His stomach sank. Impending disaster was striking. Both Titan men were taking several steps at a time down the theatre’s aisle toward the practice stage. Actors had stopped on stage, and a few covered their ears. Crew members walked onto the stage. It was a cacophony of people in mass hysteria.
The fire sprinklers turned on overhead. The emergency lights lit, and stage lights died.
In the blinking lights and under the water pouring from the ceiling, smoke began to fill the stage. The smoke floated and swirled under the gyrating lights. The sirens were too loud to shout over.
People began to run and call for help. Someone slipped in the water.
One second, Asher could see Jenny blinking on stage under a strobe light. The next, his eyes caught a man on stage, mixed in with the crew, who focused on Jenny. The only person who wasn’t reacting to the craziness.
“Maxwell!” Asher shouted and pointed to Ricky, to the Titan men who were jumping on stage.
He pushed his way out of his aisle to the stairs. An explosion sounded at the back of the theatre; the lights went black. An eruption of screams staggered through the theatre.
Two beams of light illuminated on the stage. Had to be Roman and Rocco. They flashed all directions, then the overhead lights came back on.
Jenny was gone.
Ricky hustled Asher down the stairs and opposite from Roman and Rocco. He struggled to head toward stage. “Get your hands off me.”
“Move your ass, Ash.”
“Damn it, Richard.”
“Move. Outside. Let Titan handle Jenny. I need to get you secure.”
“Me? Secure? Fuck that—”
“Deal I made with Murphy. Move your ass, Congressman.”
Fuck Ricky and Murphy. He should’ve known, having dealt with FBI and private security too many times before. They would talk, make their own plans. Asher was the man they wanted to protect. The public official who the FBI wouldn’t let down. “You fucking played me.”
“No, brother. I didn’t. But you bet your congressional pin that it’s in my job duty to keep you safe as well.”
They made it outside, completely soaked and stinking like a fog machine. Asher scrubbed his hands over his face, into his hair, furious. He paced in place. Glared at Richard. And he waited. Roman or Rocco would give them an update. Explain that they had killed Maxwell in the hallway. Something. Anything.
His phone rang, and he answered it on the first ring. “What?”
“Now there’s something in play that we both want.”
A chill ran down Asher’s spine. He roared into the phone, but the line was dead.
***
Jenny came to, soaking wet in a dark space. The hum of road noise and the occasional illumination of red lights along the back panel delivered the bad news. She was stuffed in a car trunk, wearing a practice costume. A black bustier, glittery boy shorts, and high heels that would make the burlesque world proud. Not the best run-and-escape outfit, and she sure wouldn’t be blending into a crowd if she did get out in public.
Two immediate options popped to mind. Kick out a tail light and stick her foot out the trunk. That would surely get someone’s attention. Or she could wait until they stopped somewhere and scream until a passerby heard and called for help.
She opted not to wait and began kicking. The tail light didn’t budge. Not as easy as it looked on television. Every pothole and sharp turn jarred her. The air was warm and stuffy and seemed to worsen with each passing hour.
It had to be hours. Right? Where were they going?
Eternity passed, and finally the car stopped for longer than a red light. The engine cut off, and her stomach tightened. She might throw up.
But that wouldn’t help her.
Get it together, Jenny!
She sucked down a weak breath and willed her nerves to quiet down. They only semi-listened. A lock clicked, and the trunk popped. She jumped up to the same man who’d offered to be her acting coach and who matched a photo Asher had shown her that morning. Maxwell.
“Why are you doing this?”
“Doesn’t matter to you.”
Jenny tried to scamper out of the trunk, but his thick arm caught her. She blinked under the pressure on her neck and threw her hands in the air. He would knock her out again. She remembered that was how he’d done it the first time.
“Sorry,” she choked out. “Shouldn’t have done that.”
His arm released, and she looked around, for the first time realizing where they were. I’m at home? The car was parked in the alley behind her apartment. But why?
