As the days went by, Rip grew stronger, and the food supply grew shorter. Lela discovered a cupboard filled with cans of chili, and he seemed to tolerate it well. But he’d need a more substantial meal soon.
In the evenings, Lela sat by the fireplace next to Rip and talked about lots of things. She learned more about him and his family. He told her what he could about his career in the Navy. And Lela shared in kind, telling him about things that really mattered to her.
Each night, Lela slept next to him, holding his hand. Sometimes he pulled her close and kissed her, sending ripples of desire through her body. When his pain abated, he wanted more, and guided her to make love in a way that wouldn’t overexert him. Touching and caressing under the covers was sweet and tender.
In less than a week, Rip was able to walk around. He looked healthier, and it was good to see his spirits lift. When he was able to get out of bed, she didn’t pamper him. He was motivated for a fast recovery.
Lela wasn’t sure when the stitches should come out, or how she would get him to a nurse. But she’d worry about that later. Rip was up, moving around, and doing all he could to regain his strength.
The cabin was rustic, and under the circumstances could hardly be viewed as romantic. Yet Lela fell more in love with Rip by the hour.
He was in stable condition now, so she chewed him out for ripping the IV out of his arm and nearly killing himself searching the hospital hallways for her. “You have to take better care of yourself.”
Rip sat in a wooden rocking chair, drinking a can of orange juice. “I do well enough. I’m still here, aren’t I?”
“That’s not the point.” Lela got on her knees in front of him and put her hands on his thighs. It probably wasn’t the best decision, but she couldn’t hold back. “I don’t want anything to happen to you.” She sighed and looked into his eyes.
“I love you,” Lela said, and was met with silence. That was great. She’d opened her heart, only to have it tromped on. She should have known. He wasn’t truly over his first love. Maybe she was wrong to hope for that.
Rip looked at her, but reading his expression was impossible.
“Are you afraid of love?” Lela said. “Because it’s not easy for me either.”
“That’s not it.”
“What then?” Lela stood up. “You’re still hung up on Isabel, aren’t you?” She paused. “It’s been more than thirteen years. You can’t live in the past forever.” Lela touched his cheek. “You deserve happiness.”
Rip expelled a breath. “You don’t understand.”
“Explain it to me, then.”
Rip’s frustration was evident, but he didn’t reply.
There was no way to get through to him. Lela walked toward the bedroom door. She needed to be alone before she said something she’d regret.
“I guess I’d hoped your heart was big enough for both of us.” Had she really thought Rip would love again? What could she have been thinking? His first love had won his heart…forever. She’d have to deal with that.
Chapter 16
Rip put the empty juice can on the table and stared at the wall. Alone, he rocked in the wooden chair, frustrated. He was sick of being incapacitated.
He’d checked in a few times with Travis, and his boss wasn’t pleased about the minimal medical care. But his strength was coming back. The surgeon must have given him a blood transfusion, due to the blood loss from the knife wound to his gut.
The emergency surgery had saved Rip. And he’d been doing his best to recover. Using first-aid supplies that his brother had on hand, each day he’d changed the bandage covering the wound. There had been no sign of infection, and his pain had been minimal after the first few days.
Lela had cared for him, making sure he ate and doling out the pain meds. Day by day, Rip had felt more like his former self. And he’d graduated from sponge baths to a real shower. He wasn’t ready to pump iron or go for a five-mile jog, but he wasn’t an invalid, either.
Rip rocked in the chair and stewed about Lela. She’d broken down the wall around his heart long ago. But it didn’t mean that he deserved her. What she didn’t get was that it wasn’t about loving or not loving her.
The real issue was that he’d been momentarily distracted, starry-eyed, and let himself get stabbed. The fact that he hadn’t died was a miracle, because he should have. And then where would that have left Lela?
She would have been alone and defenseless. In a lapse of alertness, Rip had nearly failed the woman he loved. There was a pattern here that was inexcusable. He couldn’t allow such a thing to happen again.
Rip stood, determined to make things right. He went into the bedroom and found Lela on the bed. She was leaning against the headboard and had her arms around her bent legs. Her head had been down, but she looked up.
Standing at the end of the bed, Rip bared his soul. “Whatever it is you think you know about how I feel…you’re wrong.”
Her expression was sad, but her eyes were clear. At least she hadn’t been crying.
“Like I told you out there,” Rip said, “I’m not afraid of love.” He steeled his courage. Somehow, talking about feelings was scarier than facing a deadly enemy. He guessed he had less experience with relationships, sharing emotions in particular.
“I’ll tell you what I’m afraid of,” Rip said. “I’m afraid that I’ll fail to protect you.”
Thankfully, Lela didn’t make him say more. She looked at him, understanding dawning in her eyes.
Rip intended to make her see how he felt, that she had his heart. Showing his love was so much easier than talking about it. “Stay right there,” he said.
In the bathroom, Rip took off his shirt and unwound the wide bandage from his chest. A glance in the mirror assured him that his condition was good. Gauze and tape covered the stitches, but otherwise there were no visible signs of injury.
