by Anya Nowlan
Arlen forced himself to focus on the task at hand, studying the surroundings. From the pictures on the walls, the house belonged to a family - a mom, dad and two kids. They looked happy. For some reason, that sent a twinge through Arlen.
Not now, he reminded himself.
There would be plenty of time to mope around after he got Sienna out of danger.
They made their way through the living room to what looked like a study. A computer sat on the desk and he fired it up. Luckily, it wasn’t password protected. Rookie move on the owner’s part.
“Want to check your e-mail? See if you have any death-threats from your bosses?” Sienna joked.
“I thought I might check their e-mail,” Arlen answered with a click of the touchpad.
What seemed like the father’s e-mail account popped up and he scrolled through the messages until he found the one he was looking for.
“See?” he asked, pointing to the screen and opening an attachment. “Booking details. They won’t be back until next week.”
Sienna looked slightly impressed with his sleuthing skills, which of course made his tiger growl with pride. She hadn’t seen anything yet, but he also had to hope that he wouldn’t have to expose the full wealth of his skills to her. If he did, that meant that things were really going to shit.
Not that they were particularly rosy at the moment.
“Good to know,” she remarked, continuing to look through the house.
Night was upon them, and she had her hands out in front of her because of the darkness, in fear of bumping into something. Arlen didn’t have a problem with the dark, of course, but he didn’t like her stumbling around like that.
“Come on,” he said, taking her hand and leading her to the kitchen, which he could have located by smell alone if he needed to.
Sienna didn’t protest at being pulled along. As soon as her fingers wrapped around his, he felt like a surge of life had been kicked into him. Being out of contact with her got more difficult with every passing hour. Sometimes it felt like he was only sane when she was around, in his line of sight, so he could always be sure she was safe.
It was odd how things could change so quickly. Going from having to worry only about himself, to wanting to worry only about her, came completely naturally.
Sienna sat down at the breakfast bar while he opened the fridge, the following glow illuminating her beautiful features. He rummaged around, pulling out the ingredients needed to make some sandwiches.
“What, did my stomach growl or something?” she asked with a chuckle.
“No, I just thought you might have not gotten a chance to eat during your daring escape.”
He closed the fridge door and got to work. Sienna was silent, and he could see a shadow flit across her face.
“It was meant to be a joke,” he quickly added, cursing himself for making her feel bad.
“I know. I just wish helping me hadn’t gotten you in so much trouble,” she replied, but her expression remained the same.
Arlen abandoned the slices of bread he was buttering and made his way over to where she was sitting. It had been more than terrifying, first finding her gone and then tracking her down only minutes before Holland would have had his hands on her.
But he didn’t want to punish her or make her feel guilty. He wanted to move past it, instead. Which was why he had made a pretty failed attempt at making fun of the whole thing. Obviously, it had been too soon. And it wasn’t like he was known for his dazzling sense of humor.
In fact, he wasn’t known for anything. That was the life that a black ops agent like Arlen lead. Trying to shake a near-lifetime of loneliness and connect to another person had to come with some stumbling blocks for guys like him.
The rustle of their clothes and their breaths were the only sounds in the empty house as he used a finger to raise her chin so she faced him.
“You’re unharmed. That’s all I care about. Let’s just forget about everything else, okay?”
His fingers moved to brush against her cheek on their own volition and she leaned into the gesture, hazel eyes locked onto his face. He could hear her heart beat faster as he leaned in, inhaling her scent.
Sienna closed her eyes, her body moving to meet his. Time seemed to slow down as the warmth emanating from their bodies formed a fog of heat, enveloping them both. Arlen reached out with his other hand, gently grabbing hold of her face as their lips met. Her hands moved away from hanging at her sides to slowly slide up his biceps.
Arlen pushed his tongue into her mouth and it entwined with hers as she melted against him. His tiger growled, both satisfied and demanding more. He forced himself to pull away, using great willpower at that.
Sienna was feeling vulnerable and afraid, and he didn’t want to take advantage. He found he cared far too much about her for that.
Somehow, and so easily, she had found a spot in his heart, despite the brief time they had known each other for. It wasn’t just the heat either. A tiger shifter could mate with his chosen partner, and while they would feel protective about the mate, the kind of intense desire to keep Sienna safe, close and happy was not something that was normal. In the back of his head, Arlen knew exactly what that meant.
It meant that she was destined to be his.
He knew getting his feelings involved was a superbly bad idea. They were just stuck with each other for the time being and he could never give her the life she deserved. When this whole mess was settled, they would have to go back to their regular lives, their paths most probably never crossing again. There was just no other way.
But the knowledge didn’t quiet the emotions inside.
Arlen still had Sienna’s face in his hands when she opened her eyes, dark orbs glittering in the limited light. Her crisp smell now had the distinct scent of arousal mixed in, which made not ripping her clothes off right then and there more difficult.
This can only end in heartache, he reminded himself.
