“You shouldn’t be doing that.”
Startled, Leah spun around to find Daniel leaning against the door frame with his massive arms crossed over his chest. “W–what?” Had she spoken that last question out loud? Surely, he couldn’t read her thoughts. Could he?
“You shouldn’t be pacing like that. You’re going to make your injury worse.”
Leah let out a breath she didn’t realize she had been holding. For a moment, she thought he had been telling her that she shouldn’t have been thinking of him with desire. She studied Daniel’s face to see if she saw any of the lust she had seen earlier and was disappointed when she saw nothing. The man’s face was closed off. She wondered if it was because he realized earlier was a mistake or if he had heard something he didn’t like during his phone conversation. It was sad, but she preferred the latter. She didn’t want to be a mistake.
“What’s wrong? Did something happen?”
Before Daniel could answer her questions, his bedroom window exploded. Leah screamed, feeling sharp stings all over her body as she was showered in flying glass.
“Down!” Daniel shouted.
Leah hadn’t seen him move, but suddenly he was right next to her, throwing her to the ground and covering her with his body. The pain in her ribs competed with the hundreds of cuts she could feel covering her body, but Leah held back the tears she desperately wanted to shed.
“Can you walk?” Daniel whispered in her ear. His voice was hard as if he was trying to control his anger.
Leah nodded her headed, too scared to speak. She could feel her body trembling from head to toe and knew that if she opened her mouth, she would probably lose it. She had a feeling Daniel didn’t need a hysterical woman in his arms. The man had more important things to do than console her.
“When I tell you, I need you to crawl to the door. Once you get to the hallway, stand and run to my office, but don’t go in. Wait for me at the door. Can you do that?”
Leah nodded again. She wanted to cling to Daniel and attach herself to his back like a human backpack rather than run off by herself, but instead, she took a deep breath and willed herself to be brave for his sake. The man had a job to do and he didn’t need her in the way while he did it. The least she could do while he risked his life to keep her safe was to follow his commands.
“Good.”
Leah was taken by surprise when Daniel pressed his lips to hers. The kiss was chaste, but she felt the spark all the way to her toes. Leah couldn’t help but wonder what it would feel like if he truly kissed her. She was already breathless. She didn’t know if she would survive if that happened.
Daniel brought one of his huge hands up and gently caressed her cheek before removing it. “Go.”
Leah only hesitated for a fraction of a second before doing as Daniel said. She turned, ignoring the pain in her ribs, and crawled on hands and knees toward the door. She winced as the broken glass dug into her palms and knees but gritted her teeth and continued. Once she was at the bedroom door, Leah stood and quickly made her way to the office. Once there, she leaned against the wall and waited for Daniel. The house was so quiet, Leah was sure the sound of her harsh breathing was going to give away her location to anyone who took the time to listen. If that didn’t give her away, then surely the sound of her thundering heart would.
Chapter 5
Daniel was beyond pissed. Not only had someone invaded his home, but Leah could have been killed by all of the flying glass. For that, someone was going to pay. Once Leah was safely out of the room, Daniel stood and headed to his closet. He quickly dressed in black fatigues before pulling on his boots.
Once dressed, he loaded his cargo pockets with extra clips and a knife or two before pulling a holster on his chest and tucking a couple pistols under each arm. Next, he picked up the go bag he already had packed with extra supplies and headed out of the room. Leah had been out of his sight far too long, and Daniel needed to see her and make sure she was okay. No alarm had sounded so far, so that meant none of his motion sensors had been tripped. No one was in the house, but that still didn’t stop Daniel’s urge to kill anyone in his path to keep Leah safe. Daniel had a feeling the window being blown was just a warning since no one had invaded, but that still didn’t mean he wasn’t going to take it seriously.
