She leaned back her head and closed her eyes, telling him step-by-step what had transpired.
He had to force himself to keep his hold gentle when all he wanted to do was punch out the window. The guy had been on top of her with probable chloroform? God. If he’d managed to press it against her nose long enough, she would’ve been unconscious, easy to carry anywhere. Right now she’d be in the hands of a sociopath who tortured women and cut out their hearts. Lassiter or not, she’d be dead.
Fury edged through Angus, cutting with precision. He had to stop this guy, whoever it was. While the killer had left a note the day before, even that was slightly different from the others left years ago. If it was Lassiter, he was doing a great job messing with Angus’s mind. If it was somebody new, he had a good grasp on the members of Angus’s team and now had apparently started going for the real thing instead of look-alikes.
Nari wound down, and he asked a series of questions, keeping his voice calm.
She turned toward him as darkness began to blanket the rain. “Tell me about your day.”
His was easier to deal with, and he gave her the entire story.
She perked up as they drove down the deserted dirt road through the forest. “It can’t be a coincidence that we were both attacked the same day?”
“Hell if I know,” he admitted, drawing up next to the rugged cabin. “The MOs are different, but we’ll have to look at the situation from every angle.”
She studied the structure outside the car. “You said it was a nice cabin in the woods.”
“It is,” he said, somewhat defensively. “It’s not big, but it’s sturdy and warm.”
“Why do you have a cabin here if you were planning on going back to Kentucky?” She was quiet for a second. “Oh. You weren’t going. I get it now. Liar.” She opened her door and stepped into the rain, obviously too tired to worry about an umbrella. That was a good thing because he didn’t have one.
Ducking her head, she ran for the porch.
“Wait.” Angus hustled behind her and up the stairs to the door. “Let me make sure it’s clear. I’m sure it is, but I go first.” Just in case. He opened the door, and the hair instantly rose on the back of his neck as he sensed a presence that shouldn’t be there. “Get to the car, Nari. Now.”
“No need.” A table light turned on, illuminating Clarence Wolfe in the lone chair by the murder board, his massive body causing it to creak when he shifted his weight. He wore dark boots, dark clothing, and a knife strapped at his side. His face lacked any expression, although his amber eyes glowed with what looked like fury.
Angus frowned. “What the hell are you doing here?” He ushered Nari inside, while Roscoe ran full-on to Wolfe and hit the ex-soldier in the knees before jumping into his lap, his tail wagging wildly.
“Trying to be pissed, which is difficult with a mouth full of fur.” Wolfe patted Roscoe and tried to look over the mutt’s back. “Get down, boy.” His voice gentled and he lifted the dog to the floor. “You bought my cabin?”
Nari turned around to face Angus. “This was Wolfe’s? The one he bought to stage an Op in?”
Angus nodded. “Yeah.” Might as well go with the truth.
Wolfe stood, his body vibrating. “What happened to you guys? You didn’t fight each other, did you?”
“Of course not.” Nari hurried forward and hugged their mammoth friend. “Long story.”
Angus shook his head. “Did you get my text about Dana?”
“Yes, and she’s locked down safely with West and Tanaka right now,” Wolfe said. “I got to thinking, and I figured you didn’t really hightail it out of here. So the question was, where would you go? I figured it was a long shot, but here you are in my cabin. So it looks like the team is back together. Right?” His tone strongly hinted that it must be right.
“Right,” Nari said firmly. “Without a doubt. We’re in this together.”
This was exactly what Angus had wanted to avoid. Damn it.
Chapter Fifteen
Nari finished with the very late dinner dishes as Angus made the bed with her fresh linens. Wolfe had stayed through the steak, salad, and dessert, finally wearing Angus down enough that the stubborn bastard agreed to let the team help with his case. It was obvious Angus had had no intention of really leaving town, and the thought that he’d lied to her hurt. She poured herself a glass of wine and turned, wincing as her hip complained with twinges of pain.
