“No. I got this.” He ended the call and ran for his own vehicle. He had a plane to catch.

  It didn’t take him long to locate the information about the flight she was on. He ensured he was one of the last to board, so she couldn’t run and take a different flight. She was in first class and her expression told of her shock when he lowered himself beside her.

  “What are you doing here?” she asked in a monotone.

  Damn it all, he wanted more emotion from her. Hell, even the surprise at seeing him faded within seconds.

  “Figured you would need some help doing whatever asinine plan you had gone about hatching.”

  “Can I get you a drink before we take off?” their attendant asked.

  “Jack for me,” Anabelle said.

  “I’ll have the same.”

  She nodded and moved on again, leaving them alone with each other on a plane of hundreds.

  “Now, you want to help? I asked for help before.”

  “No,” he said. “You didn’t ask, you demanded.”

  “I always demand. But you’ve trusted me before.”

  “This is different.”

  “Right, and I forget.” She paused when the flight attendant returned with their drinks. “Was that because we’ve fucked and now suddenly your magic dick made me incapable of doing my job and I now need a man to save me, or because I interrupted your time with Blondie?”

  “The sarcasm I recognize, but that last bit, what was that? Jealously? Are you jealous of Paula Shone, Annie?”

  She snapped her gaze to his, a mixture of hope, desire and anger flickering in the depths before it was masked. She blinked twice, slowly, and shook her head as she sipped her Jack.

  “Not sure what I have to be jealous of. I told you after we slept together that it was what it was. Not making any claims, nor am I pouting if you decide to sleep with someone else.”

  Not what he wanted to hear. But he let it go because no matter what words fell from those ruby lips of hers, he heard the jealousy. And it was something he would address later. Right now, he needed intel on what the situation was they were heading into.

  “Tell me what’s in Spain, or rather who.”

  She handed over her empty glass and sighed. They backed away from the gate and taxied out to their place in line.

  “Carlos has a sister. A much younger, very sweet, a bit slow, sister.” She ran her hand down her pant leg and readjusted in her seat. “She—her name is Lewa—called me this morning and said the men who’d killed Carlos had taken her.”

  He furrowed his forehead. “The men who killed Carlos?”

  “So she said. I asked her more than once, even tried telling her that no way the ones who had killed him were after her. But she said they’d told her they were the ones who had killed her brother. They took her from her flat after she got home from work. She snagged a phone from a guy at a gas station and called me.”

  “Why you and not the police?” He crossed his arms as they began gearing up for their own takeoff.

  “Not sure. Maybe she thought the police wouldn’t help her.”

  “My question is how does she know you can? Does she know you work for Theta Corps?”

  “Worked and no, she wasn’t ever told. At least not by me. I doubt Carlos did, he didn’t have any use for her.”

  Masters had to swallow back his immediate response about refusing her resignation.

  “Which brings us back to why she called you?”

  “Because I’m pretty much the only family she has left.”

  “But you divorced that man. So, you’re not family anymore.”

  She shook her head and stared out of the window as they climbed to cruising altitude. “I divorced Carlos, not Lewa. I enjoyed her company and found her to be sweet and unassuming.”

  He grunted and rotated his ankles. “Have you been in contact with her since the divorce?”

  She clenched a fist before she relaxed her hand and rested it on her leg. “How is that any of your business?”

  “I’ll take it as a no, given your tone.”

  She ground her jaw and took a deep breath. “I don’t have a tone and that doesn’t change how you think this is any of your business.”

  “I’m making it my business. Don’t even try to stop me from being here because I’m not going anywhere.”

  “Would that I could throw you out of the plane.”

  He knew she’d so it and opted not to answer.

  “I know I’m the last person you want here, but I’m here. Let me help you. Trust me to help you.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I’m here. I’m with you on the damn plane to Spain. Who else are you going to trust?”

  He didn’t want to hear her say another man’s name. However, when she didn’t respond at all but opened her blanket and covered herself, he wanted her to say something. She didn’t, just closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

  Once they hit cruising altitude, he connected to the Wi-Fi and began making some arrangements for when they landed in Málaga. She may think she didn’t want his help, but she was going to get it.

  After they woke for a meal, he tried again.

  “How will you find her?”

  Anabelle Lee nursed some tomato juice as they flew. He angled his body toward her, doing everything possible to keep their conversation private.

  “I told her to turn her phone on every five minutes. Ethan’s on it.”

  He nodded. “Is there any part of you that thinks she’s in on this?”

  “Of course, there is. I’m not a complete idiot,” she said, turning the glass in her hand. “That was my first thought. But when she insisted on those men telling her the truth in regards to Carlos, I just, I don’t think she is. Not that it matters. If she wants to deal with me because I did what I did, then that’s something I’m willing to face. But if not, and she’s truly in danger, I have to help her. She doesn’t have anyone else. No one to check on her if she’s missing, no parents to worry, nothing. Carlos was it, absent and indifferent as he was.”

  He closed his computer and replaced his tray table. With a yawn, he gazed around the plane. People were settling in for the night, those not sleeping already conversing in hushed tones. He opened his own blanket and draped it on himself.

