 
# Carter

### The Sinner Saints

## Adrienne Bell

### Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Thanks For Reading!

Sneak Peek

About the Author
Copyright 2015 by Adrienne Bell

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This book contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written consent from the author/publisher.

This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons living or dead, or places, events, or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are products of the author's imagination and used fictitiously.
This one's for Lisa.

# 1

"Thank you again for taking this assignment on such short notice."

"Of course," Carter Macmillan said as he shook the hand of the grey-templed man before him. "I was honored to get your call this afternoon, Congressman."

"Well," four-term Congressman Buck Fuller said, "my Communications Director, Lucas, tells me that Macmillan Security is the best executive protection team in Sacramento."

Carter inclined his head. He wasn't one to brag, but he wasn't about to limit that distinction to their small metropolitan area. The skill and training of his team was nothing short of world-class. And he should know.

Carter had been their commanding officer for years before entering the private sector.

"I'm only sorry that we're here under such tragic circumstances. Please know that you have the deepest condolences of everyone at Macmillan Security."

Carter had been watching the reports over the internet about the congressman's Chief of Staff being killed by a car bomb when the call from the congressman's office had come in. He understood the man's fear. There was no way that Carter was about to allow Fuller, his staff, or any of his donors to be put at risk just because the request had come in with short notice.

"That is appreciated," Congressman Fuller said, giving Carter a practiced smile. "To tell you the truth, I wasn't certain that we should proceed with tonight's fundraiser after the events of the day. But Lucas was adamant that to change the schedule would allow the people who killed poor Harvey to win."

"I understand, sir," Carter said with a nod. "And I assure you that my team will do everything in our power to make sure that the event runs smoothly."

"Though you do understand that your team's position here tonight is purely supplemental?" Lucas Addams asked. "Congressman Fuller's private security team will be taking the lead. You're only here tonight as an extra set of eyes."

Carter turned to face Fuller's aide. There was something about the sharp-nosed man he didn't trust. Something that went beyond the usual duplicitous nature Carter expected from a man who'd made his career in politics.

"I understand that you hired us to keep the people at this fundraiser safe tonight," Carter said, meeting Lucas' direct gaze. "And, I assure you, it's a job my team and I take very seriously."

Lucas' eyes narrowed slightly. It was obvious that he didn't like Carter's answer.

Too damned bad. He'd been hired to do a job and he intended to do it. Besides, Carter knew none of his men would ever tolerate being second string.

Congressman Fuller clapped him on the shoulder and gave him another wide, camera-worthy smile, seemingly oblivious to the tension between Carter and his aide. "Then for all our sakes, let's hope that it turns out to be an uneventful night."

"Of course, sir," Carter said with a nod as the congressman started to walk away.

It was a nice enough sentiment but, in Carter's experience, people rarely hired his security firm because they truly believed that life would run smoothly.

Carter watched Lucas Addams follow a step behind his boss as the congressman started to make his way through the room. He tried not to read too much into the cold feeling of wariness for the man that had taken root in his gut.

As soon as they disappeared into the fashionable crowd Carter eased his stance, attempting to blend into his surroundings. He leaned his hip against the wall at his side, casually blocking the door behind him. Between Rhys and Jake at the front door, and him at the door that led to the back stairwell, they had all the major entrances and exits covered.

No one was getting in or out of this building without Carter knowing about it.

He was just starting to relax when he felt a tickle of awareness along the back of his neck. His gaze snapped to the center of the crowd and, sure enough, he found someone staring at him.

A very interesting someone.

Carter tilted his head to the side, studying the lovely stranger standing a good thirty feet in front of him. Her black dress was elegant and understated, the shimmery material cascading all the way down to the floor. Her reddish-brown hair was swept up and back from her face, showing off her full red lips and the cute little dimple in her chin. At first glance, anyone could be forgiven for mistaking her for any of the other high society donors.

But Carter Macmillan wasn't just anyone.

After another second of assessing him, she started walking straight toward him. And with every step she took, Carter became more certain that she wasn't on the guest list.

Judging by the angle of her hips and the relaxed motion of her stride, Carter could tell she wasn't wearing heels. In fact, he was betting if the hem of her dress swung out far enough he'd catch a glimpse of running shoes on her feet.

Whoever this woman was, she was ready to bolt at a moment's notice.

And it wasn't just her choice of footwear that gave her away. Her gown might fit her well, but it was most certainly purchased off the rack, and some time ago if the slight fraying along the shoulder strap was any indication.

Then there was her hair. As she closed the distance between them, a dozen or so bobby pins pushed haphazardly into her crown gleamed in the overhead lights. It was obviously a rushed job.

Carter was just squaring his shoulders, getting ready to demand that she reveal what she was doing there, but the woman beat him to the punch.

"I will give you fifty dollars to have a drink with me," she said, tucking herself into the small space between him and the wall.

Carter blinked. Out of everything in the world, that was the last thing that he expected to come out of her mouth.

"Excuse me?" he said, cocking his head to the side.

"Fifty bucks," she repeated. She glanced nervously over her shoulder and into the crowd. "Just to stand by me for the next couple of minutes and sip on some champagne."

"That's what I thought you said."

"So do we have a deal?" she asked, turning her attention back to him.

Carter found himself staring down into a pair of desperate blue eyes. Desperate, and frightened. He'd looked into the eyes of a lot of killers in his life, enough to be pretty damned sure that he wasn't staring down at the face of a car bomber right now.

Not that that changed anything. This woman might not be a threat, but she still wasn't supposed to be here.

But Carter didn't think he was going to find out what was going on by tossing her back out on the street. She was definitely scared of something, and right now he figured the best way of finding out what, was by playing along.

"As much as I'd love to take you up on that offer, the drinks are complimentary," he said, playing dumb.

"Yeah, I know." She flashed him a tight smile before tilting her chin down, hiding her face from the rest of the crowd. "It's the company I'm interested in."

Carter propped his shoulder against the wall. The move had the dual purpose of granting her more cover as well as keeping her within arm's reach.

"And why's that?" he asked.

She didn't lift her head, only her eyes moved to meet his gaze. "Because I've got two of the scariest-looking security guards you've ever seen on my tail. One is massive and the other one looks like he could freeze water just by looking at it."

Carter fought back the smile that pulled at his lips. He recognized those descriptions well. His two men at the front door, Jake Thorne and Rhys Vaughn. Her assessment of the pair was dead on.

What was hard to believe was that she'd managed to slip past the pair. It wasn't an easy feat.

"All right," Carter said, nodding slowly. "There's only one problem. We don't have any drinks."

As if on cue, she pivoted on her heel and snatched a couple of glasses from a passing waiter.

"Easily solved," she said, handing him his glass.

Carter spun the stem of the champagne flute between his fingers, but didn't take a sip. "So, I take it you aren't supposed to be here."

"Nope," she said before taking a giant swig of the bubbly. Whatever it was she was planning, it appeared her courage needed a boost. Her eyes widened in surprise, as though she wasn't used to tasting the good stuff. "I wasn't exactly on the guest list."

"So why come to me for help?"

"Lots of reasons," she said, looking him up and down in open assessment. "You're alone, but you don't look like you're waiting for someone. You aren't already drinking, so chances are you would be sober and wouldn't immediately get all handsy when I propositioned you."

"Thank you...I think."

"But most of all, you have a look about you."

"A look?" Carter cocked a brow.

"You know," she said, tracing his silhouette with a wave of her hand. "Authority. The way you're dressed, the way you hold yourself, you obviously have a lot of power, but you don't need to flaunt it. You don't seem like the kind of man people mess with."

"People like security guards?"

"Exactly," she said, with a tip of her glass.

"But it appears I'm not totally unapproachable," he said, leaning in a little closer. "Especially not by party crashers."

A slight blush rose on her cheeks as she gave him a self-conscious half smile. "I promise, I won't keep you for long. Five minutes, tops."

"What a shame," he said.

For a brief moment, a twinkle of amusement sparkled in her eyes. A second later she shook it off, and the look of apprehension rushed right back.

"Think of it this way," she said. "You'll have one hell of a story to tell in the boardroom come Monday morning."

A smile curled the corner of Carter's lip. So, that was how she read him—a high-powered CEO. Well, she wasn't technically wrong. Not that he was about to fill in the details for her. Not yet, anyway.

"And you?" he asked. "Is this just another day at the office?"

For the first time, she hesitated. Her face paled, as if his words had shaken her out of the pleasant flirting they'd been engaged in and back to the real reason she was here. "I know it's hard to believe, but this isn't how I usually spend my Friday nights."

"I see," Carter said, even though he didn't. When he'd seen her making a beeline for him across the room he'd expected a stream of lies to come pouring from her lips, maybe a sob story, anything but the bald truth. But it seemed like there were limits to how much his intriguing companion was willing to share. Maybe the time had come to test those limits. "Do I get to know your name?"

"Probably not a good idea." She took a small sip of her champagne.

"I'm guessing that I don't get to know the story of why you're running from the security guards either."

Her gaze flashed up at him. The look in her eyes was easy to read.

_What do you think?_

"Maybe just a little clue," he teased.

"Trust me, the less you know, the better off you are," she said cryptically. "But I swear, I have a really good reason."

Turned out, _good reasons_ , weren't good enough for him.

"Are you planning on hurting someone?" Carter asked, trying to keep his voice light.

"What?" Her face shot up. Her eyes went wide. "No. Of course not."

Carter studied her. She was shocked, appalled at the very idea that he would ask such a thing.

So if she wasn't here because of the threats to Congressman Fuller's life, then why _was_ she here?

Carter could think of half a dozen ways he could make her talk, just off the top of his head. The most efficient, of course, would be handing her over to Rhys and letting him go to work on her. Five minutes alone with the best interrogator to come out of Army Special Forces, and Carter had no doubt his mysterious little bird would sing to the rafters.

Rhys might be damned effective in getting information out of hostiles, but his methods could be...harsh. And somehow, the image of the charming woman in front of him forced down in a chair, trembling in front of Carter's stony-faced man, wasn't sitting well in his gut. It was obvious that she was scared enough as it was. He had a feeling that heaping even more fear on top wasn't going to help.

No, Carter could figure out what she was up to on his own, without threats or intimidation. He was pretty sure that he knew another set of tactics that would prove far more effective.

He wasn't above using her attraction to him to his advantage.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to offend," he said, slowly offering her his hand. "I'm Carter."

"It's a pleasure," she said, taking it. A rush of pink lit up her cheeks at the deliberate way he curled his fingers around her palm. Her touch was warm and surprisingly soft. He didn't pull away and neither did she.

Maybe this was going to work better than he thought.

"Are you sure you don't want to tell me your name?" he asked, keeping his voice low.

Her eyes locked with his. Her tongue flicked out to wet her full bottom lip.

"I'm—"

Her bright blue eyes darted away from his, focusing sharply on something just behind him and shattering the moment. All the color drained from her face as she ducked her head.

"There's another twenty in it for you if you put your arm around me right now," she blurted out.

He swiveled around to see what had spooked her, just in time to see his man, Jake, breaking through the crowd. Rhys wasn't far behind.

Carter couldn't blame the woman for her reaction. There probably wasn't a more intimidating pair on the planet. Of course, that was only half the reason he kept them on the payroll. They might be damned useful, but, after everything they'd been through together, these men were his family.

"Are those the guys that are after you?" he said, tilting his head in their direction.

"Yeah." Her voice was barely above a whisper.

"I thought you said they were scary." Carter turned toward Jake and Rhys. "Is there a problem, gentlemen?"

Jake stopped short at Carter's impersonal greeting and high-handed tone. His brows pulled down into a deep V above his eyes.

"Yeah, there is," Jake said slowly. "That woman is—"

"Is not a problem," Carter finished for him.

Rhys gave him a long look, his ice blue eyes narrowing. "You sure about that, because she—"

"Isn't on the list? I know. The lady is with me, boys."

" _Boys_?" Jake said. His jaw tightened as he took a step forward. Carter knew Jake wasn't used to being talked down to and, by the looks of it, he didn't like it one bit. Not by his boss. Maybe, _especially_ , by his boss.

Rhys put his hand on Jake's shoulder, stilling him. Jake turned his head. He caught Rhys' pointed look and his stance relaxed a little...a very little.

"Sorry about the misunderstanding, sir," Rhys said. "It looks like you have this situation under control."

"I do," Carter said.

"Yeah, our _deepest_ apologies," Jake said, giving Carter a belligerent smile as Rhys slowly pulled him back into the crowd. " _Sir_."

Carter turned around to find his mystery woman staring at him with narrowed eyes. The left side of her mouth was quirked up at an angle that said that she didn't quite believe what had just happened...and not in the good way.

"You chased them off?" she asked, her voice dripping with skepticism.

"I guess I did."

"Just by telling them that I was with you?"

"Like you said, I'm not the kind of person people want to mess with."

"Yeah," she said, drawing out the word. She swept him up and down with a critical gaze, as if she was completely re-examining him.

So, maybe he'd laid it on a little too thick. But that was all right. He could recover. It couldn't be too hard to regain her trust.

"Where were we?" Carter cocked his shoulder against the wall and gave her his best bedroom smile, the one that had slipped more than a couple of secrets from the lips of beautiful women around the globe. He lazily raised his hand to tuck a stray hair that had come loose behind her ear. "That's right. You were about to tell me your name."

She handed him her empty glass. "I really should be going."

Okay. Maybe it was going to take a little more damage control than he first thought.

"Why would you want to do that?" he whispered.

She looked over his shoulder again. Her eyes went wide. "Because your friends are coming back."

Carter spun around. He scanned the crowd for Jake and Rhys, but they weren't there.

His shoulders fell as he heard the soft sound of the metal door that led to the back stairwell clicking closed behind him.

He turned around and looked at the empty space by the wall.

She was gone.

She'd bolted.

Correction—she'd played him and then she'd bolted. Just like she'd done to Rhys and Jake. Not a good night for Macmillan Security.

Though somehow, Carter felt a wave of admiration toward the woman who'd given him the slip. It was a rare creature that could elude one ex-Special Forces operative, let alone three. Of course, that only made him more determined to find her and figure out exactly who she was and what she was up to.

# 2

Ally Weaver hiked up the long skirt of her dress and took the stairs two at a time. The metal steps rattled with each fall of her sneakers, but there was no way around it. She just hoped that the noise from the party drowned out the clatter.

She didn't have any more time to waste. Her plan had been to be in and out of Fuller's office building in less than ten minutes, but she'd blown that timeline just trying to get her foot in the door. Fuller's private security guys hadn't batted an eye as she'd tucked herself into a cluster of Sacramento's elite entering the private event together.

But the other two guys, they were a whole other story. They'd spotted her right away, and proved a lot harder to slip away from than Fuller's usual corporate thugs. If it wasn't for her little interlude with Mr. Sexy Pants, Ally had no doubt her butt would be landing on the pavement this very moment.

Still, she couldn't shake the feeling that he'd managed to get rid of her pursuers a little too easily.

Not that it mattered what excuse she came up with for ditching him. She just needed to get moving. She couldn't afford to waste any more time, especially not admiring strong stubble-lined jaws and chiseled cheekbones. Too bad. Under any other set of circumstances, Ally had a feeling she wouldn't mind lingering by his side all night.

But not even a gorgeous pair of honey-brown eyes would save her if Fuller's team discovered her in the building.

Ally reached the second floor and peeked through the window cut into the stairwell door, but she couldn't make out much of anything through the narrow reinforced strip of glass.

She drew in a deep breath before she risked cracking the door. No sirens blared as it inched open. No security lights flashed.

So far, so good. She swung the door open another couple of inches and poked her head out into the hallway.

It was clear. Just rows and rows of office doors, each with a handy brass nameplate square in the center.

Good. Because other than the second floor of Fuller's office building, Ally had no idea where she was going. She only had a name.

She rushed down the line of doors looking at the names as she went. She was all the way down at the end before she found the one she wanted.

_Harvey Price. Chief of Staff._

A chill ran up Ally's spine as she looked at the nameplate. She repeated the same vow that had been running on a constant loop in her mind all day.

_You didn't die in vain, Harvey. I'll see this through. I swear it._

Ally tried the doorknob. It didn't budge. She hadn't really expected it to.

From inside her shoe she pulled a half-melted pass card. She wiped some of the excess ash away on the side of her dress and lifted it up to the reader, but not before mouthing a silent prayer.

She'd pulled in every favor she could to get the charred card, and now she was afraid to use it. Craig, her friend at the medical examiner's office said he'd tested it and the RFID tag was still functioning. It was hard to believe that anything had survived the fire that had engulfed Harvey Price's car.

Harvey certainly hadn't.

One moment, he'd been talking to her on the phone, and the next he was gone. Just like that.

At first, Ally had just thought that they'd been cut off. But a few minutes later, she'd caught sight of the breaking news story on the television. A fireball on the Capital City Freeway. A burned out car. One fatality.

Ally didn't need to hear confirmation of the victim's identity. Deep in her gut she already knew.

She passed the remains of the card in front of the scanner, and let out a long breath as the red light turned green. A soft click sounded as the lock on the door slid back. She quickly turned the knob and stepped inside. The door automatically closed behind her.

Ally's mouth flattened into a hard line as her gaze swept over Harvey Price's office. Of course, the man had to have the biggest damned corner office in the damned building, other than Fuller's, that was. There were books and papers everywhere. She spotted three computers, one large one on the desk and two closed laptops on the bookshelves behind it. This was going to be like finding a needle in a haystack.

But standing slack-jawed wasn't getting her any closer to finding it. The information that had gotten Harvey killed was somewhere in this room. And Ally was determined to find it.

And then she was going to show it to the world.

It was the least she could do.

She couldn't ditch the guilt that gnawed at the pit of her stomach. It didn't matter that she hadn't been the one to reach out to Harvey. He'd contacted her. _With very important information_ , he'd said. _Fuller's gone too far this time. Can't let this one go. Can't sleep at night._

Well, now neither could she.

Ally strode over to the desk and started rummaging through the piles of documents.

She didn't find anything. It probably would have helped if she knew what she was looking for, but Harvey hadn't trusted her with that vital piece of information yet. He hadn't trusted anyone.

Rightfully so, it turned out.

Still, there were no files labeled _Top Secret_ or _Confidential_. No red flags that she could see. She spun around to try her luck on the bookcase. She'd made it down to the second shelf when she heard the knock on the door behind her.

Ally spun around, her heart in her throat.

But she didn't find a line of Buck Fuller's armed thugs waiting for her. Of course, not. They wouldn't have alerted her to their presence. They would have just shot her in the back.

Instead, Mr. Sexy Pants was leaning in the open doorway—the one she was certain that she'd closed tight behind her.

She narrowed her eyes as she straightened her spine. Just because he was damned handsome didn't mean that she didn't have to worry about him.

_Don't trust anyone._

How many times had Harvey told her that? And unless she wanted to end up the same way he did, she would do well to heed his advice.

"You?" she said. "What are you doing here?"

"Funny," he said, leaning his shoulder against the jamb. Even though his body language was easy, his eyes were steady on her. "I was about to ask you the same question."

"What does it look like? I'm ransacking an office." She turned around and got back to work. Her time was limited. If this was the man Fuller had sent to get rid of her, there would be no talking him out of it. And if he wasn't...well, then whatever his agenda was, he could just as well get on with it while she continued to look for Harvey's information. "Your turn to answer the question."

Ally heard his footsteps travel deeper into the room, followed by the door clicking closed behind him. "Following you. You disappeared down there in a hurry."

"Yeah, well, I'm a busy woman," she said, thumbing through a stack of manila folders.

Nothing. Ally turned around to find that Carter had stopped directly behind her.

"You want to tell me what you're looking for?"

He was so close that Ally had to tilt her chin up to look him in the eye.

"Nope." Ally stepped around him and toward the file cabinets on the far wall. He didn't try to stop her, but Ally could feel the intensity of his gaze following her.

"Maybe I could help."

"No, you couldn't." She threw open a drawer. "In fact, if you knew what was best for you, you'd hightail it back down the stairs."

"That's the problem." His voice was close again. His breath caressed the top of her ear. "I rarely do what's best for me."

Ally spun around and, this time, smacked right into his chest. She put her hands out to steady herself. She could feel right through the thin material of his shirt to the brick wall underneath. Was the man a solid mass of muscle? There was no give to him. None.

Especially not with his incessant questioning.

"All right," she said, finally getting around to pulling her hands away from his body. Better late than never. "Who are you?"

"I told you, Car—"

"Carter, right. I don't care about your name." It looked like if she wanted specific answers, she was going to have to ask specific questions. "Do you work for Fuller?"

He hesitated for a fraction of a second before he answered, long enough for Ally's heart to jump into her throat.

"Not usually," he said.

She took another step back...like that extra eight inches was going to save her.

"What the hell does that mean?"

He reached into his inner jacket pocket. Ally instinctually stumbled back toward Harvey's desk at the move.

"It's okay," he said, shooting her a smile. He slowly pulled out his hand. Pinched between two fingers was a business card. He held it out toward her.

Ally stared at the card stock rectangle for a long moment before lifting her gaze to Carter's soft brown eyes. "What's that?" she asked.

He raised his brows. The _what the hell does it look like_ was implied. He kept it held out in front of him, his arm never wavering, as she made up her mind. Slowly, she closed the gap between them. The second she was in reach, she snatched the card out of his hand and held it up.

_Carter Macmillan. Macmillan Security._

She knew the card was supposed to calm her down. Carter didn't really work for Congressman Fuller. Not really. But her heart didn't slow down. If anything it started pounding harder.

"You're private security?" A shake crept into her voice as she asked. "Hired just for the party tonight?"

Carter nodded. "That's right."

"And those men that I slipped past were yours?"

"Two of the most highly trained men in the field. Which makes you very impressive, Miss..."

Ally waved her hand, both to brush off his praise and his weak attempt to ascertain her identity. There were more important things she needed to know.

"Fuller didn't happen to call you about this job on short notice, did he?"

Carter nodded. Slower this time. His gaze became curious. "Just this afternoon. Why do you ask?"

"Because, I hate to be the one to break it to you Mr. Macmillan, but you're being set up. Both of us are."

His body went stiff, his shoulders squaring. Now he even looked like a brick wall.

"What are you talking about?" His voice was all business now. Not a lick of that sexy drawl remained.

Unfortunately, Ally didn't have time for soothing his injured pride. If Fuller was running the same game he had back in Rome that meant he was desperate to get rid of her. She had mere minutes to find where Harvey had hidden his secrets. Maybe not even that long. She started pulling files off the shelves, praying that something would literally jump out at her.

"Three years ago, Fuller was with a delegation of congressmen in Rome when an investigative reporter started asking some very direct questions about secret dealings between Russian oil companies and Fuller's old company, Allied Dynamics. Fuller said the claims were baseless, and that he'd quit the board years ago, but the reporter insisted he had proof that Fuller had profited directly from the transaction," Ally explained as she dug into another pile. "That night, Fuller went to a gala thrown in the delegation's honor. He insisted on extra security, which his aide hired that morning. Two hours later the reporter was shot dead in the upper level of the palace."

A second of silence ticked by as Ally moved on to the next pile.

"What does that have to do with us?" Carter asked.

"Everything," she said with an exasperated sigh. "Fuller claimed the reporter had snuck into the palace and the over-eager security force had been the ones to take him down. But there was no sign of forced entry, and everyone who worked for the security firm swore they never saw the man, let alone shot him."

Ally glanced up to see Carter leaning against the wall. His arms were crossed in front of his chest and he had a far away look in his eye, like the pieces were falling into place in his mind.

"Fuller used the supplemental security team as a scapegoat," he said.

"The perfect scapegoat." Now that he was up to speed, Ally turned back to the job in front of her. "He even made sure to match the firearms and bullets that the security firm used."

Carter pushed off the wall and walked toward her. "That doesn't explain who you are or what you broke in here to look for."

"I'm this year's model of pesky reporter," she said. "I am looking for evidence of how much of a monster Fuller really is."

"Russian oil dealings?"

Ally shook her head. "I don't think so."

" _Don't think_?" Carter propped his arms on Harvey's desk. "You're in here risking your life, and you don't even know what you're looking for?"

Ally straightened her spine. Two could play at this indignant game.

"Two days ago, I received a call from Harvey Price, Fuller's Chief of Staff. He said he had some very big information to spill. He said it was terrible, worse than anything that Fuller had ever tried to get away with before. Harvey told me that if anyone found out he was the leak, he was a dead man."

"The same Harvey Price whose car exploded on the freeway this afternoon?"

"I was on the phone with him when it happened."

Some of the hardness seeped out of Carter's expression. "I'm sorry."

"So am I," Ally said, and got back to rummaging. "I can't help him now, but for his sake, I can keep looking. I can try to make it so the poor man didn't die for nothing."

"Did he say anything about what kind of information he was going to hand over?"

"No," Ally said, shaking her head. "Just that it was huge. He said that once the story broke, Fuller would be going to jail for a very long time."

To her surprise, Carter pulled a few files his way and started flipping through them.

"What are you doing?" Ally stared at him with wide eyes. "I told you, you and your whole team are in danger. You need to round them all up, and get out of here fast before Fuller tries to pin anything on you."

Carter didn't look up, but cocked a single brow. "And I told you, I'm no good at doing what I'm told."

Ally threw her hands up. What the hell? He was an adult. He could make his own decisions. And if they ended up being idiotic, that was none of her business. After all, it wasn't like she was capable of physically pushing him out of the room.

"Your funeral," she muttered under her breath.

"Did Harvey say anything strange before the bomb went off?" he asked, as if he hadn't heard her...or didn't care. "Anything that could have been a clue?"

Ally thought back. There were the usual warnings not to trust anyone, the pleading that no one could know, that his life was in danger even talking to her. And...

"There was one weird thing," she said. "When I asked him if the information was in a safe place, he said it was, that he'd hidden it well."

"That doesn't sound too strange."

"It was the way he said it." Ally shook her head as she tried to recall Harvey's exact words. "He said, 'People see only what's in front of them. They don't look low enough.' _Low enough_. Not _deep_. That's an awkward phrase."

"Yeah, that's weird," Carter agreed.

"Maybe, I've been looking in all the wrong places. Harvey would never put the evidence on a shelf for just anyone to find." Ally stepped back and bent at the waist to look under the desk. "Maybe he hid it somewhere down—"

The second her fingers hit the ground there was a loud crack, then the ringing of a thousand pieces of shattered glass falling to the floor. Instinctually, Ally lifted her head to see what the hell was going on. And immediately, she wished she hadn't.

The large window that ran along the length of Harvey's interior wall was gone. The long vertical blinds that had covered them swung violently to and fro, far enough that Ally was able to catch a glimpse of a few people scrambling in the hallway. All of them dressed in black. All of them armed.

She was out of time.

"Shi—" She didn't even have time to get the full curse out before a long, solid mass slammed into her back, knocking her down onto the carpet.

Carter. He'd tackled her and now he was holding her down.

Well, not holding her down so much as just lying on top of her. The man happened to be so big that the effect was the same.

"What are you doing?" she asked, struggling to draw breath under his heavy frame.

"Trying to keep you alive," he said.

Ally tried to swallow down the lump that was suddenly blocking her throat. She'd come into this party with her eyes wide open tonight, aware of the risks. But it turned out that there was a hell of a difference between agreeing with something intellectually and dodging actual bullets.

Ally twisted around as best she could underneath Carter's massive frame. "So if they're trying to kill me, why aren't they shooting anymore?"

Carter rolled to the side. He kept his arm wrapped around her and dragged her deeper into the shelter of the hollow beneath the solid oak desk.

"From the sound of your story, they need to make this look like a case of one of my guys getting a little trigger happy." He sat up as best he could in the confined space and reached inside. This time he didn't retrieve a business card, but a matte black handgun. Ally leaned back at the sight of the deadly weapon, pressing against the side of the desk.

"That means two or three bullets at most, all tightly grouped," he continued explaining. "The last thing they want is to spray the room with bullets. Fire fights are notoriously hard to explain away."

It sounded like he was speaking from experience. "So what do we do?"

"We give them exactly what they're trying to avoid." Before she could ask exactly what that entailed, he tapped something in his right ear—a nearly invisible piece of plastic that she'd somehow missed before—and brought his wrist near his mouth. "Rhys. Jake. We have a situation on the second floor. Shots fired. Suspect Fuller's security detail. I need cover."

He rattled off the words quickly, efficiently. This obviously wasn't this guy's first rodeo.

"Your guys from downstairs?" she asked, when he lowered his arm.

Carter nodded.

"You sure you want to get them involved in this?" Ally asked.

He shot her a wicked smile.

"They'd be pissed if I left them out." He put a hand on the bend of her knee. "Don't worry, this is the sort of thing we're trained for."

She guessed that was supposed to reassure her. The truth was, Ally didn't think she could handle any more blood on her hands. Not his. Not his friends'. Not even the guys' out in the hall.

Apparently, Fuller's men didn't suffer from her guilty conscience. A second later, Ally jolted at the chime of more glass fragments falling to the floor, followed by the sound of the blinds rustling. They were going for the inside door handle. They were coming in.

Which meant she and Carter had to find a way out. All other thoughts fled Ally's head.

She sucked in a lungful of air and held it, somehow afraid that her breath would be the sound that gave them away.

Carter gripped his gun with both hands. He leaned forward on his haunches. He waited until they heard the unmistakable creak of the door opening. Then he sprung up from under the desk. Ally covered her ears as three deafening bangs in a row echoed off the walls. Then, just as fast, Carter was back down by her side.

She stared at him with wide eyes. She tried to talk but her brain hadn't recovered enough from the shock to form words. "D-did you k-k—"

"Kill them?" Carter shook his head once. "Just gave them some incentive to stay outside."

"We need to find a way out of here." Ally's chest suddenly felt tight. She was certain her throat was closing up. She tried to breathe but her lungs seized, only allowing her tiny, quick gulps of air.

She was pretty sure Carter said something but she didn't catch it. She was too busy hyperventilating and scanning the room for any possible escape route. It was useless. There was just the one door and the bank of shattered windows that led to the hallway. Even if they managed to get past Fuller's thugs, there would only be more downstairs waiting for them. No matter what they did, they were doomed.

Carter wrapped his hand around the nape of her neck, and tilted her head back, forcing her eyes to meet his.

"I know you're scared, but I need you to calm down and focus. Everything is going to be fine," he said. His voice seemed unusually calm given their dire circumstances. "I have a plan. But we have to wait for backup. Okay?"

"But—"

He pulled her face an inch closer. His eye contact intensified, and Ally managed to pull in a long, deep breath.

"Okay?" he repeated.

"O-okay."

Carter looked into her eyes for a second longer before nodding and letting her go. "It won't be long."

A second later, she heard the far away sound of a door crashing against a wall. There was some shouting and then a few rounds of gunfire. Ally flinched with every shot.

"That's our cue," Carter said, jumping out from under the shelter of the desk. He stayed low as he moved across the room toward the window.

Ally pivoted to follow him, but as she turned her head a glint of reflected light caught her eye. It was coming right from where Carter had been, at the very bottom of the desk near the leg. She had to lay flat on the ground to get a better look at it.

There was something wedged in the gap by the desk leg.

_Nobody looks low enough._

"Harvey, you crafty bastard," Ally said.

She scraped at the object with her thumb. It didn't budge. Whatever it was, it was wedged in there good.

"Come on," Carter shouted from across the office.

Ally was aware that the chaos was still swirling around her—the occasional pop of gunfire, the yelling, the urgent need to escape. But she was pretty sure she'd found what she'd come for. The reason a man had died, and Ally would be damned if she was going to leave this office without it.

