Gage clenched his jaw and stared at the other man without saying anything.
“It’s not a threat,” Stefan continued amiably. “I don’t associate with anyone I don’t know intimately well. In order for us to be friends, I had to find out who you are. I was disappointed with what I found out, but I’m also impressed you got this close. You’re good.”
“I’m retired,” Gage said evenly. “The only reason I’m here is because my hockey team is playing in San Jose and my old handler thought this was opportune timing. You’re not a priority.” That was a lie, of course, but Stefan didn’t need to know that.
“Perhaps not to you, but your government wants me. My only question is, if they know where I am, why do they not move in?”
Gage shrugged. “No idea. My instructions were simply to watch and wait. And frankly, you’re boring as fuck.”
Stefan laughed heartily. “You and I, we’re not so different. In spite of what you may think, what you’ve been told, I’m not a terrorist. Things go on behind the scenes that no one else knows but you’ve seen the ugly. I was a soldier once too. I saw the games our governments play, the way the media manipulates the truth… I made the decision to profit for the things I did instead of risking life and limb for a corrupt system and politicians that care only for themselves.”
Much as he hated to admit it, Gage agreed with him to a degree. Maybe not in how he’d taken matters into his own hands, but definitely on the corruption and game-playing. He had no patience for most politicians either.
“So what now?” he asked finally.
“We agree to a truce. I disappear with my bride-to-be and prepare to be a father. You ride off into the sunset with your girl.”
“And the next time you blow up a school with two hundred innocent ten-year-olds, I won’t be able to forgive myself.”
“That never happened,” Stefan shook his head. “I am no saint. I have done many things, killed people, but never have I blown up a school or killed children. Never.” His eyes turned stony. “That was not me. I have no reason to tell you this. I have nothing to gain. I knew who you were. I didn’t need to come tonight. My jet awaits me at the airport. Antoinette and I could have been halfway to Mexico by now. I came because I felt I owed you the truth, one patriot to another.”
“You came to ask me to back off and let you go about your life? Why? Like you said, you could be halfway to anywhere right now.”
“Because you got closer to me than anyone else ever has. I find you interesting. And you saved my life.”
“I saved…” Gage cocked his head. “What are you talking about?”
“In Monaco last year. Someone had followed me to the ambassador’s house. I wasn’t sure who, but he was waiting outside. By giving me a ride afterward, and leaving out the private entrance, he never got to me. I was able to warn Antoinette. Otherwise, I’m not sure what would have happened. So I owed you one. Possibly two since it wasn’t just my life, but hers as well.”
“I had no idea,” Gage admitted, “but I’m glad she wasn’t harmed.”
“After this, I had to know everything about you. Imagine my surprise to discover your profession.”
“Former profession. I retired. Tonight is nothing but a fluke.”
“Then shall we enjoy ourselves, spend an evening with our ladies, and go our separate ways?”
“Absolutely.” Gage shook the man’s proffered hand even though he wasn’t sure what to do with all of this information. Laurel was on her way, though, which meant he didn’t have a lot of time to come up with a contingency plan, just in case Stefan was full of shit. If he’d learned anything over the years in the CIA, it was that you didn’t truly trust anyone.
Laurel got to the brightly lit mansion exactly fifty-five minutes after she’d hung up with Gage. She’d truly wanted to spend the evening with her father but he’d urged her to go, telling her he was happy to shoot the shit with the guys and that she and Gage needed time together. She didn’t have anything to wear to a fancy event, but Dani did—when did Dani become so girlie?—and it had been fate that both the dress and shoes fit. So she’d called Gage and was in a limo five minutes later. Her hair was down since there had been no time to do anything fancy, but Dani had helped with her makeup and she’d felt pretty by the time she left.
Gage was standing by a chocolate fountain when she walked into the ballroom and even across the room, his eyes focused on her immediately. He was talking to a handsome blond man and an attractive Asian woman, but the moment Gage saw her he seemed to forget everything but her. He met her halfway and pulled her in for a hug, his lips brushing her cheek as he whispered, “The man you’re about to meet is a business competitor and I don’t trust him; be very careful what you say about our personal life. You can talk freely about hockey, but nothing else until I can explain.”
Laurel smiled and reached up to wrap her arms around his neck. “Well, hello to you too.”
He chuckled. “You look beautiful tonight.”
“You look pretty handsome yourself. And don’t worry, I totally understand complicated business deals.” She slid her hand into his as they walked back toward the couple he’d been standing with.
“Stefan, Antoinette, this is Laurel Saunders.”
“Pleased to make your acquaintance,” Antoinette shook her hand.
“Very pleased to meet you,” Stefan said, taking Laurel’s hand and slowly bringing it to his lips. “Gage has been keeping you a secret. I had no idea he had such a beautiful woman in his life.”
“My job keeps me ridiculously busy,” she said with a smile. She didn’t know exactly what was going on, but some gut instinct told her there was more to this than Gage had let on.
“You coach…hockey?” Antoinette seemed genuinely confused. “Ice hockey?”
“Yes.” Laurel smiled. “I played all through college, won silver medals in two different Olympics, and coached the women’s team to a gold medal last year. I’d been looking for a change, so I was coaching a high school team when Gage asked for my help after he fired his coaching staff. Things have been a bit of a whirlwind.”
“And now you’re back together.” Stefan seemed to get some strange pleasure from saying that so Laurel opted to keep it simple.
