True Deceptions (True Lies)

by Veronica Forand

  The trip to Oxford would take an hour or two depending on traffic. Driving provided him time to think and plan the next few weeks in their assignment…as long as he didn’t glance at the blonde beauty passed out next to him. She could break the concentration of a Tibetan monk.

  Even seven sheets to the wind, she was captivating. Every male in the restaurant had focused on her alone when she’d walked by their tables. Yet she didn’t have a clue how her appearance affected the men around her. Pauline deserved a lot of credit. She’d transformed an innocent surfer girl into a sexy companion every man in Simon’s world would love to possess. Her looks would both help his assignment and hinder it. He’d have to watch her everywhere they went. The men Simon did business with had no problem taking what they wanted, consequences be damned.

  Forty-five minutes into their journey, Cassie stirred.

  “Simon?” She swiped at his shoulder, missing it. Her hand fell between them, motionless.

  “I’m here.” He reached out, rested his hand on her thigh, and squeezed, more to comfort her than to seduce her.

  “My stomach hurts,” she whispered.

  “You ate a lot tonight.” And drank a lot.

  She sat up with a jerk and covered her mouth. “Pull over.”

  “Now?” In the middle of the motorway?

  “Now.”

  Fifteen minutes later, Cassie, cleaned up from their emergency stop, was drinking a ginger ale to settle her rebellious stomach.

  “I’ll never eat like that again.” The strain in her voice gave Simon pause, but once on this path, she’d committed to going all the way. No U-turns permitted.

  “When you and I are finished together, and you’re safely tucked back in your little office, you can live on lettuce and potatoes.” He left his hand resting on her leg. She needed to become comfortable with him. She needed to trust him. “Until then, you eat what I eat.”

  She shrugged as though she didn’t have a say in the matter anyway. She didn’t, so her cooperation was a bonus. “Can I ask where we’re headed?”

  “Oxford. I have some business to take care of. You’ll wait in the car.”

  “That’s fine.” Her eyes closed again, and silence returned.

  His job would be easier if she remained asleep. He cut the engine, double-checked his gun, and looked over at her one more time. Her innocence and beauty made him ache for something he swore he’d never desire again.

  “Goodnight, angel.” He kissed her on the forehead and headed toward the familiar brick house.

  Two white cameras pointed into the yard to warn intruders of the security system. If the owners were smart, and they were, they’d have two hidden cameras near the others. The large ones warded off people with no bravery or brains, and the hidden cameras recorded the movements of those who assumed the destruction of the visible cameras would cover their crimes.

  He tossed a small stone at one of the cameras. It hit the lens, but didn’t shatter it. He waved in the same direction and then used his key to open the back door. With a minimal amount of noise, he slipped into the kitchen.

  He strode past the large stove where he’d cooked hundreds of breakfasts and countless dinners and stopped at the refrigerator to grab a beer. Home. Or as close to a home as possible for a person who had stayed off the radar most of his life. This place had always been a haven away from his work, but now he needed to find a way to convince the people he cared most about to assist him with a quick transaction. A simple arms deal would reassure his suppliers and potential buyers of his ability to deliver after such a long absence.

  The kitchen light flashed on. A small woman with the face of a fairy, dressed in an oversize men’s flannel pajama top, ran toward him, zipping up her jeans. Her brown hair and pink streaks fluttered behind her.

  He braced for his deserved pounding.

  “You bastard. How dare you disappear and not tell us?” Her booming American accent ricocheted across the room, yet her frown quickly transformed into a smile. She propelled herself into his arms and gave him a hug.

  He pulled her close, relieved to see her healthy and safe. “You look good. How are you feeling?” he murmured into the top of Alex’s head. Last time he’d seen her, she’d been beaten into unconsciousness and had broken bones and bruises in every part of her body. From the way she sprinted toward him, her leg must have healed as well.

  “Fine. What about you? Henry’s been worried.”

