“You’re leaving with me.”
“The drone attacks are going to happen whether I’m with you or Ryan. You have to stop them. Sarah is preparing for one attack. I saw red pins on every border crossing. El Paso has four lanes of cars crossing the bridge at any given time of day.”
She took a step back and staggered, as if her feet wouldn’t hold her up.
Shit! Mac removed the water canteen from over his shoulder. Didn’t the bastard give her anything to eat or drink all day? “Take a drink and then we’re taking the road. We’ll walk the last half mile.”
Lexie took another sip and handed the canteen back to him. “No, I’m good. We can’t slow down.”
Mac drew her against him for a moment, allowing his protective instinct to take the lead. He then released her, squared his shoulders, and moved out from under the tree. His pace was slower than before. The path ended at the drop into a ditch. Mac jumped over it onto the dirt road, crossed to the other side, and moved into a blanket of low trees and bush.
Lexie followed. “Where are we going?”
“I covered the car with bush and tree limbs.”
In the darkness, the sedan blended into the landscape. It took seconds to clean it off. As soon as they were settled inside, he handed her the canteen and dropped several energy bars into her lap.
“I’m fine.”
“Eat something. The way he treated you goes on the list of his sins.”
“Ryan tried to get me to eat. He made me one of those MRE meals.”
“Are you defending him?”
“No, God no. Why the hell would you ask me that?”
Ignoring her question, Mac turned the ignition and backed out onto the dirt road. He kept the headlights off and drove as fast as he could and still see the road. One false move and he could be nose first into a deep ditch.
The shock absorbers on the poor sedan weren’t made for the hard, rutted road. Large stones slammed into the underside and skipped up, hitting the car body and windshield. Dust kicked up by the tires made it that much harder to see a foot ahead of the front bumper.
“Sometimes I hate nature,” Lexie said in a forced whisper as she clutched the door.
“This isn’t nature.”
Lexie laughed. “Okay, I hate whatever this is.”
The sound of her laugh touched him. There hadn’t been much laughter between them.
She ripped open an energy bar and a chunk touched his lips. He opened his mouth and allowed her to feed him. She then brought the water to his lips, and he took his fill. He didn’t dare take his eyes off the narrow road to glance at her. “Thanks.”
“How many miles do we have to stay on this road?”
“About five.”
Guilt ate at his gut. He wished he had taken the time to really read Lexie. Sarah and Jason both trusted her. Up until she’d gotten into the fucking van, he trusted her, too.
Keeping his attention straight ahead, he glanced at her from the corner of his eye. Everything about her since she came down off the rock gave the impression that she was what he had always believed: a good woman.
Fuck. If people like Lexie Trevena were turning into the bad guys, what he did for a living didn’t matter anymore.
“And Ryan can pop out where?”
“If he discovers you had help escaping, he’ll try to get you back at the crossroad where this road meets the county road.”
“Will there be any warning?”
“There’s a curve right before the county road. That’s where you’re trading places with me.”
“Why?”
“I’m a better shot than you.”
Chapter Seventeen
A sharp pain spread across Lexie’s right shoulder. The last pothole sent her airborne, and her shoulder had slammed into the door frame. But Mac didn’t ease off the accelerator. How all four tires of the rental were still functional was a mystery.
“Mac, that’s not a good plan. You don’t want me to drive.”
“You got another plan?”
“Yeah, you drive and I shoot.”
Mac let out a deep laugh, but not one of those from-the-gut laughs—more of an are you out of your mind? laugh.
“When was the last time you fired a gun, Lexie?”
She tightened her fingers around the handle on the door and held on for dear life. “A few months ago.”
“Truth.”
She didn’t glance his way. “With you and Rico.”
“Then hell, no.” He shot her a brief glare. “Hadn’t you heard? A new gun law is in place. Ten years hanging by the toes for the idiot who willingly places a gun in your hands.”
“That’s not funny. I wasn’t that bad.”
He only grunted. “Stick to the plan. We’re almost at the turn.”
Lexie swallowed as her hand clamped down on his arm. “I can’t drive.”
“Yes, you can. I’ve seen you drive.”
“Yeah, but snow birds flip me off.”
Mac eased off the accelerator and the car slowed at the bend in the road. His hand covered hers. “You have about a half mile on this road. If Ryan is at the crossroad, press the accelerator to the floor. Just keep the vehicle in the middle of the road. I’ll take care of the rest.” He reached for the rifle in the backseat. “Scoot over into my seat.”
Lexie grabbed the weapon instead. “Hear me out. I can’t shoot a target the size of my fist, but I can hit big objects like radiators, windows, stupid men standing still. You do the ramming, and I’ll do the shooting.”
“Damn it, Lexie …”
“Don’t ‘damn it’ me, Mac. This is a better plan. I’ll never get this car through a roadblock. I’ve only had a license for three months.”
“How is that possible?”
“No car, little money, and as a student, I could ride all the buses for free. Believe me when I say I’m not a good driver.”
Mac studied her for what seemed like hours when only seconds passed. He reached over and unclipped her seatbelt. “Get in the back and kneel down on the floorboard.”
