by Leigh, Jo
“How long have you been on the run?”
“Two years. And counting.”
“Jesus. No wonder you hide in those lousy jobs.”
She touched his face, so incredibly sorry, for everything. “If I testify, Omicron will kill me. But they won’t stop there. We’re actually making some headway. Those papers you saw, those will help. I’m trying to recreate the paper trail. Nate and Seth, they’re working at finding out who’s funding the operation. It’s someone big, we just don’t know how high this thing goes.”
“Jesus.”
“Nate’s right. We have to take this one step at a time. If we rush, we blunder, and we can’t afford that.”
“Especially now that Seth is down for the count.”
She nodded. “So the next step for us is to get some sleep. Stop thinking, at least for tonight.”
“It’s a deal. Are you going to stay here? With me?”
“I’d like to.”
He smiled. “That’s the best news I’ve heard all night.” He leaned over and kissed her. It was gentle and sweet, and it wasn’t a prelude to a damn thing. “Need some help with those jeans?”
“I’ll manage. There are things in the bathroom. Toothbrushes, soap. Why don’t you go first.”
He nodded. “I’ll hurry.”
* * * * *
Nate jerked awake at the touch, his hand automatically going to his gun. He saw Harper and relaxed. “How is he?”
“He’ll live, at least for tonight. I’ve cleaned the wound and stopped the bleeding.” Harper stripped off her coat, and it was a shock to see her still in her bathrobe. “I hope I was able to save the rest of his hand, but there’s no guarantee. There’s nothing more to be done for now. Go get some sleep. You can use my room.”
He got up. “Wake me if anything changes.”
“He’s going to be here for a while. Maybe tomorrow you could go over the house, make sure all the spy gadgets are working properly.”
“I will. Thank you.”
“Yeah. Now get out. I have to sleep.”
Nate climbed the basement stairs, his legs heavy as lead.
* * * * *
Vince curled himself around Kate, spooning her long, warm body. It had been a dizzying night, and he hoped he was more coherent after a few hours of sleep. He pulled her closer and closed his eyes.
Just as he was nodding off, she spoke. “There were two men,” she whispered.
He had to strain to hear her, to stay perfectly still.
“They were Asians. One of them had a tattoo on his right cheek. It looked like a Chinese character. The other one had his sleeves pulled up and his arms were covered with tattoos. I could make out only one, three circles in a triangle. They had automatic weapons, and they were fast. It was overkill, but they didn’t look angry. There was no expression on their faces. None. That’s all I remember.”
He kissed her neck. “It’s enough,” he said. “Thank you.”
* * * * *
At noon, Kate woke up in an empty bed. She sat bolt upright, her heart hammering in her chest. Then she heard the water in the bathroom and let out an unsteady breath.
It hadn’t been a dream. Vince was really here, and Seth was really hurt, and she had reached a whole new level of fear.
Despite her anger yesterday, she knew she’d found someone in Vince who wouldn’t be easy to shake. The last thing on earth she needed was someone else to care about, someone else to worry about.
He opened the bathroom door and when he saw her sitting up, he smiled as if she’d brought the sun. She looked at him, standing there so gorgeous wearing only a towel low around his waist. Good Lord, he was a fine, fine man.
“I hope I didn’t wake you.”
She got up, a little chilled being naked and all, but it didn’t matter because a moment later she was in his arms and he was kissing all the heat back into her body. When she finally came up for a breath, she pulled him right back to bed.
Vince threw the towel on the floor and covered her with his still damp, warm body. He kissed her deeply, his mouth minty fresh and wonderful.
He moaned as he ran his hand down her sides, gripped her by the hips and turned them both on their sides. She wrapped her leg over his, then kept right on going until she was the one on top.
He smiled up at her. “What’s going on in that wicked mind of yours?” His voice was all raspy and sexy, and she got a chill just from listening.
“I thought we could, you know…”
“No idea.”
