Bast sat at the table with his laptop while Sheena puttered around the kitchen. He glanced up when he heard her sigh. For a moment, she looked out the window over the sink admiring the view, and then spooned another dollop of cookie dough onto a baking sheet. It was only the first full day, and if she was as stir crazy as she appeared, it was going to be a long assignment.

He checked his watch and frowned. It was nearly half an hour since Terry relieved Steve and he hadn’t checked in yet. Walking from window to window he did a visual check. Terry was nowhere in sight.

He stopped next to Steve who was relaxing in the living room, watching television “Have you seen or heard from Terry?”

Steve turned to look over the back of the couch and out the front window. “No, I haven’t. Do you think we have a problem?”

Without responding, Bast touched his earpiece. “Terry, check in.”

No response.

“Terry?”

Steve rose and hurried across the living room to the front door. “It’s not like him to miss a check in. Do you want me to do a sweep?”

Bast glanced toward the kitchen and murmured, “Yeah, something doesn’t feel right.”

Steve pulled his weapon and reached for the door knob. “Stay with Sheena. I’ll find Terry. Maybe his earpiece malfunctioned.”

Bast kept pace with Steve, following his progress from window to window. He made a quick check around the house. The yard was wide open and empty. Terry was nowhere to be found. Then Steve turned toward the dense undergrowth that made up the majority of the property and paused.

“I don’t like this. It’s too quiet. Even the birds and insects are silent.” Steve whispered through the earpiece, “I’m going to check the alarms and perimeter.”

“I’ll get Sheena upstairs.” Bast watched Steve vanish into the shadows and started toward the kitchen. It was time to get Sheena close enough to the safe room to use it. His spidey sense shouted at him, and he knew better than to ignore it.

 

*****

 

Sheena frowned. Why was Steve outside? It was Terry’s turn. She leaned toward the window and had to look out at an angle to see him as he walked into the trees. Her face was nearly plastered to the glass when she heard a twig snap below the window. She jumped back and sent the mixing bowl clattering to the floor.

“Sheena!” Bast slid to a stop on the linoleum. “What happened?”

She pointed at the sink and whispered, “Get down. I heard something below that window.”

Bast moved across the room but stopped just short of the window without making a sound and peered out. How did he do that? She would have made all kinds of noise.

She picked herself up off the floor but stayed where she was and listened. It took a heartbeat or two until she heard another snap. Bast stiffened and backed away from the window. He looked her in the eyes with his finger to his lips as he grasped her arm.

They cleared and room and had made it as far as the staircase when a scraping sound of a wooden window being raised was heard.

“Get to the safe room. Now,” Bast breathed the words in her ear.

He pulled his gun as she rounded the banister.

Sheena took the stairs two at a time, grabbed Salem, and frantically searched for the door to the safe room. Her hands shook so badly she almost dropped Salem when she located the seam. Clutching her wriggling cat, she used her shoulder to push the door open. Shaking and gasping for breath, she secured the door. Her heart hammered in her ears like thunder. Once safe, she dropped to the bed and wiped the tears from her eyes. She finally released Salem when he yowled his annoyance of her iron grip.

Sitting didn’t last long. She paced up and down the small space. Tilting her head, she listened hard but heard nothing. Was Bast injured? Where were Terry and Steve? Had they come back to help him? Thoughts and fears swirled like a whirlwind in her mind. She needed a weapon just in case the impossible happened, and Moretti got through the door. Avoiding Salem’s swishing tail, she scoured the tiny space. The best she had was a steak knife. It would have to do. Armed with a blade, she turned the monitor on and stared at empty space on the other side of the door.

She straightened when Rick walked to the door and tapped. “Sheena? You in there?”

“Yes,” she said as quietly as possible but still loud enough for him to hear. “Bast needs help downstairs.”

Without another word, he glanced at the camera and left the room.

Minutes felt like hours. She checked the time and frowned. It had only been five minutes since she locked herself in. She knew this because there was a clock on the wall. Whoever put that there was a sadist.

What was that? Sheena pressed her ear to the door.

