No Strings Attached

by Julie Moffett

  I took a step into the elevator, bracing for a shot that didn’t come. The elevator door shut and I pressed the button for our floor. My hands were shaking. As soon as the door opened, I sprinted down the hallway to our room.

  “Elvis, open up!” I shouted, banging on the door. “Hurry.”

  The door opened and I ran past Elvis, tearing the bag off my shoulders and pulling the laptop out of the bag.

  “Where’s Slash?” Elvis said, looking bewildered.

  “We’ve been had,” I said putting my laptop on the table and opening it. “The FBI is downstairs. We’ve got to do this without him.”

  “What?”

  I signed in and shoved my laptop at him. “We have three minutes at most. Check this email account one last time to see if we got a response.” I rattled off the information so he could find it. “I’m going to send the code.”

  “You?”

  “No, Kim Kardashian. Yes, me.”

  Elvis sat down, his fingers flying across the keyboard. My hands were shaking as I started the necessary protocols.

  “Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” Elvis asked.

  “Unfortunately, yes.”

  We fell silent a moment, each working as quickly as we could to get things underway. My heart was pounding.

  “Elvis, what do you have from the account?”

  “It’s loading slowly.” He tapped on the keyboard. “The good news is that Xavier just reported in that there is still no evidence of any escalation or a launched attack. If they are preparing an attack, they aren’t using any of their standard protocols. Just give me a minute on the email.”

  “We don’t have a minute.”

  Someone hit the door hard. “FBI. Open up.”

  “Oh, no!” Elvis exclaimed. “They’re here.”

  I finished the protocol and my finger hovered over the send button. “This is it, Elvis. It’s ready to go. Should I send it?”

  The door crashed open. Elvis leaped from his chair to stand in front of me like a shield.

  “Do it,” he commanded.

  Everything seemed to move in slow motion after that. Perhaps as evidence of divine intervention or fate, my laptop spun toward me when Elvis jumped up. On the screen—from the mail account where I’d sent the original message of warning—was an answer in all caps.

  THREAT NEUTRALIZED. STALEMATE. STAND DOWN.

  Holy Armageddon! Did I trust the message was legit or press Send?

  The blood thrummed in my ears as the FBI agents crowded into the room with their weapons drawn. They were shouting something, but my focus was so insular I couldn’t make it out. Elvis still shielded me and shouted something back.

  Taking a deep breath, I made my decision. I typed the command to activate the fail-safe on the code and sent it into deep hiding before an agent grabbed me by my arm, dragging me from the chair and cuffing me.

  Elvis’s gaze met mine as he was forced down on the bed and cuffed, as well. “Did you send it?”

  I gave him a weak smile. “Didn’t have to. Apparently we came to a stalemate at the last minute. The world is safe for another day.”

  Elvis closed his eyes, relief washing across his face. “Damn, that was close.”

  “Isn’t it always?” I answered as the FBI gripped us under our armpits and hauled us out of the room.

  * * *

  Five hours later, Elvis, Slash and I walked out of an unmarked office building together in northwest Washington, DC. Two FBI agents followed us at a discreet distance—Slash’s regular detail. We headed for the underground parking lot where an SUV, on loan to Slash, was parked.

  This was first time all three of us had been reunited since being taken into custody by the FBI. The FBI had just released us and we’d met up in the lobby, exhausted and drained. Slash told Elvis he’d drop him off at home and then Slash and I were headed to his place.

  “Well, I’m glad that’s over,” Elvis said as we walked. “I can cross exhaustive questioning by agents of the NSA and FBI using good guy/bad guy techniques off my bucket list. That was seriously grueling.”

  “I suppose that’s the idea.” I rubbed my eyes. I, too, was exhausted mentally, physically and emotionally. “I’m just glad we’re off the hook for now.”

  “You’re sure we’re off the hook?” Elvis asked. “Totally?”

  Slash nodded. “We’re still working through things, but essentially, si.”

  Elvis gave an audible sigh of relief and I patted his shoulder. “So, Slash, the Red Guest never released their code, right?”

  “Right,” Slash answered. “No blips, no escalation, no nothing. It looks like it was a true stalemate. It was a good call, cara.”

  “Technically, it was your call. It was just my finger on the nuclear button, which I might add, was a totally nerve-racking place for it to be.”

  “Cool head under pressure,” he murmured.

  “I still can’t believe your hunch was right.” I blew out a breath. “It was a huge risk.”

  “More often than not, that’s how diplomacy works.” He tipped his head. “Just don’t tell anyone.”

  I rolled my eyes. “How can you be so sure it’s safe to return home?” I fiddled with the strap on my purse as we walked. “Do the FBI and NSA really believe we are no longer under a threat?”

  “They do. They, and I, believe we have all the major players under wraps right now.”

  I trusted him, so I tried to relax. “So, what happened in the lobby with that young agent after I left?”

  “Yeah, spill,” Elvis said, pushing the glasses up on his nose. “When Lexi barged into the room without you, shouting the FBI had found us, I thought the world was ending.”

  “Well, it sort of was,” I said, with a small smile.

