Free Killer Love by Alicia Dean

used to stop the flow of blood coming from the wound on her neck.
    Not a towel, but the blue shirt El Lobo had worn the night he saved her life.
    ****
    Jade shifted restlessly against the seat, wishing she could see outside. The van was windowless in the back, which was probably intentional. The site of the safe house was top secret and the Feds didn’t want her to know its exact location.
    The trip had already taken over an hour. She had no idea how much longer it would be before they reached their destination. She was tired and with no one to talk to, she had entirely too much time to think. And thinking was something she didn’t particularly enjoy these days.
    Twisting as much as the seatbelt would allow, she reclined into the corner of the seat. She felt drained, her body aching with fatigue. The hum of the engine lulled her and her eyelids began to droop. Without realizing it, she slipped into sleep and didn’t awaken until she felt the van come to a stop. She wasn’t sure how long she’d been out, but she wasn’t feeling particularly rested, so she assumed it had been for a short time.
    Agent Miller opened the door and offered her his hand. She took it and let him help her from the van. She stumbled as she climbed out, then immediately righted herself, ashamed of her show of weakness.
    “Are you okay?” the agent asked.
    “I’m fine, thank you.” She pulled her hand from his and took a deep breath. The aroma of pine trees and burning firewood hung in the night air. Jade stood a moment, letting the scents waft over her, not realizing until now just how claustrophobic she’d felt during the trip. They were in a wooded area. Large evergreen trees loomed above them, almost obscuring the moon that shone in the night sky. Several feet in front of them, a small log cabin sat in a clearing between the trees. A thin line of smoke drifted from the chimney. She was surprised to see lights burning inside.
    She turned to Agent Miller. “Is someone here?”
    “There are a couple of agents inside. They need to go over some things with you.”
    Jade frowned, disconcerted at the thought of dealing with more strangers. Not that she’d exactly bonded with Connor and Miller. Agent Miller reached around her and retrieved her overnight bag from the van and led her into the cabin. They stepped into a living area where an overstuffed plaid sofa and matching recliner were arranged in front of a burning fireplace. A glass topped coffee table sat between the sofa and chair. Other than those items, the room was almost bare. No decorations on the walls, no knick-knacks. A functional, no frills room to conduct functional, no frills business.
    Two men stood to greet her. One was a nice-looking light-skinned black man who wore a suit she recognized as Armani. He was large, but graceful in his movements as he stepped over and took her hand. “Mrs. DiMarco, Special Agent Wayne Jackson. I want you to know that we’re very sorry for what you’ve gone through and we’re grateful for your cooperation.” His deep voice was melodious and hypnotizing. Rather than shake her hand, he grasped it between his large ones and smiled, a look of sympathy and respect in his coffee colored eyes.
    “Thank you,” she replied. He released her hand and turned to indicate the other man who’d stopped just behind him.
    “This is Special Agent Luke Butler.”
    The man didn’t take her hand. He simply stood with his arms crossed over his chest. He was tall with dark hair that showed a hint of gray at the temples. He wore a Cincinnati Reds baseball cap, blue jeans and a loose gray sweatshirt with the sleeves pushed up, revealing a black leather band on his left wrist. The eyes beneath the cap were a deep amber color and seemed to glow with an inner light. His nose jutted slightly to the left as if it had been broken at some time. His face wasn’t classically handsome, but it had some quality she couldn’t define...strength, toughness, with just a hint of