by Lauren Bach
They were lying side-by-side, his arm anchored loosely at her waist. She felt soft. Perfectly feminine. And that worried him.
He'd been aware of her as a woman from the beginning—since kissing her—but he'd controlled it. Hell, he'd had three months of prison to perfect his control.
But seeing her naked tonight had nearly killed him. He'd only gotten a couple of too-short glimpses of her breasts. They were high, firm. Large. With the prettiest nipples he'd ever seen. Little flashes of copper. He'd also caught a peek of the dark triangle of her pubic hair, a thick, coal-black pelt that his fingers ached to explore.
She'd kept her back to him, which he hadn't minded. The view had been lush. He'd admired every inch.
From her sweet ass, round and curved like a peach, to her trim waist and those distinctly female-flared hips.
He'd been fine with looking ... until she'd turned. Until she'd looked at him. All of him. His face. His scars. His cock. And for one infinitesimal moment— damn it—she had wanted him.
He'd never had a woman look at him like that. With pure, sweet desire. Not lust. Not greed. Not excitement. Want... He'd nearly lost it.
In her sleep, she pressed her spine more fully into his belly, wriggling her butt even more snugly against his erection. He gritted his teeth. Damn thing would probably never go flaccid now.
Her snuggling was more proof of just how deeply she slept. If she were even semi-conscious, he was certain his cock would not be cradled so thoroughly.
He checked the time. While he desperately needed sleep himself, he had to try reaching Stan again. And Ethan. Nevin's unexpected appearance was a positive sign. It meant they had to be close to Willy. Which underscored the urgency for releasing Renata.
Before Nevin showed up, Adam had debated telling her the truth. A sanitized version, at least. Now it was out of the question. If his cover were blown, they'd both be in danger. And Willy and sons would escape yet again.
The news of the deputy's death had solidified Adam's resolve to make certain the McEdwins were captured and brought to trial. For all their victims' sake: the thirteen people who died in an explosion outside a federal office in Chicago two years ago. The nine people in Omaha the year before that. Des Moines...
The list of victims was long. Too long. Adam's sacrifices, Renata's hardships, were piddling compared tothe lives cut short. And now he had the chance to make sure no one else died.
Climbing from bed Adam tracked noiselessly across the room, avoiding the two boards that squeaked. With no windows in their bedroom he wasn't worried about leaving Renata alone for a few minutes.
He listened at the door, caught the heavy snoring. Nevin was asleep on the sofa, but like Adam he'd probably trained himself to awaken at the slightest noise.
Slipping into the bathroom, he turned on her cell phone. The LED indicated a strong signal, confirming that Stan had successfully reactivated the phone. He turned on the shower to muffle his conversation.
He tried Ethan first, hanging up when he got voice mail. Was he out at a fund-raiser? He dialed Stan, who answered on the first ring. Both men knew there was no time for chatting.
"About time," Stan said.
"What have you got?"
"Someone's checking you out. The Labyrinth files were hacked."
The Jade Labyrinth was part of Adam's fabricated past, designed solely to whet Willy's interest. "Think they bought it?"
"Of course! That was some of my best work."
"Any news on that C-4 you were tracking?"
"Nada. Except I'm not the only one sniffing around. Customs has put out feelers, too."
"Trouble?"
"Possibly."
"Keep on it," Adam said. "Have you talked to Ethan?"
"He sent a generic keep-up-the-good-work e-mail. Guess he's too busy buffing his political image to worry about you and me." Stan lowered his voice. "I've been doing some checking on him. The deeper I dig, the less I like the idea of him as VP."
"I'm afraid to ask what files you've been hacking."
"Enough to know lots of people share my opinion."
Adam grunted. Ethan Falco was the type of behind- the-scenes power most politicians feared. He had influence with the CIA, FBI, NSA, and most important, the White House. He'd been around too long—he knew everything on everybody. He was the enemy no one wanted, so while most politicians privately reviled him, publicly they lauded him.
"Look, I need you to arrange for Ethan's men to pick up Renata."
"Why involve me?"
