Want You Back (12 page)

As would Jenny’s.

Picking up her cell phone, he made the call again to alert the agency to his abrupt change in plans.

The adrenalin that had pumped through her in the beginning was long gone, leaving in its place nothing but sheer exhaustion. In her wildest imagin
ings, Jenny hadn’t dreamed that Jake could be involved in anything like this.

But it made sense out of everything that had hap
pened two years before. Why he’d had to leave her, why he’d never communicated. She believed him when he told her he’d never
expected the operation to last two years or that he’d have to go so deeply undercover. He’d nearly lost himself, he told her, pain stark in his beautiful blue eyes. Which is why he’d quit the agency as soon as the trial had concluded.

Quit the agency and found his way back to her. Grimly, Jenny realized she would do anything to keep him by her side.

Anything.

Even risk her life.

Jake dialed the phone and began speaking in a low voice. Listening to his end of the conversation, Jenny realized he thought he had found a way to keep them safe, however temporary it might be.

When Jake concluded his call, Jenny went to him and wrapped her arms around him. Never had she loved him more, this brave and foolish man, who had risked so much to return to her. Touching her lips to his, she drew him down alongside her on the bed. Heat and passion—a celebration of life and love— flashed between them. This time, Jenny was the aggressor, driven to show him with her body how much he meant to her.

She took him and loved him, moving at first slowly, seductively, driving both of them wild.

Eyes dark with heat, he arched to meet her, stroke for stroke, fire and water all at once.

But in the end, they moved together, reaching for fulfillment as one. When it exploded it took them both, drawing them in a mutual tide of ecstasy.

Then, cradled in each other’s arms, they slept, knowing dawn would bring another set of problems.

When the phone rang the next morning, signaling the arrival of morning and the agents who were to take them to the safe house, Jenny rolled over and stretched. And woke up alone. When the agent arrived to pick her up a half hour later, she got into the car without protest, her thoughts in turmoil, emo
tions churning inside of her. Jake had left her ... again. But at least he’d cared enough to make sure she was protected.

“How could he do this?” she asked the anonymous agent who drove the nondescript black car. Anger burned her insides hollow, and her eyes ached from unshed tears. She would not cry, would not allow herself the luxury of wasting tears over a man who could lie with such ease.

The agent didn’t answer, just made a sympathetic noise and concentrated on his driving.

Had Jake made her any promises? Thinking back, she could
think of none. At least not
directly
. On the phone to his mysterious supervisor, he’d talked of them both entering a safe house, making sure she heard him. This must have been a careful ruse.

Jenny shook her head, hands clenched into fists. He meant well, damn it She knew that but his actions still felt like a bitter pill she had to swallow. If only he’d leveled with her—but then she knew he had tried, only she’d refused to listen. She’d wanted to stay with him, no matter what.

“Where are we going?” Obviously it wasn’t any
where in Texas. After six hours of driving, they were now in the panhandle, heading north.

“I can’t tell you that.” Without turning his head, the agent managed to convey both sympathy and warning. “But you will be safe there.”

“What about Jake?” She couldn’t help herself, she had to know. “Are there people to help him too?”

“I can’t answer that.” Still spoken in the same calm tone, the man flashed her a half-smile. “But I can tell you that Jake Durham is one of our best agents. If anyone can take care of himself, he can. Don’t worry about it.”

Don’t worry about it.
Easy for him to say.

“Miss?”

Jenny looked up to find the agent was regarding her with a serious expression.

“These are dangerous people,” he said. “The drug cartel, I mean. It’s a good thing that Jake wanted to keep you safe. If you stayed with him, he would have had to worry about you and it might have made him make a mistake. One mistake is all it takes.” His point made, the agent returned his gaze to the highway.

Okay, she knew the man was right Hell, she’d understood all he’d said even before Jake had decided to deceive her. She’d still told Jake she wanted to stay with him. She’d still believed she could somehow help him. If he’d thought she’d be a hin
drance, he should have said so. She’d had enough deception and lies to last a lifetime.

So had he.
Good Lord, Jenny remembered what he’d told her, that they were done with lies. She’d actually believed him, despite his broken promises in the past. He’d said he had changed, but had he? Had his newest promise been just another lie, a quick statement given to calm her suspicions and fears?
Did she mean so
little
to him then? If lies came so easily to him, how could she believe anything Jake had to say?

