Chapter 2 #2
“Take some deep breaths for me.” Silence stretched almost as long as the distance that separated them. He knew her well enough to know that if she could have sent a laser beam through the receiver and blasted his head off, she would have. But a second later, three inhales and exhales followed.
“Better?”
“Yes.”
“When did all this happen? What time is it there?”
“It’s almost six in the morning. I heard them come into my apartment just after three.”
“What have you been doing this whole time?”
“Driving.” Fatigue laced her voice and worry tugged at his heart. She was exhausted, being hunted, and too afraid to stop. “I just pulled into a hotel parking lot. I figure they need to get their wounds taken care of before they look for me again.” She chuckled, but the sound pitched.
He buckled his seatbelt and pulled away from the curb. “I want to know more about what got you into this, but for now, you need to get somewhere safe. Remember my cousin Leland?”
“Yeah, I thought of him. I don’t want to risk staying with anyone, though. It would be too dangerous.”
He rubbed his thumb under the edge of the seatbelt at his chest. She was right. And the last thing he wanted to do was endanger his family. But there wasn’t anything else he could do from California to keep her safe. He’d call Leland in the morning anyway. Maybe he had a connection.
“It’s fine. I’ll rest my eyes until checkout and then find somewhere else to go.”
“You should come home.”
She scoffed. “That’s the last place I want to be. Once I finish this job, I’ll go somewhere else. All I have to do is deliver the device. After I get ahold of my contact.”
“Sounds too simple.” Of course she was working a job.
He should have known that’s why she’d left the country.
Milo had given him some bullshit line about Dani wanting an adventure.
But Dani found trouble easier than a new shoe found dog shit.
“Look, do me a favor. Trash your phone and get an encrypted—”
“Got one. I’ll get rid of this one when we hang up.”
“Text me the number and where you’re staying.”
“Okay.” She clipped the word out, alerting him that she was ready to disconnect. The great chasm between them ripped at his heart. He ached to touch her, to ease her dismay. He swiped his thumb over the smooth cracks of the leather steering wheel. He couldn’t let her go.
“Bye.”
“Wait . . .” The sound of the dead line echoed in his ear. A beat later a text vibrated his hand. He didn’t need to look at it to know it was Dani’s info. He tossed his phone onto the seat next to him. There would be no point sleeping when he got home. He had work to do.
Dani ran through the shadows. Rocks and twigs sliced her bare feet and branches whipped her face. Her breath came out in hoarse gasps. Her toe caught the lip of a tree root and a scream piped through her lips as she went down.
They’re going to kill me.
Her eyes snapped open and she jerked into a sitting position. Just a dream. The bedsheets clung to her sweaty skin. She tore them off, swung her legs over the edge of the bed, and pressed her hand to the base of her throat.
The hotel’s walls spun in a kaleidoscope of technicolor wallpaper.
She pinched the bridge of her nose. Too jumpy, and too little sleep.
Nightmares had ripped her from slumber several times throughout the early morning.
The sun streamed through the curtains she hadn’t closed tight enough.
Was it the same day? Every inch of her body ached as if she’d been thrown on the wash cycle in a machine.
Doubt flickered through her. Had she really climbed out a window?
Shot a man? Called Brock? God, that was the worst one.
She went to the window. Earlier, she’d been too tired and ragged to check out the view.
She parted the curtains to see Lake Geneva’s crystalline waters picking up the afternoon sun.
This was the first time in the last week that the sun had pushed the clouds far enough apart to shine through.
They still lingered on the horizon, the gray cotton ready to wipe away the glittering day at any moment.
But for now, she took it in. One day, she’d come back to Geneva strictly to vacation. But today, she wasn’t on vacation.
She picked up her encrypted phone from the nightstand. The clock read 4:00 p.m. No wonder she was so confused—she’d slept almost ten hours. One missed text. Only two people had her new number: Brock and Sven.
Part of her wished it were Sven. She hadn’t heard from him since he sent that text that had woken her up.
She’d called numerous times and finally left a voicemail with the number of her encrypted phone before she passed out.
