Final Hours (18 page)

“No.”

Shock widened his eyes. “Beth—I’ve thought long and hard
about this. With my—current condition, I am better off staying in one place. I
can be useful here, live a quiet life, and do my best not to—”

“I call bullshit.” While he sputtered, she pushed off the
sofa and limped over to him, so angry her hands shook when she braced them on
the arms of the chair and got in his face. “You’re giving up, and using me as
an excuse.”

“I am not—”

“You can give up, Jackson Kane, but don’t you
dare
step on that self-sacrificing pedestal and convince yourself that you’re doing
it for me. I won’t stand for it—do you hear me? You deserve better—damn it—”

She pushed off the chair and spun away from him as tears
burned her eyes, threatened to spring free and turn her into a sobbing mess.
The wall stopped her retreat, and she braced her hands against the cool
plaster, fought to control the emotions that demanded release.

“I’m sorry, love.” His warm breath brushed her ear, and the
simple words unleashed tears she’d been holding in since she killed Guy. “Let
it go, Beth. I am sorry I left you alone to deal with it. Just let it all go.”

With a choked sob, she pressed her face into her hands and
started to cry. She had no strength left to fight Kane as he turned her around
and pulled her in. Both hands clutched his shirt, soaking it as she cried
herself into exhaustion. When she finally ran out of tears, she leaned back, and
fumbled in her sweater pocket for a handkerchief she had gotten in the habit of
keeping there. Just in case. She blew her nose, used a clean corner to wipe her
face.

“Sorry.” She cleared her throat, and with a sigh, eased away
from him.

“Where are you going?”

“To clean myself up. I probably look like a drowned rat, and
I soaked your shirt. You need to change—”

“I need you, Beth.”

She froze. His hand cupped her chin, applied pressure until
she met his eyes.

“I figured it was the opposite, with the way you’ve been
treating me.”

He swallowed, let go of her. “I needed time to—”

“What? Decide if you wanted to get involved with a broken
woman? A woman who could kill without even blinking—”

“Stop.” He caught her wrist, furious. “You will not talk
about yourself like that again, am I understood?”

“I figured—” Shock had her stumbling over her words. “I
thought you felt the same, and were going to let me down easy once you healed
enough to leave.”

He slid his hand up her arm, and kept going until he cradled
her cheek. “We are too much alike, my sweet Beth. I wanted to do the leaving,
before you quit me.”

“Why would I—” He stepped back, touched the sling. “You
thought I’d leave because you’re injured?”

“There is every reason to believe I will be—crippled.” He
spit out the last word. “I will not tie anyone to—”

“Well, isn’t that extra self-sacrificing of you. Asking me
would have been too easy?”

“I—it was cowardly of me, but I did not want to hear your
rejection outright.”

She pushed off the wall and moved to him. He retreated; she
paced him, until he trapped himself against the opposite wall. Right where she
wanted him.

“Do you remember what you said to me? The day I—when you
were out on the cliff.”

“I remember.”

“I took those words as a commitment.”

His eyes widened. “That was before—”

“I love you, Kane.”

He stared at the floor. Silence stretched between them,
until Elizabeth wanted to scream to break it. She forced herself to wait, to
let him speak first.

“Beth—”

“If you’re going to say thanks, but no thanks, save it. Your
complete lack of a response tells me exactly what I need to know.” And, oh, it
hurt, like a knife slowly twisting in her heart. But she was better off
learning the truth now, rather than after she was in too deep.

Who was she kidding? She had passed that point a long time
ago.

Her throat too tight to say anything else, she turned around
and limped to her room. To pack, and figure out where she could go from here—

“I’ve never spoken those words to a woman.” Kane’s low voice
halted her. “I didn’t trust the words, or the women. Until now. Until you.”

“Kane—”

“Turn around, Beth.” She did, her heart pounding so hard she
pressed her hand against her chest. He looked so serious, so alone, standing in
the middle of the small living room. “If you’ll have me, I will spend the rest
of my life showing you how much I love you.”

She launched herself at him. He caught her around the waist,
his left arm strong as he held her, his lips gentle as he kissed her, with a
warmth and tenderness he’d never shown. Elizabeth wrapped her arms around his
neck and gave herself up to the familiar heat.

