If You Only Knew

Chapter Eleven



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“RAYNA!” TY SHOULDERED the bathroom door and it swung open, hanging on one hinge. She crouched in the tub, her back pressed against the wall. Relief proved stronger than fear and nearly brought him to his knees. His gaze swept over her, taking in her determined eyes and the pulse jumping erratically in her throat. He didn’t notice the gun pointed at his chest at first, or her finger flexing on the trigger, until her breath exploded from her and she dropped the gun. She whispered his name and scrambled toward him.

He caught her and clasped her tightly against him as she buried her face in his shirt. “Easy. I’ve got you.” His whispered words of comfort were probably more for him than for her. He’d been scared shitless when the elevator doors opened and he’d heard the commotion. Commanding another motel guest to call 911, he tore down the hall to find his worst nightmare in progress. A uniformed man, clutching a knife, inside their room. Ty had erupted with rage and fear for Rayna when the man turned on him. He’d snapped the intruder’s neck after a brief tussle for control of the knife. Whoever he was, he would never bother Rayna again.

Sirens wailed in the distance, but still he held her, and she showed no inclination to let him go. That was fine with him. He’d like to keep her this close forever, but his first priority had to be planning their next move. They should have been safe here. Finding out they weren’t might have cost Rayna her life. He couldn’t afford to make another mistake like that. Leaving her alone had been foolish. Sending Nate away obviously hadn’t accomplished Ty’s goal of leading Andre’s goons out of town. Instead, it had left Rayna more vulnerable than ever, with only one person to keep her safe. All those years of Joe instilling in him the importance of working as a team was starting to make more sense. Guilt weighed heavily on him, and he held on to Rayna like she would disappear any minute.

Three Roseburg City police officers burst into the room a few minutes later, followed by Sheriff Barnett and one of his deputies. The sheriff fired a few questions his way as the officers secured the scene and confirmed the intruder masquerading as a state trooper was dead. They regarded Ty warily as they held a whispered consultation with Barnett.

The sheriff caught his eye and motioned toward the hallway while he chatted amicably with the city cops whose jurisdiction he was no doubt trampling.

Ty kissed the top of Rayna’s head. “Ready to get out of here?”

She nodded but didn’t look up or release her hold on him.

He held her tightly as he leaned over to grab the discarded gun, put the safety on, and jam it in his waistband. “Will you do something for me? Close your eyes?”

She glanced at him, confused, but a second later, understanding swept across her face and she closed her eyes. His arm around her shoulders, he propelled her through the room and into the hall. For some reason, it was important to him to shield her from the whole ugly scene. He wasn’t really sure why. It wasn’t like she hadn’t seen death before, but the circumstances made this way too personal, and she was far too vulnerable. She’d been through enough, and he didn’t want her slipping into shock or retreating within herself. His need to protect her had reached an all-time high.

“Is he dead?” She leaned away to look back toward the door.

He sighed and slipped his hand behind her, drawing her head forward to rest on his chest again.

“One of Andre’s?” She tipped her head up and met his gaze.

“I think that’s safe to assume.” The rage Ty had tried to squelch swirled around him. He’d screwed up twice now. Left Rayna alone and unprotected, and both times Andre’s men had been on hand to take advantage of his inattention. That wasn’t happening again. He and Rayna would be joined at the hip from now on, whether she liked it or not.

Sheriff Barnett strode toward them, sympathy in his eyes as he studied Rayna. “Is she all right?”

Ty brushed the hair from her eyes. “I was so relieved she was alive I’m afraid I forgot to ask.” He hid a smile when she rolled her eyes. He knew she hated it when people talked around her like she couldn’t answer for herself.

“I’m fine.” She glanced at the sheriff.

“I think the only thing left to do is lock the two of you up.” The sheriff motioned to his deputy.

“What? Why? We didn’t do anything wrong.” Rayna stiffened and turned halfway to glare at the sheriff.

“I assume this is more chaos caused by your friend, Andre Komarov, and the Russian Mob? Detective Sanders filled me in this morning. I understand that the DEA has assembled a special team of agents to ferret this guy out up in Portland and that your friend here is part of that. But this is my jurisdiction, and there’s a dead man in your motel room, Ms. Dugan. Until we find out who he is and how many more there are out there, I think it would be better if you two were in custody. Believe me, I’d like nothing better than for you to move your fight on up the highway.” The sheriff spoke to Rayna, but his gaze locked on Ty.

Rayna broke free of Ty’s grasp, twirled, and slapped her hands on her hips. “We’re not going anywhere with you. We have a right to a lawyer… and a phone call.”

Ty slid his hands around her waist and drew her back against him. “Sheriff Barnett is just doing his job, Rayna.”

She glanced over her shoulder, a puzzled frown emphasizing her pouty lips.

“Everything will be fine. I promise.” He tightened his arm around her, hoping to reassure her.

