HARD LINE

by Justice, A. D.

  “Your clothes were torn when I found you…”

  “No, they didn’t rape me. Not that they were above it, but they didn’t. One of the guards grabbed at me. I stepped backward, trying to get out of range, but he snagged my clothes instead. The fabric ripped from the force.”

  “What did they do to you?”

  “Electric shocks, slaps, punches, kicks—they stopped short of lashes. The woman who gave me the injection suggested that would come soon, though. They wanted the SAOR shares. Seems Raf did set me up, huh?”

  “He certainly did. But they wouldn’t believe that you couldn’t give them what you don’t have, right?”

  “They didn’t believe me at first, but I think they began to after the abuse went on so long and my story didn’t change.”

  “Interesting. Were the men who took you also guards at that place?”

  “No, I don’t think so. The guards treated those four men with much more respect than anyone else in there. I wish I had their names to give you.”

  “I have their names.” That shocks me speechless. I raise my eyebrows, waiting for him to continue. “We arrived at the hotel right after the fake marriage ceremony. Tony stopped me and filled me in on everything. He gave me the names of all four Arab men and said he quit his job because of what Rafael did to you.”

  “Tony quit his job because of me?” I must not be hearing him correctly.

  “Yeah. Seems Tony has been in love with you for quite a while, but he knew you didn’t feel the same. He still tried to look out for you, though, and sway Raf’s decisions when he could.”

  “Knock me over with a feather… I never would have thought any of that.”

  Roman shrugs one shoulder. “This may come as a total shock to you, but sometimes men have no clue how to express their true feelings. So, they resort to doing stupid shit instead.”

  I start to giggle at him. Then he chuckles along with me, and before I know it, we’re both trapped in a fit of laughter. “Stop making me laugh—it hurts.” I hold my side, but to be honest, I don’t want to stop. This carefree moment feels too good, despite my sore body, to let it go just yet.

  “You can’t blame this on me. All I did was tell the truth. Is it my fault that sometimes we men can be functional idiots? If I had any kind of power, I wouldn’t get into half the trouble I do. So, if anything, this is mostly your fault.”

  “Your deductive reasoning prowess blows my mind. Care to explain how this is my fault?”

  “If you weren’t so smart, you wouldn’t recognize my stupidity. Then it wouldn’t be such an inconvenience to you. Have you tried being less intelligent? I think it could really help you just be happy all the time.”

  “Yes, you’re exactly right, Roman. I mean, everyone says ignorance is bliss for a reason, right? I could live in complete bliss if only I were just a smidge stupider, right? That’s your story, and you’re sticking to it?”

  He looks down and pulls his lips between his teeth to keep from smiling. When he regains his composure and lifts his eyes to mine, the love shining in them makes my heart skip a beat. “You know I wouldn’t change one single thing about you, sweets. I fell in love with a strong, independent, intelligent woman, and I’m more in love with her today than I’ve ever been.”

  Tears of pure happiness spill over onto my cheeks. “You can’t say things like that to me in my current state, Roman. All that strength, independence, and intelligence melts away, and all that’s left is a blubbering, emotional woman.”

  His smile is warm and understanding. “I love that woman just as much. We’ll balance each other, Tawnee. You don’t have to be ‘on’ all the time. If you’ll trust me to be your rock, I promise I’ll never let you down again.”

  “I trust you with my life, Roman.”

  Shadow walks over and kneels on the floor beside us. “Hey, Tawnee. How are you feeling now? Should we divert to Rome, or do you want to wait until we get to Paris? It’s no trouble—we can protect you either way.”

  “I’m okay, Shadow. I’ll just rest until we get to Paris. I can’t thank you enough for coming to get me out of there.”

  “My pleasure, darlin’. I’m just sorry it took us so long to reach you.”

  “There was a woman in the cell next to mine. Her name was Lara. Did either of you see her when you passed by?”

  “No, sweets, there was no one in there when we walked by. I was counting cells and bodies until I found you,” Roman replies.

