by Aimée Thurlo
Dana opened the closet door, and saw the vast array of clothing inside. As Ranger had promised, there were plenty of styles to choose from, everything from formal evening wear to medical scrubs.
It took her forty-five minutes to complete a look that was totally unlike her own and still a good comfortable disguise. Wearing a short, dark-haired wig, a contrast to her shoulder-length copper-colored hair, black slacks and a hot pink long-sleeved T-shirt, she surveyed herself in the mirror. She didn’t even recognize herself.
As Dana went back down the hall to show Ranger the results, she heard him on the kitchen phone. Judging from his end of the conversation, he was giving FBI Agent Harris an update.
Not wanting to interrupt him, she stayed well back. Standing to the side of the large bay window that faced the fenced backyard, she caught a glimpse of movement to her right. Suddenly a furry head with large ears poked out between the wooden slats of the fence. Then a small body followed, barely squeezing through. It was a domestic rabbit, probably the neighbor’s pet. She smiled, thinking some child would soon come looking for the bunny.
Realizing in a heartbeat the danger of anything that might call attention to them-unfamiliar residents at the house-she stepped out into the yard through the side door.
It took only a few minutes to gather up the rabbit, which came right to her, and push it back through the space between the slats. She was down on her knees, having just placed a large rock in the gap so the rabbit couldn’t get back through, when someone grabbed her arms firmly from behind.
She jerked her head back, hitting her attacker, and twisted away, rolling onto her back and kicking out. But her attacker was already too close. He evaded her legs and straddled her at the waist, pinning her arms down by her side.
She saw Ranger’s face clearly and relaxed. But there was no immediate recognition on his face-just deadly intent. It was a side of him she’d never seen, and it was directed at her.
“It’s me,” Dana said quickly, forcing him to look past the heavy makeup and wig.
“Dana?” He stared, but didn’t release her. “What were you doing out here?”
She could sense his anger and gave him a cold, level stare. “Isn’t it obvious? I was trying to run away through a six-inch hole in the wooden fence. Now would you please get off me?” As she shifted her hips, she heard him bite back a groan.
“Why should I move? I like this position.” He smiled slowly. It was one of those killer grins guaranteed to melt any normal female’s heart.
“Because we’re outside-in the open.”
“Spoilsport,” he said, then gave her a hand up. “Good disguise. But what were you doing out here crawling around on the grass?”
“I wasn’t crawling around. I was returning the neighbor’s bunny, who’d just sneaked through the fence. I didn’t want anyone coming over who might start asking questions.”
“So you were handling a security issue?” He grinned, and rubbed his chest where she’d whacked him with the back of her head.
“Yeah…that is, until I got assaulted.” She could still feel the warm outline of his body against the cradle of her thighs. She sighed softly.
“Yeah, you do that to me, too.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. The grass was cold,” she protested primly.
“Not anymore,” he answered, hurrying back inside with her, then closing and locking the door.
Trying to focus her thoughts, Dana stared across the room at nothing in particular and forced her breathing to even out. His reaction to a perceived threat had been lightning fast and very effective. His training was obviously top-notch and the incident proved that she was in very good hands. And those hands…so rough, yet so incredibly gentle. She shivered.
“Stop fighting the attraction between us,” he whispered in her ear. “Put yourself in my hands.”
The temptation was overwhelming, but she stepped away from him. “Don’t flatter yourself. I’m nowhere near that attracted to you. Now let me go fix this wig.” She stormed down the hall, went directly to the bedroom and slammed the door shut.
Alone again, she plopped down on the edge of the bed and took a deep, steadying breath. She had no idea how to deal with her feelings for Ranger. She wasn’t an innocent. Casual sex might have been an option if she hadn’t been absolutely positive that there’d be nothing casual about it with Ranger. Her feelings, though undefined, were too strong, and went well beyond a physical attraction. Ranger simply wasn’t the kind of man who brought out halfway emotions.
Finding grass stains on her wig and clothes, she opted for an entirely new disguise. Dana selected a long, blond-haired wig, jeans, and a light knit royal blue sweater. After adjusting her makeup to match her new look, she went back down the hallway.
When she drew close to the kitchen, she heard Ranger speaking softly on the phone. The fact that he was deliberately keeping his voice down made her curious, and she stopped to listen.
“I’ll find out what she’s holding back and if she’s really as innocent as she claims to be. But with Dana, if I rush it, I’ll get nowhere. I need time to work.”
Ranger’s words squeezed the air out of her lungs. He hadn’t been attracted to her at all. It had all been a game of manipulation-a way to soften her up and get her to lower her defenses. Seething, she walked back to the living room. But as her gaze fell on the laptop computer her anger gave way to logic…and a crushing sense of disappointment.
She couldn’t really blame Ranger. Undercover cops worked to achieve a greater good and had to use whatever tools were at their disposal. Ranger was trying to find Hastiin Sani’s killers, and he’d known she was holding out on him. He’d simply done what he’d had to do.
