No Reason to Run (3 page)

Chapter 5

During his years as
a Delta operative, his men used to call him Iron Dick. Not to his face. They’d
never be as disrespectful as that but word got around and he’d heard. Shane
found the moniker amusing. They thought because he didn’t react outwardly to
any situation that he had nerves of steel. They wondered if he was as cold and
unfeeling as he portrayed when they were out on missions. The answer was simple
and easy. Yes. When he led his men he had to have an Iron Dick. Families
entrusted him with the lives of their loved ones on a regular basis.

The expectation
wasn’t verbalized but Shane’s job was to bring each and every one of them home
safely. It didn’t always happen that way. He’d gone to enough funerals of
fallen comrades to know that. But it was a duty he didn’t take lightly, not one
single time during the fifteen years he’d served. This lady wasn’t his to
command. Hadn’t earned his loyalty or respect. She was absolutely nothing to
him.

Which was why he was
completely mind-fucked as to why he hadn’t gone straight upstairs to his room
as originally planned. His cigarette craving was long gone and the strain of
not sleeping well the last three nights wore on him. Yet, he’d paused halfway
up the stairs and listened. Listened as the soft mewling sounds increased in
volume and filled his silent house.

Stupidity or
curiosity, he wasn’t quite sure, which had him reversing his steps and entering
his kitchen. She had a serious crying jag going. Shoulders shaking and head
down, he didn’t need to see her face to know the pain that would be etched
there. Her tears pulled at the strings of his reputed ice cold heart. He’d
never witnessed anyone looking as alone as she did.

Her hip braced
against his cabinets to bear her weight and that of the child cradled in her
arms. With her blonde hair, blue eyes and delicate build, she reminded him of
the princess cartoons his sister forced him to watch when they were little. The
woman shouldn’t have roused anything in him other than pity, compassion if he
wanted to be generous. But staring at her, watching the depth of her sorrow
created all sorts of reactions in him, least of which equaled pity. Arousal and
concern vied for first place. Maybe he was a bastard for sex even being in the
mix but he was a man.

Shane admitted to
concern being his prime motivator in inviting her to stay in his home. Close on
the heels of his worry was the fierce need to protect. The delicate beauty
looked as if a stiff wind could take her in a wrestling match. For some reason
he wanted to stand between her and the wind, pitting his strength against the
elements to defend her.

Perhaps because he’d
been raised by a single mother. Or the fact that his sister was such a strong
mother after the death of her husband. Whatever the case, he had no intention
of ignoring Olivia-no-last-name’s plight. It was evident she had nowhere to go
with her child. Only a heartless idiot would abandon her to the unknown. Hell,
he couldn’t even leave her alone in his house. Her cries increased, sounding as
if her heart was going to break.

Shane crossed the
distance separating them. She must not have heard him enter because she jumped
and pushed him away when he hugged her. “Easy, princess.” He murmured the words
close to her ears in hopes of stopping her frantic struggles. At the sound of
his voice, she hesitated and then her weight shifted. Her cries died down to
sniffles but she allowed him to hold her, the child nestled between them. He
bowed his head, keeping them near and smelled baby powder.

Baby-fucking-powder.
Mitchell, you are off your game
. Somehow, it didn’t matter. None of it.
Keeping his head down, he rested his chin on top of Olivia’s blond hair and
discovered it did feel as soft as the finest silk.

He wasn’t sure how
much time passed but his hip gave a warning twinge. A sure sign he needed to
find his bed soon or suffer the consequences in the morning. “Listen, you got
no reason to trust me. I get that. But you need a place to sleep and I’m
offering.” She listened or gave a good impression of faking it. “Best thing you
can do is take the bed. As pretty as you are, princess, come morning your ass
will be dragging.” Shane heard her gasp right before he felt a bony elbow poke
his stomach. It was all she could manage with the kid in her arms.

Shane chuckled and
continued. “Everything looks better in the morning.” At least, his mom always
said so. Shane didn’t necessarily have enough intel to support this but he
wouldn’t tell his mom that. Ever.

Loosening his arms, he
stepped away and glanced down. Flushed cheeks and eyes red from weeping greeted
him. An unfamiliar shift in his chest caused him to frown.
Back off,
Mitchell
, he warned himself. Feelings were the easiest way to get his ass
blown to bits. He didn’t get to pursue the thought thanks to her response.

