“You are very good at that,” she praised, raising her other foot to his lap in silent invitation.
He bit back a smile and started in on the other one, doing his best to ignore the sounds of pleasure drifting from her parted lips. He cleared his throat. “Are you ready for the show this evening?”
“Mmm,” she purred. “If I do not fall asleep right here.”
He glanced over and swallowed hard at the look of utter bliss on her gorgeous face. Her eyes were closed, her lips tilted in a lazy smile. His heart flipped in his chest. He needed to tamp down his growing feelings before he embarrassed himself. She already didn’t like him much. No sense in opening a vein and pouring out his feelings for her to trample. He lifted her feet and placed them on the floor. If it was a little abrupt, he couldn’t help it.
Her eyes popped open in disappointment, but she quickly regrouped and slid to sit upright. “What time do we need to leave?”
He stood and found the luggage. Also designer. There was a knock at the door and he detoured to answer. Sawyer and Mason would be staying in the suite since there was plenty of room, but they couldn’t be seen coming and going with Hunter and Talia.
Just before he opened the door to let the other agents in, he turned and said, “The service starts at six and we want to get there early enough to look around, so about a quarter after five.”
“I will be ready.”
If he didn’t get his act together, he wouldn’t be.
Chapter Four
Talia watched the scenery as Hunter drove to the stone chapel where the Church of Light called home. According to the pictures she’d studied, the building was positioned next to a strip mall full of restaurants, barber shops and discount department stores. The church itself was old and historic, dating back several decades. It seemed almost sacrilegious that the modern world had encroached on its territory, turning what should be a peaceful setting into a concrete parking lot packed full of automobiles.
She kept sneaking peeks at Hunter as he handled the expensive car with ease. She supposed his FBI training included driving maneuvers because he was an expert. He took corners at a speed that made her stomach pitch, but he was in total control. It was obvious he was enjoying driving the luxury ride. She itched to get behind the wheel, too.
With a deep inhale, she held the breath and centered herself. She needed to get into the role of pampered heiress who was also submissive and deferred to her husband in all things. So against every one of her instincts. She prayed she would be able to stay in character.
“We’re here.”
Her eyes snapped open as Hunter swung into the parking lot and headed towards the cluster of cars parked in front of a quaint stone building with a sign that read: Church of Light. Come in. We have prayer conditioning. All Welcome.
He whipped into a spot and shifted into park before reaching over and squeezing her hand. “Ready, sugar britches?”
She raised an eyebrow.
“Not feeling sugar britches?” He flashed a white smile.
Damn, her heart galloped in her chest. She didn’t care what he called her, as long as he looked at her like that. It’d taken all she had not to explode when he’d been massaging her feet, which were one of her most sensitive erogenous zones. She’d been on the verge of climaxing, the tingling starting in her toes and racing up her calves. Then he’d abruptly dropped her legs, causing the feeling to die a rapid death. Thank goodness he did or she would’ve completely embarrassed herself, crying out his name when he was doing nothing more than touching her feet. “No sugar britches.”
“Sweet cheeks? Bunny boo?”
Her eyes narrowed. “What is wrong with Tina?”
“Too boring.” He released her hand and slid the key from the ignition. “I’ll come up with something.”
She was afraid of that. She reached for the handle, but he stopped her, all joking aside. “Let me get the door. We never know who’s watching.”
“Yes, okay.” He was right. It was time to slip into character and that meant she was no longer the strong-willed, assertive agent. He opened her door and reached a hand out to her. She grabbed it and allowed him to ease her from the car. He closed the door, pushed the fob to lock it and then tucked her arm in his.
“Let’s do this, neshama.”
Talia stumbled and would’ve hit the pavement if not for Hunter’s grip on her arm. He just called her a term of endearment in Hebrew. Neshama translated to soul and was used the same as Americans used the word honey.
She met his gaze to see his eyes twinkling. “Keeper?”