With a mounting sense of
déjà
vu, Jenny stared out the car window at the flat, uniform landscape. She’d already been through this once with Jake and it had nearly killed her. She didn’t know if she could go through this again.

But it was different this time. Something—she didn’t know what—bothered her about the way this had happened.

Jake had made the phone call to the agency—she’d heard him. He’d also specifically stated that they both would be going to this safe house, and arranged for pickup.

The cell phone rang. The driver answered, spoke a few words that told her absolutely nothing, then listened. When he clicked the phone off, he seemed suddenly savage. If he hadn’t been there to protect her, she’d be worried about protecting herself from him.

Yet she couldn’t shake the feeling of unease. Some
thing was wrong. Trepidation coiling inside of her, she glanced at the driver’s impassive features. “Did you know when you came to get me that Jake wouldn’t be with me?”

A muscle worked in the man’s prominent jaw. He glanced at the silent cell phone, the road, then fiddled with the radio. She caught a whiff of his aftershave, a
subtle
scent that seemed to further underscore her unease.

When he turned to look at her, all trace of civility had vanished from his expression. “Actually, no.” Reaching for the cell phone, he fingered it lovingly. “I’ve got my orders though. Even if they don’t exactly mesh with my own plans.”

She fought to still the panic. “Your own plans? I thought this had all been
settled
. You are taking me to a safe house, aren’t you?”

“A safe house?” He shook his head. “Actually, no.” He lifted one hand to quiet her protest “But then

I need to let you in on a
little
secret, lady.” The harsh bite of his laugh sent a chill through her. “I’m not who you were expecting. I’m not with the government at all.”

It took a minute for his meaning to sink in. When it did, Jenny stared at him with mounting horror. “If you’re not with them, then you must be . . .”

“That’s right.” He laughed again, this time sneering at her. “And I didn’t even have to fight with you. You walked right into our trap.”

So she had. Jenny swallowed. “What are you going to do
with me?”

“I’m taking you to Taos. My boss has a place there and wants to meet you. You’re going to help us get Jake Durham, once and for all.”

Whistling
, Jake pocketed his change and retrieved the bag of fresh donuts from the counter. He’d gotten cream-filled, Jenny’s favorite, hot from the oven. Though he’d be willing to bet she hadn’t let herself indulge in a donut for two years, he remembered her murmurs of pleasure when he’d fed her one piece by delicious piece. It had been awhile, but a man didn’t forget things like that. Not about the woman he loved.

And he loved Jenny. To distraction. So much so that he was willing to still the hunter’s instinct inside of him and go far away from the action. Part of him, the part that was still tied to his old life in the agency, longed to slide back into the shadows and track the one who sought him.

But he had given too many years of his life to that job. It no longer had any claim over him. Jenny was his life now. When he’d spotted the small donut shop a block from the motel, all he’d been able to think of was pleasing her.

One more time, he glanced at his watch. He still had an hour before the scheduled rendezvous. Time to wake Jenny, slow and easy, pleasuring her while she lingered in that haze between sleep and wakefulness. Then they would eat their donuts, get dressed, and head out of town.

So engrossed in his daydream, Jake nearly missed the signs that told him something was wrong. But something was. An instant after he felt the first dawn
ing awareness, he froze, taking stock of his surround
ings. The curtains in the window of the motel room he’d left ten minutes before no longer hung
neatly
closed. Instead, they looked like they’d been yanked open. He’d left the door securely locked. It now sat barely closed. One swift push would open it.

Jenny!

Controlling the urge to rush into the room, Jake ducked around the
corner
of the building. It might be a trap and, if he meant to save his Jenny, he had to stay alive.

Heart pounding, he only prayed he wasn’t too late.

Behind him in the sunny parking lot, tires squealed as a gray Ford sedan rounded the
corner
. It
barreled
across
the
asphalt, weaving crazily, before squealing to a halt in front of Jake’s room. Government issue, he’d be willing to bet. But, always a cautious man, Jake stayed put. Doing so had saved his neck more
than once.

Two men got out from the car. Jake recognized one of them as Drew Lake, someone he’d worked with on occasion. Okay, so these were the good guys.

