When she nodded, he went on.
“They dragged me out of the house—right under my dad’s nose—and threw me in a car, then drove me out to the woods. We went back to the exact spot where the man had been killed the night before, and they beat me with a baseball bat. Chest and stomach only. Nothing broken, and nothing anyone would notice.” He touched his abdomen in remembered pain.
“No one but me,” Jordynn corrected, her eyes widening with sudden understanding. “Strep throat. You said you were sick and missed ten days of work and refused to let me visit.”
“I couldn’t take a chance you’d see my injuries and ask questions.”
“I would’ve lost it.” She frowned. “But when you were talking to Ivan, you said he did break some bones. And left you for dead.”
Donovan covered a cringe, wishing he hadn’t let that slip. He slid his finger over her bottom lip, then dropped his hand to his lap and shrugged.
“That came later. A different part of the story,” he said casually. “But right then...those two men held me there for hours, waiting for Ivan. When he finally showed up, he was calm, which scared me more than the beating did. He said the only thing stopping him from killing me right that second was his worry that it would jeopardize their development projects. Apparently, my life was worth saving...in exchange for millions of dollars in profit, of course. He told me if I breathed a word of what I’d seen, he’d make me suffer. He’d ensure that the murdered man’s death was traced back to me.”
Donovan closed his eyes for another moment, recalling the dead-serious look in Ivan’s eyes. The coldness. The total lack of doubt.
“Dono?”
He found her hand by touch and held it tightly, lingering there, using the feel of her to steady his mind, then pulled back and opened his eyes. “I believed him, honey. Every word. And Ivan made sure I didn’t forget. Over those ten days I spent recovering from the bruises, he came by four times. Brought me soup. I was afraid to eat it because I assumed it might be poisoned. I thought I was going crazy. But that was just the beginning. I went back to my regular life. Or tried to, for a few weeks anyway. I showed up at the office, and so did an unmarked car. I took you out for dinner. The car waited outside. I was so on edge.”
And that still wasn’t the worst of it, Donovan thought.
But there were things she didn’t need to know about. Not then. Not ever, if he could help it.
“I tried to send you away,” he reminded her, skipping over the scariest bit. “I brought you the college application.”
“You said we should change our plans. I should give up the idea of working and saving money, and you’d follow me in a few months.”
“It broke my heart, because you thought I was trying to get rid of you. Trying to get some space. It was the last thing I wanted.” Donovan tugged his ear. “I feel like I have so many things to be sorry for, honey. I just don’t even know where to start.”
“You don’t have to.”
He sucked in a breath. It was almost worse that she was so willing to forgive him. The idea that it would be so simple for her—that she would accept it all so easily—made him feel even guiltier.
“I owe you ten years,” he said roughly. “You can’t possibly just let all that time go because I said sorry.”
“What do you want me to do, Dono? Yell and scream and tell you I hate you for making me hurt?”
“It would be better,” he muttered. “Or at least make a little more sense.”
She stared at him intently, then placed her hand on his cheek. “I’m so angry that it hurts. Those years you owe me... I can’t get them back, and you can’t undo them. But if we want to get through this, Dono, we can’t sit around being mad about the past. We have to be constructive.”
Her statement reminded him why he’d brought her to this spot in the first place.
“That’s the reason we’re here in this house, in this community,” he said.
“What do you mean?”
He jumped up, strode across the room and tipped open the blinds so he could tap on the window. “Right there, Jordynn. I think the answers I need are in that little building on the hill.”
Chapter 9
Jordynn’s brain had to work hard to catch up with what Dono had just said, because she was too busy being distracted by the fact that he was standing at the window almost completely naked, all his rough edges on display. He seemed unconscious of his own exposure, and of the effect it was having on her.
But there was no denying the way her heart stuttered in her chest as she noted another scar, just below his left shoulder blade. How had he received it? She wanted to know. Wanted to hear every story.
It had always been like that with Dono—just when she was sure she knew him as well as she knew herself, something else would leap out and grab her. Make her need him all the more. She was pleasantly reminded of that fact as she let her eyes slide over him.
“Jordynn?” he prompted.
She blushed, then stood up and joined him at the window. She could feel the heat of his body, even though there were a few inches between them. It drew her in, and she had to force herself not to close those inches as she followed the direction his finger pointed.
Her gaze landed on a squat building at the edge of the property.
“What is it?” she asked.
“It’s the only thing the Haven Corporation brought with them when they decided to start their project. A portable office. From there, the foreman can oversee the building as it unfolds. And Ivan can keep an eye on everything else.”
“Don’t lots of constructions sites have them?”
“Yep. But this is—literally—the only office they own,” Dono said. “The Haven Corporation doesn’t have a place in a big building somewhere. They don’t have a publicly listed CEO, or CFO, or any corporate bank accounts. But they buy and sell billions of dollars’ worth of property. So where are they keeping their records?”