Seeing Leah leaning against the wall, bloodied and covered in cuts, had the urge to kill riding Daniel hard. “Come on, honey, we’re leaving.” He held out his arm and Leah didn’t hesitate to curl against his chest. Her trembling body was cool to the touch and he was concerned that she was in shock. Unfortunately, he couldn’t take the time to make sure she was okay. They needed to move. Once he got her to his safe house, then he would take the time to check her out and figure out their next move.
Daniel grabbed his laptop and the file he had created on Diego from his desk and shoved them into his bag before leading Leah over to his bookshelf. Smiling at how cliché it was to have a secret passage behind the bookshelf, but also grateful that he had the foresight to install the hidden passage, Daniel reached behind the edge of one of the shelves that sat slightly forward until he felt a button and pushed it. Once the shelf swung open, he guided Leah down a couple of steps before turning to pull the shelf closed, sealing them in the dark.
He frowned when Leah started trembling even more and squeezed her tight. “Don’t worry, honey. We just need to make it to the bottom of the steps, then there will be light. I promise I won’t let anything hurt you.” Without waiting for a reply, he led Leah to the bottom of the stairs and hit the switch he knew would be waiting for them.
A string of bare bulbs lit the crude tunnel that he had carved out under his backyard. It led to a small shed located about a hundred yards from his house at the back of his property. “The tunnel isn’t wide enough for me to walk next to you, so I need you to walk in front of me.” He hated to let Leah go, but they needed to move. “Go on,” he urged. “I’ll be right behind you.”
She released him and began walking. Daniel stayed right on her heels, worried at how quiet Leah was. He hated that she was even in the situation she was in. The woman had never done a thing wrong in her life. She didn’t deserve to have her life in danger. And the danger they were facing was nothing but a reminder that Leah didn’t belong in his life. As much as he felt the attraction between the two, Daniel hardened his resolve to keep things professional. He would keep Leah safe, and once everything was over, he would let her go.
He stopped Leah when they reached the end of the tunnel and came to a ladder. Moving around Leah, Daniel climbed up and unlatched the trapdoor at the top. He lifted it slightly and peeked through the crack. Once he was sure no one was in the shed, Daniel opened the door all the way before climbing through. He turned and held out his hand for Leah. “Come on up. We’re safe here for the moment.” He lifted Leah up the last few rungs and sat her on her feet.
“What are we going to do? Where are we going to go?”
Leah’s voice was so low, Daniel almost didn’t hear her. The slight catch in her voice as if she was on the verge of tears broke his heart. “Don’t worry.” Daniel pulled Leah against him and cradled her head against his chest. “Trust me to keep you safe. This is what I do. I won’t fail you.” As he murmured words of encouragement to keep her calm, Daniel prayed that he wouldn’t go back on his word to Leah. He would do everything in his power to keep her safe. Once he had her stashed away where he was sure no one would find her, then Daniel was going to do what he did best—he was going hunting.
Once he was sure Leah wasn’t going to panic, Daniel released her and headed over to a small window overlooking his backyard. He didn’t see anyone lurking or anything out of the ordinary, but he wasn’t taking chances. Turning, he headed over to the window facing the woods at the back of the shed and did the same thing. Assured that they hadn’t been discovered, Daniel headed over to the corner of the shed and lifted the tarp off his motorcycle. The cycle was stashed there for one purpose only and Daniel int
ended to make the money he spent on the getaway vehicle well worth it.
“Come here.” He held out his hand for Leah. Picking up his go bag, he turned Leah around and slipped each of her arms in the straps. Once the bag was secure on her back, he grabbed a helmet and placed it on her head. “Have you ever ridden a motorcycle before?” he asked as he buckled the straps under her chin.
“No. I’ve always wanted to, but I haven’t had the chance before. My parents are against them and I wouldn’t ever have the courage to go out and buy one on my own. I never knew anyone who had one to ask for a ride, but they do look like fun.”
Daniel placed a finger against Leah’s lips to stop her nervous rambling. He smiled when she sucked in a breath at his touch and shuddered. It was good to know he affected her just as much as she affected him, but now was not the time to do what he really wanted to do.
