No Regrets

by Rebecca Deel

  “Told you.”

  “Is it all right if I use your recipe?”

  “Sure.” His attention shifted over her shoulder. “Cade and Matt are here.” He rose. “Thanks for the help this afternoon, Sasha. You’re off duty. I’ll handle the cleanup.”

  Wasn’t much to clean. Durango’s EOD man was an expert in that kitchen. Once again, he’d cleaned as he cooked. Stella was a lucky woman.

  Nate stopped to talk to Cade and Matt before returning to the kitchen. Once the trainees finished eating, the operative would store leftovers and wash the serving dishes. Provided there were leftovers. Sasha wasn’t sure there would be.

  Cade sat beside Sasha while Matt headed for the taco bar. “Dinner smells great.”

  “Tastes great, too. You’ll like it.”

  “After we finish eating, we’ll head to Knoxville. Are you sure you want to go with me? You must be exhausted. Matt agreed to stay with you if you changed your mind.”

  “And miss an opportunity to spend time with you while you’re in town? Not a chance.”

  “The confrontation with Gary Westlake might be unpleasant.”

  “I’ll be prepared.” Sasha gripped his hand for a moment. “I promise to follow orders and stay out of his reach.”

  Cade pressed a hard kiss to her mouth. “Fair enough.” He followed his teammate to the taco bar. Thirty minutes later, he checked his phone, brows knitting.

  “What is it?”

  “Westlake hasn’t moved. He’s been in that hotel room for 48 hours. I’d be stir crazy.” He stopped by the staff lounge for bottles of water, then escorted Sasha from the building.

  Thankful the drive to Knoxville was uneventful, Sasha’s muscles loosened when Cade parked in the lot outside the four-story hotel located on the outskirts of the city. The Palm Hotel wasn’t modern in construction, but the building and grounds looked well cared for.

  “Westbrook is registered in room 422.” Cade turned to her. “Last chance to back out, Sassy.”

  “Pass.” She reached for the handle. “I assume we’re also tracking down Gerard in Gatlinburg before we head home.”

  “We should go. I don’t want you out here too long.”

  Cade circled the SUV and opened her door. They walked to the hotel and into the elevator without being stopped. The desk clerk’s attention focused on a massive chemistry textbook.

  Sasha grimaced. Science had been her least favorite subject in school. Yeah, cooking was science, but she loved her work in a way she’d never felt about her dreaded science courses.

  They exited the elevator and located Westlake’s room. The do-not-disturb sign hung on the knob. Now what?

  Her future husband wrapped his arms around her and pulled her gently against his chest. “I’m checking for surveillance cameras,” he murmured against her ear. When she shivered in reaction, Cade chuckled. “I’m making a mental note of that response.”

  “I need to make mental notes of my own. Do you have a sensitive spot I can explore later?”

  “The curve between my neck and shoulder.” A moment later, he kissed the side of her neck. “I need you to stand behind me.”

  Understanding his driving need to protect her, Sasha didn’t argue.

  Cade knocked on the door. When he didn’t receive a response, he tried again. Still nothing. With a casual glance around, he reached into his cargoes pocket and pulled out a pair of rubber gloves and a thin black plastic gadget similar to the one he used to check for trackers. He flipped a switch and the object in his hand lit up. Numbers began to scroll on the small screen.

  Sasha watched in fascination as the gadget worked. Seconds later, a green light flashed on the LCD panel, and the electronic lock on the door turned to green. The operative stood to the side of the door and pressed down on the handle.

  He opened the door a crack, froze. Cade glanced at Sasha, expression grim. He pulled out his phone. “Stay here. You don’t want to go into the room. Grab your phone and act as though you’re checking email. I won’t be long.”

  She started to protest until she caught the putrid scent oozing from the room. Oh, man. Her dinner threated to make a reappearance. Sasha had an idea what caused the stench. “Go. Hurry, Cade.” She didn’t want him caught in that room.

  When Cade slipped into the room, Sasha moved to stand near another room two doors down. She grabbed her phone and scrolled through her emails without reading anything.

  A minute later, Cade exited the room and removed the gloves.

