Digitalis (16 page)

She had to leave. Staying here jeopardized this family—the people who’d welcomed her so wholly and willingly. Fully clothed and propped on the edge of the tub, Piper cupped her hands over her face. Tears streamed down as fast and hot as the water in the shower behind her.

Confusion and chaos choked her mind. She couldn’t remain here—it put the Neeleys in danger. Yet she couldn’t leave either—she’d never find her way in the dark and on foot.

But she had to try. She wouldn’t hurt this family, not any more than she already had. Thank goodness McKenna was already asleep. The little one wouldn’t ask her father where she was in the morning because she’d never know Piper had been here. The men had found her apartment and tried to force her to show them where the chip was, but she’d denied knowing its location. About the time they figured out she did know where it was, Colton had showed up.

Piper shoved the thoughts of Colton and his magnificent handling of the men from her mind. She had to be focused—on getting away from them. From Colton.

Her chest constricted—she didn’t want to leave him. Especially not with him thinking horrible things about her, which she saw as clear as the sun reflecting off the Sea of Galilee. And the stiff way he had pushed her aside. His actions had said one thing, but the tone when he’d asked that question, the one that stabbed her straight through the heart—
”Were you going to leave me, Piper?”
—told a different story.

She was wasting her breath and precious minutes. People still wanted her to get to her father. And they’d stop at nothing to make sure that happened. Her father held powerful secrets he was never intended to access, and those most affected by that knowledge wanted him dead. Baba was a master at hiding, and once he’d sent her here, he’d vanished into the Israeli air.

The only way to contact him was a chip with encoded IEP addresses, chosen in a particular pattern. When she accessed one, it activated his and opened that site. Afterward, the code dissolved and the program waited for her next access.

That was what the men wanted. That was what would help them find her father. It was the only weak part of Baba’s plan. Yet he’d insisted they maintain a way to stay in contact.

If she left here, left Colton, he and his family would be safe.

She would not.

Here, she had a modicum of assurance that her life was not in danger. That Colton would save her, no matter the cost. But what right did she have to put his life or McKenna’s at risk to save hers?

None.

She had to leave.

Piper hung her head and stared at the brown tiles.
Yeshua
. …

She didn’t know what to pray. Leaving felt like an egregious betrayal toward Colton. So did staying.

Yeshua, guide me. I don’t know what to do
.

A series of rapid thuds snapped her out of the prayer. Piper pushed to her feet, unsteady and shuddering as she stumbled from the bathroom.

More banging. “Piper, it’s me.” Colton’s voice drew her to the bedroom door. “Open up.”

She hurried toward the door. A
whoosh
draped the air with the scent of him.

“Just wan—” He snapped his mouth closed and frowned.

Only then did she wonder what her face must look like. Were there black streaks down her face from the tears? “Sorry. I …” Absently, she wiped at her face, surprised at the discoloration on her palms.

“I’m setting the alarm.”

Should that mean something to her?

“Opening doors or windows will set off the alarm.” Hands on his hips, he scowled. “The cops will come.”

Slowly, realization dawned. “You think I’m going to leave?”

He held her gaze evenly. “I don’t know what I think right now.”

“Well, you’re obviously not setting the alarm for all the hoodlums wandering the pothole-eaten country roads.” Indignation swelled in her chest. “This isn’t exactly the crime capital of the world, is it? I mean, probably the biggest crime is having a cow stolen.”

His face reddened.

“If you want to accuse me—”

“Night.” He spun on his bare feet and disappeared around the corner.

Numb, Piper stood there, staring into the darkened hall. Her heart dropped into her chest. She padded after him, unwilling to let him think … whatever he was thinking! In the living area, she caught sight of his broad form as it entered the kitchen.

“What are you afraid of?” she hissed across the room. “What have I done to you?”

Like a phantom, he suddenly rushed toward her and loomed over her. Expression darkened, eyes filled with fury, he ground his teeth—the muscle popping in his jaw.

This isn’t what she wanted—his anger. The anger and frustration whooshed out of her. She wanted … Her shoulders sagged. “Why won’t you talk to me?” she whispered. His visage blurred as the stupid tears came again.

“If you want to talk,” he said with a tight tone, “we can talk in the morning.”

“What’s wrong with right now?”

Brow furrowed and lips taut, he took a step back. “You don’t want to hear what I have to say tonight.” Without a word, he went to the front door. Soon, a beeping sound poked into the thrumming quiet of the house.

Colton returned a moment later. Nodded. And vanished into the darkened hall that led to his room.

Piper stared at the front door, at the red light glaring at her from an instrument panel. No way out. Nowhere to go. Physically and emotionally trapped.

But I don’t want out
.

She wanted to stay. Wanted to be a part of this family. Startled at the thought, she blinked and looked back toward the darkness of the hall. Would he ever forgive her for this disaster? Would he understand all the secrecy, the … deception?

Why should he? Piper hung her head. But then a renewed resolve settled into her heart. She wouldn’t give up without trying.

Was it—was he worth fighting for? She raised her chin and glanced around the house, filled with every nuance of all that was Colton Neeley.

Yes. Definitely.

She went into the kitchen, pulled the kettle from the gas stove, filled it with water—which reminded her she’d left the shower on—then placed it on the stove. Back in her room, she turned off the shower, grabbed her journal, and returned to the kitchen.

Armed with a steaming mug of tea, she sat at the kitchen table, determined to make sure she saw Colton first thing before he left the house to work, or do things around the property, or whatever. She wouldn’t miss the opportunity. She’d tell him as much as she could without jeopardizing her father.

