Chapter 10
CHAPTER 10
Y ou don’t belong in my world.
What kind of lame rejection was that?
Okay, so his reasoning wasn’t lame. It was realistic. Lana’s hands shook as she searched the cupboards for plates. He shouldn’t have this effect on her. All it took was one suggestive look from him and her stomach tied up in knots. He’d seen her attraction, read her like a damn open book. And he had a lot of nerve pointing it out.
Her stir of interest in him unnerved her. But it wasn’t attraction, just hormones and adrenaline. He would be out of her life in a day or two when all this was over, and she would never hear from him again.
Besides, men sucked. Her last boyfriend had been back in college. And although now, at twenty-six, there had been many other possible suitors, none had sparked her interest.
Except Cal.
What was wrong with her? Was she craving a walk on the wild side or something? Intrigued and allured by his dangerous and sexy disposition? Probably. It had been almost three years since she’d last had sex. That would muddle anyone’s judgment. The fact that someone wanted to kill her was messing with her mind too. Dread bubbled in her stomach like bile. Fixing food kept her hands and mind busy. Not busy enough, though. Her mind raced, trying to piece together something—anything. A reason, a motive, an enemy…but she had nothing.
Being in the spotlight had its curse. People were envious of the rich and famous, sometimes enough to do drastic things. She stayed active in the community and raised money for numerous causes. Her platform, ironically, was battered women and children.
Aside from that, she worked. She wasn’t just a socialite who shopped all day and dressed like a Barbie doll. She put in full-time hours and then some at her dad’s office. He’d always insisted she be well educated and work hard. It didn’t have to be in his business, but that was where she’d found her fit.
It was challenging, being a billionaire’s daughter. People treated her differently everywhere she went—at work and in her personal life. How in the world was she supposed to single out one individual who would have a reason to want to kill her?
She pulled open the refrigerator. Avocado, alfalfa sprouts, spinach, tomato, cheese, and lettuce.
Huh.
Not what she had expected. The sugar fiend did eat well. She took everything out, including the package of lunch meat and condiments, and began to fix a sandwich. The water still ran in the bathroom. Surely he was just as hungry. She took out another plate and a couple extra pieces of bread to fix him one too.
The pipes rattled in the wall. He’d shut off the water. A lump lodged in her throat.
Lord, please don’t let him come out in a towel…
The mental image of those rock-hard muscles moist and wet made her mouth salivate.
The door opened, and he emerged in a T-shirt and a pair of jeans. He went to the dining room table and picked his phone up. Her eyes fell to his tattoos. She couldn’t make out the words written across his skin in thick gothic writing.
“Nate, what’s up, bro?” He paced around the small cabin as he spoke. Lana busied herself finishing the sandwiches, then remembered the clothes Cal had put in the wash. She set the plates on the table, then switched the clothes to the dryer. It would be a relief to get her own pants on. Pulling out a chair, she sat and began to eat. She wished she had a bra to wear. The oversized sweatshirt covered her well, but it was unnerving that beneath it she was naked.
Cal crossed the room again and sat at the table. “When does his flight get in?” He paused. “No, that’s fine. It’s late in the day now, anyway. I wouldn’t mind resting before making the drive back in. We’ll meet up tomorrow.” He disconnected.
His eyes landed on her just as her mouth closed around a large bite. A smile touched his mouth, making small crinkles around his eyes. “You didn’t have to make me one, but thank you.”
She tried to swallow the lump of food, but spoke over the mouthful. “No problem.” She swallowed and chased the bite with a drink of water.
“Was that the FBI agent you know?”
“Nate? Yeah.” He took a bite of the sandwich. “Ethan is another friend. You’ll meet him soon. He’s flying in from Vegas. His flight was delayed, so he won’t land until late tonight.”
“What’s your big plan?” She watched him carefully as she took another bite.
He shrugged. “I plan on paying Stamos a visit with some backup, beating the shit out of him until he tells me who hired him. Pretty simple.”
