SHE THOUGHT SHE WAS SAFE

Mackenzie Winters spent years building a life in Witness Protection, but when someone shoots at her, she fears her cover has been blown. Could the brother of the drug lord she put away be here for revenge? Mackenzie must rely on her handler’s twin, world-weary Delta Force soldier Aaron Hanning, to protect her. Aaron doesn’t want to be anyone’s hero, but he can’t let this brave woman die. Now, with danger stalking them, they’ll have to make a daring choice that means life or death—for them both.

“In case someone is after you,” Aaron continued, “I can make sure you’re safe.”

“So you believe me?” Mackenzie asked.

“Does it matter? Someone may or may not be trying to harm you, and in the meantime I’m going to make sure they don’t succeed. The truth will come out in time.”

She said nothing.

Aaron looked at her. “Okay, here’s the deal. You do exactly as I say and you don’t ask questions. If something happens we’re not going to stop in order for me to explain it to you, we’re just going to run. That’s how you stay safe. Got it?”

Mackenzie nodded.

“Until the threat has passed, you stay where I know you are at all times.”

“Fine,” she said.

Aaron folded his arms, ignoring the screaming pain in his shoulder. She needed to understand. “Now tell me everything—who wants you dead, how you got in the witness protection program, all of it. I’m not messing around and I need to know it all if I’m going to have a chance of keeping you alive.”

LISA PHILLIPS

A British expat who grew up an hour outside of London, Lisa attended Calvary Chapel Bible College. There she met her husband, who’s from California, but nobody’s perfect. It wasn’t until her Bible College graduation that she figured out she was a writer (someone told her). Since then she’s taken the apprentice and journeyman writing courses with the Christian Writers Guild, and discovered a penchant for high-stakes stories of mayhem and disaster where you can find made-for-each-other love that always ends in happily ever after.

Lisa can be found in Idaho wearing either flip-flops or cowgirl boots, depending on the season. She leads worship with her husband at their local church. Together they have two children, a sparkly Little Princess and a Mini Daddy, and two bunny rabbits.

You can Tweet at Lisa (@lisaphillipsbks), or to find out more visit www.authorlisaphillips.com.

Star Witness

Lisa Phillips

www.millsandboon.co.uk

MILLS & BOON

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And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.

—Ephesians 2:17

This book was written during NaNoWriMo, and massively rewritten later.

Huge thanks goes to Heather Woodhaven, who talked me off the ledge many times.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

About the Author

Title Page

Bible Verse

Dedication

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

ELEVEN

TWELVE

THIRTEEN

FOURTEEN

FIFTEEN

SIXTEEN

SEVENTEEN

EIGHTEEN

NINETEEN

TWENTY

TWENTY-ONE

TWENTY-TWO

TWENTY-THREE

TWENTY-FOUR

EPILOGUE

Dear Reader

Questions for Discussion

Extract

Copyright

ONE

Mackenzie Winters didn’t need her years in witness protection to know someone was targeting her. She was looking at the evidence.

All four tires on her old, nondescript car had been slashed.

Mackenzie glanced up at the dark sky. After the day she’d had, all she wanted was to go home and crash. But that wasn’t going to happen anytime soon.

She looked back at the dark building, the center that she managed for at-risk teens. Locked up for the night, it looked almost menacing, but that was crazy. It was only bricks and mortar.

The broken streetlight at the far end of the parking lot cast long shadows on the pitted cement. Mackenzie gripped the strap of her purse and strode around the building to the street, where there was a pay phone that seemed to have been long forgotten.

Downtown Phoenix was busy even at this time of night, and there wasn’t much time before the last bus of the day. Mackenzie dropped some coins in the slot and dialed her WITSEC handler’s number. Eric would know what should be done about her slashed tires. He’d do what he called a “threat assessment” to determine if she needed to be really worried—as opposed to just regular worried.

All because of one night: the night Mackenzie had walked into the hotel suite her entourage shared and saw a man holding a gun to her manager’s head. Seconds later, he’d pulled the trigger, and Mackenzie, her manager and her head of security, who’d been with her that night, were all on the floor bleeding. She was the only one who’d survived—the one who had testified against the shooter and crippled a drug cartel in the process.

The call to her handler went to voice mail, so Mackenzie left a message and started walking again.

She scanned the street in front and behind her. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. Whoever had slashed her tires could be watching right now, waiting for the right moment to strike. Why else would they make sure her car was undrivable, instead of just slashing one tire and making her change it? They must want her out of her normal routine. But for what?

Paranoia came with the territory, even though it had been sixteen years since the day she’d testified against the shooter. The adrenaline never really left. Not when at any moment you could be recognized, gunned down...or kidnapped and left for dead in the middle of the desert.

Okay, so she needed to watch a romantic comedy tonight instead of a movie about vengeful mobsters.

A car slowed beside where she was walking on the sidewalk, but she didn’t look. Traffic was backed up, so it could be nothing. Mackenzie walked faster. It was better to be safe than dead. She should call her WITSEC handler again as soon as she got home. It had been years since she’d needed protection, and months since she’d even talked to Eric on the phone, but if there was a threat, then he should know.

She flicked her gaze to the street. The car was still there, tracking with her every step.

This was her life. It had been ever since her manager had made a deal with the wrong people. It wasn’t enough that he’d spent all the money she made him as a musician on his habit; no, he’d needed more money to sustain that habit. And when he’d neglected to pay the money back, the cartel had come looking for him.

Hello, witness protection.

Now for the past two weeks she’d had a funny feeling—nothing more than that, not until the tires. It could be simple vandalism, nothing more. Maybe someone with a grudge against the arts center she’d founded. Since she was still alive, she didn’t think it was about her former life. If Carosa found her, he would simply kill her.

Mackenzie knew what it felt like to be watched, and to have her whole life dissected for everyone to read about in the tabloids. But no one would even recognize her now. Mackenzie’s WITSEC persona was more of a spinster librarian than a famous musician. To her surprise, she’d found being unassuming felt more natural than all the makeup and sparkly clothes in the world.

The car slowed to a crawl and a window whirred down. Mackenzie’s foot hit a crack in the sidewalk. She stumbled and broke into a run. There was only one more block to the restaurant where she sometimes got dinner before she went home. The car engine revved to catch up.

A door opened ahead, and a man stepped out, blowing across the top of his white paper cup. It was Eric, her handler. Mackenzie tried to stop, but she slammed into him. Eric’s coffee went flying. She grabbed his arms to steady herself and his eyes flashed wide.

“Someone’s after me.”

The rapport of gunfire shot toward them like fireworks. The window of the coffee shop shattered, and concrete chips flew up from the sidewalk, stinging her legs. Mackenzie’s head spun. She was being turned; Eric had his arms around her. He hit the concrete first, grunting when she slammed into him. They rolled toward the car parked by the curb. Gunshots flew over their heads and people screamed.

When they reached the spot between the parked car and the curb, out of the line of fire, Eric hauled her up on her hands and knees. “Crawl. Go!”

With him right beside her, they scrambled away. The sidewalk cut through her tights, so she got to her feet. Eric’s grip on her elbow held her down, lower than the cars parked on the side of the street.

The gunfire stopped, but he still didn’t let her straighten fully. Thank God he was here. What would she have done if Eric hadn’t walked out of that coffee shop at exactly the right moment? She’d probably be dead, and she owed the U.S. Marshals Service so much already. They’d given her a new life when she desperately needed one. How could she possibly thank him for this?

The engine revved, and the car sped away.

