by J. S. Scott
Marcus started to talk. “Blake has known since he came to Washington and I could speak with him in person. I met with Zane in Denver before I got here, and I just came from a long discussion with Chloe and Mom.”
“So I’m the last to know,” Tate grumbled.
“I knew you were going to be the hardest one to tell,” Marcus said soberly. “I got you injured, Tate. And Lara was humiliated and hurt as well. I’m sorry.”
“It’s part of my job,” Lara answered quietly. “Can you explain how the FBI didn’t know about you?”
Marcus nodded. “Not very many people knew, and I’m not surprised that they put an FBI counter-terrorist team on this case. I expected it. My trail wasn’t exactly discreet and it wasn’t meant to be. But it was top secret, and we didn’t want any information leaked. The lowest-ranked person at the CIA who knew was the deputy director of NCS, and the director of the FBI was informed but not allowed to share the information.”
“What was your mission?” Tate asked gruffly.
Marcus grimaced. “It was actually something I got involved in inadvertently. This group was fairly sophisticated, and they had money. They were posing as legitimate and respected businessmen. I heard an exchange that I’m sure I wasn’t supposed to understand. It was being discussed in Arabic at a business function.”
“You speak a lot of languages,” Lara mused.
Marcus shrugged. “I deal with a lot of countries, and I have a knack for picking up languages.”
“So then what?” Tate prompted.
“I approached the CIA with the information.”
“How long have you been helping the CIA?”
“Awhile,” Marcus admitted reluctantly. “I travel and I pick up limited information to help them out. I’ve assisted with gathering information for them in the past, but nothing on quite the same scale as this particular operation. They asked me if I could possibly get close to these men, try to infiltrate the group somehow. It wasn’t easy. I’m American and they didn’t trust me. It took me two years to finally convince them that all I wanted was money, and that I didn’t care about their cause. They didn’t want me to. They just needed an American cover to buy the explosives so it didn’t rouse as much suspicion. Since we’re a prominent family, they decided to take the risk. The plan was to get all the explosives together and we’d do the final deal. I’d be given payment and they’d fly out their explosives. What you interrupted was the check of the final shipment before we made our transaction. Nothing was supposed to happen that day. The director was planning on getting together a special team, including the FBI, for the final bust. I wanted to make sure my family was gone, away from the area before anything happened.” Marcus paused for a moment before continuing, “I should have never used the airstrip, or Rocky Springs.”
“You didn’t have much of a choice. It’s a private airport. Where else could you have arranged this?” Lara said quietly, knowing he had the perfect bait for the terrorists because he did have a private airport and the Colters were a highly respected family.
“It endangered my family,” Marcus replied bleakly.
“Normally, it wouldn’t have,” Tate said honestly. “The airstrip is a safe distance away from our homes and the resort. Lara and I being there was accidental. I wanted to prove to her that you weren’t involved so she’d stop trying to attract your attention.”
Marcus smiled and glanced at Lara. “Oh, she would have attracted my attention. But I probably would have guessed that she was a fed.”
“You never would have known,” Lara said defensively. “I’m damn good at my job.”
Marcus’s smile grew broader. “And I’m highly connected.” He looked at Tate. “Did you mark her as a fed?”
“Yeah. But only because I checked her out for personal information. I didn’t really suspect she was FBI. I just knew she wasn’t our average type of guest at the resort.”
“I’ve checked out everyone who even speaks to me for the last two years. I had no doubt the FBI were looking, but we weren’t ready to form a team. We needed the evidence first,” Marcus explained.
“Why did you let the team arrest you?” Lara asked curiously.
“All of the terrorists weren’t there. We had to round up the rest of the group. They would have bolted immediately if they knew I was involved with the CIA. I had to wait until the remaining group was in custody, and we needed to set a trap. If I would have exposed myself then, it would have made it more difficult for me to assist in luring the rest of the group to an arrest area,” Marcus informed her. “I was damn glad you had backup, Agent Bailey. I went to the storage room to try to get an emergency text to the director while the terrorists were busy checking the merchandise, but they weren’t going to make it in time. I was already trying to think of an alternate plan.”
