“Here we are,” Lance announced as they pulled into the drive of a small cabin. “I didn’t have time to stock it up for you guys, but there should be bottled water and some canned chili in the cabinets. I usually come out once a month or so.”

“Thanks, man.”

Lance nodded, and they walked into the cabin. It was small, two bedrooms from what Jemma could see, an impressive kitchen, and television set complete with an Xbox and a large collection of action movies.

“This is really nice,” Jemma commented.

“Thanks. It’s my escape from the city. I try to make it up at least one weekend a month and just unwind and veg out. I don’t have a spare car, but there is a bike in the garage if either of you can ride a motorcycle.”

“I can,” Jemma and Caid both said, and when the men turned to stare at her, she blushed. “I had some time on my hands and thought the knowledge could be useful.”

“Well, you guys have it handled. I’ll pick up some food and clothes for ya. I can probably stay slightly more under the radar than you can. My partner can grab your clothes on the off chance I am being followed. That way it only looks like I’m buying myself some new threads.”

Jemma smiled. “That’d be great, thanks. I can write down my sizes.”

“Perfect.” He handed her a pen and paper.

“If you guys need anything, there’s a payphone about five miles north. I don’t have anything but electric, gas, and water out here.” He let out a laugh. “I do have internet for live gaming, but that’s about it.”

“The essentials.” Caid said with a laugh, and Lance grinned.

“See, you get me. All right, I need to get back. You good?”

“Were good. Thanks, man.” Caid followed him to the front door.

“There’s a safe in the garage, code is 3489. I keep a rifle, two handguns, and some ammunition in there.”

“Thanks, man. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this.”

“Don’t even mention it. I’ll keep my ear to the ground and see if I can’t find out what’s going on.” He started to leave, but turned back around. “On the off chance my parents or brother show up, please don’t shoot them. I’m going to head over to see them after I make sure the girls are okay, but if for some crazy reason they get here before I can tell them to stay away--”

“I won’t shoot anyone who isn’t trying to shoot me.”

Lance smiled. “Thanks, man.”

After Lance stepped outside, Caid locked the door and closed the curtains on the windows.

“Come on.” He pushed the couch to the edge of the living room.

“What?”

“You need this. Shit, I need this.” He sat and took his shoes and socks off.

She followed suit and relaxed slightly when he took his stance. Honestly, she would have been happy if it had been sex he was talking about, but the physical release exercise would give her would work, for now anyway.

She was exhausted, but she charged first. The only time her mind was ever at ease was when she was sparring. Since they had no gloves, they simply grappled until they were both exhausted and lying in the center of the floor.

“I did need that, thanks.” She finally felt relaxed, and it had given her the feeling of strength back. Caid was tough, and if she was able to wear him out, perhaps she wasn’t weak after all.

“Anytime.” Caid got to his feet and helped Jemma to hers. He stared into her eyes for a moment before turning toward the kitchen.

“I’m going to go get a shower.” Jemma made her way into the bathroom and stood staring at herself in front of the mirror. Despite her physical exertion, she was still wound up. And there was literally only one person on the planet who could unwind her. Question was, did he feel the same?

She started the shower and began stripping off her jeans and shirt. The second Lance brought her new clothes, she was going to burn these. She folded them neatly and set them on top of the counter.

Her heart skipped when she heard a creak outside the door. She saw the shadow of someone standing outside, and then it disappeared as they walked away. Without thinking it through, she pulled the door open.

* * *

For the second time that day, Caid got a vision of Jemma in nothing but a bra and matching panties. His mouth went dry as she stared at him. He should avoid her at all costs. Turn and run away as fast as he could, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. She was everything he shouldn’t want, but exactly what he needed.

He dropped the bottle of water in his hand and rushed to her. The water would do shit for him anyway; she was the only one who could quench his thirst.

Their mouths met in a frenzy of tongue and teeth as he crushed her against the wall. Her hands fisted in his hair, and he lifted her so her legs wrapped around his waist. Her body was hard and hot against his, and he released her only long enough so she could pull the shirt up over his head. Their skin was still slick with sweat from the workout before, and as they pressed together, it heated them both further.

Jemma pushed him back and dropped to her knees to remove his pants. She traced her tongue up his abs as she stood. The second she was back to her feet, he was on her again. He carried her out of the bathroom and into the nearest bedroom.

She arched up as he unhooked the lace bra she wore, and when he tossed it aside, he nearly lost his damn mind.

“Fuck, Jemma,” he groaned and bent to pull a nipple into his mouth. She moaned and lifted her hips to press against him. He trailed his lips down her trim waist and slowly pulled the lace panties down.

She buried her hands in his hair when he leaned forward to taste her. He was desperate for every part of her, and as much as he wanted to go slow, they both needed the release. He stepped back and stepped out of the last scrap of clothing separating them.

She reached down and gripped him, as he covered her, and he stilled under her touch. Somehow her fingers managed to release small electrical charges throughout his body and made him feel as if he might burst into flames at any second. As soon as she released him, he aligned their bodies and looked down at her,

“Now.” She thrust up as he drove into her.

“Daaammmnnn.” He buried himself in her again and again at a furious pace. She met him thrust for thrust until her release shattered her. He took her mouth as his own built and broke free.

They lay tangled in each other until they each caught their breath.

Caid let out a laugh. “So when Lance said, ‘Make yourselves at home,’ I’m not sure this is what he meant.”

Jemma smiled. “He didn’t say we couldn’t.”

“True.” Caid sat up and pressed a gentle kiss to Jemma’s lips. “Shower?”

“I could use one.”

Jemma squealed as Caid lifted her into his arms and headed for the bathroom where he stepped under the now lukewarm water.

