All or Nothing: A Trust No One Novel

by Dixie Lee Brown

  Thursday, 2:30 pm

  CARA COULDN’T SLEEP on the plane, knowing what lay ahead tomorrow. Something nagged at the back of her brain. Brian had to be frantic, considering he’d hired assassins to kill her and somehow they failed. Then she disappeared. Surely he had to wonder what she knew and whom she’d talked to. He couldn’t possibly believe she’d escaped his hit men on her own. Her brother wasn’t a fool. It just didn’t seem like this was the best time for him to take an extended trip. The south of France? Yeah, right. Brian never cared for overseas travel. Something wasn’t right. She could feel it.

  Murphy met them at a private airstrip with five room keys for a motel two miles away. They loaded their things in the back of a black Expedition and everyone but Joe climbed in. Across the tarmac, Joe argued heatedly with Murphy, gesturing angrily as he towered over the shorter man. For just a second, she felt sorry for Murphy… until the underhanded way he’d blackmailed her surfaced in her memory. Then she almost wished Joe would deck him. When they finally parted and Joe jumped in the front seat, he spun out of the parking lot before his door was even closed.

  The motel was old but clean and well taken care of. It even boasted a heated swimming pool. The antique elevator bumped and jerked its way to the second floor. Was it possible all five of them shouldn’t have gone at the same time?

  “What the hell?” Walker said. “I can see the headline—‘Man survives Korean torture chamber only to die in an elevator accident’.”

  Tyler and Rayna grinned, but Joe’s irritated expression didn’t change.

  Cara breathed easier when they arrived at their floor and the doors opened. “I’m taking the stairs next time.” She slung her bag over her shoulder and practically charged out of the elevator.

  Joe handed out keys to the others but unlocked Cara’s door for her and followed her in. She sat awkwardly on the edge of the bed and waited for the brunt of his anger to fall on her.

  Instead, he handed her an envelope. “Your travel plans.”

  She opened it and slid the contents out on the bed beside her.

  “Your flight leaves at eight tomorrow night.”

  She fingered the papers in front of her. Switzerland was her first destination. She’d always wanted to go there, but she couldn’t conjure any excitement for it at the moment. The passport, the tickets, and the Visa card all belonged to a Michele Wilson. She stared at the tickets, the times, and her new name. She was really leaving. Loneliness swept over her like a monstrous wave. Suddenly, she wanted Joe to ask her one more time to stay. One more time and she’d jump at the chance.

  “Dennelli knows we’re in town,” he said.

  “How?” Cara’s head jerked up, the contents of the envelope forgotten.

  “I don’t know, but we have to assume he also knows why we’re here and where we’ll be. You won’t like this, but you can’t stay in here alone tonight.”

  “You… you’re staying?” She didn’t want to be alone. She wanted him to stay so she wouldn’t be afraid, but he seemed to misunderstand her trepidation.

  “Don’t freak out. You won’t know I’m here. Walker, Ty, and Rayna will take turns watching outside.” He paused, his scowl daring her to argue.

  She nodded stiffly.

  “If there’s any indication we’re under surveillance, you won’t be able to get on that plane tomorrow night. We’ll have to find another way to get you out of the country.”

  “Whatever you think.” She met his gaze. A strange mixture of emotions seemed to parade across his face. She sensed he wanted to say something else, and she wanted him to say it too.

  He looked away instead. “I’ll order pizza. The others can come in here to eat and I’ll brief them. It’s going to be a long night, followed by a long day.”

  Later that evening, after everyone had eaten and left with their watch assignments, Cara sat on the bed, her 9mm on the table beside her. If David came for her tonight, she wouldn’t be defenseless.

  “You should try to sleep,” Joe said.

  “How do you do it? How do you send them out there alone, to stand guard for me, someone you barely know?”

  “This is what they’ve trained for. It’s an added bonus they’re protecting someone they care about.”

  “You seriously don’t worry about them?”

