The Hero
Page 22
“Yuri rarely gives one.” He swallowed, his throat raw and hurting.
The woman held a cup with a straw before him. “Here.”
He tried to lift his head, and he was shocked at how weak he was. It took her hand behind his head to lift and hold him before he could drink.
When he finished, he dropped his head back on the pillow. If he were going to get past Yuri and however many men with him, Orrin was going to have to be much stronger.
“I thought you were Russian,” the woman said.
Orrin turned his head toward her. “Where are we?”
Her forehead furrowed as if she wondered at his question. “Virginia.”
Thank God. They hadn’t taken him to Russia yet. He still had time to get away, because once on that plane, that was the end of him.
He licked his dry lips. “I work for the US government. Yuri killed my team. I need you to alert the authorities.”
She looked away, refusing to meet his gaze while shaking her head as he spoke. “I can’t.”
It was the way it seemed to pain her to hear him talk that finally hit home. “Who has Yuri threatened so you’d help him?”
“My son.”
“Do whatever Yuri asks. Don’t ask questions, and don’t look long at him or his men. You and your son should get out of this fine.”
“I tried to set your wrist.”
Now that surprised him. “I can do it now that my hands aren’t tied.”
She didn’t say anything else as she pulled something out of her pocket. Owen saw the bottle and syringe. He lifted his gaze to her and frowned.
“I’m sorry. This is all I can manage now,” she whispered as she stuck it in his IV. Without another word, she left the room.
The woman wasn’t a killer, so he knew she hadn’t poisoned him. But what had she given him? It wasn’t painkillers, that was for sure.
He lifted his broken wrist and took a deep breath. Then he set the bone back in place. It was his weaker hand, but if he didn’t get out of there soon, the break might heal wrong, which could hinder him later.
He thought of Melanie and her urging for him to listen. So Orrin closed his eyes and opened his ears. It was quiet, making him think he was the only one in the building even as he knew otherwise.
Then he heard the distant rumble of voices. Men. He couldn’t make out how many. They grew louder as they suddenly laughed. A moment later, a door creaked open. It sounded heavy, probably made of steel.
That’s when he heard them—seagulls. They were by water.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
Owen sent a hard jab into the ambassador’s right side, directly into his kidney. Dvorak leaned over, gasping for breath.
For the past five minutes, Owen had pounded Dvorak’s body without a single punch landing on his face. Though that was harder to refrain from than he’d expected. He sent another jab into Dvoark’s kidney.
“All right,” Dvorak gasped. “What do you want to know?”
“Everything,” Owen stated. He bent over so his face was even with Dvorak’s. He wanted to hit him some more, but he wasn’t surprised that Dvorak had given in so easily. Men like Dvorak liked to wield power but were ultimately weak. “Where is my father?”
“I … I do not know,” Egor answered while he struggled to breathe.
Owen stood and grabbed a handful of Dvorak’s black hair and jerked his head back. “You know, and you’re going to tell me.”
“Kept from me for this reason,” Dvorak hurried to say.
“Is he still in the States?”
“I do not know!”
Owen didn’t believe him. How could he? Dvorak was known for his subterfuge. “I think that’s horseshit. You’d want to know every detail.”
Dvorak tried to shake his head, but Owen’s hold tightened. “If Orrin’s sons lived up to their reputation, I wanted to be prepared. I studied him and all of you.”
“This is a goddamn game to you, isn’t it?”
He glanced at Natalie to see that she was staring at Dvorak. Her eyes held a wealth of anger and purpose. Her gaze lifted to meet his.
There was something different about her, as if she saw the scene in another way. Natalie shooed him back with her hands. He stared long and hard at her before he released Dvorak.
The ambassador’s head dropped forward. She moved toward him. Her hands came to rest on his shoulders before slowly smoothing over them to his chest.
Dvorak tried to turn and see who it was. Owen retreated as far as he could to allow Natalie to keep all of Dvorak’s attention. If a beating wouldn’t work, perhaps seduction would.
Dvorak closed his eyes and tried to turn his head away. Owen watched as Natalie ran her lips over Dvorak’s neck to his ear and nipped.
“Do you like that?” she asked in a husky voice.
Owen sure as fuck didn’t.
Dvorak nodded.
She unbuttoned Dvorak’s shirt and spread it wide. Then dug her nails into his skin and pulled her fingers together. “I can give you pleasure to remove the pain,” she whispered.
“Da. Please,” he begged.
“You like control, don’t you?”
“I do.”
“You like commanding others and taking lives.”
“Yes,” he replied, his breath hitching when Natalie bit his earlobe.
She met Owen’s gaze. That’s when he realized this was her way of getting back at Dvorak for the men at her house. Owen gave her a nod of reassurance.
* * *
Natalie doubled her efforts. It revolted her to be touching such a vile man this way, but the beating was getting them nowhere. Dvorak was a man. He needed a different incentive. And what did a man like Dvorak crave? Women.
She moved to stand before him, a smile on her face. He no longer seemed to care that she was a target. His thoughts were elsewhere. She squatted in front of him, being sure to place her hands near his cock.
