Sweet Seduction Shield (28 page)

"Got a loaner
from Nick, GPS enabled should we need him to find us, but for now
its cut off from ASI control."

I sat stunned,
playing those words over inside my head.

"What do you
think is going to happen?" I had to ask, a heavy pressure inside my
chest and throat.

Ryan took the
two steps necessary to bring him beside my chair and then crouched
down, reaching out to hold both my hands in his larger ones. His
thumbs started rubbing soothing semi-circles across the back of
them.

"I read the
ledger," he whispered and my hands jerked in his. He held them
tighter making escape impossible.

"That's what
you've been doing all this time," I murmured, looking across the
room and anywhere but at him. I didn't want to see what expression
of abhorrence graced his face. I wasn't ready for him to be so
disgusted he turned away.

"Marie," he
said, voice louder than before. "Look at me."

My eyes
reluctantly came back to his, my breath stalled somewhere inside my
chest. My throat was dry and remarkably I felt the stirrings of ice
encase me. He came up on to his knees and before I could react
brushed his lips across mine, melting everything.

"You are not
him," he whispered, hot breath against my mouth. "We're going to
make this all better. I'm going to protect you and Daisy, but you
need to be prepared." His beard tickled against my upper lip, he
was still so close when he spoke. "There will be fallout when those
outlined in the book along with him become aware of the ticking
time bomb McLaren held. When they realise the Police now hold it.
This is big," he said, pulling back to look in my eyes. "You
understand, babe? This is going to change the face of organised
crime in New Zealand, tear it asunder. And all because of you."

"Do you see
why I couldn't hand it over before?" I asked, my world, once again,
imploding all around me.

"Yeah, but you
didn't have me in your corner then. Now you do."

I searched his
face for a reason to believe, for a glimpse of the promise I'd seen
in him the first day I met him in my office at work. It wasn't hard
to see. It was written all over his handsome façade. He'd lay down
his life for me and Daisy, he'd throw away his world as he knew it
to keep us safe. He meant every word. He would do everything in his
power to keep us alive and well. I just had to believe that it
would be enough.

"OK," I
whispered back, receiving the barest hint of a smile at the edges
of those kissable lips. My eyes darted down, taking in the curve of
his fuller lower lip, the dense goatee that framed them. The
sensation of it tickling my skin when he kissed me made me wonder
what those whiskers felt like on other parts of my body.

A smile curved
my lips at the thought.

"There she
is," Ryan murmured. "My strong, brave tiger."

My gaze lifted
to his eyes, seeing the spark of desire glinting in amongst the
golden brown hue.

"Come on, wake
up our girl, we've really got to go," he instructed, making my
heart swell with the pronoun choice he'd used to describe
Daisy.

She barely
woke when I roused her, only enough to know 'deetetiv Pierce' was
carrying her out of the room. In the kitchen we met Abi and Ben,
leaning against the bench, Ben's arm draped over the petite woman's
shoulder, waiting no doubt for us to arrive.

"You're all
set," Ben announced, voice gruff but pitched low so as not to
disturb Daisy. "Food, clothes and untraceable cellphone in the car.
Nick said you only need to call and we'll be there."

"Thanks," Ryan
murmured. "Does he have the list yet?"

Ben's face
hardened, a shutter falling down over his features.

"He'll get it to you when he does,
e
hoa
."

"Fair enough,"
Ryan said with a nod of his head, and then glanced down at me. I
was carrying both Daisy's and my bags, but I really wanted my hands
free.

Strangely to
hug the blonde woman standing before me. I'd never spontaneously
offered hugs to anyone but Daisy before. Oh, and in a way Pierce.
But the desire to hug Abi and thank her for all her help and
support was so great, I actually took a tentative step forward.

Ben made a
grunting sound and reached for the bags in my hands, relieving me
of my burden. Then spun on his heel and left through the back door
to the house, out onto the deck. Pierce followed with Daisy
clutched securely in his arms. As soon as we were alone Abi
breached the gap and wrapped her arms around me, holding me close,
an embrace shared between friends.