She remained tense and rigid in his arms, clearly not understanding his compliance with the sheriff’s edict. She hadn’t seen the man’s conspiratorial nod in his direction. Unless he missed his guess, Barnett was actually helping them out, no doubt assuming what Ty already knew—they wouldn’t be safe anywhere until Joe picked them up. If they were locked inside a jail cell, however, that changed the odds somewhat. It might also keep the sheriff from having to pick up any more dead bodies while they remained in town. He obviously wanted anyone who might be listening to think it was the real deal. Ty would have to keep Rayna in the dark for a little while longer.

Barnett spoke to his deputy in private and sent him back inside the room for their belongings while he confiscated Ty’s gun and cell phone and handcuffed them both. “It’s just procedure.” He smiled apologetically, as Rayna glowered her defiance, then escorted them to the elevator, through the lobby, and outside into a waiting cruiser.

“Hey, it’s okay. We’ll get everything sorted out.” Ty leaned against Rayna’s arm, counting on his proximity to calm her nerves, but she trembled and her jaw jutted forward in a stubborn posture he’d seen a hundred times before.

When the car rolled to a stop in front of the county jail, Barnett let them out and led them inside through a door marked INFIRMARY.

“It’s after seven, so the infirmary is closed. No one will bother you in here.” Barnett quickly removed the cuffs and handed Ty his cell phone. “Find out when your friend will be here, and I’ll make sure you’re there to meet him.”

Rayna’s gaze darted between Ty and the sheriff. “You mean… you’re not locking us up?”

Barnett attached his cuffs to his belt. “Sorry for the added stress, Ms. Dugan. Detective Sanders asked me, as a personal favor, to keep an eye on you two. Anyone who tries to get drug dealers off the street is okay by me, so I’m cutting you a little slack for now. Since we don’t know how many more people are out there looking for you, I thought it would be prudent to get the two of you out of harm’s way for the time being.”

Rayna snaked out her hand and slapped Ty’s stomach, catching him by surprise. He snagged her hand in case she wasn’t finished.

“You knew?” She skewered him with an accusing glare and jerked her hand away.

Ty ignored the sheriff’s bemused expression, dialed Joe’s number, and spoke as soon as he answered. “How soon can you get here?”

“An hour, maybe less. Change of plans?” Joe’s calm voice over the phone steadied Ty.

“We’ve had more trouble. Rayna’s okay, but I want her out of here as soon as possible.”

“You got it. I’ll give you a heads-up when I’m twenty minutes out.”

Ty ended the call. “He’ll be here in about an hour, Sheriff. Is there somewhere close he can land?”

“Yep. The hospital is about five minutes away. As long as there’s no emergency going down, we can use their pad for a touch-and-go.” Barnett turned toward the door. “I sent my deputy for some food. Nothing special—just burgers and fries. Hope that’s okay.”

“That’s very kind of you.” Rayna’s smile was slight but it transformed her worried expression. “Thank you for helping us.”

Barnett tipped his hat. “My pleasure, miss. I’ll be back to check on your friend’s progress and take your statements. In the meantime, there are cots—make yourself comfortable.”

As Barnett reached the door, the deputy arrived and handed him a sack and a cardboard tray with two drinks. The smell of greasy fries and grilled onions filled the air. The sheriff passed the food and drinks to Ty as he left.

Ty held the sack gingerly. “Sorry. It’s not sweet potato fries. I must have dropped our food somewhere.”

“I’d say you made up for it by once again saving my neck.” She stepped toward him. When she was within reach of the bag, she plucked it from his hand, grabbed a handful of his shirt to pull him toward her, and kissed his cheek. Then she twined her fingers in his and tugged him toward one of the cots.

They ate perched on a thin, lumpy mattress encased in gray sheets that smelled of disinfectant. Or rather, she ate while he picked at his food. He marveled at the way she’d seemingly put the incident behind her already. She was much stronger than he gave her credit for. Maybe it wasn’t fair to try to keep her out of the pending fight. Everything she’d gone through had certainly given her the right to be involved if she chose to. If the situation were reversed and it was him with a gash in his cheek, a black eye, and needle tracks on his arm—yeah, he’d want to be there for the finale too.

When she finished eating, she crumpled the paper wrappers and tossed them in the bag. Setting the bag on the floor, she picked up her soda and took a swallow, then scooted back until she leaned against the wall and hugged her knees to her chest.

Ty threw the remains of his food in the bag, shoved himself backward to sit beside her, and gave in to the urge to throw his arm around her shoulders. She resisted his hug and remained unyielding against him. When he glanced at her, she was pale and her expression was stark.

“I almost shot you, you stupid jerk.”

He had to lean close to hear her anguished whisper, and this time when he tugged her closer, she pivoted and threw her arms around his neck.

Threading his fingers through her hair, he brushed it behind her ears and sought her gaze. He should have known what was bothering her. Like some goon trying to kill her wasn’t enough, she’d been dealt the final blow by how close she’d come to pulling the trigger with him in her sights.

“But you didn’t. I’m right here. More importantly—you’re okay. I’d have been pissed as hell if you’d been in that room without your gun aimed at that door. You did what you needed to do. I wouldn’t expect anything less. The fact that you were able to differentiate between me and the other guy tells me Joe and Charlie taught you well. They’d be proud. Hell, I’m proud.”

