Once a Rebel (13 page)

He turned away from the panicked husband, gazing into the black pit instead. “What are your demands?” he asked his brother. “Tell us how to save the hostage.”

“You can start by searching for her. In every cave but this one. You can use all that manpower you brought to find her and leave me alone.” A pause, then, “The explosives are on a timer. You've got forty minutes before it goes off, but I can detonate the charge from here, too.”

Ryan swayed on his feet, giving Emmett a pleading look.

Jason continued, “And don't even think about bringing in helicopters. If I hear a chopper, I'll flip the switch.” He made a menacing sound. “If anyone tries to follow me, it's over. Lily Fortune is dead.”

 

Lily sat in the dark, bound, blindfolded and gagged. Jason had bragged about the bomb, insisting how clever he was, reciting things that had fogged her mind.

She didn't know anything about primers, timers, chemical compounds or the velocity of detonation. Rogue science was something men like Jason probably uncovered on the Internet.

But to her, it meant destruction.

When silence threatened to swallow her, she listened to the tortured cadence of her own heart.

Then she thought about Ryan, about the man she loved.

Was he nearby? Did he know that she was trapped with an explosive device attached to her back?

Afraid to move, afraid the charge would erupt, she sat rock still. How much time had passed? How long had she been waiting? Wondering if she would survive?

Suddenly a montage of memories sluiced through her brain, like a jumbled movie playing in her head.

People, places, choppy images.

The cliché of death, she thought. Her life flashing before her eyes.

Lily willed away the images and focused on being rescued instead. On a big strong angel sweeping her into his arms and carrying her into the light.

 

Ryan couldn't think straight. Everything was spinning in circles, turning at a dizzying pace. The equipment had just arrived and now the FBI agents were separating into different teams, preparing for the rescue.

According to the park ranger, there were four caves where Lily could be. Two were wild, left in their natural state with no man-made improvements. And the other two were show caves that had sustained damage over the years and were no longer available for public tours.

Although a bomb squad had been notified, they might not arrive in time. But as far as Ryan could tell, some of the agents who were already in attendance were demolition experts. That gave him hope.

Heart-thundering hope.

He glanced at Emmett, who was gearing up to enter one of the show caves. The other men on his team were preparing, as well.

Ryan knew the FBI wasn't going to allow him to get involved. He didn't have any search-and-rescue training. And on top of that, he was too ill to rappel into holes, to cross dilapidated bridges or crawl through narrow passages. He couldn't swim in underground lakes or drag his feet through ankle-deep mud.

Ryan couldn't look for his wife; he couldn't do a damn thing but wait. Soon he would be moved to a different location. He would still be in the area, just out of harm's way.

Emmett turned to face him. “Jason could be bluffing,” he said. “The bomb could be a scare tactic, a trick to buy more time. But there's no way to be sure. Not at this point.”

Ryan met the agent's determined gaze. Either way, the FBI was taking the threat seriously. Four caves. Four rescue teams. They had less than an hour to create a miracle.

To find Lily.

Then capture the bastard who'd kidnapped her.

R
yan waited, his heart pounding with every second, every minute, every fear-steeped passage of time.

He was on a road that provided a long-distance view of Canyon Caverns. By now there were ambulances standing by, emergency vehicles that had arrived with their red lights flashing.

He glanced at the special agent standing next to him. The other man wasn't a member of the original unit. He'd showed up later. But he was still a vital part of the operation. He was communicating with the rescue teams.

He appeared strong and steady, more than capable of holding down the fort. Unlike Ryan, who was ready to fall apart.

What if the whole thing was a lie, a game Jason was playing? What if Lily was already dead?

Suddenly he saw a trio of white vans traveling toward the caves.

“It's the bomb squad,” the agent told him. “They're a type-one team,” he added. “They handle complex incidents.”

Ryan knew that was supposed to make him feel better, but it didn't. They were running on borrowed time.

And Lily's life was at stake.

A moment later the agent got his attention. “They found her!”

“What?”

“Your wife. I just got radio confirmation. They found her. She's safe.”

Ryan nearly sank to the ground. The bomb squad vehicles were still headed up the hill. They were late, but it didn't matter.

Lily was alive.

“The device that was attached to her was a dummy,” the agent said. “No active charge.” He gestured to the moving vans. “But now that they're here, they'll do a complete sweep.”

Ryan took a deep breath. “Is Lily out of the cave? Did they get her out of there?”

The other man nodded. “It was Agent Jamison's team who carried out the rescue.”

Emmett, Ryan thought. Jason's brother had saved her.

 

Emmett entered Lily Fortune's hospital room, keeping his footsteps soft and quiet. Night had long since
fallen, and he noticed everyone in the room was asleep.

Everyone but Ethan Eldridge.

They exchanged a silent nod, and Emmett moved closer to the bed. Lily looked fragile, with her eyes closed and an IV drip in her arm. Her husband dozed beside her, on top of the blanket, where he held her hand.

