

Double Take

E Kelly

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2012 E Kelly

This book is available in print at most online retailers.

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

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Chapter 1

As Caleb stepped from his car, a woman's scream ripped through the early morning stillness. Without hesitation, he ran toward the sound, swearing viciously under his breath at the scene unfolding before him. Two men were dragging Grace Bennett, the woman he had come to see, toward a white, unmarked van. Even though, she was hopelessly outmatched, she fought. And fought hard. Kicking one man in the shin and the other in the crotch, Grace sprinted a few steps. The larger of the two men, Crotch Man, howled in rage. Grabbing a handful of his captive's hair, he yanked her back, viciously. Grace began beating and clawing at the hands that held her. No one noticed Caleb as he came up behind them. He was fast and silent. But not fast enough to stop the man's fist. Grace staggered under the force of it, blood instantly pouring from a cut above her eye. She would have fallen if not for the hold on her hair.

Caleb intercepted the second blow, grabbing the man's wrist and wrenching it high behind his back. He slipped his free arm around the man's neck, knife in hand. "Let her go," Caleb hissed. "Or I'll drop you here and now."

"You sure about that?" Crotch Man's hand tightened in Grace's hair, causing her to cry out. "I could just have John here, shoot her."

"You could. If he had a gun."

"Gun or not, he can still do plenty of damage to someone as pretty and delicate as your girlfriend."

As John stepped forward, Caleb shifted the knife until it rested on Crotch man's throat. "I wouldn't if I were you, John. I assure you, if you take another step, I'll kill your friend here." Caleb kept his face blank and his body tense as John hesitated. He knew that the only way to save Grace was to convince these men that they were better off letting her go. As an added incentive, Caleb applied just enough pressure to allow the tip of the knife to sink into Crotch man's throat.

"Jesus! You cut me, you crazy bastard! You fucking cut me!"

John started forward again.

"Don't." Caleb ordered. He kept his voice soft and cold. Emotionless.

"Mark?" John pleaded, shifting nervously from one foot to the other.

Caleb pushed the knife a little deeper into Mark's throat. "Let the woman go," he repeated.

Mark didn't even hesitate this time as he pushed Grace roughly away from him and raised his hands in surrender. She fell, her hands coming out just in time to keep her head from hitting the hard concrete. "There. I let her go," Mark argued. "See? She's fine. No real harm done, man. Right?"

Caleb hesitated. His first instinct was to fight. To pay them back for hurting Grace. A little pain. A little blood. A lot of personal satisfaction. But not this time. This time, his first priority had to be Grace's safety. Without warning, Caleb shoved Mark into his partner. As the men scrambled to their feet, he unsheathed his second knife, preparing to defend Grace at all costs. He needn't have bothered though. Without a backward glance, the men ran toward the van. Caleb could hear Grace moving behind him. "Not yet," he cautioned. "They can still turn back." It wasn't until Mark and John sped out of the garage, tires screeching, that Caleb finally relaxed. Tucking away both his knives, he turned to Grace. "I think we're safe now."

"Um. Thanks," she murmured. Grace slowly and carefully stood, stumbling a little when she backed away from him. Her heart was racing, her head spinning.

"Here, let me help you." The man's hands were on her before she could stop him, wrapping around her upper arms, steady and strong.

"Look. I don't mean to be rude." She reached up to soothe her throbbing head, startled and more than a little unnerved to feel blood warm and wet on her skin. "Um," Grace stammered. "I'm aware that I owe my safety, possibly my life to you. But... Um. I think I can take it from here. Thanks."

"You're welcome." Caleb had to admire her spirit, but she worried him. With blood running down her face and neck, she was terrifyingly pale. And her hands had started to shake. He moved with her as she retreated a few more steps. "At least let me escort you to your apartment. Make sure you get there without further incident."

Grace shook her head, wincing at the unexpected pain. "No. Thank you. I assure you, I'll be..."

"Fine," Caleb finished as he caught her safely in his arms. She had fainted; whether from shock or injury, he wasn't yet sure. One arm held Grace upright as he reached for his handkerchief. He dabbed carefully at the cut above her eye, relieved to see that, although it was messy, it didn't appear to be serious. Caleb lifted Grace up and into his arms. He knew he needed to call the police. They needed to report the attack and give a description of the men involved. But not, he decided, until they were safely tucked away in her apartment. He used the back stairwell to travel through the building, hoping to avoid Grace's neighbors. Two-oh-eight Caleb remembered, moving quietly down the hall. As he reached her door, he simply sighed in frustration when he saw that it stood open. Her place had been turned upside down – every cupboard and drawer emptied, breakables shattered. Apparently, Mark and John had been to Grace's apartment before they found her in the parking garage. Or, did they ambush her here? Somehow the thought of them dragging her from her home, bothered him more than an attack in a parking garage. Quickly scanning the wreckage, Caleb looked for a place to put her down. The chairs and sofa had been overturned; the floor covered in debris. As unorthodox as it was, he had to settle for laying Grace out on her dining room table. He backtracked to the living room to find something to put under her head. Once he was satisfied that she was reasonably comfortable, he closed the front door. Caleb went in search of the bathroom next, dialing as he walked. When he reached Keith's voicemail, he left a message. "I have her. She's safe now." He disconnected then and hurried to find what he needed – washcloth, towel, ointment, gauze, and tape. Dampening the washcloth in the sink, he rushed back to Grace. He placed the towel directly on the cut, hoping to staunch the flow and used the washcloth to clean the blood from Grace's face and neck. Caleb studied her features as he washed her skin. She was elegant and feminine with high cheekbones and red full lips. Her eyes, heavily lashed, would be the same vivid green as her brother's when they opened. Her dark brown hair, spilled out in waves around her. He ran his fingers through it experimentally, causing Grace to moan softly. Caleb was surprised when his body tensed at the sound. He bent to get a closer look, close enough that he could feel the warmth of her. His hand came out to caress the soft skin of her cheek. With that first gentle touch, Grace stirred. Her eyes fluttered open and fixed on Caleb's face. She took in blond hair, dark eyes, and rugged features. With a smile designed to melt a woman's defenses.

"Nice to have you back." He spoke softly, not wanting to frighten her. "You fainted in the parking garage. I brought you upstairs. We're in your apartment now." When her hand drifted up to her face, Caleb's intercepted it. He held her hand gently but firmly in his. "You have a cut above your eye," he reminded her. He turned his attention to cleaning and bandaging the wound, giving Grace time to collect her thoughts.

"You carried me up here. To my apartment."

"Yes."

"Um. Thanks."

"You're welcome," Caleb smiled. "It gave me an opportunity to be gallant."

Grace smiled weakly in return. "I'm sorry I missed it."

"Maybe next time."

She studied him silently for a moment, before holding out her hand. "Grace Bennett."

Caleb's smile widened as he finished taping gauze over her wound. Then he gently took her hand in his. "I know. Your brother Keith sent me. I'm Caleb..."

"Knight," she smiled in relief. He could feel her body relax under his hands. Not some sort deviant or ax murder, she realized. "You and Keith used to work together."

"Yeah."

"Keith sent you to check up on me."

He nodded, his hands resting absently at her waist. Even pale, injured, and frightened, Grace was achingly lovely.

"I told him to stop doing things like this. It isn't necessary." She took a deep breath then, slowly releasing it. "Obviously, I was wrong."

Caleb was still close enough to see tears threaten. "Don't tell him that," he teased. "You know he's impossible when he's right about something. You'll never hear the end of it."

Grace chuckled softly. She started to sit up, coming up short when Caleb held her in place. He stood between her thighs, leaning intimately over her. Grace raised one eyebrow in question.

"Before you sit up, can you answer one question for me?" He paused, taking in the suspicion in her eyes. "Was the parking garage the first time you saw those men?"

"Yeah. I think so. Why?"

"Because I'm pretty sure they were here before they met up with you downstairs." Without another word of explanation, Caleb helped her sit up. He kept one hand at the small of her back as she looked around the room.

"Dammit all to hell and back!" Grace hissed. She reached for her sore head again, only to have Caleb's hand catch hers and bring it back to her lap. "Did you call the police?"

"No. I wanted to make sure you were okay first. But I can do that for you now, if you're ready." When she agreed, he pulled out his phone. "Do me a favor, please, and stay put until I come back. You don't look too steady yet."

With her eyes locked on the chaos that used to be her apartment, Grace could only nod. Caleb stepped into the kitchen, leaving her alone for a moment. What the hell was going on, she wondered. Why would two total strangers trash her apartment and attack her in a parking garage? Smothering the fear that clawed at her, she worked to replay the scene in her mind. Grace remembered that she had just gotten home from an early breakfast with a friend. She had been preoccupied as she parked her car in the garage, and walked toward the stairwell. Two men had been waiting just inside the door, out of sight. Without a word, they had grabbed her and pulled her back into the garage. When Grace saw their van, she had been terrified. Fighting became instinctive - punching, clawing, whatever it took. Grace's heart beat hard and fast in her chest at the memory of it. Her head ached as she carefully went over the details again to be sure. She looked up to see Caleb standing in the doorway. Without a word, he came to kneel at her feet. "They didn't come here to hurt me," she murmured as the first tears fell. "They came to kidnap me."

Caleb's hand caressed her cheek, his thumb brushing away her tears. "Yeah. I think that's exactly what they did."

"But why?"

The pain in her eyes and voice was more than Caleb could bear. He stood and folded Grace into his arms. She came willingly, taking the comfort, needing it. When she began to shake, he lifted her into his arms, effortlessly. Moving across the room, he set her on her feet. "Just a second, baby," he whispered. As quickly as he could, he righted the sofa and shoved the cushions back in place. Caleb sat, pulling Grace intimately into his lap. She curled into him, tears coming in earnest now as her body shook uncontrollably.

Caleb wasn't sure how long they sat together as he held Grace in his arms. Gradually, though, her tears subsided and her body stilled. At the first sound in the hallway, he tensed. Caleb could feel Grace's heart begin to beat wildly against his chest. He was just reaching for one of his knives, when a voice called out.

"Police! Is anyone in there?"

"Clear!" Caleb responded.

Two police officers came through the door, guns drawn. Pivoting towards Caleb, they froze. "Miss?" one of them spoke. "Are you alright?"

Slowly, Grace lifted her head from Caleb's shoulder and turned toward the sound of the voice. Her eyes went wide when she saw the guns, but she persevered. "I'm fine now," she whispered.

"Caleb Knight," he introduced himself. "I'm the one that made the call. This is Grace Bennett. She was attacked in the parking garage downstairs." He felt her tremble again and tightened his hold. "When I brought her upstairs, we realized her apartment had also been broken into. I tended to Grace's head wound and then called 911."

"And the assailants?" the officer asked.

"Long gone, I'm afraid."

"And the two of you are alone here?"

"Yes."

The officer turned to his partner. "Send in the EMTs to check out Miss Bennett, and then search the place. Make sure we don't have any unexpected surprises. Is that okay with you Miss?" He waited for Grace's permission before signaling the EMTs. The officer turned his attention back to Caleb. "While they take care of Miss Bennett, why don't you and I go into the kitchen and you can tell me everything you remember about the incident."

Caleb lifted Grace from his lap, placing her on the sofa next to him before he answered. "I'll be happy to tell you everything, but I won't leave Grace." He took her hand in his to emphasize his point. He could tell that the officer didn't want to agree. He was young, still green, and trying to stick to procedure. While Caleb could understand and respect the need for rules, he wasn't about to acquiesce. Keith was relying on him to take care of Grace. Caleb refused to let him down.

It took hours to satisfy the curiosity of the detectives handling the case. Caleb reported the events, answered questions, and, with Grace's help, provided detailed descriptions of her attackers. He was convinced the men were amateurs, probably inexpensive hired help. They had given up too easily to be anything else. So that meant he needed to know who hired them. Obviously, today's objective had been to kidnap Grace. But why? Caleb looked over at her as she answered even more questions from the police. He hadn't been sure what to expect when he met Keith's sister, but it certainly hadn't been what he found. Grace was strong, beautiful, intelligent, and incredibly resilient. In a potentially life-threatening situation, she had keep her wits about her and stood her ground. That one act alone impressed the hell out of him. Caleb almost smiled at the memory. Almost. Had he not arrived when he did, she would have failed. They both knew that. Just the thought of Grace in the hands of those men, had anger and fear threatening to choke him. With concerted effort, Caleb smothered it, banking it for future use.

Several hours later, Grace stood back to survey the changes in her apartment. It had taken ridiculous amounts of hard work, but it was finally beginning to look normal again. Thanks to Caleb. As the police officers and EMTs left, he had insisted on staying to help her clean up. And while she was grateful for his help, now she just wanted to be alone. Not until she was by herself, would she finally be able to let go, to give in to the fatigue and pain. Turning to Caleb with that in mind, Grace was startled to see him heading down the hall toward the back of her apartment. She found him in her bedroom, stripping the bed.

"Where do you keep your clean sheets, sweetheart?"

"Excuse me."

Caleb turned. "Knowing there were strangers in your home, I thought fresh, clean sheets might be appreciated." He studied her as he waited. Her features were pale and strained, her hands beginning to shake again. Caleb needed to get her into bed. Now. Before she collapsed under the weight of sorrow and stress. "Sheets?" he repeated.

"Um. Hallway closet," Grace mumbled.

Without another word, he stepped out of the room, returning quickly. As he entered, she reached for the bedding in his arms. "Here, let me."

Caleb held fast. "No. I'll do this. Why don't you take some aspirin for that headache?"

Grace considered arguing, but, truth be told, she just didn't have it in her. Relinquishing the task to Caleb, she took his advice, and headed into the bathroom. Once the door was closed between them, she took a moment to take stock and survey the damage. Grace winced when she finally saw her reflection. Her hair was a mess, her shirt bloodstained. And the combination of pale skin and the stark white bandage above her bruised and swollen eye made her look fragile. She should probably be grateful, though, she tried to rationalize. One woman against two men; the odds had not been in her favor. Not wanting to dwell on it any longer, Grace filled a glass with water from the tap and swallowed down three aspirin, hoping to dull the pain. She undressed to the waist next, using a washcloth to remove the rest of the blood from her chest. The shirt and bra were a total loss, so she tossed them in the trashcan under the sink. Wrapping a towel around her upper body, she returned to the bedroom to see Caleb just finishing the bed. He turned when he felt her presence.

"I need a new shirt," Grace mumbled in way of explanation.

"Of course." He moved with her to the dresser, pulled out a t-shirt himself when she opened a drawer. Silently, Grace spun away from him and dropped the towel. Caleb couldn't help but stare at the sight of her naked back, stunned by how much he wanted to touch...to feel her skin under his hands. Clamping down on it hard, Caleb forced his hands to his sides and watched as Grace pulled the shirt over her head, hiding her body from view. "Time for you to put it all aside and shut down for a while," he announced. Caleb led Grace to the bed, pulling back the covers as she reached for the snap of her jeans.

"Could you turn around for just a second?" she asked quietly.

Without a word, he did as she asked. The sweet sound of denim sliding over skin and hitting the wooden floor assaulted his ears. Caleb's hands fisted at his sides. The muscle in his jaw twitched as he clenched his teeth tightly.

"Ready."

He steeled himself for the sight of her as he turned, but it wasn't enough. Stretched out on the bed, the t-shirt she was wearing stopping short at mid thigh, Grace looked good enough to... Lust gnawed at Caleb as he forced himself to reach for the comforter at the foot of the bed. He pulled it up and over Grace's body, tucking her in as if she were a child. He ordered her to sleep, promising to be there when she woke. Normally, Grace would have balked at the authoritative tone, but her eyes were already drifting shut. On a sigh, she let sleep take her under.

Caleb stood outside the bedroom door for a moment, amazed by the wave of desire that threatened to smother him. Jesus! They had only met a few hours ago. And under the most difficult of circumstances. How could he possibly want her so desperately? It didn't make sense. Yet still, Caleb wondered what Grace would do if he went back in, shed his clothes and slipped in bed beside her. Would she welcome his touch? Without warning, Caleb's phone began to ring. Knowing it was probably for the best didn't stop him from growling in frustration at the interruption. "Knight," he answered quietly. It was Keith, returning his call. Caleb slowly went through the events of the day. He kept his voice low, his tone calm and reassuring. He told himself he wasn't intentionally misleading Keith. Caleb just didn't want him to worry, not now when Grace was safe. So if Keith somehow got the impression that Grace had almost singled-handedly taken care of herself in that garage, it was a story Caleb could live with.

"Are you sure she's okay?" Keith was asking again.

"Yes. I'm sure. Other than the injury above her eye, she is unharmed."

"I still think I should come home. Take a leave of absence until we can figure out what's going on. The rest of the team can handle this case."

"You don't need to do that," Caleb heard himself say. "I can keep Grace from further harm." He heard Keith draw a shaky breath, could almost see him pacing as he always did when he was most agitated.

"I can't begin to express what she means to me, Caleb."

"You don't have to. I have a sister, too."

Keith nodded absently. "I need you to promise that you will not leave her unprotected. Not even for a second. I need your word on that."

"You have it."

"And I want to be part of this. I want to know about anything and everything you find. Anything and everything the police find too," Keith insisted.

"Of course," Caleb quickly agreed. "Trust me. I will care for Grace as if she were my own." The silence that followed was awkward and for a minute, Caleb thought he might have given too much away.

"Okay. But, just so you know, I wouldn't trust her safety to anyone but you."

"No pressure there then," joked Caleb.

"Yeah. No pressure." With that said, Keith disconnected, leaving Caleb alone with his own thoughts. Thoughts that took him back to their years together in the Secret Service. Caleb first met Keith almost eight years ago. They were both attending the Basic Criminal Investigator Training program in Georgia. Fresh out of college and eager to prove themselves. After training, they were assigned to one of the agencies Electronic Crimes Task Forces investigating electronic attacks on the nation's financial payment systems. The job had been interesting, challenging, and rewarding. And the two of them had made an almost unbeatable team. Still, six years in, Caleb left to become a private investigator. That had been almost two years ago, and he had never regretted his decision. He liked being his own boss, working his own hours, and choosing his own cases. It was the right move at the right time.

After reassuring Keith that he would do everything he could to keep Grace safe, Caleb began. His first call was to a security company owned and operated by a friend. Together they organized a repair crew for Grace's front door. Once they arrived, Caleb would go back to the parking garage to get another look at the scene; see if Mark and John left behind anything he or the police might have missed. Caleb's second call was to an old coworker. He needed an artist to help him create sketches of the subjects to use when he canvassed the neighborhood. Even though the police had lifted several possible fingerprints from the apartment and they had a sample of Mark's blood from his knife, Caleb wasn't convinced that Mark and John would be in the system. That meant he would be responsible for identifying them.

As the repair team arrived, Caleb left them to their work, and slipped downstairs. He moved quickly, not wanting to leave Grace alone for any longer than necessary. He didn't see anything unusual in the garage, but used his phone to record the scene none-the-less, including the exit path taken by the van. Grabbing his backpack and a laptop from his car, Caleb returned to the apartment. He checked on Grace, snagged a beer from the fridge, and sat down to make notes on the events of the day. He wanted to get down his impressions while they were still relatively fresh in his mind. When he was done, he sent the file to Keith
Chapter 2

Caleb lost track of time, startled when he suddenly felt Grace's presence. Looking up from his computer, he smiled and rose to greet her. He tilted her face up to his to study her carefully before he spoke. "You're looking better, steadier. How are you feeling?"

"Better," she smiled. "Steadier."

"And your eye?" He reached up to brush her hair back so that he could get a better look. When Grace squirmed and tried to pull away, he refused to yield. Instead, he leaned in closer. The eye was badly swollen and discolored.

Uncomfortable with the attention, Grace tried again to draw back. "It's not so bad. I'm sure it looks worse than it is." She gestured to the two men at the front door, and asked. "What's going on here?"

Caleb made a face at her obvious lie but didn't want to push if she wasn't up to talking about it. "I called in some favors. These guys are friends. They're repairing the doorframe, changing your locks and adding an extra deadbolt. They should be done in the next hour or so."

"Thanks. That was very thoughtful." Grace smiled shyly up at him.

Caleb returned the smile. "This is your home, Grace. I want you to feel safe here. And I promised Keith I wouldn't let anything else happen to you."

Grace winced. "You spoke to him? How did he react?"

"Pretty much how you would expect a brother to react when he hears that his sister has been attacked. He threatened to take a leave of absence from work and come home."

"And did you talk him out of it?" Grace wanted to know.

"I did." He almost laughed when she sighed in relief. "But... it's going to cost you."

"I was afraid it might. What did I have to promise in return?"

"We."

"I beg your pardon."

"The question is – what did we have to promise in return." Grace's eyebrows shot up at that. "We had to promise to stick together until he returns. Every minute of every day, no exceptions."

"Ouch," Grace whimpered. "And you agreed to that?"

"I did," Caleb assured her. "It seemed a reasonable request. And one I could easily accommodate."

"But what about my job? I still need to work."

"No problem. I can come with you," Caleb volunteered. "Most of what I need to do for you and Keith is research. All I need is a phone and a computer."

"What do you mean, 'what you need to do for Keith and me'? I thought we were going to let the police handle it."

"That's not really my style, nor is it Keith's."

Grace was tempted to argue but figured if Caleb was anything like her brother Keith, she'd just be wasting time and energy. "Do you guys at least have some sort of plan?"

"My job is to identify and locate your assailants."

"And if you identify them?"

"I inform Keith."

"And the police surely?"

He looked uncomfortable when he realized his mistake. "Of course, the police too. I didn't mean to imply that we'd act without them." It was clear by the look on Grace's face that she didn't believe him.

"So your plan is to identify then confront them? Why?" She watched Caleb pause to weigh his words before he answered.

"Your attackers were green. They came to that parking garage this morning nervous and unarmed. Hell, I think they were more scared than you were. All of which makes me think they were inexperienced." Caleb took a deep breath before he continued. This was going to be the hard part. "But while your attackers were borderline dysfunctional, the crime itself was organized and systematic."

"Meaning what?" Grace whispered.

"Keith and I believe someone else is involved here. Someone who planned the abduction. Someone who hired or coerced these two men into committing this crime." Caleb watched as Grace fought to understand. Struggled to accept. God! He hated hurting her like this. "We need to know who hired them, Grace."

"And we start with the two guys that attacked me."

"Yes."

Needing a minute to let everything sink in, Grace turned toward the kitchen. "Um. I'm going to get something to drink. Can I get you anything?"

"Sure. Thanks." Caleb followed her into the kitchen. When she placed another beer in front of him, he reached out to stop her retreat. "Look. I'm sorry about all this. Maybe I should have just kept my theories to myself."

"Don't be ridiculous. There's no reason to apologize."

Caleb stepped closer. "I should have kept my thoughts to myself until I was sure." He ran his finger gently across her cheek. "You have enough to deal with right now."

Grace's eyes went angry and cold. "I assure you, I won't break, Caleb. I'm not one of those weak, weepy women who needs to be rescued by some big, strong man. I can take care of myself."

"I have no doubts about that," he was quick to agree. His hand shifted to cup her jaw. "Remember, I was there in that garage," he added in a whisper. His eyes locked on hers and held for a moment as he remembered just how hard she had fought to stay alive. Then his hand dropped, catching hers on the way down. "Why don't I make dinner?"

Her eyebrows crinkled. "You cook?"

"Not only do I cook, I'm actually pretty good at it."

"But you're my guest. I should probably be the one to make dinner."

"Next time," he whispered, caught up in the look of her. Caleb was used to women who invested considerable time and money in their appearance. As a result, they were sophisticated and polished, perfectly manicured, dressed, and made-up to suit the occasion. Yet Grace stood before him in jeans and a t-shirt. Her feet were bare, her hair hanging loose down her back. She was quietly stunning. Caleb was certain he had never seen a more beautiful woman. Of its own volition, his hand reached out again and gently tucked her hair behind her ear. He caught the puzzled look on her face and hurried to distract. "Dinner?"

With a small smile, Grace nodded. "Absolutely."

"Good. Have a seat." When she hesitated, Caleb merely raised his eyebrows at her. Grace studied him a moment longer before she finally turned, taking one of the stools at the counter. "I took the liberty of checking out the contents of your refrigerator earlier," he confessed. "I think we have the ingredients for a nicely appointed omelet." He looked over his shoulder to gage her response.

"Sounds good."

Caleb put eggs, cheese, bacon and a fresh tomato on the counter. As he opened cupboard doors searching for a frying pan, he asked her about her work. "Antiques, right?"

"Yeah. I import and restore predominantly European antiques. My grandfather got me started before I was even double digits. We used to spend weekends going to estate sales and hunting through shops. He instilled in me a love and respect for the past. So, after college, my grandfather and I pooled our knowledge and resources and opened our own place, Remember Yesterday."

"I think I've driven by there a few times. Big place at the end of Memphis?"

"That's the one."

"You guys are the talk of the business district every Christmas." Caleb turned to grin at her as he poured eggs into the hot pan. "Love the decorations. I make a point of always driving out to see them on Christmas Eve."

Grace smiled. "Thanks. I'm glad you enjoy them. The staff and I have a blast coming up with new ideas every year."

"Well, if you ever need an extra pair of hands, just let me know," Caleb volunteered. "I'd love to help."

"Be careful what you offer. I just might take you up on it," Grace teased.

He turned to look at her. "I hope you do." His eyes met hers, but before Grace could comment, Caleb turned back to the eggs, adding the rest of the ingredients as the silence stretched between them.

Christ man, Caleb scolded himself. Could you have sounded more pathetic? Unsure how to get the conversation back on safer ground, he was grateful when one of the men working on the door asked to speak to him. "Do you mind?" Caleb asked Grace, gesturing to the omelet. "I'll only be a minute."

"No problem. You go ahead," she assured him. "I can handle this."

By the time Caleb returned, Grace had plated the eggs, along with fresh fruit and toast. When she heard him enter, she turned. "Juice, milk, iced tea, coffee, or water?" she offered.

"I'll stick with the beer." He took his place at the counter next to her. "Thanks for finishing up."

"No problem."

"The guys are almost done with the repairs. They just need a few more minutes."

"As far as I'm concerned, they can have all the time they want." Grace took a bite of omelet and nodded her approval. "I still can't believe you were able to get someone out here so fast."

Caleb shrugged. "That's what friends are for. We trade favors all the time. I'm sure it's the same with you and yours."

"Favors are different between women."

"How so?"

"Very rarely do favors require physical labor."

"What do they require?"

Grace thought for a minute. "Conversation."

Caleb grimaced. "I think I'll stick with the physical labor. Thanks just the same."

"What? Don't tell me a big, tough guy like you is afraid of a little conversation."

"Afraid? No. Reluctant? I guess that would depend." He put his fork down and turned to give Grace his full attention, enjoying the view. "The topic of the conversation, for instance. There are some things I won't discuss with anyone."

"Name three."

He counted them off on his fingers as he recited. "Money... politics... masturbation."

Grace's eyes went wide in shock. Dammit, Caleb swore inwardly. You are such a stupid prick. He cleared his throat to apologize. But then Grace started to laugh. Not a polite, feminine laugh. One of those gut-busting, throaty laughs that warmed a man and made him think of sex. And there it was, before he could stop it - the image of Grace, nude to the waist.

"So, what else?"

"Excuse me?" Caleb was at a complete loss.

"You said that whether you're reluctant to participate in conversation depends on certain things. One," she smiled, "Is obviously the topic. What else does conversation depend on?"

"Who I'm talking to, I guess. I find some people easier to talk to than others." He leaned in. "You for instance."

"What?"

"I don't have any trouble talking to you. We seem to get along just fine." Something hummed in the air between them.

"Excuse me," interrupted one of the men. "We finished the front door. Is there anything else you need?" While the man spoke to Caleb, his eyes had drifted to Grace.

She turned away, with a shy smile, embarrassed by the bruises on her face. Caleb stood. "No. Just the door, Jack. Thanks for coming. Make sure you send me the bill."

Jack was already shaking his head. "No. I don't think so." He sidestepped Caleb to speak directly to Grace. "This one's on me. And I want you to call if you need anything else." He reached into his shirt pocket, pulled out a business card, and stepped forward to hand it to her. "Anything at all," he repeated. With a nod, Grace took the proffered card.

"Okay," Caleb announced. "Time for you to go. Say goodnight, Jack."

"Goodnight," he called out as Caleb rushed him from the room. When they reached the front door, he whispered. "Hey, man. What's her story?"

"Come again?"

"You know. Is she seeing anyone?" Jack wanted to know. "She couldn't be, right? If she were involved with someone, he'd be here with her. Right?"

Caleb didn't like where this was going. "It doesn't matter. She's not your type."

"What? Warm, beautiful, and sexy? Since when is that not my type?" Jack stopped to study his friend. "Oh. That's the way of it, is it?" Caleb remained stubbornly silent. "Well, I wouldn't wait too long if I were you. A woman like that. Some man's bound to come along and sweep her off her feet." Picking up the last of his tools, Jack quietly left the apartment.

Caleb shook his head as Jack's words and his own actions played again in his head. Never before had he intercepted a pass made by another man, much less a friend. Yet his reaction had been instantaneous. He hadn't wanted Jack anywhere near Grace, so he shut him down. Fast and hard. And while Caleb didn't regret it, he wasn't sure he was entirely happy about it either. It's one thing to be attracted to Grace. Another entirely, to stake a claim he hadn't a right to. Still lost in thought, he rounded the corner into the kitchen. He couldn't quite stifle the groan that escaped at the sight of Grace bent over the dishwasher. A very shapely ass clad in snug denim. He took an involuntary step forward when she turned to look over her shoulder. Slowly, Grace stood as she watched his face.

"I thought I'd clean up."

"I would have helped," Caleb stammered.

"Nonsense." She turned back to the sink as she spoke. "You cooked. I'll clean." And then, just so he would know she knew, Grace added, "Perhaps you could use the time to take a shower." She waited a beat. "A cold one."

Caleb laughed. "You're pretty blunt, aren't you?"

"Yeah. I figure it saves time in the long run."

"Perhaps."

Grace nodded, wiping her hands and hanging the dishtowel up to dry. She turned to walk out.

Caleb stopped her, with a hand on her arm. "Obviously, I'm attracted to you."

"Yep. Got that one. Thanks."

"But I also realize that we didn't meet under the best of circumstances."

"Bit of an understatement, but true."

"And, just to add one more layer to it, you're Keith's sister."

Grace couldn't hide her surprise. "That would stop you? If you were attracted to me, you wouldn't act on it because of Keith?"

"I didn't say that." He stepped into her, their bodies lightly brushing. "I'm just saying that I realize the situation isn't... ideal. Considering everything you've been through today, it wouldn't be fair to act on anything I'm feeling. At least for now."

"What if I don't want you to act on your feelings at all?"

Caleb cocked his head at her, considering. "I'm a big boy, Grace. I can take 'no' for an answer. If you mean it." He moved even closer as he whispered. "Do you mean it?"

Grace hesitated. "I'm not sure. We've only just meet, Caleb. We don't even know each other."

"Let's keep it simple then." His hand came out as he spoke, cupping the back of her neck. "Do you feel anything when I'm near you, Grace? When I touch you?" Caleb lowered his lips to hers, keeping the connection gentle, and soft. With that first touch, he pulled her close. Grace's breasts were pressed into his chest, their hearts racing together, and he was already hard and aching. Caleb ran his tongue across her bottom lip, taking it into his mouth, sucking and nipping until she opened for him. On a groan, his tongue invaded, tangling intimately with hers. He was surprised to feel desire rip at him, sharp and bright as Grace responded. Caleb allowed himself only a moment before he slowly eased out of the kiss.

"Since you appreciate honesty, I'll tell you this," Caleb began. "I have never felt anything quite like that before. Not even close."

Grace couldn't mask her surprise. "But we're not going to do this. Right?"

"We're not going to do this... now. It wouldn't be fair. But, mark my words," he insisted. "We will do this. And when we do, it won't be because you're scared and vulnerable." He kissed her, hard and fast. "It will be because we want and need each other. Have to have one another." He kissed her again, softly, sweetly. "Until then, we'll concentrate on keeping you safe."
Chapter 3

Together, Caleb and Grace sat at her kitchen table, and went over the morning's events, adding details, and fine-tuning until they were convinced their notes couldn't be any more accurate. They also wrote out descriptions of Mark and John that they'd use in the morning with the sketch artist.

"You know," Grace began carefully. "After we have the sketches, we might want to start our search in some of the local pizza parlors."

"And why would we want to start there?"

She hesitated before she answered. "The guys, Mark and John...they smelled like Italian food."

"Really?" He waited for her nod. "So why a pizza place? Why not an Italian restaurant?"

"I used to work in one of the parlors downtown when I was in high school. Trust me when I say, it's not a smell that's easily forgotten."

"That's a good observation. Really good," Caleb smiled.

"Do you think it could help?"

His smile widened. "I do indeed." He slid a pad of paper and a pencil in front of her. "Feel up to keeping our notes?" Grace smiled eagerly and nodded. "First, we'll start with identifying all the pizza places in a fifty mile radius." Caleb began to type as he spoke.

"Why fifty?"

"Experience tells me it's a good place to start. Unless someone is hiring a professional, they stick with what they know - an area, a group of people, etc. It's economical as well. They don't have to pay travel expenses."

"So whoever hired them is thrifty," Grace joked. "Good to know."

Caleb laughed before turning back to the screen. "Okay. Twenty-eight to start." He rubbed his hands together excitedly. "Let's see if we can narrow that down."

It took Grace and Caleb almost three hours, but they managed to cut the list in half. Some of the restaurants were lost to foreclosures, two had been shut down by the health department, and a few bought out by other businesses. While neither Mark nor John were listed as owners, that didn't mean they weren't connected to one of the restaurants in some way. They could easily be employees, family members, or frequent customers.

"I need to start checking these out as soon as the sketches are ready tomorrow. Is that going to be a problem?" Caleb wanted to know.

"You want me to go with."

"I promised Keith we'd stick together," he reminded her.

"I'll make it work then."

"Good. It's a date." Caleb shut down the computer and shifted in his chair to face her. His eyes softened when he noticed the pain and fatigue that were beginning to show through Grace's defenses. He reached out and gently took her chin in his hand. "I think we should go to bed," he stated quietly.

"I beg your pardon."

Distracted by Grace's proximity, it took Caleb a moment to realize what he had said. He cleared his throat as he tried desperately not to picture the two of them naked and wrapped up in each other. "I meant... I think it's time we get some sleep. It's been a long, difficult day. Tomorrow promises to be busy as well." His hand came out to run the length of her hair. "Time to rest and recuperate."

Grace smiled shyly. "You're probably right. I'll walk you out."

They stood together as Caleb put his hand out to stop her. "I'm not leaving you alone, Grace. I gave my word." She opened her mouth to protest, but closed it again when she realized he was right. "I'll stay here," he continued. "On the couch."

"To be honest..." Grace began quietly, "I wasn't looking forward to being alone here anyway. Not when those guys are still out there somewhere."

"I won't let anything happen to you, Grace."

"I don't doubt it for a minute. You promised Keith."

"True." Caleb took both of her hands in his. "But there seems to be more to this than that." He gently kissed her cheek. "Just something we both should be aware of," he added in a whisper.

After making up the sofa, Caleb stripped down to his boxer briefs and stretched out. He kept his knives within easy reach. His experiences in the secret service and now as a private investigator centered on investigative research. This meant hours in front of his computer, on the phone, and, at times, the occasional stakeout. Never before had he needed to protect his client. And Grace was much more than a client. She was the twin sister of his best friend. Added to that were his feelings. There had been something when he held her in his arms, when he kissed her. It was that something that was keeping him awake.

Caleb wasn't sure what time it was. He only knew that it was black as pitch outside and Grace was screaming. He spared a glance at the front door as he grabbed his knives. It was shut tight against the night. Reminding himself that he needed to be careful, Caleb worked his way down the hall, checking rooms as he went. He could see the entrance to Grace's room now. The door stood slightly open, as he had insisted. He was almost there when abruptly, her screams stopped. The sudden silence frightened him more than the screaming. Caleb eased into her room, stopping just inside the door to check his surroundings.

"Grace?" He whispered it gently, not wanting to frighten her.

But still, she jumped in alarm. "Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!" she hissed. "Caleb?"

"Yes, sweetheart." He moved forward out of the darkness to stand beside the bed. "I heard you screaming."

Grace's wince was audible. Caleb stood at attention, straight and alert, a large bladed knife in each hand. He wore nothing more than slim-fitting underwear. "I'm... sorry," she stammered. "I didn't mean to wake you. I..." She looked down at her hands. "It was only a dream."

