by Melissa Good
Kerry ran for the lights as she heard movement, and got to them, flicking them on just in time to see Kyle go flying again, caught squarely in the ribs by a flying drop-kick.
“What’s the matter, Kyle, you too used to picking on little girls?” Dar taunted as she ducked a side swipe of his fist. “Intimidating them and taking their puppies?” She swiveled and cracked him in the jaw with a roundhouse kick. “Stinking pig.”
He lunged at her, grabbing her around the waist and taking them both down. But he didn’t count on Dar’s powerful legs, which wrapped around him and flipped them both over, landing Dar on top and letting her get in a good blow to the groin.
“Bitch.” He slugged her in the side, did it again, then wheezed as a knee slammed him in the gut. He scrambled out of her range, then lunged to his feet, intent on grabbing her.
Dar rolled up and caught him as he tried to stand up, slamming an elbow into his jaw, then grabbing an arm and throwing him over her shoulder to land with a sodden crash on the parquet floor. “Oh yeah, the bitch that just kicked your ass and loved every minute of it.” Dar felt her breathing steady, and she felt her temper dropping, the violent need satisfied for the moment.
It was quiet then, until Dar walked over to the far wall and picked up the automatic pistol she’d kicked out of Kyle’s hand, juggling it in her own. Kerry watched an unfamiliar expression appear on her father’s face.
Fear.
“Did I forget to mention she was the National Champion in karate one year?” Kerry murmured. “Guess I did.” Now it was her turn. She stepped forward until she was standing against her father’s desk. “What you did to me was wrong.” He just looked at her. “Not just last night. You’ve been trying to make me into something I’m not since I was a little girl, and you hurt me a lot,” Kerry told him. “But you’re still my father, and I still love you. I just can’t live with you.”
“I am not your father.” He turned his back. “Get out of my house, and take your friend with you.”
Kerry sighed and glanced at Dar, who was unloading the pistol and pocketing the rounds. “Come on, I don’t have much to get here.”
Dar tossed the automatic on the desk. “Right behind you.”
438 Melissa Good They left the office and proceeded silently up the stairs. Dar settled her hands on her lover’s shoulders. “You okay?” she murmured softly into a pink ear.
Kerry felt like just leaning back and letting Dar’s body envelope hers.
“I’m really hurting inside,” she told the dark-haired woman honestly. “I think I’m going to need a good, long cuddling real soon now.”
Dar kissed her gently on the head. “Tonight, and every other night for the rest of your life, if you want,” she promised, realizing what she said after the words came out.
A momentary, almost shocked silence. “I want,” Kerry finally answered in a soft voice. “C’mon, let’s get out of here. I have a future to attend to.”
KERRY WALKED INTO her old bedroom and crossed the floor to where her things were still resting. Someone had tucked everything away, and she hoped it had been Angela. She quickly checked through the laptop case, then her bag, and gave Dar a nod. “This is everything.” She pulled out a pair of jeans and the Navy sweatshirt and quickly changed, tucking her scrubs away in the bag and sitting down to pull on her sneakers.
Dar walked over and lifted the bag, swinging it to her shoulder. “All right, let’s go.”
Kerry hesitated and looked around. “I grew up in this room,” she said quietly. “Angela and me.”
Dar let her eyes flick over the room, then she put her free arm over Kerry’s shoulders. “You know you won’t lose touch with your sister, right?”
“I know.” The blonde woman sighed.
They both looked up at a sound and saw a disheveled chestnut head poke in. “Ker?”
“Angie.”
Her sister came in and hurried over, as Kerry stepped forward and hugged her. “Oh my god, Kerry, what in the hell happened? You disappeared, and they wouldn’t tell me what was going on, or where you went, and I…”
“Shhh. Yeah, it was pretty bad,” Kerry answered softly. “They knocked me out and took me to Bryan’s.”
Angela released her and stared at her sister in shock. “Oh my god.” Her eyes finally drifted to the right as she realized Kerry wasn’t alone, and she gasped a little at the pale blue orbs catching the low light in the room. “Oh, I…” She looked closer. “You must be… Dar?”
