by Han, Barb
He flipped on the kitchen switch. The electricity worked. Light was good. Then again, he could think of a few intriguing ideas involving the woman on the couch and a dark room. He smiled to himself. It might be even more fun with the lights on. He shook off the thought and refocused.
Gregory was set up in the secondary bedroom monitoring the weather situation.
Crossing to the bathroom, Jaden peeled off both his wetsuit and jockeys. His new cell rang. He answered it, hoping like hell it was Gunner.
“What’s the plan?” Her voice was undeniable.
“Helena, I told you we’ve got this. I have Gregory right here if I need backup.” She must’ve leaned on all her contacts to figure out where he was. She was smart. How the hell was he going to keep her out of this fight?
“You already know how I feel about letting others fight my battles.”
He didn’t like the sound in her voice. He wished he’d been able to see her, check on her for himself after the funeral. She had every right to be upset. He hadn’t been there for her in the way he should. He’d been shot and agency protocol required he be tucked away. He hated the way it felt like he’d turned his back on her when she needed his support most. Support? He stifled a laugh. Helena would see support as charity. She accepted charity from no one. “You heard from Gunner?”
“No.”
He paused. “We’ll get the guy who killed Tim.”
“No, I will.”
“How’d you know I was here?”
“I didn’t.”
Click.
She must’ve hacked into the system and started calling random cell numbers until she located him. She was determined, and he couldn’t blame her. On a primal level, he totally understood her need for revenge.
He checked his wounds. They amounted to a handful of scrapes and bruises, except for the golf ball sitting on top of his shoulder from the dislocation. He rotated his arm and shoulder outward slowly and steadily. He gripped the sink basin. With a primal grunt, he pushed up on his feet until his muscles and tendons stretched enough for the joint to slide into his shoulder socket.
Relief came instantly. He moved to the shower. The warm splash eased his weather-torn body. Closing his eyes, he let heat from warm water penetrate his sore muscles. Jaden faced another harsh reality; a storm like this would probably get worse. A lot worse. Hadn’t Bryce said something about a hurricane?
Bryce. Someone from the agency would have to tell his girlfriend. Thinking about him tightened the muscles in Jaden’s chest. His fists clenched involuntarily.
If he could get Lauren and himself to the primary checkpoint safely, sophisticated communication equipment would be there. He could guarantee her safety. But when? How? The weather sure as hell wasn’t cooperating.
This was far better than being somewhere out there dodging bullets. He could protect Lauren in the condo. An image of the two of them, swimsuit clad, vacationing at the condo popped into his mind. And kids. Yeah, dude, that makes about as much sense as Frosty the Snowman moving to Fiji.
Losing his friends played tricks with his psyche. Jaden shook water out of his hair. Not once had Jaden considered having children. His job was his life, and he was a damn good soldier. And yet, hadn’t he been feeling like something was missing from his life lately?
A minute later, he toweled off, wiping the thought from his brain permanently.
“What do you have for us to wear?” he asked, poking his head into Gregory’s room.
“In the next room. On the bed. I laid out clothes for both of you.”
“Cool. What’s the weather doing?”
“Stable for now. We’re cut off out here from the worst of it. But if this monster turns, we’re in bad shape.”
“Still no word from Gunner?”
Gregory shook his head.
“Keep trying to locate him. Use whatever means necessary.” He’d tell him to put a trace on Helena’s cell if it wouldn’t create a backdoor a smart hacker could breach. He needed to keep a closer eye on her. Her blind fury could cost her life.
Jaden found a white T-shirt, a pair of jeans, and fresh boxers laid out on the bed in the master. There were dry socks and tennis shoes, too. His version of Christmas morning.
He slipped them on.
The only clothes he found on the other side of the bed were horrible, sack-looking dresses. He stifled a laugh. He seriously doubted he could force those on Lauren. She’d look hot in anything she put on, but she wouldn’t think so. Suddenly, the image of her standing in the boat wearing nothing but a white lace bra and panties flashed in his brain. His earlier erection tried to revive itself. Traitor.
Lauren awakened his emotions. Brought a glimpse of light into the darkest corners of his heart. No. She’s an asset. Remember that.
Jaden seriously needed to control his hormones. This had never been a problem on an assignment before.
He shuffled through drawers until he found something suitable for her. A pair of jeans and T-shirt.
Sizing them up, he grinned. Practically looked like children’s clothes up next to him. She’d fit.
After folding the outfit and placing it on a chair in the living room, he dug around in the kitchen. They needed food. He was hungry, tired, and beaten. His shoulder still ached. All in all, a hell of a lot better than he’d been half an hour ago.
Surprisingly, none of it mattered. Jaden felt alive being back in the field. Even though the woman sleeping in the next room played tricks on his emotions. He couldn’t ignore the simple fact that she picked at the chinks in his armor. She threatened to bring parts of him back to the light that had long since been buried … and were better left dormant. Where’s that food?
Lauren stirred. He glanced over.
Her even breathing said she was still asleep.
The winds kicked up so strong it sounded as though the walls groaned. This location was up against the sea wall. He had to prepare himself mentally for the fact they might have to bolt before they were ready.
