by Lexi Blake
“She’s the only reason we found Tasha in the first place.” Tag stood up and he had his hands on his hips as he loomed over his kids. “She’s our friend, which I would have explained to Tasha if any one of you had done the right thing and told me what was going on.”
“She’s our sister,” Kala shot back. “We have to protect her.”
“And you have to know when to turn her in to protect everyone,” Tag said, his jaw tight. “The man who has been catfishing your sister is the man who killed her father. He might not have pulled the trigger, but he primed it and let it go off. Now he’s going to kill your sister because he won’t leave her behind to tell the truth.”
Kenzie started crying and even Kala looked shaken.
“Ian!” Charlotte strode into the room.
Ian took a long breath. “I’m sorry. But this is a dangerous situation and honestly, they’ve been acting like they’re ready to take on adult decisions, so they should damn well understand what could potentially be the outcome.”
“Someone’s going to kill Tasha?” Travis looked to his mom as tears started to stream down his face.
Charlotte wrapped her arms around her youngest child and sent Ian a death stare.
Seth stood beside his brother. “Dad will take care of it. I knew we should have talked to him.”
“Tasha’s been talking to Levi Green?” His gut clenched.
“She wanted to know more about her dad in the beginning,” Kenzie said through her tears. “It started about a year ago. She met him online playing this game we all play.”
“She didn’t want you to know because she thought you would be mad she was trying to find out about him—her dad.” Even Kala looked shaken now. She stared up at her dad. “She thought you would think she didn’t love you. We just wanted to protect our family.”
“Where would she take Kim?” There was no question in his mind that Kim was out there with Tasha, and that Levi had set it all up.
Was he already too late?
Kala finally started talking and Beck got ready. He was going to finish this. No matter what it took.
* * * *
Kim looked out over the water and had to admit, the kid had a point. It was a spectacular view. “It’s lovely.”
“It’s my favorite place out here. I like being in the boat, but the pier is my favorite.” Tasha’s long dark hair was up in a ponytail and she was dressed in cutoffs and a T-shirt, sneakers on her feet. “It’s usually peaceful here. Dad and Uncle Sean bought three lots so we would have some distance from the other houses. I love my family, but there’s not a lot of quiet. Kala’s quiet, but that’s usually a bad sign.”
She’d been surprised when Tasha had asked if she would help her grab some stuff from her dad’s boat. She’d explained that she wanted to take some of the younger kids fishing, and the equipment was still on the boat from the last time they’d gone out.
But it also gave her a chance to talk to the girl. She’d been awfully nice to Roman, but there was still a chill coming off her.
“I was hoping we could talk, Tasha.” They were standing within the shade of the trees. It was a bit of a hike to the lake from the house, but it was worth it for the view.
Tasha turned her way and her mouth firmed. “Yes, I think we should. I want to know why you hated my dad so much.”
She hadn’t expected that. “I don’t hate your dad. He’s sarcastic, but I actually think he’s pretty funny. I owe Ian a lot. Why would you think I hate your father?”
“I’m talking about Oleg Federov.”
Kim went still. “I didn’t hate him either. I didn’t know him very well. I only met him a couple of times. Who told you I hated him?”
“A friend of mine.”
“A friend from school? How long have you known this person?” She glanced around because she was starting to get the feeling that this was a setup.
This was starting to feel like something Levi would do.
But he was in custody. He wouldn’t survive long if Big Tag found out he’d catfished his daughter. It explained why Tasha had a problem with her. If Levi had been feeding Tasha a line of crap about how Kim had hurt her father, of course Tasha would hate her.
The teen’s shoulders straightened, and Kim wondered if Tasha knew where she’d gotten that stubborn stance. That stance was pure Ian Taggart going into general mode. “His name is Lev. He’s Russian. He’s the son of a man who used to work with my dad. He reached out to me online last year.”
