Nate had been her one love, and she refused to let him be taken into captivity again. He’d die first, and while they’d never be together, she needed him out in the world living. Hopefully finding happiness, or at the very least, some peace.
And Audrey had been a disappointment to her mother for years, a fact she deeply regretted. Logically she knew the fault lay with Isobel, but in her heart, a young girl still lived who wanted to do better. Who only wanted her mother to be proud of her. Audrey wouldn’t fail her mother at this juncture—she refused to do so.
What if to save her mother, she had to hurt Nate? Or vice versa?
She coughed and glanced at her watch. “I have a meeting with Senator Wilcox’s chief of staff about the arms appropriation vote. Don’t do anything about the commander’s group without talking to me first.” That quickly, that smoothly, power shifted, and she became the ringleader of the hodgepodge group dealing with the commander.
A position she wanted less than she wanted to be shot in the head.
She hustled back to her office, her gut swirling. What in the world was she supposed to do now? Calling her mother would be a mistake and would alert the commander to the senator’s duplicity.
With everything she was, she wished she trusted her mother.
What about Nate? She glanced at her phone but didn’t trust her phone enough to call Nate with. Not even her cell phone was secure enough. She sat and grimaced. Even if she wanted to call him, not only did she have nothing good to say… but she also didn’t have his phone number. A slightly hysterical laugh bubbled up from her chest. She’d slept with a guy, the only guy she’d ever loved, and she didn’t even have a way to get a hold of him.
Life was truly fucked.
Chapter 11
Nathan held out a chair for Lilith at the coffee shop located conveniently across from where Audrey worked. He made sure to seat himself with his back to a post and an unfettered view through the window. While he didn’t expect Audrey to be leaving work any time soon, he felt better watching the exit.
As well as the soldier pretending to read a newspaper on a bench near the entrance. So the commander was still having Audrey followed. Why?
Lilith pushed her blond hair off her face, her eyes glimmering under a smoky shadow.
Audrey’s natural look appealed far more to Nate. He’d spent his life with people changing reality, and while a bunch of eye shadow didn’t qualify as subterfuge, he liked the natural look. Or maybe he just liked Audrey.
Yeah, that was probably it.
Good thing he was so self-aware, wasn’t it?
The waitress deposited their coffees in front of them, and Nate reached for his steaming cup.
“Why are you scowling?” Lilith straightened her posture, revealing breasts lifted by a bra working hard. She pressed her arms in, pushing the mounds higher, just in case he hadn’t noticed.
“I’m not.” He forced a smile, keeping his gaze above her neck.
“Oh.” She pouted out full lips. “I thought we might relax over coffee. Didn’t you have a good time at dinner last night?”
His mind counted back. Dinner? Sure. Watching Audrey on a date with another man had been incredibly fun. “We were spying on Darian Hannah and Audrey Madison, remember? Our goal was to investigate Audrey Madison before making the senator our next offer to create more manufacturing plants in his state.”
Lilith’s eyes narrowed. “Was that it? For some reason, it seemed like your interest in Audrey went beyond politics.”
His interest in Audrey went straight to the bedroom. Screw politics. Nate rolled his eyes. “Don’t be silly. I was merely doing my job.”
Lilith sipped her drink. “If you say so. Though I invited you in that night, and you kindly refused. I don’t get turned down very often, Jason. Is there somebody else?”
“No. I had more work to do. You know from my résumé that I’m a workaholic.” His fake résumé and falsified background, that was. Heaven save him from forward women. He didn’t have the energy to deal with Lilith.
“Maybe. What about another night?”
The woman wasn’t going to give up. “I’d love to make it another night—when are you thinking?” Hopefully he will have skipped town by then.
“I’m thinking right now, if you’d like to get out of here.” Lilith licked coffee off her lip, making a slow swipe of doing so.