  “Ty, Walker, and I have been together a long time.” He stepped toward the window and edged the curtain aside just enough to see out. “We each know how the other one thinks. Rayna has come a long way. She’s still got some things to learn, but Ty and Walker won’t let anything happen to her. They’re a team. I have complete faith in them. That’s not to say it wouldn’t bother me if one of them got hurt. It hurt like hell when Charlie died.”

  Cara swallowed hard, torn between the sympathy and understanding she felt for him and her love for her brother that, hard as she tried, seemed impossible for her to turn her back on. Uneasiness roiled up in her stomach. “What do you do when someone you care about gets hurt?”

  “I strike back—no holds barred.” He spoke so matter-of-factly, a chill ran through her.

  “So… your plan all along has been to kill my brother?” She wanted to see his eyes when he answered, but he still looked out the window.

  “I didn’t say that. As long as I’m working for Murphy, I’m sworn to uphold the law, so if Sinclair doesn’t do anything stupid, the most he’ll get is life in prison.” He turned to look at her, and the coldness in his gaze made her tremble. “On the other hand, if your brother wants to play games and endanger anyone else I care about, I won’t hesitate.”

  “Let me get this straight.” She ran her fingers over the envelope that held her new identity before she raised her eyes to look at him again. “You blamed me, and rightly so, for Charlie’s death, but you don’t think I’d be responsible if Rayna gets hurt tonight? Charlie was trying to protect me. That’s what got him killed… you said so yourself. What’s different about this scenario? You wouldn’t be able to forgive me for getting Tyler hurt any more than you could with Charlie.”

  “That’s bullshit, and you know it.” His voice was no longer cold. “You’re right. I did blame you for Charlie, but that was before I figured out why you meant enough to him to risk his neck. You weren’t responsible in any way, and if something goes wrong tonight, or next week, or next month, that won’t be your fault either. Whoever is to blame… Dennelli… Sinclair… or anyone else who comes out of the woodwork… will pay for it.” He shoved the drapes aside again and peered out. “I didn’t pick this team, Cara. They volunteered. If I told any one of them to stand down right now, I doubt they’d listen to me. No one wants to see you get hurt, so let us do our job.” He fixed his gaze on her again, and she felt he had more to say, but he turned back to the window.

  “I hope I can repay all of you someday.” She tried to keep the disappointment from her voice.

  “Get some sleep.” Joe’s tone was gruff.

  She didn’t move. How could anyone sleep at a time like this?

  “Shit! Do it.” He approached the bed, turning off the lamp from the other side.

  The sudden darkness disoriented her, as the bed creaked under his weight. She jumped up, but his arm encircled her waist, pulling her back down next to his body.

  She tensed and pushed against his arm. Like a steel band, it held her tightly.

  “What are you doing? Let go of me!” Anger spiked momentarily, but the more she squirmed, the tighter his grip became. Finally she stilled. His arm relaxed around her waist, and his warm breath fell on her ear. She half-expected him to kiss her neck—half-wanted him to.

  Minutes passed, and he didn’t move. Should she be relieved? Or disappointed? She could kick herself, but she was leaning toward the latter. She knew he wasn’t asleep… she could feel his tension. He was in battle mode and probably trying not to become aroused. That was just fine with her, but she couldn’t resist snuggling into his warmth and, soon, the rapid beating of his heart thumped against her back.
When he groaned, a satisfied smile crept across her face.

  “Go to sleep, Cara,” he growled.

  Eventually, she did.

  Friday, 1:13 am

  “BOSS?” WALKER WHISPERED through Joe’s earpiece.

  “Go ahead.” Joe carefully maneuvered himself from beneath Cara’s left leg and arm, hoping not to wake her. When he stood and crossed to the window, she rolled over but didn’t speak.

  “We’ve got company. A dark sedan just pulled up down the block. Two guys. Looks like they’re armed.”

  “What’s your position?”

  “I’m on the roof, above your room.”

  “It seems unlikely Dennelli would only send two guys, so keep your eyes open. I’ll get Ty and Rayna into position.” Joe already had his cell phone in his hand. He dialed first one number and then the other, letting each ring twice and hanging up. In less than a minute, Ty reported in from the parking lot, and Rayna covered the second-floor balcony near the stairs. Walker filled them in on what he’d seen.