"Because once she's tucked away, I want you to keep track of where she is and how she's doing." Until the job wrapped up, Renata would have to be hidden.
Stan was silent, then, "Has the dame gotten under your skin?"
"I don't have skin." Adam refused to examine his feelings. "She's been through a lot. I want to make sure Ethan doesn't push too hard with the debriefing."
Stan laughed. "Let me rephrase my original question: Does she mean something to you?"
With a growl, Adam switched off the phone and made his way back to the bedroom. He climbed into bed, beside Renata, and pulled her close.
The thought that she'd soon be safe made it easier to fall asleep.
Renata awoke from a nightmare. She'd been trapped in a tall building, running up flight after flight of stairs to escape Lyle. But when shereached the top floor, he was there, a gun trained on her. She retreated, seeking the door and found herself trapped against a window. Lyle fired. She fell backwards, through the glass, screaming as she plummeted to the ground.
Then Adam caught her, breaking her fall before drawing her tightly to his chest. He soothed her fears and kissed her again. That had been the most shocking aspect of the dream. Adam's benevolence.
She closed her eyes, tried to calm her breathing as she threw off the murky remnants of the nightmare. Her pulse was elevated from fear. The sensation of falling had been so real, she'd felt her stomach roll. Being shot had been terrifying.
But worst was the act of kissing Adam. The thought that she enjoyed the kiss—even in a dream—disturbed her. So did the niggling suspicion that her still-racing pulse was an after effect of that kiss.
The man had an unsettling effect on her. She had a physical... sexual... awareness of him. A feeling of being drawn to him. Turned on by him. Seeing him naked hadn't helped. Bad guys shouldn't be so alluring. Not that she was falling for it.
Opening her eyes, she remained still. Adam was asleep behind her, his breathing deep and even. He was curled on his side, his arm still anchored around her waist. Under different circumstances his closeness would have been comforting. Personal. Sensual. Used thus, it was merely a means of bondage.
So why wasn't that upsetting to her right now? She'd been furious last night when he'd climbed in bed with her. What had changed while they slept?
Nothing. She was still a prisoner. She was still being held against her wishes.
But she didn't fear him as much this morning because he'd passed an important test. He hadn't taken advantage of her in the shower. Nor had he tried to force himself on her during the night.
Which didn't make him a hero. Or even a decent person. She expected the worst of Lyle, and he fit the mold. Adam didn't.
Oh, she believed he was dangerous. If it came down to saving his own neck, she had no doubt he'd sacrifice her. But... What? Something didn't add up.
He hadn't physically harmed her. Even when she'd cut him. Likewise there had been no retaliation for her attempted escape.
It was a small comfort. The bottom line remained unchanged: two fugitives held her. One of those men was a murderer. Lyle. And while she could imagine Adam doing a lot of things, killing wasn't one of them. Which didn't absolve him of guilt.
Behind her, he shifted, drawing her close as his chin nuzzled her hair. His hand clutched her hip.
"Mmmmm," he whispered. "Sleep good?"
"No."
"Could have fooled me the way you were snoring earlier."
/> "I don't snore."
He laughed, and she realized he had been teasing. Which infuriated her. Bad guys shouldn't tease, either.
"I need to use the bathroom." She struggled to sit up and found more sore muscles. Her ankle throbbed.
Adam swung his legs over the edge of the bed. "Stay here. I'll be right back."
"Like hell I'll stay here," Renata whispered to herself. She scooted to the edge and stood, testing her ankle. It wouldn't take her full weight, but she could hop.
Adam's voice startled her. "Planning to make another run for it?"
She turned. The rebuttal on her lips died. He wasn't wearing a shirt, which gave her a nice view of firm abs as he walked. His hair was still disheveled from sleep, his cheeks dark with overnight stubble. Under different circumstances, she could imagine her jaw dropping to see him striding toward her.
He lifted a hand to cover his scars. "Sorry." Snagging his T-shirt off the floor, he tugged it over his head.
Too late, Renata realized he assumed she stared at his scars. She hadn't noticed them.