Angus straightened, the firelight flickering over his formidable features. His malachite-colored eyes were nearly iridescent in the soft light. He moved toward her and gently took the wine from her hand. “Hurting?”
“Yes.” She looked at the glass. “What are you doing?”
“You have a possible concussion, so no drinking.” His smile held more charm than she liked. “This cabin is in the middle of nowhere, and it’s rather rustic, but there’s one definite plus.” He set the glass on the counter and held out his hand.
She took it, electricity flashing along her tired arm. There was no reason they couldn’t try to be friends. “What is it?”
“This way.” He drew her toward the heavily barricaded door leading to another porch. He turned her. “See?”
She sighed, pleasure already easing her aches. “You have a hot tub?”
“Yep. First thing I did when I decided to move out here was fill that sucker and make sure it works. It’s hot, it’s on, and we’re both getting in.” He released her and walked forward to push the top off the Jacuzzi. “Roscoe?”
The dog padded out, yawning widely.
Angus pointed to the darkness of the forested land beyond the porch. “Scout.”
Roscoe sighed. It really seemed he sighed. Then he bounded off the porch and ran into the trees. When he didn’t bark, Angus moved back toward her. “I’ll grab a drink and two towels and we’ll get in.”
She hesitated. “I didn’t bring a suit.”
His throaty chuckle did unmentionable things to her insides. “Baby? You don’t wear anything to hot tub in the middle of nowhere.”
Baby. He’d called her that before. The soft word sent butterflies whirling through her abdomen. There was too much risk here for both of them. The safety of just one night together had fled and her heart wasn’t up for the crushing it would take when he left. “Angus, I am not in the mood.”
“Me either. We’re going to ease our aches and then go to bed. That’s all.” He brushed the hair from her shoulder and leaned in to look closely at her pupils. “You’re not dilated and you ate a decent dinner, so I don’t think the concussion is that bad.”
She swallowed. Angus in a sweet mood was too much to handle. “You just want to check out all my bruises, then.”
His eyes glowed. “Honey, I’ve been watching you all night. I know what hurts.” He turned her toward the hot tub. “Hang your clothes on the pegs beneath the overhang so they don’t get wet. I’ll give you a minute.” Then he went back inside.
She shivered, and not from the cold. Well, the hot tub would help ease her pain, and it was big enough for both of them to sit in without touching. Plus, it was dark outside. She removed her clothes and hung them on the pegs before easing herself into the heated water.
It felt delicious. Her toes tingled and she wiggled them to get used to the heat. Warmth surrounded her, digging into her aching muscles. The door opened, and she slid to the far side, sitting in a deeper area where the water reached her neck.
Angus walked out, set his glass on the edge, and stripped off his shirt. The wide span of his muscled torso bunched and moved as he did.
Her mouth watered. The light coming from the cabin door lit him from behind and his face remained in shadow. His hands went to the buckle of his belt, and she turned to watch Roscoe sniffing the edge of the porch. Her face warmed and she waited until Angus slid into the hot tub. Water splashed her way and she lifted herself to keep it from her face. Then it dissipated.
He sank down with a groan of pure relief. “Every
body should have a Jacuzzi.”
She breathed in deeply and let her body relax. Then she reached for her hair and secured it on top of her head by tying a loose knot. Leaning her head back on the edge, she sighed. “This feels so much better.”
“I’m sorry I brought you into this mess,” Angus said, shifting his weight and rolling water over her. “I really am.”
“It’s not your fault.” She kept her eyes closed. “Although it’s not fair that you get to drink and I don’t.”
“You have a concussion and I probably don’t.” He sighed. “Also, it is my fault that you are in danger. I’m the target, and that makes everyone else around me a target. A man tried to kidnap you.” His voice lowered and a thread of anger resonated in the dark tone.
She shivered. “I’m aware of that fact.” She opened her eyes to stare at him through the night, unable to keep herself from diving into his head a little. “You aren’t responsible for everybody around you. Did you ever get counseling after losing your sister?”
