The Maze (ATCOM) Page 10

  “Please,” she pleaded to her phantom lover, her hands frantically exploring all of him. He was a fine specimen of a man, one she was proud to call her lover, for he was a master of seduction.

  “Open your eyes, Attie. We have company.”

  Attie’s eyes flew open and were immediately blinded by a bright light. She winced and turned her head away, blinking rapidly. Her head struck something solid and she stiffened, realizing she hadn’t been dreaming at all. Noah lay on top of her, aroused, not looking at her.

  Reality hit her like a ton of bricks and the bottom fell out on her. Noah had been seducing her while she slept, and she’d been ready to make love to him. By God, she would never sleep again. All it did was get her into trouble.

  “Sorry to interrupt,” an unrepentant male voice said from the other side of the bed. “I would have thought the two of you had gotten this out of your systems last night.”

  Attie turned her head away from Noah’s shoulder to glare at Carlos. She wanted nothing more than to push Noah off her, but they were still under pretense of having spent the night together so she gritted her teeth and pretended she didn’t mind him there. Who was she fooling? Carlos stood at the foot of the bed, looking every bit the debonair drug lord she remembered from her past. He wore his preferred designer shirt and trousers impeccably tailored and flattering to his lean form. His smile lacked warmth, and an underlying emotion she couldn’t read lurked below the surface. Behind him stood four armed guards who couldn’t seem to take their eyes off her. Waiting for a peek at what was under the sheet.

  “Ah, good, I have your attention,” Carlos said. “I trust you had a pleasurable night?”

  “Could have been better if—” Attie began, but Noah’s arm tightened around her and cut off the rest of her sentence.

  Carlos went on to say, “I have something for you.”

  Attie stiffened. A gift from Carlos wasn’t something she wanted. She’d learned to dread his gifts. Noah shifted putting more of his body between her and Carlos. Why couldn’t he get it through his thick skull that she didn’t need his protection? She had handled Carlos alone for months while undercover.

  Noah didn’t believe it, though. He’d made that clear last night. He thought she was a mess. It stung.

  One of the guards moved forward upon Carlos’s consent. In his hands were two stacks of clothing and two pairs of combat boots. Attie frowned, recognizing the items from their packs.

  “A pair for each,” Carlos said as the man set them on the foot of the bed. “You see, since I found out who you were, I’ve entertained a fantasy of seeing you in uniform, in action. I’ve seen you in the finest gowns money can buy, but never like this. I’m looking forward to it.”

  “You’re joking, right?” she scoffed, uncomfortably aware of Noah’s hard body pressing her into the mattress.

  “You know I never joke. Come now, you’ve got a busy day ahead.”

  “Doing what?”

  Carlos went on as if she hadn’t spoken. “First, you eat. The two of you must be famished. I’ll give you thirty minutes to get dressed.”

  With that he turned on a heel and led his men out of the room.

  Once the door closed, Attie pushed against Noah’s chest. “Show’s over. Get off me.”

  When he didn’t move, Attie glared at him, unprepared for the heat she saw burning in his eyes.

  “I thought we’d finish what we started,” he said in a low, husky voice that was far too intimate.

  Attie tamped down the excitement pulsing through her veins. “In your dreams.”

  Noah grinned and her Earth tilted on its axis. He dipped his head to whisper in her ear. “No, in yours.”

  The promise in those three words made her shudder. She wasn’t going there. Carlos had something planned. No time to indulge. And even if there had been, she couldn’t. Too dangerous. Almost more dangerous than the man who’d just left the room.

  “I want to take a shower. Alone. Get off.”

  This time he rolled off her and onto his back, stacking his hands behind his head. His arousal was evident under the thin sheet that covered him from the waist down. She tore her gaze away, ripped a blanket off the bed, wrapped it around her, grabbed her clothes and stalked into the bathroom. If there had been a door to slam, she would have. Instead, she stripped out of her clothes with jerky movements, surprised she’d still been dressed. Another few minutes and she wouldn’t have been.

