Wild on You

by Tina Wainscott

  One of the campus cops swiped the gun while the other rolled him facedown in the grass and cuffed him. Risk couldn’t put up one iota of resistance, though his mind fought.

  He heard a voice intone, “We have an inebriated male by Building F. Armed. Was armed,” he added. “Call in reinforcements.”

  “I’m not nee … nebriated.” Good God, he could barely talk. Having his mouth pushed into the grass wasn’t helping. “Tasered.”

  “We know you’re tired,” the other guy said. “It’s probably been a long night. Started drinking early, huh? We’re giving you a ride to someplace nice and comfy.”

  Risk rolled over, rage flooding his face with heat. “A woman’s … kidnapped … you idiot. Gil Sanderson … student, just took her in there.” He jerked his head to the door. “I’m her bodyguard.” Amazing what a little anger could do. Or maybe the Taser’s effects were beginning to wear off.

  In the flashing blue lights, it was hard to tell whether the guy was taking him seriously. It quickly became obvious. “Not much of a bodyguard if you’re on the ground and she’s in there, are you? Look, we’ll get this all straightened—”

  “Get in that God-blasted building right now!” Risk raged, trying to get to his knees.

  One of the men aimed a gun at him while the other walked to the window and peered in. “I don’t see anything.”

  “Take it easy there, buddy,” the gun wielder said.

  “I can’t take it easy, you knucklehead. Gil hauled her into the lab, the one that got shut down. My ID’s in my wallet. I work for The Justiss Alliance.” He tilted his hips so they could extract his wallet. “Call the number on the back. Chase Justiss will verify.”

  Then Chase would no doubt fire him. But not before Risk found Addie. Fear pounded through him at the thought of her. Gil looked harmless, if a bit weaselly, but he obviously was far from it. Risk had way miscalculated the guy’s intentions. He’d thought Gil was in love with her, not in cahoots with the bad guys.

  The cop pulled out Risk’s wallet and opened it. “It does say he’s an associate of The Justiss Alliance, whatever that is.”

  “Private security firm,” Risk said, what he was supposed to tell anyone who had a need to know. “What are you waiting for?” he shouted to the guy peering in the window. “Get the hell in there and find her!”

  The cop jumped, then used his key card to open the door.

  “Be careful,” Risk called. “The guy’s armed with a Taser, and he may have two thugs helping him.” And who knew what else? Then he remembered something and turned to face the second cop, who still had the gun aimed at him. “He took my keys.” Panic suffused him. Gil was going to take her off campus. “See if there’s a white van parked behind the lab.”

  Sirens pierced the air. The police. Get here. Quick.

  The cop who’d gone inside the building came back. “The lights are on in the lab, but no one’s in there. The back door was open.”

  Risk asked, “Was there a white van out back?”

  “Nope.”

  He’d taken her. Risk had failed, and the son of a bitch had taken her.

  Two cop cars screeched into the parking lot. They were either going to help—or make matters worse.

  * * *

  Pain and shock seized Addie as Gil dragged her down the slick hallway. Her mouth wouldn’t work, wouldn’t utter words like “What are you doing? Are you crazy?” She thought she might get sick, not only from whatever that thing he’d touched her with had done, but from the sight of Risk convulsing on the ground.

  Gil must be the one behind the attack. He was breathlessly uttering something as he neared the door at the end of the hallway, though she couldn’t hear over the buzzing in her head. A sign on the door announced that the lab was closed indefinitely and to see Dean Williams for permission to enter. Obviously Gil didn’t need permission, because he slid his card into the lock and opened the door.

  Fluorescent bulbs washed the lab in harsh light when Gil flicked them on. Empty cages lined the walls, but none held a sorry little tiger cub. Or any other animal. What was he going to do with her? She tried to fight him, but her muscles had turned to cooked pasta. He pulled her to a door at the far end of the lab marked EXIT. He pushed that open and dragged her outside … right to her van.

  It took him several minutes to strap her into the passenger seat, because she kept drooping to the floor. He managed to buckle her in, sat in the driver’s seat, and started the van.