  “Was it bad?” she whispered.

  “I’ve seen worse.”

  “How did he die?”

  “Single gunshot wound to the head. He didn’t stand a chance.”

  In the SUV, Cade called Zane. “Call the cops and report a murder.” He explained what he’d found in the hotel room.

  “Will his death connect to you?”

  “There’s a surveillance camera in the parking lot of the Palm Hotel and one in the lobby that recorded my arrival with Sasha. We were only in the hotel ten minutes. I think Westlake died soon after he arrived. I checked the room and body, but I was careful not to leave a trace of my presence in the room.”

  “I’ll call from one of our burners and report a foul odor coming from the room after I wipe your entrance and exit from the security feeds. Did you take pictures of the scene?”

  “Several.”

  “Send me everything you have. You sure you want to track down Gerard?”

  “If he’s not already dead, tracking him down and warning him might save his miserable hide.”

  “He’s still in Gatlinburg. You might consider calling your teammates for backup this time.”

  “We’ll be fine.”

  A snort. “Famous last words. I’ll expect you to check in no later than two hours from now. If you don’t contact me, I’ll assume you can’t and act accordingly.”

  “Roger that. Thanks, Zane.”

  An hour later, Cade parked in front of the Magnolia Hotel. Sasha’s eyebrows rose. A definite step up from the Palm. “Nice place.” A large fountain bubbled in front of the hotel. She couldn’t wait to see inside the place. The decor didn’t disappoint. In fact, Sasha wished her furniture was as nice as the hotel’s.

  They walked hand-in-hand to the elevator and rode to the seventh floor. A familiar do-not-disturb sign hung on the knob.

  Sasha’s stomach knotted. Hoping they wouldn’t discover another body inside the room, she dropped back behind Cade without him asking. He flashed her an appreciative look over his shoulder.

  After a careful scan of the area, he knocked on the door. This time, instead of dead silence, a muffled male voice said, “Hold on a second.”

  At least the man was still alive.

  Someone inside the room fumbled with the lock and threw open the door. Gerard’s face drained of all color. “Ramsey.”

  In the room behind him, a woman squealed.

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  Cade’s eyes narrowed. Was the woman in the room Shelly or someone else? For Shelly’s sake, he hoped Gerard respected his girlfriend enough to not cheat on her. “We need to talk.”

  Gerard widened his stance and folded his arms across his bare chest. “So talk.”

  “Not in the hall.”

  “It’s okay, Tony.” A woman emerged from the shadows of the room, a hotel robe wrapped around her body. Shelly. “Let them come in.”

  Cade gave her a short nod in greeting. Why was she in Gatlinburg? PSI planned a night training session in a few hours. As they entered the room, he made sure his body was between Sasha and Gerard in case he contemplated exacting revenge. They sat at the table while Gerard and his girlfriend perched side-by-side at the foot of the bed.

  “What do you want?” Gerard asked, his voice curt.

  “Answers.”

  “I spilled everything I know to Armstrong.” A wry laugh. “He knows his stuff. I haven’t experienced anything like that in my life and don’t want a repeat performance. Although there is
n’t a mark on me, I still hurt.”

  “He’s Delta trained. The military spares no expense when training Special Forces soldiers.”

  “Delta? I thought that was a rumor.”

  “Durango was a Delta unit. They’ve worked together since basic training. You’re lucky Nate didn’t kill you when you went after Sasha in the kitchen.”

  Gerard swallowed hard. “Why are you here?”

  “Have you talked to Westlake since you left Otter Creek?”

  “Yeah. Why?”

  “When was the last time you spoke with him?”

  A frown. “What does it matter? We’re not your concern any longer.”

  “Answer the question, Gerard.”

  Shelly laid a hand on Gerard’s arm. When he glanced at her, she gave him a slight nod.

  Gerard turned back to Cade, resignation in his eyes. “About 18 hours ago. Midnight on the evening we left PSI. What’s going on, Ramsey?”

  “Westlake is dead.”

  Shelly clamped a hand over her mouth, her eyes wide.

  Wrapping his arm around Shelly, Gerard’s gaze fixed on Cade. “Did you kill him?”

