by Beth Ciotta
She’d sacrificed family for career. A rocky career that was currently on the upswing, but entertainment, no matter the venue, was a risky business. A finicky, unpredictable business. If she hadn’t been so hungry to secure another connection, a higher connection within the industry, she wouldn’t have accepted Cavendish’s invitation in the first place. She knew he was a womanizer, yet she’d ignored her gut. Now, she was paying the price. Or rather, her sister was paying the price.
She blew out a tense breath and scanned the area. Deserted diner. Deserted parking lot. It was well past midnight and she was surrounded by dense woods. Lone girl faces crazy killers. She could almost hear a Hitchcock-esque score swelling in the background.
Except, she wasn’t alone.
Joe, Special Agent Creed, and several other officials were out there somewhere. Snipers were stationed on the roof. She wouldn’t be surprised if her brother-in-law was nearby as well. Knowing she was backed by an expert team bolstered her confidence, but even so anxiety simmered just below the surface. To think she’d been ready to step into this situation solo.
She placed her phone on the dashboard table, glanced at her watch. The cowboys would be calling any minute.
Just then Creed spoke in her ear via the tiny receiver. “Relax, Ms. Marino,” he said in a reassuring voice. “Remember, this isn’t a one-woman show.”
She blinked back tears. A message from Joe. “I’ll be with you all the way.” Was it just this morning that he’d made soul-stirring love to her? He’d mentioned forever. She could barely wrap her mind around this moment. One thing was certain. The last forty-eight hours had changed her entire lookout on life.
Her phone chimed. “I’m here,” she said calmly. “Where are you?”
“Right behind you,” the cowboy said.
She glanced in the rearview mirror, but saw nothing.
“Step out of the car, Sofia. Into the light. Let us see that you’re alone.”
She sat tight, just as Creed had instructed. “I’m not stepping into the wide open so that you can gun me down. That’s the idea, right? Dispose of the eyewitness?”
“If you want your sister to live, you’ll step out and away from the car.”
“If you want me to step out of the car, show me my sister.”
He cursed foully.
She waited.
“Fine. But one wrong move and I’ll slit her throat.” He severed the phone connection.
Her stomach churned as she laid her phone on the seat. “He said he’ll slit her throat if I make a wrong move,” Sofia whispered into the darkness. “He must have a knife instead of a gun.”
She waited for Creed to say something reassuring in her ear. Instead, she got Joe. “If he hurts Lulu, he knows he won’t get you, Sofia. You’re the one he wants. Remember Creed’s directive. You can do this, babe.” Gone was the man who’d been royally pissed at her two hours before. This was the Joe who made her feel cherished and special. The man who believed her to be capable and clever.
She held tight to that notion when headlights flashed in her rearview mirror. A car crept into the lot, parking several yards away from her own. Every muscle in her body tensed when a tall, lanky man exited the driver’s side and rounded the car.
She got a glimpse of his battered face and shuddered. Had she done that? Jesus.
He held up his hands to show her he was unarmed, then redialed her cell.
She answered before it even rang. “I see you. I don’t see Lulu.”
“She’s in the back seat. Look hard.”
Joe spoke in her ear. “We see her, Sofia. But the second cowboy’s sitting next to her. He’s probably the one with the knife. You need to get them, all of them, out in the open. We need a clear shot.”
“All I see is a limp woman with gold curls,” she said to the grotesque cowboy. “She could be dead for all I know. Bring her out and send her over to this car. When she’s three-quarters of the way here, I’ll come to you. Her for me.”
He laughed. “Do I look stupid?”
She resisted the obvious retort. “I’m no idiot, either,” she said into the cell. “If I come over there, you’ll kill us both.”
“If you don’t come over here,” he growled, “we’ll kill your sister.”
Her heart pounded. Her upper lip and underarms moistened with nervous sweat.
Joe’s voice rang softly, but firmly in her right ear. “Don’t cave.”
“If you so much as bruise her,” she told the cowboy, “I’ll drive off like a bat out of hell.”
“You’re bluffing.”
She keyed the ignition.
