He should have been prepared for the question. He needed to tell her about Gabriel, but that conversation was going to start a shouting match he hadn’t the energy to fight. “He is with my parents. Dad and Gabriel are becoming best buds. He misses you and asked about you, but he’s fine.”
She inhaled deeply. “I want to see him.”
“Not tonight.”
Her eyes flashed with fury. “Mac, you have no right―”
He pressed a finger over her lips. “This is my home. I brought you here to so you could rest and clean up ― refuel. I know what your son means to you and I have no desire to keep him from you, but it’s three in the morning and Gabriel is sleeping.”
Her shoulders relaxed against the seat and she swiped a hand over her face. “Of course, sorry … again.”
She opened the door and got out. After one step, she grabbed hold of the door and let out a pain-filled groan.
“What’s wrong?” He hit the garage button to lower the door as he raced around the back of the car toward her.
“I’m just sore. Everything hurts,” she said, lifting the palm of her hands. “Are your hands torn up like this?”
He let out a chuckle. “Yes, I’ve been groaning for miles. Hot showers are this way,” he said, and headed for the stairs into the kitchen. He unlocked the door and stood to the side so she could enter. Dropping the keys on the cool, rustic green countertop, he said, “Welcome to my home. Besides family, you are my first visitor.”
Lexie slowly moved through the kitchen into the great room, her eyes scanning her surroundings. Mac opened the refrigerator and removed two beers, flipping the caps off. As he took a deep drink, he couldn’t help following her movements. It shocked him how much he wanted her to like the place he called home. Handing her the bottle, he asked, “Are you hungry?”
“No, I’m fine,” she said, accepting the drink. Instead of taking a drink, she set it on the counter. “You have a beautiful home.”
“Thank you. I’m still finding my way around being a home owner.”
She moved to the large windows that looked out over the backyard. She was even more distant than in the car. So much for feeling comfortable and welcomed.
Moron, you brought this on yourself. Mac took another swallow, then set the beer down. “I promised you that shower. I can find you something to put on and throw your clothes in the wash if you want.”
Lexie ran a hand over her hair and glanced down at her clothes, now covered in gray dust. “That would be nice.”
The tension in Mac’s temples spread to his shoulders. When the hell was Lexie ever polite? Where was the temper, the attitude?
Lexie never took anything from him lying down. Maybe a bath and a good night’s sleep would help restore her equilibrium.
He led the way to the back bedrooms. The master suite was the only part of the house he had finished. He opened his bedroom door and leaned aside so she could enter. A large king-sized bed took up most of the space, but the rest of the room was sparsely furnished. He opened the double doors of his walk-in closet and dug into the back of one of the drawers. He pulled out a pair of pink pajama bottoms, then took a navy undershirt from the stack on the shelf and handed the clothing to Lexie.
“The pants may be a little long and the T-shirt will probably go to your knees, but it should be fine until your clothes are clean.”
“Mac, I can’t wear your girlfriend’s pjs.”
He let out a chuckle. “I don’t have a girlfriend. My sister Emma left those behind. She won’t mind if you use them.” He nodded toward the bathroom. “You should find everything you need in the linen closet. I’ll shower across the hall and crash on the sofa. Just holler if you need anything.”
“Wait, I can’t take your bedroom. I’ll use the room across the hall.”
“Lexie, this is the only room with a bed. You get the bed. It’s the least I can do.” He turned and headed toward the door.
She reached for his arm. “You came for me. You risked your life to save mine. I’m not angry at you. I’m grateful, damn grateful.”
“I hurt you. You know I didn’t come after you because …”
Lexie brushed her lips across his, then rested her forehead on his chest. “With all the evidence you have on me, and after I just walked out of Brackenridge Hospital into that van without a word, I would have believed I was guilty.”
Mac wrapped his arms around her and drew her against him. “But you’re not guilty. I allowed that damn fabricated evidence to cloud my judgment. I know who you are.”