  “I wasn’t worried.” Henry, wearing the flannel pajama bottoms that matched Alex’s top, leaned against the doorframe and smiled. “I figured you’d headed to a beach somewhere with a beautiful woman in one arm and a bottle of vodka in the other.”

  “Something like that.” Simon released Henry’s wife and went over to him, extending his arm to shake hands and then slapping him on the shoulder. “Congratulations on your wedding. Sorry I missed it.”

  “It would have been nice to have my brother there, but I had enough to deal with that day with Alex’s father. He insisted she was lowering her standards to marry me.”

  “Understandable. You are only a professor and an earl. He could probably buy both Oxford University and your castle in Ripon without making a dent in his cash flow.” As Simon recalled, Henry and Mr. Northrop’s first meeting had begun with a fight between Henry and his future father-in-law’s security guard.

  Alex hopped up to sit on the island and crossed her legs. “We appreciated the gift.”

  He’d returned a painting he’d taken from Henry for a sting operation—an action he’d always regret, as it put his family in danger.

  “Something borrowed and something blue.” If he could make it up to them, he would. Now, however, he needed to borrow something even more important to Henry than the painting. “I’m really sorry. About everything.”

  “Apology accepted. Right, Henry?” Alex stated.

  Henry just shook his head and headed across the room to stand next to Alex. “You’re a bloody idiot sometimes. We all could have been killed.”

  “But we weren’t.” She pulled him closer to her and caressed his shoulders. “No harm, no holding grudges.”

  Her leg bounced up and down as she continued to hold her husband. Henry had picked a hyper wife, but a truly good one. Simon envied him.

  Henry focused on Simon. “Are you home for a while? You’re always welcome here.”

  “There’s no way I’m moving back here and disturbing this love fest. I have a flat in London.”

  “Are you still with Nicola?” Alex asked, peeking around Henry. It was her way of finding out what had happened to her. She wasn’t authorized to find out, and he hoped she wouldn’t push for information.

  “No. She left me.” He’d kept his former partner’s identity hidden from Henry by referring to her as a long-term girlfriend. He’d never gotten around to introducing them. Alex, however, had met her the week Nicola had died. His failure to save her still ripped at his soul and numbed his heart. Only the bleak remnants of a one-sided love story remained.

  He pushed his thoughts away from his past and focused on his present, and the sleeping beauty in the car. He’d never fall for a partner again. The pain wasn’t worth the benefits.

  Alex jumped down from the island and grabbed sparkling water for herself and a beer for Henry. When she looked back at Simon, she gave him a slight nod. She’d respect his wish to keep Nicola a secret.

  Simon threw them his trademark grin, the one he barely used anymore. “I’ve replaced her with a gorgeous blonde named Cassie.”

  “Will we ever meet her? Or will she be another phantom girlfriend?” Henry asked.

  “It depends.” He hoped she’d stay sleeping in the car. Bringing her here had been a stupid idea. If she met Alex and Henry, she’d be one step further entwined in his life. He didn’t want or need attachments. He needed sex with a nameless beauty, one who didn’t work with him, and a solid business relationship with his partner.

  They spent several minutes sharing details
of the wedding and non-details of Simon’s time away. Between Henry’s classes at Oxford University and his and Alex’s work with the Ripon Women’s Group, a charity for battered women and their families, they’d settled into their marriage with ease.

  Simon should really take more interest in the Ripon’s Women’s Group. Henry had founded it to pay homage to their respective mothers. Their father had beat the shit out of both his wife, Henry’s mother, and his mistress, Simon’s mother. Each woman had made excuses about why she needed him in her life. The abuse ended after the boys had discovered each other’s existence in their teenage years and joined forces. They’d met up with their father late one night and gave him some advice. If either of their mothers showed up with even the slightest bruise on any part of her body, the boys would inflict triple the pain on their father.

  When Alex finished her detailed description of their wedding, Simon refocused on business. Keeping his attention on her, he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. He needed her and had only a few minutes to convince her to come with him. “Do you still appraise art since becoming a countess?”

