Lone Rider

by Lauren Bach

  And his partner’s untimely death.

  Dallas recalled his movements of the past few hours. Soon it would end. Or just begin.

  He was ready for it to be over. He had literally put his entire life on hold to take on this assignment, immersing himself so deeply in the game that at times it had been hard to remember his life before.

  He hadn’t seen his father or sisters in nearly two years. From what Barry reported, he had a new niece, courtesy of his sister, Beth Ann. His family knew, of course, had always known that Dallas’ job required him to disappear for long stretches of time. They didn’t like it, but they also knew not to ask questions.

  This particular assignment, though, had proved longer and tougher than anyone had imagined. Sometimes the only thing that kept him going was knowing it would be his last undercover job. He had decided months ago he’d had enough of covert operations, that he was no longer willing to pay the price.

  Watching Tess, he realized that, now more than ever, he wanted his life back, his freedom. His integrity. All the things he’d sacrificed to take on this role.

  Soon, he promised. Very soon. The end had already begun.

  Sanchez had made his move, had left his Canadian headquarters. The women he was transporting in a private jet would be free by morning. That was the good news.

  The bad news was that divers searching Lake Summer tonight had located Matt’s body. Just as Tess had described. Stabbed in the back. Dallas’ gut tightened.

  The noose around Snake’s neck was tightening. Soon the ax would fall on Bogen and Sanchez as well. With any luck, Snake and Bogen would receive the death penalty for Matt’s murder. Plus there were a host of other charges to be levied, from kidnapping to drug trafficking.

  And how Tess would react was the only answer that still eluded Dallas. How would she feel about him when she learned the truth? How did he want her to feel?

  Would she understand why he couldn’t tell her? Would she forgive him? Could he forgive himself?

  Oh, yes.

  In fact he’d do it all over again if it was the only way to have her in his life.

  He didn’t regret what he’d done to her, to her life. Nor did he regret the passion they’d shared. The past was immutable. The future...

  His flesh throbbed, pulling him away from the abyss of dark thoughts, but still he made no attempt to enter his bed, content to watch, finding satisfaction in the steady rise and fall of her covered breasts. Guilt cooled his ardor. She was sleeping so peacefully he’d not awaken her.

  Above him, he heard the persistent drum of raindrops hitting the roof. He started to leave the room when a different noise stopped him.

  In a heartbeat Dallas was on the bed, beside her, reaching to where her arms were still outstretched above her head. I should have freed her first thing, instead of watching her, he berated himself.

  She whimpered, rolling and twisting, tangling in the sheets as she fought the unseen terror in her nightmare, sought to be free of the bed and the bonds that held her arms immobile.

  “Tess,” Dallas whispered fiercely.

  He released her and yanked back the confining weight of the quilt before gathering her close. “Tess, wake up. You’re dreaming, sweetheart.”

  She pushed against him, her eyes fluttering open in confusion. “Dallas.” She buried her face in his chest, seeking sanctuary from the spinning remains of her desolate dream. “It was awful.”

  “I know.”

  “I keep thinking it will go away.”

  “It will.” He shifted, easing farther down on the bed, wrapping her more tightly in his arms. She shivered. The rain picked up, the thunder lower, closer.

  “How long has it been raining?”

  “It just started,” he whispered.

  “I can’t see the clock.”

  “Power’s out. It’s gonna be a bad storm.” He kissed the top of her head. “Go back to sleep.”

  “I’m cold.”

  Keeping one arm around her shoulders, Dallas grabbed the quilt and pulled it back up, bundling them both in warmth.

  “Better?” he asked.

  She nodded, pressing her nose against his shoulder as she burrowed against him. “I wonder if I’ll have nightmares the rest of my life.”

  Tell her the truth. End it here and now, while she’s in your arms. What difference would a few hours make?

  Dallas rejected the thought, pulling her closer, hugging tightly as if to squeeze out the night terrors that tormented her. Keenly aware this was his last time to offer consolation in the dark. Soon...

  Slowly her trembling subsided beneath whispered comforts and reassuring strokes. The room was alive with the sounds of the storm.

