The Viper (COBRA Securities Book 15)

by Velvet Vaughn

  He clicked the email from Logan with a copy of a contract for Annabelle to sign. Though his eyes widened, he didn’t think she’d blink at the fee. His bosses had included a clause that payment wasn’t due until the will was settled.

  After clearing the rest of his email messages, he did a search on the lawyer who’d been killed, Archibald Windham, and the bodyguard, Andrew Garvey. Both cases were active, but the cops had no leads. Security cameras had been tampered with at both the law office and hotel. He wanted to pick up the phone and give them Annabelle’s stepbrother’s name, but he had no proof. The man was the most likely suspect, but Kellan couldn’t afford to focus strictly on him. He needed to stay vigilant. There might be others in play that he didn’t know about. There had to be several people who knew Annabelle had inherited a large sum of money. It could bring all sorts of demented psychos out of the woodwork looking to make a quick buck. The fact that she’d been kidnapped and not killed meant that others might be out there after her money.

  An hour later with no sign of movement from the bed, he stood and stretched. He was getting restless. What he really wanted to do was head to the workout room to lift weights, followed by a dip in the hotel pool for several laps of cardio, but he didn’t want to leave her alone. That meant going for a run was out, too.

  He’d purchased workout clothes this morning, so he changed into a tank top and shorts and then gripped the top of the door frame to complete a set of fingertip pull-ups. Next, he dropped to the floor and ripped off fifty push-ups, followed up a hundred sit-ups. Then he started the circuit again. After five rounds, his muscles were screaming in protest and he’d worked up a sweat, but he felt good. Maybe he’d go for a swim later tonight. It didn’t look like they’d be able to complete the tasks today that Annabelle wanted to accomplish before they left town.

  Rolling to his stomach, he pushed to his forearms and held a plank for five minutes. Fellow agent Talia Cohen McGrath had been teaching him some yoga positions to improve his flexibility, so he ran through the moves he remembered. He was glad Annabelle was unconscious because if she saw him try to twist his big body into a pretzel, she’d bust a gut laughing. Talia made it look effortless. He felt like a bumbling ox. He finished with the move Talia called adho mukha śvānāsana. Why she couldn’t just call it downward-facing dog like a normal person was beyond him. Walking his hands closer to his feet, he pushed upright and chugged a bottle of water before heading to shower.

  The hot water felt good on his sore muscles, so he stayed under the steamy spray for longer than usual. After a quick shave, he tore the tags off the clothes he’d purchased and put them on. He ran a comb through his wet hair, turned off the light and stepped into the room. Annabelle had shifted positions, but she was still out.

  He was starting to worry the drug she’d been injected with had harmed her worse than he thought. He knew she was exhausted after having a rough few days. She probably hadn’t slept more than a couple of hours at a time. Maybe her body just needed to rejuvenate.

  His stomach rumbled and he checked his watch. There was a sandwich shop close to the hotel, but that meant he’d have to leave her again. Stepping into his shoes, he laced them up, picked up the keycard from the dresser and headed outside. The trip took approximately twenty minutes and then he was back in the room. He’d ordered an assortment of sandwiches, not knowing what Annabelle would want when she woke. He polished off a foot-long turkey and provolone cheese on whole wheat with a bag of Sun Chips and a Diet Coke. The soda gave him a kick of much-needed caffeine. He liked coffee but wasn’t addicted like many of his coworkers, so he tried to avoid it as much as possible.

  Now that his belly was full, he sat back down at his computer to get some work done. He sent an email to his bosses, letting them know their departure had been delayed at least a day. Then he fired one off to Tyler, asking him to let him know if he dug up any additional information on Melvin Bixby or Robert Singleton Junior.

  Sheets rustled and he glanced up to see Annabelle patting the empty bed around her. “Kellan?”

  “Over here.”

  She jerked upright, all squinty eyes and adorably disheveled hair. “I was afraid I’d dreamed you.”

  Uh, he wasn’t sure what to say to that. “Nope, no dream.”

