by Lisa Eugene
“No!” Harry denied sharply.
“Who set me up?”
“I don’t know. I swear. It wasn’t me. I’d never betray you. For God sakes, Dutch, you saved my goddamn life!” Harry’s tremulous voice was filled with emotion.
Gabe stared silently. He believed him, but something still didn’t feel right. He and Harry had a long history. He recalled that dark day back in SEAL training when they’d been out para-trooping. He’d watched in horror as Harry’s chute deployed, but didn’t open. His second chute got tangled in the first. Knowing he only had seconds to act, Gabe, in free-fall next to his friend, had fought his way to him, cut away the defective chutes and held on to his friend for dear life.
He’d then somehow managed to deploy his own chute and glide them down to safety. They’d both spent time in the hospital, but while Gabe had been released with minor injuries, Harry had required multiple surgeries. That accident had been the period at the end of his SEAL career. At least he’d walked away with his life. Sometimes Gabe wondered if he’d done his friend a disservice. Over the years Harry had become a shell of his former self. But who was he to criticize? It wasn’t as though he had his shit together. Just looking at the events of the past week attested to that. He glanced over to the adjacent booth. She was gone.
“Shit!” He holstered his gun and jumped from his seat, snatching the papers off the table and tossing down a large bill.
“What’s wrong?” Harry’s eyes popped out of his head. He twisted around nervously.
Gabe bent close to his ear, his voice grating deep. “Tell Cane I have the information. Tell him I’ll be in touch, but now I have a few conditions.”
Gabe tried to quell the panic causing his heart to hammer through his chest. Where had she gone? It couldn’t have been that long; he’d just heard her fussing with Kim so she couldn’t have gotten far. He’d been so caught up with Harry that he hadn’t seen her leave. She must have slipped out of the other side of the booth and crawled away on the floor. Her? On the floor of a diner? Damn, she must be desperate—like he was now to find her. She had no idea what kind of danger she was in, and that alone infused him with fear. He took a few calming breaths and tried to focus, the thought of her leaving painfully gnawing his insides. Suddenly, Kim appeared in his line of vision. He watched as she silently pointed in the direction of the bathroom. He mouthed a quick thanks and sprinted off in that direction.
Maggie started to hyperventilate. She took another deep breath and cursed her wide hips and substantial butt as she tried to squeeze out of an impossibly small bathroom window. That waitress Kim had been blocking the door to the front exit, and the back door was locked. She cursed her bad luck. Why could she not have been born lean and slender like her mother? She’d now be well away from the brute that tormented her. She took another deep inhalation and arched her back, straining to launch the rest of her body through the window. She was mostly outside already—at least from the hips up! That was when she heard the bathroom door open. She closed her eyes and prayed that it was another female. Although the visual from inside the bathroom would be startlingly queer, perhaps she could garner some sympathy and convince the woman to shove the remainder of her body outside.
“What exactly do you think you’re doing?”
The rumble of a deep masculine voice forced her to squeeze her eyes tight and issue a curse.
“Escaping!” she answered, annoyed. Wasn’t it obvious?
She heard the draw of an impatient sigh, followed by a deep sarcastic chuckle.
“Not doing a very good job of it. Are you stuck?”
“No! I’m not stuck!” she yelled.
But, as she pushed down on the iron frame and tried to heave her body through, she comprehended the difficulty of her situation. She was good and truly wedged. Mortified, she tried to wiggle her way back inside, her face flaming red at the view he must have—her large rounded ass jiggling enthusiastically as she tried to maneuver it inside, her feet dangling over the floor. She could just picture his stupidly smug, gorgeous face with that puzzled expression he seemed to reserve for her. God, the indignities!
She stilled when she felt long fingers girdle her hips from behind. His palms swooped down and circled the globes of her butt, making her hiss. Electric currents buzzed up and down her skin and she bit her lip, feeling sharp stabs of desire. What the heck was he doing? Why didn’t he just help pull her free? She felt the glide of his palms around her curves and bristled. She didn’t like the way her muscles clenched deep inside, or the longing that caused moisture to dampen her folds. She was stuck in a window, for God sakes! And, she realized with an audible gulp, completely at his mercy.
