Last Chance To Run (26 page)

He’d never been in love before either.

He was never giving her up.

Chapter 51

Angel awoke with her face against Zane’s warm chest, wrapped in his arms, smelling the musky scent of their lovemaking. After years of accepting every miserable injustice life had dished out as status quo, she’d altered her future.

Might have only been for one night, but that was more than she’d come to expect. 

Whether she lived or died, she’d carry last night in her heart as she faced her fate.

Over Zane’s shoulder, puffy purple clouds dusted with tangerine tufts floated past the separation in the drapes. Maybe the tropical depression had moved away.

Thinking he was still asleep, she tried to ease away. His arm locked around her waist, holding her in place.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

She smiled at the humor in his rough morning voice and said, “I was going to look out the window to see if the storm was passing.”

“I’m not letting you that far away. Every time you get further than an arm’s length from me, you disappear,” he teased.

“Not fair,” she answered, indignant over the remark. “I didn’t leave your apartment by choice.”

When his hold almost cut her breath off, she figured that hadn’t been a good choice of topics to bring up. She smoothed her hand across the patch of dark hair centering his chest to soothe him and felt his embrace loosen.

“I’m getting a shower,” she announced.

He made a move with his left hand, stroking along the inside of her thigh in an obvious attempt to deter her from moving. When his finger teased the fragile folds between her legs, Angel clutched his shoulders and conceded immediate defeat.

As if that weren’t enough capitulation, he smoothed a hand up to cup her breast and tease one nipple mercilessly.

Zane had a sure way to keep her within arm’s reach. Or at least fingertip reach. One of his incredibly talented fingers dipped inside her, in and out,
then
he drew the wet finger over her folds and started the dance all over of driving her insane.

She gripped his shoulders, shaking with need. She pleaded, “Don’t stop.”

He lifted up and suckled her other breast then scraped the beaded nipple with his teeth. Then his lips closed over the nipple and his tongue
drove her mad.

She forgot about everything but the finger teasing her folds, taking her closer and closer to release.
Almost there.

Then his fingers slid down inside her. He said, “I want you ready.”

“I am.” 

“Not yet.”  He pushed two fingers inside.

She ground her hips down to help him, desperately fighting to reach that point her body begged for, but he’d change the rhythm at the last second as if he could see inside her. He lifted his head and kissed her, loving her with his mouth. Then he teased her damp folds once more.

She trembled from the heat pooling in her loins faster and faster.
Time to shift the control.

In a quick move, Angel lifted away from his hands, shifted forward. When she felt the tip of his arousal, she impaled herself on him. Air sucked from her lungs in a gasp of pleasure.

Zane’s eyes flew open, dark and hungry.

She grinned down at him. “Maybe I’ll just hold you here and see how long it takes before...”

He grasped her hips, lifting her almost off of his member then pulling her down as he drove up inside her. Two times, three times, the rhythm fast and gripping.

Then he reached between them and went right to her go button.

Heat and energy balled in her womb and shattered. She made a sound of pleasure she’d never heard before. Heat zinged all the way to her nipples.

Zane pumped several more powerful strokes and she stayed with him, loving the feel of him inside her. He exploded, growling out his pleasure as he filled her. She collapsed on him, laboring for air.

He hugged her tight, his heart pounding beneath her.

“You’re unbelievable,” he murmured.

She glowed under the compliment and smiled. “I like it, too.” Her breathing had steadied when his hand swept down her spine then smoothed across her bottom.

“What are you doing?” she asked suspiciously.

“What do you want me to do?”  He grazed each cheek with his fingers.

“Answering that would be dangerous.”

His hand slid further down and under to toy with her, again.
Got to love a man with long arms and great hands.

She was close to giving in when his cell phone interrupted.

“You better get that. It could be Trish.”  Angel rolled off of his chest.

Zane’s grumble ended in a vicious curse by the time he reached over to the nightstand for the phone. “One day this thing is going out the window.” 

He hit the on button and snapped, “Zane.”