He picked her up and carried her out of the bedroom.
"I can walk."
"Limping doesn't count. Besides, this keeps the pressure off your ankle."
He set her down beside the half bath off the kitchen. "Your toothbrush and clean clothes are already in there. I'll be out here if you need anything."
The bathroom had all the necessities but one—a window. She leaned against the vanity, finding her balance before trying to change clothes and examine her injuries.
Her ankle looked more swollen this morning, the bruising and soreness worse, too. She touched her side gingerly. It hurt. So did her arm. She stripped off her shirt. Quite a few bruises had risen on her arms and legs, nothing serious. But the scrape on her side looked nasty, red. She'd need to clean it with peroxide.
She finished dressing and raked her fingers through her hair. Her appearance was her last concern. Except for her lack of underwear. Particularly, a bra. She looked down at her nipples poking out beneath the T- shirt. She pulled the fabric away, which only seemed to make it worse. She grabbed the shirt she'd slept in and put it on, too. The extra layer helped.
Adam was in the kitchen making coffee when she opened the door. "Have you checked Lyle yet?" Adam nodded. "He's still sleeping. Nevin said he took more painkillers during the night."
She put a hand on her hip, displeased. "He shouldn't have free access to them. They're not candy."
"It's hard for me to say much without getting in his business."
"Oh, right! I forgot the prisoner's code of ethics. Tell me this much then: Has he abused drugs in the past? Had any addiction issues?"
Adam gave her a wry look. The police files he'd seen mentioned under-age drinking at parties, but not drug abuse. Of course that could be one of the things his family had swept under the rug. Before landing in prison, Lyle had been arrested several times, but charges were always dropped when witnesses refused to testify or evidence disappeared.
"I don't believe he's an addict. But he's not above recreational use. I'll mention it to Nevin, though." He pointed to a chair. "Now let me wrap your ankle and we'll go outside."
"I can do it myself."
He ignored her, taking her foot gently in hand. "It looks sore as hell. I'll get you some ibuprofen."
When he finished they went out the back door onto a large, elevated deck. Renata shielded her eyes against the glare of sun.
"Wasn't sure I'd recognize it after all the rain." Adam turned his face up and drew in a deep breath.
His pensive tone made her wonder what it must be like to be locked away. Had he not considered the punishment before committing the crime? Or had he thought he'd get off?
She stared at his handsome profile. With his eyes closed, his dark lashes seemed even longer; the hollows beneath his cheekbones more profound.
His eyes opened and he turned smiling faintly when he caught her staring.
Flustered Renata raised her chin and scowled. "How much longer will you keep me?"
"I'm not sure."
"Would you let me contact my mother? Or sister? Let at least one of them know I'm alive."
"That won't make them feel any better," he said. "The minute you hang up, they'll begin wondering whether you're still alive."
She hated that he was right. Which didn't lessen her desire to contact them. Wanting distance from him, she limped to the far side of the deck and looked over the rail. The ground was fifteen feet straight down. She saw the scattered woodpile.
Adam followed her. He shook his head. "That explains your skinned up side. You're lucky you didn't break your neck."
Renata nodded absently, her eyes skimming the woods beyond the yard. If she got another shot at escape, she needed to know the lay of the land.
From what she could see, it was good she had opted to avoid the woods last night. The uneven terrain was pocked with gullies. Downed trees crisscrossed one another, broken branches sticking up like spikes.
She started to turn away when a flicker caught her eye. She narrowed her gaze, trying to see what had moved. A squirrel? Bird?
A person. Had Adam noticed?
She glanced sideways, debating what to do next. Ifshe screamed, she could put the other person at risk as well as blow her chance at rescue.
Adam's hand closed over her mouth as his arm snaked around her waist, restraining and lifting her at the same time. She struggled but in seconds they were back inside the kitchen.
She bolted for the front door, ungraceful but determined.
"Stay down, damn it!" Handling her roughly, he pulled her to the floor then snapped the deadbolt in place.
"Is it the police? Will you let me go?"
