Bane (8 page)

Ten

C
rystal felt the room spinning and wondered if she was about to fall flat on her face. Bane was obviously wondering the same thing because he was out of his chair in a flash and had grabbed hold of her arm to steady her.

“I think you need to sit down, Crystal,” he said, trying to ease her down into the chair he’d just vacated.

“No. I won’t sit down,” she said, telling herself she’d just imagined what he’d said about her house burning down. There was no way he could have said that. But all it took was to see the concerned look on his face to know she hadn’t imagined anything at all.

“Why would anyone want to burn my house down?” She just couldn’t fathom such a thing.

“Actually, it’s not just anyone. The order came from Homeland Security.”

Shock took over her features. “Homeland Security? Why would the government do something like that?”

“I told you about those other two chemists who were kidnapped. And now the kidnappers are trying to get their hands on you. It’s a serious situation, Crystal, and you’re talking about national security. As long as there’s a possibility something is in your house connected to the project you’re working on, then—”

“But I told you there wasn’t. I never bring work home.”

“The Department of Homeland Security can’t take any chances. Without you the bad guys will try to piece together what they need, and DHS can’t let them do that.”

“Fine. Get them on the phone.”

“Get who on the phone?”

“Someone at Homeland Security. Evidently you have their number. If they don’t believe you, then maybe they will believe me.”

“I can’t do that.”

“Why not?”

There was a moment of silence before he said, “Because right now we can’t trust anyone. Not even Homeland Security. At least until they find out what’s going on. Evidently, there’s a mole within the organization. Otherwise, how else would your project come under such close scrutiny?”

He moved around her to the cabinet that held the coffeepot, poured a cup and took a sip. He leaned back against the cabinet and added, “Homeland Security has no idea where you are. All they know is the bad guys haven’t nabbed you yet because they’re still trying to find you. Obviously, the person who sent you that note is one of the good guys and figured out what was about to go down, which is why he or she told you to disappear. For all they know, that’s what you did.”

He took another sip of his coffee. “So beside those framed photographs over your fireplace, is there anything else in your house you want to save?”

Crystal drew in a deep breath. Technically, it wasn’t her house since she was leasing it. But it was where she’d made a home for the past year, putting her own signature on it with the decorating she’d done. What she’d liked most about her home was the screened-in patio. She could sit out there for hours and read. That made her realize that all the furniture she did own would probably be destroyed because it was too big to move out without attracting attention. The impact of that made her slide down in the chair. It was still warm from when Bane had sat in it.

“We don’t have much time, Crystal.”

She sat upright, glad she’d already packed her marriage license and placed it inside the photo album she’d kept for Bane. “My family Bible,” she said with resolve. “It’s in the nightstand drawer. And there are more pictures in a small trunk under my bed.”

“Okay.”

He returned to the desk and when he reached for his phone, his arm brushed against hers. The feel of their skin coming into contact made her draw in a sharp breath. He looked at her, holding her gaze for a minute, and she knew he’d felt the sizzle, as well. He continued to hold her gaze, letting her know she had his full attention while he talked on the phone. “Flip, check the nightstand drawer next to her bed and grab her family Bible. And there’s a small trunk under her bed.”

Moments later he clicked off the phone. “I see you haven’t outgrown that.”

“What?”

“Blushing.”

“Was I supposed to outgrow it?”

He smiled. “I have no complaints. In fact I’ve always enjoyed watching you blush.”

She tried to give him a small smile, but in all honesty, she had very little to smile about right now.

“I didn’t ask if you wanted a cup of coffee. Since you didn’t order a cup at that diner earlier tonight, I figured you’re still not a coffee drinker.”

She nodded. “And I see that you still are.”

“Yep.”

She frowned and broke eye contact with him to look at the cup he held in his hand. “Too much caffeine isn’t good for you.”

He chuckled. “So you’ve always said.”