Angel slipped away to the bathroom when she heard him say, “She had it?
Mom and baby healthy?”
  Pause. “Congratulations, Ben.”

~*~

Zane grinned, relieved to hear Ben’s good news. Angel’s shower roared on as Ben told him he was on his way to the lab.

“I left you something else to check out when you get there,” Zane said.

“What? Toe prints?” Ben joked.

“Very funny.
There’s a gold coin in your drop box, in a brown evidence envelope marked Personal. I took a chance leaving it, but getting into your office is almost as tough as penetrating Ft. Knox. Run a check to see if anything fitting that description has come up missing.”

“Oh, man,” Ben moaned. “Don’t tell me this has to do with your vanishing girl.”

“Okay, I won’t. Just let me know when you find out anything. I really appreciate this, Ben.”

“I know, but this doesn’t sound like you. I hope you’ve got a good handle on her.”

Ben had no idea how good a handle he’d just had, but that wasn’t something he’d share even with his best friend.

The sound of a car door slamming came through the line. Ben said, “What the hell happened in Jacksonville?
Got your voice mail.”

“You know what I know. Everything was rocking along just fine until yesterday morning. Every shipment has been dead on the money. They
oughta
be begging me to take their contract, but now the damn thing’s a bust.”

“Don’t write it off yet, Zane. Mac’s pissed. He sent Vance up to Jacksonville this morning to sort through the mess. If anyone can do damage control, Vance can.”

That was one giant
if
. “Sorting out who has jurisdiction on this between the DEA and local authorities isn’t going to help my chances at this gig.”

“Mac doesn’t give two shits about everyone playing nice. He wants bigger fish at High Vision. His resources say local authorities jumped too soon. Didn’t get what they expected. Somebody’s head will go on the block for busting a federal investigation. You talked to Mac yet?”

“No.”  Zane wasn’t in a hurry to do that.

“If he doesn’t call you in before Tuesday morning, you need to just show up. In the meantime, give Vance a chance to do his thing before you write the High Vision gig off completely. And whatever you do, don’t screw up your future because of this girl.” 

“I’m being careful.” 
Yeah, right
.

“You may hear back from me pretty soon. I just walked into my office.”

“Thanks.”

Zane dropped the phone on the stand and propped another pillow behind his head. He was still reeling. Last night had gone beyond his fantasies, but that wasn’t the problem.

He reached over and ordered room service with enough selection to cover any taste.

Angel had to be the one who’d stashed those coins in his boat curtains. She’d worked fervently to keep her identity hidden. If she had good intentions, why was she hiding the coins?

Much as he tried to avoid the obvious, Angel had disaster stamped across her future in bold print. Everything he’d discovered pointed to criminal activities.

So, what was his problem?

For the first time in his life something wasn’t clearly right or wrong. And he couldn’t depend on cold objectivity. He cared too much.  

And he couldn’t imagine life without her. Maybe she had a tainted past, but in his heart he wouldn’t accept that she was a criminal. That didn’t change the fact that he had to have answers.
Now.

Angel stepped out of the bathroom smiling, dressed in her jog bra and shorts. “I washed them out last night so I’d have clean clothes.”

He grinned back at her until he saw the purple and black bruise on her ribcage. “If someone puts another bruise on you I’m going to make sure they don’t see their next birthday.”

Lowering her eyes, she covered the bruise with her hand. “It’s not so bad.”

“That’s not your fault so stop looking embarrassed.” 

The dainty shrug she gave him said she didn’t want to talk about the abuse she’d been through.

He’d given her all the time he could. Zane crossed his arms over his chest. “It’s time we talked about what’s going on.”

“Don’t you want to get a shower first? Can’t we talk over breakfast?”

No. He wanted answers, but she’d probably eaten little in the last
twenty-four hours and he did need a shower. “I ordered room service.”  Zane climbed out of bed and walked over to her. “Don’t go anywhere. Promise me.”

“I promise,” she said. “Go shower. I’ll be here when you come out.”

Zane cupped the back of her head and kissed her deeply then touched a kiss to her forehead. “Last night was terrific. We have something very special and it’s not just for one night. Understand?”

