Chapter Eleven #2
“As good as can be expected. It’ll leave a bit of a scar but it’s starting to heal.”
“I take it you didn’t see a doctor?”
I shrugged. “Wasn’t necessary. It stopped bleeding and it’s not infected. A few butterfly strips and it’s fine. No need to go find someone who will want me to explain how it happened.”
She nodded in mock agreement. “Oh yeah. I just hate it when people explain things to me. Kind of takes all the fun out of guessing who shot the idiot.”
“Exactly!”
The waitress showed up with our dinners, putting the discussion of my injury on hold. “Thank you.” I smiled politely at the waitress. Picking up my knife, I sliced into the steak and tasted the first bite. “Exquisite!”
I looked up to find Kimberly watching me with a bemused smile on her face.
“I knew you’d like it.” She started in on her own plate.
The rest of the evening passed in a pleasant haze.
Given my embarrassingly slim experience at this sort of thing, I was surprised at how comfortable I felt with Kimberly.
We finished our steaks, ordered another pitcher of beer, and chatted idly about everything and nothing until it was time to deliver her back to Sasha.
I had a feeling I’d be the main topic of conversation between Kimberly and my stepsister tonight. Good thing Sasha liked me!
* * *
“What do you mean they lost them?” I kept a lid on my anger, but only just. Guilt could do that to a guy.
I’d made the choice to blow off the poacher case in order to pursue Kimberly.
I’d known I was the best one for the gig, but I couldn’t be in two places at the same time.
I’d done the hardest part, the leg work.
I’d tracked the poachers from Hong Kong to the West Coast. The twins could take over from here.
How could they have disappeared like a rabbit in a magician’s hat? Poof. No trace, no hint of where they’d gone. No ringleaders for us to take care of.
Damn.
William’s British accent became more pronounced when he was upset, and right now he was very upset.
“Sam and Noah managed to reconnect with your poachers and followed them to a complex in Thailand. They did a little digging, found out the place was owned by a company with enough blanks in the ownership papers to impress a Mafia mob boss. They played it exactly by the book. Checked into a nearby hotel, checked back in with the office to update us, and then crashed for a couple of hours. Jet lag and all that, you know? When they went back to monitor the compound, it had been miraculously turned into a school for orphans. Paperwork was all in order. According to it, the place had existed for a decade. You know how easy it is to make things happen in that part of the world if you’re willing to grease enough palms.”
“Shit. They knew we were on to them. But how?”
“Now there’s the question. Sam and Noah didn’t make a single wrong move, they weren’t on the case long enough to be made, so the big question is who tipped them off that we were on to them?” William let the question hang in the air like a giant balloon.
I stared at my cell phone. “You can’t seriously think it was me?”
“Not intentionally, but you have to admit your attention hasn’t been one hundred percent on the mission, and you’re the only other person who knew what was going on. Did you use the scrambled line at all times?”
“Of course I did! I’m not an idiot.” I didn’t bother hiding the snarl in my voice.
“Hey, I had to ask. I know it’s impossible but it’s looking like we have a leak. We need to find it and fix it. These people aren’t the friendly, fuzzy kind. You know the risks. We all do.”
“Okay.” I took a deep breath. A leak. It was bound to happen sooner or later. Probably just an unlucky break. Someone overheard something, or one of the guys had been made by a former target. It wouldn’t take much. “So, what do you need me to do?”
“Come back in immediately. We need to regroup and come up with a plan. There’s no way we’re going to let these slimeballs get away with what they’re doing. And we need to do it face to face. The twins are going to have to Zoom in, but the rest of you need to be here.”
“Speaking of Zoom, any chance our network has been hacked?”
“Haven’t ruled it out yet. Jacques is working on it, and he enlisted Shadow to help.”
Shadow was one of the guys we’d served with back in the SEALs. When he left the service, he’d joined the same MC as Joker had down in Georgia, but we called on him from time to time when we needed help with anything too high tech for Jacques to handle on his own.
“Good idea. If anyone’s infiltrated our setup, Shadow will find them.” And we’d deal with them. It didn’t have to be said.
That solved one issue, but I had a sinking sensation in my gut. I’d just started to make a connection with Kimberly. If I left now, she might decide she’d been right all along, that I was just using her for some weird reason. The woman had serious trust issues.
Still, the Brotherhood was my first priority. If Kimberly knew everything that was on the line, I was sure she’d agree.
