The Aces: The Complete Box Set (Seven Books in Bundle)

Chapter One

That Tuesday was just like any other except that it would become one of the most important days in Liam’s and Julia’s lives. Liam rolled his shoulders back, unable to find a comfortable way to sit next to his girlfriend. Though a commuter-packed Metro wasn’t the most comfortable place to start.

The train descended into a tunnel, and he straightened.

The underground lights whirred as they passed with a rhythmic hum.

The seesawing normally eased him into a hypnotic form of relaxation, but not that night.

With every stop closer to the restaurant where he’d requested a secluded table, the ring box weighed heavier against his chest.

“Are you feeling all right?” Julia brushed her hand across his cheek.

“Of course.” Liam cleared his throat. Who knew proposing could give him a nervous high?

“Oooh-kay.” Her eyebrows arched, but her laughter was soft and as sweet as cotton candy. “If you say so.”

Hell if he hadn’t spoken too fast… too loudly… too everything that might ruin the surprise. Shrouding his nerves, he gave a playful side-eye. “Oooh-kay, yourself, sweetness.”

“I still think you’re up to something,” she joked.

He kissed her cheek. “You just have a creative imagination.”

Her easy laugh rolled off her tongue. “That’s why they pay me the big bucks.”

Which was a joke. When he’d discovered how reporters were paid, he quickly understood why Julia had teamed up with her best friend, Chelsea, a federal agent, to sensationalize true-crime stories for a big-name publisher.

Not that their contracts meant they were paid better, but Liam saw similarities with her job and his decision to pick up freelance military-contracting work.

The dark-purple sky lit their Metro car as it surfaced again. They rounded a bridge toward DC, and if he hadn’t known how soon autumn was, he would have said the skyline almost seemed as if it still belonged to the summer.

A few weekends ago, the summer sun still hung high at night when he’d sat Linda and Frank down to ask for their daughter’s hand in marriage. They were close enough to be his parents and had said as much when they’d happily given their blessing.

“Liam?” Julia’s eyebrows arched. “Earth to Liam. Come in.”

“Sorry.” He focused. “What?”

“I can still catch up with Chelsea tonight…” She twisted a lock of hair. “If you need to concentrate on work.”

He bristled. No way in hell.

Julia nudged him. “What’s up?”

“I’m not changing a date night for Chelsea.”

“I was just offering to change our plans if you had elsewhere to be.”

He grumbled.

“Ease up, all right? It was just a thought.”

“I am at ease.”

She giggled. “I can see that—and you don’t have to hate on Chelsea for everything.”

He didn’t. What he was trying to do was propose.

Liam readjusted his suit jacket as they slid into a station.

The doors opened, and people pushed in and out.

Commuters headed home. Hill rats headed for happy hour.

Tourists took up too many seats with their gift-shop bags.

But an older man was the one who commanded Liam’s attention.

“Do you know that guy?” Liam asked under his breath.

The old man gripped a metal pole and stood rather than taking an empty seat. The train picked up speed again. Outside their car, dim lights whooshed, methodically humming as they remained underground.

“Nope.” Julia rolled her thumb over Liam’s knuckles.

The man still stared.

A cold shiver pricked at the back of Liam’s neck. “Because he’s looking at us.” He cracked his neck and stretched to check their surroundings. There wasn’t anyone in the man’s direct line of sight.

“People do weird things on the Metro.”

That didn’t make Liam any more comfortable. The overhead speakers crackled with the announcement of the next stop, and the cars slowed. Liam tapped his foot, hoping the old man would get off at the next stop. If he didn’t, maybe they would switch trains.

The doors opened. The influx and exit of riders freed up new seats. Still, the older man didn’t take one.

“Let’s get off here,” Liam suggested.

“I thought we were getting off at—”

The doors closed again. He tapped his teeth together. The prospect of proposing had made him paranoid. “Never mind.” Then he captured the older man’s gaze and gestured to the seats. “Open seat now, buddy.”

Julia shifted uncomfortably, and her eyes bugged. “Let him be.”

“No need,” the man responded with a thick accent then smiled at Julia. “Are you a reporter for the Post?”

“I am.” She smiled and scooted to the edge of her seat.

Liam’s neck hairs stood on end, and he placed a protective hand on her knee, urging her back.

