No Regrets

by Rebecca Deel

  “We’ll return within the week,” Nico said. “If things haven’t resolved before then, we’ll be glad to help.”

  “Do you think this will be over that fast?” Sasha asked Cade.

  “The way things are playing out, you can count on it.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Cade glanced at his traveling companion. An invisible band squeezed his heart at the sight of Sasha slumped against the door. She had fallen asleep as soon as they left Knoxville.

  He turned on his signal, took the exit for Highway 18, and guided them toward Otter Creek. As he drove. Cade contemplated the events of the past few days. He couldn’t figure out why Sasha was at risk. Had he neglected to ask her the right questions? Not likely. Between him, Matt, Ethan, and Nick, Cade didn’t see how one of them hadn’t stumbled on the right question.

  His hands tightened on the steering wheel. Sasha was right. She didn’t engage in risky behavior. She shouldn’t have been in danger. That left him with one possible conclusion. His gut knotted. He was the cause of her problems.

  He needed to ask Zane if the bots he’d set up to troll for hits on the names of operatives had detected recent activity. It was also possible someone in his family told the wrong person where he was living now. They knew not to give out that information, but people made mistakes.

  Since Durango was in town, Cade would teach fewer classes. His schedule tomorrow included another CQC session. This time he’d give pointers on defense against multiple opponents.

  The lightened teaching load would leave him free to help Sasha in the morning. If Trent planned another afternoon training session, Cade would have to find someone to stay with his girlfriend if she worked the full day. One problem at a time. First, he had to get them home, then see how the rest played out.

  Sasha moaned. Her brow wrinkled as though she was in pain.

  Cade divided his attention between her and the black ribbon in front of them, concerned she might be battling another headache. She didn’t complain about the aches and pains, but Gerard aggravated the original injury. Had he hurt her worse than she admitted?

  “No,” Sasha murmured. “Don’t hurt him.”

  Another glance told him she was still asleep. When tears trickled down her cheeks, Cade couldn’t handle it anymore. He cupped her wet cheek. “Sasha, wake up.”

  She sighed and opened her eyes. “Are we home?”

  “In twenty minutes. Were you having a bad dream?”

  Sasha froze. “How did you know?”

  Cade pulled his hand away and held it up for her to see the moisture against his palm. “You were crying in your sleep. What were you dreaming about?”

  “Doesn’t matter. It wasn’t real.”

  “Sasha.”

  “Did I say anything?”

  “You were begging for someone not to be hurt. Tell me.” She hesitated so long, Cade wondered if she would answer.

  “I dreamed a man captured us and he threatened to kill you. I’m glad it wasn’t real.”

  “One day it might be, though. My job isn’t a safe one. Sometimes people we care about become pawns for those who want revenge against the operatives.”

  “Doesn’t Fortress protect your identities?”

  “They have multiple layers of protection in place. Nothing is foolproof. Zane has bots set up to scour the Internet for mention of our names, including our aliases. Most of the time, the problem is the families. One slip sets a cascade in motion. Z works fast to seal breaches in security and he’s constantly developing new and better cybersecurity, but information can leak to the wrong people.”

  “Did Emily have difficult with your job secrecy?”

  Had to admire his girlfriend’s mind. She was sharp. “She hated it. Emily complained she couldn’t talk to her friends for fear she would slip and say something she shouldn’t.”

  Sasha broke the seal on her bottle of water. “There are creative ways to avoid sharing information without making your friends suspicious. I’ve heard Durango’s wives do it. No one questions their answers.”

  “Can you handle the half-truths you’ll be forced to tell if you’re with me?”

  “I’m with you by choice. To protect you, I’ll learn to be an expert at giving vague answers and deflecting questions to a safer topic. I’m assuming these security breaches aren’t frequent or Zane wouldn’t have a job at Fortress. If we’re in a situation like I dreamed, what should I do?”

  “I’ll handle it.”

  “No. We’ll handle it together. You make plans all the time for missions. I want a plan to follow.”