Caleb swore as he put his knives on the bedside table and sat. He wanted to soothe, but was reluctant to touch. "I'm sorry. What you went through today... it's bound to leave some... I should have realized..." When her tears began to fall, Caleb was helpless against them. "I'm sorry," he repeated in a whisper and gathered her into his arms. Grace clung to him, her body shaking with fear and grief. With one hand, Caleb held her tight. The other caressed, up and down her back in an easy, steady rhythm. Minutes went by, as slowly, very slowly, Grace began to pull herself together. Caleb could feel the difference in her body the moment she tuned in to their near nakedness. Instead of pulling back, his hand became bolder, learning the shape of her while pulling her closer. He ached to feel her skin, hear her moan at his touch.

And then Grace whispered in his ear. "Stay with me."

Caleb sucked in his breath as her words hit him. God! He was tempted. Right now, he couldn't think of anything he wanted more than Grace naked and under him. A night spent learning every inch of her body, mind, and heart. But if there was any chance that she might regret her decision in the morning...

"I don't want to be alone."

Caleb sat back abruptly. Not sex, he realized. Comfort. He felt like an idiot. "I don't think that's such a good idea." He felt Grace flinch, and rushed to amend his answer. "I mean...It's just that..."

"Don't worry about it, Caleb. I get it," Grace lied. "It's not a big deal." She pulled back, waving him away. "I let my fears get the better of me for a second. I'm sorry." She tugged at the blankets he was sitting on. When he stood, Grace covered herself quickly, pulling the blankets up to her chin.

She was shutting him out, Caleb realized. And he didn't like it. Not one damn bit! He started to speak, but she cut him off.

"Don't give it another thought, Caleb. Like I said. No big deal." Grace knew she was babbling, but she couldn't seem to stop herself. Never, in her life, had she ever had the courage to ask a man to spend the night with her. And now, when she had finally managed it, she had been rejected, quickly and coldly. She thought that after the kiss they had shared earlier, Caleb would be more than willing to stay with her. But she'd been wrong, very wrong. And now she felt like an idiot.

"Wait, Grace. I think there's been a misunderstanding," Caleb started.

"I'm sure there hasn't, but thanks for trying to spare me the embarrassment." She scooted down under the covers so that she was laying flat again. "I think we should both try to get some more sleep. You said it yourself – tomorrow's going to be a busy day. Goodnight, Caleb." Grace closed her eyes, willing him to go. After what seemed an eternity, he did, leaving as silently as he had entered. When he was gone, she groaned softly, rolled to her side, and let the tears come.

Caleb got only halfway down the hall, before he turned back. He had hurt Grace, unnecessarily. Her request hadn't been unreasonable. She needed to be held and comforted. She needed to be reminded that she wasn't alone in this. And Caleb had refused her. As far as he was concerned, that made him the worst kind of bastard. All because he didn't trust himself to limit his attention to comfort. With a growl low in his throat, he forced himself to turn again and walk away. When this was over, he'd have his chance. Until then, he'd remain the perfect gentleman. Even if it killed him.

He heard her again, just after daybreak. Grace crept down the hall, moving past him into the kitchen. Determined to apologize, Caleb slipped into his jeans and t-shirt. After a deep breath, he joined her.

"Good morning."

"Morning," Grace murmured. "Coffee should be ready soon." She busied herself with the cups, keeping her back to Caleb as he studied her. She had added shorts to the t-shirt she had been wearing last night. Neither was chosen to entice, but it didn't matter. She still made him ache. "Sugar? Creamer?"

"Neither. Thanks."

Grace poured the first cup and handed it to him. "I'm not really one for breakfast, but feel free to help yourself to whatever you want or need. I'm going to hit the shower." She had practiced that little speech for fifteen minutes before she had found the courage to get up this morning. She was pleased with her delivery. Now, to make her escape. Giving Caleb a quick smile, Grace moved toward the door, coming up short when he stepped in front of her.

"We've got hours before the sketch artist is due. I think we have time for breakfast. Why don't you sit? I'll see what I can pull together."

"Oh. That's not really necessary," Grace stammered. "You don't need to go to all that trouble."

"No trouble at all. Sit. Relax." His eyes locked on hers. "I insist."

Realizing Caleb had no intention of letting her go, Grace sat.

"Shit!" Caleb whispered to himself an hour later. He had just finished breakfast with Grace and she had shooed him off to the shower so that she could clean up alone. While she had been kind and courteous as they cooked and ate together, never once had she dropped her guard. Gone was the woman he had spent so much time with the day before – the woman who smiled and laughed in spite of the circumstances. Now she was distant – a polite stranger. "Dammit," he swore again. Last night he had walked away from Grace because he hadn't wanted to take advantage of her. He was still absolutely certain it had been the right thing to do. But he hadn't wanted to hurt her. Caleb stepped into the shower, letting the water beat down on him as he thought. How the hell was he supposed to fix this? He could try explaining himself - tell Grace why he had acted the way he did. He rolled his eyes at the thought. He could just see it now. Sweetheart, I didn't stay with you last night even though you needed me because I'm a selfish son-of-a-bitch. I was afraid I couldn't provide comfort when all I could think about was burying myself deep inside you. Hearing you scream my name when I made you come. Grabbing the shampoo, Caleb swore again as he scrubbed at his hair. Bottom line – he'd been an ass. And there was no easy way to undo the damage. He finished his shower quickly and stepped out to towel off. Turning to reach for his backpack, he realized he'd left it in the other room. Crap. Caleb wrapped the towel low around his waist and headed back up the hall. With any luck, he'd catch Grace off guard. He reached the middle of the room just as she exited the kitchen. Because she thought she was alone, her head was down, and she was muttering to herself. Caleb held his ground and let her walk into him.

"Whoa, sweetheart," he warned as he reached out to steady her. "Careful."

Grace's hands lay flat against Caleb's damp chest. His hands were at her waist. "I thought you were still in the shower."

"Nope," Caleb grinned. "You missed that part. I just came to get my pack."

He was talking to her, Grace knew he was, but she couldn't hear past the sensation of his skin under her hands. And then there was the look of him – sculpted muscles still damp, covered in nothing more than one small white towel. Seemingly, of their own volition, her hands slid up to his shoulders and back down again. When his breath hissed between his teeth, Grace's head snapped up. "I'm sorry," she murmured. "I shouldn't have..."

"Don't apologize on my account, Grace. I want your hands on me," Caleb whispered. "Last night..." She tried to pull away at his words, but he refused to let her. "Last night," he began again. "I wanted to stay with you. I wanted to be able to reassure you." Grace stopped struggling. "I wasn't sure I could trust myself."

"Excuse me?"

"I want you."

"So you've said."

"And I can see that you don't believe me."

"Well, you must admit Caleb," Grace challenged. "You do seem to run hot and cold."

Caleb's eyes flashed. "I guess it might appear that way. Why don't we see if we can clear things up?" Without waiting for her answer, Caleb captured her mouth with his. He invaded her, swallowing her moans as he feasted. Needing more, he pulled her tongue into his mouth. Grace's hands slid over his chest and around to his back, her nails digging in. "Grace," Caleb groaned as he clutched at her hips. He dragged her closer. His tongue thrusting in and out of her mouth, mimicking what his body craved. Again and again his tongue moved, until they were clinging to one another. "Can you feel that?" he finally whispered in her ear. "Can you feel what you do to me?" His mouth was everywhere – under her jaw line, her eyelids, and at the pulse point in her throat. "I want you." His lips found hers one last time. "But I agreed to wait." Slowly, he released her. "Last night, I couldn't trust myself to keep my word. It's as simple as that."

Caleb watched her as she studied him, weighing his words against his actions. "And if I still don't believe you?"

"You'll be naked in less than thirty seconds." He saw her breath catch at that and almost laughed. "The plus side of that would be that we wouldn't have to worry about Mark or John any longer." Caleb pulled her back into his body. "You wouldn't be more than six inches from me for the next few days... weeks... better make it a month," he finished in her ear.

"A month?" Grace stammered.

"Yes." He kissed the tender spot below her ear. "That should be just enough time to take the edge off." Caleb's lips were traveling along her jaw again.

"Edge?"

"Yes, sweetheart. The edge. Of my desire for you." Grace was lost. Caleb wasn't making any sense. And she couldn't think clearly when he was kissing her. "If I spend the next month lost in you then maybe, just maybe I'd be able to be in the same room with you without reacting like some randy teenager." He kissed her, hard and fierce. Grace could taste frustration mixed with desire. She groaned, unwittingly bringing Caleb closer to his breaking point. "Jesus, Grace!" His hands slid around to cup her bottom. He pulled her up and into his arousal, lifting her off her toes. "Either let me have you or go. I can't take any more of this right now." His body went rigid and still as she struggled.

"Go," she finally decided. "I should go."

Immediately, Caleb released her. His blood burned under his skin, his erection painful and obvious under the towel.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled, angry with herself. Why couldn't she just throw caution aside and take what Caleb offered? Because you're a fucking idiot, Grace, she reminded herself. Tears threatened as she hurried from the room.

"Grace," Caleb called after her. "Lock your door. It won't stop me. But it might slow me down long enough to give my brain a chance to engage."

Caleb closed his eyes and tried to bring his body under control. The effort left him swearing irritably under his breath. "It's your own damn fault," he hissed. "You couldn't leave well enough alone. You had to prove to Grace how you felt; how she felt." Seeing his pack across the room, he moved to retrieve it. Every step he took was agony. He swore again as he headed back to the bathroom. Shutting the door, he ripped the towel from his waist, sighing at the temporary relief. He stepped into the shower, resting his head on the tile in frustration. He gave himself just a few seconds to relive the encounter – the taste of her... the way she moaned at his touch... the feel of her body pressed intimately into his... how he had wanted to feel her legs wrap around him as he... In desperation, his hand grabbed the handle on the wall and wrenched it hard. Ice-cold water poured down on him. "Fuck!" Caleb swore. "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" he repeated viciously. Refusing to yield, he held himself under the spray as his body protested. He knew he could just finish it here; give himself the release he desperately needed. There wasn't a man alive that wouldn't consider it. But dammit, he didn't want that. He wanted Grace.

"Dammit," Grace swore quietly as she started to dress. After a freezing shower of her own, she couldn't stop shivering. She couldn't get warm enough fast enough. And it was all Caleb's fault. Okay, maybe not all his fault, but he had started it. Nice one, Grace. This isn't kindergarten! You're the one that didn't believe Caleb when he said he wanted you. You're the one that drove him to prove it. What had possessed her to challenge a man like Caleb? What made her think he would just smile and acquiesce. She must have lost her mind. That had to be it. She could think of no other reasonable explanation for her behavior. Thank God, Caleb had left her an out! Otherwise... She froze, staring at her reflection in the mirror. Otherwise, she would have given herself to him. That shocked the hell out of her. Scared her. Never before had she even kissed a man she didn't know, let alone...Christ on a crutch! This wasn't happening. This couldn't happen. She absolutely, positively could not, would not sleep with her brother's best friend. That's it, end of story. Now, if she could just remember that the next time he touched her.
Chapter 4

Dressed in jeans, sandals and her favorite silk blouse, Grace felt reasonably prepared to face Caleb again. She had spent a great deal of time trying to get her system under control, to bury what he made her feel. It hadn't been easy, and that both surprised and scared her. Caleb pulled from her feelings that she hadn't even known she was capable of experiencing. She had been ready to cast aside all the rules she had put in place, the rules that had governed her life for the last twenty-six years, and give him whatever he wanted. Thank God, her good sense had prevailed! But now she owed Caleb an apology. There was a name for women who aroused men to their breaking point only to say 'no' at the last minute. She would be lucky if Caleb ever spoke to her again. And if he didn't, she had only herself to blame.

He stood when she walked in. He couldn't help it. He was drawn across the room to her side. Her jeans hugged her curves and the deep green blouse did amazing things to her eyes and skin. He reached out to take her chin in hand. Grace flinched as he moved in close, making Caleb smile. His eyes dipped to her lips when she licked them nervously. He wanted that mouth on his, on his skin, and on his... Dropping his hand, he retreated.

"I'm sorry," Grace mumbled.

"For what?"

"For earlier... I shouldn't have..."

"What? Been tempted?"

"Yes. I guess." Caleb watched her carefully. "I shouldn't have let it get so..."

When her words failed her, Caleb stepped in close. "As I recall, there were two of us. And, as I recall, I started it."

Grace squirmed at his honesty. "But I didn't stop you... soon enough." Caleb gaped in surprise. "I don't want you to think that I'm..."

"A tease?" Grace nodded miserably. "A tease would find pleasure in making me suffer, Grace. That's not what you did." Now he touched her, pulled her into his arms. "You were as caught up in me as I was in you. If things were different, we would have given in to those feelings. Instead, we stepped back, both of us, because it was the right thing to do." He waited for her to nod. "I'm not angry, just disappointed. I consoled myself with a very cold shower and the knowledge that next time I won't have to let you go." He bent down to whisper in her ear. "Next time we won't stop until we both lay sweaty and exhausted." Caleb felt Grace take a deep breath; felt it shudder out before he released her. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. "I suggest we stay focused on the matter at hand today – your safety."

"Agreed."

"Because the sooner you're safe, the sooner we can take the time to... explore what we're feeling." With that said, Caleb turned to answer the door.

"How's that?" asked Tammy with a smack of her gum.

"That's close," Grace muttered. "Don't you think?" She turned to find Caleb's face just a few inches from hers.

"You're right. That is close."

"Anything else you remember? Moles, freckles, tats, scars?" suggested Tammy.

"None that we could see."

"The eyes are a little off. Could you make his eyebrows thicker?" asked Grace.

"Sure." Tammy spent a few minutes, humming and drawing while Caleb's hand snuck up to rest on the small of Grace's back. "We've been at this for almost four hours. How are you holding up?" he whispered.

"Fine. Thanks."

"You have a headache," he accused.

"Not the end of the world, I assure you."

Caleb stood abruptly. "Tam, I'm getting myself something to drink. Can I get you a refill?"

"No thanks. I'm good." She waited for Caleb to leave the room before she spoke. "So... how long have you known Caleb?"

"Just since yesterday. Caleb used to work with my brother."

"Keith? Keith Bennett's your brother?"

"Yeah. You've heard of him?"

"Heard of him and met him." She tucked a strand of bright red hair behind her ear. Snapped her gum as she worked. "He's a scary S.O.B."

"That's what people tell me."

"You don't see it?"

"Nope. Sorry," Grace apologized.

"Handsome devil, too."

"Thanks. You're not so bad yourself." Caleb smiled as he rejoined them.

"Isn't that just like a man? Always thinks people are talking about him," Tammy joked. "And, I've got news for you." She shifted her considerable girth, to wag a finger at him. "If I were twenty years younger, I could make you sit up and beg."

"I have no doubts about that." Caleb assured her.

"See that you don't forget it," Tammy threatened.

Caleb was still smiling as he took Grace's hand in his, and turned it over. He handed her two aspirin before reaching for her glass of tea. "Take them," he insisted. Grace made a face, but did as she was told. The entire episode couldn't have lasted more than ten seconds, but it caught Tammy's attention. Passing over her drawing, she watched them as they studied it together. Caleb had turned his body in the chair and pulled in close to Grace. The move was intimate, as was the way his left hand came around to rest on her shoulder.

"This is him," Grace whispered. "This is Mark." She noticed that Tammy had added the cut to his throat that Caleb had inflicted and his eyes were both angry and scared.

Caleb pulled the drawing closer. "That's definitely him. You did a good job Tammy."

"Thanks, but it really wasn't that hard. Your descriptions were very detailed. You each noticed something the other missed. All I had to do was add it all together."

"We aim to please," Caleb joked.

Tammy laughed before turning her attention to Grace. "You know, you don't have to worry about those guys. If Caleb told you he'd take care of them, he will. Don't tell him I said this, but he's really good at what he does. You can trust him."

"I do," Grace admitted. She smiled softly at Caleb.

"Hey, sexy man. Walk me to my car," insisted Tammy.

"Of course." He held out his arm, before turning back to Grace. "Lock the door behind me and don't open it for anyone. I'll be right back."

When Caleb made his way back upstairs, he found Grace on the phone. He waved aside her apology and booted up his laptop. He would use the time to catch up on his email and complete some research for another client. While he worked, he kept one ear on Grace. Clearly, she was on the phone with someone from Remember Yesterday. There was talk of shipments coming in that had been stuck in customs. Caleb listened to her deal with the potential problem quickly and efficiently. He was impressed by the tone of respect and affection in her voice, striking the balance between authoritative and friendly. Checking her watch, she glanced up at Caleb, as she disconnected.

"Do we have time for me to make one more call?"

"Sure, go ahead."

Caleb's last email was from his parents. Apparently, they were planning their next big adventure. This one to Egypt. They wanted to know if he was interested in joining them for at least part of the journey. He hated to disappoint, but if he were going to travel some place hot and sandy, it would be to the tropics. Where he could lie on a beach, drinking a beer as the sun set. Preferably with a beautiful woman by his side. And that brought his mind right back to Grace. Tuning in again to her conversation, Caleb abruptly spun around. Grace was pacing as she spoke. And, unless he missed his guess, she was speaking fluent Italian. Something about the way she moved and the sound of her voice... both were hot and sexy. He leaned back in his chair, crossed one ankle over the other, and enjoyed the view. Ten minutes later, she hung up, adding one last note to her datebook. Before she had even collected her thoughts, Caleb was up and out of his chair. He crossed the room in a few impatient strides, took her face in his hands, and kissed her soundly.

"O...kay... What was that about?"

"That was about you and the way you walk and talk," he grinned.

"Well, stay tuned. For my next trick, maybe I'll throw chewing gum into the mix."

Caleb laughed. "I didn't know you spoke Italian."

"I get a great deal of my stock from Italy. It just seemed simpler to learn the language than to use an interpreter every time I needed to talk to someone."

"Makes sense," he agreed. "Doesn't make it any less sexy, though." Grace laughed, shaking her head. "So, what other secrets are you hiding?"

"Well," Grace began. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to tell you now. By day, I'm an antiques dealer. But by night...I'm a world renowned stripper."

"Oh really?" Caleb teased. "I have only two words for you then." He leaned in, just inches away from her. "Prove it."

"Sorry. I don't think we have time for a demonstration, just now."

"I'll be happy to make time."

"While that's very considerate, I'm afraid I'll have to pass."

"I'd rather think of it as postponing."

"I'm sure you would."

Caleb's laugh rang out, strong and loud. "Smart, sexy, and sarcastic. I don't know how any man could be expected to resist you."

"I have faith that you can manage it."

"I've got news for you, sweetheart." He kissed her softly. "I'm not even going to try."

Refusing to comment, Grace slipped on her shoes and grabbed her purse. "Ready when you are."

Caleb hesitated for a moment. He wanted to press her but they had a bargain, of sorts. He would not cross the line. But that didn't mean he couldn't walk up to it, and ride the edge of it until they were both ready. Reaching over, he shut down his laptop. "Let's go."

"Well, that was, to say the least, anti climatic," Grace observed at the end of the day. Together, they had visited four of the pizza parlors on their list, but to no avail. There had been no sign of Mark or John. "Is this what it's like for you?"

"You mean do I usually spend my day with a beautiful woman?" Caleb teased. "No. Can't say that I do. But as far as legwork is concerned, yeah. This is pretty typical. Unfortunately, most of investigative work is tedious. Very rarely do the bad guys just fall into my lap."

"One can dream."

"I do. Often." As Caleb stopped at a red light, he turned to smile at her. "Want to know what I dream about, Grace?"

Catching the gleam in his eye, she shook her head. "I guess it's not about catching the bad guys."

"No. It's not. I save my dreams for more... intimate pursuits."

"I'm sure," Grace laughed.

It felt good to tease and flirt with her, Caleb thought. To hear her laugh at the end of a stressful day. More than once, he had wanted to call it quits and take her home. Lock them both away somewhere so that she could feel safe again. He had felt the tension in her body, seen it in her face as they made their way through one restaurant after another. Never once had she complained, though. Never once did she question him or his ability to find the men who had attacked her. He felt ridiculously flattered by her faith in him. "It's getting late. Why don't we pick up some takeout on the way home. That way neither of us has to cook."

"Fair enough," Grace agreed. "I beg of you though, no pizza."

It took three days of searching, methodically working their way through the list, before Caleb made any discernible progress. But chance, not due diligence, had him in the right place at the right time to hear a customer in the booth behind him ask the waitress if John was working tonight.

"Not tonight," she answered. "He and Mark took a trip to see some of their relatives up north. Some family reunion thing, I think. I hear they won't be back until late Sunday."

"Weird. I didn't know they were planning anything."

"I think it was kind of sudden. Or at least, it seemed that way."

"Must have been. We had plans to go to the game this week," admitted her customer.

Caleb listened to the men order as Grace headed toward him across the restaurant. Once again, her quiet beauty nearly leveled him.

"You know something," she insisted as she approached.

Drawing her down to sit next to him, Caleb pulled her close so that he could whisper in her ear. As he relayed the highlights from the conversation he had overheard, he could feel Grace's body tense with anticipation.

"Hate to interrupt," said a voice. "I just wondered if you two lovebirds were ready to order."

Thinking the cover story could work to their advantage, Caleb kept his arm around Grace, as he turned to smile up at the waitress. "Actually, we need a few more minutes, if that's okay?"

"Sure. No problem," she grinned. "Just flag me down when you're ready."

"So, what's the plan?" Grace whispered.

'"Well, for starters, we place an order before our server gets suspicious. Then I suggest we relax and enjoy ourselves."

"All while eavesdropping to see if we can hear anything else that might prove useful."

"Exactly."

"And do you plan to keep me this close, whispering seductively in my ear?"

"I'd be a fool not to take advantage of the situation."

"Fine, then I get to pick the pizza," Grace teased.

"Of course, sweetheart," Caleb agreed.

They stayed for over an hour, eating pizza and learning little things about one another. Favorite books, movies, and songs. Wishes, dreams, heartbreaks, and failures. If it hadn't been for the circumstances in which they met, the moment would have been damn near perfect. But only damn near, Caleb thought. The perfect version would include eating and talking in bed, still naked and warm from hours spent making love.

"Do you think we should call it a night?" Grace whispered.

Pulled away from his erotic fantasy, Caleb cleared his throat. "I don't want to leave before they do. Maybe they'll get caught up in conversation over the check."

Nodding her agreement, they watched as the waitress made her way toward them. "Can I get you two anything else tonight?"

"No thank you. Just the check, please," responded Caleb.

"I've got that right here." She searched her apron as she continued. "I hope you don't mind me saying so, but it has been a pleasure serving you tonight." She passed the check to Caleb. "I've never seen two people more in love. It's a beautiful thing to watch."

"Thanks," Caleb smiled, reaching out to caress Grace's cheek. "What can I say? She's the woman of my dreams."

"Awww. Like I said. A beautiful thing to watch." She smiled brightly at them. "When you're ready, you can pay up at the register with Tom."

"Will do."

"You two have a good night. Come back soon." With one last smile, she moved to the next table. "Can I get you guys anything else tonight?"

"No thanks, Paula. We're good. Just the check, please."

"Of course." Back into the apron. "Here you go. You know the drill."

"Yeah."

"Oh, I checked with Judy for you. I had it wrong. Mark and John are expected back on Monday. Not due to work until Tuesday."

"Must be nice. Taking a vacation whenever you feel like it."

"Owners' sons," Paula scoffed. "What do you expect?"

At the next table, Grace's eyes registered her shock. Mark and John were the owners' sons. With that small piece of information, Caleb would be able to track them down. She squeezed his hand hard under the table as he turned her face to him.

"Calm down sweetheart. We need to walk out of here as if everything is normal. Okay?" He kissed her softly. "Once we get in the car, you can celebrate. But for now, I need you to keep it together."

"Now?" Grace asked impatiently as Caleb climbed into the driver's seat beside her.

"Yes, sweetheart. Now."

Caleb watched as Grace cheered, clapped, and threw her hands up in victory. He especially appreciated the body roll and butt wiggle that had him thinking of other forms of celebration. "You did it," she finally said. "You found them. Holy cow! You actually found them."

"We, Grace. We found them."

"Oh, please. I didn't do anything but keep you company. You did all the work." He shrugged off the compliment. "So what's next?"

"Well, the first thing we do is call your brother. Now that we have full names, he can use his connections to get information on them faster than I can."

"What kind of information?"

"Anything and everything. Where they live, who their friends are, financial data, past criminal history, connections to other known criminals," Caleb explained. "And once we know everything there is to know, we can make an informed decision."

"Decision? I thought we were going to turn them in to the police."

"That's one possibility." He turned his head to study her briefly. "There are others."

"Like what?"

Caleb pulled into the garage of her apartment building. He found a spot and parked before continuing. "I have a suggestion. Why don't we go upstairs and call Keith? We'll tell him everything we learned tonight and let him get started on the data searches. After that, you and I can discuss your options. You'll be able to start thinking about where you want to go from here."

"I didn't realize I had options."

"There are always options, Grace. You just have to know where to look."

"Moretti. Mark and John Moretti."

"Are you sure?" Keith asked. "Never mind. That was insulting. Sorry."

"Don't worry about it."

"I'm telling you Caleb, this whole thing has got me so freaked out. Especially since you're telling me you think there's something more going on than a simple break-in or mugging."

Caleb lowered his voice and stepped into the kitchen. "I promise you, Keith. Grace is safe with me. I'm not going to let anyone get near her."

"I know you won't. She couldn't be any safer, even if I was there myself."

"Damn right she couldn't. Trust me, if anybody comes looking for her, I'm going to put him down first and ask questions later."

"Works for me. As long as you don't get yourself arrested," Keith joked. "I refuse to bail your sorry ass out of jail."

"I think you forget – you're the one that makes a habit of getting arrested, not me."

"One time is not a habit."

"Go ahead, keep telling yourself that," Caleb advised. He took a minute to choose his words carefully before he continued. "And...Um... there's one more thing you should know." He had always been honest with Keith in the past. Never once had he lied by omission or intent. He wasn't about to start now. "I'm attracted to your sister." As soon as the words were out, Caleb disconnected. While he wanted to be upfront about his feelings for Grace, he wasn't answering questions. Nor would he be forced into defending himself. Keith would simply have to accept the truth. Caleb wanted Grace. He wanted to touch and taste, to memorize every inch of her body. And to feel that body next to his. Skin to skin. Heart to heart. Sex to sex.

Taking a deep breath, Caleb slid the phone into his pocket and went to face Grace. Unless he missed his guess, as soon as Keith had worked through his initial shock, he would be calling her. Caleb had, at best, five minutes. As he neared the doorway to the living room, he could hear Grace's cell ringing. "Fuck!" he whispered. He stepped in and found the room empty. Moving fast, he snatched the phone up and without a whisper of guilt, switched it to silent. He glanced down to see Keith's name displayed on the caller ID. "Oh, hell no," he murmured. He put the phone back on the table, face down, and continued his search for Grace.

He found her stretched out on her bed, typing furiously on a sleek, little laptop. "Sorry," she apologized without looking up. "I didn't mean to abandon you. I came in to check my email and found a few that couldn't wait. Do you need me?"

Caleb almost groaned at the question. Need her? Christ! He didn't know it was possible to need someone like this. "If you've got a minute, yes."

"Is this about my options?"

"No. This is about my confession."

That got her attention, he realized. As she looked up and into his eyes, Caleb saw confusion and curiosity. "One second then." With a few more key strokes, Grace clicked send and put her computer on the bedside table. She folded her legs and leaned forward with her arms on her thighs. "Okay. Ready. What's up?"

"I just spoke to Keith. I gave him the names of your attackers. He'll use that information to start digging."

"Great." She studied him for a moment. "But there's something else."

"I told Keith that I'm attracted to you."

Grace's eyes went wide. "Attracted to or want to sleep with?"

"Attracted to. Anything more and I think he'd be climbing on the next plane."

"And what did you say about how I feel?"

"Nothing. I told him I was attracted to you and then I hung up before he could comment."

"You did not!"

"I did," he admitted, completely unrepentant. "I gave him just enough information to keep him in the loop. That's all I owed him. He doesn't get anything more from me."

"What am I supposed to tell him?"

"That's up to you." He sat, taking her hands in his. "Tell Keith everything or tell him nothing. Either way works for me." Just then, his cell rang. They both winced when he held it out to show Grace the name of the incoming caller.

"Keith."

"Answer it?"

"Your phone. Your decision."

Never one to run from confrontation, Caleb answered. "Knight... I think she's in her bedroom. She said something about answering some emails.... She didn't answer her cell? Hang on... Yeah, here it is on the coffee table. Still on silent from today. Do you want me to take it to her? Okay. Will do. And Keith? Do me a favor. Don't call her if you're just going to give her a hard time about this..." Caleb pulled the phone away from his ear, hissing in frustration. Grace could hear her brother's voice as it rose in anger, but couldn't quite make out the words. She reached for the phone only to have Caleb snatch it back with a quick shake of his head. "You done?" he asked Keith. Grace was startled by the transformation. Caleb's eyes were hard and cold, his voice clipped. "I will not apologize for being attracted to Grace. There's not a man with half a brain that wouldn't be attracted to her... No! You listen, Keith. If you're going to give her grief over this, I'm going to be seriously pissed and disappointed... You know me... I will not hurt her....Grace can take care of herself. She is perfectly capable of telling me 'no'. Or 'yes'." He pulled the phone away from his ear again as Keith started to yell. Caleb stood to pace angrily. "Don't fuck with me over this Keith! I was honest with you. After years of friendship, I owed you that much. But I won't apologize for it or for the way I feel. Get over it... Fine. Tomorrow." Caleb disconnected and stood for a few minutes trying to reign in his temper.

"I'm sorry," Grace whispered. Caleb's head snapped up at that. "He's my brother..." She left the thought unfinished as tears threatened.

"Don't," he ordered. "Do not apologize for Keith's behavior. That's on him." He sat again, tilting her face up to his. "I'm sorry he's upset, but I won't let you take responsibility for that. If you try, it's only going to piss me off." Grace smiled softly, touched by his immediate defense of her. Unable to resist, Caleb lowered his mouth to hers. God! The hunger pulled him under even as he fought against it. Tongues teased and mated as they fed. Devoured. Consumed. And when he reached his limit, when Caleb walked the edge of their promise, he started to pull back. But Grace's hands clutched as she moaned low and deep. Caleb froze. "Grace?" He studied her swollen lips and eyes dark and hot. "Fuck it!" He wasn't going to wait one more minute to have her. Caleb pulled Grace down and under him. He used his weight to press her into the mattress, hands roaming, his mouth fused to hers. The feel of her body arching into his hands, into him, gave desire claws.

Grace felt like she was drowning - in an ache so deep and consuming that she could hardly breathe. Caleb's mouth burned down her throat. He tasted with lips and tongue and teeth as her hands snaked under his shirt. She could feel his muscles bunch and stretch as he moved over her, bringing to mind barely restrained power – an animal straining to break free of his chains. And, God help her, Grace wanted to feel that power! She wanted to feel it snap its leash and wash over her, burn through her until there was nothing left.

On a growl, Caleb sat up, straddling her. "I've got to see you," he panted. With his eyes locked on hers, he began hastily unbuttoning her blouse. His breath hissed out at the sight of firm breasts in black lace. "God!" He stroked her nipple experimentally with his thumb and marveled at the way her body responded. "And now, a taste," he whispered just as his mouth captured her. He teased her through the lace of her bra, running his tongue around her nipple again and again until finally taking it into his mouth. His hand came up to stroke and tease her other nipple as he suckled and nipped. Grace's nails scraped, her body pressing into Caleb's erection suggestively. "Naked," he hissed.

"Yes. Please."

He smiled against her breasts. "Now," he agreed, reaching for the snap of her jeans. He slid down her body, laying his lips low on her stomach. As he peeled back fabric, his phone began to ring. "Fuck!" Caleb exploded. "I swear to God, if that's your brother, I will seriously have to consider killing him." After two rings, he was still too angry to answer.

"I'll get it," murmured Grace as she reached into his front pocket. Caleb growled as her hand moved over him. "Caleb Knight's phone. May I ask who's calling...? One moment please."

With his head still face down on her stomach, Caleb asked. "Who?"

"Detective Blaine. He said you called him earlier today."

"I did. I wanted to update him. Give him the names of the men who attacked you." He finally looked up at her. Desire had been replaced with frustration and disgust. "Fuck!" he complained one last before taking the phone from Grace. "Good evening, Detective. I'm glad you called. Grace and I had a bit of a breakthrough today." Caleb kissed the soft skin of Grace's stomach as the detective spoke. "For the record, I'd rather finish this," he whispered. She smiled and nodded her agreement before giving him a none too gentle nudge. With one last quick nip at her hip, Caleb rolled off Grace, stood, and headed back up the hall to the living room.
Chapter 5

The knock on the door woke him. Glancing at his watch, Caleb realized it was just past six in the morning. Nothing good came of someone knocking on your door at six in the morning. Grace appeared in the doorway of the living room as the knock sounded again, louder this time. Caleb stopped her with one quick shake of his head. Eyes on her, he unsheathed one of his knives. He crept to the door and looked through the peephole, as the knocking became pounding.

"Grace? Caleb?" called a muffled voice.

"Damn!" Caleb muttered even as Grace hung her head in frustration.

"Better let him in before he wakes my neighbors."

Caleb caught the tone in her voice and was perversely pleased that Grace didn't want Keith here anymore than he did. That, in his opinion, was a point in his favor. Wearing nothing more than boxers and his knife, Caleb swung the door open wide. "Keith."

Keith glared at him. "What the hell are you wearing?"

"Consider yourself lucky I bothered with this much."

Stepping past his friend, Keith moved to Grace. He pulled her into his arms, holding on tight. "I've been worried about you," he whispered.

"I'm okay. I've had Caleb with me."

Keith stepped back and tilted Grace's face up to his. After four days, her eye was still heavily bruised in shades of yellow, black, and green. With gentle fingers he touched and soothed. "Which one did this to you?"

"It doesn't matter."

"Caleb?" Keith asked.

"Mark," he answered flatly. "Mark is the one that hit her."

Running his hand down the length of Grace's hair one last time, Keith turned to face his friend. "Mark will pay for putting his hands on her."

"Without a doubt."

"Whoa! Wait a minute. You two better be kidding," Grace warned. When neither man spoke, she turned her attention to her brother. "Keith, what are you doing here? You're supposed to be out of town."

"I took forty-eight. I needed to see for myself that you were okay."

"But I'm fine."

"Yeah, I get that. I still needed to see you, though," he tried to explain. "Call it a big brother thing."

"Big brother my ass! We're twins."

"Maybe I was born first. That would make me your big brother."

"Maybe I was born first. That would make you my little brother."

"I don't think so."

"Of course you don't. But it's possible."

"Either way," Caleb interrupted. "I find it hard to believe that wanting to spend time with Grace is your only reason for being here."

Keith shrugged. "I do have information to share. Why don't you two get dressed? I'll put the coffee on."

"Sure."

"And maybe, little sis, you'd consider making your French toast."

"You come knocking on my door at six o'clock in the morning, and you want French toast? There's an IHop down the street. Maybe you'll have better luck there."

"That's just cold Grace," Keith yelled after her as she headed toward her bedroom. "Mom raised you better than that." He turned back at the sound of Caleb's laughter, glaring coldly. "I'm still pissed off at you, so shut it. And put on some damn clothes!"

"Guess you told me," Caleb mumbled.

Twenty minutes later, Keith sat at the kitchen table with his second cup while he watched Grace and Caleb together. There was an ease about them; a familiarity that belied the length of time they had known one another. That meant they were sleeping together, right? Keith shifted uncomfortably in his chair. He wasn't so sure he knew how to handle this.

"Are you sleeping with my sister?" Shit! "Sorry. I wasn't going to ask."

"But you did."

"Yeah. Sort of wishing I could take it back."

"But only sort of," Caleb clarified.

"Yeah. Part of me thinks I should know. While another part just wants to live in ignorance."

"I could tell you it's none of business," Caleb volunteered. "But if I were you... I would sort of want to know too." He turned to Grace, waited for her nod. "No, I'm not sleeping with your sister. Neither in the literal nor figurative sense."

Keith took a deep breath, holding it as he silently weighed the honesty in Caleb's words. "Thanks."

"Don't thank me. I didn't do you any favors. I just answered a simple question. But...before you get too comfortable and in the interest of full disclosure – I won't always have the same answer to that question." Caleb watched as understanding registered and Keith's face paled. Feeling very pleased with himself, he turned back to Grace. "French toast ready, sweetheart?"