He stroked her back and breathed in the clean smell of her hair, still tinged in the fragrance of roses. “I’ll probably duck the next time, though.” He whispered against her ear and was rewarded with a soft laugh.

“That might be best.” She peeked at him.

Her lips drew him and even though he knew it was a bad idea, he couldn’t resist. His thumb traced along her throat, and he tipped her head just enough to brush her lips with his. As he sipped gently, she trembled and opened for him. He claimed her mouth, gently taking possession. His tongue swirled in and out of her lips, tasting her sweetness and sparring with hers.

Ty reached for her knee and pulled her onto his lap. His hands circled her waist as she straightened and braced against his chest.

“I wish we had more time so we could figure out what’s going on between us. You know I’d never hurt you, and I’d never ask you to do anything that I didn’t think was in your best interest.” She tensed and he tightened his hold on her waist. He’d dreaded this confrontation all day, but whether she agreed or not, they needed to talk this through before the moment arrived for her to leave.

She snorted. “You mean like shipping me off to Montana while you clean up Andre’s mess by yourself?”


Typical Rayna. Just like that, she was on the offensive. Ty rubbed half circles on her stomach with his thumbs. “It’s the smart thing to do.”

“Says who? It doesn’t feel smart to me, and besides, you wouldn’t do it.”

“You’re wrong. If the team thought it was the right thing, I would.”

She shoved his hands away and clambered off his lap to sit beside him. “That’s a crock. You’ve always thought you needed to take care of me. Is it because I’m a woman, or because I’m incompetent in your eyes? Or are you getting me out of your way so I won’t be around when you run into Bree again?” Her blue eyes flashed with anger.

Ty closed his mouth without uttering the spiteful retort her accusations dredged up in him. For several seconds, he stared at her. What seemed to him like a perfectly reasonable and prudent plan to remove Rayna from danger, was something else entirely to her. He’d hit a nerve, and she was striking back with whatever ammunition she could find. He’d wanted to clear the air between them, but this wasn’t what he’d had in mind.

Actually, he’d wanted much more. His plan involved telling her he didn’t want to live without her and finding out if she reciprocated any of his feelings. That idea had just gone down in flames. Now, they’d be lucky to part as friends.

He shook his head slowly. “I think you know none of those things are true. Keeping you in one piece is the only thing on my mind. If you don’t trust me by now, I’m out of time to try to convince you.” He kept his voice low and steady. If this was the last conversation they’d remember, he didn’t want it to be a loud and hurtful argument.

The ironic thing was, as much as he’d like to think he could handle her leaving in the next few hours, the thought was killing him. His head understood she’d be safer at Joe’s compound, but his heart wanted her here with him. Not only was she his best friend and the piece of the puzzle that had been missing for so long, she was also the one he trusted more than anyone to watch his back. Hell yeah, he wanted her here, but he couldn’t be that selfish.

Rayna covered her face with her hands and leaned toward him until the top of her blond curls rested against his arm. “I know… I’m such an idiot. How do you put up with me, anyway?”

Ty breathed a sigh of relief. This was the Rayna he’d fallen in love with. Compassionate, tenderhearted, and quick to forgive. The beating of his heart grew into an ache of longing. He put his arm around her shoulders and drew her against his chest.

“Easy. It’s always been easy, sweetheart.” He kissed her forehead.

She looked up and met his gaze, a smile stirring her countenance. “I love you, Ty.”

He smiled and captured her mouth, swallowing her delighted laughter. Crushing her to him, he kissed her, moving over her lips ardently.

Rayna clung to him, raising her lips to his ear when he finally gave them up. “Wherever we end up tonight, will you stay with me?” She whispered the words, and color flooded her face as he turned his bemused grin on her.

He lay back on the cot and pulled her with him until she rested partway on his chest. Wrapping both arms around her, he grinned. “Are you propositioning me?”

“I might be. It depends on your answer.”

“I’m pretty sure you could convince me.” Ty winked at her, a smile spreading across his face.

“Yeah?”

“Almost positive. We’ll have to talk Joe into staying over a night.” As soon as the words were out, Ty felt Rayna stiffen and realized his mistake.

She rolled off the bed and stood, looking down at him, disappointment and betrayal in her eyes. “I thought… you still want me to leave?” Her gaze searched his. “I was hoping you’d come to your senses, but I can see that won’t happen. We’ll leave it up to Joe, then. Don’t forget to say good-bye, though, because I’ll probably never see you again if you succeed in convincing him to take me home.”

“Rayna, be reasonable. Let me make sure you’re safe.”

She straightened, her hands resting on her hips. “I’ll go… if that’s what you and Joe both want.”

“That’s not what I want at all, sweetheart.” He groaned. Just when he was beginning to make some progress, he stuck his foot in it again.

“Don’t call me that.” Rayna turned on her heel.

“Wait a minute. We’re not finished.” Ty got up to follow her and confess to a staggering degree of stupidity, or temporary insanity—anything to get her to smile at him again.

He’d only taken two steps when the door opened and Sheriff Barnett shuffled through. An instant later, Ty’s phone rang and Joe’s number popped up on the caller ID.