by Sheila Kell
“This means if you’re staying with me you’ll have to change that lovely hair, and going out to breakfast is no longer an option. We’ll also be moving soon.”
He should’ve expected her to make the national news. She was a journalist, after all.
“Are you sure you don’t want to go with the FBI or my brother instead?”
Jesse had suggested putting something in her drink to knock her out so they could move her to H.I.S. headquarters, but AJ couldn’t let her go even though he knew it would be a better option for her.
“No, I’ll stay with you, if you’ll let me.”
He nodded, wanting to hold her and reassure her that it would be all right. Hugging her wasn’t an option. Touching her wasn’t an option. She was Trent’s girl. He wouldn’t do that to his old friend.
She climbed back on her bed with her knees pulled up, her arms wrapped around her legs, resting her head on top of her knees. Her vulnerability flashed brightly to him whenever she sat in that position.
He stood, walked toward her bed and sat beside her. “Don’t worry about it, my little dove. I should’ve expected it. You’ve been working a high profile investigation, you witnessed a murder, your house was shot up and you disappeared. There’s no way the media would overlook all of that.”
“Maybe something else will happen that will knock me off the national news,” she said hopefully.
“It would only bump you down, but they won’t drop your story.” He had to rethink his plan. No matter what he told her, this was bad news. She stood out and would easily be recognized. His only regret was that they would need to change her silky, pomegranate smelling hair.
She looked up. “What color should I go?”
He studied her. “How about auburn?” He’d always had a thing for auburn hair. He should’ve said a dark raven because he’d already been irresistibly drawn to her since they’d met. He didn’t need to add more fuel to the fire that burned within him for her.
Megan smiled. “That’ll work.”
He didn’t like what he would have to do. “When we go to buy the hair dye, I’ll have to leave you alone in the car. You’ll need to keep your hat on and your head down.”
The panicked look in her eyes shoved a knife in his heart. “I’ll only be gone for a few minutes, Megan. I’ll return your weapon and make sure it’s safe before I go into the store.” There was no other way. If she walked in, even with the ball cap, she could be recognized.
Someone would call in and then their car would be on camera, their pictures all over the news again with him as a kidnapper. He had to take the better of the two bad situations and that meant trusting her to take care of herself.
“Okay,” she said with a determined smile.
He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, his hand lightly touching her cheek. “Let’s wait to do it late tonight.”
He wanted to run his fingers through her hair before they changed it. He wanted to wrap it around his hands while he devoured her deliciously flavored lips and made her his in body and soul. And then what? Break her heart because they didn’t belong in the same world?
“What do we do now?” she asked.
He rose from the bed. “We can watch television. It’s about our only option.” Sex could not be an option no matter how much he craved it. To cool his blood and slow the rush of it to his groin, he kept repeating in his mind, “Trent’s girl.”
“The TV will be your best friend for a little while.”
She stood and picked up the TV remote. “I have cards in my bag, but I’d rather watch TV. Can we order a movie?”
“That’s a good idea.” Anything to keep him from dragging her to bed.
“I forgot to ask. How are we paying? I don’t have much cash. I’m guessing you don’t want me to use my credit cards.”
He smiled. “Don’t worry about it. I’ve got it covered.”
* * * * *
Megan stared out into a darkness only broken by the headlights of the car as they made the long drive to a drugstore. AJ shifted the car into park, turned in his seat, one arm rested on the steering wheel, the other on the back of her seat.
“I’ll be quick. I’ll leave the car running so you’ll have heat. Here’s your weapon. Do you know how to use it?”
She’d shot a twelve gauge shotgun growing up. What true southern girl hadn’t? “I’ve had this for a while but haven’t fired it.” She stared at the pistol she’d carried around all those weeks on the streets. Things had changed. This was surreal. She might actually have to shoot someone.
She released the breath she hadn’t realized she’d held, reached out and reluctantly accepted it, expecting it to burn her hand.
“This is serious, Megan. You have to shoot. You can’t hesitate, or you will be dead.”
“Okay.” She hoped she could pull the trigger. The thought of this added pressure to her rapidly beating heart.
“If someone recognizes you, jump in the driver’s seat and get the hell out of here.”
Her eyes widened. “What about you?” She couldn’t leave him. They were in this together.
“I’ll find you.” He looked at her for a minute longer. “Ready, my little dove?”
She took a deep breath and let it out on a ragged sigh. “Yes.”
He turned off the dome light, opened the car door and stepped out into the night.
She watched him walk into the store and then she nervously looked around. Snow had built on the lone car in the parking lot. Probably the employee’s car. A siren screamed somewhere. A jet flew low, coming in for a landing. Dogs barked back and forth.
Nothing out of the ordinary so far as she could tell.
The seriousness of their situation didn’t elude her. Her curiosity and determination were the reason for her need to run. She jumped when another car drove into the parking lot. Could they have found them already? She tightened her hold on the pistol and watched the car closely.
An elderly man stepped out of a Cadillac. He briefly glanced her way before walking into the store.
