It didn’t take long to find Marina. She was standing in the kitchen with her arms crossed and angry as hell. Mark hadn’t agreed to the visit with her mother. They hadn’t been able to locate her mother, but wherever she was, Mark was sure she was being watched as well.
Lucky me. I get to bring you bad news once again. If you don’t hate me yet, you will soon. He handed her the laptop, and she snatched it from his grip.
“You had no right taking my personal belongings.” Her tone was as expected, filled with anger and lack of trust.
“You know why.”
“It doesn’t change anything.”
She was wrong. It changed everything. He would never have done such a thing if it wasn’t required to for the sake of the country. Kevin was a lot of things, but usually, he was upfront with his actions. This mission was different from anything he’d expected. He had needed to lie, mislead, and manipulate to get what they needed. It couldn’t be avoided. He hoped he could still look himself in the mirror when this was all done. There was no doubt in his mind, no matter what Johnson said, that she was an innocent victim in all this mess. And he was intentionally using her and hurting her in the process, all in the line of duty. A fine line and one I better be careful not to cross too far. She’s had enough pain in her life. I don’t need to add any more to it.
“We’re heading out. We’ve got thirty minutes to get to the chopper. So I suggest we get packing now. We can argue about it later.”
There was a look of surprise on her face. “Now? Right now?”
“Yes, ma’am. Let’s grab your bags, and I’ll help toss your stuff in. Only take what you want to keep. We’re not coming back here.”
“Okay, wait here, and I’ll pack.” She rushed to her bedroom, and he followed. Turning she snapped, “What part of here don’t you understand?”
“Marina, I’m helping whether you like it or not. That is unless you want to leave your things behind. If so, let’s go now.”
Growling out her frustration at him, she threw up her arms in defeat and said, “You take the left side of the room, and I’ll take the right.”
She pointed to an empty suitcase on the floor. There were clothes tossed outside the suitcase. He would’ve thought she’d be much neater than this, but nothing surprised him about her any longer. He started pushing it all back inside and zipped it up. Then he grabbed another suitcase and started grabbing the small amount of clothes in the closet.
When he went to the bureau, he found the drawer empty. Yeah, why use drawers when you have a perfectly good floor? He knew too many years in the Marines had him even folding his boxer shorts.
Kevin picked up a battery-operated pillar candle. There were several scattered around the room. It appeared to be the one thing she actually took care in placing. He figured she’d want them with her then. Carefully he put the first two in the bag. Then he found a remote lying next to one. He pushed the button, and they all lit up. He pushed the button again, and they changed colors. Nice. Romantic. Don’t know why you need it out here. Can’t say I could ever figure out what makes a woman do things like this.
“Stop touching my things and just pack,” Marina said as she continued working on her stuff. It looked as though she packed as he did, things just thrown in a bag.
Kevin tossed the remote inside and grabbed the remaining candles. He looked around and everything was cleared from his side. He noticed there was another remote on the bed. Why’d she need two remotes for candles? He walked over and picked it up.
“No! Don’t touch that!” She let out a high-pitched warning.
He looked at it puzzled. “Don’t worry. I’m only going to put it with the other one.”
Kevin unzipped the suitcase and tossed it inside. When he closed the bag and zipped it, one of the candles must have pressed the remote.
Instantly the room was filled with a buzzing sound. Kevin looked over to Marina. She was beet red with a look of horror on her face as she stared at her nightstand drawer. She was frozen in place. Trying to make it less awkward for her, he said, “You sure you don’t want me to help pack your side too? Trust me. I don’t mind at all.”
He had a grin on his face, but she didn’t seem to appreciate his humor. “You’ve done enough, now I beg you, please leave me alone to finish.” Marina didn’t even turn to face him as she spoke.
