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Chapter 7

Buck slammed his cell phone down on his desk.

Josiah looked up. "Problems, brother?"

Buck pointed a finger at his phone. "That thing is useless!"

"You need to borrow my phone?" Josiah offered.

Buck tossed his hands up in the air. "Won't do no good if the person you call won't answer!" He didn't bother trying to lower his voice. His eyes were wild as he swung his gaze over to JD. "I got a job for you, kid."

Nathan opened his mouth like maybe he thought he should step in at that point, but Chris came out of his office then.

"Anything?" Chris asked.

"She won't answer her damn phone," Buck said. "But JD's going to find her. He can hack into her credit cards and see where she is. If she's payin' for a motel, or what."

He didn't miss Nathan and JD exchanging a look.

Chris frowned and for a second Buck thought he was going to agree with him.

"No."

Buck reared back. "What?"

"You know that's illegal. You can't use JD for that. We've already dragged him past the gray area looking into Morgan's school records."

"So we just let her…" Buck waved a hand in the air, not sure what he even feared Morgan was up to. The problem with Morgan was it could be anything. She could be getting a prison tat in Cleveland, or she could be opening a brothel in Tijuana. Buck said as much to Chris.

Chris frowned. "Doubt she's opening a brothel," he said.

Buck scanned the room and noticed for the first time Vin wasn't at his desk. "Where's Tanner? He can track a person like they left footprints in the snow. He can find her. Legally," he added for Chris' benefit.

Chris' expression shuttered. "He's out," was all he said.

Buck huffed out a sigh. "Then how do we find her?"

Chris didn't answer.

Buck stared down his lifelong friend, but Chris didn't budge.

"Fine," Buck said shortly, dropping his hands onto his desk with a loud slap. "We don't find her. But if she's running the Mexican mafia by this weekend, that' son you, Larabee."

#

Morgan flipped the pages of the magazine she had bought at an airport kiosk. She ignored the flight attendant's instructions, just like she ignored the articles she kept turning past. She wished she could ignore thoughts of what may be waiting for her in Vegas as easily.

Vin's arm brushed hers slightly and she glanced at the tall man in the seat next to her. He had one arm on each armrest, fingers curled around the edge of the armrest like he feared being tossed from his seat.

Morgan lowered her magazine and looked at him more carefully. The plane was already taxiing, but now picked up speed, the engines whining to life as they picked up speed. Vin closed his eyes, his knuckles turning white.

Morgan fought back a smile. Vin Tanner, ATF sniper and unflappable in the face of everything she had thrown at him, was scared of flying.

The plane banked hard to the left as it left Denver behind and circled toward its course.

Vin sucked in a breath and Morgan noticed how pale he was for the first time. Her amusement fled and concern moved in.

"Vin?" she said.

Vin barely moved. "Yeah?" he asked. His voice was tight.

"You ok?" she asked.

Vin didn't answer. The plane hit a pocket of air and shuddered in the turbulence. Vin let out a sound somewhere between a grunt and a moan.

Without thinking, Morgan slipped her hand over his, working her fingers between his so they laced together, taking his grip from the armrest to her own hand.

Vin's grip was tight and Morgan reached her other hand over so his larger hand was held between both of hers.

She was pretty sure Vin didn't take a breath until the plane leveled off. He slowly opened his eyes and Morgan watched him with concern.

He took a breath and that much was at least reassuring. Morgan didn't think he had taken a full breath since the plane started to move. She tipped her head to try to see his face better and Vin managed a weak smile. He glanced down at her hands holding his.

Morgan figured she should let go of his hand now, but wasn't sure she should in the face of this new side of Vin Tanner.

"I hate flyin'," he said. The plane gave a slight bounce and his hand tightened in an iron grip.

Morgan returned the pressure with a squeeze of her own fingers. "Don't you have to fly for work?"

Vin's eyes were closed again, but he nodded slightly with a tense jerk of his head. "Sometimes. Try not to."

Morgan shifted in her seat so she didn't have to let go of his hand, settling in to spend the flight like this. "Can't you take something to knock you out?"

This time a shake of his head. "Can't have anything in my system 24 hours before I have to shoot."

They hit another round of turbulence and Vin's face got whiter.

"Are you planning to shoot someone in Vegas?" she asked.

Vin opened an eye enough to glance her way. Morgan couldn't hold back the slight curve of her lips at his expression. "Then why didn't you get something to help you relax for this flight?"

"Might shoot your ex."

Morgan couldn't hold back the grin that his words brought. "It's probably best if you don't. Buck and Chris might find out what you're up to with me."

Vin did open both eyes then, fixing her with a steady blue look. "I don't have no problem with that."

Morgan withdrew slightly. "Trust me, they would. And they'd find out what's going on in Vegas. It's better this way."

