Heat Flash
Thank you for purchasing this publication of The Wild Rose Press, Inc.
Heat Flash
by
Taylor Anne
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.
Heat Flash
COPYRIGHT © 2013 by Taylor Anne
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or The Wild Rose Press, Inc. except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
Contact Information: [email protected]
Cover Art by
Debbie Taylor
The Wild Rose Press, Inc.
PO Box 708
Adams Basin, NY 14410-0708
Visit us at www.thewildrosepress.com
Publishing History
First Crimson Rose Edition, 2013
Digital ISBN 978-1-61217-892-9
Published in the United States of America
Dedication
This book is dedicated to family and friends
who encouraged and helped me along the way.
Thank You!
Also, Ally, it has been fun and frustrating;
challenging and fulfilling.
Thanks for taking me under your wing
and working with me.
Your encouragement pushed me forward.
~*~
Thanks to my wonderful husband.
Your support has helped me reach my dreams.
Chapter One
Kendall Reed stepped out of Cajun Roy’s, nearly wilting as the hot, humid New Orleans evening hit her full blast. The air was so thick and muggy, a sheen of sweat clung to her body. She couldn’t wait to get home and get into the air conditioning. And, to get into some comfortable clothes. She had eaten way too much of the southern cooking at her favorite restaurant. Now her jeans were a little snug around the waist. Oh well, her one indulgence, and she’d be good for the rest of the week.
She ambled across the street to the back parking lot, fumbling for her keys. The sound of footsteps in the empty parking lot alerted her that someone was behind her. Chills broke out on her neck. Before she could react, a hand clamped over her mouth and an arm snaked around her waist. She gasped and tried to jerk away from her captor, but his hold was firm, not even allowing her head to turn in search of help. Her keys slipped out of her hands, landing with a jingle next to her Rogue. Unsteady fingers circled the man’s as she tried to pry his hand away from her mouth. No matter how hard she pulled, she couldn’t budge his strong grip. Her jaw was already beginning to ache from the pressure.
Terror clutched her heart. She kicked and twisted, trying to free herself to no avail. He had her body clamped snugly against his solid chest as he dragged her away from her vehicle. From deep inside, Kendall forced a scream, but the hand over her mouth prevented any sound from escaping.
Her eyes scanned the area. The first blanket of darkness was beginning to fill the night. Surely, someone would see what was happening and come to her aid. Only, the parking lot and streets were almost empty. The only two people she could see were turning a corner, disappearing out of sight. Besides, the man had already pulled her too far into the alley for anyone to notice. She stumbled over a pile of trash, throwing them both off balance. Even that did not loosen his hold.
Please let me get out of this alive and unharmed.
One minute Kendall was enjoying dinner with Layla, the restaurant’s owner and one of her best friends, the next she was being abducted. Layla had a full crew working tonight, so Kendall bailed out early, tired from her hectic day of crunching numbers at her job. Now she could kick herself for not staying to help Layla close the restaurant as she normally did once a week. Her heart beat crazily inside her chest. Tears streamed down her face, burning her eyes.
Her back was against the man’s chest, blocking her view of his face. Something about him was so familiar. If only she could get a glimpse of him, a look in his eyes. But she couldn’t identify him, even when he turned her around, pressing her against the old brick wall. It wasn’t a forceful shove, but the jolt was enough to get her attention. He loomed over her. His heavy breathing rattled just above her head. She tried to turn her head up to look at him, but his closeness prevented any movement. The hand on her mouth loosened, but stayed poised, ready to cut off any screams.
“What the hell—” The words died on her lips when the flash of a pistol caught her attention. Nausea roiled inside her stomach. She was going to be sick. Her eyes flew to the face of her captor, and she gasped as recognition dawned.
Mason
. She hadn’t seen him in, what, four years. What was he doing...why...? Before she had time to think, he raised the gun and aimed it down the alley toward something, or someone, she could not see. She tried to pull away from him, shrinking against the wall, but he held tight.
“I’m not going to hurt you.” His whispered breath in her ear was barely loud enough to hear, but the urgency was unmistakable. She didn’t make a sound. Mason Black’s firm hands on her shoulders guided her deeper into the deserted alley. Although his face was in the shadows, the hard set of his jaw was distinctive. The vein in his neck beat erratically. Sweat dampened his black hair and beaded on his forehead.
Kendall’s heart pounded in her chest. Her body tensed. What was going on? Towering a foot over her, Mason’s hard body shielded hers while they made their way through the dimly lit, trash littered alleys. Dirt and grime stuck to her body as they staggered through the dark night.
After stumbling two more blocks in the stifling heat, Mason pulled her to a stop. Her jaw still ached as she tried moving her mouth from side to side to loosen it. “Keep your voice down and do exactly as I say.” The ragged warning against her ear was hotter than the sultry summer air. His familiar sandpaper voice was the only soothing thing about this night.
Her throat tight with fear, she choked out, “Mason, what’s going on?” She looked up, her eyes finally adjusting to the darkness. Dressed in blue jeans and a dark shirt, Mason blended into the moonless night. He quickly turned his head toward the corner they had just rounded. She followed his gaze, but did not see anything. “Mason! Answer me. What are we doing here?”
“You’re in danger. I’ll explain later, but for now, trust me and do exactly what I tell you,” he clipped the words out.
“Danger? Wha—” she stammered.
