by Weaver, Lisa
“I’m so sorry, Lauren,” Liz commiserated after hearing Lauren’s explanation of how her cover was blown. “I don’t know how Milton Payne managed to ID you and Frank, but if I find out the leak came from inside this organization, I guarantee I’m going to give the term ‘heads are going to roll’ a whole new meaning, and it isn’t going to be pretty.”
Lauren attempted a smile. “I have a feeling Milton has friends in low places. Regardless, the damage is done. The only thing that matters now is that we remain effective in protecting Rafe and his family.”
Stephanie’s forehead creased in concern. “Has it occurred to you that Rafe’s family includes you, too? Milton may have stumbled across your true vocation, but Mendacci doesn’t know you’re a bodyguard. All he knows is that you’re Rafe’s wife. And that makes you the nearest and dearest thing to the heart of one of his targets.”
Lauren waved away her friend’s concern. “Mendacci isn’t interested in me. The only thing he’s focused on is using Philip Dimitriou’s children to bring him back into line. But I’ll be vigilant. I promise.”
Stephanie gave Lauren’s hand an encouraging squeeze. “If Liz doesn’t mind, how about if you and I take a break? We can walk down to Joe’s Java and wash away your sorrows.”
Liz nodded. “That’s a great idea. And of course I don’t mind. Actually I insist that you both take the remainder of the day off. I’m meeting with a potential new client tonight, and I have a three-hour drive ahead of me, so I’m going to head out. I’ll see you in the morning.”
Lauren recognized the expression in her friends eyes, later, when they were seated at a corner table in their favorite coffee shop. There was no mistaking Stef’s heart-to-heart look. It was the one that said she was offering a shoulder to cry on, and if Lauren knew what was good for her, she’d darn well better take advantage of it. “That little act back in Liz’s office didn’t fool me, you know. You can pretend to be okay, but I can tell you’re hurting. You don’t have to put on a brave face for me.”
“You’re an awesome friend, Steph. But it’s okay. I’ll bounce back.”
Brave words when her world would always begin and end with Rafe. In time she’d move on . . . she’d have to. But there would never be another man who would leave such an indelible imprint on her body and soul. She’d destroyed her chance to be with him when she decided to hide the truth from him. She knew how highly he valued honesty. The end result—spending the rest of her life exiled in this horrible chasm of emptiness and despair apart from him—was her due punishment for her deceitfulness.
Stephanie squeezed her shoulder in reassurance. “It will be okay. Rafe just needs some time to come to terms with everything. It’s a lot to take in all at once.”
Lauren’s cell phone chimed, announcing a new message. She scanned the text, shaking her head in disbelief.
“What is it?”
“It’s a message from Rafe’s secretary. She says he’s in a board meeting right now, but he’d like me to meet him for dinner at Marcelle’s.”
“See? I told you he’d come around. Granted I didn’t think it would be so quickly. You’re going to go, right? You have to!”
“I guess so. But don’t get your hopes up. I’m sure the only reason he wants to meet with me is so he can present me with divorce papers.”
“Or maybe he’s finally smartened up and realized he can’t walk away from the best thing that’s ever happened to him. I’ve got an idea. How about if I text Frank and invite him to grab a bite to eat with me while you and Rafe talk? That way you can have some privacy. And it will give me a chance to explain to Frank why I wasn’t forthcoming about my real career. I’m getting frostbite from the ice in his voice every time he has to speak to me.”
“Okay. I just hope you fare better when you explain things to Frank than I did when I came clean with Rafe.”
Rafe found getting through the board meeting while thoughts of Lauren’s deception dominated every brain cell was like slogging through quicksand. He wrapped up the meeting as expediently as he could and adjourned to his private office.
He rolled his eyes when Frank entered the room first, making certain it was secure before motioning him in with a sweep of his hand.
He speared Frank with an incredulous glance before taking a seat at his desk. “You seriously think I’m in danger?”
“Yes I do,” he asserted.
Squeezing his eyes shut, Rafe rubbed at his temples. “Fine. I’ll let you do your thing.”
