by Serena Zane
Dark Diamonds
The Jewel Series
Book 1
Serena Zane
Dark Diamonds
A Books to Go Now Publication
Copyright © Serena Zane 2013
Books to Go Now
For information on the cover illustration and design, contact [email protected]
First eBook Edition –March 2013
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This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to any person, living or dead, any place, events or occurrences, is purely coincidental. The characters and story lines are created from the author’s imagination and are used fictitiously.
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DEDICATION
For Mom
CHAPTER ONE
Torrents of rain splashed down around her high-heeled boots. Special Agent Lucy Montgomery couldn’t see anything in the darkened alleyway, with grayed bricks faded to black. She wrinkled her nose at the damp smell of rotted food wafting from a nearby dumpster.
Her hand went to the purse hanging from her shoulder. She smiled in confidence. The weight of her .45 reassured her. Lucy palmed the cold steel of the barrel, rubbing the grip. Wind whipped by, causing a strand of hair to fly across her face. A chill crept up her spine as the gust made its way through her designer parka.
So much for fashion—how long did she have to wait? She glanced at her watch. One hour in the rain so far.
Why wasn’t he coming out? He’s late. Lucy wrinkled her nose, and scanned the vicinity.
There was barely enough light from the lone streetlamp to illuminate her wristwatch. A couple hurried by, squeezed together under an umbrella. Sounds of traffic from the busy nightlife blared and she gripped her head to stop the ache.
Lucy wished she hadn’t come here alone. She pursed her lips into a frown. Miserable, she tried unsuccessfully to huddle underneath the overhang of a small pharmaceutical company left of the alley, and that had seen better days. She attempted to keep some of the rain off her soaked body. Hair plastered about her face in long strands. Lucy shivered, and glowered.
This really is all Chase’s fault. He needs to be more careful. Only Chase would get mixed up in a mess like this one.
A cold raindrop snaked its way down her back.
Agent Chase Montgomery, Lucy’s twin brother, shared her looks. They had the same emerald eyes, strawberry-colored hair, and a healthy sense of rivalry. As they grew older, their interest always settled in the same areas: bikes, books, and hobbies. Their personalities remained completely different though.
With a half-smile, Lucy remembered when they got their first puppy. She could picture them: Chase wrestled with the animal and Lucy ran behind them to pick up the mess they left before their mom could. Lucy always knew she’d be the one to take care of the puppy.
Now, here I am again. Cleaning up his mess—dammit, what’s wrong with men?
The wind whipped up and a strand of long hair flew across her face again, and she brushed it away, angry.
She was always more responsible than her brother. Lucy took her job seriously, working almost twenty-four hours a day. This might explain why I don’t have a social life.
Chase accused her of running away from something, but she couldn’t imagine what he’d meant. She’d tried her hardest to curb the streak of impulsiveness that appeared at the most inopportune moments, like now.
Lucy didn’t have time for impulsiveness. She was constantly on the go. At times she juggled ten balls in the air. Travesty awaited her if one fell. She never gave herself a moment’s rest. Lucy felt the wear on her system, and yawned. She hadn’t slept since she’d found Chase gone.
Lucy tried to keep her focus on the pub door. She watched as couples went in and out— just not the person she waited for.
Chase ran with a pretty rough crowd. Lucy often worried that his attitude would one day land him in deep water. She’d been right.
He’s a good man at heart. When other agents turned cynical after only a few years with F.I.U.W., Chase still wanted to believe the best in people. A deeper frown creased her brow at the thought of where that trust landed him, and she gripped her gun harder.
They worked for a privately-funded force against organized crime and terrorism called F.I.U.W., or Forced Intelligence of the United World. F.I.U.W. recruited Lucy from her job at the Federal Bureau of Investigations, and Chase from S.W.A.T. right there in New York. They both performed at the top of their class, and excelled at solving cases. F.I.U.W. recognized their talent, and recruited them shortly after the 9/11 attacks. F.I.U.W. forces grew and spread globally. Work for F.I.U.W. could be dangerous. Their cases often involved undercover assignments and investigations into criminal activity that funded terrorists.
Someone had taken her brother, and the only person who could tell her what happened sat comfortably in the pub across the street.
Water splashed, and her view of the pub door became temporarily obscured as a city bus passed by. Her heart paused for a moment, until the vehicle moved on. The door to the pub closed again. She rushed to the edge of the alley. Lucy looked both ways on the street. She caught sight of a couple walking away under the dim glow of a streetlamp. She stepped back into the alley to wait and let the darkness swallow her. No sign of the mark.
She and Chase thrived on challenges. They’d asked to work separately for personal reasons. They knew that as twins, their close relationship might jeopardize a mission. If one or the other died while on mission together; the results would be devastating since they could feel if the other twin was in pain. Right now, that came as an asset. Lucy sensed Chase hurting. She needed to find her brother, and she needed to do it now.
Why can’t he just hurry up? Waiting for her mark became increasingly more uncomfortable there in the alley, and goose bumps had risen on her arms with the cold.
