Live Wire (10 page)

He always had a plan to cover every contingency. Now found himself at a loss.

He was so damned surprise he couldn’t think for the briefest second.

Which explained how she managed to jump to her feet before he could stop her and flip on the low lamp sitting on the table next to the bed. So much for the order to stay low and keep the lights out.

She was naked from the waist up, her breasts swollen and flushed, her nipples hard and such a sweet candy pink his mouth started watering for the taste of them again. Hell, she nearly derailed all thoughts for safety as his cock throbbed hard and painfully.

Rather than wrestling her back down to the floor, though, he rose to his feet, watching as she pulled a black T-shirt from the dresser and jerked it over her head.

Slender, small boned, fragile. She looked as delicate as a china doll with all those strawberry and gold curls tumbling down her back and those wide green eyes glaring back at him. The black T-shirt, black leather pants, and four-inch-heeled black leather boots suited her, though if she were trying for a dangerous look, she was failing. She looked like dynamite. A sexual goddess ready to rumble. Or ready for a sexual tumble. She sure as hell didn’t look like a threat to anything but a man’s libido and his piece of mind.

Running his fingers through his hair, he fought to drag his mind away from the scenario where he was fucking the hell out of her, and back to the subject at hand. Keeping her alive until he figured out who had known she was alive and where to find her.

“Someone may be watching you, Tey, that’s why I didn’t want the lights on,” he said, “you’ve had a tail on you for nearly a week now, and they have orders to grab you as soon as possible.”

He watched as she glanced quickly away before her lashes drifted down for a second in weary resignation.

“I had a feeling I was being watched. Stalked.” The acceptance in her voice only shocked him further. Hell, she was setting records tonight.

Surely she hadn’t continued to hang around without contacting him when she knew her identity was compromised? The very thought of it had his entire body tensing in amazed anger.

“You know you’re being watched and you’re still here?” A slow, burning anger began to simmer inside him. It was no longer a suspicion she was being watched, she was confirming it. “You didn’t contact me, or head to one of the safe houses. Why?”

He believed in contingencies in all things. There were six safe houses set up across the nation, and in each of them were hidden weapons, cash, vehicles, and the ability to create new identities until they could contact other members of the team.

But had Tehya taken advantage of them? Had she even tried to cover that very delectable ass of hers?

Her eyes widened in mock surprise. It was a look that made his hands itch to paddle that delectable ass. “Why, Jordan? Because I’m not running anymore. If I had called you or gone to a safe house then I’d be running the rest of my life. I’m tired of it.” The last was said with such exhaustion that Jordan felt his throat tighten. She shook her head then rubbed her hand at the side of her face in a gesture of aching vulnerability. “I’m just tired of it, Jordan. I want it to end, one way or the other.”

His arms seemed to ache with the need to pull her into them then, to comfort her. How the hell was he supposed to handle this? How was he supposed to make sure she was safe when keeping emotions in check was suddenly so much harder to do than it had been before?

Damn her, she made him feel things, made emotion surge through him as he fought to keep his shields intact. She was the only person, man or woman, who could touch his soul.

“Pack a bag.” He wasn’t arguing with her now. Her life was too important to him. He would have to figure the rest out later. “We’ll argue over what you will or won’t do later, once we’ve stashed you somewhere safe. But you are leaving, Tehya. Either willingly or slung over my shoulder, tied and gagged. Make your choice now.”

C
HAPTER
2

“Stash me somewhere safe? Don’t I feel important?” she said as she turned away from him, and the lost-sounding loneliness that echoed in her voice had his fingers curling with the need to pull her to him.

For a moment, her delicate face reflected an inner sorrow he didn’t know how to deal with. But as quickly it was gone, and she was turning to face him fully, her expression filled with feminine determination.

“I guess you better tie and gag me then, Jordan, because you’re not stashing me anywhere.”

Son of a bitch, he hadn’t expected such stubbornness from her. He knew she could be stubborn, just not with him.

“Do you know who’s watching you?” he asked. Wondering if she suspected and if it would even make a difference to her, or if she suspected and her stubborness stemmed from that.

