Rules of Revenge

by AJ Quinn

  A moment later, she watched with fear and uncertainty as all activity ceased and the medic felt Darien’s throat. Jessie waited through the longest heartbeat of her life and closed her eyes to the words she feared would follow. But then she heard, “I’ve got a pulse. It’s slow, but it’s there.”

  Her eyes flew open, but it still took several seconds for the words to hit home. “She’s not—?”

  Before anyone could say anything, Darien made a sound. A painful, choking, strangled sound as water spilled from her mouth. Ben and the medic turned her onto her side, and Jessie heard her harsh intake of air. One breath. Then another. Still coughing up water, she struggled to pull air into her lungs before finally drawing a ragged breath.

  Watching the rise and fall of Darien’s chest with each new breath, Jessie slumped against her mother, grateful for the support. She wasn’t certain what the medic was doing as he continued to work on Darien. But she knew he was finished when he wrapped the thermal blanket tightly around Darien and sat back on his heels.

  “I’m not certain whether it’s the hypothermia or that head wound keeping her unconscious,” he said. “Why don’t you try talking to her?”

  Jessie didn’t need to be told twice.

  “Darien? Dare, open your eyes and look at me. Please.” She heard the fracture in her own voice, but she didn’t care. She continued speaking, asking Darien to come back to her. Pleading with her not to leave. “Damn it, Dare, you promised.”

  Just when she thought it was never going to happen, Darien’s eyelids finally began to flutter, and then her eyes opened. Dazed and unfocused. But Jessie knew she had never seen a more beautiful sight in her life.

  *

  Darien stirred and immediately knew three things. Pain was slicing through her head with every beat of her heart. Breathing required a herculean effort. And she felt trapped, held down and nearly smothered by something covering her.

  She was also sure she’d heard a voice. Whispering to her. Calling out her name again and again.

  Am I dreaming?

  No, she was fairly certain her eyes were open. She could make out shapes, colors. She was also certain the sound she could hear was a helicopter rotor beating the air. I’m dreaming that I’m awake and lying in the back of a helicopter.

  Her stomach rolled in a queasy swell as she tried to gather her disjointed thoughts. Images shifted and changed. She teased Ben about his father wanting grandchildren while Jessie beat him at chess yet again. Her mother threw her head back in laughter before reaching out to ruffle her hair. Darien wanted to ask her to stay, but before she could say anything, her mother began to fade and then dissolved completely.

  But she could still hear voices. She tried to hold on, tried to focus on what they were saying. But she was so cold and the light around her was growing dim again as darkness seeped in from all sides.

  “Darien.”

  She heard it again, and even though it still seemed to be coming from a great distance, it was clearer this time. She could feel the touch of a gentle hand. As she tried to focus, her field of vision cleared and she saw a face. A familiar face. A beautiful face.

  “Welcome back,” Jessie said.

  She swallowed and tried to speak. “Told you I’d be back.” Her voice was a hoarse whisper. “And see, nothing that a stitch or two won’t fix.”

  Jessie groaned. “I think this might qualify as more than a stitch or two, but thank you for coming back.”

  “I promised.” Darien saw tears fill Jessie’s eyes. She wanted to reach out and touch her but found herself unable to move, bound by a blanked wrapped tightly around her. “Jesslyn.”

  “Hold still,” Jessie murmured. “What is it?”

  “I always keep my promises.”

  *

  With a trembling hand, Jessie pushed Darien’s hair aside and traced the contours of her face. Swallowed back a nameless rage as she smoothed her fingertips over the livid bruises on Darien’s temple, her cheekbone, her lips, then brushed the lines of blood from countless tiny cuts on her face and neck.

  The pain in Darien’s eyes was so clear it stole her breath, and for a moment, Jessie wanted to come up with some creative way to make Nadia Petrov pay. But then she remembered the yacht exploding and realized the woman was likely already dead. In the next instant, Petrov no longer existed for her as Jessie bent down and pressed her forehead to Darien’s.

  Darien released a shuddering groan. “I knew you’d come. I knew you’d find me.”

  “How could I not?” There was so much she wanted to say, so much she needed to say. But Jessie remembered where they were—in a search and rescue helicopter surrounded by crew members. Not to mention her mother and Ben, who were quietly observing her from only inches away.