Although Kevin really wanted to see what sexy device she’d hidden in that drawer, he obeyed her request. Once outside he realized his reaction had been stronger than he’d thought, as his cock was hard and throbbing. Even the thought of her touching herself, using whatever vibrator she didn’t want him to see, turned him on. Although, she was totally embarrassed, he hoped she had still packed it. Oh yeah, you’re definitely so much more than some boring chemist. And when this is all over, I plan on finding out just who Marina Brimlow really is.
Chapter Seven
‡
They were high in the air when Kevin finally decided to tell her there wouldn’t be any stops before the safe house. He knew the deal. I need to see my mother.
Over the loud hum of the engines she said, “Captain, you knew my terms.”
He met her gaze, shaking his head. “Too risky.”
She needed to make him understand that it was a greater risk not to stop. How was she going to do that without divulging why? It was her deepest secret, and they weren’t exactly alone. With all her heart she wanted to trust him, but couldn’t. Her poor character judgment was what got her into this mess in the first place. Marina wasn’t going to make that mistake again.
“It’ll only take five minutes. That’s all.” Marina tried pleading her case, yet she knew it was falling on deaf ears.
“I don’t care if it’s ten seconds. This chopper has one destination and no detours.”
She knew the type of man he was, and if he had an order, he wouldn’t listen to anything she had to say. They never do. It doesn’t matter if it’s my father or another general; they follow orders. Their orders always are more important than me.
It was a lesson she learned when she’d had a brief affair with one of the soldiers assigned to watch her long ago. Even back in college, her father controlled everything. Although she was young, she quickly learned that duty comes before anything else, even love.
Kevin was no different. She sat back and watched him. His expression was hard and serious. Every muscle in his body seemed tense. He had what he wanted, she was in the chopper and going with him. So why didn’t he look happy about it?
She watched as he continued to look out the window. Did he see something she didn’t? Peering out her own window she looked down, and all she noticed were tiny specks she assumed were houses, but that’s all. There didn’t appear to be anything out of the ordinary. Marina wanted to ask, yet she knew Kevin’s answer already. “Nothing.”
Without looking at her, Kevin said, “Sleep. We have a long flight.”
“Where are we going?”
There was a long pause as if he considered telling her. “Someplace you’ll be safe.”
“I was someplace safe.”
He turned to her and said, “I found you. That means they can find you.”
Marina needed to know who they were. How did one expect to protect themselves from someone they don’t know? “Who is after me?”
He looked at her, and his eyes softened. What did he know that he was afraid to tell her? Could it honestly be worse than he’d already told her? I don’t think it gets much worse than the way you delivered news of my father’s passing.
“Marina, Mark is doing everything he can to get to them before they get to you. You have to trust us.”
“Who’s Mark?” How can I trust someone I haven’t even met?
“He’s my older brother.”
“Is he in the Marines too?”
“No. He’s a Navy SEAL.”
“I thought they only handled things overseas. Why is he working with the Marines?”
“This is a . . . s
pecial mission.”
Special? What was so special about this one? The military is used to protecting millions of people, not just one. Why pull together a team from different branches of the service for her? They didn’t report to the same commander. She’d been around the military long enough to know something wasn’t right. Then she thought back to his uniform on the day they met. No insignia, same as today. She looked at the pilot and once again, nothing.
When she asked who he was, she took his response as truth. At no point had she requested documentation to back up he was actually a captain in the Marines. From what she was adding up in her head, it looked more like a lie than anything else.
Why didn’t I question this before boarding a helicopter with him? I knew people were after me. Did I think they’d come storming in and grab me in the night, kicking and screaming? Is it possible they decided to use a crueler way, trick me into trusting them and then flip on me? Marina filled with panic. Confronting him about her fears would reveal to him that the game was up. Calling him out wasn’t an intelligent thing to do thousands of feet in the air. There’d be no one to stop him if he decided to open the door and throw her to her death. Oh, God. Please let me be wrong. There’s no way I just walked into the lion’s den.