Things went well for Chase, until two days ago.
He’d been assigned to a case in New York City which involved a series of high-class thefts. At the time, Lucy didn’t understand the depth of danger involved.
She pressed her body against the bricks of the wet building beside her, centering her reality. She recalled his excitement as they’d crossed paths at Headquarters.
Lucy went to his flat last Friday, and found the place ransacked, with no sign of her brother. A knot settled in the pit of her stomach. She should’ve followed her instincts and gone to her brother’s studio apartment earlier.
Lucy slammed her head back against the wall, and berated herself. She should be more aware.
She hadn’t considered his current case until she found some files under a floorboard where Chase hastily stuffed them. He’d told her about the hiding place months before. The documents matched the ones he’d given her. She didn’t think twice about what happened to him. Somehow, he’d been discovered. Lucy rushed back to her apartment and went through all the information.
The dank alley where she waited faded into the background. Lucy recalled how her brother as he stood in front of her. His strawberry–blond hair shone in the lamp on an end table, the lighting turned it to a burnished gold, like her own. He exuded a s
ense of unease anyone could easily pick up on.
Chase wouldn’t meet her eyes. When he spoke, the hairs on Lucy’s arm stood on end. He hid something. That wasn’t like him. Lucy got nervous as she watched her brother fidget with the corner of an envelope in his hand. Shadows under his eyes told her of how little sleep he’d gotten.
She remembered getting impatient. Lucy regretted when she’d snapped at him to get to the point. He had visibly winced.
“Luce, nothing is wrong. Here,” Chase stretched out the hand with the envelope in it. “I want you to take this in case something happens. Take it.” He shoved it toward Lucy and she grabbed the manila envelope.
From its thickness, Lucy could tell it contained several pieces of paper.
“Make sure you read the whole thing.”
She looked at the packet. A chill passed over her. Lucy searched her brother’s eyes and read the worry etched in their depths. Feeling his unease deeply, she wanted to reassure him. Pride swelled in her chest that Chase could trust her as his backup, but something must be terribly wrong for him to come to her.
Her protective instincts rose. She dropped the envelope on the coffee table. Lucy knew she’d needed to do something to assist her brother.
“Be reasonable. Why won’t you let me help you? This isn’t such a tough case that we couldn’t work together to crack it. You know I’d be happy to help.”
Chase smiled at his sister and laughed. For a moment, she caught a glimpse of his carefree side, but it didn’t last long. “You know I could never ask you to help me on a case. That’d ruin our healthy competition.” His eyes darkened again. “Just don’t worry until something happens—if anything does. I took this extra measure only as a security plan. Relax Luce; it’s nothing but another case.”
She gave him a doubtful look.
He quirked a smile, but his eyes remained haunted. “Trust me. If I get this one, it will be four to five. I’m almost caught up with you.” Chase got up from her couch and started to move to the door.
Lucy grabbed his arm. “You’ll only catch up if I don’t hit a breaking point on the case I’m currently investigating.” She flashed her brother a smug grin, stood, and gave him a quick hug. “See you later then?”
Chase enveloped Lucy in his arms, and held her tight for a moment, as if saying goodbye.
“Sure. Try my place in a few days.” As he headed out the door, he smiled and she let him go.
Lucy remembered a twinge of trepidation passing through her body. The second he left, she’d torn into the file.
The envelope contained case documents, an address, and a contact in case he ended up missing. According to the papers, she needed to look for a man of medium build who walked to and from the pub every night. He wore a cream-colored suit, and a black overcoat. He carried an old-fashioned cane in his left hand. Chuck Conner was paid by their organization to give them information on the thefts.
Wanting to catch Conner unaware, Lucy remained huddled against the side wall of the alley. Her eyes narrowed as she watched the pub door.
Stomach growling, she thought once more of how often she overlooked mealtimes. Lucy reprimanded herself for being so forgetful. She rubbed her tummy. Cindy Hawke, her best friend, would have a heyday with her if she knew Lucy forgot dinner again.
Lucy fidgeted in her purse, found a small soda cracker, undid the wrapper, and popped it into her mouth.
Like that will hold me. She felt the crumbs stick to her teeth. Lucy groaned, and pulled at her wet clothing. Even her coat soaked through as she waited in the alley across from Finnegan’s Pub. Drenched to the skin, she wished for the foresight to bring an umbrella. If Chase wasn’t dead when she found him, she might kill him herself.
A sound in the alley behind her brought Lucy out of her reverie. Senses alert she stilled, listening, waiting. There. She heard it again, the soft sound of a shoe scraped against pavement. She gripped her gun. Most likely some vagrant. After all, it’s New York.
Several more seconds ticked away as Lucy listened for the sound of a shoe. When no more noises came, she began to relax, but she didn’t let go of her gun. No need to get nervous over some poor homeless guy. But she wasn’t stupid.
It’s not his fault he’s got no place other than the alley to sleep tonight. Her pity for the man welled up in her, He’s probably more miserable than me.
