Charlie drew in a breath to say something, probably argue as he always did when she lamented the dangers of their work, but before he could get out a word, the parlor door came open and a stranger strode inside. Ana spun on the intruder, but he didn’t even look in her direction as he headed for Charlie with a purposeful gait.
He was a tall, broad-shouldered man with dark hair that swept across his forehead and teased the top of his ears. His focused eyes were the color of slate. He carried himself like he belonged in her parlor, though he hadn’t been invited or even waited to be escorted by her harried staff. She tilted her head. He seemed vaguely familiar, but she couldn’t place him as he stopped in front of Charlie and gave a brief salute.
“She was shot?” he said without preamble.
Ana reeled. This man knew about Emily?
Charlie nodded once. “Yes.”
“Who is this?” Ana asked, pushing away from the fireplace as she made her way toward the man.
The stranger stiffened, spinning on her and pinning her in place with a piercing glance. His wariness was evident in the way he held himself, the way his eyes swept over her. Analyzing. Judging in an instant. She felt the very odd sensation that she had been stripped bare, laid out for this man to examine until he knew her every secret. Until he knew her very soul.
Charlie motioned to him. “Ana, this is Lucas Tyler. He was to be Emily’s partner in her investigation. He was the man she was on her way to meet when she was attacked tonight.”
She heard nothing more as hot blood rushed to her ears. All the emotions she had fought to manage since she saw Emily bleeding bubbled and spiraled out of control. She stumbled toward the man, unable to keep herself from balling her hands into trembling fists.
“You!” she cried, pushing into Tyler’s personal space without any thought for the propriety of such an action. Her anger was too powerful to deny. “This is your fault! Emily may be dying because of you!”
Chapter 2
L ucas looked from Charles Isley to the woman. He didn’t know who this bloodstained beauty was, coming at him with trembling fists and brown eyes shining with tears and accusations. And he certainly didn’t know what she was prattling on about. He was just as shocked about the attack on Emily Redgrave as anyone. But clearly this stranger knew something about Emily’s position as spy, or Isley wouldn’t have revealed so much information in front of her.
He ignored the woman since he could think of nothing to say to her indictment and asked Isley, “Is she dead?”
At that, his accuser stumbled back, her heated words dying on her lips as a tear trailed down her cheek. Just one. Silent, but it cut through Lucas like a straight blade, and at once he regretted his callous question. He didn’t know what kind of relationship Emily had with this woman, but clearly the lady cared for his would-be partner. He shouldn’t have been so blunt.
He was grateful when Isley stepped forward, his gaze flitting to the woman before he refocused on Lucas. “No. She was badly injured, but she lives. The doctor seems hopeful at her chances for survival, though there is no certainty.”
Lucas let out a long breath of relief. He had met with Emily several times in the past few weeks to compare notes and prepare for their case. They had butted heads at each and every turn. She was a stubborn, headstrong woman, determined to do whatever she wanted, his suggestions be damned. But he certainly wished her ladyship no harm and had come here with a heavy heart when he heard of the attack on her.
“That’s very good, Isley. I’m pleased to hear she has survived and has a chance. But surely you must see that this proves what I’ve been saying to you all along.”
Isley’s expression shifted, the frustration and anger lighting in his eyes as they always did when this subject was broached. “Don’t start on that, Tyler. Not now!”
Lucas folded his arms. “Now is the perfect time. Women should not be working in the field. It’s too dangerous, as tonight has shown. Clearly, Emily made a wrong move and—”
The woman he had all but forgotten let out a gasp of outrage, and once again she flew at him. A blast of floral scent preceded her, and her eyes sparkled with life and anger. Despite himself, despite the situation, Lucas was surprised by a sudden and very powerful explosion of lust. His body heat notched up and blood rushed to the most inconvenient places, even though she was railing at him.
What the hell?
“Emily is an excellent spy,” the young woman all but growled. “Tonight she was trapped, ambushed. That had nothing to do with her sex.”
Lucas stared at the woman. Did she tremble like that when she was kissed, as well? “Who are you?”
She stopped her tirade and seemed to notice that she was mere inches away from him, up on her tiptoes and right in his face. Not many men had dared to do that in his lifetime. And the women who had gotten so close were generally coming in for a kiss, not a fight. With a blush darkening her creamy skin, she backed away.
“I am Lady Anastasia Whittig,” she said, her voice softer, calmer. Her chin inched up with pride and outrage. “I am one of the spies you believe incapable of performing her duty.”
Lucas felt the corner of his lips curl up in an unstoppable smile at the way she held herself. A spitfire. He’d never been able to resist a spitfire and this one was a beauty, indeed. It had been a long time since he really saw a woman when he looked at her. Normally he gave them their pleasure, relieved his own needs, and never thought of them again. He just didn’t have the time nor inclination to involve himself past a night’s tumble.
But he saw Anastasia Whittig. In fact, he drank her in.
Big brown eyes that reflected every bit of emotion bubbling inside her. He had no doubt they would reflect desire just as brightly as they showed anger. Chestnut hair in a lopsided bun. Even her black mourning gown couldn’t cover up the lush curves of her body. It didn’t take much to imagine what she would look like without the gown confining her.
