Having no patience to stretch before she began her workout, Eden forced herself to at least take a semi-slow run on the treadmill. She set the speed for a seven-minute mile, telling herself that was slow enough. Her mind snarled at the memory of her physical therapist who warned her to always stretch prior to a workout. Her body would just damn well have to adjust tonight.
As her feet pounded against the cushioned surface, memories ran like a horror movie through her mind. That fateful moment when everything she'd ever thought about herself, about life and about Jordan, came tumbling down around her.
Her mother had performed the preliminary work. Jordan's disgust and contempt had almost completely destroyed her. The attack minutes later completed the destruction.
The jarring ring of her wall telephone wrenched her back to reality. Since only a handful of people knew her number and only one person ever called it, she knew not to pick it up. Noah. He would leave a message. Jordan might be the last person she wanted to talk to right now, but Noah ran a close second.
Perspiration blurred her vision. Sweat, she assured herself, not tears. She should be grateful Noah called. If not, she might still be inside her torturous thoughts. She'd gladly walk barefoot through broken glass to prevent those memories.
Grabbing a towel from the stack she kept by the small fridge, Eden wiped her face clean, wishing she could wipe clean her thoughts. A small bitter smile curved her lips. Odd how the mind works. While the memories of her brutal assault were mostly scattered and distant, Jordan's contempt and revulsion were as crystal clear as if the event had happened yesterday.
But it hadn't happened yesterday, and she was seven years and a lifetime away from the fragile, broken young girl she'd once been. When she saw Jordan again, she would make sure he had no doubts of Eden St. Claire's cool, sophisticated professionalism.
Stripping off her clothes, Eden headed toward her shower. A bite of curiosity made her listen to Noah's message before she went any further.
His deep voice sounded weary but determined. “I know you're ignoring my call. I don't blame you, but you need to remember who and what you are.” He blew out a ragged sigh. “I'll give you a day to recover. Be here the day after tomorrow at nine.” His voice softened. “Remember your priorities. Nothing else matters.”
He was right. Her personal issues could not interfere with her job. What she did was too important.
Trained to overcome any adversity, she reminded herself that working with Jordan wasn't any worse than anything else she'd conquered. This was just another test of courage. One she had every intention of passing.
ten
“We hit pay dirt. Identified the five holding houses. One in Spain, two in the United States, one in Mexico, and one in Brazil. Apparently the victims are shipped all over the world, so we're not necessarily looking at just these areas.”
McCall's wording struck Jordan as odd. “What do you mean, not just these areas?”
“We've known from the beginning that saving the victims won't be enough. Larue has more money coming into this operation than an ice-cream vendor in hell. We're not only going to get the victims out, we're shutting him down completely. Which means we'll not only be going after Larue and his people, we'll be raiding and closing down all of the houses.
“We've determined that though Larue's operation is quite large, Alfred Larue and one other man—a family member, no less—are ultimately responsible for it.”
He looked down at the paper in his hand. “Thomas Bennett was once your everyday, average scum-sucking parasite … drugs, armed robbery, attempted rape … small potatoes, really. He got locked up early but made an influential contact in prison. An acquaintance of Larue. After Bennett's release, he started working for Larue. He married a Larue cousin and impressed cousin-in-law Alfred so much, he became a partner with him in his human trafficking ring.
“Larue's been at this awhile, but it wasn't until Bennett came on board that the business really got going. Bennett's taken it to new heights. In a relatively short amount of time, they've gone from a small side business to an efficient and well-run human trafficking and kidnapping enterprise.”
“So we're going after not only the victims, but Larue, Bennett, and all of their employees, too. That's a little different for us, isn't it?”
Jordan eyed Eden with intense curiosity. This woman possessed more faces than Washington had opinions. Every time he thought he had her pegged, the more he realized he didn't. Today she was dressed in a sleek, body-hugging dress of shocking blue. With her white-blond hair, the contrast was almost painful but so damned alluring, he'd gotten a hard-on the moment she'd walked in the door.
Her demeanor was different, too. At dinner the other night, she'd been nervous, but almost approachable. Today, though she seemed calm and serene … something in her face told him it was an act.
Jordan whipped his attention back when Noah answered her question. “Different, but ultimately needed. If we don't shut them down, it's only going to grow.”
“So what's our part? Do we get to take down Larue or are we going after Bennett?”
“Neither. You'll be handling one of the houses.”
The woman to his left stiffened in her chair. “Who's going after Larue and Bennett?”
“Your cover with Larue is shot. I've assigned another team to him. I'll be going after Bennett.”
Fascinated, Jordan watched as Eden, who'd showed almost no expression since she entered the room, let out a small gasp and snapped, “What the hell are you talking about?”
Noah leaned back into his chair in a lazy sprawl, his mouth twisted in a wry smile. “Are you suggesting I can't handle it?”
He was surprised even more when Eden rose to her feet and put her hands on her hips. “That's exactly what I'm suggesting.” She glared at McCall for a second before turning to Jordan. “Noah shouldn't do this. You and I are more qualified. We'll do it.”