“You can pretty much get me to agree with anything if you kiss me like that,” she whispered, her hands sliding down his arms to rest at her sides.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” he smiled, releasing her.
Arlen went back to the counter and continued making the sandwiches, gritting his teeth as he turned his back to her and tried to break his arousal. It was a damn hard thing to do when the sexiest woman in the world was sitting right there, close enough to touch.
“So, are you going to fill me in on your plan? And don’t bother pretending you don’t have one so I won’t get involved. A man with as many contingencies as you is bound to have an idea or two by now,” she said, taking him by surprise.
“And you say you’re an open book,” he chuckled.
Sienna gave him a stern look that said she wasn’t going to drop this, no matter how long he stalled. With a sigh, Arlen relented.
“My mission was to kill Holland, so if I manage to complete that objective, that might buy me some leniency. Now that I know what he looks like and he’s been drawn out of hiding, it should be easier to accomplish than before. I’ll find the place and time where he’s most vulnerable so I can take my shot.”
Sienna seemed to consider this for a moment.
“You said before he’s been reclusive lately, yet he showed up, in person, at my apartment. Do you know what’s changed?”
“Well, that lieutenant who got killed was involved in the money laundering aspect of the organization. As much as I have gathered, whatever he was up to before his death compromised a part of their financial operation. That means the money Holland would get from your parents as ransom is a lot more important to his bosses at the Crimson Claws than we thought.”
Some of the color drained from Sienna’s face at the mention of her parents, only confirming his suspicions that there was something seriously fishy going on with the Marquez family. There had to be a lot more to it than her going through a ‘rebellious phase’, as Foster had said.
Sienna looked chilly all of
a sudden, wrapping her arms around herself.
“Holland won’t be able to hand me over to my father if he’s dead. I’m down with any plan that keeps me away from dear old dad.”
Arlen’s brow furrowed at the ice behind her words. This was a whole new side of Sienna. Strong emotions usually brought out her fiery side, but now she just blinked at him with cold eyes.
Nineteen
Sienna
The pool of liquid heat in the pit of her stomach, left over from Arlen’s kiss, turned to ice. After all that she’d done to escape her parents, both distance-wise and mentally, her life still boiled down to being Antonio Marquez’ daughter.
Without even being directly involved, his father and his money had gotten her kidnapped. And now, after she managed to get out of that situation, another entity had made a deal with her dad to return her to him, resulting in Arlen getting in trouble.
Sienna felt such anger and helplessness surge through her, she could hardly hold it in. All she wanted was a life of her own, where she could make her own decisions and live by her own rules.
Was that too much to ask? Why did her past and heritage keep creeping up on her? For a moment, it felt like the universe was telling her she shouldn’t keep fighting. She was going to end up back with her parents, one way or the other.
Shaking her head, Sienna chased that thought away.
No, I am in charge of my destiny.
Arlen slid a plate with two sandwiches, stacked with all the leftovers one might ever crave, over to her. She had been starving before, but now, her stomach was churning and her appetite was gone.
“I don’t want to pry, and you can tell me to fuck off for asking, but what happened with your parents? Obviously you’d like to avoid them at all costs, and there has to be a reason for that.”
Sienna could feel her guard coming up. She didn’t like to think back on the times when she was weak and under her parents’ thumb, and she liked talking about them even less. They were like a shadow, always with her. Over the years, she’d done well to push that shadow further and further into the background. Now it felt like all her hard work had been undone in no time at all.
Arlen deserved some kind of explanation, at least, after all he’d done for her. She picked her words carefully, not wanting to get too deep into things. The less she thought about her family, the better.
“My father is a very wealthy man, as you’ve already figured out. That also makes him powerful. He’s used to getting his way, and that feeling extended to me, as well. I was supposed to live and act the way he wanted me to and he’d get very… upset if I didn’t do exactly as I was told.
“It was no way to live, so I left as soon as I could. He tracked me down at first, before I knew how to stay off his radar. I got better at it and I guess eventually he just stopped trying to find me. I haven’t seen or heard from him in years.”
Sienna managed to keep the tremble out of her voice as she spoke. The story went much deeper than that, but she had already revealed more of it than she ever had to anyone else.
Talking to Arlen felt easy. He had that quiet, nonjudgmental air about him that made people just want to spill their guts. She couldn’t see him too well in the dim lighting, but she sensed him tensing up as she told her story.
Her hands rubbed up and down her bare arms as her thoughts drifted to times she’d rather forget, when she couldn’t go out in public without long sleeves. Even the softest fabric had felt coarse and painful over her fresh bruises and cuts, but she would plaster on a smile and deal with it.
God forbid her father caught her ‘moping’. A woman should be a pleasing sight to look at, especially when father’s investors were in town. The saying still echoed in her head from time to time.
Arlen stared at her for a while, looking like he was deciding on whether to ask more questions or not. She considered the sandwiches before her and felt her appetite disappearing completely.
