Hard Edge
Page 21
Gabriela lay against Dylan’s chest, the two of them sharing his oversize bathtub, warm water lapping against her breasts, glasses of wine sitting on the ledge. “So, no condom this time?”
“I paid Doc Sullivan—Cobra’s staff doctor—a visit last week to get tested. So, yeah, we’re good.”
“Thank you, Dylan.” It warmed Gabriela’s heart that he’d taken steps to protect her without being asked.
He kissed the top of her head. “I never want to hurt you.”
She was certain he loved her. He was just too afraid to say it.
“Hey, did you see the news last night? The two journalists gave an interview.”
She shook her head. “I missed it.”
“Dianne Connolly—she went on about you, how brave you were, how you protected them, how you faced down the bastards, and got them to treat her and her photographer better. She told the interviewer that she wasn’t sure you were still alive and said she’s started going to church because of you. She called you ‘fearless.’”
That hit Gabriela right in the heart. “I wish I could call to tell them I’m safe.”
“What if you called as Sister María?”
“They’re journalists. If they started digging… It’s just too risky.”
“I guess they’ll just have to wonder. What did you think of Tower?”
“That man is laser-focused.”
“He’s a completely different person with his wife, Jenna.”
That made her smile—the former Green Beret being a softie around his wife.
“Will you accept Cobra’s offer? It means more money, more time off, lots of travel, more flexibility.”
“A part of me is sad about leaving the Agency, but I don’t want to be stuck at a desk all day. It’s not what I trained for. I’ll accept Cobra’s offer—if you’re truly okay with us working together. I don’t want you to feel like I’m stalking you.”
He tickled her ribs. “It was my idea.”
That was true.
“When we get back from wherever we’re going, I’ll need to buy a car, find a place to live, and get my stuff out of storage in Virginia.”
“You can stay here in the meantime. There’s no rush. I’ve got plenty of room.”
He did have a lovely condo—two bedrooms, a stylish modern kitchen, three bathrooms, this big tub, a gas fireplace, a balcony facing the mountains.
“Thanks. That’s sweet of you.”
Was he ever going to say it?
Maybe you should go first.
Great idea—but what if she scared him?
Dylan chuckled again. “Tower, man. I knew he was going to bring up the relationship thing. He mentioned it on the flight from Miami to Denver, reminding me that it’s against company policy for operatives to get intimate with clients.”
“What did you say?”
“I reminded him that he was the first person at the company to break that rule.”
“I can only imagine the look on his face.” She laughed. “That question he asked us both—he wasn’t testing my response. He was testing yours. You know that, right?”
“What?” Clearly, Dylan hadn’t picked up on that.
“He wanted to see how you would react. That’s why he brought up the Nordic god guy. He was trying to push your buttons to see if he could provoke you.”
“That bastard.” Dylan gave a little laugh. “I guess that makes sense. He knows why I left the SEALs.”
“I could see that his question upset you at first.”
“My whole body tensed, and then … somehow, I just let it all go.”
She’d seen that, too.
She sat up, turned to face him, water sloshing over the edge of the tub and onto the stone tile floor. “I want you to know, Dylan, that I would never betray you like that. Despite all evidence to the contrary, I’m a pretty traditional girl. I could never be with one man and hook up with another.”
He reached out, ran a wet finger over her cheek. “I meant what I said, Gabi. I want you to be happy, whether you’re with me or someone else. The truth is…”
“Tell me.” Please, just say it.
His jaw tensed, and he took a breath, his gaze meeting hers, gray eyes dark. “The truth is that I’m in love with you, and it scares the hell out of me. I wasn’t looking for you, but you found me. I haven’t felt this whole or alive in so long. I know that probably sounds crazy.”
Gabriela’s heart melted, joy washing through her like a sunrise. “It doesn’t sound crazy at all—not to me. Some things are just meant to be. I love you, too, Dylan.”
“You’re my miracle, Gabi.”
She set her wine aside, straddled him, caught his face between her palms. “And you’re my favorite sin.”
Then she kissed him.
Epilogue
Six months later
Gabriela waited with Dylan, Lev, and Malik in the living area of a hotel suite at the LA Hilton, the men wearing tailored suits and ties, Gabi in a dark blue skirt suit and heels. This wasn’t like any operation she’d been part of for either the Agency or Cobra. Today, they were playing themselves, and Corbray and Tower wanted them to look professional.
“Do you think they’ll be disappointed?”
“Disappointed?” Lev arched an eyebrow. “Why would they be disappointed—because you’re not a nun?”
Malik glanced up from his phone. “They’ll just be happy to see you’re alive.”
Dylan walked over to where Gabriela stood by the window and drew her into his embrace. “Hey, come here. It’s going to be fine.”
She leaned into his strength, savored the feel of his arms around her. He’d been her rock these past six months, helping her through the nightmares that had followed their ordeal in Venezuela and doing all he could to make the transition from the Agency to Cobra easier. Everything had worked out.
This would work out, too.
They were taking a big risk, and lives were at stake. But inaction had become just as dangerous. Weeks of preparation had gone into today’s meeting—planning, trouble-shooting, working through details with the Agency.
