Close Pursuit

by Cindy Dees

  Plus, his father had deliberately taken pictures of her and the baby. They were in more danger than Katie could imagine.... Even if she was a trained operative, she still didn’t get it. Peter Koronov was devastatingly deadly when provoked.

  * * *

  KATIE LEANED FORWARD, interested, as the cab pulled to a stop in front of a turn-of-the-century building in a stupidly posh neighborhood. Just how much money had Alex ripped off the mob for in his gambling spree?

  Alex paid off the cab from his stash of cash and led her inside. The interior lobby of the apartment building was sleek and modern in sharp contrast to the quaint exterior. They rode the elevator in silence to, no surprise, the top-floor penthouse. She was surprised, however, to discover that his condo took up the entire roof of the building. Besides being huge, it was open and airy, decorated with modern, clean-lined furnishings.

  “Your decorator is superb,” she commented. “To pull off a space this modern and yet keep it warm and inviting is no easy feat.”

  “Thanks. I’ll tell her,” he replied drily.

  He’d been distant and remote with her ever since they’d left the embassy in Tashkent. Had something happened to him there to upset him? He was so hard to read most of the time. And she was usually pretty good at deciphering stoic men.

  He showed her to a guest bedroom decorated in soft, pale shades of mossy green and cream. Its floor-to-ceiling glass windows looked out on a rooftop terrace boasting a sleek, stainless steel swimming pool and landscaping that managed to be as modern and welcoming as the rest of the condo. A mix of old-world perennials and stark cactus made for a stunning visual display.

  “My God, this place is magnificent,” she told him.

  He shrugged. “It’s relaxing.”

  “Do you have guests often?” she couldn’t resist asking.

  “Never.”

  He was back to one-and two-word sentences with her, huh? Was it something she’d said or done? Her resolve to reach past his emotional barriers wavered. Had she set an impossible goal for herself?

  “I’ll see if I can have some baby stuff delivered,” he said emotionlessly.

  “You don’t have to go to all that trouble,” she replied quickly. “We’ll only be here a day or two, I hope.”

  “Eager to get rid of me, are you?” He sounded genuinely surprised at that.

  “Not at all. You’ve been a great companion and saved my life more than once. I owe you huge.” She lifted her gaze to his, and for just an instant, memory of what else she’d declared that she owed him blazed in his eyes. How was it that light gray eyes could burn so dark and hot?

  He turned on his heel and walked out without a word.

  Dismayed, she played in the ultramodern bathroom and gave Dawn her first real bath in the oversize copper bowl that served as a sink. The baby splashed excitedly and Katie laughed in delight when the baby soaked her. She glanced up in the mirror as a movement caught her eye and saw Alex’s silhouette just disappearing from the doorway. He’d been watching her and Dawn play together? Why? And why had he left?

  She jumped in the shower while Dawn played on a towel on the heated floor. Maybe she could coax Alex into watching the baby for an hour or two this afternoon while she slipped out for a quick shopping trip. She was going to scream if she had to wear those clunky jeans and sweatshirt one more day. And she needed a curling wand and some makeup in the worst way.

  Alex was noncommunicative when she made her request, and she took his grunt for assent. She grabbed her wallet, which was one of the few personal possessions of hers that had made it all the way back to America from Zaghastan. That and her passport. Oh, and her ugly hiking boots. That was about it.

  She found a drugstore and stocked up on beauty supplies, and the clerk told her where the nearest shopping area was. She walked the half-dozen blocks to a retail area and sighed in delight at the sight of cute girl clothes in the storefronts. Lord, she’d missed civilization.

  Before she left the first store, she took deep pleasure in ceremonially throwing out the construction worker jeans and hiking boots. She walked out wearing girl jeans that made her look like she actually had an ass and a cute pair of sandals. She bought several tops at the next store, and was just collecting her bags to check out when her cell phone vibrated.

