A Matter of Trust

by Ciana Stone

  “It’s…it’s very generous. Thank you.”

  “No, thank you, Miss Tillman.” Mark pulled a card from his pocket and handed it to her. “My private cell number is on the back. Call me anytime with news or developments you feel I should be made aware of.”

  She accepted the card and stuck it in the pocket of her apron. “I will, sir.”

  “Wonderful. That will be all Miss Tillman. Thank you for your time.”

  “Thank you, sir,” she said as she rose.

  Mark waited until she’d turned to leave then spoke again in a low voice. “Miss Tillman?”

  “Sir?” She stopped and turned.

  “Let’s keep this between us, shall we?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Excellent. I’ll look forward to hearing from you soon.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  She hurried from the room and Mark leaned back in his chair with a satisfied smile. Mission accomplished. He had his mole.

  Nikki found Max sitting at his computer. Her talk with Simon hadn’t netted any information on Mark Robinson’s reasons for being there. Simon had promised to look into it, but at the moment they were both in the dark as to what Robinson was up to.

  “What’re you doing?” she asked as she closed the door and walked over behind Max.

  I know what Robinson is up to. His reply appeared on one of the monitors.

  “What?”

  Her eyes at first grew round, then narrowed to angry slits as she watched the grainy video that appeared on the monitor and heard Robinson bribing Deborah into spying on them.

  “That rat bastard!” she hissed, then looked at Max in surprise. “How exactly did you manage this?”

  I installed wireless webcams all over the mansion.

  She laughed but quickly sobered. “The way people clean around here they’re sure to be discovered.

  I move them when a room is scheduled to be cleaned.

  “They schedule cleaning?” she asked, then chided herself. “Well, duh! Of course they do. This place is as big as the freaking Smithsonian.

  “So,” she changed the subject. “What do we do about Deborah?”

  We make sure she finds me here whenever you leave.

  “So you’re not going with me tonight?”

  Oh I’m going. I just won’t leave until she’s seen you leave and checked on me.

  “Okay, Houdini then how are you getting off the estate if you don’t leave with me?”

  I’ll meet you outside the gate half an hour after she sees you leave.

  Nikki didn’t relish the idea of having to wait half an hour on the road, but agreed. They couldn’t take a chance on Deborah finding out Max was gone.

  “Okay.” She leaned down and gave him a soft kiss. “Hmmmm,” she purred as he pulled her down onto his lap and ravished her mouth. “You keep that up and I’m going to rape you.”

  He grinned and bit her on the chin and she laughed. “I gotta go. I’ll meet you on the road in front of the estate at 9:30 sharp.”

  I’ll be there.

  “You better be,” she replied, gave him a quick kiss then climbed off his lap and left.

  Max was changing, she thought as she walked downstairs to her suite. He was becoming more confident and decisive, and she’d seen more and more glimpses of the man he’d been before the tragedy that sent him into confinement. There was a strong alpha male lurking beneath the surface, struggling to break free, and one who had skills and training from his days as a Ranger. Skills that he appeared to be remembering and honing.

  She’d caught him more than once in the gymnasium in the middle of the night when everyone was asleep, working out with a variety of martial arts weapons or going at it hard on the punching and kicking bags. What she’d seen made her certain she’d never want to be on the receiving end of his hands and feet. When she’d questioned him about his late night workouts he’d reminded her that they couldn’t afford for anyone to know that he was regaining his memory or any of his former skills.

  And despite all the progress he’d made, it would be for nothing if anyone caught them sneaking him off the estate. They had to be very careful. One wrong move and he was in an institution so full of drugs he’d never have a coherent thought. As for herself, she didn’t even want to imagine what the Westons would do to her.

  Chapter Nine

  Nikki was a bundle of nerves by the time Max climbed into the passenger seat of her car. “I was getting ready to panic,” she said.

  He smiled and tapped his watch and she rolled her eyes. “Yeah okay, you’re right on time. I was still worried.”

  I like that you worry about me, he signed and leaned over to kiss her.

  “Hmmm, keep that up and—”

  You’ll rape me?

  She laughed and started the car. It took them nearly an hour to reach Abernathy’s apartment building. Nikki parked a couple of blocks away and turned off the car. “Okay, so how do we get into this place?” she asked.

  Max pulled out an iPhone and called up a page that showed the layout of the building. He indicated the rear entrance that led from the parking deck that adjoined the building.

  “Won’t they have security cameras there, too?” she asked.

  I’m going to deactivate them. He keyed in the response before putting the phone into the pocket of the dress shirt he wore.

  “How?”

  He tapped the pocket of his shirt and grinned.

  “Okay, if you say so,” she said and opened her door. “Ready?”

  He nodded and together they walked leisurely to the parking deck. Once they were at the entrance, Max stopped and used his iPhone to access a web site. She watched over his shoulder but couldn’t make heads nor tails out of what he was doing. He keyed in a sequence, waited, then put the iPhone into his pocket.

  He took her hand and led her into the parking deck. Once they reached the elevators they stopped. Max got his iPhone and typed away on it for a few moments then put it away and keyed in a code onto the numeric pad mounted beside the door.

