“It scares me more that he actually might fall in love with you, Briony. He would take over every aspect of your life. You saw a glimpse of him, a tiny one. He isn’t an easy man. He’s got demons on his back, and they aren’t going to magically disappear. I hate saying these kinds of things to you, but Jack is different. When we’re out there with guns in enemy territory, we’re praying we don’t come up on anyone, and if we do, that he doesn’t spot us, because we don’t want to have to pull the trigger, but Jack… ” Jebediah shook his head. “He doesn’t give a damn either way.”
“Believe me, I respect your opinion, Jeb. If you say he’s dangerous, I’m not stupid, I believe you. But I also see how much you respect him and his abilities.” Her body shook with sudden adrenaline pouring in. “No one is going to take my child away from me. I can be absolutely ruthless if I have to be. And Jack Norton will underestimate me, just like everyone else does. I’ll have the advantage.”
Jebediah hit the back of his head several times against the seat in frustration and slammed the flat of his hand against the steering wheel. “This sucks. I should be able to protect you myself. How could something like this happen, and why the hell didn’t Mom and Dad suspect something was wrong when Whitney demanded all that specialized training for a child? No one makes a child stay under water for long periods of time and do all the crap you had to do.”
“I enjoyed it,” Briony pointed out. “If I hadn’t enjoyed it, they probably would have objected-just like they did when Whitney demanded I go for field training in Colombia.” She flashed him a wan smile. “At least I’m equipped to handle anything thrown at me.”
She looked out the window again, at the surrounding wilderness. She loved the outdoors. She loved the night. But-Briony sighed. Right now, darkness made her feel vulnerable instead of cloaking her in safety as it normally did. The trees and shrubs took on a sinister quality, rising high and dark and ominous, as if lurking in the shadows were monsters ready to leap out and devour her.
“I’ve spent my entire life feeling a coward-always afraid-but this situation is truly terrifying.” She blinked back the sudden tears burning behind her eyes. “I’ve never been without you and the circus. I knew I was different; Mom used to tell me I had to hide it all the time, and maybe that was the appeal of Jack Norton. I finally found someone like me. The moment I laid eyes on him, I knew he was like me. I wanted to belong. Just once.”
“Damn it, Briony, you’ve always belonged with us. Always. We wanted to have a sister as much as Mom and Dad wanted to have a daughter.”
“I know that. It has nothing to do with adoption. You’re my family and always will be. I didn’t feel unloved-just different.” She struggled to make him understand. “I didn’t have to hide who I really am from Jack. He saw me and I saw him. I didn’t have to hide the fact that I’m stronger and faster and can see people in ways others can’t. More than that, I didn’t hurt.” She closed her eyes. “Can you imagine what that was like for me? For the first time I could be around someone and not know what they were thinking or feeling. Emotions didn’t swamp me or make me sick. It was such a relief.”
“I wish to hell we could give that to you, Bri,” he said.
“I know, Jeb. And I know you all love me.”
“That same appeal is going to be there when you see him again,” he warned.
She turned her head to look at him. “I know. But I’m not so inexperienced this time. He was honest with me, and you and I both know how tough I am. I look fragile to the world, but I’ve got the baby and you and the boys, and I’m not going to ever sell myself short. I won’t get caught in the same trap twice.” She looked around her at the trees swaying with the rising wind. “It’s very dark, Jeb, and I’m determined to go through with this, so let’s just get there, feel him out, and get it over with.”
“Has it occurred to you he might decide he wants the baby?”
“Of course I considered that. What would he do with a baby?” She turned her gaze on her brother, and this time the fire in her eyes made him wince. “I’ll do whatever I have to do to protect my child, Jebediah. Jack Norton, or anyone else, isn’t going to take this baby away from me.”
Jebediah swore under his breath as he started the SUV. “I knew you were stubborn, Bri, but I had no idea you were impossible.”
Briony rested her head against the seat and kept her eyes on the scenery passing by. She prayed she was doing the right thing. Jack Norton terrified her on so many levels. She’d waited until after three kidnapping attempts, three, before making the decision to contact him. And it wasn’t because he might want to kill her-or take the baby. It was because Jack Norton was the only person in the world she feared might take her over. He was stronger, dominant, definitely light-years ahead of her sexually. She had voiced aloud to her brother the hurtful things Jack had said, just to remind herself, to keep them in front of her so she wouldn’t be taken in again. It was all too obvious to her that she would be swallowed up by Jack’s dominant personality if she wasn’t careful.
Don’t come near me again. Not ever, because I’ll never be able to give you up twice. Had she heard him whisper that as she was coming out of her sleep, or had it been an inexperienced girl’s last hope? Maybe it had been her own warning system, screaming-shrieking-at her to stay away. Self-preservation demanded she obey, yet she was sticking her head right back into the lion’s mouth.
The Lolo National Forest was on all four sides of them, completely surrounding the property they were trying to find. The mountain was lush with trees, and she often caught glimpses of wild animals.
“I think this is it, Briony,” Jebediah said, slowing the SUV and staring at the narrow trail leading off to his right. “You have to be absolutely certain this is what you want to do. I think we follow this creek for another four miles and we’re there. Once we arrive, it will be too late to change your mind.”
For a moment she couldn’t breathe. She held up her hand and her brother stopped the vehicle. Briony jumped out and was sick, over and over, leaning against the door, while her stomach protested the need to ask Norton for help. Pride alone dictated she stay away from him, but to have to ask him for protection-Briony shook her head as she took the cloth Jebediah handed her. The idea of leaving the safety of her family when she needed them the most, to go to a man who didn’t want her, left her cold inside.
“You all right?” Jebediah rubbed her back in sympathy.
“Don’t tell him about the baby. Let’s tell him about Whitney. We can see how he reacts.”
“If we even get that close,” Jebediah said. “Be careful, Briony. We could get killed.”
“I know.” She nodded her head, her stomach cramping again. “I’m sorry I’m putting you in danger. Maybe I should walk from here.”
“Not a chance. If you go in, I do too.”
A sound awoke him, something out of tune with the familiar night noises. Jack lay for a moment fully alert, all senses flaring, seeking the disturbing break in the rhythm of the night. He rarely slept for any length of time, and always very lightly. A low, one-two hoot-like an owl, without the proper resonance-sounded from somewhere nearby; not the yard, more likely the forest just before the entrance to his home.