“I don’t think this ride is going to be much fun for you because of your ribs, but I need you to hold on as tight as you can and never let go. If I lean, then you lean, but not too far or you could tip us.” He waited for Leah’s nod before continuing. “I’m going to be going pretty fast to make sure we get away and no one follows. Once I’m sure we’re clear, I’ll slow down, but not until then. If something happens and we get separated, don’t come looking for me. I want you to run and hide. There’s a phone in the bag. Find the number for Chase Matthews. Tell him where you are and he will come get you and take you to a safe location. Trust no one but him. Can you do that for me?”
* * * *
Leah stared at Daniel as she took in everything he just told her. The only thing playing over and over in her mind was the possibility of them becoming separated. Reality was smacking her in the face. Leah knew she was in danger and she truly feared for her life. She didn’t realize how much she had come to depend on Daniel to keep her safe in the short amount of time she had known him until he started talking of them being separated. The thought of being on her own again and going through this was something she didn’t even want to contemplate.
Instead of opening her mouth and releasing a stream of nervous rambling, Leah just nodded. She understood what Daniel was telling her, but that didn’t mean she had to like it. She would just have to make sure they weren’t separated. If that meant she had to plaster herself against his back then that’s what she would do.
Evidently satisfied with what he saw, Daniel gave her a short nod before turning toward the small door on the back wall of the shed. Leah wouldn’t have even known there was a door there if it hadn’t been for the small latch and hook drilled into the wall. She had a feeling if she was looking from the outside of the shed, the wall would look seamless. She watched as Daniel eased the door open without a sound. Once it was wide enough, he came back over and grabbed the handlebars of the bike.
“Stay behind me. There’s a small trail about twenty feet into the woods that leads to a road about a mile away.”
He didn’t have to wait to see if Leah would follow him because she was right on his heels. As they left the shed, she turned her head left and right as she followed Daniel to the tree line. There was still enough daylight out for her to see clearly, and that meant anyone who happened to be looking in their direction would see them as well. Leah felt exposed like there were a hundred eyes on her, which gave her even more incentive to move swiftly behind Daniel. She sighed in relief once the darkness and shelter of the trees surrounded them.
Leah followed Daniel a few paces, cringing as the crack of each branch she stepped on sounded like thunder in her ears. She winced at the sharp twigs stabbing the bottom of her feet through her socks, but didn’t complain. She would gladly take the twigs over a bullet or flying glass any day. The small clearing wasn’t far and the trail Daniel mentioned was clearly marked, making her wonder if he actually used the trail or if it was merely groomed to make a fast getaway.
Leah became aware of what she was wearing when Daniel finally stopped in the clearing and climbed onto the motorcycle. He held his hand out to help her on and she settled behind him. Only then did she realize she was only wearing a T-shirt, panties, and a pair of socks. The T-shirt had ridden up, exposing her thighs as she used them to grip Daniel. “Do you have somewhere for us to go?” She hated the thought of them riding around with her exposed for all to see.
Daniel nodded. “I have a safe house not far from here. Once I make sure we aren’t followed, we’ll go there.”
The grip of Daniel’s rough, callused hand on her thigh sent shivers down her spine. If they weren’t currently running for their lives, Leah would have moaned and shifted his hand further up. Instead, she wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head against his back.
“Don’t let go,” Daniel told her before the motorcycle roared to life.
Leah squealed as they shot out of the clearing and down the trail. She knew she had to be squeezing the breath out of Daniel, but she didn’t even try loosen her grip as he swerved around tree after tree. After barely scraping past the second tree, Leah couldn’t look anymore. She buried her face against his back and tightly closed her eyes. She prayed that Daniel knew what he was doing and they weren’t going to be impaled by a stray branch sticking out somewhere. The way her luck had been going, it was a strong possibility.