"Um. Yeah," Grace mumbled. "Sit. I'll get it." Pulling the last pieces from the pan, she added them to the plate she had been keeping warm in the oven. "Alright boys," she announced as she joined them at the table. "I think we're in business."

Keith reached for the plate. "Gimme."

Grace snatched it back quickly and placed it in the middle of the table instead. "Wait," Grace added when Keith reached with his fork. "Caleb, I suggest you and I serve ourselves first. Keith has been known to be greedy."

"Not my fault," Keith argued. "If it didn't taste so damn good, I wouldn't be greedy."

Once they all had what they needed, Keith began the debriefing.

"Mark and John Moretti – only sons of Anthony and Maria Moretti. Twenty-six and twenty- four respectively. They share an apartment about fifteen minutes from here. Grandparents came over from Sicily seventy odd years ago. They bought the restaurant in their late twenties. Passed it to their son when they retired. It's expected that John and Mark will run the restaurant when it's their turn. Right now, they're learning the business from the ground up, so to speak. Mark works in the kitchen. John's a bus boy."

"When they're not busy ransacking apartments and trying to kidnap women, you mean," Grace corrected.

Keith flinched but continued. "You were right, Caleb, when you suggested that they had no experience. I couldn't find so much as a parking ticket between them."

"So, someone did hire them," Caleb insisted.

"We can't prove it yet, but that would be my best guess." He drowned his French toast in syrup and powdered sugar, took a big bite, and smiled appreciatively.

"Is there any evidence to support that they were hired?" Grace wondered.

"They each deposited ten thousand dollars in separate bank accounts five days ago."

Caleb swore viciously and reached out to Grace. His hand covered hers as he ignored his meal and continued to ask questions. "Can you trace the money?"

"No. The deposits were cash."

"What about phone records?"

"Working on those. Called in a few favors to get the search off the books," Keith explained. "Expecting the results in the next few hours. Until then...we wait."

"I want to check out their apartment."

"We'd need a warrant for that."

"No," Caleb corrected. "You'd need a warrant. I, however..." He left the rest unsaid.

"What do you mean by that?" Grace demanded.

"Your brother is bound by rules that no longer apply to me."

"I can't hear this," Keith interrupted. He stood, grabbing his plate and coffee. "Remember our deal, Caleb. You get caught... you're on your own."

As soon as Keith was gone, Grace turned back to Caleb. "Explain."

He didn't answer immediately. The smell of Grace's French toast finally got the better of him. She waited patiently while he took his first bite. "Oh God! This is amazing."

"Thanks."

Continuing to eat, he added. "Now I see why Keith is so greedy."

"I'm glad you like it." As Caleb finished his first piece and reached for another, Grace pulled the plate out of reach.

"Hey!"

"You're supposed to be telling me what you meant about getting a look at Mark and John's apartment."

Caleb's eyes sparkled mischievously. "French toast first. Then I'll tell you."

"While you eat. Not after."

Enjoying the negotiations, Caleb took a minute to consider. "Plus one date."

"Excuse me?"

"If you want to hear my plan while I eat, you have to agree to one date, with me."

"What does our dating have to do with Mark and John's apartment?"

"Absolutely nothing."

Grace pursed her lips as she thought. "Fine. Your plan, while you eat, plus one date."

Caleb held out his hand for the plate, smiling wickedly when she handed it over. Taking two more pieces, he added syrup, took a bite, and finally looked up at Grace. "Because your brother works for the Secret Service, he is bound by the rules and regulations of that agency. This means in order to get inside that apartment, he needs a warrant. Keith can't ask for a warrant. The Secret Service does not handle assaults or break-ins. He cannot set foot in that apartment without jeopardizing his job."

"Okay. I get that," Grace admitted, finally starting to eat. "But why don't the rules apply to you?"

"It's not that they don't apply to me, so much as I'm willing to pretend they don't."

"Are you talking about breaking in?" she asked, shock clearly evident in her voice.

"Technically? Yes."

"Have you lost your mind?"

"Not that I'm aware of."

"But..."

"No." Caleb pushed his plate aside, focusing all his attention in on Grace. "These men hurt you."

"I'm fine."

Ignoring her, he continued. "They were hired to trash your apartment and kidnap you. And if I hadn't shown up when I did the other day, they probably would have succeeded." His hand reached for hers. "I'm not going to hesitate to do anything in my power to identify the person or persons that hired them. If that means I have to break a few laws, I'm okay with that."

"What if I'm not? I don't want you committing a crime and risking arrest for me."

"They'd have to catch me before they could arrest me, Grace. And that's just not going to happen."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because I'm good. Very good." His hand cupped her cheek. "I can get in, search the place, and get back out without anyone knowing I've been there."

"I still don't like it. What if something goes wrong?"

Caleb smiled. "Nothing's going to go wrong. I promise."

"That's not a promise you can make."

He leaned in close, perversely enjoying the concern in her eyes. "I assure you I can. You don't have to worry." Before she could continue her argument, he covered her mouth with his. He kept the kiss gentle, slowly adding pressure until Grace opened for him. Their tongues met, exploring flavors and textures. Caleb groaned as he stood, pulling Grace in close. He knew he couldn't have her, not now. Not with Keith in the next room. But he was going to take everything he could in this moment. Caleb used his body to press Grace back into the wall. With one hand fisted in her hair, he drank deep. The other clutched at her waist before sliding up to cup her breast. He swallowed her moan, as their bodies molded into one. He could feel her heart racing as his blood ran hot. Caleb dragged his mouth from hers. "How is it possible to want someone like this?"

Grace let him take her face in his hands; let him look his fill. She knew what he would see – his own feelings reflected there. Slowly, he smiled.

"It's nice to know I'm not alone in this," he murmured.

"Aw shit!" Keith said when he saw them. "I don't want to see this. That's my sister you've got your hands all over. Jesus!"

"Then maybe you should have announced yourself before you walked in," Caleb suggested.

"It's the fucking kitchen, for Christ's sake!"

Grace had to laugh at that, her embarrassment forgotten.

"There's nothing funny about this, so wipe that grin off your face, little sister." Keith moved to put his plate in the sink. Stared up at the ceiling as Caleb kissed Grace softly.

"I'm going to go out for a while. Run some errands. You'll stay with her?" Caleb asked.

"Of course. That's why I'm here, remember?"

"You sure about that?" Caleb stepped forward, crowding Keith just a little. "I thought maybe you were here because of something I said." Without waiting for an answer, he headed out.

Grace stood watching her brother carefully. He was tense as he watched Caleb leave. Something indefinable clouded his eyes. She had been afraid of this. Afraid that Caleb's interest in her would drive a wedge between them, putting their friendship in jeopardy.

"Problem?"

Keith looked over his shoulder at her. "I haven't decided yet."

"Fair enough."

"I'm trying," he shrugged. "Now, why don't I help you with the breakfast dishes and we can talk about anything other than the fact that Caleb wants to sleep with you."

It was mid-afternoon when the three of them met again. Unfortunately, there was very little to report. Keith's internet searches and phone calls had netted no new information. Neither had Caleb's unscheduled 'visit' to Mark and John's apartment.

"I went back through three months of phone records. The Moretti brothers' land lines at home and at the restaurant, as well as both their cells. The only number unaccounted for turned out to be a burn phone. It appeared three times prior to the attack - all incoming calls. And once after - outgoing."

"Reporting that the abduction had failed," Caleb theorized. "They didn't have Grace."

"Yeah. That's what I'm thinking. And from what my team can piece together, Mark and John left town within an hour of that last call."

"Ordered to disappear for awhile would be my guess."

"Or they panicked. It would make sense if they're as inexperienced as we think."

"True."

"There's no way to trace the calls?"

"No. Sorry," Keith mumbled.

"And you didn't find anything in their apartment?" Grace asked as she turned to Caleb.

"Nothing out of the ordinary. Nothing that even hinted at the identity of the person who hired them."

"Then where do we go from here?"

With a quick glance at Caleb, Keith answered. "Well... I think your new boyfriend here is going to get his wish. He'll get his face-to-face."

"You cannot be serious."

"'Fraid so."

Grace turned to study Caleb carefully, trying to gauge his reaction. On the surface, he appeared calm and professional, completely unaffected by Keith's announcement. But when she leaned in, there was no mistaking the wicked gleam in his eyes.

"You can't let him have a face-to-face, Keith. Look at him!" she argued.

"Don't let it worry you, Gracie. Caleb's always been good in a fight."

"What your brother means to say," Caleb glared at his friend, "Is that I'm good with confrontation." When she made a face, he almost groaned in frustration. "I usually know when people are hiding something. And I'm good at pushing their buttons. Poking and pushing at them until they can't help but give themselves away."

"And what happens if they push back?"

"I can handle that too."

"I don't want anyone getting hurt because of me," she insisted.

"Caleb is more than capable of taking care of himself, Grace. Surely you've noticed that by now."

"I know, but..."

"I'd really like to tell you that you shouldn't worry," Caleb interrupted. "But I can't. If the only way to get at the truth for you, and for Keith, is to bend the rules and take some chances, I won't hesitate."

"You know, I'm not entirely comfortable with that idea."

"And for that, I'm sorry." The worry in her eyes pulled at him. "But I can assure you that I'll be careful."

"You too," she included, pointing at Keith.

"Scout's honor."

"Oh please! You were never a boy scout and you know it."

"True. But it's the thought that counts," he teased. Grace smiled at that, as Keith hoped she would. "Seriously though," he began as he took both her hands in his. "Caleb and I will get to the bottom of this, Gracie. We will find out who sent those men after you."

"I know."

"And to do that, we'll have to take some chances." He waited for her nod before he continued. "Some of those chances will be riskier than others, but none of them will be unnecessary." Keith gave her hands a final squeeze. "We're very good at what we do. I just need you trust us."

"This coming from the man that put hair dye in my shampoo bottle?"

Startled, it took Keith a moment to react. "We were fifteen!"

"It was two days before prom!"

"Well... You had no business going with that boy. He was seventeen and had his own car," he explained to Caleb. "There was only one thing he had on his mind and it had nothing to do with music and dancing."

"Are you kidding me?"

"I tried to tell Mom and Dad but they wouldn't listen. I had to take matters into my own hands. It was my job then, as your big brother." He waited a beat. "And it's my job now."

"Whatever it takes," Caleb whispered.

Keith pulled Grace into his arms, holding on tight. "Whatever it takes," he repeated.

"I thought I told you never to call me here."

"Relax. This call can't be traced back to me. It won't show up on either of our phone records if anyone happens to check. And what I have to say couldn't wait."

"Very well then. But keep it short. I'm a very busy man."

God, this is why he hated working with rich civilians, Alan remembered. They were all such pains in the ass. "I identified the man that was with Grace Bennett when your... associates met with her the other day."

"Why do I care who she was with?"

Gritting his teeth, Alan continued. "His name is Caleb Knight. He's a private investigator. Before that, he was in the Secret Service."

"And?"

"He was good. Is good. With his connections, he could dig up all sorts of information."

"And Grace Bennett hired him?"

"There is no evidence to support that theory. But it doesn't really matter whether he's sleeping with her or working for her. Either way, he'll be motivated to protect her. And to find the truth."

"Does he know the names of my associates?"

"More than that. He's connected them to their place of employment."

"You're certain about that?"

"Saw him there with my own eyes. With the girl."

"And the brother?"

"He's here for forty-eight. After that, he's expected to report back to work."

"Is there any reason to think he'll extend his visit?"

"Not at this time."

"Good."

"Would you like me to arrange a meeting with Mr. Knight?"

Hmmm. Kill him? It was tempting. If he had Knight killed, the girl would be alone. It would be a simple matter to try again. He stood, pacing quietly as he thought. Minutes went by as he weighed the pros and cons of ending a man's life. "No," he finally answered. "I don't think it would be prudent to draw any more attention to the situation at this time."

"Understood."

"You will, however, remain available. If a decision needs to be made quickly, I don't want to waste time looking for you."

He disconnected and returned to his desk. Reading through the latest information on Grace and Keith Bennett, he was, once again, frustrated by how little data was actually available. He had confirmed that they indeed had been adopted as infants. Their lives before the adoption, however, were a mystery. He couldn't even trust the birth certificates. The Bennett children with products of a closed adoption in the state of Georgia. This meant all the original medical and legal records were buried and the certificate of birth changed. The Bennetts were listed as the birth parents now. And to date, no one he had hired or bribed had managed to uncover the truth. No matter he thought. In the end, Grace and Keith Bennett would be eliminated... one way or another.
Chapter 6

"Jesus!" Caleb hissed.

"Yeah. The word FUBAR comes to mind," Keith agreed. The three of them stood in the middle of what was once Keith's living room. Much like Grace's apartment, everything had been destroyed, emptied, overturned, or shattered. Caleb bent to pick up a framed photograph. The glass was broken and the metal frame bent. It was a picture of Grace and Keith together. They were standing in the sunshine, arms around each other, smiling for the camera. He gently pulled the photo free of its mangled frame and held it out to Keith.

"It could be worse?" he suggested.

"You sure about that?"

"No, not really."

Grace's arm snuck around Keith's waist. He bent to kiss her cheek, recognizing the pain in her eyes. "It's just stuff, Gracie. Wood and plastic and glass." He brushed at the tear that fell. "Please, don't let it get to you. There's nothing here that can't be replaced."

"I know. It's just..." She let the thought go unfinished.

"I'll see if I can find some trash bags and a broom. Maybe a shovel," he joked. "Why don't you and Caleb get started on the books for me? See what you two can salvage." With that, he stepped out of the room, but not before catching Caleb's eye. A slight tilt of his head toward Grace was all it took.

Caleb nodded. He would see what he could do. When they were alone, he moved in tight, his hands reaching. "Are you okay?" he whispered.

"Yeah."

Slowly and thoroughly Caleb made a study of her face... her eyes. "No. You're not okay. But you're trying." Wanting to soothe, he lowered his mouth to hers. He was careful to keep the kiss sweet and comforting. He let the warmth of it seep in.

"I'm coming back in now," Keith announced loudly. "Could we please keep the groping to a minimum?"

Grace rolled her eyes. "You probably think that's funny."

"Yep."

"Keep it up and we'll really give you something to squirm about," Caleb warned.

"Et tu, Caleb?"

They spent hours digging through the mess, culling out the things that had managed to stay in one piece. Grace was happy to find that most of Keith's books were undamaged. She only wished she could say the same for his CD and DVD collections. It seemed every disk had been broken into pieces. She didn't understand it. Why leave virtually all the books untouched but systematically ruin each disk?

"I wonder," she murmured to herself.

"Wonder what?" Like her, Caleb kept his voice low.

"At first, I thought that the intruders were just trashing this place. But now..."

"You think they were looking for something." Caleb glanced over at Keith as he put yet another full trash bag by the front door.

"This is going to be one hell of a haul when we're through. Thank God there's a trash chute at the end of the hall."

When they were alone again, Caleb whispered, "I came to the same conclusion you did a few minutes ago."

"What tipped you off?"

"Everything in this place has been opened or taken apart." When Grace nodded, he asked. "And you?"

"I'm not sure. It just seems weird." She put a few more books on the shelves as she talked. "Very few, if any, of the books have been damaged."

"Yet every CD and DVD is broken."

"Exactly! That's weird. Right? Almost as if they were trying to destroy what might be on the disks."

"Information," Caleb realized with a start. "They were looking for information."

"So why break the disks and not take them instead?"

Caleb looked at the debris littering the floor, thinking back to Keith's collection before the break-in. "Volume? Maybe just the sheer number of disks involved was what prevented them from taking them," he theorized. "Didn't Keith have almost two hundred DVDs? Not to mention the music disks."

"I think combined his entire stash was closer to four hundred, maybe four fifty."

"I see how that could pose a problem. How do you carry out four hundred and fifty disks without someone seeing you and remembering?"

"You don't," she said simply. "And what you can't remove... you destroy."

Keith picked that moment to announce that he had done everything he could for the kitchen. Adding two more trash bags to the pile, he turned toward Grace. It only took one quick look for him to ask, "What?"

She glanced at Caleb before answering. "We have a theory."

Now it was Keith's turn to look from Caleb to Grace and back again. "Let's hear it." He listened patiently and quietly as Caleb and Grace worked together to explain. When they were finished, Keith took a few minutes to reexamine the apartment, looking for evidence that would confirm or deny their suspicion. Caleb had been right when he said that everything had been opened and emptied. Keith's home office was the worst.

"I'm surprised they didn't try to get into your computer," Grace observed.

Keith walked over and hit a few key strokes. The screen lit immediately, showing the login screen.

"Well, I guess I take that back."

"It wouldn't have mattered if they'd gotten in or not. All the data is encrypted."

"Really? Paranoid much?" Grace teased.

"It's not considered paranoia when people really are out to get you," Keith argued.

Realizing he had a point, Grace relented.

"Is there anything missing?" Caleb wanted to know.

"How the hell am I supposed to be able to answer that?" Keith studied the room for a moment. Most, if not all, the contents of the desk and closet were strewn over the floor. He winced at the sight of his carefully organized records in such obvious chaos.

Noting the mix of horror and despair on his friend's face, Caleb offered a suggestion. "Don't focus on the mess in front of us right now. Think of how the room looked the last time you saw it." Keith's look was speculative now. "You pay bills in here, right?"

"Yeah."

"Okay then. Walk us through it."

"Walk you through it?" He paused for a minute, letting the idea sink in. "Okay." Keith nodded. "This could work." He went back to the doorway to walk them through it, literally. "I walked in and hit the switch. Gave the room a quick scan. Desk with chair," he gestured. "Bookcase. Recliner with side table. Standing lamp."

"Got it. You sit at the desk to pay bills?"

"Yeah. I sat down at the desk. Pulled the checkbook out of the drawer."

"What else is in the drawers?"

Keith nodded. "Bottom left - current files for bills. Upper left - checkbook, envelopes, stamps, pens, stapler and staples. Maybe some paper clips. Center drawer - more stationary supplies, post-its, paper clips, extra pens, three flash drives."

"Good. Now that we have an idea of what should be here, let's look around."

"Well, you can see for yourself my files for paying bills. And..." he looked again. "My tax information from the closet."

Grace bent to sift through the mess. "I think I found most of the supplies. Even your stapler."

Thinking back to Keith's list, Caleb added. "That just leaves your flash drives."

Keith started searching the floor nearest the desk, moving and stacking paperwork, while Grace and Caleb separated to look in other areas of the room. It only took them a few minutes to realize that the flash drives were missing. "They took them," Keith finally accepted. "Those rat bastards actually took them. But why?"

"What was on them?"

"A variety of information." He glanced quickly at Grace, before continuing. "One drive was dedicated to work."

"Encrypted?" Grace asked.

"Yeah. The second one was household and personal stuff. Records, account information, copies of emails, etc. Nothing out of the ordinary. But, in order to discourage identity theft, it was also encrypted."

"And the last?" Caleb asked when Keith hesitated.

Again, he glanced at Grace. "Research," he murmured.

"What kind of research?"

Keith shifted his attention to his sister. "I didn't know if I should tell you or keep it a secret."

"And, obviously, you kept it a secret," Grace stated unnecessarily.

"Yes."

"Then I think you better tell me now."

"The third flash drive contained personal research," Keith began carefully. "On our parents and the circumstances surrounding our births. I know we don't really talk about it," Keith continued. "But... I've always been curious about where we come from. It's not that I don't love Mom and Dad. You know I do. They're amazing parents. Always have been. It's just..."

"You've been curious."

"Yes. So, a few months ago, I thought I'd see what information I could uncover."

"Without discussing it with me."

Keith winced. "I figured that I'd do the initial digging and once I found something, if there was anything to find, I'd bring it to you. Then we'd talk about it. Or not. I'd leave it up to you." When Grace remained still and silent, he continued. "If you don't want to be a part of this - if you don't want to hear about anything I find, I'll respect your choice. It will not stop me, though. This is something I need to do, Gracie. I hope you can respect that."

Grace studied her brother for a few minutes. It was clear he was worried about her reaction. As hurt as she was by his secrecy, she didn't want to make this any harder on him than it already had been. "I won't pretend that I understand your need to identify our birth parents. I don't." Grace watched as Keith tensed at her words. "But...if this is something you need to do, I'll support you."

"Thank you," Keith whispered. "You have no idea what it means to me to finally be able to share this with you."

Hoping to ease the tension he could still feel in Grace's body, Caleb interrupted. "Was all your research on the flash drive? Or did you back it up somewhere else?"

"I saved the information on my laptop as well as the flash drive."

"Which you had with you, I hope."

"You know me, Caleb. I never go anywhere without that laptop."

"You didn't lose any of the data, then. Not really," Grace pointed out.

"No. Not really. But I didn't encrypt the last flash drive. Whoever stole it now has access to the information I've collected on our birth parents."

"Surely that information isn't important to anyone but us. I doubt very seriously that was the information they were looking. If, in fact, we're right. Whoever broke in here may not have been looking for information at all."

"True," Keith muttered.

"Seriously Keith. What could anyone have to gain by knowing the identity of our birth parents?"

"Honestly? I have no idea."

"But you're not ruling it out," Caleb observed.

"No, I'm not." Keith looked at his long-time friend. "To make assumptions can be dangerous. You and I both know that."

"Yes, we do," Caleb quietly agreed.

Grace could feel something pass between them. Something dark and haunting. "So...should we keep cleaning?" she suggested. "There's still so much to do."

"Why don't we put in another hour," Keith volunteered. "Then maybe get some dinner."

"Sounds good."

"Caleb, if you could help me with the trash bags?"

"No problem. Grace?"

"I'll just keep stacking paperwork here. Maybe I can at least find the floor."

They separated after that, the men leaving Grace to work alone with her thoughts. She was grateful for that. She had been shocked when Keith admitted he'd been trying to find their birth parents. Shocked and hurt. He had kept it from her. And, unless she missed her guess, he had kept it from Caleb, too. Having only each other growing up, Keith and she were closer than most siblings. They had learned at a very early age to rely on one another. To trust one another without reservation. This was the first time that he had intentionally kept something important from her. And if he knew what was good for him, it'd be the last.

"That was a hell of a chance you took with Grace," Caleb pointed out. He carried a trash bag in each hand as he walked to the end of the hall with Keith.

"Yeah."

"You kept something from her. From me." He waited while Keith tossed the first bags down the chute, sending his down after them. "And you hurt us both in the process." Caleb turned on Keith then, crowding him, until he was backed into the wall. "Let me be clear on this point. Do it again, and I'll kick your ass," he hissed.

Keith started to make a joke, until he saw Caleb's eyes. He was angry, yes. But more importantly, he was disappointed. Keith squirmed slightly at the realization. "Understood," he finally said. And in the way of men, the tension evaporated. The betrayal forgotten.

"Let's finish up, and get out of here."

"I'll finish. You go check on Grace." Caleb raised one eyebrow in surprise. "I don't expect you to tell me anything she says. I just need to know that she's okay."

"Grace?" Caleb murmured when he found her.

She stood, studying him for a moment. "Did Keith send you to check on me?"

"Yes. But I didn't come for him. I came for you. And because I need to know if you're okay."

She smiled softly. "Thanks for that."

"I won't hide anything from you, Grace. Especially my feelings."

"You didn't know either, did you?" she asked.

"No. And I've made it clear, in no uncertain terms, that if he ever tries something like this again, I'll kick his ass."

"As long as you let me help."

He laughed, relieved that she could joke about it. "No problem, sweetheart. I'll even hold him down for you."

"Deal." Grace stood on tiptoe to kiss him, sealing their bargain. She was startled when Caleb's hands snaked out to wrap around her.

He smiled wickedly. "That's the first time you've kissed me."

"No, it's not."

"You've responded to my kisses," he clarified. "You've never kissed me first."

"Oh."

Caleb tightened his hold. "I liked it."

"Oh," Grace said again.

"I hope it's something you'll repeat." His hands slid around her waist and up to caress her back. "And repeat often."

Caught up in his desire, Grace could only nod mutely.

"Promise me," he whispered seductively, his hands moving over her.

Grace's voice trembled as she answered. "I promise."

Caleb lowered his mouth to hers, stopping just short of tasting. His breath caressed her lips, as he held there, unmoving. Grace could feel the tension building, desire pulling at them. "Kiss me now, Grace," he ordered.

Without another thought, she closed the distance between them. They opened to one another immediately, letting desire consume them. Caleb fisted his hand in Grace's hair, angled her head, and took the kiss deeper than anything they'd shared before. His armed vised around her, refusing to yield, as he devoured. Caleb felt his blood heat beneath his skin. Felt Grace begin to tremble. Reluctantly, he pulled back, just enough to rest his forehead on hers. "I want you," he whispered. "Tell me you want me too, Grace." When she didn't answer, he tightened his hold. "Tell me you want me," he begged.

"I want you."

"Soon." His hands slid from her back to cup her bottom. "Soon."

Grace could only nod.

"Thirty seconds after Keith leaves town," Caleb insisted.

"That's tomorrow night," Grace whispered nervously. "He's taking the red-eye out. Nine o'clock, I think."

"Then tomorrow night it is."
Chapter 7

Caleb went in search of Keith. As soon as he stepped into the living room, something felt wrong. There were still piles of trash to be taken out, yet Keith was nowhere to be seen. A quick search of the apartment revealed only his absence. Reaching for the knife at his waist, Caleb opened the door and peered out into the hall. He relaxed as soon as he saw him. Keith was halfway down the hall talking to an elderly woman who stood in her doorway. Relieved, Caleb grabbed a couple of trash bags and began the trip to the chute. He caught several words of conversation each time he passed Keith and his neighbor. They were talking about the men that had been seen around the apartment. When Caleb was on his last trip to the chute, Keith fell in step beside him.

"That was Mrs. Grady. She was asking me about the break-in."

"She the same one who saw two men hanging around asking questions about you and Grace?"

"She's the one. She wanted me to know that she gave her descriptions to the police."

"And did you show her the pictures of Mark and John Moretti?"

"I did."

"And?" Caleb asked as they returned to Keith's apartment.

"She said they're the ones she saw here in the hallway. They were knocking on my apartment door when she was coming down the hallway with her daughter. When she explained that I wasn't home, that I was actually out of town for a few days, the brothers tried to engage her in conversation. She said that, at the time, something just didn't feel right. They were too curious. Too determined to get whatever information they could."

"Smart lady."

"Yeah," Keith couldn't help but smile at that. "Mrs. Grady said that as soon as the Moretti brothers realized she wasn't going to tell them anything else, they left."

"And obviously returned."

"Unfortunately, yes. And it was also Mrs. Grady that called the police the next morning. She said she was leaving early to have breakfast with her daughter and noticed my door standing wide open."

"So, it's official. The Moretti brothers broke into both apartments. More than likely looking for something."

"And when they couldn't find it, they tried to kidnap Grace," Keith theorized.

"Yeah. That's what I'm thinking."

"What could they have been looking for?" Grace asked from the doorway as she joined them.

"I'm not sure," Keith answered honestly.

"Something to do with one of your investigations?" Caleb suggested.

"That's always a possibility, I guess. Nothing immediately comes to mind though."

"Maybe it's not a current investigation. Maybe you just pissed somebody off."

Keith smiled. "That's always a possibility too."

"Well, there's one thing for certain," Caleb decided. "There's a lot more going on here than we originally thought." Both Keith and Grace nodded. "I don't think we should return to Grace's apartment tonight."

"Nor do I think we should stay here," Keith agreed.

"My place," Caleb volunteered quickly. "There is no evidence to support that the Moretti brothers know who I am. Or where to find me."

"Okay. That's good enough for me. For now anyway," Keith agreed. "I'm going to check the bedroom to see if there are any clothes I can salvage, then we'll head out."

Grace hadn't slept well. Between thinking back over everything that had happened and relocating to Caleb's house, she had tossed and turned most of the night. Now she regretted accepting the offer of the master bedroom. It would have been put to better use if Caleb had stayed in his bed and she had slept on the sofa.

When Grace crept quietly into Caleb's kitchen, she was startled to see the men deep in conversation. It was clear that they had been at it for quite some time. Their voices were low, serious. Keith had a pad of paper covered in notes in front of him. From this distance, it looked to be a list of sorts. Even as she stood watching, Keith added something else after a quiet comment from Caleb.

"Good morning," she greeted cheerfully. "Please, tell me there's coffee."

"Of course. Let me get you a cup," Caleb offered.

Keith stood as she approached; carefully turning his notes face down on the table. "Good morning, Gracie. I hope you slept well."

"Absolutely," she lied.

Peering over her head to Caleb, he announced. "I've got a few calls to make. It'll take a couple of hours, I'm afraid." He waited for Caleb's nod. "After that, we can figure out what needs to be done before I catch my plane tonight."

"Sure," Grace murmured, absolutely certain she was being kept in the dark again.

Caleb set her coffee on the table next to her. He could see for himself that she hadn't slept well. That she was worried about Keith and his secrets. Determined to distract, he pulled her into his arms. "I don't think I've wished you a good morning," he smiled. Before she could comment, his mouth was on hers. All fire, heat, and hunger straining at its leash. He pushed her back until they were tucked out of sight, hidden by the pantry. An advantage that would give them a few seconds if discovered. "All I could think about last night was the taste of you. The feel of your body pressed into mine." He kissed her again, tongues mating, teeth nipping. "It came as no surprise that I dreamed of you, naked and under me." His hands left her waist, sliding up her body to cover her breasts. Grace moaned softly, clinging, as desire swept through her. "I remember exactly what it felt like to bury myself inside you," Caleb whispered in her ear. "Deep. Wet. Hot." He watched her as his hands slid down to her bottom, lifting her until they were perfectly matched. "You screamed my name when you came."

Grace licked lips that had suddenly gone dry. Caleb's eyes followed the movement of her tongue.

"Less than eleven hours now, Grace," Caleb reminded.

"I remember."

He moved to untie the robe she was wearing. Her hands rushed to stop him.

"What are you doing?" she hissed.

"I want to see you."

"It can wait until tonight."

"No," he argued. "It can't." Caleb pushed fabric aside, getting his first glimpse of Grace in the shirt he had lent her. It was loose, dipping low in the front, while it skimmed the tops of her thighs. Her nipples, hard and aroused, were obvious under the thin fabric. After looking his fill, Caleb's mouth crushed hers, his hands finding the intimacy of her hips. Grace stifled a groan. He tasted alive and gloriously dangerous. Like him, she was tired of waiting. So when his hands reached to unbutton the shirt, she didn't protest. And then they were on her skin, dragging a moan from them both this time. Caleb leaned back just enough to get a look at her. "God! You're exquisite," he whispered huskily. His head dipped to the pulse point in her throat. He could feel her heart racing in time with his. Caleb knew he should stop now, but couldn't. Not before he had a taste of her. He bent lower, trailing hot, wet kisses down Grace's naked torso. Her hands came up to bury themselves in his hair. She was holding him close, daring him to take her. Without warning, he knelt and ran his tongue over the hard bud of her nipple. Grace bit her lip in an effort to stay quiet. Caleb took her into his mouth next, suckling, increasing the pressure until she was clinging to him. He heard warning bells again, telling him that he was going too far, but... He dragged his mouth from her skin, checking the look in her eyes as he moved to her other breast.

"Caleb?" Grace whispered.

Ignoring her, he slid his hand between her thighs.

"Jesus! Caleb. You have to stop."

He could hear the apprehension in her voice, but he also heard excitement. Saw it in her eyes as she pleaded with him. "I'm not going to stop, Grace. Not until I watch you come."

"We're not alone here," she tried to reason. "Keith could discover us at any minute."

Ignoring her arguments, Caleb stood and spread her legs with his knee. He quickly pushed her panties aside, and slipped two fingers deep inside her. Grace froze, both stunned and aroused at his audacity. "God Grace! You feel so good." His hand began to move as his fingers slid in and out. "Hot and wet, like my dream." He watched her face as she struggled to stay in control. Watched her eyes go dark as she began to move with his hand. He leaned in close to whisper seductively in her ear. "That's it baby. Pretend it's more than just my fingers inside you. Filling you. Sliding in deep." Caleb throbbed as he kept his eyes locked on her face. Grace in the throes of passion was breath taking. "I can feel your walls tight around me. Pulling me in." His thumb found her clitoris. He stroked and teased mercilessly, intent on bringing her to orgasm. Breathing just as heavily as she, he whispered one last order. "Now Grace. Let go. Right now. For me." Caleb swallowed her moan and kept his fingers buried deep, as the climax suddenly swept through her. He held still watching...feeling...aching as her body trembled under his. God! Caleb couldn't think. Desire ripped at him, had him by the throat. And the balls. His goal had been Grace, to pleasure her. To give her a taste of what they would share tonight. He had never expected her arousal and release to affect him like this. His heart slammed hard in his chest.

"Caleb?"

"Yes, sweetheart?" He lifted his head from the curve of her neck. He wanted to see her face.

"Um."

Caleb stood to his full height, finally pulling out of her. He was ridiculously pleased to hear Grace stifle a groan, feel her body tremble again. He didn't even try to hide his reaction.

"You're smiling," she accused.

"Absolutely."

"But..."

"But?" he repeated when she hesitated.

"What about you? You didn't..." Caleb was surprised when she blushed prettily. She leaned her head back against the wall, closing her eyes in embarrassed frustration. After several cleansing breaths, she opened them again.

"Are you asking me if I regret what just happened here? If I regret pleasuring you?" Grace's eyes went wide and the blush returned. He kissed her softly. "I don't." Fear crept in quickly though. "Do you?"

"No, but..."

"No will do," Caleb interrupted. "Are you asking me if I want you? If I wish I could have you here and now?" He kissed her again. "The answer is 'yes'. I want you, Grace. More now that I know how our bodies respond to one another," he whispered. "And while I will admit that I'll be going straight to another cold shower from here. That does not mean I regret anything."

Grace opened her mouth to protest again, but closed it when she saw the look on his face. Inspired, she suddenly smiled. "I'll make it up to you."

"Tonight."

"Yes, tonight." She agreed. "Anything you want. Anything at all."

Grace watched Caleb's eyes go hot and dark. "I'll hold you to that," he warned. "With one exception. You won't give me anything I want Grace. You'll give me everything."

As soon as he left Grace, Caleb went straight to the shower, as promised. This time, he didn't allow himself to replay the scene in the kitchen. He knew, without a doubt, that the only way he would survive this day in such close proximity to Grace, was to bury the memory for now. Instead, as the freezing water poured over him, he thought of the long conversation he had had with Keith. They had been up most of the night together creating a timeline of the week's events, hoping that it would lead them to some answers. As they wrote it all out, it became even more obvious that the crimes were connected. Not only that, they were well orchestrated. The problem was, neither Caleb, nor Keith, had found anything in the Moretti brothers' pasts that would lead them to believe the brothers were capable of the planning it would have taken. Caleb had seen firsthand their inability to think clearly, when they were caught off guard. That experience just added weight to the theory that someone was paying them. That's when he and Keith and begun to create the list. Using his laptop, Keith had been able to access his present and past case files. Starting with the most current, he and Caleb had red flagged the cases that involved someone who might be looking for payback. Someone who held Keith personally responsible for his or her incarceration. A personal vendetta would answer most of the questions they had and explain most of what was happening. Caleb couldn't help thinking that it didn't answer the most important question though – were the Moretti brothers really searching the apartments and, if so, for what. What could Keith and Grace have that someone wanted badly enough to go to all this trouble? Neither Keith nor Caleb had the answers, but after their discussion this morning, they at least had a plan. For the next week, Keith would spend all of his spare time looking into his old cases. A 'where are they now' approach. Caleb would spend the same time collecting information on the Moretti brothers and their immediate family and friends. He wanted to know everything that had happened in their lives leading up to the break-ins and attempted kidnapping. Once he knew everything there was to know, he would confront them. He was almost certain he would be able to break them. They would have no choice but to admit who hired them. And once he had a name, Caleb would take it from there.

When he finished his shower, Caleb went in search of Grace and Keith. Both were on the phone, dealing with their own issues. Keith had squirreled himself away in one of the back bedrooms so that he would not be overheard. Grace had settled herself on the sofa in the den with her laptop perched at the ready. And she was speaking Italian again, he realized. Lust, sharp and strong swept through him. As if sensing his presence, her eyes met his. She smiled shyly, and Caleb knew she was remembering. Not only what they shared in the kitchen, but also what she had promised him. He returned the smile before carrying his computer to the dining room table. He set it up so that he could watch her while they worked.

They were down to their last few minutes before they would put Keith in a cab for the airport. "I still don't understand why you won't let us drive you?" Grace complained.