“Thanks.” Gabriela pressed a kiss to Dylan’s lips.
“Hey, get a room—a different room,” Malik joked.
Lev stood, walked to the door, looked out the peephole. “They’re coming.”
A knock.
Then Tower stepped in, Dianne Connolly and Timothy Yang behind him. “Ms. Connolly, Mr. Yang, I’d like to introduce Gabriela—your Sister María.”
Dianne’s hand flew to her mouth—and she burst into tears.
Tim stared at Gabriela as if she were a ghost.
“I’m so glad to see you both.” Gabriela walked over to them, hugged Dianne, and shook Tim’s hand. “I’ve wanted to contact you for a long time, but it just wasn’t possible. Please, come and sit. We’ve got tea and coffee.”
Tower introduced the men, using first names only. “Dylan. Malik. Lev. These three made up the reconnaissance team for your rescue—with help from Gabriela.”
Dianne and Tim thanked each of them in turn and then sat on the sofa.
Gabriela spoke first. “As Mr. Tower has explained, my life depends on you speaking about this to no one—and not just my life, but the lives of good people in Venezuela, the US, and Peru.”
“We understand.” Dianne took a tissue out of her handbag, dabbed her eyes. “I thought … I thought for sure you were dead somewhere. I thought they were going to tell me you’d been killed. I was expecting the worst.”
“I’m sorry about that.” Tower explained. “We’re breaking a bunch of rules to have this face-to-face with you. As I already mentioned, we’re doing this for two reasons. The first is that it’s important to Gabriela that you not worry. The second is that your continual search for Sister María is a threat to Gabriela’s security.”
Dianne was nothing if not persistent. She’d come dangerously close to discovering that Gabriela was a US citizen. She’d even tried to interview Mothe
r Beatrice. Both the Agency and Cobra had agreed that something had to be done.
Tim cleared his throat, a telltale sheen in his eyes. “We understand.”
Dianne gave a little laugh. “I’m going to hazard a guess here and say you’re an agent of some sort and not a nun at all.”
Gabriela chose her words carefully. “I was working in Venezuela when we were abducted. I did everything I could to keep you safe and make a bad situation less miserable for you—though it didn’t feel like enough.”
Okay, she hadn’t planned on saying that last part, but it was true.
“If it hadn’t been for you…” Tears streamed down Dianne’s cheeks again. “Damn it! I told myself I wasn’t going to cry.”
Gabriela touched a hand to her arm. “It’s okay. You’ve been through an ordeal.”
Gabriela had shed plenty of tears of her own since then.
Tim finished what Dianne had tried to say. “If it hadn’t been for you, it would have been so much worse. The way you stood up to them…I wish I’d been that brave.”
“I’m glad I was able to help.” Gabriela then told them how she’d become aware of the Cobra team across the street and how she’d worked to get information and the key to the doors into their hands.
Tower stepped in. “Gabriela enabled us to rescue you must faster than we otherwise might. She let us know where you were being held, gave us intel about the building and the number of hostiles, and then got us that key.”
Dianne gaped at her. “You did all that?”
Dylan chuckled. “Yeah, we were pretty amazed, too.”
“I know you said no questions, but… Well, I can’t help it.” Dianne shrugged. “What happened? Why weren’t you on the helicopter?”
Gabriela told her how Pitón had tried to run off with her and how Dylan had stopped him. “But then some paramilitaries arrived and cut us off from the rest of you. We had to hide and then make our way out of the country without Cobra’s help. It took us another four days to reach safety.”
“I’m so glad you’re okay. I’ve spent every day since then imagining the worst. I’ve prayed for you every night.” Dianne looked embarrassed to admit this. “You’re not truly a nun, so you probably think that’s silly.”
“No, I don’t. Thank you. I pray. I’ve prayed for you, too—both of you.”
After that, Gabriela listened to Dianne and Tim talk about the changes in their lives since the abduction, the aftermath of terror. Nightmares. Anxiety. Difficulty focusing. An obsession with news about Venezuela.
“Did you see the headlines?” Dianne asked. “It looks like the president is out. His brother-in-law is giving evidence against him. The all-powerful Andes Cartel that worked with him is in tatters. Things are changing.”
Gabriela smiled. “Yes, they are.”
Then it was over.
“Thank you so much for today.” Dianne hugged Gabriela tight. “Knowing you’re safe, whether you’re Sister María or not, makes me feel like I’m finally home.”
Tim hugged her, too. “We will both be grateful for the rest of our lives for the strength and the kindness you showed us. You redefined the meaning of courage for me.”
Then it was Gabriela’s turn to fight tears.
Dylan and Gabriela got back to Denver in time to grab some carry-out and a bottle of wine. It was warm enough to eat out on the balcony, the sun setting behind mountains still white with snow, night settling over the city.
Dylan took Gabriela’s hand. “You did a good thing today with Dianne and Tim.”
“It was good for me, too. I hated the idea of them losing sleep over me. It gave me a kind of closure. I feel like I’m finally able to let Sister María go.”
“I liked Sister María. She will always be who you were when I met you.”
