The years hadn’t changed her at all, other than further highlighting her extreme beauty. I’d been a fool not to follow up. Maybe everything would have turned out differently.

  “You really believe that?”

  “What’s not to believe? You killed two agents in cold blood, gunning them down in a parking lot.” While she said the words matter-of-factly, I had the distinct feeling she remained unsure about their absolute validity.

  I shifted forward, leaning over and clasping my hands. “Did you ever ask yourself why a man who’d spent six years in the Marines, another six in law enforcement would turn, killing the men who were trying to protect the city from scum?”

  Harper kept her eyes pinned on me as she twirled the glass, obviously debating her answer. “I’m not paid to psychoanalyze the mind of criminals.”

  “But I suspect you actually give a damn about what you do. Right? Which would mean you’d take the time to read every scrap of information on the asshole you’re trying to catch.”

  I could tell by the nervous tic in the corner of her mouth that I was correct in my assumptions.

  “And it doesn’t matter what I think,” she retorted. “No one listens to me.”

  The last line was a mere hint of what she’d been through. She had as many layers as I did.

  “True. However, I have a feeling you actually still have moral code. You’re new to this bounty hunting gig and I suspect that’s because you were tossed off some other high-paying job. Why don’t you tell me what you did wrong? Maybe even getting yourself fired.”

  She pursed her mouth, twisting her lips, her anger flaring. “You’re never going to learn anything about me. We’re not going to be friends. I will take you in, obtaining justice for your crimes.”

  I grinned, her tenacity far too appealing. “I applaud your effort, Ms. Rollins, but if you haven’t noticed, you’re under some duress.” I took another swig of my drink, lifting my glass after doing so. She deserved a round of congratulations for her concentrated efforts.

  Her smile was the first giveaway that she had more up her sleeve. “If you didn’t kill those men in cold blood, then who did?”

  “That’s what I’m trying to find out. Someone set me up.”

  “Big bad mafia soldier and they set you up?” She used a singsong-style voice.

  “I’m not entirely certain the Red Devils had anything to do with my betrayal.” I had my ideas, but there was a significant piece of the puzzle missing. Until I found out what it was, even the evidence I’d collected might go nowhere.

  “How fascinating. I would think given your credentials that you wouldn’t fall so easily into the status of a mark. Then again, maybe you aren’t as intelligent as you think you are.” This time, she was the one smiling, leaning over as if anticipating a certain event.

  That’s exactly when I knew the woman was even more cunning than I’d given her credit for. As my muscles began to tense, my mind slowing, I let out a giant roar. The girl had actually managed to poison my drink. I glared at the glass, reaching out as my vision clouded. “What. Did. You. Do?”

  “Just took back control and trust me, sweetheart, I’m never letting go of it again.”

  “I’m... going... to...”

  * * *

  “All right. I’ll be there. Just have the goddamn plane ready. I don’t want to be required to harbor this fugitive any longer than necessary.”

  I inhaled, trying to understand what I was hearing. Even shifting, I was unable to move my arms. I opened my eyes, blinking several times in order to focus. Shit. Harper had taken back control with a fierce roar. I’d been such a fool, falling into her trap. She stood in jeans, boots, and several layers of shirts, pacing the floor as she talked on her cell phone. I could tell by the sun streaming through the window that the storm had subsided.

  “Okay, fine. We’ll be there in twenty minutes.” Harper ended the call, holding the phone to her head for a full minute before sliding it into her pocket. When she turned toward me, she had a smirk on her face. “The asshole is awake. Our travel accommodations are almost ready. We’re going to have a nice flight back to Chicago, with a couple stops along the way. You’ll stay nice and locked down.” As she eased her gun from her holster, she took careful steps in my direction.

  I remained quiet, still trying to clear my head from whatever drug she’d given me. She’d even managed to wrangle my coat back on. The feel of the cuffs was tighter, pinching. She wasn’t taking any chances.

  Damn, the woman was top notch.

  I’d obviously pushed her last button.

  “Oh, and good morning. Did you have a nice snooze?” she asked, giving me a haughty look.

  “Well planned and executed.”

  She took a wide berth as she walked around me, grabbing my arm and forcing me into a standing position. “The Jeep is already packed. Let’s go.”

  There was little to say at this point, but I fully realized that if I stepped onto the plane, there would be no chance to remedy the situation. They’d expedite the case, dragging my ass into court within a month. Prison was a definite. Everyone involved would want to cover up their mistakes, throwing my life away just to keep their crimes from surfacing. There wasn’t a single lawyer in the state of Illinois who would cross the powers that be.

  And I wouldn’t last in prison more than a week. The Red Devils had people on the inside ready to take out anyone who opposed their operation. As one of the most notorious gangs in the country, their ties to organized crime were well documented. They’d fashioned themselves after the mafia. They were savage, their crimes heinous and no one was ever given a second chance. I’d be considered enemy number one, an undercover agent managing to weasel my way into the organization, learning all their trade secrets and gaining their trust. That had never happened before, and several law enforcement agencies had certainly attempted the feat.