Squeak. Screech. Whoosh.

Her entire body stiffened, and she stepped back. It sounded like what she’d heard when she opened the window last night. The wood had swollen from the humidity and protested loudly when she forced it to move. Her gaze shot back to the monitor as a head, covered in a ski mask appeared. Someone was opening her window! Her whole body tensed. She pressed a hand to her chest as a vise gripped her lungs and squeezed.

A thin body in tight black clothing from head to toe followed the head and slid to the floor. A man or a boy? She couldn’t tell. It could be either, but she doubted Moretti would send a child to do a man’s job.

He stood motionless for a moment, scanning the room. Slowly, he worked the space, checking under the bed and then the closet. When his hands went to the wall, her hand flew to her mouth to suppress a scream. He knew! He was looking for the safe room door.

Another movement at her window caught her eye. Shit! Another man eased through and pulled a gun Dirty Hairy would admire from the back of his pants. He was built like David, but he too was covered in black so she couldn’t be sure. Her whole body ached from fear-induced tension. Where were the marshals who were supposed to protect her? Oh my God! Were they all dead? No, she denied the thought. If they were dead, these guys would have used the door.

Each of them had slashed a mouth opening on their masks, and she could see their lips moving but not make out what was said. Hoping that it would work like in the movies, she grabbed a glass and pressed it to the door.

“Are you sure the safe room is in here?” the man she assumed was David asked.

“That’s what he told me,” the first man responded as he continued to search.

She watched as the first guy swept his hand over the thin line that made up the door’s edge. No! They’d found her. She plastered her body against the back wall as far away from the door as possible. Her chest heaved. It felt like all the air had been sucked from the room.

“It looks like there’s a seam here.”

As they combined their efforts to open the door, she heard the sweetest voice on earth. Bast.

She couldn’t see him, but he was there. Somewhere.

“U.S. Marshals Service! Drop your weapons and raise your hands.”

Both men turned toward the door, guns raised.

“Give us the girl, and no one else gets hurt,” David yelled back.

Sheena gasped. No one else? Who was hurt?

“Toss your weapons toward the door and lay facedown on the ground. This is your last warning.”

“We can’t do that, man. The boss doesn’t accept failure.” The thinner man yelled as he slid along the wall toward the hallway.

“Watch out! He’s sneaking up on you,” Sheena yelled.

David turned her way, and the scrawny one stopped dead. Before they could make a move Bast leaned around the doorframe and fired.

The thin guy yelped and grabbed his arm. Then he aimed at the wall Bast hid behind and unloaded his gun.

David aimed his gun at the safe room, and she dove for the floor. She heard three booms and saw three corresponding dents blossom on her side of the door. The bullets hadn’t pierced the metal, but they’d done some damage.

She glanced up at the monitor and saw Bast lean around the doorjamb again and fire.

David went down hard. He didn’t move, and a red stain spread across his shirt from the hole in his chest. The other man backed further into the room.

The instant Bast stepped through the doorway the guy dropped his gun and raised his hands. “Don’t shoot!”

Before Bast could take a step, David raised his gun and shot his partner in the back of his head. Then he collapsed to the floor and exhaled his last breath.

She watched as Bast entered the room and checked both men. From his dark expression and the fact that he didn’t cuff them, they must be dead. Finally, he collected their guns and stepped up to the door. “Open up, Sheena. We need to go.”

She didn’t like the way he kept an eye on the hallway, but she trusted him. She scooped Salem into her arms and pressed the button. The door opened partway and then got hung up. The bullets had done more damage than she’d thought.

Veins bulged in his neck as Bast pushed as hard as he could, but it didn’t budge. He glanced at the hallway and then at her. “Can you squeeze through?”

“I can try. Here, hold Salem.” She held out the disgruntled feline.

“Just put him down. We don’t have time for this.”

“If I do, he’ll take off. Just take him so I can wiggle out of here.”

He narrowed his eyes but took the cat.

Sheena wriggled and pushed and finally broke free.

