Steal My Heart (3 page)

“I thought you said he was injured and needed mouth-to-mouth. He couldn’t have been much of a threat.” David followed her into the apartment.

Maggie turned and he almost collided with her. She was clad in a bra and panties. “Well, he was still dangerous! He was huge and packed with muscles.”

She watched David’s face crack with a salacious smile.

“Ooh. My kind of hobo.”

She threw her arms up with exasperation as she marched into her small kitchen. “And he was so
dirty
.” She shuddered, remembering his soiled face and clothing.

“Even better!”

She tossed David a warning glance, and he returned an impertinent grin.

She ignored him, filling and running the washing machine. She took out a large bottle of bleach and left it on top of the washer. “And to make matters worse, my wallet got stolen. Good thing I had money in my pocket or I don’t know how I would have gotten home.” She walked through her bedroom, David following, and headed for the bathroom. There, she flipped on the shower.

“You should have called me.” Genuine concern creased his face.

She snorted, recalling how unreliable David had been earlier that day.

“No, really, Mag,”  he called from behind the bathroom door. “I’m sorry about today, but
you
were the one who walked away. I told you I was in a rush.”

Maggie gasped, suddenly remembering his date. She pulled open the door and stared expectantly. “Well? How’d it go?”

David sighed flamboyantly and rolled his eyes. “He’s not for me. Too crazy. Too gay.”

Maggie quirked her brow and stared pointedly at his pink tutu, causing him to laugh and twirled his willowy frame. He was just a few inches taller than she, but David was boyishly slim where she was generously curved.

“You like?”

“Not your color.”

“Seriously?”

“What’s it for?”

David shrieked. “
What for
? Only the biggest party in history!”

Maggie smiled. Now who was being melodramatic? She suddenly remembered David mentioning a costume party his friend was throwing.

“You promised you’d help me find something to wear.” He pouted sulkily. “I’ve been trying on outfits.”

“While you were worried sick over my well-being?” she commented dryly.

“Well, I had to keep my mind occupied. Will you help?”

“Yes. Fine. But it’s after midnight. I’m exhausted and in desperate need of a shower.”

“Have you eaten?”

“No.”

“I’ll make you something while you shower, then we can discuss my
phatabulous
outfits, my
fruitcake
date,
and
your hobo!” He pulled the door closed.

Maggie bristled from the bathroom. “He’s not
my
hobo! And I’m still not talking to you!”

Gabe slowly peeled his eyes open and stared at the ceiling of his small hospital room. His gaze probed the dark shadows then flitted to the IV pole next to his bed, intent on the slow drip of the saline flowing into his veins.
Drip. Drip. Drip
. He slowed his breathing and regulated his heart rate to sync with the cadence of the drops. Allowing calm to settle like a blanket over him, he trained his ears in the direction of the door. In exactly eight seconds the nurse would be in to change his IV bag, and in fifteen minutes the security detail at his door would change. He needed to make his move before a fresh cop showed up. The current officer had been posted now for almost twelve hours, and from the deep, even snores he could hear through the door, his watchman was more interested in his slumber than preventing his charge from escaping.

Gabe had no intention of tolerating another day of Detective Sullivan’s futile interrogation. The fact that Gabe had not uttered a word since awakening from surgery was pushing the detective beyond his frustrated limits. Gabe was certain it had only been the intervention of his doctor, who kept insisting he needed his rest, which had kept the man from inflicting bodily harm.

He tugged at the handcuffs binding his right wrist to the bed rail. This had posed a problem until he’d seen the terrified nurse come into his room earlier. As her trembling fingers had adjusted his IV, Gabe thought she’d faint dead onto his bed. That would have made his task all the more easy. He’d have to make sure this time that she did indeed faint onto the bed. Just one of those glorious hairpins which secured her hair in a tight bun would do nicely. He was a sitting duck here. Whoever had set him up would not let a uniform cop deter the retrieval of the flash drive. A timely shuffle at the door caused him to roll his lids down. He waited patiently.

