The Reckoning (19 page)

The silhouette of a large man walking toward them made the professor put the gun behind his back. He whispered. “If you scream, I’ll kill him to.”

Elizabeth
couldn’t speak. Tears ran down her face. She nodded her understanding.

“
Elizabeth
, where the hell have you been?”

Oh god no
. The one man that she’d wanted to protect stood only a few feet away and was headed right toward her. How had he found her? She wasn’t wearing the damn watch. A shiver ran down her spine. She’d just got her sister out of the situation. How in the hell was she going to get Mike to leave?

The professor whispered, “Get rid of him, or he dies with you.” The professor gave her a little shove. “Detective, we’re a little busy here. Elizabeth and I are making plans.”

Elizabeth
took slow calculated steps toward Mike and steeled her voice. “He’s right, Mike. We’re leaving together. I realized that I love him and he’s the key to my happiness.”

Mike’s jaw twitched as he ran a hand through his hair.
Elizabeth
stepped up to him. Mike lifted his palms to her waist. “I’m afraid that’s going to be impossible, Doc.” Mike grabbed
Elizabeth
’s hand and penetrated the professor with his glare. “She’s mine, and I love her.”

Mike pushed
Elizabeth
behind him, standing between her and the psycho. Mike voice tightened as he spoke. “I always protect what’s mine. You’re going to have to go through me, if you want her.”

Elizabeth
whispered, “No, Mike. I can’t let you do this.”
Elizabeth
squeezed his arm. “That’s why I left. I can’t let you get hurt. Please go.”
Elizabeth
’s heart sank. She knew the only way to get Mike to leave, and it was going to kill her. “I don’t love you.”

Elizabeth
stepped around Mike and said it louder. “I don’t love you.”

The professor laughed. “How touching. You can join her in hell when I’m finished with her.” He raised the gun and pulled the trigger.

 
Elizabeth
screamed and tried to catch Mike as he fell. The impact of the bullet knocked his body backward. His body, impossibly big, was too much, dragging her to her knees. Tears streamed down her face. More shots rang out in the distance, and
Elizabeth
leaned over Mike, covering his body. If only one bullet hit him she might be able to save him. Several bullets and she didn’t stand a chance. This man was not dying here, not because of her. Jake, Butch, and Gracie came running out of the woods; each had their guns drawn.
Elizabeth
glanced over to where the professor had once stood. He now lay in a crumpled heap on the ground, blood pooling around his body. Jake kicked the gun that lay beside the professor out of his reach before leaning down to check his pulse. He glanced at
Elizabeth
, his jaw drawn tight. “He’s dead.”

Relief at being free would have to wait. Mike needed her, and she refused to be the reason that he died. “Call an ambulance!” she shouted.

She reached up and tore his shirt in half. Buttons flew everywhere in her haste to examine the wound. Time wasn’t on her side, and she knew it. She didn’t have her bag with her and no way of helping him, but she wasn’t going to let that stop her.

Mike lifted his hand over hers and stilled her progress. “If you wanted me undressed, Doc, all you had to do was say so. Although I kind of like you tearing at my clothes.”

Elizabeth
pushed the cotton material aside. The black vest secured around his chest, mocked her. In it lodged above his heart lay a single silver bullet. The vest protected the same heart that loved her. “How did you know?”

Mike sat up and lifted a hand to wipe the tears spilling down her cheeks. “
Lydia
told me where you were, and Jake here made me wear the vest.”

Mike leaned forward and smashed his lips to hers. She’d thought she was going to have a heart attack when he’d been shot. She owed both Jake and
Lydia
for keeping him as safe as they could, knowing his stubbornness ruled his every action
. He came after me.
Mike angled his head, deepening the kiss. A kiss that held new meaning, a promise of things to come. He pulled away but left his forehead leaning on hers. “I meant what I said, Doc. I love you.”

Elizabeth
rose to her knees and straddled his lap. She placed her palms on his face. “If you ever do anything so stupid again...”

Mike put his lips to hers again, silencing her. 

Someone cleared their throat. “You know, that doesn’t always shut us up, it just delays the inevitable.”

Mike pulled away and glared at his sister and the redhead standing next to her. The redhead smiled. “You must be Mike, my brother.”

Mike’s mouth dropped open.
Elizabeth
bet that Mike hadn’t been planning on meeting his half-sister like this; not under these circumstances. 

Mike nodded. “
Thank you
,
Lydia
. If it hadn’t been for you, I wouldn’t have found her in time.”

Lydia
nodded back. “Had I known that you wouldn’t, I would have never have given her my keys. She needed to save her sister, and I couldn’t take that away from her.”

Lydia
stumbled, and Abby caught her by the elbow. “Whoa there, let’s get you back in the car.”

Elizabeth
pushed herself up and walked over to
Lydia
. “What’s the Matter? Are you hurt?”

Lydia
’s cheeks turned a slight shade of pink. “No, nothing that can’t be fixed.”

Lydia
turned and started walking to her car. She called over her shoulder, “You shouldn’t leave the keys in the car. One day it might get stolen.” A big smile crossed her lips. “I’ll see you later back at Claire’s.”

“Wait. How did she know?” Mike asked.

Elizabeth
reached down and offered Mike her hand. “I’ll explain everything later, but I think you and I need to talk. Can you drive me home?”

Mike pushed the shirt from his shoulders and pulled the Velcro on the vest, unfastening it from around his body.