She leaned over farther, until her lips were really close to his. “I guess I’ll have to show you.” Then she attacked, thrusting her tongue inside him as she pinned his shoulders with her hands.
He lifted his hips, letting her feel his hard cock, and she rubbed against him, anticipating his luscious reaction. She wasn’t disappointed. He moaned low in his throat, gripped her with both hands and lifted her up until she got to her knees.
He bucked again, and she got the point. Reaching between them she positioned him by feel alone, then she hesitated. It was difficult not to just give in, his whimpers were so incredible. She rubbed him against her lips so he could feel how ready she was.
“Come on, woman. You’re killing me.”
“I’m having fun,” she whispered, kissing his nose, his chin.
“This is not fun,” he said. “It’s torture.”
“Big strong man like you. I think you can take it.”
He lifted his head and captured her lower lip between his teeth. She got the point. She didn’t want him to suffer. Much.
She positioned him perfectly then lowered her hips, thrilling at the feel of him filling her. He let her lip go and cried out, but her kiss shut him right up.
Closing her eyes, she moved slowly, deliberately, and his hands moved over her back and her sides, making her shudder.
The only problem was that in order for him to rub her on the right spot, she’d have to sit up which would mean she couldn’t kiss him. She wasn’t willing to do that. So once more, she reached between them, but this time, she only needed one finger. Her clit was hard and ready, and she rubbed it quickly as she continued moving up and down on his cock.
He kissed her urgently, and everything speeded up. A couple of moments later, and her body started to tighten, her muscles contract. She was going to come soon, and from the sound of him, so was Vince.
He beat her, but not by much. When it hit, he still had that look on his face, the one that made him fierce and vulnerable all at the same time. She let the shivers come as she spread her body over his like a blanket.
By the time her breathing had become even and slow, he needed another shower. But he didn’t seem to mind. Not after she promised to wash his back.
* * * * *
Nate took two mugs of coffee down the basement stairs. As he figured, Harper was up, and she was standing next to Seth. He moved quietly, but she heard him and looked up. “Oh, thank God. Did you put sugar in it?”
“Two spoons.”
“Good man.”
He handed her a mug. “How’s he doing?”
“Stirring. I’ve put more pain medication in his IV, so he shouldn’t be too bad.”
“Did you get any sleep?”
“A few hours. He woke up once, but he wasn’t coherent at all.”
“There’s a lot to think about today. But I want to make sure I’m here when he wakes up.”
“Stick around. It shouldn’t be long.” Harper went to the lone chair in the room and sat down. She was still wearing the same nightclothes, but her hair was uncombed and her eyes were tired and sad.
“What’s going on with you?”
“Nothing until last night. Just working at the clinic, keeping my head down.”
“I’m sorry we had to come here, but…”
“No. It’s what I’m here for.”
Nate drank some more coffee, his gaze on Seth. “How long is he going to be in recovery?”
“A l
ong time, Nate. Even if he doesn’t lose the rest of his hand he’s going to have to wait until the wounds heal, then do physical therapy to find out what works and what doesn’t. From the nerve damage, I’m guessing not much will. He’ll probably need a prosthesis, and learning to use one isn’t a simple matter of slapping it on.”
Nate couldn’t imagine Seth having to struggle with his body. Since the day they’d met, Seth had been in perfect physical condition. He considered his body his most important weapon. This wouldn’t be easy.
“He’ll stay here. I have a friend, someone I can trust, who works with prosthetics. And I’ll find out what I need to know about his therapy.”
“Can you do that? Along with your other work?”
“I have no life, Nate. None. I can do it.”
He nodded, then heard the basement door open. Vince and Kate came downstairs. Kate’s hair was still damp, but both of them looked like they’d gotten some decent sleep and a shower.
“How’s he doing?” Kate asked.
“He’ll be coming around soon. We need to decide some things.”
Vince crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m not staying,” he said. “I’ve got business to attend to. But if there’s any way I can help you all, I’m happy to.”