  “I’m trained to deal with that scenario. You aren’t.”

  “I refuse to panic and melt into a puddle of tears.”

  “You’ve already proved that’s not your default response to stress.”

  “Teach me what to do, Cade. I don’t want to be a liability to you or your teammates. When Hart took me hostage, I felt helpless because I didn’t know what to do. You teach trainees defensive moves. Teach me.”

  “You’re serious?”

  “I’ve never been more serious in my life.”

  Relief swept over him in a slow wave. She wasn’t running. Sasha Ingram had serious grit. “I’ll be glad to teach you a few moves to protect yourself.”

  “And we’ll make a plan?”

  He nodded. “Durango’s wives also train with their husbands.”

  “I didn’t know that.” She sounded fascinated.

  “Ivy Morgan was the first one to train with her husband, Alex. The rest of the women decided they should do something similar. Of course, Nate’s wife, Stella, is a cop. She works with the other wives when Durango is out of town.”

  “Maybe I can train with them when you’re deployed.”

  “Sounds like a great idea. I’ll talk to Alex tomorrow. He’s the one who sets up their training schedule.”

  “They can’t be training much with Ivy and Josh’s wife, Del, almost ready to have their babies.”

  “Those two aren’t. The other three women are.” He’d seen them in the gym at PSI several times over the past few weeks. Del and Ivy worked on breaking handholds while the others tussled on the mats with their spouses, learning how to escape attackers.

  “Sounds like I’ll have fun training with them. Do you know when you deploy again?”

  “Sometime in the next two weeks.” Cade needed to figure out who was after Sasha before then. He didn’t want to leave town with her still in danger.

  “I need defense lessons before you go.”

  “I’ll find out when the other women are scheduled for another training session and let you know.” Cade took the exit ramp into the outskirts of Otter Creek. He passed two vehicles on his way into town. As they drove through the town square, he glanced into the windows of Perk and noticed a light moving in the interior of the shop.

  He frowned and turned into the alley behind the store.

  “Why are we here?”

  “I saw something odd through the window at Perk. I want to check it before we go to the house.” He parked at the end of the alley, not wanting the SUV to be easily visible in case whoever was in the shop looked out the back door. “Hand me your keys and tell me your alarm code.”

  She did both and opened her door. “I’m going with you.” She held up her hand. “I would feel more vulnerable out here alone.”

  He wanted to point out again that the vehicle was reinforced. Someone would have to do a lot of damage to reach her. On the other hand, he understood her sentiments. This was her business and she was fiercely protective of it. “Stay behind me. Do exactly what I tell you. Wait for me to come to you.”

  Cade rounded the hood and helped Sasha to the pavement. He closed the door with a soft snick. Clasping her hand, he led her down the alley toward her back door. He didn’t need her keys. The door was ajar.

  He let out a slow breath. Not good. At least one tango was inside the coffee shop, maybe more. Why break in? Money?

  Sasha’s grip
tightened around his hand.

  He turned and put a finger to his lips. Cade pulled his weapon, nudging Sasha directly behind him. Back pressed against the wall, he eased the door open. A soft rustling came from inside the main room of the store.

  He peered into the kitchen. Empty. Cade pressed his lips to Sasha’s ear. “Move as quiet as you can. I want to catch this clown.” When he received a nod, he walked through the doorway with Sasha on his heels.

  At the entrance to the dining room, he signaled Sasha to crouch by the wall. If the intruder was armed, he didn’t want a stray bullet to hit her.

  Cade spotted the intruder behind the counter. The man stood, shrugged into his backpack, and walked toward the front door. Cade holstered his weapon and, with silent steps, sprinted across the distance separating them.

  At the last second, the intruder turned. His eyes widened and he ran for the large glass window.

  Cade leaped on the man’s back before he broke the glass and escaped. After a short scuffle, the stranger was subdued and cursed Cade. A pair of zip ties secured him. “Turn on the lights, Sassy.”

