BODYGUARD UNDER COVER

Texas Ranger Alex Markham lands an unusual assignment—protecting an ambassador’s daughter on the African savanna. No one—not even wildlife filmmaker Meghan Jordan herself—can know his true identity. The stubborn but beautiful Meghan is nothing like the bookish woman he expected…and neither is his unguarded reaction to her. For the cowboy-turned-cop, the routine babysitting assignment turns into a lifesaving mission when poachers target the unsuspecting beauty. But when Meghan learns the truth of Alex’s identity, can she forgive him before their chances for a future are destroyed forever?

“I don’t understand.”

Meghan pushed Replay to watch the video again, but seeing it the second time didn’t alleviate the horror she felt. Two people ripped through her cabana, digging through her desk, her closet….

“They took this video of themselves trashing your room,” Alex said. “They were here. This video doesn’t show enough to be able to identify them, but they were here last night.”

Which meant she had to question all the other things that had happened over the past couple of weeks. Had they really been nothing more than coincidences? She shook her head. None of this made any sense.

“Why would someone do this?” she asked.

“They sent the video to your father, to prove to him that they could get to him.”

Her mouth suddenly felt dry as cotton. “How do you know my father?”

Meghan looked at her Texas cowboy and rubbed her temples as a thousand questions swam through her head. One begged to be asked. “Who are you?”

LISA HARRIS

is a Christy Award finalist and the winner of the Best Inspirational Suspense Novel for 2011 from RT Book Reviews. She has more than twenty novels and novella collections in print. She and her family have spent over ten years living as missionaries in Africa, where she has homeschooled, led a women’s group and runs a nonprofit organization that works alongside their church-planting ministry. The ECHO Project works in southern Africa promoting Education, Compassion, Health and Opportunity, and is a way for her to “speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves…the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.” (Proverbs 31: 8–9).

When she’s not working she loves hanging out with her family, cooking different ethnic dishes, photography and heading into the African bush on safari. For more information about her books and life in Africa visit her website, at www.lisaharriswrites.com, or her blog, at www.myblogintheheartofafrica.blogspot.com. For more information about The ECHO Project, please visit www.theechoproject.org.

Deadly Safari

Lisa Harris

www.millsandboon.co.uk

MILLS & BOON

Before you start reading, why not sign up?

Thank you for downloading this Mills & Boon book. If you want to hear about exclusive discounts, special offers and competitions, sign up to our email newsletter today!

SIGN ME UP!

Or simply visit

signup.millsandboon.co.uk

Mills & Boon emails are completely free to receive and you can unsubscribe at any time via the link in any email we send you.

The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard. Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world.

—Psalms 19:1–4

Dedicated to all the sweet children I’ve met, like Nathi, who’ve changed my life forever.

Contents

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

DEAR READER

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

EXCERPT

ONE

Meghan Jordan lay on her stomach against the thick African grass, steadying the video camera between both hands. This morning, Kibibi, with her sandy-brown coat, had ventured briefly from her den only to disappear again. With her four lion cubs already over a month old, it wouldn’t be much longer until she introduced them to the pride. All they had to do now was wait.

Her second camera operator and editor, Kate, handed her a bottle of water from the Jeep’s cooler before crouching back down beside her. “What do you think?”

Meghan mulled over the question. “I think that creating a documentary is far less glamorous than I once thought.”

“Yeah, well, I figured that one out after the first week.”

Meghan smiled as she unscrewed the top of the water bottle, her eyes still on the entrance of the den where Kibibi had moved her cubs six days ago. Unglamorous, maybe, but completely worth it. Eight months as a part of the reserve’s conservation program had given them full access to the pride, including the recent birth of Kibibi’s four cubs. Statistics showed that 80 percent of all lion cubs died within the first two years, but so far, all of Kibibi’s cubs were thriving. They’d already been waiting five weeks to get footage of the lioness finally introducing her cubs to their father. She’d wait another five weeks if she had to.

“Samuel’s in the Jeep, keeping his eye on a female black rhino that just wandered into the area.”

Meghan frowned. “If she scares away Kibibi, that rhino and I are going to have words.”

“I’m more worried about the rhino’s bad temper and what it might think about us edging in on its territory.”

“Don’t worry. Their eyesight is worse than their temper.”

“So what does that mean exactly?” Kate asked. “That I hope it won’t be able to see me when I have to start running for the nearest tree?”

“As long as you’re actually able to scale one of these trees, you’ll be fine.”

“Right.” Kate eyed the nearest Jackalberry tree shooting fifty feet into the air, then shook her head. “I’m not sure which would be worse. Tangling with a rhino or being forced to scale that.”

Movement from the tall yellow grass drew Meghan’s attention back to the den. Kibibi emerged cautiously with one of the cubs in her mouth.

Bingo. “We’ve got them.”

Meghan lifted up her camera. Samuel was going to have to worry about the rhino for them. She had to focus on getting the last of the footage she needed.

Kibibi took a guarded step forward.

They were either moving on to another den or, as Meghan hoped, finally joining up with the rest of the pride. She held the camera steady, her adrenaline rushing again, while Kate snapped still footage. She could try to script the document down to the smallest detail, but in the end, the wildlife—especially the predators she was documenting—always had the final say. What happened next was up to Kibibi.

The lioness stopped a few feet from the den, her body alert to the scene around her. Something familiar stirred within Meghan. There was nothing like being out in the bush. The never-ending velds bordered by thick forests had become her second home. Here was the one place she’d found that made the stress of the real world disappear—like her other role as the daughter of a diplomat who had recently been appointed ambassador.

The subtle scent of cigarette smoke jerked her attention away from her work.

She nudged Kate with her elbow, her gaze still on Kibibi, who stood still at the top of the ridge outside the den. “Do you smell that?”

“Yeah. All we need now is a fire to set this grass ablaze.”

The roar of a second vehicle to their east broke through the stillness of the bush, followed by a deep snort behind her. The rhino. Meghan jerked her head around and peered into the thick brush. That rhino would stomp right over them if they weren’t careful. Twenty feet away, Samuel, their driver, sat alert in the Jeep with a safari hat perched on his head and a rifle in his hand.

Meghan glanced back toward Kibibi’s den, but she’d already missed her chance for any new footage. The lioness had vanished.

Frustrated, she scanned the thick brush, scattered with spiny tree trunks and limbs covered in green leaves, and spotted the second vehicle as it bridged the gap between them. Her stomach twisted as the second Jeep moved in between the female rhino and her baby, pushing the mother toward them.

“We need to move now,” Kate shouted.

Meghan shoved her camera into the bag and snapped the flap shut. What in the world was the driver doing? Samuel’s gun fired behind them in an attempt to scare the rhino back into the thick brush as Kate ran ahead of her for Samuel and the Jeep.

