The Maze (ATCOM) (20 page)

He
said it tongue in cheek and Attie tried to send him an angry frown but ended up
smiling instead. When was the last time she’d smiled so easily? It felt strange
doing it now, considering the situation they were in. She was suddenly not in
any hurry to distance herself from him. Her smile turned coy as she grabbed the
front of his shirt and stopped him from turning away. He quirked a brow and
seeing the look in her eye, broke into a slow grin that had her knees going
weak as a newborn colt’s.

She
took a step forward and slid her hands underneath his t-shirt, rolling it
slowly upward until his chest and abs were exposed. Noah lifted his arms and
let her tear his shirt off and throw it on the floor. He grunted when she bit
down on his nipple. This was going to be fun.

Attie
let her hands roam over his smooth skin, marveling in the texture. Velvet over
hard muscle, a heady combination. When her hands encountered the scar on his
shoulder, she paused, tracing it with her nail. It had healed. A reminder of
what he had done for her six months ago. She blamed him for many things, but
she couldn’t deny the truth that he’d found her in that cell and brought her
home. He had saved her life. Not Seth’s, but hers.

He
had taken a bullet for her.

She
pushed all thoughts of the past away before they ruined what she was about to
do. She wanted Noah to make love to her. Right now. Right here. It hadn’t been
that long since they’d made love, but it seemed an eternity and she was already
hot with need. Desire like this was dangerous.

Noah
was dangerous.

She
couldn’t explain the emotion that twisted in her chest when she touched the
healed bullet wound on Noah’s shoulder. It came quick and hard and almost made
her step away, but she stood firm.

He
wouldn’t have paid any attention to the pain in his shoulder or the blood
pouring out of his wound. She knew exactly how he would have looked had she
been alert. Strong and determined and calm as he issued orders and laid waste
to Carlos’s estate. Brendan told her later in the hospital that Noah hadn’t
allowed anyone else to carry her to the chopper. He’d insisted on carrying her
himself.

That
had twisted her in knots when she heard it. Now, it did the same, but for
another reason entirely.

Lowering
her head she pressed her lips to the wound, ignoring the mixture of emotions
spinning inside her. She didn’t want to see Noah as a hero, but right now she
couldn’t think of him as anything else. He had gotten her out. She might have
died in that prison if ATCOM hadn’t acted quickly. Thank God they had. She
didn’t want to admit it, but she had accepted her fate that she was going to
die in that cell below Carlos’s estate. In the dark, alone, with a list of
things she had yet to do in her life.

She
remembered the feeling of failure she’d experienced on the third day. The last
beating weakened her. No matter how hard she tried, when Carlos brought in the
homemade flogging device she had wavered. She still remembered the pain he had
caused that day. And wishing for death.

A
shudder moved through her and Noah’s hand cupped her cheek.

“Hey,”
he murmured. “You okay?”

Attie
traced the scar again, surprised at the emotion it evoked. It made her remember
things she tried not to and brought her past slamming to life. The past that
this man played a very big part in.

“Make
love to me, Noah,” she ordered softly.
Make me forget.

“Your
wish is my command,” he drawled and swept her up in his arms. Seconds later
they were naked in bed and Noah was sliding inside her. Their lovemaking was
tender and slow as they savored their time together. When Attie came, it was
emotional and intense. She clung to Noah and forgot all about the past.

When
they had regained the strength to move again they dressed in silence and Attie
moved to the chair still sitting next to the dresser from last night. Noah made
quick work of cleaning and dressing her wound. Afterward, they ate what was
left of the food on the cart, knowing they would need their strength for
whatever Carlos had planned for them today. Neither acknowledged that they had
worked up quite an appetite last night.

Maybe
some things were better left unsaid.

* * * *

A
door slid open behind them. They turned to see Carlos and three thugs stroll in
through a door she hadn’t realized was there. What else had she missed last
night?

Carlos
was upset. He was dressed in white from head to toe and she knew that things
were going to get messy. For some sick reason Carlos liked to wear white when
he was about to make a mess, so to speak, and that mess was often the blood of
someone else’s wrong deeds.

When
he stepped in front of her and looked into her eyes, she knew he was upset with
her. There was no denying that feral gleam in the black depths. She had seen it
many times in the past and knew full well what was going to happen next. The
only thing she didn’t know was what exactly she’d done to warrant his temper.

“Clever
girl, you figured out the code to remove the necklace.”

“You
knew I would.”

“Yes,
I did, and it pleases me to watch that mind of yours work. In fact, I’m
discovering all kinds of things about you.”

