Gareth accepted the hand Dr. Marlowe offered, and returned the slap Malachi bestowed on his back. Only after the door closed behind them did he move to the head of the bed. Kira’s face looked normal, but for the pallor he’d already noted. A bandage covered part of her right arm, and a matching one wrapped around her torso.
His knees buckled, and he sat down hard in the bedside chair Malachi had vacated. Such courage, such dangerous daring, such stupidity. God above, the woman could have died.
And all because of him.
“Oh God, Kira, why did you do it?”
* * * *
Kira heard Gareth’s agonized question, but didn’t dare open her eyes. She had orders from both Malachi and Dr. Marlowe to play sick for the next couple of days.
“Do you know how much it killed me to see you injured? To know you almost died because of me? How on earth I’m I supposed to live with that day after day? I know you won’t ever willingly give up being my agent, but Lord knows, at least my heart might stand a chance of not exploding every time you’re out of my sight.”
The stark anguish he conveyed did harsh things to her own heart. How on earth could she just lie here? But if she acted all normal, he would know something was up.
“I don’t think you know just how much I do care about you. How I love you, Kira. How I wanted to plunge a knife in my heart when I thought I lost you. As a former Ranger, I know the risks of serving this country. As the president, I have to sign orders sending men and women into danger day after day.
“I hate it. I ran for office to try to make things better. All I’ve succeeded in doing is getting Judith assassinated, good agents killed, and you… You almost died.”
Kira wanted to moan out loud. Gareth’s self-torture became her own. He loved her, and she’d treated him like dirt the last few times they’d been together. Where were her vamp senses when she needed them? She should have been more receptive, more open, maybe less kick-ass agent with him. Lord knew, Malachi and her family had preached about her unforgiving attitude in the past.
“The horror of what happened to Judith, watching her lie there in her own blood, the agents who died trying to save me, all of those things made me so adamant about never having anyone close to me again.”
Gareth must have stood up. She could hear him pacing.
“I felt so helpless, then and now. I should have done something, anything, to protect those who were close to me.”
Kira couldn’t stand it any longer. She moved her body just a bit, and the moan erupting from her throat wasn’t entirely faked. The doctor had removed the knife and bullet while she was awake. Not the mortal way, with anesthesia, but the vampire way. A quick tug of the blade by Dr. Marlowe and the knife had come free. The blood previously trickling from around the knife hilt had immediately stopped. The wound had also begun to slowly diminish, but still stung like a bear’s claw marks.
The air stirred around the bed as Gareth moved back to her side. Kira allowed her lashes to flutter and then open. She found Gareth leaning over her, his green-eyed gaze wide and hopeful.
“Kira, don’t move. I’ll get the doctor.”
Before she could utter a word, he was gone. She hated the deception they were practicing, but it was for his own good. A second later, he was back, with Dr. Marlowe as well as Malachi. Just great, now she’d catch heck.
Dr. Marlowe moved to the bed, picked up her hand, and proceeded to check her pulse. After a full quarter of a minute, he placed her hand back on the bed. “Well, Agent Jackson, welcome back.”
His slight wink went unnoticed by Gareth, but not by Malachi, who hung almost perpendicular over the bed. Almost in her face. Yep, he wasn’t happy with her ad-libbing her lines.
“Thank you, I think. What happened?”
“Well, as I understand it…”
After listening for the second time about her almost deadly fate, Kira developed an annoying case of nausea. Just what she needed. Or maybe she needed a fix of serum.
“Mr. President, I humbly request you limit this visit with Agent Jackson. She needs her rest, and I need to issue that press statement. They’ve been hounding the hospital by phone, personal appearances, and the Internet. It’s becoming extremely irritating.”
“Yes, I know exactly what you mean. I’ll keep my visit to less than five minutes. I need to get back to the White House anyway. Malachi, I assume you’ll be staying here?”
“Well, yes, I thought I would until Kira can get back to sleep.” The look Malachi shot her promised a scolding.
