KanesBounty (17 page)

“No.” His eyes focused on the wall behind her. She could see
his mind spinning.

“Do we have a deal then?”

“Yes.” He looked at the door. “We don’t have much time. Do
you have the stones?”

She placed the back of her hand against the cold table and
opened her palm to reveal the small group of blue rocks. A cone of light spread
out from her hand to the ceiling. Within the light, John Porter sat at a board
table. Three other men sat across from him. John stood and shook hands with the
older of the men and both were grinning broadly.

The vision changed. A man in a long black coat ran after
Oscar. Lena had lost control of the vision. They could only see the back of
Oscar’s head. She quickly altered the face of the man so that it was John
Porter being pursued. When the gun was fired by the cloaked figure, the vision
ended.

Lena closed her hand around the Stones of Adeline. Her heart
was in her throat. She had messed it up. She had shown Oscar his own dismal
future. She looked up and Oscar was smiling. She let her breath out. He hadn’t
noticed the split second where he was in the vision. He only saw John being
killed in an alleyway.

Blood coursed through her ears as relief washed over her.
She thought she might pass out, but held herself upright in the chair as Oscar
rose, still smiling.

“Thank you, Lena.”

She watched him, but didn’t say anything.

“Of course, I can’t keep my side of the bargain.”

“Bastard.” She narrowed her eyes at him.

“You really shouldn’t try to manipulate me. I’m much too far
out of your league. Don’t bother to tell the authorities about those incidents,
they’ll never believe you anyway. You should stick to duping ignorant bounty
hunters. Goodbye, Lena.”

She didn’t say anything until he’d knocked on the door and
the guard came and let him out. Once he was out of range of her voice, she
said, “No, Oscar. You shouldn’t mess with me.”

In order to keep up the pretense, Lena was kept in
protective custody and she was led back to her cell.

* * * * *

Kane wanted to get Lena out of that cell, but in reality, it
was the safest place for her. He had his own job to do. It took every ounce of
his restraint to stay in the shadows and follow Thorn without jumping out and
kicking the sadistic bastard’s ass. He did find some satisfaction in seeing the
swollen, discolored side of his face. He’d would have liked to do the same to
the other side and had to keep reminding himself the plan would hurt the
millionaire far more than a good beating ever could.

He also doubted FBI Agent Blake would be too keen on him
ruining the plan. There were several teams of agents set up to follow and
observe. The entire conversation with Lena had been recorded on both audio and
video. The cameras had been cleverly hidden in the visitor’s room and the
microphone had been taped to Lena.

Blake and Joshua had needed to physically restrain Kane when
Thorn had slapped Lena. Now he just wanted him to pay.

Now he followed in an FBI tech van. He could hear everything
that was said in Thorn’s car as well as on the cell phone.

They had his phones tapped. In the car, he called his broker
and told him to buy Cross stock. Then he called someone about the deal being in
play. The person on the other end of the phone said they were in for ten
million.

Kane raised his eyebrows.

Thorn hung up and made a second call to another broker and
put the order in for ten million dollars.

They had sent a team down to Savannah to check out John Porter.
Porter gave no indication he was involved with Cross Lending or Cross
Enterprises. The agent reported the small-time crook was having dinner with a
woman who was not his wife, but nothing illegal was going on.

They had been watching him for several hours and found
nothing out of the ordinary.

The CEO of Cross Enterprises was in his office. The agents
who went to question him came back with the impression a deal had been in play,
but both parties had decided to wait a few months to see if the economy would
stabilize before jumping into any new ventures. He was asked to keep the
information to himself for a few hours and had agreed.

The locations Lena had mentioned in the meeting were already
being checked. The one at the house in Boston had produced remains.

When Thorn’s car pulled up in front of his office, the van
kept going. It was only a matter of time before he would realize he’d been set
up. The FBI would have to move fast.

