by Susan Stoker
Brain examined Lefty’s face for a long moment. “You think she’s being electronically tracked?”
Lefty shrugged. “Honestly? I have no clue. But I do know this isn’t like her. She isn’t the kind of woman to up and leave her job, sleep in her car, and be all mysterious. She’s smart, Brain. Frugal with her money. There’s no reason she can’t rent a hotel while she’s waiting for me. I thought she wasn’t answering my messages because she didn’t want to talk to me, but what if there’s more to it than that? She told Gillian that she doesn’t have a phone. I know she does, or did—but what if she doesn’t want to use it? At this point, I have more questions than answers, and it’s not sitting right.”
“You want me to talk to Winkler?”
“No!” Lefty exclaimed. Then he took a breath to try to calm down. “I’m not saying the man won’t have information, because we all know how small the political community is in DC. But what if she’s running from someone there? What if she doesn’t want anyone to know where she is? If we start asking questions, it could get around and bring someone to our doorstep who she doesn’t want to see.”
“Understandable,” Brain agreed. “But if you need anything, all you gotta do is say the word and you know I’ll bend over backward to get whatever info you need.”
“Appreciate it. Right now, I just need to find Kinley and make sure she’s okay. We’ll figure out where to go after that. I’m hoping she just got an opportunity to take an overdue vacation and nothing’s wrong. I’m conceited enough to hope she wanted to spend that vacation with me, but my gut’s screaming that something’s wrong.”
“We’ll find her,” Brain said, clapping a hand on Lefty’s shoulder. “And for the record, not that it matters, I like her. I don’t really know her all that well, but from what I’ve seen of her, she seems as if she’s down to earth, just happy to sit and enjoy the day, if that makes sense.”
Lefty nodded. It made perfect sense. He remembered how she’d been perfectly happy to sit on a bench and stare up at the Eiffel Tower. She hadn’t needed to talk about it, and didn’t take a million selfies of herself in front of it. She just took it in and enjoyed being in the moment. He liked that. A lot.
Brain gave Lefty a chin lift and headed for his car. Taking a deep breath, Lefty headed to his own pickup truck. With every minute that passed, his anxiety increased. He needed to find Kinley, and find her fast.
Chapter Eight
“Found her,” Lucky said when Lefty answered his phone an hour later.
That was the thing about Lucky, and how he’d gotten his nickname. The man was extraordinarily lucky in just about everything he did. From narrowly missing being hurt on missions, to finding obscure information needed to complete a job. And Lefty had never been so thankful for his teammate’s luck as he was now.
He got the address where Lucky had found her car and turned his own truck around. Lucky had promised to call the rest of the team as well, and Lefty knew they would all race to get to her.
Lucky hadn’t said much else, just that he’d found her car and drove by once to see if she was inside. He saw her in the driver’s seat, but he hadn’t approached. One part of Lefty had wanted him to immediately go to her to make sure she was all right, but the other part of him wanted to be the one she saw first.
She’d met Lucky, but if she wasn’t expecting him, she might be scared when he knocked on her window out of the blue.
Lefty drove faster.
Within seven and a half minutes, he pulled his truck up beside Lucky’s. They were in the parking lot of a local factory. It was a smart choice on Kinley’s part. The lot was full of cars all day and night because of the various shifts, and while someone might notice her sitting there, they wouldn’t necessarily think it was too odd.
Grover, Lucky, Doc, and Brain were already there, and Trigger and Oz were on their way. Not wanting to wait on the rest of his team, Lefty approached Kinley’s door and saw her eyes were closed and her head was resting on the headrest behind her. With each step, his heart rate increased. He could feel the adrenaline coursing through his body.
He tried to quietly open the door, but it was locked. He hated to knock on the window and scare her, but he didn’t have a choice.
Lefty rapped twice on the window—and he began to sweat when Kinley didn’t even move. Maybe she wasn’t merely sleeping. Maybe something was really wrong.
“Fuck,” he muttered and knocked again, louder this time.
