and pried it open. Sierra lay in the small, cramped closet, feet bound, mouth duct-taped, her shirt splayed open, and blood trickling from a carving of the infinity symbol on her upper left breast.
Her eyes widened.
“Got her,” he said into his comm. He knelt beside her, tugging her shirt closed and slicing through her bindings with his Bowie. “You’re one tough woman to find.”
Her body trembled, and she shrank from his touch.
“Easy does it.” As carefully as he could, he pulled off the tape. “Can you walk?”
“I can try,” her husky voice croaked. She swiped at her eyes and fought to sit up.
“We can’t wait to find out.” He scooped her into his arms and pushed out of her tiny prison. He bolted toward the door. She clung to his neck. A few feet from the exit a loud explosion shuddered the building. Smoke billowed at him, rolling in the waves of a nightmare.
Visibility went nil.
Rafe felt for the handle of the door and clutched the metal. He yanked it open. The ground shook beneath him. Legs pumping hard, he carried Sierra as far as he could.
They wouldn’t make it.
The building pancaked behind them, a sonic boom knocking him off his feet. The force slammed them to the ground.
He landed on top of her, and she grunted at the force of his weight. Before he could check on her injuries, a deluge of debris shot out with the force of an artillery bombardment. Rafe shielded her with his body, hoping his Kevlar was enough protection. Dirt, dust, metal and glass battered them both, pummeling them as if they’d been tossed into the heart of a tornado.
The world had turned to hell, and he had no idea if they’d survive or end up buried alive.
Archimedes might very well get exactly what he wanted.
* * *
THE MOTEL ROOM was a dump. Clean, but still a dump. Rafe lay on the rickety, regular-size bed and stared at the water-stained ceiling, his Kimber within reach on the bedside table. A glint of early-morning light peeked between the cheap blinds, providing just enough visibility for Rafe to study, yet again, the odd patterns the discolorations had created. He needed the distraction.
His body thrummed with tension, with unrelenting longing. Sometime during her sleep, Sierra Bradford had worked her way across the too-small bed and settled on top of him, her soft, toasty body pinning his legs and chest to the mattress.
Nestled against him, she was killing him with every curve, every inch of flesh. Her warm, even breath burned a hole in his chest. Her brown hair, luxurious to the touch, cascaded over his shoulder. The clean soap and hint of lilac lotion she favored danced a seduction on his senses.
Just one small movement of his hand and he could caress her silky skin. He didn’t know how much longer he could take the torture.
He fisted the rough sheets and closed his eyes against the temptation. He wanted to groan aloud, wrap her in his arms and lose himself in her. He longed to touch her, hold her, kiss her, make love to her.
Plain and simple, he wanted her. Bad. Even if he tried, his body refused to hide his need. The moment she stirred, she’d feel him. And there wasn’t a thing he could do about it, short of getting out of this bed.
And damned if Rafe could force himself to move. Even if he should.
He could tick off a hundred reasons he shouldn’t allow himself to give in to the urge. Sierra deserved a forever kind of man, a forever kind of love. The kind Noah had found with Lyssa. The kind her brother Mitch shared with his wife, Emily.
Not a man whose scars—both inside and out—made him damaged goods.
Rafe breathed in deep and slow, taking in every scent, every touch, burning the memory of the moment into his brain for the long, lonely nights to come. He’d never imagined he’d be this close to her. But here they were. Together. In a small room, in a small bed, with nowhere to go.
Every minute for the last forty-eight hours he’d hoped Sierra would reveal a flaw, something that would drag him down to earth, prove that the dreams she’d inspired since they’d met were unrealistic and impossible fantasies.
His prayers had gone unanswered. She was everything he’d imagined. Brilliant, resourceful, courageous, and passionate in her loyalty and love for her family.
He’d only identified two imperfections. She was Noah’s sister, and the woman was the most stubborn and tenacious person he’d ever met. Rafe had practically had to sit on her since they’d arrived to keep her in this room, safe and sound.
Unable to go to a hospital for fear Archimedes would discover she had survived, he’d treated her wounds and located this out-of-the-way motel that would take cash only.
Two solid days had passed since the explosion. The wait was grinding on both of them, but they were stuck here until Noah caught Archimedes. Personally, Rafe hoped his best friend killed the murdering psycho.
Until then, Rafe was trapped. With a woman who challenged and attracted and intrigued him more than anyone since... Rafe shoved aside the comparison. He couldn’t dwell on what he couldn’t change. Only learn from it.
Sierra shifted on top of him. His entire body turned rigid. He fought back his shuddering response. Maybe she’d move off, and he could escape into the tiny bathroom for an ice-cold shower before she realized—
A small moan escaped her, a whimper. She trembled, her nails biting into his chest.
Oh, Sierra.
He glanced down at her face, the long lashes resting against shadowed eyes, frantic movement just beneath her eyelids. He recognized the signs.
Another nightmare.
She dug her nails deeper into his skin. “Please, no. Please don’t.”
Rafe wrapped his arms around her. “Shh,” he whispered, rubbing her back, careful not to jar her injured shoulder. “You’re safe.”
Sierra shook her head and with a sleep-limp fist pummeled his chest. “Rafe!” she shouted. “Help me!”
“I’m here. I’m not letting you go.” He cupped her cheeks, stroking the smooth skin. “Wake up, darlin’. Let me see those baby blues.”
She squeezed them shut even tighter. Obstinate even in the midst of a nightmare.
“Come on, Sierra.” She was entangled fiercely in a memory, and he tried to tell her it was only a dream. “He won’t hurt you. Not ever again.” His thumb traced the pale translucence of her skin. She’d been through so much.
Her eyelids snapped open, expression foggy with sleep.
“Good morning,” he said, his voice gravelly and deep.
She blinked. She moved her leg slightly against his hip. Her eyes widened; her cheeks reddened.
The pulse at the base of her throat accelerated. Her pupils dilated.
She