Elizabeth
walked over to Gracie and threw her arms around her. “That was stupid.”

Gracie laid her head down on her shoulder and put her arms around her sister. “I know. I thought I could handle it, that I could get him to move his fixation to me.”

Elizabeth
leaned back and held Gracie by the arms. “Please don’t ever do anything like that again. I thought he was going to kill you.”

An unshed tear escaped her lids. “I’m sorry.”

Elizabeth
pulled her in for another hug. Her sister had good intentions, but those intentions sometime lead her astray. The thought of losing her sister to the same psycho who’d been after her for two years made
Elizabeth
shiver. She glanced back over at the dead body, thankful he wouldn’t be able to threaten anyone else she loved. “Why don’t you go back to my house and get cleaned up?”

Gracie nodded and walked over to her car.
Elizabeth
watched as her baby sister pulled out of the parking lot. The relief finally setting in,
Elizabeth
let out a breath.

Mike walked up behind her and put his arms around her waist. He kissed her neck. “You’ve got some explaining to do.”

Mike took
Elizabeth
’s hand, entwining his fingers with hers and started walking down the concrete sidewalk.

 
CHAPTER 16

Mike searched his brain for the last time he’d been so scared and came up short. All of his years on the job, and he couldn’t remember one time that he’d panicked and almost let his emotions control the situation.  His heart had almost quit beating when he’d seen the professor’s hands on
Elizabeth
. The professor was fixated on
Elizabeth
. He’d watched as
Elizabeth
stepped in front of the gun and told her sister to run. The damn woman had been close to getting herself killed. Mike glanced over at the woman in the passenger seat and said a silent thanks that everything had turned out all right.

Elizabeth
turned in her seat. “What about his body? Don’t we need to call the police?”

Mike took her hand and brought it to his lips. “Jake and Butch will handle everything.” He kissed her palm once more. “He won’t ever bother you again, baby.”

Elizabeth
let her body sink into the leather seat. “It’s finally over.”

“You almost got yourself killed. Why did you run?”

Elizabeth
glanced down at her lap before raising her gaze up to him. She cleared her throat. “I didn’t want you to get hurt.”

Mike leaned back in his seat and grunted. “Baby, that’s part of my job.”

Elizabeth
lifted her chin. “It doesn’t make it right. You wouldn’t have even been in danger if it weren’t for me.”

Mike pulled the SUV into his drive and climbed out, walking around toward
Elizabeth
’s door. He opened it and held out a hand. She clasped her fingers around his and let him help her from the car.

“Mike, I need to go home. My sister is waiting on me.”

“She’s going to have to wait a little longer, baby.”

Mike turned the key and opened the door.
Elizabeth
followed behind him. He turned on the alarm and turned to her. “I need you.”

He swept her up into his arms and kissed her neck as he carried her down the hall. “God, Doc, I thought I lost you.”

Mike kicked the door closed to his room and walked into the bathroom. “You smell like him.”

He reached down and turned on the water; straightening, he turned to her and cupped her face. “Tell me now if you don’t want this.”

Elizabeth
shook her head, but remained silent. Mike slowly unbuttoned her shirt and swept it off her arms, letting it fall to the ground. He leaned down and pressed his lips to the swells of her breasts that overflowed from her bra. He needed her. His desire so overwhelming he couldn’t stop. He wasn’t letting her run again, not after tonight.

Her hands reached up and rubbed over the muscles of his chest. Her hands alone could do him in.

Mike’s lips met hers.
Elizabeth
opened willingly.

He reached down and un-did the button and zipper of her jeans, sliding his fingers under the waistband to drag them down as he lowered. He stood back up. He undid his own jeans and let them fall to the ground, stepping out of them. He was hard as a rock. The need to be inside her was his only thought.

She lifted her hand to circle his cock, and he grabbed her wrist. “No, baby, not yet. I’ll explode if you touch me.”

The passion reflecting in
Elizabeth
’s eyes almost did him in. His lack of control around
Elizabeth
astonished him. He had to have her. He needed her, but he’d pulled back. Taking care of her would always be his top priority.

Mike pulled the shower curtain aside and held out his hand for
Elizabeth
. He climbed in behind her and pulled her back against his chest. “Let me take care of you, baby.” Mike took the showerhead down and rinsed her hair and drenched her body with water. He ran his fingers through her hair while he washed and conditioned it and continued massaging her scalp when he heard a moan escape her lips.

He rinsed her hair. He grabbed the soap and washcloth, rubbing them together. Before he placed it against her body, washing every naked square inch driving up her need as much as his own. He laid the cloth down. Her back still against him, he pulled her closer. His cock nestled between her creamy thighs. He rubbed his hands up her stomach to her breasts, taking the globes into his hands. He lifted the weight in his palms. He let his fingers circle the areolas, pulling and tugging at the little buds.

“I need more.”

Mike placed tiny kisses down her neck and whispered in her ear, “Patience, baby.”

Mike’s hand slid over the curves of her stomach and through the mass of her drenched curls, seeking the place that would send her over the top. He ran his finger over her slit. The easy slide of his fingers telling him she was ready. She wanted him, and stopping wasn’t an option for either of them.

“Quit teasing me.”

Mike slid one long finger into her. “Is that what you want, baby?”

He pressed a second one into her hot little tunnel, sliding them both in and out. His thumb circled and pressed on her bundle of nerves driving up her need. She closed her eyes.