“Details, Billy?” I knew I sounded pissed and I really didn’t care.
“Here at ground zero. Sunday night, six p.m. local time. You’re the only non-confirmed at this point. Sam and Noah are still in Thailand so they’ll patch in over Zoom. And don’t call me Billy.”
“I’ll be there. I’ll send details of my travel plans as soon as I make the arrangements.”
William’s voice thawed a tiny degree. “Not necessary. I’ve already taken care of it. A chopper will pick you up and fly you to Vancouver. From there, you’re booked on a commercial flight at 11:05 tonight, and a car will pick you up at the airport when you land back here. Pack light, and Ryland?”
“Yeah?”
“If she’s the right one, she’ll understand.”
At least he hadn’t suggested she might be the mole. “Oh, she’s the right one all right.”
I just wasn’t sure she was ready to understand, or if she even wanted to. When she let her guard down, like she had at the steak place, I could see what life could be like for the two of us.
“I’ve got another call coming in. I look forward to seeing you.” The connection went dead.
I pocketed the secure phone. I needed to pack if I was going to get to Vancouver in time for that flight. Oh crap. It was an international flight -- I needed to get there a couple of hours ahead of flight time. Damned terrorists had made security a nightmare these days.
I needed to talk to Kimberly, make sure she understood I wasn’t bailing on her, on us. Striding to the car, I jerked the door open and slid into the driver’s seat. Sometimes it paid to have a zippy little sports car.
I pulled into Kimberly’s driveway and killed the ignition, bracing for a confrontation. Kimberly’s car was here, but Sasha’s was missing.
Just as well. I’d prefer to explain this to Kimberly in private.
She’d started to thaw toward me, but it wouldn’t take much to reverse that.
At Rally’s, she’d opened up a bit about her childhood and her unfortunate engagement but I had the feeling she’d regretted each revelation as soon as it came out.
Sasha had filled in some of the gaps in the story, and it hadn’t been a pretty one. Growing up in the foster system must have been brutal. I couldn’t do anything about her past, but I was determined to make sure she had an amazing future, one that included me.
She must have seen me coming. The front door opened and she stepped onto the porch, her head tilted inquisitively. She looked like an angel with the sun shining down on her glossy mane of dark hair.
“What are you doing here? I thought we were meeting later for dinner.”
“Change of plans.” I took the steps two at a time, unable to wait a moment longer to feel her melt in my arms. Lowering my head I savored the sweet taste of her lips. When I finally lifted my head, her eyes had that dazed look I adored.
“Oh? Change of plans seems to be your default mode.”
“Yeah. Duty calls. Apparently the poachers got wind of our impending coup and have disappeared off the face of the planet. Head honcho wants us back at headquarters in Montana ASAP to figure out our next move.”
Kimberly pouted, a delightful puffing of her bottom lip. “Can’t you just do a Zoom call or something? I’ll miss you.”
Three little words, but they made my heart do a cheerful flip in my chest.
I’ll miss you.
She’d actually said it. It was almost enough to make me say to hell with the poachers and the Brotherhood and anything else that got in the way of my relationship with Kimberly. I wasn’t sure my heart would recover if I blew it with her at this point.
She opened the door, taking my hand. “Can you at least come in for a coffee and tell me what’s going on?”
Tempting… I glanced down at my watch. “Sorry, but I have a helicopter pickup in less than thirty minutes outside town which will theoretically get me to Vancouver with barely enough time to clear security before my flight.” I cupped the back of her head, drawing her in tight so her soft curves were plastered against me.
I couldn’t resist kissing her again, a mixture of longing and regret poured into the act.
When I let her go, she took one step back and stared up into my eyes. “Wow. That was some kiss. Are you sure you’re coming back?”
I nodded emphatically. “You can bet on it. Just as soon as I can.”
“Well then, have a safe trip and make sure no one takes another potshot at you.” I could see the worry she was trying to hide shining in the depths of her eyes. “I don’t intend to spend the rest of my life bandaging you up.”
Wow. I’d come here expecting a confrontation, and she’d understood without me even having to explain. “Don’t worry. I have no intention of collecting any more scars.”
Beside her, Diego let out a low woof as if seconding that. I reached down to pat him on the head. “Thanks, fella. You keep our girl safe while I’m gone, you hear?”
I pulled her in tight for one more hard kiss, my lips lingering on hers. It took all my strength to let her go.