Witness Protection (15 page)

Chapter Fifteen

The pure beauty of her body, her sensuous curves, kept him rooted to his spot as she walked toward him. Her gaze never left his as she walked him to the couch and nudged him to sit down.

She stood in front of him then gripped his shoulders and pushed until he pressed against the backrest. “Dammit, Sadie. Are you determined to finish this before it gets started?”

She grinned, looking as if she understood and enjoyed the effect she had on him. “Something wrong?”

“Abso-freakin-lutely-not. Everything in my view couldn’t be more perfect. But I do want this to last and you’re making that very difficult for me.”

She straddled him. “How about now?”

“Heaven.” He gripped her waist as she rocked back and forth, fighting the urge to drive himself inside her. He needed to remove his jeans, but she felt so damn incredible, he didn’t want to move. Plus, truth be told, he liked allowing her to set the pace.

She leaned forward, her bare breasts skimming his chest, and he breathed in her floral soap scent.

The image of her in those boots, wearing jeans and her pale pink sweater, broke through his thoughts. He’d been wanting, no needing to touch her ever since that moment in his truck. Hell, if he was being honest, ever since that first day he’d met her at the bakery.

He smoothed his palm over her flat stomach, and then wrapped it around her sweet bottom. Electric impulse drilled through him. The need to be inside her caused an ache in his chest.

Patience.

“You’re an amazing woman, Sadie,” he whispered, “and incredibly beautiful.”

A pink flush rose to her cheeks. Her green eyes darkened. Desire. “Then make love to me.”

Better-sounding words had never crossed those pink lips in the time he’d known her.

He pressed a kiss to the hollow of her neck. Then, he lowered his head to her breastbone and feathered kisses there, making his way down to her pert breasts.

Kissing the tip of her breast, he slid his tongue up to her neck. He feathered a kiss on the small mole on her cheek. He found her mouth and groaned when she teased his tongue into her mouth. She nipped his bottom lip.

Little did she know, it was her turn to squirm. He slid his tongue in her mouth. He palmed her breast. With his other hand, he drew circles on her sex.

She moaned.

He pulled and tugged at her pointed peak.

Her eyes opened and the power of that one look almost knocked him back. She didn’t need words to tell him she wanted him inside her. Right then.

“Patience.”

Her cheeks were flush as he gripped the dimpled spot above her sweet bottom.

With her naked and warm body pressed up against him, he realized just how perfectly she fit him.

The feel of her bare, clean skin was enough to drive him to the brink even with his jeans on.

But he would force himself to wait, to savor every second of this until passion couldn’t be held at bay anymore.

He thrust his tongue deep in her mouth, needing to taste every inch of her. She returned the intensity of his kiss.

With one arm wrapped around her waist, he pulled her body in tight against his until her heat pressed against his stomach. His hands wandered over every inch of her stomach until they rose to her full breasts. Her skin was soft.

Her wet heat was so close to his erection, his body hummed.

Patience.

He pushed up enough to sit, picked her up and carried her into the next room, where he placed her on the bed and dipped down to kiss her. She gripped his neck and pulled him on top of her.

He trailed kisses down her neck until his mouth found her breasts, roaming, as the tip of his tongue flicked the crest of her nipple before taking it in his mouth.

She moaned and gripped his shoulders.

“Just a minute,” he said. His hands went to the button on his jeans, but her hands were already there, hungry, tearing button by button. Damn, he got so caught up in the moment, he almost forgot something. “Hold that thought.”

He retrieved a condom from the wallet in his back pocket, then let his jeans drop to the floor.

“This is insane. I’ve never been with a more beautiful woman.” With both knees on the bed, he leaned forward and his lips crushed down on hers.

He broke free long enough to rip open the condom package. Her hands were already around his shaft as he rolled the condom over his tip and moaned as she stroked him.

“I want you. Now.”

“Then take me,” she said. Her hands were on him again. Her fingers traced his jawline, down his chin, along his Adam’s apple. “I have never wanted a man like I want you right now.”

He eased her onto the bed. Before he could make another move, her legs wrapped around his midsection. He tensed as she guided him inside her.

He thrust, her body taking him in, and his control nearly shattered. He plunged deep inside her again and again, slowing his pace every time he neared the edge.

She greedily clutched at his back, pulling him deeper into her as their bodies molded together.

He thrust. Surged.

When her muscles clenched, released, exploded around him, he pumped harder as she bucked her hips and said his name over and over until he detonated.

He collapsed on top of her, careful not to overwhelm her with his weight, needing to stay inside her, with her, in this moment, for as long as he could.

* * *

N
ICK
’
S
BODY
STILL
glistened with beads of water when he returned from the shower with nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist.

