Dumbfounded, she jerked her head around, wondering how on earth he knew what she had done.
19
Rank gripped his phone tightly, irritation pouring off him. He could not believe, after everything they had talked about, Helena had taken it upon herself to play spy anyway, investigating the suspicious vehicle his team had already clocked instead of calling him.
Before he had a chance to bark at her further, she said, “How on earth do you know what I’m doing? Are you watching me?”
“Seriously? You’re on our radar, Helena.”
After a few seconds pause that did nothing to quell his frustration, she said, “I don’t even know what that means.”
“It means, we’ve got you covered. We have surveillance on the outside of your office and home. When you’re in either place, you’re under our watch so you don’t have to do anything but go about your regular business. If something is going on, we’re already on it and we don’t need you possibly fuckin’ things up or putting yourself in harm’s way by sneaking around like some television PI.”
Huffing, she threw out, “How was I to know that?”
Leaning his back against the driver’s door of his SUV, which was currently parked in the FBI office parking lot, he dropped his head and stared at his boots, still holding the phone to his ear. He had just finished a meeting with Edwin and Bob when Josh had called, letting him know what Helena was up to. He did not know if he should be worried about her or furious…maybe a little of both.
“We’ll talk about this more tonight,” he said. “For now, you just go about your day as normal. You’re safe, I promise.”
He heard resignation and anger in her tone, as she clipped, “Fine.”
“Babe?”
“Yes?” she replied to his one-word question with one of her own.
“I promise, I’ve got you. I’m not going to let anything happen to you. I’m sorry I didn’t let you know earlier that we’ve got you covered.”
Her voice softened and he could almost imagine her breathing easier, as she said, “Okay, thank you.” Before disconnecting, she threw out, “Is there anything special you’d like for dinner tonight? I don’t mind cooking for you.” Her voice was ruff, but her words were caring, and the combination made him smile.
The place near his heart that always felt warm when she was close by twinged. He had never wanted to make dinner plans with a woman, until her. He had never eagerly anticipated going to someone’s house, until her. Feeling that warmth slide through him, amplified by the trust he heard in her voice, he replied, “Anything you fix will be perfect.”
Disconnecting, he climbed into his vehicle and began driving back to the compound. On the way, he called Cobb.
“Talk to me.”
“Rental SUV. I sent the tags to Josh. He said the identity of the owner or renter was suspiciously buried but, with a little bit of digging, he was able to figure out a Victor Federov is currently renting it. It took more digging to find out that he is an employee of Siberian Shipping, based out of Boson. Right now, Josh is still digging to see where that trail leads.”
“Fuckin’ hell. I was afraid this mess with Frank was going to get her noticed by whoever Kozlov is working with or working for. I know I don’t have to ask, but are your eyes on her?”
“Absolutely. She’s at work and I’m down the street. And, of course, you know we’ve got eyes on her home.”
“I think she might need more.”
“You thinking interior?”
“Maybe.”
Cobb replied, “Your call, man. Just say the word, talk to her, and we can take care of it.”
Disconnecting, all the way back to LSI he continued to think of what he could do to further protect her. They had a way to ensure they could track someone, no matter the situation, that they made available to any of their clients who needed it, so that was an option. But, if he really wanted to be sure nothing could go wrong…well, they had a special way that they tracked each other. He wondered if it was something she would be up for…
Considering the possibility of doing it for Helena felt very personal. It was reserved only for the team and their loved ones. Mace had made sure that both Sylvie and her son, David, had such a tracking device. Did it mean he loved her, to even be considering going that far? The thought made his heart beat faster.
By the time he made it back to LSI, he knew what was in his heart. He wanted Helena safe and would do anything to make sure that happened. But, he also wanted her to be part of him. I need to talk to Mace about this, and then I need to talk to Helena.
With his mind made up, he walked into LSI, a smile on his face.
