No Love Lost (Masters and Mercenaries: The Forgotten Book 5)

by Lexi Blake

  “Yes,” Theo replied. “Anna Rossi. Her husband’s, too. Hutch ran them both through all our databases and they came back clean. I would bet she knows nothing about Solo’s true identity. She’s been working for the bookstore since it opened a few years back. Before then, from what we can tell, Solo didn’t have a job. Now there is one record of a Kay Bruno spending two nights in a local hospital six years ago.”

  “What happened?” Even though it was years before and he knew she was safe now, his stomach still clenched at the thought of her being in a hospital.

  “I don’t know. Jax is looking into it. It could also be another Kay Bruno. It’s not an uncommon name here.” Theo leaned against the wall, staring down at Beck. “Have you thought about what you’re going to say to her?”

  He’d gone over and over it in his head. It kept him up at night. Even before he’d known where she was, that he might have a chance to say anything to her at all, he’d envisioned what he would say.

  I’m sorry.

  I love you.

  “I don’t know that I’m going to say anything at all,” he replied.

  Theo huffed, a disbelieving sound. “Sure. You brought us all halfway around the world so you could look in on her.”

  The impulse to tell him that if he didn’t want to be here, he could leave, was right there. But he knew now that his defensiveness had everything to do with his own insecurity and likely nothing with Theo’s willingness to help. “I worry I could do more harm than good if I approach her.”

  Honesty. That was what he was going for now. If honesty made him vulnerable, then he had to deal with it because being dishonest with himself had led to hurting the people he loved the most.

  “Do you think she would run again?” Theo asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Have you considered the fact that if we figured out where she is, Levi Green might be able to as well? It might be time for her to move.”

  If that was the case, then he would have to be the bad guy again. “What if she’s happy here? She’s got a shop. She’s got some family. Telling her she has to drop everything again because I haven’t been able to exonerate her feels like another blow.”

  “Ian can be over here in a day and a half. Or I can be the one to talk to her,” Theo offered. “If you feel like she wouldn’t take it well from you, we can find someone she won’t mind talking to. Ariel would do it. She would have to call since she’s got a baby now.”

  “We do not need to bring a baby into this.” He didn’t like to think about babies. Or kids. Even though he was surrounded by them. It wasn’t that he desperately wanted them. It was that he’d kind of always thought Kim would drag him into the whole family thing. He’d heard it was something a guy got used to. “But I understand that this place might be dangerous for her now. I worry she’ll blame me for that.”

  He stared at the front of the shop and watched a man in a dark trench coat enter. He had a hat on his head and didn’t look like the normal tourists who walked in and out of the shops along the street. He touched his earpiece. “Rob, did you catch the guy in the trench coat?”

  Rob was watching the CCTVs coming from the marina toward the shop.

  “I don’t have anyone like that. I’ve got a ton of people in shorts,” Rob replied. “Sounds like your guy actually watched the weather report.”

  A light drizzle had started, and the wind was beginning to pick up. He should have checked the weather. The few days they’d been here had been sunny and calm. He’d wondered if his sun-loving wife was sitting at the top of her tower soaking it all up. He liked to think about her wearing a bikini, drinking a fruity drink, and reading some romance novel. He liked to think she’d been enjoying as much of her life as she could.

  There was a buzzing sound and Theo walked off to answer his cell.

  “Yeah, Ian, I’m with him. Go on,” Theo said.

  He didn’t like Trench Coat. Even the locals tended to wear light colors given the climate. Someone in all black stood out here. He brought up the cameras around the shop and tried to catch a glimpse of the guy’s face.

  The man kept his head down. All he gave to the camera was the top of his covered head.

  Damn it. He did not like that. “Rob, I want you to call Owen and tell him to be on standby.”

  “Shit. You think someone’s going for her?” Rob asked, but then he could hear Rob contact their base in the background.

  “I want to be ready if we need to extract her.”

