by Rebecca Deel
He continued scanning through the reports. Ackerman’s skills were impressive, but not enough to compensate for his lack of team loyalty. Could cost everyone their lives. Claire followed orders better than this guy and she had reason to doubt the abilities of her bodyguards. Ackerman knew his teammates’ abilities. The guy was just arrogant enough to believe he could command the team better than Adam and his other team leaders. In Zane’s book, that made Joe Ackerman a fool.
In the most recent reports, Adam repeatedly expressed reservations about Ackerman’s suitability for field work. Why hadn’t Maddox pulled this clown from active missions? With a soft growl, he dashed off an email to his boss. Maddox paid Zane big bucks for his skills and expertise. In his opinion, it was only a matter of time before they lost at least one member of Adam’s team. Zane didn’t want to lose anyone else from his life. Maddox wouldn’t either.
Laughter drifted from the other room. He glanced at the clock on the mantle. Claire had been working with Marty and Sheila for almost an hour. He hoped she was nearly finished. How many shots did they need? Their photographer was top notch. From what he’d seen of Claire’s photographs, every one was a work of art. Though he wasn’t an expert, he knew what he liked. From his quick perusal of her shots in the van, any of one them would work for the engagement announcements.
Footsteps heralded the return of the couple along with Claire and Lily. “How soon will we see the photos?” Sheila asked. “I can’t wait to show all my friends and family.”
“Probably tomorrow.” Claire patted the other woman’s shoulder at her moan of disappointment. “I’ll work on them tonight and email the proofs, then you can choose the shots and package you prefer.”
“You’re sure I can’t have them sooner?”
Claire turned, smiled at Zane, amusement dancing in her eyes. “I hate sabotaging my boyfriend’s plans for work. The delay is only a few hours. You’ll appreciate the quality of the photos and Zane will appreciate my undivided attention for a few hours. We don’t have enough time together as it is.”
Though she wasn’t happy with the delay, Sheila agreed the end result would be worth the wait. And finally they were gone.
“Do you have to put up with clients like that all the time?” Lily asked, a scowl on her pretty face.
“Not always. Most are willing to wait for me to put the photo books together.” She turned to Zane. “I’m assuming you still want to stash me somewhere other than here?”
Zane studied her expression carefully. No irritation, just resignation at the necessity. Amazing. He’d expected at least a little push back from a woman with spirit and a mind of her own. “It’s safer for you.”
“I’ll need to pack a bag along with my laptop. I have work to finish in spite of being under house arrest.” She paused at the entrance to the hallway. “Will I have access to a printer?”
“Tell me what you need. I’ll make sure you have the equipment on hand.”
With a quick nod, Claire retraced her steps down the hall with Lily at her heels.
From his post at the window, Remy said, “Claire is a unique woman, Z. Most of our bodyguard clients pay for the service but don’t want to heed our advice. Claire didn’t ask for the service, but she goes along with the advice anyway. Don’t get me wrong. I’m grateful, just surprised at her cooperation.”
“Goes back to her intelligence and worry over her brother. If these clowns grab her, they’ll have the leverage they need over Adam.”
“If he’s been compromised,” Remy pointed out.
“We won’t rule out other causes.”
“You need to run her background,” Remy said softly.
Zane sent his friend a sharp look.
“You know as well as I do that something in her background may have triggered the kidnapping. What are the chances she’s wealthy enough to incur a ransom demand?”
“I don’t know since I’ve been acquainted with her one hour longer than you.”
“Then there’s a dumped boyfriend who might be angry enough to make her pay for choosing a Navy SEAL.”
Zane snorted. A dumped boyfriend was a possibility, though Claire hadn’t mentioned one. No way this fictional boyfriend could know Zane was part of a SEAL team. He also hadn’t asked specifically if she’d kicked a boyfriend to the curb in her recent past. He rubbed the knots at the back of his neck. Yeah, he was slipping. Claire Walker was a serious distraction. He didn’t want to look too carefully at his reasoning for avoiding that particular question.
