Deadly Deception (SCVC Taskforce) (20 page)

Work felt good. Being in the field, working a case. She’d forgotten how undercover work carried with it a certain high. The adrenaline rush, thinking on your feet, getting in and gaining the trust of your mark…it was all coming back to her. Maybe working for the taskforce wouldn’t be bad. She liked Dupé. She liked California. Living in this area would keep her close to Celina.

She and Thomas had gotten off to a rocky start, but now…

Her pulse quickened, her feet heading in his direction as if he were a magnet drawing her to him.

Funny how every time her emotions reared up and sucked her under, Thomas was the constant that pulled her from their heavy tow and set her feet firmly on the ground once more. He annoyed her, and yet, when she thought of him, her racing mind slowed and became balanced. With him by her side, she could find perspective with Adam and this case.

What Thomas did to her mind and body on a personal level, though…well, that was another story. She’d sworn she wasn’t going to let him get to her, but somehow he had.

He’d tried to be there for her when she was recovering and she’d pushed him away. He’d been there when she landed at the airport, and she’d blown him off. He’d insisted on going undercover with her on this operation, and she’d tried to dismiss him.

Now every time she thought of him her heart beat too fast. She couldn’t wait to see him again. Her lips ached to be kissed, and she wanted to run her hands over his muscled arms, strong back, and flat abs. He could make her forget the longings and the pain. Exorcise the emotions and useless sentiments crawling under her skin.

Her feet picked up speed even as she glanced around. No dog or chickens hanging around the porch. No bodyguard hulking in the shadows to spy on her. The house was quiet, the farm asleep.

As she rounded the corner, she spotted the car parked near the entrance gate. Where was Thomas? Inside?

The moon didn’t provide enough light to see past the car’s windows. In the distance, a cow mooed in one of the barns. The sound made her stop for an instant. Was someone in the barn? Instinctively, she reached for her weapon, realized too late she was unarmed. She’d left her gun and badge at Thomas’s house, knowing Adam would see both as a sign of aggression.

But now, in the middle of the night and away from the security of the house, she wished she’d at least brought a kitchen knife. While she hadn’t encountered anyone yet who seemed dangerous, she felt naked without a weapon.

This is not the way to run a successful undercover op.

She hurried across the yard and down the unpaved drive. Still no sign of Thomas, unless he was hiding in the backseat. She’d put up the top on the convertible, but she couldn’t remember if she’d left the doors unlocked.

Digging her keys from her pocket, she started to hit the unlock button on the fob when she decided against it. The lights would flash and alert the dog wherever he was. Drawing near the car, she squinted into the dark interior. Her pulse gave a little leap. A dark blob seemed to fill the passenger seat.

Careful
, her instincts warned. In her head, she heard Thomas’s voice and a line from the song he’d been humming earlier.
You can never leave
…

An owl hooted in the distance, making her startle. It would be just her luck for Jacob or one of the others to be lying in wait for her to see if she’d try to leave the compound. Explaining that she was only rendezvousing with Thomas would make matters worse—why would they rendezvous at the car if they weren’t planning on leaving?

The shadowy blob inside the car moved, a face coming close to the passenger window.

Thomas
.

Her relief was instantaneous. Either she was being paranoid, or the nonaggressive, homey atmosphere being perpetrated by Adam had yet to fully reach her subconscious. She’d studied cults for years, understood their underlying mentality. While her heart said there was nothing to fear from Adam and his followers, her gut knew differently.

Thomas had killed the interior light, so when Ronni opened the driver’s door and slid into the seat, she did so in darkness. “Hi,” she whispered even though no one could hear them.

The night and their situation seemed to call for quietness. He didn’t whisper, but did keep his voice low. “You’re late. I was getting worried.”

Now that she was inside the car, she could make out his face. The high cheekbones she wanted to run her fingers over. The square jaw she wanted to kiss. “You try getting down two flights of creaky old stairs and out the back door without being heard.”

He smiled, his teeth white against the shadows touching his face. “I knew you could handle it, my little ninja princess.”

Again with the ridiculous monikers. “I may be a ninja, but I’m no princess.”

“Ah, progress.”

“What?”

“You didn’t threaten to eviscerate me over the nickname.”

A sliver of moonlight touched his hair, slanted across one cheekbone. “How’s quarantine?”

“Never met a lock I couldn’t pick.”

Her turn to smile. “So what do you think?”

“Of you or this place?”

Either.
Both
. “This place.”

“Low-key, conservative, very Earth-friendly. Typical California hippies.”

“They don’t fit my profile, do they?”

“Not from what I’ve seen, but we’ve only scratched the surface.” He touched her hand, his fingers trailing up to her wrist. “I’ve searched the men’s quarters for guns, drugs, teargas…came up empty.”

“I haven’t seen anything criminal or suspicious in the main house either.”

“Did you search Adam’s office?”

“Haven’t had a chance.”

“I kept him busy after dinner so you’d have time.”

“I know,” she said, feeling her face flush. “I couldn’t get away from your buddy, Melanie. But like you said, we’re just getting started. I’ll try again tomorrow.”

His thumb caressed the inside of her wrist. “He’s a hard guy not to like, your brother.”

She shivered at his touch. A question had been nagging at her brain all night. “My reports are all gleaned from information I’ve gathered from sources inside the Bureau. Interviews and testimonials other agents were in charge of, inside intel other agents claim to have uncovered, everything except some online digging I did myself with the videos I showed you and reading Facebook profiles. What if they’re all false? All that intel…the interviews, the data, everything. What if…” She swallowed hard. “What if my profile of Adam is wrong?”