He held his breath—and when he saw her head move a fraction, he let it out. She was alive. God, for a second he’d thought he was too late. He’d lost his chance with her for good.
“Kinley?” he called out. “Unlock the door.”
He saw her eyes squint open, then shut again.
He knocked on the window once more. “Kinley!” he shouted louder. “Unlock the door.”
Her eyes opened again, and he saw her mouth his name.
“Yeah, it’s me, Gage. Unlock the door, sweetheart. Let me in.” Lefty held his breath as he watched her hand come up and fumble at the buttons on the armrest in the door. She seemed to be extraordinarily uncoordinated, which wasn’t like her. Yeah, she might be out of it because she’d been sleeping, but this seemed different. “That’s it, baby, come on, open up,” he whispered.
Finally, just when he was afraid they’d have to break a window to get to her, he heard the locks disengage.
Lefty had the door open and was on his knees on the ground at her side in two seconds.
Kinley had closed her eyes again, and her head was resting on the seat. Lefty reached up and touched her arm, wincing at how hot she was. “She’s burning up,” he told Doc, along with the rest of his team, then turned back to Kinley.
“Hey, Kins.”
“Gage,” she whispered.
“I’m here.”
“Cold,” she mumbled, shivering.
“Shit.” Lefty heard Doc say from behind him. “We need to get her to a doctor.”
As if his friend’s words were some sort of magic elixir, Kinley’s eyes popped open. “No doctor!” she exclaimed frantically.
Lefty reached out and grabbed hold of her shoulders. “Easy, Kins,”
He knew he’d never forget the look in her eyes as she stared at him. It was panic mixed with terror. “No doctor,” she repeated. “He’ll find me…and you.”
“Who will find you, Kins?”
But she closed her eyes and sagged against him. “No doctor…” she said for the third time.
Realizing she was in no condition to answer any of his questions, Lefty relented. “Okay, no doctor.”
“Promise,” she said without opening her eyes. One hand came up and gripped his biceps with a surprisingly strong hold. He could feel her fingernails digging into his skin.
“Promise,” he said firmly.
Every muscle in her body relaxed. So much so, Lefty got concerned. “Kinley?”
She didn’t answer.
“Shit,” he muttered before scooting a bit closer and putting two fingers on the pulse in her neck. “It’s fast, but steady,” he told his teammates, who were gathered close behind him now, watching.
“Are you seriously not going to take her to a doctor?” Grover asked. “She looks bad, man.”
Lefty looked back at his team. “I’m not. I’m taking her home with me. If she gets worse, I’ll call Doc.”
Everyone looked at the other man. He’d gotten his nickname because before he’d decided to join the military, he’d been in medical school. They were all licensed EMTs, thanks to their training, but the name had stuck.
“I’ll drive her car back to your place,” Lucky volunteered.
“We’ll figure out the car situation,” Trigger said. “Just get her home. If you need Gillian’s help, she’ll be glad to be of assistance. In fact, I have a feeling she’s gonna insist on it.”
Lefty nodded. He hadn’t thought past finding Kinley and getting her back to his apartment, so he was thankful his friends
were figuring out logistics. “Thanks, guys. Brain, can you help me get her out?”
Brain stepped to his side and helped Lefty stand so he didn’t have to let go of Kinley. He stumbled a bit when he finally stood with Kinley in his arms, but Brain and Doc were there to steady him. She was burning up, and she’d hardly moved except to snuggle into him further after he stood.
She moaned a bit when he started walking for Trigger’s Blazer, but didn’t protest. She was scaring the shit out of him, but Lefty didn’t let any of his concern show in his voice when he said, “I’ve got you, Kins.”
Goose bumps broke out on his arms when her lips brushed against the sensitive skin under his ear. She wasn’t doing a damn thing to try to turn him on, but his body reacted to her closeness anyway.
“Cold,” she mumbled.
Lefty tightened his hold on her and, once again, his friends helped steady him as he climbed into the back of Trigger’s car. He knew he should let her go, should strap her into a seat belt, but he literally couldn’t make himself let go of her. Not to mention every time he loosened his hold, she did her best to meld her body with his.