Kane got out of the van about a block away. He walked back
to building where Thorn had his offices. He knew he was being followed before
he saw Banta step out of the shadows.

“I thought you were looking for an old lady to kill,” Kane
said.

Banta showed his bright white teeth. “Your brother managed
to keep that one safe for now.”

“You should get out of town, Troth. Your time here is coming
to a close.”

“You know I can’t let you live, Kane. It’s a pity, but you
made me look incompetent. I can’t have you running around the streets telling
people that you overpowered three of my men.”

“Four, but who’s counting. Telling tales is not really my
style.”

“Still, you made me look bad.”

“If you think you can get the better of me in a fair fight,
come and try.” Kane’s heart sped up in anticipation of the battle. His palms
itched to be wrapped around the mercenary’s throat. He’d hurt Lena. He was on
Kane’s list. He bent his knees to lower his center of gravity and prepare for
attack.

“I know you’re angry over the girl.”

“You’re right.”

“It was my job,” Banta said. “It wasn’t personal.” He
crouched and started to circle. “You should know that.”

“It doesn’t matter. You hurt her. Now I’m going to hurt
you.”

Banta’s laugh was short and mocking. “You don’t have the
skills to hurt me, Kane. You’re a good hunter and your telepathic talent is
impressive. But I’m out of your league.”

“Maybe. I guess we’re going to find out. It’s not as if
you’re giving me much choice. You already said you planned to kill me.”

Banta looked behind Kane. It was an old trick. Then he heard
Joshua’s mind.
Stand down, little brother.

Banta stood upright. The mercenary’s focus had changed. Kane
could see fear in his eyes.

“Mind your own business, Josh.”

“You know I can’t do that.”

Banta’s eyes shifted from one Lakeland to the other. “I
guess this will have to wait for another day.” He smiled and then darted down a
side alley.

Kane ran after him. He searched for some sign of the man
who’d damaged Lena. For a man of his size, he was fast and agile. In seconds,
Kane lost sight of him. He jogged back to where Joshua waited.

“I had it under control.” He wanted to punch his brother in
the nose, but he knew Josh would sense the blow and dodge it. It never paid to
fight with someone with his brother’s talents.

“He would have killed you.”

“You don’t know that.”

Joshua looked him up and down. “You’ve barely slept in over
a week and your mind is focused on a woman. He would have killed you.”

Kane didn’t meet his eyes. Just because his brother was
right didn’t mean he had to admit it.

Joshua laughed. “Come on. The FBI is watching Thorn. You can
go and see your girl. Tomorrow we can give Thorn the good news. By then, his
investors should realize nothing financially appealing is going to happen with
Cross Enterprises. In fact, without Porter’s investment, their stock should
plummet by the time the stock market opens in the morning.”

“Where are you going?” Kane asked.

“I am taking Rose to dinner and then seeing her to her own
safe house.” Kane’s expression must have been comical, because his brother
laughed. “I like the old lady. She’s got spunk. Besides, Banta is not done with
our family yet, little brother.” He turned to Kane and said, “I like Lena too.
That’s one brave woman. You’re lucky to have her. I sure hope you know it.”

“It’s a fucking miracle, her loving a guy like me.” Kane’s
chest tightened. He liked the idea that Josh thought of Lena and Rose as
family. Hell, he liked the idea of family, period.

“You’re damned right it is.” Joshua laughed again. He
slapped Kane on the back. “I’m happy for you.”

“Thanks. I guess I’m going to have to find another line of
work. If the vision is true, I’ve got responsibilities.”

“You can consult for the FBI. I’ll talk to some people. You
get to do what you do best and you don’t have to agree to anything you’re not
comfortable with.”

“Thanks.” The tightness in his chest returned.

Joshua smiled and slapped him on the back again.

* * * * *

He arrived at the Mandarin Oriental and found four FBI
agents present between the front door and the elevator bank. When he arrived at
the top floor, he was met by two more agents outside the hotel room door. They
recognized him and allowed him to pass. He knocked.

