Black Ops Bodyguard

by Donna Young

  A small smile tugged at the corner of the older man’s mouth. While Cain and Calvin were friends, old man Mercer understood his own relationship with Cain went far beyond. Jon Mercer had once been Cain’s boss, and now he was his advisor, confidant and sometimes even surrogate parent.

  “Calvin will take care of Julia, Cain. Trust me. He’s the best one for the job.” President Mercer leaned back into his chair, white eyebrows drawn together with concern. “He’ll keep her alive, even if she’s determined to get herself killed.”

  “And the MONGREL?”

  “If she knows where it is, we won’t find it until she’s ready for us, too,” Jon reasoned. “Damn, the girl is smart.”

  Cain heard the underlining thread of pride running through the older man’s comment.

  “Too smart for her own good,” Cain retorted.

  “Maybe. But the ten million dollar hoax did the trick, didn’t it?”

  “How did you know there wasn’t any ransom money?”

  “Educated guess. Once we knew the ransom demand was a decoy, there’d be no reason for her to take any money.”

  Cain grunted. He trusted the old man’s instincts more than anyone else’s. Jon Mercer spent a decade of his life hip deep in jungle scum, driving out the Viet Cong. “I have to admit, if she didn’t work for you—”

  “You can’t have her for Labyrinth,” Jon interrupted, chuckling. “So get the thought out of your head.”

  “Well, you might have to share her with a federal penitentiary if she’s tried for treason.” But there was very little force behind the threat. Whether he liked it or not, Julia Cutting was family. Jon Mercer’s family.

  “It won’t come to that.” Jon dismissed the notion with a wave of his hand. “I have enough favors to call in, but it will mess up her life a bit.”

  “Well, from what I’ve seen of Julia Cutting, she doesn’t shy away from big messes.”

  “LET’S HAVE IT, JULIA.”

  “What?”

  “The truth, damn it!” Cal snapped the phone closed, then tossed it onto the bed in front of her.

  “You first,” she retorted.

  “Look, you’ve got ten seconds to start explaining why your security guard pretended to be Cristo Delgado.”

  “You had the recording analyzed?” She stood, giving herself a little more advantage. “Don’t tell me you didn’t trust me, Cal.”

  “Your time is running out.” Without warning, he reached out and snagged her arm and yanked her toward him. When she gasped, his fingers tightened. Anger whipped through her, setting her jaw and shoulders rigid. “Didn’t you just lecture me about full disclosure?”

  “I had to be sure you would bring me with you. If you thought I was in danger—”

  “You knew I was going to Caracas,” he interrupted. “How?”

  “Jon Mercer pulled your and Jason’s files. He went around me and through Cain’s secretary so I wouldn’t be alerted. When I found out, I did a little investigating.”

  “Investigating?”

  Julia blew out a breath. “I went through Jon Mercer’s desk and briefcase.”

  “And the story about you finding the files in your apartment?”

  “Not true.”

  “Which answers why you weren’t abducted by Delgado’s men.”

  “Yes.”

  “So once you found the files, you assumed I would be put on Jason’s case?”

  “No. I just knew that you owed Jason. President Mercer hadn’t made any notations regarding you, so there was no way for me to know you’d been assigned, other than your file had been pulled,” Julia admitted. “Did they know about the favor you owed Jason?”

  “No,” Cal lied, but a small pinch of guilt forced him to drop his hold on her. In truth, Cain decided the favor gave Cal the perfect cover to get close to Jason in order to terminate him if necessary. Jason would believe Cal’s intentions were honorable and give him a chance to get close to him, find out where the MONGREL is located.

  “A coincidence?” she asked, her eyes searching his.

  “Not really. While I was MI6, I spent quite an amount of time in the jungles of South America. Mercer and Cain had knowledge of this. It made me the perfect solution to their problem. But do you know the collateral damage you could have caused with these lies?” Cal demanded. “Jason’s life if he is, in fact, still alive. Your life. A half dozen other people?”