Emmett tried to relax, but his stomach was tied up in knots. Jason had gotten away. His brother had escaped, killing a federal agent in the process. A massive manhunt was still underway, but that did little to ease the tension in Emmett's gut. Jason was his responsibility. The criminal he'd vowed to catch.

He glanced at Ethan again. The veterinarian sat next to Susan Fortune, and although both of them occupied stiff, utilitarian chairs, they'd found a way to stay close. She'd nodded off with her head against his shoulder, and he rested a protective arm around her.

“Did you see Patrick in the hall?” Ethan asked in a slightly hushed tone.

Emmett responded in the same low-pitched voice. “We spoke for a few minutes. He was with some other family members.”

Ethan nodded, then studied the patient. “Lily thinks you're her angel.”

Uncomfortable, Emmett moved away from the bed. Lily had called him some such thing when he'd found her, bound and gagged in the cave. “The bomb was a fake. Jason was bluffing. He even made Lily believe it was true.”

“I know, but you were prepared to face an explosion. To risk your life to save hers.”

“That's part of my job.”

“Is it?” The other man angled his head. “I think it's more to you than that. What you did for Lily and Ryan was heroic.”

Heroic? An agent had died and his brother had disappeared with the ransom. “I don't need you talking me up.”

Ethan squinted at him, and they exchanged a steely stare. Two men in a darkened hospital room. It seemed absurd, but Emmett couldn't deal with unwarranted praise. On the other hand, Ethan appeared to be a decent guy, someone who gave a damn. He didn't deserve Emmett's guilt-ridden wrath.

“I'm going to catch Jason,” Emmett said. “I won't quit until I find him.”

“I figured as much.” When Susan stirred in her sleep, Ethan held her a little tighter. “But what about Ryan and Lily's safety? Can the FBI help with that?”

“I'll make sure that they continue to receive federal protection. That we keep agents stationed at the ranch.” He glanced at the bed. “But I doubt that Ryan is going to let Lily out of his sight. Or that she'll let him out of hers.”

“He doesn't have long to live.”

Emmett blew out a rough breath. “I know.”

Ethan shifted his gaze to Ryan. “I wonder if the hospital will let him stay with his wife tonight.”

“I imagine they will.” Lily was being treated for dehydration, mild abrasions and bruised ribs. But Ryan Fortune was terminally ill. “It seems only right.”

“Yes, it does.” Ethan turned his head and brushed his
lips against Susan's hair. A natural reflex. Something he probably wasn't even aware of.

Emmett fell silent, then decided it was time to go back to work, to stop being drawn to other people's lives.

Focusing on his job, he said goodbye and exited the room, leaving behind both sets of lovers, old and young.

 

As Ethan drove to the cabin, he looked over at Susan, thinking how beautiful she was.

She smoothed her hair and gave him a small smile. “I can't believe I fell asleep at the hospital.”

“It's okay. You've been running on empty.”

“I'm so glad Lily is safe.” She shifted in her seat, her voice turning raw. From emotion. From a long, heart-wrenching day. “But it didn't end the way it was supposed to.”

He knew she was referring to Jason's escape and the federal agent he'd killed. “The FBI will catch him.”

“When?” She sighed and glanced out the window, fogging the glass.

“I don't know.” He thought about Emmett Jamison, about how determined the other man seemed. He wanted to believe that Emmett would apprehend his brother, but there were no guarantees.

“Jason has two million in cash.” She frowned into the night, where the road curved and trees loomed. “He'll probably leave the country.”

Ethan didn't say anything. He had no idea what Jason would do. But at least the FBI was taking precautions. They weren't leaving anything to chance.

By the time they reached the cabin, he and Susan had
turned quiet. He parked his truck, and they left the vehicle and walked up the porch steps. When they entered the cabin, the dogs greeted them in a cozy welcome.

“It feels good to be home,” she said.

Home.
The word hit Ethan like a jagged-edged rock. The hunting cabin wasn't their home. He wouldn't be living here for much longer and neither would Susan.

She took a few minutes to change and remove her makeup. He liked how she looked with her face scrubbed clean and a nightgown flowing around her ankles.

Ethan stayed in his jeans. He didn't feel like getting ready for bed. He needed a bit more time to unwind.

After feeding the dogs, he rummaged through the pantry and located the hot chocolate Susan had bought. He held up the box. “Do you want some?”

She leaned against the counter, looking soft and ethereal, with her delicate garment and ladylike slippers. “That sounds good.”

He heated the water in a pan, his heart constricting his chest. He didn't want to lose Susan. He didn't want her to return to California. But he knew she belonged in San Francisco. That she was, and always would be, a city girl.

Like his mom.

“Are you all right?” she asked.

He realized he was frowning, making too much of their relationship, of an attachment he didn't want to feel, of the anguish his father had faced. “I'm fine.” He opened the hot chocolate packets, dumped them into mismatched cups and added water that had begun to boil. “Did you buy marshmallows?”

“No, but they're already in there. The little freeze-dried kind.”

“Oh.” He glanced at the mixture he was stirring and saw that she was right. “Then we're all set.” He handed her a mug of the warm brew.