"Thank you," I
whispered into her ear.

"Don't mention
it. When this is over, we'll really celebrate."

"Where is
everyone?" I asked, thinking Kelly and Gen were ominously
quiet.

"Pouring the
tequila in the lounge." We both started chuckling at that. "Well,
at least Kelly is. Gen's pining for ice cream."

"Have a drink
for me," I said as I pulled back and wiped at my teary eyes.

"Better yet,
I'll put a bottle aside and when you're ready we'll share it."

I nodded. I
liked that idea.

"Take care,
Marie. And trust him. You're his world now."

A huff of
surprised breath left me, but Abi held up her hand.

"See 'em, like
'em, want 'em, take 'em. Remember?"

I nodded
again, a small amused smile gracing my lips.

"Go on," the
other woman encouraged. "Pierce is waiting for you by the car."

I glanced over
my shoulder and looked out onto the driveway by the garage. Sure
enough, he cuddled a sleeping Daisy to his chest talking quietly
with Ben, the back door of the car open and waiting.

"Say thanks to
everyone else for me?" I asked as I began to walk toward the back
door.

"Sure thing,
Tiger," Abi said, humour lacing every word. I rolled my eyes at her
being aware of Ryan's nickname for me. I was beginning to think
nothing was sacred or taboo with these women. But rather than shock
or anger me, it simply made me smile.

I slipped into
the back seat of the car so Ryan could hand me Daisy's sleeping
form. He leaned in and buckled us both securely, but with Daisy's
hand curled into the warmth of my palm she didn't even stir. His
eyes caught mine for a moment before he pulled back out of the
rear, shutting the door behind him. A manly handshake and back
thump for both men, and then he was in the driver's side and
starting the car. This one a black luxury four wheel drive; for a
loaner Nick didn't skimp.

It was several
minutes later, after I realised we weren't heading directly to Gulf
Harbour but in a round about route that encompassed half of South
Auckland and a hell of a lot of West Auckland as well, that I
spoke. Ryan had probably remained silent for Daisy's sake, I'd not
been talkative because my mind was still reeling at the rapid
changes in my life.

"Where are we
going?" I asked, my eyes scanning the scenery outside my
window.

"Just making
sure we're not being followed," Ryan answered, voice low; still
thinking of a sleeping Daisy.

I let a long
breath of air out at the reality his answer brought.

"You think Ben
and Abi's place was compromised already?"

"Yeah. Andrews
shouldn't have been aware we were at the Birdcage," he said in way
of reply, his eyes darting up to the rear vision mirror to catch
mine.

"Who?" I
whispered, unable to finish the question. Who had betrayed us.

"I don't know,
Marie. But Nick is looking into it."

"The list you
mentioned to Ben."

He frowned,
clearly unhappy with the whole situation.

"I trust Nick implicitly. I'd trust him with my life." Eyes up
to the mirror again. "With yours and Daisy's," he added, giving
weight to his words. "But there's a leak somewhere. Maybe not
necessarily within ASI's immediate structure, but somewhere along
the way someone told someone else and
they
are the ones who've betrayed us."

Nick wouldn't
have liked that thought. I'd only known the man briefly, but I got
an incredible sense of loyalty and morality from him. He would not
like the idea that the leak had come from within his team. No
wonder Ben had shut down on Ryan's query.

"He's like a
disease," I whispered, leaning into Daisy's sleeping form. "He
infects everything his name comes in contact with."

Ryan didn't
need to ask who I was talking about, I could see the comprehension
in his eyes, reflected in the mirror on the windscreen.

"He's signed
his own death warrant," he said instead.

"What do you
mean?"

"The ledger.
Once word gets out that it incriminates so many powerful people
he'll not be long for this world."

A sick feeling
settled in my lower gut, making me gasp in a breath of shaky air. I
wasn't sure why Ryan's words surprised me, or shocked me even. I
certainly didn't feel any love lost for Roan McLaren, that was for
sure. So I should have been rejoicing the fact that even in jail
he'd get his comeuppance.

