In His Safekeeping. Shawna Delacorte
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to do anything about it. The very next day I was approached by the D.A.’s office. They said they were conducting an investigation into John’s activities and questioned me about what I knew. I didn’t know what to do or say. I knew the books had been manipulated, but I really didn’t know for a fact that it was John who had done it. They had me served with a subpoena to testify before a grand jury along with several other potential witnesses. I gave them the information about the books. The grand jury findings were presented and John Vincent was arrested on numerous charges. I was called on to testify at the trial, and the rest, as they say, is history. At that moment my life became chaos. I thought everything would have returned to normal by now.” A look of sadness darted across her features and her voice dropped to a mere whisper. “But I was wrong.”
Brad studied her for a moment. She had already been through so much. In some ways she seemed so in need of protection and so vulnerable. Yet there was an inner strength that radiated from her, something he felt even though he couldn’t clearly define it. Each passing minute proved to be added fuel to a flame of desire that had started as nothing more than a sensual spark. He rose to his feet under the guise of taking another peek around the corner of the drapes, all the while telling himself this is business…this is business. It was a refrain that continued to repeat in his mind as he stared at the parking lot.
A quick jolt of adrenaline shot through Brad’s body. He stared at the car with the headlights off slowly making its way along the row of motel rooms. A flashlight beam came from the car window, shining on each of the cars parked in front of the rooms.
Chapter Four
Brad flipped off the light switch. His words came out fast and emphatic. “Get into the bathroom. Lie down in the bathtub and stay there.”
“What’s the matter? Is something—”
“Don’t argue with me!” The demanding growl in his voice said as much as his words. “Do it!” He watched just long enough to see Tara disappear into the bathroom and close the door. He moved quickly and efficiently. He pulled the 9mm from his holster and clicked off the safety. He wedged a straight-back chair beneath the door handle. Using the large overstuffed chair as a shield, he crouched in the corner. The adrenaline continued to pump through his body.
He drew in a calming breath, then slowly pulled aside the bottom of the drape. He watched as the flashlight beam fell on his car, then continued down the row. A moment later the slow-moving vehicle made its way back up the rooms across the way, then came to a halt.
Brad scanned the parking lot, taking in everything. His senses tingled with nervous energy. Every few seconds he glanced at the bathroom door to make sure it was still closed. A shadowy figure emerged from the darkened car. His pulse rate jumped into high gear.
The figure moved toward the room across the way, then an angry female voice reverberated through the night air, accompanied by a loud banging on the motel-room door. “Open up right now, Sam…you lousy excuse for a husband. I know you’re in there with that Mary Anne person. And this isn’t the first time, either!”
Brad leaned back against the wall. He emitted a sigh of relief followed by an amused chuckle as he slipped the handgun back into his holster. He hurried to the bathroom and yanked open the door. Tara stood just on the other side, her startled expression showing her surprise at his sudden appearance.
Her voice quavered as she spoke. “Are you all right? Is everything—” she glanced through the opened door into the bedroom “—under control?”
“What are you doing standing here?” His words demanded without his tone being too harsh. “I told you to get down inside the bathtub and stay there.”
Surprise and confusion flashed across her face. “But I’m in the bathroom like you said, and the door was closed.”
“What I said was for you to lie down in the bathtub. The door and wall might not have been enough protection if bullets had come flying through the air.” He eyed her carefully, making a pointed statement with his question. “Don’t you agree?”
“But they didn’t—”
“That’s not the point. They could have.” He grabbed her shoulders, holding them firmly in his grip. He stared at her, trying to pull together the proper words. He felt the tension in her muscles. It matched the tension that filled the air between them as they stood facing each other – a tension as much sexual energy and attraction as it was a clash of wills and the effect of the danger.
“We need to get something clear right now.” Brad’s words were very matter-of-fact, his attitude all business. “This is my area of expertise. I expect to have my instructions obeyed without hesitation or questions. This is very serious business. Remember the car bomb? Your life could depend on your immediate response to my orders.”
“Your orders?” The irritation raced through Tara’s body. “Just who do you think you are to be ordering me around?” She scowled at him for a moment, then jerked away from the electricity of his touch and brushed past him as she left the bathroom.
He caught up with her, grabbing her arm to bring her to a halt. His response was to the point, his irritation matching hers. “I think I’m the man who’s trying to save your life. Who do you think I am?”
She glared angrily at him, but he stood his ground and refused to back down. She wasn’t sure what to make of him. He seemed to be able to turn on his aggressive manner in the blink of an eye. And giving her orders…well, it was far too reminiscent of her mother’s domination and Danny’s controlling behavior for her to comfortably accept it. Intellectually she knew he was right in his concerns, but her emotional reaction to his take-charge attitude left her uneasy. And her reaction to the magnetic sex appeal of this dynamic and very handsome man left her equally uneasy.
Tara held his eye contact, refusing to look away. A shiver crept up her spine. It was more than the tantalizing physical contact where he still had hold of her arm. He seemed to be looking inside her as if searching out her hidden secrets. The intensity in his blue eyes sent an uncomfortable tremor through her body. He was right about the danger, but obeying his orders without question called for a level of trust she wasn’t sure she knew how to give regardless of whether she wanted to or not.
Brad Harrison had her confused. He was a virtual stranger who burst uninvited into her world, tried to take control of her life and demanded that she trust him. Yet his unwavering gaze sent a ripple of desire through her body unlike anything she had ever experienced. She realized there was a lot more at stake here than a question of control. The concerns for her safety and the need to identify a murderer had already begun to take a toll on her nerves.
But that wasn’t all. She feared there would eventually be a much larger toll to pay – an emotional one – if she didn’t keep her desires under tight control. Every time he touched her a sensual rush coursed through her body. Her skin tingled and a shortness of breath caught in her lungs. It was totally inappropriate for the situation and equally out of character for her. But, for reasons she could not clearly fathom, she had made the decision to tentatively trust this very sexy and desirable man. Hopefully it would not be the biggest mistake of her life…or worse yet, the last decision she would ever make.
“You’re right.” She drew in a steadying breath. “This is your area of expertise. I, on the other hand, don’t have any experience in being stalked…” Her voice trailed off as she glanced at the floor. “If that’s an appropriate term for what’s happening.” She regained eye contact with him. “This may be business as usual for you, but it’s all very new and very frightening for me.”
“I know this is difficult for you.” He softened his tone as he reluctantly let go of her arm, breaking the delectable physical contact between them. “These particular circumstances aren’t exactly normal operating procedure for me, either.”
Brad found himself in an awkward position totally unlike any situation he’d ever been in before. The heightened tension crackled in the air…a tension made up of equal parts sexual desire, emotional turmoil and professional ethics. This is business…this is business… The mantra played through his