Rescue Me (19 page)

Landry was strong and well trained.Macey had sparred with him on more than once occasion and had learned the other man couldn't be anticipated. He was a gutter fighter, and he was mean.

ButMacey was mean too. Mean enough to slam his fist into the other man's upper thigh, his aim off just enough to distract Landry rather than curling him up in the floor.

It wasn't enough. Landry managed to roll, kick out and throwMacey back. The gun discharged, shooting wild beforeMacey was on him again.

"Emerson, the cage," he screamed out as he glimpsed her from the corner of his eye. "Open the fucking cage."

BecauseDrack might be their only chance. The gun had shot wild, butMacey could feel the sting of a flesh wound in his side and the blood saturating his flesh now.

He was wounded and it wouldn't take him long to weaken. If they were going to survive, they just might need all the help they could get.

Open the cage? Emerson's panicked gaze swung to the glass-enclosed tank that held the anaconda.

Over the past days the snake had stayed hidden amid the thick plants and shallow water basin in the stone floor, but it was out now, butting against the glass, tongue flickering,slitted eyes dilated. It looked pissed. It looked dangerous. And she was terrified of snakes. She hated them. But she lovedMacey .

Loved him. Trusted him.

The sirens and music were blaring through the cave. Red lights were streaking through the room. It was disorienting, as she was sure it was meant to be.

She scrambled across the room, shaking, shuddering. The anaconda was huge. If it managed to wrap aroundMacey rather than Pierce Landry, then he would be dead.

Snakes had no loyalty. They couldn't be trained. They were driven by instinct, nothing more. It wouldn't know to attack Landry rather thanMacey .

"The cage. Now!"

Her gaze swung toMacey where he struggled with Landry for possession of the gun. The other man still had it clenched in his hand, fighting to bring it around to bear onMacey .

Her gaze swung back to the snake. It was pressing against the seam of the glass door, butting against it, demanding its freedom. Emerson imagined she could feel the rage pouring from the creature.

Maceyhad warned her that the anaconda hated guns. Hated them so much that he had to keep them in a specially designed safe and he couldn't carry one himself within the basement because of the snake's instinctive need to kill whoever or whatever carried the weapon.

With a trembling hand she lifted the latch to the door, swung it open, and jumped aside asDrack immediately pressed out of the opening.

Drackwasn't a fast creature, but she knew where she was headed.

Pierce. Her godfather trusted him, loved him like a son. He was always extolling the warrant officer's virtues. He hadn't mentioned deceit and treason as any of those virtues, though.

She couldn't just stand here, but she couldn't look away. The anaconda was making its way across the room toward the two men struggling for the gun. Emerson was terrified the snake would go for the scent of blood rather than the scent of a weapon.

The two men were cursing, delivering hard, powerful blows even as they fought for the gun.

Emerson considered attacking Landry herself, but if he got hold of her, she knewMacey would sacrifice

himself to protect her. Instead, she ran to the other side of the bed and the phone that sat at the side of it.

She glimpsed the anaconda drawing closer as she skirted the side of the bed. Had she been insane to let the creature free, despiteMacey's orders? She hadn't even told him she loved him, she thought frantically as she reach the table and jerked the cordless phone from its base and began to dial.

It was ringing. Ringing. Emerson stared across the bed, watching as the two men struggled on the floor now.Macey was gloriously naked, Pierce was dressed in a black mission suit.

Maceystraddled the other man, one hand locked on Landry's wrist, trying to dislodge the gun as the other hand delivered a blow to his face. Landry returned with a blow to his side, throwingMacey off as he nearly lost his grip on Landry's wrist.

They were cursing, snarling.Macey delivered another blow to Landry's jaw. When Landry's fist connected with his side again,Macey's hand broke contact with the wrist.

"Answer the phone. Answer the phone," Emerson cried out. "Oh God, where are—"

"Macey!" Her godfather's voice yelled into the line. "Secure premises. Our mole is Landry, I repeat—"

"No shit!" Emerson screamed into the line. "Get down here. Where are you? Landry's here."