Attie
wasn’t sure she wanted to know how much he had learned. He was in a dangerous
mood.

Carlos
leaned closer. “Would you like to know what I’ve learned about you?”

“No.”

“You’re
going to hear it anyway. I’ve learned you are a woman with many talents and
your betrayals run deep.”

Attie
stiffened. If Carlos believed she’d betrayed him yet again, then she was in
trouble. The punishment would be severe. Was she up to it? No, probably not.
“What are you talking about?”

Carlos
smoothed a hand over her bruised cheek.

She
didn’t flinch or pull away, but it took every effort not to.

“I’ve
just realized what a skillful partner you are.”

Partner?
What kind of partner was he referring to? She didn’t doubt she would soon find
out. Carlos was in one of his moods and she was the culprit. She already didn’t
like the outcome.

“Cut
the double talk, Carlos. Obviously you’re upset with me, so let’s get this over
with. What have you got for me?”

“That’s
my girl. Straight to the heart of things. Yes, why don’t we move forward. I
have just the thing planned for the two of us.”

The
two of them? What was that about? So far none of the trials had involved Carlos
directly. He was changing the rules and that was never good. Whatever she’d
done, it was big.

“What
about Noah?”

Carlos
cast a glance at Noah, who had moved into position beside Attie. “Oh, he’ll be
joining us. I wouldn’t want him to miss this. How are you feeling this
morning?”

How
was she feeling? Something was definitely wrong.

“Enough,
Carlos. Let’s get this over with so I can see my brother.”

Minutes
later they were blindfolded and being led from the room. They didn’t go far.
She was led up a couple stairs and onto a padded floor. Men shuffled around and
she knew the instant she was left alone with Carlos. The blindfold was removed
moments later. She blinked against the bright light and looked around her. A
boxing ring. Turning in a full circle, she caught sight of Noah being held at
gunpoint in a row of chairs outside the ring. Ringside seats. He didn’t look
happy and the dangerous glint in his eye told her he was ready to attack.

But
he couldn’t, because this was between her and Carlos. His favorite sport. And
she remembered all too well how this game was played.

Chapter
19

“What
the bloody hell is going on?”

Gabe
looked around him, wondering the same thing. They were standing in front of a
mountain peak with nothing but scrub trees and valleys. There really wasn’t
anywhere to hide.

“You’re
sure these are the last coordinates you had them at?” he asked Rogan, who was
frowning at his computer.

“Yeah,
this is it. This is where I lost the signal.”

“But
you’re still picking up the device?”

“Yep,
still working. It’s like the signal’s been blocked.”

“How
can that be?”

“Interference?
Mountain maybe?”

Gabe
pursed his lips. He didn’t like this. Rogan’s equipment never failed. He put as
many safeguards on it as he did the agents. He was very good at what he did.

“Doesn’t
make sense,” Colin said, scratching his stubbly jaw.

“No,
it doesn’t, but it’s all I have,” Rogan groused, punching keys on the laptop.
He wasn’t happy about it either.

“They
were here, we know that, so let’s find them.” Gabe glanced at Kyle, who
crouched a few feet away. “Colin, can you pick up a trail here? Anything?”

The
big Scot dropped to a knee, pressing a palm to the cold ground. His face hardened,
eyes closed. After a few minutes he lifted his hand and shook his head. “They
were here. I canna tell you more.”

“Shit,”
Rogan muttered, closing the laptop.

“Then
we start over. Backtrack and spread out. They have to be around here somewhere.
The trail can’t be dead. They didn’t just disappear into thin air.”

As
the team started over, looking for signs they’d missed, all wondered if maybe
they had indeed disappeared.

* * * *

Attie
felt her stomach drop to her toes. She knew exactly why Carlos had brought her
here. She had been here before, except she hadn’t been in the ring. She had
been on the sidelines, forced to watch as Carlos sparred with unsuspecting
opponents. She knew from watching him train that he was skilled in various
forms of martial arts and enjoyed practicing on others who were not as skilled.
It was a power trip for him. She had seen enough to know he liked it a hell of
a lot more than he should.

“You
want to spar with me?” she asked.

“Call
it a match of skill.”

A
match of skill. That meant Carlos knew more about her than she’d originally
thought. They were taught hand-to-hand combat and various forms of self-defense
at the academy, but that was classified information. If Carlos knew that, then
he knew how to win against her.

