Keila (Dreamcatchers Romantic Suspense Series Book 2) Page 7

  She sat down at the counter opposite Jason, accepting his offer of a plate of bacon and eggs and the biggest cup of coffee she’d ever seen, but stayed silent. Finished eating himself, he sat back in his chair and watched her, raising an eyebrow when she continued to eat in silence. After nearly ten minutes of exchanging stares, he spoke.

  “So what are you going to do today?”

  “Time to take back the world.” Her belly was full and her throat feeling better, and so there was no sense putting it off any longer. She had to find a way to sneak Emily—and it seemed Reece as well—out of town without Zero catching on.

  Jason’s eyes tracked her to the sink, where she deposited her empty plate. His eyes stayed on her as she crossed back to the couch and began slipping on her shoes. His gaze didn’t make her feel uncomfortable exactly, not like the way men usually looked at her, but she still had to resist squirming a little. When Jason looked at her, she could feel him almost looking through the hot blonde she presented to the world. It was almost like he figured it all out, like he actually saw her.

  Yeah, good luck with that!

  She didn’t know half her own history thanks to being dumped in a foster home. All she knew was that anyone who got close to her was either in trouble or was trouble. But the way he looked at her, the warmth in his eyes when he’d held her. . . . Keila didn’t know what to make of Jason, but as much as she could try to deny it, she liked it. She looked up at him again, meeting his eyes, and a lazy smile spread across his face. Keila usually used her powers to find out what someone was feeling. It cut through all the bullshit real quick.

  But now?

  There was something different there. Something she wanted to discover for herself. She left his mind alone, for the time being.

  “I’m serious,” Jason said.

  “I was, too,” she said, standing from the couch. “I need to work out what I’m going to do next.” Damn, there was that dimple again. Jason’s whole face lit up when he smiled, and damn it if she didn’t want to just crawl back in bed with him. She gave herself a mental shake. That’s what normal girls had, and if there was one thing Keila had never been, it was normal. Any pain from leaving him in that moment would be far less than if she let herself enjoy the fantasy any longer.

  “Okay, well, either way, I’ll be stalking you today, so you might as well make it easier and tell me what your plans for trouble are. That way I’ll already be in place to save you.”

  Yeah, right. She could save herself, thank you very much. The previous day had just been a stumbling block, nothing more.

  “Plans? What makes you think I’ll be getting into any trouble?”

  He laughed at that, a short bark, but then frowned. “Babe, I don’t think Meathead is going to give up that easy. Besides, no one’s ever taken on the world without a little trouble getting in the way.”

  “Then I’ll be the first. I’ll stay out of trouble, I promise.”

  Jason looked up at the ceiling, smirking. “I really doubt that. Anyway, my presence by your side today is not negotiable. I need to make sure you’re okay.”

  All right, so maybe in her needy moment the night before, she hadn’t been clear that it was just for that night, and not any after. Jason stood almost at attention and the set to his jaw made it clear that standing there arguing with him was going to get her nowhere. Keila rolled her eyes and mentally conceded.

  Just for now.

  If the choice was keeping him by her side or having him follow her around ten paces behind all day, then she’d take the first option. At least that way she’d see Zero coming if he decided to take Jason out on his way to her. She would be able to ditch him at some point. She’d become a master of doing that, hiding in plain sight, moving on to find the next girl like her before anyone noticed she’d left. She hesitated. This was different, though. Jason had gotten under her skin. He’d seen beneath her everyday facade, and Keila wasn’t sure she liked it. Maybe after another encounter with Zero, he’d figure out that she wasn’t company that he wanted to keep. One could only hope.

  “Okay, I have one rule,” she turned to him and crossed her arms across her chest, realizing too late that the action pushed up her breasts when she saw his appreciative gaze run up and down her body.

  Damn it.

  “I’m listening.”

  “Don’t ask any questions. If I have to put up with you being around, I can’t be distracted, and I’m not sharing anything. I don’t need help and I sure as hell don’t need a knight in shining armor.”

