Steal My Heart (4 page)

He took a step toward her. She gripped the bat tighter. Another step. Her heart hammered in her chest. One more step.

“Hold it right there.” She spat out the words like a cop, and must have sounded commanding, because he stopped. For what seemed like an eternity, he just stood there staring at her.

What’s he waiting for? She couldn’t see him but his scent was familiar. Something made her reach for the light. Her fingers shaking, she managed to find the switch and turn it on. The glow spilled over the darkly clad man before her.

“Oh, my God.” She sat up and glared at him. “Mark.” That familiar outfit made her want to smack him with her bat.

Wait. That meant the kidnapper would call. Holly was all right. Wasn’t she?

Mark grinned down at his ex-wife, who was sitting before him on the bed, wielding a silly baseball bat and wearing a flimsy spaghetti strap tank top that showed off her pretty breasts. Beneath the cotton fabric, he could see her physical reaction to him and he felt pleased. As well as aroused. Why he should still want her, he couldn’t say. But he did.

“I didn’t mean to frighten you, Angel Eyes.” He only meant to retrieve the jewels she’d stolen.

She gave him a look of scorn. “Is that why you dressed up in your Batman suit?” His cat burglar suit. The one she’d learned he wore to scale high-rises and break into high-end apartments to steal jewelry. She had to get him out of here. “How dare you break into my house?”

He couldn’t help chuckling. He’d forgotten her pet name for his outfit. Back when they were married, he’d had her believing he used the suit for research for
Our Day Will Come
. She liked to peel it off him and distract him from his “work.” They’d make love for hours. Those were the days. “You can laugh at my outfit, Paige, but it makes me invisible.”

“Except to those who really know you.”

“I guess I don’t need this any more, then.” He produced a handkerchief and began to wipe the paint off his face. He chuckled as memories hit him. “You also used to call it my Halloween costume.”

“Did I?”

He dared to move closer to her. “Don’t you remember?”

Paige narrowed her eyes at Mark. She didn’t want to admit that his all-black skintight suit that revealed every contour of his muscles, even with his face hidden under paint, made him look sexier than a Chippendale dancer. Or that she remembered taking it off of him and everything that followed, all too well. “Sorry, but you’re out of season. It’s summertime.”

“Am I?” He took another step toward her.

She gripped the bat and raised it. “I’m warning you, Mark. Don’t come any nearer.”

He was already at the corner of the mattress. He pulled off the hood, revealing the dark, tangled waves his hair. “Give it up, Paige. We both know what you did tonight.”

She stiffened, braced herself against the headboard. “I don’t know what you mean.”

He laughed. “Yes, you do. You didn’t think you could fool me, did you? I know you took the Fantasia necklace.”

That was pretty ironic, coming from him. Still, his accusation stung. But Holly was all that mattered. “You must be delusional. Why would I do something like that?”

He shook his head and inhaled slowly, as if drawing on all his patience. “C’mon now, Angel Eyes. A jewel thief knows another jewel thief.”

“Don’t you dare put us on the same level. And don’t call me Angel Eyes.” He wasn’t like Batman. He was more like Superman, able to see through her with x-ray vision. He knew she had the jewels and he was going to try to take them from her, the bastard. Over her dead body. “At least you finally admit what you were. So you’ve gone back to your old games?”

“Not exactly.” He moved a little closer. He was only a few feet away now.

“What do you mean?”

He reached in his pocket. Oh God, if he had a gun, she was a goner for sure. Who would save her little girl? But instead he pulled out something gold and held it near her face so she could see it.

“What’s that?”

“What does it look like?”

Firmly holding the bat, she squinted at it, took in the words etched in the metal. “It looks like a badge. Where did you steal that from?”

His deep blue eyes narrowed with annoyance. “It came with my new job. I’m one of the Good Guys now. I work for the FBI.”

“What?” She snorted out loud. “Why would the FBI hire you?”

“I cut a deal with them. I help them out, they give me a get out of jail free card. Well, mostly free. I did do three years before I came to my senses and took their offer.”

Paige glared at the man hovering over her with his sexy, black-clad muscles. How was it possible that he could still turn her on? Could she believe anything he said? He could have gotten that badge from a gumball machine for all she knew. “How do I know you’re telling me the truth? You aren’t exactly known for your honesty, Mark.”