A moment later, Lena opened the door, wearing the fluffy
white hotel robe. A bright smile transformed her face from wary to elated as
soon as she saw him. She grabbed him by the shirt and dragged him inside.

Once the door was shut, she asked, “Did he go for it?”

“Lock, stock and barrel.” He pulled her into a tight hug and
slid his lips across hers.

She responded, opening her mouth and dragging her tongue
across his lower lip. Groaning, his own tongue merged with hers and his hand
slid up through her silky hair to clutch the back of her head and deepen the
kiss.

She was breathless when he broke the kiss. Her eyes filled
with passion, she took a step back. “I wasn’t sure if he saw that the false
vision slipped into a true one. I tried to cover it up.”

“We couldn’t see the vision through the cameras.” His heart
sped up from more than the power of her kisses. “What do you mean, it slipped?”

“A real vision of Oscar being hunted down by someone in a
long coat came through. I changed the face to John Porter as quickly as I
could. I don’t think he noticed, but I couldn’t be one hundred percent sure.”
She walked over to the bar and picked up a glass of red wine. “Do you want
one?”

He shook his head. “Anything stronger back there?”

“Whiskey, vodka, gin… What do you want?” She leaned over so
only the top of her head was visible over the long wooden bar.

Kane made his way over and sat on one of three stools.
“Vodka… He must not have noticed. As soon as he got in his car, he called to
make the buy on Cross and then brokered a deal for some heavy-hitting mob
guys.”

She put ice in a glass and poured his drink. “I hope so.”

He let the sharp, cold liquid burn down his throat. “Any
idea who was after him or why?”

“No. I looked at the vision again when I got back here. It’s
not you and it’s not Banta. It must be one of the investors he’s about to cost
millions.”

“Or someone else Thorn has pissed off over the years.”

Lena came around the bar. Her hair was loose and wild around
her face. “I guess that’s possible.” She stepped between his legs. “I feel as
if I’m in over my head.”

He brushed a stray hair away from her face. “This will be
over tomorrow, baby.” He ran his hand over her skin where Thorn had slapped
her. “No bruise.”

She shook her head. “It wasn’t much of a slap.” She
shrugged. “It won’t be over for a long time. When he goes to trial, I’ll have
to testify.”

“How did you get this room again?” He changed the subject.

“I told the FBI if they didn’t give me another night in the
room, I might be forced to plead the Fifth when the case came to trial.”

Kane laughed. “You would never do that.”

She wound her arms around him and rested her head on his
chest. “No, but they don’t know that. They have so much invested in this case
and now they’re all hyped up with the new charges, they don’t want it to all
fall apart because of some crazy ex-wife.”

He breathed in her warm, clean scent. His cock instantly
came to life behind the fly of his jeans. “I do like this room.”

She pushed away and looked around the elaborate hotel. “It’s
a bit too posh for my taste, but I thought the FBI should pay a little for
having left me in prison all that time when they knew I was innocent.”

He pulled her back against him. “You’re damned right they
should.”

“Are you hungry? I can order room service.” She tried to
straighten, but he held her tight.

“Not yet. I think we’ll be hungry later.” His cock pressed
harder in an effort to get out.

“Oh?” She turned her head up. A smile lit her eyes. “You
have something else in mind?”

He slid off the stool and pulled her ass forward so she
could feel his arousal. “I have something else in mind.”

Everything that had happened during the past two days had
been worth it for the moment when Kane pulled her into his arms. Instinct told
her to run fast and far. She wished she could go somewhere Oscar Thorn would
never find her. She just kept telling herself she was doing all of this so she
and Kane could have a future together. The vision of their daughter and her
belly full of a second child was imprinted in her mind. She didn’t know how
they would live. She questioned the idea of being with a man who hunted people
for a living. Still, she wanted the life in the vision.

