by Lexi Blake
The UOF had both money a plenty and a way to distribute through their relief shipments. And it had a man at its helm who no one had seen for years before he’d decided to take back over his charity.
Thomas Molina wore contacts when he didn’t need them. Unless he was trying to cover green eyes with brown. His brother had always been a good actor, and his accents were impeccable. It was one of the reasons G2 had considered him for training. The magnitude of his brother’s betrayal washed over him. He’d suspected it when Avery had told him about the contacts, but now he knew it was true.
The shower started up, and he could hear Avery hum. It was funny how the universe worked. It was even funnier that he was contemplating the bloody universe. If he’d figured it out before, he would have been bitter and cold, and he very likely would have walked out on his own team.
But he’d met Avery. His love. His wife.
He would never forgive Rory for what he’d done, but he could finally forgive himself for letting it happen.
Liam sighed, shoving the past behind him as he went to join his future.
Chapter Twenty
Avery buttoned her sweater while internally debating the wisdom of engaging in first time anal sex before going on the run from a potential killer. On the plus side, she was so madly in love with Liam O’Donnell that she was probably glowing.
On the minus, she really kind of wanted to stay home and sit on a bag of frozen peas.
“Come on, baby.” Liam stood at the door. They seemed to have hit some magical time at which he became a serious worrywart. He’d hurried her through the shower that ended with her actually being clean. He’d rushed her through getting dressed. Every moment seemed to be filled with an anxiety to be gone from this place.
She would miss it. Sure it was the place where her creepy ex-boss had listened in on her having sex, but it was also the place where she’d found some peace and love. Liam seemed to think it would be the place where she would be horrifically killed if they didn’t get a move on.
“I’m coming,” she said, grabbing her purse. She’d selected her big purse. She had her pictures and medications and a single change of clothes. She’d left the undies behind because bossy guy wasn’t so into underwear.
What was wrong with her? She was leaving everything she knew behind, and she was making mental jokes. Avery knew it was deadly serious, but somehow it felt like an adventure. Taking Liam’s hand, she walked out the door and rapidly discovered that her adventure began in Adam and Jake’s apartment. Very exotic.
Adam held the door open as Liam ushered her across the hall. Jake stood beside the bar, a grim look on his face. Avery glanced around the formerly cheery apartment. Now it looked like a war room. Maps were laid out and two separate computers were running. Worse, there were a whole lot of weapons on display.
“What is it?” Liam asked after Adam closed the door. “We need to get out of here. We’re running late.”
“Yeah, we got that. I don’t know if that was Ian meant by acting normal,” Adam said with a little snort.
Avery felt her skin flush. She’d totally forgotten that more than one set of ears could be listening in. She’d sort of lost herself in the moment. “Can’t you stop listening in on that stuff?”
Liam shook his head. “They can now. Up until now, it’s been necessary. They’ve been our backup if something went wrong.”
“Yes, we had to make sure Li there didn’t slip up during sex. Apparently when he’s making love he forgets his accent,” Jake said. “Though you did a damn fine job today. Not a single lilt.”
Liam shrugged. “Only because you couldn’t hear me in the shower.”
“Yeah, well, we heard everything else. I think it’s safe to say whoever was listening in doesn’t think you’ve been tipped off. Poor girl. She’s going to be sore, and you’re going to make her run all over London. Do you need some ibuprofen?” Adam asked.
Or maybe they would just be on the run forever, and she would never have to see Jake and Adam again.
“Stop embarrassing me girl, Adam. Now, if that’s all, we’ll head out. Tell Evie to text me if plans change.” Liam started toward the door. “And tell Ian I need to have a talk with him. I think I might know who we’re up against, but it’s complicated. Tell him it all goes back to the Irish operation.”
“That’s going to have to wait. The plan has changed. Ian got a call from Nelson.” Jake pulled on a shoulder holster, settling a nasty-looking gun into the side.
