Targeted

Chapter 3

Contract killer: a person hired to kill a selected target or targets for money.

From the doorway of Sophie’s office, Jack watched her walk around her desk. Her slim-fitting skirt hugged her in all the right places. Even though she had on a jacket, her small breasts were outlined perfectly. Nothing about her outfit was overtly sexual, but simply watching her move around her office got him hotter than anything any other woman had ever done. She didn’t just move. The woman flowed with a grace that made staring at her an addiction. Something about the sleek tailored outfit made him wonder what she had on underneath. Plain cotton, or silk and lace? Or maybe nothing at all. When they were seventeen she’d usually worn Brazilian-style bottoms that showed the bottom half of her butt. Those things had driven him crazy, so of course she’d loved to walk around wearing only that when they’d been alone.

At that thought, his entire body tensed. When they were teenagers he’d wanted her so badly he couldn’t think straight most of the time, but this reaction was different. It was . . . more. Intense. Like thirteen years of pent-up need clawing its way to the surface and just begging to be set free. He’d known coming on this mission so soon after that last op was a mistake, but hadn’t been able to force himself to tell his boss no. Not when he’d been dying to see Sophie.

When she leaned over her desk to grab something, her dark hair cascaded over her shoulder and he couldn’t help remembering what it had been like to run his hands through that thick mass as she rode him. Or as he’d taken her from behind. Or as they’d simply held each other and watched the ocean waves. Memories of their short time together had kept him sane during some of his nastier missions. Her smart-ass attitude and sense of humor had kept him entertained back when there wasn’t much bright in his life. She’d been one of the few bright beacons in his world. He’d even categorized his life into “before Sophie” and “after Sophie.” Because after he’d met her, he’d known on a fundamental level that she was meant for him.

Watching her now felt too surreal. The outline of her jaw, the gentle curve of her neck, her dark, intoxicating eyes. Despite the sharp angles of her exotic cheekbones, everything else about her compact body was soft and inviting. Especially her hips. She had just enough curves for a man to hold on to. Well, not any man. Only him. He wanted to bury his face against her neck, between her breasts, and definitely between her legs. God, if she knew what he was thinking now, she’d run. Or maybe not. He’d seen a hint of awareness in her eyes back in Ronald’s office. It had been tempered with almost outright anger at his presence—which made him curious—but he was pretty sure she was attracted to him.

She paused before slipping the binder her assistant had given her into her purse, and then it looked as if she tucked something into her shirt. Since she had her back to him, it was difficult to see, but he found it interesting.

“Hey, Mandy. Is Sophie in her office?” A man’s voice caused Jack to turn.

Jack quickly sized up the man standing at the receptionist’s desk. He recognized him from one of the dossiers he’d studied. Benson Pollard. Been with the company six months. No red flags.

But Jack didn’t like the familiar way he said Sophie’s name.

Sophie walked out and smiled warmly when she saw the other man. A punch of need slammed into Jack, along with a healthy dose of jealousy. He hadn’t seen that smile in too many years, and he didn’t want her sharing it with anyone else. Crazy? Definitely. He just didn’t care.

She hoisted her purse higher on her shoulder. “Hi, Benson. I’m just heading to lunch.”

“I was actually coming by to see if you wanted to join me for lunch. Where are you headed?”

“It’s a private lunch.” Jack surprised himself and everyone else around him with his heated tone. Mandy’s mouth dropped and the other man’s eyes narrowed at him with barely concealed annoyance . . . and disgust?

Sophie’s dark eyes widened, but she quickly recovered before turning back to her coworker. “Sorry, Benson, it’s a working lunch. Maybe later this week.”

“Sure, or maybe we can do drinks after work?”

Jack watched Sophie finger a strand of dark hair. Something she’d always done when she was uncomfortable. Not that he blamed her. What kind of jerk asked a woman out in front of people?

“I’ll buzz you when we get back.” She looked at Jack, but her eyes were shuttered. “You ready?”