He broke off the kiss, met her eyes. “Is this a yes, my
stubborn, beautiful love?”

“One question—does the castle come with that?”

His shout of laughter had her smiling, and happier than she
could ever remember. “Stop torturing me, Beth.”

“You earned your share over the last month. Yes.” She
brushed her lips over his. “A resounding, absolute yes.”

“Thank God.”

“What about the whole ‘I can live a quiet life here’
speech?”

A self-conscious smile crossed his face. “I thought if I
said it aloud, I could convince myself it was what I wanted.”

“And?” She raised her eyebrows.

“It didn’t work.”

“Next time you want to push me out in the cold, don’t.”

“Yes, my lady.”

He kissed her again, and she gasped when he moved, taking
her with him. Her knees hit the soft, worn cushion of the sofa as he sat, sliding
her forward until she straddled him. He pulled her in tight, and she felt every
inch of him, even through the layers of fabric.

“Kane—” It has been so long, and she wanted him. Her body
ached with the need. But he was still healing, and she didn’t want to set him
back, just to relieve an itch. “Oh, God, I want you—but I don’t want to hurt
you.”

“Not touching you hurt me, Beth, more than I ever expected.”

“I wish I was sorry for that.” Leaning in, she whispered
against his ear. “But I’m not.”

With a growl, he turned his head, capturing her lips in a
kiss that left her gasping for breath.

“I deserve nothing less.” He sounded a little out of breath
himself. “But I would like to make up for it. Starting now.”

Elizabeth pulled back. “I did mean it. I don’t want to hurt
you.”

“I am willing to risk it. Can you—help me with my arm.”

He refused to look at her while she untied the sling, eased
his right arm down to his side. His fingers flexed against the sofa, but he
couldn’t close them in a fist. She touched his hand.

“Let it rest. You’re already stronger than you were a month
ago.”

“I’ll not be able to protect you—”

“You have another arm, Kane. Learn to use it.” He stared at
her. “What?”

“You do know how to cut straight to the heart of the
matter.”

When she would have blushed before she met him, now she
smiled. “I’ve always been practical.”

His laughter warmed her. “Oh, my sweet Beth. How did I ever
think I could leave you?” He slid his left hand up her back. “I only have the one
hand available. I may need your help.”

“Just let me know how I can be of service, good sir.”

“Oh, the replies I could make to that comment.” She did
blush this time. A smile tugged at his mouth. “We will move slowly, just in
case.”

She sighed. “So you’ll just make me suffer instead.”

“I like to think of it as foreplay.”

He muffled her laugh with his mouth, teased her with his
lips, his tongue, moving in the slow rhythm he promised. The tenderness he only
hinted at before overwhelmed her now as he took her under, gently, the heat
between them warm instead of scorching.

Elizabeth let out a shaky breath, leaned her forehead
against his. “I want you, Jackson.”

“You have me, Elizabeth. Now and always.”

He caught her lips again, and with a low moan she wrapped
herself around him, relearning the lines of his body, the lean, hard muscle
that flexed under her hands. She slid those hands over his stomach, up his
chest, her breathing as shallow and ragged as his.

“I need,” he whispered against her lips.

“Tell me, Kane.”

“I need you to,” he interrupted himself, kissing her long
and slow, the warmth spiraling to heat. “Help me unbutton these bloody
trousers.” Laughter burst out of her. “What I wouldn’t give for a zipper. Every
single pair loaned to me has this damn button fly.”

“It will be my pleasure.”

They both watched her release each button, Kane’s stomach muscles
quivering against her knuckles. She freed him, pausing long enough to hike her
dress up and shift the wet cotton of her panties to one side before she slid
forward to ease him inside her.

This time she wanted slow, wanted to spin out the way he made
her feel—needed, loved, protected. After all they’d been through, they finally
belonged to each other.

“Beth.” Kane cradled her cheek, his fingers shaking. She
loved him for that control, for knowing that she needed gentle right now. “I
love you.”

“I love you back, Jackson Kane.”

She kissed him, and started moving, setting the pace. Heat
shimmered between them. His hand clutched the back of her dress, and he gasped as
he broke off the kiss, pressed his face against her throat. She felt him
shudder, his breath hot on her skin.

