14

 

After dinner, Gage led Cara to the detached building he’d converted into a gym, to teach her a few defensive tactics. “The Coast Guard used this building for storage.” He flipped a switch and fluorescent bulbs illuminated a treadmill, various weightlifting equipment, and a large area covered in red and white gymnastics mats. “It was a chore getting these things delivered to the island.”

Cara spun in a circle as she took it all in. “All you’re missing is a boxing ring.”

Although the place could use some fresh air, Gage shut the door securing them inside, blocking off the ocean’s sounds. “Yeah, well, it’s not so easy boxing without a partner.”

“No. I suppose it wouldn’t be.” Compassion sparked in her sea-blue eyes. “There are a lot of things that can’t be done alone.”

“I’m OK with that.” But, as Gage spoke the words, his inner core ached for something he couldn’t explain. Rather than dwell too long on disconcerting thoughts, he turned his mind toward the task at hand.

In order to show Cara a few self-defense moves, he was going to have to put his hands on her, hold her close. She had changed into a pair of navy-colored sweat pants, and a matching tank top—both of which were appropriate for training, but the outfit accentuated her curves, and he had a difficult time not noticing.

Gage’s heart beat faster and he had no doubt the vein in his temple showed his racing pulse as his gaze roamed over her.

“Is what I’m wearing OK?” She plucked at her shirt, giving him a momentary glimpse of her smooth, narrow waist.

He couldn’t put two words together, so he nodded.

If he didn’t focus, Cara could end up without the knowledge necessary to fend off her would-be attackers. With that thought in mind, he stepped close and clamped his fingers around her thin wrist.

“Try to get away.”

Cara’s eyes widened, and then an understanding crossed her features. “You don’t waste any time, do you?” She tried to wrench away but her muscles were no match against his. “You’re too strong.” She yanked harder.

“Tell me to release you.” He held steady, keeping her within his control.

“Let go.”

He shook his head. “Say it louder. With more force.”

“Let me go!” She yelled as she twisted her arm.

“That’s better. Let your assailant know you won’t go with him without a fight.”

“I think I’ve made that clear.” She attempted to peel away his fingers with her other hand. His grip didn’t budge.

“I’m bigger and stronger. You won’t be able to pull away.”

“Then what do I do?”

“Bend low, lean in, and bring your elbow up against my forearm. I won’t be able to keep my hold on you.”

Cara did as instructed, and she slipped from his grasp. A triumphant smile crossed her lips. “I did it.”

The innocence in her smile and the light in her eyes lifted his spirits. “Yes, you did.”

As if his opinion mattered, Cara responded to his approval with an even wider smile.

His heart shifted as she touched him on a deeper level, a place he hadn’t allowed anyone access to in years. After Leah had bailed on him, and his run in with Mercado, he’d all but shut down. Having Cara breathe some of the life he’d lost back into him both refreshed and terrified him. How could he open himself up again? What kind of woman would want a partial man?

His leg throbbed as if a reminder of the man he would never be again.

Cara’s smile faded. “Are you all right?”

“That remains to be seen.” Before she could ask what he meant, he widened his stance. “Let’s try this again.”

Gage practiced the move with her several times, alternating sides until he was convinced she would remember what to do.

“I think I’ve got this one down.” She rubbed her wrists. “I hope the other moves don’t hurt so much.”

“Sorry. I prefer to take things slower.” He took her hands in his, smoothing his thumbs over her wrists. Warmth radiated from her swollen skin and guilt nudged him. “Do you want to stop?”

Determination shone in her gaze. “No. Show me something else.”

“All right.” He released her. “Think about my body’s vulnerabilities.”

She looked at him as if he’d lost his mind. “There’s not much about you that’s vulnerable. Except for…you know…” She glanced at his groin area and color rose to her cheeks.

“That’s a given. Now, think of another area you can target.”

She thought a moment, and tucked stray strands of hair behind an ear. “Your eyes?”

“Yes. And ears. Boxing the eardrums can throw a guy off balance. The nose is a good spot as well. Use your palm to ram upwards against it.” He took her hand and demonstrated the move in slow motion.

“Anything else?” She looked eager, as if soaking in his words.

“The throat is vulnerable. Straighten your fingers and press here.” He took up her hand and placed her fingers on his throat. “Press down on the jugular notch. It produces a gagging reflex almost instantly.”

“Like this?” She applied a little pressure.

“Yes, but in a real situation, you’d want to use a lot more force.” He gave Cara a moment to take it all in before he circled behind her and wrapped an arm around her neck. “You may not see your attacker coming. Use your elbows and knees as weapons.”

