She straddled the bike, her pants tightening as she sat and put her hand out for the key. He got on behind her, using his free hand to pass her the key and then pressed close, wrapping an arm around her.
She smelled like honey and although she wore an equipment vest, he felt her warmth underneath. Memories of the softness of her skin swept over him. Running his hands over her body, hearing her moans… He stifled a groan.
Not for the first time he wished things had turned out differently. He hadn’t expected to connect so deeply with her when he’d taken her to dinner.
But she’d been so different from what he’d expected. Underneath that tough police exterior she’d been sensitive, shy and well-read. They’d discussed everything from Shakespeare and Chaucer to E.L. James and Lee Child. He’d spent the entire night so intrigued and entertained that he’d almost forgotten the reason he’d invited her in the first place.
To get information.
As the bike roared to life, he leaned closer and murmured into her ear, “That way.” He pointed.
She shivered and pressed her lips together. Was she repulsed by his presence? Probably. He wasn’t stupid enough to hope her reaction was proof she wasn’t immune to him. Not after the way he’d behaved. There was no love lost on Nhiari’s side.
He directed Nhiari along the ranges and into one canyon, across rocky terrain until they reached their destination. “Stop there.”
She did as he asked and shut off the bike, pocketing the key. He grinned briefly before controlling his expression and held out a hand. “I’ll take that.”
A sullen expression as she fished it out and slapped it into his palm. He got off, keeping his gun pointed loosely at her as she dismounted.
“Is this where you shoot me and hide the body?” Nhiari asked.
He kept the surprise off his face. “If I was going to kill you, I would have done it in the cave.” He thought she understood. “I can’t let you free only to have you hunting me.”
“You really think whatever you need to do will be easier with me as a reluctant participant?”
She was right, though he wouldn’t admit it. When he’d freed himself of the handcuffs and pressed into Nhiari, his only thought was to keep her with him. To steal more time with her. Idiotic. He’d been trained to ignore his feelings. “You might have useful information.”
She snorted. “As if I would give it to you.” The derision in her eyes was clear. He had hurt her, which meant this was going to be twice as difficult.
“Nhi, please. I know I’ve hurt you, but I promise you, the man in charge is within my grasp.”
“Give me a name.”
He hesitated. If she escaped and then started monitoring Lucas, Lucas would know. The traitors at the Retribution Bay police station would tell him. “I can’t. Not yet.”
“What can you tell me?”
He pressed his lips together and moved the motorbike so it was next to a bush, and then added branches on top of it to hide it further. “We can talk when we get to camp.”
She crossed her arms and her stare was hard, but rather than intimidating Lee, he itched to pick up his camera and photograph her just like that. He’d call the photo,Gives No Shit.
It would be some time before he could go back to taking photographs for enjoyment—if ever. When he’d started this, he hadn’t thought past stopping Stonefish. But he had killed people. Both men had threatened the lives of innocent people and would have continued to make lives miserable, but that might not count.
His justification sounded weak in his head. Who was he kidding? He had hurt people and committed enough crimes to send him to gaol. He pushed down the guilt and gestured with his head. “This way.” He moved towards one of his campsites, not looking back as if sure Nhiari would follow. He’d gone a couple of metres before her footsteps crunched behind him. Lee exhaled softly, relief filling him, and continued on his way.
They climbed for about ten minutes before they reached an overhang on the side of the ranges. It was high enough to stand upright, and hopefully wide enough not to freak out Nhiari. Inside was his larger backpack with some emergency supplies.
“Cosy,” Nhiari snarked.
“It’s not too narrow in here for you?” he asked.
She hesitated and crossed her arms, hugging herself. “It’s fine. Surely you haven’t stayed here all this time.”
He debated not answering, but it was something he could tell her and maybe it would help to soften her, show her he would share what he could. “No. I’ve got camps all along the ranges.”
“Is your car at one of them?”
He nodded. One of the first things he’d done on arriving in Retribution Bay was to set up his bolt holes. He knew if his involvement with Stonefish had been exposed, he’d have to run and the peninsula didn’t give him a lot of options. Particularly if Lucas wasn’t willing to bail him out.
