Radclyffe - Honor Under Siege

jacket. Stark shook her head. “Hara is out back and Tanner stationed

a team in a

vehicle on the street. Shes

covered.

“Il take her jacket, Diane said, pat ing Wozinskis shoulder as she

passed behind his chair. “But thank you.

“Yes maam. Wozinski flushed.

“Pleasure.

It took less than thirty seconds for Diane to reach the back deck after

grabbing Blairs jacket, but she saw only a single figure standing at

the railing, facing toward the oceanshorter than either herself or Blair by

several inches and more slender than Stark. Hara. Not Blair. For an

instant, her heart twisted with an overriding sense of dread, as if Blair

too had walked out the door and simply vanished. Just like the

morning she had awakened in the guesthouse in a stil room beneath a

silent dawn and realized that Valerie had disappeared while shed slept.

“Wheres Blair?

Hara did not turn, and even in the darkness, Diane knew that she was

watching Blair. The cloud cover was so dense even the light from the

ful moon barely penetrated the inky sky.

“Sit ing on top of a dune, fifteen yards down the path and ten feet of

to the right.

“It feels like thirty degrees out here, and you just let her go? Diane

snapped.

“Thirty-eight

degrees.

“Never mind, Diane mut ered, hurrying down the stairs to the path. A

minute later she knelt beside Blair. “Put your jacket on.

“Thanks, Blair said, shrugging into it. “You dont need

to stay.

With a sigh, Diane shifted around to sit facing the same direction as

Blair and leaned against her. When Blair wrapped an arm around her,

she snuggled closer and lightly rested her head on Blairs shoulder.

“Couldnt you brood inside where we can have a fire?

“Its a lot harder to do if youre comfortable. Blair pressed her cheek to

Dianes hair. “Do you have any idea how much I hate waiting here, safe

and sound and protected by armed guards, while Cam is out there

somewhere with people who want to kil her?

“I think I know, Diane

whispered.

“Oh, honey, Im sorry, Blair said. “Of course

you do.

“Renée cal ed Paula with an update, Diane pointed out gently.

“She said everything was fine and that Cam was resting.

“I know. Blair sighed. “But that was three hours ago and theyre not due

here for another four at least. Anything can happen. She reached beside

her and dug her fingers into the cold sand. “I just want to be able to

protect her the way she protects me.

“I bet you already

do.

Blair laughed harshly. “Hardly. Since everyone thinks Im so important, I

seem to be the one destined to wait, just like tonight.

“You

are

important

“Im no more important than Cam or you or Stark or any of the

others.

Diane wrapped both arms around Blairs waist and hugged her. “You,

Blair Powell , may not be more important than the rest of us, although

I happen to think youre pret y special and Im sure Cam does too, but

its not about Blair Powel .

“No, its about the first

daughter.

“Yes. And I imagine that makes it al the

harder.

“Theres a reason youre my best friend, you know, Blair said

softly.

“Besides the fact that Im smart, beautiful, and wel -connected in the art

world?

“Those are definite pluses, but you might be the only person other than

Tanner whos ever understood that having a famous father mostly just

sucks.

“Yes, I never did think living in a mansion was al that cool when it came

with a bunch of state troopers hanging out on the front porch. Diane tried

not to shiver from the cold. She sensed Blairs mood beginning to lighten

and wanted to keep her talking. “Tanner could relate, because she had

to put up with a lot of the same thing. Not the bodyguards and

everything, but having a lot expected of her because of who her father

was.

“Mmm, Blair said, pat ing the sand shed squeezed into a hard bal back

into the ground. “Tanner understands. But shes not a girl, like you are. Its

not the same.

“You mean you wouldnt snuggle with Tanner in the dark? Diane

teased.

“Snuggling is not what I had in mind with Tanner. Definitely not when

we were teenagers. Blair thought back to how wild and drop-dead sexy

Tanner had been then. “And I dont think I would, even now. After al ,

Ive had a lot more practice resisting you.

“Thanks, I think. Diane kissed Blairs cheek. “We have to go inside,

sweetie. Ive of icial y frozen my ass of .

Blair reached for Dianes hand as they rose. “Thanks for coming out to

get me and just forget ing it.

“Cams going to be okay, Diane said gently. “Shes amazingly good at

what she does, and besides, Felicia and Renée are with her.

“I know. As they started back toward the house, Blair added, “Cams

going to figure out a way to help Valerie, too.

“Thats what I keep tel ing myself. I have to believe it, because I cant

stand to think of anything else.

“Sometimes its bet er not to think. Blair stif ened. “Did you hear a car

door slam just then? She hurried up the stairs, tugging Diane behind her,

and rushed past Hara into the kitchen. The room was empty. She raced

toward the front of the house, Diane right behind her. “Paula, is someone

here? Is Camoh my God!

