Silent Evidence

by Rachel Grant

  Matt found a boarded-up old gas station next to a chained-up factory of some kind and pulled into the station lot and drove around the building, out of sight of the main road. He put the car in Park before speaking into his earpiece. “Alec, we need to talk.”

  24

  Sean ignored all speed limits as he drove to pick up Hazel. Keith and Trina followed in another SUV. They would pick up Matt and Ivy and bring them back to DC. Curt had given Rav and Isabel the keys to his car. The former attorney general would catch a ride back to the city with Lee.

  Sean, Rav, and Matt had a lot to discuss, but right now, Sean wanted to get Hazel to a safe house, to hell with the rest.

  If anyone with less skill than Matt had been at the wheel, Sean had no doubt Hazel would be dead or taken hostage. Maybe even tortured as Isabel had been.

  Sean had seen the videos. He’d heard her screams. No one had touched her, and yet she screamed as if she were being ripped in two. Just before Sean left the inn, Rav had admitted to him and Isabel that there had been references to Alaska in the threat.

  This time, it could be Hazel strapped to the table. Hazel’s screams.

  He hit the accelerator, wishing he also had a Porsche so he could get to Hazel that much faster. He’d used ten precious minutes at the inn, packing and planning, but still, he reached the abandoned gas station less than an hour after the gunshot had sounded.

  Fifteen seconds after that, he had her in his arms. She pressed her face to his chest and sank into him, sort of like she had the other night, when he’d held her as she slept. After a long moment, he released her, and she climbed into the passenger seat of his SUV. After grabbing her bag from the back of the Cayenne and putting it in his vehicle, he shook Matt’s hand. “Thank you.”

  “Next time, a little warning would be nice.”

  “That wasn’t my call to make,” he said.

  Matt nodded.

  Ivy hugged Sean and said, “Take good care of her. She’s reeling.” Then she whispered in his ear, “She still doesn’t know about Matt.”

  Did Ivy think they were going to be able to keep their secret from her? He hoped to hell not. It was keeping secrets that had gotten them into this mess, and Hazel would be devastated when she learned the extent of the lies. But all he could do was nod. “I’ll tread carefully.”

  Gravel crunched behind him as Keith and Trina pulled into the lot. Sean waved and jumped into his vehicle. In minutes, they were back on the road.

  He reached across the console and took Hazel’s hand. She squeezed his fingers, then said, “Mind if I sleep?”

  “Not at all. We’ve got about three hours to the safe house.”

  “We’re not going to Gaithersburg?”

  “No. You need time to sleep. Regroup. I’ve got a place lined up that isn’t connected to Rav. No one will know where we are. It’s only for a day or two, but it will give us some time to think. To plan instead of just reacting.”

  “A day or two, just you and me?”

  “Yes, do you mind?” This was the part he’d worried about, that she’d balk at being alone with him. He couldn’t blame her if she did.

  “No charade, no bombs, no car chases?”

  “Not if I can help it.”

  “Sounds heavenly.”

  The tight band around his heart loosened a fraction. “Sleep, then. We’ll be there before you know it.”

  The adrenaline crash on top of twenty-four hours without sleep must be hitting her hard, because a minute later, she was out.

  Sean watched the road, vigilant for a tail. He took a long, twisting route to the cabin nestled in the Virginia woods about twenty minutes from the reservoir where she and Isabel had been working last week. At last, he pulled into the carport and shut off the engine. He found the key—it was right where Chase had said it would be—and carried Hazel inside.

  She stirred as he scooped her from the car, but dropped into sleep again as he crossed the dirt driveway. He settled her on the bed in the only bedroom, then went back to grab their bags and food—leftovers from the wedding, which the staff at the inn had packed for them.

  As they’d given him the food, they’d expressed the hope he wouldn’t believe all West Virginians were like the cops that had interviewed him earlier in the night. Sean had thanked them and assured them he knew many wonderful West Virginians, and racist cops could be found in all US states and territories.