“The bastard just called his cell?” Liam asked, his jaw dropping slightly.
Jake shrugged. “Yeah. He called about thirty minutes ago and asked to meet with Ian. According to him, he has information that could help us out.”
Liam shook his head. “He can’t think that Ian isn’t going to take him down. He put a couple of bullets into Ian’s brother and damn near killed Ian’s sister-in-law. Nelson isn’t an idiot. He’s got to know Ian wants revenge.”
Adam’s mouth was a flat, grim line. “He seems to think that whatever he has is going to convince Ian not to kill him.”
She could feel the anxiety in Liam.
“It’s got to be some sort of trap.” Liam started to pace, his eyes staring at the floor. “This ain’t right and you know it. Just before we’re set to leave, Nelson up and decides to come in from the cold? No. Ian needs to walk away, and he needs to do it right bloody now. We all need to leave England and regroup when we know what the fuck is really happening here. Leave the cleanup to MI6.”
Jake ran a hand through his hair. “Do you think we haven’t already tried that line of thinking?”
“Ian thinks he can handle it. Alex is already at the site of the meet up. We’ve hopefully covered everything. It’s in the open so hopefully Ian doesn’t just kill the fucker,” Adam explained.
“I’m more worried about the fucker killing Ian.” Liam’s hand drifted up to his arm. Avery had redressed the wound, cleaning it carefully. “Molina already tried to kill me.”
“I think Ian’s hoping Nelson is turning on Molina. Damon has been informed, and MI6 will be set up, too. Ian’s covered.” Jake passed Liam a long look. “I’m not worried about Nelson killing Ian. We can watch his back, but I’m with you. There’s something else going on here. Something about this spells out FUBAR to me.”
“FUBAR?” Avery asked. She didn’t know what that was, but the timing of Nelson’s call did seem odd.
“Fucked up beyond all recognition. It’s a very precise military term.” Adam opened a case that was sitting on the bar. Several shiny guns sat inside along with a couple of big, matte black ones. He picked up one and handed it to Liam. “Ian wants you armed. You can give it back to Eve tomorrow, and she’ll dump it. There’s no way to get you on a plane with it, man.”
Liam took the pistol, shoving it into his pocket after clicking some buttons and checking things she didn’t have a clue about. He was really competent with a gun. “Give me a couple of knives, too. If I need to do some wet work, I’d rather keep it quiet if you know what I mean.”
She didn’t know what he meant, but Adam seemed to. He pulled out the top of the case revealing a second layer where he apparently kept the knife store. Liam selected a few, and they started to disappear in various parts of his clothing.
“Are you two going to back Ian up?” Liam asked.
Adam pulled out a wicked-looking knife, and it disappeared into his boot. “Jake is headed to the meet. I’ve been given clearance to head to Serena’s. She’s getting on a plane tomorrow, but if Nelson wants to play hardball, taking one of our women would be a good way to go. We’re going to hit the town, just like the two of you.”
“Are they coming with us?” It might be nice to have another couple with them.
Liam shook his head. “No. We’re going to split up. It’s harder for someone to trail two of us. The whole team will leave tomorrow. Is anyone staying behind? I’m sure Ian will if he doesn’t walk into a trap tonight and get his ass sniped. What is
Jake’s jaw tightened. “I know, but Ian’s not thinking straight. He’s a little obsessed with Nelson, and I’m not sure why. I guess because of what happened with Sean.”
“There’s more to it, but Ian has to tell you that story himself,” Liam explained. “I will say that you need to watch him, Jake. He can’t be professional about this.”
Jake stopped, tension in his every muscle. “Ian is always professional. Ian’s a rock.”
“Not about this he won’t be. He and Nelson have got history, if you know what I mean. I wouldn’t say a damn thing if I wasn’t so worried about him, but you got to watch his back, mate. He needs you and Alex to make smart decisions for him tonight.”
