Safe by His Side

“Put your weapon on the floor and kick it under the seat, then get out of the car.”

It was Rick’s voice. He had Vinny’s gun now.

“You heard him,” Kate told Danny, her aim still level with his forehead. God, this was amazing. Had she done this before?

The two goons got out. Rick marched them to the edge of the blacktop. Kate followed behind him, her gun hanging at her side from a hand that had long since gone limp with aftereffects.

Rick cocked his head to one side, lifted his weapon and took aim. “Now run!”

“Hey, man, we can work this out—” Vinny began nervously.

“Run!” Rick roared.

“You’re not going to kill them?” Kate shrieked.

Gunfire erupted and Kate gasped. She squeezed her eyes shut and dropped to her knees on the cold, hard pavement. Oh, God. She clamped her hand over her mouth to prevent the scream that twisted her throat. She didn’t want to see this. Didn’t want to be a part of it. Had no idea how she had gotten involved in it.

“Let’s go.”

Kate forced her eyes open, expecting to see two dead bodies lying in the ditch.

No one…no bodies.

She looked up at Rick. “I thought you shot them,” she croaked.

He grinned, a dangerous yet ridiculously sexy widening of his lips. Kate shivered at the insane turn her thoughts had suddenly taken.

“Who says I didn’t?” He grabbed her arm and pulled her to her feet.

Kate stood on shaky legs and stole another glance at the thick woods beyond the ditch. She still saw no bodies. She settled her gaze back on the face of the man guiding her back to the car. Savior or crucifier, she wondered.

“What do we do now?” she asked, her voice thin.

He opened the car door. One eyebrow quirked when he swung that intense blue gaze back on hers. He lifted the weapon from her loose grip and said, “We get the hell out of Dodge.”

Chapter Two

Raine mentally reviewed every move he had made in the last four weeks as he drove like a bat out of hell down the steep mountain road. How had Ballatore’s hired guns found him? He hadn’t made a single mistake—he never did. The two times he had been found by Lucas’s men in the last six months were intentional. Allowing only a glimpse, he had wanted Lucas to know that he was alive. The man deserved that, if nothing else. Raine couldn’t quite bring himself to believe that Lucas was the leak who had blown his cover and almost gotten him killed.

But it was definitely someone in Lucas’s organization. Raine knew that for certain now. He had called Lucas’s private voice mail only three days ago and left the number to a downtown Gatlinburg pay phone. The information had to have filtered down to Ballatore—there was no other way the old man could have known to look here for Raine. But how many were involved in working Raine’s case? Cuddahy, Lucas’s boss, for sure, and at least three other special ops agents. Raine would have to find a way to narrow down that tight little group. But right now he had to concentrate on not getting caught.

Raine groaned when a stab of pain knifed through his gut. Vinny hadn’t broken anything, but he had damn sure given Raine something to remember him by.

Steering the car onto Highway 321, Raine decided his best course of action would be to get out of Gatlinburg in a hurry. He would worry about dumping the car and picking up another means of transportation farther down the road. It would take Vinny and his sidekick a while to walk down to civilization. Not much traffic found its way to where he had left them. And even if someone did come along, no way would they pick up two strange men—especially a couple of guys who looked like refugees from Alcatraz.

He should have killed them, but he hadn’t. She had distracted him. He glanced at the woman clinging to the passenger-side door. He never allowed anyone to distract him. Raine could analyze that bit of irony later.

He estimated he had about two hours before a new and much more intense search began. Maybe he’d get lucky and Vinny would get lost in the woods and freeze before finding help. “Scumbags,” Raine muttered.

“You…you were going to drop me off at the emergency room.”

Raine snapped his head in the direction of the small, hesitant voice. She trembled beneath his irritated glare. He forced his gaze back to the road and the ever-increasing traffic as they headed south on 441 and into Gatlinburg proper.

What was he going to do with her? If he let her go, they would find her and kill her. A professional never left loose ends. If he took her with him, she could easily be caught in the crossfire and wind up dead anyway. Raine set his jaw and considered his options. He didn’t owe this woman a damn thing, but if she ended up wearing a toe tag it would be his fault.