  “I have a good idea. But it was a risk I had to take.”

  “I bet.” Cal leaned against the dresser and crossed his arms. “And the money that was left on your coffee table?”

  “There is no account with ten million in it.”

  His face stayed impassive. “Tell me something I don’t know, sweetheart.”

  “You knew?”

  “I suspected when Cain told me he couldn’t trace the funds. It’s much easier to find something when you know it exists. When he couldn’t locate the missing money or a new account, I drew the logical conclusion.”

  “Good for you,” she said wryly.

  “So how did Delgado know you were on your way?”

  “I don’t know,” Julia said honestly. “I’ve only told you.”

  “But Jason was the one who brought you into this, wasn’t he?” Cal’s back teeth slammed together, his neck muscles contracted until they were rigid. “Bloody hell. I should’ve known. The bastard.”

  “Are you trying to tell me that Jason set me up? That he told Delgado I was on my way?” She shook her head. “That isn’t possible. I was only supposed to contact Delgado if I couldn’t get Jason out any other way.”

  “Run that past me again? Did you say you were planning on contacting Delgado?”

  Rage whipped around Cal. For the first time, Julia identified the man who hunted others in the jungle. “If all else failed, Cal,” she defended.

  “And since you don’t have the ten million,” Cal said slowly. “What were you going to use as a trade?”

  But he already knew. Deep down he just knew.

  “The MONGREL,” Julia admitted quietly.

  “HOW IN THE HELL DID YOU GET A HOLD of the MONGREL?”

  “I don’t actually have it,” Julia admitted.

  “But you know where it is?”

  “No,” she evaded, settling for the half-truth. She had a good idea but wasn’t ready to share that information. “Or at least I’m not sure.”

  Cal stepped in, forcing her to look up at him. “Did Jason also tell you why he stole the technology?”

  “Insurance. A bargaining chip, maybe. The conversation was frantic. He was late for his flight to Caracas.” She rubbed her forehead, trying to feign the beginnings of a headache. “It had taken me the first few minutes to register the fact that it was him. I hadn’t talked to him in so long.”

  Cal grabbed her hand and yanked it away from her temple. “You don’t really think I’m going to fall for that load of garbage, sweetheart. I know bloody well you remembered every single syllable Jason uttered. Your mind is trained to, otherwise you wouldn’t be working for Jon.”

  “You’re going to have to, Cal, because that’s all I got.” She flopped back onto the bed. More for distance than defiance.

  “Have you ever been here before?”

  “No.”

  “Did you ever talk about coming here with Jason?”

  “Never.” Julia propped back on her elbows.

  “No aunt or uncle who could be living close by that he wanted you to meet?”

  “We didn’t have that kind of relationship, Cal,” Julia replied. “I even thought about calling his parents, but they know less about their son than I do. And I was only married to him for a few years.”

  “Most of which he spent out in the field,” Cal commented. “Isn’t that why you divorced him?”

  “No,” Julia answered, suddenly tired of hiding from the truth. “He divorced me.”

  Cal’s head snapped around.

  “He divorced me.” Humiliation filled her, mak
ing the words taste bitter. “Then he ran off to join the DEA.”

  “You’re being a little dramatic, don’t you think? You make it sound like DEA was some kind of French Foreign Legion.”

  “To him I think it was. DEA, Labyrinth, MI6. Aren’t they all the same?”

  Cal caught the double-edged accusation in her words. “I was your lover, not your husband. Big difference.”

  “The only difference was that I gave Jason nothing the short time we were married. It took me a long time to realize that, but I did, eventually. When you came into my life, I thought I had it figured out. Thought I knew what love was about,” she explained, her throat tight from embarrassment. But it was better to get it out in the open. “I was wrong.”

  “We were wrong, Julia. It would have never worked.”

  “I guess we finally agree on something.”

  “I guess we do.” With nothing more to say, he turned away. “You take the bed, I’ll grab the couch.”