Jake nodded. “I’ll do it. Does Alex understand?”
“Yeah. Alex knows more than anyone. He’ll watch out for Ian, too,” Liam said.
“What’s this intel you want Ian to know?” Jake asked.
Liam’s eyes narrowed, and he nodded toward the back of the apartment. “Come back here.”
They walked off together, Liam speaking quietly.
Adam stared at her, his warm eyes sympathetic. “It doesn’t mean he doesn’t trust you.”
She stared right back. She knew exactly what Liam was doing. She was going to be the wife of a man who dealt with very sensitive cases. She wouldn’t expect him to tell her everything. She would be supportive and let him keep his professional secrets. “He’s trying to protect me. I know that.”
A smile broke over Adam’s face. “You’re going to be so much better at this than my wife. She would be trying to listen in right now.”
Avery didn’t want to listen in. This was Liam’s expertise. After this was over, she would find a new job and that would be her thing. Loving Liam was going to be her expertise and part of that meant trusting him. He’d walked away because he either didn’t want to scare her or he was worried that what he had to say would hurt her. He was talking about Thomas. He would try to protect her. She might never get the full story out of him.
And that was okay because she knew what Thomas was now. He was creepy and criminal and very likely wanted to hurt her. She’d made her bet. She was with Liam, and she would trust him to the end.
She just hoped the end didn’t come any time soon.
“He’s going to take care of you,” Adam promised.
“I know.” She heard the expectation in his voice. “And I’ll take care of him, too.”
“You’re going to get along with my Serena, you know. She’s going to like the hell out of you. When we finally get back to Dallas, you can meet Serena and our friend Grace. You’re going to fit right into the family.”
It sounded lovely, a group of friends. A family. She couldn’t ask for more than that. “I would love to meet them.”
She would be starting over—again. She’d done it so many times, but this time it felt right. She wasn’t alone. Liam was with her.
Jake walked back, his eyes stony. He looked to his partner. Damn but Avery wanted to know how that worked. “How are we handling the clean up?”
Adam slammed the case shut and picked up a small messenger bag on the floor. “I’ve got what Serena and I need. I think we’ll head to Paris tonight and fly out from there tomorrow. I’m going to clear off the computers and leave them behind. Everything else we leave as it is.”
Liam stepped up. “Go on. Serena’s alone. I can wipe the computers and lock up.”
Jake nodded Liam’s way. “Thanks, man. We’ll see you back at home. Avery, it’s been a pleasure, and I look forward to showing you around Dallas.” He turned to Adam. “Time to go, brother. Take care of our girl, and I’ll take care of our friends.”
Adam held out a hand, but Jake pulled him in for a hug, both men giving each other manly smacks, and Avery could see a little bit of how it worked. Jake could handle the rough stuff because he knew Adam would take care of their wife.
Liam shook hands with each as they headed out the door. Liam didn’t have a partner. He’d been forced to choose, and he’d chosen her.
“I could go with Adam. Liam, I know you have a big stake in this somehow.”
He passed a magnet over the computers and closed the tops. “I had an operation go south a few years back. Nelson was involved. I lost my brother, and I’ve been looking for answers ever since.”
Her stomach knotted. The last thing she wanted to do was be parted from Liam, but she couldn’t let him miss this opportunity. “Then let me go with Adam, and you can go meet this Nelson guy. Liam, I want you to find the answers you need. I promise I’ll do everything Adam tells me to. I won’t put myself in any kind of trouble.”
He set the magnet down and turned to her. “You’re more important.”
“But I’ll be okay.”
His gorgeous face turned serious as he walked toward her. He stopped in front of her, close so their bodies brushed. His hand came out, tilting her face up to his. “I won’t be okay, Avery. I can’t walk out without you, and while I love Adam like a brother, I won’t leave your safety to anyone but me in this case. Blame yourself, love.”
