Katie Reus: Targeted

“I’m sorry,” she mumbled as she pulled her head back.

“You have nothing to be sorry for.” Immediately he missed the warmth of her body against his. Instead of removing his hand as he knew he should, he remained immobile.

When her eyes locked on his, Sophie stared at him without blinking. Her dark eyes seemed to swallow him whole and when her soft lips parted invitingly, his entire body reacted with primal awareness.

Before he could change his mind, he brushed his mouth over hers. A bare grazing of his lips over her soft ones. She let out a tiny gasp of surprise and her hands pressed against his chest as if she meant to push him away. But just for a moment. Then she clutched his shirt, grabbing onto him as if he were a lifeline.

He pressed his tongue deep into her mouth, tasting her sweet essence. For years he’d fantasized about kissing her again. It was like fucking heaven. Pure Sophie. He was consumed with greediness, already wanting more from her. Wanting to strip her bare and take everything she had to offer. As their tongues meshed and collided, a deep moan released from her. The erotic sound drove straight to his core and wrapped around the part of him he kept locked away from everything and everyone.

The part that dared to want someone for more than a night. The part that wanted to feel and experience more than meaningless sex. The part that wanted Sophie Moreno in his bed and in his life permanently. Just as they’d planned when they were younger.

Jack hadn’t been prepared for his primal reaction to her. It was even more intense than when they’d been seventeen. His stomach clenched as she wrapped her hands around the back of his neck and returned his fervent kisses with a heated intensity he hadn’t expected given the situation. With his free hand he grasped one of her thighs and bunched a section of the sweatpants she wore. It was the only way he could remind himself of restraint. He wanted to rip them off her and plunge deep inside her. To feel her tight sheath clenching around his cock until they were both sated and tired. The fact that they were in a car and on the run didn’t matter.

She made a soft moaning sound into his mouth and he was afraid he might combust on the spot. Moving higher because he needed actual contact, he slid his hand underneath her cotton shirt. His fingers burned as he caressed her silky stomach. Actually touching her brought all his memories back like a raging fire. Memories and fantasies would never compare to the real thing.

When the blast of a car horn ripped through the air, he jumped back. The horn wasn’t meant for them, but it had shattered the moment just the same. Breathing hard, he forced himself to move away from her and turned the ignition back on. What was he doing? He was a government agent on a critical mission, trying to get this woman to safety and to save the country from a potential catastrophic threat. Not a randy teenager on his first date who couldn’t control his dick.

Sophie’s soft pink lips were swollen and by the dazed look in her eyes, she was surprised, but also turned on. Her damp hair was messy and framed her face in a way that made him think of raw sex. Great.

“I’m sorry . . . I shouldn’t have done that. It won’t happen again.” His hoarse, shaky voice sounded foreign to his own ears.

In response she touched a trembling finger to her lips, then leaned back against her seat. He glanced out his window to give her a moment of privacy.

“Jack?” The sound of her voice pulled him back around.

When he faced her, her eyebrows were pulled down, as if she might ask him something. Instead she leaned forward and twisted in her seat so that her back was turned toward him. “Can you see where I’m cut?”

There was some blood covering her shirt, but it wasn’t spreading and appeared almost dry. “It looks like you got hit with some glass. Probably from the table at the restaurant. I don’t want to risk taking it out right now and making things worse.”

“Okay.” She leaned back in the seat but twisted so she wasn’t pressing against the wound.

He rubbed a hand over his face and tried to banish the memory of that kiss. It was a mistake and he’d just leave it at that. This hadn’t even been in the realm of possibilities of how he’d expected things to go today. Normally he got a rush of adrenaline during firefights, but the only thing he felt at the moment was relief for Sophie’s safety. Well, that and he was still turned on. Unfortunately there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about that.

Following the signs and keeping to the speed limit, he made his way to 95 South. Technically he wasn’t going to a safe house, but Wesley didn’t need to know that. He’d purchased a place in Marathon, Florida, years back. It was listed under a bogus corporation, and it wasn’t connected to him. It was his contingency plan in case things ever went south. Only one other person knew about it, and there was no way in hell his friend would tell anyone about it.

Right now this was the best and closest option for Sophie and him to escape to. There were too many unknown variables and he wasn’t trusting her safety to anyone but himself.

Safe house: a house in a secret location, used by spies or criminals in hiding.

Ronald Weller somehow managed to keep his stride even as he walked toward the elevators. He couldn’t call Miguel Vargas from his office. Now that Homeland Security was in the building, he couldn’t risk being overheard. So far they were just asking routine questions about SBMS’s business practices, but he wasn’t fooled for a second. The government wouldn’t have shown up unless they suspected SBMS of something .

And after Sophie’s insistent calls last night and then again this morning, he knew she was on to something. She was a damn good worker and she could be relentless when she wanted to know something. For the past few months he’d been able to brush off her questions about Keane, but with this new guy suddenly showing up and now Homeland Security—Ronald couldn’t stop sweating. His entire world was crumbling and he couldn’t help the one person in his life who needed him most. He felt as if he was between that proverbial rock and a hard place. Except that rock was a terrorist with a gun.

Once he reached the parking garage, he scanned the rows of cars and trucks. No one was following him and no one was in the garage. He pulled out one of the throwaway phones he’d been instructed to purchase and dialed a familiar number.

Someone he didn’t recognize picked up. A woman. “Yes?”

“I need to talk to Miguel. Now.”

“Who is this?”

“None of your damn business.” He sounded a hell of a lot braver than he felt. Fear was the only thing spurring him on, though.

There was a shuffling, then Miguel came on the line. “Who is this?”

“It’s Ronald. What the hell is going on?”

“What do you mean?”

He heard the ding of the elevator, so he headed in the direction of his car and lowered his voice. There weren’t any video cameras in this garage, so he didn’t have to worry about anyone seeing him either. “Homeland Security is here. They want to talk to Sophie Moreno.”

“She won’t be a problem. I don’t know why you’re always worrying. I’ve taken care of her.” Vargas’s condescending voice grated on him.

Ronald’s throat tightened as the possible meaning of Vargas’s words sank in. “What the hell does that mean? Of course she’s not a problem. She’s not involved in any of this.”

“She’s been sticking her pretty nose where it doesn’t belong. One of my men saw her car fleeing a certain hangar last night.”

Iciness engulfed Ronald, chilling his entire body. “What are you talking about?” That was probably why she’d wanted to talk to him. He had assumed it was to discuss the books. He’d just wanted to blow her off, to buy some damn time. She’d been at Keane’s hangar?