“Happy to,” Nate repeated. “You’re in their radar. It won’t just go away.”
“Fine. What do you recommend?”
“I’m going to give you a few things. You ever do a sweep for bugs?”
“Not personally, I’ve seen it done though.”
“The machine I’m gonna give you is small, but incredibly powerful. If they’ve put any devices in your home, you’ll be able to pinpoint the location and the frequency.”
“You honestly think they’ve—”
“Count on it. I’m also going to give you a cell phone that can’t be traced. Don’t use anything else to contact Kate.”
Vince looked down, maybe a little uncomfortable that Nate understood that something was going on between them. It didn’t matter.
“If you notice anything weird, call. If you think you’re being followed, call. Check for bugs every day. Kate’ll show you how to mark your doors and windows to check for intruders.”
“I have some pretty decent connections in the FBI. I can maybe do some legwork—”
“Thanks, but you have your own work. The more distance you can put between us, the safer you’ll be.”
“All right. I need to call my partner.”
“Come on. I’ll give you your stuff, and you can use that phone.” He headed upstairs. “I’ll drive you wherever you want, and you forget you ever saw this house.”
When they were alone upstairs, he gave Vince the bug detector and showed him what to look for. Then he handed him the phone. But that wasn’t why he’d wanted him up there. “You care about her.”
“Yes, I do.”
“She’s leaving.”
“What?”
“She’s leaving the state. Tonight. We’d planned it for a long time. There’s someone there who can take care of her. She’s too visible. That picture in the paper put her, put all of us, in danger.”
“She would have said something.”
Nate walked over to Vince and put his hand on his shoulder. “She’s a soldier, Vince. She knows what we’re up against. She doesn’t want you involved. If you care about her, you’ll let her go. You’ll say goodbye without tipping your hand.”
Vince looked shaken, and Nate didn’t blame him. It was a lot to ask of anyone, but this was a lousy time, with lousy options. “She’ll be safe there?”
“Safer than if she stays here.”
The detective opened the cell phone and dialed a number. “Jeff, I need you to come pick me up at the Denny’s in Boyle Heights. I’ll explain when you get there. Half an hour, okay?”
“I need to get back downstairs,” Nate said. “I’ll send Kate up.” He started toward the back of the house, then stopped and pulled a piece of paper from his shirt pocket. “Here. It’s my phone. Memorize it, then get rid of it.”
Vince took it and stared at the number as Nate went down to the basement.
Kate was standing at the foot of the stairs.
Nate made a motion with his chin. “Go on. He’s leaving soon.”
She looked back at Seth, then she went up.
Nate heard a moan and he went to Seth’s side, but Harper pushed him away. She listened to Seth’s heart, looked in his eyes.
Another moan, and this time, Seth stiffened and tried to sit up. Harper’s hand on his chest kept him in place. “What the…Oh, shit.”
“Hey, man,” Nate said. “Take it easy.”
“What happened? Is Kate okay?”
“She’s fine.”
“My hand.”
“You were shot,” Harper said, in her best doctor voice. “It’s bad.”
Seth lifted his arm, the huge bandage not giving away much. “How bad?”
“Your thumb is gone. There’s a lot of muscle damage.”
“How long?”
She looked at Nate, then back at her patient. “A long time, Seth.”
Nate could barely watch as Seth processed the news. He was a hell of a soldier, but Nate could see the pain written all over his face. “Don’t worry,” he said. “We’ll get through it. You’ll get through it.”
“I need you to leave,” Seth said, his voice as tight as a bow string.
“Sure thing, buddy. I’ll see you in a bit.” Nate turned and left, understanding Seth’s request and goddamn grateful for it. He took the stairs two at a time, and when he got to the first floor he headed straight for Harper’s room. Once he was there, he sat down on the bed, and he bit his lower lip until it bled.
* * * * *
Kate looked into Vince’s face and told herself she wouldn’t cry. She wouldn’t. She’d known it would be over, that it should be over. They each had things to do, but not with each other.
