Protecting Ainsley Read online

  “Something really hard.”

  “Why do you say that?” He looped his arm around her shoulder and tossed the knapsack over his. Something smacked his back. “Ouch.”

  She laughed and tucked her hand under his jeans coat he’d taken from Brodie’s garage. Her hand rested on his hip. The sweet, fun girl kept showing up, making him forget she’d manage to get on the FBI’s most wanted list. It didn’t matter that he cared for the woman he’d met in Mexico. That woman didn’t really exist, and this woman only affected him sexually. Something that almost any woman could fulfill.

  “I bet it’s a thermos.”

  “If it’s full of coffee, it’s mine.” She nudged him with her hip.

  “I need some caffeine too, ya know.” He glanced around, trying like hell not to look like he was scanning the area. He took a mental note of the two men sitting at the end of the pier like they were fishing. They would have a clean shot at him, so he’d have to position himself near something he could duck behind.

  “You already had some.” She touched her finger to his lips. “I can smell it on your breath.”

  “I’m bigger, and I need more.” Two cars were parked at the cabin. Standard issue SUVs, so it could be anyone. He couldn’t tell who was sitting on the dock, although they didn’t look military, which didn’t make him feel too comfortable. He wished he had a way to peer into the house.

  He leaned in and kissed her nose. “But I’ll share.” He tilted his sunglasses and peered out to the Intracoastal.

  “Can’t we sit on the picnic table?”

  He tilted his head toward a table, then to water, and finally to the lookout. He couldn’t see anyone there, but he hadn’t expected to.

  He surveyed the picnic area. If they sat at the tables, he wouldn’t be able to see activity at the lookout, but they would be better protected from the men at the cabin. “Sure.” He took the opportunity to draw her into his arms.

  She paused, staring up at him with questioning eyes. He fanned her cheeks with his thumbs, then tilted her head, bringing her lips to his.

  He kept his eyes open just enough to keep the cabin in view as he thrust his tongue deep into her hot, welcoming mouth. She purred, and he fought the urge to close his eyes and get lost in her kiss.

  Her hands splayed across his back, then slid up to his shoulder blades as she leaned her body against his. He felt every inch of her feminine frame, warm and soft. She wasn’t overly thin but had curves in all the right places. Her full round breasts fit perfectly into his hands.

  He glided his hand down her bare throat and rested his palm over the swell of her breast. She didn’t protest. She actually shifted, giving him better access.

  He lifted his eyelids ever so slightly, so she didn’t notice. He shifted his gaze, but nothing seemed out of place, so he closed his eyes and lowered his hand.

  She moaned as he gave a subtle squeeze to her breast. Her tongue roamed the inside of his mouth in slow rhythmic motions, sending his good senses on temporary leave. Her nipple hardened in his palm.

  Someone cleared his throat in the background, and he heard a woman giggle.

  He broke the kiss off and tucked her face into the crook of his neck. “We let our acting get out of control,” he whispered.

  “You’re very good.” Her body went rigid.

  “At kissing?”

  “No, at acting.” She pulled away.

  He expected to see a look of hurt. Not a beautiful woman smiling at him. “So are you.”

  “I got a degree in it. What’s your excuse?” She kissed his neck, then took his hand and headed toward the tables.

  “I took lots of acting classes.”

  “Don’t tease me.” She sat down at the table and took the pack.

  “I’m not. Everyone in my family has experience in entertainment.” He watched as she pulled out the thermos and poured some steaming liquid in the top.

  “You can have the bottle.”

  He took the large jug and set it aside for now. She brought the cup to her lips and sipped. “So, tell me about your family. I know you have a sister.”

  He rested his hand on her thigh, then took a look around as he adjusted his glasses. “I have two actually.”

  “Older or younger.”

  “I’m the baby.”

  “Did you always want to go into the Navy?”

  He leaned forward and tucked some of her hair behind her ear. He kissed her lobe.

  She set her cup aside, then rested both hands on his hips. “There is a man over your right shoulder with a gun.”