She feigned disinterest and shrugged a shoulder. “Eh, it is fine.” More than fine. It made her ache for things she had no business aching for.
#
Hunter led Talia across the parking lot, his eyes canvassing the area for any potential threats. “Remember, act submissive.” He smiled at the growl. It would be hard, possibly impossible for her to defer to him all the time. He, however, was looking forward to it with unabashed glee.
“I will try.”
He held the door open and ushered her in front of him. There were a surprising number of people milling about the vestibule, some talking in groups, others heading inside the nave to find seats. Hunter suspected the Church of Light had once housed a Catholic congregation, judging by the Stations of the Cross along one wall, the empty bowls that probably held holy water at one time, and the statues of saints scattered about. It was old and drafty, but remarkably beautiful.
He checked out the other people, looking for signs of wealth and he found it on several of the men and women. Diamond rings and necklaces, Rolex watches, Hermes bags. The parking lot had been full of a wide range of luxury cars from brands such as BMW to Lexus to Mercedes Benz. His hadn’t been the only Ferrari, either. This church catered to the well-off.
A man stepped forward and opened his arms wide. He wore a suit and tie, but it didn’t look natural on him. Hunter bet he normally opted for flannel and jeans instead of designer duds. “Welcome to Church of Light. I’m Clint. What are your names?”
“I’m Henry and this is my wife, Tina.”
“Pleased to meet you, Henry and Tina.” When Clint’s gaze lingered a little too long on Talia, Hunter pulled her closer. Clint shook his hand. “What brought you to us? Were you recruited by one of our members?”
“Uh, no. We passed by, the name caught my wife’s fancy.”
“Ah, well, all are welcome here. We don’t discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity or wealth.” He eyed the Rolex Hunter was doing his best to show off, then made a sweeping gesture with his hand. “If you want to find seats, the service will begin shortly. The Keeper of the Light is Elijah.”
Keeper of the Light. How ridiculous. “Thank you.” Hunter nodded to the man and guided Talia into the main room of the church with a hand at the middle of her back. An aisle covered in a red runner led to a raised dais, dividing the church into two sides. A large replica of Jesus on the cross was fastened to the back wall. Two doors off each side led to the rooms where Elijah was probably getting ready now. An altar draped in purple held candles on each end. Rows of wooden pews lined both sides. There were several windows that Hunter knew held stained glass windows from seeing them outside, but they were covered, leaving the only light coming from hanging chandeliers. Talia selected seats towards the back, exactly where he would’ve chosen. They were positioned so they could keep an eye on their surroundings and check out the other potential cult members. Though they were staying in the background, they’d be sure to make their presence known to Mr. Keeper of the Light when the service ended. They needed to make sure they were issued invitations to join the cult. Other firms the Conrads hired had failed to infiltrate. COBRA Securities agents did not fail.
The pews filled quickly until they were close to maximum capacity. He nodded greetings to several individuals and felt curious stares from others. He wondered how many people attended weekly and how many were newcomers like he and Talia.
Soon, the man who welcomed them walked up the aisle with another man and all chatter ceased. They split apart, each taking a seat on opposite sides of the front row.
Hunter leaned down to whisper in Talia’s ear. “The guy walking up the aisle with Clint, could that be Rob Tobin?” The hair was longer, and he now had a scruffy beard, but he resembled the pictures they’d studied of the man who married Margaret Conrad.
“I can not tell for sure, but it does look like him.”
The lights blinked out, plunging the windowless room into total darkness.
“What the hell?” he muttered. He gripped Talia tighter, visions of kidnappers and maniacs running through his head. Too many years with the Bureau. Suddenly a spotlight switched on to illuminate a man standing before them in dramatically-billowing purple robes, his arms outstretched. Obviously, he kept a fan somewhere behind the podium.
“I am Elijah, Keeper of the Light.”
There was excited murmuring and several people surged to their feet, shouting out words of praise. Elijah milked the response, turning this way and that. Hunter really wanted to roll his eyes.
