Chapter 44
"Are you sure you want me to do it?"
"Yes."
"Don't just give one word answers, it sound suspicious if Oliver is listening."
"Oh, that would be lovely, Lauren. When do you think we could do that?"
"That's more like it."
"What made you think of that?" she asked.
"My boss is pulling me off the a.s.signment."
"Oh, no!"
"Knowing Samson, he'll a.s.sign somebody to you who won't give you a chance to get away."
"That's so unfair." She paused. "Lauren, that sucks."
"Go up to your room now. Pack a few things, warm stuff mostly, st.u.r.dy shoes, a thick jacket. Things you need for a few nights."
"A few?"
"Unless you don't want to."
"No, I'd really like that, Lauren."
"Good. I'll give you ten minutes. As soon as you hear Oliver's phone ring, climb out your window like you did the other night. I'll keep him on the phone and distract him. Run through the back garden and climb over your neighbor's fence. I'll be in a black Hummer on the street behind you. You know how to get there?"
"Sure. That's a great idea."
"When you get in the car, make it quick. I'm not in the mood for a sunburn."
"Thanks. I appreciate it."
Zane disconnected the call and steered the car clear of a truck, which was double parked. His car sped through the next light before he finally left the Mission behind him and entered Noe Valley.
Traffic was lighter once he crossed busy Twenty-fourth Street and reached the predominantly residential area. One block from Portia's house, he turned off her street and went around the block to turn into the street parallel to hers. He counted the homes and parked right in front of the home that was directly behind Portia's.
Zane put the car in park and turned off the engine. He couldn't risk Oliver hearing the engine running over the phone when he called him.
After sending a text message to a contact, he consulted his watch. He waited two more minutes, hoping he'd given Portia enough time to throw a few things into a bag. Then he picked up his phone again and dialed Oliver's number.
The kid picked up on the second ring. "Hey, Zane. You're up early."
Zane forced himself to sound casual. "d.a.m.n dog keeps waking me up in the middle of the day. I swear I'm gonna give him back to Yvette."
"Yeah, that's why I don't have pets. Too much responsibility."
"Yep. Listen, Oliver, about what we talked earlier, about you thinking it would be cool to be a vampire."
"Yes?" Oliver's voice lifted in interest.
Perfect, he'd found the right subject to keep Oliver busy for a few minutes. He wouldn't hear Portia open her window and jump out in the garden.
Portia felt giddy with excitement. It was really happening. Zane had decided to help her. Tonight, she would lose her virginity, and it would be at Zane's hands. Whatever had made him suddenly make this decision, she didn't want to investigate right now. His claim that his boss was taking him off his a.s.signment of protecting her probably had something to do with it. But there had been no time to ask him about it, particularly not with Oliver within earshot.
At least she'd fooled him into thinking she was talking to Lauren, even though she'd said goodbye to Lauren only a short while earlier.
She rummaged through her closet and pulled out a few pieces, not really knowing what she should take. Darn, if he'd only given her a little more warning, she could have figured out what to wear and maybe even gone to Victoria's Secret to get some suitable underwear. Now all she could find in a hurry were boring panties and a plain bra without frills. Great! That didn't sound very romantic!
When she heard Oliver's cell phone suddenly ring from downstairs, she suppressed a curse and threw the garment in her hand into her backpack and zipped it up. She s.n.a.t.c.hed her boots from the bottom of her closet and rushed to the window.
As quietly as possible, Portia shoved the window open and threw out the backpack, followed by her boots. She quickly lowered herself out of the window and let go of the sill. Her landing made no sound. She was getting good at this.
She darted cautious looks to her left and right and listened for any sound from inside the house, but it was quiet. Picking up her backpack in one hand and her boots in the other, she ran toward the fence and vaulted herself over it with ease despite the height. Vampire strength and speed were handy at times.
The neighbor's garden was empty, and she hoped n.o.body would see her and alert Oliver to her escape. She ran along the low bushes and hit the tiled garden path. Her socks soaked up the dirt from
Running past the trashcans, she reached for the gate and flung it open. The street beckoned.
"Hey!" a male voice called after her, but she didn't care what her neighbor thought.
Portia didn't turn and continued running into the street, her eyes searching for the black Hummer. It sat double-parked in front of the house to her right. The headlights flashed at her.
Zane!
For a fraction of a second, she wondered whether she was making a mistake by trusting a man she barely knew and allowing him to practically kidnap her. But the thought fled just as quickly as it had come. Her heart beat faster, not from the brisk run, but from the knowledge that she would be with Zane, the man who excited her beyond all others.
She could still turn around now, but then she would be no further than before. No, Zane would keep her safe.
As she reached the Hummer, she remembered his words to be quick about entering the car. She jerked the door open, threw her backpack and shoes to the floor of the pa.s.senger seat and jumped in, slamming the door shut with the same movement.
The engine howled, and she was jolted forward, bracing herself on the dashboard.
"Hold on tight."