  She pulled it out of her pocket and saw she had a text from a phone number she didn’t recognize. It read:

  Buy a dress. D.U. invited us to a cocktail party tonight, and we need to go.

  Alex knew how to text? Surprise, surprise. She texted back, How sexy?

  How much more of your innocence do you want to lose?

  She looked up at the clerk. “Turns out I’m not done shopping. Where to do you keep your LBDs?”

  The salesgirl grinned. “Little black dresses are right over here. Are we doing the works?”

  “Oh, yeah,” Katie replied, grinning. She’d break through that man’s walls whether he liked it or not. And she knew just the weapons to use on him....

  * * *

  BY THE TIME KATIE emerged from her bedroom, the babysitter had arrived. How Alex had managed to convince a full-blown nun to babysit Dawn for them, she had no idea. But she could rest easy knowing the baby was in great hands.

  The wimpled woman in the living room introduced herself. “I’m Sister Mary Harris. I teach at the school Alex attended as a child.”

  “Really?” Katie responded, interested. “So you’ve known Alex for a long time then. I’d love to hear about him as a boy.”

  The gray-haired nun smiled secretively. “In my profession, we carry no tales.”

  “Can you at least give me a hint as to what kind of child he was?”

  “Brilliant. Serious. Withdrawn.”

  “That sounds a lot like the adult now.”

  “Indeed.”

  Alex emerged from his bedroom, looking as magnificent in a tuxedo as she’d suspected he would. Her initial impression of James Bond over Rambo had been spot-on. He looked born to a tux. To Sister Mary Harris, he murmured, “You have my number if you need anything.”

  “Dawn and I will be fine. I’ve been taking care of babies for forty years.”

  Alex glanced in her direction. “The nuns run an orphanage along with the boarding school.”

  Katie nodded, pleased that he’d gotten Dawn such a highly qualified sitter. The elderly woman commented, “You two relax and have a nice evening. Dawn and I will have a lovely time together.”

  Alex glanced at Katie’s raincoat, which was buttoned to her chin and belted at her waist. She caught the faint smirk that crossed his face. He knew full well she was hiding a hot little dress under there. At least she hoped he thought it was hot. It was hard to know how to impress a man who was such an accomplished womanizer.

  She’d opted for simple and classy. The black minidress was halter-necked in front with a slit that plunged nearly to her waist. She was bare all the way to the waist in back. The fabric hugged her every curve, highlighting the sexy pout of her breasts. The cut of the garment allowed for no bra at all under it, and her breasts were boldly outlined by the clingy fabric.

  She wore impossibly tall stilettos and prayed no one would chase her and Alex tonight. There was no way she could run in these shoes. She’d spent the afternoon getting her legs waxed and polished, and while she was at it, she’d gotten a Brazilian bikini wax. Her nether regions still stung a little from it, and she would have preferred to do it a day ago to let any irritation subside, but she’d had no choice on the timing.

  “Shall we?” Alex murmured.

  She nodded, jumping as his hand came to rest lightly on her waist. They said good-night to the sister and made their way to the elevator. He paused long enough to do something to a keypad outside his door; it looked like he had activated a security system.

  They rode the elevator down in silence. He was apparently going to be his taciturn self tonight, and she was too nervous about going out in public in such skimpy clothing to make small talk. Sh
e supposed she shouldn’t have been surprised by the limousine waiting in front of the building, but it was a shock after the past few weeks of primitive survival.

  As the limo pulled away from the curb, she murmured, “It’s hard to believe I was washing my hair in a bucket of cold river water only a few days ago. And now this.”

  He shrugged. “I’ve never set much stock in material things.”

  “Why the limo then?”

  “It was convenient. And it makes a statement.”

  “To whom?”

  He stared out the window as if he hadn’t heard her question, but his lips were pressed together tightly. He’d heard her, all right. Why did he feel obliged to remind the staff at Doctors Unlimited that he was a wealthy guy? A statement of independence? A display of personal power? Or was Alex just thumbing his nose at them all, declaring that he didn’t need them or their job?