He
would know what kind of training she had and how to beat her. Her one saving
grace was Brendan and the fact that he had been sparring with her at home for
years, challenging her at every turn and never holding back. He knew her well
enough to know she wouldn’t allow it and needed to be at her best. Pride was
something she and he both shared an abundance of. They didn’t do things
halfway; it was all or nothing.

Accepting
her fate, Attie met Noah’s gaze through the ropes of the ring and saw the gleam
in his eyes. He wasn’t going to let this happen. She shook her head slightly
and sent him a silent message.
I can do this. Don’t interfere. It’s too
dangerous.

He
sent her a look that told her he didn’t like it but would watch her back. She
knew Noah wouldn’t let Carlos hurt her too badly. He didn’t possess the ability
to sit back and let that happen. He would let her go for only so long before he
stepped in and it gave her a small amount of relief.

She
hated relying on Noah to stop Carlos in case things got out of hand. It was
uncharted territory for her and it didn’t settle well. This was a chance to
stand up to Carlos when she hadn’t been able to before. As Chrystal she had
been forced to submit to his every demand, but now she was free to act as she
had been trained. She could fight back and this time she was going to.

If
this was what it took to get to her brother, then she would do it. Yet, this
anger she felt coursing through Carlos was different than before. Was this part
of his fantasy or something more?

Her
heart was threatening to beat out of her chest, but she didn’t let it
intimidate her. She had the benefit of knowing what kind of fighter Carlos was.
He fought dirty and by his own rules. Anything went. She knew to watch her back
and protect herself at all costs. Knowing those intimate details about her
opponent would help her find his weakness.

Carlos
had removed his jacket and rolled up his sleeves.

“Alright,
Atalanta, let’s see what they taught you in that academy.”

She
nodded and went into a defensive position, forcing her muscles to relax and
clearing her mind.

Carlos
made the first move. She expected him to go straight for her jugular with a
flat palm and he did. She ducked around him and landed a blow to his kidney
before he could strike back. He sucked in a deep breath and turned around to
face her.

“Point,
Devayne.” He smiled and attacked again. He sent a series of lethal hits in
quick succession that she deflected most of. She absorbed the rest and ignored
the pain. She remained mostly on the defensive, warding off his blows the best
she could but her shoulder hampered her efforts and she was growing tired. The
fatigue of the past few days and the stress of the situation was wearing on her
and making it difficult to stay focused. She moved more out of training than
planning and if she wasn’t careful it would be her downfall.

Carlos
drove her back against the ropes. They cut into her thighs and back as he came
at her with hands and feet. Revenge shone in his eyes. He wanted her badly and
was going to see that she paid. She stopped him with a left hook that sent him
stumbling backward. Blood poured from his nose.

“Are
you going to tell me what I did, or is it a big secret?” she taunted, buying
some time to catch her breath. Breathing heavily, she straightened.

Carlos
smiled and swiped his nose with the back of his hand. “You don’t know?”

“No,
I don’t and I’m not in the mood to guess.”

Something
deep and sinister entered his eyes and Attie had to force herself not to take a
step back. Carlos Santiago could be a very scary man.

“Then
let me enlighten you. Last night you slept with a man that I didn’t give you
to. My offer was for one night alone with you, not two.”

“You
don’t own me,” she said.

He
lunged, and she sidestepped, but he anticipated her move and caught her with a
blow to her midsection that knocked the breath out of her. She doubled over,
gasping for air. Carlos took advantage and moved in. He knocked her to her
knees and brought a hand down on her shoulder.

She
cried out when pain erupted behind her stitches. She felt them pull free as
Carlos dug his fingers into her flesh through the bandage. Nausea rolled over
her in waves as her vision blurred. Carlos didn’t play fair and he hated to
lose. He saw her weakness and went after it. She was helpless to stop him. Pain
paralyzed her.

“Did
you enjoy him last night?” His voice cold and mocking. “Was it your way of
defying me? Did you like the power it gave you?”

Attie
couldn’t answer. Dots danced in front of her eyes. She hadn’t destroyed all of
the cameras like she thought and now she was paying the price.

To
Carlos, she had used Noah as a weapon against him. A direct defiance. He
expected her to submit, even now. He still believed he had control over her and
that she would play his game like a good little mouse because of the leverage
he held over her. He thought he could use her as he had before.

“Do
you surrender,
mi amor
?” Carlos asked, his fingers digging deeper until
she cried out.