“Crazy bitch.” He opened the back door, grabbed Lulu’s hand, and yanked her out of the car and into his arms.
The second cowboy swiftly followed, a vicious knife glinting in his left hand.
Sofia ignored a swift surge of anxiety and the urge to give herself up. In her heart, she knew that once she was within striking distance she could disarm that bastard and take them both down. She’d done it before.
If only her drugged-up sister wasn’t in the mix.
She resigned herself to following Creed’s directive. Then, the freakiest thing happened. Lulu lurched forward and threw up all over the man with the cast.
He screamed like a stuck pig and backed away in horror, the knife clattering from his limp hand to the pavement. Thwarted by projectile vomit.
“Goddammit, Jesse!” When the lanky cowboy scrambled for the weapon, the snipers took their shots.
Sofia was halfway to their car by the time the wounded men slumped to the ground. She kicked the knife out of their reach and grabbed up her sister before she fainted dead away.
The night exploded with screeching tires, blaring headlights, and dozens of feds.
Lulu wrapped her arms around Sofia and clung. “I knew you’d outsmart them,” she said in a soft voice.
Sofia swallowed an emotional lump. “You’re the one who provided the distraction. I can’t believe he freaked like that just because you puked on him.”
“He has a thing about germs,” she said, easing back and pushing her hair out of her glassy eyes. “I heard him whining earlier. What a wimp.”
Sofia laughed at that. Being married to a hard-ass like Murphy had given her goody-two-shoes sister an amusing edge.
“Where’s Colin,” she asked as if reading Sofia’s mind.
“Right here, princess.” He swiftly moved in and took her into his arms. “Are you hurt?”
“Just sick.”
“I saw.” Murphy smoothed his hand up and down her back. “That was one weird-ass takedown, honey. Once I get over the coronary I’ve been suffering for the last several hours, I’m sure I’ll see the humor.”
Joe moved in, kissed Lulu’s temple, and smiled. “Tangling with the Marino sisters. Those idiots never stood a chance.”
He glanced at Sofia and her heart jumped up to her throat. She just stood there, frozen.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
She nodded.
“She’s a natural,” Murphy said with an appreciative wink.
“I won’t argue with that,” Creed said, stepping into the mix. “Well done, Ms. Marino.”
“Teamwork,” she said, holding Joe’s gaze.
Creed turned to Murphy, gestured toward Lulu. “I have a couple of Agents waiting for you at the chopper. Take her to the hospital. Have her checked out.”
“Are you the man in charge?” Lulu asked weakly.
He nodded. “Special Agent Earl Creed.”
“I overheard something when they thought I was sleeping.” Lulu leaned into Murphy for support, but focused on Creed. “The man they killed? His wife hired them. She caught them trying to rob her house last month and, instead of calling the cops, she hired them to kill her husband. Apparently, he cheated on her. A lot. She didn’t want a divorce. She wanted revenge. Oh, and the insurance money.”
“I can’t believe they talked so freely in front of you,” Murphy said.
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Joe shook his head. “Amateurs.”
Lulu shivered. “Like I said, they thought I was sleeping. They argued a lot. They were creepy.” She shifted in Murphy’s arms and looked at Sofia. “When we got here, Frank told Jesse he was going to mess up your face worse than you marred his. Said no man would ever want you again. I knew I had to do something. But, I was so nauseous. I’d already thrown up once back at their cabin. When they hauled me out of the car, I remember how disgusted Jesse had been, something about bacteria. So, I stopped trying to hold it in and spewed.”
“This is one for the books, I’ll tell you that.” Creed scraped his hand along his jaw. “Is that it, Mrs. Murphy?”
“Isn’t that enough?” Sofia asked.
He smiled. “More than enough. Needless to say, we’ll be contacting Mrs. Cavendish.” He squeezed Lulu’s shoulder. “In the meantime, get some rest. We’ll talk again in the morning.”
Sofia smoothed the back of her hand over her sweaty brow. “What about me?”
Creed looked over his shoulder at Joe, then turned back to her. “Morning will do.” He raised a hand in farewell and disappeared into the fray.
