"No boyfriend. No friends who run with me. I like to run alone." As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she kicked herself. Why had she told him she didn't have a boyfriend? Why hadn't she left it at 'I like to run alone'?
He'd shaken her. Scared her. She didn't think before she spoke.
Those were the only reasons.
Right.
"Alone might not be smart right now, Marini."
He'd called her Livvy a few minutes ago. "I have brand new pepper spray." She wiggled the canister. "I'll be fine."
One side of his mouth curled up. "You said you'd never used that stuff."
"No. Thank God."
"Make sure you're downwind so you don't spray yourself. Kind of hard to fight off an attacker if you're wheezing, coughing and crying."
"Wow." She opened her eyes wide. "I never thought of that. Don't spray yourself. You're a genius, Ward."
"Yeah, go ahead and make fun." One side of his mouth twitched. "Just don't expect me to flush out your eyes and wipe the snot off your face when you get blasted by your own pepper."
The picture he painted was shockingly intimate – Ward holding her hair back. Rinsing off her face with warm water. Handing her tissues to wipe away the mucous and tears.
Because the images stirred a yearning that buzzed through her like fire, she retorted, "Don't worry. I'll call a friend if I need help in the personal care department."
The softness in his expression vanished. The smile disappeared from his eyes. Once again, he was the closed off, guarded man who'd stormed into her office. "Glad to know you have it covered, Marini."
He shoved away from the table. "You gonna call me tomorrow? Tell me what Jerry Williams had to say?"
"I will," she said. She drank the last of her cold, bitter coffee. "I'll call tomorrow evening." She couldn't resist adding, "After my run."
He stared at her for a long moment, then nodded. "Talk to you tomorrow night."
* * *
Livvy's gaze swept the street in front of her as she ran. Back and forth from cars to trees to the recessed doorways of houses and apartments. She'd been jumpy since she'd walked out of her apartment three blocks back.
Every swaying shadow made her falter. Every rustle of a small animal in the leaves on the ground made her jump. She'd cataloged every car parked along the street, looking for a small black car.
A block before she reached Lake Shore Drive, she spotted a man sitting in a black car parked at the curb. A Toyota, she was pretty sure. A small one. The driver didn't look up as she ran past, but a chill ran down her spine.
Matte hood. Not glossy.
She glanced over her shoulder and saw the Toyota pulling away from the curb. She ran a little faster.
When she reached the ramp to the tunnel, she turned and ran backward for a moment. Her shoulders relaxed when the black car turned the other way. She watched until he disappeared from sight.
After one final sweep, seeing no one else, she turned and headed down the sloping ramp.
She'd always thought the green lights illuminating the tunnel were quirky. A charming throwback to the previous century. Tonight, they cast eerie, quivering shadows on the graffiti-covered walls. The flickering green looked ominous. Threatening.
She took a deep breath and ran a little faster. Burst onto the ramp on the other side as if she'd been shot out of a gun.
She slowed at the top and studied the almost empty parking lot on Recreation Drive. A couple ran on the adjoining path, far to her right, heading toward the Loop. Another man jogged equally far away on her left. Heading her way.
No one else.
She swallowed the copper tang of dread and jogged over toward the path. She turned right, heading toward downtown. There would be more people that way. There always were, the closer you got to the Loop.
It was cold tonight, with a sharp, biting wind off the lake. It made her ears burn and her nose numb. She pulled the sleeves of her running jacket over her fists, clutching a fold of fabric. No wonder no one was running tonight.
She could be at home, watching television or reading the book she'd started a few nights ago. But no. She was out in the cold, deserted night, being a stubborn idiot. Refusing to let Ryan Ward scare her away from her favorite running path.
In the distance, she heard the faint sound of feet behind her. Had to be the man she'd noticed before she got on the path. As she ran along, she felt some of her anxiety melting away. The rhythmic sound of the waves slapping the sand far ahead of her soothed her. So did the crash of whitecaps breaking over the rocks to her left.