He tried to pretend interest, but the image of Audrey’s stunning face, eyes glazed with passion, kept filling his head. What in the hell had he been thinking? One touch, one night with her, and now he was staking out her place of work. Just to make sure she remained safe.
Forcing himself back into the mission, he smiled at Lilith. “Work first, play later. Right now, I’d like to know more about lobbyists in the area. What is Darian Hannah’s bio?”
Lilith tapped red nails on the table. “Lately he’s been lobbying for a security firm that hires ex-soldiers and mainly provides bodyguard services. He goes where the money is.”
“Don’t we all?” Nate sat back, pleased that Sins Security, the company he and his brothers had created, would never even remotely seek funding from any government. Way too sticky, that. “Who did Darian work for before?”
“I think a teacher’s union, and before that, the beef industry. As a lobbyist, he is one of the best.” Lilith gave up all subtlety and ran her bare foot up Nate’s pant leg. Her toes were long and without stockings, and the big one dug into his sock and tugged down.
Thank goodness she’d ditched the three-inch high heel first. All Nate needed was a cut along his leg to explain later. He shifted to the left, and she dropped her foot with a large pout.
“I thought you liked me,” she murmured.
“I do.” He lied his ass off. The woman could probably eat him for breakfast and then go hunting again. “I like to be the one to make a move.” Which, frankly, was rather true.
“Oh.” She sipped her drink, looking thoughtful. “I see. You have to be in control.”
The woman had no idea. “I like to hold the reins.” It was the most truthful he’d been with her. Maybe now she’d back off.
“Why?” She ran her tongue along the rim of her cup.
He shook his head. “I don’t think we have that much time right now, but doesn’t everything go back to childhood?”
“I guess.” She studied him. “Did you have a good childhood?”
“Yes. I have two older sisters living in Alabama, where my parents still live and run a small restaurant.” He recited his cover story.
Lilith smiled. “Two older sisters? No wonder you want to be in control. I bet they dressed you up to play.”
What did that mean? His playtime with his brothers had included blade fighting and target shooting. He laughed. “Funny.”
“Thanks. So why haven’t you taken the reins with me?” Her voice lowered to husky.
Because he’d rather mate a grizzly? “I like to know a woman before I make a move. All I know about you is that you took a job with the PR department of TechnoZyn years ago. Before that?” He listened with half an ear, keeping his focus on the myriad of people exiting the building across the street.
“Before that? I went to college, and George Fairbanks gave me a good offer to work for the tech firm upon graduation. PR is my game.” Something clicked under the table. She must’ve slipped her foot into the shoe that more than likely served as a weapon for fresh kill. “Now you know all about me.”
Somehow, he doubted that. “All right.”
She took another sip, nearly humming. “Do you believe in destiny?”
“No.”
“I don’t, either.” She set down her drink. “But I’m drawn to you. Do you know why?”
He lifted an eyebrow. “I have no idea.” Which was true. Everything he’d garnered about the woman told him she went for the king of fish, the head dog, the big cheese. In his current cover, he played a lobbyist. One who answered to her, actually.
She sighed. “
I don’t know why, either.” The scent of expensive perfume clouded his nose when she leaned forward. “But I have excellent instincts, which means there’s more to you than you’ve let on.”
He tuned in completely to her from heart rate to respiration rate. No stress, but definitely some arousal. “What do you mean?”
“Why are you a lobbyist?” she asked, her lids dropping to half-mast.
He hardened his gaze. “I like money, and I make a lot of it as a lobbyist. Much more than you make.”
“So you care about money.” Respect filled her eyes.
Only for the freedom it provided and the weapons it allowed him to buy. “Of course.”
“I think we have a lot in common,” she said.
Somehow, he doubted that. “How so?”
“You’re determined and dedicated, and I think you’ll end up much wealthier than you are right now.” Her focus dropped to his lips. “More importantly, I can help you become a powerhouse in DC. Power is so much more important than money, and I can tell you want it.”
