Protecting Ainsley Read online

  Ainsley stared out the window as the bus pulled into the terminal. People milled around, going about their day as if the world hadn’t come to a dead stop. The bus jerked, and she mindlessly rose and stepped off the bus into the hot morning sun.

  As she followed Keanu into the terminal, she heard birds chirping and people laughing. A man in a business suit scurried in front of her, brushing her shoulder. He hadn’t bothered to say excuse me but continued yelling into the phone attached to his ear.

  Keanu seemed to be in G.I. Joe mode, as usual. He held her hand, pulling them toward the building. She could tell he was sizing up everyone by the way he tilted his sunglasses onto his forehead, wiped his brow, and glanced about the area. With his rigid body and focused eyes, she felt safe in his presence. He’d do whatever necessary to bring her in alive. But then he’d walk away, washing his hands of her and her problems.

  She had to make him understand.

  Keanu tightened his grip on her hand, then abruptly turned and headed out the doors. “Shit.”

  “What?”

  “Get in that cab.” He gave her a shove, and she stumbled toward the street. “Now,” he said through a closed mouth.

  Not in the mood to argue, she slipped in. He shoved her head into the seat. “Hey, watch—”

  The windshield shattered, and glass bounced off her back. Some guy yelled obscenities in some foreign language. Doors slammed. Tires squealed. The cab skidded and jolted forward. Her heart beat wildly. “Keanu?” she questioned in a panic. She lay in the back seat, body trembling, eyes squeezed shut, fearing death. Coming back had been a huge mistake.

  “Stay down, sweetheart.”

  There was more gunfire and yelling as her body plummeted forward, then onto the floor. Glass pricked at her skin through her jeans. She tried not to move, but her body shifted while the car jerked. “Where are you?” she yelled, feeling alone and scared.

  “Driving,” he said, sounding cool and confident.

  “What?” she questioned, needing to hear his voice.

  “Must you talk when people shoot at us?”

  More pops sounded out in the background. She kept her hands over her head and bounced around on the floor as the car jumped left, then skidded right.

  “Keeps me calm,” her voice trembled. “What happened to the driver?”

  “He wasn’t shot when I pushed him out. I hope that is still true.”

  “Oh, my God.” Ainsley took in a few deeps breaths and tried to slow her beating heart. She should’ve stayed lost in Mexico. She’d gotten used to the lifestyle. Living as a minimalist had been easier than she thought. Trying to clear her name was turning into a death trap. Maybe she would be safer at the base in Guantanamo Bay.

  Ainsley didn’t know how long they drove, didn’t much care. She was just glad that the car had slowed to more reasonable speeds, but still she remained flat on the floor. No reason to pop up and get her head shot off.

  The car bucked to a stop.

  “Let’s go, sweetheart.”

  The door opened, and she lifted her head. The sun shone so bright that all she saw was a large figure standing in front of her. She prayed it was Keanu.

  “What now?” she questioned as he helped her to her feet.

  “My buddy set us up in a safe house. We stay there for a bit.” He knelt down and pulled at her pant leg. “Looks like you got some tiny cuts.”

  “It seems like I’m a magnet for broken glass these days.” She took his hand and followed along down a back alley in some neighborhood near the beach.

  People glanced at them, then turned away as if they didn’t see them. Barefooted children ran around in what Ainsley assumed was a makeshift playground in a courtyard between the buildings. There were rusted poles and chains attached to rotted wood. Some children used them as swings. Others jumped rope, and some shot hoops in the paved portion that had more grass growing than pavement.

  “I wish I could do something for them,” she said.

  “For who?” Keanu glanced at her with a puzzled expression. She loved it when he puckered his brow and lowered his chin.

  She sighed. “The children.”

  “Most of these people are very proud.” He tightened his grip and pulled her out to the courtyard and onto a sidewalk.

  “Doesn’t mean they wouldn’t appreciate someone giving their kids a kind smile, a special toy, or even a quarter for a gumball.”

  He looked at her as if she had two heads.