  A blush crept up her cheeks and she cleared her throat. “What time is it?”

  He checked his watch “Six-thirty.”

  “That early?” He shook his head and her jaw dropped open. “In the evening?” At his confirming nod, her jaw dropped even further. “I slept for seventeen hours straight?”

  “Give or take. How do you feel?”

  She shoved a tangled lock of golden hair from her face. “Good. Well-rested. I can’t believe I slept that long.”

  “Your body needed it.”

  She tossed the covers back and slid her legs over the side of the bed. “And now my body needs something else.” She stood, obviously forgetting she was naked under the t-shirt that had ridden up in sleep and scurried into the bathroom.

  He should’ve been a gentleman and averted his gaze, but wild horses couldn’t drag his eyes away from the firm, round globes. He cursed the door when it closed, blocking her from view. With a sigh, he clicked out of the program he’d been using and closed the lid of his laptop.

  Annabelle popped her head out the door. “Uh, Kellan? I need to take a shower, but I don’t have anything to change into. I don’t suppose you have another shirt I can borrow?”

  “Better.” He picked up the bags of clothes he’d purchased for her this morning and handed them to her. “I did some shopping while you were asleep.”

  Her eyes softened and she smiled at him. “That was so thoughtful. Thank you.” She rummaged in the bags. “You even got the sizes right.”

  She disappeared back inside. He hoped she liked the things he’d picked out. He’d grabbed a few shirts, not really noticing the style or design. But one caught his attention and he thought the blue would match the color of her eyes.

  The shower kicked on and he tried reciting the periodic table to keep from picturing her standing under the spray, water dripping down her luscious curves. In his perverted daydream, he followed a drop of water as it rolled slowly down her collarbone to the gentle slope of her breast. Then it continued down to her—

  His pocket vibrated, jarring him from his musings. He’d turned off the ringer so it wouldn’t wake her. And speaking of…what the hell was wrong with him? He was developing a Pavlovian response to her showering. He needed to end that right now. Checking the screen, a huge smile lit his face.

  “Hey, Hollywood, how’s it going in the Big Apple?”

  Mason Rossi chuckled. “Pretty damn sweet. They treat us like royalty, chauffeuring us around, gourmet meals. You should’ve come with us. You earned it, too.”

  Kellan had considered making the trip with Sawyer and Harlow Oldham and Mason and his now-girlfriend Cassidy, whom he expected to be wearing a ring on her finger the next time he saw her. But he was the fifth wheel and he wasn’t needed. Now he was glad he decided against it. If he’d flown with the others to New York, he’d never have met Annabelle.

  “I’m actually working on a case.”

  “No way! Already? Damn, you usually get some down time after you finish one. Luke and Logan are really cracking the whip. Are you back home?”

  “I never left LA.”

  “No kidding? Hey Sawyer, Kell’s still in California working on a new case. I’m putting you on speaker.”

  “Hey, Kell, what the hell, man? You never left?” Sawyer asked.

  He gave them a run-down on what had happened since they parted ways, starting with running into Annabelle at the airport and finishing with her kidnapping.

  “Do you need us to fly out to assist?” Mason queried.

  “We can be on the next plane out of JFK,” Sawyer added.

  Their willingness to drop everything to help him was humbling. If there was ever any doubt that he’d made the right deci
sion to leave the force, this erased every single one. The men and women he worked with weren’t just colleagues, they were family. “I appreciate the offer. I don’t think there’s anything you could do right now, but I’ll let you know if that changes.”

  “Oh my gosh, Kellan, is that you?”

  He smiled, recognizing the voice. “Hey, Harlow.”

  “I’m here, too. We miss you.”

  “Hey, Cassidy. How’s the shoulder?”

  “It’s better. We’ve only got a few more days here then we’re headed home to see you.”

  “Since you wouldn’t come with us, we bought you souvenirs,” Harlow added.

  Damn, where did the lump in his throat come from?

  “He’s still in California working a case,” Mason told the women.

