Die for Me

by Nichole Severn

  “Well”—she leaned back again—“throw in a letter my ex wrote to break up with me, have Isaac or whoever change the name of who sent it and you’ve got yourself some evidence. They called it a crime of passion.”

  Her face wasn’t visible as she rested her head on her folded arms, but Taigen imagined a dream-like expression on it. “What about you? Are you going to go back to a day job when this is all over? Do you guys even have day jobs?”

  “No.” He threw a twig into the fire. “I don’t know what I’ll do.”

  “You don’t have somewhere you want to go or see?”

  There was one place, but Taigen had difficulty imagining himself there. “England.”

  “What’s in England?”

  “My accent for one. Can’t believe how much of it I’ve lost.” With the emotion, his voice deepened, the ends of his sentences rising more like a question when he spoke. He’d barely pronounced his ts and suddenly he was overcome with the desire to return to his heritage. He didn’t go on. In reality there was nothing for him in the land of his ancestors. Where else do you have to go?

  He caught a smile from her and memorized every element of it. Torrhent was beautiful when she smiled. Carefree. That look would soon be replaced with horror, but he’d do everything he could to prevent her from being harmed. He’d promised to protect her, but a woman who could protect herself in even the smallest ways would ease the tension that had been building since he met her. “Get up.”

  “What?”

  “Just get up.”

  She did, brushing the dust from her clothing.

  “All right.” He wrapped his fingers around her biceps and pushed her to the right. “Stand here. Put your right leg back like this.” His hand skimmed down the front of her thigh and directed her into position. She was warm, fragile. “Okay, put your hands up like this. Put your right arm out a little farther than the left.”

  Torrhent copied him, both arms in front of her, shaping into a V. “Are you teaching me to box?”

  “I’m going to teach you how to throw a punch.” Taigen got into his own position, facing off with her. The light from the campfire lit her strong features, taking his mind off the fact that in less than twenty-four hours he’d have to expose her to the bad guys and hope for the best. “Okay, you want to make your body as small of a target as possible. Turn your hips this way.”

  He reached for her, but she beat him to it. “Good. You’re going to rotate your right hip forward with everything you’ve got. That’s going to give you the momentum to knock me on my ass.”

  “You really think I can keep trained killers at bay with this?”

  Taigen ignored her. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Closing his eyes, he imagined her exact position. “Punch me.”

  “You know, I’ve been waiting a long time to hear you say that.”

  He heard her move and dodged to his right.

  She tried again, but this time he went to the left.

  “Your predictability is going to get you killed.” Taigen opened his eyes, finding her in the starting position just as he’d showed her.

  “How did you—You couldn’t even see me!”

  “Sight isn’t your only sense. Again, but try to be quiet about it.”

  “I can do that.”

  He closed his eyes. And waited.

  Five seconds passed. Ten. Twenty. What was she waiting for?

  Taigen opened his eyes and smiled.

  Torrhent wasn’t there.

  Logically, there was only one place to hide, and he turned just in time to avoid being struck from behind. Dodging to the right, he chuckled as her momentum carried her past him and face-first onto the ground.

  “See? You’re catching on already.”

  “Twenty years of ballet kept me on my toes.” It was just a slight remark, but one she hadn’t let slip before.

  “You’re a dancer?” The idea intrigued him.

  “Once.” Torrhent brushed dirt from her clothes again.

  “Your turn.”

  “Are you going to punch me in the face?” Her voice sounded wary and he couldn’t blame her.

  “Not if you move fast enough.” He smiled and shot her a wink, trying to ease her worries. “You can do this. Close your eyes.”

  Torrhent closed her eyes, her face peaceful for just a moment. “I guess I’m not trying to impress anyone at this point in my life. A black eye won’t be so bad.”

  “Stop talking and just listen. What do you hear?” Taigen stepped to his right, circling her slowly and as quietly as he could.

  “The campfire.”

