Black Tie: HOT Heroes for Hire: Mercenaries: A Black’s Bandits Novel

by Lynn Raye Harris

  Tallie figured it was more complicated than that, but it was a lot more than he’d said before. Ridiculously, it made her happy that he’d said as much as he had. As if they were really getting to know each other.

  “Sounds like you’ve worked hard to accomplish your goals.”

  “I did what I had to do. My mother let life beat her up and spit her out. I wasn’t going to do the same.”

  Tallie’d had everything she’d wanted from an early age. Except for her mother’s time and attention. But that wasn’t anything compared to what he’d gone through. “I think that’s admirable.”

  “I don’t know that it’s admirable so much as necessary. It was either that or become a drug addict like she was. I could have turned tricks, too.”

  Tallie must have made a shocked noise because he gave her a look. “You didn’t think of that? Boys can be sex workers, too. Teen boys especially. I knew a few, but I thankfully avoided that fate.”

  Her throat was tight. “I had no idea. I mean I guess I should know. I’m not uneducated or sheltered and I know the world is an evil place for some people. But I guess I never really thought of teen boys turning to prostitution. It makes sense, I know it does—and I feel terrible that I’ve never considered it before.”

  “You’re from a different world. And it’s not as talked about as it should be. People don’t get mad enough about trafficking—sex or slavery—because it doesn’t affect them. The ones it does affect are typically powerless. They’re already marginalized in some way.” He blew out a breath. “And yet people who aren’t marginalized—people like you—also get pulled into that world sometimes. That should scare the hell out of everyone. It should make people want to do something.”

  “But what can they do? What can I do?” Because she didn’t want to sit idly by and do nothing, or pretend it didn’t exist. Now that she was intimately aware, she wanted to help stop it however she could.

  “It might not seem like much, but try to be aware of where the things you buy come from. There are companies and countries that are known to use forced labor. Don’t buy stuff that comes from them. Donate money to organizations that fight trafficking. Get involved on some level, a level you’re comfortable with, and don’t forget that it happens every day to someone.”

  Tallie’s heart hurt at the thought of people being forced into labor or sex work. “Or pick up a gun and fight the way you do.”

  His smile was gentle. “That only works for trained operatives like me. And I don’t kill traffickers, as much as I might like to. I work to dismantle their organizations at the root. It’s not all I do, but it’s something I’m dedicated to.”

  “I hope you get those bastards who kidnapped me,” she said fiercely.

  “It’s the plan.” He frowned at her. “You know, all the cocoa in the world isn’t going to help you fall asleep if we don’t talk about something nicer.”

  “I know—but I’m not the one who brought it up. You did.”

  He looked sheepish. “Sorry, occupational hazard. Why don’t you tell me where you went to college and what you majored in?”

  “How do you know I went to college? I could have gone to work for my mother straight out of high school.”

  “You could have, but I doubt it. You’re from a college town. Did you go to William & Mary?”

  “I did. I majored in business at Mom’s insistence. And French, of course.”

  “And you learned interior design from her.”

  “That’s right. She trained at SCAD in Savannah. You don’t get much better than that for an interior designer. Josie and I both went to Willam & Mary, but Mom taught us design from the cradle.”

  They talked for another hour about various things before Tallie was ready for sleep. She washed her mug, dried it, and shuffled back to the couch. The fire glowed and the room was warm. Brett lay between her and the door, hands behind his head, eyes closed. She stared down at him for a second, her heart throbbing as she studied the lines of his features. He was a grown man, a big man, but she could see the little boy if she looked hard enough.

  The little boy who’d lost his mother at age eight and gone into foster care. She ached for the frightened child he must have been.

  Tallie stretched out on the couch, beneath her thick duvet, and closed her eyes. But sleep was a long time coming.

  It had snowed overnight and the driveway was covered. Not that Brett thought they were leaving today, but he was going to have to shovel it just in case.

  He’d just woke up, and now he stood and stared at the bright white blanket that coated the landscape as far as the eye could see. The sky was gray with more snow clouds, but the mountain peaks were visible. It was, without a doubt, breathtakingly beautiful.

  “Want some coffee?”

  Speaking of breathtakingly beautiful.

  Brett turned to the smiling blonde who’d come in from the kitchen. She wasn’t wearing the elf pajamas anymore, and he started at the evidence she’d gotten up and gotten dressed without him knowing it. He usually could hear a pin drop.

  But not last night, apparently. When they’d finally stopped talking and he’d closed his eyes, sleep ambushed him. It had also held him down for hours before loosening its grip.

  “That would be great. Thanks.”

  He followed her into the kitchen where she found a mug and poured in fresh coffee before sliding it to him along with a sugar bowl and a jug of cream.

  “Isn’t it amazing?” she asked with a happy expression, her gaze on the landscape beyond the windows. The village spread out below them, covered in white, and the mountain peaks were even more breathtaking from these windows. “I just want to go outside and yodel or something.”

  Brett managed to swallow the mouthful of coffee he’d drank before he snorted it through his nose. “You want to yodel?” he asked her with laughter in his voice.