  Between the leftovers and supplies stored in the cabin, they had enough provisions for two or three days. After the food was put away, he stripped down to a T-shirt and boxer briefs and climbed into bed with Hazel. It had been twenty-seven hours since he’d slept, and he needed sleep as much as she did. He pulled her into his arms and breathed in her hazelnut scent.

  She was alive. Safe. And in his arms.

  He’d do everything in his power to keep her that way.

  Hazel surfaced from a deep sleep, disoriented. It took her a moment to figure out where she was. She had a vague memory of Sean carrying her inside. Now she was curled against his side. He was asleep, and she wanted to stay here forever.

  But her bladder had other ideas. She carefully extracted herself, trying not to wake him, but he was an operative, so it was no surprise when his eyes popped open. “Sleep,” she ordered. “Everything’s fine. I’m just getting up to use the bathroom.”

  He nodded and closed his eyes.

  The clock on the nightstand indicated it was two twenty-one, and she deduced from the light that penetrated the closed blinds that it was p.m. Her internal clock was so screwed up from the crazy night that she’d needed the cue. It wouldn’t have surprised her if she’d slept the entire day, but it had only been about eight hours since she’d fallen asleep in the car.

  In the bathroom, she splashed water on her face, then decided to take a quick shower to wash the cobwebs from her brain. The shower had generic shampoo and conditioner, for which she was thankful. She tried to remember what Sean had told her about the cabin. Who did it belong to? And was there food?

  Please let there be food.

  She was starving.

  Hunger kept her from lingering in the shower, and after a quick wash, she dressed again in the clothes she’d put on after showering in Alec’s room, not wishing to wake Sean by returning to the bedroom to grab her bag.

  Thankfully, there was a comb in the medicine chest. Not great for getting the tangles out of her wet hair, but better than nothing. She put a dab of toothpaste on her finger and swiped her teeth so her mouth at least felt fresher.

  Feeling clean and marginally human, she entered the kitchen. In the fridge, she found hummus and naan along with other Middle Eastern dishes that had been served at the wedding. Oh, bless Sean for thinking to grab food before breaking land speed records to pick her up after the most terrifying car ride of her life.

  She nibbled on the bread with hummus while heating up a half-dozen lamb meatballs—her favorite köfte—in the oven. The sound of footsteps and the creak of the bathroom door told her Sean was up. She put several more meatballs in the pan. He was bound to be starving too.

  The shower turned on, telling her he’d be a few minutes, so she decided to make coffee. She didn’t usually indulge in caffeinated beverages in the afternoon—especially now that she battled insomnia and nightmares—but today was an easy exception.

  She was too hungry to wait and ate more naan, a cold meatball, and several bites of sliced fruit as the coffee brewed. She was filling her mug when Sean entered the kitchen. He wore clean sweatpants and nothing else, his skin bare from his waist to the top of his head, which he’d shaved yesterday before the wedding. A fine layer of stubble on his jaw and the crisp curls on his chest were the only hair to be seen.

  She leaned against the counter, holding a hot mug of coffee in her hands, and stared at the expanse of dark-skinned muscle. He was so damn beautiful. Her gaze lifted to his face and caught his smile.

  He’d noticed her ogling him, but she didn’t care. It was his fa
ult for not putting on a shirt. She lifted her mug, offering it to him. “Want some coffee?”

  He crossed the small space and stopped before her. Taking the mug from her hands, he set it on the counter, then tilted her head up and pressed his mouth to hers. The kiss started out soft and sweet, but when she responded, he took it deeper.

  His tongue was a hot stroke against hers, igniting her entire body. She let out a mewing sound of need she was pretty sure she’d never made before. His mouth remained on hers as he cupped her face in his wide palms.

  He raised his head, and she opened her eyes. His gaze was intent. Hot. “The only thing I want right now is you.”

  She didn’t really give a damn if he wanted her for now or forever. She didn’t care about the limit she’d placed in the forest. She could have died this morning. She could have been hit by that bullet or mangled in a wreck. They could have been run off the road and she could have been kidnapped. She could right now be going through what Isabel had endured in Alaska.