  “Good. What else?” He watched her chest rise and fall evenly and moved again. He wasn’t more than an inch away from her, inhaling her citrusy scent. The kiss he planted on the back of her neck was gentle but started a frenzy he wasn’t ready for. Watching the shadows the campfire cast on her face made him realize he’d never been so turned on in his life. He couldn’t stop imagining the feel of those toned arms and legs wrapped around his torso.

  She remained frozen as he started moving again.

  Her head automatically followed him around. “Left foot.”

  He stepped back.

  “Right foot. There’s a difference between your feet.”

  Taigen reached for her, but was surprised to see her move out of the way. He tried again, faster, and she dodged him a second time. “You sure you haven’t done this before?”

  He finished his small circle, facing her again.

  She released a loud exhale, a smile spreading across her face. “That was fun. Teach me more.”

  He stared at her for a moment, taken aback. Her enthusiasm eased a great deal of the anxiety working up his throat as he pondered what she’d be faced with tomorrow.

  “I’m going to be in the hands of killers soon, which I still think is a bad idea. But you know, that’s because my life will be at stake.” Her expression sobered with the realization. “Teach me how to survive.”

  “We’ve been over the plan already. If they think they’ve won, they’ll let their guard down. Once I’ve taken out Adelaide, I will come for you.”

  Hesitation and doubt flashed across her expression, but disappeared faster than they’d appeared.

  Taigen gripped her biceps, feeling the toned muscle beneath his fingers. He understood her concern, but couldn’t focus on it. To save lives, sacrifices had to be made. “You’re strong, Torrhent. You can do this.”

  He gave her a closed-lipped smile. “Besides, with you in custody, Isaac will be distracted. He won’t be prepared when I put a bullet in his head.”

  Taigen got back into position. She had good reason for her concern, but what she failed to realize was he’d already given her his word. He’d saved her life and protected her to this point. What more could she want from a killer like him? Blood oath? “For now, let’s just focus on keeping you alive.”

  Chapter 13

  Neon beer signs illuminated the windows of the bar, run-down vehicles speckling the dirt lot. The lack of patrons gave Taigen the ability to study each person, but the only one he was interested in had her arms around his neck. The hardwood creaked under their feet, adding to the ambiance of the small-town watering hole. Here in the Rockies, evidence of God’s wrathful nature took the form of floods and the bar had seen its share. Several of the tables had been bolted to the floor and a new section of the wood paneling had been added after mildew took over. The smell of beer and sweat assaulted his nose but didn’t distract him from his purpose.

  The pretense of taking a spin around the dance floor with Torrhent gave him an uninterrupted view of every inch of the bar. He studied the door, the main room and the bathrooms, convinced the people they’d come here to meet had taken the same precautions. They were here. Somewhere.

  “Any sign of them?” she asked. Torrhent readjusted her arms around his neck, nearly standing on her tiptoes to reach his shoulders. Her body pressed against his, limiting his range of motion, but Taigen
didn’t care in the least.

  He fingered one of the knives hidden in the back waistband of her jeans and smiled over her shoulder. “Nothing yet.”

  “They’re a half hour late.”

  “You sound worried.” Taigen pulled her in tighter, his nose then his lips grazing her left ear.

  “Shouldn’t I be?”

  His gaze circled the bar once again, but the feel of her body against his brought back the memories of their night together. The smell of her citrusy skin mixed with dirt and sweat exhilarated him. He wanted more.

  Stay focused. He gripped the handle of one of the blades hidden beneath her shirt.

  Taigen buried his nose into her short hair as he skimmed a pair of men who’d just walked in the front door. Darting eyes. Tense jawlines. Slow, lithe movements. “They’re here.”

  Torrhent tried to turn in his grip, but he kept her still.

  “Don’t look. They haven’t spotted you yet.”