“Okay, I think we’re good.” His voice was deep, deeper than she remembered, and his proximity warmed her chilled skin. His denim-blue eyes scanned the area and then focused on her. “You can get up now.”

He stood first and winced when he touched his left shoulder.

“You’re bleeding.” Mackenzie gasped. “You’ve been shot!”

“It isn’t from this. I just ripped my stitches is all. Don’t worry about it.”

“We should call an ambulance.”

He checked the street and finally looked at her, his blue eyes almost gray. “What we should do is get off the street.”

Mackenzie glanced around. The sound of sirens was getting closer. Probably someone in the coffee shop had called 911. “Do you think whoever shot at me will come back and try again?”

Eric shrugged, as though being shot at was no big deal. “I wouldn’t rule it out.”

“Are you going to make me leave Phoenix? I like it here.”

His forehead crinkled in confusion. It was a nice forehead. What was wrong with her? Eric was her handler; she wasn’t supposed to think he was good-looking.

He motioned to the coffee shop. “We should at least go inside.”

“Right. People might need help.”

Mackenzie needed something to focus on aside from the weirdness that seemed to resonate between her and Eric. That had never happened before.

Eric usually wore a suit and tie. Maybe it was the jeans and a black T-shirt he was wearing that made him different. He seemed relaxed...and tired.

“Is there a reason you’re staring at me?”

Mackenzie turned away, praying he didn’t see the awkwardness. So unprofessional. She spoke over her shoulder as she walked. “I’m going to see if they have a first-aid kit.”

Inside the coffee shop, broken glass crunched under her feet. The two baristas and half-dozen customers looked shaken, but no one seemed to be injured.

Eric entered right behind her, probably intent on protecting his charge. He’d always been efficient. It was probably why they gave him the responsibility of working in witness protection.

Mackenzie went to the barista, crouched by an older man who seemed to be having trouble breathing. “Do you have any medical supplies? My friend is bleeding.”

* * *

The woman who’d made Aaron’s Americano jumped up and ran behind the counter. He stepped away from the crazy lady who’d launched herself at him—that part hadn’t been all bad—and tried to ignore the sting in his shoulder.

He crouched in front of the old man clutching at his chest. “Take a breath. Blow it out slow and try to relax.”

Outside, the sirens grew to deafening proportions. Aaron turned just as two police cars and an ambulance parked on the street outside. He looked back at the old man again. “Medics are here.”

The man’s brow flickered. “Army?” His voice was barely audible.

“Yes, sir. Good guess.” He wondered what the old man would say if Aaron told him he wasn’t just army, but Delta Force. But that wasn’t something anyone but close relatives could know.

Aaron glanced around. The crazy lady stared intently at the door the barista had disappeared behind. She looked shell-shocked, which he didn’t blame her for, since she’d just been shot at on the street. He’d never seen anything like that stateside, except in the news. It was usually contained to the war zones his team was dropped into, not downtown Phoenix.

Some trip to come and see his brother this was turning out to be. First Aaron’s twin was too busy to see him, and then he suddenly had to fly to D.C. for whatever reason a U.S. marshal needed to be somewhere. A federal court case was the obvious guess. Why didn’t he know more about what Eric did?

He’d figured they could spend some time together, reconnect. That wasn’t going to happen now. Aaron had been bouncing around his hotel room earlier before he ran out for coffee just for the sake of something to do. Anything was better than staring at the ceiling trying to sleep.

EMTs raced in, carrying their bulky bags. Aaron got up and out of the way. He looked at the woman he’d collided with. She dressed kind of dowdy, but she had nice eyes. It was a shame she was loopy, and paranoid. Just because someone had been shooting in her direction didn’t mean they were out to get her.

Her arms were folded, the sleeves of her wool cardigan pulled down over her hands. She clutched her elbows, making herself look small. Vulnerable.

Aaron stepped closer to her. “Are you okay?”

She really did look shaken. Maybe all this was for real. He’d have to make sure the cops looked out for her if she really was in some kind of trouble. But what trouble could a harmless-looking woman be in?

Her eyes locked with his. Beyond her, three cops stood huddled on the sidewalk and she motioned to them with a tilt of her head. “What do I tell them?”

“The truth is probably a good plan.”

Her face paled. “I guess. Someone did just try to kill me.”

She looked as though she believed it. So was she a great actress, or was she really onto something? “The police can help. You can’t hold back anything from them.”

“Okay. I can do this.” She gave him a short nod. “I can tell them I’m in witness protection, if you think it’s for the best.”

“You’re...what?” Aaron sucked in a breath and choked. “Do not tell them that.”

A uniformed police officer strode in, all business as though this was an everyday occurrence, and maybe it was. Maybe she hadn’t just told him what he thought she had. Witness protection? Surely that wasn’t something you just blurted out.

Mackenzie’s face jerked from the cop to him and her eyes widened, as though she wanted to latch on to him for safety. Why was she looking at him that way?

The cop looked between them. “You folks all right?”

She shifted up on her toes, as though she was anxious to leave. “My name is Mackenzie Winters and someone just tried to kill me.”

The cop’s eyes widened. “I’m Officer Parkwell. Maybe you should tell me what happened.”

Mackenzie. It wasn’t the name of a woman you overlooked—it was too special for that. Aaron liked it. She looked at him, as if she was asking for permission. He shook his head.

She should definitely not tell the cop she was in witness protection. Why had she told him? They didn’t even know each other. There was probably a procedure to these things. If this Mackenzie woman really was part of that, shouldn’t she know what the rules were?

She turned to the cop. “Okay, well, someone tried to kill me. I think they’ve been stalking me, whoever they are, because they slashed my tires tonight so I couldn’t drive home. While I was walking to the bus stop a car pulled up by me, and someone started shooting.”

She looked at Aaron and relief washed over her features. “Thank God you were there. I’d be dead if you hadn’t acted so quickly.”

Aaron shifted his feet. “No problem, ma’am.”

It wasn’t a big deal. Why was she making it such a big deal? Anyone else would have done the same thing. Just because he’d got them both out of harm’s way didn’t mean Aaron was someone special.

He knew he wasn’t a hero, because heroes didn’t ruin missions and get their teammate hurt. His shoulder injury was inconsequential compared with the fact Franklin wasn’t ever going to see again. And it was Aaron’s fault.

His first time as leader of their now four-man Delta Force team, and he’d led them right into a trap. The package had been retrieved—eventually—and the information brought home to whoever needed the intelligence, but the success of the mission on paper didn’t make the reality any better. Not when Aaron had been shot and Franklin blinded by shrapnel. Sure, they couldn’t have known there would be that level of resistance at the plant they’d infiltrated, but they were trained to be prepared for anything.

The truth was that while Aaron had been a spotless Delta Force solider for years, when the responsibility of leading the team was on him, he’d frozen. And the cost of that hesitation, that moment of trying to decide whether to continue on or abort had been high. Too high.

The cop looked up from his little pad at Mackenzie. Her eyes were on the EMTs carrying the old man out on a backboard. “I’m sorry people got hurt. I didn’t know.” She looked at Aaron, tears in her eyes. “What do I do now?”

“How should I know?” Why did she persist in looking to him for help? Did Mackenzie really think he knew how to help someone in witness protection? He was on vacation, not some kind of hero for hire.

“You’re not going to help me? You’re just going to abandon me? What if they come for me again, what if they...kill me?”

Aaron motioned to the officer. “That’s what the cops are for. They’ll be able to keep you safe. I’ve got a life to get back to.” Not to mention a career to rebuild, and a whole lot of reparations to make.