“She might have taken pictures of something or someone she wasn’t supposed to see.”
He pointed his finger at Remy. “That one I thought of already.”
“You would have come up with others given more time away from the lady.” Remy shifted position at the window, stilled.
Zane’s body tensed. “Sit rep.”
“Might have company. Second time the same black van cruised down this street below the speed limit.”
Not what he wanted to hear. Zane shut down his computer and returned it to the protected pocket, then checked that his Sig was ready in case he needed it. “How long do you think we have before they make a return trip?”
“Probably five minutes, maybe less since Sheila and Marty’s car is gone.”
“Get Lily and Claire. I’m heading out to the van now.” He’d be the slowest one getting situated. It would also give him a chance to see if there was anything else in the vicinity which pinged on his trouble radar.
Remy opened the door for him, glanced quickly around, and signaled the all clear. Once Zane was through the door, the other operative called to his wife.
Zane clicked the remote start and the button to lower the pad for his chair. Once the lift was ready, he zoomed down the walkway and rolled onto the pad, his gaze scanning the cars parked along the street.
As the pad leveled out, Zane heard Remy’s low-voiced instruction to Claire to hurry to the van. Her quick steps approached. Just as she reached the passenger-side door, tires squealed nearby.
“Inside, now,” Lily ordered.
Claire scrambled into the van, a camera bag strapped around her neck, a backpack over her shoulders. Lily tossed a duffel bag in after her, then pulled her weapon.
“Strap in, sweetheart,” Zane said, Sig in his hand.
“Here they come,” Remy said.
Gunfire erupted.
CHAPTER NINE
“Claire, down on the floor!” Zane aimed at the black van and fired off round after round. Gunfire from Remy and Lily’s weapons discharged in quick succession. From the corner of his eye, he noted Claire diving to the floor while still protecting her camera.
Windows in the black van imploded. The vehicle raced down the street, made a sharp right, and sped away.
Zane zipped into the Fortress van and locked himself into position as Remy and Lily leaped inside. Remy jammed the key in the ignition and raced in the opposite direction of the black van.
“You okay, sweetheart?” Zane reached down and helped Claire into her seat.
She gave him a small smile. “I’ll let you know once I quit shaking.”
“Buckle up,” Remy said. “The ride will be bumpy if these guys catch up with us or have friends lingering nearby.”
“Let’s get this off your back.” Zane reached for her backpack. “You’ll be more comfortable without it.”
“My laptop is in there.” Her teeth chattered.
“I’ll make sure it’s secure.” He wedged the computer between his chair and Claire’s seat, then reached for her hand. “It’s going to be okay.”
“How can you say that? People I don’t know were shooting at me a couple minutes ago. I thought they wanted me for leverage. I’m not any good as leverage if I’m dead!”
“Claire, look at me.” He waited until her gaze locked with his. “I made you a promise and I don’t break my promises. I won’t let them take you. Besides, those men weren’t aiming at you. They were shooting at us.”
> “Why?”
“You’re vulnerable if your protection is gone.” A grin curved his mouth. “I can’t say you’d be easier to kidnap considering the problems you gave the other two. These men don’t know what a fighter you are or how much trouble you’d give them should they manage to grab you.”
She sat in silence a moment. “None of their shots hit the van.”
“Some did.” Lily glanced over her shoulder. “I heard them ping against the panel.”
“Our ride has armor plating, Claire,” Remy said. “And bullet-resistant glass.”
Claire’s vise grip on Zane’s hand eased. “I should have realized. I need to invest in both.”
“We have a friend who does the plating for all Fortress vehicles,” Lily said. “We can hook you up with Bear if you want extra protection.”
“That’s one of the things I want to do when we reach wherever we’re going.”
Zane’s thumb stroked the back of her hand. “What’s the first thing?”
“Eat. I’m starving.”