Keith caught the quick shake of Caleb's head before he answered. "We've been over this. I don't want to take any unnecessary chances with your safety."

"How would I possibly be in danger with two big, strong men watching over me?"

"You get points for flattery," Keith smiled. "But no deal. Just give me a hug and tell me you'll miss me." When she hesitated, he crooked his finger at her. Reluctantly, she walked over to put her arms around his waist. Keith pulled her close. "I need you to promise me something. Listen to Caleb. He'll take care of you and keep you safe." When she hesitated again, he gave her a little shake. "Promise me."

"I promise. IF you promise me something in return." She looked up at him, worry etched into her face. "Promise me you'll be careful out there. Don't make me worry about you."

"I promise," Keith whispered. "Caleb, a word with you before I go."

Grace watched as they stepped out on the patio. She couldn't hear what they were saying, but she kept an eye on their body language. If Keith was going to pull out the over protective brother card, she wanted to make sure it didn't lead to another argument. Keith trusted Caleb to keep her safe from harm. He didn't trust him, however, to keep his hands to himself. Grace turned away and smiled to herself. If Keith only knew what Caleb had made her promise.
Chapter 8

Caleb came up behind her as she stood looking out at the night. The sun had set and darkness had moved in to steal the view, yet she remained lost in thought. "Are you okay?" he asked quietly.

"I just hate saying goodbye." Grace turned. "And, of course, Keith had to remind me to take care of myself."

Caleb smiled. "I got the same speech."

"Sorry. He can be a little... much."

"No problem. I understand how he feels." Caleb took a step toward her. "He'd do anything to keep you safe. So would I."

"Thanks."

"No need to thank me. After all, I do have ulterior motives." Grace's eyebrows shot up, but she didn't comment. "I want you."

She smiled and started to speak. Caleb cut her off.

"Right now I want you more than I want to take my next breath." He heard her gasp just before his mouth caught hers. The kiss was demanding and compelling, his hands possessive. With a growl, Caleb lifted Grace's t-shirt up and over her head. His mouth left hers to burn a path over her skin, to find the hollow at the base of her throat.

"Your shirt," Grace gasped.

Caleb let her go just long enough to strip the shirt from his back. His mouth continued its journey over her skin until he reached the barrier of her bra. "Off!" he hissed. "I want this off!" Reaching around her back, Grace released the hooks and exposed herself to Caleb's eyes. He hummed appreciatively as he slid his hands from her waist to cup her breasts. Caleb watched Grace's eyes go dark with pleasure. His thumb raked across a sensitive nipple, dragging a moan from her lips. Then he lowered his mouth to her, drawing the nipple between his lips and teeth, suckling hard. The taste of her filled him, made him ache and throb. Grace pressed into him, moving her hips, tempting them both. "Christ!" he gasped. They both reached for the snap of her jeans before Caleb shoved Grace's hands away. He slid the zipper down himself, and reached inside to cup her. Finding just the right spot, he stroked and teased.

Grace's breath caught. "Caleb?"

"Please. I'm begging you, Grace," he whispered huskily. "Tell me you're on something."

"What?" She couldn't think as her body screamed for release.

"Protection, Grace. Tell me you take something for protection."

"Oh. Yeah. I've been on the pill since college."

Caleb moved quickly then, stripping them both to the skin. "I need to be inside you," he moaned as he worked. "Just you. Just me." When they were finally naked, his eyes searched hers. "I want to feel your body close around me, Grace. I want to pour myself into you when we come." He kissed her again, warm and slow and persuasive.

"Yes," Grace moaned. "God yes!"

The tenuous hold on Caleb's control snapped. He pulled Grace to the floor, covering her body with his. The sensation of skin against skin caused them both to moan. "I need to touch you, Grace. To taste." His hands and mouth were everywhere as he spoke. Frantically caressing, learning, memorizing. "But..."

"I don't think I can wait," Grace pleaded.

"We're not going to," he whispered hoarsely.

"I should warn you though," Grace panted. "I'm a little... small."

Caleb's hands convulsed on her hips. "And I'm not." His eyes locked on hers. "Which means the fit is going to be..." Caleb gritted his teeth, driving in to the hilt. "Jesus Grace!" He tried to stop there, to rest his forehead on hers for a moment, in order to reign in his emotions. But the feel of Grace's body clutching and pulling at him shoved him over the edge into madness. Caleb slammed into her as she rose up to meet him, his teeth nipping at her shoulder in desperation. Grace's legs wrapped around him, strong and unyielding, her nails biting. Caleb pulled at her hips as they moved, as if he couldn't get deep enough. He could feel the climax building in her. Her body clamping around him like a hot, greedy fist. She was so tight now; he knew he couldn't last much longer. Determined to see Grace come first, Caleb reached a hand between them. Unerringly, he found her clitoris with his thumb. It only took a few strokes to have her explode around him. With a groan that was almost primal, he let go and allowed himself to follow.

Caleb collapsed, spent, as Grace's hands slid boneless and weak from his waist. He rested there for a moment, their hearts racing as they tried to steady their breathing. With a soft moan, Caleb finally shifted onto his elbows. A smile teased his lips, until he noticed fresh, red marks on Grace's shoulder. He leaned in close. Bite marks. Caleb winced. It had not been his intention to be so rough that he actually hurt her. Guilt sliced at him. "I'm sorry," he murmured. He felt Grace's body tense under his. "For the marks, sweetheart," Caleb insisted. "The bite marks I left on your skin. I didn't mean to hurt you."

"You didn't," she reassured him.

"But..."

"Besides," Grace interrupted. "I rather like the idea of you losing control for a second or two."

"Sweetheart, I lost control the moment I touched you," Caleb corrected. "All I could think about was burying myself in deep. Feeling you tight around me. Tasting you. Touching you. Hearing you sigh... and moan... and scream."

"And now?"

"You promised me everything," he reminded her. "I'm not going to settle for anything less." Caleb wrapped his arms tightly around her, rolling so that Grace was stretched out on top of him. "So, as soon as I catch my breath, we're going to start all over again."

"Oh, are we?" she teased.

"Oh yeah." He pulled her mouth down to his. "I was in such a rush before that there are parts of your body that I haven't even touched or tasted yet." His hands began to caress her back as he spoke. "And I plan to be thorough. Very, very thorough," he emphasized.

"Sounds like it could take a while."

"Definitely," Caleb agreed. His fingers buried themselves in her hair as he smiled softly up at her.

"Maybe we should get started then. Don't you think?"

All it took was one look into Grace's eyes, and Caleb was reaching for her, lifting her high in the air. Smiling wickedly, he lowered Grace and slipped just the tip of himself inside her. "I want to take it slow this time. As slow as we can manage." He slid in inch by precious inch, until he was as deep as Grace could take him. "I want you to tell me what you like. And what you don't. I'll do anything."

"Anything?"

"Except intentionally hurt you." Caleb started to pull her mouth down to his, but stopped short. "Oh. And one more thing," he whispered. "I don't share. For as long as we're together, you're mine." Caleb pushed up on Grace's hips so that he slid out slowly. She bit her lower lip, her nails digging into his shoulders. Caleb lowered her, sinking deep.

Grace smiled softly as she pulled Caleb's hands away from her waist, weaving their fingers together. "Tell me when you feel something you like," she whispered. Grace sat back as she rode him, setting a pace that was slow and seductive, grinding her hips into his.

"Fuck!" Caleb hissed. He tugged at their hands. "Let me..." He had to touch her, feel his hands on her. Caleb sat up abruptly. "Please, baby. I need..." As if she knew, Grace released his hands, held onto his shoulders and arched back. Caleb's mouth closed over her breast. His hands pulled back on her shoulders, bending her further back, forcing her pelvis into his. "Caleb. I can't move."

"A little more. Another taste." His mouth traveled to her other breast. With his tongue and teeth, he set about destroying her. Caleb reveled in her battle for control. Rejoiced as he felt her give into her desperation, surrender to it... and him.

"Caleb?"

Just as frantic as Grace, Caleb quickly reversed their positions. His mouth and hands traveled over her body, igniting storms of desire. She writhed and trembled under him, fueling his own needs. Caleb's hands moved over her hips, and down. Watching her carefully, he lifted one leg and then the other. He shifted under them, the backs of her thighs against his torso. Hands clinging tightly to her hips, Caleb plunged. When Grace cried out, he froze. If he hurt her, he'd never forgive himself. One hand came up, gently cupping her face. "Grace?" he whispered as he started to retreat.

"Don't." Caleb stopped again. "You didn't hurt me," she reassured him. "You're just so deep." Still he hesitated. "Caleb, please."

With a growl, he began to move. The pace they set together was wild and frantic. Within seconds, Grace's body was contracting around him, pulling him in. "God! The feel of you... " Caleb lifted her legs higher, relentless. They raced together, until, suddenly the climax burned through Grace. It ripped Caleb's name from her lips as it echoed, wave after wave through her body. Caleb couldn't wait any longer. With just a whisper, he let go, emptying himself into her. He held still, savoring the feel of Grace's body pulling at him, wringing him dry. The only sound in the room was their labored breathing. When Caleb's arms threatened to give way, he gently lowered Grace's legs, and shifted to stretch out on his back next to her.

"That was," he turned his head to look at her. "Absolutely extraordinary." He watched her struggle to catch her breath. "But, I feel it's only fair to warn you." Caleb pulled her into his arms. "I think it's going to take awhile. Before I'm... satisfied."

"And you think I can help you with that?" Grace teased.

"Without a doubt." He kissed her softly. "As a matter of fact, I think you're the only one that can help me."

They spent the night tangled up in each other, making love again and again. When Caleb woke just after sunrise, he was smiling before he even opened his eyes. Grace was tucked in tight against him, her skin warm and soft on his. He could feel her chest rise and fall in sleep, and tightened his hold. Last night had been exhilarating and... surprising. There had been enough chemistry between them from the very beginning, for Caleb to have been secure with the knowledge that they would find pleasure in one another. What he could not have predicted was the extent of that pleasure. Normally, Caleb would have attributed it to the sex, but... There was something else. Unless he missed his guess, he was falling in love with Grace. He smiled at the thought, shifting them both so that he hovered above her. She was absolutely beautiful. Intelligent. Strong. Compassionate. He bent to kiss her softly, remembering. Last night, there had been no barriers. No reservations. Each of them had been committed to one another and the moment. Slowly, Grace began to wake. Caleb watched as she stretched, moaned, and gradually focused in on him.

"Good morning," he smiled.

"Good morning." She glanced at the sun just beginning to shine through the window. "What time is it?"

"Early. Just after sunrise."

"And you're awake?" Grace's hand came up to brush her hair out of her face. "Oh God! Don't tell me you're one of those morning people."

"No worries, sweetheart. Any day I have to get up before nine, I am an ugly, bitter man."

"Then why are you up now?"

Caleb smiled. "I would venture to guess that it has something to do with the company."

"I woke you? I'm sorry."

"No, you didn't wake me. Technically speaking," he was quick to reassure. "Your presence did. The feel of you in my arms. Your heart beating with mine."

Grace smiled softly, shyly. "That's a lovely thing to say. Thank you."

"You're welcome." He lowered his mouth to hers, the kiss warm and wet. "Not to scare you or anything..." He paused, took a quick breath. "But last night was... unexpected." Another pause. "I didn't know it was possible to feel even half of what you make me feel." He watched Grace's eyes widen at his words. He rushed to finish before he lost his nerve. "And now I'm lying here scared to death about what you're thinking."

"I didn't expect to feel this way," Grace whispered.

"What way?" He clung to her words.

She watched him carefully as she spoke. "Being with you was... amazing." Grace felt Caleb begin to relax. She saw a smile tease his lips. "I can't tell you what this is I'm feeling. It's not something I've ever felt before."

Thank God, Caleb thought. He wanted to cheer. To beat his chest and howl at the moon. Instead, he held on tight to his own emotions and asked. "And?"

"I'd like the time and the chance to figure out what this is between us."

"So would I," he agreed. "I want more of you Grace."

"I think that can be arranged," she teased.

"I want to know you intimately." His hands began to move over her, to caress and memorize the shape of her. "All of you, Grace. No holding back." He focused in on her eyes. "I'm eager to give you everything." He lowered his voice to a whisper. "But I want everything from you in return."

"I think that can be arranged," Grace repeated, just before Caleb's mouth claimed hers.

A few hours later, Caleb's phone began to ring. He groaned, pulled Grace closer, and burrowed under the bedclothes.

"If that's Keith, he'll just keep calling until we answer," Grace reminded him.

Making a face, Caleb rolled over her, effectively pinning her to the mattress, and grabbed his cell off the table. Answering, he bent to kiss her softly. "Good morning...Yes, we're fine... No, nothing.... Anything new on your end...? Yes, she's right here. Hang on." He turned to look down at her. "Sweetheart, your brother would like to say hello."

Taking the phone, Grace prepared for the inquisition. "Morning Keith... Yes, I'm fine... No, no problems.... We haven't left the house..." She saw Caleb smile wickedly at that as he lowered his mouth to her shoulder. "Of course. We'll be careful. I promise... Yes, we'll let you know if anything happens. But you have to promise to do the same." Caleb, who had been busy exploring her throat with his teeth and tongue, felt Grace tense under him. Lifting his head, he saw pain and frustration in her eyes. He reached for the phone.

"I want you to really think about what you're doing," Keith was saying.

"I assure you, we have thought about it," Caleb interrupted. "And it seems, the only one that has a problem with this, is you."

"I didn't say I had a problem with it." He sighed in frustration. "It's just that..."

"What?" Caleb prompted when he stalled. He hit speaker so that Grace could hear Keith's answer.

"It's just that I care for both of you. I wouldn't want to see either of you get hurt. And I know what you're going to say next, Caleb. You're going to reassure me that you won't hurt Grace. But you can't promise me that. Remember, I know you. I've watched the women come and go in your life. None of them stay for very long."

"Maybe," Caleb shrugged. "But... What if I told you Grace was different?"

"I'd probably say that it sounds like a line."

"Have you ever, in all the years you've known me, heard me use it? Have I ever told you that a woman is different? That I want to spend time getting to know her. Getting to know everything about her. That she brings out in me, feelings that I didn't even know existed."

"And how does Grace feel?"

"The same," she murmured.

The silence was palpable as it stretched between them. Caleb refused to continue to defend himself or his feelings. Either Keith would get over it, or he wouldn't. Caleb wasn't going to let it get in the way of his relationship with Grace. They had enough to worry about - keeping her safe. He wasn't going to waste a minute feeling guilty about Keith's uneasiness.

"Keep me posted and stay safe," Keith finally answered. "I'll be in touch." He disconnected then without another word.

"Crap," Grace moaned. "That could have gone better."

"Yeah," Caleb agreed. "Does that bother you? The way Keith is reacting to our relationship?"

"Some. You?"

"Some. But not enough to make me change my mind." He kissed her softly. "I want you Grace. Nothing is going to stop me from having you."
Chapter 9

The next few days passed uneventfully as Grace and Caleb settled into a nice rhythm, dividing their time between Remember Yesterday and researching the Moretti family. They checked in daily with Keith, comparing data and speculation. Caleb was increasingly frustrated by the waiting. He wanted the Moretti brothers home where he could keep an eye on them. Where they couldn't do any further damage.

On Saturday, after a lazy breakfast in bed, Grace found Caleb hard at work on his computer in the dining room. More research, she thought, grimacing inwardly. "Can I join you?" She smiled, softly kissing his cheek.

Caleb returned the kiss with one of his own, taking her mouth slowly and thoroughly. God, he loved the taste of her. Hot and strong and sweet. Caleb's hands reached up. Just for a moment, he pulled them both under. Then he was leaning back, giving her a chance to settle in. "I have a confession to make."

"A confession? Sounds serious."

"It has to do with one of those grey areas of my work that you're not so comfortable with."

"You've pretended some of the rules don't apply to you, haven't you?"

Caleb winced. "I'm afraid so. But I'm hoping you'll keep an open mind and hear me out." When Grace nodded, he continued. "Once I checked out the Moretti brothers' apartment, I wanted a way to keep tabs on them. A way that wouldn't jeopardize your safety."

"Makes sense."

"So I installed some surveillance equipment."

"What kind of surveillance equipment?"

Caleb took a quick, steadying breath. "Listening devices. Normally, I would have staked out their apartment, been waiting for them when they returned. But that wasn't an option." His eyes met hers. "I won't leave you unprotected and I won't take you with me. This seemed like the best alternative."

Grace took a minute to think through what Caleb said. It didn't take her long. "Considering the circumstances, the situation I've put you in, you made the right choice."

"The situation you put me in?"

"Oh please, Caleb. We both know what's going on here. My presence here is making everything so much harder. You have to split your time and energy between doing your job and keeping me safe." He started to interrupt, but Grace clearly wasn't finished. "What we really need is a place where you guys can stash me, some place where you know I'll be safe. Then you could just go about the business of figuring this all out unencumbered."

"No."

"No? It's the perfect solution."

"The hell it is!" Caleb spat. "Any solution that separates you from me is not an option."

"Why?"

His heart was racing as he tried to explain. "I want you with me, Grace. Every minute of every day."

"Yes. I know. To keep me safe, but if you just..."

"No," Caleb cut her off. "Not to keep you safe. If my motives were only so noble." He took her hands in his. "While your safety is clearly important, it's not what drives me." He had her attention now, he noticed. "What drives me," he began quietly, "Is being with you. Learning you." He leaned in and grinned. "Feeling this hold you have on me getting stronger and stronger every minute that we're together." Caleb kissed her lightly. "I'm not willing to let it go. To let you go." He watched her closely as she weighed his words. "Please, don't ask me to, Grace," he whispered.

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"Okay."

"You'll stay? No more talk of leaving?"

"Not another word," Grace smiled. She watched as Caleb visibly relaxed. "Does Keith know? About the surveillance equipment?"

"Oh, hell no!"

"Don't ask. Don't tell."

"Exactly. If I find out any information that we can use, we'll both just pretend I obtained it legally."

"Your secret is safe with me," she promised. "Show me how it works."

It only took a few minutes for Caleb to pull up the program on his laptop. He showed Grace how to turn on, adjust, and monitor each piece of equipment in the Moretti's apartment. "I put one device in each of their bedrooms, one in the living room, and the last in the kitchen. They're all sound activated and set to automatically record. So even if I get distracted, I can play back the conversations later."

"All we have to do now is wait?"

"That's it."

"So this could take a while?" Grace asked mischievously.

Hoping he knew where this was going, Caleb smiled. "Unfortunately, much of my time in surveillance is spent waiting. I try to keep busy, keep myself... entertained."

"How?"

He shrugged, feigning disinterest. "Research. Emails. Phone calls." He closed his computer and reached out to lay it on the sideboard. "This afternoon, I have something else in mind." He added Grace's computer and files to his. He reached for her next, guiding her to stand in front of him. "This time, I thought I'd finish what we started the day we met."

"And what's that?"

"Don't you remember?" He lifted her, setting her on the edge of the dining room table. "Your place was a mess... so I laid you out on the table," he whispered. "I stood between your legs." Caleb spread Grace's legs wide, and stepped between them, before slowly lowering her to lie back on the table. "I leaned over you, our bodies close." He followed suit. "And then you opened your eyes. Deep, clear and green." Caleb studied them now, filled with excitement and desire. "Do you have any idea how much I wanted you at that moment?" Grace shook her head, unable to speak. "Let me show you." He stripped her quickly, his hands not quite steady, until she lay naked, her long hair spread out around her. She brought to mind dark and wicked delights. Caleb caressed her, caught up in the look and feel of her body. When the wait became unbearable and the need razor sharp, he lowered his mouth to her breast. His tongue traced a circle around the nipple again and again, stopping just short of contact.

"Caleb, please," Grace begged.

"Please what, sweetheart?" He raised his head to watch her plead with him. His eyes were dark with desire and power. "Do you want my mouth on you, Grace?" Caleb raked his tongue across her nipple and she growled low and needy. When he pulled her nipple into his mouth, Grace's response became desperate. Her hands held his head in place while her hips drove up and into his. The more she moved, the harder he became until the ache was excruciating.

"Jesus! I need to be inside you!" He reached for his jeans.

"All your clothes," she insisted, reaching for his shirt.

Caleb shook his head, once, hard. "It's too late for that." He shoved his jeans and boxers down just far enough to free himself. Dragging Grace to the edge of the table, his hands holding her firmly in place, Caleb plunged deep. It was his turn to growl, hungry and possessive. "This is what I wanted that first day – to be a part of you like this." They began to move together. With each thrust, Caleb ground into Grace, driving in deep. He could feel her body clamped tightly around him, pulling at him. Caleb was greedy for more. He wanted to watch Grace come apart at the seams. Pulling out of her fast, he ignored her protests and those of his own body to bend low. He used his tongue and slowly stroked her clitoris. "God!" Caleb moaned. "The taste of you. Making love to you this way." His tongue was merciless as it began to tease her. Again and again until her clit was throbbing. Caleb had Grace on the edge of release when his fingers slid inside her. He sucked and teased her clit as his fingers began to move. When Grace cried out in release, Caleb shifted one last time and slammed into her. He held still as he watched the orgasm burn through Grace, leaving her trembling and gasping. When she finally opened her eyes, he was right there. "Again," he murmured as they started to move. Caleb's hands were bruising as he muttered words of pleasure and endearment. Finally, when he thought he couldn't possibly feel any more, their bodies came as one. Gasping and shaking, Caleb took Grace's face in his hands. He saw the same wonder and joy he was feeling. "Just when I think I know what to expect, there's more. So much more." Still buried inside her, he bent low, his face just inches from hers. He waited until her eyes cleared. "The more I touch... the more I taste... the more I want." He smiled softly. "If this keeps up, I may never get enough of you."

"You could try."

Caleb's smile broadened, turned positively wicked. "As often as you like, for as long as you like." He kissed her softly. "It will be my pleasure."

Caleb woke abruptly. The room was dark, Grace was tucked in naked at his side, and his phone was ringing. Glancing at the clock, he noted the time – 4:27. He grabbed his phone. "Knight."

"You fucking idiot! What the hell did you do?"

"Keith?"

"Answer me, Caleb! What did you do?"

"Do?" Caleb thought back to his seduction of Grace on the dining room table. There was no way in hell Keith knew about that. "Maybe you should stop yelling," he suggested. "And tell me what you're talking about." Grace stirred, sitting up next to him in bed.

"You know what I'm talking about! They're dead Caleb!"

Caleb's body tensed. "Who's dead?"

"The Moretti brothers," Keith spat. "But you already knew that, didn't you Caleb?"

"What? What are you saying?"

"I'm telling you that the Moretti brothers are dead. They were found shot to death in their apartment a few hours ago."

"Jesus!" His arm circled Grace, pulling her close as he repeated what Keith told him. She flinched at the news, causing guilt to slice at him.

"I'm asking you again, Caleb. What did you do?"

"You actually think I had something to do with their deaths?"

Keith could hear the shock and disappointment in Caleb's voice. He ruthlessly ignored it. He had to prove, beyond all doubt, that Caleb had nothing to do with the murders of Grace's attackers. It wasn't going to be enough that Keith believed him, they would have to convince the police. "Where were you tonight, Caleb? Between the hours of eleven and two?"

Pissed at the question, Caleb answered with venom in his voice. "In bed with your sister."

That's no good, Keith thought. Caleb needed an unbiased alibi. "Do you have anyone that can verify that?"

"Hate to disappoint you Keith, but Grace and I were alone. I don't share."

"Fuck you, Caleb! I'm trying to help you out here."

"I don't need your help Keith! And even if I did, I don't want it!"

"Caleb," Grace pleaded.

He turned to her, seeing pain and concern in her eyes. When she reached up to place her hand on his cheek, Caleb hissed his frustration. "I'm sorry," he finally whispered. To Keith, he added, "I didn't mean that."

Keith sighed. "Yeah. I know."

"I get what you're trying to do. I've made it quite clear to you and the police that I would do anything to protect Grace. And I would. That doesn't mean I murdered two men in cold blood. Much less with a gun. Not exactly my weapon of choice."

"Unfortunately, the police aren't going to take your word for it, Caleb."

"That won't need to."

"Excuse me."

"All they have to do is check the recordings. They'll hear for themselves that it wasn't me."

It only took Keith a second. "You bugged the place?"

"Yes."

"And you didn't tell me?"

Caleb shrugged. "You're awfully sensitive about the law these days. And I didn't exactly get a warrant or anything."

"Dammit Caleb!" Keith swore. "This whole damn thing is such a mess! Our only hope now is that the Intel you gathered on the Moretti brothers will be so good that the police will overlook your actions. Either way, I'm at the airport now. Don't do anything or talk to anyone until I get there. If the police try to question you..."

"They won't find any evidence to prove that I did this."

Keith nodded, finally beginning to relax for the first time since hearing that the Moretti brothers were dead. "I'm getting ready to board the plane. I'll be there in a few hours. Take care of Grace."

"Always. See you in a few."

Almost three hours later, as Caleb and Grace sat with coffee in hand, there was a soft knock on the door. Caleb stood, and silently approached the door. With his hand on the hilt of his knife, he called out. "Who's there?"

"Keith. Let me in Caleb."

They greeted each other, with a handshake and a nod. Keith crossed the room and pulled his sister into a quick hug. "We're going to get to the bottom of this, Gracie. I promise," he whispered.

Concerned, she studied him for a moment. Keith looked worried and exhausted. "Come on. Let's talk over breakfast."

Once they were seated together, with a breakfast of fresh fruit, toast and eggs, Keith told them what he knew. "It's not much. Judging by traffic cams and the apartment security, the Moretti brothers arrived home shortly after midnight."

"They were early," observed Grace.

"Yeah. And there is no record that they called any of their friends or family to report their return."

"Interesting."

"Yeah maybe," Keith nodded. "I saw pics of the crime scene. If I had to guess, I'd say someone was waiting for them when they arrived. Maybe someone they knew. Looks like it started out pleasant enough. At some point though, it turned and the Moretti brothers' guest shot them both. Twice in the chest. Then he simply walked out, locking the door as he left."

Grace was stunned. How could anyone murder two people as coldly as Keith described? What if this guy, whoever he was, came looking for Keith? Came looking for her?

Caleb watched Grace pale at Keith's words and he swore softly too himself. Shifting in his chair, he put his arm around her. He held her tight to his side so that he could whisper in her ear. "It's going to be okay, Grace. No one's going to touch you. Any of us," he quickly amended when she started to protest. He lowered his voice even more as Keith stood to refill his cup. "I'm not about to let anyone jeopardize what we've found together." He lifted her lips to his, kissing her softly.

"Okay kids... Now for the bad news," Keith started when he rejoined them. "The police should be here," he checked his watch, "In about thirty minutes."

"The police?"

It hurt to hear the panic in his sister's voice. "Yes, Gracie. The police. When the Moretti brothers were found dead, the detectives handling the case called me. They have questions."

"What kinds of questions?"

"I'm sure the same kinds of questions we've been asking ourselves. It was either meet them at the police station or meet them here. Seemed like a no brainer to me."

"Absolutely," Caleb agreed.

"But before they get here, I want to hear those recordings."

"I'll grab my computer." Grace and Keith had just enough time to clear the breakfast dishes before Caleb returned and began setting up his laptop on the table. When he was ready, he tucked Grace's hand in his, and clicked play. "The equipment is sound activated," he reminded them both. "So it would have engaged just as soon as the brothers entered the apartment." He was right about that. The first thing they all heard was the apartment door opening. Footsteps sounded as someone entered and walked slowly and quietly throughout the apartment. "That's not one of the brothers," Caleb murmured. Keith nodded his agreement. The intruder returned to the living room and seemed to settle into one of the chairs. "Waiting for them." Ten minutes later, they heard what had to be keys in the front door.

"Here we go," Keith murmured.

The brothers were talking as they walked in. Something about a girl, Grace noticed. Arguing about which of them had seen her first and therefore had the right to ask her out. The discussion came to an abrupt halt when they realized they weren't alone.

"Who the hell are you and what are you doing in our apartment?" Mark demanded.

"Good evening gentlemen. How was your trip?"

"Our trip? What do you know about our trip?"

"I know you left quite... suddenly. I know that you didn't tell your employer where you were going or when you were coming back."

"We just needed to get away for awhile," John tried to explain.

"Really. It looked like you were running away. Hiding even."

"Hiding? Why would we be hiding?" Caleb could hear just a whisper of fear in Mark's voice now.

"You tell me."

"No reason," Mark stammered. "No reason to run or hide."

"Well, that's good to know. I'm afraid our employer was beginning to worry. He thought maybe you had forgotten about your contract." There was a moment in which no one moved or spoke. Keith waited nervously.

"We haven't forgotten," John murmured quietly. "It's just that..."

"It's just what?" The stranger's voice was cold and harsh now.

"I mean... We tried, you know," Mark stammered. "We tried to grab the girl, but..."

"You failed."

"But... That guy came out of nowhere."

"And he had a knife," John added. "He could have killed us."

"Yes. I suppose he could have." Silence again. "Although, you may have been better off."

"Whoa! Hang on man!" Mark began to plead. "You don't have to do this."

"I'm afraid I do. Seems I've been charged with the task of cleaning up after the two of you."

"But... " Mark argued.

"Give us a second chance. We'll even return the money. Do the job for free."

"That won't be necessary. I'm here to inform you that your services are no longer required."

Caleb heard the shots then. Two sets of two. Both he and Keith leaned forward. They listened as the shooter stood, walked a few steps, and paused.

"Verifying they're dead," Caleb suggested. Keith nodded.

There was movement again and suddenly the shooter spoke. "It's done... Yes, I'm sure. No doubts... Very good... I'll be sure to look for it..."

"Arranging payment?" Grace asked. Keith nodded again.

"That's going to be more difficult now... She's gone to ground... Yes, I'm sure I can find her. But the police are involved now, so there's more risk... That much more...? ... Done. I'll get back to you for the details." He hung up, with a snap of his cell. "If he had met my price in the beginning, he wouldn't be in this mess." With that said, the shooter was gone.

Before anyone had a chance to comment, there was a loud knock on the door.

"I'm sorry guys, but that's going to be the police," Keith murmured. "I need to let them in." With one last nod to Caleb and Grace, he swung open the door, his expression grim. After quick handshakes all around, Keith led their guests into the living room.

"Ms. Bennett. Mr. Knight," greeted Detective Blaine as they entered. "I'm sorry we're meeting again under such circumstances. But, as you might imagine, my partner and I have a few questions."

"Of course," Grace answered calmly. "May I get you some coffee or tea before we start?"

"No, thank you. We'd just as soon begin if that's alright with you."

"Certainly. Please, sit."

The detectives took their seats, waiting for Caleb and Grace to settle next to Keith on the sofa. Detective Blaine watched as Caleb pulled Grace's hand into his lap, holding it tightly. His eyes were guarded, his body tense.

"As I understand it, Mr. Bennett has explained that the Moretti brothers were found dead in their apartment a few hours ago. They'd been shot in the chest. Twice each."

"Yes. Keith called to tell us. He knew we'd want to know," Caleb explained.

"And what time was that?"

"Four twenty-seven this morning."

"That's very precise," Detective Blaine observed.

Caleb shrugged. "When the phone rang, I looked at the clock."

"And you were in bed at that time?"

"I usually am at four in the morning."

"Caleb," Keith warned.

"And were you alone, Mr. Knight?"

"No. Grace was with me."

"We went to bed around eleven thirty," Grace added. "We were still there when Keith called."

She watched as both detectives added to their notes. Caleb gave her hand a quick squeeze.

"Is it safe to say that you were angry with the Moretti brothers, Mr. Knight?"

"Absolutely."

"Do you own a nine millimeter?"

"Several."

"Is one of them a Glock?"

"Several," he repeated.

"And where are those guns now?"

"Locked in a closet. Downstairs."

"And the permits for those weapons?"

"Filed in my office."

"We'd like to see both the guns and the permits," Detective Blaine stated.

Caleb made a face. "Of course. But you're wasting your time. As well as ours." Keith hissed. "I didn't kill those men. And I can prove it."

"Prove it? How?"

"I planted several surveillance devices in the Moretti brothers' apartment. I have the recordings."

"And you've listened to them?"

"We all have," Keith clarified. "I think you'll find them... enlightening."
Chapter 10

They sat together, silently, as the detectives insisted on listening to the recording once, twice and finally a third time.

"We'll need a copy," Detective Blaine insisted. "We'll have someone in our tech department authenticate it. It shouldn't be that difficult or take too much time. For now, let's assume that it's legitimate." His eyes focused in on Grace. "Can you think of anyone who would want to do this? Anyone who would want to pay someone to do this?" He watched her eyes fill with tears before she answered.

"No. No one." Caleb put his arm around her shoulder, his hand caressing. "What could I have done to cause this?"

"We can't be sure that you did," Keith reminded her. "This might not be about you at all. I might be the reason we're in this mess."

"Or it could be about both of you. Something you have in common," Detective Blaine pointed out.

"Two victims of a similar crime," Caleb murmured.

"Exactly. Therefore, I propose we assume nothing. Instead, we go back to the beginning. Look at everything again. Piece by piece. Step by step."

"Then I think we'll need that coffee after all," Keith announced. "It sounds like it's going to be a long morning."

Alan sat waiting at the counter, coffee in hand. He thought back to his last assignment and couldn't help smiling. The Moretti brothers had actually thought they could keep the money, disappear for a few days, and sneak back into town. Amateurs, he thought in disgust. Alan pivoted and, with one glance, took in everything about his surroundings. He knew the number of men and women in the room, those most likely to pose a threat, and the location of every exit. It was that attention to detail that had taken him from being a struggling security consultant to one of the most successful private assassins on the east coast. No elaborate productions. No convoluted contracts. He kept things simple and straightforward. That's how he had managed the Moretti brothers. That's how he would manage Grace Bennett.

"Let's move to the table in the corner," said a voice in his ear. "The counter is too visible." Alan grimaced as he stood to follow. This was the one thing that irritated him about his current employer. The man was ridiculously paranoid. Always looking over his shoulder, questioning Alan's procedures and techniques.

"It's good to see that you're punctual."

"Of course," Alan replied.

"Because your last assignment was completed to my satisfaction, I am willing to give you a chance at the woman."

"If you'd hired me in the first place, you wouldn't still be waiting for her."

"Don't expect me to be impressed by your empty boasting," he answered dryly. "And don't expect me to pay for it either. The price has already been set. I'll pay you what I offered. Not a penny more."

"Twenty-five up front," Alan insisted. "Twenty-five after."

"Fine. But remember this." He leaned in close, his manicured fingers resting on Alan's arm. "If you betray me, in any way, I will see that you are disposed of, slowly and painfully."

Alan cocked his head. "As long as you're aware that I will do the same, I think we'll get along just fine."

With a small nod, he agreed. "How will you find her?"

Alan shook his head at the server heading toward them and turned back to his companion. "I'd rather not discuss the details. The less we know about one another, the better."

"But what assurances do I have?"

"I've given you some names. They'll be happy to vouch for my professionalism. As far as when, where, and how I'll complete the assignment, you'll leave that up to me."

"I don't want her hurt. At least initially."

"Understood." He sipped his coffee. "And the brother?"

"Leave him. For now." Alan nodded. "There may come a time, when I have to reconsider."

"If the woman doesn't have what you want."

"Yes. Exactly." They were both silent for a moment. "Two weeks," his employer finally announced.

"No problem."

"If you have a setback, handle it. Execution is your responsibility." He stood, studied Alan one last time. "Two weeks," he repeated and then he was gone.

Alan took the time to finish his coffee before requesting the check. Two weeks. He had two weeks to locate and kidnap Grace Bennett. Not eliminate. His employer had been clear on that point. She was not to be harmed. He needed her alive and whole. At least for now.

"What are we going to do about the threat to Grace?" Caleb asked quietly. "The shooter made it quite clear that she's the next target."

"Our approach will be two fold," answered the detective. "Keeping Ms. Bennett safe and trying to identify the threat." He took a minute to take in the two men in front of him. He would have to be very careful with them. If they felt, even for a second, that the police weren't doing everything they could, these two men would take matters into their own hands. "In order to keep Ms. Bennett safe, I would suggest that we consider moving her..."

"No," Caleb interrupted. "Grace stays with me. That's nonnegotiable."

"I assure you that the police department is very capable of protecting Ms. Bennett..."

"I agree. But," his eyes met Detective Blaine's, "She belongs with me. I'll take full responsibility for her safety."

