Targeted

by Katie Reus

  At that, her cheeks flushed a dark crimson, but she didn’t pull away. She leaned closer and, taking him completely by surprise, brushed her lips softly against his. “Good.”

  Jack opened his eyes and realized his hand was wrapped around his cock. Which was rock hard.

  Fuck me.

  He’d always been in control of his body. Until twenty-four hours ago. He shifted against the sheets, which had suddenly turned to sandpaper against his skin. After the last thing she’d said before she went to sleep, it was as if Sophie had waved a bright red flag in front of him and he felt like the raging bull she was teasing. Only she wasn’t teasing. He glanced over at her bed. She was still turned on her side, her back facing him and her breathing steady. Sound asleep. Thank God she hadn’t seen him.

  He closed his eyes and tried to block out her face, but it was impossible. Not after that damn dream. It was the second one he’d had of her recently—and in such a short time period. Before that it had been years.

  He’d never forget the day he found out he was being placed in the same foster home as Sophie. He’d known who she was from school, but she’d never looked twice at him. She’d never looked twice at any guy. She’d walked around with her head down everywhere she went. Half the baseball team had wanted a shot at her, but she’d been oblivious of her own attractiveness. Before he’d actually talked to her, he’d been so sure she was a snob.

  When he’d realized she was just quiet, things had drastically changed and his attraction had grown overnight. In his world, survival of the fittest was the rule and he’d never been particularly protective of anyone. Until her. He’d definitely never had the urge to hit a girl until he’d seen some stupid neighborhood girl bullying his Sophie.

  His.

  The word echoed in his head. Some days he cursed ever meeting her. She made him want things he couldn’t have. Made him feel protective and proprietary when his world didn’t allow those kinds of emotions. He didn’t give a shit what Wesley said about him getting rid of his demons. It didn’t matter if he did. He’d never be able to settle down. There was no way he could subject a woman to the kind of life he led. Never knowing where he was or how long he’d be gone.

  So why even fantasize about taking just a night with Sophie? Or even a few hours? Even when they were younger he’d known they belonged together, and that feeling was still so damn overwhelming. Being around her brought back all those feelings of insecurity. He had the best training in the world, but put him in the same room as Sophie Moreno and he felt like that tongue-tied seventeen-year-old kid again who would do anything for the girl he’d loved.

  Groaning, he grabbed the extra pillow on the bed and held it over his face. What the hell was wrong with him?

  • • •

  Hannah’s hands shook as she pulled her duffel bag out from underneath her bed. She’d never heard Sophie—or anyone for that matter—sound so scared before. Hannah wasn’t sure what was going on, but she trusted her best friend.

  Sophie was sometimes a control freak, but the woman always kept her head on straight. Even in college, she’d been responsible and dependable as hell. Always the designated driver. Always studied before a big exam. Never late to a class. If Sophie said something was wrong, Hannah believed her.

  After tossing a few pairs of jeans, sweaters, and undergarments into her bag, she cleaned off her bathroom counter with one swipe of her arm and just dumped everything in at once. Her mind raced as she tried to think of where she’d go. Sophie had told her to choose somewhere that not even Sophie would know about. That didn’t leave many options.

  Her parents had a house in Fort Lauderdale and they also had a cabin in North Carolina. She didn’t think anyone knew about the cabin, but it was still connected to her family. Sophie had been pretty clear about avoiding any place like that. As Hannah shrugged into her coat, she shoved those thoughts away. Hell, she’d grab some cash and keep driving until an idea came to her if that’s what it took to stay alive. Because Sophie had sounded terrified.

  As Hannah entered the hallway from her bedroom, she started to turn on the lights out of habit, but jerked her hand back as if burned. If someone was watching her house, she didn’t want them to know she was awake. Her feet were silent along the carpeted hallway. Right about now she wished she owned a gun or some kind of weapon other than pepper spray.

