The Maze (ATCOM)

by Jennifer Lowery

  “Shut up and make love to me, Kincaid,” she ordered, arching into him.

  “Yes, ma’am,” he drawled and thrust inside her. She was ready for him and met him halfway. There was nothing gentle about their lovemaking. Attie let him know she didn’t want him to be careful with her. She didn’t want him to be gentle. So he gave her what she wanted and got it back in spades. When they climaxed it was primal and raw, their shouts mingled as one as they shattered together.

  Afterward, they slept in peace, sated and exhausted.

  * * * *

  A jumble of nerves, Attie dressed with jerky movements, taking pleasure out of the pain in her shoulder instead of hating it. She was angry with the feelings churning inside her because she didn’t know how to handle them.

  They hadn’t sunk in earlier, but now Noah’s words haunted her and refused to give her any peace. Was what he said true? Would he really have sent Seth in for any other agent? Noah never lied. So how was she supposed to feel about this? She had given up her career because of him. Everything she’d lost was because of him. And now he was telling her he would have done the same for anyone?

  How was she supposed to feel about that?

  It changed everything she thought was the truth. Everything she believed.

  And until she figured it out, she wouldn’t be able to rest.

  And the lovemaking last night. Noah had slipped past her defenses and it shook her up. She didn’t like it at the same time it made her feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

  She had opened up to him and told him things she’d asked him not to ask about. Broken her own promise and confided in the one man she’d vowed not to. And it felt good to tell someone. Not as scary as she’d thought it would be. Afterward, she’d felt relieved and lighter, not at all what she thought she’d feel. By talking about it she’d thought she’d go back to that place and then never leave, but it had been liberating. It made her want to tell him all of it, but a part of her still held on.

  She’d cried on his shoulder. Told him her secrets. Something she’d sworn never to do.

  What was he doing to her?

  “Are you okay?” Noah asked quietly from where he sat on the bed tying his bootlaces.

  “Fine,” she snapped.

  “Liar.”

  She spun around to face him and damn if she didn’t get butterflies in her stomach. He was gorgeous in the morning with his dark, tousled hair and five o’clock shadow. Now what was she supposed to do? She couldn’t be lusting after him every time she looked at him.

  He moved toward her, like a predator stalking its prey. The glint in his eye was just as predatory.

  Attie stood her ground.

  “Are you having regrets?” he asked, stalking closer.

  “No.”

  “Good, because we’re good together.”

  “Spoken like an arrogant male—”

  He wagged a finger at her. “Uh-uh. I’m merely stating a fact. We’re good together and you know it.”

  He was almost on her now. “I know no such thing.”

  The bastard had the nerve to grin. He was pulling out all the stops. “I love your stubborn nature,” he said, stopping a foot away from her.

  “I’m not stubborn.”

  He merely smiled and slowly backed her against the wall. She could fight him, but what was the sense? She wanted to feel the press of his muscular body against hers. She loved the feel and scent of him. Though it had only been a few hours since he’d made love to her, she wanted him again.

  That was a dangerous thing, one she needed to be careful with. She couldn’t afford to get emotionally involved with Noah. She may never find someone like him again, but she couldn’t care about him. Not with her past hanging over their heads. He was a vital part of it and she couldn’t forget what had happened.

  She gently bumped into the wall. Noah pressed closer and heat flooded her from head to toe. Would she ever get enough of him?

  “You’re a unique woman, Attie,” he murmured, his fingers twining with hers and locking them against the wall beside her head.

  “Compliments, Kincaid?” she mocked. “Does that really work with your women?”

  He quirked a dark brow. “My women? Usually.”

  Attie scowled at him, silently telling herself that it was not jealousy.

  “Is it working?” he mused.

  “No.”

  “Liar.”

  Noah chuckled and kissed her hard on the lips before he let her go. “I need to change that dressing before Santiago comes for us. Make sure we didn’t tear any of my stitches last night.”

  He said it tongue in cheek and Attie tried to send him an angry frown but ended up smiling instead. When was the last time she’d smiled so easily? It felt strange doing it now, considering the situation they were in. She was suddenly not in any hurry to distance herself from him. Her smile turned coy as she grabbed the front of his shirt and stopped him from turning away. He quirked a brow and seeing the look in her eye, broke into a slow grin that had her knees going weak as a newborn colt’s.

  She took a step forward and slid her hands underneath his t-shirt, rolling it slowly upward until his chest and abs were exposed. Noah lifted his arms and let her tear his shirt off and throw it on the floor. He grunted when she bit down on his nipple. This was going to be fun.

  Attie let her hands roam over his smooth skin, marveling in the texture. Velvet over hard muscle, a heady combination. When her hands encountered the scar on his shoulder, she paused, tracing it with her nail. It had healed. A reminder of what he had done for her six months ago. She blamed him for many things, but she couldn’t deny the truth that he’d found her in that cell and brought her home. He had saved her life. Not Seth’s, but hers.

  He had taken a bullet for her.

  She pushed all thoughts of the past away before they ruined what she was about to do. She wanted Noah to make love to her. Right now. Right here. It hadn’t been that long since they’d made love, but it seemed an eternity and she was already hot with need. Desire like this was dangerous.

