Moving Target (22 page)

The way he felt inside her—it was indescribable. He touched places that pushed her higher and farther. Bright colors twinkled in her mind and she knew it was only a matter of a few more strokes before she would be gone.

She was so close to crying out, "I love you, Daniel." It was all she could do to hold it back.

Instead she let herself completely fall into the place he was taking her. Those streamers of colors and sparkles of light swirled through her mind as she gritted back a cry from the force of her orgasm. All she could see were the colors that were now like an aurora shimmering in her mind.

Her body shook and she was vaguely aware of clinging to Daniel as he continued to thrust and thrust and thrust.

No words would come to her as she started to come down. But a cry did slip from her. He captured her mouth, his kiss grounding her and bringing her back to reality.

She still felt high, like her head would float off, but Daniel's face came back into view. He was sweating and an almost pained expression crossed his face.

"Come, Daniel." She pulled his head down to meet hers, and said against his lips, "Come, now."

He raised his head and she could tell he was holding back a shout as he pressed his hips hard against hers. She felt his cock jerk inside her and her core clamped down on him every time a spasm rocked her.

Finally, he lowered her legs and rested on top of her, holding his weight just enough that he wouldn't hurt her.

He moved his mouth to hers and kissed her again before drawing her onto her side with him and holding her close.

Today was the day.

After leaving the safe house under a tight guard, Ani's stomach ached as she was whisked away to a private location.

From there she would be escorted to Federal Plaza and the courtroom.

This time five black SUVs waited for them in a designated location. All had blacked-out windows. Ani had a hard time coming to terms with the fact that so many Deputies had to protect her as she was taken to court.

She felt like she was going to throw up. Chills continued to race under her skin, causing her to quiver nonstop.

All of the vehicles had been swept and reswept for explosives. Once the SUVs and the street were declared secure, at least twelve federal agents surrounded her as she was escorted out of the car she arrived in to one of the other vehicles.

She felt exposed in the lot, even surrounded by so many agents. All of a sudden, New York City seemed cold and unfamiliar, almost hostile. Somewhere in this city, people were hiding and waiting to kill her.

What if the mob fired missiles at the cars again? What if a sniper shot her in the head and dropped her right then and there?

Get a grip. You can do this. You
will
do it!

Like the other Marshals, Daniel wore a black suit and dark glasses. Ani wore one of the dress suits that had been bought for her when the other clothing was purchased. The black suit was loose, the low heels tight. She wore her Kevlar vest beneath the blazer over her blouse. Since she didn't have one of her hair clips, her long dark hair hung in waves around her shoulders.

Daniel helped her into the SUV, and Ani felt grateful for the sudden shelter of the vehicle. She sat between him and another Deputy, while two Deputies took the front seat. She felt a little scrunched between the broad-shouldered men, but well protected. The smell of leather from the seats and the men's after-shave filled the SUV.

As soon as the Deputies in all five vehicles radioed they were ready to move, the SUV Ani was in followed two of the other SUVs into traffic.

She clenched her hands in her lap and wished she could take Daniel's hand and lean into him for comfort. But she remained rigid in her seat, her mind racing through everything they'd been through up until now. The climax.

This was happening. It was really happening.

She was about to go to court to testify against her family's killer. And she was going to testify about the information she had read on her father's computer and what she had overheard as she stood outside her father's office.

Her mouth was dry and her palms sweaty as they made the journey to Federal Plaza. Any moment she expected bullets to fly and shatter the glass. Even though it was supposed to be bulletproof, she was afraid someone would get shot. So many people had died already to protect her—she couldn't stand the thought of anyone else being murdered.

She could almost feel a bullet pierce her own skull, like the one that had killed her father.

The trip seemed to take forever and her heart pounded like mad the entire way. She couldn't focus on anything outside the vehicle. All she could think of was the motorcade escorting her through the city and her upcoming testimony.