  For a brief moment, she thought she heard a creak come from her living room. Numbness settled in her bones at that sound, making her feet lead. Waiting, she listened but didn’t hear it again. Trying to steady her nerves, she reminded herself that her house had been built in the fifties. If she wasn’t scared out of her freaking mind, she probably wouldn’t have noticed it. With shaking hands, she clasped the handle of the door that led to her garage and quickly ducked inside.

  It was empty except for her car.

  Without pause she dumped everything in the backseat and slid into the driver’s side. She cringed at the sound of the garage door opening, but she had no choice unless she wanted to drive through it.

  Her slick palms slid against the steering wheel, but when she saw that there was no one visible in the rearview mirror she let out a harsh, high-pitched laugh that sounded a little maniacal in the enclosed space of her vehicle. Nothing about the situation was remotely funny, but her nerves were fried. As she pulled out of the garage, she screamed as glass shattered around her. Instinctively she ducked and covered her face as shards flew at her.

  A dark shadow reached through the broken window.

  She screamed again and tried to press on the gas but jerked back when a fist connected with her jaw. Her entire body jolted back against the seat. She was vaguely aware of pain slamming through her face, but her adrenaline spiked hard. Using her hands as a weapon, she tried to fend off her attacker. Punching at the man, she connected briefly with someone’s arm, but the contact was pitiful.

  Someone grunted and then very fast fists and something shiny—a knife maybe—flashed around her. She tried to hit the gas again, but hands were everywhere and her attacker yanked the keys from the ignition. Her car shuddered as it turned off. It all happened so fast she couldn’t stop it. Before she could contemplate an escape, rough hands grabbed her shoulders.

  As she tried to pull away, the door opened and she toppled through. Then she was shoved facedown on her hard driveway. Her face rubbed against the gravel, and a sharp burst of panic punched through her like a live blow.

  “Quit struggling, little puta,” the man on top of her growled in a Spanish accent. His knee dug into her back. She tried to struggle, but his weight proved too much.

  “Hey!” another male voice sounded somewhere nearby.

  Hope jumped inside her for a brief moment. Maybe someone was coming to help her. She tried to shout, but the man was pressing her into the concrete and it hurt to even breathe.

  “Be careful with her, stupid. The boss doesn’t want her hurt,” the other voice whispered in a similar accent.

  Something cold and metal snapped around her wrists before she was hauled to her feet. Pain ripped through her arms at the awkward jerking motion. “Help!” A scream so loud it burned her throat tore free. “Somebody help—”

  The man who’d pulled her to her feet—a dark-haired man with black eyes that looked like empty pools and a vicious scar running down his face—backhanded her. Pain stung her cheek, but before she could scream again the man shoved something wet over her face. She tried to struggle, but everything in her vision turned fuzzy as her world tilted on its axis.

  Chapter 10

  Burn phone: prepaid disposable phone.

  Ronald jumped in his chair as his cell phone buzzed across his desk. He answered immediately. “Ronald here.”

  “Who is the man with Sophie Moreno?” Vargas snapped, his voice heated.

  “I don’t know.” Clearly he wasn’t with Keane Flight as he’d said or Varg
as would have known. Ronald had already betrayed her enough with his silence; he didn’t want to add more. Besides, Sophie had told Ronald she’d ditched Jack—or whoever he really was. Had she lied to him?

  “My men have been unable to track her and I know she has a partner. Do not lie to me. Are you helping her?”

  “No!”

  “Has she contacted you?”

  Ronald loosened his tie. He assumed Miguel was always watching him, so he decided to go for honesty this time. “Yes.”

  “What did she say?”

  “Just that someone tried to kill her and she doesn’t know why. She’s scared and on the run. She doesn’t know who’s after her, which is exactly what I told you. She’s not involved in this. You need to leave her alone.” His admission wouldn’t hurt Sophie. It was the only thing that eased his conscience.

  “What about the man she’s with?”