When her body shuddered through another bout of the shakes, reacting to the adrenaline flowing through her system, Zane eased her closer and draped his arm across Claire’s shoulders. Within a few minutes, the shudders were almost gone and she had scooted as close to him as possible.
He was afraid to move for fear he’d cause Claire to shift and put distance between them. It had been so long since he had touched a woman who wasn’t a doctor or nurse treating him. Zane wanted to hold onto the privilege a little longer.
Finally, she sighed and smiled at him. “Thanks. Adrenaline dump is the pits.”
“You’ve experienced it before?”
“More times than I want.”
“Will you tell me about some of them?” Her skin looked as soft as rose petals. Would her cheeks feel that way under his rough palms?
“On our date.”
He blinked. “Date?”
“You said you had plans for me tonight. Wouldn’t want to disappoint me, would you?”
“Our relationship is a cover.”
“No welshing now, buddy. Food and conversation equals a date in my book.” She narrowed her eyes. “Unless you plan to go all caveman on me and not talk while we eat. That definitely wouldn’t count as a date, and it would tick me off.”
Remy burst into laughter.
“Shut up, Doucet,” Zane said. “Claire, you have to work on the photos.”
“I also have to eat and so do you. Let’s do something radical and share a meal and conversation.” She grinned. “Flowers and a goodnight kiss are optional, though much appreciated.”
“I like that plan, Zane,” Lily chimed in. “Food and making you talk? I’m there, my friend.”
“Some date.” Zane scowled at his friends. “We have two nosy chaperones.” Chaperones who were enjoying his dilemma.
“What are you hungry for, sugar?” Remy asked as he made a right turn onto a two-lane highway with sparse traffic.
“Depends. Are we ordering in or cooking in a house?”
“We’re staying in a hotel for a couple days.”
“Anything Mexican sounds perfect.”
“Woman after my own heart.” Lily grinned at her. “Please tell me you’re planning to order something besides a salad.”
“A couple of burritos to go with that salad.” She shrugged. “Fast metabolism. One of these days, my metabolism will slow down and I’ll have to do something more than yoga to keep my weight under control. Until then, I plan to enjoy the food train.”
“Remy, any signs of a tail?” Zane asked.
“Not so far.”
Almost an hour later, they parked in the underground garage of a hotel in Murfreesboro. Remy turned off the engine and tossed the keys to his wife. “You know the drill.”
“Yep. If there’s trouble, take off and protect the principal. You’re a big boy and can take care of yourself.” She tugged him close enough to kiss him. “Watch your back. You’re growing on me, baby.”
A quick grin, and he headed inside to see if they had accommodations to suit their needs. Lily moved into the driver’s seat.
“How long have you two been married?” Claire asked.
“Three incredible months.”
“Aww. Congratulations, Lily.”
Within ten minutes, Remy returned. He opened the passenger door and leaned in. “We’re set,” he said. “Suite on the first floor. Congratulations, Z. You and Claire are married and your last name is Sullivan. Room reservations are under one of my alternate IDs, one not in the Fortress System.” He smiled at Lily. “Let’s see how you like being Mrs. Clay Thompson.”
The other operative wrinkled her nose. “Boring. At least the name Doucet is unique.”
“That’s why you can’t use it,” Zane said. “Won’t take a genius to figure out you two are working with me.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Might be worth dropping that bread crumb just to bring the traitor out in the open.”
“Not with Claire in the crossfire.”
“We’ll hold that in reserve,” Claire said.
“No, we won’t.” Zane glared at her. “My job is to protect you, not use you as bait.” Just the thought of doing that made him want to puke. No way was he allowing that.
“We’ll continue this discussion inside the room, Z,” Remy said, his tone mild. He handed a key card to Lily and held out his hand for the key fob. “Room 1129. I’ll bring the bags after I hunt down a luggage cart.”
Lily exited the vehicle and glanced around before circling to the side of the van.
