Nothing but Trouble (3 page)

“Electrician, ma’am. A couple of the tenants have called about a problem with the power. Are you experiencing any trouble?”

Sophie smiled upon opening her door. “As a matter of fact, I…” Her gaze dropped to the gun he pulled out from beneath the clipboard, the rest of what she’d been about to say stuck in her throat. Taking an instinctive step back, her startled gaze darted up to his.

“I’m not going to hurt you, ma’am.” He was shorter than Sophie but by no more than an inch or two, pushing his way into her apartment as he spoke to her in a tone that almost bordered on apologetic.

“Who are you? What do you want?” she demanded in a voice hardly recognizable as her own. Several wild thoughts flashed instantly through her mind. “Take my jewelry and go.” She indicated the marble table.

“Jewelry?” He actually looked dumbfounded, glancing at the jewelry before returning his gaze to her. “I’m not here for your jewelry,” he explained quickly, as if to reassure her.

Sophie became frightened then, wondering what that meant. She stared at the gun in his hand, which was shaking slightly, but that didn’t stop her heart from racing with fear. “Then why do you have a gun?” It wasn’t very big but that didn’t make it any less deadly.

“A necessity,” he said quietly, somewhat distracted.

As he walked further into the room, her mind registered the fact he’d left the door wide open behind him; a careless move for a criminal. If he isn’t here to rob me, then what does he want? She immediately halted the direction of her thoughts. Now was definitely not the time to let her thoughts run wild and besides, he didn’t strike her as a rapist or a killer. The profiles she’d seen on TV about serial killers quickly evaporated from her thoughts. If she was going to stand a chance against escaping him, she had to keep a clear head.

She knew she had to escape him somehow but doubted she’d get very far in three-inch heels, and she certainly couldn’t outrun a bullet. Strangely enough the man seemed intent on something and at the moment, it wasn’t her. He appeared to be looking for something, or rather someone. As he continued to search the darkness beyond her, Sophie gave him a shove, turned and ran.

“Hey!” he shouted after her, just as she reached the elevator.

She jabbed her finger on several buttons, cursing when the doors didn’t open right away. As she swung around wildly, her gaze fell on the door directly across from the elevator that led to the stairwell.

“Wait!” he called out as if fully expecting her to do his bidding, sounding more anxious than angry.

Sophie ignored him, realizing she’d be a fool for letting the opportunity to escape slip by. Swallowing the fear lodged in her throat, she pulled her gown up and opened the stairwell door, dashing down the stairs as fast as she could run.

The elevator door opened and Brent stepped into the hallway just in time to see Sophie disappearing behind the stairwell door. Shooting Tom a look of disgust, he took off after her. If you want something done right, do it yourself. All Tom had to do was escort her to the apartment across the hallway and hold her there until he arrived. It was his fault for not taking into account that Tom’s adventures were strictly limited to office work and not kidnapping.

Brent knew he had to stop Sophie before she reached the garage, and security. Senator Adams had spent nearly a week just convincing him to help and now the whole plan was about to go up in smoke. There was no way he was about to face his old friend this early in the game with news of failure. He hit the door running, the force sending it against the wall as he sprinted after her taking the stairs two at a time. Her speed and determination surprised him; she was already a floor away. Funny, she hadn’t struck him as a survivalist but more like a woman who’d be helpless against someone kidnapping her. He’d taken her softness and pampered upbringing for granted and should have remembered that looks could be deceiving.

Just as she reached the third floor, he heard her gasp; watching as she stumbled before releasing a cry he suspected was from sheer frustration more than pain. Gaining on her, he reached out, his fingertips just grazing the delicate bones of her shoulder. A scream of pure fright echoed through the hollow stairwell, almost breaking his eardrums. She might as well have pulled the fire alarm. He swore. If the security guards didn’t hear that and come running, it would be a miracle.

His hand closed firmly over her shoulder and he pushed her into a dark corner, entrapping her there with his body. Sensing she was about to let out another scream, he quickly slapped his hand over her mouth, effectively cutting it off.

“I’m not going to hurt you…damn it!” he swore when she bit down on his hand. “Unless you do that again!” he threatened, grating the words out as he shook his hand.

Brent knew it was too dark for Sophie to see him, but she had to know he wasn’t the same man who’d entered her apartment. He and Tom were nowhere near the same height, or build. His hand returned to her mouth as he pinned her against the wall. He realized his mistake immediately. Everything about her assailed his senses, blinding him to what his objectives were. The last thing he expected was his body’s betrayal by responding to her nearness. The first thing he had to do was distance himself.

“I’ll remove my hand, if you promise…”

Brent shouldn’t have reminded her about his hand. The next thing he knew she was biting down on it a second time. Adding insult to injury, she shoved him in the chest as hard as she could at the same time, catching him unaware. Before he had a chance to recover she took advantage of the moment by pushing herself away from the wall and taking flight.

“Damn it!” Brent grunted in anger. She managed to descend one step before he tangled a hand in her hair and hauled her back into his arms. A cry escaped her but Brent ignored it. He yanked her roughly against him. “Bite me again and you’ll find out what it feels like,” he muttered between his teeth.

“Who are you?” she asked softly. Brent felt her slight tremble and steeled himself for what he had to do. “What do you want?”

“One question at a time, princess.” Brent realized he had to assert his dominance early on if he wanted to remain in control of the situation. Not giving much thought to the consequences, he pushed Sophie up against the concrete wall and leaned in close, threatening her with his superior strength and size.

His actions had repercussions he wasn’t anticipating though. Like the rush of heat surging through his blood, turning the victim in his arms into a desirable woman. Wrestling with her provided conditions he hadn’t counted on. Appealing circumstances which could easily upset the scheme of things if he let it.

