Protect Me (The Donovan Family Book 6)

by Margaret Watson

  He trailed his mouth down her throat, lingering at her collarbone. He'd meant for it to be quick. Marking his territory and nothing more. But the taste of her skin was intoxicating. Sweet. Complex.

  Addictive.

  She shivered beneath his mouth, tightening her fingers around his. Then eased away from him as the woman moved into their space.

  "Excuse me," the woman said. Her low voice was barely above a whisper, and her gaze darted from him to Mia and back again. "I'm Jennifer Barkley, with museum security. Are you…are you Finn O'Rourke?"

  "Why do you think so?" he asked calmly. People approached him constantly, asking the same thing. He'd found if he answered with another question, it rattled them. Usually made them back off.

  "Because there was a tweet at #ArtInstituteChicago. Someone said they saw you here." Her glance touched on Mia. "With a…friend. I'd like to get you out of here before we have a scene we can't control."

  "Damn it," he said lightly, cursing much more viciously in his head. "I guess no one's safe from Twitter these days."

  "We monitor that hashtag pretty closely," Jennifer said. "It's good to have a heads-up before potentially disruptive events get out of hand."

  "Never considered myself a potentially disruptive event," he said lightly. "But I understand you don't want a scene at the museum. Hard to keep all these paintings safe."

  "Yes. Exactly." The woman exhaled. "If you and your friend would come with me, I'll take you to a room where you can wait while we arrange transport for you."

  "You mean a getaway car, don't you?" Finn said, forcing himself to smile. "I already have one. Lead the way and I'll call our driver."

  Finn heard whispers behind him as they followed the navy-blue-suited woman to a door in the corner of one of the galleries. He didn't turn around, but Mia craned her head to look behind them. She huddled closer, making it look as if she was uneasy. The soft weight of her against his side, the scent of her skin, had him pulling her closer.

  She'd shoved her right hand into the pocket of her pants. Beneath her jacket. So it would be close to her gun, he realized.

  "Here we go," Barkley said, opening the door. They stepped into what looked like a break room. Two round tables with chairs filled most of the space, with a coffee maker sitting on the counter that lined one wall. There was also a plug-in kettle. For making tea, he assumed. A refrigerator sat in the corner at the end of the counter.

  A couple of magazines littered the table. One of them, Finn saw, had Dark Avenger on the cover. So a national news magazine was letting the whole world know they were filming in Chicago.

  "We appreciate your quick action, Ms. Barkley," he said, smiling at her. "I'll call my driver and have him pick us up."

  "Thank you," she said quietly. "The Monroe Street door is the closest one." She swallowed once, but kept her gaze on him. "I hate to cut short your visit, especially since you went to the trouble to…to try to hide your identity. But with that tweet out there, people will be looking for you. It would be uncomfortable for you and a security issue for us."

  "I understand." He glanced down at Mia. "I know you're disappointed, honey, but we'll come back another time."

  "It's okay, baby," Mia said in that high, breathless voice as her gaze scanned the room. "We saw a lot of art today."

  God, how did she do that? Sound like an airhead while she took in every detail of the room and the woman standing in front of them.

  He pulled his phone out of his pocket and punched a number. "We're ready to go," he said to Pete. "Monroe Street door. The one across from Millenium Park."

  "You got it, boss. Be there in five."

  "See you then."

  Finn slid the phone into his pocket. "He'll be here in five minutes."

  Jennifer Barkley twisted her hands together. "Thank you for being so understanding, Mr. O'Rourke. I appreciate it." She studied him for a moment, then smiled. "And for the record? I wouldn't have recognized you. Nice job on the disguise."

  "Thanks," he said easily. "Now if you can tell us how to get to the exit?"

  "Follow me."

  * * *

  Sitting in the back of the car, waiting for Pete to find a break in traffic so he could pull away from the curb, Finn slumped against the seat. Waves of people flowed past on the sidewalk, going wherever they wanted to go. More people sauntered through the park across the street, winding through the gardens and rows of trees. Couples strolled down the paths, holding hands, and parents chased their children over the grass in the pavilion area.

