by Maya Banks
Steele scowled again. “Hell no, she’s not.”
He didn’t know exactly what the short term held. He knew he needed to get Maren back stateside and give her time to recover from her ordeal. Her family was frantic with worry, and they’d want to see her as soon as possible, but no way in hell was Steele going to allow her to run off on her own. It was highly likely Caldwell would be watching her family, if he wasn’t already. And now that Maren had escaped him, who was to say he wouldn’t go off the rails and try to get her back?
Beside him, Maren stirred and he looked down to see her eyes flutter open. For a moment there was confusion and her eyes were cloudy from sleep. Then she blinked and relief flooded her gaze when it connected with his.
“Hey,” he said softly.
She glanced around the small sitting area and when she saw Rio, she froze.
As if sensing her discomfort, or maybe just opting to leave them alone, Rio stood and made a hasty departure back to where the others were sitting.
“Where are we?” she murmured.
She struggled to sit up and he helped her, keeping the blanket tucked around her.
“We’re over U.S. soil,” Steele said. “Should be landing in less than an hour.”
Relief once again settled into her blue eyes. Her shoulders sagged and then she wiped her face with both hands, scrubbing back and forth.
“You can use the bathroom to freshen up if you need to,” Steele said. “Or if you’ll tell me what you want, I can get it for you.”
She shook her head. “I’m fine. Really. Nothing a really long bath won’t cure. I’d kill to be able to soak for about an hour.”
“Done,” he said gruffly.
She bit her bottom lip and glanced nervously at him. He hated that look. Like she was afraid of his judgment somehow. Or that she was afraid to tell him something she feared would change his opinion of her somehow. Did she think he’d hold anything Caldwell had done to her against her? Fuck that.
“Can you take me somewhere, maybe a hotel after we land? I really don’t feel like being at the KGI compound right now. I know Sam and the others will have lots of questions, but honestly right now I just want to take a really hot bath, call my family and sort this out for myself before I have to explain it to anyone else.”
He frowned at the mention of a hotel. “You’re coming home with me. You can have your bath and make your phone calls there. Sam can wait until you’re ready. For that matter, there’s nothing he really needs to know unless you want to tell him.”
Her eyes widened. “That isn’t necessary, Steele. Really. I don’t want to be a bother. I know you value your privacy. A hotel is just fine. I can call my parents and then go there. I’m sure they have to be worried out of their minds.”
He shook his head. “My place. No arguments. Besides, no way in hell you’re going to your parents. Not yet anyway.”
“What?”
“It’s very possible that Caldwell will be monitoring your family. Especially since you escaped. It’s too dangerous for you to be in the open until Caldwell has been taken down. Your parents and your brother have been notified of your safe return. Sam is also arranging for protection for your parents and your brother in case Caldwell does something stupid. They’ve been told that you’ll be in touch as soon as you get back to the U.S.”
“You really think they could be in danger?” she asked anxiously.
He hated the fear and the worry in her eyes. She’d experienced far too much of both already. But he wouldn’t lie to her either.
He nodded. “It’s a good possibility. We can’t afford not to assume the worst.”
She sighed and her face fell. “I’m sorry, Steele. I hate to be such a bother to you and to the rest of KGI.”
He nudged her chin up with his fingers. “You aren’t a bother and you’re damn sure not going to apologize to me. We clear?”
A small smile flirted with the edges of her mouth. “We’re clear.”
“Good. Now when we land, I’ll drive you out to my house. Sam can wait for whenever you’re ready. After you’ve had a chance to rest and get your bearings, you can call your folks so they know you’re okay. And you and I will deal with everything else.”
Anxiety crept into her gaze again, and his stomach knotted as he wondered what she had to tell him that worried her so much. He wanted her to feel safe telling him anything at all, but there was no magic wand for him to wave to make her trust completely in him. All he could do was make it clear with his words and his actions that nothing she said would change one damn thing about the way he felt about her.
“Maren,” he said quietly.
She glanced back up at him.
“You’ll get through this just fine. Trust me. I’m not going to leave you to deal with this alone.”
“Thank you,” she murmured. “I just hope you still feel that way when I’ve told you everything.”
CHAPTER 24
THANKFULLY when they landed, they didn’t have a welcome party waiting. Maren knew she owed Sam an explanation, but Steele had assured her he’d cover things with Sam and the others. Sam had gone the extra mile and then some, using his organization’s resources and a considerable amount of manpower in his effort to locate her. But then the impression she got from Steele was that perhaps he and his team had been the ones who’d tirelessly worked on getting her back. Not that she was shortchanging Sam’s or even Rio and his team’s efforts. Not at all. But it gave her a warm glow to know that she meant something to Steele. He looked exhausted. There were lines in his face that hadn’t been there before she’d been abducted. He looked as though he’d made it his sole ambition to find her.
She owed them all a lot. It was something she could never hope to repay, and this wasn’t the first time they’d saved her hide. She just hoped like hell it would be the last.
When they disembarked, Rio told Steele he would report in to Sam and bring him up to date on the situation. He was better suited to tackle the issue of Armand or rather, Hancock, since it was Rio who’d taken Hancock’s call and Rio who’d gone in to retrieve Maren.