He released a frustrated breath. Kate Roberts was an innocent bystander in his world of death and mayhem and Jack Raine didn’t off innocents—directly or indirectly. She was his responsibility now whether he liked it or not, and he sure didn’t like it. If he kept Kate with him, she had a chance of surviving, slim though it might be.

Slim? Who the hell was he kidding? Anorexic would be a more accurate description. Raine knew the odds of his being able to evade capture much longer without doing a permanent disappearing act. And they weren’t good, especially now.

But he had to find that leak. To do that, he couldn’t afford to get caught—at least not yet.

Raine no longer owed the government anything, but he did owe it to the other men, like himself, who put their lives on the line for that government. Contract agents were especially vulnerable since the very agencies that hired them denied them when an assignment went south. If a leak existed at a high enough level to have access to Raine’s assignments, then no one was safe.

He snatched another glimpse of the woman in the passenger seat. Kate would just have to come along for the ride until he could tuck her away someplace safe.

“I’m afraid there’s been a change of plans,” he told her. He might as well get this over with. No point in keeping her in the dark.

“What do you mean?” she asked, her eyebrows knitted with concern. Her hands twisted together in her lap, her face looked pale and drawn.

She was scared to death, Raine decided after giving her another sidelong glance. “It would be a mistake for me to leave you behind. These people don’t like loose ends and you’re definitely a loose end.”

“I don’t understand.” The pitch of Kate’s voice rose steadily. “You said I needed medical attention…I don’t understand,” she repeated.

Raine cursed under his breath when he saw tears slip down her cheeks. He had no tolerance for crying females. What the hell had he done to deserve this? Raine swallowed the hard, bitter answer that climbed into his throat. He knew what he’d done. He’d sold his soul a long time ago and now he was going to pay for it, in the form of a weepy female amnesiac.

A tiny sound, almost a sob broke loose from Kate, jerking Raine from his reverie. “There are a lot more guys like Vinny after me—a helluva lot more—if any of them get their hands on you, medical attention won’t do you any good.” He shot her a fierce glare. “That’s just the way it is, so shut up and let me think.”

Raine focused his full attention on the road before him. The next town with transportation possibilities was his destination. He had to get somewhere—anywhere—as fast he could without taking a chance on speeding and drawing attention to himself. He couldn’t allow any distractions, not Kate’s whining or his own uneasiness. He had to concentrate on driving. He didn’t have time to waste. This sedan would soon be a heavy liability.

KATE’S MIND RACED like an out-of-control roller coaster. She had to do something. This man, Rick, wasn’t going to drop her off at the hospital as he’d promised. She should have known better than to trust him. Of course, her options had been limited. He certainly seemed considerably less threatening than the other two goons she’d met today. He was definitely the lesser of the evils.

But would he drag her along with him and get her killed? Kate might not remember her life, but she instinctively knew she wouldn’t have a death wish if she did. She shot the man driving an assessing glance. And this guy certainly had himself some unsavory enemies. Kate had to think of something…something that would provide her with an avenue of escape.

If she could get away from this man, she could call the police and tell them everything. The police would get her to a doctor who could help her to regain her memory.

The harshness of that reality slammed into her with such force that it sucked the air right out of Kate’s lungs. She didn’t just not know her name—she didn’t know anything. Where she was from, what she did for a living, whether she had any family. Nothing…she knew nothing.

“Oh, God,” Kate muttered. Panic clawed at her throat, making her want to scream despite the knowledge that it would do her no good. Her heart pounded in her chest and her head ached unmercifully. She had to get out of here. A definitive click of the power door lock told her that he knew exactly what she was thinking.

Kate refused to look at him, afraid she’d give away her swiftly deteriorating condition. She had to calm down and think of a plan.

Any kind of plan.

Call in.

The words shook her with their intensity. That inner voice louder now, demanding action.

Call in, she repeated silently. “555–4911,” she mumbled involuntarily. The numbers spilled from her mouth as naturally as breathing.

“What?” he demanded, his eyebrows crunched in irritation.

“I have to use the phone!” Kate blurted. “I have to…call in,” she added more slowly.

