Red Zone

by Sherri Hayes

  “We need to go over a few things, Mr. Daniels,” she declared, taking a seat opposite him.

  Sighing, he pushed his plate away, leaned back, and crossed his arms. “I’m all yours,” he said with a smirk.

  She ignored his remark and turned her attention to a note pad she’d laid down on the table in front of her. Holding a pen in her right hand, she asked, “Do you have any idea who might be sending these pictures to you?”

  That got his attention and wiped the smile off his face. “What?” he asked, sitting up straight in his chair.

  “In my experience, and statistically speaking, whoever is stalking you is someone you know. It could be someone you’ve only met once, or it could be a person you have regular contact with. From what I’ve seen, this person knows your personal schedule, at least to an extent.”

  “That doesn’t mean I know them.”

  She nodded, but it was detached, like she was humoring him. “That may well be, Mr. Daniels, but we need to cover all our bases. Shall we start?” she asked, her lips pulled tight. He wanted to reach across the table and smooth them with the pad of his thumb until they relaxed, becoming full and kissable again. At the moment, she looked too much like one of his school principals. It wasn’t a pleasant picture. He sat watching her, not moving, not speaking. She raised her gaze to meet his across the table. “Mr. Daniels?”

  That brought him back to the here and now. He hated when she called him that. “First, you are going to stop calling me Mr. Daniels. That’s my father.”

  “I don’t think it’s appropriate—”

  “I’m not real concerned what you think is appropriate or not, beautiful,” he said, cutting her off. “You’re in my life, my house, for the next however-many days . . . weeks . . . months . . . and I refuse to have you going around calling me Mr. Daniels the entire time. Either you start calling me by my first name, or this conversation is going to be a very short one. Your call.”

  She stared back at him, not shrinking from his gaze. Her back was ramrod straight, her posture perfect. He could see the wheels turning in her head as she analyzed the situation.

  There was too much he had to accept, too many times he had to go along with the flow. Maybe it was silly to insist on her calling him by his first name, but it bugged him when she pulled out the Mr. Daniels. She was intentionally distancing herself, and he wasn’t going to let her do that. He had plans for her, and her keeping him at arm’s length didn’t fit into those plans.

  “Very well,” she finally replied.

  He smiled, leaning back casually in his chair again.

  “Can we get started then?”

  “Sure,” he nodded. “Just as soon as I hear you say my name.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “You heard me, beautiful. Ask me again, but say my name this time.”

  Her jaw flexed, and Gage wondered if she were gritting her teeth to keep from leaping over the table at him. That would be something he’d like to see. It would give him an excuse to get his hands on her again.

  With a deep exaggerated breath, and a forced smile, she asked, “Is there anyone who comes to mind . . . Gage?”

  He almost missed the slight pause before she’d said his name. Almost. Knowing how difficult it was for her to force his name from her lips caused him a little thrill of satisfaction. She was stubborn, but so was he. One way or another, he was determined to get through that tough exterior of hers.

  “Not really,” he answered dismissively.

  She let out a frustrated sigh. “All that and all you give me is not really?”

  “You asked a question. I answered. I’m not sure what you’re so irritated about.”

  “I can’t help you if you don’t work with me Mr. . . . Gage,” she said, correcting herself.

  “I never asked for your help,” he stated, leaning forward, elbows on the table.

  “You like someone stalking you?” she asked incredulously.

  “No,” he said, “but it’s just letters and pictures. I get my picture taken all the time. It’s disturbing, yes, but they haven’t done anything except be annoying.”

  Her lip disappeared behind her teeth for a second before she answered. “Although nothing has happened yet, that doesn’t mean it won’t. This person has invested a lot of time following you, taking pictures, sending letters. They obviously aren’t getting what they want. It’s only a matter of time before things escalate.”

