by Liliana Hart
CHAPTER FOUR
Present Day…
The Virginia heat rolled in visible waves across the land and the humidity was thick enough to drink.
Declan stayed crouched in the gulley to the side of the small farmhouse Sophia had moved into more than a year before. White paint peeled from the wooden sides and the roof looked like it needed to be repaired in places. Sagging steps led up to a tiny front porch and the only sign of life was the wilting fern that hung from a hook.
He’d watched her struggle and try to put her life back together for the last year and a half, and he’d helped when and wherever he could, though he knew she wouldn’t thank him for it if she ever found out he’d been behind the receptionist job she’d gotten at a local insurance agency. She was virtually unemployable anywhere else and everyone knew her name after it had been splashed across the national news. He’d left money anonymously and kept watch from afar, even though his first instinct was to pound down her door and make her listen to reason. He’d known she’d be in danger from the moment they’d discovered the money was missing, and he’d known this day was coming.
Dec ignored the bugs and the way his clothes stuck to his skin—he’d been in worse conditions—and he crept toward the house until he could see the back door. He was dressed for hunting—black BDUs and night vision goggles. The moon was barely a sliver in the night sky and the house was completely dark, inside and out, but he’d been trained to see danger in the shadows. He’d been doing it most of his life.
Sophia’s time was limited. His gut had been screaming to get her out and to safety for a while now, but something had changed over the last couple of weeks and the danger had escalated. After months of waiting, someone was finally coming after the money and it was obvious they didn’t care what happened to Sophia in the process. He had no idea why they’d waited so long. Maybe because they thought she’d relax her guard or the CIA would stop keeping tabs on her as time went on, but the fact was someone wanted that money and Sophia was in the line of fire.
It hadn’t taken long for him to spot the men tailing her around town. They’d been good, but he was better. They didn’t move like military or operatives—more like mercenaries—but they at least had the presence of mind to try and blend into the town Sophia had moved to. It hadn’t taken him a second to see the weapons hidden under their clothes or the way they casually watched from the shadows as Sophia ran errands or went to and from work. From the number of weapons they were packing, it looked like their orders were to do whatever was necessary to get the information they needed, and that scared the hell out of him.
Sweat snaked from his temples into his beard, but he didn’t move a muscle as he watched and listened to his surroundings. Sophia’s house sat on a wide expanse of land filled with trees and overgrown brush, and she had no neighbors for miles. The house had belonged to her mother and it had been left to Sophia after her death. It was the perfect place for the solitude she craved. And the perfect place for an ambush.
There were more than half a dozen men he’d counted, rotating in shifts and changing their locations for surveillance. He’d found a couple of campsites less than a mile in each direction from the house, but Sophia had been clueless to the danger. He hadn’t seen her watching over her shoulder or taking extra precautions at night, which meant she was finally beginning to feel safe. He hated that he had to destroy her illusion.
Dec blended with the trees as he made his way toward the back of the house. The back door was exposed, and he’d have to move quickly so he wasn’t seen. He let the thin metal tool drop from his sleeve into his hand and then he moved like the ghost he was often compared to.
The pick was in the lock and the door was opening in only a matter of seconds, and he shook his head at the quality of her security. He slipped inside and crouched down low, closing the door and locking it behind him. He waited as the house adjusted around him, and he listened to make sure everything sounded as it should.
The house smelled of her—like lemons and honey and something a little darker, a little sexy. His body tightened instantly, his cock swelling behind his zipper as the familiar scent assaulted his senses and seemed to say, Oh, yeah. I remember her. Mine. She’d always had that effect on him, from the first moment he’d laid eyes on her, and he could no more control his body’s reaction to her now than he could then.
The clock on the oven glowed eerily green, and he pushed the night vision goggles to the top of his head, letting his eyes adjust to the little bit of light given. It was enough, and he could easily see the layout of the house. It also helped that he’d walked through it several days before while she’d been at work.
The house wasn’t large. One main living area that opened into a kitchen the size of a closet. One bathroom. And one bedroom. The air was stifling inside the house, and he knew she wouldn’t waste money she didn’t have by running the air conditioner. The windows were cracked about an inch high, but it wasn’t enough to let a cooling breeze through.
His steps were silent as he edged into the bedroom and saw her lying in the middle of the double bed—white sheets twisted beneath her lush and naked body—beads of perspiration coating her skin.
She’d been beautiful when he’d met her at nineteen. But at thirty, she had a woman’s body that left him speechless. Her hips were softer, rounder, and her breasts fuller. The only thing she’d changed was that she’d let the soft golden curls grow back between her thighs.
Sophia had always reminded him of a woman born in the wrong decade. She had the looks of a 1940s movie star. Her hair was a pale golden blond that waved in soft curls around her face, and he remember the soft thatch between her thighs was a shade darker—the color of honey—and what it hid tasted just as sweet. Her brows were thick and arched and she had a tiny mole just above her lip that had once driven him crazy with lust.
He had every intention of rekindling their past and righting the wrongs he’d done. But first he had to keep her alive.