She clawed at the metal sliver. Slowly, it started to come loose.

"Now!" Carter called out behind her.

"One sec," she whispered, more to herself than to him.

Ally pinched the hidden device between two fingers, tight enough to crack a nail clear down to the bed, and yanked as hard as she could. She got a little extra help as Carter's hand wrapped around her ankle and he dragged her out from under Harvey's desk.

The object popped free, and Ally wrapped her fingers around it tight.

"We're all out of seconds," Carter said, lifting her to her feet.

"Fortunately, I don't need any more." She opened her fingers and looked down at her hand. A small silver flash drive lay in the center of her palm.

"Is that what you came for?" he asked.

A smile spread across Ally's face. "I think so."

"Good. Now let's get the hell out of here."

Carter pivoted and picked up Harvey's desk chair. He went over to the window that already had a single round bullet hole in the center, and hit it hard. A spider web of cracks spread out across the glass. He leaned back and smacked it again. The window splintered, raining glass down to the sidewalk below.

Ally poked her head out the window. Her knees went weak at just how far away the sidewalk was.

"That's your plan?" She pulled her head back in and stared at him like he was a madman. "Break our legs on the fall? It has to be thirty feet to the street."

"We're on the second floor," he said. "It's more like twelve. And I'm not planning on jumping."

"Then what are you planning?"

He gave a pointed look at the light post. "Sliding."

Ally sucked in a deep breath as she stared at the black square metal post that stood about five feet away from the remains of the window. It wasn't her first choice, but she had to admit it was a hell of a lot better than jumping or going out the way she came in.

_One minute of suck and you're out of this mess_. Oh, but what a sucky minute it was going to be. Still, there was nothing to do but be done with it.

Ally gathered her long skirt and tucked the hem into her neckline, exposing her thighs. She had a feeling she was going to need as much grip on that post as she could get.

Carter held her hand as she stepped onto the window ledge. His hands circled her waist, steadying her as she leaned out to grasp the pole. Ally drew in a steadying breath as she wrapped one hand, then the other, around the pole. Her body was committed now, but her brain still needed a little push.

She got it a half second later when she heard another couple of shots pinging off the hallway walls behind her. She held tight and propelled her legs forward, wrapping them around the awkwardly shaped pole. She didn't slide as much as she inched her way down, clinging for dear life with every move. She muttered a grateful prayer the moment her feet hit solid earth.

Two seconds later, Carter was by her side. Obviously, he didn't have the same trouble with heights. She was beginning to think that he didn't have trouble with anything.

"Do you have a car?" Carter didn't wait for his mystery woman to answer before linking his arm with hers and steering her toward the parking lot.

There usually weren't too many people out on the streets of downtown Sacramento this far past five o'clock, but Carter still spied a couple of stragglers staring at them as they hurried down the sidewalk and away from the pile of broken glass. It didn't matter that they'd had a small audience for their descent from the second story. Carter had a feeling that someone had already called the police. Which meant he had only minutes to get this woman to safety.

"Yeah," she said, as they rounded the corner of the office building and stepped into the parking lot. She pointed him in the direction of a battered white Toyota Camry. She went over to the driver's side door and pulled the key out of her running shoe.

"You shouldn't go home tonight," he said.

She opened the door but didn't get inside. She looked at him as her face fell. "Crap. I guess that wouldn't be a very good idea, would it?"

Carter slowly shook his head. He didn't like being the one to shatter her illusion that her troubles were somehow over. The truth was, they were probably just beginning. By the looks of it, she was totally unprepared for the storm that was headed her way.

And it would be totally irresponsible for him to throw her headlong into it unprotected, especially now that he knew what Buck Fuller was capable of.

"Do you have someplace to go?" he asked.

She thought for a second then nodded. "Yeah, I think so."

"Good. Give me a minute, I'm going to get one of my men to keep watch over you tonight."

Carter wished that he could be the one to look after her, but he needed to stay and face the police. That didn't mean she'd be leaving alone.

He knew she'd fight him on going anywhere with Rhys or Jake, but he could always call in another one of his men. Mason Wright would work just fine. The ladies loved Mason.

Then again, maybe Mason wouldn't be so perfect after all. But he'd have to do. Carter would just give him strict instructions about how important—and professional—this protection detail was.

"Looks like we don't need a minute," she said, her eyes focusing on a spot behind Carter. "Here comes one now."

Carter turned around. This time she wasn't lying. Jake strode across the parking lot. He took a few steps closer to meet him, and heard a car door slam shut behind him, then an engine sputtering to life. He turned around just in time to see the old Toyota lurching forward, the tires spinning faster and faster as she headed for the street.

Carter watched her go, committing her license plate to memory as she peeled around the corner and into traffic.

"Let me guess, that was our mystery girl," Jake asked, coming to a stop at Carter's side.

"It was."

"The one you said wasn't a problem?" There was a note of laughter in Jake's voice. He always did enjoy pressing his luck.

Carter cocked his head to the side. He knew her face, had her license plate number, and knew her profession. She wouldn't be difficult to track down.

And that's what had him worried. If he could track her down then so could Fuller.

"How are we inside?" Carter changed the subject.

"Not as bad as you might imagine. No casualties. No injuries," Jake reported. "We fired several warning shots. The targets returned fire but, the second you two were out of the room, they stopped. Right now they're insisting it was all just a big misunderstanding."

"Is that right?" Carter finally turned around and started walking back toward Fuller's building. "Have we had contact with the congressman?"

"Negative. Rhys is concentrating on the two men from the hallway."

Carter nodded. Rhys was the best damn interrogator he'd ever seen in his life. The man could convince an angel to rat out God, but there would be limits to the methods he could use on the men that had shot at them, not to mention a serious lack of time. Even now, the faint wail of sirens sounded in the distance.

Carter was interested to see how the rest of the evening's drama played out. It seemed the first act hadn't gone the way Fuller had hoped, and Carter couldn't wait to see how he tried to talk his way out of it. He had a feeling he was in for a long night.

But that didn't mean he couldn't multi-task. He pulled out his phone and went through the contacts until he came to Charlie Keswick.

She answered on the third ring. Carter could barely make out her voice over the blare of music. At least that meant she wasn't spending another night burning the midnight oil back at the office.

"Hey, _Captain_." Her voice sounded cheery. Carter felt a momentary stab of guilt that he was going to shatter all that good will in a heartbeat. "What'cha need?"

All of his employees worked hard for him, but nobody put their heart into it quite like Charlie. She deserved a fun night out. And he was about to wrench that away from her.

"I need you to dig into someone for me."

There was a long pause on the other end. Only the constant, pulsing beat in the background let Carter know that the call hadn't been dropped.

"Of course, you do," she finally said.

"Is it going to be a problem?"

"No problem at all." Her voice had dropped an octave, but the music behind her was getting fainter. She was already leaving the club.

Carter rattled off everything he knew about the disappearing reporter. "You got all that?"

"Yep," Charlie said.

"Thanks," Carter said, pushing open the front door of the office building as half a dozen cop cars—lights flashing and sirens blazing—pulled up to the front curb. "I owe you one."

"Yeah, you do."

# 3

"I think I'm going to need an extra shot in that latte today, Peter," Ally said, as she leaned against the counter at her local coffee shop, CafeNation. "Better make it two extra."

Peter's pierced brows arched as a smile pulled at his lips. "Long night?"

"You could say that." Ally pushed herself away from the counter long enough to pull her wallet out of her purse. The place was always packed this time of morning, and there was quite a line forming behind her.

"Is that a good or a bad thing?"

_It's a 'worst night of my life' thing_.

Ally shrugged noncommittally. "It's a quad latte kind of thing."

"Gotcha." Peter winked behind his thick-rimmed hipster glasses. "Do you want anything to eat with that?"

Ally shot a glance over at the pastry case. She should say yes. She hadn't eaten anything since lunch yesterday. But the truth was, her stomach was still roiling with acid from the night before, and the thought of stuffing anything down there only made the bile rise further up into her throat.

"I'll have a blueberry muffin," a voice sounded by her side. Ally turned to find Carter Macmillan standing next to her. "And that Danish looks tasty."

Peter raised his brows. "Is he with you?"

Ally's stomach churned anew.

"He is now," she settled on. It was easier than causing a scene.

She'd just have to get rid of him later...again.

"Let me guess," Peter said with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "This is Mr. Long Night."

Ally flashed him a tight smile. "The pastries, Peter."

"Sure thing," he said with a wink, before grabbing the tongs and heading off.

" _Mr. Long Night_?" Carter didn't bother hiding the amused grin that spread across his face.

"What are you doing here, Mr. _Macmillan_?"

"Getting some breakfast," he said.

Ally pursed her lips and shot him a hard look. She was too damned tired for his attempts at humor.

"Well, in that case, the line starts back there," she said, tilting her head toward the front door.

He gave a lazy shrug of his broad shoulders. "I figured that after last night the least you owed me was a muffin."

Ally let out a long sigh. "Why do I get the feeling that's not the only thing you think I owe you?"

The corners of his eyes lifted with his lips. "Well, I wasn't going to bring up the seventy dollars you promised me, but—"

"Fifty," Ally corrected him.

"That's not how I remember it," he said, slipping his hands into his pockets and rocking back slightly on his heels.

As much as she hated to admit it, he looked good. He was dressed very much like last night. The only real change was he'd swapped out one perfectly pressed black suit for a dark grey one. But other than that he was virtually the same. His short brown hair was still perfect. There were no dark circles under his eyes, no droop to his lids. He looked awake and alert, and more amazingly, in a good mood.

The man wasn't human. That was the only explanation she could come up with.

"The extra twenty was for putting your arm around me...which you never did," she said.

"Come on, I got rid of the men who were following you."

"They were _your_ men."

"Still, it's got to count for something."

"Yeah," she said, as Peter walked back and put down two small brown bags in front of them. "It counts for a muffin and Danish apparently."

She started to hand Peter her bankcard, but Carter was faster. He pulled a bill out of his pocket and slid it across the counter.

"Keep the change," he said to a very impressed Peter, who had just earned the biggest tip of the day.

Ally headed over to the crowd that surrounded the drink handoff platform as Carter swooped up the bags. A moment later, he joined her, standing maddeningly close to her side.

Ally thought for a moment about how badly she needed that quad latte this morning as she joined the jumbled throng waiting for their drinks. On any other day, she probably would have just left it behind and walked out the door, hopefully losing Mr. Macmillan in the process. But not today. Today she needed that coffee almost as badly as she needed oxygen.

Ally instinctively took a defensive stance, crossing her arms over her chest as she settled in to wait. There were lots of things to love about this little independent coffee shop in the heart of downtown Sacramento—good coffee, eclectic staff, a decidedly non-corporate ambiance—but their speed wasn't one of them. Today, she would have appreciated a little less artisan foam art and a little more hustle.

"I take it you didn't have a good rest of your night, Miss Weaver."

Ally stiffened instantly. The sound of her name on his lips did more to wake her up than a dozen shots of espresso ever could.

"How do you know my name?" she asked, keeping her voice low.

Carter didn't look over at her. He kept his eyes straight ahead. "Same way I found out that you work for the Sacramento Gazette, but you've been doing more and more freelance work to online journals. That you live off of 5th Street in West Sac. That every morning around eight-thirty, you have a charge on your debit card at CafeNation."

Ally's heart sped in her chest with every word that came out of his mouth. Cold tendrils of panic started to creep through her veins. Screw the coffee. She had to get out of here.

She spun on her heel and started for the door, but Carter put a hand on her shoulder. He didn't grab her. His fingers didn't twist into her sweatshirt. There was nothing about his touch that was physically restraining her, but she stopped all the same.

He bent down to whisper in her ear.

"You don't want to run away from me again, Ally." It didn't sound like a threat. It sounded like friendly advice. "I'm not your enemy."

She twisted around to look at him.

"Why don't we go sit down while we wait for your coffee," he suggested.

Ally nodded. It was a good idea. They hadn't caused a scene, not exactly. But a few gazes were starting to turn their way, and the last thing that Ally wanted was any more attention.

She walked over to the closest empty table. She took in a shaky breath, trying to calm her racing heart. When that didn't work, she turned her attention out the window, and away from the turmoil inside herself.

_Pull yourself together, Weaver._

She repeated the mantra with every passing car. After half a dozen, she started coming back to herself.

"Let's try this again," Carter said as he sat down. "You didn't sleep last night, did you?"

Ally shook her head. She was too tired to be offended. Besides, it was obvious. If her tired eyes didn't give her away, then the massive dark circles under them sure did. It didn't help that, since she'd stayed at her parent's empty house last night, she didn't have any of her makeup to try to cover it up.

It also explained her wardrobe for the day—an old UC Davis sweatshirt and a pair of jeans she hadn't worn since her sophomore year of college.

"Work or fear?" he asked.

"Both."

"Did you find out what was on the drive?"

Ally snapped her head away from the window. She narrowed her eyes. "Why do you care about what's on Harvey's drive?"

He relaxed into his chair and draped one bent arm over the rest. "I told you, Ally, I'm not your enemy."

"That doesn't answer my question," she said, holding firm.

Carter met her stare for a long second before answering. "Because you were right. Fuller lied. His security detail said we shot first, and he backed them up. They said we were the ones that wouldn't stand down, and, because the good congressman has a hell of a lot of pull in this town, the cops believed him."

"I'm sorry," Ally said, and she meant it. She'd tried to warn him how ruthless Buck Fuller could be. "So why aren't you in jail right now?"

"I'm guessing Fuller's team didn't have enough time to manufacture proof before the police showed up last night, but it's just a matter of time until they do. Fuller's coming after my company. He's trying to pin this on me personally," Carter said, his voice falling as he leaned forward. He jabbed his finger into the tabletop as he spoke. "I'm not going to let that happen. And the only way I can do that is to discredit him, to expose him for what he really is."

Ally leaned back in her chair. She believed him when he said he wasn't going to let Fuller take him down. Suddenly, she was grateful for all of his assurances that he wasn't her enemy. She'd seen what he could do, but she had a feeling it was just a fraction of what he was capable of.

"I understand," Ally said, relaxing a bit. "But unfortunately, I'm not going to be much help to you yet. Whatever information is on that flash drive, it's encrypted."

"I can help you break it."

"That's okay," she said, waving off the offer. "I know a guy. He's good."

"Not as good as my staff, I promise you," he said with a twinkle of pride in his eye. "And definitely not half as fast."

"I don't know..." Ally said. She'd fought too hard for that flash drive to just hand it over to anyone. She'd jumped out a broken window and shimmied down a lamppost. She'd spent the night in her childhood bedroom, for God's sake.

"What don't you know?"

Ally drew in a deep breath. Honesty was the best policy. At least that was what her grandmother had always told her.

"I don't know if I can trust you."

"I don't know if you can afford not to," he shot back.

"Excuse me?"

Carter leaned across the table. His honey-colored eyes locked with hers. And suddenly, it was as though everyone else in the crowded cafe disappeared. It was just him and her.

Ally felt her heart start to pound again. This time it had nothing to do with fear. It looked like, even though her brain wasn't quite ready to trust Carter Macmillan, the rest of her body was far from complacent about him.

"I found you, Ally. With very little information, I knew exactly where you'd be and when," he said. There was no malice in his voice, but his words still chilled her down to the bone. "If I can do it, so can Fuller. I understand your hesitation, but you have to realize that you are a thousand times safer with me than on your own, and stop running away."

Ally swallowed hard. Dammit if that didn't sound like the truth.

She was saved from having to respond when her name was called out at the bar. Carter jumped up and grabbed her cup. He cocked a brow as he returned to the table.

"You ready to go?" he asked.

_Together._

Ally drew in a deep breath. It didn't look like she had much of a choice.

Besides, the man was currently holding her coffee hostage.

Ally nodded, and stood up. She grabbed her cup from Carter's hand as they stepped out onto the sidewalk. She took a long sip of the coffee and let the fresh air clear her head.

Carter waited patiently by her side. He didn't try to rush her. Apparently, he could be quite the gentleman when there wasn't someone shooting at them.

"I don't have the drive on me," she said finally. "We'll have to go and get it."

"I take it you've hidden it?" he asked, pushing away from the wall of the building.

"Somewhere very safe."

"Good." He started off down the street opposite from her car.

"Hey, I'm parked over here," she said, pointing behind her.

"I know," he said, not breaking his stride. "We'll be taking my car from now on."

Ally hurried to catch up with him. "Because it's safer?"

"That's one reason. The other is I don't trust you not to speed off and leave me behind."

Now it was her turn to flash him a mischievous smile. "Come on. It's a twelve-year-old Toyota. It doesn't _speed off_ anywhere."

"Fair enough," he conceded. "But still, I insist we take mine."

Ally couldn't contain the chuckle that rose up in her throat as he stepped over to the driver's side of a new sports car, one far too fancy for Ally to know the name of. He pulled the keys from his pocket.

"Yeah, I can see why," she said, looking down at the sleek, red machine in front of her. " _This_ is your car?"

"You were expecting something else?" he asked.

She shouldn't have been. It had just been so long since she'd ridden in a car that wasn't held together with duct tape and prayers, she'd kind of forgotten there were other ways of getting around.

Ally opened the door and slid into the passenger side. The inside of the car was every bit as stylish and modern as the outside. She'd just settled into her seat when she heard the lock click into place.

She snapped her head toward Carter. He gave her an apologetic shrug of his shoulders.

"Just a precaution," he explained. "For your own safety."

Ally's eyes narrowed. "You don't actually believe that I'd jump out of a moving car, do you?"

He started up the car. Ally was startled as the engine roared to life. Damn. The thing wasn't even moving yet and she could still feel it humming with power.

"After last night, I don't plan on ever underestimating you again," he said.

Ally smiled as she pulled the seatbelt across her body. "I'm guessing not many people have managed to slip past you before."

"No they haven't," he admitted with a shake of his head.

"Probably, nobody has done it twice," she said, with a laugh.

"You're the first to achieve that feat," he said, turning to look her in the eye. There was humor in his warm brown eyes, but something else as well, something deeper that Ally couldn't guess at. "I guess that makes you special."

The giggles slowly faded, replaced by a blush that she couldn't explain. Just another emotional swing to blame on the exhaustion, she reasoned.

Carter tossed her the pastries before putting the car in gear.

"I thought these were for you," she said.

"I already had breakfast," he said. "They're for you. You'll feel better if you eat."

"But..."

"But what?"

He glanced into his mirror before pulling into traffic. Ally was pushed back into her seat by the sudden show of horsepower.

Forget the discomfort of her churning stomach, she would never forgive herself if she puked all over the inside of his fancy—and no doubt crazy expensive—sports car.

Not that she was about to share that with him.

"I'm afraid I'll get crumbs all over the place," she said.

"Just eat the damned muffin, Ally."

"Okay." She shrugged and dug into the bag. "It's your leather interior to detail, after all."

# 4

"It's right in here," Ally said, pointing to the right and up her parent's driveway. She let out a long sigh as Carter pulled in and set the brake. She stared out the windshield, but didn't reach for the door handle at her side.

"Are you ready?" Carter prompted her after another moment passed.

The truth was, she wasn't. She wasn't ready for any of this. Not taking this stranger into her parent's house. Not handing over Harvey's flash drive. Not being targeted by Fuller. None of it.

But it didn't look like she could stop any of it.

She'd set this wheel in motion the second she'd taken Harvey's phone call. There was no going back now.

Not that she hadn't thought about it. She'd spent the entire half hour drive out to her parent's suburban home running through every option she could think of. Ways she could ditch Carter Macmillan again. What in the world she would do once she got away from him. How she would defend herself from Fuller if he came after her again.

Not if... _when_.

Carter was right. She had a target on her back, and nothing short of bringing Fuller to justice was going to take it off.

She should be thanking her lucky stars that she had any ally at all. But Harvey's warning kept ringing in her ears.

_Don't trust anyone_.

No matter how hard his chest was, or how his gaze made her breath catch in her throat.

Then again, the man had already saved her life once. And Ally couldn't shake the feeling that she would survive a whole lot longer with this guy by her side than alone.

In the end, that's why she hadn't tried to bolt from his car at the first red light. Trusting him might be a risk, but it was one she was willing to take.

Within reason, of course.

"Yeah," Ally said with a nod. "I'm ready."

She looked up and down the street as she walked around the back of the car. Already, she caught sight of a few of the curtains being pulled back an inch on front windows along the street. She hadn't expected anything less.

There was no way that a flashy car like this was going to go unnoticed in her parent's working class neighborhood. Ally didn't doubt that the gossip would start flying fast and furious the moment she walked into the house with Carter.

Hell, Mrs. Carlson across the street was likely to try and call Ally's mom on the cruise ship just to tell her what her younger daughter was up to.

Ally watched Carter out of the corner of her eye as he walked up the drive. His outward appearance was easy enough but she saw his gaze sweeping over everything, taking it all in, from the bank of flowers that lined the front yard to the painted wood plaque that read _The Weavers_ hanging from the knocker on the door.

"See," she said, fitting her key into the lock. "No need to handcuff me to your side."

"Don't sound disappointed," he said with a wry smile.

She ignored the jibe, and held the door open for him.

"After you," he said, motioning with his hand. Apparently he still wasn't willing to turn his back on her.

Ally shrugged. She couldn't blame him. She stepped inside and heard his step follow close behind.

"Your parent's place?"

"Yep," she answered, though it really wasn't necessary. Every wall from the hallway to the living room was covered with family photos. About a quarter of them featured her at various ages from preschool to college graduation.

"Is this where you stayed last night?"

"It's the only place I could think of."

"Are they here?" he asked.

"No," she said, stopping in the middle of the family room. "They're on a cruise. Mexico, this time, I think."

Carter was still in the hallway perusing the photos, slowly making his way toward her. "How about brothers and sisters?"

She twisted around, and pointed to the large, decade-old family portrait hanging behind her in the dining room. "Two sisters. One brother. Nobody left at home."

His gaze drifted over to the picture, and he slowly nodded.

"Cute family," he said.

Ally didn't know about that, but there was certainly no doubting that they were a family. The distinctive Weaver auburn hair and blue eyes gave them away every time.

Carter kept moving, seemingly taking in everything in the house. Ally couldn't guess why. Her family wasn't _that_ interesting.

Ally shifted on her feet as he stepped over to the mantle. She might not know why he was taking his sweet time, but she certainly didn't want to spend the whole day moseying down memory lane. Not while Fuller was still out there looking for her, at any rate.

By the time Carter had sauntered to the end of the fireplace, Ally was starting to get more than a little nervous.

"I know my mom's tastes run to the tacky side," Ally said, turning around and gesturing toward the case by her side that was covered in ceramic figurines. "She loves tchotchkes. She picks a new one up on every trip. Sometimes I think they're her most prized possessions."

Carter turned toward her, an open smile on his face. He walked over to the shelves and picked one up. He slowly spun it in the light.

"They're silly, I know," she said.

"I think they're charming," he said, continuing to grin as he put the piece back.

His voice was low and easy. So easy, that Ally almost found her stiff shoulders relaxing a notch. She let her gaze linger over his profile for a moment.

Damn, the man was attractive.

Carter turned toward her, almost as if he could sense her stare, his warm caramel gaze melting away even more of her stress.

It seemed that with every passing second she was becoming more and more comfortable with Carter Macmillan and she wasn't entirely sure that was such a good idea.

Ally shook her head, trying to clear it. It didn't matter if Carter looked like heaven on a stick. She had more pressing concerns. Like keeping herself alive.

The sooner they found out what was on that drive, the sooner she could expose Fuller. Then he would go to jail, and she would write her piece. Everything would go back to normal.

"I need to grab the drive," Ally said, when the silence in the room had stretched on for another few seconds.

"Go ahead."

Ally pursed her lips before trying again. "Do you mind leaving the room?"

Carter didn't face her. He just kept looking at her mother's wall of silly figurines. "Why?"

"Because I don't want you to know where I've hidden it."

"Don't worry about that." He finally turned toward her, and Ally spotted an amused gleam twinkling in his eye. "I already know where you've stowed the flash drive."

Ally arched a brow. "Oh, really?"

Her parent's house was clutter central. Her mother had never passed by an antique store or a tourist trap in her life. There was no way he knew for certain where she'd hidden the thing. It would be like finding a needle in a hay—

"It's in the vase at the end of the mantle," he said.

Ally's mouth dropped open.

"H-how could you possibly know that?"

"Easy. You flinched when I walked over to the fireplace," he said, as if it were the simplest thing in the world. "Then you tried to deflect my attention when I got to the vase."

Damn. So much for keeping secrets.

Ally crossed her arms in front of her chest. The worst thing was she was more impressed by his trick than she was annoyed by it.

"What, did you used to be in a carnival act before getting into the security business?" she asked.

"Not exactly," he said, his lips quirking up in a devilish smile. "Army Special Forces."

"That actually explains a lot," she said.

But at least his little stunt meant she didn't have to wait anymore. Ally uncrossed her arms, strode over to the mantle and stuck her hand down the rustic pottery vase. Her fingers wrapped around the metal flash drive.

She turned around to find Carter staring at her. His expression had changed. There wasn't a trace of humor in him now. His body was stiff, on alert.

"Hit the ground, Ally." He said the words so low that at first she wasn't certain that she'd heard him right.

But then she glanced down and saw the bright red dot in the center of her chest.

A laser dot.

Ally didn't have to think any more after that. Her knees knew what to do.

They gave way underneath her, and she crumpled to the floor. Just in time. There was a loud crack and the pottery vase broke above her.

Dear God. Someone had followed them to her parent's house and was shooting at her.

This couldn't be happening. There was no way she was going to die in front of her mother's tchotchke shrine.

Carter dove across the room the moment that first shot sounded. He landed next to Ally, wrapped his arms around her and started to roll out of the room.

He'd never felt so bad about being right in his life. Fuller _was_ just a few steps behind Ally. He'd underestimated just how few.

Five more shots sprayed into the Weaver's house in quick succession before Carter managed to get Ally to the relative safety of the hallway.

He lifted his head and glanced up at the shattered window by the dining room table, but he didn't see any sign of the shooter. There was no way of telling if the man was still in the backyard, or if he was alone. There could be someone at the front door right now, just waiting to come in.

Well, if they were stupid enough to make that move, Carter would be ready for them.

Carter tucked Ally up against the wall, and then sprung to his feet. He un-holstered his pistol and held it at the ready.

He waited, but there wasn't a sound. Not inside the house or out. Carter still didn't move.

"Are they gone?" Ally asked, after another minute had passed.

"I can't be sure," he said. He also couldn't risk staying holed up. Even if the shooter had fled after his mistake, there was no sense staying in a place where Fuller knew to find them. He had to get Ally out of here, and fast.

Carter inched toward the door. Leading with his weapon, he cracked it open and peered outside.

And saw nothing. Just a regular suburban street. No suspicious looking cars. No glints of sniper scopes in the bushes. No scouts on rooftops.

Carter craned his head back toward Ally. "Do you still have Price's drive?"

She nodded. She held out her hand in front of her, her fingers clenched tight.

"You'd better put it somewhere safe." Carter watched as she dropped it inside her purse, and then held his hand out toward her. "Good. Now, let's get the hell out of here."

Ally wrapped her fingers around his palm and lifted herself up on shaky legs. Then she turned and froze.

"What is it?" Carter asked, looking her over, wondering if he'd missed some injury she'd sustained.

"They shot my parent's house," she said.

"It's going to be okay." Carter put his hand on her shoulder, and tried pulling her toward the door. She dug in her heels.

"No, it's not." Her voice was louder now, stronger. "They shot my parent's house. What the hell am I going to tell my mother?"

"The truth probably," Carter admitted. "You don't seem to have any problems telling it to anyone else."

"But, they—"

"Shot your parent's house," he repeated. "Got it. Now we have to go before they come back and shoot us."

That broke her out of her trance. "Y-yeah. Of course."

Carter glanced around the neighborhood as he hauled Ally out the door. There were more faces in windows now. More doors starting to open and gawkers coming out into the street. Most of them with their phones held up to their ears.

So much for a clean getaway.

Fuller may not have succeeded in silencing Ally for good, but he certainly had dropped Carter in the middle of one very sticky situation.

He opened the passenger door for her and made sure she was safely inside. There was no point in hiding his face as he walked over to the driver's side. Not anymore. Half the residents of Granite Hills Court would already be able to describe him perfectly when the police arrived.

He would just have to be ready when they came for him back at the offices of Macmillan Security.

Because they would be coming, and coming soon.

# 5

Ally had no idea how long it took Carter to drive back to downtown Sacramento. Time had become fuzzy the moment that he'd pressed down on the accelerator and sped down the street where she'd grown up. She could vaguely remember him roaring past her old elementary school before getting onto the freeway. After that everything was a hazy blur.

Her mind felt numb. She stared out the window, but her eyes didn't take in the scene whizzing by. The only images that floated through her brain were of shards of broken pottery and glass. A million pieces of ceramic littering her mother's floor.

What had happened last night in Harvey Price's office was jarring. It was frightening and adrenaline-filled. But this—strangers sneaking around her childhood home and riddling it with bullets—felt so much more personal. This was an attack, not just on her, but on those she held dear.

Slowly, the skyline changed, shifting from wide-open sky to soaring towers of metal and glass. Ally registered that they were back in the heart of the city, but she didn't turn away from the window until Carter made a sharp right turn and everything went black.

Ally sat back in her seat as Carter took them down into an underground parking lot.

"You back with me?" he asked.

"Yeah. I think so," she said, rubbing at her eyes with the heel of her palms. "Where are we?"

"My office." He pulled into an empty spot. "But don't worry. We won't be here long."

"I wasn't worried," Ally said as Carter stepped out of the car. She followed him as quickly as she could. "Should I be?"

He didn't answer her, but disappeared through a door marked _Stairs._

Great. That was very reassuring.

Ally didn't even think about turning heel and running for the hills the moment he was out of sight this time. If anything, she hurried her step to catch up with him.

Oh, how things had changed.

She still wasn't sure that she trusted him, not completely, at any rate.

She wasn't always this suspicious. Of course, she'd never been one to buy into conspiracy theories either, but watching a politically-connected confidential informant blow up on television had her re-examining some of her beliefs. She guessed a couple of assassination attempts could do that to a girl.

Right now she couldn't see any other option than sticking with Carter.

That didn't mean she didn't have questions for him. Now that her mind was recovering from the shock of being hunted like a wild animal, she had plenty of them.

Starting with why he had stubbornly refused to turn his back on her for even a second at her parent's house, but was now bounding up the fire stairs three at a time and leaving her in the dust.

Unless...

Ally dug inside her purse. Her hand frantically skimmed over the bottom of the bag searching for that slim, cold piece of metal. Deep down, she knew she wouldn't find it.

He'd taken the flash drive. Probably slipped it from her bag while she was still in shock.

See. She wasn't paranoid. The son-of-a-bitch wasn't trustworthy.

And now he had the drive that she had risked her life for...twice.

Ally took off up the stairs. She might not be ex-Special Forces, but she was damned motivated. She caught up to him before he hit the second floor.

"Y...you...you." Ally sucked in a huge lungful of air. She might have been angry and indignant, but she was also terribly out of breath. Fury, it seemed, could get you up three flights of stairs in a hurry, but it didn't do a damned thing to change how out of shape you were.

"Me," Carter said, pushing open the door and stepping into the hallway. Directly across was a set of massive wooden double doors with the words Macmillan Security etched across in gold.

Ally rested her hands on her hips and bent over desperate to catch her breath before chasing after him again.

He, of course, strode on without her.

It looked like breathing would have to wait. She wasn't about to lose sight of him or Harvey's flash drive.