Well, at least Levi remembered their training. Try to pick a name that’s easy to answer to when going undercover. “Sweetie, I know this is going to be hard for you to believe, but the kid you think you’re talking to is actually a CIA operative. His name is Levi Green.”
She shook her head. “No. He’s a kid. I’ve seen a picture of him, and I’ve talked to him on the phone. He speaks Russian. He’s not American.”
“He’s good at his job. He can fake a lot, and he does speak Russian. He speaks Russian and Mandarin. Most of the top operatives speak a couple of different languages.” This would also explain how Levi seemed to know the things he did. Tasha had been working at McKay-Taggart during the early weeks of summer. She was an observant kid, and she likely would have known something was going on with Beck. “Did he ask you to tell him if they found me?”
Tasha frowned. “He showed me documentation that you handed over Oleg Federov to Dr. Hope McDonald. He got it from his dad.”
“I never met Hope McDonald,” Kim said, trying to keep her tone calm. “But Levi Green once faked evidence that I did. I would never have turned anyone over to that monster. I’m so sorry he’s made you think I would. Let’s go talk to your dad—to Ian.”
She shook her head. “Ian is my dad. That’s why I didn’t take this to him. I don’t talk about my bio parents because I don’t want my dad to think I don’t love him. He would feel betrayed if he knew.”
“He’ll understand.” Tag would understand that Levi was a monster who used a little girl’s insecurity against her. She also couldn’t see Ian keeping knowledge about Oleg Federov away from Tasha. “If there’s one thing I know it’s that your dad loves you. So does your mom. Did you ever ask Beck or Rob about the man they knew as Sasha?”
Her dark eyes had gone watery. “I told you. I didn’t want my parents to think I didn’t love them.”
Sympathy welled for the baby standing in front of her. She’d been through so much, and all she wanted were some answers. “Wanting to know your roots doesn’t mean you don’t love them. The drugs that McDonald gave to your dad, they took his memory.”
“I know that.”
“Yes, but did you know that sometimes a memory would be so precious that it still got through? Like your Uncle Theo would remember your Aunt Erin.”
“Yes,” Tasha replied. “I read that. He would get punished for remembering.”
Oh, she was going to have a talk with Tag about locking his files down. She shouldn’t have to process that as a child. But Kim could give her one bit of peace. “Yes. Sasha only ever remembered one thing.”
Tears made Tasha’s eyes shine, and she looked so young and vulnerable. “What was that? Did he remember my mom?”
“You. He remembered holding you right after you were born.” Ariel had told her the story that she’d gotten from Rob. “He couldn’t remember anything else, but he remembered he loved you. Tasha, let’s go talk to Beck and the others. They would love to tell you about him. When I was looking for you, I learned a lot about your mom. I can tell you what I know about her. She fought to find your dad. She loved you. She was trying to bring you all back together. Charlotte and Ian Taggart would never keep that information from you. Ever. You are their daughter. It doesn’t matter that you had two other parents who loved you. They will share you because they know love isn’t something finite. There’s more than enough to go around.”
If she let it. If she let herself, she could love Beck and Roman and any other kids they were blessed with. If she let
herself, she had a real shot at the family she’d always dreamed of. She just had to be brave enough to take the risk. The risk was that she would get hurt again. Oh, but the reward would be everything.
She’d told Beck she would give them a shot the night before and she’d meant it, but she also acknowledged that she’d meant to hold a piece of herself back, to keep a part of her soul that he could never touch again.
She didn’t owe Beck forgiveness, but she did owe it to herself.
Sasha had held on to that one memory of a daughter he would never meet again. Theo had endured torture to keep a single vision of the woman he’d loved. Rob and Tucker had remembered their mother, the feeling of brotherhood that brought them close even when they hadn’t been able to recall the other’s name. Owen had spent years talking to relatives, having them tell stories of the family erased from his mind. And Jax had forged ahead.
She and Beck could remember every moment, and they’d been the ones stuck because they’d held on to the bitter times. She’d been angry at that dumb girl who’d wanted nothing more than to be Beck’s wife.