But Meghan’s route was cut off as the rhino gave another warning snort, signaling it was about to charge. Meghan’s heart pounded. Two tons of rhino wasn’t something to tangle with. She weighed her options. Behind her the bush was too thick to negotiate. The only open routes were either toward the baby rhino or up a tree a dozen feet to her right.

As she started to run toward the tree, the second Jeep accelerated past the mother rhino, slowing down briefly beside her. The driver shouted at her to get in. Meghan didn’t have time to think. Grabbing the strap of the camera case tightly between her fingers, she swung up onto the passenger side of the vehicle as the rhino charged.

The driver pushed on the accelerator. “How fast can they run?”

“I’d suggest we don’t stick around to find out.”

Meghan ducked as the tall grass whipped against her face and arms from the sides of the open Jeep. Branches snapped beneath them, but they were beginning to lengthen the distance from the rhino. A second later, her driver hightailed it through a wide opening in the bush to safety.

He glanced at the rearview mirror. “I think we lost her.”

As the Jeep came to a stop, Meghan fought to catch her breath. Chest still heaving, she glanced at the stranger beside her wearing a black Stetson, Spanish-style boots, a Western shirt and a belt buckle the size of Texas.

She blinked twice. Who was this guy? “Do you realize how close we both just came to getting killed? If she’d gotten close enough, that rhino could have flipped this Jeep.”

He shot her a weak smile. “And I thought I just saved your life.”

“You think you saved my life?” Seriously? Meghan’s fingers gripped the side of the Jeep. “You’re the one who got between that mama and her baby and caused this whole fiasco. You can’t just drive where you please—not in a wildlife reserve. In case you hadn’t realized it, you’re not in Texas anymore.”

“Thanks for the tip, but I figured that out a few hours ago. We don’t exactly have giraffes and baboons in my part of the world.”

“Just longhorns and tumbleweeds?” she countered.

“I suppose we’ve got a few of those back on the ranch.” He pulled off his hat, revealing a pair of striking blue eyes that managed to cut through a layer of her frustration. “But I really am sorry.”

He might be good-looking, but she wasn’t willing to be charmed. Even saying sorry in that thick Southern drawl of his wouldn’t bring Kibibi out of her den today or return the wasted hours they’d spent waiting for the lioness’s appearance.

“I guess I should introduce myself. I’m Alex Markham.”

“My new assistant?” Meghan swallowed hard. Mr. Cowboy wasn’t at all what she’d expected. “You were supposed to arrive yesterday.”

“I apologize. I missed my flight out of Amsterdam.”

“My boss assured me you could handle the work. What do you know about filming wildlife and making documentaries?”

“Apparently enough for your boss to give me this job.”

She frowned, still unimpressed. If he had any real credentials, he’d have mentioned them. The way he was dodging the question seemed to indicate that he had no direct experience at all. Surely he wasn’t serious. She’d asked for a film student, not some Texas ranch hand.

She let out a sharp humph. The last thing she needed right now was an unqualified assistant. She’d come a long way from her days as school-newspaper editor at her high school. Since then, she’d moved on to producing short films and online promotional pieces for businesses. The opportunity to make this wildlife documentary held with it the power to propel her further into the world of film, but she needed this footage—and a qualified replacement assistant—to pull it all together.

A twig snapped in the distance. She stared out into the bush, looking for movement. She’d have to deal with Mr. Lone Star later, because something wasn’t right. Someone else was out here.

She turned back to him, her brow furrowed. “Do you smoke?”

“Smoke?” The question clearly caught him off guard. “No. Why?”

“I want you to drive back to the spot where you picked me up.”

He shook his head as if she was crazy. “In case you forgot, there was a very unhappy rhino back there that I, for one, would prefer to avoid running into again.”

“And in case you forgot, an assistant is supposed to assist. Are you going to drive or do I need to?”

Alex hesitated briefly, then spun the vehicle around and headed back toward the clearing.

Meghan leaned into the seat, battling nerves that had settled in the pit of her stomach. If the mystery smoker wasn’t Mr. Cowboy, then who was he? And what had he been doing in the middle of nowhere with no one but Meghan’s crew, an angry rhino and a litter of lion cubs in range?

* * *

Alex knew he’d blown their introduction the moment Meghan jumped into the Jeep. The scowl on her face communicated clearly that he’d failed the first test miserably. He strummed his fingers against the steering wheel, then swerved to avoid a reddish termite mound sticking out of the uneven terrain.

He glanced at her again. Khaki shorts, army-green T-shirt and hiking boots were topped off with a straw sun hat and sunglasses to block the South African sun. She looked tough and capable, not at all like someone in need of protection. But protecting her was exactly why he was there.

His father’s pleas reverberated in his mind. It’s a favor for an old army buddy of mine, Ambassador Jordan. He’s received threats on his life in connection with upcoming local elections in the country where he serves. In the last threat, they mentioned his daughter. Said that they know where she is. She won’t accept a security detail, so you’d have to be discreet. It would just be until the elections are over....

Sending threats to an American ambassador was a risky move from someone within the opposing party—and so far the threat hadn’t been backed up by anything credible—but Alex understood Ambassador Jordan’s determination to not take any chances when it came to his daughter’s life. Alex knew all too well the way it could crush a man when he failed to protect the ones he loved. The ambassador was wise to take precautions—wiser than Alex had been.

In the end, though, it wasn’t just his past griefs or his decade in law enforcement, dedicated to the pursuit of justice, that made him take this assignment. No, his coming had little to do with Meghan. It was the chance to revisit his mother’s homeland—something that had been gnawing at the back of his mind—that had eventually clinched the deal.

A flood of memories, untapped for years, rushed over him. As an eleven-year-old, he’d watched the kids walk by in their school uniforms in front of his grandparents’ house. He remembered his ouma feeding him milk tarts and hunting with his oupa. They’d passed away years ago, but he still missed them. Just like he missed his mother.

He shoved the unwanted memories aside. He needed to find out what was going on.

“What are you after?”

“I’m not sure.” She stared straight ahead at the narrow, open path through the bush leading back toward where he’d first noticed the rhino. “Something isn’t right. We’ve had issues with poachers, and I need to ensure that they’re not back.”

Poachers?

Alex wove through the uneven terrain. Just what they needed—another complication. Nothing like throwing a firecracker into the mix of an already explosive situation.

He slowed down as the bush opened up around them. A giraffe lumbered in the distance before stopping to graze. Alex didn’t let the peaceful scene distract him. He was used to the occasional cattle rustlers back on his father’s ranch, but even he knew enough to realize that rhino poaching was a serious and often deadly business.