  She blinked up at him, her extraordinary eyes clear this morning. One golden hazel, one blue. He stared because he couldn’t help it. She shrugged, seemingly unaware of the reason for his staring.

  “Well not really, but I sure did love the heck out of The Sound of Music growing up.”

  “They don’t yodel, do they?”

  “Well, Julie Andrews does. Just a little bit.”

  “Ah.”

  “You’ve never seen it?”

  “Once maybe. I don’t remember any yodeling.”

  “We could also go outside and scream reeeecola. See if it bounces back to us.”

  This time he did laugh. “Aren’t those supposed to be Swiss cough drops?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Whatever, spoil sport. It’s the Alps—and these are Alps!”

  “They sure are. I take it you’ve never been here either?”

  She shook her head, blond curls bouncing. “Nope. I’ve been all over France searching for antiques. I’ve spent time in London. Aside from my latest foray into Italy, I’ve been there once on purpose. Germany wasn’t on my radar. But you know, I do rather love the painted Bavarian furniture. I may have to purchase some of it for the shop the next time I travel for business.” She paused. “Okay, not for the shop. Mom would probably have a fit. I’ll buy some for me. I could see how one or two pieces in a house could really be showstoppers.”

  He loved seeing her excited about something. Happy. It was as if the gloom of last night was gone now that it was daylight.

  Maybe it was. The dark hours had a way of making fear seem larger than life sometimes.

  “I think you should buy it if you like it. If you do, others will too.”

  “You think so?”

  “Yep. Isn’t that how it works? We don’t all like the same things.”

  “True.”

  He pulled out a chair at the bar by the window and sat. She poured another cup of coffee for herself and got busy taking eggs and cheese from the fridge.

  “Omelet?” she asked.

  “Sounds good to me.”

  “Me too. I don’t think that’s what
they eat here, but we’re Americans, right?”

  “All day long.” He took another swallow of coffee. She made good coffee. Not everyone did. He didn’t like it too strong or too weak. “The coffee’s good. Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  She shot him another of those sunny smiles and he felt like he’d stood in a ray of sunshine. And sugar. Couldn’t forget the sweetness.

  “What’s got you in such a good mood today?” he asked.

  She blinked. And then she waved her hand at the windows. “Hello? Did you see those mountains? Incredible.”

  He sat back, grinning. She was cute. And her mood was at least a little bit infectious. “I saw them.”

  She stopped what she was doing for an instant and just stared out the window. “You forget how incredible this world is until you’re faced with something so majestic that it takes your breath away.” She turned to him. “I refuse to allow people to take away my joy. I had a lucky escape, thanks to you and your friends, and I’m going to be happy. Right now, right this minute, I am. So I’m going to enjoy it.”

  “That’s great, Tallie. Don’t let this experience change who you are.”

  “That’s the plan.”

  He didn’t want to rain on her parade, but he couldn’t pretend it was all sunshine and rainbows either. “Just be sure, if you feel anxious when you get home, to talk to a professional, okay?”

  “Got it, Dr. Brett,” she said, aiming a fork at him and winking before turning back to the bowl she’d cracked the eggs into. “Are we going to be able to go outside at all? Into the village, maybe?”

  “Only if you put in contacts.”

  She made a face. “I saw those in the drawer.”

  “It’s for your protection. Your eyes are attention-getting.”

  “I know. I’ll put them in. I’ll put on a pink tutu if you think that’ll help, so long as I get to go for a walk outside today. Whatever it takes.”

  “I think we can skip the tutu.”

  “Good, because I hate tutus. Eight years of dance class, from ages four to twelve. I never want to see another recital in my life.”

  “Huh, I thought little girls loved ballet.”

  “Only some of them do. Some of us would have preferred a pony, except our mothers thought ponies were dangerous and smelly.”

  “Aren’t they?”

  She put a large dollop of butter in the pan after she turned on the gas. “That’s beside the point. And I don’t think they’re all dangerous. They just have attitude because they’re pint-sized and cute and probably get their little noses kissed a lot.”

  “You’re pint-sized and cute. Do you have attitude?”

  She stopped what she was doing and looked at him with an open mouth. Then she laughed. It was a good laugh. A belly laugh. “Nobody has ever said that to me before—but yes, I have plenty of attitude. I hated being short growing up. I still hate it, but at least I can wear high heels to make myself seem taller.”

  She poured the eggs in the pan and made a fluffy omelet filled with cheese. She slid it onto the plate she’d taken from the bar in front of him and handed it back. Then she started another one while he waited patiently for her to finish it.

  “Start eating, Brett. It’ll get cold.”

  “You sure?” He wanted to eat now, but he’d learned in one particularly strict foster home to wait until everyone at the table had their meal.

  “Positive. Eat it.”

  He did as she said, savoring the deliciousness of the omelet, and finished every bite before she sat down with hers. She gaped at his plate.

  “Do you want another one?”

  He thought about it. “Nah. I’m full.” He was full, but he considered eating another one anyway. Just because she was making it.

  He watched her moving in front of the stove, cooking and humming a tune, and something inside him shifted. He could get used to this kind of thing. Typically whenever he spent the night with a woman, he got the hell out first thing in the morning.

