Apparently the danger surrounding Cat was a lure, drawing him in. Hell, each one of the fighters wanted to get involved.
They were protective that way.
“I’m thinking we should stick around,” Cannon told him, his voice low in deference to Enoch. “Just in case.”
No surprise there. Cannon and the others ran a neighborhood watch back in Warfield, Ohio. “Somehow,” Leese said, “I think your wife would protest that.”
“Yvette would understand.”
Probably. She was every bit as caring as Cannon. Leese drew him aside to talk privately. “I appreciate it, but I’m thinking the best way to go is with a low profile.”
Cannon studied him, then shook his head. “You don’t want us drawn into the danger.”
“There is that.” The last thing Leese wanted to do was give Platt or Tesh more targets. “Sahara has some reach. I think—” pray “—it’s under control.”
Accepting that, Cannon said, “Keep me posted, then. And if you change your mind, know that we’re around.”
“Thanks.”
Denver joined them, gave Leese a close scrutiny and smiled. “You’re in love with her.”
Was it really so obvious? Leese looked across the room to where Cat listened while Armie spoke to her, likely saying something outrageous since Armie didn’t know any other way.
She smiled, leaned close to reply and Armie pretended to stagger with weak legs. Miles grinned beside him and Stack smirked, holding Armie upright.
Whatever she’d just said had amused his friends, meaning as usual, Cat held her own.
She’d been through hell, was living in it now and still she charmed everyone around her. She kept her chin up, optimism firmly in place.
She wanted to sacrifice herself to keep him and Sahara safe.
“Yeah. I love her.” How could he do anything else?
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
BY THE TIME they reached Sahara’s house, it was nearing bedtime. They hadn’t eaten since breakfast. Cat felt her stomach rumbling, but didn’t want to grumble.
It was Leese who’d been wounded, and he didn’t complain. He just stayed grim, his thoughts contained.
His anger still palpable.
She wanted to say something to him, but what?
He had to be just as tired and hungry as her, and though she’d never been shot, she assumed a bullet wound—even a searing graze—had to be sore.
Too many hours had been spent talking to the police, waiting while Leese was stitched, visiting with his friends and coordinating with Sahara.
Keeping a good distance away, Leese watched as Justice pulled into a private drive. He had Sahara with him, so Cat assumed it was her house.
“Do you know how to get through her gate?”
Leese gave one small nod. “She shared the passcode with me.”
As far as topic-starters went, that had failed miserably. “Are we trying to be less conspicuous? Is that why we’re not sticking closer to her?”
Leese’s brows twitched together. “Yeah.”
Not very forthcoming. Cat cleared her throat and tried again. “Your friends are coming in?”
His gaze shot briefly to hers. “What do you mean?”
Looking over the backseat to see out the rearview window, Cat confirmed that the same headlights were still there. “That’s them following us, right? I mean, I assume it’s not Tesh since you’re not worried about it.”
Gaze straight ahead, Leese worked his jaw. Finally he asked, “You knew we were being followed?”
Cat gave him an arrogant glare. “You think I survived this long by being unaware?”
His mouth flattened. “No.” After a glance in the rearview mirror, he said, “They’re not coming in.”
“So just making sure we got here safely, huh? That’s so sweet.”
“Downright sugary,” he growled, then he turned down the long driveway. Behind them, the SUV with his friends drove past without acknowledgment. He paused at a keyless entry gate and entered the passcode. Wide, arching gates parted to let him in, then closed again once he’d driven through.
The lighted private lane wound around trees and finally opened to a sweeping circular drive in front of Sahara’s home.
Another high iron fence secured the main entrance, blending into the landscaping. Sahara and Justice stood just inside the opened gateway.
When Leese parked and got out, Justice said, “Told you so.”
“Yeah.” Leese looked around, gauging the security and showing a little bit of awe.
Seeming pleased with her visitors, Sahara said, “Everything is wired, so if anyone intrudes, alarms are sent directly to a security company.” As she led them up the front steps and to another locked door, she said, “I want you to make yourself at home. Help yourself to the kitchen or anything else you might need.”
Instead of a keyed entry, she pressed more buttons and the front door unlocked. They stepped into a grand foyer with a double staircase. It was truly beautiful and, despite its grandeur, felt somehow homier than her stepfather’s estate.
Sahara turned to Cat. “I’ll loan you some pajamas and tomorrow the officers said we should be able to get into the penthouse long enough for you to grab some belongings. We just can’t disturb anything yet.”
They’d been about to leave the hospital earlier when the officers had shown up with more questions, especially since the two men Leese had fought off were both in critical condition.
On the one hand, Cat would be relieved if the two cretins were no longer around to hurt or threaten innocent people. On the other hand, they could possibly provide a clue that would help to nail Tesh, and then the senator.
But she doubted it. Anyone working for Tesh would have been thoroughly vetted.
Such an eventful day, and more than ever before, viable solutions remained hazy.
Cat’s eyes burned, her stomach churned and she wanted both food and sleep. But more than that, she wished Leese would hold her.
Forcing a smile, she thanked Sahara and went with her while Justice showed Leese around. The house was magnificent, and nearly as secure as the Body Armor agency.
Cat did her best to remain pleasant, but by the minute she wanted to collapse somewhere. She felt both physically and emotionally spent.
After yet another hour of polite chitchat, orientation and quickly consumed cheese sandwiches, she finally found herself alone with Leese in the lower level of the immense house. Justice had a room on the main floor, and Sahara’s suite of rooms was on the upper level.
Everyone had privacy, not that Cat expected it to do her a lot of good.
While she showered and changed into the borrowed pajamas, Leese prowled around, getting familiar with the windows, the double doors that opened into a vast yard, and each closet and room.
At the bottom of the stairs to the right, part of the basement was used for storage; to the far left, a pool table and other games took up a big section.
But the middle had been designed for guests, providing a three-piece bathroom, a modest bedroom with a full-size bed, a sitting room with a television and computer, and a bar with a sink and microwave.