ALEC LISTENED TO THE sounds of Vara's shower for a moment before retreating to the kitchen. He should be dragging and ready to drop. He hadn't slept much on the plane. But he couldn't waste time on a nap. He was under the same roof with Vara and he didn't know how long it would last.In theory, seven days. That was how long they'd booked the condo for. It didn't mean they'd actually stay that long. Anything could happen. She could get called in by the CIA. He could have a job come up. For however long they got, he wanted to use that time to reconnect with her.It hadn't gone unnoticed that she hadn't blinked an eye when he'd put their things in the master bedroom. There'd been no hesitation, no glancing around. Nothing. Which he took as a good sign. Besides, he didn't intend to sleep without her so long as they were together. Every minute had to count. This was his campaign to show her that they could be something together for real this time and not just a lust-driven fling.He'd go
DINNER ON THE PATIO was a relaxed affair. Vara and Alec stretched out on the lounge chairs and piled the food on a few plates between them, eating what they wanted. They didn't have much of a view through the wrought iron bars of anything except the vegetation bordering the lush lawn. It was still nice to sit outside without worrying. Vara almost didn't know what it felt like to be without concern for her safety."You and your mom on speaking terms?" Alec asked out of nowhere."Yeah. I call her every couple of weeks." Vara did the math. She was due for another call. "I should probably let her know where I am.""Things still rocky between you two?""That's nothing new." Vara wrinkled her nose and swung her legs over the side of the chair. She wasn't yet used to the feel of air on her bare legs."Hey." Alec reached over and took her hand. "She's your mom.""And I was a child she didn't want. It's no secret. I know she loves me, but let's face it. I wasn't an easy kid to parent and
VARA OPENED THE DOOR to the bedroom and found Alec standing on the other side, his hands braced on the frame."Hi." He grinned at her and even though there was plenty of space between them she could feel ghost touches along her cheek and inner knee. Places those lips had been."Hi. Come here often?" She gestured at the master bath behind her."Only when I need to." He lifted one shoulder."Move." She chuckled and shooed him to one side."Done?" He backed up, giving her space, which was a little disappointing."It's all yours." She strolled across the bedroom.The door snicking shut cut off any fantasy of him enraptured by the sight of her.What the hell was up with him?Alec had kept things fairly G rated. Even once it was just the two of them all he'd done was flirt a bit, hold her hand, kissed her fewer than five times-but nothing more. She'd fully expected him to pounce on her as soon as they were behind closed doors. Instead they'd spent a relaxing evening in front of the
WYATT BOREGARD HAD TO make a choice. He had the proverbial wolf by the ears and he was beginning to think there was no way for him to extract himself from this situation without getting mauled. He stared out the windows on a landscape covered in green with crystal skies overhead.Where the hell was he?The flights they'd used hadn't been commercial. Wyatt had weathered the last trip sandwiched between crates in a seat barely wide enough for his ass.Based on the position of the stars he knew they'd gone north. His guess from the few signs he'd seen in the stark building, all of which were in the Cyrillic alphabet, was that they were either in Ukraine or Russia. If he were an international mob boss, he'd be in Ukraine. Too many people were interested in the going and comings from Russia for them to pass without notice.Vara had sure bitten off more than she could chew this time. He'd known better than to stick with her for this long. She was blessed with too much luck. It was bound
ALEC SET THE BEACH chairs down and watched as Vara swept her bikini cover-up over her head. A week of this view and he still wasn't tired of it. She glanced at him and rolled her eyes, one side of her mouth hitching up."Want to take mine off, too?" He grinned at her and unfolded a chair for her."Shut up." Vara set the tote in her chair and draped the top over the back. She rolled her eyes and smiled, but it wasn't the reaction he was looking for.There was a wall there. He could feel it. She'd kiss him, suck him, fuck him, but there was this barrier that kept them slightly apart. Maybe he wouldn't notice it if he was just meeting her or if he hadn't known her better all those years ago, but he did. He'd been with a totally open and uninhibited Vara and this wasn't her.Whatever.He'd wear her down. This was a long campaign. Them clicking so fast was good, it meant he had to do less convincing her. He just needed to show her that this relationship didn't have an expiration date.