He leaned across the seats, drew her in close. “It’s not.” He sounded sure. “The intel and testimonials gathered by other Feebies is reliable, Ronni, and you know it. Just because the government screwed up the Wrightsville situation doesn’t mean they’re planting false evidence against Adam. I know it sucks to hear this, but your brother is up to something. He suspects we’re trying to shanghai him, so he’s putting on a show for now. Covering his ass until he’s either sure we’re legit and onboard with his scheme to bring Armageddon to the feds, or he proves we’re the enemy and ousts us.”

His arms felt safe. Strong. “He’s doing a good job of making me doubt myself.”

“I admit, I like the kid. It’s hard not to. I can only imagine how it feels to be in your shoes.”

She laid her head on Thomas’s shoulder. “It’s going to suck to arrest him, if it comes down to that.”

“Not if.
When
it comes down to that. Your intel is solid and we have a job to do. But when the time comes, I’ll arrest him. Asking his sister to do that is too much. Dupé already told me to take care of that, but I’d planned to all along.”

She hadn’t thought about it. How hard it would be to slap cuffs on Adam and read him his rights. To march him to a police vehicle and stuff him inside. What would she say?
Sorry, but you’re a lunatic and I have to do this?

Pretty much. He might not act like a criminal bent on revenge for his father’s death, but in the end, he was planning to harm federal agents. Innocent bystanders would be caught in the confrontation. Hell, many of those at the compound were innocent accomplices, she was sure of it. They, too, would suffer for her brother’s actions.

She squeezed his hand. “I appreciate the offer, but it’s my job to take him in. I’ll handle his arrest when the time comes.”

The night settled around them. Ronni wondered if Thomas could feel her pulse jack-rabbiting under his touch. She tried to keep focused when all she wanted to do was kiss him. Forget the horrors of her past and the ugliness of this undercover operation under the feel of his hands. “Kristine is pregnant. Sounds like Adam is the father.”

Thomas drew his head back to frown down at her. “The gal at dinner?”

She raised her head from his shoulder. She so didn’t want to discuss the case anymore, but this might be their only chance for a few days to talk in privacy. “I overheard her telling Melanie that she’s ten weeks along and she wanted to tell Adam tonight, but Melanie talked her out of it. Mel told her Lance—Kristine’s husband—deserved to know first, and Kristine said she was blessed to be carrying Adam’s child and Lance would have to deal. She referred to the baby as the next savior.”

“I thought Adam was the next savior.”

“He’s the Chosen One, but if something happens to him, he wants a son to carry on, I’m sure. Daniel did.”

“Just like a king.”

“Apparently, Lance and Kristine tried to have a baby for ten years and failed. I’m guessing Paige, their daughter, is adopted.”

“So Kristine is a sacred wife? Melanie told me Adam was saving himself.”

“Neither of them used the term
sacred wife
, but if Adam is sleeping with women to produce children, it’s the same idea.”

“Your profile didn’t mention Adam taking sacred wives like Daniel.”

“Another reason I wonder if my profile is accurate.”

Silence. The owl she’d heard earlier hooted again, this time his call sounding muffled and forlorn.

Thomas returned to staring out the windshield. “Kristine isn’t underage, and appears to be here of her own free will. Nothing criminal about sleeping with Adam if it was her choice, but I bet ol’ Lance won’t be happy.”

“Melanie seemed upset too. I think she’s more jealous than concerned about Lance’s feelings, though.”

“She’s killing herself to impress Adam and keep him happy, that’s for sure. Why else would she do that unless she’s in love with the guy? In that case, she’s probably as devastated by Kristine’s pregnancy as Lance will be.”

“Makes for a good soap opera, but like you said, there’s nothing illegal about the situation, so we’re back at square one.”

“Tomorrow, when I fix the commercial oven, I’ll see what I can glean from her.”

“I didn’t realize you were so skilled. Mechanically, I mean.”

He chuckled, the sound dangerous and seductive. “You’ve only scratched the surface of my many skills, Agent Punto.”

Last names again, but in a sexy, teasing manner. “Thomas…”

She turned her head as he turned his. His lips were irresistible and she shifted her face up, caught them with hers.

She kissed him gently even though she wanted to consume him. Even though she needed to let him consume her.

Only then could she forget the pain for a few minutes. Forget the sacrifices she’d made. The people she loved who’d been torn away from her.

But his return kiss was hard, searching. He knew what she wanted. Knew what she craved. She didn’t want to be handled with kid gloves. She wanted the heat burning between them to ignite and fire up a passion that blocked everything else out.

He sucked, kissed, and licked her lips, her neck, behind her ear. She arched toward him, wishing they were in the backseat, less constrained, and managed to get a leg over the center console. He half lifted her, settling her on his lap, and resuming his exploration of her skin with his lips and tongue. Her fingers ran over his shoulders, parting his shirt as she skated her nails down his firm chest.

He lowered his mouth to her cleavage, now at the perfect height. One hand worked at her shirt, pushing the flimsy material aside and revealing her bra. A finger dipped inside, brushing against her taut nipple and making her moan. In the next instance, both of her breasts were at his mercy. His lips worked on one while his hand massaged and tweaked the other.

Her hips surged against his lap as her head tipped back, lifting her chest and giving his lips better access.

So good. So right.

He went to work on her other breast with his lips as his hand went between her legs. Even through her jeans, he found her sex and rubbed the exact spot that made her gasp. Grinding into his hand, she let herself get caught up in the rhythm he chose, moaning into the dark.

So good, but not enough
. She needed more. Much, much more.

She undid the zipper of her jeans, guided his fingers inside her panties.

Oh, God
. His fingers were hot, slipping inside her. Skin to skin.

He swirled his tongue over her breast, as one of his fingers slid between her folds. A second finger followed…he drove both inside her, and she tightened around them.