To Love and Protect (13 page)

“I’m sure she’s hungry,” Liz said. “She probably needs changing, too.”

“What’s for dinner? Cereal and milk?”

“The menu won’t be changing for a while.”

He smiled. “Which end do you want to take care of?”

“I’ll change her. You start dinner.” She reached for the baby.

When she’d finished with diaper patrol, she carried the little girl into the kitchen where she found David carefully stirring the cereal.

“The bottle is still heating,” he said, pointing to the pot on the stove.

Liz settled herself in a chair and propped Natasha up in her arms. “Are you hungry?” she asked brightly. “Is my baby girl ready for dinner?”

Natasha waved her arms, then opened her mouth as David put the small bowl on the table.

“I’d say that’s a yes,” he said.

Liz used the baby spoon she’d brought with her and offered Natasha some cereal. She took it eagerly.

“How are you doing?” he asked Liz as he took a seat on the opposite site of the table. “Shaken?”

“As much as a James Bond martini,” Liz admitted, focusing on the feeding because it was safer than thinking about the past few hours. “I’m glad Sophia is all right.”

“It’s good that you found her.”

“Better me than someone else.” She pictured the burn she’d seen and shuddered. “How can that man be so evil? It’s wrong.”

“He’s in it for the money. To him this is just business.”

“Can you stop him?”

“Right now I’m more concerned about keeping the three of you safe.”

Safe. Did that mean alive? She wasn’t sure she wanted to know.

She scooped up more cereal for Natasha. “Sophia told me about her plans. She wants to go live in the country and marry a farmer she’s never met.”

“What are the odds of him being worse than what she’s been through?”

Liz supposed he had a point, but she didn’t like any of it. “She’s seventeen. She told me started working for Kosanisky when she was fourteen. Where was her family in all this? Why wasn’t there a place for her to go?”

“Kids fall through the cracks. It happens in American cities, too.”

“I suppose.” But they were statistics and Sophia was real. “I want to help her.”

“You are.”

“How? By taking her child away from her?”

“Yes.” He leaned toward her. “You know she can’t raise Natasha on her own.”

“But if she’s getting married…”

“Do you think there’s a chance in hell she’ll ever tell the guy the truth about her past? Why would she? He wouldn’t want her then.”

Which was pretty much what Sophia had said. “She wants to be a nice girl again. Leave all this behind.”

“Which means leaving Natasha. If she has to give up her daughter, who better to take her?”

Liz stared at the baby in her lap. “There are too many hard choices in life.”

“Always.”

“These past few days have made me realize so much of what I worry about is really stupid and small. So what if I don’t get a new account? No one is trying to kill me.”

“Your problems are important to you.”

She shook her head. “Not anymore. I’m not the same person I was. And when Natasha gets older, I’ll tell her how brave and loving her mother was. How she sacrificed for her daughter.”

“I’m sure Sophia would like that.”

She finished feeding the baby, then held her up against her shoulder and walked her for a while. Night fell and with the darkness came the feeling of being cut off from the world. David’s low voice soothed her as he made some phone calls. When the baby fell asleep in her arms, Liz longed for some rest of her own in a place that was less frightening and less strange.

Her heart ached for Sophia. No one should have to go through what she’d been through. Certainly not a teenager. Yet how many more victims existed in the city, the country, the world?

“I can’t save them all,” she whispered. But she could save one.

David came up behind her and took the baby from her. “It’s getting late,” he said. “Why don’t you get ready for bed?”

“What are you going to do?”

“Ainsley is stopping by so I can bring her up to date on what’s happening. We’ll be quiet. Go on. You need to rest.”

She felt both weary and drained. But sleep seemed impossible.

“I’ll be right here,” he promised.

As she nodded and walked to the bedroom, his words sank into her heart. She absorbed them and made them a part of her being, realizing that she wanted them to be true for always.

How was that possible? She didn’t want close connections. She feared love brought death. Or she had.

Suddenly what her parents had done seemed like a lifetime ago. She wasn’t them, she hadn’t lived their lives. Today she’d heard of horrors that would haunt her for years. She’d seen bruises and burn marks. She’d sensed the evil in the world.

Perhaps the only way to combat it was with light and goodness. And love.

She glanced over her shoulder and watched as David gently rocked Natasha in his arms. He held her with a confidence that spoke of practice and caring. Liz could imagine him holding other children. Their children? Was she going to turn her back on who this man was because her mother had died of a broken heart?

What a waste of a life, she thought sadly. Her mother could have lived for her child, for the memory of the man she’d loved. Instead she’d given up without trying.

“I’m not like her,” Liz whispered as she walked into the bedroom. “I’m not like her at all.”

David let Ainsley in shortly after ten.

“How’s it going?” she asked as she shrugged out of her jacket. “Robert filled me in on some of what happened today. What a nightmare for Sophia. He says she’s just a kid.”

