Forged in Steele (13 page)

“Don’t try anything stupid. I don’t want to hurt you.”

The inference was that while he might not want to hurt her, he would if it became necessary.

A chill snaked down her spine and she put a protective hand over her belly. If it were just her, she’d bail out of the vehicle as soon as his attention was diverted and run like hell. But she couldn’t risk bringing any harm to her child. Which meant she was stuck going to dinner at Javier Mendoza’s house whether she liked it or not.

She had a very bad feeling about this. Men did not send hired muscle to collect an unwilling date for the evening. No way he just wanted dinner and then would let her go. Why go to this much trouble for a simple dinner date?

She was near to hyperventilating again when the hulk walked around and got into the driver’s seat. He spared her only a quick glance and, evidently satisfied that she wasn’t going anywhere, he cranked the engine and took off down the road.

It took twenty minutes over roads that made Maren feel as if she’d been battered repeatedly before they pulled through a huge gateway to a sprawling house. The entire place was lit up and her eyes widened to see armed men patrolling the grounds. She swung around in her seat to see the guard towers they drove by. Inside were two men, illuminated by the light in the towers. Both carried high-powered rifles.

Holy shit. What had she gotten herself into?

Not that she thought, based on what she’d heard from the locals, that Mendoza operated on the up-and-up, but she hadn’t expected such a blatant, in-your-face, armed facility. Either this guy had some dangerous enemies or he wanted everyone to think he was not a man to be fucked with. Likely it was a combination of both.

They stopped in the circle driveway that had fountains lining the pavement, and the hulk looked over at Maren. “Stay put. I’ll come around for you.”

What the hell did he expect her to do? Make a run for it? The time for that was before they pulled into this armed-to-the-teeth compound. Like she wanted to get shot making a break for it?

Hulk came around and opened her door, then extended his hand to help her out. Not wanting to piss him off more than he already was, and she definitely didn’t want him reporting to her “date” that she’d been difficult, she let him take her hand. She’d already decided on the drive here that she was going to ooze sweetness and charm. Maybe then Mendoza would let her go back home. And if that happened, she was going to be on the phone with Sam to get her the hell out of here as fast as humanly possible. Then she’d get around to telling Steele that he was going to be a father. First she had to get herself and her baby out of here in one piece.

She let him help her from the vehicle and then he guided her toward the steps, her arm firmly grasped in his hand. Before they mounted the first step, the huge oak double doors swung open and Maren glanced up to see a man who had to be Mendoza standing in the doorway looking at them with satisfaction.

He was surprisingly good looking. If he hadn’t had her kidnapped and now been staring at her like she was prey, she’d even think he was hot. He was tall, dressed in expensive slacks and a button-down shirt. He had dark hair and dark eyes with an olive complexion. He looked as though he kept in shape, judging by his broad shoulders and muscled arms. There wasn’t a spare ounce of fat on him either.

He smiled broadly and again, if he hadn’t hauled her from her clinic and dumped her on his front doorstep, she would have appreciated his smile and those perfectly straight, white teeth.

“Dr. Scofield, you honor me with your presence,” he said with only a hint of an accent. “I’m so glad you came.”

He leaned in and kissed both cheeks. She tried not to flinch and pull away, but it was hard when every instinct was screaming at her to get the hell away from this man.

“I didn’t get the impression I had a choice,” she said dryly.

Mendoza’s eyes flickered and for the briefest of seconds his smile slipped, but then it was back. Fake. Charming. And utterly skeevy.

This whole place gave her the creeps. Her hands went to her arms automatically, and she rubbed to try to rid herself of the chill that had taken over her body.

“Do come in,” he said smoothly. “Dinner will be served in the dining room shortly. I’ll have Marissa bring us drinks. What would you care for?”

Mindful of the fact that one, she didn’t need to be drinking, and two, she had no way of knowing whether this asshole would drug her, she shook her head.

“I’m fine, but thank you. I apologize for my appearance. I wasn’t given the opportunity to change into something more appropriate for dinner. I’m still in my work scrubs, as you can see.”

His teeth glinted again. “Not to worry. I have something for you to wear. In fact, I’ll have Marissa show you up to your room so you can change at once.”

Alarm bells went off all over her head. There was so much wrong with those few sentences she didn’t even know where to begin. Her room? He had something for her to wear? This was getting creepier and scarier by the minute.

She swallowed hard. “There’s no need. I’d hate to bother you, and I doubt what you have on hand would fit me anyway. Perhaps we could eat so I can be on my way back to my house. I have a very early day tomorrow and a full patient load. I must give lab results to all the patients who’ve had labs done in the past week.”

