Rock Hard (Siren Publishing Classic) (15 page)

“I understand perfectly, Agent Gentry.”

She saw the muscle in Kade’s jaw work tight. She left him alone as she headed to another part of the field office to wait. His silence was a comfort. At this point, she’d rather that he ignore her all day long. All she wanted to do was get this operation done and go home and fall into bed. She was emotionally drained. No, she knew it was more than being emotionally drained. She was lovesick for a man that didn’t want her anymore.

Wynn blended into the background as more and more of her coworkers arrived for the operation. She secretly watched Kade interact with the men and women on his team. He was a natural leader, and she could see that everyone respected him for more than just the position he held. Another one of her coworkers from the Lexington field office, Agent Regan Avery, arrived and went straight to Kade’s office. Her long, dark hair was swept back in a braid.

From her peripheral, she watched him speaking with Regan, and jealous stole her focus and her breath away. She had to get out of there. Wynn headed outside to get some fresh air. She twisted her head left and right, pulling her hair back into a ponytail.

When it came time, she went to her Jeep and geared up with her bulletproof vest, gun, and tactical equipment. Her favorite toy was her heavy-duty Maglite. Kade gathered them around their cars in the parking lot.

“We’re heading to the lower gorge region. You know the drill. Let’s make this a successful bust,” Kade said.

They broke off, heading to their cars.

Sunlight was just breaching the tree line as they drove to the field where Wynn had spotted the new crop. There were eight of them hitting the field. They’d get in, dig up the crop, and take it to the warehouse to be destroyed. Wynn’s Jeep was bringing up the rear. They parked along the side of the road and got out.

There was something off about the morning. Wynn tilted her head, listening to the silent call of morning. A few lone birds called to each other in the distance. Not all operations had the same beat or the kind of ending that left one with pleasant dreams.

Out of habit, Wynn’s gaze went to the brush. Darkness clung to the trees despite the sun reaching into the morning sky. Dew clung to the grass and her boots as she worked her way over to the team.

Kade’s gaze brushed over hers in a absent way that made her wonder if they could ever work out their differences enough to be coworkers again. Once she finished this opp, she’d take her vacation. She needed time to clear her head.

“Wynn,” Kade said.

She snapped her head away from the trees. “Yeah?”

“You’re with me.”

Something in his tone had her focusing hard. Her gaze went back to the trees, and the hair on the back of her arms stood on end. It was then she was certain it had nothing to do with the light morning breeze coming through the ravine. “Okay.”

They headed into the thick brush. Kade was at her side as they took the lead. Wynn passed in front of him as they worked through the field. The grass was trampled. Wynn knew before they even cleared the brush.

“It’s gone,” Wynn said.

They circled around. Wynn went to the farthest edge. She watched as Kade worked the area, finding the spot where they came in and out of the field. Wynn followed him around the outside. Kade rounded suddenly.

“Stop! There’s a line!” Kade yelled.

Everything moved in slow motion. Wynn stepped and heard the click before her mind registered what was happening. Steel snapped around her ankle. Wynn screamed, falling to the ground as the bear trap locked into her leg.

Luck had her missing the traps the first time she was out there. She wasn’t so lucky this time. Wynn clenched her teeth as she turned into the grass. Kade came to her side, barking orders. A tourniquet was locked around her leg. Kade’s face hovered above hers. He kissed her lips softly.

“You’re going to be okay, Wynn...everything’s going to be okay. I’ve got you. I’m not going to let you go.”

Tears dripped from the corners of her eyes as the trap was removed from her ankle. The words she longed to tell Kade drifted through her mind as her body numbed with pain.

“I love you, Kade. I always have. I always will. I’m sorry.”

She loved him, and she was dying in his arms.

Pain was pulling Wynn away from him again. Kade kept his panic in check as he carried her through the thick brush to his Jeep where he laid her gently into the backseat. Kade followed her in, and Regan jumped behind the wheel. She hit the lights, and they hit the main drag going sixty.

“Well?” Regan asked. “It’s your call.”

“Clark Memorial. There’s no time to call a rescue flight. We’ll get there faster driving.”