“Jeff’s meeting me.”
“Sure,” she said, trying to smile. “Sure. Are you going to be able to find those guys?”
“I think so.”
“Even without my testimony?”
He nodded. “I should never have brought you into this.”
“You were doing your job, Vince. I know how much Tim meant to you.”
He studied her face, memorizing it, she imagined, as she was doing with him. It hadn’t been long enough to feel this bad. As if she was losing half her heart.
“I want you to be safe,” he said. “It goes against everything in me to walk away while you’re in trouble.”
“Oh, God, that’s so nice. But it’s just not possible.”
He nodded. “This’ll be over, right? You’ll find out who’s behind this, and then it’ll be okay. You’ll have your life back.”
“Yeah. It will be over. And those bastards will pay.”
“I don’t know if I’ll be with the P.D., but I’ll be in L.A., okay? I’ll be here.”
She took his face in her hands. “Find those guys. Put them away. And then get the hell out of the gang detail, okay? Didn’t anyone tell you it’s dangerous?”
“Yeah, yeah,” he said, and then he was kissing her, and it was just the hardest thing ever. The battle over her tears was lost, but she no longer cared. He was gone, she was going to Colorado, and there was no telling what would happen after that.
She pulled away and hugged him close. She brought her lips close to his ear. “My name,” she whispered, “is Katherine Ashman.”
“I won’t forget,” he said. “I swear. I’ll remember for as long as it takes.”
Chapter 14
Vince got into Jeff’s Ford and buckled in. His partner looked troubled as he pulled out of the Denny’s parking lot, which wasn’t a surprise. “What’s going on?”
“What’s going on is that you’re hanging on to your job by the skin of your teeth. Emerson is getting every kind of flack, and he’s about ready to just say screw it and fire your ass.�
�
“I meant what’s going on with the investigation.”
Jeff grunted. “Baker seems to be the only one making any headway, and what he’s got isn’t going to make you happy.”
“Shit, what now?”
“Look, don’t shoot me. I’m only the messenger. Baker says he’s got hard evidence that Tim was getting payoffs from five different meth labs.”
“Evidence?” Vince felt his blood pressure climbing. “That’s complete bullshit. Tim didn’t have a nickel. If he was skimming from drug dealers, he’d have put it all into Purchase House, and he’s been running that on fumes. What is this evidence he’s supposed to have?”
“I don’t know. He’s not talking. At least not to us. I’m sure it’ll be in the paper soon enough.”
“I ought to go teach him a thing or two—”
“You ought to go home and shut the hell up. Where’s your witness? Don’t tell me you lost her.”
“She’s not going to testify. But I did get some information. It seems the Wu Chang were responsible.”
“Wu Chang? They didn’t have anything to do with Tim Purchase.”
“I know. It doesn’t make sense, but we have to look into it.”
“We? You’re suspended. You’re not looking into squat.”
“Don’t you start giving me grief. Just because I’m not on the clock doesn’t mean I can’t ask questions.”
“Fine, you don’t want to work again, be my guest. But I’m still on the clock, asshole, and I know how to ask questions.”
Vince stared out the window, wishing like hell he was still at that big old house with Kate. She’d be gone tonight, and then what? The best thing would be for him to lose himself in the work. Find the killers and put ’em away. He couldn’t do that, at least not with the LAPD’s blessing, so he’d have to do it without. Jeff didn’t need to know. “Okay. Check around. See what you can find out.”
Jeff shot him a look. “And you’re going to butt out?”
“As much as I can, yeah.”
“I’ve just gotten used to your sorry ass. Don’t make me train a new partner.”
That brought a smile. Jeff had to put up with a lot of crap from him. He never said a word, unless he thought something was too dangerous, and even then he’d usually go for it. Good partners were hard to find, and the two of them worked about as well as a man could hope for. “Sure thing. I’ll keep my nose clean.”
