A Break in Time

by Michelle Miles

  “I’m…I…” But she couldn’t find the words.

  “You think I killed Olivia, don’t you?” He stepped back, held her at arm’s length. “I suppose it’s time I tell you the truth about her.”

  “You don’t have to.”

  She slipped out of his arms and brushed past him to the end of the balcony. She wanted to get far away from him, hoping it would dissuade him from telling her something she wasn’t prepared to hear. Her throat constricted and she swallowed hard to keep her tears at bay. She didn’t want to hear the truth because it would shatter her image of him. It would make him human.

  “Skye.” He grabbed her by the arm and spun her around. “Don’t you want to know?”

  “No,” she murmured.

  It was enough to know the truth about her mother. Her father had died in her arms and now she had seen her mother’s death. She couldn’t stand to have the memory of his dead wife, too.

  “Ten years ago, Olivia was murdered by group of thugs. It was a drug deal gone bad and unfortunately she happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.” He released her, pushed her away and turned to the railing, gripping it. “I wanted justice. I wanted to protect the innocent from anything like that happening again.”

  “So you killed people for a living?”

  “No.” His gaze leveled on her, a lethal calmness in his eyes. “I joined the CIA.”

  Everything Skye had assumed about Dane shattered with those four words. Her world suddenly veered off its axis as her stomach plummeted to her toes and an icy fist gripped her heart.

  “I buried her on a Sunday morning.” His voice sounded hollow, distant. “I submitted my application on Monday.”

  Still, knowing this, it didn’t explain why he’d killed her parents. If anything, it raised more questions. Never ask a question you’re not prepared to hear the answer to. She pressed cold fingertips to her lips in silent shock.

  “Dane, I’m so sorry,” she whispered, staring at him, horrified.

  “So now you know.”

  “Yes, but not everything.”

  “Not everything,” he agreed, reluctant to continue to explain.

  That was fine. She wasn’t prepared for more answers. Not yet anyway. She had to get used to the idea the CIA was involved in her parents’ murders. That and the fact this was much bigger than an act of greed by Conner Dade.

  “I-I don’t quite know what to say, Dane.” Her voice sounded odd in the night.

  “You don’t have to say anything.”

  Dane wasn’t entirely sure if he knew the whole truth anymore. He was nothing more than a shell of a man, a killing machine. He had become someone he didn’t recognize, someone who just took orders. He used to be the white knight who rode in to save the day. And now? He was a cold-blooded killer. And Skye had suffered.

  He had felt a little of that old chivalry when he rode up the mountain to save Skye from Sovold. Seeing her crumpled in the snow, near death, had made his blood run cold.

  “If it hadn’t been for you…” His words drifted away, not knowing exactly what he wanted to say. Had Skye been his salvation?

  She scowled, her brow furrowing. “There’s nothing special about me.”

  She brushed past him, heading back inside. He wanted to follow, but remained where he was. Nothing special? How could she think that? He heard her movements, heard the creak of the mattress as she climbed back into bed.

  “You’re wrong, Skye.” He stood in the doorway, his moonlit silhouette cast on the floor. She was beautiful, intelligent and a little mouthy. Just the way he liked his women. He knew he couldn’t kill her the moment he saw her picture and thinking of that now, it occurred to him that perhaps Conner Dade’s fatal error of not paying him had been a set-up. “I didn’t know how far I would go not to kill you.”

  She looked at him, her eyes dark orbs in the half-light. He couldn’t make out her expression and he wasn’t sure if she was scowling or merely staring in disbelief. He took a tentative step toward her.

  “Don’t you see?” And he was at her bedside, reaching for her hands.

  “Please don’t,” she whispered on a breath.

  “Why?”

  His hands grasped her delicate ones as he sank into the bed. He couldn’t help himself. He had to touch her, feel her soft skin against his palms. His hands whispered through the length of her hair, grasping at the nape of her neck and gently tugging her head back. Her hands pressed against his chest yet she shuddered against him.

