The Mercenary And The Marriage Vow

by Doreen Roberts

  She’d probably sock him in the jaw.

  He looked away, forcing his mind off his erotic thoughts. He’d woken up twice in the night, reminding himself just how long it had been since he’d been in bed with a woman. It hadn’t been easy, ignoring the demands of his body.

  He hadn’t felt this urge in a good many years. Something about Valeri Richmond stirred up his blood and made him forget all the promises he’d made to himself to stay away from her.

  He still didn’t trust her, though he was inclined to believe her when she said she didn’t remember much of the last six years.

  What he had to do was jog her memory enough to get it working again. And that’s exactly what he intended to do. One way or another, he would get the truth out of her. Because now, more than ever, he was convinced that there was a great deal more going on with Sabhad than he’d realized at first. And the stakes had to be pretty high if the man was using armed thugs to achieve his objective. Whatever that was.

  Obviously Valeri was mixed up in it somehow. Her apparent fear of the police indicated as much. The thought depressed him. He had begun to think she was a completely innocent party in all this, dragged into it by accident. Now he wasn’t so sure. And he had better be sure before he made his move, he told himself, or he could land them both into more trouble than he could handle.

  Valeri opened her eyes, startled to see a strange window across the room. A movement at her side paralyzed her. For a moment she thought she was back in bed with Dan. The thought was nauseating.

  Then she moved her hands, and it all came flooding back. She was in some dingy motel room with a madman who’d taken her prisoner. Alex was somewhere in a place called Sylvan Springs, wounded, wanted by the police and waiting for her to rescue him. She had to go and get him. But where was he? For heaven’s sake, where was he?

  “Sleep well?”

  The husky voice close to her ear sent a hot rush of awareness through her veins. Without turning her head to look at him, she murmured, “I think so.”

  “Oh, that’s right. You have trouble remembering anything.”

  She flushed at the sarcasm in his voice. “I really don’t care if you believe me or not. It makes no difference to me. It’s not going to matter once I get out of here, anyway. Just as soon as I get within earshot of anyone, I’m going to have you arrested for kidnapping.”

  “It’s nice to know you’ve got your spirit back. I was beginning to worry.”

  She turned her head, then wished she hadn’t. His face was inches from hers. A grim smile tugged at his mouth, and his pale gold eyes were warm and intent on her face.

  She sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed. “I’d appreciate it if you’d untie me. I’d like to go to the bathroom.”

  “Anything to oblige a lady.” He scooted over to her and slipped the leather noose from her hands.

  Ignoring him with all the disdain she could muster, she fled for the bathroom and closed the door. The shower felt good, and she tried to wash off all memory of her night in bed with a merciless kidnapper. That was one thing she’d be glad to forget, she told herself, as she scrubbed herself dry.

  She towel-dried her hair, then hung both towels on the rack before climbing into her clothes. Her pants were creased, but her shirt looked fine when she slipped it back on. Feeling a lot more secure now that she was clothed again, she clawed her fingers through her tangled hair. Maybe Nat had a comb in his pocket. Her gaze fell on his jeans and shirt, hung over a towel rack. She felt guilty, running her hands through his pockets, but when her fingers closed over the car keys, she felt a little stab of excitement.

  She might not be able to run from him, but she sure could drive. She’d be out of the parking lot before he knew what had hit him. Hardly daring to breathe, she eased the keys into the pocket of her chinos.

  She found his comb in the back pocket of his jeans, and quickly raked it through her hair. She didn’t need him coming in to grab his clothes before she was ready.

  After a quick inspection in the mirror, she replaced the comb, then opened the door and stepped back into the room.

  Nat stood at the window, his back to her. His legs were long and tightly muscled, his hips firm in the dark blue briefs. His sinewy back was tanned a deep bronze, several shades darker than his legs.

  He turned to face her as she closed the door of the bathroom, and she steered her gaze away from him toward the TV. “It’s all yours,” she said unsteadily.

