Читать книгу Traitorous Attraction - C.J. Miller - Страница 14

Chapter 3

Connor knelt and dug through his bag. Removing a knife in a sheath, he slid it into the pocket of his pants.

A knife? “How did you get that on the plane?” Kate asked.

“Greased a few palms,” he said.

Unbelievable. He was full of surprises.

“No time to change now. You’ll have to change in the taxi,” Connor said, lifting his hand to hail a cab. When one stopped, he practically lifted Kate inside. He climbed in after her and barked the name of the closest city to the airport in perfect Portuguese with a hint of a Tumaran accent. The driver didn’t turn around to look at them, just jammed the gas and pulled away from the airport.

“Are we being followed?” Kate asked, turning to look out the back window and searching for any cars that were too close. In the distance, she could see el presidente’s palace set high on a hill overlooking the city. The white and gold of the building reflected the sun in a blinding glare.

“I’m not sure yet,” Connor said in Portuguese. He withdrew a pair of jeans and a white T-shirt from his backpack. “Take off your clothes and put this on.”

That earned a glance in the rearview mirror from the driver.

“Now? In a cab?” Kate asked. The road was congested with cars and trucks filled with people in plain view. Connor expected her to strip?

“Yes. Now.”

Kate watched to see if he would break into a grin. Was he joking around with her? If he was, she didn’t find him funny.

She had been careful about what she wore and, although Sphere had tracking devices as thin as thread that could be sewn into clothing, she gave it a low probability that she was being tracked. She’d buy other clothes when she could find a shop. Couldn’t it wait?

“I don’t want to be followed again,” Connor said.

“That wasn’t my fault,” Kate said. “We used your arrangements to get here. If you’re giving out blame, take some for yourself.”

Connor tossed the clothes at her. “Change. This isn’t a negotiation. I don’t see anyone on our tail and I’d like to keep it that way.”

She didn’t like being ordered around. But if he was right about Sphere tracking her, she couldn’t behave foolishly. Were they far behind them? The large white T-shirt and sturdy jeans didn’t leave her many options for modesty. She draped the white shirt over her lap and struggled out of her own.

Connor turned away. At least he was giving her what privacy was available in the backseat of a cab. His shoulders shook, making an effort to hide that he was laughing. Though he couldn’t see her, she glared at him. “What is so funny about this?”

“You. You’re what’s funny. I don’t appreciate the company, but I do appreciate the humor you bring to the situation.”

“I’m glad you’re entertained,” she muttered. Kate fought to pull the white shirt over her head without flashing Connor and the cabdriver. “I am trying not to get arrested for exposing myself.”

“Relax. You’re fine. Based on what we have planned, you should get used to me seeing you naked.”

Both her and the driver’s reactions were the same. Wide eyes, open mouths followed by an attempt to hide their shock. “Why do you do that?” she asked, getting the shirt on and pulling it as low as possible over her legs. At least Connor was tall and his shirt covered her to midthigh.

“Do what?” he asked.

“You say really rude, off-the-wall things. It’s like you’re trying to make me nervous or get a reaction out of me.”

“I’m not trying to do anything. This is who I am.” He turned and looked at her point-blank.

Was he waiting for her to remove her pants? She felt the challenge in his stare. If she was venturing out into the jungle with him, he would see her change clothes, assuming she managed to acquire more. Was this another test? To see if she had the nerve? She unfastened her pants and slid them down her legs. Heat flamed up her cheeks. She would prove she was capable of doing whatever came at her on this mission.

“All your clothes, Kate.”

Meaning her underwear, as well. Her mother had raised her to be a lady and that included wearing the appropriate undergarments. Even her sister, Elise, the A-list movie star, was known around Hollywood for her modesty and relatively conservative dress.

Kate strove for indifference. Her attempt was hindered by the look in Connor’s eyes. It wasn’t indifference written on his face. It was interest. His gaze trekked down her legs to her toes and back up again. By that time, she had removed her underwear and was pulling on his jeans. Kate pinched the waist. How would she get them to stay on? “Happy now?”

“Immensely. You have nice legs and it’s less likely we’ll be followed.”

His compliment both pleased and annoyed her. Most of the time, she downplayed her looks in an attempt to force the people around her to notice she was smart. Men found her attractive, but she wanted to be known as the smart girl, the resourceful one...not the hot one. Kate didn’t use her looks to get what she wanted. At least, not often and never when she was working. “I stay in shape.” She worked out at the gym before work two or three times a week and had for years.

