Maya Banks - Hidden Away

She levered up and over him and stared down into his eyes as earnestly as she knew how.

“No matter what happens, I wanted you to know that you are the most special man I’ve ever met. I’ll never forget you. I’ll never forget our time together. I never considered that I’d be able to trust someone again. Somehow you made it easy. You made it second nature. I didn’t even have to think about it long. You just snuck past my defenses and you made yourself at home.”

She kissed him warmly, pressing her mouth softly to his. “I love you,” she whispered again. “So much I ache. Thank you for helping me take back everything Allen and Stanley Cross took from me.”

Garrett gathered her in his arms and squeezed her so tightly she couldn’t breathe. “Sarah, I—”

The door burst open and Garrett rolled Sarah underneath him to shield her from view.

“What the fuck?” Garrett roared.

Rio stood in the doorway, his expression grim.

“We have to move. The whole damn jungle is on fire and we’re in its path.”

GARRETT pushed himself from the bed and yanked up the sheets to cover Sarah. He strode naked to the door where Rio stood. “Tell me.”

“Big fire. It’s moving rapidly in our direction. The smoke’s made using the helicopter impossible. We’ll have to go by boat. Meet at the trucks in five. We’re moving out.”

Garrett cursed and turned in the direction of the bed, where Sarah sat up, the covers pulled to her chin. Her eyes were wide and concerned and her fingers were white against the sheets.

“Get up and get dressed, honey. We’ve got to move fast.”

She scrambled out of bed and ran to the drawers to yank out her clothing.

“Get what you can stuff into your bag. Leave everything else. We don’t have time,” he said as he pulled on his jeans.

While she thrust items into her bag, Garrett retrieved his holster and shoved his Glock into it. He threw the strap of his rifle over his shoulder and patted his pockets for his knife.

“I’m ready,” Sarah said in a remarkably steady voice.

He kissed her forehead and then thrust her into the hall ahead of him. They hurried down the hall, through the living room and to the garage where Rio and the others waited.

“Steele and his team are covering our exit. Then they’ll rendezvous with us at the river,” Rio said as they piled into the two trucks.

As soon as they burst from the dark garage, Garrett saw the hazy film of smoke in the air and the smell of scorched earth assaulted his nostrils. In the distance, the sky was blocked by a film of dark smoke and as they rounded the corner of Rio’s drive, they got a glimpse of orange flames shooting skyward.

Rio accelerated as they lurched from his smoother drive onto the rough, narrow roadway that would take them to the river. They roared over bumps and holes and Garrett’s grip tightened around Sarah so she wouldn’t hurt herself or land on the floor.

The river was visible ahead when suddenly two dark SUVs pulled directly in front of their vehicle and blocked the road. Rio slammed on the brakes, fishtailed sideways and in the same instant, jammed it into reverse and gunned the motor. Rio turned to look over his shoulder as he steered with his left hand and roared backward down the path they’d come.

Garrett shoved Sarah to the floor and drew his weapon as Terrance did the same. The other SUV that occupied the rest of Rio’s men was racing backward just behind Rio. The two vehicles were nearly back to the main road when yet more SUVs pulled onto the path to block them.

“Son of a bitch,” Rio swore. “I knew this was a setup!”

He braked, jammed the gearshift into drive and started forward again. They were nearly to the first vehicles that had blocked them when an explosion sounded and the vehicle careened wildly to the right. Rio fought for control and managed to reign the vehicle in but too late, they rolled to a stop against a tree.

The vehicle lurched on impact, throwing Garrett against the passenger seat.

“Sarah!” he barked. “Are you okay? Stay down.”

“I’m fine,” she returned.

“Fuckers shot out our tire,” Rio bit out.

“Fuck,” Terrance muttered.

Garrett looked up to see what Terrance was swearing over only to find five heavily armed men just outside the vehicle, their rifles all pointed directly at them. One motioned with his rifle for them to get out.

“Fuck,” Garrett echoed.

Rio raised his hands from the steering wheel. “I hope to fuck Steele and company make it here fast. As much as it pains me to say, they’re going to have to get our asses out of this one.”

“Garrett?”

Sarah’s fear-filled voice rose from her position on the floorboard.

“Come up, Sarah,” Garrett said. “Slowly. Don’t make any sudden movements. When we get out I want you to stay behind me and Rio at all times. Understand?”

She nodded as she slowly climbed onto the seat.

