No More Lies (Onyx Black Ops #4)

Chapter 19

S teve yawned, adding an extra scoop of coffee to the coffee maker. He needed it a little stronger this morning. Diane had slept well, but he had been unable to switch off his brain and instead spent most of the night going over what she had told him.

The very thought that she had felt so alone for so long was bothering him more than a little. Working with Onyx though, he was home much more. Diane had still felt alone, even though he had been right there. He was struggling to let that go.

Making love this morning had been more intimate, more passionate than he ever remembered. It was as if Diane opening up to him had brought them closer than ever. He’d been slow and tender to show his wife how much he cherished and loved her. He never wanted her to have any more doubts about being alone or not being important in his life.

She was still worried about Megan, and considering the situation they were in, that was understandable. They were going to FaceTime her this morning, and then Diane was going to check in with her office. After that, he hoped to be able to continue talking.

The side of Diane he’d seen last night had been eye opening to him. The raw honesty, the vulnerability. It was unbelievable he’d never seen this side to her in ten years. He thought she had been so strong handling everything, but she’d been hiding immense pain.

He wanted her to be vulnerable with him. To snuggle into him, talk to him, confide in him. Trust him.

Whatever it took to have that, he was willing to do it. If she needed more time and support for her career, he would give it. If she wanted to stop being a lawyer, fine with him. He didn’t want to leave Onyx, but maybe he could take another role so he could focus on giving Diane the support and attention she clearly needed right now, without worrying about leaving for missions. If she needed to talk to someone other than him, he would support her. Go with her if she wanted him to. Whatever it took.

As he waited for the coffee maker, he switched on his laptop. Dex had texted him to say they would have a brief at seven, and he should join via video. Diane was still in bed. As much as he’d shared details with her, there were limits. She couldn’t hear the call. He would tell her what he could afterwards.

Thirty minutes later, Steve shut the laptop lid, poured two fresh coffees, and made his way upstairs. The brief had not been good. Silence from Volkov, and no target. The only good news was Mira was finally piecing together a money trail. She had been working with Ray, one of Dale Sanchez’s FBI’s intelligence team. With the information Diane had provided on Volkov, the intel they already had on Reborn and the Aziz brothers, and the papers they had found at the hotel, a picture was beginning to form.

Once they had enough proof, every agency would come together to hunt down the Aziz brothers. Onyx would then go in and finish them. He couldn’t wait to bring them and Reborn down

But first, he wanted Volkov.

The shower was running when he put the coffees down on the nightstand. He missed his daughter, but there were advantages to her not being here. Stripping off his t-shirt and sweatpants, he strolled into the bathroom and stopped.

Diane stood with her back to him. Hair piled on top of her head, she was keeping it dry while she rinsed the soap off her skin. Fuck, she was gorgeous. His cock appreciated the view. His wife was curvy in all the right places. She used to work out several times a week, but that had stopped when she got busier at work. He didn’t care. She was still as sexy as hell. His eyes roamed down to her beautiful round peach bottom, and he was reminded how he had taken her from behind just an hour ago. Taking his cock in his hand, he massaged himself, content for the moment to just watch the shower spray over her body.

He walked closer. Diane turned to face him. With a seductive smile, her eyes lowered to his hand on his cock.

She opened the glass door. “That’s my job.”

She pulled away his hand and urged him into the shower. He went willingly. Before he could close the shower door, she was on her knees, taking him in her mouth.

Steve braced against the tiled wall as her warm tongue teased his sensitive tip and her hand took over massaging him. He fixed his gaze on her as she worked him. He would never get tired of this sight. It still turned him on to know he was the only man to have ever been inside her. She was his and only his. In every sense. No one else had ever touched her, and no one ever would.

When he gently eased out of her mouth, she stood. Cupping her face, he covered her mouth with his in a scorching kiss and backed her up against the tiled wall. Her arms went around his neck, and he lost himself in their entwined tongues.