“I can see that.”

His clothes smelled of him. Being in the small taxi, it was impossible to escape him or to ignore her attraction to him. He was Aiden’s brother, he was emotionally unavailable and he was dangerous. Though he didn’t make her feel threatened, he was a trained assassin. Such rationalizations didn’t destroy her attraction to him. Perhaps stress was making her crazy. “How do you suggest I keep the pants up?” Especially because she wasn’t wearing anything beneath them, she hated how they gapped.

Connor reached into his bag and withdrew a long piece of rope and pulled his knife from his pocket. He leaned across the seat and wrapped the rope around her waist. His hands slid around her back, guiding the rope through the belt loops. Where his hands brushed her bare skin, heat flared across her body. He cut the rope and then knotted it. The result was a belt she could tighten and loosen.

“Thank you,” she said and adjusted the rope.

“You’re welcome.”

Just when she thought she could use his rude behavior to demolish the crush she had on him, he did something kind. He was looking out for her. She didn’t appreciate how he spoke to her at times, but he was doing what he knew to keep her safe, and that counted for something.

Kate rolled the legs of the pants and sleeves of the shirt. At Connor’s pointed look, she removed her bra from under the shirt and pulled it out through the shirt’s sleeve. Being naked beneath ill-fitting clothes was not a feeling she enjoyed. She was far, far outside her comfort zone.

“What about my shoes?” she asked, meaning the question to be sarcastic and then regretting it because Connor might tell her to get rid of them, too.

“Keep them. It will be too hard to find replacements and you can’t run if you can hardly walk.”

She looked ridiculous in the oversize clothes, but it would have to do until she could get her hands on other clothes. When their car drew to a stop at a traffic light, Connor jumped out, jogged to a nearby trash can and shoved in her outfit. Getting back into the cab, he didn’t apologize. “If they’re tracking you by your clothes, best if they don’t know where we’re going.”

Her superiors at Sphere knew she believed Aiden was alive. She hadn’t shared the specifics her contact had told her, not wanting to endanger Marcus or his job. Sphere hadn’t pressed her for information. Now she wondered if they’d already known Aiden was being held by the Armed Revolutionaries. They’d gone to the effort to stop her and yet they hadn’t used those same resources to rescue Aiden. Curious. “They may know where we’re going. They could have the same intel,” she said.

Connor stabbed a hand through his hair. “Then we’ve got to get to Aiden first.”

“You know what the worst part about this is? To put this effort into tracking me when they could have put that same effort into finding Aiden.”

Connor snorted. “Whatever their agenda, it involves Aiden not being found. Tell me what else you know about my brother.”

A challenge. Kate wanted his trust. To get it, she would have to tell him what she could and trust in return that he wouldn’t ditch her.

* * *

Kate took a deep breath and switched to Italian. Smart. The driver wouldn’t likely speak the language and Connor did. “Your brother was hunting members of the Armed Revolution, trying to capture key players and to prevent a large-scale insurgency against the Tumaran government. His last verbal check-in was at a bar in Mangrove.”

Connor wasn’t familiar with either location. “What’s the population of Mangrove?”

“Hard to say. It’s a rural town in the middle of the jungle. Ballpark, maybe two hundred people.”

Depending on how friendly the residents of the town were with each other, gossip could spread quickly. They might find someone who remembered his brother and who could clue them in to the last moments before he disappeared. “Which bar? Do you have more details?” Connor wanted every piece of information that could lead to his brother. Connor looked around them. Traffic was tight and they could be boxed in. He wanted to be able to get out of the car and flee. He liked having options in case they needed to escape.

Kate shook her head. “I don’t know much about the bar. I wasn’t on shift when he disappeared. I don’t have access to the raw recording of that final conversation. If he named the bar, it wasn’t in the transcript I read. After I told my superiors about my belief that Aiden is alive, they revoked my security privileges on the files pertaining to that mission.”

Sphere was hiding something from her, but they were always hiding something. As the cab lurched forward, Connor felt his edginess move up a notch. He wanted to get to his brother quickly. “How many bars can there be in Mangrove? A town with two hundred people may only have one or two.”

Connor had considered the terrain, wildlife, weather and disease-carrying insects that they might encounter in Tumara before they’d left the States. “Do you have experience navigating in the jungle?” He guessed her answer was no.