  “You want me, Skye. You know you do.”

  He said the words softly against her mouth before taking her kiss and stealing her breath. His mouth closed over hers, a soft moan bubbled up and rumbled quietly in her throat. Her eyes drifted shut and he could feel her relax, as if yielding to him at last. He took that as a sign and, capturing her in his arms, gently laid her back onto the bed.

  Sliding one hand around her, he cupped her round, perfect bottom and squeezed, pulling her close. His mouth moved to taste the long column of her neck, then grazed over her collarbone. Her arms tightened around him as her back arched and one hand slid up the nape of his neck, grasping his hair in her fist.

  Skye wrapped her legs around his waist, her hands dropped and swept over his bare chest. As her fingers danced over his skin, he captured her lips again, tasting the sweet recesses of her mouth.

  A knock at the door shattered their moment of intimacy and he broke from her. Her body went rigid and alert.

  “Who the hell could that be?” she whispered roughly.

  “Ridgewood. Who else?” Dane glanced at the closed door as the rap sounded again. “Let him in.”

  But before either of them could move, the door swung open, illuminating the shadow figure of a woman in the brief second of light from the hallway. She stepped through the door with fluid grace, quietly shutting the door behind her. She stood still, not moving after coming into the room. Perhaps she was judging if the two of them were sleeping, since neither of them had moved either.

  Skye trembled beneath him. His roughened cheek pressed against hers as he peered through the darkness. Dane calculated the distance from the bed to the door, trying to decide what his reaction should be.

  Then movement by the door and the female stepped into a sliver of moonlight. She was thin, her dark hair swept back in a tight bun. She crept through the room, paused at the heap of Skye’s old clothing on the floor at the foot of the bed, and quickly began going through her pockets.

  With lightening speed, Dane slid off the bed, grabbed the girl from behind and clamped a hand over her mouth. Meanwhile, Skye fumbled for a match, found one and struck it, lighting the candle by the bedside. Her eyes widened in shock when she saw Dane had the young girl in a headlock.

  The girl looked terrified and she struggled against Dane, her bare feet and legs flailing.

  “Don’t hurt her, Dane. Let her go.”

  “Not until she tells us what she’s up to.”

  Now on her feet, Skye put her hands on her hips and glared down.

  “She can’t very well do that with your fat hand over her mouth, now can she?”

  “Fat hand?” Dane repeated, looking hurt.

  “Let her go.”

  “And risk her screaming and bringing the others to us? No way.”

  Skye knelt in front of her, placing a hand on her arm. “You won’t scream, will you? We won’t harm you.”

  The girl shook her head.

  “There, you see? Now let her go.”

  “All right. But if she makes one sound, she’s dead.”

  He removed his hand and released her. The girl gasped for breath and skittered away. She huddled in the corner, her knees drawn up to her chin.

  “We’re not going to hurt you,” Skye said in a soothing voice. “Are you all right? Are you hurt?”

  When there was no response, Skye reached for her, to pat her gently on the arm, but the girl shrank away.

  “Do you speak English?”

 
She nodded then, indicating she understood. “Yes.” It was the same girl who had helped her dress earlier that night.

  “Tia, right?”

  She nodded again.

  “What are you doing here?” Skye prodded gently.

  “Ridgewood said to come,” she said, her words broken.

  Skye patted her arm in reassurance, urging Tia to continue. When she didn’t, Skye asked, “What did he want you to do?”

  “Look for something. He said that if I do not come, he will tell the king awful lies about me and I would be hurt.”

  “Nice guy, Ridgewood,” Dane said dryly.

  Skye held up a hand in a signal for him to be quiet. Tia’s eyes flickered to him and then back to Skye.

  “He wanted you to find something in our clothing?” she asked.

  “Yes,” the girl replied.

  “Did he say what?”

  “He said to look for a small device. That is all, I swear it.”

  Slowly, Skye rose to her full height and turned to Dane. The realization of what the girl was saying hit home and hard.