Wow, had she pegged him wrong. Power meant nothing to him unless it kept his family safe, just like money. He’d like nothing better than to go live a quiet life in Montana away from power, people, and prestige. “You read people so well.”
The outside door opened, and Fairbanks strode inside. He made his way to their table.
Lilith scooted over to make room. “I told George we’d be here, and he thought we should meet.”
The last thing Nate needed was actual work from his current cover. “Great.”
“We need to finish wrapping up the agreement with Senator Nash before he changes his mind.” Fairbanks signaled the waitress and ordered a vanilla latte.
“Trouble?” Nate asked, finishing his drink.
“Yes. The senator is a crusader who needs funding for his state. If he finds a more above-board method to accomplish his goals, he’ll drop any deals with us.” A thread of desperation wound through Fairbanks’s words.
Nate concentrated on the man’s heartbeat. Too fast. “Why do you really want to build in Wyoming? Besides providing a type of kickback to the senator?”
“We need the tax breaks and the subsidies,” Fairbanks said bluntly. “The economy hit us harder than most, and we’re going under if we don’t get a home base that works.”
Odd that he said a home base. Nate nodded, wondering if he should dig deeper into his temporary boss’s finances. Something was up, but since it didn’t deal with Nate or his family, did he really care? “Why Wyoming?”
Fairbanks shrugged. “The senator is a good guy, and Wyoming is a long way from DC. We can work autonomously out there, and we can pursue the scientific world we’ve earned.”
“Huh?” Nate asked.
Lilith laughed. “These days, George here likens modern technology to divination from God, and he doesn’t like the safeguards put into place by the government.”
Fairbanks leaned forward after glancing around. “I’m working on nanobite technology that will revolutionize medicine and disease treatments. It’s beyond anything natural, and it’ll make us billions.”
Computers as weapons. Who knew. Nate’s shoulders slowly relaxed. Nanobite technology was theoretical, or was it? Either way, it was normal science. Except… “I’m assuming your problem with governmental oversight is the prohibition against human testing?”
“Exactly.” Fairbanks nodded, pleasure lighting his face at finding an ally. “If someone consents in exchange for payment, why shouldn’t we experiment? It’s for the greater good.”
That one phrase made Nate see red, and his hand curled into a fist with the desire to punch Fairbanks in the face. Yeah, obsession ruled the man, and it was an obsession that had nothing to do with Nate or his mission. Even so, he’d like to knock good ole Georgie out. “I’d sure like to see your research.” Not.
“You got it. But we need the perks from the senator and his home state to really get the project off the ground. Do you have an in there?” Fairbanks asked.
“Not really.” Not unless one counted the woman Nate had made orgasm three times the previous night. “Do you?”
“Maybe.” Lilith tapped her fingers along the back of Nate’s hand as if she couldn’t help but touch him. “Nash’s chief of staff and I go way back. I have a dinner meeting with him tonight to talk about it. Don’t worry, I’ll do what I need to do.”
For the first time, Nate really wanted out of DC. Away from politics, away from murder, away from people. He needed to get Audrey to safety as soon as possible. Not only for her safety, but also for his damn sanity.
He was finally losing it.
Chapter 12
After an exhausting day, Audrey stepped outside the building into a pounding deluge. Of course, she’d left her umbrella in her office. This day sucked.
She turned toward the parking garage, and a strong hand banded around her arm. “What the—”
“Shhh.” Darian towed her through the rain and toward a yellow taxi parked at the curb, his hold relentless. “We need to talk. Things are so much worse than you think.” He opened the door.
She yanked back, surprise and fear making her knees shake. A man sitting on a bench jumped up and began to jog toward them. One of the commander’s soldiers? Why had she forgotten her umbrella? It’d make a good weapon. Where should she go to get away from the soldier and from Darian? Back into the building. She turned to run. “I’m not getting in the cab.”
“Yes.” In one smooth motion, Darian turned and all but shoved her into the cab. Her leg buckled, and she cried out, her arms flailing.