But that girl had been brave. She’d been rejected time and time again and still opened herself to the possibility of love.
“Be brave, Tasha,” Kim said. Tasha was crying freely now, and Kim felt her own tears. “Let’s go talk to your mom and dad. Let’s sit down and figure this out. They won’t be angry. They’ll protect you.”
Tasha sniffled. “I’m confused.”
Kim nodded. “I know you are. It’s okay. You don’t have to believe me. You only have to know that your parents love you and want to protect you. The man you’re talking to is very dangerous. But it’s okay because right now he’s in jail and he can’t hurt us.”
Tasha’s eyes widened. “See. You’re wrong about him. He’s not in jail. His dad is coming here in a couple of hours. I’m supposed to bring you down here so he can arrest you and take you back to Russia.” She went a bit pale. “I’m sorry. I thought I was being like Dad. Me and Kenzie and Kala, we just wanted to be like our mom and dad and show them we could take care of a situation like they do.”
They were babies trying to play spy games, and Levi should die horribly for taking advantage of them. But first they needed to get to safety because something had gone wrong. Maybe Levi had someone on the outside working for him.
Or someone on the inside and he’d gotten away.
Either way she needed to get herself and Tasha to safety. “Come on. We need to go back to the main house.”
Tasha nodded and then her eyes widened in pure terror.
“Too late for that, Solo. You should have known I would do anything to win.”
She turned and Levi moved from behind a tree, a gun in his hand.
Chapter Nineteen
Kim’s heart threatened to stop, and she knew she had mere seconds to avoid a tragedy. She hadn’t spent months trying to find this kid all those years ago only to watch Levi Green kill her today.
She stepped in front of Tasha. “Stay behind me.”
“But I told him where you were.” Tasha’s voice shook as she whispered the words.
“It doesn’t matter. Stay behind me. If I tell you to run, go for the house and I’ll try to keep him off you.” Kim never took her eyes off Levi.
“Ah, there’s my Solo.” He looked worse for the wear. He was dressed down, in all black, wearing a hoodie despite the heat. He likely had more weapons than that gun on his person. “You look good. Seven years hasn’t aged you at all, sweetheart. You’re a sight for sore eyes.”
“What are you doing here?” She knew but she had a game to play, one that was hampered by the fact that she couldn’t let Levi kill anyone else. She didn’t even know where all the kids were. What would happen if they ran up?
“You remember when I told you about my wedding?”
“Yes. Is it this weekend or something? I thought you would be getting ready.” She had to stay calm. Levi was between them and the trail to the house, though she had to hope Tasha knew these woods. She’d been coming up here with her family for years.
“Well, turns out my lovely bride has changed her mind. I bet I know who helped her.” Levi had a dark gleam in his eyes. “You know, baby, if you’d told me you objected, I would have left her in a heartbeat. It was always you.”
“What are you talking about?” She hated this man. It was a churning fire in her gut, but spitting bile wouldn’t solve the problem. She had to keep him calm until someone came looking for them.
His eyes rolled. “Like you don’t know. I bet Beck threw a party when he found out. My question is who found her? Reva, that is.”
“Do you honestly think Beck tells me anything? He doesn’t trust me.” She could play off Levi’s desire to see them fractured.
“Reva was a dirty little whore hacker I hired and paid good money to. She wasn’t supposed to keep her Wayback Machine version of my crimes. I’d really like to pay her a visit,” he admitted. “I’ve been looking for her for a long time. So long it makes me wonder who knew about it. Me thinks there’s a spy in our midst.” He laughed, a slightly maniacal sound. “Spies within spies. But you should know all about that, right?”
“I’ve been out of the game for a long time,” she admitted. Was he alone? If he was alone, she might have a shot if he got much closer.
Levi shook his head. “I wasn’t talking about you. Hi, Tasha. Like father like daughter, I see. You know I got your father to betray his friends, too. They’ll all lie to you and tell you stories about Sasha, but he was willing to sell every one of them out to buy himself some safety. Like you sold out the Taggarts. You’ll never be one of them now.”