“We’re dating again, trying to see if we can fix what we broke when we were married. Nothing is set in stone and I don’t want anything to be. After everything we’ve been through, I think we’re going to take things one day at a time.”
“Affairs of the heart tend to be complicated.” Antoinette looked up at Stefan. “But where is the pleasure if there is no risk? Nothing good is ever easy.”
“Perhaps not.” Laurel was out of her depth here and Gage wasn’t helping. “Is there champagne, darling?”
“Of course.” He motioned to a waiter who seemed to materialize out of thin air.
“Thank you.” She turned. “I’d love something to eat… Have you eaten?” She looked at Antoinette and Stefan, almost positive they would say they had.
They made excuses, saying they would see each other later, and made their way onto the dance floor. Gage led Laurel to the buffet but she stopped and eyed him warily.
“Who are they? Tell me the truth.”
“I’m not totally sure,” he responded slowly. “We met in Europe a couple years ago and then he fell off the grid. Suddenly he’s everywhere and inviting me to these events. I assume he wants something, but I don’t know what.”
“Why don’t you just say no and ignore him?”
“It’s not good business.”
“But if you don’t know who he is or what he wants, how is it bad business? If he was on the up and up, wouldn’t he just say it?”
“Say what? Hey, I’d like to ride the coattails of your business success? Or something to that effect? No. He’d try to build a relationship.”
“He can try but you don’t have to.”
Gage let out a long breath. “I think he deals in forged art. Adam asked me to cozy up to him, see if I can get anything out of him since many of his clients have bought from him. If he’s dealing in forgeries, we need to stay away from him. I have money to burn, so I can afford to buy something from him and then have experts check it out. However, I have to work up to that slowly. I didn’t want you involved in this, just in case he gets suspicious.”
She cocked her head. “Why do I get the feeling there’s still more you’re not telling me?”
“I have no idea.” He leaned in to kiss her. “Come on, get something to eat and then I want to dance with you. It’s been years.”
She wanted to protest but decided there was no reason to. Gage had always been a bit of a white knight, riding to the rescue. It was who he was, so none of this surprised her. If he had a chance to right a wrong for friends, or Adam’s friends, he would do it without a second thought.
“I’m starving,” she said instead, turning to the buffet. “I want to lick that prime rib.”
“Easy, tiger, they frown on that at these types of shindigs.”
She laughed. “I’d like a piece, not too rare. Would you get it for me?”
“Of course.” He moved to the station with a waiter serving up slices of the delicious meat and she turned to surreptitiously study Stefan and Antoinette. Who the hell were they really and why was Gage being so cagey?
The evening had been pleasant. Fun, even. Stefan and Antoinette were intelligent, articulate, and well-traveled. Though Gage hadn’t wanted to spend the entire evening with them, they had wound up talking until late in the night when they finally had to go. Laurel had a morning skate and had needed to get her sleep, and Gage had to use that time to meet with Carol about tonight’s new development. Whether Stefan was telling the truth or not, his cover was blown and that was dangerous. It was also his way out. Now that his identity was burned, so to speak, he was useless to the CIA if Stefan told anyone. He’d tell Carol he was officially done, whether Stefan was a terrorist, a mercenary or merely a disgruntled ex-soldier. It no longer mattered, and he was going to be free.
“Hey, will you make sure Dad isn’t too bored today?” Laurel asked him as she got ready to leave. “He’s still asleep so I don’t want to wake him up just for a morning skate.”
“Sure.” Gage pulled her close, kissing her. “We got home late so I didn’t have a chance to ravage you last night, but you looked absolutely stunning. Ask Dani if I can buy that dress from her so you can wear it again.”
Laurel laughed. “You can buy me another one, big boy. Now I have to go.”
“Bye, honey. See you this afternoon.”
He watched her go and then dialed Carol’s number.
“What the hell happened last night?” she demanded.
“He knew who I was,” Gage snapped. He told her everything that had happened, but for some reason left out the part about Antoinette being pregnant. Something about that was personal, intimate, and he didn’t think it was his place to share. He’d changed in the last ten years, and being back with Laurel had shifted his focus. Not only was it a poignant reminder that it was definitely time to retire, it was also time to admit he wasn’t as tough as he’d been in the beginning. He hadn’t been ready to give up a chance to work for the CIA ten years ago, but he definitely was now.
“This is a problem,” Carol said impatiently. “You should come in, to D.C. We may have to discuss protective custody.”
Gage burst out laughing. “Not a chance in hell. I can take care of myself.”
“And Laurel? Your friends? The members of your hockey team? What if he sells your information to the highest bidder? You should know better than to trust Stefan, Gage. He’s not a good man.”
Gage did know better, but his gut had never led him astray and this was no different. Stefan was a man who’d changed and wanted to retire. The spy game was intense, and they’d all done things they were ashamed of, Gage included. Stefan was telling the truth, though. Gage was willing to bet his life on it. “I know that,” he said aloud, “but I’m not worried. My house is a veritable fortress. I’ll make sure Laurel has protection when she’s not with me.”
“You’ve waited all this time for her and now you’re going to risk her life?”
Gage made a sound of frustration. “Yes. I have to go, Carol. Let me know when the exit paperwork is ready.” He ended the call and then texted Chains. He was the only person he trusted with Laurel’s life, aside from himself.