“Stop here.”

Alex pushed on the brakes, not sure whether or not he wanted to get out from the relative safety of the Jeep. He’d had enough wildlife encounters for one day.

The only other animal he could see was a harmless-looking zebra grazing in the distance. “Are you sure it’s safe to walk around here?”

“You don’t need to worry. The rhino we encountered is probably at least a half a mile from here by now. She was as nervous as we were.”

“But does she have friends? That’s what I want to know.”

Meghan laughed for the first time. “It’s possible, but most of them will keep their distance if they hear us, unless you have another bright idea about getting between a mother and her babies. Don’t forget, there is the lion you scared away in this area, too. We were filming Kibibi and her cubs this morning right over there.” She pointed to a clump of grass covering up a small inlet.

“They’re the subject of the documentary, right?”

“That’s right.”

“You think poachers have been out here looking for them?”

“Maybe. More likely, the rhino was their target. Just look for anything that might confirm someone else was out here.”

Besides their own footsteps through the dry brush and a few birds chirping, the afternoon was still.

Alex started walking parallel to her, hoping he didn’t come across as knowing what he was doing. After ten years as a Texas Ranger, investigative tactics had become like second nature. “You knew I was coming, right?”

“Yes. I was just expecting someone a bit more academic and less...”

“Like a cowboy?” He tugged on the edge of his silver belt buckle. Maybe he should have opted for the safari look.

“That’s one way to say it.”

She pressed her hand against the top of her head to secure the hat covering her dark blond hair as a breeze blew it back slightly, revealing the handful of freckles sprinkled across her tanned face. She wasn’t the only one surprised by appearances. He’d expected more of a bookish-looking grad student from the snapshot her father had sent him. Instead, she was surprisingly pretty. Not his type, maybe, but very pretty. Not that it mattered. Between the time he needed to deal with his father’s failing health and his ambition of being captain for the Texas Rangers one day, a relationship at the moment didn’t exactly fit into the equation.

Especially since Shannon.

Losing her had convinced him that service to God and country were all he needed in his life.

Shoving aside his thoughts, he continued searching while trying to avoid the spindly thorns covering half the vegetation. The terrain reminded him of going out into the bush with his grandfather, a memory he’d carried with him from childhood, making the landscape feel surprisingly familiar.

Something caught his eye. He took out an empty gum wrapper from his back pocket and picked up a cigarette butt, wishing he had his equipment. “This must be what you were smelling. Looks like someone was stupid enough to almost burn down half this reserve.”

“It’s still smoldering.” Meghan took the gum wrapper and cigarette from him. “This isn’t the first time they’ve been here. The authorities found the same brand of cigarette where some poachers killed a male rhino six weeks ago.”

“Could be a coincidence.”

“Could be.”

“What would they want with a small reserve like this one?”

“Forty-thousand-plus dollars a rhino horn is enough motivation for them to strike wherever they want.”

Alex let out a low whistle. “Pretty impressive. But for someone making that kind of money, standing around and smoking while they wait for the rhino to show up seems a little low-tech. I seem to remember reading that poachers have been known to sweep in using helicopters like some high-tech black-ops scenario.”

“You make it sound like a scene from some action movie. There are basically two kinds of poachers,” Meghan said as she headed back toward the Jeep. “Those who come on foot or Jeep and simply shoot the rhino. Or the ones like you mentioned who use more high-tech methods, weapons and powerful knockout drugs. They can be in and out in a matter of minutes, severing the horn and leaving the rhino to bleed to death. We’ve already lost two out of eight at this reserve in the past three months.”

“Skilled hunters driven by financial gain and greed.” He slid into the passenger seat beside her.

“This is what you get when people are willing to pay more than the price of gold for a horn on the illegal market. Estimates are that they’re killing an average of one rhino every day. And, thanks to your sudden arrival, they missed their chance to get our rhino today.” She caught his gaze as she stepped on the gas and started for the lodge. “Who knows? You might be worth having around after all.”

Alex slid his sunglasses back on, then grabbed the metal bar of the Jeep as she followed the trail around a curve through the thick bush, wondering exactly what he’d gotten into. If she was determined to track down a team of deadly poachers, then babysitting Meghan Jordan might turn out to be much harder than he’d anticipated.

Maybe he should have ignored his father’s insistence that he come. The last time he’d taken any real time off had been months ago, and Africa wasn’t exactly what he’d had in mind for his next vacation. A few days on a quiet island in the Caribbean sounded more to his liking. One day soon he was going to find himself a place where there were no people, no responsibilities and no damsels in distress.

But that day wasn’t today.

“Alex...” Meghan’s frantic voice broke into his thoughts as she pumped the brake pedal beside him. “I can’t slow down.”

“Try the emergency brake.”

She lunged for the handle, but it was already too late. Alex felt a sharp jolt as the Jeep plunged forward and smashed into the thick base of a baobab tree.

For a moment, there was nothing but silence. Then the distinct call of a bird broke through the eerie quiet of the bush. Alex tried to absorb what had just happened. The realization they weren’t going to stop...the ensuing adrenaline rush...the final impact...

He turned to Meghan, who was starting to move. “You okay?”

“I think so. I just rammed my knee into the dashboard.” She rubbed a spot on her knee. More than likely she was going to have a nasty bruise by morning. “What about you?”

“I’m okay.”

He undid his seat belt, then slowly eased out of the vehicle, alert for any signs of their rhino or any other predatory creature he’d prefer not to tangle with. At least nothing seemed broken, though he’d probably be a bit stiff in the morning. They’d been lucky. It could have been a whole lot worse. If the vehicle had flipped and they’d been thrown out... He shook his head. He wasn’t even going to go there.

He moved around to the front of the Jeep to assess the damage. The entire front end was smashed against the tree. Even if it could be fixed, it was going to be a massive repair job. Alex rubbed his temples, wishing he could erase the headache beginning to pulse. There was another, bigger issue to consider. Even though Meghan had driven out in a different Jeep, he couldn’t discount the possibility that the accident was connected to the threats against her life.

TWO

Alex kicked the side of the bumper that now sat askew. Then, pushing the frustration down, he forced himself to think logically, like the investigator he was. “Who has access to the lodge’s vehicles?”

“Access?” Meghan hobbled to the front of the vehicle to make her own assessment, her knee clearly painful. “Everyone, I suppose—or rather, the small number of people who are in the area. They’re not exactly kept under tight security. We’re in the bush, twenty minutes from the nearest town. Except for poaching, crime isn’t exactly a huge issue here.”

“And at night?”

