A passionate reunion romance is under fire in this tale of treachery by Kimberly Van Meter

When Nathan Isaacs walks suddenly back into Jaci Williams’s life, she wonders if she ever knew her ex at all. Because it turns out he was a government-trained killer…and the only thing standing between her and death.

Nathan gave everything to his country—his life, his family, even the one chance he had for happiness with the woman he loved. Then the agency he worked for betrays him, and they’re targeting Jaci, too. Now their only chance of survival lies in finding out why someone wants them dead.

“I love you, Nathan. I don’t want to lose you.”

His expression softened, and he caressed her cheek. “I’ll do my best to come back to you. But if I don’t, don’t wait. Take your passport and go live your life the way that you were meant to. Protecting you has been my primary mission, and if I fail at that, I might as well take a bullet to the head, because life wouldn’t be worth living.”

“Don’t you say your goodbyes. Not yet.” Jaci wiped her eyes, her gaze narrowing as she pulled herself together. “I’m going to chase the bad guys with you. I’d rather die with you than live a lifetime alone without you.”

“Jaci, you don’t know what you’re saying.…”

“Like hell I don’t. I know what I want, and if you’re telling me this is what you need to do in order to start a new life with me, then let’s get it over with. Hopefully, when it’s all over, we both end up on the other side—alive.”

Dear Reader,

I love alpha heroes—there, I said it! Why? That’s easy. I love the way they scream for redemption all the while pushing away every single person who could possibly redeem them. My toes curl as they turn all that pain and raw emotion inward so that no one can possibly see how much they truly hurt inside. And I sigh with delight when that one special woman manages to transform her alpha guy into someone she could actually bring home to family.

Nathan Isaacs is my favorite kind of alpha—emotionally broken, fiercely protective and desperately trying not to love the heroine. To me, that’s just plain delicious!

I hope you enjoy my hard-hearted alpha hero and his perfect woman as they fight the enemy from all sides, as well as fight off their attraction to one another.

Hearing from readers is a special joy. Please feel free to drop me a line via email through my website at www.kimberlyvanmeter.com or through snail mail at Kimberly Van Meter, P.O. Box 2210, Oakdale, CA 95361.

Happy reading!

Kimberly

The Sniper

Kimberly Van Meter

www.millsandboon.co.uk

KIMBERLY VAN METER

wrote her first book at sixteen and finally achieved publication in December 2006. She writes for the Harlequin Superromance and Harlequin Romantic Suspense lines. She and her husband of seventeen years have three children, three cats and always a houseful of friends, family and fun.

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Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Epilogue

Excerpt

Chapter 1

Jaci Williams hadn’t always been a party girl, but after a night of body shots and now puking her guts out in the alley behind Ricochet, who would believe her?

The truth was, sometimes a girl would do anything to blot out a memory—including killing multiple brain cells with tequila and lime.

“Hold on, there, chica,” her best friend and partner in crime slurred as she tried to keep Jaci from falling into the muddy muck that reeked of bad decisions and too many free drinks from guys hoping to get lucky. “If you go face-first in that garbage, you’re on your own,” Sonia warned, trying to keep Jaci steady. “You done? Or do you need to go another round?”

Jaci wiped her mouth and offered a sloppy grin. “I’m good. Where’s the cab? I’m ready to go to bed.”

“Not down this creepy alley, that’s for sure,” Sonia managed to quip as they helped each other down the uneven pavement, stumbling a few times. “We should’ve left through the front door. They have cabs lined up, ready to go. But no, you wanted to go out the back door so no one saw you throw up. Jaci, I swear to God, if I get jumped or raped, I’m going to kick your ass.”

Jaci smiled, feeling somewhat better, if not totally steady on her feet after unloading an excess of liquor onto the dirty ground. Ricochet was their favorite club and Fridays it was always hopping. Both Jaci and Sonia loved to dance and drink, two activities that Ricochet honored with plenty of loud music and even more alcohol.

“Did you see that guy totally checking you out?” Sonia said as they walked arm in arm down the dark path. The lights from the street glittered in the pale moonlight as the nightlife dwindled to nothing in the early-morning hours. The Los Angeles heat was still oppressive, causing Jaci’s skin to prickle with sweat. She pushed her hair from her eyes and tried to remember who Sonia was talking about. She simply shrugged when she couldn’t recall.

Sonia nudged her in the arm. “Come on, you can’t tell me you didn’t notice him. Tall, dark and a little dangerous-looking, actually,” Sonia said with a happy shiver. “The kind who’ll at least buy you dinner before having his way with you.”

Jaci kept her thoughts to herself on that score. She’d known a man like that and while the sex had been incredible, he’d snapped her heart in two and left it a bloody mess without once looking back. Sonia exhaled, adding, “Well, I thought for sure he was going to buy you a drink but he left about an hour ago. Sorry, kid. He might’ve been The One.”

Doubtful, Jaci thought, but smiled anyway. “Stop trying to find my Mr. Right,” she murmured on a hiccup. “There are no Mr. Rights, only Mr. Right Nows and Mr. You’ll Do For the Nights. Remember?”

“Right,” Sonia said with mock seriousness. “Whatever you say.”

They giggled, their laughter echoing in the still, closed-in heat, with Jaci’s thoughts happily soaked in tequila, drowning anything that resembled regret or sadness. This was the way to get over a broken heart, she thought giddily. Who needed therapy when you had good friends and even better liquor?

They were nearly to the curb when a form stepped out from the shadow. Jaci and Sonia startled at the hulking man’s sudden appearance. The alcohol in Jaci’s stomach curdled with apprehension, something setting off her internal sensors to be wary. Sonia, however, suffered from no similar sense of caution and before Jaci could shoot her a warning look, Sonia reacted with irritation.

“Hey, you’re blocking the way,” Sonia said, motioning for him to let them pass. When he didn’t budge, she yelled, “Hey, stupido, get out of the way. Are you deaf or something?”

“Let’s just go around,” Jaci muttered, pulling on Sonia’s arm. “This feels weird.”

“Weird is right,” Sonia agreed with a glower as she pulled her pepper spray free. “You see this? It’s called pepper spray and you’re about to get an eyeful if you don’t get the hell out of our way.”

“Jaci Williams...” The man’s voice was rough and sounded as if he gargled with gravel. Then he grinned, and Jaci’s blood chilled. Who the hell was he? Why did he know her name? Nothing good could come of this little tableau in the making.

Sonia sucked in a sharp gasp and her hand tightened around Jaci’s as he pulled a 9 mm gun with a silencer screwed onto the top. Oh, God. Adrenaline chased away the remnants of her intoxication and she struggled to breathe.

“You can have our money, our credit cards, whatever you want. Just let us go,” Jaci pleaded, swallowing a bubble of fear burning her throat and tasting like tequila shooters. “Please...” Seconds later a tight popping sound ripped through the air and Sonia’s grip on Jaci’s hand loosened as she toppled to the filthy alley floor without a sound, a single bullet wound still sizzling around the torn flesh of her forehead. Her sightless eyes gazed up at the stars as blood dribbled from the wound, and it took a full second for Jaci to realize her best friend had just been shot and killed right beside her.

Jaci opened her mouth to scream as the man switched his aim and pointed the gun directly at her own head. I’m going to die in this dirty alley. The cops would find two corpses in the morning, stiff and gray, and that would be the end of things. Tears welled in Jaci’s eyes right before she squeezed them shut. She didn’t want to see the bullet coming at her. She hoped it didn’t hurt too much...

Her eyes snapped open when, instead of a bullet burying itself in her brain, she heard a grunt and the distinct sound of bodies hitting the ground. Two men—the man who’d shot Sonia and another man—grappled for the gun. The other stranger landed a clean uppercut, smashing the man’s jaw and shattering teeth as they clattered against each other. It was all he needed to gain the upper hand. With a quick and deadly motion, he pistol-whipped the man unconscious, and then wasted little time in splattering his brains all over the pavement.

Jaci jumped, torn between her desire to run and her need to stay with Sonia’s body at least until the authorities arrived, but her savior didn’t give her the choice. “Come with me,” he ordered tersely and she could only stare.

“Who are you?” she asked, scared out of her mind. “What’s going on? Did you know this man? Are you a cop? He just stood in our way and then he shot Sonia,” she babbled, her gaze dropping to her friend’s lifeless body. She cried out in shocked agony at the sheer senselessness of the crime and lowered herself to Sonia’s side, clinging to the only protocol that seemed appropriate for such a horrifying situation. “We have to call 911,” she said, crying openly. “We have to make a statement...we—”

“There’s nothing we can do for your friend. We have to leave now,” he cut in, jerking her to her feet. “That man was hired to kill you. Your friend was collateral damage. They will send another as soon as they discover this one failed. We have to take cover. Now.”