  On a beautiful, sunny day, with an intriguing park spread out in front of him and a fascinating woman on the seat beside him, he wanted to be free, too. He wanted to be just another face in a crowd.

  He'd chosen this life. Chosen to be an actor, a person who was always on stage, even in his private life. Most of the time, he loved his job. Loved disappearing into a character, bringing him to life on the screen.

  But there were days when he hated living under a microscope.

  Today was one of them.

  He wished he could pull Mia out of the car and wander through the park with her. Hold her hand, even if it was only pretend, and watch her face as she studied the crowds. Looking for an anomaly, for someone watching them.

  Hell, he'd gladly exchange the risk of a confrontation with a crazy stalker for the pleasure of that park on this warm, sunny day.

  Instead, they'd spend the rest of this gorgeous day inside. It would be a long frigging day, hanging around the suite at the Drake, watching the beautiful weather through a window.

  Mia moved on the seat next to him, and he tore his gaze away from the inviting park to glance over at her as the car slipped smoothly into the stream of traffic.

  She was studying him, and her eyes looked sad. For him? "Sorry we had to cut the visit short," Mia said quietly. "I was having fun, and it looked as if you were, too."

  "Yeah, I was. It's been years since I was there. Before they added that new contemporary wing." He slumped on the seat. "What gave me away? How did someone spot me?"

  "My guess? The way you walk."

  "Really?"

  She shrugged. "It's easy to disguise your appearance, and you did a good job with that. A little harder to disguise your voice, but you're an actor. You'd know how to do that, too. But your walk? Your gait? Pretty hard to change, especially when you're not thinking about it. And if someone recognized your gait, they would have seen through the rest of your disguise."

  "So you're saying I should pull a Chester from Gunsmoke. Limp from now on?"

  "Of course not." She smiled. A genuine one, because her eyes smiled, too. "That would draw attention." She shrugged. "I don't have a solution."

  "Some girlfriend you are. Not telling me what to do."

  Her smile morphed into a laugh. "Oh, I can do that. Not sure you'd like it, though."

  The car turned onto Michigan Avenue, then stopped again in traffic. They were right in front of what looked like a fountain. Two pillars stood on either end of a cement surface. Little kids splashed in the inch or so of water that streamed over the pavement. A handful of adults, too. The pillars displayed faces that changed every few seconds. A bunch of older kids stood next to the pillars. Tensed, as if they were waiting.

  "What is that?" he asked. "And where does the water come from?"

  "Just watch," Mia said, leaning around him to look.

  Suddenly, the mouths on the faces opened and water poured out of them. Even in the car, he heard the kids squealing.

  That looked like fun. He'd like to splash in that water, too. Slog around and get his feet wet.

  He watched until the pillars were out of sight, then turned around again. Mia touched his hand. "You want to check out this park, don't you?"

  "Yeah. It wasn't here last time I was in Chicago. But I know we can't. Security issues, blah blah blah."

  She shifted on the seat so she faced him. "I'm not trying to keep you a prisoner," she said. She lifted one hand, then let it f
all into her lap. Had she intended to touch him again? Comfort him?

  "I know. It's your job. I get it."

  Mia glanced past his shoulder as the park disappeared behind them. Then her gaze snapped back to him. "Did Pete tell anyone where we were going?"

  "Nope. That's part of our deal. He doesn't tell anyone. Not even my mother, if she calls. Until he's dropped me off at home. Then I don't care who he tells."

  She bit her lip as she studied him. "This is probably a mistake," she said slowly. "But it's your last free day for three weeks. You want to check out the park?"

  He shot up in his seat and reached for her hand without thinking. "Are you serious?"

  "Yeah, I am." She squeezed his fingers, then gently eased her hand away. "We're not going to eat at the restaurant or sit around in one place, but we can wander through the park. Grab a hot dog from a cart. Check out the garden."

  He leaned back to get a better look at her. "What happened to the woman who walked around the studio with her hand on her gun?"

