He lifted his head, and she found herself leveled flat by his soft brown eyes that were so in contrast to his definitively unsoft demeanor. Even flat on his back, he looked lean and angular and startlingly attractive as that mouth curved slightly. Abby.
How, while completely surrounded by such utter chaos, she could feel an odd zing, she had no idea. But just looking at him made her feel dangerously feminine. Wheres Gaines? she asked.
Hawks short, almost buzzed hair was dusted with dirt and ash and stood straight up, revealing his hairline and a nasty cut, oozing blood. In hell, he answered, voice rusty. If theres any justice.
Oh, God. So it was true. Regret, and a huge sadness welled inside her. Once Gaines had saved her. Picked up the broken pieces and helped her put herself back together again. And she hadnt been able to return the favor. So hes-
Not yet, hes not. His face hardened, his eyes so intense on hers that shed have fallen to her knees if she hadnt already been there.
I saw you shoot him, she said.
Did you? He grimaced. Trust me-
Are you kidding? Abby managed a laugh. He hadnt even tried to deny it. After what I saw tonight, I should trust a rats ass over you.
Look, whatever youre thinking, youve got it wrong. His gaze shifted past her as he carefully scanned the immediate area, making her shiver at the danger sparking from his eyes. He set this whole game up tonight.
Okay, clearly he was delusional, but she still had to get him away from the flames. What hurts?
His laugh was short and harsh. Only every fucking inch.
Well, that they could deal with. Get up.
Any minute now, I swear. He closed his eyes. So, a cocky, smug SOB? Really?
Come on, Hawk. He might be eyeing the flames licking at them with an eerie calm, but she was not. She hoped like hell Elliot had indeed gotten out. Get up!
He shifted to do just that. Check our sixes.
What?
Our asses, Ab. Make sure were not being made. Gaines has a crew out here tonight, somewhere. Theyre setting explosions and making merry.
She added paranoid to the list. Which, given his situation, made sense. Ive got your damn ass, Hawk. Fine as it was. Crawling around behind him, she slid her arms beneath his, wrapping them around his chest so that she could pull him to safety.
Ah, thats so sweet, he murmured. But nows not a good time for me.
She grated her teeth. This. This was one reason why shed stayed her distance. The man exuded raw sex appeal. Only problem? He knew it. Dont flatter yourself. She tugged. Do you have to be so big?
Though his eyes remained closed, he flashed a smile straight out of her very secret fantasies-pure wicked, mischievous promise. You dont know the half of it.
Okay, if she ever got him out of here, she was going to kill him herself.
You smell pretty, he whispered.
Her gaze swiveled back to his, but his eyes were still closed.
You always smell pretty
Youre dreaming, Abby said flatly.
Nah. If I was dreaming, I wouldnt be this close to begging you to finish me off. But he tried to stand up, then inhaled sharply at the movement and promptly choked on the smoke. Yeah. You really do smell amazing. Sexy.
Now she choked. Stop it.
Really sexy. Even when youre blasting me with your glacial stare.
Shut up, Hawk.
You dont glare at Logan, he said thoughtfully. Or Watkins. Or anyone. Just me.
Well, that was just true enough to have her drawing in her own sharp breath as he staggered to his feet. You dont like me much, he told her, rolling his shoulder as if it hurt.
Thats not true. I like you plenty when youre not talking.
He sighed. Now, see, I think Id like you plenty if you were naked.
Youre such an asshole.
Asshole Hawk. Yeah, that fits-
The next explosion was small but way too close and very hot. Instinctively, she pushed him back, knocking them both down. Then she was enveloped in Hawks strong arms and rolled, tucked into him while embers rained down.
When it was over, she realized that the muscles in his arms were quaking. He was a dead weight on top of her. Hawk?
A litany of swear words escaped him, blowing her hair back. He lifted his head, his eyes not even close to warm and soft, but hard as aged whiskey. Dont ever do that again.
What? Save your sorry ass?
Exactly. Save your own first, you hear me?
Then get moving!
Yeah. With a groan, he got to his feet and reached out a hand to help her. A considerate bad guy.
Where was Gaines?
Having been in a bad situation before, the worst, Abby had a gut-wrenching need for everyone to be okay and accounted for, even knowing that someone on her team had caused all this. Do you think Gaines-
Oh, thats right. You still need to rescue your Sugar Daddy.
No one at ATF knew that shed dated him twice, shed made sure of that. Their relationship mostly consisted of her miraculous rescue, and then a vague, uncomfortable friendship that shed had difficulty maintaining because of her new issues.
Where is he, Hawk? When he didnt answer, she shook her head and turned toward the direction of the barn.
Where is he, Hawk? When he didnt answer, she shook her head and turned toward the direction of the barn.