As the rocks transitioned into sand, she heard the footsteps again. Closer.
The couple in front of her were two shadows in the distance. They'd never hear her scream over the roar of the lake.
Picking up the pace, she glanced over her shoulder. The man was alarmingly close. A dark hoodie cast his entire face in shadow. His dark pants blended with the night. His light shoes only emphasized how dark the night was next to the lake.
His mouth opened. He was calling to her. She stumbled over a rock on the path and flailed for a moment as a sharp pain stabbed through the sole of her foot. She hopped on one foot until she recovered her balance. Ignoring the pain in her foot, she began sprinting.
She ran flat out, searching frantically for a place to hide. But there was nothing but sand, rocks and water. No crannies to curl herself into. No buildings with warm, welcoming lights.
Just the path, unspooling into the darkness.
He was closer. His feet slapped the ground behind her, the sound now audible over the noise from the restless lake.
Her hands shook as she tried to unzip her pocket. The zipper caught on the fabric. Refused to move. She shoved two fingers through the tiny opening. Barely grabbed the canister of pepper spray. Why hadn't she kept the stupid thing in her hand? What good was it going to do in her damn pocket?
She almost had the slippery vial in her palm when her fingers, wet with sweat even in the cold air, lost their grasp. The pepper spray fell to the asphalt and rolled into the grass at the edge of the path.
Livvy reached for it as she ran. Missed. The man was almost on top of her. She stopped. Wrapped her fingers around the spray. Picked it up. Whirled to face him, her arm extended. Her finger trembled on the trigger, waiting for him to get close enough.
Her finger was pressing on the trigger, ready to release a stream into his face, when he reached out and snatched the vial from her hand.
Chapter 6
"What the hell is wrong with you, Marini?" Ryan Ward scraped the hood away from his face and glowered at her. "Shoving pepper spray in my face?"
Livvy sagged against a tree next to the path, her shaking legs unable to hold her weight. "Ward?" Trembling, she stared at his scowling face. "Why were you chasing me?" Rough bark dug into her back. Her heart thundered in her chest, so loud in her ears she was sure Ward could hear it.
Resting her hands on her knees, she bent over to ease the stitch in her side. Her breath sawed in and out, the cold air burning her lungs.
She felt him towering over her. Too close. The scent of his aftershave and the wild, misty smell of the lake surrounded her, mixed with the tang of clean sweat.
His fists were at her eye level. One of them clutched her vial of pepper spray. His own ragged breathing sent puffs of condensation into the air.
She closed her eyes, blocking out the sight of Ward. Her pepper spray, so useless when she'd needed it.
She'd been defenseless. If he had been someone who wanted to hurt her, she would have been completely at his mercy.
Oh, she'd have tried to fend him off. She'd have kicked. Scratched. Screamed. Tried to knee him in the balls. But he was so much bigger than her. So much stronger. He would have squashed her like a mosquito.
Her throat closed and tears trickled down her face. Mortified, she sank to the ground, buried her head in her knees. The cold from the dirt seeped into her bones and the fabric of her running pants
slowly dampened with her tears.
Ward's running shoes gleamed in the darkness. He stood in front of her, completely motionless. Why wouldn't he leave?
"Go away," she said, her voice thick. "Keep running."
He squatted in front of her. "Marini."
She held her breath, hoping he'd stand up again. Leave her alone with her tears.
"Livvy." His voice shivered over her as his hand dusted her shoulder, fingertips skimming the fabric of her jacket. As if he expected her to shrug him off.
Yesterday, she would have. Today, she let out a wobbly sigh. "You scared me," she whispered.
"I know. I'm sorry." His hand settled on her shoulder. Warm. Heavy. Comforting.
Wiping her wet cheeks on her legs, she lifted her head. His breath fluttered over her face and lifted the fine strands of hair at her temple. He tucked them behind her ear with a hand that shook.
"Can you stand up?"
She swallowed the snarky words that formed in her mouth. They stuck to the lump in her throat, making it bigger. Suffocating her.