“Beth—God—”

“I’m here,” she whispered. His arm captured her waist, and
she started to move faster, her need coiling tighter and tighter.

She let out a raw cry and arched into him as she started to
lose control. Kane groaned, and drove himself up, the feel of him so deep inside
her pushing her higher. She held on to him, her anchor, her knight, her love.

He kissed her, hard, fast, desperate, and his final thrust
sent her over the edge.

~ ~ ~

Elizabeth dragged her
head to one side, so she
could suck air instead of Kane’s damp cotton shirt. He fought for breath, and
she smiled, well aware she was the cause. It made her feel powerful. She planned
to gloat out loud—as soon as she could feel her body again.

“Beth?”

“Here.”

“Thank—God.” His hand inched up, under her loose dress, his
fingers sliding over her sweat slick skin. “Thought I might have—done you in.”

“Close.” She found the strength to lift her head, and met
Kane’s dark, exhausted eyes. Her heart jumped. “Are you—”

“Fine, love.” He brushed her lips, leaned his head back
against the sofa, and let out a sigh. She used his chest to push herself up,
and he groaned.

“Kane—” He twitched inside her. “Oh… oh.” Her eyes widened.
He was already getting hard again, filling her. “How—”

“No woman has ever flipped my switch as easily as you do.
Let me—”

“No.” She clamped herself around him. “Stay.”

“Beth.” He spread his hand over her back. “I haven’t the
strength for another—”

“I know. I just want—I want to feel you inside me, just a
little longer.”

“Oh, love.” Kane kissed her, his hand rubbing her back,
soothing and so tender tears stung her eyes. His hand slid down, over her right
hip, stopped at the raw scar on her thigh. “I am so sorry you suffered because
of me.”

“This had nothing to do with you.” She leaned her forehead
against his. “If it was the price I needed to pay to save Ramsay, to save you,
I’d pay it again, without hesitating.”

“I love you, Elizabeth Barritt.” She let out a shaky breath,
cradled his face. “It would be my honor if you joined me while I find a way to
get us home.”

“I will, on one condition.”

He leaned back, obviously startled. “What would that be?”

A smile curved her lips. “Once we get back, I want to see
your castle.”

His laughter rumbled through her chest, and he moved inside
her. She let out a choked gasp.

“I was wrong. I believe I may have the strength to try this
again.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Would you like that
fast, or slow?”

His lips captured hers in a kiss as he showed her.

Mac showed Dr.
Kinimoto the memo he found.

After reading it, she tore it into tiny pieces and burned
them in a small bowl on her desk.

“Who else saw this?”

“Me. Just me, Doc.” He refused to drag Carrie into this mess;
he was still unsure of Colette, so he kept her at a distance. “You’re not
surprised.”

“Glendon Harper came to me months ago, wanting full access
to the portal. I told him no. He got pissed. A word of advice,” she pulled off
her glasses, rubbed her eyes. “Never piss off MI-6. The fact that he
didn’t
do anything about it worried me, made me wonder if he was acting without
consent. It seems I was right.”

“What are we going to do?”

She moved around her desk and sat in the chair. “Nothing.”

“Nothing? What the hell, Doc—you can’t just—”

Her raised hand cut him off. He thought she was dismissing
him—until he saw her finger pointing, just for a second, at the desk lamp.

“Nothing, Mr. Macaffrey. Are we clear?”

“Crystal.” He watched her scribble on a pad of paper. She
held it up.
Meet—utility closet in the lab. No bugs.
How she knew there
were bugs at all was number one on the list of questions. “Am I dismissed,
Doctor?”

“Please.”

He stomped out, slamming the door for effect—then sprinted
to his quarters. He planned to record everything she said, so he could use it
to hang Harper with his lying, forked tongue.

He dashed around the corner leading to his quarters—and
skidded to a halt.

Colette stood in the hallway, her pistol out, aimed at him.

“Damn it—don’t do it, Colette.”

“I am so sorry, Mac. I really am.”

He lunged sideways as she fired. The blast caught him in the
right side, and he went down, fighting to breathe.

“Hold still.”

He turned his head, found her standing over him. “Colette—”

She pushed the charge up button. “I promise, it will be
painless. Just hold still.”

Tears filled her eyes as she aimed the pistol.