As her anger faded, an unexpected sadness took its place, filling her, and draining her of all other emotions. Thinking that he really cared for her had given her comfort in a time of violence and fear. Now that comfort had been taken from her.
“There you are,” Ranger said, coming out of the kitchen and giving her a once-over. “I think the dark-haired wig you had on before was a better disguise. You’re going to attract attention no matter where you go because of your looks, but a light-haired wig in a community filled with mostly dark-haired women and men will make you stand out too much.”
Earlier she might have thanked him for the compliment, but now she only saw it as insincere flattery. “I’ll put the other one back on before we go to the bars tonight,” she responded without expression.
“Good. For now, why don’t you change into something loose and comfortable. Then I’ll teach you some moves.”
“Excuse me?” Her heart automatically started thumping overtime, but she forced herself to calm down. She couldn’t allow him to play her like this.
“You need to know how to defend yourself in case someone comes after you and I’m not right there to help.”
She’d already seen what the men after her were capable of doing. “I dislike violence, but that’s a good idea.”
“Just remember that this is about survival, not choice.”
Dana nodded once, bracing herself. Like her mother before her, she’d learn to do whatever was necessary to keep going.
“There’re some jogging pants and sweatshirts in the chest of drawers in the bedroom. Pick a fit that’ll give you maximum mobility and plan on a workout.”
The promise of a workout with him teased her imagination but, with effort, she banished those feelings to a dark spot in her mind. Survival was all that mattered now.
By the time she joined him again, she’d already done some stretching exercises. It hadn’t been to loosen her muscles, but more to focus her mind. Now, she finally felt ready.
“I’ve set things up for us in the garage,” he said. “It’s unheated and cold in there, but after a few minutes of heavy exercise, you won’t notice it.”
Dana followed him, her gaze straying across his shoulders and strong back. She’d seen how he’d made short work of thos
e men who’d run them off the road. Ranger’s body was well-toned and hard as steel. Suppressing a sigh, she trained her gaze on her shoes instead.
As they entered the two-car garage, she saw that he’d rolled out a large mat that covered half of the area not occupied by that deceptive-looking car. Ranger kicked off his shoes and she did the same.
“Okay, to the mat,” he said.
They’d both stepped onto the soft surface when he suddenly took a step forward and swept her legs out from under her. She went down hard.
“Hey, I wasn’t ready,” she said, catching her breath.
“That’s your first lesson. Never lower your guard. Your enemy will always use it against you.”
Chapter Nine
When Dana got back up, she kept her distance from him. “Bully. I won’t repeat the mistake.”
As he looked at her, he knew she’d be a quick study. Her eyes were focused now and she was watching him carefully. “Before we get to some of the basic moves, I have to teach you how to fall.”
“I’ll get my practice every time I hit the mat. Maybe you should teach me how to keep from falling.”
Ranger didn’t answer. In a dazzlingly fast move, he tried to sweep her legs out from under her again. This time, she jumped nimbly to one side.
“I told you, I don’t repeat mistakes.”
He gave her an approving nod. “That was very good. Now let me teach you a basic but effective defense move. Make your opponent sing.”
He grabbed her from behind in a loose choke hold and pressed her against him. “Sing-first jam your elbow into your opponent’s solar plexus,” he instructed, bending her arm at the elbow and showing her how to aim. “The i is for instep. Stomp down hard on his foot with the heel of your shoe, then when he bends over, use your fist and slam it into the bridge of his nose. That’s the n. The last part-and be careful now-is to take your fist and slam it hard into his groin. Sing. Get it?”
She nodded, then made a fist.
“Wait…let me see how you make a fist,” he said.
She held it out. “A fist is a fist. So what?”
“Ever notice a boxing glove? There’s a place for just your thumb. You only put your thumb on the inside of your fingers if you want to break it in a particularly painful way. Make a fist like this,” he said, showing her how to place her thumb over her coiled fingers.
She imitated the position of his fingers, then went through the Sing exercise in slow motion.
“You need to practice this, because speed and surprise are your greatest allies,” he said.
She loosened up, bending her neck to one side then the other. “Let’s give it another try.”
She went through the routine quickly, pulling her punches so she wouldn’t connect and hurt him.
“The more speed you build up, the better off you’ll be. Practice it in your head when you’re not on the mat.” He was pleased with how quickly she learned. She was fast, but not so much as to make him suspect she might have been taught all that before.
He showed her a few other moves, then grew serious. “There are two kill moves I’d also like to teach you.”
“Kill?” She shook her head. “No, I don’t think I could kill anyone. Even under direct threat, I’d hesitate.”
His admiration for her grew. She’d been brutally honest-with herself, and with him.
“You managed to fire that handgun yesterday in self-defense, didn’t you? You’d be surprised what you’re capable of when fear mixes in with the need to survive, or you’re forced to protect an innocent.”
Despite her protests, Ranger taught her how to deliver two fatal blows, one to the chest, and the other delivered to the nose. Although she learned both quickly, he could see she wanted to move on.