“I’ve studied the region extensively. I can identify the types of vegetation we might encounter, those that are safe to eat and those that are poisonous. I know the—”

She’d done research. That wouldn’t cut it. “Actual experience, meaning, have you been to this jungle or any other?” Knowledge of an area was good. Being able to survive in the elements was better.

Kate lifted her chin proudly. “Don’t discount my knowledge, but no, I have not spent time in the jungle.”

“This is our stop,” Connor said to the driver. He tossed some cash over the seat and climbed out.

Kate scrambled out of the taxi and followed him. “Where are you going? Are you ditching me just because I don’t have experience?”

“I’m not ditching you. If I were, I would tell you first and then disappear. We need to change taxis. The driver’s already heard too much. We didn’t start speaking in Italian until later.”

His clothes hung on her, far too large for her thin frame. Baggy wasn’t a look he usually liked on a woman, but Kate wearing his clothes did something for him. It had been too long since he’d looked at and enjoyed a sexy woman. Kate fit the bill of sexy. Add to it smart and courageous, and it was hard not to admire the whole package.

A package that belonged to his brother and that was the rub. Why else would Kate insist on coming along? Connor would make another attempt to dissuade her from traveling with him into the jungle. He didn’t want to see his brother’s lover killed. “You should let me handle this. Aiden is my brother and I won’t give up looking for him. When I bring him back to the United States, the two of you can have a glorious reunion.” When he thought of her in Aiden’s arms, it bothered him more than it should. Aiden deserved happiness, and a woman like Kate—beautiful, smart and caring—could give it to him.

Kate threw up her hands. “You can stop playing that same, sad song. I’m not turning around and going home. I’m not leaving you alone to venture into the jungle. What if something happens to you? Who would know? I would never forgive myself for bringing you this far and then abandoning you.”

She was concerned about him. What about her job, her future and her life? She had obliterated her chances of returning to Sphere when she’d run from the agents at the airport. If she was involved with Aiden and Sphere knew about it, her position might have been tenuous anyway. A carefully constructed lie might save her—like claiming Connor had forced her to come along—but that was dicey. Sphere had zero tolerance for disobedience. “Most missions I’ve worked, I’ve worked them alone. You are not responsible for me or my decisions. You could return to the U.S. and your job. Tell them I forced you to help me. Say what you can to save your career.”

Kate’s mouth dropped open. “We’ve been over this. I can help you. I won’t lie to save my job at the risk of hurting someone else.”

Noble, but foolish. It was her funeral. He’d given her opportunities to change her mind. Connor could handle this alone. If she wanted to risk her life, so be it.

* * *

They found another cab, and Connor and Kate climbed inside. Connor had been walking as if his soles were on fire, and she was glad to sit again. Not that she’d utter one word of complaint. Hiking in the jungle would be more difficult and she was up to the task. Letting on she might not be able to keep up with him was unacceptable.

“Mangrove,” Connor instructed as the driver pulled away from the curb.

The driver hit the brakes, almost tossing her and Connor into the backs of the front seats. Only Connor’s hand across her chest stopped her from hitting her head. Between his arm and her bare skin was a thin layer of cotton. Her body responded and her breasts felt heavier and achy.

“No way, man. I don’t drive there,” the driver said.

Kate moved out of Connor’s reach. Was the driver refusing because of the distance or the location itself? Kate had read towns in the jungle could be lawless, and in the current political environment, with Bruno Feliz and the Armed Revolutionaries working to overthrow the government, jungle towns were havens for the AR, and skirmishes between the two sides broke out occasionally.

“That place is trouble, man. If you’re looking for sights to see, I’ll take you somewhere better. Cleaner. Safer for tourists. No cabbie in his right mind will drive you into the jungle. Not anymore.”

They didn’t want somewhere better or cleaner or safer. They wanted to follow in Aiden’s footsteps and find him.

Connor thanked their driver and they got out of the cab. They went through five more drivers and had to promise a hefty tip to convince someone to take them to Rosario, the jungle border town nearest to Mangrove. From there, the driver told them they could take a bus to Mangrove that would leave the next day.