Kevin reached out and touched her hand. Only then did she notice her hands were trembling. She wanted to pull away and scream for him not to touch her, but his simple touch somehow calmed her. It made no sense. She barely knew him and wasn’t even sure if she should trust anything he said. There was no disputing it. Marina wanted everything he was saying and doing to be real.
“What’s wrong?” Kevin asked.
“Nothing. Just don’t like flying, that’s all.” Her body’s reaction went along perfectly with her lie.
“Neither do I.”
She shot him a puzzled look. “More of the ground troop type?”
He laughed. “Not at all. Let’s just say I prefer the driver’s seat.”
“Driver’s seat? Like a tank?”
“No. Like in the sky.”
“You’re a pilot?” That really didn’t add up. She would’ve believed him if he was a sniper or something, but a pilot wouldn’t be sitting in the stagnant, sultry marshland watching her. She would play along with him until she could figure out what was the truth and what was a lie. At least he was talking to her, and she needed some distractions on a long flight.
“I am.”
“So we have the Marines and the Navy watching little ole me. You’d think there were more important things for you guys to be doing.”
He didn’t respond so she pushed harder. It was time to be a woman. Let’s see how you handle that.
“I wonder what your brother looks like. Is he handsome? Does he know how to shave?” From what she knew, all branches of the service had a clean-shaven requirement. Kevin’s scruffy look was just another piece that wasn’t adding up to her.
He snorted. “You’ll find out when you see him.”
Marina asked, using a softer voice than she usually did, “And when will that be?”
“He’s en route now with your belongings and should arrive the same time we do,” Kevin answered dryly.
“Good. I hope he has better manners than you do,” she said sarcastically.
“Oh, you’re about to find out. I’m definitely the nice one.”
That’s what I was afraid of. “Well, isn’t this my lucky day?”
Kevin chuckled. “I’m not sure about that. Guess you’ll find out when you get your suitcases and see if Mark decided to rummage through them in case you were trying to hide something from us. He may have decided not to bring all your essentials.”
“He wouldn’t!”
Kevin laughed. “A year ago, maybe. Now? No, I think his wife would kill him.”
Marina blushed when Kevin mentioned Mr. Handcock, and he hadn’t even seen it. Imagine if he knew I named it. I’m sure he’d enjoy that even more. Bringing up the subject was his way of taunting her. She wasn’t going to fall for it. Instead, she chose to continue talking about Mark. Anything is better than talking about me.
Marina could tell Kevin was trying to keep the subject light to ease her fear of flying. It would work better if his body language didn’t say he was still on high alert. Let him do his job and protect me, so I can do mine.
Agreeing that she needed some type of distraction, she said, “He’s married?”
Kevin nodded. “A newlywed.”
“And he’s here protecting me?”
“Duty calls.”
“That’s horrible. You tell him I don’t need his protection. He should be home with his wife.”
“I’m sure Hannah, that’s his wife, would like that, too.”
“Hannah. That’s a very pretty name.”
“You’d like her. She’s down to earth but spunky like you.”
That wasn’t a word she ever heard to describe herself. Serious. Calculated. Boring. Yes. Spunky? No. “I’m not sure you know what that word means.”
He met her gaze and said, “Full of spirit, courageous, brave. Yep. Sounds like you.”
That was the sweetest thing anyone had ever said to her. She wasn’t sure it fit or if anything Kevin was telling her was the truth or if these people actually existed. Anyway, it was nice hearing it.
“She sounds fun.” Which isn’t something I’ve ever been accused of.
“I think Bailey helped bring her out of her shell.”
Hmm. Seems to be a lot of women around you. I can’t blame them. You’re smart, a Marine, and handsome as hell. What woman wouldn’t want you? Someone like you would never want someone like me. “Bailey is?” Please don’t say your girlfriend.
“Hannah’s best friend. Actually, we became good friends, too.”