But the text from the United States number filled a much deeper need inside her.
Hey. I spoke to Leland. He and his wife are traveling for the next couple of months.
I’ve attached their address. The property manager will leave a key in the mailbox, so you can let yourself in this afternoon.
I already contacted the manager and arranged for some food and necessities to tide you over. I’ll be in touch later today—Brock
She sighed with relief.
That’s so kind. Thank you for your help.
Her thumb hovered over the Send icon. He’d gone out of his way to ensure her comfort and safety.
Her words fell flat. Gratitude pulsed through her heart, yanking at all the sensitive areas that always brought her back to Brock and his big heart.
A sliver of anger boiled over the gratitude.
Yeah, he’d been kind and caring. Until the opportunity to cut her out of a deal had come up and he’d run with it, leaving her trampled heart in the dust.
No. Her message was more than enough. Curt.
Civil. Maybe when she got her feet under her she’d send him a fruit basket.
She almost smiled at that image. That would royally piss him off.
She hit Send and made her way to the bathroom.
After she showered and got dressed in one of the three spare outfits she had in her go bag, she packed her essentials and checked out.
Not wanting to risk someone seeing her vehicle, she’d used the valet service so her car was parked underground.
She closed her wool sweater around her—the one thing she hadn’t packed was a coat—and scanned the back seat of the car as it approached.
Empty. She accepted the key from the young Swiss woman and handed her a tip.
Then she climbed into the driver’s seat, plugged the address Brock had given her into her GPS, and pulled away.
Sven had hooked her up with the car when she arrived.
The Mercedes C-Class was a comforting touch of home.
Fifteen minutes later she pulled up to the large home overlooking the lake.
She fished the key out of the mailbox and unlocked the door.
Warm air caressed her skin, chasing away the chill.
Her feet met a pale blue woven area rug laid over marble tile.
She kicked off her shoes and tilted her head back, taking in the exposed wood beams. A thrill raced through her.
Brock hadn’t said she’d be staying in a lakefront mansion.
Serena would lose her shit over a house like this.
As one of San Diego’s top realtors, her sister had always had a special appreciation for unique properties.
Dani roamed the sprawling single-story home, reveling in each of the five bedrooms. She stopped in the master and dropped her bag next to the linen-covered king-sized bed. God, if only she had someone to share this with.
Someone like Brock.
She bunched her fingers in her hair and growled.
No. She didn’t need anyone, let alone Brock.
But damn, he’d been good in bed. Her phone chimed and she dove for the vegan leather bag.
She fumbled through the contents until her hand closed around the unfamiliar device.
She read the number and bounced on her toes, swiping the screen.
“Sven! What the hell?”
“I’m sorry for the frantic text last night. People are onto us—is this a safe line?” Rumbling and clanking sounded in the background.
“Yes, it’s encrypted,” she said, waving his question away. She’d already said that in her voicemail. He wasn’t as cautious as he needed to be on a good day, so his unease made the hairs on her arms spring to attention. “I was almost killed last night. Where are you?”
“On a train. Look, there’s no easy way to say this. We’re involved in something dangerous.”
The lining of her empty stomach wrenched and bile heated her esophagus. Her senses dimmed as she clenched the phone. Of course it was dangerous. The need to climb out her window and shoot a man had told her that. But the shake in Sven’s voice suggested something much darker.
“What are we talking about, Sven? What do you know?”
“I can’t say, too many people around. I’ll be in Geneva tomorrow morning. I’ll text you tonight and we’ll arrange a spot to meet.”
“Sven,” she snapped. She’d kill him for withholding shit from her. “You have to tell me something.” Seconds ticked by. She pulled the phone away from her ear—still connected. She opened her mouth to speak, but his mumble stopped her.
“Bioterrorism.”
Cells smashed together behind her eyes and her knees buckled. She dropped into the settee at the foot of the bed and curled her hand around the smooth milky-colored upholstery. “What are you talking about?” Her lungs constricted, cutting off the flow of blood to her brain.
“I’ll see you tomorrow. Stay safe.”
The line went dead.