Protective Custody

by Debra Webb

  Ian angled his head slightly and studied her. He winced inwardly when he considered her cheek where the tree bark had chafed it. That was his fault and he hated himself even more for it. “Sometimes your real enemy is yourself,” he suggested quietly, pointedly.

  “And you would know all about that, wouldn’t you, Michaels?” she snapped. Nicole shook her head, her eyes suspiciously bright, and backed away from him, looking small and vulnerable in the big, buttoned-up jacket. “I need a bath,” she added as she pivoted and headed in that direction.

  Ian squeezed his eyes shut and forced away the need to soothe her hurt feelings. He had to focus. This game had just moved to a new level, and he had to keep his head on straight. Daniels was no fool. Pulling a fast one on him would not be an easy task. It would take both Ian and Nicole’s full attention, and combined skill. Money was a powerful motivator. Daniels had nothing to lose and everything to gain. And he wanted Nicole dead. She knew too much. That’s what he had said. Daniels wanted to erase any clue that Solomon had survived that car bombing three years ago.

  Daniels didn’t just want Solomon’s money. He wanted Solomon just as dead as he wanted Nicole. Daniels would do whatever it took to achieve that goal. He had even faked his own death to ensure the perfect alibi and to protect himself while he pursued his treasure. Daniels might be desperate to get what he wanted, but he had every intention of protecting himself at all costs. He was the sort of man who didn’t really care about anything or anyone, only himself and what he set out to obtain.

  But Ian had one thing that Daniels didn’t have…the courage to die for what he believed in, for what he cared about. And he cared deeply about Nicole.

  NICOLE AWOKE to the whispered tones of Ian’s sensual voice. For one long moment she was deep in the woods again, her hands bound above her head, Ian’s hands and mouth working her body into a sensual frenzy. Climax screaming down on her, then him stopping, looking at her as if he could eat her alive, but not touching her. Nicole groaned and curled into a ball. The tremendous ache she had felt at needing him, wanting him, and him standing back, just watching her, reverberated even now. Then he had set her free and she had taken control, or lost control, depending upon the way you looked at it.

  Daniels. The lowlife. He was the one. Nicole dragged in a long, deep breath. How could she have been fooled by him? How could she have worked with him for years and not suspected that he was off-kilter? Daniels had killed Landon. The image of Landon’s grieving widow flashed through Nicole’s mind and she gritted her teeth. Daniels would pay. She would see to it. No matter what Ian said, Nicole would take Daniels down in her own way. And when this was over Ian would be out of her life…just as before, only this time it would be forever.

  Nicole swallowed. She loved him. But there was no way she could tell him that. He would only consider it due punishment for the sins of her past. He would probably find it rather amusing. Nicole had ruined his career as a marshal, to a degree his life, actually, and in the process she had fallen hopelessly in love with him and was doomed to live alone and lonely for the rest of hers.

  “You need to get dressed, we have to leave.”

  Nicole looked up to find Ian standing at the foot of the bed watching her. His silvery gaze was unreadable, as usual. His hands rested lightly against the brass footboard, his cell phone clasped in one. Who had he called? she wondered. Today he sported his preferred habit, black dress slacks, black shirt. And somewhere around here there would be a black suit jacket. Nicole sat up and shoved her tousled hair from her eyes.

  “Where are we going?” she asked, her voice still rough with sleep, or perhaps the remembered events of last night. She kept her gaze on those long fingers, she didn’t want him to read the emotions churning inside her even now. She wanted him to take her in his arms and tell her he felt the same way she did. She wanted him to kiss her the way he had kissed her last night. Then she wanted him to make love to her again, and then again after that. Her body warmed and softened in reaction to the mere thought of Ian’s touch. The lingering discomfort of last night’s hot, frantic sex did nothing to alleviate the need that surged so easily inside her this morning.

  “We’re going to Atlanta,” he announced in that calm, controlled tone of his that irritated her beyond reason.

