Griffin shook his head. The darn woman always had to go pee at the worst possible times. He recalled the time they were hiding from three hit men and she kept squirming. He gave her a look that told her to be still, and she mouthed, I have to pee… NOW! How they ever got out of that mess alive was beyond him. The fool woman finally jumped out, made a target of herself, took out one of the shooters, and left him to shoot it out with the other two while she dashed for a bathroom! He'd scorched her rear the second he got her alone after the debriefing, but she insisted she couldn't hold it one second longer.
He kept his dark eyes peeled for trouble, but Victoria was back in due time, wearing a bright smile. The dratted woman knew exacting what he was thinking about and darned if she still didn't find it amusing! "It wasn't funny, woman!"
"Not at the time, no. But, you have to admit it makes for a good story…"
"I should have used my belt!"
"You did."
"Not long enough or hard enough!" he grumbled. She eased the car out onto the interstate and just that quickly a dark colored SUV was on their tail. Victoria barely avoided the SUV, and if not for intensive training, they would have been killed! "We were followed," he said in disgust.
"No, just a stupid driver," Victoria said calmly. She slowed down and the SUV came up alongside them and the driver gave her the finger. Victoria felt her temper flare and she was tempted to show the other driver her gun, but she wisely resisted. The last thing she needed was for some hysterical idiot to call and tell the cops she had a gun. She didn't want to be stopped. She hit the gas to get away from the man, and easily left him behind.
"Take the next exit, Victoria."
She did, and then immediately took another highway that led back the way they came. She made another turn, found another highway and took it to another interstate that went in the opposite direction. "No one is following us, Griffin," Victoria told him with some satisfaction.
"I have a bad feeling and I can't shake it, honey. We're missing something."
"Maybe you just don't feel well? After all, you lost a lot of blood."
"Stop at the next rest stop." Something was terribly wrong, and that SUV was no accident.
"Okay, I need to pee again," she said with a grin, trying to lighten the mood.
"I don't want you two inches away from me, woman. Obey me, or else."
"Griffin what is wrong with you? I'm not a child."
"You're my wife, my love, and I'm not going to lose you just after finding you. I couldn't live through that a second time, honey. Please to God, obey me. Something is wrong. I feel it as surely as I am sitting beside you right now." His dark eyes were pleading with her.
"I'll obey you, Griffin," she whispered, taking her right hand from the steering wheel and placing it over his left hand. He still wore his wedding band, she was shocked to realize, and wondered why she hadn't noticed until now… Because it was natural to see the gold band on his finger, that's why!
It was another ten miles to the next rest area, and even though they held hands, they were both alert to signs of trouble. "Pop the hood," Griffin ordered, and once she did that, he started looking to see what the 'problem' was. He got down to look underneath, and his dark eyes quickly spotted the tracking device on the back fender. He moved to the rear of the car, removed it, and slowly moved to the van parked next to them and placed it underneath. "Let's get the hell out of here, honey," he said. They left immediately, went to the next exit, and got off the highway.
"We can't stay anywhere close to here, Victoria. I know you've been driving for hours, but can you keep on going for a bit longer? I'll drive if you can't," he offered.
"You are too weak to drive, or you would have been driving since I removed all of that junk I piled on top of you!" she retorted. "You know I will do what I need to do to keep us safe. Let's not waste time debating on who is going to drive; which way do I go?"
"I love you, honey," Griffin said with a big smile. He gave her directions, and they drove for another two hours before stopping for gas. He had her change directions again, and they drove until the wee hours of morning before finally stopping at an all night diner and ordering breakfast.
"You're in a lot of pain," she whispered.
"I'll live. Under no circumstances are you to drug me, Victoria Conway. I need to stay alert to protect you. Damn, I did not mean to put your life in danger," he muttered angrily. "Where the hell is Xavier and why isn't he dealing with this?"
"Have you ever considered that he sucks at his job? Or that he is on the other side?"
"Do you really believe that, honey? Or is it your temper talking?" he asked.
"I know he isn't a traitor, but I still hate his guts and want to put a bullet in his hide."
"Now there is the Victoria I know and love," he said, chuckling.
The server brought their food and they ate hungrily. "The breakfast you fixed for me yesterday was a lot better," he stated matter-of-factly. "I missed your cooking, honey."
"I'm surprised you were home long enough to miss me. Xavier didn't seem to want to give you ample time to recover from your injuries before sending you out again… despite the fact we both told him we were through."
"Another agent was in trouble, Victoria. He was a friend. I had to go."
"No you didn't. Xavier could have gone himself. He arranged that whole scene just to get you back."
"Maybe so, but I didn't think it would cost me you."
"I told you I was done with this way of life; you agreed to quit, and the first time that son of a bitch called you, you went running!"
"Swearing like that will earn you a sound spanking and a mouth soaping, little girl."
"Discussing Xavier is tantamount to giving me permission to swear, Mister!" She stood her ground.
"Can I get you two anything else? More coffee?" The woman waiting their table snapped her gum loudly.
"No thanks. We have a long drive to Michigan," Griffin answered with a pleasant smile for the tired woman. He left a large tip, ensuring she would remember them if anyone asked. He purposely had her get gas and tell the attendant they were going to Michigan.