  It took effort for Rebecca not to tell him about the explosives that were found under his SUV. She didn’t agree with Donovan. Daniels had every right to know someone had tried to cause him bodily harm. Unfortunately, it wasn’t her call. At least not yet. Her experience, however, told her that if a person was willing to go to that sort of trouble once, he or she would likely do it again. It was only a matter of time before this stalker of his upped the ante.

  The next two hours were a test of her patience. Every time she’d try to prod him for a name, he’d dig in his heels. She had to pry every single name out of him. Over the years, she’d dealt with difficult witnesses, but it was rare the person who was being wronged was the one she had to grill for answers.

  She did learn one very important thing during the process. Gage Daniels was about as loyal as they came. Most people would throw out names of anyone who had ever said a crass word to them or looked at them in a less-than-friendly manner. Daniels wasn’t like that. Even when she got him to admit to a teammate being upset with him for hitting on his little sister, Daniels insisted there was nothing there, that Kelly wouldn’t do that. She wrote his name down anyway.

  At the end of the two hours, she had twelve names on her list, and she wasn’t willing to bet on any of them being their guy. And although this man got under her skin, he didn’t appear to have that problem with his teammates. From what she’d observed over the weekend, everyone was friendly or at least professional.

  As the vastness of the situation sank in, her stomach churned. She was hungry. That was it. She’d been so anxious to get started on the list, she’d forgotten all about breakfast. Yes, of course. Food. That’s what she needed. The unsettled feeling in the pit of her belly had nothing to do with realizing this job could last for much longer than she’d originally planned.

  Gage all but ran to the door when the doorbell rang a little before noon. He opened it to find Charlie on the other side, arms full of bags. “Perfect timing.”

  “You should know by now that I’m always punctual,” Charlie said cheerfully as he nearly glided into the main room. When his gaze landed on Rebecca, he frowned. “Looks like I’ve come just in time.”

  “Yes, you have. We’re going out tonight, and she’s going to need something to wear.”

  “Have no fear. Charlie’s on the job.”

  Five minutes later, they were up in Rebecca’s bedroom. Charlie was holding up outfits again, this time with everything in her size, and she was shaking her head. “I can’t wear these.”

  Charlie was offended. “And why not? These are perfect for you. They fit your body type and will look absolutely stunning.”

  “You’re my girlfriend,” Gage reminded her. “You need to have something decent to wear.”

  She scowled, first at him, then the clothes. “Fine.” Grabbing the outfit Charlie was currently holding, she marched into her bathroom, closing the door with a little more force than necessary. He also heard the lock click, which caused him to chuckle.

  In less time than he thought possible, she reemerged from the bathroom wearing a dress that did amazing things to her body. It wasn’t over-the-top flashy, nor was it revealing in the extreme. It was dark red with a square neckline that dipped just low enough to tease. He wanted to bury his face right in between her breasts.

  Feeling a little uncomfortable below his waist, he let his gaze drift over the rest of her. That didn’t help. The dress hugged her waist and then floated down to where it ended halfway down her thighs. Below that her legs were bare, leading to a pair of black strap
py heels. Thoughts of her wrapping her legs around his waist filled his mind. Automatically, he took a step toward her.

  “I can’t wear this,” she said, stopping him in his tracks.

  He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. This was getting ridiculous. No woman had ever done this to him before. He wasn’t even sure what it was she was doing exactly. Whatever it was, he was very glad for her interruption or else he may have ended up making a fool out of himself in front of Charlie.

  “What’s wrong with it?” Gage asked. “I think it looks good on you.” That was an understatement.

  “Yes, what’s wrong?” Charlie chimed in. “It’s perfect.” Then he walked over to her and hesitantly began adjusting the top, revealing a little more of her breasts. That was the last thing Gage needed. “There,” Charlie said, as if declaring victory.

  Rebecca’s brow furrowed, and her lip disappeared behind her teeth for just a second before reappearing again. It was the second time that day he’d noticed her doing that, and both times, it was clear she was uncomfortable. Interesting, he thought. He was learning her tells. That would be helpful.