Zane's voice was on edge, driving home the fact that what they were doing was against not only her father's wishes but also Scanguards' rules. She knew that he would get in trouble for this. But there was no turning back now.
"Where are we going?" she asked as she tugged on the seatbelt and clicked it.
"Somewhere where n.o.body will find us. Make sure your cell is turned off."
She pulled her phone from her pocket. "Why?"
"Scanguards has your number. They'll be able to triangulate your location with the help of signals between the cell towers."
She s.h.i.+vered at the thought that they were running away.
"Are you afraid?"
Portia quickly shook her head. "No." She wasn't afraid; she was terrified. Terrified of what was going to happen. What if she didn't like it? What if this was a mistake? But she couldn't chicken out now. She had to do this. Zane was most likely risking his job for her; she couldn't bow out now.
"We can still turn back if you've changed your mind."
She looked at him, and he turned his face to her, his eyes gleaming with understanding. But beneath it, she saw the disappointment that loomed there, disappointment that would surface if she pulled back now.
A bark from the backseat bought her time to answer. She leaned sideways and found a Labrador puppy staring at her.
"You have a dog?"
She already reached for the little pup and pulled him onto her lap.
"You're going to spoil him. He's not trained, and by the looks of it, he never will be."
Portia petted the animal's soft fur. "What's his name?"
"Z."
"Z? Just one letter?"
"That's all he gets. He's a pest." Despite the words, Zane's voice was warm, attesting to his affection for the dog.
Zane hadn't just left him behind. He'd brought the puppy with him. Didn't that mean that he cared, that he was responsible, and definitely not as indifferent as he tried to make himself out to be? A man who had a dog, especially such a cute one, was a man who had a heart and feelings.
It sealed it for her. She could trust him. He would take care of her just like he took care of the dog. "Let's get wherever you want us to go."
There was something in his face that could almost be called a smile, or at least the beginning of one: his lips twitched and curved upwards by a tiny fraction of an inch.
"How far is it?"
"We'll be there in four hours."
"I can't wait." She lifted her hand from the pup and slid it onto Zane's thigh, suddenly feeling courageous. His muscles bunched just as they had the last time she'd done that. No reprimand followed her bold action.
"Maybe I can make that three and a half hours," he conceded and placed his hand over hers, not to remove it, but to capture it where it was.
"I'd like that." Portia had never heard her own voice sound that husky before.
When their gazes collided for a fleeting moment, awareness made her body burn with unquenchable l.u.s.t, a l.u.s.t she saw reflected in Zane's eyes.
Yes, this was the right decision. The only decision. Zane would be hers. Soon.
CHAPTER TWENTY.
Quinn slammed the door to the empty garage shut and pressed his cell back to his ear.
"s.h.i.+t, he's taken the Hummer. And the dog is gone too."
On the other line, Oliver let out a low curse. "d.a.m.n it! I was hoping she'd run to him. Have you checked his bedroom?"
"He's gone, Oliver. And by the looks of it, he's taken Portia with him." Why hadn't he seen that coming? That was exactly the kind of thing Samson had asked him to come and watch Zane for-and to prevent.
"s.h.i.+t, what am I gonna do now? Samson will have my hide for this." There was fear in Oliver's voice.
Quinn felt for him. This was his first big a.s.signment, and he was s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g it up royally. No, actually, Zane was s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g him over big time.
"Pick me up at Zane's house. Let's go to Samson's together."
"Thanks, Quinn."
Ten minutes later, a glum-looking Oliver picked him up with one of the limousines. In another twenty minutes they were in n.o.b Hill and parked in front of Samson's house.
Oliver switched off the engine and took a deep breath. "This is so f.u.c.ked up. I should have said something before."
"About what?"
"That Portia used mind control on me and left me in the dust the other day. When I called Zane for help, he told me she was with him. f.u.c.k, why would she do that? Why would she trick one bodyguard just to run to the other?"
Quinn slapped him on the shoulder. "I guess you haven't noticed how those two look at each other."
Oliver gave him a stunned look. "You've seen them together?"
"Last night. Long story. But I'm telling you something: when two people look at each other like that, there's nothing you can do. Best to stay out of it."
"Zane has the hots for Portia? No way!"
"Not only that, I think she has the hots for him. And I'm not even sure it's just that. I know Zane too well. He doesn't turn all territorial over just any woman. So here's my advice: keep your mouth shut about what happened the other day. n.o.body needs to know about that. It'll only get you in hot water with Samson."
Oliver ran his hands through his impossibly messy hairdo. "Are you sure? What if somebody knows about it?"
"I'm the only other person who knows, and I won't blab. So, take my advice. As for what happened tonight, they both tricked you. It's not your fault. He's duped me too, and I know him better; I should have seen the warning signs."
Besides, he should have heard the garage door opening and closing, but with the constant noise in the neighborhood and the hustle and bustle that went on there during the day, he'd tried to block out any sound so he could sleep, and had used earplugs.
"Okay then," Oliver finally agreed.
"Just let me talk. And don't volunteer any information that's not asked for."