"You took the drive out of my purse," she accused loudly as he entered the office.

The receptionist behind the desk shot her a strange look before looking to Carter. He nodded in greeting, but kept going. The woman went back to work without giving Ally a second glance.

Apparently, this kind of thing was just another day in the office around here.

"I did," he said, striding down the hall.

They passed a few partitioned office spaces. More than a couple heads turned as they walked by. Ally recognized one of them from the night before--the blonde guy with the ice blue eyes. The look he gave her now wasn't any warmer.

Ally turned her attention back to Carter and sped up.

"So you admit that you stole it?"

He glanced back at her. "I never said I stole it. We agreed to bring it here."

"No," she shook her head vigorously, refusing to let him off of the hook. "We agreed that _I_ would bring it here and let your people work their strange magic on it. I never agreed to you rummaging through my purse, and cutting me out."

Carter stopped suddenly, and Ally had to act quickly not to run straight into him. She managed, but just barely.

Now she was just awkwardly close, her body just inches away from his. She craned her head back as he spun around.

Heat that had nothing to do with outrage began to burn her face. Yeah, she was way too close.

Ally stumbled back.

"I'm not cutting you out, Ally," he said.

"And why should I trust anything you say?" she asked.

Carter arched a brow. "Maybe because twice now I've thrown my body on top of yours to shield you from bullets."

The heat of her blush intensified. And it wasn't helping her pride any that he had a point.

"T-that's not the most terrible reason I've ever heard," Ally said, her voice sounding squeaky and small, even to her own ears.

"Oh, honey, do not let him sweet talk you," a cheerful feminine voice said from nearby. "He uses that line on _all_ the girls."

Ally turned her head to the right, and saw that they had stopped directly in front of an open office door. A cute young woman with bright copper hair was seated on a swivel chair in front of a row of computer monitors. But she wasn't looking at any of them. The stranger's eyes were shamelessly fixed on her and Carter like they were the day's entertainment.

Ally turned back to Carter. "Who is that?"

" _That_ is our resident _magician_."

The woman stood up and waved. "Charlie Keswick."

Ally found herself waving back. "Ally Weaver."

"Oh, I know who you are," Charlie said with a smile. "I like you already. I don't think I've ever known anyone with the guts to go toe to toe with the _Captain_ here."

_Guts_ , eh? Ally's chin lifted a notch as she felt a little of her pride slip back into place. "Thanks."

The bit about knowing her was a little odd, but Ally figured that Carter had to get his information from somewhere. That somewhere was apparently Charlie.

"No problem." Charlie shifted her gaze over to Carter. "Speaking of you, _Captain_ , what magic do you need today?"

Carter dug into his pocket and pulled out the flash drive. He tossed it Charlie's way. Ally watched as the woman snatched it out of the air. She bit into her lip, desperately trying to resist the urge to go and wrench it from Charlie's fingers.

Charlie flipped it over in her hands. "What's on it?"

"That's what we need you to find out."

"Ooh, a mystery." Charlie spun around in her chair, wasting no time plugging the drive into one of her computers.

"I need the results ASAP," Carter said before turning and continuing his walk down the hall.

"You always need everything ASAP," Charlie shouted after him.

Ally lingered by Charlie's open door.

"Promise me you'll be careful with that," Ally couldn't help saying.

Charlie swiveled her chair around. Fortunately, she didn't look the least bit offended. She met Ally's gaze with nothing but compassion in her eyes.

"You went through a lot to get this little thing, didn't you?" Charlie asked.

"Yeah," Ally said, even though she had a feeling that Charlie already knew the answer. "And I wasn't the only one."

"Then I promise you. I'll treat it with the care and respect it deserves," Charlie said without a trace of humor in her voice.

Ally gave a slow nod. She believed her. More importantly, she felt a hell of a lot more comfortable about leaving the flash drive behind.

She finally turned to try to catch up to Carter, but found her way blocked by a giant.

Okay, he wasn't really a giant, but he might as well have been. The scowl that he wore dissipated any of the warm fuzzies she'd just received from Charlie. He reminded Ally of an ancient Polynesian warrior, the kind that would gut you for showing the slightest sign of fear.

"E-excuse me," she said, trying to step past him.

He pinned her in place with his narrowing gaze. "Who are you?"

Hell, even his voice was terrifying.

"I-I—"

"She's Ally Weaver, Bowie, and she's here with Carter," Charlie called out without bothering to turn around. "So mind your manners, and let her pass."

The giant named Bowie gave her one more glower before stepping to the side.

"Thanks," Ally muttered as she hustled down the hall. She could feel the man's gaze following her the whole way, but she didn't dare turn around.

At the end of the hallway she found a door with Carter's name on it. She cracked it open and found him standing behind his desk, staring at a computer. He didn't look up as she slid inside. She rested her back against the door as it closed.

"I never thought I'd say this, but I'm glad I found you," she said.

"It's not the best idea to get lost in this office."

"About that," Ally said. "Time to 'fess up. What is it that you guys actually do around here?"

"I told you. Security."

"Well, yeah..." She kept her hands flat on the door as she leaned into the room. "But there's security, and then there's _security_."

The hint of a smile lifted the corners of Carter's lips. "And which one do you think it is?"

"Well, since I had the pleasure of meeting Iceman and Bruiser last night, and I just had a terrifying run in with a wall of muscle who's named after a kind of knife, I'm guessing it's the latter."

His amused smirk grew, even as he stood up to his full height and crossed his arms in front of his wide chest. "And does that make you trust me more or less."

She was saved from having to answer by a knock on the door.

"Come in," Carter called out.

Ally stepped to the side, and watched as the smile fell instantly from Carter's face. The door swung open and a tall handsome man with light brown hair and sapphire eyes stepped inside.

The stranger looked her way and cocked his head to the side giving her an honest smile.

"You must be Miss Weaver," he said. His voice was pleasant, masculine, but not so threatening that her first instinct was to run and hide. He offered her his hand. "I'm Mason Wright."

"Please call me Ally," she said, taking it.

"It's a pleasure, Ally." He held on to her hand a second too long. His eyes lingered on hers as well, and Ally found herself smiling back in a way that bordered on flirtatious.

"Do you work here?" She couldn't help but ask. This guy, Mason, was polite and likable, pretty much the exact opposite of every other male Macmillan employee she'd met so far.

"I do," he said.

"I would caution against falling for his charm, if I were you," Carter said from across the room. "Mason here could put a bullet in the dead center of your forehead from two hundred yards away."

Mason flashed her an _aw shucks_ smile. "But not without good reason," he added.

"Good to know," Ally said.

She looked over at Carter. His easy posture from a moment ago had turned defensive.

For a second, she wanted to believe that it was because of the attention Mason was giving her, but that was silly. It couldn't be.

"Did you need something, Mason?" Carter asked.

Mason's spine straightened. In an instant, both men were all business. He nodded at Carter. "Just came to tell you that the cops are at the door."

"That was faster than I expected." Carter swore under his breath as he quickly shut down his computer. "Who is dealing with them?"

"Jake's at the door. I'm guessing he can tie them up there for a couple more minutes at most."

"Jake?" Ally asked.

"Bruiser," Carter clarified.

Mason chuckled. " _Bruiser_...I like that."

"I'm going to have to get Ally somewhere safe. I don't trust Fuller not to have a mole or two in the department. If the police take her down to the station, she's as good as dead."

Ally swallowed hard. That sounded bad. Really bad. What did somebody do when they couldn't trust the police? And why hadn't Carter told her any of this until now?

"Where are you going to take her?" Mason asked.

Carter shook his head. "Not sure yet. But I'll let you know as soon as I do. Keep communication to secure channels only."

"Done."

Carter grabbed his keys off the desk and came over to Ally's side. He made a show of linking his hand in hers.

"You're in charge while I'm out," Carter said.

"The boys are going to love that."

"They'll get over it," Carter said, leading her out of the office. "Just don't let the place burn down while I'm gone."

"No promises," Mason replied.

"So we're running from the police?" Ally asked as they hit the emergency stairwell at the back of the office.

"Looks that way," Carter said, pushing their pace. He could trust Jake to talk circles around the officers in the lobby for a few minutes, but Carter knew he couldn't hold them off forever.

But he didn't need forever. He needed another sixty seconds to get Ally into a vehicle and out of the garage.

That was all.

The good news was it appeared that she'd given up fighting him. He didn't have to drag her down the stairs. She was doing just fine keeping up and staying by his side. He could probably even let go of her hand.

But he didn't want to.

He told himself it had nothing to do with the flash of jealousy that had briefly flared when he'd watched Mason lay his most flirtatious smile on her...and Ally smile back.

Nope. Had nothing to do with that momentary break in his emotions.

He just figured that Ally had to be scared right now. This was all new territory for her. She could probably use a little reassurance. And there must have been something to his reasoning. She wasn't pulling away from his touch.

"Is running our only option?" Ally asked as they went through the door to the second level of underground parking.

"You didn't seem to have a problem with it last night." He pushed open the door, and spotted the silver Lotus.

Perfect. That one would do just fine.

"I mean do you really think that—"

"Fuller has spies in the department? Most probably." Carter pulled the key out of his pocket and hit the button. The rear lights flashed. "Do I think that he'd seize the opportunity of having you in a known and confined location to finish the job? Absolutely."

He let go of Ally's hand as they reached the bumper, then she paused by the passenger side door.

"You know because it's what you would do." Her voice was soft, far away, like she'd just come to some horrible realization.

"In another life, yes." Carter rested his hands on the top of the car. They didn't have time for this, but he had the feeling she wasn't getting in the vehicle without hearing the truth. Lies and spin just weren't going to cut it. "I know how these guys think, but that makes me the best person to keep you safe. And I will keep you safe, Ally, I promise."

She stared at him for half a second before nodding and getting in the car. Only once she was inside did she look around in confusion.

"This is a different car," she said.

Carter chuckled. For someone so perceptive, she could miss a lot when she got lost in her mind.

"I think it's best not to drive the same one twice for a while. Fuller's already shown his fondness for car bombs. It'll be harder for him to plant one on us if he doesn't know which car we'll be getting into next."

Her brows pulled together. "How many cars do you have?"

Carter put the Lotus in reverse and pulled out. "Plenty."

"Plenty is not a number," she said.

"Sure it is." He kept his speed low as he drove through the narrow corridors of the parking garage. There was no sense in attracting any unwanted attention.

"No, I'm pretty sure it's not."

He smiled at her insistence. Funny, he found himself smiling at a lot of things that she said, even in the most serious of situations. Maybe especially then.

"I wouldn't have gotten very far in this field if I didn't have plans for every possible contingency."

"You have contingency cars?" Her voice shot up an octave.

Carter glanced over to her before driving up the ramp and pulling into traffic. "You don't?"

# 6

Ally was pretty sure Carter wasn't lying when he said that he didn't know where he was going to take her. At least, that was the conclusion she'd come to after their second loop around the Capital City Freeway.

The quips and the banter had faded the instant that they'd hit the freeway on-ramp. His face was a serious mask of concentration, one that she'd only caught glimpses of before.

Ally didn't bother him. He needed to think. She probably should as well. The problem was her brain refused to work when she was this damn tired.

She glanced at the clock. By her count, she was quickly coming up on thirty-six hours without sleep.

Now, being driven around in a constantly moving car with only the hum of the engine to keep her company, she found her eyelids drooping more and more.

Adrenaline, it seemed, would only take her so far.

Her chin had just touched down on her chest when the car came to a stop. Her head snapped up as a startled sound escaped her mouth.

"I'm awake," she said before she could stop the words.

Ally ignored Carter's chuckle. "I can tell," he said.

She rubbed at her eyes and did a quick check of her sweatshirt for drool spots before deciding it was too old and raggedy to tell. Instead, she turned her attention out her window.

They were stopped in front of a familiar-looking building. Tall and stately, Ally knew that she'd seen this place before. A uniformed valet walked toward the car. Behind him was a revolving glass door, and Ally could just make out the crystal chandeliers hanging in the lobby.

She _did_ know this place.

She quickly swiveled around in her seat to look out Carter's side of the car.

Just like she knew this skyline.

Ally felt all her blood rush to her face. "You brought us to The Grand Capital Hotel?"

Carter raised his brows in answer.

But just as she was opening her mouth to demand he tell her what the hell he was thinking driving them around for hours only to bring them right back into the center of downtown Sacramento, the valet opened her door. Ally had two choices, throw a fit or get out of the car.

Ally pressed her lips together tightly as she stepped onto the sidewalk. It looked like the fit would have to wait.

Carter handed the keys over to the valet and came to her side. Ally stiffened as he slid his arm into hers. He leaned in close as he walked her into the lobby.

"I'll explain everything soon enough," he whispered.

"You better," she hissed right back. "You _do_ know that every cop in this city is searching for us right now."

"I need you to trust me," he said, not showing any reaction to her words. "And stay by my side."

Ally ground her teeth. What other choice did she have?

Carter strode up to the reception desk, smiling at the gentleman behind the counter.

"Good afternoon, sir," the man whose golden nametag read Richard said.

"Good afternoon. I'd like to get a room for the weekend," Carter said.

"Do you have a reservation?" Richard asked, sliding his gaze over Ally, who suddenly felt more than a little self-conscious in her tattered grey sweatshirt and rat's nest hair. "This is a very busy weekend for us."

Carter slipped his arm from hers and took out his wallet from inside his jacket.

"No," he said, laying down a black American Express card with the name Sean Ward on it. "Is that going to be a problem?"

Ally's eyes widened, but she didn't open her mouth.

Richard, the receptionist, took one look at the card and all his suspicions melted away.

"No problem at all, sir," he said.

Carter pulled a matching ID out of the wallet, and, a few minutes later, they were all set up with a room.

"Do you have any bags, sir," Richard asked after the receipt had been signed.

"Not this time," Carter said, shaking his head. "Impromptu trip."

Ally's lips twisted up in a wry grin. That was one way of putting it.

But their lack of luggage didn't seem to bother Richard. He smiled and swept his arm in the direction of the elevators.

Ally kept her mouth shut the whole ride up to the twelfth floor. She even bit into her lower lip to make sure that her mouth stayed that way. But the moment that Carter slid the keycard into the reader and opened the door, she couldn't hold her aggravation back any longer.

The only problem was Ally couldn't decide where to start. There were so many places to choose from. The false identity? The credit card fraud? Bringing them right back to the belly of the beast?

Yep. That was definitely the best launching point.

Ally pushed past Carter and stormed into the room. She balled her hands at her side as she spun around to face him.

But he was ready for her, his back propped up against the closed door, his arms crossed in front of his chest, as though he was anticipating her tantrum. But it was his raised brows and quirked lips that really irritated the hell out of her.

Did he think this was funny?

If so, the man was certifiable.

"Why the hell are we here?" she asked through tight lips.

He shrugged. "Because we needed a place to stay."

Ally's shoulders stiffened as red-hot fury surged through her. She was dangerously close to her breaking point. She felt hot pricks behind her eyes.

Tears? Great. That was _exactly_ what she needed right now.

"Do you _want_ me to throw a lamp at your head?" she asked, her voice starting to shake.

Carter's expression turned serious. He took a step away from the door. "There are a few reasons I brought us to this hotel, but the most important is that it's the last place that anyone is going to look for us."

Ally tilted her head. She wasn't sure she agreed with his opinion. She could think of half a dozen places—the dead center of Nevada sounded particularly good—that no one would ever find them. But at least his earnest answer made her more willing to hear him out.

"How can you be so sure?" she asked.

"Because Fuller and the police are going to focus on our families and known associates. They are going to stake out our workplaces and usual hangouts. They'll be looking for hits on our bank and credit cards. They won't concern themselves with what's going on across the street. They won't find us here."

"Not unless they're looking for Mr. Sean Ward," she said.

"Exactly." He walked past her to the window and opened the drapes.

Ally turned with him. For the first time she really noticed their hotel room. The place was ridiculous. They weren't even in The Grand Capital's best room and the suite was bigger than her apartment...by a lot.

It was a hell of a lot nicer too. The bed, the carpet, the couch—everything screamed high class. And the view...

Ally joined Carter at the window and looked across the glistening buildings and rooftops that surrounded them. The sun was starting to dip toward the horizon, setting off golden sparkles on the gentle waves of the Sacramento River.

After a minute spent staring off into the distance, Carter turned toward her. "Feeling better?"

If she was, she wasn't about to admit it.

"I feel...exhausted," she said.

It was the truth. Ally couldn't remember a time that she'd ever felt so tired in her life. And it wasn't just lack of sleep. Her brain was fried. She felt as if the last drops of fight had been drained out of her. She was tired of running. Tired of fighting. Hell, she was even tired of standing.

Carter put his hands on her shoulders and spun her around so that she faced the bed. "So sleep," he said.

"Maybe just a little nap," she said as he guided her over to the oversized mattress. The thing looked like a heavenly cloud, all thick and white and fluffy. It was almost impossible to resist its call.

The frame was set so high off the ground, Ally almost had to get a running start to lift herself on top. But it was worth the effort. The moment her back hit the soft down comforter, she sank into its depths. She reached up and grabbed a pillow, dragging it to her head.

"Just for a few minutes," she muttered as she curled up. She still wasn't convinced that this was the safest place they could be, but she figured the chances of Fuller and his men knocking down their door in the next twenty minutes was pretty low.

"Whatever you say," Carter said, not doing a very good job of stifling his laughter as he pulled a fuzzy throw from the end of the bed and draped it over her. He must have sensed her lingering unease, because he traced his fingers down her cheek after pulling the blanket over her shoulders. "Everything is going to be all right, Ally. I promise."

Ally tried not to read too much into the comforting gesture. It wasn't too hard, since a moment later her eyes closed on their own, and a moment after that she drifted off.

It was a promise he had no right to make. Carter knew that. They were in a hell of a mess.

But telling Ally that wasn't going to help her sleep, and she desperately needed to rest. He tried telling himself that was the real reason he'd wanted to reassure her, that she was no good to him running on fumes, that exhaustion only made her a liability.

But those were just more lies. Ones that were meant to make _him_ feel better.

The truth was, he felt a strange ache in the center of his chest seeing her struggle to stay upright, to keep her eyes open for a few more minutes just because she was scared and confused. He didn't like watching Ally suffer. He didn't like it at all.

Some of his own discomfort faded now that she was peaceful and calm. The gentle rise and fall of her chest told him she was asleep. It hadn't taken long. No surprise.

He brushed back a few stray strands of hair from her cheek, and she unconsciously shifted toward his touch. Carter let his hand linger for a moment on her warm skin, before forcing himself to turn away.

Little white lies might help Ally fall asleep, but they weren't going to save her life when the bullets started flying again. To truly keep her safe, he would have to stop Fuller, but before he could do that, he needed to know what the son of a bitch was up to.

He grabbed his phone and went to the window. He looked out across the city as he dialed the office's secure line.

Mason picked up on the first ring.

"I was wondering when you were going to get around to calling," Mason said in lieu of a greeting.

"Is the office clear?" Carter asked.

"Affirmative," Mason said. "The police left a few minutes after determining you weren't hiding somewhere in the office. They didn't leave happy though. Looks like you're officially wanted for questioning in two shootings now."

"So, no witnesses saw the other shooter at the Weaver's?"

"Doesn't look like it," Mason said. "From the sound of it Fuller wasn't just trying to get rid of Ally. He was also looking to pin it on you."

"Again," Carter added. "He won't get away with it. Fuller can't keep coming at us this aggressively and not leave a trail of evidence behind."

There was a beat of silence from Mason. Apparently, his friend didn't share his optimism.

"You disagree?" Carter asked.

"I don't know," Mason said. Carter could almost imagine his old friend shaking his head slowly as he spoke, just the way he used to back when they'd debated tactics at West Point. "Fuller is powerful, well-connected. He's not known for making mistakes, just like he's not known for forgiving them. I don't think we'll be able to get anyone to turn on him. Right now, everyone is more afraid of him than they are of us."

Carter laid his palm against the windowpane. "We've dealt with men like him before."

"Yeah," Mason said. "But this one you can't take out with a sniper bullet."

Now, it was Carter's turn for silence.

"Wait," Mason said with more than a hint of anxiety in his voice. "Please tell me that's not your plan."

If only.

"It's not my plan," Carter said.

"Thank God." Mason said, letting out a long breath. "Besides, you'd have a hell of a time getting at him."

"What do you mean?"

"Congressman Fuller boarded a flight back to DC this morning."

"Before the attempt on Ally's life?" Carter asked.

"Exactly," Mason said. "My guess is he's betting it's harder to pin attempted murder on a man that's nearly three thousand miles away."

Carter propped his fist up against the windowpane. "That just means someone else in his organization is running the operation. Any theories?"

"Well, Fuller's Communications Director did get a promotion today for 'his years of loyal service'. He's now Chief of Staff."

"Lucas Addams?" The worm from the party. Carter remembered him well. "That was quick. I take it he didn't leave with the congressman this morning."

"No. It appears he'll be staying in town to oversee the investigation of last night's shooting," Mason said.

"How convenient," Carter mused.

"My thoughts exactly," Mason agreed. "So, I did a little digging on Mr. Addams, and found out this isn't his first job with Buck Fuller. He also worked closely with Fuller as a Threat Analyst with the Security Department at Allied Dynamics years ago."

Lucas Addams' job title might have changed, but Carter was willing to bet that his position wasn't all that different. So, he was the reason that Fuller had remained bulletproof all these years. At least Carter finally understood why he'd disliked the man almost instantly.

"How close is Charlie on the flash drive?" Carter asked.

"She's working on it. Seems Harvey Price was seriously paranoid. She's having a hell of a time trying to crack the encryption."

Was it still paranoia if the man's fears were justified?

"Let me know the second she finds anything," Carter, said.

"Sure thing," Mason said. "How's Miss Weaver doing?"

Carter slowly turned around to face Ally. A warm feeling spread through him at the sight of her curled up on the bed.

"She's holding up." The truth was, she was doing a hell of a lot better than that. She was tired and she was stressed, but she was far from broken. Not that he would have blamed her had she fallen to pieces. Carter had known lots of strong people who would have cracked under the strain of two attempts on their lives in as many days.

"She seems like a fighter," Mason said.

Carter smiled. His friend didn't know the half of it.

He must have stared at her for a second too long, because the next thing, Mason was saying his name. "You still there?"

"Yeah, I'm here."

"I was just wondering what the plan was," Mason said.

"Yeah, of course," Carter said, shaking his head to clear it. "Basic recon on Fuller's office. We need to know what Addams is up to next, and that means we need eyes and ears on the place."

Carter turned back toward the window as he laid the rest of the plan out for Mason.

# 7

Ally was used to the harsh beep of an alarm clock shocking her out of sleep, so the experience of slowly rising out of the depths of slumber felt almost decadent.

She rolled her shoulders as her eyelids flickered open. She licked at her lips and wiggled her toes. They brushed against the satiny softness of the comforter beneath her.

Someone had slipped her shoes off while she was asleep.

Not someone.

Carter.

Ally reached her arms above her head as she sat up, stretching out her back. There was still daylight pouring in from the large window that ran across the front of the room, but she was incredibly well rested. She must have had one heck of a power nap.

She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and glanced around the room for Carter. She found him just where she'd left him, right by the window.

He was sitting in a chair, reading a newspaper. There was a tray in front of him with what looked like a carafe of coffee. A tower of covered plates was on the table.

The bedclothes rustled as she kicked off the blanket, and he turned his head her way.

"Hey there, sleepyhead," he said, with a devastatingly handsome smile. Ally turned her head before he could see her blush.

She knew nothing had happened between them, but still, there was something so intimate about waking up in the same room. Under any other circumstances, she would have been upset that he'd only taken off her shoes.

"Hey," she said, pulling her feet in to sit cross-legged on the mattress. She combed her fingers through her hair. At this point, she was scared to look in the mirror. "How long was I out?"

Carter looked down at his wrist. "About fifteen hours."

"What?" Ally's spine straightened instantly. She twisted around to look at the clock on the side table.

Sure enough, it read 9:03 a.m.

She hadn't taken a nap. She'd slept clear through to the next morning.

And Carter had let her.

She threw her feet down on the floor. "Why didn't you wake me?"

"Because you needed to sleep." He shrugged as he turned the newspaper page.

_The newspaper_.

Dear God. She had to make a phone call. Her editor had to be wondering what had happened to her.

After that she needed to call her parents. Ally would bet a thousand dollars that her mother had already heard the story of her house being involved in a shootout from half the neighbors on the street.

She might have forgotten about all her responsibilities in the blur of yesterday's chaos, but this morning, she was going to have to take care of business.

Ally ran over to her purse and dug inside. When she didn't feel the familiar shape of her phone, she upended the bag on the entryway table and the contents poured out. Her phone wasn't one of them.

"My phone is gone," she called out.

"I know."

Ally spun around.

"How do you know?" she asked slowly.

"Because I took it."

What the hell was it about this man? One second he had her blushing over his devilish smiles, and in the next instant, she wanted to kick him in the kneecaps. Maybe if he didn't take such perverse pleasure in making her pry every last answer out of him, she would be able to keep her blood pressure under control. But as it was, she was quickly reaching her boiling point.

Still, she didn't want to give him the satisfaction of another screaming fit—he always ended up laughing at her anyway—so she tiptoed behind his chair and pantomimed wrapping her hands around his neck and throttling the life out of him. It was strangely satisfying.

"I can see your reflection in the window, you know," he said, folding the newspaper and putting it down by his side.

"I'll stop if you tell me why you took my phone," she said.

"I tossed it out the window near your parent's house yesterday, but I should have done it earlier," he said, leaning forward and filling an empty cup with coffee. "The GPS on cell phones are easy to track. I'm guessing it's how Fuller's men were able to follow us."

Ally dropped her arms.

"Oh," she said, feeling instantly deflated. "You should have told me."

Ally walked around to the chair opposite Carter, and sat down.

He looked at her for a long moment before he slid over the mug of coffee. "You're right," he conceded. "I'm sorry. I had other things on my mind."

Ally's eyes widened. She had the feeling that an apology from Carter Macmillan was a rare and precious thing. And this one came with a cup of coffee. Even better.

"I'm used to giving orders, not explaining them."

Ally's lips curled up in a smile. "I've never been any good at taking orders."

His brow arched in mock surprise. "I hadn't noticed."

"The second someone tells me I _have_ to do something, it instantly makes me want to do the exact opposite."

"You'd make a terrible soldier," he said, putting one of the plates down in front of her.

"Yeah, but it's made me a pretty good journalist," she said. "Might even make me a great one if I can survive to get this story published."

"Something tells me you'll be kicking around for a while, if for no other reason than Fuller doesn't want you to," Carter said. His warm brown eyes were locked on hers as he spoke, and she saw all kinds of emotions flash through them—amusement, pride, something that looked a hell of a lot like desire.

But it couldn't be. She'd just woken up from nearly a full day of sleep. She hadn't showered in almost two. And she was wearing a sweatshirt with holes in the neckline. There was no way the ex-Special Forces guy with his finely tailored suit and rock hard body was into her. No way in hell.

"That's the hope," Ally said, looking down at the plate in front of her. He pulled off the metal cover and revealed eggs and potatoes and toast. "Wow. You ordered breakfast."

"I figured you'd be hungry. You didn't have a chance to eat anything other than a muffin yesterday. I plan on making up for that today."

"Thank you," she said, nervously tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. The mood had changed. Even though the room was large and airy, the space between them felt small and intimate. "I can't remember the last time someone bought me breakfast," she said, hoping a little small talk would distract her.

Carter's brows arched as he leaned forward an inch in his seat. "What a shame."

Ally put down the coffee cup. "That's not what I meant."

"I get it," he said, picking up his own fork and taking a bite. "There are plenty of guys, just no one sticks around until morning."

"I never said—"

"I've never had that problem myself." His head was ducked down, but Ally still caught the teasing curve to his smile. "I've always had trouble getting them to leave."

"Yeah, sounds like a real problem to me," she shot back.

"I'm just glad I can finally talk to someone who understands," he said. "It drives me crazy."

"I'm sure it does."

"Except for this one girl, she runs from me all the time," he said between bites. "Try to make my move at a party, and—poof—she's gone. Turn my back on her for one second while walking her to her car, and she just disappears."

Ally leaned back in her chair, giving him a triumphant smile. "That must have been rough on your ego."

"I don't know. I think it ended up okay." He glanced at her, his honey-colored eyes locking with hers. "I managed to get her to spend the night in my hotel room, after all."

Heat was pouring into her cheeks now, and the harder she tried to stop it, the harder it burned. It was absurd. A bubble of laughter escaped her lips. Then another. And another.

What the hell was going on? A minute ago, she wanted to strangle the man, but now...now, she was picturing something entirely different that she'd like to do with him.

It was just the stress. It had to be. The stress, and the pressure...and the almost irresistible sight of a day's worth of stubble lining his jaw. How would it feel grazing across her cheek? Her neck? Her—

Ally tried to shake the images from her head.

"I like it when you laugh," he said after a long moment had passed.

Ally shrugged easily, even though the casual confession affected her more than she wanted to admit. "You're pretty funny when you want to be."

"There are those who would disagree with you," he said cryptically.

She was about to ask who when a text alarm chirped. Ally started a little at the unexpected sound. Her brows pulled together as Carter pulled a phone from his pocket. He checked the screen, typed something back and slid it back into his jacket.

Ally realized she must have been glaring at him, because he widened his eyes as he looked back up at her.

"What?" he asked.

"Why do you get a phone?"

"Because it's not an ordinary phone." Carter held up the phone pinched between his finger and thumb. "The signal is run through a private satellite. It can't be tracked through regular cell towers."

Fresh hope rushed through Ally. She scooted forward in the chair. "So, I can call my work with it?"

Carter shook his head. "That's not a good idea."

"Why not?"

"Because while this line is secure, the Gazette's are not. We have to assume that Fuller's men are monitoring every call that goes in and out of that building to look for you."

Ally's face fell, as the brief flash of hope left her. "I guess that means I can't call my parents either."

Carter gave her a long sympathetic look. "I know it's hard, Ally, but the fewer people you have contact with, the safer everyone will be." He stretched his hand out across the table. "This will all be over soon."

Ally didn't think too hard about sliding her hand into his before she did it. He was offering comfort, and she needed some. It was as simple as that.

His fingers curled around her palm. He slid his other hand over the top. His skin felt warm on hers. Ally almost believed that she could feel some of his strength infusing into her.

"I'm sorry," he said, sounding sincere.

Ally shook her head. No matter how tempting it was to lay the blame for her predicament on someone else, it wouldn't be honest.

"Don't be," she said. "I knew what I was getting myself into by taking on Fuller."

"But you did it anyway." There was a note of admiration in his voice. For some reason she wasn't expecting that. Admonishment, maybe. Confusion, certainly.

That's what she was used to getting from people like her parents, her siblings, and her friends. She understood their reasons. They wanted her to be safe. It was what most people wanted for their loved ones. That was why Ally never resented their concerns.

But she could never agree with them.

"Once Harvey called me there was no other choice," she said. "Whatever Fuller is doing, someone has to expose him."

Carter slowly sat back. His fingers caressed the top of her hand as they slid away. Suddenly Ally wanted them back. The room was warm, but her hands felt strangely cold without his touch.

"Why did he come to you?" Carter asked.

"He read a piece I did on city corruption out in Prospect Canyon. All the other journalists gave up after the mayor lawyered up, but I thought there might be something there, so I kept digging."

"And there was something," Carter said, folding his hands in his lap.

"There was," she said, meeting his gaze. "I followed the money trail, and it led right back to the mayor. I was the only one that didn't back down."

