Second Chance Hero

by Liz Lee

  Lil tried to eat David’s home made spaghetti but it wasn’t happening. Rafe on the other hand ate like he hadn’t eaten all day. Which was probably the truth.

  Here she was mourning over her lie of a relationship and this brave little boy had lost his entire family to this monster named Degas. Time to focus on what was important.

  Ryan had quietly interrogated Rafe while they played their game. Whatever information Rafe had, he’d given them.

  “You said your brother said someone promised him something.” Ryan handed Rafe a piece of garlic bread.

  “Sì. But I don’t know who he was talking to. Not Degas I don’t think.” Rafe’s legs dangled down from the barstool and he twisted in his seat as he spoke.

  Ryan and David looked at each other across the bar and Lil wanted to know what their silent but meaningful eye contact meant. She could guess. Poor little boy looking at these men like they had all the answers. Like they could stop Degas. Of course Rafe didn’t know they’d been trying to do just that for five years.

  Her heart hurt as she thought of Miguel and Solidad and how afraid they must be right now if they were even still alive. No, she wasn’t going to think about that. “Do you want more to drink, Rafe?”

  He shook his head. “No ma’am. I’m fine,” he said as he ate the last of his garlic bread.

  Miguel had sent Rafe to her. There had to be something she could do. She turned to Ryan because he was the one in charge and honestly, she didn’t think she could talk to David right this minute. “So what’s next?”

  Ryan finished his bread before speaking. “Next we formulate a plan and put it in motion.”

  Rafe asked to be excused and disappeared back into the PlayStation abyss with Scamp by his side.

  Once they were sure he was totally involved in the game Lil turned back to Ryan. “Will you make sure he’s safe?”

  “He’ll be fine. We’ll leave here, and he’ll be taken someplace secure.”

  Good. She toyed with the food on her plate. She wanted to ask about the plan but at the same time she didn’t. She didn’t want to know anything about this. About David and his deception and this Degas monster.

  “You should go home.” David’s deep voice interrupted her thoughts.

  “What?”

  “Home. Away from here. To your family and all the safety they can provide.”

  He might as well have suggested she stop breathing. “This is home for me, and you know it. Besides, my students need me.”

  “You won’t be any good to them dead.”

  He was being a jerk, and she knew why. It was funny really. She’d turned her back on a lifetime of words spoken and actions taken simply to manipulate her only to run into the same thing with David. It didn’t matter how she’d let it happen. Fortunately, she knew exactly how to deal with the problem.

  “I’m not going away, David. Not even to assuage your guilty conscience.”

  “Dammit, Lil, this isn’t about my guilty conscience and it’s not a game. You have no idea how ruthless Degas is.”

  She sat straight against the back of the barstool and kept her face even, refusing to show any emotion. “I’m not leaving.”

  “Which is a very good thing.” Ryan spoke as he finished the last of his spaghetti. “Damn man, you are one fine cook.”

  David pushed away from the bar. “No.”

  Lil looked from one man to the other surprised at the anger in David’s voice.

  “It’s the answer,” Ryan said. “You know it is.”

  “I said no. No way. Not Lil.”

  There they went again talking like she wasn’t in the room. This was ridiculous. “Not Lil what?”

  David’s curse rang through the kitchen as he stomped to the stove.

  Ryan ignored him and turned on the killer smile she didn’t begin to trust as he faced her. “You’re going to help us.”

  “No, she’s not.”

  “Stop it David.” She turned to Ryan. “Help you what?”

  “Take down Degas.”

  Confused, Lil raised her eyebrows. “Me? How?”

  “Don’t worry about it, Lil. You’re not doing it.”

  Okay she’d had it. “You’ve said enough, David. I want to hear what he has to say.”

  She didn’t miss the smile of victory on Ryan’s face or the accepting grimace on David’s before he turned away.

  Ryan didn’t make her wait. “I’ve got a plan.”

  “This plan is going to take down Degas?”

  “I certainly hope so.”

  “Then I’m all in.”