She swallowed hard. He spoke so casually, as if such a thing didn’t bother him in the least. Cal’s thick, massive fists could do a lot of damage.
“Great sandwich.” He stood, went to the kitchen, and started making another one.
She patted her mouth with a napkin. “Will that work? Beating him up?”
Cal grinned at her. “I can be very persuading.” His arm flexed as he piled on his toppings.
She shifted in her chair. She had never witnessed a fight, and violence didn’t sit well with her. “I don’t think I’d be able to watch that.”
“Don’t worry, you’ll be right here.”
She swung around to face him. “Here? You mean at the cabin?”
“’Course. There’s no way I would bring you along. You never know what could happen.” He came back to the table and dove into his food. “You can’t leave me here. I’m coming with you.”
“Not happening, babe.” He wiped his mouth while he chewed. “Ethan is driving here in the morning and staying with you. I’m driving in to meet Nate and get to the bottom of this.”
Her heart thumped at the endearment that fell so easily from his lips. But who did he think he was? He couldn’t just leave her with a damn babysitter. She had every right to know who was behind this. She glared at him through squinted eyes. “Don’t call me that.”
He winked at her. Her blood simmered.
“I’m coming with you, whether you like it or not. I’m not a child, and I won’t be left here twiddling my thumbs with a babysitter.”
“Lana, it’s dangerous. I’m trying to keep you safe, that’s the whole objective to this. If you’re with me, it will be that much harder for me to protect you. Trust me, okay?” His voice was gentle, pleading.
“I won’t be breathing down your neck or glued to your side, but I am not staying here.”
He crossed his arms on a long sigh. “Does everything have to be so difficult with you?” His tone was irritated, but his eyes sparked with amusement.
She’d won.
She smiled and cleared the table.
“I sing in the car, just so you know.”
***
“It doesn’t make sense for you to sleep in the La-Z-Boy. I’m a lot smaller than you. You take the bed.” Lana hovered by Cal as he arranged the logs in the fireplace.
The expansive view of his shoulders crowded her vision as he crouched down. He straightened and turned to snag one of the pillows off of the bed. They had discovered that the futon mattress was still damp, and the chair was the only other option besides the bed.
“I can sleep anywhere,” he said as he pushed the La-Z-Boy closer to the fire. “This is perfect.”
She crossed her arms tightly over her chest. He acted as if she had cooties or that she would sexually assault him if he came near her.
“Fine.” He could toss and turn in the chair if he wanted. She had a king-sized bed all to herself. Only she wouldn’t have the warmth and comfort that she’d had last night from Cal’s body.
She climbed into bed and pulled the covers up to her chin. Cal had found a blanket in one of the closets and settled in the chair. He looked ridiculous. His feet hung off the edge, and no matter which way he shifted, his body folded in an awkward position.
He would be sore tomorrow. She closed her eyes and tried to let the gentle roar of the ocean lull her to sleep.
An hour passed and she was still wide awake. Her thoughts churned like the brewing ocean outside. She wasn’t safe anymore. That was obvious, but after this, how could she possibly go back to her “normal” life? Okay, her life was far from normal, but it was hers, and at the very least, she hadn’t been worried that someone was going to jump out and kill her at any moment. Now she was. Did her family even know she was missing yet? Her father and Grace wouldn’t return for another couple of days. No one would miss her until she didn’t show up for work tomorrow. Even then, she doubted anyone would be concerned enough to bother her father about her absence while he was on a business trip.
Cal’s flirtatious smile filled her mind’s eye. What was the matter with her? He’d kidnapped her, for God’s sake, and yet her stomach did flip-flops with every glance from him.
The chair squeaked for the thousandth time as he tried to get comfortable. She huffed. “Would you just get in the bed? I can’t sleep with all the moving around you’re doing over there. I won’t bite, I promise. This bed is big enough for the both of us to have some distance.”
