by Trish Loye
“I’m driving into the city later this afternoon. I still need presents for my nieces. You’re welcome to join me if you’d like.”
“I might.” Dani flopped into a leather wingback chair while Alyssa leaned against the desk. Alyssa’s gaze turned speculative.
“You don’t have a military background,” she stated.
Dani groaned. “So it’s your turn to grill me now?”
A smile tugged at Alyssa’s lips. “I’m just trying to figure out what you do at E.D.G.E. Security. I also know that it’s some sort of a cover company full of special operations soldiers.”
Dani swung her feet over the leg of the chair, sprawling out even more as she gave herself time to think before answering.
“Did Zach tell you that?”
“Zach hasn’t told me shit. But funny enough, I’m good at ferreting out information. It might have been why they made me a detective.”
Dani tapped her foot in mid-air. “What has Jake told you about me?”
“He said you work in computers.”
“He’s right.”
Alyssa watched her and waited.
Dani wanted to smile. It was an old cop’s trick—one that might have worked on her back when she was a teen first running into the law, but it had no effect now. She just sipped her drink.
Alyssa pursed her lips. “You’re not just a computer geek.”
“Why would you say that?”
“Because I’ve interrogated geeks like you’re pretending to be and they babble all their secrets the minute there’s the expectation of a question. You are not a simple geek.” She paused and studied Dani. “You’re cool under pressure. And like I said, you don’t have a military record. At least not one that I could find.”
“You did a background check on me?”
Alyssa snorted. “Jake is an amazing soldier, but he’s still a man. And men can be blind when it comes to their women. So yes, of course I ran a background check on you.”
Dani’s lips twisted. “And?”
“Like I said. Not military. But something troubles me.”
Dani was going to kill Jake when this weekend was over. She could be at home getting drunk with Chuck right now. “I assume you’re going to tell me.”
“I couldn’t find much of anything on you before six years ago.”
Dani forced herself to keep swinging her foot. Six years ago had been when she’d fabricated a new identity for herself. She’d buried Danika Kashnikov to escape the Russian Bratva, and had become Danielle Everett. She made herself smile. “So you’re skeptical because you couldn’t find much on me? Isn’t that a good thing?”
“You don’t have any car registrations, speeding tickets, or insurance of any kind. There’s no record of you having a job before six years ago, and no schooling either.”
“Would you believe I was raised on a commune?”
Alyssa set down her drink and crossed her arms. “No.”
Dani did the same thing. She’d already put up with Mrs. Busybody in the kitchen; no way in hell was she getting interrogated by Jake’s little cop sister too. “You know that it’s none of your business.”
Alyssa gave her the cop stare.
Dani rolled her eyes. “That’s not going to work. I’m not going to suddenly confess to killing my neighbor.”
Alyssa grinned. “You’d be surprised how effective it can be. My older sister can’t hold anything back when I stare at her.”
The way Alyssa went from bad cop to good cop to potential fun friend made Dani dizzy, and highly suspicious of her motives. This family was completely bat-shit crazy.
Dani stood up and Alyssa held up her hand. “Tell me one thing. Does Jake know about your past?”
“Yes.” Dani gave Alyssa her own stare. “Are we done?”
“We’re done,” Alyssa said, and then smiled. “I’m sorry I was such an ass, but he’s my brother. You understand.”
No, she didn’t. Not really. And that was the problem.
“Of course,” she lied. “I’m going for a walk.” She left the room before Alyssa could say anything more.
“Excuse me, dear,” Mrs. H called from the kitchen, before Dani could take more than three steps toward the front door and freedom.
Dammit. Dani wanted to hit something—specifically Jake, for dragging her into this house.
“Yes, Mrs. Harrison?”
“It’s Emily, Danielle. Can you come help me? I could use an extra set of hands.”
Dani reminded herself of everything she’d been through and how this was nothing compared to any of that. She straightened her shoulders and went to help in the kitchen.