“You didn’t tell them I was your brother,” Tate remarked. “I don’t understand Arabic nearly as well as you do, but it sounded like you were telling them that we were police.”
Marcus nodded. “There was no way I wanted them to know we were related. They’re paranoid and crazy. It was better to let them think we’d been discovered by the local authorities and needed to move quicker. I was going to try to get them to provide the money so that they could start transporting the goods while I held you two to give them time to escape. It would have bought us some time, but I’m not certain they would have agreed, and I didn’t know how quickly law enforcement would be sent. Believe me…I was more than happy to be arrested along with everybody else by the FBI. I was just glad they were in custody, and Agent Bailey had the forethought to bring in backup. I was worried about you bleeding to death on me.”
“Please call me Lara. And I didn’t trust you like Tate did.”
“I’m glad.” Marcus shot Lara a grateful look.
“Nothing has leaked to the media yet,” Tate observed.
Marcus shook his head. “With any luck, it won’t. We kept a pretty tight lid on all of this. The only civilians who know are Gabe and my family, and Gabe already knows the real truth now. He says he won’t tell anyone, and I believe him. The hospital had no idea what happened to you, Tate. They reported the stabbing, but the report went to the police, and they aren’t talking. I’d really prefer this not turn into gossip, and as few people as possible know that I work with the CIA.”
“That makes sense if you ever want to function as an operative again,” Lara agreed.
“I can’t believe my brother is a damn spy,” Tate grumbled. “Jesus, you’re likely to get yourself killed by playing James Bond.”
Marcus gave Tate a reproving stare. “Like you can talk? What I do is a hell of a lot safer than any of your past missions.” Marcus turned to Lara. “And what was your objective here at the resort?”
“To get close to you and seduce you into talking. All we knew was that you were purchasing and flying large amounts of explosives. It was an investigative assignment.”
“Nice,” Marcus said as smooth as silk. His eyes moved over her nonchalantly. “Exactly how much seduction would that have involved?” he questioned.
“None,” Tate growled. “She’s off-limits.”
Marcus grinned. “Not anymore. We’re both on the same side.”
“I really regretted punching you in the face. Don’t make me do it again,” Tate warned in a menacing voice.
“Feeling a little possessive, little brother?” Marcus sounded amused.
“Yes,” Tate affirmed.
“And how does that work out for you, Lara?” Marcus asked.
It’s hot. So damn hot that I want to tackle Tate and screw him until I can’t breathe.
“I can handle him,” Lara told Marcus with a smile.
“Somehow, I’m pretty certain you can,” Marcus said as he rose. “I have to take care of some details, but we’ll talk more later. I just wanted you both to know that I’m sorry. You have no idea how hard it was not to reveal who I was. But I think it probably would have gotten us all dead. I was
terrified that Tate was going to bleed to death. I came pretty close to blowing my cover anyway.”
Lara was pretty certain Marcus was right. He’d handled things well, considering he was concerned for his younger brother. Even if she hadn’t seen through Marcus’s disguise before, she could see his concern and regret now.
She and Tate rose to see Marcus out. On instinct, she grasped Marcus’s arm. He turned to her questioningly.
“Tate always believed in you. Even when I presented the damning evidence, he laughed in my face. He never believed you were guilty,” she told Marcus urgently, wanting to make sure neither one of the brothers ended up resentful.
“I know.” Marcus patted her hand. “I’m sorry, little brother,” he told Tate sincerely.
Lara moved her hand from Marcus’s arm and she watched as two sets of gray Colter eyes clashed in understanding. Marcus reached out and grabbed Tate up in a bear hug. Tate wrapped his clenched fists around Marcus’s body; the two of them pounded each other on the back. Both men were about the same size, and Lara wondered whether they’d hurt each other in their manly show of affection.