He was silent. Shit. Did she sound that desperate? Her pulse thumped in her throat.
Stupid, stupid, stupid.
“Sorry, I’ll be quieter.” His voice was gruff and sleepy.
Tears stung her eyes. She shouldn’t be upset. She didn’t even know him. He was a stranger to her—a dangerous one. His distance was for the best.
***
The warm, tantalizing scent of coffee drew her out of her sleepy haze. She had tossed and turned all night, her mind spinning over who could want her dead. And on top of that, a tingling sensation that demanded release. A release she wouldn’t get until she was far away from Cal and alone.
“We’ve had a change of plans.” Cal’s voice made her eyes pop open. He was on the phone in the kitchen, freshly showered, shaved, and dressed. “We’ll both be coming back to the city. Lana will stay with Ethan at my house, while you and I doing some investigating.” He paused, listening to the speaker, whom she assumed to be Nate. “Yeah, I know. We’ll just roll with it, though.”
She threw back the covers, sat, and stretched her arms above her head as she rested on the edge of the bed. Cal’s eyes found her as he sipped his coffee, the phone pressed to his ear. His Adam’s apple bobbed, and he turned his back when the toaster popped. She’d removed the bulky sweater in the night when the fire had gotten the room toasty. The air in the room was brisk now that the fire was out, and the sun was just coming up, its rays streaming into the window. She wore only a thin white T-shirt of Cal’s, and the cool air chilled her skin. She snagged the sweater off the end of the bed and tugged it on.
Her toes touched the floor first, turning them to ice.
“Coffee is ready,” he called from the kitchen. “I made some toast and we have fruit. We can grab something more substantial on the way.”
“How far are we from the city?” It hadn’t even occurred to her to ask where they were.
“Under two hours. We’re just outside of Mount Vernon.” He turned to face her again. “We’ll meet Nate and Ethan at my house, and Ethan will stay there with you.”
She shuffled across the room and met him at the table. He handed her a mug while she sat. She’d grown up in Seattle her whole life, but had only been to Mount Vernon a handful of times.
“That’s the best compromise you’ll get, so don’t push it.” His eyes were warm and not as distant as last night.
She smiled as she accepted the cup. “Fine, but I can’t wear your clothes anymore. I need something else.”
He placed a plate with half a dozen pieces of toast and a plastic container of precut fruit on the table.
“No problem, we can stop somewhere on the way.” He polished off a piece of toast in three bites. She nibbled on the crust of one.
“We can’t risk going to the mall. It’s Monday, and by now, someone could have discovered you’re missing. It won’t be long before your face is plastered all over the news.”
She swallowed hard. A wave of nausea roiled in her stomach. The harsh reality slowed her breath.
“You okay?” Cal watched her closely, his eyes heavy with concern.
“I’m fine. I’ll take anything that will fit.”
He nodded. “If you want to shower before we go, hurry up. I want to get on the road before people are out looking for you.”
“If it’s okay, I’ll just shower at your house once I have fresh clothes.”
“Fine with me. We can leave after we get packed up.”
They packed up the food that was left over and the rest of their belongings. Cal knelt at the floor in front of his duffel bag. He pulled a black object from it and slipped it into the waistband at the small of his back.
A gun.
Her breath sucked in.
“Sorry, you’re probably not used to seeing these.” He stood and lifted the bag to his shoulder. “I always have one on me. But don’t worry, the safety is on, okay?”
Of course, he would have a gun. It made sense, but the fact that he needed one sent a tremor down her spine. She nodded.
They stopped at a boutique on the way back to the city. Cal had thought it would be best if they avoided shopping where someone could spot her. She picked out some leggings and long-sleeved shirts, and when Cal wasn’t looking, a couple of bras and panties. Cal insisted she buy a few extra outfits in case it took longer than planned to get her life back on track. Her feet were bare, but thankfully the store was empty. She grabbed a simple pair of black flats and met him at the line of registers.