  “I think they killed her for talking to me, and it’s my fault. I initiated the conversation, and I encouraged her to go along with me. We were planning to escape together as soon as possible.”

  “That isn’t your fault, Tawnee. She obviously wanted out if she was so willing to put her life in the hands of an American stranger. The risks were worth it to her, because either way, she’s free now. If all those women weren’t being held prisoner in there, I’d call in a drone strike and raze that place to rubble.” Shadow’s hand curls into a tight fist, anger roiling through him over the inability to stop their cruel practices. “I’m glad you’re already feeling better, though. We were worried about you. I’ll leave you two alone to rest now.”

  Snuggled against Roman’s warm body, I close my eyes and fall back asleep. When we start our approach for landing at our destination a few hours later, my entire body still feels like one big sore muscle. But the medication has largely worn off, so I’m much more alert and ready to face the next part of this journey. Though no one has shared any information with me, I know we’re stopping over in Paris for much more than refueling the private jet for the next leg of our trip.

  “Does anyone have my passport?” I ask tentatively.

  “Now that you mention it, this one in my bag may be yours.” Noah winks and hands over my passport.

  “How did you get this?”

  “We had a gut feeling Rafael would betray you. If that happened, I wanted to make sure we protected your identification, so I took it for safekeeping before you left the beachfront house.”

  “I’m surprised I didn’t even notice. I was so focused on what I had to do that I didn’t even check for it.”

  “That happens to all of us at some point in our careers. Don’t sweat it. That’s why we have each other’s backs.”

  “Who wants to tell me what we’re really doing in Paris, then? This is where Raf and Tabitha are on their fake honeymoon, isn’t it?”

  “I’ll tell you exactly what I’m going to do here, sweets. I will find out where Raf is staying and get word to his Saudi partners. When they show up, I will kill every single one of them in a very unpleasant way. Then we can finish our trip home.”

  Roman isn’t joking in the least. Though his expression is passive and his tone is neutral, he’s deadly serious.

  “And the other two?”

  “If they’re with him, they will die with him.”

  “No qualms? No second thoughts?”

  “None. They conspired to kill you, Tawnee. They were active participants in sending you to the executioners—or worse, life imprisonment in a place where women wish for death long before it finds them. They had no qualms, no second thoughts, and no remorse. When I get ahold of them, I won’t have any either. Maybe God will have mercy on them because I sure as hell won’t.”

  “You’re exactly right, Roman. I’ll help you… in Lara’s memory.”

  When the plane touches down, the guys exit first to give me some privacy to change clothes. Roman stays to help me, though I tried to convince him otherwise. I know what his reaction to seeing the still-fresh wounds will be, and I want his head clear when we go after Rafael. But I should have known he wouldn’t leave me to struggle alone.

  When every stitch of clothing is removed, he circles me and takes note of every abrasion I have. Every location. Every imprint of a hand, fist, or boot. He commits all my wounds to his memory. Then he turns, picks up the pile of clothes one by one, and takes his time to help me into them.

  “I p
romise, he will feel everything you felt and more.” He finishes with an extended kiss to my forehead.

  Chapter 24

  Roman

  “I can tell you where Raf is staying. He always stays at the same hotel in Paris. He wouldn’t give up his favorite place just to avoid me.” Tawnee and I descend the steps of the jet and walk across the tarmac at the private airstrip.

  “Good. Will it be hard to get to him at this hotel?”

  “No, not like at the last hotel. It’s still a high-end resort, but much more accessible to the public. We can even get a room there, and he’ll never know. He’ll be in the penthouse suite on the seventh floor, where he’ll have meals on his private terrace overlooking the Eiffel Tower. He’ll think he’s safe and secure in his upper-class suite.”

  “That’s okay, sweets. Let him be smug right up until the end. I have special plans for him.”