“It’s good to see you’ve come to your senses.”
“I’m allowing you to do your job. That doesn’t mean I’m pleased about it. I’m only begrudgingly accepting protection for my sister’s and my father’s sakes.”
“I was referring to Lauren, actually. I’m glad you’re having dinner with her. When did you find time to arrange a date with her, by the way? You didn’t have a chance to come up for air during that meeting.”
Shrugging out of his blazer, Rafe paused. “What are you talking about? I haven’t made plans with Lauren.”
“You haven’t? That’s odd. Why did Stephanie message me and ask me to grab a bite to eat with her while you and Lauren are at dinner tonight?”
“Did she say when and where this supposed meeting is going to be?”
“Yeah. That little French restaurant across the street from here. Marcelle’s. At six.”
Rafe glanced at his watch. 5:45. “Apparently Lauren’s groveling has evolved from the last time she burned me. Instead of an endless stream of phone calls and text messages, she’s dreamed up some convoluted plan to get me to meet her. Well, it’s not going to work.”
“I’m sorry you feel that way. I can assure you Lauren isn’t a game player. Why don’t you shove that pride of yours aside for a second and take a look at what’s right in front of your face. It’s plain to see you care about her. And she’s crazy about you. You’re a fool if you walk away from her.”
Plain to see he cares. Was it true? Even as he asked himself the question, he already knew the answer. Despite Lauren’s deception, he still needed her . . . loved her. And apparently it was obvious to everyone but him.
He was about to reply when Frank shifted his focus to the window, peering out intently.
“What is it?”
“A vehicle matching the description of the one that tried to force you and Lauren off the road just pulled up outside the office.”
“There must be a thousand black SUVs in the city. I’m sure it’s nothing.”
“In my business everything is something until proven otherwise. Lauren said she caught the last three digits of the license plate number. Do you remember what they were?”
“Five-one-one, I think.”
Pulling a pair of compact binoculars from his blazer pocket, Frank trained them on the license plate. “It’s a match. Come on. I’m getting you out of here. We’ll take the back exit.”
Rafe ignored him, too caught up in absorbing the realization that had just struck him like a sledgehammer. Theos! The men in the black SUV weren’t here for him. They were after Lauren. Mendacci had set up the false dinner date to get to her.
Barreling out of his office, Rafe raced down the hallway, ignoring Frank’s order to stop. Oblivious to the stunned expressions on his employees’ faces, he headed for the stairwell.
Frank caught up with him, grabbing him by the arm and drawing him to an abrupt halt. “Do you have a death wish? You can’t go out there. You’ll be a sitting duck.”
“Let go of me,” Rafe intoned dangerously, spearing the bodyguard with a look of vehement determination. “They aren’t after me. They want Lauren! Mendacci set up the phony lunch date to lure her out so he can kidnap her. He’s going to use her to get to me.”
Not waiting for the agent’s response, he broke away from his grasp. He took the stairs two at a time, raced to the exit, and lunged out the door. Dodging pedestrians on the bustling sidewalk, he ran into the street. He ignored the cacophony of blaring hor
ns and angry hand signals. His only focus was to save Lauren.
His quarry was in reach now. With all the rage of a riled-up bull pursuing a matador, he lunged for the driver’s-side door of the SUV. Yanking it open, he hauled the stunned driver out and slammed him up against the side of the vehicle. He was dimly aware of Frank wrestling with the man’s accomplice and subduing him.
Rafe shifted his focus to the man struggling to break the grasp he had around his neck. Never in his life had he wanted to harm someone, but it was all he could do not to give in to the all-consuming urge to pummel the slime bag Mendacci had sent to do his dirty work. Anger surged through every atom of his being. He’d never known such potent fury, but then again he’d never cared as deeply about anyone as he did for Lauren.
Tamping down the urge to tear the man limb from limb, he managed to hold his rampaging anger in check. Barely. He slammed the man up against the side of the SUV again, his hands shaking with the force of the rage barreling through him like a runaway freight train.