  Noah was dangerous.

  She couldn’t explain the emotion that twisted in her chest when she touched the healed bullet wound on Noah’s shoulder. It came quick and hard and almost made her step away, but she stood firm.

  He wouldn’t have paid any attention to the pain in his shoulder or the blood pouring out of his wound. She knew exactly how he would have looked had she been alert. Strong and determined and calm as he issued orders and laid waste to Carlos’s estate. Brendan told her later in the hospital that Noah hadn’t allowed anyone else to carry her to the chopper. He’d insisted on carrying her himself.

  That had twisted her in knots when she heard it. Now, it did the same, but for another reason entirely.

  Lowering her head she pressed her lips to the wound, ignoring the mixture of emotions spinning inside her. She didn’t want to see Noah as a hero, but right now she couldn’t think of him as anything else. He had gotten her out. She might have died in that prison if ATCOM hadn’t acted quickly. Thank God they had. She didn’t want to admit it, but she had accepted her fate that she was going to die in that cell below Carlos’s estate. In the dark, alone, with a list of things she had yet to do in her life.

  She remembered the feeling of failure she’d experienced on the third day. The last beating weakened her. No matter how hard she tried, when Carlos brought in the homemade flogging device she had wavered. She still remembered the pain he had caused that day. And wishing for death.

  A shudder moved through her and Noah’s hand cupped her cheek.

  “Hey,” he murmured. “You okay?”

  Attie traced the scar again, surprised at the emotion it evoked. It made her remember things she tried not to and brought her past slamming to life. The past that this man played a very big part in.

  “Make love to me, Noah,” she ordered softly. Make me forget.

  “Your wish is my command,” he drawled and swept her up in his arms. Sec
onds later they were naked in bed and Noah was sliding inside her. Their lovemaking was tender and slow as they savored their time together. When Attie came, it was emotional and intense. She clung to Noah and forgot all about the past.

  When they had regained the strength to move again they dressed in silence and Attie moved to the chair still sitting next to the dresser from last night. Noah made quick work of cleaning and dressing her wound. Afterward, they ate what was left of the food on the cart, knowing they would need their strength for whatever Carlos had planned for them today. Neither acknowledged that they had worked up quite an appetite last night.

  Maybe some things were better left unsaid.

  * * * *

  A door slid open behind them. They turned to see Carlos and three thugs stroll in through a door she hadn’t realized was there. What else had she missed last night?

  Carlos was upset. He was dressed in white from head to toe and she knew that things were going to get messy. For some sick reason Carlos liked to wear white when he was about to make a mess, so to speak, and that mess was often the blood of someone else’s wrong deeds.

  When he stepped in front of her and looked into her eyes, she knew he was upset with her. There was no denying that feral gleam in the black depths. She had seen it many times in the past and knew full well what was going to happen next. The only thing she didn’t know was what exactly she’d done to warrant his temper.

  “Clever girl, you figured out the code to remove the necklace.”

  “You knew I would.”

  “Yes, I did, and it pleases me to watch that mind of yours work. In fact, I’m discovering all kinds of things about you.”

  Attie wasn’t sure she wanted to know how much he had learned. He was in a dangerous mood.

  Carlos leaned closer. “Would you like to know what I’ve learned about you?”

  “No.”

  “You’re going to hear it anyway. I’ve learned you are a woman with many talents and your betrayals run deep.”

  Attie stiffened. If Carlos believed she’d betrayed him yet again, then she was in trouble. The punishment would be severe. Was she up to it? No, probably not. “What are you talking about?”

  Carlos smoothed a hand over her bruised cheek.

  She didn’t flinch or pull away, but it took every effort not to.

  “I’ve just realized what a skillful partner you are.”

  Partner? What kind of partner was he referring to? She didn’t doubt she would soon find out. Carlos was in one of his moods and she was the culprit. She already didn’t like the outcome.

  “Cut the double talk, Carlos. Obviously you’re upset with me, so let’s get this over with. What have you got for me?”

  “That’s my girl. Straight to the heart of things. Yes, why don’t we move forward. I have just the thing planned for the two of us.”

  The two of them? What was that about? So far none of the trials had involved Carlos directly. He was changing the rules and that was never good. Whatever she’d done, it was big.

  “What about Noah?”

  Carlos cast a glance at Noah, who had moved into position beside Attie. “Oh, he’ll be joining us. I wouldn’t want him to miss this. How are you feeling this morning?”

  How was she feeling? Something was definitely wrong.

  “Enough, Carlos. Let’s get this over with so I can see my brother.”

  Minutes later they were blindfolded and being led from the room. They didn’t go far. She was led up a couple stairs and onto a padded floor. Men shuffled around and she knew the instant she was left alone with Carlos. The blindfold was removed moments later. She blinked against the bright light and looked around her. A boxing ring. Turning in a full circle, she caught sight of Noah being held at gunpoint in a row of chairs outside the ring. Ringside seats. He didn’t look happy and the dangerous glint in his eye told her he was ready to attack.

  But he couldn’t, because this was between her and Carlos. His favorite sport. And she remembered all too well how this game was played.