Without hesitation, he pulled out cash and paid for her purchases. “I’ll pay you back as soon as I have access to money.”
He took the bags from her fingers as they left the store. “Don’t be ridiculous. I’m not hurting for money.” He tossed her bags in the back seat, then opened the passenger door for her. The gesture came without hesitation. Her eyes landed on his. “Hop in.”
“I didn’t expect chivalry from you.” She hadn’t meant it as an insult, but it sounded that way.
His eyes clouded, but his smile didn’t fade. Separate worlds. They were from separate worlds. “Glad I could surprise you.” He waved at her again. “Let’s go.”
He closed the door and came around to the driver’s side as she buckled up. “What led you to become a freelance security contractor?” She asked as he started the truck and pulled out onto the street. The words rolled over her tongue, unfamiliar to her idea of careers. The title itself was complicated and gave nothing away to indicate what he claimed to do.
His hand held loosely to the top of the steering wheel, his right hand resting on the console. “I was in the military, and then I advanced to recon. I was good, and when I learned I could contract myself out, that seemed like the right fit for me.”
He made it sound so simple. “What do you do, exactly?”
“I take jobs and assignments that are sometimes organized by the government, sometimes private requests. In some cases, it has me out of the country and in very dangerous situations.”
She couldn’t imagine that kind of life. His life was so strange, almost like an alien’s. Her hands fumbled in her lap. She wanted to keep the conversation moving and she needed the distraction. No matter how hard she tried not to think about it, it surged from her subconscious. Someone wanted to kill her. Two nights ago, she could have been dead.
His fingers went to the cruise control. He eased his foot off the pedal and stretched out his long, jeans-clad legs. She let her eyes trail down his body, and her gaze stopped on the bulge at the front of his pants. Her pulse hitched.
Cal cleared his throat, loud and deliberate. Her eyes shot to his face.
He was grinning.
She bit her lip and turned to look out the front window. Her cheeks burned. But not nearly as bad as the fire that had started in her belly.
“I’ve tried to be selective about the jobs I take. I’m getting older and don’t have the same mind-set I used to have.”
She turned back to look at him. “How old are you?” He didn’t look older.
His skin was nicely tanned, his body beyond fit and toned.
“Thirty-two. Don’t get me wrong, I love what I do, but I don’t want to die doing it.”
“Don’t you want to have kids? Get married someday?”
He kept his eyes on the road, but his mouth twitched fondly. “I’d love a couple of kids, but I would never subject a wife and a family to my lifestyle. It wouldn’t be fair.”
“You just said you wanted to slow down.”
“Slow down, not retire.”
“You’re giving up so much of your life for your career.” She bit her lip after the words left her mouth. “I’m sorry, it’s really none of my business.” She folded her legs in the seat, getting comfortable. He pulled onto the highway.
“Don’t be. Maybe one day I’ll retire, buy a farm or start my own business. For now, I like the bachelor life.”
Aha. He was single. A thrill raced through her. Hope expanded in her chest.
“How have you stayed single since college? I find that hard to believe.”
She twisted in her seat. Her hands locked in her lap. “It’s simple. I haven’t found anyone that I wanted to date seriously. I, too, enjoy being single.”
Cal laughed.
She narrowed her eyes at him. “What’s funny about that?” He shook his head, his lips tight. “Nothing—nothing at all.”
She pinched his forearm. “Tell me, don’t back down.” He caught her hand as he twisted out of her reach. His hand covered hers, those long, strong fingers dark against her pale ones.
He let go.
“It’s just that your idea of a single life is very different from mine.”
She folded her arms in front of her chest. “How so?”
“I still have sex. A lot of sex.”
She pursed her lips. Yeah, big difference. No wonder he’d thought it so funny. “Oh. Well, that’s nice for you, I guess.”
He laughed again. “I’d like to think I’m not the only one who enjoys it.” He slanted a salacious grin at her. Her toes curled. “You’re turning red.” He reached over and tugged a lock of her hair. She leaned out of his reach.