The taller woman smiled, a glint of white in the gloom. “That’s right.”
She held out a hand courteously. “Nice to meet you, Angela. Wish it was under better circumstances.”
“Oh…uh, yeah.” Kerry’s sister took her hand gingerly and shook it. “I’ve heard a lot about you.” She smiled tentatively, then turned back to her sister.
“So, what happened?”
Kerry sighed. “Well…Dar showed up and sprung me.”
“You were doing pretty damn good at that yourself when I got there,”
Dar interrupted.
Green eyes gave her a mild, affectionate look. “Then we came back here, Tropical Storm 439
and I…sort of had it out with Dad, and now…we’re leaving.” She paused, gazing at her sister. “For good, it looks like.”
“Oh.” Angela took her hands and squeezed them. “Well, I might be right behind you, and I’ll keep in touch, okay?”
Kerry smiled and hugged her. “Please. I’ll miss you. Will you let Michael know what’s going on?”
Angela nodded as they parted. “I’ll call him tomorrow. I’m sort of glad he got stuck at school and wasn’t here—you know he would have gone ballistic.”
Kerry sighed. “I know. Well, we’ve got to get going. I’ll call you when I get back to Miami.”
“During the day,” Angela told her softly. “Richard’s given me a lecture about getting involved.” She made a face. “We had quite a discussion about that.”
“All right.” The blonde shouldered her laptop. “C’mon, Dar, before Jack comes busting in here.” She gave her sister one last hug, then moved towards the door, trailing her tall, dark shadow behind her. They walked down the stairs and out the front door, passing through the pool of light and onto the path, towards where an anxious-looking Jack was half in and half out of the car, one foot on the ground. He got back in as they arrived, and Dar opened the door, allowing Kerry to slide inside. She started to close the door when the blonde woman held a hand up, then reached out and tugged her coat, sliding over further to make room.
Dar tossed the bag in the back seat and closed the door, then got in next to her lover and exhaled. “Let’s get out of here.”
Jack needed no further instruction. He started the car and backed out, then turned around and headed down the road. “Nasty?” he asked, after a few silent moments.
Dar sucked on a sore knuckle and glanced at him. “Disgusting.” She snuck a peek at the very quiet Kerry, then put a hand on her shoulder. “How are you doing?”
Kerry tore her eyes from the dark landscape and slowly turned her head, peering up at Dar’s half shadowed face. “Really sucky,” she answered in a hoarse voice. “Dar, why can’t I just hate them? It would be so much simpler.”
The dark-haired woman circled her shoulders with a powerful arm and pulled her closer. “Sorry, I wish I had an answer for you.” She felt Kerry settle against her, an arm wrapping around her stomach as her lover buried her face into her shoulder. “I wish I could change their minds.” She felt the catch in Kerry’s breathing and pulled her closer, rubbing her back soothingly. Jack looked over and caught her eye, his own full of quiet sympathy.
Dar sighed. “Find a main road, stop at the first place that looks like it doesn’t have roaches in the sinks.” She pulled her cell phone from her pocket and dialed a number. “Morning,” she said softly. “This is Dar Roberts, employee number 4432234.” She paused. “I need two tickets from Grand Rapids to Miami, first flight out, a
irline not important.” She listened for a long few moments. “That’s fine. Use my credit card on record, though, this is personal.”
Kerry stirred at that, but Dar just patted her back and kept up her soothing motion. “Okay, that’s great … Excuse me? Oh.” Dar smiled a little.
440 Melissa Good
“Yeah, that’s true, go ahead and apply them. It’s been a real long night and I think I can use a little extra space.” She listened again. “Thanks, I’ll pick them up at the airport, I appreciate it.” She hung up and let her head rest against the back of the seat. “Change in plans, keep going and head for the airport. The first flight out is at eleven. We might as well get a few hours sleep before we all get out of here.” She glanced at Jack. “Can you take off from there without causing havoc?”
He nodded. “Yeah. I won’t be able to do the kind of speed I did on the way in here, but…” He yawned. “A few hours’ sack time sounds like a great idea. I can call Dad, and I’ll buy you guys breakfast before your flight, how’s that?”
