BLURRED LINE

by Justice, A. D.

  “But that’s treason, Silas. You can’t do that—there’s no coming back from betraying your country, especially since you’re a career CIA officer. Everything you’ve ever done to protect and serve will be dissected and questioned. Every mistake you’ve ever made, even if you’ve corrected it since then, and every judgment call you’ve made that falls outside the lines will be put on trial for the world to be your judge, jury, and executioner.”

  “Trust me, Brad. The CIA won’t allow it to go that far. It’ll be covered up, along with my body in the middle of the Sahara Desert where no evidence will ever be found. It’ll be a miracle if I can pull this off, so I completely understand if you want to walk away now.”

  “I’m not going anywhere, man. You and your brother have never let me down, and I’m not about to turn my back on you now. I’ll keep all eyes off you as long as I can.”

  “Thanks, Brad. I’m glad to have you on my side. I still have a shit-ton of other files to read through first, but this is the only one that has raised huge red flags so far. Let’s see if there are more before I tell her anything about it.”

  The driveway alarm chimes, alerting me to an incoming vehicle. After a quick check of the monitors, I verify it’s Nick and the gang returning from their shopping excursion. A pan of the camera rewards me with a closeup shot of Roman’s face. His expression screams he’s disgusted, disgruntled, and displeased, making me burst out laughing at his expense. I can almost feel his eyes burning straight through me when they land on the camera. Then he flips me off, holding up his middle finger all the way up the driveway.

  The ladies are chatting up a storm when they walk into the house. If I didn’t already know them, I wouldn’t have pegged them for Russian spies. They sound like the normal, average American woman. The dress, the shoes, the hair, the makeup—every detail every other woman I’ve ever known has focused on when dressing for a black-tie affair. Part of me wishes I’d never recognized Mira that day I met her in the women’s shelter when she was hiding from her handlers under an alias. But her fake name wasn’t too far off from her real name. She used the name Miranda Petrovia to hide in plain sight.

  Kira is holding a long garment bag in one hand and a shoe box in the other. Her makeup has been professionally applied, and her black hair is expertly styled in a sweeping updo. She’s beautiful with her long hair worn down and flowing across her shoulders, but I have to say this new style is doubly appealing, exposing the soft skin of her slender neck.

  “Well, it’s not white, but I can’t guarantee she won’t upstage the bride, Silas. This dress was made for her—no one can wear it like she does. Even I have to admit she looks sinfully sexy in it.” Mira raises her eyebrows, driving her point home.

  After hearing that, I know I’m probably in for a long night.

  Chapter 8

  Kira

  Shopping and getting made up at the salon took longer than I had anticipated, so by the time I got back, Silas and I only had a couple of hours left before we had to leave for Senator Hunt’s estate. Silas greeted us as he usually did, made small talk for a few minutes, then disappeared into his bedroom. And closed the door. At first, I assumed he was getting dressed in his tuxedo, so I retreated to my bedroom, and Mira helped me put on my dress and not mess up my hair or makeup in the process.

  That was forty-five minutes ago, and Silas still hasn’t emerged from behind his closed door.

  “Stop worrying. You look beautiful, exactly like you fit in their world. No one will question your presence there.” Mira grabs my shoulders and holds me in place, making me look her in the eye. “Let loose and have fun on your date with Silas tonight every chance you get.”

  “It’s not a date, sis. We’re actually working and just pretending to be on a date.” I shake my head at her. I know she only wants me to be happy, to drop my walls of steel and let someone in besides her for once.

  “Deny it all you want, but we’re twins. I’ve known Silas for a while now. When he could’ve turned me in and sent me to an actual black site, he showed me mercy instead. I didn’t know until recently, but he also followed you since the day he figured out who I was. He made sure you were safe and stayed out of trouble. Even when he caught you breaking into the secure servers, he fought to keep you on the case with him. He’s a good man, and he’s a good match for you. I’m making it my personal mission to make sure you two realize how perfect you are for each other.”