“I’m so fucking glad you’re safe,” Tate told him as the two men broke apart, both of them still slapping each other on the back.
“I’m glad both of you are okay.” Marcus looked back and forth at Tate and Lara.
Lara moved forward and pulled Marcus into a hug. “Thank you.”
Those two words covered so many things:
Thank you for being innocent so Tate won’t hurt anymore.
Thank you for being a rich guy and still caring enough to help stop terrorists.
Thank you for caring about a lowly FBI agent who was just doing her job.
Thank you for loving your younger brother because I love him, too.
Marcus didn’t hesitate to hug her back before he let her go. Lara grabbed his ID that she had dropped on the table and handed it back to him.
His hand still on the door, Marcus turned to her with a mischievous smile that suddenly reminded her very much of Tate. “You know, I might have let you seduce me. But I never would have talked,” he said flirtatiously, leaning in close to her so Tate couldn’t hear him.
She rolled her eyes at his arrogant words and whispered in his ear, “You would have been singing like a bird, Colter.”
Marcus just laughed as he exited and closed the door behind him.
“Was he flirting with you?” Tate asked gruffly as he stared at the closed door with a frown.
“He was being a smart ass,” Lara admitted. “It seems to be something all of you Colter brothers excel at.”
“My brother isn’t a terrorist,” Tate said quietly.
“I know.” She lifted her hand to stroke his whiskered jaw.
“My brother isn’t a terrorist!” he whooped, lifted her by the waist, and swung her around until he reached the living room.
Lara’s heart soared at the joy in Tate’s voice. Tears of happiness flowed down her face. “I know.”
“He’s a damn CIA operative. Marcus is a spy.” Tate collapsed on the couch, pulling her down with him, and laughed. He reached out and hugged her against him. His voice cracked with emotion as he said emphatically, “Thank fuck!”
Lara hugged him back, rocking him against her, sharing his joy as tears continued to flow down her face: tears of relief for Tate and the entire Colter family. They’d be whole again, unbroken because Marcus was everything Tate had always said he was.
He held her for over an hour, neither of them saying much of anything.
Their emotions spent, they fell asleep in each other’s arms. Tate woke up a few hours later and carried her gently into the bedroom with him.
Lara’s heart squeezed tightly in her chest as she packed the next morning. The weather forecast wasn’t good for Tuesday, so she was outbound later tonight before the storm moved in. Her boss had made her reservations out of Denver, and she’d catch that flight. It would be so much easier than trying to say good-bye to Tate in Washington.
One day less. Does it matter?
Right now, it felt as if it mattered a great deal. She wanted that extra day, resented having to give him up any sooner than tomorrow.
“What are you doing?” Tate sounded confused as he came into the bedroom.
“There’s a storm moving in. I’m going to have to leave tonight. The department made me a reservation on a commercial flight. I have to be on it.” She couldn’t look at him. If she did, she’d lose it.
“You can’t go today. We’re supposed to have until tomorrow.” Tate’s voice sounded desperate.
“I don’t have a choice.” Lara folded a pair of jeans and dropped them into her suitcase.
Please don’t let him touch me. If he does, I’ll give in. I’ll probably beg, plead, ask him if I can stay with him, even if it’s not forever. I can’t do that. I can’t give up the job I’ve worked so hard at for a longer fling.
“Fine. I’ll fly you to Denver,” he said harshly.
She nodded, having no reason to object. She’d have to get there somehow. “I’d like to stop and say good-bye to your mom and Chloe.”
He moved up behind her, his voice pleading, “Lara, please stay.”
“I can’t,” she replied firmly. Tears clouded her vision.
He moved his hands and stepped back. “I can’t make you want me, I guess.”
Don’t say anything. Don’t tell him how desperately you want him, how lonely you’ll be without him. It will just prolong the inevitable and it will hurt even more.