  Two weeks ago, she’d have seen the limo as him being an arrogant jerk. But now she knew the gesture for what it was—a flash of the insecure, unloved child demanding attention. He was a weird dichotomy of wounded child and confident man. But she supposed everybody carried around childhood baggage to some degree. Hers was not big secret, after all. Heck, the whole D.U. trip had been about declaring her independence from her childhood.

  She was in no position to judge Alex for having his own baggage to haul around. Besides, under normal circumstances, when people weren’t trying to kill him and he wasn’t forced to interact with his father, she expected the child inside him was kept carefully locked away.

  She might as well start her campaign to breach the Fortress of Alex Solitude. “Who all’s going to be at this party?” she asked lightly.

  He finally glanced over at her. “Worried you’ll be underdressed?”

  She raised one eyebrow at him. “I’m perfectly satisfied with my dress, thank you very much. I just wanted to get an idea of who to expect to meet.”

  The fire in his eyes flared momentarily and then settled once more. “Most of D.U.’s senior staff should be there. And a bunch of diplomatic types from countries that D.U. uses to insert its people into hot spots. Should be quite the United Nations.”

  It made sense. D.U. needed to stay on good terms with as many countries as possible so its doctors would be allowed to enter the countries to treat patients and to transit them to reach less friendly nations like Zaghastan, where doctors slipped in illegally to treat locals.

  Interesting that Alex mentioned nothing about trying to spot the mole on the D.U. staff. Surely that was the main item on his personal agenda for tonight. Hell, after seducing Alex, it was the main item on hers!

  The limo pulled up in front of the converted mansion that housed Doctors Unlimited. The driver opened the door for them, and Alex held a hand out to her. She laid her hand in his palm, and the contact was electric. No matter how antisocial Alex was being with her, the intensely sexual spark between them was still alive and well.

  That dangerous darkness she found so irresistible came over him as he ushered her into the foyer. The spy had gone to work. He reached for her coat, and she held her breath nervously.

  He lifted her coat off her shoulders and took a moment to look her over from neck to toes. “You do like to play with fire, don’t you?” he said, low and rough.

  “The hotter the better,” she shot back.

  “Careful, little girl. I can burn you bad enough you’ll never recover.”

  “I dare you,” she declared.

  His eyelids dropped to half-mast and one corner of his mouth turned up. He said lightly, “You really shouldn’t have done that.”

  “Chicken?” she challenged.

  “I’m not one of your brothers, and I’m not ten years old. I don’t indulge in childish dares.”

  “What do you indulge in? Why are you afraid to show me?”

  He placed a hand on her waist and guided her toward the large reception area. He muttered under his breath, “All in good time, little lamb.”

  The threat simmering in his words sent shivers rippling down her spine. “About damn time,” she breathed, mostly to herself.

  Alex’s eyes went a little blacker and his hand clenched her waist a little bit tighter. Good. She’d hate to think she was the only one having trouble breathing normally or concentrating on saying hello to the tuxedoed member of D.U.’s board of directors who stepped forward to meet them in concern. For the life of her, she couldn’t dredge up the man’s name.

  “Are you two all right? We were appalled to hear about the massacre,” he declared.

  “Massacre?” Katie echoed, startled.

  “Why, yes. Everybody in that village you were stationed beside—Karshan was it?—was killed in a rebel attack the same night you fled the area.”

  She stared, aghast.

  “By the by, in the future, we’d appreciate it if you two contacted us sooner to let us know you’re alive. There was quite a panic around the offices while we tried to find out your status.”

  Alex replied drily, “We were a little occupied avoiding being killed. I called as soon as I felt we were actually safe.”

  “But that wasn’t until this morning,” the man blustered.

  “That’s correct,” Alex bit out. “Come, Katie,” he ordered quietly.

  She followed Alex obediently as he literally turned his back on the man and walked away. “And we’re being intentionally rude to him why?” she asked under her breath.