"We'll take responsibility," corrected Keith. He turned to Caleb. "We have to assume that the shooter and his employer may know who you are. You saved Grace from the initial attack and you've been seen at both apartments and the Moretti restaurant. As soon as we're done with the police, we'll move Grace to a new location. One that is not directly connected to any of us. I can use some of the agency's resources to find a place." Keith shifted his attention back to Detective Blaine. "Does that work for you?"

The detective's brow furrowed as he weighed his options. "It's not my first choice," he answered honestly. "But I'm willing to compromise. With one stipulation. If the situation escalates, we reevaluate."

Keith checked with Caleb first, waited for his nod. "Fair enough."

"Okay. That leaves us the shooter and his employer. I suggest we pool our resources to identify them as quickly as possible. We already took a number of fingerprints at the murder scene. We're working our way through them, eliminating the brothers themselves, family members, etc. Do we need to get a set of your prints?" he asked Caleb. "In order to eliminate them as well."

"That won't be necessary."

"And the surveillance equipment?"

"It can't be traced back to me in any way."

Impressed, the detective nodded. "Good." He turned to his partner. "The surveillance equipment goes down as unknown source. Do you have a problem with that?"

Detective Page measured the sincerity in Blaine's statement before his eyes drifted to Grace and Caleb. "I think we should keep our focus on the task at hand - finding out who murdered the Moretti brothers. There is no reason to think that the person who wired the apartment is the murderer. For all we know the Moretti brothers themselves could have installed the cameras. Maybe as a part of a home security system."

"You're going to have a hard time explaining how you managed to get recordings though," Caleb pointed out.

"We'll figure it out." He jotted a short note before looking back up at Keith. "I think one of our next moves needs to include going back to the restaurant and anywhere else the brothers frequented. Including wherever they went on their unexpected trip. We need to see if anyone noticed someone hanging around, or better yet, someone asking about them. If the shooter knew when they were coming home, when no one else did, he was watching them. Maybe someone saw him."

"That's good," Keith nodded.

"And I think it would be better if you and Caleb kept a low profile." As both men prepared to interrupt, Detective Blaine rushed to explain. "This shooter has already shown us that he knows what he's doing. He was smart enough to get into that apartment, take out his targets, and get out again. All without being seen or heard by anyone."

"Yes, but..."

"If he's that smart, he's already figured out that any one of you leads to the other two. This means he could use you to get to Ms. Bennett. It makes more sense," he directed at Keith. "If Mr. Knight focuses on protection and we use your particular skills behind the scenes. Between the police department's resources and your agency's, this guy and whoever hired him can't stay hidden for long."

Keith was silent while he thought it through. He didn't want the detective to be right. He didn't want to have to be rational and professional about this. To make the right choice. He wanted to be the one out there looking for this guy, to be the first one to get his hands on him. Keith looked up at Grace as she sat motionless and quiet with Caleb's arm around her. She was everything to him. The only one in this world that was physically connected to him, his only blood relative. It had forged a bond between them that was much stronger than mere siblings. Twins even. So there was no way in hell Keith would do anything to jeopardize her safety. He took a deep breath, letting it out in a frustrated hiss. "Okay, Detective Blaine. We'll do this your way. At least for now. Both Caleb and I will keep a low profile."

"I really do think it's the best and safest way to proceed," he repeated.

"Fine. Now that we're all in agreement, I suggest I get on the phone and find a place for us to disappear. Which means, Detective Blaine, I need a couple of burn phones. One each for Caleb and myself. We have to assume that our target has access to the same technology we do. That means we need clean phones and an unmarked, unknown car."

"Done. I'll see that the phones are here within the hour. The car may take a little longer."

"No problem. Something tough and fast, if you have it. But not too flashy."

"We should be able to handle that." The detectives rushed to get started.

"Where does that leave us?" Grace asked. "Is there anything we can do?"

"Well, Caleb, you can start by packing some things you think we might need. I know you have a veritable arsenal downstairs. I suggest you bring a little of everything."

"Will do."

"Um. I hate to sound all female here," Grace warned. "But what am I supposed to do for clothes? You and Caleb are almost the same size, so you guys can share. That solution's not really going to work for me, though."

"You're not being female," Caleb reassured her. "You're being practical." He turned his attention to Keith. "Picking up clothes at her place is out of the question."

"I agree."

"That leaves shopping or having someone bringing clothes to her."

"I don't want anyone going to my place to get me clothes. I'm not putting anyone in danger," Grace insisted.

"I know, sweetheart. I meant we could send someone to buy new clothes. One of the female police officers."

She grimaced at the thought. "I'd rather do it myself, if it's at all possible."

"Not this time, Gracie," Keith insisted. "The best I can do is let you make a list of what you need."

Grace made a face. "Okay. Thanks. I'll get started on that right now." She left the men alone to finish talking.

"You called my sister 'sweetheart'," Keith began.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"The usual reasons."

"Not funny."

"Wasn't meant to be," Caleb retaliated. He struggled to keep his voice down, so Grace wouldn't hear them arguing. "Our relationship is between the two of us. It has nothing to do with you."

"She's not like the other women you've known, Caleb. She's not just some piece of..."

With a growl deep in his throat, Caleb hauled Keith to his feet by his shirtfront. "Friend or not," he hissed, "Finish that thought and so help me God, you'll be picking yourself up off the floor."

"She's my sister," Keith spat. "My fucking sister for Christ's sake!"

"She's a hell of a lot more than that! She's an intelligent, beautiful, passionate woman!

"And you think I don't know that!"

"Hey!" Grace called out as she hurried over. She could feel the anger in the air between them. When she reached out to touch Caleb's shoulder, his body was tense under her hand. "Are you two okay? I could hear you from the kitchen."

Caleb looked up to see both detectives hovering in the doorway. "We're good," he answered. After the detectives went back to work, Caleb knew he needed some time and space to calm down. "I'll go pack." He bent down to kiss Grace's cheek, walking away without another word.

"Want to tell me what just happened here?" Grace asked.

"No," Keith answered thoughtfully. "I need to talk to the detectives." With that, he was gone, leaving his sister staring after him.

They waited until nightfall. With the back of a five-year-old, nondescript, silver SUV packed with clothes, food, and weapons, they sped into the night. Grace didn't ask where they were going nor did Keith volunteer the information. All she knew was that their journey would take roughly three hours. During the trip, four different unmarked cars would trade off following them. They were linked together by a sophisticated communication system of microphones and earpieces. The entire situation was surreal and unnerving, thought Grace. Before the break-in, her life had been quite ordinary. She worked, too many hours. Traveled, occasionally. Dated, rarely. And now, here she was, with her brother and her lover, both heavily armed, as they fought to hide her from a stranger who wanted her dead. Mary, Mother of God, she prayed.

Caleb felt Grace tremble next to him, as they sat together in the backseat. He moved in close, one hand wrapped around hers. The other rested on the nine millimeter at his waist. Caleb's eyes were everywhere, constantly searching the darkness around them. Now that they were away from the city and using the back roads, there were fewer cars to worry about, to keep track of. He listened to the chatter as every new license plate was read aloud. Then again when the owner was identified, along with a preliminary profile. Both he and Keith were listening for anything that might sound familiar. Anything that might connect to one of their cases. Twenty cars into the trip and nothing. Just a road full of innocent people going about their daily lives, oblivious to the fact that there was a killer among them.

"We're going to be fine, Gracie," Keith reassured as he drove. "No one is following us. Only Detective Blaine knows where we're going." He reached up to disengage his mic, waited for Caleb to do the same. "I took the time to check out all the detectives working with us on this. They're clean. No unexpected income or expenses. Not a single disciplinary action among them." He caught her eye in the mirror. "They're good cops, Grace. We can trust them."

"Bennett!" Grace heard through his headset. "Respond!"

"Crap," Keith muttered. He reengaged his mic. "Here!"

"We lost you. Something wrong with your mics?"

"No. All good here. We went silent for a few seconds. Private family moment. Didn't mean to worry you."

"Next time, tell me first," Blaine insisted.

"Will do."

"How much longer?"

"A little over an hour."

"Okay. Pulling back now. Meet you at the house."

"See you there."

After that, the group continued in almost absolute silence. The only conversation was related to the cars and drivers on the road around them. As they neared their destination, Grace noticed two things. One - the houses, what there were of them, were miles apart, set far back from the road. The only evidence that the houses were there at all, were the side drives that twisted off into the darkness. Second - all four cars were with them as they finally slowed to make a turn to the right. The road they took was little more than a dirt path, filled with holes and littered with small branches and leaves.

"They had a storm out here a few weeks ago. That accounts for all the debris," Keith explained. "The agency assures me that the house is fine though. The electricity has been checked, as well as the backup generators."

Blaine's voice came through Caleb's headset. "When we get there, I want you to keep Ms. Bennett in the car until we've checked the house and the area."

"Acknowledged."

"If anything doesn't feel right, get the hell out."

"Will do." Caleb turned to Grace, to fill her in on Blaine's orders.

"I'll follow your lead," she promised quietly, just as the house came into view.
Chapter 11

It took ten minutes of waiting before the security team cleared Grace to leave the car. As soon as she was inside, one of the men backed the SUV into the garage and closed the door. Caleb kept her by his side as he walked through the cabin learning the layout. He couldn't help but scan for vulnerabilities as they went. The front door was set to give you a full view of the great room, which was big enough to include a large leather sectional, flat screen, fireplace, dining area, and kitchen. Two bedroom suites extended off the great room, one on each end. The only other space in the cabin was a small mudroom off the kitchen, complete with its own powder room. There was an exterior door in the mudroom that led to the backyard. The clearing around the house was roughly an acre, maybe a little less Caleb estimated. Beyond the clearing, thick trees.

"Nearest house?" Caleb called out.

Blaine was the one to answer. "Four point eight miles to the east. Five point two miles to the west. North and South, approximately twenty miles of trees, both directions."

"Security?"

"To start, the road is covered by cameras," answered Keith.

"Night vision?"

"Absolutely. There are also a dozen cameras that provide a three hundred sixty degree view around the entire cabin. Every exterior door and window is wired. Motion sensors in every room, except the beds and baths. There's also a storm cellar that doubles as a safe room. One access door, under the rug in the hallway." Keith showed them how the rug was designed to slide back into place when the door was closed from the inside.

"Sounds perfect. The agency really came through."

"Yeah," Keith agreed. "I guess I'm going to owe them one."

"No. We're going to owe them one," Caleb corrected.

Keith studied him for a moment before he nodded. "Yeah."

As the men discussed the security equipment and checked out the safe room, Grace contented herself with unpacking supplies and exploring the kitchen. It was almost six o'clock, so the way she saw it, nourishment was the next order of business. Because she needed it, she chose simple but hearty comfort food - vegetable soup with grilled ham and cheese sandwiches. Starting with stock, she added as many fresh vegetables as she could find and her own spices. Before long, the kitchen smelled like a wicked culinary tease. Grace set the soup to simmer and pulled out the ingredients for the sandwiches.

"Can I help?" Caleb asked as he joined her.

"Sure. But it's just soup and sandwiches. Nothing special."

"I'm sure anything you make will be delicious," he complimented. "And appreciated."

Once they had worked to feed everyone, Grace and Caleb sat down together. He insisted on sitting at the kitchen table, away from the conversation in the great room. He wanted Grace to have at least a few minutes of normalcy. He wanted to see her smile. Hear her laugh. Maybe, after the team left for the night, they'd be able to put all of this aside for a while.

Grace had been worried at first, when Keith told her that the team wouldn't be staying. But he assured her that Detective Blaine and his team would continue to monitor them from a distance. By tapping into the security system, they would be able to see everything. That, in combination with hourly check-ins from Keith, was enough to reassure the police, the agency, and even Grace, that everyone was safe.

"I have a suggestion," Caleb announced when Keith returned from walking the men out. "I think we could use a movie night."

Keith quickly followed his lead. "I think if you look in that cupboard to the right of the fireplace, you'll find a fairly extensive collection of DVDs."

Within minutes, Caleb and Grace found a place on the sofa, with Keith in the recliner, watching technologically advanced alien races fight for survival. Caleb thought it was a nice milestone in their relationship when Grace allowed him to wrap his arm around her and pull her into him. Slowly, he felt her begin to relax, until finally her body was molded into his, her heart beating against his chest. And when she fell asleep, he tightened his hold, enjoying the feel of her in absolute surrender. Caleb had to fight to keep his own body from responding. When what he wanted most was to shift and lay Grace out on top of him, limbs tangled and intimate. He felt both relief and a renewed anticipation when the movie ended.

Keith turned and saw Grace in Caleb's arms. "You should take her to bed," he whispered. "The guys put your things in the west bedroom. Extra towels and blankets are in the hall linen closet if you need them. Don't worry about tonight's watch. I'll handle it. You two get some sleep."

"Thanks," Caleb muttered. His best friend had just given him permission to sleep with his sister. Awkward, to say the least. He stood and lifted Grace into his arms. Carefully, he walked into the bedroom, gently laying her on the bed. He gritted his teeth at the wave of desire that nearly brought him to his knees. Moving quietly, he shut the bedroom door and worked his way back to the bed. He stripped himself first, tossing his clothes in a nearby chair, placing both of his knives on the bedside table. After a quick trip to the bathroom, he was ready to start. Grace was clearly exhausted. Even as she slept, Caleb could see the dark circles like bruises under her eyes. That meant the goal here was to undress her without waking her, if it was at all possible. He started with her feet, slipping off her tennis shoes and socks. Pretty little feminine feet with purple toenails. They made him smile. Grace remained motionless and silent. So far, so good. Okay, what next? Figuring her jeans would be the most difficult; Caleb decided to save them for last. He shifted to the side of the bed, sitting to unbutton her shirt instead. He held his breath as he slipped his hands under her shoulders. Fast but gentle he told himself as he lifted Grace's upper body, leaning her against his chest. He pushed her blouse off her shoulders and down her arms, tossing it to the floor when he had worked it free. After the shirt, Grace's bra was easy. Now she lay before him, soft, beautiful, and naked to the waist. When Caleb felt desire tug at him, he smothered it ruthlessly and focused on finishing the task at hand. He had been right. Jeans were the hardest. But after a few minutes of mild swearing, he had managed to uncover the rest of Grace's body. He tortured himself with a few minutes of absolute admiration and undisguised lust before he forced himself to push it aside. Turning off the lights, he slipped into bed. Then he reached for her, lifting and rearranging them both until Grace was laid out over him. His sigh was heartfelt as he wrapped his arms around her and let sleep take him under.

"Morning," Caleb said as he entered the kitchen shortly after nine. His hair was still wet from a shared shower with Grace.

Keith looked up from his laptop. With a quick smile, he returned Caleb's greeting. "Coffee's hot."

"Thanks. Status?"

"Quiet." He reached for his own coffee and sipped. "Did Grace sleep well?"

"Yes," she answered as she entered, her wet hair brushed back from her face. "Grace slept well. Stop worrying."

"Not a chance." Keith stood to kiss her cheek. Without make up, she looked young and vulnerable. He tried not to think about how vulnerable. Just as he tried not to think about the way Caleb looked at her. "I love you therefore I worry," he stated matter-of-factly. "Live with it."

"Yeah, I know. It's a brother thing," she muttered. Grace took the cup Caleb offered and wisely changed the subject. "So... anything happen last night?"

"All quiet. I've already checked in with Detective Blaine. His team monitored us live last night as well as reviewed all the surveillance tapes for a second time this morning. Nothing. There's absolutely no evidence that anyone knows we're here."

Grace's breath shuttered out. "That's good. Right?"

"Yes," agreed Caleb.

"And no," argued Keith. "In order to catch this guy, we need him to make a move."

"You can't catch what you can't find."

"Exactly."

While Grace and the men in her life were just starting their day, Alan had already been at his computer for over an hour. His current employer had given him some background information on the Bennetts and Knight, but it was only preliminary. He needed more if he was going to meet the two-week deadline. He needed to know everything there was to know. Friends, family, work, and financials. He hadn't learned much from either Barrister apartment, or even from the flash drives that were uncovered. He'd gotten even less when he searched Knight's house the night before. Now he was back at the computer, following the data trail. He was particularly interested in uncovering any property that the Bennetts or their family and friends might own. Some place that might provide an easy spot for them to disappear for a while. Alan didn't have proof yet that they had gone off grid, but considering Keith Bennett worked for the Secret Service, he had to assume that it had come to Bennett's attention that the men that tried to kidnap his sister had been murdered. By now, he would have turned the Moretti brothers' lives upside down looking for the connection between them and his sister. Of course, he wouldn't find anything... unless someone had been careless. If Bennett somehow knew that they had been hired by a third party, he wouldn't stop until he uncovered the truth. According to those he worked for and with, the man was intelligent, competent, and persistent. He was also exceedingly protective of his twin sister, Grace.

"Please, Keith. I'm only asking for a few minutes outside," pleaded Grace.

"Absolutely not."

"But it's safe. You guys studied the tapes. There's no one around for miles."

"We can't be absolutely sure of that."

"Who's asking for absolutes?" she teased. "I just want ten minutes of fresh air."

"No." Caleb interrupted. "Until this guy is caught, I'm not going to let you do anything that puts you in jeopardy."

"Christ man! Let her?" Keith winced. "What are you thinking?"

Caleb ignored him, his eyes on Grace. She was quiet as she studied him in return. "Keith, do you think Caleb and I could have a few minutes alone, please?" She waited for the bedroom door to close behind her brother before she finally spoke. "Let?"

Caleb closed his eyes in frustration for just a moment. "Yes, 'let'. There's no way in hell I'm going to stand by and watch you put yourself at risk."

"Really?"

"Really."

"And what makes you think you're in a position to tell me what I can do?"

"I'm not telling you what you can do." Grace made a face. "Well, not exactly."

"Then what are you telling me? Exactly?"

Caleb stepped toward her, wanting to touch and soothe, only to stop short when Grace's eyes went flat.

"If you think having a penis gives you the right to make decisions for me... to dictate my actions... then you can consider the two of us finished."

"Whoa! Hang on a minute." Caleb did reach for her then, in desperation. He refused to let go when she pulled back. "I'm not trying to control you, Grace." One hand came up to cup her face, while the other stayed locked on her hip, holding her firmly in place. "I'm trying to tell you how I feel. I can't let you..." He stopped when he felt her body go taut. Caleb took a deep breath, struggling to find the words to explain himself. "Don't ask me to stand by and watch while you intentionally put yourself in harm's way," he whispered. "I can't do it." His hand slid from her waist to the small of her back. Slipping under the edge of her shirt until they could feel the heat of his hand on her skin. "I couldn't bare it if you were hurt, Grace."

Before she could comment, Caleb's cell began to ring. Swearing ripely, one hand shifted to the phone as the other continued to hold her tight. "Knight."

Grace watched as his face transformed into a hard, impenetrable mask. Felt the echo as his body tensed and coiled. "When?" he asked. His eyes, which moments ago had been pleading, filled with devilish excitement. "Does it look like the others? No? Interesting." He listened a moment longer. "Good. This is good," Caleb nodded. "Now, this is what I need you to do." He began to pace as he spoke.

"Well?" Keith asked as soon as Caleb disconnected. "Grace told me that she thought something was up. Judging by your part of the conversation I overheard, I'd have to say I agree with her. Care to fill us in?"

"It seems our guy broke into my house last night."

"What? Oh my god, Caleb! I'm so sorry," Grace sympathized.

"It's okay, sweetheart. I figured something like this might happen."

"Same MO?" asked Keith.

"No. That's the interesting part. Our intruder left the place pristine. Absolutely, exactly the way he found it."

"How can we be sure it was him then?"

"It's too much of a coincidence for it not to be. The odds would have to be astronomical."

"True," Keith admitted reluctantly.

"He was probably looking for something that would tell him where we are," Grace suggested.

"That would be my take on it. Yes." Seeing the concern in her eyes, Caleb quickly added. "But don't worry. He won't find anything. There is nothing in my house that connects to this place. Nothing at all."

"So... it's a wash. He didn't learn anything about us. We didn't learn anything about him."

"Oh. I wouldn't say that." Smiling, Caleb turned to Keith. "We've got his face now."

"His face? How the hell did you...?" His voice trailed off as he put it together. "A hidden camera."

"Cameras," Caleb corrected. "After what happened to the two of you, I figured it was only a matter of time before he made a move on my place. I took a chance."

"And it paid off."

He grinned. "It paid off in spades. The guys should be sending us the picture in the next few minutes. They didn't recognize him. They're hoping we will." Caleb waited for Keith's nod. "They'll also run it through every database we have."

"The hit on the Moretti brothers was efficient and skilled. There's no way this guy is an amateur."

"Meaning, he's for hire."

"Exactly. And if you're a man for hire, and you need a job, what do you do?"

Caleb grinned again. "You advertise, of course."

Keith smiled back. "Of course."

A few hours later, Keith, Grace, and Caleb sat around the kitchen table with Detective Blaine. He slid a file across to Caleb. "Those are photos of the interior of your house. It didn't seem like anything had been disturbed, but maybe you'll see something we missed."

As Caleb studied the photos, Blaine continued. "We've had no luck identifying your intruder yet. We canvassed the area and talked to all of your neighbors. No one saw anything."

"Did you learn anything from the cameras on the outside of the house?"

"He came in from the back. Time stamp on the video puts it at 3:11 am."

"No car?"

"None that we could see. No."

"Damn," murmured Keith.

"He must have disabled the alarm before he picked the lock on the French doors."

"The alarm was off," Caleb corrected.

"Why the hell would it be off?"

"I wanted to make sure he could get in."

"Excuse me?" This was from Grace. "What were you thinking? He could have done absolutely anything to your house. He could have robbed you blind."

"We needed his face," he shrugged. "Letting him into my house seemed the easiest way to get it."

"Smart," Keith agreed.

Caleb turned to Grace. "Even if he had burned the house to the ground, it would have been worth it to me." He leaned in to whisper the rest. "I'll do anything it takes to keep you safe, Grace. Absolutely anything." Her eyes searched his as she absorbed the shock of his words. He held still, let her look her fill, desperately hoping whatever she saw would convince her that he meant what he said.

Detective Blaine cleared his throat. "Anything in the photos?"

Caleb reluctantly dragged his gaze from Grace. "Um. No. As far as I can tell, nothing was taken. Hell, from the photos, it doesn't look like he left any evidence of his presence at all."

"Not much. That's for sure. Just his face and a muddy footprint by the fence."

"Anything unusual about it?" asked Keith.

"Timberland boot, size twelve."

"So, all we have is his face."

"Which is more than we had yesterday," Blaine pointed out.
Chapter 12

The next morning, Grace was able to slip out of bed unnoticed. Caleb had taken surveillance duty the night before, monitoring the cameras and calling in every hour to Detective Blaine. He hadn't come to bed until dawn. At that point, he had stripped, tucked her in tight beside him, and drifted off to sleep. She couldn't help but smile at the memory, as she quietly closed the bedroom door behind her.

When Caleb woke a few hours later, he was nude and alone. He couldn't help feeling a twinge of disappointment. He much preferred starting his day mixed up in Grace. The two of them had come a long way in a very short time. But that didn't mean a future together was guaranteed. Caleb had no idea how Grace felt about him beyond the sex. Or even how he felt about her. Rolling out of bed, he smiled. When this was over... they would spend some time together, just the two of them. Then they would see.

After a quick shower, he headed into the kitchen in search of a food. Caleb was surprised to find not only Grace and Keith, but the entire team as well. Some of the agents sat at the table, others stood, leaning against the counter or windowsill. The remnants of the meal they shared were still in evidence.

"If it isn't sleeping beauty," Blaine teased when he saw him.

"Bite me," Caleb answered. He poured himself a cup of coffee and joined Grace at the stove.

"Omelet?" she smiled.

"Absolutely." He stepped in close behind her, leaning over her shoulder to lay a kiss on her cheek. "I missed you this morning," he whispered so only she could hear. His lips brushed her ear as he spoke. "Imagine. Waking up naked and aching, only to discover the bed cold and empty." He felt the tremor run through her at his words. "You know, if we were alone now, I could take you..."

"If you're finished with your pathetic attempts at seduction over there," Blaine interrupted, "We've got some information to share."

Smiling good-naturedly, Caleb took the plate Grace offered and settled in beside her.

"It seems our friend spent the morning on the phone, trying to uncover anything he could about your location."

"How do you know that?" Keith asked.

"Because he called the agency." With a look to Caleb, he added, "Yours too. And Ms. Bennett's antique store."

Grace felt Caleb tense beside her. "And?" he asked.

"Each time, he told some elaborate story about needing to reach one of you." Detective Blaine shifted his attention to Grace. "When he called your store, he was a potential customer. He claimed the two of you had spoken a few days ago about an armoire. Being under a deadline of sorts, he was calling to check the status of your find. When your manager told him that you were out of town for the next few days with a family emergency, he asked if there was a number where you could be reached. Apparently, he became very annoyed when he was told he'd have to wait until you returned."

"No one told him anything?" Grace asked nervously.

"No. Nothing. They stuck with the family emergency line and didn't budge."

She smiled. Pleased and proud of her staff.

"Apparently," he turned to Caleb, "Your detective agency was next in line."

Confident in the loyalty of his employees, Caleb merely nodded and began to eat. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched with concern as Grace put aside the plate that she had barely touched.

"Your people were quick to shut him down. Claimed you were unavailable. The call lasted less than thirty seconds."

"Not surprised. We play things close to the vest when it comes to our staff and cases."

"His final call was to the agency," Blaine explained to Keith. Grace could hear irritation and insult in his voice. "This guy put considerable thought and effort into convincing an agent that he was a close friend of yours." Keith's eyes went cold and flat. "He seemed to know that you had gone off grid to keep Grace safe. Referred to her by name. Said you called him last night, looking for his help. That somehow you had gotten disconnected during the conversation. Added that he's been trying to get in touch with you since. Apparently," Blaine scoffed. "He's very worried about you. Thinks someone should check on you ASAP. He even volunteered to drive out here himself. "

"How thoughtful," Keith complimented sarcastically.

"Yeah. He's an arrogant son-of-a-bitch. Got real pissy when he was told that you were fine. There was nothing to worry about. He wanted us to promise that we'd send someone to check on you. Insisted someone should leave as soon as possible."

"Meaning, he was probably watching the building. Hoping he could just follow one of the agents right to us. He should have known it wouldn't work."

"Like I said. He's an arrogant son-of-a-bitch."

"Cameras?"

"We pulled recordings from every camera in a ten block radius. We've got a couple of my guys going through it all now. It'll take some time, but maybe we'll get lucky. Until then, we keep our eyes and ears open. This bastard is smart and ballsy. That's a dangerous combination."

"This means he's still out there. He's not going away or giving up. Right?" Grace asked as they got ready for bed at the end of the day. "We're going to have to face him before this is over."

Caleb stepped out of his jeans before he turned to her. She wore a black fitted tank and boy shorts. The way the fabric hugged her frame, accentuating the curves of her breasts and hips, made his hands ache in anticipation. Caleb couldn't stop his body from reacting even as the worry in her voice pulled at him. "Yes, he's still out there. And that's where he's going to stay. He's not going to get to you. I promise." He laid his lips gently on hers. "The only way to get to you is through me. And that's just not going to happen." He kissed her again, letting a little of the heat in. "I told you before. I don't share."

"Oh really?" Grace allowed him to pull her into his arms, letting go of the fear and stress.

"Yeah. I'm a greedy, selfish bastard." She laughed at that. "I want you all to myself." His hands skimmed up her arms as desire uncurled and stretched inside him. He smiled when he felt her tremble. His hands continued around to her back, finding and exploiting the exposed skin at the bottom edge of her tank. "My hands," he whispered. "My lips. My... body caught up in yours." His hands dipped under the fabric of her shorts to cup her bare bottom. He brought her in tight against his arousal.

"Definitely greedy," Grace whispered.

"It's your own fault," he teased. "So now you have to pay the price." Caleb lifted the tank up and over her head.

"And what price is that?"

"Absolute surrender." He bent down to peel the shorts down her legs. Once he added them to the growing pile of clothes on the floor, he stood. He let his hands skim her legs and bottom before he lifted her into his arms and carried her to bed. Caleb moved quickly now, laying Grace out on the bed and covering her body with his.

"What do you mean by absolute surrender?" she asked nervously.

He smiled. "I'm so glad you asked." Caleb lifted one of Grace's arms and then the other above her head. With a wicked gleam, he wrapped her hands around the iron posts of the headboard. "Your hands stay right here." He squeezed them tight to emphasize his point. "You don't move them unless I give you permission. Agreed?" He didn't give her a chance to argue before he slanted his mouth over hers. The kiss was greedy, possessive, and dangerous. When Caleb finally dragged his mouth from hers, he was seconds away from begging.

"What about the rest of me?" Grace managed in a strangled whisper.

"The rest of your body belongs to me." His hands stroked her skin as he spoke. "All you have to do is..." He ran his tongue, flat, wet, and hot, slowly across one nipple. Grace's hips rubbed eagerly against his, causing Caleb's thoughts to scatter. For a moment, he was tempted to take what she was offering. But tonight, he wanted it to last. He wanted to find and give pleasure until they were both drenched in it. Until it seeped into their pores and stole their breath. "All you have to do is take everything I give you." His mouth covered hers as desire ripped through him and swallowed them whole.

Keith opened the door carefully and silently. From the light of the moon outside the window, he got a clear picture of his sister, naked, wrapped up in Caleb's arms. He cursed inwardly, having a hard time seeing Grace as any man's lover. He stepped into the room and approached the bed. Without warning, Caleb's hand snaked out to capture Keith's wrist. He twisted it viciously, driving Keith to his knees. With his free hand, Caleb pressed a gun to Keith's temple.

"Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, Caleb! It's me."

"Keith?"

"Yes!"

Caleb released him immediately. "Christ! You're lucky I didn't shoot. What the hell are you doing in here?"

"I just got a call from Blaine. One of his men thinks he saw someone in the woods."

"Thinks?"

"He's not sure."

"What do you mean, he's not sure?" demanded Grace as she sat up suddenly, clutching the sheet to her breasts.

"It's the middle of the night, Gracie. Give the guys a break. They're fighting half-light, shadows, and wind. All of which can make the job damn near impossible."

Immediately contrite, she murmured an apology.

Keith gave her hand an understanding squeeze. "I'm going to get back to the monitors."

"We'll get dressed and join you in a minute," Caleb decided.

"Good. But leave the lights off and stay away from the windows." With that said, Keith was gone.

Caleb stood, pulling Grace up with him and into his arms. "Do you remember what I said to you earlier?"

"Nothing gets to me without going through you," Grace repeated in a whisper.

"And that's not going to happen," he finished.

"I believe you."

Caleb could just make out the soft smile on her lips as he lowered his mouth to hers. They dressed in silence after that. Even in the dark, Grace couldn't have missed Caleb systematically arming himself with a variety of knives and, of course, a gun. He stopped when he saw her hesitate. "Grace?"

"You're really..." She stopped there, took a deep breath, and tried again. "Prepared."

"Anything it takes, Grace." He took her hand in his. "Nothing touches you."

"Except you," she teased.

Keith smiled. "Except me."

They took turns studying the monitors and the video for hours. Caleb went through it frame by frame, trying to see what the officer thought he saw. A man briefly exposed as he moved quickly through the woods. No flashlight. No reflective clothing. But no matter how hard or how long he studied the video, Caleb just couldn't be sure if the shadow he was seeing was a man or just a trick of the light. No one else was sure either. Not even the officer who originally sent out the alarm. To make matters worse, there had been no other sightings. So if there had been a man, that man was skilled enough to evade more than a dozen highly trained men. That thought didn't sit well with any of them. More likely, the officer had made a mistake. They would have to wait until first light to confirm. At which point, Blaine's team would cover the area looking for any evidence that someone had been watching the cabin.

"I want you to go with them when they search the woods," Keith was saying. "I know you're one of the best. If there's anything out there to find, I trust you'll find it."

"No problem," Caleb readily agreed. "We'll go straight out to the point where the intruder was spotted. Then I'll take the team another five miles beyond that just to make sure we don't miss anything."

"Sounds good. And on the way back?"

"We'll walk the same ground until we get within two miles of the cabin. At that point, I'll have the men spread out to cover the entire area."

"Makes sense. How long do you think it'll take to search that much ground?"

"I'm estimating four to five hours."

"I want all of you wired so we can keep in touch."

"Of course. And I'll send pictures of anything we find."

Keith nodded. "That'll have to do then."

"I don't understand. Why don't you just go with them? With the team?" asked Grace.

"No. I need to be here."

"Why? To watch over me? You have police officers here that can do that."

"No." This was from Caleb. "One of us stays with you at all times."

She turned to Keith. "And you agree with him?"

"I do."

Grace made a face. "Just to clarify. You'll trust your own lives to these men?" They both nodded. "But not mine?" Without hesitation, they nodded a second time.

"Okay," she sighed. "How can I possibly argue with man logic like that?"

Just then, Detective Blaine and his team arrived. Keith went out to greet them. And to give Caleb and Grace a few minutes alone.

"I don't want you to worry about me," Grace was quick to say.

Caleb smiled, pulling her into his arms. "I was about to say the same thing."

"I know you're very good at what you do. I've seen you in action. Remember? I don't doubt for a second that you're perfectly capable of taking care of yourself."

"Good."

"And Keith and I are capable of taking care of me."

"I'd rather be the one here with you."

"You doubt Keith?"

"No. Not in the least."

"But...?"

Caleb took a breath to steady his sudden nerves. "I don't want to leave you," he finally admitted.

"I'm not going anywhere. I'll be here when you get back."

"You better be." He laid his lips gently on hers. "Don't make me chase you down."

"Would you?"

"You bet your very excellent ass I would. I'm far from finished with you."

Grace stared out the window again, for what seemed the hundredth time. Logically, she knew, Caleb was safe. He was ridiculously well trained, armed to the teeth, and surrounded by a team just as capable as he. There was absolutely no reason for her to be worried. Yet...

Keith knew he should tell her to stop. To sit down and relax. He had tried that already. Along with ordering her, distracting her, and talking through her fear. All with a stunning lack of success. Grace was simply incapable of sitting still at this point. Or even thinking rationally for that matter. Caleb had called in almost two hours ago to report that they were heading back in. Even that didn't seem to reassure Grace. Nothing short of Caleb, walking through the door unharmed would appease her.

"Reaching the clearing now," Blaine whispered. "Everyone stay alert. Just because we can't see him, doesn't mean he's not here." They came from every direction, painfully inching their way toward the cabin, studying the terrain, looking for any sign of an intruder. They were silent now that they were close, resorting to hand signals to communicate. Caleb kept his eyes trained on the ground, while the officers around him, kept their eyes on the woods. It took him almost fifteen minutes, but he finally reached the porch. With one last look at the trees, Caleb opened the door and stepped inside.

His eyes on Grace, he removed his headset and set aside the rifle in his hands. She stepped into his waiting arms, her own slipping around his waist. He held her for a moment, just held her, until he felt her breath shudder out in relief.

"I hate to interrupt," Keith began quietly. He watched as Grace stepped back. With a final look into Caleb's eyes, she retreated to the sofa to let them talk.

"Nothing," Caleb announced unnecessarily. "No footprints or broken branches. No debris. No changes in the ground cover," he clarified. "We went out almost six miles. There is no evidence to suggest that there has been anyone in the woods. Certainly not anyone close enough to keep the cabin under surveillance."

"So, it was a false alarm."

"Yeah. It looks that way."

"Shit," Keith muttered.

"Backatcha."

Glancing at his sister as she sat watching the evening news, he whispered. "We need a break here, Caleb. And we need it now."

"From your mouth to God's ears."

"Uh, guys?" Grace called from across the room. "I think you need to see this."

Her eyes remained riveted to the television as they approached. Without another word, the men joined her on the sofa, one on each side, and turned their attention to the news reporter on the screen. The three listened together in horror as he began to describe a frightening scenario.

"The bodies of Bill and Jill Johnson were discovered in the trunk of an abandoned car at the airport earlier this morning. One of the attendants in the long term parking lot noticed the car a few days ago." A middle-aged, balding man, apparently the parking attendant, appeared on screen.

"Yeah. I noticed the car because it was parked so far away. Almost on the edge of the lot. That didn't make sense because the lot wasn't even full." With further prompting, the attendant went on to describe how he decided it was in everyone's best interest if he checked it out.

"Better safe than sorry. Right?" The attendant observed that the car was unlocked and that it didn't have a long term parking stub.

"Is that unusual?" asked the reporter.

"Absolutely. We make sure everyone comes through the gate and gets their stub. It's time-stamped so we know how much to charge them when they leave."