  “Gosh, that was cruel of Luke and Logan,” Harlow grumped. “These two get an all-expense paid trip to New York and you have to go right back to work?”

  “That’s not fair,” Cassidy chimed in.

  Kellan’s heart warmed at their defense. “It was my choice.”

  “We’ll fill them in on the details,” Sawyer assured him.

  They chatted for a few more minutes and then Harlow told him to expect a text as soon as they disconnected. A chime sounded and when he opened the picture she’d sent, that damn lump was wedged in his throat again.

  #

  Annabelle didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but Kellan was so engrossed in his conversation, he didn’t hear her exit the bathroom. She wasn’t sure if he was speaking to family or friends, but the smile in his voice and the one lighting his face was a sure sign that they were important to him. His voice was animated and when he laughed, her breath caught in her throat. He was so incredibly sexy. She started to let him know she was in the room when he disconnected, but he immediately punched buttons on his phone and then the look of sheer happiness made her stumble back a step. Had he been talking to a girlfriend? Or, Heaven forbid, a wife? He could be married with children back home waiting for him. She hadn’t asked. He didn’t wear a ring, but some men didn’t. She grabbed the edge of the dresser for support. The entire time she’d been in the shower, she’d fantasized about him tugging back the flower-covered curtain and stepping inside with her. They’d take turns lathering each other until they couldn’t take it anymore. Then he’d kiss her and—

  “Oh hey, I didn’t hear you come out.”

  Annabelle forced a smile. “You were engrossed with the call.”

  He held up the phone. “Yeah, sorry. Do you feel better?”

  “I do, thank you. And the clothes are perfect.” He’d picked out tops she’d have chosen for herself and they were the right sizes. He’d even guessed right with the underwear. She’d have loved to be a fly on the wall when he was sorting through the bra and panty section.

  “I was right,” he murmured.

  “What was that?”

  “The shirt you’re wearing. I thought it would bring out the color of your eyes.”

  He’d thought about her eyes when picking out clothes? Her heart squeezed. “Was that your girlfriend?” She cringed at the words. She hadn’t meant to blurt it out. Thankfully, he’d been looking down at his phone and didn’t see her reaction.

  “No, friends. They sent me a picture.”

  She walked closer and glanced at the screen. The shot was of two gorgeous men and two beautiful women wearing huge grins in front of the Statue of Liberty. She chuckled at the sign the women were holding with a pretty darn good drawing of Kellan with the words: Wish you were here. Her eyes narrowed and she ripped the phone from his hand for a better look. The women seemed familiar. Recognition dawned and she gasped. “Oh my gosh, that’s Harlow Duquesne…and Cassidy Swain!” Her eyes shot to his. “You know them?”

  “I do.”

  She focused on the photo again. “The drawing looks just like you.”

  “That’d be Harlow’s doing—she’s an incredible artist.”

  She handed him the phone back, her mind reeling. “I was engrossed in the controversy surrounding Cassidy and her stalker—wait a minute. You said you just wrapped up a case. Were you involved?”

  “I was.”

  “I want all the details. Dancing With the Celebrities is my favorite show. I never miss an episode. And my gosh, Harlow Duquesne is American royalty.”

  “Oldham.” At her questioning look, he added, “It’s Harlow Oldham now. She married one of my coworkers.”

  “You work with Sawyer Oldham? I read all about him, too, after Harlow’s ordeal in Coslos.” Grabbing his hand, she tugged him from the chair and then plopped on the bed, patting the mattress in front of her for him to sit, which he did.

  “Tell me everything.”

  #

  Kellan hadn’t seen Annabelle’s face so animated. He’d seen her worried, scared, drugged and tired. But with the sparkle in her Caribbean blue eyes and the rosy hue to her cheeks, she looked positively radiant. He couldn’t tear his gaze away. She wanted details on his last case and all he wanted to do was breach the gap between them and find out if her lips were as soft as they looked.

  She was gazing at him expectantly, so he’d give her some details to appease her curiosity. He’d leave out the part about putting a bullet in Cassidy’s stalker’s brain. She didn’t need that image in her head.

