Fourth Fight Page 2

  “Looks like it,” Andrew said. “I’m Spencer. This is my wife, Carrie.”

  She raised her hand. “Hi.”

  “I’m Trent,” the tall one said before he angled his thumb to his friend. “This is Brad.”

  “Do you two work together?” Andrew asked.

  “Sometimes,” Trent said. “What about you two?”

  “We work together,” Andrew said.

  “Where do you work?” Brad asked, bouncing his gaze between Andrew and Emily.

  “Different places,” Andrew said.

  “Are you contractors?” Brad asked.

  “Yes,” Emily said as she moved around the treadmill. “Our clients are private. What about you?”

  A hint of relief flowed through Andrew from her response. He had a general idea what a contractor was, but in terms of security, he hadn’t been confident enough to answer the question. Trent and Brad would’ve likely noticed.

  “I’ve been out of the military for two years,” Trent said. “His brother is a SEAL and finds the more specialized jobs for us.”

  “Is that how you found out about this?” Emily asked.

  “This one was listed with the LA Times,” Brad said. “How did you hear about it?”

  “Friend of a friend. In case you hadn’t noticed, we’re not locals,” Andrew said.

  Emily pushed her hands into the back pockets of her shorts. “What kind of experience have you got?”

  “I spent six years in the service,” Trent said. “That’s where I met Brad. We served two tours in Iraq. After we left, we’ve mostly worked security detail for politicians. They have plenty of money to spend.”

  “Yeah, we’ve worked with a few,” Emily said.

  “How many people do you think will show up for this?” Andrew asked, wondering what the competition would be like. If the two in front of him had military backgrounds, odds were high the others had some kind of similar service experience too.

  “The ad in the paper ran for a week,” Brad said. “The qualifications were specific, so it’s hard to say how many might show up.”

  Andrew pressed his lips together and looked at Emily. She gave him a flat grin. If he guessed right, they were having the same question in their heads. What qualifications were in the advertisement?

  “Did they ask you a lot of questions when you called?” Trent asked.

  Emily lifted one of her shoulders. “Some, but that’s normal.”

  “The guy kept me on the line for twenty minutes,” Trent said.

  “I’m sure they were trying to weed out candidates,” Emily said.

  “What kind of questions did they ask you?” Andrew asked.

  “They wanted to know our ages, how long we’d served in the military, how much security detail experience we had, did we ever run into problems, have we killed anyone, and a slew of others,” Trent said.

  “What kind did they ask you?” Brad asked.

  “Similar ones,” Emily said promptly.

  Andrew appreciated her quick response with a smile. She always seemed to have the answers when he didn’t and vice versa.

  “So, you two work together and you’re married?” Brad asked.

  “Yep,” Andrew said.

  “Did you meet on the job?” Trent asked.

  “Yeah, you could say that,” Emily said.

  Andrew would never forget seeing her for the first time on that dark night in April. He’d been lying naked in the middle of the country road. She’d looked so beautiful, curious, and cautious. Her pinkish aura had made him cautious at first, but it failed to show an accurate reflection of her personality or morals. He believed she’d acquired the tinted color from poor choices in her past.

  “How long have you been married?” Brad asked.

  “Not long,” Andrew said.

  “And your clients don’t mind that you’re married?” Trent asked.

  “Not yet,” Andrew said.

  Matt walked into the room with the clipboard in his hand. Don rose and Matt handed the board to him. Matt spoke to Don as he looked over the list from the board.

  “I’m thinking the party is about to begin,” Brad said, his attention on Don and Matt.

  Andrew stepped closer to Emily. “You good with this?” He kept his voice low.

  “Yeah. Just wish I’d brought my phone with me so I could check on something.”

  “Everyone, gather around,” Matt said.

  All the men started moving closer to Don and Matt. The ones who’d been sitting left their spots. Andrew stayed with Emily behind the rest of the cattle.