“And so I know. Especially now that I’ve become a biochemist. It’s not good for your body.”

Why had she said that? And why after saying it did her gaze automatically move up and down his solid frame? Bane Westmoreland was so overwhelmingly sexy. He’d always possessed a magnetism that could draw her in. The man was such a perfect hunk of carved mahogany, it was a crying shame.

She moved her gaze off his body and up to his face, thinking his facial hair gave him a sexier look. He gave her a roguish smile and she could feel her cheeks flush. “Looking at me like that can get you in a lot of trouble, Crystal Gayle,” he murmured in a deep husky voice.

He was standing close, so close she could inhale his scent. Manly. Deliciously provocative. “Then, I won’t look at you,” she said, cutting her eyes elsewhere. Namely to her bed and all the cards and letters she’d pulled out of the satchel. “I don’t need any more trouble than I’m already in. It’s pretty bad when you have the government burning down your house. I’d like to see how they explain their actions to the insurance company.”

“They won’t have to. They will handle it in a way that makes it look like an electrical fire or something. It definitely won’t appear intentional.”

She lifted her chin. “Still, I don’t like it.” She eased up out of the chair, assuming he would step back and give her space. He didn’t, and it brought their bodies within touching distance of each other.

“You look good in your T-shirt and sweats, by the way,” he said softly. They were standing so close the heat of his words seemed to fan across her face.

She looked down at herself, thinking he had to be kidding. Both garments were old and ratty looking, but she remembered her manners and glanced up and said, “Thank you.”

The moment she looked into his face, she wished she hadn’t. The intense desire in the hazel eyes staring back at her was so profoundly sensual she felt a tug in the middle of her stomach.

Setting his coffee cup down, he moved closer. Before she knew what he was doing he reached out and placed his hands at her waist. But he didn’t stop there. As he inched his hands upward and gently caressed the curve of her body, he said, “I can’t get used to these. Where did all these curves come from?”

She shrugged. “Wish I knew. I just woke up one morning and they were there.” Why wasn’t she telling him to keep his hands to himself? Why did his touch feel so good?

He chuckled. “Only you would think these curves were an overnight thing.”

Although a part of her wished he didn’t do that, she kind of liked the way he would subtly remind her that they had a past. And she needed that because at times he seemed like such a stranger to her.

“Well,” she said, making a move to scoot around him. But he held tight to her waist and when he began lowering his head, she could just imagine how their tongues would mingle.

The moment he took hold of her mouth, his lips ground against hers and she was powerless to do anything but kiss him back.

* * *

Bane loved kissing Crystal. Always had and figured he always would. Their kisses weren’t just hot, they were flaming red-hot, and in no time he was shivering with desire. And like in the past, he had to taper his lust; otherwise he would have her spread out on that bed in no time. And he doubted she was ready for that just yet.

So he enjoyed this. The way she was provocatively returning his kiss. The way his mouth seemed to be in sync with hers, feeding off hers with a hunger he felt in every part of his body. As when he’d kissed her earlier tonight, it felt as if he’d finally come home to the woman he loved. He had been hungry for her taste for five years. He’d tried to remember just how delicious it was and knew his memories hadn’t come close. The intensity was clouding his mind and he could tell she wasn’t holding back, pouring everything into the kiss like he was doing.

She suddenly pulled her mouth away and drew in a deep breath. When she licked her bottom lip, he was tempted to kiss her again, take his own tongue and lick her lips.

“We should not have done that, Bane,” she said softly. And the look of distress in her eyes touched him.

“Don’t see why not. You’re my wife.”

“I don’t feel like your wife.”

“That can be remedied, sweetheart,” he said in a provocative drawl.

“I know,” she said, looking at him with a serious expression. “But sleeping with you won’t make me feel as if I know you any better. I need time, Bane. I don’t need you to rush me into anything.”

“I won’t.”

