by Ladew, Lisa
But Zane didn’t have a clue what was going on in here! He was walking into the lion’s den without a weapon or even any forewarning. He didn’t have a chance …
Kara almost toppled, but gained her footing and managed to hop around the wall separating the living room from the foyer just in time to see Seth turn the knob with his left hand, his right hand holding the gun at chest level, pointing it at the door. He stood at a strange angle behind the door and Kara could see his plan was to open the door while hiding behind it so that Zane took a step inside, then ambush him, just as he had ambushed Kara.
She tried to scream again, anything to warn Zane. Anything to keep him alive. Anything to spare her the killing pain of seeing him pulled into this mess with her.
But the second the latch was sprung, the door heaved open, as if someone were pushing it on the other side with all his strength. The door caught Seth’s gun hand, twisting it mercilessly, then slammed into his face and knocked him against the wall. Zane rushed in and pulled the door back a foot, then slammed it against Seth again. The gun spun across the room and Zane fell on Seth, his right hand pistoning up and down as he pummeled Seth in the face and head. Seth got over his astonishment quickly and began to fight back, getting a hand between him and Zane and warding off some of the blows. Seth hitched a knee into Zane’s abdomen and Zane grunted but shook it off and continued to fight, blood springing from his knuckles and Seth’s nose. The two men were grunting and swearing at each other with abandon.
Kara stood stunned for too long. Zane was fighting like a man possessed. Like a man who was determined to win at any cost. Like a man who knew exactly what the stakes were.
Seeing the blood fly across her floor spurred her into action. She tried to hop to the gun but she knew that would take her all day. She half fell, half climbed onto her coffee table and used the sharp corner to rip through the duct take binding her legs. She turned around and saw Zane take a thundering punch to the head. She couldn’t take the time to cut through her wrist bindings. She ran to Seth's gun, the duct tape flapping at her ankles. She snatched it off the ground and whirled around to point it at Seth, but the two men were still locked together in their deadly battle. She took a precious couple of seconds to reach behind her and trade Seth’s gun for her own, the one she had fired a thousand times in training. The one she knew she was deadly with.
“Zane! Get away from him!” she screamed, pointing the gun to the right of them. Seth bit down on Zane’s arm and Zane screamed in pain and hammered on his head, his knuckles leaving bloody prints all over Seth’s face.
“Zane!” she screamed again. “Get back, get back!”
Zane slammed Seth’s head against the wall one more time and pulled away, backing to the other wall behind him.
Kara leveled her gun at Seth’s chest, her gaze deadly serious. “Put up your hands, Howell,” she ordered, her voice steel, her nerves iron. He’d lost. Hopefully he knew it.
He blinked at her, nose dripping blood, bloodied red tattoos covering his cheeks, looking like he didn’t understand how all of this had happened. Then he lifted his left foot to meet his hands, his eyes never leaving hers once, as he pulled something from his boot.
“Gun!” Zane shouted, but Kara was already shooting.
Chapter 32
Kara never wanted anything in her life as badly as she wanted to look away from Seth as he died on the floor in front of her. But she couldn’t. She wouldn’t. She held her gun on him, watching for the slightest twitch, the smallest movement that would signify he was faking, or had on body armor, or anything that would mean she and Zane were still in danger. As blood spilled from his chest she relaxed slightly, and the horror of what she had been forced to do filled her consciousness.
She heard Zane behind her, talking softly to someone. 911. Asking for police and an ambulance. But sirens already filled the night outside. She could hear them, far away. Gunshots in a quiet neighborhood did that.
Kara’s shoulders shook and everything else was driven out of her mind. For the first time in thirty-six hours she wasn’t painfully reliving her moment of weakness in Zane’s backyard. But that would come back she was sure, she didn’t know why Zane was here, but she knew he couldn’t have forgiven her. What she did was unforgivable.