She blinked and a tear fell down her cheek. He didn’t want it to prick his heart, but it did. The last thing he needed was a vulnerable woman looking up at him with brown eyes that really were too big for her face.

Aaron cleared his throat and turned to the cop. “You have someone who can look out for her?”

The officer nodded. “Of course. If you’ll wait here, I’ll inform my sergeant that Ms. Winters feels that this wasn’t a random shooting and that her life is in danger.”

He walked away and Aaron looked at Mackenzie again. “We’ll get you squared away, don’t worry about it. No one’s going to hurt you.”

“You’re really not going to help?”

This again? Why did she think it had to be him who kept her safe just because he’d thrown her to the ground while bullets were flying? That was nothing but a reflex.

He couldn’t let the hurt on her face get to him. He sighed. “Look, you seem nice and all, but I think you’ve got the wrong end of the stick here. I’m not your hero.”

She swiped away tears that were still falling. “Of course you are, Eric. You’re the only one who can help me.”

TWO

Mackenzie watched the realization wash over his face.

“You think I’m Eric.”

She didn’t know what to say. This was Eric. Had he hit his head when he pulled her down onto the sidewalk?

“I’m not Eric.”

This was bizarre. “Well, if you’re not Eric, then who are you?”

The man’s lips curled up into a smile, and he stuck out his hand. “Sergeant Aaron Hanning, U.S. Army. I’m Eric’s twin brother.”

She stared at his hand. What was there to smile about? “I just told you I’m in witness protection.”

“How was I supposed to know you were going to say that?”

“I thought you were Eric!”

“That’s apparent now, but I didn’t know it then.”

“This is awful. Eric’s going to make me move for sure. I don’t want to leave. I like it here. I’ve lived in Phoenix for years.” Mackenzie sucked in a breath to try to get control, but Sergeant Aaron Hanning, U.S. Army, just stood there smiling at her. She put her hands on her hips. “There is nothing funny about any of this.”

“You just told me my brother works in WITSEC. I thought he worked at the courthouse, or ferrying prisoners around and whatnot. This is cool.”

“Cool? It’s going to get out. I’ll be exposed. My life is over because of you.”

“Me?” He glanced around the room, and then sighed and looked back at her. “Look, I’ll call Eric. We’ll get this figured out. Get your name removed from the witness statement or something so you’re not in danger.”

“You’d better.”

“Excuse me?”

“This is your fault. I’m already in danger, I didn’t need this.”

His eyes widened. “I didn’t shoot at you. I saved your life. Maybe you should say thank-you instead of yelling at me because you blew your cover to me.”

Mackenzie gasped. “It’s not a cover, it’s my life.”

“Okay, okay, calm down already.”

“Calm—”

Sergeant Aaron Hanning, U.S. Army, put his hand over her mouth. “I’m going to call Eric, okay? He’ll tell us what to do, and we’ll get you squared away.”

She took a breath and nodded. The frustration bled away a little, leaving a sick feeling its place. His eyes flickered, but he didn’t look away. He just kept staring into her eyes until Mackenzie reached up and pulled his hand away from her mouth. “Please call Eric.”

He blinked and whatever connection they had dissipated. Aaron pulled out his phone and stepped away. He stuck the phone between his ear and shoulder and pulled open the first-aid kit that was on the counter.

Officer Parkwell strode back in, his mouth set in a thin line. “We have a witness that identified the plates of the car your shooter was driving. It belongs to a local gang member. At this point we think it’s highly unlikely this was anything but a random shooting. Unless you can think of a reason someone might want to harm you?”

“It could be about the arts center where I work. In fact, I think it is about the center. Someone slashed my tires before they shot at me.”

It wasn’t a happy thought to consider that she was the cause of someone being hurt. Or that she had grieved someone enough they felt they needed to retaliate and slash her tires. But tensions often ran high at the center. Especially when a person took into account the tough background each of the kids had.

“The performing arts center down the street?” The cop scribbled on his notepad. “Is that where your car is?”

“Yes, in the center’s parking lot, around back.”

“We’ll get someone over there to check it out.”

The cop strode out again.

The shooter had followed her before they fired. Was that to confirm she was their target? Nothing about this felt like coincidence. Even if it wasn’t related to her testimony all those years ago, it was still about her.

Aaron came back over. “I got voice mail. Eric’s been in D.C. the past couple of days. He could be on a plane coming home.”

Mackenzie hoped that was it. Because in the meantime, she was stuck with the injured, sarcastic twin brother of the all-American U.S. marshal who was supposed to be the one helping her. Why couldn’t Eric be here now?

Mackenzie wrapped her arms around herself. It was like being eighteen again, having her whole life end because she’d been in the wrong place at the wrong time. The sound of gunshots from the car had frozen her. Again. She rubbed a hand on her collar, over the place the bullets had entered. She wanted the comfort of a hug, but she’d already gushed over Aaron enough when she’d thought he was Eric.

He’d acted quickly, saving her life. Another “she’d have been dead, if not for...” to add to the long list already in her WITSEC file. But she had to keep her distance, because not only was he a stranger to her, but he didn’t seem like the kind of man who appreciated a woman who couldn’t stand on her own two feet.

“Are you okay?”

Mackenzie tried to smile. “Sure, I’m fine.” It wasn’t as if her whole life might be over or anything. “It’s just late and it’s been a really long day. I didn’t need this drama with you on top of it.” She looked at the front window. “I hope that man’s going to be okay.”

He moved close to her side, and then he said, “Me, too. So, listen, if you’re going to be fine, then I’m going to head out—”

She whipped around to look at him.

“I’ll talk to Eric, and when the police have what they need, they’ll probably let you leave.”

She was supposed to just go home? Mackenzie swallowed. “Uh, sure. That’s fine, I guess. You need to get to the hospital anyway, right?” There was blood all down his sleeve.

He nodded. “Right.”

But he didn’t leave. Mackenzie’s cheeks burned under his stare, so she lifted her chin and stared right back. “You said you and Eric are twins?”

He nodded.

“Uh...that’s nice.” Probably identical twins—they looked similar enough that she’d mistaken Aaron for Eric. But now that she looked closely, she could see slight differences in the nose, where Aaron’s looked as if it had been broken. Her cheeks heated. “I thought you were leaving.”

“So did I.” His lips curled up, his eyes on her. “And yet I don’t seem to have gone yet.”

He might think this was amusing, but Mackenzie did not. He was nice enough looking—okay, so he was downright gorgeous—but that didn’t mean she wanted him to stare at her. He might get the idea that she actually wanted a relationship.

His phone rang.

* * *

Aaron reached for his back pocket and hissed. Ouch. His medical leave was only supposed to be two weeks, but given how hard he’d hit the sidewalk and rolled, he guessed the recovery was going to be longer.

He stepped away from Mackenzie. “Hanning.” The background noise was a steady rush of people and movement.

“You called?” Eric’s breathing was labored. Was he in a hurry?

Aaron perched on a circular table in the corner. “So...you work witness protection, huh?”

There was a short pause. A door shut and Eric said, “Who told you that?”

“Met a friend of yours tonight. Mackenzie Winters. She thought I was you, but that was after she and I nearly got shot in a drive-by.” Aaron rubbed his eyes with his free hand. It was a shame his coffee had spilled all over the sidewalk.

“I got her voice mail, but it didn’t say anything about a shooting. I take it you saved her?”

“A gun went off. After I reached for the weapon I wasn’t carrying, I just moved us. It was a reflex, nothing more.”