Jake stepped out from around the
corner
, careful to keep both hands in full sight of the agents. “Hey.”

The other man, the one Jake didn’t recognize, spun around, weapon drawn.

“Hold off,” Drew told him, his dark face splitting into a wide smile. “Hey yourself, my man.”

The other man frowned. “Aren’t you—”

“Jake Durham.” He jerked his head towards the hotel room. “Were you guys assigned to surveillance? I have a lady friend inside there.”

Both men exchanged unreadable looks.

Jake felt another stab of panic. Since neither of the agents seemed too concerned about any threat coming from the half-open door to his room, Jake rushed inside.

The still rumpled bed looked
recently
vacated. Jenny’s purse was gone, though there were no signs of a struggle. It almost looked as though she’d gone out for a leisurely breakfast without him.

Surprised to realize he still clutched the bag of donuts in one hand, Jake dropped them on the dresser.
Damn.
He’d thought to surprise her, never imagining she’d wake up and find him gone. What if she’d gone in search of him? What if—

The two agents stood
silently
behind him.

Jake spun to face him, pushing away his worry until he had all the facts. “Where is she? What’s going on here?”

Drew stepped forward, his broad face grim. Clap
ping a hand on Jake’s shoulder, he shook his head. “Sorry, man. We were watching the place—saw you leave and saw the car drive up ten minutes later. We thought you got some wheels or something.”

In disbelief, Jake stared at them. “You didn’t check it out.”

The other man shrugged. “We did. Called in a make on the car and the license plate. The vehicle was reported stolen. That’s why we hightailed it over here.”

    
“You’re telling me—”

    
“Yeah.” Drew shook his head. “They drove off about five minutes before you got here. We gave chase, but he lost us on the freeway.”

    
“Jenny—”

    
“It looks like they got her. The weird thing is, she went
willingly.”

Chapter Ten

    
Though Jenny had always wanted to see Taos, New Mexico, she’d been thinking more along the lines of a ski vacation. Not as prisoner of some drug overlord or whatever this boss person was.

    
“Excuse me.” Though she had scooted so far over that the door handle dug into her arm, she still thought it prudent to watch the man. Especially since he’d mentioned he had plans of his own. “There is one thing I’d like to know. Why me?”

    
“I already told you.” He sounded irritated by her question, not a good sign. “You’re bait, lady. Bait to bring in Jake Durham.”

    
Perhaps playing stupid would buy her some time. She needed all the time she could get, in order to formulate a plan.

    
“Why,” she asked slowly, “do you want Jake?”

    
He gave a snort of disbelief, his long face contorting with rage “He betrayed a trust. Enough said.” With a chopping motion of his hand, he indicated he was through answering questions.

Where she’d once found his nondescript appear
ance reassuring—that of a traditional, government agent operating undercover—now she found it threatening. The military style haircut and battered profile now reminded her of someone in a gangster- type movie.

Jenny resigned herself to a long car trip. At least she would have time to think. She had to think of something, some plan so she and Jake could get out of this—alive.

“No.” Jake shook his head even before Drew had finished speaking. “I know what you’re thinking, and you’re wrong. Jenny is not part of this, in any way, shape, or form.”

Drew nodded. The other man looked
startled
. “No doubts, huh?”

“None whatsoever.” Jake kept his tone firm, his voice level. Inside he fought waves of panic, panic such as he had never before felt in all his years of undercover work. But then he’d never allowed him
self to care for anyone the way he cared for his Jenny. Feeling no emotion was easy when you didn’t really
care if you lived or died.

Things had changed. Jenny was in danger, Jenny was in trouble. And somehow he had to figure out a way to save her.

“Standard operation,” Drew said, glancing at his partner. The other man gave a slow, chilling smile. Jake recognized himself in his steely-eyed gaze. This man was probably one of the agency’s best undercover operatives Jake would be willing to bet he had no family, few friends; in short,
little
to make him cau
tious about placing his life in danger.

“Wait a minute,” Jake protested as Drew’s words registered. “Standard op is fine, but I want to know how we’re going to get Jenny out”

Drew opened the car door with a creak and motioned to Jake to get in. “We’ve got some ground to cover,” he said, starting the engine with a rumble.

“You haven’t got a plan.” Furious, Jake watched as the two men in the front exchanged another unreadable glance. “Have you?”

