“Why do I have to lie anyway?”
“It comes in handy,” he said. “Being able to make someone believe a lie can save your life.”
I was turning this over in my mind when he added with a wicked grin, “And get you laid.”
I went to smack him on the arm again, but he moved out of my reach.
“I’m the bad guy, princess. Catch me.”
And just like that, he took off.
“Shit,” I muttered miserably before putting on a burst of speed myself.
I ran as fast as I could through the streets, now starting to glow with the light of dawn. I knew I was never going to catch him, his legs were too long and he was just too fast. He rounded a corner up ahead and I abruptly changed direction, heading off to my right.
I ran harder, cutting through empty yards and a parking lot. Tearing around the edge of a building, I raced down an alleyway, only to find a chain-link fence blocking the end.
I quickly spotted a Dumpster shoved into the corner. Wrinkling my nose in distaste, I climbed up on top of it, hunched down, and waited.
Sure enough, about five seconds later, Kade came running down the street. He had slowed down quite a bit and was looking over his shoulder, no doubt wondering where I’d gone. I waited…
Now!
I jumped, hurtling through the air. He looked up, but not in time to get out of the way. The breath rushed out of his lungs when I tackled him, and we both went crashing to the ground.
Pressing my advantage of surprise, I climbed on top of him, grinning in glee at my victory.
“Caught you!” I said. “Betcha thought I couldn’t do it, right?”
In a flash, Kade had flipped me over onto my back, straddling me and holding my wrists prisoner above my head.
“And what exactly were you planning to do with me once you’d caught me?” he asked, his voice a sibilant whisper in my ear.
I heard the words but couldn’t concentrate enough to reply. I could smell the musky aroma of his sweat and feel the press of his thighs against my hips. His face was inches away, his blue eyes locked on mine. My breath was coming in pants, my chest heaving, and time seemed to stand still. His gaze drifted down to my mouth.
“What the hell? What’s going on here? Get off her!”
The shouting broke my trance and I jerked my head around to see a heavyset middle-aged man hurrying toward us. He was carrying a bat. I squirmed frantically and Kade leisurely got to his feet.
“I’m okay.” I forestalled the would-be rescuer, jumping up. “I’m fine.”
The man halted. “Are you sure?”
I nodded. “Absolutely. I just… fell… and he was helping me.”
The man snorted in disbelief, but turned and walked back in the direction he’d come from.
I could feel Kade’s eyes on me, but I avoided looking at him. I nervously readjusted my ponytail, which had come loose in our tussle.
“Let’s go,” Kade said, and he broke into an easy jog.
I hurried to catch up to him and we ran back to my apartment in silence.
“Meet me at the gym at six o’clock tonight,” Kade said, glancing at his watch. His breathing was deep and controlled, whereas the sound of my sucking air into my lungs would have embarrassed me if I hadn’t felt like I was going to throw up any minute. I clutched at a stitch in my side.
Kade lifted an eyebrow, his mouth twisting in amusement. My eyes narrowed, daring him to say a word.
“Six o’clock,” he said again.
I nodded to show I’d gotten the message and watched as he slid into his black Mercedes. In a few moments, he was gone.
Lugging my aching body back into my apartment, I collapsed flat out on the floor and groaned. Tigger seemed to think that was an invitation to cuddle. He was stretched out next to me in short order, his loud purr vibrating against my side. I halfheartedly patted his marmalade fur, too exhausted to raise my arm for a proper petting.
The only thing that got me off the floor was the thought of a hot shower and coffee.
I whiled away the afternoon doing laundry, making lunch, and trying to pick a practice lock Kade had given me. It was a difficult task and I grew frustrated quickly. When the lock finally tumbled and opened, I crowed with delight.
“Only took”—I glanced at the clock above my television—“an hour and a half.”
I sighed. Well, Kade had never said this would be an easy job.
Speaking of which, it was time to go to the gym. When I’d imagined a gym before, it was with vague thoughts of a place filled with exercise machines, maybe a pool, weights, stuff like that. That wasn’t the kind of gym Kade sent me to.
