Out Of The Past (3 page)

A.J. stood, took her by the hand and helped her up. She wrapped her arms around him, allowing the warmth of his body to soothe her muscles and push aside her fear.

In his embrace, Zoe pressed her cheek against his chest and enjoyed the steady beat of his heart. She was safe for now. A.J. had seen to that.

He held her away from him and looked at her with concern wrinkling his brow. “Are you okay?”

Her muscles loosened, while her body calmed. “Yes, but my wrists hurt, and I ache all over.” She stared into his deep navy blue eyes. “What’s going on? Why did they kidnap me and what do they want?”

“I don’t have all the answers yet.”

Sirens barely echoed in the distance. “The police weren’t coming here?” she asked.

“No, they were evidently on another call, but lucky for us, it scared Slavko and his killers away.”

Leading her to his vehicle, he quickly put her in the passenger side before going around and sliding behind the wheel. Once the engine started, they drove away from the scene. At last, A.J. exhaled a deep sigh.

“I need to let Frank know you’re okay. Then we’ll talk.”

She handed him his phone, and one click later their boss was on the other line.

“Casmir Slavko kidnapped her. I suspect he was hired by Danko Gabric.” A.J. glanced her way. “Zoe’s safe. I’m taking her to my house on the lake. The security is top-notch, and I’ll be able to protect her from there.”

A.J. put the phone in his pocket and glanced at her. “Frank is running down several scenarios, but our guess is it all has something to do with him testifying at the UN War Crimes Tribunal against Danko Gabric.”

Alarm tightened her sore shoulders and her eyes widened. “You mean that murderer who killed so many innocent Muslims?”

A.J. nodded. “That’s the one. Frank’s recount of that massacre will put Gabric away for life.”

“And you think this Croatian was hired by Gabric?”

“Can’t prove it, but we believe he kidnapped you to keep Frank quiet.”

Her heart felt like a squeezed stress ball. “That means they’re desperate.”

A.J. kept his eyes on the road ahead.

His silence confirmed what she thought. They’d do anything to get her back. Since she could identify her abductor, they’d had no plans to release her, regardless of what Frank did. “I guess I don’t have to tell you that no matter what happens they’ll kill us both.”

A.J.’s knuckles turned white and his features tensed. “Yeah, we figured that.”

“How can we stop them?”

He put his hand on her thigh. “Until after Frank testifies on Monday, we either hide or run. There’s no way I can eliminate the entire threat.”

She clutched his arm. “No matter what, Frank has to testify. But I have to tell you I’m scared out of my mind.”

When he glanced at her, his eyes were intent, and his mouth taut. “So am I. If anything happened to you, I’m not sure I could stand it.”

She lifted his hand to her lips and kissed his fingertips. “We’ll make it, A.J. I’m sure.”

He didn’t reply.

***

A
.J. wished he had the confidence Zoe had. He knew the odds weren’t in their favor. While Frank had recalled every agent he could back to Dallas, for now A.J. had to fight this battle alone. The way the agents were spread out, no one could reach them before late tomorrow or Sunday.

Hopefully, they could hold out as long as no one followed. They’d be safe at his lake property, but he didn’t know how many people were involved. There were the guys A.J. saw walking toward the basement in the Butler Building, the Croatian, and the three gunmen waiting outside.

He didn’t keep count of how many he’d hit, but since they didn’t return fire he felt confident he was holding up his end. All this signaled how desperate they were to capture Zoe alive. Dead, she’d be useless to their cause. He’d let Frank know that Zoe could identify her kidnappers. In their line of business, that was never good. They had no intentions of ever letting her go.

Losing Zoe was something A.J. had worried about from the minute they’d met. It seemed like it had taken him forever to work up the nerve to ask her out, but once they finally connected, A.J. had lost his heart almost immediately.

Zoe had had a rough life. He knew her past, but it didn’t matter. The only thought consuming his mind was keeping her alive at all cost.

He pulled into his yard then clicked the garage opener. Since exiting the interstate, his rearview mirror had been clear.

The security gate closed and locked before A.J. pulled forward and closed the overhead garage door. He got out and went around to the passenger side to help Zoe. When he reached for her, he noticed her wrists had stopped bleeding, but the cuts were angry, raw and swollen.