“They’re not locked up, if that’s what you mean. They sit in the parking lot when they aren’t being used in the bush or in for maintenance. The terrain is rough on them, so it’s a lot of work to keep them running.”

“So, in other words, anyone who wanted to could have access to them.”

She rested her hands against her hips and caught his gaze. “Are you implying this wasn’t an accident? Because if you are, that’s absolutely ridiculous. Like I said, the terrain is rough. Mechanical issues with the vehicles are the norm rather than the exception.”

“I’m not implying anything. I just...”

He closed his mouth, reminding himself that he wasn’t allowed to say more to warn her about the chance of danger. It wasn’t the first time he’d questioned Ambassador Jordan’s explicit instructions. He’d prefer to simply lay out the entire truth for Meghan. By the way, your father is worried someone is trying to kill you. And while you think I’m your new assistant, the truth is that your father just convinced me to blow my vacation time by working as your bodyguard and talked your boss into playing along so you wouldn’t suspect the truth. Hope you don’t mind.

He looked to where she stood. Brow furrowed. Questioning. No matter what he would like to say, he was pretty certain her father had been right about one thing. While he might not be her choice of assistant on her documentary team, she’d definitely send him packing if she realized he was here as her personal guard detail. From what he’d already seen, the girl had just enough spunk and stubbornness to make her believe she could handle things on her own. Which put it back on his shoulders to find a way to keep her out of trouble whether she wanted him to or not.

“You know, I’m sorry.” He tried to erase the look of worry from his expression. “It’s been one of these weeks. I missed my flight out of Amsterdam, which resulted in them losing my bag. Then there was a flat tire on the way here, and now all of this....”

She slammed her open door shut with her hip. “Today might just be your lucky day after all.”

He leaned against the side of the vehicle and shot her a surprised look. “Lucky? Right. I always consider myself lucky when I’m chased by a rhino before wrapping a vehicle around a tree.”

“Think of it this way. We were scheduled to take this vehicle out today.” Alex kept his expression neutral, not visibly reacting to the information even as he mentally stored it away. “But Samuel noticed that the radio wasn’t working, so we swapped out vehicles.” She smiled at him. He wasn’t sure if she was flirting with him or simply being sarcastic. “So if it weren’t for the rhino incident, I’d be back safe and sound at the lodge, but you’d be here by yourself with no idea how to get back and no radio. Lucky you, though, I’m here, and I know the way back to the lodge.”

“That’s a very...optimistic way of looking at it.” He had to laugh. So Meghan was one of those eternal optimists? “What now? There’s no radio, but you have to have a cell phone on you, right?”

“A cell phone? No. Even if I did, there isn’t any service out here.”

Great. He glanced back at the Jeep. “Which is why you use radios.”

“Precisely.”

“Here’s another crazy question.” He hesitated, hoping he didn’t sound as worried as he felt. “What kind of predators might show up, besides our favorite rhino and a handful of poachers? Because this wreck isn’t going anywhere.”

“Don’t you have predators back in Texas?”

“I’ve tangled with a coyote or two.”

He tried to play down his concern, but his unease went far beyond what might be hiding on the other side of the bushes. Not only did she see the cup half-full, she was unaware that they faced any problem other than getting out of the bush. He was looking at an entirely different scenario. Maybe he was reading things into the situation, but if the vehicle had been sabotaged, someone had just sent a very clear message that they could get to her.

Something rustled behind him in the bushes. Alex pressed his back against the vehicle, ready to grab Meghan and bolt the pair of them up the nearest tree if necessary.

“It’s okay.” Meghan laughed. “It’s just an impala.”

“An impala.”

“An antelope. A lot of people mistake them for deer, but they actually come from different families. An impala’s color is more reddish-brown and they have permanent horns—”

“I know what an impala is.”

“Sorry.”

“No, I’m sorry.”

He held up his hand. He shouldn’t have snapped, but he couldn’t take any chances if someone had just tried to kill her. Nor was he thrilled about being out in the bush unarmed, where there were predators that would be more than happy to have him for dinner. He knew enough to realize that the hunter could quickly become the hunted. And unless someone came to their rescue, they were going to have to walk back to the lodge. At this point he wasn’t even sure which direction it was.

She took a step and winced, reminding him of their other problem. They were going to have to walk, and she clearly wasn’t going to make it far. The discoloration on her knee was already beginning to show.

“From the looks of it, you’re not going anywhere, either. At least not quickly.”

So much for outrunning the next animal that decided to have some fun with them.

“I’ll be fine.” She forced a smile. “And besides, Kate and Samuel know I’m out here. They probably assumed you drove me back to the lodge, but once they realize we’re not there, they’ll come looking for us. They know the area where we are, so it shouldn’t take them long to find us.”

He wasn’t convinced. “Not to be a pessimist or anything, but what if they don’t show up? Do you really think you can walk back to the lodge?

“Do you always worry like this?”

“Yes.”

His caution tended to go hand in hand with a job of hunting down the bad guys. For the past thirteen months he’d been after Dimitri Stamos, who’d left six people dead in his latest crime spree. Being on the alert for danger came as easily as breathing and was just as necessary in his life. He knew how to track and hunt down criminals, but trekking through the bush eluding wild animals—and possibly dangerous humans, too—was different.

He glanced down at her again, in her khaki shorts and boots, looking completely at home in the middle of the African bush—and compellingly attractive despite his best intentions not to notice. What he couldn’t avoid noticing was her refusal to back down.

“There is nothing to worry about.” She didn’t seem to notice his conflicted mood. “I’ve been working out here for months, and while we typically go out with a gun, we’ve never had to use it.”

“Until today,” he reminded her.

“It was a warning shot. That rhino was more afraid of us than we would ever be of him.”

Right.

“How far to the lodge?”

“Two, maybe three miles at the most.”

Alex frowned. This wasn’t going to work. “You can barely walk.”

She took another step and forced a smile, though the pain radiating in her eyes was clear. “I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not.”

He tried to formulate a plan with the little information he had. Staying in the open Jeep after dark seemed more foolish than prudent. Walking through the bush with the chance of encountering a leopard or lion seemed just as foolish. Somehow he needed to come up with a plan C.

“What do you think you’ll do when something starts chasing you and you can’t outrun it?” he asked.

“Like I said, in my experience, most animals are going to be more afraid of us than we are of them.” She glanced at the baobab the Jeep sat wrapped around. “Or there’s always the nearest tree.”

Maybe so, but he wasn’t looking forward to taking his chances. “How long until dark?”

She glanced at her watch. “Forty-five minutes...maybe a bit less.”

At a brisk pace they could make it—if they didn’t get eaten along the way. And if he helped her. He hesitated, then bridged the gap between them.

“I say we take our chances and walk, but you’re going to lean on me.”