His head jerked. “Knock it off, Nari. I don’t want a shrink.”
That was a no. “I’m not trying to counsel you. Friends talk, too.”
“Is that what we are? Friends?” Was that sarcasm? Yep, definitely.
She rolled back her shoulders to let the heated water soothe them, her injured body way too aware of his naked, muscled tightness so close to her. “I don’t know what we are, but friends is a good start, don’t you think?”
“Sure. Friends is the ending, too.” He watched her, his face shrouded by the night. “I am leaving. The second we catch this guy, whoever he is, I’m leaving.”
“Back to your solitude and booze, huh?” When he didn’t answer, she stretched out her legs, careful to avoid touching him, even though her fingers ached to run over that impressive chest again. “Don’t worry, Force. I’m a smart enough woman to know that when a guy tells you he’s not a keeper, you should believe him. I believe you.”
For the first time his gaze flickered. “I’m sorry.”
“No problem.” She wasn’t asking anyway. “The fact that you feel responsible for your sister has you pushing everyone away. Yet you haven’t exactly succeeded, have you? You’re attached to the team, and that closeness isn’t going away, even if you do.” She held up a hand when he straightened. “Don’t worry. I’m done analyzing you. Friend.”
* * *
The woman was pissing him off, not analyzing him. Which didn’t help a bit, considering she was naked in the water and close enough to grab and kiss. But they’d both been through hell that day. Her body needed to heal and his mind needed to get back on track. Angus settled down in the hot water and kept an eye on Roscoe in case he alerted on any threat. “I’m not completely oblivious to my motivations.” He wasn’t a moron, for Pete’s sake.
“Well, there’s that, then,” she mumbled.
He wanted to know more about her, too. “You and your bio father don’t seem close. What’s up with that?”
“I don’t really know him,” she admitted. “He and my mom divorced when I was a baby, and I grew up with a single mom until my early teens. We lived in a small town and I always wondered why he left us.”
Angus rubbed his chest. “I’m sorry.”
She shrugged, rippling the water. “I guess a part of me always wanted him to like me, you know? Maybe that’s why I took the job with HDD when it was offered—something that seemed to tick him off, actually.”
Angus took another sip of his Scotch. “Maybe he just doesn’t understand why you took the job when he’s obviously been an absent father. There’s got to be some guilt on his part for deserting you.”
“Look at you, profiling people,” she said.
He grinned, feeling closer to her than he had to anybody else in way too long. “We seem to have that in common.”
“I know.” She rolled her neck. “My mom and my stepdad met, married, and then moved us to Los Angeles, and I loved the city. It was nice to meet other Chinese kids, too.”
He wanted to hold her hand, so he tightened his grip on his glass instead.
She straightened. “Different topic. Do you think this new killer is Lassiter or a copycat? Gut response—don’t think about it.”
“I don’t know,” he responded instantly, oddly more comfortable talking about psychotic killers than himself. Maybe the lust attacking him would disappear now. “I really don’t. Either is possible.” He ran through all the details. “He left a note this last time.” Angus had already memorized the phrase and now recited it to her.
She moved her arms through the water, sending ripples his way. “It sounds like something Lassiter would’ve liked, but if somebody is copying him, that makes sense.” She repeated the phrase thoughtfully. “Slivers of time make up each moment, and only the pale horse and his master prevail in the most crucial of breathy gasps.”
Angus made a mental note to call Jethro in. His friend’s retirement would have to wait. “Yep. Classy, isn’t it?”
“Well. Pale horse means death, right? The master would be the grim reaper?” She gazed out at the forest.
“The master could be the killer,” Angus said. “I started a murder board inside and need to build the profile of this killer. I can do that tomorrow. Then I should rebuild Lassiter’s and compare them.” His mind clicked facts into place while his body tried to relax in the heat, which was just impossible with Nari so close. One night with her wasn’t enough, although he’d memorized every smooth inch and taken each of her soft sighs into his heart to remember later. Yeah, he really was a moron.