  Chapter 5

  Keanu glided his fingers through Ainsley’s hair as it ruffled in the wind. “I don’t see a gun. When did you notice him?”

  “When you were kissing me,” she whispered.

  “You’re good.”

  “Just covering your back.”

  “So, we’re on the same team now.” He reached for the coffee container, allowing himself a better look at the man leaning against a tree. He forced his poker face to remain, even though his insides jumped up and down for joy. Johnny to the rescue.

  Johnny wore a baseball cap, and dark sunglasses with the typical jeans, T-shirt, and leather coat. He held a stick in one hand and a pocketknife in the other. He turned his gaze toward the street, then picked up a bag near his feet and placed it on top of a garbage can.

  “See him?” Ainsley asked.

  “Yep.” A surge of adrenaline pulsed through his veins. Something was wrong. “He’s a friend of mine.”

  Johnny had been on Keanu’s team until he took a bullet in the knee, ending his special operations career. Johnny now trained rescue swimmers and worked with the intelligence office. It wouldn’t surprise Keanu if Johnny was supposed to help bring him in.

  Johnny waved. “Long time no see, old man.”

  “What brings you here?” He held up his hand to Ainsley when she opened her mouth to say something.

  “I’m supposed to bring you in.”

  “How did you know where I was?”

  “Your watch has to be bugged.” Johnny pointed to his wrist. “Why don’t you give it to me so I can get rid of it?”

  Keanu swallowed, then scanned the area. Nothing made sense. “Who the hell did that?”

  “Truth? I’m not sure. Your commander has been sequestered, so it could have been him. Or maybe someone during Operation Princess.”

  “We got off the plane, and I went to be briefed while I sent Ainsley to run a bunch of useless errands,” Keanu said.

  “Who briefed you?”

  “A guy from the CIA by the name of Rictor. And he made me take off my watch.”

  “They have been watching us the entire time?” Ainsley asked.

  “Yes, because it was Rictor who contacted my superior thinking I would be the best person to bring you in. But my superior doesn’t trust Rictor and neither do I.”

  “So, he’s our mole. But why?”

  “That I haven’t been able to find out, but I was ordered to shoot to kill,” Johnny paused, “and not just her.”

  Keanu rubbed his chest. “And are you going to?”

  Johnny laughed. “I’d go rogue first. But I want to know who’s been helping you so far, so I can help them.”

  “My buddy Wolf and his friends.”

  “Good to know,” Johnny said.

  “Where do I know you from?” Ainsley asked.

  “I wondered if you’d recognize me. We went to college together.”

  “Oh, my God. Johnny Young. I remember you now.”

  “Really?” Keanu snapped his gaze toward Ainsley. He’d almost forgotten Johnny had been the only one in his family not to join the Army. A huge sore spot with Johnny’s dad. “That’s interesting.”

  “Shall I go on, or do you want to fill him in?” Johnny asked.

  “Go right ahead.” Ainsley let out a long breath.

  “Ainsley was considered the wild one, but Janet was the one who had a bad side,” Johnny said.

/>   “And how do you know this, exactly?” Keanu asked.

  “I dated Janet.”

  “You don’t say,” Keanu said. His stomach gurgled, then the acid hit the back of his throat.

  “Long story turned short. Janet once stole the answers to test questions. She got caught.”

  “That’s not a big deal,” Keanu said.

  “I took the blame,” Ainsley said. “I covered for my sister a lot, and I ended up with the reputation of being the bad twin. Even with our folks.”

  “And what does all this mean to the situation at hand?”

  “Mind if I spill the beans?” Johnny asked.

  Ainsley shook her head.

  “Janet had issues. She did a lot of bad shit in college, and she often pretended she was Ainsley. It’s one of the reasons Janet and I broke up. Look, I have to report in, and I’ll tell them I lost you up in Georgia. Good luck and watch your back.”

  “Thanks, man.”

  Keanu brought his attention back to Ainsley. Or was she Janet? And did it matter?

  Ainsley stared at Keanu, waiting for the shoe to drop.

