She frowned at that. Someone like me. “Because you’re a good man.” Strong. Brave. Sexy.
“You should be running as far and fast from me as you can,” he said, shaking his head. His hair looked so dark against the white pillow. “Not letting me touch you. Because, Doc, every time I touch you, I want more.”
Her throat seemed to go dry at that. “Good, because you make me want more, too.” Maybe—maybe they could have more. There had to be some way for them to work things out. Dawn had come. She could see the faint light trickling through the windows. Devast would be in custody by now. She’d be clear. Drew’s current mission would be over.
Maybe they could take some time together. She’d like that. Being with him... Yes. She’d definitely be game for more time with Drew.
A hard knock shook the door.
Tension slipped into Tina’s body. Their last few surprise visits hadn’t exactly gone well.
“It’s okay,” Drew said as he eased from the bed. “I didn’t bring a phone because I wanted to make sure I wasn’t traced. That’s Kelly from downstairs. She was going to tell us when we were clear.”
Right. Clear. The nightmare was over.
Drew pulled on his clothes. Tina didn’t want to be found naked in that room, so she fumbled to quickly dress, too.
The pounding came again. Harder. More desperate.
“Open up!” a woman’s voice shouted. “I’ve got orders— They need you, Drew.”
The Drew that had been in Tina’s arms moments before seemed to vanish. At the woman’s tense words, all emotion left his face as he hurried toward the door.
Tina yanked her shirt into place and hauled up her jeans.
Drew pulled open the door.
Tina caught sight of the pretty redhead who stood on the threshold. “There’s a problem,” the woman said. “A big problem.”
“Devast got away.” Drew yanked a hand through his hair. “I knew that SOB was tricky. He’s not getting his hands on Tina, though. I’m not going to let him—”
“They have Devast.” The redhead’s brown stare darted to Tina then slid back to Drew. “But Devast... He says that he has your sisters.”
Drew shook his head. He took a step back.
Tina reached for him. “Drew—”
He flinched away from her. “That’s not possible. The bastard is just bluffing. Playing another of his games.”
The redhead paled a bit more. “Mercer doesn’t think so. He wants you to come and meet him. The women...” Now her gaze held sympathy. “He says they are going to start dying soon, unless Devast gets what he wants.”
Tina glanced down. Drew’s fingers were clenched so tightly that the knuckles were white. “What does he want?” Tina whispered.
She glanced up at the silence that followed her question. The redhead was staring right at her.
“You,” the woman said. “If Drew trades you, then Anton said that his sisters will be let go.”
* * *
THE ELEVATOR DINGED, the doors opened and Drew stormed through the third floor of the Dallas FBI office. Tina was at his side, as if he would have left her with anyone else. His mind was a mess of chaos and fury, but one thought remained constant—must protect her.
Rage was building inside him, cracking through his surface. His sisters? He hadn’t seen them in more than a year. He tried not to bring his darkness to their doors because he knew that he had enemies.
He sent them money. Had been sending those checks to his family ever since his enlistment. Every month, just like clockwork. His mother had passed away a few years ago, but he hadn’t stopped his checks. He just wanted to help his family.
But now they might be in danger...because of me.
His fingers squeezed Tina’s even tighter. She seemed to be his only link to sanity right then.
Maybe he’s lying. That had been Tina’s response to Kelly’s dark announcement. You don’t know yet, Drew. Let’s find out what’s going on.
He’d find out all right.
Kelly had told them to meet Mercer at the FBI office. Mercer had pulled his strings—as usual—and taken over the third floor of the building.
Agents rose at his approach, their gazes suspicious. Yeah, he knew he probably looked like hell right then, and he wasn’t in the mood for any bull.
One FBI agent made the mistake of stepping into his path.
Drew tensed, ready to swing.
“Easy.” Mercer’s voice boomed out. “Agent Lancaster isn’t someone you want to tangle with.”
The FBI suit backed up.
Drew marched toward his boss. “Where’s Devast?”
Mercer pointed down the hallway. “We’ve got him in secure holding. Two agents in the room with him. Two at the door. He’s not going any place.”
“Does he have Drew’s sisters?” Tina asked, her voice soft and worried.
Mercer focused on her. “I’m sorry you were brought into this mess, Dr. Jamison.” He pulled her away from Drew. “Rest assured that you are safe now. Devast will not be threatening you again.”
But Tina shook her head. “Don’t ‘Dr. Jamison’ me,” she replied crisply, notching her chin up into the air. “We usually play that game, but not now. I’m not going to pretend—” She sucked in a deep breath and squared her shoulders. “Does he have Drew’s sisters?”
Mercer’s stare slid back to Drew. After a tense beat he quietly said, “We’ve confirmed that your sisters are missing.”
Drew fell back a step. Kim. Heather. Paige.
“We haven’t confirmed that Devast has them yet. He came to the factory, with no backup, no men in sight, and he said—”
“I want to talk to him.” Because Drew would find out in five seconds if Devast was telling the truth or if he was just spinning another web of lies.
Mercer nodded. He pointed down the hall. “The second room. There’s a two-way mirror in there so that—”
“Watch what happens, I don’t care.” Drew had to force the words past a tight throat. The darkness of his life should never have touched his sisters. Never.
Kim was planning a wedding.
Heather... Heather had just started a new teaching job.
And the baby of the family... Paige had entered college two months ago. He’d sent her some extra money, just in case she needed—
“Don’t kill him.” Mercer’s hard voice had Drew’s head snapping up. “Do you hear me, Agent? Do. Not. Kill. Devast. That’s an order.”