Vin started to nod in agreement, but the pilot came on the speakers then.

"Sorry folks, looks like we're going to have to keep those seatbelts on this flight. It's looking like it will be turbulence all the way from Denver to Las Vegas, but clear and sunny once we touch down."

Vin let out a small whimper and dropped his head back against his seat.

Morgan fought against the small laugh that managed to escape. She secured her hands more tightly around Vin's and held on all the way to Vegas.

#

Vin felt like he had gone five rounds with Chris at the gym.

The only upside of the entire flight had been once Morgan realized nothing was seriously wrong with him, she had smiled easily, amused at his phobia. It didn't stop her from holding his hand the entire flight, though. He figured he'd fly every day of the week if that was what he got.

Vin stood on shaky legs and opened the overhead compartment. He easily took down their bags, pretending not to notice when Morgan tried to take hers. He led the way down the narrow aisle, off the plane, enjoying being out of the cramped aircraft even as he missed the closeness of Morgan.

"You know there's something sort of sweet about a guy with a weakness," Morgan said. She drew close enough to his side as they walked through the airport that he could smell the scent of roses.

Vin slanted a look at her.

Her lips moved slightly in the teasing grin he was coming to appreciate. "Sort of like Superman with kryptonite."

Vin lifted an eyebrow. "So you're saying I'm Superman?"

Morgan snorted. "I don't think Superman is scared of flying."

Vin chuckled as she picked up her pace, following her with the bags. She bypassed the baggage claim and car rental desks, heading outside.

The hot, dry desert air blasted him as soon as he stepped through the automatic doors.

"Morgan!"

A high pitched squeal greeted them.

Morgan waved and ran toward the line of cars waiting at the curb. A Jeep, newer, smaller, and less battered than the one Vin drove, had two girls standing up in the seats, the canvas top off the SUV. The girls jumped down and ran to Morgan.

Vin followed Morgan at a slower pace, wincing slightly at the piercing sound of the two girls greeting Morgan. He stood back as the three girls greeted each other, unable to make out most of what the two girls were saying to Morgan, their excited words tumbling over each other at rapid speed.

"I can't believe—"

"—totally! Never should have happened—"

"—he's such a—"

"—would get his dad involved just because his dad's some senator—"

Morgan glanced over her shoulder at him, her smile having turned to a tight expression. She looked back at her friends and shook her head, saying something quietly to them.

Two sorority girls looked past Morgan to Vin in unison. The blonde's eyebrows shot up at the sight of him before a flirtatious smile crossed her face. Her friend, equally made up with her dark hair in perfect curls, left Morgan to cross to Vin.

"Hi there," she said.

"Ma'am," Vin said with a nod.

"Charity," she said. "But you can call me whatever you want," she said, lifting an eyebrow in suggestion.

"OMG, Charity!" the blonde exclaimed, elbowing her in the side. "Way to come on way too strong!" She let out a laugh and tossed her hair back in a perfect movement, turning her smile on Vin. "I'm Kennedy." She held out a hand.

Vin shifted his duffel bag to his shoulder so he could shake her hand.

The petite blonde took his hand and held it a second longer. "You have such a strong grip," she said. "You must work out."

Vin looked to Morgan for help.

The hint of a smile was teasing at her mouth and she looked like she was enjoying his discomfort, but thankfully she helped him.

"Come on, guys. I need to get my stuff packed up."

Vin had hoped the girls would go to Morgan, but instead they stayed with him, one on each side and escorted him to the cherry red Jeep.

"You want to sit up front, Morgan?" Charity asked. "I can keep your friend company in the back."

Vin turned panicked eyes to Morgan, silently willing her to help him.

"You take shotgun," Morgan said. "I'll ride in back."

Charity let out a slight pout at Vin, but got in front.

"Thank you," Vin said under his breath to Morgan.

Morgan didn't say anything, but the amusement in her eyes didn't reassure Vin.

The girls cranked up some sort of music that Vin assumed was made to dance to and Kennedy pulled the Jeep away from the curb.

Vin watched as the closer they got to the University campus, the quieter Morgan got. She wasn't bubbly like her friends anyway, but by the time Kennedy pulled the Jeep up in front of a large two story home, Morgan was completely stoic.

Charity turned around in her seat. "You guys staying here while you're in town?" she asked.

Morgan hesitated and Vin took a look at the house. He saw the large Greek letters over the door and realized for the first time that Morgan had brought him to her sorority house. He willed her to say no. He was ready to say he would cover the cost of motel rooms, but Kennedy bounced out of the Jeep.

"You're staying here, of course," she said, no room for argument in her tone.

Morgan's lips pressed into a thin line. Vin saw her jaw clench. "I'm not supposed to be on campus at all," she said.

