Read Online Deceived by Kate Serine - Free Book Online Page A

complete stop. A moment later, she was out of the SUV and stumbling several feet away. She doubled over, bracing her hands against her knees, waiting for her stomach to heave, but nothing happened. Instead, sobs shook her shoulders, bringing her to her knees. She sat back on her heels, wrapping her arms around herself as the tears came.
    â€œYou gonna be okay?”
    Her head snapped up at the sound of Luke’s deep voice, and she wiped her cheeks, swiping away the tears of fear, frustration, sorrow. “I don’t know,” she told him honestly, surprised to see him crouched beside her. “Two of my dear friends were murdered by some wacko trying to get to my son. And he’s still in danger. I’m scared, Luke. I don’t know what to do.”
    Her heart hitched a little as he reached out and took hold of her arm, his touch surprisingly calming. He helped her to her feet, but kept his hand where it was. “I won’t let anything happen to you, Sarah,” he said after a long silence, his thumb smoothing lazily over the material of her sweater. “We’re gonna figure this out. You and Eli will be fine.”
    â€œYou can promise that?” she asked, trembling as she felt her barely maintained hold on her fear rapidly slipping. “You know for certain that this is all going to end well? That no harm will come to either one of us?”
    He pulled her into his arms, holding her close, his embrace comforting. “You have to trust me.”
    She pressed her cheek to his chest, closing her eyes, accepting the strength he was offering her. After a moment, the heat of his body permeated her skin, the masculine, woodsy scent of him swamping her senses, having a calming effect she hadn’t anticipated. She found herself taking a step closer, her arms encircling his waist, feeling the rock-hard muscles of his back even through his T-shirt.
    As her mind began to whirl with crazy, inappropriate thoughts of what it might be like to have those strong arms around her in a different setting, that harsh mouth against hers, she lifted her face and found herself wishing she could see his eyes behind his sunglasses, get a glimpse of what might be going on inside his head at that moment.
    She swallowed hard, her breath growing shallower as his hold on her tightened ever so slightly, pulling her just a little closer. “I want to trust you,” she said, her voice little more than a whisper.
    * * *
    Luke’s phone buzzed, thankfully breaking through whatever it was that’d been going on between him and Sarah. What the hell was he thinking? There was no denying that Sarah was a beautiful woman, but he was letting his libido get the better of him. He had to keep it together and quit letting her get to him. As soon as this job was over, he’d never see her again. And, even on his worst day, he wasn’t a big enough bastard to hook up with a woman when she was vulnerable and afraid.
    Shit.
    He was just tired. That was it. As soon as he got some sleep, he’d be back on his game, no problem. He took a couple of hasty steps in the opposite direction and grabbed his phone.
    â€œYeah.”
    â€œHow you holding up?” It was his commander. Fortunately, he sounded one helluva lot less pissed off than he’d been the night before.
    â€œI’m gonna need to stop soon, and catch some shut-eye,” Luke admitted, sending a quick glance Sarah’s way. “It’s gonna be tomorrow before we can get to Chicago.”
    â€œChicago?” Sarah cried, hurrying over to him and tugging on his arm. “We can’t go to Chicago!”
    He waved away her protest, motioning for her to be quiet. “Am I coming in to HQ or one of the safe houses?”
    â€œNeither,” Will informed him. “Whatever the hell is going on is seriously fucked up. We’ve had a security breach of our master files. I’m not sure how the hell someone was able get by all the