“So, you won’t mind if I have an additional moment or two alone with Kira.”
“Of course not.”
Kira held her breath until the room cleared. She waited, wondering what Gareth would say now that she was truly awake.
“Kira, I think we need to straighten some things out. I’ve allowed my trepidation of the press to underscore what I know is right. I wasn’t expecting love, didn’t really want it, but the fact is, I don’t think I can live without you in my life.”
Her breath stalled somewhere between her solar plexus and throat. Why did she have the horrible suspicion there would be a but coming somewhere before this conversation was finished?
“Are you sure it’s what you really feel, Gareth, or just gratitude for me saving your life?” The moment the words left her mouth, she wanted to call them back. Why open up a can of crap if it needed to stay closed?
“Yes, of course, I’m thankful you saved my butt, but one thing has nothing to do with the other. I started falling for you the minute you bossed me around in the Oval Office.” Gareth grinned slightly before continuing. “No woman has ever stood up to me before. Judith tried to wrap me around her little finger, but she actually liked it when I used a firm hand.”
Firm hand? She could think of a lot of things his hand could do to her, but no way would she allow him to tell her what to do or not do. Nope, wasn’t going to happen.
“Well, I’m pretty much used to doing my own thing, so I’m not sure how I’ll take to a firm hand. I do know you mean the world to me. I didn’t see the president of the United States in danger. I saw the man I fell in love with.”
“Good, so we’re agreed?”
“On what?”
“To make this a real marriage with a bona fide preacher and not Malachi’s friend?”
Gareth sounded confident, but his gaze held a bit of anxiety. Something she wished she could put to rest.
“I’d love for our marriage to be real, but I think we both need to think about this. There are things we haven’t discussed. You might not want anything to do with me.”
“How can you say that? I just told you how I felt. Why would you think I’d change my mind?”
“I have my reasons. I really think until we can catch whoever is trying to kill you, we need to keep our marriage a pretend one.”
“I disagree. Nothing will change my mind about you, but we’ll talk about this when you’re out of the hospital.”
Gareth dropped a quick kiss on her forehead and then stood up. “I’ve got to get back to the White House. The doctor said you’d be laid up for a couple more days. I doubt I’ll get back here tonight, but will try to be here in the morning. He also said you needed to be looked after. I want you to stay with me.”
Although she already knew this was what he wanted, Kira needed to hear it again.
“Are you sure? I mean, we could stir up a hornet’s nest with the media.”
“I don’t give a rat’s ass about the media. At the moment, I just want you where I can keep an eye on you. Regardless of your hesitation over a real marriage, I don’t want anything to happen to you ever again.”
Kira felt tears burning the backs of her eyes. She didn’t dare let them fall—Gareth would go totally unhinged if he saw the blood-red droplets. She just hoped he would understand when she told him she was a vampire.
“I assure you, I’ll be fine no matter where I stay, but I’d love to spend the time between now an
d our pretend wedding with you.”
“Good, it’ll give us time to talk about what you’ll be doing after you become the First Lady. There’ll be a lot of changes for both of us.”
Gareth’s words weren’t the but she feared, but she experienced a kernel of trepidation about the changes he wanted to talk about, even if they were only for a short duration.
“Now, get some rest. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
* * * *
The television screen showed the press conference in vibrant and maddening detail. Gareth escaped death once again. Damn that agent for interfering. His revenge on Hayes would be enacted, even if he had to kill the agent first. Nothing would stand in his way of making Gareth a totally dead-in-the-grave president.
Chapter Sixteen
“No! No! No! It’s not going to happen!”
“Be reasonable, Kira. You’ll have more than enough to keep you busy without being an agent.”
Kira seriously considered slamming Gareth into the nearest wall. The man had done a complete one-eighty on her. He was an ass of the first order. His concern, sweeter-than-pie attitude, and his sensual kisses when he thought it wouldn’t hurt her as she recovered were just a boatload of crap. He only wanted to maneuver her into a situation where she would say yes to all his plans like a mindless Stepford wife. She didn’t care if it would help placate the predatory press. So what if they thought she was going to be a real First Lady? This was so not going to work!