He was silent until they reached the elevators. The short walk didn’t bother him, but it was obvious Sophie was uncomfortable around him. The tiny pulse point on her neck was visible and it was working overtime. He was still unsure if it was because of him or if it was because he worked for Keane Flight and she had something to hide. Once they stepped into the elevator, he broke the silence. “I’m sorry if I was rude to your boyfriend.” If this had anything to do with work, he would have been subtle, but something primal inside him wanted to know exactly who that guy was to Sophie.

She glanced at him as he hit one of the buttons. “What . . . Oh, Benson’s not my boyfriend.”

“He wants to be.” He inwardly cringed. Today he was definitely not a superspy. More like a randy teenager who couldn’t keep his mouth shut. He was supposed to be getting close to her, getting information from her, not grilling her about her social life. And certainly not alienating her. Jack couldn’t seem to stop his apparent repressed Neanderthal behavior, though. Being around her put him on edge, and the close confines of the elevator didn’t help. His skin felt too tight for his body, and the urge to reach out and touch her just for a moment was so real it scared him. For a former, highly trained Marine Corps Scout Sniper and an even better-trained government agent, he was fucking pathetic.

A delicate blush rose on her tan neck and swept across her cheeks. “That’s slightly inappropriate and none of your business.”

“Just making conversation,” he murmured as the elevator dinged that they’d reached their destination.

When the elevator doors opened he stepped forward to intentionally crowd her. In her boss’s office he thought he’d detected some physical awareness from her, but he wanted to be sure. Her shoulder brushed his as she exited into the parking garage. She tensed at the contact. Looking away, Sophie started to dig into her purse, but he hit the unlock button on his key chain. “I’ll drive.”

Her eyes slightly narrowed at him, but she didn’t argue. She also had something grasped in her fingers as she withdrew her hand from her purse. He couldn’t see it clearly, but he was guessing pepper spray when she subtly tucked that hand into her jacket pocket and left it there. Damn. Okay, she might feel a little attraction for him, but she definitely did not trust him. The fact that she thought she could actually need a weapon against him pissed him off even if his reaction was irrational. She was just watching out for herself, as any woman should. Still, he’d never hurt Sophie.

Guest parking was right up front, so they didn’t have far to go. He held the passenger door open to the SUV, earning him a wary but curious look from Sophie as she slid into the front seat. Her exotic familiar scent assaulted his senses, bringing back unwanted memories.

“How long have you worked with SBMS?” He started the engine and tried to ignore the way her skirt kept sliding up against the leather seat.

There was a pause, and then she answered almost grudgingly, “A little over eight years. Since I graduated from college, actually.” She crossed her legs away from him, her body language crystal clear. She wasn’t comfortable sharing personal details with him.

He glanced in the rearview mirror before reversing. “That’s rare, to stay with a company so long, especially your first one after graduating. At least nowadays it is.” He was fishing for information, but she didn’t seem to notice.

Sophie shrugged and shifted against the seat, pushing her pencil skirt up an inch higher. The three-inch heels she wore gave her calf muscles even more definition. Taking this job had been monumentally stupid when even her calves had the ability to distract him. Of course when he could clearly remember having her legs wrapped around him as she climaxed, it was damn hard not to be distracted.

“Ronald gave me a chance when I had no experience, and the company offers tuition assistance. And . . . he and his wife have been really good to me.”

She said Ronald, not SBMS. That could mean that she was loyal to him, not the company. Jack made a mental note and tried to ignore another flash of her smooth, toned skin. She was still petite and fit, but she’d definitely acquired some more curves. She’d been a knockout at seventeen, but she was all woman now. And she could never be his again.

He rolled his shoulders, trying to ease the foreign tension humming through his body. Missions never affected him like this. He’d always been able to compartmentalize and detach from things.

Always.

Except with her. Seemed now was no different. He’d only lived under the same roof with Sophie for six months, and once they’d crossed that line into more than friends he hadn’t been able to keep his hands off her. But he’d been seventeen. He shouldn’t still be reacting the same way to her. His attraction should be dulled and he should damn well be able to control his thoughts. But Sophie had always been his one soft spot and he hated that his boss was using that against him.