She crossed her arms over her chest and he wished she hadn’t done that when he saw her nipples pressed against her T-shirt. “Then, what was that kiss about just now?”

He smiled. “Passion. You can’t deny you felt it. I want you so much, Crystal.” He saw uneasiness line her pupils. “Relax, baby. You will let me know when you’re ready. One day you will realize that no matter how long it’s been, I’m still your husband.”

She shook her head. “But we haven’t seen each other in five years.”

He frowned. Was she saying that because she wasn’t sure she still loved him after all this time? He refused to believe that. “Trust me, Crystal,” he heard himself say softly. “After reading all my cards and letters to you, I have no doubt you’ll see what I mean.”

His cell phone rang and when he turned to pick it up, she used that time to quickly move away from him and back to the bed.

“This is Bane.” He nodded a few times. “Okay, Flip. Thanks and I owe you.” He then clicked off the phone.

He looked over at her. “That was Flip. He wanted to let me know he collected all the items you wanted saved. And by the way. Did you know your house was bugged?”

* * *

Crystal was experiencing one shock after another. First Bane returned after five years. Then she was on the run from men who wanted to kidnap her. Then the government wanted to burn her house down. And now she was being told it was bugged?

“That’s not possible. Nobody I work with has ever been invited to my home. They consider me a recluse.”

Bane nodded. “Where did the stuffed giraffe come from?”

She frowned. “The stuffed giraffe?”

“Yes.”

She thought for a minute. “It was a gift from one of my coworkers, who took a trip to South Africa earlier this year. She brought everyone souvenirs back.”

“Who was this generous person?”

“A biochemist by the name of Jasmine Ross.”

“Well, yours was given to you with a purpose. Flip saw it on your dresser and figured it would be something you’d want to keep, as well. When his sensor went off he knew it contained an audio bugging device. He proved his suspicions true when he gutted it. I guess someone thought they could catch you saying something about your research on the phone or something.”

“Well, they were wrong.” Things were getting crazier by the minute and she couldn’t believe it. “Were there others?”

Bane shook his head. “Flip and his brothers combed the rest of the house and didn’t detect anything. Now you see why Homeland Security wants to burn it down to the ground?”

No, she still didn’t see it. “They could have found another way.”

“Evidently not.”

She didn’t like Bane’s attitude, as if he was perfectly fine with someone torching the place where she lived. Turning her back to him, she angrily began shoving all the cards and envelopes back into the satchel. She was in no mood to read anything now. All she wanted to do was get into bed and rest her brain.

“I’ll take my shower now.”

“Fine.” Crystal was tempted to turn around but refused to do so. She planned to be in bed and dead asleep by the time he came out of the bathroom.

When she heard the bathroom door close she released a deep sigh. How were she and Bane going to share a hotel room without...

She shook her head. The thought of them making love was driving her nuts. All of a sudden the memories of their last time together were taking hold of her. They had been happy. They had just gotten married and thought the future was theirs to grab and keep.

When she heard the water from his shower she couldn’t help but recall when they had showered together. All the things he had taught her to do. Bane had been the best teacher, and he’d always been easy and gentle with her.

As she drew the bedcovers back and then slid beneath them, she tried to not think of Bane. Instead, she thought of her house and how at that very minute it could be going up in flames.

Eleven

T
wenty minutes later Bane walked out of the bathroom and glanced over at the bed where Crystal lay sleeping. Or was she? He found it amusing that she was pretending to be asleep while checking out his bare chest and the way his sweats rode low on his hips. He had no problem with her ogling him; she could even touch him if she liked. Better yet, he would love for her to invite him to her bed. He would love to slide between the sheets with her.

Intending to give her more to look at, he decided he might as well get on the floor and do his daily exercises. He’d begin with push-ups after a five-minute flex routine that included bending to touch his toes. Maybe a vigorous workout would work out all the desire that was overtaking his senses and at the same time arouse her enough that she would want him to make love to her. It was worth a try.