Her lips tightened, her dark green eyes shadowed. “I assume it’s one of Sorrel’s associates or one of his former enemies.” She surprised him once again with her answer. “Strange, isn’t it? The bastard’s dead and he’s still haunting me.”

“We didn’t expect this, but we were prepared for it,” he reminded her somberly, hating the dark pain reflected in her eyes now. “That was the reason we staged the deaths, hoping it would put an end to the occasional searches Sorrel’s enemies have arranged over the years. Somehow, someone figured it out and contacted one of Sorrel’s former associates, Ira Arthur with a message that your death was staged. Someone managed to track you down and is in the process of proving your identity as Tehya Fitzhugh. You know how dangerous that could be.”

He’d pulled every trick he knew out of his hat to protect her before she had left Texas. How the hell anyone could have proved Tehya wasn’t dead was beyond him.

She stared back at him, her expression so still and calm that for the first time since he’d met her, he couldn’t gauge her emotions or her thoughts.

“You’re not
certain
I’ve been found, then?” she asked, her voice guarded.

He gave a hard shake of his head as he stared back at her incredulously. “Tehya, it seems pretty fucking definitive to me, baby.”

“You said they were in the process of proving my identity.” He could see a fragile glimmer of hope in her eyes, and the knowledge that he was going to have to extinguish it made him clench his fists even as a part of him fought to allow her to keep that hope.

“And how long do you think it will take them to prove you’re Sorrel’s daughter once they find you and grab you?” The thought of it was so abhorrent he had to force the words past his lips.

“There’s no verification of who’s searching or why?” she pressed. She lifted her hand to nibble at her thumbnail thoughtfully.

“That rumor was enough,” he stated tightly. “You admit it yourself, Tehya, you know someone’s been following you.”

“I’m not certain,” she said, her hand dropping as she bit her lower lip instead. “None of my security systems are showing anything. I’ve caught no one following or watching me. My damned neck just itches.” Her tone was irritated. “It could just be paranoia and coincidence, too. You know how former operatives can get, Jordan. They see shadows where none exist.”

“It’s enough for me, Tehya.” Her instincts were so finely honed to survival he wouldn’t dare ignore them. “I don’t believe in coincidences, and we both know your instincts are too damned good. And you’re forgetting, sweetheart. I slipped right in tonight.”

“But you know the system.” She waved it away. “I’m just so used to running that I’m paranoid.” She gave her head a hard shake. “I need a drink.”

Stepping in front of her Jordan stopped her. “No system is fool-proof, Tehya. Even yours.”

“Neither are rumors,” she informed. “Now, excuse me, I really need that drink.”

She walked from the bedroom as though they were discussing nothing more than the weather. Leaving Jordan to follow her in frustrated anger.

“Dammit, Tehya, we need to get out of here. I have a team together and a private plane waiting at BMI to get you back to base. I’ve convinced Killian Reece to let you in on the new Ops team—”

“Oh hell, no.” Her head shook emphatically as she stalked away from him. “I’m not going back. And I’m sure as hell not working for Killian Reece.”

Damn her.

Jordan clenched his teeth as he followed her to the living room, watching as she strode to the small wet bar on the far side of the room.

The teakwood bar sat next to French doors that led to a spacious, secluded patio outside.

She poured a drink, no doubt the whisky she preferred, then slapped another glass on the wood and poured another, for him, he presumed. He was going to need it.

“How did you convince Killian Reece to take me on?” She flashed him an irritated look. “And why would you? He lumps me right in there with Sorrel, and hated me just as much as he hated Sorrel for the death of his wife.”

For a second, Jordan remembered the reason Killian hated Sorrel. Why he refused to trust Tehya. His wife racing through the rain, escaping the warehouse, a young child in her arms as her blond hair flew out behind her. A child Sorrel had had kidnapped with intentions to sell her on the white slavery market.

There had been gunshots, fury, and disbelief as Jordan watched Catherine Rhyan’s eyes widen when she fell, her only thought to protect the child in her arms and the unborn child in her womb even as she bled out before their eyes.