“You’ve been a bad girl, Maggie.” Her heart pounded when she heard his slow, deliberate words.
“Gabe, get me out this second!” she demanded, panic seeping into her voice. She didn’t like the augury in his steely tone.
“A very bad girl.”
She gasped when she felt him abruptly jerk her sweat pants and underwear down below her butt, exposing the twin globes. A rush of cool air prickled her sensitive naked skin.
“Gabe! Oh my—” Her words were barely out before she felt the sharp sting of his palm against her flesh. “Ahh! You…you…big brute!”
She yelped when his palm landed again, but as his hand slowly caressed the stinging skin, an unbidden moan gurgled from her throat. A bolt of fire shot through her when she felt his teeth gently nip the flesh he’d been soothing, and lust pounded heavy between her legs. Oh God, the things she imagined him doing to her! She inhaled deeply, shamefully acknowledging her burning desire. She felt him pull her waistband back up and held her breath as he easily lifted and maneuvered her back into the room. She wanted to rant and rail at him for his barbarous treatment, but was too embarrassed by the confusing desire still pulsing through her. She was sure he was aware of it too. He lowered her to her feet and stood pressing behind her. She could feel the heat of his thick shaft lodged against her lower back.
“I wish I had time to punish you properly, Maggie. But, we need to go.”
She didn’t get a chance to respond. Wasn’t really sure she could at that moment. She was afraid of what she’d beg him to do. She was terrified of the way her body always responded to him.
He grabbed her hand and pulled her behind him, leading her to a basement. Back in the car, anger replaced her lust. Anger at herself for having feelings for him, for the desire she felt for him. Did he ever plan on letting her go? What more could he possibly want from her? She still believed her biggest danger was him. His life was in serious jeopardy. From the conversation in the diner it seemed that someone had set him up, and someone desperately wanted the data on that flash drive. Why? What would they do with it? His friend had looked scared and very agitated. As much as she hated to get involved, she felt she needed to get to the authorities.
He had stolen vital data. Data from research that had taken almost a decade to compile. She remembered Dr. Victoria Rollins and had a great deal of respect for the oncologist. She appeared to be a scholarly, passionate woman who had dedicated her life’s work to helping others. From what she’d overheard, and the little he’d told her, he’d been paid to steal the research data. Who knew what would happen to the data once it got into someone else’s hands. Who was this Cane guy? Maybe it would somehow be used for wicked purposes instead of saving hundreds of thousands of lives. Maybe it was in someone’s best interest to thwart the development of the Sonic Scalpel. Whatever it was, she felt compelled to alert Cryostar as to the whereabouts of their research data.
What would happen to Gabe?
She sighed heavily, not letting her thoughts dwell on that question. Instead, her mind recalled every heated interaction with him. Stockholm or not, she couldn’t deny the attraction between them. Her physical response to him was elemental and overwhelming. What did it say about her though, that she couldn’t tame her desire for him given everything she knew and all that he’d done? She�
�d just have to try harder. She’d have to fortify her defenses. He was a gorgeous man and any woman would be drawn to him, but he lived on the edge of danger. Death was a constant threat in his line of work. He’d basically admitted that. He was definitely not the relationship type—not that she wanted one, she added quickly, but the sooner she was rid of him the better.
There were still so many contradictions about him. He’d saved her life, he’d defended her and removed her from danger, he was even gentle and considerate at times. He could have easily absconded with the drive and left her to face certain death. And even now he was her self-appointed protector. He was also high-handed and brutish, controlling, and demanding.
Who was the real Gabe? Or Dutch, as she’d heard his friend call him? Why did she even care? And why, she admitted reluctantly, did her heart shudder when she looked at him? So confusing… She had to focus her efforts on getting away from him, not figuring out this enigmatic hobo or her feelings for him! Her mind swirled again with scenarios of escape.
