by Karen Anders
When she came to the final position, he slipped his hands around her waist and drew her toward him. His skin was hot against hers, his hands sliding up her rib cage to cup her breasts, a gentle, warm caress that made her groan softly against his kneading fingers.
“I love that sound, Sienna.”
He lowered his head as he swept his lips across the place where her shoulder met her neck.
The phone by the bedside table jangled and she quickly separated from him. Sienna walked over to the phone and picked it up. She listened for a few beats, grabbed a piece of paper and scribbled down an address.
When she put down the receiver, she walked back to him. “Captain Sandoval said that David just used his credit card to rent a cabin. I’ve got the address.”
ONCE AT THE CABIN, they used quick movements and stealth to get to the front porch. Sienna looked quickly into the window and what she saw made her blood run cold.
A man lay on the floor, his arms flung wide, and a gun next to his outstretched fingers.
She turned to look at A.J. and his face contorted in pain. For a moment he bowed his head. When his head lifted his eyes were cold and empty.
Without warning, he kicked the door open and went in. Two men came out of nowhere and tackled him to the floor.
As Sienna came through the door a man went for her gun. He backhanded her across the face, making her see stars. Balling up her fist, she hit him a stunning blow to the jaw and he released her gun.
Sienna had only a moment to sight down the barrel before she was grabbed around the neck and a gun was shoved into her back.
“Drop it,” the steely voice said.
12
SIENNA DIDN’T immediately obey. She recognized that voice.
“Agent Norton.”
“Detective Parker?”
“I thought you weren’t involved in tracking down David Buckner. Somebody at the NIS is going to hear about this.”
“What the hell is going on?” A.J.’s voice snapped out, sounding as crisp as the cold morning air.
“And Lieutenant Camacho,” Norton said. An agent scooped up her gun and Norton released her.
Sienna reached out her hand to help A.J. up.
A.J. shook off the help of a man who came close to him. He shoved another man out of the way to get to the body.
In the corner, handcuffed to a heavy wooden chair, another man sat with a sullen and terrified look in his eyes.
“What’s going on?”
“The body is Ray Merchant. Don’t worry. He’ll live and the man in the corner is—”
“Tyrone Knight,” Sienna said.
She felt such relief that it wasn’t David who lay on the floor.
A.J. knelt near the body, his face ashen. With a growl, he launched himself at Agent Norton.
It took three men to get him off.
“Let him go. He has a right to be angry.” Agent Norton put up his hand to ward off the other agents and they let go of A.J.
“They tracked my brother’s credit card. You used it to get them here.”
“Yes.”
“Where is my brother?” A.J. demanded.
“Somewhere safe. He’s working for us.”
THEY WERE IN the living room of the cabin. Under heavy guard, Ray Merchant had been taken to the nearest hospital for medical attention and Tyrone was being transferred to the local police jail for safekeeping.
A fire blazed in the fireplace and Sienna leaned back into the couch, soaking up the heat.
“I’m sorry, Detective Parker,” Rob Norton said as he handed her an ice pack to put on her eye. “We’d just taken down Knight and Merchant. We thought you were the second wave.”
Sienna gave the man a scowling look as she placed the cooling bag against her sore eye and jaw. “How about you give us an explanation to make amends.”
“First of all, I’m not with NIS.”
“Who are you with?” Sienna asked, wincing when her jaw moved. “Wait a minute. Don’t tell me. Let me guess. The FBI.”
“Right.
“You’re after Jack Taylor?”
“Not exactly.”
“Who, then?”
“Jimmy Lee Moran.”
“Who is that?”
“He’s the head of a militia group called Freedom Fighters of the New Revolution.”
“So Jack Taylor was your conduit to Moran?”
“I’m afraid so.”
“Why my brother?” A.J. growled. She could still see the anger simmering in his eyes.
“He’s smart and thinks quick on his feet. We needed someone undercover who worked at the base to hook up with Merchant. After looking at your brother’s jacket, there wasn’t any question he could handle the job.”
“How does Merchant fit into this?” Sienna asked, rubbing at her jaw.
“He’s the naval base weapons manager and Jack Taylor’s flunky.”
“He was stealing the weapons for Jack?” Sienna said.
“How did it work?” A.J. asked.
“We asked David to get word around that he had money troubles. We even had him gamble and lose to set up his cover. He started to talk about how he’d do anything to earn a few extra bucks. It wasn’t long before Merchant contacted him and offered him the job of driving for Taylor. He liked that David was security.”
“So the FBI was onto the theft.”
“Yeah. We had Merchant and Taylor cold, but we weren’t after them. We needed David to find out how to contact Moran. He did so through Knight.”
“Knight was double-crossing Taylor?”
“Right.”
“What was Knight doing in Rojas’s operation?”
“He was Taylor’s inside man. Taylor always liked to know what his competition was up to. Knight met David and told him if he needed quick cash to get out of the country, sell to Moran. Knight said he would give David the information for a cut of the gun money.”
“You told the D.A. to back off on Knight. Why? David already had the information about Moran.”