“Seventeen.”

Ainsley pushed her blond hair off her shoulders and walked to the sofa. “That bastard. I’d like to catch Kosanisky myself.”

David waited while she pulled files out of her briefcase.

“What do you know about him?” he asked when she was settled.

“Plenty. If there’s money to be made, he’s into it. Plenty of black market imports even before it was popular. Prostitution, gambling. If there’s a vice to be exploited, he’s the man.”

She leaned forward and poured herself a cup of coffee from the pot he’d left on the table.

“Can we find him?” he asked.

“I don’t know. That depends on his resources. The more people he has working for him the more layers of protection between us and him. But all those employees also make him vulnerable. We only have to find one to crack.”

“Do we have one?”

“I should know in a few days.”

David wasn’t sure they had that long. “Can you work faster?”

“I’ll do my best.” She sipped her coffee. “How’s Liz holding up?”

“As well as can be expected. This is more than she signed on for. She’s upset. Restless.”

“I’m sure she wants to be gone,” Ainsley said sympathetically. “I see you have a team downstairs.”

“Rotating shifts,” he agreed. “I’ve arranged for a safe house if this place gets made, but I’m hoping we won’t have to use it.”

Better for Liz if they could stay in one place.

He and Ainsley talked business for another half an hour. When she left, he bolted the door behind her and set the sophisticated alarm. Then he walked through the apartment to make sure everything was secure.

Natasha slept soundly in her crib. She’d kicked off her blanket so he pulled it over her and lightly stroked her head.

Liz lay on one side of the large bed, her face turned away, her body curved. He wanted to touch her, as well, but instead continued to check the windows.

In the dining room he spotted a thick pad under some magazines. He made sure the drapes were pulled shut all the way, then clicked on a lamp and pulled out the pad.

The oversize pages were covered with quick sketches. He immediately recognized Liz’s style and talent. There were drawings of a house he guessed to be her own and a small mixed-breed dog. About halfway in were several drawings of Natasha.

She’d captured the curve of the baby’s cheeks, the plumpness of her fingers. With just a few strokes of a pencil she caught a smile, a wave, a bounce.

He brushed his fingers over the drawing, rubbing gently as if touching the artist herself. He ached for her as he’d never ached for anyone before. Need grew—not just for sex but for something more. He’d never considered himself a likely candidate for that kind of a relationship. There were too many flaws, too many dark places. Good sense said he should let Liz go.

But for once he didn’t want to be sensible or even smart. He wanted to lay claim to her and this child. He wanted them to be his, and he theirs.

Black and white, he thought as he looked at the amazing drawings. Shades of gray—much like his world would be when she and the baby were gone.

L
iz bent over her sketch pad and drew as quickly as she could. David sat in a pool of sunlight, Natasha in his arms. He held a bottle, while the baby fed and stared at him. His lips were curved in a smile, and her body relaxed into his.

“It’s perfect,” she murmured, delighted to be capturing the moment. “I’m nearly done.”

“I looked at your pictures last night,” he said. “You’re even more amazing than you were five years ago.”

She looked up and grinned. “Lots of practice.”

“Is that what it is?”

“Uh-huh. I’ve been working hard.”

“Will you do anything with these sketches? Have a showing or something?”

“No. They’re just for me. You’re welcome to pick out a few if you’d like them.”

As soon as she made the offer, she winced silently. Maybe David was just being kind about her drawings.

“I’d like that a lot,” he told her. “Can you draw one of yourself?”

She looked up so suddenly, she nearly fell off her chair. His dark gaze settled on her face, warming her with intimate attention.

“I’ve never done a self portrait.”

“You should try. The subject is beautiful.”

“David!” She felt herself flushing.

Something was different. Despite the danger, despite the tension and the uncertainty, she felt as if she and David had turned an emotional corner somewhere. The sexual awareness lurked in the background, but somehow it had grown fuller, richer. She didn’t just want to be with him in bed—she wanted much, much more.

“Did you have to put a lot of work on hold to come to Moscow?” he asked.

“A few projects, but once I’d made the first visit, I knew the second one was coming. I was able to reschedule things fairly easily. The clients I told were extremely supportive.”

“What happens when you get home? Will you be taking Natasha into work with you?”

“I wish, but I think she would be too much of a distraction.” She set down her pencil. “Actually, I’m joining up with another graphics firm. We’re combining resources moving from our smaller individual offices to a larger joint office.” She set down the pad and pencil. “This will scare you. Three women working together. Does the thought of it make you want to turn on sports?”

“A little,” he admitted as he adjusted the bottle. “What’s the appeal for you?”

“We all have families. Our goal is to have successful careers
and
time at home. We’re going to each work three days a week. I’ll be working at home some for the first few months, while Natasha is adjusting. I’ve arranged for a fabulous baby-sitter. Actually I found her through Children’s Connection. She’s a former nurse who retired and is doing part-time day care. So that’s great.”

