The Maze (ATCOM) (8 page)

Santiago
leaned in close to whisper in Attie’s ear. Noah couldn’t hear what he said.

Attie’s
reaction was so swift it stunned all of them. The palm of her hand cracked
against Santiago’s cheek, twisting his head sideways from the force of it.

“I
am
not
yours, Carlos. I never was,” she hissed.

Santiago
turned slowly to look at her and Noah almost stood, but the look on the drug
lord’s face stopped him. A mixture of disbelief and pleasure. A smile curled
his lips. He didn’t look angry, merely amused. Noah suspected he had
underestimated Attie until now. She wasn’t going to roll over for him anymore
and he’d just realized it.

Santiago
reached out a hand to clasp her chin. “I love your spirit, Atalanta. It’s going
to make things very exciting.”

But
Santiago wasn’t finished with her. The necklace circled her neck as he held her
still by applying pressure to her chin, his fingers digging into her skin. Noah
neared the breaking point. A look of panic seeped into Attie’s eyes, her
bravado fleeing. She went still as a statue and Noah knew she could no longer
handle Santiago alone.

Sitting
back in his chair, Noah said casually, critically, “As I said, wrong fit.”

That
snapped her out of her catatonic state. Attie blinked, jumped, and tore the
necklace out of Santiago’s hand. She threw it into his wine glass, where it
landed with a loud splash before tipping over the glass.

“If
you like it so much, you wear it.” She twisted out of his grasp.

Santiago
laughed, but no one else joined in.

Noah
recognized the signs of a person dangerously close to the edge. Attie trembled,
her control hanging by a thread, and he knew he had to get her out of there
before Santiago sent her over. He didn’t want her to be alone tonight. Until
Santiago revealed what he had planned, he needed to keep Attie close to his
side. He hadn’t liked being separated earlier and he was determined not to let
it happen again.

“I
think I’ve changed my mind,” he said, standing.

Santiago
looked at him. “About what?”

“Your
offer for a woman.”

Attie
glanced at him with a mixture of emotions swirling in her eyes.

Santiago
frowned slightly. “Ah, a man of simple pleasures. I’m pleased to hear you’ve
changed your mind. I’ll have Lolita sent to your room.”

“Actually,
I have another in mind.”

That
earned a raised brow and a wary look from Attie.

“I
have an array of women—”

Knowing
he would lose the ground he had just gained by preventing Santiago from placing
that necklace on Attie, Noah plunged ahead.

“I
want Atalanta.”

* * * *

What?

Attie
gaped at Noah, then snapped her mouth shut. If he continued to knock her off
balance she was going to go crazy. Every time she thought she knew him he did
something to surprise her.

“You
want…Atalanta? I’m afraid she’s not on the menu.”

Attie
shuddered, remembering her first night on the estate and Carlos’s promise to do
with her as he pleased. Which included giving her to anyone he wished. He
hadn’t, but he held the power over her. Carlos hadn’t wanted her. He’d only
wanted to possess her. Control her. Keep her constantly guessing.

“Seems
to me she’s the main course.”

The
two men stared each other.

“I
have other redheads here who would be more than eager to spend the night in
your bed, Noah.”

Noah
shook his head.

“Atalanta
is mine.”

Attie
held her temper in check at the arrogant statement. In truth she was too shaken
to do anything but stand there. Seeing that necklace again had thrown her for a
loop. The feel of it against her flesh, cold, heavy and achingly familiar had
brought back too many memories that she had tried to forget over the past six
months. God, how she hated that thing.

“I
don’t want to keep her, just…borrow her. I’ve been three days on the trail with
her, unable to get close. Help me out here. One night to scratch an itch. We
both know I’ll never get another chance. Not with her stubbornness.”

Attie
was no fool. She knew Noah wasn’t requesting her
services
for the night,
but it infuriated her anyhow. She didn’t want to spend the night in close
quarters with him. The last time had been a nightmare. She walked a fine line
where Noah was concerned and alone with him all night didn’t sound like the
safest place for her to be. She had proven she had no self-control when it came
to him. If she hadn’t come to her senses when she did last night, she would
have let Noah take her in the rain against a tree and she would have been in
heaven.