  Nicole frowned. Atlanta? Solomon was in Atlanta. What was Ian plotting now? And without her input. She scrambled from the bed Ian had reassembled during her bath last night, and stalked over to where he stood watching her.

  “What do you mean, we’re going to Atlanta?” she demanded with as much challenge as she could garner, considering she was wearing nothing but a T-shirt and panties. She hugged her middle to shield her breasts. Her nipples were already hard from just looking at him.

  His expression remained unchanged, he simply looked at her as if he felt nothing at all. “Alex is making the arrangements as we speak. The rental agency will have another car here within the hour.”

  Realization dawned with brutal clearness then. “You talked to Daniels last night.”

  “Yes.”

  Nicole swore. Things had happened so fast between them last night that she hadn’t asked if he had run into Daniels. She had just assumed that Daniels had given up and retreated so that he could regroup. Fury, fierce and hot, rose in Nicole. She should have known better. There was no way Daniels would have gotten out of those woods without crossing Ian’s path. I know, that’s what Ian had said when she blurted Daniels’s name. Ian had known even before she told him. Because he had talked to Daniels, reached some sort of compromise that didn’t include Nicole.

  She lifted her chin and glared at him defiantly. “Why are we going to Atlanta?” Nicole’s pulse pounded in her ears. He intended to keep her in the dark. Well, she seethed, it wouldn’t work.

  Ian turned to face her more fully. Nicole resisted the urge to back up a step. That icy gray gaze connected with hers and Nicole knew that this was the old Ian, the one who had greeted her in Victoria Colby’s office. Something that felt very much like regret filtered through her.

  “I struck a deal with Daniels,” Ian informed her. “I give him Solomon and he gives me half the money Solomon stole from the cartel three years ago.”

  Nicole shook her head slowly from side to side. “Daniels is too smart to believe that you would really cut him a deal,” she countered, her emotions barely in check. She knew Ian too well—trusted him too completely—to believe for one second he was on the up-and-up about any such deal.

  “Apparently Daniels believes that revenge is a strong motivation in this instance.”

  “I see.” Nicole arched one brow knowingly. “Payback for what I did to you three years ago,” she suggested. Tension radiated up her spine. This conversation was making her seriously uncomfortable. Ian’s attitude wasn’t helping.

  “I can see where that would appear justified.”

  Nicole’s jaws ached from clenching them so tightly. His perfectly controlled tone was driving her mad. “So you simply played along with his sadistic conclusions?”

  “Something like that.”

  Rage boiled up in Nicole. She glared at Ian. “I won’t take chances with Solomon’s life,” she warned, her voice barely maintained at a normal decibel. “And neither will you.”

  Their gazes were locked in a fierce battle of wills. “You will never be safe unless we get Daniels and his partner. I will do whatever it takes, Nicole,” he countered darkly. “And so will you.”

  “Daniels has no idea where Solomon is,” she argued evenly, despite the anger twisting in her chest, making her want to shudder. “Any place will do. We don’t need to go to Atlanta. We don’t need to be that close.”

  “Think, Nicole,” Ian scolded, “Daniels knows you too well. He knows every alias you’ve ever used. Don’t think he wasn’t fully aware you were booked on a flight to Atlanta that last night in D.C. when your apartment went up in flames.”

  Nicole trembled at the memory and at the realization that she was
losing this battle. “You can’t be sure of that.” Her argument was weaker this time. Ian had a point she couldn’t really deny. And he knew it.

  “No. I can’t be certain, but I don’t intend to risk tipping my hand either. We need him to lead us to his partner. If we screw up this opportunity, he won’t make the same mistake twice. Alex has already instructed Daniels to go to Atlanta and wait at the Plaza Hotel for further instructions.”

  He was right. As much as she loathed to admit it. “And where do I fit into all this?”

  Ian looked away. “I’m to contact him with Solomon’s location,” he said vaguely.

  Nicole thought about that for a minute, and the answer hit her like a truck. “He doesn’t know you know. He thinks you intend to seduce the information out of me,” she said with a kind of choked laugh.

  “That would be my guess.” He still didn’t look at her.