  Keanu sneezed.

  “God bless you,” she mumbled, grabbing the knapsack. “Did you keep the pill bottle?”

  “Nope.” He sneezed again. “Have anything to say to me?”

  Ainsley looked back at the water. He’d never understand if she told him the truth. “No,” she said, hearing the monotone of her own voice. She felt helpless. Lost. Tears welled in her eyes. She didn’t think anything could be worse than knowing your sister had done something so terrible that no one could have saved her.

  “I need you to tell me the truth,” Keanu said softly. His hand rested on top of hers. “Believe it or not, I’m on your side.”

  Slowly, she turned her head and stared at him. He looked as if he gave a damn. “Why?”

  “If you die, I haven’t done my job.” His expression was still caught between the hard Navy SEAL and the sweet man she’d met. Frightening combination. “You might be wanted for treason, but that doesn’t mean this country wants you dead.”

  “Somebody sure as hell does, and they want you too.”

  He leaned back and tilted his head toward the sun. “I still plan on bringing you in, sweetheart. Just in one peace, and to the people I trust. People who will listen to you.”

  “So why not just call them now?” she questioned.

  “Other than Wolf and his friends, I don’t know who I can trust. Now let’s get to a safe place.”

  He adjusted his helmet, then helped her with the strap on hers, which should have annoyed her but didn’t. “Let’s ride, sweetheart.”

  A car whizzed by, sending wind swirling around her. She glanced over her shoulder, frozen. Her pulse fluttered. She felt a hand on her arm.

  “It’s okay,” Keanu said.

  Nothing was okay. Everything was wrong, and she was going to die. The world would think her sister had drowned because of her. Her father’s reputation ruined because of her. She lifted her gaze to meet Keanu’s. “Please, help me,” she whispered.

  The bike tipped to the side, then Keanu kicked out the stand. He removed his helmet, then hers, all the while staring at her. And she didn’t move. His eyes were soft and clear. His facial lines relaxed.

  She fought the pending tears, but to no avail. He looped his arms around her, and she buried her face in his chest, fisting her hands in his jacket. Life was so unfair. Cruel. A few months ago, she prayed for death. Then survival. For months, she thought she could just disappear. Pretend she never existed. But her conscious wouldn’t let her go.

  “I didn’t sell government secrets,” she said, pushing herself back, but he wouldn’t let her go. “Did you hear me?” She lifted her head and glared at him. “I didn’t help them.”

  He let out a short breath. “I struggle to trust you. Can you understand why?”

  She nodded. What choice did she have? She wasn’t so sure she completely trusted him. That wasn’t entirely true. She trusted that he wanted to keep her alive. However, if she told him what she knew? What she suspected? Would he use it against her? Or to help her?

  “You’ve got to tell me what you know.” He cupped her face, fanning his thumbs across her cheeks. His touch felt better than any satin sheet she’d had against her skin. “I mean everything, even if it makes you, or anyone else in your family, look guilty.” He lifted a brow, which changed his soft look to a demanding, yet tender one.

  “I don’t have any choices left.” She still clung to his shirt out of desperation. “I only know pieces. Somehow we have to find what my father dug up.”

  “And what really happened to your sister.”

  A faint gasp escaped her lips. She blinked. She’d always known something bad had happened to Janet. Something that either was supposed to happen to her, or Janet had crossed the wrong people. Ainsley figured that somehow it might be a little of both.

  She opened her mouth to ask why he cared, but he hushed her with his finger. He cupped the back of her head, pulling her closer. His lips brushed tenderly over hers. Practically still touching, he whispered, “if you lie to me, or leave anything out, I won’t be held responsible for what happens to you.” He pressed his mouth hard against hers. It hurt, and somehow, she figured it was his way to warn her.

  Still holding on to him, she pulled her head back. “I’m not sure what you want to know, or what is worth knowing, but you ask, and I’ll answer.”

  “Fair enough,” he mumbled, tossing her the helmet. “I think it’s best if we go somewhere where no one knows where we are. Even my buddies. Like camping?”

