“Why not?”
I groaned, burying my face against her shoulder for a long moment. “Are you jealous of my former lovers, or are you wondering if this is just a passing infatuation?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t quite decided yet.”
I pulled back just enough so that we were face to face, our noses nearly touching.
“I was heartbroken when I went into the Marines, Cadence. Broken and frustrated and disappointed in everything. I didn’t care what happened to me, didn’t care if I lived or died, if I hurt someone else as much as I was hurting. I did things I’m not incredibly proud of.”
“You were with a lot of women,” she said, pain flashing in her eyes.
“A lot. And I wasn’t always terribly kind to them.”
She nodded, a tear slipping from each eye, falling heavy down her cheeks and dripping from her chin. She leaned in and kissed me, her teeth gathering my bottom lip between them, nibbling ever so lightly.
“One,” she whispered against my mouth. “I’ve only been this way with one man. And it was a long time ago.”
I shook my head. “Don’t tell me that. I don’t want to know how innocent you are.”
“Not so innocent that I don’t understand you. That I don’t know what this is.”
“Cadence…”
She reached between our bodies and tugged at my jeans, deftly releasing the fly that kept my hard cock locked away. She reached inside and wrapped her small hand around my shaft, stroking me so painfully kind for a moment. And then she drew me to her, sliding her hips close to the edge of the counter as she wrapped her legs around my waist.
“No, Cadence,” I whispered, aware of the trust that she was showing me, the insane gesture she was making. Offering me her body and her soul all in one movement—her heart. I should have pulled away, should have made her stop. But then I was inside of her and she was kissing me, tears slowly rolling down her face, flavoring our kisses.
I didn’t know this woman, didn’t deserve to know her. And I’d hurt her. Yet, she was doing this for me, healing my heart from things she didn’t know and would likely never understand. I held her ass, pulled her so close to me, returning her kiss until I felt like I was suffocating in the sea of her touch, her essence. And then the screams came and she clung to me, refusing to let me go.
No one had ever done that for me before. Everyone I loved let go much too easily. But she held on. It was new and beautiful and undefinable.
Chapter 14
Cadence
The snowmobile motors seemed far away by the time we were dressed and ready to face the thick snow. We stepped out onto the front deck and the snow was no longer up over the steps, but it was still several feet deep. And neither of us had boots.
“I want to check the SUV and see if there’s any possibility of getting it out of the driveway. I can’t imagine the roads are nearly this bad by now.”
“I don’t know. They might not send plows up this high.”
“Well, I’d like to give it a try, anyway.”
I nodded, watching him carefully navigate the steps. I was behind him, but far enough back that he wouldn’t knock me over if he slipped. I was already wishing I could go back inside. The cold was seeping through the heavy jacket I’d bought before coming up here, chilling me clear to my bones.
“Careful. The bottom step is pretty slick.”
Just as he said it, my foot went out from under me. I fell on my ass, hitting my hip hard on the top step. At the same time, a chunk of wood shattered from the side of the house right where my head had been, showering me with splinters. A split second later, a huge discharge came from the direction of the woods directly across from the cabin.
Marcus reacted so quickly that he was at my side as the splinters were still falling. He grabbed my arm and pulled me forward, forcing me down as he led the way around the corner to the carport. Another shot ricocheted through the woods, the sound like canons going off in the middle of the 1812 Overture.
“What the hell?”
Marcus shook his head, his eyes surveying the line of trees that were closest to the cabin.
“We have to get out of here.”
“And go where?”
He turned and pushed me further under the carport. “Go in through the back door and get my gun. I’m going to see if I can get the SUV started.”
I nodded.
“Be careful. Stay away from windows. Keep your head down.”
I nodded again. He kissed me, a quick peck, then turned and ran around the front of the Escape, using it as cover as he made his way to his SUV. I did as he said and ran around the back of the cabin and slipped in through the back door. The kitchen windows were directly across from the door. One window pane, and then another, exploded within seconds of my stepping into the cabin. I ducked, hiding behind the tall counter as I did a sort of duck walk to the chair where Marcus left his holster. I dragged it down just as the cabin was suddenly hit with dozens of bullets, glass breaking and dishes falling, light fixtures exploding and stuffing from furniture flying into the air. I did the only thing I could think of to do: I fell flat onto the floor and lay as still as I could.
The barrage continued for a long time. It seemed like hours, but it must have been just minutes. Marcus was suddenly there, glass still shattering around him, his hands dragging me to the bathtub at the back of the room. We fell in together, our limbs tangled as they had been just a little while ago. The barrage picked up steam, almost as if the shooter had seen him come into the cabin and was pissed that he’d made it unharmed.
When it finally stopped, Marcus’ hands were all over my face, my shoulders, my arms.
“Are you okay?”
“I think so.”
He stared at me for a second longer, then he crawled out of the tub.
“Keep your head down.”
He led the way and we slipped out the open back door without encountering any more bullets. And then we ran, slipping and sliding through snow that was up to our hips in some places. There were no more bullets, but my skin crawled, expecting one to hit at any moment.