When Rip returned to the bedroom, Lela was in the same spot but had stretched her legs out and had her hands in her lap. He took in the sight of her thick, wavy hair that flowed past her shoulders, her beautiful brown eyes, and her full, kissable lips.
Lela was gorgeous, and sexier than any woman he’d known. He craved being with her. The feeling was beyond any he’d experienced before. But more than anything, he wanted to show her the truth. He wanted her to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that she was the only woman who had his heart.
Rip went to her and pulled her into his arms. He caressed and kissed her tenderly, although his arousal urged him to do more. When he covered her mouth with his, the touch of her soft lips sent molten heat to his belly.
Slowly, Rip undressed her. He kissed her satin skin and tasted her sweetness. Then he stripped, revealing his heated erection. There was no question of how much he wanted her.
Rip took position on his back and guided Lela to straddle him. Looking at her luscious breasts, the curve of her hips, and the lust in her eyes nearly sent him over the edge.
But Rip maintained control for her. She moved over him, clenching around him, and her stroking was about to make him come unglued. Then she leaned back with her hands on his thighs and her hair dusting his skin. She thrust in an erotic rhythm, moving faster and squeezing him harder.
When Lela’s body stiffened and she cried out, Rip climaxed too. Hot and wet, she gripped him as release crashed through her body. Then Rip moaned with pleasure as he peaked. He spiraled into ecstasy, into a universe that was theirs alone, forming a bond that could not be broken.
Lela relaxed and hovered over him, supporting her weight. Leaning down, with her hair draped around his face like a sensual curtain, she kissed him deeply. Then she pulled back and looked into his eyes.
“Rip…” Lela’s voice made his heart swell with emotion. She touched his cheek. “You drive me crazy.”
*****
That night, Rip slept better than he had a right to. He opened his eyes to see Lela next to him, her hair falling over the pillow. She’d stayed by his side even when it had e
ndangered her life. She was strong, resourceful, and goddamn sexy.
He rolled onto his back and looked up at the planked ceiling. Reflecting on what had happened, he got ticked off all over again. The assassin had nearly taken him out, and Lela would have been next. If anything happened to her, Rip wouldn’t be able to live with himself.
The assassin was still out there. Rip had to nail the son of a bitch. And he couldn’t waste time.
Rip was tired of Lela having to run and hide. It was time to take the assholes down, from the cartel boss to Ortiz. And that included taking the assassin out of action.
He was done playing around, doing things their way. He was calling the shots now. Lela’s enemies would soon discover that they’d messed with the wrong guy. He was royally pissed, and he’d see they got what they deserved.
He got out of bed and started to get dressed. Lela opened her eyes, and he said, “Get up, darling. This resort area must have at least one decent restaurant to recommend it. A man can’t live on canned beans alone.”
Lela seemed pleased to see him so energetic. She didn’t take long getting ready.
While she got dressed, Rip broke into Axel’s lockbox. His brother would have some kind of weapon at the cabin. He left the rifle, but took the gun. The M&P 9 would be just fine. He’d heard that the police had switched to them earlier in the year.
As it turned out, there was more than one restaurant available. Rip picked the first one, since he was hungry enough to eat a horse.
The waitress had a booth available. Lela slid into the seat across from him. Rip ordered black coffees, then scanned the menu. He was glad to see the place served real food, not the fancy stuff that was so popular.
Lela ordered an omelet, and Rip went for steak and eggs, with waffles, fruit, and hash browns.
“You must be hungry.”
“You could say that.” Rip swigged his coffee. He did some mental planning while Lela relaxed. Nursing him back to health hadn’t been a picnic. She seemed content to sit and drink her coffee for a bit.
The food was served promptly, and Rip dug into his meal. It felt like he hadn’t eaten in a month. Another couple of steak meals and he’d be back to normal.
“I’ve had enough of recovering,” Rip said.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means we need to get out of here.” Rip leaned back. “It won’t be long before the police figure out that you aren’t my sister. Estela lives in Atlanta, and when contacted, my sister will be shocked to learn that she recently visited me at a hospital. It will freak her out. I’ll have to make it up to her later.”
“It was all I could think of at the time.”
“It was brilliant,” Rip said. “But this house of cards is going to come tumbling down. First, I get stabbed and the woman who was with me at the time disappears. Then my sister, who isn’t really my sister, shows up during visiting hours. Whereupon I vanish into thin air, leaving a trail of blood.”
“That does sound bad.”
“The thing is that I’ve been able to keep my identity a secret. That has helped us out, made it possible for us to stay off the radar,” Rip said. “But that’s about to come to an end.”
“I see your point.”
“The authorities, along with everyone else, know you haven’t been traveling alone. Now all they have to do is put two and two together.” Rip drained his coffee. “It won’t take a genius to figure out that the mystery guy acting as your bodyguard has been me. I mean, who else hangs out with a woman who tends to disappear, and then flees from his hospital bed less than twenty-four hours after major surgery?”
“It does look suspicious.”
“More than suspicious,” Rip said. “That story will put your enemies on my trail, which increases the threat. Now I’m not keeping you hidden. I’m leading the way to you.”