“Oh, we’ve got a plan all right.” Drew drawled. Jake knew from past experience he wasn’t much going to like what the other man had to say.

But when Drew
outlined
the plan
quietly
, Jake found he liked it just fine. Except for one part. He pointed at Drew’s new partner.

“No way is he going to act as a decoy for me. Those people know me—hell, I was even on television all during the trial. I can’t have Jenny’s life risked on the chance that we tick them off.”

“But—”

“No.” Jake’s tone left no room for argument. “I’m going in myself. No one else. Understand?”

Drew laughed, a humorless bark of sound. “I told you he wasn’t going to like it.”

The other man shot Jake and edgy glance. “Can’t say I blame him. If it were me, I wouldn’t like it either.” He held out his hand. “Trent Doggerty.” After a moment’s hesitation, Jake shook it “Glad to put a name with a face.”

Trent nodded, looking grim. “It’ll be more than that. I’m gonna be your partner on this mission.”

Somehow, shortly after the New Mexico state line, Jenny fell asleep. When she woke, rumpled and tired and in sore need of a restroom, she caught herself grinning. Jake wouldn’t be surprised that she’d been able to sleep in the middle of being kidnapped by
some vicious drug dealers. Riding in the car—any car—always made her eyes droop and yawns take over. She’d fought it a long time, but finally she’d given in. It was better to be rested when facing a
battle
anyway.

Her smile faded as she remembered the seriousness of her situation.

The terrain—rugged mountains and rolling hills— looked unfamiliar.

“Where are we?”

The driver only grunted, telling Jenny nothing.

“I’ve never been to Taos.” Making conversation would probably annoy him, but Jenny couldn’t stand the silence any longer.

“Me neither.”

Okay, as conversational gambits went it wasn’t much, but it was a start.

“Do you have a map?”

His grunt sounded affirmative.

“Mind if I look at it?” At least it would give her something to do besides stare out the window or watch him as he watched the road.

He appeared to consider her request, finally glanc
ing at her as if to ascertain any ulterior motive she might have. With another grunt he reached into the door pocket and pulled out a brand new,
neatly
folded map of New Mexico.

    
Trying not to appear too eager, Jenny opened it

and began studying the area around Taos. Judging from the map, the area was between two mountain ranges. Nothing she saw gave her any ideas on plan
ning a possible escape.

Chewing on her bottom lip, Jenny forced herself to remain calm. She had to figure out something. And soon.

The Blackhawk helicopter—the same type that had once plucked him out of Mexico—set down in the vacant parking lot of a deserted grocery store. Jake climbed inside, followed by Trent. Drew, who was to remain behind and monitor things by computer, shot them a thumbs-up sign as they slowly lifted off. A second helicopter would meet them.

“We’ve already received a call,” the pilot yelled once they were airborne. “They want to ransom her.” “Ransom her?” Jake couldn’t believe it “How much?”

The pilot grinned, his dark glasses hiding his eyes. “Not how much, but with what. In exchange for her, they want one thing. You.”

Jake nodded. It was no more than he’d figured. Drew nudged him with an elbow. “Okay, so you’re in. Now we’ve got to come up with a plan to get her out.”

Jenny woke when the car came to a halt Groggy, she forced her eyes open and sat up. Resisting
the
urge to rub her aching back, she looked around.

They’d pulled up in the center of some courtyard. Behind them, a massive, electronically-controlled iron gate swung closed. A three-story house—was it a house or a hotel?—rose on all sides A huge marble fountain, water spilling from it, rose’ in the center of the courtyard, surrounded by blooming flowers of every variety and color. Heat rose in waves off the floor, despite the ceiling fans that whirled away under the covered pa
tio
area.

It looked like a luxurious, private resort. Any other time she would have found it delightful—a tropical paradise in the middle of the desert. But Jenny knew the place had been bought with tainted money— drug money—and that the people who lived here would be extremely dangerous.

A man in a dark suit hurried across the tiled floor towards them. After a few quiet words with her driver, the second man came over and opened her door.

“Welcome.” His unsmiling greeting was cold.

Jenny nodded, stepping from the car and wishing she could stretch the kinks out of her legs.

Though it felt hot, the air seemed pure, cleaner somehow. No humidity, she remembered. It was much easier to take high temperatures without the choking humidity.