We got lucky and happened on a couple of kids riding snowmobiles at the bottom of a valley, racing each other over the low hills.
“I’ll give you fifty bucks if you’ll take us into town,” Marcus said, holding up a wad of money he’d taken from his wallet.
The boys jumped at the chance, snatching the money and gesturing for us to climb onto the back of their vehicles. I didn’t want to be separated from Marcus, but I didn’t see how I had much choice. I found myself holding on to some stranger with all the strength I could muster, nearly falling off the thing several times as we hit swells that were just high enough to send the machine flying into the air.
It was a relief when we saw the lights and buildings of town.
Marcus gave the boys more money before sending them off. Then he slid his arm around me and walked calmly through the town, his eyes jumping from place to place as he searched for…something.
“What are we doing?”
“We have to get out of here. When that shooter realizes we’re gone, which he probably already has, he’ll come here first.”
“How? We left both our cars up at the cabin.”
“We’ll borrow one.”
He pulled me around the side of a block of shops. There was a large parking lot behind them with any number of cars, both newer models and older, to choose from. He led me to a Ford Bronco that looked like it rolled off the assembly line sometime in the late sixties. Not the most comfortable car in the world, but he was able to hot-wire it without setting off any alarms. We were headed toward the interstate before the owner would even notice his car was gone.
At Marcus’ instructions, I searched through the glove box, trying to find a cellphone or a weapon. The only thing I found was the registration, insurance card, and the original owner’s manual.
“You have your cell?”
I nodded.
&n
bsp; Marcus held out his hand and promptly threw the phone out the window.
“What did you do that for?”
“We can’t take the risk that this person isn’t using the GPS on your phone to track you.” He tossed his phone out the window, too. “We’ll stop after we cross the Texas border and buy a prepaid phone. No one can trace those things yet.”
“And then what? Where do we go?”
He glanced at me. “I don’t know. We’ll get back into Texas, then we’ll get a room at a motel and we’ll call my boss. She’ll send a backup team and we’ll figure out what to do from there.”
I leaned forward, shaking the glass and the wood from my hair. The adrenaline was finally wearing off and the aches and pains were beginning to set in. My hip hurt from falling on the stairs outside the cabin. My knees hurt from duck walking and falling to the floor inside the cabin. And my shoulder burned, but I couldn’t remember hitting it on anything.
I reached inside my heavy, dark jacket and rubbed the spot. Pain flashed through me as I put pressure on the spot, the burning increasing threefold. When I pulled my hand out, there was blood on my fingers.
I glanced at Marcus, but he hadn’t seen it. I quickly wiped the blood off on the lining of my jacket, deciding it would be better not to distract Marcus from driving. The further we got from Ruidoso, the better.
The pain quickly became unbearable. I found myself wishing I’d thought to grab my bag before we left. The pain medication they’d given me for my leg was in there.
“Who do you think it was?” I asked, trying to distract myself.
Marcus reached over and touched my knee. “It doesn’t matter. All that matters right now is that we get you to safety.”
We drove for what seemed like hours. We didn’t stop until we were over the border, then Marcus headed north, taking us to Lubbock. It was closer than Abilene and it was big enough that we could find a hotel that would take cash and ask no questions. I waited in the car while he arranged the room, nausea making me wish I was already in the room, already lying between crisp, white sheets.
Marcus smiled when he came back.
“I got us a room at the back. And there’s a Walmart down the street, so I can go get us some supplies.”
“Good.”
He drove around to the back and unlocked the door—thank goodness it was on the bottom floor. He kissed my temple lightly.
“I’m going to go get a phone and some food. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
I forced a smile, waiting until he was out of the room. Then I ran to the bathroom, wishing it wasn’t necessary. I made it to the toilet just before my stomach turned inside out. There wasn’t much left of my breakfast, but that didn’t stop the dry heaves from wracking my body. When it finally passed, I managed to pull myself up to the sink. I pulled my jacket off of my shoulder, a little shocked by the amount of blood that had spilled inside. My arm was soaked, all the way down to the wrist. My shirt was damp against my side. It was so bad that I couldn’t tell where the injury was or what it was.
I tossed the jacket aside and slipped out of the t-shirt and bra, putting them both into the sink to rinse the blood away. Then I climbed into the shower, biting hard on my lip when the water hit the wound. If I’d thought all the movement in the car had been bad, this was ten times worse. My vision darkened at the edges. I thought for a minute I would pass out.
I didn’t hear Marcus come back from the store. I was just standing there—maybe I’d gone in and out of consciousness a few times—when the curtain suddenly flew back.
“You’re hurt!”
I didn’t even have the energy to respond. I just fell.
Chapter 15
Megan
Dante was gone before I woke the next morning. I’d arranged for the family’s private jet to fly him into New Mexico, a rental waiting for him at the private airport in Roswell. It was a fairly short drive from there to Ruidoso. But I was still waiting mid-morning for his report.
“We have a bit of a cluster fuck up here,” he said when he did call.”
“What are you talking about?”
