“Carissa,” Michael said, adding his support to Kyle, “look at it from their point of view. As far as they know, I’ve disappeared with you three times. Kyle can’t just walk in there and say I’m innocent and point his finger at the man accusing me. It’s a weak position to be in, and, as king, he can’t afford to be weak.”
Kyle nodded his agreement.
Carissa shook her head, adamantly against this idea. This was not going to happen.
“Look. Turning myself in publicly is the best way to draw him out.” Michael tapped the tip of his finger on the table, trying to drive home his point. “Eternity may manhandle me during the arrest, but they won’t really hurt me in a public setting. And once I’m in custody, Daniel will be there to make sure nothing happens.”
“He’s sure to make a move during the arrest,” Kyle added. “He can’t afford to let Michael testify. And that, coupled with the evidence we already have, will be enough to arrest him.”
Carissa shook her head, denying them again. It was going to be over her dead body.
“I know you don’t like it.” Michael took Carissa’s hand and curled it around his. He stroked it gently, trying to soothe her. “But, this is the quickest way to solve the issue.”
Carissa clenched her teeth and glared at him. He continued to rub her hand, sending little jolts of electricity up her arm to befuddle her mind. She shook her head in refusal once again, but her will wasn’t as strong as it had been a moment ago. She looked from Michael to her brother and back. This was stupid. How could she convince them this was a bad idea? Michael’s hand had worked its way up her arm to rub on her bicep. God, his touch felt so good.
“It’s the best option we have.” Michael caressed her, weakening her resistance.
What if he got hurt? Carissa clutched at the hand she held. How did she make him understand her fears? She had promised herself that she would take care of him. Carissa looked back at her brother, but Kyle was tuned in on Michael. There was a calculating look on his face that Carissa didn’t like. She looked back at Michael. What did he see that she did not?
“I’ll be fine.” His hand had reached her shoulder.
Carissa closed her eyes, enjoying his touch. No. She shook her head one more time.
“Carissa.”
The way Michael said her name sent a shiver up Carissa’s spine.
“I have to do this.” His fingers slid over her shoulder and down her back. “I have to turn myself in. There’s no other choice.” He rubbed her back gently. “Eternity will not stop until they’ve chased me down. I can’t hide forever. And I would rather go in my way than be cornered somewhere I could get hurt.”
This logic, Carissa could not argue with. She could keep him safe for a while, but the longer they hid, the more ferocious Eternity would get. She took one more look at her brother before giving in. Fine! She threw up her free hand, signaling her defeat. If he wanted to go get himself shot at, who was she to stop him?
Michael squeezed her hand reassuringly.
But he wasn’t going alone. Carissa pointed at herself, then to Michael, then towards the door. That stopped the movement of Michael’s fingers.
“No!” Both Michael and her brother protested.
She shot them both a wicked grin and nodded her head slowly. If they wanted to play this way, oh, she would play. She made the gesture again, reaffirming her decision.
“Oh no.” Kyle sat up, ready to exert his authority.
Carissa grabbed his shirt and stole his voice once again. “And how, pray tell, are you going to explain my absence?” Carissa snapped.
The two men froze as they considered her words.
“I’m supposedly kidnapped. What do you think Eternity would do if he showed up somewhere without me?”
Michael and Kyle looked at each other, worried.
Carissa knew she had a valid point. “Besides, there’s less of a chance that they’ll shoot if I’m there.” The looks that crossed both Michael’s and Kyle’s faces showed they were expecting just that. She looked from one to the other in shock. Standing up, she threw Michael’s hands off her. “You’re going in expecting to get shot!” How could she be so blind!
She rounded on her brother. “And you were going to let him, knowing this?”
“It’s the only way,” Michael cooed.
“Fine!” Carissa huffed. “You want to turn yourself in and get shot at… so be it. But I am going with you.” She turned and pointed her finger at Kyle. “And not one word from you.”
Kyle shut his mouth.
“Just make sure Daniel has a medic on hand, in case things go bad.” Turning, she stormed out of the cabin again before they could try to talk her out of it. She was not letting Michael go in there alone. She protected what was hers, and he might not realize it yet, but he was most definitely hers.
Whose stupid idea was this? Michael questioned his logic for about the millionth time. It had made perfect sense for him to let Eternity apprehend him at Central Park. There would be enough witnesses to keep them from open hostility, yet enough space that innocent bystanders wouldn’t be drawn in if anything did happen. That was before Carissa had inserted herself into his plans. Oh, her case was sound and her logic undeniable, but he wanted Mine! as far away from the action as possible.
“Please, is there any way I can convince you not to do this?” Michael begged again. He knew the answer, but he had to ask.
Carissa just shook her head. This had been the gist of their conversation since Kyle had left last night to make arrangements with Daniel. Carissa hadn’t even let Michael touch her after her second fit of anger. He had pleaded with her to change her mind until she threw a pillow at his head and sent him to sleep on the couch. Even though he didn’t have a clue where they were, he had tried to slip out in the middle of the night, only to find she had magically sealed the doors. That had gotten another pillow thrown at him.
“Just stay close, then.” Michael slipped his hand into hers and pulled her into line with his body. He would do everything in his power to make sure she was safe through this. His dragon protested as they walked out of the bushes and onto the main path. Kyle had informed Daniel that they would make the rounds of the park, waiting for Eternity to show up to arrest him. They would take Carissa to safety, and he would be taken into custody.
Michael’s dragon didn’t like the idea of Mine! being taken from him, but it could not argue that it was the best place for her. Being in Michael’s presence put her in a whole lot more danger.
They made two turns of the park together. Even though he was waiting for all hell to break loose, he couldn’t help but enjoy himself. He had wrapped his arm around Mine!, holding her closer than she had let him last night. Her hand had slipped into the back pocket of the jeans she had dug out for him. Every now and then, her fingers would curl, cupping his ass in a way that made his heart skip. God, she felt good. Eternity had better make their appearance soon, or he was going to abandon this plan and find a nice, secluded spot to give in to that voice yelling in the back of his head.
“Michael Duncan!” an authoritative voice called from behind him. “Hold it right there.” Of course they would come at him from behind.
Michael turned to look straight down the barrel of a 9mm Beretta. He knew that gun, and he knew the man holding it. “Hey, Demarco.” Michael smiled at him. He shifted so his body was between Carissa and Demarco.