The Return (Butler Ranch Book 6)

by Heather Slade

  “You can’t make that decision.”

  “No, but I can make the recommendation.”

  “And if the CIA refuses to agree?”

  “Then I try a different negotiation tactic.”

  “And if I find it before you do?”

  “My proposal is that you and I agree to continue to work together.”

  “We get permission to continue to work together.”

  “Semantics, sweetheart.”

  It was a possibility. When she’d gone in undercover, it had been to infiltrate the Maskhadovs. The fact that they held two Americans captive became part of a negotiation between MI6 and the CIA. Rescuing them hadn’t been her original intent. Could this be considered a continuation of that mission?

  “I need to talk to Rivet myself.”

  “Okay.” Kade pulled her down next to him. “I don’t want anything to come between us, Merrigan. That’s my point.”

  “What about future missions? While MI6 and the CIA have historically worked together for certain things, we have also gone our separate ways on more than one occasion.”

  “There won’t be future missions for me.”

  “Why not?” she asked.

  “Once I’ve seen this through to the end, I’m retiring.”

  “And doing what?”

  “I haven’t figured that out yet.”

  “I see.”

  “I’m going away for a few days to think about it. Maybe longer,” he said, pulling her tighter to him. “I’d like you to go with me.”

  “Kade, I…”

  “Think about it. Where I’m going isn’t that far away. It’s a little over two hours from here.”

  “What about Animus?”

  “Paps and Razor will continue working the lead. Maybe Mercer too, but my intention is to ask Quinn and him to join me.”

  “I know you said it’s two hours from here, but where exactly?”

  Kade told her about the house in Montecito. He’d originally purchased it for the privacy and the level of security the property lent itself to.

  “I love its proximity to the ocean, as well as the small-community feel of the town. Not to mention the house and grounds are breathtaking. The house, Casa Carrizo, is actually named for the reeds that grow on the bank of the stream that runs through the property.”

  Kade hadn’t said it specifically, but Merrigan surmised that he’d purchased the house for Lena, Quinn, and him to live in. “It’s your house, then?”

  “Yes. All mine.”

  —:—

  There was something else they needed to talk about, and that was why Merrigan had left Germany so abruptly, and then refused to communicate with him. His guess was that she’d thought he’d been with Lena, given the question he’d forced her to ask earlier.

  He hadn’t been, as he’d told her, but there had to be a reason she’d thought he had.

  The only approach that would work for either of them, no matter the topic, would be a straightforward one. Nothing could be left unsaid, assumed, or put off if they wanted to be together, and that was what Kade wanted more than anything.

  “Why did you leave Germany?” he asked.

  Merrigan’s body tensed in his arms. “There were a number of reasons.”

  “What were they?”

  “I have a mission to complete, Kade, and being manipulated to visit Leech’s bedside derailed me. He never intended for me to be included in his summons in the first place. He wanted you, his daughter, and his granddaughter there. He was blindsided when I first showed up.”

  “You and I spoke after you saw him. You acknowledged his subterfuge, but said nothing about returning to the States on the next flight out.”

  “I changed my mind.”

  “Why?”

  “I don’t see how this is your concern. I made a decision to return, and that’s what I did.”

  Kade turned his body so they were face to face. “Stop lying to me, and tell me why you left.”

  When she tried to get up, he stopped her.

  “Tell me what happened, Merrigan.”

  “I saw you.”

  “Where?”

  “At Emma’s. Remember the family dinner you so nobly spared me from? I saw your familial reunion and realized that perhaps I should step away so as not to ruin your evening with your wife and daughter.”

  “Ex-wife.”

  “Whatever.”

  “No, not whatever. At one point, Lena was my wife. We divorced. There is no chance that she and I will ever be together again.”

  “That’s what you say, but what I saw indicated otherwise.”

  “What you saw was three people very tentatively trying to spend family time together. The memories we shared were for Quinn’s benefit.”

  This time when Merrigan tried to move away, he let her, and she turned her back to him.

  “My life is not designed for relationships. Of any kind, including my family. You, of all people, should understand that.”

  “Look at me.” Kade waited for her to turn around. It was one thing for her to say these things to the wall, but if she looked into his eyes, could she stay so detached?

  When she finally met his gaze, the expression on her face softened. “That was harsh,” she murmured.

  “There is one thing you were absolutely right about. I do understand, and before I met you, I would’ve recited the same speech you did. But I feel differently now, and I don’t intend to give you an out. I’m not going to tell you to walk away if you don’t feel the same way I do. Instead, I’m going to ask you to give us a chance. Spend time with me away from the work we do.”

  “Kade, I—”

  “Please, Merrigan. I know you’re feeling the same things I am. No matter how hard you try to bury them. Now, get back in bed, woman.” When he smiled and held his hand out, she smiled too.

  10

  Even though Merrigan agreed to meet Kade in Montecito, she hadn’t said exactly when. She was waiting for information from her team that might lead her to uncover Animus’ identity. When it came in, she wanted to evaluate it on her own.