“What are you talking about?” Jaci asked, wiping at her tears and staring at the man shrouded in the shadows. “Who are you? And what people are trying to kill me? I’m no one. I swear it. This is a terrible mistake. I’ve never even had a parking ticket.”

The man stepped out of the shadow and the street lamp revealed the angled, achingly familiar and devastatingly handsome face of the man who’d ruined her for all other men and had set her on the path of destruction without a care. “Jaci...come with me, now.”

“Nathan?” The name slipped from her lips like the lyrics of a song she’d never forgotten, from shock at coming face-to-face with the man who’d broken her heart so callously two months ago. “What are you doing here?”

“There’s no time to explain,” he answered brusquely, motioning her with a curt movement. “Let’s move.”

New tears burned her eyes, but these weren’t tears of grief and horror. Those would come again later. The tears beginning to course down her cheeks were of pain and anger, hatred and humiliation. She’d rather die than accept a finger’s worth of help from him.

“Screw you, Nathan.” She didn’t want him to save her. Anyone but him. “I’ll take my chances.”

His mouth firmed in a tight line, plainly displeased with her answer. “Not an option,” he said, shocking her. Quick as a snake, he twisted her into his arms and plunged something sharp into her neck.

Then there was nothing.

* * *

Nathan Isaacs never wasted time weighing the means against the ends. The situation was simple: he wasn’t leaving without Jaci, no matter if she agreed or not.

Which is why he’d come prepared with a syringe filled with a heavy sedative.

He hefted Jaci’s limp body and ignored the way her tight skirt rode her thighs and exposed entirely too much leg. His grip tightened on her body, but otherwise, he kept his gaze sharp and wary. His only intent was getting her to safety. Besides, he didn’t need to see what he could plainly remember.

Nathan had no trouble recalling those long legs or those full breasts. Hell, they were imprinted on his brain, likely seared into his soul. He remembered with painful clarity the way her green eyes lit up with laughter and how she had a tendency to chew her lip when worried. He’d memorized every line of her body, every frown line in her forehead.

He flashed back to the taste of her flesh in his mouth, the sound of her breathy cries when she’d reached her climax.

Oh, yes, Nathan’s recollection was crystal clear in that regard.

The memories of their time together fueled his nightmares and teased his dreams.

He hadn’t left her behind because he’d lost interest; he’d left her behind to save her.

And yet trouble had gone looking for her just the same.

Someone wanted her dead.

Because of him.

“I’m sorry, Jase,” he muttered, laying her gently in the backseat of his car. “I never wanted my life to come after you. It wasn’t supposed to be like this.”

Fat lot of good his apologies and grand gestures did them both now. An innocent woman was dead and Nathan was going to have to convince Jaci to let him protect her until he could find other means.

Well, by the time the sedative wore off, they’d be long gone, deep into the Los Padres high country.

And there wasn’t much she’d be able to do about that by then.

She was going to be pissed—but alive.

That’s all that mattered.

Chapter 2

Jaci’s head throbbed in time with the beat of her heart and her mouth tasted as if someone had stuffed it with an oily rag. She dragged her hand across her lips, still a bit sluggish in the brain, and tried to get her bearings.

Birds.

She could hear the shrill chatter of birds somewhere. She struggled to open her eyes and when she managed to peer blearily about at her surroundings, she realized with a frightening start that she had absolutely no idea where the hell she was.

Bright morning sunlight streamed in through a dusty window and the air in the room smelled musty, as if the place had been closed up for a while and only recently reopened.

Her neck ached as if someone had pinched her and as she rubbed at the sore flesh, she recalled bits and pieces of the previous night with horrifying detail.

Sonia. Dead.

Her hand flew to her mouth and she sucked back a wild sob. How had the evening taken such a devastating turn? One minute they’d been enjoying a nice buzz from too many drinks sent their way and the next her best friend since junior high was dead. It was all too much to take in without dissolving into a moaning, sobbing mess. She wasn’t the kind of woman to break into hysterics under most circumstances but she was fairly certain she was about to have a grand-level freak-out any moment as the last thread holding her nerves together frayed in spectacular fashion.

Jaci blindly fumbled around her, searching for her cell phone. She had to call the police and report it. What time was it? Likely they’d already found Sonia’s body, left behind in that alley like trash. God forgive her, she’d left her best friend alone. Where the hell was her damn phone?

“If you’re looking for your cell, I tossed it,” came Nathan’s voice from the doorway, his tone matter-of-fact and brooking no argument. He held two steaming coffee mugs in his hands but even as his gesture may have appeared kind given the circumstance, Jaci didn’t know how to accept his offer considering their history.

She stared, unable to process everything at once, as Nathan walked into the room, bare to the waist, wearing faded jeans, offering a short explanation. “Your phone has a GPS and is traceable. Sorry, but I had no choice but to ditch it. Besides, you shouldn’t be contacting anyone until I know it’s safe to do so. In the meantime you are going off the grid.”

“What the hell is going on?” she whispered, scooting away from him, rejecting his offer of coffee, though she sorely needed it. She clutched a pillow to her chest, as if that would protect her from him, and glared through a sheen of tears. “Someone shot my best friend and he was going to shoot me. You show up and k-kill that man and then kidnap me for some reason when two months ago, you couldn’t stand to be near me another second. I don’t understand what is happening,” she couldn’t help but cry with a pathetic mewl that would’ve embarrassed her if she hadn’t been suffering from shock. “I’m in a nightmare and I can’t wake up. God, help me,” she said, sniffing back tears. “She’s dead. Sonia is dead.” Even as she murmured the words and knew it to be true, the reality felt forced.

“I’m sorry about your friend,” Nathan said with genuine remorse that confused her. “I hadn’t realized that the two of you had slipped out the back into the alley or else I would’ve been there sooner.”

She regarded him slowly, recalling a snippet of Sonia’s bawdy comments from that night. Why hadn’t she realized it earlier? The classic jawline, the hard body built with layer upon layer of muscle... “You were the one watching us?”

He offered a curt nod but didn’t deign to explain, which only made her want to throw something at his damnably handsome face.

“Why?” The inscrutable expression etched on the hard planes of his face gave nothing away and she looked elsewhere in disgust. “Right. More secrets. That’s you, isn’t it? Always hiding something. Well, as you so clearly stated when we last met, I mean nothing to you, so please take me home. The police can protect me from whoever is trying to kill me.”

“Jaci, you’re not leaving,” he said, shooting her down without apology. “And don’t even try. We’re deep in the Los Padres Mountains. You’d never make it out alive.”

“How did...” Jaci stopped in confusion, forcing her brain to work when it remained sluggish from the night before. The last she remembered she was in Los Angeles. Now she was in the mountains? She stared at Nathan, demanding answers, but when her hand strayed to the sore spot on her neck she knew the answer and her stare narrowed in indignation. “You drugged me.” Neither a question nor a guess, he didn’t bother denying it. She nearly shook with impotent rage. “You bastard,” she swore softly under her breath. “How dare you. Who do you think you are?”

“Who am I? I’m the man who saved your life. Try to remember that fact when you’re calling me a bastard. You can thank me later. For now we need to lay low. The people who want to kill you won’t stop until they’ve achieved their objective.”

“Why?” she cried, hating all this confusion and subterfuge that had nothing to do with her. “Why is this happening? I’m a graphic designer, for crying out loud. I design advertising and T-shirts and coffee mugs. What did I ever do to deserve this?”

Her impassioned cry elicited a flicker of emotion, regret, possibly, she couldn’t be sure, but he shut it down quickly. “This isn’t about you, Jaci,” he admitted tersely before walking from the room. “It’s about me.”

* * *

Nathan cursed under his breath as he removed himself from Jaci’s accusing stare and teary eyes. He was a bastard all right, but at least she was alive and he meant to keep her that way, even if she hated him.

He shouldn’t have left the bar to do a perimeter check but he’d been sitting on that bar stool for too long, watching every jerk in the seedy club try to sleaze their way into Jaci’s panties with the copious number of drinks sent her way. Not that he blamed the sorry saps—Jaci was hotter than hell on a summer day—but he didn’t have any grace when it came to his former flame. She was a topic of discussion that was off-limits. He was like a wounded bear with something in its paw, and that something was a certain leggy redhead who sang off-key and danced in her underwear when she thought she was alone.

He scrubbed at the stubble on his chin and poured his second cup of coffee, knowing he’d need it to get through the next few hours alone with the one woman who knew him better than anyone on this planet—and who likely wanted to scratch his eyes out.

He didn’t blame her. Not one bit. He probably deserved worse.