  A moment later, light flooded the coffee shop. Sasha gasped. “Cade.”

  He twisted to look in the direction she pointed. His blood ran cold. At opposite sides of the shop, digital clocks counted down the minutes until two bombs exploded.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  The man who broke into Sasha’s shop laughed. “You’re too late. You’ll never defuse my handiwork in time. This place will be gone in thirty minutes along with everything else on this side of the square. Run while you can.”

  Cade had to get his girlfriend out of here. “Sasha, unlock the front door and run to the police station. I need officers to cordon off the square and someone to take this clown off my hands. Have the desk sergeant call Ethan.”

  She caught the keys he tossed her, unlocked the door, and ran.

  “Take me out of here.” The thug at his feet thrashed. “I don’t want to die in here.”

  Cade double-checked the zip ties. The man wouldn’t free himself before the cops arrived. “You picked the wrong line of work.”

  “Hey, I just set them. I don’t stick around and watch the results.”

  Cade studied the first bomb. This was going to be a bear to defuse. Worse, there were two of them. He needed more time or another pair of hands.

  Running footsteps had him spinning toward the front door, weapon in hand. Nick Santana slipped inside the shop. “Sasha said you needed help. What’s going on, Cade?” He stopped, stared at the bombs. “Oh, man.”

  “There’s enough Semtex here to blow up the whole square.”

  Nick glared at the bomber who had gone pale. “Are you out of your mind?”

  “That’s not right,” the man protested. “Only this side of the block is in danger.”

  Cade snorted as he pulled out his cell phone. “You don’t have a clue what you’re doing, sport. Take him out of here, Nick, and make sure Sasha doesn’t come back before it’s clear. Evacuate people from Delaney’s.” The rest of the businesses should be vacant this time of night.

  “Copy that.” Nick yanked the bomber from the floor. “Let’s go.” As he marched the man out the door, he read the bomber his rights.

  Cade called the one man he knew could help him save the town.

  “Armstrong.”

  “It’s Cade. I need help, fast.”

  “Where?”

  “Perk. Some yahoo set up two bombs in there with enough Semtex to take out the center of town.”

  “Crap. How much time?”

  “Twenty-five minutes and counting.”

  “Two minutes.” Nate ended the call.

  Cade studied the bombs. He considered various options to dismantle them and tossed aside all but one. The bombs couldn’t be moved before they were defused. Any movement would detonate them.

  He ran to his SUV and grabbed the bag containing his tools. By the time he stepped into the main room of Perk, Nate was running full tilt across the square with his bag slung over one shoulder.

  The operative entered the shop, his gaze tracking to the bombs on both side of the counter. He studied them a few seconds, then whistled. “We’ll have to defuse them at the same time.”

  “That’s why I called you. I didn’t have time to coach a newbie.”

  Nate slid his bag off his shoulder and knelt in front of the bomb on the left. “Lucky Durango was in town.”

  “Yeah.” But was it luck? Cade’s gut said otherwise. But what was the purpose? Whoever ordered this attack on Sasha’s place had a reason. Was this Black Dog’s handiwork? If the terror campaign was aimed at Cade, why bring Durango into the mix?

  He knelt in front of the bomb on the right and began to trace wires. Cade and Nate worked in silence a few minutes.

  “Third black wire from the back?” Nate asked.

  “Yeah.”

  “On three.” The other EOD man counted down.

  Cade cut the wire. No detonation and the clock continued to run. “First wire at the front.”

  “Copy. On three.”

  Another snip. Clock counted down the remaining time. Sweat stung his eyes. Cade wiped his forehead with his sleeve. They were running out of time. “Last black wire against the timer.”

  “Wait.” Nate leaned in close to the bomb, his attention riveted on something. “That wire is connected to a dead man’s switch. It’s hidden so well I almost missed it.” A pause. “The wire next to that one is connected to the timer.”

  Cade scooted around to the side and peered at the assembled spaghetti of wires. He visually traced the wire in question. “Roger that.”