  “Cliff Notes version. Harlow was invited to compete on the show, so Sawyer and another coworker, Mason Rossi, accompanied her to California. Before the show started, Cassidy was targeted by a stalker. Mason saved her from a couple of harrowing incidents and the network hired our company to provide protection for her. I was sent out to assist both men.”

  The corners of Annabelle’s mouth curved down. “That wasn’t even the Cliff Notes version. It was barely a footnote. I want juicy details. I mean, Marcus Howe was murdered, for goodness sake. And I want to know about Irina Dubov. Is she really as mean in real life as she seems on the show?”

  “Yes, she is, and that really was the gist of the ordeal. We managed to neutralize,” the sanitary way to say blew his head off, “the stalker before he could seriously harm Cassidy.” Still, she suffered an injury that ended her dancing season and people had been murdered in the killer’s quest to take her down.

  “When you say that we managed to neutralize the stalker, does that mean you were responsible? I know he was killed.”

  Damn, she was too perceptive. “Both myself and Sawyer were involved with the takedown.”

  “Gosh, I can’t believe this. I watched all the coverage. It helped take my mind off my stepfather’s passing. We watched the show together when he was sick.” She shook her head in awe. “So that’s the case that brought you to California?”

  “Yeah. The others jetted off for the morning talk-show circuit in New York. The network provided security, so I wasn’t needed. I packed up the house where we bunked down and was on my way home.”

  “Lucky for me,” she murmured and glanced at their hands—their clasped hands. When did that happen? She abruptly released him and eased back until her back rested against the headboard, an adorable pink blush staining her cheeks. “It sounds like you really like your coworkers.”

  “I do. Everyone involved with the company is family.” He cleared his throat. “What were your plans after we stopped by your house, the bank and lawyer’s office? Did you have somewhere in mind to go next?”

  She shook her head slowly. “I mentioned Bora Bora to Andy as a possible getaway, but I really don’t like the thought of leaving the country in case there are any problems with probate.”

  “My recommendation is that you come home with me. Our offices are located in a secure compound. It would be the safest place to wait for the will to finalize.”

  “Are you sure your bosses would allow that? What if my stepbrother tracks us there? I don’t want to bring trouble to their doorstep.”

  “It’d be hard for him to do, and even if he did, the security is state-of-the-art. And my bosses offered before I could as
k.”

  “I wouldn’t be in the way?”

  “The compound is huge. There’d be plenty of things to keep you occupied. Your background is graphic design, right?”

  “How did you—oh yeah, background check. It is.”

  “I’m sure there would be work you could do if you want.”

  “After visiting your website, I had several ideas to jazz it up.”

  “Good. We’ll plan on heading there.”

  “I guess it’s too late to go to my house tonight.”

  “We’ll swing by in the morning when it’s daylight.” She’d literally slept the day away. “You missed breakfast and lunch. You have to be hungry.”

  “Now that you mentioned it, I am starving.”

  Chapter Six

  With the amount of rest Annabelle logged yesterday, Kellan thought she might have trouble sleeping last night, but after she finished eating a sandwich, she’d been out as soon as her head hit the pillow. Having not discussed it earlier, he wasn’t sure about her feelings of him sharing her bed again. The thought of sleeping on the floor didn’t appeal, especially since she was curled up on a small portion of the mattress. He watched a ballgame on mute, caught up with work and then decided to take a chance and climbed into bed. There was enough space between them for two more people, but when he woke in the morning, she’d crossed the invisible barrier and curled up against him. Or maybe he did.

  He didn’t need much sleep, so he carefully extracted himself from her arms and headed to the bathroom. He changed into his workout clothes, intending to run through another circuit in the room, but when he opened the door, Annabelle was sitting up.

  Damn, she looked adorably rumpled and it took every ounce of his willpower to stay where he was instead of diving for her and ravishing her beautiful body. “Morning.”

  “Good morning. Are you going to work out?”

  “I was going to run through some exercises here in the room.”