by Lea Hart
“I should get a little more packing done before that happens.”
“The movers are not coming for two weeks. You have plenty of time.”
“It’s actually ten days, and I have to go to Arizona on Monday, so I need to get cracking.”
“We’ll crack after a drink,” Inez replied as she filled two glasses with ice.
“It never would’ve worked anyway.”
“What?”
“Zach and I.”
“I’m going to agree with everything you’re about to say but want you to know that I reserve the right to rescind it, should he show up tomorrow and things work out.”
“Nothing you say will be held against you should a miracle occur.”
Handing over a perfect gin and tonic, Inez grinned. “You’re due for a miracle, so who knows what’s possible.”
Ignoring the cheery comment, Cecily sipped her drink. “You know, Norbert has had his ass kicked by life more than once and I think it’s a good sign, because it means he can not only survive but probably has a ton of empathy for those of us who’ve had similar experiences.”
“Thank you for the forty-seventh sales pitch you’ve given me on Norbert Gumquist. Should we get together and fall in love, I will be sure to make note of it in the speech I make at the wedding.”
“Thank you.”
“And if that day comes, he’s taking my last name because the world does not need more little Gumquists running around.”
Cecily lifted her drink. “Good luck with that.”
“Probably going to need it since his nerd exterior hides a very alpha interior.”
“Your perfect man.” Seeing her friend’s pained expression, she decided not to say more and thought instead of the very alpha man that had swept into her life two months ago.
Would there be anything left when they saw one another again, and more importantly did she want there to be?
Remembering the waves of worry and fury she’d experienced in the time he’d been gone, she told herself she absolutely didn’t and took a sip of her drink. Because that old broken road did not need to be taken a second time.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
One month.
One gunshot wound.
Several cracked ribs.
And he was finally back in Vegas, walking into the company he’d worked so hard to build.
His psyche was bruised.
His old demons were having a party in his head.
And he was fairly certain that while he managed to keep his brother’s ass out of the fire, he’d lost his girlfriend in the process.
He pushed the door open to McCallan Security and knew his transition from running and gunning to civilian life was going to take more than a minute as the sounds of the office grated against his nerves.
He was still jacked up on adrenaline. Less than twenty-four hours ago, he’d ended a man’s life and barely made it out with his intact. The smell of death clung to his clothes, and he probably should’ve gone home first and grabbed a shower and a hot meal.
But Cole had ordered him to show his face the moment his feet hit American soil, and Zach was doing just that. He and Seth had left him high and dry, and in retrospect he realized what a mistake it had been.
Not only because it wasn’t fair for Cole to carry the load, but the whole off-the-books gig was total bullshit.
Yes, they’d been successful in snatching the intel and neutralizing some very dangerous operators, but in the end all they managed to do was put a Band-Aid on something that would soon erupt all over again.
It was international whack-a-mole, and there would never be an end to the game.
Making his way down the hall, he waved to a few men and saw their surprised and wary expressions.
The ghost was back.
He dumped his bag in his office and then crossed the hall and pushed Cole’s door open. “Hey, brother.”
Cole’s head whipped around, and he stood instantly. “It’s about fucking time.”
Zach strode over to his brother, embraced him tightly and thumped him hard on the back. “Took a little longer than expected.”
“Where the hell is Seth?”
“Still in Virginia.”
“Going through a debrief at the Puzzle Palace?”
“Yeah. He’s going to decipher what we grabbed for the agency and then head back next week.”
“No more,” Cole said firmly.”
“Completely agree,” he replied as he walked over to the bar and filled two glasses with bourbon. He handed one to Cole and then clicked their glasses together. “Glad to be home.”
Cole nodded and closed his eyes. “Fucking happy to have you home.”
Zach swallowed the bourbon and felt the liquid burn down his throat. “Going was a mistake.”
“Would Seth had survived if you hadn’t?”
“Probably.” Finishing his drink, he nodded and then went over and poured another shot. “Our baby brother still has a thirst for combat and high-stakes shit, and I need to leave him to it.”
Cole collapsed into his chair and nodded. “Had a feeling that was the case.”
“I can’t follow him into the fire anymore.”
“No one expects you to.”
“It’s a hard habit to break.”
“He’s a big boy with more than enough skills, so maybe it’s time we leave him to it and let him work out his stuff his own way.”
“Going to have to, because I don’t need to be knee deep in tangos and shit blowing up, anymore. My demons are roaring and it’s going to take some serious-ass work to get them under control again.”
“Have you called Cecily yet?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t want to hear the brush off speech she’s inevitably going to give me.” He took a sip of his drink and sat in the chair facing the desk. “Right now, we’re still together, and I’d like to leave it that way for as long as I can.”
“Not going to work.”
“I know.” Zach ran his hand over his pants and picked at a loose thread. “How’s she doing?”
“I’m guessing okay. She and Kelly have become good friends, and she’s going to rent Kelly’s house.”