  He hadn’t even slept with Tallie, but already he was thinking of what it would be like to sit in a kitchen with her every morning and watch her fix breakfast while humming and laughing and talking about tutus and ponies.

  Brett swallowed the rest of the coffee, scraped the chair back, and stood. Tallie smiled at him, and his heart actually skipped a single beat.

  Coincidence. Hearts skipped beats. It happened to everyone. It wasn’t mystical or predictive or anything.

  “I need to shovel the drive and walkway,” he told her. “Before it snows again.”

  He didn’t know if it would snow again, but it was as good a reason for urgency as any. There was also the radiator to fix, but he’d worry about that later. If they had to spend another night in the living room, so what? They weren’t going to be here more than another day or two anyway—and a warm radiator wasn’t going to make it any easier on Tallie to sleep in that small room.

  She set her plate down on the counter. “I can help if you want to wait five minutes.”

  “That’s okay. Won’t take me long. You stay in here and keep warm. Put those contacts in,” he added. That was a reason she’d probably easily accept. He hoped so anyway.

  Brett tugged on a jacket and boots before stepping outside into the bracing air. Then he went in search of the shovel, determined to clear every last inch of driveway and sidewalk before he had to face Tallie again.

  He hoped it took a long time—because he was going to need every minute to kill those thoughts about how nice it would be to start his days with Tallie fixing breakfast for him.

  The last time he’d had thoughts about spending time with a woman, he’d ended up married to a psychotic bitch. Biggest mistake of his life. And not one he ever intended to make again.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Tallie put in the contacts—brown ones, which wasn’t her usual style though it definitely made her look different—and wrapped up in warm clothing. Brett was still shoveling the walkway when she stepped outside. The cold air hit her in the face and she breathed it in happily.

  It was fresh and clean and crisp. Just what she needed at the moment. She stood and spun in a slow circle, taking in the white blanket of pristine snow and the mountains all around. The house was set against the hillside, looking cozy and warm.

  In the village, a church with an onion dome dominated the skyline. There was a bell that rang out the hours, and she knew the church would be open for anyone who wanted to walk inside and say their prayers. Maybe she would.

  Brett looked up from shoveling. His cheeks were red and his eyes sparkled in the cold. Tallie gazed at all he’d done to clear the walkway and drive. And he was barely breathing hard.

  “You’re ready for that walk, I take it?”

  “Yes. But what about the radiator?”

  He came over and propped the shovel against the house, then made sure the front door was locked. “I’ll take a look when we get back. If I can’t get it working, I’ll call someone.”

  They headed down the drive to the sidewalk that ran into the village. It took a good twenty minutes before they reached the outskirts of town. It wasn’t big, but it was laid out like most German towns. Houses clustered around a center that featured shops, squares, restaurants, and the church.

  Brett took her hand when they passed beside the sign proclaiming the town name. Tallie startled, but he squeezed softly.

  “We’re newlyweds. Brad and Terri Taylor from Cincinnati, Ohio.”

  “Since when did we change names?”

  “Since Natasha knew who we were in the Brenner Pass.”

  “You didn’t tell me before.”

  “We were alone. There was no need. Besides, Ian just texted me the names this morning. We’ll get new documents tomorrow.”

  Tallie’s pulse shot a little higher. She was really starting to hate this cloak and dagger stuff. “When do we get to go home, Brad?”

  “Soon, I hope.”

  “You’ve been
saying that.”

  “It’s only been a few days since I found you in Venice. Patience, Terri.”

  “I’m trying,” Tallie grumbled. “I feel like my life is on hold. I’m completely out of touch with everything and everyone.”

  It hit her then how much more relaxed she felt when she wasn’t checking her phone every hour. No email, no Facebook, no news. Those things had given her a low-level anxiety that she hadn’t even realized she’d had.

  Not that she was completely relaxed now, given the situation she was in, but the added stress of being overly connected to a world she couldn’t control was missing. Maybe, when she got her phone back, she needed to unplug a bit more often. Not completely, because she needed it to connect with friends and clients, but perhaps some periods of enforced distance weren’t a bad idea.

  “It won’t last forever,” he told her.

  “Feels like it at the moment.”

  But how bad was it, really? She was walking into a quaint Bavarian village on a picture perfect snowy day, holding hands with the sexiest man she’d ever held hands with. The mountains were magnificent, the air clean, and the day filled with possibilities. Hadn’t she vowed to enjoy every moment and not let what had happened to her affect every waking second?

  Brett stopped and tugged her to face him, slipped his arms around her, and danced them through the town square they’d just emerged into. Tallie was shocked at first, and then she laughed, throwing her head back as she clung to him.

  “See, Terri? Not so bad to be off the grid,” he said in her ear, his hot breath tickling its way down her spine in a series of shivers that had nothing to do with the cold.

  “Okay, Bradley. Show me a good time today.”

  He twirled her around and then dipped her, strong arms holding her securely. “I intend to, sugar.”

  For a moment, she thought he might kiss her. His face was close, his eyes searching hers, but then he straightened and pulled her upright, setting her a couple of steps away with firm hands on her waist. He grinned as her heart pattered and her pulse skipped. As heat throbbed in her core and her nipples tightened.