Bast pushed Salem into her arms and started toward the hallway.

She glanced at the men and gagged, but forced the bile in her throat back down. Pressing her back against the wall she slipped by them and avoided coming into contact with the bodies.

They paused before they left her room. Bast narrowed his eyes and pointed. “If he gets loose, we’re not chasing him down. I’m not going to watch you die because of a cat.”

She raised her chin. “He’ll be fine.”

He scowled at the black bundle of fur, grabbed her free hand, and pulled her to the hallway. He paused and looked both ways before he rushed her down the stairs. Bast halted their progress near the bottom and made certain the way was clear to the door.

Her heart stuttered. Rick was at the shattered living room window, gun drawn.

He waved them on. “Go! Get her out of here.”

Bast gave him a nod “Backup will be here in a minute. Don’t fucking die on me.”

Then he pulled her to the front door and repeated his actions, checking that the coast was clear. “Stay close. If we take fire, stay behind me.”

There was an SUV about ten feet from the porch. It’s bullet proof exterior was riddled with a ton of dents, but it looked like it would run. The open ground they had to cover looked more like a mile than feet.

“We need to run as fast as we can across the yard. If you hear gun shots, don’t slow down.”

She nodded and in a shaky voice whispered, “Okay.”

“Ready. Set. Go.” He pulled her down the steps, and they ran hell bent for leather to the vehicle. Bullets whizzed by, close enough to slice off bits of hair. Dirt exploded around them as rounds struck the earth.

Suddenly, answering gunfire came from the tree line. Right before they ducked behind the SUV, she caught sight of Terry and Steve covering their escape with suppressive fire.

He hustled her along the passenger side staying low. When he reached for the handle, a bullet sliced across his hand before embedding in the metal.

Sheena gasped at the sight of blood welling and dripping down his wrist.

Bast didn’t miss a beat. He yanked the door open and shoved her and Salem inside.

Sheena slouched as low as she could and waited for Bast to make his way around to the driver side. Gunshots thundered around them like an old west high noon shootout. She couldn’t see what was happening from the floorboards where he’d stuffed her. Did she hear a grunt? She was strung so tight she screamed when he yanked the driver’s door open and jumped in.

“Sorry. You startled me.”

“Hang on.” The engine roared to life, and he took off like a bat out of hell. “Damn it! They dropped a tree across the road. We’re going off-road. Brace yourself. This is going to get rough.”

She bounced around like popcorn in a popper. Wedging her shoulder against the seat, she did the best she could without anything to hold onto. The gunshots had faded away, and all seemed fairly safe again. When she lifted her head to take a look, a bullet shattered her window.

Bast shoved her back down, not caring that he was a little rough. “Stay down, Damn it!”

She was thrown left and then slammed against the door. Salem yowled his displeasure and struggled to get free.

“It’s just a little further to the road.” The SUV jerked left again, and then the ride smoothed out.

“Can I sit up now?”

She watched him check his mirrors and then recheck them. “Yeah. I think we’re clear.”

She settled more comfortably into her seat and took a long look behind them. She expected Moretti to come speeding up with machine guns or something equally absurd. Finally, she took a breath. She glanced at Bast and gasped, “Crap. I forgot you were hit. Do you have something we can wrap it with?”

“There should be a med kit in the glove box.”

She popped the kit open and found a variety of bandages, antiseptic ointment, and wipes. There were even small bottles of antibiotics and painkillers. She paused her search when she saw the large patches used on wounds to stop bleeding. When she returned to looking through the kit, she found morphine and suture kits under the patches.

She glanced at Bast and found him looking back. “I’m going to need the ointment and a bandage for my hand, but we also need to find a place to pull over so I can slap a patch on my leg.”

“What? You were shot again?”

He shrugged. “It’s not too bad. It’s barely more than a scratch. The bullet only caught the outer flesh of the calf. Barely enough to call a bullet wound.”

“Not too bad! Are you nuts? You need to go to a hospital.”