His smile disappeared and he stared piercingly at her. The menace in his eyes increased her panic.

“The dress will fit. I had it especially made for you. You will go into the room I’ve prepared for you and you’ll change for dinner. Marissa will accompany you and Carlos will stand outside your door in case you have need of anything.”

She wasn’t an idiot. She could read between the lines of that statement. Carlos wasn’t accompanying her in case she needed help. He was tagging along with her because he was her watchdog and it was his job to make sure she didn’t try to escape.

“Let’s not play games here, Señor Mendoza,” she said bluntly. “Why am I here, and why am I being treated like a prisoner? I have a job to perform. People depend on me. I have to go back to my house. Tonight. It was kind of you to invite me to dinner, but I must respectfully decline. Now if you don’t mind, please instruct Carlos to drive me back to my house.”

He laughed lightly, but it was clear he wasn’t amused in the least. “Ah, I like your bluntness, Dr. Scofield. And as you were so blunt, I’ll be as equally blunt. You aren’t going anywhere. You will stay here in my home for as long as I wish it. As for your patients, they will have to go elsewhere to seek their medical attention. But don’t worry. Your medical expertise won’t go to waste. I have need of your services myself, but we’ll discuss that at another time.”

What the holy hell? Was he out of his damn mind? Well, obviously he was. She was dealing with a guy who was a few cards short of a full deck. And worse, he was a batshit-crazy man with a lot of guns!

Her hands were shaking. She had no control over how blatantly her fear was being broadcast. There was no point in trying to put up a brave front. She was scared shitless and he knew it.

“You can’t just keep me here,” she said in a low voice.

He lifted one eyebrow. “The way I see it, you don’t have a choice in the matter. I run this entire area. There is no one to help you. No one to seek help from. I am the law here and what I say goes. The sooner you understand that, the easier things will be for you.”

She shook her head. “You’re crazy!”

His eyes narrowed at her insult. “Go now and change into your dress before you say something you’ll regret. I will not tolerate any disrespect in my home. Understand?”

She was tempted to say,
Or what?
But she wasn’t stupid. There was no way she was going to give him any reason to hurt her or her baby.

Judging by his level of craziness, if he discovered she was pregnant, he’d go off the hinges. She just had to hope like hell she found a way out of this predicament before it became evident that she was carrying another man’s child. There was no telling how he’d react to that piece of news.

CHAPTER 15

MAREN
sat rigidly in her chair on the terrace of Mendoza’s enormous estate. For three days she’d been kept here and she still had no idea why. She’d feared that Mendoza was some crazy idiot obsessed with her, and she’d even feared he’d force himself on her. But in fact, she’d been treated as a pampered guest, waited on hand and foot and her every need seen to. Except, of course, the biggest need of all. To get the hell out of here and as far away from him as possible.

After that first night, she hadn’t seen Carlos even once. Instead, Mendoza’s other goon, a tall, muscled guy named Armand, kept close watch on her. He unnerved her. He almost never spoke, but she got the impression he missed nothing. His gaze was piercing and he knew every single thing that went on under Mendoza’s roof. He’d also returned her glasses, but they’d cracked when they’d fallen from her face during her abduction and were useless now. He’d muttered something about replacing them, but she’d told him not to bother. What did she need them for here? Nothing to read. No medical reports or injuries she needed to focus on.

Though there was no actual lock on her bedroom door, she wasn’t under any misapprehension that she could simply walk out. She knew this because every time she opened her door, Armand appeared as if he’d materialized from thin air.

Mendoza might have creeped her out, but Armand scared her shitless. He reminded her a lot of Steele. Not in looks. But he had that warrior persona. You just knew by looking at him that he could kick ass and probably had a hundred ways of killing a man with just his pinkie finger.

His expression was always unreadable. She’d never detected any hint of emotion. He was just . . . blank. Scary and blank.

Voices carried softly to her on the wind and she turned in the direction they came from. She’d been sitting for ten minutes waiting for Mendoza to make his appearance. Armand had collected her from her room after instructing her to dress for dinner in the outfit Mendoza had sent her. Delivered by Armand, of course. Armand had deposited her into her seat and promptly disappeared.

She strained harder to hear what was being said. From the little she’d heard Armand speak, she knew he was talking to Mendoza.

“I still don’t think it’s a good idea to use her,” Armand said. “It would be easy to find another doctor for what you want.”

“I want
her
,” Mendoza said, a thread of steel in his voice.

“You’re risking a lot for a woman you have the hots for,” Armand said, criticism obvious in his tone. “She has connections to a private organization that could cause a lot of trouble for you.”