* * *

“I'm going back to work tomorrow.” Caid stroked his hand over Jemma’s hair as she laid next to him later that night.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Momentary panic had her heart thudding.

“I’ll be fine; you won’t ever be alone, Jemma. Lance is going to be here with you while I’m gone.”

“You trust him?”

Caid nodded. “I do.”

“Okay.”

“I need to be actively working this case. It’s the only way we’ll be able to put a stop to this.”

“I understand,” she responded quickly, trying to not let the tunnel vision close in. Both times she had been alone, her father’s men had found her. The thought of being alone again, even if she wasn’t truly alone, terrified her.

Caid rolled her onto her back and covered her body with his. “Jemma,” he said easily, and she looked into his eyes. “I promise you will be safe. Lance is a good cop, and on top of that, you are a strong, kickass woman who could easily toss a man twice her size out a window.”

Jemma let out a laugh. “Thanks, Caid.”

He grinned at her, and her heart skipped. “Anytime.” His lips touched hers gently at first, but then increased until the walls she had carefully built around herself began to crack under the pressure. He was tearing down every defense she had with a simple kiss, and she wasn’t sure she would survive.

* * *

“Good to see you, King,” Pax said from the doorway of her office.

“You too.” Caid’s body tensed, but when she turned, he followed her inside and shut the door.

“I trust everything is fine.” Her eyebrow raised, and Caid crossed his arms.

“All good. I’m going to be spending the day buried in Charmont’s old files.”

“You have other cases as well. This is the biggest,” she said, putting her hand up to keep him from arguing, “but you are a lead on a few other cases that need to be solved. Those victims need justice too, King.”

“Yeah, I got it.” She was right, he knew. Still, she was naïve if she didn’t realize the majority of his time was going to be dedicated to bringing Charmont down. A part of him wondered if she wasn’t trying to stall him on purpose. But as of now, nothing she’d done struck him as out of the ordinary. Except the thumb drive, but he had no solid proof she was lying about that either.

“I’m assigning Rogers and Omars to you. They will be assisting with your other cases, but I expect you to be somewhat hands on with them as well.”

“I will be; can I go?”

“Sure, I’ll send them your way once they’re briefed.”

Caid nodded and headed back into the hall. The sounds of the keyboards and phones around him was comforting, like he was returning home from a long and stressful vacation. Except his life was still on the line, and the woman he was falling for was being hunted by her father.

So, maybe a lot had changed. Or perhaps he had changed. He stepped into his office and was surprised and slightly irritated to see the woman sitting just inside.

“What the hell are you doing here, Soph?”

She pulled him in for a hug. “I called, and they said you were missing. What happened? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, but I thought I asked you to stay hidden for a while.”

“I snuck away. I had to know you were safe. Why the heck haven’t you called?” She slapped him gently on the arm and then eased her pregnant frame back down into the chair across from him.

“I was going to today; I’ve been working a big case.”

“The Runner, right? It’s all over the news that a daughter has surfaced.”

Caid’s jaw tightened. Who had leaked Jemma? “She has.”

“Are you working with her?”

Anyone else might have missed the clench of the jaw, or the subtle signs of lust, but not Soph. His sister knew him too damn well.

“Oh, come on, Caid, you can’t be serious?”

“What?”

She leaned toward him as far as she could. “Please tell me you aren’t sleeping with her!”

“What the--?” He started to lie, but he had been caught, and it was only his sister after all. If Pax had come in demanding answers, he would lie until he was blue in the face to keep that particular fact hidden. “We’re seeing each other.”

“When I told you that you needed to move on, a criminal’s daughter was not what I had in mind.”

“She’s not like him.”

“She’s his daughter, Caid. Of course she’s like him!”

His temper flared. “You don’t know her, Sophia.”

“I know that since you met her, you ‘ve disappeared twice, and put our entire family in danger. She’s not worth it.”

His jaw clenched. “You have no idea what you’re talking about. You need to go and get back to safety. Please don’t leave again.”

“So you can run off with your little criminal? No way I’m just going to look the other way while you ruin your life.”

“Jemma is not a criminal,” he growled.

“Wait, Jemma? The girl that was missing for over a month! She’s his daughter?”

“You need to go.” He stood and walked around his desk to pull the door open.

There were only two times in his life when he had seen a look of disappointment on his sister’s face. Once when he was twelve and got caught shoplifting a stack of baseball cards -- the one and only time he’d ever stolen anything, except that car -- and now. It still managed to make him feel like he was a complete and total failure, but he refused to give in this time. Jemma was not some criminal, and his sister had no right to judge her based solely on her parentage.

Sophia stood and looked him straight in the face “I hope you know what you’re doing.”

“I do.”

She shook her head sadly and walked out of his office. Caid made his way back around the desk and plopped down in his chair. He lifted his office phone and dialed his brother-in-law’s mobile number.

“Hello?”

“Hey, it’s Caid.”

“Damn man, we’ve been worried about you. It’s uncle Caid, bud!” Caid smiled when he heard the young voice screaming “yay” through the phone.

“I’m calling to let you know that Sophia was just here.”

“I knew she wasn’t going out for donuts.”

“Keep an eye on her, okay? She’s pretty pissed at me right now.”

“What did you do? Okay, new rule. If you make her mad, you keep her. She is so hormonal right now, I don’t know if she’s going to let me live through the birth of this child.”

Caid let out a short laugh. “I’m sure you’ll hear all about it when she gets back. Just send me an e-mail when she gets there, please?”

“No text?”

“Lost my cell,” he lied as he pulled it out of his desk drawer.

“All right, well, if you don’t hear from me, it’s because she’s killed me. Look for my body in the woods.”

“Thanks, man.” Caid laughed and disconnected the call.

Now, time to get to work, he thought as the two men Pax had put under him knocked at his door.