Don't forget to r&r!


It had taken her a surprisingly short amount of time to move on from the incident of the red eye flight. Her father had offered to pay for a therapist, medicine, moving out of Miami, and numerous other things but she had declined. Jackson Rippner may have entered her life in a disturbing way, but she'd be damned if she let him make a damsel in distress out of her. She got a new apartment that came with an alarm system and twenty-four hour security guard. The field hockey stick was always by her bed. And the one thing her father offered that she did give in to was the sleek pistol that lay in a drawer of her bedside table.

After everything else, it infuriated Lisa to no end that she could not get him off of her mind. She often thought of what had happened to him. Had he died? Was he on another job? If so, where? With who? What had his 'organization' had to say about his failure? Were they plotting after Keefe again? What was he doing, at that very moment? Did he think about her, too? Or was he lying in bed, a woman tucked at his side.. It was the last thought that always triggered her back to the world of the alert. Why should she care exactly what her would be assassin was up to? But she couldn't get his eyes out of her mind.

One day, the thought finally hit her; her life was boring. That was why she focused on Jackson so much because he had been the most exciting thing to enter her life in years. At night, lying in bed and somewhere between sleep and consciousness, she wondered what a life at Jackson's side would be like. And then she would dream about him. They all seemed to focus on the man that Jackson had been before the flight; attentive, compassionate, charming.. Was he really that good of an actor? Or was that a true part of his nature?


Jackson's first job back forced him to spend almost a full month in various parts of Europe. When he returned to Miami, he found that everything had changed. Lisa wasn't at her apartment, or her father's, or the Lux. So, he decided it was time to take a small risk.

The lobby of the Lux Atlantic was as he remembered it to be - trendy, sleek, and bustling with tourists and businessmen. The check in counter was almost empty except for the overweight balding man who was obviously harassing the petite redhead at the computer.

"Sir, I'm trying but I can't find a note that Lisa left saying that your first two nights would be comped.."

"Well, she promised me. My service here was horrific last time! I can take my business elsewhere, I'm sure the managers at the Hilton aren't as incompetent."

Cynthia blushed as she furiously searched through the various pieces of paper that Lisa had left behind, and even in the computer, but it was obvious that she wasn't making much headway.

"I flew all the way in from Vancouver! I'm sick of waiting here!"

"Well," Jackson intervened coolly, knowing that this would easily win over Cynthia's attention and trust, "a flight from Vancouver is quite a long flight, you must be exhausted. Why not go to your room and let this lovely woman do what she can? I'm sure by the time you've gotten some rest she will have things figured out." The man turned to glare at Jackson, but with one look, he was subdued. Snatching his room key out of Cynthia's hand, he drudged out of the lobby.

"Thank you so much," Cynthia had a wide smile and was obviously blushing when Jackson turned to look at her. Yes, she was too easy.

"It was no problem, ma'am. Rude people get on my nerves, especially when they're rude to someone so beautiful." She responded with the appropriate giggle and batted her eyelashes.

"How may I help you, sir?"

"Actually, I'm looking for the manager.. Miss Reisert, I believe. Can you tell me where I may find her?"

Cynthia's glow instantly diminished and Jackson wondered if she often got passed up for Lisa. "Oh… Lisa took a leave of absence. Her father had a heart attack a few days ago and he's still in the hospital. I think it's pretty serious. He's at Mt. Sinai, and I think Lisa spends most of her time there trying to take care of him."


Closing and locking the door behind her, she momentarily leaned against it. It was late and she was emotionally and physically drained. She hadn't slept more than a few hours since her father's heart attack, and the moments she dozed off were at his bedside in a horribly uncomfortable chair. The head nurse had insisted that she leave and get some rest. Her father's house was closer to the hospital than her apartment, so she went there.

Walking into the kitchen and flipping a few lights, she opened the pantry and looked through the shelf of liquor bottles. Pulling the Jack Daniels out, she fixed a glass of ice and poured a generous amount in. Whiskey wasn't her favorite, but it was strong and that's what she wanted. Sipping it, she screwed her face up. But the burn afterwards felt wonderful..

