There's always another crazy motherfucker out there. That thought ran repeatedly through my mind. Brack said not to allow fear to rule me, but it was hard. My stalker made me afraid of everything. I was not the same person I was a year ago. Back then, my middle name was, "Take on the world." Today it was, "Just survive until tomorrow."

Later that morning, Brack played two racquetball games against me and I felt a great deal of satisfaction when his frustration finally showed. "Do you ever lose?" he asked while fighting for breath.

I used Brack's favorite comebackkeep it frustratingly simple. "No."

"You know I didn't think you had a chance of beating me that first day."

I could only shake my head. "Even knowing what I could do on a tennis court?"

Brack, who had bent double because he still wouldn't listen to me about opening his lungs, stood up. "The YouTube videos didn't do you justice."

I laughed. "So which match did you watch?"

"Several, but my favorite was you and that Crosby woman. I think it was your match in the finals last year."

I couldn't help the less-than-humble grin spreading across my face. "I handed her a whole can of whoop ass that match."

For a brief moment, Brack's grin mirrored mine. "That you did. Now bring that to the mat and we might get somewhere today."

My stomach twisted. "Why is it so important that I take this guy? Once he's found, I'll probably do like everyone else and hire someone to watch my back for a while."

His grin completely disappeared. "Do you know Stacy Conway's story?"

Now my stomach did back flips. "Yeah, I do." Stacy was a model. Her stalker served two years in prison. A week after his release, he killed her. No- that wasn't exactly correct. He slaughtered her.

"She was mine."

That brought me out of my horrible thoughts. "Yours?"

"Yeah, Mack found the guy and he was arrested. The job went like clockwork. It didn't end her nightmares, though. Even while he was in prison, she lived in fear. I was around for a while until she finally pushed me away. I wasn't there when her career completely crashed and burned. Because of money, she didn't contact me when they released him from prison. She thought barricading herself in her home would keep her safe. The detectives working her murder case told me she'd become a recluse." Brack took a deep breath. "Up until the second she died, she lived in fear. I don't want that for you."

That explained so much. That poor woman died horribly. I understood every thought that must have gone through her head each day. There is no such thing as safe. I gave Brack complete honesty. "I'm sorry. Even with everything you're teaching me, I might be another Stacy."

He stepped in close to me. The fingers of his right hand came up and trailed along my cheek. "That won't happen. You'll hand him a whole can of kick ass. You won't hesitate to call me if he ever gets out. And you'll be prepared for all the other crazies in this world."

A thought flittered through my head. "Did you love her?"

Now his palm cupped the side of my face. "I thought I did. We hadn't seen each other for a year when she died. It hurt. I realized the pain was more about how she lived and not about losing her. I'd lost her a long time before her death."

I moved a tiny bit closer to his large sweat-soaked body. "Is that why you won't have sex with me?" I was so thankful he wasn't wearing his glasses and I could see his eyes. They sizzled with feeling causing flip flops in my chest.

"I didn't have sex with her until after the assignment was complete. You're not her, though. When push came to shove, she didn't have what it took to win." Now his lips almost touched mine and I inhaled his warm breathabsorbing his taste into my senses.

"I'll fight. It doesn't change the fact that I'm so damn scared," I whispered.

He kissed me. It wasn't gentle in the least. He branded my mouth with his lips, tongue, and teeth. Our tongues battled and he bit my bottom lip pulling on it before sealing his mouth to mine again. He fucked my mouth with his. It was brutal and showed me what Brack would be like in bed. Hell, out of bed, against the wall, in the ocean. I imagined every second of wild passion with his cock driving into my pussy. His lips licking where I wanted his cock. My lips around him taking him so deep I couldn't breathe.

Unfortunately, it was over far too quickly for me to come to orgasm with my dirty thoughts and his mouth on mine.

"I shouldn't have done that," he rasped against my cheek.

My heart sank a notch and his words pissed me off. I was so fucking frustrated I contemplated screaming again. "It's not the end of the world and you haven't compromised the job." I bit out. I pushed back slightly on his chest, but he didn't release me.

"You are more than a job."

My anger disappeared and I managed to tap down the desire racing through my body. I wondered if he thought he could redeem some fucked up mess in his brain that made him feel responsible for Stacy Conway's death.

"Come on," he said as he released me and walked to the mats. "Let's go over everything again. If you do well, I'll teach you a new move."

Putting my disturbing thoughts aside was far easier than disregarding my wet panties. With a small grumble caused by unfulfilled desire, I helped position the mats. Then we went through a series of defensive moves Brack started teaching me the day before.

"Always follow up with your most lethal attack," he yelled at me a few minutes later. "Three goddammed seconds and you're toast. You need to take him by surprise."

"Stop yelling at me, asshole. I'm trying. And what if I hurt you?"

"I'll fuck your little brains out until you can't walk," he said with an evil leer.

"Promises, promises." I kicked out aiming for his balls. He expected it of course, but that was my plan. I followed through with a strike to his Adam's apple. He blocked that one too, which infuriated me. I landed on my back with a heavy thump.

Brack peered down. "Try again, little girl, and stop fighting like a sissy."

I swear I hated him.

***

Two days later, I was back on the mat staring up at him. His phone rang and without helping me stand, he walked over and retrieved it. He looked at the screen before answering.

"Whatcha got for me?"

Within three seconds, Brack's body language changed when whoever was on the other end answered his question. Brack's gaze went to mine before jerking away. Something was up and I knew I wouldn't like it. He listened for several more minutes before speaking again. "Okay, keep me apprised. Let me know if you feel the slightest doubt on our security measures." Brack hung up and still didn't look my way.

Fear tightened around my heart. "Obviously this is something I need to know."

His gaze landed on me before looking away again. "It's another assignment I'm not at liberty to talk about it. You've had enough for the day. Let's get back home."

The douche was lying; I could feel it and see it in every inch of him. I let it go, for nownot because I wanted to, because I needed to think about how to force his hand. Brack wasn't a pushover.

We put away the mats and jogged back to the hut. It was far from the home he claimed it to be. It had the bare minimum for comfort, though I could at least think of it as cozy now. I took the first shower. When I got out, I began preparing our evening meal while Brack took his turn in the bathroom. He was unusually quiet while we ate. Our tentative friendship had grown over the past two days. During meals, he spoke about his time as a Marine or his years on the police force. Some of the stories were funnier than hell. I talked about the competitive circuit and the different personalities that made up the tennis world. I even spoke of my father a few times.

Not tonight. Something bad had happened and Brack needed to open up and talk to me about it.