“Oh. That’s nice.” She hadn’t meant for it to sound so pathetic. She wasn’t jealous. Why would she be? Kevin was nothing except her protector, if he was who he said he was. Any physical attraction, no matter how strong, didn’t mean anything. Even the fact that she felt comfortable talking with him meant nothing. He’d be gone once the job was done.
Kevin laughed softly. “You almost sound jealous.”
She turned away, looking out the window. That was ridiculous. He was only teasing her now, and she knew it. Marina had no problem giving it right back. “Oh please, Captain Collins. I don’t think there’s enough room in this chopper for your ego.”
To her relief, Kevin seemed to enjoy her snappy retort. In the window reflection she noticed him smiling and giving her a playful wink. “Didn’t sound like a denial to me.” Marina rolled her eyes at his comment, but she was enjoying the lighthearted conversation. Kevin continued. “Bailey is engaged to Mark’s best friend, Don.”
It shouldn’t matter to her one bit, but Marina was glad to hear the news. That concerned her because she’d never cared enough to get jealous. This wasn’t the time for the green monster to rear its ugly head. Actually, she found that trait very unattractive in people. And I don’t have the time, nor the energy, to deal with it.
So the next question slipped out before she could stop herself. “And how about you?” Stupid, Marina. Now he’ll think I’m interested, when I definitely am not.
“No wife, no fiancée, no girlfriend. How about you?”
“No one presently.” She wasn’t about to remind him that the last six years had pretty much been under lock and key.
“I’m shocked.”
Marina turned to him and looked at him questioningly. “Why?”
“Besides the fact that you’re beautiful?”
It warmed her heart to hear that word. He wasn’t hitting on her. At least, she didn’t think so. Flirting wasn’t something she’d done much of. It took time and practice, two things she never had when the general was still alive. She was more a get-to-the-point person. With Kevin, it was different. Maybe, because there weren’t all the distractions of a lab around them. Whatever it was, she enjoyed it and almost wished the flight woul
d last forever. She’d bet every one of her vibrators that the safe house conveniently had a lab attached to it. Once they reached the safe house, she’d stop being Marina, the woman, and become what she’d always been to her father. The chemist.
Not knowing how to respond, she kept it simple. “Thank you.” She didn’t turn to look at him. She couldn’t, with her cheeks so red.
“You say it like you don’t believe me. Why is that, Marina? Why don’t you think you’re beautiful?”
She didn’t want to get into her personal life with him. What does he care about my insecurities? Something to use against me later? A way to use me, manipulate me? No, her insecurities were private, and that was how she wanted to keep them. She shrugged her shoulders to respond. Anyone else would’ve taken the hint and dropped it. Kevin either was thickheaded or didn’t care what she wanted, and he pushed the subject again.
She knew he wanted her to look at him, to gaze into his eyes to see his sincerity, but she couldn’t make herself do it. How could she? After everything I’ve done, how can you honestly call me beautiful? I’m a monster, Kevin, and the sooner you realize that, the better it is for me.
“You have the most amazing, dark eyes I’ve ever seen. Your skin glows, and your body—”
“Okay. I get it. You think I’m pretty.” She heard his sincerity, and it shook her. Just stop, Kevin. I know what you honestly think of me. You said as much in the cabin. As much as I wish there could be something between us, I can’t, not now. Not until I fix what I’ve done.
He reached around and gently guided her to face him. “No, Marina. I don’t think you’re pretty. I know you’re stunning.”
She closed her eyes, afraid of what she’d see in his. “No, I’m really not.” She tried to swallow the urge to cry. “I’m plain and boring. There is nothing beautiful or desirable in that.”
She felt his thumb run across her bottom lip, and she opened her eyes in surprise. Kevin’s smoldering gaze sent electricity running through her body. She knew what she saw in herself, but as his fingers stroked her cheek tenderly, she saw in herself what he saw in her, and it terrified her. He shined a light into the darkest, most shattered part of her soul, and he saw a woman, a beautiful woman.
Southern Regions (Southern Desires Book 4) Page 8