What was it with everyone assuming he was some kind of hero? He still hadn’t told Eric he was on medical leave or why he’d instinctively fled from anything army related.

Reconnecting with his brother was long overdue, there was no doubt about that. But the real reason he’d come to Phoenix to see Eric was more about what he was going to face when he returned to work. About the fact his teammates wouldn’t even let him see Franklin. They’d expected him to apologize before he left, but how did you say sorry when you’d blinded someone? It just wasn’t good enough. “I’m not a hero.”

Eric sighed. “I’m boarding another flight right now, I’ll be back ASAP. Can you stay with Mackenzie?”

“Why? She’s fine. The cops are taking care of her. I didn’t think this had anything to do with her being in witness protection. She said something to the cop about the center where she worked.”

“The likelihood is that it isn’t connected with her being in WITSEC. But I’d still like someone watching out for her until I can get there to assess the situation.” Eric sighed. “Please do this, Aaron. I really need your help.”

Eric wanted him to stick around with Mackenzie longer, when his last failure had cost someone their sight—and their future? “I’m not your guy for this one. Don’t you have resources? Surely there’s a plan when things like this happen.”

“Of course there is, but that was before I spent two days in D.C. trying to get to the bottom of a potential leak in my office.”

“No offense, but I’m on leave with an injury. This doesn’t really concern me.”

“You saved her. She’ll trust you, and she needs someone to keep her safe until I can find out if this is related to her past. And find the traitor in my office.”

Aaron blew out a breath. “You think a U.S. marshal is responsible?”

“All I have is supposition right now. We can’t rule anyone out until the FBI determines who caused the leak of a number of files. It could have come from inside or outside of the office—at this point we still have no idea. We had the FBI warn the witnesses whose names were leaked, and those with active threats have been moved.”

“So why was Mackenzie still in Phoenix?”

“Her file was not one of the ones that were leaked.”

“So the shooting is unrelated.”

Eric’s footsteps stopped. “We still have to keep your involvement in this under wraps. If Mackenzie is being targeted for anything, then she should be kept safe. The leak could be a diversion. I can’t go through normal channels because everything is balanced on the edge right now. I can’t disrupt anything or the FBI case unravels. If there’s a mole, whoever it is will bury themselves so deep we’ll never find them.”

Aaron got to his feet, his eyes on Mackenzie. He might not be a true hero, but there was no way he was going to leave a woman unprotected if he could help it. “What do you want me to do?”

“You’ll help?”

“I’m not going to leave you hanging.” Maybe this was the chance he’d wanted to connect with his brother. If the cost was reopening the wound in his shoulder, Aaron would gladly pay it. Eric was all the family he had, and at least his brother didn’t think he was a failure like his team did. They wouldn’t even let him in Franklin’s hospital room. “What do I do with her?”

“Keep an eye on her until I get this whole situation figured out. The FBI thinks it should only take a couple of days to track the source of the virus that copied the files. Have Mackenzie stick to her normal routine, but keep your eye out. The cops will do their own investigation to find out if there’s a threat against Mackenzie, and I’ll be there tomorrow.”

Mackenzie turned. Her eyes widened and her cheeks flushed at whatever was on his face. So she wasn’t used to direct attention. And why not? She was a pleasant-looking woman; she just downplayed her looks, unlike pretty much every woman Aaron had ever dated.

He hung up and crossed the room to her. “Eric asked me to keep an eye out for you. In case someone is after you, I can make sure you’re safe.”

“So you believe me?”

Aaron shrugged his good shoulder. “Does it matter? Someone may or may not be trying to harm you, and in the meantime I’m going to make sure they don’t succeed. The truth will come out in time.”

“Oh.” She glanced around the café.

Aaron took gentle hold of her elbow. She was the protectee now, and he would maintain a professional distance.

“Let’s walk to my truck.” His shoulder needed looking at, but he’d have to find supplies somewhere. He did have extra gauze and bandages in his hotel room, plus no one would know she was there.

He looked around the parking lot as they walked but didn’t spot anything suspicious. Eric wanted her safe, and the best option for that was a hotel he already knew was secure. But that was probably the last thing Mackenzie wanted.

“We can stay at your house.”

Her eyes widened. “I don’t have a guest room.”

“I’ll sleep in the truck.”

“You can’t do that. You’re injured.”

“I’ve slept in worse places. Believe me.” Aaron got the feeling he was going to have to do a lot of reassuring with this woman.

When she’d settled herself into the passenger seat of his truck, Aaron turned to her. “Okay, here’s the deal. You do exactly as I say and you don’t ask questions. If something happens, we’re not going to stop in order for me to explain it to you, we’re just going to run.”

THREE

By the next morning, Mackenzie had almost managed to forget that someone tried to kill her the night before. But when Eric walked into the Downtown Performing Arts Center, it all flooded back.

Aaron was around somewhere, supposedly protecting her, although she hadn’t seen much of him. She hadn’t told him anything the night before, but she had convinced him to stop by the E.R. and get stitched up. Mackenzie had driven back to her house and in the end she’d convinced him to spend the night on the couch instead of in his truck. He’d said it was so he could see her front door, but she’d seen the pain in his eyes. Especially considering he’d refused a prescription for pain pills.

“Who is that?”

Mackenzie turned to Eva, who taught classes at the center while Mackenzie ran the office. They were standing at the entrance to the hallway that led to the classrooms. “An old friend of mine.”

“What kind of old friend?” Eva grinned. Mackenzie blinked. She hadn’t even thought of Eric in those terms before. She supposed he was handsome enough, though Aaron was the better-looking brother. Both of them could be movie stars. The idea that either one would ever look twice at someone like Mackenzie was laughable. “Thank you, Eva. I needed that.”

Eva blinked. “What did I do?”

“You reminded me that life isn’t all doom and gloom.” Mackenzie wrapped her arm around Eva’s shoulders. “And that the best things don’t ever change.”

“You’re welcome. I think.” Eva stepped back from their huddle, smiling. “I should get to my next class. The natives will be getting restless.”

Mackenzie nodded.

“Are we still on for dinner later?”

“Absolutely.” Mackenzie smiled, excited to have been invited. Which was good, since anticipation covered the feeling of being a complete ninny because she was all worked up over one dinner. Eva probably went out with her friends all the time while Mackenzie couldn’t remember the last time she got invited to hang with someone. Plus it had the added benefit of taking her mind off the fact that someone had shot at her and she now had a permanent shadow in the form of Sergeant Aaron Hanning, U.S. Army.

Eva was one of their best teachers, able to easily relate to the street kids who populated the center. Her application two months ago, after the previous teacher had suddenly quit, turned out to be a blessing Mackenzie never expected.

Mackenzie studied her WITSEC handler as he approached; his suit was still crisp though it was after lunch. But the look on his face said he was about to apologize for something.

“Hi, Eric.”

He nodded. “Mackenzie. How are you?”

She motioned behind her. “Let’s go to my office.”

He followed her in and sat in one of two chairs in front of the desk. Castoffs from a doctor’s office. The whole room was smaller than the closet she used to have before she became a federally protected witness.

The brothers weren’t much older than her, she didn’t think. Eric wore the air of authority that came with the marshal’s star badge with ease, while his predecessor had been a burly guy with a gray goatee and a thing for barbecue ribs.

Eric shifted in his chair. “How are you?”

Mackenzie poured Eric a cup of coffee. “Do you think Carosa still wants to kill me, even after all these years?”