“What the hell are you mumbling about?” he growled, glaring at her as he stopped for a traffic light.

“Rick, I have to—”

“Don’t call me that,” he warned.

Kate blinked, confused. “But those other men called you that.”

“And look where it got them.”

Kate stifled a gasp. Was he trying to shock her?

He chuckled and turned his attention back to the busy street. “You,” he said, tossing her an unreadable look, “can call me Raine.”

Fear trickled through Kate. Raine. She swallowed tightly. Your life will be in constant danger. Words, images, sensations crashed through her consciousness. Kate trembled with the effort of maintaining her composure under the mental assault. This man was dangerous. She didn’t know how she knew, she just knew. And every moment she spent with him put her in danger. Constant danger.

She had to get away from him. “Please,” she began in an unsteady voice. “You have to let me find a telephone.”

“I don’t have to let you do anything,” he told her flatly, without ever taking his eyes from the road. “Besides, who will you call? You don’t even remember who you are. Remember?” he taunted irritably.

“I…I remembered a number. I think maybe it’s my mother’s. Maybe she lives here and I was visiting her when I had my accident. I need to let her know that I’m okay,” she pleaded with all the vulnerability and femininity she could muster. Kate had no idea if she even had a living mother, but neither did he.

“No.” The single word was cold and emotionless.

Anger shot through her, but Kate tamped down the emotion. She had to approach Mr. Hardass with something a little different. Like an actress given her cue, Kate burst into tears. “Oh, please. You have to let me call. Maybe if I can hear her voice it will help bring my memory back. Please,” she pleaded.

Raine ignored her completely.

Kate moved on to plan B: she sobbed relentlessly. The occasional peek she dared take in his direction reassured her that she was winning the battle. Raine literally squirmed in his seat. She kept the theatrics going at a steady pace.

Hey, she thought, maybe I’m an actress.

“All right, all right. Just shut up, for Christ’s sake.” He plowed his hand through his hair. “One phone call and then I don’t want to hear another peep from you.”

“Thank you,” Kate murmured humbly. She stared out at the passing landscape and gave herself a mental pat on the back. She allowed her tears to dry slowly, swiping her eyes occasionally for added effect. Kate was certain that this man was smarter than most; it would be better not to regain her composure too quickly. No point in risking his finding out that she had pushed his buttons to get what she wanted.

Maybe she was a psychologist, she mused, biting her lower lip to prevent a tiny smile.

A large visitors’ center came into view up ahead on the right. Kate felt her hopes rising. Somehow she’d find a way to ditch him there. She could easily get lost in the crowd. Raine passed the center and her hopes plummeted.

“Why didn’t you stop? You said I could have one phone call.”

“Too crowded,” he told her, keeping his gaze fixed straight ahead. “The fewer people who see us the better.”

Kate huffed an indignant sound and crossed her arms over her chest. She leaned back in the seat and forced herself to relax. She had no choice but to acquiesce to his authority—she was, after all, his hostage. Kate frowned at the thought, but it was unfortunately accurate. For all intents and purposes she was the hostage of this Raine character.

He’s the best in the business. The words echoed inside her aching skull. She glanced at the man driving and considered again if somehow she did know him. The best in the business of what? she wondered.

A strong profile defined the angular features of his handsome face. His forehead and nose were prominent, but not too much so. A strong chin and chiseled jaw finished out the lean lines. He wore his thick, sandy hair a little too long. And those eyes. Kate closed her own eyes and summoned the image of those stormy blue eyes. Among his many assets, including a strong, muscular body, Raine’s eyes were definitely the most appealing. His personality, unquestionably the least.

Kate opened her eyes wide. What had gotten into her? There wasn’t the first thing appealing about the man! He was hell-bent on getting her killed, and besides, her interest in him was purely professional.

Kate started. Her heart rate accelerated. Professional. She did know this man. Then why didn’t he know her? Vivid images of her naked breasts pressed against his bare chest flashed through her mind. Him removing her clothes…his strong arms wrapped firmly around her. In the shower. Oh, God, they’d showered together—naked.