"So you think that whatever we find on Harvey Price's drive will come back to money?" he asked.

Ally shrugged. "It almost always does. It's why most people do anything."

"Not you," he said with a wry smile. "You're out here risking your neck while driving around the world's oldest Toyota Camry."

"Well, I'm a freak," she said. She finished off the last bite of her breakfast and then pulled her legs up on to the chair. It was a comfy position—not one she'd take in front of just anyone, but she was quickly coming to understand that Carter was hardly just anyone. "I've always valued the truth over fancy things."

"That's noble."

"Most of the time it's just foolish," she said honestly. "Especially when it's the first of the month and the rent is due."

Carter chuckled.

"I'm guessing that's not a problem that you've ever had," she said, leaning forward and grabbed her coffee cup. She wrapped both of her hands around it. The coffee was hot, but it was nothing like the warmth that she felt in Carter's hands.

"You might be surprised," he said.

"Really, Mr. Black AMEX?"

"That's not me," he said, bringing his arms up and lacing his fingers behind his neck. It appeared that she wasn't the only one that was getting comfortable. "That's Sean Ward."

"I don't know. Mr. Ward looks a lot like you."

"I suppose he does." Carter smiled openly. The lack of guard made him even more attractive, if such a thing was possible. "It wasn't always this way, though. I didn't have much when I got out of the service. I built Macmillan Security from nothing."

"And the guys that work for you?"

"We were all in the same unit." His eyes focused somewhere just beyond Ally's shoulder.

"You were in charge back then too, weren't you?" Technically, it was a question, but there wasn't a doubt in Ally's mind.

The corners of his eyes tilted up as he looked back at her. "That obvious?"

"You don't strike me as a second fiddle kind of guy," she said with a smile.

"None of my men were," he said. "That's why we were so good at what we did."

"What exactly did you do?"

"We protected the good guys. Got rid of the bad ones." Carter's smile tilted, and Ally got the feeling that there was far more he couldn't tell her than he could. "Someone gave us the nickname The Sinner Saints because it seemed like we always did the right thing the wrong way."

A smile spread across Ally's face.

_The Sinner Saints_.

"An angel's heart and the devil's smile," she said. "The name suits you."

Ally tried not to squirm in her seat as something in Carter's gaze changed, intensity pushing out the humor.

"That means a lot coming from you," he said, his voice low.

Ally cleared her throat. She needed to get this conversation back on track before he made her blush all the way down to her toes.

"So, why did you start Macmillan Security?"

"I did it for my men. I knew we would need to do something once we got out of the service. A security company seemed like a perfect fit. We had the training. We had the skills. But most importantly, we needed to feel like we were doing something that was worth a damn."

"And this lets you feel like you're helping people?"

"We've saved a lot of lives," he said.

Ally swallowed down past the lump in her throat. "Like mine."

"That wasn't business," Carter said, leaning toward her. "It's still not. I made a personal promise to protect you. And I never go back on my promises."

"So the money doesn't mean anything to you?" she asked.

He shrugged. "Let's just say it's a nice perk."

"I imagine it is," she said with a wink. She went to take another sip of coffee but found her mug dry. She made a show of turning it upside down. "Well, that's my cue. I'm thinking I better go take a shower."

She stood up from the chair and stretched, lifting her arms over her head. Carter was watching her with a thoughtful expression on his face.

"How would you like to go down to the spa after that?"

"Excuse me?" she asked, blinking a few times.

"It's been a stressful couple of days. I thought you might like some time to relax."

Yeah, right. Breakfast was one thing, but a day at the spa—especially one as fancy as the Grand Capital's—was a whole other ballgame. The man had to have another motive.

Ally cocked her head to the side. "And you need to get rid of me for a couple of hours?"

Carter glanced at the floor. He couldn't seem to fight the smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "What gave me away?"

"No one is that altruistic." Ally cocked out her hip. "What are you going to do while I'm gone?"

"I just need to plan some things with my team."

"Things you don't want me to hear," she shot back.

"Not you personally," he said. "But the less you know the better off you are."

"Ah," she said, a sudden wave of understanding coming over her. She'd heard this line before. "So, just things you don't want a journalist around to hear."

"Is that a no on the spa day?"

Ally tilted her head to the side. She was well aware that he had sidestepped her concerns, but that was no reason to turn down one hell of an offer.

"I never said that." She turned and headed for the bathroom. "The real question is, how can you be sure that I won't rabbit on you again once I'm down there?"

"Because we need each other," he said. "Whatever happens, we're in it together."

Ally stopped in her tracks. She'd been all prepared for another quip, another smart remark, and another round of laughter. The only thing she hadn't been ready for was the truth, and certainly not so simply stated.

She didn't turn around, but gave a simple nod before continuing on to the shower.

He was dead right, she thought as she shut and locked the bathroom door. She turned on the shower, and steam filled the room, but she stayed leaning against the door for another minute thinking about what he'd said.

Their futures were tied together. For better or for worse. She couldn't break the story without his help, and he couldn't save his company without hers.

At least she assumed that was what he had meant. It had to be.

Ally peeled off her clothes and stepped into the comforting spray of warm water. She closed her eyes and tilted her head back, letting the stream cascade through her hair.

Sure, she and Carter were strange bedfellows, but at least they'd sowed the seeds of friendship out there. At the very least, she didn't actively distrust the man anymore. That had to count for something, didn't it?

Of course, she didn't usually find herself staring at her friend's lips, or losing herself in the tender warmth of their eyes. She also didn't spend a whole lot of time fantasizing about what it would be like to unbutton their shirt and run her hands over their muscles.

Would he feel like she imagined—a tantalizing mixture of hard muscle and soft skin?

Ally closed her eyes, under the showerhead. The water sluiced over her, caressing her skin. The heat seeped through her, warming her.

What would it feel like to press her body against his? To wrap her arms around him? To straddle his—

Ally's eyes popped open.

Dear God, what the hell was she thinking? Since when did she lose control of herself over a couple of strong arms and a chiseled jawline?

She reached down and cranked up the cold water.

Maybe, Carter was right. Maybe she could use a little stress relief. 'Cause right now, she felt like she was losing her damn mind.

# 8

"It's time for your mani/pedi, Mrs. Ward," the spa attendant said, poking her head into the eucalyptus-scented lounge where Ally was waiting.

Ally's lips pulled down into a frown. She knew she had no right to be unhappy. Carter may have sent her down there for all the wrong reasons, but at least he hadn't been stingy.

On one hand, her body had never felt so relaxed in her life. She'd had a massage and a facial. Add to that the time that she'd spent in the sauna and the spa and Ally was pretty sure someone was going to have to roll her back up to her room.

But on the other, her mind refused to slow down. She couldn't shake the feeling that she'd already wasted too much time. It wasn't like she could spend the rest of the day sipping herbal tea and wearing an oversized bathrobe. She had things to do.

Okay, maybe that wasn't exactly true. She'd accepted Carter's explanation as to why she shouldn't reach out to anyone in her life, but that didn't stop her from being haunted by the feeling that she _should_ be doing something. She should be up there helping, putting together the plans to put Fuller away...anything besides being rubbed and rolled out and pampered.

"You know what," Ally said, standing up from the overstuffed chair. "I think I'm going to skip it."

The woman's brows arched up. "Are you sure, Mrs. Ward? Your husband has already paid for the service."

_Her husband_. All day, Ally had struggled to get used to people calling her a name that wasn't hers. It wasn't Carter's either. And he certainly wasn't her husband.

"I'll just have to get a rain check then," Ally said.

The woman sputtered for a moment, before starting to follow Ally toward the locker room. "W-we don't really do that," she said.

Ally shrugged her shoulders and kept going, passing through the door before the woman could catch up with her. She figured that the attendant must have taken the hint because she didn't follow her.

Ally switched out of her robe and into her own clothes as quick as she could. The idea of what secret plans he might be making up there without her was starting to make her brain itch. She needed to be upstairs.

As she walked out of the locker room and past the front counter, Ally spotted the attendant on the phone. The moment their eyes met, the woman cupped her hand over the receiver and turned away.

Maybe it was her clothes. It was one thing fitting in when everyone in the spa were all sitting around in the same fluffy bathrobes sipping tea. It was another when she was walking around the hotel in a ten-year-old sweatshirt with holes in the neckline.

Yeah, she was either going to have to hide out in the hotel room for the rest of her stay here or pick up a T-shirt from the hotel gift shop the next time she poked her head out. But right now, all she wanted to do was get back to the hotel room.

Ally blinked a couple of times when she caught sight of the clock near the bank of elevators. She'd been in the spa for over three hours.

Carter certainly had her number. All he'd had to do was dangle the carrot of relaxation in front of her and she had disappeared for the whole afternoon. Just like he'd wanted her to.

So much for journalistic integrity.

Ally took in a deep breath as she stepped inside the elevator. She was being too hard on herself. Carter wasn't the focus of her investigation. He was the only thing keeping her alive during it.

It was only natural that her feelings toward him would be complicated.

Except they didn't feel all that complicated. If anything, they were painfully simple. She was drawn to him. There was no denying it. It was as if there was some invisible force pulling her toward him.

And the name of that force was hormones.

Of course, it didn't matter how she felt. She was running for her life. She didn't have the time to worry about jumping a man's bones.

No matter how hot those bones might be.

Ally had almost convinced herself of that when the elevator doors opened and she stepped into the hallway. Her stride slowed halfway down.

The door of their room was open. It was just a crack, but it was enough to sound every alarm bell in Ally's head. There was no housekeeping cart outside, no room service trolley, nothing that would account for hotel staff in the room.

Carter had said that he needed to plan with members of his team, but what if something had gone wrong? What if Fuller had discovered their location, or Carter had a mole in his company that had sold them out. Her mind spun with terrible possibilities.

Ally's heart kicked up. She inched forward, keeping close to the wall, and strained to listen for any sounds coming from inside the room—the faint sound of footsteps or the squeak of metal wheels.

She leaned in closer, but she didn't hear a sound.

The door flew open before Ally could right herself. She stumbled forward in her shock... right into Carter's hard chest.

His arms wrapped around her body, steadying her. Red-faced, she looked up.

"If you wanted to cuddle, you just had to say so," he said.

Ally instantly straightened up. "I saw the door was open. I was...concerned."

"Understandable." Carter smiled, slow to release her. "But all is well. I was just coming out to see where you were. The spa said you'd left a few minutes ago."

Ally's brows pulled together. "They were reporting my movements to you?"

"That surprises you?"

"So much for trusting me," she said.

He shook his head. "You, I trust. Others, not so much."

A metallic clink sounded from inside the hotel room, and Ally's head snapped to it. "Who's inside?" she asked. "Is it your team?"

"You could say that." Carter put his arm around her shoulder. "We were just waiting on you. You're the missing piece."

He swung open the door, but instead of finding a welcoming committee comprised of the terrifying men from his office, Ally found herself face to face with a rolling rack of clothes. Dresses, more specifically. The expensive looking kind.

A proud-looking woman was standing next to them. Her eyes widened the moment she caught sight of Ally.

Ally tried giving her a smile, but the woman's gaze only narrowed as her lips pulled together tighter. So much for first impressions. Maybe she should have stopped in for that T-shirt after all.

She turned to Carter.

"Um...what's all this?"

He looked down at her. "This is where you get ready for dinner."

_Dinner?_

"It's not even four in the afternoon."

He shrugged. "I'm told this takes some time."

Now it was Ally's turn to be confused. "I'm sorry. What does?"

"Being fitted for a dress," he said. "Then someone is going to come up and do your hair and makeup."

Ally's brows pulled together. "Really?"

"Really."

"I'm guessing that we're not ordering room service then?"

A slow smile spread across Carter's face. "No. We're not."

Ally leaned in closer, and dropped her voice down to a whisper. "Is that a good idea?"

"It'll be fine," Carter said, laying a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

If he only knew that his touch wasn't doing anything to calm all those pesky hormones.

Ally turned back to the rack of dresses. They certainly looked nice. And pricey. She was starting to become uncomfortable with how much Carter was spending on her—even if it was under an assumed name. It was far more than Ally could ever hope to pay back.

"Are you sure?" she asked one more time.

"Absolutely," he said, coming up close behind her. "Don't you like nice dinners?"

Ally shrugged. The truth was, she did...not that she could remember the last time she'd been in a fancy restaurant. Lately, most of her dinners had been delivered by a guy in an Alfonzo's Pizza truck.

It wouldn't hurt to mix it up a little, especially if Carter thought it was safe.

Ally started to flick through the hangers. They were pretty dresses. She looked over at the woman who was standing sentinel next to the rack.

"Who knew you could order a dress from your hotel room?" Ally joked.

The woman let out a small huff as she rolled her eyes.

Everyone but her, apparently.

"You realize those people thought I was a prostitute," Ally said the moment Carter had closed the door on the gaggle of people leaving their hotel room.

"Really?" he said as he turned around. He'd hardly paid any attention to the people in the room with them. His eyes had only been on Ally.

"Oh yeah," Ally said with an exaggerated nod. "All of them. A hooker getting the full Pretty Woman treatment."

"Does that bother you?" he asked as he leaned his back against the door, taking in the sight of her.

They'd draped her in shimmery fabrics, fluffed her hair, blackened her lashes, but nothing fundamental had changed about her. She was still Ally, just like the first night he'd met her. The set dressing might change—this time a little finer than the last—but the fire burning underneath was the same.

And that fire...

"Not really." She shrugged her shoulders, trying to play it cool, but Carter could see the real answer in the burn of her cheeks.

"Don't worry about any of them," he said, pushing off the door and walking toward her. "You're beautiful."

"I'd better be after how much you've spent on all this," Ally said, sweeping her hand from the top of her head down the length of her dress.

He reached down and enveloped her hand between his own. He relished the feel of her warm skin against his.

"I didn't say they made you beautiful."

He looked down into her clear blue eyes and the glow in her cheeks intensified.

He'd been thinking about her all day. He'd called down to the spa several times to check in on her. He'd told Mason that it was because he was concerned about her safety, and while that was technically true, it wasn't the whole truth.

He didn't like her out of his sight for reasons that had nothing to do with security.

"So, are you finally going to tell me where you're taking me?" she asked.

"To the restaurant on the second floor."

"Chef Marcel's?" Her brows shot up. "You weren't kidding about wanting to go someplace nice."

"Have you eaten there before?" he asked.

Ally cocked her chin to the side. "What do you think?"

"I think you'll enjoy it," Carter said. "The chef's filet mignon is the best I've ever had."

Her lips quirked up. "You've got expensive taste."

"It's not about price," Carter said, shaking his head. He inched closer, not letting go of her hand. "It's about appreciating all the exquisite pleasures life has to offer."

The glow was spreading from Ally's cheeks, down the long column of her neck, over the slope of her shoulders, disappearing underneath the elegant neckline of her dress.

He wondered just how far her blush had traveled. If he slid the straps of her gown down her arms, let the fabric fall to the floor, what would he discover?

Carter pressed his lips together and swallowed hard.

Damn, it was a tempting thought...but one he couldn't follow. Not right now, at any rate.

He'd spent the afternoon fine-tuning a plan with Mason and now it was time to see it through. His men needed him in position exactly at six forty-five.

Carter glanced over at the clock.

Six thirteen.

They had thirty-two minutes. He supposed they could get a drink at the bar. It would be safer down there. Suddenly, Carter wasn't sure how much more time he could spend alone with Ally without needing to know if her lips were as soft as he imagined.

"We should probably make our way down to the restaurant," he said.

"O-okay," Ally said. Her mouth stayed slightly parted, the tip of her tongue flicking out to wet the swell of her lower lip. Carter's eyes snapped to the sight.

He turned and tucked her hand into the bend of his elbow.

Yeah. It was much safer downstairs.

# 9

"So are you going to tell me the real reason you've brought me here tonight?" Ally asked the moment they stepped off the elevator and started walking down the long hallway that led to Chef Marcel's.

Carter kept his head straight ahead, and Ally's jaw tightened. She was quickly learning that he didn't like to look at her when he lied.

"I thought you might be hungry," he said. "Isn't that reason enough?"

She narrowed her eyes as she stared at him. Yeah, she hadn't bought it back up in the hotel room, and she wasn't buying it now.

Of course, she'd been too swept up by his compliments and proximity when they'd been upstairs to say anything. There was something about the way his warm caramel gaze fell over her, like he might want to skip dinner altogether and get right to dessert. And then there was the touch...oh Lord, his touch. Even now Ally could feel the tingles radiating out from where his fingers had caressed the back of her palm.

No wonder she'd lost the ability to speak.

But now that she'd had a few moments to take a breath and calm down, she could finally get around to calling him out.

"I've had plenty of dinners in jeans before," she said.

"But tonight you don't have to," Carter said, tucking her closer to his side as they crossed through the open archway into the restaurant.

Ally opened her mouth to ask again, but closed it the moment she started to look around. Chef Marcel's had to be the nicest restaurant she'd ever been in.

Crystal chandeliers hung from the carved paneled ceiling. Leather chairs and bar stools were tastefully arranged in the mood lit lounge. Just beyond the bar area she could see the dining room and its sophisticated modern, but not trendy, design. Walls of windows looked out across a panoramic view of the city.

Yeah, this was a hell of a lot nicer than scraping the last bits of cheese off the top of a cardboard pizza box.

Maybe she was digging a little deeper than she had to. It was just dinner after all. How much trouble could Carter really get into while seated in a crowded, upscale place like this?

He led her over to an empty pair of dark plush chairs tucked in a tight V in the corner closest to the dining room. A small table was nestled between them. Carter let go of her hand, allowing her to sit.

Ally swept her hand along the back of her skirt as she sat, making sure she kept her back as straight as possible. She'd never been so worried about wrinkling a dress in her life. She'd never worn anything this nice. And it wasn't like the thing was hers. Not really.

She had the feeling that Carter would try to give it to her as a gift, but there was no way she could accept something so expensive. Once she took it off for the night, she'd be handing it right back to him.

Of course, how it ended up coming off of her was really anybody's guess. She might not have believed his reasons for bringing her here tonight, but the hungry looks he'd been giving her, those had seemed real enough.

Either that or the man was a better liar than she was giving him credit for.

The waitress appeared a moment later.

"I'll have an old fashioned," Carter ordered, and then gestured toward Ally.

"And a soda water, please."

The waitress nodded before turning and heading back to the backlit antique bar.

"A soda water?" The corners of Carter's eyes lifted as he asked.

"One of us has to keep our head on straight."

"Good thinking," he said with a wink.

Ally resisted the urge to reach out and smack him. Instead, she looked down and smoothed out the wrinkles on her lap.

"You all right?" Carter asked.

"Yeah," Ally said, looking up and giving him a tight smile.

"Really?" he pressed. "Because you seem a little uncomfortable."

"I'm fine," she said. "Just a little out of my element."

Carter leaned in closer. "So let me get this straight. You're totally fine sneaking into a black tie affair, but not to a restaurant where you have a legitimate reservation."

Ally smiled despite herself. Sure, it sounded silly when he put it like that.

"I might feel a little better if you'd tell me what we're really doing here," she tried.

"Why can't it be enough that I wanted to take you out to dinner?" he said, looking her in the eye. "You're a beautiful woman, Ally."

"Now, sure," she said, rolling her eyes. "After a team of experts works on me for three hours. They could have done the same thing with a chimpanzee."

"No, they couldn't have," Carter shook his head. "Chimps can't pull off the heels."

Ally laughed. "I stand corrected."

"Besides, they absolutely refuse to laugh at my jokes," he said, giving her a long look.

Ally tried to push her hair back over her ear out of instinct. Except it wasn't there. It was all pulled back and piled high. There was nothing to hide her blush, and she was forced to meet his gaze.

"That sounds like the voice of experience," she shot back.

He shrugged. "You do what you have to do in service to your country."

Finally, a topic that wasn't likely to make her blush. "How long were you in the Army?"

"Long enough," he said.

"And what made you choose to go into Special Forces?"

He raised a brow. "Are you interviewing me?"

"Completely off the record, I promise." Ally leaned in closer. Her thigh pressed against his knee. Maybe it wasn't the best idea, getting this cozy, but somehow it felt right.

The waitress came back and put their drinks down in front of them. Carter waited until she had turned away before answering.

"I didn't choose. I was chosen," he said.

Ally smiled. "Is that the diplomatic way of saying you were too badass for the regular rank and file?"

"Your words, not mine." Carter picked up his drink, but his eyes never left Ally's. "Both Mason and I were approached while at West Point. It seems our skills were better suited for unconventional warfare."

Ally had no problem believing him. There was nothing conventional about Carter Macmillan.

"And the rest of your men?" she asked.

"They were similarly recruited from the Rangers for their unique talents. That's how it usually happens."

Carter shifted in his seat. It was a small move, almost innocent, but it pressed the side of his leg flush against hers, intensifying their contact.

"Ah," Ally said and took a sip of her water. She was glad that she hadn't ordered anything stronger. Her head was already swimming. The last thing she needed to do was throw alcohol into the mix.

"Ah, what?" he asked, looking genuinely intrigued.

"I can't help but think that _their unique talents_ is code for _the scariest bunch of bastards that you'll ever meet_."

"That's unfair," Carter said, shooting her a mock scowl. "I've met Bowie's parents personally, and they were both wearing wedding rings."

Ally glanced at the floor as she laughed, and when she looked up, his eyes were still on her.

Warmth built inside her. She couldn't remember the last time she'd connected with someone like this. Sure, she'd been on dates, even had a couple of relationships that had stretched into weeks, but Ally had never felt this comfortable with any of those men.

And it wasn't just attraction—though Heaven knew, she was feeling plenty of that. She felt like she could be herself around him. That he didn't want her to be anyone _but_ herself. Carter had shown time and time again that he could meet her on her own terms, that he wasn't intimidated by her or her ambitions, that he was strong enough to take her as she was. And while rock hard abs and a stubble-lined jaw could turn a girl's head, those were the qualities that really turned a woman on.

"Thanks for making me laugh." Ally reached out and laid her hand on his knee. "I'm feeling a lot better."

Carter glanced down at her hand. He opened his mouth, but before he could say a word, a soft ding sounded from his jacket pocket. Carter pulled out his phone and looked down at the screen.

For a second she thought she saw a moment of disappointment flash over his face, but it was gone before she could be certain. He tucked the device away. When he looked up, all traces of warmth were gone from his expression.

"It's time," he said, his voice all business.

Ally was taken aback by the sudden change in his demeanor. "Our reservation is right now?"

"Now." He stood and put his hand out to her.

"Okay," Ally said, taking it.

She tried not to read too much into Carter's actions as he led her over to the maître d'.

"Mr. Ward. The table you requested is ready," the man said before leading them over to a small table tucked into the furthest corner of the dining room.

It was an odd choice for a table, but Ally figured Carter must have wanted the seclusion. All the way back here they were shielded from half the patrons. They still had a magnificent view of the city.

Well, she did, at least. From her seat, Ally could see past the glistening lights of downtown all the way down to the Sacramento River. Carter's angle wasn't as nice. He was stuck looking at the office building that was kitty corner from them.

The maître d' put down the menus then passed Carter a wine list, but he waved it off.

"Whatever you recommend will be just fine," he said.

The maître d' raised his brows but nodded. "Very good, sir."

Ally turned to Carter as the man walked away. Her lips pulled together.

His attitude had changed instantly. It couldn't have been because of something that she said. Could it? Or something that she'd done?

The hand on his knee.

Oh, God. Had she read the situation all wrong? Had she acted too forward? Too needy?

Heaven knew it wouldn't have been the first time. She'd been through more than her fair share of awkward first dates, but it seemed like she and Carter were getting on well. Better than well.

He'd been leaning into her and winking. _Winking_. If that wasn't flirting she didn't know what was. How the hell could she be blamed for misreading that sign?

One of the staff came over and filled their water glasses. Ally thanked him when Carter couldn't be bothered with looking away from the window.

She picked up her glass and took a sip.

Had she said something that had upset him? Even as her mind spun back through the conversation they'd just had, she seriously doubted it. Hell, she'd pantomimed choking him just this morning and he hadn't even batted an eye. Carter Macmillan wasn't exactly a delicate flower.

Maybe the best thing was to just plow right on through the awkwardness.

"So, tell me more about the guys on your team," she said.

He didn't look away from the window. "They're...good guys."

Ally put down the water glass as the wine arrived. The waiter poured and Carter pulled his attention away from outside just long enough to taste it.

"It's fine," he said.

For a second there, Ally thought she might have had him back, but then his eyes focused off in the distance again.

Ally tried the wine. Just a sip wouldn't hurt.

Wow.

_Fine_ was one hell of an understatement. That had to be the best glass of wine she'd ever tasted in her life. _Wonderful_ would have been a better word. _Amazing_ would have nailed it.

Ally looked over the rim of her glass at Carter. The candlelight played off his face. He didn't look angry or upset. He was still every bit as handsome as he ever was. There was just something distant about him. Something wrong that she couldn't quite put her finger on.

They'd been so close just a moment ago. Not just physically, but there had been a connection between them, something that went beyond the playful banter that they'd shared before. Something far more real. She couldn't have been imagining it.

But now he was more like the man she'd seen back in his office. _The Captain_. That's what everyone had called him. There hadn't been any jokes or smiles then, just business.

Well, he wasn't her _Captain_.

She decided to try and get the charming man she'd been talking to a moment ago, back.

"How about _Iceman_?" she said, trying a playful smile. "Tell me about him."

"Who?" Carter's eyes never wavered from the window.

"Tall guy," Ally reminded him. "Blonde hair, hard eyes, soul like a glacier."

"Oh, Rhys," he said. "He's...."

Carter's words trailed off.

"Let me guess," Ally whispered to herself as she picked up her wine glass again. "A good guy?"

Screw playful. Maybe the direct approach was better. Ally put down her wine glass and straightened her shoulders.

"Carter, did I do something wrong?" she asked.

His eyes flickered away from the window for just a second. "What? Of course not. Why would you..."

And away he went again.

Ally decided not to wait for him this time.

"Because five minutes ago, I thought you and I were sharing a moment. A snuggled close together, candlelit, fancy restaurant moment and then—"

Carter lifted a hand to his far ear and pressed a finger against it. Ally's brows pulled together.

What the hell?

He whispered something into his sleeve.

Oh, hell no. He couldn't be. He wouldn't.

Ally spun around in her seat, and looked out the window to where Carter was staring—really looked for the first time since being seated at this table.

There, across from the restaurant was Buck Fuller's office. The one that they'd escaped from the night before. They'd been a block away from it the whole time.

Ally picked up her wine glass as all the pieces fell together in her mind. That was the real reason why they'd come back to downtown Sacramento. Why he'd chosen this hotel. Why she needed this dress. This restaurant. Hell, even this table. Everything had been meticulously thought out well in advance.

She was nothing more than a chess piece he was pushing around on the board.

Need to get her out of the way for a couple of hours, send her down to the spa. Need a date to not seem conspicuous in a restaurant, buy the poor pawn a fancy dress.

Ally downed the rest of her wine in a single gulp.

Once she was done with the glass, she folded her arms in front of the table. She told herself that she wasn't going to look behind her, that whatever she saw there would only make her angrier. But it was like an itch on her nose—the more she thought about it, the more it bothered her.

Ally craned her head behind her...and instantly wished that she hadn't.

The blinds that covered the windows of Fuller's offices were pulled all the way up, so that from their vantage point they could practically see through the whole second floor of the building...and the people moving around in it.

Two men—both with short hair, about the same height, one blonde, one with light brown hair. But the way that they moved gave them away. One stiff and efficient, the other loose and calm. _Iceman_ and Mason.

She craned her head down at the street, and sure enough _Bruiser_ in all his rowdy-looking glory was standing by the front door.

_Nice._

Ally grabbed the bottle of wine and poured herself another glass. She was going to need it.

And Carter?

She glanced up at him, as he whispered into his cuff again.

Running point, of course. Where else would the _Captain_ be?

Ally shook her head. What had she been thinking, to believe that even for a second that any of this had something to do with her? She should have known better. She really should have.

The waiter came over, but Carter didn't seem to notice.

"Are you ready?" the poor man asked, obviously trying his best to ignore the painfully awkward situation that was happening at their table. Ally wondered what he must be thinking. Probably that they'd had a fight. If only her problems could be that pedestrian.

Ally pursed her lips together. She hadn't so much as glanced at the menu since they'd sat down.

Of course, neither had Carter, and that wasn't stopping him from getting on with his plans. Well, if he saw no reason to stop, then neither should she. She'd come here to have a nice dinner, and, by God, that's what she was going to do.

"I hear you have a nice filet mignon," she said.

"Exceptionally fine, miss," the waiter said. "It's served with—"

"Sounds great," she said, gathering up the menus and handing them over. "I'll have that."

The man lingered for a moment before turning his attention toward Carter. "And for the gentleman?"

"Oh, yeah." Ally shot a glare Carter's way. "He'll have a salad."

"Any particular kind of salad?"

"Preferably something with cold tentacles on it," Ally said.

The waiter's lips parted for a moment as his brows pulled together, but apparently whatever doubts he had, he decided to keep them to himself.

Smart man. At least there was one of them in this place.

"I will see what the chef can do," he said.

Ally gave the waiter a wide smile as he walked away. She'd make sure that Carter left him a big tip, seeing as he barely even noticed that the man was there to start with.

She picked up her glass and took another swig of wine before checking out the window again.

There were other men on the floor now. Ones she didn't recognize, wearing dark blue pants and shirts. The uniforms looked like standard security guard garb, but Ally wasn't so sure. There was something about the confident way that they walked, the long strides, the minimal movements. They appeared to be on watch, checking into all the offices they walked past, but there was no easy banter between the two of them, no lazy lingering or leaning.

These weren't regular security guards. These were Allied Dynamic mercenaries. Even from across the street, Ally could tell.

Her heart started to pound just looking at them. Was one of them the one that had tried to kill her at her parent's house?

She downed another mouthful of wine.

Ally had to twist around in her seat to see Carter's men in the office down at the end, doing something around the computers and phones. Whatever it was, they weren't doing it fast enough. The _security guards_ were moving steadily in their direction. They had less than a minute before they were found out.

The guys had to get out of there now.

Ally leaned toward the window, clutching her wine glass tighter.

"Fifty seconds," she heard Carter whisper into his cuff.

She watched as _Iceman_ —Rhys, that was his real name—looked up and shook his head. She wasn't sure if he meant they wouldn't be finished with their task by then, or that they didn't have the time to make a clean escape, but either way the message wasn't any good.

Ally glanced over at Carter. He didn't have so much as a bead of sweat on his forehead.

"That means you're up, Jake," he said.

Ally shifted her focus to down on the street where _Bruiser_ , who was dressed in baggy jeans and a tattered grey hoodie, started to raise a fuss. Pounding on the door, kicking at the bushes, his mouth wide and screaming. She had to admit that _Bruiser_ wasn't a bad actor. He looked like every security guard's rowdy drunk nightmare.

She might not have heard the commotion Jake was causing from across the street, but Fuller's security detail sure did. They paused in the office next to the one Rhys and Mason were in. They went to the window and looked down at the street. One of the men pulled a radio off his belt and spoke into it. A second later, both men turned and headed out the door. Ally let out a loud exhale as the two hired guns started hustling back toward the elevators and away from Rhys and Mason.

The moment the coast was clear, Mason lifted his head and gave them the thumbs up. He and Rhys didn't waste any time disappearing out the back way.

Ally turned back around in her seat. It took her a moment for her heart to stop hammering in her chest and for her to loosen her grip on her wine glass. Her hand was still shaking a little but she managed not to spill a drop as she put it on the tabletop.