  She nodded. “I hire myself out as an independent consultant, so I can work as much as I’d like and escape up to Ripon with Henry when I need a break.”

  “Are you currently engaged?”

  “Why?” Henry interrupted. Damn. He knew where Simon was headed with his questions.

  “I may have a short term project for her.”

  “No.” Henry’s eyes narrowed. Simon couldn’t blame him. His work was never benign.

  Alex stopped Henry from continuing by flashing him the palm of her hand. “Henry, you have no say over my professional life.”

  “Right, but I have a lot of say regarding your health and safety, and his assignments tend to involve guns. Lots of them.”

  Alex’s expression brightened. She loved challenges, and Simon was more than willing to provide her one.

  “This doesn’t involve art. I’m doing a simple trade with several hundred diamonds. I just need an appraiser,” he told her.

  Henry shook his head. “She’s not a jeweler.”

  Simon glanced at the heirloom ring on her finger. “She can tell the difference between a black diamond and a black sapphire with her naked eye. I think she qualifies.”

  “When?” Alex ignored Henry.

  “Next weekend.”

  “Where?”

  “Sofia.”

  “No.” Henry stood and walked over to him. “Simon, don’t mess with our lives anymore.”

  His younger half brother’s face turned an unflattering shade of crimson, and his hands tightened into fists, but he wouldn’t swing. Henry had never bested Simon in a fight. What really caught Simon’s attention, however, was how Henry’s anger had been directed at him. In fact, he hadn’t once tried to influence Alex’s decision. Interesting.

  Simon took a casual sip of his drink and leaned back, as though the assignment would be risk free. “It’s one favor. I’ll even let her choose a diamond to keep, if they are indeed real.”

  “What are you exchanging for the diamonds?” Henry asked.

  Enough guns to supply a rebel militia in Africa. “You don’t want to know.”

  Alex stood and headed to the hallway. “Sure. Sounds fun.”

  “If you go, I’m going too.” Henry called out after her. “Someone needs to look out for your safety. Lord knows Simon’s focus will be elsewhere.” His mouth curled into a snarl. “If one pink hair on her head is harmed, I’ll rip out your heart and use it for target practice.”

  His threat was weak. Henry had used his tactical skills from his days as a sniper to rescue Alex. For his efforts, someone had blown off a knuckle in his right hand. His aim had to be as off as his crooked finger.

  “I’ll take care of her.”

  “Damn you, Simon.” Henry’s shoulders sagged. “I can’t lose her again.”

  He had a point, and yet Simon was a selfish son of a bitch. He knew it. If he used Alex just this once, he’d be back in the game and able to save thousands of lives by keeping guns from the enemy. He’d return the countess to Henry within a few hours.

  Several minutes later, Alex called out from the other room, “Simon, you left the light on in your car. I’ll get it.”

  Damn. Cassie is awake.

  He leaped toward the door and sprinted out the back, only to watch Alex introducing herself to his new partner. The women walked back to the house together. Cassie still wore her skyscraper boots and towered over Alex by more than a foot.

  Henry approached Simon from behind. “Cassie?” His tone had softened, but he still sounded aggravated.

  “Yeah.”

  A smile curved his mouth up, and he smacked Simon on the shoulder. “Wow. I’m impressed.”

  Wow pretty much described the Amazon goddess walking into the kitchen. Even tired and a little wobbly in her sky-high boots, she dominated the space.

  “Cassie Watson, I’d like to introduce Henry and Alexandra Chilton, the Earl and Countess of Ripon.” He left out the family ties.

  Cassie lifted her eyebrows at the mention of the title, but otherwise held it together. “Nice to meet you both.”

  “Call us Alex and Henry.” Alex clasped her hand. “Would you like a drink?”

  “Water would be great.”

  Alex buzzed around the kitchen and asked her a thousand personal questions. Cassie answered like a pro with her fake story—meeting Simon at a party, never finishing college, moving to England for a change of pace. She’d led an interesting fictitious life, although Simon preferred her real history.