What Maren wanted most was quiet and time to come to terms with what she had to tell Steele. She would have liked to have been able to tell him the moment she found out, but fate and Caldwell had dictated otherwise. But it was time to tell him the news. And she was scared to death and ill prepared in her current state to handle the impending conversation with the father of her child.
She gave her thanks to Rio and his team and then to Steele’s team as they prepared to depart and go their separate ways. She sagged in relief when Steele led her to an SUV parked a short distance from the runway. She shed her jacket and stuffed it in the back before doing a quick survey of her body. She felt bare without the covering offered by the coat. It wasn’t as if she were showing yet, but she still smoothed her hand down her T-shirt to see if there was any evidence of her pregnancy.
Her belly was firmer now, not nearly as soft as it had been before. She imagined that she’d pooch out just any day now. But other than a barely discernible hardness to her abdomen, there was no evidence of a baby bump yet.
Relieved that Steele wouldn’t notice anything different about her with just a glance, she got into the vehicle and relaxed against the seat. Up close and personal, if they were making love, he’d very likely notice the differences to her body.
Her breasts had gotten slightly larger and were a lot more sensitive. Her nipples were darker and there was the fact that her belly wasn’t nearly as soft. But she was assuming a lot. There was certainly no guarantee they’d ever go to bed together again. Even if it was all she wanted at the moment. They didn’t even have to have sex. She just wanted to be in his arms, his body wrapped protectively around hers so she could sleep without the worries and anxiety that had haunted her for the last two months.
“You look wiped,” Steele said bluntly as they drove away from the small airfield.
“I am,” she said with a wan smile. “A
nd there’s no reason. I slept on the plane. I’m mostly relieved. It’s only just setting in that I’m really free and don’t have to worry about Tristan anymore. But I could definitely sleep about a week, I think.”
“You’re going to do nothing but rest for the next while,” he said gruffly.
She turned her gaze to him. “I really am grateful for all you and your team did, Steele. You’ll never know just how much.”
To her surprise he reached over and caught her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.
“You’ve saved our asses enough times. There was no question of us returning the favor. Now sit back and relax. Try not to think about that bastard. My place isn’t too far and I think you’ll like it. Peaceful and most importantly, it’s completely private. It’ll be a good place for you to get back on your feet and decide what you’re going to do going forward. And Maren? There’s no hurry, okay? Don’t put any pressure on yourself. You’re welcome to stay as long as you need, and there’s no way in hell I’m letting you out of my sight until this situation with Caldwell is completely resolved.”
“Wow. I think that’s the most I’ve ever heard you say at one time.”
A smile quirked the corner of his mouth. “Glad to see you haven’t lost your smart-ass.”
She grinned cheekily, reveling in the sensation of being happy. Free from the fear and anxiety that had gripped her for so many weeks. She relaxed, settling into the seat as she watched the landscape fly by in her window.
She closed her eyes and let out a long breath. She had one more hurdle to overcome, and then maybe she could relax and focus on getting her feet underneath her again. She couldn’t very well make any plans for the future until she talked to Steele about the one part of their future they shared.
Their child.
CHAPTER 25
MAREN woke, surprised that she’d drifted off, when the SUV slowed and then stopped as Steele waited for the wrought-iron gate to slowly swing open. She sucked in her breath when she viewed the long winding driveway that led up to a sprawling ranch-style home.
Horses grazed in the open pasture, but surrounding Steele’s home on the three sides not facing the road they’d come in on were thick woods. It was as if he’d cut a hole out of a forest and plunked his home right in the middle. In a word, it was gorgeous.
And he was right. She twisted in her seat to look behind them. It was private. The road leading to his driveway was a narrow county road that didn’t look as though it got much traffic.
She nearly sighed in anticipation. Peace. Tranquility. Caldwell would have to look damn hard to find her here. Not that she didn’t think it was a possibility. In the short time she’d been his pampered prisoner, she’d figured out that he had immense wealth and resources. If he wanted to find her, it was likely he could and would. She just hoped she was a novelty that would wear off with absence and distance and that he wouldn’t feel she was worth the risk of coming after. And there was the fact that she had Steele—and KGI—at her back. She’d take those odds any day of the week.
“It’s beautiful, Steele,” she said as they pulled to a stop in front of the house. “I love your porch. It’s so perfect. It’s screaming for a swing, though. You know, one of those that suspends from the roof. Oh, and a wooden rocker. Definitely. Can’t you picture it?”
He chuckled, and she enjoyed the sound as it vibrated through her ears. Deep, masculine and warm. Not a word anyone usually associated with Steele. He wasn’t a warm person. But he seemed so different. Ever since the second time he’d come to see her, that time without any reason other than he wanted to. She liked that a lot. She held hope that she meant something more to him than just physical release.
He’d been anything but cold and remote with her. While the first night had been hot and passionate, she treasured the second visit infinitely more because nothing had forced him to come. No injured teammates. No need for medical care. He’d wanted her.
Damn pregnancy hormones were screaming for mercy. Just thinking about it elevated her temperature about three degrees.
