One Little Letter_A Bad Boy, Second Chance Romance

by Robin Edwards

  “Alright. Be careful out there.”

  “You too.”

  A few minutes later, Jack and Amelia were on the road.

  “You haven’t told me what is going on,” Amelia said.

  “We are going to the Langley Inn. We received the word, Baladin and his men had rented rooms there for the past several days. We are going there to check it out.”

  When they arrived at the Langley Inn, Jack parked on the far side of the lot, to ensure they were unnoticed.

  “Keep your eyes peeled,” Jack said as they slowly got out of the sedan. They both pulled out their glocks and slowly made their way to Room 231. Jack slowly peeked through the window.

  “I don’t see anyone in there,” Jack whispered. “Ready?”

  Amelia nodded as Jack kicked the door in and prepared his glock as he scanned the room. There appeared to be no one in the main living area, and Jack gestured at Amelia towards the bed. He wanted her to check it out as he nodded towards the bathroom. His way of saying he was going to investigate it.

  As Amelia verified that there was no one hiding under the bed and Jack emerged from the bathroom unharmed, Jack holstered his gun and shut the motel room door. Amelia put her glock away just then.

  Jack looked around and said, “Looks like they left some time ago. They either are long gone or reconvened elsewhere. Let’s take a look and see if they left anything behind.”

  Jack began to explore the rest of the room, and he assessed the various objects stacked around the room – jewelry on the end table next to the bed, various newspapers on the desk, and discarded waste in the small trashcan in the bathroom.

  “What are you looking for exactly?” Amelia asked.

  “I’ll know if I find anything,” Jack said. “Hey, there is a post-it note near the bed next to the legs of the end table there. See it?”

  Amelia knelt down and reached under the bed and pulled out a crumpled, yellow piece of paper.

  “What does it say?” Jack asked.

  “I can’t tell. The words seem to be faded. We will need to have forensics team try and make use of it.”

  “Good idea. What else can we find?”

  Jack opened various drawers in the motel room desk and pulled out what looked like a leather-bound journal. Jack opened the book, and it was all in Russian. None of the writings amounted to anything, just various numbers and times. Jack was about to disregard it until he noticed the named Denis Petrovich, Natasha Petrovich and various others he recognized on one of the back pages, written in smeared blue ink.

  Amelia looked in the other drawers, and there were a couple of items left behind, one of which was silk, white lingerie. Jokingly, Amelia picked it up and held it up.

  “Ooh, la la.” She teased.

  Jack looked up at that moment and was mesmerized by how innocent and sexy she looked standing there holding the piece of lingerie. Jack couldn’t help but realize that it had been a long time since he felt sexual attraction to anyone. The feeling was so powerful; he didn’t know what to say.

  Amelia caught him looking at her and at first, she felt shy, but then a voice inside her convinced her to take advantage of the opportunity while she still had it. She walked up to him and started to caress his shoulders, arms, and chest.

  “Amelia...”

  “Shhh. Don’t speak. We don’t need to talk.” She whispered before she put her hand on the back of his neck and pulled her to him. Jack hesitated at first and then kissed her.

  His kiss was sweet, slow and gentle and it made her heart turn over. Jack wrapped his arms around her pulling her closer. Amelia felt Jack come alive as the years of neglect seemed to fall away. Amelia relaxed and gave herself to him, because she knew she was safe at that moment, with him.

  The kiss turned more passionate as his tongue swirled gently across her lips – exploring and seeking, swirling around in her mouth and playing cat and mouse.

  Jack pressed his lips harder, putting in his tongue deeper. The kiss started to turn hot and possessive, and his blood was thundering in his veins, and he began to groan as he couldn’t get enough of her and wanted to go on and kiss her forever.

  The kiss lasted mere minutes, but it seemed like they had stood there in the motel room forever as time had gotten away from them. Jack had reluctantly let her go and was out of breath.

  “I can’t believe we just did that.” Jack uttered. “I can’t believe what you are doing to me.”