She gave Liam a quick glance but had her attention pulled back as the man asked, “You’re Julia Nyman?”

As he tightened his grip, Liam felt his heart pound without reason. They were having a simple conversation. Julia’s picture had accompanied her reports before.

Her head tilted. “I am. Have you read—”

But that was all the small talk the man offered. He gave her a wave and took a seat several rows up so that he’d still face them.

Mental warning bells chimed. Flattening his lips, he took Julia’s hand. “We have to go.”

“We can’t go anywhere right now,” she said, pointing out the obvious as the Metro continued. “What is your problem tonight?”

It had been proposing. Now? Liam glanced the length of the car. “Call it a feeling.”

The speakers crackled and announced a temporary hold for single tracking. Dammit. He wanted off that train.

Adrenaline surged. He pulled out his phone—no cell service—then returned it to his pocket. The man had been staring down the car, beyond them.

Liam twisted and followed the man’s line of sight. This time, another person made Liam’s skin crawl. The second man held no expression but wore a long overcoat. The nighttime temperatures were dropping but not enough to warrant another layer of clothes.

His instinct shouted that there was a threat, but when he turned for the old man, Liam saw that he’d taken a book out, and the new man stared blankly ahead.

Either the man in the coat was a threat, or Liam had lost his mind.

He calculated the distance to Metro Center, the most densely packed station, and wondered when the hell they’d start moving again.

His thoughts raced as he suddenly questioned whether proposal nerves caused paranoia or he’d never had a more mission-critical moment in his life. What is under that asshole’s jacket?

Fuck it. Liam nuzzled against Julia’s cheek, and she jumped at the unusual public display of affection.

“Listen,” he whispered.

“What are you—”

“Listen to me.”

Julia froze. She had to know something was wrong. He’d never spoken to her like that before.

“I need to check on someone.”

“Who?”

“No one. I’m sure. I just have to double-check.” Because his gut instinct was never wrong.

“What’s going on?” Her voice wavered.

“Lean against the wall and make yourself small.” He cupped her cheek. “If you hear me shout, drop to the ground and get under the chair.”

Her frightened eyes widened. “Okay.”

“Everything will be fine.” His thumb ran along her cheek.

Because this situation was what he did—his life had been built on a team that destroyed terrorists and violent plans.

“Everything…will be fine,” she repeated, lips trembling.

“It will.” He touched her chin then stood. “Promise.”

Julia sank against the window, awkwardly twisting her legs to keep the sexy blue dress down.

“Be right back.” Then he let intuition lead him to the back of the Metro car. His casual stroll hid the rage curled in his fists until only an arm’s length separated Liam from the other man.

Menace-fueled eyes showed Liam he wasn’t wrong.

“Julia! Now!” Liam swung.

Commuters gasped and screamed in surprise. Liam ripped open the man’s overcoat and found a weapon fit for carnage.

Fists flew. Hands grasped for the weapon. Liam reached for the man’s neck. Fingers on flesh, he curled his grip tight, jamming against a pressure point and counting the seconds to choke the gun-wielding bastard out.

“Oof!” Liam doubled forward when the knee hit his groin, grip faltering.

The gun came loose, and they wrestled for it. Liam took a hard blow to his head. His eyesight darkened, stars exploding.

Pop. Pop.

Gunfire? The blasts sounded too far away. The pain in his head throbbed, his vision skewed, but Liam kicked the weapon free. He and the man fought for it again, their hands slipping, the gun barrel pointing back and forth—

Pop. Pop.

Liam rolled away as the man fell, covered in blood. Dead.

“Julia!” Liam pushed off the ground and lost his balance but steadied himself.

People grouped at the other end of the car, and he pushed his way through the tourists and commuters, growing sick on their terror polluting the hot air.

“Julia?”

The small crowd parted, and the shocked, stuttering cries fell quiet. He searched their faces and followed their trembling eyes.

Julia… Her lifeless figure lay by their seats. Dark pain sliced into him, dragging Liam into the depths of an inexplicable black hole.

Her deep puddle of blood spread wide like morbid angels’ wings on a dirty subway floor, and he dropped to a knee next to the high heel that had slipped off her foot.

Julia was gone, and it was his fault.

His eyes shut, and his dead heart ached. He clasped a hand to his chest and felt—the engagement ring.

In that agonizing instant, all that he knew and loved faded away.