She sucked in one steadying breath, and then another, before looking up. She found Carter gazing at her, the warmth back in his eyes.

He picked up his wine glass and took a sip. "So, where were we?"

Oh _, hells_ no.

"You have to be kidding me," Ally said, when she recovered from the shock. "What the hell was that?"

"A simple recon mission," he said, cocking a brow. "Why, what did it look like?"

What? Did this guy have a charm switch that he could turn on and off at will?

Ally leaned forward. She dropped her voice down to a harsh whisper. "You lied to me."

Carter bit into his lower lip as he slowly shook his head. If Ally didn't know better she would have sworn that he almost looked hurt. As if he had any right to be.

"No, I didn't," he said.

"You lied about everything. Why we're still in Sacramento. Why we're staying at this hotel. Why we're here for dinner. _Everything_."

"That's not true." Hard determination shone in his eyes as he leaned forward. "I never lied. I just didn't explain everything to you. There's a difference."

Ally's lip curled up in frustration. "Like hell there is." She picked up her napkin and crumpled it in her hand, twisting it tighter and tighter.

"This part of the mission was delicate, Ally. You didn't need to know."

"Dear God, do you even hear yourself? _Mission_. _Need to know_." She tossed down the napkin. "This isn't the damned Special Forces, Carter. This is my life, and I am not one of your little soldiers."

He crossed his arms and leaned back. "Trust me, I know."

"I'm not your pawn either," she said. Maybe it was the wine, but she figured that it was best to get all of this out there now. While she still had the courage burning hot in her blood. Because when it cooled, she had the feeling the depth of his glower was going to go right back to scaring the shit out of her.

His brows pulled together. "My pawn? I never said—"

"You didn't have to. Today you got rid of me because I was inconvenient. Then tonight you dressed me up in doll clothes because you needed a cover. And trust me, I get everything that you've done so far, but I haven't gotten a chance to agree with any of it. So, I'm going to make myself perfectly clear."

Ally picked up her wine glass and took one last slug. One more taste of courage. She could practically feel Carter's eyes burning into her as she drained the glass dry.

"There will be no more _need to know_ for the rest of this _mission_ of yours. No more secrets. No more keeping things from me for my own good," she said, looking him straight in the eyes. "We are either partners in this, or we are nothing."

For a moment, Carter didn't say a word. He just kept his eyes on her. A tick worked in his hard jawline. It took everything Ally had just to stay steady in her chair and meet his gaze.

Finally, he folded his hands and propped them up on the table. "It's not an arrangement that I'm used to."

"Well, join the club," Ally said, with a dark laugh. "Because let me tell you, between the gunshots and the running for my life, the past couple days have been a master class in being outside my comfort zone."

The corners of Carter's mouth quirked up for a fraction of a second. "And you've done great."

"So do we have a deal?" she asked, feeling hopeful for the first time since she sat down at the table. "Can we stop acting like angry fourth-graders and treat each other like adults?"

The corners of his eyes tilted up. "Well, when you put it like that..."

"Oh no," Ally said, shaking her head. She crossed her arms in front of her chest. "I know your style too well. I want an explicit answer. No wiggle room. No, _I never said_."

"Yes," Carter said without hesitation. "I agree to involve you in all the decision making that goes on in regards to bringing Fuller to justice from here on out. Is that explicit enough?"

"That ought to do it," Ally said. She felt some of the weight melt away from her shoulders. See, he could be reasoned with. She hadn't been completely wrong.

"Good," he said, pulling his napkin down on his lap as the waiter walked toward them with their dinner plates in hand.

_Oh, no_. Ally felt some of the blood drain from her face.

"Your filet mignon, Miss."

Steam rose from her bacon-wrapped steak. The sauce smelled divine and potatoes looked amazing. The plating was gorgeous. She couldn't remember the last time she'd had a meal that looked and smelled this good.

The waiter put a bowl down in front of Carter.

"And your salad, sir." The waiter's voice faltered a little at the end. Ally couldn't blame him.

"You can go," she said to the poor man, before he felt obliged to ask if everything was all right. Obviously, she'd made the right choice, because he strode away without another peep.

Carter looked down at the bowl of crisp greens, Parmesan strips and small pink tentacles that radiated out from the center.

"What is this?" he asked, lifting his gaze to Ally's face.

"Your dinner."

He looked down at it for another long second, his brows furrowing. "And what was that you were just saying about not acting like petty fourth graders?"

Ally shrugged. "To be fair, I did order it before our agreement." She tried not to laugh. "Do you want me to call the waiter back and get you something else?"

"Are you kidding me?" he asked, picking up his fork and plunging it into the mound of salad. He looked up at her with a smile. "I love calamari."

# 10

Carter had eaten worse dinners in his life. A man didn't spend years in the Army without learning how to survive on questionable rations.

It was the thick slice of Humble Pie that he was having a hard time swallowing down.

He looked across the table at Ally as she finished off the last of her dessert of berries and cream. She'd even shared a bite, passing her spoon across the table for him. He'd almost waved it off, but instead he'd wrapped his hand around her wrist, steadying her hand as he drew the sweet strawberry into his mouth.

She'd been right. He'd been treating her like a pawn, but not for the reasons that she thought. It was because that was the only way he knew how to keep people safe. If he could coordinate their movements, if he could fit them into a bigger plan, if he could just control them, he could keep them alive.

It was everything that he'd been trained to do. And he knew how effective it could be. He'd never put his safety above his men's, and their loyalty and brotherhood had been his reward.

But as Ally had made it clear, she wasn't one of his men.

Hell, she wasn't like anyone he'd ever met before. And she was right. She deserved everything she'd demanded.

Even if she had stuck him with a bowl of spare squid parts for dinner.

Her spoon rattled against the bottom of the porcelain dessert cup as she went in for another swipe.

"You know, you can order another one of those if you like," he said, putting his napkin down on the table.

"No I can't." She looked up at him like he was crazy. "Nobody orders two desserts."

"I could order it for you," he offered.

She shook her head and plopped the spoon down in the dish. "No, I'm good."

"Then, shall we?" he asked, pushing back his chair to stand.

He watched as Ally gave one last sneaky glance to the empty bottle of wine that was sitting on the table. Between the two of them, that poor soldier had fallen long ago.

He put his arm out for her. "I can have them send up another bottle to our room if you'd like."

She shook her head before slipping her arm slowly into the crook of his. Her side grazed against his as she stood. The slight touch was enough to send a shockwave of heat clear through him.

Ally tilted her chin up to look him in the eye. "That might not be the best idea." Her voice was low, raspy...and it wasn't doing anything to cool the fire inside him.

He wasn't so sure. It might be the best idea he'd had all night. Something told him her lips still tasted like strawberries and her body...well, that promised to be a hell of a lot sweeter. Carter could only imagine what she would sound like when he wrapped his lips around her—

His phone chimed from his jacket pocket.

He pulled it out and looked down at the screen. The message was from Charlie.

_Cracked the drive. Finally. We need to talk. Meet in ten?_

Carter let out a long breath. She'd had the thing for over twenty-four hours and she had to break the code now? Not in two hours?

Carter looked into Ally's wide blue eyes.

Make that three. Three hours would have been good.

_First level of the garage. By the stairwell._ He texted the directions to meet outside.

"Who's that?" she asked.

He was about to tuck the phone back in his pocket before she could see out of habit, but he stopped himself.

"Charlie," he said, turning the screen so she could see.

She quirked a smile. "I would have believed you, you know."

"Before or after I stomached another horrendous dinner?"

She shrugged. "You said you loved calamari."

"And you said you didn't want another dessert," he said, slowly walking her toward the front of the restaurant. "Seems like we're both fond of our little white lies."

"So Charlie's found something," Ally said as they stepped into the bar area. She almost sounded nervous.

"Sounds like it." Carter put his free hand over hers. "I told you she was good."

Carter's gaze was drawn to her face as she smiled. "At least you were telling the truth about that."

A second later, the smile disappeared. Her eyes went round, and her step faltered. Carter followed her line of sight...to Lucas Addams walking down the hallway into the restaurant.

He was with a group of three other people—a business group coming in to have dinner, probably. And he and Ally were directly in their path.

Lucas hadn't noticed them yet. He was deep in conversation with a woman wearing a dark blue suit. Lobbyists, no doubt.

Carter looked around. There weren't many escape routes to choose from. They could turn around and walk back into the bar, but that would only buy them a couple of seconds at most. There was a small alcove right outside the restaurant door, but it was too shallow to hide in. Besides the lights in the hallway were too bright to make the corners dark enough to disappear into.

He had to do something. Any second, Lucas was going to lift his head and spot them.

Screw it. They'd go back through the restaurant. Maybe he could sneak Ally through the kitchen doors before Lucas noticed. There had to be a staff exit through there, and they could follow it out through the street.

Even if Lucas did recognize them, he wouldn't follow, not surrounded by lobbyists. He'd be forced to play it cool. And maybe, just maybe, that would mean Carter would have time enough to get Ally out of there.

Carter tightened his grip on Ally's arm He was about to turn when she tugged on him hard, pulling them into the alcove. Before he could wrench her back out, she turned her back to the hallway and threw her arms around his neck. Then she lifted herself up on tiptoes and pressed her lips against his.

She must have lost her mind. That was the only explanation Ally could come up with as she clung tight to Carter's body.

Not because she was kissing him. That wasn't the crazy part. Disappointing, maybe, seeing that it wasn't a real kiss at all. It was all an act so that Lucas Addams wouldn't recognize them.

Ally was too busy trembling in fear, to be excited. Her mouth was shut tight, her breathing sharp. She listened hard to the fall of steps behind them waiting for them to pass, praying they wouldn't pause.

The insane part was that her life had turned so upside down that this was the only plan she could come up with to save their skin. Hell, that she needed a plan to save it in the first place.

So, this is what her mother had been talking about years ago when she'd begged Ally to change her major to something safe like accounting or business administration. For the first time, Ally understood her mother's argument. Not only would those have been more stable and lucrative, but chances were they also came with a much lower rate of politically-motivated death threats.

Live and learn.

Ally could only hope that Carter would understand when she apologized to him for pulling him in here and locking lips. He had to understand that it was the only way.

At least he was playing along.

His hands came up to cradle her face. His head tilted. His lips parted.

Ally's breath hitched as Carter pulled her against him and began to kiss her in earnest. Her jaw dropped open in surprise, and he took advantage of the opportunity to draw her lower lip into his mouth.

Her fingers dug into his shoulders at the sensation.

This wasn't playacting. She could feel the desire pouring out of him. His mouth moved across hers, again and again, with a relentless passion that made her mind swim.

He turned her around so that her back was against the wall. One hand swept around to hold the nape of her neck. He tilted her face up as he pressed his body flush against hers.

That was the moment Ally realized that she was kissing him back—hard and fast and with just as much intensity...maybe more.

She let go of his shoulders and laid one palm flat against his chest. Damn, he was solid. But more than that, she could feel his heart pounding an insistent beat. She wished she could pull open his shirt and touch more of him, let her fingers roam all over his gorgeous body. Let her lips follow in their wake.

Half a second later, he slowed the kiss, eventually pulling away.

Ally stared up at Carter's face. She blinked once. Twice.

"H-has Lucas gone by?" she asked.

"Thirty seconds ago." Carter didn't look away from her face. Ally tried to read his expression, but the truth was, her own emotions were so out of control that she could barely make heads or tails out of what she was feeling, let alone how Carter felt.

"Did he see us?" she asked.

"Oh, I'm sure _everyone_ saw us." Carter let out a dark breathy laugh. "But I have no idea if Lucas recognized us. It just depends on how much he's into watching strangers make out in public."

Ally nodded. She slid her back across the wall toward the opening and away from Carter. She figured a little distance might go a long way in clearing her head.

"We should probably get downstairs and meet Charlie," she said. "Right?"

Carter kept his eyes on her but he didn't move. "We should."

Ally stepped out into the hallway and didn't dare turn back to see if Lucas Addams was in the bar area watching for them, or even if Carter was following behind...no matter how badly she wanted to.

It was best to keep walking. To find out what Charlie discovered on the drive and go from there. The answers she'd been looking for were waiting for her. Just an elevator ride away.

It was easier to think about that, rather than obsess on what had just happened between her and Carter.

She'd done what she had to do. That was all.

And if a little extra pent up emotion had seeped its way in, well that didn't bear dwelling on.

Ally could hear Carter a step behind her all the way to the bank of elevators. She stopped and pressed the down button, but Carter took her hand and kept walking toward the door farther down the hall.

"We'll take the stairs," he said, opening the door.

"So we can't be cornered?" Ally asked.

The hint of a smile played around his lips. "Now you're getting it."

They walked down the stairs at a reasonable pace, which threw Ally for a loop. She was so used to being whipped around by him at the slightest sign of danger. She was starting to fear that his change in demeanor might have something to do with her little act back there.

"You know I only kissed you to avoid Lucas, right?"

He glanced over his shoulder at her, his expression skeptical. "Really?"

"Really." She couldn't blame him for doubting her. With the way her voice was shaking, Ally wasn't even doing a good job of convincing herself.

"It wasn't a bad plan." His voice was tinged with laughter.

"What?" she asked.

He shook his head. "Nothing."

"It's not nothing." Ally tugged on his hand. "Tell me."

Carter turned his head toward her as they reached the exit that led into the underground parking garage.

"I was right," he said, swinging the door open and holding it for her. "You _did_ taste like strawberries."

Ally shot him a glare.

She should have known better than to open her mouth and try to explain herself. Of course, he was going to poke fun at her. Hadn't she learned anything being around him the past couple of days?

She should have just dropped the subject and played it cool. Like she'd ever been able to do that before. Her and _cool_ never really had a working relationship.

Ally walked past Carter into the garage. The overhead fluorescent bulbs sputtered out yellow-tinted light, making the shadows that pooled in the concrete corners flicker and move.

Or maybe her nerves just had her on edge.

All garages looked like this, didn't they? There was nothing spectacular about this one.

Still, she didn't stray too far from Carter's side.

He leaned against the wall next to the stairwell door. Ally bit into her lip as she waited with him. He didn't say a word, just crossed his arms and stared straight ahead.

That was fine by Ally. She could wait in silence just as easily.

It wasn't like she had anything more to say.

She was fine. Just fine.

Just because she could still feel the ghost of his kiss on her lips, the urgent feel of his body pressed against hers. Just because her blood still hadn't completely cooled and her knees felt a little weaker than usual.

None of that meant anything.

Nothing.

She could bear the silence as well as he could.

Better, even. He had no idea who he was dealing with.

"I mean, did you have another plan?" she asked, turning toward him on her heel. "Because as far as I could see it was either kiss you or be caught."

The corners of Carter's eyes lifted with his lips. "I'm glad you went with the more pleasant option."

Ally turned her back on him. She tapped her fingers against the wall. Ten minutes _had_ to have passed.

"When do you think Charlie is going to—" Her words were cut off by the sight of a bright pair of headlights turning the corner of the garage. The black SUV stopped right in front of them.

Ally's heart clenched in her chest as she raised her hand to shield her eyes. She couldn't see who was inside, and for a second she feared the worst. But Carter kicked off the wall and took a step toward the car.

A moment later the lights switched off and the doors opened. The _Wall of Meat_ from the Macmillan office stepped out of the driver's side and gave Ally a hard look. Actually, she wasn't sure if the glower was directed at her or if the man just looked like that all the time. For all Ally knew, terrifying could just be his default setting.

"Bowie," Carter said in greeting.

Bowie nodded as Charlie got out of the passenger side and walked around the front of the SUV.

"Miss Weaver," she said, her jaw dropping open when she saw Ally. "You look...wow. I take it _dinner_ was a raging success."

Ally shrugged. "The reviews were mixed."

"Captain Nemo would have enjoyed it," Carter said, coming up behind Ally.

Ally bit into her lip to keep from laughing, but she couldn't keep the smile off her face.

"Was that a...joke?" Charlie's nose crinkled as her eyes narrowed. "I mean, I didn't get it. But it certainly sounded like a joke."

"Carter likes to think so," Ally said. "He says stuff like that all the time."

"No, he doesn't." Charlie looked up at her boss like his body might have been taken over by an alien being. "Back me up on this, Bowie."

Ally glanced over at the big man. He grunted and nodded.

Carter put his hand on Ally's shoulder.

"So, what did you find, Charlie?" he said, all business again.

Charlie's eyes flicked back and forth between Ally and Carter. "Are you sure you don't want to talk about this sudden sense of humor of yours, because that topic is a thousand times more fascinating than what I found on the drive."

Ally stiffened as a cold sense of unease began to tremble in her chest. "What do you mean?"

Charlie looked at her with an apologetic frown. "There's nothing on there."

"Nothing?" Ally asked, a little too loud, her voice echoing off the pillars and cars around them. Carter's hand squeezed her shoulder.

Charlie put her hands up. "Not _nothing_ nothing. Just nothing important. Nothing that makes sense."

"What _is_ on the drive?" Carter asked. His voice was far calmer than Ally's.

"A bunch of random things. Allied Dynamics quarterly earnings reports. The minutes from Fuller's appropriation committee meetings. A few classified documents from the DOD. Nothing bloody. Nothing terrible." She reached into her jeans pocket and pulled out another flash drive. "Here, I made you a copy of everything."

"Thanks," Carter said, slipping it into his pocket.

"Maybe you can have better luck than I did," Charlie said. "But I couldn't find a smoking gun."

Ally shook her head. She raised her hands to her temples. That couldn't be true. There had to be something that Charlie was missing. Something hidden deeper on the file that she had overlooked.

"Maybe you missed something," Ally said. "Maybe you need to look again."

"I'm sorry," Charlie said, and, what was worse, she looked like she meant it. "I scoured that thing, and that's all there is."

Ally turned toward Carter. "Maybe someone else could take a look."

He shook his head. "There's nobody better than Charlie. If she says this is it, then this is it."

"But—"

"Maybe your informant wasn't the man you thought he was," Bowie said, coming to Charlie's defense. "Maybe Fuller played you."

Ally's shoulders stiffened into a straight line. She spun around. After all she'd been through—that they'd all been through—she wasn't about to be spoken to like that.

"How dare you, you _wall of meat,_ " she snarled at him. "A man died for that drive. I had to listen while it happened. I've risked my life for that information. Fuller is still trying to kill Carter and I over it. And you have the damned gall to stand there and sneer at me?"

Carter tightened his grip on her. She pulled at his hold.

"It's all right," Carter said. "Bowie's one of the good guys."

"Is he?" Ally asked, meeting Bowie's glower. If he thought she was going to wither this time, he was sadly mistaken. She was at the end of her rope, and as far as she could tell, she had nothing left to lose. "Are you sure? Cause he sure as hell hasn't been acting like one."

She'd bet everything—everything—on this drive, and it hadn't come through. There was nothing. She'd made a mistake. A huge one. And what was even worse, it didn't just impact her. She'd dragged Carter into it too.

That was the hurt that she couldn't get over.

The truth was, it was easier to focus on the anger Bowie was sparking inside her than deal for even a second with the disappointment and pain.

"It's okay, Ally." Carter's voice was calm and steady next to her ear. He wrapped his arm around her middle, holding her tight against his chest. "No one here is out to get you."

She struggled for half a second longer before relaxing in his embrace. She took in a deep breath. Then another.

She was still angry—furious, even—but she didn't think she was going to fly off the handle again.

"I'm good," she said, lifting a hand to smooth back her hair. "I'm good."

Carter didn't let go.

"Like hell you are," Charlie said, her eyes wide with something that looked suspiciously like admiration. "You, Miss Weaver, are _fucking_ awesome. Nobody ever talks to these guys like that. You've given me some ideas."

Bowie turned his head Charlie's way. His brow furrowed, and Ally thought she spied some of the hardness draining from his face, only to be replaced with confusion.

For a second, Ally got the feeling there was something more going on between the two...at least on Bowie's side. She wasn't so sure about Charlie.

And just like that, the beast seemed a little more human. He had a crush on the girl across the hall. Ally couldn't blame the man. Charlie was pretty freaking adorable. They just seemed so...different.

"You know what," Charlie said, cocking out her hip. "I'll give the files to Mason in the morning. He's got an eye for patterns and people. He might be able to pick out something I missed. I'm better with code. Nice easy, predictable code."

"Good idea," Carter said. "I'll call with our next location."

Bowie's eyes narrowed just a fraction of an inch. "Next location?"

"There's a chance we might have been made. I'm no longer certain that the hotel is secure."

Just then a soft ding sounded to their right. Ally broke away from Carter's hold and poked her head around the corner.

Twenty feet away the elevator doors opened. Standing in the center was Lucas Addams. Two men dressed in top to bottom black flanked him on either side. They glanced around the garage.

Ally pulled back as quick as she could.

"Yeah," she said in a whisper. "We can stop wondering now. Lucas recognized us."

Carter's face went hard. "Is that him?"

Ally nodded. "And he's not alone."

Carter pulled a valet tag out of his pocket and handed it to Bowie. "The Lotus is out front. Take Charlie upstairs and get her out of here."

Bowie nodded. He didn't waste a moment before grasping Charlie's arm and swooping her through the stairwell door.

Carter pushed Ally toward the still running SUV. She climbed through the driver's side and slid over to the passenger's seat. Carter didn't wait until she was all the way over before he slammed his door and hit the gas. The engine revved and the SUV sped forward.

Lucas lifted his head and looked straight through the front window. Ally watched as the two men at his side stepped out of the elevator and started to pull the guns at their sides.

Carter put a hand on the back of her head and forced her down. He turned the car hard around the corner that led to the outside world. Ally tried to brace herself but crashed against the side of the door. She waited for the gunshots, but they didn't come.

Once they were out on the street, Carter's hand fell away. Ally righted herself and struggled to catch her breath.

"Well, Lucas definitely saw us that time," she said. "You didn't _have_ to drive right past him, you know."

"I did it so Charlie and Bowie, could have time to escape safely. If Lucas is busy chasing us he's not going to concern himself with who we were talking to."

Ally nodded. It made sense. She didn't want anything to happen to Charlie either.

"Are they following us?" she asked, twisting around in her seat to peer out the large back window.

"Not yet. But they will be soon," he said. She heard the frustration in his voice. "We can't go to another hotel. That's where he'll check first."

"So where are we going to go?"

Carter paused for a second.

"I'm not sure," he said. Ally could tell it was a difficult admission for him to make. "We can't go to anyone they can trace us to. No family. No friends."

She sat up straight. "Someone Lucas can't trace our connection to?"

"Right."

Ally's shoulders started to relax as she sat back in her seat.

"Get on the Highway 80 headed west." A smile spread across Ally's face. "I know where we're going."

# 11

Carter followed close behind Ally as she walked up the worn wooden steps of the old farmhouse. He glanced behind him one last time, just to be certain that no one had followed them, but there was nothing but darkness surrounding the long straight rural road that they had travelled down. Not a single pair of headlights. Not even the faint lights from a distant neighbor's house.

Wherever Ally had brought him, it was about as close to the middle of nowhere as he could imagine. If Carter had shaken off Lucas' tail—and he was pretty sure—it was very unlikely that the man would think to look for them all the way out here.

The railing beneath his hand was weathered smooth with age but rock solid. The same could be said of the house. It had to be at least a century old, but it had obviously been in caring hands all that time.

The green and yellow paint was fresh and vibrant. The columns and trim adorning the porch were all in good repair. Not a single board so much as squeaked as he stepped up to the door.

Behind the curtain-covered windows, Carter could make out the lights from the television flickering and flashing. His stomach tightened as Ally lifted her hand and knocked.

How many times had he knocked on doors in hostile territory, not knowing what he would find when they were opened? His hand twitched, ready to go for the weapon at his hip if need be.

But this was a different situation, Carter reminded himself. Ally had assured him they'd be welcome here, no questions asked, and, most importantly with no trail leading to their door.

A moment later, the light behind the eyehole faded, and a second after, the door swung open.

A large, middle-aged woman stood behind the screen. Her eyes widened in surprise to see Ally standing in formal attire on her porch, but a welcoming smile spread underneath them.

Carter's hand instantly relaxed.

"Ally?" The woman turned around, and shouted inside the house. "Ramon, Ally Weaver is here."

"Hello, Sofia," Ally said. "I'm really sorry to show up this late."

The woman shook her head. "No apologies needed. You know you are welcome here anytime. Please, come in." She opened the screen for them.

"Thank you," Ally said as they stepped through the door.

Carter stepped into the hallway and felt every eye turn his way. A man had come down the stairs and stopped at the bottom stop. A teenage boy was a room over, doing homework in front of a pile of books. Another boy, who looked to be a few years younger, was stretched out on the floor of the living room playing video games.

Carter lifted his hand. "Hello."

"Sofia. Ramon. This is a good friend of mine, Carter Macmillan," Ally said. "Carter, meet Sofia and Ramon Garcia."

Sofia put out her hand, and gave him an assessing look. She must have liked what she saw, because she didn't make any effort to hide her approval. "Any friend of Ally's is welcome in our house. Especially, such a handsome one."

Carter shook the woman's hand, smiling even as his confusion grew. Who were these people to Ally? She obviously knew them well, but she swore no one would be able to track them here.

Sofia's husband came up behind her and greeted him next. "And these are our sons, Juan and Guillermo."

"A pleasure," Carter said.

Ally leaned in toward Sofia. "Is that Juan? He must have grown a foot since I've seen him last."

"I know," Sofia said. "You should see how he eats to get that way. But please, come into the living room. I doubt you came all the way out here just to check in on the boys."

Sofia Garcia shut off the television and shooed Guillermo out of the room. "Please sit down," she said.

Carter sat down on the couch next to Ally. The Garcias sat down in the chairs next to them.

"So what brings you out here?" Ramon asked. "And dressed so nice?"

"I wish I didn't have to do this to you, but I wasn't sure where else to go," Ally started.

Carter listened as she gave a brief explanation of what had happened with Congressman Fuller. He thought for a second about stopping her. He didn't know these people. He had no idea if they could be trusted.

But Ally trusted them.

And he trusted her. That would have to be enough.

The Garcias looked at each other for a long second after Ally had told her story. Then they both nodded.

"Of course, you can stay here," Sofia said. "As long as you need."

"We converted the old barn into a separate unit for when Sofia's family comes to visit," Ramon said, turning to Carter. "I can't stand having all of them in the house. But you're welcome to it."

Carter's brows pulled together as he leaned forward. "That's very kind of you, but I can't help but wondering why you would be willing to put yourself in danger for us."

Sofia smiled. "We would do anything for Ally. We owe her more than we can ever repay."

Carter looked over at Ally. She shook her head.

"That might be overstating a little."

"Not at all," Ramon Garcia said. "Two years ago, when I was working for the power company, I discovered they were dumping dangerous chemicals into the waterways. I contacted Ally to blow the whistle, and she kept my identity secret. Even when it ended up in court and the judge ordered Ally to give up her sources, she still kept my identity secret. For that we are forever grateful. Had the company found out I was the one who talked, we would have lost everything—my job, my home, everything."

"It wasn't that big of a deal," she said.

"Don't listen to her," Sofia said. "The judge sent her to jail for contempt for sixty days. I can only hope that giving you a place to stay can go a little way toward paying the debt of gratitude we owe her."

Carter looked over at Ally. He had no idea. It seemed his little Ally was full of surprises.

"Thank you," she said, standing up from the couch. "You'll hardly even know we're here."

"Yes, thank you," Carter said.

"Our pleasure," Sofia said, and she sent Ramon to get the keys to the barn.

"I didn't know about the contempt charges," Carter said as soon as they were alone in the barn.

Calling it a barn seemed wrong. The outside of the place might have been red and rustic, but the inside was as modern as any house. There was a fully stocked kitchen, a living space with an entertainment center and a hayloft that had been converted into a bedroom. The place was so beautiful that Ally almost didn't want to go outside again.

That was probably what Ramon had been hoping that Sofia's parents would think when they saw the place too.

"That surprises me," she said. She kicked off her high heels before turning around to face him. "It had to be there in all the dirt Charlie pulled up on me."

"Oh I'm sure it was," he said, taking a step toward her. There was a gleam in his eye that Ally couldn't quite read and that she definitely didn't quite trust. "But it looks like she kept it to herself. I'm starting to think you're something of a hero to her. She was probably afraid I'd treat you differently if I knew you had a criminal record."

"Would you have?" Ally asked, lifting her chin.

"Not now that I know the story," he said. "Did you really spend sixty days in jail?"

She waved her hand. "It was only two months," she said.

"That's a long time," he said.

"Longest two months of my life," Ally said with a joking smile.

Carter didn't laugh.

"Not everyone would have served the full time, you know," he said. "Most people would have caved."

Ally shook her head. "No, they wouldn't have. There have been dozens of journalists that have spent more time in jail for less."

"Why do you feel the need to minimize everything you do?" he asked, tilting his head.

"I don't," she said. "I just don't do anything particularly extraordinary. Not like you, Mr. Special Forces. I'm just a journalist."

"No, you're a hell of a lot more than that," he said. "And I'm sure the Garcias would agree with me."

Ally was damned sure that the Garcias had never looked at her the way Carter was looking at her now. It felt like the temperature in the room had jumped a good twenty degrees.

"I was just doing my job," she said. Hadn't he said the same to her once?

"Ramon and Sofia are lucky to have you," he said.

Now she knew he had to be joking. "Yeah. They're crazy lucky to have two fugitives hiding out in their backyard. You've got a strange idea of lucky."

" _Persons of Interest_ ," he corrected her.

Ally laughed in earnest. She leaned against the arm of the couch. He still hadn't moved more than a few steps from the door. It was like he was content just to watch her.

No, it was more than that, Ally realized. He was studying her.

Well, as long as he was trying to figure her out, she figured it wouldn't hurt if she tried to do the same to him.

"So, tell me," she said, propping her arms straight by her side and leaning back. "Why did Charlie say you weren't funny?"

"Because I'm not," he said, his voice deadpan. "At least not around anyone else. You seem to bring out a lot in me that no one else does."

Ally tilted her head. "Is that a compliment?"

"It's a confession." His eyes turned darker, and Ally felt her cheeks start to warm.

She stood up from the couch.

Carter moved across the room toward her. Something had changed. The mood was different in the room.

It was the kiss. It had to be. This was the first time they'd been alone since it happened.

The drive out here in the car didn't count. They'd been too concerned with getting away from Lucas and staying alive to indulge in longing-filled gazes.

And Carter had been concerned, but still he'd trusted her. He'd come out to the Garcias' house on nothing more than her word. He didn't make any phone calls, didn't double check with his team. He'd just believed in her.

He wouldn't have done that yesterday. Hell, she wasn't even sure if he would have believed her three hours ago.

But he'd done it tonight. Something had changed.

And Ally wasn't sure it was because of the rousing speech she'd given him at dinner.

Not with the hungry gleam that was currently shining in his eyes.

Carter moved at a slow steady pace across the room, taking his time. The picture of a giant cat stalking through the tall grasses of the Savanna flashed in Ally's mind.

So if Carter was a lion, what did that make her?

Someone that needed to back the hell up, that's what.

Ally moved into the kitchen, and started opening cupboard doors. Taking inventory was as good a distraction as any.

"Looks like this place has all the essential hardware," she said, closing the pantry door. "We'll have to make a quick run into town for groceries tomorrow, but other than that, we can hole up here as long as we need to."

"Sounds good." Carter was close behind her, his voice practically brushing past her ear. Ally knew that if she spun around he would be right there, maybe just a couple of feet away. And if she took a step toward him she could wrap her arms around him again and...

Instead, Ally took a step to the side, and headed into the living room.