  She laughed. “I do have a heart.”

  “Never met a terrorist with one of those before.” He turned his disappointed gaze to the street, then dropped his sunglasses to his nose.

  She didn’t say anything. No point in arguing. He was going to believe what he’d been trained to believe. Money went missing from accounts that she’d supposedly mishandled. The money ended up in the hands of a group who took credit for the bombing of a parking garage in New York City, killing three hundred innocent American citizens.

  She walked with him for miles until they came to a nicer section of town. More like suburbia, and most definitely military. “Aren’t you afraid we’ll get pointed out here?”

  He chuckled. “Nope, but you should be.”

  “Not funny.”

  “Laughing is good for the soul.”

  “You don’t have a soul,” she mumbled.

  “I heard that.” He laughed louder, pulling her into the back entrance of a house. He drew his weapon when a man greeted them at the door.

  “Relax. I’m Brodie. My wife is Harper. Mozart is like a brother to her. He sent me here to help you.”

  “Glad to meet you.” Keanu whipped off his sunglasses, then pointed to the sliding glass door. “We got shot at when we left the bus terminal, so someone knows we’re here.”

  Brodie handed him a phone. “You’ve been compromised somehow. Let me take your phone to someone who can see if that’s how they found you.”

  Ainsley plopped herself on the sofa. Her body ached. Her mind couldn’t put together a coherent thought if she tried. Nothing made sense anymore.

  “How do you know Wolf?” Keanu asked.

  “Most of my team knows his team through various ops or personal things. If he needs help, we come running and vice versa. I know you have no reason to trust me, but when Wolf or anyone from his team asks a favor, I don’t turn it down. And before I forget, word is if you don’t come forward soon, they will consider you AWOL and a traitor, right along with Ainsley.”

  “Great,” Keanu muttered. “Surprised they are giving me the benefit of the doubt.” Keanu settled himself on the sofa next to Ainsley. “I have to wonder if there was a leak on my team.”

  “Why do you say that?” Ainsley stared at him and waited, but he didn’t give any more information. He just rubbed his jaw and looked deep in thought. She glanced to Brodie, who had the same intense look. “You never mentioned this before.”

  “One of my men was new. His name was Kip.”

  “Wait a second.” Ainsley sat up taller. “So, you didn’t know your entire team well?”

  “I didn’t have a choice but to take him on,” Keanu said. “I was ordered to bring you in. They assembled my team minus one man who was injured on our last op. I had never worked with Kip before.”

  “Did Kip die in Operation Princess?” Brodie asked.

  “I was told everyone died,” Keanu said.

  “I’ll contact Tex and see what he can find out. How did Kip act during the op?”

  “I was tossed into the mix after the mission briefing, so my interaction with him was limited. I had to trust my commander knew what he was doing.”

  “Maybe Kip is part of the conspiracy against me and my dad.” She let out a long breath.

  He pulled her to his chest. “Ouch.” She went to rub her arm, but Keanu grabbed her wrist.

  “Sorry, I forgot.” He lifted her from the sofa. “We need to get her in a bath or something and work out some glass pellets.”

  “Bathr
oom is down the hall,” Brodie said.

  “Thanks,” she said.

  “My phone number, my wife’s, and a few of my fellow Air Force Fire Protection Specialist team members are programmed into the phone. Call me if you need to.”

  “Will do.”

  She followed Keanu into a bedroom. A sleigh bed with a soft cream comforter graced the center of the room. The matching curtains hung open on the tall, sparkling-clean windows. More photography lined the walls and rested on the oak furniture. “This is a safe house?”

  “I think Brodie and his wife own it and rent it out, but it’s between occupants.” Keanu touched the small of her back and gently nudged her toward a door.

  Goosebumps broke out all over her body in anticipation of his hand on her bare skin. “What does his wife do?”

  “She’s an Air Force criminal investigator. Now take your jeans off.” He tugged at her zipper.

  She batted his hand away. “Not until you leave.”

