The Midnight Hour - Brenda Jackson [76]
She listened for the next hour while he told her about his home and just listening to him made her fall in love with it all over again… as well as with him. She would always love him, but the big question was whether or not he could still love her. She was different. She looked different. Could he handle the changes? Would he want to? But more importantly, did she even want him to? Would it be best when this was over for them to go their separate ways?
Something he said about being a loner caught her attention and as she reclined her seat back she knew that was true. Drake Warren was used to doing things alone. She remembered the exact point in time when Sandy had convinced him that he would never be alone again, and that she would always be there to share his life with him. They had been words freely spoken with all the sincerity of her heart. But less than a year after she had spoken them, both of their worlds had come tumbling down and in the end they had been forced to go their separate ways. Alone.
Solomon Cross's hand tightened on the phone. "You have good news for me, Red Hunter?"
"No, not yet, but I wanted to let you know that I'm getting close. I have everything set in place and have an idea just where they're headed. I just wanted to keep you posted. As soon as I have them I will let you know so we can make the exchange. I'm excited about getting that bonus."
Cross's eyes narrowed. "I never said anything about a bonus."
"But I'm sure you'd agree that they would be worth me getting one when I bring them to you."
Cross tried to hold back his temper. This man was a fool if he thought he could use Warren and the woman with him like dangling carrots. He was already getting paid well enough and Cross didn't intend to give him another cent. But now was not the time to let him know that. He would let him deliver Warren and the woman at the agreed drop-off point and then he would make sure Red Hunter got what was coming to him.
"Yes, maybe you're right. If you pull this off then you'd be most deserving of a little extra. Just keep in touch."
After hanging up the phone, Cross knew he would teach the Red Hunter a lesson in trying to pull one over on him.
Tori noticed when Drake pulled off the interstate and glanced over at him. He deciphered the question in her gaze and said, "We made better time than I thought we would. This road will take us to die cabin, but first I want to circle around a bit just to make sure we weren't followed."
She nodded, knowing they needed to take every precaution. A little more than a couple of hours later Drake turned off the highway and onto a dirt road where a sign was posted indicating Private Property.
It took them almost thirty minutes before they came to a small clearing where a huge cabin sat on a lake. Her breath caught when she saw a black truck parked out front, and standing beside it were two men whom she immediately recognized, Trevor Grant and Ashton Sinclair. When Drake brought the car to a stop she caught Ashton's astute gaze and knew he had recognized her-not as Sandy Carroll but as the woman who had pretended to be a doctor and entered Drake's hospital room that night.
She swallowed deeply. Hawk was right. Time had run out.
Ashton narrowed his eyes as he watched Drake and the woman get out of the car. He glanced at Drake and then back at Tori Green, and at that moment he knew Drake didn't have a clue that the woman he was putting his life on the line to protect was the same woman who had visited him in his hospital room.
Drake's angel. The same woman who had miraculously given Drake the will to live.
Ashton leaned against the door of his truck. His trained gaze was focused on the woman. He picked up on her nervousness when she met his gaze. His inner intuition, that same sixth sense that had kept him alive