  “As you know, my name is Matt and you’ve met Don. I will be in charge of these tryouts over the next two days. We are looking to fill two positions to help us keep our client safe. Those who make it to the final round will learn who the client is,” Matt said as he scanned everyone’s faces. “For now, you don’t need to know. The first day will be spent with weapons. We need to know how familiar you are with different types of guns and knives. How good can you shoot? Can you handle blades? How quick are you? For the second day, you will go through an obstacle course and show us your defense tactics. I recommend you dress appropriately. We have lockers and showers should you need to change or clean up.” He gestured toward the wall with the televisions. “Are there any questions?”

  “What kind of benefits come with this job?” a bulky man with short red hair asked.

  “Good question,” Matt said. “The annual salary starts at two hundred thousand. The client will pay for all medical expenses. The client will supply all weapons. If you have a special kind you prefer, the client is willing to get it for you. The client expects you to live on the property in a separate unit. All food will be provided, utilities, etc.”

  “Is there rent?” someone in the group asked.

  “No, the client provides the housing. Those who get the jobs will not pay rent,” Matt said.

  “Privacy is a huge concern for the client,” Don said. “Whatever happens in connection with the client is not discussed with anyone. This will be in the contract that you will sign if you get the job. The term is for one year. An annual review will be done by the client. If the client wants to keep you, then you’ll be offered to sign another one-year contract.”

  “The client is very generous and there will be a lot of travel involved. The client will pay for everything. Your job is to protect the client by all means necessary,” Matt said. “Any more questions?”

  Don stepped forward. “And if you get the job, it’s your responsibility to stay in shape and up to date on the latest defense trends and weaponry. If your eyesight starts to change and you can’t hit the target, then you will need to leave. The client wants you at your best at all times.” He looked over his shoulder at Matt.

  “This is a good job with great rewards if you’re willing to do whatever it takes to protect the client. The little details can be discussed later. Is there anything else?” Matt looked at each of them.

  A touch of concern accelerated Andrew’s pulse. The tryouts didn’t sound too difficult, but he doubted he had the skills of his competition. Although he knew how to handle a gun and a knife, he wasn’t an expert. Sure, he was fit and healthy, but he hadn’t run an obstacle course since high school. And he hadn’t taken any defensive training ever. Emily’s abilities surpassed Andrew’s in weapons and defensive tactics. If he could make it through the arms tests today, he’d have to get help from her to prepare for tomorrow.

  “If there aren’t any more questions, we’re going to head out to the firing range. It looks like there are fourteen here. Don will take seven in his vehicle and I’ll take seven. Follow one of us,” Matt said.

  Andrew leaned toward Emily’s ear. “Go with Matt.”

  She gave him a nod before she hurried toward the door. She made her way between the men fearlessly. Brad stepped behind her, blocking Andrew from keeping up with her. Outside, he found her following the others. Brad paused to glance over his shoulder. Andrew took advantage
of his delay and stepped around him. He rushed to catch up to Emily.

  “You comfortable with this?” Andrew asked close to her ear while they waited near a large SUV.

  “Yeah, it all sounds easy to me. What about you?”

  He lifted one of his shoulders. His pulse continued at fast rate. They’d made it past the gate, so he wouldn’t turn back no matter how uneasy he felt.

  She gripped a couple of his fingers. “Remember what I told you about shooting and you’ll be fine.”

  His confidence crew as he stared into her blue eyes. She’d taught him how to fire a gun weeks ago. Although he wished he’d taken more time to practice, he recalled everything she’d taught him. With her at his side, he believed he could make it through the weaponry tryouts. He had to do well if he was going to find a way to get close to the demon he had to destroy.

  Chapter Three

  Emily sat in the grass next to Andrew. He had his legs stretched out in front of him and was leaning back with his palms flat on the ground behind him. The warm sunrays raised her body temperature, but at least she’d worn shorts and had her hair tied up. Since she’d left her shades in the car, she squinted frequently. The others in the group sat spread out nearby, chatting or watching the two men in the distance firing guns. Loud pops echoed. Don and Matt stood by the men shooting. Matt made notes on the clipboard.