She felt a hand on her shoulder. Before she turned her gaze from the man in front of her, she stepped forward and kicked his second gun out of his reach. Then she stepped back again and willed the hand to drop back on her shoulder. Please God, if Zane was touching her that would mean he didn’t hate her, right?
Police cars pulled onto her quiet street, distracting both of their focus. Officers swarmed up the walk and separated them. The investigational aftermath began.
***
Kara left the interrogation room at the police department, her feet dragging on the floor. She glanced at a clock on the wall and sighed. 7:15 a.m. She’d been here all night, telling her story over and over again. She’d talked to a dozen detectives, had her hands swabbed for gunpowder, pictures of her wrists and ankles and cheek taken, and had to write out a dozen reports.
Sgt. Gale hurried down the hallway toward her. “Done?” she asked, her face kind. Kara nodded, glad to see that compassionate look. She didn’t think she could stand the old Sgt. Gale right now.
“Great. Go home and get some sleep. But make sure you see the AC on your way out. He wants to talk to you.”
“Okay,” Kara said, plodding past.
Sgt. Gale stopped her, then pulled her in to an awkward hug. “You did good,” she whispered, then pushed past her and walked briskly down the hall. Kara stared after her, open-mouthed. She still wasn’t sure what had happened to make Sgt. Gale change her attitude so drastically.
Kara finally got going again, her eyes heavy. She would sleep for about a week. And then she would think about what had happened. She wished she had had a chance to talk to Zane. She needed to know how he felt about her so badly it hurt. She needed to know why he had come to her house? To yell at her? To talk it out? To say ‘yeah, about us? That’s over.’ But he was already home, she was sure. He hadn’t shot anyone, and he wasn’t a cop, so his questioning should have taken way less time than hers.
She pushed the door open that led into the receiving area and almost ran into Assistant Chief Foley. He gathered her into an immediate hug.
“Kara,” he said, his voice deep and comforting. “Are you okay?”
She nodded, a deep weariness not allowing anything else.
“I know you’ve never shot anyone before. Is it bothering you?”
Kara shook her head no. It wasn’t. She’d always thought it would, and maybe under different circumstances it would, but she’d been saving her life, and Zane’s life, and she’d had absolutely no choice in the matter. If she hadn’t pulled the trigger, Seth Howell would have.
“Good. You’re on a week's paid leave. Standard practice. I know the shooting will be found to be justified, so you just plan on showing up for your shift in seven days.” Kara nodded, relieved. “And you aren’t required to see the department shrink, but if you want to, she’s available at any time.” He slipped her a card. “Her cell number is on the back.”
“Thanks, Chief,” she whispered, slipping the card into her pocket.
“You can call me anytime too,” he said, his eyes gravely serious. She nodded. She knew that.
He gave her a final hug and held her at arm’s length. “Now get out of here. There’s someone waiting for you out there,” he said, his head bowing toward the waiting room.
Kara’s eyes jerked to the door that led out there. Zane? No, it couldn’t be him, could it? It was Ivy she bet. Ivy and Joe had both been in to see her last night and both held her and asked if there was anything they could do for her. They had brought her clothes to change into and a meal to eat. Ivy had been through some of this already, and knew how it could affect a person, but Kara had finally forced the both of them to go home and get some sleep. They both had to work today
. Tired officers made mistakes, and she didn’t want that on her conscience.
She strode to the door, mind set to ask Ivy what she thought she was doing, why wasn’t she home sleeping? She pushed open the door and felt surprise jolt through her midsection, widening her eyes and quickening her heartbeat. Zane stood there, across the otherwise-empty room, his dark eyes watching her calmly. His face was bruised, but other than that he looked whole and healthy and achingly handsome. She couldn’t move. Could barely breathe. Did this mean …?
Zane walked to her slowly, then brushed a hand gently down her cheek when he reached her. “You’re okay.” he whispered.
“Thanks to you,” she replied softly. He shook his head and she grabbed his hand as it left her cheek. She pulled it into her chest. “No really. You came for me. You saved my life.”