There was even a little computer desk pushed into the space between the back of the couch and the beginning of the kitchen.

She should check out what Charlie had found on the drive. That's what she should do. And she should start right away.

It would only be fair after all the hard work that Charlie had done for her. And that it would eat up at least a couple of hours alone with Carter...well, that was just an added benefit.

She turned around to ask Carter for the flash drive.

But he was right behind her again. Just inches away this time. So close that she could reach out and touch his chest if she wanted to. Push her hand under the material of his jacket and feel the steady pounding of his heart.

Funny how much she wanted to feel that again. How bright that simple desire burned inside her.

Yeah, she needed a distraction, and she needed it now.

She opened her mouth to ask for the drive, but he spoke first.

"Why are you running from me?"

"I'm not—"

He slid his hand around hers, interlacing their fingers, but made no other move. He didn't pull her close, or wrap his hand around her nape again. None of the things that her body was screaming for.

"Yes, you are," he said. "Why?"

Ally glanced down at the floor, but when she looked up again his gaze hadn't shifted. He was still there, nothing but patience and desire in his eyes. Damn but that was a potent combo.

"I never thanked you for saving my life," she said finally.

"That's not what we're talking about," Carter said, his voice firm but patient.

"It's what I'm talking about," she said, cobbling together all of her courage. Ally figured if she was demanding honesty from him, then she owed him nothing less...no matter how much she'd rather avoid it. "Hear me out."

His eyes widened, but he didn't pull away from her. If anything, his fingers tightened their grip.

"Go on," he said.

"I'm sure I seem like an ungrateful pain in the ass. I don't think I've thanked you for any of it—the hotel room, the dress, the spa day, dinner. I think at this point I owe you more than I bring home in a year."

Carter shook his head as he moved closer. "Don't worry about it. It's my pleasure."

"That's the trouble," Ally said, scooting back a step. "I'm not sure it is."

His lips became a flat straight line. Ally swallowed past the lump that was quickly growing in her throat.

"Ally, I already promised you, no more lies of omission."

"I'm not accusing you of lying," she said, her voice tight. "But you shielded me from bullets with your body. Who the hell does that?"

"Someone who is trained to," he answered.

"That's my point," Ally said. "It was your job to save my life, so you did it. It was your job to take care of me, so you did. To you this is just another day at the office. But this isn't my reality, Carter. My heart doesn't know how to separate duty from real emotion."

His eyes narrowed, his gaze intensifying. Ally took another step back as he moved closer. Then her legs hit the back of the couch and, suddenly, there was nowhere left to run.

"It was never my job to protect you," he said. "No one is paying me to keep you alive."

Ally lifted her chin. "But it's in the best interest of your company. We _need_ each other, remember?"

His eyes snapped to her lips at the word _need_. Suddenly, Ally's tongue felt heavy in her mouth. She bit into her lip, almost frightened to say anything more.

Carter inched closer, his legs pressing against hers, his body almost flush against her.

"Oh, I remember," he said, his voice so low that it seemed to rumble right down to her core. "I care about my company, sure. Just like I care about my people. I would never let anything happen to them. But I have never said that I _needed_ any of them. I've only said that to you."

Ally ran her tongue over her trembling lips. "Why did you say it?"

"Because you're not my duty, Ally. You're not some obligation. If you were, I would have sent you away someplace safe the moment you became difficult," he said, a devilish twinkle gleaming in his eye. "And trust me, you passed _difficult_ a long time ago."

"So, why didn't you?"

"Because you're special," he said. "Because you make me smile, and I make you laugh. Because you believe so much that what you're doing is the right and noble thing, that you made me believe it too. If that's not a special kind of magic then I don't know what is."

Ally stared up into his eyes. She opened her mouth but for a few seconds nothing came out. He'd stolen her breath.

"Those are good reasons," she said when she could finally find her voice again.

"So, tell me again why you're running away from me?" he asked.

Ally cocked her head to the side. "Wait, did you just say all that about believing in me just to get me in bed?"

His eyes went dark, deeper than usual, at her words, the flecks of gold inside shining even brighter in the light. He wrapped his free arm around her waist.

"Do you want to go to bed with me?"

_Oh God._

"Th-that wasn't what I said." The words tumbled out of her mouth one after the other. "I already told you, I only kissed you because we had—"

"No other choice." He ran his open palm up her back, letting it come to rest between her shoulder blades. He wasn't pressing her close, but neither was he letting her go. "I know that's why you pulled me into the alcove, but that's not why you ran the tip of your tongue across my bottom lip. That wasn't why your fingers dug into my shoulders."

Ally's lips parted. Her breath sped. She could feel her heart hammering against her breastbone.

She weakly shook her head. "Why did _you_ kiss _me_?"

If she hoped to throw the question back in his face, she failed miserably. His chest expanded as he drew in a deep breath and grazed her breasts. Even that fleeting touch sent bolts of awareness through her.

"Because I wanted to kiss you," he said. "I wanted to taste you. I wanted _you_."

Ally blinked a few times. She tried to swallow but her mouth had gone suddenly dry.

"Oh." It was the only sound she could manage to make. Words were beyond her.

"So, I'm going to ask you one more time," Carter said, his fingers falling away from hers. "And if you answer _because you had no other choice_ , that's fine. I will sleep on the couch tonight."

He eased his body away from hers. Ally sucked in a breath at the sudden lack of touch.

"Or," he went on, "tell me the truth, and I will carry you up those stairs, peel off that dress and spend the rest of the night making love to every inch of you."

Ally couldn't breathe. She tried, but nothing happened.

She stared into his eyes, trembling. She had no idea how long she stood like that, half a breath away from him, her whole body shaking. Finally, her mouth opened.

"I-I...I wanted to kiss you," she said. "I can't remember the last time I wanted to kiss someone so badly."

A wicked smile spread across Carter's face.

"Good answer," he said. His breath fell across her lips as his arm snaked around her back.

He kissed her again. Just like he had in the hotel.

No, that wasn't exactly true. Then there had been some restraint. They'd still been in public after all.

But now they were all alone. And that last thread of moderation snapped.

His mouth moved across hers, slow at first, growing faster. As if he was growing hungrier with every taste.

Or maybe that was her.

She pushed the jacket off his shoulders. It slid down his arms and onto the floor. She moved her hands over his back, reveling in his solid form.

But even the thin material of his shirt was too much between them. She pulled back just far enough to slip her hands in between them, her fingers going to work on his buttons.

He broke the kiss long enough to watch what she was doing.

His breath was ragged as he looked her in the eyes. "I take it you've been wanting to do that for a while?"

"Just from the moment I saw you," she answered as she popped open the last button.

She slipped her hands into the gap and her breath hitched as her fingers skimmed across his warm, taut skin. He shrugged off the shirt and her heart kicked up anew.

Dang. There was in shape and then there was whatever ridiculous form Carter had worked himself into—hard pecs, defined abs, biceps that could lift a '67 Chevy.

For a long moment she didn't move. She just stared at him, not fully believing what she was seeing. Eventually, her tongue snaked out to wet her bottom lip and a breathy sigh escaped her throat.

He softly chuckled. "I hope that means you're not disappointed."

She pried her eyes away from his magnificent body to look him in the eye. "You're kidding, right? You're gorgeous. I mean, even with your clothes on you're amazing. But...but," her gaze drifted down again. "You're gorgeous."

He gave her a pleased smile. Pleased, and maybe just a little cocky. She didn't have a problem with that. The man deserved it...for this, at least.

He lifted his hands to her side, slowly sliding them up her back.

"My turn," he whispered against her ear as he eased the zipper of her dress down.

Ally drew in a deep breath as the dress slid off her shoulders and around her waist and then pooled on the floor.

She tried to stay still, sucking in her belly as Carter's gaze swept up and down her body. She still had on her bra and panties, but she had never felt so naked in her life. She shifted from foot to foot. Finally, the silence got to her.

"So?" she said, not completely sure that she wanted to hear his answer.

Ally leaned back further into the couch as Carter lifted his gaze. She'd never seen someone look so ravenous in her life and the truth was, it frightened her a little.

He put his hands to her face and kissed her harder than she'd ever been kissed in her life. He swooped down to hook one arm under the crook of her knees. A second later, he was lifting her up. He didn't hesitate before turning and heading for the loft.

"I'm crap with words," he said. "I'm going to show you instead."

He carried her up the flight of stairs as if she weighed nothing, then laid her down on the bed. Ally sunk into the soft mattress. She lifted her head and watched as he undid the button at the waist of his pants and pulled them down.

She let her head fall back after that. The man was just too much. A girl could die of fever just looking at him for too long.

And he hadn't even touched her yet.

That changed a second later.

She felt the bed give under his weight. His hips slid between her legs. And he wrapped his arms around her back. He rolled her on top of him. One flick of his hand and her bra was gone. He held her still as he ran a trail of kisses down her neck.

Ally squirmed at the sensation of his mouth moving against such a sensitive spot, but that only made the juncture of her legs grind against the hard plane of his belly and up against his...

_Oh God._

Carter groaned and kissed her harder. His fingers twisted in her hair. She pressed against him willfully this time. Heat built inside her. She ground harder until her gasps for air turned to moans.

Then suddenly, she was being flipped over again, and lying flat on her back, his body sliding down hers. Her panties went with him, down her legs and over her ankles.

His mouth trailed back up her body, leaving a wake of sizzles wherever his lips touched. It looked like he was going to make good on his promise to make love to every inch of her.

She should have known he was a man of his word.

His hand slid between her legs as he rose to her hips, and Ally sucked in a breath. Her back arched as his fingers grazed across her folds, then dipped inside. One finger, then two.

Ally's mouth fell open and she sucked in a breath, but struggled to let it go as he started to move. Slow at first, then his fingers moved to a relentless beat as the palm of his hand pressed in time against her clit.

Her hands curled in the sheets underneath her, but that wasn't enough. It wasn't what she wanted. She grabbed onto his shoulders instead.

But it seemed like he wasn't content to just drive her wild with his touch. His kisses kept moving up her body, rising to her breasts. His lips capturing her nipples, teasing them.

The pleasure rising inside her bordered on insane. She couldn't think, couldn't reason. She could only feel.

By the time Carter's mouth rose to hers she was mad with it. She kissed him with an intensity that frightened her. She needed to feel him. Not wanted to. Had to.

"P-please." Her lips trembled against his mouth as she pleaded.

Thankfully, he seemed to know what she was begging for. His hand pulled away and pulled on protection. A moment later, he moved his hips between her legs.

He pressed forward, stretching her. Ally's fingers dug into his back, urging him on, but he took his time, easing in, his forehead pressed against hers.

Every muscle in his body was tight, like he was struggling on the edge of control.

Too damn bad. She was already on the other side. Already lost in the throes of passion and she wanted him to join her. She pivoted her hips and his cock slid halfway out. Another tilt and he was back.

"Oh God, Ally," he groaned in her ear.

He picked up speed and she met every thrust. Until she felt as if she might fall apart. She held on tight and let the sensations sweep over her.

"Carter." She said his name over and over until the tension became too much. The thin line holding her back snapped.

Her back arched. Her head fell against the pillows and everything inside her broke. Pleasure washed through her, cascading through her from head to toe, no part of her was left untouched.

Carter wasn't far behind. She was still shaking around him when his body tensed. He crushed her against him as he buried himself deep inside her, his whole body vibrating as he came.

A full minute passed before his arms loosened around her. He rolled on to his side, but he kept her cradled against him.

Ally took in deep breaths, trying to recover from what had just happened. She'd been with men before, some of them had even been good in bed, but nothing had ever come close to that. Nothing.

She tilted her chin up and looked at Carter. His eyes were closed, and she was halfway pleased to see that he was still struggling to catch his breath as well.

"That was..." Ally tried, but words failed her.

"Amazing," he finished for her. He tightened his grip on her, spooning her body against his.

"What's this?" she teased him. "And here I thought you'd be dying to get rid of me, and hoping I'd make one of my quick escapes."

"Don't you dare." His fingers intertwined with hers and he placed her hand in the center of his chest. "Stay. Stay right here with me."

# 12

Carter woke up in an empty bed.

He knew even before he opened his eyes that he was alone. The heat that he'd cradled against his body all night was gone. The mattress felt light. He knew that if he stretched out his arms all he would catch was air.

Still, he opened his eyes to check. Sure enough, the sheet was folded back where Ally had been. Her pillow still showed a deep impression.

Carter shot straight up in bed. For a moment, adrenaline flooded through him.

Wherever she'd gone, she couldn't have made it far.

He threw back the covers and jumped out onto the cold floor.

And caught the scent of fresh brewed coffee wafting up from the ground floor.

Slowly, he inched over to the loft railing and peered over.

Ally was down at the computer table, wearing his button up shirt from the night before. She sat on the chair in front of the computer monitor, her hair pulled back into a makeshift knot as she stared at the screen, her knees bent and pulled up in front of her. From this height and angle, he couldn't see exactly what was on the screen in front of her, but it didn't take a genius to guess. She was checking out the drive Charlie had given them.

He wondered for how long?

He silently stepped back from the railing and pulled on his pants. If he were being honest, he was amazed that she'd managed to sleep at all. He knew how badly she wanted... _needed_ to see what was on the drive.

Carter ran his fingers through his hair as he came down the stairs.

"There's coffee," Ally said, lifting an arm and pointing toward the kitchen without turning his way.

"Thanks for making it," he said. He found a mug and poured himself a cup. "How long have you been up?"

"Since a little before dawn," she said. "I was wondering how long you were going to sleep in."

Carter looked over at the clock hanging above the stove. It read 7:04. So, that was her idea of sleeping in?

He moved up behind her and cupped her shoulder with his free hand, giving her a little squeeze. He felt some of the tension in her muscles give way.

"How's it going?" he asked.

"Not great," Ally said, shaking her head. "It's just like Charlie said. There's a lot here. Hundreds of pages—quarterly forecasted earnings for Applied Dynamics, minutes from Fuller's Defense Appropriation meetings, classified documents from the DOD, confidential memos from Army Intelligence. It's maddening. It's like we're going at this backwards, looking at all the evidence and trying to figure out the crime."

"Putting a puzzle together not knowing what the picture is supposed to look like."

"Exactly."

"And how's it coming together so far?"

She drew in a deep breath and slowly let it out. "Well, I've talked myself out of kicking a hole in the computer screen at least three times in the past hour, so I figure that's progress."

"At this point, we'll take what victories we can." Carter planted a kiss on the top of her head. "Keep at it. I know what you're looking for is there."

"As long as one of us stays optimistic," she said, frustration making her voice growly.

"We'll call Mason later and see how he's doing on the puzzle. Sometimes it helps to talk it out with someone else."

A knock sounded against the front door. Ally jumped from her chair. "And sometimes taking a break can be helpful."

She went to the door and peeked outside before opening it.

Mrs. Garcia was standing on the front step with a heavy tray, a paper grocery bag and a concerned look. Carter rushed forward to take the tray out of her hands.

"I was making breakfast for the boys before school and I thought I would bring you some."

"Thank you," Ally said, holding the door for Sofia. The woman stepped inside but her frown didn't dissipate.

"There are clothes in the bag too. You and I are basically the same size, Ally," she said, but then glanced over at Carter. "But you're quite a bit bigger than Ramon. I did my best, but the fit might be a little tight."

"Thank you. I'm sure they'll be fine," he said. He kept his voice light. It was obvious that something was bothering her, but Carter doubted that Mrs. Garcia was going to open up to a stranger.

Ally must have sensed it too. She put her hand on Mrs. Garcia's shoulder. "Is everything okay, Sofia?"

The woman looked up at Ally and slowly shook her head. "I don't know how to tell you," she said.

Carter instantly tensed. Good news never came from such an apologetic tone.

Ally's brows pulled together. "Tell us what?"

Mrs. Garcia gripped her hands in front of her, but Carter caught the tremble that shook her fingers. "It was on the news when I turned on the television."

"What was?" Carter could tell Ally was struggling to keep her voice calm, but the strain leaked through.

Fortunately, Mrs. Garcia didn't seem to notice. She didn't seem to notice much of anything that they were saying.

"But then I went out on the porch and it was in the paper as well," Mrs. Garcia said. She lifted the folded paper off the breakfast tray and handed it to Ally.

Carter moved to Ally's side as she snapped it open.

_Local journalist kidnapped from downtown hotel by shooting suspect_.

Carter stared at the headline. There was a picture underneath it, black-and-white and grainy, but he could clearly make out his and Ally's faces through the front window of the SUV. His hand was at the back of her neck just before he pushed her down.

The paper must have taken it from one of the security cameras inside the parking garage. More likely, Lucas Addams had given it to them.

Ally turned her face up to him. "What does this mean?" she asked, obviously confused.

"It means that Fuller has us exactly where he wants us." Carter raked his hand through his hair. He cursed under his breath. He'd played directly into the man's hands. "He hasn't been able to get to you, but he's found a way to silence us."

"I don't understand," Mrs. Garcia said.

Carter drew in a deep breath. "Lucas Addams told the police I abducted Ally. The only way for her to clear my name is to go to the police, but the second Ally does that, she's a dead woman. If I turn myself in, she'll be unprotected. If we contact anyone to try to get the truth out there, Fuller's men will be on us in a heartbeat."

Ally turned to Mrs. Garcia. "I'm so sorry we brought this to you. I never thought it would come to this. If you want us to leave, I totally understand."

Mrs. Garcia shook her head. "No. Don't go. It sounds like if you leave you'll have a target on your back. How could I live with myself if something happened to you? After all that you did for my family, I'm happy to do this for you."

Ally nodded and Carter caught the bright reflection of tears welling up in her eyes. "Thank you."

"No one knows you're here, right?" Mrs. Garcia asked. Carter nodded. "Well, I won't tell if you won't."

"Good plan."

Mrs. Garcia fixed Carter with a stare, looking directly into his eyes. "But if something does happen, I want your word that you'll protect this family," she said. "I know just by looking at you that you're capable."

Carter met her stare and gave her his most solemn nod. "With my dying breath."

It was too bad that the Garcia's were such coffee lovers. Ally could have really gone for a nice mint tea. Or a cup of chamomile, but she would have settled for anything soothing to calm her nerves.

But as it turned out, the cupboards were stocked with nothing but coffee, and right now Ally had enough caffeine flowing through her veins to keep a Roman Legion up for a week.

At least it was keeping her going. She'd been able to keep her eyes glued to the computer screen in front of her for the past two hours without blinking.

Not that it meant that she was any closer to understanding the strange scavenger hunt that Harvey Price had given her, but at least she'd been able to keep her mind occupied and not descend into a full blown panic attack because her life was in shambles.

As if it wasn't enough that Fuller's goon squad was after them, now they had every police department in the Central Valley hunting for them as well. And the only way out was to figure out this convoluted puzzle that Harvey Price had left behind.

Ally blinked a few times as the words in front of her started to dance on the screen.

Great. Now even coffee was failing her.

She bowed her head for a moment and rubbed at her eyes.

She perked up again when Carter's phone rang. She swiveled around in her seat as he picked it up.

"Mason," he said. "Talk to me."

Ally jumped up and ran to where Carter was sitting on the couch. Finally. If he was calling maybe he had some good news.

Carter pressed the speaker button on the phone and placed it on the couch cushions between them.

"I would have called you earlier but the office has been crawling with cops. They've been everywhere this morning. Sounds like they're going to shut us down."

Carter's jaw tightened. He closed his eyes as thick cords stood out on his neck. "How long do you have?"

"Probably just a couple of hours," Mason said. "I had to sneak out just to call you."

"It's appreciated," Carter said. "Use the time wisely. Back up everything vital. Erase anything sensitive. We have to assume that Fuller has men in there with the cops."

"How are you doing? Did you get Miss Weaver somewhere safe?"

"We're okay, Mason," Ally said.

There was a brief pause, probably as Mason realized that he was on speakerphone. She figured that probably didn't happen a lot.

"Glad to hear it, Ally," Mason said from the other end. He sounded genuinely pleased.

Carter cleared his throat. "Did you get a chance to look at the files Charlie sent you?" he asked.

"I did," Mason said.

"And did you see anything?" Ally asked. Even she could hear the desperation straining her voice.

"Not much," he admitted. Ally felt the hopeful air rush out of her. "I'll look again tonight once I've put out the fires here."

"Of course," Ally said, trying to keep the disappointment out of her voice.

"There was one thing that seemed odd right off the bat," Mason said.

Ally straightened up. "What's that?"

"Take a look at the Allied Dynamics earning projections. There's a line in there for nearly half a billion in body armor and ballistic defense systems, but the bill that Fuller introduced to fund it was shot down by the Appropriations Committee."

"Maybe it was just wishful thinking on the accountant's part," Carter said.

"No," Ally said, slowly shaking her head. Her eyes brightened as the first piece of the puzzle snapped into place. "The projected earnings report was drawn up a full two months _after_ the bill was voted down."

"That it was," Mason said.

"Mason, you're a genius," Ally shouted.

"That's what they tell me."

"No, they don't," Carter said. He glanced over at her. "No one tells him that."

Mason laughed on the other end. "Charlie did tell me you were trying your hand at jokes."

"I'm not joking," Carter said.

"I have to go before they start missing me," Mason said. "I'll call you tonight. Stay safe."

"Will do," Carter said and hit the end button. He turned to Ally and raised his eyebrows. "A genius? Really? I save your life two times and _Mason's_ a genius?"

"What?" Ally asked, a slow smile spreading across her face. "You're not jealous are you?"

"Jealous?" he asked, his voice shifting a little too high. "Of Mason? Don't be ridiculous."

"Oh, I'm not the one being ridiculous," Ally said, laughing. "I'm pretty sure it wasn't him I was kissing last night."

A wide smile spread across Carter's face. "Well, when you put it like that."

He leaned forward, and caressed her cheek with his open palm. His lips barely brushed against hers.

"And I seem to remember you doing a hell of a lot more than just kissing," he whispered in her ear.

Ally's blood heated at the reminder. She kissed him back, long and slow. Sure, the world might be turning in crazy circles, but that didn't mean she couldn't take a little break from the madness.

Carter gave her a long look before pulling back. He adjusted the front of his pants before standing up.

"I should go take a shower," he said.

"And I should get back to staring at a computer screen."

Carter propped his arms against the shower wall and let the warm water cascade down his head and back. Not that it was doing any good. Every muscle in his body was still strung tight.

He'd fought all kinds of battles, ones where the enemy was both known and unknown. He'd spent weeks in hostile surroundings, uncertain if each step he took would be his last. He'd been caught unaware, outnumbered and outgunned, but nothing had ever affected him the way this fight had.

And it wasn't hard to guess why. None of those battles had ever been personal. It was one cause against another. Beliefs, dogmas, ideologies. Flags against flags, and they just happened to be the players in their parts.

But this...

This felt personal. Fuller was going after everything Carter cared about. The company he had built from nothing. The people that depended on him for their livelihoods.

And Ally.

There was no way Fuller could know how much she'd come to mean to him. Hell, even Carter wasn't even so certain that he knew himself. But he did know she was important....special.

And no one was going to wrench her away from him. Carter would tear Fuller apart with his own hands before he let that happen.

Carter's head snapped up as the hinge to the bathroom door creaked. He swiped at the fog on the shower door...and saw Ally step into the room with only a fluffy white towel wrapped around her.

"Mind if I join you?"

He slowly shook his head. "Not at all."

She let the towel drop to the floor.

Carter turned as she stepped into the shower. A playful smile danced on her lips. "I figured since I needed to shower anyway that we could conserve water."

"I like the way you think," he said.

Steam rose up between their naked bodies as she took a hesitant step toward him and into the spray. Heat rose up inside him as he watched the droplets cascade down her breasts and long legs.

Dear God, she was beautiful.

And so ridiculously tempting. When that unsure blush lit up her cheeks, she was downright irresistible.

So he stopped trying.

He snaked his arm around her waist and pulled her close. He kissed her hard. Ally didn't waste any time kissing him back. He dipped his head and let his lips trail down the long column of her neck.

She breathed a soft moan against his ear, and desire ripped through him.

He lifted his head, and slid his hand down her thigh, lifting it up to his hip. Ally wrapped her arms around him for support. He angled his hips between her legs, and pressed up. His hard cock slid home in one stroke.

Ally's eyes went wide. Her mouth fell open. Then, slowly he started to move.

Her eyes closed. Her head fell back. He slipped his free hand down to where their bodies met, his fingers going to work on her sensitive clit.

Her breath sped. Her body growing tight around him, until he felt her shudder. He clenched his teeth, holding back, desperate not to join her in ecstasy.

Once he felt the last of the aftershocks drain from her body, he guided her leg back to the floor.

Ally's eyes slowly opened. She leaned in to kiss him long and deep.

"I don't think we're getting any cleaner," she said, her voice far away and dreamy.

Carter smiled. "We're not done yet."

He spun her around so her back was to him.

She propped her hands on the shower wall as he moved up behind her. She moaned again as he slid inside her.

Dear God, he'd never tire of that sweet sound. He wanted to hear more of it. He sped up the tempo. Her moans filled the shower and his passion grew with each one.

She felt so damn good he thought he might lose control, but he couldn't. Not yet. His body neared the edge of release, but he wanted more. He held it at bay with the pure force of his will, needing just another few seconds of being in heaven inside her.

He never wanted to leave. Never wanted it to end.

His body tensed as pleasure overtook him.

He pulled out just in time. Carter propped a hand on the cold wet tiles next to him as he struggled to catch his breath.

Ally was right. They weren't any cleaner.

# 13

Ally didn't look away from the computer screen in front of her as she picked up the turkey sandwich from the plate and took a bite.

It was amazing what a full belly could do for a person's concentration.

Of course, a little stress relief hadn't hurt either.

She'd been back in the saddle for an hour now and her mind still felt clear and her eyes fresh. And, even better, she was finally beginning to feel like she was making some progress.

Mason had given her a starting place, and it turned out that was all she needed. After that, all she had to do was obey the first rule—follow the money.

And, oh the places it had led her.

It wasn't just the matching amounts in the earnings projections and the failed appropriations bills. There were other strange coincidences. Large deposits from foreign sources. Secret offshore accounts that appeared to be tied to Fuller and Allied Dynamics. Deposits that could be traced back to known terror organizations.

Slowly the picture was coming together.

She hadn't figured out what connection any of this had to the files from the Department of Defense yet. But she would. It might take her a little more time but she would get there. She just had to dig a little deeper. Work a little harder.

Ally took one more bite of the sandwich before putting it on the plate. She leaned in closer to the screen.

She had hoped that the quiet environment of the barn would have made it easier to concentrate, but the truth was, she wasn't used to working in such dead silence.

She was used to a busy newsroom, or a crowded cafe. Even in her little apartment she could hear the rush of the city—the speeding cars or the neighbors' conversations.

Out here in the middle of the country, the silence was profound.

Even Carter was being quiet. He had been sitting on the couch lost in thought for the past hour. Occasionally, he'd pull out his phone and look at something, but that was it.

And turning on the television was dead out. There was no way she could take the stress of seeing any news coverage about her _abduction_. Ally just knew the first shot she saw of one of her sisters, or, God forbid, her mother crying in front of news cameras, she was going to lose it.

The only way she was going to get through the stress and get any work done was by letting denial open up its jaws and swallow her whole. So, she'd just have to suffer through the silence.

Ally took a deep breath before letting her eyes refocus on the tiny words on the screen. Slowly, she let the air rush out between her lips.

_Snap_.

Ally's chin jerked up. She looked straight ahead at the door where the sound had come from. She couldn't find the will to draw in another breath.

Which was silly. It was probably nothing. An animal walking by, a dog or a cat. A branch falling to the ground. There were a hundred non-threatening reasons for a snapping sound outside the front door.

None of which she could make herself believe.

Ally risked a glance behind her to where Carter was sitting on the couch and found that he was sitting at attention, his eyes focused on the door.

So, she wasn't the only one. She wasn't sure if that was reassuring or not.

Carter's hand slowly slid to the butt of the gun at his side as he stood up. He didn't look over at Ally as he made a silent gesture for her to get on the floor.

Okay, definitely not.

Ally pulled the zip drive from the computer and tucked it into her pocket before crouching down into the hollow beneath the desk. She'd just tucked her legs up against her body when she heard a soft click at the back door.

She couldn't blame that sound on an animal. Someone was testing the lock. And she was willing to bet it wasn't the Garcia family back from the store.

Carter glanced toward the back door, but kept moving toward the main entrance. He held his gun out in front of him, arms stiff, back straight. He moved silently into position, his back flat against the wall next to the door.

He glanced to his side and pulled a heavy-looking hardback from the bookcase and tossed it on the floor. It hit the floor with a heavy thump that resounded through the house.

In an instant, both doors of the barn swung open violently, crashing against the walls, and two men dressed in head to toe black barged in, holding the most frightening rifles Ally had ever seen.

Carter was ready for the attack. He didn't flinch. His aim stayed steady on the man that was now in the kitchen. A fraction of a second later, the intruder's gaze locked on Carter and he swept the barrel of his gun in his direction.

Ally instinctively clenched her eyes shut and tucked herself into the tightest ball she could manage—as if that could save her—and waited helplessly for the barrage of gunfire that would cut Carter down.

But the onslaught didn't come.

There was a single loud blast. Even though Ally was expecting the deafening roar, she still started hard enough that her head banged against the top of her hidey-hole.

Ally's eyes popped open and she let out a sigh of relief to see that Carter was still standing. The man in the kitchen, on the other hand, was not. His body was laid out, still and limp on the cold tile.

But the danger wasn't over yet. There was still the other man at the front door, and they'd used up the element of surprise.

The second intruder took another step inside the barn and swiveled toward Carter. The barrel of the rifle smacked against Carter's hand, knocking his gun to the floor.

Carter grabbed the bottom of the man's gun and twisted hard, pointing the muzzle up toward the ceiling. The man pulled the trigger and half a dozen shots emptied into the ceiling.

Ally watched as Carter muscled the gun around, twisting the strap around the man's shoulder and tying up his hands. But the intruder didn't lose his grip. And he wasn't showing any sign of giving up.

The attacker kicked his leg out. His boot landed hard on the soft underside of Carter's knee.

Ally winced as Carter faltered, landing hard on his shins, but he didn't lose his hold on the gun. He jerked down hard on his end, causing the butt to fly up and hit the intruder under the chin. Ally winced as a spray of blood flew from his mouth.

The man in black didn't stumble though. If anything, he fought back harder, using all his strength to try to push Carter all the way down.

Ally knew she had to do something. But what? She had no idea how to fight a physical battle. A battle of wills, sure thing. But a gunfight? She feared she'd do more harm than good.

But she still had to try.

Staying as close to the ground as she could manage, Ally shuffled into the kitchen on her hands and knees.

She scrambled toward the man on the floor, reaching out with her hand to grab the gun that still laid in his limp hand. Even though there was no rise and fall in his chest, she couldn't help the fear that he was going to miraculously find breath, sit up, and empty the damn clip right into her as soon as she grabbed his rifle.

But somehow she found the courage to reach for it anyway. She wrapped her fingers around the end and pulled, but the gun didn't give. She tried again, harder this time, but still, nothing.

Ally looked up at the man's slack face. The strap was still slung around his neck.

Well, damn. Even in death these guys were proving to be a massive pain in her ass.

Pushing down a shudder, Ally slid right up against the dead man, close enough that she could cradle his weapon in her hand.

The weight of the man's head hung below her arm, making it hard for her to position the gun. Not that it mattered. The attacker was far too close to Carter for Ally to try to hit him. She'd only end up killing them both.

Hell, with a weapon this large and unwieldy she'd be lucky if she didn't end up losing control and shooting herself.

