Caught in the Crosshair (11 page)

He pulled the guy’s cell phone from his pocket and tried to unlock it. “Password protected. Figured as much.”

Jaden closed his fist around the SIM card. “Might be able to get something out of this at headquarters.”

He moved to the bathroom next, with Lauren trailing close behind. He stopped long enough to tie the Latino’s arms and feet together and snatch his key ring. “That should hold him. Give us time.”

Lauren followed him into the kitchen.

“We need supplies. Find whatever you can. A paring knife. Fruit. Water. Anything that might keep us alive in case we don’t make it to the safe house.” Jaden approached the back door. A gust of wind smacked it against the wall as soon as he opened it. “We need to move. Our location has been compromised. More men are most likely on the way already.”

Fear gripped her. Lauren’s stomach rumbled. The roll and bite of pineapple hadn’t satisfied her hunger. Food. She needed nourishment. They were about to move again but she could hardly stand the thought of leaving the only safety they’d found.

A voice in her head reminded her that against all odds Jaden had kept her alive.

She sure didn’t plan to hang around in the condo alone with a dead man in the living room, an unconscious man in the shower, and his twin in the living room. She trusted Jaden to get them to safety. He’d made the right calls so far, managing to keep them alive despite their circumstances.

Thunder clapped. Before Lauren could rationalize her thoughts, she found Jaden and burrowed into his chest.

He wrapped strong arms around her and brushed a kiss on her forehead.

She couldn’t stop herself from wondering if he felt the same sense of comfort when they were this close as she did, not that it was relevant now. More men with guns waited out there.

In here, they’d been safe for a little while. She wished she could linger in that feeling as long as possible. No more thoughts about her brother. No more thoughts about the raging storm outside. No more feeling empty and alone …

“You okay?” Jaden asked, searching her face, looking at her like he couldn’t quite read what was on her mind.

She collected her random thoughts. She hadn’t come all this way to stop now. “Fine.”

“What can I do to help?” His hand closed on her shoulder.

She immediately withdrew and winced.

“What’d I do?”

She peeled her shirt back enough to reveal a blue and purple bruise the size of a grapefruit.

Concerned lines scored Jaden’s forehead. “Jesus, what happened?”

“Not sure. I took a pretty big tumble off the board back there.” It had hurt, but after everything they’d been through so far, it seemed small by comparison. “It’s fine. Just a little sore.”

“Let’s do this. Let’s get out of here and get to safety. Then we’ll take care of these.” He motioned toward her bumps and bruises.

“Meaning your safe house?”

Jaden nodded. “Shirley Heights.”

“Can we trust it?” Lauren asked, unsure if Jaden could honestly answer yes.

He shrugged. “It’s our best chance of survival right now. We can’t stay here. The location’s been compromised. We have no choice but to go for it.”

Lauren took the hand being held out to her and followed Jaden through the door.

Outside, palm trees bowed until they bent sideways. Blasts of wind chilled her skin as she crossed the parking lot. She struggled to stay on her feet against the powerful gusts. Each drop of rain felt like a needle. Heavy debris whipped around and blew past as if it were light as a cotton ball.

Visibility was worse. She could not see more than twenty feet ahead. The white sand beaches had turned on them, mixing with rain and burning her eyes. A small spot of chaos in the ocean had grown into a monster.

Jaden fought for every step of forward progress he made against the raging wind. He stretched his arm out in front of him as though feeling his way.

At this pace, Lauren feared they’d never get anywhere.

Hadn’t he said they must be somewhere near English Harbour? Other than the condo, there was nothing around but small hills, a few scattered palm trees, and a rocky coastline.

If they were close to English Harbour that would be welcome news. Nearby Shirley Heights was the checkpoint he’d mentioned.

If he could get them there, Lauren felt confident they could ride out the storm. She prayed like mad that the people they were running from hadn’t found it first.

The brush underfoot was thick. Her foot tangled, and she nearly lost her balance. Jaden’s hand steadied her. She looked up in time to catch a glimpse of something colorful and substantial. It was near. “What’s that?”

“Let’s check it out.”