He shook off the thought. What was he thinking? This was not the moment to get caught up in lust for a woman. And especially not one of these Lady Spies, the quasi-mythical group that he honestly hadn’t believed existed until a month ago when he was ordered to work side by side with one of them.
“It really doesn’t matter anymore what I believe about this group’s abilities,” he said, tearing his gaze away from Anastasia with difficulty. “If Emily is so badly hurt that her very life is in the balance, she cannot break codes, let alone continue with our other plans. I’ll have to go back to working on my own.”
He stifled a smile. Though he would not have asked for it under these circumstances, alone was what he wanted anyway. He didn’t want some woman under his feet, needing to be rescued at every unexpected turn of their case. Besides, this situation was personal. He wanted to investigate it by himself. And now it seemed he would be able to just that.
Isley folded his arms and his eyes narrowed. “You need the talents these women possess.”
“I—” Lucas began, but Isley cut him off.
“Your organization has made no headway with this case for nearly a year. During the time you’ve bumbled around, more and more agents are being exposed and attacked.”
Anastasia broke her glare away from Lucas and looked at Charlie. The difference in her expression was night and day. Where her stare simmered with repressed anger when she looked at Lucas, she was nothing but light and sweetness when it came to Isley. Both the irate passion and the trusting innocence were equally appealing.
“Is that what Emily was investigating?” she asked.
Isley nodded. “There have been an increasing number of attacks on agents both at home and abroad recently,” he explained. “We believe someone has uncovered their identities and is either selling them to the highest bidder or carrying out assassinations and attacks himself for profit. Emily and Mr. Tyler here were working together to find out who is exposing our agents and how they are being attacked.”
Anastasia nodded. “Do you believe
Emily’s identity was revealed? Is that why she was assaulted tonight?”
Lucas’s head came up. He had never considered that a Lady Spy might be unmasked. Would anyone take their organization so seriously? But it made sense. Emily wouldn’t have gone through a bad neighborhood to reach their rendezvous point, and Isley had made no mention of a robbery or other motivation for her shooting. The attempt on her life could very well be related to her secret activities.
If someone had discovered Emily’s involvement in the world of spies, that meant they were getting closer to exposing him. And if that happened, Lucas would be removed from this case and any others until the assassin had been ferreted out and the extent of his exposure was known. The War Department wouldn’t let him work cases if they felt he was in danger of being caught because of identity leaks.
He couldn’t be removed from this case. It was too important. Too personal. He had to solve it and solve it quickly.
Isley shot Lucas a glance. “It’s hard to say if Emily was discovered. The use of women as spies is one of the deepest secrets in the War Department. But either way, Mr. Tyler needs our help. He’s been ordered to take our help.”
Lucas flinched. Yes, that was true. “Very well, Isley, but just what are you suggesting?” He folded his arms. “We’ve established Lady Allington won’t be going into the field any time soon. What would you have me do?”
Isley gave a little smile that Lucas didn’t trust at all. A cold chill ran up his spine. Whatever the man was about to say, he wasn’t going to like it.
“No, Emily can no longer work with you,” Isley conceded. “Even if she weren’t hurt, we can’t take the risk that her identity has been exposed. But there is one person who can help you.” He turned to Anastasia Whittig. “Ana.”
Ana actually felt the blood draining from her cheeks as both men turned to her. Despite her bravado in proclaiming herself a spy when Lucas Tyler questioned the ability of female agents, she wasn’t. In fact, in spite of her training, she was terrified of the prospect!
Lucas looked her up and down with the same sharp, all-seeing stare he had turned on her a few moments earlier. And like before she felt judged.
He shook his head with a dismissive air. “Her? In the field?”
Ana’s hackles rose, pushing aside her fears. What right did this pompous, arrogant man have to declare what she was and was not capable of? He who did not even know her beyond a few piercing glances and less than five exchanges of conversation?
She folded her own arms in mimicry of his tense posture.
“Actually, Mr. Tyler, I am the expert with code-breaking in our organization, not Emily, so if you’re looking for assistance in that arena, I’m the better choice. And if it means finding the person who attacked my friend and bringing him to justice, then I am more than happy to work in the field.” She couldn’t believe the words that were falling from her lips. Nor, apparently, could she stop them. “In fact, I insist upon it.”
Her rational mind screamed at her to stop talking. That she didn’t want to take to the field. That she wasn’t ready. But it was too late. The words had already escaped. Charlie was staring at her with a proud beam on his face. And Lucas Tyler was smirking in a way that made her want to load a pistol and charge into battle, if only to bring his superior attitude down a notch or two.
Irritating man.
He turned away from her pointed glare. “Look Isley, I never wanted to work with a woman in the first place, but at least it was clear Lady Allington knew what she was doing.” His gaze swung back to Ana. She shifted beneath it and the angry heat it inspired in her chest. “Have you even been in the field?”
Ana let her tense arms slowly ease to her sides. She shifted, dodging his seeking eyes. She hated how just a look from this man made her so nervous and unsure of herself. “I—I have worked on cases.”
