Hot Protector(65)
Chase took out the secure laptop and booted it up. Then he took the package from Sophie and ripped it open. The flash drive was in a little Bubble Wrap pouch. He unfolded it and took it out. It was a black cylinder, perfectly ordinary looking.
Sophie twisted her fingers together as he inserted the drive into the USB port. Then he opened up the file manager to reveal the files on the drive.
“They’re in Russian,” Sophie said. He could hear the disappointment in her voice, the fear.
He tapped some keys. “We expected this. The software on this computer can copy the contents, including hidden folders, and then I’ll send everything to Hawk. Kid will decrypt it.”
“How long will it take?” she asked.
“Hours maybe. Or days. Open Sky isn’t a group of amateurs. Their code is pretty sophisticated.”
“Days?”
He looked up at her, at the worried expression she wore, and his heart kicked. “We have the information now, Sophie. That’s a step in the right direction—and the Kid is good at what he does, honest. If the delivery van hadn’t been delayed back there, Turov wouldn’t have caught up to us. He’d have come along after we left and found nothing.”
“It was close, Chase.”
“It was. But we’re here and we have the flash drive.”
He picked up his phone, dialed Hawk, and informed him the files were on the way.
“I’ve got you on a private jet,” Hawk said. “I’ll text over the details, but the flight’s at four a.m. Leave the car with the weapons in the trunk. Long-term parking.”
“Copy,” Chase said, rubbing his temples. Not quite twelve hours away. They talked for a few more minutes and then he hung up. For the first time in hours, he felt like he could breathe again. He’d gotten the flash drive, Sophie was safe, and they were on their way home soon.
He ejected the flash drive from the USB port and pocketed it, then stood and shrugged out of his jacket. He unstrapped the weapons and laid them on the table. When he took in the hunted look in Sophie’s gaze, he dragged her into his arms, squeezing her tight.
She squeezed him back.
“Sorry for the scare today,” he told her, his lips against her hair.
“Are you mad because I disobeyed you?”
He tilted her head back until he could look into her eyes. “I’m not happy about it. But you reacted to the situation and got us out of there. It’s over now.”
“I saw you jump out of the van, and then I saw Turov coming after you—I almost stayed in my seat, but it occurred to me that for you to go around the car and try to get inside with oncoming traffic would give them the chance to catch up.”
“Yeah, it would have.”
“So I threw open the door and climbed over the console. I knew you’d be mad, but I had no choice.”
“I’m pissed you risked it—but it worked, so I’m going to get over it. But Sophie…”
“Yes?”
“You got lucky. Next time, do exactly as I tell you. I wasn’t going to lead Turov to you. I would have kept going, and you could have safely driven away.”
Her eyes widened, her fingers curling in his shirt. “You would have left me there alone?”
“It was the safest option. Yeah, I would have left you there alone. You would have driven to the airport like I told you and called Hawk. He’d have gotten you out.”
She clung to him tighter. “Then I’m glad I didn’t do what you said. I’m glad we’re here together.”
Jesus, she did something to him. Something that twisted his guts into knots and made his heart ache. He dipped his head and kissed her. He only meant to kiss her, but of course it didn’t end there. Touching Sophie was like touching a match to gasoline. The flame was inevitable.
He stripped her quickly, and then he was inside her, moving hard and fast and taking them both to the edge of pleasure. When it was over, when she was limp and sated on the bed, her eyes drowsy with slumber, he got up and dragged on his jeans.
Her gaze instantly sharpened. “What are you doing?”
“Protecting you, Sophie. Go to sleep. I’ll keep watch.”
29
Chase awoke with a start, straining his eyes in the darkness to make out where he was. He heard traffic below and remembered they were in Montmartre. Sophie slept beside him, her naked body lush and warm. He sat up, stretching.
He’d stayed awake earlier, watching over Sophie until she’d awakened and they’d ordered takeout. They’d eaten and talked, and then Sophie had dropped to her knees and shown him another side of pleasure with her. It was the first time she’d sucked him, and he’d loved the sight of it.