Less than thirty minutes into his exercises he wondered if she realized her breathing had changed. He most certainly had noticed. Now he was off the floor and running in place. His sweats had ridden even lower on his hips and his bare chest was wet from sweat. Now for a few crunches.

“What you’re doing doesn’t make sense, Bane.”

He forced himself not to smile. “I thought you were asleep,” he said, lying, when he knew she’d been peeking through a slightly closed eye at him.

“How could I sleep with all that racket you’re making down there on the floor?”

“Sorry if I disturbed you. And what doesn’t make sense?”

“For a person to take a shower only to get all sweaty again.”

He chuckled. “I’ll take another shower. No problem.”

She had shifted in bed to lie on her side and look over at him. “You did three hundred push-ups. Who does that?”

“A SEAL who needs to stay in shape.” Evidently she’d been counting right along with him but had missed a few. “And I did three hundred and twenty-five.” He wondered where her concentration had been when he’d done the other twenty-five.

“Whatever. I just hope that’s the last of it.”

“For tonight. I do the same thing each morning. But I’ll try to be a little quieter so as not to disturb you.”

* * *

The sound of him exercising wasn’t what was disturbing her, Crystal thought, trying not to let her gaze roam all over Bane. Jeez. How could sweat look so good on a man? It was such a turn-on. All that testosterone being worked up like that. Rippling muscles. Bulging biceps. Firm abs. Mercy! She’d gone without sex for five years and it had never bothered her before. But now it did. Only because the man here with her now was Bane.

She had pretended to be asleep when he’d come out of the bathroom. But seeing him bare chested and wearing sweats was just too much. She had tried closing her eyes and holding them shut. Tight. But the sounds of him grunting sent all kinds of fantasies through her mind and she’d begun peeking. And definitely getting an eyeful. If she didn’t know better she’d think he’d deliberately gone after her attention.

“I’ve worked up an appetite. Do you want something?”

She had worked up an appetite watching him as well, but it wasn’t for food. She definitely wanted something, but it was something she’d best do without—it was just too soon since Bane had come for her, and she needed to stay focused until she was out of danger. “No thanks. I’m still full from those waffles and chicken we ate earlier. But you can order room service if you like. The hotel clerk did say the kitchen was open twenty-four hours.” But who wanted to eat at four in the morning?

He glanced at the clock on the nightstand separating the beds. “I think I’ll order something up. Nothing heavy. If I do it now, it will probably arrive by the time I get out of the shower. But if they come while I’m in the shower, don’t open the door for anyone. They can wait a few minutes. If they can’t, then they can take it back to the kitchen.”

She wondered if all that was necessary. But then all she had to remember was her house was probably getting burned to the ground about now. “Fine.” She hoped by the time he got out of the shower for a second time that night she would be asleep for real. But that hadn’t worked during his first shower—the sound of running water and picturing him naked beneath that water had kept her awake.

She watched as he moved over to the desk and picked up the phone to order a steak dinner with potatoes. At four in the morning? She lifted a brow. Hadn’t he said nothing heavy? If that wasn’t heavy then what was his definition?

And speaking of heavy...

Why had her breathing suddenly gone that way? Could it be because her gaze had now landed on the perspiration dripping off his hard chest, past those chiseled muscles, and making a path toward the waistband of his sweats? And why did the thought of licking it before the drops of sweat could disappear beneath the waistband actually appeal to her?

He had grabbed more clothes and was about to go into the bathroom when his cell phone rang. “That’s Nick,” Bane said, turning and heading back toward the desk.

Crystal felt a tightening of her stomach. It seemed that whenever this guy Nick called, he was the bearer of bad news. “Maybe they changed their minds about burning down my house.”

The look Bane gave her all but said not to count on it. “Yes, Nick?”

She saw the tightening of Bane’s jaw and the dark and stormy look in his eyes. And when he said, “Damn” three times she felt uneasy and suspected the news wasn’t good.