Diane pushed against his cock. He slipped his palm down her stomach and found her sopping. When he slipped two fingers inside her, she groaned into his mouth.

“Mine.” He growled and thrust his fingers deeper inside, rubbing her clit with his thumb. She mewed and writhed as she gripped his biceps.

“Come for me, Angel. I want to feel you on my fingers.”

As if on cue, she came apart, her hot juices covering his fingers. Giving her no time to recover, he lifted her up and her legs went automatically around his waist. He slid into her wetness easily and they both gasped.

“Jesus. You are so fucking beautiful,” he murmured, nuzzling her neck and pushing deep inside her.

“Faster,” she requested on a panting breath.

He obliged, pumping hard and fast. She urged him on.

He lifted his head to meet her eyes. “Always mine.”

“Always yours.” she whispered.

***

D IANE SET UP HER LAPTOP on the dining table, listening to the shower. Steve wouldn't keep his hands off her, so eventually, she had stepped out and left him to do his business.

Last night, their conversation had not gone how she had expected, and she was feeling guilty she had thought Steve would be anything but understanding and supportive. Somehow, she had been convinced he would have told her that was the way things were when you were married to a Navy SEAL and dismissed her feelings. His job did come first. She had a life other people would die for.

Except, now she realized she had been projecting. That’s what she thought, and she’d been too afraid to admit that.

This morning had been like old times. Hot, passionate, sexy. She had felt loved and adored and for a brief time, happy. She wanted to be happy again, but the weight of everything going on rested heavily on her shoulders. She missed her daughter. When Steve was done in the shower, they were going to call her.

She hated being apart from Megan, but now she knew the danger, her baby was safer where she was. Steve had assured her that Megan would be protected at all times and even if the sarin was released, it would not harm her. If Steve trusted the FBI to take care of their baby, that was good enough for her. She trusted her husband and Onyx completely with their daughter’s safety. After they spoke to Megan, she planned to check in with the office.

Her gut tightened, sick at the thought of having to speak to the partners. Especially not knowing how involved they were with Volkov. What would she do if they were involved? The firm would be destroyed. She’d be out of a job. That didn't bother her as much as the thought of how many people she would be letting down. Not to mention the financial burden it would put on her and Steve.

Her phone pinged and she wandered to the kitchen where it was charging. It was a relief to not have to go into the office today. Her headache had completely gone, but she still felt a little nauseous. Probably the stress and worry. She could pretty much do everything here and should Volkov call, at least Steve would be right here, supporting her.

Unplugging the phone, she glanced over her email, then she switched to her text messages. One from her mom, checking in. Another from Kelly, also making sure she was OK.

The next one had no identifiable name or number. She clicked on the message and her stomach dropped.

Three pictures.

She recognized Natasha and Anya, from photos in the case file. Natasha had clearly been crying. The second was of a woman she didn’t know. The woman was tied up with a gag in her mouth. The look of fear in her eyes made Diane’s stomach churn. The third picture was male, and he looked dead. Three little dots indicated another message was coming. Frozen in fear she waited. The text arrived.

Mrs. Williams. I have my daughter, she is safe and well, as is her mother. The second picture is Melanie Costas, Natasha’s lawyer. If you do not do as I ask, I will kill her. If you don’t believe me, the man in the third picture is your predecessor, Arnold Janssen. I do not tolerate people disobeying me.

She stared, rereading the words. With shaking hands, she moved toward the stairs. Another picture arrived.

Diane stopped. Megan. He had her baby.

I saved the best till last. You even think about telling your husband or any of his friends, I’ll send your daughter home in pieces. I know you are at home. Find a way out. Alone. Do not make a call, do not send a text. Be at the corner of West and Taywood in thirty minutes, or Ms. Costas dies.

Diane couldn't take her eyes off Megan’s face. Duct tape across her mouth. How did he have Megan? Steve had promised she would be safe. No one would get to her. Did they even know she was gone?