Over the next several hours, she wrote her heart out on the pages of her leather-bound journal, what she’d tell him, what she wanted him to know. It wasn’t until she stared down at three little words that she felt her breath back into her throat.

I love him
.

Did she really love him? What was love? Was it the way his smile made her heart skip a couple of beats? And why on earth would she think she loved him? Was it his gentlemanly charm? Good looks? The way his drawl thickened when he was flustered? Or maybe the ache deep in her that made her want to convince Colton she wasn’t lying to him, that she wasn’t a bad person? She wanted that so much … almost more than she wanted to protect her father’s whereabouts.

Almost. The fate of a nation depended on his safety, and nothing was more important.

After three mugs of herbal tea, nature called. Piper set her mug in the sink and went to the bathroom. Stifling a yawn, she returned to the kitchen—and froze. Colton stood at the table, her journal in hand. His dark look drained her courage. A chill scampered over her shoulders.

He tossed down the book, spun around, grabbed a duffel bag from the doorway, and stormed down the hall.

“Colton?” A series of beeps pervaded the hall, then the side door opened, pulling Piper from her shock. “Where are you going?”

He punched open the door and stepped onto the covered porch.

Piper raced down the steps after him, cringing as cold gravel poked into her bare feet. “You said we could talk this morning.” Come to think of it, what time was it? She pushed the long strands from her face as he followed him to the garage.

“No time.”

“But you said—”

“Plans change. I got a call.”

Piper stepped on the cement slab that bore his massive truck and folded her arms against the early morning chill. “You don’t have fifteen minutes?”

“Not this time.” He swung his bag into the passenger side of his truck. Grabbed another pack from a corner and stowed it in the back.

Taking tentative steps, she worked up her courage. “I stayed up to make sure we could talk.”

“I could tell. You look drawn.”

She blinked, surprised at the curt comment.

Colton glanced at her and huffed. “Now, don’t go lookin’ at me like that. You had a bad night. You need the rest, that’s all I’m saying.” There went that thick drawl. “It’s part of the healing process.”

“Did you sleep?”

His blue eyes darted to her again. Then away. He adjusted a strap on one of the bags and rethreaded. “I didn’t wake my folks to tell them I got called up.” He looked at her.

“I can tell them.”

He paused, then met her gaze. Colton sighed.

Piper joined him and placed a hand on his forearm “Colton, please give me ten minutes. I have some things I want to tell you.”

With a step back, he seemed ready to run.

“Did you read my journal?”

To her surprise, his face reddened.

Her heart tripped over the realization of what he’d no doubt seen. “It’s true. I love you.” The words, so sweet and tender, felt like a balm as they crossed her lips.

His brow took a nosedive toward his nose. “Do you know how old I am? What about my favorite dinner? Do you know what I do for a living, Piper?”

Her declaration, weighed against his confrontational tone, seemed silly and irrational. She let her hand slip from his arm.

Colton jerked the big duffel toward himself. Ripped open the zippered pouch.

A bunch of gear gaped at her. Gear that looked like …
military

gear
. Her throat closed up. She braved a look at him.

Hands on his belt, he glowered. “I seem to remember you having a problem with the military. Isn’t that right?” Colton patted his chest. “That’s what I do for a living. That’s what I am. A Marine.”

“B–but you said you got out.”

“I did.” He raked a hand through his hair. “I get called up. I go. That’s my job. I can’t talk about it or tell you anything.” Leveling a shoulder at her, he narrowed his gaze. “You know nothing about me, yet you dare insult me, expecting me to believe it when you tell me that you love me. I might be a simple cowboy with a lot of land and money, but I’m not a simpleton—”

“I never said that.”

“And clear as the stars above, I know you aren’t being straight with me. If for one second you got it in your pretty head that I’m going to bend when you’re keeping secrets and ready to bail on me and mine, you’ve got another thing coming.”

“I’ll tell you.” Was she out of her mind?

He eyed her.

“Everything.”

O
bjective Terminated.

Through his secure phone, he sent the coded message. Terminated. Yes, he’d fired two bullets into al-Jafari’s brain—the same brain that held the information Azzan wanted—
needed
. Had defied orders to extract. Though he would like to take credit for the assassination, the man’s sluggish response warned him that the man had been poisoned.

Someone else wanted General al-Jafari dead. But who? The man had as many enemies as mistresses. Azzan could spend from now until eternity considering the prospects. He would not waste his time.

Right now, he needed to make it to the Dead Sea, which felt a lifetime away. Especially with the woman knocked out in the backseat. If he was caught with her, he’d be executed without question, and al-Jafari’s guards would make sure it was a slow, painful death. At the first village, he’d drop her off and be done with it. Her blood would not be on his hands.

An hour into his drive, the veil of clouds lifted, and moonlight skimmed flat rooftops of a cluster of homes wedged into a mountain. He glanced back at the girl. Still unconscious. That served him well.

Pulling off the road, he killed the lights and slowed as he came alongside a dilapidated structure. He rammed the gear into P
ARK
, climbed out, and opened the rear door. Grabbing her ankles, he heard crunching behind him. Quiet, light-footed, but not sneaking. A villager. Not to worry.

As he dragged the girl across the seats, a soft moan emanated from her. She turned her head back and forth.

He tugged.

Her hands flew, grasping, groping for traction as she came awake. Azzan hauled her out of the Hummer. She writhed and yelped—screamed.

Pinning her against the sleek hull, he clamped a hand over her mouth. She gripped his hand with both of hers. Wide eyes sparkled in the moonlight. An angry welt puffed and bled against her pretty face, eliciting a strange feeling in his gut.