“It looks like someone used an AK-47 to take out the front of this cabin. There are bullet holes and glass everywhere.”
“You’re joking.”
“No. The local cops are on their way up. Do you want me to stick around?”
“Any sign of our asset or his target?”
“No. Their things are still here, the Dragon-registered SUV is out front, but no sign of them.”
I got up and waved to Sam, gesturing for her to come into my office.
“Stick around. There will be questions about the SUV. Answer them honestly, but don’t offer information, understand?”
“I do.”
“Good. Keep me informed.”
Sam came to the door, concern on her face.
“Marcus has gotten himself into trouble. Have we had any calls from an unauthorized phone?”
“Not that I’m aware of.”
“Keep an eye out. He’ll be calling in eventually.”
Sam started to go, but I caught her shoulder. “Where’s Hayden?”
“Out on assignment.”
I bit back a groan. “Important? Or can we call him back in?”
“I can call him back in. Why?”
“We’re going to need him to go after Marcus. It sounds like he’s got someone bad after him.”
“Okay. Anything else?”
“Vincent’s back, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Have him be ready to go, too. I want as many men on this as possible.”
“Will do.”
I watched Sam leave my office, wondering what I would do without her.
Call in, Marcus. We can’t help you until you do.
Dante called back an hour later.
“The local cops think the shooter was in the woods. They found some casings, but not much else. There’re no vehicles in the area, no other houses. There are no witnesses.”
“So, nothing.”
“Nothing. Except the cops did have a report of a stolen car in town. A 1966 Ford Bronco.”
“Marcus must have taken it to get out of town.”
“Probably. The SUV is still three feet under snow. The door’s open on the driver’s side and there are bullet holes on the passenger side, suggesting he was trying to get it started, but abandoned the idea.”
“The stolen Bronco suggests they’re still alive. That’s what’s important.”
“Are you going to call the client?”
“Don’t know. Come back. We might need the plane to go after them.”
“On my way.”
I set the phone in the cradle, thinking about Blake Zimmerman. He was paying for our services, so I owed him at least a phone call. But he could also be behind this attack on my asset. Or at least know something about it. That required a face-to-face meeting.
“Hayden? You’re with me.”
We drove across town in silence. Sam had briefed Hayden on what was happening, so I didn’t have to explain it to him. And my thoughts were a million miles away anyway.
We pulled up to the main gate of the house, suddenly the center of attention of the half dozen paparazzi sitting along the street. Hayden whistled under his breath when the gate opened and allowed us access to the long driveway. The house appeared at the top of a small swell of the land, a stone and brick monstrosity that could probably house all the paparazzi outside the gate along with their families.
Hayden was impressed. I…well, I grew up two blocks from this place, so I was less impressed.
Blake was standing at the front door when we came to a stop in the circle drive. He was barefoot, looking much too casual for the kind of man who could afford a house like this. I don’t think I ever saw my father barefoot. And he only wore jeans when my mother forced him to. Daddy was a suit and tie sort of guy.
“Ms. Bradford,” Blake said, approaching me with his hands outstretched. He was
wearing a white oxford shirt that made his skin a deeper shade of ebony, but it, too, was made overly casual by the lack of buttons done up the front. He looked as though he’d just thrown clothes on when we rang at the gate.
“I apologize for bothering you at home, Mr. Zimmerman.”
“Blake, please.”
“Only if you’ll call me Megan.”
“Of course.” He gestured toward the house. “Come inside.”
Hayden stayed close to me as we went inside, his hand on the small of my back. It was comforting to know he was there, but it wasn’t necessary for him to act as some sort of bodyguard. I could handle myself. I picked up the speed of my steps, moving away from his touch.
“Can I get you a drink?” Blake asked as he led the way into a large sitting room to the right of the front doors. “We have water, wine, liquor. Just about anything you could want.”
“No, thank you. We’re only here for a few minutes.”
Blake nodded, coming to stand in front of us. “I’m guessing you didn’t come all the way out here with good news.”
“I’m sorry, but you’re correct.”
He crossed his massive arms over his chest and studied my face for a moment. “What happened? Is Cadence okay?”
“We don’t know. It appears that someone fired a high-powered weapon at your cabin. You wouldn’t happen to know who would want to do such a thing, would you?”
Blake shook his head. “Of course not.”
“My asset was there with her. We believe that they somehow found a way back to Ruidoso and got a vehicle there. But we haven’t heard from them.”
“I haven’t heard from Cadence in days. I thought she was snowed in.”
“She was, we think. But another of my assets managed to get up to the house today and found them gone.”
“And the cabin shot to hell.”
“Yes.”
He shook his head, turning away from us. He walked over to the bar and grabbed a bottle of water, downing half of it in one gulp.
“Cadence was shot at before she left for the cabin. Have the police come up with any suspects?”
“No. Whoever did it was careful to wipe his prints from the stolen car. They have nothing else, not even footage from the security cameras outside the restaurant. The guy apparently knew where they were and he was able to avoid them.”
DRAGON SECURITY: The Complete 6 Books Series Page 56