As they moved closer, she got a good look at the bright yellow beacon. She kept an eye out for falling debris as Jaden guided them to a yellow 4 × 4.

The Jeep, a soft-top complete with window zippers, wouldn’t offer great support but was better than being completely exposed to the elements.

Jaden pressed his face against the plastic window. “The keys are inside.”

He secured the supplies behind her chair, scuttled around to the driver’s side, and then climbed in.

He wasted no time cranking the engine.

Glory of all glories, it started on the first try.

He tapped the gauges. “Can’t be sure about the gas. Says it’s full, but these old Jeep’s are notorious for floating needles.”

“Think we’ll be alone at the next safe house?” She had to shout to be heard over the rain and wind lashing the Jeep.

The Wrangler rocked back and forth as Jaden gunned it. He jammed the gearshift while he stomped the gas pedal. “It’s top secret. Not even Gregory knew about it. Even so, I can’t be sure until I get there.”

He didn’t need to say more. She realized pretty quickly all that he meant.

Cranking the wheel left, he just missed a tree branch sailing through the sky. He had to slam the steering wheel right to avoid another that nearly careened into them.

Crack
. One caught the windshield, causing a fracture that ran sideways the entire length.

The Jeep was old to begin with, and it was taking a beating. The windows started fogging, and the big crack across the front made it nearly impossible to see out the window.

“To be honest, I’m not sure if we’re safer in here than out there,” Jaden said. “One strong gust of wind, one wrong turn, and we could find ourselves in a death roll. Buckle up.”

Right. She hadn’t even thought of putting on her seatbelt. Hearing his words, Lauren’s stomach sank until it hit rock bottom. No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn’t imagine being caught outside in a hurricane on an island that was three miles wide, racing for her life in a Jeep.

And there just might not be a tomorrow. No new day to find her brother. No more time to sort out the messes he’d made.

Anger stirred in her chest at what he’d become. She wanted to find him if only to strangle him herself.
Why Max? Why did you do it?

Another thought hit her. There might be no tomorrow to be with
Jaden
.

She looked up in time to see a thicket. A palm tree broken in half and a few other mangled trees completely blocked the road. “Watch out.”

Jaden nailed the brake, and they both flew forward. The Jeep spit, sputtered, and fishtailed until it came to a stop at the edge of the rubble.

Seeing the road was completely blocked, he vaulted from the Jeep and went to work quickly clearing debris and untangling branches.

Lauren hopped from the passenger seat in time to yell, “Look out!”

A palm tree spun around in the sky, and then flew straight into Jaden’s side, knocking him onto the mound of debris.

“Oh. God. No.” By the time she got to him, he was slumped over on top of the heap.

Winds howled as she gingerly turned his face around. His head moved too easily. She felt for a pulse. Got one.

If he didn’t survive, she’d surely die too.

“Jaden.”

The branch had probably knocked him unconscious. His forehead was gashed, and the cut was wet with rain and blood.

What to do?
Think. Think.
She couldn’t imagine the situation getting any worse. Fear ravaged her. Rain pelted her face, stinging her eyes.

She gently tapped Jaden’s cheek with the flat of her hand. “C’mon.”

With a severe shake of his head, Jaden sat upright. “I’m all right.”

He grinned a haughty, sexy little grin, no doubt meant to abate any doubts about just how fine he felt, and bound to his feet. His gaze locked onto the road behind them. “We gotta get out of here. Now.”

“What is it?” Lauren asked, concerned.

“Get in the Jeep and drive.”

“What do you mean? What are you planning to do?”

“Go. And don’t look back.”

“What about —”

“I’ll meet you. Don’t worry. I’ll stay back and cover you.” He wedged behind the mound of debris, pulled out his new gun, and took aim.

Lauren turned in time to see a black SUV speeding toward them.

Her hands shook from adrenaline. Determination welled in her chest. She refused to give up. But leaving Jaden? The one man who’d kept her alive this long?

His plan had better work. Whatever that was. He had better find her again.

She would not survive without Jaden. The thought popped up so spontaneously that she quickly told herself it was only about surviving the storm.