He couln't say what made him open the trunk. "My ex-wife used to say that if I wasn't careful, my curiosity would get me killed one day. Boy was she ever wrong. Without my curiosity, those poor people would still be in the trunk of that car."

From there, the scene was replaced with shots of the airport, the parking lot, and finally, the car with the empty but bloody trunk. As the pictures flashed, the reporter continued.

"Bill, an accountant and his twin sister Jill, an elementary school teacher, were reported missing by their family six days ago. Two days before their disappearance, the Johnsons had been victims of separate home invasions. At this time, the police have no evidence to connect the break-ins with the kidnappings or subsequent murders." As the news anchor moved on to his next story, Keith was up, reaching for his phone.

"Blaine? I think we have a problem." Keith paced as he listened to the detective's response. "No. No immediate threat. But we need to talk." As he disconnected, he walked back to where Grace and Caleb waited quietly. He sat on the coffee table in front of his sister, their knees bumping. "Blaine's on his way back. Should be here in ten."

"You think the cases are related. Whoever's after me, is the same person that kidnapped and killed those two people," Grace insisted. Her voice trembled as she struggled to remain calm.

"I don't know anything for certain yet, Grace, except that we can't ignore the similarities. We'll use the agency's connections to get the police report and to complete our own investigation. If there's a connection between the Johnsons and us, we'll find it."

"Us?" she stammered.

"Jill Johnson didn't die alone, Grace. Her brother was just as much a victim as she."

"Her brother was murdered too," Caleb clarified in a shocked whisper. They had completely underestimated the situation. Keith was in just as much danger as his sister.
Chapter 13

As Detective Blaine and his team filed in, Keith quickly divided them into teams of two and assigned each a work area and a task. One team was researching the lives of Bill and Jill Johnson. Another - the home invasions, kidnappings, and deaths. Detective Blaine and his partner were looking for like crimes. Specifically, any kidnappings or murders involving brother and sister twins. Keith had Caleb trying to find any connection between the Johnsons and Grace and/or the Johnsons and himself. Were they involved in crimes Keith had investigated in the past? Did they live in the same neighborhood? Shop in the same stores? Know the same people? There was no way Keith would believe that any of this was random. The idea that someone had coincidently choosen victims that were so similar was inconceivable.

"Um. Is there anything I can do?" Grace asked hesitantly.

The apprehension in her voice pulled at Caleb. "Well, these guys haven't had anything but coffee all day. If you could manage some food?"

"Not a problem. Coming right up." She was relieved to have something to do. Bending low, she added, "Thanks."

Caleb's hand rushed out to stop her before she could pull away. "Thanks for what?"

She smiled softly. "For keeping me busy so I don't go absolutely mad with the waiting."

Heedless to the men around them, Caleb pulled her mouth down to meet his. "My pleasure," he whispered.

As Grace headed into the kitchen, she heard one of the men call out.

"Hey Knight. What the hell does a woman like that see in you?"

"Clearly something none of you have," he insulted.

"Oh please! I've seen your equipment. It ain't all that special."

"It's not what I have that keeps her coming back. It's that I know what to do with it." The entire room broke into laughter, vulgar insults hurling wildly across the room.

Keith stopped them before it went too far or got so loud that Grace could hear them. "I'll remind you all, that the woman you're talking about is my sister."

Most of the men had the decency to look embarrassed. Everyone accept Caleb. He gloated triumphantly as he turned back to his work.

Just as Grace returned with coffee and sandwiches, Blaine's partner, Page, made a discovery. "We've got another one." Every head turned to listen as he read from the computer screen in front of him. "Four weeks ago, siblings, Trevor and Abigail Hale, disappeared while traveling to visit their parents' home in Denton. The two never arrived at their destination. Three days after their disappearance, they were found dead in the trunk of Mr. Hale's car. The car had been parked on the upper level of a parking garage at the local mall. At this time, there are no leads in the investigation of the twins' deaths."

"That makes three of us," Keith muttered. "Keep looking. There might be more."

"Will do. Male-female twins. Twenty-six years old. Caucasian. Anything else?" He grabbed a sandwich and cup of coffee from Grace as she worked her way around the room.

"Adoption maybe," she suggested. "I don't know about the other twins, but Keith and I were adopted."

"I'll check out the Johnsons and the Hales," Caleb volunteered. "It shouldn't be too hard to verify if they were adopted too." It was his turn to take a sandwich. "I'm not sure what it will mean if they were. But every piece adds to the puzzle."

"Fuck it all to hell!" Alan spat. All attempts to locate the Bennetts had failed. Miserably. Meanwhile, two bodies had just been discovered at the airport. They'd been shot and stuffed into the trunk of a car. A brother and sister set of twins. He swore again. He was certain his current employer was involved. Alan just wasn't sure how he felt about it. He had assumed that the attack on the Bennetts was isolated and personal. Retribution for something in their past. But if they weren't the only victims, then payback didn't ring true. Alan began to pace. How many more bodies would the police find? And how long would it take before those bodies led back to him? What had he gotten himself into? Before he could answer, his cell rang. Even without looking, he knew who it would be. He switched off the television.

"Yes."

"Status."

"I called the antique store, the detective agency, and the Secret Service. No one is giving out any information on the Bennetts or Caleb Knight."

"So you've made no progress in locating them?"

Alan forced himself to reign in his temper. "No. But then again, I didn't expect it to be that easy."

"Yet you wasted time on the phone calls? That doesn't sound like a productive use of your time or mine."

"On the contrary. I've eliminated the direct approach."

"Just remember the schedule."

"Two weeks," Alan repeated dutifully. "I told you. It won't be a problem."

"Good. I'd hate to have to find someone else. Again."

"Not necessary. I assure you."

"You have eleven days left, Mr. Strickland. Find Grace Bennett and bring her to me."

"Let me be the first to say what we've all just begun to realize," began Detective Blaine. "The scope of this case is far beyond what we originally thought it was. If you'll bear with us for a minute, I'll explain what Page and I found." They had pulled a white board in from the van earlier, and were now using it to set up a case board. Photos, hanging two by two, stretched the length of the board in a horizontal line. Blaine and Page methodically added dates, ages, and geographic locations under each set of photos. Grace swallowed hard when she saw her own face added to the board.

"Before today, we were under the impression that the incidents with Grace and Keith were isolated. We assumed they were personal and/or unique and therefore organized our entire investigation around that one fact. While the events may still prove to be personal, they certainly are not unique. As you can see, Page and I have added three other sets of twins to our case board - Johnson, Hale, and Martin. They all have one very important thing in common - the way they died. To start, their homes were vandalized and, we believe, searched."

"For what?"

"Unknown. Then, approximately two to three days after the break-ins, each of the twins was kidnapped. Because there was no set pattern to the kidnappings themselves, we can assume that availability may have played a role. In some cases, the twins were kidnapped together; other times separately. Twice the sister was taken before the brother. It appears the uniformity of the kidnappings is not as essential as that of the deaths." Detective Blaine took a minute to let this information sink in. "Because the events leading to their deaths were identical, as well as the manner in which they died and their bodies disposed of, we have every reason to believe that we are dealing with one perpetrator or group of perpetrators."

"I think we'd all have to agree with you on that."

Stealing a glance at Grace, Blaine continued. "After reading through all of the coroners' reports, Page and I have verified that in every case the twins were killed within minutes of each other. Anywhere from two to four days after their disappearance." He watched as Caleb shifted to stand close behind Grace, his hand resting on her hip. Blaine looked away from them as he finished the rest. "There is no evidence to suggest that any of the twins was tortured. No lacerations or broken bones. There was some bruising..." He flinched when he heard Grace gasp. "While some of the victims, particularly the women, were clearly struck, it never reached the level of torture. Not even close," he was quick to reassure. Still, Grace's skin paled. Blaine knew she was picturing herself as one of the victims. How could she not? If Caleb had not been in the parking garage that day, Grace would have been kidnapped like the others. And if someone had taken her, Keith wouldn't have hesitated before sacrificing himself. Jesus! Just the thought of finding Keith and Grace dead in the trunk of a car, was enough to make Detective Blaine's stomach turn.

"What else can you tell us about them?" Keith asked. He was trying to steer the conversation away from the macabre and back to the data that might give them some answers.

"Well, as you can see, all of the twins were born in the same year. Same month actually. Including the two of you. All Caucasian. And, yes, all adopted."

"But not from the same state, I see."

"No. They're localized to the eastern seaboard, though."

"Actually, we could all be from the same state and we'd never know it," corrected Grace.

"What do you mean?"

"Some of the old adoption laws actually let the adoptive parents change the birth certificates. It was quite common to remove the birth parents' names and the place of birth. The updated birth certificate would reflect the child's new parents and state of residence."

"Is the original certificate saved at all?" Page wanted to know.

"I think it might be. But it wouldn't turn up in a cursory search. You'll have to dig. And dig deep."

Page's eyebrows arched in challenge. "No problem." He went back to his workstation, leaving Detective Blaine to finish the briefing alone.

"Other than the characteristics we described, our victims appear to have nothing in common. We didn't find any unusual connections. What you see is what there is." He hesitated as he collected his thoughts, as if what he wanted to say next was difficult. "As far as we can tell, these victims were chosen simply because they were..." Detective Blaine ticked the characteristics off one-by-one. "Twenty-six. Caucasian. Adopted. Twins." Keith and Caleb nodded as he spoke. "These qualities are important to our killer. What we need to do, is figure out why they're important." He took a deep breath. "Now that we have more names to work with, we'll have each team focus on a set of twins. Caleb, you'll take the Bennetts. I want to know everything there is to know about our victims. Pre and post adoption." The teams murmured quietly as they started to work. "Men, I know I don't need to tell you how important this is. This guy, whoever he is, wants Grace. That much is clear."

"He can't have her," hissed Caleb, low and vicious.

"No he can't," Keith was quick to agree. "But that means he could try for someone else."

"Someone to take our place," Grace whispered. Caleb's arm slipped around her waist, pulling her in close. He felt her tremble once before settling into him.

"I'm afraid so," Keith agreed. "It has become just as important to identify his potential victims as well as his past. I'll work on that if, Grace, you could work with Caleb on our history?"

"Um. Sure." She was startled by the request, by pleased to be able to help.

It took him four days, but Alan finally had a lead on the Bennetts. Knight's parents had been very helpful with that when he called them, pretending to be a member of Detective Blaine's team giving them an update. They were relieved to hear that everything was going according to plan. Mr. Knight, in particular, had been worried that a remote cabin on the edge of Three Forks State Park wasn't an ideal location for protecting someone. A few subtle questions and reassurances later, and Alan knew where to start looking. That was good news. He was anxious to begin, to get this job behind him. The police had uncovered yet another set of twins discarded in the trunk of a car. Alan had been tempted to ask his employer if he was connected to the murders. But curiosity in his line of work was discouraged. He didn't ask too many questions. It kept him both employable and alive.

Alan glanced at the GPS again. Less than five miles to go now. He had his backpack, rifle, and hiking boots. A little bit further, and he would look for a place to hide the jeep, covering the last mile or so on foot. They would expect an intruder to use the road, so he would stick to the woods. Alan had already decided he would spend twenty-four to forty-eight hours watching the place after he found it. There was so much he needed to know before he made his move. Schedules and routines. The number of men used for each shift. Surveillance equipment. Weapons. Alan still had a little over a week before the deadline. He couldn't afford to make a mistake by rushing through the assignment.

An hour later, Alan had managed to find a place to pull his jeep off the road and into the woods. He had spent an extra forty-five minutes covering it with leaves and branches. He didn't want anyone to discover it too soon. Checking his supplies one last time, he tucked a knife in at his waist, strapped his pack to his back and kept the rifle, fully loaded and ready, in his hands. With great care, he slipped into the woods. He'd prepared a cover story on the off chance that he was spotted by one of the rangers. He was new to the park. He didn't realize that you had to drive in and check in at the rangers' station before you went out on the trails. He'd been lost for the past hour and was grateful they had found him. He'd even created a fake hunting license in case the rangers asked to see it.

It was just dumb luck that he noticed the first camera before it recorded his presence. Thirsty from his hike, Alan had stopped to take a pull from the water bottle at his waist. When he titled his head back, his eyes went to the nearby trees. There it was. Not completely hidden, yet not obvious either. It seemed the Secret Service didn't mind one bit if the neighbors knew they were being watched. Alan swore under his breath. Where there was one camera, there were sure to be others. It would eat into his time to find them all, but he had no choice. Pulling a ski mask from his backpack, he slipped it on and went to work.

They were set up in lose circles around the cabin. Three circles, thirty-seven cameras in all. Alan had to admire the agency's thoroughness. But still, no system was without its flaws. And in their case, the structure they used to set up the perimeter was their undoing. Once he identified the pattern, it was easy to predict where each camera was located. Alan found the last of them just as the sun was setting. In his search, he had also been on the lookout for trip wires and boobytraps. Anything that he could trigger accidently and alert them to his presence. But, except for the cameras, he was alone in the woods. And, judging by the tracks he saw, it looked like he was going to stay that way. Whoever was guarding the woman didn't make a habit of patrolling here. As long as he stayed out of camera range, he should be safe. And tucked in the underbrush, Alan was virtually invisible. Pulling a couple of energy bars from his pack, he prepared to eat and settle in for the night. Tomorrow would be spent interpreting the schedules of the men guarding Grace Bennett. The number of men that were here during every hour of the day and night. Along with how heavily they were armed. Alan felt confident that he could identify their point or points of vulnerability. After that, all he would have to do is strike at just the right time to accomplish his mission.

Alan smiled eerily into the darkness. "These sons-of-bitches are never going to know what hit them." He went over the orders he was given. He wasn't allowed to kill the brother. To do so would void the contract on the woman. That much was non-negotiable. But that didn't mean Alan couldn't hurt him enough to slow him down. And every other man was fare game. It didn't matter to Alan or his employer how many of the other men died trying to protect Grace. It only mattered that Alan accomplished his objective within the predetermined time frame. He predicted that this would all be over in less than forty-eight hours. And in less than seventy-two, he'd be gone. He'd disappear. Alan settled back against a tree, closing his eyes. Maybe he'd go to Mexico this time, or the Riviera. He considered his options as he settled into sleep.

Completely oblivious to the impending danger, Caleb stripped and turned back to Grace. She was practically asleep on her feet. His hands reached out and gently pushed hers aside. Slowly, he began to undress her. She sighed and moaned as his hands skimmed over her. Once she was as naked as he, Caleb pulled back the comforter and coaxed Grace into bed. He quickly climbed in after her.

"Come here, sweetheart," he murmured.

Caleb tucked Grace in at his side, one of her legs thrown over his. The juncture between her legs teased his thigh. He wondered briefly if he'd be able to sleep with her pressed so intimately into him. Apparently, Grace had no such worries. With one last sigh, she drifted off to sleep, Caleb not far behind her.
Chapter 14

His eyes trained on the cabin, Alan waited for the sun to set. He had spent the last two days hiding in the woods, watching. In that time, he had learned three things that could make or break his plan to abduct Grace Bennett. One - the Bennetts and Knight were the only ones staying in the cabin. Two - none of them ever came outside. And three - judging by the fact that the lights in the Great Room were always on, one or both of the men were on surveillance duty throughout the night. And although the police did not remain on site, Alan had to assume they were close. Fifteen to twenty minutes away at most would be his guess. This meant he had to be in and out in ten, maybe twelve, minutes. That wasn't a lot of time, but he didn't see that he had any other choice. He couldn't afford to be anywhere near the cabin when backup arrived. So, he went over the plan again and again in his head as he waited for the cover of darkness.

Keith checked the monitors again. He didn't know what had him on edge tonight, but something didn't feel right. He couldn't see anything, nor did he hear anything unusual. Maybe the stress of the situation was finally getting to him. Maybe he was just being paranoid. There was absolutely no reason to suspect that their position had been compromised. Yet still... It wouldn't hurt to check on Caleb and Grace one more time. Keith had only taken a couple of steps before he heard it. The sound of a rifle shot coming from the woods, somewhere north of the cabin. He turned back to check the monitors as Caleb and Grace rushed into the room.

"What do you see?"

Keith studied the screens for a moment. "Nothing," he finally answered. Before he could comment further, his cell rang. "Bennett... Yeah, we heard it... I can't see anything from here. What about you guys?" Another shot rang out. This time closer. "Whoever it is, he's moving in on us."

"Maybe it's just a hunter," Caleb suggested.

"Hunting's illegal in the park this time of year."

"Or someone that's using the woods for target practice," Caleb tried again.

Keith looked up skeptically, before returning his attention to the call.

"Good. When you get here, fan out, and search the woods. Alert the rangers too." As Keith disconnected, a third shot sounded. "I need to get out there. Do everything I can to minimize the threat." His eyes met Caleb's. "I need you to stay with Grace."

"Absolutely."

"If it was anyone but you, I couldn't do it." Keith admitted. "I couldn't leave her."

Caleb's eyes met Keith's. "I won't let anything happen to her. You have my word on that. I'll guard Grace with my life."

Keith knew they weren't just empty promises to Caleb. He meant every word. He would kill or die for Grace without hesitation. Keith studied his friend for a moment, before he put it aside. Later, he would talk to Caleb about his relationship with Grace. He would demand, politely of course, to know his intentions. For now though, he needed to concentrate on the matter at hand. As the next shot sounded, he pulled on a headset, handed another to Caleb, and reached for his rifle. One quick test of the microphone and Keith was moving to the mudroom, Grace and Caleb in his wake. He turned back one last time to pull his sister into his arms, bending low to whisper in her ear. "I love you, Gracie."

"You better," she teased.

He laughed at that. "I'll be right back. Make sure you keep dinner warm." Keith watched her smile one last time, before he turned and slipped out the door.

Grace couldn't help but flinch as the sound of another rifle shot punctuated the air. She stared at the closed door, wanting desperately for Keith to change his mind and come racing back inside. The team was on their way, she rationalized. Shouldn't they all just stick together until then? She turned to plead her case to Caleb but he was already taking her hand. Leading her away from the door.

"Come on, sweetheart. Let's see if we can keep track of Keith with the cameras."

"But..."

He stopped when he saw her face, taking both her hands in his. "Keith has to do this Grace."

"Why? Can't we just wait here together until the cavalry arrives?"

He couldn't help but laugh. "Sweetheart, we are the cavalry." She tried to pull away, angry and frustrated. Caleb held fast. "It's his job, Grace. This is what he does. He puts every other life before his own." She opened her mouth to comment, but he pushed on. "And to make matters more difficult, this is personal. You're his sister. His family. His heart." Caleb had her attention now. "That man out there has already killed two people, possibly more. And now he has been hired to kidnap you. He is confident that you are his for the taking. That pisses Keith off. Hell, it pisses me off too! In ways I can't even begin to describe to you. This man has to be dealt with, sweetheart. Here and now." Caleb watched as Grace processed what he said. She clearly didn't like it, but at least she wasn't arguing with him anymore. He took a chance, and pulled her into his arms. She was stiff and unyielding; still angry. Not at him, but instead, at the turn of events. Caleb could relate. Part of him was disappointed not to be the one out in the woods.

"Nicely done," Keith whispered in his ear. It was then that Caleb remembered the headset he had slipped on earlier. Keith had heard every word of his conversation with Grace. "Coming up the east side of the clearing," he reported. "I haven't found any evidence that there's anyone out here but me. Working my way to the front."

"Copy that," Caleb murmured quietly.

While they couldn't see Keith on any of the monitors, he gave them a few words every few minutes to let them know where he was. Caleb and Grace stood hand-in-hand, eyes glued to the screens. Suddenly, without warning, Keith yelled. "Get to the safe room! Now!"

Caleb didn't stop to think. Didn't stop to question the order. He just shoved Grace ahead of him and out of the room. He steered her down the hall, to the trap door that led to the safe room. He released the lock, lifted the door, and hit the interior switch. "Go. Hurry!"

Grace turned to climb down the steps, her hand reaching out for Caleb's to steady herself. He heard the next shot as it left the gun. Even shifted instinctively to protect Grace. What Caleb didn't expect was the pain as the bullet ripped through his body. He stumbled under the impact of it and fell forward. His body slammed into Grace, hard and heavy. For a second, she thought she had managed to catch him. But then he was falling again, taking her with him down the stairs. It was a fast trip to the bottom where they ended in a tangled mess, Grace trapped under the weight of Caleb's body.

"Caleb?" she croaked in a strangled whisper. "Can you get up? I need you to get up." She shoved at his shoulder weakly. Caleb's reaction was instantaneous. He bolted upright, reaching for the gun that was no longer at his side.

"Fuck!"

"Caleb?"

He swore again as he quickly shifted so that she could move. "Jesus, sweetheart! You're bleeding." His hands moved over her, searching for injuries.

"Not me," she corrected. "You."

Caleb looked down at his arm just as the pain began to register. "Dammit."

"We have to stop the bleeding."

"Okay. But I need to shut the door first. Don't move."

No problem, she thought. She'd just tumbled down a flight of stairs with one hundred ninety pounds of man and come out on the bottom. Grace wasn't sure she'd ever move again.

She watched through hooded lids as Caleb hurried up the stairs. He was back in just a few seconds, reaching for her as she struggled to stand. It seemed as if every muscle in her body was screaming.

"Are you hurt?" he asked softly, concern evident in every word. "It looks like you took the brunt of the fall."

"Um... No. I'm fine. Don't worry about it," she murmured. She saw his eyes reduce to slits as he recognized the lie. Talking quickly, she reached for the sleeve of his shirt. "You've been shot, Caleb. You're losing a lot of blood. We need to stop it."

"Fine. But..." With his hand cupping her chin, he tilted her face up to his. "As soon as we patch me up, I want to check your body myself." When she made a face, he added, "Glare at me all you want sweetheart. I won't be taking 'no' for an answer." He slipped his shirt over his head, and pressed it against the wound on his upper arm. He'd already realized it was a through-and-through and dismissed it to the category of 'been there and done that'. "There should be some first aid supplies in that cupboard over there." He tilted his head in the direction of the far wall.

Grace hurried to see what she could find. Caleb, grateful for his earlier tour, engaged the surveillance monitors and helped himself to a few things from the small weapons arsenal - two guns with extra clips and a couple of knives. When Grace had everything she needed, she turned back to find him rearmed and studying the monitors on the wall. She clenched her teeth as she worked her way back across the room. Pain was quickly setting in.

"Can you see anything out there?" she asked.

"No. Nothing. And, unfortunately, the headset didn't survive our little trip down the stairs. We've lost our connection to Keith." Grace watched as he turned back to the screens. "I feel like we're blind and deaf in here," he hissed.

"And Keith is out there alone."

"Yeah."

"Since we're stuck here for the next little while, I suggest we focus on what we can do. That means taking care of your arm." Grace pushed Caleb's hand aside and lifted the bloody shirt to assess the damage. Her stomach rolled and pitched in protest at the sight of the two angry holes in his flesh. Knowing Caleb needed her help with this, she swallowed hard and bent to the task. Grace started with a combination of butterfly closures and medical tape to close the wounds. While she waited to make sure the bleeding had stopped, she used damp towels to clean the blood from his arm and side. With another towel, she dried his skin. To finish, she carefully wrapped Caleb's upper arm in gauze. "Okay. That's the best I can do. I think it should..."

Caleb cut short her explanation. "There you are you son-of-a-bitch," he murmured.

Grace looked up expecting to see an image of her brother, but a stranger's face filled the screen. She paled at the sight.

"Is that him? The man that..."

Caleb's hand circled around to rest low on her hip. "Yeah. That's him."

"But he's close."

"About a mile out."

"Where the hell is Keith then? What's happened to him?"

"I'm wondering the same thing myself."

Grace's head whipped around to stare at him. Did something happen to Keith? Had he already been shot? What if...?

"Stop it, Grace!" Caleb ordered harshly. "Keith is fine." He spared her a glance. "There is no reason to think that because this went sideways for us, that it's the same for him. His plan was to come up behind this guy. We have to assume that he's still working toward that goal."

"Assumptions aren't good enough!" she argued.

Angry now, Caleb turned. The snide remark died on his lips when he saw her. The effort it was taking for Grace to hold herself together was palpable. She trembled slightly under his scrutiny but refused to back down. Her strength and beauty nearly leveled him. Caleb's heart beat hard in his chest. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I shouldn't have snapped at you." He pulled her into his arms. "I know you're scared. And I know you're worried about Keith."

"I can't help it. He's out there alone. At least we're in here and we have each other."

Caleb murmured to himself before lifting Grace's face to his. The kiss was soft and sweet. It wasn't meant to arouse. But when she started to pull away, Caleb's hands instinctively stopped her. "I just need a minute." When she hesitated, he threw away his pride and begged. "Please." He slipped his hand into her hair. Fisted it there as he pulled her mouth back to his. Fueled by fear, their desire flashed strong and bright. Caleb invaded Grace's mouth, demanding and possessive. His tongue mated hungrily with hers as images of their last night together tormented his mind. His hands skimmed down her body to her hips. But when he tried to pull her in tight, Grace winced. Caleb's response was immediate. He ripped his mouth from hers, his hands raised in the air in mock surrender. His eyes studied her reproachfully. "You are hurt."

"It's not a big deal. I'm fine."

"No. You're not." His voice was deceptively calm as he leaned in close. "If you were fine, we'd be on our way to naked right now." Caleb let his eyes drift to Grace's lips. He smiled when she licked them nervously. "Take your clothes off," he whispered huskily.

"W...What?"

"Strip, Grace. I want to see your body. And I want to see it now."

"I told you I'm fine," she argued.

"Yes, you did. But I've suddenly realized that when it comes to your personal well-being, I don't trust you to tell me the truth."

"You think I'd lie to you?"

"Without hesitation."

She tried a different tactic. "We don't have time for this."

"I assure you, we're perfectly safe in here, and we're not leaving until its safe out there. So we do have the time. Now, either you can take off your clothes," he stepped close. "Or I'll do it myself."

"You wouldn't dare."

"The hell I wouldn't," he hissed.

Grace studied him for a moment before finally reaching for the snap of her jeans.

Despite the circumstances, Caleb could feel his blood heating. He ruthlessly ignored it and watched as inch-by-inch, she revealed her legs. The muscle in his jaw twitched when he saw the bruises. "Now your shirt." Grace's hands shook as she worked the buttons. And when she pushed her blouse off her shoulders and to the floor, she looked anywhere but at him.

Without a word or sound, Caleb went down on his knees before her. His hand came out to run the length of her leg, settling on her left thigh. The bruising started at the midline. It was red, blue and black, angry in its intensity. Caleb's fingers were careful as he traced its path to the edge of her panties. He didn't even hesitate before he peeled them back to check her hip. Grace gasped at his impudence but otherwise remained silent. He examined her elbow next. It looked as if it had suffered the most. Not only was it horribly bruised, it was beginning to swell. Grace hissed when he asked her to straighten it, but because she could, he figured it probably wasn't broken. Caleb ignored the tightening in his groin as he reached to remove her bra. His hands followed his eyes as they shifted to her torso. There was bruising here too. Darker and more intense than the rest. Her ribs worried him the most. She could be in serious trouble. "This is going to hurt, but I don't have a choice, Grace. I need to make sure you haven't broken a rib." Her eyes filled as his fingers gently probed. "Lift your arms, sweetheart." She did as he instructed, stifling a moan as pain stabbed at her. Caleb lowered her arms himself when he was finished. "One last thing. Okay?" When she nodded, he turned his head and pressed an ear to her chest. "Deep breath." Although she winced, she complied. "Sounds good. No rasping or wheezing." He pulled back. "I don't think any ribs are broken. Cracked maybe, but not broken. Your breathing sounds normal." Grace could only nod, as she reached up to brush her tears aside. Caleb noticed her skin had become alarmingly pale.

"I'm going to get you something for the pain." He hurried to the drawer of medical supplies.

"I'm fine. I really..."

"And you will take it," he contradicted. With pills in hand, Caleb grabbed a bottle of water from the mini fridge and returned to her side. He shook two prescription painkillers into his hand. "Open up." Grace considered refusing but thought better of it when she saw the determination on his face. Instead, she took the pills without further argument, washing them down quickly. Caleb took the water, drinking half of it himself before returning the rest to the fridge. When he turned back to Grace, his body reacted again to the sight of her in nothing but panties. He was hard, his erection straining against his pants. But he was also angry. He stepped up to her. "You lied to me," he hissed. "Twice."

"No I didn't."

Caleb ticked them off on his fingers as he accused her. "One - After our fall down the stairs, I asked if you were hurt. You looked me right in the eye and said 'no'." When Grace started to interrupt, he ignored her and pushed ahead. "And Two - When I gave you a second chance to admit that you were hurt, you said you were 'fine' instead." He stepped closer, their bodies lightly brushing. "You lied." She swallowed hard at the accusation. "And I don't like being lied to. Not even to spare my feelings." Grace nodded. "You will not lie to me," he insisted. "Not now. Not ever."

"I'm sorry." She tried a small smile. "I didn't mean to upset you. I just didn't want you to worry."

"I'd rather worry than have you lie to me."

"I'll remember that. I promise." She took a chance and gently kissed his cheek. "Soooo... can I put my clothes back on?"

"Don't get dressed on my account. We both know I prefer you without anything between us." She blushed prettily. Unable to resist any longer, he stroked one finger from her shoulder to her breast. The nipple went taut and Caleb moaned. "On second thought, maybe you should get dressed. The last thing I want to do is hurt you." With that said, he bent to get her shirt.

"What about my bra?"

"I'm not that altruistic. Besides, with those bruises, bra straps will hurt like hell." When she had carefully slipped her arms through the sleeves, he began on the buttons.

"Removing temptation?" Grace teased.

"We're going to need more than a few buttons for that." He grabbed her jeans next. Between the two of them, they managed to pull them up and over her hips. Caleb zipped and buttoned them himself. "Well, that's a switch," he muttered.

"Yeah. You've spent so much time taking my clothes off, I had no idea you knew how to put them on."

Caleb smiled. "Judging by the way you're so free with your thoughts, sweetheart, I'm going to say that it's safe to assume the meds are kicking in."

Grace returned his smile with a goofy one of her own. "Yeah. My elbow is starting to feel better."

"And your ribs?"

She took a minute to breathe deep and assess the pain. "Much better. What the hell did you give me?"

"Just a little something."

"Well, it's definitely working."

"And what about your head? Are you dizzy or lightheaded?"

"Maybe. Just a little."

"You should sit down then. The last thing we want is for you to fall and injure yourself further." Caleb led her to one of the two cots. "Sit." Once he had her settled in, he went back to the monitors.

"Can you see anything?" she asked quietly.

"No. Nothing." He turned to her as he continued. "The team should be here by now. The fact that I can't see them means they came in low and quiet. Once they have him, Keith will let us know. Until then, we've got enough provisions down here to last at least a week."

"What if he manages to get into the safe room somehow?"

"I assure you, I've got a plan for that too." Grace nodded, but said nothing. It worried him enough that he went to her. Kneeling, his eyes level with hers, he asked, "Are you okay?"

"Um. I'm not really sure." A little frustrated, she took a deep breath and tried again. Caleb's hands, unable to resist, sank into her hair. "I'm not naive. I've known all along that this was real. That we weren't playing games. But now?" Grace shook her head in disbelief. "We're actually in a safe room, hiding from a madman." Her hand reached out to gently rest on his wounded arm. "You've been shot." Caleb brushed aside her concern. "And it could have been worse. You could have been killed." She took another deep breath. "All because of me."

Upset that she could think, even for a minute, that she was responsible for all this, Caleb angled Grace's head to look at him. "Not because of you. You did absolutely nothing wrong. You said it yourself. This guy, or the one who hired him, is a lunatic. You didn't do anything to deserve this."

"How can we be sure?"

"Are you saying his other victims deserved to be kidnapped and murdered?"

"Of course not."

"Then it makes no sense for you to presume that you are any different than the others."

"But..."

"No buts, Grace. None of this is your fault."

"If you hadn't been dragged into this..."

"As I recall, I wasn't dragged. I came willingly. Eagerly even." His hands were back in her hair, holding her head still so that she was forced to meet his eyes. "And once I'd had you... I couldn't walk away."

"You know I wouldn't blame you if you did. There must be other women in your life that are... easier to be with. Nice, safe women," she suggested. "You don't have to settle for someone like me."

"Settle? You actually think I'm settling?"

"Aren't you? You're only here because you promised to help Keith."

"Yes. I did." Caleb held fast when she tried to turn away from him. "But then I met Keith's sister. His sexy, intelligent, compassionate, remarkable sister." He leaned in close to whisper the rest. "From the first time you opened your eyes and looked into mine. From the first touch. The first taste. I never stood a chance." He kissed her softly, sweetly. "I'm not going anywhere, Grace. This is it for me."

"Me too," Grace answered shyly.

Caleb closed his eyes at the storm of emotions that raced through him. "I thought I'd have to convince you."

"And how would you have done that?" she teased.

"Sexual favors of course."

"Damn. Maybe I should change my answer then."

"Oh, no you don't. You're mine now." He pulled her gently into his arms. "And I intend to keep you."
Chapter 15

"Shit!" Alan swore as he watched eight men pull up in two SUVs. Six melted into the woods and two were moving in his direction. He barely made it inside the cabin undetected. Alan studied his surroundings. The large open room offered little in the way of hiding places. And he certainly wasn't going to be backed into one of the bedrooms or bathrooms. Trapped like a rat in a cage. All he needed was a few uninterrupted minutes to find the safe room.

Caleb and Grace studied the scene as it unfolded on the monitors. Two minutes ago, they had watched in horror as the shooter slipped quietly into the cabin. And they had been helpless to stop him. Grace's heart began to pound as she watched him prowl the great room.

"He's looking for us," she whispered. Caleb nodded. "Is there anything I can do?"

He deliberated for a moment as he observed her. At this point, Grace was strung so tight that she couldn't even stand still. They needed a distraction. And she needed to feel safe. "What has Keith taught you about guns?"

"Nothing."

Caleb raised one eyebrow at her before moving to a cabinet on the far wall. "Well, we're about to change that." After another look at the weapons available, he made a quick choice and walked back to Grace. "I think you'll feel much more comfortable if you know how to defend yourself." He saw her face go pale at the sight of the gun. Continued to watch with pride as she smothered both her revulsion and her fear. "Okay?" he asked. She nodded. Caleb spent the next few minutes instructing Grace in the handling and firing of the pistol. When they were finished, he was fairly confident that she could point and shoot, if needed. Once this was all over, Caleb decided, he would teach her how to shoot properly. He wouldn't be able to be with her every hour of every day and he needed to know that she could protect herself.

They heard the shot then, followed by return fire. Caleb rushed to the monitors. Their uninvited guest had ducked down behind the kitchen island and was firing on two members of Detective Blaine's team. As Caleb opened his mouth to offer Grace some reassurance, one of the team members went down.

"Fuck!" He didn't wait another minute to see what happened next. Instead, he took Grace by the hand and led her to a hidden door under the stairs.

"Like Harry," she joked quietly.

"Except this one has an escape route." He pushed her in ahead of him, closing the door behind them both. "Sit," he whispered.

"You said there's an escape route. Aren't we leaving?"

"Not yet, sweetheart." He moved in close so that he could whisper in her ear. "We'll stay here for now. I don't want to use the tunnel unless we have to. It leads to an area behind the cabin about sixteen feet from the woods. It would leave us exposed and unprotected for a few seconds. If the shooter decides to rabbit out the back, he might see us."

"Got it."

"The plan is to stay right here. If he gets into the safe room, then we use the tunnel."

"And how will we know if he gets in?"

Caleb reached behind her and engaged the one small monitor on the wall. "There's not enough room in here for an entire surveillance system, but we can see the entrance to the safe room. We'll know if he gets through."

"And where's the exit?"

"Right behind me." Caleb shifted slightly to show Grace the latch for the hidden door.

"Okay. Good," she murmured. "It looks like you thought of everything."

"Not me. The Secret Service. I've gotta agree with you though. It seems they designed it with every possible contingency in mind."

"We're going to owe them one hell of a thank you when this is all over."

Caleb nodded his agreement. "And when it is over, I want you all to myself for the next little while. We'll go somewhere quiet and romantic."

"And isolated," Grace smiled.

"Just you and me."

Alan gave up on the great room. He had searched the perimeter at least a dozen times already. Although highly unlikely, he checked the kitchen next. It didn't take him long to admit that there was no safe room entrance here either. That left the bedrooms, bathrooms, and mudroom. Reluctantly, he headed down the hall toward the first bedroom. Alan glanced over his shoulder one last time before he stepped inside. He had to be quick, no more than three minutes, he decided. Closet, walls, floors - each were scrutinized thoroughly but swiftly. Not until he was back out in the hallway did he breathe easily again.

