Heart of the wolf (30 page)

"I didn't realize Philip was tied up with Noonan, too. He was selling drugs for him. When
Î
found out, it just tore me apart.
I
thought—" She grimaced and avoided

Wolf's probing gray eyes. "I thought Philip loved me. I sure loved him. . . ."

"First love?"
Wolf ventured softly.

"Puppy love was what Mom called it," Sarah said with a slight, pained smile. "When the FBI finished their investigation and indicted Philip along with Ricky Noonan, I was heartbroken. Philip accused me of setting him up,
of.
. .so many things. The evidence against him wasn't that strong, so the FBI let him go, and he left town. I haven't seen him or heard from him since. He said I'd ruined his life."

Relief rushed through Wolf. Reaching over, he captured Sarah's work-worn hand. "Honey, you didn't ruin his life. He ruined it for himself."

Wolf's touch was so right, and Sarah shyly returned his squeeze. Her hand was engulfed by his, and it gave her an overwhelming sense of protection. "I know that—now. Years ago, I didn't. My mom really helped me get through the heartbreak." She held his warm gaze. "I thought I loved him, Wolf." Then, quietly, she added, "He was the first and only boy to ever like me."

"I don't believe that," Wolf said, and he meant it. Couldn't they see beyond Sarah's clothes and her mining job? They were all crazy, Wolf decided. Clothes and a career didn't make a woman.

Sarah frowned. "My reputation in this town was bad news after the FBI investigation, Wolf."

Raising her hand to his lips, Wolf gently kissed her fingers. The need to give back to Sarah some of what had been cruelly taken from her burned through him. He watched her eyes widen beautifully as he brushed the kiss over her skin.

Wolf grinned and reluctantly released her hand. Now that he knew the truth about Philip Barlow, his jealousy had subsided. The look he saw in her eyes was one of warmth mixed with desire. Wolf wondered if it was desire for him. He'd never wanted a woman more than Sarah, but it had to be her decision; he'd never force her into bed with him.

Her hand tingled, even after Wolf let it go. Was it possible? Did the care he spoke of last night mean he might love her?

Sarah considered while she finished her coffee in the comfortable silence of the kitchen with Wolf. The robins chirping their songs outside the window eased some of the tension she unconsciously held in her shoulders.

"When will you see
Summers
?" she asked.

Wolf got up and put the dishes in the sink. "I'm going in now," he said grimly.

"May I come with you?"

"No." Wolf turned and faced her. He leaned against the counter and crossed his arms against his chest. "The safest place for you is here. You'll keep Skeet with you, and you've got a rifle." His brows fell. "I don't think
Summers
will try two days in a row. He's probably going to wait to see if you're going to run into town to sign those real estate papers of his."

"He said he'd come back tonight, Wolf." Her voice was hollow with fear.

"If I get to him today, he won't be back," he promised darkly.

"Why can't I come with you?"

Wolf didn't want to say, but he didn't know how to evade Sarah. "You're safer here," he repeated with more authority.

"Because if
Summers
sees your truck he could have his men fill it with bullet holes?"

Wolf's mouth tightened. At least Sarah was a realist. Unwinding from his position at the counter, Wolf straightened.
"Exactly.
Better a single than a double target."

Sarah winced, her hands tightening around the mug.

Wolf came around behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. He gently kneaded her tight muscles until she began to relax. "Look, I know this is tough on you, but you're safest here. You already evaded
Summers's
men once, and you know this area, honey. Once I find
Summers
, I'll settle this thing with him once and for all."

"How?"
Sarah twisted a look up at him, glad that he was standing behind her, glad that his hands were on her shoulders.

"I'll tell him about
Perseus
and our connections with the FBI and the CIA, and I'll tell him that if he doesn't leave you alone once and for all we'll have him investigated." Satisfaction rang in
Wolfs
voice. "He's the kind of slimy bastard who wants to avoid public notice and a trial at all costs."

Sarah couldn't help but shiver. She tried to be brave, not only for Wolf but for herself. "I—I just worry about you, that's all."

Wolf leaned over and placed a kiss on her cheek. "Your worry isn't for nothing," he told her huskily. "I'll be all right." Straightening, he forced himself to move. The last thing he wanted to do was to leave Sarah for any reason. "What I want you to do
is
form an escape route in case Summers does come back. Tell me where I might find you if you have to make a run for it."