This dingy place wasn’t in a great part of town, and considering where I lived, that was saying something. The fading sign over the door outside read Danny’s Gym. Inside, the usual smell of sweat and linoleum hit me, though it wasn’t entirely unpleasant; the gym was kept immaculately clean. There were free weights and weight sets over in one corner, and heavy punching bags along the wall. The center of the room was dominated by a large boxing ring.
Today, the gym was nearly empty save for the owner, Danny, the Marine who had been training me. A head taller than me and sporting a crew cut, he stood with his arms crossed over his massive T-shirt-clad chest, watching two people in the ring.
I frowned as I got closer, studying the figures. Then my eyes flew open wide in surprise.
Kade and Branna were sparring.
They circled each other, Kade barefoot and dressed only in gray sweatpants that clung to his hips and thighs. His hands were taped as though he’d been boxing.
Branna was wearing formfitting black yoga pants and a black tank top. Her long, nearly black hair was tied back in a French braid. I felt dowdy in my shorts and T-shirt, my hair in a ponytail.
I hadn’t seen Branna since Chicago, when Kade and I had infiltrated a data center and she had hacked into the security cameras. Kade had told me that he and Branna had shared a foster home, that she had been abused as a child and he had done what he could to stop it.
I didn’t want to feel anything for her—she barely tolerated me. I’d known the moment she first looked at Kade in Chicago that she was in love with him. But the knowledge of her past raised a reluctant sympathy in me, though she would hate me even more if she knew those thoughts were going through my head.
Kade made his move. He was fast and I held my breath. Branna was a small, delicate-looking woman, but she dodged him, pivoting on her toes. He snagged her arm, but she easily twisted away, doing something to his hand that made him wince. They moved again, grappling, and I was sure he was going to hurt her. Then suddenly Branna grasped his arm, used his momentum to twist him… and a moment later, Kade was flat on his back. My jaw dropped in astonishment.
Beside me, Danny clapped. “Nice one,” he said.
Kade groaned, accepting Branna’s outstretched hand as he got to his feet. “I’m getting too old for this,” he groused.
She laughed lightly. “Don’t be ridiculous.” I could hear the slight trace of her Irish accent. “I’m just better than you are.”
He rolled his eyes at this, then spotted me. “Perfect timing,” he called out.
Branna turned to see who Kade was talking to, and I could almost feel the temperature drop ten degrees when she saw me.
“What’s she doing here?” Her voice held none of the warmth from when she’d teased Kade. It seemed she was no fonder of me now than she had been in Chicago.
Kade gave her a sharp glance. “She’s here to train.”
He climbed out of the ring and made his way over to Danny and me. Branna remained where she was.
“Make sure you lock up when you’re done,” Danny said, glancing at his watch. “I’m meeting a buddy, so I’m outta here.”
“Will do,” Kade replied. He turned to me as Danny left.
I tried and failed to not ogle his bare chest, carved in planes of muscle and glistening with sweat. Kade wasn’t a huge guy,
but the lean sinew of his body was honed to perfection.
“So how’d your date go last night?” The question seemed innocuous on the surface, but the sarcasm in his voice gave it a whole other meaning.
I shifted uneasily. Blane’s and my relationship was a touchy subject with Kade, ever since he’d seen me fall apart after witnessing Blane and Kandi together.
“Blane had to cancel,” I said.
Kade lifted a single eyebrow in silent question.
I shrugged. “He said he had to leave town for a few days,” I explained, frowning. “Didn’t he tell you?” Blane and Kade kept rough tabs on each other, from what I knew of their relationship.
“I’m not his keeper,” Kade said, then abruptly changed the subject. “Today I want you to train with Branna.”
“What? You must be joking,” I stammered in surprise. “I’ve been training with Danny. Why Branna?”
“She’s closer to your size and a woman. She has a better understanding of how to train you than Danny does, though he’s been great at showing you the basics.”
Before I could protest further, he took me by the arm, leading me over to the ring, where Branna still stood, glaring at us.