Chapter Eight

Lauren hopped into the driver’s seat. She wanted to scream and cry, but what would that accomplish?

Besides, there was no time.

Slamming the gearshift into Reverse, adrenaline pulsing through her arms providing a boost of octane-like strength, she practically stripped the gears trying to back up the truck.

The motor coughed, chugged, and then stopped.

Shit.

She mashed the clutch and stomped on the gas pedal. Next, she jiggled the key.

The Jeep growled.

“C’mon.” She cranked the key again after giving the truck a moment to rest. Nothing. She sucked in a breath before trying again. The engine whirred but didn’t catch.

Pumping the pedal harder, she prayed she wouldn’t flood the engine.

Please. Don’t do this to me …

Suddenly the engine hummed as the Jeep vibrated to life.

“Thank you. Thank you.”
Please let driving a stick shift come back
. It was something she hadn’t done since college, and like many university experiences, she’d hoped to forget.

“You can do this,” she said, trying to rally. She stole a glance toward Jaden for support. He was huddled behind the debris.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Flashes of light shot from the barrel of his gun. The SUV had stopped, the doors were splayed open, and men were answering the firestorm.

She slammed the gearshift into Reverse, and then jammed it back into Drive as she nailed the gas.

Inching the truck forward, she wrenched the emergency brake when the tires spun. The last thing she needed was for this baby to roll backwards at a critical moment.

Battling worsening weather conditions and her own scattered nerves, Lauren gripped the steering wheel until her knuckles went white. The sounds of gunfire tapping all around her.

Inside the Jeep felt like a time tested tornado shelter compared to what waited on the other side of the thin aluminum door.

She could do this. Just like everything else in life, when pressed, she’d found she could do almost anything. There’d been no choice then and none now. This hunk of metal on four balding tires had to roll over the barrier.

Her shoulder ached. She was tired. The surge of adrenaline wore thin, and she started to feel the pain in her legs and her lower back.

The tires spun as she eased on the gas pedal. She released the emergency brake. The truck slowly began its crawl at a frustrating pace. The wipers on the Jeep couldn’t clear slobber off a baby’s chin, and the headlights were even less effective. Water and fog combined into a thick wall that decreased visibility next to nothing.

And she hoped like everything there wouldn’t be anything else on the road. She was straining to see past the front end of the Jeep as it was. She was thankful, at least, for four-wheel drive. She prayed the thing had airbags.

Nope, it couldn’t — when Jaden slammed on the brakes earlier and they flew forward, an airbag would’ve come out.

The Jeep tires ground on top of branches as it continued its climb. Then came a loud thud. Lauren’s foot slipped off the gas. The Jeep rolled backward. She mashed the brake.

Lauren wiped fog from the windshield. It streaked. Damn. She couldn’t see any better. If anything, she’d just made it worse.

She nailed the gas, but nothing happened. The sound of tires spinning out reverberated in the rain, the whirring noise trapped in the space around her. No forward movement. Another crush of panic caught in her chest. Something slammed into the back of the Jeep. A bullet? Had she been hit? She scanned her shirt for blood. Relief flooded her when she found none.

Jaden?

Panic gripped her. She glanced around.
No
. Thank God, he was fine. She didn’t even want to think what she’d do if he was hit.

Pressing the gas pedal harder, the Jeep rocked back and forth. With a loud thump and a chug, the truck broke free, and she navigated it to the top of the hump.

But as she started over, the truck tipped forward. Sucking in a breath and squeezing her eyes shut, not really wanting to know how far she was about to free fall but needing to, Lauren tapped the gas. She needed to gather her reserves fast because the Jeep was rocking side to side against the howling wind as men with guns inched closer. Jaden wouldn’t be able to hold them off forever.

Besides, the faster she got out of there, the faster Jaden could make a run for it. The faster she’d be with him again. Even a minute without him felt like eternity. She told herself it was because he was a professional at keeping people alive and she was scared.
That’s the only reason you feel so vulnerable without him. Right?

