One Lucky Lady (10 page)

Alex turned and studied him for a minute. He didn’t look worried when they saw the people in front of Pedro’s and he didn’t look worried when he’d been stabbed and had a pretty good chance of dying he didn’t look worried when the Barney showed up at the door-definitely pissed at her-but not worried. He
did,
however look very worried about her opinion of him.
Huh.

“Completely.” She could see him let out a breath.

“Pedro didn’t know if you were in any real danger at first. He called me to watch over you for a while as a favor. I had to get off work.” He was beating around the bush. He hated it when others did it, but he really didn’t want to just drop it on her without giving her a little background first.

“I’m a US Marshall. I work in the Witness Protection Division in the Atlanta office. I do some PI stuff on the side. Mostly just surveillance and evidence gathering for suspicious spouses.”

Mac took his eyes off the road for a second to look at her. She nodded. She didn’t look mad or upset, not even scared for that matter, so he continued. “Pedro called me and he was not really sure anyone was after you, so I took some time off work to help a friend. I was just supposed to keep you safe until this died down and Pedro figured out what was going on. But now it looks like someone is tying up loose ends and you’re one of them. I called a friend of mine earlier today. I told him I may need some help. I just didn’t think it would be this soon. We need to get to Savannah. “

Alex just nodded again but didn’t say anything. He could tell she was working through everything in her mind. He had dealt with quite a few women in his line of work. Most of them would have either been in denial, really pissed, or hysterical by now. Yet, she just sat there thinking.

He had dealt with his share of scared women. A lot of them tried to kiss him. Usually out of fear or sheer boredom or hero worship. It didn’t matter which, he was always able to talk them down, but that kiss from Alex… She didn’t seem the least bit scared or bored, and she definitely didn’t look at him like some kind of damned hero. That kiss had done something to him. He just wasn’t sure what it was yet. He really should have felt guilty, instead he felt alive. He had to protect her from those men and the threat they presented, but he was quickly realizing he wanted more than just right now. He wanted forever. God, she had just lost a husband.
Mac, you really shouldn’t be thinking like this
. He mentally groaned.
Too late.

“This can’t just be about Lucy.” Alex stated very calmly.

Mac was thinking it, but wondered how she came to that conclusion. “Why not?”

“Her husband is a wife-beating ass, but if he was the one who wanted me dead he would have come after me himself. I can see him following Pedro to get to me, but he wouldn’t have the money or intelligence to hire someone else. This is more personal to him. So who sent the Goon Squad?”

Beautiful and smart. He hoped like hell Pedro was right. He would give her time and space to get over her husband, but if it took much longer…well, he didn’t want to think about that right now. “That’s about where I am, too. It doesn’t make any sense, unless there is another party at work.” He smiled. “Goon Squad?”

Alex smiled back and shrugged her shoulders.

They were both quiet, and they were both wondering the same thing…
Why was someone after Alex?

Rain started to come down hard. Fat little drops were hitting the windshield and roof of the Blazer. It was hard for Mac to see and he had to slow down. He kept glancing over at Alex who was now looking out her window. She looked tired, but not distressed. She had said she trusted him ‘completely’. He knew she was telling him the truth. She was really a terrible liar from what he could tell.

She could feel him looking at her again. She knew she should say something, but she was too tired to think anymore, much less talk.

Mac watched as she dozed. Her head was still back against the seat, her face still toward her window. He really wanted to kiss her again. He’d never known a woman like her. He had at first thought her fragile, but he could see she was strong and capable. If he had any lingering doubts, they were gone the minute she threw herself over that fence which was almost as tall as she was. He had
never
seen a woman do that before. It was sexy as hell. Of course he thought everything she did was sexy. He had to leave the room the last time she ate a candy bar. Just remembering it was starting to make him a little uncomfortable, luckily he was wearing sweats. Jeans would have hidden his arousal better, but he would have been a lot more miserable. He had started wearing his shirts un-tucked around her just in case.

Pedro said to give her time, and damn it he was going to. He just prayed that he was still alive when she was ready. He knew she must feel something between them. He had caught her watching him a few times and felt her watching him often. He asked her this morning what she was thinking, but quickly regretted it. He
knew
what she was thinking. Hell, the way she had looked at him…it took everything he had to make his feet move. He had really needed a cold shower, but it would have given him away. So he retreated to the back yard.

He had known her for four days, five if you counted the night she saved his life. He was starting to feel very uncomfortable, both physically and emotionally.
Get a grip, Rogers
.
Give her time
.

Chapter Nine

It was about a four and a half hour trip. They had to go to the other side of Savannah. He couldn’t speed because he couldn’t risk them getting caught. Luckily, the Blazer had over three quarters of a tank of gas and seemed to be running well, despite its outward appearance. Neither one of them had an ID, and they were in a stol… borrowed vehicle. He needed to get to Buddy.

When Buddy was shot, he had to retire. They told him he could have a desk job, but Buddy told Mac he couldn’t live behind the desk. Buddy was now in a wheel chair. He had some use of his legs, but they didn’t have strength. He could stand to move from the wheel chair to his bed, but that was about it.