  Her enthusiasm would be contagious if I didn’t already know I’ll be forcibly removed from the country in less than two weeks now. “Mira, I’ll be gone soon. We don’t exactly have enough time to date, marry, and live happily ever after in that time. In fact, we couldn’t even finish a round of antibiotics in that short time. I appreciate why you’re trying to do this, but there’s no sense in pursuing something that can never be.”

  The door to Silas’s room opens, and he comes strolling out, wearing his tailor-made tuxedo and looking far too sexy for the female population to take. One look at me and he stops in his tracks. His jaw is slack, and his eyes are wide, slowly dragging up and down my body. My cheeks burn, and my heart races from the heat in his gaze.

  The dress I picked out is the most gorgeous formal dress I’ve ever seen. The glamorous silver-beaded and sequined bodice has a sweetheart neckline, dipping in the middle to reveal just enough cleavage to be stunningly sexy. The long, sheer, off-shoulder sleeves are beaded, continuing the sparkling sheen of the top, while the skirt is pure peach satin, showing enough thigh to carry off the sultry vibe. The train begins from the material gathered at the waist, long and sheer in the back and is also covered in beads and sequins. The entire ensemble catches the light as I move and twinkles like stars in the dark skies.

  “Kira, you look absolutely ravishing. I mean, I thought you were beautiful before, but now I can’t tear my eyes away from you. Your sister is right—you could wear a burlap sack, and you’d still upstage the bride. There’s no way to avoid it.” Silas keeps staring at me, caressing my exposed skin with his gaze, touching me with the desire in his eyes, and heating me from the inside out.

  He clears his throat, breaking the trance we’re both under, and extends his hand toward me. “We should leave now, so we’re not fashionably late.”

  I slip my hand into his, marveling at how mine seems to disappear in the size of his, yet there’s no fear associated with it. Only security and safety. These hands would never harm me; that much I already know about Silas. “Let me grab my coat on the way out, and we’ll be on our way.”

  “Wear the long coat—the thick wool one. That way, when you take it off in front of everyone, I’ll hear all the gasps and moans when they get a look at you. Every man will be jealous of me as it is, but it’ll be like unwrapping a present in front of an audience.” Silas’s smile covers his entire face. He nods enthusiastically, urging me to accept his request.

  “Gasps and moans? You can’t be serious.”

  “I am deadly serious. Gasps from the ladies, moans from the guys. It’ll be beautiful. Trust me.”

  “Famous last words.” I turn to head toward my bedroom to grab the coat but stop in my tracks. “Hang on. How do you know I have a long wool coat? I haven’t worn it around you.”

  “I may have watched you a time or two in the last year or so.” He shrugs, completely unashamed.

  “Stalker.” I shake my head and walk off, smiling to myself while listening to his laughter echo down the hall.

  As asked, I grab my long coat on the way out and wrap it around me. Actually, it works perfectly because it shields me from the biting winds, and it has plenty of hidden pockets in the inner lining to hide documents, pictures, flash drives, or anything else we need to smuggle out of the senator’s home. Silas opens the car door for me, and I slide into the luxurious leather seat then watch him walk around the front with his confident gait and smooth swagger.

  When we arrive at the senator’s mansion inside a gated and private-security-patrolled community, just as
Silas called it, the valet parks the vehicle while we walk up the steps to the enormous front door. On the ride over, we reviewed the plan and discussed what we’d do in case of an emergency. Now the game is afoot, and the strategy is in motion. My fingers are crossed, and my silent prayers are going up, hoping we find what we’re looking for here.

  Once inside, I understand why their daughter chose to get married here rather than in a church or at a destination wedding. The entrance is unlike any house I’ve ever seen. The large circular entryway alone is close to the size of a ballroom. The stairs curve around the right side of the room, leading up to an open second-floor landing. The arched openings and decorative black wrought-iron railing will provide a perfect view of the bride as she descends the steps toward her husband-to-be.