  Inside the terminal, we move through immigration without a hitch. The private airport is small but busy. Most of the visitors passing through here are CEOs of major corporations, royalty, or other officials in high places, so the immigration personnel are proficient at their jobs. Tawnee receives more than a few raised eyebrows because of her injuries, but she assures everyone that she’s just grateful she walked away from the car wreck with the terrible drivers in Dubai. Their empathetic nods end any further questioning.

  “Two rental cars are waiting for us. Where are we headed?” Jason asks.

  “The most luxurious hotel in Paris,” Tawnee replies.

  “I’m making our reservations there now. There will be several unhappy guests when they arrive and learn their rooms have been given away, but our cause is more important than theirs.” Shadow clicks away on his special CIA phone, hacking through firewalls and employee log-ins to gain access to their reservation system. “Done. Roman and Tawnee, I put you two in the royal suite just below his. Let me know if you need any help getting into his make-believe fortress.”

  “Thanks, Shadow, but we’ve got it. He’s not going anywhere except to the morgue. I promise you that.”

  “You already have a plan in mind?” Shadow asks.

  “Yes, I do. An especially cruel one that I’m looking forward to carrying out.”

  “How can we help?” One side of Shadow’s mouth lifts in amusement. He wants in on the action.

  “Have you ever been a waiter?”

  “Are you kidding? There’s not much I haven’t been while undercover.”

  “Perfect. I’ll be waiting inside his suite when you bring up his special delivery. You’re welcome to stay for the show.”

  “Let’s finish this. I love cosplay.”

  Shadow leads the way to the rental cars. We divide up in the two vehicles and drive toward the hotel. On the way, I turn to Silas for the other part of my plan.

  “We need some partially fake news to go viral and draw out our Saudi friends. They need to pay Raf a visit here in Paris so we can end the threat to Tawnee and my dad at the same time.”

  “Partially?”

  “Yes. The pictures we release need to show Raf and the real Tawnee in their wedding photos. Then reveal she’s the woman who bought the shares, but Raf is taking over as CEO, effective immediately. His first act in his new position will be to dump the stocks and try to bankrupt the oil company. They won’t allow that to happen—it’s a matter of national pride. They’d buy the shares back no matter who was selling them, but putting Raf’s name and location out there will bring our friends out to play. They won’t let him take all the money and run.”

  “Devious. I love it. It’ll spread like wildfire within an hour after I post it, I’ll make sure of it.” Silas retrieves his computer and begins doctoring the photos and writing a thorough press release, including the exact address where the newlywed couple is honeymooning.

  “I figure we have about eight or nine hours before the goon squad lands. Sweets, where can I take you after we check in?”

  “Straight to our royal suite.” She smiles up at me. The bruises on her face and neck do nothing to detract from her beauty.

  “I see your sassiness is making a full recovery already.” I quirk up one eyebrow at her, but she knows I love that answer more than anything else she could say.

  “I’m guessing it has a huge bathtub that would be perfect for at least two people to soak their aching muscles in until their skin shrivels up like prunes. Then there’s room service, with chocolate-covered strawberries and champagne as an appetizer. Maybe a nice juicy steak and lobster tail for the main course. Thick, plush robes and fuzzy slippers to laze around in. Then we can get dressed, scale the wall outside the hotel, and kill a few people before bedtime.”

  “You are the perfect woman and traveling companion. Has anyone ever told you that?”

  Chuckles fill the car, and I’m struck by how fortunate I am to be surrounded by the best friends a man could ask for. I only wish Blake were here to lend a hand, but I’m thankful he’s standing guard over my dad right now. He’s not exactly in the clear yet. Even eliminating the four we know of doesn’t guarantee others won’t come for him later, but he’ll never be without the protection of the best people in the world.

  “There are probably a few places I need to go first. The Saudi men took all my clothes with them, so I have nothing else to change into. I don’t even know whose clothes I’m wearing right now.” Tawnee’s gaze drifts to the window, not exactly focusing on anything as the memory plays in her mind.