Clamping down the urge to yell for help, she leaned forward and nailed the gas. Shifting her weight did the trick. The Jeep rolled forward and then downhill.

Relief washed over her, until she realized she was alone again.

Jaden had told her to go, but where?

The sound of rapid gunfire nearly stopped her heart. Her pulse galloped.

Oh. No. Jaden.

Every bone in Lauren’s body cried out to turn the Jeep around and go back to find him. Her fingers gripped the wheel harder. Her knuckles burned.

How could anyone survive the torrent of raining bullets? She had no idea how Jaden would stay alive.

This is his job; this is what he does, she told herself again, as hollow as the reminder felt. He’d told her to keep driving, and that’s what she intended to do.

He would turn up again.

He simply had to.

Lauren struggled to maintain focus on the road ahead. It twisted and turned as her ears popped from the air pressure. One wrong move and she’d be swimming again. She clamped down the feeling that she was basically stressed to the gills on all this and wanted nothing more than to curl up in a ball on the floorboard and hide, filthy as it was.

A few minutes passed when she saw a dark figure in front of her waving his arms wildly.

Could it be Jaden?

God, she hoped.

If not, she was as good as dead out there with nothing to protect her.

She slammed the brake, fishtailing.

The figure, head down, came to the passenger side.

Lauren’s foot shook on the pedal.

Relief fueled her when she got a good look at Jaden’s face. “Thank God you’re alive.”

“Yeah.”

“But how did you get ahead of me?”

“Winding roads,” he said, repositioning to take aim out the back of the Jeep.

“What about your forehead? You took a nasty crack before,” Lauren said, putting the Jeep in Drive and stomping the gas pedal.

“That explains the headache.” His fingers searched his face as if making sure he still had two eyes, a nose, and a mouth. “Just gimme a minute. I can take over when I’m sure we’re safe.”

“Are you kidding? Not with that gash.” Always the strong one who took care of himself. Lauren figured she and Jaden had more than a few things in common, not the least of which was that both lacked the ability to lean on someone else.
Until I met you.

Lauren scanned the window, for all the good that did.

“You’re doing great driving in this,” Jaden said.

Her heart squeezed at the compliment. “Haven’t been for too long.”

He pulled off his shirt, balled it up, and used it to wipe clean the inside of the windshield.

Did he catch her eyeing his bare chest?

Damn
. He must’ve because he cracked a devastating little grin as he shrugged into his shirt. “When we get to safety and find your brother, you might want to rethink your career choice. You would make a pretty good undercover agent. Oh, and I meant what I said back at the condo. I plan to finish what we started.”

Heat crawled up her neck. A second ago she was freezing. When did it get so hot in here?

“Are we lost?” she asked, needing to redirect her thoughts.

“No. I think if we make a couple of good turns, we can find the old military barracks.”

Lauren genuinely smiled at the thought of shelter. “That should keep us safe, right?”

“If it’s still there.”

Jaden unzipped the window and stuck his head out to get a better look. He navigated them through a few turns before a piece of flying debris came dangerously close to slamming him again.

Lauren sucked in a breath. “Be careful.”

“Stop!”

The Jeep bounced, and then climbed a few feet in the air before landing hard on the ground again. Jaden braced himself for impact, which made Lauren’s stomach churn.

When the engine stalled out, he asked, “You all right?”

Her hand clutched her chest in the space right over her heart. “I think so.”

Jaden thumped the gas gauge. “Damn old trucks. Stay here.”

As he opened the door, a gust of wind grabbed hold, ripped it clean off the hinges, and sent it sailing through cloud cover. It disappeared almost immediately.

Lauren’s hand closed on his left arm. She was certain all color had drained from her face. “I’m coming with you.”

“You’re safer in the truck —”

“Are you kidding?” She tugged at the corners of the balled blanket in the backseat and pulled out two garbage bags. “Here, put this on. It should help.”

Jaden inspected the bag. She’d cut out armholes and a place in the middle for his head.

“Rain coats. Nice job.” Looking adequately impressed, he slid on the plastic cover.

His approval shouldn’t have mattered to Lauren, but it did. More than anything else at the moment, save for staying alive.