Leaning against the counter, both hands wrapped around the glass, she zoned out. She looked like hell. Her hair was limp and straight, her face was pale and sickly, and she already looked like she'd lost some weight. With a sigh, she took another sip and tried not to cough.

"I never would have pegged you for a whiskey kind of girl, Leese."

The smooth voice startled her so much that she dropped the glass, which shattered on the marble floor. Whirling around she came face to face with him, with only the island counter separating them.

"Jackson.." Her voice was like a hiss as she backed up, watching him walking around the counter to where she stood. Lisa's hand desperately searched for something she could use as a weapon.

"Now look at the mess you've made." His smirk drove her insane.

"What the hell do you want?"

"What, I can't visit an old friend?"

The shock of seeing him slowly began to wear off, and she pulled her shoulders back, trying to make herself feel a little taller. The flat shoes she wore didn't help, and he towered over her. "I suppose you didn't get enough of a beating last time, huh?"

His sudden temper flared and he snarled. Before she could even blink, he'd grabbed her by the neck and flung her so hard against the refrigerator that it shook. Her head hit it hard, and she groaned as everything around her spun. She began to step forward a little, but he was instantly pressed up against her, his hand grabbing on to her neck and squeezing just enough.

"Did you miss me?" Jackson shoved her head roughly back up against the refrigerator, and used his body to completely trap her there. Turning her eyes away, her mouth fell open like a fish as she tried to breathe. He leaned in closer, his lips brushing against her cheek as he pushed his nose into her hair. "I have to admit, you've looked better. I'm disappointed." His lips were right against her ear, whispering and making her shudder.

Finally, he released his hand and she dropped like a doll to the floor, the glass from the broken cup digging into her legs and hands. Her head dropped forward as she gasped for air.

Jackson walked over and grabbed the Jack Daniels and another cup, fixing his own drink. "I was terribly sorry to hear about your father. I know how tough it must be for you."

Lisa slowly picked herself off the floor, her glare fixed on him at every moment. He sipped the whiskey and fixed her another one as well.

"You bastard."

"I've been called worse before," He grinned at her again and it infuriated her because her heart fluttered. What was she? Some dog in heat?

"Get out."

"No."

She lunged at him, a large chunk of glass from the broken cup in her hand. He dodged just in time, but the glass sliced along his cheek. A thin line of blood immediately appeared and began to drip down his cheek.

With a growl, he grabbed both of her wrists and shoved her against the counter, his hand squeezing the wrist of her hand that held the glass so tight that it felt as if it would snap in half. Crying out, she dropped it and he kicked it away. "You'll regret that," He was in her face again, his lips mere inches from hers and his eyes were unavoidable. She was like a moth to a flame. Unable to stop herself, she tilted her chin just enough that their lips brushed barely against each other. The shock down her spine was like a bolt of lightening, and he pressed his body roughly against hers. She told herself she'd only done it to distract him, but as they stood there with their lips millimeters apart, she wanted more. It made her sick.

He was shocked by her move, and the distraction betrayed him. She could see in his eyes a million emotions that he kept locked away..and she even fooled herself into thinking that some might have been for her, if he was a different man. They stood their, locked together, until it felt like hours..but it had only been a minute. Jackson moved suddenly, pressing his lips roughly to hers. He ravaged her mouth, biting her lips and teasing with his tongue. It embarrassed her that she enjoyed it as much as she did, but she desperately tried to hide it. When he pulled back suddenly, she could feel the blush on her cheeks. She'd given herself away.

With a smirk, he dropped her hands and reached up to cup her face with both of his hands. Without a warning, he slammed her head into the refrigerator and the world went black.

When she woke up the next morning, she was alone with a raging headache. It was her first peaceful sleep in months.


Sorry this isn't longer! It will as the plot moves along.. I know exactly where I'm taking it and now that I do, I want to get it going! Thanks to everyone who reviewed for the prologue!