  After a moment the light on the panel turned green. Max grinned and punched the elevator call button.

  They took the elevator up to the top floor. Max stuck his head out and looked around as the doors opened, then motioned for her as he exited. There were only two apartments on the top floor. A large foyer separated them. Abernathy’s apartment was on the left.

  Max rang the bell and they waited. He rang again. After several minutes, he pulled a small flat leather case from the pocket of his pants and opened it.

  “You learn that on the internet?” she whispered as he selected the tools he wanted from the set of picks.

  He shook his head and signed to her. Ranger training.

  “They teach you how to break and enter?” she asked as he went to work on the lock.

  He smiled over his shoulder at her and turned the knob. The door opened.

  “Wooo,” she said softly. “That kinda makes me hot.”

  He grinned and gave her ass a squeeze then signed to her, I’ll pick the lock on your bedroom later.

  “Promises, promises,” she replied and looked around in the dark. “So where do you think he’d hide information he didn’t’ want anyone to find?”

  Max shrugged. “Let’s split up,” she suggested. “You take this room and I’ll start with the bedroom.”

  He nodded and they both went to work, searching the place. An hour later they’d found nothing. Max had successfully broken into a small wall safe in the study, but aside from bank books, passports, some cash and expensive jewelry, there was nothing. Nikki hadn’t found anything to speak of except a collection of gay porn in the closet.

  “Now what?” she asked.

  Now we go home.

  She was disappointed and frustrated. She’d hoped they would find something they could use to prove that Abernathy had falsified Max’s medical records. She must have watched too many bad movies to think that Abernathy would keep incriminating evidence in hi
s home. She wished he had. They could have used that to help prove that Max wasn’t mentally incompetent.

  But they were going home empty-handed.

  Feeling a little defeated and a lot frustrated, she followed Max out. It wasn’t until they reached her car that she realized he’d taken the lead the entire night. Suddenly it wasn’t her who was in control.

  “Can you drive, Max?” she asked as she pulled her key from her pocket.

  He nodded and she handed him the key. “Then you drive.”

  No license, he signed.

  “Then don’t get pulled over,” she replied and walked around the car to get into the passenger’s seat.

  To her surprise, he didn’t turn into the estate but turned off about a half mile short of the entrance onto a small gravel road. It wound through a dense wooded area and stopped at the shore of the lake.

  When he turned off the car and reached for her, she hesitated. “Max, this might not be a good idea. I mean if we get caught.”

  My family owns this land.

  “Oh, well in that case, what’d you have in mind?”

  He grinned at her and signed, Get out of the car and find out.

  She didn’t bother to reply. She just got out of the car and heard him do the same. When she reached the front of the car she stopped and so did he. There was enough moonlight filtering through the trees for her to read what he signed.

  Take off your clothes.

  Locking eyes with him, she stripped, putting her clothes on the hood of the car. Max stepped closer, his eyes moving slowly down her body and back up. You’re so beautiful.

  “So are you,” she replied. “And I’d love to be looking at more than your slacks and shirt. Standing here naked all alone isn’t going to be much fun.”

  He grinned and stripped. She moved close, molding her body to his and pulling his head down for her kiss. She wished this was all they had to think about. That they were free to explore what was developing between them without all the problems and danger. She wished she could tell him how much she cared, how much she wanted him and wanted for him.

  She felt his arms move around her and something seized her inside. A surge of emotion that seemed to seep from his skin and into hers. She didn’t understand it, but didn’t need to. They had this moment and she was not about to waste any of it with questions. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer, deepening the kiss.

  An hour later the hood of her car was dented and they were both slick with sweat.When he rolled onto his back beside her, his chest heaving, she smiled and rolled onto her side against him. He wrapped one around her, holding her close.

  For a long time they stayed as they were. Nikki felt sleep pulling at her and knew that unless she moved soon they would run a greater risk of being discovered missing from the estate. Reluctantly she pushed herself up.

  “Max, you’re worse than any drug,” she teased and returned the smile he gave her. “I’m serious. Every time I think this is the best it gets and then the next time you take me further. If you’re not careful you’re going to have me too addicted to ever hope of being cured.”

  I wish, he signed.

  “Be careful what you wish for,” she replied and slid off the car to find her clothes. “You just might get it.”

  I should be so lucky.

  She kissed him and they dressed and got back into the car. Max crouched down in the small space of the floorboard and she drove. She parked in her normal spot and checked around to make sure no one was about. Once satisfied, she prompted Max and they snuck in together.

  Want to come up to my room? he signed

  “I want to change clothes and put my purse up. Come with me to my room.”

  They made their way through the quiet mansion. Nikki opened her door and they slipped inside. She turned on the lights and gasped.

  Her room had been ransacked. Drawers were standing open with clothing hanging out or strewn about, the bed clothing was lying off the bed and the closet was standing open, clothes lying on the floor.

  Nikki’s heart leapt into her throat. She turned to Max with fear filled eyes. “Do you think Deborah did this? What if she found out—?”

  Max grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her to him. She hugged him tightly for a few moments then pulled back.

  What could anyone have been looking for?