She elbowed him in the gut.

“Good. But, I’ve still got you in a choke hold. Swing your arm around like this.” Gage showed her how to dislodge his arm. “Now use your elbow.”

She did as instructed, ramming her elbow against his mid-section.

He tightened his muscles against the pressure. “Not bad. Now, as soon as you get free, run.”

Cara lunged away and he allowed her to cross the room to safety. She looked pleased as she faced him. “I got away from you.”

“This time.” Gage crooked a finger. “Come here.”

She shook her head. “You’ll have to catch me.” A challenge gleamed in her eyes as she lunged away.

Gage enjoyed the brief game of cat-and-mouse—it took him less than ten seconds to corner her. “Nice try.” He grabbed her by the waist and tossed her over his shoulder before carrying her to the mat.

He paused, wanting nothing more than to end the training without having to teach her this next move. But, he owed it to her, and to Jonas, to prepare her for the multiple motives of an attack. Steeling himself, he flipped her onto her back and covered her soft body with his, pinning her to the floor.

Cara’s eyes widened, and she bucked and flailed her arms, but his weight prevented her from escaping.

His chest squeezed tight, and it was all he could do not to release her and apologize. “Remember my weak spots,” he whispered into her ear.

Cara fought with renewed strength. She attempted to lift a knee, but didn’t have the room to move. She aimed fingernails at his eyes, but he caught and held her arms to her side.

“You’re so strong. How do I get out of this one?” Cara struggled beneath him, her efforts weakening.

She felt so small and vulnerable, Gage’s fear for her safety rose to alarming levels. What if Mercado or one of his men had her in this position? He ground his teeth as he steeled his softening heart. “I’ll tell you, but it’s going to go against every natural instinct you’ve got.”

 

****

 

Cara lay beneath Gage, willing to try anything to escape. “I know you won’t hurt me, and that’s the only reason I’m not panicking right now.”

“You’re right. I won’t hurt you. But, there are men out there that would. Your objective is to not give them the opportunity.”

“What’s the trick? I’m not strong enough to fight you off.”

“True. But, you are smart enough. You need to struggle against your attacker until he thinks you’ve exhausted yourself.”

“Then what?” She squirmed beneath him.

“Tell him you’ve given up. Tell him he can have what he wants. Beg for him not to hurt you.”

Every fiber of Cara’s body rallied against Gage’s instructions. “You’re right. That goes against every instinct I have.”

“Make him believe it, and he will eventually loosen his hold so he can do what he wants with you. As soon as he lifts his body, wiggle your hips free and back away. Kick him, and then run.”

“You make it sound so simple.”

“Try it with me. Make me believe you’ve given up.” His words were smooth and reassuring.

Cara gathered her courage, and then spoke the foreign words. “You’re too strong. I…I give up.” Anxious to end this session, she arched her back and strained against his weight.

“You’re still fighting against me.”

She went still. “Good point.”

He dipped his head and lowered his voice. “Now, make me believe it.”

In a real situation, she’d never give up fighting for her life. Could she convince an attacker her words were genuine? Forcing her entire body to relax, Cara practiced going limp. “Please don’t hurt me. I’ll do what you want.”

Moment’s passed as Gage remained pressed against her; hard muscle against soft flesh, warm breath touching her already heated skin. He finally lifted his head, and then slowly released her arms as he rose to straddle her.

This is what he’d been talking about; this tiny fraction of time where he’d have to move slightly away to accomplish his goal. She levered herself up on her elbows and shoved backward, wiggling her hips until she was free.

She scrambled onto her feet and attempted to escape, but Gage snaked an arm around her waist, hauling her back up against his chest. “Next time, don’t forget to get in a kick or two. Do something to slow him down before you try to run.”

Mentally and physically exhausted, Cara leaned into his embrace. “I’ll try to remember that.”

“I think we’ve done enough for tonight.” He softened his tone and his grip. “This couldn’t have been easy for you.”

“You didn’t hurt me. Just scared me a little. I didn’t expect…all of that.”

“Sorry.” He eased away his arm. “I wanted to keep it as realistic as possible.”

“Don’t apologize. It was necessary.” Cara turned to face him. “About this last move, what makes you think Mercado or his men would even attempt an assault if they want to kill me? Why not just shoot me?”

Gage dragged a hand down his face and his lips tightened into a thin line. “I’ve spent many hours inside Mercado’s compound. I’ve seen how he operates. He thrives on power and control. A bullet is too impersonal for him. The men he employs operate in much the same manner.”