“Thank you for telling me, I can tell it wasn’t easy. I think I understand better now. But please, eat something. I don’t want you wasting away,” he finally said, ending with an encouraging smile.
She hadn’t expected that. Sienna could practically feel how tightly he was wound up right now, humming with rage. She was sure he wanted to ask her if her father had hurt her – a question she did not want to answer. The fact that he restrained himself from it made her feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
“I don’t think I’m in danger of that,” she replied, glancing down at her soft curves.
“I’d be devastated if you were,” he remarked, before biting down on his own meal.
Feeling like a weight had been lifted, Sienna followed suit, her appetite returning. It had actually felt good to tell someone about her past, no matter how vaguely. She appreciated Arlen didn’t prod any further.
“Where should we start tomorrow with Holland?” she asked around mouthfuls of ham and cheese.
“We?” Arlen asked with a raised brow.
“Don’t you start. We’re in this together, whether you like it or not. Besides, I can be useful. I saw a lot of people go through Holland’s house, if you remember, which means I can help you spot members of the Crimson Claws. That could come in handy when you’re following him around, couldn’t it?”
Arlen put his sandwich down and tapped his fingers on the counter.
“Is this one of those instances I could persuade you to change your mind with a kiss?”
Sienna smiled, knowing she had already won this particular battle.
“I’m afraid not.”
Sienna and Arlen woke before dawn to head into town without rousing too much attention among the neighbors. She could have done with a couple more hours in bed, but beggars couldn’t be choosers. Or was it that fugitives couldn’t be choosers? Either or, they were up at the asscrack of dawn, getting things done.
After arriving, Arlen left his car in a parking lot near Holland’s house and very expertly stole a replacement. Sienna wasn’t going to protest. They had already broken into someone’s house, what was grand theft auto in the greater scheme of things?
Besides that, Holland had gotten a good look at Arlen’s car, so it only made sense to ditch it for something new, in case they were spotted.
Arlen picked a spot near Holland’s house that he said was ’out of smell range‘. The fact that shifters could track people by their smell alone was something she hadn’t even considered. Sienna made a mental note to never go a day without a shower when around Arlen.
She realized quickly that being so outclassed as a regular human, she would have had no chance at getting away from Holland on her own. If Arlen hadn’t gotten the job to take him out and hadn’t mistaken Sienna for his girlfriend, she would still be rubbing down criminals or worse, been already handed over to her father.
I guess I got really lucky that Arlen came into my life, in a weird way.
Going down that path of thought, she became aware that it wasn’t just what he had done for her that made her happy they’d met. It was also how he made her feel. But she would have to explore that some other time, seeing as the door to Holland’s building swung open just then and the man stepped outside, surrounded by his security escort.
“That’s odd. He never did any business this early in the morning when I was there. I got the feeling he liked sleeping in,” she remarked quietly. “Catnaps and all that.”
“That’s the impression I got from listening in on his crew,” Arlen confirmed, eyes locked on to Holland and his body tense.
Sienna figured at least some of the agitation came from the fact that the two men had unfinished business, remembering how Arlen’s teeth were in Holland’s throat when she interrupted their fight yesterday. Arlen clearly wanted to finish what he’d started.
Holland and his men got into a large black SUV and sped off, with her and Arlen following cautiously behind.
After a while, the SUV pulled up to what looked like a modest family home tucked away in a secluded
part of town. She and Arlen exchanged a surprised look. Suburbia was becoming sort of a running theme.
Holland got out of the car and his security started to follow, but he waived them off and walked into the house by himself.
Sienna’s heart began to race.
Is this it? Have we just found Holland’s weak spot?
Twenty
Sienna
She and Arlen stayed on Holland for the rest of the day, but nothing really of interest happened. At least nothing they could see. After his mysterious morning outing, he returned to his house and remained there while people came and went. When Sienna saw someone she recognized, she would point them out and tell Arlen their name, if she remembered it, and anything else she might have picked up about them.
The rest of the time spent cooped up in the car was filled with stories, the ones they could handle telling. Sienna avoided her childhood and Arlen seemed to steer clear of his Navy and The Firm career. But that still left them with plenty to talk about.
Arlen’s youth seemed to be a treasure trove of shenanigans, to the point it was almost unbelievable. He was such a straight arrow now, but she guessed SEAL training would do that to anyone. Her stories focused more on her work, why she decided to become a massage therapist and how she started her business.
“You do have a magical touch,” Arlen commented slyly, making her blush like a schoolgirl.
They abandoned their surveillance mission at nightfall, both tired and hungry. Arlen returned the stolen car and they got back in the Camaro, heading towards the suburbs once again. Sienna hoped the rightful owner of the car they’d borrowed wasn’t too inconvenienced. At least he or she would find it unharmed. Arlen even filled up the tank, being the stand-up guy that he was.