She relaxed a little and loosened her grip on the pistol. She looked toward the door of the store. Hurry up, AJ. She expelled a sigh of relief when she saw him walking toward the car.
* * * * *
AJ checked the area, slid behind the wheel and tossed the bag in her lap. “Everything okay?” He quickly put the car in reverse and exited the parking lot. He’d been in there too long. Sweat had built on his forehead by the time the clerk came out of the back room, the scent of pot cloaking him. AJ had been close to leaving the money on the counter, but wouldn’t risk an alarm raised for shoplifting.
“The old man looked my way, but he looked for only a second.” She checked the hair dye he’d purchased.
Fuck! It would only take a second for someone to recognize her. He drove to this store out in the middle of nowhere in Dundalk to avoid people. AJ hoped the man had bad eyesight.
While it might throw the enforcers off track on where they were located, it told them they were together and hadn’t run far.
“Shouldn’t you color your hair too? It could throw them off when they see you.”
AJ glanced at her and grinned. “Only if you promise to do it for me. I’d like you running your fingers through my hair.” He couldn’t help himself. He liked to see her flustered.
“Ass.”
* * * * *
Megan walked out of the bathroom with her damp hair framed around her face. “Well?”
He stared. No, gawked would be a better word. Was there any way she wasn’t sexy?
“It’ll lighten a little when I blow dry it.” She ran her fingers through the long strands.
“It’ll work. It’ll fool most people,” he croaked out.
“Okay. I’ll dry it then.” She turned and disappeared into the bathroom.
I am so fucked. When I look at her, I have to think about saving her not exploring her body.
He paced the small hotel room. He needed a new plan
to draw out the Magician, but all he could think about was Megan. Remembering her naked stirred him. He wanted to touch her and taste her all over. Not just another quick fuck.
Having sex with her again would be a mistake, but damn if he wasn’t weakening. All he could do was smell her. . . remember her taste, her hot moans. His resistance was fast crumbling where his little dove was concerned.
* * * * *
Megan exited the bathroom with dry hair wearing Hello Kitty fleece pajama pants and a white long sleeve t-shirt.
“Uh. You were right, it is lighter. I like it.” AJ’s eyes moved from her breasts to her hair.
She swooshed her hair and smiled. “I feel like a different person.”
When she passed him, he caught her in his arms and jerked her to his chest. His lips melted over hers in a hot, searing kiss that left her limp with desire.
She slid her hands up his arms, resting on his shoulders before wrapping them around his neck. She pulled closer to him, rubbing herself against his hardness, heating her blood and her core.
He quickly jerked back, set her away and dropped his hands. After several gulps of air, he spoke, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.”
Her hands flew to her hips. “Shouldn’t have done what? Kiss me? Make me want you again? Why exactly are you sorry, AJ?”
He ran his fingers through his hair. “You know why.” He turned and escaped into the bathroom.
What the hell just happened?
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
AJ scanned the area outside the hotel room. They needed to move soon. They’d already been here longer than he liked.
He scooped up the newspaper from the doorstep. A smile escaped him as he noted the front page. He stood and scanned the area once more. Satisfied, he closed and locked the door.
He placed the newspaper on the desk and watched Megan sleep. What he wouldn’t give to wake up to her each morning. What the fuck am I thinking? She’s Trent’s woman, and only with me because he’s injured.
Last night he’d overstepped boundaries. His old buddy asked him to keep her safe, not share her. Killers breathed down their necks and distractions could be deadly. And she distracted him. Whenever she approached, blood rushed to his groin and it stood at attention. No matter what he told himself, he wanted her with an urgency he didn’t understand. Didn’t want to understand.
She woke, stretched and yawned. She had that mussed up morning look. It was damn sexy. Fuck! He should hand her off to someone else. Jesse and Kate offered to take her. He couldn’t handle this attraction to her and not betray his friend.
She jumped from the bed, picked up the newspaper and gasped. “It’s on the front page, above the fold!”
Oh how adorable she looked when she saw her articles in print.
He set a cup of coffee on the desk and smiled at her. He allowed himself to savor being near her, drinking in the sight of her, warmth slowly spreading through him. His heart turned over. She should be his. If only…
“Front page, two days in a row,” she whispered in awe.
“Megan, you’re an exceptional journalist.”
Her excitement burst forth and she stood and hugged him. “Thank you.” When she realized what she had done she jumped back. “I’m sorry.”
He grunted. Damn, fucking Trent. “Don’t worry about it. You’re happy. A hug isn’t out of line.” Her breasts had brushed against his chest. He couldn’t handle another embrace without throwing her to the floor. Shame there wasn’t a dining table in here. He smiled at the memory and dealt with the pain of his growing erection, tightening his jeans.
She sat, drank coffee and read the newspaper. Read about her narrow escape from death.
She had to stop writing anything else about Magic Shop. He needed time to find out about the next prison break. Another convict apprehended would bring their boss out faster than losing drug money from the streets. First he needed to see to their safety. They’d move tomorrow. He’d forgotten to ask his brother to provide him with new wheels. He needed to rectify that.