“You look worried,” he said. His eyes bore into hers,
searching for answers, yet he made no attempt to get them out of her mind.

She loved him even more for that and rested her ear on his
chest. His steady heartbeat soothed her. “I’m just thinking about the future.”

He kissed the top of her head. “Can we worry about it a bit
later?”

She could feel his cock hard against her abdomen. She
reached down, unsnapped the button of his jeans and slid the zipper down with a
satisfying zip. Her hand reached inside the elastic of his boxer-briefs and
coiled around the hard, smooth shaft, tugging gently. “I think the future can
wait for this.” She gave his cock another pull.

He growled in her ear. Her pussy pulsed, making her want to
squeeze her legs together and heighten the sensation. Instead, she pressed her
hips forward.

Kane reached down and around and lifted her by her ass. She
screamed in surprise and instantly wrapped her arms and legs around him to
balance herself. He walked forward until she was pressed against the wall. Her
robe fell open. The head of his cock pressed at her slit and the zipper
scratched her inner thigh.

His mouth was on her neck and all thoughts of the zipper
were replaced by the delights of his mouth and tongue as he kissed from her
pulse to just behind her ear. She tilted her head to one side so he had better
access. His tongue traced a path around her ear and his warm breath had her
gasping and clutching at him. She tightened her legs, pulling the head of his
cock inside her.

His moan muffled her cries as his mouth found hers in a deep
kiss. He gripped her tighter with one arm and tugged at his jeans until they
puddled at his feet. His underwear only made it far enough to hug his hips, but
it was enough. He slid his shaft home and they both called out as her wet canal
stretched around him.

Not moving for a long moment, he said, “Good god, Lena. You
feel so good.”

“Mmm. You know there’s a bed just in the next room.”

His hips pulled away and pressed forward again, making her
cry out. “Too far,” he said.

He continued to pump and thrust. Her body tightened and she
held him. When he stopped and looked at her, she didn’t know what he wanted. He
pulled away and her feet touched the ground. Her entire body leaned toward him,
wanting to bring him back inside her. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

He pushed his shorts down, stepped out of them and his jeans
and whipped his shirt off over his head. His body rippled with muscle. She
touched his tight abs and lower to his shaft, where it stood out straight,
looking for her pussy. “Nothing’s wrong. I just know you won’t come that way. I
have to see you come, Lena.”

His words nearly had the desired effect on her. Her entire
core clenched with need. He took her hand and led her to the bedroom. She
watched him climb onto the bed and lay on his side watching her.

Smiling, she climbed up, pushed him to his back and
straddled his lap. She planned to sink down onto his cock immediately, but Kane
had other ideas. He slid his hands under her thighs and pulled her forward
toward his chest. He glided his body down at the same time until she had one
knee on either side of his head and he was grinning up at her.

Confusion mixed with interest as she watched his tongue lash
out and lick her pussy. She grabbed hold of the headboard to keep herself
upright. He pulled down on her thighs so she sat more firmly against his
searching mouth. He drew her clit in and suckled, then licked and teased. Her
hips moved forward and back, unable to keep still while his lips and tongue
brought her so much pleasure. Sensations started in her clit and spread out to
every cell in her body. Blood coursed through her ears as if it were a roaring
ocean. She could barely hear the sounds of her own cries. Her throat was dry
and sore, but she couldn’t stop the screams and groans as he brought her
higher. The tightening deep within her pulsed until it finally shattered into a
million sparks that ignited her. She screamed his name and he sucked hard on
the sensitive bud until the waves of her orgasm subsided.

He licked and it was too sensitive. She couldn’t bear for
her clit to be touched. She quickly dismounted his face and slid down to press
her body against his, licking her juices off his chin and tasting her salty
come. Shaking slightly from the aftereffects of the orgasm, she kissed him
deeply, then rested her cheek against his chest.

“That’s better,” he said. “I love it when you come.”