Regan was on her cell phone calling the hospital. Kade applied pressure to her wound. The chances of an artery being nicked were high. Sweat peppered her forehead, and she groaned in pained.

“It’s going to be okay, sweetheart. I’ve got you.”

She turned toward the sound of his voice, and that gave him hope.

They made the drive in less than twenty minutes, breaking all the rules as they went. They came to a quick stop at the emergency room entrance. Kade helped the doctors and nurses place her on the gurney, but he was quickly moved aside. She was rushed into the triage center, and he was forced to stay behind.

Regan touched his arm. “You’ll want to wash up.”

Kade looked down at his hands. They were covered in Wynn’s blood. His hands were steady as he looked at them. He clenched them tightly. What was he going to do if he lost her?

The next two hours were spent pacing and waiting. Kade’s team arrived, and Regan ran interference for him all afternoon. Kade was tired of waiting. He went to the desk and spoke with the person in charge of the waiting area.

“One of my officers is back there. I want to know what’s going on.”

She picked up the phone, and Kade waited impatiently. “The nurse will take you back to see her now.”

The hospital’s version of now and his were two different things. Kade reminded himself to stay calm and reasonable. A few minutes later, a nurse came to the door and opened it for him. The too-clean smell of the hospital made Kade feel sick to his stomach. Kade felt his body moving forward, but his mind wouldn’t snap into gear. The doctor met him outside her room.

“How is she?” Kade asked.

“She’s lucky. The puncture wounds didn’t hit anything vital. She has seventeen stitches. She should be good to go home tomorrow.”

Kade stared at Wynn through the window. She was drugged and half awake. “Can I see her?”

“Go on in. She’s been asking for you for the last ten minutes.”

Kade’s eyes went to her bandaged leg. He reached out and took her hand. There was so much he wanted to say to her, but he couldn’t find the right words. How could he tell the woman he pushed away that he loved her, too?

“I’m here, Wynn.”

She smiled in her sleep. “Where were you?”

“I was outside.”

Kade brushed her silken hair off the side of her face. “You gave me a scare, Agent South.”

“Mm, I know...”

“Do you remember what you said to me in the field?” he asked.

She frowned as though she was trying to remember. “No. What did I say?”

Kade felt the shock of her words hit him like a blast of ice cold water to the face. He’d been wrong. The pain and fear had obviously been doing the talking. She wasn’t in love with him at all.

“It was nothing. Go back to sleep,” he said.

He leaned down and kissed her temple. He couldn’t help himself. He had to say goodbye.

Kade went to the hallway to make the call to her family. He should’ve done it two hours ago. He was reaching for his cell phone when Regan came to meet him in the hall.

“I need to call her family,” he said.

“I already did. Her sister is on her way.”

Kade met Regan’s concerned eyes. “Thank you.”

Wynn took all three weeks of her vacation and went to stay with Jen as she recovered. It was wrong to drop work so fast, but she needed time to figure out what she was going to do about working with Kade. Getting involved with him was a mistake, bottom-line. Jen kept her busy at the bakery but not busy enough to forget about Kade and not busy enough to stop the dreams she had of him at night.

Something was bothering her about her time in the hospital. She kept having this dream of Kade coming to see her and asking her about what happened in the field. No, not about what happened, but about something she said to him. She frowned, trying to remember but couldn’t. The doctor said her memory could be fuzzy from the shock of her injury and all the pain meds they gave her.

“Hey, you done with those cupcakes?” Jen asked.

Wynn finished tossing on the sprinkles and loaded the cake boxes onto the rack. “All done.”

“Great!”

“Hey, I can finish up here if you want to take off,” Wynn said.

Jen frowned. “You sure? Your leg isn’t bothering you?”

“No, it’s feeling good. I have things here. You’ve worked late every night for the last five days. I can manage this.”

“Okay, I’ll see you in about an hour then?” Jen asked.

“Yeah. I’ll be home around then. I’ll call you if I’m going to be late.”

The phone was ringing as Jen locked the door behind her. Wynn watched her head to her car as she picked up the phone. “Cakes by Design.”

“Yeah, I placed a cake order. It was supposed to be delivered a half hour ago,” the woman said.

“What’s the name?”