“You didn’t tell me I’d be having to train the bartender,” Branna said, her voice rife with condescension, ignoring me completely as she glared at Kade.
“You get paid no matter what,” Kade said indifferently, handing me into the ring.
I reluctantly took off my shoes, eyeing Branna’s malicious gaze.
“You don’t have to turn her into a ninja, just show her some moves, defense techniques. Danny’s been working with her, but you’re going to be able to show her things he can’t.”
The ringing of a cell phone preempted anything Branna might have said, and Kade dug into a duffel bag stowed alongside the wall. “I have to take this,” he said as he glanced at the number. “Be right back.”
He walked to the back, where Danny’s office was. When he was out of sight, I returned my attention to Branna.
For a moment, neither of us spoke. I could again appreciate how beautiful she was, even with her lip curled in distaste. Black hair, green eyes, and near-porcelain skin had a dramatic effect. She was small but curvaceous, and I envied the narrowness of her waist. Kade was correct, she and I were about the same height. But that’s where the similarities ended.
“Danny’s been training you,” she stated rather than asked.
I nodded. “A bit.” Which was a nice way of saying I ended up on the mat a fraction less often than I would have a month ago.
“Well, then,” she replied with a smile I wasn’t sure I liked. “Let’s see what you’ve got, shall we?” Her accent made the words sound innocent, but the gleam in her eyes said otherwise.
All kinds of alarm bells were going off inside my head as I watched her assume a fighting stance. I desperately wanted to get out of the ring, but I didn’t know how to do so without looking like a coward. Her disdain and contempt made me angry, and I wished I had the skills to put her in her place. Unfortunately, I could see how this was going to go. I grimly hoped none of my bones would be broken before Kade reappeared.
Branna moved and I watched her warily, caution making me keep my distance. We circled slowly, each observing the other for a sign, whether of weakness or opportunity I couldn’t say. When she did come at me, I was unprepared, taking a blow to my stomach. My legs were swept out from under me and I hit the mat hard.
Branna’s tinkling laugh made my hands curl into fists as I coughed, trying to get my breath back. My stomach burned from her hit, but I gamely got back to my feet. Branna looked simply delighted now. Gone was the irritation at having this chore handed to her by Kade. I guessed the prospect of kicking my ass was an agreeable one to her.
The next few minutes were a blur of pain and sweat. Branna toyed with me like a cat with a mouse, and I knew I was going to be sporting black-and-blue marks all over later. I kept a tight grip on my temper, though I was furious. Branna was a bully.
I was on all fours, sweat dripping down my nose onto the vinyl, wondering how much more my body could take, when I decided I’d had enough.
“I don’t think Kade’s going to appreciate your training methods,” I wheezed, painfully sitting back on my haunches.
“Then he should have thought of that before,” Branna replied haughtily. Not even her hair was mussed from the tight braid. I hadn’t been able to lay a finger on her.
“Does he know you’re in love with him?” I asked. “Because you don’t strike me as his type.”
Branna’s eyes narrowed.
“I hear he likes blondes.” I smiled.
At that, she came at me as I’d known she would, but this time I was prepared. Still on my knees, my hands shot out to catch her calf as she kicked out at me. I gave it a hard twist and yank. She grunted in pain as she hit the mat. I launched myself to my feet, sure I was going to pay for that, and I wasn’t wrong. Her rage at being bested, even if only fleetingly, was scary. In seconds, I was facedown on the mat with blood dripping from my nose, and this time, Branna was giving me no time to recover, yanking me by my hair until I was on my knees.
“Branna! What the fuck is going on?”
The pressure on my hair suddenly eased and I collapsed back down on the mat, groaning. Kade had finally returned, and if I hadn’t been so relieved to hear his voice, I would have gladly killed him for leaving me alone with the Terminator.
“I told you to train her, not kill her!”
“It’s not my fault your little protégé can’t hold her own in a fight,” Branna defended herself.