Jack was only a month older than her, so he’d signed up to go to boot camp until she could move out on her own—at her insistence. They’d graduated from high school, but she’d still had a month left in the system because of her age. So he’d been gone when she was attacked, brutalized. He hadn’t been there to protect her. Her last words to him, shouted in anger, haunted him to this day. “I hate you and I never want to see you again.” She’d been a hurting, terrorized girl and on one level he knew she’d said them in the heat of the moment, but those words had buried themselves deep in his psyche and latched on with eagle talons. And she’d never tried to get in contact with him after that. Had never returned any of his letters. Eventually he’d lost track of her—until he’d been recruited by the NSA. Then he’d found out everything there was to know about her current life. Like a masochist.

“So, what about you? I didn’t realize Paul Keane had a partner.” Sophie’s soft voice brought him back to the present.

Game face on, he ordered himself. Jack wasn’t some rookie, and if he didn’t get his shit together, this entire op could fail. That was unacceptable. Biological weapons were the wave of the future, and the fallout was terrifying. Hospitals, religious centers, schools—terrorists had no problem hitting innocent civilians. In fact, they thrived on those targets. And Vargas had no conscience; the man would strike where he could hurt the most. Translation: the most innocent victims, which would likely be children. The monster had done just that in his own region to instill fear and to keep locals in line.

Thankful for the mental reminder of what was on the line, Jack recited the cover story he’d gone over half a dozen times in the past couple of days. “I gave him the start-up for Keane Flight. Until now I’ve never had any interest in his company, but when he got in that accident, I stepped in to take over things for a while.”

“So, what did you do before this? Or what do you do?” There was a definite note of anxiety in her voice.

He risked a quick glance at her. Sophie’s face was impassive, but she was twirling a strand of dark hair. Why was she nervous? The information he had didn’t suggest she was involved, but until now he hadn’t realized how loyal she was to her boss. Maybe she wasn’t nervous because of that. If it was because she was attracted to him—no, he shut that thought down. It didn’t matter. “I own a few restaurants, and I’ve been fortunate enough to make wise investments over the years.” This was all part of his cover, but he didn’t divulge too much information.

She nodded and glanced away. As he pulled up to La Marea at the Tides Hotel, she tugged at her skirt almost self-consciously, and when one of the valet guys opened the door for her, she jumped. It was subtle, but enough for him to notice.

Jack’s hands clenched around the steering wheel, but he forced himself to get out. He rarely used a valet—didn’t ever like giving up control of his keys—but for the role he was playing, it only made sense.

“Is the terrace okay?” he asked as he held open the front door to the restaurant for her.

“That sounds great.” The smile she gave him was tight and brittle, but it didn’t detract from her full lips and he couldn’t help staring at them.

All he wanted to do was nibble, tease, and stroke them. The urge to lean forward and do just that was startlingly real. He sighed. Being so close to Sophie again was going to put him in an early grave.

From the file Wesley had given him, he knew this was her favorite place, so he hoped to soften her up while he subtly grilled her. Once they were seated and the hostess had taken their drink orders, he jumped right in to professional mode. “Ronald tells me you’re like his right hand.”

She blushed and damn if his cock didn’t jump to attention. Again. It gave her a deliciously innocent quality that made him ache. She was quick to brush away his compliment. “I don’t know about that.”

A light breeze blew up, ruffling the open table umbrella sheltering them. He instinctively glanced around. The terrace was blocked by thick hedges, giving them a decent amount of privacy, but his senses had been on high alert since they’d left SBMS. At first he thought it was because he was around Sophie, but his gut told him otherwise. A familiar tingle spread across the back of his neck, as if someone was watching him. He’d been in the crosshairs of a sniper scope before, and the sensation he had now was damn familiar. Jack started to respond when a reflection from the hedges caught his eye. It danced and flickered for a second and raw adrenaline kicked in.

There wasn’t time to make any other decision. Even though there was a slim chance he was making a mistake, it would be worth the embarrassment. He shoved the iron and glass table on its side and tackled Sophie. The last thing he saw as he flew at her was her wide brown eyes. He attempted to soften the blow as he fell over her by rolling the chair, but a few cuts and bruises or even a broken arm would be nothing compared to a bullet in her chest.

