A View to a Thrill (Masters and Mercenaries Book 7) by Lexi Blake Page A

partner. While he could call on anyone at McKay-Taggart, he preferred to use Jesse. Jesse was loyal to him. Jesse was his closest friend. Certainly there was the problem of his itchy trigger finger, but Simon wouldn’t trust anyone above him.
    Simon hung up the phone.
    “Where are we going?” Her eyes were up, watching the lights above the lift, her expression tight.
    “Someplace safe.”
    “Do you happen to have a name for this magical safe place?”
    Sometimes her humor eluded him. “A motel full of prostitutes and criminals.”
    “Awesome. I’m really excited about the way the whole day’s gone. I should have stayed in Europe.”
    The door dinged and he prepared to get in. He’d lose the signal in the lift so he’d have to call Jesse when he got to the bottom. He’d have Jesse drive her around town for hours if he needed to, though he should ditch Jesse’s Jeep as soon as he could get to his secondary vehicle.
    The doors opened and a man was standing there. Tall and lean, there was no question of who he was looking for. Even if there had been, all questions would have been answered as he lifted his gun and fired.
     
    * * * *
     
    Chelsea had only a second to react as the elevator doors opened revealing the next asshole who was trying to kill her. Unfortunately for him, he was also trying to kill Simon. Simon immediately pushed her aside and she hit the wall.
    Pure adrenaline pumped through her veins. Her leg gave out and she fell, her ass hitting the floor. Pain flared but she forced herself to her knees. Time was of the essence. She wasn’t fast, but she had to be for Simon’s sake. He wouldn’t do the smart thing. He wouldn’t leave her behind and save himself.
    The big guy was dressed in head to toe black. He strode out of the elevator, leveling his gun, a Ruger she was pretty sure, right at Simon’s head. Terror pulsed through her system. She wouldn’t be able to handle watching him die. She couldn’t stand the thought of that big, gorgeous man silent and still forever.
    Simon was on top of it. Before she could even struggle to her feet, he turned and put a slug in the man’s torso. She heard a second shot blare through the hallway. The other man slammed back into the elevator and out of her view. Simon was on top of her. He pressed the SIG into her hands.
    “Time to go, love.” He hauled her up and into his arms without showing a single sign that her weight bothered him. “I’m afraid this is going to be the quickest of our options. Can you protect my back?”
    She was nestled in his arms as he began to jog down the hallway to the stairs. She hated it, but he was right. Even carrying her, he was faster than she was without any impediments at all. Because of her stupid leg she would have to watch both their backs. He carried her high against his chest, allowing her to look over his shoulder.
    He opened the door to the stairs and wasn’t even showing the strain of carrying both her and his go bag. “There’s a service lift at the end of each hall. I’ll take us down a few floors and then cut over to them and we’ll try to sneak out of the back entrance.”
    Even though he kept his voice low, it reverberated through the empty stairwell. The lights cast everything in shadows and her heart was still pounding. “I’ll feel better when we’re in a car.”
    “Can’t take the car now, love. That’s why I’m avoiding the parking garage. They very likely identified my vehicle and we know how much these men love a good bomb.”
    “Shit.” She hadn’t even thought of that. He was going to lose that gorgeous Audi. “I’m so sorry.”
    “Don’t be. Just reach into my pocket and grab the burner. Call Jesse. When he answers tell him I need a ride to the airport and then hang up. It’s code for him to get his arse here and quickly.”
    They seemed to have codes for everything. She wasn’t sure why when they could just as easily say what they wanted, but then she wasn’t the cool spy chick.