Armoured Attraction

Except for the past couple of years when he seemed to have lost his taste for fun, fast hookups. Yeah, he still flirted with all the gals—young or old—and kissed just about every woman he came across. But he wasn’t particularly interested in more than that.

The thought of pseudo intimacy with another woman whose face he’d fondly remember but name he’d probably forget? Not as interesting anymore.

Maybe it had something to do with watching two of his best friends—and fellow Omega agents—fall in love with strong, beautiful women over the past few months. Jon Hatton and Derek Waterman’s love for the women in their lives was downright palpable. Liam wanted something authentic like that for himself.

Then it struck him. That was why he was going to Nags Head. Because until he could put what had happened there behind him, he was never going to be able to have something real with any woman.

It was time. He was going to lay the ghost of Vanessa Epperson to rest once and for all. Her call was finally the excuse he needed.

* * *

LIAM WASN’T GOING to call.

Vanessa had accepted that reality when she woke up this morning, sleeping in a pretty dingy hotel, a traumatized teenager curled into the tightest of balls in the bed next to her. He’d had all evening, all night and some of this morning to respond, but hadn’t.

Maybe he hadn’t gotten the message. Maybe he was off on some important mission with the DEA or something.

Maybe he still hated her.

The reasons why he wasn’t contacting her didn’t really matter. All that mattered was that Vanessa was on her own in helping Karine.

That was okay. Vanessa had learned in the hardest way possible that she was capable of handling on her own almost anything that came her way. This situation was no different.

But Liam’s lack of contact still stung a little bit.

She dragged herself out of bed, careful not to wake Karine. She knew from the girl’s whimpers and cries throughout the night that she couldn’t have gotten very good rest.

Karine needed help. Probably medical and definitely psychological—both more than Vanessa could provide. If the hospital and police weren’t safe around here, then Vanessa was going to have to talk her into leaving the Outer Banks, at least for the day.

Vanessa poured water into the cheap four-cup coffeemaker on the bathroom vanity. Once she had coffee, no matter how bad it was, she’d be able to figure out a plan.

While she waited she turned on the local morning news. Although she doubted it, she was curious to see if there was any mention of Karine.

At first nothing, just weather and tides—an important part of life on a string of islands. But then the breaking news...

The sheriff’s office had set up roadblocks at the bridges on both sides of Nags Head. They were looking for a federal fugitive—considered armed and very dangerous—and were stopping all cars leaving the island to search them.

Since there was only one road leading off Nags Head at the north and south bridges, she knew the police could, in essence, search every car attempting to leave the island.

The rest of the news report was about the traffic havoc the car-by-car search was creating. No one from the sheriff’s office seemed willing to comment.

Vanessa turned the television to mute and just stared at the screen.

Dangerous federal fugitive, her ass. Vanessa was one hundred percent certain the “dangerous federal fugitive” was curled up on the bed whimpering in her sleep every few minutes. But it meant that it would be impossible to get Karine off the island, at least today.

Not to mention that it confirmed that someone, at least one person pretty high up in the sheriff’s department, was definitely a part of what had happened to Karine and the other girls.

The thought made Vanessa downright sick.

She grabbed her coffee, looking around. They weren’t going to be able to stay here all day. They would need food—God only knew when Karine had last had a decent meal—and some other supplies. She’d given the girl a pair of shorts and a T-shirt she’d grabbed from her house, but they were too big.

She couldn’t leave Karine alone while she went to get food, so she’d have to wait until she woke.

Vanessa needed to come up with a plan pretty darn quickly. But right now her options were limited.

A soft tap at the door startled her. She rushed to it but didn’t say anything. She put her ear against the door. Maybe whoever it was—housekeeping?—would go away. She’d put the do-not-disturb placard on the doorknob.

“Vanessa, it’s Liam. Open the door.”

Chapter Three (#ulink_6c8cf8d3-5b88-50a8-9371-6c4a2a931e5e)

Liam tapped on the door softly again. He was almost positive he had the wrong place. This was the address of the hotel Vanessa had mentioned on the voice mail, but this could not possibly be right.

Was it some sort of trap? Liam pulled his weapon from the belt holster attached to his jeans, but kept it low to his side. Had one of his enemies—and he had made plenty of them over the years—found out about his past with Vanessa and planned to use her against him in some way?

Because if that was someone’s intent, it had succeeded brilliantly. Here Liam was, completely out in the open, at every possible tactical disadvantage, all because Vanessa had called.

But his history with Vanessa was long ago and buried pretty deeply. He hadn’t even told his best friends about what had gone down between them. So he didn’t really think there was any devious master plan, such as someone forcing her to make a phone call against her will.

But he still didn’t put his weapon away. There was no way in hell Vanessa Epperson would be staying at a hotel like this if she had any other choice.

You really couldn’t call it a hotel. It was more of a run-down motel, with all room doors leading directly outside to a parking lot that desperately needed repaving. There was no room service, spa or concierge.

Ergo—and obviously he’d been hanging around too many overthinking profilers at Omega if he was using words like ergo—no Vanessa.

He must be at the wrong place. He eased his weapon back into the holster and was turning to leave, not wanting to disturb whatever non-Vanessa person was sleeping in the room, when the door cracked open just the slightest bit.

“Liam?”

It was her. He couldn’t see her through the crack, but he would know her voice anywhere, even if he hadn’t heard it in her message recently.

“Yes. Are you okay? Let me in?” He took his weapon out again.

For a minute he didn’t think she was going to do it, but then she stepped back and opened the door far enough for him to enter.

“What are you doing here?” she whispered. The room was dark because of the pulled shades and he could hardly see her.

Liam looked around but didn’t see anyone else that could be threatening Vanessa in the darkened room. He reholstered his weapon. “What do you mean, what am I doing here? You called me, needing help. That’s what I’m doing here.”

“Oh,” she whispered again. “I thought you’d just call me back and leave me the contact info of someone in the DEA or something similar. Were you in the area?”

“Something like that.” Absolutely nothing like that. “Why are we whispering?”

Vanessa turned and pointed over her shoulder. “Her.”

There was a very small person balled up on the bed.

Okay. This was definitely not what he’d expected. The dumpy hotel. The hiding. The kid sleeping in the bed. “Vanessa, what the hell is going on?”