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An hour later, Jake stormed down the hill, wanted to howl out his frustration. He opened the man-door to the barn and headed toward his favorite horse’s stable.
Riding always helped to clear his mind. Gave him time to think. And if he didn’t think of something fast, he feared he’d lose Olivia forever.
Jake approached the familiar stall. Champ, his favorite horse, looked over at him, and he could have sworn the horse was glaring. Not that he could blame him. Jake hadn’t been around much lately to give him the attention he should.
His hired hand—a trusted Army vet Ryker had put him in contact with—came once a day when Jake was away for work. He’d saddle Champ and Daisy up, taking each one for a ride around the property and made sure they were groomed and fed.
Since bringing her here, Jake had taken Liv riding, but that had been the first time in a long time he’d given his horses some quality attention.
“Hey, buddy.” Jake reached out and rubbed Champ’s coarse, brown hair. “You still mad at me?”
The horse blew air from his nose in a loud huff, but Jake figured all was forgiven when Champ nudged his hand.
Drawing in a deep breath, Jake welcomed the smell of wood, hay, and horses. He smiled, loving the tranquility of it all. He was about to unlatch the stall door when the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. Suddenly, Jake knew he wasn’t alone.
He reached behind him, pulling the weapon he never left home without—not even to go for a short ride—from his back waistband.
With the safety off, Jake spun around, holding his gun out in front of him. He didn’t see anyone, but that didn’t matter. His gut told him someone else was there.
Keeping his back to Champ’s stable, Jake held his gun with both hands, moving silently. His arms were steady as he pointed the weapon toward the front of the barn.
Jake’s heart jumped when he heard a slight shifting sound coming from one of the far stalls. One that currently should have been empty.
Blood rushed past his ears and adrenaline shot through his system as Jake moved his finger to the trigger. He drew in a calming breath and held it. He was ready to fire when a familiar voice filled the tense air.
“You can lower your weapon, McQueen. I don’t think Olivia would be too happy if you killed me.”
Jake exhaled slowly, his heart working double-time to go back to its normal. He was re-positioning his gun against his back when the other man came out of the stable.
“Probably not,” Jake responded. “Except you’re already dead, so—” he let his voice trail off.
One corner of Mike Bradshaw’s mouth turned up into a crooked smile. “Good point.”
In spite of the impossible situation he was facing with Liv—all thanks to the man standing in front of him—Jake couldn’t deny he missed his friend something fierce.
Walking over to him, Jake extended his hand and said, “You’re taking one hell of a risk coming here, Mike.”
Olivia’s ‘dead’ brother shook Jake’s hand before pulling him in for a hug. The guy never had shied away from showing his emotions. I guess some things never change.
“Damn good to see ya, man,” Mike said sincerely as his strong hands slapped against Jake’s back.
“You, too.” Jake returned the hug. They broke away, and Jake shook his head. “But, seriously, Mike. You really shouldn’t be here. Olivia’s staying here.” Then, he quickly added, “Just for a few days. She’s been pretty stressed, and I wanted to bring her here. To get away from everything.”
He was rambling. What the hell? He and Olivia were both consenting adults. Not to mention the fact that her brother had allowed her to believe he’d been killed in a tragic training accident ten years before. So, Mike really shouldn’t have a say in who she dated.
“I know. I saw her leave with that really hot blond.”
Mike’s eyebrows bounced up and down a couple times, and if he noticed Jake’s overdone attempt to explain his sister staying at his place, he didn’t say anything.
“You saw them leave?” Jake looked at his watch. “That was over an hour ago. What the hell were you doing, sneaking around my place for an hour?”
He’d set up the retinal scanner to detect Mike’s eyes the last time his friend was here, so he didn’t have to ask how he’d gotten in.
Mike grinned. “I’m not a complete idiot. What if they’d forgotten their purses or some shit and had to come back? And for the record, I don’t sneak.”
“What about your cover? How’d you manage the time away?”