  “And you allowed him to believe that,” she fumed.

  “Yes.” He looked at her then, his gaze cool and distant. “I did.”

  Red swam before her eyes. She wanted to hit him. To demand some sort of retraction of his words. “What makes you think I’ll go along with your little plan?” she said instead, bitterness dripping from her tone.

  He stared down at her with that carefully constructed mask of control for two heart-stopping beats. “Because Martinez is with Solomon and I have your weapon, Nicole. From this moment, you can consider yourself in protective custody.”

  NICOLE CONTINUED her silent treatment the rest of the morning. Ian struggled with the need to make things right with her. But this was for the best. As long as this wall of anger remained between them, she would keep her distance. There was no room for error now. They would both need their full attention focused on the game as it played out, and the events to come as they unfolded. There was no room for anything else.

  Ian stole a glance at Nicole’s unyielding profile as the plane taxied to the airport gate in Atlanta. She didn’t like being left out of the loop and Ian could understand that, but there was nothing to be done about it. This game had to be played by the rules Daniels set. Nicole knew that as well as Ian did. He had hoped she would come to see how well his plan would work, but that hadn’t happened. Instead, she ignored him, continued to stew in silence.

  The flight attendant gave the final instructions for disembarkation. Nicole released her lap restraint, keeping her gaze straight ahead. Ian pushed out of his seat and stepped to one side for Nicole to proceed him. He placed a hand against her arm, stopping her when she would have started down the aisle. Reluctantly, her gaze moved up to meet his.

  “We’ll have lunch here before we pick up our luggage,” he told her. “Then we’ll go to the hotel.”

  She shrugged off his hand. “Whatever.” Nicole slung her purse over one shoulder and sauntered down the aisle.

  Ian clenched his jaw against the irritation her indifference engendered in him. He followed her, working hard to ignore the way her hips, encased in some sort of dark blue knit that fit like a second skin, swayed so provocatively. The matching fuzzy sweater snuggled against her breasts and her slim rib cage. The effect was startlingly feminine, and undeniably sexy. Ian felt certain she had intended just that. But he wasn’t buying in to her seductive ploy. This was one round she would simply have to play alone.

  Ian signed for his weapon at the cockpit and tucked it beneath his jacket in the shoulder harness. He didn’t like to wear the holster, but when traveling via commercial means and carrying a weapon, he usually did.

  The airport was crowded. Ian stayed right behind Nicole, ensuring that she never got out of arm’s reach, as they wove their way through the knots of people. He had a decidedly uneasy feeling about her attitude. Nicole Reed could be unpredictable, if not completely unmanageable when properly motivated by a situation.

  “Will this place do?” she asked, stopping abruptly in front of a bar and grill. She appeared completely disinterested in his decision one way or another.

  Ian surveyed the surrounding area. Gift shop, restaurant, rest rooms. No sign of Daniels. Ian fully expected the man to be waiting and watching at the airport. He would probably follow them when they left. Daniels would not wait for Ian’s call. The man had every intention of setting the pace of this game, Ian was sure. If for some reason Daniels wasn’t here, it was only because he hadn’t managed an early enough flight.

  “This place is fine,” he replied, watching her reaction closely. He needed Nicole to work with him on this.

  Nicole sighed dramatically and headed toward a table in that slow, graceful manner that looked more feline than human. She was purposely baiting him. What the hell did she expect to gain? Nothing she could do or say would change Ian’s mind about how to proceed in this case.

  She selected a relatively secluded table in the back corner, away from the passersby. A waiter appeared and offered menus as Ian sat down. Nicole thanked the guy with a wide smile, and an appreciative survey of his lean body. The waiter responded with an idiotic-looking grin. Ian tightened his jaw.

  “May I get your drinks now?” the young man asked.

  Another of those sultry smiles slid across Nicole’s lips. “I’d like white wine, please,” she said seductively.

  Jealousy speared through Ian’s chest. He almost flinched.

  The waiter swallowed with obvious difficulty, then dragged his reluctant gaze to Ian. “And you, sir?”