Blair skidded to a halt, barely stopping herself from throwing her arms

around a beaming Mac Phil ips. He was unnatural y pale, and whereas

hed always been slim and muscular, now he was simply thin. But

his gaunt face was stil handsome and his blue eyes bright and merciful

y pain-free. She hadnt seen him for several weeks, and he had stil

been in the rehab center then, recovering from the gunshot wound that

he had sustained while protecting her during the at ack on the Aerie.

“Oh my God. What are you doing here?

Mac clasped Blairs hand, half shaking it, half holding it. “I got a cal

late this

morning from the commander to pack my bags, and Id barely finished

when a

Humvee with two of Tanners people showed up, andhere

I am.

“Did you know about this? Blair asked

Paula.

“No. Paula tried to look serious and in-charge, but she couldnt help

grinning at their old team member. “Apparently it was arranged after

we left DC. She careful y clasped Macs shoulder. “How are you

doing?

“A hel of a lot bet er than I was yesterday. Im of icial y cleared for

light duty starting next week, but Ive been sit ing around al this week

doing nothing but going crazy. He reached down for his suitcase but

Wozinski grabbed it first.

“I have that,

sir.

Mac raised an eyebrow. “Jesus, Greg. Im not your

boss.

Gregs face was total y serious. “No sir. Anything you need, just let me

know, sir.

Mac looked perplexed, but Blair understood. Mac had almost died

trying to save her, and when an agent was wil ing to make the

ultimate sacrifice, other agents considered them heroes. The same

thing had happened to Cam when Cam had been shot in the line of

duty, and Cam was just as uncomfortable with the adulation as Mac

seemed to be. Blair hooked her arm through Macs and gave him a lit le

hug. “Does Felicia know youre coming?

“Im not sure, Mac said, blushing and looking even more handsome.

“She told me about her new posting with the commander. He met

Paulas gaze. “And Renées.

Paula nodded, realizing that they had more in common than ever. She and

Mac were al that remained of the original team. Theyd been together

before the commander took over, and now they were the veterans.

And they shared something else, something almost more criticalthe

women they loved were both

part of the commanders OHS team. Renée and Felicia were

involved in something potential y more dangerous than any of them had

ever experienced. She squared her shoulders. “Shes real y happy about

it, and I think its exactly where she belongs.

“Yeah. Mac nodded. “Felicia

too.

“Come on back to the kitchen, Blair said. “Are you

hungry?

“I could Mac broke of at the sound of footsteps on the front porch, and

both he and Paula automatical y stepped between Blair and the door,

their shoulders touching, shielding her.

“Its Tanner, a voice cal ed as a knock

sounded.

Paula opened the door just enough to check outside, blocking the view

into the room. After a second, she swung the door open and Tanner

Whitley strode in with her characteristic saunter, a strikingly beautiful

blonde in a naval uniform by her side.

“Mac, Tanner said. “I trust the trip went al right? Without waiting

for an answer, she kissed Blair soundly on the mouth. “You look

terrific.

“You dont look too shabby either, Blair said, thinking that with her

windblown dark hair, piercing dark eyes, and muscular build Tanner

looked every inch the playgirl she had once been, rather than the

head of a huge corporate conglomerate and the owner of Whitley

Island. As usual, she was dressed in casual pants, an open col ar shirt,

and wel -worn black boots. Blair smiled at the blonde who held Tanners

hand. Adrienne was more than a decade older than Tanner, and Blair

had only to see Tanner with Adrienne to know that the new peace in

Tanners eyes was entirely due to Adriennes presence in her life. The

gold wedding bands they wore only af irmed what was obvious from

seeing them together.

“Hel o, Adrienne. How are you? The last time Blair had seen

Adrienne had been immediately after 9/11. Adrienne had been spending

almost al of her time at the nearby naval base where she was

stationed.

“Slightly less crazy than last time we

met.

“I wish we werent always dropping in on you quite so

unexpectedly.

Adriennes calm blue eyes held Blairs. “Were happy to have

you, anytime, under any circumstances.

Blair was certain that Cam would not have confided any of

the details surrounding their precipitous return to Whitley

Point to Tanner, and she knew that Tanner would not have asked,

but she understood Adriennes message. Without even

knowing the circumstances, Adrienne and Tanner would be

there for them, whenever they were needed. To her horror,

Blair felt her eyes sting with tears. “Thank you.

“Tanner, darling, Diane said, kissing Tanners cheek. “Thank

you for the wine and other essentials in the guest house. She

extended her hand to Adrienne. “Thanks for taking such good care

of us.

“If you need anything else that our security people cant get

for you, just let us know. Well see to it.

“How are you at pinochle? Blair asked.

Stark groaned. Adrienne smiled.

* * * * *

Just after midnight, the door to Blairs bedroom opened slowly

and

a thin shaft of pale yel ow light slashed across the

room. “Cam?

“Hi baby, Cam said. “Did I wake you?

Blair rol ed onto her side and turned on the bedside lamp.

She canted the shade so that most of the light angled away

from the bed and then sat up. “No. I wasnt sleeping. Are you all

right?

“Beat, but okay. Cam sighed as she crossed to the bed. “Im