Page 24 of Winter's Heart
“You’re so damn beautiful,” he breathed into her ear.
This time they made sure they did everything in complete silence, not wanting to give those FBI voyeurs anything.The cop part of Jacob knew the agents were merely doing their job, but it was still sick that someone would listen in on the intimate act of lovemaking, and so they delighted in giving nothing away.Having sex while being completely silent was new for him, and it added a certain edge, was perhaps even hotter than letting it all go.At one stage, Nikki covered her mouth with her own hand to stop herself from crying out, and that sent him into spirals of ecstasy as he stared down into her eyes, watching as she climaxed without uttering a sound.
Afterward, she lay in his arms, her breathing becoming slow and rhythmic.But he couldn’t sleep.Instead, he studied Nikki in the sliver of light escaping through the curtains.He ran a gentle hand down the curve of her spine and over hips that jutted slightly.She was still thin—she’d told him later on in their frank discussion about commitment and ex-partners, that after her breakup with her ex, she’d lost weight due to stress.But she was stunning to him.Because it was her inner strength and compassion that called to him as much as her soft skin and wide, blue eyes.This woman made him feel like he was teetering on the very edge.Which scared him silly.But was exhilarating at the same time.
She was tough and resilient, determined to bring down this Chinese company that had killed her friends.Nikki’s readiness to fight back caused his chest to swell with pride.The way she stubbornly refused to give up.But a small part of him wished she were a little more afraid.Because if she kept pushing, then she very well might end up dead.And that was one thing he couldn’t bear to think of.Couldn’t bear the thought of this world without her in it.Of her not being here, by his side.Which was confusing and a tad terrifying.
Whatever was between them was real, as real as he’d ever felt it.
Nikki twitched and then woke with a start.
“Oh, sorry, I was dreaming,” she mumbled into his neck.He pulled her in closer.
She snuggled into him for a few seconds before suddenly pulling away.“Oh, I should check the—” She stopped herself just in time before she uttered the word iPad.
Reluctantly, he released her, but then enjoyed the sight of her climbing nude out of the bed.She hopped back in; the iPad clutched to her chest as she propped herself up on a pile of pillows.A sickly green glow lit up her gorgeous face as she opened the device.He sat up, watching her apprehensively.He saw the exact second she knew Russell had replied as her lips curled into a congratulatory smile, her eyes dancing with delight.She turned the screen so they could both read the email.
It was everything they’d hoped for and more.It seemed Russell was a man of conviction.He was going to help them.Jacob’s mind immediately switched into analytical mode.This guy was going to be putting himself in danger.As were they all.So, he needed to make sure he got every detail planned down to the minutest detail, to keep them all safe.
* * *
Jacob stood on the front doorstep, toe to toe with Sabitino, Nikki straining like a dog on a leash to get past him.This was all part of the plan, but he wished Nikki wasn’t playing her part quite so convincingly.If she pushed him any harder, he might have to physically restrain her.Miller wasn’t anywhere to be seen, which was good.Two against one seemed to be a pretty fair fight.Weak morning sunlight washed over the porch, but the air was still icy, raising goosebumps on Jacob’s bare arms, and he regretted he hadn’t stopped to put on a jacket before opening the door.
“You need to let us out of here,” he snarled.Sabitino was a few inches taller than Jacob, and it galled him he had to look up at the man.“You’re violating our constitutional rights by keeping us here.”
“Like I said, we’re only trying to keep you safe,” Sabitino retorted.The smug expression on Sabitino’s face was turning the low simmering anger in Jacob’s gut into a raging inferno.But he needed to maintain his cool.
“Bullshit you are,” Nikki spat from behind Jacob’s shoulder.She pushed against him, and he rocked on the balls of his feet before he leaned back into her; she was stronger than she looked.“You have to give me my computer and phone, you bastards.”The pitch of Nikki’s voice was rising, with a touch of hysteria in her tone.“I need to get out of here.You must let me go.”
This time, Jacob stumbled forward a step as she pushed him again.Without taking his eyes off the agent in front of him, he half-turned so he could wrap his arms around Nikki.“It’s okay.Let me handle this,” he said firmly, but there was no need to act this time, because now he was worried she might just go barging out there, or even make a run for it down the steps and out of the front yard.But then he spotted Miller at the end of the driveway as she stepped out from behind a large shrubbery and turned to look at them.
