Sea Haven 01 - Water Bound

things I can’t do. This is my world, right here, but it’s very narrow. I don’t travel—not at all. This is my home. I plan to live my life here. The farm and my diving. I work outside, sometimes 289

    with Lexi, but I rarely have company. I live a solitary life on purpose. I need routine. I have a difficult time accepting changes in my life. I can’t go into stores where there’s fluorescent lighting—which is just about everywhere.”
    He smiled up at her. “That’s a long list. Let me see. I’ve traveled my entire life and I’m ready for a home—a permanent one. I like working with my hands and diving suits me just fine. I prefer a solitary life. I’m uncomfortable around a lot of people. I don’t mind routine in the house, outside may be more difficult, but we’ve gotten good at compromise. You let me into your bathroom for showers.”
    “Only because there are one or two perks.”
    She did flash a smile at him, but it was strained. He’d definitely frightened her. Lev brought her hand to his mouth and nibbled gently. “Do you think I’ll leave you?”
    She frowned and he had the mad desire to bring her head down to his and kiss that look right off her face. He caught the nape of her neck and did just that, his mouth moving over hers, kissing her again and again, indulging his need to taste her, getting lost in the beauty of her response.
    “Laskovaya moya, I’ll do the shopping in the stores for us. I’m asking you to believe in me the way I believe in you.”
    “You’ve only just gotten a taste of freedom, Lev. You can go anywhere now. Everyone thinks you’re dead. You can have any life you want. Any woman.” She forced a small smile and her fingers bunched in his hair. “One that can have children.”
    He went still inside. There it was. The problem as she saw it. “The life I want is right here. The woman I want is right here. As for children, I never considered having any, so if we don’t, I won’t miss anything I never thought about in the first place.”
    “If we had a child, I’d be afraid it would turn out like me,” she admitted in a low voice.
    He kissed her again, aching inside. “A woman of courage? One who makes her own way in the world? One who succeeds no matter the odds?”
    “It’s difficult growing up abnormal in a world where different is not accepted. A small thing like changing the lighting in the schools might have helped, but it was easier to get rid of me rather than spend the money.
    Teaching children understanding and tolerance might have helped as well. I don’t want my life for my child. Don’t think I’m complaining, Lev, because I’m not. I just think the odds are greater that any child I have would have to struggle every day of her life just for acceptance.”
    “I’m fine with getting all of your attention,” he said. “I want to grow old with you, Rikki. I’m asking you to give yourself to me all the way.”
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    Her eyes went soft and tender. “Then yes. Absolutely yes.”
    Outside, an owl shrieked, then a second. Lev rolled off the bed, leaping to his feet, reaching for his gun and slamming it into the harness he’d laid on the table. He slipped the harness on, jerked a jacket on and took off running.
    “Call Jonas. Pratt’s here. He’s damned close too. I don’t know how he slipped past the sentries. And get the hell out of here, go up to the highway and wait.”
    He didn’t wait to see if she’d comply, he was already streaking out the door. A determined killer with a lot of experience could do major damage.
    The arsonist had to be stopped now. He moved fast, this time following the images the owl projected back to him. Gerald Pratt was in the garden area on the slope leading to Rikki’s house.
    Swearing, Lev raced across the uneven terrain. Pratt had come in through the back entrance. As with many unbalanced people, he was cunning, and he came in downwind, taking care not to alert the birds. He had laid his fire lines like a general. The ground was wet, but not soaked, and with enough fuel, it would burn hot and fast and run uphill right to Rikki’s house.
    As Lev sprinted through the trees, he could smell the kerosene, thick and strong, and knew Pratt had been at work for some time. Tree trunks surrounding him had been splashed with the flammable liquid. The arsonist was working his way slowly and very carefully around Rikki’s house to trap her inside. Pratt had been so overcome with the need to destroy Rikki that