  Andrew tapped his fingers on her thigh, gathering her attention. “What do you think?”

  “I think this part is easy, but if we have to throw knives, that could be more difficult.”

  He leaned close to her. “The only blade I’ve used is the one you gave me to kill the demon in Pittsburgh.”

  Emily recalled how he’d jabbed the switchblade into the man’s throat. The demon had shot out soon after his death. Andrew had touched the demon and then it had evaporated. That was when she realized Andrew had told her the truth about being sent back to Earth from heaven because of his sexual promiscuities. Watching him kill the man hadn’t frightened her, but seeing demons spring from dead human bodies scared her out of her mind. Hell was real and she didn’t want to go near the fiery pit.

  “Don’t feel bad, I’ve never used one,” she said. “So you have more experience than I do with a blade.” She tried to lift his confidence since he seemed a little nervous. Ever since they’d sat he’d kept twitching his right foot.

  He pressed his lips together and frowned. “I’m glad to hear you haven’t killed someone with a knife, but that doesn’t help me in our current situation.”

  She placed her hand on the ground and leaned on it, bringing herself inches from him. “It’s been a long time since I’ve thrown any kind of knife, but if I remember right, you have to hold the blade at the tip. If you’re right handed, put your left foot forward. Lift your arm behind your head. Shift your weight from the back foot to the front as you bring your arm down. Don’t move your shoulders and keep your wrist straight as you throw the knife.”

  “Did you learn that from Troy?”

  “We learned it in a class together when we were teenagers.”

  She’d learned all her self-defense moves and how to fight because Troy had insisted she join him in classes when they were teens. They’d trained together for years when they were growing up. The skills she’d acquired had paid off well plenty of times, but she’d never killed anyone, thankfully.

  Andrew inhaled a long breath. He acted calm, but he had every reason to be nervous. His competition consisted of men who had served time in some kind of military. They had far more experience than her too, but she wouldn’t let it lower her confidence.

  Matt led the two men back to the group while Don jogged to the target sheets further away. At the rate it took for a pair to go up and shoot a couple of different guns, they would have to wait a few hours in the heat. Matt stopped near the others and read off two names from his list. The named men rose and then headed with Matt toward the spots where the guns were lying on the ground.

  Don ran back with the target practice sheets showing the bullet holes. He headed for the cabin about a hundred feet behind the spots where the men were going to shoot from. The beige siding made it look like an extra-large shed. He disappeared with the papers inside the building. Earlier, he’d carried guns out from the structure. Emily presumed all the weapons were kept inside.

  “I’m guessing we’ll be one of the last ones called since we showed up late,” Emily said.

  Andrew wiped the moisture from his forehead. “We need to figure out a way to cover this up.” He tapped his fingers on his forearm with the hidden tattoo.

  The long sleeves and the heat had to bother him, though he didn’t complain.

  “We could bandage it up with gauze and say you’re recovering from a nasty cut that has stitches,” she said.

  “That might work if we get the kind I can wrap around.”

  “We definitely need to make sure the bandage is secure since tomorrow involves defense moves.”

  “I’ll have to be careful and act as if it hurts if I strain it or rub against it too much.”

  “Good thinking,” she said, nodding.

  “And maybe later, you could show me a few moves in preparation for tomorrow.” His lips had a slight curve on one side.

  “I can do that. I know some that might help you.”

  “And you don’t have to be gentle with me. I mean, look at my competition.” He lifted his hand toward them.

  “I’ll try not to be too rough. I wouldn’t want to hurt you. But I won’t lie, I can bring you to your knees with a few moves.”

  His gaze lingered on her chest. “I would drop to my knees for you in a heartbeat and show you my own moves.”

  Heat spread through her, and it wasn’t from the sun. If they had been alone, she would’ve climbed on his lap and ravaged him. “Maybe you can show me later. I’m curious to know how good your moves are.”