  “I have no idea who he really is. She told me she ditched him.” But now Ronald had a feeling she hadn’t. Vargas was far too interested in her, so he must have a reason.

  Vargas waited for a beat of silence. It seemed to stretch out for an eternity. “She was at the hangar on Sunday night. My men saw a woman running from the building and they were able to get a license plate number when she fled. She could have taken pictures of them or my product. I don’t know what she has, but she will be silenced.”

  Ronald massaged his temple as terror rippled through him. Sophie had been at the hangar? By herself? It was a miracle she hadn’t been caught by one of Vargas’s men. It was probably what she’d wanted to talk to him about—and he’d blown her off. If she’d truly been at Keane’s hangar, then there was nothing he could say that would keep Miguel from tracking her. Ronald’s only hope was that he could warn Sophie before she did something stupid. Like come back to Miami.

  Miguel continued. “If she contacts you, I want you to set up a meeting with her. I need to find out who this man is. With Keane in a coma, this guy might be trying to take over our operation.”

  Our? Ronald bit back a snort. He hadn’t even thought that the man with Sophie could be trying to take over Vargas’s operation. He couldn’t deal with another monster. He cleared his throat. “She might not even call me again.”

  “She will and once you set it up, we will intercept her.”

  “And if she doesn’t?”

  Miguel made an angry sound. “Don’t try my patience. When she contacts you, you will let me know. If I find you lied to me, well, I don’t need to remind you what a beautiful daughter you have.”

  It was as if invisible fingers tightened around Ronald’s neck as he fought to breathe.

  Miguel continued. “Many of my men have expressed a deep interest in . . . getting to know her better. So far she has been unharmed, but if you fail me . . .”

  “I won’t.” The words came out as a strangled whisper. Miguel’s not so subtle threat made his stomach heave. His family had been through enough. If he could just get his daughter back, he’d turn himself in, go to jail, whatever it took. He simply wanted his family safe. He’d have called the cops long ago if he had any clue where she was being held. She’d been kidnapped in another country, so the local cops were no good to him anyway. He literally had no one to turn to. Not if he ever wanted to see his daughter again.

  “Good. I will call you this evening with further instructions. I’ll be in town in a couple days. If you use good sense, you will have your daughter back by this weekend.”

  Miguel disconnected and Ronald laid his head on his desk. Would this nightmare never end?

  • • •

  As Jack stared at the popcorn ceiling, his watch alarm went off. Sleep had been an elusive fantasy once again. Sophie’s words had echoed through his tired brain all night, rattling around with no mercy. “If you change your mind, I’m right here.”

  He sat on the edge of the bed and nearly choked when he saw her. He’d forced himself to avoid looking at her the past few hours, but a small stream of sunlight pierced the room through the opening in the curtain. The beam ran across her chest, illuminating the fact that her sheet was dangerously close to exposing her breasts. Breasts he’d kissed, licked, massaged . . . Damn it.

  Control yourself.

  Careful not to wake her, he grasped her sheet by the edge and pulled it a few inches higher. When his knuckles brushed against her soft skin, he froze for a moment until he found the will to move away. With a silent groan he grabbed a change of clothes and his shaving kit and headed to the bathroom. A cold shower was exactly what he needed.

  The icy blast of water was the perfect shock. As the jets massaged his tired shoulders, vicious memories of the last time he’d seen Sophie played in his head, reminding him that if she knew who he really was, she’d run far and fast in the other direction.

  He tried to shake the memory, but suddenly he was eighteen again and swimming in guilt over the fact that he hadn’t been there to protect the girl he’d cared about more than anyone.

  “Damn it,” Jack muttered as memories of the last time he’d seen her assailed him. He clenched the bar of soap, his nails leaving half-moon indentations. He’d been doing fine for years, keeping all this shit at bay.