“You think I’m the type to sit on the front porch in a rocking chair?” he asked.
She pretended to consider the matter and then nodded, keeping her face perfectly straight. “I can so see you taking up knitting.”
He laughed outright and then got out. She opened her door and slid out as he was walking around to get her.
“I’m fine, Steele. Perfectly capable of getting myself out of the car and to that awesome front porch.”
Still, he tucked her against his side, and she didn’t complain. Not when she was pressed to that delectable body. Given the fact that he might not take the news of his impending fatherhood well, and she might never find herself this up close and personal again, she was going to enjoy it while it lasted.
They mounted the steps and he punched in a code on the keypad of the door. Her brows scrunched together and she glanced up at him.
“High tech just doesn’t go with this house. It has all this rustic charm, you have a porch screaming for a rocking chair and a swing and then you get to the door and it has an electronic entry.”
He shrugged. “I have a state-of-the-art alarm system complete with booby traps. If the wrong code is entered . . . Well, let’s just say you want to memorize it or make sure I’m with you to open it for you.”
Her eyes widened. “Booby traps? Holy shit. You mean I could get seriously maimed if I enter the wrong code? Steele, I should tell you now, I suck at numbers. Phone numbers, account numbers, you name it.”
He grinned. “Just kidding. But the look on your face was priceless.”
She stared at him in stupefaction. “You cracked a joke? Maybe I should step back in case lightning strikes.”
He scowled at her and then pushed her inside. She snickered and then inhaled deeply, savoring the tangy smell of cedar.
She hadn’t lied about the rustic charm. It reminded her of walking into a mountain lodge. He guided her into the spacious living room and she rotated in a circle, taking it all in.
“I love it,” she breathed. “It’s so . . . you.”
“Glad you approve.”
A huge stone fireplace was the focal point of the living room. Above the mantel hung a mounted elk head and as she took in the rest of the décor, she saw several other stuffed animals. In front of the fireplace lay a bear rug, and several wildlife paintings hung on the walls.
She wrinkled her nose as her gaze returned to Steele. “Beautiful animals, but somehow I think they’d be even more beautiful alive and in the wild.”
“I’m sure you saw your fair share of wildlife during your time in Africa.”
“Oh, I did!” she exclaimed. “It was fantastic. Africa was fantastic. Well, until the whole hostage thing. Then, not so much.”
“What do you want to do first? We should have stopped and gotten you some clothes somewhere, but you were sleeping and I hated to wake you. But if some of my sweats and a T-shirt will tide you over, we’ll go into town later and get you what you need.”
“What are my choices?” she asked lightly.
“Well, you can sit and I’ll fix us lunch. Or you can go take your hot bath and soak while I cook. Or you can make your phone calls and then do either of the aforementioned options, or you can eat and then call your folks. But somewhere in all of this, you and I have some things to discuss,” he said quietly.
She swallowed, knowing he didn’t even realize just how much they had to discuss. She wasn’t a coward. She was totally going to tell him, but maybe it would be a conversation best had after she was clean and they’d both eaten.
“How about I take that bath, soak for a few minutes, then we eat. We’ll talk and then I’ll call my parents,” she said.
It would be a lot easier if she told Steele the news before she called her parents, because she was going to have to tell them everything she was going to tell Steele and she’d rather he hear it directly from her rather than as a secondhand participant in a con
versation he wasn’t even a part of.
“Okay, I’ll show you to the guest bedroom. It has its own en suite bathroom, but it only has a shower. You’ll have to use my bathroom if you’re going to soak. I’ll get you something to wear, and take your time with the bath. I’ll use the guest bathroom to take a quick shower and then I’ll rustle up something for us to eat.”
Impulsively, she moved in close and wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him tight. She let her head rest on his chest for a brief moment, savoring his warmth and the hardness of his body.
“Thank you. You’re the best, Steele.”
He seemed surprised by the hug, but he wrapped both arms securely around her and squeezed tight, nearly smothering her with his embrace. It was . . . nice. More than nice. If she could bottle his hugs as a cure-all, the world would be a much better place.
“Just glad to have you back,” he said gruffly.
“I’m glad to be back,” she said fervently.
He pulled her away from his body just enough that he could look down at her. Those ice blue eyes smoldered as they raked over her face. Then he lowered his mouth, kissing her with a featherlight brush of his lips.
She closed her eyes and swayed into him, her hands going to his chest, her palms pressed flat against his shirt. He deepened the kiss, licking at her lips until they parted and a sigh rushed from her mouth into his.
The room was kind of swimmy when he pulled away and she stared up at him, her vision fuzzy. He touched her still-tingling lips with the tip of his finger.
“Go take your bath,” he murmured. “I’ll have lunch on the table when you get out.”
She took one step back, testing the steadiness of her legs. Confident she wasn’t going to face-plant after the toe-tingling kiss, she reluctantly turned and let him lead the way to his bedroom.
The master bedroom was huge. He had a king-size bed with a rustic, slatted wood headboard and footboard. It looked like a log cabin bed, but it fit the rest of the décor, and again, it was just so . . . Steele. He was echoed in every inch of the house. It fit him to a T.