He winced visibly and something made her regret her words for an instant.

“Don’t worry, Paige. I’m going to see that you don’t get into trouble.”

How generous of him. “You’ve got a lot of balls, Mark Storm.”

“So they tell me.”

She tightened her grip on the bat. “How dare you break into my house and threaten me like this? I have a good mind to call the police.”

He grinned. “But you won’t.” He leaned toward her and held out his hand, palm up. “Give me the jewels, Paige. I’ll tell my boss I lost the trail of the thief and found them in a dumpster where he tossed them.”

Paige didn’t know what to say. All she cared about was her daughter. She couldn’t let him get that necklace. But he was making her head spin.
Mark Storm an FBI agent?
It was the most absurd thing she’d ever heard. And now he was offering to protect her?

She shoved his hand away, raised the bat a little. “I don’t need your protection.”

“Don’t you?” He leaned one knee on the bed.

Her skin tingled at his nearness. Suddenly her mind was bombarded by the memory of his hands skimming over hers skin, his lips against hers, their bodies making hot, furious love under tangled sheets. Why was her heart betraying her now? She must be insane.

He reached, took the bat with both hands.

“Let go.” She tugged at it, trying to twist it away from him.

“Sorry, Angel Eyes. I can’t do that.” He held it firm, forced the bat down, and lowered his mouth to hers. Gently, with the lightest touch she could imagine, he grazed her lips with his own.

All her defenses evaporated as lusty desire consumed her. She let the bat go.

“That’s better.” He pushed it aside.

She closed her eyes, waiting for him to kiss her, dying for his touch. Instead she heard the drawer to her nightstand slide open.

She shot up. “No.”

“Just where I thought they’d be.”

“Mark, don’t you dare.”

But he already had her purse in his hand. With an evil grin of triumph, he got to his feet.

Sheer panic shot through her. What an idiot she’d been to succumb to his charms. She couldn’t let him take the necklace. She couldn’t. “Mark, please.” She grabbed at his clothes, but there was nothing to hold onto. “Stop. Bring that back to me. It’s mine.”

At the threshold of her bedroom, he stopped, looked back over his shoulder with a sexy wink. “Sorry. No can do.”

No.

On pure instinct, she grabbed her cell phone, scrambled out of the bed and raced down the hall. “Mark, please. You don’t understand.”

“What’s to understand?” He was already at the bottom of the staircase.

She sprinted down the stairs after him. Thinking fast, she dashed through the kitchen, panic ripping through her. She made it to the foyer only an instant before he did and threw herself against the front door. “Mark, you can’t take those jewels. Please. I’m begging you.”

He shook his head. “This time, Angel Eyes, I win. You lose.” There was bitterness in his voice.

She wasn’t going to convince him to hand the necklace over to her. He was stronger than she was. He’d overpower her and walk right out of here with them.

Her eyes filled with tears. She heard herself beg like child. “Please, Mark.”

His cocky smile disappeared and real concern flooded his face. “What’s wrong, Paige? Why did you take the necklace?”

She wiped at her eyes with her hand. “I can’t tell you.”

“Of course, you can.”

“No, I can’t.”

“I said I wouldn’t tell my boss it was you who stole it. I meant that.”

“Please. Don’t take them.” She couldn’t help it. She crumbled to the floor and sobbed. Hot tears streamed down her cheeks and onto her lap. She hated feeling so damned desperate.

“For God sake, why?” He stepped toward her, bent down next to her. “Paige, tell me what’s wrong.”

Just as his hands touched her shoulders, the cell in her hand rang.

Paige let out a shriek and shoved him away. She shot to her feet. Her mind raced. She couldn’t keep the truth from Mark now. This was her only chance to convince him of her innocence. The phone rang again.

She pressed a warning finger to her lips, then crossed to the end table in the living room. As it rang a third time, with a trembling hand, she laid the phone down and pressed the speaker button.

“You didn’t answer right away.” The mechanical voice was like jagged iron grating over concrete.

Paige watched Mark’s face flash with alarm. Once more, she put her finger to her lips, ordering him to be quiet. She could see he didn’t like it, but he nodded. “I—I was asleep. You were supposed to call earlier.”

“I call on my time, bitch. Do you have my jewels?”