“Really, it’s not that bad.” She took another step, then reached down to rub the bruised spot on the side of her knee that was already starting to swell.

“Right. You need to get off the leg and ice it, but since you can’t do that, you’re going to have to let me help you.”

She looked up at him with those big brown eyes of hers took another step, winced, then stopped. “Fine.”

He wrapped his arm around her waist, wishing her hair didn’t smell like lavender and that her lashes didn’t go on forever when she looked up at him. He’d figured she’d be intelligent. He hadn’t planned on her being such a...distraction.

The only solution to the problem, as far as he could see, was to tell her the truth. If she knew he was here doing a favor for one of his father’s old army buddies, who happened to be her own somewhat-estranged father, she’d be furious. Attraction definitely wouldn’t be a problem, since she wouldn’t let him within five miles of her. But if he blew his cover and told her the truth, he wouldn’t be able to protect her. And with the way things were spiraling out of control in the current election, and after what he’d seen today, he tended to believe that her life really was in danger. She needed him here, whether she knew it or not. And that meant he couldn’t do anything to drive her away.

Alex shifted his gaze back to the uneven path, pushing aside his straying thoughts as he tried to focus on the situation at hand. All he needed to do right now was get them back to the lodge in one piece. “Which way?”

“That way.” She nodded toward their right, then stopped. “I forgot my bag.”

He grabbed her camera bag out of the Jeep, waited until she’d adjusted it on her shoulder, then wrapped his arm around her waist again. She looked up at him before slowly wrapping her arm around his waist. The wind blew a strand of her hair across his face. He brushed it aside, tightened his grip, then started walking.

There was something about her that intrigued him.

Okay, more than just one thing. Meghan Jordan was a filmmaker, seemingly as comfortable in the African bush as most women were at a shopping mall. She was intelligent, strong-minded and undeniably beautiful. Exactly what he wasn’t looking for.

Alex swallowed hard. He really needed a distraction.

* * *

Meghan took another step and tried to ignore the pain.

“You okay?”

She nodded at his question, avoiding his gaze. Her knee was already swelling, but while she might need a distraction from the pain, Mr. Lone Star wasn’t what she had in mind.

Today, she’d looked forward to filming some of the final scenes with Kibibi and her cubs. Instead, Alex had torpedoed into her life, bringing with him a string of disasters. He’d barely been here an hour, and he’d ticked off a rhino and gotten them stranded out in the bush.

All right, maybe it hadn’t been his fault that the Jeep had malfunctioned, but still, the vehicle they’d been driving was now wrapped around the trunk of a baobab tree. Nothing like that had happened to her before he’d shown up.

She should be mad at him, but instead, having him so close was wreaking havoc with her equilibrium. Which left her wondering what bothered her the most. The fact that she’d just been sent an assistant who more than likely didn’t know anything about the African bush, or the fact that she couldn’t ignore the feel of his arm wrapped tightly around her waist.

She searched for something to say to break the awkward silence between them as they followed the narrow trail bordered by the overgrown forest. “You do know the most important rule of the bush, don’t you?”

“The most important?” He hesitated. “I’m not sure.”

“Make sure you look both up and down.”

“Meaning?”

“Down to avoid any holes and snakes. Up to check for any unwelcome predators.”

She felt the muscles in his arm tense and suppressed a chuckle. She had no idea where her boss had found this guy, but cowboy or not, he seemed better qualified to lead a hoedown than a trek through the bush.

“Sounds like good advice.”

Moments later, she stopped at a rise in the terrain, where forest opened up into a narrow grassland. Even after eight months of working here, she’d yet to tire of the ever-changing landscape and animals that filled its terrain.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” she said.

“Incredibly.”

The sun began to drop in the distance, painting the sky brilliant shades of orange and pink. Acacia trees, with their flat, green tops, sprinkled the horizon. Half a dozen giraffes walked gracefully across the far edge of the open veld.

She pointed toward the left. “Look down there, at the water hole.”

A family of elephants had gathered at the water’s edge, mamas and babies with their bulky forms casting gray shadows across the tall grasses. This was the one place in the world where she felt safe, alive and whole.

“Do you believe in God?”

He nodded at her question. “‘The heavens declare the glory of God and the skies his handiwork.’ It’s hard not to believe when you see things like this.”

She’d always felt the same way. Cell phones, the internet and email always managed to pull her in a million different directions. But standing here, in the quiet stillness of God’s creation, everything seemed to move back into perspective.

“Wait a bit longer until darkness settles in and the stars come out. There’s nothing like seeing the Milky Way and the Southern Cross light up the sky.”

They started walking again. “Do all of the assistants on your project get such personalized attention?”

She didn’t quiet her laugh this time as she looked up at him, wondering how he’d become the distraction that had almost erased the pain in her knee. “I can’t say that I’ve ever escorted a cowboy through the bush.”

Arm snug around her waist, those dark eyes with a hint of amusement in their depths, this particular cowboy looked incredibly appealing. But she brushed the thought aside. There was no way she was falling for this stranger. There was no way she was falling for anyone, because she’d yet to meet a man who made her feel worthy of being loved. Relationships weren’t for her, and that was that.

She dismissed the ridiculous train of thought. They continued walking. Twenty more minutes, thirty tops, and they’d be back at the lodge. In a couple more weeks, the job would be over, and she could send him back to Texas. Which was why, for now, it was time to change the subject.

“Have you ever been to South Africa before?”

“I visited once. Many years ago. My mother was from here.”

“So, coming here was more than just a job?”

“You could say that. I’ve always wanted a reason to return to my mother’s homeland.”

“You’ve piqued my interest.” She adjusted the grip of her hand around his waist. The fact that they had something in common surprised her. Her father had grown up in Kenya, the son of a missionary, so she’d learned early on the mysterious lure of the the African continent. “Tell me about yourself.”

“Me?”

“If we’re going to work together,” she said, “we might as well get to know each other. Where is your family from?”

“My father owns a ranch in West Texas, but many years ago, shortly after he passed the bar, his father arranged a hunting trip for him north of here near the Zimbabwe border. My mother’s father owned the game farm where they hunted. And as they say, the rest is history. They fell in love, had a whirlwind romance, and eventually they married and she followed him to the United States.”

“Romantic.”

“It was, but she died when I was twelve.”

“Do you miss her?”

“Every day.”

“Any sisters or brothers?”

“Three older sisters. My father never remarried. I don’t think he ever got over losing her. I think it’s your turn now. What about you?”

Meghan had realized the moment she’d asked him the first question she’d opened up a can of worms she’d prefer left closed. She loved her father, but their relationship had always been strained. It had been weeks since they’d talked and even longer since they’d seen each other. Explaining that to strangers was difficult.

