She purred in her sleep.

Greg smiled while watching Nora curled up in the crate. She’d been so good the night before, crawling into the cage without any hesitation. He hadn’t locked it, and not just because the bolt was broken. He could have found other ways to keep it closed. But she’d given her word that she’d stay put until he came for her in the morning.

He’d heard the little purring sound she made when she slept with him, but it took on more weight when she was curled inside the crate.

He was a sick bastard.

And he didn’t give a shit. Not when Nora could look at him and see what he needed.

Talking about his deployment wasn’t something he could do, not yet, not in detail. But she’d gotten all the important information just by looking at him, and when the tension was high she’d stepped in. She’d taken the reins and handed them right to him.

She’d been fucking perfect.

And now he needed to wake her up, so she could get dressed. They couldn’t stay the night, they needed to be out by daybreak. Another reason for making her sleep in the crate. He needed to pack them up and shut down the cabin without having to explain everything to her.

Squatting down, he slipped a hand between the bars and swiped her hair from her face. Slowly, she woke, her eyes fluttering open, looking for him.

“Hey,” she whispered, rubbing her eyes. “What time is it?” She sat up, but not making any move toward the door.

“Late, or early depending. Come on out, get dressed.” He stood and opened the door.

With a curious look she crawled out and he helped her to her feet. He handed her a pair of shorts and a shirt. “Here, put these on.” He kissed her cheek. “So innocent looking in the middle of the night,” he couldn’t help but comment.

“Middle of the night? I don’t understand.”

“We have to move. I don’t think it’s safe here anymore, so we’re going to go—we’ll find a hotel on this side of the state border.”

“Why? Bernie said to wait—”

“And we are, but I don’t want to stay here while we’re waiting to go home.” He shoved the clothes at her again until she took them. “Please, just get dressed.”

She nodded. More agreeable when half asleep—duly noted.

Greg left her to change and went to the bedroom to make sure he hadn’t forgotten anything.

“Okay, ready.” She appeared in the doorway with a stretch of her arms over her head. She was too damn fuckable at three a.m.

“Good. Let’s go.” He turned off the small lamp by the bed and snagged her hand, leading her out of the cabin.

“Why do you think it’s not safe here anymore?” she asked once he turned off the gravel roads and onto a solid highway.

“Cell phones are easily tracked,” he said.

“Who would track your phone? No one knows I’m with you.” She paused a beat. “Except Bernie. You think Bernie would try to hurt us? No way. I told you, he’s trustworthy.”

No one in any crime family ever could be accused of being trustworthy, but he understood where she was coming from. She’d grown up around it, not directly in it, but close enough. She thought Bernie would have her back because he always had before.

Except what if he hadn’t then and didn’t now.

“I think we just need to be cautious, that’s all.”

“Well, if they’re tracking your cell phone, won’t they still find us? You have your phone, don’t you?”

He nodded. “It’s turned off. Look, more than likely nothing’s going to happen. It’s just a precaution.” He checked his rearview mirror. A dark SUV had come up behind them.

The highway they drove on was scarcely used during the daytime; the odds of seeing anyone at night were even smaller.

“Whatever,” she said and readjusted her seat.

He should say something about her tone, and that damn word, but he was too busy watching the SUV get closer to them. Pushing on the gas, he picked up speed.

So did the SUV.

His knuckles whitened as he gripped the wheel tighter. Nora started talking again, but he was too focused to understand what she was going on about.

Speeding up again, he watched the SUV. Even closer.

Fuck.

“Go in the glove box, Nora.” He pointed at the storage compartment on her side of the console.

She popped it open and jumped back when his gun slid down the door toward her.

“Hand that to me and get down on the floor.” He held out his hand.

“Why? What’s going on?” She sounded panicked. Twisting in her seat, she looked out the back window. “Who are they?”

“I don’t know, but I think we’re about to find out. Give me my gun and get down on the floor. Now would be the worst time to disobey me, Nora.” He threw on his dominant voice, knowing she’d react to it faster than just telling her what to do.

She nodded and handed him his gun. It felt heavier in his hand than usual. But the weapon always felt heavier when he used it to protect those behind him.

“Now get down.” He studied the mirrors. They’d be on them in a matter of seconds.

Nora slid from her seat and crouched on the floor of the car, staring up at him with confusion and fear. A mixture that would normal make his body react, but this wasn’t play time. He wasn’t in full control of the situation. Not yet anyway.

The SUV pulled into the left lane, plunging forward until they were window to window with him. He rolled his window down, keeping his gun in his lap and the car steady on the road. The tinted window of the SUV’s passenger side rolled down as well.

A man, not much younger than himself, leaned out of the window.

“Pull over!” He pointed to the shoulder of the road.

“No!” Greg shook his head.

“Now!” He pointed his gun at Greg.

