The Midnight Hour - Brenda Jackson [74]
Their eyes met. Drake felt that same awareness of her; the one that would strike him full force in the chest whenever he gazed into the darkness of her eyes. He struggled for breath and for control. From the one time that they'd made love he still knew the signs. It was there in her gaze. The uncertainty. The caution. The desire. Heated desire.
"Drake?"
He blinked, immediately becoming aware of their surroundings again, as well as the fact that he hadn't answered her question. "I want to make it there before nightfall," he said, his voice deep and unruffled. "Trevor and Ashton are setting up this cabin for us to stay in for a day or so until we can decide our next move. I think we should stop hiding and go after the bastards and let them become the hunted for a while. But first we have to identify just who they are. Although everything is pointing his way, we still don't know for certain that Solomon Cross is behind this and we can't assume anything."
Tori forced her gaze from his. There was no assumption about it, Cross was behind it and she knew that she would have to tell Drake just as Hawk had said. Only then could he fully prepare for the fight they had on their hands. For all she knew, Cross had targeted them for death and had dispersed a hit squad to take care of things.
Panicking at the thought of the danger she had placed Drake in, she sighed deeply. There was also the thought that once he saw her, Ashton Sinclair would immediately re member her as the woman who had pretended to be a doc tor that night. Her hands suddenly felt cold thinking about the mess she was in.
And it didn't help matters whenever she looked at Dr and saw the raw, naked look of sexual hunger in his eyes. When she had awakened this morning and had glanced across the room, he was up already, sitting at the computer and staring at her.
"Then I guess we should get going if we want to make that deadline," she said. Rubbing her hands together, she stood.
Drake also stood and reached out and captured her hands in his. "Your hands are cold," he whispered softly, coming around the table and stepping closer to her. "Are you okay?"
She tipped her head back, met his gaze and nodded. "Yes, I'm fine."
She had lied. She wouldn't be fine until this nightmare was over.
Tori's phone vibrated and while Drake paid for their meal, she told him she needed to go to the ladies' room. Once inside a stall she returned Hawk's call.
"Hawk, this is Tori."
"Time has run out, Tori. I just talked to Lucille last night and she shared information as to what's going on. Casey heard from an informant that Cross has sent someone else to take care of Rangel's screwup and the person has a reputation for getting the job done. Cross wants you and Drake brought to him alive."
Tori arched an eyebrow. "Alive?"
"Yes, alive, so knowing how he feels about Drake, you can imagine what that means."
Tori nodded. She didn't have to imagine.
"And it's my understanding that Chisholm's department has been called in. He and Casey are willing to let you and Drake be used as bait to lead them to Cross."
"What!"
"Yes," he said. He hated to be the one to tell her, but she needed to know that the same agency she had dedicated her life to for the past five years was willing to use her and Drake to bring a wanted man to justice. "So you can't trust Casey to help you."
Hawk sighed deeply, angrily. "Drake has to be told, Tori. There's no longer a reason to keep him in the dark. It's too dangerous for the both of you. Either you tell him everything or I will."
Tori didn't say anything for a long moment as she tried to come to grips with everything Hawk had told her. "All right, but I want to be the one to tell Drake the truth about who I am, Hawk. He deserves to hear it from me. We're on our way to a place near Houston; a cabin owned by Trevor where we'll be hiding out for a couple of days. We should be there by the end of the day. I'll tell him when we get there."
"And will you call me after you do?"
"Yes, either Drake