He took the cup from her. “If you weren’t in danger anymore, you’d have been released from the witness protection program. Carosa is still out to kill you for testifying against his brother.” He took a sip and sighed. “I don’t want you to be unaware of the reality of the situation. But I did run a check with immigration this morning, and to the best of our knowledge, he’s still in Colombia.”

“So he didn’t shoot at me.” Why wouldn’t the nausea in her stomach ease? This wasn’t about her past. “It was someone else.”

“The police think your slashed tires and the attempt on your life were both the work of a local gang. Maybe someone with a grudge against the work the center does with teens, getting them off the streets.” He gave her a small smile. “Apparently the car belongs to the brother of Hector Sanchez.”

Hector was a regular visitor to the center. “So I might be in danger, but not from Carosa.”

“Unless your identity is revealed. If anyone discovers who you really are, or your picture gets in the media, you’ll be pulled out of Phoenix.” Eric sighed. “We don’t want to jump the gun, but the Marshals Service is dealing with an internal investigation right now. It doesn’t directly relate to your case, but it’s why I asked Aaron to keep an eye on you.”

Mackenzie squared her shoulders. “I could leave on my own.”

“If you do that, I can’t protect you. You’ll be leaving the cover of WITSEC and effectively opting out of the witness protection program. That’s why Aaron is here.”

She squeezed the bridge of her nose. Hadn’t she atoned enough already for the person she used to be? For years she’d been so careful to adhere to every rule for life and living. It was as though it didn’t even matter.

Eric’s mouth curled up into a sad smile. “I really am sorry you’re caught up in this, Mackenzie. I know it’s the last thing you need. But I’m sure the police will resolve it quickly, and Aaron will make sure you’re safe in the meantime.”

He shouldn’t be sorry. She was the one who’d gotten herself in this mess in the first place. It might have been a case of wrong place/wrong time that caused her to witness a double homicide. But she’d only been there because she’d thought being famous was the ultimate life. Now that the man she testified against had been killed in prison, she should have been able to get on with her life.

Would she ever be free?

Mackenzie squeezed her eyes shut. It was as though God wasn’t done punishing her for her selfishness. She read her Bible every day, and when she had made up for what she’d done in her former life, then she would allow herself to fully accept what Jesus had done for her.

“You can trust him, Mackenzie. Aaron won’t let anything happen to you.”

“He’s right. I won’t.”

Aaron filled the doorway. Mackenzie stared at him, trying to figure out what it was that made him so much more compelling than his brother. It couldn’t be physical. She chuckled. “You really look a lot alike.”

* * *

Aaron glanced at Eric, and they both shook their heads. He’d never seen what people meant when they said that. Apart from the blond hair and blue eyes, their similar features, they were completely different. Aaron’s nose had been broken more times than he could remember since he first went skydiving on his eighteenth birthday, whereas Eric liked to read.

Aaron turned to his brother. “You have the picture of the guy after Mackenzie?”

Eric nodded and handed Aaron a file. Clearly he hadn’t liked the idea of showing Aaron a picture of the brother of the man she put in jail, but Aaron didn’t want the guy walking up to Mackenzie on the street and pulling a gun before he even recognized the threat. “You know I don’t like going in blind. Ever.”

Eric shrugged, as though Aaron’s discomfort didn’t much bother him. “And you know I can’t tell you anything. If Mackenzie wants to share, that’s up to her. But legally I can’t divulge the details of her case. We don’t even know for sure the shooting is related. In fact, I’m with the police on this one. I don’t think this is anything more than someone with a grudge against the center. Albeit a dangerous grudge.”

Mackenzie came around the desk. “So I can tell Aaron about me if I want, but I don’t have to and you’re not going to?”

Eric nodded. “In this instance, it would be okay for you to tell him. And, honestly, he can better protect you if he knows.”

Great. Aaron wanted the details. How was he supposed to protect her when he didn’t even know what the threat was? And she wanted to keep her secrets? That had the potential to kill both of them.

Aaron glared at her and then said to Eric, “I need to know.”

Only Eric didn’t look as if he was going to give it up. He said, “I can’t even confirm whether or not the woman in this room is, in fact, in the witness protection program. As far as you know, she’s a friend of mine who has a man in her life who wants to do her harm.”

“Right.” Aaron studied the photo in the file. Middle-aged man, Hispanic, his hair sprinkled with gray. Aaron committed the image to memory the way he’d done with so many photos of targets before, and then passed the file back to Eric.

“You need anything else?”

“Can’t think of anything.” If Mackenzie wasn’t going to tell him, Aaron would have to get the information some other way.

Although he would settle for a shoulder that didn’t scream with fire every time he moved it the wrong way.

Eric frowned. “I’m sorry I can’t tell you how long this will take. I have to go on as if nothing is wrong until we find the leak, but if we hit the point when you have to go back on base, we’ll have to deal with that when it comes.”

“I called my C.O. this morning, so he knows that for the time being I’m involved in something.” And hadn’t that been a fun conversation? His commanding officer was known for his brevity, but at least Aaron now knew that Franklin wasn’t doing any better than he’d been before Aaron went on leave.

“My lunch break is almost over.” Eric turned to Mackenzie. “Be safe, okay? Listen to Aaron. He knows what he’s talking about.”

* * *

The door shut. Silence stretched out into a minute as Mackenzie and Aaron stared at each other. He looked as though he was expecting something, but she didn’t know what. Or she just didn’t want to admit she might know what he wanted her to say.

There was a light knock at the door.

“Kenzie?” Eva stuck her head in and glanced between Mackenzie and Aaron. Her full lips tipped up on one side in a half smile. Mackenzie’s friend was probably more than confused about the second of two strange men she’d seen with Mackenzie today. “You okay, girl?”

Blood raced through Mackenzie’s veins, and her cheeks warmed. “Sure.”

Eva’s eyes gleamed. She’d be digging later to find out who Mackenzie’s male visitors were. Why couldn’t her life be boring? Instead Mackenzie had been dragged into this strange play where she didn’t know her lines.

“What’s up?”

“We’re a teacher short. Chris had to rush out. The day care called, and his son, Tim, is puking everywhere. The kids in the blue room are waiting for their voice lesson. I need you to cover.”

“No. I can’t do it.” Paperwork, yes. Answering phones, yes. Fund-raising, no problem. Sing in front of people again? No way. That could get her killed.

Eva’s lips thinned. “There’s no one else.”

Mackenzie glanced at Aaron, but he was pressing buttons on his phone and hadn’t seen Eva’s face. She looked back at her friend. Eva was the opposite of everything Mackenzie tried to be—sparkly and loud. But right then Mackenzie’s closest friend—which wasn’t saying much, since they usually only saw each other at work—wasn’t happy, to say the least.

“I can’t do it.”

“Kenzie, do you think I don’t know what you’re hiding? Do you think I haven’t figured it out?”

“I—” It wasn’t possible. Mackenzie had worked too hard for too long for her secret to get out now. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Girl...I heard you sing.”

“What?” Mackenzie sucked in a breath. “When?”

“Do you think I’m stupid?”

“Of course not.” How could Eva think that?

The other woman’s eyes softened. “About a month ago I left my phone here. It was late when I came back to get it. I heard you, playing piano and singing to yourself.”

Mackenzie didn’t know what to say. It didn’t spell total disaster, but her voice was distinctive. She had assumed she’d be safe just working in the office. After all, she’d set the center up. Wasn’t that enough to balance the scales? She’d come to terms with the fact that music couldn’t be part of her life anymore, except in secret. Now she wouldn’t be able to sing at all, not even when she thought everyone was gone.

Why did that hurt?

