his own poured forth, the pleasure too much to bear.
She collapsed on his chest, out of breath and damp with perspiration, and, hopefully, too exhausted for dreams. She drifted off to sleep and he rolled her over, cleaned them both, then curled into her side.
For the first time in his adult life, he felt as though he’d found a home.
Twenty-five
THE NEXT DAY BLUE sat at Evie’s desk with Evie in his lap. “There she is,” he said, tapping a red dot on the screen. “Tiffany Star.”
Evie frowned. “The dot tells me nothing.”
“She’s in a remote part of Vermont.”
“Then to Vermont we go.”
If they were lucky, the Star boys would be there as well. If not, they would deal.
During Blue’s recovery, Solo had gone after the son on his own; but, like his father, Tyson had already gone into hiding.
“How soon can you be ready to go?” he asked.
“Thirty seconds. I just need to grab my purse.” She hopped off his lap—he wanted to pout like a child—but returned in only ten seconds, her bag in hand.
He checked the contents, smiling when he found a small bottle of ranch dressing, duct tape, dice, a pair of panties, a man’s bow tie, and other things he couldn’t identify.
“No weapon?” he asked.
“Please.” She snorted. “Everything in there is a weapon.”
Love. This. Woman.
“We’ll take Michael’s jet,” she said, and he noticed she gave a little shudder. “It’s got, like, warp speed, so we can be there in an hour.”
Why a shudder? “I’ll call Solo and tell him to meet us at the airstrip.”
Thirty minutes later, the three of them boarded the jet and settled in the plush, dark leather seats. There was a dining table, a bedroom in back, and three four-by-four cages for carting criminals. Luxury and business at its finest.
Blue sat next to Evie. She grew pale and tense, and even squealed when the engines started up.
“You okay?” he asked her.
“I hate flying,” she grumbled. “It’s stupid. Planes are stupid. And
Distraction time. “Look away, Solo,” he said, leaning in to place a kiss at the base of Evie’s neck. “Things are about to get freaky.”
She pressed her lips together, but it was too late. A giggle escaped. And when he made growling noises against her skin, as if he were the big, bad wolf, she outright laughed.
“Do you know how hilarious it is that the indomitable Evie Black is afraid of flying?” he asked.
She slapped at his arm. “You take that back, Corbin Blue! I’m afraid of nothing.”
“Except joining the Mile High Club. Right, baby?”
That earned him another slap. This one packed a little sting. “Maybe I’ll join—with myself.”
“Mmm, don’t tease me like that.” She hadn’t noticed that they’d hurtled down the runway and launched into the air, he thought with a smile. “Especially since this stupid plane comes with a bedroom.”
Looking at Solo, she hiked her thumb in Blue’s direction. “Has he always been like this?”
“Incorrigible? Always.” And then the warrior did something that astonished Blue. He winked at Evie.
A stamp of approval, right there.
His grin was wide.
“So you two are really together,” Solo said.
“Yes, but I’m considering breaking up with him,” Evie replied.
Blue shook his head with mock pity. “I’d just win you back. You know it’s true, so why even waste the time? You’re helpless against my immense charms.”
She rubbed her temples as if warding off a headache. “How did his other girlfriends put up with him?” she asked Solo.
“He was never like this with his other girlfriends” was the soft reply, and Evie faced Blue, her eyes wide.
He shrugged. It was true. He could be himself with her, no secrets in the way. No fears.
With a contented sigh, she nestled her head against his shoulder.
When the jet landed, he almost wished they’d had to go a greater distance. Holding her was a sweeter pleasure than having sex with another woman.
The cabin was twenty miles away, and once they reached it, Blue realized it was smaller than the blueprint made it seem, and decrepit-looking, hidden in a thick cluster of real trees.
A single light spilled from the only window Blue could see. A window leading into the living room. There were no guards outside patrolling the area, which meant there had to be trip wires on the ground.
Well, okay, then.
Evie anchored her night-vision goggles in place and attached a laser sensor over the lens. As she searched for any place the ground might have been disturbed, as well as any glowing red lines to indicate that an invisible security fence was activated, she quietly said, “The entire area is surrounded. There isn’t a clear spot anywhere.”
He took the goggles and looked for himself. Every red line was computerized with a signal meant to scan body heat and weight, as well as bone structure, and decide whether or not the invader was animal or man—no matter how quickly the creature moved. Once a determination was made, weapons—probably guns—would pop out of secret locations, all stripper from a cake deadly.
“I can get in without detection,” Blue whispered. “You two stay here and shoot anything that comes out without first shooting a flare.”
Solo nodded and took off for the other side of the house.
“Plug your ears, baby.” Blue pulled the pin on a scrambler grenade and tossed it through the wires. Then he closed his eyes and covered his own ears. He knew the exact moment the grenade detonated. A surge of electricity lifted the hair on his arms. A piercing ring made his brain want to jump out of his skull. Anyone within a mile radius would experience the same reaction.
Couldn’t be helped.
One.
Knowing he had only five seconds before the scramble failed and the lasers kicked back on, he sprinted forward, moving as fast as his feet would carry him.
Two.
He reached the front porch and dropped to his stomach, removing his mask and palming two pyre-guns. Aimed.
Three.
A tall, muscled—and armed—male opened the door and peered out, frowning. He rubbed at his ears.
Four.
Blue didn’t have to squeeze the trigger, because a yellow blaze soared past him, slamming into the man’s chest.
Five.
“Henry?” another man said.
The ringing stopped.
Blue popped to his feet and launched forward, through the door, barely missing the reengagement of the