Placing a foot on the first step, she hesitated. Volkov knew she was home. Was he watching? She should tell Steve, but then he would never let her go and meet Volkov. Their daughter was in the hands of a monster. If she didn’t do as he said, Melanie Costas would die and then what? Start on Megan? There had to be another way.

Steve would be out of the shower any second. No time for doubt, Diane ran back to the kitchen, scribbled a note, and grabbed her purse off the counter. Next were her car keys, and then she slipped on her sneakers, thankful she had dressed in yoga pants and a T-shirt. Disarming the house alarm, she quietly left and got into her car, praying Steve hadn't heard above the shower. Before she could question her decision, she reversed off the driveway and sped down the road.

She reached the corner of West and Taywood with minutes to spare. Now what? Her body shivered, even though the sun shone hot and bright. Was she supposed to just wait? She had no idea. Her only goal was to get to Megan. If that meant going to Volkov, breaking the law, giving her own life, she would do it in an instant. She pulled up the picture of Megan, her stomach rolling. Her little girl must be terrified.

Hang on, baby, please hang on. Mommy’s coming.

Nothing else mattered except getting to her daughter. Steve had promised Megan would be safe, but Volkov had gotten to her. If he could fool Onyx, and the FBI, who knew what else he was capable of? What if one of Onyx or the FBI were in on it? God, she didn’t want to think that, but someone had told Volkov where Megan was.

A wave of nausea took her by surprise, and she opened her car door just in time to throw up on the curb. Steadying herself against the door, she breathed, taking in the fresh air, trying to quench the sickness. Goddamn, she needed to pull herself together. Megan needed her to be strong. The sound of a car approaching made her look up. A black Escalade parked behind her. Praying her stomach was empty, she straightened, wiping her mouth.

The back door of the Escalade opened, and she recognized one of the men who had regularly escorted Volkov at her office. The burly man stood aside and gestured for her to get in the back. Fear suddenly took over and her chest tightened in panic. Her feet wouldn’t cooperate, glued to the sidewalk.

“Mrs. Williams, get in. Mr. Volkov is waiting, and he is not a patient man. Think about your daughter.” The man’s accent was thick, but she understood the threat. She leaned into her car to grab her phone.

As she reached the Escalade, the man held out his hand.

“Phone,” the man commanded.

As she glanced at it, it rang. Steve’s name flashed across the screen.

“Phone,” The man repeated. She handed it to him. He dropped it on the road and stomped on it several times.

“Mrs. Williams. Get in, now.”

Diane swallowed. On shaky feet, she moved forward and entered the rear seat of the Escalade. The man climbed in beside her, slamming the door shut. Saying a silent prayer, she forced back tears, praying she’d done the right thing as a hood was pulled over her head.

***

S TEVE HEARD THE ALARM beep as he turned off the water. Diane was probably getting something from her car. He stepped from the shower to dry off, startled when he heard an engine, then a car reversing at speed. Wrapping a towel around his waist, he moved to the window in time to see Diane’s car speeding down the street.

What. The. Fuck? Grabbing the Glock he kept in the nightstand, he ran downstairs and checked the house, quickly confirming it empty. Diane was gone. Snatched, right under his fucking nose. How the fuck had this happened? How had they gotten her to go outside? His heart pounding, he pulled on every ounce of training to stay focused and dialed Dex.

“I need Mackie to ping Diane’s phone.” He didn’t give his team leader a chance to speak. “He got her. The bastard took her.”

He heard Dex speaking to Mackie before coming back on the line.

“Steve, Mackie’s on it,” Dex said calmly. “You’re on speaker, tell us what happened.”

“I don’t know. I was in the shower. I heard the alarm. Then her car. Fuck, she’s gone! I got to try and call her.”

Steve hung up and tried Diane. It rang and rang before going to voicemail. He tried again, voicemail again. A third try, no different. His knees gave way, and he sank to the floor. Volkov had his wife. He was certain of it. Squeezing his eyes shut, he fought back tears.

His eyes sprang open at the sound of his phone. Seeing Dex’s name, he answered.

