Because he needed to see her.
That one thought resounded inside of him with a truth and rightness he hadn’t felt since the first time he’d kissed Diha.
This wasn’t something that could be said with hundreds of miles between them. He had to talk to her.
He had to go to her.
THURSDAY. TASK FORCE Headquarters. Washington, DC.
Diha did a quick check of the logs, glancing over who had come in and out of the building that day. It was something she’d begun doing when they’d first realized something was off, and though Cat monitored their staff closely, Diha still did it.
Who was their mole?
Viggo had indicated that almost every job Valentino did for this Skilton was supported by someone behind the scenes.
Everywhere.
It was scary to think about.
She shivered, then logged off her computer.
Mentally, she congratulated herself for having thoughts and feelings about something other than Miles. While she was completely wrecked inside, she’d begun to at least put on a face for everyone.
Well, everyone except Cat and Harper.
Neither of them said much, but their gazes said they knew. The little hugs and treats left on her desk brightened the darkest moments, and she carried on.
The door to the lab opened and Zora stepped in. “Heading out?”
“I was about to. What’s up?” Diha placed her purse on the desk.
Zora paced across, her gaze on the floor.
“What is it?” Diha asked.
“Viggo told us where one of Valentino’s personal servers was kept.”
She gasped. “He did?”
“Don’t get so excited.” Zora grimaced. “It’s in Saudi Arabia.”
“Oh. Oh, dear...”
Diha knew from things Zora had said that she’d worked in the country for a long time. She’d never said much about it, but Diha got the feeling that the operation hadn’t ended well.
“I want to consider you taking time off, at least telling the office you’re going on vacation so you could support an off-the-books undercover op.” Zora’s normally glowing complexion was ashen.
“Is everything okay?”
“Bad memories.” She grimaced.
“Well, tell me when I’m going.”
Zora nodded at her things. “Heading home?”
“Yeah.”
“Tell everyone hi for me, and I’m sorry to keep you.”
They walked out of the lab, chatting about less sensitive things and parted ways at the elevators. On the way to the garage, Diha passed Tucker heading back in.
Zora and Tucker.
It was a thought that hadn’t gone away.
Was there something there?
Diha rolled that around in her mind on the drive home. It was better than where her thoughts normally ran these days.
She glanced at the clock.
It was a little later than she normally tried to be home.
So why hadn’t her mother called?
Family dinner should have started five minutes ago.
Puzzled, Diha pushed the car a few miles over the speed limit the last ten miles home. When she got there, everyone’s car was in place and all the lights were on. Nothing seemed to be amiss.
Curious, she gathered her stuff and headed inside.
The smell of hot food greeted her. There was a lively conversation going on, or there had been one.
She frowned into the silence. “Mom? Dad? Priya? I’m home.”
Diha hung her coat up and set her bag down. She pulled her phone out, though it was generally frowned on to have devices at the table. Something just felt off.
She stepped into the archway that gave her a clear line of sight to the dining room and froze.
Miles stood with one hand on the back of her mother’s chair.
Diha’s family looked from her to Miles and back again.
What was he doing there? Why was he there? Was this some kind of cruel joke?
“Diha!” Priya sprang up and rushed to her side. “I need to show you something. Come with me.”
Priya yanked on Diha’s arm, hauling her upstairs. Dazed, she followed, tripping over every fourth step until she had to sit down on the top on. Priya knelt next to her.
“He was waiting on the porch when Mom and I got home,” Priya whispered.
“What is he doing here?” Diha’s voice trembled.
“I think you should ask him that. But first, lipstick.”
Priya practically lifted Diha to her feet and shoved her into the bedroom, where Priya fussed over Diha’s hair and slapped on a little makeup to add color to her otherwise sad complexion.
“Why is he here? Why would Mom and Dad let him inside?” Diha’s voice trembled as she spoke.
Priya took her hands and knelt in front of her. “I’ve been sworn to secrecy, but...it’s good. And if it’s bad, Felecia, Cat and Rain are already on standby. We’ll kick his ass and take care of the body.”
Diha chuckled.
“Come on. Let’s go down for dinner before Mom realizes how late it is.” Priya hooked her fingers in Diha’s and together they descended the stairs.
It was surreal to see Miles in her space with her parents.
Mom had set a place at the other end of the table for Miles. Normally Diha sat on her father’s left across from her mother, who would be up and down throughout the meal to add a bit of this or that to the dish. At the last minute Priya shoved Diha toward the next chair, next to Miles.
Diha glanced at him, meeting his gaze for the first time, and found him watching her.
It was so good to see him. It just about hurt.
“Sit,” her mother scolded and began heaping food on plates.
Diha sat rigid in her chair, conscious of the man to her left, and barely made sense of the conversation flowing around her. Mostly her father asked Miles about what he did, his family, and once the topic of his Nan came up they were lost to yet another retelling of the fabled night Diha’s parents had met.
She ate a little. Just enough her mother wouldn’t ask questions, and nothing more.
How could she with Miles there?