  “Still just two?” Joe whispered.

  “That’s all I see.”

  “Okay. Let’s wait for their next move.”

  “Maybe we should take them out before they get any closer,” Ty said.

  “Hold your positions,” Joe replied. “They might be trying to draw us away from Cara.”

  “If that’s the case, maybe we’re looking the wrong direction. Rayna, you got a visual on that sedan?” asked Walker.

  “Got it,” she replied.

  “If anything moves, let me know. I’ll check around back again.”

  The bedsprings creaked. Joe swung around. Cara walked toward him. The slim ray of moonlight reflected off the handgun she carried. He was worried about her state of mind, but so far she was holding up well. She’d gained confidence over the last week and appeared calm and ready.

  He, on the other hand, didn’t like this at all. The man targeting Cara was shrewd and had unlimited resources. He’d be hard to stop, short of killing him. Would she be ready for that when the time came? She looked so damn vulnerable. He wanted to take her in his arms and never let her go.

  “What is it? What’s wrong?” Cara whispered.

  “We’ve got a little drama out there, but it’s under control.”

  “Is everyone all right?”

  “Don’t worry. No one’s going to get hurt.”

  She stood close to him, looking out the same slit in the curtain. He closed his eyes and breathed in the smell of her soap and the heady scent of her perfume. It was a moment before he realized she was looking at him.

  “Do you think you could teach me to take care of myself as well as Rayna?”

  He searched her eyes for a moment. Why was she asking that question now? “Sure”—he glanced at his watch—“but I’ll need more than sixteen hours.”

  She grimaced, and then Walker broke into the conversation. “Okay, let’s stay on task in there.”

  Joe frowned and pointed to his ear so Cara would understand they were audible to the others.

  “I’ve been on all sides of this motel, and there’s nobody out here with guns except us and the two in the sedan,” Walker said. “They aren’t hiding, so they obviously want us to see them. Now, why would they do that?”

  “To draw us down the street,” Rayna said.

  “Let’s assume that’s the case,” Joe replied. “We’d go down there with everything we could spare, leaving one person here with Cara.”

  “Inviting the other half of the tag team right into the room with her,” Walker said.

  “But you said there wasn’t anyone else around,” Ty said.

  “That we can see. What if they were already here before we checked in?” Joe asked.

  “Shit! In one of the rooms.” Walker finished the thought for everyone.

  “Ty, you think you could pay the manager a visit without waking up the neighborhood?” Joe asked.

  “You got it, boss.”

  “Everyone else, hold your positions.”

  Cara regarded him questioningly. “You think they’re here, in the motel?”

  Joe laid a steadying hand on her arm. “It’s possible. We’ll know in a few minutes.”

  Ty came back sooner than Joe expected. “Boss, the manager’s suite is empty. I hacked into their reservation records. The whole place is empty except for our five rooms. Strange thing is, all the reservations they had for tonight were cancelled about twelve hours ago.”

  The realization hit Joe with the force of a lightning bolt. “Ty, get the car. Rayna, get out of here, now! Walker, take out those two in the sedan—carefully—they may have the detonator, and they’re not going to like it if they see us leaving.”

  Joe grabbed Cara’s bag and his. He opened the motel room door quietly, slipped out, and motioned for her to follow. Rayna met them at the stairs. Cara took the extra gear off Rayna’s hands, leaving her free to use her rifle if necessary. They reached the bottom of the stairs and dashed across the lawn just as Ty slid the Expedition to a stop in front of them. The crack of a high-powered rifle shattered the silence, the sound of glass breaking and another shot. No return fire. Nothing exploded.

  “Good job, Walker. Now, get the hell out of there.”

  “I hear ya, boss. I’ll meet you on the south end.”