He dragged her to the back entrance and jimmied the door open then did the same to her apartment and walked in. The most comforting place in her whole world now appeared dark and menacing. The man kept the lights off and pushed her on to the couch.
“Stay.”
She nodded. Would anyone think to look for her at home? What did he want with her? Too many questions flooded her mind. Her head pounded, her limbs trembled, but her stomach growled.
Maxwell looked at her. Guess her stomach growled loudly.
“Get up.”
Jenny stood and wobbled in her heels.
“Kitchen.” He directed her as if she didn’t know where it might be. “Get some food.”
“Okay.”
His voice hadn’t been nice, but the gesture was, and she didn’t trust it. She could run better on bare feet and would as soon as the opportunity presented itself. Jenny slipped off her shoes in front of the fridge.
“Are you hungry?” she offered, the refrigerator door open. Make friends with the enemy. Sun Tzu said that kind of stuff, right? Molly always said things like that. Asher probably thought like that too.
The man grunted and stalked around the kitchen, checking out the window.
“Find food quickly and shut the door.”
Jenny nodded. “I know you don’t want to hurt me.” He didn’t answer but went to each window, placing wires and small blocks on each. “I won’t tell a soul if you just walk out now. Please.”
What were those things? Alarms? Mini-bombs?
He turned and narrowed his eyes. “Find something to eat.”
She pulled a container of dip out of the fridge. “Sorry. Just trying to make conversation. I’m bad with quiet.”
Really, she wasn’t. She would prefer nothing more than silence and to be left alone. But that wasn’t going to happen. So she would butter him up. He might let down his guard and make a mistake, and then she could escape. And if nothing else, maybe he’d let her throw on some jeans. Her legs were freezing in the glittery boy shorts.
Maxwell looked into the hall but stayed nearby. “Try to keep your mouth shut.”
“Chips?” She grabbed a bag from the cabinet. “Sorry. Not supposed to talk. Got it.”
Maybe if he thought of her as a friendly captive, he’d be less likely to kill her. Food seemed to work with most men. Chips and dip and good manners were the best options she could come up with.
“Sit down. Eat your chips.” He handed her an envelope and a cell phone then walked out of the kitchen.
Her eyes went wide as she sat in the dark, ignoring the chips and dip. What was up with the phone? Was the note for her to read? If she made a call, would her building blow up? Confusion racked her brain. What was happening?
Jenny looked over her shoulder when the front door shut. What is going on?
Did he just leave her here? With a phone?
“Hello?” She pivoted in her seat, scared this was a trick or a test. “Excuse me, Mr. Maxwell?”
Silence.
She listened. Nothing. All this grief only to be taken home? She wanted to scream. Instead, she picked up the small envelope and held it toward the window like she would be able to read its contents. Nothing to see. She slipped her finger under the edge and opened it. Cardstock fell out.
Dear Congressman McIntyre,
I’m done watching and waiting. Now you know what it feels like when someone steals
from you. Last chance, right your wrong. It’s almost Election Day. Consider that your deadline.
Best wishes,
Maxwell
Maxwell had no intention of hurting her? He just wanted to scare Asher? Well, screw him.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Asher’s phone had five percent charge left, which was more than he could say for his energy level. Hours passed like years. He had seceded control of his day to the FBI and his campaign team. And what little part remained his had been ramrodded by Molly, Sugar, Jared, and Titan. Asher’s head spun, and he would’ve passed out, but that required too much energy.
The FBI and campaign had spun the incident as an unfortunate false alarm and failed fire safety system. No mention of Jenny’s kidnapping. They wanted to keep her out of the public’s eye for any number of reasons that Asher didn’t agree with. The FBI insisted it was safer for her, and his campaign consultants had no problem with that.
The only problem was he did, and not a single person listened to a thing he said. If anyone ever accused him of having power and using his influence to get his way, Asher would laugh to the brink of insanity. Because that was where he was now— on the verge of losing his mind. So exhausted and drained that he could barely function, yet unable to close his eyes or walk away in case something turned up.