“What the hell are you doing?” Sophie yelled, and struggled underneath.

A huge potted plant exploded behind them, followed by screams and shouts from the other patrons. She immediately stilled, her mouth falling open.

“There’s a shooter. We have to get out of here.” He shifted and grabbed one of the iron table legs, pulling it around so they had more cover.

Face pale and eyes wide, she nodded likely because the word “shooter” sank in.

The glass tabletop exploded, showering them with shards. Which told him the shooter had suitable visibility. At least he had lousy aim. Jack kept his body over Sophie.

“Get ready to run. Stay low,” he ordered.

Still shielding her, he grabbed her arm and they sprinted for the open glass doors to the interior of the restaurant. Luckily there were other patrons doing the very same thing, inadvertently giving them cover. Once inside, he scanned the area for a backup shooter. Patrons, servers, and other staff of the hotel were all running around in a blind panic, so if there was a backup shooter, he would be the only calm person. Jack didn’t spot anyone like that and at least now they were inside. Short of being hit with a missile, they had cover for the moment.

Keep moving, keep moving. Moving targets were a hell of a lot harder to hit. As a veteran sniper, he had firsthand experience.

He glanced at Sophie as they continued running through the restaurant. “You okay?”

She nodded shakily, her face pale. “Yeah.”

Jack still held on to her arm. And he didn’t plan to let go anytime soon. “I promise we’ll get out of here.”

Jack had been in far worse situations, but always during missions and usually in foreign countries. Everyone he worked with knew the risks associated with their chosen profession. Not Sophie. She was just a civilian and hadn’t asked for this.

He continued through the restaurant, dodging shouting men and women and jerking Sophie along with him. Once they neared the sliding glass doors on the other side of the hotel, he tugged her to the side of the entrance. “Stay here.”

When the doors whooshed open he ducked outside and behind the valet desk. Crouching down, he scanned the wooden board until he saw his keys. In all the chaos, no one was paying attention to him. And if they were, they didn’t care what he was doing.

Seconds later he was back inside. Fear punched through him when he didn’t spot Sophie.

“I’m here.” She jumped up from behind one of the huge potted palm trees against the wall, still clutching her purse like a lifeline.

“Come on.” He kept his hand at the small of her back as they ran toward one of the side exits.

“Where are we going?”

“To get my vehicle.”

“How do you even know where it is?” she asked as he pushed open the exit door into an empty tiled hallway.

“I know where they valet the cars.” Before he went anywhere, he made it a point to memorize the schematics of the building. It always amazed him that people would give up their car keys to strangers without knowing anything about where their property was being taken.

Sophie’s heels clacked along the floor, and even in her restrictive skirt, she almost matched his stride.

“This way.” He motioned to turn left at the next open hallway.

She tripped on the slick floor as they made the sharp turn, but he caught her before she fell. A burst of raw adrenaline and lust surged through him in equal doses when his hand snaked around her waist. Sophie tensed, shoved away from him, and kept running on her own.

“We’re almost there.” When they made it to the last door, he held up a finger to her and pulled out the SIG, which had been nicely tucked into his shoulder holster and hidden by his jacket.

“What the hell?” She stared at the gun with wide eyes, real fear in her gaze.

“Stay close to me, please.” Jack wasn’t sure whether it was the unexpected weapon or the “please,” but Sophie jerkily nodded.

He eased the door open. No one was in this section of the parking garage. He pressed the unlock button. Two rows over, the SUV beeped and the lights flashed.

After one more visual sweep, he reached behind him without turning around. “Come on.”

When he felt Sophie’s delicate hand in his, an invisible vise tightened around his chest. She was trusting him with her life and he’d be damned if he screwed this up.

Crouching low, they slipped out the exit door and ducked behind a four-door sedan. With their backs against the passenger door, Jack motioned with one hand. “My SUV is about two rows over. We’re going to make a run for it.”

“Is there someone in this parking garage after us?” she whispered.

“I don’t know, but I’m not taking a chance.” There were too many variables right now, and Sophie’s possible involvement was a very big one.