Being this close to her, Lefty couldn’t miss the fact that it had been a couple days since she’d showered. She didn’t smell bad, exactly, but neither did she have the fresh, clean scent he’d noticed when they’d hung out together in Paris.
He could feel her shivering against him, which wasn’t good, considering it wasn’t the least bit cold outside. Trigger drove quickly but safely back to the apartment complex, and Lefty waited until he’d opened the door to try to get out with Kinley in his arms. He walked swiftly up the stairs to his apartment.
“I came by,” Kinley mumbled into his neck.
“I know. I’m sorry I wasn’t here.”
“You were off saving the world. I’m not important.”
Lefty frowned. “If I’d known you were here, I would’ve sent someone to help you. One of my other Delta Force friends.”
Kinley shook her head weakly. “No…only wanted you.”
Trigger got his door open, and then Lefty had other things to concentrate on than how great her words made him feel. He headed straight for his bedroom and leaned over to put her on his bed.
She clung to him, not letting go.
Hunched over her, Lefty braced himself on his hands. “You need to let go, Kins.”
“No,” she protested.
Lefty didn’t want to be amused, but he still was. Not able to stop himself, he leaned down and brushed his lips across her cheek. “Let go, sweetheart. I need to make sure you’re all right.”
Her eyes had been closed, but at the feel of his lips against her skin, she pried them open. “Gage?”
“Yeah?”
“Did you message me?”
Lefty frowned in confusion. “Yeah, you didn’t get them?”
“My phone was smashed into a million pieces,” she informed him. “I wasn’t ghosting you.”
Even though she was sick and had a fever, Lefty could see the worry and sincerity in her gaze. He put a hand on her cheek, and she relaxed her neck muscles until he was holding the weight of her head in his palm. “Okay, Kins,” he told her.
“But I’m glad my phone was smashed because it kept you safe.”
Lefty was confused as hell. “How?” he asked.
Kinley sighed and closed her eyes once more. “Thanks for getting me to the hotel. I’ll talk to you tomorrow when I’m feeling better,” she muttered.
“You want me to bring Gillian over to help get her changed?” Trigger asked, ignoring her hotel comment. She was obviously out of it and confused.
Lefty reluctantly stood and pulled his comforter up and over Kinley.
She was shivering again. He turned to his friend. “No, don’t bring Gillian over yet. If Kinley’s contagious, the last thing you need is Gillian getting sick too. She’s wearing a T-shirt and leggings, she should be comfortable enough in those.”
“If you need us, call.” It wasn’t an offer, it was a demand.
Lefty nodded. “I will. Thanks for helping rally the troops.”
Trigger ignored his thanks. “I’ll come over in a few hours to check on you guys. Are you going to bring her to the ER if she gets worse?”
“I can’t,” Lefty says. “Not unless it looks like I have no choice. I have to honor her wishes. Something’s wrong. Really wrong, Trigger. If she doesn’t want to go to a doctor, I have to believe she’s got a very good reason.”
“For the record, she seems more concerned about you than herself.”
“I thought the same thing, which doesn’t make any sense,” Lefty said.
“She’s safe here for now,” Trigger said quietly. “You’ll make sure she gets better, then you can find out the answers to all your questions. Just don’t forget that you aren’t a one-man band here. You’ve got your team waiting to help. And Gillian. You heard for yourself, she really likes Kinley. I don’t know what it is about your woman that makes people want to bend over backward to help her, but there it is.”
“She’s not my woman,” Lefty protested, the words tasting like ash on his tongue.
“Isn’t she?” Trigger asked, but he didn’t give him time to answer. “I’ll let myself out. See you later.”
Lefty watched his friend turn and leave his room. He heard the front door shut behind him, and knew Trigger would’ve made sure the doorknob was locked on his way out. Making a mental note to go and secure the deadbolt and chain in a bit, Lefty looked back down at Kinley.