  She saw blue flashing lights coming from somewhere. Gil was muttering faster. He glanced at her as he pulled out of the parking lot and onto the road that led out of the campus. “You’ll thank me for this later.”

  Say what? In no way could she imagine thanking him. Yes, he was crazy. She tried to gather her thoughts, but they did no good in a mouth that wouldn’t work. Her lips were two floppy things that did little more than mash together and mumble. He was still holding that little black device. A Taser, obviously. He’d used it on her and Risk. To get her away and do what with her? Was he working with Maynard? Where were the two thugs?

  A few minutes later, Gil pulled up to a small house in what appeared to be a nice little neighborhood. “Sorry about this,” he said. Before she could try to ask what he was sorry about, it became glaringly apparent—he Tasered her again. Then he ran around the other side, unbuckled her, and helped her to his door. A neighbor was sweeping her porch but stopped to watch. Addie tried to say, Help me.

  “Good evening, Mrs. Sanchez,” Gil called out pleasantly, even if his voice sounded strained. “My girlfriend had a few too many margaritas.”

  Addie tried to shake her head, imploring the woman with her eyes. The woman shook her head in disgust and went back to sweeping. Addie was escorted into the house. He ushered her to an eat-in kitchen and eased her onto one of the two chairs. The sight of the duct tape lying on the table sent her heartbeat rocketing. Especially when he took the roll, fumbled with scissors as he cut off a length of it, then wrapped her wrists together. He knelt down and attached each of her ankles to the legs of the chair with more tape. He ran into the living room and turned on the television. Loud. Where were the thugs? Or the man behind this?

  Gil returned, and maybe she was a bit delusional, but she swore he looked almost apologetic. “I know you think this is extreme, but once the Taser wears off and you stop wanting to kill me, you’ll see why I had to take this desperate action.” He leaned closer, his nose almost next to hers as he stared into her eyes. “So I’ll explain now.”

  She finally got her mouth to work. “You lied about the lab activity to lure me here.” Her words were slightly slurred, but she thought they were intelligible.

  “Yes.” He released a contrite breath as he pulled the other chair close and sat down facing her. “You stopped answering my e-mails.”

  Whaaa? What did that have to do with Maynard wanting her dead? She decided to play along. “You sent me four a day. I told you I don’t have time to chat.”

  “Just a page or two about your day would have sufficed. But all I got at the end was a hi. I wrote you ten-page letters, and you spared me one word. What am I supposed to do with that, Addie?” He awkwardly pulled her bound hands into his. “I missed our time together. So when you asked, yes, I fibbed about there being activity. Maynard doesn’t even work here anymore. He left two months ago.”

  Risk had been right. Gil liked her. Liked her. But in an insane kind of way. “And you planned to kidnap me all along?”

  He laughed as though that were the most preposterous idea he’d ever heard. “Of course not.”

  “No, of course. How silly of me to think it. That came later?” Keep him calm and talking. She surreptitiously searched the kitchen for something she could use as a weapon. What looked like a cast-iron pan sat on the stovetop. Now to get loose.

  “When I saw your boyfriend, I was heartbroken. Big, handsome, not at all the kind of guy I thought you’d go for.” He gave her a disappointed shake of his head. “The
n I saw that Mr. Steroids was a bully. He had you under his control, kowtowing and scared. When you looked in my eyes, you were pleading for my help. Since he wouldn’t let you out of his sight, I had to get creative.” He gave her a brilliant smile. “Smart, huh?”

  She dropped her head for a moment, relief rushing through her. “Smart isn’t exactly the word I’d use.”

  “I’m sorry that I couldn’t tell you the plan in advance. I’m sure I scared you.”

  “Scared, also not the word I would use.” At least not without shitless attached to it. She blew out a breath, dislodging the lock of hair over her eye. “I wasn’t pleading for your help, Gil. Risk isn’t really my boyfriend. He’s my bodyguard. The boyfriend story is our cover because I don’t want to go around telling everyone I have a bodyguard.”

  Gil blinked as he tried to assimilate that. “He’s … your bodyguard.”

  “Yes. Someone is trying to kill me. And at this moment, you are suspect number one. You need to get me back. Now.”

