by Debra Webb
“If my cameraman was here,” Lena said as more tears slipped down her blackened cheeks, “this would make a hell of a breaking news story.” Lena laughed but the sound held no humor.
Eva nodded. “You can tell Channel 7 viewers the whole story on the late news tonight.”
Lena gifted her with another of those shaky smiles. “Absolutely.”
Carter rushed back into the room with a larger tool. Using what appeared to be large pruning shears or maybe bolt cutters, he and the man standing next to Lena attempted to cut through the thick nylon straps holding her and the bomb bound to the chair.
0:59
Fear tightened its ruthless grip on Eva. Hurry!
Lena squeezed her hand and whispered, “Please go.”
Eva shook her head and held her sister’s hand even tighter. “No way.”
“Hold on a minute,” Todd said to the man on the phone. “Something isn’t right.”
The bottom dropped out of Eva’s stomach. Oh no. What now?
0:42
Carter and the other man Eva believed to be from the Colby Agency carefully cut through another of the straps as Todd explained something about the bomb that Eva couldn’t hope to comprehend.
Her heart fluttered so wildly she felt light-headed as the men cut away a third strap. Please, please hurry.
Todd suddenly tossed his phone aside. It slid across the tile floor as he grabbed the remainder of the wires and yanked them free of the box.
0:19
Eva held her breath.
Lena’s face paled to a ghostly white.
Todd gripped the box and pulled. The face of the box as well as the clock came loose in his hands.
Inside the black box strapped to Lena’s chest there was nothing.
It was empty.
“Son of a bitch,” Todd muttered.
The last strap fell away from Lena. Eva scrambled to her feet as the man in black whose name she didn’t know helped Lena out of the chair. Lena’s knees gave way and he scooped her into his arms.
“Get everyone out!” Todd commanded.
Before Eva could ask what was happening now, the double doors of a large cabinet on the other side of the room burst open. What the hell?
Eva saw the weapon first, then the man. The scream that filled the air was hers; she couldn’t seem to stop the sound.
He leveled the barrel of the weapon on her. “Die, bitch!”
The blast exploded, shaking the air in the room.
Todd’s body slammed into her where she stood frozen to the spot.
They crashed onto the floor. Eva grunted as the breath burst from her lungs.
Lena’s mouth opened in a scream.
Time lapsed into slow motion...drawing out the sound of her sister’s scream. Other voices shouted but Eva couldn’t make out the seemingly distorted words.
The man with the gun charged forward, his face contorted with hatred, his weapon still in his hand.
The eerie quiet was ruptured by one, two, three more gunshots.
Then there was silence again.
Eva dragged in a breath, the sound shattering the dreamlike slow motion.
Todd moved off her. “You okay?”
His voice sounded strangely far away.
Eva tried to nod but her head bobbled. She felt disconnected and tattered.
The muffled sound of Lena crying came from somewhere.
There was blood...so much blood.
“He’s down,” Sergeant Carter said.
“We need an ambulance,” someone else said, one of the men wearing black maybe.
Eva looked first at Lena. No blood. She was okay. The man who’d been holding her had stood her on her feet and was now providing directions for the ambulance.
Eva stared at her bloody T-shirt. Where was all the blood coming from? Had she been shot? She was reasonably sure not, but considering the sluggish way her senses were reacting she wasn’t certain of anything.
The man who’d come out of that cabinet intending to shoot her lay on the floor a few feet away, his eyes open, a bullet hole in the center of his forehead.
Todd reached down to her.
She stared at the wide hand and fingers that had touched her body and soul. The blood smeared on his palm showed her what she hadn’t wanted to see.
She hadn’t been shot...it was Todd. Blood had soaked into his shirt. The bullet appeared to have hit his left upper arm in the area of the deltoid muscle.
Hers shaking, she took his hand and got to her feet. “Oh my God. You’re...”
He grinned. “It’s nothing. Besides, I know an excellent nurse.”
The Edge, 9:00 p.m.
TODD FLINCHED.
Dr. Marissa Frasier smiled. “Good thing that was the last one.” She finished the final suture and stepped back from the exam table.
“Thanks, Doc.” Todd moved his arm, wincing at the pain.
Frasier peeled off her gloves and tossed them into the trash receptacle. “The nurse will be in shortly and she’ll bandage that for you. Thank you, Mr. Christian, for keeping Eva safe. She means a great deal to all of us.”
Todd gave the lady a nod. When she’d left the room he exhaled a big breath. He’d never felt more tired in his life. He closed his eyes. Those few minutes with that clock ticking down had been the longest and most terrifying of his life. If Eva or Lena had...
No. He couldn’t think about that. It was over. They were both fine. He was fine. The nightmare was over.
The door opened and he looked up, his heart lifting in expectation.
“Looks like you’re good to go,” Lena said.
“No worse for the wear,” he returned, tension rifling through him. He’d expected Eva to walk through that door or maybe one of the other nurses. Lena was about the last person he’d figured he would see again tonight. Didn’t she have a hot breaking story to report?