But,
the alternative was spending the night alone waiting to see if Carlos would
visit her, and she wasn’t sure she could handle that. Her nerves were shot
after seeing Carlos and the necklace and darn it, she didn’t want to be alone.
As much as she hated to admit it, Noah’s presence comforted her. He made her
feel safe, and right now she needed that security.

To
her surprise, Carlos nodded. “How can I blame you? She is exquisite. You are
too much of a gentleman, Noah. You should have taken her when you had the
chance.”

Noah
cracked a smile and Attie felt its pull deep inside. She rarely witnessed Noah
Kincaid’s smile, since he rarely allowed it, and the force of it was like
sunlight after a storm.

“Little
slow on the draw is all. Lesson learned. May I indulge this one time?”

She
had to give him credit, he knew how to play Carlos. By letting the decision be
his and not offending him or his territory he would probably succeed. Carlos
needed to be in control and if he felt threatened in any way he would lash out,
but Noah handled him like a pro.

Carlos
stroked his jaw. Finally, he nodded. “You can have her tonight. Should be an
interesting night for you. Something tells me she won’t come willingly.”

Noah
and Carlos shared a strictly male moment at her expense and she ached to wipe
the smug grins off both their faces.

Noah
came around the table and took her elbow in a firm grip. He steered her toward
the door with guards in tow. As they were about to leave, Carlos said, “And
Noah?”

They
paused.

“Remember
my generosity in the future.”

Chapter
8

Carlos
watched the couple leave the room, eyes narrowed. Did they believe him a fool?
The man who called himself Noah had no intentions of sleeping with Atalanta. He
was her white knight protecting her.

Interesting
that she had disobeyed his orders. Even more interesting that she seemed
hostile toward this man. Clearly, he was a fellow agent. So what caused the
animosity between them?

Atalanta
was here. Did the rest really matter? Noah’s presence only added to the
excitement of the game by throwing his deceptive little agent off hers. Yes,
Noah’s presence suited him fine. As long as the man kept to himself and didn’t
tread on Carlos’ territory, things would go as planned.

Tonight,
he would monitor them. Find out what role Noah played. See if this was a ruse
or if they were more than teammates. Once he got his answer, he would handle
Noah.

His
dear Atalanta had to be punished for what she’d done. Her betrayal couldn’t go
unpunished. She had played him for a fool and he had no choice but to redeem
himself or lose the respect of those around him. An anonymous tip had put him
on her trail after they destroyed his estate and sent him underground. Juan was
working on finding out who had left the tip, but had come up with nothing.
Carlos didn’t like being in debt to anyone and would find out what game this
mystery man played.

Seeing
her again only made him more intrigued. Why did that small part of him want her
to succeed and become his once and for all? Was it possible he still loved her?
Even after all she’d done to him? He’d tried to tell himself over the months
that she meant nothing to him, that her betrayal far outweighed her deception,
but his heart just wouldn’t jump on board.

She
wasn’t the first to be brought here and put to the test for their deceptions,
but she may be the first to survive the maze. She certainly had the spunk.
Somehow she’d hidden it during her stay with him. His Atalanta was very good at
her job.

He
was anxious to see her in action. To see if she would succeed. The rest of his
life balanced on her success or failure.

Sipping
his wine, Carlos settled into his chair. Soon, the games would begin.

* * * *

The
second the door to his room slid closed, Attie turned on him. She began to
speak, but he held a finger to his lips and shook his head, moving to the lamp
on his nightstand. Attie glared at him but remained silent.

Noah
removed the bugs that had been replaced while he was gone. He found seven this
time and flushed them the same as the last.

Attie
watched in furious silence.

Reentering
the room from the bathroom, he saw Attie slip. She set the first shoe beside
the bed just as calm as you please. Noah paused, eyes narrowed. He didn’t
believe this for a minute. She looked almost…serene.

A
shoe flew past his head and hit the bathroom wall with a thud.

That
was more like it. He wanted her to get it out of her system so they could talk.
There was plenty he needed to know, wanted to know, but there were probably
still bugs in the room that he’d missed and possibly a camera, which meant they
couldn’t talk here.

“You—”
Attie began, but he crossed the room in two strides and drew her into his arms
tight enough to press her face into his shoulder and cut her off.

Lowering
his head, he whispered in her ear, “We can’t talk here. More bugs. Possible
camera. Shower.”