He grinned and shook his head. “Sorry, sweetheart. That isn’t happening. I need to get you to another safe house.” He held up a hand to stop her when she opened her mouth to protest. “Believe me. I’ve had a lot worse. Now be a good girl and help me take care of my hand.”

“This isn’t as bad as I thought. It’s shallow and won’t need stitches.”

He glanced her way and grinned. “I didn’t think it would. The bullet barely touched me.”

“What about your leg?”

“There’s a rest stop a few miles down the road. We can stop there and have a look at it.”

“Okay. But if it’s bad, promise me that you’ll go to an emergency room.”

“I promise it won’t be that bad.”

She rolled her eyes but left it at that.

“I’ll park on the outer edge of the lot, so we don’t attract attention. People tend to notice a man with his pants down.” He grinned at her as he pulled to a stop.

Sheena swallowed hard. Of course he would have to strip down. Why hadn’t she thought of that? Okay. Sure he had a smoking hot body, but he was injured. She could be professional and take care of his leg without jumping his bones, right?

“There’ll be more room in the back. I’ll lower the seat, so the entire space is flat. That way I can extend my leg, and you’ll have room to patch me up.”

“Sure. That sounds like a good plan.” She got out and opened the back door on her side to help arrange the makeshift medical area.

He stripped off his jeans, but thankfully didn’t need to lose his briefs, and climbed in. Sheena grabbed the kit and joined him. It was an awkward space with limited headroom, but it would do.

As before, she cleaned the area so she could see the damage. He was right. It wasn’t nearly as bad as she’d imagined. The bullet had only caught the outer edge of his calf, skimmed under the skin and came out the other side. The holes weren’t overly large, so butterfly tape would do for stitches.

Bast twisted to take a look. “See. Hardly a scratch.”

“No. Not too bad. I’ll close these up and apply the antibiotic cream before I bandage it. I think you should take the antibiotics, too. If it gets infected, you’ll have to go to the doctor.” She gave him a hard look. “And there will be no arguments if it comes to that.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He chuckled and turned to lay flat again which gave her room to finish her work.

She tried to be as careful as possible, but he still winced a few times when she applied the butterfly tape. There was no getting around that. She had to pinch the skin together. There was no way to do that without a little pain. He was a tough one though. He never made a sound as she patched him up.

“Okay, all finished.” She closed up the kit and gathered the used supplies for disposal.

“Thanks. I appreciate the assist.” He climbed out and pulled his jeans on. “Let’s use the facilities here. It’s a long drive to the next house.”

When they got back on the road, Bast pulled his phone out. “I better check on the guys. I might need to arrange another team for the new location.”

She listened to his one-sided conversation.

“So, only minor injuries? What about the assault team?”

There was a long pause.

“Shit. We can’t question dead men, Rick.”

She could hear Rick’s voice but not make out his words.

“Yes. I know. Okay, pack up Sheena’s things and meet us at the new location. I’ll see you in a few hours.”

He ended the call and glanced at her. “Everyone’s fine. Terry took a nasty hit to the head, but he’s okay. And Steve has a few bruises. All in all, we’re in good shape.”

“All the guys who came after me are dead?” she asked in a small voice.

“Apparently. According to Rick that couldn’t be helped.”

“If they’re all dead, do I really need to go to another safe house?”

“Yes. Moretti has an unlimited supply of underlings just waiting to make a name for themselves. As soon as he figures out they failed, he’ll send another team.”

She wiped a tear from her cheek. “This will never end, will it?”

Bast took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “I’m sorry, cher. With a man like Moretti, he won’t stop until one of you is dead. That’s why I’m setting you up at a final location and arranging a new identity for you. Until Moretti is dead, you’ll have to stay in hiding.”

She sighed and slumped in her seat. “This sucks.”

“Yes, it does.”

“So where am I going this time?”

“We have a large two story on a few acres outside of Lafayette.”

“Really? I’ve never been there. Do you think I can see the town?”

“Maybe. If things stay quiet for a few weeks, I’ll think about it. The last thing we want is for someone to recognize you.”

“Okay. I guess.”

The warmth and security of his large hand holding hers made her feel a little better. But only a little.

