Fortunately, Liam’s injuries weren’t as bad as they’d feared. He had multiple contusions all over his body, a couple of bruised ribs, and a deep bruise on his foot. Could’ve been a whole lot worse.
Both Xavier and Jazz were tending to him. All OZ operatives had medical training up to a point. That was something Jules would need training on, but that would have to wait. For the first time in a long while, they were short-staffed. With Jazz not fully recovered, they had been running lean, though efficiently enough. But now Gideon was on medical leave for at least three months, and Liam would be out of commission for a couple of weeks.
And while Eve was not injured, she was on a much-deserved holiday.
Being down four operatives would curtail OZ’s activities significantly. With the bioweapon auction coming up soon, they would need everyone on board and as healthy as possible. Apprehending Carl Lang was one of the most important operations OZ had ever endeavored. Countless lives would be saved, and one less soulless bastard would be able to wreak havoc on the innocent.
Grabbing his burner phone, Ash checked for any new communication and cursed softly at the text from Omar. Instead of setting a date for the auction, Omar had thrown a small kink into the plan. He wanted to have another meeting. This time, a long weekend at his estate, and Humphrey was to bring a companion.
Ash considered his options. He had to go, there was no choice in that. Omar would see his refusal as an insult. The man was too important to the mission to create hard feelings at this stage.
Showing up alone might work okay. Humphrey was cold, arrogant, and didn’t give a damn what people thought of him. However, Ash had also developed Humphrey as a ladies’ man. Going stag would go against that reputation. Ash needed a female operative to accompany Humphrey.
Eve was by far OZ’s best undercover operative. She could accept a role in one minute and become that person the next. But for the first time ever, he’d noticed a brittleness in Eve’s demeanor. He figured it was from her worry over Gideon and the stress of maintaining her undercover persona for so long. Asking her to come off her leave wasn’t something he felt comfortable doing. She needed the downtime.
He had three other options, but they were questionable at best. Jazz was not good at undercover. She wore her emotions on her sleeve and couldn’t act worth a damn. Her instincts and incredible courage made up for any deficiencies in that area, but for this op, she was out, especially with her current physical limitations.
Serena would do fine. She had a varied background, including undercover work, but he didn’t want to draw her away from her present assignment. They were getting close to getting the intel they needed on Turner. The last thing he wanted was to put a halt to that investigation.
That left Jules. She had proven herself proficient in several areas already. Had come in with almost no prep and helped facilitate two successful missions. Her aptitude for undercover remained to be seen.
Ash knew he was hesitating for another reason. For the first time in years, he was having trouble holding back his attraction to her. There was something special about Jules Stone. A chemistry he hadn’t experienced with any other woman. He liked her easygoing attitude, her adaptability. She had a self-deprecating manner, but stood up for herself, showing she was a strong, self-assured person. He also liked her laughter, her quick wit. The way she—
He went to his feet. Truth was, there were altogether too many things he liked about her. None of that could matter. He had a job to do, and so did she. As long as he made certain things clear to her, they should be fine. He was no teenager in the throes of first love or lust. He knew how to play the game. Now he needed to make sure she did, too.
Glancing toward the back of the plane, where she was seated, he noted she was staring at her laptop with a frown of concentration.
“Stone.”
She jerked her head up. “Yes?”
“Need to see you.”
She clicked a few keys, closed the laptop, and stood. As she made her way to him, he tried to dispassionately see her as a woman Humphrey would be interested in having in his bed. Without a doubt, she was an attractive woman, but the wholesome, girl-next-door look would not fly. They’d need to work on that.
As she drew closer, he nodded toward a small curtained-off enclosure. Looking curious, she followed him.
“Need to talk with you about an ongoing op.”
“Okay.”
Ash gave her a condensed version, seeing no reason to go into a great deal of detail as this point. Once they were back at the operations center, he’d bring her up to speed. For now, he needed to explain the job requirements.