  “And in the morning?”

  “We save Jason.”

  Chapter Seven

  Esteban Alvarez stood at the top of the terrace stairs and observed the scene before him. In the center of the back courtyard lay a long rectangular pool. Its underwater lights set the water glowing in a clear sheet of glass that seemingly hung suspended just on the horizon, where pool blurred into ocean. When one took a closer look, the water fell into a silent waterfall that flowed to a smaller pool just below.

  Tikis on the lawn perimeter and small white lights looped through the trees cast the party in an intimate glow. An orchestra played background music. A little Chopin, Esteban noted. The conductor wouldn’t pick up the pace until after Esteban greeted his guests and set the party in motion.

  “Hello, Esteban.”

  “Ah, Tessa. I’m glad you decided to join me tonight.”

  “It’s my job, darling,” Tessa acknowledged with a slight smile.

  Just this side of thirty, Tessa Reynar’s features were flawless, classical. Her eyes blue, her hair the lightest shade of blond. With curves that Aphrodite would envy, she enticed men by simply walking past.

  Satin, the color of sapphires, shimmered over her body, leaving one shoulder and arm covered, the other completely bare.

  “I brought you some champagne.” She handed him one of the two flutes she was holding.

  Tessa had worked for him since the attempted assassination on his life four years ago. Originally a hospital administrator where he’d been admitted, she worked her way through channels and managed a small meeting with him just before he’d been discharged.

  At first, he’d thought only to bed her until he listened to her proposed deal. Instead, she impressed him and soon became his business manager. She insisted on a professional relationship only. In return, she promised to double his income in a year and turn him into a legitimate businessman in five, if he wished.

  His income was more than doubled. And while Tessa was beautiful, Esteban was intelligent himself and chose not to mix business with pleasure. Physical pleasure came and went, but a brilliant strategist and business manager was worth their weight in gold.

  “Cal West is back in Caracas,” he said casually, but his eyes sharpened, looking for a reaction. “With Jason Marsh’s ex-wife.”

  “Really?” Tessa took a sip of her champagne. “When did they arrive?” She knew better than to ask how he’d come by the information.

  “Yesterday,” Esteban admitted.

  “That was stupid of Mr. West,” Tessa commented. “Does Cristo know?”

  “Yes. But they found out the hard way.” Esteban waved to a nearby couple. “Cristo’s men tried to pick her up today, but West interfered with their plans.”

  “Is the woman alive?”

  Esteban laughed. “Do I care?”

  “Yes.” She paused. “Because anything that involves Cristo interests you. Especially since he is holding a high-level DEA agent as prisoner and the repercussions of that could affect our plans if President Mercer decides to get testy over one of his own.”

  “Darling,” Esteban responded. “I don’t think I like the fact you know me so well.”

  “There’s something else I know,” she continued. “The one thing that sets you apart from your friend, Cristo, is the fact you remain civilized.”

  “And look where it got me,” Esteban commented and touched the scar on his throat.

  “An empire?” Tessa quipped. “Face it, Esteban. Ever since you took that bullet in the throat, everything you touch turns to gold.”

  “Maybe. But there is more to life than money.”

  “Spoken by a man who has lots of money.”

  He laughed and offered her his arm. “Enough talk about business tonight. I have guests that need attending.”

  She slipped her hand up and around the crook of his elbow, then followed him down the stairs.

  After a brief glance from Esteban, the conductor turned the waltz into an introduction.

  Immediately, the men and women turned their eyes to the couple on the bottom step of the terrace stairs. Esteban waited until a hush settled over the crowd, the applause to cease. “Ladies and gentlemen. I would like to thank you for coming to my little get-together.”

  Several Americans—politicians and other less public, yet influential, people—mingled with the South Americans. All at ease by the absence of paparazzi or those who would betray their secrecy.

  Esteban raised his fluted glass to the crowd. “To new beginnings,” he boomed.