He’d considered the fact that someone from one of his previous jobs might have tracked him down—almost an impossibility considering that most people he’d worked with were dead or in prison—but something told him that shooter hadn’t been aiming for him. The potted plant had been a lot closer to Sophie. No, someone had been after her. Which might mean his cover had been compromised, but more likely someone didn’t want her talking. About what? He had no idea. The only thing he knew for sure was that he was getting her out of here and getting some answers.

Fast.

“On the count of two, we go.” Using his fingers, he counted. On two, they sprinted across the concrete, using the other cars as cover. Her shoes smacked loudly, ruining any chance of covertness they had.

Before getting inside the SUV, he lay on the ground to make sure someone hadn’t planted a bomb. Definitely paranoid, but he’d rather be that than dead. Once they were inside his vehicle, he started the ignition, kicked it into drive, and pulled out of the spot before she had a chance to strap in.

He barreled through the first level, keeping his eyes open for anyone suspicious, but the level was clean. Jack paused at the exit, then took a left. His tires squealed loudly as he zoomed away.

“What the hell is going on? And why are you carrying a gun? Who are you?” Sophie’s questions came at him like machine gun fire as she gripped the armrest with a white-knuckled hand.

“Why don’t you tell me what’s going on?” he asked.

“Excuse me?” Her voice rose a few octaves.

“Whoever was shooting at us wasn’t aiming at me.” He quickly scanned her. She was rumpled, but he couldn’t see any blood.

“What . . . You think someone was shooting at me? You’re insane.” She shook her head and tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear before glancing down at herself. Her crisp white button-down blouse was missing a couple of buttons and her jacket was ripped at one of the seams. “Why aren’t we calling the police?”

He glanced in the rearview mirror. No one was behind them, so he took a right onto Ocean Drive. It was Miami’s most famous and most crowded street. They’d be able to blend in and get lost if they needed to. At least until he could secure another vehicle.

“You never told me why you’re carrying a gun.”

He ignored her and switched lanes while keeping his eyes on the rearview mirror. If someone was tailing them, they were good because Jack didn’t see anyone.

“Okay, are you just ignoring everything I’m saying?” Her voice rose again, that temper he remembered so well flaring brightly.

It shouldn’t turn him on, but damn if he didn’t love and miss that fire in her. “I’m trying to get us away from here in one piece. I’ll answer your questions once we’re safe.”

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her dig into her purse. Before he realized what she was doing, she was on the phone.

“What the hell are you doing?” He risked a glance at her as they came to a red light.

“Calling Ronald.”

“Damn it, woman—” He lunged for the phone, but she jerked away from him lightning fast at the same time a horn blasted from behind.

He accelerated and gritted his teeth. Technically, he could forcibly take the phone from her, but he wasn’t sure if that was necessary yet. The thought of hurting her, even inadvertently, sliced up his insides.

“Hi, Mandy. It’s Sophie. I need to talk to Ronald. . . . Homeland Security . . . They want to talk to me. . . . Are you sure? . . . I don’t understand—”

Screw it. Jack grabbed her phone and pulled the battery out in a few short moves. She squawked and reached for it, but he shoved both pieces into the side of the door.

He was surprised by her silence, but considering he had a gun, he knew he shouldn’t be. She had to be scared out of her mind. But after a few long beats she started cursing at him in rapid-fire Spanish—and he inwardly smiled. Back when they were teenagers and she got pissed, she’d always had the same reaction. It was probably messed up, but he liked the sound of her cursing at him like this. It meant she was angry, and that was an emotion he could always deal with.

When she finally caught her breath and seemed to calm down a fraction, she said, “Where are you taking me, cabron?”

Okay, she wasn’t that calm if she was cursing at him. “I have a backup car stashed not far from here. We’re going to retrieve it; then I’m going to get you somewhere safe.”

“Safe? You think I’m going to trust you?” She snorted, the sound irreverent, but he didn’t miss the way she nervously wrapped her arms around herself.

Winding his way through Miami, he was watchful of anyone that might be following them. Sophie was fidgety as he drove but didn’t ask any more questions, probably because she was now terrified of him. Or more terrified than she had been already.