  Eyes shut, Dallas allowed his hands to sweep over her, imprinting her curves into his memory. The thought of not seeing her again was painful, foreign. But what kind of relationship could they have after this? The odds were against him.

  And more, it had to be by her choice. A choice made in complete freedom. From captivity. From him. Christ! Could he let her go if it meant not seeing her again? Not touching her again?

  His fingers slowed, grazing the perfect swell of her hip.

  He’d sworn to himself that earlier tonight was their finale. His physical and emotional good-bye to her. Already his body forgot the pledge.

  Tess wriggled, boldly peeling off the shirt she wore, then wrapping her arms about his neck. Her cold-roughened nipples stabbed against his chest as she started to nibble the sensitive skin below his ear. Her passion amazed him, the knowledge that he’d been her only lover enflamed him.

  Dallas pressed her close, knowing full well that he should discourage her. Instead he welcomed her, tangling his hands in her long, silky hair, his knee sliding intimately between hers, holding her still as his mouth sought hers. It was wrong, but the line between right and wrong had wavered a long time ago. So had he.

  He caught her bottom lip tenderly between his teeth, loving it gently, then releasing it as his tongue swept deeply into her mouth. Her breath came out on a sigh as his mouth traveled lower, caressing first one breast, then the other. She arched against his leg, rubbing, seeking friction.

  His hands teased, dropping to her abdomen, then trailing down to find her most tender place. Her hips undulated slightly as his thumb stroked the hot little nub, coaxing a shudder from her. A low, deep moan escaped her throat. Encouraging. Gratifying. Confirming he knew exactly how much pressure to exert to drive her wild. And exactly when to stop to keep her from going over the edge without him.

  He recalled his promise, tamping down control over his rising passion. For the rest of the night, he’d only pleasure her. He watched as she writhed with delight in his arms. So damn beautiful...

  He thought about how she’d changed, evolving from innocent to seductress over the past days, changing him as well. Three mere weeks. Once in a lifetime. How could he ever let her go?

  She had entered his dark world like a bright promise, reminding him of the life beyond this assignment. A life he had started to think would never be his own again.

  Then her fingers dipped low, encasing his steel with a velvet grip. With practiced hands, she measured the length of him, tightly, without reserve. She’d learned quickly what he’d liked and hadn’t hesitated to please him, tease him. Torment him. Her hand slid slowly, firmly down his shaft.

  “I want you, Dallas,” she whispered. “Please.”

  He gave up, slamming away all recriminations, yet acutely aware time was running out. Fumbling in the drawer beside the bed, he snagged a foil packet, ripping the edge with his teeth and quickly, efficiently, protecting her.

  Not for the first time, the thought came that she could already be pregnant. His fault if she was. Except for that first night, he’d taken responsibility for birth control. She obviously hadn’t had to worry about it before he came along.

  Tess’ impatient hands hovered over his, helping, tugging. She cupped his sac, weighing, squeezing lightly. It was more
then he could bear.

  With a growl, he rolled, taking her beneath him and burying himself completely with a swiftness that shocked them both. The slight resistance of her body, the excruciating tightness of her sheath was an exquisite, nearly painful, sensation.

  At his urging, Tess wrapped one leg around his hip, taking him even deeper. She moaned. Expectant. Begging. Waves of extreme pleasure rocketed through his veins as deep thrust followed deep thrust. She was ablaze with desire, all wet, all heat. Her nails bit into the flesh of his shoulder as Dallas plunged into her yet again, demanding more. Demanding everything.

  In a thousand years, he knew he’d never get enough of this woman. He had conquered her body as surely as she’d conquered his. And still he wanted more.

  “I want you, Tess. All of you.” He hadn’t meant to speak. But set free, the words seemed to resound about them, a deafening sound that triggered an avalanche of raw passion.

  Outside the storm raged. A brilliant burst of lightning flashed, illuminating the room for seconds, capturing their movements in pulses of strobe.