  “You don’t even know what the plan involves, Lil.” David looked like he was being tortured. Like he wanted to kill the agent sitting in his kitchen. And she knew what she had to do.

  “I don’t need to know. If it means helping Rafe’s family, helping my students, I want to do it.”

  Chapter Three

  David fought back another curse. Bleeding heart Lil wasn’t backing down from this. She couldn’t turn her back on abandoned puppies. Of course she was going to do whatever she could to take down Degas.

  He had to make her understand. “People die doing this, Lil. Lots of people. Trained agents. Police officers. Government officials.”

  “Which is what makes her perfect.” Ryan slapped his hand on the bar. “Who’s going to suspect an English teacher?”

  “I’m not okay with this.” He said the words even though he knew they made it more certain Lil would do exactly what Ryan wanted.

  “You haven’t even heard me out.”

  “I don’t have to. I don’t want Lil anywhere near this monster. Not now. Not ever.” Ryan had to understand.

  “I’m not leaving, so I’m either helping you guys or I’m going to try to find Miguel on my own.”

  Of course she was. Of course she freaking was. “You have no idea what you’re talking about, Lil.”

  He looked at her sitting there all regal in the barstool like she knew something about men like Degas. About men like Ryan Jamison. “This isn’t some charity project, Lil.”

  Lil winced, but she didn’t back down. “Let’s hear the plan, David. Then we can decide.”

  Like there was a we. She was doing this. Ryan had known this was the way it would play.

  “Go ahead, Jamison. Tell Lil your plan.”

  Ryan looked completely at ease. As if this wasn’t some sort of major malfunction just waiting to happen. “It’s easy. You guys have already set it in motion. You’re a couple. Lil’s got the school connection. She keeps her eyes open. Someone there is helping Degas. Maybe she can find out who. And once again you have a reason to be at the school on a regular basis.”

  Lil looked intently at Ryan, so positive she could play the role Ryan was assigning. “You’re sure someone at the school is helping Degas.”

  “Definitely. Too many coincidental disappearances.”

  “And we,” she looked at David, “have to be a couple for this to work?”

  Ryan nodded. “It’s the easiest way.”

  “Then it looks like we’re a couple.” She said it like it was a done deal.

  No way was he going to let her do this. No way. “A couple isn’t enough.”

  She shook her head and a piece of blonde hair slipped from her ponytail and curled around her ear, making her look young and innocent. Perfect Degas bait.

  “Come on David,” she said. “What more does the plan need? Ryan’s right. I have a school connection. You’ll be dating me. It’s perfect.”

  His heart thundered at the thought of Lil in the path of Degas. “If it were perfect it would’ve worked the first time I tried it.”

  He ignored the frown on her face, the pain in her out-to-save-the-world eyes, and he knew exactly what he had to do. He wasn’t letting her put herself in danger. This would definitely change her mind. “A couple isn’t enough. But a committed couple, that’s another story.”

  She wasn’t backing away. “Committed how?”

  “Yo
u come live with me.”

  She shook her head and her blue eyes flashed pure fury just as he’d known they would. “No way.”

  Good. Get mad, Lil. Leave. “I’m not letting you do this unless you’re with me every night.”

  “Degas won’t even know about me.”

  “Maybe, maybe not. I’m not willing to take a chance.”

  “You’re right, David. This is better.” Ryan slapped the table again. “Much safer. Much easier to control. We can have people watching one place instead of two. No need for phone calls. Definitely a better plan.”

  Lil suddenly didn’t look all that convinced. He could see her puzzling the whole thing out in that mammoth mind of hers. “Why your place?”

  David pretended to laugh. This wasn’t happening. But if it were, he had a very good reason. “You have a microwave and a freezer full of dinners and your stove’s electric. I’m not moving in with you.”

  But then Lil wasn’t moving in with him either. No way would she go for this.

  He saw the indecision on her face and he knew he had to fight dirty. It was the only way to get her away from Jamison and his stupid ass plan. He leaned in close, made sure only she could hear him. “We’ll play Scrabble. I know you like it.”