Terrance opened his door and slowly got out. Rio followed suit and then Garrett carefully got out on his side and then motioned for Sarah. He gripped her wrist and pulled her out but was careful to tuck her behind his back as he turned to face their threat.

Behind them, the rest of Rio’s team got out of their trucks and closed ranks around Sarah from behind. Garrett could feel Sarah shaking against him and he squeezed her reassuringly.

Several feet ahead of the men holding them at gunpoint, another person got out of one of the vehicles. When he turned in Garrett’s direction, instant recognition flashed through Garrett’s mind.

Marcus Lattimer slid the shades from his eyes and stared coldly in Garrett’s direction as he slowly walked toward him.

Garrett’s grip tightened around Sarah.

“Sarah, come out here,” Marcus called softly as if he had no desire to frighten her either.

Sarah stiffened against Garrett’s back and then cautiously she stuck her head around Garrett. “Marcus?” she whispered.

“Are you all right?” Marcus demanded.

“Of course. Garrett has taken good care of me.”

“Come away from Garrett,” Marcus ordered. “He’s no friend, Sarah. He’s using you to get to me.”

Sarah took a step forward, but her face wrinkled in confusion. “I don’t understand. You hired him, Marcus. He’s only done the job you hired him to do. He’s protected me.”

Marcus held out his hand and as soon as Sarah took it, he yanked her to his side.

“He lied,” Marcus said shortly. “I didn’t hire him. He quite likely works for the U.S. government. He would have done whatever was necessary to draw me out, including hacking into your email and sending me messages to draw me out.”

Garrett’s stomach churned as Sarah only looked more confused.

“No, Marcus, you’re wrong. Garrett didn’t use me. He protected me. He ...” She trailed off when she turned haunted eyes on Garrett. He stared stoically at her and something died in Sarah’s expression. “It’s true?” she whispered as she stared dully at Garrett.

“No, it’s damn well not true,” Garrett growled.

“Then why did you tell me Marcus hired you? Marcus says he didn’t.”

Garrett wasn’t going to explain the whole goddamn thing here. He hoped to fuck that Steele and his team were moving in fast. It would be nice if for once Resnick was on tap at the right time.

“Your brother is a traitor,” Garrett spat.

Marcus lifted one brow even as he pulled Sarah closer to him. His hand slipped comfortingly over Sarah’s shoulder and squeezed reassuringly. At least the bastard seemed to genuinely care for Sarah. He wouldn’t hurt her.

“I remember you now,” Marcus said casually. “You were the Marine I shot in Libya.”

Garrett’s nostrils flared and he snarled in Marcus’s direction, “A lot of American soldiers lost their lives trying to save your ass.”

“I don’t recall asking your government to do anything,” Marcus said calmly.

Sarah looked between Garrett and Marcus, her confusion and hurt mounting by the minute. “What’s going on?” she croaked out.

Marcus turned gentle eyes on her. “I’m sorry, Sarah. I have many enemies. Men who would think nothing of stooping to using women in their war against me. I’m so sorry he got to you before I did. I wouldn’t have had you hurt for the world.”

She turned to Garrett for confirmation but his cold stare said it all. He hated Marcus. She glanced at Rio and to his men, all men who’d sworn to protect her. All the time they were using her to draw her brother out. The very thing she’d feared the most had come to pass. She had been used against Marcus. Only it wasn’t the judicial system as she’d feared. These were men who’d think nothing of killing her brother in cold blood. She’d led them directly to him.

Nausea welled in her stomach. She’d trusted Garrett as she’d never thought to trust another person. She’d made love to him. She’d given him everything and all along he was involved in some sick vendetta against her brother.

She’d told him she loved him.

“How could I have been so stupid?”

The whispered words came out in a painful rush. Garrett flinched and raised his glittering gaze to her. “Sarah—”

The ground exploded beside Sarah as dirt flew in all directions. The distant retort of a rifle shot echoed and she stood there, stunned as she stared down at the dirt all over her feet.

Garrett and Marcus both lunged for her at the same time, but Marcus was there first, leaping in front of her and turning her so she was trapped between him and the vehicle.

Marcus’s body lurched against her as another shot sounded and Marcus grunted in pain. She shoved at Marcus, wanting to see. The next thing she knew, Garrett had pulled her away from Marcus and flung her to the ground, his big body covering her as the world went crazy around her.