Just as Lucy began to believe her imagination conjured up the noise, a shadow crossed the wall, swiftly laid a palm across her mouth, and pressed a gun against her side.
CHAPTER TWO
Agent Kevin Garrett swore as the pressure of Lucy’s full lips pressed against his hand. Her drenched hair brushed his cheek where he held her close and he picked up the faint scent of her spicy perfume, mostly washed off in the rain. Lucy’s tight curves molded to his hard muscles through the soaked overcoat. He knew his attack was unexpected.
Why hadn’t she brought backup on this assignment? Kevin shook his head. She knew better. Rain on the back of her coat moistened the front of his shirt and the heat of her body seeped through their clothes. A low growl began deep in his throat.
“Next time you might not be so lucky, Montgomery,” Kevin stated in a deep, rough voice. She shivered against him. He fought the urge to pull her closer.
He could tell she recognized his voice by the way her body tensed, then relaxed against him.
He waited.
After several long years in the same agency, he fought the urges his body demanded. Kevin forced himself to resist licking the raindrops that ran down her neck, a much more pleasurable pastime than holding a gun to her side. It wouldn’t do to allow his personal desires to affect the mission— the same reason he hadn’t acted on his feelings the entire time he’d known the little spitfire. Business and pleasure don’t mix—at least that’s what the Agency believed— and since he represented the Agency, it meant hands off.
Kevin gave his head a slight shake to clear his thoughts, and smoothed his thumb over her bottom lip in regret, while he slid his gun into the holster. He placed a small wiretap on the waistline of her skirt, and his fingers brushed the metal edges of her zipper. He sighed.
Too many nights he’d gone to his bed hard, fantasies running through his head, with her starring center stage of each one. He would like to do a lot of things with those plump pink lips.
Reluctantly he let go of her mouth after getting the tap placed. The soft rasp of her mouth against his palm made him harden to almost a painful point. Kevin shifted away from her body so she wouldn’t notice the evidence of his arousal. He waited, knowing she would take advantage of the opening he gave her.
Her muscles tensed in readiness, and he forced himself to let her pull away. He’d counted on her reaction. It wouldn’t do for her to know how much he desired her.
***
Lucy took several steps away, and turned to him, ready for a confrontation. Her lips tingled from the feel of his hand, every nerve ending in her body aware of him. She wiped her palm aggressively over her mouth, hating that he affected her with just a touch while he seemed unmoved. Glaring, she placed her hands on her hips.
Who does he think I am—some rookie? Like I wouldn’t feel him place the bug. She decided to let it go, but retained her glare. Kevin probably came with a team and that meant she would have backup. It galled her though that Killroy sent him. The director was aware of her feelings about Kevin. She wondered if the director put Kevin on this mission because he knew Kevin could keep her in line.
Although it was against policy for an agent to be part of a mission in which they were personally involved, Killroy made the exception because she and Chase were twins. Killroy played by the school of belief that twins sensed things about each other that other people couldn’t.
Lucy’s mind turned over the problem of how to deal with Kevin. In the dim light of the alley, the silence stretched between them. She could make out the shape of his broad shoulders. Narrowing her eyes to slits as they traveled up his chiseled featu
res to meet his gaze, she barely restrained her reaction to him. Her whole body went on alert.
Damn him anyway, she grumbled to herself. He’ll never find out how glad I am to have my back covered. He doesn’t need to look so good either.
“Kevin, what are you doing here? I’m flying solo on this one. Now here you are, barging in where you’re not wanted—.”
“Whoa there,” Kevin said and held up his hands, “aren’t you jumping the gun a bit?” He put his hands down and advanced toward her. “This isn’t exactly a solo assignment. We’ve already lost one good operative on this case.” Kevin pointed at her accusingly. “You’re the one who ran off by yourself and decided you’re so good you didn’t need help from your teammates.”
Her back touched the brick wall se she couldn’t retreat further.
Kevin placed his hands on either side of her head effectively trapping her where she stood. “Killroy assigned me to this case. You know how I feel about being here with you.” Anger showed in his piercing silver eyes, which made them look as dark as the night around them. “You should know more than anyone to call for backup.”
“If I want help, I ask for it, not the other way around.” She pushed against his chest, trying to move him away from her. He didn’t budge. Unable to move him, she kept her hands in place in an attempt to hold him there. Aware of the rock-hard muscles under her palms, her voice struggled to remain even. “And if I did happen to want help, it wouldn’t be from you.”
“Face it Montgomery,” Kevin said as he stood his ground, “you need someone with you tonight, and I’m already here. So, let’s just make the best of the situation, okay?”
“Fine, as long as you stay out of my way.” Lucy fumed.
How dare he make presumptions about what I need? She tried again to move out of the circle of his arms, but her traitorous body reacted to his nearness, her nipples grew hard, and pressed against the thin material of her dress. He can just stand there for all I care. Lucy tried not to think about the way his mouth drew her eyes, scant inches away from hers.