“That's enough, Eden. I'll thank you to let me make the decisions about my involvement on my own. You work for me, not the other way around. Remember?”
“I know who I work for and you know damn well that I'm more qualified to do this than you are. What are you thinking?”
“It's something I need to do.”
Eden glared at him for several more seconds. Jordan could see her mouth trembling with words she obviously wanted to hurl at McCall. Why was she holding back? Did she fear McCall's anger? Was there more to their relationship than what she'd admitted the other night? And why couldn't McCall handle this part of the mission? Was he disabled in some way Jordan hadn't detected?
With a sigh loud enough to be heard on the street ten stories down, Eden dropped back into her chair. This was the most animated he'd ever seen her. If he wasn't so interested in knowing why she didn't want McCall to be involved with this project, he would have enjoyed just sitting back and watching her. Damn, but she was beautiful.
“Now that we have that settled, let's discuss the particulars of your roles.”
Eden glared at Noah as he began to outline the cover for Jordan and herself. Part of her mind was on what he said, while another part dealt with her fear for Noah.
She knew Jordan looked at her from time to time, but no way in hell would she explain why this concerned her. First, it wasn't any of his business. This secret, as well as so many others, was hers and Noah's. Second, Jordan needed to have full confidence in Noah's abilities. If he knew the truth of her concerns, he might question the project and that wasn't something they could afford.
Eden had forced herself to face a lot of things over the last two days and one of the most important was that LCR needed Jordan. After hearing about his experience and expertise, she knew he was perfect for this job. In the past, she'd always been able to put the mission above anything else in her life and this should be no different. This wasn't a permanent thing. Jordan would help with this project, he would learn the truth about Devon, he would leave, and life would return to normal.
&
nbsp; The mission could not be compromised … no matter what.
She dared a glance at Jordan as he listened to Noah. After everything she'd been through, how could she still find him so attractive? It defied logic, because after hearing his life story the other night, she found him even more appealing. Years ago, she'd fallen in love with a dream, a knight in shining armor, a hero she'd built up in her mind into almost mystical proportion … a man who hadn't existed. Now, though that dream was long dead, the man who inspired the fantasy sat only a few feet from her and seemed even more fascinating than before.
She hadn't known back then that Jordan was a real-life American hero. Today she accepted the new knowledge and would deal with it. Just because he was so much more than she'd ever imagined him to be meant nothing, other than that she would have to control this new and ultimately more dangerous temptation. No good would come of it, other than destroy her life again.
“Isn't that right, Eden?”
Noah's voice jerked her back to the present. His emphasis on her name indicated he knew she hadn't been paying attention. Fury engulfed her … fury at herself. Eden St. Claire was the consummate professional. Allowing the past to take over her thoughts and destroy what she had created was something she could not permit.
Fortunately her brain functioned on different levels, so she pulled in the words Noah had said prior to his question.
He'd been talking about her gift for creating a deep, effective cover.
“Yes, I have extensive knowledge and a large network to pull from.” She raised a brow. “I'm assuming you used Frank for our documents.”
Noah's smug smile told her she hadn't fooled him for a minute. “Yes, he sent the papers over this morning.” Noah rose, sauntered to his desk, and pulled a large manila envelope from his top drawer. Opening the packet, he slid the documents onto a low table that separated Eden and Jordan.
“Eden, you are Maggie Johnson. You've been married to Barry Johnson for three years. You're twenty-three years old… Barry is years older than you… You're his third wife.
“Jordan, Barry Johnson is a fifty-year-old successful businessman from Atlanta, Georgia. You spent most of your years in the plastics industry. Emma, your first wife, died in childbirth… The baby didn't survive, either. Your second wife, Leigh, left you after a year of marriage. She now lives in Montana with her husband and two kids.
“You met Maggie at a department store counter… You were buying perfume for your mistress. You asked her out and three weeks later were married in Vegas. You love her, but treat her like a child.
“Eden, Maggie grew up in an unstable background. Mother and father both abusive and alcoholics. She's never really had anyone to love her, poor girl. Maggie sees Barry as her white knight. She allows him to control her life.”
He looked at Jordan. “Barry's got everything he wants except one thing. He's got the money and the trophy wife. Can you guess what he wants but is afraid to let Maggie have?”
“A child.” Jordan and Eden answered simultaneously.
“Exactly.”
Eden glanced over the documents in her hands. “So Jordan and I will go in as a semi-happy couple. He wants a child, she wants to please him. Why can't they just adopt in the normal way?”
Noah smiled. “Good question. It appears that not all of Barry's business dealings are on the up-and-up. He's afraid of the scrutiny he'd come under if the normal route were taken. And he doesn't want to wait for what he wants. A white male baby, preferably no more than a month or two old.”
Her stomach clenched. “They're stealing them that young?”
“Yes, but there aren't many, so the price is quite high, as well as the caution. This cover will need to be airtight. There can be no doubt this is a legitimate purchase, with nothing other than the desire to get a baby quickly. If they suspect any kind of subterfuge, I don't have to tell you what would happen.”
She didn't bother to answer, nor did Jordan. They both knew what was at stake.