Deciding to close up early, Helena had to admit, the black SUV that had been parked outside all day was unnerving her. Even if Rank had assured her that there were eyes on her office, it still made for an unproductive workplace. Every few minutes her eyes would drift upward and, still seeing the SUV, she had panicked a little, interrupting anything that she had been working on.
With thoughts of stopping by the grocery on the way home to grab something to make baked ziti for dinner, she locked the front door of her office and walked down the street toward her car, attempting to ignore the SUV the whole way. Once inside, she locked the doors and got out of there quickly. Checking her rearview mirror constantly for the first few miles, she breathed a sigh of relief when there were no signs of the SUV in sight.
Grabbing what she needed as she moved up and down the aisles at the grocery, she ended up at the wine section. Selecting one of her favorites, she thought about what Rank might like. Remembering the brand of beer he drank at the restaurant, she loaded a six pack into her cart as well. Moving to the cashier, she quickly paid for everything and pushed her cart out of the store.
Her thoughts on dinner, she made her way to her car and opened the trunk, placing the bags inside before slamming it shut. Depositing the cart in the cart rack several parking spaces over, she walked back to her car and got in. Driving the few blocks toward her home, she glanced into the rearview mirror naturally as she came to a stop. Her heart lurched as she recognized the SUV coming to a halt behind her. It was difficult to read the backward license plate in her mirror, but she was able to discern that it was the same one that had been across the street from her work.
She had not bothered to dig her phone out of her purse before she started driving so, keeping her eyes up and one hand on the wheel, she reached over with her right hand and began searching in her bag blindly. Her fingers clasped around the phone just as it was ringing and she glanced at the screen before stepping on the accelerator.
Seeing it was Rank’s number, she began to wonder if he had superpowers. Hitting connect, she did not have a chance to speak before he began.
“Walker’s on you, keep driving. Don’t stop at your house, keep going.”
“How do you—”
“Walker’s been nearby today, since I was unable to be,” he explained.
Before he had a chance to say more, she watched the black SUV pull out to the side and speed up. Whimpering slightly, she grasped the steering wheel tighter with her left hand.
“Babe, put the phone on speaker and down onto the seat. Drive with both hands and keep going. I promise you, Walker’s on your tail.”
Doing as he said, she glanced to the left as the black SUV pulled alongside her, the dark tinted windows keeping her from seeing the inside. Glancing back in front of her, she decided to turn quickly at the next intersection. Whipping to the right, her tires squealed ever so slightly as she took the turn too fast.
Her heart leaped to her throat as she watched the SUV cut off the person that had been behind her, making a right-hand turn as well. Stepping on the accelerator, she yelled loud enough for Rank to hear, “They’re still with me. What do I do?”
“Walker’s right behind you. There’s a shopping center coming up on your right. Pull in and park right in front of one of the stores. Walker’s gonna pull in with you. His prese
nce will make them keep going. As soon as he comes to a stop, you get into his vehicle.”
“But—”
“No buts. You do exactly as I say. Exactly!” he ground out. “Got me? I need to hear you say that you’ve got me.”
She nodded, then immediately felt foolish realizing he could not see it. “Yes. Yes, I’ll do exactly as you say.”
His voice softened, and he said, “It’s okay. You’re doing great and I swear, Helena, we’ve got you. Walker’s reporting to me as you go.”
Seeing the shopping center at the next block, she made another quick right and jerked into the parking lot. Stopping in front of a busy store, she parked where there was more than one empty spot next to her. Gripping the wheel tightly, she watched as the black SUV drove by, but did not stop.
Wondering where Walker was, she jumped as a black pickup truck pulled in next to her. The passenger window rolled down slightly and she could see him in the driver’s seat. Grabbing her purse, she threw open her door, slammed it shut, hit the locks, and climbed into the passenger side of his truck.
He backed out and drove casually out of the parking lot, completely calm on the outside—unlike her. Twisting around, she watched as the black SUV made a circle around the parking lot, coming back behind her car and slowing down.
“I don’t think they saw me get in.”