  Slash held out a key fob and pressed a button. A black SUV about four cars down beeped and flashed its lights. “Nothing much happened. I talked him out of getting himself shot before his reinforcements showed up. I would have taken him down if he shot at Lexi or me, but he was too green, too indecisive. I was counting on that. I was pretty sure he’d been told to bring us in alive. I also knew he wasn’t alone, so I was simply buying us—you—some time without anyone getting hurt. Looks like the plan worked.”

  We’d reached the car. Before he opened the door, Slash paused with one hand on the side of the car and turned to look at us. Elvis and I stopped in our tracks.

  He paused a moment, assessing us. “Before we leave here, there is something I want to say to both of you. You did well—better than well. There are only a few people who know what you did and sacrificed, and I’m one of them. Your work on the code, on everything, was nothing short of genius, as was your dedication.” He leaned over and brushed a kiss on my cheek, murmuring in my ear, “I’ll thank you later.”

  He straightened and turned his gaze on Elvis. “I’m not overstating it when I say the security sheath was spectacular, and your support of Lexi while I was incapacitated, invaluable. I don’t know how to best express my deep appreciation to you, Elvis. So, thank you...friend.” He held out a hand to Elvis.

  After a moment, Elvis reached out and took it. As they shook, I threw my arms around them both so we were locked in a group hug.

  “Hey, don’t forget Xavier,” I said, my words muffled by Slash’s leather jacket. “He wouldn’t be happy to hear we’ve excluded him from the group hoorah.”

  When we pulled back, Slash was smiling. “True. Guess that means I’ll have to come up with a damn good wedding present for him.”

  Chapter Fifty

  I brushed my hair one more time, setting the brush down on the sink when I finished. “Slash, I think I’m ready,” I called out. “How do I look?”

  I glanced at myself in the mirror. I wore a black skirt, a shiny
gold blouse Basia had bought me for my birthday last year and a knee-length black sweater. It seemed overkill, but I’d never been to a bachelorette party, let alone thrown one, so what did I know about the dress code? Basia had told me dressy and this was as dressy as I was going to get.

  Slash walked in from the bedroom, dressed in a gray sweater and black jeans. He looked relaxed, happy and healthy. I caught a whiff of his cologne as he dropped a kiss on my cheek. He stepped back surveying me.

  “You look stunning. You’re sure there are no men coming to this party.”

  “I’m sure. Well, except for Junior, Faylene’s son.”

  Slash narrowed his eyes. “He’d better not look twice at you.”

  I punched him on the arm. “You can ease up on the alpha male posturing. Junior is helping his mom with the party. I seriously doubt you have anything to worry about.”

  “I’d better not.” Grinning, he walked over to the sink and picked up his toothbrush.

  “How come you don’t have to dress up?” It seemed patently unfair that Slash could go to his party in jeans and a sweater and I had to wear a freaking skirt.

  “We’re men. Dressing up would be counterproductive to an evening that will certainly involve a lot of alcohol, minor debauchery and most likely cigars.”

  “Gross.”

  He laughed.

  I leaned back against the sink and looked around the bathroom. “You know, this is a weird thing to say, but I’m going to miss this bathroom. Well, mostly the showerheads, but still. When is moving day again?”

  “Next Wednesday.” Slash put the paste on his brush and ran some water over it.

  “Are you going to show me your new place?”

  “Of course.” He pointed the dripping toothbrush at me. “You, cara, are first on my list to see it. Actually, you are the only person on that list.”

  “I’m honored.” I watched him as he brushed and spit. When he was finished, I asked, “So, did we ever find out what happened to Shi?”

  Slash shook off his toothbrush before wiping his mouth on a towel. “He was questioned and released. Feng Mei was arrested on suspicion of murder. The others in the house are being held for Rock’s kidnapping. The kid, Lin Yee, was arrested yesterday and is undergoing questioning by the FBI. Unfortunately, no one has pointed a finger directly at Shi yet.”

  “Not even Feng Mei?”

  “Not even her.”

  I pushed off the sink. “She’s afraid of him. They’re all afraid of him. Or afraid of what he can do to their families.”

  “Undoubtedly.”

  “So, what’s going to happen to Shi?”

  “He returned to China last night. Not surprisingly, this has become a sensitive diplomatic matter.”

  “What? He got away unscathed?”

  Slash met my gaze in the mirror. “He won’t come out of this unscathed, cara.”

  “How can you be so sure?”

  “I just am.”

  Slash returned the towel to the bar and took my hand. “Look, I don’t want you to worry or think about it tonight. Tonight we are going to celebrate the start of a new life for two special friends and nothing more. Let’s linger on lighter thoughts for the moment...like the party.”

  “What’s light about that?” I exclaimed.

  He chuckled. “It’s too late to do anything but show up.”

  “I know. Don’t remind me. I talked to Basia about half an hour ago. I’m stopping by her place in my rental car before I head over to the club.”

  “You’re taking her to the club?”

  “No.” I shook my head. “I called a limo service for that. Her cousins are coming over and will go with her. I’m going to the club early to make sure everything is in place. Basia wanted me to stop by her place before I go to the club and everyone gets there.”

  “Why?”