  Damn the man. How did he continuously throw her off balance? There could never be a relationship between them, no matter how strong the chemistry. Noah Kincaid ruined her career. She hated that she was a mass of nerves, strung tight with tension only sex would relieve.

  Catching her reflection in the mirror, she grimaced. It would be a long time before she let a man know her intimately again. She mourned the loss, but she wasn’t ready to expose herself like that yet. Maybe never. It had been dark when Noah seduced her; he couldn’t see the scars. He didn’t know what she really looked like. She’d been covered in dirt and blood when he found her in that cell. He didn’t see everything Carlos had done to her.

  Now she was healed. He didn’t know what she looked like beneath her clothes. No one did, and she planned on keeping it that way. There would be too many questions she couldn’t answer. With Noah, she wouldn’t have to, a devious part of her mind argued. He already knew how she’d gotten the scars. But, he didn’t know everything. And she was never going to tell.

  Angry at herself, at Noah, at Carlos, and the entire situation they were in, Attie turned away from her reflection and stepped into the shower. She let the water pound away her emotions. It worked on her anger, but not her arousal, so she turned off the hot water and cursed Noah as icy cold spray pelted her shoulders.

  * * * *

  Noah listened to the shower run and took the time to regain control of his raging libido. Of course, knowing Attie was naked in the shower didn’t help. After having her beneath him, responding to his touch, he struggled to remain in bed when all he wanted to do was join her and finish what they’d started.

  He’d earned the nickname The Rock when he was a SEAL and it had followed him when he was recruited into ATCOM. He’d earned it because nothing fazed him. His brother possessed the same steadfastness and it served him well as a member of the FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team.

  He shouldn’t be distracted by this attraction. Too dangerous. For both of them. He needed to concentrate on Santiago.

  Stow it away, Kincaid. He buried the thoughts somewhere deep. His body wasn’t as cooperative as he rolled out of bed and quickly dressed.

  The shower turn off and Attie moved around in the bathroom.

  A few minutes later she walked out. He could understand Santiago’s fantasy. Attie took the ordinary drab military green and turned it into pure sex appeal. A transformation had occurred in the time she’d spent in the bathroom. Her hair was now pulled back into a sleek ponytail, her expression one of grim determination. She walked with a confident, stubborn set to her shoulders. The black tank top hugged her slender figure and was tucked into a pair of fatigue pants that molded her long legs. She looked ready to take on the world. His chest swelled with pride. Attie was one tough cookie. She stood up in the face of adversity and didn’t back down. Santiago had broken her body, but not her spirit.

  The door opened and she walked past him. Two guards motioned him to follow.

  A breakfast fit for kings was laid out for them when they arrived. Noah was learning Carlos Santiago had a flair for the extravagant. Everything he did was part of his grandstanding.

  They sat in their chairs at Santiago’s request, but he stopped Attie before she sat.

  “No, not yet,” he said. “Let me look at you.”

  Attie stopped, waiting impatiently for Santiago to finish his inspection.

  Nodding, Santiago said, “You are stunning. I like this look on you. Sexy. Confident. Assertive. Have you any idea how captivating you are?”

  “I�
�m sure you’re going to tell me.”

  “Well, I must admit, you have provided me with a visual fantasy that will sustain me for a lifetime.”

  “Can I sit down now or would you like to stare at me a little longer?”

  A chuckle. “Ah, there’s that spunk I’ve grown to enjoy. You are going to bring me much joy. I can’t tell you how pleased I am.”

  Noah didn’t like the sound of that, and judging by the look on Attie’s face, neither did she. Santiago finally let her sit and they ate their fill of the bounty laid out before them, knowing it may be their last meal. With Santiago they couldn’t be too sure.

  “You like my coffee?” Santiago asked as Noah filled his cup a second time. “It lacks the bitterness you Americans seem to prefer.”

  “Home grown beans, Carlos?” Attie asked, taunting. They had burned his fields after her rescue. A man like him would rebuild quickly, they knew that, but it burned all the same.