Gabriela stood, walked over to Dylan, and sat on his lap, her fingers tracing the line of his jaw. “Tell me the truth—did you think lustful thoughts about her?”
“I tried hard not to, but Sister María was hot. When I saw that photo of you—of María—in the initial mission briefing, my heart literally skipped a beat.”
That made Gabi laugh. “It did? That’s so sweet.”
“You want to know who turns me on more than Sister María?” He stood, lifting her into his arms. “You do.”
He carried her inside to the bedroom, undressed her, watched her expression change as she undressed him, her gaze raking over him.
God, he loved her.
They kissed, sinking to the bed, need for her thrumming through him. They knew each other well now, knew one another’s secrets, all the surest ways to please. Dylan made her come with his mouth, making it last until she pleaded with him for release. Then he buried himself inside her, made love to her, long and slow, the two of them falling together into paradise.
Afterward, they lay in bed together, her head on his chest as they talked through the day and the latest news from work. Corbray’s special trip to the Vatican to turn over the dossier on Father Alberto, who was now hiding in the jungle. Nick and Holly’s announcement that they were expecting their second baby. Word that Paulito and his family were doing well in Florida. The rumors that Cobra’s next big job would take Dylan and the rest of the tactical team back to Mazar-e-Sharif.
Then it occurred to him. “Hey, tomorrow’s Saturday. We get to sleep in.”
“I’ve got an appointment at nine with that realtor, remember?”
“Why don’t you cancel it?”
“I need to find a place to live eventually.”
“No, you don’t.” He’d thought this through over the past few weeks, and it made so much sense. He loved her. He wanted her here. “Stay. Live here with me.”
She sat up. “You want to live together?”
He chuckled. “We’re already living together, or haven’t you noticed? We’ve been living together for six months. Let’s make it real.”
“Are you sure? This is your space, your home.”
He sat up, took her hand. “I spent the five years before I met you living here alone. After Valeria, I thought I was better off by myself. It was only after I met you that I realized how empty my life was—all Tinder dates and Netflix.”
“That sounds lonely.”
It had been, even if he hadn’t realized it at the time.
“I didn’t think I would ever fall in love again, but you changed that. You showed me what an idiot I’d been to hold onto the past. I don’t want you living across town. I like waking up beside you every morning and going to sleep with you at night. Wherever I go in this crazy world, I want to come home to you.”
Her face lit up with a smile so beautiful that it sucked the breath from his lungs. “I want that, too. I want that so much.”
“Then it’s settled, mi amor.” Dylan kissed her, a soul-deep sense of contentment settling inside him. “Welcome home.”
Thank You
Thanks for reading Hard Edge. I hope you enjoyed this Cobra Elite story. Follow me on Facebook or on Twitter @Pamela_Clare. Join my romantic suspense reader’s group on Facebook to be a part of a never-ending conversation with other Cobra fans and get inside information on the series and on life in Colorado’s mountains. You can also sign up to my mailing list at my website to keep current with all my releases and to be a part of special newsletter giveaways.
Also by Pamela Clare
Romantic Suspense:
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Cobra Elite Series
Hard Target (Book 1)
Hard Asset (Book 2)
Hard Justice (Book 3)
Hard Edge (Book 4)
* * *
I-Team Series
Extreme Exposure (Book 1)
Heaven Can’t Wait (Book 1.5)
Hard Evidence (Book 2)
Unlawful Contact (Book 3)
Naked Edge (Book 4)
Breaking Point (Book 5)
Skin Deep: An I-Team After Hours Novella (Book 5.5)
First Strike: The Prequel to Striki
ng Distance (Book 5.9)
Striking Distance (Book 6)
Soul Deep: An I-Team After Hours Novella (Book 6.5)
Seduction Game (Book 7)
Dead by Midnight: An I-Team Christmas (Book 7.5)
Deadly Intent (Book 8)
* * *
Contemporary Romance:
* * *
Colorado High Country Series
Barely Breathing (Book 1)
Slow Burn (Book 2)
Falling Hard (Book 3)
Tempting Fate (Book 4)
Close to Heaven (Book 5)
Holding On (Book 6)
Chasing Fire (Book 7)
* * *
Historical Romance:
* * *
Kenleigh-Blakewell Family Saga
Sweet Release (Book 1)
Carnal Gift (Book 2)
Ride the Fire (Book 3)
* * *
MacKinnon’s Rangers series
Surrender (Book I)
Untamed (Book 2)
Defiant (Book 3)
Upon A Winter’s Night: A MacKinnon’s Rangers Christmas (Book 3.5)
About the Author
USA Today best-selling author Pamela Clare began her writing career as a columnist and investigative reporter and eventually became the first woman editor-in-chief of two different newspapers. Along the way, she and her team won numerous state and national honors, including the National Journalism Award for Public Service. In 2011, Clare was awarded the Keeper of the Flame Lifetime Achievement Award for her body of work. A single mother with two sons, she writes historical romance and contemporary romantic suspense at the foot of the beautiful Rocky Mountains. Visit her website and join her mailing list to never miss a new release!
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