Chapter 29
Washington DC
“No,” Orrin stated for the third time, but no one was listening to him. It was infuriating.
Mia rolled her eyes, while Yuri merely shook his head, smiling. Cullen didn’t look up from cleaning his guns.
Only Kate bothered to meet his gaze.
“We’ve been over this,” she said.
Orrin couldn’t remember the last time he’d been so frustrated. “It’s too damn dangerous.”
“I’m the only one Hewett doesn’t know.”
“No,” he said again.
Cullen finished with his rifle and stood. He turned his hazel gaze to Orrin. “You know it’s our best option.”
“She could die,” Orrin said.
Mia walked to him and put her hands on his arms crossed over his chest. “The four of us will be nearby. Your plan is solid.”
When he’d come up with it, he never intended for Kate to be a part of anything. Now it was out of his hands. Kate had already risked so much while Yuri held her captive, and she was doing it again.
Her strength and conviction surprised him. She hid her fear well, but he saw it in the depths of her fathomless, gray eyes. Kate had taken care of him, tending his wounds and offering comfort.
What was he doing? Shoving her right into the arms of their enemy, when he should be sending her somewhere safe.
“Here,” Yuri said as he handed Orrin a pistol.
Orrin took it, his gaze looking over Mia’s head to Kate, who finished putting on her coat. There was a fire inside Kate that matched her hair—and called to something within him. It was something he hadn’t felt since Melanie.
“She’s very pretty,” Mia whispered conspiratorially.
He looked down at Mia and nodded. “Yes, she is.”
“Nothing will happen to her. We’re going to make sure of it.”
“I’m going to make sure of it,” he said.
Mia gave him a wink and walked to Cullen. When everyone had their weapons, they began to leave the office one by one until he was left with Kate.
“You can back out,” he told her.
She gave a soft laugh. “You know, I hate anything adventurous. Just looking at a roller coaster gives me hives. But I have to do this.”
“Why?”
She looked briefly at the floor before their eyes met once more. “You.”
“Me?” he asked, confused.
She took a step closer to him and offered up a halfhearted shrug. “I’ll never forget when Yuri brought me to that warehouse to tend to you. You were bleeding and unconscious with broken bones, but you kept fighting. You never gave up.”
“I have a stubborn streak.”
“Yes, but even when death was literally staring down at you, you never gave up. You inspired me.”
He rubbed a hand over his jaw, feeling the day-old whiskers beneath his palm. “I wish I hadn’t. I’d prefer you in the safety of your own home.”
“And I’m happy right here. With you.”
His arm dropped to his side. He hadn’t gone through the last twenty some odd years as a complete celibate, but it was a rare thing indeed when a woman caught his attention. Even rarer when he wanted to do something about it.
“I bring trouble wherever I go,” he warned her.
She tucked her fiery locks behind an ear. “You fight for what you believe in.”
“Death follows me.”
“You stand up for what is right.”
“I live a dangerous life.”
The corners of her lips tilted upward. “You are all those things, and it excites me. You excite me.”
He wasn’t sure what to say to such a comment. “Are you always so honest?”
“It’s a flaw.”
“It’s refreshing.” The way her eyes twinkled with pleasure made him want to kiss her.
Kate looked at her watch. “We should go.”
When she turned to go, he grabbed her arm and dragged her to him. Then he bent and placed his mouth over hers. Desire roared through him when her lips moved against his.
He raised his head, stunned at the feelings churning within him. While he could barely form a thought, Kate was smiling up at him.
“When this is finished, I want many more of those.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he replied, a grin forming.
He walked with her out of the office to the back service elevators that took them to the first floor. They exited via a back entrance that put them in an alley behind the building.
“I’ll never be far,” he told her, his hand on her back while leading her to Cullen’s SUV.
“I know. It’s the only reason I’m doing this.”
Her faith in him was staggering. He didn’t know what it was about Kate that made her so willing to trust him, but he was glad of it.
He opened the door for her and waited as she got inside. Her hand lingered on his arm. Orrin reached up and touched her face.
“Stay to the route,” he told her.
“I will.”
He hesitated, fighting the need to taste her lips again. It was Kate who pulled him down and pressed her mouth to his. The desire that went through him once more rocked him to his very core.
He leaned away, shocked at his primal reaction, but she merely winked at him as she fastened her seatbelt. When she started the engine, he closed the door and gave her a nod.
As soon as she drove off, Orrin made his way through the buildings and away from cameras to set up in a secluded part of town. From the moment Hewett had walked out of the building earlier, he’d known this plan would work.
Mitch was waiting for him to make a move. What Hewett wouldn’t see coming was Kate, who would lead him right to Orrin and the others. It would be a simple snatch and grab, but the majority of the operation relied upon Kate.
Orrin didn’t doubt her ability. He worried that they were throwing her to the wolves. Then again, they didn’t have a choice. Mitch knew everyone. It was either Kate, or they ask someone else.
At least he knew he could trust Kate. He didn’t know why or how, but the moment he’d looked into her eyes, he’d known. And he hadn’t second-guessed himself once over it.
Orrin looked at his phone where he could track Kate’s progress as he settled into his spot. She would drive around until Hewett was in position. It all depended on how quickly Mitch spotted Mia.
