Chapter 9
Heavy footsteps follow me into the van and slam the door behind me. Before I can make a game plan for how to escape, a light bursts through the darkness and I’m momentarily blinded. But it wields no power over my mouth.
“Release me before I drop-kick you to the furthest planet. I hear the temperature on Pluto is…” My words die off when I register the man squatting in front of me.
It’s the detective. “You know Pluto’s not a planet anymore, right?”
“You shut your dirty rotten face.” I glare at him.
He shoots me a smug smile then stands.
It’s at this point that I notice the walls of the van.
The interior is completely black, except for one section which is made up almost entirely of screens. The opposite side holds a variety of weapons. A lot of weapons. Is he going to kill me? I don’t know how the government works behind the scenes, but I wouldn’t put it past them. Then again, he never said he was a cop. In fact, he said he wasn’t, even though he was armed with deadly weapons. His gun and his kisses.
He’s a spy.
No, an assassin sent to kill me. If I wasn’t terrified, I’d ask for an autograph. How many times in my life will I meet a real assassin?
The door to the van opens and I look over my shoulder in time to see a woman sneak inside. It’s her. The waitress who walked me to my car the night I kissed this man. Of course, she’s in on it. I knew she was trying to get rid of me.
“You.” I point at her. “You lied to me.”
Her laugh startles me. But until I know if my fate is at the bottom of a river or not, I refuse to join in. Laughing in the face of someone’s demise is something only a lunatic would do.
“That’s Special Agent Serena Cruz,” says the man, the one I’ve been trying very hard not to look at because every time I do I say or do something stupid. “And I’m Special Agent Caleb Harris.”
Caleb. Finally, a name I can fit to the man, and use as a curse behind his back.
“But you can call me The Rock if you prefer.” There’s a devilish smile on his very attractive face and I want to wring his neck.
“I’ll call you whatever I please until you release me from these chains,” I say.
He arches a brow. “I didn’t tie you up.”
“Then why do I feel trapped?”
He shakes his head. “Look, we need to talk about your date.”
I blink. “Excuse me? You can’t rattle off fake names and assume I have any clue what you’re talking about and what you want from me. You kidnapped me! Who are you really? Government assassins?” I stand from the floor of the van where he left me like yesterday’s groceries.
That spark I used to feel toward this man has turned into a raging inferno. If he doesn’t kill me, I will kill him. With my bare hands like a scorned ex-wife.
“We didn’t kidnap you,” he says. “We simply…relocated you. From the parking lot to our van.”
“Says every kidnapper ever! What’s next? Will you be relocating me to an early grave? I demand to dig my own grave, you won’t force me to share my final resting spot with a—”
“Amelia,” he cuts me off with a tender tone and takes a step forward, gently grabbing my elbow. I try not to feel anything from his touch. But I feel it all. And I’m angry at myself for melting into his warmth.
“I apologize for not explaining better,” he says, leading me to a chair in front of the computer screens.
I keep my glare aimed at him the whole time. But his green eyes make it hard to stay mad. They’ve got to be the closest to emerald that I’ve ever seen. I wonder if they get lighter in the sun? Even if I could stay mad at his eyes, I’d never be angry with his muscles. The man has so many trying to burst through his black shirt it’s selfish. Save some for the rest of the men on the planet.
“Amelia?”
I swallow. “Yes.”
His eyes sparkle with humor, like he knew exactly where my thoughts had gone. If that’s true he’s really going to like where they go next. He may be strong, but all men have the same weakness. My foot twitches, ready to take aim.
“As I was saying,” he clears his throat. “We work for the government.”
I roll my eyes. “Me too.”
He pulls a badge out of his pocket. I snatch it from his fingers, caressing the gold shield as I study it. Special Agent Caleb Harris, Federal Bureau of Investigation. I feel semi-relieved that they aren’t going to kill me. Well, they haven’t said as much yet. I guess the option is always on the table. I shove it back at him. “That doesn’t mean anything. I bet I could find one of those on eBay.”
“Would it come with a tech van like this?” Caleb motions to the wall of screens.
I glance around the van. It makes a pretty compelling case. There goes killing him. I try to relax in my seat, but it’s hard to do when I want to touch everything in this van and figure out what it does.
This may be the best night of my entire life.
“If you work for the FBI, what are you doing with me?” I ask, itching to push one of the buttons below the monitors. “I haven’t done anything criminal in my life. Well, that’s not true. I did sneak into my high school once, but I was a minor. And they weren’t that mad because they practically let me in for a senior prank—”
“Do you enjoy the sound of your voice?” Serena interrupts.
I thought we were friends. I’m basing this on very little, but still. “I prefer it to yours.”
