The Midnight Hour - Brenda Jackson [50]
"I asked what are you doing here, Drake?"
It was more the terror in Tori's expression that made Drake come to a stop than the gun she held in her hand. She was terrorized but he knew hell would freeze over before she would let it show. She also appeared confused. "Put the gun down, Tori. You saw what I did to the driver in that car," he said, indicating the vehicle that was still burning. "I'm not the enemy. I'm here to help you so put your gun down."
Instead of putting the gun down she gripped the weapon tighter. "No. Answer me. What are you doing here?"
Drake ran a hand down his face, getting madder than hell. He was trying to understand her position. Someone had tried taking her out tonight and that would give her a reason to doubt him or anyone else. But still the idea that she thought that he would harm her hurt like hell. "Hawk."
She raised a dubious brow and the hard line of her mouth relaxed somewhat. "Hawk?"
"Yes."
She raised the gun a little higher and kept it aimed at him. "Now I know you're lying because I talked to Hawk less than a couple of hours ago and he didn't mention anything about you coming here."
Drake's eyes narrowed. "I know that, dammit. He called me after talking to you. He said you might need my help and evidently you did."
She met his gaze. "I didn't need your help. I could have handled things."
"Bullshit."
She shrugged. So maybe it was. But still… "How did you know where to find me?"
Drake almost smiled. Almost. He still didn't like the fact that she doubted him. "I hired a private investigator."
Tori frowned. "I tried covering my tracks."
"Well, you did a piss-poor job of doing so." Drake then glanced around. "Look, with that car burning to a crisp, we need to get the hell out of here. I don't want to hang around for the cops to ask questions."
Neither did she.
"You can follow me back to the hotel and call Hawk from there to verify my story, or better yet you get him on your mobile phone. But whatever you do let's get the hell out of here. Now!"
Without saying another word Drake got back inside his SUV, started the ignition and pulled off. Knowing Drake had the right idea, she lowered her gun and quickly got back into her car. She fastened her seat belt and began following behind him as she punched in Hawk's number.
"Tori?"
"Yes, it's me, Hawk. Drake's here."
There was a slight pause. "Yes, I know."
She said nothing for a time, then, "But why?"
She heard Hawk draw a deep breath. "Because he's the only man I trust to help you, so let him."
Tori struggled to ignore the pounding of her heart as she followed Drake. She blinked her eyes several times, almost finding it impossible to believe that he was actually here. After they made it across the Bay Bridge she kept up with him on Interstate 580. A few miles later he exited and she followed as he pulled into a hotel parking lot.
She parked in the space next to his and watched as he got out and came around the truck and stopped. "May I approach or do you still want to put a damn hole in me?"
She flinched. Although he had tried to tease, there was a twist to his lips and she knew that her doubting him had rubbed him the wrong way. "I talked to Hawk. You're safe."
He glanced around. "I may be safe but this place isn't. We need to get the hell out of this area as soon as possible. Come inside while I repack my stuff so we can head out. We'll leave the truck and take your car. While going across the Bay Bridge I called Hawk and gave him the license plate of that car following you. He's contacting the local FBI to fill them in on what happened. I also told him we would leave the truck here and take your car. He'll use his old contacts