Blustery wind pounded the Jeep from every angle; they had to move quickly.

An oak door whisked through the air, spun around in front of the Jeep’s windshield, and then crashed down on top of the hood.

Lauren let out a scream before she could clamp it down.

Grabbing the rest of the balled supplies, Jaden shouted, “Move out.”

He moved behind the wheel, started the engine after a few tries, and placed a stump on the gas pedal as he rolled out of the seat.

Lauren scrambled after him, watching the Jeep disappear over a ledge. The wind hit her full force in the face, the deafening noise screamed through her ears. Her head felt like it would explode from the pressure. She struggled a step forward, only to be blown two steps back. The garbage bag, plastered flat against her body, was useless against the onslaught.

Soaking wet, water dripped from her eyelashes as she stumbled.

Jaden turned and shouted, “Get down!”

Lauren dropped to her knees, and then fell flat on her stomach. Hugging the ground, mud squishing through her fingers, she followed Jaden as tightly as she could manage.

Wind pounded the ground, kicking up sludge and forcing the earthy taste of mud into her mouth as she battled for every inch of forward progress.

Even if they could ignore the fast-approaching ten-foot water swell by seeking safety in higher ground, high winds posed another threat. And then another danger rattled around overhead: debris dropping from the sky with the force of a missile. Even through loud, oscillating winds, she heard an occasional crash.

Shaking rubble out of her makeshift raincoat, she pressed on with one thought: If they didn’t find shelter soon, the cartel didn’t need to find them again, they’d already be dead.

Clinging to barren clumps of shrubbery, she clawed her way uphill toward Jaden.

Lightning cut across the sky before plunging down with an explosion of thunder.

“There it is,” he shouted as he crested the next mound.

Lauren scuttled to his side. A loud crack sounded.

Spinning around, she glimpsed a palm tree as it split in half, unleashing a torrent of coconuts. Jaden dove on top of her, shielding her with his heft. A few slammed him instead. He unleashed a string of swear words.

Before she could utter a thank you, he was back up encouraging her to keep moving.

Not a minute later, a brick building came into full view. A concrete silo in front flagged a large metal door with an equally oversized lock.

They scrambled to it while Lauren prayed for sanctuary.

Jaden stood, angling his shoulder toward the door. Stepping back, he rammed forward with the fury of a steam engine. The door buckled, but stopped short of opening. He grunted and rubbed his shoulder.

Lauren could only imagine the blinding pain that action must’ve sent down his arm.

“We need something …,” he said before disappearing around the side of the building.

A few moments later the front door opened and an arm, which felt more like a steel band, swept her inside. She stumbled forward, falling against Jaden to catch her balance.

He planted his shoulder against the door, struggling to close it against the elements.

Lauren spun around, grabbed the sliding metal latch, and bolted the lock as soon as it lined up.

She turned, leaned against the door, and found herself once again inside Jaden’s arms. He was out of breath, she could tell, by the pulsing rhythm of his chest. She was soaked to the core, and the heat from his glorious body pressing against hers was a beacon of warmth. Lauren allowed the warmth to calm her as his arms encircled her waist and pulled her in tighter, until her breath slowed to a normal rhythm.

“Do you think we’re alone?” she asked.

“For now.”

The heat between them swelled. Not wanting to give into raw desire and do something she might regret later, Lauren pulled back and took off her garbage bag raincoat.

Little good it had done. Frozen and cold, she couldn’t stop her hands from shaking. She plucked at her shirt, balled up the bottom, and wrung out the tail. “Think this place’ll hold?”

Jaden rolled his shoulders as he ripped off his own plastic bag in one motion. “Did okay for the British.” His hand closed on hers as he tugged her into his chest again. “We’re safe. For now. You can relax.”

She shifted her gaze, locking onto his. “That’s what I thought when were at the beach side condo.” Did she see something flash behind his eyes? Uncertainty? “What happened back there?”

“Safe houses can be compromised. I knew it was a risk going in. It was one we needed to take.”

Thunder cracked simultaneously with flashes of lightning.