“Look, I understand playing the part of First Lady is important.” Kira slid off the divan she’d been reclining on, giving the overall picture of a recovering patient, and moved toward Gareth.
“At the moment, though, I have no plans to do anything but guard you. I mean that. It’s not up for debate.” She shot a look at Malachi, who stood near the door. The fanged coward. He could at least try to reason with Gareth.
“Well, I’m sorry, there is a way. I’m not going to let you put your life in danger.”
Kira saw red and not from her vampire senses. Her temper shot up to 212 degrees Fahrenheit. “Back up your jets, Mr. President. Unless you plan on firing me right now, and I’m not sure you can”—she shot another glance, oozing with menace, at her boss—“I’m not going to give up my job.”
Gareth looked like he’d seen a two-headed dragon. It might interest him to know she actually had friends who were scaly and could eat him for breakfast.
“Now, as for all your plans of ever making this a real marriage, let me tell you I refuse to tie myself to a man who doesn’t trust me enough to take care of myself.”
Gareth stopped his pacing, stood dead center in the room, and cleared his throat. “All right, we’ll do it your way.”
Oh Lord, had she heard him right? Could he actually be ready to concede the argument? Kira didn’t even want to hope. It meant that much to her.
“My way?”
“Yes. Malachi’s friend, the fake preacher, will marry us. After all the turmoil dies down, we can go our separate ways.”
* * * *
Kira materialized on top of the White House. She’d missed being up on top of the symbol of the highest office in America. The last couple of days she’d pretty much stayed off the radar, to continue the appearance she was mending. Tomorrow, however, she and Gareth were scheduled for a command performance for the press. An event sandwiched between fittings for a wedding gown and other dresses, and a state dinner that had been on the books for months.
Malachi verbally delivered Gareth’s directives that she be at the conference and the dinner. He, in turn, issued a warning for Kira to keep her cool.
“I know you’re ready to kill Gareth. I’m angry with him also, but you need to remember our ultimate goal—find the man or group trying to kill him.” Malachi slid his hands into his black dress pants.
“If he really gets pissed, he can fire you.” He held up a hand to prevent Kira from butting in. “He can go over me. Remember, he’s the president and holds the power of veto over a lot of things. Just do the best you can. I know that Tennessee Coonskin has to be hurting as much as you are over this. Just give him some time, hon.”
Kira blew out the breath she’d been holding. “I’ll try, but I don’t think he’ll ever change his mind. It goes against his male ego to think he needs me in an agent capacity. I hate it, Malachi. I really do!”
“I know. Just trust me. Everything’s going to be all right. I promise.”
Malachi glanced at his watch. “Sorry, kiddo, I’ve got to make sure our security knows exactly where they need to be for the events tomorrow. For the public’s sake, and Gareth’s, you’ll have two agents with you when you go to try on dresses.”
“But I…” No point in arguing, he was right, they had to make it look real. “Okay, but I refuse to have that little twerp who didn’t know I was an agent as one of the two.”
Malachi laughed, a rich sound breaking some of the tension in the room. “Don’t worry, I wouldn’t dream of saddling you with him. Just go with the flow, baby girl. Your daddy would be so proud.”
“Thanks, Malachi. I’ll do my best to not let you or his legacy down.”
Malachi dropped a kiss on her cheek. “You could never let me down. You’ve already outshone any expectations I had of your skill as an agent, and they were already sky-high. I’m proud to be your boss.”
“Your not just my boss, Malachi. I want you to walk me down the aisle. Since Grandpa Jackson’s too ill to do it, I can’t think of anyone else I want. I know it won’t be real, but would you please give me away?”
He swiped at the tears threatening to overflow his eyes as Kira tried to blink back the moisture coating hers.