  Cigarette smoke and more bodies blocked a clear view, but Taigen wasn’t going to take his eyes off of them. Dancing across the hardwood planks with Torrhent in his grasp had been more than he could ask for, but now it was time to get down to business.

  They broke apart and he led her toward the bar. “Order a drink. Don’t attract attention.”

  “What are you going to do?”

  “I’m going to greet our new friends.”

  * * *

  Torrhent made her way to an empty stool at the far edge of the bar. She slouched down into it. The man on the next stool turned toward her in anticipation. She tried to ignore his foul smell by keeping an eye on Taigen.

  “How’s it going, pretty lady?” he asked, showing crooked yellow teeth. His facial hair was scraggy and graying and his lips cracked with a cigarette in between.

  She guessed he was in his early sixties but couldn’t be sure; his obvious addiction to cigarettes may have aged his appearance. “I’m fine.”

  He put his full attention on her neckline, gazing at the opening over her cleavage. “Can I buy you a drink?” His raspy voice made her skin prickle.

  Torrhent breathed slowly, trying to inhale enough oxygen, but the room wouldn’t allow it. “My boyfriend is getting me a drink, but thanks.”

  The lie slipped from her lips easily enough, but a picture of Taigen settled in her mind. He wasn’t boyfriend material. Hell, he wasn’t even friend material. She sat straight in her chair, facing the bar as she exhaled roughly.

  He chuckled, jiggling the second chin around his neck. “Sweetie, you don’t have a boyfriend if you’re in here.” He reached for her slowly.

  A hand interfered, grabbing him by the wrist.

  She made eye contact with the second man, but didn’t recognize him.

  “I believe she told you no.” His Spanish accent crawled across her skin, soothing worry from her heart and soul. He was thin with shoulder-length black hair and a triangle of facial hair on his chin.

  The old man pulled his hand away then hurried off the stool. “My mistake.”

  Torrhent quickly scanned the bar, trying to catch a glimpse of Taigen in the crowded room as the Mexican took a seat. She’d lost him and the duo she’d end up leaving with by the end of the meet.

  The stranger tipped his cowboy hat down as a courtesy. “Name’s Rigger.” He motioned the bartender for a drink. “You look thirsty. Are you sure you wouldn’t like a drink?”

  Torrhent shook her head, still looking for Taigen. “Like I told him, I’m fine.”

  “You seem distracted.” Rigger set both elbows on the bar, facing it completely as he sipped at the drink that had been placed in front of him a few seconds before. He kept his head down, concentrating on the glass. The poor guy had no idea he was in over his head by sitting next to her.

  Guilt overcame her. Rigger shouldn’t be here. Things were about to get dangerous and a courteous guy like him didn’t deserve to suffer. “Thank you for getting rid of Smoke Stack over there, but I have to go.”

  She knocked into him as she dropped off the bar stool, rattling the dog tags hanging from his neck. He was one of the good guys, a soldier. “Sorry.”

  “Going already?” Rigger asked behind a wall of thick black hair. “I thought you might want to stay and chat, Torrhent.”

  She froze, keeping her eyes glued to his. “How do you know my name?”

  He turned toward her on the stool. “I get paid to know.”

  Torrhent snapped her mouth shut. So this is how they’re going to play, she thought and searched for Taigen again. She spotted him in a booth across the bar. She could just make it if she moved fast enough.

  She lurched forward.

  A switchblade the size of her thumb pressed into her side, nearly pulling a scream from her throat. Rigger stepped closer to her, his voice low. “If you scream, I’ll kill you right now.”

  He pulled back slowly, studying her.

  Sweat dripped down her hairline and neck now. The noise in the bar seemed to increase as her heart rate galloped into what she imagined was a fatal pace. Fear dried out her throat and mouth, but a bitter taste remained on her tongue. She licked at her dry lips and tried one last attempt to catch Taigen’s eye.

  Rigger brushed his free hand against her face, pushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “He can’t see us, love. Turn around slowly and walk.”

  “Where?”