  She still hadn’t decided whether to discuss Kade’s proposal with Rivet since she couldn’t predict what his reaction might be. If K19 found Calder’s files, Rivet would certainly be all for sharing. However, she doubted he, or the higher-ups, would be as benevolent if she found it first. Was it hypocritical? Absolutely.

  What made the difference between Kade’s offer and the decision Rivet came to, was that Kade was an independent contractor. He could just as easily work for MI6 as the CIA.

  “Hello, Striker,” she answered when she noticed another agent’s name pop up on her phone.

  “How are you, Fatale?” asked the man on the other end of the call, Griffin Ellis, code name Striker.

  Merrigan smiled. Years ago, shortly before she joined MI6, she and the CIA operative had had a short-lived, torrid affair. Two things had come of it. First, she’d earned the code name Fatale, and second, she’d gained the closest friendship of her life.

  “Frustrated.”

  “Ah, I see,” he said. “Not with the mission, though.”

  “Doc wants to make a deal,” she told him, wondering if it was wise to broach this subject with the man who, in essence, was Kade’s boss.

  “Go on.”

  “That we agree to share whatever we find.”

  “Not uncommon.”

  “Right, but something tells me this mission is different.”

  “Not so different, sweetheart.”

  “What have you discovered that you’re willing to share with me?” she asked impatiently.

  “We haven’t found anyone with the Animus code name.”

  Merrigan murmured that MI6 hadn’t yet either. She told him she’d been scouring those closest to Leech Hess, Rory Calder, even Kade, but so far, she hadn’t uncovered any clues.

  “There’s something I believe we’ve all overlooked, even the man himself.”

  “Which man?”
<
br />   “Doc Butler.”

  “What’s that?”

  “The documents his daughter found in the floor of the cabin.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Find out if he knows who hid them there.”

  —:—

  Kade pulled into the circular drive of the house he’d always hoped would, one day, be his permanent home. Every day he’d spent in captivity, he dreamed of being back in what he considered his “happy place.”

  He fell in love with the Spanish Colonial Revival house the first time he saw it. The exterior was white stucco with dark brown shutters and a red tile roof. Massive palm trees stretched high above the roof line, and bright pink bougainvillea grew up the side walls of a garage big enough to hold five cars.

  As he surveyed the entryway, Kade was glad Mercer had suggested they hire a landscape crew to clean up the overgrown vegetation and plant new greenery where needed. Even the urns that were scattered along the driveway were overflowing with vines and flowers.

  Kade walked through the front door and took a deep breath of the house that had always smelled of wood to him, maybe from the massive Douglas fir beams that adorned the vaulted ceiling. He tossed a couple of logs on the grate of the fireplace and lit it. Soon, warmth would replace the chill of the uninhabited house.

  He sat on one of the oversized leather sofas and stared into the flames, wishing that Merrigan had come with him rather than saying she’d meet him here. That she hadn’t been willing to say when that would be, troubled him.

  Kade stood when the app on his phone alerted him that someone was at the gate, forgetting momentarily that it controlled the security system. When he swiped the screen, an image of Quinn appeared.

  “Hello,” he said after hitting the voice activation button.

  “Uh, hi. Can we come in?”

  “Of course.” He pressed another button, and the gate opened. He chuckled and shook his head. He knew weapon technology, even understood the latest espionage gadgetry, but he was just learning how much easier it was to control his home security than it had been two years ago.

  Kade whistled when he walked out the front door and saw what she was driving. “Nice car,” he teased.

  Quinn grinned. “I’ve sort of taken it over. I’ll return it now, though.”

  “You look much better driving it than I do.” The truth was he’d always intended for Quinn to have the 1962 Porsche 356B T6 Twin Grille Roadster.

  “I taught her to drive,” said Mercer.

  “Don’t forget Razor taught me how to use the clutch,” she added, slugging his arm.

  “Come inside,” said Kade, motioning to the front door.

  “I love this house,” he heard Quinn murmur when she walked past him.

  Kade smiled. “Me too. I understand you were able to spend some time here.”

  Quinn turned around and faced him. “I hope that’s okay.”

  “Anytime, sweetheart. I’d like you to think of this as your home.” When she smiled, he was reminded again of her mother.

  “When we were here, I took Quinn down to the beach and showed her where we used to surf.”

  “Been too long.”

  “I’m ready whenever you are.”

  “It’s mighty cold in that water in January.” Kade laughed. “I sound like an old man.”

  “That’s why they make four-threes.”

  “What’s a four-three?” asked Quinn.

  “A wetsuit that you can wear when the water is too cold for humans to swim in,” answered Kade.

  “You’re right,” said Mercer, “you do sound like an old man.”

  “Best waves are early in the morning,” Kade challenged.

  “Zero five hundred it is,” countered Mercer.

  “Make it zero seven hundred, and you’ve got yourself a deal.”

  “You’re kidding, right?” asked Quinn.

  Mercer put his arm around her and pulled her close to him. “You can sleep in, precious.”

  Kade cleared his throat.

  “Sorry—” Quinn began.

  “Don’t be sorry. I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to see you this way.”

  Her cheeks turned pink. “What way is that?”

  “In love.”

  “About that.” Mercer cleared his throat. “There’s something I’d like to discuss with you.”