Eva’s head tipped to the side. “You know, you kind of sound like—”

Please don’t say it. “I know.”

“They’re already in the blue room waiting. Please. There’s no one else.”

Mackenzie sighed. “There’s a ton of work to do in here.”

It was an excuse, but she had no interest in being the person she used to be. Not again. And she would do everything she could not to fall back into that trap of selfish, wild living. The only thing those days of youth had done was set her on a collision course with this life of hiding and secrets.

“Kenzie—”

She bit her lip. “Okay. I’ll go and oversee things. They can practice, and I’ll just make sure it doesn’t get out of control.”

But there was no way she was going to sing in front of the kids. No way on earth.

Eva beamed as if it was Christmas morning. “Great.”

Mackenzie rolled her eyes, but Eva didn’t see because she’d already breezed out the door. It was only one class. Surely disaster couldn’t happen that fast.

“Hold up a second.”

Aaron stopped her with a hand on her arm. Mackenzie looked down at his fingers on the sleeve of her sweater. She could feel his heat through the material and it struck her that she’d never felt anything so warm. His hands were strong, his nails trimmed short, and his little finger was bent as though it’d been broken and not quite set straight.

She looked up at his face. “The kids are waiting.”

“We still need to have a conversation. I know what Eric said, but if I’m going to have the best shot at protecting you, then I need to know what happened.”

“Fine.” Even though Mackenzie had no intention of telling him anything about who she used to be.

He apparently didn’t buy it, because he said, “If you don’t, I will absolutely walk. I have to know what I’m up against.” The hint of a smile gleamed in his eyes. “Who knows, I might surprise you.”

“I don’t like surprises.”

FOUR

Aaron leaned back against the wall, listening to a teen girl singing. There really was no other way to keep an eye on Mackenzie without it looking as if he was doing exactly that. Diligence was the only thing that paid off. Faith in a higher being to solve all his problems was nothing but a childish dream. Not when in one split second everything could go wrong and no matter how hard he tried to fix it, someone still got hurt.

He rubbed a hand down his face, dismissing the memories of heat and sand...and blood.

He loved the spontaneity of being Delta Force, though there was a shelf life to the career. Retreating just didn’t sit well with him, but when it was that or put his teammates in danger because he couldn’t admit he was slowing down...there wasn’t anything to it. When the time came, Aaron would just finish up his days and move on with the confidence he’d done his duty to Uncle Sam.

Aaron was almost to his mid-thirties, so it was past time to start thinking about fallback options. Especially considering the fact his team hated him at this point. When he got back, there wasn’t going to be much of a working relationship between them all if they didn’t trust Aaron anymore.

They’d banded together around Franklin, which was the right thing. Aaron didn’t fault them for giving their support to their blind teammate. Franklin would need it. But did they have to reject Aaron in the process? Hadn’t it just been a mistake? A horrific one, sure, but he was only human. Didn’t they know that?

“What do ya say?”

Aaron glanced down the hall where a teen boy in a white T-shirt and saggy jeans crowded a younger girl against the wall.

“I’m not sure.” The girl’s voice was a nervous murmur. “I don’t think—”

The boy’s face hardened. “Not the right answer, babe.”

Aaron sauntered over. “Hey, what’s up, guys?” They both turned to him. The boy’s face hardened and the girl’s eyes went wide. “Is there a vending machine around here? I’m really craving a soda.”

The girl’s face washed with relief, even though the boy hadn’t stepped back. She pointed down the hall behind Aaron. “In the kitchen. They’re a dollar, but if you hit the top three buttons on the left and the bottom right one at the same time, an orange soda will drop out.”

The boy looked at her. “Why would you tell him that?”

“He’s Ms. Winters’s new boyfriend. I saw them together earlier.”

The boy looked back at Aaron. “For real? You’re Ms. Winters’s new boyfriend?”

Aaron nearly rolled his eyes at the third degree from a kid who apparently thought his teenage self was something everyone needed to take note of. Was that what he had looked like at that age? Aaron must have seemed ridiculous. It was a wonder his foster parents hadn’t laughed at him.

Aaron looked at the girl, admittedly a little intrigued. “Does Ms. Winters have a lot of boyfriends?”

“I think you’re the first.”

“How long have you been coming here?”

“Like, four years.”

That was interesting. So as far as the kids knew, Mackenzie didn’t date. At all. Maybe it wasn’t just him who noticed the air of “I’m hiding something” that she wore. Or he only saw it because he knew she was in witness protection.

Aaron lifted his chin to the boy. “You might want to back up a step there, champ. Give the girl some breathing space.”

The teen’s eyes narrowed and he moved forward. Aaron’s body tightened in readiness.

“Is everything okay?” Mackenzie appeared beside Aaron, bringing with her the scent of cotton candy. She looked at the girl. “Megan?”

“Everything’s fine, Ms. Winters.”

Aaron watched the boy step back and wondered how Mackenzie managed to generate that level of respect just by smiling.

“Class is over, so your sister is waiting for you.”

The girl scurried around their huddle and disappeared around the corner into the room where Mackenzie had been teaching. Aaron turned back to see Mackenzie had closed in on the boy. “You take care, Hector.”

Hector? This was the kid whose brother had shot at them on the street?

“I don’t need advice from you.” Hector stepped back, motioning with his fingers.

Aaron moved to shut down whatever the kid was about to do, but Mackenzie stopped him with a hand on his chest. “Let him go. He’s dealing with enough.”

“Like an older brother who tried to kill you yesterday? I’m surprised he even showed up.” Aaron blew out a breath. “You shouldn’t let him disrespect you that way.”

Mackenzie frowned. “You don’t think these kids understand love, or kindness?”

“Trust me, they have one currency and that’s respect. Nothing else gets through to them.”

“You sound as though you know what you’re talking about.”

Aaron shrugged. “Same world, different city.”

“Maybe you could tell me about it later.”

“Why? So you can feel as if you know me?” He shook his head. “I’m not one of those kids.”

“I know that. Aaron, I just—”

“Thought we should be friends? Is that what you want? Or do you want me to keep you safe from the guy who wants you dead? Because you can’t have it both ways. That’s not how this works.”

Mackenzie stepped back and her face blanked. “I’ll be in my office. Try not to start any more fights, okay? I’m only going to grab my purse.”

He followed her, unwilling to mess up the only thing that would keep Eric’s respect when he found out Aaron was responsible for the failed mission and his teammate’s medical discharge. He watched her switch off her computer and shut out the lights. The other woman who worked there—Eva—met them in the lobby.

“So I’ll meet you at the restaurant? Or are you going home to change first?”

Aaron glanced between them. “What’s this?”

Mackenzie sighed. “I forgot to mention it. I’m really sorry, Eva.”

She thought Aaron wasn’t going to let her go?

Eva glanced between them before her attention settled on Mackenzie. “But you have to come out. You promised. It’ll be fun, I’m telling you. All-you-can-eat appetizers and we’ll splurge on something chocolate for dessert even though we don’t need it. Come on, what do you say?”

Mackenzie clearly wanted to go. Did she not want him tagging along and putting a crimp in girl’s night out? Well, too bad.

Aaron smiled. “Sounds great. I’m in.”

Eva’s eyes flickered, but she recovered quickly. “Sure, why not.”

Aaron stuck his hand out. “Aaron Hanning, nice to meet you.”

She shook his hand. “Eva Partez.”

“Mackenzie and I’ll meet you there. All right?”

Mackenzie swallowed. “Sure.”

