Page 6 of Kane's Bounty
He dug in his bag, produced two US passports and a credit card he handed to the ticket agent.
She looked at them and started typing. “Mr. and Mrs. Johnston, I hope you have a wonderful trip. You may have time to call for a hotel room before you board, but you better go to the gate first.” She smiled and handed him back the passports and card.
Two boarding passes printed in the tray in front of him. He grabbed the papers and signed the credit card receipt. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. You’d better hurry.”
He nodded, took Lena’s hand and rushed toward security.
He handed her one boarding pass and a passport.
“Laurie Johnston?”
“Yup, Mr. and Mrs. John and Laurie Johnston.”
“This doesn’t look anything like me.”
He glanced down at the picture of a dark-haired, brown-eyed woman in her late twenties. “Close enough.”
She didn’t say more as they reached the security line and had to produce the ID and boarding passes. The agent looked at the picture and then at her before signing his initials and telling her to have a good trip.
The gate was at the other end of the terminal. By the time they reached it, the plane was boarding, and they were in first class, so they rushed right up to the attendant scanning boarding passes, made their way down the jet bridge and into seats 2A and 2B. He put his duffle under the seat in front of him and sat down in the roomy seat.
“Why are you doing this?”
He looked at her. Her eyes had dark rings under them and she stared at him. He had no idea how to answer her question. Why was he doing this? Why didn’t he just turn her over and forget about her? She was trouble, anyone could see that. “You need to get some sleep.”
“So do you,” she said. “Why are you doing this, or should I ask what are you doing?”
“I’m protecting my mark. You’re my responsibility until I turn you over to the courts.” It was only half a lie. She was his responsibility, but taking her out of the country to protect her from a slightly insane mercenary probably went beyond his purview.
Her full mouth turned up in a sad smile. “You should have turned me over to Banta.”
He leaned forward until his face was just a breath away from hers. “You’d be dead or worse if I had done that.”
“Wouldn’t be your problem. Wouldn’t be your fault.”
He couldn’t help himself, he drifted forward. His lips touched hers.What are you doing, Kane?It was a long, closed-mouth kiss. Her lips were soft and pliant. She didn’t move away or move in for more. Closing his eyes, he allowed himself a second to enjoy her essence. Then he pulled away and opened his eyes.
She smiled at him and he had no idea what she was thinking. Her mind was still sealed as if it was a steel trap.
“I don’t know why I did it. I couldn’t let you die. I’m breaking about ten different laws taking you out of the country.”
“Do you still plan to turn me in?”
He shrugged. “It’s my job.”
She frowned and turned away from him.
The cabin door closed and announcements were being made as they started to pull away from the gate. He didn’t know why he wanted to protect Lena Cruz, but he could not have turned her over to an animal like Banta. The thought of him touching her made Kane’s skin crawl.
“Get some sleep, Lena. When we’re in the air, we can talk and you can tell me why everyone is so keen on getting to you.”
Her frown deepened, but she turned toward the window and closed her eyes.