  But instead, she was here with Sean. Safe. Alive. She was going to give him what he wanted while taking what she needed. She cupped his face and pulled him down to meet her mouth. Giving her answer without words.

  He groaned, scooped her up, and carried her back into the bedroom.

  “Wait! The meatballs.”

  “We’ll eat later,” he said, not breaking stride.

  “They’re in the oven. I don’t want to burn them.”

  He set her on the bed. “Be right back.” A moment later, he returned. “I turned off the oven but left them inside to keep them warm for later.” He grabbed his bag from the floor and pulled out the gift bag they’d received from Trina. He dumped the contents on the bed.

  She laughed at the sight of the bondage kit, dildo, and other treats. He grabbed the single sex die she’d left him and gave her an irked look. “I told you we shouldn’t break up the set.”

  She shrugged, trying to present innocence. “I left you the dildo.”

  He picked up the blue silicone penis from the bed. “Without you to share it with, I didn’t want the dildo.”

  “We can reunite the dice and share the dildo.” She ran her hand over the erection that strained inside his sweatpants. “But right now, all I want is this. You. Just you.”

  “We’ll probably be here for a few days. Plenty of time to experiment with the toys.”

  “Works for me.”

  He set the die and the dildo on the nightstand. “Before we do this, I need to tell you something,” he said.

  She pulled back. Holy hell. He was about to do it again. Dump her, or put a time limit on their sexual relationship.

  He grabbed her cheeks and kissed her. “No! Not that.” He held her face inches from his and stared into her eyes. “Rav had Matt’s call on speakerphone. I heard everything. The interval between Matt shouting ‘gun’ and hearing the shot to the moment Matt said you were fine was the longest four minutes of my life. I couldn’t breathe. You were in danger, and there was nothing I could do. Worse, I hadn’t admitted the truth about my feelings to you, and that omission was what drove you away, putting you in that situation. When Matt said you were uninjured, I promised myself I wouldn’t squander this second chance.” He paused, taking a slow breath, then he said, “I’m in love with you, Hazel. I have been for some time.”

  He held her face, staring into her eyes. She said nothing. Hell, he wasn’t sure she was even breathing, but that made two of them. Then a tear spilled from her left eye and raced down her cheek, followed by another sliding down her right cheek.

  His heart pounded so hard, it might explode as he waited for her to tell him what the tears meant. Was she happy, or ready to flee in terror? He had, after all, pushed her away repeatedly. She might not believe him or, even if she did, not trust him.

  Finally, she said, “I’ve been in love with you for…I think a year? Before Grand Cayman, certainly.”

  With those words, his heart did explode. But in a good way. He grinned and picked her up and twirled her around, their laugher combined in a way that made the whole room lighter.

  Hazel loved him. In spite of all the ways he’d screwed up in the last week and in Grand Cayman, she was going all in with him.

  He set her feet on the floor and kissed her again, this time taking her mouth slowly as he cupped her face. Later, he’d take her fast and wild, like he had in the forest, but this time, he would make love to her.

  She ran her hands over his chest as he kissed her. He was glad he hadn’t bothered with a shirt because he loved the feel of her hands on his skin. And he needed to touch her in return. He released her face and grabbed the hem of her shirt, breaking the kiss to pull it over her head. He heartily approved of the fact she was braless, just like she’d been last night.

  He cupped one breast and took the other into his mouth. As he sucked, he released her breast to unfasten her jeans. He slid them open at her hips, surprised to see she wasn’t wearing panties either. He cupped her bare ass cheeks as he had last night, and as he’d desperately wanted to do in a hotel room in Grand Cayman all those months ago.

  He pulled back and looked at her. “In Grand Cayman, I thought you came on to me because you’d been drinking and wanted sex and decided I would do.”

  She shook her head. “No. I drank for courage to make my move, but I was so nervous, I drank too much.”