It took thirty-five minutes to reach Rosario. As they drove, the landscape changed. Streets became less crowded, fewer cars were on the road, and houses and buildings became more run-down. Spray paint tagged the area as belonging to one gang or another. Few legitimate establishments operated from Rosario. The local economy was driven by gangs pushing drugs, prostitution and the sale of illegal goods. The gangs competed violently for turf, resources and money. The two most active gangs were the Snake Slayers, identifiable by the snake tattoos that covered their right arms, and the Blue Devils, who wore their group color prominently. Neither was directly tied to the AR, but Kate guessed there was some overlap in membership.

The cabdriver looked nervous as he let them out of the car. Connor paid him his fare and the sizable tip. The driver turned his car around in less than ten seconds, tires spinning in the dirt street and kicking up dust. Kate pasted on a look of what she hoped was confidence. With Connor at her side, she wasn’t as likely to be mugged, but she made him more of a mark. Her clothing brought stares, which she ignored.

“Gangs are active in this area. Be careful looking at anyone the wrong way,” Kate said.

“I’ll be careful,” Connor said, sounding unworried. “Tell me what you know about this town.” Connor was earning long looks from women who passed him on the street and—unlike the ones she was receiving, thanks to her ridiculous, ill-fitting outfit—they weren’t looks of disdain. Connor stood out as a foreigner and as a man. He was throwing off an approach-if-you-dare vibe, which both put people off and drew their attention.

“We need to locate the bus depot and find out when the next trip to Mangrove is scheduled.” Two women passed and gave Connor matching long, beckoning looks. He appeared unfazed and Kate was insulted. What if she were Connor’s wife? Didn’t she deserve some respect and not the open ogling these women were engaged in? “We also need a place to stay for the night. Based on what I can see, you’ll have your choice of beds,” Kate said.

Connor laughed. “You almost sound jealous.”

Not jealous. Justifiably insulted. “It’s not jealousy you hear in my voice. It’s disgust.”

Connor adjusted his backpack on his shoulders. “I’m not looking for a woman to warm my sheets. Places like this always have rooms for rent. We’ll pick the least dicey place we can find.”

Kate hid her revulsion. Least dicey place was still likely a downright dirty place to sleep. This town wouldn’t have chain hotels, just one-room rentals by the hour and by the night trafficked primarily by prostitutes. Though they could try to find transportation to take them elsewhere, they’d have similar options at any nearby town. Jungle border towns were notoriously dangerous, run-down and lawless.

“What’s the matter? You look mad,” Connor said.

“You’re not good at reading me. This isn’t mad. This is worry about contracting a disease from one of these places and concern that I won’t find a decent change of clothes.”

Connor patted her shoulder in a friendly gesture that bothered her. “I won’t let you contract a disease, and we’ll find you something that fits and some supplies.” He was treating her like one of the guys, which was a position she usually preferred to be in around the office and while working a mission. With Connor, it bothered her.

Despite her reservations, Connor had an easy time locating a place to stay. He knew where to look and how to negotiate on a price. If she were alone, Kate wouldn’t have known how to find a room to rent and would likely have had to sleep outside.

Their rented room was situated above a liquor store and was accessible from the back of the building via a splintering, wooden staircase. Based on the clientele and the women loitering around the entrance to the store, Kate guessed liquor wasn’t all they sold. Their room was in the middle of two others. It didn’t have working air-conditioning, but it did have a window fan, and with the lights off and the fan on the highest setting, the heat wasn’t suffocating. The wood-paneled walls were outdated and the vinyl yellow floor worn with age. The tiny bathroom had a shower that would be a tight fit for her. Connor might need to hang a leg out of it while showering. The room had a single bed and a fold-out green canvas cot. The whole place smelled of stale smoke, as if a chain-smoker had spent the night inside it.

“Were you hoping for something nicer?” Connor asked, tossing his bag on the ground.

Kate schooled her expression. She hadn’t expected five-star luxuries. “I didn’t have high expectations for this town. I’m glad we found a place.”

Connor opened his bag and withdrew a plastic tarp. “You can sleep on this if you prefer.”

She did prefer. She didn’t want to think about the bugs living in the mattress, on the floor and in the walls. “What about you? Where will you sleep?”

“Our sleeping arrangements don’t matter to me, but we should avoid the bed. I’ll crash on the floor. Before it gets too late, I need to head out for supplies and to check the bus schedule. Do you want to come? We might find a place to buy you something else to wear.”

Staying in this room and attempting to sleep had a certain draw to it. But what if Connor decided to take off on his own? What if he left her here? What if she were approached by a local? The wood door to the room had a lock, although she wouldn’t trust it to stand up to any force. As it was, sunlight shone through the cracks between the door and the frame. “I’ll come with you.”