Too much body contact for one.

“I demand you keep your hands to yourself!” she whispered sharply.

“Do you now?” he said softly, amused at her haughty tone. “You’re not in any position to demand anything.”

With every breath Brent took, he could smell her. Beyond the light scent of soap and perfume, to the sensuous woman beneath. A sexy combination of innocence and know-how. It was playing havoc with his senses, preventing him from keeping a clear head. He swore beneath his breath. Nothing good was going to come of this.

She was tall like he liked his women but he wasn’t into rich, spoiled, society types who held themselves above others, thinking they were better than everyone else. He’d watched Sophie long enough to know she was used to the best in life and probably demanded it. A woman who let society rule her emotions, not her heart. He recalled her quiet, almost suffering acceptance of Lord touching and kissing her, putting up with it because it was expected of her and not because she’d liked it. That action alone told him a lot about her.

She was probably as cold as a block of ice in bed.

“I demand you tell me who you are and what this is all about,” she said in a frigid tone, confirming his thoughts.

Her snooty tone grated on his nerves. “Demand all you want, princess, it won’t get you anywhere.” He was glad she’d broken his train of thought. He could care less what she was like in bed and would do well to remember that. What’s more, he doubted her father would appreciate his wayward notions. Brent respected and liked Senator Adams. It was because of that reason that alone he was doing this in the first place.

This, meaning kidnapping. So far Sophie was more trouble than he’d anticipated which could cause serious problems down the road. He’d have to watch her like a hawk. It hadn’t taken her long to get the drop on Tom. Well, she’d learn soon enough that he wasn’t a pushover. “Come on.” He yanked her away from the wall.

“Let me go!” She tried to pull free. “Ouch! You’re hurting me! I’m not going anywhere with you!”

Brent swung around and pulled her up against him. “You have a choice, lady; you can come with me the easy way, or like a sack of potatoes over my shoulder. In case it hasn’t hit you yet, I’m stronger than you.” She stiffened even more, apparently not liking his condescending tone.

Suddenly a door on the floor above them opened and someone entered the stairwell. The lights flickered back on at the same time.

Talk about rotten luck! And timing! Brent’s gaze pinned Sophie. He watched her black-fringed eyes widen in shock as they moved over him. He’d removed his tie and jacket but was still wearing the same black slacks. His forearms were bare where he’d rolled his white shirtsleeves up to his elbows. There was no doubt in her pretty eyes that she recognized him. Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later.

“You!” she gasped, her accusing tone slicing through him like a sharp knife.

As her thorny exclamation echoed through the stairwell, Brent swore, tilting his head to see who’d entered the landing above them. He relaxed when he recognized Tom’s silhouette in the threshold.

“Please help me!” Sophie cried up at Tom, apparently not recognizing him.

“He’s with me, princess.” Brent pulled her away from the wall. “We’ll be right up,” he called to Tom.

“You won’t get away with this!”

“I already have.” Brent should have been prepared for what happened next. And he would have been, if he’d been more focused on the matter at hand and not her soft curves. The second

Tom closed the door she made her move, once again catching him unaware. She pushed and pulled against him until she broke free. His eyes grew round when he lost his balance. He watched helplessly as Sophie turned and dashed up the stairs as fast as she could.

He was getting tired of this. “Damn it!”

His curse didn’t so much as slow her down. Brent recovered, and stormed up the steps like a mad bull. Sophie glanced back at him once and let out a cry. Brent was gaining on her. She stumbled and lost a shoe, but that didn’t stop her from swinging back around and reaching for the door knob. He watched as she struggled with the heavy door, until she was finally able to open it, before stumbling into the hallway. He reached for the door before it closed, entering the hallway in time to see Sophie sprint unladylike toward her apartment.

Brent knew he had to stop her. If she managed to get inside and lock him out, no telling what damage she could do before he got to her. Her groan of frustration echoed in the narrow corridor as she fumbled with the doorknob, nearly falling inside her apartment and slamming the door in Brent’s face. Before she could turn the lock, he shoved it open with such force that she stumbled backwards. She cried out, running further into the apartment before coming to a halt. The look in her wild eyes revealed she knew there was nowhere for her to go.

“Going somewhere, princess? You forgot your glass slipper.” He held up her dainty heel by the broken strap.

“Stay away from me!” The glass swan she snatched off the nearest table was probably expensive, but she tossed it at him without a care. Her aim was wild, missing Brent by a mile and hitting a picture on the wall. Both went crashing loudly to the floor. He grinned at the disbelief in her lovely eyes, and slowly walked toward her. She darted away from the table, grabbing a lamp on the away by. “Security will be here any minute!” she gasped in a desperate tone.

“Really?” Brent knew she was lying. “You didn’t have time to make a call, and I happen to know the apartments at this end of the corridor are empty.” He continued to pursue her, ducking when she threw the lamp. “I’m not going to hurt you.” It was the truth. But if she forced him to subdue her she might get a little roughed up in the process.

“I don’t believe you.”

Brent was just inches away. His gaze ran over her. She was breathing heavy; her full breasts were satiny smooth over the top of her gown. He unwillingly recalled what they’d felt like against his chest. How quickly his body had responded to her.

Something in his expression must have frightened her, because alarm washed over her face. She reached down and removed her other shoe, threw it at him, then turned and headed for the direction of the kitchen. Brent was right behind her, entering the kitchen just as she opened up a drawer. She whipped around to face him with a knife in her trembling hands. The little fool! What did she think she was going to do with that?

His gaze narrowed on the blade. Before he could warn her to put it down she seemed to have second thoughts. She dropped it in exchange for a small, wooden hammer. Without hesitation, she threw it at him. He quickly raised his hand and caught it in midair, grinning at the look of disbelief spreading across her lovely face.