Chapter 14
Mia’s heart clutched painfully in her chest. Did Cullen know? Had he seen her with Yuri? Her mind halted, words lodging in her throat. She couldn’t formulate an explanation.
“Who are you?” he asked.
She licked her lips, wishing he weren’t so close. It was impossible to not think of kissing him again, even when she should be keeping her head clear to answer his questions.
His nearness wreaked all kinds of havoc with her body. That, combined with the fact that her brain seemed to have stopped working, made her panic.
“Who am I?” she repeated since she couldn’t think of anything else to say.
His hazel eyes held hers as his voiced dipped lower. “What are you hiding?”
Oh, shit. He knows. That looped in her head on repeat for what felt like an eternity. All the excuses that came to mind sounded lame as she went through each one.
“We all have secrets,” she replied, lifting her head. It was better that she turn the conversation away from her.
The truth would come out, but not now. She was prepared to tell him everything once they had Orrin. But if Cullen were anything like his father, he wouldn’t stop until he learned what he wanted.
That’s what she feared. That he would be relentless in his quest for the truth. The truth was never as black and white as everyone wanted it to be. There were always other factors involved.
Cullen grinned at her statement. “Turning the attention away from you. Well done.”
“It’s true. We all have secrets. There isn’t a single person out there who can honestly say they aren’t hiding something.”
“I suppose.”
She heard the slight pause and knew that he did carry a secret. She could’ve jumped on it, but decided it was better to leave things alone. “I’m not prying into your life.”
He leaned a hand on the wing of the plane and tilted his head to the side. “Because you already know everything about me.”
“I only know what Orrin chose to share with me. I saw only a few files with reports on your missions. I don’t know you personally.”
“But I’m the only one you trust,” he deduced, the cocky grin still in place. “You don’t press me for answers because you don’t want me doing the same to you.”
She wasn’t going to get out of this. He was merciless in his endeavor to discover the truth. So much for thinking he was patient. “Fine. What do you want to know?”
“What are you hiding?”
There was so much she hid from the world. None of it she liked to talk about, but perhaps it would buy her enough time.
“My father is Stockton Carter.”
The smile vanished as surprise filled Cullen’s gaze. “The shipping magnate?”
Her father had taken over the family business that dated back a century. There weren’t many living on the east coast who didn’t know his name.
Or his reputation.
But shipping wasn’t the only thing her father dipped his fingers into. It didn’t matter how much wealth he accumulated, it was never enough.
“Money comes and goes, Mia. You should always have a backup for when one plan goes awry so the money will continue to come in.”
He’d drilled those words into her from the time she was a toddler. The Carter family had lost many fortunes but always managed to pull themselves out of it again and again. Stockton Carter wanted to make sure the family didn’t suffer such a fate again.
She watched as Cullen’s gaze changed as he stared at her. It was always the same once people discovered who she was. Except, Cullen was different.
His gaze didn’t sharpen with monetary interest, as with most. Instead, there was a hint of understanding in his eyes. That surprised her. Then again, perhaps it shouldn’t.
She knew Orrin as a leader and former SEAL with skills that boggled her mind. But in Texas, because of the size of their ranch, the Loughman name was probably just as well known.
“You actually believed who your father is would make a difference to me?” Cullen asked with a quirk of his brow.
Now that he said it like that, it made her sound . . . spoiled, and stupid. She lifted her chin and gave him a scathing look. “To most it does. I like to make my own way in the world, without my father’s money to open doors for me.”
He gazed around the hangar before his eyes turned to the plane. After a moment, he looked back at her. “Did you do all of this?”
“I bought the plane.” It was her pride and joy, the thing she was most proud of in her life. “I saved money and haggled the previous owner until we could come to terms.”
“Without using any family money?”
She laughed as she shook her head. “I didn’t touch a single penny in my trust, if that’s what you’re asking. This plane is all mine with money earned while I served in the Air Force.”
“And your deal with Davis?”
“I’d like to say I did that on my own, but my father stepped in behind my back while I was negotiating things. It’s one of the many reasons I no longer speak to him.”
“Because he gave you what you wanted?”
“He thought by helping me, I’d be grateful. My father has a horrible habit of hearing only what he wants. Me telling him I wanted to make it in the world without using family money fell on deaf ears.”
Cullen drew in a deep breath and dropped his arm to his side. He was silent for so long that she grew uncomfortable. It was obvious that while she had shared something about her life, it wasn’t what he’d hoped to hear.