Maren sucked in her breath, her eyes widening in shock. How the hell would Armand know anything about KGI? Much less her connection to them. Panic surged in her chest, tightening until she could barely breathe. What the hell was going on? And what did Mendoza want to use her for?

She’d prayed steadily over the last three days that Steele would return quickly. Surely if he found her gone, her clinic unopened, he wouldn’t just assume she’d gone off on a whim. He’d look for her. She had to believe that. And she hoped to hell he hurried, because she had no idea what Mendoza had in mind for her, but it couldn’t be good.

“They are no match for me,” Mendoza said arrogantly.

“That’s what you think,” Maren muttered under her breath.

“Don’t underestimate her connections,” Armand said in a soft voice. “Underestimation will get a man killed every time.”

“You act as though you think this organization of hers is more powerful than I am. Besides, we’re leaving soon. Then they won’t be of any worry to me at all.”

“A wise man always watches his six,” Armand replied.

Maren frowned and then straightened in her seat when she heard them walking in her direction. She stared into the distance and raised her glass of water to her lips, pretending she hadn’t heard them at all.

Armand sounded military to her. It was the way he spoke, the jargon he used. He was American, though. A traitor? Defector? Or just a lackey for hire, willing to farm out his services to whoever had the money to pay him?

“Maren, you look beautiful,” Mendoza said smoothly when he and Armand rounded the corner of the terrace. “I was correct that that color would be stunning on you. It accentuates your eyes quite nicely.”

She gritted her teeth and forced back the caustic reply that hovered on her lips.

Mendoza waved his hand at Armand. “You may leave us now. Be back in an hour’s time to take Maren back to her room.”

Armand glanced her way and stared a long moment before nodding and retreating.

Mendoza sat down across from her and then held up his hand to snap his fingers. In an instant, a servant appeared bearing a tray with their dinner plates.

A plate of grilled fish was set in front of her, and as she stared down at it, her stomach rebelled at the mere idea of putting it in her mouth. She sucked in steadying breaths through her nose, willing the nausea to go away.

Pregnancy had made her hypersensitive to smells, and the slightly fishy odor emanating from the plate sent her right over the edge.

“You don’t look well,” Mendoza said.

She glanced up to see him watching her, lazy amusement in his eyes.

“I can’t eat this,” she said, pushing it away.

“Any particular reason?”

“I can think of several. Being held against my will isn’t exactly great for inspiring an appetite,” she snapped.

“And it couldn’t be because you’re carrying a child and the thought of food makes you ill?” he asked mildly.

She couldn’t control her reaction. Her fear had to have been broadcast for the entire world to see. She pushed back from the table in a protective measure, putting as much distance between her and him as possible. How the hell could he know she was pregnant? Then, just as quickly, she dismissed her incredulity. Armand was her constant shadow and knew of her visits to the bathroom in the mornings and her sickness. He’d likely taken a stab in the dark, but she had betrayed herself with her reaction and now he knew his shot had been true.

“There’s no reason to panic. I have no intention of harming you or your child.”

“You’ll pardon me if I don’t believe that,” she said.

“I’ve been watching you for a while now. I’m attracted to you, Maren,” he said unemotionally. They could have been discussing the most mundane topic in the world for as much enthusiasm as was reflected in those words. “At first I sought you out because you were a convenient solution to a problem I needed solved. But I find I rather like the idea of you being where I am.”

“And what problem do you need solved?” she asked, afraid of what the answer would be.

“I’m having plastic surgery soon. Again.”

Her eyebrows went up in disbelief. Plastic surgery? He had to be freaking kidding.

“I’m not a surgeon,” she said. “I’m a general practitioner.”

He smiled in amusement. “There isn’t much I don’t already know about you, Maren, including the illicit visits from the man who is undoubtedly the father of your child, which is why I felt pressed to make my move now. And I don’t expect you to do my surgery. In my line of work, it becomes necessary to change my appearance every so often. That way I remain a step ahead of my pursuers—and there are many. The time has come for me to move on from this place and start over somewhere else. I’m starting to feel the heat, as you Americans say. Therefore I’ll be flying to Paris in a few days’ time and you’re going to accompany me and oversee my recovery.”

“Why on earth would you trust
me
?” she asked incredulously. “You have no reason at all to believe I wouldn’t betray you at the first opportunity.”

“Oh, but I do,” he said softly. “You see, I’m sure you value your unborn child’s life.”

She froze, her blood turning to ice. Fear trickled up her spine as she stared at his very determined expression. “What are you saying?”