Better wake up Lauren to give her time to shower and dress. First, she needed food.
There was fruit in the kitchen and rolls. He fixed a plate, set it down on the coffee table, and eased onto the edge of the sofa.
She was so close his fingers tensed from wanting to go rogue and trail the curves of her back, get lost in that fiery mane. He swallowed hard as he strained painfully inside his shorts. The traitor was back.
“Wake up, sweetheart. Not sure how much longer we’ll be able to stick around here.” The weather most likely made it impossible for anyone at the agency to extract them.
She looked groggy and small as she sat up. He quirked a smile. Small was the furthest word from his mind when it came to describing her personality.
“Has to be safer than out there, right?” she asked through a sleepy yawn.
She stretched those long, lean runners legs, looking sexy as hell.
A sudden urge to kiss the small freckle above her lip overcame him. This is not the time. He needed to maintain focus. Pointing to clothes neatly stacked on a side chair, he said, “Wasn’t sure about your size. Looks like they’ll fit.”
Her focus bounced from the pile of clothes back to meet his. “They’ll be fine. At least they’re dry. Where’d you find them?”
Jaden bent forward to rest his elbows on his knees, clasping his hands together. He didn’t blame her for looking at him like that. Especially when they were back on the rocks and he’d all but accused her of working with the cartel. The pain of his accusation had sizzled in her eyes ever since.
Regret formed a lump in his throat. Why was it easier to push her away than to admit he had feelings for her?
He motioned toward the plate of food. He didn’t dare make eye contact with her this close, unsure of what his libido might do. “Eat something.”
“Those windows don’t look safe,” she said taking a bite of the roll as if it were a steak dinner. “Think they’ll hold?”
“I honestly don’
t know.”
“Guess we’ll figure it out soon enough.”
Her gaze appraised him suspiciously. He deserved it. Didn’t like it. But he couldn’t deny he deserved it. If he trusted her, he would’ve told her the truth already about her brother.
Gaining her trust was mission-critical. He’d had no problem any whatever means at his disposal to turn an asset before. So why all of a sudden was he developing a conscience?
“I was honest with you before,” he said. “I really don’t know who ultimately hired me. I don’t always know.”
“Then how can you be sure you’re working for one of the good guys?”
“That much I can tell you. We take assignments from the government and large corporations. We bring down cartels, terrorists, governments, and bad guys.”
She repositioned herself, sitting a bit straighter against the couch as she stopped chewing. “Criminals like my brother?”
“Yes. Like Max. And a lot of other types of evil.”
She dropped the piece of pineapple, didn’t speak.
“I’m sorry. You might be related, but he’s one of them.”
“I know. Believe me, I know. I hate what he’s become. I do. It’s just hard to hear. I’ve turned my back on it for so long now. Pretended it wasn’t happening. And look where that got me.” She glanced around, wincing when thunder clapped loudly. “I’d still rather not know, to be honest.”
“Look. There’s something else I need to tell you about Max.”
She sat up, rigid, her back ramrod straight now, her brown-gold eyes wide. “Which is?”
“Word on the street said he got out.” Why did he feel the need to tell her this? He’d always played his hand close to his chest.
“What do you mean by got out? As in quit?” A look of pure disbelief darkened her features. “And you didn’t tell me that before?”
Her reaction couldn’t have hurt more than a knife to Jaden’s heart. “Which bothers me because it makes even less sense why they kidnapped him,” he continued, resisting the urge to take her in his arms and take her confusion away. Or do a dozen other things his body wanted to do with her. She’d probably fight back anyway. And he deserved it. He momentarily forgot she was part of a case again, which wasn’t like him at all. He’d never compromised an assignment by getting emotional with an asset.
“Can you actually get away from bad men like these?”
He nodded. “It’s rare though.”
“How long ago?”
Jaden caught her stare, looked at her deadpan. “Six months.”
Lauren set the plate down beside her and got to her feet quickly. She paced as thunder rolled in the distance. “That’s when he started call —”
“Look. Don’t do this. I didn’t tell you before because I didn’t want you to blame yourself.”
“We both know you didn’t tell me because you didn’t trust me. Even so, I had a right to know,” she said, her eyes practically shooting daggers at him.
Jaden didn’t speak. A slip of conscience niggled at him. She was right on both counts.
“Then why? Why did they take him?”
“That’s the game-show-winning question. It wasn’t to kill him. They would have done that already.”
Her pace quickened, and she chewed on her thumbnail. “Is it because of the money? They wanted more. Maybe he owed them or had to buy his way out?”
These guys didn’t usually kidnap for cash owed. Ordinarily, they chopped men up and buried the pieces deep in a South American jungle. That information he would keep to himself. “Not their usual style of collection.”
“So there’s more to it.”
They were torturing this guy and killing everyone in their path. Jaden needed to know why. “Can you think of any other reason they’d do this to your brother?”
“When they called, they put him on the phone. He begged me not to come. Said they’d just kill me too.” Large round droplets were spilling from her eyes now. “He sounded resigned to dying.”
