Out of Control(63)
Why the hell had he agreed to go to the stupid ceremony if there was a risk involved?
Then she remembered something else he had said. That hopefully his “problem” would be over soon. Had he done this on purpose? Jake wouldn’t have let him put himself in danger, would he? Zach had told her that Jess had cleared the ceremony as safe. And she hadn’t taken too much notice, too wrapped up in her own problems and sour grapes because she hadn’t been asked to go.
Now she was pretty sure she knew why.
Because Zach didn’t want her there.
She grabbed her cell phone from the table and stabbed in Jake’s number. It rang ten times, until she was sure he wasn’t going to answer. “Pick up, goddamn you.”
At last he did. “This isn’t a good time, Dani.”
“And why is that? Are you too busy waiting for someone to shoot Zach?”
He was silent, then gave an audible sigh. “We really don’t think it will come to that, but in essence—yes.”
“I’m coming over.”
“Stay away, Dani. He doesn’t want you here.” He sighed again. “I know how you feel, but believe me, you’ll be a distraction and we don’t need that right now.”
She trusted Jake. He was the best at what he did. But it was hard to control things in such a public scenario. “Just tell me that you have everything covered.”
“We have everything covered. We’re not going to allow anything to happen in this situation. We know who they are and we have people watching. They’ll be picked up as soon as they make a move.”
“He’s acting as bait, isn’t he? He’s drawing them out?”
“Yes.”
She slammed the coffee table with her clenched fist, then jumped to her feet and paced the room, the phone gripped tight in her hand. “How could you let him?”
“It wasn’t my choice to make.” Jake’s tone was harsh. “Zach pointed out, quite realistically, that if he spent his life locked away in Spain, then this would never be over.”
“But he would have been safe.”
“He’s not the sort of man who puts safety high on his priorities. He’d hardly be seeing you if he did,” he added drily. “Look, Dani, I’d be the same with Kim. Just let him do this and kick his ass later.”
She bit her lip hard to stop the words pouring out, then gave a quick nod before realizing he wouldn’t see it. “Okay. But he’s not the only one who’ll be getting his ass kicked when this is over.”
“I’m sure he isn’t.”
“Send him back to me in one piece. And call me when it’s finished.”
“I will.”
She put the phone down, sank onto the sofa, and bent her head to her knees while the anger oozed out of her, leaving her shaky and weak. The TV was still on but the camera had moved away from Zach and Jess and was concentrating on the stage.
The nausea was back and she wobbled to her feet and just made it to the bathroom before she lost her pizza. It occurred to her that if Zach did love her, then this was how he would feel every day if she went back into the army.
How could she do that to anyone?
All soldiers’ partners went through it, but she had done her bit. She’d given ten years of her life, and maybe now it was time to stand down and see what else she could do.
She watched the rest of the program, saw Zach come up on the stage and accept his award, tried to make sense of his speech, but the words all jumbled in her head. She felt sick, afraid, still angry with him for excluding her. This was the one thing she was good at.
Finally, it was over. She hunched on the sofa waiting for Jake to call. Or Zach to call. For anyone to call and tell her he was safe.
The TV still flickered but she stared vacantly, her mind on hold as she waited. A picture of Zach came up on the screen and she became instantly alert.
Breaking news. Writer Zachary Hunter has been shot while leaving an award ceremony in the center of London. He has been taken to hospital, but at this time, his condition is unknown. Though eye witnesses state he was shot in the arm and chest.
Dani stared at the screen, waiting for someone to come on and say it was all a mistake. But she knew it wasn’t a mistake.
She’d thought he would walk away. She’d never considered—even with the death threats hanging over his head—that he would be taken from her. But that could happen so easily. Like Sam. One minute so full of life and the next…
Zach couldn’t be dead.
She reached for her phone, her hand trembling, and punched in Jake’s number, but it went straight to voicemail. She tried Zach’s next and was unsurprised when she got no answer. Panic clawed at her. Where would they take him? Was he still alive? Her breaths were coming too fast and her heart was slamming, heat washing over her in waves.