A shot exploded in the room. Horrified, Emerson tried to pierce the disorienting flare of light and shadows to the two men fighting.Macey had Landry's wrist in a two-handed grip, holding the weapon, trying to turn it back on the other man as Landry's fingers tightened on the trigger again.

Macey'sexpression twisted savagely. Landry's wrist turned until the gun was almost trained onMacey .

She was aware of her godfather screaming in her ear, an explosion from the front of the house, and the increased blare of sirens.

It happened in slow motion, and yet so fast she couldn't make sense of it.Macey twisted Landry's hand back just as the gun fired again. The warrant officer's body jerked,spasmed , thenMacey jumped back as Drack attacked.

It shot forward, slicing betweenMacey's body and Landry's, his mouth opening wide, teeth gleaming to clamp over the dying man's face and twine its massive girth around his neck. Two more shots fired, the snake jerked, shuddered, but held its grip.

Voices were raised. Not her voice. NotMacey's . He was jerking the sheet off the bed and wrapping it around her as black-suitedSEALs swarmed into the room, weapons held ready, lights slicing into the room.

"Get those fucking weapons out of here!"Macey screamed.

Amazingly, the six men rushed back into the living area and returned seconds later,weaponless , their gazes locked on the still form of Warrant Officer Pierce Landry and the anaconda attached to his head.

"Shit,"Macey breathed out as he finished securing the sheet around Emerson. "Reno, hit the code on the alarms," he yelled at the suited men. "Shut this damned noise off."

Drackwas dead and so was Pierce. Emerson could see the blood spreading out from beneath the creature and the aide's still form.

"Fucking bastard killed my snake."Macey's voice was weary, resigned.

The sirens cut off abruptly, the music and lights stilled, and bright normal white light lit up the room.

Maceywas behind Emerson, his arms wrapped around her, his heart racing in his chest.

"You were shot." She tore her gaze from the death across the room as the six men stared over at her andMacey in varying degrees of shock.

The members of Durango Team were there, along with her godfather, and her godfather wasn't looking happy.

"Lieutenant," the admiral snapped as Emerson moved to check the crease in his side. "Are you going to live?"

"Yes, sir."

"Then find your pants, sailor. You're not dressed." The admiral's tone was clearly disapproving.

"No sir, I'm not,"Macey growled, his voice, irritated, still rough from rage, cut through the room.

"Enough." Firm, brooking no refusal, Emerson sliced her gaze back toMacey . "You need to have this seen to."

"It's nothing," he snapped. But his lips were tight and discomfort darkened his eyes as he glared at the admiral.

Emerson turned back to her godfather. "If he loses rank again, you're going to have to deal with me.

Now take care of the mess in here and I'll take care ofMacey ."

She bent and jerked the jeans he had worn earlier from the floor where he had tossed them before lifting her gaze to his. He still looked ready to fight.

"In the living room." She swallowed back the bile in her throat at the smell of death that had begun to permeate the room. "You can take care ofDrack after I take care of you."

She ledMacey back to the room, aware of the glowering looks he and her godfather exchanged. She couldn't worry about that; her godfather didn't get along with anyone, with the exception of her.

She couldn't worry about the consequencesMacey might face in the short term. Because she had come to realize days before that her godfather had been matchmaking for years. In his own less than courteous way.

Maceywould get over it. Because in a few short minutes Emerson had realized what mattered most to her and it wasn't protecting her heart.

Maceyowned her heart. And he better be serious about her owning his, or she was going to make Pierce Landry look like a walk in the park.

Maceybelonged to her.

Chapter Eleven

The murdering scum-sucking bastard had killedDrack .Macey still couldn't believe it. The snake had lived through one attack, years ago, by a burglar intent on stealingMacey's electronics.

At that time, the cave hadn't existed, the computer setup hadn't been as extensive, andDrack had been a full-grown anaconda.Macey had kept her locked in the computer room for an added precaution.

Somehow, someone had gotten in andDrack had takenoffense to a stranger in her territory. She had been very territorial.

The snake had taken six shots that had creased her hide deep enough thatMacey had to take it to the vet for an extended stay.Drack had never forgotten the scent of a gun, or its consequences. And now, she had died because of one.