  “He knows, Dane,” she said in a weak whisper. “Ridgewood knows we have a time-traveling device.”

  “Yeah,” Dane agreed. “And he wants it pretty damn bad.”

  “What are we going to do?” she asked.

  “I don’t know yet.”

  She scowled.

  “Don’t give me that look, Skye. I’m making this up as I go.”

  “Yeah, well, me too.”

  “Calm down. I still have it.” And he patted his pants, but Skye refused to look.

  “We have forty-eight hours to go,” she whined.

  “Then we better make the best of them. We need to stay calm.”

  But Skye was already pacing the room, her bare feet a quiet shuffle on the floor. Tia continued to huddle in the corner and Skye paused to look at her.

  “What about her?” she asked.

  Dane considered, stroking his chin. “I’m thinking.”

  “Well whatever you’re thinking, do it faster. Will you?”

  “My first thought is we keep the girl with us.”

  “What the hell is wrong with you?” Skye gave him a dumbfounded look. “That is the dumbest plan I’ve ever heard, Dane. And then what?”

  “I don’ t know yet. Maybe use her as a bargaining chip.”

  Skye huffed her disagreement.

  “It’s not like we can barricade ourselves in here for two days,” Dane said. “We don’t know anything about this place, their ways, and for all we know they could end up eating us.”

  “So you use this girl to—what—get away from Ridgewood so he can’t get the time bender?” Skye asked.

  “Why don’t you think of something,” he suggested calmly.

  “Maybe I will.” She folded her arms, staring him down.

  “That’s what he called it,” Tia interrupted, her voice small in the darkness.

  “What?” Dane asked.

  “He called it a time bender. He said it was used for traveling.”

  Skye stood there, blank, amazed and very shaken. “Oh, my God.”

  “How would he know that?”

  “I have no idea.” Shock caused the words to wedge in her throat.

  “There appears to be more to Ridgewood than meets the eye. Could he have overheard us at anytime?”

  “I don’t know. But Dane. We have to get out of here now.”

  “I agree. Do I still need to share that theory with you?”

  “No,” she breathed.

  “Good. If Ridgewood knows we have the time bender—knows what it’s called and what it’s used for—then he’s more dangerous than I thought.”

  “Excuse.” Tia rose from the floor, brushed her skirt and took a step toward the duo. “I can help.”

  Dane and Skye halted their arguing.

  “There is a tunnel under the palace leading out of the village. I can take you.”

  Chapter Six: Machinations

  “A tunnel?” Dane repeated.

  “I believe that’s what she said,” Skye said.

  He pursed his lips at her and was about to retort when Tia spoke again.

  “Yes, a tunnel. I will show you, if you wish.”

  “Let’s go then.” Skye bent to pick up her pile of clothes from the floor.

  “Wait a minute,” Dane said. “Why would she show us? Clearly she’s working with Ridgewood. How do we know she’s not leading us into a trap?”

  “Dane, don’t be silly. She wants to help us.”

  “Skye, you are so naïve. How can you think this girl is going to help us just like that? There’s got to be more to it.”

  Skye perched one hand on her hip. “Contrary to what you think, not everyone has an ulterior motive.”

  “And I’ve survived for a long time thinking everyone does.” He gripped her arm. “We can’t trust her.”

  “Then what do you propose? Stay here and wait for Ridgewood to show up? You’ve already said we can’t barricade ourselves in here.”

  “We need collateral.” Dane looked the girl over. “We need some sort of guarantee she won’t give us up.”

  “I will help you escape,” the girl said.

  “Do we have your word?” Dane pressed. “Because if you betray us, I turn you over to Ridgewood.”

  “Dane!”

  “Skye, this is the only way.”

  Tia’s mouth formed a straight line. “I will not betray you.”

  “Then let’s go.”

  “I want to change first,” Skye said.

  “What’s wrong with what you have on, doll?” Dane gave her a hearty once-over, leaving her feeling exposed.

  “Listen, you.” She wagged a finger at him. “I’m not parading around the jungle in this or that thin dress. No, thanks. And Dane…put on a shirt.”

