by Tawny Weber
Of course Mia had done one, too. Apparently her source was suspect.
“I asked my lover to find out everything he could. Roberto has connections.” She tossed her hair. “Good connections, too, because the truth was buried under a layer of lies. Roberto said there were many careful layers. The kind that take military or government skill to create.”
Jessica must be seriously pissed. No makeup and she’d finally admitted the name of her lover? And that he knew how scammers worked?
Mia’s head throbbed as if that last bit of information was just one piece too many for her to process. Needing to move, desperate to pull all her thoughts into a clean, manageable line that she could actually follow, she started pacing.
Spence was in the military.
Mia stormed to one side of the patio, staring out at the acres and acres of rich green grass.
That much had to be fact, since no matter how much Jessica hated him, she wouldn’t claim something that couldn’t be confirmed.
She stomped to the other side of the patio, the sound of her grinding teeth drowning out the delicate trickle of the fountain.
He’d deliberately hidden his career, his position, his livelihood from her. It had to be deliberate, since he’d done some trick to conceal his background.
Fists clenched at her sides, she spun around to pace the other way.
Was her father involved in the lie?
He might not be. A cursory check probably wouldn’t pull up anything Spence was trying to hide, and her father was more the cursory-favor type when it came to her.
But, she realized as she continued to pace, her father wasn’t just in the Navy, he was in charge of a lot of it. The SEAL teams, for instance, were under his command.
So how was it possible that he hadn’t known?
Her eyes burned.
If he had, was it possible that he’d taken part in deceiving her?
It wasn’t until she felt the bite of the twisted metal railing digging into her hands that she realized she’d stopped pacing to grab ahold and stare blindly at the tree-framed golf course.
Why had Spence lied to her? What did he have to gain?
Did it even matter?
Whatever his reasons for hiding his career, he knew how she felt. She’d told him the exact reasons why she’d never be in a relationship with a military man.
Fury swirled, building and intensifying with every breath.
Because she’d told him before they’d slept together.
He’d known they had no future. That they’d never have more than a month and a lie.
So many questions slammed through her brain, one after the other, until she wanted to scream. She wanted answers. And she knew exactly where to get them.
Turning on one heel, she marched toward the club door. Fury blurred her vision so much, she almost rammed her hip into a table on her way. The near miss only added to her ire.
“Where are you going?” Jessica snapped, clearly annoyed at not getting the nasty meltdown reaction she’d hoped for.
“To get answers.”
“How?”
How else?
She was going to confront Spence and find out what the hell he thought he was doing, breaking her heart.
* * *
All his life, Spence had wanted one thing. To be a Navy SEAL. Before and after he’d earned his trident, he’d pushed, aimed and strived to be the best.
When Cade had offered him a shot at joining Aegis, he’d jumped at the opportunity because, hell, he had nothing else worthwhile going on. But even though he’d accepted the assignment, even while he given it his all, the skeptical voice in his head figured it wasn’t going to happen.
After all, why should he be rewarded for deceiving Mia?
But now, watching two Aegis operatives walk into the room, he wanted that shot more than he wanted his next breath.
These were men of power.
A power so sharp, it practically radiated off them.
Even the air changed. Electrified.
A sharp contrast to Penz’s security suits, with their guns bulging under their jackets, these guys were dressed simply in jeans and tees. They moved like warriors, each carrying a metal case, and instead of guns, they both wore satellite phones on their belts. Echoing Spence’s impression, everyone in the room subtly came to attention.
“Yo,” the taller of the two said, greeting the room in general. “Anywhere in particular you’d like us to set up?”
“I’d prefer that you find a corner and wait until we deem this event an actual security risk before you start grandstanding,” Bertram said, clearly put out that he hadn’t been able to rescind Spence’s order to bring in Aegis.
Unoffended, the two men just grinned. They obviously had nothing to prove and were used to crap attitudes like Bertram’s.
Spence admired that. If he played his cards right, this could be it. His future.
Before Spence could go over and introduce himself, Bertram got in his face.
“Lloyd, this intel you offered is useless. Useless and wrong.”
Well. So much for his future. Spence’s gaze didn’t cut over to the Aegis men. Instead, he handled the situation in the same way he’d always done when confronted by a superior officer/inferior human being. He kept his cool, his tone and his demeanor in line.
“How so, sir?”
“We’ve looked into your claims and while the hidden weapon is a concern, our intel indicates a strong possibility that Alcosta might try to put a PR spin on the senator’s past in a blackmail attempt. The events that lead to that possibility are verifiable. What is your source for this new claim of assault?” Bertram asked impatiently.
“What intel indicates that the senator has committed a blackmailable offense?” Spence countered, meeting Bertram’s cold stare with a chilly arch of his brow. It took the other man all of five seconds to jerk his chin in surrender.
“Nothing specific. Our best guess is that it will relate to his military service. Many of his missions are still under classified seal. Any one of them could be exploited, exaggerated or used in some way to create a semblance of wrongdoing.”