  “Ah, yes. You’re talking about the fires you left burning after your bold escape last year. I’m sure you are aware of what I lost in that little event. I still get upset when I think about it.”

  “Millions of dollars are what you lost.”

  Noah sipped his coffee, listening and watching.

  “Fields can be replaced. I was referring to losing you.”

  “You never had me.”

  Santiago leaned forward. “The day I discovered your true identity is the day I lost you. It broke my heart. I had such grand plans for us. There is a price to be paid for your betrayal and it’s time to settle the debt.”

  Noah blinked and looked around the room as it started to spin. Son of a bitch. Drugged. His eyes began to blur and his head started to swim.

  Damn. The coffee. He should have seen it coming.

  He shoved back his chair, thinking to get to Attie, but he didn’t make it.

  The room went black.

  * * * *

  Attie leapt out of her chair and stared down at Noah’s prone form. From where she stood she couldn’t tell if he was breathing or not. For a moment she stood paralyzed, waiting for him to get up. But he didn’t. He lay there, not moving. Noah was a rock. No one had ever gotten the best of him. He was always there, strong and steady, never wavering.

  Terror gripped like a cold fist around her heart. She refused to believe Carlos would get rid of Noah. Not like this. It went against everything Carlos craved. Too easy. Too clean. He’d said Noah would play a part in whatever he had planned. Unless he changed his mind, which wouldn’t be unlike Carlos. He did whatever he pleased and no one stopped him.

  Something snapped inside her and she grabbed a butter knife off her plate before lunging across the table, thinking only of Noah and his blood staining her hands. Dishes crashed to the floor and shattered, silverware flew in all directions. She didn’t heed the warning issued by one of the guards. All she could think about was driving the knife through Carlos’s black heart for doing this to her. She had lost so much because of him. This time he wasn’t getting away with it.

  Her boots slid across the table as she launched herself at Carlos, knife poised for attack. She got as far as the edge before she was grabbed from behind and dragged back. A glass broke beneath her flailing hand moments before her cheek was slammed onto the table. She winced as glass shards pierced her skin. Her hand was twisted, palm up, until she thought her wrist would snap, but still she held tight to the knife. A hand held onto the back of her head and pushed her cheek onto the table while another held her hands. She gritted her teeth when glass cut deeper, and watched Carlos circle the table until he stood in her line of vision.

  “Drop the knife, Atalanta,” he said softly.

  When she didn’t, the hand holding her wrist gave a twist that made her bite down on her lip to stop from crying out. It hurt like hell, but she refused to give Carlos the satisfaction of seeing her beg. She had been forced to do that too many times while on his estate in South America.

  “He better not be dead,” she said, then winced when her cheek ground into the glass.

  Carlos looked surprised. “Dead? Of course he’s not dead. That would be much too easy. Besides, you know me better than that. If I wanted your friend dead I would have killed him long ago and not so quickly. Let go of the knife.”

  She was relieved to hear Noah wasn’t dead, but it was too late to drop the knife. She couldn’t back down now. She couldn’t let Carlos win. Not this time and not ever.

  When she ignored the order, the thug holding her hand gave it a sharp twist and the knife dropped out of her hand and clattered to the floor. He hadn’t broken her wrist, but it hurt as if he had.

  Attie let out a harsh breath as blood seeped onto the table beneath her cheek and pain shot up her arm. She watched Carlos step closer and lean over nose-to-nose with her. She caught the scent of his sweet cologne and almost gagged. It reminded her of long, stressful nights filled with anxiety and fear.

  “You are an amazing woman, Atalanta. You have brought me so much joy already. I can’t wait to see you in action. Are you ready?”

  It was time. Now she was going to find out why Carlos had used her brother to bring her here.

  “Where’s my brother?”

  “In a safe place. Rest assured, I won’t harm him, since he isn’t the one I’m interested in. He was simply a means to an end.”

  “I want to see him.”

  “You will, as soon as you make it through the maze.”

  “The what?”