“Cecily is moving to Vegas?”
“I guess she’s going to give it a six-month trial and see how she does.”
“I screwed the pooch by leaving.”
Cole sipped his drink and ran his hand over his desk. “You might have, but I think there was a part of you that missed the adrenaline of being out there, too. Seth may not be the only McCallan that needs the rush of high stakes ops.”
“That’s bullshit and you know it.”
“Do I?”
He rolled his glass in his hands and then looked up. “You think the three of us are allergic to peace and happiness?”
“It’s foreign as shit to us, so it makes sense that we’d be uncomfortable with it.”
“Are you?”
“Not anymore. In fact, I will do anything to hold onto the small amount I’ve managed. Kelly has calmed my jangling nerves and given me something I never thought I’d have, and I’m going to use every ounce of tenacity to hang on to it.”
“I’m not sure if I high-tailed it out of town because I was worried about the sitch Seth was getting into or because the thing with Cecily was starting to get real.” Taking a sip of his drink, he shook his head. “I made all these grand statements about being the man she could count on and didn’t deliver on one. I just said shit, hoping I could somehow make it real.”
“And now?”
“I still want all those things.”
“What are you going to do about it?”
“What I always do; keep trying until I succeed.”
“Go home and take a shower first. You smell like death and bourbon, and I’m pretty sure that’s going to make any conversation you manage a little rough.”
“She could be anywhere.”
“Are we prete
nding you didn’t tag her phone with a locator ap?”
“No.”
“Then check it and make a plan.”
“Maybe I should go get a tat over my heart like you did and then go see her.”
“Avoiding shit is not your style, so quit coming up with things to delay the inevitable.”
Zach drained his drink and nodded. “You’re right.”
“Always am.”
“How’s business by the way?”
“Off the fucking charts, no thanks to my slacker brothers. Cousin Evan joined us two weeks ago and Terrence recruited a bunch of good men, so we’ve handled it.”
“Did you give Terrence a title and a bump in salary?”
“Of course, I did.”
“He deserves it.”
“Sure as shit does, since he’s a lot more loyal than you two.”
“Guess we still had shit to work out.”
“You think you’re really done with being out there?”
“Yeah.”
“Don’t say it just to placate me.”
“I have a new bullet hole, a bunch of cracked ribs and may have lost the best woman in the world, so I sure the hell am done with chasing bad guys across the two continents.”
“Good.”
Standing, Zach nodded. “Wish me luck.”
“I will, but I don’t think you’re going to need it.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because Cecily looked at you like you were a fucking king. She’s going to be pissed for sure, but I’m betting with a ton of groveling and work on your part you will have a chance to make the thing you want possible.”
“Kings get deposed all the time.”
“So go do what you have to, so that doesn’t happen.”
“I think I will.”
“Call me after the first skirmish.”
“Hopefully that’s all it is and not a full-blown battle.” Zach saluted his brother then walked into his office and pulled out his phone. Checking the locator ap, he sent up a little prayer that what he wanted most was still possible.”
***
Cecily sat across from Ford trying to concentrate on the opportunities he was explaining and found it almost impossible. Why couldn’t she have fallen for someone like him?
How many times had she asked herself that question?
Too many times to count, that was for damn sure.
She picked up her wine glass and took a sip of the excellent wine he’d ordered, doing her very best to enjoy it. It was a lovely cabernet, and it took some amount of wine knowledge to know that this particular one from Chile was exceptional.
Certainly an important skill.
Leaning back, she smiled at Ford and wondered why she’d been out of sorts all day. Her concentration had been all but nonexistent, and her stomach had been in knots from the moment she’d opened her eyes at five a.m.
Maybe it was the move to Vegas that had her nerves so raw.
It certainly couldn’t be anything else.
It’s not like she was worried about Zach and Seth. They were both highly skilled operators and there were probably very few situations in which they wouldn’t come out victorious.
Not that it was any of her concern.
Since it had been almost a month since she’d seen Zach’s stupid face.
Squaring her shoulders, she leaned in and tried her very best to be fascinated by Ford’s description of the company based in North Carolina. Which apparently was a lovely place to live and work.
Maybe the East Coast wasn’t a horrible idea.
Letting visions of fall and its many changing colors fill her mind, Cecily felt calmer.
Until a large shadow loomed over her. Looking up, she sucked in a breath and felt tears prick the backs of her eyes.
He was alive.
“Why the fuck is my woman having a glass of wine with a wannabe pretty boy?”
And now she could kill him.
Ford stood, squaring his shoulders. “Who the hell are you?”
“That is not the question you should be asking.”
Cecily let her eyes run over Zach’s bruised face and feral smile and knew instantly he hadn’t left the battlefield behind. He was bristling and ready for a fight. All he needed was someone to take on. Hopefully it wouldn’t be Ford. She grasped Zach’s hand, linking their fingers. “It’s nice to see you’re alive.”