She’d never been to his home, and he wondered what she’d think. As they walked through the laundry room, he guided her into what he considered an open and spacious kitchen. Turning on the faucet, he said. “Wait for that to warm up then wash your wounds. I’m going to get the first-aid kit. 

With a fleeting kiss on her forehead, he didn’t stick around to see if she did as instructed. He was too anxious to get to the antibiotic cream and bandages before infection set in. But first, he had to check the alarm system and make sure the house was secure. Afterwards, he returned to the kitchen.

Wrapping her hands with several paper towels, he backed her up to a chair. She sat while he blotted the moisture off her skin so the tape would stick.

“Do they still hurt?”

“They sting more than anything.” She arched her back. “But my arms are killing me.”

“We’ll take care of them after we get you patched up.” It wouldn’t surprise him if she hadn’t dislocated a shoulder or at least pulled a muscle. Removing several items from the first aid kit, he said, “I have a spray for the wounds. Hopefully, after they’re bandaged, you’ll feel better.”

She seemed to watch his every move. “I’ll be all right, A.J.”

He stopped and gazed into her champagne-colored eyes. They couldn’t be described as brown because they were too pale and sparkled when the light hit them just right.

He reached up and cupped the back of her head. Pulling her closer, his mouth met hers with a sense of urgency. Zoe wrapped her arms around his neck, and they both embraced in a desperate need to feel safe.

Her hot lips were so tender they touched his soul and expanded his heart. He craved her desperately. Deepening the kiss, he pulled her closer. The thought of her being in danger messed with his senses and totally sent his mind on a wild safari.

She broke the kiss and pulled back. “You’re my knight in shining armor.”

Her beautiful face almost brought tears to his eyes. “Not really. You managed to get out of the basement all by yourself.”

“Yeah, but without you, I’d never have been able to leave the building.”

He averted his gaze. What would he do if anything happened to her on his watch? How would he live, breathe, ever care again?

“Zoe, I hate that your life is in danger. My biggest fear is that I won’t be able to keep you alive and out of the hands of Casmir Slavko.”

She pressed her lips to his in a steamy kiss that held a promise only she could grant. “Let’s not think about that right now. We’re safe. Hopefully, we’ll stay that way.”

A.J. cleared his throat and went back to tending her wounds. After applying a gauze bracelet to each of her wrists, he stepped back. “They’re probably going to be sore, but maybe on Monday we can get you something stronger than Advil.”

She smiled warmly. “I’m fine.”

“You hungry?”

She looked behind her to the glass windows and French doors that made up the back wall. “It’s really dark.” She turned back to him. “I think we both missed dinner.”

“You go relax in the living room, and I’ll fix a couple of sandwiches.”

She stood and looked down at her blood soaked dress. He knew the memories that invoked. Then he remembered. “You know, I think I have a pair of my sister’s jeans in the laundry room. They might fit. There’s also a pair of clogs and flip flops someone left.”

“I don’t want to impose.”

He located the jeans still neatly folded in the storage basket. “They may be a little long, but you can cuff them.” He tossed them at her on the way to his bedroom. “I have a T-shirt you can borrow.”

When he returned, she stood in the middle of the room confused. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Don’t say anything.” He pointed to the hall. “There’s a bathroom in there. The shoes are somewhere in the closet. Go clean up, and I’ll have the sandwiches ready when you finish.”

Carrying the clothes, she left the kitchen and headed for the bathroom. While she was out of sight, he drew the curtains, rechecked the alarm system, and waited, hoping and praying they’d be safe.

I
t felt a little weird to wear someone else’s jeans, but not bad enough for Zoe to refuse the offer. Dried blood caked the front of her clothing, and she smelled dirty.

Stripping off the dress, she took a wet cloth and washed her mid-section where the blood had soaked through. Careful not to dampen the bandages, she rinsed out the cloth and hung it on the towel bar.

She slid her legs into the jeans, realizing immediately they were a tad snug and too long. She cuffed the legs then slipped on A.J.’s black tee shirt. Her shoulders screamed in pain as she raised her arms to slide on the shirt. The effort almost made her faint.