"Which way now? South?"
"No, that is what I want them to think. We'll head north." They drove for an hour, and Griffin bade her stop at a nice motel. They parked in back, where the car couldn't easily be seen. Griffin explained to the desk clerk that he was a light sleeper and asked for a room between two empty rooms, if possible. Once they were in their room, he hung the Do Not Disturb sign on the doorknob, and slid the deadbolt to lock the door. Within seconds he'd picked the door connecting the room to the empty one next door, and they slid inside. He used the deadbolt, and he wedged a chair underneath the connecting door. "We'll sleep now, and we'll hear them if they try to break into the room next to us."
Victoria didn't think she could possibly sleep, but she was out within seconds. Griffin slept, too. When he woke, it was to the sound of the shower in the bathroom. He tested the movement of his shoulder and decided the wounds were itching, a sign of healing. The stitches were pulling, and he wondered if it was too soon to remove them. What he really wanted to do was join Victoria in the shower, but it would be too distracting. He needed to keep his mind focused on keeping her safe. Still, he was damn tempted. They used to do such delicious things to each other in the shower… The sudden ringing of his cell phone startled him back to the moment.
"Yes?"
"X here. Where the hell are you?"
"We're safe. Why haven't you got those bastards off our trail yet?"
"I didn't know you had a tail on you…"
"How could you miss that, Xavier? They got within twenty-five feet of Victoria's house to put a tracker on her car. We were almost killed yesterday, and you can bet if they thought I was inside her house, they would have blown it sky high. Damn you, man. You'd better get this mess taken care of and now. I won't have Victoria put at risk."
"You are no good as an agent when you are with
that damn woman!" Xavier growled.
"That 'damn woman' is my wife and I cherish her before all else, Xavier. You get us out of this or I'm coming after you."
Chapter Three
“You need to keep your wits about you, Griffin,” Xavier growled in disgust. “I’m doing all I can, and I expected you at the condo hours ago.”
“Give me one good reason I should trust you,” Griffin challenged the other man.
“Where the hell is this attitude coming from, Griff?”
“Someone set me up; you don’t know who. Victoria just happened to be the closest place for me to run for help. There was a tracking device placed on her car; a black SUV tried to force us off the road. You let someone get close enough to do that, Xavier, and I swear I will come after you and hold you accountable if even one hair on my wife’s head is harmed.”
“She isn’t your wife; she divorced you.”
“Which is your damned fault,” Griffin accused. He ended the call and when it rang again, he didn’t answer; instead he turned off the phone and threw it in the trash can. “Hurry up, Victoria,” he ordered sharply, rapping on the door. “We need to get the hell out of here.” He heard the water shut off immediately.
“What’s wrong?” she called to him.
“I have a bad feeling again. I want to be out of here and gone in five minutes or less.”
Victoria heard the edge in his voice and didn’t argue. She dried off and dressed quickly. Her long hair would have to air dry, but it certainly wouldn’t be the first time. In under four minutes they were leaving the room, and using the steps instead of the elevator to leave. They both took the time to listen before they started down the stairs, and Griffin insisted on going out the door first and checking for anyone lurking around the parking lot. Victoria followed at a distance, prepared to give backup if needed. Griffin wouldn’t permit her close to the car until he examined the bottom for any sign of tracking devices, or explosives. A thorough examination told him they were safe for the moment. He opened the passenger side door and motioned for her to get inside.
“I’m capable of driving!” she argued.
“You are capable of doing as you are told, Victoria. Don’t argue with me; I’m not in the mood.” She gave him a dirty look as she got into the passenger side of her own car. He knew he would have to apologize later, but he wanted to be sure she was safe, and he was positive that he was a better driver than Victoria, especially in a fight for their lives. “Keep your eyes open, Victoria,” he bossed. “Something is wrong, and I feel it clear through.”
“Who could possibly know where we are, Griffin? You put the tracking device on another vehicle,” she reminded him, and then narrowed her blue eyes to look at him suspiciously. “Are you trying to frighten me for some reason?”
“No, Victoria, I am not trying to frighten you,” he answered with sarcasm. “Are you keeping an eye out for trouble?” he demanded.
Victoria quickly looked around and thought she saw the same black SUV that tried to run them off the highway. “Griffin, we have trouble coming up on us. You need to speed up and run the next light,” she ordered in a calm tone of voice. She took out her gun and had it ready just in case it was necessary to shoot. “Damn. I think it’s the same SUV that we had the run it with an hour or so after we started out. It looks like the same driver; I should have shot him when I considered it.”
“Which lane is he in?” Griffin asked. Now that he knew what the danger was, he was focused on dealing with the situation.
“Left. A school bus just put on its lights; he had to stop because a cop is right behind him.”
“Great.” Griffin made a right turn on the Interstate and got their speed up as quickly as he could. “Can you still see him?”
“Yes. He passed the bus and just cut off another truck to come after us. It has to be the same SUV.” Victoria reminded herself to stay calm. Just because it had been a while since she’d been in a situation of this sort, it didn’t mean she’d forgotten everything she knew.