“What should we do?”
“What we’d already planned to do.” Rip tossed some cash on the table to cover the bill. “We’re going to your apartment to see what you have in that safe. We need some heavy-duty leverage here, and I’m betting what you have on that flash drive is going to help.”
*****
After breakfast, Rip and Lela gathered what little personal stuff they had, then hopped into Axel’s truck. Houston was an hour away, and Rip stuck to the speed limit. Avoiding the cops was mandatory.
In the city, Rip parked in a public lot and texted his brother with the location. He added: I appreciate the use of the cabin. I’m on my feet again. Will be in touch.
Being out in the open was a bad idea, so Rip opted for the movies. Lela said that she didn’t care what they saw. To keep out of sight, they stayed for a double feature.
The popcorn and hot dogs were less than filling. Rip had worked up an appetite watching spaceships on the big screen. So he took Lela to a very expensive restaurant.
The establishment was on the top floor of a high-rise with a panoramic city view. There were two advantages: no one was looking for Lela and her bodyguard in one of the city’s priciest restaurants, plus the top floor put Rip in a good position. Anyone entering had to come up the elevator and through the front door.
There was a third advantage: the establishment had the thickest, juiciest steaks in the city.
Rip passed on the alcohol, as did Lela, sticking to caffeinated beverages. It was vital to stay alert, since getting into Lela’s apartment was a risky proposition.
The meal, privacy, and security were worth every dollar. Rip paid in cash, and ventured back into the city with Lela. He made sure no one followed, sticking to side streets. Along the way, Lela picked up some food and supplies.
Lela’s residence was in a multistoried building on an upper floor. After watching the place for a while, Rip decided it was as safe as it was going to get.
He took her in the side door and up the stairs, since residents used the elevator. The stairwell was dimly lit and silent. There were no surveillance cameras covering the stairs. The building’s security guard was stationed in the lobby.
Rip made sure the hallway was unoccupied before he went to Lela’s door. She picked the lock to let him inside, then secured the deadbolt. The curtains were drawn and the apartment was dark, but enough light from the city shone through. It provided just enough visibility.
“I’m impressed at how fast you did that.” Rip put the bags on the kitchen counter.
“Picking the lock? It’s not that hard,” Lela said quietly.
“Well, we’re in. As long as we keep the lights off and whisper when we talk, we’re fairly safe.” Rip took off his boots and walked around in sock feet.
Lela kicked off her shoes. “This building has good soundproofing. I didn’t hear my neighbors even under normal conditions.” She took some stuff out of the bags. “I have some food in my freezer. With what we bought, it should be enough for a few days.”
“I hope it won’t be too long. But now that we’re inside, it’s safer to stay put,” Rip said. “I made sure no one saw us come in. During the daylight hours, it’s possible that law enforcement keeps an eye on the place. But I doubt they expect you to come back here. And their resources are limited.”
“If we’re smart, we should be okay.”
“So let’s take a look at that safe,” Rip said.
Lela took out a tiny flashlight and showed him where the safe was. “Hold this for me.” She handed him the light. Then she went to her double oven and got on her knees. She opened the door of the bottom oven and removed the racks.
Then she traced around the bottom panel until she found the spring-loaded release. When the panel came out, the safe was revealed.
“It’s bolted to the floor, and the metal is encased in rubber to avoid metal detectors,” Lela said.
“Doesn’t rubber melt?”
Lela smiled. “I deactivated the electronics. The oven doesn’t work.”
“You never cease to amaze me.” Rip lifted the rubber layer from the top of the safe.
Rip took the drive. “I’ll transmit the contents to Travis via the secure Stealth connection.” He stood up. “Does your computer need a password?”
“Nope, I’ve never kept anything on it that was confidential.”
“Ever think of going into the security business?”
Lela laughed. “I’ll get this oven put back together while you handle the transmission.”
When Rip returned to the living room, Lela was sitting on the sofa drinking a beer. “There’s more in the fridge.”
“Don’t mind if I do.” Rip got a bottle of beer and twisted off the top. He settled into an armchair close to Lela.
“I suppose that holding back evidence in a criminal case was obstruction of justice,” Lela said.
Rip took a swig of beer. “Don’t sweat it. The feds will be glad to have new information, whatever it is.” He balanced his beer on his knee. “So…now we wait.”
“I hope it doesn’t take too long to break the encryption. I’m dying to know what Ortiz was hiding.”
“You mean what else he was hiding.”
“Exactly.” Lela smiled. “Sitting here in the dark and whispering, I feel like a cat burglar in my own home.”
Rip looked around. The apartment was cozy, decorated in bright hues of yellow and red, from what he could tell in the dim light. The furniture was modern but not ostentatious. “I like this place.”
“Yeah, I do too. After the divorce, it was nice to have my own space,” Lela said. “I preferred downtown, and being close to everything. And this apartment has a great view—not that we’ll be looking out the windows while we’re here.”
Rip got up and walked over to a table with several framed photographs. He picked one up. “Your parents?”
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