“No,”
she managed to choke out. “Never, and I will sleep with Noah again if I decide
to, you bas—”

She
was cut off by the shouts of men outside the ring and lifted her eyes to see a
former Navy SEAL taking on six armed men with deadly intentions. Bodies flew in
all directions as Noah moved steadily through them to get to her. He had a look
she had seen many times in the past. He was a machine and would kill anyone
that got in his way.

Attie
used the distraction and took advantage. She chopped Carlos in the shin with
the flat of her hand. It was enough to catch him unaware and when the pressure
eased on her shoulder she dropped and rolled away. She saw Noah reach for the
ropes as he prepared to swing into the ring at the same time one of the thugs
he’d felled raised his weapon.

She
knew what was going to happen and she couldn’t allow it. She would never make
it through this without Noah at her side. He was her rock. Despite the past,
she needed and wanted him here with her. They could sort through the rest
later. For now, she wanted him by her side.

“No,
I surrender,” she shouted to Carlos, hating how the words tasted like poison on
her tongue, but for Noah, she would do it.

A
slow, feral smile spread across his face as Carlos held up a hand for a
cease-fire. Noah was inside the ring before the shot rang out. He grabbed Attie
by the elbow and pulled her to her feet before shoving her behind his back,
serving as a barrier between her and Carlos. This time Attie didn’t argue.

“Atalanta
surrendered to me to save your life, Noah. Quite an honor. She doesn’t like to
lose.”

“She
didn’t lose.”

“By
default she did and now she’ll pay the consequences.”

“I’m
not finished with you. What do you say I give you someone more your size to
play with?”

“You
don’t approve of my sparring with Atalanta?” Carlos sounded genuinely
surprised.

“Give
me one minute.”

“You
think you can take me in one minute?”

Attie
knew Carlos wouldn’t back down from a challenge. It was a rare treat for him to
find a sparring partner with equally matched skill.

“Try
me.”

Warm
blood seeped down her back and she hurt all over, but she wasn’t going to let
Noah do this. If he killed Santiago now, then they may never find Brendan or
get out of here. She stepped around him and positioned herself between the two
men, struggling to stay focused.

“Do
what you’re going to do to me, Carlos. Leave him out of it.”

The
blow came hard and fast to her cheek. The force of it twisted her head to the
side as pain exploded behind her eyes. She staggered, her face bumping into
Noah’s chest. She would have fallen if he hadn’t caught her. He carried her to
the corner and set gently down so that her back was against the ropes.

She
looked up when Noah cupped her cheek. In his eyes was tender concern mixed with
a look of censure that lacked anger. He was upset with her for going along with
this in the first place.

“Will
you stay here for one damn minute?”

“You
don’t need to do this.”
Not for me.

“Yes,
I do,” he said and with one last, intense look, rose to his feet and turned to
face Carlos.

What
she saw then chilled her to the bone and she knew she would never see anything
like it again.

The
man she was afraid to love fought for her.

* * * *

Two
very dangerous men faced each other with matched skill and ability. They
circled each other on the mat, assessing and measuring as they prepared to
strike. Fighting the ache in her body and the dots still swimming in front of
her eyes, Attie pushed to her feet, thinking to stop them, but Carlos shook his
head when he saw her, and beckoned Noah forward.

She
opted for hanging onto the ropes to stay upright. She was losing blood, could
feel it running down her back, so she clamped a hand over as much of the wound
as she could reach. Warm blood seeped through her fingers, but she barely
noticed. Her gaze was pinned on the two men inside the ring.

Noah
was in top physical condition. She had worked out with him in the past and knew
how disciplined he was. She also knew he was a trained killer. Carlos wasn’t
trained by the military but he was a killer. He didn’t kill out of necessity;
he liked it.

Noah
moved with precision and agility. For a large man he was light on his feet and
quick. He moved with grace and skill and confidence as he blocked, advanced and
struck. Every blow was deliberate, controlled and accurate.

He
had watched Carlos spar with her, and she knew Noah had studied his moves and
used the knowledge to attack his weak points. Noah didn’t underestimate the
opponent and he didn’t give up. Deep down Attie wanted Noah’s victory. She
wanted Carlos dead so that her memories could die with him, but he wasn’t going
to let that happen. Carlos was having fun with a challenging partner.

Noah
slammed a fist into Carlos’s kidney and followed with an elbow to the back of
his neck, bringing Carlos to his knees. Ruthlessly, Noah moved in and broke his
nose with a loud crack as blood gushed again down Carlos’s chin. Attie saw the
lethal coldness in Noah’s eyes as he moved into position behind Carlos, his arm
snaking around his neck. He could end it here.