  Nikki’s hand went to the pocket of her slacks where the bag containing the pendants rested. She pulled out the bag. “Before I came here, one of my professors, Christian Bernard, asked me to meet him. He was scared and upset and wouldn’t even talk to me in his office. He drove me to a park and we were followed. We got out and ran. Two men chased us. He said we should split up and he pressed this bag into my hand. Later I looked at what was inside.”

  She reached in, took hold of a chain and pulled out the sphere pendant. “Christian gave me this one a few years ago. We were…involved for a short time.”

  Max reached out and touched the small sphere dangling from the chain and suddenly reality shifted.

  They stood in the center of a large tent. Candles flickered in the hot breeze that wafted in from the opened flaps, displaying a fiery sun setting over the desert. Nikki wore the traditional long dress of a Bedouin, a rich turquoise in color embroidered with ornate designs with silver thread. A tarha, or headcloth covered her hair, but her burka, or veil, hung loose from one side, baring her face.

  He looked down and saw that he was dressed in similar fashion, a long cotton shirt, covered by an abaya, a flowing outer garment. He reached up and felt his head.

  “You’re wearing a shemagh,” Nikki said in amazement. “It’s blue and the agal holding it in place is black.”

  “Where are we?” Max asked, as astonished as she to hear words come from his lips.

  “You can talk!” she exclaimed. “Oh, Max! You can talk.”

  “But where are we?” His Ranger training suddenly took over, prompting him to get a firm bead on their location and the safety of it.

  “I don’t know. Somewhere in the Middle East—a Bedouin camp.”

  “And how did we get here?”

  Nikki lifted her hand. The chain bearing the sphere was wound around it, the tiny orb glistening dully in the flickering light.

  Max touched the sphere then looked at her. “Is this real or just another fantasy?”

  “I don’t know. And if it is another of my fantasies, how are you aware of it?”

  “I thought it was my fantasy.”

  Nikki started in surprise. “You mean…oh my god, Max. Do you think it’s possible that we’ve been sharing the same visions?”

  “I don’t know. Tell me about the sphere.”

  “Could we wait on that?” she asked with a sexy smile.

  “Why?”

  “Well, if this is a fantasy, there’s no point in wasting it.” She peeled off the cloth covering her hair, then unfastened her long dress. She wore nothing beneath it.

  Max fought a momentary battle. Lust won. If this was a fantasy, she was right. No point in wasting it. If it was real, then they didn’t appear to be in any danger, so again, no point in wasting the moment.

  Sweeping her up in his arms, he carried her to a pile of soft rugs and pillows placed within the confines of a curtain of gauzy thin material that waved in the slight breeze. He placed her on her back and smiled as she stretched and reached for him.

  “You’re so beautiful,” he whispered and knelt between her legs, letting his eyes travel across her.

  His hands moved to her breasts, fingers stroking then squeezing her nipples. She exhaled with a breathy moan and arched into his touch. “Max.”

  It was the call of a siren that could not be ignored. His lips moved to her breasts, hands holding them firmly as his tongue traveled from one to the other, teasing her hard nipples. Her breath quickened and she pressed her pelvis up against him.

  He smiled against her breast and released one so that his hand could move lower to the mound of her se
x. She was wet and ready when his fingers penetrated. She gasped and bucked against him. “I want you, Max. Now.” Her voice was a husky whisper that tore at his control, making him want to plunge into her wet depths.

  “Please,” she whispered, breaking down his resolve.

  He could not refuse. His hands moved beneath her hips to lift her, spreading her legs wider. He lowered his mouth to her, lapping at her clit and feeling the series of tremors that ran through her. Her hands clutched at his hair, pulling harder as he took her clit into his mouth, circling it with his tongue, flicking rapidly across it.

  Her breath became pants and the pants became a long drawn-out moan as her body quaked in orgasm. Max lowered her and she pulled him to her, biting and licking at his lips and tongue. He responded to the kiss, straining to keep his passion controlled. But the way she writhed against him and her whispered plea of “take me, please,” eroded what little control he had left.

  She reached between them to guide him inside her, encircling his waist with her legs to press him deeper. Max moved his hands beneath her ass, pressing her closer and she undulated against him, her skin flushed and eyes hooded with desire.

  Max wound one hand in her hair to pull her face to his, holding her captive as he ravaged her mouth. She surrendered, but that surrender was only momentary before she became the aggressor, fisting both hands in his hair to hold him hostage to a scorching kiss that made his balls throb.

  His body moved against hers, both of them pressing and grinding against one another in increasing fervor. His erection throbbed against her belly, need pressing in ever-increasing intensity.

  He lost all awareness except for their writhing bodies and locked lips. When the kiss ended he raised his head to look down into her eyes And saw within their depths something that made his breath catch. She was his, body and soul. His woman.

  With that realization came the ignition of a fire so hot and deep that his body felt seared. When he slid his hands to her hips and pulled her to him, impaling her on the length of him, she raised her arms above her head, arched up and surrendered to his need.

  Max could not stop the climax that ripped through him. He felt her shudder against him, crying out his name as they plunged together into the void of sensation.