She bit her lip. Hard. Finally, he stalked out of the room and left her alone.
Lara let the tears fall, mourning the loss of Tate before she’d even left him.
Tate took Shep outside, his anger and desperation at war with each other. What could he do? He couldn’t force her to stay. She wanted her job. He wanted her. They were at an impasse, and there was nothing he could do to make things turn out differently. Truthfully, he didn’t want her that way. He wanted her willingly. He wanted a commitment, something that would bind her to him forever.
She didn’t ask if I wanted to go live in Washington. She never even asked.
For Lara, he’d do it in a heartbeat. He didn’t care where he lived as long as he was with her.
She didn’t ask. For her, the relationship is impossible. I just have to admit that she isn’t feeling it as much as I am.
Yesterday, he’d been ecstatic because he’d learned Marcus wasn’t a criminal. Today, he felt defeated.
Colters don’t quit.
Hell, he wouldn’t quit if he had any other option.
His cell phone vibrated in his pocket. Because it was one of his oldest friends, Travis Harrison, he answered.
“Yeah.”
“Tate?” Travis’s voice was solemn.
“It’s me.”
“You’re going to think I’m crazy, but do you know someone named Lara?”
Tate was instantly alert. “Yeah. I know her. I’m crazy about her.”
Tate quickly explained that Lara was here and getting ready to fly back to Washington. Briefly, he talked about their whirlwind relationship. “I’m in love with her,” he admitted to Travis. “Letting her leave is killing me, Trav.”
“Don’t let her go,” Travis said urgently. “Tate, I had a dream. I haven’t had one this vivid for a long time. But I dreamed that you were mourning her death in a plane crash. Wherever she’s going, don’t let her go on her flight.”
Fuck! Tate had learned to take Travis’s dream premonitions seriously. One of his dreams had once saved Tate’s life, and another the life of Travis’s wife, Ally.
“When will it happen?” Tate asked anxiously.
“I don’t know, but I never dream of something that vivid that isn’t happening soon. If she’s flying, don’t let her go. I know you think I’m crazy—”
“I don’t,” Tate interrupted. “I know that what you experience is for real. It saved my life and Ally’s.”
Lara might not believe in Travis’s dreams, but Tate did. He’d seen proof of the strange phenomena several times. At one time, he hadn’t believed it. But he did now. “I’ll think of something. She’s an FBI agent, so I’m not sure she’ll go for me telling her the truth.”
“You’re in love with an FBI agent?” Travis asked. “Why am I not surprised? Can she kick your ass?”
“No,” Tate denied. “But she can put up a damn good fight.”
“Good for her. She sounds like your kind of woman.”
“She is,” Tate agreed. “I’ve never felt like this before, Trav. How do you live with feeling the way you do about Ally?”
“It’s hell, buddy. But you’ll get through it. If you love her, and she loves you, it’s the most amazing feeling in the world.”
Tate shook his head even though Travis couldn’t see him. “She doesn’t love me.”
“Then change her mind,” Travis answered gruffly. “If anybody can wear a woman down, it’s you. Don’t give up. And try telling her that you love her. You’re willing to take chances with everything else, including your own life. Take a chance on her.”
Tate wanted to, but he was too damn scared that she’d tear his heart out. “She hasn’t told me she loves me.” And he was pretty certain she didn’t if she was willing to just walk away from their relationship.
“Did you tell her?” Travis questioned bluntly.
“Nope.”
“Then how do you know how she feels? Talk to her,” Travis suggested. “And keep her with you for now.”
“I plan on it,” Tate answered hoarsely, thinking about the horror of losing Lara completely. He’d never live through it.
“I’ll call later and see how things are going,” Travis told him, his voice concerned.
“Thanks, Trav. Seriously. I appreciate the warning.” Tate knew Travis didn’t talk to anybody about his strange talent. But they’d been friends for a long time, so he’d taken that chance.
“Stay safe,” Travis rumbled.