“I received an invitation from Omar Schrader to join him for the weekend. He’s also invited my romantic partner.”
“Okay.”
“I’ve already thrown you into the deep end of the pool, so we haven’t discussed this part of your job requirements. Going undercover as a romantic couple doesn’t happen that frequently, but it does happen on occasion.”
“That shouldn’t be a problem. I’ve done undercover work. Acting as your girlfriend shouldn’t be an issue.”
“We’ll have to be affectionate with each other.”
She frowned then, and he could see she was beginning to see the issue of concern. “How affectionate?”
“In public, nothing more than an occasional touch. Maybe a short kiss.”
“And in private?”
“I’m going to do my best to convince Omar, without offending him, that we’ll stay in a hotel. If I can do that, we might have to contend with a passionate kiss or two in the lobby to make it convincing.”
“And if you can’t convince him?”
“Then there will be more than a few passionate kisses.” He eyed her closely. “How do you feel about that?”
“I’ll be fine.”
Would she? Ash moved close. Crowding her, he put his hand on her shoulder, caressed down her arm, and tried to ignore the silky creaminess of her skin. He was giving her a test, but his body apparently didn’t get that message as thick heat flooded through his veins.
Her eyes wide, she stuttered, “Wh-what are you doing?”
“Gauging how you react to my touch. It’s not very flattering.”
“What?”
“You’re as stiff as a board, and you have an expression on your face as if I’m trying to sell you a used vacuum cleaner.”
“That’ll change when we’re on the job.”
Ash shook his head. “Not gonna fly. You’re an OZ operative. You’re always on the job.”
She lowered her gaze for an instant and then raised her head to look up at him. Her expression…her entire demeanor had changed. A smile lifted her mouth into an expression of sensuous hunger. Her eyes glittered with heat and life. And somehow, she’d managed a slight, pink blush in her cheeks. Without moving, she seemed to draw closer as her fingertips lightly touched his face in the hottest, most sensual caress he’d ever felt. Every part of his body zinged to life.
“Umm…that’s…” He cleared his throat. “Better.”
Her eyes gleaming with triumph, she whispered softly, “Just doing my job.”
* * *
“Oh, excuse me.”
Jules whirled around. She’d been so immersed in the moment with Ash that she hadn’t heard Jazz move the curtain aside. From the look on the other woman’s face, she certainly hadn’t expected to find her boss and the newest member of their team in each other’s arms.
A different kind of heat flushed Jules’s face.
Apparently not the least bit embarrassed, Ash explained, “Omar Schrader has invited Humphrey and a companion to his estate this weekend. Stone and I will be attending.”
Comprehension replaced Jazz’s startled look. “Gotcha.” She turned her attention to Jules. “I’ll get Rose to send you a stats questionnaire.”
“So I’m going to finally get a chance to interact with the elusive Rose Wilson.”
Over the past few days
, Jules had heard Rose Wilson mentioned several times.
Jazz’s mouth tilted in an affectionate smile. “Like I said before. Rose is the person who actually runs OZ.”
Jules noticed Ash didn’t dispute the claim.
“What’s a stats questionnaire?”
“You’ll need to provide your sizes and list things you’ll need to be convincing in your cover. Rose can provide you with whatever you need for the op. Clothes, shoes, other accessories.”
“As soon as I hear back from Omar, we’ll have a briefing.” Ash’s gaze swept over Jules, and she felt her body heat up again. “You good with everything?”
“Of course.”
With a nod, he headed back to the main area of the plane, leaving Jules and Jazz with an awkward silence.
“You’re attracted to him.”
Jules heard no disapproval in Jazz’s tone, only a mild curiosity. Still, admitting an attraction to Ash was not a good idea.
“I’m a professional. I can make people see what I want them to see.”
Obviously not believing her, Jazz raised her eyebrows. “Oh yeah? Might want to work on your performance a little bit.”