Oh, God. Raine had told the truth. She wasn’t an actress or a psychologist. She was a bought-and-paid-for whore! Oh, God. Kate closed her eyes and willed the tears to retreat. Every fiber of her being rejected the idea. But what else could those snatches of memory mean?

Raine slowed the car and took a hard right. Kate blinked rapidly to clear her blurred vision. He parked the car in a slot in a large, vacant parking lot. As had been the case when she’d stepped out of his cabin that afternoon, they were surrounded by dense woods. Nothing looked even remotely familiar.

A large painted sign read Alum Cave Bluff Hiking Trail.

Kate didn’t realize Raine had gotten out of the car until he opened her door. “Get a move on,” he ordered in a military tone.

Kate dropped her feet to the pavement and pushed herself up and out of the car only to be slapped in the face by a cold blast of wind. She sucked in a sharp breath of frigid air and shivered. The only thing that kept her convinced that she hadn’t died and gone to hell was the arctic chill of this damn place. At least it wasn’t raining. She glanced around the unfamiliar area. In fact, it looked as if it hadn’t rained here at all.

Raine ushered her toward a pay phone that looked strangely out of place in the deserted parking lot surrounded by trees. He picked up the receiver and listened for a dial tone.

“Okay,” he said roughly. “You’ve got one minute and don’t say anything you’ll regret.” He pulled some change from his pocket and thrust it at her, then leaned against one side of the open blue canopy that served as the telephone’s protection against the elements.

Kate nodded mutely. She accepted the change and receiver and tried to pretend that he wasn’t so close, but no way could she completely block out his powerful masculine presence. His scent, leather and something vaguely citrus, invaded her senses, making her feel even more disoriented.

She deposited the coins, then reached a shaky hand toward the numbers on the face of the telephone. Call in, she silently repeated to herself over and over. No matter how often she said it, the numbers she’d remembered so clearly only minutes ago would not resurface. Kate licked her lips nervously and stabbed a string of meaningless numbers, stopping after the seventh one. She quickly replaced the receiver in its cradle, the change rattled into the coin return.

Now…she had to think of something now!

“It…was busy,” she stammered. “May I try again?” She bit her lower lip and prayed he wouldn’t realize what she’d done.

Raine straightened and she almost gasped. He glared at her impatiently. “So try again. I don’t want to be here all night.” His gaze darted from her to the entrance of the parking lot and back several times while she dropped the coins in and redialed.

It was during one of those split seconds when he looked away that Kate propelled herself into action. She brought her right knee up into Raine’s crotch as hard as she could. She nailed him square between the legs with all her might.

A wounded, animal-like grunt sounded from deep in his throat. Surprise flashed through his blue eyes and then he was on his knees on the ground. Instinct absorbed all thought, Kate dropped the receiver and ran as fast as she could toward the trail disappearing into the woods.

Kate pushed forward trying to stay off the main trail. Branches and undergrowth slapped at her arms and legs.

Faster! She had to run faster or he would catch her. Thick old growth and trees forced her to return to the main trail. She ran as rapidly as she could, despite the fact that her legs felt like rubber and her head throbbed as though it might explode any minute.

Tripping and clutching at anything in her path for support, she didn’t look back. She couldn’t stop. Run! She had to run!

Kate’s lungs felt ready to burst. Her chest hurt. She gasped for air, but she couldn’t stop. She had to keep going.

What was that sound?

Louder…it got louder with every step she took. Her heart hammered in her chest, her blood roared in her ears.

Water. It was only the river running alongside the trail.

Run, Kate, run. She pushed forward a little faster. Her entire body stung now from a lack of oxygen, but the desire for survival spurred her on.

What was that?

Kate shifted to look back, lost her balance and tumbled to the ground. It took a few moments for her mind to catch up with her sprawling body. Kate jerked herself up and turned around, fully expecting to find Raine towering over her.

There was no one or nothing there.

Kate shook herself, trying to shrug off the prickling feelings. She had to keep moving.

She moved swiftly but cautiously across a footbridge that was nothing more than a fallen tree with the top side hewn down flat. A primitive handrail provided support. After crossing the footbridge, she walked up the massive stone steps of a natural-rock formation. Under different circumstances, the formation might have captured her attention, but not now.