Good God, he could still see her stricken expression, could still picture the blood draining from her face as he deliberately broke her heart in the cruelest way he could imagine.

“You suck in bed and I’m bored. I thought I could play house but it’s just not working out and I’m ready to move on. Sorry.”

“You said we were going to get a place together. I’ve already let my apartment go and we’ve put a deposit down on a house! What are you talking about?”

“What can I say.... I’ve changed my mind.”

“What am I supposed to do? Live in my car?”

“That’s not really my problem, babe.”

Nathan squeezed his eyes shut to block out the memory but it was seared into his synapses, punishment for believing that a normal life had been possible for a blackhearted son of a bitch like himself. He’d been deliberately cruel so that she would never want to see his face again.

He was a killer—not a suburban husband who held barbecues and shared beers with the neighbors.

And Nathan had been recklessly foolish to believe otherwise.

When his past had caught up to him, Nathan knew the safest place for Jaci would be far from him and the only way to ensure that she never wanted to see him again was to break her heart into so many pieces, she’d never be able to repair it for him.

So he’d done exactly that.

And it had worked.

Damn. His breath caught in his throat. It had worked.

He peered out the dusty window across the miles and miles of forest and wondered how long they’d have to hole up here before they both went stir-crazy or straight-up killed one another out of boredom.

At least here they were safe, he thought grimly, casting a short look toward the room where Jaci remained, likely in shock from seeing her best friend die a grisly death right in front of her, and wondered how he was going to protect her when he didn’t even know who wanted her dead.

He turned sharply at the soft creak of the floorboard, his hand going to the Glock tucked into his waistband. Jaci jumped at his quick and unerring movement to his gun. Her gaze communicated everything he knew she was feeling—fear, anger, grief, confusion—and he supposed he had to give her some kind of explanation, though the idea ranked really low on his Excited To Do list.

“What’s going on?” she asked, attempting to appear strong. But Nathan caught the subtle shake in her body. He stuffed his impulse to pull her into his arms and shelter her from anything that might harm her. Right. Like she’d let you anywhere near her, a voice mocked, and he grimaced at the truth of it. He watched her enter the room on unsteady feet to sit on the edge of the worn, ’70s-era sofa as if she were a bird perched on a branch. “What’s happening? Who was that man who k-killed Sonia?” she asked in a strained voice.

“I don’t know who the man was,” he admitted. “Just that you were his target.”

“How did you know I was his target?” Jaci asked, her eyes wide. “Why would I be anyone’s target?”

Because of me, he thought bitterly. But how much should he tell her? She might be safer if she knew little. “I intercepted the kill order,” he said, deciding to go with honesty. She stared hard, her eyes widening even more as she shook her head as if in denial. “Jaci, there are things you don’t know about me...”

“I think that was made abundantly clear several months ago,” she murmured, glancing away. Her quiet comment struck him in the heart and he actually winced. Yeah, he deserved that one. She returned her gaze to him, her eyes dry and hard. “Go on.”

Nathan met her gaze without flinching, yet inside he was grimacing, wishing this conversation never had to happen. “I’m not an FBI agent,” he said. “I never was—it was my cover story.”

“Cover story?” she repeated slowly, her tone betraying her disbelief. “What do you mean cover story?”

“I work for an underground government agency that specializes in neutralizing terrorist targets.”

She digested this information with less shock than he’d envisioned and he was actually impressed when she didn’t immediately fall apart. “When you say neutralize—”

“I’m an assassin,” he cut in sharply, leaving no room for misunderstandings. Might as well just put it out there. Her life was in danger—she’d earned the truth, at the very least. “I’m trained to kill people, Jaci. It’s what I’m good at and what I enjoy.”

She sucked in a tiny inhale at his admission. Maybe he ought to clarify... “Listen, it’s not that I enjoy killing people. But the assignments I get aren’t good people like you and people you know. They’re bad people—people who wouldn’t think twice about mowing down a schoolyard of kids or torturing old folks—so when I take one out, I feel a certain satisfaction that I’ve done a job that needed doing.” He sounded pathetic. Why was he explaining his job to a civilian who would never understand? Jaci was a bleeding-heart type. She believed in innocent until proven guilty, whereas he believed in shooting first and asking questions later. They were polar opposites on the most extreme scale. “I don’t expect you to understand,” he said. “But I do expect you to trust me to do what I need to, to keep you alive.”

“Trust?” she said, laughing as if amused, though in truth the sound put a sick roll in his stomach. He heard her incredulity at his use of the word and he realized he should’ve phrased it differently. She’d never trust him, ever again. Jaci could’ve thrown that in his face but she didn’t. Instead she said, “I think I’ve reconsidered your offer of coffee. Would you mind?”

“Sure,” he said gruffly and went to fill her a fresh mug. He remembered that she liked it sweet with milk and sugar and without wasting time in pretending that he didn’t, he simply fixed it and handed the mug to her. She accepted with a murmured thanks but otherwise remained silent as she sipped her coffee, her eyes closed as if needing a moment to collect herself. He didn’t blame her; it was a lot to accept in a short time frame.

“What about Sonia?” she asked. “I need to call the police and give a statement or something, don’t I?”

“I can’t trust the police with your location. There are leaks everywhere. I already made an anonymous call. Your friend was picked up.”

At the mention of Sonia her eyes filled but she looked away, not wanting him to see her cry. He appreciated that she was trying to stay strong but her pain caused a shaft of agony through his chest that only served to remind him that he was far from over her. “I’m sorry about your friend,” he said, feeling useless in the face of her closed-in grief. Jaci accepted his condolences with a short nod and then returned to her coffee. “And I’m sorry I had to drug you,” he added. “Do you need some aspirin?”

She cast him a cool look, yet nodded. He searched a few cabinets before he found what he was looking for and then shook two tablets into her hand. Her palm curled around the medicine but she didn’t toss them back right away. Instead she looked his way and he was pinned by the same eyes that haunted his dreams and made him wish he’d been a better man.

“I suppose I should thank you,” she began, swallowing as though the words were stuck in her throat. “For saving my life. But as much as I’m grateful...I have to wonder why you care at all. It’s not as if we parted on good terms. I don’t understand how I haven’t spoken two words to you in months yet you happen to show up at some bar that I’m at to save my life and then bring me here—wherever here is—to do what? Hide out? Until when? What now? We can’t stay here forever. I have a life...and it no longer includes you. That’s the way you wanted it, remember? I just don’t understand, Nathan.”

Valid questions. She was a smart woman. But to answer truthfully? That he always knew where she was since the day he’d pretended to kick her to the curb; that he’d never forgotten a moment of their time together and the memories were both painful and treasured? That he’d wished a million times over that they’d met in a different life so that maybe they’d have had a chance? Hell, no. He couldn’t say any of those things.

She peered at him closely, needing answers. “Nathan?”

And he couldn’t give them without making the conscious choice to be straight with her about every facet of their former life together. She would just have to be content with the information he was willing to share. Besides, keeping her alive was his objective—not baring his soul and begging for her forgiveness.

Chapter 3

“Nathan?” The strain in her voice was evident as she stared at him, almost begging him for answers, but she could tell by the tight press of his lips that she’d have better luck prying open the vault doors at Fort Knox. “Fine. Keep your secrets. But if you can’t give me a straight answer as to why I would be safer here with you than with the police, then I’m going to walk out that door and keep going until I find a road. I refuse to sit here like a little mouse under your thumb just because you say so. It’s been a while since we’ve spent any time together so let me remind you—I don’t blindly follow orders just because someone tells me to. Either start talking, or I start walking. Plain and simple.”

“Jaci, don’t be stupid. I do remember a few details about our time together and one of those details is that you suck at direction. You have no idea where you are and you’ll likely end up in a ravine before you find a road. Do yourself a favor and just stay put.”

“No.” She glared when he did a short double take at her blunt refusal. He bracketed his lean hips with his hands and returned her glare. Other people might’ve cowered in the face of that commanding stare but Jaci was neither cowed nor intimidated by Nathan Isaacs. “You can glower at me all day. It won’t change a damn thing. I deserve answers and if you’re not going to give them to me, then I’d rather take my chances out there than here with a man who thinks it’s okay to treat me like a child.”

“I’m trying to save your life,” he said, his voice low and tense. “Don’t let our past cloud your judgment. I’m the one person who can keep you safe.”

“Why?” she shot back, not willing to back down. “I’m sure the police are trained to protect people. Why does it have to be you, Nathan?”

A wealth of unsaid conversations, of angst and regret, pain and shame shimmered in his dark eyes, momentarily taking her breath away at the stark exposure. But within a heartbeat he shuttered his gaze with a barked answer. “Because that’s just the way it is, Jaci. Deal with it. You’re not leaving. End of story. And if you try, I will hog-tie you to the bed. Don’t push it.”