She smiled and pushed her hands on his chest so she could
look down at him. “Good, now fuck me.”

Kane laughed. “I also love it when you talk dirty.” He
flipped her over onto her back and pressed himself from chest to hip against
her.

Lena lifted her knees and his cock was at her entrance. He
slid forward enough to tease her pussy with his engorged head. “Kane, I need
you inside me.”

He groaned, threw his head back and drove home. She was so
juicy, he met no resistance. He moaned her name before sliding back to just his
tip and forging forward again. Lena lifted her hips to meet every thrust. She
could feel another orgasm building inside her pussy. She wanted to open her
mind and extend their lovemaking, but fear kept her from pursuing it.

If Kane minded being excluded from her thoughts, he gave no
indication. He pumped into her wetness over and over again. His big cock
stretched her and her canal begged for more. His strokes grew faster and more
forceful. Lena reached between them and rubbed her clit as Kane slammed forward
again. Her orgasm encompassed her. The walls of her pussy convulsed around him
and he came in a rush of grunts and juices.

Lena pressed hard on her clit, extending the rapture while
Kane pumped a last few times and filled her completely.

He rolled over, pulling her with him. She tucked in against
his body and reveled in satisfaction. “Now I’m hungry.”

“Me too,” he said, laughing.

* * * * *

She’d been able to eat and sleep for the first time in
weeks. Kane’s arms were the perfect blanket, his chest the perfect pillow.

She didn’t dream at all. The bed was shaking. She thought it
must be an earthquake. Her eyes opened. Kane was already out of the bed.

“What’s happening?” she asked.

He tossed her the pair of jeans and the T-shirt left on the
chair. “Get dressed.”

“What is it?”

“Banta.”

Her body started trembling. His face was once again in her
mind. The whites of his eyes and those black centers drilling into her
painfully…

Kane grabbed her by the shoulders. His voice was soft, but
there was no doubt he was yelling at her. “I know you’re afraid. Get dressed
now.”

She did as he told her, then pulled her boots on. Kane went
to the hotel door first, gripping her by the wrist and pulling her along. He
had his cell phone in his hand, dialed and hung up.

“Is he in the room?”

“Not yet.”

“The FBI?”

Kane shrugged. The clock on the wall said four twenty-three.
Her heart was in her throat. “Maybe you’re wrong. It could be someone else.
Wade?”

“I know the difference,” he said. “Besides, Banta came after
me this afternoon.”

She pulled her hand away from him. “You didn’t think that
was important to share?”

He looked out the peephole in the door and then all around
the room, searching. “We were having a great evening. I didn’t want to spoil
it.”

“Men are such assholes,” she muttered. “In the future, ruin
the evening.”

He stopped at the bar and picked up a metal lamp. He pulled
the cord, tossed the shade away and unscrewed the bulb. Giving it a swing, he
walked over and handed it to Lena. She took it. It was heavy in her hand.
Whatever it was made out of would make a fine dent in Banta’s head. She nodded.

Noticing the gun in Kane’s hand, she bit down on her fear.
“Now what?”

He pushed her back so she was in the corner of the room. It
was the one spot when the door opened that she wouldn’t be seen. “We wait.” He
moved to stand on the other side, where he had an open shot at an intruder.

“Wait for what—”

The words were barely out of her mouth when the door
shattered. Whatever weapon had been used to blow the hole in the door, the
effect was stunning. The door literally hung on its hinges with a giant hole in
the center. Lena’s ears rang and she had to bite her lip to keep from
screaming. She held her lamp with both hands and kept her mind tightly shut.
Smoke wafted in from the hallway. As it cleared, Banta stepped through the
destroyed door.

Lena had hoped to never see the giant man who had violated
her ever again. Her body trembled at the sight of his back and shoulders. He
ran forward toward Kane. Kane fired twice, but Banta kept charging.