“Just keep your eyes on the road.”
He pinched her knee between his thumb and forefinger, then moved his hand back to the console. She couldn’t talk about sex with him. It made her picture it. In her experience, sex hadn’t been phenomenal. But with Cal…the fantasy made her nerve endings tingle.
They were quiet the rest of the drive. It was early afternoon by the time they made it through traffic and to the west end of Seattle. The sun set low over the mountains, its golden rays scattered across the sky, beyond the heavy clouds. He turned into an older neighborhood along the coast of Elliott Bay. She loved this area. But she hadn’t envisioned Cal living here. A lot of the homes were old, historical even.
He turned down a long driveway that led to a sprawling rancher. He’d done a nice job with the landscaping, though it was a little overgrown in some areas. Likely a by-product of his busy career.
“This is beautiful. How long have you lived here?”
He pulled into the first bay of the three-car garage and turned off the engine. “I bought the house about five years ago. It was built in the seventies.”
She got out of the truck while he got her shopping bags from the back seat. He paused to insert a key into the access door to the house and swung it open.
“I did a complete remodel,” he continued. “Just finished it last year.” He switched on the hall light that brought them to a walk-through butler’s pantry, and exited in the kitchen. She trailed behind him, admiring the cool travertine tile that transitioned to hardwood once they reached the kitchen. He flipped on more lights.
“Sonofabitch,” he growled.
She looked up. “Oh my God.” A gasp sounded from her throat. She covered her mouth with her hand. The house was trashed. Kitchen cupboards hung off their hinges, and shattered dishes littered the counter and floors. The fridge and freezer doors were wide open. Water lay in puddles on the gorgeous hardwoods. The open-concept living room was in shambles. The stuffing from the couch cushion looked like popcorn had exploded around the room. Holes littered the walls like the end of a baseball bat had been shoved through them.
He stormed through the main area, taking in the damage.
“W–who would do this?” Her fingers trailed along the crisp white quartz counters. Before the intruders, the home would have been gorgeous. Cal rubbed a hand over his head. The muscles in his jaw worked.
“They must have found out I never completed the job.” A vein bulged and pulsated in his throat. He didn’t say it specifically, but they had come here and destroyed his home because she was still alive. Had they been looking for him? Or her?
He dropped her shopping bag on the floor next to the couch. “Come here. I want to look around, and they could come back.”
She came to his side and rested her hand on his arm. His bicep flexed beneath her touch.
“I’m so sorry, Cal.”
He shook his head. “It’s not your fault.” His hand fell to the back of her neck. “Come on, stay close.” His fingers closed around hers as he led her down the extra-wide hallway. Artwork that hung on the walls had thick slash marks through them, broken pieces of glass from a tall mirror at the end of the hall scattered the floor. The only thing that hadn’t been destroyed was the hardwood floors.
He stopped in his tracks. Her nose bumped into his shoulder blade. “There’s glass everywhere.” He turned and scooped her up in his arms.
“I can step around it,” she protested. He ignored her and skirted around the glass. When they were safely in the master bedroom—his room—he set her back on her feet. The intruders hadn’t spared his personal space. Clothes scattered the floor, a dresser lay on its side on the floor, and a large chunk had been taken out of the wall. The massive California-king mattress lay flipped over against the far wall.
“Why would they do this?”
He paced around the room, into the master bath and out. His hands balled into tight fists at his sides. “They were looking for the money.”
“Money? What money?”
Thump, thump, thump!
Cal jerked his head up. “Someone’s here.” He pulled her farther into the room, his hands firm on her shoulders. “Stay here and don’t come out until I come and get you.”
Her breath sucked in. She nodded. “Lock the door.”
He shut the door behind him. Her hands shook as she clicked the lock. She backed away from the door, her eyes riveted to the solid steel device.
He had a dead bolt on his bedroom door.