  Jason laughed and threw up his hands in surrender. “Lead the way, Gorgeous.” He was still chuckling quietly as he grabbed his jacket and opened the door, handing her another warm coat from his hall closest. There was that dimple again.

  Damn it all to hell.

  15

  Keila followed Jason to his parking place, and suppressed a grin when he hit the door-opening button on his keys and the parking lights flashed on a shiny black Ford pickup. Niiiiice. That would certainly make running in the middle of the night far easier. If Jason was still following her around after the day he was in for, anyway. Keila could only hope that whatever had triggered his white-knight complex would work its way out of his system sooner rather than later. If Zero crossed her path again, and Jason was still by her side, the psychopath wouldn’t hesitate to kill Jason simply for saving her before, let alone to get to Keila.

  She shoved that thought aside as Jason pulled out into traffic, and she gave him directions to her apartment where she’d stashed Emily, along with the FBI agent who was clearly part of the package deal. She was sure that Jason wasn’t working for the enemy, at least. He’d had too many chances to screw her over already in the previous day and a half, and he hadn’t taken a single one.

  Keila steeled herself before heading up the run-down stairs. If Reece gave her one ounce of arguing or trouble, she was going to borrow Jason’s metal bar and whack Reece over the head. Keila had weapons envy over the heavy bar with the pointy hooked end—and he got to carry that thing legally, for work!—but with Zero still roaming around, Reece objecting every step of the way, and with Jason added to the mix. . . . Well, there was too much testosterone and not enough sense around for her liking.

  Bracing herself for another onslaught of questions from Reece, Keila pushed open the apartment door. It was quiet inside, too damn quiet. Crap! Emily and Reece were gone. Keila left Jason standing in the doorway while she quickly cleared the rooms and then tossed the living area, looking for any clues. After nearly pulling the couch apart, she spotted a piece of notepaper on the hall stand. They’d gone out, apparently. Something about needing fresh clothing and Reece needing to check in with work. Keila should be grateful that he’d left the apartment before checking in with a federal agency, but seriously! What part of “stay hidden” did he not understand? He could have at least left Emily behind in the apartment, though as quickly as she had the thought, Keila dismissed it. It was already obvious that Reece wasn’t letting Emily out of his sight anytime soon, nor would she let him go out alone. She glanced over at Jason, who was leaning against the door frame with a frown on his face. She was starting to become intimately familiar with that particular alpha-male trait.

  “Fantastic!” she muttered under her breath, watching Jason as his eyes roamed the interior of her apartment. The apartment she’d had no intention of letting anyone else ever know about until five seconds before. His eyes traveled the deceptively spacious interior, before settling back on her.

  “Should I even ask?”

  Keila glared at him. “I thought I made my position on questions clear.” She considered shoving him out the door and engaging the security lock, but then she’d be locking out Emily and Reece, too. Plus, she couldn’t risk letting him loose and pissed off on the chance he made the location of the safe house public. She’d only known the guy for a day, and so far having him around was living up to her expectations: trouble.

  “Let’s go!” she ordered, pul
ling him by his jacket sleeve and slamming the double doors behind her. She needed to find Emily. Keila wouldn’t relax until she’d seen her with her own eyes.

  Jason stopped her halfway down the staircase. “I can help you if you’ll just tell me what’s going on.”

  Nope. She could not deal with any more of that. Not until she’d found Emily and verified herself that her new charge was okay. “Butt out.” Jason reached toward her and she shoved his hands away. “Don’t touch me, and either stop asking me questions or fuck off. I’ve got enough to worry about without adding you to the list.”

  He stopped, staring at her. “What the hell happened to you that you can’t accept someone would care enough to want to help?” He held her gaze and his eyes softened, as he reached for her hand again, his question catching Keila off guard. Her jaw tensed even as her eyes closed, her hands clenching reflexively. Fuck, she couldn’t handle thinking about that.