They spent the next two hours training in the garage. Though he’d thrown her to the mat several times, she always came back up ready to learn more. He had to hand it to her. Dana didn’t give up, or hesitate to get right back into the fray.
“Okay, that’s enough for now,” he said at last. “Let’s get something to eat. You might want to soak in the tub after lunch, too.”
“I’m just catching on to some of this. Couldn’t we train just a little longer?” she asked.
He shook his head. “You can’t learn it all in one day, and tonight you’ll have to be limber, not sore, in case something happens. I’ll be within reach all night, but the bars I’ve got earmarked are rough places.”
After eating a light lunch, Dana managed to talk him into giving her a few more lessons. This time, they mostly worked on techniques for breaking an opponent’s hold.
Once he saw how tired she was, he moved away. “That’s enough for today. You can think about what you’ve learned, and go over things in your head, but you need to rest.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I have to access some Web sites and do more research,” he answered. “After that, I may try to get a couple of hours sleep since I’m not sure when we’ll get that chance again.”
The day passed quickly. Around three, while he worked on the computer in the living room, she went into the bedroom and stretched out on the bed. Within minutes she was fast asleep.
When she awoke a few hours later, she found Ranger asleep on an easy chair he’d positioned between her and the door. Her first thought was that he’d been protecting her-putting himself between her and any potential intruder. But then another thought came to her. Maybe he’d just been making sure she didn’t leave the house again without him knowing.
The thought annoyed her and she sat up. As she got off the bed, the mattress creaked slightly. Ranger’s eyes suddenly popped open.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you,” Dana said.
“That’s okay. I’m a just a light sleeper.” He stood, then stretched.
By the time she’d found her shoes and slipped them on, Ranger had slid the chair back into place beside the wall and left the room.
“It’s already eight. When do we leave?” she asked, going to join him in the living room.
“As soon as you get your disguise back on,” he answered. He was gazing out the window toward the road. It was dark, but clear, and with the living room light still off he wasn’t presenting a silhouette to anyone outside. “But there’s a stop I want to make before we hit the bars. It may narrow our search. I’ll tell you about it once we’re on our way.”
Dana freshened her makeup-she was wearing more than she ever would have outside a disguise-and picked out a short, jet-black wig she’d found in the back of the closet. When she looked in the mirror, she barely recognized herself.
They were in the car and on the highway ten minutes later, driving west toward the city. He looked over to appraise her, then back to the road. “You look sexy,” he said with a quirky half smile.
Her heart did a little dance, but she quickly checked herself. She knew it was all an act. “It must be the new wig. It’s completely black, no lighter highlights anywhere. It changes my whole look.”
“No, it’s the way you fill out those tops…and the jeans, too.”
“The same can be said about you,” she answered.
He burst out laughing. “Thanks, darling. It’s good to know I’m appreciated. Now if you’d let me show you my appreciation in a more…tangible way.”
“Shouldn’t we be concentrating on what we have to do next?” she chided in her best teacher’s voice.
“You’re too wound up,” he said quietly. “Try to relax,” he said, glancing at her lap.
That’s when she suddenly realized that she’d bunched up the bottom hem of her sweater into her fists. “Oops. Stage fright, I guess.”
“Stop worrying. I’ve got your back,” he said, his voice soft as a summer breeze.
As their gazes met, she felt herself drowning in those dark eyes that promised far more than she could accept. “Neither one of us has put all our cards on the table, Ranger. You don’t trust me, and I can’t say I trust you,
either. We can’t go beyond that.”
He looked back at the highway, where traffic was starting to pick up as they got closer to Farmington. “You can trust one thing. I won’t let anything happen to you,” he answered.
“That’s because you need me to ID the medicine man’s killers,” she said, determined not to let him see how much that admission hurt.
“That’s one reason. But there are others.” When they stopped at a traffic light, he cupped her chin and made her look at him. “Your own instincts tell you that there’s more between us. Trust yourself.”
She tore her gaze away. Her instincts…They told her that she wanted him and he wanted her, that there was more than just a physical attraction between them. But she’d heard how he was manipulating her to get information.
“We’re about to stick our necks way out tonight. I’ve got to know that I can trust you and you’ve got to believe I’ve got your back. If we aren’t in complete agreement on that much, our chances of success are slim.”
“No problems there,” she said. “Now tell me where we’re going first.”
“About a year ago we hired a guy at Birdsong Enterprises who turned out to be a thief. He was caught stealing tools from the shop. But he and I got along, and though I had to fire him, there were no grudges. I learned later that the guy’s got a bit of a gambling problem and is always looking for a way to make a few quick bucks. If I approach him just right, he may give us a few leads.”
“So we’re going to his home?”
“No. There’s a tough-man competition, in this case an illegal cage fight, that he attends regularly. I’m guessing we’ll find him there. But brace yourself. It’s brutal, with few rules, all for a cash prize.”
Out of all the recreational sports she’d hoped never to see, this one topped the list. “Okay,” she said, managing to keep her voice steady. “Just don’t be surprised if I throw up on somebody.”
“You don’t have to watch. Just stick close to me-no matter what. Got that?”