“Dammit, Ken. Quiet.” His icy glare halted any words she was about to utter. His rigid stance and cautious movements revealed that whatever was going on, it was serious.
Mason raised the pistol again, and she froze. He scanned the alley, up one way, then the other. He was close enough that she could feel the tension emanating from his body. If anyone or anything were to get to her, they had to go through him first. That, at least, was a little comforting. The man was as solid as a steel wall.
Kendall tried to speak, but the words wouldn’t come. She couldn’t think straight. Her hands clenched at her sides, palms damp. Her rubbery knees shook.
Please let this all be some sort of demented dream.
Mason clenched the gun in one hand, keeping his other on her shoulder, his fingers digging into her skin. Seeing him tonight had brought on a wave of feelings ranging from anger to hope. But mostly fear of the moment.
She placed trembling hands on each side of his face and forced his stormy eyes to look at her. “What’s going on? Why do you have a gun? Why are we hiding in an alley?” Terror rose in her voice with each question. The last one came out in a desperate cry as tears brimmed in her eyes. “Why are you here?”
****
“Damn,” Mason muttered. Ice-cold hands framed his face. They burned against his hot skin. Sweat mixed with the tears running down her cheeks. Fear and confusion had darkened her brown eyes.
Damn those eyes
.
His heart beat wildly in his chest, echoing in his ears. His eyes roamed from her face to her neck where her pulse throbbed just as fiercely as his. Their bodies were drenched from the muggy air. Kendall’s clothes clung to her skin, her sleeveless shirt emphasizing her feminine curves.
Her words had an angry edge to them. Hell, he was angry too. From the beginning, he had known this case was not going to be easy. He hated the fact that Kendall had to be involved and her life put in danger. The FBI should’ve been able to catch the suspect months ago, long before Kendall needed protection. And Bobby should never have put Mason in charge of watching over his little sister.
“Mason, what—”
“Not now.”
She removed her hands from his cheeks and pressed them against her own face. Taking a step back, he let his gaze sweep over her small frame, from head to toe. He didn’t like what he saw. Wild eyes, heavy breathing, trembling body, moisture beading on her forehead. Adrenaline and fear had taken over. His gut tightened at seeing her like this, so scared and vulnerable. He was used to this; she was not.
The sound of a can rolling down the street brought his head up. The maniac chasing them was getting closer. Mason had given Kendall a brief opportunity to catch her breath, but now they had to move. Couldn’t waste any more time. He tore his gaze away from Kendall’s terrified eyes. Looking down the alley, he caught sight of the target turning toward them. Kendall squeezed his shoulder. His skin burned from her touch, her frightened grip.
****
“Let’s go. Run!” He grabbed her hand and shoved her ahead of him. Kendall ran. Nothing mattered except getting away from this crazy man. The adrenaline pumping through her body gave the extra edge to run faster than she ever had before. The sounds of the night faded until all she could hear was her own ragged breathing and the pounding of her heart echoing in her ears.
A fraction of a second after she heard the pop of a gun, the air beside her head split. She ducked, but still, the air tingled. Now, she not only had to run for her life, she had to dodge bullets. She turned her head just long enough to see that Mason was still right behind her. None of this made any sense, but somehow, instinctively, she knew to trust Mason.
They gained a little distance when they rounded the next corner. An overflowing dumpster gave them partial cover as they crouched behind it. Kendall wrinkled her nose. The stench of week old trash turned her stomach inside out.
Sweat poured down her back and face, mixing with dust, night air, and fear. Her body and clothes were sticky and grimy. Her mouth longed for moisture. Hair stuck to her head in clumps of brown mess, no longer in a neat ponytail.
Mason scanned the area. Looking for what? Kendall hoped a way out. She jumped when another gunshot rang out. The air cracked next to her as Mason fired back at the man. She put her hands up to cover her ears, trying to block out the noise. Wishing she could block out the entire night.
Mason pushed her toward a slightly ajar door just behind the dumpster. He paused briefly to look around before he barked out orders. “Get inside and call Bobby or Detective Marks at the police department. Tell them where we are.”
“Mason.” Her unsteady breathing forced her to concentrate on her words. “I’m not leaving you out here with him!” She was terrified, but at the same time craved the security of being inside.
“Ken, don’t be an idiot. Go. Tell them to hurry!” He turned toward the alley, and then stopped. Facing her one more time, he snaked his free arm around her waist. Roughly, he pulled her against his body. Her breasts crushed against his muscled chest, and a gasp left her throat. The air between them sizzled. Ice blue eyes locked with hers, and she could swear she saw desire swimming beneath the danger. Must be her imagination. “Go. Now.”
She craned her neck to get one last look at the chaos threatening her life before ducking inside. For a brief second, she made eye contact with their pursuer. A chill ran down her spine, despite the heat of the night. She recognized the red-haired, fair-skinned man.
Tom
. What the hell was her boss doing here, and why was he trying to kill her?
“Get inside now!” Mason crouched down and yelled out to Tom, “It’s me and you now. Come on, you bastard.”
Kendall pulled the heavy door shut, closing herself into semi-darkness. Moonlight streamed in from two small windows too high for her to reach. She found herself in what appeared to be the storage room of a restaurant. Boxes of canned goods were stacked in every corner of the dusky room. Styrofoam cups and take-out boxes spilled from open containers.