His cell buzzed. He located his jeans and retrieved it from his front pocket. “It’s Meg.”

“You better take the call.” She patted the seat next to her, reaching out for his free hand.

He twined their fingers and took a seat.

“How’s she doing?” He asked into the phone. His gaze locked on to Sadie’s. “It’s Riley.”

She nodded.

“How far apart?”

“Fifteen minutes,” Riley said.

He heard Meg in the background groaning and clamped his back teeth. “And the doctor doesn’t think she should go to the hospital yet?”

“We’re leaving my parents’ house now. I don’t care what the doctor says. Fort Worth is a long drive from Plano.”

“Which hospital?”

“Presby.”

Nick glanced at his watch. This time of morning traffic shouldn’t be too bad. “I can be there in twenty minutes.”

“I’ll meet you there.”

“Okay, man. Meg is saying she doesn’t want you to come.”

“Did I say I was planning on asking permission? Besides, what she doesn’t know won’t hurt her.”

“Feel free to take your life in your own hands.” Riley chuckled. “I’ll call you as soon as we get there.”

“Hell, I’ll be waiting at the front door.”

Sadie squeezed his hand before disappearing into the other room.

He presumed to get dressed. He could think of a few things he would’ve liked to have done while she was still almost naked on the couch. His hormones were overriding rational thought again.

When it came to Sadie, he had little control over either.

He ended the call with his brother-in-law.

Could he and Sadie have a future when this was all over? The very real notion she had a U.S. Marshal whose career, hell, life, depended on her not being alive to identify him pressed down on Nick.

Sadie stepped across the hall and he could see that she’d put clothes on and left the bathroom door open as she brushed her teeth.

If Nick could protect her, he might just be able to think about having a relationship with her. Or could he? She was scared to death of his constant companion, his Glock, and he wore a badge. The very badge he loved also prevented him from getting involved personally with her.

And yet, she’d broken through the shield protecting his heart. She’d cracked the armor...and he couldn’t say he was especially sorry.

Chapter Sixteen

“Change of plans today. I picked up a few supplies when I was out. Put these on.” Nick held out a sweatshirt, wig and sunglasses. “Meg and Riley are on their way to the hospital.”

“That’s so exciting.” Sadie tried on the black cropped hair, tugging at the sides until it felt right. “How do I look?”

He grinned, wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed the hollow of her neck. “Not bad.”

He thrust his hips forward and she could feel his arousal.

Need welled deep inside her.

“I don’t think you should start something you can’t finish,” she teased, enjoying the feel of his lips on her skin.

“You’re probably right, but I wouldn’t mind trying.” His sexy smile tore at her heart. And her better judgment. Memories of those lips taunting and teasing other places on her body warmed her. And the feel of his arms around her. She could get used to him. Dangerous thinking for a woman who wanted a peaceful life in the country. No guns. No scary men. No hiding. And yet, he made her think having kids and a husband might not be such a bad idea someday. Maybe she could get another dog to keep Boomer company, too?

The life that everyone else took for granted made her heart ache for how badly she wanted it. Kids, a husband...a stable life were a world away.

A painful stab, like a bullet piercing bone, slammed into her ribs.

Seriously? Hadn’t she learned to protect her heart any better than that? If her own family constantly disappointed her, wouldn’t Nick do the same? She thought she’d gotten pretty darn good at keeping everyone at a safe distance. But here she was falling hard for Nick. The icing on the cake was that he wore a gun for a living.

Didn’t she have any more sense than to fall in love with a man whose job would ensure many late nights of her wide awake worrying about him? A lifetime of fear?

And, yet, looking into those cinnamon, copperlike eyes melted her reserves every time.

They’d had incredibly hot sex. She couldn’t argue that. Clearly, the bedroom would not be a problem for them.

But most of life was lived outside the sheets.

The big question would be did they have what it takes to make a relationship work with their clothes on? Or would two very important pieces of equipment get in the way? A badge and a gun.

She already knew the answer. Her body shook every time she was near either one.

What if he left the Marshals Service and got another job?
a little voice inside her head asked.

And take away everything that was Nick?

No way would she ask. He was too good at what he did to think about him in another line of work. He saved innocent people. She would never be so selfish as to ask him to change.

She straightened her wig. “Ready?”

He groaned, nuzzling his face in her neck. “Just give me another minute.”

“Okay, but you might miss the birth of one very important little person.”

“You’re beautiful when you’re right.” He skimmed his lips across her collarbone. “And you’re sexy when you’re thinking about others.” He feathered kisses where her heart beat at the base of her throat. “And especially when you’re looking out for me.” His lips found hers, and he pressed a sweet kiss to her mouth.