“Because you don’t trust me or because you feel safer when I’m with you?” Connor asked.

“Both.” An honest answer. “I know the local language, but I don’t know who might decide I make a good mark to rob.”

“They’d be disappointed. We don’t have anything of worth to steal.”

Kate didn’t mention she had been carrying items of worth in her bag, the bag he had insisted she throw away at the airport. Mentioning it would shake the fragile, temporary trust between them. She had to prove she trusted his judgment and that hers, in turn, could be trusted. “Do you have money to pay for new clothes? I can pay you back.” She plucked at the overly large shirt, self-conscious about being bare beneath it. “I’ll be more comfortable hiking in clothes that fit.”

“I have ways to pay. I never leave the States without financial preparations. We’ll see what we can find,” Connor said.

They left the small room and walked through the town. Her shopping choices were limited. The town didn’t have a dedicated women’s clothing store and the outfits she could find were borderline indecent. She needed clothes suitable for a trek across the jungle, not a night of dancing in a hot club. Backless dress with miniskirt? Useless. Faux leather, skintight pants? Uncomfortable. Obviously, the stores catered to clubbers and prostitutes. On the plus side, they located a store carrying women’s lingerie. On the negative side, she could forget about comfortable cotton. Silk, lace and leather were the most bountiful choices.

Kate finally settled on a pair of men’s jeans, size small, a few tank tops and a pair of men’s boots. She would wear the tanks under the flannel shirt she’d purchased and over the ridiculous lingerie. She exchanged her shoes for the boots. They purchased a sturdy nylon waterproof pack and supplies: rope, first-aid kit, a lighter, a knife, a water canteen, rechargeable flashlight, a local map and some nonperishable food. Beef jerky and granola bars would be the main course for the next couple of days. Kate reassured herself she could do this. Her father had taught her to be strong and to roll with the punches.

The bus station was several blocks from the main shopping area. The schedule was written in chalk on a dirty slate board. Posted around the board were flyers with el presidente’s face with black X’s over it and sheets of propaganda both for and against the AR. Kate had read of the government raiding towns like Rosario and capturing people for questioning. Those people often disappeared.

The next scheduled trip to Mangrove was the following day, leaving late afternoon.

“I was hoping for something sooner,” Connor said, echoing her thoughts. “My brother is out there. Every second that passes grates at me.”

Guilt threatened to force the truth from her about her involvement. The hurt she had caused Connor and his brother was unacceptable. She had made a mistake, and because of it, Aiden had been captured. Now Connor was involved and putting himself in danger for a rescue op. Telling him about her mistake wouldn’t change what had happened and might make things worse between them. “I’m sorry. I wish I could do more to help.”

His head swerved like a laser in her direction. “You can do more. Tell me everything you know about my brother and what he was doing in Mangrove.”

Kate stuttered over her next words. She finally took a deep breath and started over. “I’ve told you almost everything I think is relevant to finding him at this point.”

“Tell me something about my brother that might not be relevant to finding him. What you think is unimportant might be critical.”

He was worried about his brother, so Kate ignored the implication that she didn’t know the difference. “Aiden adored you. You were his hero.”

Connor inclined his head. “He said that?”

“Yes. He used those words.” Hero. Courageous. Brave. Selfless. Every story Aiden told of his brother echoed those sentiments.

Connor ran his hand across his jaw. “Funny. I’m no one’s hero. Never have been. Aiden and I have always looked out for each other.”

That wasn’t the picture Aiden had painted. “He told me you had a difficult childhood.”

Connor’s back went ramrod straight. She knew immediately she had crossed a line. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to tread on a sore subject,” she said.

“I don’t like to talk about the past. Our childhood has nothing to do with the present,” he said.

She disagreed. Perhaps Connor had put bad memories behind him, but it still affected him. His problems trusting were deep-seated. “It doesn’t have to do with the mission,” she said, striving for neutral. Aiden had told her that he’d implored his brother not to live alone, not to shut out the world, but Connor didn’t listen. He had his own thoughts and feelings about life and he clung to them.

“I shouldn’t have said anything. I was just telling you what I knew about Aiden,” Kate said.