Walker glanced over at her and grinned. “You did good, Helena. I watched them do a circle and knew we had just enough time to get away.”
She gasped and turned back to him. “My car. What’ll they do to my car?”
He shook his head. “Nothing. Once they realize you’re not there they’ll be pissed, yeah, but they won’t do anything . My take is that their job was to keep an eye on you. It surprised me when they pulled up beside you, but knowing that you could not see them, they probably figured it might just unnerve you.” He glanced down at her torso, and reminded, “Buckle up.”
Flopping back against the seat, she buckled her seatbelt. “Well, they unnerved me all right.” She glanced over at him “Rank read me the riot act earlier for sneaking around. I had no idea that you were keeping an eye on me.”
He nodded but did not say anything, and she wondered if he was just going to wait and let Rank talk to her. She sucked in her lips for a second, pondering the strange situation she was in, then decided that she would just wait and talk to Rank.
Walker took a circuitous route to get back to her house and, by the time they pulled into her parking spot, Rank was already there waiting for her.
Unsure of the protocol for thanking someone who had possibly saved her, she smiled over at Walker just as Rank threw open the passenger door. Reaching over, she placed her hand on his arm, and said, “I can’t thank you enough.”
He looked toward her, then his eyes shifted behind her to where Rank stood, and his smile widened. Moving his gaze back to her, he said, “I can tell you that it’s my job but, Helena, I can also assure you that it’s my pleasure. No thanks required.”
Before she had a chance to react, Rank reached across and unbuckled her. “Come on, babe.” He lifted her out and tucked her under his arm, keeping her body close to his. With a chin lift, he said his goodbyes to Walker and closed the door. As they made their way up her walk, she noticed Walker was still in the driveway. Looking through her window once inside, she saw that he did not pull out until they were safe.
Sighing as something dawned on her, she tossed her purse to the table by the front door, turned, and groused, “I left our dinner ingredients in the trunk of my car.”
Rank blinked, blank-faced, then threw his head back and laughed, stepping forward to envelop her in his embrace. Loving the sound, especially after all the stress and worry, she wrapped her arms around his waist and held on, letting her nerves slowly dissipate. With her head tucked under his chin, and her cheek resting against his heartbeat, she felt safe for the first time all day.
“That’s my girl,” he said, kissing the top of her head. “Crazy-ass day and your biggest worry right now is fixing me dinner.”
Gently slapping his chest, she complained, “Well, now that you’re here, I don’t have anything to worry about.”
He did not speak, but his arms squeezed her slightly. She leaned her head back and held his blue-eyed gaze. “Rank, I felt out of control and not safe all day long. But right now, standing in my apartment in your arms, I know I’m safe.”
He bent and took her lips in a searing kiss. As he thrust his tongue into her mouth, she tasted the very essence of him, swallowing his groan as she melted in his arms.
Pulling back a millimeter, he whispered against her lips, “Safe in my arms is just where I want you to be.”
20
Pushing back from the dining room table, Rank took a sip of beer. He had called in a delivery of baked ziti from one of the local Italian restaurants, determined to give Helena the dinner she wanted. “I know it’s not as good as what you would’ve done, but I wanted to make this as easy an evening as I possibly could.”
Her smile bespoke her gratitude as she finished her last bite as well. His gaze moved around the room and she asked, “What are you thinking?”
“I like your place.”
Following his gaze, she tried to see her place through his eyes and, in the end, shrugged and replied, “It’s simple, but it’s home.”
“It looks like you…but not the you I first assumed you would be.”
She cocked her head to the side. “And what me would that have been?”
Turning his head back to her, he said, “The way you were dressed that night I first saw you? I confess, I assumed you were high maintenance. And then, after I found out who you were, I assumed you were a typical trust-fund-baby, living in a fancy house or condo and working in a high-rise somewhere.”
She remained quiet for a moment and he worried that he had insulted her somehow. Finally, she said, “You knew who I was? Before I told you anything about me?”