Greg floored the gas, gripping his gun in his hand and ready to use it if they pulled up to his side again.

But they wanted him off the road, not a shoot-out. The SUV pulled up again, just until they were close enough, and then it turned into Greg and Nora.

They didn’t let up; the SUV pushed his car. Greg managed to keep control of the car and released the gas. The last thing they needed was to roll over. Nora wasn’t in her seat, she’d be killed. He’d positioned her away from flying bullets not to withstand a hood over tires car crash.

Cursing, he stopped fighting against the SUV and pulled the car to the shoulder and stepped on the brake.

“Who are they?” Nora asked, wide-eyed from the floor of the car.

“They didn’t give me their name,” he shot at her. “Just stay there, okay? And do everything I tell you. Do not hesitate. Just do what I say, understand?” Disobedience now could cost her her life, not a paddling. He needed her to understand that.

“Yeah. Of course. I got it.” She nodded immediately. Good, she understood.

Greg climbed out of the car and watched three men exit the SUV and head toward him. All three were dressed in black slacks and dark button-down shirts. They looked more likely to be heading to a business meeting than a showdown on the side of a Michigan highway.

Two stood in front of the third. The man in the back was aged. Graying hair, portlier around the middle. The goons protected him.

“That’s far enough.” Greg held up his gun.

They stopped several paces away; the two in front drew their own weapons.

An old-fashioned standoff. Great.

“What do you want?” Greg asked.

“We just want Elenora,” the blond pointing his gun at Greg’s chest said with a lazy grin. “Just give her to us and we go away.”

“Yeah, that’s not going to happen.” Greg shook his head.

“Jimmy, don’t be so fucking dramatic,” the older man hiding behind his men spoke. His voice triggered Greg’s memory. “You’re Greg, right?”

“I told you, you aren’t taking Nora anywhere.”

“Elenora, come out of the car,” the man called over to the car.

“Stay put, Nora!” Greg said with clenched teeth, hoping that just this once, she would obey without question. Just trust him.

“Bernie?” Nora’s little voice asked from the car.

“Stay there,” Greg said again. Fucking Bernie. Greg’s gut had been right about that asshole.

“Elenora, come out. You need to come with me to stay safe.”

“Dammit, Nora. Stay down,” Greg said when he saw movement out of the corner of his eye.

“If you wanted her, why not wait until we got back to Chicago?” Greg demanded. “We were coming back, like you said.”

“Ah, but not when I said. You’re going tonight.” Bernie shook a finger.

“No, Greg was just taking us to a hotel.” The car door creaked, and Nora climbed out of the passenger side. At least she stayed behind the car.

“Elenora, this man—” Bernie paused to shoot a disgusted look at Greg. “He’s not what you think. You’re not safe with him, you need to come with me.”

“How’d you find us?” Nora asked, suspicion filling the question. Good girl, see what’s right in front of you.

“You don’t think I’d let just anyone watch over you, do you?” Bernie’s voice morphed into a fatherly tone. “I had men look into him, Eleanora. I found his little plot of land, it was only a matter of time before we found you. Now come over here so we can get going. We have a lot of road to cover and a meeting early in the morning.”

“No,” Greg said. He didn’t bother looking at her, he didn’t need to. She had doubts. He could feel it. And he would trust his instincts. He would trust her.

“Bernie. I’m staying with Greg. Why don’t we just follow you?” she offered.

Bernie laughed. “Greg’s not coming with us, Elenora. He’s staying here. Alive or dead is up to you, but he’s not coming with.”

“What?” Nora’s voice cracked. “Why would you—you aren’t making any sense.”

“Nora. I left the car running,” Greg stated, keeping his weapon trained on Bernie. His shoulder burned from his stance, but he’d keep it up for as long as he needed until she was away safe.

“Greg. Let me make this clear for you. I looked into you. Deeply. I’m aware of that little bar you own with your brother and his pretty wife. I’m also fully aware that their sweet little girl goes to work with Mommy and Daddy nearly every day. It would be a fucking shame, an atrocity really, if something horrible were to happen to that bar while they were all there.”

Greg’s finger froze on the trigger.

“It’s okay. Bernie, I’m coming with you,” Nora announced with uncertainty laced in the words.

“No, Nora! Stay!” Greg demanded. His mind reeled. If Bernie found them, he sure as hell found Blake and the girls.

“It’s fine, Greg. Bernie won’t hurt me.” Her assurance didn’t hold up against Greg’s gut. Bernie wasn’t one of the good men.

“Nora, you don’t know what you’re doing. Just stay put.”

But she was already moving. The gravel crunched beneath her shoes as she made her away around the car to where Bernie stood.

“She knows that I’ve always taken care of her. I’ve never lied to her. I’ve never held secrets from her,” Bernie snarled. “Unlike you! Does she know how you fucked up your last mission? How three of your soldiers were killed because of your orders?”

