“Good. Look, why don’t you take some time, get over that woman and then decide if this is what you really want.”
“Fair enough, but don’t get your hopes up.”
“I’ll be waiting to hear from you.”
“Thank you, Sir.”
Miguel hung up and then started planning his business trips. The sooner he got out of town the better.
Faith woke up to the same sound she had been hearing for weeks…Alex crying. Her heart broke for her best friend.
“Alex, I hate seeing you like this.”
“I’m sorry, I woke you up, didn’t I?”
“Ehh, sleep is overrated.”
“I feel so weak and pathetic. I want to forget him and move on but I just can’t.”
“Maybe he isn’t meant to be forgotten?”
“I don’t have a choice, Faith…”
“Oh, we always have a choice.”
“I can’t tell you what he did but I don’t think I can ever get past it.”
“Blah, blah, blah…listen, what he did, was it to intentionally hurt you?”
“No.”
“He didn’t cheat on you, correct?”
“No, he didn’t.”
“Did he abuse you? Because if he did, I’d have to hurt him!”
“No, he’d never hit me.”
“So if he didn’t do anything to hurt you and he didn’t cheat on you then what you’re saying is that he loves you but you aren’t willing to give him a second chance?”
“It’s not a matter of willing.”
“No, have you tried?”
“No, but.”
“Alex, I’ve never seen you like this. You are miserable, I can’t imagine you being any more miserable if you tried. Maybe you should give Miguel that second chance and see if you can forgive him.”
“I don’t know if I can.”
“Do me a favor and think about it, really think about it. Do you want to spend the rest of your life without him?” Faith got up and kissed Alex on the top of her head. “I’m going to hit the shower.”
Alex sat there pondering for a minute and then she decided maybe she would go for a run to clear her head.
Miles got Miguel’s text to meet him at the office as soon as he could. Miles was half asleep but he dragged himself up and headed to work.
“Hey, what’s so urgent that you had to wake me up?”
“We have to leave for London this afternoon. McGuire Trust is opening up a new headquarters and we need to go over the plans.”
“So basically you’re running away from home?”
“No, I have work to do.”
“Migs, you already have the account, there is no reason you have to personally go there to discuss anything.”
Miguel stood up and started to pace. “Ok, fine, yes I need to get away. Seeing Alex last night was more painful than being shot. I can’t handle it. If you don’t want to come, then don’t come but I have to leave town for a while.”
“Ok, I think some time away may be good for you and of course I’m in. I’m your right hand man and you’re the best friend a guy could ever have.”
“Ditto, Man.”
“I will run home and pack and meet you at the airport.”
Alex was out running. She kept thinking about what Faith said about how miserable she was. Maybe she should try to give Miguel a second chance, maybe if he promised not to go on those missions anymore…Alex was shaken from her thoughts when a big black SUV pulled in front of her and two men jumped out and stood one on each side of her.
“Don’t scream. We’re not going to hurt you.”
“Who are you and what do you want?” Alex’s voice was shaky.
“Our boss would like to have a few words with you.”
“Who’s your boss?”
The two men looked at one another and then one of them replied. “Simmons.”
Alex’s eyes grew wide. What if he thought she knew too much and he was planning to kill her? Simmons was the top man, the one who hired Miguel and his friends and turned them into killers. She turned and tried to run but the one guy grabbed her. He didn’t put her down, he carried her over to the truck and placed her inside.
“This is kidnapping; you can’t do this.” Alex started to shake and then tears started to fall. “Please, please let me go.”
“We can’t, we were asked to bring you in and that’s what we are doing.”
“Please, I already swore that I wouldn’t tell anyone about what I saw.”
“Simmons only wants to talk to you. Nobody’s going to hurt you. You will be back home in a few hours. I promise. Blade is a friend of ours, you can trust us.”
Alex looked at them, sure they looked innocent enough but so did Miguel, how did she know they weren’t going to chop her up and then dispose of her body. “Where are you taking me?”
“I’m sorry but we can’t disclose the location. In fact, I’m going to have to ask you to place this over your eyes.” The man handed Alex a blindfold.
“You’re going to kill me, aren’t you?”
“No ma’am, I swear on the life of my wife and child; Simmons only wants to have a few words with you and then we will bring you home.”
Alex didn’t know why but she believed him. She placed the blindfold over her eyes and then prayed that her intuition was right.
Simmons sat waiting for Alex to arrive. There weren’t many people he would go out of his way for but Miguel certainly was one of them. He was very concerned after his phone conversation with him earlier. In all the years he had known Miguel, he had never heard him sound that way. Luckily, he thought to call Miles and Miles filled him in. He wasn’t sure exactly what he was going to say to Alex but he sure as hell was going to make sure she knew exactly just what kind of person Miguel was.