“The opportunity finally presented itself, and I took advantage. I followed Olivia’s story after Madagascar.” The haunted look shadowing Mike’s eyes was the same one that came over Jake’s whenever he thought about her time there. “I knew she’d be okay after she came home. That you’d keep her safe. I just...I don’t know. I guess I had to see her for myself. She wasn’t at her new house or the hospital she works at now, so I figured this was the next best place to check. She doing okay?”
Jake didn’t bother asking Mike how he’d been able to keep tabs on his sister while under cover. The guy had just as many—if not more—contacts than he did.
“She had some trouble when she first came home. Some jackass began stalking her, but Trevor took him out a few days ago. She’s good now. Really good, actually.”
Mike rubbed the back of his neck, his hand sliding beneath the ponytail he’d been sporting for the past several years as part of his cover.
“Damn, that girl never could stay out of trouble for long. So, where were she and Blondie headed?”
Jake wanted to laugh. It was a damn good thing Mac wasn’t around to hear Mike’s nickname for her. Otherwise, Mike really would be dead.
“Shopping.” Jake grimaced. He’d rather face down the enemy with his bare hands than spend an entire day going from store to store, fighting the crowds.
Mike walked over to Daisy, the horse in the stall across from Champ. Rubbing her nose, he said, “They’ll be gone for a while, then. I have some time.” He turned to Jake. “Wanna ride?”
Jake contemplated this. It was risky, but it had been over a year since he’d spoken to Mike, and damn it, he’d missed him. He also knew how Mac shopped.
The kick-ass sniper could drop a man where he stood from over 2,000 yards without so much as breaking a sweat. She also could have coined the phrase, Shop ’til you drop. They should have plenty of time for a ride.
“Come on, brother,” Mike prodded him. “It’s been a hell of a long time since you and I rode together.”
“Too long,” Jake nodded in agreement.
Mike grinned. “Well, alright then.”
After saddling the horses, Jake and Mike headed out the back of the barn and across the great expanse of his land.
Mike shifted on Daisy’s back, his eyes darting out over the horizon and then back toward the cabin. No matter what he said about being safe here, the man still looked around for possible threats. That, and the sister who still thought he was dead.
“You’re safe here, Mike,” Jake assured him. “The land is secure, and we’ve got plenty of time. Mac’s a soldier to the core, but I swear the woman could turn shopping into an Olympic sport.”
Mike’s broad shoulders relaxed, and he grinned. “Well, in that case,” he let some of his southern drawl slip. “Wanna race?”
Jake’s blood pumped with excitement. Nothing beat the rush of riding full-speed on his horse. An image of Olivia lying beneath him, naked and satiated, flashed through his mind. Okay, almost nothing. He grinned in spite of himself.
“First one to the pond just over that hill?”
Mike followed Jake’s gaze to the large mound in the distance. “What’s the wager?”
“We’ll keep it low. Say, a Benjamin?”
“You’re on.”
Without warning, Mike spurred Daisy with the heels of his boots and with a “Ha!” he took off.
“Cheating bastard,” Jake mumbled and shook his head, smiling.
He closed in on Mike, loving that he was able to spend time with his best friend again. Guilt tried to wiggle its way in, but he pushed it away for now, not knowing when—or if—they’d ever get the chance to do this again.
Mike had worked damn hard to get accepted into some of the most dangerous organizations in the world. Every day he survived without being made was like living on borrowed time.
He was the best there was for jobs like the ones he took on, but even the best could have a bad day.
The two men reached the pond at the exact same moment, but of course, each one swore his horse had gotten their first. After going back and forth a few times, they both finally agreed it was a tie and left it at that.
They dismounted and led their horses to the water’s edge for a drink. Standing silently for a few minutes, both became lost in their own thoughts.
Jake wasn’t sure what was going through Mike’s mind, but all he could think of was everything that had transpired between him and Olivia during the past few months.
Lost in the moments they’d shared—both good and bad—Jake didn’t know how in the hell he’d survive it if she left him, once he told her the truth.
Mike finally broke the silence when he cleared his throat. In a somber voice said, “Thanks for watching out for her, Jake. I know it sounds crazy given the situation, but I don’t know what I’d do if I lost her.” The man’s voice was thick with emotion.
