Page 11 of Fire and Ice

"Where're you heading?" Derek echoed Jack's earlier question.

"Not too far. Viktor wants to keep me close, they've got some leads on the Russian," Maia said.

"And you want to be the one to take him down," Derek said.

"That's the plan," Maia admitted.

"Why can't you go to Viktor? They've got bunkers down at headquarters."

"That's not how we operate, you know that."

"Yes, I know. Damn policies," Derek sighed.You don't bring your mess home.

They rounded the corner where the Escalade was waiting. Jack was leaning against it, arms crossed in front of him, expression inscrutable.

Maia ignored him and strode past him to open the back passenger door while Derek loaded her duffel into the trunk. She felt the back of her neck prickle, a spidey-sense she had developed in her line of work that warned of impending threats.

Before she could react, a strong arm wrapped around her body, slamming her against a hard chest and holding her arms immobile. Before she could kick out, a needle pricked the right side of her neck and her consciousness started to fade.

A disembodied "What the hell, Jack?" echoed in the distance.

A familiar voice whispered in her ear, "Easy babe, I got you."

Blackness.

She felt like burying her face in the soft pillows as consciousness struggled with darkness. A bed. Maia was in a comfortable bed lined with luxurious and expensive sheets and her muscles refused to wake up preferring to lull blissfully in dreamless oblivion.

She was also half-naked, dressed only in lace panties and a camisole. Uh, what?

A moan escaped her lips as she lifted her lids. Jack McCord sat across from her in a wingback chair regarding her broodingly, a glass of amber liquid swirling in his hand. She closed her eyes again, trying to remember what had happened. The mattress sunk as Jack was suddenly beside her, his fingers stroking her cheeks.

"Hey, babe," he murmured. And somehow it sounded sexy.

Um, had she just done the nasty with Jack McCord? She searched the haziness of her muddled brain for confirmation. Her eyes popped open in dismay as she remembered what exactly had happened.

"You bastard." All she could manage was a raspy whisper. Her throat felt like sandpaper.

Jack didn't say anything, but pulled his hand away as she tried to sit up.

"You tranqued me!" she said more forcefully.

"You were being stubborn."

"And, you...you...undressed me!"

Jack smirked this time. "That was fun."

"You perv!"

"Hey, all I did was get you more comfortable. I prefer my women willing and actively participating."

Maia's eyes turned a full glare on him.

"I also cleaned the wound on your right arm. A thank you would be nice."

"Can't believe you kidnapped me and I can't believe Derek let you get away with it."

"He didn't ... exactly."

---