Cowboy & the Captive by Lora Leigh Page A

two men in astonishment as Luc helped her from the washer, shielding her body with his as though trying to hide her from the other man.
    “Maria Angeles, right?” Sam craned his neck to see around Luc. “Hell, son, she don’t look tough enough to be a criminal…”
    The kick Melina delivered to Luc’s shin was anything but weak as she pushed past him and moved for the doorway. Fury engulfed her. Damn him to hell and back.
    “What the hell…” Luc stared down at her with a glimmer of his own anger. “What was that for?”
    Rather than answering him, she turned back to his friend.
    “Maria Angeles, my ass,” she informed Sam heatedly. “Try Melina or I’ll take your head off right after I get finished taking his off. Now, excuse me while I go try to find my sanity. I’m sure it’s floating around here somewhere.”
    She stalked from the washroom past a surprised Sam August, her head held high as she mentally kicked herself for ever believing, for even a second, that there was a chance in hell that Luc Jardin could have even considered suspecting she wasn’t Maria. Hell, he had even told his friends about her. And only God knew what he had told them.
    Twit, she accused herself again. And it wasn’t like she didn’t deserve it. She had fallen into Luc’s hands like the silly ninny he thought she was. And this time, she couldn’t even blame it all on him. She had done everything but beg for the humiliation. Twit.

Chapter Thirteen
     
    Melina had every intention of rushing straight upstairs as she cursed herself for her lapse in common sense. And she would have, if she hadn’t nearly run over the slender redhead who had her head buried in the depths of the nearly empty refrigerator.
    “Oh. Hello.” The other woman straightened and flashed Melina a bright smile before glancing back at the cavernous interior of the appliance. “I’m convinced Jardin is a vampire. The man has to exist on some sort of nourishment, but you never see anything in his fridge.” She gestured to the half empty gallon of milk, a few jars of pickles and a full package of lunchmeat.
    “That’s because his cooking abilities are zero.” Melina reached up and jerked open the upper freezer to display the myriad TV dinners, and frozen entrees he kept stored there.
    “Oh.” Her expression seemed to drop as she sighed in disappointment. “I knew I should have made Sam stop at the hamburger joint in town.” She closed the door and stuck out her hand. “I’m Heather August. You must be Luc’s kidnap victim. You know, it’s against the laws of the Geneva Council to starve prisoners. You should mention this to Luc.”
    Melina shook her hand automatically as she stared back into the amused green eyes regarding her. Heather August wasn’t much taller than Melina. She had a healthy, wholesome appearance, clear creamy skin with only a scattering of freckles across her nose. Long red hair, pulled back from her face and bound into an intricate braid that fell past her shoulder blades, hinted at a temper that was nowhere in sight at the moment. She was dressed in jeans and a loose, dark blue silk blouse.
    Her hands were propped on her hips as she regarded Melina curiously.
    “Amazes me how everyone knows and yet I’m still stuck here. Kidnapping is against the law,” Melina grunted as she stood aside for Luc and Sam to enter the room.
    “So is drug running,” Luc retorted as he passed her. “Beats prison. Remember?”
     
    Heather laughed softly before Melina could snap out a reply to Luc. “If I thought you were in any danger, I would kick his ass myself. But I have to admit, you’re not what I expected. You’re definitely not the drug runner type.”
    Melina felt like rolling her eyes. “Could be because I’m not a drug runner.” She cast Luc a hateful glance as he followed her into the kitchen. “Exactly who all have you told anyway? If I find out the law enforcement in this God forsaken…wherever I am…knows about this,