The SUV—Cale’s ride, which had been waiting outside the safe house—pulled to a stop near the side of her hotel. Not the main entrance, because they didn’t exactly want the valet staff there advertising their presence, but the staff entrance. A quick in-and-out trip. The other two EOD agents were about twenty feet behind them, waiting across the street. Watching them carefully.
Cassidy’s fingers flattened against her jean-clad thighs. “Are you sure I can’t change your mind?” She had to try one more time.
Cale turned off the engine and gave a slow shake of his head.
Her breath expelled in a rush. Right. Just what she’d thought.
I’m sorry, Cale. And she was. Hurting people wasn’t her normal style.
Then Cale was exiting the vehicle and coming around to her side so very quickly. When she climbed out, he kept his body close to hers, shadowing her every step.
Protecting her.
While she prepared to hurt him.
Cale had never searched her. He probably should have done that. If he’d searched her when he’d first found her in that alley, he would have found the small knife that she’d strapped to her ankle.
She stumbled against him, bending low. His arms curled around her sides as he steadied her.
She grabbed for the knife, moving as fast as she could. When she straightened, Cassidy had that knife at his side. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.
His eyes—that unforgettable blue—held hers as his body seemed to turn to stone. “You shouldn’t do this.”
She didn’t want to do this to him. “I don’t have a choice.” They were so close, probably appearing like embracing lovers to any who might glance their way. But one lover wouldn’t threaten another with a knife. “You’re going to let me go.”
He shook his head.
Fine. That had been the response that she had anticipated. And the knife—well, that had just been a distraction...
Because Cale was moving even now with a ripple of motion, an attack designed to knock away the knife.
Again, just what I expected.
But the knife wasn’t the threat. She struck out with her left hand—her dominant hand—and caught him in the jaw.
She really did have a good left hook.
He stumbled back, slipped on the broken pavement and fell hard.
And Cassidy didn’t stay around to see what would happen next.
Genevieve needed her. Cassidy spun away from Cale and ran for the mouth of the alley that waited just a few feet away.
She heard car doors open. Then slam. She knew that sound meant that the other agents would be coming after her.
Hurry, hurry... She had to get away from the EOD agents.
There wasn’t any time to lose. She had a lead of only seconds. But it just might be long enough.
If the Executioner’s men were watching...if they saw her... Come and get me.
Because this was her last chance to save Genevieve.
* * *
CALE SMILED AS he rubbed his jaw. She’d landed a good punch. Not hard enough to take him down, well, not unless he’d wanted to go down.
And he had. The scene had to look believable, after all.
Logan and Gunner’s footsteps thundered toward him.
“She did it,” Logan sounded a bit impressed. “I wasn’t sure that she’d really carry through, but that woman wasn’t giving up.”
Cale had to admit that part of him was impressed with Cassidy, too.
“Now let’s stick to the plan,” Cale said to the men. The plan that Cale had made up back at the safe house right before he’d gone out and given Cassidy the news about her imminent departure from Rio. “You two keep your eyes on us, and if you lose visual at any time...”
Logan nodded. “We know exactly what to do.”
A risky plan, but it was all that Cale had to work with on short notice.
He rose to his feet and took off running toward the alley. He could only allow Cassidy a few moments’ head start. Otherwise, the watchers might realize they were walking into a trap.
A trap that used Cassidy as the bait.
Maybe he should have told her his plan, but he didn’t trust her. Didn’t know her well enough to trust her. So he’d done exactly what he had to do.
Cassidy wanted her friend back alive. He wanted to stop a killer.
He turned the corner, running faster now. He saw Cassidy up ahead, trying to scale a chain-link fence. The lady was doing a good job of shimmying up. She’d just reached the top when he caught her ankle.
“Going somewhere?” Cale demanded, making sure the words carried a bite.
Cassidy didn’t yell. Didn’t scream. She did kick him, a sharp hit that surprised him enough to let her go.
Then the woman heaved herself right over the fence and took off running.
Hell, she was better than he’d thought.
He leaped over the fence. Ran forward—and collided with the Carnival crowd that was already spilling into the street. So what if it was early? During these days in Rio, Cale knew that the party could be on the streets anytime. Music, voices, madness—everywhere.
Cassidy had probably been planning on the crowd. She probably thought it would help her to disappear.
She’d thought wrong.
He kept constant sight of her, moving quickly, shoving people out of his way every few feet.
Then Cassidy turned into another alley.
He was right behind her.
Only this alley didn’t have a chain-link fence that she could scale. A brick wall sealed her in.
“No more running,” he told her, making sure his voice carried over the roar from the crowd.
Cassidy spun around to face him. “You’re wrong. There’s always more running. There’s—” She broke off, her eyes widening as she looked at something—someone?—behind Cale. He knew what those wide eyes meant.
* * *
HIS PREY WAS finally taking the bait. Cale had wondered how long he would have to chase Cassidy up and down those streets before they attracted the right attention.
He whirled around and saw the men coming toward him. Two men and a black van had just sealed off the alley’s entrance.
They’d tried to take a shot at him before, so they could be planning to kill him, then take Cassidy.
Killing him wasn’t an option. He had to stay alive and stay with her.
Taking Cassidy? Yeah, that kind of had to happen.
“Don’t!” Cassidy immediately yelled as she rushed forward. “Don’t hurt him! I’ll come with you—just let him go!”
Trying to protect him? Interesting. Not that he needed that protection.