His phone rang. The number came up unknown. Maybe Maxwell was in the mood to talk. Asher needed a cell phone charger if that was the case.
He accepted the call. “Yeah. McIntyre.”
“Ash.”
“Jenny?” Relief washed over him. Asher could finally take a deep breath. “Where are you? Are you okay? What—”
“I’m in DC. At home, by myself—”
Asher waved his arm. Someone had to be paying attention to him. A kid of an agent walked over. Maybe an intern. Didn’t matter. “Find Murphy. Jenny’s at home. And get an update to Jared at Titan. Now.” He took a breath and said a thanksgiving prayer. “You’re okay? Are you hurt? Are you alone?” So many questions rushed out of his mouth.
“I think I’m okay.”
“You’re whispering.”
“He just left me here. I don’t understand. I’m scared it’s a trick. There are things on the windows. But he gave me this phone and a note.”
“What’s on the window?”
“I don’t know. Wires. Blocks. Stickers.”
“Don’t touch a thing. Sit still and don’t touch anything. Do you understand?” He covered the phone and jumped toward the kid he’d sent to find Murphy. “Send a bomb squad and get me a cell phone charger.” He checked his phone. The red light flashed. “Sweetheart, if I lose you, I’ll call you back in a minute. Where are you calling me from?”
“The phone Maxwell left me.”
No. What if it was rigged to explode when she hung up? Another agent ran over with a phone charger. He plugged in and was given an update that Titan was tapping into the line. Now that was something that Titan could do off the books that a federal agency couldn’t touch without a year’s worth of paperwork.
A minute later, Jared joined the call. He walked her through a series of questions, and by the time he was done, the bomb squad was at Jenny’s door. A nuclear attack couldn’t have gotten Asher off that call. After this debacle was said and done, he was going to find Jared Westin and shake his hand. Jared had kept Jenny collected and evaluated the situation.
Titan’s opinion was the setup on the window was a complete middle finger to the congressman. Jared’s language had been more colorful, and Asher liked the guy more and more. But what he didn’t like was a confirmation that Maxwell Bowie knew what he was doing and wanted to show off. He had set up several explosives and charges but hadn’t armed a single one. It was strictly a look-at-what-could-have-happened move.
The bomb squad confirmed everything that Jared had figured out over the phone, and damn if Asher wasn’t impressed. They took the phone Maxwell had given her into evidence. Jenny said she would finagle a new one and call him back after talking to Sugar.
He used that quick minute to make arrangements for a private charter to DC. He would have Jenny in his arms tonight, no matter what he had to do.
His phone rang again. Again, he didn’t know the number but knew it was her. “I’ll be there in a few hours.”
“Awesome.” She sounded exhausted. “But there’s a hundred people in my living room.”
“Then I’ll make one hundred and one.”
“I wasn’t saying I didn’t want you to come over.”
He could hear her smile, and it warmed his heart. “Get some sleep, sweetheart.”
A heavy pause hung on the line. “Ash?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m glad you’re coming here.”
He nodded. “Nothing could keep me away.”
Silence still hung on the phone. He didn’t want to hang up. It killed him to be so far away.
“Ash?”
His chest ached, and he wanted to hold her. Kiss her. Make everything better. “We’ve had a crazy couple of days. Whatever’s on your mind, you can say it now, say it later. Just know I’m coming for you. I’ve known you most my life, sweetheart, and I’m an ass that it’s taken me this long to figure it out: I need you. I crave you. You’re a requirement to function. Take that for what it’s worth, and I’ll wake you up when I get there.”
“I—”
“I will see you soon enough. Sleep tight.” Whatever was on her mind could be said to his face.
***
The sunshine shone through her windows when Jenny woke. She smiled. Asher was under the covers and had cradled her into the crook of his arm. How could she not have awakened when he arrived? When he’d taken off his shirt and slipped under the covers?
She smiled even bigger. And how was it possible that Asher McIntyre was asleep past the break of dawn? Maybe she was rubbing off on him.