“Yes. I have them.” She shivered with dread and disgust. She knew the voice was distorted by some kind of devise, but the sound of it made her as sick and panicky as if some monster were eating her flesh. The thought that this vile person had Holly made her insane.

The voice spoke again. “You’ve brought in the authorities.”

Paige watched the shock on Mark’s face, dread shooting through her. “No, I haven’t. I swear it.”

“Don’t lie to me.”

“I’m not lying. I’m not.” Did he know about Mark? How could he? “What can I do to prove it to you?”

There was a long pause and Paige feared he would hang up. But at last, he spoke again. “Here are your instructions. You know the café off 45
th
where they serve the trendy coffee?”

“Déjeuner?” That was near work. She stopped there for breakfast sometimes. The kidnapper must know her schedule. Of course. How else had he known when she’d pick up Holly from daycare?

“That’s the place. Be there tomorrow at eleven.”

She swallowed. Keep him talking, she thought. Maybe Mark could trace the call. “Eleven in the morning?”

“Of course, in the morning. They close at three. You know that.”

She gripped her arms around her stomach. “Yes, I forgot.”

“Be there at eleven sharp tomorrow. Look for a man in a white suit with a red ring on his left hand.”

Red ring? “Will he have my daughter?”

“He’ll give you further information.”

“That’s all? I have your jewels. I want my daughter.”

“That’s all you need to know right now.”

“That’s all you’re telling me, you mean.” Paige wanted to scream at the phone.

“You’re right. That’s all I’m telling you. And come alone or you’ll never see your daughter again.” He hung up and the dial tone buzzed sickeningly.

Paige pushed the button and the room became still. She put her hand to her face. Was she ever going to see her little girl again?

Daughter?

Mark stared at the distraught woman before him as if he’d never seen her before. The whole world had just shifted on its axis. He couldn’t believe what he’d just heard on that phone. Paige had a little girl? She had been forced to steal the necklace? By a…kidnapper?

He ran a hand over his face, his mind racing between shock at the news and outrage that someone was harming a child.

He uttered the first words that came out of his mouth. “You have a daughter?”

Paige nodded, her eyes wet with tears.

That explained the house near a school. And why she’d taken the necklace. And why she was so upset. But—Paige had had a child by another man? The thought hit him like a jab to the chest.

“She’s so young.”

“How old is she?” he dared to ask.

Paige held his gaze for a long moment, as if she didn’t want to tell him. “Almost three.”

Almost three. Then she couldn’t be his child. Not unless Paige had delivered very late. Not even then. They’d been too careful. Children weren’t in their plans. But that meant she must have taken up with someone else as soon as he was arrested. No wonder she’d divorce him right away.

A flash of hot anger and jealousy churned in his gut like a cyclone. She’d taken up with some creep who’d run out on her and left her to care for the child herself? There was no sign of him that Mark could see. What had she been thinking? And now, this?

“And she’s been
kidnapped
?”

Paige rubbed her hands over her arms and paced to the bay window. She looked as if she wanted to sit down, then thought better of it. “I came to pick her up at daycare this afternoon. She wasn’t there. That’s when I got the first call from,” she picked up her phone, “that horrible man.”

The kidnapper had to know her schedule then. Probably where she worked. “Is it someone who didn’t like one of your columns?”

“That could be anybody. I have no idea who it is. But he knew I was going to be at the auction tonight.”

“That narrows it down.”

She shook her head and sank into a chair after all. “It was no secret. Bigelow’s had me writing about the event in my column for weeks.”

For the first time, Mark regretted swearing never to read her column again. “Paige.”

“What?”

He gazed into her smoky gray eyes. Sitting there in her spaghetti strap tank top and panties, showing her long, shapely bare legs, she was driving him crazy. But she didn’t look powerful and sassy, the way he’d always known her to be. She looked like she was about to burst into tears again. His heart went out to her. He wanted to take her in his arms and make all this go away.

“What’s her name?” he asked gently.

“Holly.”

“That’s pretty.”

“Thanks,” she shrugged. “So you see why I can’t give you the necklace.” She held out her hand, as if expecting him to give it back to her.

It had to be past two. Foley would be wondering where he was. He’d intended to call him as soon as he left and brag to him that he had the Fantasia. He was going to joke that he deserved a raise for getting it back.