Thirty minutes later, Dani wondered if anyone would notice if she killed Jake’s mother and buried her in the backyard. Someone would probably thank her.
“Really, dear,” Mrs. Harrison said. “Haven’t you ever baked a pie before? It’s one of Jake’s favorite desserts.”
Dani counted to ten before she answered. “Like I said before, kitchen stuff isn’t my forte. I tend to let Jake do the cooking.”
“But what about when he’s away? Or what if he’s tired?”
Dani had already answered these questions twice, and decided to ignore them this time. She continued to roll out the dough for the pie Mrs. H was making.
“Not so hard, Danielle. You’ll make the crust tough.”
“Well, we can’t have tough crust.” Dani set the rolling pin on the counter with a bit too much force. “I’m going to go see if Jake can help you out, since it’s his dessert.” She strode out of the kitchen before the woman could say another word.
* * *
The chill in the car was enough to make the Huntsman see his own breath, but he didn’t start the car to warm himself. Someone would notice an idling car on this suburban street and that would add complications. Besides, he could handle a little hardship now for the thrill he knew was coming. He ran a finger along the partially serrated edge of the knife he held and smiled.
He studied the house, with its Christmas tree displayed in one front window. Just a few moments ago, his target had been framed in the other. She’d stood there long enough for him to make a kill shot, but he preferred skin-on-skin contact with his prey. He liked to hear begging and tears before he killed.
That would be his Christmas present to himself.
Chapter 2
Dani avoided the den where Jake was, even though she’d told Mrs. H she was going to get him. At this point, she was pretty sure she’d hit him if she actually saw him.
She took a deep breath and stepped into a room near the front door, away from the study where Alyssa still hid. It was some kind of formal living room, with a couch and matching chairs arranged neatly before a fireplace. A grand piano waited in the far corner, but the thing that grabbed her attention was the Christmas tree. Massive and real, it stood before the large window overlooking the front yard. It had been decorated as beautifully and artificially as the rest of the house, every scarlet ribbon and golden ornament perfectly in place.
She’d seen pictures of rooms like this in magazines. She’d certainly never lived in a place that had one. At least it was blessedly empty. And quiet. Most of all, quiet.
She flopped onto the couch. Well, she tried to flop, but the curvy-backed couch wasn’t as cushy as it looked and she bounced hard.
“This is not a couch I’d want to watch TV on,” she muttered.
“The TV is in the other room,” a high voice said from across the room.
Dani sat up straight. A little girl, about five, sat under the piano playing with trains. She had a ponytail that barely contained her brown curls, with wild strands hanging by the sides of her face. She frowned at Dani. “Are you going to tell my mom?”
Dani raised her eyebrows. “Am I going to tell your mom what?”
Her mom must be Jake’s sister Jessie. Dani knew Alyssa didn’t have kids, and didn’t think anyone else was here.
“Are you going to tell my mom that I’m no
t sokalizing?”
Dani tilted her head. “Socializing?”
The girl nodded.
Dani shook her head. “Nope. In fact,” she said, leaning back and closing her eyes, “I’m going to pretend you’re not here.”
The girl was silent. Dani took that to mean that they’d made a pact to ignore each other. Then she felt the cushions of the couch depress beside her. She cracked one eye open.
The little girl sat on her knees, looking at her. “My name’s Cassie.”
“Hi, Cassie. I’m Dani.” She closed her eyes again. She really didn’t feel like chatting.
“Why are you hiding?”
Because your grandmother is an oppressive housewife who wants to show me how to make Jake happy through food. She sighed. “Because.”
“Because why?”
Dani sat up. “You’re not going to leave me alone, are you?”
Cassie shrank back from her, her little face scrunching up. Dani wilted inside. She didn’t need to take her feelings about the family out on the kid. “Look, I’m sorry, Cassie. I just don’t fit in here and it makes me…cranky.”