She crawled over the seat, and he lifted the weapon. “Five-second lesson. This is a semi-automatic shotgun.”
He released the magazine and slid it back in place.
“It has an extended-capacity magazine.”
He reached under his feet.
“Reloading takes seconds.”
He popped out the clip and reloaded it.
“Just like the rifle Rico had you use.”
She loaded and unloaded the magazine twice. “I’ll keep my head low and aim out the right side only.” She raised her right hand, palm out. “I promise not to shoot you.” She tried to plant a smile on her face, but it didn’t happen.
Mac dug into the pocket of his jeans and handed her a set of ear plugs. “That’s not even a little funny. Put these in your ears.” He leaned over the passenger seat and shoved it back all the way. “Now, prop your left shoulder against the back on the front seat and brace your lower back against the rear seat. Keep your head down and shoot at everything.”
Mac removed his Glock and began to press the accelerator.
“Mac.”
“What?”
“Are you scared?”
“Shitless, sweetheart.”
“Good. Me, too. It’s nice to share these moments with you.”
This time his deep laugh was real. The sound was like magic, shoring up Lexie’s raw nerves.
Mac pressed the button on the door and lowered the windows. “Ready?”
“Yes. Just yell when I should start shooting.”
The car lurched forward slowly picking up speed. The only sound she could hear over the drumming of her heartbeat between her ears was the tires against the gravel. Mac didn’t slow at the curve but accelerated, the back wheels losing traction.
“Shit! Roadblock. Lexie, get ready.”
She lifted her head over the front seat and her stomach dropped to her toes. A dark-colored SUV angled across the roa
d. Setting the rifle butt against her shoulder, she aimed the barrel between the corner of the front seatback and the passenger window.
“Do it.”
She swallowed a lump of fear just as one of Ryan’s men fired a warning shot at them.
“Now, Lexie.”
The strange calmness in Mac’s voice sent a charge through her. Everything around her dissipated and only the dark SUV held her focus. She pressed down on the trigger. The butt kicked into her shoulder. Keeping as much of herself covered as possible, she fired one shot after another as Mac blasted out the front windshield with his Glock. The roar inside the close space was deafening even with the ear plugs, and her mouth filled with dust.
“Brace for impact.”
Everything morphed into slow motion. Mac turned into the SUV, grazing the front driver door and tire. The vehicle spun, whipping the nose of the SUV toward the right shoulder of the road, making two men jump away from the moving vehicle. Lexie shifted, resting her back fully against the rear of the front seat, and fired through the back side window. The men reappeared in the middle of the dirt road just as Mac spun onto the paved highway. The back windshield shattered. Lexie could feel the wind of a bullet as it sliced inches from her left ear. Instead of ducking down, she positioned herself over the backseat.
“No, Lexie. Get down.”
She repositioned the rifle as if by instinct, balancing the barrel over the rear deck, and fired at the front hood, grill, tires, and anything she hoped wasn’t a cacti or tree. Her shoulder and arm grew numb from the pressure of the butt, but she kept pulling the trigger until there was nothing left in the magazine. She removed the clip and reloaded it.
Mac sped past Ryan’s men. They raced onto the farm road with their weapons raised. Again Lexie pulled the trigger over and over again, aiming at the tall shadows until they dove into the ditch for cover.
Seconds passed, then minutes as Mac placed distance between them and Ryan’s men. Shoving down the terror, she forced out, “Is that the only outlet from the ranch?”
“Yes.”
She kept her eyes peered on the front sight of the barrel until the SUV was no longer visible. “Why aren’t they following us?”
“You killed the truck. Set the rifle on the seat.”
She carefully placed the rifle down next to her. Her pulse roared between her ears. She eased down on the seat. It took a moment for her to realize that Mac’s hand rested on her knee. She raised her head and met his intense gaze in the review mirror.
“Did I kill the men?” she whispered.
“Just the truck. I only saw two men when I whipped by, and they were standing.”
An edgy silence consumed her. She removed the plugs and pressed her hand to her ears. After another quick glance out the back window, she shut her eyes tightly and sagged against the backseat.
Only moments earlier, adrenaline had coursed through her veins, making her feel indefensible. Now a shiver sliced down her spine and her body began to tremble. She wrapped her arms around her middle and concentrated on breathing in and out. “Is it over?”
“Yes. Are you okay?”
She nodded. “And you?”
“I’m good.” His tone lowered to a deep baritone. “Don’t ever scare me like that again, Lexie.”
“Right back at you.”
She couldn’t open her eyes, not yet. Mac’s voice was too calm, and she knew that tone well. He was hanging onto his anger by a thread, and if he released that anger on her, she would break in two.
“Lexie?”
“What?”
“You don’t look like you’re okay.”
“Sorry, I have the shakes.”
“I can’t stop.”
“I know. Drive.”
She hated the breathless, weak whisper. She shot another quick glance out the back window. Only blackness met her. She moved into the corner behind the passenger seat and tightened her arms around her waist. Warm, dry air blew in through the open windows and washed over her neck and face. It did nothing to eliminate the overwhelming fear that chilled her body.
“I don’t even know where we are.”
Mac peered at her in the rearview mirror. “North of Big Bend National Park.”
