Sheena folded her hands in her lap and looked Bast directly in the eyes. “So, when do we leave?”

“In a few minutes. I need to sign a chain of custody document stating I’m taking responsibility for you and then we can head out.”

“Good. I need to feed my cat and make arrangements with my neighbor to care for him until I get back. I also need to pack a couple of bags. It sounds like this could take a while. Am I right?”

Bast rubbed the back of his neck and glanced at her. Was that trepidation she saw in his eyes?

“I’m sorry, cher. I can’t allow you to go home. That’s the first place Moretti will look for you. He may even have men staking out the house to intercept you.”

Sheena exploded from the chair and took a step toward Bast. “This is not up for discussion. I can’t abandon Salem! Besides, what do you propose I wear tomorrow and every day after that?”

He cocked his head and gave her an odd look. “Salem?”

“My cat. I can’t just leave him behind.”

He raised his hands in surrender. “Calm down. I have one of the marshals collecting your things. My best friend as a matter of fact. I’ll let him know he needs to make arrangements for your pet as well. I’m sorry, but we can’t take your cat with us.”

She planted her hands on her hips. “And how is he supposed to get into a locked house without keys?”

Bast rubbed his jaw and grinned. “Let’s just say, we have our ways.”

Sheena threw her hands in the air. “Could we at least call him? There are things other than clothing I would like to have. I need to tell him what to pack, and where he should take Salem.”

His response was to pull out his phone and place the call. While he signed the required paperwork so they could leave, she spoke with the other marshal. By the time she handed him his phone, they were ready to go, and she felt much better about her situation.

They left the office in silence. Sheena saw the commander standing at the end of the hallway with a phone to his ear. Was he glaring at her? To her surprise, Bast turned left instead of heading for the front entrance and guided her to an emergency exit. A few feet from the door that would take her outside he pulled her to a stop.

He unzipped his duffle and pulled out a Kevlar vest. “Please put this on.”

She took it from his hand and slipped her arms through. It was heavier than she’d expected.

“One of my men is behind the wheel with the engine running. Two others are just outside. We’ll create a barrier around you and move as a unit to the car. The car door is open, and I need you to get inside as quickly as possible. Can you do that?”

“Yes.” Then she touched the vest. “Why do you need to surround me if I’m wearing this?”

He placed his hand on the push bar. “A vest only offers so much protection. Are you ready?”

She nodded. “Ready.”

Three steps from the protection of the police station shots rang out. Sheena ducked, making herself even smaller within the protective human walls of the marshals. They moved as quickly as they could to the side of the vehicle. She’d just slid onto the seat when one of the men grunted and fell back.

“Bennie, get in,” Bast barked at the man blocking the open door. Then he turned, gun drawn, tracking for the shooter. Without looking at the man who was down, he asked, “You okay, Johnson?”

Johnson gasped to catch his breath and scrambled to his feet. “I’ll live. let’s get out of here.”

The men scrambled into the SUV, each positioned at a window with her sandwiched in the middle. She watched them searching for the shooter from within the safety of the bulletproof vehicle.

The driver pulled out and slipped into the flow of car and pedestrians. From the way his fingers tapped the steering wheel, she was sure he wanted to be moving much faster than traffic allowed.

“Where are you hit?” Bast asked without taking his attention from his search.

“I took one in the back. The vest did its job, but I’m going to have a hell of a bruise.”

Every few seconds a thunk was heard as a bullet struck the SUV.

“Who has the shooter?” Bast asked as he craned his neck to see behind them.

“I can’t pinpoint his location. Shots are coming from multiple angles. There has to be several shooters,” Johnson responded from her right.

“I can’t spot them either,” Bennie said from the front passenger seat.

“Damn it,” Bast growled as they made a left turn and the gunshots ceased.

The driver made a series of turns that confused the heck out of Sheena. “Where are we going?”

“Nowhere yet. We need to make sure we’re not followed. The last thing we need is Moretti knowing where to find you.”

They continued to zigzag until they took a ramp onto Interstate 10. “I don’t see a tail. Does anyone see anything?” the driver asked.

“No. I think we’re clear,” Bast said as he sat back and rubbed the back of his neck.

“Did you spot the leak while you were at the station?” Bennie asked.

“I have suspicions but nothing more. One thing I’m sure of is they weren’t going to call us in.”