  “Not going to happen.” He gave her a smug grin. “And I’ve seen you naked, so stop with the shy routine. There’s blood on the back of your thighs, and if we don’t take care of that, it will get infected.”

  He reached for her waistband, and before she had the chance to protest, he’d undone the button and zipper and had started to tug the jeans over her hips.

  “I’ll do it.” She wiggled and slid them down, wincing as something tugged at the back of her legs. “Damn, what is it with me and glass.”

  Keanu knelt down and pinched at her thighs. “Doesn’t look too bad.”

  “Ouch, crap that hurts.”

  “Sorry.” He glanced up at her, catching her gaze, his eyes soft and caring, like they were before he’d figured out who she was, and everything changed.

  Although, who had she been kidding. Even if he had been a businessman on vacation, they would never have been anything other than a short fling.

  “I’m going to have to clean these, and I don’t think it’s going to be pleasant.”

  “Standing here in my underwear isn’t overly pleasant either, so can we just get on with it?”

  He chuckled. His hot breath tickled her bare skin.

  It sent chills up her spine, and her own breath hitched. She stared down at him as his eyes blinked open. His hands ran up the back of her thighs, avoiding the few scrapes. They stopped briefly at the base of her butt, then squeezed gently.

  She should kick him or something. He had no right to touch her tenderly. He had no right to make her remember what it had been like to be with him.

  He coughed, dropping his hands. “See if he has some antiseptic in the medicine cabinet?” he asked softly.

  She turned and lifted open a mirror above the sink with shaky hands. “Yep.” She pulled down some cotton balls and rubbing alcohol. Feeling physical pain might actually be good at this point.

  “I asked for antiseptic.” He held the bottle in his hands and raised a brow. “This will really hurt.”

  “Just get the glass out and clean the cuts, okay?”

  “Whatever you say.”

  She leaned over the sink and braced herself. Keanu had gotten some tweezers and started plucking the glass from her legs. She had five in all, and at one point, she thought he’d dug deep into her leg on purpose.

  “Ready?” he asked, holding a cotton ball doused with alcohol.

  “Bring it on.” She gripped the granite countertop and shut her eyes tight.

  Cold wetness brushed against her skin. Slowly, it started to sting. “Oh, shit,” she said behind gritted teeth as the rubbing alcohol seeped into her open wounds. She groaned and tightened her muscles, trying not to sound like a wounded animal.

  “Almost done,” Keanu said. His tone was as soft as his touch. He smoothed the backs of her legs.

  Then she felt something soft and warm press against the back of her knee.

  “I’m sorry,” he whispered.

  She glanced over her shoulder, peeking open one eye as he kissed her thigh, running his hand over her behind. She held her breath when he planted another kiss on her hip bone.

  He stood tall, looking into her eyes. A hand fisted in her hair and tilted her head. His lips parted, and he moved closer.

  She froze, unable to move or utter a single sound. The beating of her heart pulsed hard against her chest. She leaned into his strong body. “Being with you was real,” she whispered.

  “I don’t know how to take that.”

  “When I first saw you, I wanted your help, but I never meant to sleep with you to get it.”

  “But you did.”

  She nodded.

  “And that makes what happened a lie.” Keanu pushed back the door and left her standing alone. She swiped a single tear from her cheek. She’d almost blown it. Keanu can’t know the whole truth about Janet. Heck, she didn’t know the whole truth about her sister.

  But one fact she was sure of. JB and Andrew used her sister’s desires and fears to get her to do things she wouldn’t normally have done. By the time Janet found out she was working for a bunch of terrorists, it was too late.

  “I thought you left,” Keanu said, staring at Brodie who handed him a fresh plate of eggs.

  “I was about to but decided to stick around for a bit.”

  “Why?”

  “Do you recognize anyone from these pictures?”

  Keanu shook his head. “Who are they?”

  “Former team members of Kip. I heard he’s a cocky son of a bitch.” Brodie handed him a mug of steaming hot coffee. “He’s a loose cannon, and no one likes working with him.”