“That couldn’t have been easy to hear.” Damn. She’d been through enough already and here Jaden was piling on more. He didn’t like being the one to tell her this. He wanted to be her protector, blocking out everything bad or threatening. He told himself she’d think more clearly without distractions and not because he was developing feelings for her. The kiss on the rocky island had imprinted him. He could still taste her.
A gust of wind slammed the windows, causing them to bow.
Lauren gasped.
Jaden popped to his feet and said, “Better grab a shower while we still have hot water. Have no idea if the generator will hold. Toothbrush is on the counter. Found some new ones in the cabinet. They’re still in wrappers.”
Nodding, she grabbed the clothes stack and darted toward the bathroom.
Jaden waited outside the door, debating his next move. Their safe house was an old military compound. The condo, being a makeshift location, was therefore more vulnerable. The storm tripled the threat. Also made it more difficult to leave.
The lights dimmed, and then Jaden found himself standing inside a black hallway.
Lauren screamed.
Jaden opened the door so fast it smacked against the wall.
“What is it?”
“C-c-cold.”
The faucet turned off and a few moments later Lauren appeared wrapped in a towel. Lightning lit up the small hallway. She stood there shivering.
“How about that generator?” Jaden shouted to Gregory.
“Sorry. I’m working on it. For now, power’s gone,” Gregory shouted from the other room.
Jaden retrieved another towel and moved to her. It took all his energy to cover her with the cloth and look away from the soft curve of her bare shoulder, which glistened with tiny beads of water.
Find her brother and they’d have answers. One of Menendez’s boys killed Tim. They were responsible for Smith’s and Bryce’s deaths too.
“You ever been through anything like this before?” Lauren asked as Jaden led her into the living room.
The volume rose on the radio in the other room, cutting through the gale force winds.
A voice broke through the static … “Hurricane Claire is pounding the coast of Antigua. If you’re not already evacuated, stay put. The eye is moving over the northern coast, so stay where you are for a few more hours. The second half is on its way.”
“Trust me. We’ll get through this. You know that, right?” He lowered his voice.
She didn’t respond or budge. Panic must’ve caused her to freeze. Losing self-control wasn’t good. She’d been through a lot already. If she slipped into shock … game over. He took her in his arms to warm her. Pulling her close did little else but cause her lilac scent to fill his senses. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”
Her long lashes swept up, and her golden eyes stared into his. “I know,” she said softly.
Jaden sighed sharply, unsure of why he felt compelled to offer reassurance, to tell her what he’d never spoken aloud before, when all he wanted to do was cover her mouth with his kisses. “Believe me when I say I know how important finding your brother is to you.”
She broke eye contact. “You can’t possibly know what this is like. Not when you go around saving people all the time.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. I had a brother once, too.”
Her gaze came up to meet his. “What happened?”
“He was four years older than me. Got involved in the wrong crowd in high school. Drugs. He was small time. Got shot and killed when a deal went bad.” His voice caught. His fists clenched and released. “He was just a kid. Didn’t know what he was doing. He died for forty dollars. That’s what they took from him as they stepped over him and left him for dead.”
She lifted her gaze to study his face, examine every curve, as though his confession explained a lot. “It’s the real reason you do this job, isn’t it? Because you couldn’t save him.”
He shrugged, n
on-committal. He didn’t want to examine his actions any more than he wanted to face the shaft of light to his heart brought on by her smile.
“Why’re you telling me this now?”
He rolled his shoulders, winced. Damned if he knew. He wanted, no needed, her to know she was different. “I wanted to be honest. With you. With myself. Show you I’d never fight this hard for the wrong side.”
She paused, looking everywhere but at him. “You still think I’m involved somehow?”
His gut instinct told him no from the beginning, but he couldn’t trust it anymore. Jaden lifted his gaze and took in her beautiful face. She stood so close he could smell the lilac soap she’d used minutes ago. He could almost taste her minty breath. There was no rational explanation for what he was about to say … why he needed to know the answer so badly. “I asked you before, and I’m asking you now, are you?”
Shocked, hurt, her gaze bounced around, and then without warning, it shifted and locked onto his.
She leaned closer. “No.”
Clearing his throat, he tried to break free from the fog clouding his judgment. He should rail against the urge to sweep her into his arms. He should walk away. He should fight the instinct he had to hold her, touch her, and tell her everything she wanted to hear.
Should have. Would have. Could have.
But didn’t.
He didn’t have the willpower.
***
The silence between them reassured Lauren. It shouldn’t. She reminded herself she should be angry and hurt that he could doubt her intentions after everything they’d been through together.
Then she really saw the hollow cast to his eyes. The dark circles. The story that lurked just beyond those cool baby blues. The pain. He’d opened up to her a little. For a man used to being alone, it must’ve taken a lot.
Just then, he leaned in so close that his lips grazed her hair, and he whispered, “I believe you.”
His soft words and warm breath on her neck made her lightheaded. She took in a steadying breath, fearing that if he got any closer the gravitational orbit that surrounded him would take over, pulling her into his solid-wall chest where she’d melt.