  “My heart is beating so fast,” Amelia whispered.

  Just then, Jack’s phone rang. It was Greyson Clarke.

  “Yeah?” Jack answered.

  “They’re gone.”

  “What do you mean they’re gone?”

  “All of their possible locations didn’t pan out. What about the Inn. Did you guys find anyone or anything?”

  “Just a few things. We’re bringing them in now. It looks like we missed them by a couple of hours.”

  “Alright, I’ll see you back at base,” Greyson said before he hung up.

  “We better get back,” Jack said as he cleared his throat.

  “Right.”

  Chapter Eight

  The items Jack and Amelia found useful, and forensics were able to deduce that something was going to be planned tonight at a shipyard in New York, 3 hours away.

  Over the next hour, Jack and the rest of the Level 6 team gathered to discuss how they were going to intercept and foil whatever plot Baladin has planned.

  They split up amongst various black tinted SUVs and North to the shipyard, hoping they did not miss them by an hour again. From what Jack could gather they should be right on time unless Baladin had changed his plans.

  In a few hours, Baladin would be receiving an illegal shipment of military-grade weapons and bombs that they had planned to use on various governmental facilities including the agency building Jack and Amelia occupied.

  When they arrived at the Shipyard, the others split up into teams as well as teams included Greyson with Amelia, Woods with Johnson, and Jack on his own. Amelia wanted to go with him, but this was one decision she couldn’t force.

  Jack ran into the east side of the shipyard and slowly made his way through step by step until he felt something metal strike him on the back of the head, and then he blacked out.

  He woke up some time later and realized he was tied to a chair in an empty room, probably in one of the shipyard buildings.

  “Good morning, sunshine.”

  Jack heard a familiar face behind him.

  Maria Antonov.

  “Maria? Maria is that you? What are you doing here?”

  Natasha walked around and stood in front of him to face him.

  “Hi, Jack,” Natasha said as she smiled.

  “Maria, what am I doing restrained and what are you doing here?”

  “Oh dear. I guess I do owe you an explanation. Let me start by introducing myself. My real name is Natasha Petrovich.”

  “Natasha?”

  “That’s right. You see when I had first met you so long ago. I was on assignment, and unfortunately, you got in the middle of it. I returned home when I completed my job.

  Jack’s mouth dropped in shock.

  “Oh, don’t look so shocked, Jack. Would it make a difference if I told you that you were a fantastic alibi? That’s right, Jack. It was all a ruse, I never really did love you. Things would have been easier for me if I didn’t ever meet you but in the end, your presence saved the day. So I do have you to thank for that.”

  Just then gunfire and explosions could be heard in the distance.

  “Ah sounds like your little friends are in quite the dilemma. You should have just stayed away instead of meddling in things that were none of your business. Sorry, it had to end this way. It was just business, but after you murdered my brother. It became personal.”

  “Completely personal.”

  “Pardon?” Natasha said smugly.

  “So personal, Mel is out there in the middle of your so-called dilemma. Ho
w does it feel to betray your daughter?”

  “Oh, you mean, Amelia. I forgot to mention that too. Her real name is Amelia. Amelia Petrovich. How does it feel?”

  “How does what feel?” Jack growled.

  “To be misled and lied to? Oh, come now, Jack. Don’t think I know about your little fling. I’m sorry to break it to you, like mother like daughter. She’s probably out there right now, taking care of your team.”

  “She wouldn’t. She’s nothing like you.” Jack growled.

  “Oh no? Why do you think she came to Virginia? For fun? Do you believe it was a mere coincidence she joined the training academy? Did you ever notice how she excelled at security systems? Jack, do you realize that everything was real and not just a part of our plan?”

  “Jack! Jack! Where are you?” Amelia shouted in the distance.

  Natasha quickly ran to Jack and pointed a gun at his head as Amelia ran in.

  “Mama, what are you doing?” Amelia asked horrified.