“Victoria, let me know when he gets close, and hang on tight. I’m going to get rid of him.”
“Don’t do anything to risk any of these innocent people, Griffin,” she cautioned.
“It is you that I am concerned about,” he answered shortly. “I am really pissed that I found you just to put you in danger, Victoria.” He was also positive that she’d been right about Xavier all along. How in hell else would that SUV driver have found them so quickly if not for Xavier?
“He’s coming up fast, right behind us.”
“I see him now,” Griffin said calmly. He had to time this just right. He waited until the last possible second and squeezed between two semi trucks in the right lane and sped off the exit ramp. Horns blared and Griffin knew that the truck drivers were cursing him fluently, but he was too busy to worry about that. He watched his rearview mirror and was relieved that the black SUV was forced to miss the exit.
“You lost him, Griffin!”
“For now. Victoria, do you have your cell phone?” he asked. When she nodded, he said, “May I see it please?”
Victoria handed him her phone, only to watch in dismay as he threw it out his window. “What are you doing?” she screeched angrily.
“Someone is tracking us, honey. I pitched my phone at the motel. I want you to check your purse thoroughly, just in case someone managed to slip something in there.”
“You are damn well going to replace that phone, Griffin Conway! I’ve only had it two weeks!” Victoria scolded the man. Her blue eyes were snapping with temper as she grabbed her purse from the floor of the car and dumped the contents in her lap. She then carefully ran her fingers carefully over her handbag, looking for any abnormalities in the lining. She found nothing. She examined every item meticulously and was positive there were no bugs of any kind by the time she finished. “How is my agent or publisher supposed to reach me now?” she hissed, fuming.
“They aren’t. And I’d better not catch you trying to call them… not until I get us out of this mess.”
“You can’t tell me what to do, Griffin; I no longer work for the Agency, and I am no longer married to you.”
“Victoria, honey, we are still married in our hearts and before God, and you know that as much as I do. Why the hell else have each of us been celibate since you left? You are mine and I am yours, and that is never going to change. Please stop fighting me; I’ve said I am sorry for letting my fear turn into unreasonable anger. I am sorrier than you will ever know that I accused you of lying to me about the note. I am sorry I let Xavier manipulate me into working for him again. If I could turn back the clock, I would hang up on him and give us the time we lost and can’t get back. I am sorry and all I want is your forgiveness and another chance to prove myself to you.” His dark eyes were full of emotion, but before she could answer he cursed.
Victoria looked at the road ahead and spotted the black SUV coming toward them. She had her gun readied to take aim and fire if need be.
“Don’t shoot unless it is absolutely necessary, Victoria. I’m going to try and give him the slip.”
“I’ll get you a new car if I mess this one up,” he promised.
“Fuck the car… Just get us out of here,” she whispered.
“I’m going to spank you for using that word, little girl,” he promised, totally focused on the other driver who was obviously going to try and run them off the road before killing them. When the other driver swerved toward them, intending to run them into the guard rail, Griffin turned the wheel, hit the gas, and the little car passed the SUV on the other side. Griffin drove fast and was already on his way down the road when the SUV crashed into the guardrail. He didn’t stop to check on the driver, but kept on going.
“What are we going to do, Griffin?” Victoria asked quietly.
“I can tell you what we are not going to do,” he muttered darkly. “We aren’t going to the safe house that Xavier set up. I don’t like the fact that the SUV guy found us
so easily.”
“Do you think that Xavier has turned on you?”
“I don’t know what to think, honey,” Griffin replied. He passed the next highway, positive that would be the logical choice for him to take according to whomever was trying to kill them. Instead, he turned on a road that led him through a small village. They still had plenty of gas, so he did not stop anywhere. He didn’t want them to be remembered.
“Where are we going, Griffin?” Victoria finally asked. They’d been on country roads for well over an hour and it seemed that Griffin was driving about aimlessly. The good thing; no one was following them.
“I’m doing my best to go where they would least expect us to go, Victoria. Hopefully we lost any tracking devices.”
“I don’t see how anyone could have put a tracking device in my cell phone!” she grumbled.
“When I have answers I’ll share them with you,” he snapped, and then sighed. “I’m sorry, Victoria. I’m cranky. We need to stop and eat something somewhere. I’m certainly not taking very good care of you,” he said, more to himself than to her.
“You’ve kept me alive, and I appreciate that,” Victoria said lightly, trying to smile.
“I promise I will get you out of this, honey,” Griffin said earnestly. “The thing is, I don’t know who to trust.”
“What about Abraham?” she asked quietly, expecting an explosion of temper from her ex-husband.
“Well, he sure as hell wouldn’t tell Xavier where we are, that is a fact, and he would die to keep you safe. It’s a good idea, Victoria.”
The fact that Griffin was willing to consider turning to Abraham for help was telling to Victoria, and it told her just how frightened he was. Griffin positively hated Abraham:
“I am serious, Victoria. If I so much as catch a hint that you’ve been in contact with Abraham again I will set your sweet butt on fire.”
“Abraham meant well, Griffin, and he did save me,” she dared to argue. “And, I have a right to make friends with other people! You do not own me!”
Of All the Luck! Page 3
