battle, but evidently Morgan saw a killer instinct in the guy, otherwise he wouldn’t have taken him on.
Luke was the opposite of Ethan. Sexy as sin, most women would say. He’d been tapping his foot during the entire flight, as if he couldn’t wait to go off and do something exciting. A bundle of energy, and though he’d barely said two words to her, she’d caught him checking her out several times. She suspected he was the ladies’ man of the group.
And then there was Kane. The only one she hadn’t gotten a handle on. He was obviously in charge in Morgan’s absence, and seemed completely comfortable in the role of leader. Easygoing on the surface, but with adeadly air to him. Like D, there was anger in him, but he hid it with sarcastic remarks and dry grins, unlike D, who simply looked like he wanted to strangle someone all the time.
“This is Morgan’s place?” Abby asked as D drove through the gate and parked the vehicle a few yards from the main house. The house was enormous but nondescript. Stucco and brick with a large flight of stairs leading to a pillared entrance.
“Yep,” Ethan confirmed.
“Another safe house?”
Kane spared her a glance as he hopped out of the Jeep. “Actually, we live here.”
Her mouth twisted in a sardonic smile. “Do you boys have slumber parties every night?”
“Funny. Morgan didn’t tell us you were a comedian.” Without a backward look, he strode toward the house, his faded jeans and navy blue T-shirt clinging to his lean frame. D marched after him, shaved head gleaming in the afternoon sun.
“Don’t mind him,” Ethan said. “Cute and cuddly isn’t in Kane’s nature.”
“No, I don’t suppose it is.” She decided to take advantage of Kane’s being out of sight and said, “How long have you worked for Morgan?”
“About two years.” He smiled endearingly. “I’m the rookie.” He swiftly changed the subject. “Can you walk?”
She took a tentative step forward and swallowed when her body ached in protest. “Probably not.”
Infinitely gentle, he wrapped one muscular arm around her shoulder and helped her across the dusty earth toward the house, while Luke stayed behind to unload the Jeep. Ethan half carried her up the front steps,and she winced as her shirt brushed against the welts on her back. Her head was starting to clear, though. She didn’t feel as light-headed as before, and that showed improvement. Now all she needed was for her ribs to stop feeling as if they’d been scraped raw. A few days of rest would help speed the healing process along, and then she could make plans to get back to Colombia to finish her mission. How long had she been in the safe house? One day, she figured. Which meant she had eleven days until the auction. Eleven days to find a way out of here, return to Colombia, and rescue those girls.
“Is Noelle here?” she asked, glancing around the front hall. She was surprised by the elegance of the space. Gorgeous landscapes covered the off-white walls, bringing an air of peace and charm, and a skylight above allowed sunshine to stream into the house.
“She went into town,” came Kane’s voice. “She left word with Lloyd that she’ll be back in a few hours.”
“Lloyd?” Abby echoed.
“Our housekeeper.”
She raised one brow. “Your housekeeper is male?”
“Yep. He’s a great guy,” Ethan said. “You’ll like him.”
He was about to say more when a blur of brown and black burst into the hall and Abby found herself staring at a huge German shepherd with oddly floppy ears. Her gaze connected with the liquid brown eyes of the dog, who snarled when he saw her.
“And this is Bear,” Kane said with a grin. “Don’t be offended. He doesn’t usually like strang—”
A loud whine interrupted. The dog was suddenly at Abby’s side, rubbing his nose against her leg. Bear stared up at her, unblinking, then shifted his head toward Kane and Ethan and let out a deep growl.
Both men raised their
Luke was the opposite of Ethan. Sexy as sin, most women would say. He’d been tapping his foot during the entire flight, as if he couldn’t wait to go off and do something exciting. A bundle of energy, and though he’d barely said two words to her, she’d caught him checking her out several times. She suspected he was the ladies’ man of the group.
And then there was Kane. The only one she hadn’t gotten a handle on. He was obviously in charge in Morgan’s absence, and seemed completely comfortable in the role of leader. Easygoing on the surface, but with adeadly air to him. Like D, there was anger in him, but he hid it with sarcastic remarks and dry grins, unlike D, who simply looked like he wanted to strangle someone all the time.
“This is Morgan’s place?” Abby asked as D drove through the gate and parked the vehicle a few yards from the main house. The house was enormous but nondescript. Stucco and brick with a large flight of stairs leading to a pillared entrance.
“Yep,” Ethan confirmed.
“Another safe house?”
Kane spared her a glance as he hopped out of the Jeep. “Actually, we live here.”
Her mouth twisted in a sardonic smile. “Do you boys have slumber parties every night?”
“Funny. Morgan didn’t tell us you were a comedian.” Without a backward look, he strode toward the house, his faded jeans and navy blue T-shirt clinging to his lean frame. D marched after him, shaved head gleaming in the afternoon sun.
“Don’t mind him,” Ethan said. “Cute and cuddly isn’t in Kane’s nature.”
“No, I don’t suppose it is.” She decided to take advantage of Kane’s being out of sight and said, “How long have you worked for Morgan?”
“About two years.” He smiled endearingly. “I’m the rookie.” He swiftly changed the subject. “Can you walk?”
She took a tentative step forward and swallowed when her body ached in protest. “Probably not.”
Infinitely gentle, he wrapped one muscular arm around her shoulder and helped her across the dusty earth toward the house, while Luke stayed behind to unload the Jeep. Ethan half carried her up the front steps,and she winced as her shirt brushed against the welts on her back. Her head was starting to clear, though. She didn’t feel as light-headed as before, and that showed improvement. Now all she needed was for her ribs to stop feeling as if they’d been scraped raw. A few days of rest would help speed the healing process along, and then she could make plans to get back to Colombia to finish her mission. How long had she been in the safe house? One day, she figured. Which meant she had eleven days until the auction. Eleven days to find a way out of here, return to Colombia, and rescue those girls.
“Is Noelle here?” she asked, glancing around the front hall. She was surprised by the elegance of the space. Gorgeous landscapes covered the off-white walls, bringing an air of peace and charm, and a skylight above allowed sunshine to stream into the house.
“She went into town,” came Kane’s voice. “She left word with Lloyd that she’ll be back in a few hours.”
“Lloyd?” Abby echoed.
“Our housekeeper.”
She raised one brow. “Your housekeeper is male?”
“Yep. He’s a great guy,” Ethan said. “You’ll like him.”
He was about to say more when a blur of brown and black burst into the hall and Abby found herself staring at a huge German shepherd with oddly floppy ears. Her gaze connected with the liquid brown eyes of the dog, who snarled when he saw her.
“And this is Bear,” Kane said with a grin. “Don’t be offended. He doesn’t usually like strang—”
A loud whine interrupted. The dog was suddenly at Abby’s side, rubbing his nose against her leg. Bear stared up at her, unblinking, then shifted his head toward Kane and Ethan and let out a deep growl.
Both men raised their
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