“Welcome to the Church of Light,” Elijah boomed as he moved to the podium. He must’ve, flipped a switch somewhere because the fans kicked off and the chandeliers flicked on. “Thank you for joining us to celebrate God.”
The man proceeded to ramble on for sixty-five minutes, mostly praising himself when he wasn’t preaching about serving as one of God’s chosen few. Bored with the prattle, Hunter studied the crowd again. There were couples of all ages and families with children and teenagers. According to the research families weren’t considered for inclusion to the cult. There was a mixture of ethnicity and nationalities as well. A few had checked out. One man was even snoring. He definitely wouldn’t be asked to join. But the majority were hanging on Elijah’s every word, some sitting forward on the edge of their seats. He did his best to look like one of those enraptured, but damn, it was hard. People actually fell for this?
He turned his attention back to Elijah, who was now walking down the aisle as he spoke, his gaze shifting from side to side. When the man spotted Talia, his eyes widened for a moment and then lingered. The good news was that she caught his eye, possibly easing their way into the cult. The bad news was that Hunter wanted to beat the hell out of the man for even daring to look at his fake wife. It may be temporary, but she was his. He put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer.
#
Elijah waited until the crowd had settled before he killed the lights and queued the fans hidden behind the podium. He knew the route by heart, having memorized it after the first time when he tried the maneuver, banging his shin so hard on a chair, he cursed loud and long. Once the lights came on, he told the crowd that Satan had infiltrated, and he had to banish him back to the bowels of hell. Stupid schmucks had bought it hook, line and sinker.
He made his way to the correct spot and hit the button on the hidden remote to activate the spotlights. The fans whipped his robes into a dramatic dance. The effect was amazing. His hands were raised skyward and he pronounced, “I am Elijah, Keeper of the Light.”
Once the chatter died down and people took their seats, he opened his eyes and noted the filled seats and looks of wonder and awe on the faces with pride. His followers had done a good job lining up new recruits. There were a few families with children and he instantly dismissed them, as he did the older pairs. He only had room for one more couple inside the compound. Maybe they would come from this group.
He’d yet to find the right mix of complete devotion and substantial wealth. Either a couple had one or the other. He demanded both.
As he neared the end of his lecture, he decided to peruse the crowd more closely by wandering down the aisle. He continued to scan the room as he spoke, his gaze passing by a tall man with a petite woman sitting beside him before snapping back to the woman. His words faltered. My God, she was stunning. Exotic. She had the look of privilege and wealth and when she met his gaze, hers flitted away shyly. He was intrigued. He checked the man out and gulped. He looked like he could suit up as linebacker for the NFL’s Denver Broncos. Tall, broad-shouldered, muscular. A huge contrast to Elijah’s five-ten, slender build and he tried not to flinch at the feelings of inadequacy. He was a leader. People looked up to him. He shouldn’t feel inferior to anyone. He headed back to the podium and resumed his sermon, doing his best to block images of the woman from his mind.
After he uttered the last words, he raised his arms, hit the button and killed the lights. Then he disappeared into the back room. If nothing else, he put on a good show. He waited a few more minutes before activating the lights so the people could leave.
As he lifted the robes over his head, he thought about the couple. If the man truly was a National Football League player, there was no way he would extend an invitation for them to join his cult. A pro athlete suddenly quitting would be big news. Elijah tried to avoid big news at all costs. It’d been dicey when Margaret’s family went to the media, demanding their daughter return home. After Margaret publicly denied them, they had gone away quietly. That’s how he liked things to stay.
He wondered about Beauty and the Beast’s story. It wasn’t fair to call the man a beast since Elijah was secure enough in his manhood to admit the man was handsome. He could see how Beauty fell for him. And dear Lord, she was a beauty. He usually went for stacked blonds who looked like Barbie. This woman was the opposite. Mysterious with long dark hair and while she had a nice enough rack, she wouldn’t be trading lingerie with Dolly Parton anytime soon.
