Sea Haven 01 - Water Bound

he wanted to do was lie down, but he’d set the ball rolling before he had everything up and running. He had to finish putting his identity in place, and fast. Her sisters weren’t going to just let him into Rikki’s life without knowing who he was. That meant a post office box and sending for necessary documents. He had to concoct a plausible story for losing everything as well. He needed an exit plan too—for both of them. Just in case his past came knocking.
    “You can use my laptop.” She gave him her little look, the one that said she knew what he’d been up to. “You’ve been using it regularly already.”
    He caught her hand and pressed her fingers against his lips. “I don’t want anything traced back to you. Better we use a public computer.”
    Afterward, he’d upload a slow-moving virus that would corrupt the hard drive over several days until eventually it would have to be replaced. If his hacking raised red flags anywhere, the computer would be long gone, discarded by the café, and no one would ever remember who had used it.
    She studied his face. “Did you remember something?”
    He’d promised himself he wouldn’t lie to her. “None of it’s good, Rikki. I’d like to be able to tell you I’m a good man, but I don’t think I am.”
    Her gaze never wavered. “As long as you don’t lie to me, we’ll be all right, Lev. I’d rather hear the truth, no matter what it is.”
    “And if you can’t take it?”
    “I’ll tell you.”
    He searched her face. The woman was courageous, he had to hand her that. She meant what she said. “I want to go the nearest big town.”
    She laughed. “We don’t have big towns here, Lev. Fort Bragg is about eight miles or so from here. That’s as big as we get. And no, we’re not a military base.”
    161

    “Let’s go then.” He’d been to Fort Bragg. He recognized the name.
    That meant he’d already set up an exit and an emergency plan for Sid Kozlov.
    “Are you certain you’re up to this?”
    “If I don’t get it done, your sisters will have the cops here throwing me out.”
    Rikki didn’t argue with him. “You’ll need clothes as well.”
    “And diving gear.”
    “Not a chance. No way. You’re not coming on my boat.”
    He couldn’t help giving her a smug look. “Even Blythe thinks it’s a good idea.”
    “Yeah, well, Blythe isn’t the captain.”
    He caught the nape of her neck and drew her head down toward his, eyes open wide and staring into hers. He felt like he’d waited hours, weeks, a lifetime, to feel his mouth on hers again. He gave her the opportunity to pull away from him. He didn’t want to push her too hard. He knew he had to give her time to accept him into her life. And touching was hard for her. He had noticed the way she held herself when her sisters had hugged her or took her hands. She never pulled away, but she never relaxed either.
    She didn’t relax now either, but she didn’t resist. Her eyes went that beautiful liquid black, and they were so inviting. Then her lashes fluttered and his mouth was on hers, her lips soft and warm and accepting. He didn’t have to coax her this time. She opened for him and he found his sanctuary.
    The world just slid away until there was only Rikki and the man she saw, the man inside that dark armor of violence and death.
    She tasted like freedom. Like life. Like a fucking miracle. Her mouth moved on his and then she gave herself to him. He felt the tension in her fade—that complete stillness she had was gone. She relaxed into him, a soft warmth that made him more of a man and less of a killing machine. She brought out every good thing left in him, traits he had never known he had.
    She found the man he should have been. It was as if she knew his every battle, his every demon, as if she could accept the broken pieces that were all that was left of him. She knew he was a shadow, nothing more, but she was putting him back together, piece by piece, with her complete acceptance.
    He felt safe with her. He’d never been safe with another human being, not since he’d been taken as a child from his home. He’d never been able to trust. He could never give that last small piece—all that was left of his humanity—into someone else’s keeping. And now there was Rikki. She let him be whatever he had to be to survive. She didn’t ask anything of him.
    There was no hidden motive. No agenda. Just acceptance. She was different 162

    —imperfect, or so she thought—and she