She swallowed hard. “That’s in the middle of nowhere. He can come after us.”
“We’ll be fine, Lexie. I’m staying off the straight path.” He reached over and brushed the glass off her seat. “Look at me.”
She raised her head. “Don’t yell at me right now, Mac.”
“I won’t. Crawl up front.”
“Why?”
“I need you closer.”
She couldn’t help pressing her back further into the seat. Her action brought a deep hurt into Mac’s eyes.
“Lexie, I may yell, scream, but I will never hurt you.”
She bit down on her bottom lip and swallowed a sob. No stupid tears. Mac wasn’t like any other man she ever met, and she knew that. It wasn’t fair to place her shit load of baggage on him.
After what seemed like an eon, she crawled over the front console and slipped into the passenger seat. Mac interlaced his fingers with hers. “That was some fine shooting, Trevena.”
She let out a chuckle. “And that was some fine driving, Special Agent-in-Charge McNeil.”
“Where did you learn to shoot like that?”
“Video games. Marcus and Cole are huge gamers.”
He cringed. “Maybe I didn’t want to know that.”
The phone in his lap lit up and a buzzer followed.
“Thank God. You have cell service.”
Mac spent the next five minutes speaking to Díaz. Deciphering bits and pieces from the conversation, she learned that Díaz was ready to move, just waiting for the word. Maybe Ryan was still on the ranch searching for her.
Leaning back against the headrest, she brought Mac’s hand to her lips and kissed the soft skin just below his knuckles.
Ending the call, he turned and eyed her suspiciously. “What was that for?”
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“Coming after me … believing in me.”
The inside of the sedan grew still. Mac turned back toward the road.
Words weren’t needed. Two days ago, his lack of faith in her would have set her off like an active volcano. At this moment, Lexie didn’t care why he came for her, just that he did.
“Did you think I would just leave you with him?”
“I get that you don’t ... can’t trust me.”
“I have a job to do …”
“There it is; always the job.”
The pulse in his wrist pounced against her fingers. She eased her hand off his and set it in her lap. “Ryan’s a Marine Sniper. If I didn’t do what he said, he would have killed you. I couldn’t risk that he was bluffing.” She clamped her hands tightly together. “Díaz has to find him because Ryan won’t stop coming after me, using those I love as leverage.”
“Gabriel is heavily protected. Your friends are tucked away in a safe house. Why is Ryan fixated on you?”
“I’m his pawn to sacrifice anyway he sees fit.”
“Lexie, if you would just come clean with me and tell me what you did, what this bastard is holding over your head, maybe I can help.”
Okay, that one hurt. She turned toward the door and glared into the darkness. “He has nothing on me. He is using me to bait Senator Ramirez.”
“And how are you connected to Ramirez?”
“I’m his bastard.”
Mac beat his free hand on the steering wheel. “How long have you known Ramirez was your father?”
“A couple hours … and he’s not my father. Your dad is a father. I’m Ramirez’s bastard.”
“Stop calling yourself that. I don’t like it.”
“Senator Daniel Ramirez is nothing more than a sperm donor and my mother’s sugar daddy.”
Chapter Eighteen
Mac turned into his cul-de-sac while he searched for a
nything in the quiet neighborhood that didn’t belong. With his thumb and forefinger, he massaged the soft skin at his temple. A tension headache had throbbed like a bass drum for the last 200 miles, but thankfully it didn’t dull his senses.
Maybe it wasn’t a good idea to bring Lexie back to his home. Díaz wanted her in protective custody at headquarters. Mac argued that after what they had put her through, she deserved to decompress, and his peaceful neighborhood in northwest Austin was the perfect place to do that.
The ranch-style home nestled against the Canyon Rim and overlooking the hill country was the first place Mac had lived since leaving Maryland that felt like home. When the walls became confining, the trails through the canyon called out to him. This was his sanctuary and he protected the few precious hours he got there.
Before even unpacking boxes, he’d installed a high-tech security system. He had no doubt he could keep Lexie safe from Ryan for the next few hours.
He pressed the garage door button, drove into the space and shut off the engine. He shifted his position and brushed a strand of hair from Lexie’s brow. They’d stopped once for gas and a burger. She didn’t say a word as she tore through the largest sandwich the fast-food chain sold, along with fries and a chocolate shake. Her appetite must have returned after hearing the FBI and local law enforcement were close behind Ryan.
As soon as they got back onto the interstate, Lexie turned away from him and fell into a restless sleep. Mac knew his accusation and lack of trust hurt her, badly. She had enough emotional scars without him adding a few of his own.
He’d always prided himself on his ability to trust his instincts, and he’d known exactly the type of person Lexie Trevena was the instant they met. After spending the drive raking himself over the coals, he still had no idea how he was going to explain what drove him to find her.
That conversation would wait until after breakfast. His focus was on making her comfortable for the next few hours before he had to return her to the FBI.
He caressed her shoulder and gave her a gentle shake. “Lexie?”
She jolted awake. “Where are we?”
“My garage.”
She scanned the space. “Why are we―?” Her hand went to her seat buckle. “Is Gabriel here?”
Texas Temptation Page 124