Ward took his hand off her shoulder, and she wanted it back. She opened her mouth to ask him to touch her again. Bit off the words before they could escape.
He gripped her upper arms with both hands and pulled her to her feet. She swayed a little, and he cautiously folded her against him. Wrapped his arms around her and held her lightly. Careful not to press.
She would never have imagined Ryan Ward could be gentle. So comforting. But the pressure of his arms on her back was reassuring. Calming. As if he'd protect her from the world. She burrowed into him like a small animal searching for shelter.
Her head fit perfectly into the hollow between his shoulder and his neck, and she inhaled the drying sweat and gingery soap scent of his skin. The faint aroma of fabric softener wafted up from his clothes.
Ordinary, mundane smells. Everyday smells. Somehow, they settled her. Along with the weight of his arms tightening around her. Holding her solidly against him.
Finally, after they'd stood pressed together at the side of the path for way too long, she eased away from him. For a split second his arms tightened around her, as if he didn't want to let her go.
The next moment he stood two feet away. Out of her reach.
"I wasn't running away from you." Her voice was scratchy with tears, but she forced the words out. It was important he realize that. "I couldn't see who was chasing me. The hoodie hid your face."
"I figured that out when I got close enough to see your expression. I know you're not a big fan, but I didn't think I'd terrify you." He tried to smile but it slid away. He turned his head, as if checking the path. "Think you can walk home?"
She drew in a deep, shuddering breath. Time to pull herself together. "Of course I can walk home. Now that some goon isn't chasing me."
The goon's shoulders relaxed. Not completely. But enough to reassure her that Ward knew she was kidding.
"Okay. Let's go."
* * *
Ryan walked beside Livvy, glancing at her every few seconds. She'd stopped crying, but the streaks of dried tears on her face were silvery in the moonlight.
What kind of an idiot chased a woman on a deserted running path? When she couldn't see him clearly?
The kind who'd been terrified of who else might be waiting for her along that path. His intentions had been good, but he deserved to have his ass kicked into the middle of next week.
He shoved his hands into his pockets and found the smooth cylinder of pepper spray he'd taken from her. God! She hadn't even been able to get the damn stuff out of her pocket tonight. If he'd been someone intent on hurting her, she would have been toast.
Clamping the vial in his fist so tight it made his palm hurt, he pulled it out and shoved it at her. "Next time you're running, keep it in your hand."
She took it from him, her fingers cold where they brushed his palm. She stared at the small cylinder as they walked, turning it over and over in her hand. Then she slipped it into her pocket. "Don't think I'll be running at night for a while."
"I don't care when you run. Make sure it's in your hand. It doesn’t do squat in your pocket."
"Yeah." She tried to smile, but her mouth trembled. "I already figured that out."
Guilt washed over him in a shuddering wave. "Look, Marini, I'm so…"
"Stop," she said, slapping her hand over his mouth.
They stumbled to a halt and stared at one another for a long moment. Her gaze held his, and he wanted to press his mouth to her palm. Taste her.
Before he could act on his reckless, dangerous impulse, she dropped her hand and stepped back. "You've already apologized," she finally said. "Let's get away from here before we talk."
She shivered, and he realized she was cold. "You want my jacket?" he asked.
She stumbled to a halt. "You're offering me your jacket?"
He rolled his shoulders, shamed by the surprise in her eyes. Why wouldn’t she be shocked at his offer? He'd been a total asshole to her. "You're cold."
"Thank you," she said. Her voice trembled, but it was soft with gratitude. With another emotion he wouldn't name. She touched his arm. "That's very sweet of you, but I can't take your jacket. You'd be really cold if I did."
"I can handle it." He cleared his throat, ashamed all over again by the wobble in her voice. "You don't have much meat on your bones."
"I'm tougher than I look."
Yeah, she had been. Until he'd scared the crap out of her.