“We couldn’t afford to spook Taylor by having Rojas implicate him through Knight. We needed Taylor in play.”
“And now you have Knight to make a case against Taylor,” A.J. said. “Nice and neat. Two birds with one stone.”
“You were holding up my serial number and fingerprints so that I couldn’t confirm that David was involved,” Sienna confirmed.
“Correct. David was under deep cover. We couldn’t take the chance that anything about this operation would be leaked. Keeping you in the dark was the only way to protect him.”
“A little professional courtesy would have gone a long way.”
“We didn’t expect your quick and top-notch detective work. When you found the truck and collared Rojas with that airtight case, we knew that it wouldn’t be long before you ended up heading over to the base. We’re glad Rojas is out of business. He was our next target.” Norton smiled at her, and said, “You interested in working for the FBI?”
“If you hire her, Norton, you better watch your job,” A.J. said.
“Now, I’m going to have to ask you two to stay put. We’re going to rendezvous with Moran.”
A.J. jumped up, his fists clenched. “If you think I’m sitting here and waiting while my brother goes into danger, you’re crazy.”
“Look Camacho. I’ll bring your brother back here when we’re though, but I can’t have him distracted by you. You stay.”
A.J. PACED like a caged panther, all grace and power. Every so often he’d stop and look out the window.
She left him alone, knowing that there was nothing she could say or do that would alleviate his anxiety. They were both playing a waiting game.
Sienna looked down at her watch and her stomach lurched. It was six o’clock and her sister’s wedding rehearsal was over and the dinner was just beginning. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back wearily.
She should have called, but she remembered her sister’s words. Don’t bother to get fi
tted. Don’t bother to come at all.
“What’s wrong?” A.J. asked, sitting down next to her.
“I’m missing the rehearsal dinner. The wedding is tomorrow and I don’t even have my gown ready. I’m afraid she’ll never forgive me.”
“She’s your sister. She’ll forgive…”
“It’s not your fault. We thought David’s life was in danger. I don’t regret the choice I made.”
He pulled her against him, holding her, comforting her the way she’d comforted him yesterday.
Exhaustion and the warmth of the fire lulled Sienna to sleep. The next thing she knew, she heard the door to the cabin open.
A.J. felt intense relief to see David standing in the doorway, his right arm in a sling, looking like he could conquer the world.
“A.J.!”
“David!”
The two brothers met and hugged tightly.
“Damn, I’m glad to see you,” A.J. said.
David hugged him back with one arm, a catch in his voice. “Me, too, A.J. Me, too.”
“What happened to your arm?”
“I twisted my shoulder taking down Moran.”
Sienna came over and extended her hand. “Hi, David. It’s nice to finally meet you. We’ve been looking for you.”
David shook Sienna’s hand with his left. “I know. Norton filled me in. I’m really sorry. I couldn’t contact anyone, I couldn’t risk it.”
Sienna moved away to give him some privacy with his brother. A.J. turned to David. “So, my brother the undercover operative.”
“I know you were worried about me, but I have to tell you, it’s been great. I’m sorry I twisted my shoulder. I won’t get to see the look on Jack’s face when they take him down.”
David glanced over at Sienna who was talking to Rob.
David’s sharp brown eyes studied A.J., taking in every detail. “So what’s with the cop?”
“What do you mean?”
“Come on. I’ve already seen the way she looks at you.”
“What way?”
“Like you’re water and she’s really thirsty.”
“We’re hanging out.”
“Jeez, brother, you don’t even know how bad you have it,” David said.
Rob Norton was having a heated discussion with Sienna. Finally the man broke off and approached them.
“It’s time to go after Taylor, but David can’t drive or handle a weapon.”
A.J. looked at Sienna, who was frowning at him, then he looked at David. “I’ll drive in David’s place.”
“Let’s give them his guns, then.”
“Damn right,” A.J. said.
“TAYLOR.”
“This is David Buckner,” A.J. said. They had landed just thirty minutes ago and had immediately gone to Captain Sandoval’s office to get organized.
“Where are my weapons?” Taylor demanded.
“Not so fast.” A.J. shifted the phone in his hand. “It seems that my hope to sell the guns to Moran didn’t work out. The FBI shut him down. Next they’ll be coming after me and if they do, I’m not going down alone. I need cash and I need it fast.”
“Tell me where and when.”
A.J. looked at his watch. It was eight o’clock. “Twenty-Ninth Street pier in one hour.”
“I SHOULD BE the one to drive the truck,” A.J. said for the third time.
“I don’t like it,” Sienna insisted.
“I want a piece of this action. They’ve threatened my brother.”
“I’m inclined to allow him to do this,” Agent Norton said. “We jerked you around about your brother. If you want in, you’ve got it.”
“But…”
“Do you doubt his ability?” Norton asked.
“No,” Sienna said, trying to keep her voice down. Her heart was lodged in her throat. She knew she was being irrational about this. She knew it, but she couldn’t help herself.
“Then why don’t you want him to participate?”
“He’s not a cop,” she said stubbornly, unwilling to say what she really felt.