But I had to
ask, "He's behind bars, how?"

"Just like he
can reach outside the walls of a prison, those on the outside can
reach within."

Wow. I'd not
thought of that. I wondered if Ryan had. If he'd known that was a
possible outcome. I held his gaze in the mirror and I think, just
maybe, Ryan had been aware. Law was not justice. This was Ryan
going after justice within the confinement of the law.

The long
stretch of windy road to Gulf Harbour rolled out before us, the
lights of the houses flashed by in a haze through the windows.
Stanmore Bay, Arkles Bay, Manly. I counted each beach suburb off in
my head silently as we wound our way further and further out
towards the tip of Whangaparaoa Peninsula.

After another
half hour of travel I started to smell the salty air of the sea,
caught glimpses of the Hauraki Gulf beyond. Darkness for miles and
then the odd glow of lights in the distance across the water. Grand
homes lined both sides of the road, dark surging waves glimpsed
through the gardens of those on the seaward side. Ryan pulled the
car up outside a small, well presented, white stucco single storey
house, on the foreshore side of the street. There'd have an
uninterrupted view toward Coromandel, I was sure.

He switched
the car engine off and just sat there, staring at the house as
though it was a monster about to swallow him whole. I couldn't move
to reassure him, Daisy's head rested gently on my shoulder and
upper arm, she'd surely wake if I reached forward to Ryan. But I
knew he needed something to face whatever it was about this place
that turned him to stone.

"It's pretty,"
I said, and then cringed at my pathetic attempt to reassure.

He twisted in
his seat and offered a small smile. "It's got a nice view," he
admitted, but I was thinking it was an understatement.

The short
conversation had broken his stasis though, and he climbed out of
the vehicle and opened the rear door. Helping lift Daisy out of the
car while I calmed her back to sleep with a kiss to the cheek, he
said, "I'll come back for the bags, let's get this one settled
inside."

I nodded and
followed behind him and Daisy up the front steps, retrieving his
keys when he tried to fumble the right one into the lock. I opened
the door and waited for him to cross the threshold. He hesitated...
my heart damn near broke in half. This was hard for him and I
didn't know why. I wanted to ask, but now was not the time when he
was facing his demons.

Finally he
straightened his shoulders and took the first step inside. I
switched on lights as we progressed further into an interior
straight out of a design magazine. Light and airy, modern and
welcoming. His mother's house was simply divine.

He walked
straight towards a bedroom just off to the side and waited for me
to pull the bed covers back so he could slip Daisy beneath them.
The sheets were crisp and clean. The bedroom furniture dusted and
well maintained. If no one lived here, why was it in such good
order?

Daisy stirred,
but only enough to be reassured that she was in a new bed and I
wouldn't be far away, and then the gentle snoring began again. I
stood over her for several minutes, aware Ryan had returned to the
car for the rest of our gear, and just breathed. We'd made it, we
were possibly safe, but I couldn't get past the feeling that there
were still mountains left for us to climb.

I tucked my daughter in, sang a verse of
Daisy
Bell
softly as I brushed her hair from her
face, and then walked back out to the main part of the house. Ryan
was already in the kitchen, emptying out the ice bin into the
fridge and cupboards.

"It's a
beautiful house, Ryan," I said softly from my side of the
kitchen.

He didn't say
anything immediately, just finished what he was doing and then put
the bin away in a room that ran off the side of the kitchen.

He walked back
out.

The air
shifted. Thickened.

A slightly haunted, yet hungry look graced his face. He slowly
devoured me with intense dark eyes, his hands fisted at his sides
as though he was fighting a compulsion to reach for me.

Butterflies
exploded in a flurry of beating wings inside my stomach.

"I'll tell you
all about it," he said, voice strained. "But I'm drowning
here."

I took a step
closer, he held up his hand to stop my progress.

"I need you,"
he admitted, the words lost in the deep rumble of his voice.

"You've got
me," I assured him, no hesitation on my part at all.

He stared at
me for a suspended moment and then lifted his hand up, palm open in
invitation.