Mackenzie's Pleasure

Lovejoy took an involuntary step back, his complexion going from pasty to white.

'Barrie, will you marry me?' Zane asked deliberately, keeping his gaze focused on Lovejoy.

She glanced from him to her father, who tensed as he waited for her answer.

'Yes,' she said, her mind racing. Zane. She wouldn't question the miracle that had brought him here, but she was so desperate that she would have married himeven ifshe hadn't loved him. Zane was a SEAL; if anyone could keep her safe from the unknown enemy who had her father so on edge, he could. She was carrying his child, and evidently that possibility was what had brought him to Virginia in search of her. He was a man who took his responsibilities seriously. She would have preferred that he cared for her as deeply as she did for him, but she would take what she could get. She knew he was attracted to her; if he wasn't, she wouldn't be pregnant.

She would marry him, and perhaps with time he would come to love her.

Her father flinched at her answer. Half turning to her, he said imploringly, 'Baby, you don't want to marry someone like him. You've always had the best, and he can't give it to you.'

Squaring her shoulders, she said, 'I'm going to marry him—as soon as possible.'

Seeing the intractability in her expression, her father looked at Zane. 'You won't get a penny of her inheritance,' he said with real venom.

'Dad!' she cried, shocked. She had her own money, inheritances from her mother and grandparents, so she wasn't worried about being destitute even if he carried through on his threat; it was the fact that he'd made the threat at all, that he would try to sabotage her future with Zane in such a blatant, hurtful manner, that hurt.

Zane shrugged. 'Fine,' he said with deceptive mildness. Barrie heard the pure iron underlying the calm, even tone. 'Do what you want with your money, I don't give a damn. But you're a fool if you thought you could keep her with you for the rest of your life. You can act like an ass and cheat yourself out of your grandchildren if you want, but nothing you say is going to change a damn thing.'

Lovejoy hung there, his face drawn with pain. Anguish darkened his eyes as he looked at his daughter. 'Don't do it,' he pleaded, his voice shaking.

Now it was her turn to wince, because in spite of everything, she hated to hurt him. 'I'm pregnant,' she whispered, straightening her shoulders against any other hurtful thing he might say. 'And we're getting married.'

He swayed on his feet, stunned by her announcement. She hadn't thought it possible he could turn any whiter, but he did. 'What?' he croaked. 'But—but you said you weren't raped!'

'She wasn't,' Zane said. There was a soft, drawling, very masculine undertone in his voice.

Their eyes met. Barrie gave him a soft, wry smile. 'I wasn't,' she verified, and despite everything, a sudden, subtle glow lit her face.

Her father couldn't think of anything else to say. He gaped at them for a moment, unable to handle this turn of events. Then a red tide of anger ran up his face, chasing away the pallor. 'You bastard!' he choked out. 'Youtook advantage of her when she was vulnerable— '

Barrie grabbed his arm and jerked him around. 'Stop it!' she yelled, her slender body tense with fury. Her nerves had been shredded since that morning, and this confrontation was only making them worse. Zane's sudden appearance, though it made her almost giddy with happiness, was another shock to her system, and she'd had enough. 'If anyone took advantage, I did. If you want the details I'll give them to you, but I don't think youreally want to know!'

It was on the tip of her tongue to ask him if he'd thought he could keep her a virgin forever, but she bit the bitter words off unspoken. That would be too hurtful, and once said, she would never be able to take the words back. He loved her, perhaps too much; his fear of losing her was why he was lashing out. And, despite everything, she loved him, too. Pain congealed inside her as she stared starkly at him, all pretense gone. 'I know,' she whispered. 'Do you understand? I know. I know why you've been so paranoid every time I've left the house. I have to leave.'

He inhaled sharply, shock ripping away his last vestige of control. He couldn't sustain her burning gaze, and he looked away. 'Keep her safe,' he said to Zane in a stifled voice, then walked stiffly toward his study.

'I intend to.' That difficulty solved, he spared no more than a glance for his departing foe. His gaze switched to Barrie, and a slow, heart- stopping smile touched his lips. 'Go get packed,' be said.

They were on their way within the hour.