Attie
pulled back to glare at him, shaking her head firmly.

“It’s
the only way,” he whispered.

She
clearly wasn’t happy about it but she knew he was right and stalked into the
bathroom. If Santiago watched he would think he’d been right about Attie not
coming easily.

Noah
followed her into the bathroom and saw her standing inside the shower with the
water on. Fully dressed.

He
hoped there wasn’t a camera in the shower because this would look awfully
suspicious. Or maybe be written off as her being very, very stubborn. That
wouldn’t be too far from the truth.

Slipping
out of his shoes and socks, Noah opened the glass door and stepped inside,
adjusting the water so that it sprayed at his feet instead of his back. Attie
glared at him from the corner of the shower.

“You
don’t get to rescue me, Kincaid. I can take care of myself.”

“Are
you calling me a white knight?” he asked mildly. He knew she wasn’t, but he
wanted her to relax. Tonight was about her. They didn’t know what tomorrow
would bring, so they needed to make the most of now. She’d been thrown for a
loop over the necklace, and though he still didn’t understand it, she needed to
get it out of her mind.

She
crossed her arms over her chest.

“I
didn’t think so.” Serious now, Noah studied her closely and asked, “Are you
okay?”

Attie
wilted in front of him and suddenly he saw the toll this was taking on her. The
bruise on her jaw seemed more pronounced and the circles under her eyes stood
out more against her pale skin. God knew what she must be feeling, seeing
Santiago again. He reached for her.

She
straightened, lifted her chin and held up a hand to stop him. “Please,” she
said. “Don’t. I can’t. Just…don’t. What are we going to do?”

“We
play by Santiago’s rules for now until opportunity arises for us to find
Brendan and get the hell out of here.”

Attie
had begun to shiver. She wrapped her arms around her waist and huddled in the
corner.

“Trade
places with me,” he suggested. “I’m cooking in all these clothes.” He wasn’t,
but he couldn’t tell her that. She’d never agree otherwise.

She
hesitated, searched his face warily, and then nodded.

The
task should have been an easy one, but given his size and the close confines of
the tub it proved to be a difficult maneuver. Especially with Attie trying not
to touch him. They met in the middle, bodies pressed together, and froze at the
same time. He looked down as she looked up, putting their mouths very close
together. Noah stared at the bruise on her jaw, the water drops clinging to her
hair, the tense set of her chin. Without thinking, he lifted a hand and traced
the shadow along her jaw, wishing he could erase it.

“Damn
your temper,” he murmured.

* * * *

Attie
couldn’t move. She felt the spray of warm water on her arm and leg but barely
gave it a thought as Noah’s hand caressed her jaw. The heat of his body warmed
her better than the shower. She could feel every inch of him where he pressed
against her, the mixture of hard planes and thick muscle. His scent filled her
lungs with each breath, creating an answering response in her belly. He was all
male, potent and invasive. He stormed her senses, making her forget what he had
done and why she couldn’t do this.

His
fingers trailed along her neck to rest on her collarbone and she shivered. This
time not because she was cold.

He
wrapped his arms around her and held her close. She shouldn’t allow him to do
it, but he felt too good for her to pull away. Her eyes closed and she let
herself sink into his warmth, momentarily taking what he offered, doing her
best to convince herself she did it for Carlos’s sake in case they were being
watched. She ignored the part of her that knew better.

God
help her, she wanted Noah to make her feel safe and protected. Dangerous? Yes.
Went against everything she prided herself in? Yes. Her independence had always
been important. Making her own way was her top priority. She wasn’t ready to
give that up. Not to this man. Not after what he’d done.

“Why
don’t you finish the shower and then get some rest,” Noah suggested, stroking
her back in a slow caress. “You’re going to need it.”

“But—”

“There’s
nothing we can do tonight, Attie. Take your time.” He let her go and stepped
out of the shower, closing the curtain for her privacy.

More
tired than she thought, she quickly slipped out of her clothes, tossed them out
and let the water wash away her tension. Her weakness with Noah concerned her.
Could she forget the past so easily?

Not
seeing him in six months had kept things in perspective. It had been easy to be
angry at him and harbor those feelings of resentment for what he did, but now,
not so much. In fact, it was getting damn difficult. How did she let go of her
resentment? It was as familiar to her as her own hand and the thought of losing
it made her feel vulnerable and scared.