Dar felt Kerry slump more heavily against her, and she realized the exhaustion was overtaking her friend. “Sounds great,” Dar admitted. “Oh, damn, I want a bed. I feel like I was run over by a truck.” She sighed.
Kerry lifted her head and peered up at her. “Well, he did hit you a few times, everything okay in there?” She patted Dar’s chest.
“Hit you?” Jack’s head snapped up and around. “Who? What?”
Kerry put her head back down. “My father’s bodyguard. He tried to get the drop on Quick Draw McGraw here; who proceeded to kick his butt all over the room.”
Jack’s face split into a grin. “Quick Draw, huh?” He laughed softly.
Dar groaned. “Just drive,” she growled.
The hotel at the airport was small, and the desk clerk was rubbing his eyes when he finally came out and registered them. “One room?” he asked in a mumble.
“Two,” Jack answered, giving Dar a sideways look. “Adjoining.”
She didn’t protest. They got their keys and trudged upstairs, to rooms smelling of must and damp brick. Dar automatically flipped on the air conditioner, then she went for the bed—the long days catching up with her.
She let herself down on her back and felt her muscles go limp in reaction.
“Damn.” She hadn’t really been counting on the fight with Kyle. His sudden appearance had shocked her senses, and triggered a surge of adrenaline that had carried her through the battle, but now… “I’m getting too old for this stuff,” she muttered.
Jack had disappeared into his room, and Kerry finished up the soda she’d gotten from the vending machine, then shut the light off. She crawled into bed next to Dar and settled on her side. Her eyes searched the sharp profile so close to her. “I don’t think I’ve thanked you yet.” Dar rolled her head to one side and peered wearily at her. “It’s an odd feeling, you know,” Kerry let her chin rest on her forearm, “having your own knight in shining armor and all.”
A soft snort. “I am not any such thing,” Dar objected. “And we both know that.”
Kerry shook her head. “You may know that, but I don’t,” she replied in quiet reflection. “Oh, maybe I could write off the arriving by supersonic jet part. Hey, it was opportunistic, right?”
Dar rolled over and faced her, only inches separating them. “Right.”
“Mmm. But not the standing up to my father, and not the ass kicking you gave Kyle. I heard what you said to him, by the way,” Kerry continued. “So, thank you, Dar. I’ve lived my life under the belief that people act for Tropical Storm 441
themselves and their own interests, now I know that’s not the case.”
A dark brow edged up. “Who said it wasn’t in my own interests?” she inquired softly. “It was very much in my best interests to make damn sure you were safe and whole.” She reached over and brushed her knuckles against Kerry’s cheek. “I very selfishly wanted you back.” Kerry blushed a little and ducked her head. “I mean it. That was just pure self-interest, not a noble thing about it.” Dar shook her head firmly. “Besides, you have any idea how long it would take me to find another assistant half as good as you?”
“Dar, I was trying to be serious,” the blonde woman protested gently.
Soft fingertips caressed her jaw. “Whatever the effort, it was worth it, Kerry. Believe me,” Dar answered, just as seriously.
The blonde cocked her head in question. “I know you said you knew where I was because they submitted the charges to my benefits card, but how did you find out, Dar?”
“Mmm.” Dar rolled over onto her back and stretched, feeling a wave of exhaustion roll over her. “I had a…I don’t know, a nightmare, I guess. I woke up in a sweat, that’s for sure, at about twelve thirty.” She let her eyes close, remembering.
“Twelve thirty?” Kerry murmured. “That’s about when…yeah, that’s when they knocked me out. I remember looking at my watch right before I went into the study.”
“Well, I knew I couldn’t go back to sleep, so I dialed up the office. And when I connected, a bot I had running popped up and displayed the fact that you’re card had been used, and I…”
“Whoa. You had a bot checking for that?” Kerry asked, puzzled. “Did you suspect something was going to happen?”
“Uh.” Dar peeked at her from the corner of one eye. “Not exactly.”
Kerry crawled closer and put her chin on Dar’s shoulder. “Not exactly?”