She hurried up to her bedroom and filled her suitcases, bypassing the evening gowns and designer suits in favor of more practical clothing. The ankle-length cotton skirt she was already wearing was comfortable enough for travel; she pulled on a silk shirt over the sleeveless blouse she wore and let it go at that. Every instinct she had was screaming at her to hurry.

She dragged the bags to the top of the stairs. It didn't require a lot of effort, they all had wheeled bottoms, but when Zane saw her, he left his post by the door and took the stairs two at a time. 'Don't lift those,' he ordered, taking the bags from her hands. 'You should have called me.'

His tone was the same one he had used in commanding his men, but Barrie was too nervous to fight that battle with him right now. He lifted all three cases with an ease that made her blink and started down the stairs withthem. She rushed after him. 'Where are we going? Are we flying or driving?'

'Las Vegas. Flying.'

'You already have the tickets?' she asked in surprise.

He paused and glanced over his shoulder at her, the dark wings of his eyebrows lifting fractionally. 'Of course,' he said, and resumed his trip down the stairs.

Such certainty and self-assurance were daunting. Briefly she wondered what on earth she was getting herself into. More and more she was becoming aware ofjust how much in control Zane Mackenzie was, of himself and everything around him. She might never be able to break through that barrier. Except in bed. The memory zinged through her, bringing a flush to her cheeks that wasn't caused by rushing around. He had lost control there, and it had been... breathtaking.

'What time is the flight?' Once more she hurried to catch up to him. 'Will we have time to go to my bank? I need to close out my accounts—'

'You can transfer them to a local bank when we get home.'

While he carried her bags out to the rental car he was driving, Barrie went to the study and knocked softly on the door. There was no answer; after a moment she opened the door anyway. Her father was sitting at the desk, his elbows propped on top of it and his face buried in his hands.

'Bye, Dad,' she said softly.

He didn't answer, but she saw his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed.

'I'll let you know where I am.'

'No,' he said, his voice strangled. 'Don't.' He lifted his head. His eyes were anguished. 'Not yet. Wait... wait a while.'

'All right,' she whispered, understanding slicing through her. It was safer for her that way. He must suspect the phone line was tapped.

'Baby, I—' He broke off and swallowed hard again. 'I only want you to be happy—and safe.'

'I know.' She felt dampness on her cheeks and wiped away the tears that were wetting them.

'He isn't the kind of man I wanted for you. The SEALs are—well, never mind.' He sighed. 'Maybe he can keep you safe. I hope so. I love you, baby. You've been the center of my life. You know I never meant—' He halted, unable to go on.

'I know,' she said again. 'I love you, too.'

She quietly closed the door and stood with her head bowed. She didn't hear him approach, but suddenly Zane was there, his arm hard around her waist as he drew her with him out to the car. He didn't ask any questions, just opened the door for her and helped her inside, then closed the door with a finality that was unmistakable.

She sat tensely during the drive to the airport, watching the traffic buzz around them.

'This is the most privacy we'll have for a while,' Zane said as he competently threaded the car through the insanity of rush hour. 'Why don't you tell me what's going on?' He had slipped on a pair of sunglasses, and his eyes were hidden from her view, but she didn't have to see them to know how cool and remote the expression in them was.

She lifted her chin and stared straight ahead, considering the way his suggestions sounded like orders. This wasn't going to be easy, but he had to know everything. She needed his protection, at least while she still carried his child. He wouldn't be on guard unless he knew there was a threat. She had to be honest with him. 'I want you to know—one of the reasons I agreed to marry you is that I need protection, and you're a SEAL. If anything... dangerous... happens, you'll know how to handle it.'

'Dangerous, how?' He sounded very matter-of-fact, almost disinterested. She supposed that, given his job, danger was so common to him that it was more the rule than the exception.

'I think the kidnappers may try again. And now I have more than just myself to worry about.' Briefly, unconsciously, her hand moved to her lower belly in the instinctive way a pregnant woman touched the growing child within, as if reassuring it of its safety.

He glanced in the rearview mirror, calmly studying the traffic behind and around them. After a moment of consideration, he went straight to the heart of the matter. 'Have you notified the FBI? The police?'

'No.'

'Why not?'

'Because I think Dad may be involved,' she said,