  “Wherever I tell you.”

  Torrhent did as she was told and slowly made her way through the crowd. She felt Rigger at her back, keeping close in case she decided to bolt. The idea ran across her mind, but making her way through all the bodies was hard enough. She couldn’t imagine getting to the door before he caught up with her. She pushed one foot in front of the other, her fingernails digging into the soft skin of her palms. She tried to breathe evenly, giving the bar patrons smiles and pleasant expressions as she passed. She didn’t want anyone to get hurt. There wasn’t a need to include them.

  She reached the men’s bathroom door and silently waited for her next instructions, but the sound of the jukebox in the corner made it hard for her to understand the words leaving his mouth.

  “Now,” he said, stepping even closer to her, “turn toward me.”

  She did and he pressed his chest against hers. It was too intimate, an action a friend or lover might have made, and Torrhent had a hard time keeping her hands at her sides. She wanted to push him back, to spit in his face. It’ll only make things worse.

  He leaned down, his lips hovering over hers. “Back up slowly.”

  Rigger moved with her as he held the bathroom door open for them to enter together.

  She kept her eyes averted from him, watching the crowd for any sign they’d help, but disappointment blossomed in the center of her chest as the door automatically closed behind them.

  * * *

  Torrhent disappeared into the men’s bathroom with a knife at her back. Taigen’s jaw clenched as he eyed the two hit men across the booth from him.

  The gun aimed at him made the bullet in his chest twitch.

  They need her alive. The mantra refused to slow his racing pulse. Despite years of controlling his emotions and using compartmentalizing techniques, Taigen couldn’t get a grip on the anger coursing through his veins. No Adelaide. No Rutler. And now, his prime leverage to find both had fallen into the enemy’s hands.

  The bar’s patrons spun around the dance floor in cowboy boots and hats. They had no idea three assassins sat at a booth less than five feet away from them and they wouldn’t ever find out.

  “Move slow.” Another Russian, larger than the first, motioned toward the exit with the barrel of the pistol. “Now. You want woman. She outside.”

  Taigen gave them both a small smile. They didn’t have Adelaide, but he’d play their game all the same to save the nice people around him from getting hurt. He slid to his feet.

  “After you,” the Russian said.

  The hot air caught in his throat as a pair of glowing eyes star
ed back at him from the brush. Taigen walked around the side of the bar into the shadows and turned to confront the two men at his back.

  The hit to his face was expected, but the force behind it surprised the hell out of him. Taigen slammed into the ground, inhaling bits of dust as he remembered how to breathe. “Ouch.”

  A swift kick to the Russian’s knee brought him down. Taigen got to his feet, his fist connecting with the second fighter’s throat. He swung his foot into the Russian’s face, knocking him unconscious. The tussle didn’t last long but pushed just the right amount of adrenaline through his veins to prepare for the larger hurdle.

  The coyote in the brush moved forward, licking its lips.

  Taigen stepped away, hands raised to the sky. “They’re all yours, buddy.”

  * * *

  She’d gone far enough into the bathroom to realize one other person was present and turned to face them. A glimpse of hope radiated throughout her body before she realized the Japanese-American standing with a pistol in his hand was not someone she could trust.

  No one would help her.

  “You never intended to trade me for Adelaide.” Torrhent pushed her gaze away, forcing herself to study the room, to study her surroundings in anticipation of using it to her advantage. Escape. It was all that mattered.

  The bathroom was large, laid with small white commercial tile all across the floor. Four urinals and two stalls took up the right wall with five sinks on her left. At the back, fifteen feet away, an alcove led to showers. For a small-town bar, the owners certainly put a lot of care into the restroom.

  Rigger wrapped his caramel fingers around her arm, turning her to face him. He checked her for weapons, his hands patting every pocket and brushing every inch of fabric on her body. He took the knives from the waistband of her pants.

  Her eyes followed the blades as he waved them in front of her.