There was a thump and then the ride smoothed out. She had a feeling they had made it to the road, but Leah couldn’t bring herself to open her eyes and check. She had no idea how long they rode, but the muscles in her arms and thighs were starting to ache by the time Daniel finally slowed and pulled up next to a Jeep in the garage of a home she had never seen before. Once the door lowered behind them, Daniel cut the engine to the motorcycle. Leah could still feel the vibrations of the engine tingling through her body from the long ride. She mentally crossed riding a motorcycle off her bucket list. Under different circumstances, she didn’t know if she would be willing to ride one again.
“You can let go now.”
Daniel’s chuckle brought her out of her thoughts and Leah realized she still had her stranglehold on the man. “I don’t think I can.” Her body seemed to have a mind of its own and she couldn’t make herself move.
Laughing, Daniel reached behind and wrapped his arm around her, resting his hand on the small of her back. Leah felt his muscular chest bunch as he lifted himself off the motorcycle, taking her with him and making her gasp. Once he was standing on solid ground, he released his grip on her and Leah slowly slid down his back until her feet hit the ground. She marveled at the strength Daniel showed and wanted nothing more than to stay connected to the man, but she took a step back.
“Where are we?”
“This is one of my safe houses. We should be safe here for a while until we hit the road.”
Daniel’s answer only created several more questions for Leah, but Daniel moved away before she could ask any. She watched as he headed over to a security panel next to a door she guessed led to the inside of the house. He punched several buttons on the panel before she heard a beep and a click coming from the door.
Leah’s adrenaline rush seemed to be wearing off and she could feel not only her ribs protesting but every scrape and cut she received from the flying glass. She was suddenly bone tired and wished for a hot bath and a soft bed. Something on her face must have given away how she was feeling because Daniel was suddenly there lifting her in his strong arms and carrying her into the house.
“I’ll find something to clean your cuts and then you can sleep. We’ll be safe here long enough for you to get some rest.”
Daniel’s soft, soothing voice caused tears to prickle the back of her eyes, and Leah buried her face against his chest to keep him from seeing. She didn’t want to seem weak in front of a man who had shown nothing but strength since the moment she had met him.
Daniel carried her into a bedroom and sat her on the side of the bed. “Just stay right here while I go get everything.”
He turned to leave, but Leah grabbed his hand before he could go a
nd squeezed. “Thank you, Daniel, for everything.” She knew she wouldn’t ever be able to properly thank him for everything he had done for her already, but she wanted him to know how grateful she was.
Daniel nodded before heading into what she assumed was the bathroom. Leah was tempted to rest her head on the thick fluffy pillows on the bed, but she resisted. She was covered in scratches, many of which were still dotted with blood. The least she could do was wait until she was clean to avoid getting blood all over Daniel’s comforter.
Just as she felt her eyes drifting shut, Daniel returned with a bowl of water in one hand and a box in the other. He sat the bowl on the nightstand before settling on the bed next to her. He held up a bottle of rubbing alcohol from the box and grimaced. “This is going to sting, but we need to make sure those cuts are clean so they don’t get infected.”
When Leah nodded, Daniel grabbed a cotton ball and soaked it in alcohol before holding it up to her cheek. Leah winced at the sting from the liquid, and jerked when the bed shifted and Daniel leaned over and softly blew on her cheek. Leah could feel the heat rising to her face as she blushed, quickly eliminating the sting of the alcohol.
Daniel’s warm breath was a complete contrast to the cold liquid on the cotton ball. With each cut he cleaned and every puff of his breath, Leah’s breathing got shallower and shallower until she was all but panting. Her body was on fire and it wasn’t because of the rubbing alcohol. It was because the man currently sitting next to her was playing havoc on her senses.
Chapter 6
Daniel held back a groan when Leah shivered and he saw her thighs clench together. He was hanging on to his self-control by a thread, but Leah wasn’t helping. His cock felt like steel in his pants and seemed to get harder and harder with each shuddered breath that Leah took. Daniel was fascinated by the flush covering her skin and wanted to rub his hands against her.
Second Chances [Pine Valley 4] (Siren Publishing Classic) Page 4