Sorrel had killed her, but it had been Catherine’s decision to enter that warehouse without backup just as it had been Jordan’s responsibility to protect her anyway. Nowhere in there could any blame be attributed to Tehya and Killian fully admitted to that fact.

“Killian doesn’t blame you, Tehya, and he’s as concerned as I am about this situation. You’ll be returning to base.” He had to push the words between his teeth as his irritation threatened to explode into anger.

“I won’t return to base, Jordan.” She gave a brief shake of her head again before downing the whisky without a grimace. “It’s going to end here, one way or the other,
if I’m even being watched
. Until I know for certain, I’m not going anywhere.” Weariness flashed across her expression. “I’m tired of running.”

It would end in her death. Jordan stared back at her for a moment, at a loss how to handle her.

“How did you find out I was targeted?” she finally asked. “I felt as though someone’s been watching me for weeks. Was that you, or someone else? Because if it was Sorrel’s associates or his enemies, I would think they’d have made a move by now.”

The thought of someone stalking her sent ice chilling through his veins. But she was right. If she had been found, it didn’t make sense they would wait around as they had. “It wasn’t anyone I sent.” Damn, he’d hoped John had gotten the information before she had been found. “One of John’s contacts got in touch with him with the information that there was a rumor Tehya Talamosi wasn’t dead, and certain parties believed she had been found. That contact was aware of your location as well as your new identity.”

He could still remember the pure terror that had flooded his system at the thought of one of Sorrel’s partners, or possibly his enemies, getting his hands on Tehya.

“And here I am.” Her arms spread mockingly before dropping to her sides. “You’ve warned me, now you can leave.”

He almost laughed at the response. “Do you really think I’m going to leave you here alone?”

What the hell would make her even entertain the thought that he would allow her to face this alone? That any of the former team she had been a part of would allow it.

“I don’t know, Jordan, it’s been nine months,” she stated, the mockery thick in her voice. “You don’t call, you don’t visit. That makes me think you wouldn’t give a damn either way.” Her eyes widened. “Oh yeah, that’s right, you’re just here to escort me to the plane. You’ve pawned me off on someone else.” He caught the hurt brewing inside her now and frowned back at her in confusion.

“I’m not part of the Ops anymore, Tehya. Killian has control of the base, not me. He’ll make certain you’re protected—”

Expressive green eyes flashed furiously.

“Fuck you, Jordan, and fuck Killian. I don’t need your help. You couldn’t call, you couldn’t care less until you thought the identities of the others were at risk. Admit it.” Anger glittered in her brilliant green eyes and flushed her face.

“Bullshit.” He was almost yelling back at her, completely losing the calm he had maintained over the years. “I’ve done nothing but worry my ass off since the second I woke up and realized you’d left base without so much as fucking saying good-bye. Now this? Fuck, Tehya, I’m not worried about the identities of the others in this situation because it doesn’t apply. They are not at risk. You are, dammit.”

“Why lie to me?” she snapped as she moved around the bar to face him furiously. “All you had to do was call the cell, Jordan, at anytime. I was always here. Not a single call from anyone since I left, and I’m supposed to believe you’re so damned concerned about me now? I don’t think so, stud. The most any of you are worried about is your own damn asses evidently.”

His hand shot out, gripping her arm, as she moved to pass him. “I’ve been calling that damned satellite phone for over a month, every day straight, and in the nine months before that I called more than a dozen times. Kira has been trying to contact you since you left. I don’t give a damn what you believe, but it’s your fucking ass we’ve been worried about.”

He watched her eyes narrow, her lips thin. “No one has called me, Jordan. I’ve kept the phone on me night and day just in case, and trust me, I checked it for calls, messages, and texts, and they weren’t there.”

The rough, aching vein of pain in her voice had him stilling and watching her closely. She was hurt. He could see it in her eyes, hear it in her voice. The thought that none of the team had contacted her in all this time had hurt her. And he couldn’t blame her.

“Where’s the phone?” But he knew damned well and good he had called her a dozen times or more before the information had come in that she was at risk. And he sure as hell knew he’d been calling almost hourly until he stepped into her home. That didn’t count the number of calls Kira and Bailey had both made.