  “To do what you couldn’t! I knew it. You were always weak, reckless and fragile. You could never do anything right.”

  “Mama! Don’t say that!” Amelia cried. “Let him go please!”

  “What about Nicolai, huh? What about revenge? Did you forget about that or did you betray your family.” Natasha said as she put her finger on the trigger.

  “LEAVEEEEEEE HIM ALONEEEEEEEEE,” Amelia shouted and swiftly aimed as quickly as she could, but Natasha beat her to it and fired and struck Amelia in the shoulder as she fell backward.

  “Mel!” Greyson ran up and started shooting at Natasha who ducked and ran out of the room through the back door. Greyson quickly untied Jack.

  “Go after her; I’ll check on Amelia.”

  “Who?” Greyson asked confused.

  “Go now!” Jack shouted as Greyson took off after Natasha Petrovich.

  Jack ran to Amelia who was still lying on the ground.

  “Jack?” Amelia said

  Greyson came running back.

  “Looks like she escaped. Along with Denis Petrovich and Baladin.”

  “Everyone else?”

  “Deceased or caught. How are you doing, buddy?” Greyson teased Amelia.

  “I’m okay. I think it’s just a surface wound.” Amelia chuckled as she slowly sat up and winced in pain.

  “Come on let’s get you back to the car,” Greyson said as the two gentlemen walked her back to the SUVs where most of the surviving agents were waiting.

  “Everyone’s handcuffed and loaded, Sir,” Woods said to Jack. “Johnson and some of the others are going to stick around and wait for the Coroner’s office and forensics.

  “Okay. Good job everyone. But we cannot rest too comfortably. Baladin and the Petrovichs are still out there. Their usual pattern is to flee for months, but we must remain alerted.”

  “Looks like you took one for the team.” Woods joked and walked away before getting into one of the vehicles.

  Just then Jack started to handcuff Amelia while Greyson and the other agents watched.

  “What are you doing?” Amelia exclaimed.

  “Jack, why are you handcuffing Mel?” Grey said puzzled.

  “She’s Amelia Petrovich; she’s one of them. She’s Natasha Petrovich’s daughter. She’s infiltrated the agency. It was a part of their plan all along.”

  “Amelia? Is this true?” Greyson asked.

  Amelia was speechless and unable to defend herself before Jack led her to the vehicle he had driven to the shipyard.

  “Wait, Jack. Listen to me.”

  “I made a mistake,” Jack said. He didn’t even bother to look her in the eye. “I should have realized why you were around. I should have seen that you got into the agency so easily.”

  “Do you think I am here as part of their plot? You think I kissed you because I wanted to make the lies more believable?”

  “Can you honestly deny that you weren’t here to exact revenge or assassinate staff members or agents?”

  “Maybe. Maybe I was, I was so angry when Nicolai died. But God damn it, I didn’t do it, did I?”

  “Why didn’t you?”

  “Because I found myself being part of something bigger. Something bigger than myself and I loved being a part of it. You idiot, it was because I fell in love with you. We were two people drawn to each other from the first day we met.”

  “No, it wasn’t,” Jack said sternly. “Some things I can believe perhaps, but as far as love goes, as you call it.”

  “Oh, what do you know about love? You are afraid of it. You’ve been hiding from it for years, refusing to allow anyone to love you.” Amelia hissed.

  “Mel….”

  “You know what! Maybe you are just incapable of loving someone! You are the one with the problem! Not me.” She shouted.

  “I know I have problems. That is why I didn’t want you around from the start, but you didn’t listen, and now look where you are. I’m sorry, Amelia but I will have to take you back. It was a big mistake being with wanted assassins.”

  “You are a heartless bastard; you know that! One day you are going to realize that I don’t just love just anybody. I may be reckless and fragile, but I’m not stupid. I don’t get involved with a man unless I care about him. Like I cared about you.” Amelia pulled from his grip and sat in the back of the SUV without any help.