She thought of opening the door and tossing her body out, but was afraid she’d be clipped by one of the cars speeding down the highway. She could grab the wheel and force them off the road, but at the speed he was driving, they’d most likely crash and lose their lives. They passed an industrial landscape and soon Gabe pulled into a town lined with rows and rows of neat ranch-style homes. Maggie looked at road signs, but nothing was familiar. She guessed they was somewhere in North Westchester County. He drove through the main street and eventually pulled into the parking lot of a motel. She stood silently while he checked them in as Mr. and Mrs. Connor. She’d bide her time. She’d wait until the opportunity arose, then she’d make her move.
The room was small, and to Maggie’s relief, appeared relatively clean and unsullied. The problem was the lone bed that sat in the middle of the room. It was an ominous enticement that hovered tauntingly, making her imagine all sorts of crazy, sweaty things. Feeling the need for another shower, she made a beeline to the adjoining bathroom. She had to bite her tongue to keep from screaming when he brushed past her and made a show of measuring the size of the tiny window in the bathroom. His gaze then leisurely roved over her hips and rear end with perspicuous assessment.
“I think we’re good,” he announced as he walked away, his brown eyes teasing.
Unable to contain her annoyance, she growled and proffered a fist. With reflexes that surprised her, he ducked away with a playful laugh that seemed to reverberate through her body. Her breath lodged in her chest. God, when he displayed his full relaxed smile the effect was stunning. The gorgeous angles and planes of his face combined with that deep sexy cleft in his chin would be any artist’s inspiration for a masterpiece. As she slipped into the bathroom she saw him reach into the duffle bag and take out the manila envelope she’d seen him with at the diner. She watched him toss it on the bed, then retrieve one of the trim cell phones he’d brought from the closet. In the bathroom she closed the door and melted against it, relieved to finally be alone with her thoughts.
She heard the deep baritone of his muted voice filter into the room and she pressed her ear against the thin door.
“I’m changing the deal…If you want it, you’ll have to pay double…just for the aggravation…when I verify the transaction. I don’t really give a damn…and if it’s you that’s after me, call off your bloody hounds! If anything happens to Harry or the girl, it’s over. In three days. Same place.”
Maggie’s eyes narrowed pensively, and she chewed on her bottom lip. In three days…Is that when he was planning on handing over the data? To this Cane guy?
She stepped out of the shower feeling clean and refreshed; feeling like her body was crawling with fewer microbes. The floor of the diner had been disgusting. She groaned, dreading the thought of stepping back into her dirty clothes. She reached for a towel off the plastic rack and spotted new clothes folded neatly on the counter top. She hugged the towel to her breast, frowning. When had he come into the bathroom? Where did he get the clothes? Why would he do this for her?
Gabe sat against the headboard of the bed, his long legs stretched out in front of him. He let his eyes focus on the picture of Cane Howard. The man was known to the world as a saintly example of pristine moral standards. But Gabe knew that behind those smiling eyes lurked a cruel sadistic individual who would stop at nothing to get what he wanted. Just delaying the transaction would be enough to incur his wrath, but making further demands would definitely cause a deluge of fury and vengeance to rain down on him. No one messed with Cane Howard. Except Gabe Masters. He hated men like Cane, men who thought their wealth and status could buy them a ticket into heaven no matter what evil deeds they perpetrated on earth.
Working with his father, he’d encountered many such men. That’s why he’d been so proud of Jack Masters. Jack never used his wealth as a tool to rule. Instead he exercised wisdom, and logic, and kindness to get others to follow him. And follow him they did. He’d taken over his family’s small telegraph company which had been started in the early nineteen hundreds to manufacture equipment for the American Telephone and Telegraph Company. Masters’ Communications had joined in the vision of expanding phone service nationally and now after over a century, continued to do so. With the advent of the internet and rapid global networking, Masters’ Communications had grown world-wide and was now a competing manufacturer of telecommunication devices and software. It held contracts with the U.S. government to supply the military, as well as distributors and private individuals who were looking for the leading edge in communications technology.