“No, Mac, you don’t.” She stepped out of his arms and entered the bathroom. When she lifted her head, there was so much heartbreak in her expression. He reached for her and she cowered back.
“I don’t have a clue who I am. How could you?”
The door shut soundlessly in his face. He spun around, wanting to hit something. He dug into his pocket and removed his cell phone, hitting automatic dial.
Jason answered on the third ring. “Damn it to hell. I just got to sleep.”
“Sorry. I need to know if the background check came back on Ramirez.”
“Yes, but it’s clean. The guy’s practically a saint.”
“Maybe on paper. We need to dig deeper.”
“Dig where?”
“Ryan told Lexie that Ramirez is her father. He could be full of shit, but if he’s not, then we need to know what Ryan knows.”
“If the senator has kept an illegitimate child hidden for twenty-four years, then what the hell else is he hiding?”
“Now you are where I am. I don’t know what happened to Lexie at the ranch with Ryan, but he really did a number on her, and I’m going to rip him apart piece by fucking piece.”
“This of course will happen after you grovel at her feet, begging her to forgive your stupid self.”
“Yeah, that’ll come first.”
Chapter Nineteen
Cool, soft sheets tangled in her feet as Lexie rolled from her side to her back. The bed covers, the whole damn room smelled of Mac. Of course, after bathing with his shower gel, the herbal woody scent surrounded her, making her ache in places she wanted to forget existed. God, she was a glutton for punishment. When did she begin to fall for that stubborn, hard-headed, incredibly sexy man?
She’d tried over the last hour to lie to herself. She wasn’t turning the bedding into a jumbled knot because of Mac McNeil. Her last forty-eight hours had been one nightmare after another. Of course she couldn’t sleep.
She missed him and wanted to kick herself for moving out of his arms. Why did she do that? After spending those horrific hours on Ryan’s ranch, the only thing that kept her from going stark crazy mad was she knew in her heart that Mac wouldn’t leave it alone, regardless of his motivations.
He had built bridge after bridge, trying to form a relationship between them. She tore them down, but he kept coming back. There was no way he would have left her with that madman.
Yet just because the man came after her didn't mean she had to jump back into the rabbit hole. Lexie slammed her fist down on the mattress. How could she allow this to happen to her again? Wasn’t falling for one damn arrogant agent enough for a lifetime? Didn’t Rico teach her that the job came first, always? And didn’t she stand at his grave and vow she would never leave her heart wide open so some man could stomp on it?
The only difference between Mac and Rico was that Mac wouldn’t ever cheat on her. But like Rico, he would leave her, and that desertion would be with her to her dying day.
How was she supposed to get rid of the ache he left in her? Would it go away in time or was she supposed to go through life wanting what she had no right to have?
That was what was truly bothering her. Mac McNeil was the best man she had ever known. And for some reason, he didn’t back away from her shit. She pushed, and he shoved right back with that smug smile on his lips.
Now she knew what those lips tasted like, felt like. She fisted her hand and slugged the pi
llow again, wishing it were Mac’s face. Damn man, he was in her head, in her heart. He deserved better.
Her life was so fucked up. There was no way she would bring her hell down on Mac. He had done enough. If she cared for him an ounce, she would lock away her feelings. He deserved a normal woman, not one as broken as her.
If her own messed-up life wasn’t enough of a deterrent, she had to think of Gabriel. She made him a vow not to bring a man into her life until he was an adult. Stick to the plan.
Gabriel would fall hard for Mac. What kid wouldn’t? When Mac couldn’t take what a pain in the ass she was and left, how would she heal Gabriel’s heart?
Lexie eased back against the headboard and brought the covers up to her chin. Resting her head on her knees, she allowed the tears to fall.
Stupid, stupid, stupid.
She had more important things to do than crush on Mac. She had to get herself out of this mess with Ryan and get back to Gabriel.
You are the pawn, to be moved wherever I need you.