“My story’s a bit more complicated.”

“Isn’t family always?”

She laughed. She liked him, which bothered her. And he was clearly worried and protective over her safety.

But none of that mattered beyond the short term. They had been nearly finished with their filming when Jared, her asssistant, came down with a life-threatening case of malaria. Once the filming was wrapped up and the edits finished, she’d never see Alex again.

She switched her mind back to his question. “I’m an only child. Boarding schools for junior high and high school, summers and vacations with my aunt in Southern California. There really isn’t much exciting about my life unless you want to start comparing who’s visited the most countries or eaten the weirdest food.”

“Deep-fried cantaloupe pie at the county fair is about all I have to offer.”

She wrinkled her nose. “I think I’d opt for a bag of barbecued Mopani worms before trying a slice of that.”

Alex laughed. Maybe the man was actually beginning to relax.

“You mentioned a lot of traveling. Where’s home?” he probed.

“I don’t really have one. My father’s an ambassador. I see him a couple times a year. I love him, but after my mother left him when I was fourteen, things changed between us. It wasn’t his fault, though. I don’t know a man alive who’d know how to deal with a moody teen while trying to save his part of the world.”

Meghan pressed her lips together, wondering why she was baring her heart to a man she’d just met. Even Kate didn’t know the details of her relationship with her father, and they’d known each other for months. “The lodge is just over the next ridge. We should be able to see the lights any moment now.”

“Tell me about this assignment you’ve been working on. I was given some details, but still would like to know more.”

She let out a sigh, thankful for the change in subject. “For starters, this is my first big assignment. As you probably already know, it’s a documentary in connection with the lodge and the reserve’s conservation program, the Chizoba Predator Project. For eight months, we’ve been tracking a lion family and documenting the dynamics within the pride. Now we’re waiting to take the final footage we need, when Kibibi introduces her cubs to their father. It should happen in the next couple weeks.”

Meghan stepped into a shallow hole along the path and felt her sore knee twist. She stumbled against him.

“You okay?”

“Yeah. I just need to be careful.” She tried to find her balance, then pulled back slightly from his steady grip. “The ground isn’t even, and the last thing I need is to sprain something else.”

“Make sure you look both up and down.”

“Very funny.”

He winked at her, only managing to intensify the ridiculous stir of her heart.

“We can stop here for a moment if you need to.”

She tried to take another step on her own, felt her knee give and had to press her hands against his chest for balance. He was too close, her emotions too near the surface. Talking about her father always brought with it turmoil from the past. And the handsome cowboy in front of her wasn’t helping.

She drew in a deep breath and tried to relax. Something wasn’t right. “Do you smell that?”

“What?”

“Cigarette smoke again.”

She’d always been sensitive to smells, making her certain this was the same scent she’d noticed earlier today. The same brand the poachers had left. They were out here somewhere. Planning. Tracking. Preparing for another strike. She was certain of it.

The roar of an engine jerked her from her thoughts. She turned toward the noise and felt her breath catch.

“Poachers.”

“Who’s being paranoid now?” He nudged her with his shoulder. “It’s probably just your friends coming to pick you up.”

“Maybe.” She pulled them off the trail and into the cover of the bush, waiting for the vehicle to emerge. He was probably right, but if not... “My paranoia stems from reality. There was something I didn’t mention earlier.”

“What’s that?”

“The last person who got in the poachers’ way was murdered.”

THREE

Meghan let her lungs release the air they’d been holding as soon as the familiar form of Samuel appeared in the disappearing light, driving one of the lodge’s vehicles. Relief spread through her. She’d been wrong. Which meant no more worrying tonight about poachers, wild predators...or needing Alex’s help.

She stepped back onto the trail as Kate jumped from the Jeep and threw her arms around Meghan’s neck.

“Whoa, careful.” Pain shot through Meghan’s knee as she fought to keep her balance. Alex grabbed her shoulders from behind to steady her, but she managed to hobble away from both of them to lean against the front bumper of the Jeep.

“What in the world happened to you?” Kate began. “I’ve been worried sick. I saw you jump into the other vehicle. I thought you were behind us, but by the time we circled around to check on you, you’d vanished.” Kate’s gaze shifted from Meghan’s bruised leg to Alex. “And who are you?”

“Kate, Samuel,” Meghan began. “Meet Alex Markham. He’s our new production assistant. Kate works with photography and editing, and Samuel’s one of the best trackers you’ll find in southern Africa.”

“Assistant?” Kate’s gaze narrowed.

“I am sorry about what happened earlier. I certainly didn’t mean to cause such a commotion.” Alex shot Kate a smile, then held out his hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Kate. Samuel.”

Any traces of frustration on Kate’s face disappeared. “It’s nice to meet you, too, Mr. Markham.”

“Call me Alex.”

“Okay...Alex.”

Meghan caught Kate’s gaze taking in Mr. Lone Star’s Stetson, boots, belt buckle and all his charm. She was actually fawning over the man.

Meghan shook her head. He was smooth. She’d give him credit for that. And attractive, if you liked the cowboy type. But the last thing she needed was another complication in her life.

“Yes, Kate, he’ll be picking up the slack for Jared.”

Her grin had yet to diminish. “Sounds good to me.”

“I am glad the two of you are safe, but what about your vehicle?” Samuel didn’t seem to notice Kate’s gawking stare. “I am assuming that since you are out on foot in the middle of the bush at dusk that something happened to it.”

“The brakes on the Jeep gave out,” Meghan told him.

“Is that when you hurt your leg?” Kate asked.

“Yes, I smashed it against the dash, but it’s nothing. Really.”

“I’m not sure about that.” Kate studied the bruise in what little light remained. “It’s already turning purple.”

“It’s nothing that a bag of ice and a couple pain pills can’t fix.”

“And the vehicle?” Samuel asked. “What is the damage there?”

“The front end’s banged up pretty badly. It’s wrapped around the base of a tree trunk.”

Samuel’s gaze narrowed. “You know Ian is not going to be happy about another big expense, but at least both of you are okay. That is what really matters.”

Meghan caught the concern in Samuel’s eyes.

“Meghan tends to be a bit accident-prone,” Kate began.

“What kind of accidents?” Alex asked.

“In case you didn’t notice, I can hear you both.” Meghan frowned as she set her camera down and climbed into the front passenger seat.

Kate slid into the backseat beside Alex. “It is true, Meghan. Either you’re accident-prone or maybe you’ve just had a string of bad luck lately—”

“It was nothing,” Meghan countered.

“What kinds of accidents?” Alex repeated.

“For one,” Kate began, “two days ago, the side of a hide collapsed while Meghan was inside studying our lion family. All joking aside, it actually could have been very dangerous.”