  However, killing two federal agents had taken the entire situation to a new level. Soon enough, I would be next. I just wasn’t certain who would be the one to pull the trigger.

  I choose not to fight her as she led me outside, positioning me in the passenger seat. When she snapped cuffs around my ankles, I held my breath. Fuck this.

  As she climbed in, starting the engine, she gave me a hard look. “You have no idea who you fucked with last night. If I wasn’t a law-abiding citizen, I’d gut you.”

  My look was hard and cold, one I knew allowed fear to creep into her system. I settled into the seat, uncomfortable as hell, kicking out my legs in an effort to get comfortable.

  “You’re not getting out of them,” she said almost casually.

  “I would expect nothing less from you.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  I glared out the windshield, remembering the ugly day I’d been lured to the parking lot of the diner, prepared to provide information as required by my job. I bristled, my heart racing just thinking about the asshole who’d framed me, but he had people working for him. The asshole simply wasn’t that smart.

  Or that brave.

  Now the man was living large, even considering running for office. All the evidence I’d collected, weeks and months of obtaining confidential data, was all gone. Left in a damn cabin that would eventually be rented to someone else.

  “It means you’ve already tried and convicted me. I won’t bother attempting to change your mind.” My words still seemed slurred from the effects of the drug. Perhaps that’s what she’d intended all along in order to keep me docile.

  “Good answer,” she stated with defiance.

  The roads were dicey, making the drive treacherous but she maneuvered with skill. The woman had many talents. She refused to glance in my direction, but her nerves were obvious by the grip on the steering wheel. The moment I shifted, leaning closer, she reached for her gun. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

  I laughed softly, every muscle tensing as she pulled into the entrance to the airport.

  “You really think I’ll buy your innocence?” she asked.

  “I don’t care what you buy, Harper. After we land, you’ll never have to see me again. I’m certain that will be a plus for you, more so than the fifty grand in your bank account. Sleep well, sweetheart.”

  She jammed the gear into park, cutting the engine. “Yeah, you’re right, Mr. Marks. But you know what else I’ll be happy about?” She threw open the door before finishing. “Bringing closure to the families of the men you killed in cold blood. That’s what allows me to sleep at night.”

  I also admired her resolve.

  “What a shame we won’t be able to spend more time together,” I taunted her, for no other reason than my anger was increasing.

  Huffing, she threw open the door. “What a shame indeed.”

  We were settled into the Cessna 401 and I could tell that Harper was already turning green, scanning the small plane with disdain. It seemed we were the only passengers. I guess my notoriety had a turn-off effect.

  Her hands were ice cold as she unlocked the handcuffs around my wrists, pulling my arms to the front and tossing me into the seat. “I’m giving you a slight benefit of the doubt. If you attempt to fuck with me during the flight, I’ll duct tape your mouth and chain your arms and legs together in a very uncomfortable position. You got it?” She reattached the cuffs to my wrists, double checking them not once but twice.

  The way she was leaning over, I caught a whiff of whatever shampoo she’d recently used. Strawberries and cream. My mouth watered at the thought. I lifted my head, breathing a swath of hot air across her chin, easing up just enough that our lips almost touched. “I don’t think you like being in tight quarters with me. What a shame. Think about all the things I could do to your body during the flight.”

  She sucked in her breath, pursing her lips and bending down to check the cuffs on my ankles. “You’re going to sit still and keep your mouth shut. That’s all you’re going to do.” Moving into her seat just behind and on the other side, she had a direct view to make certain I didn’t try to escape. As if jumping off the plane was an option.

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Only a few minutes later the pilot settled in, giving me an evil eye before turning his attention to Harper. “I’m Mike Chapman. Gonna be your pilot today. We’re on schedule so far, but I gotta warn you, looks like some rough weather ahead. The storm we had is moving east. We’re going to head right into it.”

  “We need to get to Chicago as soon as possible. I have precious cargo,” she answered, sneering in my direction.

  “Understood and I’ll do my best. Make yourself comfortable. Could be a bumpy ride.” Mike’s expression was one of concern.

  I settled into the soft leather, stretching out my long legs as far as possible. With a slight turn of my head, I watched as Harper pulled out an iPad. We were just taxiing down the runway when she began typing, her fingers moving fast and furious over the keys on the screen.

  I was forced to close my eyes the moment the Cessna took off. I hated anything to do with planes, was terrified of heights, a weakness almost no one knew. I sensed her, knew she was studying me. For those precious minutes gaining altitude, I allowed my vivid imagination to soar, thinking of the electricity we’d shared.

  Both years ago and the night before.

  The way her skin felt to the rough pads on my fingers.

  The moans pushing past her voluptuous lips.

  The wetness of her pussy as her muscles clamped around my cock.

  Was I the brute she claimed me to be? Absolutely.

  I’d fucking adored spanking her tight little ass, the roundness fitting perfectly into the palm of my hand. I was titillated even at this moment from hearing her ragged moans as the leather sliced across her backside. And I would do it again.

  And again.

  My imagination was working overtime, showering my mind with the most sensational visions of her naked body hogtied and waiting, even begging me to whip her. Fuck, I was hard as a rock.