He grabbed her elbow and led her out before she could change her mind. Mackenzie locked the front doors as Eva sped off in a black Mustang with the top down. The sun had turned the sky pink and Aaron had to sidestep so he could see Mackenzie’s face without the glare.

“All-you-can-eat appetizers?”

Mackenzie sighed. “She’s been asking me to hang out with her for weeks and I finally broke down yesterday and agreed. I actually thought it would be fun, but now that Carosa might have sent someone to kill me...”

“Carosa? As in the Colombian drug cartel?”

She hesitated for a minute, and then nodded.

“So that’s who the guy in the picture was.” He whistled. “You don’t mess around, do you? But don’t worry. I’ll be there to keep you safe, whatever this is. That’s why Eric asked me to stay.”

“Why would you? I mean, it’s kind of clear that you don’t really like me. Why would you give up your time to protect someone who basically means nothing more to you than some stranger on the street?”

“What I’m protecting is Eric’s witness. It’s his career on the line because of your safety. And I never said I didn’t like you.”

“Seemed kind of obvious to me.”

“Well, I’m—” he swallowed “—sorry for that. In the future, I’ll try to be...nicer.”

Mackenzie laughed. “That was hard for you to say, wasn’t it? Big tough guy like you. It must be rough, having to be pleasant.”

Aaron didn’t like one bit that she was laughing at him. “Let’s just get going, okay?” He grabbed her elbow again and headed down the street toward where he’d parked his truck.

“Why do you do that?”

“What?”

“Haul me around like a sack of potatoes.”

He loosened his grip but didn’t let go. “Guess I need to be nicer about that, too. I don’t usually work with people who are willing to cooperate. I normally have to push a lot harder to get the result I want.”

“Then maybe you should just try asking nicely.”

“Is it going to be as uncomfortable as apologizing?”

Mackenzie laughed. “Probably.”

Okay, when her face brightened like that he didn’t much mind that she was teasing him. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad having to be around her for a couple of weeks. He could get used to sparring with Mackenzie Winters.

Aaron opened the passenger door for her, like a gentleman was supposed to. Unfortunately that meant they both got a look at the interior. Last night he hadn’t been in any shape to apologize for the state of his truck. He’d just shoved everything into the middle to make a space for her. But now he saw exactly how bad it was. The foot well had a bunch of fast-food wrappers tossed there, and the passenger seat was under his jacket, a duffel bag and two gel packs that weren’t frozen anymore.

Aaron tossed the duffel and jacket behind the bench seat and motioned to the seat. “Your chariot, my lady.”

“Why, thank you, kind sir.”

When he pulled out, he scanned the street while Mackenzie stared at him again.

“So what are we going to tell Eva about you? I mean, you did just show up out of the blue, so we can’t pretend you’re my new boyfriend. What about my cousin?”

He glanced at her and then back at the road. “Why do we need to have a story?”

“Isn’t that what people do in these situations? Develop a cover story. Perhaps you could be my cousin from out of town, recently laid off from your job of hunting down rogue skunks in the Alaskan wilderness.”

“Rogue skunks?”

“Or something.”

He smiled. “Judging by the contents of the bookshelves in your living room, it doesn’t surprise me you have a vivid imagination.”

Mackenzie folded her arms. “What’s wrong with what I read?”

Aaron waved away her question. “I’m not even going to get started on what’s wrong with your taste in books. You really don’t want to know.”

“Well, what have you read lately?”

She probably thought he didn’t know how. He smiled. “Dr. Seuss.”

“Like when you were six?”

He nearly laughed. “No, a couple of weeks ago. There was this kid in the hospital who had burned his hands, so he couldn’t hold the book. I hung out with him a while before I got discharged. Sweet kid.”

“Seriously?”

“What? It was a nice thing to do.”

“It was.”

He pulled across an intersection, about a mile from the restaurant. “And you’re the only one who can help kids?”

“I didn’t say that. It’s just contrary to what I’ve seen from you before. You were a little...gruff earlier.”

“I apologized then.”

“And I accepted. I’m just saying—” Mackenzie froze.

A black van came at the front left corner of the truck. Another van came from the right, boxing them in. The two vehicles moved closer together, tightening the noose. Aaron gripped the wheel, fighting to keep them from bouncing off the side of one van into the other.

* * *

The vans screeched to a halt, stopping Aaron’s truck with them. The door on one van slid back, and Mackenzie gasped as hooded men in black fatigues with big guns poured out. More appeared behind them, cocooning them in the truck. All the weapons were lifted and pointed at Aaron.

“Let the girl out!”

Aaron gripped the wheel with both hands but didn’t move or speak.

“Um...Aaron?”

One of the men in all black moved toward her door.

“Put it in Reverse.” Aaron spoke, but his lips barely moved.

“What?”

“They can see both my hands. Reach over and put it in Reverse.” He pushed out a breath. “Now.”

He moved his foot to the clutch. Mackenzie ground the gearshift, wincing at the sound. Before she was barely done, Aaron’s foot hit the gas and they flew backward. She screamed and gripped the dash. The truck spun in an arc, Aaron changed gears again and they sped forward. She looked back. “They’re right behind us. They’re chasing us.”

“I know.”

“They didn’t shoot, though.”

Aaron glanced at her and then took a corner so fast they almost went up on two wheels. “You want to talk about this now? Fine. I’m guessing they don’t want you harmed. They don’t get paid for delivering damaged goods.”

“Carosa wants to kill me himself. I know. He yelled it across the courtroom the day I testified against his brother.” She took a deep breath and pushed it out slowly as they raced down the street. “This isn’t about Hector’s brother now. Maybe someone hired him just like they hired these guys.”

“Good thing for us Carosa seems to only know semicompetent thugs.”

Every few streets she glanced back until finally she said, “They’re not there anymore.”

“They must have backed off.” He pulled into a gas station and out the other side, cutting off a Buick. “That means they’re confident they’ll get another shot.”

FIVE

Aaron drove for the sake of driving, not worrying about where he was going. He reached over and squeezed Mackenzie’s hand. “You okay?”

Mackenzie’s fingers were chilled, as though the courage had been drained out of her. He let her hand go, wondering what he was supposed to say now that all of this was officially a whole lot bigger than just someone with a grudge against the center. Carosa had sent men for her.

Aaron pulled up at a stoplight. Mackenzie’s big eyes made her look more like a scared girl than a woman who dressed like a grandma librarian—except for the black high-heeled boots that started directly under her knee-length skirt. Her hair was still pulled tight in that ugly bun she’d been wearing all day. It was as if it was some kind of uniform she used to protect her identity. Had she been a recognizable person before? He looked at her again, trying to think if there was someone she resembled.

Eric should have pressed the local P.D. harder. Clearly Mackenzie’s name had been leaked somehow, given that it had taken no time at all for hired mercenaries to find her. And for what? Aaron didn’t even want to think about what Carosa would have done with her. Or how her current identity had been connected to the person she used to be.

Mackenzie looked out the side window. Her fingers gripped the straps of the backpack that sat between her knees. They were on the run from Carosa, but Aaron had no idea what the deal was. What had happened to her?

Ignorance wasn’t bliss—it got you killed.

When the danger was hypothetical, that was fine. He’d had the time to wait for her to share. But now that it was real, he didn’t like not knowing the people involved, or the fact Eric couldn’t give him all the information about Mackenzie and the guy after her without breaking WITSEC rules.

Some favor.

He needed to get Mackenzie someplace safe until Eric called to say it was all clear for her to come home...probably only to be relocated again. Who knew what the fallout from this mess would be? Especially when the Marshals Service realized Mackenzie had disappeared.