Before Jules could argue, Jazz added, “You’d be good for him. He needs someone in his life.”
Pretending to have no interest in the conversation would be pointless. “Ash doesn’t have relationships?”
“Not really. I think he sees someone from time to time, but it’s nothing serious. He’s not had anything even remotely permanent since he lost Meg.”
“His wife?”
“Yeah.”
“You knew her?”
“No. I know only what Xavier has told me. She was apparently an amazing woman. But then, she’d have to be for Ash to have loved her.”
“You think a lot of him.”
“Hands down, one of the best men I’ve ever known.”
“How long have you worked together?”
Jazz’s face went blank. “Long enough.” She pulled her phone from her pocket. “I’ll send a text to Rose to get that questionnaire to you.”
“I didn’t mean to pry, Jazz.”
“It’s no big.”
Blowing out a ragged breath, Jules took a moment to center herself. Ash had thrown her into a maelstrom of both mental and physical confusion. And truthfully, she was completely and utterly terrified. Fighting her attraction to Ash had been no problem so far. They’d been so busy she hadn’t had time to even think about the effect he had on her. But pretending to be his girlfriend, accepting his kisses and caresses as if she belonged to him, would be another matter.
What she had told him was true. She was very good at undercover and could usually adapt a persona as her own without an ounce of hesitation. Having become someone else years ago had trained her to adjust to her circumstances. And while she was more comfortable working alone, she had on occasion worked with a partner. A mutual goal of bringing down evil had always been incentive enough to overlook any awkwardness.
But she had to admit this would be a challenge of a different kind. She knew going in that the job would be hard. Knowing all she did about Asher Drake, all that he had done, she figured she’d built him up in her head. But meeting the man, working with him, was doing nothing but confirming her opinion. Ash was a man of honor, intelligence, and amazing courage. He had fascinated her for years, and Jules knew the image she’d had of him was only going to get stronger.
The moment he’d touched her tonight added a new wrinkle. She had never in her life felt desire like that. One simple touch—nothing more—had ignited a heat and need within her. There was attraction, and then there was this.
Admittedly, she wasn’t the most experienced when it came to romantic relationships. She dated, not a lot, but some. She had even gone out with one guy five times. Unfortunately, on the fifth date, he had surprised her with a romantic weekend at a small cabin in the woods. She had managed to make an excuse to leave before full-blown hysteria had set in, but she’d still ended up making a complete fool of herself. That had been the last she’d seen of him.
Pain in her hand pulled her from her thoughts. She had been gripping the marble countertop. She took a deep breath and stiffened her spine. She was here to do a job and to pay a debt. Staying focused on her goals was the way she survived. That couldn’t change now. Her personal feelings and hang-ups couldn’t matter.
“Ladies and gentlemen.” The pilot’s calm, baritone voice came over the intercom. “Looks like we’re in for some stormy weather up ahead. Might want to buckle up for the rest of the flight. Things could get bumpy.”
As she headed back to her seat, Jules couldn’t help but wonder if the pilot’s words were an omen for what was coming.
Chapter Twenty-One
Omar Schrader’s Estate
Slovakia
One thing Ash had learned about his newest operative. Never, ever underestimate her. He knew Eve was good at undercover, but Jules would give her a run for her money.
While waiting for his undercover partner to arrive at the airport, he had expected the wholesome-looking, girl-next-door Jules Stone. The woman who appeared before him, though, was a pampered, snobbish, ethereal beauty. An ice princess who looked down on the rest of humanity was exactly the kind of woman Humphrey would find most appealing.
Ash had chartered a private jet. Not only would Omar expect Humphrey to have the most luxurious and expensive one on the market, he would know the minute the plane landed. No way did Ash want OZ’s plane anywhere close to Omar and his goons.