It was a warning and a threat so why did a spark of awareness just sizzle down every nerve ending, causing memories of their sweat-slicked bodies sliding against one another to tumble free from the locked box in her head? She swallowed and forcibly shoved those thoughts far from her mind. If she needed a memory of Nathan, she’d just dig out the one where he told her that the idea of having sex with her for the rest of his life was more than he could stomach.

A spasm of pain rippled through her body, giving her an agonizing jolt back to reality. He could not ride in like the hero just because it suited his warped sense of chivalry when he’d been the biggest bastard on the planet two short months ago. Her hands clenched into fists with pent-up rage at the man who’d broken her heart so grievously, and at that moment she didn’t care if he was the only body standing between her and a Mexican drug cartel; she didn’t want his help or his brand of chivalry. Nathan could choke on his offer of aid and protection, Jaci thought, staring a cold hole through Nathan’s back when he turned away from her.

“Screw you, Nathan,” she murmured. “I never asked you to save me. If you want to play the hero, play it with someone else. I’m out of here.”

She bolted for the door. And she would’ve made it, too, if Nathan hadn’t been bigger, stronger and faster than the feelings of regret and shame that followed on the heels of a drunken binge.

“Damn it, Jaci,” he growled, jerking her over his shoulder and slapping her hard on the rear end when she shrieked and began kicking his front and pummeling his back. “I warned you. You’re not leaving unless I say so.”

“Put me down, you bastard!” Jaci screamed. “I’d rather die than remain stuck in this house with you! I hate you! Do you hear me? I hate you!”

“Yeah, yeah, well, too bad,” he shot back. “And if you don’t stop wiggling around I swear I’m going to hog-tie you naked!”

“You wouldn’t dare!”

“Try me.”

She landed a good kick against the hard planes of his stomach and he grunted but otherwise kept his forward pace to the bedroom where he tossed her none too gently onto the bed. She bounced with a shriek and tried to scramble away but Nathan grasped both ankles and yanked her toward him. She kicked and hissed with rage even as tears stung her eyes but she didn’t let up. She hoped he got a faceful of flying feet for his trouble.

“Damn it, Jaci!” he roared when she refused to stop. He lunged and straddled her, shocking her with the sudden weight of his body across hers. He captured her flailing arms at the wrists and wrenched them over her head, stretching her so that she couldn’t move. Her breath came hard and fast as a long curl of her hair landed across her face, obscuring her vision in her left eye. She angrily blew the hair from her eye and ignored the uncomfortable awareness kindling to life in her body. She would not allow even a spark of attraction to flare, no matter that he remained a stable fixture in her most erotic dreams. It was much too easy to remember how it felt to lie beneath his solid strength, clinging to him as if her life depended on it. She bit down on her tongue and tasted blood. Remember the pain of his rejection, she told herself with blunt force. Remember how you cried for weeks.

“Are you finished?” he asked in a hard voice. “You need to get a grip. Do you hear me? This is serious. Get that through your damn head. Do you want to die? Is that what this is about? You’ve just stopped caring about whatever happens to you? That you couldn’t really care less if you live or die? Is that why you’ve been hanging out at sleazy bars and drinking yourself into a stupor every chance you get? What the hell is wrong with you, Jaci?”

She stared up at him, unable to believe what she’d just heard. Had he forgotten how he’d left her? Had he spaced on how he’d ripped her life apart and walked away without caring about the damage? A separate train of thought followed the first as she rapidly blinked away the tears and stared at him with open suspicion. “How do you know I’ve been going to sleazy bars?” He seemed to realize he’d revealed too much information and faltered for a split second, long enough for Jaci to put two and two together. “Have you been...watching me? Like some creeper stalker?”

His gaze darkened as he scowled. “I’m not a stalker.”

“That’s what stalkers do, they watch people without the other person’s knowledge. Why would you do that?”

He buttoned his lip, clearly unwilling to reveal his reasons, but she didn’t care anymore. She couldn’t possibly make heads or tails of anything Nathan did or why, nor was she going to start trying. Those days were long gone. “Whatever.” She glanced away. “Get the hell off me. My legs are going numb, and if I recall, you were tired of spending any length of time on top of my body, anyway.”

Nathan hesitated, his scowl remaining, but he finally climbed off her and she rolled away from him. This time she didn’t try to run, but simply stared, waiting for answers.

“I never said I was tired of being on top of you,” he said, his mouth compressing to a tight, almost bitter line.

“You said the idea of monogamy with me was more than you could handle. You also said you were bored,” Jaci said, trying not to wince at the pain the memory of that day still caused. Holy hell, it felt as if two months had only been two days ago. How pathetic. She’d enabled him to turn her into a weak, pathetic female and she hated him for it. But damn, it still hurt. Did she care? She shouldn’t but she did. A part of her needed to know that there was a sliver of humanity inside him that was remorseful for breaking her heart the way that he had. “What’s really going on?” she asked. “There’s no need to hide the truth from me. We’re not a couple. Just tell me so I know what I’m dealing with. Don’t you see how it’s not fair to drag me from my life without warning and keep me here against my will without at least clueing me in to what’s going on?”

“I already told you—”

“You told me the bare minimum, which wasn’t an answer at all. Who is after me and why?”

“I’d have to tell you more than you’d want to know. It’s better this way,” he said, adding quietly. “Trust me.”

Had he no idea how impossible his request was? How incapable she was of blithely following him simply because he crooked his finger and patted her on the head with a promise that if she did as she was told like a good girl, everything would be fine? He obviously didn’t remember a thing about her personality because never in a million years would she ever be so docile. “The thing about trust is, you have to be willing to be vulnerable with the other person,” she said. “And I would never allow myself to be vulnerable with you again.”

“You would be willing to jeopardize your life just because you’re still pissed off about our breakup? I thought you were smarter than that.”

“I thought I was smarter about a lot of things. You, Nathan, proved to me that I’m as stupid as they come.”

* * *

Nathan heard the ragged pain under her subdued tone and he looked away, unable to hold her stare. If there’d been any other way to keep her safe, he would’ve done it. Walking away from Jaci had been like tearing off a limb and leaving it behind. And he’d been a bear to be around since then. His personality had never been what one would describe as cuddly, but Jaci had managed to bring out the softer side in him—one he hadn’t even known existed—and it’d been that soft, mushy side that had made him realize that if anything ever happened to her because of him, he’d follow her to the grave.

He’d learned long ago that life was filled with pain, but Jaci had been a bright shiny star in a dark universe. How could he possibly allow his feelings for her to put her in jeopardy? The night he’d surprised a man lying in wait in her apartment, Nathan had realized she was no longer safe with him around. The fact that the guy had managed to catch Nathan with a quick uppercut and escape before Nathan could put a bullet through his brain had only served to make Nathan even more on edge. “Are you hungry?” he asked gruffly. “I have food.”

“No.”

He accepted her answer, even if he knew she was lying through her teeth. Jaci had always loved food. Nathan had relished her softly rounded curves and the way she didn’t pretend to pick at a garden salad, protesting how full she was after nibbling a piece of lettuce. No, Jaci had ordered steak and potatoes and then had often eyed the dessert menu. She was the kind of woman who set his blood on fire. “You should eat,” he said.

“I said I wasn’t hungry. I want to go home.”

“It’s not safe.”

“What about my roommate? He’s going to notice if I suddenly go missing.”

Nathan scowled at the mention of the man she lived with. He didn’t know if there was anything romantic going on but he had his suspicions. What normal red-blooded male could withstand living with a woman like Jaci without making a move of some sort? Unless the man was gay... But Nathan didn’t pin much hope on that score, so that made James Public Enemy Number One in Nathan’s opinion. “I have a burner phone you can use to let him know you’re okay. Tell him you’re visiting friends or something but don’t let him know where you are.” He paused a minute, then couldn’t help himself as he asked, “So what’s the deal with you two...? Dating?”

“Are you deaf? I said he was my roommate, not my boyfriend, not that it’s any of your business. James is a good friend. I needed a place to stay when my ex-boyfriend duped me into thinking we were getting a place together and I let my apartment go. Forgive me for not wanting to sleep in my car.”

“And he was your only choice? You didn’t have a girlfriend you could stay with?”

“Unbelievable! You have some nerve. I’m not even going to dignify that question with a response because you have no right to judge how I solved the problem you created. Okay? So butt out.”

Nathan backed down, hating that he’d let himself slip like that. On the surface she was right. He shouldn’t butt his nose into her personal business, but they weren’t your average exes and she’d just have to get used to the idea. “Your safety isn’t something I’m going to mess around with. I am going to need to run a background check on this roommate. What’s his name?”