“You have it all planned out.”

“I did my best. I’m sure there will be plenty of unexpected crises, but I’ll handle them.”

She wouldn’t have a choice. Natasha would only have her to depend on.

“Enough about me,” she said. “What about you? How long are you going to hide out in the wilds of Moscow?”

“Good question.”

“Do you have an equally excellent answer?”

Natasha finished the bottle. David put it on the coffee table, then carefully shifted her onto his shoulder and patted her back.

“I’ve enjoyed my time here,” he said. “The work has been interesting.”

“Yeah, so interesting you can’t talk about it.”

“Exactly. I know I’ve made a difference and that matters.”

She tilted her head. “Not to be too nosy, but aren’t you rich?”

Natasha burped loudly.

“She wants to know, too,” Liz told him.

David chuckled. “The Logan family is well-off.”

“And as you’re a member…”

“I’m well-off, too.”

“So you don’t have to work?” she asked.

“Probably not.”

“That’s something you should actually know.” She leaned forward. “It’s not that you’re rich that’s so interesting, it’s that you don’t have to work, yet you’ve chosen a difficult and dangerous profession, and you’re interested in a job that lets you make a difference. That says something about who you are.”

“In a good way?” he asked humorously.

She thought about all he’d done for her and Natasha. How even now he protected them. “In the best way possible.”

Tension crackled between them. Liz wasn’t sure what it meant and it made her more than a little nervous. She decided a change in subject would help.

“So, if you did leave Moscow, would you continue to work for the government?”

“I’m not sure. I have an open invitation to go into the family computer business in Portland.”

That startled her. Then questions filled her brain. Did he want to? Would he ever? Would he now?

“Interesting,” she said, going for light and afraid she just sounded strangled. “So, um, with all that going for you, why isn’t there a Mrs. David in the picture?”

“I’m not the marrying kind.”

She laughed, then pointed at the baby in his arms. “All evidence to the contrary, right?”

“Okay.” He grinned sheepishly. “I like Natasha. But this is temporary. Marriage is forever.”

“Which you don’t like?”

“Who would want me?”

She blinked…twice. “Excuse me? You’re smart, funny, caring, great in a crisis, successful and rich. What’s not to like?”

“Maybe I should have you design a business card for me.”

“Do you need the help?”

He rose and carried Natasha to her. She took the baby and he crossed to a sideboard and braced his hands on the top. “I’ve told you about my past. How I spent the first few years.”

“Sure, but what does that have to do with anything?”

He glanced at her over his shoulder. “Liz, I couldn’t speak normally until I was five. I was ten before I could read. I went all through school with a learning disability.”

“I don’t want to dismiss your effort, but so what? Everyone overcomes something. From where I’m sitting, all you’ve been through means you worked your butt off and you have great character. Neither of those are characteristics women run from.”

“This is different.”

She couldn’t believe what he was saying. “Do you think there’s something fundamentally wrong with you? Is that what this is about?”

He shrugged. “Maybe.”

She stood. The baby cooed and gurgled happily.

“David, you are what you’ve made yourself. I think you’re amazing. I think—”

An explosion of glass cut her off in midsentence. Liz had no idea what was going on, but David lunged for her. He grabbed the baby from her arms and roughly pushed Liz to the carpet.

“Get down,” he yelled. “Get down now!”

“What?”

She collapsed onto the floor. The air rushed from her lungs.

More crashes echoed in the room. After a second she realized they were being shot at.

“No!” she gasped.

She glanced around frantically. David held Natasha against his chest. He’d curled his body around her, using himself as a shield. She cried in protest.

“Liz, are you all right?” he demanded. “Are you shot?”

“I’m okay.” She wasn’t sure, but nothing hurt.

“We have to get out of here. They may have men in the building. I don’t know. They’re shooting from across the street.”

Half sliding, half crawling, he made his way to the wall with the window, then inched across the floor. Liz saw right away that sliding under the window meant he couldn’t be seen by the shooter. She followed.

They made it to the bedroom. There were no more shots, but Natasha continued to cry loudly. David handed her over, then stood and opened a security panel. He punched in a code.

“I’ve activated the team,” he said. “They’ll be here in less than two minutes. Don’t move.”

There was a large armoire by the window. He stood next to it and pulled open the doors. After jerking out the contents, he leaned his weight against it and slowly pushed it across the floor so it covered the window.

“Okay, now,” he said tersely, “get what you need for her for a couple of days. Diapers, food, change of clothing. Make sure you have your passport, your plane ticket and your wallet. You have two minutes.”

Then he was gone. Liz jumped when she heard another shot from the other room. Every cell in her body trembled. She couldn’t breathe and didn’t know what to do.