  The reception tent has been erected in the backyard, just off the veranda directly behind where the wedding is being held. Once the guests start to move toward the reception, the temporary bottleneck will give Silas and me a chance to get lost in the shuffle of the crowd.

  Staff dressed in full tuxedos, complete with top hats and tails, check the invitations before escorting us to our assigned seats. We’re not high enough on the guest list to warrant a place in the front of the room, but that’s better for us and our reason for being here. Sticking to the shadows and avoiding any spotlights are paramount to our success tonight. We sit patiently, quietly chatting with each other, while we wait for the main event to begin.

  “You look familiar. Have we met?” A man stops beside Silas and eyes him suspiciously.

  “No, Chuck, you don’t know me at all. So, move on before you blow my cover and have to explain to the agency exactly how that happened.” Silas speaks in a hushed voice, but his words are clear. What I can’t figure out is how he did that without moving his lips.

  “You look just like one of my employees. Spitting image of him, actually. Tall guy. Popular with the ladies. Working on a case that could end his career for good with one misstep. I’d hate to see that happen to him. He’s been with me forever.”

  “If he’s such a good guy, then maybe you should put a little trust in him and back him up when he needs it. I’m sure he’d appreciate your help. And your faith.” Silas cuts his eyes up to Chuck, making the other man smile broadly.

  “Maybe you’re right. If he were here tonight—which he isn’t—but if he were, I’d tell him to check out the senator’s office on the second floor, behind the master bedroom. The senator is so proud of it that he took a few of us on a tour a while ago. You wouldn’t believe the hidden wall safe or the secret drawer in his desk.”

  “I’m sure your employee would be very interested to hear all about that home office. It sounds like the perfect setup since I’ve wanted to remodel my home office for a while now. Do you think the senator would mind if my date and I took a peek at it after the ceremony?”

  “His daughter has so many activities planned for her reception that I doubt the senator would ever know if you took a stroll upstairs. He’s more focused on spending every minute he can with his daughter before she and her new husband fly off to Uzbekistan for six months. The father-daughter dance is high on his list, as is watching her cut the cake. I wouldn’t linger, just in case, but I could’ve sworn I saw someone tampering with the security camera for that part of the house.”

  “What a shame. And this looks like such a nice neighborhood, too. We’ll keep an eye out for any nefarious characters.”

  Chuck raises his eyes to meet mine after that comment, revealing his real impression of me. “See that you do. We wouldn’t want them roaming loose in our country, would we?”

  “You know, my boss has told me on many, many occasions that I’m the best judge of character he’s ever met. He’s even written commendations for me on my interviewing skills, saying I’m better than a polygraph test because no one has ever beaten me with a lie. With all those compliments over the years, you’d think he’d listen to me now and then. I could make him look so good to his superiors—if he’d just get out of my way and let me do my job.”

  Chuck’s expression changes right before my eyes. “You’re right. If you’ve worked for him that long and have received that many compliments, he shouldn’t worry you’re about to make the biggest mistake of your life. I guess if you’re willing to gamble with your life, then he should let you play Russian roulette until the game is over…one way or another.”

  Silas inhales a long and deep breath, drawing his spine up completely straight and rigid until his lungs are fully expanded. Chuck takes the hint and walks off to his seat, leaving the conversation on that somber note. I watch Silas for a moment, taking in his handsome face, his wide shoulders, and his broad chest. I’m sure he does have a way with the ladies, and I’m sure he’s had his way with plenty of them. He’s easy to talk to, with a wicked sense of humor and quick, witty comebacks. But his intelligence is even more impressive. With one look, he can definitely gauge friend from foe, and he already has a plan in place to outwit his opponents before they even know they’re in the game.

  But right now, he’s fighting against his temper. He usually keeps it under firm control, never giving anyone the upper hand by making him react instead of act. Chuck seems to hold that power over him, though.

  “You need to breathe. You’ve been holding that breath for a long time. If you pass out, I can’t pick you up off the floor. You’ll just have to lie down there and watch the wedding from an odd angle when you wake up.”