When they reached the Marshals' back entrance at the courthouse, she still didn't breathe a sigh of relief. It wasn't until they made it through the parking garage and into the building that she relaxed—but only a little. Within a couple of hours she would have to be strong to face Dmitry Borenko head-on. She had to keep calm no matter what the defense threw her way.

The Deputies escorted Ani to a conference room where she was told she would wait until it was her turn to testify. Four Deputies, including Daniel, stayed in the room with her while the other Deputies either stood outside the room or patrolled the halls.

She felt like she was surrounded by men and women from the
Men in Black
movies.

"What do I do now?" she asked Daniel after the door closed behind the other Deputies.

He pushed his hand through his hair, rumpling it in that sexy way she loved. "All we can do is wait. The other witnesses have finished testifying—neighbors, emergency personnel, doctors, the coroner. Special Agent Michaels, the FBI case agent, is testifying this morning. Once the defense attorney has cross-examined him, it will be your turn."

The jittery, trembling feeling inside her increased. How could she make it through hours of waiting?

Unable to sit, Ani paced the length of the conference room, her heels wobbling a bit on the worn carpet. The smell of dust and neglect made her stomach even queasier. She shoved her long hair over her shoulders in a nervous motion then flexed and unflexed her hands at her sides. She ignored the other Deputies in the room but let her gaze meet Daniel's every now and then.

The Deputies made light conversation, talking about sports, the stock market, a couple of major fugitives who had just been apprehended by the U.S. Marshals Service, among other things she couldn't begin to concentrate on at that moment.

Right now she couldn't find interest in anything. She was too jumpy, too keyed up.

When she got tired of pacing, she sat in one of the ratty brown chairs and folded her hands on the dark brown laminate tabletop. The waiting was driving her crazy—she wasn't one to sit and do nothing. But even if she'd had a book to read, she wouldn't have been able to concentrate.

Instead, she battled thoughts of Dmitry Borenko, wondering how he'd look now, after two years. Memories of how he
did
look that horrible night flooded her. He'd acted so casual as he'd shot her father. But those ice-blue eyes had narrowed as he turned when her scream caught his attention, and he'd aimed for her heart.

And then her mother and sister. Oh, God. Hearing them scream. The thump of their bodies against the floor when they dropped.

The memories made her gut clench and tears fill her eyes. She wrapped her arms around her belly and rocked to and fro as she tried to get the thoughts out of her mind.

What seemed like hours and hours later, the door opened and she just about jumped out of her skin. Gary McNeal carried in a tray of food. Smells of mashed potatoes, gravy, beef and the strong smell of coffee met Ani's nose even before the orange plastic tray reached her.

"Hit the lunchroom." McNeal directed his statement to all the Deputies in the room and nodded toward the door. "Judge Steele has ordered a short recess for lunch. She isn't giving us much time." To Daniel he said, "We've got four Deputies ready to relieve you."

Daniel's gaze met Ani's, and his expression was one of concern, caring, and support. He hesitated, then followed McNeal out of the room, along with the other Deputies. Four Deputies came in the door to replace those who'd left.

A sense of panic rose up within Ani and her heart beat faster as she watched Daniel exit. He glanced over his shoulder with an expression that said he didn't want to leave her. She hoped her panic didn't show on her face. She needed to be strong and not lose her self-control. When had she come to rely on him so much for emotional support?

Ani's shoulders slumped a little as she stared down at the plastic-wrapped plate. Her stomach was churning too much to eat, but she peeled the plastic off and the smell of canned corn added to the other scents. In another plastic-wrapped bowl was canned fruit cocktail. There was also a glass of orange juice with plastic wrap covering the top of it, coffee in a plastic-lidded Styrofoam container, a straw, and a bottle of water.

Oh, yum
.

The silverware and a paper napkin were bound by a piece of paper that she tore off. She noticed there was no knife.

And to think she could have gone after Dmitry herself with it.

