Hell or High Water (21 page)

He pushed up on his elbow, leaned over, and claimed her mouth. Just as he’d claimed her body. Just as he’d claimed her heart.

“My God.” His smile chipped away another piece of the protective wall. “I can’t get enough of you.”

Nate’s gaze glided almost casually down her naked body. Kay considered herself a modest woman, but with Nate, she had no such inhibitions. He whispered she was beautiful again and again. She had to strain to hear his words.
 

 
She refused to question if they’d been wrong to make love. She wouldn’t think about the answer. There was only today. Right here. Right now. Right this minute.

Even though she willed the outside world away, reality was never far from her mind. Marcus would arrive soon, and while she certainly wasn’t ashamed of making love with Nate, it was an intimacy she didn’t care to share.
 

“We should shower and dress.”

“Naw.” He protested by circling her nipple with his finger.

“Marcus will be here—”

“Oh shit.” Nate all but sprang off the bed. “That fine-looking body ...” he swept an open palm through the air in her direction, “is for my eyes only. You shower first.”
 

She raced past him with her arms full of clothing and the always present throwaway phone in her hand. She yelped when he swatted her bare bottom.
 

Standing under the warm water, while her body still tingled from their lovemaking, reality crept in. Her chest ached as if a strong north wind swirled around her heart, tightening and chilling. Reminding her this situation with Nate was temporary.
 

When Holly was home and Hank behind bars, Nate’s job would be finished. And he’d move onto something more dangerous. She couldn’t compete with the excitement of some threat in a foreign country.
 

The pain in her chest hit with such a force, she braced her hands against the shower wall for support. Deep breaths and determination helped her pull her thoughts together.
 

She wouldn’t cling when the time came for him to go, and she’d tell him that. She was okay with his mysterious missions and danger. She expected it. Hell, welcomed it. With her resolve in place, she dried off, dressed, and went to tell him.

Nate’s voice drifted to her ears. “If the Colombian op can wait, I’m interested. I can’t take the job right now. I’m committed to this case I’m working on.”
 

She paused in the hall, eavesdropping on a phone call and not feeling one bit guilty. She’d missed the first part of the conversation, but she’d heard enough to figure out Nate’s FBI contact needed him for a mission. Good Lord. Colombia? Had she heard yearning in Nate’s tone? If not for his commitment to saving Holly, Kay had no doubt he’d be gone tomorrow. A little piece of her heart broke off.
 

She rolled her shoulders to loosen the tension and joined him in the kitchen, just as he ended the call. Kay breathed out a sigh. He’d tell her about his next mission, and she’d let him know she understood. The time was right to clear the air.
 

He looked up and hit her with a smile. “Marcus isn’t coming here. He’s headed home.”
 

Too stunned to speak, she nodded. Was he really keeping his phone conversation, or the fact he’d be leaving as soon as Holly was home, a secret? How had she been so stupid as to think he’d actually discuss his plans with her? She reminded herself he hadn’t contacted her when he first got back.

He had an awkwardness in his tone as he rambled on about Marcus.
 

“We need to talk.” She backed away when he started toward her. Her skin sizzled from embarrassment. “Seriously.”

That stopped him. “Shoot.”

“About what just happened between us.” She tried to swallow, but the knot in her throat prevented her from continuing. His gaze swept across her, lust painting his incredible face.

“I believe it’s called sex, not ‘what happened.’ And since Marcus won’t be here anytime soon, I’m thinking we should go back to bed.”
 

Flames licked through her blood, sending a coil of need straight to her lower stomach and putting her breasts on full alert.
 

“First, we need ground rules.”

Both his eyebrows went up. “I followed orders while I was in the military. I’m not good at it anymore.” He advanced a couple of steps.

“Well, we need to be clear. The sex was great. Wonderful. But that’s all it was. Sex. When this is over and Holly’s safe, we go back to our old lives. Parting as friends.”
 

His eyes were unreadable. Void of all emotion. He hadn’t loved her enough to stay ten years ago, and she didn’t believe he did today.

His chest rose and fell with an audible breath. “That’s the way you want it? No strings?”

“No strings.”
 

He nodded once before turning and heading to the fridge. “No problem. Want a beer?”

His blasé attitude and cold words told her he was fine with no emotional attachment.
 

Chapter 21

Determined not to forget Mr. A’s directions, Johnny held the phone to his ear with his shoulder and wrote down every word. Later, he’d commit them to memory and then shed the document. That the cabin was a couple hours outside Dallas and not on the map was good news, but transporting Holly across the state line was dangerous. The feds were already in Texas looking into the missing girls and, if he got caught, his trial would be in federal court. It was no secret their prison sentences were much harsher.

“You sure nobody will be around?” Johnny rarely questioned the boss, but this was too important to leave to chance.
 

“The place hasn’t been used in years.” He snorted a sound of disgust. “Maybe I’ll take you hunting someday ...”
 

His voice trailed off, and Johnny waited a second, knowing not to pry. As far as he knew, the boss wasn’t close to anyone and had probably thought better at being too friendly.
 

“And the front-end loader?”

“In a small barn. And in perfect working condition.” The boss blew out a breath. “I’ll call Hank with instructions.”

“Keep him away from me. I’ve got enough problems.”

“I understand. However, I’m sending him to the cabin first thing in the morning. He’ll come in handy if you’re right and the Taylor woman brings her entourage.”

“Don’t need him. I like working alone.”
 

“Out of the question,” Mr. A snapped. “This is his mess, and he can help clean it up.”