  When they all settled at the table, Alex and Cassie fell into a longwinded discussion about living on the East Coast of the United States versus living on the West Coast. Benign enough. Simon ran up to his room to pack a few of his things, including a tuxedo, three suits, and a briefcase containing several guns and ammunition, which had been hidden under the floor in his closet. This had been his primary residence before Alex attached herself to Henry, and before Nicola died. He placed the clothes in a suit bag and carried everything downstairs.

  When he arrived back in the kitchen, Henry was sitting at the island, nursing his drink. Alex and Cassie remained at the table, completely engrossed in each other.

  Simon sat on the stool next to Henry.

  “She’s not your usual type,” Henry said with a smirk.

  “Yes, she is. All the women I date are gorgeous.”

  “Maybe, but Cassie seems more intelligent than the women you used to bring around. She mentioned her preference for the Ninth Doctor, knew Sofia is the capital of Bulgaria, and laughed when we told her how lucky she was to be with you.”

  Simon froze. “You mentioned my assignment to her?”

  “Alex said she was excited to travel to Sofia. She never told Cassie why she was going.”

  “Do not speak to her about my work. Do you understand?” His voice came out threatening. He didn’t want Cassie in Sofia. She was assigned to work with him on the drones, not on an unrelated arms deal in Bulgaria.

  Henry raised his eyebrows. “You’re taking my wife into a dangerous situation. God knows why I trust you, but I do. I’d appreciate you reciprocating the feeling. Calm down.”

  How could he calm down? The more she knew about assignments that didn’t concern her, the more vulnerable she’d be later. He needed her safe in the flat until SOFEX Jordan. Not because he cared about her, because he didn’t. Yet her expertise made her a valuable commodity.

  He turned away from Henry and approached Cassie, his suit bag slung over his shoulder. “Time to go, angel. We have a long drive.”

  Henry followed Simon to the table and placed his hand on Alex’s shoulder. “Call me later. I want details.”

  “Will do.” Simon waved to Alex, then clasped Cassie’s hand and led her to the door before she had a chance to make plans with her new friend.

  His arm gripped her elbow to prevent her from falling over in the boots
.

  “I like your friends,” Cassie said, strapping into the SUV. She turned toward him, her expression skeptical. “They don’t act very dangerous.”

  “You’d be surprised.”

  “How do you know them?”

  He fired up the engine. “Old acquaintances.”

  She sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. “You’re not going to tell me anything, are you?”

  “You know everything you should. Don’t try to make this relationship personal.” He didn’t want to like her, but he did. If only he could erase all the pleasant memories of the evening—the romantic dinner, meeting his family. This was just a job, and she was merely the hired help.

  They rode in silence.

  She closed her eyes and remained quiet until they arrived in London. Why did she have to be so beautiful? And trusting? And nice? If he took her to Sofia, Teodor would follow her around like a teenage boy with his first hard-on and screw up Simon’s ability to focus on the deal. She was better off in London for the time being.

  He opened her door and shook her shoulder. “Get up.”

  Blonde hair covered her face. She shifted, and her hair fell over her shoulders. “I’m up.”

  She arched her back and stretched her legs. Part of her makeup had smudged around her eyes. The slight imperfection annoyed him. He licked his finger and rubbed it smooth.

  Yes, she was intelligent and articulate, but she’d never develop into a competent field agent. In his experience, people either had street smarts or not. She didn’t. She’d probably take a bullet rather than harm someone. The urge to protect her overrode his instincts. Nicola took care of herself and would think nothing of slitting a man’s throat if he attempted to hurt her. It was one of her best qualities. Cassie wouldn’t be able to fend off a mosquito. He shouldn’t lose sleep over her inevitable demise. She wasn’t his responsibility. In fact, he’d transfer her back to MI6 headquarters at Vauxhall Cross if he could. So why the hell was he so conflicted about her?

  He helped her inside the flat and almost came undone when she faced him to say good night. She stared at him, and her lips curved up. It wasn’t meant to be seductive, but the gesture brought his focus to her mouth. He turned without a word and headed to bed.