  Panic fluttered across his face. “He’ll kill me. You know those steroid guys—a bodyguard, oh geez—he’ll go berserko on me.”

  She wouldn’t mention his military background. “He doesn’t take steroids. He just looks big compared to you. But you did Taser him. Maybe if you take me back right away, apologize, and explain …”

  Gil lurched to his feet so fast, the chair fell back. “I made him look like one of those gun-wielding wackos.” He rubbed his forehead as he paced. “When he pulled his gun, I screamed. Everyone’s so on edge with all these campus shootings.”

  Addie tried to wiggle her hands free. The thought of Risk being held at gunpoint, maybe getting shot by some paranoid campus cop, froze her. “Let me call him, so we can set the record straight.” She wanted to tell Gil how nuts, not extreme, this had been. But instinctively, she knew that would panic him. “Gil. Look at me, Gil. It’ll be fine. Risk is a good guy. He’ll understand.” The first part of that was true. “But the sooner we can get this cleared up, the better.”

  He nodded, then went digging in a kitchen drawer for a pair of scissors. When he returned, he stood in front of her with the points facing her. “Addie, you know I only did this for your own good, right?”

  “Yes, Gil, you’re a very nice person.” Damn, that was hard to say.

  “I’m going to get into big trouble, aren’t I? I didn’t think it through, really. When I saw you and him, something snapped. I thought you were in danger.”

  “Gil, cut me loose already!” She couldn’t do the gentle thing anymore. She needed to get back to Risk. God, he must be freaking by now.

  Gil snipped the tape at her wrists, then freed her ankles. She lunged out of the chair, grabbed his arm, and hauled him out the door. “You’re coming with me so you can explain yourself, because no one’s going to believe me.”

  She navigated toward the flashing blue lights as soon as she entered the campus grounds. Two regular police cars were parked where this had all started. Gil cringed at the sight. She came to a stop when she saw Risk with his hands cuffed behind him, two cops flanking him. Risk spotted the van, and his dirt-smudged face visibly changed to relief. He shouted something to the cops and started toward her.

  She got out and ran toward him. Her body collided with his, her hands going to his face. “Are you all right?”

  “Addie, you were Tasered and hauled out of here by that”—his gaze found Gil behind her—“freak and you’re asking if I’m okay?”

  “I’m fine.” She stalked over to Gil and hauled him over to the gathered group of officers. “This is Gil Sanderson. He has some explaining to do.”

  Chapter 12

  Risk caught only glimpses of Addie at the police station during the hours when they were separately interviewed. So he knew she was all right. Shaken up, yes, but in one piece. He wanted to do more than just see her. He wanted to touch her, put his arms around her, and make sure she was all right inside.

  He’d really bungled this whole bodyguard thing. Keep his client safe: big fat fail. He’d lost her twice. Stay objective and uninvolved personally: shot to hell. Because he didn’t want to hold her. Be honest, buddy. You need to hold her.

  The need pulsed through him. Made his fingers curl over the arms of his chair so hard that he looked for dents in the plastic. For the record—two of them.

  The detective who was questioning him didn’t seem to notice. Poor guy was trying to untangle the facts. They’d consulted with the detective assigned to Addie’s near-hit, which muddied the waters even more.

  The local detective shook his head. “It’s certainly interesting. I’m going to have your statement typed up. Then you can sign it and be on your way.” He headed out to the hallway. “Please stay here, Mr. Yarbrough. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

  At least Risk wasn’t cuffed anymore. That had been beyond humiliating. It had been frustrating as hell not being able to do anything. He hadn’t felt that hamstrung since the mission before last, when they’d been deployed to rescue a hostage and then been held off. Made to wait. Then ultimately shipped back home only to learn that the hostage had been murdered. This situation had been far worse because of his personal involvement, his hostage with a beautiful face, a big heart, dimples—

  “Risk.”

  Wow, he could even hear her whisper in his head, so clear and real—

  “Risk!”

  He jerked around to see her standing in the open doorway. Two of the detectives stood behind her, discussing something. Risk launched out of his chair and nearly tripped over his own feet trying to get to her. He wanted to wrap his arms around her, squeeze her tight against his chest. The moment he got near, she said, “Your boss is here.”