Her black hair was dirty and knotted. Her cheeks were flushed and her pulse beat heavily in her neck.
Taking a deep breath, he turned and headed for his bathroom to get a cool washcloth. He needed to cool her down and break the fever that had taken hold, but he also wanted to clean her up. She’d hate feeling or looking dirty when she woke, and he vowed to do whatever it took to make her as comfortable as possible.
Four hours later, Kinley’s fever still hadn’t broken. She thrashed and moaned on his bed and, even though she was burning up, clutched the covers to her as if she were lying naked in Alaska in the middle of winter.
“I need to get you cooled down,” Lefty murmured, more to himself than her. She hadn’t really said anything coherent in a while, and he was getting more concerned that he was going to have to break down and take her to the emergency room.
“Leave him alone!” she yelled out of the blue, scaring the shit out of Lefty. “He has nothing to do with this!”
“Kinley, you’re safe.”
“Gage?” she asked, clearly confused.
“Yeah, it’s me.”
Her eyes popped open, and she stared up at him without the cloudy look of confusion she’d had for the last four hours. “Sparkly shoes,” she said urgently.
“What?”
“It was the shoes,” she muttered, closing her eyes.
Lefty sighed in frustration. She wasn’t making any sense.
He knew he had to act.
He left her on the bed, going into the bathroom. He turned on the taps until the water was on the cool side. He wasn’t heartless enough to dump her into a freezing-cold bath, but she still wasn’t going to like being forced into water just on the edge of being lukewarm. To her overheated body, it would seem as if it was an ice bath.
He went back into his bedroom as the tub filled and steeled himself. This was going to be harder on him than it was on her, but it had to be done. Lefty had no idea if Kinley would hate him when she was more coherent, but he’d deal with that later. He’d much rather have an embarrassed woman on his hands than a dead one.
He sat next to her and tried to assess her state of mind. “Kinley, we need to get your clothes off so we can get you in the tub.”
No response.
“Kins?”
She groaned.
Deciding that maybe it was better if she was completely out of it, Lefty pulled back the covers and ignored the moan that escaped Kinley’s mouth at losing the
warmth of the blankets. Working as quickly and clinically as possible, he stripped off her T-shirt and leggings. He left her underwear and bra on, not quite able to make himself remove them. It seemed a huge breech of her trust to disrobe her as much as he had, even if it was for her own good.
Lefty knew he could’ve called Gillian over to help, but he felt a deep-seated need to take care of Kinley himself. He had a feeling that she was somehow protecting him. From what or who, he had no idea, but from what little she’d said, it was clear she was scared to death and on the run.
He bent over and picked up a nearly naked Kinley, loving the feel of her in his arms. Her skin was too hot and she was too pale, but she fit him like a glove. Her five-five frame was tiny compared to his six-foot-one, but she was curvy in all the right places. He kept his gaze off her tits and concentrated on how smooth her skin was under his hands. She buried her nose into his neck again, and Lefty knew he’d never get tired of how that felt.
Knowing there was no good way to get her in the water, and that he’d made a mistake in not taking his own jeans and shirt off before he’d picked her up, Lefty stepped over the rim of the tub, thankful he’d taken off his shoes and socks earlier.
The water immediately soaked into his jeans, but he barely even noticed.
“This is gonna suck,” he murmured to Kinley. “Hold on to me, Kins.”
She moaned, whether in agreement or dismay, he wasn’t sure. Being very careful, he slowly sat down in the water. He shivered at the temperature—but the second Kinley’s skin touched it, she shrieked and arched her back, trying to get away.
“I know,” Lefty commiserated, “but you need this. It’s important.”
“S-S-S-So cold!” she complained, and continued trying to sit up and get away from both him and the cool water.
Wishing the tub was deeper, Lefty shifted her in his grip until she was sitting on the bottom of the tub. He kneeled over her and lay her back into the water as gently as he could. It wasn’t easy, as she fought him every second of the way. Water splashed all around them as she tried to kick and fight to get out of the tub.