Trust me, buddy. I know how you feel. “I’m not going to let anything else happen to her, Mike.”
Mike turned to face him. “I know you won’t. And in case I’ve never said it, thank you. For watching out for her all these years. For saving her from those bastards and bringing her back home.”
Jake swallowed back his own emotions. “Don’t have to thank me for that, man. Not ever.”
Mike tilted his head once and then went back to staring out over the beautiful horizon. Jake used the opportunity to take in just how different his friend looked.
It had been over a year since he’d seen him, and the guy was damn near unrecognizable. Of course, that was kind of the point, given the whole undercover gig.
Before going deep, Mike had always kept his hair military short and his face clean-shaven. Even in high school, he’d get a haircut the second it got long enough to start brushing the tops of his ears. Said it bugged the hell out of him.
The man standing before him, now, had a long, dark brown ponytail that reached down to the middle of his shoulders. His beard was unkempt, and the tattoos peeking out from under his short sleeves were some he’d never seen before. He looked like a total thug, but Jake knew that was far from the truth.
“It should have been me keeping her safe,” Mike growled. “I should have been here to protect her.” Even from the side, Jake could see the guilt in his friend’s eyes.
“Kind of hard to do from the grave.” Jake put his hand on the guy’s shoulder. “I won’t stop watching over her, Mike. Not ever.”
He briefly considered telling Mike about his relationship with Liv, but decided not to, for fear his friend would return to his job distracted. Mike needed to keep a clear head.
Jake guessed it was why his friend had felt the need to see Olivia with his own eyes. Now that he had, Mike could focus on what needed to be done without personal shit getting in the way and putting him at risk.
Giving Jake an earnest nod, Mike looked at his watch. “Speaking of the little hellion, we should probably head back. I’m sure we have time before she gets home, but better not chance it.
The two men remounted and headed back toward the ranch. There was no racing this time. Their movements were slow and steady as they made their way back to the barn.
After a few quiet moments, Mike said, “So, don’t bullshit me, Jake. How is she? Really.”
Jake smiled, “She’s good. No bullshit. Stubborn as ever, but she’s good.”
He opted to not share with Mike what had happened at the hospital. The guy was shouldering enough guilt already. He wasn’t going to add to it unnecessarily.
The corners of Mike’s mouth turned up in a sad smile. “Good. I’m glad.” He was quiet for a time and then, “I’ve missed out on so much with her.”
Jake waited a beat and then asked, “Was it worth it?”
Mike drew a deep breath in then let it out slowly. “If you’d asked me eight years ago, I’d have said yes. Hell, if you’d asked me two years ago, I probably would have said yes. These guys are bad news, Jake. I’ve been able to help put away some of the worst people out there. It’s not just about selling illegal weapons and trading government information anymore. It’s all about skin trade with these freaks. Fucking sick shit, man.”
Jake understood his friend’s anger all too well.
“The guy I’m in with now, Alexandar Volkov, is seriously bad news. And his sons are no better. Ivan, the oldest, is even worse than his old man. Total piece of shit. Uses his strip clubs as a way for his buyers to get a look at merchandise before spending their hard-earned money.” Mike’s words were laced with sarcasm. “Those women have no idea, either. They think they’re just there to dance and maybe give a few private shows behind the curtains. Some are barely legal.”
Continuing on, Mike’s anger became more noticeable. “One night, they’re on stage, the next they’ve suddenly ‘quit’ their jobs and moved on. Ivan is as good as his dad at making sure the stink from his shit doesn’t touch him. He can’t wait for the day Alexandar kicks the bucket so he can take over the family business. Mikhail, the youngest son, wants out, but he knows going against his father and brother would be suicide.”
Mike took a breath and shook his head. “I’ve been working that angle for a while, and I’m finally close to breaking him. I can feel it. If I could just turn him, then good ol’ dad and Ivan, along with the rest of the Russian bastards, will go down for good. But Mikhail’s been too scared to give us anything concrete that we can use in court. Shitty thing is, I can’t blame the poor sonofabitch.”