  Charlie had her try on a few more outfits before saying good-bye. By that point, they were running late, so Gage sent a text to Mel letting him know they would be there in twenty minutes.

  His manager was big on punctuality. It wasn’t something Gage excelled in outside football, but given his star status, they’d come to an agreement of sorts. Mel accepted that he would almost always be late as long as Gage agreed to acknowledge he was going to be tardy by texting him exactly how late he’d be. It was a weird sort of compromise, but it worked.

  “Tell me about your manager.” She prompted him once they were in the car.

  “There’s not much to tell. He took me on right out of college, negotiates my football contracts and any promotional stuff I do.”

  “Does he have any dealings in your personal life?”

  He frowned. “No. Not really. I mean, he’s met my parents a couple of times when they’ve been in town.”

  She nodded. “You haven’t told him who I am, correct?”

  “No one knows who you really are except for Tim, beautiful. I was under the impression you wanted to keep it that way.”

  “I do,” she said quickly. “I mean, we do. The fewer people who know who I am, the better.”

  “So this is going to be the real test of you being my girlfriend.”

  “Yes,” she said stiffly.

  He smiled. “Just remember that,” he said as he turned into the small parking lot that held Mel’s office.

  Mel’s office wasn’t what Rebecca would call extravagant, but it was nice. The furnishings were newish and modern. It was comfortable.

  She stood in the lobby with Daniels while the receptionist went to get Melvin—Mel—Maxwell. When the young woman saw them walk through the door, she was up and out of her seat long before they’d crossed the small lobby. She offered them something to drink, which he refused. Seconds later, she disappeared behind a set of double doors.

  The doors began to open, and she heard Daniels whisper, “Here we go,” before grabbing her hand and taking a step forward.

  She didn’t have time to respond to his sudden gesture before an older man, maybe in his fifties or sixties, stepped from behind the door.

  “Gage! You made it.” The man smiled, reaching for Daniels’s hand. Then his gaze fell on her. “And who do we have here?”

  “Mel, I’d like for you to meet my girlfriend, Rebecca Carson. Rebecca, this is my manager, Mel.”

  “I didn’t know you had a girlfriend. When did this happen?” he asked, clearly looking her over.

  “It’s new.”

  “Yes, well . . .” Mel said, ushering them through the double doors and into a nice-size office. “It’s nice to meet you.” He pointed to the two chairs across from his desk while sitting behind his own.

  The man seemed to stare a little longer than was normal. Then again, maybe it was normal. Rebecca wasn’t used to wearing these types of clothes.

  Daniels had insisted she wear something Charlie brought over. She’d selected one of the most conservative outfits—a pair of dark blue jeans and a light blue sweater. The jeans were comfortable enough, but they were too tight. They showed off her curves.

  Of course, the sweater didn’t help. It ended right where the jeans began, accenting her waist. Add to that its clinging to her breasts making her want to continually pull it away from her skin, and she was highly uncomfortable. The suits she wore were fashionable for her chosen profession. They fitted her well but were tailored to show her status as a government agent rather than attract a member of the opposite sex.

  Like it or not, this was part of the job, and she refused to feel out of place because of clothing. Straightening her spine, Rebecca sat up in her chair and looked the agent in the eye.

  Maxwell blushed and turned his attention to Daniels. “I had a few things cross my desk this weekend that I wanted you to take a look at.”

  He handed over three folders, which Daniels took. She tried not to be nosy but figured it would look strange if she didn’t appear the least bit interested. He was supposed to be her boyfriend after all.

  Gage frowned. “Cookies?”

  “What’s wrong with cookies? You like them. I’ve seen you.”

  “Liking them and wanting to promote them are two different things.”

  “What about the other two?” his manager asked.

  “Shoes? Okay. I can see that. But jeans? I don’t know, Mel. That underwear shoot was too much. I’m a quarterback, not a model.”