  Chapter 19

  “What the bloody hell is going on?”

  Gabe looked around him, wondering the same thing. They were standing in front of a mountain peak with nothing but scrub trees and valleys. There really wasn’t anywhere to hide.

  “You’re sure these are the last coordinates you had them at?” he asked Rogan, who was frowning at his computer.

  “Yeah, this is it. This is where I lost the signal.”

  “But you’re still picking up the device?”

  “Yep, still working. It’s like the signal’s been blocked.”

  “How can that be?”

  “Interference? Mountain maybe?”

  Gabe pursed his lips. He didn’t like this. Rogan’s equipment never failed. He put as many safeguards on it as he did the agents. He was very good at what he did.

  “Doesn’t make sense,” Colin said, scratching his stubbly jaw.

  “No, it doesn’t, but it’s all I have,” Rogan groused, punching keys on the laptop. He wasn’t happy about it either.

  “They were here, we know that, so let’s find them.” Gabe glanced at Kyle, who crouched a few feet away. “Colin, can you pick up a trail here? Anything?”

  The big Scot dropped to a knee, pressing a palm to the cold ground. His face hardened, eyes closed. After a few minutes he lifted his hand and shook his head. “They were here. I canna tell you more.”

  “Shit,” Rogan muttered, closing the laptop.

  “Then we start over. Backtrack and spread out. They have to be around here somewhere. The trail can’t be dead. They didn’t just disappear into thin air.”

  As the team started over, looking for signs they’d missed, all wondered if maybe they had indeed disappeared.

  * * * *

  Attie felt her stomach drop to her toes. She knew exactly why Carlos had brought her here. She had been here before, except she hadn’t been in the ring. She had been on the sidelines, forced to watch as Carlos sparred with unsuspecting opponents. She knew from watching him train that he was skilled in various forms of martial arts and enjoyed practicing on others who were not as skilled. It was a power trip for him. She had seen enough to know he liked it a hell of a lot more than he should.

  “You want to spar with me?” she asked.

  “Call it a match of skill.”

  A match of skill. That meant Carlos knew more about her than she’d originally thought. They were taught hand-to-hand combat and various forms of self-defense at the academy, but that was classified information. If Carlos knew that, then he knew how to win against her.

  He would know what kind of training she had and how to beat her. Her one saving grace was Brendan and the fact that he had been sparring with her at home for years, challenging her at every turn and never holding back. He knew her well enough to know she wouldn’t allow it and needed to be at her best. Pride was something she and he both shared an abundance of. They didn’t do things halfway; it was all or nothing.

  Accepting her fate, Attie met Noah’s gaze through the ropes of the ring and saw the gleam in his eyes. He wasn’t going to let this happen. She shook her head slightly and sent him a silent message. I can do this. Don’t interfere. It’s too dangerous.

  He sent her a look that told her he didn’t like it but would watch her back. She knew Noah wouldn’t let Carlos hurt her too badly. He didn’t possess the ability to sit back and let that happen. He would let her go for only so long before he stepped in and it gave her a small amount of relief.

  She hated relying on Noah to stop Carlos in case things got out of hand. It was uncharted territory for her and it didn’t settle well. This was a chance to stand up to Carlos when she hadn’t been able to before. As Chrystal she had been forced to submit to his every demand, but now she was free to act as she had been trained. She could fight back and this time she was going to.

  If this was what it took to get to her brother, then she would do it. Yet, this anger she felt coursing
through Carlos was different than before. Was this part of his fantasy or something more?

  Her heart was threatening to beat out of her chest, but she didn’t let it intimidate her. She had the benefit of knowing what kind of fighter Carlos was. He fought dirty and by his own rules. Anything went. She knew to watch her back and protect herself at all costs. Knowing those intimate details about her opponent would help her find his weakness.

  Carlos had removed his jacket and rolled up his sleeves.

  “Alright, Atalanta, let’s see what they taught you in that academy.”

  She nodded and went into a defensive position, forcing her muscles to relax and clearing her mind.

  Carlos made the first move. She expected him to go straight for her jugular with a flat palm and he did. She ducked around him and landed a blow to his kidney before he could strike back. He sucked in a deep breath and turned around to face her.

  “Point, Devayne.” He smiled and attacked again. He sent a series of lethal hits in quick succession that she deflected most of. She absorbed the rest and ignored the pain. She remained mostly on the defensive, warding off his blows the best she could but her shoulder hampered her efforts and she was growing tired. The fatigue of the past few days and the stress of the situation was wearing on her and making it difficult to stay focused. She moved more out of training than planning and if she wasn’t careful it would be her downfall.

  Carlos drove her back against the ropes. They cut into her thighs and back as he came at her with hands and feet. Revenge shone in his eyes. He wanted her badly and was going to see that she paid. She stopped him with a left hook that sent him stumbling backward. Blood poured from his nose.

  “Are you going to tell me what I did, or is it a big secret?” she taunted, buying some time to catch her breath. Breathing heavily, she straightened.

  Carlos smiled and swiped his nose with the back of his hand. “You don’t know?”

  “No, I don’t and I’m not in the mood to guess.”