Cullen was tracking Hewett and acting as backup to Mia. Yuri was on the roof above Orrin, waiting to take out anyone who tried to interfere with them taking Mitch.
The minutes crawled past. Orrin checked his phone constantly to see Kate’s progress. The group had no COMs, so they couldn’t talk to each other except through their phones.
Just as that thought went through his head, his cell rang. He saw Cullen’s number and answered it immediately. “Yes?”
“The bait has been hooked,” Cullen said.
The line disconnected. Orrin then sent the message to Yuri to alert them that Hewett was being led to them. Now, all he had to do was wait.
Wait to come face-to-face with the bastard Orrin had trusted who had betrayed him.
Wait to talk to the man who he’d shared meals with.
Wait to look into the eyes of a so-called friend, who had been willing to kill him.
Now that Orrin knew about the Saints, there were new questions he’d like to put to Hewett. Not the least of which was what he knew about Melanie’s murder.
Orrin spotted Mia come around the corner and duck behind a car. A few seconds later, Mitch ran after her, coming to a halt as he looked around to find her.
While Hewett searched for Mia, Kate drove up and parked about fifty feet from him.
She got out with her phone to her ear as she began talking frantically, pacing back and forth.
As expected, Mitch turned toward the sound of Kate’s voice.
Kate lowered the phone and let out a loud groan before she shook her head at the vehicle.
Hewett was hesitant to go to her, but his curiosity won out. He kept looking around him as he approached Kate. “Ma’am? Is everything all right?”
“No,” she said loudly. “There’s something wrong with my engine, and I can’t get a tow for another hour.”
Mitch glanced behind him. “Did you see a woman with black hair come running this way?”
Kate shook her head. “Sorry. I’ve been on the phone and not paying attention. Do you think you could look at my vehicle? Don’t men know how to fix these things?”
Orrin wasn’t surprised that Hewett was on edge. He was cautious about getting closer to Kate.
“Let me see your hands,” Mitch demanded.
Kate gave him a confused look and took her hand from the pocket of her jacket to show him.
Only then did he walk to the driver’s side of the SUV and pop the hood.
He didn’t take his eyes off Kate as he walked to the front of the vehicle and pushed the hood up.
He was so concerned with Kate that he never saw Orrin approaching.
Orrin walked right up to Hewett’s back and pushed the barrel of the gun into his spine. “Hello, Mitch.”
Hewett hung his head and held up his hands. “I need you to listen to me, Or—”
“Shut the fuck up,” Orrin ordered. “Walk to the right toward the alley.”
The few cars that passed didn’t pay them any mind, and then they were soon out of sight. Orrin gave a nod to Kate, who walked behind him.
By the time they reached the alley, Mia, Cullen, and Yuri were already there. Cullen walked up to Hewett and punched him in the face so hard that Mitch was knocked down to his knees.
“Get up,” Mia demanded.
Mitch looked up at Orrin as he got to his feet. “You’re going to want to hear what I have to say.”
“First, you’re going to answer some questions,” Orrin said.
“Then ask.”
Yuri was the first. “How long have you worked for the Saints?”
“Twenty years,” Mitch answered.
Orrin suspected as much, but to hear it was like a punch to the gut. “You specifically chose me for the Russia job, didn’t you?”
Mitch nodded.
“Why?” Cullen questioned.
Hewett shrugged and wiped at his busted lip. “I knew Orrin was the type who would figure things out. The easiest answer was to get rid of him.”
“Who runs the Saints?” Orrin asked.
Mitch held up his hands and said, “I don’t know. We aren’t allowed to know their names or see their faces.”
“How many lead the Saints?” Mia asked.
“I don’t know that either.”
Orrin saw Kate out of the corner of his eye. “We need answers, and you aren’t providing them. Perhaps you aren’t useful to us.”
“I am,” Hewett insisted. “I heard there’s a book that lists all the names of every Saint and their rank.”
“Where is it?” Yuri demanded.
Mitch shrugged helplessly. “I have no idea. My contact is Andrew Smith. He works for the CIA.”
“One name?” Yuri asked with a snort. “We should just kill him.”
Hewitt shouted, “No! I’ve got information you want, Orrin.”
Orrin cocked his head to the side. “Really? What might that be?”
“I’ve lied to you all these years.”
Cullen scoffed. “Of course, you have. You lied about everything.”
Hewett shook his head. “No. About Melanie.”
“What did you say?” Orrin asked. He was deadly calm, the anger coiling within him like a snake ready to strike. Mitch was going to give him information without being asked? How . . . interesting.
Mitch swallowed nervously and shrugged. “I had my orders.”
“What did you know?” he demanded.
“Everything,” Hewett admitted. “I knew everything. I knew when it was going to happen, how it would happen.”
Cullen took a menacing step toward him. “And who?”
“Yes. And who.”
Orrin walked to Mitch and put the gun to his forehead. “Who murdered my wife?”
“Don’t you want to know why first?” Mitch asked.
Mia said, “I do.”
Hewett licked his lips. “The Saints were eyeing you as a recruit, Orrin, but then on that mission in Afghanistan, you went back to the village overrun with insurgents and rescued that British businessman. They needed him killed in action.”
“Who?” Orrin bellowed. “Who killed Melanie?”
“Andrew Smith.”
As soon as the name passed Hewett’s lips, Orrin pulled the trigger.