  “Do you think he was working for Andrew and the terrorists?” Keanu took a sip, peering over the rim of the mug with a raised brow. “He’s the only person I didn’t know well on Operation Princess.”

  “Wolf told me you had less than twenty-four hours to make the op work. Anything else stick out as odd?”

  “Everything,” Keanu admitted.

  Brodie stepped into the hallway, then back. “What’s her story anyway?”

  “I honestly believe she was set up, but I wouldn’t tell her that.” Keanu could buy the setup by Andrew and JB, but he was having a difficult time believing her because she wasn’t telling him everything.

  “I really struggle with the idea that her father went off the deep end. I can’t believe he died in a drunken stupor after getting a blow job by a whore.” Brodie tossed a towel over his shoulder, grabbed a mug, and settled his ass against the counter. “But I have to be honest man. If it were my kid, I’d do whatever it took to hide his or her wrongdoings, so who knows what this family was really up to.”

  “According to the info Tex dug up, Ainsley’s dad never covered for her.”

  “She emptied her bank account and gave it to operatives for Isis,” Brodie said. “At least that is what the reports that I read said.”

  “I’m not so sure she did it knowingly, or willingly.”

  Brodie set his mug on the table. “My captain thinks we should bring her to the Air Force base.”

  “Maybe he’s right?” Ainsley said. “I can tell them what my father told me and what I think might have happened.”

  “And you will. But not until we know more,” Keanu snapped, then took a big gulp of hot coffee.

  “Shit.” Brodie grabbed a few breakfast bars from a cupboard. “We’ve got company.” He pointed to the back of the house. A suburban rounded the street corner.

  “Do you have transportation we can take?”

  “I store my Harley here. My wife hates it.” Brodie shoved some things into a backpack then helped Ainsley put it on her back. “A friend of mine has a place over the bridge. One eighteen Fifth Street. No one is there. Keep the new phone on. I’ll be in touch. I’ll ditch the old one, sending them on a wild goose chase.”

  “Thanks, man.”

  “Haul ass.”

  Keanu grabbed Ainsley by the hand. “Like motorcycles?” He didn’t listen for a response because it didn’t matter. He flung
the door to the garage open, then slammed the ramp down at the base of the door. He tossed a helmet to her, then strapped on one of his own.

  “Safest thing I’ve had between my legs since I met you,” she commented.

  “That’s so not true.” He climbed on and then nodded to her. “Have you been on a bike before?”

  She smiled, then tossed her leg over the bike and wrapped her arms around him. “I think I can handle it.”

  “I know you can,” he said, then revved the engine. “Hang on tight. This could be a rough ride.”

  “Isn’t it always that way with you?”

  He laughed, then kicked up the stand and released the clutch. The bike bolted forward and up the ramp.

  “Here we go, sweetheart.” He shifted gears, punched the gas, and headed out toward the main road. He scanned the area, but it appeared no one noticed them.

  She tightened her grip around him and tucked her head against his back, but her body naturally leaned in the direction the bike demanded.

  He maneuvered through some back streets, then got on the main road and headed toward the address he’d been given. Directly across from the modest home was a park. Keanu figured his best bet was to ride into the public area by the pier and survey the area.

  He pulled into the parking lot and opted for the first spot near the road. It was a hike to the water, and if they had to make a run for it, they’d have better luck swimming with the alligators, but he didn’t think he had a choice. He had to know if his team had been infiltrated, and he had to know by whom. And if Ainsley had anything to do with it.

  “Not that I like being chased, but that was fun.”

  He chuckled. He had to agree. “I’ve got one just like it.”

  “A Harley?” She took off her helmet and tossed her head around. Her hair flew wildly about her face.

  “Is there any other kind of bike?” He patted her leg. “How’s the ass feeling?”

  “There was never anything wrong with my ass.” She slid her leg off the bike. “But the back of my legs are killing me, if you must know.”

  He wiped some hair from her face, then draped their helmets over the handlebars. “Let’s go sit down by the water and see what Brodie put in this bag for us.” Staying focused was damned draining.