  Rayna jumped into the front seat. Joe half-lifted Cara into the back passenger seat and clambered in behind her. Ty wheeled around and headed south. The Expedition screeched to a halt just as Walker leaped from the roof into the swimming pool below. Joe jumped out and gave Walker a hand up when he reached the side of the pool. As soon as they were inside the vehicle again, Ty hit the gas. He ignored all speed limits, putting distance between them and the motel. Thirty seconds later they heard a muffled thud then a jarring explosion. The motel went up in a blinding flash that filled the night sky behind them and sent shock waves for a city block.

  The color drained from Cara’s face. Joe pulled her against his chest, blocking her view of the devastation. Silence filled the vehicle for a few minutes, and then Walker started to laugh. Ty and Rayna joined in. Joe understood. He’d been there before. They’d flirted with danger, beat the odds, and lived to laugh about it. Joe hugged Cara tighter. How would she deal with all of this?

  “Hey, Cara, guess I’m not the only one who almost blew you up,” Walker said.

  Joe scowled. What the hell was he talking about? She raised her head and looked at Walker. Joe didn’t understand what passed between them, but Cara suddenly burst out laughing. A moment later, she sat forward and hugged Walker. Then she settled back against Joe, her head on his chest, tipped up slightly, a smile curving her lips. Her hand rested comfortably on his neck, and the tension was gone from her body. Whatever Walker said had calmed her. He met Walker’s gaze over her head and mouthed “thank you.” Walker just nodded.

  “Where to, boss?” Ty asked.

  “I think Murphy is going to spring for a nicer place this time.” Joe brought on a fresh round of laughter. He took out his phone and dialed Murphy. In just a few words, Joe informed him of what happened and where to find the bodies. Damage control was what Murphy did best.

  They pulled up in front of the Marriott on the Waterfront. Ty registered them, got five room keys, and ordered a wake-up call for 6:30. They dispersed to their rooms, long overdue for sleep.

  Joe unlocked Cara’s room, did a quick inspection, and said good night.

  She laid a hand on his arm. “I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep without you here.” She looked nervously away from his searching gaze.

  Shit! What he wouldn’t give to hear her say that under different circumstances. They were both exhausted. He guessed she was at the end of her rope emotionally. It would be easy to change her mind about leaving, but damn it, he didn’t want to change her mind. He wanted her to decide staying was what she wanted. Anything short of that was meaningless.

  Since when did meaningless sex not interest him? He knew the answer before he
was through with the question. Since the first day he forced his way into her life. In less than fifteen hours, she’d board a plane for Switzerland, and chances were pretty good he’d never see her again. He’d never let that stop him before, but for some reason, this was different. She was different. He wasn’t interested in a one-night stand. Although he was pretty sure she could change his mind about that.

  There was also the possibility he wasn’t doing her any favors wanting her to stay. Maybe leaving was the safest thing for her. Then again, maybe he was too close to the situation to make that call.

  He stepped back, instantly regretting it when a frown of disappointment clouded her face. Stealing himself, he forged on. “Normally I’d take you up on that, but we’ve got a big day tomorrow. Get some sleep.” He resisted the urge to reach for her and pull her into his arms. As he turned away, her chin came up and her eyes brimmed with tears.

  He felt just as lousy as he would have if he’d stayed.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  * * *

  Friday, 3:37 am

  CARA WOULD NOT cry. There was no way in hell that man was going to make her cry again. She’d given him an opening, thinking… hoping he’d stay. She didn’t fit in his schedule right now and it hurt, but there was no one to blame but herself. Heat rushed to her face as she realized how close she’d come to telling him how she felt. She’d only put a name on those feelings tonight, but she must have only thought she was in love with the jerk, or that he had similar feelings for her. If she couldn’t even get him to stay the night with her, that didn’t speak well for longer periods of togetherness. She’d walked right into his rejection twice now. This would be the last time.

  Sleep eluded her, so by five she gave up, got up, and showered. She put on her little black dress, Irene’s white sweater, and a pair of black, strappy heels she’d borrowed from Rayna. At least she felt pretty again. Wearing sweats or camouflage every day didn’t do much for a girl’s ego. Would the guards at the plant even recognize her with her short brunette hair? Maybe she should have dyed it blond again. It was too late now. Besides, whether or not they recognized her would probably be the least of her worries.