She didn’t know if the bullets had hit their mark. If they
had, they didn’t have much effect. Banta and Kane tumbled to the floor. Lena
moved closer. It was dark. She couldn’t tell who was winning. She thought she
saw some kind of mask on Banta’s head. He looked as if he was a space alien
she’d seen in the movies. Kane was on the bottom. She rushed forward with her
lamp. By the time she crossed to them. Kane was on the top. She backed away.

Again, she noticed some strange mask on Banta’s face. She
ran the three feet to the wall and hit the light switch.

Banta screamed and tore the mask from his face. It was
enough distraction for Kane to pull the giant’s other hand from around his
neck. Lena’s eyes adjusted quickly. Banta clutched at Kane’s head.

Kane’s eyes were wide. She ran forward and bashed the back
of Banta’s head with the lamp. He stilled, but didn’t go down. She hit him
again and again. He fell to one side. She kicked his head and back.

She wanted to keep hurting him. Lifting the lamp one more
time, she felt it pulled out of her grasp. It hit the carpet with a thud.
Kane’s arms wound around her and pulled her away. Tears streamed down her face
and a high-pitched scream tore from her mouth. Kane turned her body into his
and pulled her tightly against him. He was saying something, but she had no
idea what it was.

Other voices joined in.

Rage and despair entwined and her body shook violently. She
didn’t know how long she stayed that way. It was probably only a few minutes.

When she opened her eyes, she was cradled in Kane’s arms and
they were seated on the couch. Blake and Joshua were in the room along with
FBI, police and hotel security. Troth Banta lay unmoving on the carpet with
blood all around him. EMTs rushed into the room.

“Is he dead?” she asked.

Kane kissed her cheek. “Incredibly, no. I shot the bastard
twice and you beat him over the head with a metal lamp and he’s still not
dead.”

Joshua walked over. He was shaking his head and smirking.
“No, but even if he wakes up, he’ll be in prison for a long time.”

“Go shower, Lena. We still have one more thing to take care
of today. That is, if you’re up to it?”

She wiped her face and looked over at the immobile body of
the man who tried to destroy her and kill Kane. It was empowering to have
fought back. She took a deep breath. It was definitely time to put an end to
her past and move forward. People were swarming around the room, doing various
things. “Don’t I need to give a statement or something?”

Agent Blake came forward. “You’re not going to leave town in
the next few minutes, are you, Ms. Cruz?”

She looked at Kane. “I’m not going anywhere but to see my
ex-husband today, Agent Blake.”

“Well then, you can get cleaned up and dressed. We can get a
statement from you after that.”

The hot water poured over her and she started to relax. It
was almost over. She kept telling herself, she only had to hold on a little
while longer. The bathroom door opened and closed. She didn’t even bother to
open her eyes. She knew it was Kane and she knew he was worried about her.

“I’m okay.”

“Really?”

She looked at him leaning against the glass shower
enclosure. His eyes were bright blue and questioning. Dark marks had begun to
show around his neck where Banta had tried to squeeze the life out of him. She
shuddered at the idea she could have lost him. “I actually feel better than I
did before.”

“Because you whacked that asshole on the head three times?”

She grinned and continued to let the hot water wash away the
events of the morning. “That helped, but I think it’s because this is nearly
over and I can go back to a normal life.”

He stepped fully dressed into the shower. She took a step
back. His eyes changed and his mouth turned down in a frown. “Define normal,”
he demanded.

His shirt and jeans were getting wet, but he didn’t seem to
care. Lena reached up and touched his bristled cheek. “I have no idea what
normal means anymore. I know whatever it means, I want you to be part of it. If
that’s what you want.”

She let her hand drop and looked down at the water swirling
around at their feet and rushing down the drain. It was the first time she
noticed he hadn’t put shoes on earlier.

“I’m giving up hunting.”

She didn’t know what she’d expected him to say, but that was
not it.

“Why?” Her heart would not stop pounding. It was a wonder
she could hear him at all with the blood rushing through her ears.