The self-confident, can’t-touch-me light in the goon’s eyes dimmed, replaced by abject fear. “Tell your boss if he doesn’t back off, he’s going to regret the day he dared to mess with my family,” Rafe warned, his eyes narrowing. “He made this personal when he decided to go after my wife. He’d better wave the white flag now, before I see to it that the empire he’s built on lies and deceit comes crashing down.”
Rafe was tightening his hold on the man’s neck when Frank came up beside him and placed a steadying hand on his arm. “Easy Rafe. He’s not worth it. He and his buddy are just Mendacci’s hired thugs.”
Rafe nodded towards the man’s cohort who was slumped unconscious in the passenger seat of the SUV. “You mean like you took it easy on his friend there?”
“Sleeper hold,” Frank shrugged. “He’ll be fine. The police are on their way. Let them take it from here.”
The goon in Rafe’s grasp hurled a string of expletives at them. “Having me arrested won’t change anything. Not by a long shot.” The cocky gleam in the man’s eyes reignited as he craned his neck to look past Rafe’s shoulder.
Rafe followed the man’s gaze and saw Lauren stepping out of Stephanie’s car in front of the restaurant. Panic began to churn in his gut, morphing into an ugly tidal wave of fear when he spotted a man in a black leather jacket closing in on Lauren and drawing a gun from his pocket.
“Stay here,” Frank ordered, drawing his own weapon and racing across the street. Ignoring the order, Rafe released his grip on the man to sprint ahead of the bodyguard.
Stunned, Lauren watched Rafe and Frank race up to her and Stephanie. And then Rafe was grabbing her, shielding her body with his own and pushing her behind the cover of a parked car just as the report of a gunshot rang out.
The scream of approaching sirens blasted through the air, sending the shooter fleeing. “Are you okay, Lauren?” Rafe worriedly demanded.
I think I may have sprained my ankle, but it’s nothing,” she assured him, before her eyes rounded in horror. “Oh my God, Rafe. Your shirt is covered in blood. You’ve been hit.”
He looked down at his arm before glancing around to where Stephanie and Frank had taken cover directly behind them. Stephanie’s face was a white mask of concern, and she was applying pressure to the agent’s shoulder. “It’s not my blood. It’s Frank’s.”
Frank struggled to his feet. “It’s just a scratch. I’m fine. We have to go after him.”
“No we don’t,” Stephanie exclaimed as a vehicle careened out into the street, tires squealing. “He’s coming to us. Move! Now!”
As Stephanie helped Frank to safety, Rafe gave Lauren a hand up. To his horror, Lauren stumbled the moment she put pressure on her injured leg. Before he could get her out of the path of the vehicle, she caught a glancing blow from its mirror that sent her tumbling to the tarmac.
Rafe was oblivious to the driver speeding away. The only thing he saw was Lauren’s motionless body, a sight that sent him crumbling to his knees with a groan of utter despair.
Everything was a blur after that. He wasn’t even sure how he had ended up at the hospital. But now, as a kind-looking doctor approached the waiting room where he and Stephanie had been keeping vigil for hours, Rafe’s head cleared enough for one thought to blast through. He had to know that Lauren was okay.
“How is she?”
“She’s going to be fine. It was just a glancing blow. She has a sprained ankle, some contusions, and a lot of bruising. She’ll be sore for a few days, but once we’ve had a chance to monitor her a bit longer, she’ll be cleared to go home.”
“And Frank?” Stephanie asked.
“He’ll need physical therapy to recover from his shoulder wound, but he’ll be fine, too. He’s settled in his room, and he was awake a few minutes ago if you’d like to check in on him.”
“Can I see Lauren?” Rafe inquired.
“Of course, but she’s sleeping right now. The medication we gave her knocked her out. It may be a while before she wakes up. Why don’t you get some coffee and something to eat before you check in on her? You look like you could use it.”