His eyebrow arched. “In the field, my lady.”
Ana pursed her lips. She couldn’t avoid such a direct inquiry. “Only once. I assisted our other associate, Meredith Archer, in closing a case last year.”
He barked out a laugh of triumph. “And that is all?”
She nodded with reluctance. “But,” she continued, “I have done research, broken codes, developed devices…”
Lucas raised his hands and let them drop at his sides as he turned back to Charlie. “You see, she’s sequestered herself away doing research. She’s hardly faced any real danger. Her uncertainty could be deadly to us both.”
She gasped in outrage. “You twist my words! I never said I was uncertain.” Actually, she was very uncertain, but she wasn’t going to admit that to this man of all men.
He continued, dismissing her statement as if she hadn’t even spoken. “Her hesitation could put me in danger, and I certainly can’t guarantee her protection.”
Anastasia fisted her hands. Her whole body shook with outrage. “I never asked for your protection, Mr. Tyler! I can take care of myself.”
He spun back on her. “How?”
That stopped her. She wrinkled her brow. “How?”
He shook his head. “You cannot even answer the question.”
“Yes, I can,” she insisted. What was it about this man that brought out the worst in her? “I can shoot.”
He looked incredulous, but in that, at least, she was sure. She wasn’t the deadeye Meredith was, but she could fire a gun and hit her mark when required.
“And I have trained in physical defense,” she continued.
On that score she was less certain, but she remembered her training well enough. Emily insisted they practice down in Ana’s workroom once a week to keep their skills honed. She had even put Emily to the floor a few times, something she was very proud of when she was honest with herself.
Lucas opened his mouth to retort, but Charlie stepped forward, moving between them as he raised a palm toward either side. “All right, enough. This fighting won’t change the situation.”
Ana frowned. Lucas rolled his eyes.
Charlie looked at Lucas. “You have your orders and your orders were clear. You are to work with one of my operatives and you shall. You will continue to pursue this case with Ana as your partner. That is the end of the discussion.”
Lucas expelled a harsh breath that left little doubt to his feelings on the subject, but he hardly spared Ana even a glance.
“It seems as though I’ve been given little choice.” He finally looked her way and his eyes held hers for a long moment. Perhaps a little too long. “You,” he said softly. “Get yourself ready. You may think that being able to shoot a pistol or throw a punch will be enough, but when you’re in the field with me, I shall expect you to keep up.”
Ana drew in a breath. Was this really happening? Was she really going to do this? “Fine.”
“Read over Emily’s notes.” He turned on his heel and headed for the door. “I will be back for you in a few days. Isley, keep me appraised of Lady Allington’s condition.”
And then he was gone, leaving Ana as confused and turned around as she had been when he entered the parlor. But this time, her heart fluttered. Throbbed strangely in a way that made no sense.
She turned to see Charlie eyeing her closely and forgot her misgivings about Lucas Tyler for a moment. She had too many about her future to dwell on him.
“I’m not ready,” she whispered, the full weight of what was going to happen hitting her at once. “I’m not meant for the field. I never was.”
Charlie’s expression softened. “That isn’t true. You’ve hidden away in your basement keeping yourself company with your inventions and codes for far too long. If you weren’t meant for the field, Lady M and I never would have chosen to train you.”
She cocked her head. The mysterious Lady M, their spymaster. She wasn’t even sure the woman existed. Sometimes she wondered if the lady wasn’t some figment of Charlie’s imagination, made up to let the “Lady Spies” feel closer to a woman who was supposedly their benefactress in both their investigatio
ns and the charity guild that hid their true purposes.
“Do you really think I’m capable of this?” she asked. “Capable of filling Emily’s position? Working with this man who obviously thinks very little of me? Uncovering the secret of who is betraying the spies when so many others couldn’t?”
Charlie nodded slowly. “I do, Ana. And don’t be afraid. Lucas Tyler may seem gruff, but he is one of the best spies in the country. He shall be with you, every step of the way. Now I’m going to go speak to Adam about Emily’s condition.”
As Charlie patted her hand and left the room, Ana looked around her. Lucas Tyler would be with her every step of the way. Now that it had been said out loud, she realized something.
She was more afraid of that than anything else.
Chapter 3
“I cannot tell you how happy I am that you’ve arrived.” Ana embraced Meredith, squeezing her as tightly as she could as they stood in the foyer three days later. After the past seventy-two hours, she needed to know her other best friend was safe and whole.
Meredith pulled back and looked into her eyes. Ana saw Meredith’s worries and the redness that betrayed the tears she had shed. No doubt her sharp friend saw the same evidence on her own face.
“I am glad, too. Tell me straight away, how is Emily? We received your messages along the road and when we arrived here in London, but I need to hear it from your lips.”
Ana squeezed Meredith’s wrist in reassurance. “She is getting stronger. Adam seems more hopeful with each visit.”
The relief was plain on her friend’s face and in the way she swayed slightly. It was as if Meredith had been holding herself rigid in preparation for the worst news. Now that it hadn’t come, she could relax.
“I only wish Tristan and I could have arrived sooner.”
Desire Never Dies Page 2