“Aiden’s perspective isn’t always accurate. We’ll get our tickets tomorrow.” He’d moved the conversation along. “I don’t want to let on to anyone about our plans. Let’s see what we can find to eat around here,” Connor said. He slipped his arm around her shoulder in a proprietary gesture. Heat crackled between them. Or was this one-sided? Completely in her head? Kate had never before been this self-doubting about a man. Most of the time, a man’s attention on her was take it or leave it. Whenever she’d had strong chemistry with someone in the past, they had felt the same. With Connor, she didn’t know where she stood. Some moments, it was as if he couldn’t have cared less about her. Other times, they behaved as a united team. The polarity confused her, and confusion wasn’t an emotion she embraced.

When she tried to shrug him off, he repositioned his arm and pulled her closer. Lowering his face to her ear, he whispered, “Interested people are watching. I want to make it clear to everyone that you are mine. Otherwise, you’ll have visitors.”

She’d read too much into his casual gesture. Kate turned to look at him. “I think it’s obvious we’re together.”

“It’s not obvious what our relationship is.”

“That’s because we don’t know what our relationship is. How can anyone else?” Kate asked, hearing the heat in her voice and throwing some ice on it.

“I wasn’t aware we had a relationship that needed defining. Our reasons for being together are clear. We have to find my brother and you’re holding the information hostage. I need to keep you, and therefore the information, safe.”

Kate mentally shook herself. Imagining an innocent touch was a hint of smoldering emotion just below the surface was ridiculous. “You make it sound like I have a choice. You’re not easy to work with. I had to make sure you brought me along.”

“Now that you’re here, do you regret it?”

Kate looked around her. She had never been to a place like this and she hoped to never be again. “I don’t regret it. I want to find Aiden. Besides, I have a feeling Rosario isn’t the most difficult part of this trip. The worst is yet to come.”

Connor laughed and slapped her on the back. “That’s the spirit, Kate. Now you’re thinking like a Sphere agent.”

* * *

Their food options were slim. A nearby tavern served meals, the scent of greasy meat and peppers carrying across the street. In the heat, it was borderline nauseating.

“We’ll try there,” Connor said.

It was better than eating nothing or foraging in the jungle for food. Crossing to the one-story wood building, they stepped inside, the door brushing against a bell hanging over it. Every eye in the room turned to them. Connor appeared not to notice, though she knew otherwise. Kate’s nerves jangled and heat fanned up her back. Her boots stuck to the floor as they walked.

Connor took a seat at the bar, his back to the wall. Nailed in the center of the dartboard posted on the wall was a picture of el presidente, his face pocked with dart punctures. The people of the town weren’t hiding whom they supported, though Kate would be careful not to openly take anyone’s side. El presidente could have moles planted everywhere, and she and Connor didn’t want to invite attention.

Kate sat next to Connor and ignored the stickiness of the seat. She’d probably have to burn these clothes after this trip and she wouldn’t worry about cleanliness now.

They ordered from a whiteboard posted behind the bar where two options were scrawled: enchiladas spicy and enchiladas fire. Kate chose the first and Connor the latter. With a side of beer, Connor seemed as though he was perfectly relaxed on the hard stool, his back propped against a wall that Kate wouldn’t have touched. Everything in the bar looked smeared with grease, booze or sweat.

“Enjoying your food?” Connor asked.

Though it was greasier than she would have preferred, she was hungry. “It’s good.” Her voice carried and she had no intention of insulting the owner. She reached to her side to check the time on her phone and frowned when she remembered Connor had made her throw away everything.

“Missing it?” Connor asked.

Not as much as she would have expected. It provided security in knowing help was a phone call away. Now help was next to her in the form of a good-looking, but slightly crabby, operative. “Habit. It’s useful.”

“I don’t know how you can stand to be plugged in all day. I see people staring at those things like it’s their whole world. What about interacting with the people around you?”

He was one to talk. “The man who lives like a hermit has a criticism about socializing electronically?” Kate asked.

He shrugged. “Carrying those things around and staring at them will get you killed. You’ve got to be aware of what’s happening around you.”

No sympathy, then, from him. Her email and text messages would have to wait until they found Aiden. Would her boss have tried to contact her to let her know she was fired? She pressed away the anxiety that threatened to wrap around her. What difference did it make to read an email or listen to a voice mail? Her career with Sphere was over. Period.