“Don’t talk to her that way.” He was a monster. How had he ever tricked her into believing he was a human being? She’d genuinely cared about him once, and now all she could see was the selfish sadist he was.
A real sadist. She’d thought of Beck that way, but it wasn’t true. Levi enjoyed ripping people apart, but Beck had been hurt and angry and he hadn’t known how to deal with it.
Seven years. He’d spent seven years in therapy to make himself a better man, to have a chance to solve their problems because somewhere along the way he’d grown up.
God, would she ever see Beck again?
He would take care of Roman. They all would. This weird family had stuck together over the years through all kinds of hardship. They’d seen each other through it all, and they would take care of her son.
They would take care of her husband.
“Why not?” Levi shrugged a shoulder. That was when she realized there were two men coming up to flank her. They were dressed like Levi and both held guns. One had a pair of handcuffs peeking out of his pocket.
Only one pair.
She had to work him if she was going to get Tasha out of this alive. “Because she’s a kid. Give her a break. You’ve been working her over for how long now?”
“Eighteen months. Ever since I realized I was going to have to change plans and marry that cypher I found. She was dumb as dirt but well connected, and her father owed me. I had to make sure Beck didn’t know where you were. I had to make sure there wasn’t any way we could still be together. And as for Tasha, we were all kids once.” Levi moved in. “It’s better to understand the world is shit now and that Mommy and Daddy only love you while you’re perfect. Tasha gets that. She knows the world is shit and she can’t trust anyone now.”
“My dad is going to kill you,” Tasha said with a quavering breath.
Levi sneered her way. “Your dad is dead. Taggart isn’t your father. All you are to Ian Taggart is an obligation. He took you in because he fucked up and got your real dad killed. He was a prick, too. The stories I could tell you about Sasha, the traitor.”
She took a deep breath. It made her sick, but she had to do it. She had to convince him she wanted to go with him. “Levi, let Tasha go and I’ll be a good girl.”
He studied her for a moment, his eyes going up and down her b
ody. “I don’t think you have a weapon on you. You’re out of practice.”
“I haven’t run an op in years, but I know when to quit, and you were right about Beck. He’s never going to care about me.” She glanced over to the two men edging closer and closer and really wished a little of the old Solo had come back. He was right. She wasn’t carrying a weapon. “He hasn’t forgiven me. All he cares about is his son.”
A brow cocked over Levi’s eyes. “I’m supposed to believe you don’t care about your son.”
She prayed Roman never had to know what she was about to say. “He’s a good kid, but do you honestly think I’m cut out to be a mommy? Do you have any idea how boring the last seven years have been?”
They hadn’t. She’d needed them to prove to her what she wanted. A quiet life filled with love and family and people who did the right thing because the world was good for them. Because they worked hard to make it good. People who didn’t hide behind patriotism to fuel the greed of a few. There were good people working in intelligence, but she couldn’t do it anymore because they always had to fight the faction the Levis of the world aligned themselves with.
“I don’t know if I believe you.” But there was a hesitation in his tone. He wanted to believe her. His sick mind wanted to believe he would get everything he desired.
“Let Tasha go and I’ll prove it to you.” She used her husky voice, the one she dragged out when she needed to pretend she wanted some dumbass so he would give her information.
Yeah, she hated that part, too.
“So I’m supposed to believe that you want me now.”
“I want out, Levi. Beck has it in his head that I should be his housewife. I’m supposed to take some desk job at McKay-Taggart and hand over everything to him. So if getting out of that means going with you, then I’ll give it a try. He’s holding Ezra over my head.”
“Yes, that wasn’t well done of you.” Levi nodded. “Boys, take the kid out.”
“No!”
She tried to shield Tasha but the man on the left was a good shot. He managed to avoid Kim altogether. He struck Tasha in the right thigh.