“Yes, sir,” Johnny fired back, wishing he’d reined in his temper before speaking. His tone of voice had pushed him over the boundary of acceptable behavior. “Sorry.”

“How long since you slept?”

“Awhile. I don’t need much.”

“When this is over, there’s a considerable bonus waiting for you. Take that girlfriend off somewhere, lie on the beach for a few days. That’s an order.”

Johnny shuddered. She was a clerk in the Dallas police chief’s office, and he had no intentions of spending time with that bitch. This afternoon, she’d shared how the FBI investigation on human trafficking had uncovered one of the boss’s competitors. Other than that, she’d provided nothing of value.
 

“Yes, sir.” Johnny dropped the phone’s receiver in its cradle, rubbed his throbbing temple, and thought over the directions to the hunting cabin.
 

He didn’t trust Hank. Would rather he had been kept in the dark. If this plan leaked, the feds would hit Oklahoma like a swarm of killer bees. Nobody in their right mind fucked with them.

Not knowing the lay of the land spelled disaster. Johnny needed a couple of exits in case something went wrong. Reconnaissance wasn’t a luxury. It was a prerequisite. No way was he waiting until morning. He knew how to map the spread in the dark.

Wondering how he knew to do that started his head hurting.

After the sun went down, he moved his car behind the building and parked close to the door. He opened the trunk before he went inside after Holly. Steeling his emotions, he refused to consider the trauma he was about to cause her.
 

He unlocked the door and stepped inside. “Get up.” He threw her a set of scrubs he’d picked up earlier at a secondhand store. “Put those on.”

Her small hands shook as she reached across the cot and snatched both pieces into her arms like a hungry beggar grabbing at food. She hugged the closest thing she’d had to clothes in days to her chest. Her mouth worked, but no sound came.
 

“You want me to dress you?”
 

Through trembling lips came, “No. I want you to turn your back.”

He amazed himself when he did as she asked. He had nothing to lose by giving her a moment of control. No way could she overpower him.

The rustle of cotton sent images of her naked, diminutive frame.
 

“I’m ready,” she said on a whisper.

“Walk left down the hall and then out the door.” He grabbed her elbow when she wobbled. It didn’t surprise him that she was weak-kneed. She’d picked at the food he’d brought her, refusing to eat. She stepped outside, paused, and shook her head.
 

“No. I won’t. You can’t make me get in the trunk.” She grabbed a fistful of his shirt. “Kill me here.”
 

She seemed to grow two inches as she straightened her shoulders. Her gaze was full of hate, and he felt it clear to his soles. Her words dripped with venom. Her face was beaten and bruised, but determination filled her eyes.
 

Damn, he liked her bravado. But it wasn’t enough to dissuade him. He didn’t have to like his job, but he did have to follow orders.
 

“I removed the emergency release, so don’t think you can pull it and save yourself.”
 

She struggled when he tied her hands behind her back. Stiffened her entire body as if she were an ice cube, forcing him to pick her up and make her bend her legs. Shit, putting her in the trunk was a precaution he had to take. She pushed against him so he held her close. Holding her against him flooded him with warmth. Sent all the wrong messages to his brain.
 

“Let me ride up front with you,” she pleaded. “I’ll cooperate.”

“No,” he said. She kicked her feet out at him, making him jump back. He grasped her by the ankles, shoved her legs down, and closed the trunk lid. Good job, hero. You stuffed a hundred-pound woman in the back of your car. While he’d tried not to hurt her, he’d scared the shit out of her.

When he crossed the border, he fished the cell from his pocket. The Taylor woman answered on the first ring.

“Be in Madill, Oklahoma, at nine tomorrow morning. Park outside the Dairy Dream and wait for my call.”

He disconnected. Had no desire to argue with her. Nor did he intend to waste his breath by telling her to come alone. He had no doubt she would bring help. He could only hope she’d kept their secret from the law.

Holly hadn’t once stopped kicking or screaming since he’d closed the trunk lid. Enough. He drove onto a dark side road and parked.
 

The smell of sweat slammed into him the second he popped the trunk. He shined a flashlight across her face. Wild blue eyes full of anger met his. Something inside him broke.

“Now what? You going to kill me or did you grow a heart?”

****

“Kaycie.” Nate spoke sternly to talk her down. She’d erupted in a string of curse words, fury exploding from her after the phone call with instructions on where to wait in Oklahoma. “If you want, I’ll call my FBI contact and fill him in on what’s going down. Dalton will see to it we have backup.”

“No. We have to do this.” She leveled her gaze on him. “Between you, Tyrell and Marcus, I’ll be protected. What you three do to those rat bastards after Holly’s safe ... well, I don’t care and don’t want to know.”

Nate’s antennae went up. Did she realize she’d given him the go-ahead to kill Hank and the scumbag working for him? The law frowned on outright murder. Of course, if a person acted in self defense ...

“The shit will get deep when the law learns we’ve withheld important information. We have to accept that fact. All four of us could face charges. Your association with DPD could be damaged beyond repair.”

She glanced at the door as if willing Tyrell or Marcus to arrive. “This won’t get your license revoked. Will it?”

“That’s a nonissue.” He went to her, unable to keep his hands off her. He cupped her face in his hands. “If it does, so be it.”
 

“Thank you.” She rose up on her toes and kissed him.
 

“Marcus will be here first.” Nate reached for her, but she moved away. “Tyrell is borrowing earbuds from his bodyguard job. We’ll be in contact at all times.”

He couldn’t speak the words, wouldn’t tell her this whole deal scared the shit out of him. The idea of her being out front on this rescue was eating him alive. Her life would be on the line, and if he couldn’t get to her in time...