“I’d be honored. Now, pretend you’re sick, and get some rest. As of tomorrow night, you’re back as an agent.”
Kira did as he ordered once Malachi left. Maybe she could fall asleep and forget about Gareth for a little while.
* * * *
Gareth stood at the Oval Office window and looked out at the garden. Kira had left earlier that morning, after sending a terse message she would not be joining him for breakfast. He hated she was upset with him, but he had the right to protect her. Didn’t he?
His mind swirled with the reasons he wanted her safe, but then he couldn’t help but touch on her hurt, disbelief, and total angst over his order she quit her job. Malachi tried to smooth it over, said she needed time.
Time was running out. Their wedding would be here in a few days. Gareth despised himself for causing the sadness in Kira’s eyes, and for shoving a knife into his own heart. His first wedding was a mockery. This one he wanted to be real. To celebrate the blessing of love he’d found with Kira.
Gareth began to pace. Maybe he could rectify the situation before it got out of hand. Yes, he’d talk to Kira after the state dinner tonight. He could not, would not, allow her to continue to be upset. Of course, he wasn’t planning on backing down completely, but he wouldn’t turn down a compromise. Maybe she could be his agent while in the security of the White House, and then someone else could go with him when he left the premises. Of course, she would have to be at some of the functions, but she would be guarded as any First Lady before her.
Yes, that would work. Gareth grinned. Tonight he would fix their problem, and all would be fine. Kira loved him and would be willing to oblige him with his excellent suggestion.
“Knock, knock.” Malachi’s words pulled Gareth out of his thoughts. “You ready for our meeting?”
Ready or not, it was something that needed to be done. “Sure, come on in.”
His old friend strolled into the Oval Office, seated himself in Gareth’s chair, and grinned. “You know, for someone who’s supposed to be one of the smartest men in the world, you can act dumber than dirt.”
Gareth positively bristled. He knew what was coming. A chewing out due to what he’d said to Kira.. If it were anyone else but Malachi, he’d tell him to go to hell, but not this man. He owed a lot to the tall vamp.
“Okay, let’s hear it. Tell me what I did wrong, if you’re so smart.”
“Mighty nice of you to admit you’re wrong. It’ll make what I have to say so much easier.” Malachi spun once in the swivel desk chair before getting up.
“Why don’t you have a seat? I want you comfortable for what I have to say.”
He did take a seat, but drummed his fingers on the desk. The glint in Malachi’s eye made him a bit wary. This could be a lengthy chat.
“Go ahead.”
“First off, Kira’s one of the best agents I’ve ever worked with. She comes from a long line of men who’ve served our country. She’s proven her worth time and time again. I don’t have to remind you of a couple of those times.”
Gareth snorted. Yeah, he was in for it big-time with Malachi. “I know she’s excellent, but dammit, I love her. I don’t want her dying because of me.”
Malachi’s features relaxed from stern to commiserating. “Neither do I, and as much as I call you friend and brother, I love that girl more than I do you. And because I do, I’ll be watching her like a hawk to keep her safe.” His chest rose and fell with probably the same type of emotion ripping Gareth’s insides apart. Gut-wrenching terror.
“Understand, if you take away her job, you’ll be killing off a part of Kira anyway. She needs to be needed. She has to know she’s worthy. She’d never tell you herself, but being the only girl except for her mom in a seven-male household, eight if you count her grandpa, was rough. I know. I was there, so make it nine. I’ve known her since she came into the world. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do to keep her safe or make her happy.”
A bit of fang peeked out between Malachi’s lips. “You make her happy, and I plan on that continuing. I’m begging you, Gareth, don’t make her choose between you and her job.”
How could he have been so blind? Of course Kira felt that way. He’d have to do some major rethinking on the compromise he wanted to talk to her about. So deep in thought, he barely registered when Malachi left.
Smith, Faith V. - Presidential Heat [Vampire Government Protectors] (BookStrand Publishing Romance) Page 11