Snakes were unfeeling creatures,Macey knew that, but damn if he hadn't been fond of her.

But Emerson was safe.

He looked down at her as she knelt by the couch, the first-aid kit laying out beside him as she cleaned the wound in his side.

"You need stitches." She pressed a thick piece of gauze against his side, then pressed her forehead to his jean-clad leg.

Wrapped in a sheet, her shoulders bare, her hair falling down her back she was like a young goddess kneeling, beautiful and courageous.

Maceyburied his hand in her hair and bent his head to hers, despite the pain in his side.

"I'm going to be fine,Em ," he promised softly against her hair. "It's all over, baby. You're safe. That's all that matters to me."

She shook her head against his leg, and he realized that tears would begin falling soon. She had been brave and strong, but she would need to crash.

He would take her out of here, take her to a hotel room in town, someplace bright and romantic, where he could lay her back in bed and hold her through the night. Let her get used to being safe again.

"That's not all that matters." She lifted her head as he eased back, her expression pale and distressed, her sensual lips trembling. "I'm sorry.Macey , I'm so sorry. I should have told you…"

He laid his fingers against her lips. "You tell me later,Em . When we're safe. Where I can hold you."

"I love you,Macey . I've loved you for nearly two years. I love you so much that you terrify the hell out of me." Her voice hitched as his arms eased around her, pulled her against his chest, and felt his heart trip in joy.

Burying his head in her hair,Macey closed his eyes, fighting back the need to run away with her and hold her until he heard those words enough to fill his soul. But he didn't think he would ever hear it enough.

"Landry bypassed your security." AdmiralHolloran stepped into the room, his voice scathing. "Emerson, sweetheart,Reno 's getting you some clothes so you can dress upstairs…"

"There's a bathroom under the stairs."Macey jerked his head up and glared at the admiral. "She's not going upstairs until I can go with her."

"Macey…" Emerson's voice was edged with steel. It was the same tone his mother used on his father when she thought he was getting out of hand.

"Don't 'Macey' me,Em ," he told her gently. "WhenReno brings your clothes out, you can dress down here. This was too close." He touched her cheek, let his thumb run over her lips. "I came too close to losing you tonight. Don't separate yourself from me."

He saw the understanding in her eyes asReno stepped from the bedroom, one ofMacey's t-shirts in his hands and a pair of Stacey's leggings.

"Get dressed, baby," he whispered, ignoring the admiral for now. "We'll get out of here soon. I promise."

She turned and gave her godfather a hard look, rose to her feet, and took the clothesReno held out to her.

"Morganna, Raven, and Emily will be here soon to take care of her,"Reno told him. "We have a full night ahead of us,Macey . Cleaning this up with the local cops isn't going to be easy. Your security here will be compromised further. It won't be a secret any longer."

Maceyshook his head. He'd be damned if he cared right now.

He turned his head and watched Emerson disappear into the bathroom before turning back to the admiral.

"Respectfully, sir." He clenched his teeth around the words. "Don't try to take her away from me. I'll fight it."

AdmiralHolloran's eyes widened, his expression stern, though if he wasn't mistakenMacey detected a glimmer ofhumor in his blue eyes.

"I expect to see a ring on her finger soon," he finally snapped. "Don't disappoint me."

Maceygrunted at that and turned back toReno . The ring would be there because that was where it belonged, not because the admiral ordered it.

"How did he get in?" he askedReno . "He bypassed every safeguard I had."

Renoglanced disapprovingly the admiral, his expression quiet.Macey felt his stomach sink as he turned

back toHolloran .

Holloranwas one of the few people who knew about the cave. He andDurgango team. It was a secret that shouldn't have been uttered.

"I told Pierce about the cave." The admiral sighed. "This one is on my shoulders, Lieutenant, I accept responsibility for it."

He wasn't going to say anything. He really wasn't.

"Respectfully, sir," he sneered. He guessed he was going to say something after all. "That's hardly acceptable."

Holloran'slips pressed together in irritation. His arms crossed over his wide chest, his expression darkening.