The thought of food held no appeal, so when Stephanie returned from visiting Frank and placed a call to update Liz, Rafe visited the gift shop and selected an arrangement of flowers for Lauren and a magazine for her coworker. Tracking down Frank’s room, he set the magazine down by the bed.
“If you’re trying to suck up to me, a beer would be a better way of going about it,” Frank muttered wryly.
“Sorry. I’m afraid that’s out of the question as long as you’re on those pain meds. I just stopped by to thank you.”
“You wanted to thank me for allowing you to place yourself in danger?”
“No. For not being afraid to tell it like it is. You were right. I was hardheaded and egocentric, and I missed what was under my nose all along.”
“I get why you reacted the way you did. It’s easy to see you’re crazy about her. How is Lauren?”
“The doctor says she’ll be fine. I hope he’s right.”
Seeing the strain on Rafe’s face, Frank sought to lighten his mood. “There you go again, trying to do the professional’s job for him.”
“It’s a hard habit to break.”
“You should work on it. And if you’re as smart as I think you are, you’ll work on making that marriage of yours a permanent one.”
“It’s the first thing on my agenda the moment Lauren opens her eyes.”
“Good. If you break her heart again, you’ll have to answer to me. Now go see your lady.”
Chapter Fifteen
The next four hours were the longest of Rafe’s life. He’d battled business rivals with millions at stake, but nothing scared him as much as the sight of Lauren lying helpless in the hospital bed. He’d change places with her in a heartbeat—would give anything to turn back time and do things differently.
It was his fault she was here. Why had it taken him so long to realize she was his world? What if he never got to take back the hurtful things he’d said and tell her how much she meant to him? He’d been a fool, professing his love in one breath and then behaving like a monster in the next.
Lauren hadn’t set out to deliberately deceive him. He understood that now. She’d simply done what she’d believed she had to do to keep him safe.
A pretty brunette with kind hazel eyes entered the room, pulling him away from his musings. She smiled at him and set a vase of flowers down next to the bouquet he’d placed by Lauren’s bedside. “I’m Liz, Lauren’s boss. You must be Rafe.”
Her greeting held more warmth than he deserved considering he was the reason Lauren was here. “It’s nice to meet you,” he replied distractedly, his worry superseding the mandatory pleasantries.
“How are you holding up?”
“I’ll be doing better when Lauren wakes up.” He had to have a chance to tell her he understood. That he forgave her.
“I talked with the doctor, and he
says she’ll be out of here in no time. Don’t worry. She’s a fighter.”
He attempted a smile. “I know.” But she wouldn’t have this fight on her hands if she hadn’t married him.
“Look, this is none of my business, but Lauren cares deeply for you, and I can see you care about her, too. So I’m going to stick my big nose where it doesn’t belong. The harsh reality of what Lauren has chosen to do for a living is that sometimes she has to skirt the truth. All of us at Sentinels have to from time to time. That doesn’t mean we enjoy it, but if it means the difference between saving a life and losing one, we do what’s necessary.”
With a weary exhale, he nodded. “I get that. What I don’t get is why she didn’t feel like she could tell me what was going on.”
“She thought it was too risky. She was afraid you’d refuse her help and push her away when it was critical she remain close to you. You’re not responsible for what happened today, so stop beating yourself up over it. The blame for this lies squarely on Lawrence Mendacci’s shoulders. Not yours. Not your father’s.”
“So it’s true my father is involved in this? And it started with the incident back in Greece?”
Liz nodded, her eyes brimming with sympathy. “I’m afraid so. Your father made some bad decisions that left him vulnerable. It’s going to be okay, though. He’s cooperating with the authorities, and they’ll cut him some slack because of that.
There’s more to the story, but you need to ask your father about it. He should be the one to tell you.”
Rafe hung his head, covering his face with his hands. “I’ve made such a mess of things.”
“You’re being too hard on yourself. You’ve made a mistake or two. Who hasn’t? The question is what are you going to learn from them?”
Later, after Liz had left, Rafe stepped out to phone his father. When he returned, Lauren was still sleeping, but he was relieved to see some color had made its way back to her cheeks.