She folded her arms over her chest and stared at him for a long moment. He braced for all hell to break loose.
“You broke my sister’s heart when you left.”
He couldn’t deny the charge. “I won’t offer you an excuse because I don’t have one. I was a coward who didn’t deserve her.”
She looked surprised at his confession “A coward for sure. And a jerk as well as a—”
He held up a hand. “I was all those things, yes. I’ve apologized to Eva.”
Lena threw her head back and laughed. When she finally regained her composure, she said, “I love my sister more than anything else in this world. You hurt her again and I will make you wish you had never come back to Chicago.”
He nodded. “Got it.”
She turned and stepped toward the door. Her hand on the handle, she hesitated a second or two before turning back to him. “Thank you.” She stared at the floor before meeting his gaze once more. “It’s a rare man who would willingly give his life while trying to save another. Whatever you were ten years ago, you’re a good man now. I saw that today.”
A smile spread across his lips. “Thank you. Hearing you say that means a lot.”
She pointed a finger at him. “But I’ll still kick your ass if you hurt her.”
With that she left the room. Kim came in next and bandaged his freshly sutured wound while going over the care instructions the doctor had left.
“There you go, Mr. Christian.” She handed him his discharge papers. “You’re all done.” She sighed. “It’s a little crazy tonight so we had to put Eva to work. She told me to tell you that if you didn’t want to wait she would understand.”
Todd hopped off the table. “I’ll wait.”
Kim flashed him a grin and said, “I thought you might.” With that, she hurried out the door to move on to the next patient.
He’d waited a long time to have Eva back in his
life. What was a few more hours?
West Grace Street Apartments, Midnight
EVA CHECKED HER door one last time. Locked. She pressed her forehead to the cool surface and thought of Mrs. Cackowski’s door across the hall. However longer Eva lived in this building, on this floor, she would never be able to pass that door without thinking of the sweet lady. Eva hoped Miguel Robles died screaming for what he’d done. With Lena’s help the police had identified the murdered woman found in her town house. She had worked at a coffee shop down the street from where Lena lived. Robles’s people had likely chosen her because she and Lena had similar features. Bastards.
Another innocent victim slain for no other reason except to terrify Eva.
But Miguel Robles wasn’t getting away with his heinous deeds anymore. The police had found him with the help of their new informant, thanks to the Colby Agency. Robles had been so certain that his chosen assassin would kill both Eva and Lena, he had personally and boldly tortured Lena with promises that both she and Eva would die today—all as he held her hostage. With the informant’s testimony as well as Lena’s, Robles was done. He would spend the rest of his life in prison.
“I’m starving.”
Eva turned away from the door and smiled at her hero. “If you’ll give me a moment to change, I’ll prepare you the most amazing meal you’ve ever eaten.”
It was the least she could do after he’d saved her life. Her heart squeezed. He’d taken the bullet meant for her. He’d kept her safe and protected her through this entire nightmare. Now he had matching bandages, one on his right shoulder, the other on his left upper arm. Poor guy.
At his skeptical look, she said, “I’ve become quite the chef since college.”
Propped against her kitchen counter, his gorgeous chest bare, he grinned. “Been keeping secrets, have you?”
He’d tossed his shirt at the hospital. She’d been so damn glad the bullet hadn’t caused any real damage she wouldn’t have cared if he’d walked out of there naked. Every female in the vicinity had swooned as he walked by as it was. She’d had to help out with the Saturday night rush for a couple of hours and Todd had stationed himself where he could watch. Every time she glanced at him she saw the hunger in his eyes, but she was pretty sure it had nothing to do with food. Her entire being tingled with anticipation.
“I have,” she confessed. “A woman should always have at least a few secrets.” She headed for the bathroom. “Relax. I’ll only be a minute.”
Shutting herself away in the room that now felt like a closet compared to the bathroom she’d had at the Colby safe house, she stared at herself in the mirror for a long moment. “What’re you doing, Eva?”
She’d insisted on bringing Todd home with her. He shouldn’t be alone. He had been shot after all. But that had been an excuse. This wasn’t about taking care of him for the night or even showing her gratitude for his protection. This was far more.
She wasn’t ready to let him go. When Kim had told her that he intended to wait while Eva helped out, her heart had started to beat so fast she could hardly stay focused on her work. He was here and there were things she needed to say. Before Lena left the hospital tonight she had made Eva promise that she would tell Todd the truth. Apparently her big sister had recognized that truth just watching the two of them together.
You’re still in love with him.
Eva had denied Lena’s accusation. She’d spent the better part of the past decade pretending she hated him. She peeled off her scrub top and shimmied out of the bottom and tossed both aside. She’d changed out of her bloody clothes at the hospital to help out. Sometimes sudden bursts of incoming patients happened like that, especially on the weekends.
Eva drew in a reaffirming breath. Lena was right. Eva did love Todd. She hoped her sister was right about the other as well. Lena was convinced that Todd still loved Eva. Eva wasn’t so sure. Yes, Todd had stepped in front of a bullet for her, but that had been his job.