Murphy swept Lulu up into his arms, glanced at his brother. “We’ll meet you at the chopper. Don’t be long.”
Sofia’s pulse quickened as Joe tenderly grasped her hand and led her away from the structured chaos.
He paused in the shadows, turned and faced her. “I’m sorry for being so rough on you back on the plane. What can I say? I’m a bastard. I thought about you facing those assholes alone, and I freaked.”
She nodded. “I understand. I do. That’s what happened to me back in Phoenix after I got their call. Only, I was worried about them hurting you and Lulu.”
He smiled at that. “Sweetheart, I can take care of myself.”
“I know that. My reaction was … rash. I didn’t think things through. You were right. The only crisis I’m qualified to handle is one concocted for film.”
He winced. “That came out a little harsh.”
She shrugged. “It’s the truth. And it’s okay. You actually helped me reach a decision. I know what I want to do with my life. It involves some major changes, but I think, no, I know I’m up to the challenge.”
“Why do I get the feeling I’m not going to like this?”
She wasn’t ready to divulge her plan. She needed to talk to Murphy first. “When you call home to retrieve your messages, you’ll hear a drawn out explanation as to why I abandoned you in Phoenix.”
He raised a brow. “Okay.”
She cleared her throat. “Yes, well, I said this thing at the end.”
He inched closer. “What thing?”
“It’s sappy.”
“Let’s hear it.”
She moved in against him. “Let me preface this by saying, I have issues.”
“Don’t we all?” He framed her face with his hands. “Spit it out, Marino.”
Somehow it had been easier to admit when she’d been speaking into a phone. But then she looked into his eyes, and the words tumbled freely. “I love you, Joe.”
He quirked a lopsided grin. “I knew it.”
She laughed. “Jesus, you’re an arrogant prick.”
He winked. “Part of my charm.” Then he sobered and pressed his lips against hers. He melted her bones and confirmed her feelings with a tender, lingering kiss. “I love you too, Sofia. It’s scary as hell. Disorienting.” He stroked his thumb over her cheekbone. “You knocked me on my ass the first time I saw you, and I’ve been struggling to regain my balance ever since. Loving you is the sweetest fucking rush I’ve ever experienced.”
Her throat clogged with emotions. “Wow. I … I don’t know what to say.”
“Say you’ll marry me.”
Tears pricked at her eyes. “This isn’t fair, Joe. This isn’t the time.”
“Whatever those issues are, we’ll work through them.”
“It could take awhile,” she warned.
He grasped her hand and tugged her toward their family and waiting chopper. “I’m a patient man.”
EPILOGUE
Rainbow Ridge, Vermont
Five Months Later
Where the hell is she?
Joe cracked his knuckles. He dragged his hands through his longish hair, adjusted his tie. He sat down on the velvet sofa of Hollyberry Inn’s great room. Ten seconds later he stood back up and started to pace.
Outside, on the back lawn, clamored guests of the groom and groom. Rudy and Jean-Pierre had opted for an outdoor ceremony, a simple affair featuring gourmet food, a live dance band, and tasteful decorations.
Sofia was supposed to be his date. She was twenty minutes late.
They’d been carrying on a long distance relationship for months. They spoke on the phone almost every day or night. Lengthy discussions about their childhood, their family, their previous careers. They got to know each other very well. Favorite cereal, favorite songs, views on politics and religion. They argued and they laughed. They even had amazing phone sex. But dammit, he hadn’t seen her since the day after they’d cleared up the James brothers’ case. Jesse and Frank were well on their way to murder convictions and life sentences. Mrs. Cavendish would probably receive a lighter sentence, though not by much.
Sofia had surprised and pleased him by announcing that she was retiring from entertainment. Although, considering he was an arrogant prick, she’d informed him she wasn’t giving up her theatrical aspirations for him, but because she’d lost her passion, her drive. He could still remember the fire in those sultry, almond eyes when she said she was meant for something bigger.
