disarming her attacker before he had the chance to use his gun.
'Good God, it's Addy!' Rusty McConnell bellowed like a wounded bull, his voice carrying loudly in the stillness.
Nick could hear the rumble of voices, the tantalizing moan of a saxophone from inside the house, the labored breathing of the sweating man who began walking backward, practically dragging Addy with him. Nick slipped around the side of the Rolls, keeping his head low, groaning silently as excruciating pain radiated from his calf up into his bent knee. Coordinating his movements perfectly to keep pace with Addy and her kidnapper, Nick reached the rear of the car the moment they did.
He had one chance and one chance only. If he failed
Nick made his move. The man, young and scared, his dark eyes riveted to Nick, swung Addy around hard, using her as a shield. His long, sandy ponytail flipped over his shoulder. He tightened his hold on Addy. For one split second, he raised the gun a fraction of an inch, the barrel shining brightly just above Addy's head, the man's white hand clearly visible against Addy's flame red hair.
Using his trained warrior instincts, Nick raised his black walking stick with split-second precision. The gold tip touched the assailant's hand. He reacted quickly, shoving the gun against Nick's cane. Nick pressed the concealed lever. A sharp stiletto sprang from the tip of the cane and pierced the attacker's hand, slicing through flesh and muscle. Blood gushed from the wound. The man yowled in pain, dropping the gun. The metal rattled as it hit the driveway. Using his good leg, Nick extended his foot and kicked the revolver under the Rolls. The young would-be kidnapper, having lost his gun and inadvertently released Addy, glared at Nick, who swiftly and adeptly pulled the knife out of the man's hand and, with a quick press of a lever, returned the knife to its secret bed within his black lacquer stick.
When the young man made a move toward Addy, Nick used the gold-tipped staff to ward him off. Twirling the cane around, Nick slapped him across the face, bloodying his nose.
Nick heard the sound of voices coming closer, the loud pounding of running feet. Panting, the assailant glared over Nick's shoulder, then back at Nick. Easing away slowly, the man turned and broke into a full run. Nick made no attempt to follow. He leaned over to help a badly shaken Addy McConnell to her feet. Her tightly coiled topknot had come loose. Thick, heavy tendrils of bright red hair fell down her back, over her ears, and wispy curls framed her face. The sleeve of her unflattering gray dress was ripped, one of her two-inch heels was missing and there was a run in her panty hose that stretched from her ankle all the way up and beyond the hem of her dress. Her silver and black beaded purse rested at her feet where it had fallen from her shoulder.
The delicate fragrance of her expensive perfume mingled with the heady odor of her female perspiration. Nick could smell her heat
Leaning on his cane, Nick pulled Addy up against his body, hugging her close. Her breathing was labored, her eyes wild with fear, her full lips parted in the prelude to a sigh or a moan or a cry. Nick wasn't sure which. God, he wanted to kiss her. He wanted to hold her so close, so tight, that she would become a part of him. He wanted to run his hands all over her, from neck to knees, to make sure she was unharmed, to reassure her by his touch that she was alive.
The voices and running feet came closer. Within seconds a crowd would surround them. He looked at Addy. She looked at him.
'Oh, Nick…' Her voice was pleadingly soft, issuing both thanks and invitation in the way she uttered his name.
She leaned into him, resting against him. She put both of her arms around his waist, clinging to him. He'd never felt so much a man. Not in all his life. Was this what it felt like, he wondered, to protect your woman?
'You're all right, Addy.' Nick lowered his head, his breath mingling with hers. 'He didn't hurt you, did he?'
'No—not really—just … just scared me.' She raised her lips to his.
Just as Nick's mouth covered hers, he felt the hardy slap of Rusty McConnell's big hand on his back. 'What the hell was going on? Who was that man?'
Addy turned her face toward her father, but she remained in Nick's arms, her hands clutching at his back. 'He … he was trying to rob me,' she lied. 'Nick showed up just in time. I … don't know what I would have done.'