He rubbed his thumb across her palm and his lips curved into the smallest of smiles. “I did what I could.”
Kara didn’t know what to say. Her heart swelled and her throat closed. She felt tears threaten behind her eyes. “Thank you,” she whispered. “And I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry I thought it was you. It was only for a split second, but I know that had to have hurt you.”
He shook his head slowly, but his words were affirmative. “It did hurt. But when I saw you tied up on the floor I realized what you were dealing with. Seth Howell was devious and he knew exactly how to push your buttons in the worst possible way. I’m over it.”
“You forgive me?”
“Completely,” he uttered and Kara felt something deep and painful inside her break and fall away from her heart. She bit her lip and stifled a sob.
“Oh thank God,” she cried and threw herself into his arms. He caught her and nuzzled her neck and Kara felt the world shift under her feet. It shifted back into place, back where things were right and good and people were kind and wonderful. Zane held her against him, brushing her hair back from her face and whispering sweet, meaningful words into her ear. Her heart soared at his sentiment and her skin sang at his touch. The last two days dropped off her almost completely.
Finally, he pulled back slightly and looked deeply at her. “I bet you’re tired, but I’m pretty sure your house still has detectives in it. Want to come home with me? I’ve got a guest bedroom.”
Kara smiled sweetly. “Not if you’re going to put me in the guest bedroom.”
Zane’s smile mirrored hers. “Sorry, I’ll sleep in the guest bedroom. You can have my bed.”
Kara reached out with a pouty smile and tried to pinch his chest beneath his shirt. He shied away but not before she felt nothing but solid muscle under his shirt. And just like that, her mouth went dry and her mind lost some of its ability to think. She watched his full lips pull back into a hearty laugh, the gorgeous dimple appear on one cheek, and his eyes twinkle sharply. All she could think was Love him, Love him, Love him, I do love him. I love him so much.
Kara pulled back and her mouth dropped into an "O" of surprise. She loved him? When had that happened? And could she dare to hope that someday he would return the feeling?
His face crinkled in concern immediately and he pulled her close again. “Hey, you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. Just … tired.”
He put a hand in the small of her back and steered her towards the door. “It’s settled then. I’ll sleep on the couch and you can take my bed.” She laughed lightly and allowed herself to be led into the parking lot to his truck.
“How’d you get your truck here?”
“I met your sister." He smiled crookedly. "She took me home last night to get it.”
Kara looked at him suspiciously. “You’ve been here since Ivy got off work last night?”
“Well, it was about 2:30 a.m. Is that when she gets off work?”
“No, that’s when she left me and I told her to go home to sleep.”
Zane nodded thoughtfully. “She said you’d still be a while. But I didn’t keep her long. She just dropped me at my house.”
Kara reached for the passenger door and was startled by Duke jumping up from where he’d been curled, sleeping on the seat. “You brought Duke!” she cried joyfully, opening the door and levering herself up next to him.
“Yeah, I thought you’d feel better if he were with us. Can you stay awake long enough for me to pick up Kevin and Lucy from the kennel”
Kara nodded, happy, sleepy, and a little scared from her inner revelation a few moments before. Duke climbed on her lap, too big to be a lapdog, but somehow just right. She put her arms around him, breathed in his puppy dog scent, and dozed lightly as Zane picked up his dogs then pointed them towards home.
As the five of them walked in Zane’s front door and the three dogs took off to smell every inch of the house, Zane turned her. “Do you want to eat before you sleep?”
Kara considered. She could eat. But she could also just sleep. “Only if you do,” she said.
“Oh, I do. I could have a ham and cheese omelet whipped up in ten minutes.”
Kara nodded mildly and followed him to the kitchen. She watched him gather supplies and start the food cooking from where she sat in a chair at the kitchen table. He worked mostly silently, occasionally muttering to himself or turning around to check on her. His face looked as tired as she was sure hers did. She didn’t feel like talking. They’d already said all the important things.