He slid in behind her. “Go,” he said to the driver.
The taxi drove out into the busy street. The soldier jumped into traffic, running for the cab. He soon disappeared from sight.
Audrey regained her equilibrium and shoved Darian. “What is wrong with you?”
He closed his eyes and sighed. “We’re going to Milly’s Bar in Georgetown. We can talk there.” He opened his eyes, the darkness full of a plea. “Please. Trust me. This is important.”
Audrey scrambled for the other door handle. “This is crazy. I don’t know what your problem is, but you need to take it up with the senator—”
“Shhh.” Darian wrung her back around, desperation paling his face. He nodded his head toward the taxi driver. “It’s okay. One drink, and I’ll explain everything. It’s so much worse than we feared. Please.”
Audrey glanced up to see the taxi driver’s curious gaze in the rearview mirror.
“You okay, miss?” he asked with a thick Bostonian accent.
Audrey looked over at Darian, who seemed to be holding his breath in an impressive chest. Fear cascaded off the big guy. “Um, yes.” She settled back into the seat and slid her bad leg into a more comfortable position. If necessary, she could dart out into traffic and take her chances. But something in Darian’s expression kept her in place. He’d been investigating the commander. Had he found out about the Gray brothers? Or was it something even worse? “We’re fine.”
The driver nodded and instantly honked at a Mercedes trying to cut him off. Darian exhaled in a burst of air and ran a hand over his wet, curling hair. “I should’ve never traded sports for politics,” he muttered.
Amen, buddy. Audrey pressed her lips together to keep from asking any questions until they exited the cab. What had Darian discovered? Her mind reeled. She had to get to Nate in case his cover had been blown. “Take a deep breath,” she whispered. If Darian kept panting like that, he would pass out.
He nodded and sucked in air, his gaze darting outside the cab. He turned to frantically stare out the back window, his hands shaking in his lap.
Audrey turned to see regular DC traffic behind them, cars darting in and out, cabbies honking, and mud puddles splashing up. Nothing like a good rainstorm during rush hour. She studied the cars behind them, seeing no pattern to discern a tail. The commander’s men wouldn’t leave a trail. Nausea and adrenaline slammed simul
taneously into her stomach.
Calm and cool would save the day. Winding her fingers around Darian’s beefy ones, she tugged. “How was your day?”
He swung a wild gaze toward her. “What?”
She flexed her fingers. “Your day. How was it?” Lowering her chin, she kept his gaze. Would he understand? Appearances would save them—probably.
He blinked. “Oh. Ah, I had a good day. You?” As he turned to look out the back window again, she jerked his hand toward her and waited until his gaze followed suit.
“Mine was great.” She forced a smile. He had to stop looking so suspicious. If somebody was following them, there wasn’t a thing they could do about it. But acting suspicious would get them killed.
His gaze narrowed on her, and he tilted his head. Finally, intelligence rather than terror filled his eyes. “We should do dinner again. Soon.”
Yeah, she’d played her hand. The man now probably realized she had training beyond a lobbyist for a senator. “I did enjoy the steak.”
“You are full of surprises.” Now he clamped her fingers with a strength far beyond hers.
He had no clue. Silence wrapped around them, broken only by the smattering of rain on the roof. Darian’s spicy wood cologne filled the cab. Clive Christian? Probably. The lobbyist had money, that was for sure. Working for a top private military organization in the United States came with a fat paycheck. Audrey scooted forward and eyed the front seat. Dark sunglasses and a wide rain hat perched atop a wet newspaper.
She smiled. “How much for the glasses and hat?”
The driver frowned, turning over his shoulder. “Seriously?”
“Yep.” She gestured toward Darian. “The guy has a freaky ex who scares me. I’d like a little protection in case she’s waiting at his favorite bar.”
Cool calculation narrowed the cabbie’s gaze in the rearview mirror. “Benjamin is my middle name.”
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