  Tess let out a cry, taking them both over the brink. Dallas collapsed over her, his mind reeling as his body pumped on without conscious effort, draining him, cleansing him.

  The sound of a lone gunshot shattered what should have been their lovers’ afterglow, followed by the rapid-fire chatter of a machine gun.

  “Stay down,” Dallas ordered, swiftly rolling off the bed, dragging her with him to the safety of the floor.

  “What’s going on?”

  “I’m not sure.” It was an honest answer. He grabbed his jeans. The shots had definitely been fired somewhere on the grounds. But by whom?

  Another burst of gunfire punctuated the charged silence. Echoing, then fading.

  The raid wasn’t supposed to start until morning. Damn it. Had something gone wrong? Had some idiot pushed forward the time schedule? Or had someone settled a personal problem?

  He checked his watch, listening for more shots, but the night remained eerily quiet. He debated staying put, but knew Bogen would expect him at the main house. Without Tess.

  Dallas thrust clothes at her. “Put these on, quickly. And keep down.”

  With shaking fingers, Tess slid into the sweatshirt and pants. Reaching under the bed, she found a pair of sneakers and quietly slid them on. She watched Dallas creep back to the window and peer cautiously beneath the curtains. Muffled shouts drifted in from outside.

  “Promise you won’t leave me,” she whispered, hearing the quake of trepidation in her own voice.

  Dallas merely nodded, motioning for her to be silent. Tess didn’t know what to think other than she was scared. Did the gunshots mean law enforcement had finally arrived? Was she going to be rescued?

  She glanced at Dallas, wondering not for the first time how her ultimate rescue would affect him. Questioning if she still wanted to be rescued. Whether she wanted to be free.

  When had things stopped making sense, stopped appearing in black-and-white? The shades of gray were hard to judge, even tougher to decipher.

  In the past few days she’d tried not to look too closely at her feelings for Dallas, tried not to read too much into their lovemaking. Into the fact that she craved the one-to-one, personal contact of their physical relationship.

  She knew she cared for him. Knew she shouldn’t. At what point had she become unable to distinguish whether he was a bad guy or a good guy? He’d saved her...

  Her heart constricted painfully at the thought of anything happening to him. He was her rock, the solid foundation she’d clung to. Without him, she wouldn’t have endured this ordeal. Because of Dallas, she’d maintained a grasp on reality, held back the hounds of hell nipping at her sanity over the past weeks. She wasn’t ready to lose him now.

  But lose him she would...eventually. It was inevitable.

  Dallas moved to the footlocker at the end of the bed, where he stored his reserve of ammunition and firearms. He crammed extra clips in his pocket.

  He looked at her for a moment, wondering what she was thinking, torn between wanting to explain and thankful there was no time for explanations.

  “Come here.” Holding up his leather jacket, he helped her slide her arms into it, yanked the collar up. “I want you to stay right behind me,” he instructed. He didn’t know if taking her along would place her in more peril. But he couldn’t protect her if he left her behind. “Make as little noise as possible.”

  “Where are we going?”

  “To the main house.” He had to find out what was happening, who had fired the shots. He didn’t dare try to make it off the grounds with her until he knew who the players were. Bogen’s men would shoot to kill. Dallas’ men might also.

  “But people are shooting out there. I’m scared, Dallas.” For you.

  He tugged her against his chest, crushing her close to his heart. He brought his mouth down on hers, the kiss deep but quick. “Just stay by me.”

  They avoided the main path in favor of one of the lesser-used trails through the woods. Rain came down in sheets, blinding and cold, turning the paths into small, muddy rivers. She was soaked to the skin in no time.

  Tree branches and brambles scraped at her, catching strands of hair and clothes, tearing at her externally just as her thoughts tore away at her insides. She had a million questions she knew not to voice.

  She kept her eyes on Dallas, remembering his fierce lovemaking of moments before, knowing he had forever changed her. Did she want it to end now, tonight, if it meant never seeing him again?

  Would things have been different if they had met under other circumstances?

