Part 17 (1/2)

”You know? The h.e.l.l you do, lady. Do you know who those men work for? They thought I was part of a military operation. But no, that was too simple. You had to go and show yourself to them. Now they know you and I are together. Have you thought about that?”

”Yes, I have. It doesn't change anything.” The last statement was said hopefully. She wanted him to confirm that Kray knowing the truth wouldn't endanger them more.

Jeff laughed harshly, shattering her brief illusion. ”It changeseverything . He knows you're still on the island. Now they'll be looking for the three of us. His men can describe me, and Kray will be able to identify me from the description.”

”I'm sorry.”

”Sorry? That's the best you can do? What if Kray's men had caught you, or shot you? What if they'd shot Bobby?”

She jerked her head up and stared at him. The anger in his eyes made her flinch, but she didn't look away. ”Bobby was safe in the Jeep. I had him tucked down between the front and back seats.”

”What if there had been a third man?”

She opened her mouth, but no sound came. A third man? She hadn't thought of that. ”I couldn't let them kill you.”

”They weren't going to. Not without Kray's direct orders.”

”They were hurting you. I had to make them stop.”

”If you act like a civilian, you're going to die and Kray's going to get your son.”

The shaking increased. She bit down hard on her lower lip to hold back the tears. She didn't want to know that. She didn't want to have to think about the danger or what disasters had been narrowly avoided.

”Stop trying to scare me,” she said. ”Nothing bad happened. We're all fine and Kray didn't get us.”

”The man I hired to get you toFloridais dead.”

She'd forgotten about him. Her stomach lurched. She turned away from him, toward the arm of the sofa. She pulled her knees up toward her chest. Her skin was cold and clammy. Her pulse increased.

”I'm sorry,” she whispered. ”I'm sorry. It'sall my fault. I should have listened. I should have taken Bobby and left. No, I should never have married Kray in the first place. That was the first mistake.” She squeezed her eyes shut, trying not to remember that time. ”No, not the first mistake, but the biggest. But I couldn't leave. Don't you see? I thought they were going to kill you. I couldn't bear to watch another man die. Especially not you. But a man is dead anyway. Because of me. I killed him. Oh, G.o.d, the explosion.”

”Andie.” She felt Jeff settle on the sofa next to her.

”No, it's true. If it wasn't for me, he would be alive right now. Why did he have to die? Why did I have to marry Kray? How could I have been so stupid? I didn't know. I swear I didn't know.”

She felt a hand on her shoulder. She jerked away from him, burrowing in the corner of the sofa. The thick cotton was smooth against her cheek. Expensive. Only the best for Kray and his man. She almost laughed, but was afraid she would sound hysterical.

”I understand,” he said quietly.

”I doubt that. You blame me as much as anyone. I deserve it. I know that. I should have seen the truth.” She opened her eyes and stared at the wall next to the fireplace. She blinked several times, surprised to find her eyes filled with tears. ”My first stupid decision was to become a model after my parents died. My second was going toEurope. It was no place for an innocent teenage girl. I had no direction, no one to tell me what I should do. No one to give me advice. Kray was the first person to really listen to me.” She drew in a deep breath. ”He was intrigued.”

This time the laughter did escape. ”Intrigued. Can you imagine anything so ridiculous?”

”Andie, it's okay.”

She turned on him. ”It's not okay,” she said angrily. ”You've just finished explaining how not okay it is. We're going to die on this island. Kray is going to take my son from me,then he's going to kill us both.”

Steel blue eyes staredinto her own . ”I'm not going to let that happen.”

He reached up and pulled off her baseball cap. Several strands of hair drifted across her cheek. Slowly he brushed them away. His fingers were slightly rough and callused against her skin.

”Don't,” she whispered. His rage frightened her, but his gentleness would destroy her. She would be left vulnerable, with no way to protect herself from him.

He ignored her request and continued to stroke her face. She didn't know she was crying until he cupped his palm against her jaw and wiped the tears away with his thumb.

”You're shaking,” he said.

”What did you expect?”

”Sometimes I forget you're not an experienced field person. I shouldn't have yelled at you. I'm sorry.”

”Don't be. You were right. I wasn't thinking. I was just so afraid of being alone with Bobby. I wasn't sure I could keep him safe on my own.”

He smiled at her. ”Either way, you managed to save my hide. You were very brave.”

”I didn't feel brave. I was terrified.”

His eyes darkened to the color of amidnightsky. His jaw tightened. He was fighting some powerful emotion, but she didn't know what. She didn't know anything anymore except that she was cold inside. It was as if the fear leeched the very life from her bones. The only warm place on her body was where his hand touched her face.

”How long is it going to be like this?” she asked. ”How long do I have to be afraid? How long until he catches us? How long until we're both dead and Kray has Bobby?”

”Hush.” He reached for her and pulled her close.

She didn't want to go into his arms. She didn't want to be close to him. Not because she didn't care but because she did. He would make her feel things and want things. She would start to believe and she'd long ago learned believing was deadly. Nothing had changed between them. He was still on the island with his men, sent here to capture Kray, perhaps even to kill him. She was still his enemy's ex-wife despised, disdained, unworthy.

Yet she couldn't deny his touch or his warmth. He angled toward her on the sofa and pulled her into the shelter of his heat. He stroked her head and her back. He murmured promises that it would be all right. She knew he lied. He couldn't know that. But for this moment, she chose to believe him. The alternative was to surrender to the despair, and she couldn't do that. Not until her son was safe. She wrapped her arms around his waist, clinging to him. He was warm and alive. His chest rose and fell in time with his steady breathing. She could hear the thudding of his heart under her ear. His muscles bunched and released against her cheek. His scent, faint fragrances from the night and the maleness that was his alone, surrounded her. She would remember these moments. Later, when she was alone and afraid, she would call on the memories to keep her strong.

”I'm sorry for yelling at you,” he said. ”You're probably in shock.”

”I'm okay,” she whispered, snuggling closer. His s.h.i.+rt was surprisingly soft against her skin. ”What about you? I heard them hitting you.”

”Just a few b.u.mps and bruises.”

She raised her head and looked up at him. ”Are you sure? Nothing's broken?”

He reached down and felt his left side, then rotated his shoulder. ”I'm bruised up pretty good, but it's all still working.”

His face was so close to hers. The angle of his jaw caught her attention. Strong, clean lines. She could see the beginnings of stubble shadowing his features. His mouth was straight and well shaped. She remembered the feel of it against her own,then quickly closed her eyes. She didn't want to remember that right now. She didn't want the moment spoiled by fantasies of what could never be. Jeff was still very much in love with his late wife. She was the last woman he would ever want to be with.

She forced herself to think of other things. Of the sound of the sea and the stillness of the night. She relaxed against him, letting the soothing stroking of his hand against her back lull her fears.

Without warning she saw the explosion, heard the deafening blast and felt the concussion. She stiffened and pushed away from him. Her eyes flew open.

”What's wrong?” he asked.

She caught her breath. ”Nothing. I just-” She shook her head.