Cassie nodded. “My mom says I’m cranky in the mornings.”
Dani smiled, picturing the girl growling at her mother when she tried to get her out of bed. “I can relate to that.”
“You’re Uncle Jake’s friend.”
Dani nodded, not sure where the girl was going with this.
“My mom says Uncle Jake fights bad guys. Do you fight bad guys too?”
Dani’s lips quirked into a small smile. “Yeah,” she said, thinking about the cyber criminals she tracked down for E.D.G.E. “I do.”
“When I grow up, I want to fight bad guys too.” Cassie smiled at her, showing off a missing front tooth.
Dani’s smile grew more genuine. “How about I hang out with you for a while? What are you doing?”
Cassie bounced off the couch and ran to the piano. She gathered her trains and dumped them onto the coffee table. “This is Thomas.” She held up a blue train. “She’s the leader.”
Dani raised an eyebrow. “Thomas is a girl?”
Cassie frowned. “They’re all girls. There’s Thomas and Edward and Henry and…” Cassie proceeded to describe her trains to Dani, who nodded appropriately and concealed her smile as she listened.
It wasn’t long before she got caught up playing trains with the girl, hooking them together so they could all go to a party.
At one point, she felt eyes on them. Jake stood in the doorway, a smile on his face. Dani shrugged. “How can I say no to trains?”
He stepped into the room and caught Cassie as she flung herself at him.
“Uncle Jake!”
“Hey, Squirt. Is your mom here?”
“No, she went home to find peace and quiet.”
Jake laughed. “Of course she did. You’re hanging out with us today?”
Cassie nodded. “Later, Aunt Alyssa is going to take me to a toy store. She wants to buy me a Christmas present! Early!” She clapped her hands.
Jake laughed, but Dani froze. Was she supposed to get Cassie a present? She had gotten Jake’s parents gifts that he’d suggested, but hadn’t thought much beyond that. She hadn’t really celebrated Christmas in such a long time that she wasn’t sure what to do. It had been too long since she’d had a real family.
She could remember Christmases when her parents had been alive, but once they’d died, the holiday had been such a series of disappointments that she’d avoided anything to do with it since she was a teen. Spending Christmas Eve with Chuck was her limit of goodwill usually.
Christmas with the Harrison family seemed almost too much. As if she’d gone from starving to gorging on a feast. The overload of family made her feel overfull of emotion and slightly nauseated at the same time.
Jake chatted easily with Cassie, crouching down to her level as they spoke about what presents the little girl hoped to find under the tree. Dani shrugged off the smothering feeling. It wasn’t hard when she looked at Jake’s chiseled features and his easy grin. Just take Christmas as it comes, she thought. There were way worst ways to spend the holiday than with a sexy hunk.
“Want to see what I’m giving you for Christmas?” Cassie asked Jake.
He laughed. “Don’t you think we should wait until Christmas morning?”
“No,” she shouted and ran under the piano. She pulled out a red cloth bag with a grunt. She dragged it over to them and reached inside. She handed a rock to Jake and then pulled out another one and handed that to Dani.
Dani wanted to laugh, but she didn’t. The rock fit in the palm of her hand and one side was smooth. On it, Cassie had painted a white stick figure with wings and a slash of gold over its head.
“It’s the Christmas angel,” Cassie said seriously. “She’ll watch over you when you fight the bad guys.”
Dani’s throat tightened. “Thanks, kid.”
She nodded and grabbed Dani’s hand. “It’s time to go bake cookies with Grannie. Come on.”
Shit. Not the kitchen again.
* * *
Jake lazed in the chair beside his father, watching the game. He kept track of the murmuring female voices in the kitchen but hadn’t heard any sharp tones yet, so he left Dani on her own.
It had been ages since he’d come home, and longer still since he’d made it home at Christmas. His family wasn’t particularly religious, but Christmas had always been a special time.