  “Something we’d like to discuss with you,” Quinn interjected.

  “Now?”

  “Uh, sure.” Mercer walked in the direction of the kitchen. “Do you mind?”

  “Mind what?”

  “I left some wine when we were here last.”

  “By all means. Let’s open it.”

  Mercer reappeared with a bottle of Butler Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon and three glasses.

  “I’d like to make a toast,” he said after he’d opened it and poured.

  “Please,” prompted Kade.

  “To family and to friends who become family.”

  “What are you saying?” Kade asked, winking at Quinn, who then turned her back to them and pulled something out of her pocket.

  She turned back around and held her hand out for Kade to see. “Mercer proposed and I said yes.”

  “Wow! That’s some ring.”

  “It belonged to my mother,” Mercer said proudly.

  “It’s really beautiful,” he said, taking a closer look at the diamond that had to be at least three karats. “As beautiful as you are, Quinn.”

  “Thank you.” She blushed and looked between him and Mercer.

  “If you’re waiting for my approval, you’ve got it in spades.”

  “How did you know that Mercer and I would…that he would…”

  “That I could trust Mercer with your life?”

  She smiled and nodded.

  “I can’t answer that, but I did. I never doubted for a minute that he would keep you safe. I guess somewhere deep in my subconscious, I also believed he’d love you.”

  Kade’s phone buzzed, indicating someone else was at the gate. He hadn’t expected Merrigan to show up this soon, but he certainly wouldn’t complain that she had. He swiped the screen and saw Lena’s image instead.

  “Did you know she was coming?” he asked before activating the voice feature.

  “Who?”

  “Your mother.”

  “Definitely not.”

  “I see.” Kade pressed the mic button. “Hello, Lena. This is a surprise.”

  “Are you going to let me in?”

  “Sure.” Kade pressed another button, which opened the gate, and then closed the app.

  “Do you want me to talk to her?” Quinn asked.

  Kade shook his head, winking at her again. “Let’s continue our celebration and address boundaries later.”

  —:—

  Merrigan poured a glass of wine, hoping it would ease her restlessness. Why had she been so intransigent about refusing to tell Kade when she’d join him in Montecito? Was there a good reason she’d decided to spend tonight alone rather than in the comfort of his arms?

  Before she left his apartment this morning, he wrote the house’s address on a slip of paper and tucked it in her hand. “Your invitation is open,” he’d told her. “Day or night, doesn’t matter. Please, just come.”

  “I’ll call…”

  “Just come. The sooner, the better.”

  “Yeah? Like tomorrow?”

  “I’d prefer today.”

  She smiled at the memory of their conversation, dumped her wine in the kitchen sink, and made up her mind. Why spend the rest of the day—and the night—alone when the man wanted her as much as she wanted him?

  Fifteen minutes later, she threw her bag in the backseat of the Jaguar and checked the time. Unless she hit a tremendous amount of traffic, she would arrive in time for Kade to show her his spectacular house before the sun set.

  —:—

  Kade knew Lena well enough to read her discomfort. Was it because she was here uninvited, or was t
here something else going on? He’d been perfectly clear about not wanting her spending time here, and yet, here she was and had been for the past two hours. She wouldn’t be staying much longer, however.

  “Shit,” he murmured when the app on his phone alerted him that someone else was at the gate. “Who now?” he grumbled, swiping the screen with his finger.

  “Merrigan?” he said, looking at her beautiful face smiling at him.

  “Surprise! I’m here.”

  Kade remembered to press the button to open the gate before she asked. “Come in,” he said, wishing the happiness he felt seeing her wasn’t marred by Lena’s presence. Dammit—why hadn’t he asked her to leave fifteen minutes ago?

  “Who is it?” asked Quinn.

  “Merrigan is here,” he told her, catching Lena’s smirk out of the corner of his eye before he walked out and slammed the front door closed behind him.

  “Hi,” Merrigan said, climbing out of the car and walking into his arms.

  “I’m so glad you’re here.” He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her flush against him.

  “Who’s here?” she asked, noticing the other two cars parked in the circular drive.

  “Mercer and Quinn arrived this morning. And Lena arrived uninvited a couple of hours ago.”

  “I see.”

  “She was just leaving.”

  “That isn’t necessary. I can—”

  Before she could say another word, Kade covered her mouth with his. When her lips opened, he slid his tongue inside, wanting to devour her right here in the driveway. He didn’t care who saw them as he pushed her up against the car and ground his body into hers. That she’d shown up today made him so damn happy that even Lena being here couldn’t spoil it.

  He pulled back and looked into her eyes. “Like I said, she’s leaving, and you’re not.”

  “I don’t want to intrude, Kade. I showed up unannounced. I know you didn’t expect me today.”

  “You’re right, but that didn’t stop me from wishing you were here every minute since I arrived.”

  “Really?”

  “Literally.”

  When Merrigan smiled, he felt her warmth engulf him. Everything felt right as long as she was next to him. He wished he had the words to tell her so. There were only three that came to mind, but now wasn’t the time for him to say them. Later, when they were alone, he’d tell her exactly how he felt.