  Carlos smiled and Attie’s stomach hit the floor. She knew exactly what that smile meant.

  “Will you behave if I let you up?”

  Attie glared at him. “Yes.”

  Carlos nodded to the guard holding her and she was released. With a grimace she straightened and accepted the linen napkin Carlos handed her. She pressed it to her cheek and waited for him to continue.

  Carlos reached out a hand and touched her cheek. She drew back and he laughed softly.

  “You know you were the only woman to ever challenge me, Atalanta. You taught me a very valuable lesson.”

  She remained silent.

  “You realize I do this out of love for you, don’t you? We are always the hardest on those we love. It builds character, makes us stronger.”

  Again, Attie said nothing. What could she say? Carlos still held on to the delusion that he loved her.

  Carlos’s hand cupped her cheek. “You must pay for your betrayal. Only then will we be able to move on.”

  She opened her mouth to tell him she had no regrets over what she’d done, but he pressed a finger to her lips and silenced her.

  “No, no more talk.” He nodded to the guard behind her and a blindfold was placed over her eyes. The napkin was taken from her hand, her wrists bound. She had to grit her teeth to stop from crying out.

  Then she was led from the room toward whatever fate awaited her.

  Chapter 10

  “Come on, Kincaid, wake up.”

  Noah heard Attie’s voice from far away. She sounded edgy…scared, which didn’t make any sense. She never let her fear show, was too proud to admit such a weakness. His head throbbed.

  “Damn you, Carlos, what did you give him?” she asked in the same tone.

  A hand shook his shoulder. The action made his head ache. He didn’t wait for Santiago to answer, and swallowed the cotton in his mouth so he could speak.

  “I won’t let him hurt you, Attie,” he mumbled.

  “What? Open your eyes, Kincaid.”

  He was trying to. It felt like there were dumbbells on his eyelids. What the hell had Santiago given him?

  “Santiago?” He cleared his throat and forced his eyes open.

  “Not here. We’re in a cave, if you can call it that.”

  He was lying on a cold, rock floor in what resembled a tunnel. Not very big—he could stand, but narrow and made of the same gray rock as the mountain.

  Attie sat beside him with her legs drawn up and her arms wrapped around h
er knees.

  “About time you woke up,” she said, watching him rise into a sitting position and prop his back against the wall.

  “How long have I been out?”

  “Maybe an hour.”

  “Where are we?”

  She shrugged. “Still inside the mountain. That’s all I can tell you.”

  Fighting through the fog in his head, he glanced at her and noticed a series of tiny cuts on her face. “What happened to your cheek?”

  She didn’t look at him. “Nothing.”

  Noah reached out a hand and touched her cheek. She drew away and sent him a wary look.

  “Santiago.”

  “One of his pals. I guess they didn’t like it when I attacked their boss.”

  “What did you do?” he asked with a sinking feeling. What had happened while he was out? While he left her unprotected.

  “I tried to drive a butter knife through his heart after you passed out.”

  Noah quirked a brow. “Tried?”

  “Yeah, one of Carlos’s thugs grabbed me before I could finish.”

  Noah didn’t like the idea of her being manhandled, and cursed himself for not seeing this coming. He shouldn’t have let his guard down, even for a moment. Lesson learned the hard way, but when it came to Attie he was damned distracted. It would eventually get them killed.

  He’d given his word to Jed Devayne that he would bring Attie and Brendan home safely and that was exactly what he planned to do. From here on out he was focusing on the mission, not his attraction to Attie.

  “My avenging angel,” he murmured.

  She let out an inelegant snort. “Hardly. I wasn’t avenging your death.”

  Noah could have sworn he saw something resembling vulnerability in the green depths of her cat eyes before she looked away. Would she have avenged his death if Santiago had killed him? He wanted to pry away her layers and dig deeper into what motivated her to do and say the things she did. He wanted to understand where she was now, but she was too damned stubborn to let anyone in.

  “Would you have mourned the loss?” he asked softly.

  He received an icy glare. “Of a fellow agent.”