He hoped they stuck around after the service. He wanted to talk to them, learn more about who they were and where they were from. They could very well be the last pieces of the puzzle.
And maybe he’d have to get rid of the Beast and keep Beauty all for himself.
Chapter Five
Talia snuggled closer to Hunter, the heat from his body warming her after the chills that racked her body at the looks Elijah sent her way. It felt so natural to curl against Hunter’s side. She fit against him perfectly. It was hard to pretend to be married to him when she’d dreamed of it often the weeks since they parted.
After Elijah’s grand entrance, he’d prattled on for what seemed like hours. She couldn’t believe people bought into his spiel. The man was a narcissist and clearly demented. And the way he looked at her…creepy.
She knew Hunter noticed the looks because his grip kept tightening on her shoulder. She appreciated his attempt at protection, but she didn’t need any man to protect her. She was perfectly capable of taking down one deranged demagogue with her pinky finger.
She’d scanned the faces of everyone in the crowd, but Margaret Conrad was nowhere to be found. She didn’t really expect to see her since other private investigators had attended church and there had been no sign of her. Elijah must be keeping her hidden inside the compound.
The lights snapped off and he finally stopped talking. The crowd stood and clapped. She and Hunter joined in, doing their best to look entranced. She didn’t like the way Elijah looked at her but if it got them inside the cult, it would be worth it. They needed to find Margaret and get her out, the sooner the better. She didn’t know how long she could pretend to be married to Hunter and resist his charms. She wasn’t super-human.
Tugging the hem of her dress down to show more cleavage, she turned to walk down the aisle and bumped right into Hunter. She looked up at him in surprise.
“What the hell are you doing?” His teeth were clenched tight and his eyes were locked on her chest.
She thrust her shoulders back, biting back a smile when he gulped heavily. Men were such easy creatures. Flash them a little boob and they were drooling idiots, their brains mush. “I’m using all of my assets.” She brushed around him, chuckling when he muttered, “What you’re using is a little north of your assets.”
Several people were gathered in the vestibule, sipping from whatever beverage was being served and mun
ching on cookies and assorted snacks. Nice to know the Church of Light provided refreshments. A hush fell over the room as Elijah entered. He’d ditched the flowing purple robes and brushed his long black hair back from his forehead. He smiled warmly and greeted a few people, but his focus was on her. Soon he made his way over.
“Showtime, part two,” Hunter muttered under his breath.
“Welcome to the Church of Light,” Elijah murmured. He shook Hunter’s hand, never taking his eyes from her. Uncomfortable. Then he faced her and reached for her hand. His shake was longer than was polite and she wanted to jerk her hand free and wipe his germs off on her dress. “What brings you to our house of worship?”
As practiced, Hunter answered, the wearer of pants in the relationship. And he wore them well, both literally and figuratively. “Just driving by, saw the sign. It intrigued us.” Hunter made a show of adjusting his Rolex and Elijah’s greedy gaze snapped away from her to notice. Dollar signs danced in his eyes. “Well, I’m glad you’re here. Come.” He gestured with his hand. “Let’s go somewhere private. I’d like learn more about you while extolling the virtues of our church.”
#
Hunter trailed behind Talia as she followed Elijah inside the nave and down the aisle, past the altar to a small room in back. The room was sparsely furnished with an oversized stuffed couch and a plush leather recliner. A bar attached to the wall held a selection of robes and in the corner stood a compact refrigerator. A partially-opened door revealed a private bathroom. Elijah wasn’t quick enough to shove the remote control out of sight, and Hunter was sure it was what he used for his “special effects” of light and wind.
Up close, the man wasn’t as formidable as he was standing in front of a podium where he appeared larger than life. Hunter admitted that he did have a commanding presence that would draw people to him. He was charismatic and charming and the women in the crowd seemed especially enchanted. Without the robes and special effects, he was average height and weight. In fact, he wasn’t much taller than Talia.
Total Surrender (COBRA Securities Book 11) Page 4