“I’m proposing a bargain of sorts. You do as I want and no harm will come to you or your child. Give me any reason to doubt you and you’ll suffer. I can’t be any more clear than that.”

“You bastard,” she seethed. “What gives you the right to take over my life, keep me as a prisoner to act as your personal physician? Only a complete bastard would blackmail me with the safety of my child.”

“Think of me as you wish. But my offer stands firm. Prove yourself indispensable to me or you’ll be disposed of just as the others in my employ will soon be.”

“What do you mean, you’re disposing of the others in your employ?” she demanded.

He smiled. “So caring of others. It’s one of the things I like about you, Maren. But yes, I will be rid of those who serve me. It becomes necessary to disappear, and one can hardly do that when he’s surrounded by dozens of people. Only you and Armand will accompany me into my new life.”

“What will you do with them?” she whispered.

He shrugged. “Nothing directly. Perhaps the organization you have ties to will dispense with them for me when they come to rescue you. But that isn’t the important issue, Maren. Do I have your agreement? Are you going to cooperate or will I have to dispose of you as I do the others?”

She couldn’t believe this. It was absolutely surreal. Like some bizarre dream she couldn’t wake up from. Things like this didn’t happen in her world. Sure, she didn’t have the most normal existence. She’d certainly been in her share of predicaments. Africa came readily to mind. But KGI had gotten her out when she and several other aid workers had been held hostage by a militant rebel group. She just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and was caught up in a hostage situation.

But never had she been singled out like she had been now. She never drew attention to herself. She blended in, did her work and was largely ignored except by people seeking her services. While she couldn’t ever say her life was boring, neither could she say it was anything out of the ordinary. She did her work and spent the rest of her time in her cottage. Reading, drinking tea or other mundane, boring tasks.

“It doesn’t appear I have any real choice,” she said, despair creeping into her voice.

“There’s always a choice. Some are just more desirable than others.”

“What about after?” Her chin came up and she shook some of the paralyzing fear away. She had to be smart about this. Had to look beyond her initial panic and think of some way out of this. “Will you let me go after you’ve recovered from your surgery? And what about when my child is born? Will you let me go before I deliver?”

He pursed his lips and regarded her thoughtfully for a long moment. “That is something we will discuss when the time comes. You can rest assured that I will provide you the best medical care possible when it is time for you to deliver your child. And as long as you uphold your end of the bargain, no harm will come to you or your child. That’s the only guarantee I’m prepared to offer.”

Her heart sank. Would she forever be his prisoner? And maybe he wouldn’t touch her now, when she was pregnant, but what about after? Did he plan to keep her as his mistress? Would he force himself on her after her pregnancy was over?

He’d told her no harm would come to her or her child provided she cooperated. But what did he consider harm? If he was convinced of his sexual prowess, it was entirely possible he planned to make a move on her regardless of whether she was pregnant.

And then another thought hit her and it nearly crippled her. She raised her gaze to his and stared back unflinchingly.

“Promise me that you won’t separate me from my child,” she said. “I’ll agree to your terms if you
swear
to me that my child stays with me no matter what. And if you swear you won’t hurt either of us.”

The corner of his mouth quirked up into a half smile.

Her eyes narrowed and anger made her reckless. “I’ll make
you
a promise, Mendoza. If you do anything at all to harm my child or to take it away from me, I’ll kill you. I’ll find a way, and believe me, there are ways to die that you’d never expect. As a doctor I have extensive knowledge, and I wouldn’t hesitate to find a way to make you suffer. Are we understood?”

His smile faded. He went still, staring intently at her a long moment. Their gazes locked, neither backing down or looking away. Then he slowly nodded.

“We understand each other. But know this, I’ll expect certain concessions from you when I’ve fully recovered from my surgery. As long as you keep me happy, you’ll give me no reason to go back on my word. Keep that in mind.”

His meaning couldn’t be misunderstood. He
did
expect an intimate relationship with her, and it didn’t even appear as though he planned to wait until after her child was born. Her stomach revolted at the mere thought.

“Now that we’ve gotten business matters out of the way, shall I have something else for you to eat brought out to the terrace? Or perhaps you’d like to retire to your room now and contemplate your new circumstances.”

She nodded numbly and then pushed up from her chair, her knees shaking so hard she worried she’d fall. Armand appeared, his sharp gaze finding hers. Then he took her arm, his grasp surprisingly gentle.

“See that she makes it back to her room,” Mendoza said. “And arrange for breakfast to be brought to her in the morning. Don’t worry about preparing anything, Maren. Armand will take care of all our travel arrangements. When I’m ready to leave, Armand will come for you.”