  “Last night was”—her brain searched for a word she could deal with—“nice. But don’t presume that means you know anything about me. I don’t need your help.”

  Jason’s eyes sparked. “Like you didn’t need my help when you were trapped under a beam in a building collapsing on our heads? Oh, and don’t forget Meathead.”

  “Go to hel—” her words were cut off as Jason’s hands grabbed hers. He pushed forward, trapping Keila between his hard chest and the wall.

  “Fuck this,” he said, and roughly pressed his lips against hers. His lips crushed hers before his tongue darted out, running over her bottom lip and then pushing into her mouth. Keila’s heart thundered in her ears as her skin shivered everywhere he touched. She wasn’t a virgin, far from it, but it had never felt like that before. She was overcome by the sensation of his hard chest, his hard everything, pressing into her, until Jason nipped at her bottom lip and Keila remembered where the hell she was.

  Pulling one hand free, she hit Jason’s face with a wicked left hook. Screw slapping a man. That felt far more satisfying. Jason released her and staggered back a step.

  “Jesus Christ!”

  Keila backed away, her eyes cold.

  “I’m sorry, okay?”

  Leave, get out of here!

  Keila was as mad as hell, but when she caught the look in Jason’s eyes, she couldn’t move. His eyes burned with a look she didn’t recognize as his lips parted. He took a step toward her again, and that time Keila didn’t back away. Jason ran a thumb softly across her cheek, and Keila shivered.

  “I promise you, I just want to help. Damn it, I can’t leave you to face whatever the hell this is on your own.”

  Keila’s eyes closed. She tried to fight it, telling herself to push him away, but as his lips lowered to hers again, gently that time, she was lost. Warmth spread through her, just like being held in his arms the night before, and even as she berated her own stupidity, she melted into his arms. His lips left hers, kissing softly across her face, before he finally rested his forehead against hers.

  “Let me in, please, Keila.”

  Keila opened her eyes and held his gaze, her heart still racing. “My life isn’t fun or exciting. Hell, I’m amazed I’m still alive some days.”

  He bent forward and gently kissed her forehead. “I can take care of myself, Gorgeous. And if you let me, maybe I can help you, too.”

  Yeah, right. He had no idea what he was promising, what he was getting into. Only a few more encounters with Zero would teach him that.

  As if on cue, a loud thump echoed on the floor above them, followed immediately by a scream that was abruptly cut short.

  “What the heck was that?” Jason asked.

  Keila didn’t answer. Instead she turned and pulled him down the stairs behind her. A lesson she’d learned early while running for her life for years was when you heard an unexpected sound, you didn’t stick around to investigate. You dashed down the stairs, jumped off the boat or even over the edge of a building. Better to risk surviving the fall than surviving whatever could be coming for you. Jason may not have lived his life being hunted, but a few days with her and he’d figure it out. Either that, or he’d be dead. Keila’s heart contracted with a pang of grief at the thought.

  Shit. Don’t even. You can’t.

  “Let’s go back to your place.” Not waiting for an answer, she darted across the road and ran to his truck, the parking lights flashing as Jason unlocked it. As she clambered inside and sank low in the seat, out of view of the street, Keila peeked over the edge of the window and saw two men exit her building, both dressed in black suits and with nondescript faces. She knew where they’d come from. Whoever was hunting her favored faceless clones; they blended in, unmemorable even. To everyone but her. They were tracking her specifically; that was something she could no longer deny. But how the hell did they find her so quickly and how many steps ahead of them was she?

  Jason jumped in the driver’s seat and then waggled his eyebrows when Keila ran her hand over his chest and then down his hips.

  “Calm down, Fireman. I’m just looking for your cell.”