His groan filled the room when her hands ran leisurely up and down his thighs, coming closer and closer to his rod. She held his gaze and bit her tongue so as not to gag when she cupped him, squeezing his cock and causing him to moan loudly.
“More,” he urged.
As soon as her hands stopped touching him, Dvorak opened his eyes. She smiled and lifted her skirt while she straddled his lap.
She then grabbed the arms of the chair and bent back, pushing her breasts forward. Dvorak attempted to lean forward to bury his face in her breasts, but she pulled back before he could.
“I’m in charge,” she ordered.
He was panting, his eyes trained on her while her hips ground into him. “Yes.”
Natalie straightened and moved as if she were going to kiss him. At the last minute, she grabbed his face in her hand. “Do you want to kiss me?”
Dvorak nodded, beyond words.
“I can allow that. If you answer my questions.”
His eyes were dilated, his arousal evident. “Anything.”
“Where is Orrin Loughman?”
Dvorak’s face contorted as if he remembered he shouldn’t talk. She redoubled her efforts by grinding into his cock.
“Yes!” he shouted. “More, please.”
“There’s more,” Natalie told him. “Tell me where Orrin is.”
“Kiss me first.”
She wasn’t sure if she could do it, but then she thought of Owen and all he’d done for her. She leaned forward and kissed Dvorak as if it were all she craved in the world.
After, she ran her hands through Dvorak’s black hair and put her lips near his mouth again. “Do you want another kiss?” she whispered seductively and ground against his cock once more.
“Yes.”
“I’ll give you as many as you want, but I want something in return.”
Dvorak was panting. “Anything. Ask anything.”
“Tell me of Orrin.”
“Virginia,” Dvorak answered. “He is in Virginia. Now kiss me again.”
She scored his c
hest with her nails, careful not to break the skin. “I give the orders.”
“Please,” Dvorak begged. “May I have another kiss?”
Natalie couldn’t believe how effective this was. Then again, Dvorak thought he was smarter than most. To him, she was just a woman. What could she do?
Well, she was going to show him how capable she was. Maybe then she’d remind him that she wasn’t alone in the room.
Natalie reached down and unfastened his slacks. Dvorak groaned loudly, his eyes wild with lust. “Who made the bioweapon?” she asked as she rubbed her breasts against his chest.
Dvorak groaned loudly, his hips rising from the chair to grind into her. “Cannot.”
When he hesitated, she gave him a harsh look and slapped him. “You will submit to me.”
This act was rather gratifying. To have someone like Dvorak willing to do nearly anything for sex. It made her want to roll her eyes.
Dvorak nodded eagerly. “I am.”
“No, you’re not. Who made the bioweapon?”
Once more, he dithered. She grabbed his cock and squeezed.
“Konrad Jankovic. He defected two days ago. But you know that,” Dvorak said and attempted to kiss her.
She dodged him and put her hand around his throat. “I tell you when you can touch and kiss me.”
“I told you,” he said in a sulk.
Natalie caressed his face before slapping him. “You’ve told me nothing.”
“Jankovic must be found. My men look for him now.”
She pulled her skirt up higher. It caused Dvorak to groan loudly. “Is there an antidote to the weapon?”
Dvorak shook his head. “Jankovic is the only one who can create it.”
She ran her finger along Dvorak’s lower lip. “You’ve done good.”
“Worth another kiss?” he asked hopefully.
She laughed and rocked her hips against him. “If you tell me how Jankovic defected.”
“Your government.”
Owen grabbed Natalie, moving her away. She was relieved that they had all the information they needed. Only then did Dvorak realize what had occurred.
She waved her fingers at him. “You’re a sick son of a bitch who deserves the most painful death imaginable.”
“One that lasts for months,” Owen added.
Then he walked behind Dvorak and knocked him unconscious with a hit to the back of his head again. With that, they walked from the room.
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Natalie was happy to leave the Ritz behind. She almost asked Dvorak to call off the hit on her, but she knew it wouldn’t do any good.
They reached the Hilton without incident. She wanted to be back in a pair of jeans and on the road to the ranch within the next five minutes.
“I’m going to check us out and get the truck,” Owen said.
She nodded slowly. “I’ll get our things from the room.”
Natalie made it upstairs. She hurriedly stuffed their clothes in the bags and decided not to change yet. The quicker they were on the road, the better.
It felt like forever before the elevator arrived. The doors opened, and she entered, setting down the bags before mindlessly pressing the button for the lobby.
She leaned against the back of the elevator as she thought about Owen. The doors were shutting when someone stuck their hand between them and stopped them from closing.
Her stomach dropped to her feet when two Russians got in the small box with her. She knew a moment of true panic. Owen’s face flashed in her mind, and she wished he were with her. But he wasn’t. She was on her own.
Her gun was in her purse, which was in the bag and did her no good. Her few moves of self-defense would only do so much against two burly men.
“Where is he?” the shorter of the two men asked.
Natalie shrugged. “Who?”
“Dr. Jankovic.”
She looked between the two men. Was it a coincidence that they’d just learned that name from Dvorak? “I don’t know who that is.”
The larger man sneered at her. “You lie.”
“Get over it.”