There had to be a safe room he reassured himself. The Bennett woman and Knight were nowhere to be found. He doubted they had slipped into the woods. So they had hidden together, somewhere in this cabin. Which meant all he needed was time to find them. Alan was halfway to the mudroom when his feet slipped out from under him. He went down hard on the wooden floor, gun clattering as it flew from his hands. Swearing under his breath, he moved quickly to right himself. That's when he saw them \- a trail of bloody boot prints leading from the hallway to where he stood. He smiled nastily. That last shot that he had fired into the cabin randomly had connected. Someone had been hit. He retraced his steps to the hallway. There was a small pool of blood, almost lost in the pattern of the rug. He might have missed it entirely, had he not tracked through it. Kneeling, Alan took a chance, and peeled back a corner of the rug. It seemed to be fastened to the floor.

"Yes!" he murmured. "This must be it." He pulled hard, tossing the rug aside. There, hidden from sight, was a trap door in the floor. Clearly, it led to the safe room; otherwise, there would be no reason to hide it. Alan's heart pounded with excitement. Now, all he had to do was separate Grace Bennett from her protector. And he had to do it fast. On his hands and knees, he searched for a pull or leaver to open the door. Of course, when he finally found it, several minutes later, he wasn't surprised to find it locked. Alan might have taken a more silent, subtle approach, if he hadn't been so pressed for time. Instead, after one last nervous glance toward the great room, he held his rifle steady and fired five times in rapid succession.

Caleb heard the shots and shifted to his hands and knees. He gestured for Grace to do the same as he silently opened the door to the tunnel. With his eyes on the monitor, he began to whisper instructions. "When I say go, don't hesitate. Stay on your hands and knees and crawl as fast as you can. The tunnel is about four feet high, sixteen feet long. The darkness will be nearly absolute but it shouldn't be a problem. Just keep crawling until you reach the end."

"And where will you be?"

"Right behind you sweetheart. I promise."

"Move!" Keith yelled into his headset. The men who had been quietly making their way across the clearing toward the cabin, broke into a run.

Alan wrenched the door open and peered down into the unknown. "Ms. Bennett," he called. "Mr. Knight. You can come out now. We apprehended the shooter."

Caleb smirked. This guy couldn't honestly expect them to come running up the stairs simply because he called them.

When Alan's second call went unanswered, he took a tentative step. Staying upstairs in the cabin meant almost certain capture. Going down might provide him with a chance to grab Grace Bennett and fulfill his contract. Or it could be a trap, with Caleb Knight waiting to deliver the fatal shot. He hovered on the stairs, unsure what to do.

Keith stood just outside the cabin, the team lined up in pairs. Using hand signals and barely audible whispers, he gave the orders that would have the team fanning out as soon as they stepped inside. With one last nod to Blaine, Keith reached for the knob and silently opened the front door. He started with just an inch, peering in, looking for any sign of their intruder. Nothing. "Going in," he whispered to the team. Keith pushed the door wider, and they all slipped inside. It only took a second to recognize that the room was empty. Without a sound, he inched across the room and toward the hallway as the team went to check the mudroom and the first bedroom. Keith hurried to check the security of the safe room. With his body flat against the wall, he took a quick peek around the corner. What he saw had terror clawing at him. "Safe room compromised," he whispered into his mic. "Safe room compromised." He knew it would take the team less than fifteen seconds to join him, but Keith wasn't waiting. He signaled Blaine to remain in place, and took his first step into the hallway.

Alan was only a third of the way down the stairs when he heard a noise. He froze, straining to make sense of the sound. Was that a footfall? A boot landing softly on a wooden floor? He stood, still and silent for a full minute, waiting for the sound to repeat itself. When Alan heard nothing, he continued his slow journey down the stairs.

"Time to go, sweetheart," Caleb murmured in Grace's ear. "Remember, keep crawling. No matter what. As fast as you can." He followed Grace as she eased through the door and into the tunnel. As soon as he shut the door behind them, they were swallowed by the darkness. When Grace paused, Caleb reached out to rest his hand on the small of her back. "Grace?"

"I'm okay," she whispered. "Just need a second." Grace could feel her body begin to shake and her heart pound as she struggled to get air to her lungs. She closed her eyes as a wave of nausea rippled through her. Dammit! They didn't have time for her petty phobias.

"Grace?"

She could hear the concern in Caleb's voice, but couldn't bring herself to answer. Instead, she gritted her teeth against the fear that ripped at her and began to crawl.

"That's my girl," he whispered proudly. "Just keep moving, baby, and we'll be out of here in just a few seconds."

"Keep moving," she murmured. "I can do that."

"Yes, you can, sweetheart." Caleb could just make out a faint light ahead that told him they had almost reached the end of the tunnel. When they were down to the last foot, he stopped Grace with a touch of his hand. Gently nudging her to the side, he eased forward until he could whisper in her ear. "I'm going to go first. I'll make sure that it's safe. Once we start to move, our goal is to get to the cover of the trees as fast as we can. Okay?" Grace nodded. "You need to keep your hand on my shoulder or back so I know where you are at all times. Okay?" She nodded a second time. "Don't let go. Not even for a second," he insisted.

"I won't. I promise."

"Here we go then." Caleb slipped past Grace to the very end of the tunnel. Without a sound, he parted the brush and, with the light of the full moon, studied their surroundings. Quickly, but methodically, he searched the trees. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Not wanting to waste even one more moment, he crawled out into the night with Grace close behind him. They stood, still and silent, in the shadow of the cabin, as Caleb examined the tree line one last time. Then, with a quick nod, he led them across the clearing. Grace concentrated on just two things: running as fast as she could and keeping her hand on Caleb's back. With his gun drawn and eyes searching, he steered them toward the thickest group of trees. The extra coverage they provided would mean that Grace and he would be virtually invisible once they stepped into the woods.

"Don't stop," Caleb ordered as they reached the first of the trees. Weaving through the underbrush, he led them deep into the woods before he saw what he was looking for. A dozen or more trees clustered together and surrounded by thick bushes. Caleb ducked down, pulling Grace after him. He tucked her in between the bushes and his own body. Because her back was pressed into his chest, he could feel her struggling to catch her breath. He bent to rest his mouth against her ear.

"Are you okay, baby?" Grace nodded mutely. Caleb kissed her temple softly. "You were great."

"Anything to get out of that tunnel."

"You should have told me tunnels were a problem," he gently reprimanded.

"We didn't have a choice." She glanced up at Caleb before admitting the rest. "And I thought I could handle it."

"You did."

"Now you're just being kind. I was hyperventilating back there. And shaking."

"But you pushed passed it," Caleb pointed out.

Grace shook her head. "I was scared to death."

"And still, you did what needed to be done. That's all any of us can do." He tilted her face up to his and kissed her softly, sweetly. Despite the circumstances, the air hummed with desire.

"Um," Grace stammered. "What do we do now?"

"We sit and wait."

"For the good guys or the bad?"

"I'd prefer the good," Caleb teased. "But I can handle the bad."

"Of course you can. You..."

Grace's thought was cut short when Caleb's hand suddenly snuck out, wrapping around to cover her mouth. Her green eyes went wide, a mixture of shock and fear, as together they watched a lone man crawl out of the safe room's escape tunnel. He stood in the shadows, much as they had done, listening, and studying his surroundings. When he looked in their direction, Grace instinctively pressed back against Caleb's chest.

"Keep still, sweetheart," he barely whispered. "He's looking for movement."

Grace didn't know how long they sat like that, Caleb's hand over her mouth, their bodies molded into one. It felt long, too long. And then, without warning, their assailant began walking toward the woods. He was heading right toward them.

Alan was growing increasingly impatient. At best, Bennett and the team were only a few minutes behind him. He could almost feel them moving in. That meant he was running out of time. Nothing had gone as expected. His plan had been to rush the safe room, kill Knight, and kidnap the woman. He had never considered an escape tunnel that would lead them to safety. Now Knight and the woman were hiding somewhere in the woods. Alan reached for his infrared goggles and swore in frustration when his hand came up empty. He was screwed. Royally and thoroughly screwed. Maybe he should fade into the woods and disappear into the darkness. Try for the woman again in a few days. He dismissed the thought almost as soon as it formed. After tonight, Bennett and Knight would take Grace so far off the grid that even her existence would be impossible to prove. That left him with a Hail Mary. Rush the woods, hoping that he'd manage to stumble across two people hiding in the dark in thousands of acres of trees and brush. The odds were ridiculously long, but he didn't see that he had a choice. If he returned empty handed it would mean the end of a very lucrative career, or worse. With one last shake of his head, Alan moved into the woods.

Keith and the team eased toward the entrance to the safe room. Blaine leaned forward to check the stairs. A quick shake of his head signaled the all clear. Without a sound, he began the climb down, Keith and the team right behind him. Slowly, one step at a time, he continued until he reached the halfway point. Once there, he signaled the team to stop and continued to the bottom alone. He needn't have been so cautious, though. The room was empty.

"They're gone," he whispered.

Keith hurried down the stairs, pushing men aside to get to the hidden crawl space.

"One of them is hurt."

Those words stopped him cold. Had him rooted to the spot as his skinned paled and his heart pounded hard in his chest.

"This t-shirt is covered in blood. Knight's t-shirt," Blaine clarified.

The room went still and quiet as the men realized the ramifications of such a discovery. If Knight was hurt, he might not be able to protect Grace. If Grace was hurt... Keith couldn't even begin to accept the possibility.

"Remember, Knight was in good enough shape to get Grace the hell out of here," Blaine pointed out.

Those words penetrated the fear clouding Keith's brain. "That's right," he finally agreed. "That means they're in the woods. And that bastard is hunting them down like animals. We have to get out there." The last was said with an edge of hysteria.

The men's eyes shifted to Blaine, waiting for orders. "Okay. Bommer and Matthews, you're for the tunnel. Crawl to the end and wait for the go ahead." The men nodded their agreement and moved toward the stairs. Gesturing now, Blaine continued. "You two, go east. The three of us will go west. We'll all meet behind the cabin. Wait for my signal before heading into the woods. Stay low and be careful. Go!"

The men rushed to obey. Bommer and Matthews disappeared into the tunnel, while the remaining men headed back upstairs. Quickly and silently, they all moved as one. Their bodies never once betraying what was preying on their minds. Keith, however, couldn't think clearly; couldn't block it out. One minute he was certain everything was going to turn out just fine. The next, he was just as certain that Caleb and Grace were going to be found dead. Keith didn't remember a time in his life when he had ever felt so helpless or afraid. He ran upstairs, heading straight for the front door. Blaine's voice stopped him.

"Wait. Let's check the infrared. Maybe we can see something."

The team crowded around the monitors, looking for any signs of life. It only took a few seconds for one of the men to call out.

"Got one heat signature. Just at the edge of the woods. Moving very slowly away from the cabin. Armed."

"One person or two?" Keith wanted to know.

"Definitely one."

"That's out target then," Blaine pointed out. "Keep your eyes on him." He turned back to the monitors. "Anybody see Knight and Grace? They've got to be out there somewhere."

Thirty seconds of absolute silence ticked by before another man finally gave a shout. "I've got them." The rest of the team rushed over to see. "They're further out than I thought they'd be. Almost a mile." He pointed to the monitor. "It looks like Knight found a place to hide. The coverage looks good. He'd be able to see what was coming without exposing himself or Grace."

"Good," Blaine murmured. "It looks like they're safe for now. All we have to do is intercept the assailant before he reaches them." He glanced at Keith before he continued. "The goal here is to spread out and surround him. We cut off his route to Grace and Caleb and any opportunity for escape." Blaine waited for confirmation from each of his men. "This ends tonight, gentlemen. Right here. Right now."
Chapter 16

Alan stopped again. Looking. Listening. Trying to pick up on anything that would confirm that he was headed in the right direction. So far, nothing. He glanced back at the cabin one last time and paused. Was that someone waiting in the shadows? Alan struggled to see clearly in the darkness. Just as he decided that he must be wrong, that the shadow he had been watching was indeed just a shadow, it began to move. And it wasn't alone. Trying not to panic, Alan turned back to the task at hand. Five minutes. He figured he could spend only five more minutes looking for Grace Bennett. If he hadn't found her by then, he would need to leave the woods without her.

Caleb could just make out a man in the distance. He was moving slowly, painfully slowly, and silently, through the trees. Methodical and dogged in his pursuit. This was the man that was after Grace. The same man that had murdered two unarmed men in cold blood. The same man that could very well be responsible for the deaths of six other people. Caleb watched him as he approached. In another five or ten minutes, he would be closing in on them. If he stayed on his present course, he would be on top of them. Caleb desperately wanted to move. He wanted to grab Grace by the hand and run. Away from this man and all that he represented. But it was too late for that now. Caleb's arm tightened around Grace's waist. In a silent show of support, she pressed her thigh against his. Then suddenly, without warning, their assailant paused, before slowly turning back toward the cabin. Peering through the leaves, Caleb watched as he stared into the darkness.

Infrared goggles in place, the team stepped out of the shadows and into the clearing. They could see their target up ahead as he continued to make slow but steady progress through the woods. With a quick nod, Blaine sent the team in all directions. They would cast a wide circle around the target before gradually moving in.

"Shit!" Alan swore quietly. He was running out of time. He could feel Bennett and his team closing in and still no sign of Knight or the woman.

They were running out of time, Caleb realized. He pulled Grace closer to whisper intimately in her ear. "Promise me. No matter what happens, you'll stay hidden." When Grace didn't comment, he persevered. "I can handle this guy, Grace, but not if I'm worried about your safety."

"Can't we both just stay here?" she whispered.

"I certainly hope so. But if that man out there doesn't cooperate, I need to know that you will." When she hesitated a second time, his temper frayed. "Dammit, Grace," he hissed. "I need your word and I need it now!"

Shocked by the desperation she could hear in Caleb's voice, Grace quickly agreed. "I promise." She felt him tense as he gently pushed her body away from his.

"Stay down now," he whispered. "No matter what."

Alan paused. Someone had been through here, he realized with a start. The ground cover had been disturbed. A few small branches broken. He turned a full three hundred and sixty degrees to examine the area. He saw several possible hiding places, but the one that looked most likely was straight ahead.

"Down!" Blaine hissed into his mic just as the target began to turn. Without hesitation, the team dropped to the ground. No one moved. No one spoke. Blaine waited a full minute before he slowly lifted his head. One inch. Two. Three, before he could make out the target. His blood ran cold at the scene before him. "Target has located Knight," he whispered. "I repeat. Target has located Knight. Move in. Silent but fast."

"Stop right there," Caleb ordered. His voice was cold and harsh in the darkness. "Put down the gun."

"I'd rather not if it's all the same to you."

"Actually," Caleb added as he stood, in hand. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to insist."

"What's to keep me from just shooting you?" He hesitated a moment before adding nastily, "Or the woman?"

"You could do that," Keith commented softly as he stepped forward. "But you'd be dead before your bullets even connect."

Alan spared a glance at the men surrounding him. They had appeared out of nowhere, all seven of them, heavily armed and deadly, their guns pointed not at his body, but at his head. He knew, without a doubt, that they would use any excuse to kill him.

Keith moved forward until the barrel of his gun was pressed into the man's skull. "If you don't lower your weapon now, I will shoot." He leaned in to whisper. "And, at this range, I couldn't possibly miss. Now could I?"

Alan knew Keith meant what he said. He coud hear it in his voice. Feel it in the tension of the gun against his head. With one final look at the men around him, Alan lowerd his gun.

Blaine moved forward to disarm, search, and restrain the gunman. Only when he was bound, did Keith and the other men lower their guns. "We'll take him back to the cabin. Call it in," he told Keith. With a gesture of his head, the men started walking. Once they were out of earshot, Blaine whispered, "You okay?"

"No," Keith shook his head. "But I will be." He looked over to see Caleb take Grace in his arms. "We will be," he corrected, "Thanks to you and your team. I owe you one."

"Don't worry," Blaine smiled. "I'll make sure I collect."

Caleb didn't relinquish his hold until Grace's trembling stopped. "You're okay, sweetheart," he whispered. "It's over." When he stepped back, he noticed Keith waiting patiently nearby. "I think there's someone else here that wants to see you." He turned her so that she could see her brother. When she smiled weakly, he stepped forward.

"Gently," Caleb warned him. "She fell earlier."

Heeding the hushed warning, Keith carefully took Grace into his arms. He held her as tightly as he dared. Tears filled his eyes at the thought of what might have been. If it hadn't been for Caleb, this might have all gone horribly wrong. Keith owed him everything.

"Thank you," he whispered as Caleb joined them.

"And you," Caleb agreed as Grace moved back into his arms. He looked up, his eyes meeting Keith's. "You know, she means as much to me as she does to you." He bent down to whisper in Grace's ear as Keith continued to watch them. Caleb didn't want to argue anymore. He just wanted to get Grace checked out and then take her home. Where she belonged.

"Bennett," Blaine called, cutting off Keith's response.

"We should go," he said instead. "Get you two back to the cabin."

Without a word to Keith, Caleb tucked Grace into his side and began to lead her through the trees. Once they reached the cabin, he guided her inside and to the sofa before he went in search of something to settle her nerves. He quickly found what he was looking for. Pouring a generous amount of brandy into a glass, he swallowed it down. It took a tremendous amount of effort to shake off the worry and fear. Grace was safe now. He needed to ignore the voices in his head that insisted on reminding him of how much worse it could have been. She was okay. Nothing would ever touch her. He'd make sure of that. Remembering the meds Grace had taken earlier; Caleb poured a significantly smaller serving into the glass and returned to her.

"Here, sweetheart. Drink this. It'll help." He knelt in front of her and waited until she drank every drop. "The ambulance is on its way. I want them to take a look at you when they get here."

"I will if you will."

"But I'm fine."

"You were shot Caleb. This, by definition, means you're not fine."

"But..."

"Nope," Grace interrupted. "If you want me to submit to an examination, you have to be willing to do the same."

"You drive a hard bargain," he teased.

The next several hours were a blur to Grace. The EMTs arrived and insisted that both Caleb and she be taken to the hospital for a more thorough exam. Blaine had two of his men accompany them. When they arrived, Caleb insisted that he and Grace stay together. The hospital tried to reason with him, citing hospital policies.

"We stay together," Caleb insisted. "No exceptions."

"Mr. Knight," the doctor started. "I assure you, Ms. Bennett is perfectly safe inside this hospital. She'll just be in the next room."

"I will not leave her. Not even for a moment."

"Mr. Knight..." the doctor pleaded. He stopped when he noted the determination and the worry in the man's eyes. Clearly, he was in love with this woman and feared for her safety. He was growing increasingly agitated at the thought of being separated from her. "Fine then," the doctor agreed. "You can stay together. We will not separate you."

"Not even for a moment."

"Not even for a moment," the doctor agreed.

Finally, the examinations began. Grace's make shift bandaging was removed to reveal the bullet holes in Caleb's arm.

"You understand, I have to report this to the police?" the doctor asked him.

"No problem. That would be them guarding the door over there."

The doctor's eyebrow arched in surprise. "Okay," he finally managed. "Let's get started."

Almost three hours later, Caleb and Grace were heading home. Caleb's wound had been cleaned and stitched and he had a prescription for antibiotics in order to avoid infection. Grace had been poked, prodded, and x-rayed incessantly. Caleb was relieved to hear that her elbow wasn't broken, nor were her ribs cracked. She was just horribly bruised. They could expect her to be sore for quite some time. He had been right when he said she'd taken the brunt of the fall. The price of trying to protect him, he was sure. The doctors had given her a prescription to help with the pain. So, after a stop at the local pharmacy and his favorite deli, they were finally pulling into his driveway. It was almost sunrise and they were hungry, sore, and tired.

"Food, meds, and a shower," Caleb suggested.

"Sounds good," Grace smiled softly.

They'd just finished eating a quick meal of fried egg sandwiches when there was a quiet knock on the door. As if their visitor was apologizing for interrupting them. Caleb got up quickly, returning with Keith and Mr. and Mrs. Bennett in tow.

"Oh baby," Mrs. Bennett was saying as she reached for Grace. "Keith told us everything." She held her daughter in her arms as her husband's came around them both. "We were so scared. We just had to come." She pulled back to look down into Grace's face. "We had to see you for ourselves."

"I'm okay, Mom. Really."

Mr. Bennett held his hand out to Caleb. "I hear, from my son, that you're the one to thank for that. I'll never be able to thank you enough for keeping our little girl safe."

"It was my honor, Sir. Ma'am. Grace means a great deal to me as well."

Keith smiled at Grace as he sat, everyone joining him at the table. He was happy to see her safe, finally. "We really won't stay long," he began. "This day has been hard on everyone. But, I think, hardest on the two of you." He waved aside their arguments and continued. "Alan Strickland. That's the name of the man that was hired to kidnap you. He washed out of the police force about eight years ago. Had trouble following the rules and keeping his mouth shut. The four years after that, he tried being a private detective. Couldn't pay his bills. His latest job is hired assassin. After searching his apartment, we found enough evidence to connect him to the deaths of at least six people in the last two years."

"If he was an assassin, why did he take the job of kidnapping Grace? That was the job, right?" asked Mr. Bennett.

"Yes, that was the job. Strickland said that once he killed the Moretti brothers, he figured it would be a piece of cake to take over their assignment and snatch Grace."

"Only I don't snatch so easily," Grace joked.

Keith smiled. "No, you don't."

"Did Strickland give you the name of the person who hired him?" Caleb asked.

"Mitchell Hayward. Ring any bells, Gracie?"

"No. None. You?"

"No. Detective Blaine's team is doing an extensive background search on him now."

"They're not going to arrest him?" Mrs. Bennett asked incredulously.

"Unfortunately, Strickland has no documentation of any kind to prove that he was hired by Hayward. No emails, phone calls, or texts. Strictly a handshake and a verbal agreement."

"Shit!" Caleb swore.

"Yeah. That's what I said," Keith agreed. "We're not giving up though. If we can't tie Hayward to Strickland, maybe we can at least tie him to the Moretti brothers. Or, maybe, even to us. Just because we don't know Hayward doesn't mean he doesn't know us." The room went silent as Keith let this new information sink in. "We should know more this afternoon. Right now, Gracie, I want you and Caleb to get some rest. Try to put all of this out of your mind. At least for a little while. I'll be back later. Until then," he turned to Caleb. "I want your promise that you'll stay put. Don't leave the house unless you hear from me."

"But I thought this was all over," Grace insisted.

Keith hated this. He did not want to be the one to break her heart. Again. "If it's true that Hayward hired Strickland, now that Strickland's been taken out of the loop, there's the very real possibility that Hayward might hire someone else." As Keith watched, Grace's skin paled and her eyes filled with fear. Her hand instinctively reached for Caleb's, clinging tightly. "I'm sorry, Gracie. I wish more than anything that it ended when we caught Strickland. But it didn't." He rested his hand on top of hers and Caleb's. "We're close, though. I can feel it. You just have to hang in there a little longer. Okay?"

"Okay."

"That's my girl," he whispered. "And now, we'll leave you to the rest of your evening. See you guys later. Caleb, take care of my sister."

"Always."

With hugs and kisses all around, Keith and his parents left.

"Okay," Caleb announced as he reentered the kitchen. "I believe meds and a shower were next."

"Way ahead of you," Grace said as she swallowed hers down. "Yours are on the counter there. Are you sure you don't need anything for pain."

"No. I'm good," Keith answered. In a move that mirrored Grace's, he took the pills, putting their glasses in the sink when he was finished. "I just want that shower and then you, in my arms."

"Deal."

He adjusted the temperature of the water as Grace began to peel off her clothes. Caleb tried not to notice but even after the night they had, he was still a man, fiercely attracted to the woman in front of him. When she winced, it sliced at him. He moved to help her, sliding her jeans and panties down her legs himself.

"Ready?"

"Yeah," Grace sighed. "I might need your help though."

"No problem, sweetheart." They stepped in together, Caleb shifting between Grace and the spray of the shower. Still, she winced again. "Maybe we should wait until your pain meds are working."

"No. I'd just rather get this over with."

"Okay. Your job is to stand there as comfortably as you can. I'll handle the rest." Grace nodded. "First, I need you wet." She couldn't help but raise her eyebrows at that. Caleb laughed. "Don't go there sweetheart. Trying to be a gentleman here."

Grace shifted so that the spray hit the uninjured side of her body. "You're doing just fine."

Caleb grabbed the bodywash she preferred and soaped his hands. He ran them slowly and gently over her back, before moving across her bottom, and down her legs. While Grace hadn't winced or flinched once, Caleb was beginning to shake. He stood abruptly. "Okay. That was side one. You're doing great." He soaped his hands again and bent to start low this time. Over her legs and hips, to her waist. Caleb took a shaky breath as Grace closed her eyes. His hands spread across her abs and up to her breasts. He could feel her heart beating hard for him. "Look at me Grace," he whispered. And he saw it. In her eyes, the same desire he felt. "Time to end this before it gets out of hand." Caleb finished quickly and held Grace's hand in his as she stepped out. "Are you going to be okay for a few minutes? I need to... cool off." She was already nodding, reaching for a towel. He turned away from her with a growl low in his throat. Without hesitation, he wrenched the hot water off and the cold to full. He swore. Loudly, creatively, and at length. Caleb stayed in the frigid water until his body finally relented. Compared to Grace's injuries, his needs seemed pretty pathetic. Yes, he wanted her. But he could damn well wait.

Finally, he shut off the water and opened the curtain. Grace stood, wrapped in a towel, smiling at him. "I think that was the sweetest, kindest thing that anyone has ever done for me."

Caleb stared after her. Had all the men she dated been selfish bastards? It certainly seemed that way. Wrapping his own towel around his waist, he joined her in the bedroom.

"I just realized. I don't have any of my clothes here."

"No problem. I'm sure we can find you something." Caleb searched through his dresser until he found an oversized t-shirt. Grace dropped the towel and let him slip the shirt over her head. "Why don't you go ahead and climb in bed. I'm just going to toss our clothes in the washer, so you'll have something to wear later."

"Thanks," Grace mumbled as she drifted towards the bed. The pain meds were definitely kicking in now. She figured she'd better lie down before she fell down. It took her a few tries to learn that she needed to lie on her uninjured side. Lying on her back made her ribs scream in protest. Now that she was comfortable, sort of, she would just close her eyes until Caleb got back.

She was asleep when he walked into the bedroom. Loathed to disturb her, Caleb quietly turned off the lights and slipped in bed beside her. Shifting to his side, he moved in behind her.

"There you are," Grace murmured. "Closer."

Caleb smiled in the dark. He shifted again, until his body was pressed firmly into hers. His hand came around to rest intimately on her hip.

"Mmmm. Nice."

He almost groaned at that. "Say good night, Gracie," he teased.

"Good night, Gracie." Smiling, Caleb let himself follow her into sleep.
Chapter 17

"Mitchell Hayward, twenty-three. The only son of Camilla and Elliot Hayward. Sister Sara, twenty-one. The father, Elliot, got in on the ground floor of laptop development in the early eighties. Made tons of money. A multi-millionaire by the time he was thirty. He met his wife Camilla on the way to making his fortune. They married and had Mitchell within the first year. Sara came along two years later. Mitchell grew up in the lap of luxury. All the best schools, trips around the world, cars, horses, partying. He went to Daddy's alma mater. Majored in business. Officially went to work in the family company as soon as he graduated. When Elliott died a few months ago, he left his shares in the company to be divided equally among his wife and children. This leaves Camilla with controlling interest and Mitchell a very close second. People he works with describe him as organized, methodical, and driven. Off the record, they'll admit he also has an air of entitlement about him. So, in a nut shell - a smart, narcissistic, rich boy."

"And what does he have to do with us?" Grace asked.

"We don't know yet. The team is still digging. We're looking into his financials now. If he's been paying people to commit crimes for him, there's going to be a money trail. We're also checking his phone records. If he was smart, he used a burn phone. But, you never know. Sometimes the cocky ones are the ones that make the most mistakes."

"What about the family?" Caleb wondered.

"I assigned a couple of men to look into the mother and daughter. Strickland doesn't think they were involved. He certainly never met them or talked to them." He turned to Grace. "Is it possible that you know or have met any of the Hayward family?"

"I don't know them. But I guess it's possible that they may have come into Remember Yesterday. Maybe if you had pictures...?"

Silently, Keith handed her the file in his hand. Grace wasn't sure why, but suddenly she was nervous. Shaking off the weird mood, she took the file and rested it across her knees. Caleb's hand snuck out to rest on the small of her back. The first photo was a family portrait. A wealthy, dignified family in coordinated formal wear. Camilla was elegant and lovely. Elliot, clearly the man in charge. Sara was just as beautiful as her mother, but with a gleam in her eyes that made Grace wonder if she was a handful. Finally, she looked at Mitchell. Intense was the first word that came to mind. She leaned in close to study his eyes. Did she imagine that look? Like he had some sort of secret. Either way, he left her with an eerie feeling. Caleb was the first to speak.

"I don't like that look in his eyes."

"Me neither," agreed Keith. "Not the kind of guy I'd feel comfortable turning my back on."

"Exactly."

The remaining photos were candids. Family trips, sporting events, business functions. In every photo, Grace couldn't help but notice that Mitchell came off as haughty and separate. Even amongst his family and friends, he appeared... isolated. "I don't know them. That's a certainty. I don't think they've been into the shop either. I'm pretty sure I'd remember them. They're all... distinct in their own way."

"Yeah. I thought the same thing. They don't look at all familiar."

Caleb took the file from Grace. Going through the pictures again, there was one of Camilla alone, laughing in the sunshine. It pulled at him. He wasn't sure why.

"What is it?" Keith asked when he noticed Caleb's reaction.

"I don't know. Maybe nothing." He studied it a moment longer before putting it aside. "So... are you going to bring him in for questioning?"

"In the morning. I want to give the team a little more time to see what they can uncover."

"What if Hayward finds out about Strickland and takes off?"

"I've got a team on him. He can't make a move without us."

Grace nodded, reassured.

"When you bring him in and question him, I want to be there," Caleb insisted.

"This isn't a spectator's sport, Caleb. I can't do that."

"I want to be there," he repeated. "If you're not willing to help me, I'll ask someone else."

Keith studied him for a moment. He knew that look. Caleb was prepared to do anything, absolutely anything, to get his way.

"Okay." When Caleb started to grin, Keith cut him off. "Just to watch. At no time will you come face to face with Mitchell Hayward. Do you understand me?"

He hesitated. If Mitchell Hayward was the one who hired Strickland, Caleb wanted a piece of him. But he also knew Keith. If he pushed him too far, Keith would push back. Hard. "Okay," he reluctantly agreed. "Just to watch."

Keith's phone began to ring. "Bennett... Follow but keep your distance. I don't want to spook this guy... I'm on my way." He disconnected. "Hayward is on the move. He had his secretary reschedule his meetings for the rest of the week. Told her he had something that he had to take care of that couldn't wait. We're going to follow him. See where he leads us." He knelt in front of Grace. "I think this is what we've been waiting for. He's broken his routine. That's pretty significant for someone like him."

"You be careful. Okay? If you get yourself hurt after we've gotten through the hard part, I'm going to kick your ass."

Keith smiled. "Yes ma'am." With one last look at them both, he rushed out.

Caleb took Grace's hands in his as they heard the front door slam shut. "Now all we have to do is wait." He watched Grace grimace. "Not my strong suit either. So..." He stood, pulling her gently to her feet. "I suggest we keep ourselves entertained. It will make the time go faster."

"An evening in bed?"

"Don't tempt me woman. I want you so desperately that I swear even my teeth ache."

"Then why don't you..."

Caleb put a finger to her lips. "I'm begging you. Don't tease me, Grace. Not when you're in so much pain. Don't bother denying it," he added when she opened her mouth to protest. He cupped her face in his hands. "I don't want to do anything that might make it worse for you." He kissed her softly. "So we'll wait. And then, when you're feeling better, we'll take that trip we talked about." Caleb caressed her cheek. "And we'll make up for lost time."

The next morning, Grace and Caleb were snuggled together on the couch. They had decided on another movie day. It would keep their minds occupied and give their bodies much needed rest. Thirty minutes into the first movie, Grace fell asleep, lulled by Caleb's strong arms around her and the steady beat of his heart. Caleb sighed contently. Even though he would have preferred a day of mind-blowing sex, he was surprised to find that this day was a very close second.

When the phone rang, Caleb snatched it up, hoping against hope that it didn't disturb Grace. No such luck. Even before he could say hello, she was sitting up, alert, and listening.

"Knight."

"We're bringing him in for questioning."

"When?"

"Right now."

"We're on our way." Caleb disconnected. "It's time, sweetheart. Do you still want to do this?"

"Absolutely. If Mitchell Hayward was the one that started all of this, I want to hear why. From his own lips."

"Let's go."

Keith had already warned them, repeatedly, not to say a word. They weren't to answer any questions or make any comments. They were to remain as silent and invisible as possible. And, at no time, were they to engage directly with the suspect. Giving them one last reminder, Keith led them into the taping room. There was already a man in place, working the recorders. Through the two-way mirror, Grace could see Mitchell Hayward sitting at a table facing them. He looked confident and calm. Like he hadn't a care in the world. Not in the least like a man who had just been dragged into a police station to be interrogated. As they watched, Detective Blaine and his partner entered the room. Caleb slipped his arm around Grace.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Hayward. My name is Detective Blaine. This is Detective Page. Before we get started, I just want to confirm that you've been advised of your rights?"

"Yes."

"And you understand those rights?"

"Of course."

"Very good. Then we can begin."

"Begin what? I'm still not sure why I'm here."

Detective Blaine ignored the question. "Mitchell Elliot Hayward. Son of Camilla and Elliot Hayward. Sister, Sara."

"Yes," Hayward started to interrupt.

"Attended all the best private schools in the state. Graduated from college with a degree in business."

"Right again. What..."

"Went to work at Daddy's company after graduation." Detective Blaine noticed a slight flash of impatience in Hayward's eyes. "You made a little splash there, didn't you? Screwed up the first couple of projects you were in charge of. Daddy had to bail you out. But you finally got the hang of it. Started to garner a little attention for your work. Things were looking up." He paused, just long enough for Hayward to relax. "And then, a few months ago, your father passed away."

"Yes."

"His shares in the company were split three ways." Detective Blaine referred to the file in his hand. "Now Mom has controlling interest. Isn't that right?"

"Yes. Technically speaking. But the board..."

"Which means," Blaine cut him off again. "You answer to Mommy now. Back to square one, wouldn't you say?" He watched now as Hayward tried to control his temper.

"I'm not a child," he insisted petulantly. "I'm the Chief Executive Officer."

"CEO?" Blaine repeated. "Wow, that's pretty high up on the food chain, isn't it?"

Now Hayward beamed. "Yes, it is."

"But still second to Mommy."

"She only has a few more shares than me. It's not that big a deal."

"But it's those few shares, as you put it, that are the difference between telling people what to do and doing what you're told." Hayward's eyes were slits now as he glared at the detectives. "There is good news though. All you have to do is put in a few years until Mommy retires. After that, you'll be running the whole show."

Now Hayward was smug. "Exactly."

"I bet you'll be a millionaire before you're twenty-five."

"Definitely."

"Unless, of course, Mommy dearest, puts someone else in charge. Maybe your brother, for instance."

"But I don't have..."

"Sure you do. The twins your mother had before you were born." He watched as Hayward clinched his teeth. "I didn't think it was a secret. After all, she's hired a detective to find them. Surely, you knew that."

"Of course."

"And you hired one of your own."

"I beg your pardon."

"A detective. You hired one of your own." Blaine tossed Strickland's picture on the table between them.

"You think I hired that... man?"

"We know you hired him."

"I've never even seen that man before. What makes you think I hired him?"

"Well... actually... a number of things. First, there is the matter of the money. Twenty-five thousand dollars to be exact. You removed it, in cash, from your account, on the fifteenth."

"So." Petulance was back.

"Later that same day, Alan Strickland, the man you say you've never met, deposited that same amount, in cash, into his own bank account."

"Coincidence."

Detective Blaine tossed a second photo of Alan Strickland onto the table. In this one, Strickland sat in a booth at a local dive on the outskirts of town. Only this time, Strickland wasn't alone. Sitting across the table from him was none other than Mitchell Hayward. "What no comment?"

"You think I hired this man to find my mother's bastard children?"