Ryan was a terrorist and his words embedded in her mind terrified her. He was so confident that he controlled her. If everyone she loved was in protective custody, what could he possibly have to use against her?
Before the thought was fully formed in her head, she hopped off the bed and hit the floor running. Charging down the long hallway, she came to an abrupt stop when she slammed into a hard, very naked chest.
“What’s wrong, Lexie?”
“I need to use your laptop.”
“I don’t have one.”
She pushed by him and began to search the great room. “Then your desktop.”
Mac reached for her elbow. “I don’t have a computer in the house. What’s wrong?”
“Who the hell doesn’t own a computer?”
“Me.” He let out a sigh. “Computers are for work. This is my home. I’m not going to ask again. What the hell is wrong?”
She swept her fingers through her long tangled hair, pulling it back into a ponytail, then allowing it to flow down her back. “Does Senator Ramirez have kids? I remember a couple of years ago his campaign poster had little kids in it.”
“Lexie, let’s make sure Ryan wasn’t just messing with your head before you go off and—”
“Does. He. Have. Kids.” She took a no-nonsense step toward him. “Answer the damn question.”
“He has four boys under the age of thirteen.”
“Ryan released the drone on a home with small children?” Her heart pivoted into her stomach as she tried to make sense of what she knew about the man. “Were they hurt?”
“No, they had already left for school. The senator was the only one injured.”
“Are they under some kind of protection?”
“Yes.”
Lexie pinned Mac with just as hard a glare as the one he was giving her. “You’re going to need more manpower and more guns … bigger guns.” She dropped down onto Mac’s makeshift bed, placing her head in her hands. “He probably knew their daily schedule. All he had to do was watch the house.”
“Don’t try to figure this guy out. Crazy is as crazy does.”
“You think Ryan was just playing with my head. Damn it, you weren’t there. You didn’t get the pleasure of his soulless, mad eyes up close and personal. He isn’t playing mind games. He told me Ramirez is my father, and he’s known about me before I was even born. That is a fact, Mac. That would make Ramirez’s boys my half-brothers.”
“Lexie …”
“God, you can be dense, Mac McNeil.” She reached for his cell phone on the coffee table and tossed it to him. “Make the call. Now!”
She clamped her jaw so tight a sharp pain sliced into the back of her head. An instant later, Ryan’s mantra filled her head: At all times, focused, alert, and in control.
Instead of it steadying her, Lexie felt like hurling her dinner. She needed to gain control or Mac wouldn’t hear her. She filled her lungs with air and let it out to the slow count of five.
“Ryan’s exact words to me were You are the pawn, to be moved wherever I need you. He said he could get to me any time he wants, and I would help him destroy the senator.” Lexie could feel her pulse rush through her veins. She needed to do something before she dove headfirst into another panic attack.
Mac reached for both of her hands and tugged her up from the sofa, bringing her against his chest. Placing her hands on his waist, she moved in, allowing his warmth and strength to seep in. This was what she needed, but she couldn’t help hating herself for wanting it so much.
“Try again, Lexie. I’m listening.” The boys are my brothers, and Ryan knows it. He also knows that even though I wouldn’t give a damn what happened to Daniel Ramirez, I would very much care about those kids. They are family.”
She searched his expression for a clue that he understood. “Mac, Ryan will run from the ranch right to them. I know it here,” she said, spreading her hand wide over her heart. “He had no problem killing one of your agents protecting Cole and Marcus. After my escape, he will come at my brothers with everything he has because he needs me. You have to protect them.”
Mac’s grip tightened on her arms. “Why, Lexie? Help me understand why you’re so important to him.”
“I don’t know. He has a plan. I wasn’t able to see much of it, but it was arranged meticulously on a long wall of his ranch house with maps, photo images of border crossings, the state Capitol …”
“Wait, what did he have on the state Capitol?”