  “For what it’s worth, I don’t want you to quit.”

  “Already did.” She put her pillow on his shoulder. “But there is a silver lining to it.”

  He didn’t agree. “What’s that?”

  “Now we can fuck without you having any guilt over sleeping with someone in the company.”

  That shot lead into his cock. Masters couldn’t even come up with any response until well after she had fallen asleep against him.

  Chapter Nine

  #xa0;

  The wind whistled along the slopes of the mountains, spinning through the leaves and rustling the needles. Hunting birds lazily rode the air currents above them, piercing the day with their occasional sharp cries. The breeze was warm and held a hint of clean water and an earthy smell. She loved it.

  Adjusting the backpack, she tapped her ear and waited to be connected with her brother.

  “How was the flight?” he asked the second he answered.

  “Long. Where is she?”

  “Last ping was still in that same area of when she called you. I’ve pulled a few sat photos and there’s a small cabin up in the mountains that I get five heat signatures in. One person in a room by themselves and the other four in the rest of the building.”

  She gazed over her shoulder at the man who’d invited himself along on the trip. Her ex-boss, Masters. I can’t lie, I’m glad he’s here.

  He approached her, wearing dark blue cargos and a gray shirt that only amplified the strength in his body. She swallowed and focused on her brother instead of the walking sexy ad getting closer to her with every passing second.

  “What’s the verdict?” Masters crossed his powerful arms and took a deep breath.

  “He’s got satellite images. Ethan, send them to us. We’re off to get a room.”

  Masters speared her with his gaze and she did her best not to tremble with needy anticipation.

  “Will have them to you by the time you get there. Be safe.” He was gone.

  “What was the bag you picked up at the airport?” His question came as they headed for the rented convertible.

  “Weapons.”

  “Weapons?”

  “Look, I was coming here alone. I needed weapons. So I had a contact leave some for me.”

  “You’ve got drop caches everywhere, don’t you?” He hopped into the passenger side and looked at her expectantly.

  “Of course. Never know when cash or weapons will be needed.” She started the engine and drove off to the hotel up in the mountains they were staying at for the night.

  It wasn’t a dive, but it wasn’t a five-star resort, either. She didn’t mind—it was quaint and she fell in love with it immediately.

  As she took in the area, she spied some meandering trails leading off to who knew where, wildflowers growing in small tufts of grass and, off in the distance, low-hanging clouds moving in, covering the mountain tops as they floated. Had she the time, this would be a place she’d love to just explore for days on end.

  They checked in and once in the room, she tossed her bags on the bed as he did the same with his own. She unpacked the guns and ammunition as he set up his laptop and grabbed the information sent by her brother.

  As they waited for the pictures to load, he helped himself to half of her arsenal.

  “Would you have taken all of these with you?” He loaded a Glock.

  “Yes.”

  “Always have loved your guns,” he commented.

  She almost took offense but as there wasn’t any rancor in the tone, she let it pass. “True.”

  Her phone rang and she put it on speakerphone this time. “What do you have, Ethan?”

  “Get to your hotel?”

  “Yes. Computer’s up and running as well, just waiting for the images to de-pixel.”

  “Boss, Beau asked Mino to come back and she said no then kicked him out. Paula said she’d man the duties until you came back.”

  What the hell happened there? It rubbed her wrong to think of Paula there, but she couldn’t worry about that now. She met his dark gaze and he arched an eyebrow in silent dare.

  He gave her a slow smile. “Tell Paula I appreciate all she’s done.”

  Anabelle Lee wanted to smack it off his face but she did nothing.

  “Sure thing. Anabelle Lee, Beau says you need to check the bottom of your bag, something extra was put in there for you.” He muttered to someone then came back. “Are the two of you going to be okay?”

  “Sure thing,” she said. “I have plans to fuck his brains out tonight then leave him in that comatose state as I go after Lewa.”

  “Christ, Anabelle Lee, I don’t need to hear that. However, if he touches you again, I’ll kill him.”

  “Roger that. I’ll make sure to do all the touching in that case.” She ended the call and tossed the phone to the bed as she went for the bag to pull up the bottom.

  “I’d laugh but I’m not sure you weren’t kidding about that statement.” He approached her. “What’s in the bag?”

  She smiled and withdrew out a pair of handcuffs. Dangling them from one finger, she winked at him. “Does it count as only me touching if you’re cuffed?”

  Masters quirked an eyebrow. “Let’s find out.”

  In the next heartbeat, she was in his arms as his mouth slammed down on hers. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she hooked one leg around his waist, bringing him in closer.

  Their tongues dueled, teeth hit and lips mashed as they struggled for dominance of the kiss. His taste flooded her and she whimpered. Desperate need she’d been keeping locked up in a tiny box in the corner of her mind for this man escaped and took over.

  They were frantic in yanking off each other’s clothes. Items went every which way, but finally they were naked and he had her back on the bed, pushing into her core with a fluid motion.

  “Fuck, yes,” she cried, arching into him, taking him deeper.