That was news to Vin.

Kennedy and Charity both pursed their lips in disapproval.

"The dean had no right to ban you from campus!" Kennedy exploded.

"And the restraining order was beyond ridiculous!" Charity added.

Clearly Morgan coming back to Vegas involved more than her not wanting to run into a nasty ex. Vin could see Morgan's hands trembling, whether from anger or fear, he couldn't tell. She kept her expression shuttered.

"We'll stay wherever you want," he said to her.

He watched her draw herself together, her expression easing, falling back into the light defiance she tended to look at everyone with. "I'm staying here," she said, as if there was no question.

"Good," Kennedy said with a decisive nod. "The rest of the girls would kill us if we didn't bring you home."

"And no one's going to want to miss out on this guy," Charity said with another coquettish smile for Vin.

Vin hoped wherever he stayed had a lock on the door.

#

Morgan closed the door behind her and dropped onto the bed with a sigh. Vin set their bags on the floor and scanned the room. She could imagine what he thought of the myriad of textbooks piled on the two desks, the shelves filled with pictures, momentos, and her roommates perfume and lotion addiction.

"You didn't mention you were banned from campus," Vin commented. He glanced at her before moving to the bulletin board over her desk and looking at the pictures she had tacked up. Mostly ones of her and her sorority sisters. A couple of her and Buck, one of her with Buck and Chris, and two of her with—

She quickly crossed to the board and yanked those two pictures down, ripping them in half and crumpling the pieces before tossing them in the trash.

"Technically," she said, "I'm banned from campus. But I need to get my stuff."

Vin turned, resting against the edge of her desk. "And the restraining order?"

Morgan could feel her cheeks grow hot with indignation. "The police believe whatever the dean tells them," she spat. "And the dean does whatever the senator tells him." She clenched her hands into fists.

"So your ex took out a restraining order on you?" Vin asked.

Morgan hated the shame that burned, hearing him say it. She nodded once.

Vin cursed under his breath. It wasn't what Morgan expected. She risked a look at him.

"He hurt you then got you kicked outta school?" Vin asked.

Hearing it summarized so succinctly stung. Morgan couldn't manage a nod.

"Aw, Morgan," he said.

Hearing him say her name, hearing the compassion in his voice, it freed more pain than the sting of everything he had figured out. She didn't realize she was crying until Vin moved into her space.

She wanted to lean into him, let him do more than physically protect her while she was here. Everything about Vin said he could shield her and she could feel herself weakening, all the emotions returning to Vegas churned up threatening her control.

She took a step closer to Vin, felt his hands settle on the curve of her hips.

"Vin," she said, the word nothing more than a breath. She wanted to give in, ask him for help. For comfort.

"Morgan!" The cheerful cry and knock on the door pulled her back from Vin.

She rubbed her palms over her cheeks and sniffed, turning away from Vin, away from the memories hanging on the wall over her desk. She invited the new arrival to come on in, her voice mostly steady.

One of her housemates, Esme, came bouncing into the room, pausing when she spotted Vin. Her mouth dropped open and she didn't hide her open appraisal.

Vin shifted uncomfortably behind her.

"Charity said you brought a cowboy with…" Esme said, her words trailing off while she eyed Vin.

"Think I'll head on out and get the lay of the land," Vin said to Morgan, not looking at the woman standing next to her. The tips of his ears were pink. "If you'll be ok here for a bit?"

Morgan nodded. Vin's eyes swept over her face and Morgan tried to let him see she was fine. Her moment of weakness was just that. Weakness. She wouldn't let that happen again.

Vin's lips thinned, but then Esme moved a step closer and Vin backed away. "Don't go anywhere without me," he said to Morgan.

"Oh, trust me, she would have to be crazy to do that," Esme promised.

With a hunted expression, Vin headed out the door.

"Um, who was that?" Esme asked.

Morgan dragged her attention back from where Vin had left. She shook her head lightly, trying to get her thoughts back on track. "Vin," she said, heading over to her desk to start emptying drawers. "My brother's friend."

Esme went to the door to catch another glimpse of Vin. When she didn't have any luck, she came back in the room. Taking the books from Morgan's desk and setting them aside on the floor, she started helping Morgan go through the drawers. "And something more than a friend for you?" she asked.

Morgan gave her head a sharp shake. "Charity said she picked up boxes for me. Do you know where they are?" She hoped Esme would take the hint.

The young woman eyed Morgan like she didn't believe her, but said she'd go get the boxes.

Alone in the room she had been forced out of by the college only last week, Morgan looked down at the pictures she had tossed into the trash can. Blue-gray eyes and a smirk had survived her treatment of the picture.

Morgan gave the can a kick, sending it away from her. She never wanted to see that face again.

#