  The last time they’d played Scrabble, he’d had her naked in twenty minutes. He knew she remembered. Could tell by the way her cheeks heated, by the way she bit her bottom lip. Oh yeah. Sweet Lil was definitely going home.

  She might hate her family’s mega-money lifestyle. But at least she’d be alive. Maybe she could go save some kids in Alaska. Degas wouldn’t get her there.

  In the den Rafe killed a neon purple monster and advanced to the next level on the game. Scamp rubbed against Lil’s leg completely at home by her side. She ran her fingers over the dog’s head, looked over where Rafe sat on the black leather couch typing his initials into the game’s high score field and took a deep breath.

  “Okay. I’ll do it.”

  Lil wished she could photograph the look of surprise on David’s face. If it weren’t all so horribly serious, she might’ve laughed.

  But nothing about this was funny. In fact, she thought she might be sick. Living with David was going to be pure torture.

  David’s “What?” and Ryan’s “Fabulous!” blended along with the sound of a new level starting on the PlayStation game.

  She escaped from the over-testosteroned kitchen and moved Scamp out of the way in order to sit next to Rafe on the leather sofa. A sofa she was way too acquainted with. She closed her eyes and told herself she’d made the right decision. She knew the truth about David now. He couldn’t hurt her again if she didn’t let him get too close, and she’d help find Miguel and Solidad. She could do this.

  Scamp nudged her hand with his wet nose and she opened her eyes then turned to Rafe. The bedraggled bear still sat on the boy’s dirty blue shorts.

  “Your bear have a name?”

  Rafe concentrated on the television screen. “Sì. He’s Bear.”

  “Bear? That’s interesting.”

  Rafe clobbered some tumbling monkeys with a giant bomb glove. “He’s Bear Three.”

  Lil smoothed the skirt of her dress with hands that were still trembling. How could this boy be so calm? “What happened to the other Bears?”

  Rafe shrugged and changed his weapon of choice to a flame thrower. At least that’s what the screen said. “I don’t know. They belonged to Miguel and Solidad.”

  The last words he whispered and Lil realized the boy wasn’t calm at all. He was terrified for his life. For his brother and sister. His parents too.

  “You’ll be fine now, Rafe.” She patted his shoulders even though what she wanted to do was gather him in her arms and hug him. He looked like he could use a hug. She just wasn’t so great at giving them.

  The boy sent her a shy smile and then turned his attention back to the game. “I know Miss Palmer. I did what my brother said. I hope we can find Miguel soon. He spent all afternoon yesterday writing his papers for you.”

  Lil’s heart hurt at the thought of Miguel and his dreams of the future. Dreams she’d encouraged.

  She didn’t want to stay with David, but she’d do whatever it took to find Miguel and the others. Whatever it took.

  David watched Lil talking to Rafe and it took everything in his power not to slam his fist into Jamison’s smiling face. Damn, damn, damn. “I don’t want Lil hurt.”

  “What’s it going to hurt for her to look around the school? You know there’s a connection. A connection we haven’t been able to find. She’ll be as safe working with us as she was not knowing the truth.”

  Which was why he’d wanted her gone. “Somehow I doubt that.”

  Ryan clapped his hand on David’s shoulder. “You’ll keep her safe, buddy. I trust you.” He stood and walked into the den. “It’s time for us to go, Rafe. We’ve got a lot to do.”

  Then he turned to Lil and smiled that victor’s smile. He knew he’d won. He had no problem using Lil. No problem at all.

  “Miss Palmer, thanks for volunteering. I’m sure we’ll be seeing each other.”

  Rafe saved his game, grabbed his bear and stood looking like exactly what he was. A lost, afraid little boy whose entire family was gone. Taken by a monster with a scarred face wearing a huge ring that told those who saw him he was invincible.

  David stepped forward, pulled the little boy close in a hug. “It’ll be okay, Rafe.”