ALEC PLACED HIS HAND on the small of Vara's back, guiding her to the sidewalk. Instead of heading home to shower then off to a restaurant, they were simply moving from the beach to a waterfront bar with their newfound friends."These guys make me feel old." He chuckled."Please. You are not old." Vara peered up at him over the top of her sunglasses."Were you listening to them?""Okay, so maybe I do feel my age a little. We don't have to go, you know? We can bail." She slowed her pace."Nah. They need a little guidance. Someone to show them a better example.""And that's you? Right.""Okay, so maybe I want to see you drink them under the table.""You're ready to sacrifice my liver to get a laugh?" The corners of her mouth quirked up.Alec reached up and tugged on her ponytail. She tilted her chin up and he paused to kiss her lips. He kept it brief so as to avoid needing to leave. The guys weren't bad, and it was nice to be out with someone besides each other."I'd like it if
VARA TAPPED HER PHONE screen, but the device was sluggish. She needed to switch over to a new cell on an American network. It just hadn't been a priority. Now it seemed silly that she hadn't taken care of that already.Alec hauled himself out of the seat in the row ahead of her and wrangled their bags out of the overhead bins. They'd agreed that remaining in Miami seemed like a bad idea. Somehow they'd gotten home, packed and boarded the plane in an hour and a half. She didn't know where they were headed now or what Alec's plan was, but she was glad to be in another city.She pressed her phone to her ear and followed Alec down the aisle off the plane.Chad's phone rang. And rang. His voicemail picked up.Vara ended the call. She wasn't leaving him another message, not when she had nothing worthwhile to say.Once they were off the plane Alec offered her his hand."What's our plan now?" It was strange to ask someone else that question. For the last few years she was the one making
ALEC DIDN'T LIKE HOW quiet Vara had been while they tidied up from dinner. With the others around he wasn't going to press her to talk to him. She'd drawn into herself even more and he didn't know how to get through to her. It felt as though ever since they'd gotten to Florida she'd drawn farther and farther away from him. He was going out of his fucking mind.He grabbed their bags and led the way up the stairs to the tune of yet more silence. At least once they were alone he could tease some conversation out of her. Their time was literally ticking down. Tomorrow he was flying to Seattle. He needed her to agree to go with him. She had to stay with him.Alec picked one of the remaining rooms at random and opened the door for Vara.The room was large and comfortable with two queen beds and an attached bathroom. It was one of the suites that would be earmarked for the team's use on an op, saving the larger, more luxurious rooms for clients. He set their things on top of the dresser an
Two months later. Ekko's Apartment, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.EKKO STARED AT THE table with the spread of food laid out.Was there enough? Did she need more? Would Coco and Paxton like it?She reached out and adjusted the tray of cheese so it was at more of an angle instead of perfectly aligned to everything else.It looked too neat."Stop." Silas took her hand and spun her toward him, capturing her against his chest with strong arms around her waist."It looks like I'm trying too hard." She smoothed her hands up and over his shoulders."Stop. It's just Paxton and Coco.""Your best friend and his fiancé, who I haven't met yet.""What?" Silas' face scrunched up. "You've talked to her dozens of times.""In the background of you and Paxton talking. That doesn't count." She pulled away from him and proceeded to turn dishes a little this way and that."You do realize Coco spends most days digging in elephant shit and stuff, right?""Silas." She scowled at him."What?" He gr
IT FELT LIKE THE weight Silas had been carrying around in his gut had now attached itself to his eyelids. He floated in darkness, no longer asleep but not yet awake. Someone had called this twilight once, though he couldn't recall who. Something wouldn't let him go back to sleep. There was something he needed to do. It was urgent.What the hell was it?That nagging question hounded him as he ever so slowly gathered his strength.He wasn't aware of time or how long it took to wrestle one eyelid open, but at long last he peered out of his darkness into...more darkness.Well that was just dandy. What the fuck?He blinked that one eye again, letting his vision adjust. He was in a room and there was a light on, it just didn't do much.Machines beeped and whirled around him.That was a sound he could never mistake and it told him the first piece of his puzzle. From there the others fell into place, one after another.He was still in the hospital.He'd been hurt.There was a fight.
EKKO CLUNG TO THE stretcher bearing Silas out to the parking lot.She hadn't realized how bad his injuries were. He was barely keeping his eyes open. Tears leaked out of her eyes as she kept pace with the two paramedics. Silas covered her hand with his as they came to a stop at the bumper of an ambulance.Paxton, Brett and Vito were sitting inside. They were worse for wear and grim, but seemed okay.All around them police were marching uninjured people they'd arrested to sit in a line next to a chain-link fence blocking the sidewalk. The night was lit up with swirling lights that made her head spin."Where's Chayan?" she asked. Her heart was tearing in two, aching for both men.A little distance away an ambulance took off, sirens blaring. She hoped it was the one with Pasley in it."Ma'am, I need to look at that wound," a paramedic said to her.She held tight to Silas' hand. "What about Chayan? Older man, little taller than me? Salt and pepper hair?"Silas had said he was fine.