Still, she had to do something.

Ally lifted the barrel to the ceiling and pulled the trigger. Shots went off, fast and hard, shaking Ally's whole body with their force.

But fortunately, the jarring noise did the trick.

The attacker lifted his head toward Ally, taking his attention off Carter for just a second. It was all the opportunity Carter needed.

Carter kicked up hard, landing a blow to the man's stomach, and was on his feet in the blink of an eye. He went at the intruder hard, rushing the man and burying his shoulder deep into the pit of the man's stomach and gaining leverage on the rifle that still hung between them.

Ally flinched as the attacker landed several hard punches into Carter's side fighting for control of the weapon. But Carter stood firm. His teeth were bared as he strained to push the barrel of the gun until it pointed straight down. He continued to take one hell of a beating as his hand slid up until his finger curled around the trigger.

Three loud shots echoed off the walls.

The man attacking Carter crumpled to the floor, his foot spewing blood. Ally reflexively turned her head away at the sight. Her stomach churned, but she forced herself to turn back and peek out of one eye.

Carter stood above the man, pinning his gun hand with his foot. The man writhed underneath Carter's shoe, snarling up at him, but Carter just stared coldly at the man.

"How did you know we were here?" Carter shouted.

Ally held her breath as the man bared his teeth and grunted. "Go to hell."

Carter crouched down, twisting his foot on the man's wrist as he descended. "I'm not the one who needs be concerned with heaven and hell right now."

Ally had never heard Carter sound so vicious. Never. She swallowed past the lump that formed in her throat. Sure, the man on the floor had come here with one goal—to kill her. Maybe Carter too, but definitely her. Still, Ally had to fight back the surge of compassion for the man.

Carter obviously wasn't having the same trouble. He twisted his heel on the man's wrist and Ally heard a sickening crack. The man screamed out, his wail filling the empty space in the barn.

"Carter," Ally said, her small voice breaking.

He didn't look at her. His eyes were focused intently on the man beneath him. The one he'd just been engaged in a life or death struggle with. And the truth was, she wasn't entirely sure it was over yet.

"Tell me," Carter said, his voice vibrating with intensity. He leaned down closer to the man's face. She recognized the savage look in Carter's eyes from where she stood several feet away...and it scared the hell out of her.

"P-phone," the man finally said, his voice faint. The pain had to be getting to him. God knew, it was getting to Ally, and she was just watching it. "We hacked the satellite then traced the outgoing call from your office."

Carter's jaw tightened as Ally's dropped. The cops in the Macmillan offices. One of them had to be working for Fuller and managed to get to Mason's phone. He had said they had been everywhere.

Apparently that wasn't an exaggeration.

Fuller's men had traced them here, which meant that the Garcias were also in danger. They had to get out of here and warn them, before anyone else came looking.

"Carter," Ally tried again, louder this time.

His focus didn't waver. It was like he had tuned her out. Like he wasn't listening at all.

"Your bitch is calling," the man spat up at him.

Ally flinched.

"Say that again." Carter's lips pulled back from his teeth in a tight, grim smile. Carter's body was practically vibrating with anger. "I dare you."

But Ally had the terrible feeling that was the man's plan all along.

His free hand started sliding down the far side of his body toward his hip. Toward a black holster that blended in with the rest of his uniform.

"Carter," Ally screamed, truly panicked this time. "He's going for a gun."

It turned out that Carter was listening to her after all. The man flicked back the strap that held the handgun in place at his side, but Carter was too fast. He stood up and pulled back his free foot. A swift kick landed against the side of the man's neck.

Ally clenched her eyes shut as a sharp snap echoed through the house. This time she really didn't want to open her eyes. Staring into the face of one dead body per lifetime was enough for her.

A second later, Carter's hands were on her shoulders. She risked peeking out of one eye, and found that he was standing to her side with a wary look on his face.

"What?" she asked, suddenly afraid that they weren't done yet. That he'd heard more of them out there. That they were surrounded. It seemed there was no end to the dangers that her imagination could come up with.

"Do you want to put the gun down?"

Ally looked down at the massive rifle still cradled in her hands. The gun. Of course. She'd forgotten that she even had it.

"Yeah, of course." As carefully as she could, Ally slipped it back down onto the floor.

Carter lifted her up off the floor and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close.

A second later, he leaned back far enough to look her in the eye. "Are you hurt?" he asked.

"Not physically, but I'm pretty sure my therapist is going to get an earful the next time I see her." Her voice was shaking so hard, she was amazed she was able to form words. "How about you?"

"I'm fine," he said, but Ally could tell he was lying. He was standing with his arm tight against his right side, the one that had taken punch after brutal punch. He had to be bruised to hell. Or worse. There was a real chance that he'd cracked a rib.

She reached out to soothe him, but before she could, he took her arm and started for the door. "We need to get you out of here."

Ally dug in her heels. "We need to find the Garcias'. They can't come back here. What if more men come?"

The tick in Carter's jaw worked for a second, but he nodded in agreement. "Do you know where they went?"

"I think so." Ally nodded. "The grocery store is just down the road a few miles, on the edge of town."

He pulled the phone out of his pocket as they went down the steps and tossed it over his shoulder back inside the barn.

There went their last connection to the outside world.

Ally tried pulling toward the SUV they'd driven there, but Carter kept her pressed tight against him, walking the other way.

"But the car—"

"Is a liability. Every cop in a hundred miles will be looking for it. We need to acquire another one."

Ally looked up at his face. For the first time, she thought that she spied the signs of fatigue around his eyes. And why the hell not?

They were out in the middle of nowhere. He'd just taken a hell of a beating. They had no phone. No car. No place to go.

If Ally thought they'd been in trouble before, that was nothing in comparison to where they found themselves now.

"You say that like it's not a big deal," she said.

"It never has been before," he said, glancing down at her as they walked to the front of the Garcia's house. He lifted his head toward a big black truck that was sitting in the driveway. It must have been the car that the assassins had driven out here.

Of course.

Ally tried the passenger door and found it open. She pulled herself up the step to the seat as Carter got into the driver's side.

He bent over, fiddled with some wires under the dash and the engine roared to life.

Ally laughed out loud, though she could have just as easily wept. She leaned over and grasped Carter's cheeks and kissed him flush on the lips.

They had a car. One problem down. Only a hundred more to go.

Carter pulled the truck into the parking lot of the grocery store just as the Garcias' were walking out the door with their cart. If he'd arrived two minutes later, they would have missed them.

He pulled the truck up behind their car, not bothering to find a spot. Ally jumped out of the truck the second he hit the brakes. She ran over to Sofia and Ramon, meeting them halfway across the lot. Carter was close behind.

Sofia's eyes went wide the moment she spotted Ally.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"They found us," Ally answered.

"Are you all right?" Ramon asked.

Carter nodded. "We're fine. But I'm afraid you shouldn't go back to your house."

"What?" Sofia asked. "What happened?"

"A couple of men broke into your barn," Carter said. "But I took care of them."

"I probably don't want to know what that means, do I?" Sofia asked.

Ally shook her head, and Ramon pulled his wife close.

"This will all be over soon," Carter promised, looking the frightened couple in the eye. "And I swear that when it is I will be the one who deals with the authorities. I'll take full responsibility. You and your family won't have to worry about anything."

Ally turned her head to look at him. Worry lines furrowed deep into her brow.

"How long until we can go home?" Ramon asked.

"Just a couple of days," Carter said. There was no way he could allow this to drag on any longer. It had to end now. "Is there somewhere you can go?"

Sofia and Ramon looked at each other for a long moment, before nodding.

"The boys are already over at Ramon's mother's house in Fairfield. We can join them there for a few days," Sofia said.

Ally reached out and took Sofia's hand. "I can't tell you how sorry I am. If I had known—"

"It's okay," Sofia said, and Ramon nodded. "We knew the risks when we agreed."

"Just take care of yourself," Ramon said.

"Ally," Carter said, putting his hands on her shoulders. He gently pulled her back. Sofia's hand slipped from hers. "We need to go."

"I'm sorry," Ally repeated as he led her back to the truck, her voice shaky.

And she wasn't the only one. Sofia Garcia's voice trembled too as she called out, "Be careful."

Carter shut the door on Ally and ran around the front of the truck. The quicker they got out of town, the safer everyone would be.

He pulled out of the parking lot. He headed toward the freeway, glancing at the few stores that they passed on the country road.

He needed to get his hands on a phone. He didn't need it for long, just about thirty seconds, since the second he turned the thing on it would become a liability. He didn't dare use a landline, fearing that Fuller's men would trace it back to the physical address and harass whoever they found there. But by the looks of it, he wouldn't be able to pick up a burner until they were closer to the metro area.

There had to be a better solution.

Carter spotted a gas station and turned toward it. Two kids, just barely into their twenties were leaning against the side of a worn out pickup. He pulled up alongside them and rolled down the window.

"Hey, one of you guys want to sell me your phone?" he asked.

The two guys perked up immediately. They laughed a little until they noticed Carter wasn't joining in. Their chuckles faded.

One tugged on the brim of his cap before kicking off the door of his ride. "You sure you don't just want to borrow it?"

"Nope." Carter shook his head. "When I'm done I'm going to have to destroy it."

The kid's eyes widened. "Why?"

"I have my reasons."

"Holy shit, man. Are you for real?"

"Do you want to sell your phone or not?"

The blonde looked behind him at his friend. The other guy shrugged as if to say _what the hell_? Carter had the feeling that this was more excitement than either one of them had planned on.

"How much?" the kid asked.

Carter pulled out his wallet and looked inside. "Five hundred."

" _Five hundred dollars_?" The kid's eyes went huge. "Shit, for that you can do whatever the hell you want with it."

Carter handed over the bills and the blonde handed over his phone. Now he knew why the kids were so excited. His cell wasn't exactly ancient but neither was it cutting edge.

Still, it would work.

Carter punched in the numbers and waited. Three seconds later, Rhys picked up.

"Yeah?" he said, sounding defensive, on edge. Carter realized it was probably because he didn't recognize the incoming number on the private line.

"It's Carter," he said. "Fall back."

There was a brief pause on the other end of the line. Then, "Affirmative."

That was all that Carter needed to hear. Rhys would make sure that the rest of the men got the message.

He ended the call and gave the boys a nod of thanks. They were so wrapped up with their newfound gain that they hardly noticed as he pulled out of the lot.

He was about a mile down the road before he looked over at Ally. Her head was tilted against the window and her shoulders sagged. He could just barely make out the glisten of tears in her eyes, but she wasn't sobbing. They just fell down her cheeks silently.

And he couldn't blame her.

She'd been through a lot. More than anyone should ever have to. And all because she was trying to do the right thing.

Carter gripped the steering wheel as the vise around his heart wrenched tighter. God, he hated seeing her this way, wracked with pain and fear and guilt. There was no magic he could pull to make it all go away, no matter how badly he wanted to.

He wouldn't lie to her. Wouldn't tell her everything was going to be fine. That in a few short days her life would go back to how it was, because he knew better than anyone that wasn't always how it worked.

The things she'd seen, the feelings that were coursing through her now, they'd leave a mark on her so deep that it would become the dividing line for the rest of her life. There would be the life she had before she'd gone after Fuller and the life that came after.

But Carter could make it so she didn't have to go through the difficult time alone. That he could promise. Both to her and himself.

Carter placed his hand, palm up, on her knee. Ally looked down at it and smiled before sliding her hand inside. He curled his fingers around hers and held tight.

He didn't let go as he drove onto the on-ramp to the freeway. He didn't let go as he steered into the fast lane, got the truck up to speed, and rolled down the window and tossed the phone out onto the hard pavement. He didn't let go the whole ride back to Sacramento.

The truth was, he wasn't sure he was ever going to let go again.

# 14

The sun was just dipping down below the horizon by the time Carter pulled the truck to a stop in what looked like a working-class neighborhood on the outskirts of Sacramento. Long shadows stretched across the street up to the house that they'd parked in front of.

Ally's gaze darted up and down the street. She knew Carter would never bring her anywhere that he thought was dangerous, but she still couldn't shake the feeling that one of Fuller's men was out there waiting for her. She saw menace in every rustling bush and passing car.

She'd never been so on edge. There was no way that she could live the rest of her life this way, jumping at shadows. This had to end. It just had to. She wasn't an overly fearful person, and she didn't relish the idea of becoming one.

"Are you sure it's safe here?" Ally asked as Carter reached for the handle of his door.

"It's the safest place I know." He gave her a long look. "Only my core team knows the location of this safe house. Not even Charlie knows. There's no paper trail linking the house to Macmillan Security, no way for Fuller or Addams to track us here."

Ally's brows pulled together. "So, why didn't we come here earlier?"

"Because it's reserved for only the most dire of emergencies."

"And what we've been dealing with hasn't been an emergency?" she asked.

"Not until there's at least a couple of bodies left behind."

"Makes sense," Ally said, nodding slowly. At least he wasn't sugar coating the situation.

She drew in a deep breath. It was now or never.

Before she could chicken out, she jumped out of the truck and hustled up the path. Ally could hear Carter following a step behind. She didn't see a doorbell when she made it up to the front of the house, so she gave a small knock against the wooden door.

A few seconds later, the door swung open. Ally started at the sudden move. Her nerves weren't calmed any to find Rhys' cold face staring back at her. He stared at her for a long moment before he looked at Carter.

"Uh...hi," Ally tried.

Rhys didn't say a word, just held the door and took a step to the side, allowing them to enter.

Suddenly, Ally wasn't sure if she was safer inside or out.

Carter must have sensed her hesitation, because he gave her a little nudge from behind, making up her mind for her.

"Is everyone here?" he asked as he followed her.

Rhys nodded and shut the door. After he threw the lock, he led them into the main room, just past the main hallway and started walking into another room.

The rest of Carter's team was seated in what Ally figured would have been the living room in any other home. Here, it was just a couch and a single chair. There was a table pushed in the corner with two wooden chairs tucked neatly underneath. And judging by the cleanliness of the bricks in the fireplace, it didn't receive a lot of visitors.

So this was a safe house. It was certainly spare, but serviceable. There wasn't much furniture, hardly anything on the walls, but there weren't cobwebs in the corners and it wasn't covered in dust. It was obviously taken care of, but only filled with the barest of necessities.

Rhys went and sat on the couch next to Jake, who she'd first seen at Fuller's party. Bowie stood by the fireplace. He crossed his massive arms over his chest as she stepped into the room.

Mason was sitting in the lone chair. He gave her a half-hearted smile as their eyes met. It was as close to a welcome from this crowd as she was going to get. Every eye was on her, but no one said a word.

For once, she couldn't blame them. She had pulled them into this mess. Because of her they were in danger of losing their jobs, their livelihoods, and possibly even their lives.

If she was in their shoes, Ally doubted she'd say hi to herself either.

That was fine. She didn't need a warm reception. She took a single step into the room and then leaned her back up against the wall next to the archway. She might understand where their coldness was coming from, but that didn't mean that she was going to throw herself into the middle of it.

Carter, of course, didn't have any such hesitations. He walked right up to the other side of the mantle and propped his shoulder against it.

"We don't have much time so we'll get started," he said, immediately taking charge of the room. "Where are we?"

"Nowhere," Jake answered from the couch. "The cops shut down the office today. They have the whole place roped off as a crime scene. They said since you took _her_ there it was a material part of the investigation."

Carter nodded. "Fuller wanted to scatter the team."

"To see where we all went," Rhys said, stiffening. He didn't have to say the rest. If that was the case, then they had all just played into Fuller's plan. And it would have made perfect sense if Carter was his main target.

But he wasn't.

She was.

These guys were a distraction to him, a minor inconvenience, a part of the plan that refused to play nice. Fuller would deal with them, sure, but he wouldn't put the full force of his efforts into bringing them down.

"No," Ally said.

Every head swiveled her way and she pulled together every ounce of remaining resolve left inside her. She'd floated some unpopular ideas in tough rooms before. She'd gone toe to toe with cutthroat peers and editors plenty of times, but never to a group that could _actually_ cut her throat.

"No?" Rhys said, his eyes narrowed and his gaze sharpened...if such a thing were possible.

Ally straightened her back. "That isn't what Fuller wants. He doesn't care about any of you. Sure, you're a bother, but you're not a threat."

Bowie puffed up at the side of the fireplace, as if she'd injured his pride by insinuating that he wasn't a mortal threat.

Ally was about to say that she'd trade places with him in a heartbeat, but that wasn't exactly true. There might be no love lost between any of them, but she didn't wish harm on any of these guys. She didn't wish it on anyone. The truth was, she'd be wracked with guilt if any one of them got hurt while helping her.

"Ally's right," Mason said. "She's the one that Fuller's afraid of. She's the one with the power to expose him. And that's the only thing he's afraid of, political ruin, not physical harm."

Carter's mouth became a flat line as he nodded in agreement. "So the only people he would target would be the ones that he could use as leverage against you."

"And let's be honest," Ally said, her gaze sweeping across the room. "Other than Carter, you guys don't really fit that description. I mean, Ol' Blue Eyes, here, has been borderline friendly to me on a couple of occasions, but the rest of you don't exactly act like I've made your Christmas card list."

Rhys' brows pulled together, but there was no hint of a smile on his face. "Is _Ol' Blue Eyes_ Mason?"

Ally cocked her head to the side. "Yeah. Mason. You're _Iceman_."

"But we both have blue eyes," he said, his voice deadpan.

"Yeah, but when I need a sweater when I look into yours...so you're _Iceman._ "

Jake clapped a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Don't worry about it. I heard she calls me _Bruiser._ "

"She doesn't have any problem calling me _Wall of Meat_ to my face," Bowie grumbled.

"That was said in anger, and I'm sorry...but you have to admit it's a very apt description," Ally said.

"What about the _Captain_?" Jake asked with more than just idle curiosity showing in his eyes. "What do you call him?"

"She calls me Carter, and that's the end of it," he said, breaking into the conversation. He shot her a look that wasn't hard to read. _Get on with it_.

She put her hands up in mock surrender. He was right. This wasn't the time.

"But there's my point," she said, steering the conversation back to her original thought. "He's not going after you. He's going after me. So, if he shut down your offices, it had to be for another reason."

Carter crossed his arms. He had that faraway look he got when he was lost in thought. "There must be something there he wants."

"It could have something to do with _the plan_ ," Mason said.

Ally's eyes snapped over to Mason. "What plan?"

"Oh, sorry," he said, leaning forward in the chair. "We got so wrapped up with name calling that I almost forgot. There wasn't much to do after we were kicked out of the office, so I figured someone should probably listen to those bugs we planted in Lucas Addams' office. Most of it was useless, but then right before four o'clock, things got interesting."

Mason leaned forward and pulled up a file on the laptop in front of him. A second later, he pressed play.

Two voices rang clear as day. One Ally recognized immediately as Lucas Addams', but the other she couldn't place. It was familiar, but she struggled to figure out from where.

_"We're getting awfully close to the critical timeframe for the plan, and the loose ends still haven't been taken care of. Fuller is starting to get nervous. I don't need to tell you that's bad news for all of us,"_ Lucas said.

_"It shouldn't be long now. We have access to their offices, and we've got a hit on their location,"_ the second man said.

_"Good. The time for subtlety is over. Make sure the problem is taken care of once and for all. There can't be any more delays. The plan is going forward regardless. So, either our problem is taken care of or you will be, understood?"_

_"Understood, sir. I'll see to it personally."_

Ally glanced over at Carter. Their eyes met. The phone call. That was when Lucas Addams had sent the men out to the Garcias' house.

Suddenly, she recognized the voice. It was the man that Carter had killed in the barn. No wonder he had fought so hard. Ally knew Lucas Addams well enough to know that he would make good on his threat. If their attacker had walked back into that office without her head, there would have been a bullet waiting for him.

_"There's also the issue of the compromised information. You've had the Macmillan offices in lockdown all day. Have you found anything?"_ Lucas asked.

_"Not yet, sir. We've swept all the computers but found nothing."_

_"Then has it occurred to you that perhaps we're looking for something other than a computer file? I know Harvey had access to everything to do with the plan. But that Weaver bitch hasn't printed a damn word yet, so she must be missing something. I don't need to tell you that we need to find it before she does."_

Mason stopped the recording.

"That slipped your mind?" Carter asked him, one brow raised.

"What can I say, this crew of yours can be very entertaining."

"Yeah, it was fucking hilarious when the cops tossed me out of my office today," Jake said, giving Mason a look that would wither anyone in their right mind. Mason must not have fit that description, because he didn't even flinch.

Ally ignored the hyper-masculinized version of office politics going on around her. The wheels spun in her mind. _Critical timeframe. The plan. The missing piece._

Lucas Addams was right. She was missing something. She'd only been able to reconstruct about half of Fuller's plan from the puzzle pieces Harvey Price had left behind. She knew there was money coming in from shadowy places, and more was expected.

But how and what did it have to do with all those Department of Defense files? Or the Army Intelligence information? The troop movements? The classified missions? They all swirled together in her mind.

Carter's crew bickered around her. Their voices blended together, filling the room with a familiar hum. Her mind buzzed in the chaos. This was the sound that she'd missed. It was like white noise, and her brain came to life.

She went through the puzzle pieces in her mind, reviewing them one by one.

She was close. So damned close.

"I don't know where you get the guts to laugh," Rhys barked at Mason. "Seeing how it was your call that gave up Carter's location and brought Fuller's men down on them."

Ally's eyes went wide. Her mouth fell open.

_Oh God._

Of course. Everything fell into place.

"That's it," she shouted, throwing her hands up in the air.

The room went silent. Every head turned her way.

She hurried over to Rhys' side and stared down at him.

"Say that again," she said.

"What?" he asked, looking up at her with confusion in his eyes. "That Mason's call was the one that gave your location away?"

Ally clapped her hands. Before she could think better of it, she threw her arms around Rhys and squeezed him hard. She felt the poor man stiffen in her embrace. She didn't care.

" _Iceman_ , you're a genius," she shouted.

She pulled away to look into the most puzzled pair of eyes that she'd ever seen.

"I am?" he asked.

"Don't feel too honored. Apparently, she throws that word around as easily as nicknames," Carter said.

"No," Ally said, shaking her head. "This time I mean it."

She turned toward Carter, smiling widely.

His eyes narrowed as he looked at her.

"You've figured it out," he said. It wasn't a question.

"I have," she said. "Mason, I need your computer."

Mason handed it over without hesitation.

Ally went to the table in the corner and had a seat. It only took her a few seconds to plug in the drive and pull up all the relevant files, so she could click through them one by one.

Carter put his hand on her shoulder as he looked down at the computer. Mason, Rhys, Jake and Bowie all crowded around her as best they could.

"So, six months ago Fuller introduced a bill to the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee for a body armor and ballistic defense system," she started. "The contract, of course, would have gone to Allied Dynamics. But it was shot down for being too expensive."

"I'm guessing that probably didn't go over well with Fuller," Bowie said.

"I doubt it," Ally said, pulling up the quarterly projections report. "It would have been nearly a half billion dollar contract. That same amount that shows up in this report, which was drawn up three months later and is scheduled to take effect next month. Odd, right?"

"Yeah," Jake agreed behind her.

"But here's where things get really interesting." She pulled up another set of accounts. "This is a wire transfer from an account held by known Afghani terrorists into an anonymous offshore account that they just happen to have the information for inside Fuller's office."

"So, Fuller is taking bribes?" Jake asked.

"That's what I thought at first, too," Ally said. "But I think it's a hell of a lot worse than that. He's selling information."

"What information?" Carter asked.

"I couldn't figure it out at first. Not until Rhys talked about Mason giving away our location," she continued on. "See, there is all this information about Special Forces and covert operations in here. That's what Fuller was selling—the secret locations of Special Forces teams."

"But the money from the terrorists is only a fraction of the money from the body armor bill," Bowie pointed out.

"That's because the terrorist money doesn't mean anything. It's throwaway money," she explained. "Fuller's play is the bill. He sold the location of one of these teams so that those soldiers would be slaughtered. And when that headline blows up, he is going to go back to his subcommittee and throw it in their faces. He'll be on every major news organization shouting that the only reason those men died was because his bill didn't pass the first time around. I guarantee you no one will vote that bill down this time."

A tense silence filled the room.

"Are you sure?" Carter asked after a long pause.

Ally turned and looked him in the eye.

"I am," she said.

The same hard expression that she'd seen on Carter's face when he'd been dealing with their attacker earlier, was back.

Ally glanced around the room and saw a similar cold determination in every single face. She had the feeling that what she'd discovered had cut these guys down to the bone. She might joke and grumble at their bullheadedness, but she knew there wasn't a one of them that wouldn't have given his life in service to his country, and the thought that one of the country's leaders was willing to sell out their brothers was the worst kind of betrayal.

But at least, now that Ally knew what she was dealing with, she could stop him.

Except, Ally had the feeling she was getting ahead of herself. She didn't have _everything_. That bastard, Lucas Addams, was right. She was missing a piece.

"The only thing I can't figure out is who Fuller was planning on selling out," she said. "There's nothing in Harvey's files that tells me which one."

"Maybe he didn't know," Rhys said.

Ally shook her head. "Lucas Addams said Harvey had access to everything about the plan. _Everything_. It was on that flash drive, but it's not here."

"Charlie said she copied everything off of that disk," Carter said.

Ally shrugged. "She must have missed something. If not, Fuller's men wouldn't be after it now."

"Easy, call and ask her to go through it again," Jake said.

"No," Bowie said, his voice so low it practically rumbled the floorboards. "We're not pulling her into this any deeper than we already have."

Jake put his hands up. "Easy, man."

"Besides she didn't come into work today," Bowie said. "I told her to stay home. I had a feeling trouble was coming."

Ally's eyes lit up. "So, there's still a chance the drive is at the office."

Mason crossed his arms in front of his chest. "You mean the one that's crawling with Fuller's men."

"It can be done," she said. She looked up into the eyes of the five most skeptical faces she'd ever seen. She tilted her head to the side. "Hey, I got past all of you didn't I?"

She smiled at their silence.

"Not me," Bowie said.

"Don't sell the lady short yet. The night's still young," Mason said, clapping him on the shoulder.

Jake straightened his shoulders as he looked at Carter. "I guess that means we're going to need a plan, _Captain_."

"Wait," Ally said, looking up at them. "You're coming with me?"

"You didn't think we were going to leave you alone to have all the fun on your own did you?" Mason asked.

# 15

Ally looked at the building as Carter pulled the truck up to the curb. Her stomach started to churn at the sight of all the lights burning in the second story windows of Macmillan Security.

Intellectually, Ally had come to terms with the fact that the building wouldn't be empty. The cops might have left, but Lucas Addams wasn't about to leave the place completely abandoned. He would have left at least a few guards behind.

Her emotions, on the other hand, those were another story. Fear kicked into high gear, and her heart started to hammer inside her chest. Ally wasn't sure she could take another run in with Allied Dynamics' goons. Every time they'd met had ended in gunfire. This last time people had died. She knew it was only a matter of time until one of the people that got hurt was someone she cared about.

Ally's hand shook as she reached for the door handle. She drew in a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves as she stepped down onto the pavement. The last time she'd been this scared, she'd been about to walk into Fuller's fundraiser. And she'd done all right on that one.

Only because she'd found Carter...or he'd found her.

The important thing was he was with her now.

And he'd brought a damned army with him.

Ally wasn't sure if that made her feel better or worse. She certainly understood why all the guys had volunteered to come along. Just like she knew there was no way that she would be able to keep a single one of them away. But from their position on the pavement, there was no way of knowing if she was leading everyone straight into a trap.

And if one of Carter's men ended up getting hurt because of her...

Ally couldn't even think about it. The guilt would be too much to bear.

She tamped down the fear. But this wasn't about her. This was about the men and women in uniform halfway across the globe that were about to be led to the slaughter. For them she would be brave.

The rest of the team stepped out of their vehicles, each one giving her a small nod of acknowledgment as they strode toward the front door of the building. The small gesture revived some of her courage.

These guys might not love her, but they had her back. The least she could do was get her head in the game.

Ally clapped her hands together as she turned toward Carter. "You ready?" she asked.

The corners of his eyes tilted up even as his brows arched. "Are you?"

Ally shrugged her shoulders. There was no use lying to him. He knew her too well.

"I'm ready for this to be over," she admitted.

"Then let's go," he said, slipping his hand into hers and leading her toward the back of the building.

"Do you think Fuller's men know we're here?" Ally asked as Carter opened the emergency exit door.

"I would," he said. "So, we have to expect that they do too."

"How about the cops? How long do you think it will be before they arrive?"

Carter glanced at her over his shoulder as they took the steps two at a time. "Not more than a couple of minutes, if we're lucky."

Ally raised her brows. "So now the cops are our friends?"

"They are the moment you get the information you need off that flash drive." Carter stopped at the second floor door that led into his offices. "Fuller might have a few dirty cops in his pocket, but he doesn't have the whole force. Not even he has the power to stop the truth getting out."

"You're assuming I'm right about the missing information," she said, her voice suddenly not so steady. Uncertainty plagued her. It was easier to make decisions when she was the only one that had to pay the consequences.

Carter turned toward her, putting his hand on her shoulder. "You are," he said. There wasn't a trace of doubt in his voice.

Ally nodded as he cracked open the door. She held her breath as he looked down the hallway. The longer he peered into the crack the harder her heart pounded. She only exhaled when a minute later he swung the door open and stepped onto the carpeted floor of the offices.

She stayed a step behind him as he slowly started moving down the hallway, looking into every office and cubicle that they passed. The lights might have been on in every room, but each one was empty. Ally's anxiety grew with every step.

She didn't know much about combat or covert missions, but if anything had ever felt like an ambush, this was it.

It wasn't until they were halfway down the hall that she heard footsteps. They were light, barely audible, as if someone was sneaking around, but they were definitely there.

Carter pulled her into the nearest open office, and Ally held her breath as he peeked around the corner. A second later, she heard him sigh.

"It's my men," he said, stepping out into view.

"What?" Ally asked. Even though she knew there was no way he would lie about such a thing, she still poked her head around the corner to check before she followed.

And, sure enough, there were all four guys at the other end of the hallway.

Ally cocked her head to the side. "How did you guys get up here so fast?" she asked.

"There was no one to stop us," Jake said with a shrug.

"What?" she asked. She'd thought that she'd heard him just fine, but she couldn't have. There was no way that Lucas Addams would leave the place completely unguarded.

"He's right," Mason said.

"Maybe they're just hiding," she tried. Unsure why that scenario was any more comforting than the steadily growing sense of unease in her belly.

"We didn't see a single soul downstairs," Mason said. "Even the front door was unlocked."

Ally looked over at Carter. That didn't make any sense. "Why would Lucas abandon the place?"

"He wouldn't," Carter said, shaking his head. His face turned grim. "Not unless he'd found what he was looking for."

Ally cursed under her breath. She closed her eyes as dread washed over her. She refused to believe it. They couldn't have come all this way, fought through the past few days, just to have everything that they worked for swiped away from them at the last second.

Without saying a word, Ally turned on her heel, and ran toward Charlie's office.

"Ally," Carter shouted after her.

But she didn't stop. She grabbed hold of the molding outside of Charlie's door and swung herself inside.

Ally sucked in a shaky breath as she came to a stop in the middle of the room. The place was ransacked. Drawers were flung open. Papers were strewn on the ground. They'd even upended the poor woman's plants.

Obviously, Lucas Addams had done his homework. He had to know who Charlie was and where to focus his search for the flash drive.

Ally's hands flopped at her side as her head fell forward. She didn't want to believe it, but it looked like Carter was right. Lucas Addams had found the drive. The fight was over.