“Did you reach her?” Dex asked.

“No.”

“We’re not getting anything on the phone. Mackie’s working on locating the car, but we are enroute to your house. Be there in ten.”

He didn’t respond, words wouldn't come out. He was supposed to protect her. Keep her safe. He’d failed her in so many ways recently, but he never thought he would fail at keeping her safe.

Taking a deep breath, he slowly climbed to his feet and went upstairs to get dressed before the rest of the team arrived. He had to pull himself together. Volkov had taken Diane for a reason. Almost certainly, he needed her alive. His teammates were the best in the world. They would find her. Putting on black jeans and a black t-shirt, he splashed cold water on his face and stared at his reflection. He was not going to let his wife down. The woman was so damn strong. Stronger than him. He would do whatever it took to find his angel and bring her home.

As for Volkov. If he got his hands on him, the man was going to regret being born.

A screech of tires told him his team had arrived. He jogged down the stairs and let them in.

Raven filed into his house with Sam. Mackie was tapping on an Onyx laptop as he walked, and they all gathered around the kitchen island.

Dex said, “Tell us everything, Steve.”

“I was in the shower. Diane had come down to start work.” He gestured to her laptop on the dining table. Ryan went over and retrieved it. “I heard the alarm disarm, and I thought she was getting something from her car. Then I heard a car reversing, and when I looked out the window, I saw her SUV speeding down the street.”

“Did you see who was driving?”

“No. Fuck! I should have come down as soon as I heard the alarm.” He dragged a hand over his face.

“Wait. Diane disarmed the house?” Donnie asked.

“Yes. Her code. I checked.”

“And you didn’t hear any shouting, voices, anything?” Sam asked.

“No.” Steve looked around the island at his teammates. “She wouldn't have just left.”

The room went quiet.

“Guys, I got her on a traffic camera.” Mackie broke the silence.” She appears to be alone in her car. Wait.” He paused and everyone else remained silent. “Diane got into a black Escalade at the corner of West and Taywood.” Mackie said turning the screen so Steve could see. He zoomed in, but there was no clear view of the plate or faces.

“Send that to Dale,” Sam said. “I’ll have him see if they can track the Escalade, pick it up on other cameras and get a plate.” He pulled out his phone. “Nyx can head over there and check out her car.”

“What about Diane’s cellphone?” Donnie asked.

“I tried calling. It’s going straight to voicemail.” Steve’s gaze remained fixed on the screen. The picture showed Diane from behind, stepping into the rear of the Escalade. A man stood watching, his back also to the camera.

“They probably took it off of her,” Mackie said, turning the laptop back around. Seconds later, he raised his head. “I tried to ping it again, no luck. Last registered location was the same as her car.”

“This makes no sense.” He looked around at his team. “Are we saying she left the house by herself and went willing to meet them? Why would she do that?”

“It looks that way,” Dex said. “If someone had forced her outside, she would have fought, screamed. You would have heard it.” Dex asked, “Did she have any calls, emails, texts, anything this morning?”

“No, nothing. She would have told me.”

Wouldn’t she? Steve braced his arms on the counter to compose himself. A small piece of paper had been propped against the coffeemaker. He snapped it up, straightened, and opened it.

I’m sorry. Use your tech stuff to access the text messages on my phone and you’ll understand why. You promised she would be safe. I have no choice but to do as he asks.

“Steve? What is it?” Dex asked.

“She left a note.” He read it aloud to the team.

“Mackie,” Dex said.

“Retrieving them now.”

“What does she mean? You promised she would be safe?” Steve asked through clenched teeth as fear bubbled in his gut.

“I got them.” Mackie turned the laptop around and brought up the pictures of Natasha, Anya, Melanie Costas, and a dead Arnold Janssen. He then brought up the first text message.

Mrs. Williams. I have my daughter, she is safe and well, as is her mother. The second picture is Melanie Costas, Natasha’s lawyer. If you do not do as I ask, I will kill her. If you don’t believe me, the man in the third picture is your predecessor, Arnold Janssen. I do not tolerate people disobeying me.