IGNEY PACED IN A circle, looking down each hall in turn.Where were they? Had he miscalculated? Were they willing to lose the woman so long as they got the man?His orders were clear. Get both the man and the woman.The woman was a symbol. Too many young people had taken to the streets because they listened to others like her.The man though, he knew things.Killing the woman was personal. Chasing her had cast him in a bad light. But the man was more important in the grand scheme of things."Fuck," Igney muttered. He glanced at a pair of men striding for the doors. "You. Come here."The men never glanced at him. Because they didn't understand him?He whirled to face Alban. "Where are the others?""I don't know where Delem and Michil are." He grimaced. "I haven't heard from them since we split up to search the building."That wasn't good.Igney had heard a lot of gunfire. Was it possible the other men he'd brought with him were dead?If both Chayan and Pasley escaped, leavin
EKKO'S ONE OFFENSIVE ATTEMPT was an utter failure. Her head spun and she was going to be sick.This wasn't good.She felt like a ragdoll being drug around, first by Igney then another man she didn't recognize. He spoke Daurian though which could only mean one thing.He was London DSS.Her body chilled. Was that from fear or the blows to the head? She didn't know anymore."Come find me, Pasley, or your little bird dies," Igney cackled into the radio.She tasted bile.Pasley had called her little bird back in the park.Igney cackled like a bad movie villain. The man was enjoying this. He was getting off on torturing them all.What about Silas?Pasley was with him.If Pasley told Silas, if he knew, they would come for her. Silas was determined to bring them all home and to keep her safe. But if he did, if he came to her rescue, Igney would kill them. Igney needed her and Chayan. Which meant he couldn't kill her here and now. It was an empty threat. Wasn't it? Did she dare belie
SILAS PUSHED HIS GROUP hard as they traversed the second floor. The sun had fully set, plunging them into complete darkness where there weren't windows or other lights.This building was a damn maze, and every turn they needed was blocked by too many people to fight their way through.There had to be more than the fifteen or so they'd estimated. More like thirty.This wasn't good.What about Ekko? Where had the others gone to?He'd hoped getting down here meant they would find her and Paxton, but so far all they'd found were a few bodies. At least they knew Paxton and Brett were eliminating the other side. But no one had taken the ammo or guns. Why? When resources were this precious, why not take them?Could they have gotten free? Did he dare hope?Something thumped in the darkness. Like a heavy footfall.Silas cursed himself as he skidded to a stop. He didn't see anything, but his gut screamed at him. He pivoted and threw himself at Chayan, shoving the other man aside. Silas w
THE DARKNESS FELT AS if it were swallowing her.Ekko clung to the back of Paxton's shirt like he'd directed. She couldn't shake the sensation that there were hands out there reaching for her. That Igney or one of the others were biding their time and waiting for the chance to kill her.Where was Silas? What about Chayan and the others?They'd been separated before she realized what was going on.Behind them a burst of gunfire spurred her on, shattering the silence.She knew it was Brett. Was he trading gunfire with someone? Those shots all sounded the same to her. She hoped he was safe. He was only one man and they had no idea how many were behind them."Stay close." Paxton reached back and pressed her hand to his back.Her head pounded with each and every step. It hurt so bad, but she didn't want to say anything. Her pain was minimal compared to what could happen."Will you cut that out?" Paxton yelled behind them.He side stepped and sort of skipped through a narrow gap betw
SILAS GRIT HIS TEETH to keep from telling Paxton to hurry the fuck up. It wasn't like Paxton was slow. The knife on his belt tool was small and no doubt dulled after cutting through several sets of thick, plastic restraints.Sitting like this it felt as though there was a ten pound weight sitting on his guts. He didn't know what the knife had cut, but Silas knew from the woozy feeling and blood making his jeans sticky it wasn't good. He had to get the others out of here before his clock ran out."Which way did they bring you up?" Silas asked Brett instead of chafing at how long getting free was taking.Brett stood by the door, a discarded piece of wood held as a weapon. "We came in some doors, up a stair to our right then a long walk down here. You?""Different way." Silas grimaced. "Do we retrace our path, or avoid it? How many people were with you?"Brett grimaced. They'd been hooded when they arrived. "Hard to say.""Let's assume at least the three that came in here plus one o
EKKO STARED IN SHOCK, her head spinning as the men left the room again."S-Silas?" she whispered so softly she barely heard herself.He slumped sideways groaning.Had that man-that monster-just stabbed Silas?"Man, Silas, dude, talk to us." Paxton had scooted forward, his arms extended behind him, attention on Silas."I'm fine." Silas' voice was strained. "Brett, Vito, how are you two?""Alive," Brett groaned."Vito? Man?" Silas shook his head and sat up straighter."Fine."This was it.Ekko swallowed.They'd done everything and in the end, they were outplayed.The DSS would kill them. She wasn't sure why they hadn't already, but she didn't doubt that death was the final move. All of these people, they were going to die because she'd been arrogant. She'd thought she knew what she was doing, when in fact she hadn't a clue.A sob tore out of Ekko making her already aching head pound harder."Ekko?" Silas called out. "Ekko, listen to me, this is going to be okay. Pax?"A ch