  Maxwell seemed frustrated with Daniels’s response. “Gage, you’ve got to think about your future here. This is the time for you to capitalize on opportunities, make money. You can’t play football forever. You and I both know you have ten more years, tops. You can’t allow . . . distractions to cloud your judgment.” Rebecca didn’t miss that Maxwell’s gaze drifted to her.

  “This isn’t about distractions, Mel. You know that interview you set up for me after the underwear shoot? The woman was all over me. I just don’t think modeling is the direction I want to go.”

  Again, Maxwell looked at her. “Okay. Fine. I’ll tell them no on the jeans. What about the cookies, though? You do like cookies.”

  “I’ll think about it.”

  Maxwell sighed. “Okay. I guess that’s about as good as I’m going to get out of you for now.”

  “Anything else?” Daniels asked.

  “No. I think we’re good. I’ll send the contract to you for the shoes when it’s ready.”

  Daniels nodded and stood. She followed suit, and so did Maxwell.

  He walked around his desk, straight for her, and held out his hand. “Again, it was very nice to meet you, Rebecca. If you’re Gage’s girl, then I’m sure we’ll be seeing a lot of each other.”

  “It was nice to meet you as well, Mr. Maxwell.”

  “Mel.”

  She nodded once.

  There was a soft, warm pressure at her back as Daniels’s hand gently guided her toward the door. “You did well,” he whispered as they walked back out into the lobby.

  “Of course I did,” she said. “I am a professional, after all.”

  She said it with complete sincerity. So when Daniels burst out laughing, she was puzzled. Then, as the reality of what she’d said set in, Rebecca blushed, wishing she could bury her head in the sand and hide. Why did she have to say something so embarrassing, and why in front of him?

  Chapter 8

  As soon as they arrived back at the house, Rebecca raced up the stairs. All she wanted to do was lock herself in her room and never come out. How was she going to face him again? The entire ride home, he’d continued to chuckle at her verbal slip. What surprised her, however, was that he didn’t goad her. She’d expected he would, given his personality.

  Once safely in her room, Rebecca pulled out her laptop. She needed a distraction, and work was always a good
option. Sitting at the small desk in the corner, she logged in and pulled up her e-mail account. Ignoring everything in her inbox, she opened a new window and typed the list of names she and Daniels had put together that morning, and sent it off to Hansen.

  After hitting send, she scanned the rest of her mail. Most of it was the usual spam, but there was one from her sister. There was no subject, but that wasn’t unusual. She clicked on the message to open it, and the screen filled with pictures. In every one of them, her sister was laughing or smiling. She was alone in a few, but in most she was surrounded by a group of people Rebecca had never met.

  Her sister, Megan, was a carefree spirit, much like their mom. She knew how to let her hair down and have fun. Responsibility took a backseat to the latest thrill. Also, just like their mom, Megan had horrible taste in men. She always fell for the deadbeats, and in the end, they broke her heart. So while Rebecca was happy for her sister, she knew it was only a matter of time before the smiles turned into tears. That was just the way things worked.

  Rebecca had no idea how long she sat and stared at the e-mail. She was lost in memories of Megan. It had been over six months since she’d last seen her. Rebecca could only hope her little sister was staying safe.

  Eventually, Rebecca got up and went into her bathroom to splash some water on her face. She needed to go back downstairs and face Daniels. No matter what embarrassing thing she’d said, she still had a job to do. Never in her life had she been a coward, and she wasn’t going to start.

  After adjusting her ponytail and her clothes, she marched to her bedroom door. Unfortunately, her grand plans to sweep down the stairs and act as if nothing had ever happened changed the moment she opened the door and found him standing on the other side, hand poised to knock.

  “Well hello,” he said. His gaze traveled up and down her body slowly. It almost felt as if he could see beneath her clothes. In reaction, she felt herself suddenly becoming very warm.

  “Hi.” Her voice didn’t come out nearly as confident as she’d meant for it to, so she tried again. “I was just coming to find you.”