Well, that was too damn bad. Some secrets were best left hidden.
“What about you?” she asked. “What are you hiding?”
A small frown furrowed his brow, as if the question had caught him off guard. Or he didn’t like the response that sprang to mind. Either way, he didn’t look happy.
“We probably don’t have time to find out if Mendoza killed himself. If he didn’t, then his murderer is our link.”
She almost smiled at how hastily he’d changed the subject. Just like her, he didn’t want to delve too deeply into things better left alone.
She was going to have to remember that because she had a feeling this same scene would arise in the not too distant future. With a man like Cullen, it was always better to be prepared.
“The timing of Mendoza’s death is what causes me to pause. Why now?” she asked.
“I didn’t search the room, but I didn’t see a suicide note sitting about.”
“People usually always leave a note.”
“Could it be on his computer?”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “I suppose. Was there one with him?”
“A laptop. It was closed.”
“Why do I get the feeling that there is something much larger at play than a simple group of men looking for a bioweapon?”
He gave her a shrug, his lips twisting. “Probably because there is. My brothers are looking into different things.”
“While you came here.” Was it by chance that Cullen was in Delaware? She didn’t believe in coincidence. But the idea that fate had brought him to her made her extremely uneasy.
Her life was complicated enough without someone like Cullen Loughman. Not that he would stay long enough for it to be a problem. She knew his type.
Normally, she kept her distance from such men, and yet, she felt drawn to him. Almost as if destiny had set their paths to intersect. Thereby leaving her no alternative but to continue.
Because she would. For Orrin.
And for herself.
Cullen cocked his head to the side. “With Natalie back in Owen’s life, I was going to make damn sure my older brother stopped being an idiot and rekindled their love.”
She waited, unsure what his brother’s love life had to do with anything.
“Then there’s Wyatt,” he continued. “I think there’s something between him and Callie.”
At this, her eyes widened in shock. “Callie? Are you serious? The few times she and I spoke of you Loughmans, she never had anything nice to say about Wyatt.”
“Because I believe he hurt her terribly. You should’ve seen them together at the ranch. Two people with such animosity toward each other but who covertly stare at one another must have something going on.”
She nodded in agreement. “I think you’re right. I would’ve never guessed by the way she talks about Wyatt.”
Which meant Cullen was here simply because he was the odd man out. Why that upset her so much, she didn’t know. Why should she care which of the brothers came to Delaware?
She took in Cullen’s thick shoulders that narrowed to his trim waist, making her mouth water. It would’ve been better if another of the brothers had come. Yet, she was glad it was Cullen.
“Given time, my brothers and I will gather the information needed,” he stated with a firm nod.
“But how much time does Orrin have? How much time do any of us have against the Saints?”
Some of his swagger diminished. “We’re all doing the best we can.”
“And we can’t call anyone in DC because they might be the ones who betrayed him.”
“Not to mention, they put a big target on you.”
At the comment, she wrinkled her nose. “Don’t remind me. I feel like they set it all up, including having the cargo seized.”
“To keep you grounded and in one spot.”
“I really hate these people.” She dropped her arms and licked her lips in an attempt to hold back her anxiety. “We still have Davis.”
“He won’t give us anything unless we can blackmail him into doing it.”
Stifling a yawn, she lost the battle, turning her head and covering her mouth. She was bone tired, and it would be many hours before she could find the rest she needed.
She began to reply when the door to the hangar opened. Their heads turned to see General Davis’s second aide, Airman Bailey.
“Carter,” he said when he spotted her. “The general will see you now.”
A look at her watch showed that she still had another thirty minutes. She glanced at Cullen to find a tinge of worry showing in his gaze.
She started toward Bailey when Cullen leaned close and whispered, “Be ready for anything. And be careful.”
He didn’t need to remind her. She was trapped in the spider’s web. The only way out was with Cullen. If they could get away before everything closed in around them.
Even then, she knew the chances of surviving were slim at best. As she walked from the hangar and her plane—the only thing she’d loved for the past few years—she was reminded of how close to the edge of danger she walked. Or rather, flew.
It had always given her a thrill. Testing herself to see if she could get the plane to do what she needed. Challenging her mental capacity under pressure. Assessing her weaknesses to fortify them.
And yet, not a single thing had ever prepared her for Cullen Loughman.
Odd how her thoughts were on him as she walked to the office of the man she believed worked with the Saints and could try to kill her.