  “Because he’s an ass, and I’ll call in when I damn well please.”

  “Why’s he an ass?”

  “He sprang the news of the massacre on us to see what our reactions would be. The bastard was checking to make sure we had no part in perpetrating it.”

  “No way,” she replied, appalled. “We were aid workers delivering babies.”

  “You forget—I’m the firstborn son of the devil.”

  She frowned up at him. “Why would they send you out if they thought you would turn on the people you’re supposed to help?”

  He lifted two flutes of champagne off the tray of pre-poured glasses and handed one to her with a tight smile. “To set me up.”

  “Is it possible you’re being a wee bit paranoid?”

  His smile stayed, but his eyes went grim. Angry. “It’s not paranoia if the boogeyman is actually following you.”

  “Alex, I saw you work your tail off, delivering babies. I watched you fight like crazy to save that fourteen-year-old, and we both know how hard you tried to save Dawn’s mother. You weren’t out there to kill anyone.”

  “I nearly killed the guy who tracked us.”

  “But you didn’t kill him, did you?”

  “No.”

  “You tried to save him, in fact.”

  Alex shrugged in reluctant agreement.

  “There you have it. You’re not the monster you seem to think everyone sees when they look at you.”

  “It’s not my imagination, Katie. Look at how people are avoiding us right now.”

  “Their loss,” she replied stoutly. “I’m cute and fun, and you’re endlessly fascinating to talk with.”

  “Just talk?” he murmured.

  “You’re fascinating in other ways, and you know it,” she scolded lightly.

  “Mmm. And don’t forget it.”

  “Not bloody likely,” she retorted.

  He laughed dangerously, and heads swiveled in their direction. Too many heads and too fast. Everyone in the room seemed to be keeping an eye on Alex. Or maybe it was just that he and she made such a handsome couple. Or maybe Alex wasn’t being excessively paranoid at all.

  André Fortinay, director of Doctors Unlimited’s operations, approached them, a jovial and obviously fake smile on his face. He pumped Alex’s hand a little too enthusiastically. Katie knew Alex well enough to see the sarcasm in his expression as he greeted their boss.

  “Glad to have you back safe and sound!” André boomed. He was a big, hearty man with an ample girth and down-home personality, c
ompletely unlike what Katie expected from a Frenchman.

  “We’re glad to be home,” Alex replied evenly.

  “What the hell happened over there?”

  Alex shrugged. “We delivered babies as long as we could. When the rebels came, we fled. We made our way out by whatever means we could find, and here we are. Back in modern civilization.”

  André’s pleasant gaze went less pleasant for just a moment, and then he was back to his cheerful, bluff self, declaring them brave and lucky as hell. Katie snorted mentally. Luck had nothing to do with their making it home alive. Alex’s mad skills and his making a deal with the devil were the only reasons the three of them were safe and sound.

  Speaking of Dawn, if the village her mother came from had been eradicated, that meant the infant likely had no surviving relatives from her mother’s clan. It became more imperative than ever to find the child’s birth father.

  “Were there no survivors of the village at all?” Katie asked André.

  “None. It was a horrific massacre.”

  “The rebels did it, you say?” Alex asked.

  “That’s what our sources tell us.”

  Alex asked casually, “Did your sources tell you about the high-tech attack drones, armored vehicles, laser-guided RPGs and air strikes?”

  “Excuse me?” André asked urgently.

  “Since when are the Zaghastani rebels armed like a first-world military force?” Alex bit out.

  André looked distracted and moved away quickly.

  “He’s not our man,” Alex muttered.

  “We’re looking for someone?” Katie asked low. She was right, after all. Alex’s main reason in coming here tonight was to look for the mole.

  “Someone from D.U. knew what they were sending us into.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “Why else would they send me?” he asked gently.

  She frowned, not understanding.

  “Think about it. I’m a pariah. I’m not even an obstetrician. Why would they send me in there unless I was expendable?”