“One night. We’ll
stay one night.”

He released her
completely. “Follow me and I’ll show you to a room.” This time she complied and
her light steps tracked behind him.

Typically, he didn’t
like anyone behind him but he chose not to make an issue of it for now. She
looked close to her limit and the kid had to be weighing her down. “Want me to
carry her?”

“No.” Firm and
quick.

Shane cut her a look
but her cheeks heated and she ducked her head. All-righty. Not an option, he
understood the message clear as day. He led her to the room Eden used when she
visited. His sister added the feminine touches and he figured Olivia would
appreciate them. Everyone else did and he got ribbing from friends non-stop for
throwing his hands in the air and letting her decorate. “There’s a connecting
bath through the door there.”

He pointed
unnecessarily since it stood wide open and the edge of the sink was visible
from where they stood. Blue eyes turned this way and that but Shane knew she’d
hit her threshold. He’d seen it many times before. She flew on autopilot.
Nothing could penetrate the foggy state she was in.

His unwanted guest
wouldn’t last another minute. “Sleep, princess, and call out if you or the kid
need something. My door will be open. Second on the left but don’t come in.
I’ll hear you fine from the doorway.” Otherwise there was no telling how he’d
react.

Shane started to
leave when she made a panicked sound. The whites of her eyes pushed back the
blue. “Hey.” He reached out and cupped her jaw, not liking this new look of
fear on her face at all. “You’re safe tonight. Sleep.” Her head nodded in his
hand his attempt at reassurance more than likely falling on deaf ears.

With regret, he slid
away from her soft skin. Forced his feet to move and left mother and child to
manage on their own in his guest room.

****

Olivia waited until
his footsteps faded. The house’s silence implied they were the only ones here.
Her mystery kidnappee confirmed it when she’d asked but that didn’t mean there
wasn’t a girlfriend or wife around. Maybe she traveled for work. He could have
kids for all she knew. Not that she cared but it would be nice to know if some
woman might pop out of the woodwork and go crazy at the sight of another woman
in her home.

Olivia’s brain
continued to whirl with an influx of information. A woman definitely lived or
stayed here. The mint green comforter and white wicker furniture screamed
female presence. At the moment she couldn’t focus on those details. Her arms
began to shake from the strain of carrying Chloe for so long. Dragging her
feet, she went to the bed and laid Chloe down. Not a peep from her precious
daughter. She merely snuggled into the covers and let out a small snuffle.

Thank goodness for
small blessings. Her sweetheart was a real trooper and her steady slumber was a
sure indication of the long day they’d both endured. Her glance fell on the
bathroom door. Sleep called but the idea of a quick shower before she lay down
sounded even better. Chewing her bottom lip for all of one second, Olivia made
her decision. She grabbed a few needed items from the duffle and entered a
bathroom every bit as neat and put together as what she’d seen of the house so
far.

More granite
counters with a double sink in all its pristine glory and the mirror above
spanned at least four feet across. Leaning forward, she grimaced. Strands of
hair hung in disarray around her face. Dark shadows loomed beneath her eyes and
she wore a pinched edgy expression. Reaching up she loosened the twist she’d
created for her ponytail. Thick waves fell to below her shoulders. Plucking at
her favorite Save the Earth tee shirt, she pushed away. She’d seen better days
for sure. A shower and bed were exactly what she needed.

Olivia opened the
frosted glass shower door and gasped. The shower belonged on a showroom floor.
Rich, green glass tiles from floor to ceiling enclosed space that easily would
have seated an entire basketball team. Four shower heads placed at varying
levels hinted at the relief to come. She couldn’t get her clothes off fast
enough. Working the fancy knobs, she adjusted the temperature and stepped into
sheer bliss.

Hot water beaded
down her skin. The shower allowed her to do what she hadn’t done by running for
the last forty-eight hours. Olivia let go. Her back curled beneath the spray,
her muscles relaxing with the steady pressure of the water. Blinking back more
tears, she refused to give in to another crying episode. Gradually, the strain
of running eased away and so did her tension for the moment.