"How about we share it?" he said, shrugging one arm out of its sleeve. He wrapped the soft, worn material around her shoulders, pulling her tight against his body. "That better?"
Livvy curled her fingers into the fabric as she leaned against him. "Yes. Thank you." The quiet whisper of her voice floated up to him. Her body continued to tremble, though. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer. Now she was plastered against him from hip to shoulder.
Her shivering slowed, then stopped. By the time they reached Waveland Avenue, all the tension had drained from her body. She huddled against him as if they walked together like this all the time.
Holding her as she'd regained her balance had affected him more than he'd expected. The moment had been tender. Powerful. Amazing. And he'd wanted to keep holding her.
Now, as she relaxed into him, the sensation of her fit, slender body tucked into his side roused all his protective instincts. Seeing such a strong woman fall apart had shaken him. Shocked him.
He drew her closer to his side.
She melted into him.
He could have walked with her snuggled against him forever. But when they reached the sidewalk on Waveland and walked past the New York building on their left, she slowed, then stopped.
Her fingers whitened on his jacket, and she stared at the skyscraper.
She shifted to look at him, still pressed against his side. The soft weight of her breasts brushed against him, making every muscle in his body tense.
Some more than others.
"I used to live there," she said, nodding at the tall building. "I moved a month ago. Haven't gotten around to changing the address on my driver's license."
It was hard to think with all his blood rushing south. "What are you saying?"
She gripped his tee shirt in her fist. Her knuckles brushed against his abdomen, and he had to stifle a groan. "If I still lived there, I wouldn't have seen the car parked on Waveland. The same car that followed us away from Freddie Sampson's place. I would have walked down the driveway in front of the building right to the underpass. But the guy in the car would have seen me."
The haze of lust vanished as if he'd been drenched with ice water. His arm tightened around her and he pulled her closer. "That same black car was parked on Waveland? You walked right past it?"
She nodded, staring at the darkened street beside the high rise. "What if it had been him chasing me instead of you?" she whispered. Her breath shuddered out as she studied the dark street next to
the high rise.
"Don't think about it," he said. "It wasn't him."
The possibility made ice form in his veins. What if he hadn't been out there tonight, waiting for her? "So far, all they've done is watch."
"They?" Her voice sharpened.
"I told you about the silver car that followed me when I left your office the other day. Honda Civic." He swallowed, wondering if it had followed Livvy, as well. "Haven't seen him since, though."
"Did you run the plate? Find out who it was?"
"No." He hugged her close as they began walking again. "The license plate was smeared with mud. Couldn't read it."
She was silent until they rounded the corner of her street. "This is getting creepy," she said, gripping his shirt more tightly. She hadn't let go of him since they started walking again.
She could hold onto him for as long as she wanted.
"Yeah," he said when he realized she was waiting for him to respond. "Looks like talking to Freddie Sampson opened a can of worms."
"And Jerry Williams, too," she added.
"He have anything to say today?"
"Not a word." When she shook her head, a few strands of hair got loose and scraped across his face. They caught in his scruff, wrapped around his face and clung. He let them linger for a moment before brushing them away. "As soon as he heard Bates' name, he stood up and walked out of the room."
"Are you talking to Carl Philby tomorrow?" His was the third name he'd given her.
"Yeah. Brendan's bringing him in."
"Maybe you'll get something out of him. Carl has always been easy to pressure. Threaten him with some jail time, and he'll fold like a house of cards. Tell you what he knows."
"I'll give it a try. I'll wear my power suit." The smile in her voice made him press his fingers into her waist. The muscles of her belly jumped beneath his hand, and she sucked in a breath.
Maybe he wasn't the only one enjoying this closeness.
She slowed as they reached an older brick two flat. She fumbled for her keys in a tiny pocket hidden in the waistband of her running pants. A flash of pale skin at her abdomen, quickly hidden as she dropped her shirt, made him swallow as she opened the outer door and fumbled with the lock on the inner one. When he didn't join her, she turned and frowned at him.
Save Me Page 5