  “Sasha and I found him an hour ago. One bullet to the head.”

  “If not you, then who killed him?”

  “Did Westlake work for Black Dog?”

  A shrug. “What if he did? He quit Fortress. Shouldn’t be a problem for you.”

  “It is for you. Black Dog is tying up loose ends.”

  Gerard stared. “Our job was to report your movements to the email address we received each week. That’s all. I didn’t know enough to tell Armstrong much as I’m sure you know. We aren’t a threat to Black Dog.”

  The guy was an idiot. “You connect Black Dog to me and Sasha. You’re a liability. Did you know about the bounty on our heads?”

  His jaw dropped. “Bounty?”

  Guess not. Cade turned his attention to Shelly. “Why are you off campus? You have night training in a few hours.”

  The young woman linked her fingers with Gerard’s. “I resigned from PSI while your team worked with Durango. Tony and I got married a few hours ago.”

  Fast work on Gerard’s part. As far as Cade knew, Gerard and Wainwright had met at PSI. Cade met Sasha two months before Gerard and Wainwright arrived in Otter Creek. Some might say he moved fast as well.

  Cade glanced at Sasha. He knew what he wanted, had known from the moment he met the coffee maven. He wanted Sasha Ingram.

  “Congratulations on your marriage,” Sasha said.

  Shelly’s eyes lit. “Thanks.”

  Cade shifted his gaze to Gerard. “You and Shelly are in danger. Go off the grid. Cash transactions only. Remove the batteries from your cell phones and buy burners. Lay low while I figure out what’s happening and stop it.”

  “How do I contact you?”

  “Call the Fortress switchboard. Leave your number with Zane Murphy. No one else.”

  “Why did you warn me? You could have let Black Dog kill me. You wouldn’t have to worry about me hurting your girlfriend in the future. Shelly would be collateral damage.”

  “I don’t need help protecting Sasha from you or anyone else.”

  Gerard gave a bark of laughter. “No, I don’t suppose you do. Were you Delta?”

  Cade smiled. “Dress. Sasha and I will wait for you in the hall and walk you out.” He needed to check in with Zane or his friend would send his teammates for an unneeded rescue.

  In the hallway, Cade called the Fortress communications guru. “We’re okay. Gerard is alive. He and Shelly Wainwright got married this afternoon after she quit the training program.”

  “Are you and Sasha going home?”

  “Not yet. We’re waiting for the Gerards to pack their gear. I don’t want to leave them here without protection. If Black Dog is behind this, they might have someone ready to strike.”

  “Agreed. Two-hour deadline unless you send me a message that you’re back in Otter Creek.”

  “Copy that.”

  The hotel room door opened and the Gerards walked out with their bags in tow.

  After settling the bill, Gerard started toward the front door. Cade clamped a hand on his shoulder. “Where did you park?”

  “Both of us parked at the side of the hotel.”

  “Choose the safest vehicle and hand me the keys to the other. I’ll have it moved to PSI. You can retrieve it when you’re safe.”

  Shelly handed Cade her keys. “Blue Honda Civic. Tony has an SUV that’s sturdier and blends better than my car.”

  Cade pocketed the keys and led them toward the rear of the hotel. When they reached the door to the parking lot, he glanced at Gerard. “I’ll return in a minute. You see how Sasha looks right now?”

  The other man’s gaze swept over her and nodded.

  “She better look exactly the same when I return.”

  A small smile curved Gerard’s mouth. “Yes, sir.”

  Cade squeezed Sasha’s hand and slipped from the hotel into the darkness. He moved from shadow to shadow, scanning the area.

  He peered around the corner of the building to the parking lot. Nothing suspicious. Cade returned to the hotel. “We’ll go to the lot together. Don’t unlock your vehicle until I tell you it’s safe. Use what we taught you. Act as though nothing is wrong, but keep a sharp eye out for trouble.”

  They reached the corner of the hotel. “Which vehicle is yours, Gerard?” he asked softly.

  “Black SUV, third row, seven spaces from the west side.”

  “I’ll scan for trackers and explosives. Don’t approach until I tell you the SUV is clear.”