When they finally neared their destination, he didn’t let his guard down but allowed a sliver of relief to slide through him. The expansive parking lot was nearly empty as he drove across it toward a bundle of empty warehouses perched on Biscayne Bay. He’d parked another vehicle roughly a mile away in a grocery store parking lot, but just in case they were being tracked, he didn’t want to lead anyone directly to his backup.

“What is this place?” Sophie finally said as she slowly pulled out the pepper spray from her pocket.

He’d parked in between two unused warehouses he’d scouted out earlier. Bayside Marketplace wasn’t that far from where they were—hell, he could actually see Port Boulevard Bridge jutting over Biscayne Bay—but for how quiet and desolate the area seemed, they might as well be a thousand miles away. He glanced at her hand and shook his head.

“You can keep that if it makes you feel better, but you don’t need it against me. In fact . . .” Jack reached down and lifted up his pant leg. He handed her a simple revolver. “Take this. There’s no safety and you don’t have to pull back the hammer. It’ll make for a smoother shot if you do, but it’s not necessary. All you have to do is pull the trigger.”

Swallowing hard, she eyed him with surprise. But she didn’t hesitate to take the weapon. “Why are you giving this to me?”

“Because I don’t like that fucking fear I see in your eyes when I’d never hurt you,” he snapped, losing his tight control for a moment.

Her eyes widened, but she still held the weapon in her lap. At least it was turned away from him. “You still haven’t told me where we are.”

“Just somewhere to ditch this vehicle.” He pulled out another weapon from under his seat. Jack was all about backups. He needed to call Wesley to have someone pick up the SUV and sanitize it, but now his only priority was getting Sophie to safety.

After popping the locks he gave a cursory glance over his shoulder, then froze. There was a black Humvee gunning right for them. With a warehouse on either side, they had nowhere to go. Making a split-second decision, he pressed the button to open the sunroof. He’d been in worse circumstances, but having Sophie with him now made his heart beat just a little faster.

Sophie looked back at him. Her mouth dropped open, but before she could ask any questions, he pointed up. “These guys are going to ram us and there’s nothing we can do. As soon as we hit the water, you’re going to clear the sunroof.”

“What? What about you?” Panic laced her voice as she tucked the revolver into the waist of her skirt.

“Sophie!” he shouted, needing her to listen, needing to get through her adrenaline-jagged brain. They only had seconds now. In his periphery vision he could see the black vehicle closing in on them. Instinctively he tensed, bracing for the impact. This was gonna hurt like hell. He prayed Sophie wouldn’t be injured too badly to escape. He’d disabled the airbags—as he always did—in the SUV so at least they wouldn’t suffer under that impact. “Promise you’ll climb out the sunroof. I’ll be behind you, but I can’t worry about you while trying to save myself.”

Eyes wide, she nodded and slipped her heels off the moment before the impact. She still had her purse slung across her body like a satchel. He wanted to tell her to lose it, but there was no time.

A jarring crunch wrenched through the vehicle. Sophie let out a little scream as her body slammed forward, but she held on tight as they were propelled toward the water.

“Why aren’t you shooting at them?” she shouted as the Humvee driver gunned the engine once more, shoving them inexorably toward the small pillars that wouldn’t stand a chance under the force of the two vehicles. She quickly jerked the purse off, but snagged her wallet from it as she tossed it to the floorboards. Shoving the thin wallet down her shirt, she looked over her shoulder again, fear clouding her eyes.

He ignored her question. “We’re going to go over in a second. Through the sunroof, then swim east. Swim as hard as you can until you find cover! Don’t surface until you’re safe!” There was a lip that curved over where the string of warehouses sat. They had to reach it.

The SUV jerked forward again and the scent of burning rubber filled the air as they teetered and plunged over the edge.

Grabbing her waist, he unceremoniously shoved her upward as they hit the water. She’d have seconds before the water rushed through the opening. Then they’d be trapped until the water pressure had equalized enough for them to swim out. Jack wasn’t waiting.