She wanted to dissolve in his arms.

Bad idea.

He’d regret not being there for Meg.

“Keep this up and we won’t get out of here,” she said.

He grumbled, mumbled a curse word and pulled back. “We’ll get back to this later.”

“I’m planning to hold you to your word.” She returned his smile.

“You, a couple of steaks on the grill, a cold beer and I might never want to leave.” He finished getting dressed. He dipped his head under the running faucet to wet his hair then finger-combed it. He put on a ball cap and shades.

Her heart stuttered.

This was the Nick she remembered from the bakery.

The one who’d first piqued her interest.

“Heard from Lucy yet?”

“No. I left her a voice mail. I’ll check in with Luke once we get to the hospital.”

Sadie slid her feet into her boots. She should hate them by now. Her heels might never recover from the blisters. But the hard leather was beginning to give. She was starting to wear them in and, heck, they were too awesome not to adore. They fit her to a T. Once the leather was worn in, the blisters would go away, too. She could definitely see herself becoming a Texan when this whole ordeal was behind her. Okay, she’d learned “real” Texans were Texas-born, but she could be a transplant. One of those people who may not have been born in Texas but got there as fast as they could.

Nick put on his shoes, twined their fingers and led her outside to the truck parked on the pad out front.

Sadie glanced down the street, her usual habit, checking for anything or anyone that looked out of place. Would there ever come a time when she didn’t instinctively do this?

Two years of training had her watching shadows, checking cars and searching strangers’ faces.

At a house four doors down there looked to be someone in the driver’s seat of a small blue sport-utility. Could be nothing. A friend waiting outside for someone to run inside their house and grab something they’d forgotten.

Being snatched from the grocery store parking lot two years ago had taught Sadie to fear what was out in the open more than anything in the dark.

She squeezed Nick’s hand and inclined her head toward the parked vehicle. “Think we need to be worried?”

“I saw that. We’ll keep an eye on him,” he reassured.

Traffic on Interstate 75 was almost at a crawl, but picked up once they merged onto President George Bush Turnpike, heading west. Nick took the Dallas North Tollway exit, heading north to Parker Road. Once he exited there, he made a left. A small white building came up quickly on the left. To the right was a strip mall. Beyond those, the three towers that made up Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital of Plano stood on the left.

“Did they say which tower?”

“The second, I believe.”

He pulled into the parking garage and found a parking spot on the third floor.

“Doesn’t seem like we had any company on the way.” Thankfully, no blue sport-utility had followed them.

“Nope.”

And, yet, Sadie had an uneasy feeling.

“You don’t look relieved.”

Most likely her alert system was set to high beam again. “It’s probably nothing.”

“Gut instinct has kept me alive more than once.” Nick scanned the parking garage as they walked toward the white building.

An ambulance, sirens blazing, roared toward the emergency entrance.

Sadie’s nerves were already stretched to their limits. The blare of the sirens caused her muscles to pull tighter with each step toward the elevator.

She caught herself judging every person who passed by, evaluating their threat. Being outside in daylight had her feeling vulnerable even though she wore a disguise.

Nick squeezed her hand reassuringly as they walked inside the building and to the elevators. He seemed to second-guess himself when he glanced at a metal door with a sign over it that read Stairs. “Let’s take those instead.”

“What floor are they on?”

“The third.” He pulled out his phone and thumbed through his texts as the metal door
cu-clunked
behind them. He stalled on the first step. “She’s in room three-fifteen.”

They’d climbed one set of stairs when Nick’s cell buzzed, indicating a text. He checked the screen. “It’s from Riley.”

Sadie’s pulse increased. “What did he say?”

His eyes stayed on the screen for a long moment as though he needed a second for the words to sink in. He muttered a curse. “Men are in the room asking questions about me and he doesn’t like it.”

“What? How can that be?”

“Riley’s telling us to get out of here.” His jaw clenched.

“Wait a minute. Isn’t this the break we need? Shouldn’t we call the police? Have them arrested? Or at least hauled in for questioning?”

“For what?” He paused. “Asking questions in a hospital? If these guys are flashing badges, then local police aren’t going to touch them.”

“What about the envelope we found in the warehouse last night?”

“Inadmissible in court. We could go to jail for breaking and entering.”

“Oh, right. I forgot.”

“I need to check in with Smith. Let him know what’s happening. And he damn well better be prepared to send extra resources to make sure nothing happens to my family.”

He’d already turned around and started back down the stairwell when the door to the first floor flew open. He froze and ended the call before Smith could answer, biting out another curse word under his breath—the exact one Sadie was thinking.

