Lawless (11 page)

A man's voice on the TV mentioned her name and yanked
his attention back to the present.  She had the station turned to the damn news
channel again.  He draped his shirt over a chair.  "I wish you wouldn't
watch that.  It only makes things more difficult for you."  He strode
forward, intending to turn it off.  As he reached to take the remote, she put
her hand on his, stopping him.

"Wait."  Her hand remained on his as
though to control him.

The spark of desire he'd ignited a moment ago
with his thoughts jumped back to life at her touch.  The smell of spring lilacs
drifted from her hair or maybe her shoulders, and he leaned in closer to try to
decipher the inciting location.  He feasted on the sight of her while the
reporter kept her distracted.

"Quinn," she murmured, and he glanced
at the annoying screen.

The blond woman reporter interviewed an unknown
man dressed in a suit, but in the background Milo caught a glimpse of his good
buddy.

"No, this is not a case of the U.S.
Marshals failing to do their job.  Miss Trasatti left protection of her own
accord.  We have never failed a client who followed procedures.  Regardless of
what happens to Miss Trasatti, the U.S. Marshals have done their job well."

"What about the reports of a woman being
pulled from her car at the Chicago Airport and forced into a black sedan?  Eyewitness
accounts indicate it may be Ms. Trasatti."

Ariana inhaled sharply.  "Kenzie will see
this."

The Marshal's public information officer shook
his head.  "I've received no information on that incident.  That would be
a question for the Chicago Police Department."

"The prosecution is still saying they can
produce her.  How can they do that if she's dead?"

The PIO's eyes shifted to the side in an
awkward movement giving Milo the impression he was uncomfortable answering the
question.  "I think it's best we let the Chicago PD fully investigate this
crime before we start speculating.  At this time, we have no further
information to add."

"Thank you for your comments, Mr. Carlson." 
The reporter turned to the camera.  "As you've heard—"

Milo clicked off the TV.

Ariana turned to him, anxiety creasing her brow. 
"My friend will be so worried."

He knew exactly the road her thoughts had
traveled.  "Try not to think about it.  Your friend will be fine."

"You don't understand.  She's already
mourning the death of her mother.  If she thinks she's lost me, too, it will
devastate her."

"I'm sure she's smart enough to not
believe everything she hears on TV.  Television stations love to sensationalize
stories, and that story had no substance.  It's going to be okay."

"It's not okay," she whispered.  "None
of this is okay."

He took her by the shoulders.  "Look at me." 
When she finally focused on him, he mirrored her serious gaze.  "Things
will work out.  Sometimes doing the right thing can be tough, but you are doing
what you need to."

She didn't respond other than the tears welling in
her eyes.  She bit down on her bottom lip, but he caught the tremble before she
fully sank her teeth into the soft flesh.  Every ounce of his reserve crumbled
like the rock barriers he'd encountered while fighting halfway across the
world.

"Ah, hell."  He pulled her against his
bare chest, folding her in a protective embrace.  She laid her head against
him, a shuddering sigh escaping her.  She slid her hands around his waist and
clung to him in a way that tugged at his heart.  It was imperative he keep a
level head.

He tried to pull back, but she tightened her
grip.  "Please, can you hold me for just a minute longer?"

How could he refuse?  "Of course."  His
words came out raspy with emotion.  She really was messed up by this whole
thing.  Who wouldn't be?  He leaned his chin on her head and stroked her soft
strands.  "I'm sorry I've made this more difficult for you than it had to
be.  I should never have let things between us get out of control.  I never
should have kissed you."

She lifted away from his chest, meeting his gaze. 
"Do you regret it?"

Her blue-green eyes burrowed into his soul.  He
wanted to tell her yes.  If he did, it would be a great first step to getting
them back to the protector-client relationship.  "No."

Her mouth softened, leaving a hint of a smile, and
he yearned to claim another kiss.

He drew his index finger across her bottom lip
even though his common sense screeched a continuous warning to him.  "It
can't happen again, Ariana."  He removed her hands from his waist and held
them between their bodies.  "No matter how much I want to, it would be
grossly unfair to you."

"What if I want it, too?"  She searched
his face, her eyes begging him to agree.