  A faint blush stained her cheeks. "A lot of people knew you were going to be there. A determined stalker could have found out fairly easily. So I needed to be ready for anything. But going to the Art Institute was last minute. No one knew in advance."

  She shrugged. "We took a chance and someone spotted you. I'm actually kind of surprised it took as long as it did. There weren't huge crowds. People had more time to see everyone around them. And we weren't constantly moving."

  Her mouth curled into a tiny grin. "Besides, all the people who saw the tweet will be looking for you there. So we can take a chance on the park. As long as Pete stays close." She nodded her head at him and her smile widened. "Our getaway driver."

  "Hell, yes. Let's do it." He rapped on the window that divided them from Pete. When it lowered, he leaned forward. "Hey, Pete, we're going to take a walk through the park. Can you drop us off somewhere? Then stick close, in case we're busted?"

  Peter rolled to a stop at a red light, then glanced over his shoulder. "You okay with that, Mia?"

  "Yeah. I'm willing to give it a try."

  Finn scowled. They were talking around him like they were the adults and he was the reckless kid. "It was her idea, Pete. So don't start with the 'Finn is so irresponsible' shit."

  Pete raised his eyebrows. "You telling me Mia, the woman with the gun, is the irresponsible one? And you're not nervous about that?"

  "Just drop us off at the park, Pete," he sighed. "Keep the editorial comments to yourself."

  Mia leaned forward. "If I think there's a problem, we'll call." She patted Finn's leg absently. All his muscles clenched. All the way to hallelujah and back. "It's sweet of you to worry, Pete, but I think we'll be fine."

  Sweet of him to worry? Finn stared at the side of Pete's head and saw a tell-tale flush on his cheek. "Are you worried about me, old man?"

  "Only about losing my paycheck if someone blows you away."

  Finn tapped Pete's shoulder as the car rolled to a stop at the curb. "I'll call my attorney and put you in my will," he told his friend. He already had, but Pete didn't need to know that.

  "Smart ass," Pete muttered. "We're blocking traffic. Get out of the car before people start gawking."

  His good humor restored by getting the last word with Pete, Finn stepped out of the car and held his hand for Mia. She scowled at him, but he wasn't about to let her exit the car into traffic.

  Ignoring his hand, she stepped onto the sidewalk and slammed the door a little too hard. Pete pulled away immediately. "What did I tell you about getting out of the car first?"

  "Come on, Mia. Don't you think it would look odd if you got out into traffic instead of following me onto the sidewalk?"

  She stared at him for a long moment, then exhaled. "Yeah, you're right. Sorry. I was having second thoughts about agreeing to this."

  "Don't." He grabbed her hand and dragged her toward the main area of the park. It was kind of pathetic that he felt like a kid who'd been given the keys to Disneyland. But he got to walk around in a park on a gorgeous day with a beautiful, intriguing woman. No one knew they were here. What could go wrong?

  Chapter 7

  The sun beat down on Mia's back, making her uncomfortably warm in the dark jacket. She pushed up the sleeves, told herself they wouldn't be here for long.

  They shouldn't be here at all. She shouldn't have given in to the wistful, slightly sad expression on Finn's face as they drove past Millenium Park. But, like a sap, she'd suggested they stop. So she'd make the best of it.

  Millenium Park was crowded for a week-day, but it usually was during the spring and summer. On the positive side, there were so many people that no one looked at them twice. They were just another couple, strolling through the park on a late lunch break.

  Finn's ridiculous disguise was working. If 'adorable geek' was what he'd been going for, he'd hit it out of the park. Very few people would look at those baggy, shapeless khakis and think 'movie star'.

  "Have you ever seen the Bean?" she asked, nodding at the curving, reflective sculpture that resembled a coffee bean.

  "Nope." He studied the sleek, smooth shape of the Bean. "It's pretty cool."

  They wandered around it and through it, laughing at the distorted images of themselves in the mirror-like surface. Chicago's skyline was reflected in the background. He pulled out his phone and took a selfie of them, the skyline behind them, and she stuck her tongue out at the last moment.