  “Tucker’s on his way,” Rob relayed. “I’ll keep an eye on the fort and anyone coming this way.”

  “I want you to look at any single men or men in groups. You know what to look for.” Agency guys. If they were smart they would send in women, but Levi didn’t work with a lot of women. He didn’t have a single one on his team with the exception of admins.

  “Will do,” Rob replied. “Tucker’s approximately two minutes away. Are you confirming we’re going to make contact?”

  “No.” He might be completely paranoid. “I want to monitor the situation. I’ve got eyes on both ways out of the building.” There was a small CCTV camera on the back entrance. He moved to pull it up.

  The screen was dark.

  “Hey,” Theo said, “Ian’s got some intel that puts Levi Green leaving Germany on time, but the plane didn’t return to the States.”

  Beck got to his feet. “He’s here. He came for her. We need to move in and extract her now. Contact Owen.”

  Theo frowned. “Uhm, there’s not a lot of places for a chopper to land here.”

  He wasn’t thinking. “We don’t need to land. That chopper is fully equipped for a rescue, and we’ve got a good, solid high place to extract from. We get her to the top of the fort and go from there. But I don’t know how many men Levi has with him.”

  “I don’t think the local government is working with the Agency.” Theo checked his SIG. “I’ll call the cops and get them out here. If they show, we know they haven’t been given instructions to let Levi take her.”

  “The top of that fort belongs to the Order. The residence she’s been staying in is its own tiny principality.” It wasn’t exactly free from Malta’s government, but he would use any loops he could get through. Levi wouldn’t be able to storm that particular castle easily. “I’ll try to get her to Rob and get away by boat but if we can’t, the fort is our last extraction point. Do you see another way?”

  Theo huffed. “No. Let’s hope we’re about to scare the fuck out of her and all this is for nothing.”

  It wouldn’t be. He was going to have to completely upend her life because even if that wasn’t Levi in her store right now, he would be there soon. He was coming for Kim. “You take the back. I’ll go in the front.”

  He picked up his own gun and slid it into the holster at the small of his back, covering it with his T-shirt. He had to hope they could make it to the wharf without gunfire. He was counting on the fact that Levi didn’t want a scene either. Otherwise he would have brought the police with him.

  He was still trying to do this under the radar. He didn’t want anyone to know he had her. Beck could use that to his advantage. Levi would come in with a smaller team than usual.

  Theo followed him down the stairs. He got to the ground level in time to see Anna jogging down the street toward where her car was parked.

  Good. Now they needed to hope Levi was in there alone.

  Theo motioned to the back of the building and then made his way around to the alley that would lead to the rear entrance.

  “I’m here.” Tucker ran up the narrow, cobblestone street and leaned over, taking a deep breath. “Sorry. I don’t run as much anymore. Rob’s right. I’m soft.”

  He was glad to have Tucker around. He might not be the fastest runner, but if anyone got hurt, he wouldn’t want anyone except Tucker to put his men back together.

  Except Ezra.

  He shook off the thought of his brother. It was only the week that was making him think of the br
other he’d lost. That and the fact that he was surrounded by men who’d treated him like a brother. He prayed if any of these men ever got in trouble, they could come to him because he would not let them down.

  “Theo’s taking the back,” he said quietly as they approached the front door of the small shop. The glass door was propped open and a man and a woman stepped out holding hands and talking about where they could get coffee. They ran down the street as the rain started in earnest. “I don’t know how many we’re dealing with.”

  “Unless someone else came in after that couple left, it’s the worker, a couple, two young women, Trench Coat, who might be the evil overlord of our lives, and one other man.”

  Tucker was also incredibly observant. Beck touched the device in his ear. “Anna left while you were on your way. There goes the couple and the two women. So it’s two men. Theo, do you copy?”

  “I do.” Theo’s voice was steady over the line. “There’s a van parked here, and I’ve taken out the driver. It’s obvious to me they intended to smuggle her out the back. I believe this was a three-man job. I’ll see you inside.”