  “You were still too drunk to consent that night, but if I’d realized it wasn’t just a convenient vacation hookup thing, I probably would have asked you out when we returned stateside and I wasn’t on duty.”

  “I guess we just weren’t ready for this yet.”

  He squeezed her ass again. “But now we are.” He kissed her neck, nibbling along her throat, and whispered, “I wasn’t about to let anyone else have the job of protecting you. The moment Rav said you might be in danger, I was in, one hundred percent.”

  She pulled back and held his gaze, her eyes wet again. “I’ve wanted you for so long, this terrifies me a little.”

  “I’m scared too,” he admitted. “Fear is why I kept turning you down.” There were so many ways he could and had already screwed this up. “But we’ll figure it out together. No more hiding from my feelings. No more pushing you away when all I want is to be as close to you as humanly possible.” He pulled her to him, his hands still on her bare ass. “And by the way, going commando? I approve.”

  She laughed. “I didn’t want to wake you by grabbing my bag with clean clothes from the bedroom.”

  He finished sliding her jeans off, and she stepped out of them, completely nude and all his. Last night, he hadn’t gotten her naked. He’d only seen parts of her. But now she was completely exposed to his avid gaze. Her body had changed in the months since he’d found her naked in his bed in Grand Cayman. She was toned in a way she hadn’t been back then.

  “You’ve been working out,” he said as he ran a hand over her faintly defined abs.

  “Yeah. Stress relief in Croatia. I figured if my muscles were exhausted, I’d be able to sleep. It worked for a while. And then it didn’t.”

  He kissed her, wishing there was something he could do to help her deal with the mental pressure of her work. But all he could do was make love to her and hope she’d get lost in the pleasure and forget for a bit.

  He scooped her up and set her on the bed and stared down at her naked body. Hazel soft or Hazel toned, he didn’t have a preference. She was beautiful and perfect no matter what.

  He pushed down his sweatpants, freeing his erection and revealing that he too had gone commando. When he’d pulled the pants on after his shower, he’d hoped he wouldn’t remain clothed for long, and now here he was, all his wishes granted.

  She smiled as she gazed at his body. His cock thickened just from the raw heat in her eyes. She licked her lips. “You’re so beautiful, Sean.”

  “I was just thinking the same thing about you.” He climbed on the bed and stretched out beside her. She shifted her left leg to rest
on his hip, opening her thighs. His hard length pressed against her from clitoris to abdomen as they lay on their sides, facing each other, his balls resting at the juncture of her thighs. He rocked his hips, rubbing the base of his penis over her clit, and she made a soft, sexy moan.

  How had he resisted this for so long?

  Why had he resisted this for so long?

  He kissed her again, taking her mouth. Claiming her tongue. He ran his hands over her smooth skin, loving the feel of her in his arms, flush against his body. Different from the wild urgency of last night, when all he’d done was unzip his fly.

  Last night was hot as hell. A memory worth reliving. But now he wanted a deeper connection with her. And touching her wasn’t enough. He needed to taste her again too.

  He slowly slid down her body, his tongue tracing each inch of skin on his path downward, lingering in a way he hadn’t last night. He paused on her breasts, enjoying her moans as he sucked on her nipples. Then he moved on, nibbling on her abs, tracing her belly button with his tongue, until finally he reached her clitoris and gave it a slow, hard caress with his tongue. Her whole body jolted as she sucked in a gasping breath and made a wordless sound of approval.

  He circled her clit with his tongue, then grazed it with his teeth before sucking on it.

  “Sean!” His name was a gasp, a moan, and a plea, and it was just about the sexiest thing he’d ever heard from her mouth.

  She bent her knees and opened her thighs wide, and he settled in to pleasure her, his tongue and fingers exploring her tight, slick vagina and then stroking her clit until she was shaking and on the verge of release.

  She let out a mewing sort of moan and said, “Don’t make me come yet. I want to come with you inside me.” She scooted up the bed, breaking his contact with her clit, and sat up. “And before that, I need to have you in my mouth.”

  Who was he to deny her that?