"I think he may have been part of it, yes. Along with this man." Detective Blaine tossed another photo on the table. "Mac Williamson. Mac and I had a nice long talk over a cup of coffee yesterday. He told me that because of the adoption procedures in the eighties, your case was one of the most frustrating he's ever worked. The laws in Georgia at that time made it impossible to pinpoint which twins born in 1986 were your mother's children. Williamson said he hated having to report that to you. Said you looked... discouraged at the news. That's why he gave you the list."

"The...list?" Hayward stammered.

"Yeah. Apparently, even though Williamson couldn't be specific, he had at least narrowed the possibilities down to five sets of twins. Five sets of boy/girl twins born in Georgia in the right year. He seemed fairly confident that your mother's children were on that list." Little beads of perspiration broke out on Hayward's forehead. "Williamson gave you a copy of that list."

Hayward scoffed. "He most certainly did not."

Detective Blaine threw a typed list onto the table. It landed on top of the photos, directly in front of Hayward. "That copy of the list came from your home computer."

"You searched my mother's house? How dare you! That's..."

Detective Blaine cut him off. "Not your mother's house, Hayward. The apartment you keep in the city. The one no one seems to know about. My team and I searched it this morning." He leaned in close. "We found all sorts of interesting information when we were there."

"You can't search my house without probable cause. I know the law."

"According to a judge, I did have probable cause." He tapped the paper on the table. "It seems three sets of twins from that list have been kidnapped and murdered recently."

Hayward began to shake now. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"I seriously doubt that. You see, we've had our forensic accountant take a look at your bank records. It seems you've made a habit of withdrawing large sums of cash. And every time you do, there is a matching deposit of cash that same day."

"Coincidence."

"Yeah. You said that before. But, since Williamson gave you the list, you've also met with three other men, in three different remote locations." Detective Blaine tossed more photos onto the table. "And do you know the occupation of these three men?"

"No," Hayward whispered.

"Well, you see. These three... gentlemen are men for hire. They'll do anything they're asked. As long as the price is right." He leaned in close. "They're the lowest of men. The scum of society." He paused. "And you hired them. You hired them to locate, abduct, and murder the Johnsons, the Hales, and the Martins." Hayward shook his head violently, pushing the photos away again. "Now, to be perfectly honest, I'm not convinced that's what you set out to do. I'm sure all you planned to do was talk to the Johnsons. You were trying to find out what they knew. If they were your mother's missing children. Only they didn't answer your questions. They couldn't. They didn't know anything about their pasts. But by then it was too late. You'd committed a crime - abducting and holding the two of them against their will. You couldn't just let them go. Could you?"

Hayward shook his head again.

"But... a little more money and your problem disappeared, didn't it? After all, it's not as if you killed the Johnsons yourself. All you did was talk to them. Right? Asked questions. And when you didn't get the answers you wanted, you just moved down the list. Still looking for your mother's children. You just wanted to find the truth. You owed that to your father. I bet he wouldn't have wanted strangers coming in, trying to take over the company he worked so hard to build."

"No he wouldn't," Hayward agreed.

"So, you have been systematically eliminating the threat. Who could blame you?" he murmured conspiratorially. "I mean, your mother seems to have forgotten all about your father and what he wanted."

"All she cares about now are her precious twins! Doesn't she get it? What if one or both of them decide to sue for part of my father's company. We could lose everything!"

"She might not understand the danger, but you do. Don't you, Hayward? The harder she looks, the longer she pursues this, the greater the risk to your family."

"Somebody had to stop her!"

"And you were just the guy for the job."

"I tried to explain things to her! Even to Sara. But they just didn't get it! All they can see is a fairytale reunion," Hayward said in disgust. "So, I took care of it."

"Eliminating the twins eliminates the threat to your father's company."

"Exactly! I did what I had to do. Everything my father worked for was at risk!"

"You hired the Moretti brothers to kidnap Grace Bennett," Detective Blaine challenged. He watched and waited as Mitchell Hayward contemplated. Blaine recognized the moment Hayward decided to tell the truth. He sat up straighter. Straightened his jacket and tie. And his eyes went cold and hard.

"Yes, I did. She and her brother were next on the list."

"But the Moretti brothers failed."

"Yes. That meant they had to be eliminated too. Strickland accepted that job. He was so efficient and professional that I gave him the job of kidnapping Grace Bennett."

"But not her brother?"

"The man's a Secret Service agent. I knew he'd be virtually untouchable." Hayward leaned back in his chair, crossed his legs, and folded his hands in his lap. "The weak link was clearly the sister. Kidnap her and he'd fall right in line."

"Except she proved harder to kidnap than you originally thought."

"Obviously."

"Can I ask then, why didn't you just move down the list?"

"I guess I like a challenge." Hayward reached out to sift through the photos, finally locating the ones of Grace and Keith. "Besides, there's something about these two. Particularly the woman." He leaned in to look more carefully. "She has my mother's eyes." He tossed the photos back on the table. "I think I'm going to regret starting at the top of that list." He glanced at Grace's photo again. "Maybe I should have started with her."

"That's it," Keith announced quietly. "We've heard enough. It's time to go."

Grace felt numb. She had stood here for the past thirty minutes and watched as Mitchell Hayward calmly explained to the police why he had systematically kidnapped and murdered six people. And why he had eliminated two others for poor job performance. He had shown absolutely no remorse. His only regret was that he wished he had started with her. Jesus!

Caleb took her hand in his. Bending down, he whispered in her ear. "Let me take you home, sweetheart."

Grace nodded. Her eyes on the floor. "Get her out of here," Keith insisted. "I'm going to stick around a little longer. See if I can find out anything more. I'll join you two later. Your place?" Caleb nodded. Taking Keith's outstretched hand, he pulled him close in that half hug that men are so fond of. He used the proximity to whisper one last thing to Keith. "She needs to know if that monster in there is her brother. You both do. The sooner you know, the sooner you can get past it."

"I agree," Keith murmured. He turned to his sister next. "Stay with Caleb, Gracie. I shouldn't be too long."

"No problem," she whispered.

"And I'd appreciate it if you guys stayed under the radar until we're sure this is over."

With one last nod for Keith, Caleb wrapped his arm around Grace's waist and led her from the room. He could feel the tension in her body as she struggled to hold herself together. Desperately afraid that she'd lose that struggle before they made it to the car, Grace kept her eyes on the ground and let Caleb lead her slowly out of the building.

"Almost there, sweetheart." He opened her door quickly when they arrived, handing her into the car, and rushing to join her. Caleb had barely closed the door behind him, when the first whimper escaped Grace's lips. Without a word, he pulled her into his arms. Her body trembled uncontrollably as the tears came. Hot, bitter, angry tears accompanied by wracking sobs that ripped at him. Caleb's heart broke just listening to her grief. With one hand buried in her hair, his lips close to her ear, he held on tight.

Caleb wasn't sure how long they sat there, but slowly her tears ceased and her breathing steadied. Still holding on tight, he reached for the handkerchief in his back pocket. She took it thankfully, wiping her tear-streaked face as she pulled back.

"Thank you," Grace murmured. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have cried all over you like that."

Caleb tilted her face up to his. He brushed aside the last of her tears. "I'm glad you did. I want to be the one you turn to, Grace. With everything. The good and the bad. No exceptions." She looked a little startled and Caleb had to remind himself to tread carefully. "Okay?" he asked gently. When she nodded, he kissed her softly. "Let's get you home then." When Grace sat with her back to the seat, Caleb reached over and buckled her seatbelt himself. And once he was on the road driving toward home, he took her hand in his, weaving their fingers together intimately.

"Here we are," he began twenty minutes later. "Iced tea and a grilled cheese sandwich." Grace took the plate and glass he offered. "My mom always made me grilled cheese when I needed cheering up. I know it sounds weird, but it always seemed to help. At least a little."

"Thank you," Grace whispered. "It looks delicious."

"I hope you think so once you've tasted it. But first..." He reached into his front shirt pocket and pulled out her pain medication. Before he could even open the bottle, Grace stopped him.

"I don't think I need anything right now."

"You missed your last dose, sweetheart. It should have been hours ago. I know you're in pain. I can see it in your eyes." When she continued to hesitate, he asked one last time. "Please Grace." Without another word, she held out her hand.

They ate together in silence after that. Caleb kept hoping that Grace would talk to him. Tell him what she was thinking and feeling. He was worried about her. She seemed lost and alone. "Why don't you stretch out on the sofa for a little while?"

"I will. If you agree to stay with me."

"Of course. If that's what you want."

"I need to feel your arms around me."

Grace needed him. In what was probably one of the most difficult times of her life, she wanted and needed him. Caleb felt his heart racing in his chest. It was beating so hard and fast that he couldn't trust his own voice. Instead, he stretched out on the sofa and pulled Grace down to join him. He tucked her in close, chest-to-chest, legs entwined. And when she rested her hand over his heart and sighed, Caleb fell. Head over heels, irrevocably, irretrievably... in love. The air backed up in his lungs and his heart beat even harder.

Grace snuggled in closer, deeper. Whispering so quietly he almost missed it. "Thanks. You're exactly what I need."

You have no idea, Caleb thought, as he tightened his hold and closed his eyes.
Chapter 18

Caleb heard the knock on the front door a few hours later but there wasn't a force in heaven or hell that could convince him to let go of Grace even for a moment. If it was Keith at the door, he rationalized; he would use the key Caleb gave him years ago. Three knocks later, there was the distinct sound of a key turning in the lock. Caleb turned his head to greet Keith and was startled to see him creep around the corner, gun drawn. Caleb raised his eyebrows at him. "Paranoid much?"

Keith shrugged, holstering his weapon. "It's been a hell of a couple of weeks. Give me a break." He moved across the room and bent down to get a closer look at his sister. "How's she doing? She looks like she's been crying."

"It's been a hell of a couple of weeks. Remember?"

Keith nodded. "I need a drink." He stood to cross to the bar. "You?"

"No. I'm good here."

"Yeah. I can see that." He poured and drank before adding. "Anything you need to discuss with me?"

Caleb shook his head. "No."

"No?"

"You're her brother not her father, Keith."

"He forgets that sometimes," Grace mumbled.

"I do not."

"Liar." Gingerly, she shifted herself to a seated position. "How long have I been out?" she asked Caleb.

"Not long. Couple hours."

"It's those pain meds you forced on me. They make me sleepy."

"Too bad. So sad," answered Caleb, completely unrepentant. "Right now, your body needs the meds and the extra sleep. If you won't make sure you get those things, I will."

Grace cocked her head at him. After a moment of absolute silence, she decided to let it go. "Help me up, would you?" she asked instead. "I'm stiff from lying here so long."

"What do you need?" Keith asked anxiously. "I'll get it for you."

"I'm just going to the bathroom. I think I can handle it."

Keith blushed, embarrassed as he held out a hand to help her steady herself.

"Not a word until I come back. Understood?" He nodded as she slowly made her way across the room. As soon as she had disappeared down the hallway, he turned to Caleb. "How's she really doing?"

"It's been a little rough, but she's handling it. I have a feeling she's stronger than any of us could have ever imagined."

"She's going to need to be."

When Grace returned, a few minutes later, Keith and Caleb were silently waiting for her. She took one look at their faces and said, "Well, this obviously can't be good." Once she had settled in next to Caleb, she looked at her brother. Whatever he had to tell her was hurting him. She could see the pain of it in his eyes. For his sake, as much as for hers, she spoke first. "Just say it Keith. Don't drag it out. Don't try to sugar coat it." She tried a smile. "Remember, it's like ripping off a Band-Aid. Say it fast. Then it's done."

Keith lifted his eyes to lock on hers. "Mitchell Hayward is our half brother. His mother, Camilla Hayward, was our biological mother. She's the one who gave us up for adoption all those years ago."

"So, he was right. If he had only started with me..."

"Don't!" Caleb hissed.

"But those people, all of them, died because he was looking for me. For us," she amended as she looked at Keith. "That makes us responsible."

"No hell it doesn't," argued Keith. "We are not responsible for the actions of that little monster any more than his sister and mother are. Yes, we were the intended victims. But that doesn't mean if he had found us first, killed us first, that he would have spared the others. He had to kill everyone on that list. It was the only way to know for certain that his mother's twins were dead." He wrapped his hands around hers. "The order stopped being important as soon as he killed the Johnsons. It was then, he said, that he realized he had to kill us all. Otherwise, he could never be sure if he had eliminated the threat."

"Oh my God! He said that?"

"That and a whole lot more. During our entire conversation, Hayward showed no distress or remorse. He really seems to think that his actions were justified."

"Did he know who you were?" Caleb asked.

"Only that I'm Keith Bennett, Grace's brother. If he knows anything else, he didn't let on."

"But he suspects. That much is clear," Caleb insisted. Keith nodded.

"Has his family been told?"

"Yes."

"How awful! I can't even imagine what must be going through their minds. It's one thing for us to accept that Mitchell Hayward is our half brother. We didn't know him. But..." She looked up at Keith, tears filling her eyes. "They love him. His mother raised him. His sister grew up with him. The man they thought they knew must be very different from the man who committed these crimes. How are they supposed to live with that? How is Camilla Hayward supposed to live with the fact that her son killed eight people?"

"And that his primary goal was to kill his own brother and sister?"

"As hard as this is for us to accept, it's nothing compared to what those two women are going through right now."

The room fell silent. Each of them lost in their own thoughts. Keith, who had simply felt relief when they first caught Mitchell Hayward, was now torn between that relief and a weird sense of guilt. He had helped capture his own brother. How would Camilla Hayward feel about that? Would she hate him for doing what he had to do?

"Does she know about us?" Grace asked quietly. "Does Camilla Hayward know who we are?"

"Yes." He heard her breath hiss between her teeth. Watched as Caleb pulled her closer. "She came into the station. With her daughter. Detective Blaine told them everything." He took a deep breath before he continued. "They cried, Gracie. It broke their hearts to hear what he had done."

"Do the Bennetts know?" Caleb wondered. "Do they know that the man responsible for all this death and grief is your half brother?"

"No." Keith looked at his sister. "I was hoping we could tell Mom and Dad together."

"As much as I want to say no, we need to tell them before they find out some other way."

"I agree. And since they've invited us all to dinner, I suggest we get it over with tonight."

"Are you sure?" Eleanor Bennett asked. "Are you sure that Mitchell Hayward is really your half brother?"

"Yes. I'm sure."

"And he did all of this because he was afraid the two of you, if found, would try to take his father's company?" Marshall Bennett clarified.

"Yes. He had convinced himself that we were a threat."

"But that doesn't make any sense."

"No, Ma'am. It doesn't," answered Caleb. "But he believed, maybe still believes, that the only way to save his father's company was to make sure Camilla Hayward never found her children."

"And the fact that he would have to murder ten people to be sure, didn't matter to him?"

"No, Dad. It didn't. Still doesn't. He shows absolutely no remorse for his actions."

"That poor woman," murmured Eleanor. "To know that your own child is capable of such horrific brutality. I can't imagine what that must be like. She's already been through so much. It just doesn't seem fair."

"No it doesn't," whispered Keith.

Determined to lift the mood in the room, Marshall looked to his wife for help. "As sorry as I am for what Camilla Hayward and her daughter are going through," he began, "It's not going to keep me from celebrating the fact that the three of you are alive and safe now."

"I agree," Eleanor smiled. "With that in mind, we made some of your favorites. Hamburgers, potato salad, and glazed baby carrots."

"Dessert?" Keith asked hopefully.

"Everybody's favorites. Carrot cake for Grace, apple pie for your father, and of course, chocolate cake for you, Keith. Next time Caleb; we can make your favorite, too."

"You already did, Mrs. Bennett."

"Eleanor."

"Eleanor," he nodded. "My favorite would definitely be the apple pie."

"See! I knew I liked this boy," announced Marshall. "He's got good taste."

"In more than just desserts," teased Eleanor.

Caleb smiled while Grace blushed to the roots of her hair.

Keith stood. "I'm grabbing a beer. Caleb? Dad?"

"I'll get my own," volunteered Marshall. "I'm heading out to heat up the grill."

"I'll take a beer," answered Caleb.

"I'm going to pour myself a glass of wine while I finish the rest of the dinner preparations," Eleanor announced. "I'll bring you one too, Grace. Just relax with your guest."

"Thanks Mom."

"She'll have to decline the wine, though," Caleb corrected.

Eleanor stopped, looking from her daughter, to Caleb, and back again.

"You can't mix alcohol with your pain medication, Grace." When she started to interrupt, he put one finger on her lips to stop her. "And you already agreed to take the meds." He twisted his wrist to glance at his watch. "Which you're due for anyway. I'll get you something else to drink." Not giving her a chance to challenge him, Caleb stood and headed toward the kitchen.

"Grace?" Eleanor asked. "I thought you weren't seriously injured."

"I'm not, Mom. I promise. I'm fine."

"Then why do you have pain medication?"

"Because she fell down a flight of stairs."

"Caleb!"

"What? You actually thought you were going to get this past her? Oh, come on. She's a mom. They know things." He rejoined her on the sofa, handing her a glass of water and the meds. Eleanor waited while she swallowed the pills and Caleb pocketed the bottle.

"Is anything broken?"

"No. Just bruises. I promise."

Eleanor pursed her lips. "I've never heard of taking prescription pain medication for 'just bruises'. Show me."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me, Grace. I want to see."

"You expect me to strip right here?"

Eleanor watched her, silent and disapproving. "Grace."

Accepting defeat, Grace stood. "I really am okay. I just need a little time to heal." She winced as she reached behind her.

"Here, let me help you sweetheart." Caleb unbuttoned and unzipped her skirt. He guided it to the floor, supporting Grace as she stepped out of it.

"Oh baby! Those look awful. And painful." Eleanor stepped close. "Are there more?" Grace nodded. "Let's see then. Please."

Caleb helped her with her t-shirt. Slowly peeling it up and over her head.

Eleanor closed her eyes for a moment. She didn't want to make things worse by crying. Her Grace was fine. She was alive and strong. She would be okay.

"Mom?"

"I'm okay. Just shocked. It hurts to see you like this." Eleanor forced herself to finish the examination. At the heavy, black bruise on her daughter's ribs, she asked, "Are you sure you didn't break your ribs?"

"We're sure," Caleb answered. "The doctors at the hospital took x-rays. Nothing's broken." His hand rested on Grace's hip as he spoke. "She really is going to be okay, Eleanor. Grace just needs time."

Eleanor nodded. "Thank you. Both of you," she emphasized. "For not hiding it from me."

"I don't want you to worry Mom. I'm going to be fine." She stepped back into her skirt as she spoke, allowing Caleb to pull it up and over her hips, zipping, and buttoning it into place.

"I know. I'm not worried. Caleb seems to be taking good care of you."

Grace smiled. "He is."

"Arms up, sweetheart," Caleb murmured.

Eleanor watched as he gently pulled the shirt over Grace's head, slid her arms through the sleeves, and then tugged it down to cover her torso. When she was dressed, Caleb smiled down at her. Eleanor saw something in his eyes. Something she had never seen in a man's eyes when looking at her daughter.

"Mom!" Keith called from the patio. "Dad wanted me to let you know that the grill is ready and waiting."

"That's my cue. I need to take the hamburgers out to him." With a quick kiss on Grace's cheek, she was gone.

"I think she took that pretty well," Caleb observed. He took Grace gently in his arms. "I thought, in the beginning, that she was going to lose it." He bent to kiss her cheek. "I should have known that she was tough like you."

"She's the strongest person I know."

Caleb smiled on the way to Grace's lips. His hands flowed over her body until they buried themselves in her hair. Tilting her face up to his, his tongue came out to tease, until she opened for him. And when she did, Caleb sank in. As Grace's hands slid up and around his neck, he took advantage and pressed her body firmly into his. Caleb moaned, his hands tightening in her hair, even as his brain tried to tell him to let go. When his hands began to drift down to her waist and around to her bottom, Grace intervened.

"I remind you, we're not alone here." Caleb growled in frustration. "On the plus side, dinner should be excellent."

"I'd much rather have you," he whispered seductively. Grace smiled shyly. "But... if you give me your word that we can pick up where we left off later..."

"I think I could be persuaded."

"I look forward to it." Caleb bent low over her hand, kissing it with a flourish. He was delighted when Grace giggled. It was the first time she had laughed in days. Tucking her hand in his, he led her to the patio.

Grace waited until after dinner. She watched nervously as Eleanor and Marshall brought out all the desserts, arranging them across the table. Once everyone was served, she made her announcement.

"I want to meet Mitchell Hayward." Forks clattered as four sets of eyes stared at her in disbelief.

"Excuse me," Eleanor finally managed.

Grace took a bite of carrot cake before she answered. "I want to meet Mitchell Hayward. Face-to-face." She smiled and took another quick bite.

"Are you sure you really want to do that?" Marshall asked.

"What do you mean; does she want to do that?" Keith exploded. "You aren't seriously considering letting her anywhere near that little bastard, are you? Are you mad?"

"Not that I'm aware of," his father answered calmly. "But, in case you haven't noticed, your sister is a grown woman. If she thinks this is something she has to do, then our job is to support her."

"Support my ass!"

"Keith!"

"It's okay, Mom. This is pretty much what I expected. You see," Grace glared at her brother. "Keith is determined to treat me like I'm still ten years old."

"Well, when you act like a ten year old, you leave me no choice."

"Nice. Real nice," she hissed. "Somehow I knew you wouldn't understand."

"What I understand is that you want to expose yourself to a psychotic murderer. Unnecessarily."

"Not unnecessarily. This is something I need to do."

"No, you don't," Keith corrected. "You absolutely do not need to do this, Gracie. Trust me."

"Maybe you could trust me," Grace pleaded.

Hoping to defuse the situation Caleb jumped in. "Keith. You can't decide for Grace. This is her decision. Hers alone."

"Oh great! You too." Keith started to stand, but was caught short when Caleb's hand shot out to stop him.

"I know you don't want to hear this,"

"Your damn right I don't. She..."

"Stop it!" Caleb snapped. "Close your mouth and listen to what your sister is trying to say to you." Caleb held strong when Keith tried to pull away. "This is important to her."

Grace watched as Keith struggled. He knew he should support her decision. During his career, he had seen firsthand how facing their demons was very cathartic for victims. And if it were anyone but Gracie, he would have already agreed. But it wasn't anyone. Keith took a deep breath, letting it out slowly before he finally turned to her.

"I don't like this," he repeated. "But I do get it." His hand reached out to cover hers. "I understand the need to face him. And..." Another deep breath. "I'll help you get in to see him." Grace started to smile. "Wait! You may not want to celebrate just yet. There is one non-negotiable condition. I'm going with you."

"So I am," Caleb insisted. Keith was not the least bit surprised by his declaration.

"And never, not even for a second, will you be alone with him. Understood?" Caleb added.

Grace nodded. She had managed to get both Keith and Caleb to agree with her. She wasn't about to tempt fate by arguing about their conditions.
Chapter 19

"I don't know about you," Grace began, as she slipped off her shoes and collapsed onto Caleb's sofa, "But I sure am looking forward to getting back to my life. These last couple of weeks have been trying."

"Meaning?"

Her head snapped up at the tone in Caleb's voice. He sounded... annoyed. "I just meant that it will be nice to go out in public without worrying about someone trying to kidnap me."

Silence.

"And I'm looking forward to getting back to work. I've missed my store." More silence. "I'm sure you're looking forward to getting back to your life too. Work. Family. Friends."

"It sounds like you have this all figured out."

"Um, yeah. I guess." Except the part where I don't know how you feel about me.

Caleb couldn't believe what he was hearing. Pain and anger sliced at him. How was he supposed to go back to his life if Grace wasn't in it?

"Um. I guess I should thank you."

"Excuse me?"

"Well, if it wasn't for you agreeing to do a favor for Keith, there's no telling how this would have ended." She paused, hoping Caleb would say this was more than a favor for a friend. "Actually, who am I kidding? We both know how this would have turned out. I would have been kidnapped and murdered," she stated matter-of-factly.

"Don't!" he hissed. Grace's eyes shifted nervously to his. "Please, don't." Just the thought of losing her like that had his heart racing painfully.

"I'm only trying to explain how grateful I am."

"I don't want your gratitude."

Now she was angry. "Well, you have it anyway, so you might try being civil about it."

"I'm not feeling particularly civil at the moment."

"Yeah, got that. Thanks," she added sarcastically.

"Wait. I just meant..."

"I know what you meant. You've made your feelings perfectly clear."

"I'm not sure that I have."

"It's okay, Caleb. Don't worry about it." She turned away from him. "It doesn't matter."

Fear had him reaching out. He swung Grace around to face him. "Like hell it doesn't matter. It all matters. We matter," he insisted.

"We?"

"Yes. We." He stared at her in disbelief. Could she really think that, after all they'd been through together, that he'd just walk away? When he said as much to Grace, her answer stunned him.

"Men have been known to say things, in the heat of the moment, that they don't mean," she murmured.

"Jesus! What kind of men did you know before me?" When she started to answer, he cut her off. "On second thought, don't answer that. Just the thought of some other man..." He left the statement unfinished.

"What are you trying to say to me, Caleb? What is it you want?"

"I thought I said it before, Grace. But, apparently, I didn't make myself clear. I'd be more than happy to be specific about how I feel." He smiled softly. "And, of course, what I want. But you have to be willing to do the same. I want to know how you feel and what you want."

"What if we don't feel the same way or want the same things?"

"We'll deal with it." Like hell, we will, Caleb thought. If Grace didn't want what he wanted, he would just have to convince her.

She pulled away from him to pace as she thought. There was a very good chance that all Caleb wanted was a casual relationship. It had been her experience that most men thought they wanted an exclusive, long-term relationship, until they actually had one. The last man in Grace's life told her, after two years of dating, that he didn't know if he ever wanted to marry her. She had been devastated. What if Caleb felt the same way? What if she was good enough to sleep with but not good enough for anything else? She didn't want to go through that again. She didn't want to love another man more than he loved her. Grace took a deep breath before finally turning back to Caleb.

"Okay," she sighed. "If you can be specific about how you feel and what you want, so can I." She tried a smile. "But if you'd go first, I'd really appreciate it."

"No problem, sweetheart." Caleb could see how nervous she was. And, oddly enough, it was her fear that alleviated his. "As far as what I want, that's simple enough." He took her hands in his. "I want you."

Grace smiled. "That much I figured out on my own."

"Well, I'm not really known for my subtlety."

"Somehow, I knew that too."

"Now, to add some specifics. When I say I want you, I mean body, mind, and heart. All of you." He took a deep breath. This was the hardest part. "Exclusively. Intimately. Completely." He pulled her in tight. "I figure the next fifty to sixty years should be a good start." Now she was openly gaping at him. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Grace. I want to grow old with you."

"Why?" she asked, her voice barely more than a whisper.

Caleb smiled. "Because I love you."

"You love me?"

"Beyond all doubt or measure." He stopped there, thinking he had said more than enough at this point. Perhaps more than he should have. Grace had been through so much lately, maybe it was too soon to talk about love. Maybe it was too much for her to deal with right now. Caleb kept his eyes on Grace, studying her carefully as everything he said began to sink in. She licked her lips nervously. His eyes focused in on the movement, his body reminding him how long it had been since he'd felt her under him. Putting it aside, his eyes shifted back to hers. What he saw sliced at him. Grace's eyes had filled with tears. Dammit! She felt the same way he did. Caleb was certain of it. He had felt it, tasted it in her. There was no way he was going to let her pretend anything else.

"You want to know how I feel and what I want."

"Yes." His voice was strangled and hoarse.

"I want everything you want. To spend the rest of my life with you. To grow old with you."

Caleb's breath caught. His heart started to race. "Why?"

The first tear fell as Grace answered him. "Because I love you. Beyond all doubt or measure."

He pulled her into his arms, took a minute to search her eyes. "You love me?" She nodded. "And you're agreeing to spend your life with me?" Again, Grace nodded. "I want you to move in with me. Now. Are you agreeing to that too?" Her eyes were wide this time and, for a moment, Caleb was afraid he had asked for too much. But slowly, she nodded a third time.

Suddenly, his mouth was on hers, frantic and demanding. Brutal with need. Grace's hands clung to Caleb as his moved over her, caressing, teasing, and enticing until they found and lowered the zipper of her skirt. When it fell to the floor, they both groaned. Unable to wait any longer, Caleb lifted Grace into his arms and carried her to the bedroom. He kicked the door shut with his foot and lowered her feet to the floor.

He lifted her t-shirt over her head next. "Jesus! Do you have any idea how much I wanted you today? When I undressed you in front of your mother, it was all I could do not to drag you to the nearest vertical surface."

"Vertical?" Grace asked as she pulled at his shirt.

Shrugging out of it, Caleb's eyes met hers. They were hot and dark with desire. "Yes. Vertical." He pushed her back against the bedroom door. "Like this." His mouth captured hers, swallowing her moans as he drove his hips into hers again and again. "I would have taken you, just like this, if we had been alone," he panted.

"We're alone now," Grace pointed out.

She watched his eyes flash hot before he pulled away from her with a growl. As he reached for his jeans, she reached for her bra.

"No!" he ordered. "That's for me to do."

Grace's hands stilled as she watched him strip down to the skin. Then he was moving toward her, reaching for her again. Her bra and panties seem to melt away until she was as naked as he. At the first touch of skin against skin, Grace's breath caught.

Caleb felt his control slipping. He wanted to touch, to savor the feel of Grace's skin heating under his hands but the need to be inside her was pulling at him. And knowing that she loved him... It made it so much harder to wait.

"This is what you wanted this afternoon?" Grace challenged.

"No." Caleb lifted Grace and thrust deep, pinning her to door with his body. Her legs instinctively wrapped around him. "This," he said, his voice thick and hoarse, "This is what I wanted. Your back to the wall and your legs around me as I slam into you. Again. And again. And again." As he spoke, Caleb's body kept pace with his words. Grace could feel him hard and deep as her body tightened around him. She was unbearably close as his eyes locked on hers.

"Tell me," he demanded. "Tell me what you feel."

"I love you."

Needing her climax as much as he needed his own, Caleb changed the angle of his movements so that he ground into Grace's clitoris with every thrust.

"Oh God!" she moaned, trying to lift her hips to meet his.

But Caleb was merciless as he kept her pressed against the door, driving into her. She was so tight now that neither of them could take much more.

"Jesus, Grace! Let go dammit! Let go!" he ordered in desperation. But she was already coming. Caleb's mouth covered hers as she screamed, the orgasm ripping through them both.

Early the next morning, Grace stood with Caleb while Keith arranged to have Mitchell Hayward brought to one of the interrogation rooms.

"Any doubts?" he asked softly.

"No. None."

"I should have known. You and your mother are cut from the same fearless cloth." When she smiled up at him, he couldn't help but place his lips gently on hers. The kiss was soft and sweet. "But, if at any time, you change your mind and want to leave, just say the word. No questions asked. No hesitation."

"Okay," Keith said as he rejoined them. "Mitchell's in room three. We're all going in together. You can say what you need to say, after which, we'll all leave together. Agreed?" Both Grace and Caleb nodded. "If Mitchell gets agitated or abusive, we leave. No second chances." Grace and Caleb both nodded a second time.

"I'll keep it brief. I promise."

When they walked in together, Mitchell Hayward was already seated at the table, a very large, heavily armed guard standing behind him.

"What the fuck is this?" he yelled. "You said my sister was here to see me. She's not my sister." He started to stand, but was slammed back into his seat by the guard.

"You keep your ass in the chair, Hayward! You move again and I'll drop you. Do I make myself clear?"

"I hear you," Mitchell answered sullenly.

"Hands on the table. And keep them there." Once the guard was satisfied, he motioned Keith forward as he stepped back.

Grace sat in the only other chair in the room with Keith and Caleb flanking her. "Let's begin by setting the record straight. The guard didn't lie to you when he said your sister was here to see you." She smiled sweetly at the man across the table. "Of course, he forgot to mention your brother." Keith gave a little wave. "I'm sure you also know Caleb Knight. He's been involved with us on this from the beginning." Caleb did not wave. "I'm afraid he doesn't like you very much. But what do you expect. You gave the order to have him killed. He tends to take that kind of thing personally."

"I don't care what he..."

"Shut up, Hayward!" said the guard, coming forward again. "If she wants you to talk, she'll ask you a question. Until then, keep your mouth shut!" The guard met Grace's eyes and gave her a quick wink.

"For the record, Keith and I were born twenty \- six years ago. When we were almost two years old, our mother Camilla, who was unwed at the time, gave us up for adoption. She went on to marry Elliot Hayward and had two more children - you and your younger sister Sara. Keith and I were adopted by Marshall and Eleanor Bennett. We had a wonderful and loving childhood. And from the information we have gathered, it appears you and Sara did as well."

"Whatever."

"So... my question to you is this - after twenty-six years of silence, what made you suddenly consider us a threat? Keith and I didn't even know you existed."

"But my mother sure as hell knew you existed. She's spent months looking for you two. Her precious twins," he spat in disgust.

Grace shook her head in confusion. "I just don't get how you thought finding us would have jeopardized everything for you. It doesn't make sense. Were you afraid that Camilla would like us better? Love us more?"

"Well, considering all that's happened, I'd say that's pretty much a given now," Caleb decided.

"It wouldn't have mattered, you know."

"What?"

"It wouldn't have mattered how Camilla felt about us. Keith and I chose our paths a long time ago. Neither of us is interested in the corporate world. Neither of us is driven by money."

"That's what everybody says. But nobody means it." When he tried to lean forward, he was brought up short by the guard. "I hate to break it to you honey, but you and your brother are just like everybody else. You'd do anything for money."

"No. That's where you're wrong, Mitchell. You'd do anything for money, so you've assumed everyone else is the same."

"We wouldn't have touched your father's company or the money," Keith added.

"And I'm supposed to believe that?"

"Believe it or not, it makes no difference to us," Keith shrugged. "But all you had to do was get your lawyers to draft up paperwork that made it impossible for us to touch anything. We would have signed them. We'll still sign them."

"You did all of this for nothing," Grace pointed out. "You had six people kidnapped and eight murdered. All because you had convinced yourself that Keith and I were the enemy." Grace leaned a little closer. "Here's the irony of it all, in case it's escaped you. You had everything. Family, money, a dream job in your father's company. But now... all of that's gone. You have nothing. Absolutely nothing," she emphasized. "Because you threw it all away."

Grace watched for a minute as Mitchell struggled to take in what she had said. She recognized the exact moment that he realized she was telling the truth. The smug, self-satisfied look that had been on his face during the entire conversation faded. Instead, he looked shocked, bewildered, and visibly shaken. Without another word, Grace stood, and walked away.
Epilogue

They were parked on the curb, in front of a large multi-storied house. In a neighborhood that had been built on money and prestige. These were the kind of people who sent their children to elitists' institutions and traveled the globe. They had chefs and drivers and personal instructors. What did she have in common with people like these?

"Are you ready?" Caleb asked gently.

"No," she admittedly honestly. "This would have been so much easier if Keith could have been here."

"I understand, sweetheart. And if he hadn't caught a case..."

"I know," Grace interrupted. "It's just..."

Caleb smiled and took her hand. "Camilla and Sara Hayward asked you to come, sweetheart. They want to meet you."

"What if they blame me for everything that happened with Mitchell?"

"You know better than that, Grace. You've talked to Camilla on the phone. You know for a fact that she doesn't blame you. Or any of us." His hand came up to cup her face. "She just wants to meet her daughter."

Her breath shuddered out. "Okay. But promise me something."

"Absolutely anything."

"Don't leave me alone with them."

"Not even for a second, sweetheart. I promise."

Hand-in-hand they approached the door. Caleb reached out and rang the bell himself before Grace could panic again. It took less than a minute for a plump, middle-aged woman to open the door. She smiled brightly at them.

"Miss Grace?" she asked hopefully.

"And Caleb Knight."

"I'm Mrs. Hamilton, Miss. It's a pleasure to meet you. Please, come in." She waited for Grace and Caleb to step into the foyer. "Mrs. and Miss Hayward are in the solarium. Please, follow me."

Caleb squeezed Grace's hand. He bent down to whisper in her ear. "I love you." She smiled up at him, squeezing his hand in return.

That's what Camilla Hayward saw as they entered the room. A beautiful young woman looking up at a handsome young man. They looked at one another with such love that it stole her breath for a moment. And then the young woman turned. Camilla's eyes filled with tears. There was no mistaking that this was the little girl she had given up so many years ago. She had the same smile, the same spirit. Camilla did the only thing a mother could do. She opened her arms to her daughter.

###
About the Author

E. Kelly lives in Eastern Maryland with her husband and amazing teenage daughter. She is an avid reader (understatement) and a tech junkie. She is currently at work on her fifth novel. You can contact Ms. Kelly and read about upcoming releases at: http://writerekelly.com/