He rubbed Sammy’s ears while she rested her head in his lap. One day when he was more settled, it would be nice to get a dog. He looked around. And maybe a house. What would it be like to hear his child’s laughter in his own home? It was a thought he’d never entertained before meeting Dani, and one that had been intruding more and more lately.
“So she’s the one for you, son?”
Jake startled out of his thoughts and looked at his father. His gray eyes were the same as Jake’s, and right now they looked at him with amusement. “It’s a helluva ride when a woman gets into your heart, isn’t it? Is she the right one for you?”
Was Dani the right one for him? He sure as hell hoped so. He nodded. “She’s the one.”
“You gonna do it this weekend?”
He snorted. “And how do you know what I’m thinking of doing?”
His dad lifted his eyebrows. “’Cause you’re my son. And I know that once you make up your mind to do something, it usually happens quickly.”
Jake opened his mouth to reply when he heard something slam in the kitchen. Dani stalked into the room moments later.
“So the cookie making went well?” He tried hard to suppress his amusement.
Dani’s eyes sparked and she glanced at his father before answering. “Your mother has it all under control.” She turned to leave.
“Dani,” he said. She pulled up but didn’t turn back. “You look…” Pissed. Again he suppressed a smile. “You look like you could use a walk. Want to go outside with me?”
She nodded once and continued into the hall.
His dad gave a soft laugh. “You’re gonna have fun with that one.”
Jake grinned. Yes, he was.
Minutes later, they crunched through the snow. It had been a cold December so far, but it was still warmer in New York than it was in Montréal, with its brutal wind off the St. Lawrence River.
Jake held Dani’s hand, though she’d been resistant at first. He didn’t speak but just walked at a good pace, letting the fresh air and exercise do what he couldn’t: calm her mind and soothe her thoughts.
“Sorry,” Dani finally said. “I’m just not used to families.”
“It’s okay,” Jake said. “I’m not asking you to love them, or even like them. I just wanted you to meet.”
She looked at him with hopeful eyes. “You mean I don’t have to see them again?”
“I didn’t say that,” he said with a laugh. “They are my family. Come on, it can’t be that bad.”
She didn’t say anyth
ing, but her lips compressed as if she were trying to keep her answer inside. That didn’t bode well. He wondered if he should change his plan. A Christmas Eve proposal had sounded romantic and what he figured a woman would want, but now he wasn’t sure Dani would be able to handle another day with his family.
He needed to test the waters.
“Why don’t we get married?”
His eyes widened. Holy fuck. Where had that come from? That was not what he wanted to say, and definitely not how he’d wanted to say it.
She stopped walking and stared at him. “You can’t be serious.”
Now that took him aback. “Why wouldn’t I be serious?”
She scowled. “For two reasons. One, you obviously haven’t thought about the proposal since you don’t even have a ring. So spending time at your family home has made you nostalgic and your family’s special brand of cray-cray has obviously worn off on you.”
He frowned. “Special brand of cray-cray?”
“And two,” she continued, her voice rising. “If you knew me at all, you’d know that getting married is the last thing I want in life.” She turned and stomped back the way they’d come.
Jake watched her go.
What. The. Fuck.
* * *
Get married? Was he even serious?
“No,” she muttered. “He didn’t even have a ring.”
A small part of her brain acknowledged that if he’d asked her yesterday, or even this morning, she wouldn’t have scoffed. She probably would have said yes without thinking twice. But he obviously hadn’t planned the proposal.
She stomped her way along the shoveled sidewalk in the perfect suburb to the perfect house.
“He probably only proposed because he was in his old house, with his mommy and daddy—”
“Are you talking to yourself?”
Dani stopped walking and looked around. No one but her and the tree in front of Jake’s home.
She looked up. Sure enough, Cassie sat on one of the icy tree limbs, with more hair falling out of her ponytail. Her gray eyes stared intently at Dani.
“Yes,” Dani said.