“No, these stupid assholes need to let us go.Tell them I don’t want their stupid protection anymore,” Nikki yelled, her voice loud enough to carry into the road.The agents wouldn’t like the fact that she was making a scene.They would want to avoid attracting any attention, especially if they were conducting a sham operation, which Jacob suspected they were.
Sabitino narrowed his eyes and leaned forward.“All right, lady.Calm down.No need to get carried away.”His words were muttered through clenched teeth, confirming Jacob’s idea that he wanted to keep her quiet.
“No, I won’t.They can’t keep us here.They’re not really FBI agents.I don’t believe a word they’re saying.”She continued to rant.Jacob risked a glance at her face and saw actual tears in her eyes.She was taking this little showdown to heart.Then she shoved him so hard that he collided with Sabitino, who took three rapid steps backward, to the railing at the edge of the porch, his face suffusing with red.
“You both need to stop this right now,” the agent snarled, the threat clear in his voice.Jacob heard Sabitino, but he was too busy trying to wrestle Nikki through the doorway to keep an eye on him.Nikki was doing a great job, but this was getting a little out of hand.He pushed her back gently, not wanting to hurt her, but she darted past him, and he only just snagged her around the waist in time before she flew at the FBI agent like an enraged lioness.Grunting with the effort, Jacob hauled her backward, shoving her inside.They’d come up with this plan late last night after receiving the reply from Russell, and up til now it was working well, but Nikki needed to take it down a notch or two before — “Agent Sabitino, stand down.”It was Miller, Jacob could see her ascending the front steps out of the corner of his eye.Nikki suddenly stopped fighting him, her eyes going wide as she stared over his shoulder, and he pivoted in time to see Sabitino with his gun drawn, aimed straight at Jacob’s head.
“What the fu—?”He turned and braced his body in the doorway facing Sabitino, forcing Nikki behind him.Jacob had pegged Sabitino as an arrogant hot-head, but even he had miscalculated this kind of overreaction.The other man had escalated the situation faster than Jacob could’ve imagined.A gunshot in this quiet neighborhood would arouse unwanted scrutiny, more so that just a few raised voices.He wondered why such a trigger-happy agent was even tolerated in the FBI.Surely they were taught to keep a cool head in this kind of circumstance.
“Stand down, Sabitino,” Miller said again, her tone deep and authoritative.Her hand rested on the gun holster at her hip, her focus all on Sabitino as she ignored Nikki and Jacob.It was clear to Jacob that Miller would draw her gun on her partner if he didn’t do as she commanded.The air sparked with tension as Sabitino continued to stare at Jacob, open hostility plain on his face.Then his mouth cracked with an insolent smile that didn’t quite make it to his eyes as he holstered his weapon.
“What’s going on here?”Miller asked, her fierce gaze flicking between him and Sabitino, her hand slowly dropping away from her holster.
“They were trying to break out of the house,” Sabitino said, lowering his bushy eyebrows and flicking an imaginary piece of dust from his dark sports jacket.
“Were not,” Nikki sputtered from behind him.“We were just telling him you can’t keep us here without our consent.It’s called kidnapping, and—”
“We want to see Linstead,” Jacob cut in before Nikki could add any more fuel to the fire.“Make it happen,” he said, gaze narrowing in on the female agent.“Or else.”He wasn’t sure whator elsemeant, but she needed to know he wasn’t joking.She would get the message through.The big oaf Sabitino just wanted to fight.But Miller had the intelligence and the foresight to recognize when to capitulate.And when to bring in the big guns.
“I’ll talk to him,” Miller agreed, her lips forming a firm line of resolution.
“Make it today.Soon,” Jacob shot back at her, meeting her dark gaze with his own.She gave an infinitesimal nod of her head, and Jacob knew they’d won this round.Without another word, he bustled Nikki inside the house and slammed the door in the agent’s faces.
“What the hell was that?”he mouthed silently at her as they stood in the dim hallway, his back toward the video camera.
She shrugged and whispered, “Improvisation.I thought I was pretty good.”