But now? Things weren’t going to be that easy. But he needed to contact his boss sooner or later. Surely he’d understand the situation. “I can help you, Paige.”

“You help
me
?” The disdain in her tone made his jaw clench.

“I’m with the Bureau now. We have resources. You can’t handle this on your own.”

Fear turned to fury as Paige straightened her shoulders and glared at him. “I have to handle it on my own. Didn’t you hear that bastard?” She waved the phone at him. “‘Come alone.’” She got to her feet and held out her hand to him again. “Give me back those jewels.”

###

Paige watched him as he stood there, as stubborn and immovable as granite. His eyes took in every bit of her, making her feel naked and vulnerable.

“I can’t do that, Paige.”

Fine time for Mark Storm to grow a conscience. “Why not? The Fantasia is insured. Adolphus will get his money back.”

He lifted a brow. “That sounds like the kind of reasoning I used to use.”

She wanted to slap him. “You used to do it for thrills and to line your own pockets. This is to save a life. My daughter’s life.” The tears welled up again. She couldn’t help it. When it came to Holly, she was jelly.

Determination in his stride, he crossed the room to her, fixed her with a hard gaze. “If you want to save your daughter, you’ll listen to me, Angel Eyes. A criminal like that is ruthless. The only way to handle him is to get the upper hand.” He reached for her.

“He already has the upper hand.” She pushed his hand away, rose and paced to the corner. She wished he’d stop calling her “Angel Eyes.” She used to love it when he did. Not any more.

“The Bureau deals with this sort of thing all the time. They’ve rescued people from kidnappers. They’ve got a whole department dedicated to it.”

“And people have been killed in rescue attempts.” She’d covered a few bank robberies where the Feds were involved. In most cases, there had been causalities. If that happened to Holly…. She wouldn’t let it.

He moved away from her, strolled to the mantelpiece, near to where she stood. He leaned against it with a casual air. In his skintight suit, his black hair tousled atop his head, and still wearing half of his black face paint, he looked dark and dangerous and way too attractive. “Sometimes. But if you go it alone, someone’s sure to be killed.”

That couldn’t be true. She wanted to lunge at him. To slap him. “You’re exaggerating. Nothing’s going to happen except I’m going to give that man the necklace and he’ll give me Holly back. And that will be that.”

His expression was unreadable. After a long moment, he stepped close to her again and reached out to brush her hair off her face. The sensation of his fingers caught her off guard. “I don’t want to take that chance. I can’t stand to think of anything happening to you, Paige.”

His words touched her. He was right. It was foolish to assume everything would go smoothly. When did that ever happen? She put the phone into its charger on the mantelpiece and stepped toward him, palms up. “I don’t know what to say, Mark.”

“Say you’ll let me take care of you. I owe you that much.” He paused a moment, studying her intently. Then slowly, gently he slipped his arms around her, as though he were capturing a frightened bird.

His arms felt good. Comforting. She used to feel so safe in his arms. She longed to feel safe again. “Owe me?”

“I know it couldn’t have been easy on you after…what happened to us.”

Why was he bringing that up now? She didn’t want to think about the divorce. Or discuss it with him. And yet she felt herself melting, succumbing to his old charms, which he still had in spades. She never could resist him. But did he mean what he said? Did he care about what had happened to her daughter? He should.

She glanced around the living room, recalling that she’d carried all the pictures to Holly’s bed and caught herself before letting out a breath of relief. She couldn’t risk Mark seeing his own face in her little girl’s. She cringed at the lie she’d told him about her age. Holly’s third birthday had been two months ago.

He lifted an arm and took her chin in his hand. “Will you let me help you?” Concern filled his deep blue eyes. The look wasn’t fake. The sincerity in them pushed her over the edge.

She nodded. “All right.”

“You won’t regret it.” He smiled, those heart-breaking laugh lines forming at the corners of his eyes.

They stood, taking in each other for what seemed like forever. Then slowly, he bent his head and kissed her.

The thrill shot straight to her core.

She didn’t stop him. Couldn’t stop him. Couldn’t stop herself from wanting more. She kissed him back.

He’d meant it as only a peace gesture, she was sure. Like his touch, his lips were warm and soothing. But then his kiss deepened and instead of pulling away as she should have, she groaned under the press of it. He couldn’t control himself anymore than she could. How could either of them hold back the electricity that had always sizzled between them?