  Extremely different circumstances, she amended, thinking about her life back in Boston. They were worlds apart. Tears rolled down her cheek and were quickly washed away in the rain. She’d been robbed of autonomy. Her life had become a blur of uncertainty and fear. Except for Dallas.

  Without him, she would have been dead. She owed him her life. But not her heart.

  Lightning flashed, the main house revealed clearly for just a moment. He tugged her close as thunder boomed, the ground beneath them trembling. “Remember. Do everything I say.”

  The house was once more shrouded in darkness. A shadowy figure emerged from the bushes as they approached.

  “That you, Haynes?” The guard nodded when Dallas replied. “They’re in the basement.”

  Dallas pulled her to the back of the house, urging care as he lifted the cellar door and descended into the basement. Bogen, Snake, and Eddie were crowded at a table, arguing loudly. A single propane lamp sitting in the table’s center cast eerie shadows on their faces.

  Thrusting her into the safest corner, Dallas strode to the center of the room and slammed his fist on the table. “What’s going on, Bogen?”

  “Feds. They’re moving in, getting ready to storm the front gate. Duke’s dead, but Snake got away.”

  Dallas whirled, pinning Snake with an accusing glare. “Feds? What the hell are they after?”

  “I was going to ask you the same thing.” Snake looked derisively at Tess. “Perhaps their bloodhounds smell a bitch in heat.”

  “I oughta--” Dallas lunged forward

  “Enough,” Bogen yelled, as he stepped between the two men. “It’s a valid question. One that doesn’t matter right now.”

  “I heard shots. Who got trigger-happy?” Dallas asked, looking pointedly at Snake. “Feds would have to have a search warrant to come knocking on our door. And right now there’s nothing here they can bust us for.”

  “What about her?” Snake pointed an accusing finger at Tess.

  Dallas grabbed the other man’s finger, wanting to break it. Just for starters. “I can handle her.”

  Bogen jabbed Dallas’ forearm, breaking the two men apart. “You can settle this later. For now--”

  An urgent pounding on the door interrupted. The guard burst through the doors, soaking wet. “Jesus, you should see them. Fucking hundreds of ‘em. And they’re c
losing in fast.”

  Bogen opened a metal locker and started handing out machine guns identical to the one the guard carried. And extra ammo clips. “Upstairs,” Bogen ordered.

  Everyone moved at once, hurrying up the far set of stairs to the main floor of the house. Dallas pulled Tess along. “Stay behind me,” he ordered.

  Tess had never been so terrified in her life. The array of firepower the men carried was frightening. Even more alarming was the realization that both she and Dallas could be killed.

  “Dallas, please--” she whispered.

  “Ssshhh.”

  They were in the living room now. The sound of a single, wailing, siren pierced the night.

  “This is the FBI,” an electronically amplified voice announced. “Surrender your weapons and come out with your hands up.”

  “Shit,” Snake yelled, releasing the safety on his gun. “They won’t take me alive.”

  “Nobody fires unless I give the word,” Bogen said, peering cautiously out a window. “How many do you see, Haynes?”

  “Stay here,” Dallas ordered, tucking Tess beside the desk. Crouching low to the floor, he moved to huddle with Bogen and the others.

  Tess couldn’t hear what was said because they were again being addressed over the scratchy microphone. “You’ve got five seconds to acknowledge this warning. Then we’re moving in.”

  Dallas was back at her side, watching over his shoulder as Bogen and the others crawled toward the back of the house.

  Grabbing a heavy glass ashtray, Dallas flung it through one of the front windows. The pane shattered noisily.

  “We’ve got hostages,” Dallas shouted.

  Seconds ticked by, the wind howling. “Release your hostages.”

  “Back your men up a hundred feet and we’ll send one of them out.”

  Tess started at Dallas’ words. He meant to free her. End it. She shook her head. This was all so crazy, so impossible.

  Three weeks ago she’d have given anything for this moment. Three weeks. A lifetime ago. She looked at him, staring at his profile, the long wet queue of dark hair.

  She leaned forward, tugging at his arm, unashamed of the tears. “I won’t go without you. It can’t end like this. We’ll find a way--”