The Midnight Hour (26 page)

The sound of curtain blinds being raised, as well as the smell of fresh-brewed coffee, made Tori open her eyes. She stared up into Drake's face as he stood beside her bed with a cold glass of milk in his hand. "Good morning," he said, placing the glass on the small table next to her.

Tori felt slightly sore as she slowly raised up in bed and studied Drake's features. For some reason there was a guarded look on his face, and not a single hint in his gaze of what they'd shared the night before. A thought suddenly came to her mind. "Did you hear from Hawk?" She watched Drake study her and wondered why he was staring at her so intently.

"No, I haven't heard from Hawk," he said in a quiet yet husky voice. "I think we should talk before I contact him, but first you need to eat something. I've cooked and left breakfast for you wanning in the oven. There are a few places I need to check out around here and I'll be back in about an hour."

She nodded. "All right."

She then watched as he turned and left.

An hour or so later Drake returned to the cabin. Tori had eaten breakfast and changed into a pair of denim shorts and a top. He walked into the living room where she sat curled on the sofa reading a magazine that she had found somewhere in the cabin.

He came and sat beside her. "Okay, what do you want to talk about first? Cross or us?"

Tori closed the magazine, not sure there was an "us" even after last night. The question that still plagued her mind and stoked her uncertainty was whether or not Drake could accept the woman she was now? Five years ago her life had been filled with being a soldier, a marine, one of those few good men-or women. It had also been about becoming his wife. But she was not the woman he had fallen in love with and he needed to understand that. She didn't look like the same woman, not even remotely. And although he basically looked the same, she knew deep down that he wasn't the same. Over the years they had changed on the outside as well as the inside; their values, their ideals and the very things that had made them fall in love. For the past five years she had lived alone, without a man in her life, without sharing a relationship with one. She looked forward to loving and caring for her baby but she wasn't sure she wanted to deal with an overbearing male, even one that she loved as much as she loved Drake. They would drive each other crazy hi no time.

"Let's talk about Hawk," she said, deciding it was safer to go there. Besides, the sooner Drake knew what they were UP against, the better. She had kept things from him long enough.

"Hawk is pretty positive that Cross is behind what's going on," she said, uncurling from her position on the sofa and turning toward him. "But he doesn't mink the reason Cross is after me is because he's found out that Sandy is alive. Hawk thinks your earlier assumption is correct and that Cross is after me because of your interest in me."

Tori inhaled deeply before continuing. "It seems you were also right about something else."

Drake raised a brow. "What?"

"Rangel didn't waste me because he'd been ordered to bring me to Cross alive. According to an informant, Cross planned to torture me and send you my leftover body parts to make you think twice about involving yourself seriously with another woman again."

She watched Drake flinch at the candid picture she had painted. She also saw the look of hard, cold anger that appeared in his eyes but he needed to know what they were dealing with. Cross may have kept a low profile over the past five years, but his mind had gotten even more demented.

"There's more," she said, after giving Drake what she'd felt was enough time to digest what she'd said.

"What?" His voice was as hard and cold as the look in his eyes.

An icy chill crept up Tori's spine and she was glad his anger wasn't directed at her. What she saw in Drake was deadly anger; the kind of anger she had never seen in him before. During their days in the marines, she had seen him get angry, but never to this degree.

"You threw a monkey wrench into Cross's plans when you grabbed me before Rangel. According to Hawk, Cross got furious and has hired someone to hunt us both down and bring us to him alive."

To Tori's surprise, Drake smiled. "Alive?"

"Yes."

"How is this person supposed to accomplish that, dealing with the likes of the two of us? We're not just ordinary people."

Tori shrugged and she couldn't help returning Drake's smile. He was one cocky, arrogant, son of a-

Suddenly they heard the sound of a vehicle pulling up and, like a flash, they were off the sofa with pistols raised. Ashton and Trevor had said they would be returning some time today, but neither Tori nor Drake intended to take any chances by assuming anything.