  The boy hugged him back, and David could tell the little boy knew it was a lie but didn’t care. “Gracias. Don’t let Degas hurt Miss Palmer.”

  He met the little boy’s serious eyes with his own and hoped this answer was the truth. “I won’t.”

  With that the boy and his bear were gone with Special Agent Ryan Jamison. The PlayStation screen saver the only reminder that Rafe Hernandez had spent the last couple hours waiting and hoping and pretending everything was okay.

  One big lie.

  Somehow though, David would live up to his promise. Because he’d never be able to live with himself if something happened to Lil. Never.

  Enough of that. She’d signed on for a job and they had things to do.

  “Better get your stuff, chiquita. Time’s a wasting and there’s a school to investigate.”

  With the way her back straightened, he knew he’d said the wrong words.

  She placed both hands on her hips as she stood. “Let’s just stop the games, David.”

  “Come on, Lil. We’ve got work to do.”

  Usually he was good at reading women. At saying the right thing at the right time. But judging by the color on Lil’s cheeks and the way her eyes were flashing, he’d totally screwed this up.

  She stepped closer to him and ticked of her words, one finger at a time. “There will be no more chiquita’s, no more sweet Lil’s, no more kisses. We’re working together and that’s all. When we’re out in public, you can lay on all that pretend charm you’re so great at. But in private, no way. I’m not your girlfriend.”

  He deserved it. Totally completely undeniably deserved the wrath of Lil. But damn she was sexy when she was ticked. What he wanted to say was Lil, babe, you were way more than my girlfriend. But he’d messed this whole thing up enough already. She was right. This wasn’t some sort of reunion. This was work. Serious life and death work.

  Besides he had plenty of time to show her he really was sorry, he’d really messed up, and he really, really would like a chance for one good round of makeup sex.

  “You’re right, Lil. How about this? I promise to tell you the truth from here on out, and treat you like exactly what you are. The woman pretending to be my live-in girlfriend with the sole purpose of catching that bastard, Degas.”

  Lil glared at David’s outstretched hand then up to his face. The grin that he used to get his way with everyone from the grocery clerk to his mother to the mean old lady at the tax office was nowhere to be found. In fact, all she saw was sincerity. He might be acting, but sh
e’d agreed to this job knowing about his lies.

  She shook his hand once, then pulled away quickly, trying not to care that his hand was hot against hers. That one little touch made her want more.

  “Now that we’ve settled the purpose of our mission, grab your bag. We’re going back to your classroom.”

  Okay, he was nuts. “Are you totally insane? We can’t go up to the school right now.”

  “Why not? It’s open, isn’t it?”

  The smile he used so well was back in place. She wasn’t about to fall for it. Not this time. “Yes, but I left hours ago. If we show up now, it will raise all sorts of questions.”

  “Why?” He grabbed his keys as if she hadn’t said a word. “You checked out early. I know you usually don’t leave that school until five or even six.”

  She stood her ground, hands planted on hips. No way was she blindly following him like some besotted puppy. Or worse, some besotted girlfriend. “Once I leave, I don’t go back.”

  He shrugged away her words. “Usually. This time, you do.”

  “This doesn’t make sense, David.”

  “You don’t think it makes sense.” He stepped into her space, met her eyes with a frown. “Well, how about this? An entire family just went missing, Lil. By tomorrow morning the police will be looking for answers. Some of the police looking might be working with Degas. We can’t let them find anything Miguel might have left for us. He sent Rafe to you and to me. I don’t know what or how he knew, but he did.”

  She could see his point, but still. “I would know, David. There’s nothing there. Just a bunch of papers and books.”

  He took her shoulders gently in his hands and even though she knew he wasn’t trying to break his word, that this touchy-feely thing was just the way he operated, she pulled away. She couldn’t pretend his touch didn’t remind her of their past. And she couldn’t do this if she couldn’t put the past behind her.

  He continued as if her rejection meant nothing. “You’ve got to trust me here, Lil. If you don’t trust me on this, we’re screwed before we even start.”