Jake wasn’t surprised that Mike was sharing such detailed information. Jake had the same clearance level as Mike, so Mike wouldn’t be in trouble for reading him in.
“Couldn’t you testify on what you’ve seen? From what you’ve just said, I would think you’d have enough to put them all away by now.”
“I’ve got Mikhail dead to rights, which is why I’ve been leaning hardest on him. Ivan...maybe, but not Alexandar. I’m tellin’ ya, the guy’s damn near untouchable. I could get the smaller fish, which would definitely hurt their empire, but my bosses want them all.”
Mike ran a frustrated hand over his jaw. “And Alexandar Volkov isn’t stupid. He’s covered his tracks over the years and made sure nothing could be tied directly back to him. Well, almost nothing. We’re so close, but I need Mikhail’s help. I convince him, and we’ll take Volkov down once and for all. Once the top falls, the rest will be scrambling to make deals. Problem is, even if I do get Mikhail to agree to everything, there’s no guarantee that when the time comes he’ll actually have the guts to take the stand.”
Mike paused, lost in thought for a moment. “So to answer your original question, in the beginning, I was sure it was worth it.”
“And now?” Jake asked, sensing his friend was struggling.
Mike looked over their surroundings and shook his head. “Now...” He inhaled deeply and let it out slowly. “Now, I don’t know, man. Everything we’ve done has made a real difference to a hell of a lot of people. But you only get one shot at this, you know?” Mike was still looking out at the wide-open space longingly, and Jake knew his friend was talking about life.
“You could quit,” Jake only half-teased. “Do some real work for a change.”
Mike chuckled but, then, got serious fast. “I’ve been thinking about it. A lot, actually.”
Jake swung his head to the side, surprised. “Seriously?”
Mike turned to him, not a trace of humor in his expression. “This cover has just about reached its end. If I can’t convince Mikhail to help us soon, then they’re going to either get someone else in who can or settle for what they can get with what we have now.” He sighed, his eyes filled with resignation. “Either way, I’m done, Jake.”
Jake recognized the look, and it wasn’t a good one to have when working deep undercover. He’d seen a lot of guys burn out. They’d make a fatal mistake, or say fuck it, and join the other side.
Mike would never trade sides. Jake was as sure of that as he was his love for Olivia. But the guy was right. He clearly needed out of that life. Jake just prayed Mike could make that happen before he did something stupid like getting killed for real.
“So, what are you going to do?” Jake asked his friend. “It’s not like you can just rise from the dead after ten years.”
Mike shrugged one shoulder. “Maybe, maybe not. After all, it is the U.S. Government. They can always come up with some sort of explanation. And given everything I’ve done for them, you bet your ass I’ll find a way when I’m ready. One thing’s for sure, though. Whether I come back as Mike Bradshaw or someone else, it’ll be for good.”
Mike gave a brief pause then continued with, “It’d be one thing to do what you and your teams does. To be able to work a job here and there and come back home. To a real home and an actual life that belongs to you, and not some fictional character. Like this”—Mike glanced around at the property again— “You’re gone when you’re needed, but then, you get to come back to all of this. You’ve planted roots, man. Hell, I couldn’t even tell you the last time I went on a date. An actual date with someone I liked, not a piece I was just using to gain intel.”
Mike’s hand scrubbed over his beard again. “Shit, Jake. I look back at my life, so far, and I’ve got nothing to show for it. Not personally, anyway. I’m thirty-four years old with no wife, no kids. Hell, my dad died, and I couldn’t even go to his fucking funeral. Or Liv’s for that matter. Though, thank Christ, that turned out differently.”
Jake couldn’t agree more.
“I don’t know, man,” Mike went on. The guy clearly needed to vent to someone he trusted. “I’ve left my sister alone all this time, even when she was going through her own hell, and for what? I mean, at least if I did what you do, I’d have the option to settle down somewhere. Start a family of my own.”