  Across the way, just on the edge of the thick of palm trees, Tessa caught the glint of glass, the smirk on a very attractive mouth before a couple stepped from the line of trees.

  “You have two unexpected guests,” she observed and tilted her champagne flute toward those same trees. “Once again, you don’t have to put much effort into getting what you want, darling.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Calvin West just made an appearance at your party. And if I’m not mistaken, the lady with him is Julia Cutting.”

  Esteban followed Tessa’s gaze, then stiffened in surprise. “He is an arrogant son of a bitch, isn’t he? Doesn’t he know half these people will recognize him here?”

  “The recognition is mutual, I believe,” Tessa stated. “Maybe he’s willing to cross over to the dark side.”

  Esteban studied the woman. He’d seen her before, mostly in the background of Jon Mercer’s press junkets. But never with her hair down in soft, short waves and her body encased in slim-fitting, thigh-high silk, the color of ripe blueberries and supported only by two delicate shoulder ties.

  “Calvin West walking on the dark side?” Esteban mused. “Maybe. We’ll find out soon enough. Along with a few other things.”

  “What other things?”

  “For starters, I want to know how in the hell he got past my security.”

  “THIS IS AN UNEXPECTED PLEASURE.” Esteban sat back in the couch and crossed his legs. His words, raspy, ground like steel shavings against his vocal cords.

  One of Esteban’s guards patted Cal down. But when he stepped toward Julia, Cal blocked his path.

  “You can forego that formality, Stefan. I don’t think you have to worry about Miss Cutting,” Esteban ordered quietly.

  Relieved when the guard stepped away, Julia let Cal take her elbow and lead her farther into the living room.

  “Please, sit down. Make yourselves at home.” He inclined his head to the love seat across from him and waited for the couple to settle in. “I assume it won’t be necessary to take precautions by handcuffing you both or something.”

  “If it is, then I might as well not offer them anything to drink, Esteban,” Tessa commented, walking into the room.

  “Hello,” she said with a smile to the room in general, then slid onto the arm of a nearby leather chair. “Anyone thirsty?”

  “Of course. I’ll take my usual, darling,” Esteban acknowledged. “Mr. West, Ms. Cutting, may I introduce my…business manager,
Tessa Reynar.”

  “Hello.” Julia held out her hand.

  Smiling, Tessa shook it. “Hello again.”

  Intuitively, Julia understood the greeting was sincere and responded with her own smile.

  Cal only flickered a brief look in her direction. No hands were offered, and no offense was taken.

  “How about those drinks?” Tessa asked, then walked to the fully stocked bar in the corner of the library.

  “We aren’t staying that long,” Cal replied. “You have something I need, Alvarez. Something I need bad enough to negotiate with the devil for.”

  “I being the devil, I take it,” Esteban commented wryly.

  Tessa laughed as she sauntered back, then handed a dark beer to Esteban. “Did you think otherwise, Esteban?”

  He took a cigar from the mahogany box that Tessa offered. “Thank you, my dear.”

  “Would you like one, Mr. West?” Tessa asked, showing him the box.

  “No, thank you.”

  “Having served as a diplomat a few years back for your British government, West, I would assume you would be a little better at negotiating. Using the words ‘need bad enough,’ could put you at a disadvantage.” Esteban snipped off the end of his cigar. “Wouldn’t you agree, Tessa?”

  “Oh, I think Mr. West is a man who does very well for himself. Exactly how many men do you know could crash your dinner party, Esteban, and then find himself having drinks with you less than a half an hour later?”

  “Touché, my dear.” Esteban lit the cigar and took a few short puffs before he relaxed once again. “My curiosity has gotten the better of me on occasion, hasn’t it? Cristo would have had you tortured the moment you stepped foot on the lawn, West. But then again, he’s a barbarian.”

  “What if I told you I can give you the opportunity of a lifetime?”

  Esteban stared at the end of his cigar. “I’m listening.”

  “President Mercer could become your ally,” Cal replied. “I have the means to make it happen.”