She swallowed hard and nodded, trying to give the appearance that she was terrified. Which she was but that didn’t mean she wasn’t going to risk trying to escape. She had no choice. If she let him in her house there was only one outcome.
They both started scaling the fence at the same time, using the horizontal beams for foot support.
“All right, we go over at the same time.” He balanced the gun in his right hand while trying to hold on to the top of the fence.
As she started to swing her left leg over, Keith faltered. This might be her only chance. Since she was slightly higher on the fence than he was, she struck out with her foot, knocking him in the head and forcing him off balance. The gun dropped from his hand. In slow motion, she watched the gun fall into the dirt on the same side of the fence.
“You stupid bitch,” he snarled and dropped from his holding position.
For a split second she contemplated taking him on physically for the gun but opted against it. With strength she didn’t know she possessed, she propelled herself over the fence and landed on her shoulder. Pain splintered through her body, but she was beyond caring. A loud pop sounded, and wood splintered all over her back. She clawed at the dirt, forcing herself to her feet.
He wouldn’t miss again. Ignoring the throbbing pain in her arm, she sprinted across her backyard. She lost her one of her flip-flops and stumbled, nearly crashing to the ground again. The thought of a bullet in her back propelled her onward. If she could just get inside, she might have a chance to escape.
Jade risked a quick glance behind her and saw Keith drop from the fence to the grass, gun in hand. Their eyes met for a brief moment and she had a clear understanding what trapped animals must feel like. He’d made it over the fence faster than she’d hoped and now she wouldn’t have a chance to get her hide-a-key.
He raised the gun in her direction. She dove behind one of the oak trees. Dirt and grass shot up barely a foot from her hiding place.
She unzipped her sweatshirt and threw it to the right of the tree, then ran left toward the corner of the house. Not a great distraction, but it was all she had and the tree gave her some cover. If she could just get through the fence bordering her home, she’d be free. He’d said there was a cop watching her house. All she needed to do was get to her front yard.
Blood rushed in her ears, and she couldn’t stop her hands from shaking. She unfastened the latch on the fence and shoved it open. She jerked to a momentary halt, but gained back her momentum. David was crouched by the wall, gun in hand. He held out his hand and she started to move toward him, but there was a loud popping sound. Then a foreign, tingling sensation in her back forced her to her knees.
As quickly as it had come, the tingling turned to a burning, raging, ripping pain. She felt as if someone had taken a baseball bat to her back. David jumped up from his position and in a blur sprinted past. She tried to turn around. She needed to warn him that Keith had a gun, but the only thing she could manage to do was curl up on the grass. Staccato pops sounded all around her.
A warm, sticky liquid trickled down her neck and onto her face. She cringed. Blood. Blood was all over her face. She tried to instruct her hand to wipe it away, but her body wasn’t listening to her. Tears distorted her vision as reality sank in.
She’d been shot.
David might be lying hurt or dead in her backyard, and she couldn’t do a thing to help him.
In the distance, she thought she heard the faint sound of sirens but didn’t know if it was her imagination. She attempted to lift her head again when strong hands lifted her off the ground.
David’s voice shook. She thought she saw tears in his eyes but couldn’t be sure because her own eyes were so blurry. “Talk to me, Jade. Say something, anything.”
I’m here, I’m alive, her brain screamed, but no words came.
Through a haze, she watched David choke back a sob. Desperate to comfort him, she managed to clutch onto his T-shirt. His eyes widened, and as if through a tunnel she heard him shouting orders at someone like a drill sergeant. Whatever was going on, she knew he’d take care of her. He always took care of her. Now that she knew he was safe, she let the blackness she’d been fighting engulf her.
* * * * *
Jade opened her eyes to unfamiliar surroundings but it didn’t take long to figure out where she was. Her arm was hooked up to an IV and stark white walls and matching white furniture surrounded her. The smell of antiseptic and death was unmistakable. She glanced around, trying to find a call button when the door whooshed open.
“Hi.” A pretty, petite, and familiar-looking woman stood at the foot of her bed, wringing her hands nervously.
“What, uh…” Jade stopped, unsure of what to say to the woman who had caused her so much trouble.
“I’m Evelyn. I know you must have a lot of questions. I’d love to stay and fill you in, but unfortunately I can’t. I waited until you came out of surgery…”
Everything was so fuzzy. Images of her parents and men in masks hovering over her flashed randomly. “Surgery?”
Evelyn nodded, her dark ponytail bouncing around her head. “You were shot once in the back. The bullet was close to the spine, and they had to do surgery immediately. You’re lucky to be alive.”
Jade’s stomach clenched. “David. Is he all right?”
“He’s down in the cafeteria with your family getting coffee. Listen, I’m sorry I can’t stay and explain everything to you, and I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to truly repay you, but thank you.”