Her lips twisted briefly in amusement at her thought, but the amusement faded almost at once. Her movements were mechanical, and she only messed with the things on the tray to have something to do. Otherwise she would probably have pushed the whole thing away from her. How could anyone expect her to eat right now?

She
was
thirsty, however, even though she'd been supplied with water bottles all morning.

After toying with her food and drinking most of the orange juice, she told one of the Deputies she had to use the bathroom.

Talk about an ordeal. All she had to do was pee, for cripe's sake. But still she knew it was in the interest of her safety as four Deputies accompanied her. Two checked out the bathroom and secured it. Deputy Janet Hernandez stayed in the bathroom with her.

When she returned to the conference room, John Singleton, the prosecuting attorney, was waiting for her.

"Sit, please, Ms. King." He gestured to the chair and she complied.

When he was seated close to her, she smelled his spicy aftershave. Singleton looked at her directly, wasting no time. "I have to be back in court in a few minutes, but I wanted to check in with you. Are you doing okay?"

Ani tucked her hair behind her ear. "How much longer?"

Singleton leaned closer, his forearms braced on the tabletop. "The defense attorney's cross-examination of Special Agent Michaels is taking longer than I anticipated. Michaels has been presenting evidence that corroborates with your sworn statements. But they need your testimony to make it solid. I expect you'll be on the witness stand soon."

Great. Joy. She couldn't wait.

Mental sarcasm aside, she did want to get this over with and hoped that her testimony would be enough to put this bastard away.

"When you approach the witness stand, do it in a deliberate and unhurried manner," Singleton said as she tried to focus on him through the roaring in her ears. It had started when she realized how close she was to being in the courtroom. "You're making your first impression to the jury. All eyes in the room will be on you from the time you walk into that courtroom,"

he continued, remaining focused on her. "Stand erect, act confident."

Ani sat straighter in her seat and took a deep breath. "What else?"

"After you take the oath, don't fidget or exhibit any other nervous mannerisms." Singleton glanced at his watch before looking back to her. "If you do, the jury might think you have something to hide or you're having a difficult time remembering the facts."

"I'll never forget." Ani's spine stiffened. "It's all as clear as if it just happened."

Singleton gave her a smile. "That's what I like to hear, Ms. King." His expression turned serious again. "If you don't understand a question, ask for it to be repeated. No matter how much the defense attorney badgers you, do your best to keep your cool."

Ani nodded. She could do this.

"When your testimony and cross-examination are finished and you're allowed to leave the witness stand," Singleton said,

"try to look confident, but not overconfident. It will be the last impression you give the jury."

Her stomach did that twisting thing again.

The prosecutor checked his watch. When his gaze met Ani's he said, "It's time I get back to the courtroom." As he stood, he picked up his briefcase that had been on the floor beside his chair. He paused to look at her one more time. "You'll do fine."

She took a deep breath and tried to smile but failed. "I'm ready," she said, even though she wasn't sure she'd ever be completely ready.

Then more waiting.

The fact Daniel wasn't in the room made her feel as if she were alone with her demons. While she waited, she realized how much Daniel's support truly meant to her. How much
he
meant to her.

The door to the conference room opened and she started. She glanced up to see Daniel stride through the doorway and nod to one of the Deputies to let him know he was the man's replacement. A sense of relief and strength filled her as her gaze met his. It was so hard to keep her expression neutral and not express how much he meant to her.

It took a lot of effort to take her gaze from his and study the still full plate in front of her. She took the plastic wrap and tugged it back over the plate and pushed the tray away.

More waiting.

And waiting.

Finally the door opened and McNeal stepped in the doorway. "She's on."

This time Ani was sure she was going to throw up. Her legs shook as she started to stand, and she had to take deep breaths of air—she felt as if she were suffocating.

Daniel moved to her side at once and helped her to her feet, then he released her. She tugged down the jacket of her suit, adjusted her skirt, and rolled her shoulders back. She didn't know whether to push her hair out of her face or let it fall forward over her shoulders, so she settled for letting it stay the way it was.