At one point he stretched and his foot bumped hers.
He hadn’t shied away. He’d kept it there and she’d had to decide to if she was going to back down or not.
She’d left her foot where it was.
How dare he come into her home and wreck her all over again?
That sparked a tiny flame that burned through the post-dinner talk about Priya’s upcoming plans.
“Sir?” Miles said, breaking into the conversation for the first time in several minutes. “Would you mind if Diha and I had a word privately?”
Diha’s father glanced at her, his eyes twinkling. “Not at all.”
She swallowed.
This was inevitable.
Miles pulled her chair out and she stood.
It would be inappropriate to take him up to her room and whatever he had to say she didn’t want the others listening in on. Likewise, if she went outside, the neighbors would wonder. So, she led him to the backyard and turned on the gas fireplace to chase away the evening chill.
She retreated to the far side of the sectional from him and sat, arms crossed and braced for the worst.
Girls like her didn’t get happy endings.
Miles remained standing. Watching her.
“I didn’t understand until I read the reports how exactly everything went down,” he said.
“You wouldn’t listen,” she snapped.
“You’re right. I understand you made the best decision you could. That you have access to more information than I did. What I didn’t like was that...” His eyes bored into hers. “I didn’t like that my partner didn’t talk to me.”
She opened and closed her mouth before she could find her words. “You weren’t there. You’d been sent home. I know it wasn’t ideal. It was horrible, but...”
“You made the best call you could,” he said quietly.
Why did that sound like an accusation?
She’d make the same one again if it came down to that. She couldn’t tell him she wished it had been otherwise.
So this was it. They were really over. This meeting, seeing each other, it was all to lay to rest what had been, and could never be again.
MILES HAD NEVER FELT like a bigger ass than he did in that moment.
After all the talk about not wanting to be like his mother, he’d gone off and walked in her shoes. He’d blamed Diha for not talking to him when he’d been the one sent away. He hadn’t given her the chance to explain. He hadn’t listened. He’d gotten angry and walked away.
Just like his mother.
And it had almost cost him the most precious thing he’d ever had.
Her.
Diha.
“I’m not here to rehash what happened,” he said.“I’m here to ask your forgiveness.”
“W-what?” Diha blinked at him and her lips parted.
“We agreed that we’d talk about things. I talked at length about how I didn’t want to be like my mother, and then I went and wouldn’t speak to you. I suppose there’s more of her in me than I realized.”
Diha’s eyes widened.
“Everyone says you made the right decision and I believe it. You got us the man behind Valentino. From what I’ve heard, you got a lot more. But instead of focusing on the victory, I decided to make a mess of what we had. I’m sorry, Diha. I’m so very sorry.”
“O-okay.”
Miles took a step toward her. Her hands were in her lap now, and she didn’t shy away from him.
He circled the ottoman and went down on one knee.
“I made an ass out of myself and I hurt you,” he said. Nothing was more obvious than the way she wouldn’t look at him over dinner when all he’d wanted to do was stare at her. “In time I hope I can earn your forgiveness.”
“You don’t have to earn anything.” Her voice wavered as she spoke.
His Diha.
His sweet, wonderful, intelligent, savvy woman.
“I think I deserve a little time in the dog house, don’t you?” He smiled.
She sputtered a laugh and covered her mouth with one hand. Tears glistened in her eyes.
He couldn’t take that.
Miles lifted a hand and wiped them away.
“Here’s the thing. I’m madly in love with you, and this last week without you was so bad the Deputy Director General told me to get my shit sorted out. I still want this to work between us. I know I have to make up for—”
“I love you.” Diha launched herself at him, kissing away his words.
Miles wrapped his arms around her, sweet relief and rightness settling in. Her hands slid through his hair, over his face and shoulders.
Not for the first time, he wished they weren’t at her parent’s house.
“I love you, too,” he said against her mouth.
“You’re really here?”
“I’m really here. For a week.” He pulled back. “And I might have called Zora and asked if it were possible for you to have a three-day weekend.”
“What? When?”
“Ah, right after you left the office.”
Diha’s mouth hung open.
“I figured we needed some time together.”
“But...” She glanced over her shoulder.
The curtains stirred.
No doubt from their peanut gallery.
He threaded their fingers together. “What do you say to showing me around New York City starting tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow?” she groaned.
Miles chuckled. “Priya already has a plan for sneaking you out tonight. I’m staying right down the street.”
“I think that sounds perfect.”
A perfect beginning to the rest of their lives.
Epilogue.
Two weeks later. Logan Muller’s Apartment. Washington, DC.
Logan Muller drummed his fingers on the bar and watched Zora place a pitcher of water on the new dining table she’d bought for his place. If they were going to have to move to conducting meetings at his place to protect the secrecy of it all, he needed somewhere for people to sit.
The thing that still galled him was that Zora was holding back intel. She wasn’t telling him everything. Would he and his team ever earn her trust? What did they have to do?
“Any final thoughts on the plan?” Zora prompted him.
He’d let the silence go on for too long.