He pulled the secure phone from his pocket and dialed. “Jesse said you’d help. We need wheels that won’t attract police attention. Will you do that?”
“Good morning to you too, my lost little brother.”
He didn’t need the lecture Devon, another of his older brothers, would give him. Jesse had already burned his ears with their disappointment of how he’d chosen to live. His brother hadn’t actually said disappointed, but AJ knew what he’d meant. Impatiently, he asked, “Can you do it?”
“How could you even doubt my ability to do something so simple?” Devon responded indignantly.
“Good. I need it filled with toys so I can work, and I’m not sure exactly what I’ll need.”
“I can do that, too.” As an ex-CIA agent, his brother provided anything and everything the H.I.S. team needed. AJ had never asked how they acquired their supplies because he wasn’t sure he wanted to know the answer.
The crinkling of a folding newspaper reached his ears. “This journalist is trouble, AJ. She’s making it worse. Can’t you stop her?”
He chuckled. “Are you kidding me? She’s just as eager as I am to get the fucker. If I tried to stop her, she’d just take off on her own to get things done. At least now I can watch over her.” He glanced her way, catching her absorbed in reading the newspaper.
“Have you talked her in to coming here yet?”
“She refused.”
“Why won’t you walk away? At least until everyone returns? You know we’ll help you with this.”
“He tried to have me killed, Dev. I won’t walk away, and I’m not waiting.”
His brother sighed. “Okay. Where and when?”
He provided an address, and they agreed on a time transportation would be available. A small weight lifted from his shoulders. One thing down.
“We need to get on the Internet without being located.”
“Ha, little brother, you know I can do that quicker than you can pick up a woman.”
He smiled. “You take good care of me, Dev.”
“Just remember that when I need something from you.” His brother chuckled.
Megan stood and walked to her suitcase with a sly smile on her face. Ah, she’d been listening.
She lugged her bag to the bathroom with her. “I have the shower first.”
She’d paid attention to him about not unpacking in the event they had to depart quickly. He hated she had to live this way, but he was damn proud of her for taking it in stride. He’d keep her safe until he could return her back to her world. And Trent.
* * * * *
AJ couldn’t wait any longer to make his calls even if Megan listened. He pulled out the burner phone.
“Blade, I need information.”
“Whatcha’ want, AJ?”
“I need the Magician.”
The man chuckled. “Come on. We’ve been through that before. I don’t know who he is or where he hides.”
He’d met Blade when he’d been sent to give him a message. It had been eye-opening. Jimmy Baldwin liked to have him regularly beaten up to show the other dealers he could and would hurt them if they didn’t remain loyal. AJ couldn’t figure out why Jimmy chose this particular dealer as his victim, and Blade wouldn’t share why.
His informant wanted Jimmy to have payback, but he wasn’t capable of doing it himself. AJ promised to take care of the man if he helped him find the organization’s boss. Blade knew he’d be out of a job if that happened, but didn’t care as someone else would take over almost immediately. Someone he hoped to whom he wouldn’t be the example.
“I know you don’t know who he is, but someone else might. I need him. I need you to dig deeper. Find new friends and see if you can find out where he is or when he’s coming around. I’m also looking for anything you hear about an upcoming secret mission.”
“All right, man. Let me see what I can find out.”
“That’s all I ask. Call me on thi
s phone when you have something. Don’t let anyone know we spoke.”
“I never do. I heard they’re going fucking nuts looking for you. You’d best keep your head down,” Blade advised.
“I’ll do that.”
He didn’t expect the dealer to have anything new when he’d called, but he was AJ’s best informant. He could ferret out information like no one else. He had no doubt the man would find something useful.
Megan held his gaze with a raised eyebrow. “Blade?”
Of course, she’d listened.
“He wants to sound dangerous,” he answered with a mischievous smile.
“I have some contacts too, but I need the phone.”
They’d been useful to her before. She’d exposed several dealers on the streets plus the councilman. Hell, she’d been at his meeting with Damian. A meeting only three people, well four if you count the Magician, knew about. They were damn good sources. They could use all of the help they could get right now.
“Come on. I won’t say where we are or that I’m with you.” She tilted her head and added a charming smile.
“Make it quick.”
“May I give them this number so they can call me when they find out something?”
He sighed. “Go ahead.”
She jumped up and took the phone from him. “Oh, and I’m calling Kristen.”
He shrugged. Devon had cleared her boss. “Be careful what you say. Talk where I can hear you.”
* * * * *
Megan watched AJ stretch out his glorious body on his bed, his back propped against the headboard, his feet crossed with a bored look on his face. She wanted to kiss it away, watch his eyes darken with desire. She wanted him and wouldn’t fight it any longer.
Even now looking at him had her heartbeat accelerating. But why had he quit kissing her? Why was he sorry? And what was it she knew?
“Yo.”
“Raven, what’s the word on the street?”
“Lady, word is that everyone is looking for you. The good guys and bad. I heard Feds got involved.”