Jake was surprised at that. Until recently, he’d never seen his job as one that was conducive to a long-term relationship, let alone a family. He was still worried about how they’d manage it, and wondered how Mike thought it could work.
“You think so?”
“Hell, yeah. It’s no different than being career military. Better, actually. You guys are home a lot more and have the freedom to pick and choose the jobs you take. No government contract that owns your ass. It’s your choice. You make the decisions.”
Jake shook his head. “I don’t know. I think about the situations we go into. Hell, my last job kept me away for two solid months. The thought of leaving Li...a wife at home to worry, or worse, take care of everything on her own if something happened to me?”
Damn, that was close. No telling how Mike would have reacted to that little slip. “I always figured it would be pretty fucking selfish to ask someone to live that way.”
“Women are a hell of a lot stronger than we give them credit for, Jake. Shit, my sister’s a perfect example. After everything she’s been through, she keeps pushing forward. I don’t know how she’s done it all these years on her own.”
This time, Jake couldn’t hide his smile or the affection in his voice. “She’s the strongest woman I know.”
Mike tilted his head, and Jake worried he’d given himself away. He moved his eyes forward, doing his damnedest not to show how he truly felt about the guy’s little sister.
Somber again, Mike said, “We almost lost her in that jungle. When I heard she was gone, what those bastards had done to her and the others...that was the closest I’ve ever come to blowing a cover.”
Jake looked over at his friend and vowed, “I’d die before letting anything else happen to her.”
Mike simply nodded. He may have ‘died’ himself years before, but Jake knew the thought of losing his sister for real was more than his friend could bear.
****
“I’m so sorry,” Olivia whispered the apology to Mac as they drove down Jake’s road. It was one of about twenty she’d given to her during the drive home from the mall in Dallas.
“Would you stop already? I keep telling you, there is nothing to apologize for. And if you do it one more time, I’ll be forced to bring out that badass side of me you seem so fond of.”
Despite the harsh words, Mac smiled at her and winked before rolling her window down and scanning her eye for entrance through Jake’s gate. “I still can’t believe that asshat came up to you the way he did.”
Olivia gave her a quick smile back, still hating that they’d had to cut the day short because of her. It had started out great. Perfect, even.
In the first hour, they’d stopped for coffee and breakfast at a quaint little bakery then hit a few dress shops before heading to the mall.
They’d gone into one of the larger department stores. While Mac was busy trying on a pair of awesome boots with surprisingly high heels, Olivia had gone into another section nearby, looking for some new tennis shoes for work.
She was trying on a pair of her favorite brand when she caught a man staring at her.
Olivia had smiled politely, but only because they’d made eye contact. When she looked back up a few minutes later, he was still there. Staring.
It took about twenty seconds before she was overwrought with terror, flashbacks of being attacked assaulting her.
Her pulse had raced. A thin layer of sweat had formed on her brow, and she’d frantically looked toward Mac, praying she could get her attention, somehow.
When she realized Mac was too focused on the boots to notice her, Olivia had quickly turned and started walking toward the other woman. She kept her eyes looking straight ahead and not at the man who had begun to follow her.
He started to reach for her, and that’s when she’d screamed. Olivia had yelled as if her life depended on it, and in that moment, she’d truly believed it had.
For a moment, she was back in Toamasina, being chased by Cetro and his men. She’d flung her arms out and swung her purse at the man trying to take her.
Except, he wasn’t.
Olivia had been so busy trying to defend herself that she hadn’t realized the guy wasn’t actually attacking her.
Instead, he’d backed up a good five feet, and had been standing with his arms held up to show her and the other customers who’d stopped to watch the crazy lady in the mall that he meant her no harm.
Unlike Olivia, Mac had been of sound mind. She’d sped to Olivia’s side, and quickly ascertained that there was no actual threat.
When Olivia had finally calmed down, she’d realized—with total humiliation—that the guy was actually much younger than she’d originally thought.
He very quickly explained to Mac that he’d seen Olivia on the news a few months before, and had simply wanted her autograph. Said he’d never met anyone “famous” before.