Eleven minutes later Gabe was exiting the rear door of the hospital. It had taken a few extra moments to retrieve the wallet he’d stashed. The tight blue police uniform was less than ideal, but was infinitely better than that scrap of material he’d worn for the past few days. The officer he’d left bound and gagged in the closet of his room was a good deal smaller than him. At least now he had a weapon. The 9mm would have to suffice until he could get to his safe house. Pulling the dark cap further down on his forehead, he slipped into the delivery entrance of an adjacent building. In an empty stairwell he pulled a license from the small square wallet and examined it. The address wasn’t too far from his location.

His eyes strayed to the picture of the woman staring back at him. Maggie Lawson. The heart shaped face wore a discomfited smile, but the blue eyes sparkled with restrained mischief. Her slightly parted, lush lips caused his gaze to linger briefly before it shifted to note her statistics. Five foot four. Blonde hair. Blue eyes.
Blue?
He remembered her eyes being a radiant blue-gray, with dancing pewter flecks in the center.
Blue
just seemed so inadequate. Gabe’s lips pulled in a sardonic smile as he scratched at the craggy beard still covering his face. He’d thought her an angelic apparition in all white when he’d first seen her on the train. She’d soothed him somehow, pushed away his pain and ever-present demons. At first he’d just needed her to get close enough for him transfer the drive, but he found he hadn’t wanted to let her go.

She hadn’t seemed inclined to help him, but had done so anyway. He supposed he should feel guilty for taking advantage of her kindness—reluctant as it might have been.
Guilt
. God, he had enough of that to last him a lifetime. Gabe shook his head and headed up the stairs. His ex-SEAL buddies would chastise him for the emotion. He couldn’t afford emotion. His head had to be clear. He needed answers and to get them he had to start by locating more serviceable clothing.

CHAPTER TWO

Gabe was searching the girl’s bedroom when he heard the distinct click of a key turning in a lock. Silently he eased behind the bedroom door and peered through the seam that gave him an unobstructed view of the front door. So far his search had yielded nothing, but he hadn’t really expected it to. The flash drive looked like any other ordinary computer drive, and she most likely would have just casually stored it. It would be more expedient for her to just tell him where it was rather than him tearing apart her apartment.

Her first floor apartment was small. He’d done a quick walkthrough after he’d come in through the window. He’d quickly noted the floor plan, usable stock, and number of exits. Her furnishings looked comfortably utilitarian. He was surprised by the lack of frilly excesses or feminine touches. Although he found a certain charm in the calm simplicity of her décor, he realized he couldn’t get a good sense of the dweller’s personality. He didn’t stop to wonder why he was curious about that. What also surprised him was the space’s aseptic cleanliness and rigid organization.

He watched her enter and close the door. Deciding it was time to make his presence known, he shifted, about to take a step. What he saw next arrested him in his tracks and pulsed a tidal wave of desire to his groin. His quarry peeled away her loose white top, revealing naturally large, creamy breasts. The sight sent a flare of heat singing through him. Even from far away he could make out the dusky hue of her nipples beneath a lacy white bra. Her fingers rolled away a dowdy, unflattering skirt and he took a sharp inhalation at the gift that was revealed. A trim waist flared into voluptuous curves that tapered to long shapely legs. Gabe’s breath stuttered as she eased her stockings down and he imagined his fingers and tongue following its path. Beneath that boxy, severe uniform, none would guess at the visual treat she concealed. He squeezed his eyes shut and adjusted the growing weight inside his already restrictive pants. He had to get a grip on the desire barreling through his veins like a raging storm.

He quickly shifted back behind the door as soft steps treaded towards him. Unaware, she passed by him into the bedroom and headed to the bathroom, allowing a closer inspection of her delightful figure. From where he stood there was a direct view into the small bathroom. It was when she bent over to turn on the tub that Gabe thought for sure he’d be noticed. The globes of her ample bottom were barely covered by her cotton briefs. The undisciplined groan that broke away from his chest was audible. A tiny niggle of shame at his voyeuristic perusal nudged at his brain, and before it could become full blown, Gabe’s long legs ate up the space to the bathroom.