Right now she had to move as quickly as she could.

The steps took Kate through the huge rock and back to the trail. There was still no sound behind her. She smiled to herself. Undoubtedly Raine was still on the ground curled into a fetal position holding his pride and joy. She’d really nailed him good. He’d be in serious pain for a while yet.

Or maybe, she considered hopefully, he had decided going after her would be too much trouble and had already taken off in the car. Could she be that lucky?

Just to be sure the coast was still clear, Kate glanced over her shoulder once more as she started to run again. At first the sight of Raine moving swiftly toward her didn’t register in her brain—then suddenly it did.

He was only a few yards behind her. Kate lunged up the trail’s steadily climbing grade as fast as her weak body could take her. She couldn’t let him catch her.

Faster! She had to move faster!

The trail made a sudden left. Kate veered a bit too sharply and lost her balance. Raine’s powerful arms closed around her and they both tumbled to the ground.

They skidded to a grinding halt in the rocks and dirt. Kate struggled to free herself, but Raine pinned her to the ground with his full body weight.

“Let me go!” she yelled vehemently as she managed to grab a handful of his sandy hair.

A string of curses exploded from his mouth when he jerked her hand out of his hair. His eyes blazed like fire. He clenched his jaw so hard a muscle jumped furiously in his cheek as he immobilized her completely beneath his strong body.

Kate could do nothing now. The run and subsequent struggle had drained her already weak body.

For several seconds, neither moved or spoke. The only sound was the wind shifting through the trees and their ragged breathing. He felt hard and heavy on top of her. She watched his nostrils flare and that same muscle tic in his jaw. His mouth looked hard and grim. When their gazes collided, he tightened his hold on her wrists to a bruising intensity. For one fleeting instant sexual awareness sparked between them, strong and hot. Then it was gone, replaced by fury.

“Let me go,” Kate demanded once she’d caught her breath. Fear zipped through her at the possibility of what lay in store for her. He was really angry. A number of unpleasant scenarios flitted across her mind.

“I ought to do just that,” he growled as his blue gaze burned into hers. Kate could see the depth of the barely checked rage there. “You’re nothing but a pain in the ass—more trouble than you’re worth. I should just leave you for the cleanup team. That would put us both out of our misery.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Kate managed to say with the last bit of strength she could muster. “I want you to let me go.” Her entire body trembled as much from weakness as from fear of the man crushing her into the ground.

“You just don’t get it, do you?” His tone was cold and impatient, his piercing gaze ruthless. “They’ve seen you with me. You’re marked…history…dead meat.” With a frustrated exhale and a pained groan, Raine pushed himself up, pulling Kate up in the process.

Kate watched in confused disbelief as he dusted himself off and shoved the hair from his face. It pleased her immensely when Raine’s face paled slightly and his hand went to his stomach as a wave of nausea obviously hit him.

“Why should I believe you?” Kate crossed her arms defiantly over her chest. She was covered with dirt and her hair was a mess, but she didn’t care. She only wanted to get away from this man…this killer. Danny’s words replayed in her head. There’s no telling how many men he’s killed. Kate backed up a step. “I…I don’t believe anything you say,” she stammered.

“You know, I really don’t give a damn whether you believe me or not. If you think those guys we left back there weren’t for real, then maybe you’ve lost more than your memory.”

Kate tried to decide what to think. How could she know what was real and what was not—who she could trust and who she couldn’t? She didn’t even know who she was! Completely overwhelmed and scared out of her mind, she broke down and cried, real, soul-shattering sobs. She couldn’t take any more, she was truly at the end of her emotional rope.

“Don’t start that again.” Raine ran both hands through his hair and shifted uneasily.

“What am I supposed to do?” Kate gasped out between sobs. “You got me into this mess.”

Raine blew out a long breath, his eyes softened just a little as he took the step she’d retreated. “I know I got you into this mess.” He looked away for a moment before continuing. “You have to understand that as long as you’re with me and I’m breathing, I’ll keep you safe. But if you pull another stupid stunt—” Anger flared in his eyes again. “You could get us both killed.”