Winters Heat (Titan) (9 page)

Mia’s jaw fell wide open. Ding, ding, ding. That was what he wanted to see. Mia was dumbstruck—and pretty as hell—but with nothing sassy to say. One of his prouder moments of the day.

Still, his gut churned, anxious over his revelations. He was stupid to say this much. Yet, somehow he needed her validation. He cast a glance her way, hoping for her reaction to justify his trust.

“I didn’t know.” Mia shifted on the vinyl car seat, crossing her ankles, and crunching an empty fast food wrapper.

“Why would you know?”

“You don’t seem like the fatherly type.”

“I bet I don’t seem like a lot of things.”

She gaped. Score one for Team Winters. He couldn’t shake his grin. Hell, if he’d known he could smile this much. His cheeks hurt. They were possibly the only muscle he didn’t work out on the regular.

“And the baby’s mother is?”

“It’s complicated.” The answer was an automatic defense mechanism. His mouth again spoke before his mind gave it the okay to proceed. His attitude was meant to protect his baby but served only to deflate Mia.

She sat still, hands folded in her lap, awaiting a simple explanation. Her therapist brain must’ve been in psychoanalytic overdrive. Simple was the furthest thing from the truth. He was already facing deep waters. Time to swan dive. “My line of work leads me straight to hell on a better than average day.”

Mia watched him in the dark car. He changed lanes needlessly, rubbing the back of his neck, then checked all his mirrors again, adjusting the rearview even though it was fine. Nerves punched, and he thought about backpedaling. “I like to keep my private life private.”

She still didn’t say anything. Must’ve been the therapist in her working him over. And, boy, she was good. He could barely keep the story contained. He fidgeted with the temperature controls and scanned the radio stations. Nothing but static.
Stupid mountains
. Mia remained quiet, and he couldn’t find anything to do other than recount the story. Ears over asshole, Winters dove into the truth.

“We busted up a very bad situation. Human traffickers, sex trade fuckers. There weren’t a lot of girls we could save, but we got some safe, back to the States. Everyone picked up new identities. Except one lady. A girl, in all honesty. She wouldn’t. Her name was Vanessa, and she was a beauty queen look-alike with a brass set of— She was a tough one. Kind of like you.” He paused, pissed his mouth ran off again before the brain gave a thumbs-up. “Anyway, she wasn’t going to give up her life. College. Friends. Though she had no family to speak of. Little did I know, she was pregnant. No idea who the father was. They did bad things to her.”

“That’s horrible.” Mia was a thousand notches quieter than when she doled out her quips.

“Vanessa went back to college in Cali, and that was the last time I heard from her. A few months later, California Child Protective Services showed up on my doorstep, newborn and diaper bag in tow. Vanessa died
mysteriously
. She apparently listed me as the father. And in her will, she left a key to a safety deposit box.”

Mia didn’t say a word. He wasn’t even sure she was breathing.

“You tell me how many college girls write out a will. None. She knew those fuckers tracked her. She knew if anything happened to her that baby would be safe with me. I found a note in the safety deposit box explaining everything to me. So that’s who I love. My mom and my daughter.”

Static played on the radio. He didn’t make a move to change the dial, concentrating on the road. It was the first time he told the story to a stranger. Right now, she was anything but. Anxiety gave way to relief. Somehow, he was content in his decision to enlighten Mia.

She slid both her warm hands over his nearest forearm. His skin tingled and the rush carried into his chest.

“Colby, I was way off base. I’m sorry.”

“There’s no way you’d know. Anyway, Clara’s single-digits months old. She’s my world. And I’m lucky to have my mom and trustworthy peeps around. That trust now extends to you. It’s better you know anyway.”

“Why’s that?”

He’d have to clue her in to his op plan eventually. What a plan…if it could be called that.

“’Cause I’m bringing you to my place until we figure out what the hell is going on. It’d be a shade past awkward if I roll up, and all of the sudden, you have to hang with my family.”

