A few hours ago he’d made love to her, she’d squirmed in pleasure. She’d felt so damn good she’d burned through him. He needed to choke those thoughts and needs from his head and concentrate on what the hell kind of mess they were in. Just because they’d slept together didn’t mean they would wipe away all the toxicity from the blood of their relationship veins.
Clutching the steering wheel in a stranglehold, he continued into the darkness and the long stretch of pavement. His headlights feathered along fields, wide open spaces, and a cluster of houses now and again. Each mile down took him closer to Novah.
Glancing into the rearview mirror for the hundredth time since they’d driven off the resort—or rather busted through the closed gate that had been locked and monitored. Why weren’t they being followed? That worried him more than being tailed.
He scratched his cheek and he caught Novah’s scent lingering on his skin. Or maybe her scent was embedded in his nostrils, in his brain, in his soul. He certainly knew she had etched her name into his heart. Egan could spend the rest of his days trying to fight the feeling, but at some point, he’d have to find a way to accept the pain and move on or find a way to make things work.
Blowing out a long breath, he rolled his head to each shoulder, stretching the kinks from his neck and shoulders. He was grateful they were getting close to Noel Farm.
Egan snorted. He’d spent some time at the secluded farm after he and Novah had divorced. Those were the days he spent at the bottom of a tequila bottle way too many times. In his defense, he’d been heartbroken. In his struggles he’d chastised himself for not being stronger—chastised himself for being human. Fighting wars had taught him to bury his emotions, to learn the capability of looking at any situation without becoming emotionally involved. He’d been as skilled at having “robot” emotions as he’d been at disabling bombs. However, he’d failed miserably when it came to hiding his feelings for Novah and that had made him weak.
Seeing familiar landmarks, he was reminded that the last time he’d been out here he’d been in an entirely different mindset. At that time he’d wanted to eradicate Novah from every vessel of his body and now he wanted to have her again, no matter what he had to do.
Noel Farm sat on a secluded piece of property in a small town that wasn’t even a blip on any map, which was a security advantage. Egan parked next to Pao’s SUV, shut off the engine and he didn’t have to wake Lindsay because she stirred on her own. Once she realized they were stopped, she popped up in the seat, blinking and rubbing sleep from her eyes. “Where are we?”
“We’re at a friend’s house. You’re safe. You’ll be able to relax here.” He opened the driver’s door and slid out. Pao stepped off the porch and shook Egan’s hand.
“Glad to see you, man.”
“Glad to be here.” Egan whistled through his teeth. “Things turned ugly fast.”
Pao’s pensive gaze brushed over a disheveled appearing Lindsay who had her arms wrapped tight around her waist. He then brought his gaze back to Egan. “I don’t see any serious wounds.”
“Piece of cake,” Egan said but his jaw hurt like a mother. Joe packed quite the wallop. Egan would give the bastard that.
“So you’re the reason why we’re in this mess?” Pao directed at Lindsay.
Damn, although Egan’s head was all mixed up, seeing how sorrowful she looked with her long hair in knots, eyes beet red and faint bruises over her cheek, his concern was tweaked. He patted Pao’s shoulder, hoping his buddy caught the silent message to back off a bit. “She needs a few hours of sleep. Think you can help her out?”
Pao blinked and shrugged. “Sure.”
“We’ll debrief after I get a few hours of shut eye. No one followed us so we’re safe. Where’s Novah?” Until he saw her, smelled her, touched her, he’d feel like he was repeatedly banging his head against a brick wall.
“Inside.”
“See you in a few.” Egan hurried up the steps to the porch and inside the quiet house.
Novah was curled up in the corner of the couch, hugging a pillow tight against her chest. She must have been reading a magazine because it was laying upturned on the floor. He roved his gaze over her delicate features, relearning her, although he’d memorized every sensual line and curve. She looked like a sleeping angel with her cheek resting against her praying hands. He shouldn’t wake her, let her rest, but damn he needed to have contact with her.
Kneeling next to the couch, he brushed off a tendril of her hair from her forehead and slipped the tips of his fingers down her smooth, flushed cheek. On her neck he could see dark bruises the color and size of blueberries marring her pale skin. He growled and the sound roused her. Her long lashes fluttered across her silken cheeks then her eyes opened. Once she saw him, she dove against him, wrapping her arms tight around his neck. He wasn’t an emotional man, hadn’t cried in years, but his eyes filled with tears. Damn, she could have been killed and how would he have recovered? How could he have told Finley that she’d never see her mother again?
Then it clicked in him like a bright light coming on. This must have been how Novah felt each time he left.
Swallowing back the emotion, he breathed in her scent, never wanting to let go of her.
“I’m so glad you’re here and you’re safe.” Her words were muffled against his shoulder. She pulled back to visually examine him. “You are safe,