Johnson winced when he turned from the window and sat back. “I heard Dupré had to call us in.”

Sheena frowned. “What are you talking about?”

Bast ran his hand through his hair and let out a long breath. “We’ve suspected for a while now that the New Orleans department had someone on the take with the mob. We went as far as to plant one of our men on the force. He’s the one who secretly called us when you were brought in. You might have noticed that the commander wasn’t thrilled about my presence. We’re not sure if the corruption goes as high up as the commander, and though his behavior was suspicious, it may simply have been his reaction to a marshal appearing out of nowhere. Our man on the inside, Officer Dupré, called me as soon as you mentioned Moretti’s name.”

Her brows rose. “He’s the officer I ran into when they were chasing me. He’s a marshal?”

“Sure is. One of the best.”

Sheena twisted her hands in her lap and stared out the window. “I’m glad I ran into him and not one of the dirty cops. They would have handed me to Dante on a platter,” she mumbled.

She instinctively stiffened when a hand covered hers. Bast had leaned forward, and he was looking her in the eye. He gave her a reassuring squeeze, and then he smiled and nodded. The warmth of his touch melted the tension from her shoulders.

“You’re safe now, Sheena. We won’t let anything happen to you.”

“I believe what you’re saying, but I think it’ll be a few days before I can relax again.” Then she turned to Marshal Johnson. “I’m sorry you were shot.”

“Thank you, but it wasn’t your fault, ma’am. You didn’t pull the trigger. You’re the victim here, don’t ever forget that.”

She gave him a grateful smile. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Bast pulled out his phone and texted someone. Then he glanced at her and the men. “We’ll drop you guys off at a gas station in a few minutes. I just made arrangements for you to be picked up. Johnson, make sure you have your back looked at. I might need to call in reinforcements at some point, and I need everyone in top form.”

A few minutes later they stopped, and the men piled out. Bast took the driver’s seat, and Sheena moved to the passenger seat.

“Why aren’t they coming with? On television, the witness is always protected by a couple of people.”

“I have a second team preparing the safe house. It’s safer to limit the number of people who know your location.”

“Oh. I guess that makes sense.”

After a few minutes of silence, Bast reached for the radio and paused. “Would you like some music?”

She shrugged. “Sure. Whatever you like.”

Now that she was alone with Bast and the car was quiet, the horrific events of the day came crashing back. She closed her eyes, leaned against the door using the window as a pillow, and drew a trembling breath. Exhaustion settled over her like a heavy woolen blanket. Her mind was left to wander which was a very bad thing. Her thoughts returned to the women and children. It was as if she were back on the loading dock. She could smell the stench and hear the cries. It was all too much.

The music became nothing more than white noise to the sounds in her head. The pop of the silencer followed by bullets striking one woman after another. Then her mind switched to the cries for mercy right before a life was snuffed out. Out of nowhere, she was back in the hallway outside the storage area, whizzing bullets striking the walls around her, coming so close she felt the air move as she ran for her life.

Blood. So much blood had pooled around the fallen bodies. She squeezed her eyes tighter against the nightmarish visions, and a stream of tears tracked down her cheeks.

Bast saw movement out of the corner of his eye and glanced at Sheena. He watched her swipe at her cheeks again as more tears fell. His stomach tightened, and he broke out in a cold sweat. Damn.

Sheena was turned slightly away, and her shoulders shook with every drawn breath. He didn’t do well with tears. That’s why he always had at least one man on his team who could handle distraught women. The only thing he could think to do was pull over and hold her. But for safety’s sake, they had to keep moving, so he placed a reassuring hand on her arm and drove on.

He glanced her way when she covered his hand with her own. “Are you all right?” he asked in a voice barely above a whisper.

She lifted her cheek from the window, sat back from the door, and nodded.

“There should be tissues in the glove box.”

She popped it open and sure enough, pulled a Kleenex out.

He glanced her direction, trying to figure her out. So far, she hadn’t been overly chatty. What he was sure of was she was one tough cookie. She’d witnessed several executions and been shot at twice in one day, and this was the first time she’d cried. He knew men who would have broken down long before now.