Chapter 6

Bright sunlight
beamed on Olivia’s face, causing her to blink in confusion. Opening her eyes,
it took a minute for Olivia to remember the night before. Sleep took a while
but she must have eventually succumbed. She needed to get moving. The thought
popped into her head as the fog of sleep cleared. Scooting to the side of the
bed, she nudged Chloe over and stood up. Her daughter slept with abandon, arms
and legs spread. Her cute capris were creased and her lavender shirt showed
wrinkles but her daughter was still the prettiest sight in the morning.

Olivia straightened
all the way and stretched her arms above her head. As soon as she found Shane
Mitchell, she’d apologize for holding him at gunpoint. Apologize for getting in
his car and everything else.

“Good. You’re up
already.”

Olivia spun on her
bare feet and came face to face with her benevolent host. Leaning against the
door jamb, he stood every bit of six feet and then some. Dressed in another
plain white tee, this one with long sleeves and a pair of dark blue jeans, she
was once again reminded of his sheer size. Arms capable of crushing her were
crossed over his Mack-sized chest and one boot clad foot was propped against
the doorway.

His presence made
her nervous. She cleared her throat and lowered her arms to her side. “Good
morning.”

He straightened to
his full height, uncrossed his arms and entered the room. In an instant, the
spacious area seemed to shrink in size. The red highlights in his hair were
even more pronounced with the early morning sun shining through the window. His
eyes remained the same, hard as stone and sharp as glass. The eerie gray stare
pinned her to the spot by the bed. Goosebumps pebbled her flesh.

She should get Chloe
up. They needed to figure out a plan and she had to keep moving but first
things first. She owed him and Olivia paid her debts. “I wanted to apologize
for last night.” His head cocked to the side. “F-for getting in your car and
holding you at gunpoint.” Remembering the weapon, she added. “I’d like it back,
please.”

“Not happening,
princess.”

“What?” His calm
answer lit her short fuse. “You can’t keep my gun.” The weapon provided the
only protection she and Chloe had.

“Actually, I can.
You shouldn’t be careless with a dangerous weapon like that and a kid. It’s not
a good combination.”

And that was another
thing. “Stop calling me, princess. It’s Olivia.”

“Calm down before
you wake the kid.” He smirked. “Olivia.”

Forgetting her fear
of his size, forgetting the fact that she knew next to nothing about this man,
she stomped one step forward putting them toe to toe. “Her name is not kid,
it’s Chloe. Chloe, got it?” She poked her finger in the rock hard chest for
emphasis.

His hand whipped up
and grabbed her finger. “You probably shouldn’t do that.”

Was he threatening
her? Her heart pounded in her chest. “Because?”

A slow smile worked
its way across his full lips. “Because it makes your nipples hard and it’s
difficult pretending not to notice.”

Olivia gasped,
snatching her hand away. She could feel heat burning her cheeks. Folding her
arms defensively over her chest, she glared. “Classy. Real classy.”

His shoulders moved
up and down beneath the tee shirt. The gesture sent her already soaring temper
higher.

“I can’t believe
this.” Waving her arms in the air, she continued. “I’m leaving, Shane whoever-
you- think- you-are- Mitchell.”

“Mommy?”

Chloe’s voice
instantly brought her back to reality. Bright blue and thickly lashed, her
daughter’s eyes rounded. Forgetting her anger instantly, she turned and raced
to the side of the bed. “Right here, sweetie.” Chloe sat up and rubbed her
eyes. Olivia joined her on the bed, sitting immediately by her side. “It’s
okay. Everything’s okay.”

Gently Olivia
brushed back the tumble of red gold curls from Chloe’s head. Her bow lost in
the sheets undoubtedly. Chloe enjoyed waking up in strange places even less
than Olivia. Brian’s erratic behavior also made her little girl leery around
men as evident by the look she aimed over Olivia’s shoulder.

“Are you mad?”

Their raised voices
obviously woke her. “No.” She forced a smile to her lips. “I’m happy.”

“Is he mad?” Chloe
peeked around her arm to see Shane.

Lifting her head,
Olivia faced the object of her daughter’s curiosity. Standing in the center of
the feminine room he should have been out of place but he wasn’t. He stood
relaxed without a hint of discomfort in his posture. Gray eyes focused on
Chloe, expression blank. “No one’s mad, sweetie. We were talking. Sorry we woke
you.”