  "Now we have to do it again, Officer," he murmured into her ear. He was close enough that she could smell the soap he'd used this morning. Close enough to feel the heat prickling from his skin. His breath stirred the fine hairs on her nape, and an electric shock buzzed through her veins.

  He slid his arm around her waist and pulled her tight against his side. "You look kind of dazed. Is the heat bothering you?"

  "You could say that," she muttered.

  He slid his hand up and down her arm, and she felt his touch through the heavy fabric. "Shouldn't have worn a dark jacket."

  She managed to gather her wits enough to snark, "This from the guy who looks as if his mother dressed him."

  She felt him smile. "Exactly what I was going for." She heard the click of the camera on his phone. "Got a good one," he announced. "You look all soft and cuddly."

  She detached herself from his side and reached for his phone. "Give me that," she ordered. "I am not soft and cuddly. Ever." She was a cop, for God's sake.

  Instead of handing her the phone, he tapped it into his pocket. "Nope. Not letting you delete that." He grabbed her hand and tugged her away from the Bean. "I saw a hot dog cart behind this thing. I'm starving."

  An hour later, they were lingering in the garden plots. They should be calling Pete for a pick-up, but the weather was perfect. One of those rare, late spring days when the humidity was low, the wind was soft, and the air was perfumed with the scent of flowering trees.

  She'd been watching carefully as they wandered along the paths through the flower garden. A number of people had glanced at them, then dismissed them as just another couple enjoying the park.

  A few women had frowned, as if somewhere in their brain, they'd recognized Finn but couldn't place him. No one had stopped them, although one woman stared longer than the others. But when Mia had glanced over her shoulder, that woman had turned away, as well.

  Her fingers and Finn's had been entwined since they'd finished their hot dogs. Her palms were sweaty, and so were his, but neither of them released their grip.

  It was good cover, she told herself. No one would be looking for Finn O'Rourke as part of a couple. People who followed celebrity news knew who was dating, who had recently broken up, and who'd been single for a while. Finn was firmly in the single category.

  According to all reports, he hadn't been mentioned with a woman since his break-up with Gemma.

  Not that she'd sat for hours in front of her computer, googling Finn O'Rourke. But some research had been necessary. To get a
sense of who he was.

  They exited the last row of garden paths, and as they turned the corner, she caught a glimpse of a woman behind them. It was the woman who'd watched them for a little too long.

  She tugged on Finn's hand. They'd been in the park for more than an hour. "I think it's time we called Pete and got out of here," she said.

  "Not yet. It's too nice to sit in a hotel room all afternoon."

  He was right. It would be a waste of a perfect day to spend it inside. But she didn't have a choice. "The last woman who stared at you?" she said in a low voice. "I think she's following us. We need to go."

  He nodded. To his credit, he didn't glance over his shoulder. "Okay. It's been great. But I get it. I'll call Pete."

  As he fumbled his phone out of his pocket, they turned toward the Pritzker Pavilion, the park's concert venue, and she caught another glimpse of the woman. Walking in the opposite direction.

  Mia let her shoulders relax as they continued to walk. "Ten minutes?" he said. "Okay. We'll head that way."

  "There's a huge line at the cashier in the parking garage," he told Mia.

  "I think that'll be okay. She went the other way."

  As they got closer to the pavilion, classical music suddenly poured from the speakers suspended above the lawn. They turned at the same time to look.

  "Oh, my God," Finn said, studying the pavilion. "Frank Gehry designed this, didn't he?"

  "Yeah." Mia stared at him, surprised. "You recognize it?"

  "No. But it looks like his work."

  She studied him, intrigued by the peek behind the shallow celebrity front the rest of the world saw. "You know architecture?"

  "That was going to be my fallback career. I gave myself five years to make a living at acting. If I didn't? Architecture school."

  "Wow. Hidden depths."

  "Yep." His gaze swept down her body, then back up. "I'd like to see yours, too."

  "Ass." She rolled her eyes as she elbowed him.