  Being around her was just going to bring up stuff that should stay dead and buried. Just like the person he used to be. Sam was dead. He’d supposedly died in Afghanistan many years ago. Something he’d never needed to remind himself of until now. Making the choice to officially “die” had been the easiest thing he’d ever done. He’d had no one and had liked the fast-paced lifestyle. Not being able to admit his true identity to Sophie was the first time he’d ever experienced regret over his decision.

  He twisted the shower knob to off, then grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist. They needed to get on the road soon, and though he hated waking her, time was their enemy.

  After shaving and brushing his teeth, he eased the bathroom door open. Wearing only a towel, Sophie looked up from the small table where she was going through the clothes he’d gotten for her.

  A faint smile touched her lips when their eyes locked. “Thanks for getting these. The thought of wearing that dress again . . .” She mock shuddered.

  His throat dried up at her state of dress—or undress. She was completely covered, but the thin cotton towel did little more than the sheet had done earlier. Though she was short, her tanned, toned legs seemed to go on forever. He could see the outline of her hard nipples too. The thought of sucking one into his mouth, running his tongue around—

  “Uh, Jack?” Sophie’s voice jerked his gaze back up to her face.

  “Yeah?”

  She clutched the towel tighter. “You okay?” She hugged whatever piece of clothing she’d chosen to her chest and watched him with those big brown eyes, obviously waiting for some sort of response.

  He cleared his throat and motioned to the bathroom behind him. “I’m done if you want to get in there.”

  Without a word she brushed past him and shut the door with a quiet click.

  Jack rubbed a hand over his face and stared at the closed door. He had to get past this stupid Sophie thing. Nothing could happen between them. Didn’t matter how bad he wanted it.

  While telling himself not to think about Sophie, he quickly dressed in dark jeans and a dark sweater, then turned on his laptop. Before he contacted Wesley he wanted to see if he could find out more about Levi on his own. His gut told him there was no way Wesley was involved. The man bled red, white, and blue. Still, he’d always thought the same thing about Levi.

  After sending out feelers to see if he could pick up any chatter on Levi’s whereabouts, he stopped when he heard the bathroom door open. He’d heard the shower shut off, so he’d been expecting her. He tried to brace himself to see her again.

  Sophie walked out wearing a snug pair of jeans and a thin green sweater. She rubbed her hands o
ver the jeans pockets and smiled self-consciously. “These are a perfect fit.”

  “Good.” As they’d arrived at the motel last night, he’d seen a drunk couple laughing as they stumbled from their room, heading God knows where. The bars in the Keys were notorious for staying open until dawn, so he’d taken a chance and slipped into their room.

  Jack started to close down his computer. “You ready to leave?”

  “We’re going now?”

  “I want to do some reconnaissance of SBMS, you need to call your boss, and I’m going to call Wesley.”

  “I thought you were going to wait to make any calls.”

  “I am. I’m waiting until we’re out of the Keys. If they do track us down, there’s only one road in and out of here and I don’t like those odds. Once we hit 95, we’ll be able to blend in better.”

  Her pretty mouth pulled into a thin line, but she didn’t argue. He stared at that mouth for a long moment until she nervously moistened her lips. Forcing himself to look away, he packed his stuff while she folded the rest of the clothes he’d acquired for her.

  Once they were out of the motel room and on the road, Sophie was quiet, only asking him if it was okay to change the radio station.

  When they hit Key Largo he stopped at a cell phone shop and picked up a dozen throwaways and two handheld radios. Sophie stayed in the car. While he hated stopping anywhere that had video surveillance, there weren’t many choices and he needed the phones. He managed to avoid looking directly at any cameras.

  “Did you get everything we need?” she asked as he got back in.

  Jack didn’t miss the anxious note in her voice. “For now.”

  “What made you want to do . . . this?”

  He shot her a quick glance as he steered back onto U.S. 1. “What?”

  “You know, be a superspy or whatever. Is that the right word?”

  A rumble escaped from deep in his gut and he realized he was actually laughing. “I’m not a spy. Not exactly.”