One arm snaked around a waist that was so softly pleasing that his breath stopped for a moment. He felt her body tense against him with the sudden draw of a shocked breath. Before the scream could be expelled it was stifled by Gabe’s large palm clapping over her mouth, effectively trapping it in her lungs. The sound instead erupted as a muffled grunt. A large mirror hung to his right, and he pivoted them so they both had a clear view. From behind, he observed her confused shock, and then saw stark terror widen her large blue eyes as recognition slammed into her brain. Her nostrils flared and her brows crinkled with an explosion of panic. Surging turmoil swirled in her dilated eyes.

Gabe almost didn’t recognize his face through the tangled sprigs of his beard or the limp locks of his overgrown hair. He hadn’t looked into a mirror in weeks. God, he looked like a monster.

“I’m not going to hurt you, Maggie.” He kept his voice steady above the rush of the running water.

He watched her lids flicker briefly and saw the glassy dew of tears fill her eyes.

“Do you understand me?”

When she didn’t respond he repeated his question.

“I need you to nod if you understand me.”

At this he saw the tentative nod of her blonde head. He relaxed the tight pressure on her mouth, but kept his palm in place.

“I’m going to remove my hand now.” His dark gaze captured hers in the mirror. He could feel small quakes wrack her body. “If you scream, there will be consequences.”

He watched a tear loosen and roll down her cheek. Gritting his teeth he searched for anger to replace the emotion that tightened his chest. “Do you understand me?” he asked roughly, his voice a savage threat against her ear.

At the vigorous nod he slowly drew his hand away.

Her ear piercing scream was hastily stifled as Gabe cursed vividly and clapped his hand over her open mouth. She caught a piece of his flesh and sank her teeth in, causing him to wince and slam her head back against his chest.

“That was not a smart thing to do!” He jerked her deeper into the curve of his frame.

He was glad for the loud drone of water that had helped to camouflage her scream. Her warmth pulsed into him, the generous curves pressing tightly against his still aroused body. Gabe could hear the loud rasps of air moving laboriously into her lungs. He knew she must feel his erection pressing against her back. Through the mirror, her eyes glared back at him with unalloyed fear and defiance.

“I warned you!” he hissed, and saw fat tear drops trickle down her face. He could just imagine what she feared, what she thought he’d do to her.

Suddenly, she started to struggle violently, her arms flailing and hips twisting in desperation to get away. She was surprisingly strong, but Gabe’s six-foot-three body easily subdued her. He reassured her again that he wouldn’t hurt her, but panicked, she continued to struggle. The frenetic writhing and bucking was only wreaking havoc on his already taut body, causing desire to twist tightly in every muscle. He bit his lip to stifle a moan, and cursed her for her ignorance.

He remembered seeing duct tape in one of the drawers in her bedroom and dragged her to the other room. She continued to tug and bow her body in futile attempts to break from his grasp. Her foot kicked out and connected several times with his shin. He almost felt sorry for her as she winced and grunted from her exertions. Holding her tucked against him, he curled a muscled leg snugly around her. He retrieved the tape then pushed her into a chair. Using his teeth to rip measured strips of the gray adhesive, he first bound her mouth then after several attempts, fastened her bucking body securely to the frame of the chair.

Satisfied, he stepped back, rolling his arm in a wide arc as his left shoulder started to throb. He didn’t like the slow burn that started deep in his flesh and knew he needed to check his stitches for damage. Damn, he hadn’t expected her to put up much of a fight, and was honestly surprised by her defiance. He walked back to the bathroom, ignoring the venomous gaze that followed him. Inside, he unbuttoned his shirt and peeled it off. The middle of the dressing that covered his wound was already starting to form a bull’s eye of seeping blood. He cursed and returned to Maggie.

“Do you have any dressing supplies?”

She glared, and then turned her head silently away from him. The heated color of her cheeks conveyed her insurgence. Gabe smiled slowly. What had he expected? That she’d nurse him? He watched the large mounds of her breast rise and fall with every breath. His hungry gaze flitted down over the smooth curve of her stomach criss-crossed with gray tape to the cotton panties that allowed tendrils of pale hair to peak out temptingly. He cursed himself for his lust.