  She’d seen the belt in his hands, and resigned herself to being tied once more to the bed while he took a shower. She was surprised when he crossed the floor to the bathroom, saying, “I’ll be right back.”

  She was just congratulating herself on her easy escape when he turned at the door and said, “I’ve decided to trust you. I’d appreciate it if you don’t let me down.”

  She glared at the door as he closed it behind him. That wasn’t fair, appealing to her conscience. She had a duty to escape, for heaven’s sake. Alex needed her. She couldn’t tell Nat about him. She couldn’t tell anyone. That was one of the few things Alex had said that she remembered. Don’t talk to the police. Don’t trust anyone.

  She waited until she heard the rush of water from the shower before creeping to the door. After all, she assured herself as she eased the door open, she hadn’t asked to be kidnapped at gunpoint outside the hospital. Nat was the one breaking all the rules.

  As far as she knew, she’d done absolutely nothing to deserve all this trauma she’d gone through since she’d woken up in the hospital with a gap in her memory. He’d had no right to force her into his car. And she had every right to try to escape.

  The desert had begun heating up already when she stepped outside into the balmy air. The sun felt hot on her bare head and the dazzle from the light pavement hurt her eyes.

  She left the door slightly ajar for fear of making a noise if she closed it. Crouching almost double to avoid being seen from the window, she crept over to the car.

  The Volvo looked even more dilapidated than it had yesterday. She hoped it would at least get her to the closest town. Wherever that was. She might even be lucky enough to hit Sylvan Springs on the first try.

  Her hand shook when she tried to fit the key in the lock, and she used her other hand to steady it. The click of the door handle when she turned it seemed as loud as a gunshot in the still, quiet air.

  The inside of the car was stifling, and she rolled down the windows before slipping the key in the ignition. At the first roar of the engine, Nat would come running. Valeri wondered if he’d stop to put some clothes on first.

  The vision of him running naked out of the room was so potent that she took a moment or two to get her mind back on track.

  All that was important now was to find Alex and get him to a doctor. She had to put Nat right out of her mind.

  Unfortunately, she thought ruefully as she fastened her seat belt, forgetting him might be a tad difficult for a while. It was necessary, however, if she was going to get out of there. She needed all her concentration, and Nathan Thorne had a disconcerting habit of throwing her off balance.

  She toyed with the idea of going back into the mountains, but the possibility of meeting up with Sabhad’s men made that move unwise. She’d be better on the open road, she decided. Sooner or later she’d have to come to a town.

  Grasping the key, she braced her shoulders. This would have to be done in an instant. Engine on, brake off and foot on the accelerator. She looked down at the gearbox. There was just one small problem. She’d never driven a stick shift in her life. She pulled in a deep breath. She couldn’t let a little thing like that stop her now. Closing her eyes, she turned the key. The engine sputtered...then died.

  One glance at the fuel gauge told her why. The stupid car was probably out of gas.

  She could have cried with frustration. Resting her head on her folded arms, she tried to think.

  The gun. Of course. Nat had a gun. He’d said as much when he’d f
irst forced her into the car. If she could get her hands on it, she’d make him take her into town. But where would he have hidden it? It certainly wasn’t with his clothes.

  She darted an anxious look at the motel room. Maybe she still had time to get back into the room and look for it before he finished his shower.

  Climbing out of the car, she marveled at her daring. Her six years of independence must have strengthened her nerve. The Valeri she remembered would have fainted dead away at the thought of holding a gun in her hands, much less actually threatening someone with it. Now she couldn’t wait to get her hands on it and bring the hardheaded, insolent devil in there to his knees.

  She just hoped she knew how to hold the dam thing. She’d seen movies in which someone released a safety catch before pulling the trigger. Maybe Nat wouldn’t notice if she couldn’t find it to release it.

  She scurried back across the parking lot and carefully opened the door. Luckily, she’d left it open. She stepped inside, grateful for the cool air in the darkened room.

  She could still hear water cascading in the shower.