She kept low but scooted along the other side of the tub to the steps. “I’m hot and ready to get out. Should we talk about the sleeping arrangements?”
She had her professional voice back and he couldn’t blame her. “I’ll take the sofa.”
“No. We’ll share the bed. Give me a break.” She climbed out, and he turned his head to give her privacy. Mostly. “We need to be at the top of our game, so let’s be adults.” Within seconds she had disappeared inside the cabin, with Roscoe on her heels.
He sighed. Why couldn’t they just get drunk and fuck?
The forest quieted around him with a sense of foreboding, as if the universe was holding its breath. Now he was getting maudlin. Enough of this shit. He stepped out of the hot tub and replaced the lid, letting the chilly air wash over him. Grabbing a towel, he headed inside, where the lights had been extinguished. The fire had died down, its burning embers barely showing Nari’s form in the bed.
He grabbed boxers from his bag and moved into the bathroom to get ready for bed.
Once done, he moved to the bed, then stopped short. Roscoe lay in the middle, his head on a pillow, snoring softly.
“You have got to be kidding me.” Angus yanked bank the covers, needing to use some force with the dog’s weight on the blankets. “Get your butt to the sofa or the floor.”
Roscoe kept snoring.
Angus sat. “I know that’s not how you sound. Move. Now.”
The dog opened one eye but didn’t move. What a faker.
Nari turned on her side toward the dog. “Let him sleep with us. Please?”
Oh, for Pete’s sake. “Fine. But end of the bed. Period.” Angus was not going to wake up with a dog in his face.
“Move, Roscoe.”
The dog whined.
“Oh,” Nari crooned, reaching out to pet his head.
If dogs could smile, this one did. He also stretched out all four legs toward Angus, pushing him away.
That was it. “Roscoe? You want to go outside and scout the entire night?” Angus snapped.
The dog sighed and stood, walking on Angus’s pillow before settling at the bottom of the bed on Nari’s side. He cuddled up, putting his butt toward Angus.
“Were you this nuts before you got blown up?” Angus muttered, flipping the pillow over to the side without paw prints. He honestly couldn’t remember. Or maybe his team of misfits had just brought out this sid
e of the canine.
Roscoe farted in response.
Nari giggled, sounding young and light.
Angus smiled, and some of the pressure eased in his chest. “Because the two of you have bonded so well, he’s your constant companion until we find this guy. Period.”
“I’d love that,” she whispered. “’Night, Angus.”
“Good night,” he said, listening to the world outside. Nothing seemed out of place, and even though the dog was a lunatic, his instincts were excellent and his training second to none. If a threat was near, Roscoe would hear it long before Angus did.
So he let himself drift off with the fire warming his cabin and the woman and dog sleeping peacefully. The first nightmare landed hard and with no warning: He was back in the morgue with his sister’s dead body after Lassiter had kidnapped and killed her, taking her heart. But this time her face had changed to Nari Zhang’s.
He woke up, gasping for air and sucking in fur. Instead of being angry that the dog had maneuvered himself between them again, he set a hand on the dog’s neck and shared the pillow.
He’d lost to a serial killer before, and he wasn’t even sure who was after him this time. How was he going to protect everyone?
Chapter Sixteen
“You can’t cook.” Angus stared at the fried mess over Nari’s shoulder, his voice thoughtful.
She looked at what used to be eggs in the fry pan. “Nope.” This time she’d really given it her all.
“Huh.” Angus turned and opened the window above the sink to let out some of the smoke. He leaned against the counter, looking broad and dangerous in the morning light. “You really can’t cook. Even Roscoe is hiding over by the fireplace instead of begging for a bite.”
She set the pan in the sink, staring at him. With his thick, black hair wet from the shower and new scruff covering his stubborn jawline, he looked like sex on a sinful stick. “You sound surprised.” Should she be insulted? Nah. She just didn’t have the energy.
“I am,” he admitted, his dark eyebrows rising. “You’re so good at everything.”
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