Tears pooled in her eyes. She turned her face up to him. “
You’re
terrific and last night
was
wonderful, but I have to take it one day at a time.”

His stomach twisted. She still didn’t believe she would survive her ordeal. He planned to make a believer out of her. “We’ll talk. I’ll be quick so don’t answer the door to anyone. I want whoever comes in here to see me first.”

She nodded.

He hated to push her when her world teetered on its edge, but they weren’t leaving this room until he knew who she was, why she had the coins, and who was trying to kill her.

Chapter 52

CK hit the speed dial number on his cell phone, noting the time. Eight o’clock. He had two more hours. When ML answered, CK started reporting. “We found the pilot’s truck. They didn’t go back to his apartment or out to his airplane.”

“Do you know where they are?” ML asked calmly, but only a fool would believe that Mason
Lorde
was not seething right now.

“Not yet. I tagged the truck with a transmitter. We tracked it to an apartment complex, but they were gone by the time my men arrived.
Could be anywhere.
Hard to pry in this tight little area, but soon, very soon,” CK promised.

“And she never said a word about the coins while you had her?”

“No, but I didn’t use my skills since you indicated the condition you wanted to find her in.” CK could have gotten all the information ML needed if ML wasn’t such a control freak. “Got two men following the truck and his apartment is covered.”

“Don’t take out the pilot until we have her in hand. He may either know where the coins are or we can use him to make her talk. Once I have the coins, I have plans for that pilot.”

“I understand.”  If CK was capable of sympathy, which he wasn’t, he’d feel sorry for the pilot. ML was a twisted mother with sick ideas. CK would just pop the pilot between the eyes and be done, but that wouldn’t satisfy someone like ML.

Chapter 53

Angel slipped her feet into the garish sneakers the night manager had given her, surprised when they fit. She snagged another apple from the basket and munched on it then strolled over and opened the sliding glass door. Balmy morning air met her on the balcony. The clouds were dissipating, leaving a happy blue sky in their place.

Fresh air carrying a salty flavor breezed by.

Even with all the water around Manhattan, it never smelled like this. She didn’t want to leave.

She didn’t want to see Zane hurt either.  

What was she going to tell him?

He deserved the truth after everything he’d done for her. She thought back on last night’s events. The fact that he’d located her in that warehouse was amazing. Then he’d rescued her.

No simple task there either. He handled a gun proficiently. A lot of guys could handle a weapon, but he’d been in his element.

She finished her second apple, feeling much improved with the simple nourishment.

From the bathroom door, Zane called her name sharply.

“I’m right here. Don’t panic,” she joked, then spun around and stopped short at the sight of him. He was naked from the khaki pants up. She ran her tongue over her dry lips.

His gaze darkened.

Her breathing hiccupped. How could she want him again so soon? They’d made love three times during the night. If she let him touch her now, they’d never get out of here.

“Where are we?” she asked, hoping to divert his attention. She dropped the apple core into a wastebasket on her way back in.

A smile kicked up on one side of his mouth. “Changing the subject?”

“There was no subject,” she clarified.

“Yes, there was. It just wasn’t being spoken.”

She suppressed a smile, refusing to concede that her mind had traveled along the same path as his. “In that case, yes, I’m changing the subject. Where are we?”

He strolled over to her as he spoke. “This is part of greater Ft. Lauderdale. It’s a small upscale community chosen by large yacht owners because of the canal. You could say this is home to the local rich and shameless.”

“What makes this canal so good for big boats?” Angel asked, wanting
to confirm her guess.

“The smaller canals are shallower. The channel in this one is fifty feet deep so even when the tide is low you can run a hundred-foot yacht through here.”

She followed him over to the thick rail on the balcony. They were three floors up and overhung a green chain-link fence that sprouted from the seawall. That must be to deter anyone from walking along the top of the seawall since only about two feet of landscape separated it from the hotel.

Zane’s tone changed to a more somber one. “Before we have breakfast, I want you to tell me what’s going on.”