  Hunger lurked in his eyes as he stared at her. She fought the temptation to kiss him. She suspected he struggled too as his gaze dropped to her mouth.

  “Show me yours and I’ll show you mine,” he said with a crooked smile and a sexy voice that left her longing for his lips on her body.

  “Deal.” She held out her hand and he grasped hold of it. His hot skin made her moist between her legs. She could imagine his heated flesh pressed to hers and his hard erection filling her.

  Swallowing, she shook the lusty thought from her mind. She had to stay focused on the task before her, which involved shooting a gun, not getting pumped by a different kind of loaded weapon.

  Together, they watched the men come and go in pairs. She couldn’t see how well the others were shooting since she sat so far away. As the time passed, the bright sun became too much, so she closed her eyes. She opened them later when she heard Spencer’s and Carrie’s names called.

  “Our turn,” Andrew said before he stood.

  She followed him toward Matt. As they passed the others sitting on the ground, one of them whistled. She fought the urge to spin and flip her middle finger.

  Andrew paused and she caught up with him. “They’re just jealous,” she said.

  “Sure.”

  He started to turn back, but she gripped his arm. His solid muscle made it difficult for her to squeeze him.

  “Our job is this way.” She nudged him forward. “Don’t let them distract you. I’m the only one who should do that.”

  A slight grin formed. “Yes, and you do it very well.”

  Matt lowered the clipboard as they approached him. “Ready?”

  “Yes, we are,” she said as she slipped her hand away from Andrew.

  Matt led them to the spots where the others had fired weapons. Five different types of guns lay on the ground, two large ones and three handguns.

  “I’d like Carrie to go first. Start with the handgun on the far right. Fire it five times, then set it down. Andrew will fire his gun on the far right five times. When he’s done, you will move to the next gun and will repea
t the process. So you will each take a turn firing each weapon five times,” Matt said, bouncing his gaze between them. “Any questions?”

  “No,” Emily and Andrew said in almost unison.

  “Go ahead when you’re ready,” Matt said to Emily.

  Don walked toward them on the outside of the target area. He’d distanced himself far enough away so they could shoot without endangering his life. Emily lifted the smallest handgun, the one on the right. The weight of it reminded her of the gun Troy had given her in Ohio weeks ago. She flicked the safety off. After she positioned herself in a good spot to hit the practice sheet, she lifted the weapon. She eyed the target and then pulled the trigger. The gun made a loud pop. She fired four more times.

  “Good,” Matt said after she’d finished.

  Andrew lifted the small handgun near him. He flipped the safety. Arm straight in front of him, he fired the weapon. The bullet hit near the center of the sheet. He continued shooting. In the end, the target had two holes in the center and the other ones were close by.

  Matt shifted his gaze to Emily. She lifted the next gun. It weighed a little more and had a longer nozzle. She’d held plenty like it. She took the safety off before she aimed it with both hands on the handle. She didn’t need to use both, but she did out of habit with weapons that couldn’t fit in her palm. She pulled the trigger and waited two seconds before she fired again. When she’d finished her round, she smiled proudly. She’d yet to miss the center.

  “Have you had a lot of practice?” Matt asked.

  “You could say that,” she said as she put the safety back on.

  Andrew grabbed hold of his gun. He removed the safety and then took a solid stand with his legs an arm’s width apart and arms stretched in front of him, but not too stiff. Gazing at the target in the distance, he waited a few seconds before he fired. His first shot came close to the center. The other four shots hit spot on.

  “Good job,” Emily said.

  Matt wrote on his clipboard. Emily didn’t wait for him. Her ears had started ringing before Andrew had finished. If she got a headache, it might cause her to lose focus. She collected the next handgun. She pulled the shaft back before she aimed it. Holding the weapon steady with both hands, she fired a round. The gun had a little more kickback, so she waited a few seconds between shots. After she completed her turn, Andrew took his. He hit the mark three out of the five times.