The truck came to a stop. “Ok, we’re going to get out now. You need to leave the blindfold on until we’re inside. I will lead you in.”
Alex didn’t say anything. At this point she was mentally exhausted. She allowed the man to escort her inside without any resistance.
“Ok we’re inside now. You can take off the blindfold. I will be right outside the door.”
Alex took off the blindfold. There was a man sitting at a small table across the room. He was in all black and had on sunglasses.
“Hello, Alex.”
“Why am I here? What do you want from me?”
“I don’t want to hurt you. I just need a few minutes of your time.”
“My time? You had me kidnapped for a few minutes of my time!” Now Alex’s panic was turning into anger.
“Alex, please come sit down. I will explain.”
“I don’t want to sit down. I want to go home.” Alex pulled on the door but it was locked. Before she could turn around Simmons was standing behind her.
“I don’t like to play games Miss DiPietro, now sit down.”
Suddenly, Alex was afraid again. The tone of voice that Simmons used scared the hell out of her. She walked over to the chair and sat down.
“That’s better.”
“Look, I gave my statement to those other men who questioned me and I promised to keep quiet…”
“This isn’t about that. This is about Blade, umm, Miguel.”
Alex’s heart sunk. Maybe Miguel was injured or worse…dead. Maybe that’s why they brought her here? In her panic she blurted out, “Is he dead?”
“Dead, no he’s not dead.”
Alex dropped her face into her hands. “Oh thank God.”
“Well that’s half my battle.”
“Battle?”
“You’re still in love with him.”
“It doesn’t matter, it’s over.”
“But it’s not over, you still care about him.”
“I’m not discussing my personal life with you.” Alex got up.
“Sit down.”
Alex sat back down. “I want to go home.”
Simmons handed Alex a photo of a man smiling and hol
ding a newborn baby.
Alex took the photo and looked at it. “Is this your son and grandchild?”
“No, that’s Jakey, the man that was rescued.”
“Oh. He looks different.” Alex placed the photo back down on the table. “I don’t understand what this has to do with me?”
“If Miguel didn’t go on that mission and rescue him, he wouldn’t have been there for the birth of his child.”
Alex glanced over at the photo again and then back to Simmons. “You brought me here to show me a photo of Jakey?”
Simmons dropped a stack of photos down on the desk. “Not just Jakey.”
Alex flipped through the photos. “Who are all these people and what do they have to do with me?”
“Those are just a handful of the people that Miguel has rescued over the years.”
“Do you keep photos of all the people he has killed too?” Alex stood up.
“Sit down.”
“No, I’m not sitting down this time. Go ahead kill me or…”
“I’m trying to help you Miss DiPietro, I have no intention of killing you. Please just hear me out. I understand that you view Miguel as a killer but I want you to see Miguel for who he really is.”
“Why? What do you care what I think about Miguel?”
“I care because Miguel is one of the best men I know. Now, I’d like to share a few things about him with you.”
“Fine, if it means I can leave when you are finished I will listen.”
“Miguel wasn’t even a Marine for a year before he made a name for himself. I started keeping tabs on him and continued to do so until he finished serving. At that time, I approached him and asked him if he would work for me. Initially he said no, but after a bit of coaxing he agreed. Not because he wanted to but because he saw it as a way to give his sister an education. Eden was able to graduate college, then law school. Cruz Contracting had made its first million and Miguel came to me and said he didn’t need to be paid any longer. I explained that my men don’t work for free so Miguel insisted that I donate all of his pay checks to children’s charities and that he remain anonymous.”
“Thank you for clarifying everything that I’ve already been told but…”
“I know what you saw was horrific and it shocked the hell out of you but all you saw was killing, not saving. Yes, men died but Jakey’s life was saved. Many lives have been lost but those lost, most of them, were evil criminals. Some of the good guys have lost their lives too and that is truly a damn shame but it’s what we do. We know the risks but we gear up and head in anyway when we get the call. Miguel has saved countless lives. He’s given children back their parents and wives their husbands. He’s gone through more than his nine lives and never once complained about it. You might see a cold blooded killer but what I see is an unsung hero who has given all of these people a second chance at a happy ending. Don’t you think he deserves the same?”
Alex stared down at the table. Tears rolled down her cheeks and her heart melted a bit. “May I go home now?”
“Yes, Miss DiPietro, you may.” Simmons got up from the table and walked over to the door and knocked. The door opened and in came the same man who had walked Alex inside.
Alex took the blindfold and put it on. “I’m ready to go home, now.”
Alex couldn’t stop thinking about what Simmons had said. He was right Miguel was a hero, he was her hero. She needed to see him.
“Can I have my phone now, it’s an emergency.”