Dec sat on the side of the bed and quickly placed his hand over Sophia’s mouth before she could scream. Her eyes snapped open and the whites of her eyes seemed bright in the darkness. She struggled against him, but he had her pinned, and he leaned down quickly to try and alleviate her fears.
“It’s me, Soph. Calm down.” His words were barely discernable. Less than a whisper in her ear. “You need to do what I say, and do it now. You’re in danger. Do you understand?”
He felt a shudder of breath leave her body, and she relaxed against him as recognition took hold.
“Dec?” she said.
“Get up and get clothes on. No lights. We don’t have much time.”
He was just about to move from the bed when he heard the familiar sound of a revolver cocking and felt the circle of metal pressed against his chest. He stilled instantly, and watched as her eyes narrowed in anger.
“You’re the only person I see here that’s a danger to me. Get out of my house.” Her words were just as quiet as his had been.
“I’m getting damned tired of you threatening to shoot me. This is no time for games. We can play cops and robbers later. I’ll even let you use my cuffs.”
“I’m going to enjoy killing you. I’ve certainly thought about it enough.”
She pressed the barrel harder against his chest and he almost grinned. Sophia had always had a dynamite temper once she got riled. There was nothing that made him harder faster than seeing that fighting spark in her eyes.
“You won’t have to worry about killing me if you waste any more time. The men circling your house will take care of it for you. Of course, they won’t stop at killing me. They’ll probably kill you too.”
“How do I know you’re here to help me instead of screwing me over again? It’s not like you to slum with a traitor. I wouldn’t want you to ruin that infamous MacKenzie reputation.”
Dec felt his jaw clench and his temper burn on a slow boil. If she’d had any idea how difficult it had been for him to go into th
at interrogation room and face her like that then she wouldn’t be near so quick to bust his balls.
They’d had to physically restrain him when they’d brought her in that day, and the only reason he’d been allowed to stay and observe was because he’d promised he would stay out of the way and try to use his connection to her to help the investigation. No one had known he’d been sick as a dog after they’d finally taken her away, or that he’d bribed everyone he could find to make her time there as comfortable as possible, including the doctor who was supposed to administer the drugs and get her confession. It had been a damn good thing Gabe Brennan had been on his side, otherwise things could have gone very, very badly.
His smile was sharp as a blade and he moved closer, forcing her to change the angle she was holding the weapon. He leaned down to her ear again and felt her sudden intake of breath.
“Now, sweetheart. You’re going to hurt my feelings. The only plans I have that involve screwing you over have us both naked and me sliding hard and hot inside of you.” He let his gaze roam down her body and watched her nipples harden into tight peaks. “It looks like we’re halfway there.”
He knew she was going to strike before she did, and his fingers were already pressing down on the pressure points in her wrist. She dropped the gun as her hand went numb and gasped as she tried to move out of his hold.
“Over my dead body.”
“We could be closer to that than you think. We’ve already wasted too much time. This fight can wait for another day.”
He moved away from the bed and went to her drawers, quickly tossing panties and a bra, shorts and a thin cotton tank top onto the bed.
They both heard the slightest scrape coming from the front of the house, and that’s all it took to spur her into action. She quickly put on the clothes and Declan pulled the gun from the small of his back, moving to look out the window. The side of the house had good coverage from trees, and he didn’t see any of the mercenaries lurking outside. That more than anything told him he wasn’t dealing with professionals.
Sophia grabbed an old pair of tennis shoes from beneath the bed, slid them onto her feet, and then grabbed the cameo necklace that belonged to her grandmother, fastening it quickly around her neck. He’d never seen her without it, and he’d always thought it suited her.
He motioned her over and she came immediately, and he was glad she at least trusted him enough to get her out of this.
The window was already open about an inch, and he slid it the rest of the way up, thankful it was a metal frame instead of one of the old wooden ones that would be swollen from the humidity and hard to budge. The window was narrow and he had to twist his body to squeeze through, but he did so quickly and efficiently, dropping silently to the ground. He kept low, not wanting to make himself a target by standing next to the white of the house, and he motioned for Sophia to follow.
Her eyes were wide and frightened and her hand shook slightly as she grabbed the edge of the windowsill. He waited until she was perched on the edge and then reached out and lifted her the rest of the way down. He didn’t bother setting her on her feet, but instead hugged her against him protectively and ran. His steps were light, never making a sound, and Sophia stiffened in his arms as muffled curses came from inside her home once they figured out she was gone.
“She’s gone,” a deep voice called out. “Find her.”
Lights flipped on throughout the house, and Dec pulled up behind a tree before looking back at the house. He counted at least six men walking through, tossing her mattress to look under the bed and pulling out the clothes in her closet to make sure she wasn’t hiding inside. The sounds of shattering glass had her flinching in his arms and he held her closer, wanting to make them pay for destroying what little she had left.
These guys definitely weren’t professionals. If he’d been going in with a team in a similar situation he would’ve cut the breakers and they all would have been outfitted with night vision.