Drake quickly eased to one window while Tori covered another. "It's Trev and Ashton," Drake said, lowering his gun and shielding his eyes against the brilliance of the rising sun that was flooding through the window.

"Yeah, but who're the other two men with them?" Tori asked, deciding not to lower her gun just yet.

Drake glanced over at her and grinned. "The younger one is Alexander Maxwell, private investigator extraordinaire, and a friend. The older gentleman is Jacob Madaris."

Tori snapped her head around and looked back out the window. She then glanced back at Drake with disbelief on her face. "Jacob Madaris? The Jacob Madaris? Wealthy rancher, investment genius, husband to movie star Diamond Swain-Madaris?" she asked, lowering her gun.

Drake chuckled. "Oh, I guess you've heard of him?"

Tori rolled her eyes. "Who hasn't? The man is a good friend of the president, although they belong to different political parties."

Drake shrugged. "So what of it? They're both Texans."

Tori shook her head grinning, knowing that Drake might pretend the relationship between Jacob Madaris and the president wasn't such a big deal, but she knew that it was. Over the past five years, she might not have had much of a social life, but she had kept pretty well informed by reading newspapers and magazines. Even before Jacob Madaris's marriage to movie actress Diamond Swain became news, he'd been a man who had influence in high places.

She couldn't help but check out the two men. Both were extremely good-looking. Jacob Madaris was tall, every bit of six-feet-seven or taller. He had dark eyes, chestnut colored skin, hair-a succulent blend of black and gray, and a hard-muscled body. He looked mature and sexy as hell. Everything about him said Texan, from the jeans and western shirt he wore, to the Stetson he had taken off his head.

Alexander Maxwell, she noticed, was also tall, handsome, and sexy, and where Jacob Madaris displayed an innate roughness, Alex appeared more debonair, definitely a business type. He was impeccably dressed in a chambray shirt, blazer, and starched blue jeans.

"Why do you think Trev and Ash brought them here?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Probably as additional security. Alex has former FBI connections and Jake owns the land that surrounds this place, and the men who work for him are good. They would alert him if they noticed anything suspicious and we need all the help we can get; especially if Cross has sent his top gun to bring us in."

Drake put his gun back in the holster. "Also Jake Madaris's contacts are out of this world and those just might come in handy."

Tori put her gun back in her holster as well. "So in other words, we can trust them."

Drake nodded as he crossed the room to the door. "Yes, implicitly."

Trevor Grant was the first to enter the cabin and his gaze immediately went to Tori. Barely giving Drake a nod, he quickly crossed the room and pulled her into his arms.

"Ash told me," he whispered softly, hugging her tight. "I can't believe you're alive. God, how on earth did you manage?"

Tori felt herself getting emotional, but with Trevor she had no choice. He'd had a sister, just a few years younger than her, and had always treated Sandy like a big brother.

"It's okay, Trev, and I did manage," she said in a choked voice. "I learned to survive without you guys, although it wasn't easy."

He released her and smiled down at her and she knew that, as Ashton had done yesterday, he was looking for something that had remained the same, but was finding everything had changed. "Well, we're damn glad to have you back," he said. "So what will it be? Sandy or Tori?"

She glanced across the room at Drake before meeting Trevor's gaze. "Tori. I'm Tori now."

A huge smile touched Trevor's lips. "Good enough, Tori. Now let me introduce you to two men who want to help."

Taking her hand, he led her across the room to the two men Drake had indicated were Jacob Madaris and Alexander Maxwell.

Introductions were made and immediately Tori appreciated Drake, Ashton, Trevor, and their two friends.

"All right, Sir Drake, what do you think Cross's plans are?" Trevor asked as he leaned back in the chair. The kitchen had become a mini-office. Both Alex Maxwell and Jake Madaris had their laptops open. Jake's laptop monitor was displaying a computer map of all the land surrounding the cabin and was advising Drake and Tori as to what areas a vehicle could gain access without them knowing about it. He was also pointing out where, if there became a need, they could hide out and take refuge.