Greg stiffened. Bernie really had done his homework, but not enough to find the official report. The unofficial report, the one given to the public, didn’t mention the insubordinate actions of those fallen men, but it didn’t matter. He’d been in charge. He’d been the one in command on that mission. If he’d been paying more attention to the three men at the back, planning their own actions, wanting to go their own route, he could have stopped them. Their actions got them killed, but he’d been their ranking officer—their deaths fell on his shoulders.

Nora stopped moving. “What’s he talking about, Greg?”

“Nothing. It has nothing to do with you or what’s going on here,” Greg answered, not daring to look away from the men still pointing guns at him. She would have to believe him. “Nora, don’t go with them. Get back over here.”

She was slipping away from him. All the time he’d been demanding her truth, her full disclosure, and he’d been the one holding back. If he’d been forthcoming, if he’d told her what happened, why he really hadn’t re-enlisted, she wouldn’t be torn about who to believe. She’d easily choose him.

Bernie sighed with a fake look of disappointment. “Fine, I guess I’ll tell her. Greg was hired to find you. He works with the feds, trying to take down the Santinelli family. You think it’s just coincidence he happened to be at the flower shop the same time the hit on Antonio was taken care of?”

What the fuck?

It was almost laughable, the bullshit spewing out of his fat face.

Greg looked at Nora. “No. Nora, he’s lying.” If only he’d had the backing of the FBI, he could have kept Nora locked down in a much safer location. He wouldn’t be staring down the barrel of some street thug on the side of the damn highway.

Nora’s jaw dropped, and her brow wrinkled. The confusion, the mistrust, it was all warring inside of her now, right in front of him, and he couldn’t get to her to help.

“Nora. He’s fucking lying,” he said again, firmer this time. How the hell could he convince her? She’d been raised with the idea that the FBI was always a few steps behind the Santinellis. It didn’t matter that her father protected her from the life as much as he could, keeping her hidden away from his friends and associates, she knew the risk of his work.

“I heard you on the phone. You were talking to someone, taking orders or something. I heard you.” She spoke softly. “Yesterday, when I was in the shower,” she continued.

Greg thought back, what conversation had she overheard? He’d made a few calls while she had been in the shower.

“Nora, no. I can explain that. I’m not working with anyone.” Which call had she heard? He hadn’t been taking orders from anyone. He’d spoken with John briefly and then Blake. Which conversation had she listened in on?

“Why were you at the flower shop then?” Nora asked with a narrowed gaze.

A bubble of laughter burst in his chest, but he managed to keep it in check. The entire situation was completely fucking absurd.

“Because I was running errands for Aubree. She needed carnations for Bella’s swim class graduation.” Life had been so simple then. Grab milk, check. Gas up the car, check. Ordering carnations for the three-year-old’s swim class had been his undoing.

“Elenora, you need to come with me now. I need to get you somewhere safe. When I meet with the Santinelli brothers tomorrow, I’ll explain everything and we can figure out what happens next. But you must come with me now.” Bernie held out his hand.

“Nora.” One word, but with it a plea. To believe him. To trust him.

Nora looked at him, her jaw tight and tears in her eyes. She’d made her decision. And it wasn’t the one that meant she’d be getting back in his car.

“You won’t hurt him, Bernie, right? If I go with you? You’ll leave him alone, and his brother’s family. I don’t want them hurt.” Nora’s voice went hard, while she negotiated with him.

Greg clenched his teeth.

“Dammit, Nora! No.”

“If you don’t shut up and let the lady talk you’re gonna find yourself without a tongue,” the shorter assailant snapped at him. Greg turned his aim on him. Three shots. He could take them all out in three quick shots before any of them got a shot off at him. But Nora was moving again. Taking steps toward the fat old man fucking everything up.

“I promise you, Elenora. No harm will come to his family.”

Nora paused. “Or him, Bernie. I don’t want him hurt,” she said forcefully.

Bernie sighed and shook his head. “Fine. If you’ll get in the back of the car, we can get going.”

Nora gave Greg one last look and disappeared into the back of the SUV. Rage burned through Greg’s chest. He lunged forward, but a shot rang out. Fire coursed through his left foot and he stumbled to the ground.

“Now, you forget all about Elenora and the Santinelli family, Mr. Turner,” Bernie sneered at him from behind the safety of his goons.

“You lied to her.” Greg’s gun was at his side, but with the blood pouring out of his foot, and the other two assholes still training their weapons on him, it may as well have been locked in the trunk.

“I told her what she needed to hear. Now. I will honor my promise to leave your family alone, and I’ll even let you live. But you can’t go running off after us. Boys, handle it. But be quick.” Bernie turned his back on the scene and climbed into the back seat with Nora.

Another shot rang out, then another. Pain followed.

Then nothing.