He started running again, one hand holding his gun and the other holding on to Sophia. Her nails bit into his shoulders as she held on for dear life, and he could feel the thud of her heart against his own.
The layout of the land was visible in his mind and he knew they were getting close to another gulley. It was more of a dried up riverbed, but there was a good deal of brush and trees sprouting from the banks, making it the ideal hiding place.
He slowed his steps when the ground beneath consisted more of dead leaves and sticks than damp grass, moving with care so no sounds could be heard. He pushed aside the foliage and set Sophia on her feet, pressing down on her shoulders so she’d know to get low.
He followed her down and leaned close. “Stay here,” he whispered.
“Where are you going?” She grabbed at his shirt to keep him from pulling away.
“To find out who sent them and what they want.”
“Don’t be stupid. There are a lot of men in there, and only one of you. Let’s just get out of here.”
“If you keep talking like that, I’m going to start to think you care.”
“If you die being a macho jerk then I won’t have anyone to help me escape.”
“You’re all heart, baby.”
“At least I’m not all asshole,” she hissed.
Dec shook his head as his dick spiked at the snap in her whispered voice.
“Baby, these yahoos will be a walk in the park. I’m used to dealing with the worst of humanity on a daily basis. I know what I’m doing.”
“Fine. If you’re not back here in ten minutes then I’m running like hell and not looking back. I’ve learned the hard way that the only one looking out for me is me.”
Dec stared hard at her as he heard the shout go out behind him to start searching the grounds. She was in a good location and they’d never find her in the dark. But he needed answers and the only way to do that was to go get them.
“Stay low and don’t make any sound. Don’t even rustle the branches around you. I’ll be back in half an hour.”
He unclenched her fingers from his shirt, and then before he could talk himself out of it, he pulled her closer. The sizzle of heat between them was electric, a pulsing energy, the same as it had been so many years before. She was his soul, the one woman put on this Earth for him, and it was time to reclaim what belonged to him.
“Don’t kiss me,” she said, reading his mind. “It’ll only make things worse.”
“Sweetheart, I’ve got to disagree with you there. But we can argue about it later.”
He turned his back on her and ran towards the shadows. The need for the hunt pounded in his lungs and beat through his blood. The sooner he took care of the danger that threatened his woman, the sooner he could claim what was his.
CHAPTER FIVE
It didn’t take Declan long to circle around and head off the men as they made their way across Sophia’s property. It was a large area to cover, and they’d spread themselves too thin, each man taking a different direction.
He could’ve heard the first man coming from a mile away. He wasn’t even trying to be quiet as he kicked leaves and branches out of the way. Dec moved in behind him and snapped his neck quickly, the familiar scent of death permeating the air as he laid the man gently on the ground and moved toward the next one.
He’d only counted half a dozen men, but there was always the chance more could’ve been waiting in the wings. He hunted with a single goal in mind—to terminate any threats to Sophia.
He dealt with each man the same way as the first, until he got to the last. The man in front of him must have had a bad feeling because he let out a low whistle, a signal to the others, and no one answered him back. He stopped in his tracks, his weapon held at the ready, and he listened for movement. He never heard Dec come up behind him.
Dec kicked out at the man’s knees, and the sickening crunch of snapping bone and cartilage had him crying out in pain as he fell to the ground. Dec followed through with a series of hits that caus
ed numbing in the arms, and the weapon that had been in the mercenary’s hand dropped with a soft thud into the leaves.
“Who sent you?” Dec asked, gripping the man by the hair and forcing him to look into his face.
“Fuck you.” The man glared daggers at Declan, already seeing his death, and he spat on the ground at his feet.
“I’ll pass. You’re in need of a bath.” Dec’s grip tightened on the man’s hair and he pulled the Ka-Bar from his boot, watching the man’s eyes widen at the sight of the sharp blade. “I’ll ask you again. Who sent you?”
Dec brought the knife to the man’s throat, nicking it just enough for the coppery scent of blood to fill the air. “Your friends are dead. It’s just you and me now, so you might as well tell me what you know. I’m willing to let you live so you can take a message back to your boss.”
“He’ll kill me faster than you will,” he spat. “You might as well make it quick.”
“Oh, believe me when I tell you I can make you live for a long time with the things I’ll do to you. You’ll only be wishing for death.”
Whatever the man saw in Dec’s eyes must have convinced him of the truth because his lips trembled with fear and the sickly scent of urine surrounded them.
“I don’t know his name,” the man said.
Declan pressed harder with the knife and the man cried out in protest. “Honest, I don’t. We get our orders though an encrypted email account and then when the job is done, money shows up in our accounts. It’s all electronic.”
“What were the instructions for the girl?”
“To find out where the money is and to do whatever it took to make her talk.”
“And once she told you where the money was?”
“Elimination.”
“You’ve been very helpful,” Dec said, knowing the feeling would be coming back to the man’s arms soon. He swiped the blade quickly across his throat and moved out of the way before the spray of blood reached him.