Caleb scrubs a hand over his face. “If you would let me get more than a few words out without interrupting, I’ll tell you exactly what I’m going to do with you.”
My lips stretch across my face until my cheeks cramp.
“I mean us. What we’re going to— Never mind.” He rakes a hand through his cropped brown hair. “We need to talk to you about the man you ate dinner with.”
I open my mouth again, but he raises a finger to my chin and forces my mouth closed.
Rude.
“How do you know that man?” Serena asks.
I assume we’re still talking about my date.
I push Caleb’s hand away from my face. “I don’t. Not really. Only that he’s very attractive, and British,” I add. It has the desired effect on Caleb as he scowls at me.
“Are you working with him?” Caleb asks.
I purse my lips and tap my fingers on my leg, drawing out time before I answer for the sole purpose of annoying him.
He kidnapped me. All’s fair in lying and kidnapping.
“That’s a tough question. I mean, I’m not working against him, but I’m not sure what we are yet.”
He frowns so hard lines etch themselves into his forehead like they were carved there.
“So, you’re helping him? Like partners? Are you his accomplice? Does he pay you?”
I hold a hand up. “Okay, whoa, Agent, what kind of woman do you take me for? It was a first date. And I don’t like to kiss and tell.” Only when I feel like it of course.
Caleb’s facial expression shifts. “You were on a date with him?”
“Yeah.” I twirl my hand in the air. “You know, dating. It’s like this thing people do where they get together and talk, sometimes they kiss, but never,” I narrow my eyes at him, “do they push the other out of a fire exit.”
Serena snorts and I appreciate her support. Maybe she’s not so bad.
“Do you have any idea who that man is?” Caleb growls. “He’s a dangerous thief who hurts people.”
Crap. I knew dating apps were going to be the death of me.
Not that I can admit that to Caleb in this current situation. The man tied me to a pole. He’s going to have to work harder if he wants my cooperation.
Besides, it’s Chad. The guy who runs a school for kids with disabilities. Not that I have proof of this.
“I don’t believe you. Chad is one of the nicest guys I’ve ever met, and I’ve met many. And believe me, my track record is not a thing of beauty. My ex cheated on me for years so if we’re going to split hairs, which one is worse? Being unfaithful or being a criminal? I know what I’d choo—”
“Maybe you should kiss her again to shut her up,” Serena says.
I close my mouth and glare at her. We are enemies again.
Caleb whispers something to her and she rolls her eyes, scowling at me before hopping out of the van. Then he turns to me.
“What do you know about white-collar crimes?” he asks.
I lift a brow. “I’ve watched White Collar five times, I’m fluent in Neal Caffrey.”
“I don’t know what that means.”
“Wait.” I sit up straight. “Is Chad like Neal? He just got so much hotter.” I fan my face.
“Amelia.” Caleb grabs my hand away from my face.
I silently will him to hold my hand longer, but he lets go. I rub my palm against my dress, trying to transfer the energy still lingering there to something not directly connected to my heart. This man doesn’t care about me, but it doesn’t stop me from wishing he did.
“I need you to focus,” he says. “This is serious. Chad, that’s not even his real name, by the way, is a very dangerous man.”
Is Chad a liar? Yes. But dangerous? The jury is still out on that one. “Look, I’m a hairdresser. I have a pretty good read on people most of the time.”
His lips twitch. “I had no idea cosmetology was so similar to psychological profiling?”
I glower at him. “I”ve predicted seven divorces, two pregnancies, and three affairs, this year.” It also might be because I’m kind of nosy. “I’ll admit, a guy that insanely attractive and sweet has more than a few ghosts in his closet.” I don’t miss the way Caleb’s jaw ticks. “But a criminal?” I clamp my lips shut. Chad was smooth. Too smooth. And I did accuse him of being a spy during our dinner, maybe my subconscious was more aware than I thought.
Caleb scratches his jaw. “Well now that I’ve got your expert opinion, why don’t I run that information up to my boss and tell him we can call off the investigation.”
I cross my arms over my chest. “If I went on a date with a criminal, I’d like to know what crimes he committed.”
He looks away from me. “Those details are classified.”
“Let me guess, there’s no proof.”
“Technically,” he grounds out the word like it’s a rock stuck between his teeth, “no. But that only means he’s an expert at covering his tracks. Or he has other people do his dirty work for him.”
“Or,” I lean forward, drumming my fingers excitedly on my bare knee, “you’re following the wrong guy. This could be one of those identical-twin-swap kinds of situations. The FBI has been following the innocent brother the whole time. Boy, wouldn’t that be embarrassing?”
He practically vibrates with frustration. “So, you can’t tell me anything about him?”
I sit back in my very uncomfortable chair and cross my arms over my chest. “Now why would I do your job for you?”