“Thanks for letting me know. We’re on the road again. Contact Viper. He’ll know what to do.”

Crystal had eased up on the side of the bed. As soon as he clicked off the phone she was about to ask what was wrong when he asked, “Where’s your jacket?”

She lifted a brow. “My jacket?”

“Yes.”

“Hanging up in the closet. Why?”

“It has a tracking device on it.”

“What!”

Already Bane had reached the closet and jerked her jacket off the hanger. She watched in horror as he took a pocketknife and ripped through a seam. “Bingo.” He pulled out a small item that looked like a gold button.

She drew in a deep breath and met Bane’s gaze when he looked over at her. “Does that mean...”

“Yes. Someone has been keeping up with our whereabouts all this time, and chances are they know we’re here.”

“But how did someone get my jacket?”

“Probably at work. Do you keep it on during the day?”

“No. I always take it off, hang it up and put on my lab coat.”

He nodded. “Then, you have your answer. And I suspect the person who put this tracker in your coat is the same person who gave you the stuffed giraffe.” He rubbed his hands down his face. “Come on. Let’s pack up and get the hell out of here.”

“But what about your food? Your shower?”

“I’ll stop somewhere later to grab something, but for now we need to put as much distance between us and this place as we can. As for my shower, you’ll just have to put up with sharing a car with a musky man.”

“I can handle it.” She was already on her feet and pulling out her luggage. She considered how Bane hadn’t expected all this drama when he’d come looking for her. “I’m sorry, Bane.” She glanced over at him and saw he was doing likewise with his luggage.

He paused in tossing items into his duffel bag and looked back at her. “For what?”

“For being the cause of so much trouble. I guess you hadn’t figured on all of this.”

“No, but it doesn’t matter, Crystal. You’re my wife, and I will protect you with my life if it came to that.”

She shivered at the thought and hoped it didn’t. But still, the words he’d just spoken had a profound impact on her. She pushed several locks of hair back from her face to focus on Bane as he continued to pack. Surprisingly, it wasn’t Bane’s sexiness that was wearing her down, but his ability to still want her in spite of everything.

“Ready?”

She nodded. “Yes.”

“We need to be aware of our surroundings more than ever and make sure we aren’t being tailed. There’s a pretty good chance someone is sitting and waiting for us in the parking lot, which is why I’m putting plan B in place.”

“What’s plan B?”

“You’ll see.”

After Bane checked up and down the hallway, they left the hotel room, moving quickly toward the stairwell instead of the elevator. She followed his lead and didn’t ask any questions. And when they came to a locked door that led to the courtyard, he used what looked like a knitting needle to pick the lock.

“Still doing that, I see,” she said.

He shrugged. “Not as much as I used to.”

In no time the lock gave way and she saw they were in the courtyard, which was located on the other side of the building from the parking lot. “How will we get to our car?”

“We won’t.”

She was about to ask what he meant when suddenly a white SUV pulled up, tailed by a dark sedan. Since Bane didn’t seemed alarmed by the two vehicles, she figured he knew the occupants. When the door to the SUV opened and a big bruiser of a man got out, she saw Bane’s lips ease into a smile.

When the man came to a stop in front of them, Bane said. “Crystal, I want you to meet Gavin Blake, better known as Viper. Another one of my teammates.”

* * *

Bane wasn’t bothered by the way Viper was checking out Crystal. He was curious, as most of his teammates were. They had wondered what kind of woman could keep a man faithful to a wife he hadn’t seen in five years. Bane could tell that Viper, a known ladies’ man, was in awe, if his stare was anything to go by.

Moments later, Viper switched his intense gaze from Crystal back to Bane. “She’s beautiful, Bane.”

“You forgot to check out my teeth,” Crystal said, frowning.

Viper let out a deep laugh. “And she has a good sense of humor,” he added. “I like that. She’s definitely a keeper.”