She _might_ have enough to bring down Fuller in the papers, but it would be a hollow victory if she couldn't save those soldiers' lives.

A moment later, Ally felt Carter's hands wrap around her shoulders. "I'm sorry," he said.

She shook her head. She refused to give into the self-pity that was running through her. No one needed to be sorry for her. This wasn't about her. It had never been about her.

"I wouldn't give up just yet," a gruff voice said from behind her. Ally turned to see Bowie push his way to the front of the pack. He walked up to the desk in the middle of the room. "Charlie's got a few tricks up her sleeve."

Mason peered over the top of Charlie's bank of computers as Bowie pulled open a drawer. "She has hidden compartments in her desk?"

"We all have secrets," Bowie said cryptically as he pushed his hands deep into the drawer. Ally heard two hard clicks. She moved closer, stepping around the front of the desk.

"Secret compartments that only you happen to know about?" Mason asked, his brows arching.

Bowie lifted his head. His expression was as hard as stone. "What are you implying?"

"Nothing," Mason said, raising his hands. "No one has ever implied anything when it comes to you and Charlie."

"And if they know what's good for them, they never will," Bowie growled, his tone bordering on feral.

"Gentlemen," Ally broke in. "Can we reschedule this pissing contest for a little later? We're kind of in the middle of something."

"Yeah, no problem," Mason said, turning his back and walking casually away.

Bowie stared daggers at him for another second before pulling a small wooden box from the desk. He flipped open the top before turning it over. Harvey's flash drive tumbled out onto the desk.

A rush of air filled Ally's lungs at the sight.

She turned to Bowie, beaming. "Thank you."

The grimace from his face faded a bit, and Ally had the feeling that was as close as the man came to smiling. "You're welcome."

She switched on one of Charlie's computers and a hushed silence fell over the room as they waited for it to power up.

Ally's head snapped up as a faint metallic clink sounded from deep within the building. At least, she wasn't the only one feeling jumpy. All the men stiffened too.

Carter gave a pointed look to Jake and Rhys. Apparently, that was all the communication they needed, because the pair disappeared into the hallway.

Ally tried not to think too hard about what they were going to find out there. She needed to focus on what was in front of her.

Finally, the little color wheel stopped turning on the computer screen and the desktop sprung to life. Ally didn't waste any time plugging in the drive and clicking on the icon. All the files that Charlie had passed along to her appeared on the screen.

Ally recognized each one of them. She opened the individual files, but there was nothing that she hadn't already seen. She knew all of this. Every last bit.

There was nothing new on the drive.

So what the hell was Lucas Addams talking about? What was the missing piece? What was she missing?

"There's nothing here," she muttered, flipping frantically between the files.

Carter slid his hand over hers. Only then did she realize how much she was trembling. "It's there, Ally," he said. "You just need to take a deep breath and give yourself a chance to see it."

She tried. She closed her eyes and drew in a shaky breath. Then a less shaky one. When finally her chest didn't shake when she exhaled, Ally opened her eyes again.

Carter was right. The answer was there. It had to be. She just needed to let herself see it.

One by one she clicked the files closed, as she confirmed that she already knew everything that was in them. Until all she was left with was an empty desktop and the disk icon.

_The icon._

The copy Charlie had given her had simply been named _Copy_. But that was obviously the name Charlie had given it. This one had a different name.

_ODA1213_

Ally stared at the code. That's what Charlie had missed.

It wasn't something on the drive. It was the drive itself.

It had to mean something. Harvey had left nothing to chance. He certainly wouldn't give a random name to the drive that was so important that it had cost him his life.

But for the life of her, Ally didn't know what it was.

"Does ODA1213 mean anything to you?" she asked the room.

Carter, Mason and Bowie all nodded in unison.

"It's the name of a Special Forces team," Bowie said.

"ODA stands for Operational Detachment Alpha," Mason added. "The numbers tell you which team."

Carter leaned in closer over Ally's shoulder. "In this case it would be the 1st Special Forces Group, 2nd Battalion, Alpha Company, 3rd team."

Ally clicked on the classified Department of Defense file, and scanned down the list. About halfway down she saw it.

_ODA1213_.

She pointed at the screen. "There it is," she said. "We've got it."

She turned toward Carter and threw her arms around him. They'd done it.

His arms encircled her waist and she melted against the heat of his chest. For just one moment, it felt so good to not have the weight of the world hammering against the inside of her skull.

Unfortunately, it _was_ only a momentary break.

Two seconds later, Rhys and Jake walked back into the room. A scrawny man struggled at the end of Jake's arm as he was dragged across the carpet. Ally's breath hitched as Jake thrust him forward and into view.

Lucas Addams.

Ally stood up straight. She leaned back into Carter's chest, her heart pounding in her own. Even though she knew there was no way Lucas could manage to pull out of Jake's grip, she still couldn't stop fear from springing to life inside.

The man had been trying to kill her for the last three days, after all. And from the sneer he cast her when their eyes met, it looked like he wasn't done trying yet.

"What are you doing here, Addams?" Carter demanded.

Lucas stared at Ally for a full second before his gaze slid over to Carter. "And here I thought you would be sympathetic, Macmillan, seeing how you know what it's like trying to lead a group of incompetent baboons."

Jake grabbed a handful of Lucas' hair and pulled back sharply. "If you want to keep all the teeth in that pretty boy smile of yours, I would answer the man."

Carter crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"I was cleaning up a mess," Lucas finally said. "A bigger one than I imagined, it appears."

"You're too late," Ally said, taking a step forward and swallowing past her fear. "We found the flash drive."

Lucas barked a biting laugh. "Who cares?"

Ally's victorious smile faltered. "What do you mean?"

"We tried to end this the easy way. We really did," Lucas' eyes went almost wild. Ally took a step back. "But you refused to play nice."

"Refused to die, you mean," Carter said.

"Just her. She was the only one that knew anything," Lucas said. "The rest of you could have gone on breathing."

"Not the men in ODA1213," Carter said.

"You should know better than anyone that in war there are casualties."

Lucas squirmed as Jake tightened his grip. "Wrong answer."

"Do you think we're any different? We're not," Lucas babbled. "Thanks to your friends here, it looks like all of us good little foot soldiers are going to die now."

"What are you talking about?" Rhys asked, his voice colder than any Ally had ever heard.

When Lucas didn't answer Rhys pressed on a spot on Lucas' shoulder. The man's head fell forward as he screamed in pain. It took Lucas a moment to recover from whatever Rhys had done to him, but when he lifted his head a demented smile twisted his mouth.

"Boom!" Lucas said, before filling the room with hysterical laughter.

Ally looked at Carter. "That's why the building was clear."

Carter's face went hard.

"The time for subtlety was over," he said. "Since we couldn't find the drive, I figured why not just destroy it all—scorched earth style."

Carter looked over at his men. "Get out now. He's rigged the place with bombs."

"Too late," Lucas taunted, acting every bit the madman that Ally had imagined he was. "For all of us. I barely had enough time to set the charges and get out before your boys nabbed me."

"We're going to die." The words fell from Ally's lips before she could stop them. How much more time did they have? A minute? Ten seconds? There was no way of knowing.

"Like hell we are," Carter said.

He pulled his gun and turned toward the window. Three precisely placed shots and the glass shattered.

"Get out," he shouted to the men.

They didn't waste any time following that order. Jake picked up Lucas by the neck to the opening before tossing him out into the abyss below. One by one, the rest of the men followed, jumping out of the gaping hole.

"Come on, Ally," Carter called out to her.

"One second," she said, turning to grab the flash drive from the computer. Her fingers had just wrapped around it when Carter's arms enveloped her.

"No more seconds," he said.

Ally clinched the drive in her hands as he strode over to the window.

"Carter," Ally said, her voice shaking as the cold night air rushed through the broken window and over her body. "There's no pole this time."

"And there's no time."

He wasn't lying. Ally heard a thunderous crack the moment Carter's foot hit the windowsill. A fraction of a second later, a blast of heat surged behind them. It was so intense that it almost made her forget that she was twisting and falling in midair.

Almost.

Air rushed out of Ally's lungs in a whoosh as they hit the ground. Carter rolled the moment their bodies made contact with dirt, minimizing the force of the impact. Still, Ally struggled to pull in a breath. A few seconds later, they came to a stop on the lawn that lined the office building.

Ally rested her head on the soft ground for a moment before opening her eyes. When she opened them, Carter was propped up above her. His mouth was moving, but she couldn't make out a word he was saying. Her ears were filled with a loud rushing noise that blocked out all other sounds.

He touched the side of her face with his palms and she did her best to read his lips. It wasn't that hard to figure out what he was asking.

_Are you okay?_

She might have had the wind knocked out of her and be temporarily deaf, but she didn't feel any searing pain or broken bones.

Ally lifted a hand to her head. Her hair wasn't even singed. So, yeah, she was going to be fine.

Ally nodded. The concerned look on Carter's face faded a little, and he helped her sit up. Slowly, her hearing started to come back to her, though everything sounded like it was happening far away.

The scene she saw wasn't all that much better. Broken glass and steel littered the lawn. She lifted her eyes to the building. The whole second floor was gutted. Flames licked out the open holes in the building as black smoke billowed up to the sky.

Dear God, that son of a bitch, Lucas, had done it. He'd blown the place up. He'd almost killed them all and destroyed all the evidence _scorched earth style._

But he hadn't succeeded.

Ally opened her fist and looked down at the flash drive in the center of her palm.

"Is everyone all right?" she asked. She looked around the lawn.

"I think so," Carter said.

Ally's breathing slowed a little as she took roll call in her mind. One by one all of Carter's men stood up and started walking around. It seemed everybody knew how to take a fall better than she did.

Everyone except Lucas Addams. That sorry excuse for a man was writhing on the ground, clutching his knee. Even through the tin bell ringing in her head, she could still hear his howling.

And that wasn't the only thing she could make out. Off in the distance, Ally was pretty sure she caught the sound of sirens headed their way.

Carter sat down next to her on the grass. "See, I told you it's only twelve feet."

She cast him a glare. "That was a long twelve feet."

He turned his head toward the building as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "Next time we'll have to do thirty."

"Next time?" she raised her brows.

"What, you have a better idea for date night?" he asked, a smile curling up the corners of his lips. "Fine, next time it can be your pick."

"Seriously?" Ally asked, as she shook her head. "You can't talk like this when anyone else is around? You know they all think I'm crazy."

Carter crooked a finger under her chin and lifted her face. Her eyes locked with his.

"It's just for you," he said, and pressed his lips to hers. "Everything, it's just for you."

# 16

_T wo months later..._

* * *

"Excuse me," Ally said to the workman, busy putting the final touches on the gold stenciling outside the new offices of Macmillan Security. She smiled and thanked him as he held the massive glass door open for her.

She had to admit, it was nice to see the place buzzing with activity. The official reopening might be in two days, but it looked like everyone was back to their regular routine already.

Not that any of Carter's team had been idle since the night that Lucas Addams had reduced their old office to rubble. The days immediately afterwards had passed by in a blur of police interrogations and FBI interviews, but Carter had stayed true to his word, and taken full responsibility for all their actions.

Of course, the moment Ally presented all the evidence of why they'd had to run and fight for their lives, they'd set him free. But even though he'd been fully exonerated, it didn't seem the higher ups in Sacramento were too keen to have him set up shop in their city again. So, Carter had moved his team eighty or so miles down the road to a temporary office in San Francisco until they could fix up a more permanent space in the heart of the Financial District.

Ally smiled as she looked around the lobby. She might not like the commute to come see Carter, but she had to admit, the new place was nice. Modern but not cold.

The city seemed a better fit for him as well, more suited toward his _fine tastes_.

So, why he'd stuck with her after the fog had cleared, Ally would never figure out.

Ally waved to the receptionist as she approached the desk. "Is he back there, Diane?"

"Of course," Diane said, with a twinkle in her eye. "And calling me every five minutes to see if you've arrived yet."

"It's not my fault that I'm late," Ally said, slowly shaking her head. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to park in this freaking city?"

Diane's laughter followed Ally as she started down the hallway behind the reception desk.

She poked her head into the offices and cubicles that she passed on her way to Carter's office. Some people said hello back. Some even smiled back. Some, like Bowie, barely nodded in acknowledgement.

Well, it wasn't like she was expecting to be greeted with hugs and kisses just because she was the boss' girlfriend. Though she would have thought that all the work she'd done to topple Fuller, thereby creating the biggest political corruption scandal in half a century and saving the lives of an entire Special Forces team, would have at least counted for a friendly wave.

_Dare to dream, Weaver._

A moment later, Ally was stopped short by a pair of slim arms wrapping around her middle.

"Ally," a voice squealed in her ear.

Charlie.

Ally turned around, and hugged her friend back.

Turned out, there was some love for her in this building, after all.

"I was hoping you would come and see us before we opened up," Charlie said. "So, what do you think of the new digs?"

Ally smiled. "I like them."

Charlie tilted her head to the side as her eyes narrowed, "Like them enough to move here?"

Ally laughed. "Have you seen what they charge for rent in this city?"

"Oh, come on," Charlie said, throwing up her hands in exasperation. "Didn't they cut you a huge check when you signed that book deal?"

An amused chuckle bubbled from Ally's lips. She shook her head. "Sadly, _huge_ isn't the adjective I would use to describe it. Besides, I'm still writing the book. It won't come out for months."

"You know," Charlie said, giving her a sideways glance. "You could always move in with the _Captain_ until it hits the shelves."

Ally threw her hands in the air. "I'm not discussing that." She slowly started backing down the hall.

"It's just a suggestion," Charlie tried.

Ally turned around and sped her steps toward Carter's office. "Not talking about it," she called out.

"Just saying," the voice followed her.

Ally threw open Carter's door, happy to hide behind something. Carter looked up from the work in front of him on his desk as she slipped inside.

"What does Charlie want now?" he asked.

"To know when I'm going to move in with you."

Carter put the tablet in his hand down on his desk and stood up. "That makes two of us, then."

Ally crossed her arms in front of her chest. "I already told you. When you agree to have Thanksgiving dinner with my parents."

Carter rolled his eyes. "Your mother hates me."

"That's not true," Ally said. She shrugged her shoulders when Carter shot her a look. "It's not _totally_ true. She just blames you for the death of her precious porcelain figurines."

"She should be thanking me for the life of her precious daughter instead."

Ally waved his words aside. There was no way she was ever going to get her mother and Carter to see eye to eye. Their first meeting had been a disaster.

"My dad likes you," she tried.

"Smart man," he said.

"And my sisters want to know when you're going to bring some of your friends over," Ally said with a wicked smile.

Carter smiled as he slowly walked over to her. He wrapped his hand around hers as his eyes locked with hers. "You know I can't in good conscience let any of my men walk into such a dangerous situation."

Ally laughed. She lifted herself up on tiptoes and laid a kiss on his cheek.

"That's all right," she said, giving him a wink. "I still love you."

The tender look in his eyes intensified as he looked down at her. Ally knew that look well. More than that, she knew how it usually ended—with their clothes strewn around the room and contented sighs.

Ally wasn't sure that was the best way to christen his new office...at least not while there was a whole floor of people that could walk in at any minute.

She stepped around him and headed to the window. The view looked over the city and the bay. It was gorgeous in the sunlight. She could only imagine how stunning it would be at night.

Carter stepped up behind her and ran his hands up her arms.

"So what do you think?" he asked.

"I think it's very high up," she said.

"Twenty-three floors," he said.

Ally let out a long whistle. "There's no way we'd survive that drop."

"That's why I stowed parachutes under my desk."

Ally let out a giggle, but turned her head when he didn't laugh back. Carter's expression was flat.

"Wait, you're joking, right?" she asked.

"Come on," he said, turning away. "I'll take you out to North Beach for lunch."

"No, seriously," Ally tried again. "Tell me you're joking."

Carter shrugged, but a mischievous twinkle shone in his eye. "No, really. There's a lot of good places for lunch there."

Ally glared at him as the image of gliding down between the skyscrapers to the city streets below floated through her head.

Carter ignored her stare and walked to his desk. He pulled his jacket from his chair. "Then maybe after, we'll swing by my new place, and I can try to persuade you to make it your place too."

Ally shot him an amused look. She wasn't going to lie. She might be holding firm on her decision, but she couldn't wait to see what tricks Carter was going to pull out to get her to change her mind.

"You're not giving up on this, are you?" she asked.

He walked over to her and cupped her face between his hands. "Not until my home becomes _our_ home. Not until my bed becomes _our_ bed. Not until your face is the last thing I see when I fall asleep every night, and the first thing that I see when I wake up."

Ally couldn't help the smile that spread across her face at his words. It was a tempting thought.

A very tempting thought.

<<<<>>>>

# Thanks For Reading!

Thanks for reading Carter: Book One in The Sinner Saints Series!

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# Sneak Peek

### Rhys: The Sinner Saints

Something wasn't right.

Rhys Vaughn was too familiar with the unsettled feeling that had taken root deep in his belly to ignore it. Listening to his gut had saved his ass before. Hell, it had saved his life.

Rhys grimaced as he steered his Mercedes around another sharp turn and continued up the steep, hillside road. It didn't matter that he was driving out to see an old friend, one he hadn't seen in years. He still felt as though he was in the crosshairs of a sniper rifle.

And, God only knew, maybe he was.

It wasn't like, when his old Army buddy, Dylan Murtry, had called him up earlier that afternoon, he'd asked to meet up at the corner bar. No, Dylan had invited Rhys up for drinks at his boss' mansion high in the hills of the San Francisco peninsula.

Invited wasn't exactly the right word.

_Summoned_ —that was a better way of putting it.

And there was only one reason that Dylan would insist that they meet there—to offer Rhys a job.

It was the one thing Rhys Vaughn wasn't looking for. Sure, he could have saved himself the trouble and told Dylan that over the phone, but Rhys figured the least he owed the friend who'd endured the hell of Ranger training by his side all those years ago was to refuse his offer face-to-face.

But that wasn't the only reason Rhys was out here, traveling up this narrow, winding road on a moonless night. And it sure as hell wasn't the possibility of a potentially awkward situation that had the hairs along the back of his neck standing at attention. It was that Dylan had called him at all.

Before this afternoon, they hadn't spoken in years. There was no bad blood between the two men, no moment that Rhys could point to where they had parted badly. Dylan's call to him this afternoon shouldn't have been tense.

But it was.

Rhys had heard the edge in his old friend's voice clear as day, as though Dylan would rather be calling anyone _but_ him. And there were only two reasons that people became nervous when talking to Rhys—either they were afraid of him or the task they needed done.

And Rhys had a terrible feeling he knew which camp Dylan Murtry was going to fall into.

His old friend always had a way of finding himself in the middle of sketchy situations, of picking the wrong path even when the right one was clear as day. And Rhys had a feeling that now that Dylan was out of the service and had landed a job as the Head of Security for the notorious Anders Boyd at SciGen International, he wasn't lacking for wrong paths to travel down.

Which meant that Rhys couldn't just refuse and walk away. Even though he knew there was no way in hell that he would touch another job, he had to follow his gut and investigate why they'd called him out here in the first place.

Because no one called Rhys for anything good.

Especially someone like Anders Boyd.

Rhys' jaw tightened as he pulled his car up to an ornate, twelve-foot fence marking the end of the public street. At least the golden scrolled _AB_ in the center of the gate told him that he'd reached the right address.

If there was one constant in this world, it was that men of power and privilege loved their showy displays of wealth. If they only knew how little protection their gates and high walls actually gave. Rhys had been part of teams that had stormed dozens of compounds just like this. They might have been on the other side of the globe, but that didn't matter. One power hungry son of a bitch was the same as any other, whether they lived in Khartoum or Atherton, California.

Rhys pulled up to the box at the edge of the drive and rolled down his window. He pressed the black button next to the speaker and waited.

A moment later a familiar voice sounded. "Rhys?"

"Dylan," he said.

"Come on up," Dylan said. None of the tension had left his voice. If anything, it had grown. "I'll meet you at the door."

Rhys rolled up his window as the gate slowly swung open. He took his foot off the brake and the car swept past the towering posts that fenced in Boyd's sprawling property. On a moonless night like this one, it was nearly impossible to see much past the reach of the Mercedes' headlights, but Rhys knew from the satellite map that he'd pulled up ahead of time that Boyd's house was still a good mile down the private drive.

For a man who didn't mind being in the public spotlight, even for less than positive reasons, Anders Boyd was a man who liked his privacy. And he certainly had plenty of open space up here to hide any number of sins.

So which one was Boyd planning on paying Rhys to commit for him?

The thought ran through Rhys' head as he pulled the Mercedes into the roundabout in front of the entrance of the house. He eyed the two men in black suits standing by the front door before turning off the engine and stepping out onto the gray gravel.

Rhys didn't need to see their guns to know that they were packing. He could read it in their stiff posture, stock straight with their hands behind their backs.

So, he was right. This was no regular job interview.

Dylan stepped out of the white stone mansion the moment that Rhys closed his car door. He moved quickly, hurrying down the steps, making sure to keep his face pointed down.

Not that it mattered. Rhys didn't need to see a man's face to read him. And with someone that he knew as well as Dylan Murtry, it was even easier.

Rhys could tell in an instant that all his suspicions were spot on. Dylan's shoulders were tight, his steps short and rushed. He was a man that was upset about something. Frustrated, even.

And if Rhys didn't know any better, he would have said more than a little nervous.

Dylan waited until he was just a few steps away from Rhys before he lifted his head, a too-wide smile plastered on his face.

Dylan stuck out his hand, and Rhys took it.

"It's good to see you, man," Dylan said, giving him a quick once-over. "You haven't changed at all."

"You seem to be doing all right," Rhys said.

It was the truth. It looked like the years had been kind to Dylan. He appeared fit and healthy. There was no sign of stress or age around his eyes. The tailored suit he wore spoke of his success. If it wasn't for the edge of anxiety that showed clearly in the tight lines of his jaw and neck, Rhys would have said he was doing well.

"So, why did you ask me out here?" Rhys asked before Dylan could open his mouth again.

"Wow," Dylan said, blinking a couple times. "No time to catch up? Just get right to the point?"

Rhys fixed Dylan with a stare. He didn't blink. He didn't say a word.

After another couple of seconds of stewing under Rhys' stare, Dylan threw back his head and laughed. A real one, loud enough to turn the heads of the armed guards on the front step.

Dylan clapped him hard on the back. "That's the Rhys that I remember. I knew I called the right guy."

"Called me for what?" Rhys asked.

"Come on inside, and we'll talk." Dylan started toward the front door. His posture easing with every step.

Rhys followed, giving the guards one last glance before crossing the threshold.

The interior of Boyd's house was exactly what Rhys had expected—a marble entryway with a sweeping double staircase in the center, gold-framed paintings hanging from the walls, crystal chandeliers dangling from above.

Every inch of the house screamed of Boyd's wealth and success.

And none of it impressed Rhys one bit.

Dylan led him to a set of open double doors just to the right of the hallway. He extended his arm, inviting Rhys to enter.

Rhys gave Dylan a long look before stepping inside. The room was nice enough, filled with plush couches and chairs. It was more comfortable than the cold, marble hallway, if not less ostentatious. Still, it wasn't the decor he disapproved of as much as the company.

Rhys glanced at the two guards standing by the floor-length glass doors along the far wall that appeared to lead out into a garden patio. The place was crawling with black-suited muscle.

And no doubt they were all here for one reason—the man seated in a high-backed leather chair in the middle of the room.

"Rhys Vaughn," Dylan said, walking over to a seat by the man's side, "let me introduce you to my boss, Anders Boyd."

Rhys didn't need an introduction. Anyone who had watched the news or picked up a magazine in the last five years would recognize the head of SciGen International.

"Mr. Boyd," Rhys said, nodding his head in acknowledgement.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Mr. Vaughn," Boyd said. "Dylan speaks highly of you."

Rhys squared his shoulders. "We served in the same unit for a time."

"I am well aware of your history, Mr. Vaughn," Boyd said. "Rest assured, I would have never asked you to my home without doing my homework first."

Rhys pulled his shoulders back.

"I'm aware of your work as well," he said, keeping his voice flat. SciGen might have been the fastest growing science-based tech company in the world, but it wasn't without controversy. Claims of their environmental violations, humanitarian issues and ethical concerns were everyday news lately.

Boyd gave a lazy shrug, telling Rhys that those weren't the kind of problems that kept him up at night.

So what was?

"Please make yourself comfortable, Mr. Vaughn," Boyd said, motioning to a chair across from him. "Is there anything that my men can get for you?"

"I'm fine where I am," Rhys said, clasping his hands in front of him. "I'm only interested in knowing why you called me out here."

Boyd smiled. "You're every bit as direct as Dylan described."

Rhys stiffened. His gaze flashed over to Dylan. He was curious to find out what else his old friend had said about him.

"I'll get right to the point then," Boyd said, leaning forward in his seat. "SciGen International has found itself in a sensitive situation."

"What kind of situation?" Rhys asked.

"The kind that requires someone with a particular skillset to remedy. Dylan assures me that you are the only man for the job."

Rhys didn't need to ask which skills Boyd was speaking of. He might be an expert shot and deadly when it came to hand to hand combat, but that wasn't why anyone sought him out. There was only one thing that Rhys Vaughn was truly known for—intelligence extraction.

"I already have a job." Rhys worked to keep his voice even. He didn't like the way this was going.

"And I am not trying to take you away from Macmillan Security," Boyd said. "Think of it more as coming on as an independent contractor for a single assignment. A very _confidential_ assignment."

Rhys sharpened his gaze. "If this assignment is as delicate as you say, why bring in an outsider at all? Surely, Dylan has all the training to take care of your _situation_."

Out of the corner of his eye, Rhys caught Dylan's gaze sliding down to the floor.

So, they had already tried that plan. And it hadn't worked.

"I'm afraid this case has proved particularly difficult," Boyd said cryptically.

Rhys' jaw tightened. That didn't bode well for whatever poor son of a bitch they wanted him to have a crack at. He wondered what the man had done. Fraud? Embezzlement? Corporate espionage?

Whatever it was, Boyd wasn't interested in bringing in the authorities.

"Who is the subject?" Rhys asked.

Boyd shifted in his seat. "I'm afraid I can't disclose anything until you agree to take the job, Mr. Vaughn."

"And you can't expect me to accept a job that I know nothing about," Rhys said plainly.

"Actually, that's exactly what I expect, Mr. Vaughn," Boyd said, cocking his head to the side. "I can't imagine this one small assignment would give you any trouble. Your history tells the story of a man with a _flexible_ moral code."

Rhys' jaw tightened. "My history? As told by who?"

"By Mr. Murtry for one," Boyd said, glancing over at Dylan. "But I have many sources in high places, Mr. Vaughn, and they were all willing to vouch for both your effectiveness as well as your character."

Rhys pressed his lips together tight. It didn't rile him that Boyd was trying to intimidate him. Men of means usually deluded themselves into believing their wealth and power gave them the upper hand in every situation.

It was Dylan's assessment of his integrity that upset Rhys. They'd been friends. At least, Rhys had thought that's what they'd been. But obviously Dylan had believed he was little better than a psychopath.

Rhys had just opened his mouth to tell Boyd that he could go straight to hell when another man in a black suit ran into the room, pale-faced and sweat beading on his brow. The man rushed over to Dylan and whispered something in his ear.

Dylan stood up immediately, his posture rigid and tight. He looked at Boyd.

"We have an issue downstairs, sir," he said.

The first real flicker of concern showed on Boyd's face. He stood up. "How big of an issue?"

Dylan didn't answer, but his eyes narrowed as he gave Boyd a pointed look.

Something had gone wrong. Something bad. Well, this was interesting.

Dylan made a gesture to the guards by the door, and everyone started out of the room. Even Boyd.

Dylan stopped in the doorway and turned toward Rhys. "I'm sorry about this, man. We should be back soon, but for your own safety, I have to ask you not to leave this room."

Rhys didn't move an inch as he watched Dylan close the double doors. His back teeth ground together when he heard the soft click of a lock sliding into place.

So, that was how Dylan asked.

Screw that.

Rhys turned and headed over to the set of glass doors that led out into the garden.

He might not know exactly what was going on, but he'd seen and heard enough to know it wasn't good. The sooner he could give a head's up to the authorities, the better.

Rhys tried the brass handle, but it didn't move.

Not a problem.

He lifted his elbow and slammed the palm of his hand down in one swift blow. The flimsy lock mechanism shattered under the pressure.

This time when Rhys pressed the handle, it gave easily. He opened the door a crack, but stopped when he heard the soft creak of hinges behind him.

He turned around, expecting to see Dylan coming back into the room, but the hallway doors were still closed tight. Rhys glanced around, looking for the source of the sound, and he found it on the far side of the lounge.

A small, unobtrusive door concealed in the wainscoting of the far wall swung open. A moment later a woman stumbled through it. She moved slowly, keeping her shoulder propped against the wall for support.

She barely made it all the way inside the room when she stopped. Her eyes closed, and for a moment, Rhys feared that she was going to lose consciousness. She was in bad shape. Her skin was pale, her hair, tangled and matted. Her breathing was labored.

Red hot rage began to burn inside Rhys as he realized that she was the _assignment_ that Boyd had called him for.

Hell, she was probably the _issue_ that Dylan was dealing with downstairs.

The woman was small, not just a good foot shorter than his six-foot-four frame, but also slight. She had never stood a chance against whatever had happened to her.

Her eyes flickered open again, and she tried another step. It was far from graceful, but somehow she managed to move another couple of inches.

Wherever she thought she was going, she wasn't going to make it.

Rhys took a step away from the garden doors and the woman's face snapped to him instantly. Her body stiffened as she tried to pull herself up. Her eyes went wide with panic before her gaze wildly darted around the room.

He knew the look well—desperation, pure and simple. The only thing that mattered was survival.

But even if she could make it out of here, she was in no shape to make it very far.

Her face was smeared with blood. Some of it dried, some fresh. She favored her left side as she cradled her limp right arm close to her body.

Dear God, what had Dylan done to this woman?

Rhys put his hands out in front of him as he took another couple of steps toward her.

"It's okay," he said, making sure to keep his voice steady and low. "I'm not going to hurt you."

Her whole body tensed.

Rhys took another hesitant step toward her, and that was apparently enough to make up her mind. She pushed away from the wall and ran.

At least she tried to. She didn't make it more than a stride before her legs gave out under her.

Rhys rushed forward, catching her before she could do any more damage to herself. She struggled in his arms. He could tell she was using every last bit of strength that she had, but it wasn't much.

"I'm not going to hurt you," he said, trying to calm her thrashing. "I'm going to get you out of here."

She stopped squirming in his arms long enough to lift her face to his. Rhys found himself staring down into a pair of wide hazel eyes. They were strangely sharp and clear for how banged up her body was. He saw fear in their depths, plenty of pain too, but more than that, he saw resolve.

"Why?" Her voice cracked.

"Because I'm not a monster."

She eyed him skeptically, but, after a long beat, she nodded.

Rhys pulled his jacket off and wrapped it around her slim shoulders before tucking her next to his side. Her body might have been slight, but she was no fragile bird. This woman was a fighter.

And she was going to have to be. His car might be just outside the front door, but Rhys knew there was still a hell of a long way to go until she was safe.

* * *

Keep Reading Rhys!

# About the Author

Adrienne Bell lives on the far edge of the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and kids. She spends her working days writing and reading and most her downtime watching comic book themed television and scrolling through Disneyland fan websites. You can follow the minutia of her life on Twitter, or see the pictures she likes to share on Facebook, or check out what's coming out next on AdrienneBell.net. Oh, and she thanks you for reading.
