felt so good.” When her phone started to ring, she dug it out of her bag.

He listened in as she spoke to someone from the radio station. The woman was apologizing for missing her call. She then apologized again for their “glitchy” elevator. Apparently, this wasn’t the first time it had stopped working. In fact, it had been happening for a couple of weeks.

“No, really, it’s okay. I’m out. I’m fine.” Jason looked up at the building as she ended the call. “They said this has been happening a bit over the—” She stopped, shaking her head. “What am I doing? I know you heard every word.”

He lifted a shoulder, turning back to her. “That’s okay.”

She fiddled with the strap on her bag, taking a small step back. “Okay, well, thank you for coming. For, uh, keeping me company while I tried not to lose my mind. I really appreciate your help.”

Her gaze flicked around the parking lot.

“Where are you parked?” he asked gently.

“Nowhere. I mean, somewhere, obviously, but you don’t need to come with me. Not that you offered to walk me.” She started walking backward as she rambled, and he almost laughed at her awkwardness. Now that the danger was over, she was nervous around him again. It was cute. “Since I’m no longer six floors up in a tiny deathtrap, I’m okay.”

He stepped forward. The curb was right behind her. “Ah, Courtney—”

“No, really. You’ve done so much, I don’t—”

She yelped a second before she tumbled backward. Jason reached her side before she hit the ground, tugging her back up, her chest so close to his that they almost touched.

Her lips parted on a small gasp. Heat washed over his abdomen. Every part of him wanted to take those lips with his own. See what this woman felt like. Tasted like. He bet she was sweet.

Her gaze shot to his mouth. His entire body hardened, his fingers around her arm tightening.

Then he gave himself a quick shake. They were in a parking lot. Not exactly the place for a first kiss. Not with a woman like Courtney. She deserved more. Flowers. Dinner. Romance.

He forced himself to step back. Look away and take a breath in a weak attempt to calm himself.

Something crossed over her face. Disappointment maybe?

“Courtney—”

“Thank you. I, uh… yeah, thank you.” Then she was gone. Turning and walking quickly across the road.