“No, well, since you had that close encounter with the milk truck, I, um…” Dar was embarrassed, and she felt her skin heat with a blush. “I set it up just in case anything… Well, I mean, it’s not like you have a contact card on you. I mean, whatever… If something happened to you, I’d, um…”
“Dar, that’s very sweet.” Kerry gazed at her.
“Practical,” the executive argued. “A simple need for information.”
They looked at each other, and Kerry gently kissed the shoulder she was leaning on. “Thank you for caring, Dar,” she said very softly. “You don’t know how much that means to me right now.”
The taller woman gently pulled her closer and slid both arms around her.
“I’m sorry things didn’t work out with your folks, Kerry.” She tucked the blonde head down against her and kissed it.
Kerry allowed herself to sink into the comforting warmth at last, breathing in Dar’s distinctive scent, and settling her head down on her lover’s broad shoulder. “Me too.” She sighed. “I guess I have no family now,” she added sadly.
“Sure you do,” Dar murmured, her eyes closed.
Kerry tilted her head and regarded her in silence, then she smiled to herself and put her head back down, at last allowing sleep to wash over her.
Chapter
Thirty-three
HER PAGER WENT off at nine, and Dar had to force her eyes open, as her body complained heartily about leaving the warm, somnolent nest she was snuggled into. The thin curtain in the room was blocking most of the daylight, and it was nice and dark inside.
“Ugh,” she groaned softly, blinking the sleep out of her eyes and peering down at the still sleeping Kerry. The blonde woman was sprawled half across her, and Dar could see the strain and exhaustion that still marked her friend’s face.
Poor kid. Dar absently stroked the soft golden hair lying across her chest. I can’t believe they did that to her. She didn’t deserve that. Kerry had been very withdrawn since they’d left her parents’ house, and Dar knew she was probably still in shock. Dar took a moment to reflect on the last twenty-four hours, scarcely able to believe what they’d both been through. “Damn.” She muttered softly to herself. “I’ll be glad to get home.”
“Am home,” Kerry mumbled, letting out a sigh and tightening her grip, still mostly asleep.
The taller woman smiled, then rubbed her lover’s back. “Ker?” she called softly.
Pale green eyes very slowly fluttered open and focused on her. “Uh?”
“We’ve
got a plane to catch,” Dar told her, half apologetically, smoothing the fair hair back from her forehead.
“Oh, right.” With an obvious effort, Kerry pushed herself up on her elbows, then let her head drop and rest on Dar’s arm. “Oh god, I feel like I’ve been run over by a truck.” She moaned.
Dar yawned. “Me too, must have been all the excitement.” She rolled over and paused, catching her breath as the bruises she’d collected a few hours previous made themselves known. “Ah…whoa.”
Kerry slid over and took her arm. “What’s wrong?” she asked anxiously,
“Are you okay?”
Her taller companion slowly straightened. “Just a few aches, I’m all right.” She stood up and cautiously stretched out her body, then trudged over to the bathroom and flipped on the light, running water into the sink. “Jack offered to buy us breakfast. We can do that, then head for the gate and get out of here.” She splashed water on her face and exhaled. “We unfortunately have to change planes in Detroit.”
“Sounds wonderful,” Kerry murmured. “The sooner the better.” She sighed. “Detroit, huh? Well, I can get a Lions sweatshirt. I always liked them.”
Tropical Storm 443
Jack poked his head in the door between their two rooms. “Did I hear my name?” The Navy pilot inquired brightly. “And something about a Lion?”
They washed and headed off to breakfast.
THE FLIGHT WAS uneventful. Kerry was happy to sleep through most of it, curled up in her first class seat near the window, with Dar’s comforting presence on the other side of her. The slanting sun woke her, and she peered out the window to see an endless sea of grass spreading out beneath the plane’s wings, the patchwork of green interspersed with the odd ripple of dark blue and forest green. She turned her head and gazed at Dar, who was staring off into the distance, her eyes half closed. “Dar?” She reached over and touched the taller woman’s arm.
The blue eyes turned to meet hers. “Hmm? Almost home.”
Kerry nodded. “We’re over the ’glades. What’s the weather like?”
