“Did you get my message?”
Jake’s hand balled into a fist. “Are you crazy? Your man tried to rape one of my people. It’s only a miracle the police weren’t brought in—or is that what you want?”
Popov chuckled, the sound grating on Jake’s taut nerves. “What I want,Tovarichis for you to do as you are told.”
“I’ve already agreed to that, but if you keep up these attacks on my people, I’ll be forced to go to the authorities. Whatever you have planned will die on the vine.”
“Always so impatient...”
“I want your word, Popov. As I recall, it used to mean something.”
“You remember your past whenever it is convenient.”
“Your word,” Jake repeated.
“I think not. It is good for you to wonder. At least now you know we mean what we say.”
Jake thought of Ellie’s battered face. “I never doubted it.”
A raspy chuckle. “Of that I am certain.” The line went dead.
Jake replaced the receiver with a shaky hand. He could still see the fear in Ellie’s eyes. He’d gotten no promises, but Popov had made his point. Surely there was no need for more violence. Though he hated himself for it, he would continue to do as the Russian asked—unless Daniel’s people could prove the man was acting on his own authority. At the moment, that looked doubtful.
As far as his team went, Jake would have to wait and watch. If anything else happened, he’d consider telling Daniel the truth.
He’d been forced to lie to Clay and the others, had told them he’d brought in security when he had never made the call.
He made a second decision. As soon as he got the chance, he’d talk to Maggie. See if he could convince her to take Sarah and go home.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
The hotel room still made her nervous. It was past midnight, yet Ellie couldn’t fall asleep.
She should have listened to Jake and moved to a room on the next floor, but she hadn’t wanted to be that far from Clay. Of course, she couldn’t tell Jake that. Nor could she tell him she’d never forget the way Clay had come to her rescue, how protected she had felt when he’d held her.
Ellie checked the door and windows a second time and climbed back in bed, but every sound, every creak and moan, had her eyes shooting open. She read for a while,Slow Heat in Heaven, a steamy romance by that made her think of Clay and did nothing to put her to sleep.
There were no noises coming from his room. Either Clay wasn’t at home, or he was sleeping soundly. After her attack last night, he’d been solicitous, saddling Jube for her, riding with her a while to be sure she all right.
Finally, at her insistence, he had left her to finish her morning routine. She’d worked Jube for a couple of hours, lungeing him, doing some work on the flat, taking a couple of fences. While Clay was busy putting Max over some Cavalletti, she and Gerry took off for a quick bite of lunch.
When she returned, Clay was almost hostile.
“Have a nice lunch?” he asked sarcastically as he rode up to where she stood watching him with her elbows propped on the fence rail. Max was so big and Clay so tall, she had to tilt her head back to see the dark forbidding expression on his face.
“You were working Max. I didn’t want to disturb you.”
“So you disturbed your groom instead.”
“We just went down the street. There’s a little café—“
“I’m sure you were well-entertained. Now if you’ll excuse me, Max is tired and so am I.” He nudged the big bay forward with a nearly imperceptible pressure on the heel of his boot. “I’m sure Gerry will see you safely back to the hotel.”
Max brushed past her, blowing a little, glad to be finished for the day. She watched Clay and the stallion disappear into the stable, wondering what she had done to displease him. They’d been getting along so well and the trip to the flower market had been lovely.
Surely Clay wasn’t jealous of Gerry? She thought about the time Gerry had discovered them in the tack room. Clay had been angry, furious, in fact. Ellie had assumed it was because she hadn’t jumped at his command. Now she wasn’t so sure.
That night she went to bed early, but still had trouble sleeping. Sprawled on the bed, she kicked off her blankets, lifted her heavy hair away from her neck and thought of Clay. Her heartbeat quickened as the usual fever began to heat her blood. Was Clay sleeping alone next door? Or was he with Linda Gibbons or some other woman?