The sun was setting when they finally pulled up to a large house. They were no other cars, and all the windows were dark. They must be the first to arrive.

Sheena watched him. He hadn’t made a move to get out of the SUV and was staring at the house like he had X-ray vision or something.

“I don’t like taking a witness into an unchecked house,” he told her without taking his eyes from the house. “Okay. Here’s the plan. I want you to stay in the vehicle while I walk the perimeter and check inside. I’m going to leave the keys in the ignition. If you hear gun shots, get the hell out of here.”

She gaped at him and then got mad. “I’m not leaving you behind!”

He gave her a hard look. “If you refuse to do what I tell you to do, we’ll leave right now and wait until the guys get here. Your choice.”

She glanced at the house and landscaping. Then back at him. “Do you think anyone is lurking in the bushes?”

“From what I can tell, I doubt it. There’s no way they could know which house I would take you to. My guys didn’t even know until I told them when I called.”

“Okay. Check the house, and if anyone is out there, I’ll take off.”

He patted her arm and opened his door. “Good girl. I’ll only be a few minutes.”

She watched as he pulled his weapon and eased around the corner of the house and out of sight. Her chest grew tight, and she hardly took a breath until she saw him come around the other corner. He made his way to the front door and disappeared inside.

Five minutes later, He returned and helped her from the SUV. “All clear.”

She liked the look of the house and the front porch. Hopefully, the interior was just as nice. Salem wriggled to get free the instant they walked through the door. She let the cat explore as she walked from room to room. “Wow. This is beautiful.”

She felt his eyes on her the entire way. “It was donated completely furnished by a very generous family.”

She lifted her brows “What the heck did you guys do to get a donation like this?”

“We protected a very rich man and his family. This was the home they had to leave behind.”

She lowered her eyes and was quiet for a moment and then mumbled. “At least it wasn’t burned to the ground.”

She turned to face him when she felt his hand on her arm. “I can’t tell you how sorry I am that you lost your family home.”

She nodded. “I know. Moretti will pay for that,” she said with conviction.

He led her to her room and waited by the door.

Sheena sat on the edge of the bed, looked around the room, and sighed.

“You’re allowed to feel overwhelmed, cher. More has happened to you in the past forty-eight hours than to most people during their entire lifetime.”

“I feel like a ship lost at sea. The ground keeps shifting under my feet. I mean, I’m freaking homeless.”

She heard his footsteps as he crossed the room but didn’t look up.

He sat beside her and put an arm around her shoulders. “It’ll get better, sweetheart. I promise. And until then, you have me to keep you steady,” he whispered the words next to her ear, his warm breath raising goosebumps on her skin.

She lifted her head and gazed into his eyes. “Thanks, Bast. I don’t know what I’d do without you.” On impulse, she kissed his cheek.

His eyes widened. Heat slowly warmed his gaze. He didn’t lean back or pull away. His eyes searched her face for a moment before he lowered his lips to hers.

Her eyes widened and slowly closed. Sheena leaned into him and kissed him in return. He stroked her lips with his tongue, and she parted for him. This was just what she needed. Who she needed.

A thrill shot through her. She joined his exploration. Tasting and caressing his tongue with her own.

When he turned his body and pulled her closer, she put her arms around his neck. He was a master kisser. He stroked in and out sensually, nibbling and sucking her lips.

She wanted to rub her full breasts against his hard chest. His embrace could only be made better by a lack of clothing between them. She considered opening a few buttons on his shirt. Could she be that bold?

Bast was the hottest, most passionate man she’d ever laid lips on. Not that she had a lot of experience. He held her gently and pleasured her lips the way she wanted him to pleasure the rest of her body.

Lost in the moment, she couldn’t care less that she had men out to kill her. She fed on his mouth…he was devouring her with equal desperation. He growled low in his throat, and confidence surged through her.

His hands slid down her back to the rounded globes of her ass as her hands went to work on his shirt. She’d only gotten to the second button when he pulled back and pressed his face against her neck.