This couldn’t be happening, she thought. It wasn’t possible. People like her didn’t get shot at.

Natasha continued to cry. Finally, Liz forced herself to think. What had David said? They were leaving. She had to get herself together.

“Formula, diapers, clothes,” she muttered. “Wallet, passport, tickets.”

She put the screaming infant into the car seat and quickly fastened her.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered as the baby squirmed in protest. “I need you safe.”

She put the car seat on the floor, so the bed was between Natasha and the window. If a bullet got through the armoire, she didn’t want it hitting her child.

Feeling returned to her arms and legs, which only made her shake more. She forced the fear away and concentrated on gathering supplies. Fortunately, she kept the baby’s things together. She dropped what she needed into the diaper bag, then checked the contents of her purse. When David walked back into the room, she had just finished shoving her arms into a sweater.

“I’m done,” she said.

“Let’s move.”

She turned to pick up Natasha and nearly screamed when she saw the gun in David’s hand. Just as frightening, he looked as if he knew how to use it. She picked up the diaper bag and slung it over her shoulder, while he took the car seat.

Two men waited at the front door of the apartment. Mrs. P. hovered in the hallway.

“Go,” the old woman said. “Go quickly.”

Liz followed David. One man went in front of them, one followed behind.

“Ziegler is in the stairwell,” the first man said. “He says it’s clear.”

As they raced down the stairs, Liz stumbled a couple of times but kept going. David moved with a sureness she envied. Natasha continued to cry, the sound echoing in the stairwell.

In the basement they ran through the tunnel linking the building with the underground parking garage.

“They could have made my car,” David said. “Give me your keys.”

One of the men tossed him keys.

“Activate the safe house,” he told them. “When we get away, call Ainsley and tell her what’s happened. I’ll be in touch when I can.”

David steered her toward a blue Opal. Liz jerked open the back door and reached for the car seat.

“You’ll have to secure her while I’m driving,” he said, and pushed her inside. He shoved Natasha in after her and slammed the door shut.

Seconds later he was behind the wheel and they were peeling out of the garage.

Liz worked frantically. She snapped the car seat into place, then reached for her own seat belt.

“Get down,” David yelled as they tore out of the structure. A millisecond later the passenger window exploded.

Liz screamed and threw herself on top of Natasha. The baby screamed louder. David swore. Liz had never been so terrified in her life. She wasn’t sure how it was possible to feel so much fear and still live.

The car swerved left, then right. The violent movement made her wonder if David had been hit. She looked up, but couldn’t see any blood.

“Get down,” he told her again, his voice tight with tension.

“I have to protect Natasha.”

“You’re no good to her dead.”

She knew he was right, but she couldn’t save herself and leave the baby exposed. She stayed draped over the car seat.

They turned and sped and swerved until she started to feel nauseated. Finally, David slowed a little, and she straightened.

“Did we lose them?”

“I hope so.”

He turned into a parking lot, pulling up to a white car. As he grabbed the diaper bag and stepped out on his side, the man driving the white car stepped out, as well. He reached for Liz’s door.

“It’s all right,” David told her as he circled the vehicle. “Hurry.”

She unfastened Natasha and passed her over, then collected her purse and got out of the car.

Her legs shook so much she could barely walk, yet she forced herself to take the three steps to the white car and slide into the back seat. Once again she had to fasten Natasha in place while David took off out of the parking lot.

They drove for what felt like hours. There were two more car switches, including one where they only pretended to change vehicles. Finally, shortly before sunset, they pulled onto a quiet street lined with brownstones. He drove to the fourth one down, hit a remote control on the visor, then waited while a garage door slowly opened.

“Where are we?” she asked.

“A safe house. Don’t worry. We weren’t followed.”

“How do you know?”

“Because a team of my men have been tailing us for the past two hours. They would have warned me if there was a problem.”

David drove into the garage and closed the door behind them. He helped her carry Natasha inside, along with the diaper bag.

The house was narrow, long and three stories high. Liz was surprised to find food in the refrigerator, a crib in one of the bedrooms and toiletries in the bathroom.

“So the safe house comes furnished,” she said with a casualness she didn’t feel.

“It makes life easier.”

Natasha still cried. Liz got her out of the car seat and held her in her arms.

“I’m sorry,” she murmured to the baby. “This has been horrible for you. It’s all right now, sweetie. You’re safe.”

She looked at David who had pulled out a cell phone. “We are safe, right?”

He nodded. “For now. But this has to stop.”

“I like that plan.” She kissed the baby’s forehead, then turned back to him. “What about Sophia? Is she all right?”

“She should be, but I’ll check to make sure. Then I need to call home.”

Maybe she’d hit herself on the head and hadn’t realized it. “You need to
what?
”

“Call Portland. I want to talk to my father.”

“Okay. Why?”

“Because we can’t go on like this. I’m calling in a few favors.”

“Which means?”