Calling her on the omissions would only highlight the gap between them.
It wasn’t the mole or that his team was kept around specifically so they could skirt the law at times. It was that Logan still had no idea who or what they were after. For all he knew, they were running headlong into something far bigger than themselves.
“I think this is a crazy plan, but I already told you that.” He glanced up at her and crossed his arms over his chest.
“Yes, but do you think she’ll do it?”
He caught sight of a small group of women headed toward the building.
He focused on one figure in particular.
Short.
Curvy.
A wild bob of hair.
Kelsey Young.
Currently she wasn’t speaking to him. Not since he’d pointed out that sending her on this wild goose chase wasn’t smart if they wanted to keep the mole from knowing their movements.
Besides, this job was too dangerous. She took far too many risks. And he didn’t want to see her killed. He wasn’t sure Ivy Ashely was any better, but at least she wasn’t on the mole’s radar.
Zora sighed and perched on the conference table. “Logan, is something wrong?”
“No.” He cleared his throat and dragged his thoughts away from Kelsey Young. She’d probably poke his eyes out rather than speak to him right now. “And yes, I think she’ll do it. She’s quite the soldier.”
“But I don’t need a soldier.” Zora crossed her arms over her chest. “I need a babe.”
Logan chuckled. “You can’t appreciate Ivy Ashley until you meet Ivy Ashley.”
He just hoped he wasn’t sending a friend on a death ride. And all for what? So he could keep the woman who hated him close?
DIHA GLANCED UP AT the leggy blonde woman.
Pictures did not do her justice.
Ivy Ashley was gorgeous.
And a few weeks ago Diha would have seen her and immediately wanted to be her. Now, Diha wouldn’t trade what she had for anything. Not the world.
“Hey, wait up you two!”
Diha hesitated just enough that Ivy stopped and they both turned to look at the short figure jogging through the parking garage to catch up with them.
Kelsey Young was openly glaring at them.
Great.
No avoiding this now.
“Either she doesn’t like blondes, or that’s your nemesis,” Ivy whispered.
Diha sighed and clasped her hands as Kelsey caught up with them. She planted her hands on her hips and gave Ivy a slow once over, head to toe.
“So, you’re the girl,” Kelsey said.
Ivy just lifted one well-defined brow. “I guess I’m the girl.”
“God damn it.” Kelsey practically growled and though she didn’t stamp her foot she did ball her hands into fists. “Fucking Logan and his bullshit.”
Ivy laughed and the bubble of tension burst. “What’s that bullheaded asshole done now?”
“Thank you.” Kelsey threw up her hands. “He’s such an asshole.”
“Right?”
Diha stared as the two very capable women suddenly seemed to share some sort of secret knowledge. They locked eyes and did a sort of slow nod and smile thing that baffled Diha.
“Kelsey Young.”
“Ivy Ashley.”
Kelsey’s gaze narrowed. “You’re a lot taller than I imagined.”
“I get that a lot.”
&
nbsp; “Basketball or Volleyball?”
“Softball, actually.”
“Really?” Kelsey perked up at that.
“What’s going on here?” Diha asked, fascinated yet lost.
Ivy leaned toward Diha and whispered. “I think I just made a new friend.”
“Diha here’s living in the clouds.” Kelsey winked and grinned at her. “Her new boyfriend’s got her all twitter patted.”
“I am not,” Diha sputtered.
Okay, she was.
“New boyfriend?” Ivy perked up at that. “I’m going to need details. I get to live vicariously through my friends.”
Kelsey grinned at Diha. “You’re going to want to hear all about it. He’s like, James Bond hot, British, the whole thing.”
Diha’s cheeks heated. It was all true. So very, very true. “Stop.”
“What?” Ivey’s brows rose.
Kelsey’s gaze narrowed. “Yup, and she just got back from a three-day weekend in freaking Paris with him. Stingy hussy here won’t give us details.”
Ivy’s grin widened. “Lucky bitch.”
“Hey now, why are you three loitering in the garage?” Felecia followed by Cat chose that moment to walk up with their things. They looked for all the world as if they were headed home for the day, not to a secret meeting.
Kelsey whirled toward the others. “Trying to get Paris details out of Diha, but she won’t crack.”
“Oh.” Felecia’s face lit up. “My place, after the briefing, and she’s telling us everything.”
“Felecia!” Diha gaped at her best friend.
That girl time was supposed to be the three of them.
Were they going to include everyone now?
“I am so in.” Kelsey pumped her fist. “Ivy?”
“Hell yeah. My best friend’s getting married and won’t share details anymore. I need a fix from somewhere.”
Diha opened and closed her mouth. The heat radiating up from her cheeks was enough to almost make her cry.
There was so much good in her life all of a sudden. She had to pinch herself to accept that this was her reality, the rest of the time she didn’t feel like she deserved it.
Maybe she could tell them a few things. Talking about Miles made it feel real when he wasn’t there. Telling them about the rose petals would be innocent enough. That would be good. But there were some details she was keeping to herself.
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