The vinyl felt blessedly cool against my cheek, and I wouldn’t have moved for quite a while if Kade hadn’t gently turned me onto my back. As I blinked blearily up at him, the look of dismay on his face as he surveyed me was replaced by cold anger.
“Jesus Christ!” he exploded, the anger in his voice making me jump. “Why do you always have to make it personal, Branna?” Kade asked in disgust. “I needed you to do a job, not release your inner bitch.”
I thought that Branna’s “bitch” wasn’t so much “inner.”
“If you don’t like the way I do things, then you shouldn’t have called me,” Branna shot back, though I noticed that her fair skin had turned a shade of crimson at Kade’s words.
“Get out,” Kade said.
He returned his attention to me and helped me sit up. The pain in my stomach made me catch my breath. I gritted my teeth, not wanting to give Branna the satisfaction of hearing me make a sound.
“Fine,” Branna bit out, grabbing her bag from along the wall. “But do your own damn training from now on.”
“No shit,” Kade replied, barely glancing her way as she slammed out the door.
“I don’t like her very much,” I managed to say while using the hem of my T-shirt to swipe at the blood accumulating beneath my nose.
“At the moment, neither do I,” he said. “Can you stand?”
I nodded and tried to rise, but Kade had to help me. I maintained a tight grip on his shoulder as his arm curved around my waist. The strength in his muscles and the feel of his skin beneath my fingers distracted me from my aches and pains.
He helped me to a bench and I gratefully sat, resting my head against the wall and releasing a sigh. Kade got up, returning a few moments later with a wet cloth.
“I’m sorry, princess,” he said quietly as he gently wiped the blood from my face. “I wouldn’t have left you alone with her if I’d known she would do that to you.”
I didn’t mind the nickname Kade had coined for me. Though it had begun as something disparaging, it had turned into a type of endearment. He’d begun using it after watching me do a karaoke performance of my beloved pop princess Britney Spears. I wasn’t good at a lot of things, but I could do a dead-on Britney impression.
“It’s all right,” I dismissed his apology. “It wasn’t your fault.” I left unsaid, “That Branna’s such a bitch.”
/>
“Come on,” he said, getting to his feet. “I know what’ll help.”
I stood slowly, wincing, and followed him to the back. I glanced around curiously at lockers and shower stalls lining the walls. Kade pushed his way through another door, which he held open for me.
As I stepped inside a small wood-paneled room, I was immediately assailed by humidity and the smell of chlorine. A bubbling hot tub sat in the middle of the room.
“Get in,” Kade said, nodding toward the tub. “It’ll help with the ache.”
I glanced down at my attire uncertainly. I hadn’t brought an extra change of clothing.
“I won’t look,” Kade snorted, then smirked. “I’ve seen it before anyway.”
I blushed at the reminder. Kade had seen me naked before, that was true. He’d helped save me from being turned into a cinder when my car had been blown up. The damage to my clothes had been irreparable, and he’d taken care of that, though I’d been unconscious at the time.
I still hesitated and Kade heaved a long-suffering sigh. “I’ll be back in fifteen.”
He left the room and I could no longer resist the allure of steaming water. Stripping down to my plain white cotton underwear and bra, I eased into the water. It was blissful, and I could feel the coiled tension in my muscles loosening up. Sinking down to my neck, I rested my head against the side and closed my eyes. It felt heavenly.
I had nearly fallen asleep, so I was surprised when the door opened and Kade stepped back inside. I groggily lifted my head. He’d changed into jeans and pulled on a T-shirt. I briefly mourned the loss of the view of his naked chest.
“Time’s up, princess,” he said, holding out a towel for me. He turned away to shut off the hot tub, then left the room again.
I stripped off my wet bra and underwear, pulling my T-shirt and shorts on over my bare skin. It felt weird, but I was only going home. Holding my dripping clothes, I emerged from the room to find Kade by the doors, staring out at the darkening streets. When he heard me approach, he turned, taking in my appearance, including the small bundle I held.
“You going to be all right?” he asked.
I shrugged. “A few bruises. Nothing I can’t handle.”
Turning Point (The Kathleen Turner Series) Page 2