She shifted around and leaned back against the concrete rail. A balmy wind lifted tendrils of hair across her face for the heartbeat it took to form her answer. “I got involved with the wrong group of people, but it wasn’t my fault.”

“I need a few more details than that. What do you have that they want?” 

His tone didn’t change. She couldn’t read him. His face had blanked into an inscrutable mask. How much could she say without going too far?

She said, “I have some ... items that someone
else
stole.”

“So you stole it from him?”  His eyebrow lifted slightly.

“No. I don’t consider taking these items from him as stealing,” she stated.

“Why?”

“Because I intend to return them to the rightful owners.”
  She was encouraged to see his face relax but still had to add, “Eventually.”

His mouth compressed into a stern line. “What do you mean by
eventually
, Angel?”

“I need them for just a little while. Considering no one knew who had them and I’m going to return them, the owners should be considerate enough to let me borrow them,” she reasoned.

He opened his mouth, shut it,
then
asked incredulously, “Just what do you have in mind?”

“I can’t tell you everything.”

“Oh, yes, you can. Someone is trying to kill you. Starting right now, I want the whole truth,” he demanded.

“No.”

Anger banked across his dark gaze. “I
hate
that word. Say anything you want, but don’t use that damn word again,” he ordered.

“Fine!” she snapped, arms crossed. “I’m not telling you anything else.
How’s that?”
  She slapped a hand on each hip and leaned forward. “And,
by the way, how did you find me last night?”

“Don’t change the subject. We’re talking about what you have that belongs to someone else.”

“It’s no big deal,” she dismissed.

“No big deal?” he shouted. “Stolen gold coins are no big deal?”

They both stared at each other in silence.

“You have them,” she accused. “They’re on that boat, aren’t they?”

A muscle in his clenched jaw twitched. He obviously hadn’t intended to share that little tidbit of information.

“They’re safe,” he said.

“I need those coins,” she stressed.

“For what?
If you’re innocent, why don’t you just turn them over to the police?”

Her shoulders fell. Hearing Zane say
if
she was innocent hurt more than she’d ever let him know.

She stomped her foot. “Okay, here’s the deal. Once I can confirm my alibi for when they were taken, I plan to use them to prove my employer stole the coins.”

~*~

Zane’s cell phone rang and he stood in indecision. He wanted to shake some sense into Angel, but the last thing he’d ever do was touch her in anger. The cell phone rang again. Ignore it and finish this conversation or miss talking to Ben, who had to be calling him back?

He and Angel stared at each other for a nanosecond before he stepped into the room and around the bed to the other nightstand. He snatched up his phone.
“Zane, here.”

“Hey, bud, this is Ben. Man, have you got a hot one.”

Zane didn’t think he was going to like the news from the level of Ben’s excitement. “What have you got?”

The sound of papers rustling came across the line and then Ben’s voice. “Her name is Angelina
Farentino
. She’s got a record.”

A lead ball landed in the pit of Zane’s stomach.

“Go on.”

“She works for Mason
Lorde
, or she did work for him. Left under questionable circumstances is all I could find out without saying too much. He’s listed as one of the top twenty wealthiest men in the country.”  More papers shuffled and Ben mumbled to himself before he continued.

“
Lorde
Industries is one of the largest import-export businesses on the east coast, but he also deals in rare art and collectibles.”

Oh, yeah, the hits just keep on coming
. Zane never took his eyes off of
Angel. Watching her and listening to the rundown was tearing his insides apart.

“What’s on her record?”  Zane knew by the way Angel straightened away from the railing that she’d heard him.

“She did a year in a New York prison at eighteen for transporting drugs. Her father went down for the charge of dealing and she was busted as the mule.”

Drugs.
Of all the things she could have done, drugs fell way down on Zane’s forgive list after what he’d watched Trish go through.

He was sure it couldn’t get any worse until Ben remembered one more thing.

“Zane, buddy, you listening?”

“I’m here.”

“If you can’t turn her in, you need to get the hell away from her. She’s hot. The Feds are in serious pursuit of her, too. Hang on.”  Ben’s phone rattled against something solid like he’d laid it down.