  “Annie,” he ground out by her ear seconds before he nipped the lobe and sucked it into his mouth.

  Goddamn it, she’d missed hearing him call her that. It didn’t matter how good he helped her feel, that name from his lips—well, it made her feel unique. Special.

  “More.” The word fell from her lips as a plea. “Oh, Jesus, please, give me more.”

  He complied.

  Back and forth he stroked his length within her, catapulting her to a higher plane. She wound her arms under his shoulders so her nails bit into his muscles. Each forward thrust pushed her farther up the bed. Legs hooked tight about his back, she took what she needed from him and asked for more.

  “Fucking shit, Annie. You’re killing me here.”

  She wasn’t doing any better where she lay. Her belly clenched at his calling her Annie. He was the only one she would ever allow to use such a name with her.

  “So tight.”

  In and out. She closed her eyes and gasped as he yanked on her hair.

  “Watch me. I want your eyes on me. I’ll be damned if you think of anyone else while my cock is in you.”

  She allowed his gaze to swallow hers. Like anyone else could make an appearance in her mind when she was with him, hell, she thought about him if they weren’t even in the same room. As his hips drove his dick home over and over within her, she never looked away. She felt him everywhere. Her skin burned from the intensity between them. The room grew hotter and hotter until she wanted to burst into flame.

  Anabelle Lee undulated her hips and rolled them as he continued to thrust. Her internal muscles clenched and released as she came. Back bowing, she cried out as he followed her over the precipice.

  Their bodies coated in sweat, he grabbed her hips, keeping himself buried deep inside her. Anabelle Lee didn’t make him ask. She took over and began riding him. She stared down at the man beneath her. On either side of him were guns and ammunition. Toward the top of the items sat the handcuffs her cousin had given her.

  Reaching for them, she gasped at the touch of his mouth on her nipple. He laved it and rolled the tip with his tongue before grazing his teeth along the sensitive bud. She clicked the metal around his wrist and brought it up to the headboard, then she did the other one.

  He watched her without blinking.

  “I could leave you right now,” she panted.

  “If I thought that would happen I wouldn’t have let you cuff me.” He bucked his hips and she mewled in pleasure. “Let’s enjoy tonight, Annie. You and me. Nothing else. No one else.”

  Lowering her face so her hair fell in a curtain around them, she licked his lips. “One night. One more night.”

  As she captured his mouth, she didn’t think about anything else.

  * * * *

  “Ideas on how to cross without walking through the freezing mountain water?”

  Masters slanted his gaze to the woman beside him, hands on hips as she gazed over their latest obstacle.

  Damn it, she’s gorgeous. Khaki cargos cupped her ass in the most tempting of ways. A green shirt seemed painted on over her curves. Black boots and that stunning red hair of hers spilling down her back in a loose ponytail.

  Hair he’d had on his chest last night while she’d blown him more than once.

  “Nope, can’t say I was expecting this river to be raging with snowmelt. There were some rocks a bit farther upstream. We could go there and cross them.”

  “Lead on.”

  As they walked, he couldn’t disagree with the raw beauty of where they were. When they’d arrived that morning, the grass had been silvered with frost, reminding him that while it was warm during the day, it was still cold overnight.

  They got to the rocks and he shook his head. “No fragile ice or anything to make it easier?”

  “Find your big boy pants, Masters.”

  “Not what you said last night. Pretty sure you wanted me to keep my pants off.”

  “I also said one more night. That was then, this is now.”

  She could turn it on and off just like a damn light switch. Right now, she was all soldier.

  They hopped over three of the slick rocks—well, she managed four. She turned to him and cocked her head to the side.

  “What?”

  “What’s your name?”

  He blinked. “You know my name.”

  “No, I know what people call you. What’s your name?”

  She leaped to the next one and his breath caught as she wobbled. Once she’d regained her balance, she glanced back to him. “Well?”

  She pitched her voice to carry over the river and he jumped to the rock she’d just vacated.

  “I don’t share my name.”

  “Who am I going to tell out here? Hell, we have three more rocks to make. I may die before this is over. Tell me the name of the man I spent the night with.”

  “Major Stacey Erkens is my full name.”

  She turned back to him and, before he could say anything, she leapt back to the rock he stood on. It was barely big enough for him and he grabbed her tight to keep them both there.

  “Is that a military title, Major, or first name?”

  “Are you insane? Why did you jump back over here?”

  “You wouldn’t have let me fall in.” Absolute confidence in her tone.

  “We both could have gone in.”

  “Nope. You have a good stance there. I checked before I came back over. Were you wobbly like on the last rock, I wouldn’t have. Answer my question.”

  “First name.”

  “Who gave you the nickname?”

  His brain shorted out when she slipped her arms around him beneath his coat. “One of the kids in primary school. Billy was his name. We were the only two there of Native American blood and we got picked on a lot, so he decided I should be called Masters so people wouldn’t pick on me.”

  “Did it stop?”

  He thought back. “Yes, but not because of the name.”

  She tipped her head so she could meet his eyes. “You fought them, didn’t you?”