“They’ll probably wait until morning. We’re not that far from the city. I figure they will, most likely, head back to regroup and get another vehicle. We were able to drive a few more miles after the crash, so they may not even realize we got stuck. They are probably assuming we got away. It should be safe here until morning.”
“I’m scared,” Madison confided.
Rafe wondered, not for the first time, how she had ended up with someone like Vincent DeMarco. “How did you and Vincent end up together?” He hadn’t really meant to ask the question aloud, but once he had, he waited patiently to see if she would answer.
Madison laughed, which was about the last thing he would have expected. “It’s pretty cliché, actually. I came here from a small town, thinking I knew so much, only realizing later how naïve I actually was. I was working as a secretary at a large law firm, when Vincent came in for an appointment. He invited me to attend a party with him, which I did. We continued to see each other for a while, and had just begun to discuss marriage. Everything we did was so glamorous and exciting, like a fairy tale, I guess I didn’t want to see that anything was wrong.” Lowering her eyes, Madison paused for a moment.
When she looked back up, Rafe noticed a single tear had escaped to roll down her cheek. “I never knew what he did for a living, and every time I tried to ask him about it, he turned the conversation back around to me. I was so flattered that he was interested in me, and wanted to know everything about me, that I ignored the fact that he almost never talked about his job. He occasionally mentioned that he didn’t like to bring his work home with him, and I respected that.”
Rafe didn’t interrupt her story. He simply sat, holding her, and let her tell her tale.
“At first, he was so charming. He opened doors for me, sent me flowers, seemed pleased whenever he did something that made me happy. No one has ever treated me like that before. He made me feel special—important. Then, one night, I went to his house to make him dinner. I had seen him enter the security code the night before and wanted to surprise him.”
“When I found a large stockpile of guns in his bedroom closet, I got scared and broke up with him. I was stupid enough to think he would never know I found them. When I told him I didn’t want to see him anymore, he grabbed me by the throat and threatened to kill me. I was so scared I didn’t know what to do. Then he threw me to the floor and told me to get out. So I ran. I never saw him again after that night. I thought it was over until my boss ended up dead, and the police arrested me for killing him.
The thought of DeMarco putting his hands on Madison sent a bolt of fury through Rafe, the intensity of which surprised him.
Madison didn’t say anything else after that. She was quiet for so long that he thought she must have fallen asleep, but when he tried to lean her against the wall, she resisted. “Where are you going?”
“I just want to take a look around.” He needed to work off some of the tension his anger was causing.
Looking up at him with the moon spotlighting her, Rafe could see the innocence that still clung to her. She kneeled up with her hands and feet bound, vulnerability emanating from her, and he couldn’t leave. The need to take her warred with the need to protect her, even from himself. He went to her, pulling her up to him, against him, his mouth crashing down on hers, his body burning for her.
~* * *~
Madison felt herself spiraling out of control. She clung to Rafe, safely cocooned in the warmth of his embrace. She could feel his desperation, his lips pressed to hers, his tongue exploring, as he struggled to pull away. Instead of releasing him, Madison pressed her body closer to his. She could feel the bulge straining against his jeans, begging to be set free. She put both of her hands on his face and deepened the kiss even more.
When he finally dragged his lips from hers, their eyes met. She could see the internal battle raging beyond the heat in the deep green of his eyes. When he drew her hands above her head and hooked the cuffs over something, she never took her eyes off his.
Yearning for his touch, she tried to press herself against him, but he stood just out of reach, drinking in every part of her. He ran his hands up along her ribcage and around her back, finally satisfying her need to be close to him.
Madison couldn’t get enough. His kiss was liquid fire, pouring through her body, melting her every nerve. His hands left a trail of excitement that burned a path along her skin, and still, it wasn’t enough. She had to have more.
Rafe slid her jeans down her hips, his smooth caress sending a shiver down her spine. He stripped hastily and rolled a condom into place. Stepping over the shackles he stood between her legs and reached beneath her knees to lift her onto him. Instead of the intensity she had been expecting from the force of his kiss, Rafe began to move slowly, gently, taking his time to lead her to the peak of ecstasy and then following her as she plunged over the edge.
Dangerous Men, Dangerous Places
Chapter Three
Madison woke to the sound of a helicopter overhead. Forgetting about her bonds, she jumped up, only to trip over the shackles and land on her face. Rafe was beside her instantly.
“It’s all right, hon.” Helping her to her feet, he brushed the dirt and dust from her clothes. “We have to get out of here now.” He helped her to the ladder and lowered it to the ground. When she would have climbed down, he stepped in front of her.
“Let me go first in case you need help.” Rafe settled himself on the ladder and reached for Madison , helping her to get her footing.
When they reached the bottom and Madison turned to walk away, she ran into the wall of Rafe’s chest.
“ Madison , what happened here… I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have taken advantage of your vulnerability.”
As he looked down at her, the guilt written all over his face, Madison swallowed the sarcasm that would have masked the jolt of pain she felt at the realization that Rafe considered
their lovemaking a mistake. “No problem,” she said instead, lowering her eyes to cover the hurt.