The door to the bar opened and a man strolled in. He wore a black bandanna around his heavily tattooed neck. Her instincts told her he was dangerous and Kate watched him from the corner of her eye. After looking around the room, the man strutted to the bar and leaned over it. “How much?” he asked in a low voice, his mouth close to her ear.

Kate turned to him in surprise. He had a snake tattoo that ran from his neck, disappeared under his black sleeveless T-shirt and reappeared on both arms. “The lunch? It was six—”

“No,” the man said, a faint hint of indignation crossing his face. “How much for an hour with you?”

Kate stared for a long moment before she processed his question. She waited for Connor to say something and glanced at him. He had an amused look on his face, but he hadn’t moved to interfere.

“I am not for sale,” she said, the words coming out in a stutter. Did she look like a prostitute? The clothes she had purchased in town and had changed into weren’t anything close to advertising sex. They were men’s clothes.

“I’ll make it worth your while,” the Snake Man said. He ran his finger along her hand.

Kate snatched her hand away. Worth her while? There wasn’t enough money in the world to make her sell herself to someone. She narrowed her gaze and lifted her chin. “I am not for sale,” she repeated. She had never encountered anything as overtly insulting as this man’s suggestion.

The Snake Man looked at Connor. “Tell your woman to watch her mouth.”

As though Connor was her pimp? The idea of it disgusted her.

Connor took a long pull of his beer. “She’s not interested. Move on.”

The Snake Man grabbed a chunk of Kate’s hair, and Connor was on his feet in a split second. Kate cringed, and Snake Man released her and retreated a step. “You don’t want to fight here. My crew runs this town.”

Connor’s nostrils flared. His posture had shifted from calm to aggressive. “You might run the town, but you don’t run me or her. I’m protecting what’s mine. Walk away and we’ll keep this from turning into a very ugly incident.”

The other patrons in the tavern were suddenly focused on their food and drinks, though Kate pictured their ears pricked up, listening to every word. No one wanted to get involved in a brawl, but everyone wanted to eavesdrop.

The Snake Man glared at Connor. “Don’t start something with me.”

“I don’t want to have to hurt you. But I will.”

Cold and unyielding. The man narrowed his gaze and took a swing at Connor. Connor caught the flying fist and squeezed, twisting the man’s arm behind his back. Connor kicked his legs out from under him and the man slammed to the ground. A sickening crack made Kate wince.

The man groaned. “You broke my arm! My shoulder!”

Connor released him and stood over him until the man rose to his feet and limped to the door, rubbing his arm. He stopped at the door and looked back. “You’ll regret this.”

“No. I won’t,” Connor said.

“Did you break his arm?” Kate asked.

“Probably fractured it. Some people don’t listen and have to be shown what is and isn’t acceptable,” Connor said, returning to his seat. “Sorry about that chauvinist, possessive act.”

Kate wasn’t upset by Connor’s macho overture toward the Snake Man. Connor had said and done what was needed to protect her. The quick switch from calm to violent had surprised her. “Thank you for stepping in. I can’t believe he thought I was a prostitute.”

“Don’t take it personally. I assume a fair number of women in this town work as drug runners or prostitutes.”

“Do I look like a prostitute?” she asked, her discomfort taking on an edge of irritation.

He didn’t answer right away. His gaze traveled down her body.

“Connor!”

His eyes met hers. “What? You asked a question and I was trying to imagine you as one just to see if he somehow misunderstood. Attacking me certainly didn’t give him points for intelligence.”

“And?” she asked. He had better give an answer firmly in the negative.

“Nope, I can’t see it. You’re too classy.”

She took pleasure in his response. Too much pleasure. It shouldn’t matter what Connor thought of her, and thinking she didn’t look like a prostitute was a far cry from saying he found her appealing. “Most men find me attractive.” She was fishing for a compliment and it pained her to admit it, even to herself.

“I know. It’s why I thought Sphere sent you to draw me out. I have a thing for beautiful, smart blondes with killer smiles.”

A thing for her? “You couldn’t have been less friendly when we met. If that’s your technique when you’re flirting, it needs tuning.”

“I wasn’t flirting with you.”

Her heart fell a little. “What were you doing?”

“Chasing you away. Hoping you would change your mind about coming on this trip. Hoping you would admit you were lying.”

“I didn’t run away, I won’t change my mind and I wasn’t lying,” she said.

“We’ll see if that holds.”

Kate had the feeling his statement was about more than this mission. How would Connor react when he learned the role she’d played in his brother’s disappearance?