Her hand drew lazy circles under the blanket and over his stomach. “Good morning.”
He shifted and tightened his arm over her shoulder. “Careful. That’s a dangerous way to wake a man.”
She giggled and flattened her palm, sliding to the waistband of his boxers. “What? Saying good morning seems harmless enough.”
He covered her roving hand and moved it over him. “Your pleasantries weren’t what I was talking about.”
Asher’s mind might have been waking up, but the rest of him was raring to go. He hooked his other arm over her back and brought her to lie on him, legs straddling him. Jenny rested her cheek on his chest, and his lips pressed to the top of her head.
“I was scared I lost you, sweetheart.” He kissed the top of her head again then flipped them over. His jawline had a rough shadow, and his perfect hair was messy. Asher’s gaze burned through her until he broke and kissed her tenderly. “Lots of things have been put in perspective now.”
“Like?” Her throat ached from saying one simple word. There was so much that could be hanging on that question.
“You.”
“Oh.” She bit her lip, unsure what to say. “Meaning?”
“It means…” His forehead dipped against hers. “It means I’ve always cared about you. Always wondered how you’d taste and what would make you scream.” He kissed her lips. “I never let myself wonder…”
Her heart raced. “About?”
“Anything but me. Selfish politician, huh?” He chuckled softly. “But now I’m wondering what you want. If you want me. If you want to make love.”
She nodded as her world spun. He could love her in any way, and it would be amazing.
Asher kissed her, deeper and longer. His tongue probed her mouth, but then he softened the intensity. His eyes blazed. “I need to know if you have that same ache that’s been plaguing me.”
“For far too long.” Her heart banged in her chest, and she slipped off her panties. His boxer-covered erection flexed against her mound.
“God, I need you, Jenny. Need.”
“You do?” Jenny snagged
his boxers and pushed them over his bottom, and he took care of them the rest of the way down. The thick emotional tension that hung on their words made it hard to breathe, even as it cocooned them together. She needed him too, in more ways than she could describe.
“My head, my heart, they’re both saying the same thing. I love you, sweetheart, and I have for a long time from a distance.”
Her heart sang. Fireworks exploded in her mind. It was everything she’d ever wanted to hear, and their lips met. A touch. A kiss. A confirmation. “I love you too. Have since I probably shouldn’t have.”
“There’s nothing more I want to do”—he reached for his wallet, removed a condom, and sheathed himself—“than hear you say that again.”
Asher pressed against her sex, and her eyes closed. “I love you.”
He inched in then out. Kissing her. Holding her. Jenny wrapped arms and legs around him and let him work them both together. He was thick. Forceful, but still taking his time.
Asher explored her mouth. His hands caressed her curves. They moved as one. Breaths interchanged, interweaved. His heart beat against her breasts. His scratchy cheek rasped her neck, and hot breaths crawled across her skin.
Perfect pressure and precision. Wrapped into his embrace, she’d given herself over to him completely. He owned her body, even if he didn’t know it. But he did know she loved him, that he loved her. That magnitude hit with each stroke and drive. His words burned into her memory. She could recall them forever; that she knew.
Jenny caught his mouth, bit his lip, and a tornado of bliss swept her into a frenzy. Her muscles clenched; a climax so deep and emotional wracked through her. Her sex spasmed, and her hopes exploded.
“I love you.” She moaned while she came. She cried his name, and he stole her breath, finishing with her. Asher collapsed over her, and they lay, spent, connected, together on so many levels.
Drifting to sleep, he said it again. “I love you too.”
CHAPTER NINE
Six weeks later
The lights and the crowd were enough to make Asher hot under the collar. As were the impending election results. He’d gone into Election Day knowing that polling and nightly tracking were on his side. But, despite what his consultants said, there was always the chance that voters wouldn’t behave as they should. Asher didn’t trust that he was a shoo-in.
The Titan Series: Military Romance Boxed Set Page 94