  Ben drew closer and gently squeezed Darien’s shoulder. “Well done, Dare.”

  “Ben’s right,” Grace added. “We wouldn’t have succeeded but for your courage. You saved a lot of lives today. People who will never know what you did and what you risked, but who will owe you their lives nonetheless.”

  “Does that mean it’s over?”

  Grace shrugged. “Maybe not completely, but we’re well on our way to finishing things. Petrov’s body was pulled from the water a short time ago. The threat to the G8 has been neutralized. And we have teams on the ground dismantling what remains of the Guild. This time there will be nothing left for anyone to rebuild. You have my word.”

  Darien remained silent for a long moment before looking up at Jessie once again. Her face was still much too pale, her eyes were shadowed, and there was an unreadable expression on her face.

  “What is it, Dare?” Jessie asked.

  “No more,” she whispered. “I don’t want to do this anymore, Jesslyn.”

  “Then we won’t, love.”

  “Good. I just want to go home. I just want to be. Remember? Can we do that?”

  Jessie considered the question and wondered what she meant by home. Did she mean Paris? She wasn’t sure, and quite frankly, as far as she was concerned, it could be anywhere. All she knew for certain was that when Petrov’s yacht had been destroyed, with it went the last connection to Darien’s past.

  As for the future, it stretched out before them like a blank slate. All that mattered was they were being given a chance to create it together.

  Epilogue

  The afternoon sun was just beginning its descent in a brilliant blue sky, its light shimmering on the water, as Jessie walked past a forest of white masts swaying gently at their moorings. Stepping onto the wooden dock, she maintained a precarious hold on the bags containing her purchases, grateful for the near-constant trade wind which kept temperatures more than comfortable.

  Less than a minute later, she arrived home—new as of three weeks earlier. The Arianna. She was a sleek forty-five foot sailboat with gleaming oak decks and an ocean-going keel. By the time Darien was finished having her retrofitted, she also had a 200-gallon freshwater capacity and boasted a state-of-the-art communication and navigation system.

  As she drew near, she heard her name called out. “Jessie, hey, you’re back earlier than I thought.” And then Zoey appeared, leaning over the railing, grinning widely. “I’m guessing you got everything you went looking for, because from the look of those bags you’re carrying, I’d say you bought out all the local grocery stores. I’m also guessing Dare is in for a feast when she gets back later today.”

  “And then some,” Jessie responded with a laugh, knowing each of them, for their own reasons, was looking forward to Darien’s return from Paris. For Zoey, Darien would always be her lifeline. Her mentor. Her friend. As for Jessie herself, Darien was simply her everything.

  She watched Zoey easily traverse the gap between the boat and the pier and gladly let her take a couple of the bags she was holding. She then took a moment to simply enjoy seeing the evolution of Zoey, brought about by nearly a month in a tropical paradise.

  Her short blond hair was now bleached nearly white thro
ugh a combination of sun and saltwater, and her skin, instead of goth pale, had a sun-kissed glow. But the biggest change was the ever-present smile on her face.

  They went down to the galley together and quickly unloaded the fresh produce she’d bought, along with several pounds of fresh prawns, bottles of wine, and the best bottle of champagne she’d been able to find. Zoey whistled as she took in the spread, stayed and helped clean the prawns, then waved and headed topside.

  Jessie found a large pot, filled it with water, and set it to boil. She knew she was a long way from being the kind of cook Darien was, but she was equally determined to surprise her with a special meal for her first night back.

  Damn, but she’d missed Darien.

  She’d stayed in Nevis only long enough to finalize purchasing and outfitting the boat, then had flown to Washington to meet with Grace and Ben. Something to do with bringing closure to the Guild. Three days into her trip, however, she’d called to say she needed to fly to Paris to deal with some unfinished business.

  The term had worried Jessie, partly because Darien was still physically recovering from what had happened to her a month earlier. But mostly because, other than some sporadic e-mails, she’d been strangely silent.

  She had to trust that Darien would reach out to her if she needed assistance of any kind. So Jessie forced herself not to contact Ben and ask him to check up on her.