“He would never hurt me. We’ve been friends for years.”

“What’s his name?” he repeated, not backing down.

“His name is James Cotton.”

Nathan committed the name to memory. He’d have a full background check done on the man. If he had so much as an outstanding library book, Nathan would find out. “I’ll let you know when you can contact him. Until then, don’t bother trying. There’s no phone line installed here.”

She looked ready to say something childish and petulant—Jaci had always been terrible at hiding her thoughts and feelings—but she buttoned her lips and turned on her heel to return to the bedroom, where she promptly slammed the door.

The message was pretty clear. He wasn’t welcome in her space, whether he was saving her damn hide or not.

The knowledge pinched more than a little but he shrugged it off. He wasn’t here to start playing house; he was saving her life.

So why was he still staring at that closed door like a starving man stared at a Thanksgiving feast?

Because inside he felt ravenous and out of control, he answered himself as he squeezed his eyes shut.

Shut it down, Isaacs. Stay cool. Now was not the time to start baring his soul and babbling apologies.

Besides...there wasn’t anything he could say that would forgive what he’d done.

That’d been the plan.

Chapter 4

“I’ll meet you there,” Nathan confirmed, ending the call just as Jaci exited the bedroom. He knew she’d heard him so he started talking first. “I want you to stay here while I meet up with a contact who might be able to help me figure out who’s after you. Promise me you’ll stay put.”

“And why should I do that?”

“Because I’ve already explained that you’re safer here than out in the open.”

“No, you haven’t explained anything. You’ve told me what to do and just expected me to obey. That’s not the same thing.”

Damn redheaded stubborn streak, he wanted to mutter, but instead sent her a hard look, ignoring how his stomach clenched at the sight of her vibrant beauty staring back at him. It didn’t seem to matter that she exuded cold distance rather than sweet love like she used to—his heart still quickened dangerously. Emotion got people killed. Stow that sentimental crap, Isaacs.

“Jaci, just stay put,” he said again, grabbing his gun and tucking it into the back of his waistband beneath his leather jacket. “I won’t be gone long. There’s plenty of food in the pantry and fridge. The television doesn’t work but there should be some books and magazines lying around that might keep you occupied but don’t go outside.”

Jaci’s mutinous expression didn’t bode well. The minute he was a mile down the road she was going to bolt, he’d bet his soul on that. He couldn’t take the chance. Although it was a risk taking her out into the open, it was a bigger risk to leave her alone and vulnerable. She was operating on pissed-off female ire and brokenhearted steam—she couldn’t think clearly to save her life.

“Fine. Get your stuff—you’re coming with me. But—” he fixed her with a hard stare hoping she caught his drift “—if you so much as take one single step away from my side or do one single thing that puts your life in more danger, I swear to God, I will make you regret it. Don’t push me on this. Am I clear?” This was no idle threat. He’d do whatever it took to keep her safe, even if it meant humiliating her. “Am I clear?” he asked, his tone sharp. At her slow nod and quick disappearance into the bedroom he knew he’d gotten his point across. If there was one thing Jaci needed to remember about him it was that he never took unnecessary chances, particularly with the lives of the ones he loved the most.

Jaci reappeared fully dressed and quickly came down the stairs. “Where we going?” she asked. “Or am I not supposed to know?”

“I’ve got a friend on the inside of the organization I work for. We’re going to meet him and see if we can figure out what the hell’s going on.”

Jaci nodded, surprising him with her easy acceptance. Either she was privately formulating an escape plan or she was actually starting to trust him. Ha. Yeah, nothing was that easy. Chances were she was simply pretending to acquiesce when in truth she was going to sprint like a rabbit in a clearing the minute she was able.

Jaci climbed into the big four-wheel-drive truck required to reach this secluded location deep in the mountains and while she may not have said anything, he could see the appreciation for the vehicle in her eyes. “What happened to the Mustang?” she asked, buckling up. “I thought that car was your baby.”

“It is. And that’s why it’s still parked safely in a garage. There’s no way the Mustang would’ve made it up the roads in this area.” He cast her a sideways glance. “Besides, I thought you liked big trucks.”

“I used to like a lot of things.”

He didn’t buy her cool answer but didn’t see the value in pushing. “It gets the job done,” he said, putting the truck into gear and rumbling down the pocked and rutted service road. “Have you noticed anything unusual happening lately?”

“Such as?”

“Have you felt as if someone was watching you, or maybe sensed that you were being followed?” he asked.

“No, of course not.” Jaci gasped as the truck hit a particularly deep rut and sent her bouncing in her seat. She quickly grasped the handle above the door and held on for dear life. “If I’d noticed any of those things I would’ve called the police. I’m not stupid. My life has been normal. I go to work, go to the gym, go to the grocery store and do all of those normal things that normal people do. I don’t know what the hell is going on and why I’m in the middle of it. Of course, you seem to have some inkling as to why this is going on but you won’t tell me so I am left to wonder why my life is imploding for no particular reason.”

“If I knew why this was happening, I’d already have taken care of the situation,” he corrected her tersely, irritated by her comment. As if he were withholding information simply to mess with her. “C’mon, Jase...you’re smarter than that.”

“Well, that remains to be seen,” she muttered. “Besides, if someone was trying to kill me why did they kill Sonia instead?”

“She was a witness. No loose ends. If you recall, you were seconds away from sharing the same fate as your friend.”

He hated to be so blunt but he didn’t see the value in sugarcoating the truth, as much as he could tell her, anyway. “Have you been dating?” he asked, steeling himself for her answer. It was important information, he told himself, not for personal reasons but because he needed to eliminate suspects. Well, it was a plausible justification, but when Jaci shrugged and admitted to a few dates his blood percolated. “Who? I need names.”

She shot him a dark look. “No one serious. I wasn’t interested in getting in a serious relationship after what’d happened with you and me. But Sonia convinced me that I couldn’t live like a hermit and I thought the best way to get over you would be to see other people.”

“Did it work?” Why the hell did he ask that? “Never mind. I shouldn’t have asked. It doesn’t matter. Tell me about your dates. I need to run them through a background check.”

She scowled. “They were normal people. Bankers, a doctor, I think a lawyer or two, I don’t know. But they sure as hell weren’t spies. And none of them worked for the government in any capacity.”

“Jaci, people lie. And you are a very trusting person so your doctors and lawyers, unless you do a full background check on them, may not have been who they said they were. I told you I worked for the FBI. You never thought to look any deeper.”

He detested to throw in her face how he’d duped her but the pain was necessary to get through her head that people were unscrupulous at best, and dangerous at their worst. Jaci looked away and remained quiet for a long moment. Finally she said, “I met them through an online dating service. If I can get to a computer I can log on to my site and show you who I was matched up with. Would that help?”

Nathan did a double take. “An online dating service? Why would you go through one of those sites? It’s not like you couldn’t find a date on your own. Don’t you know those places are ripe for liars? Why would you take such a risk?”

“You don’t get to criticize how I lead my life after you left me. For your information, online dating is something that everybody does. It’s not just for the sad, lonely, pathetic losers that you’re making it sound like. Most people have careers and don’t have time to hang out in bars to meet someone. And frankly, why would I want to meet someone to build a life with in a bar?” She didn’t have to remind him that they’d met in a bar. He remembered quite clearly. He also caught her subtle dig. “Besides, I wasn’t looking for Mr. Right. I was just looking for someone to spend a little time with.”

“So you were just taking home random guys for sex?”

Jaci lifted her chin. “Yes, that’s right. I have needs, too. Are you saying that when we broke up you became celibate?”

How did they end up talking about their sex lives? He hated knowing that Jaci had been with other men after their breakup, but what had he expected? Hell, he’d tried to tell himself that letting her go was a noble gesture on his part so that she could meet someone normal and get married and have a family. He couldn’t have it both ways—let her go, plus expect her to live like a nun.

“Of course not,” he said, answering her question. “I saw other people,” he lied. Nathan didn’t want to admit to her that when he’d become accustomed to steak, the prospect of hamburger simply hadn’t appealed. “My point is, there’s a possibility that someone you dated may be trying to kill you. I can’t discount the possibility. And as uncomfortable as it may be for the both of us to talk about the people who came after us I can’t simply ignore the possible lead just because it hurts to talk about it.”

“Why would it hurt you? You were the one who left me, remember?”

“Yes, Jaci, I remember.” He gritted his teeth, pausing a moment to withstand the surge of defensive anger that followed her pointed reminder. “Very clearly. And leaving you hurt like a son of a bitch.”

