Cool air sent a few shivers through her. Now she really wished she’d worn her usual jeans and T-shirt. Trees loomed everywhere, darkness edging out any hint of light from the city. It smelled like a campfire and she wondered if a neighbor was roasting marshmallows. Her stomach growled for about the twentieth time.

“Watch your step.” He released his hold and turned.

“Where are we?” She stepped lightly, not wanting to lose her footing on the uneven driveway and fall flat on her face.

Hugh paused so she could catch up. He made a motion to put an arm around her but stopped himself. Once they resumed walking, though, she noticed him watching her footsteps.

“It’s a safe house.”

“You come here often?”

He swiped his hand in the air like he’d noticed a cobweb in front of them. “More often than not. It’s my second home, so I use it for more than safety reasons.”

Questions loomed in her mind. Why had he brought her here? How long did he plan on keeping her? What did he plan on doing to her? She shook her head. She meant with her. Although that sent her mind in a certain direction too.

Her eyes had adjusted to the darkness well enough to see two steps leading up to a porch. A plant in a huge urn thrived, and an Adirondack chair sat beside it. Hugh unlocked the front door and pushed it open before entering. He wove his arm around the doorframe and a second later the porch light lit.

“Is this where you bring all your hostages?”

“You’re the first.” He crossed the threshold and disappeared inside the house to turn on the lights.

The one-story dwelling boasted hardwood floors, dark-painted walls, inviting furnishings, and a huge fireplace in the middle of the expansive room. Straight ahead looked to be a kitchen, while off to the right was a hallway. Being kidnapped didn’t seem so bad all of a sudden. She could get used to this place. It was much neater than her house. Kensie and Francesca were slobs.

“I’m honored.” She hunched her shoulder up to scratch the side of her jaw. “It’s a nice place.”

He stepped around her to close and lock the front door. She let her shoulders relax in anticipation of him removing the duct tape while behind her. Instead, he popped back into her line of sight. “I didn’t bring you here for your opinion.”

“Why did you bring me here?”

“To keep an eye on you,” he imparted. “You know the whole keep your enemies closer thing. I figure if I keep you in my sight, there’s not much you can do to plan my demise.”

She rolled her stiff shoulders back. “We need to talk about that. But first the tape really needs to come off.”

His eyes darted down to her breasts as she stretched. Hmm. She wasn’t beyond using her feminine wiles to get her way. In fact, he was the first mark she wouldn’t mind using them on.

“Talk, then tape.” He crossed his arms over his chest, widened his stance.

“We’ve got a deal. I don’t need to repeat that. What I do need is to let you know that while we’ve got a deal, I won’t kill you.”

He laughed. The kind of deep, sexy laugh that drew people together. Only she didn’t think that was his intention. It was simply her reaction to him. His words confirmed it. “You don’t stand a chance of killing me. Now or later.”

“I beg to differ.” Who did he think he was dealing with? She was no amateur.

“I’d like to see that. I don’t imagine you beg very often.”

She wanted to wipe the smile right off his face. And would have if she’d had hands to do so. “That smart mouth of yours is not endearing. I can kill you. And if warranted, I will kill you.” She looked him up and down with what she hoped was an intimidating expression. “But not until we’ve found Trey and Dobson. Until then, we’re a team. I’ll trust you, and you can trust me.”

Tess’s judgment of character rarely faltered and her gut told her Hugh wasn’t a bad guy. She hoped when things were said and done, the answers she needed to eliminate him were crystal clear.

“You seem to think you’re in charge here.” He started to circle her like an animal ready to pounce on its prey. “You’re not.”

She turned her head to watch him, keeping her feet firmly planted in place.

“I do, however, like your terms and agree to them. With one stipulation.”

“What’s that?” She wasn’t in a position to barter. In fact, she was about to blow her stack at the predicament she’d gotten herself into. Foolish. Idiotic. Asinine. Moronic. All good adjectives for her.

About the time he finished one circle, she remembered her purse was in the car. Why the hell hadn’t she asked him to bring it in with her? Sure, he might want to search it, but she could talk him out of it. Somehow. As it stood now, she didn’t have a stitch of weaponry on her.

He stopped in front of her. “You stay here with me and have no contact with anyone else.”

“That’s called kidnapping. I thought—”

“Take it or leave it.” Whether he knew it or not, his eyes begged her to take it. The reasons could be several, but she chose to believe it was her irresistible charm. And maybe, just maybe, the blue dress.

“It makes it a little more difficult to do my job if I can’t—”

“Follow me.” He wheeled around, tossed his leather jacket over the back of the couch and started walking.

She followed him down a hallway and immediately fell in awe of the artwork on the walls. Framed black and white sketches, obviously by the same artist, hung in neat rows. The drawings depicted couples touching in some way, their warmth infectious. Tess lost her breath for a moment. Hugh might be part wolf, but his human side was dominant.

They entered the first door on the right, and she took in the most awesome display of high-tech gadgets sitting atop industrial tables. It almost put the research room at P.I.E. to shame.

“Everything we’ll need is here. I think it’s best to lay low and see what we can find out without making any appearances. At least until I find out who’s responsible for tonight.”

“Still, if I can’t contact—”

“You’ll talk through me.”

“So you get to talk to your people, but I don’t get to talk to mine? That hardly seems fair.” This partnership is very one-sided. Good thing she had plans to escape as soon as possible. She never did like stipulations. By her measures, they could work together whether under the same roof or not.

“Too bad.” He flipped off the light and led her toward the kitchen. She slowed her steps to take in the artwork.

“Did I mention I’m claustrophobic? That I can’t stand being cooped up in one place for too long? That I need to be around other people?” She hated the thought of being cut off from the outside world. Hated. It. Her throat squeezed.

“Don’t care.”

“How long do you see this arrangement lasting?”

“A couple days. Tops.”

Tess tried and failed to ignore his broad shoulders, the way his shirt pulled across his back, the nice fit of his jeans, as they entered the kitchen. She blinked and planned a vicious glare for when he turned around. Days? He planned to keep her for days? Unfortunately, the shine of the kitchen grabbed her attention and wouldn’t let go. Stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, dark wood cabinets with the most beautiful beveled glass. A center island with leather barstools looked inviting, and—oh my gosh—in the corner stood another fireplace.

Maybe she wouldn’t escape.

Kensie and Francesca wouldn’t worry until she didn’t show up tomorrow morning, what with their encouraging words and the frangers in her purse. Don’t think about the condoms, Tess. Do not think about them! But a much bigger problem was her boss. If he found out what had happened, she might as well kiss her ass goodbye. Sayonara. One cheek to Japan, the other to Brussels.

That meant in order to pull this off, she needed her cell phone to call Kensie and Francesca. Tell them she’d infiltrated her target early and to let Christian know. Simple. And in all honesty, the truth.