It killed him to shake his head.  "You're in
no condition to start anything.  Your current predicament has put you in a
vulnerable position, and I won't take advantage of it."  She started to
speak, but he cut her off.  "Not only that, but if I'm constantly thinking
about…us…"  Damn, he couldn't even go there in thought without getting hot
and bothered.  "Any distractions could be detrimental to you.  I need to
be focused on my job."

Her smile slipped, but she nodded.  "I
understand."  She pulled her hands from his and crossed them in front of
her.  "I admire that you're dedicated to your job."

He raised his brows, not certain of her sincerity.

"No, really, I do.  I've spent plenty of time
around men with no scruples.  Your answer might not be the one I want, but I
respect it."

He relaxed.  They should have had this talk the
first day she arrived.  "Thank you."  Already the tension between
them had eased.  "Now that we're both off the hook, maybe we can work
together to keep you safe and find ways to enjoy the time until your court
appearance.  Nothing says we have to be miserable while you're here."

"I'd like that."

The sound of Milo's doorbell ruined their
contented moment.  He hadn't heard anyone pull into the drive.  He grabbed his
handgun from the pantry door and tucked it into the back of his pants.  "Stay
in here, out of sight.  If anything were to happen, run like you did before,
back to the river and then head south.  It'll take you directly to my friend
Luke's ranch.  He could offer assistance."

Fear darkened her gaze, and it ate at him that he'd
put it there. 

"Don't worry.  That's a last resort.  No one
knows you're here, and I'm quite capable of handling things."

She didn't look at all reassured as he headed out
of the kitchen, toward the front door.

*        *        *

Ariana put her fingers over her mouth, listening
as Milo greeted his friend, Scott.  This was bad.  Really, really bad.  She blew
out a guilty breath.  She'd tried to find a good time to tell Milo about her
excursion and meeting his friends, but they'd been at such odds, and she didn't
want to add to the tense atmosphere that had pervaded the house.  Another
choice she now regretted.

When would she learn?  She was making decisions
based on her upbringing, but the people she dealt with now were thankfully
nothing like her family.  She needed to make openness and honesty her first reactions
instead of relying on hiding and secrets to protect her.

"Where's the honey you've been hiding?"
Scott asked in a jovial tone.

"Excuse me?"

Ariana eyed the back door.

"The woman I met at the river the other
day.  The hot little brunette who told me and Luke she was living with you.  I
gave you some time, thinking you'd call and want to introduce her, but I haven't
heard shit from you since you got back.  What's up with that, man?  I thought
we were tight."

A long pause followed Scott's tirade, and Ariana
could only imagine what must be going through Milo's head.

"You're right, Scott.  I've been a selfish
jerk.  Hang on a sec."

Ariana bit her bottom lip so hard she tasted
blood.

Milo appeared in the kitchen doorway, anger
sparking in his glacier blue eyes.  "Could you come here for a second, darlin'?" 
His honeyed voice was a complete contradiction to his murderous gaze.  "There's
someone I'd like you to meet."

"I'm sorry," she mouthed.

He glared and then jerked his head, indicating she
needed to go with him.  She snagged his shirt as she passed the table and
shrugged into it, needing something to shield her from Scott's gaze and Milo's
wrath.

Milo gripped her hand in a crushing embrace just
before they entered the living room.  "Follow my lead."

Scott glanced up, an attractive grin curving his
full lips.  She could see where his dark hair and goatee might give him a
dangerous appeal if he held a serious expression.  Tack on the bulging biceps
peeking from beneath his Harley t-shirt, and he appeared to be one serious
bad-ass.

"Hello again."  His dark eyes flashed
with amusement.

"Hi."  She pulled Milo's shirt closed.

Milo glanced down at her with a smile that didn't
reach his eyes.  "Scott, I'd like to officially introduce Anna."

Thank God she'd used the fake name Milo had given
her.

"Honey, this is Scott Beckstead, one of my
long-time friends."  He tugged her toward him, wrapping an iron arm around
her waist.  "She didn't mention she'd run into you at the river. 
Otherwise, I would have called sooner."