“I don’t believe you,” she shot back heatedly. “You can’t rewrite history just because you suddenly don’t like the part you played. I was in love with you. I wanted to get married and have kids and build a life together. I thought we were on the same page but you corrected my assumptions, didn’t you? So, no, I don’t believe you when you say that it hurt you to leave me. And I find it insulting that you would even try to make me believe that lie.”

What could he say? He understood where she was coming from. If the shoe had been on the other foot—if she had done to him what he had done to her—there was nothing that she would’ve been able to say to change his mind. Would it help if he tried to apologize? She deserved at least that but he didn’t know how to formulate the words. “Jaci...I—” he began, but she shut him down quickly.

“Don’t. Whatever you have to say, I don’t want to hear. I just want to put all of this behind me and forget I ever met you. I was close to having closure when you burst back into my life. I don’t want to do this anymore. I don’t want to cry, I don’t want to wonder, I don’t want to think of what might’ve been. I just want to be free of you.”

Oh, God, that hurt. Nathan’s jaw tightened as he willed the pain away. She’d said her piece and he had to respect her for it. He understood her need for closure. And if that’s what she wanted from him, he’d give it to her. As soon as he knew she was safe, he would walk away and never bother her again. But until then, until he knew there was no one who wanted her dead, he would stick to her like glue. Anyone who wanted to hurt Jaci would have to go through him first. And he was one hell of a moving target with an even deadlier aim.

* * *

Damn him. How dare he try to rewrite history as if he hadn’t set in motion everything that had taken place. He wasn’t allowed to be hurt or express pain over their breakup because he was the one who had shattered her heart into a million pieces. He didn’t get the option of sharing his regret. And if that seemed unfair, so be it. She didn’t care.

She blinked back tears. No, she wouldn’t cry. She refused to be that weak, weeping woman who fell apart at the slightest sign of a crisis. She was stronger than that. At least she wanted to be. She had to be strong for Sonia. Her best friend had died for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. If Nathan thought he could figure out who was after her, then she had to let him try. But first, she needed a few things. “We need to stop by my apartment. I’m not going on the run wearing nothing but club clothes that smell like stale cigarettes and alcohol.” Not to mention blood splatter, Jaci thought, fighting the rise of nausea and grief. “And I want to know what happened to my friend. I don’t care who you have to call or what you have to do but I need answers. I need to know that my best friend is being taken care of.” Tears stung her eyes. “Do you understand? I need to know that Sonia was properly put to rest.”

Nathan didn’t look happy with her request but he seemed to understand her need for closure. “If you promise to stick to my side, as in no running off doing anything crazy or reckless, I’ll tell you what I know of what happened after we left the scene.”

She made a face. “You’re negotiating?”

“I’m securing your cooperation. Make your choice.”

She crossed her arms. “Fine. I agree to stick to your side like glue if you tell me what happened after you forced me to leave my best friend lying in a pool of her own blood,” she spat, hating him.

He scowled. “You mean after I saved your pretty head from sporting the same wound, which is what would’ve happened if we had stuck around a minute longer,” he corrected her sharply and she blinked back angry tears.

Why couldn’t someone else have been her savior? Anyone but him! She knew she owed him her life but she was fairly choking on the gratitude she was supposed to feel.

But then a fleeting expression of remorse passed over his features as he added, “Jaci...if I could have saved your friend, I would have.” And she knew she was being harsh.

She looked away, acknowledging. “I know,” she whispered but she could almost taste the bitterness in her tone. “I can’t believe she’s gone. She always had my back. Always. No matter what. She agreed to walk down that alley because I didn’t want anyone to see me throw up. She was the best friend a girl could ever want.”

He sighed. “I made some calls and your friend’s murder is currently on the desk of a detective who is known for closing cases. The nature of the case is enough to stir interest—young woman with no criminal record with a single bullet wound to the head—because it’s not as if she were connected to any kind of criminal element that might’ve put her there. Not to mention, the second body of the thug, which won’t make sense at all.”

“So, won’t the investigation lead to your organization at some point?”

“No. As far as the government is concerned, we don’t exist. The investigation will fall short of leads and eventually get thrown into the cold case file.”

Jaci stared, not happy with his explanation. “Sonia’s family deserves some kind of closure. Not knowing why their daughter died will kill them.”

“I’m sorry. I can’t do anything about that.”

“I don’t believe you.”

He held her accusatory stare. “In this, I have no reason to lie. If there was something I could do, I would. If it helps any, Sonia’s death was quick. She felt no pain.”

“It doesn’t,” she snapped, wiping at the tears that escaped to roll down her cheeks. “Nothing helps.”

“I know.”

“Do you?” Jaci’s shoulders bowed as another wave of pain rocked her body as Nathan watched. He didn’t have the right to gather her into his arms and hold her tightly, murmuring words of comfort against her hair, but for one second she wished he would ignore all that and just pull her to him. Jaci wiped away her tears, drawing a halting breath. “Thank you for at least making the call to find out,” she said grudgingly, but then added, “When this is all over, I will explain to Sonia’s parents what really happened. I won’t let them suffer for the rest of their days. It’s bad enough they lost their daughter.” Nathan opened his mouth, looking intent on shutting her down, but he let it ride. Some of the tension left her shoulders and she no longer felt as if someone’s hands were around her throat. She rolled her neck, ready to focus and said, “At some point you’re going to have to level with me. I have to know what’s going on.”

“When I feel it’s safe to share more information I will.”

She accepted his answer. She supposed that was the best she could get at the moment. Everything felt surreal. Was she really sitting in the passenger side of Nathan’s truck, running for her life? Twenty-four hours ago she’d been a normal girl, someone who dreamed of a home and family. Someone who dreamed of meeting the one person who would love her above all else.

After Nathan, she wasn’t sure that person existed. Well, that wasn’t entirely true. She’d been so positive that Nathan had been The One for her. She hadn’t wanted anyone else. She hadn’t been open to finding a replacement, either. All of the blind dates, endless dinners and soulless quickies that’d only satisfied a physical need but hadn’t come close to satisfying the emotional void that existed in her heart—they’d all been her desperate attempt to erase the one person who had done so much damage.

And now he was here again. Saving her life, supposedly. How did she know that he wasn’t simply a psycho who enjoyed playing with her mind and heart? There were people like that out there; she’d watched an episode of Law and Order where this guy pretended to be someone he wasn’t simply because he got off messing with other people’s lives.

Oh, God. Now she was considering conspiracy theories. Maybe she just needed food so she could start thinking rationally again. “I’m starving,” she announced. “Is food on your agenda today?”

“There was food back at the cabin.”

She fought the urge to stick her tongue out at him.

He sighed. “Yeah, we can pick up some food.”

Good. Apparently she didn’t need to remind him how peckish she became when her blood sugar plummeted. She thanked him with the tiniest pinch of gratitude necessary for his concession and returned her gaze to the dense forest surrounding them. He’d been right; she would’ve been lost and tumbling into a ravine if she’d struck out on her own. Damn. She hated how directionally challenged she was. Right about now she was wishing she’d paid more attention in school.

Silence filled the cab as neither seemed interested in attempting small talk. Not that she would’ve been capable of rambling on about nothing in particular. Her mind was a fractured landscape as her thoughts bounced from one thought to the other. Jaci didn’t know what was safe to think about, as each memory seemed suspect, or worse, painful.

Maybe she should’ve asked Nathan to drug her again. Blissful oblivion might’ve been a better option than this agonizing reality. She closed her eyes.

Please let this be over soon.

Chapter 5

“Hey man, what’s going on? It’s like the whole world’s been turned upside down and suddenly you’re the main characters in an Alias episode.”

Nathan edged past his friend George, not interested in having this conversation in the hallway. “What have you heard?” he asked, once George, a weapons expert who dabbled in conspiracy theories, closed the door and began the laborious process of flipping the intricate locking system he had in place. “What kind of chatter is there?”

George shook his head as he flopped into his swiveling chair that looked a lot like a throne encased in black leather, and immediately appeared distressed. “Something’s going down, man. Something big. When you told me to start nosing around I said, yeah, hey man, that’s cool. I don’t mind poking my nose where it don’t belong. But I think I’ve uncovered some serious shit. I’m talking movie-plot, James Cameron–grade, Hollywood-type espionage. Bourne-Identity—”

“I get the point,” Nathan interrupted, moving George along. “What’d you find?”

“You know that kill order you intercepted for your lady...”

“I’m not his lady,” Jaci corrected George stiffly, shooting Nathan a dark look. “We aren’t together. Haven’t been for two months.”

“Right. Whatever. Anyway, the kill order for your ex, well, it was supposed to go deeper than that.”

“What do you mean?” Jaci asked before Nathan could. “Deeper than what?”

“And that’s the question, isn’t it?” George replied with cryptic flair. He startled Jaci when he leaned forward suddenly but then eyed Nathan. “Whose cereal have you pissed in lately, ’cause this job was a twofer.”