  He slowly turns his head to look at me, a deadpan expression on his face. But I see a small twitch in the corner of his mouth. He wants to smile, but he also wants to stay mad for a little longer.

  “Silas, that man is your friend, whether he told you what you wanted to hear or not. He wouldn’t have said those things if he weren’t trying to help you get in and out without getting caught and if he didn’t care about you successfully completing this mission. I have a feeling this isn’t exactly sanctioned, so if you’re caught, you go down alone. He can’t shield you from the repercussions of your actions. He trusts you, or he wouldn’t have said one word to you, especially knowing you’re here undercover. It’s me he doesn’t trust—the Russian roulette comment wasn’t exactly subtle—but you can’t blame him for that. You don’t trust me either.”

  He finally releases the breath he’s held since Chuck walked away and nods, wordlessly telling me he knows I’m right.

  He leans over toward me. Our faces are so close, we must appear as lovers to everyone else around us. His voice is soft when he whispers to me, mirth sparkling in his blue eyes as he stares into mine. “Would you really have left me on the floor?”

  “You’re damn right, I would have. Try it and find out, big boy.”

  He chuckles and slides his arm around me, pulling me into his side. “Remind me to make you pay for that comment in some subtle way later.”

  “I’ll put it on the list.”

  * * *

  After the ceremony is over, we intentionally wait for the other guests to file into the line for the reception so we can be in the very back. Just our luck, we can’t sneak up the stairs because the staff stands on both sides, giving each guest a wedding favor bag and ushering us through the French doors at a brisk pace. The bridal party will be waiting for all the guests to settle in before making their toasts, after all.

  Why I didn’t realize the event tent would be every bit as luxurious and adorned as the house is beyond me. This family spared no expense for their little girl’s wedding. From the hardwood floors, to the crystal chandeliers, to the fountain of flowing champagne, to the perfectly decorated tables, to the enormous wedding cake—every minute detail has been considered and executed flawlessly.

  We find seats closest to the exit and suffer through the funny stories and the touching moments of the bride’s and groom’s lives. Finally, the DJ announces it’s time to break in the brand-new dance floor, and Silas and I prepare to make our move. Only…now we look like living statues with the
megawatt spotlight shining directly on us before it moves on to the next table.

  “The bride has a special request of her treasured guests tonight. Before she takes the floor with her new husband in their first dance, she asks for all the couples in the room to step out onto the dance floor first. She wants to see love shine all around her on her wedding night. So, come on, friends and family. Make her dream a reality—take your partner by the hand, hold each other close, and let’s get it on!”

  Marvin Gaye’s soulful voice fills the tent, and couples from every direction make their way to the dance floor. Waiters mingle between the tables, encouraging stragglers to comply. Silas stands, takes my hand, and pulls me from my seat to standing.

  “You heard the man. Let’s get it on.” He winks and leads me to an open spot. Then he slides his arms around my waist, pulls my body tight against his, and we start to sway from side to side, keeping time with the music.

  With my hands locked behind his neck, our bodies meld into one, flowing with the music and with the beat of our own hearts. His strong arms linked around my waist make me feel sheltered and protected. The spicy scent of his intoxicating cologne makes me feel heady and reckless. Maybe it is from years of living on the edge, from never having someone I cared about other than my sister, or the heavy toll my profession has taken on me, but at this moment in his arms, there is nothing else I want more.

  No secret searches for hidden evidence.

  No more danger, intrigue, or conspiracies.

  No more spying or scheming.

  Deep down, a quiet life with someone to love, and someone to love me in return, is all I’ve ever really wanted.

  When the song finally ends, and the newlyweds take their place for their first dance as husband and wife, Silas and I casually walk out of the tent, up the stairs, and straight into the senator’s home office. I watch with sheer admiration as he breaks into the hidden safe as though he were simply opening a cabinet door. The secret drawer wasn’t so well hidden that Silas couldn’t locate it, open it, and rifle through all the contents.