Thirteen
The color drains from her face as the vest drops to the floor. In the next second, I step forward and scoop her into my arms. Then it happens. She grips my shirt and turns into me while she starts to ramble hysterically. And while I can’t say that I blame her, I need her to calm down so I can move her.
Again.
Because apparently Diamond has already determined who I am and the fact that Lorna is under my protection. And while my home address is protected by the Bureau, I can’t be sure that the leak hasn’t already passed it on. Which means we could already be exposed.
Again.
“Fuck,” I mutter as I lay her back on the bed.
Once I position my face directly over hers, I grip her face in my hands and wait for her eyes to lock with mine. When they do, she suddenly goes quiet. But her breathing is shallow.
“Lorna?” I ask. “Are you with me?”
She nods before she speaks.
“Yeah,” she says. “Yes. I am. But…but…what does that mean? How are we going to get Malcolm back?”
“They’ll send in a negotiation team first,” I explain. “And if that doesn’t work, we may have a female agent that we can send in as a decoy. Or they’ll breach the location and hope they can get Malcolm out alive.”
Tears prick her eyes. And I once again make a silent vow to protect her.
“He…he didn’t want me out of the ambulance tonight,” she whispers. “He didn’t want me in the line of fire. But I’m his superior and I wouldn’t allow it. If he gets hurts, it will be my fault.”
“None of this is your fault,” I tell her. “And the Bureau will do what it takes to make sure everyone is safe.”
“But-”
I silence her with a hard kiss. She gasps when I pull back, but her expression has changed. It’s hardened a bit, and I suppose that’s what we need right now.
“Can you handle a firearm?” I ask her.
“Yes,” she nods. “My father and grandfather are hunters. I can shoot handguns and long guns.”
Fuck. Me. As if I need another reason to want her.
“Good,” I nod. “Because of the leak, we need to move again. We’re going to be on foot at first before we pick up some public transportation. We’ll have to hide our weapons, but it shouldn’t be difficult given the temperature tonight.”
“Okay,” she whispers. “I’m ready. Whatever it takes.”
“I just need you to listen to me, Lorna,” I explain. “No questions asked. Got it?”
Despite the gravity of our situation, she manages a smirk.
“I’ll do my best,” she whispers.
“You do that,” I tell her darkly. “Or there may be consequences.”
Her body shivers at my words, letting me know that she understands exactly what that means. Not wanting to waste another moment, I rise and pull her back to her feet. She follows me to my closet, and I hand her the vest again. This time, she pulls it over her head and goes about strapping it on. Then I pull out a gun that will fit in it.
“Do you know what this is?” I ask her.
She smiles and nods.
“Sig Sauer three-sixty-five x,” she grins.
“Damn right, sweetheart,” I smile. “I take it you know how to use it.”
“It’s what I conceal carry.”
I kiss her again and then go about arming myself after showing her where to stow the Sig on her vest. Then I pull on a three-quarter zip hoodie and offer a full-zip hoodie to her. When she dons it, the sight of her armed and in something of mine is enough to get me hard.
“Are you ready?” I ask her again.
“No,” she says. “But I’ll do whatever it takes to save Malcolm.”
“That’s not your job, Lorna,” I almost growl. “And because I can’t leave you here unprotected, I also can’t have you going rogue and doing something to endanger more than just yourself.”
“I know,” she nods. “But-”
I slip my hand behind her neck and silence her once again with a deep, searing kiss. She’s panting when I pull back. And slightly unfocused.
“Let’s go, Lorna,” I nod. “We need to leave. Now.”
She nods. I grab her hand and lead her out of the closet. Then I pack a few more things in my duffle bag before zipping it up and slinging it onto my back. I head to my door with Lorna close behind me. Before I open it, I look through the peephole.
At the moment, all looks calm.
But that could change in a second. Even though this building is gated, Diamond is on a mission. And that makes him more dangerous than normal. When I’ve waited long enough, which could be too long, I pull open the door and yank Lorna out behind me.
Then, I break into a light jog. Thankfully, she keeps up with me. In less than a minute, we’re at the back of the building. I stop at the corner and clear the area first before making a mad dash toward the corner of the fence. It’s a piece of cake for me, but Lorna isn’t anywhere close to six-feet tall. I release her hand and kneel while clasping my own hands together to give her a leg up. She hesitates, but only for a moment. Then her foot is in mine and and lift her up until she can grip the top of the fence. Delighted, I watch as she pulls herself up and over.
“Be careful,” I whisper.
I swear I watch her smirk just before she swings her legs over the top and lands with the grace of a gymnast with barely a sound. Chuckling, I point toward the trees and watch as she heads for cover. With a huff of breath, I toss the duffle bag over first. Then I climb up and land beside it, sounding much like an elephant trampling through the forest.
Once I have the duffel bag on my back, I rush over and take her hand again.
“Nicely done,” I smile.
“Thanks,” she nods. “Now what?”
“Just follow my lead,” I tell her. “We should be in a neutral location in less than fifteen minutes. Then I’ll have to check in with my supervisor again.”
She nods and grips my hand a little tighter. Once we reach a semi-populated street, we slow our pace and act like a couple out late for the night. And after I’ve double-backed and cross-checked several streets, I choose a random hotel to check into.
Hopefully for the night.