Jordynn stared at the beige structure again. It looked ready to fall apart. Even from where they stood, she could see the rust, spreading out from the bolts and threatening to overtake the whole thing.
“You think they’re keeping them there?” She couldn’t keep the disbelief from her voice.
“They have to be somewhere, either in a computer or in a filing cabinet... No way does a company with that kind of buying power not keep tabs on its money.”
Jordynn pursed her lips thoughtfully. “Couldn’t they just be holding it at someone’s house?”
Dono shook his head. “I’ve had ten years to think this over. Whose house? Who would be willing to be culpable? Not whoever is in charge, that’s for sure. And they wouldn’t be able to trust anyone else.”
She met his sure gaze. Clearly, he had had time to consider every angle. And had done so thoroughly.
“So what now?” she asked.
“I’m sure there’s a connection between the murder and the Haven Corporation. One that can be used to prove what I saw. I’ve tried, over the years, to find one. But aside from the fact that they like to tear old things down and build new things up...” He shrugged. “I’ve got nothing.”
“And you think that if we walk into that makeshift office, we’ll find something.”
“Exactly. Except for the part about we. I’m going in alone.”
“While I do what? Sit here and twiddle my thumbs? I don’t think so, Dono.”
He shot her a level glare. “I’m not willing to negotiate.”
“Because you’d rather be a martyr?”
“I’m not going to get killed.”
“Can you guarantee me that?”
“It’s something I’m definitely going to avoid.”
“Not good enough.”
“It’s the best I can do.”
Jordynn lifted her chin. “Then I’m coming with you.”
Dono shook his head. “You’re not.”
“I am.”
“I’ll tie you to the bed if I have to.”
Her face warmed. “That’s exactly what you’ll have to do.”
He sighed. “Be reasonable. If we break into the office together, and something goes wrong, who will come to our rescue?”
“Does that mean you’re giving me the go-ahead to rescue you?”
“In the unlikely event that I need rescuing...I’ll leave you the gun and you can fire from up here.”
“Even if I stood a hope in hell of actually hitting something, you might need the gun.”
He let out another sigh, louder than the first. “Can you try to make this easier?”
“If you wanted easy, you shouldn’t have got on the bad side of some criminal mastermind.”
“Hilarious.” He grabbed her elbows and spun her to face the window, then positioned himself behind her and pointed again. “I’m going to climb up the back of the hill there. The only way someone could see me is if they were in this exact spot. And since you’re the only one here, I think I’ll be safe until that point. When I get to the side of the building, I’m going to climb that little ramp there. I’ll be visible from the road, but I’ll also be able to see anyone coming in before they see me. If I even think someone’s coming, I’ll make a quick exit. If not, I’ll pick the lock, get in and get out. If you happen to see someone coming while I’m inside, twist the blinds closed, and I’ll know. I’ll check every thirty seconds or so to make sure you still have them open.”
He’d clearly spent time thinking this plan over, as well. Which probably meant he was right, too.
That doesn’t mean I have to like it.
But if they wanted to get to the bottom of what had happened, what other choice did they have? Unless...
“Ivan said his boss wanted to talk to us,” she said.
Dono met her gaze. “Nothing more than a euphemism.”
She didn’t have to ask what it was that Ivan felt needed to be glossed over. She shivered.
“So maybe we could just run.”
“Run?”
She nodded. “Like you did before. But...together.”
He stared her, his hazel eyes considering. Was he picturing it, she wondered? Seeing the two of them, living together on the road. City to city. Living a nameless life. Jordynn could almost imagine it herself.
Then, without warning, he leaned down and pressed his mouth to hers. Long and deep.
Jordynn could feel an outpouring of love and hope in the kiss, and it made her burn for this to be over. To give themselves a fighting chance at going back to being them.
But when he pulled away, it was with another sigh. “We’d never have any peace, honey. Trust me on this one. Even when they thought I was dead, I never really stopped looking over my shoulder. It’s rough and hard and every moment is a struggle. There’s no settling down, no roots. I don’t want that life. Not for either of us.”
It was Jordynn’s turn to let out a breath. “No. I guess I don’t want that, either.”
He gave her another soft kiss, then spoke against her lips. “I should go now. The quicker, the better.”
She knew it was true, but as he released her to move toward the bathroom, she couldn’t stop herself from wanting him to stay—at least for another minute or two. The need to keep him there was a physical ache.
“Wait,” she said.
He paused in the center of the room and turned back to face her, too far and too close at the same time. “For?”
“The self-defense pointers,” she said, her voice not quite steady.
“Now?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
The corner of Dono’s mouth tipped up. “Lesson one. Don’t get near the enemy when he’s practically naked.”
“I’ll try to keep that in mind.”
But now that he’d drawn attention to it again, she couldn’t keep her eyes from traveling the length of his body. From appreciating the raw masculinity of his form. From drinking it in and trying to sear it forever in her mind.