Sophie let out a yelp as he kept pushing at her, but eventually her feet cleared the opening. Frigid water gushed over him in a powerful torrent, so he clutched the armrest and held his breath as the vehicle filled and the coolness submerged his body. He could hold his breath for five minutes, and he knew it wouldn’t take that long.

In the back of his mind, fear clawed at him at the thought of whoever had rammed them into the water hurting Sophie while he was trapped here, but he could only focus on one problem at a time. He’d gotten her clear of the immediate danger. The SUV rapidly filled up and he hit the bottom of the bay floor—he guessed it was maybe nine or ten feet down. Finally the interior water pressure stabilized. Weapon in hand, he blinked a few times as he swam through the sunroof. The salty water stung his eyes, but the visibility was decent. At least it was murky enough that he couldn’t see the surface clearly, which meant whoever had rammed them couldn’t see him either.

As his head cleared the opening, he nearly jerked back at the sight of Sophie swimming toward him. She grabbed his hand and pointed frantically in the direction of the warehouse. The knowledge that she’d come back for him slammed into his chest, but he didn’t have time to dwell on it. Maybe he never would.

He pushed free of the SUV and began swimming toward the warehouse. She let his hand drop and swam in short, surprisingly powerful strokes away from him. Her sleek legs kicked furiously as she kept pace with him. When she started ascending, he followed. It was dark above them, with very little sunlight pouring through the water. Weapon raised, he was ready to defend them, but they were under the protective lip.

Adrenaline punched through him as muted male voices above them talked in rapid-fire Spanish. He spoke many languages. Spanish wasn’t one of them. He might not know what they were saying, but he did know that he and Sophie needed to get the hell out of there.

Sophie’s face was pale and her teeth were chattering as she quietly treaded the icy water. A shot sounded above them as someone fired into the water where the SUV had plunged in. Her entire body jerked at the sound, but she didn’t let out a peep. Reaching for her, Jack wrapped an arm around Sophie’s waist and tugged her close. To his surprise, she curved into him, wrapping her arms and legs around him. He tried to ignore the way his entire body reacted to the familiar feel of her slim body molded to him like a second skin, but a certain part of his anatomy wouldn’t listen. Later he’d blame it on adrenaline.

“Hold on to me. I’m going to swim us until this cover ends. They won’t be able to follow,” he whispered against her ear so quietly he wasn’t sure she’d heard.

Until she nodded and tightened her grip on him. Her breasts pressed up against his chest, torturing him. After tucking his gun in his shoulder holster with his free hand, he slowly and quietly made his way along the length of the wall. Water lapped at them, splashing their faces and covering their movements. Sophie was quiet, if shaky, as he moved through the water. Once they passed under one of the warehouses, he felt a modicum of relief.

A rapid-fire round of shots sounded behind them, and Sophie let out a distressed mewling sound as she buried her face in his neck. He stroked a hand over her head, hoping to soothe her.

The farther they moved away, the more distant the voices got until he couldn’t hear them at all. Sophie still clung to him. He worried she’d gone into mild shock, which might be a small blessing. If he could just get her on dry land and retrieve his vehicle, they had a fighting chance of getting out of this alive.

About five hundred yards down, a rusty ladder hung over the walk above them. It seemed to take forever, but finally they made it. Grabbing it, he took Sophie’s face in his other hand, gently stroking her cheek with his thumb. Her eyes were wide but alert. “I need you to let go of me so I can climb up.”

“O . . . kay,” she said through clenched teeth as a chill snaked through her.

He peeked his head over the top and let out a shaky breath. A lone warehouse with boarded-up windows was to his right. An older-model Grady White with no engines on a trailer sat next to it. To his left was the back of the grocery store where he’d left his backup. Jack looked down at Sophie clinging to the metal ladder. Her hair was plastered to her face, those dark eyes of hers hauntingly wide, making her look young and vulnerable. It reminded him of the last time he’d seen her. He swallowed hard, fighting the urge to pull her into his arms. “Do you have enough energy to run about a hundred yards?”

“Will there be . . . d-dry clothes?”

Grinning at her attitude, he nodded.

“Then hell yeah,” she said through clenched teeth.