"If Cross wants you and Tori brought to him alive," Ash-ton was saying, "his guys might try using tranquilizer guns, so there are no mistakes, plus it's less messy."

Drake stopped his pacing. "Makes sense. Can't do much about a bullet wound… but is there any way to fight off the effects of a tranquilizer?"

"There's more than one kind of tranquilizer and the tough job is figuring out what type the men coming after you will be using," Alex said, leaning back in his chair. "If they are using the most sought-after brand on the black market today, then that's the one that's used mostly with animals, specifically livestock. However, I recall reading somewhere that there was a special antidote being tested that is supposed to counteract the serum that's used in most tranquilizer guns." He sat up straight in the chair. "Jake can explain that better than I can since he works with livestock."

Drake quickly crossed the room to Jacob Madaris. "Is that true, Jake? Is there an antidote that works against most tranquilizers?"

Jake slowly nodded. "Yes, but like Alex said, it's in the testing stages. It works more like a vaccine than an antidote in that it's injected into the body at least twelve hours before a hit might take place and stays in the system for only a limited amount of time, usually seventy-two hours. The good thing is that it's supposed to counteract most kinds of tranquilizers, but I haven't heard anything about it being tried on humans. I'd hate for you to be the first since it might be risky, Drake."

Drake shrugged. "Hey, what do I have to lose?"

"No!" The word was torn from Tori's lips before she could stop it. Everyone in the room turned to stare at her. "You heard what Jake said, Drake. It hasn't been tried on humans. You'll be placing yourself at risk."

He frowned. "And I'll be placing myself at risk if I don't try it. Someone is hunting us down and at least we have an advantage in knowing how he plans to do it. If there's a way that one of us can retain control of our capabilities and take him on, then I'm willing to give it a try."

"But what if it doesn't work? What if the antidote does more harm than good?"

He met her gaze. "Those are risks I'm willing to take."

Tori inhaled deeply. Over the past five years Drake had become a man without illusions; a man who thrived on taking risks. He didn't avoid danger, he embraced it. When he'd been a marine, he had a job to do, but he hadn't taken unnecessary risks. He hadn't been as hard, as unyielding; but not anymore. The years had changed him.

And she knew at that moment that the two of them could never have a future together. She would always love him, but when this incident with Cross was over, she would go her way and he would go his. That thought made a pain settle around her heart, but she knew there was no other way. She owed their child a normal life, not one filled with chaos and danger lurking around every corner.

"Then do what you think you must," she said, before turning to walk out the cabin.

Drake stared after her. He knew she was upset with his decision, but there was no other way. He would not sit and wait around for someone to hunt him down like some animal. And he'd be damned if he would continue to run. But more importantly, he would die before letting Cross or his men put a hand on Tori. He had nearly lost her before and didn't intend to lose her again.

"Are you sure about that antidote, Drake? Like I said, it's Pretty damn risky."

Drake slowly turned around and met Jake Madaris's intense stare. "If someone had placed Diamond's life in danger and there was a way, even a small chance, that you could protect her, even if it meant putting your own life at risk, would you do it?"

"Yes," Jake said, without hesitation. "I would do anything to protect the woman that I love."

Satisfied with Jake's answer, he glanced at the other three men in the room. He knew he could ask Trevor and Ashton the same question about Corinthians and Nettie and he would get the same response. And although Alex might not realize it yet, Drake was pretty sure the man was in love with Christy Madaris, so he felt certain he would get the same response from him as well.

Drake nodded. "And so would 1.1 would do anything to protect the woman that I love."

The Red Hunter smiled as he tracked Sinclair on his computer. Unknowingly, Sinclair had led them straight to Warren and Green's location. This job had been a piece of cake and he couldn't wait to tell Cross.

He pulled out his mobile phone and hit the power button and immediately punched in Cross's number. "Let me talk to Cross," he said to the person who had come on me line.