Unfortunately, she’d elected not to tell him what that bigger something was. All he knew was that she was going back to school. She’d asked him not to press for details, and though it was difficult as hell, he’d honored her wishes. As always, she kept him guessing and intrigued.
In the meantime, he’d taken a job with his brother’s company, a small company of highly trained professionals who provided executive and personal protection. They handled mostly high profile clients. Politicians, diplomats, celebrities. There was also the occasional hostage extraction and ransom exchange. The danger level ran the gamut. Joe skills were valuable, and as Murphy had been choosing to spend more and more time with his pregnant wife—yeah, boy, that had been a pleasant shock—Joe’s workload over the summer had been pretty intense.
He didn’t mind. He enjoyed his new job. And as it involved a lot of traveling and supreme concentration, he had less time to miss Sofia. Although, hell, who was he kidding, he missed her every minute of the day.
This weekend he’d flown into Rainbow Ridge for Rudy and Jean-Pierre’s civil ceremony. Hence, the monkey suit. Murphy had insisted he wear a frickin’ tux. Everyone, he’d said, would be dressed to the nines. Everyone including Jake and Afia, their four-month-old daughter, Hope, Murphy and Lulu—who was six-months along—and the five and seven-year-old siblings they were in the process of adopting. Nona Viv and her husband. Various friends of the happy couple.
And Sofia.
Where the hell is she?
The door swung open and Joe spun around with a big-ass smile. A smile that flattened in a heartbeat. “Oh, it’s you.”
Murphy knocked back the tails of his tux jacket and slid his hands in his trouser pockets. “That’s a hell of a welcome.”
“No offense. I was expecting someone a little prettier than you.”
“Jean-Pierre?”
“Smartass.” Grinning, he moved toward a window and peeked through the curtains. “Speaking of Frenchie, how are he and Rudy holding up?”
“Nervous wreck. Both of them. But, that’s mostly because they’re worried about everyone having a good time at the reception.”
“I don’t think they’ll have to worry about that.” He looked beyond the deck toward the rows of guests and the vine-covered arch. The rolling mountains and cloudless sky provided a stunning backdrop for the festivities. “A lot
of people have been waiting a long time to celebrate their union.” He turned, brow furrowed. “Speaking of waiting a long time, where the hell’s Sofia?”
Murphy smiled. “She’ll be along shortly.” He cleared his throat. “Listen, I have a question for you. More and more situations are arising where I need a female on the team. How would you feel about working with a woman?”
Joe shrugged. “As long as she’s qualified, no problem.”
“Oh, the woman I have in mind is more than qualified. Just completed a four-month training course at the Executive Protection Academy. Graduated at the top of her class.”
“Great. Bring her on.” He glanced at his watch. Glanced at the door. “Are you sure Sofia’s coming? She was supposed to meet me in here twenty-five minutes ago.”
“She’s running a little behind.” Murphy rocked back on his polished heels, looking amused and anxious at the same time. “So, you don’t have a problem working with a woman. Great. What about family?”
Joe smirked. “I work with you, don’t I?” Then it clicked. “Ah, hell. You’re talking about Sofia. When she said she was going to school, I thought, hell, it had to do with martial arts.”
Murphy laughed. “Well, that’s certainly part of it. So, this isn’t going to pose a problem?”
He scraped his hand over his goatee, tried to smother a delirious smile. “Are you fucking kidding? At least I’ll get to spend time with her.”
“Oh, I think you’ll be spending more than enough time with Sofia.”
He shook his head. “Never enough time. Christ, I miss her, Murph.”
“Yeah, I get that.”
“But, personal feelings aside, seriously, I’d welcome her on the team with open arms. She’s smart, talented, a kiss-ass fighter, and a master of disguise.”
“Knows how to follow directions when person issuing said directions knows more than she does,” came a female voice. Her voice.
Joe turned, heart hammering like a mother in his constricted chest. Sofia stood on the threshold wearing a formfitting, white satin dress. A strapless floor-length gown that flowed over her voluptuous curves. White satin and mocha skin, sable hair twisted into an elegant up-do that showcased her long neck and killer cheekbones.