  I shifted, hungering to experience her again. Was I a monster? No doubt. I’d learned to take what I wanted, a brutal training session delivered by the El Capitan of the Red Devils. Any hesitation meant severe punishment and I’d been tormented on enough occasions.

  “Why don’t you come closer, sweetheart, if you’re going to continue staring? I would love a lap dance.” My words inflamed her, the guttural sound she made only producing a smile on my face.

  “Why don’t you shut up,” she retorted.

  I longed to grab her jaw, pulling her down into an intense kiss.

  Snickering, I had to fight the level of anxiety that seemed to be increasing. My decision to escape hadn’t been without significant thought. I’d wanted to go to trial in order to prove my innocence, but I’d learned from Parker the DA’s intentions and the methods the pompous and dirty attorney was planning on using. My chances of being found innocent had been eliminated. Unfortunately, I still didn’t know why.

  Still tense, I glanced out the windows at the gray clouds swirling, forming various shapes. Like true monsters on the hunt. I would have to guess an hour passed by, the anger I felt almost suffocating. I’d gone through every detail in my mind at least four dozen times. Someone had tipped off the Red Devils given there’d been no retaliation on their part. Other than killing the two federal agents in cold blood. After that, they’d simply walked away, leaving me to take the fall, but not without a warning of their own.

  “No matter where you go, we will hunt you down.”

  They had to take a damn number.

  I could almost swear law enforcement had anticipated my escape. What a shit storm and one all my years of training hadn’t been able to help me figure out.

  I wasn’t a man prone to panic attacks. I’d been through far too much in my years on this Earth. Even incarceration didn’t bother me, but death held certain meaning, the ugly darkness debilitating. I realized my breathing had become labored, my shallow breaths not allowing me to get enough air. I expected Harper to laugh it off, enjoying the beast suffering.

  “Mike, do we have any water on board?” Harper asked as she moved closer to the front of the plane, still carefully avoiding any physical contact with me.

  “Yeah, there’s a cooler just behind your seat. Help yourself.”

  She stopped just in front of me, her eyes narrowing.

  I took several additional breaths, my throat closing even more. This was ridiculous. My fists were clenched, my skin clammy.

  “Shit.” She hurried past me, still cursing under her breath. When she returned, she knelt down, her fingers shaking as she attempted to open the cap on the water. “You need to drink this.”

  The woman didn’t give me time to object, placing one hand behind my head, bringing it forward, the other tilting the bottle.

  “Nice and slow,” she whispered, her eyes never leaving mine. I hadn’t noticed the gold flecks in her irises before, accentuating the emerald green. I witnessed a brief moment of concern in them, but the moment was short-lived as she pulled the bottle away. “Any better?”

  “Yeah. I’ll live, Rollins, so you can earn that money you worked so hard to get.”

  Harper jerked to a standing position, her entire body shaking but this time from her own bout of anger. As she tossed water onto my face, dumping the plastic in my lap, her mouth pinched. “How dare you. You’re just... You’re exactly like what they said you were, nothing more than an animal. You deserve to rot in hell.”

  She thumped back down, every move exaggerated as she slammed her iPad into her bag, folding her arms and staring out the other window.

  I caught a glimpse of the pilot glancing into the mirror and grimaced. She didn’t deserve my wrath. She wasn’t to blame for any of this shit. She was merely trying to do her job. I snapped my head against the seat, gritting my teeth. Still, my damn pride or stupidity allowed another ten minutes to easily go by before I said anything.

  “I’m sorry. Okay? You didn’t deserve that. You were trying to be kind. I haven’t had a lot of that in the last couple of years.”

  As I expected, there was total silence. Not that I could blame her. I finally closed my eyes, trying to control my breathing. The dull hum of the plane’s engines finally became comforting, lulling me into a false sense of security.

  “Why did you escape?”

  I heard her lilting voice, the words issued with a level of softness I wasn’t expecting. “Because I had no choice if I wanted to prove my innocence.”

  “You were caught on camera, security footage from the 7-Eleven just across the street.”

  “Looks can be deceiving. Never forget that in your line of work.”

  “Why would anyone do that? The Red Devils?” she asked.

  She had spent some time looking into my case. Goody for her. Maybe she’d get a gold star. I hissed, hating the personality that almost surfaced when I was pushed in any manner. “The Red Devils are some of the vilest creatures on Earth. Even a hint of betrayal and they react.” I turned my head until I could see her. “And I’m not talking about the form of punishment I used either, sweetheart. They enjoy brutalizing in every manner possible. Their motto? Maim and ask questions later, after the body parts begin to appear.”

  Maybe I’d said the words in an effort to keep her on edge or to see what she was made of. She simply nodded in understanding.

  “Then you’re suggesting the cops.”

  I was surprised she was even interested. “Possibly.”

  “Fascinating.”

  The hit from turbulence was out of the blue and significant, the plane lurching then dipping.

  “Fuck!” I struggled for the first time in the chains, the anxiety returning.

  “What’s happening?” she demanded, her voice high-pitched. She leaned forward, gripping the seat in front of her.