  He trusted Theo’s instincts. His gut knotted but he needed to go cold. Kim didn’t need him to run in screaming her name.

  And there was a reason they called her Solo. She was a deadly operative in her own right. Kim wouldn’t panic. She would go to that place where there was nothing but the fight.

  The rain had started to come down pretty hard and he moved under the awning.

  There was no one in the front of the store. A laptop lay next to the cash register, but there was no gorgeous blonde standing there.

  He stepped inside and pulled his gun, Tucker moving in beside him.

  He gestured for Tucker to take the left and he would take the right.

  As silently as he could, he started to move across the floor. It was a nightmare, a freaking labyrinth of bookshelves. He couldn’t get a clean line of sight to save his life, but at least he was certain Theo would be making his way from the back.

  “Hello, Solo. Long time no see.”

  He stopped at the sound of those words. Levi. He would know that fucking voice anywhere. Where was she? He could barely hear Levi talking, and the sound seemed to bounce around off the shelves.

  He waited for the sound of Kim laughing and spitting some serious bile. She didn’t get afraid. She might save them all the trouble and kill the fucker right here. Then he would help her clean up the body and beg her to let him stay with her. He could help run a bookshop.

  “Please.” Her voice was barely above a whisper. “Please don’t do this, Levi. If you ever cared about me for even a second, you won’t do this.”

  What the hell? Had she gotten caught without a gun? He moved along the shelf, trying to catch sight of her.

  “You weren’t joking,” came Levi’s reply. He sounded a bit shocked. “I’ll have to punish you for that.”

  The shelf beside him shook slightly.

  “How did you find me?” It shook again and he realized she was backing up, her hand on the shelf for support.

  Why the hell wasn’t she fighting? Did Levi have a gun on her already? Had he caught her unaware, and she needed to play innocent to try to get him off his game?

  He heard a pinging sound, and then Tucker was cursing loudly and he proved his gun didn’t have a silencer.

  “Fuck. I should have known that little shit would hold out on me,” Levi said. “Who’s out there?”

  He heard the sound of a fist meeting flesh.

  “Solo, don’t make me hurt you,” Levi growled.

  Beck ran down the narrow aisle, praying he hadn’t gotten Tucker killed.

  “I was wrong,” Theo said in his ear. “Apparently the driver wasn’t the only one. I’m pinned down in the alley. I’ve got at least three on me. All well armed and trained.”

  Now he was the one cursing.

  “I’m on it,” Tucker replied. “I took down the one on me. Beck?”

  “Go.” He couldn’t let Theo Taggart die again.

  “I’m on my way in,” Robert said. “And your extraction is five minutes out. You need to be there, Beck.”

  Because the chopper couldn’t simply hover over the giant fort. He rounded the corner and slammed into another body. Blonde hair went everywhere, and she was slapping at him.

  “Kim? Kim, it’s me,” he whispered urgently.

  Her eyes were wild, panic clear when she should be calm. He’d never seen her lose her cool during a dangerous encounter. What had the last seven years done to her?

  “Hello, Beck. I should have known you would show up earlier than planned.” Levi had a gun on him, or rather on her since she was in front of him.

  “I’m not alone. Kim, get behind me.” He took her by the elbow and moved her so if there was a bullet coming, it would hit him first. He had to give her a chance. “Run if I go down.”

  But she was already running. He could feel the wood floor move as she pounded against it in her haste to get away.

  Levi had a huge grin on his face. “Looks like she doesn’t want to see you any more than she does me.”

  Beck wasn’t about to have a conversation with the fucker. He fired and Levi’s shoulder flew back. He turned and ran because he wasn’t sure how many more men Levi had. Kim could be running into a crowd of them for all she knew. She wasn’t thinking.

  He felt something ping by his right arm. Levi. He’d likely been wearing a vest. It’s what Beck would have done had he known he was going into a freaking firefight. He should have expected it. What he really hadn’t expected was that Kim would turn and flee.