“We’re going to your home?” Her fingers clenched, her nails biting into him.

He ignored her reaction and smiled in the dark. “It’s the safest place I know. I have to stash us off the grid. I’ve never brought anyone there before, other than family and the team, so this is an adventure for both of us.”

***

If Mia had guessed what type of person Colby was, she would’ve been wrong. If she guessed what would transpire after deciding to get that disk in Kentucky and go for a cross-country ride with him, she’d have been wrong on that account also. No, actually, she’d have been dead.

They barreled down the highway, on the way to his home. To his
family
. She shook off a shudder. No one would describe her as family oriented. Family conjured up the worst memories, and even in her therapy practice, she held her nose when discussing it. What kind of psychologist did that make her? Not one worthy of the distinctions she somehow pulled off.

Then again, her family wasn’t on the agenda. He wasn’t trying to enmesh her into his, nor was he
taking her home
. He was keeping her safe. Keeping her alive. Right about now, that was worthy of a champagne toast and kiss on the lips. Or cheeks. Cheeks would be safer around him.

Exhaustion clouded her mind, but still, she studied him, thinking of their kisses. He concentrated on the dark highway, only the dashboard lights illuminating the chiseled hardness in his jaw. It looked more than capable of taking a punch. He was none the worse from earlier. And those lips. They promised to keep her safe. The whole act was… attractive. In an evolutionary sense. Women were attracted to alpha males for biologic reasons.

Besides, he wasn’t her type. Safe and stable worked just fine. Though his callous, foreboding act was interesting. She’d give him that. Add that to his impermeable wall breaking down, well, it made her want to curl up in his arms.
This is insane
. But psychologically speaking, her reaction made sense.

Dang his bad boy charm.

Heat crawled up her neck, and her nipples tightened. What she wouldn’t do to feel his kiss again. She brushed her fingers over her mouth. It tingled with his memory. The adrenaline had disappeared, but the desire stayed alive. Too bad he wouldn’t kiss her like that again. Men like him used women to expend energy. The action was gone, and his interest in her morphed into the sexual equivalent of oatmeal. Tasteless, colorless, and only appetizing if starving. With that understanding, her want froze and eyes sealed tight against the sight of him in the dim dashboard light.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Each s-turn on the sharp mountains road swayed Mia into her seatbelt. Her head bumped the window, waking her. With a sleepy yawn, she rubbed her eyes and fingered her knotted hair. He’d been watching her for hours, just as long as he’d observed the passing white lines speed by in a blur.

Damn if she wasn’t something to stare at, even in the dark, and she made cute noises in her sleep. Precious breaths and sleep-drenched murmurs. He’d remember those long after this op was over.

He had fidgeted with the temperature gauge, not wanting her to be too cold. He kept the radio quiet, just loud enough so he could hear it and stay awake, or to distract his mind from her. Whatever. It didn’t help.

“What time is it?” Her slumber-soaked question didn’t sound rested. It was the same tired keel as before she passed out. Mia needed real food and real sleep. She needed to get away from this road trip from hell. His on-the-job lifestyle was pragmatic. Sleep when necessary, and down gas station purchased protein bars and Dots. The Dots alone could suffice him, and sleep was overrated. But Mia needed more. Hell, she deserved better.

“Colby? Is that clock right?” They’d be much closer to their destination if that console timepiece was anywhere near correct.

He checked his wristwatch. “Nope. We should be further along, but with our adventure at the gas station, we lost major time.” He paused. “So I’ve been thinking, you handled yourself well today. Not many people have your aplomb.”

“Aplomb?” She asked in a deadpan voice.

“Oh, big word. Didn’t think I had a brainy side, huh, doll?”

“I’m sure you do.”

“That’s all right. You just think of me as all brawn, saving that cute ass of yours from thugs. What was it, once, twice? After the airport. A shootout at the motel. I’ll be your hero.” He nudged her shoulder, anything to touch her again. “If that’s how you see me.”