  “I have no idea. Probably some kind of weird girl talk.”

  “You’re taking this all remarkably well.” He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “But I know better. How are you really holding up?”

  “Honestly, Slash? I feel like I want to throw up. This hostess thing...I’ve discovered it’s totally not my thing. In fact, I’m never going to throw a party again. Been there, done that and it’s totally crossed off my bucket list. Not that it was ever there in the first place.”

  “You’ll do fine. You’ve survived complicated rescue missions and saved the world. You’ll survive a party, too.”

  “Then why am I totally panicking?”

  He patted my shoulder, amused. “Basia will be among friends and so will you. Relax. I’m sure it will be memorable.”

  I sighed. “I sure hope so. Wish me luck.”

  Chapter Fifty-One

  Basia fussed with her hair even though it looked perfect. “Remind me why we can’t go to the bachelorette party together?”

  “Because you’ll be arriving in style in a limousine. Plus, I want to get there first to make sure all the decorations are in order. The limo will be here in about forty minutes to take you and your cousins, Jolka, Victoria and Katia. The others are meeting us at the club.”

  “Okay. I’m so looking forward to this.”

  “By the way, thanks for inviting Gray at the last moment. I just thought since Xavier had invited Hands...”

  “Oh, please, not another word.” She snapped open a lipstick and expertly applied soft pink color to her lips. “I’m beyond thrilled to finally meet Grayson. I know she played an instrumental part in saving Elvis’s life, so I’m honored to have her at my party.”

  “You’ll like her.”

  “I’m sure I will.” She gave me a hug. “Oh, I love you so much, Lexi.”

  “Wait and say that after the bachelorette party, okay?”

  “It’s going to be perfect. I just know it.”

  “Honestly, I’d settle for satisfactory, but if you’re going for perfect, I’ll do my best.”

  “You are the best friend ever.”

  “Really?” I’d started to feel guilty I hadn’t been more involved in the party planning. “I just hope you won’t—you know—grow out of our friendship.”

  Basia stopped fussing with her hair and turned away from the mirror. “Why would you say that?”

  “I don’t know.” I struggled with the right words, feeling stupid. Why had I opened my mouth?

  When I didn’t answer, she walked over to me, putting her hands on my shoulders. Her head came up to my chin, but when she had that fire in her eyes, I felt a little afraid. “Lexi?”

  “Never mind. It’s nothing.”

  “Look, I’m getting married, not dying. I will always be there for you. There are many people who may walk in and out of my life, but you aren’t one of them. You’re here.” She tapped her heart. “And here you’ll stay. Got that?”

  “Got it.” I scuffed my foot against the floor, wishing I hadn’t brought it up. But for some unknown reason, the words kept falling from my lips. “I guess I’ll just miss having you around all the time, you know, telling me what to do.”

  She sighed. “You don’t need me to tell you what to do. Just trust your heart once in a while and give that overcharged brain of yours a rest.”

  She threw her arms around me and we hugged. The moment seemed oddly bittersweet. I’d never fully understood or appreciated the importance of having a close female friend, but now it was starting to hit me. No matter how she insisted things would be the same, I knew I’d no longer be the first to hear her secrets or dreams or frustrations. She had Xavier for that now. Things were changing between us, much in the same way they were changing between Elvis and me.

  Adapt and grow. Life kept pushing me in these directions. While it was hard to keep up, I was learning how to roll with it—at least a lit
tle.

  “I’m sincerely happy for you, Basia.” I stepped back from the hug and smiled. “I really am. Xavier is a great guy. He and I...well, we’ll just have to figure out how to share you. I know you’ll always be my best friend. But now, you’ll be Xavier’s, too.”

  Chapter Fifty-Two

  I drove to the club, checking several times in the rearview mirror. No more FBI tail. I smiled. It felt...freeing.

  I pulled into the parking lot of the After Hours Club. The sign in front of the club blinked in red, white and yellow. The parking lot was empty, so I pulled into a space in front. The lights were on in the club and Faylene had told me they would park their van in the back next to the kitchen entrance.

  The club was finishing up some minor renovations that wouldn’t interfere with our bachelorette party, but it meant we’d be able to have the entire club to ourselves for the evening.

  The front door was unlocked. There was a coatrack near the door so I slid out of the new blue coat Slash had bought me and hung it on a hook.

  “Hello?” I called out.

  “Lexi?”

  A woman dressed in a red flannel shirt, blue jeans and cowboy boots walked toward me. Frizzy gray hair, an unlit cigarette dangling between her lips and friendly brown eyes. She pumped my hand hard.

  “Hi, I’m Faylene. Nice to finally meet you. I hope everything is to your satisfaction. It’s been hard to get a hold of you these past few days.”

  “I know. Sorry about that.”

  I looked around. One large circular table had been set up with a pretty yellow tablecloth. Ten plates, glasses, napkins and silverware had been set out. In the middle of the table was a lovely centerpiece comprised of yellow-and-red roses with some greenery surrounding a large orange candle. There were red gift bags at each place setting. One chair had a slipcover that looked like a princess throne. A gold crown with a white veil sat on the plate.