“And your reaction will be?”
“We’ll follow standard protocol, of course. All safety measures will be in place, but the senator does not bow to threats, including blackmail.”
Even as Spence nodded his understanding, Bertram gave an impatient gesture. “Now, if you please, what is your source for claiming that the senator’s life is in danger?”
How did he explain his hacker friend had cobbled together a slew of rumors and innuendo as a launching point for his conclusion jumping?
Spence’s hesitation was all Bertram needed. Shaking his head, he waved his hand in the air.
“The senator is not curtailing any of his activities at this event. I’m green-lighting all press, interviews and event activities without restrictions.”
“Sir, I strongly disagree with your assessment that blackmail is the issue at hand. It’s my belief that the senator’s role in the death of Alberto Alcosta, stepbrother to Santiago Alcosta, has triggered this threat. Given the discovery of a loaded weapon, I deem that threat to be life threatening.”
“Disagree all you want,” Bertram said, returning to his geek squad to get back to work. “But you and Cade’s security squad can take it somewhere else.”
Spence barely bit back his curse. Before he could regroup or think of a reasonable way to tell the man he was being a major asshole without insulting him, another man stepped over and held out his hand.
“Lloyd? I’m Lucas Adrian. Good to meet you.”
“My pleasure,” Spence said, taking the head of Aegis’s hand. Despite the voice in his head cautioning him to tread lightly, he had to admit, “I’m sorry if I’ve brought you here on a goose chase.”
&nbs
p; “I’ve met Penz from time to time through his work on the Intelligence Committee. He’s a good man. His team is thorough and efficient, but that’s about it.”
“Well, they thoroughly and efficiently dismissed this threat,” Spence muttered.
“What’s your gut say?”
“My gut says this is bigger than some petty extortion scheme. There is too much going on for it to be that simple.” As he had to Michelson and then Bertram, Spence described all of the events, including the gun and his suspicions about Alcosta’s staff. Unlike with his report to Bertram, he divulged the source of his rumors to Adrian.
“I’ve heard of Smidge. The man’s got skills,” Adrian admitted with a nod. “Very few morals, but his skills can’t be beat.”
“You believe me?”
“Your gut over a politician’s suspicions? Any day and every day.” He jerked his head to the man joining them, introducing him as Cal Samson before returning to the threat topic. “This guy you’ve seen—can you identify him?”
“I haven’t been successful yet,” Spence admitted.
“We’ve got a solid facial-recognition program. If you can describe him, we can find him.” Cal glanced around the room, then suggested, “I’ll go find us a different hole, though. Something with fewer negative vibes.”
Even as his lips twitched, Spence nodded. While the other man scooped up his metal briefcase and headed out, Spence and Adrian turned toward Bertram to say their goodbyes.
Before he could, though, Mia stormed through the doorway.
And everything inside of him froze. He knew that face. He knew her voice, her body language and, hell, he knew every damned thing about her.
And apparently she knew about him, now, too.
“Spence,” she said in a tone clipped with ice. “We need to talk.”
Damn.
More to buy time and hopefully figure out a way to salvage the op, Spence gestured to the man next to him.
“Lucas Adrian, please meet Mia Cade. The admiral’s daughter is coordinating this weekend’s series of events.”
“Ma’am.”
Mia spared Adrian a brief glance. “Please excuse us.”
Seeing no way out, Spence gestured toward the exit. When Mia stood her ground, he wrapped his hand around her arm and led her from the room. He’d already taken one slam in front of Aegis. He didn’t need another.
They didn’t make it farther than the hallway outside the door before she dug in her heels and glared.
“Is something wrong?” he asked, still holding the vague hope she was pissed about a personal issue. Maybe lack of sufficient foreplay or morning breath.
“You’d know that better than I would. After all, you’re paid to make sure nothing is wrong, aren’t you? At least, nothing to do with me,” Mia spat out. “Aren’t those your orders? To babysit me?”
Damn it all to hell. She didn’t just know something; she knew everything.
“Jessica recognized you,” she said when he stayed silent.
“As what? Your lover?”
“Former lover,” Mia corrected, biting off the words. “And former Navy SEAL.”
And boom, there went the dynamite.
Along with any ridiculous fantasy he might have harbored deep in his heart about a future with Mia.
* * *
It was all Mia could do to keep from screaming.
She watched Spence’s jaw clench, his gaze narrowing as if he were calculating the various means of escape from, what? The truth? She wanted to kick him in the shins. Or somewhere about three feet higher.
“Why would Jessica think I was a Navy SEAL?” he finally asked.
Mia’s leg muscles actually bunched before she forced herself to relax them. He wasn’t worth the damage to her shoes, she told herself.
“Don’t bother to deny it. I called and confronted my father. He admitted that you’re here under his orders.” She had to stop for a second and clench her teeth to keep the tears at bay. “Aren’t you the good little sailor, following those orders to the letter? Does he know how far you went to keep me in line? How about those between-the-sheets maneuvers? Were those your idea?”