"I'd rather be out on the mountain working, not here at the cabin." Sarah gave him a narrow look. "I'll work at the new mine site. That way, I'll have a chance to hear them coming. Besides, there's a series of caves down on the other side of Blue Mountain," Sarah whispered, her hand touching her throat, where a lump was forming. "I could hide there and they'd never find me."

"Good. I know the area you mean." Wolf glanced down at her feet. "Are you sure you can work?"

"I want to work, Wolf. I'll go crazy if I have to sit here waiting for you to come home. You know that."

"Yeah, I guess I do." Wolf felt
more sure
now that Sarah had a plan in place. "Draw me a map of the cave area, and I'll take it with me when I leave." He gave her a slight smile meant to buoy her. "We'll get out of this alive and together," he promised her.

Together.
Sarah nodded jerkily and got to her feet. She wanted to cry, because she'd just discovered Wolf—the first man she'd truly loved in her life. And now he was going into a town bristling with enemies who carried weapons that could all too easily be aimed at him. Everything was moving too quickly for Sarah. Her emotions were in shreds, and she knew they didn't have time to sit down and talk about all the new discoveries cascading through her.

Forcing
herself
to think, she went into the living room and picked up a notebook to draw Wolf a map of the caves.

Sarah
waited tensely at the cabin. It was exactly noon, the time Wolf promised he'd be home. Her heart rate rising, Sarah gasped as she saw the dark green forest service truck turn into the driveway. It was Wolf, and he was safe! Moving off the porch, Sarah met him as he parked the truck and shut off the engine. She tried to read his rugged, closed features as he opened the truck door and stepped out. Skeet rushed up and wedged between them.

"How did it go?" Sarah asked. What she wanted to do was throw her arms around Wolf in welcome. She wasn't sure what to do, or how to act; her nerves were stretched to the breaking point, her emotions frayed by the hourly unknowns of her life.

Wolf absently patted Skeet,
then
devoted his attention to Sarah. He heard the fear in her voice, and saw it in her eyes. Automatically he placed his arms around her. The softness of her parting lips made him ache with need as she came against him without resisting.

"
Summers
couldn't be found," he told her as he walked with her to the cabin. "I talked to Noonan."

Sarah pressed her head against his shoulder, content, a feeling of safety enveloping her once again. "Is that good or bad,
Wolf
? You look worried."

Wolf released Sarah once they entered the kitchen. "I don't feel good about it, honey." He scowled and settled his hands on his hips as he studied her. "Summers is playing a game. I think he'll be back here again.
Maybe tonight, if not sooner."

Gulping, Sarah's eyes widened. "What are we going to do?" Her voice was strained.

Wolf smiled, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. He saw the sandwiches on the table and motioned for her to join him. "When I was in Philipsburg, I called the airport at Anaconda." He held her frightened gaze. "I'm taking you out of here, tonight. You've got an airline ticket to Washington, D.C., Sarah. I've talked to Morgan, and he's agreed to put you up at one of the condos the company owns until this thing gets resolved."

"We're leaving?"

"No, you are. I'm staying." Wolf saw stubbornness come into her face. "Sarah, please,
don't
argue with me on this. I want you safe. I'm not going to keep you here in the
Une
of fire."

"I'm not going anywhere if you're not going with me, Wolf!" Her voice was strident and off-key. Sarah suddenly stood up and gripped the back of her chair as she held Wolf's weary gaze. "This is my fight!"

"It's our fight," Wolf agreed, trying to calm her down. Didn't Sarah realize he loved her? That he wanted her safe and out of harm's way?

"But this isn't fair, Wolf! You're in danger, too! It isn't just me!"

He held up his hands, "Honey, I'm more equipped to deal with it than you,"

"How?" she demanded, shaken. "I've been shot at, Wolf. I've been beaten up by
Summers's
goons. I've shot at them to scare them off.”

"But you've never killed, Sarah."

Stunned, Sarah heard the haunted quality of Wolf's voice. His eyes were tired-
looking,
his mouth was a tight line. There was such pain mirrored in his face that Sarah froze.

"You think it's coming to that?" she asked hollowly.

Wolf rubbed his face gently. A lot of the swelling had gone down, but the dark braises remained to remind him of
Summers's
way of dealing with situations. "I do."

"Oh, God."
Sarah sat down. She clasped her hands on the table and stared at Wolf, "Did Noonan say that?"

With a twist of his mouth, Wolf said, "Noonan turned white, red, and then plum-colored, I told him about
Perseus
, and the fact that Morgan would call in a head honcho from the FBI
to
begin investigating Summers if he didn't leave you and your mine alone once and for all."