Chloe wrapped a
small fist around the hem of Olivia’s pink tank and tugged. “Let’s go potty.”
Olivia picked her up after making the announcement. Potty training didn’t rank
high on Chloe’s list in the mornings though she managed fairly well during the
day.

“Okay.” Chloe’s
voice lowered to a whisper as if scared to refuse in front of the man watching
them.

Olivia eased to her
feet, her daughter clutching to her. Her move apparently broke the spell and he
spoke.

“I’ll see you
downstairs. I’m sure you both could use something to eat.”

Olivia wanted to
argue. What she needed to do involved leaving. Get on the road before Brian’s
men caught up with her. Her stomach’s loud growl ruined the lie she prepared to
delivered. Chloe’s light hearted giggle filled the room.

“Mommy’s hungry.”

Shane’s eyes glinted
with amusement as if he read her intent. “Downstairs.” His order directed at
Olivia. She watched him leave, the view of his firm buttocks drew her
attention. The jeans molded to his rear like loving hands.

He stopped at the
door and glanced over his shoulder. “My middle name’s Liam.”

Had he caught her
ogling his butt? “What?”

“If you want to do
the snooty tone when using my full name, you should include my middle one to
complete the effect.”

Fiery heat scorched
her cheeks. He was way out of her league.

****

Chloe remained unusually
quiet while they went about their morning routine. Showered and teeth brushed,
all accomplished without any of her regular resistance. Olivia dressed her in a
pair of jeans with a pink ribbon belt and a short sleeve top in pink with
ruffled sleeves. A quick swipe of the brush put Chloe’s hair in order. All
without a single complaint from her pipsqueak. “Are you okay, Chloe?”

“Don’t like the
man.” A pout accompanied her declaration.

Out of the mouth of
babes.
Mommy’s not too sure she likes him either
. Olivia repacked her
pajamas. Grabbing the outfit on the bed, she slid into a pair of skinny jeans
then put on a pink cammie with a built-in shelf bra. “Mr. Mitchell helped us
last night. You slept while he invited us to stay in his home.” Lies, she fed her
daughter lies and knew there’d be more if her in-laws couldn’t control their
son in time.

She grabbed up
cardigans for her and Chloe in case there was an early morning chill in the
spring air. Shoving the rest of their things in her tightly packed duffle, she
called to Chloe who dragged her feet. “Let’s go, Chloe.”

Her daughter
dawdled. If she walked any slower, Chloe would be standing still. Her lower lip
trembled and Olivia wavered.
Not now, sweetie. Please don’t break down on
mommy now or I might join you.
Olivia squatted until her eyes met her
daughters. “What’s the matter, bug?” She used a nickname that typically got a
response even if only a glare. This time, nothing.

Olivia swallowed her
fear. “Chloe?”

Chloe looked up and
large fat tears spilled over. “Don’t like daddy anymore.”

Olivia swung her
into a fierce hug and kissed her freshly shampooed head. Had she heard any of
her father’s crazed messages on the phone? Chloe spent more time with her nanny
during her monthly visits with her father but perhaps he’d failed to cover his
true personality this past weekend. Had he accidently revealed to Chloe his
lack of interest in children and dislike for all things that reminded him of
his ex-wife? More reasons to not regret her divorce. For now, she focused on
cheering up her sweet natured daughter. “You wanna talk it out?”

A firm shake of the
head beneath her chin. “Well, let’s tell Mr. Mitchell thanks for his
hospitality and then we’ll leave.”

For both their
comfort, Olivia kept Chloe in her arms despite her weight and trudged down the
stairs that led to the hall and his pristine kitchen. The delicious aroma of
bacon greeted them. Olivia frowned, lowering Chloe to her sneakered feet. She
hadn’t expected him to truly cook.

He barely spared
them a glance as he stood at the stovetop, scrambling eggs in a sizzling pan.
“There’s toast and bacon on the table.”

The platter of food
on the island was hard to miss. He must have fried the whole pack and toasted
an entire loaf. “Um. Thanks.” They might as well eat before Olivia made the
final decision as to where they’d go next. North Carolina was in the right
direction. She’d keep heading south.

