9 Chapter 9: Do I Have You?

Inside the spectacular house, as Oliver led Natalie up a flight of stairs and into the master suite, she tightened his jacket around her naked body. She wanted to beg him to rip it off her and toss her on the bed, but her need to protect her vulnerable heart was stronger.

"I picked you up a few things," he declared, opening the door to a large walk-in closet. "Get dressed then come downstairs. I'm going to fix us something to eat."

"What do you mean you picked me up a few things? How did you know I'd be here? Wait, what am I saying? Never mind."

"Did you really think I'd let you suffer at the hands of that man once I found you?"

"Once you found me?"

"I told you I've been searching for you, Natalie," he said softly, moving across to her, "and I want to hear everything that's happened over the last two years, especially how you ended up with Pichenko. I'm making us pasta. You need the carbs. You're skin and bone. Beautiful skin and bone, but still skin and bone," then touching her arm he kissed her softly on the cheek and turned to walk away.

"Wait."

"Do you need something?"

"Yes, I, uh..."

He could see the carnal hunger in her eyes, but he could also see loneliness, fear and heartache, and stepping swiftly forward he engulfed her with his arms. She remained stiff and unyielding, she refused to surrender.

"I'm not leaving you, Natalie. I'm in this for the long haul. You and me. I promise."

She wanted to believe him. With everything in her she wanted to believe him, but he'd made her a promise once before, a promise that had been broken and left her devastated.

"The person who should have contacted you at the airport couldn't," he murmured in her ear, as if reading her mind. "He suffered through a bad car accident. One of those freak things. As soon as the news reached me I tried to reach you, but you were gone. For two years I've been trying to track you down."

"Is that true?" she whispered, raising her head to search his eyes.

"Why would I make that up? You're the only reason I'm here."

"But-you're on a mission."

"Finding you has been my mission."

"That's not true. The mission is Pichenko and the artifact he's carrying."

"Natalie, I had to fight tooth and nail for this assignment. My people didn't want me facing off against him again, especially knowing how desperately I'd been searching for you."

"Oliver, I thought..."

"I had simply abandoned you? What we'd shared meant nothing?"

"I could think of no other explanation, and..." but her voice trailed off as she tried to swallow back her tears, and burying her head into the crook of his shoulder she let out a long, heavy breath.

Closing his eyes he breathed her in. There had been times his hunt had seemed impossible, but in spite of the countless dead-ends he'd refused to give up. He knew Pichenko had eyes on him, enjoying each false lead as it fell away, but Oliver also knew at some point the evil genius would set the trap. He had, but Oliver had bested him. Natalie was finally back in his arms. Hearing a stifled sob he tightened his hold, vowing silently to keep her safe and to bring Pichenko's days to an end.

"I don't understand any of this," she sniffled. "I think you need to give me some details, assuming that's allowed."

"At the cabin two years ago, those were Pichenko's men. I'd beaten him and he wanted revenge. He still wants revenge. He followed us there with that pendant he gave you. I must take the blame for that entire episode."

"Why?"

"I should have known he'd be watching me. I should have taken more care. He must have seen us together having dinner, or meeting at a hotel, something. It could have been his sharp instincts or intelligence gathering, but he decided if he followed you he'd find me."

"But the gallery owner gave me that pendant," she said, pulling back and looking up at him "Oh, I see. The gallery owner worked for him."

"Of course, and after the cabin incident he would have known we'd separate, so he sought you out and hired you only to use you as a pawn. That's why he kept moving you around. He's been throwing me false leads thinking they'd make me crazy, and as soon as you truly surfaced, I'd come running. And I did. He also assumed I'd be so frustrated and angry by the time I found you, I'd make a mistake."

"Did he make you crazy?"

"I hate to say, but there were days..." he admitted, his voice trailing off as he let out a sigh. "I'm only human, but I'm also trained to stay focused. Frustration is a dangerous response. He was right believing it can lead to mistakes, and in my game mistakes can be deadly."

"But you outfoxed him."

"This time, but the war isn't over yet. You'll be safe here, and now that I have you I can concentrate on the other elements of the mission. I do have you, don't I, Natalie?"

"Yes, Oliver, you have me. You've always had me. As much as I didn't want you in my head and in my heart you were there every single day. You've been like a shadow, sometimes sharp, sometimes diffused, but always following me around."

"You should've been a poet," he murmured, a soft smile curling the edges of his lips.