  Nate counted down.

  Snip.

  Both operatives breathed a sigh of relief when the timer froze at the ten-second mark. So close. “Thanks, Nate.”

  “Who has it in for Sasha?”

  “I don’t know.”

  Nate studied his expression a moment. “You’re worried this is connected to you, not her.”

  Cade shoved a hand through his hair. “Nothing else makes sense. I planned to ask Z if any threats had surfaced.”

  “Anything connected to you would trigger a red flag right now.”

  Still, he had to be sure.

  “What about Black Dog? Do they have a problem with you?”

  He shrugged. “No more than with the rest of Fortress.”

  Nate frowned. “Weird.”

  Cade worked the Semtex free and disengaged the electronics to be sure the device was safe to transport. He glanced at Nate in time to see his friend lay the Semtex aside and start work on the electronics.

  A moment later, Nate finished the dismantling process. “Ethan will want the pieces for evidence. Need me for anything else?”

  Cade shook his head. “Go home and sleep.”

  “Not much chance of that. I have to be at PSI by 5:00 to have breakfast ready in time for the trainees.” Nate stood and shouldered his bag. “I think I’ll stop by Delaney’s for a takeout breakfast for Stella. She’ll eat in the morning before work if she has food easy to heat.” He squeezed Cade’s shoulder as he passed.

  Ethan walked into the coffee shop. “Talk to me.”

  Cade gave the police chief a rundown of how he and Sasha discovered the intruder and Cade’s call to Nate for help. “The pieces are ready for transport. House this stuff in a vault. Once the trial is over, get rid of the Semtex. It’s not a safe to keep long-term.”

  “Any idea where the Semtex came from?”

  “I’d start with construction and demolition companies in the area, then widen your search.”

  “Would I be able to trace the explosive from its ingredients?”

  Cade shook his head. “If a company is missing some of their supply, they should have reported the theft.” He glanced at the clock on the wall. “Will Sasha be able to open on time?”

  “Perk is a crime scene. Tell her to plan for tomorrow.” Ethan shook Cade’s hand. “Thanks. You saved a lot of
lives and business. It’s our turn to work now. Sasha’s waiting for you in front of the police station. Nick’s with her.”

  Cade shrugged into his Go bag and strode from the shop. He found Sasha where Ethan said she would be. As he walked across the square, her face lit up. She broke free from Nick and ran into his arms.

  “Cade.” Sasha kissed him, long and deep.

  When she finally released him, he said, “Nate and I defused the bombs.”

  “I’m happy you’re safe. I could rebuild if necessary, but I couldn’t replace you.”

  “Good job, Cade.” Nick clapped him on the back. “I’ll grab my crime scene kit and go to work. Where’s Ethan?”

  “Stayed on site. You need something to transport the bomb components. I wouldn’t hand the job to a nervous rookie.”

  “Ethan and I will handle it ourselves.”

  Cade turned to Sasha after the detective left. “Ready to go home now?”

  Home. Great word that brought to mind a crackling fire on a cold winter day, hot coffee or chocolate, and Sasha in his arms. His heart skipped a beat. Not possible. He couldn’t have fallen in love with her.

  “Will I be able to open for business in the morning?”

  He shook his head. “Ethan said to plan for tomorrow.”

  “Does that mean we can sleep in?”

  “If you call 5:00 a.m. sleeping in.”

  “I’ll take it.”

  He draped his arm over her shoulders and headed for his SUV. “You realize our relationship is no longer a secret, right?”

  “What do you mean? We’ve already been on a date at the steakhouse.”

  “With Matt. People in the square saw us kissing. The news is sure to fire up Otter Creek’s grapevine.”

  She snuggled closer to his side. “The single women in town knowing you’re taken is a great idea.” Sasha fell silent a moment. “Were the bombs meant for me or you?”

  Yep, his girlfriend was sharp. “I can’t say for sure.”

  “But?” she said, her tone wry.

  “It’s probably meant for me.”