“Yes, she is.” Bane had known that the first day he’d met Crystal. “Did you check out the parking lot?”

Viper nodded. “Yes, and it was just like you figured. A car with two men inside is parked beside the one you were driving. I phoned in the description and the license plates to Nick, and according to him, it’s the same vehicle an eyewitness saw in the area when one of the other biochemists was kidnapped. So you did the right thing by having Nick call me.”

Viper nodded toward the SUV. “Here’s your new ride. Chances are those guys don’t know you’re onto them. They probably planned to snatch your wife the minute you checked out of the hotel tomorrow morning.”

“Like hell.”

“That’s what I said,” Viper said, chuckling. “I figured they don’t have a clue who they’re messing with. I’m going to keep those guys busy while you and your lady get a head start. This ought to be fun.”

Bane frowned. “Don’t enjoy yourself too much.”

“I won’t. I brought my marine cousin with me to make sure I stay out of trouble. At least as much as I can,” Viper said, handing Bane the keys to the SUV. “Do you have a plan from here?”

Bane nodded. “Yes. My brother is calling in family members with connections to law enforcement.”

Viper nodded. “That’s good. There’s nothing like family backing you when you’re in a pinch.” He then turned his attention back to Crystal and smiled. “It was nice finally getting to meet you. You have a good man here. And, Bane, if you need my help again, just call.” With those words, Viper walked away and got inside the dark sedan before the driver pulled off.

Bane watched him leave before turning his attention to Crystal. “Come on, let’s get the hell out of here before those guys sitting in the parking lot figure out we’re one up on them.” He opened the trunk and placed their luggage inside.

“Do you want me to drive, Bane? You have to be tired.”

He smiled when he opened the SUV’s door for her to get in. What he was enduring was nothing compared to missions he and his teammates typically encountered. “No, I’m fine. We’re together, and that’s all that matters to me.”

* * *

We’re together, and that’s all that matters to me
.

A half hour later, as Bane took the interstate with a remarkable amount of ease for a man who hadn’t gotten much rest, Crystal couldn’t help but continue to recall those words. Shouldn’t that be all that mattered to her, as well? The one thing she knew for certain was that she was glad he was here with her. No telling what her fate would be if he wasn’t. She wouldn’t have known where to go or what to do. Her plans had been to head for the Bahamas, not knowing someone would have been there, waiting for her at the airport to grab her before she could get on the plane.

But Bane had known. Through his intricate network of teammates, he’d been able to stay one step ahead of the bad guys. What had gone down at the hotel was too close for comfort. She would never have known a tracker had been sewn inside her jacket.

She was surprised Jasmine Ross was involved. The woman was a few years older than she and seemed perky enough. Jasmine had even tried to befriend her a few times, but Crystal hadn’t been ready to become the woman’s friend. She hadn’t thought anything about the stuffed giraffe, since Jasmine had given everyone working in the lab a gift. And as for her jacket, Crystal hung it on the coatrack like everyone else, so Jasmine had access to it. She could have sneaked off with it and placed a tracker inside without being detected.

Crystal wondered what would entice a person to be on the wrong side of the law. What was in it for the woman? Crystal didn’t want to think about what those other two chemists were enduring against their will. They’d been separated from their families and probably didn’t know if anyone would find and rescue them. Were they even still in this country?

“You okay over there?”

She glanced at Bane. As far as she was concerned, she should be asking him that. At least she’d gotten a couple hours of sleep earlier tonight. “Yes, I’m fine. What about you?”

He chuckled. “I’m great.”

To a degree, she believed him. Bane was definitely in his element. This was a different Bane. More in control. Disciplined. Not impulsive, irresponsible or reckless. The Bane she remembered would have gone out to the parking lot to confront those guys, ready to kick ass. The old Bane had an attitude and detested anyone telling him what to do, especially when it involved her. That was why he’d butted heads with her father countless times and defied the law.