Page 18 of Abducted

The door opened, and he emerged in a T-shirt and a pair of jeans. He went to the dining room table and picked his phone up. Her eyes fell to his tattoos. She couldn’t make out the words written across his skin in thick gothic writing.

“Nate, what’s up, bro?” He paced around the small cabin as he spoke. Lana busied herself finishing the sandwiches, then remembered the clothes Cal had put in the wash. She set the plates on the table, then switched the clothes to the dryer. It would be a relief to get her own pants on. Pulling out a chair, she sat and began to eat. She wished she had a bra to wear. The oversized sweatshirt covered her well, but it was unnerving that beneath it she was naked.

Cal crossed the room again and sat at the table. “When does his flight get in?” He paused. “No, that’s fine. It’s late in the day now, anyway. I wouldn’t mind resting before making the drive back in. We’ll meet up tomorrow.” He disconnected.

His eyes landed on her just as her mouth closed around a large bite. A smile touched his mouth, making small crinkles around his eyes. “You didn’t have to make me one, but thank you.”

She tried toswallow the lump of food, but spoke over the mouthful. “No problem.” She swallowed and chased the bite with a drink of water.

“Was that the FBI agent you know?”

“Nate? Yeah.” He took a bite of the sandwich. “Ethan is another friend. You’ll meet him soon. He’s flying in from Vegas. His flight was delayed, so he won’t land until late tonight.”

“What’s your big plan?” She watched him carefully as she took another bite.

He shrugged. “I plan on paying Stamos a visit with some backup, beating the shit out of him until he tells me who hired him. Pretty simple.”

She swallowed hard. He spoke so casually, as if such a thing didn’t bother him in the least. Cal’s thick, massive fists could do a lot of damage.

“Great sandwich.” He stood, went to the kitchen, and started making another one.

She patted her mouth with a napkin. “Will that work? Beating him up?”

Cal grinned at her. “I can be very persuading.” His arm flexed as he piled on his toppings.

She shifted in her chair. She had never witnessed a fight, and violence didn’t sit well with her. “I don’t think I’d be able to watch that.”

“Don’t worry, you’ll be right here.”

She swung around to face him. “Here? You mean at the cabin?”

“’Course. There’s no way I would bring you along. You never know what could happen.” He came back to the table and dove into his food. “You can’t leave me here. I’m coming with you.”

“Not happening, babe.” He wiped his mouth while he chewed. “Ethan is driving here in the morning and staying with you. I’m driving in to meet Nate and get to the bottom of this.”

Her heart thumped at the endearment that fell so easily from his lips. But who did he think he was? He couldn’t just leave her with a damn babysitter. She had every right to know who was behind this. She glared at him through squinted eyes. “Don’t call me that.”

He winked at her. Her blood simmered.

“I’m coming with you, whether you like it or not. I’m not a child, and I won’t be left here twiddling my thumbs with a babysitter.”

“Lana, it’s dangerous. I’m trying to keep you safe, that’s the whole objective to this. If you’re with me, it will be that much harder for me to protect you. Trust me, okay?” His voice was gentle, pleading.

“I won’t be breathing down your neck or glued to your side, but I am not staying here.”

He crossed his arms on a long sigh. “Does everything have to be so difficult with you?” His tone was irritated, but his eyes sparked with amusement.

She’d won.

She smiled and cleared the table.

“I sing in the car, just so you know.”

***

“It doesn’t makesense for you to sleep in the La-Z-Boy. I’m a lot smaller than you. You take the bed.” Lana hovered by Cal as he arranged the logs in the fireplace.

The expansive view of his shoulders crowded her vision as he crouched down. He straightened and turned to snag one of the pillows off of the bed. They had discovered that the futon mattress was still damp, and the chair was the only other option besides the bed.

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