  Ian directed a lethal look at the waiter. “I’ll have the same as my wife,” he said quietly.

  The color drained from the young man’s eager face. His stupid grin drooped. “I’ll get those right away, sir.” He pivoted sharply and hurried away as if the hounds of hell were on his heels.

  “You’re such a comedian,” Nicole said sarcastically, then rolled her eyes. “I can just see you with a wife.” She gave her head a little shake and laughed softly.

  “You find that hard to imagine?” he asked in a voice heavy with implication.

  That stopped Nicole cold. Her eyes widened slightly, and her pretty mouth dropped open two full seconds before she spoke. “Let’s just say it would take some stretching.”

  Ian lifted one shoulder in the barest of shrugs. “Not really.”

  Nicole gave another of those sultry, utterly feminine chuckles. “Next you’ll be telling me you’re even considering children.”

  Ian just looked at her then. Did she really believe him that cold and untouchable? So heartless that no woman would love him, would want to bear his children? That thought cut to the bone.

  “Here you go,” the waiter announced as he cautiously approached the table. He deposited their drinks in front of them and stepped back slightly as if he feared Ian might take off his head…or worse. “Are you ready to order now?” he asked humbly.

  Nicole was the first to recover. “Ham and cheese on wheat,” she said vacantly. She picked up her glass and took a sip, feigning preoccupation with evaluating the wine.

  “The same,” Ian answered without taking his gaze off Nicole.

  The waiter took their menus, made some vague comment and scurried away.

  “There are a great many things I want, Nicole,” Ian said, something hard that he didn’t quite understand in his tone. “You have no idea.”

  “You’re right,” she said tightly. “I could say the same, you know.” She glared at him defiantly. “You have no idea what I want out of life, either.”

  “To replace your director,” Ian said with unexpected malice. He blinked at the harshness of his own voice. The remark hit home. Nicole’s surly attitude faltered. Hurt flickered in her eyes.

  “You would think that,” she muttered without looking at him.

  He was out of line. Jealousy had driven him. Ian cursed himself for hurting her. He was supposed to be helping Nicole, not fighting with her over things that would never be.

  Ian would never marry.

  Never have children.

  If he couldn’t have Nicole—and he couldn’
t—he didn’t want anyone else.

  They ate in silence. The waiter whizzed by a couple of times, offering refills, which Ian declined. Nicole had a second glass of wine. She refused to look at Ian and that bothered him a great deal more than it should. He shouldn’t care. He should simply concentrate on the risky business that lay ahead of them.

  But he couldn’t.

  Ian dropped a few bills on the table and stood. “We should go,” he announced.

  Nicole drained her glass and hurried to her feet before he could do the gentlemanly thing and pull her chair back. He followed her back into the crowded corridor.

  “Luggage pickup,” he reminded.

  Nicole glanced at the signs overhead and started in the direction indicated. They passed a bank of phones which reminded Ian that he should check in with Alex before they left the airport.

  “Wait,” he called after Nicole.

  She turned around and walked back to where he waited. “What?” she demanded impatiently.

  “I’m going to check in with Alex to see if Martinez has called before we go any further.”

  Nicole folded her arms over her chest and gave him her back. “Whatever,” she mumbled.

  God, he hated that word. He turned his back to the passing travelers, pulled out his cell phone and punched in the number. It wasn’t really the word, he amended, it was the way she said it. It made him crazy. He wanted to shake her. Or kiss her…or something.

  Ian swore.

  As he waited for Alex to pick up her line, Ian shifted to his right to make sure Nicole hadn’t wandered too far.

  She was gone.

  He whipped around, adrenaline charging through his veins, his gaze scanning the crowd. There she was. A sigh of relief hissed past his lips. He frowned. She was talking to a man in uniform. Airport security. What the hell? he wondered briefly.

  “Ian, are you there?”

  “I’ll call you back,” he said distractedly and closed the phone, then dropped it into his pocket. Never taking his eyes off Nicole, Ian started walking in her direction.