Within eight minutes he slid a plate piled high with eggs, cheese, and ham in front of her. She ate quickly and gratefully, her mind a pleasant drone of non-thought.
She was just happy to be here. Happy to have this second chance. Never once did she look out the back door at the shed that stood in the yard.
Chapter 33
When they finished eating, Zane took their plates and washed them quickly in the sink. He held out his hand for her and pulled her out of her chair. “Now, sleep.”
She nodded, although she was no longer sure that was what she wanted the most. Food had energized her, and made her think of other things.
Zane pulled her through the living room, past the dogs who were lounging companionably, down the hallway and to his bedroom. He let go of her hand and walked to a large wooden dresser on the far wall. “I probably have some boxer shorts and a T-shirt you can sleep in. They’ll be too big for you but comfortable. Is that okay?”
Kara didn’t answer. An impulse struck her so hard she couldn’t resist it. She stepped out of her shoes, pulled her shirt over her head and dropped it on the floor, un-clasped her bra and dropped it also, then shrugged out of her pants, until finally she stood in only her underwear. She didn’t have a gun on her to shed also, thank God. She didn’t need it right here, right now. She was safe.
“I can sleep like this,” she said huskily, praying that when he turned around his reaction would be good. She wanted him. She’d wanted him for weeks and now was the time. There was nothing she could think of that would make her feel better or ease her mind more than lovemaking with Zane. Even if he didn’t love her back, he didn’t need to love her to make love to her.
He turned around and his eyes grew wide as he took her in. Desire crossed his face and she let out a sigh of relief. He strode to her quickly and took her in his arms. “God you are beautiful. Like an angel from heaven,” he breathed as he bent his head to the right and kissed her lightly. Kara felt her heart clench almost painfully. He always knew the exact right thing to say to make her feel good, to appease her fears, to make her feel wanted and special.
She brought her hands up to his neck and ran her fingers through his hair as they kissed, softly at first, but with more and more heat. He ran his hands up and down her body, seeming to want to feel her everywhere at once. One hand dropped to her backside as the other reached gently for her breast. Electric shocks ran through her as he explored and caressed and touched and tweaked. His thumb rubbed roughly over her taut nipple and she moaned. It felt so good. Every action he took erased a little piece of the horror that had been their last two days. Her body cried o
ut for more, more, more, and her mind stepped aside to let it take over.
Zane backed her up slowly to the bed. It met her thighs and she sat down heavily, her lips parting from his with a sad sigh. He leaned forward to push her back but she stopped him. She plucked at his shirt and looked up at him expectantly. He tore the shirt over his head in an instant, leaving Kara staring at his muscled abdomen. The sight of it made her mouth water. She ran her fingers over it happily, delighting in the silky sensation of his skin. God she just wanted to touch him everywhere. She looked up at him to find him watching her avidly, a hungry look in his eye. She stared at him, and felt her fingers fumbling with the top button of his jeans. He slid his fingers under hers and undid everything, dropping his pants to the floor, revealing silver boxers.
Still staring into his eyes, Kara let her fingers walk their way around his body, then into the waistband of his shorts. She slid the boxers down slowly, an inch at a time, as he watched her, his gaze burning her with its passion. The boxers dropped to the floor and she finally looked down. His erection strained out from his body, hard and proud and spilling any secrets its owner might have been keeping about the intensity of his desire. She took it gently in her hands and he moaned lightly at the touch, his hands curled lightly at his sides. “That’s so fucking hot,” he rasped and his words made Kara want to do anything and everything possible to hear him say that again.
Something caught her eye. A twisted mass of white scars on the outside of his left hip. She ran her fingers over it lightly. “Shrapnel,” he said gruffly, then touched the scar on his arm. “Here too.” Kara looked up at it and felt guilt try to worm its way into her psyche. No! She wouldn’t let it. She dropped her fingers and focused back on what she’d been about to do.