The conversation ended there when they heard the sound of voices approaching them. “ Madison ,” he tried again.
“Rafe, really, don’t worry about it. I had fun, it’s no big deal.” Shrugging off his concerns, she headed out of the building.
The man who was coming toward them was huge and as bald as a cue ball, the morning sun reflecting off the surface of his head. “Hey, Rafe,” he called. “Miss Delaney,” he nodded at Madison . The sheepish look he wore gave him the appearance of a little boy who was about to get in trouble and knew it. He tossed a cell phone to Rafe. “Sorry about that.”
When Rafe just stared at him, he turned to Madison . “I borrowed Rafe’s phone to call my girlfriend yesterday, and kind of forgot to mention it to him.” He turned back to Rafe. “Hey, at least I came looking for you.”
Rafe scowled at him, but Madison could tell it was with good humor, and the easy camaraderie between the two men told her they must be good friends. It also told her this was probably not the first time the bald man had borrowed Rafe’s phone without asking.
“I’m Moose,” he told her, “Rafe’s partner. I figure I’d better introduce myself since he is obviously too rude to make proper introductions.” He winked at Madison as he pulled a key from his pocket.
“What’s going on with DeMarco?” Rafe took the key from Moose and bent to unlock the restraints.
Madison rubbed at her wrists, grateful to finally be rid of her bonds. Until she looked up at Rafe, and the memory of how he’d made her feel in them sent a visible tremor coursing through her.
“He is nowhere to be found,” Moose answered seriously. “One of his men was injured in the shooting at the courthouse. He was furious with DeMarco for sending them into what he thought was a trap, and spilled everything in the back of the ambulance on the way to the hospital. He said DeMarco is obsessed with killing Miss Delaney and he is out of control. When we went to pick him up, he was gone.”
Madison looked around, nervous to be standing in the lot, feeling too exposed. Rafe sensed her discomfort and started moving her toward the car. “Don’t worry,” he told her as he helped her into the back seat. “We have a safe place for you to stay until we find him.”
She simply nodded in agreement. While she was definitely afraid of Vincent, he was not the only thing on her mind. She watched Rafe as he spoke to the driver of the tow truck that was picking up his Camaro.
The easy way he moved brought back memories of the time they had spent together, causing her palms to sweat and her heart to flutter. She had never been a believer in love at first sight, had thought it could only happen in fairy tales, but the concept made perfect sense to her now. Rafe was her real live knight in shining armor, and so much more.
Then reality intruded when she remembered his earlier words. He was sorry they had been together.
When the two men got into the car and continued to head out of the city, Madison tuned them out. She didn’t care about Vincent, or the shootout, or anything else the two of them might be discussing. Leaning her head back against the seat, she stared out the window, letting her mind wander as she watched the miles go by.
“Are you hungry?” The words made no sense at first, and Madison ignored them. “ Madison ,” the voice called, more insistently this time. When she opened her eyes, she found Rafe and Moose both staring back at her. “Are you hungry?” Rafe repeated.
“Umm… sure, I guess.” She didn’t know if she was hungry or not, but thought she should eat something.
“Is a hamburger okay?” Moose asked.
“That’s fine,” she answered, her stomach growling. “Actually, a hamburger and fries would be great.” Perking up at the realization that she was hungry after all, she added, “and a root beer.”
When Rafe got out of the car to get the food, and Moose remained with her, Madison ’s heart sank. She dropped her head back against the seat, closing her eyes. The next time the car stopped, both men got out and she knew she was going to have to pick her head up and face him.
The hotel seemed nice enough, she thought, as they walked through the lobby and straight to the elevator. The smell of the food in the small elevator made her stomach growl and Moose reached into the bag and offered her a fry.
Smiling, she took the fry from him and tried to dismiss the constant thoughts of Rafe. She was going to have to spend time with him, at least until Vincent was caught. She may as well enjoy that time and save the sulking for after he left.
With her new rationale firmly in place, Madison let the two men lead her to the room, and even engaged in meaningless conversation while they ate dinner. She found that she truly enjoyed spending time with Rafe and his zany partner.
“Do you want to stay with Madison , or head back into the city to start looking for DeMarco?” Moose asked when they had finished eating.
Madison held her breath. She had assumed that Rafe was her bodyguard, and would stay with her until DeMarco was found. The thought that they might switch off had never occurred to her. Keeping her eyes down, she waited for Rafe’s answer.
Relief poured through her when he told his partner he would stay.
“We are going to have to talk about this, you know?” Rafe said after he closed the door behind his partner.
“Talk about what?” Madison asked innocently. Shrugging, she went into the bathroom and closed the door. She turned the shower as hot as she could take it and stepped beneath the spray, allowing the hot water to unknot the tension from her muscles. There was no way she could talk to Rafe in this condition. Her nerves were shot, she was scared, and the events of the past two days had left her an emotional wreck.
With the hot water beating down on her, Madison cried. She was hoping the shower would mask the tears, but she had to have some release.
The knock on the door startled her from her reverie. “What?” she called out, assuming it had to be Rafe.
“ Madison , you’ve been in there for almost an hour. Are you okay?” The concern in his voice seemed genuine, and Madison felt bad for having worried him.