  Pulling out his phone, she sent Reece a message to stay away from the safe house. Book a hotel, fly to Hawaii, just don’t go back. Keila crossed her fingers as she hit send. She hoped using Jason’s phone instead of her own would give her just a little more time. She didn’t dare try to find Emily using her mental beacon. She’d had close calls with Zero after she’d used her abilities to check in with Emily way too many times lately to be a coincidence. As Jason pulled away from the curb and the vehicle flew through the streets, Keila struggled to pay attention, her thoughts consumed with worry about Emily and Reece. And Jason, if she admitted it to herself. Damn it, that was why she hadn’t wanted him around. He was too much of a distraction. She was starting to understand what all the action-movie heroes were on about, rushing back into the burning building or facing off against an army, all to save their one true love.

  No, no way. Sure, Jason was nice enough, but that was it. She’d only known the man for just over a day and she would soon be moving on and leaving him behind. Even as she thought it, her heart squeezed. She was . . . fond of Jason. Keila could admit that much. She didn’t want to leave him behind. She’d fought him the entire way, but from the moment he’d pulled her out from under that beam and stood between her and the man intent on her death, well, he’d started to work his way under her defenses in that moment. Plus, oh, God, those dimples. It had been a long time since Keila had seen any sort of action—of the good kind at least—and Jason’s smile threatened to bring her to her knees, once or twice literally. The way she had felt when she was wrapped in his arms—he made the whole world disappear. She frowned. And therein lay the problem: that was dangerous. It would get them both killed.

  “A penny for your thoughts,” Jason whispered as they pulled up outside his building. Keeping watch on the streets, he used his security pass to enter the underground parking. Not that a secure door would stop the minions, but it might slow them down long enough to give her fair warning.

  Keila watched Jason carefully as they walked into the lobby and then up the stairs. There was that look again. Concern, protection. She didn’t know what to do with that. “I’m wondering what my chances are with Zero if I knock you out and run.”

  Jason chuckled as he bent down to pick up the morning paper at his doorstep. “Sweetheart, you’d have to be a very powerful hitter. My head is rather thick.” He looked her over, his eyes roaming appreciatively over her body. “Then again, you might just be able to take me.” He grinned.

  Damn dimples.

  Jason stopped talking as he flipped the paper open. Keila moved to read over his shoulder and saw a full-page photograph of the burning library dominating the front page. Jason turned the page and she quickly skimmed the article.

  Fire broke out . . . wooden support structure . . . older building . . . firefighters responded . . . Chief Blakely told the media . . .

  There was no reference to her, Zero, or a missing firefi
ghter who also hadn’t shown up to work that morning. Thank God. Keila let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.

  Jason finished reading the article, and then turned to face her, locking his gaze with hers.

  “Okay, so now you tell me what’s really going on. No more lies or evasion.”

  “I don’t lie,” she crossed the room and sat down on the couch. Damn, was everything in his apartment soft and fluffy? The cushions alone were sleep-inducing. It was amazing how comfortable she felt in his apartment, shit, anywhere she was with him. She swallowed, pressing her lips together, forcing herself to try to relax. Even as she thought the words, her chest tightened and she uncrossed her arms, forcing her hands to remain by her side. What the hell was she going to do? The first people she’d ever trusted in her life had taught her just how dangerous that could be, and she hadn’t let herself trust a single person since. They’d turn on you, whether to save themselves, for greed or money, or because they were just evil in their core. Everyone had their price, eventually. It was better to not get into the game at all.

  Except Jason was still there. She’d fought with him, pushed him away, hell, even tried to run from him several times. And he was still there, refusing to leave her side.

  He saved you from Zero. More than once. Hasn’t he proved himself yet?

  “I don’t lie,” she repeated. “But there is something I haven’t told you. It’s safer that way, for you.”

  Jason didn’t respond. Instead he stood, walked to the refrigerator, and reached inside. After grabbing two beers, he walked over to the couch and sat opposite her, handing her a beer.

  “Have you ever played basketball?”

  “What?”

  “Have you heard the saying, ‘a good offense is the best defense’?”