Eden looked up from the documents she held. “So when do we need to be ready and where are we going?”
“You'll be headed to West Palm Beach, Florida, probably within the next week or so. I've already sent an inquiry through their channels of what Barry and Maggie are searching for. I've not heard back from them, so I'm assuming they're checking out your backgrounds. I don't know how long that'll take. You'll need to be ready when the call comes. Once we get the go-ahead, I'll contact you and you can make the necessary arrangements.
“From the information I've gleaned, you'll be expected to stay for several days so you can be checked out. They'll give the excuse that they want to make sure you'll be appropriate parents. A ruse, of course. You'll be questioned, probed, and observed to the nth degree to make sure you're not going to blow the whistle on their little operation.
“Jordan, I'm sure I don't have to tell you that you'll be the go-to person here. Since Maggie is basically Barry's doll, it'll be you they'll come to. I'll leave it up to you to decide how much you want it to appear that Maggie knows.”
Noah's eyes held a teasing glint. “Eden, I know this will be hard for you, but you'll need to become the subservient little woman Barry adores.” His mouth trembled as if he struggled not to laugh. “Think you can handle that?”
Determined not to let him rile her, she stared him down in disdain. “I can be anything or anyone, Noah. You should know that by now.”
His expression flickered with something like regret before he nodded and said, “Take a look at your profiles, as well as each other's. Learn them. Practice them. I'll contact you as soon as I get the call to move forward.” He glanced first at Eden, then Jordan. “Any questions?”
While Jordan was looking down at the paperwork Noah had handed him, Eden took the opportunity to mouth, “I need to talk to you.”
Noah jerked his head in a quick nod. He knew she wouldn't let their previous conversation go regarding his decision to go after Bennett. She had to talk some sense into him.
It was surprisingly easy to get Jordan out of the office. She had to agree to meet with him later to discuss their cover, but had known she'd have to do that anyway. She waited until he'd had enough time to get inside the elevator before she whirled toward Noah.
“Let me take care of Bennett. There's no need for you to do this.”
Noah shook his head. Affection gleamed in his eyes, something he rarely showed. His words, however, didn't indicate anything but fierce determination. “You insist on acting like a big sister, and while that's nice, you're not my sister, nor my protector. I'm the boss here and what I say goes. I trained you to become who you are, or have you somehow forgotten?”
“Don't give me that, Noah. I know what you're capable of, but I also know it could destroy you if you do it. Let me take care of this. There's no reason to—”
“There's every reason, Eden. Some you know … some I'd rather not get into. But suffice to say, if Bennett has to be taken out, I'll be the one to do it. While it might not be something I'll particularly enjoy, it's something I need to handle myself.”
“Why?” She couldn't comprehend why Noah, after all this time, had suddenly decided he needed to involve himself in something they both knew could very well destroy any of the humanity left in him.
He shrugged, clearly not willing to open up with her. “Maybe I'm tired of others having all the fun, while I sit at my desk and manipulate everyone's life.”
“Bullshit. There's not an ounce of envy in you. But for some reason you've decided, after all these years, you're willing to kill. What's changed your mind?”
“Maybe I've decided there are some people who need killing.”
“Don't give me that, either. You and I have had numerous conversations about this. You don't blink an eye if one of your operatives has to take anyone down.”
“Then if it's something I've approved, what's the difference in doing the actual killing?”
“You know there's a difference, Noah. You don't k
ill people. Period.”
“How can I ask my operatives to do something I'm not willing to do myself? Besides, this could all be a moot point. There's no reason to believe it'll come down to having to take anyone out.” He gave her a look that told her the subject was closed. “Now tell me, how are things going with Jordan?”
Eden stared hard, hoping to guilt or intimidate him into spilling his guts. It would do no good. Noah wasn't a gut spiller, nor could he be intimidated. The only reason she knew he had never killed anyone and had an extreme aversion to it was because while working on a case together, Noah almost got himself killed, refusing to take a shot to defend himself. Fortunately Eden had been there.
After the excitement passed, she'd tried to delve into his reasons. Noah refused to give details other than his admission he could do almost anything but take a life. He'd thanked Eden for saving his worthless hide, helped her clean up the mess, and when they'd returned home, he'd disappeared for almost a week. When he appeared at her apartment, he seemed to be the same Noah as always.
Eden never mentioned it to him again. Until now.
Seeing she would get no answers, Eden gave a brief account of her dinner meeting with Jordan. At the end, she confessed something she didn't really want to admit. “I can see why you brought Jordan on board. With his experience, he'll be an asset.”
“You going to be able to set aside the past?”
“Does it really matter?”
“Yes, it matters. I saw Jordan after your meeting and spent considerable time convincing him you were the professional I told him you were as opposed to …”
“As opposed to what?”
He sat for a few seconds, apparently trying to find words that wouldn't make her explode. “Well, it seems Jordan is concerned that you're scared of him.”
Eden tapped down her anger, more than aware that Jordan had a perfectly legitimate reason for thinking this. That was then, she was fine … more than fine, now.
“I hope you were able to persuade him he was wrong.”
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