“You will be home soon.”
“Please, I need to call Miguel.”
The two men looked at one another and then one of them handed her the phone. Alex pulled off her blindfold.
“Alright, I’m going to pretend that you still have that on.”
Alex smiled. “Thank you.” Alex dialed Miguel’s phone but it went straight to voicemail, so she called Eden.
“Hello.”
“It’s Alex, do you know where your brother is?”
“He’s probably at the airport, he’s leaving for London. He said he needed to get away. I’m sorry, Alex.”
“I see. I’m sorry I bothered you.” Alex hung up. “He’s gone.”
“Gone?”
“He’s leaving the country.”
“Now?”
“His sister said he is probably at the airport.”
One of the men opened the partition between the front and back seat. “Hey, can you get us to the airport as quickly as possible.”
“Thank you. Now I just have to hope I’m not too late.”
Miles was walking around the airport while he waited for Miguel, who ran into one of his clients in the airport bar.
“Miles! Miles!” Miles turned around and saw Alex running towards him.
“Alex, is everything alright?”
“Please tell me Miguel hasn’t left yet and that’s why you’re still standing here?”
“Bingo!”
“I need to talk to him. I need to tell him that…that I still love him.”
Miguel boarded his plane. He put down his briefcase and walked straight over to the bar to grab a drink while he waited for Miles who insisted on running back to the vending machine for Twizzlers.
Miguel downed his drink. He turned around and saw a woman sitting with her back to him on the couch, he hadn’t taken two steps before he decided he was losing his mind because the woman looked like Alex.
“Alex?”
Alex stood up and turned around. “Hi.”
“What are you doing here?”
Alex walked over to Miguel. “Miles told me that you were going on a business trip and I thought that maybe you might need an escort?” Alex’s expression was a mix of a smile and tears.
Miguel’s stomach flopped, he couldn’t believe his ears. “Well, that depends on whether you agree to my stipulations?”
“Which are?”
“This position is permanent; you don’t get any days or nights off but the benefits are endless.” Miguel had tears rolling down his cheeks. He reached for the chain around his neck that had Alex’s engagement ring hanging from it. He removed the ring and then reached for her hand.
Alex couldn’t believe that Miguel had been wearing her ring around his neck. With tears in her eyes and a huge smile on her face she yelped, “I accept.” Alex threw her arms around Miguel’s neck and they kissed and kissed and kissed.
THE END
Read on for an excerpt from Secrets & Lies – Book 2 in the Undercover Love Series.
“MILES, YOU’RE SO BAD. I said I felt like a sundae, not that I wanted to be a sundae!”
Miles reached for the whipped cream. “Well, I felt like eating the sundae.” Miles wiggled his eyebrows.
“My God, oh myyyy God. Miles, that tongue is going to be the death of me.”
Miles didn’t reply, he just kept doing what he did best.
“Miles, are you home? I need to talk to you.”
Miles jumped up like a rocket taking off. “Who is that?”
Miles didn’t think it was the appropriate time to explain that the woman who was yelling to him was also the one who had his heart. “Someone who will be leaving in a minute. Stay here, I will be right back.”
Miles ran down the stairs. “What are you doing here?”
“We need to talk, you’re right, I was afraid but I’m not…” Miles had gotten close enough that the chocolate syrup, whipped cream and lipstick were visible on his neck and chest. “Oh my God, you’re with someone else?”
“Did you expect me to become a priest? You told me it was over, you’re the one who walked away, YOU!”
“Miles, are you coming back?” Miles looked towards the stairs.
“If you walk away from me now, it’s over for good.”
Also by Michelle Iannarelli
The You Series
Intoxicated by You
Craving You
Crazy Over You
Taming You
Underground Affair Series
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Ace of Spades
I would like to thank my family, especially my husband, children and my mother. I love you all so much. Thank you for being a part of this journey with me for the sixth time…and counting!
Taryn Broussard, the best Beta reader ever, you mean the world to me xoxo and more!
To my friends who have supported me through this yet again, you know who you are and I love you “more.” Thank you!
Miguel Pimentel – Thank you for accepting my offer to be on my cover. I feel so blessed to have you as the face of Miguel Cruz, and honored to have you as part of my “Book Baby” family!
Golden Czermak/FuriousFotog – I was so honored to have you shoot the Sheriff. You are an epic photographer and friend. I had a totally amazing time at this shoot. I look forward to many more Furious Covers.
To the talented designers at Dynamic Design Team who designed another awesome book cover. We are 6 for 6 now. Thank you!
To my Street Team – Thank you for all of your support.
To my readers, I thank you all from the bottom of my heart, your kindness, friendship and constant support means the world to me. You all bring a smile to my face every day. Thank you!
Love & Lies Page 18