  Greyson shut the door. “Want me to drive her back?”

  “Can you?”

  “Sure,” Greyson said and patted Jack on the back as he walked away and disappeared. He didn’t have the guts to take her back to the agency.

  Chapter Nine

  Present Day.

  “Glad to finally get out in the open air?” Greyson asked as he walked Amelia out of the building.

  “Yeah. You don’t realize how much you miss the sunshine and fresh air until you lose it.” Amelia smiled.

  “It's a shame that you’ve blacklisted. I think you made a great field agent.”

  “That’s alright, Clarke. I’m just happy being acquitted of all charges. I’m very lucky. I wouldn’t want to ask for anything more.”

  “What will you do now?”

  “I don’t know. Start over I guess. I can’t go home obviously.” Amelia shrugged.

  “We’ll keep a permanent watch on you, just in case there’s any retaliation.”

  “Thank you, Greyson. Thank you for everything, I mean.” Amelia said as she gave him a hug.

  “Take care,” Greyson said as he headed back into the building.

  Amelia was sad to see him go. She was sad to know that she wasn’t allowed to be a part of the CIA anymore because of her affiliation, but Amelia was lucky to be glad that she was a free woman.

  She turned around just then, and Jack was standing right there.

  “Are you alright?” He quietly asked.

  Amelia stood there hesitantly at first and then walked up to him and hugged him tightly as she started to cry.

  “Shh.” He cooed and wrapped his arms around her. “Easy, darling.”

  “What are you doing out here? I thought you took some time off?” Amelia cried.

  “I came back. I was waiting for you.”

  “For me?”

  “You asked if I’d still have you, so I came back for you.” He said tenderly.

  “Look Jack. I know how hard it is for you to trust me, especially after everything that has happened to you.”

  “Well, I’m still in one piece, aren’t I?”

  He smoothed her hair and tried to find the words to tell her how he felt. “I was sitting there in my living room, and I noticed how empty it felt without you. I missed your laughter and your smart mouth. I mean I can buy anything in life, but I realized how much I didn’t have you. I wanted you in my life. I want to be with you. I need you.” Jack whispered in her ear.

  “I know I have a lot of things to learn and a lot of stuff to change, but I’ll need your help. I love you Jack West.” Amelia said.

  “I have a lot of things
to learn as well, and I love you too Amelia,” Jack said as he kissed her right then, out in the sunlight.

  Amelia felt lucky. Coming here was one of those rash decisions born out of anger and revenge, but somehow she found the one place she had been looking for her entire life, and of all the men in the world, she found the one who needed her the most. Just as much as she needed him.

  “You should know, West. I’m not as tough as I appear to be. I don’t let most people see that part of me, most of the time they don’t even understand.”

  “I’m glad you trust me enough to show that side of yourself with me. I know you need freedom and encouragement. I promise to give you everything you need to grow and flourish in whatever it is you choose to do from here on out.”

  Amelia smiled.

  “In that case, you are stuck with me forever.”

  The End

  I wanted to thank you for taking the time in reading Secret Revenge: Jack. This is book one of a 3-part series that follows the lives of Amelia Petrovich, Jack West and the rest of the CIA field agents.

  It brought me great joy to write this as this book is based on a true story that is still occurring as we speak! It should continue to serve as a basis for the rest of the books in the Secret Revenge series. If you can do me a favor and take the time to review my book. I would like your honest feedback that I will take with me as tools to improve this book’s future drafts and the follow-up books in the series.

  Thank you once again, and I’ll see you in the next one.

  Twelve Miles

  Serendipity Series: Book One

  A Billionaire, Office Romance

  By Robin Edwards

  © Copyright 2016-2017 by Robin Edwards

  and Second Chances Press

  All rights reserved.

  In no way is it legal to reproduce, duplicate, or transmit any part of this document in either electronic means or in printed format. Recording of this publication is strictly prohibited, and any storage of this document is not allowed unless with written permission from the publisher. All rights reserved.