Jade shook her head slightly, ignoring the pain that splintered through her skull. “I didn’t do anything.”
Evelyn smiled. “Yes, you did. David told me how you refused to give my ring to that bastard Keith. You saved my life and probably thousands of American lives.”
“I don’t understand.” Lord, even talking hurt her head.
“I know, but I promise your boyfriend will explain everything to you.”
Almost on cue, the door swung open and David stepped into the room. Before she could protest the woman ducked out and David was by her bedside holding one of her hands. Dark circles ringed under his eyes.
She managed a small smile and held her other hand out to grasp his. She gripped it so tightly, she was afraid she’d draw blood, but she couldn’t find it in her to care. She needed to know he was real, that he was alive. “I’m so sorry, David.”
“What could you possibly be sorry for?” His voice was hoarse.
“I don’t know, for being an idiot and going outside without protection. How about for almost getting you killed?” She struggled to sit up, but with gentle hands, he pushed her back down.
“Jade, it’s over. I don’t give a shit about any of that. The only thing I care about is that you’re alive. I’ve only got a few minutes before your family comes barging in, so let me get this out. I don’t care how much time it takes for you to come around because I know we’re supposed to be together. I was being an asshole expecting you to have all the answers right now. If anything, I should be begging your forgiveness, not the other way—”
“I love you. I’ve loved you for longer than I’ve been able to admit to even myself. You’re my best friend, and when I was being held hostage, the only thing I could think of was that I had to survive so I could tell you just how much you mean to me and how much I can’t wait to spend the rest of our lives together.”
His response was a deep, lingering kiss. Jade thought she heard the sound of the door open, but if anyone had come in, they didn’t stick around long. Minutes later, with much restraint, she pulled away. “I don’t want to start something I can’t finish.”
“Good point.” He still held her hand tightly.
Jade leaned back against her pillow. “What exactly happened?”
Luckily, David gave her a very condensed version.
Twenty minutes later, her headache was worse but at least the pain meds had started to kick in again. “Let me get this straight, Evelyn tho
ught her boss had sold her out, and that’s why she was in hiding?”
David nodded. “Apparently so. Only one person knew about her undercover status, and that was her boss. What she didn’t know was that he purposely let her position slip to Celan in an attempt to flush him out. Before he could warn her, she’d been ambushed and assumed the worst. She did the only thing she could and went into hiding.”
“You still haven’t explained what the ring had to do with anything.” Jade’s head hurt, her entire body ached, and all she really wanted to do was sleep, but she needed to hear the rest of the story first.
David shook his head and grinned. Jade’s stomach clenched at the softening of his features. “The top of the ring is actually a hinged lid and opens up to reveal a tiny hidden compartment. She wasn’t sure what was going to happen to her so she placed a microchip in it with information explaining who she was, and pictures and proof of what she’d been doing. She also listed the coordinates of where she’d hidden a stash of the VX gas. It was a shot in the dark, but it was all she had until she could figure out who she could trust.”
“Why not go to the media?”
David shook his head. “I asked the same thing, and she said that if it was her boss like she originally believed, he would have been able to sweep everything under the rug. She had to have solid proof he was a traitor before she turned to any authorities because otherwise it was her word against his.”
Jade rubbed her temple and tried to absorb all that had happened in the past couple weeks. “It’s hard to believe that a few weeks ago I was telling Maya that I wanted a little excitement and some hot sex in my life, and now I have both.”
“You told her you wanted hot sex, huh?” His deep voice was unsteady and that dark, promising look she was coming to love was back.
She nodded and pulled him closer. “Yes, and you’ve more than fulfilled my expectations.”
“I hope you’re not tired of me just yet.” He dropped a sensuous kiss on her lips.
“I plan to keep you around for the next forty or fifty years.” And she did. She’d been given a second chance at love and she planned to take it.
About the Author
Savannah Stuart has been reading romance for as long as she can remember but she didn’t always know she wanted to be a writer. After graduating with a degree in psychology and working too many jobs she hated, she finally figured things out. When she discovered erotic romance, she knew she’d found her niche. Her stories have a touch of intrigue, suspense or the paranormal, but the one thing she always includes is a happy ending.
She lives in the south within walking distance of the beach with her very own real-life hero, their dog and a couple of turtles who have adopted them.
Savannah welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.
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Also by Savannah Stuart
Adrianna’s Cowboy
Better Late Than Never
Miami Scorcher 1: Unleashed Temptation
Miami Scorcher 2: Worth the Risk
Miami Scorcher 3: Power Unleashed
Tempting Alibi
Discover for yourself why readers can’t get enough of the multiple award-winning publisher Ellora’s Cave. Whether you prefer e-books or paperbacks, be sure to visit EC on the web at www.ellorascave.com for an erotic reading experience that will leave you breathless.
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