Attie
scowled. She didn’t like where her thoughts were going. Melodrama wasn’t her
thing. She must be more tired than she thought, which presented problem number
two: one bed. She wouldn’t be able to sleep in the same bed as Noah. For two
reasons. One: the kiss. Two: the nightmares.

Carlos
attacked in the night. In six months she hadn’t had a night when she didn’t
have a nightmare that had her waking up in a cold sweat. She slept with a light
on. The dark terrified her now. Evil things lingered in the dark. She didn’t
want Noah to see her like that. She didn’t let anyone see her like that. Not
even Uncle Jed and Brendan. Noah knew her as an agent and she wanted to keep it
that way. All business. Professional. Just like before.

She
knew, even though she tried to deny it, that it wasn’t going to work. Not after
what they’d shared last night. Nothing was going to be the same again. Too much
lay between them. The past, the present. The kiss.

Attie
sighed and turned off the water. When had this gotten so complicated? It had
never been simple between her and Noah, but this…this tied her in knots. Throw
in Carlos and fear for her brother’s safety and she was borderline certifiable.

Stepping
out of the shower she wrapped in a towel and walked into the bedroom to find
Noah stretched out on the bed, fully clothed, his hands stacked behind his
head. He had changed into a pair of tailored slacks and designer shirt, open at
the neck.

Her
steps faltered. God help her. This wasn’t the man she knew. This was insight
into the man, not the agent. Images of him in their bedroom, lounging in bed in
civilian clothes and waiting for her, wanting her, filled her head. It made her
want things she couldn’t have. Any possibility of a future together had been
destroyed, and they weren’t getting it back.

He
glanced over when she walked in. His eyes did a slow perusal from head to foot
before meeting hers. The heat she saw simmering there made her breath hitch.
Then she remembered they were putting on a show for Carlos’s sake and it cooled
her hormones instantly. How were they going to pull this off? Somehow, they had
to convince Carlos that they were spending the night together. With Noah
stretched out on the bed like that, limiting it to pretend would be difficult.

Stopping
that train of thought before it began, Attie walked to the closet and opened
the doors. She pulled a light blue dress shirt off a hanger and returned to the
bathroom, ignoring Noah’s quirked brow and half smile. The man had a dangerous
smile.

This
was going to be a long night.

* * * *

Attie
wearing nothing but a towel was dangerous to Noah’s peace of mind, but Attie in
a man’s dress shirt was lethal. For the sake of cameras, he allowed his
appraisal to be open and genuine and the flare in her eyes indicated she knew
exactly what he was thinking. But somewhere in the logical part of his
conscience he knew he couldn’t act on the attraction.

He
didn’t know Santiago’s motivation for allowing him to spend the night with
Attie and he wasn’t going to question it, but he would keep his guard up.
Santiago didn’t do anything without purpose.

Attie
slid into bed beside him and surprised the hell out of him when she rolled over
onto his chest and practically draped herself on top of him. Her hands went to
his shoulders and her lips hovered an inch from his.

“Let’s
make this look good,” she whispered, and kissed him just as the lights went
out. Noah barely gave Santiago any thought as he crushed Attie to his chest and
took control of the kiss. He had never known hunger like this. Like diving into
uncharted territory without a swim buddy, with the potential to complicate his
life in ways he wasn’t prepared for.

He
clamped an arm around her waist and laid her more fully on top of him.

Attie
stiffened and pulled away. She was still for a moment and he could hear her
breathing heavily, then she rolled onto her own side of the bed.

“Shows
over,” she said, her voice low and strained.

“Attie—”

“No.
Please. Let’s just go to sleep. I need…sleep.”

She
sounded upset, so he let it drop.

This
was going to be a long night.

* * * *

Long
didn’t even begin to describe it.

Noah
lay on his back, hands stacked under his head for safety reasons, scowling at
the ceiling, which he couldn’t see in the darkness. He had no idea how long
he’d been like this, but definitely too damn long. Attie was wedged up against
him. Sound asleep. He was wide-awake and ready to explode. It had taken her a
long time to fall asleep and he had ended up talking softly to her in the dark,
telling her stories of his childhood with Camron and how they used to get into
trouble together.