'The police have been called.' Rusty stared at his daughter, doubt and fear raging in his dark green eyes. 'Some of the men are trying to catch your attacker. I'd let the dogs loose if we didn't have guests wandering around out here.'
Nick could feel the quick, hard beat of Addy's heart where her chest rested against his side. Her breasts were crushed into him. They weren't as small as he'd thought, but they were just as firm.
There was more to this attack than a man trying to steal a woman's purse. If that was all the man had been after, he'd have taken it and run. No, the man, whoever he was, had wanted Addy, had been trying to take her with him. That meant he was either a rapist or a kidnapper. If he'd been a murderer, he could have shot her before Nick saw them. Addy was lying to her father, and Nick didn't understand why. Who was she trying to protect? Surely not her attacker.
'Did you get a good look at his face?' Rusty asked. 'Could you identify him?'
Addy nodded. Trembling, she clung to Nick.
'I'll get rid of everybody as quickly as I can,' Rusty said. 'You aren't going back to your house tonight. You can stay in your old room. I'll have Mrs. Hargett get it ready for you.'
'The police will probably want to question everyone,' Nick said. 'Just in case anybody saw something. But I think Addy and I are the only ones who can identify her attacker. There's no need for them to grill her. I got as good a look at him as she did.'
'I'll get Dina,' Rusty suggested. 'She can stay with you, Addy. A girl needs another woman at a time like this.'
'No, Daddy. Really. I'll—I'll be all right.' Addy twisted the back of Nick's tuxedo jacket in her hand, wadding it into a wrinkled knot. 'If I can just go inside … get away from all these people staring at me. Something to drink. Brandy, maybe. Or a shot of whiskey. And—and—' she looked at Nick. 'And Nick—Mr. Romero could go with me.'
'Huh?' Rusty's gaze moved from his daughter's face to her arms that were clinging to Nick. 'Take her inside, Romero. And stay with her. I'll take care of everything else. You take care of my daughter.'
Nick heard both the entreaty and the warning in big Rusty McConnell's voice. The man knew he would protect Addy with his life. He also knew that Nick wanted her, and wanted her badly. A man could always tell when another man was proprietary about a woman. Nick had seen that look in many a man's eye. He'd never thought another man would ever see it in his. He hadn't felt possessive about a woman in twenty-five years. Not since he'd been seventeen and in love with his brother's wife.
'Well, they weren't a whole hell of a lot of help, were they?' Rusty McConnell stomped across the cream and gold Persian rug in his living room. Running a big hand through his thick, cinnamon-streaked white hair, he chomped down on his half-smoked Havana cigar.
'Now, darling.' Dina draped her small, delicate arm around her fiance's thick waist. 'I think the officers did a thorough job. My goodness, they questioned every guest and gave all of us the third degree. It's two-thirty, and we're exhausted. Why don't we go to bed and—'
Unconsciously, Rusty jerked away from Dina's possessive hold, turning to Addy. 'You're not going home. Do you understand? Mrs. Hargett's already got your room ready.'
'I'll stay here tonight, Daddy, but in the morning, I'm going home.' Addy refused to allow some maniac's attack to turn her father into the fanatically overprotective parent he'd been years ago. From the time she was six and her older brother had been killed by his kidnappers, Addy had lived in a gilded cage, a poor little rich girl unable to flee the golden chains that kept her
Rusty's gaze swung around, focusing on his niece. 'That boyfriend of yours is outside waiting. Why don't you go on home, Janice. And, if Addy isn't up to coming in to work Monday, you handle things.'
'Now, Daddy, don't go making any decisions for me.' Addy gave Janice a knowing nod and tried to smile. 'Go on home with Ron. I'm fine.'
'I'll see you Monday,' Janice said, giving Addy a quick hug. Walking out, she paused. 'Uncle Rusty, you know