She thought of the way he touched her. The way he had apologized for leaving, admitting that he’d been afraid he didn’t deserve her.
Maybe he did still care for her. Her mother had sworn he would be back.
“Stop.” Eva shook her head. She was setting herself up for major heartbreak. Time to give it a rest. She would know soon enough how he felt. Frankly she was surprised Lena hadn’t scared him off with her warning. If Eva hadn’t been so busy with patients, she would have headed off that awkward scene.
He’d taken Lena’s scolding and still waited for Eva. That was something. She ran a brush through her hair before going to her closet where she shuffled through the offerings until she found another tee and a pair of lounge pants. What she really needed was a shower, but Todd was hungry and she didn’t want to make him wait.
A knock at her door was followed by, “Hey, I found what I really wanted.”
“Oh yeah?” she asked as he opened the door. Holding the tee and pants to her body as if she needed to hide the fact that she was standing there in panties and a bra, she beamed a smile she hoped covered for the worrisome thoughts nagging at her. “Can’t wait for a decent meal, eh?”
He held up the chocolate frosting as he took a step toward her. “I decided I wanted to go straight to dessert.”
Her skin felt on fire. “You’re an injured man.” She tossed the clothes aside. This was one aspect of their relationship where she had nothing to hide from him. “I’m not sure you’re up for dessert.”
He licked his lips and her nipples stung. “I think I can hold my own.”
She reached behind her and unfastened her bra, letting it fall forward, revealing her breasts before falling into a wisp of lace on the floor. “There are things we need to talk about.”
Another step disappeared between them. Her breath caught. No other man had ever made her wet by just walking toward her. How could she possibly ever deny how much she loved this man? She loved every perfectly sculpted inch of him. His gorgeous body, scars and all. That handsome face. Blue, blue eyes and lips so kissable her mouth ached to taste them. That thick hair she loved running her fingers through.
“What kind of things?” he asked.
And that voice. So deep, it wrapped around her and made her want to close her eyes and fall into the sound.
He stood right in front of her now, waiting for her answer to his question. “Like,” she stammered, “what this is?”
The way he looked at her—as if he intended to devour her rather than the chocolate—she knew she was in trouble.
“This,” he murmured in that steamy, sexy voice as he moved closer and closer, forcing her to step back until he’d backed her all the way to the bed, “is me wanting you so badly I can barely breathe.”
He moved in another step and she dropped onto the bed, scooted out of his reach. He tossed the chocolate onto the covers and climbed onto the bed on all fours, crawling slowly toward her.
“This is us taking back what I let slip away before.” He moved over her, lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her so softly she whimpered with the sweetness of it. “I ran away before because I was afraid.” His lips hovered just centimeters above hers. “I swear to you I’m not afraid anymore. I’m here to stay, if you’ll have me.”
She reached up and nipped at his lips. “I might need a little more convincing.”
He grinned, his lips brushing hers. “Happy to oblige.”
He sat back on his heels and reached for the frosting. He tore open the package and dipped his finger into the luscious chocolate. Slowly, he traced a path down her throat and around her breasts, tipping each nipple with the sweet stuff before dipping down to her belly button. He leaned down and traced that path with his tongue. It was all she could do to bear the exquisite torture. She shivered and moaned, reminding herself to breathe as her fingers fisted in the covers.
He moved slowly, savoring the chocolate as
he went. Then he made a new path, this one right down to the waistband of her lacy panties. He dragged the strappy lace down her legs and off before crawling back up her body until he reached her belly button. As he teased her belly button with his mouth, he stroked her inner thighs with his fingers, tortured her clitoris, pushing her beyond her limits.
By the time he reached for his fly she was writhing with need. “Hurry,” she whispered.
She helped him push his jeans down his lean hips and then guide himself into her. With her legs locked around his, she closed her eyes and melted with the feel of him filling her body so completely.
He kissed her cheek, tracing a path to her ear as he held his body too damn still. “I love you, Eva,” he whispered.
She stared into his eyes, trailing her fingers down his sinewy torso and wrapped her arms around his waist. “I love you, Todd.”
The rest of what they had to say, they said with their bodies.
Chapter Fifteen
Sunday, May 13, 9:00 a.m.
Victoria sipped her hot tea and smiled. Her husband was doing what he always did on Sunday morning: reading the newspaper while his second cup of coffee cooled. She and Lucas Camp had been friends for most of their lives, husband and wife for a good number of years now.
When she studied him like this, she wondered how it was possible to love him more each day, but she did. Ten or so years ago they had decided to retire. They’d even moved to the warmer climate of Texas and pretended to relax for a while. But that hadn’t worked out so well. The Colby Agency was too much a part of the fabric of their lives. Cold, windy Chicago was as well. Their children and grandchildren were here. The worst tragedies of their lives as well as the happiest days of their lives had all played out right here. After only a few months away they had made a mutual decision to return and to never again leave their beloved home.