Sadie followed Nick up the stairs as quietly as she could, fearing the people below would hear her heartbeat for how loud it hammered against her ribs.

She heard the unmistakable click of a bullet being loaded in a chamber. She bit down a gasp, staying as close to Nick as she could manage as he ascended the stairs.

Feet shuffled below, climbing closer. By the sounds of it, someone was in a hurry.

She and Nick had two floors on whoever was chasing them, but they were gaining ground fast.

Nick popped out on the seventh floor and immediately pressed the elevator button
.

Hurry.

The elevator dinged and a set of doors opened. Nick rushed inside. “Get against the wall.”

She pressed her back against the glass, saying a silent protection prayer.

The stairwell door flung open.

“This where they ditched?” a familiar-sounding voice asked. Did it belong to Burly?

Nick jammed his thumb on the L button a few more times.

Come on.

“I don’t think so. I don’t see anyone. Maybe one up?” another voice replied. Steroids?

The elevator door closed at the same time as the one leading to the stairs.

“You know who that was, don’t you?” she asked.

“I do. They sure have come a long way from the cabin to find us,” he said, staring at the screen on his phone intently.

“My thinking exactly. Is it possibly they work for the agency?”

“No. I’d know if they did. Those guys are hired.”

She gasped. “You mean professional killers?”

He nodded. “We need to get to my truck and I need to get ahold of Smith. But I want to see who else comes out of the front door before we leave.”

The elevator stopped at the second floor. Sadie’s heart lurched to her throat.

Nick drew his weapon, and hid it behind his leg. Sadie went shoulder-to-shoulder with him, frighteningly aware of how close the gun was to her own leg, in order to shield the weapon from view. Her body started to shake.

Four or five people pushed in before the elevator doors closed again. A man in scrubs, two nurses and an older couple squeezed inside, making the small space cramped.

The lobby was a welcomed sight.

Nick walked quickly the few steps away from the elevator then broke into a run, not stopping until he was out the front door. He walked across the pathway to an uncovered parking lot and phoned Smith.

“Meg’s in the hospital getting ready to have her baby. She had visitors. I need people on her, Smith. My life is one thing, but keep my sister safe.”

Sadie only heard one side of the conversation, mostly Nick stressing the need to provide adequate protection for his family.

He asked his boss to hold then checked a text message. “My brother-in-law says the men who stopped by gave names. They also claimed to be coworkers of mine.”

By the time he closed the call, he’d relayed the message whoever visited Meg claimed to work with him said their names were Young and Turner.

Based on Nick’s reaction, those identities didn’t sit well with his boss.

“What did he say?” she asked as soon as Nick looked at her.

“It’s impossible for Young and Turner to be here because they’re on assignment in Virginia.”

“He’s sure they’re there? I mean couldn’t they say they were in one place but actually hop a plane and be here in a few hours?”

“Yeah.” His gaze constantly shifted, scanning for possible threats. “But they didn’t.”

“What makes him so certain? I mean it’s not as if someone follows you guys around checking out your every move.”

“He knew because he’d just left them at breakfast. They had a meeting about the case they were working on. No way could they eat with him then make it here in an hour.”

“Then clearly someone is getting away with impersonating marshals. How can that happen?”

“Jamison would have access to everyone’s personnel records. All he’d have to do is find men who looked similar and then have their credentials faked.”

“And his association with Grimes would give him access to a variety of known criminals and channels. Men who would be good at pretending to be someone else when they needed to. Men who could fake government documents skillfully.”

“Men who wouldn’t be afraid to kill someone to get what they wanted.” He finished for her.

Shock wasn’t the word for what Sadie experienced. “Isn’t it pretty brazen of them to come to the hospital like this? I mean they have to know Meg and Riley are cops.”

“Why not? They’ve already gone to prison and fooled guards. Killed a U.S. Marshal. They’re good at this and clearly comfortable with what they’re doing.”

“What did Riley say to them?”

“He told them I was driving in from Houston, and that I’d be there in two hours. He also asked them to stick around. He said they couldn’t get out of there fast enough. He had no reason to detain them, so he had to let them go.”

“Not to mention his wife’s in labor, and he has no backup.” Sadie pointed out.

“Even so, he would’ve done anything necessary to keep her safe. Even if that meant placing them under arrest.”

“What was Smith’s reaction to the news?”

“He has extra security coming. I’d like to stick around in case Riley needs me until they arrive.” Stress gave way to a long face.

“I hate that you can’t be there for Meg while she’s in labor.”

“Me, too. At least she has Riley with her. He said she probably wouldn’t let me come inside, anyway. Something about not wanting to scare me off ever having children.” His smile didn’t look forced, but faded quickly.