Zane stared at Angel. Her face had lost color on that one question about her record.

Ben was back on the line. “Her fingerprint turned up on a photograph in the pocket of the guy they found in the dumpster in Raleigh.
The one that’s been on the news.
Turns out he was one of Mason
Lorde’s
employees.
Worked for him for the last ten years.”

Zane didn’t think he could take any more, but Ben hadn’t mentioned the coin.

“Did you run the coin?”

“Yeah.
That’s a
Saint-
Gauden’s
Double Eagle
gold coin. Those aren’t easy to come by so I’m betting it came from that heist in Boston last month. I’m not sure yet, because a set of eight were stolen. One coin was a 1933 Double Eagle valued at over seven million. You don’t just find a buyer for these coins, because it’s not legal to even own that one coin.
Takes a while to move them.”

The other seven coins hidden on his boat confirmed Angel had been transporting stolen property. Had that been why she was hiding them? To buy time to find someone who could move them?

“I’ll get back with you, Ben.” Zane dropped his phone on the nightstand at his right. He was at a loss for words. Did he start with “Why did you do it?” or go straight to “I have to call the police.”

Like he could just make that decision on the spot?

He’d made thousands of quick decisions, but his black and white world had turned gray with Angel. He’d rather take a bullet to the gut than see
her arrested.

Angel moved inside the glass doors. “Who are
you
, Zane
Jackson
?” 

He must have looked surprised, because she said, “I just learned that yesterday while you were gone.”

Hell and damnation. Trish must have said something. He’d never considered the danger of leaving Trish and Angel alone.

There was no point in continuing the pretense. He’d have to blow his cover to take her in to the authorities.

“You’re right. My real name is Zane Jackson. I work with a special task force under the DEA.”

She nodded slowly. “And that man, your friend Ben, he does, too?”

Zane nodded, his throat getting thicker by the moment.

Tears pooled at the corners of Angel’s eyes, killing him. The muscles in her throat moved when she swallowed. Her voice came out raspy with emotion. “So you know who I am and what my background is, or at least you think you know.”

“I don’t know anything anymore,” he said, despair wrapping his words. “So, maybe the question is, just
who
are you?”

Her chin lifted. “I’m not a thief and I never dealt drugs. No matter what that person just told you, I’m not lying to you. I got screwed by my father and the legal system when I was eighteen. The gold coins you found were stolen from a gallery in Boston by someone working for Mason
Lorde
.”

But
she
was an employee of Mason
Lorde
, he reasoned. Or she had been until she stole the coins from the head of
Lorde
Industries, a prominent businessman probably seen on the covers of a half-dozen business magazines in any given month.

She continued, “I worked for Mason, in his warehouse as a
legitimate
employee, and found some stolen paintings, small ones hidden inside the lining of a shipping crate. They had been all over the news the week before. I recognized one of them and thought someone in the company was the thief, so I brought the paintings to Mason’s attention.”

“Why didn’t you go to the police?” Zane asked. Now his throat sounded as if he’d swallowed rusty nails.

She held up her finger for him to wait. “He’d given me a position in his organization in spite of my record. At least that’s what I thought. What I didn’t know was he’d hired me
because
I had a record. One I didn’t deserve. Silly me, I thought I’d gotten a break, no more cleaning toilets or shoveling crap at the dump. Decent companies don’t hire people with a record, but you probably know that. I was so excited. I finally had a real job.”  One tear leaked down her cheek.

Zane started to move around the bed. He wanted to hold her and make all the pain go away.

She halted him again with a raised finger and continued.

“So, when Mason realized I wasn’t going to cooperate he locked me away in his private compound in Raleigh near the airport where I met you. Mason had a second ... more personal interest in me. The night I stowed away on your airplane was my second attempt at escape. The first
– ”
  Her voice broke, but she swallowed and kept talking.

“The first time I tried to run, I only made it to the house garage. The man who guarded me, Jeff, took too long on his smoke break. That allowed me the couple of minutes I needed to get through the house undetected.”