She hoped feeling her fingers gripping his tightly would be enough to get him off the ledge he was teetering on. “I was sure some nefarious forces had gotten a hold of you, but then I thought about it and knew they couldn’t handle the likes of you.”
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ford move closer and prayed he was smarter than he looked and that he wouldn’t choose this as the moment to assert his manhood. There was something dangerous in Zach’s demeanor, and she didn’t need to see him lose control because the wrong man decided to test him. “You better have a good explanation for not calling me.”
Zach turned and held her gaze, and she let out a small breath. “Well…I’m waiting.”
Ford moved closer and shook out his hands. “Cecily, there is no need to make nice with an animal like this.”
Zach turned and let out a long breath. “What. Did. You. Say?”
“You heard me. You’re acting like an uncivilized Neanderthal.”
“No, I’m not. And it would be none of your damn business even if I was, since my relationship with Cecily is none of your concern.”
Cecily watched all six-foot-three, two hundred and sixty pounds of very pissed off Zach dismiss the very civilized and refined Ford and knew one of them wasn’t going to leave it at that. There was way too much testosterone in the air to suggest otherwise and as she looked around the bar, she prayed someone would be smart enough to call 911 when the brawl started. “You leave him be, Zach.”
“Are you defending him?” Zach asked with a roar.
She slid her hands onto her hips and prayed her strategy worked. “No, I’m trying to get you to focus on what’s important and that’s me.”
Zach’s hands unfisted, and she let out a small breath. “You have a lot of explaining to do and don’t think I’m going to let you get distracted.” His shoulders dropped a notch. Another good sign. “You can start now.” She crossed her arms and prayed the little animal part of his brain would focus on the cleavage she now had on display.
A cheap ploy?
Of course.
Was she embarrassed?
Not in the least.
She had a wild beast on her hands, and he was somehow under the impression that her drinks date with Ford was social and not business. Seeing his eyes drop to her chest, she tapped her foot. “I’m waiting.”
“This is your boyfriend, Cecily?”
Before she could respond, Zach turned, and she knew there wasn’t much more she could do. “Ford, why don’t we…”
“I can’t believe this is the type of man you’d be interested in,” Ford said, sneering.
“And what type is that?” Zach asked with a low growl.
Ford smoothed out his perfect shirt and smirked. “The kind who clearly has no class and was probably raised in a trailer park.”
Sucking in a breath, Cecily stepped back and couldn’t believe the man had said something so ignorant. What a pig. How small-minded could someone be to consider the type of home someone was raised in important? Clearly, the house that had kept Ford sheltered during his early years was of no use, since he’d been stupid enough to make a comment like that.
Zach let go of her hand and stepped forward. “And what exactly is wrong with growing up in a trailer park, Ford?”
Sputtering, he shifted his shoulders. “Well…”
Zach rolled his shoulders and let out a breath. “I’d really like to hear your thoughts on the matter, since you seem to feel strongly enough about it to say it in the middle of a crowded bar.”
Cecily saw the barely restrained rage in not only Zach’s face bu
t in the way he was holding his body and guessed that his ability to control it and walk away was just about gone. “Ford, why don’t you leave, and we’ll speak later next week.”
“Are you serious, Cecily? There is no way I’m leaving you with this animal.”
Less than a second.
That’s all it took for Zach’s fist to connect with Ford’s face.
Blood splattered everywhere as the sound of bone crunching filled her ears. Patrons in the bar moved away and several screamed as Zach took another punch that sent Ford stumbling backward.
Cecily was horrified at the scene but didn’t know how to stop it.
Ford righted himself and got his own shots in. One to the ribs that had Zach bending over and another to the arm that had him howling like an animal. Coming back with more power and rage than she thought possible, Zach landed one to Ford’s head and another to his gut that flattened him immediately.
Silence.
Patrons skittered away, and she heard the faint sound of sirens in the distance.
Looking down, she saw her dress was splattered with blood. She looked over at Zach who was bent over and breathing heavily with his shirt sleeve soaked with blood.
She moved to him in a daze and grabbed a napkin, pressing it against his arm. “What happened?”
“I have a new bullet hole, and he probably broke the stiches when he landed the punch.”
She bent and checked Ford’s pulse and heard Zach huff out a breath. “I guess you didn’t kill him.”
“Of course, I didn’t. I just knocked him out so he’d shut up.”
She glanced over her shoulder and noticed that Zach’s color wasn’t good. “Do you have more than one bullet hole?”
“No, but I have a couple of broken ribs, and catching my breath is a little hard.”
Cecily dropped her head and closed her eyes, trying to decide whether she was going to kill him before they took him to the hospital or after.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Zach watched his buddy Lee from the LVPD walk in and hoped the questioning was going to be kept to a minimum. “How did you end up with this lousy assignment?”