“What are you talking about?” Nathan asked. “I saw the kill order—it was only for Jaci.”

“No, you saw the dummy order. The real order was a murder-suicide twofer. So, that makes me wonder, who the hell did you cheese off that they wanted you out of the way, and taking the blame for some heinous crime?”

“Good question,” Nathan agreed with a scowl. “Who indeed?”

“Are you telling me that someone in your own organization wants not only me, but you dead, too?” The incredulity in Jaci’s voice mirrored how Nathan felt, as well. The situation had soured more quickly than milk left out overnight in the heat of summer. “This is just fabulous. So, now, I’m not the only one with a price on my head for reasons unknown but the man who is supposed to protect me is also wanted dead by the very people who sign his paycheck. Fabulous. We’re so screwed.”

“Shut it down a minute, Jase,” Nathan warned, needing a minute to think things through. He looked to George. “Where did you find the real order?”

“I cashed in a few favors. I know a guy who knows a guy who heard some chatter in certain circles,” George answered, clearly proud of himself for digging up such a find. “But here’s the thing—my skills weren’t able to uncover where the order originated. Whoever created the order must be someone important because no one’s naming names if they want to live to see tomorrow. I know stuff like this happens in the movies, but in real life? Makes me glad I don’t trust no one and I’m armed to the teeth.”

“Focus, George,” Nathan muttered, thinking hard. “You might want to lay low for a while. You might be in danger, too, for poking around. Whoever buried this order isn’t going to be pleased that someone uncovered their dirty laundry. And if they have the skills to bury this order that deep, don’t you think they know how to follow your trail right to your padlocked door?”

George sobered and sat straighter, his gaze suddenly serious. “I didn’t think of that. Aw, man, I don’t want to move. Do you know how hard it was to find this apartment in a rent-controlled area?”

“George, you live in a run-down apartment building that was built in the ’50s. Let’s get real.”

“Yeah, but my neighbors don’t bug me and they mind their own business. You can’t put a price on that.”

“You can’t put a price on breathing, either,” Nathan pointed out dryly.

“Good point. I’ll keep my eyes open.”

“Anything else I should know?”

“Just that you might very well be screwed,” George admitted with a chagrined expression. “That sucks, dude. I wish I had better news. So what’s your plan? Leaving the country?”

“Leave the country?” Jaci gasped. “I can’t leave the country. I have a life here in this country. I have a job...I have...well, reasons to stick around like plans for the future and stuff like that.”

“Good luck with that,” George retorted. “The guy they sent after you? There’s more where he came from.”

“Who the hell do you work for?” Jaci stared in horror at Nathan. “The Mafia?”

“Worse,” he answered. “The government.” He dug into his pocket and pulled a few hundreds free and tossed them to George. “For your trouble. You didn’t see us and you haven’t heard from me, either.”

“No problemo, mi amigo,” George said, scooping up the cash. “Seriously though, dude. Watch your back. Someone’s gunning for you big time.”

“Thanks.”

George let them out and then as the locks slid back into place, Nathan and Jaci booked it for the truck. He’d been uncomfortable being out in the open before, but now he felt downright suicidal walking around in the light of day knowing a sniper could have them in his sights at any minute.

Hell, the situation just went from bad to worse.

Jaci was going to freak.

* * *

“A framed murder-suicide? Does that actually happen in real life? I mean, that’s a movie plot, not something that happens to real people who live normal lives with regular jobs like me. I’ve never even fudged my taxes before. Lots of people do it but not me—I’m terrified of being audited so I walk the line and give away gobs of potential write-offs because I don’t want to take the chance and now I have a killer, sanctioned by the freaking government, who wants me dead. Am I the only one who finds this remotely crazy to even consider as a possibility?”

Nathan shot her a look but otherwise didn’t respond to her frantic rambling, which only spurred her to ramble more as her panic hit a crescendo.

“What are we supposed to do? Pack up our lives and go on the run, changing our names every few months, living in rat-infested apartments so we can go off the grid? I don’t want to live like that. I can’t live like that. I can barely remember my social security number, much less a new identity every few months. I’d trip up and inadvertently give out the wrong information and probably get us killed! Oh, God. We’re living on borrowed time, aren’t we? Unbelievable. I was a good girl! I was honest and kind and compassionate. I donated to animal shelters and even adopted a village in Kenya because I read that five dollars a day could provide clean drinking water for an entire village and now...? I’m being hunted like a dog! Whatever happened to good karma? Surely I’ve banked a little by now!”

“Jaci!”

“What?”

“Take a deep breath and shut up for a second. I will not let anything happen to you. I promise,” Nathan assured her, gripping her chin and forcing her to look at him. If she hadn’t been bordering on a nervous breakdown, she would’ve slapped his hand away, but as it was she was trembling on the edge and needed someone to take charge and tell her it was going to be all right even if it was total crap. “I’m going to figure out what the hell is going on and I’m going to stop whoever is trying to kill us both. In the meantime, we’re going to hole up and lay low. Okay?”

She jerked a short nod as her eyes filled. “I don’t want to die,” she whispered.

“I don’t want to die, either,” he said, his mouth twisting in a subtle grin that did something undesirable to her insides. “Who says we never had anything in common?”

She wiped at her eyes. “Not funny.”

“Too soon?”

“Way too soon.” She pulled away. “So I’m guessing a trip to my apartment is out of the question.”

“It’s the first place they’ll expect you to go. Sorry. You’ll have to make do with what we can find at the cabin.”

“Fine.” She glanced down at her dirty skirt. “I can always hand wash what I’m wearing.”

Nathan eyed her skirt with open distaste and she bristled just a little. “You don’t have to look at me if I’m so offensive to your sensibilities.” She winced privately at the memory of his mocking her when he’d broken her heart. He’d had plenty to say about her long, coltlike legs. For the first time ever, he’d made her feel as if having long legs wasn’t something to be desired. She pulled at her skirt, trying to cover herself better.

“You’re not offending me,” he admitted, but his gaze said otherwise as it seemed he couldn’t bear to let his stare drift to her bare legs.

“Good, because I don’t really care what you think anyway,” she snapped before she could help herself. Okay, take a deep breath. Like it or not, Nathan was all that stood between her and some crazy person’s agenda, which included her death. “I’m sorry,” she amended. “My nerves are a bit jangled and I’m not myself. I’m not going to lie and say that I don’t have some unresolved issues about the way we broke up but I know that’s not important right now. I’m trying desperately to hold on to the big picture, but let’s just say that I’m not as emotionally mature as I’d like to be under the circumstances.”

“No need to apologize,” he said gruffly. “I get it.”

A man of many words. She bit her tongue to keep from snapping again. Here she was trying to be the bigger person and he was uttering small quips and sound bites. Would it kill him to express a deeper thought? Particularly when they were facing mortal peril? What if this was their last possible chance to share their feelings?

What feelings? A nasty voice reminded her. Nathan Isaacs wasn’t human. She settled her thoughts firmly before she completely lost control of her mouth again. Neither of them were overjoyed at being in forced proximity but both enjoyed breathing so they’d just have to make the best of things. She could handle being around Nathan for a short time, right? She’d just have to wrap her brain around the fact that he was her protector, not her ex-lover who broke her spirit and heart in one fell swoop.

And she’d also have to ignore the memories of what it felt like to be beneath all that straining muscle, clutching at each other like love-drunk monkeys.

Yeah, piece of cake.

Chapter 6

Nathan didn’t trust a silent woman—particularly one who had a history of being chatty. They’d returned to the cabin and Jaci had started to search for alternate clothing but the subtle frown etched on her brow told him her thoughts were elsewhere. Should he try and talk to her? Did she need to vent or something? The thing about being an assassin was that no one had ever accused him of being warm and sensitive. He pulled triggers for a living; he didn’t do touchy-feely unless it was of the naked variety.

Yet he felt compelled to do something that might help Jaci get through this terrible predicament. “Do you want to talk?” he ventured, almost cringing.

“No.”

Thank God. No, wait. “Jaci, I know this is a stressful thing but we’re going to be all right.”

“Please don’t patronize me,” she said in exasperation as she dropped an ugly oversize sweater that looked like a reject from the ’70s. “I know we’re in serious trouble. I’m trying to deal with it the best way that I can and in the meantime, I’m trying to find clothing that doesn’t look like something used as a costume for a community-theater melodrama. Who lived here? There’s not a single article of clothing that isn’t terribly dated or four times too big.”