“Well, don’t forget the gas station.” She bumped her shoulder back against him. “I’ve had a very tough day. The least you can do is remember
all
my near death experiences.”

“Of course. It slipped my mind.” He nudged her for a second time. Christ, what was this? A grade school playground? Should he pull her hair next? He laughed, his smile teasing. “Let me get this right. Not many people are kidnapped, gassed, shot at, and grabbed. Basically, rescued over and over.”

He winked at her through the darkness.

“Yeah, my day sucked. But it’s a typical nine-to-five for you?”

This drive flew by when she was awake. Hell, it did the same when she slept. He’d never had an entertaining operational road trip. Nor had he ever shared. Fessing about his daughter was mindboggling. He never admired a victim before either. She handled it all, airport to gas station, unlike a wimped-out casualty.

“I think you’re strong, Mia. Way stronger than I gave you credit for at the airport, when you looked all librarian-like.” He waited, knowing there was more to be said, and it would kill the mood. One knuckle at a time, he made them crack, then shifted in his seat.

“What aren’t you telling me?”

How did she read his mind? “Why do you think I’m keeping something from you?”

She faced him, but he kept his eyes on the broken white lines. “You know guns, and I know body language. Spit it out, big boy.”

He checked the rearview mirror again.

“Colby.”

“All right, I’ll level with you.” She was a mind reader of sorts. That could pose probs. “We’re in the middle of nowhere, and there isn’t another town for a hundred miles. Only truck stops and motels line this highway.”

“Stop with the tour guide routine. You aren’t telling me anything I haven’t noticed. I thought I was full of aplomb and stuff like that. Please, go on. Tell me.”

He needed more time to feel her out. But if she thought she could handle it…he guessed he agreed. Fine. Whatever. He’d give it to her straight.

“We picked up another tail a while back. I’m surprised it took them this long to find us, but they did. And so this is what we’ve got to deal with now.”

She didn’t check the side view mirror. Smart girl. Nor did she panic. Her breathing didn’t change, and as best he could tell, she remained calm.

“Why didn’t you just tell me that?”

“I didn’t want you plastered to the windows like I promised you Gucci was falling from the sky. If you did that, you might as well have hung a sign up that said
we see you
.”

“I’m the Gucci type?”

“You’re a woman. I don’t know.” He shrugged.

“Typical.” She laughed. “You should have said don’t look, but we’ve got a situation.”

“Put your shrink hat on. You still think that’s what would have happened?”

She shook her head. “No. I would have checked.”

“That was my dilemma. Though you weren’t a problem.” He snuck a glance at her. Picture perfect composure. “I’d run them off the road, but these dog-leg turns are tricky, and you’re in the car. So we don’t out run ‘em. We draw them out and eliminate the problem.”

“Eliminate the problem?”

Winters tilted his head. Spelling it out wasn’t going to happen. She could use her imagination if she needed further clarification.

“Extrapolate, Mia.” He massaged his neck, pushing away tension. “They’ve sped past us, dropped back, and paced us, maintaining a variable visual since we crossed the state line. Next time they drop back, I’ll pull into a truck stop. They’ll find us. Guaranteed. I’ll deal with the situation, and we’ll hit the road again. Sound like a plan?”

She jutted her chin up. “Whatever you need me to do, I’ll handle fine. I’m not helpless.”

“I noticed that about fifteen hours ago.”

He reached over to put his hand over hers, interlacing their fingers. Tingles skipped up his arm. He hadn’t pulled a move like that since he got a set of wheels in high school. His end goal had been trying to nail some action. Her hand squeezed his, cascading another rush of sensation along his skin. Maybe his goals hadn’t changed that much, but it felt a little bizarre. Less about the end goal and more about the moment. Or some shit like that.

Mia turned in her seat, still keeping her hand in his. “You’re so casual.”