  So far so good. Maybe the gun was under his pillow. That seemed the most likely place. She hadn’t actually seen him put a gun there, but then she hadn’t been watching his every move.

  She crept across the room and around the side of the bed. Turning her back on the bathroom door, she lifted Nat’s pillow. There was nothing underneath. Dam it. He must have hidden it somewhere else.

  She looked around the room.

  Then it hit her. Of course. It was still in the car. Probably the glove compartment. Why hadn’t she thought of that? She turned to creep out again, and was halfway across the room when a gust of wind caught the open door and slammed it against the chair behind it.

  Valeri froze.

  She heard the bathroom door open, then Nat’s voice, asking a little too pleasantly, “Going somewhere?”

  Now she was in trouble, Valeri told herself. She was going to need more than luck to get out of this one.

  Chapter 6

  Valeri turned to face the bathroom. Nat stood propped against the door frame, water dripping from his bare chest, his towel clutched strategically in front of his belly. His dark hair lay plastered to his head, and in the light from the doorway his gold eyes seemed almost feral.

  She lifted her chin. “I was just going out for a breath of fresh air. It’s getting real stuffy in here.”

  “I see. You were taking my keys for a walk, is that it?”

  Unnerved, she decided her best defense was to attack. “What did you expect? You kidnap me and hold me in this miserable motel against my will, and I have no idea why. Just give me one good reason why I shouldn’t run to the nearest cop and turn you in.”

  He didn’t move a muscle, but stood there watching her like a tiger ready to pounce on his prey. After a nerveracking pause, he said quietly, “Why don’t you? The phone’s right there. As far as I know, it works just fine. Go ahead, call them.”

  She almost expected him to add, “Make my day.” She glanced at the phone, then back at him, unable to think of a single thing to say that wouldn’t get her into more trouble.

  “That’s what I thought.” He pushed himself away from the wall and walked toward her, his hand outstretched. “My keys.”

  She backed up a step and fished the keys from her pocket. Dropping them into his open palm, she tried very hard not to notice the expanse of bare flesh exposed on either side of his towel. Her mouth felt dry, yet her palms were damp. She couldn’t have looked him in the face right then if her life depended on it.

  “Not that they’d have done you any good.” He threw the keys onto the bed with a careless gesture. “I took the distributor cap out last night when I brought you back. You couldn’t even start the engine without that.”

  “So you didn’t trust me after all.” She didn’t know why that should matter, but it did.

  “Lady, there isn’t a woman alive I’d trust. And believe me, you are no exception.”

  She did look up at him then, stung by his superior tone. “And you’re completely trustworthy, of course. A hired killer without principles.”

  His scowl warned her she’d overstepped the line. She was suddenly aware of her vulnerability. He was close enough that she could feel the steam rising from his skin. In spite of the soap and flowery shampoo, there seemed to be a subtle maleness in the fragrance surrounding him. She noticed tiny droplets of water clinging to his dark chest hair, and felt an insane urge to catch them with her tongue.

  Her heart raced. She took a step backward, and came up against the wall. He moved closer, his damp, near-naked body towering over her as he muttered harshly, “I warned you once before not to push me too far. Just be thankful I’m not what you think I am, or you’d be flat on your back trying to fight me off right now. And I can promise you one thing. You’d lose.”

  With that, he turned his back on her and strode back to the bathroom, apparently oblivious of the fact that he was giving her an unobstructed view of his buttocks.

  Valeri’s knees gave out completely, and she sank onto the chair, feeling as if all the breath had been squeezed from her lungs. She was trembling from head to foot, and somehow she didn’t think it was from fear. Whatever that man was, there was no doubt he knew how to rattle a woman.

  She’d never been treated like that in her life. What was even more disturbing, she’d never been so erotically aware of a man, either. He was the most outrageous, blatant man she’d ever met and she resented the way her treacherous body responded to him.

  She didn’t want to feel this way about him. The man was dangerous, in more ways than one. She could only hope he never tried to carry out his threat.