“Why?” She whispered the question because his lips were closing in on hers. She would never get used to the butterflies she felt the minute he came close, his eyes pinning her and letting her know how much he wanted her.
He kissed her, a gentle melding of lips. “You taught me that revenge ain’t going to do a thing for me, not really. What we got right here is worth walking away from everything for. I might be a dumb man, but I ain’t stupid. I want to know what happened, but I won’t let the past wreck my future. Not when I just found out I have one.”
She leaned into him, so grateful for his strength. “You always had a future, Liam.”
“Yeah, but it involved hot wings and beer. I gotta be honest, love, I was getting a little sick of that.” He kissed her again. “Do you have everything? Did you get your pictures? I don’t want you to leave them behind.”
“I have them.” She moved toward him, wanting the comfort of his closeness. He pulled her into his arms. “I only have a little book here. I have a whole storage unit back in the States. It’s a small one, but it’s got all my keepsakes. Are we going to live in Dallas?”
His face softened. “If Ian don’t fire me at the end of all of this.” He laughed a little. “He won’t, love. If he was going to fire me, I would be dead in a ditch somewhere. Ian’s that kind of boss.”
Maybe he needed a new career. “Not sure I like the sound of that.”
“It’s okay. Ian’s bark is worse than his bite. You’ll see, love. Once we’re married, he’ll settle down, and he’ll treat you like family.”
“You’re worried about him.”
“He’s acting on emotion. So am I, so I know just how dumb a man can be when a woman is involved. The man we’re tracking had something to do with Ian’s wife’s death. And don’t go spreading that around, love. He hasn’t told everyone. His own brother doesn’t even know he was married.”
But Liam had trusted her with it. “I think I can keep quiet. I feel bad about not getting those files, though. I’ll write down everything I know if you can get it to the right people. I’ve worked for Thomas for long enough to know his habits. If he has the files, he’s probably got a backup. He’s fastidious about backing data up. He always told me he never knew when he would need something so I had to scan documents for him.” A thought struck her. Damn it. Why hadn’t she thought about it? “He carries his phone and his tablet with him everywhere. Either one of them could have the data.”
“We’ll let MI6 know, but that’s the end of this, okay?”
She was ready for it to end. She wanted to settle down. Maybe she could look at the next few weeks as a sort of honeymoon. “All right.”
Liam moved to the door. “This is the last place we can talk before we’re out of this building, okay? Keep quiet until we’re in the station. Then we should be able to talk again. We’re going to change trains and lines until I’m sure we’re not being followed.”
She nodded. No talking in the hallways. There were cameras everywhere. They couldn’t be sure if Thomas was watching or not.
The door opened, Liam moving out first. He held a hand out to let Avery know it was all right.
The hallway was quiet, almost eerily so. Often she could hear the sounds of the other residents, but today there was nothing, just the squeak of the floor under her feet and the quiet snick of the door closing and locking. Every muscle in Liam’s body seemed tense and ready, but there was a bland look on his face.
“Ready for a night on the town?” His flat American accent was back. Now that she’d heard his real voice, she longed for it. The Midwestern tone didn’t hold the emotion of the real man.
Still, she flashed what she hoped was a happy smile. “Let’s do it.”
She took his hand, but glanced back at her apartment, her little flat in London. So much had happened there. This place and the man she’d met here had changed her irrevocably. Despite the bad things, she would always have a fondness for that apartment.
And then she noticed it, a tiny crack as the door she was sure they’d locked began to open.
“Li, someone’s in my apartment.” Her voice was a whisper, thin and strangled.
The elevator dinged up ahead, signaling the doors would soon be open. They could make it to the elevator and then close the doors. They would be safe in the elevator.
Liam seemed to think the same thing. He glanced back down the hallway. Avery followed, looking behind to see two large men exiting her apartment. She recognized them from Thomas’s house. He kept a couple of men around to help move him when he used his wheelchair. They were also trained security guards, though they usually didn’t carry really big guns. They were today.
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