After splashing her face with cool water, she left the bathroom to find A.J., putting paper plates with sandwiches and a couple of glasses of iced tea on the coffee table.

She smiled trying her best to be brave. A.J. was one of Falcon’s best agents. He’d keep her safe from harm. That’s what they were trained to do, and nobody was better at protection than Falcon.

The thought of Frank freaking out in Washington paraded through her mind. He was like a second father to her. He wouldn’t take it lightly that someone had kidnapped her with the hopes of keeping him from doing the right thing.

No, that would worry her boss sick and piss him off at the same time.

A.J. stopped and turned to her with an approving smile. “Looks good.”

She held out the sides of the large shirt. “I’m sure it would if I had shoulders like a linebacker.” Looking down, she smiled. “I even found a pair of canvas shoes that fit.

“Let’s eat and maybe we can catch a movie on TV.”

“After the day I’ve had, that sounds wonderful.” She sat down and reached for the sandwich. Just as she got it to her mouth, she heard her ring tone. Looking around, she spotted her handbag on the kitchen stool. “You found my purse?”

“I didn’t want to leave it in your car.”

As she removed the phone from the pocket, Frank’s picture flashed on the screen.

“Are you okay, Zoe?”

She turned back to look at A.J. “I’m in good hands now.”

“Did they hurt you?”

“They tied me up with plastic ties, which cut into my wrists. And my shoulders are killing me from hanging from an overhead pipe, but A.J. fixed me up.”

“You stay with him. Don’t leave his sight. Those bastards aren’t finished, and they won’t give up easily. My guess is they’re being paid a small fortune to keep me off the witness stand.”

“I think it’s best if we stay here until this is all over.”

“Okay, call if you need me.”

After ending the conversation, she walked to the couch and dropped onto the cushions. “I don’t know about you, but I’m exhausted.”

“Eat something and you’ll feel better. If it stays quiet, we’ll go to bed early.” The twinkle in his eyes made his thoughts transparent.

They’d dated, made out several times, but sex hadn’t happened yet. Zoe wondered if she was ready for that kind of commitment.

Did A.J. care for her that much? She’d never want to go that far only to learn they weren’t a couple moving on the path of forever. The embarrassment would kill her. Working with a dozen agents, she’d always kept her personal life separate from work. Dating A.J. skirted her policy, but she couldn’t help the way she felt.

***

A
.J. watched Zoe over his chicken sandwich. She looked better now that she’d changed her clothes, and he hoped she felt more comfortable. The ointment on her wrists also contained a numbing agent, but that didn’t mean it’d take away all the pain.

When she picked up her sandwich and began eating, he felt better. Nothing calmed a person quicker than food. He reached over and put his hand on her thigh. “Try not to worry. We’ll get out of this.”

She took a sip of tea. “I’m better. You don’t have to be burdened with concern about me.”

“Ha, as if that were even possible.” He grunted. “I’m always going to keep you in my crosshairs.”

Silence filled the house, and when the automatic ice maker dropped a load of ice into the bin, they both jumped.

Zoe laughed and moved closer. “The stillness is getting to us.”

“Usually the quiet is actually soothing to me. After a long assignment, I love to come here and decompress. It’s really nice when the sailboats are out.”

Zoe bit her bottom lip. “I bet.” She folded her legs beneath her. “Honestly, I don’t know how you guys pull off all the stuff you do.”

“I try not to think of it. Once the job is done, I only want to come home and do nothing for about a week.”

“You probably need that.” She ran her tongue along her bottom lip.

A.J. thought he’d never catch his breath. Her pretty, light hair and pale eyes made his chest feel funny and his body trembled.

That was a strange sensation coming from a man who routinely faced death. He’d always thought he was pretty fearless. But not when it came to Zoe. He wanted her too badly. Always had, since the first day he’d met her.

Sitting on the couch, a picture of his family crossed his mind. His parents had retired to Florida. He had a married sister living in Grapevine, two married brothers in Southlake, and his younger sister was a senior at SMU.

They’d had a pretty good childhood growing up. His dad was actually a real rocket scientist. His mom stayed home and kept the family together, while his father was often out of town.