She gave him a small smile, and his heart missed a beat. Dang, she was a pretty thing. He had a hard time concentrating on the road. Every time the SUV passed under a street lamp, the light shown on her mocha skin and it took on a soft glow. Then she looked at him with her haunted, brown almost black eyes. His breath seized in his lungs when they caught the light and sparkled like precious gems. To make matters worse, each time the tires hit a bump in the road a long, dark strand of her hair tickled his arm. He had to fight the urge to wrap it around his finger and play with it.

His grip flexed and white-knuckled on the steering wheel. Using peripheral vision, he glanced at her once more. Her blouse pulled tight across her breasts, and little gaps near each button winked at him when she shifted in her seat.

He slowed for emergency vehicles attending an accident and used the opportunity to take her in more fully. His gaze moved from her face to her toes and back to focus on her chest. She was beautifully displayed under the moonlight. Thank God she was distracted with her thoughts, or she would have called him to task for his ogling.

Bast shifted in his seat to adjust himself. The attraction he felt for Sheena was so out of line, he didn’t know where to begin berating himself. He would have to get himself under control before he did something his career wouldn’t survive.

Sheena raised her head to gaze at the passing landscape. She exhaled a long, emotion-laden sigh. Gone were the tall buildings and crowds of the city. Just beyond the edge of the road was a drainage ditch. Beyond that, a thick stand of trees and undergrowth. Every so often, the moon reflected off water.

She turned from the window as she felt his gaze. Heat crept up her neck to her face when she realized he’d been checking her out. Her embarrassment made her fidget. She had to say something, so she blurted the first thing that came to mind. “Is everything all right?”

He cleared his throat. “Everything’s fine. I’m just going over possible challenges at the safe house and measures I may need to consider to keep you safe. Every situation is unique since it involves different witnesses and criminals. I hope living with a handful of men for the foreseeable future won’t be a problem.”

“Men don’t bother me. I’m sure you’re all professionals.”

“Until today,” he muttered under his breath.

About an hour later, they turned onto an overgrown driveway that looked more like a cart path. She was about to ask him if he was lost when he stopped in front of a turn of the century two-story home.

Bast released his seat belt and glanced at her as he drew his gun from his shoulder holster. “Stay here while I verify that everything is in order.”

Sheena watched as he talked with two men. She couldn’t hear what was said, but there was a lot of nodding and gesturing going on. It looked like Bast was giving the other two orders. Then he turned on his heel and walked to her door. She removed her seat belt and was looking for the doors latch when she heard a click and felt a breeze. She glanced up and paused. His warm smile and outstretched hand were unexpected.

“They aren’t as prepared as I’d like, but the perimeter is secured. Let’s get you situated. You can unpack and settle in while I take care of a few things.”

“Settle in? Will I be here that long?” She placed her hand in his, accepting his help from the monstrous SUV. Her feet touched solid ground, and he stepped back quickly as if she’d bitten him. What was that about? She rolled her eyes. Whatever. She would never figure out men and the way they think.

Even though it was dark, she could make out the shape and size of the two-story antebellum structure. She stepped away from the safety of the SUV to get a better look and in the process unintentionally brushed against his chest. Her chest instantly felt tight, and a shiver ran up her neck and over her scalp. She sucked in a breath and took in the fresh country air mixed with the manly scent of Bast.

The sound of the door closing was loud in this peaceful setting, effectively pulling her from her thoughts. “Your personal items should be here shortly.”

As he came from behind, he placed his hand on the small of her back and led her to the front porch where the sinister shapes of two men waited. The lights were off, throwing ominous shadows across the front of the house and the men. That’s when it hit her, and her feet ground to a halt. Her gaze locked on the dark, hulking shapes not ten feet away. She was about to move into a house full of men, and no one other than these strangers would know where she was. She didn’t even live with people she knew and loved. She liked her privacy and living alone. Could she do this?

She felt strong hands grip her shoulders and raised her gaze to Bast’s concern filled eyes. “Sheena? Are you all right?”

“I can’t do this,” she whispered and tried to turn back.

“Sheena. Look at me.”

She took three deep breaths. Focusing on calming her mind and body and then lifted her gaze.

She wasn’t sure if he realized it, but his thumbs brushed back and forth across her shoulders in a gentle caress. “Tell me what’s wrong. I’ll fix it.”

“Could you protect me? Just you?”

His exhaled breath rushed over her cheeks. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. That I can’t do. Individual protection detail isn’t allowed. Once this is over, and you’re placed in a permanent location, you’ll have a single handler. Until then, you’ll have a team to ensure your safety. I would never put you in danger. You said you were okay with men. They’re good guys. There’s nothing to worry about. I promise.”