A limousine had been waiting for them when they landed and had whisked them away in minutes with barely a glance from the Customs agents. Half an hour later, they were driving down a long, narrow drive, and Omar’s estate came into view. Ash’s first thought was that being a weapons broker was an enormously lucrative occupation. His second thought was they were likely on their own once they entered the mansion. Omar was paranoid for a reason. No way would he allow outside transmissions within his residence.
Ash glanced over at his partner and was once again struck by the incredible change, not only in her looks but also in her demeanor. Juliet Stone was a lovely woman with animated features and a smile like sunshine. Elsa Olsen looked as though a smile would fracture her beautiful face.
He had briefed Jules on Schrader’s background, as well as the bioweapon Humphrey was selling. Elsa Olsen was the perfect complement to Humphrey’s cold arrogance and Jules Stone would be able to pick up nuances he could miss.
Though Omar’s past dealings with Humphrey had always been mutually beneficial, this was a different kind of business deal. Was this invitation merely a ploy to get Humphrey alone and force him to give up the formula? Omar was a sleaze, but for the most part, he’d always been up front. Even in the harsh, cold world of weapons dealing, a man’s word held consequences.
No matter the reason, Ash and Jules would be ready. Xavier and Jazz were parked in an RV three miles from the estate. They could offer assistance in a matter of minutes.
A slender hand caressed his thigh, reminding him that the woman beside him knew her role. He had been distracted, lost in thought. She was doing the right thing to bring him back to the here and now.
Humphrey sent Elsa a predatory, hungry look. “Have I told you how beautiful you are?”
Her expression one of supreme confidence, Elsa drawled, “Yes, but a woman never gets tired of hearing such things, darling.”
The chauffeur’s eyes shifted to give them a glance in the rearview mirror. Knowing he would be reporting to Omar everything he observed, Ash pulled Jules to him, touched his mouth to hers. It was for show, but that didn’t keep his body from responding. Her lips were as luscious and sweet as he had imagined. There was only the slightest amount of tension in her body at the beginning, and then she seemed to sink into him. The embrace lasted less than a minute, but Ash knew, audience or not, he could have continued for much longer.
When he pulled away, her lips were plump and
moist, and her breathing was slightly elevated. It was gratifying to see he wasn’t the only one who was affected.
“Really, Humphrey darling, must you in front of the help?”
An icy bucket of water dumped over his head couldn’t have had more of an impact. Even as his body rejected her icy tone, Ash was grateful for her words. Jules’s response was exactly how they’d decided she should play Elsa. A sexy ice queen with an arrogant, entitled demeanor.
“I must.”
Her smile frigid, she replied, “Then I shall insist upon my own rewards.”
“And what would those be?”
She leaned forward to whisper in his ear. To the chauffeur, it would look as though she were whispering something wicked and sexy. Nothing could have been further from the truth.
“I counted three people at the airport watching us. I’m assuming they were Omar’s.”
Nuzzling her neck, Ash responded, “Yeah, I saw them, too. He’s going to keep a careful eye on us this weekend.”
“Think something spooked him?”
“Not sure. We’ll see.”
“Excuse me, Mr. Humphrey. We have arrived.”
Of course they had, but staying in the limo and pretending to make out while Omar was likely waiting was a game of one-upmanship. Besides the fact that Ash was truly enjoying himself. Which was as insane a thought as he’d had in years.
Ash pulled away from her and murmured, “More of that later.”
She responded with a cool smile, but Ash saw something in her eyes that had nothing to do with the cold and calculating Elsa Olsen and everything to do with the warm-blooded, vibrant Jules Stone.
Despite the serious circumstances of this undercover mission, Ash was going to thoroughly enjoy his time with this beautiful woman.
* * *
Elsa Olsen stepped out of the limo, a wealthy, entitled, and self-described fashion icon. She was quite bored with the world and found little amusement in anything. The much older and exceedingly dangerous Humphrey was the most exciting man she’d met in years. A part of her was enamored of the danger, and another part was scared, which made it all the more exciting.
MERCILESS Page 14