“It collapsed?”

Meghan caught the concern in Alex’s voice. “Kate. You shouldn’t have brought that up.”

“Why not?”

“Because our new assistant has a tendency to worry. He even implied that the brakes on the Jeep went out due to sabotage.” The guy was clearly a worrywart. She’d only added to the mess by mentioning the poachers to him. The idea that the poachers might come after her seemed stupid now. The man who’d been killed had been in the wrong place at the wrong time. The chances of it happening again were pretty much zilch.

“Sabotage?” Samuel headed back toward the lodge. “That does not seem very likely. It is far more probable that the owners are cutting back on costs and missed the vehicle’s last scheduled maintenance.”

“The owner’s facing financial issues?” Alex asked.

“No more than any other lodge when the world economy is down.”

“It’s one of the reasons he agreed to help with the documentary we’re working on,” Meghan added. “He’s hoping the added exposure will bring in more tourists. Kate and I blog, and post on Facebook and Twitter, everything we do, complete with videos and photos. People love it.”

“Have there been any other accidents?” Alex clearly wasn’t ready to drop the subject.

“Kate, I’m warning you. Say nothing. Because, Mr. Lone Star, as much as you seem to want there to be, there is no conspiracy going on here. In fact, our days are far less glamorous than most people think, and certainly not dangerous unless you count an occasional encounter with a pack of wild dogs or—like today—a run-in with a rhino. Most of our time is spent out in the bush waiting. No saboteurs, no encounters with poachers, no bad guys waiting in the wings.”

A moment later, the lights of the lodge came into view, hopefully putting an end to the conversation for good. Because all Meghan wanted now was a hot shower and a good night’s sleep.

She stood up and slid out of the Jeep before Alex or the others could react. “Thanks for the ride, Samuel. I appreciate your coming back for us.”

“Where are you going?” Kate asked.

“Back to my chalet. Once I get ahold of a bag of ice and some pain medicine, I plan on crashing. It’s been a long day.”

“I will talk to Ian about the vehicle and make sure it is brought in.”

“Thank you, Samuel.”

“And I’ll walk you to your cabin.”

Meghan took a step forward, then turned back to Alex. “I appreciate your help, really I do, but I’m fine. My knee’s feeling better already, and I’m sure you want to get settled.”

Alex Markham had managed to wreak havoc with her emotions, and she needed distance to help her regain some perspective.

“Okay, but I think you should get your leg checked out by a professional.” He caught her gaze, causing her stomach to flip. “Isn’t there a doctor or clinic nearby?”

“He’s right, Meghan,” Kate added. “You should see a doctor. Just to make sure nothing is broken or torn.”

Meghan shook her head. “I’ll be fine. It’s been a long day, and tomorrow will be just as long. I’ll see you all in the morning.”

Before anyone could say another word, Meghan started down the paved walkway that ran beside a row of chalets, determined not to limp. Everything she’d said had been true. All she needed was some pain medicine and an ice pack, and she’d be as good as new by morning.

Alex—and Kate, for that matter—was making far too big a deal about nothing.

Something rustled behind the purple flowering bougainvillea hedge to her right. Meghan squinted at the thick climbing vine. There were intermittent spotlights along the path, but clouds had covered up the stars and moon, leaving it too dark to see anything.

Meghan sped up, trying to put as little weight as possible on her bad leg as she hobbled down the path. She was beginning to see a poacher behind every bush. She shook her head. This was crazy. Alex and his paranoia were rubbing off on her. It was probably nothing more than a bush baby or a monkey looking for a free handout.

Meghan repositioned the strap of her camera bag over her shoulder. She’d been foolish to venture out without her flashlight, but Alex had her completely rattled. How could a man she knew nothing about leave her so flustered? Clearly she’d been out in the bush too long. For the most part, the men who stayed at the lodge were either over sixty or had wives or girlfriends. None of them had garnered a second look from her.

She started down the row of chalets where the staff stayed. Tonight was quiet, as most people were up at the lodge eating dinner.

Meghan stopped. This time she was sure she’d heard something, and whatever it was sounded too big to be a monkey.

“Hello?”

No answer.

She continued down the path, past her chalet, ready to prove to Alex that there was no bogeyman or saboteur—

Meghan froze as the main power switched off, leaving her in total darkness. Without a flashlight, it was almost impossible to see what was ahead of her. She’d wandered too far down the path to be able to find her chalet, but neither did she want to stay where she was. She knew from experience that power outages could potentially last for hours.

She turned back toward the chalets and took an uneasy step forward. Her knee buckled, and she hit the ground full force. Meghan screamed at the impact, felt her head hit something hard, then gave way to the blackness surrounding her.

* * *

“Is she always so...?” Alex searched for the right word as Meghan disappeared down the path toward her chalet.

“Bullheaded?” Kate suggested.

“I was thinking more independent, but bullheaded works.”

“Yes, but she’s fantastic to work with. She’s creative, funny, focused...”

He followed Kate toward the reception area of the lodge that was decorated with woven baskets and life-size wooden carvings of monkeys, turtles and warthogs. A group of tourists were climbing into one of the vehicles, cameras and extra lenses in hand, for a night safari in the bush. There were more people around than he’d expected. And any one of them could be responsible for their crash earlier.

He couldn’t worry about that now. He had other things to do. He needed to get the key to his room and check with the airport to see if they would deliver his suitcase tomorrow. Otherwise, the one extra set of clothes he’d packed in his carry-on was going to have to be supplemented by a few souvenir shirts and shorts in the gift shop.

“What’s her story?” he asked as they approached the front desk, hoping he might discover something beyond what Meghan had told him.

“Meghan’s? She grew up as an only child, divorced parents, boarding schools—she comes by her independence naturally.”

He might have just met Meghan, but something about her intrigued him. She was down-to-earth, witty and passionate, which made a refreshing change from most of the women his friends had tried to set him up with lately.

“What about you?” Kate leaned against the polished wooden counter. “We usually eat dinner together about this time in the restaurant. Care to join me and tell me a little more about yourself?”

Alex took his key from the receptionist and weighed his options. Hungry or not, he wasn’t here to socialize. His first priority was to keep an eye on Meghan, a task that was proving to be far from easy. Which meant for starters he needed to find out where she was staying. “I’d love to, but jet lag is starting to hit hard. I’ve got a granola bar and trail mix that will hold me over until tomorrow. Which way to my chalet?”

Kate looked at his key and pointed to her right. “You’re number five. The staff chalets are all located straight down that path a hundred yards or so. I’m number two if you need anything.”