“The problem isn’t that they’re men. I’m used to having my space and a lot of alone time. Constantly dealing with other people’s energy can be exhausting.” Sheena closed her eyes, took another deep breath and let it out slowly, and then opened them again and nodded. “Okay. I can do this as long as there are rules.”

One brow rose in question. “Rules?”

“Yes.” She nodded and glanced at the men again. “Once I clear and grid the room you assign to me, only you and I will be allowed to enter. I need at least one space I can go that is clear and calm.”

His brows pulled tight. “Grid?”

She cocked her head and smiled. “Yeah. You know, a pattern of crystals to produce a desired energy or protection?”

He shook his head and looked at her like she was speaking a foreign language. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Sheena laughed softly and patted his chest. “That’s all right. Most people have forgotten the old ways. If you’re interested, I’ll teach you a few things. You’re a smart man. I’m sure you’ll learn quickly. Come on, you can introduce me to my new roommates.”

He’d been intent on her body language and expressions as she’d spoken. He heard what she’d said. Honestly, he did. But he’d also been intrigued by her skin. Silky under his fingers, her skin was a rich, creamy mocha. Much like his morning coffee that he doctored with cream and sugar.

He smiled and indicated she precede him. She started toward the men and the front door again. He fell in behind her, watching her six. At least that was the plan. Once committed, she walked with her head high. Damn, she had a nice ass. Her courage and confidence was sexy as hell. And don’t get him started on the sway of her hips. That girl was poetry in motion.

Her long dark hair swung gracefully from side to side with each step she took. He imagined twisting it around his fist like a silken rope and taking her from behind. Damn, he would bet his salary she had world-class breasts. He wanted to unwrap her killer curves slowly. Worshipping every inch as he slowly unwrapped her like a birthday present. Sheena was tall, exotic, and rounded in all the right places. She had that combination of beauty and grace that stopped a man in his tracks and forced him to take a good long look.

Bast scowled and shook his head. He had no business having thoughts like that about a witness. It was impossible not to look at her. He knew if he spent time with her he would end up doing a lot more than looking. What the hell was he going to do? Maybe he should ask to be reassigned?

It wasn’t until she stopped moving and he heard the men chuckle that he realized he’d been staring. And busted to boot. He silently cursed. This had all the earmarks of being the longest assignment he’d ever had. He glanced at her face and found her smiling warmly at him. Her expression was trusting. Sheena believed in him. There was no way he could leave her to be protected by someone else. He would just have to put his big boy pants on and behave like a proper gentleman.

“Men, I would like to introduce Miss Savoy. Miss Savoy, this is Terry and Steve,” Bast pointed to each as he said their name.

Terry, one of his friendlier men, offered his hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Savoy.”

She smiled and stepped forward giving his teammate a good solid shake. “It’s nice to meet you as well.”

“Miss Savoy,” Steve said with a nod but didn’t offer to shake her hand. Odd. Steve was typically quiet but never rude.

“Rick will be here in a few minutes with Miss Savoy’s things. Terry, I need you to finish checking the safe room and stock it. Steve, see what you can whip together for dinner. I’m going to show Miss Savoy to her room and set the alarms.”

Sheena held up her hand. “I have something to say. Or, should I say, ask? Please, call me Sheena. Miss Savoy sounds like a kindergarten teacher.”

Terry chuckled and gave her a little salute. “You got it, sweetheart.”

Bast gave him a dirty look which made Terry laugh harder.

Upstairs, two doors down on the left, a door stood open as if in welcome. At least those knuckleheads had prepared her room.

He glanced at her and cleared his throat “This is you.”

She glanced at him over her shoulder and smiled. “This looks cozy.” She sat on the edge of the huge king size bed and laughed softly. “I expected a gloomy room with an old iron bed that sagged in the middle.”

Bast grinned. “That would be Terry’s room.”

Her eyes widened.

He chuckled and shook his head. “You’re way too easy. I was only joking.”

She smiled and traced shapes in the carpet with the toe of her shoe. “Just call me the comic relief.” Sheena had to look away. Bastien Benoit was much too potent for such a small space. Her head snapped up, and her heart began to pound when a car door banged in the driveway. One look at Bast and she dissolved into giggles. His hair was rumpled from running his fingers through it. It wasn’t overly long, just enough to make it spiky like a mad scientist. Einstein was not a good look on him.