Cara began shaking from the inside out. “Sounds like they actually enjoy hurting people. And, my brother’s heading back into Mercado’s hands.”

Gage checked his watch and cleared his throat. “He’s probably already there.”

Her legs weakened, and she sat on a weight bench. “You said before that Jonas was going back because there wasn’t time to get anyone else to replace him. Which may be true, but I still think there’s another reason, and I think you know what it is.”

Gage maintained eye contact as he settled beside her. His large frame took up the remaining bench space, leaving his warm thigh pressed against hers. “You’re shaking.” He draped an arm across her shoulders.

After his crash course on self-defense moves, she’d more than gotten used to his touch, and she welcomed his reassuring strength. “Why did Jonas insist on going back in?” She tucked herself further into his embrace.

“You are tenacious.” Gage grinned and gently tugged her. “I like that about you.”

His flash of white teeth came close to disarming her, but it wasn’t quite enough to derail her thoughts. “Thanks.” She cleared her throat. “Now about that reason?”

Something shifted beneath his expression, and his voice lowered. “Remember I told you I gave up my cover to protect an informant?”

Cara nodded. “I remember.”

“Well, Jonas is going back to protect that same woman.”

Stunned, Cara could only stare. “A woman? Who?”

“Mercado’s wife.”

“Why does she need protecting? Why does Jonas have to be the one to do it?” Cara braced herself for the answer.

“Jonas feels responsible for her. He convinced Eve to help us take down Mercado. If Mercado finds out Eve has been helping us...”

Gage didn’t have to finish his sentence for Cara to guess what would happen. “I don’t understand. Why would Mercado’s wife agree to help DEA agents?”

“She didn’t know what kind of man Mercado was when she married him. Jonas promised her a way out. She helps us. Mercado goes to prison. We get her to the U.S. with a new identity, and full custody of her son.”

“She’s not part of Mercado’s drug business?”

“No. She’s been investigated and cleared. If anything, she’s an innocent victim.”

“I…I can’t imagine.” Cara’s heart went out to the unsuspecting woman. She’d dated some creeps in her day, including the one who’d dumped her by text message, but that was trivial compared to what Eve must be going through.

Another set of shakes encompassed her body, and Gage eased his warm palm over her arm. “Jonas will do his best to protect her.” He touched a finger to her chin and brought her gaze to his. “And, I’ll do my best to protect you.” His features, inches from hers, spoke of a willingness to do just that.

“Why?” She blurted out the question. Was he willing to protect her only out of a sense of duty, or had it become something more personal? Afraid of the answer, she quickly retracted it. “Never mind. It doesn’t matter.”

“Yes. It does.” Gage cupped a hand on her chin. “If it didn’t matter, you wouldn’t have asked.” His voice lowered, and his gaze travelled to her lips.

Cara stilled, and adrenaline surged through her. She wanted him to kiss her. She wanted to experience the real Gage McKenna—the man beneath the rugged exterior. She closed her eyes as anticipation rose within.

His thumb caressed her cheek as he leaned close, and pressed his lips to her…forehead.

Not exactly what she was hoping for, and she couldn’t hide her disappointment. “You missed.” She peeked at him through her lashes. “My lips are further down.”

His turquoise eyes had darkened as a mix of emotions swirled beneath. “I don’t start things I can’t finish.”

“It’s just a kiss.” Even as she spoke the words, she knew connecting with Gage on any kind of intimate level would lead to more than a simple physical contact. Her heart would become involved, if it hadn’t already.

“I think you know better than that.” He dropped his hand, taking his warmth with it. “Besides, I’m not someone you want to become involved with.” He shifted and absently rubbed his injured leg.

“I can decide that for myself.” She gently placed her hand on his, stilling his movement. “You are no less of a man because of your injury.”

Stark pain erupted in his eyes, as if she’d ignited a molten volcano. Her lingering hopes of experiencing his kiss tonight disintegrated as he grabbed his cane and headed for the door. “I’ve got some things to take care of at the house. Feel free to stay and use the exercise equipment if you’d like.”

Exercise couldn’t cure the ache stirring inside, but a brisk walk would relieve some built up tension. “I am tired, but I could use the treadmill for a while.” Maybe then she could manage to sleep tonight.

He gestured to a small white box on the wall. “I won’t be far away. The old intercom system still works. Just press the button if you need something. It broadcasts throughout the house and garage.”

“I’m used to being alone. I’ll be fine.”

His gaze skimmed over her. “You’re not alone.” His tone held a deep promise. “Never forget that.”