“It wasn’t like that. It isn’t like that,” he corrected swiftly, grabbing her arm before she could storm past him. “Let me explain.”
“No.” She wrenched her arm away. “Nothing I want to hear starts with the words let me explain. Why would I believe anything you say aren’t words ordered by my father?”
As if on cue, she heard the buzz of his cell phone at his hip.
“You’d better get that.” Mia pointed. “I’m sure it’s him, calling to coordinate your new cover story.”
She didn’t consider it points to his credit that he ignored the phone.
“You have every right to be furious with me. But you need to understand the reasons I’m here. You have to listen to the threat at hand.”
“Actually, I don’t have to do anything you tell me. I want you to leave.” Now. Before she started crying.
“I’m sorry but I can’t do that.”
“Orders, again?” she asked, the words bitter on her tongue.
“Common sense. Mia, I was sent here for your protection. I won’t leave until I’m sure nothing is going to happen that will hurt you.”
He’d already hurt her. But seeing no point in voicing the obvious, she sneered instead.
“Right. For my protection.” Grateful that the anger was searing away her misery like the sun melted fog, Mia sneered. “The only thing I need protection from is my parents’ paranoia.”
And Spence. Her fists clenched at her sides as Mia admitted to herself that her heart could have used protecting from him.
Now it was too late.
“Look, Alcosta’s dirty. I can’t prove it yet, but I know something bad is going to go down this weekend.” Seeing the disbelief on her face, he said, “I found a gun planted in the garden last night. Planted there, I’m sure, to avoid the metal detectors that’ll be at every entrance tomorrow night.”
“A gun?” she repeated skeptically.
“Alcosta’s family has a personal issue with your uncle dating back to his time in the military,” Spence continued in a quieter tone, shifting his body so his words reached her and her alone. “I haven’t firmly identified that man we keep seeing, but my suspicion is that he’s involved. And he’s dangerous.”
Her anger took a sideline as Mia tried to process all of that. Her father was undoubtedly overprotective and unquestionably interfering. But he wasn’t one to waste resources. If he deemed this situation a security risk, there was probably some truth to it. Some.
So while she’d never excuse what Spence had done, for her uncle’s sake, she had to listen.
Clearly reading that decision on her face, Spence launched into his findings. She could tell that he was censoring the information and probably saying more than she was authorized to know. Before he finished, Jon Bertram, whom Mia recognized as her uncle’s chief of staff, joined them in the hallway.
“The senator is on his way in,” he murmured, his expression making it clear he wanted them to take their spat and get the hell out of the way. Ignoring that, Mia gave the man a hard look.
“What is your opinion of Lieutenant Lloyd’s suspicions?”
“They’re being taken under consideration,” the man said absently before giving them an impatient wave of his hand.
Oh yeah, he wanted them out of the way. As soon as Mia glanced down the hall, she saw why.
“Uncle Luis,” Mia called halfway across the hallway before she even realized she was running. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
His security team parted like warm butter so, just as he had since she was a toddler, the burly man could take her up in his arms and swung her around in a dizzying circle.
“Mia, my gi
rl, look at you,” Luis said, stepping back to hold her at arm’s length. “Gorgeous. Just gorgeous. You obviously get those good looks from your mother.”
His smile faded when he saw the distress in her eyes.
“What’s the matter?”
“Sir, we have matters that need your attention.”
“One minute, Bertram.”
“Go ahead,” Mia murmured. “I’m sure you need to hear this.”
Swept into the room with her uncle, Mia listened to Spence’s report. Her body tensed, stomach tight as the men she recognized as being part of Aegis Security supported his findings. It wasn’t until the senator’s own security team shot down the findings, deeming them highly implausible, that she could unclench her fingers.
“And the gun?” Spence shot back at the chief of staff. “How do you dismiss that?”
“Did you forget to mention that the bullets in the loaded, unregistered gun were addressed to Senator Penz?” Bertram shot right back, his expression pure disdain. “You have no proof that weapon was planted there in anticipation of the senator’s visit. For all you know, the property owners kept it there for security.”
Mia didn’t have to watch the expressions of disbelief on the faces of half the men in the room to know that was a ridiculous claim. She heard the stupidity of it with her own ears. Apparently, so did her uncle.
“Do you at this time have proof of anything more incendiary than a possible blackmail scheme based on a twisted retelling of information found in sealed military records and as-yet-confidential operations I served on as a threat?” her uncle finally asked.
His face remained impassive, but she could see the battle in Spence’s eyes. After a long moment of consideration, he offered a reluctant shake of his head.
“Uncle Luis?” Mia prodded, knowing he’d tell her the truth. “Do you believe there’s a danger here?”
With his usual care, her uncle considered the question before inclining his head. “While I do believe that the intelligence these men have gathered merits caution, no actual threats have been made. In addition, I made a commitment to be at this event and to support the cause.”