She blew on the rim of the cup and looked directly into his eyes. “It's starting to rain.”

He listened for the sound of water falling from the sky and heard intermittent drops touching the roof. Lightly, he thought, ever so lightly. “So it is.”

She moved closer. “You promised to make love with me.” She glanced at the window. “Out there.”

His pulse shimmied, right down to his groin, electrifying his zipper, making his breath catch. “You'll get cold. You'll get wet.”

“I'll wear a jacket. And boots.”

He couldn't help but smile. “With your nightgown?”

She nodded, then kissed him. He decided she was the most erotic creature on earth. Every cell in his body begged for relief, for rain-dampened sex, for the crazy impulse that was making him hot and hard.

They stumbled to the armoire so she could put on a knee-length coat and replace her slippers with Western boots. He grabbed a condom, fisting the packet in his hand.

Once they were outside, they stood on the porch and scanned the yard, where trees, grass and shrubs glistened with water.

She took his hand and led him to a big gothic oak. They stood beneath it, leaves flurrying above their heads.

Enthralled, he touched her cheek. Rain sprinkled her
face and created shimmering beads in her hair. A full moon dusted the darkness, and the air felt cool and crisp and strangely romantic.

Her coat was unbuttoned, revealing the front of her nightgown. The water-spotted material clung to her skin, outlining her breasts and the hardened peaks of her nipples.

When she removed her panties and tucked them into her pocket, he kissed her, tasting chocolate and marshmallows and the sweet sin they were about to commit.

Lust. Heartache. Emotional warfare.

She unzipped his jeans and pushed her hand inside, making him shiver. He kept his eyes open. He didn't dare blink. He didn't want to lose sight of her.

She stroked him, from shaft to tip. And then she dropped to the ground, right there on the wet grass, and gave him the most incredible oral sex he'd ever had.

Beautiful torture.

He tangled his hands in her hair. And when he couldn't stand it any longer, he switched places with her, falling to his knees and lifting the hem of her nightgown, doing to her what she'd done to him.

He licked her soft and slow, and she came against his tongue, arching her hips, telling him that she wanted more.

That she wanted him inside her.

Ethan feared he would lose his mind. He rose to his feet and fumbled with the condom. Anxious, he pressed her against the tree, and she adjusted her body to accept his penetration, to take him hard and deep.

He moved inside her, the sensation warm and slick. She clung to him, making throaty little sounds. When
she gasped, he thrust deeper, then covered her mouth with his.

As they kissed, the wind howled, escaping into the night. She tore open the front of his shirt, but he didn't care. He craved her touch, the raw, wicked bite of her nails, the way she clawed his skin.

And at that desperate moment, he understood her passion, her need, the reason she wanted to make love in the rain.

To create a heart-hammering image, a memory neither of them would ever forget.

 

Susan stood at the window in Ethan's kitchen, gazing at the land, at the ranch her family owned. Four days had passed since the night of the kidnapping rescue. Lily was home from the hospital and settling quietly back into her life. Susan had spent time with her, helping her heal, helping her shed the emotional scars. The rest of the family was rallying around Lily, too, offering her the love and support she needed.

“Hey, gorgeous.” Ethan's voice sounded behind her.

She turned around. He was dressed for work, with a denim shirt tucked into a pair of old Wrangler jeans. His hair was damp from the shower and combed away from his face. He still hadn't gotten it trimmed.

“Hey, yourself.” She touched his freshly shaven jaw. She hadn't told him that she loved him. She hadn't found the courage to say it out loud. “Do you have time for breakfast?”

He shook his head. “No. But you can fix me dinner tonight.”

“I can, huh?” She tugged him closer for a kiss, not wanting to think about the future, about the reality of leaving him.

He deepened the kiss, and she held on to him. He tasted like citrus-flavored toothpaste, like oranges on a winter day.

When they separated, he smiled. “I have a gift for you.” He pressed something into her hand, closing her fingers around it.

She opened her palm and saw a heart-shaped pendant necklace. White gold with tiny diamonds. Stunned, she looked up at him.

“It's Valentine's Day,” he said.

“It…is?” She stumbled over her words. She'd lost track of time, of the date on the calendar.

He nodded, then crammed his hands into his pockets, keeping them there, looking a bit shy. “It came in one of those velvet boxes but I didn't want to wrap it and all that. I didn't want to make a big deal out of it.”

But it was a big deal, she thought. Her eyes turned watery, filling with tears. She wanted to cry in his arms, but she summoned the strength to smile, to keep herself from breaking down. “It's beautiful.” The kind of gift a man bought for the woman he loved. “Thank you, Ethan.”

“You're welcome.”

“Will you help me put it on?”

“Of course I will.”

When he moved her hair out of the way, her knees went weak. Was he falling in love with her? Was he struggling with his feelings? The way she battled hers?

She touched the pendant, tracing the shape of the heart. The diamonds shimmered against her skin.

“I better go,” he said.

Susan met his gaze. “This means a lot to me.”