Nolan exited the house without leaving an update on the chalk board. He lifted his phone and tapped on the text icon.He hadn't messaged Yvonne yet.Should he ask for permission or forgiveness for what he was about to do? And where was she?He changed his mind and tapped her contact, activating the call as he walked.The line rang once, twice, a third time.She could be ignoring him like he was with his mother."Yes?" Yvonne's voice was soft, maybe a little wary."I'd like to see you.""Why?""To apologize properly.""I'm not sure that's a good idea.""I was an ass. Again."Silence."Vee?""I can see you just fine."He glanced at her windows, but from what he could see at this distance the curtains were shut."Not there," she said.There were too many windows on the house to search.A bird twittered in the background through the phone.She was outside.Nolan kept walking, but now he examined the grass, the trees, until-there. Near the wall, almos
Friday. Grimaldi Place, Chevy Chase, MD.YVONNE WOKE WITH A start to the sound of something thudding against the hardwood next to her bed. She sat up, clutching the comforter to her chest, and blinked across the dim room at the hulking shadow hunched over at the side of her bed."Shit, sorry," the shadow muttered.Heart racing, it took a moment for the voice to register.She knew that voice."Nolan?" She reached over and clicked on the bedside lamp."Sh." He glanced back at the door.The floor creaked out in the hall.Someone was there.Nolan braced his hand on the mattress and leaned toward her, mouthing more than whispering, "Doug might have seen me."Yvonne glanced at the clock.She'd gone through so many time zones her body didn't know what time it was.Eight.Nine hours ago she'd left the guest house after nearly laughing herself sick at Vaughn and Nolan carrying on. It had been one of the most relaxing, easiest evenings she'd spent out in...she couldn
Yvonne slid her arms around his neck and he took her mouth. The kiss was possessive, branding. His stubble scraped her chin and though she might have initiated contact, he was taking over. Her nipples pebbled, growing harder until she wanted to rub against him to find some sort of relief, like a cat in heat."No," Nolan rumbled against her mouth."No?" She panted for breath, head spinning."You should eat something first." He flicked the top of the donut box open."I could eat later.""You'll eat now." He plucked a strawberry donut from the box."Bossy.""Yup." One side of his mouth kicked up. "I bet you spend most of your days telling people what to do. Maybe taking orders is good for you?""Maybe you're delusional?""I am a guy. I like my delusions." He held the donut to her lips, drawing a line across her mouth with the frosting.Yvonne had to hand it to him. He was right. She was the woman in charge at work and she chafed at being on the receiving end of orders
Friday. Grimaldi Place, Chevy Chase, MD.NOLAN SPARED YVONNE'S BED one last glance. He didn't want to trudge back to the guest house and pass out on the hard-as-a-rock mattress there. Things with Yvonne were too new to push for some sort of privilege. Plus, he should be present to do his job with the others should the need arise.He clipped his gun on his hip and was ready to go.Yvonne sat in the middle of the bed, wrapped in a fuzzy robe, her wet hair piled on top of her head."Plans today?" he asked."I really need to do some work.""How much longer can you remote in?""Maybe a week or two?" She grimaced. "There's some things I just need to handle personally. Ready?""Yeah."Yvonne swung her legs over the side, giving him a glimpse of her thighs and the maroon and teal plaid shorts she'd put on after the shower. He watched her pad to the window and peer out."Coast clear?" He circled the bed and came up behind her.She leaned back against his chest without u
"Move, stay with me, look at the ground." Nolan powered forward.A loud boom and flash of light sent smoke pouring out of the foyer.Flash grenade. They were breeching the house right fucking now. Sheltering in the utility room was not happening. They'd be sitting ducks.They had to get out of here. Now.He spared a glance over his shoulder.Yvonne was on his heels.Theodore and Douglas brought up the rear with their father between them, practically dragging the stunned man.If the attackers were breeching from one point, perhaps he could slip the family out the side or the back?It was that or hope he had enough bullets to take out all of the intruders.Voices echoed off the marble.There was no time.He had to get the family out now.Nolan darted into the living room. "Shut the doors behind us. Yvonne, take your Mom.""I've got her." Yvonne looped her mother's arm around her shoulders. The woman cried big, tears accompanied by even louder sobs.Nolan proce
Friday. Chevy Chase, MD."WHERE ARE THEY? WHERE did they go?" Samuel pounded his fist on the dash.Everything had gone perfectly.They'd arrived, spent an hour confirming their information about the property, then it was go time. By all accounts they should have taken the family unaware and with no security presence to speak of inside the home.Now Samuel was down at least four men. Six hadn't made it back to the vehicles before they'd left to try following the targets.This was supposed to have been easy clean-up. He was supposed to be enjoying this new chapter of his life. Instead he was rushing around a country he hated trying to squash bugs.***Friday. Safe House, Huntington Terrace, MD.YVONNE'S HEAD SPUN. HER knee had stopped bleeding, but the cut on her left arm still oozed blood. She stared down at the slowly seeping wound soaking her robe, the voices in the SUV melding together.How had she gotten that cut?She couldn't remember.Everything h
Friday. Safe House, Huntington Terrace, MD.NOLAN TWIRLED THE PEN between his fingers while the hold music continued to play. The last thing he wanted to be doing was his job as the team's Communication Officer. Coordinating bullshit was tedious when Yvonne sat across the room.She was still staring into space. Her color wasn't right. He hated the sight of the bandage on her arm and knowing how close she'd come to getting seriously hurt.And for what?To avoid the spotlight for the sake of stock prices or some other bullshit?If he could scoop her up and walk out of here, he just might do it. But Yvonne had a plan, and damn it, he'd said he was going to trust her. Now he had to prove it. Whatever secrets she was keeping, he'd get them out of her, eventually.Somewhere in the last two days he'd changed his tune completely. They'd gone from barely being able to stand each other to something more. Now that he had a chance to do this right, he wasn't going to allow anything
Friday. Landover, MD.LEE STOOD IN THE kitchen of the modest, two-bedroom house considering his options.In the garage, he had the law clerk. That man had already wet himself.In the spare bedroom, he had the hit man. That was going to be a tougher nut to crack, even with the man loaded full of bullets and slowly dying.He wasn't going to get anything useful out of the hit man, but he was still a tool. Something Lee could use to make his canary sing."Bring the Asian guy in the garage." Lee needed to make this happen today. With someone reporting back on him, it was only a matter of time until his clients once more came calling.There had to be progress soon.He pushed open the door to the garage.The man handcuffed and hooded on the chair in the middle of the room whimpered.So far the guy had volunteered the location of his cash, his social security number, available credit card balances and that his mother was on vacation.Two of Lee's other men dragged the As