He wondered . . . had the cops found out that he’d owned that building that had exploded, the little place a few minutes from Bourbon Street? He knew the fire marshal was still supposed to be studying those charred remains. Maybe the cops had finally untangled the paper trail for that building and tied it back to Jax.

“I’ll prove your innocence, Jax,” she said. “They won’t pin this on you.”

He nodded. No, they wouldn’t, but it was nice to know that she was ready to protect him. “See you soon, Sarah.” Then his gaze cut back to Gabe. He stalked toward the other man, moving right by the cops. “He’s out there,” he told Gabe. “Waiting. Watch your team.” Watch Sarah. Jax had already given orders that his men were to keep a watch on her. But he wanted to be there, making absolutely certain she was all right. As soon as he ditched the cops . . .

I’ll come back for you, Sarah.

HE WATCHED FROM across the street as Jax Fontaine was led away by the cops.

Step one . . . divide.

Step two . . . fucking conquer.

He smiled as Sarah stared after the disappearing car lights. Poor Sarah. She looked so upset. Having her lover ripped from her in the middle of the night must have been painful.

It would be nothing compared to the hell that he had coming her way.

Sarah and the other guy, Gabe, they got in his vehicle. Cranked it up. He waited a little bit and then he slid into his car and followed them. In the darkness, they didn’t even see him. So much for being the savvy LOST agents.

How would they react when one of their own vanished and was never seen again?

“THIS IS BULLSHIT,” Sarah said flatly. “Jax didn’t do this. He was with me. He was—”

“The guy has a mini army at his beck and call. If he wanted one of his men to take that woman, all he had to do was snap his fingers.”

No, Gabe hadn’t just said that to her. She twisted in her seat so that she could better glare at him. “He wouldn’t do that.” Jax had rules. He had—

“You don’t know him, Sarah. I get that you’re having sex with him, and that’s your business, but this guy . . . have you seen his juvie rap sheet? I mean, come on, he wasn’t exactly playing light and easy back in those days.”

She wasn’t at all surprised he’d gotten access to files that should have been sealed. “If you were a teenager cast out on the street, I’m sure you’d break the law in order to survive, too.” But Gabe hadn’t been like Jax. Gabe had been given a family that loved him. He’d been protected. He’d had a home. Food. Clothing. He’d had—

“She ID’d him, Sarah. I was there. I heard her—she described him and she said his name. I would think the woman would remember the identity of the guy who tried to kill her.”

“You’d be surprised,” she said as her stomach twisted in knots. “The mind can trick anyone.” And so could a smart killer. “I need to talk with her.”

“Yes, well that’s probably not going to happen right now. She got a little . . . agitated during Detective West’s questioning. She reopened her wounds, and the doctor kicked him out.”

Her hands fisted in her lap. “You should have contacted me the minute she woke up. I could have helped. I could have—”

“You’re the one always telling me that you’re better at profiling the killers, and not at figuring out the victims.”

She flinched.

“You’d barely crawled out of the fire yourself. I just wanted you to rest,” he continued, his voice softer. “I sure as hell didn’t realize she’d be pointing the finger at your boyfriend.”

“He’s not my boyfriend.” The words were automatic. They were also true. He was nothing as simple as a boyfriend. A hot and intense lover. A man who broke through her defenses. A man who’d learned her secrets . . . “And he didn’t do this.”

“I wish I could be as certain as you are, but Sarah, come on, you can look into that guy’s eyes and see the truth.”

His words made fury twist within her. “What truth is that?”

“He’s got the killer instinct,” Gabe said with certainty. “I saw that instinct in the eyes of SEALs. They would do whatever necessary to get the job done. No fear. No hesitation. He looks the same way, and a man like that can be very, very dangerous.”

He’s not a threat to me.

“Why do you trust him so much? Make me understand.”

She turned her left hand over so that she could see her wrist. “He’s not afraid of my darkness.”

“Okay, I don’t even know that the hell that means.”

He was driving fast and hard down the road. And . . .

Sarah could have sworn that she heard another engine growling. One that was very close. She turned her head and looked behind them. She didn’t see anyone. They’d turned onto an older road, one that was so dark. No street lights.

That growling sound came again.

“Gabe . . .” She began.

“I hear it,” he snapped back. “Hold on.”

He shoved down the gas and they lurched forward. There were lights up ahead, she could see them. If they got there, then whoever was hiding behind them would be revealed. Someone is driving back there, with the headlights off so we can’t see him.

Tricky bastard.

“Maybe it’s just Jax’s men,” Sarah offered. Keeping an eye on them. Like before—

“No, I don’t think so.”

She didn’t really think so, either. Jax wouldn’t want his men to scare her.

Gabe had rolled down his window a bit. The better to hear the growl of the other engine? “Sounds like a Mustang and he’s—”

Gunfire exploded. It pounded into the back of Gabe’s car. She could hear the sound of breaking glass even as Gabe yelled, “Get down!”

She ducked, getting as low as she could in the car even as they raced forward. That bastard back there was shooting at them? What the hell?

Then she heard the thunder of gunfire again. It was slamming into the back bumper. Driving through the chunks of glass that remained. Gabe grunted, the sound quick and pain-filled.

He’s been hit!

“Gabe?”

“Gun . . . in glove box . . .”

She fumbled, trying to get to that glove box even as—

They crashed.

WHEN THEIR VEHICLE slammed into the pole, he braked his car. He was smiling as he exited and kept his gun at the ready. Had his bullets hit one of the targets? If not, he’d be sure to eliminate Gabe Spencer first. Then he’d have some nice, quality time with Sarah—

“Get back!” That was Sarah’s yell, and he froze because Sarah didn’t sound afraid. She sounded furious. “You’re not the only one with a weapon!”

Sirens screamed in the distance. Someone had heard the shots or the crash, and some damn fool good Samaritan had called 911.

“Sarah . . .” He called out her name. He wanted her to know—this was all about her. “Did my bullet hit your friend?” Because he could just see the guy’s slumped figure in the front of the car. “That’s on you, Sarah!” But he took a step back into the darkness. “Anyone between us . . . I’ll take them out. You’re going to be mine. You’re—”

That bitch shot at him. And she hit him. The bullet burned across his upper arm and he jerked back.

Then she was running around the car. Coming at him. And the scream of that siren was just getting louder and louder. He jumped back into his car. Revved the engine.

Fucking bitch.

He’d be seeing her again.

HE ROARED AWAY. Sarah’s finger was squeezing the trigger but he was weaving, going so fast, and she couldn’t aim at him.

Dammit!

He’d shot Gabe. He was hurting everyone . . . because the guy wanted to get to her. “I’m right here!” Sarah yelled after him.

But the shriek of the sirens was the only response she got.

Sarah whirled around and ran back to the car. She yanked opened Gabe’s door. When she touched his shoulder, she felt the wet warmth of his blood.

“Eve . . . is gonna freak,” Gabe managed.