Jack had groomed his sons to take over the business. He’d taught them everything he knew. His dream was to have both his boys someday rule the Masters’ empire, but unfortunately that dream never grew to fruition. Gabe pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index finger, forcing down the haunting memories and emotion that welled in his chest. He struggled hard to block out the pain. He could not afford to linger in the past. He needed to figure out his current dilemma.
Who was after him? Was it Cane or was it Cryostar? Cane insisted it wasn’t him, that he just wanted the research data for ARSA. But Gabe’s mission had been sabotaged. The men who’d invaded Maggie’s apartment were assassins. Whoever it was not only wanted the research data, but wanted him dead. He’d never seen Harry so shaken. Since when was he in anyone’s pocket? He believed Harry when he denied being the one to set him up, but his friend knew something he wasn’t telling him.
And then there was Maggie. The thought of her caused his lips to tilt into a crooked smile. She was a quandary. With those big blue eyes and a body that was made for loving, she was tempting. She had high cheekbones and a cute button nose. But her beauty was in her eyes, those too big blue eyes that were boldly assessing yet reclusive. They warned not to get too close, but at the same time couldn’t help but be a magnet. They were a magnet for him. Hell, her entire body was an irresistible attraction. She was perfect. He liked his women zaftig, with rounded hips and generous portions—what society today would probably deem a little overweight. He smiled to himself…just more to love…
He knew he was getting into trouble with this one. He was becoming subtly aware of emotions he didn’t think he was even capable of feeling, emotions he’d abandoned a long time ago. She was chipping away at the layers of ice around his heart as well as his resolve. He was becoming more attached to her than was wise. It would be judicious to keep his distance. She hadn’t inquired about where he’d sleep tonight, although he could tell the one king-size bed bothered her. His lips tilted into a smile. She’d be happy to know he now had his own toothbrush. Although she’d run from him and still sent him angry scowls, he could tell she was starting to soften to him. Her basic physical attraction was starting to develop into something more. That worried him. With his cloudy past and uncertain future, he had nothing to offer her. He’d eventually have to walk away—and walk away he would. It was what he did.
He rested h
is head back against the headboard, closing his eyes as exhaustion seeped into his muscles. He was bad news. He was no good for her. He felt guilty for even allowing his mind to wander with such capricious thoughts. He needed to deal with Cane. Even after he delivered the information there was no guarantee that Harry and Maggie would be safe. He’d have to play this game by Cane’s rules. The only way he could ensure their safety was to get some dirt on Cane, have something to hold over his head to make sure he could never touch them. Cane was a shrewd man. The transactions between the two of them so far were untraceable. He was a man who covered his footsteps. The information Harry had brought him was worthless. For God sakes, the man could apply for a papal appointment with his pristine credentials!
His lids flicked up just as the bathroom door opened and Maggie stepped out. Their gazes locked, and he saw a soft feminine blush spread across her cheeks. Beautiful. A lugubrious ache crept into his heart, and at that moment, he wished things were very different.
“Thanks for the clothes,” she said tentatively.
He nodded, swinging his legs off the bed. His dark eyes took in the tee shirt and shorts she wore. Kim’s clothes were a little too big, but would do.
He indicated the food they’d gotten from a drive through. “Eat. I’ll be in the bathroom,” he instructed. “But I’ll be keeping tabs,” he warned as he walked in and left the door wide open.
Maggie’s gaze flitted to the door of the room, then quickly back to the bathroom. She rubbed her palms nervously and was trying to calculate the odds of making it through the door when her gaze alighted on the manila envelope on the bed. She could hear him moving around in the bathroom and the steady drone of running water. Grabbing the paper bag with her burger and French fries, she settled with her legs crossed on the bed. She tied her hair back with a rubber band she’d found, and began to study the documents. While she was stuck with him she might as well learn everything she could. That way she’d be better able to help the authorities get Cryostar their data back.