“I’m okay. I’ll be right out.” She closed her eyes and put her face under the water, washing away as much of the evidence of her blubbering as she could. When she opened her eyes, Rafe was standing there watching her.
Madison jumped, startled by his presence. She watched him strip off his shirt, eagerness warring with confusion, as he continued to undress. By the time he stood naked, obviously wanting her, eagerness was definitely winning out.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” he told her, stepping into the shower behind her.
“Will you please stop apologizing to me?” She was frustrated and confused, not knowing what he wanted from her. She knew what she wanted from him, those muscled arms wrapping tightly around her as they moved together under the hot spray.
“I didn’t mean to hurt you, Madison. I didn’t mean that I was sorry we were together, only that I should have waited until you were feeling less vulnerable.”
She looked over her shoulder at him from beneath her lashes as he started to shampoo her hair. He turned her head back around. “Relax,” he ordered, massaging her scalp in slow, lazy circles. When his hands started to move lower, she risked another glance back at him. “Relax, honey, I know just what you need.” She was surprised when he reached past her to turn off the water. Grabbing one of the large, fluffy bath towels from the warmer, he began to pat her dry.
When he finished drying her hair, he wrapped the towel around her and lifted her up into his arms. Grabbing a bottle of the complementary lotion from a cup of hot water on the counter, Rafe carried her to the bedroom and lowered her onto the bed. “Turn over,” he instructed, opening the towel as he rolled her onto her stomach.
“What are you doing?” She strained to see him over her shoulder.
“Don’t worry about it. Don’t worry about anything. Just lay there, close your eyes, and relax.”
Madison did as she was told. When he skimmed his hands over her, rubbing the warm lotion into her shoulders and neck, Madison moaned. She felt him harden against her, and tried to turn over and reach for him. “Stay,” he said simply, pushing her back down.
Rafe massaged the warm lotion into her sore muscles, releasing the tension that was knotted there. He rubbed her back, her arms, down her legs and feet and back up to her bottom. When he ran out of places to massage on her back, he turned her over and subjected the front of her body to the same treatment. When he finally finished at her center, and replaced his hands with his mouth, Madison started to squirm.
“This is no longer relaxing,” she admonished him.
“Sure it is,” he corrected, kissing his way up her body until he was ravishing her mouth. Rolling onto his back, he pulled her over him, allowing her the control he had stolen from her the night before.
When they were finally sated, temporarily, Rafe held her in his arms, brushing her hair back from her face. When he took a breath and opened his mouth to speak, she interrupted him.
“If you say you’re sorry one more time, I will get up and hit you with something.”
“You can’t get up, you don’t have the energy,” he teased.
“That is true, but when I do get up, I will make you sorry.” She tried to be stern, but truthfully, she was not moving. Her whole body felt heavy and limp.
“Promises, promises,” he laughed.
Curling her back against him, Madison drifted comfortably between wakefulness and sleep. With Rafe’s arms around her, they finally drifted off to sleep.
Dangerous Men, Dangerous Places
Chapter Four
With no warning at all, the door to the room burst open with a crash, and a hail of bullets sprayed the room. Rafe was rolling off the far side of the bed, pulling Madison with him before the door even hit the wall behind it.
“Stay down,” he whispered forcefully in her ear pushing her between the bed and the nightstand. He reached up to the
top of the nightstand, knowing exactly where to find his gun.
Another barrage of bullets had him pulling back a hand full of blood, as well as his weapon. Madison was shaking, tears pouring down her face, as she looked to him and waited for his instructions. Terror burned in her eyes and DeMarco would pay for having put it there.
But, Rafe could see trust there, also. Trust for him. He was spurred into action by her confidence. Chancing a quick glimpse over the top of the bed, Rafe prompted another spray of gunfire.
“I want you out here, Madison .” Vincent screamed at her in the confines of the small room, and Madison covered her ears. “Do you hear me? I said get out here, now.”
As usual, Vincent would expect her to come running at his command. He was too used to people following his orders, but Rafe could use that to his advantage, turn DeMarco’s arrogance against him. Taking a deep breath, Rafe belly crawled to the bottom of the bed. Putting his finger to his lips, letting Madison know to stay quiet, he waited for his chance. When DeMarco started firing again, spraying a line of bullets across the top of the bed, Rafe leaned out from his hiding place and fired. The shot took DeMarco directly between the eyes, killing him instantly.
When Rafe fell to the floor, Madison didn’t know what was happening. Unable to see where Vincent was, she crawled to Rafe’s side. She could see several bullet holes in his stomach and chest, and prayed frantically as she tried to stop the bleeding. “Please, Rafe, hold on,” she begged, as she heard the sirens screaming in the distance.
~* * *~
Madison sat beside the hospital bed holding Rafe’s hand, her head resting on the side of the bed. It had been three days since the events at the hotel, and Rafe had already undergone several surgeries. The doctors were optimistic, though he had yet to regain consciousness.
“Hey.”
She lifted her head at the raspy sound of his voice. “Oh Rafe,” she cried. “I was so afraid of losing you.”
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