  He resumed his position on the bike, then waited. She sucked in a deep breath, then answered, “I love it.”

  Part of her felt relieved; the other part figured she just sold herself to the devil.

  Chapter 6

  The phone that Brodie had given Keanu buzzed.

  Brodie: The men in the van weren’t military or CIA. They didn’t see you leave since they are still parked outside my rental. You can head to the address I gave you. Key is under the mat.

  Keanu: Will you be keeping eyes on the van?

  Brodie: My team is off for the next forty-eight hours. We’ve got eyes on the van, and you. Who was the man in the park?

  Keanu chuckled as he picked up his head and glanced around. He spotted a tall man wearing a baseball cap and walking a dog. He tipped his hat and gave a quick nod.

  Keanu: An old friend. Military. His job was to bring me in. So, I think it’s safe to say the men in the van are connected with the terrorists and not the military.

  For Keanu, that brought him closer to believing every word that came out of Ainsley’s mouth.

  Brodie: While you were at the park, I had my buddy put some groceries in the kitchen, and there is a laptop on the counter. He left instructions to get into a new secure email. We had Tex forward everything he’s found so far to that account. Also, you have two texts on your phone from an unknown caller. One reads: Stay low. Trust old friends. I’m working on getting the right people the right information. The second reads: Andrew’s behavior is erratic. He’s going to make a public statement about Ainsley this evening.

  Fuck. That couldn’t be good. But looking on the bright side, he figured out who the unknown caller was, and he knew exactly how to get ahold of them.

  Keanu: Is there a television in the house?

  So much for camping.

  Brodie: My buddy uses it as an Airbnb. It has everything you could possibly need. He even left you a couple of weapons.

  Keanu: Thanks for your help. I owe you and your team.

  Brodie: Stay safe. We’ll be in touch.

  “Time to go.”

  “I’m so tired of this.” Ainsley dropped her head to the picnic table. “All I tried to do was find out what happened to my sister and save my father’s good name. I couldn’t do either.”

  He smoothed his hand down her long wavy hair. “But we can.”

  “
How?”

  “We’re going to go to the house Brodie set up for us and wait to hear from Tex and Wolf. You have to trust me.”

  She sucked in a long breath and sat up straight. “Why are all these people putting their jobs and lives on the line for me?”

  “Because they know you’re innocent, and they are going to help us prove it.”

  “Us?” Her lashes blinked wildly over her teary baby blues. “You could leave me right here and go clear you name. The moment all this went bad, you didn’t have to stay with me.”

  He took her chin between his thumb and forefinger. “My commander has been sending me secret messages. I didn’t know it was him at first, but I do now. He’s got my back, as do all these other men.”

  “That has nothing to do with me.”

  He groaned, leaned in, and pressed his mouth over hers. He increased the pressure as he parted her lips with his tongue, swirling around inside her hot mouth. He kept the kiss slow and tender. Controlled.

  She responded with a soft moan. Her hands splayed across his chest, crawling across his shoulders.

  He grabbed her wrists and pulled back, remembering there were people watching. “Let’s get to the house. I feel like a sitting duck waiting for gunfire to erupt from the sky.”

  “That doesn’t make me feel better.”

  He chuckled as he buckled her helmet across her chin.

  She held his hips under his jacket for the short ride to the safe house. When all was said and done, he would be taking a lot of men out for a beer, or two.

  Pulling under the carport, he surveyed the area. A couple of kids rode their bikes down the street. A mom jogged on the sidewalk pushing a stroller, and next door, an older gentleman waved as he mowed his lawn. “Let’s stick with being married, and we’re renting this place for a week while on vacation.”

  She held up her hand and wiggled her fingers. “No wedding rings. So, we’re just a couple.”

  He laughed. “Good point.” He batted her nose.

  She wrinkled her forehead. “I’m not a child.”

  “No. You are not.” He took her by the hand and led her inside the house. “Why don’t you find us something to eat. I need to make a phone call.”