It was only because they had to come up for air mat he found the strength to lift his head. Rachael buried her face against his throat. “This time it was my fault.” Her lips moved against his neck. Rio closed his eyes against the shimmering fire the brushing of her soft mouth sent through his body in strong waves. He had to find a way just to breathe. He doubted if air was going to get his brain functioning again.
The soft one-two note was closer this time. “You just drove Kim right out of my head, Rachael.” He rubbed his face in the mass of thick curly hair.
“It’s shocking how well you know how to kiss.”
He couldn’t stop the silly grin that spread across his face. “Isn’t it though? I shocked myself.” The smile faded and he caught her chin again. “I’m not giving you up or betraying you, Rachael. I know Kim. He won’t endanger vour life, not for any reason.”
WILD RAIN
107
“Money talks, Rio. Almost everyone has a price.”
“Kim lives simply, but more than that, he has a code of honor.”
Rachael nodded. There wasn’t much else she could do. Rio was right in that she couldn’t very well run away with her leg torn up. “Answer him then.”
Rio didn’t look away from her, but let out a singsong note that sounded to her exactly like the birds calling to one another just outside the walls of his home. She tucked his wild, shaggy hair behind his ear, allowing her fingertips to trail over his jaw, rub over his mouth. “I’m afraid.”
“I know. I can hear your heart beating.” He circled her wrist, his thumb sliding over her pulse. “There’s no need to be.”
“It’s a great deal of money he’ll pay to get me back.”
“Your husband?”
She shook her head. “My brother.”
His hand went to his heart, as if she’d stabbed him. Almost at once his face closed down. He drew air into his lungs, let it out; There was a watchfulness in his eyes, a suspicion that hadn’t been there before. “Your brother.”
“You don’t have to believe me.” Rachael pulled away from him, leaned back in the chair and pulled the cover closer around her. The humidity was high, even with the wind blowing. Where Rio had pulled the covering away from the window, she could see thick mist curling around the foliage and creepers surrounding the house. “I shouldn’t have told you.”
“Why would your brother want to have you killed,
Rachael?”
“You make me tired. It does happen, Rio. Maybe not in your world, but certainly in mine.”
Rio studied her averted face, trying to see past the mask she wore to what was going on her mind, his brain racing with the possibilities. Had she found his home by accident, or had she been sent to assassinate him? She’d had a couple of opportunities. He’d given her a gun. It was still
108
Christine Feehan
there, beneath her pillow. Maybe she hadn’t taken care of it because she needed him while her leg was healing.
He straightened slowly and walked over to the stash of weapons hanging on the wall. He strapped a sheath to his leg and pulled the leg of his pants over it. A second knife was positioned between his shoulder blades. He pulled his shirt on and tucked a gun into his waistband.
“Are you expecting trouble? I thought you said Kim Pang was your friend.”
“It’s always better to be prepared. I don’t like surprises.”
“I noticed,” she answered dryly, prepared to be angry with him over his boorish reaction to her admission. He may as well have slapped her. She had revealed something to him she had never admitted to another soul and he didn’t believe her. She could tell by his immediate withdrawal.
Rio crouched beside the injured cat, his hands incredibly gentle as he examined the leopard. Her heart nearly turned over in her chest. His head was bent toward Fritz, his expression almost tender as he murmured softly to the cat. She had a sudden vision of him cradling his child, looking down lovingly, his thumb in the baby’s tiny hand. He suddenly lifted his head and looked at her and smiled.