  “We must hurry,” Tia urged. “By dawn, the village will wake.”

  “What she’s saying, Skye, is hurry the hell up.”

  Skye dashed behind a privacy screen and quickly changed. The clothes Ilsa had given her were heavy, but she felt more comfortable wearing them than the thin cloth.

  She couldn’t stand the thought of traipsing through the jungle with bare arms and legs. She had a deathly fear of snakes and other creepy crawlies and refused to give them a chance to have a taste of her. She pulled on her boots and stepped into the room.

  “Finally,” he huffed, as if she’d been back there for hours. He stood at the door and Skye was relieved to see he had pulled on his orange tunic and his boots. His arms were crossed over his chest, his foot tapped with impatience.

  She bit off a retort when he pulled open the door a scant inch and peered outside. He quickly shut it and turned to face the two ladies.

  “Ridgewood is still out there,” he announced.

  “He’s waiting for Tia. What are we going to do?”

  Dane scanned the room for something that could resemble the time bender. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his silver Zippo lighter. Holding it up, a broad smile broke across his scruffy face.

  “We’ll use this,” he said.

  “A lighter?” Skye looked at it in dismay.

  “It’ll have to do. Give this to Ridgewood.” Dane pressed it into Tia’s palm. She turned it over in her hand, examining the shiny silver surface.

  “Dane, I fail to see how your lighter will help us. He’s so not falling for that. And besides, when did you start carrying around a lighter?”

  “I’ve had it since the beginning. Not that it matters. I used to smoke. I could use one now.”

  “You smoked? Cigarettes?”

  “Yes, Skye,” he said on a sigh, as if bored and annoyed.

  “Really? I didn’t know that.”

  “There’s a lot you don’t know about me, sweetheart.” Dane turned back to the door and waved Tia over. He placed one hand on the handle and paused. “While you give this to Ridgewood, Skye and I will slip out of the room. We’ll wait for you aroun
d the corner, okay?”

  The girl nodded, chewing on the inside of her cheek. Skye could see the uncertainty in her face and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

  “You’ll be fine,” she said with a reassuring smile. “You can do it.”

  Clutching the lighter, Tia nodded again as Dane swung open the door. She stepped out into the yellow light of the hallway.

  “I hope you know what you’re doing,” Skye whispered.

  “Trust me.”

  And somehow, deep down, she did. She peered through the doorway, careful to stay in the shadows so Ridgewood wouldn’t see her, and watched as Tia approached him. He leaned against the wall, his ankles crossed and his hands shoved deep into his pockets. When he saw Tia exit the room, he stood straight. His jaw muscles flexed in annoyance.

  “What took you so long?” he growled. When Tia didn’t answer, he continued. “Well? Did you find the time bender?”

  “Here.” She held up the lighter.

  He snatched the silver lighter, holding it in his hand and running his fingers over the glass smooth surface. Flipping it open, his thumb went over the striker’s roughened edge.

  “Now,” Dane whispered and gave Skye a shove through the open door.

  Dane hoped this would be their Get Out Of Jail Free card while Ridgewood was enamored with the lighter. Hot on Skye’s heels, they slipped into the hallway and hurried around the corner as Ridgewood spoke again. The two of them peered around the edge of the wall.

  “This is it?” He tore his gaze from the lighter to the girl as he clicked it closed. “This is the time-traveling device?”

  He asked her as if she would know the answer. When she didn’t respond, he backhanded her hard across the cheek. She stumbled backward, her lip split. A spot of blood appeared on her lower lip and tears sprang to her eyes.

  “Do you think me a fool? This isn’t the time bender.”

  “Ah, hell,” Dane mumbled as Skye emitted a sharp gasp.

  “Dane, do something.” She prodded him in the ribs.

  “Like what?”

  “Go kick his ass.”

  It was the last thing he needed—getting involved in a brawl with this guy. Besides, his fighting days were over. Or so he hoped.