His tongue licked at her mouth, sending shockwaves through her body, down to her groin. Without any resistance at all, she parted her lips and let his probing tongue inside. His breath grew suddenly ragged, hers came in surprised gasps.

His hands slipped around her. She shuddered and pulled him closer, then realized they were inching toward the stairs. Toward her bedroom.

What was she doing? How could she even entertain such a thought when Holly’s life was on the line? She slid her hands to his powerful chest and gave him a shove. Cool air hit her mouth as the kiss broke. “I can’t do this, Mark. It isn’t the time or place.”

He was silent a long moment. “You’re right,” he said at last. “You always were the sensible one.”

She wanted to thank him for admitting that, then realized how ridiculous those words would sound.

His gaze caressed her, though his hands now remained at his sides. “You’re exhausted. You need to get some sleep.”

“Sleep,” she nodded. “And what are you going to do? Stand guard over me?”

“What do you want me to do?”

He wasn’t playing fair. She didn’t want him to go, and he wasn’t about to leave her alone tonight. She gazed into his blue eyes, as helpless as he’d left her a moment ago.

What in the world was she going to do with him? Only one thing she could think of.

###

“I use the spare room as an office and Holly’s room is too small, so the couch will have to do. I’ll have to find an extra blanket…” Paige babbled like a ten-month-old all the way up the stairs and down the hall to her bedroom, hardly taking a breath. “Oh, and you need to wipe the rest of that paint off your face.”

She dashed to the bathroom for a washcloth.

“That sounds intriguing.” Mark followed her inside the small room.

Noticing she had black paint smudged along her cheek, as well, she jammed the faucet handle hard and shoved the cloth under the pulsing water.

Mark edged in behind her. Gently, he slid his hands up her arms.

“Almost ready.” Her voice broke as she twisted the cloth.

His hands slid tenderly around her and found her breasts through the thin fabric of her tank top. “I’ve missed you so much, Paige.”

She sucked in her breath, closed her eyes, felt herself go as wet as the cloth in her hand. Missed her? She hadn’t thought about him missing her.

“Here, let me do that.” He removed his hands, making her sigh, took the cloth from her and rang it out. Looking over her shoulder in the mirror, he daubed it against her cheek, then wiped his face clean. “How’s that?”

She stared at the vision of the two of them in the glass. He was so handsome. Dark waves of hair glistened atop his head in a sexy disarray and his strong jaw, although now free of paint, sported a five o’clock shadow. Eying him, she remembered the scar along his collarbone. There was one along his back as well. She’d always wondered how he got them.

She raised her gaze to his deep blue eyes, which were studying her once more with intensity, and locked with them. She had missed him so much. Missed his touch. Missed the passion they’d shared. Suddenly, the longing for what they used to have pierced her heart like a razor. She felt her resistance disintegrate.

It was crazy. Insane. Impossible.

She should be thinking about Holly, but what good would that do? She had her course of action. It would be hours before she could carry it out.

And just now, the past didn’t matter. Just for tonight she needed something, anything, to escape the agony of this waiting, this horror or she’d go stark raving mad. And Mark Storm standing there in all his sensuous glory fit the bill.

It might be a bad mistake she’d regret, but she didn’t care. All she wanted was tonight. It wasn’t as if he didn’t want the same thing. And after all, they had been married.

Tonight, just for tonight, she had to have him again.

She turned around to him. “Kiss me again.”

He gave her that sexy, crooked grin of his. “You always were demanding.”

“And you were always obliging.” She stood on tiptoe, threw her arms around his neck, and pressed her lips hard against his.

Dropping the washcloth into the sink, he kissed her back and drew her to him. Then he inched them backward into the bedroom, heading for the mattress. She could feel his arousal against her. The feel of him, the thought that she could turn him on after everything that had happened, made her dizzy with sudden pleasure. When the back of his legs hit the bed, she gave him a shove and he bounced onto the mattress on his enticing rear end.

“This isn’t fair. You’ve got more clothes on than I do.” She reached for the zipper of his black jacket and slowly pulled it down.

“My, you’re the tigress tonight,” he grinned.

“I don’t hear any protests.”

“Here’s one. You’re not going fast enough.” He reached for the zipper, tugged it down, wrestled out of the jacket.