  She couldn’t believe he was working with Levi. Did she think he was here to turn her over?

  Rain pounded on him as he made it to the street. Which way had she gone?

  Robert raced up to him, his clothes soaked. “My comm’s out. Was that Kim I saw?”

  He heard the sound of screeching tires and then Robert was hauling him out of the way as a black van nearly ran them down.

  He hit the cobblestone road hard, his body banging against it in a way that made every bone ache. The van screeched to a halt, fishtailing slightly.

  “Move,” a voice shouted. “Get to the fort. That’s where she’ll run.”

  Levi got into the van and it started to take off. Beck got to his feet and aimed, shooting for the tires. He heard a squeal as he made contact, but the van managed to make the turn.

  Theo and Tucker came out of the store.

  It was a clusterfuck, but at least he hadn’t gotten anyone killed.

  Rob pointed back to the wharf. “She went that way. Did she not see you?”

  Oh, she’d seen him and she’d still run. She’d left him to deal with Levi. She hadn’t even stayed to back him up.

  They were going to have a long fucking talk when he finally chased her down.

  He took off because Levi wasn’t going to give up and the van—even down a tire—could still go faster than they could. Luckily they would have to turn around to get to the fort, and there were no vehicles allowed past the entrance to the marina. The waterfront was pedestrian only. He had a shot to get there before Levi did.

  He ran, the wind whipping against him. Tucker and Rob took a place on either side, and Theo took their six. Up ahead, he could see Kim running past the point where Levi could get her easily in the van. They would have to drag her down. He sprinted toward her, gaining ground he shouldn’t have been able to. Kim had always been fast, but it looked like she hadn’t kept up her training.

  Why had she run? The question was there even as he gained ground on her. He heard the van slam into the parking lot behind them.

  But he heard another sound. Sirens. Theo had called the police, and that meant Levi would either have to show his hand or slink away.

  Or he could try to talk them into handing over the American who didn’t have real papers.

  He couldn’t stop. He kept running, even as he made the turn that would take him to the f
ort. It was a steep grade to run up, but he simply kept following her. He couldn’t let her get away because if he did, he might never see her again.

  His lungs ached as he kept up the pace. He ignored the glances of the tourists trying to make their way down to the ground. He lost sight of her as she made another turn and then he was at the top. The battlement.

  “To your left,” Theo shouted over the rain.

  Kim was moving onto a narrow path that led up to a gate.

  He managed to catch her as the gate came open.

  Her eyes went wide as he pulled her back.

  “He’s still coming,” he shouted to her.

  She tried to pull away from. “Let me go, Beck. I’ll be safe inside. They can’t come inside.”

  She thought Levi would let her hide away?

  The gate ahead of them had come open, and an elderly man in shorts and a Hawaiian shirt stood there, his eyes narrowed and what was left of his hair plastered to his forehead. “Kimberly?”

  “Stay back, uncle.” She turned to Beck. “Please let me go.”

  He hated that she was begging him the way she’d begged Levi. He wasn’t the bad guy here. He tugged her under the cover of the trees that lined the path to the private part of the fort. “He’s on his way. He’s not going to let you go.”

  “I’ll be safe inside.”

  Theo stepped in. “He’s talking to the cops. I think he’s trying to make a case for them arresting her and letting the government sort things out.”

  She shook her head. “No. They can’t come in here. Past that gate isn’t their jurisdiction.”

  “We’re not completely sovereign,” her uncle yelled over the storm. “It might take some time, but they will get in. I can stall them, but I have no way to get you all out of here.”

  Maybe he was dealing with the wrong person. He turned to her uncle, certain the rest of his crew wouldn’t let Kim get away. “I do. I have a chopper coming. I can get her out and we’ll be off the island by tonight. I have a jet waiting.”

  He shook his head. “No jet. They’ll go to the airport first. Tell me where you’re heading and I’ll send a boat to pick you up and take you to Sicily. From there you can fly. I’m not without my own resources. Kim, it’s time.”