“Now we know for sure he took them all,” Donnie said.

“Oh, shit,” Mackie said. Steve tensed.

When Mackie looked directly at him, Steve asked, “What is it?”

Mackie brought up the next picture. The blood drained from Steve’s face.

“Oh, God. Megan? He has Megan?”

Steve’s knees buckled and he gripped the counter, steadying himself. The bastard had his daughter? This couldn’t be happening. Donnie was at his side, hand on his shoulder. He heard voices around him, but he couldn’t speak. Dale’s voice came through the speaker phone on Sam’s cell.

“Sam?”

“Dale, where’s Megan?” Sam demanded.

“Eating breakfast with Agent Adams.” Dale sounded confused.

“Are you sure? Mackie is sending you a picture. We need to see her, Dale. Steve needs to see her.” The urgency in Sam’s voice wasn’t lost on anyone.

Steve couldn’t breathe. The monster had his daughter. He promised to always protect her and his wife, and now they were both gone. He brought his gaze to the picture of Megan, duct tape across her mouth, her eyes wide. He’d failed. Onyx were the best, but they hadn’t been able to protect his own family. What kind of husband and father was he to let this happen to the people he loved the most? Megan was supposed to be safe with the FBI. How the hell had they found her? Every muscle in his body tensed, his frustration and temper ready to explode.

“I swear to God I’m going to kill him. How the fuck can this happen?” He turned, punching the refrigerator, leaving a sizable dent.

“Jesus, guys. Hang on,” Dale said. “I just spoke to Agent Adams. She’s there, safe. I promise. Steve, give me two minutes.” The call ended.

Dex came up beside him. “Megan is with Jessica, Steve. The picture’s a fake,” Dex added, “made to freak out Diane, and make her do exactly what she did. Go to Volkov on her own.”

Steve couldn’t speak, couldn’t move, could barely breathe. He held his phone, willing it to ring. It was the longest two minutes of his fucking life.

“There’s one more text,” Mackie said as he put it onscreen.

I saved the best till last. You even think about telling your husband or any of his friends, I’ll send your daughter home in pieces. I know you are at home. Find a way out. Alone. Do not make a call, do not send a text. Be at the corner of West and Taywood in thirty minutes or Ms. Costas dies.

“Jesus Christ,” Ryan said. I can’t wait to make this asshole’s acquaintance.”

Steve stared at his phone. Finally it rang. He almost collapsed as his daughter’s beautiful face filled the screen.

“Hey, Daddy!”

“Megan. Hey, Pumpkin.” He forced a smile, though his voice was strained. “It’s so good to see you.”

“You saw me just last night silly.” Megan grinned.

“I know. I just missed you.”

“Are you coming to get me?”

“Soon, Pumpkin.”

“Ok. I’m making you and Mommy a picture.”

“Yeah? I can’t wait to see it. I’ll see you in a little while OK?”

“OK, Daddy. Love you.”

“Love you, too, Megan.” He ended the call and dropped his head as relief swept through him.

Dale called back moments later and Steve listened as Sam filled him in. Dex and Donnie remained beside him, their silent support appreciated. For two terrifying minutes his worst nightmare had come true. Hell, he knew there were risks with his job, not just to him but to his family, too. But Diane’s job? He’d never seen this coming, and while his daughter might be safe, his wife wasn’t. She was out there alone, facing that son of a bitch, thinking he’d failed her by not keeping their daughter safe.

The thought of her being anywhere near Volkov was enough to pull himself out of his pity party flat spin. Knowing what he knew now, he understood why Diane had gone. She was a mother and would do anything to protect their daughter, even risking her own life. But she hadn't shut him out completely. She’d left the note. It wasn’t much, but it was something. They’d worked with less. It was time to do what he did best and rescue his wife. Channeling his fear into determination, Steve raised his head and met Sam’s eyes.