“He’s a Navy SEAL, Detective Parker.”
“They’ll be gunning for the person in the truck, Norton and you know it. He’s a sitting target.”
“Camacho?”
“I’ve been in situations a lot worse than this, Norton. I can handle it and you owe me.”
“If you go, I go. I’m going to be right beside you under the dash on the passenger’s side.”
“No,” A.J. barked.
“What is with you two?” Norton looked from A.J. to Sienna and back again. “How did you ever agree on anything in this investigation? Camacho, you drive the truck. Parker, you cover him. Discussion over. Let’s suit up. There will be a briefing in thirty minutes.”
Sienna walked out of the captain’s office still not happy about Norton’s decision, but at least she’d be A.J.’s back up.
When they reached the tactical room to pick up their vests, A.J. grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into an empty room.
“Is this about the grenade injury? Don’t think I can pull my own weight?”
“No. It’s not about that and I would never hold that against you.”
“Then why?”
“You’re not a cop!” she said, feeling the passion, the love, and the fear well up inside her.
“I’ve logged an enormous amount of mission time. I’ve led operations. I’ve gone into hostile environments and rescued hostages and took shrapnel. What is it about your stringent rules and regulations that you just can’t let go of? Do you have to control everything?”
“This isn’t about control,” she shouted.
“What’s it about then?” he yelled back.
“I don’t want you to get hurt,” she cried.
For a moment A.J. just stared at her, then he grabbed her and pulled her against him, his mouth consuming hers in a wild kiss that left her breathless.
“I don’t want you to get hurt, either, but we’re both professionals. We can handle it.”
“Just don’t do anything stupid or heroic.”
There was a knock on the door and Norton stuck his head in. “If you two are finished yelling at each other, could you please join us?”
THE NIGHT WAS pitch-black with barely any moon. Under the dash in the truck, Sienna could hardly see a thing.
“We’re almost there.”
“Good, I’m getting a cramp.”
“Lady, you’ve been a cramp in my butt from day one.”
“Shut up.”
“Not good,” A.J. said softly.
“What?”
“Two of the streetlights are off.”
“That should work to our advantage. Taylor won’t realize you’re not David until it’s too late.”
The truck ground to a halt and A.J. put the vehicle in park and shut off the engine. They waited in the darkness. Two bright headlights cut across the gloom and illuminated A.J.’s face for just a moment. Sienna drank in the sight of him, vowing that she wouldn’t let him down.
“Show time,” A.J. whispered as headlights flashed over the truck.
“Are they armed?” Sienna asked, her stomach fluttering.
“Don’t see any weapons, but they have coats on.”
“How many?”
“Five. Two by the vehicle and three on their way here.”
The three men came up to the truck and A.J. rolled the window down a fraction. “Do you have the money?” he asked.
Taylor swore and held up the briefcase for A.J. to see.
“Pass it to me through the window.”
A.J. took the case and set it in the seat beside him, never taking his eyes off Taylor or the other two men just behind him.
The passenger side door was jerked open. A man with a gun stood silhouetted against the moon. Sienna kicked out and the man grunted as the gun discharged. She was up and out from under the dashboard, hitting the man’s nose with the heel of her hand. She heard glass shatter as he went down in a hea
p. Racing around to the other side of the truck, she was faced with another of Taylor’s flunkies. With quick and efficient movements she brought him down, too.
The two by the car had already jumped in and sped toward the exit only to be blocked by the FBI cars pouring onto the scene.
A.J. was still seated, struggling with a man who’d shoved a gun through the broken window.
The gun went off in a series of loud blasts. As the hammer clicked against an empty chamber, A.J. opened the door and knocked the man to the ground where Sienna held him immobile with her gun.
A.J.’s head whipped around looking for Taylor.
“Don’t do it. Wait for backup,” she ordered.
“Sorry, Sienna, but he’s mine,” he said.
A.J. took off and Sienna’s eyes followed him. Taylor was heading for a boat at a nearby pier.
Sienna called out to A.J., but he didn’t heed her. She felt as if her heart was being split in two. The thought of losing him cut her so deep, she gasped.
The FBI agents arrived and as soon as an agent took over for her, Sienna headed after A.J.
Sienna spotted A.J. as he reached the end of the pier. Taylor stopped, a gun materializing in his hand. A.J. never slowed and his momentum took them both off the pier into the water below.
When she reached the edge of the pier, they were nowhere to be found. She lived a lifetime in those few moments, knowing that loving him would kill her, knowing that the thought of him in danger every day would be too much for her to endure.
Finally he surfaced, and relief flashed through her. Although he was safe, Sienna knew that he had been hers to take, but he could never be hers to hold.
THE NEXT FEW HOURS was filled with paperwork and booking the perpetrators, talking to the FBI.
Finally they were free to leave.
“Come to my apartment, Sienna. I want to make love to you all night on the beach.”
“I can’t.”
“Later?”
“I don’t think so.”
“What are you saying?”
“All this time you’ve been bucking procedure and doing what you want. Taking risks. It wouldn’t work between us, A.J. Just leave it at that.”