Buddy and Mac had been friends for a long time. Mac didn’t call in to the office for fear that was how the Goon Squad, as Alex called them, found him and Alex. He wasn’t really sure who to trust. He knew Pedro thought there was a weak link in the law enforcement in Mobile, and Mac would not risk Alex’s safety.

Buddy was no longer working for the government, but he was always there if Mac needed him. And right now, Mac
really
needed him. He was the one person in the world besides Pedro he could really trust. And now, he was planning on trusting him with Alex.

Mac called him as soon as Pedro left earlier, while Alex was changing clothes. He had asked him to get a new ID for him and Alex, a car and some cash. Mac still didn’t have a wallet and he knew Pedro took Alex’s purse the night her husband was killed. They couldn’t go back for the envelope of cash at Pedro’s house, but Buddy had access to one of Mac’s accounts. The one account that couldn’t be traced to anyone who existed. He didn’t tell Buddy anything more than he needed to know and Buddy didn’t ask.

Alex just nodded.
If that was the reason, it might sit a little better
.

“Beg your pardon?”

She realized she must have said it out loud.
Ugh.
“Nothing. Sorry.” Alex went back to looking out the window.

“You okay?”

Alex could hear the concern in his voice. “Yep. Where are we?”

“About an hour from my friend’s place.” Mac watched her closely, but decided it was safer to look at the road. “I’ve known him for a long time. He should have everything we need by tomorrow, and we’ll be able to call Pedro tonight.”

“He’s not going to be happy.” Alex said, sounding a little smugger than she meant to.

“No, not until he knows that you’re safe. He loves you.”

Alex smiled and nodded. “I know. I love him, too. I’ve only known him about nine months, but I feel like I’ve known him all my life.”

“How long were you married?” He really wanted to smack his head on something as soon as he said it, but if he threw his head into the steering wheel she might start to think he was crazy.

Alex didn’t seem to mind. She stated “About three months, actually a little more.”

When he didn’t say anything else, Alex figured he regretted asking, so she continued. “It’s okay you know.” She turned her head toward him.

He looked at her sheepishly. Well, as sheepishly as a wolf can. “I don’t want to upset you. You’ve handled everything incredibly well so far. I guess I was just…curious.”

She turned to look back out the window. “You know, when my parents died, I thought I would die, too. They were great. They were always there when I needed them. They were always happy. When I was upset they would get upset, too. It seems that my happiness was what made them so happy. I moved and went to work shortly after they died. I saw people die almost every day in the ER. I decided I didn’t want to live my life unhappy because of death. I wanted to live it happy to be alive. That’s what they always preached so that’s what I did.”

“How old are you?”

She hesitated for a minute and slanted her gaze toward him. “Thirty-three. How old are you?”

“Thirty-six. You don’t look thirty-three. You look about fifteen. I’m surprised Barney didn’t call the police on me when I told him you were hiding out from your dad.”

Alex laughed and shrugged her shoulders. “It’s the freckles, I think, but my mom always looked younger than she was.”

They talked for the rest of the trip. Mac learned more about her parents and he told her about his mother and his sisters, well half-sisters, but he didn’t see them that way.

Alex was a very easy person to talk to. Mac was sure her parents must have been great. Not many people turned out like Alex. She dealt with things everyday that would make most people cynical and hard, but Alex was optimistic and caring and trusting and could see the humor in almost any situation. Pedro had been right. All she needed was a little time. He just hoped like hell he could give it to her.

Alex was enjoying herself. She found herself hoping she might be able to meet Mac’s mother one day. She sounded delightful. She learned that he had two younger sisters, Mary and Mattie, who were twenty-six. They were twins, but far from identical. His mom had them when Mac was ten, and he looked so proud when he spoke of them. She could tell he loved his step-father, although apparently he didn’t feel that way at first. Alex couldn’t imagine any boy just accepting a new father happily. Mac said he was really hateful to him, but he could see how well Bradley treated his mother so he started trying harder to get along with him. Now they were very close.

They were almost through Savannah before Alex realized where they were. She really enjoyed Mac’s company. Mac exited the highway and turned left. He followed another road for a few miles and pulled up to a Mom and Pop type hotel. It was three stories high and small, but looked new and well kept. It was built out of tan brick and had green trim. Mac parked the Blazer in the back of the lot, away from the lights. He silently said a little thank you prayer as he noticed the fuel gauge was lying directly on E, and cut the engine. Alex looked over at Mac.

“My friend, Buddy, owns this and lives here. He has an apartment on the second floor. He said he could put us up for however long we needed, but he wasn’t expecting us this soon.”

Alex nodded.

Mac slid out of the Blazer and walked around to Alex’s door. Alex gave him her hand and didn’t seem to mind that he kept it until they were in the lobby.

A man came around the counter in a wheelchair and extended his hand to Mac. Mac released Alex’s hand and shook the other man’s hand.

Buddy looked back over his shoulder to a young woman at the desk. “Hey, Bets, do you mind covering everything for a little while.”