And her amusement dried up as she realized why she was desperate to keep him from leaving. The thought of letting him leave the house without her—even losing sight of him for a moment—filled her with a fear that she’d never see him again. For the second time.
“Jordynn?”
The soft, concerned way he said her name made unwanted tears form in her eyes. Self-consciously, she reached up and brushed them away, hoping he wouldn’t notice. But it was too late. In spite of the way she fought to keep them in check, they spilled onto her cheeks. Immediately, Dono strode toward her, then engulfed her in a secure hug. And for several moments, Jordynn was happy to just enjoy how safe and right she felt, pressed into his arms. But it was impossible not to notice that there was more to their closeness than just a need for comfort.
His wide, bare chest was pressed to the thin material of her T-shirt, making the sensitive skin underneath tingle. His abs were rock hard against the soft slope of her own stomach. And below that...
Jordynn swallowed.
There was the towel.
Nothing but the towel.
Dono ran his knuckles over her back, then swept her hair to one side and placed a trail of kisses along her shoulder. Then he shifted, and the towel might as well have been air. There was no doubt about where his body’s interest lay.
As his hardness pressed into her jeans, his mouth moved up her throat to find her lips again. His hands were still going, too. Through her hair and along her throat and down her shoulders, they kneaded and stroked, bringing Jordynn’s insides to life. She could feel her own need rising, increasing with each thump-thud-thump of her heart.
And just when she thought they wouldn’t be able to turn back, Dono pulled back, and lifted her chin to look into her eyes. He let her go, and Jordynn couldn’t say whether she was relieved or disappointed.
“Okay.” His voice was thick, and barely controlled. “Real self-defense lesson number one. Strike where it’s going to hurt most.”
Before she could stop herself, Jordynn glanced down. “Um.”
Dono chuckled. “Yes. There.”
“Oh.”
“If you don’t want the lessons...”
“No. I do. You’ll be gone. I might need to protect myself.”
His face darkened—as if the fact that him being alone also meant she would be alone just registered. “You need to keep the gun.”
“I can’t even fire a gun.”
“I can teach you.”
“Accurately? In less time than you can teach me where to kick?”
He looked like he wanted to argue, but he just shook his head. “Don’t just use your feet. You can also go for the throat or eyes. That’ll work, too. When you’re hitting, stick with an open hand. Use the base of your palm for force, or your nails if you want to add a little bite.”
“Is that how you’d do it?” she countered. “By fighting like a girl?”
“That’s an insult to girls everywhere.” He grinned, but his expression sobered quickly. “Seriously, though. You need to be able to pull off these moves under stress. You’ll want to lash out, so you have to harness that. Martial arts or competitive fighting is a whole other ball game. They each take years of training. But a knee in the groin or an elbow in the gut is going to help you right away.”
“Like this?”
Jordynn stepped toward him and did a series of moves, miming each of his suggestions. She got through the knee. Then the feigned eye scratch. And even the flat-palmed blow to the chin. But when she spun to deliver the fake elbow, her feet got tangled in a sheet at the foot of the bed. She tried to stop, but mom
entum got the better of her, and her arm flung backward to hit Dono smack in the gut. For real. He let out a groan, and Jordynn sputtered an apology.
“Oh, my God, I’m so—” Her words cut off as Dono grabbed her hand and spun her around. “What are you—Oh!”
He twisted again, then tossed her onto the bed, gripped her wrists and immobilized her. “Lesson two. Don’t underestimate your enemy.”
“Ha, ha.” She struggled against his hold, but he didn’t budge. “Didn’t you say that you had to leave?”
“Didn’t you say that you really wanted to learn some self-defense?”
“I don’t think this counts.”
“All I’m doing is demonstrating that the second you let your guard down is the second your attacker wins.”
“So you think you’re winning?”
He shook his head. “Definitely not. All you have to do is ask me nicely, and I’ll let you go. If that’s what you want.”
Jordynn stared up at Dono, mesmerized. His damp hair hung down over her face, framing his strong features. His wide shoulders stretched out around her, straining as he both held himself up and kept her in place.
And she was tongue-tied. Unable to voice a lie and say no. But also too damned scared to admit that no matter how much her brain warned her heart that it had to be cautious, her body had other ideas.
* * *
Donovan watched Jordynn’s expression, half willing her to beg him to stay, half willing her to ask him to let her go. Not because he was torn about wanting her.
Hell, no.
There was nothing he was surer about. He loved her. Every move he’d made ten years earlier had been because of it. Every move since, too.
What made him hold back was something far more complicated. He needed her to reciprocate. To say it aloud. Not just to want him back, but to acknowledge it outright. The quiver of her lip and her short inhales and exhales that made her chest rise and fall a little wildly gave away her physical desire. He knew her well enough to read her signals, even after all these years. But he could see in her eyes that she had her doubts. Worries that he couldn’t blame her for, concerns that were so very, very founded. How could she let the hurt go, when he couldn’t do it himself?
Last Chance Hero Page 11