“What now? Diane thinks he has Megan, believes we lied about keeping her safe. How the hell did he know Megan wasn't here?”

“He must have had eyes on this house,” Sam said, “or the school. We will step up security on her just in case.”

He shook his head. “Fuck, he might be cleaning up loose ends. Diane knows too much about his business, was asking questions. He will kill her and the lawyer, maybe even Natasha too. Then disappear with Anya.”

“If he wanted them dead,” Sam said firmly, “they’d already be dead. He obviously has a plan.”

“We’ll do whatever it takes to get all the hostages out alive,” Dex said, facing Steve. “He lured Diane there for a reason. We need to work out why.”

Steve took a deep breath and nodded. Dex was right, this is what they did. There was no one better than them.

“Nyx are checking on Diane’s car,” Sam said. “Then they will take over securing the sarin. Raven will take Volkov and get Diane and the hostages back. Let’s start with the pictures he sent. See if there are any clues as to where they are.” He turned into his phone. “Dale, let us know if you get any hits on the Escalade.”

Steve braced against the table. His wife was in danger, had gone there believing he’d let her down, and failed her by not protecting Megan. It made him sick to his stomach she would think that, but hell, the picture. Fuck, even he had believed it.

“It makes no sense,” Tyler said, addressing no one in particular. “He took Natasha and her lawyer. He has hostages. Why take Diane now?” He asked, “Taking all of them, seems a little extreme, doesn’t it?

Steve listened as the team debated Volkov's actions. He was a father. While he did not condone what Volkov was doing, he did understand the love a father has for their child, and that there was nothing a loving father wouldn't do for them. Steve didn’t doubt Volkov loved his daughter very much. Desperate people did desperate things, and while he might not understand why he’d taken Diane, Steve suspected she was a part of some desperate new plan.

Volkov thought his money, his connections, and his Russian citizenship gave him all the power he needed to do whatever was required to be with his daughter and get away with it. His ego was out of control, though, and far too many innocent people’s lives were at stake.

“Steve?” Sam’s voice brought him back to the conversation. “We have his planes under surveillance. He is on the no-fly list.”

Steve nodded, not trusting his voice.

When they got Diane back, because they had to get her back, he was going to tell her every damn day how much he loved her and do whatever she wanted to make her happy. Whatever that entailed, he was on board. Nothing else mattered anymore. His family were more important than his job, or even his life.

“Dex, a quick word before we roll out,” Sam said.

The two of them walked out onto Steve’s deck. He would knock down every fucking door in this city to find Diane, if that’s what it took. Volkov was about to find out just what lengths Steve would go to, to protect his family.

Dex was back in a couple of minutes, while Sam was still outside on the phone. Steve looked at his boss, recognizing a look he’d seen too many times before.

“Please don’t tell me I’m staying here.”

“You’re not,” Dex said, then faced the team. “Washington wants Volkov alive. They are very concerned about the extent of his involvement with Reborn, with his company having military contracts around the world. They need him alive to find out if he really is just a transporter. Or, if this is deeper, with Reborn supporters embedded in the military, and how deep Russia’s involvement is with Reborn. The hostages come first, but we work this with the intent of bringing Volkov in alive. Understood?”

All the team voiced their acknowledgment, except Steve.

“There are no guarantees, boss.”

“You know what the fuck I’m getting at, Steve. We all get what he’s done to your family, and he will pay, but this is bigger. I need you to wrap your head around that or you will find yourself sidelined.”

“Copy that.” Steve grabbed his truck keys. “Can we get going now?” He started walking outside, not waiting for an answer.

“I take it Sam wanted to bench him?” Ryan asked.

“Yes. But we all know he wouldn’t have listened. Better to keep him in line of sight. “We must take Volkov alive. Sam was very clear heads will roll if we screw up. Washington is watching this closely. There’s too much at stake. Killing him is a last resort.”

“We got this, Dex,” Donnie said. “We have your back, and we’ll all have eyes on Steve.” The others voiced their agreement.

“Let’s hope that’s enough.”