No, wait. Dont. Hawk grabbed her arm, his eyes dark with concern. For her. And though it shouldnt have, it touched her as he spoke. Dont even think about going back-
I have to.
Goddamnit, Ab-
Yanking free, she was halfway to the barn when her cell vibrated. Pulling it out of her pocket, she flipped it open and saw unknown ID. Hello?
Its me.
Elliots unmistakable voice brought a wave of relief. Where are you-
Listen to me. Weve been betrayed. By Hawk.
She processed the words, but, damn, it was hard to swallow, despite what shed seen with her own eyes. Elliot, are you sure, because-
Have I ever been wrong?
Okay, no. No, he hadnt. And she knew exactly what she owed him, but-Whose phone are you calling me on, because its not yours-
Trust me, Abby.
She wanted to. She knew he wanted her to. But just because she hadnt ever allowed Hawks charm to melt away her panties didnt mean she didnt know that he was an incredibly good ATF agent, one who believed in what he did and believed in putting away the bad guys. There had to be an explanation for all of this. Tell me where you are-
Another explosion interrupted her, picking her up like a rag doll, tossing her once again on her ass in the dirt. Damn. Crawling back through the trees to where shed left Hawk, she realized three extremely unsettling facts at once.
Gaines had disconnected.
Hawk was gone.
And she was all alone.
This night just kept getting better and better.
5
HAWK STUMBLED THROUGH the burning forest, getting his strength back as he made his way through the fiery night. Things had gone FUBAR quickly-fucked up beyond all repair-but he knew Gaines planned on somehow vanishing for good, and he couldnt let that happen. What he really needed right now was Logan, and he wished like hell he still had a radio.
But, really, he was lucky to still have his head.
He knew Abby was going to be pissed at the disappearing act, but hed have to deal with that later. And if it turned out she wasnt in with Gaines, well, then hed apologize and theyd all go back to their regularly scheduled program.
Which was her ignoring him. One of these days hed figure out why her pissiness was such a turn-on
Hawk made it around to the back of the barn before he fell to his hands and knees hard. Staring down at the dirt, he tried to gather his wits. Not easy, since theyd been scrambled by the explosions and then again by the knowledge that his boss had been playing both sides, selling the weapons theyd confiscated over the years on the black market, in essence undoing all the good theyd accomplished by putting those weapons right back into the hands of gangbangers, murderers and terrorists.
If he thought about it too long, it hurt his brain all the more. But it sure made sense. No matter how hard theyd worked at getting to the top of the Kiddie Bombers hierarchy, theyd been thwarted at every turn.
But Gaines hadnt worked alone. No way. So who else was involvedAbby? And if not her, then who?
Watkins? Thomas?
Tibbs?
Not for the first time, he slapped at his pockets and his belt, but all forms of communication had been stripped from him in the fight. Hed even managed to lose his cell phone.
We cant get in because of the explosions.
Hawks ears perked at the male voice. Who was that? Thomas?
On Gainess last transmission, he said that Hawk did this, all of it.
No, not Thomas, Hawk thought as he used a tree to silently push himself to his feet and peer through the trees at the figures he could barely make out.
Gaines is presumed dead.
Watkins. Watkins was the inside help Gaines had most likely needed.
No, came an answering female voice. A shaken one. We dont know that hes dead.
Abby. Sweet, hot Abby, with those gorgeous baby blues that softened whenever she smiled.
And hardened whenever she looked at Hawk.
Hed been looked at that way by women before, usually after a few drinks and an overnighter, when hed made his excuses rather than stick around and explain that he was only saving the woman some time because he wasnt a good long-term bet.
Hell, he wasnt even a good medium-term bet.
No sweat, hed always figured. Hed get back to the whole love game when he retired from the job.
Which wasnt looking so good right now.
Abby had pulled out her cell, and was listening. Yes, sir. Slapping the phone shut, she let out a breath. Tibbs found a memory stick in Hawks house. She hesitated. With information on the Kiddie Bombers.
Ah, Christ. Hed been set up but good. Thanks, Gaines.
If Gaines is dead Watkins trailed off, but Hawk silently finished the sentence in his own head.
Then I go up for murder.
The men around Abby moved off, probably to search for him. Get in line, he thought.
Gaines had really gotten it together for this one. If he had his way, Hawk would die tonight. Probably Logan, too.
Andoh, Christ. If Hawk had succeeded in even planting a seed of doubt in Gainess mind about Abby turning him in, then hed screwed her.
Gaines would have to off her, too.
Whether shed been in with Gaines no longer mattered, she was now a target right alongside Hawk. If something happened to her, itd be his fault. Shit. Gulping in a deep breath, he pushed off from the tree and whipped around to pursue Abby.