“I don’t have milk
nor do I like it. There’s beer, water or soda.”

Since his back faced
them during the announcement, Olivia gave him a fierce glare and restrained the
urge to let loose with sarcasm.

“I don’t like milk.”

Chloe’s announcement
drew his attention. Olivia held her breath waiting to see how he’d respond but
all he did was nod in her direction.

To Olivia, he
ordered. “Help yourself.”

There were plates
and silverware already out. Deciding to be useful and grateful of his
generosity instead of snappish, Olivia fixed a plate for herself and Chloe.
Their portions were nothing compared to his when he joined them at the table.
She eyed the mound of toast, eggs and bacon. He added another plate to the
array of food in front of them piled high with fluffy yellow eggs. A man who
could cook was a novelty to her. She found herself fascinated and thrown
off-kilter. He caught her staring while he shoveled food in his mouth.

Grabbing a napkin to
wipe his mouth, his brow quirked. “Not hungry?”

A blush worked its
way across her cheeks. Olivia turned to Chloe whose mouth was already busy
chewing a piece of toast. Her daughter’s distraction with eating left her no
alternative but to face the man watching her. “You didn’t have to cook for us.
Thank you.” She made sure her words were polite but he smirked anyway. Bastard.
She resisted the urge to smack him.

“You’re welcome.”

Olivia chose not to
address the humorous expression on his face. Instead, she reached for her fork
and ate. For a while only the sound of forks scraping plates could be heard.
Occasionally, Chloe would hum and Olivia would smile at her. Her daughter
enjoyed eating as long as the food could be picked up with her fingers. Meals
that entailed use of silverware created minor riots at the table. As a result,
Olivia picked her battles. In order for her daughter to eat she tried to stick
with basics and food that met the finger criteria.

Later she planned to
progress to spoons. Chloe nibbled a piece of bacon and snuck looks over at the
man eating across from them. Every few seconds her gaze would skitter away.
Olivia finished her food and stood to gather their plates. Shane’s hand stopped
her. “I’ll take them.”

“You cooked. It’s
the least I can do.” The protest was token at best. Olivia watched as he
efficiently loaded their dishes as well as the ones he’d cooked with into the
machine and set the buttons. The gentle whirl of the dishwasher filled the
kitchen.

He pivoted on his
boot heels and leaned back against the counter, his hands braced behind him.
Arm muscles bulged and Olivia tensed.

She fought to keep
from showing her amazement at his level of domesticity. Brian never thought
about the dishes and she knew for a fact he hadn’t used the dishwasher while
they were together. But then there were cleaners coming in weekly to handle
those basic household chores. Without the constant routine of cleaning and the
responsibility of picking up behind herself, Olivia had become immune to the
tasks while living with her ex-husband.

Until she’d left
him. Throw in an active toddler and she’d initially drowned beneath the burden.
Somehow she’d managed though. After hours of work at the school, she’d come
home fed and bathed Chloe then turned herself to cleaning their small two
bedroom apartment. Gradually, they’d created a routine and rhythm that worked
for them. All of that was gone now. Olivia could only hope when matters settled
that she and Chloe would be able to return home and their regular life and
activities.

“Wanna tell me
what’s going on?”

His calm question
put Olivia back on edge. She hadn’t realized how hungry she’d been, letting the
meal lull her into a sense of relaxation. Getting a good night of sleep had
helped as well.

Forcing herself to
speak levelly and not scare Chloe, her answer came out firm. “No, thank you. If
you could tell us where the bus station or a cab service is, I would be
appreciative.”

Silver eyes shifted
to glacier ice. “You’re gonna just keep running?” The low growl of his words
vibrated with anger.

Chloe’s head whipped
up and fear glinted in her blue eyes. Pearly white teeth pulled on her lower
lip.

“I’m not running.”
The lie rolled easily off Olivia’s tongue.

His snort spoke
volumes. “Your kid’s eyes say something different.”

What was he talking
about? There was nothing wrong with Chloe’s eyes. Olivia fiddled with her
daughter’s curls and watched the coil spring back into shape on her daughter’s
head. “She’s fine. Her
name
is Chloe.”

“He’s scary, mommy.”
Chloe mumbled the words and climbed off her chair to press against Olivia’s
side.