Sucking in a quick breath, he let it out in a sigh. Guess it was bound to come out eventually. “Yeah,” he confessed. “I’m sorry, but once I had identified you, we needed to know why you were at a meeting with Frank and Kozlov.”
She closed her eyes as disappointment washed over her face.
“Baby, look at me,” he ordered gently, worried where her head was going. Leaning forward, his large hand landed on hers. Her eyes snapped open at the touch and he reassured her, “None of that mattered. What I learned, it didn’t matter. I still wanted to go out with you because I liked you. And now that I’ve gotten to know you, I—” he cut himself off. He’d almost said more than he meant to.
She remained silent and he gave her hand a slight squeeze. “Think about it…have I ever given you one reason not to trust me?”
She held his gaze, before replying, “No. But it’s not that. I trust you. And it actually makes me trust you even more, knowing that you knew who I was and you still treated me the way you did, the way you do. I just…I liked the idea that you wanted me. Me, without all of that other stuff getting in the way. Men usually know my name, my father’s reputation, and it makes it hard to gauge what they’re more interested in—me or my inheritance. You’ve never wanted anything from me, other than the truth, and that means the world to me.”
“It’s always been you, baby. I promise you that. I don’t know,” he shrugged, “maybe I should have told you earlier that I had to investigate you to clear you of this mess, but you’ve got to understand that, in my business, I can’t tell you everything, even when I want to.”
Draining the last of her wine from her goblet, she sighed. “I know. And we need to talk about that.”
Nodding, he picked up his plate and, passing by her, bent to kiss the top of her head. “Let me rinse these and throw them in the dishwasher. I’ll refill your wine, too. Then, we’ll get settled and get comfortable, and we’ll talk.”
Helena watched as Rank placed the dishes in the dishwasher, then stowed the leftovers in
her refrigerator. It dawned on her how at ease he was in her home and, more importantly, how at ease she was having him there. He walked over with the bottle of wine but halted before he poured it. Staring at her contemplative expression, he asked, “What are you thinking?”
She blinked out of her reverie, and replied, “Honestly? I was thinking about how much I like seeing you here.” She bit her lip, and added, “I suppose I should’ve kept that to myself though. It sounded very clingy, didn’t it?” She wondered why she was blabbing her emotions but, with only one glass of wine, she could hardly blame it on the alcohol.
Instead of answering, he grabbed her newly-filled glass and walked her into the living room. After settling her on the sofa and her glass on the coffee table, he walked back into the kitchen to grab another beer. Returning, he sat next to her and twisted his body so that he was facing her. He smiled and she did the same, relieved to see he had not agreed with her and wanted her to pull back. But, just to be sure, she asked, “Just to clarify, you don’t think I’m clingy, right?”
“Babe,” he laughed. “If I had my way, I’d take you upstairs, fuck you all night, and never let you out of bed again. How’s that for clingy?”
She squeezed her legs tightly together, his words sending a zing straight through her. His eyes dropped to her lap, clearly having seen her reaction, and she chuckled before taking a fortifying sip of wine, setting the glass back on the coffee table, and saying, “Okay, lay it on me.”
He barked out a laugh. “Which one? The fucking part or what we’re supposed to be doing—which is talking about your safety. Because, even though I really want to do the first, it’s important that we cover the second.”
“Safety! I meant safety,” she laughed.
“Okay, okay. Just checking,” he winked. Sobering, he said, “So here it is, babe. You know it was Anatoly Kozlov who interrupted the dinner that you were having with Frank Tercelli. He gave off such bad vibes, you wanted to escape which, luckily, landed you in my arms. Well, he’s on the FBI’s radar and it appears that Frank is doing business with him. From what we can see, this is the first time they’ve worked together, but unfortunately this union came at a time when Frank was shifting his methods for his own dirty dealing. We have evidence Frank has been laundering money and, I’m sorry Helena, but he decided to get a third party involved to cover his tracks and that third party is you.”
Rank: Lighthouse Security Investigations Series Page 17