"Be quiet or I'll have to gag you." Adam had only managed a brief look at the man. He'd been dressed in camouflage and was pressed into a small ditch, his assault rifle pointed right at them.
Easing up, Adam peered around the edge of the window blind but saw nothing. Shit! The man had either moved or was too well hidden. One thing was certain: The man was careless to let himself be spotted. Which meant it might be someone acting alone. A bounty hunter? A kamikaze jackass?
He'd take a bounty hunter any day over the police. Adam could easily take out a single man, even a couple of men, whereas a confrontation with the law would blow everything. A screwup now would send Willy and his other two sons deeper underground.
He wondered how they'd been found. Had one of the McEdwins' contacts been careless? Or dropped a dime for the reward?
What now? They had no car. They couldn't make a run for it. With Lyle injured and doped up, they'd never make it on foot. And the last thing Adam wanted was a shootout. He couldn't afford bullets flying with Renata inside.
"Follow me." He dragged her toward the hall. He needed to alert Nevin about the intruder.
Lyle was awake and talking on the phone. If he was talking to Willy, they needed to get help. Now.
Bursting in, Adam pointed to the phone. "Who's that?"
Nevin, who'd been reclining on the couch, pulled his own pistol when he saw Adam's gun. "What the hell's going on?"
Lyle's face grew red. "Look, sugar, I need to go. Me too. Can't wait."
Adam felt his jaw tense. Was that how they'd been found? "You called your girlfriend? Don't you know the FBI has tapped the phone of your every known associate?"
"Give me a little credit. She's safe. Her father is—"
Nevin interrupted. "Her father's no dummy. He knows what to watch for."
"Well, somebody's slipped up." Adam motioned toward the window. "I just spotted someone behind the house, in the woods. He's in camo."
Nevin lowered his gun and put his hand over his chest. A grin spread across his face. "Jesus Christ! You almost gave me a heart attack. That's one of my men. Keeping watch."
"Keeping watch? For what?"
Nevin nodded at Renata. "After your girlfriend's little disappearing act last night, I figured we
could use backup."
Adam didn't bother to hide his fury. "When did you plan on telling me? I don't like being kept in the dark. And I damn sure don't like someone creeping through the woods with a gun leveled at me."
"It wasn't leveled at you." Nevin glanced at her again. "Just think of it as an early-warning system. You and my little brother were a hot commodity before that deputy died. Now you're cop-killers. Every law enforcement person in the nation just made you their personal enemy."
"An early-warning system doesn't mean jack if we don't have a means to get away. I want a car. If that had been the cops, we'd have been shit out of luck." Adam pointed to Lyle. "And he wouldn't make it fifty feet without collapsing."
"Wait a minute," Nevin frowned, confused. "You mean there's not a car out in the garage?"
"Not yet," Lyle confirmed. "Pa's making arrangements."
Nevin swore. "I'll have one here by nightfall."
That Nevin didn't know who was providing a car surprised Adam. Willy had usurped Nevin by bringing in Calvin to move them, then Nevin had shown up unannounced and kept his own man posted outside. What was going on? Obviously the McEdwins weren't working in unison.
Adam tugged Renata back into the kitchen. He knew she was disappointed, but he hoped she'd remember to be more circumspect in the future. With someone watching they both had to.
And when the time came to free her, Adam would have to be even more careful to ensure she got away safely.
They remained inside the rest of the day, watching television in the living room until late.
Renata knew Adam felt as restless as she did, his eyes drifting frequently toward the bedroom where Nevin and Lyle stayed.
She was grateful the McEdwins remained in the other room. Both brothers made her uncomfortable.
She read through the stack of newspapers that had been left with the supplies, hoping to catch a hint of what the police were doing to apprehend them. She also hoped to read some news about her family's reaction to her abduction.
While the papers shed little light on her family, she did learn a more complete history of the McEdwins.
Willy, the patriarch, had been a decorated Vietnam veteran who worked with explosives during two tours in Southeast Asia. After his discharge, he returned to his Missouri hometown, married his high-school sweetheart, and settled down on the family farm.