“I think my sister-in-law put it under Gable.”

Wynn searched the orders for tomorrow and found the missed order. “I have it right here. I’m sorry for the delay. I’ll have it right out to you.”

Wynn hung up the phone and grabbed her purse and the birthday cake. She drove across town to Indian Hill. It was a nice area with big, sleepy lawns and huge houses. Cars crammed the driveway and were all the way down the block. Wynn carried the cake to the front door and rang the bell. No one answered, so she juggled the cake and tried the door. It opened. Music vibrated through the house.

Through the hallway, Wynn saw floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room. Outside, a pool party was going strong. Wynn caught sight of a woman in the kitchen.

“I’m from the bakery.”

The woman turned, and Wynn froze. It was Rachel, Kade’s sister-in-law.

“Hey, Wynn! You can set the cake on the table. We’re just waiting for the guest of honor to get out of the pool.”

Wynn took the cake into the kitchen and set it down on the table. She flipped open the box and pulled the cake out. “Well, enjoy!”

Rachel tried to hand Wynn money for the delivery. “Here you go.”

“Oh, no! Really, it’s on us!”

Wynn was trying to get out of there. She didn’t want to know if Kade was out in the mix of that pool. She turned and slammed into Rachel’s husband, Jack.

“Whoa...wait a second. You’re Kade’s girlfriend, Wynn? Right?”

“Uh, no I work with Kade at the FS.”

Rachel came around the table. “I thought you worked at the bakery.”

“I help my sister Jen out now and again. She’s due with her first any day now,” Wynn explained.

“Kade’s in the pool,” Jack said. “I’ll go tell him you’re here.”

“Uh...he doesn’t know I’m coming,” Wynn said. “I really shouldn’t impose.”

“Nonsense, you’re not imposing,” Rachel said.

Dread rippled through Wynn as she saw Jack head around the pool. He leaned down to talk to Kade, who was surfacing at the side. Jack glanced over his shoulder inside, and Kade followed his gaze. He jumped out of the pool, water cascading off his hard, muscled body. He didn’t look happy as he grabbed a towel and started drying off.

“I should go...tell Kade I’ll call him, okay?”

Wynn headed for the door. She shut the front door behind her and took a deep breath of nighttime air. Kade would probably think she was stalking him. That was the last thing she wanted. She cut across the front lawn to her car.

“Don’t go.”

She froze at the sound of Kade’s voice. Wynn was suddenly aware of how her black pants had cake flour dusted on her hips. How her hair was twisted up in a haphazard bun. His gaze went head to toe in a speculative way.

“Did you quit because of me?” he asked.

“The FS?” She shook her head no. “I took my vacation to recover.”

“How’s your leg?”

“It’s good. It’s a little achy when it rains.”

“Why haven’t you come back to work?” he asked.

“I’ve been helping at my sister’s bakery. She’s due any day now with my nephew. I planned on taking my vacation time to help her out.”

His bare feet were silent in the grass as he walked across it. “I called you two weeks ago.”

I picked up the phone a hundred times, but I was too scared to call you and tell you that I needed you.
“I know. I just needed time to decompress.”

He nodded. “I hope you won’t leave the FS because of me.”

“I have no plans to, but if I do, you’ll be the first to know. Have a good night, Kade.”

“Wait a minute.”

Kade pulled her around by the inside of the arm gently. “I wanted to apologize for being so hard on you. It was wrong.”

“It’s okay. I deserved all of it and probably more.”

“No you didn’t,” he said. “Neither one of us planned to cross the line. Love just happens sometimes.”

He pulled her closer. “Kade...you don’t have to apologize. I’m good.”

“I don’t think I’m making myself clear. I want to give us another try.”

She looked up into his face. There was real fear in his eyes. The kind that came with a man putting himself out there. Wynn knew if she told him no, she’d probably be tempting fate. The future was so very clear when she looked into Kade’s eyes, and that was what scared her so much.

“You asked me something in the hospital. What was it?” she asked.

Surprise moved across his face. “I asked if you remembered what you said to me just after you were caught in the trap.”

“I do, Kade. I remember everything I said to you. I told you that I loved you.”