Both men crowded her. The elevator dinged as it reached another floor. She saw the doors open, but she’d never make it off without them grabbing her.
It was the short one who said, “Konrad Jankovic. Tell us where he is, and we will allow you to live.”
Suddenly, the large Russian fell to one knee with a loud cry of pain. Natalie looked over the man’s head and saw Owen. Owen locked an arm around the big Russian’s neck and punched the second one so hard he slammed against the side of the elevator.
Adrenaline jolted through her, and she kicked the big one in the nuts, causing him to bellow in pain. Owen grabbed her arm and yanked. She jumped over the man, who was now on his side, holding his balls. She stumbled out and turned to watch, her heart in her throat.
There was a flash of light on the blade of a knife in Owen’s hand. Owen was swift and lethal as he stabbed the Russian twice in the side before coming up behind him and snapping his neck.
The doors to the elevator kept trying to close, but the big man’s leg prevented it. She shouted Owen’s name when she saw the smaller man lift a gun.
Her hand covered her mouth as she watched in horror as the man and Owen struggled a second. There were two soft retorts from a silencer, and then the Russian fell to his back, red blooming over his chest.
She could hardly draw breath as she watched the blood. Owen was alive, and for that she was thankful, but there was so much death.
She forced her gaze to Owen. He stood and adjusted the sleeves of his shirt beneath his tux jacket. He grabbed their bags and punched a button inside before kicking the Russian’s leg back into the elevator before he stepped out. The doors shut behind him.
Then he came to stand before her.
She looked into his dark eyes as he raked a hand through his hair to comb it back into place. He hadn’t even broken a sweat.
He was terrifying. And brilliant.
“Don’t ever scare me like that again,” he stated as he took her hand and gave her a kiss.
She nodded, because there were no words. Her heart still pounded in her chest with the force of a jackhammer as Owen walked her down a flight of stairs and outside to the truck.
They drove off before anyone else could stop them.
“I’ll have to call in a favor,” Owen said. “There are cameras in the elevator. They’ll see both our faces.”
Oh, God. She hadn’t even thought of that. “Will you be arrested?”
“That’s the favor I’m calling in. Did the men say anything?”
“Oddly, they asked where Jankovic was.”
“Interesting.”
“Yes.”
She kept reliving the scene at the hotel over and over in her head as they drove back to the ranch. She wrapped her arms around herself. It was going to take a case of bourbon to get the taste of Egor Dvorak out of her mouth. Not once did she regret doing what she’d done to help Owen. It surprised her how easily it had come.
How effortlessly she’d used her body to gain information. Because they had to get answers.
Owen’s large hand covered hers and squeezed. She blinked and looked around as the truck slowed and turned. They were already back at the ranch?
She gazed at Owen to find the light from the dashboard showing a portion of his face. He smiled reassuringly, his grip firm.
“We’re home.”
Home. She liked the sound of that. “And it’s still standing.”
“I’m going to regret not killing Dvorak when I had the chance.”
“Leaving him alive was smart.”
Owen snorted. “It won’t take them long to discover he’s spilled their secrets. I give him a week to live.”
She was glad he still held her hand. With Owen, she became a different person. Stronger. Balanced. Happy.
Being with Owen seemed as natural as breathing. She feared she might have fallen i
n love with him again, but it didn’t scare her as it used to. If she’d ever stopped loving him.
Perhaps that’s why she’d thought she managed to forget about him. Though no one disregarded a man like Owen Loughman. He was utterly unforgettable, entirely extraordinary.
Absolutely astonishing.
He stopped the truck in front of the house and turned off the engine.
It felt good to be back at the ranch. It was one place she knew was heavily guarded. The Russians would have a hard time getting to them. And hopefully, they wouldn’t try.
There had been too much death and fighting at the ranch. It was time for peace. Time for love.
She gazed at Owen. Yes, it was time for love. It was time for her to admit what she yearned for, what she needed more than anything—Owen.
Natalie cleared her throat, suddenly nervous. “It seems quiet.”
“I think we’re all right on that front.”
“You expected an attack tonight?”
He gave a nod. “I did. It was the perfect time. I would’ve done it.”
“Perhaps they know it’s pointless.”
“I hope. We should get inside and get some rest.”
“Agreed.”
His smile took her breath away. “Come on, then.”
She watched as Owen opened his door and stepped out of the truck. Blowing out a breath, she opened her door and slid to the ground. The temperature had dropped, causing her to shiver. She wanted a cup of coffee in hand ASAP.
That’s when she remembered they were nearly out at the base. “I’m going to grab some coffee from the house.”
“Be quick.”
She was on the porch when she heard her name. Natalie turned her head over her shoulder and met Owen’s gaze. His smile was slow, seductive. It caused her stomach to flutter and her heart to miss a beat.
It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him that she loved him, but she hesitated. It was something she wanted to say while seeing his face, not something to yell in the dark. Not yet anyway.
Her smile was huge as she walked into the house. Whatever happened, there was no denying her feelings.
She’d tried that. She’d even tried to ignore him, and that had been a joke. There was no more denial, no more lying. She was going after what she wanted.
* * *