“I won’t apologize for putting your safety before anything else,” Zane said to Claire.
“No one asked you to. That’s what I’ll pay you for.”
“No.” Just that, nothing more. He absolutely wouldn’t allow her to pay him for her protection. Zane didn’t want a bodyguard/client relationship with Claire Walker. He stilled as that thought raced through his mind. So what kind of relationship did he want with her?
“That’s it? No reasoned explanation?” When she got no response, Claire scowled at him. “Guess the honeymoon’s over.”
Lily activated the door and pad. “It’s clear.”
Zane handed Claire her backpack and rolled onto the pad. Once he was on the ground, he scanned the garage. Not too many cars parked nearby which suited his purposes well. He motioned for Claire to exit the vehicle and followed her and Lily to the elevator. Amusement spurted through him. Nothing said “ticked off woman” as much as a stiff back and the subtle distance she’d placed between herself and him. He closed the gap and, when they reached the elevator, he pressed the call button.
Within seconds, the mirrored doors slid open. “After you.” Once Claire was inside the car, he maneuvered the wheelchair into position, facing the doors.
At the suite door, Lily handed him the key card. Zane unlocked it and opened the door. He trailed Lily and Claire into the suite living room. His eyebrows rose. Nice. Really nice. Soft, muted colors. Large screen television. Couch looked comfortable. A good thing since he’d be the one sleeping on it. He’d slept on much worse, but not since his injury. Mini-kitchen. Everything easily accessible for him, including the peephole in the door.
He glanced at Claire, once again noting her short stature. She wouldn’t have trouble reaching anything either. Still amazed him that he was within a couple inches of her height, even with him sitting. If there were such creatures as fairies, he suspected they’d be Claire’s size.
A brisk knock had him and Lily aiming their weapons at the door. “It’s me,” Remy said. “Coming in soft.”
Zane didn’t shift his aim until the door unlocked and his friend pushed a bellhop’s cart through the door. “Any problems?”
“Nope.” He and Lily unloaded the bags. “Z, check out the rooms and choose the one you want.”
He spun around and headed for the room on the right. He ignored the queen-sized bed that dominated the room and checked out the bathr
oom. Perfect. Zane retraced his path. “This one.”
With a nod, Remy hauled up his duffel bag and carried it into the bedroom, then returned for Claire’s bags. When her mouth gaped, Zane gently cupped her chin and turned her face toward him. “Camouflage, Claire. We’re supposed to be married. It would look strange for my bags to be out here.”
Her cheeks flushed. “Sorry. Caught me off guard.”
“Now that I find hard to believe.” Relieved to have her talking to him again, he dropped his hand down to hers, squeezed it briefly before releasing her. “You caught on quick to our dating relationship.”
“In my defense, I’m having a hard time with our lightning-speed engagement and marriage.” She sighed. “I need caffeine. I hope they have a big supply of soft drinks.”
Remy looked at Zane with a smirk on his face, then he and Lily took their bags to the other room.
“Claire, you only slept a couple hours last night. Why don’t you take a nap after you eat?”
She shrugged off her backpack and removed the camera bag before dropping onto the sofa. “If I take a nap, I wake up grumpy, then I can’t fall asleep when it’s time to go to bed for the night. I also promised Sheila I would work on their photos. I won’t go back on my word, Zane.”
He respected that, though he hated to see her so tired. Maybe the meal would restore some of her energy. “Why don’t you check the room service menu for Mexican options. If the hotel doesn’t have what you want, we’ll send Remy for something.” Zane handed her the menu.
While she checked out the options, Lily and Remy returned. Zane’s eyes narrowed when he noticed Lily’s pink cheeks and swollen lips. They were newlyweds, he reminded himself, and Claire was safe for the moment. No one knew where they were. “Did you bring the other license plate?” he asked Remy.
“Going to put it on now, boss.” With a snappy salute, he sauntered out of the suite.