He studied her while the light was red, trying to guess who this woman really was and why she was hiding.

“I need to know.” He clenched his jaw, willing her to talk to him. “Do you know any of the men who tried to stop us?”

“I’ve never seen them before.”

He sighed. “I’m sorry, I had to ask.”

“Now you’re in danger, too. Because of me.”

And that seemed to concern her a great deal. Why, he had no idea. She didn’t know him from any guy on the street, just like she’d said of him. Mackenzie cared way too much about a bunch of kids most people would write off—even him, before he’d seen how they opened up to her.

Aaron squeezed her fingers again. “It makes no difference if I’m in their sights, too—the play is still the same. We stick together.” He followed the line of cars that clogged the city’s streets. “My shoulder’s still healing. Eric didn’t know who else he could trust, and we’d already met.”

“What are you healing from?”

“You don’t have to worry about that. I’m perfectly capable of keeping you safe until we meet up with Eric and get the next move all figured out.” He hung a right, one eye on the traffic behind them, watching for a tail.

“Are you sure you’re okay with being involved? I mean, drop me at the next corner if you want. I won’t be responsible for dragging someone else down with me.” She glanced away, out the window. “Not again.”

Now, why did she have to go and say that? “I might not be a hero, but at least I’m not a jerk. I’m in this with you, and I have no intention of ditching just because things got hot. The threat is real now.”

“I know.”

“Mackenzie, you don’t have to worry. I’m going to stick with you until we know you’re safe. Either Eric will figure out what’s going on or we’ll get you a place to stay. Then you can go back to your life.”

Back to the Downtown Performing Arts Center, a building filled with kids and laughter from the moment school got out until well after dark. Music had permeated the whole place today—everything from the most somber classical piece to the latest radio hit song. What was it about Mackenzie that she could take a broken-down building and a bunch of kids everyone had written off and infuse them with so much life?

Aaron needed to know more about why Carosa was after her so he could wrap up this favor and get back to his life. But first he had to lose any possible pursuers, just in case there was someone behind them he hadn’t seen.

“Why now?”

Aaron didn’t know if she was talking to him, or if she had even heard what he said. He took a sharp right down an alley and hit the gas. They came out the far side onto another busy main street, and he flipped a quick U-turn to the sound of multiple beeping horns.

It was as if she didn’t even notice.

“Why couldn’t this have happened years ago, before I made a life for myself? He shouldn’t have been able to find me. This shouldn’t be happening.”

Aaron’s chest got tight. “I get that this is a shock, Mackenzie, but it can’t be unprecedented. Can it?”

She finally looked at him. “Being ready for what is a remote possibility is one thing. Thinking you’re actually going to have to leave the life you love because a group of soldiers is trying to abduct you is something entirely different. I’m done, I won’t ever be safe. He found me this time, he’ll find me again.”

“So that’s it? You’re going to give yourself up to die?”

She huffed. “What do you expect me to do? I’m going up against a man who’ll kill me without a second thought. What do I do in the face of that? Hit him with a guitar? Sing him to death?”

Aaron made a turn onto a major street lined with stores and restaurants. “As entertaining as that would be, you don’t have to worry. It’s why I’m here.”

“And I get to be the helpless female while the big strong man protects me? Sorry, that doesn’t work for me.”

He pulled up behind a sky-blue Cadillac at a stoplight. The air conditioning took that moment to stop working, and hot Arizona air filled the cab instead. Great.

He turned to her. “If you’re going to fight me all the way, maybe you should get out at the next corner. Or you could trust me and I can teach you how to survive.”

“Like how to shoot a gun?” She shuddered. “I don’t think so.”

“Then you seriously need my help. Eric wouldn’t have asked me to stick around if he thought you should just give up and die.”

“It’s his job to make sure I’m safe.”

The light was still red. Aaron studied her profile, folded in and wound tight again. “You don’t have to be scared.”

“I’m not worried about dying, but I’m also too much of a realist. Survival is pretty much a pipe dream at this point. This guy will never, ever give up.”

Something dark flashed in his eyes. “You’re not going to let me help you?”

She reached for the door handle. Aaron was blocked in, cars behind and in front of him in his lane and the light hadn’t changed.

“I’m not letting anyone else get killed because of me. I’m doing this alone.”

* * *

Mackenzie slammed the door. Aaron jumped out and called her name, but there were no footsteps that followed her. He wasn’t the kind of man who abandoned his truck on the street—even if it was a dump on the inside. It had been torture sitting there chatting as though she was going along with the whole thing while she waited for the right time to make her move.

She couldn’t trust anyone; that was the bottom line. And there was no way she would put anyone else in danger. Nothing good could come from spending time in an intense situation with a good-looking man who didn’t seem like a bad guy, even if he was occasionally a jerk.

Mackenzie needed to save her energy for staying alive instead of falling back into her old ways. Sparks, smiles, then a brief touch of the hand, a light kiss...it might as well be a whirlpool that sucked her under, or a riptide that took her back to the kind of person she had no intention of becoming again.

Mackenzie started down the sidewalk. Traffic streamed past in both directions. It took her a second to get her bearings, but she headed for a bus stop, watching every vehicle that passed for the vans the mercenaries had been driving. When she finally slumped into a seat on a bus, Mackenzie would be able to close her eyes and let herself relax. Buses were anonymous. People left each other alone for the most part, and she would be able to just stare out the window and not think about what her life had become.

Sometimes she rode the bus all day—through the city, out to the desert, tourist bus trips to the Grand Canyon—wondering what would happen if she never got off. The bus would stop eventually, done for the day. She could disembark and hop another bus...anywhere.

If you leave, I can’t protect you.

And yet she had left, which meant WITSEC was going to kick her out of the program for breaking the rules. She was off on her own now, no Eric, no Aaron. Fear churned her stomach, reminding her she hadn’t eaten since lunch. There was no way she’d be able to stomach anything now. Her life was over and she was as good as dead. Staying with Aaron only meant prolonging the inevitable.

At least this way he would be safe.

A young mom pushing a toddler in a stroller passed her. Mackenzie returned the woman’s smile. That could never be her. She’d done too much to ever be free of the chains of her past. She would be forever bound by the consequences of the girl she’d been.

A new life meant leaving behind everything and everyone she had come to love. She should have kept emotion out of it, done her job and gone home at the end of the day to her empty house. Too bad everything about the center kids made her fall in love the minute she looked in their eyes. They might be rough at the corners and some even hard, but they were so full of life and promise.

Something she didn’t have left.

Not since she’d testified against the son of a drug lord in a trial that ended with him getting life without parole for double homicide and attempted murder. Then it had all ended four years later in a prison riot. She should have been free because Pedro Carosa was dead. Problem over, except it wasn’t. In the years since then, his older brother, Alonzo, apparently hadn’t given up the idea of revenge. It seemed he was just as committed as ever to making Mackenzie pay for tearing his family apart.

And there was no way she was going to let anyone else get caught in her cross fire.

The car engine revved, but she didn’t turn. It was happening all over again, and this time there was no Aaron to dive with her out of the line of fire.

The vehicle slowed, but she wasn’t about to turn that way and allow whoever it was to get a look at her. Mackenzie sped up her pace, her eyes on the road ahead.

How could she get out of here? A side street? Into a café and out the back entrance? Would a bus come along just in time? Maybe a cab.

But what was the point? Carosa had found her.

The vehicle’s brakes squealed as it stopped and the driver’s door slammed.

She started running.

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