  “The last people to use the plane left them behind. Sorry if the fit is a little big on you,” Jason says from the front.

  “They’re fine—I’m glad they’re not tight. That would be uncomfortable with all these bruises. Thank you for finding them for me, Jason.”

  “My pleasure, Tawnee. You know, John and I both wanted to tell you a long time ago that we’re CIA, but we had orders. I hope there’re no hard feelings about that. If it makes you feel any better, we’ve always had your back, though.”

  Tawnee’s jaw drops open, and she looks up at me. “Did you know that?”

  “Only recently—as in the last few hours. Everything is running together. I may have forgotten to tell you that part with the whole thinking you were about to die in my arms thing.”

  “All right. I forgive you.”

  “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. Just don’t let it happen again.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “I have to tell you both—I really like this version of Roman. Pliable. Easy-going. Takes orders well. Blake will never believe our boy has changed so much.” Silas turns in the front seat to look at me as he speaks. I reply by pretending to scratch my eye with my middle finger. “I can see you, Roman. Don’t make me tell Tawnee on you.”

  I wrap my arm around her shoulders and pull her close to me, planting a kiss on her temple. “Tell her whatever you want about me. Just be sure to include telling her how much I love her.”

  “We’re in the most romantic city in the world, and the only one who has his woman with him is Roman, of all people. How the fuck did this happen?” Silas asks and shakes his head.

  “Silas, do you have all the details of my secret company?” Tawnee’s question intrigues me.

  “Yes, ma’am. Our analysts found every last detail about it after Roman suggested we search by your name.”

  “It’s in my name alone? No one else’s?”

  “Just yours.” Silas turns around again. His eyes narrow, and a wily grin begins to form.

  “And the shares? They’re all mine?”

  “That’s right. Let me guess… you want to dump them for real?”

  “Yes, that’s exactly what I want to do. Can I?”

  Silas checks his watch and mentally calculates the time difference. “Wow. We’re working through a lot of time zones. We left Riyadh around midnight their time. Flew six hours to Paris. Now we’re an hour behind Riyadh and six hours behind New York. So, when the stock exchange opens in nine hours, you will absol
utely be able to sell them.”

  “Do you have the log-in and password for the account they’re in?”

  “I can’t believe you’d even ask me a question like that, Tawnee. That hurts me. What kind of officer do you take me for?”

  “That means yes, he has it and has been closely monitoring it. In fact, he’s probably already transferred them to a new account that Raf doesn’t know about.” If I know anything about Silas, it’s that he’s always two steps ahead of the enemy.

  “Finally. Some respect for the senior officer.” Silas smiles and turns to face the front. “When you’re ready for them, Tawnee, they’re all yours. Since you got them legally, there’s nothing we, the government, can do about your investments. Enjoy the fruits of your labor.” He jots down the account information and hands it to her.

  “I never dreamed I’d have a sugar momma. This is so exciting.” The moment the words leave my mouth, Tawnee playfully jabs me in the ribs.

  “I’d be a dead sugar momma without you. Our prenup will say I get to kill you if you ever leave me.”

  “Show me the dotted line. I’ll agree to those terms and sign it right now. I’ve already experienced how dark my life is without you, and that’s not a place I want to return to ever again.”

  She nestles closer to me, lying her head in the crook of my shoulder and wrapping her arm around my waist. “I wish you could feel how happy you make me, Roman. Silas, when my shares are sold and they settle the accounts, what do you think about bringing the whole family here for an extended vacation?”

  “I think that’s the best idea ever. You won’t hear any objections from anyone.”

  “Good. We could use some fun, family time after all this is over.”

  It’ll all be behind you in a few hours, sweets. One by one, I’ll cross the names of those who betrayed you off my list. Then we’ll focus only on everything good in our lives and celebrate our reunion in the best way possible.

  * * *

  “That’s it? All I have to do is set the price I’m selling them at and wait for someone to accept it?” Tawnee checks the information on the screen for the fifth time before executing her trade.