“I don’t know. I bought it a long time ago when I thought I’d need a safe house or a place to decompress. I’ve only been here a few times over the years, mostly between missions. The clothes I picked up at the local thrift store to make it look as if someone lives here. If someone were to peek through the windows, they’d see a lived-in place, which is a deterrent to anyone who might want to try and squat in a vacant house.”

“There are no other human beings on this mountain. The only squatters you need to worry about are the bears and I don’t think they’re going to care if there are clothes in the closet.” She sighed and surveyed the pile of rejects. “I’m sorry but there’s nothing here that even fits. If we don’t find a way to get some clothes, I’m going to end up running around in my bra and panties the whole time.”

His mind blanked at the idea and he nearly groaned out loud. Good God. He couldn’t let that happen. If he saw Jaci in nothing but her skivvies, he was likely to throw her down and bury himself inside that gorgeous body of hers—definitely a bad idea. He must have grimaced for Jaci sent him a hard scowl as she said, “Don’t worry. I’ll drape myself in a plastic tarp before I subject your poor eyeballs to my naked body. I do recall how disgusted you were with what I have to offer.”

Ah, hell. If only she knew the truth. “I don’t need distractions,” he said instead, which only made her angrier and he cursed himself for being a clumsy clod when it came to saying the right thing. She stiffened and lifted her chin, her eyes glittering, and he knew she was about to tear him a new one so he cut her off before she could begin. “Jaci, before you get started...I’m going to say this and then leave it be. If you start prancing around in nothing but your skin, I can’t promise that I will keep my hands to myself. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a woman beneath me and you’ll do just fine. You getting me?”

She rolled her eyes. “So you’re saying that you’re desperate enough to find me attractive? Gee, thanks.”

Hell, that’s not what he meant at all. He dreamed of holding Jaci in his arms again. He got hard just thinking of the times he’d been lucky enough to have had the privilege of peeling her clothes from her lush body. But he couldn’t keep her safe if he didn’t keep his head on a swivel and that trumped his baser needs. “Yeah, that’s what I’m saying.”

“You’re a jerk.”

“Yeah, well, I’ve been called worse.”

“If my life weren’t in danger and you weren’t the one person watching out for me, I’d push you in front of a bus.”

Nathan watched as she turned on her heel and ran to the bedroom, slamming the door behind her. He squeezed his eyes shut and rubbed his temples as a tension headache threatened to burst his brain. How was he going to survive being cooped up with that woman for longer than a day or two? Too bad the Geneva Conventions didn’t have a clause about forcing former lovers into close proximity for extended periods of time.

Particularly if the female is a fiery, temperamental redhead with a body that makes a man’s teeth clench and his pants tight.

Surely that had to be inhumane.

* * *

Jerk. Jerk. Jerk.

That was Nathan Isaacs’s middle name. In fact, it was probably typed on his birth certificate. She wasn’t ugly or hard on the eyes. Plenty of men had assured her that she was pretty, not that she’d gone looking for compliments—well, maybe just a little. She could admit that her self-esteem had taken a beating after Nathan had dumped her.

And now he was messing with her again.

As if she’d even invite him into her bed again after how he’d treated her. Not a chance. The idea of allowing Nathan to touch even one inch of her skin made her want to retch. If the earth depended on her having a rematch of cuddle time with Nathan, the human race would go extinct because he didn’t deserve to sniff her hair much less rub up against her in any way.

But if she was so abhorrent to him, why did his eyes glaze over at the thought of her running around naked? She was a little rusty in interpreting Nathan’s expressions but she could’ve sworn she’d seen lust reflecting in his stare. But that couldn’t be right because when they’d broken up, he’d plainly stated he was no longer attracted to her. Had he lied? Why would he? Was she grasping at straws in the hopes of salvaging some shred of dignity or pride? Probably. She flopped down on the bed and stared at the ceiling. Exhaustion was setting in. Her brain was scrambled and she was clearly not operating on all four cylinders because if she were, she wouldn’t be trying to make sense out of the actions of a man she’d never truly known. Her eyelids dragged and she allowed them to close. Sleep was good. Maybe when she woke up, things would be clearer.

Maybe when she woke up she’d discover that none of this had happened. She’d open her eyes and find herself back at her apartment, back to her regular life where no one was trying to kill her and her best friend Sonia was texting her to not forget the tortilla chips and salsa for Margarita Girls’ Night In.

Maybe.

Hopefully.

* * *

Nathan opened his laptop and attached his remote Hotspot to enable the internet connection. Within seconds his email popped up with an urgent message from his director, Tom Wyatt. The text was simple. Worried. Come talk.

Nathan knew he could trust Tom but he didn’t want to put anyone else at risk until he knew what he was dealing with. He typed a quick reply, Will be in touch, and hit Send. He needed more information before he went to Tom with evidence that someone was dirty inside their tight-knit department. The problem? Nathan didn’t know where to start.

How was he supposed to figure out who had it out for him if he didn’t know where to start looking? Perhaps the dead guy could lend a clue. It had been dark so getting a good look at his mug had been impossible but Nathan had a few contacts he could tap in the coroner’s office for an ID. He couldn’t risk a phone call—he didn’t know how secure the lines were—so that meant he’d have to make a trip back down the mountain to the coroner’s office. He hated the idea of venturing into the open again but his back was up against the wall. Besides, he supposed he couldn’t put off another trip for too much longer. Otherwise he ran the risk of Jaci prancing around in nothing but her skin and while he might’ve talked a good game, it wouldn’t take much to tear apart his defenses when it came to seeing Jaci naked.

As if on cue, an erection began to grow behind his zipper. Just the idea of seeing Jaci in her birthday suit was enough to get his motor running. No! He was not about to mess with Jaci like that. He’d broken her heart on purpose and he wasn’t going to negate all that heartache just to get his rocks off.

He ought to clear the air with Jaci, just so there weren’t hard feelings between them—or at the very least, no new hard feelings—but as he headed toward the bedroom, he suffered the distinct feeling that he was about to enter the lion’s den.

However, as he pushed the door open slowly, he was surprised to see Jaci crashed out, sleeping hard. He didn’t blame her. Emotional fatigue was tough to run from. Grief, confusion and adrenaline made for a tumultuous emotional cocktail and eventually, the body just shut down to catch up. Jaci was sprawled across the bed, her position catching him in a tight spot between longing and too many memories.

“You’re ticklish,” Jaci said with a surprised giggle as a memory popped loose from his mental cache. They’d spent the afternoon in bed at a small bed-and-breakfast he’d found on the northern coast. There’d been no phone, no cable and no internet access—and it had been heaven. The weekend had been filled with sex, food and more sex with a shower or two thrown in to rinse off their activities so they could start fresh. And Jaci had discovered, quite by accident, his tickle spot right below his rib cage.

“No tickling,” he’d said with mock seriousness as he flipped her onto her back. “Otherwise, I’ll have to reciprocate and I know you’re ticklish all over.”

“I can’t help that my skin is sensitive,” she’d said with a playful grin. “Every little touch is like a sensory smorgasbord.”

“Hmm... A smorgasbord... An all-you-can-eat buffet with Jaci on the menu... Sounds like my kind of place,” he had murmured as he dipped lower to kiss the soft skin of her belly. The skin, fair and unblemished, was unlike any he’d ever seen. Her legs went on for miles and her breasts were full and high, almost more perfect than any natural breasts he’d ever seen. He had moved a little lower, lightly grazing the sensitive skin above her feminine folds with the stubble on his chin. “How about here?” She’d squealed in response and he’d grinned. “Or here?” He’d traveled to her inner thigh and sucked a tiny spot of flesh into his mouth. She had nearly rocketed off the bed, gasping.

“I give! I give! No more,” she had begged but Nathan had begun to see the allure of tickling and wanted to tease her just a bit more. He’d spent the next forty-five minutes discovering all the places that made Jaci tremble and moan.

He exhaled softly and shook off the memory. He hated knowing that other men had touched her intimately since they’d broken up. Intellectually he’d known that a woman as striking as Jaci wouldn’t stay lonely long but emotionally it tore him up to know that other men had been with her.

God, he missed her. He couldn’t admit it out loud but he could admit it in the privacy of his mind. He missed everything about her. Hell, he even missed the sound of her off-key notes bouncing off the shower walls as she murdered every popular song on the radio. But mostly he missed the quiet evenings alone where they did their own thing but still managed to feel connected. It’d been in those moments when he’d felt normal—as if they were simply like any couple on the block who hosted backyard barbecues and pool parties with friends and argued about where to put the ugly art she seemed to enjoy or the tacky beer signs he favored. What a cruel joke fate had pulled on them both.

Nathan pushed away from the door and closed it behind him. He’d left Jaci to keep her safe. Even if it cost him his life, he’d make sure that no harm ever came to her. Whether she wanted it or not, that was his promise to her.

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