  He could hear the screech in his head as he turned in the direction where Addie was nodding. Chase strode down the hallway as though he ran the place, conversing with the man who probably did run it.

  Risk took a moment to soak in the sight of Addie, looking disheveled but smiling.

  At him. “You all right?”

  “I’m okay,” she said.

  Risk tore his gaze from her and focused on Chase, who didn’t look pissed or disappointed, though he had to be both. He must have flown here on his private jet, no doubt ready to fire Risk. The replacement was probably here. He hoped it wasn’t Saxby. On second thought, he wanted one of his boys on the case. He trusted them with his life. And Addie’s.

  “Yes, he’s one of mine,” Chase said to the man next to him. He flashed Risk a smile. “Having fun yet?”

  Risk snorted. “A ball.” Once he’d signed the statement, the police captain thanked everyone for their cooperation and released them.

  “Where’s Sanderson?” Risk asked.

  “He’s in the holding cell,” the captain said. “Ms. Wunder has decided not to press charges, given his motivation for kidnapping her.”

  Chase clapped his hand on Risk’s back. “Glad to know my operative has been overbearing, controlling, and … What was his other accusation?”

  “A bully,” Addie said. “Gil imagined some scenario where I was silently pleading for his help.”

  “Guy’s got a hero complex,” Risk muttered. He’d seen it in the military, men out to avenge something or another; 9/11 was the biggest motivator. Or a comrade’s death. One guy’s brother had been a Marine and was killed in action. A good motive was fine as long as it didn’t blind you to reason. Which it had for Sanderson.

  “We’re going to keep him for as long as we can, give him time to think about his actions. Ms. Wunder has already chewed him out royally.” The captain’s mouth quirked. “I think that was more punishment than being arrested.”

  Addie’s smile held an edge. “My adrenaline rush kicked in. I let him have it.”

  Risk chuckled. “Oh, buddy, I wish I’d seen that.”

  He got his Glock back and holstered it as soon as he stepped outside the station. He tried to keep his focus on Chase, not Addie. It was too hard to look at her and not gath
er her in his arms. “I’m sorry you had to fly up and deal with this mess, Chase.”

  “It was my choice, and hey, any time I can use the jet. I’m working on getting my pilot’s license.”

  “You’re being way too easy on me.”

  “I told you, I stand by my team. And I find it helps to discuss things face-to-face. Why don’t you two come back to Miami with me?” He took them in, sympathy clear in his eyes. “Looks like you could both use a couple of days to decompress. We can discuss our next steps.”

  It didn’t sound like he was getting fired, but Risk wasn’t betting on it. Chase wouldn’t explode and make a decision off the cuff. From what Risk had seen of the guy, he was methodical. Thoughtful. Unemotional. The way Risk should have been.

  Risk’s gaze involuntarily went to Addie. “Sound good to you?”

  She nodded, the strain of the night—hell, probably the last few days—showing around her eyes and mouth. Again, he struggled to keep his distance.

  “I’ll have to call Shirley and arrange to get the van back to the ranch,” she said.

  “How’s your girlfriend handling all this?” Chase asked.

  Addie blinked, giving away her surprise at the question. “Actually—”

  “They’re not partners-partners anymore,” Risk cut in when he sensed she was about to come clean. Already on thin ice, he really didn’t want Chase to pick up on the chemistry between him and Addie; better that he think there was no chance anything was going on. “We’ll need to get our overnight bags from the van.” And Risk’s kit, with his backup weaponry.

  Chase crooked his hand, and a Lincoln Town Car sidled up to them. “We’ll go to the van and then the airfield.” Artemis stepped out to open the door and gave them the subtle greeting Risk now expected.

  Once they were all inside the car and on their way, Chase leaned toward Artemis. “Please find someone to drive Addie’s van up to Virginia.”

  “On it.”

  Chase settled in to the backseat and checked his phone with the practiced hand of someone who was never out of touch. He was probably already making arrangements with the operative who would take over Addie’s case. And that was a good thing.