“And Meghan?” He caught a hint of amusement in her eyes at the question and tried to cover his tracks. “Just in case I need something and can’t find you.”

“Of course. She’s in number seven.”

“Great. Thanks.”

On his way out, he paused at an aerial photo of the Chizoba Safari Lodge and its adjoining game reserve. Besides the two-dozen luxury chalets with thatched roofs for guests that overlooked the grassy veld, there was a restaurant, bar, day spa, activity center and swimming pool. It was all very impressive. But he wasn’t here to enjoy a vacation.

Alex headed in the direction of the chalet where he’d be staying. Somehow he was going to have to find a way to keep tabs on Meghan without her thinking he was stalking her. Because, in his eyes, everything that had happened today had only confirmed her father’s fears.

Halfway down the paved walkway, the power went out, throwing him into pitch darkness. Great. Alex stopped midstride, surprised at how dark it was. No lights meant there was no way he was going to find his cabin. He stood in the middle of the path and made a mental note to carry a flashlight with him if it turned out that power outages were the norm. Which they probably were.

Poachers, charging rhinos, failing brakes... It was as if he’d stepped into a different reality where, on top of everything else, beautiful women like Meghan had somehow managed to yank his heartstrings.

Alex heard the scream from where he stood.

Meghan?

He squinted, but his eyes still hadn’t adjusted to the darkness. Silence followed. He didn’t have a choice but to try to find her. A dozen yards later, he ran smack-dab into something—or somebody. He heard her scream again as he tripped and landed on the ground beside her.

He rolled onto his side and groaned. “Meghan?”

“Alex? What in the world are you doing here?” Funny. It was the same question he’d asked himself a dozen times the past twelve hours.

“I heard a scream,” he answered.

“It was me. Sorry. Just help me up. Please.”

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. I just...tripped.”

“I—”

“Don’t say anything.”

“I wasn’t going to.”

“Right.”

His arms were still around her as the moon came out from behind the clouds, giving him just enough light so he could see her expression. A mixture of pain and embarrassment filled her eyes.

“You okay? Anything else hurt?”

“No, I don’t think so.”

He pushed back a strand of hair from her forehead, his other arm still around her waist. “Whoa. You’ve got a goose egg here.”

She felt the spot on the edge of her scalp. “I must have hit my head when I fell.”

He found himself not wanting to let go of her as she took a step back.

“What happened?” he asked.

“The lights went out, and like I said, I tripped.”

“That’s it?”

The lights came back on, this time completely illuminating her face. Wide eyes, furrowed brow, a frown and yet somehow undeniably adorable. He reined in his train of thought.

“As much as I don’t want to admit it,” she began, “Kate was right. I’m a bit accident-prone.”

“So this was just an accident?” He wasn’t sure he believed her.

“The lights went out. I tried to make it to my cabin and tripped.”

Alex glanced around him. They were past the row of chalets. From what he could see, the path continued on toward the watering hole.

“You’re past your cabin.”

She started walking back up the path. “You’d think I was paranoid if I told you that I thought someone was following me.”

Alex felt a wave of alarm strike. “Meghan, what happened?”

“Nothing. I heard a noise and went to investigate. It was probably just a baboon or someone on their way to their chalet.”

“Tell me exactly what you heard.”

“I don’t know, just some rustling in the bushes. Like I said, it was probably nothing. It’s been a long day and I’m tired, which means I’m imagining things. Someone I know has put ideas of sabotage in my head.”

“I’m sorry, but it seems a bit coincidental. First the brakes on the Jeep give out, and now you think someone was following you? Not to mention the thing that Kate brought up.”

Meghan laughed. “Please, you sound just like my father. He’s convinced that there is an evil plot behind everything. The Jeep’s brakes failed because the vehicle is old and the mechanic somehow missed it. Nothing more, nothing less.”

For a moment he considered simply telling her the truth. It seemed ridiculous to hide things from her, but he had made a promise. He’d call the ambassador tonight, update him on the situation and advise him that Meghan be told what was going on.

She stopped in front of one of the chalets. Number seven.

“This is your place?”

“Home, sweet home.”

He moved closer to her and wrapped an arm around her waist as she started up the stairs that looked as if they could use a bit of repair themselves.

“I can get up the stairs on my own.”

She pulled back, but he only tightened his grip. “And take the chance of falling again? I don’t think so.”

“Alex.”

“No arguing.” He helped her up the stairs and stopped at front of the door before giving her the space she wanted and he needed. “I want you to promise me one more thing.”

“What is that?”

“Lock your door tonight.”

“You’re being paranoid again.”

“I just want you to be smart—and safe. If there are poachers around, like you said, it’s worth being prudent.” He caught the doubt in her eyes. “Promise?”

“Promise.”

“Good.”

He took a step backward—physically and emotionally. He wasn’t going to let himself get too attached. Not this time. Not again. His only plan was to keep Meghan safe for the ambassador until the election was over in two weeks, and then he was going to leave.

Until then, maintaining distance would help him do his job effectively. It would make Meghan safer. And it would help him protect the heart he never wanted to put at risk again.

* * *

Thirty minutes later, Alex finally got through to her father. “Ambassador Jordan. This is Alex Markham.”

“I didn’t expect to hear from you so soon. Is my daughter okay?”

“Yes, but now that I’m here, I believe that in order for me to effectively do my job, I need to tell your daughter the truth—”

“No. Please. You promised me you wouldn’t tell her anything.”

“I don’t think you understand, Ambassador. Meghan is...independent. I can and will do everything I can to ensure she is safe, but without her knowledge of who I am and how she’s at risk, there is only so much I can do. I can’t find a reason to be with her twenty-four hours a day.”

“I need you to do this without her knowing.” His voice softened. “If she finds out, I’ll lose her. I’ve already dragged her into many dangerous situations. She’ll blame me for messing up this job. For always interfering.”

“You’re not going to lose her, sir. She knows you love her.”

“Has something happened to make you think the men who contacted me are making good on their threats?”

“At this point, I’m not sure.” Alex hesitated. Everything that had taken place could be explained away as coincidence, just like Meghan believed, but if she was wrong...

“The brakes went out on our vehicle today. She’s certain that maintenance missed the problem. The terrain is rough here, and I can’t be sure that this was related to the threats you’ve received.”

“But it could be related to the threats, and you know it.”

“Either way, let me tell her the truth.”

“Not yet. Just promise me you’ll take care of her. Because if I lose Meghan, I lose everything. Please, Alex. I’m trusting you to take care of my daughter.”

Ice shot through Alex at the memory of another family who had trusted him with their daughter. He’d let that family down. He wouldn’t—couldn’t—fail again.

“I’ll do everything I can to keep Meghan safe, sir. You have my word.”

Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.