“Aerial views, floor plans, the grounds … everything. The only reason I recognize the state house was because of the dome. There were other buildings, but I didn’t know them.”
A heavy dread pressed down like an elephant on her chest. “Hacking my workstation to launch that drone was part of his plan. Taking me away from you was another part. Nothing has changed. He will come after me. The only thing he has left to use against me is you and my brothers. He would be insane to take on the FBI. That leaves those four little boys.”
Without releasing his hold on her, he keyed in a text. Nothing was said as they waited for his phone to vibrate. As soon as the reply came in, he gave it a quick glance before shutting it off and setting it back on the coffee table.
“Díaz will place a heavier protection detail on the family. He asked me to thank you for the insight.”
“I should have made the connection six hours ago.”
Mac tucked a strand of hair back behind her ear. She felt the simple gesture in her toes.
“You were a little busy.” He cupped the back of her neck with one hand and placed his other hand on her hip, pressing her into him. The hungry look was familiar, as was her body’s response, and she had no desire to ignore it any further.
Maybe this one time she could let go and allow herself to be held.
She brought her hand to his chest, skin to skin, and roamed until her fingers covered his heart. Like the rest of Mac McNeil, the beat pulsed strongly against the palm of her hand.
With his thumb, he nudged her chin until she faced him. “I know you, Lexie Trevena.”
“What?”
Slowly, his head lowered until he was inches from her lips. She should move out of his reach, but every cell in her body declared war on her common sense.
“You said I didn’t know who you are. You’re wrong.” He brushed his lips over hers, his teeth nipping her bottom lip. “Don’t you want to argue with me?”
She couldn’t help sucking in a breath. “Not yet.”
His deep chuckle had the same effect as his touch, sending a charge right to her core. A moan escaped her throat as he took her lips for a second kiss, this one hard, demanding. But it ended way too soon.
“I know that you have the sweetest heart. Rico betrayed every promise he ever made to you, but you took his son and loved him as if he were your own without a second thought. And you’re ready to go to battle for brothers you didn’t know existed.” He brought his mouth down over the tender area ri
ght below her ear and kissed his way down her throat.
He raised his head. She felt his stare in her soul.
“Maybe that isn’t everything, but it’s the most important.” Lowering his hands to her hips, he drew her tightly against his hardness. “You want to know something else I know about you?”
Her words stuck in her throat.
“I know you need to forget all your reasons why we aren’t a good idea and just be with me.”
Chapter Twenty
Lexie’s stomach clenched as deep, unleashed emotions churned to the surface. She and Mac McNeil. How could she even consider the idea? Bad plan, very bad plan. Her heart would never survive him.
Before her mind could form a coherent thought, Mac’s hands cupped the back of her neck and he pulled her in closer. The possessive act sent a ripple of awareness through her body. She gave her head a quick shake as she tried to come up with one good reason why she shouldn’t run screaming from the room.
Nothing. The damn man was so lethal, it was his true super power.
“Are you going to fight me on this, Lexie?” He softly nipped her bottom lip as his mesmerizing eyes transformed into the deepest pools of gold she had ever seen. They stared down, exploring every inch of her.
“Well?”
“No … no fight.”
“Good plan.”
An arm pressed at the small of her back, bringing her against his length, and his mouth devoured hers. Mac’s herbal scent wafted into her nostrils, etching into her mind. Her hands reached out for support to find only skin—hard, pulsating skin.
This kiss wasn’t like any of the others they’d shared. Mac didn’t hold anything back. He was demanding, taking what he wanted. And for the first time in a long time, Lexie didn’t mind his aggressiveness. It ignited something in her that was new, exciting―something she’d never felt before. This man wanted her, wanted everything she could give and was willing to give her just as much in return.
Her walls dissipated and she gave over to the feeling. It came in fast, overwhelming, awaking the dormant sensual side she locked away. Lexie’s hands roamed over his hard shoulder muscles, down his arms, stopping at his waist.
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