Bast’s ragged breath dampened her skin. “The team is here.”

Alarm shot through her like she’d touched a live wire. If they were caught, Bast could lose his job. She scooted sideways and put space between them. She was still panting, breathing hard and fast when Rick stepped into the room.

A lecherous grin spread across his face. “Am I interrupting something?”

Sheena narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest to cover her overly excited nipples.

Bast stood and moved away from the bed. “No. Of course not. Did you call for a crime scene team to assess the attack?”

“Yep. They were doing their thing when we left.” He lifted her bags and said, “I have your stuff. The cat’s food and litter are downstairs.”

Sheena took the luggage from him and sat it on the bed. “Thank you. Did you happen to collect my crystals, too?”

“They’re in there. I tucked them inside some of your clothes so they wouldn’t bang around.”

She raised a brow and gave him a smile. “That was very thoughtful.”

Rick made a show of preening. “I’m a thoughtful guy.”

“All right, Mr. Thoughtful, let’s get busy securing the property. I want all the cameras and alarms double checked.”

“You got it, boss man.” Rick gave her a wink and walked out.

Once they were alone, he stepped up to her and tucked a bit of hair behind her ear. “I have to go. Will you be okay in here by yourself?”

“I’ll be fine. I’m going to unpack my bathroom items, but I think I’ll wait a day or two before I unpack the rest. I want to be sure we don’t have to make a run for it again.”

Bast’s brows pinched, and his voice lowered. “There better not be another breach. I’m calling my superior right now. We need to know how they found us at the first house.”

“I’ll be down when I’m done in here. Is the kitchen stocked? I could make something for the crew if we have food in the house.”

“I’ll check as soon as I finish my call. If we need supplies, I’ll send one of the men to town.” He dropped a chaste kiss on her cheek and walked out.

Sheena unzipped the first bag and sat on the edge of the bed to search for her bathroom bag. “Seriously, Rick,” she grumbled as she started refolding all of her clothes. She picked up one of her bras, and a crystal fell out. She saw red. When she saw that pervert again, she was going to let him have it. With each bra and panty, she found additional crystals. She felt utterly violated. Rick wasn’t ever getting near her stuff again.

She folded the last item and stared at the two bags. She’d never been one to own much. But she couldn’t believe her entire life had been reduced to the few things before her. Sighing she zipped them and sat them on the floor.

Her stomach rumbled reminding her she had offered to make something for the men. She closed her bedroom door as a door at the end of the hall opened making her jump. Her nerves were still on edge from everything that had happened.

He walked toward her grinning. “Sheena.”

Her hands fisted at her sides.

He raked his eyes up and down her body, licked his lips, and stopped inches from her, invading her space.

Sheena hauled back and decked him. She put everything she had into the punch and knocked him on his ass. “Stay away from me you sick degenerate.”

She turned to head downstairs and found Bast gaping at her.

He took one look at her expression and glared at Rick still laid out on the floor. “What the hell is going on?”

She glanced at Rick. “I was teaching him a lesson about fondling a woman’s undergarments. He wrapped my crystals in my bras and panties, so I would know he’d played with them. Did you check the kitchen for me?”

He brushed his hand down her arm and stepped around her. “Yes. Terry is getting groceries and picking up pizza for dinner. Why don’t you meet me downstairs? I’m going to have a talk with Rick.”

“All right.”

Bast towered over Rick. “You’ve crossed the line one too many times.”

“Sorry, boss. All I did was wrap her stupid rocks in the first thing I grabbed. I didn’t mean anything by it.”

“You can’t bull shit me. Pack your shit and get out.”

“What?”

“You heard me. I want you gone. Now.”

“You’re taking that bitches word over your best friend’s?”

Bast grabbed Rick’s collar and hauled him to his feet. Then he punched him. “No friend of mine would treat a witness the way you have. What you did was sexual harassment. You have five minutes.”

Rick cupped his bloodied nose and stumbled toward his room. “I’ll have your job for that.”

Bast yelled, “You can try,” over his shoulder as he descended the stairs.