“Follow me.”

Again she nodded, noticing that her driver fell into place behind her. Both men wore guns under their jackets, though the second man made a much bigger show of it than the man who had abducted her.

Abducted her.
Now that was a joke. She’d walked into their trap like a lamb to the slaughter. She hadn’t put up any fight, not even a token one.

Maybe this could work to her advantage. If she could make them believe she was overly timid and not very bright, they might not watch her closely.

As a plan it wasn’t much, but it was the best she had to go on for now.

At a set of double doors, they paused. The first man placed his thumb against some sort of device. It took a moment, then the doors
silently
slid apart Great. More security to make it more
difficult to escape.

Still Jenny watched everything, cataloging it in her memory for future reference.

Once inside, the heat gave way to the pristine cool
ness of central air conditioning. The tile became plush carpet, and her eyes gradually adjusted to the dimmer light.

All around her she saw artwork; even to her untrained eye, it appeared priceless if it was genuine. She had no doubt it was.

They encountered no one else as they trekked through the huge house. Finally they came to an elevator, whereupon her guard again placed his thumb on the mini-screen on the wall. Again the doors slid open.

Jenny’s heart sank. How many more security mea
sures did this place contain? No doubt there were motion sensors and vicious guard dogs that roamed the grounds at night

Still, she held on to her determination to escape. It was all she had. That and the hope of seeing Jake —alive—again.

Finally they came to a set of ornately carved, mahog
any double doors. Jenny took a deep breath, then another, and willed herself to stay calm. She had no doubt that the man responsible for her kidnapping was behind these doors.

Another sensor, another thumb. The doors slid
silently
open. Stepping aside, the guard in front motioned her inside.

Dread clenching her stomach, Jenny straightened her spine and walked inside. Though her pulse pounded jaggedly, she held her head high. Somehow she instinctively understood that they would respect her more if she didn’t show fear.

The dimly lit room was furnished even more luxuri
ously. Though no doubt the decor had been expen
sive, it had the look of a nineteenth-century brothel. The heavy, wine-colored draperies helped to rein
force that impression.

On the other side of the room was a massive desk. Behind the desk sat—-Jenny blinked—a diminutive woman.

“Come in.” The husky voice contained the barest trace of a Hispanic accent. “Have a seat. I am Rosa.”

Trying not to show her shock, Jenny sank into one of the plush velvet chairs in front of the desk. This woman was her own age, maybe a little older, though not much. Gleaming sable hair had been elaborately styled on top of her small head, and her tawny skin bore a glow that spoke of wealth and pampering. Her long-lashed brown eyes had a slight almond shape to them.

She was one of the most beautiful women Jenny had ever seen, bar none. Not even the competition in the Miss Texas
pageant the year Pamela Pen
nington won could touch her. Heck, Pamela herself couldn’t hold a candle to Rosa.

With one major difference. Jenny had a feeling that Rosa could be deadly.

Would
be deadly, if she were behind Jenny’s abduc
tion. Her next words confirmed Jenny’s suspicions.

“So you are the one Jake has chosen.”

Confused, Jenny gave a slow nod.

“Did you plan to marry?” Rosa watched her intently, the gleam in her eyes reminding Jenny of a hungry cat watching a trapped mouse.

“Two years ago.” Jenny clenched her hands together to keep from twisting them nervously in her lap. She wasn’t sure where this was going, but knew immediately that it didn’t bode well for her.

“Two years ago?” Practically purring, Rosa sipped from a tall crystal glass. “Before he came to me?” With a sense of disbelief
, Jenny leaned forward. A spurned
lover? All of this because Jake had—what, left this woman behind when he returned to Ater? Still, she would have to be careful. “He came to you?” “Ah, yes.” Rosa’s laughter sounded s
lightly
bitter, reminding Jenny of how she herself had felt before Jake broke down her barriers. “Many times,
amiga,
many times.”

Jenny’s stomach churned. Though she hadn’t really thought Jake had been celibate in their time apart, she hadn’t really needed to know that his for
mer lover had been so beautiful. “I—”

Rosa interrupted, her expression darkening. “We were to be married. I made all the plans. Then, the night before our wedding, Jake disappeared. I had the dress, the church, the flowers, the gifts, but no bridegroom.”