  She lifted her face to the ceiling and closed her eyes. If she were truly honest with herself, the mere thought of him throwing her onto the bed and covering her with his body thrilled her to the bone.

  And the real reason she didn’t want him attempting it was not because she didn’t find him attractive, but because she knew full well what would happen if he did try anything. She’d freeze, as she always did. No matter how badly she wanted to participate. And if there was one thought she couldn’t bear, it was for Nathan Thorne to find out that she was sexually inadequate.

  The water shut off in the bathroom, and she got hurriedly to her feet. It was too late now to search for the gun. Not that she had any illusions as to how that would turn out, even if she did try to threaten him. More than likely he’d just lean over and take it out of her hand, making one of his suggestive remarks.

  She moved over to the TV and switched it on. She needed something to occupy her attention. She’d have liked to turn to the news, just in case there was more word on Alex, but she was afraid Nat would hear it and put two and two together. The police must know by now that she was missing, too. They could even be out there looking for her, assuming she would lead them to her father.

  That’s what worried her most of all. If Nat was a cop, he could have grabbed her from the hospital knowing that she would eventually lead him to Alex. Maybe all that stuff with Sabhad was to frighten her into trusting him. This whole thing could be a setup, with Nat waiting to grab Alex as soon as he found out what she knew.

  That would certainly explain why he rescued her from Sabhad, and why he was so intent on holding her prisoner, so persistent in wanting to know what she remembered.

  She just had to stay on guard, and the last thing on earth that she could do was let him seduce her into trusting him.

  The door opened abruptly, and she looked up warily as Nat came into the room. He was fully dressed, she was thankful to see, except for his feet, which were still bare.

  He sat down on the edge of the bed to pull on his socks and boots, and seemed to be ignoring her.

  She waited until he’d finished dressing, then asked him quietly, “So what happens now?”

  He looked at her, his strange eyes giving away none of his thoughts. “We’re going to try to jog
your memory. We’re going back to where you live in Sacramento. Maybe being around something familiar will help you remember something else.”

  She felt a leap of excitement. He was actually going to take her home. She’d never heard more welcome words in her life. Once she got back to her apartment, she was positive she’d find out more about Alex. It was certainly better than roaming around Sylvan Springs not knowing what she was looking for.

  Of course, she still had to get away from Nat. That was a major hurdle she’d have to think about on the way home.

  Remembering her escape attempt that morning, she recalled something else. “There’s no gas in the car. The fuel gauge is on empty.”

  He gave her a brief nod. “I know. There’s still a couple of gallons in there. I always carry another two in the trunk. That should get us to the gas station. We passed one on the way in.”

  “We’re going back over the mountain?” All of a sudden her newly found excitement vanished. “What about Sabhad’s men?”

  Nat shrugged and crossed to the door. “We’ll just have to keep an eye out for them. You ready?”

  Now she felt uneasy again. He didn’t seem unduly worried about running into the thugs who’d tried to run them down. Could that be because he knew he had nothing to fear from them? Once more her anxiety surfaced.

  She followed him out the door and got into the car. She’d left the windows rolled down, but even so, the air felt stuffy inside the small interior. Nat lifted the hood and fiddled with the engine for a moment, then slammed the lid down with a bang that echoed across the dry desert.

  He climbed in beside her and started the engine. “Fasten your seat belt,” he said, his voice calm and matter-of-fact.

  She did as he ordered, her pulse skipping nervously. Maybe he was expecting trouble, after all. She sat back in her seat, feeling the tension creeping over her again. She still had a long way to go. She wasn’t out of the woods by any means.

  Nat spoke no more than brief snatches of sentences as they climbed the steep slopes. They stopped briefly for gas, largely ignored by the bearded old man who took Nat’s money. In a broken-down shack next door, Nat bought some bitter coffee and a bag of tough donuts. It wasn’t much of a breakfast, but it satisfied the hunger pangs.