  Cade crossed the parking lot, slipping a hand into his pocket as he neared the vehicle. He activated the tracking detector and circled the SUV. When the light flashed green to show the vehicle was clean, he dropped to the ground and examined the undercarriage for signs of tampering or a bomb. Nothing.

  He moved a distance away and signaled Gerard to remotely start his vehicle. Seconds later, the engine fired up. Excellent. He motioned for the others to approach. “You any good at evasive maneuvers?” he asked Gerard.

  “Morgan said I was.”

  Since Alex was trained in evasive combat driving, that was high praise indeed for Gerard. “Pay attention to your surroundings, particularly vehicles that stay with you. Do you know where you’re going?”

  Gerard nodded.

  “Good. Take detours. Don’t lead a tail to your hiding place. If you run into trouble, call Fortress. We’ll send someone to you.” He didn’t remind the other man that bad things could happen in a heartbeat. From Gerard’s grim expression, the reminder wasn’t necessary.

  “I’ll be careful. I have a lot to lose.”

  “Are you armed?”

  A head shake.

  Cade stared. He always carried multiple weapons. If Gerard was serious about a black ops career, he needed to follow the same rule, fast.

  He bent to his ankle holster and grabbed his backup weapon. Cade handed it to Gerard along with an extra magazine. “Don’t ever leave home without weapons again, not if you want to stay alive to see your first anniversary.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “One more thing. You were employed by the best black ops firm in the market. Black Dog is at the bottom of the food chain. The money’s good, but their employees are disposable. Do your homework before taking the next job offer.”

  Gerard started to ask something, stopped himself.

  “Ask,” Cade said, his voice soft.

  “Would St. Claire consider allowing me back in the program?”

  “He’s only one of a long line of people you have to convince, including Brent Maddox. He’ll be hard to sell on your reinstatement. If you want back in, you’ll have to grovel and prove you’re ready to learn. You and Shelly need to go. Now.”

  Gerard tucked Shelly into the SUV, then stashed their luggage in the backseat. He started around the front of the vehicle, stopped and looked back at Cade. “Thanks. For ev
erything.”

  Cade lifted his chin in acknowledgment. Maybe, just maybe, the kid had a chance in this field after all. If Gerard and his wife applied to Fortress again, Cade would recommend they start training from scratch. They would have to earn the trust of Maddox and the PSI instructors.

  He and Sasha waited for the newlyweds to drive away before heading for Cade’s SUV. Minutes later, he pulled onto the interstate. “Need anything?”

  “A bed.”

  “Recline the seat and sleep. I’ll wake you when we’re home.”

  “I wanted to keep you company, but I’m too tired to stay awake.”

  “I’ll be fine, Sassy. The best thing you can do for me is take care of yourself.”

  After Sasha planted a sweet kiss on his jaw, she reclined the seat and settled in to rest for the next hour. Cade threaded his fingers with hers, happy to spend time with her even if she was asleep. Being with her settled him, made him content as nothing in his life had ever done.

  What was it about her that affected him this way? Whatever it was, he looked forward to spending the rest of his life with this woman.

  The drive to Otter Creek was quiet, peaceful. He loved night driving. Most of his missions were completed in the darkness with Bravo. Same had been true with his Ranger unit. He’d become more comfortable in the dark than he was in daylight.

  He glanced at Sasha. She needed a decent night’s rest before they had to open Perk. Cade didn’t know how she maintained the schedule. Sasha could use a full-time worker to share the load. Long-term fifteen-hour days came with repercussions.

  Ironic that he was more concerned about her hours than his own. His days were long, especially when he deployed. Sometimes stopping to rest wasn’t an option. He and his teammates did what was necessary to survive. In their case, however, they weren’t on the job six days a week year-round, unlike Sasha.

  Had Sasha thought about staffing the shop while they were away for their honeymoon? Cade’s pulse rate increased. Honeymoon. He needed to find a safe place to enjoy being together without work pressures for a few days.

  Much as Cade wanted to take Sasha several hours away, he couldn’t. If Maddox sent Bravo on an emergency mission in the next few weeks, Cade had to be close to his teammates.