  That had been the status quo until yesterday. That was when Darien sent an e-mail saying she had wrapped things up and would be coming back today. She could arrive at any time now, and Jessie could barely contain her anticipation.

  Absorbed with her thoughts and dinner preparations, she was caught off guard when she suddenly felt the heat of a body press against her. An instant later, Darien wrapped her arms around Jessie’s waist and whispered, “So, did you miss me?”

  Jessie laughed, spun in Darien’s arms, and briefly found her mouth. “Why would I miss you? Were you gone somewhere?”

  “So that’s the way it is?” Darien smiled. “No problem, I think I missed you enough for both of us.”

  Jessie managed one breathless laugh before Darien’s mouth was back for more, sending her thoughts scattering in a thousand different directions and igniting a sexual heat.

  On some level, she was aware Darien turned off the stove and guided her toward the master stateroom. And it took very little effort to have her stretched out naked on the bed. But then Darien simply stood there. Simply looking.

  “Dare? Is something wrong?”

  “No.” She flashed a grin. “Just trying to decide where to start.”

  Jessie’s laugh was one of relief as she watched Darien quickly undress and join her on the bed. And then they were kissing. Laughing. Touching. Tasting. Creating a sensual world where only their two entwined bodies existed. Thrilling in the rush of the climb and shattering as they fell into blissful satisfaction.

  *

  Much later, Darien put the shrimp to boil while Jessie opened a bottle of wine and poured some for both of them. She was aware Jessie was watching her every move but didn’t say anything. Simply waited her out.

  “You look tired,” Jessie finally said. “I promised myself I wouldn’t ask, but will you at least tell me—is everything all right?”

  “Everything’s perfect. Much as I tried to explain, Ben and Grace needed my help to follow the Guild’s money trail. I’m sorry it took a little longer than I planned, but as of yesterday all of their accounts are permanently closed.”

  “And as of today, some well-deserving organizations are the recipients of the Guild’s bounty?”

  Darien nodded. “Yes, something like that.”

  Instead of laughing, Jessie put the wine bottle down. And then she was in Darien’s arms. For several minutes, she shivered, as if releasing emotions that had been stifled for much too long. Darien understood. Gradually, Jessie’s shaking subsided, until finally, she looked up at Darien and smiled wanly. “Thanks. I’m okay now,” she murmured. “Is it all truly finished?”

  “Completely and totally. Shutting down the money connections was my last official act. As of this morning, I am officially retired. Can you handle that?”

  “Does that mean you won’t be doing this again?”

  “Doing what?”

  “Getting shot again. Or getting hurt again. Or scaring me like that again.”

  “I’ve no intention of doing anything you don’t agree with.”

  “Good answer.” Jessie pressed her lips against Darien’s and whispered, “You know I love you, don’t you. So damn much.”

  Darien closed her eyes and felt a profound sense of coming home. “I love you too. And thank you for saving my life.”

  “You’ve already thanked me.” Jessie frowned. “Don’t you remember? At the hospital?”

  “Yes, but that’s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about you saving me when you came into my life and loved me, even though you knew exactly who and what I was. And you know what they say, don’t you? When you save a life, that life belongs to you.”

  “Jesus, Darien. When you say things like that…” She shuddered and brought her lips to Darien’s once again.

  “I just have one question,” Darien murmured a minute or two later.

  “What’s that?”

  “What took you so long?”

  A flush spread across Jessie’s face. “If my mother hadn’t left you with Ben, I would have fallen for you fifteen years ago.” She paused, then started to laugh. “You know, she actually believed she was protecting me.”

  “She was wrong.”

  Jessie nodded. “Yes, she was, but it no longer matters, does it? Because I’m here now. We’re both here now—together.”

  Darien smiled. “That’s all that really matters.”

  About the Author

  A transplant from Cuba to Toronto, AJ Quinn successfully juggles the demands of a busy consulting practice with those of her first true love—storytelling—finding time to write mostly late at night or in the wee hours of the morning. She’s the author of two previously released romantic thrillers: Hostage Moon, a Lambda Literary Award finalist, and Show of Force. An avid cyclist, scuba diver, and photographer, AJ finds travel is the best medicine for recharging body, spirit, and imagination. She can be reached at aj@ajquinn.com.

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