"So?"  Scott looked at Milo with
expectant eyes.

"What?"

"God, man, you're dense."  He shifted
his gaze to Ariana.  "You sure you want to be connected to him?"  He
glanced back.  "I'll tell you what worries me.  Here's my best friend neck
deep in a new relationship.  No details?  Last I checked, you were a confirmed
bachelor headed to Vegas.  What the hell?"  He looked at her.  "No
offense."

She couldn't imagine how Milo would explain her.

Milo shrugged.  "What can I say?  We met in
Vegas."

Scott raised his brows, as if asking for more to
the story.  "I thought what happened there stayed in there."  Doubt
flashed in his eyes.

She had to help.  "It was unexpected.  We met
at the poker table and just kind of connected."

"Connected?"  He looked back to Milo.  "Dude,
I've seen you
connect
with hundreds of women, but you've never brought
any of them home."  Back to Ariana.  "Again, no offense."

Milo shifted, his fingers digging into her side.  "I
guess when you meet the right one, there's no point in waiting.  We got
married."

Silence encompassed the room as though it waited
for everyone to take a collective breath.

"
What
?" she and Scott asked in
unison.

Milo squeezed her waist.  "I'm sorry, honey. 
I know we were going to wait a bit before we told everyone, but Scott's my best
friend."

"What the hell, man?  Were you drunk?"

She ignored Scott's slander, still reeling from
Milo's announcement.

Milo removed his hand and stepped forward as
though to protect her from any potential verbal attacks.  "What exactly
are you insinuating, Scott?  That I made a mistake?  That I would never have
married my beautiful wife if I wasn't drunk?  That because I made a quick
decision, it's wrong?"  He folded his arms in a menacing manner.

Scott blinked several times before he glanced at her. 
She was sure the surprise on his face mirrored hers.  "Uh…no.  No, I
wouldn't insult you like that."  He looked back and forth between them,
and then released a short bark of a laugh.  "Damn, man.  I just…never
would have expected it of you.  But you seem like you're of sound mind, and she
doesn't seem like she could pull the wool over your eyes."  He held out
his hand to Milo.  "I guess I'll be the first to offer my congratulations."

When Milo reached forward to shake it, Scott
tugged him into an embrace and clapped him on the back.  He released Milo and
approached her.  "I apologize, Anna, if I offended you." 

"None taken."  Milo watched her closely,
and she wanted to reassure him she wouldn't blow her cover.  But
married
? 
Seriously?

Scott gave her a quick squeeze.  "Welcome to
the family."

"Thank you."  His comment brought tears
to the surface, as though he truly was welcoming her into the fold.  A rapid
succession of blinks took care of the moisture.  She hadn't belonged anywhere
since she'd turned sixteen.  She missed it.  "I promise I have no evil
plots to use and abuse him."

Both men laughed, and she released a sigh of
relief.  Tense situation diffused.

Scott stepped back and looked at them both.  "Wow. 
Just wow.  Wait until Luke hears about this."

Milo cursed under his breath, but he seemed
genuinely happy as he leaned against the back of the couch.  "I'll never
hear the end of it."

"Very true.  However, your shocking
announcement does segue very nicely into the other reason I stopped by.  A couple
of the guys, uh, obtained a certain amount of alcohol, and they're planning a
barbeque for Saturday night out at the pond just past old man Jackson's farm." 
He grinned at his friend, and Milo responded with a chuckle.

"You know I know the place well.  Are you
telling me there's going to be a wild-ass party going on?  You do recognize I'm
a sworn officer of the law."

"Exactly why I put it so delicately.  But don't
worry, Kim's agreed to be the designated driver for anyone who needs to be home
before sun up, and, unlike a few years ago, we're all of legal age now.  Come
on.  It's most of the old gang, and we can celebrate your recent nuptials."

Milo slipped Ariana an uneasy glance.  "We'd
love to, but—"

She couldn't be seen in public.

"If you don't show, everyone will be talking
about you.  I can only imagine what they'll say."  Scott wiggled his
brows, promising a juicy story.

Milo leaned away from the couch, standing
straight.  "Not if you don't tell them anything."    His previous
tension returned two-fold.