“That’s Rick with your bags. I would recognize that rumbling bucket of bolts anywhere.”

As he said that, they heard the front door and a man’s voice yell. “Lucy, I’m home.”

Bast stuck his head out the door and yelled back, “We’re upstairs.”

Rick walked in and sat two suitcases on the floor. “Hello, beautiful,” he said and waggled his eyebrows. “After packing your delicates, I couldn’t wait to see you for myself. I knew you would be a looker.”

“Rick,” Bast growled in warning and stepped between Sheena and his best friend. Blocking his view of their witness. “That’s inappropriate. One more comment like that and I’ll have you replaced on the team.”

“Sorry, boss man. I meant no offense.” Then he tried to peek around Bast. Stretching his neck with his effort. “I’m sorry….” He stopped and frowned at Bast. “What’s her name?” he whispered.

“Miss Savoy,” Bast grunted.

Rick grinned and started again. “I’m sorry, Miss Savoy. It won’t happen again. Oh, and I have one more thing. I’ll be right back.” Then he winked at Bast and walked out.

Bast huffed a sigh and turned to Sheena. “I can’t apologize enough for that man.”

“It’s all right. He may think he’s charming, but he doesn’t do a thing for me.”

He was about to ask if he did anything for her when Rick sauntered through the door with a yowling ball of black fur.

Sheena reached for him and cuddled him close. “Salem! What’s he doing here?”

“Your neighbor wasn’t home and the ones next door to them told me they’d gone to Mexico for two weeks. I couldn’t leave him there to starve, so I grabbed his food and litter, put him in his cat carrier, and voila here he is.”

Bast’s head fell back as he let out a long sigh. “Rick, you know the rules. No pets in a safe house.”

Sheena hugged her cat and glowered at Bast.

Rick crossed his arms and cocked a brow. “Are you saying you would’ve locked the cat in the house to die?”

Bast threw his hands in the air. “No. Of course not.”

“Okay. So, tell me O’ wise one, what would you have done?”

“I don’t know. Knock on a few of the neighbor’s doors and see if someone else would take the cat. Call the office and see if anyone there was a cat lover? Any number of things that didn’t include bringing it here.”

“No.” She shook her head adamantly. “I would never let any of the other neighbors take him. I’ve seen the way they treat their animals. I even had to call the police a few times.”

Rick grinned and rocked back on his heels. “See. I did the right thing.”

Bast snorted and waved toward the door. “Yeah, whatever. Remember that when you’re cleaning the cat litter every day. Now get out of here. Miss Savoy would like a little privacy.”

“Sure thing.” Then Rick turned to Sheena and took her hand in his. “Again, Miss Savoy, I apologize for my behavior.”

She would have believed his apology was sincere except he lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it before he walked from the room. That man was going to be trouble. She giggled again when Bast almost hit Rick in the butt with the door as he closed it.

“The only way you’ll keep him out is to shut the door. Otherwise, he’s like a boomerang. He comes right back at you.” Bast paused and scrubbed his fingers through his beard. “If he bothers you, let me know. I can easily replace him.”

“Isn’t he your friend?” She sat Salem on the bed so he could explore and watched him sniff around while she waited for Bast to explain.

Bast stepped up to her and gripped her upper arms. But he didn’t speak until she looked him in the eyes. “Yes, he is. But that doesn’t excuse him from professional behavior or grant him special treatment.”

She shook her head, then tilted it to one side. “No, I guess not. Regardless, I don’t want to come between friends. As long as he doesn’t take it beyond flirting, he won’t bother me.” She shrugged and added. “Besides, he’s not my type.”

“Really?” he asked stroking back and forth with his thumbs. “So, what’s your type?”

She chewed her lower lip for a moment and then quietly admitted. “You.”

Bast grinned. “I’ll take that as a compliment. Perhaps one day we can explore that. For now, I need to concentrate on your safety.” He dropped his hands to his sides and headed for the door. “Take your time unpacking. We’ll be in the kitchen when you’re done.”

“Okay. I won’t be long.” She shut the door behind him, not wanting the human boomerang to return while she was alone. “Well, Salem, what do you think of our new home?” she asked as she heaved the first suitcase onto the bed.