The poor kid had looked at her as if she was insane. Maybe, she was.
Mac parked the car close to Jake’s truck, but didn’t get out right away. Instead, she grabbed Olivia’s hand.
“I won’t say anything to Jake about what happened. It’s your story to tell, if you choose. Just know that there’s nothing to be ashamed of. Your reaction to that guy today was perfectly normal given what you’ve been through. I know from experience that terrible things happen to really good people, and there’s not always an explanation or a reason why. Not one you can find, anyway.”
Mac glanced away, and for a second, Olivia wondered if the other woman was referring to what she’d seen in her line of work, or if it was something more personal. She didn’t have time to analyze things more because Mac quickly blinked, her eyes finding Olivia’s once more.
“It takes time to sort it all out, and you, my friend, haven’t had hardly any time at all to deal with everything that’s happened to you. But I have no doubt that you’ll get there.”
Olivia wiped her leaking eyes again, grateful for her new friend. “Thank you,” she said as she squeezed Mac’s hand. “Do you think you could, um...” Olivia turned and looked out the passenger window to the barn, sitting at the bottom of the hill. “Would you mind taking the bags in for me? I’d like to go see the horses. Clear my head a little before I go inside.”
Jake had taken her riding, yesterday. The horses were truly majestic. Just being around them gave her a sense of peace, which was something she desperately needed now.
“Sure.” Mac’s smile was genuine as she added, “I can handle the boss, don’t worry.”
Olivia had no doubt that was true. It was hard to believe this petite woman with her cute dress and ponytail was a contract killer for hire.
Legal or not, it was still a scary thought. Olivia was just damn glad she was on Mac’s good side.
The two women got out of the car, and Olivia headed down the large, grassy hill. She stopped suddenly, turning back toward Mac, who had almost made it to the porch steps.
“Hey, Mac?”
The blond warrior turned toward her. “Yeah?”
“Thank you. Maybe...I mean, when things have calmed down a bit, do you think you’d want to—”
“Name the time and place, and I’ll be there,” Mac interrupted with a smile. Then, she rolled her eyes dramatically. “You may have to sweet-talk my boss for me and convince him to give me the time off. In case you haven’t heard, he can be a real hard ass.”
Olivia chuckled as Mac winked and waved goodbye. By the time she’d made it to the barn, Olivia already felt a little better and had nearly forgiven herself for the insane reaction to being followed.
Maybe Mac was right. Who wouldn’t be easily spooked after everything she’d experienced?
Even so, she decided not to tell Jake. The last thing she wanted was for him to worry about her any more than he already did.
Olivia almost turned around to head back up to the house, but the temptation to pet the horses was still too great. She’d go in, say high to Daisy and Champ then head up to the house to find Jake. There were many ways he could make her feel better.
She smiled to herself, thinking she may even go a little crazy and keep her heels on for the first round.
Grinning at the images that thought created, Olivia reached for the barn’s door. She stopped abruptly when she heard two male voices. One was most definitely Jake’s, but the other was harder to distinguish.
Jake had told her that he had a guy who helped with the place when he was away for work, so maybe it was him. Or it could have been Trevor or another member of the team.
She hadn’t noticed a strange vehicle in the driveway, but given her state of mind when they’d pulled in, that didn’t really surprise her.
Olivia opened the door and started to go in. She smiled when she saw Jake walking toward her, but instead of smiling back, his eyes grew with that whole, deer-in-the-headlights look. Olivia had just opened her mouth to ask what was wrong when she saw him.
A pair of hazel eyes as wide as Jake’s—and identical to her own—stared back at her. He had a beard and scraggly hair that had been haphazardly pulled back into a ponytail.
He was more muscular than he’d been when she’d last seen him, and his face was older now. Tanned from the sun with a few wrinkles that hadn’t been there before.
But none of that mattered. There was no mistaking those eyes.
Unable to speak—or even breathe—Olivia stood frozen as the man smiled nervously and quietly said, “Hey, Junebug.”
Her vision tunneled. The world began to spin around her. And within seconds, she felt herself falling.
