by Lexi Blake
“We shouldn’t be talking to him at all.” Why the hell had Ian let the fucker in?
“I can tell Ian we’ve got technical problems,” Jax offered. “But he seemed to think this was important.”
Then he wanted to get this over with. “You bounced the signal around?”
Jax rolled his eyes. “I’m not so out of practice that I would forget to do that. We’re secure.”
“Can you record it?” Kim asked. “I’d like to replay it. He’s got some tells, if I remember correctly.”
“It’s already recording.” Jax pressed a key on the laptop. “And we’re live.”
He glanced over at Kim, who was watching the back of the laptop like it was a snake that might bite her. She nodded, giving him the okay.
He took a deep breath and moved to the couch, sinking down and looking at the screen. “All right, Tag. You want to tell me why you haven’t murdered him and buried his body?”
Levi was sitting in the conference room. Annoyingly enough, he was in the seat Beck usually chose. Ian sat beside him, looking like he could chew someone up and spit them out. But it was the addition of Mitchell Bradford that made Beck curious. Mitch was Big Tag’s lawyer.
“You’re asking me why I’m sitting my ass here at fucking three in the morning? That’s what you’re asking?” Tag growled out.
Levi ignored Tag and leaned forward. “Where’s Solo? Don’t try to lie to me, Ezra.”
Tag looked Levi’s way. “Catch up, asshole. He goes by his real name now. The Agency fucked him up, but I fixed him. Call him Beck or Mr. Kent or anything but Ezra. I don’t want to hear that name out of your mouth.”
So Levi still didn’t know Ezra was alive. Excellent. Tag was telling him to stay away from that name. “How about you tell me why I’m talking to you? As for Kim, she’s not here. She’s someplace safe, and she’s going to stay there.”
“If she’d given me a second of her time, I could have told her the good news,” Levi said with a frown. “You wouldn’t have been forced to play out that horrible scene. Where exactly did you get that chopper? It was unexpected, and honestly, I think you’re compensating for something.”
“Good news?” He would ignore all the insults and get to the important part of what Levi was saying. This was all some kind of a trick.
Ian stared at the camera, his expression completely serious. “He’s brought a presidential pardon with him. Solo can’t be prosecuted for anything she did during her time with the Agency. She’s a completely free woman.”
And just like that Levi had pulled the rug out from under him.
* * * *
She was free? She didn’t even think about what Beck had asked her to do. She moved in front of the camera. “What kind of game is this?”
Beck cursed under his breath while a deeply satisfied smile crossed Levi’s face.
“Hello, Solo. I knew you were there. Beck wouldn’t let you out of his sight. I’ll be honest, I’ve wondered for years if he actually knew where you were. After what happened yesterday, I suspect the answer is no,” Levi said. “And as for what kind of game I’m playing, I’m not playing anymore at all. The pardon is real. Your frozen accounts have been released, and while the Agency feels it would be best if you parted ways, they will not give you a bad recommendation if you choose to go back to work.”
No. This was some kind of a trick. He wouldn’t let her go so easily. She hadn’t spent seven years of her life in hiding so Levi could simply free her.
“Solo, why do you think I got Mitch up at this unholy hour?” Tag asked. “I wanted to make sure this was on the up and up before I said a word. He’s looked at it and he believes it’s real. I got some of your old friends on the phone and they made some calls. They’ve verified this is legal.”
“What he means is he called former president Hayes, who called the current president,” Levi explained. “All because apparently no one here has any trust in government.”
Mitch held up the piece of paper. “This is real, and you cannot be prosecuted or punished in any way legally.”
“But we have to understand this fucker is likely planning something,” Tag added.
Levi frowned his way.
“Yes, he was willing to do anything to get a look at you again,” Beck said between clenched teeth. “Which was precisely why I didn’t want you to show your face. It rewards him.”
But she’d needed to see Levi to know if he was lying. “I’m sorry, but it’s my freedom we’re talking about here.”
And Roman’s. His future was on the line, and that was something she’d put off thinking about because she hadn’t had the answers. Everything changed if she wasn’t in hiding, if she could live out in the open.
“And I’m giving it to you,” Levi said, his face softening. It was his persuasive face. It made her want to punch him, but then she pretty much always did. “Solo, if you’d given me a chance earlier, I would have told you that I’m not the same man you knew. I know I’ve done some things in the past that hurt you and I’m sorry. Please allow that seven years can change a man.”
Like he could change. “I don’t need a pardon. I didn’t do any of those things you said I did.”
“I never said you did anything, sweetheart. The data did,” Levi corrected. “I was always going to get you out of this. Beck didn’t give me the chance. Beck nearly got us all killed. And he never even thanked me for not having him locked up. I could have, you know. The truth is I stopped looking for you years ago. I even rescinded the bounty I had back then. You could have been free for a very long time.”
She seriously doubted that. Every word that came out of his mouth was a lie, and he hadn’t changed at all. “You told me you were going to use McDonald’s drug on me. Did you think I would forget that?”
“Solo, I would never do that, and the fact that you’re making up some ridiculous story makes me ache inside. How would I even have McDonald’s drug?” He managed to sound truly wounded. “I know you probably told Beck that because he hates me and you needed him on your side. But it hurts. We were friends once.”
“You fucking liar.” She wanted to go through the screen and strangle him.
Beck put a hand on her leg. “Kim, the walls are thin.”
Roman could probably hear her. She took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down, her attention still on that screen. “I know what you said to me that day.”
“I said a lot of things,” Levi admitted. “You know how interrogations work. I needed to get to the heart of what happened. I’ll be honest—I was shocked and angry at what I saw on those reports. I felt betrayed, and if I lied to scare you, my anger was the reason. I should have calmly sat down and asked you to explain why you did it. I should have honored our friendship.”
“We never had a friendship.”
His lips pursed. “I’m sorry you think that way. As for why I’m doing this now, well, I think we both need closure. Nothing good can come out of prosecuting you. The Agency needs to move on from McDonald’s case. I need to move on from you. At one point I thought I was in love with you. I now know what real love is. I’m getting married to a lovely young woman who understands me in a way you never could. I’m going to put this whole part of my life behind me and move on. I hope you can do the same.” Levi stood up and straightened his suit. “Gentlemen, I’ve done everything I can. Solo, I hope you enjoy your new life with your son. Beck, I’m going to pretend like yesterday didn’t happen. I wish you both the best of luck.”
He stood and walked out of the camera’s range.
Ian nodded to someone off screen, and she heard the swish of a door closing. “He’s gone. I’m going to keep eyes on him until he leaves the city. You need to understand that I vetted that document. I really did make the former president of the United States call up the current one to ensure Levi isn’t pulling a fast one. You are no longer under threat of prosecution.”
She could go home? She could go back to Malta and have her bookshop and Ro
man could go back to school.
But there was zero way Levi let her go.
“So we need to figure out what we’re going to do,” Ian was saying. “Because he’s planning something. I don’t know what it is, but he’s got something up his sleeve, and we all know he could wait a long time before he springs the trap. It could be days or months or fucking years, man. I think it’s time we flat-out assassinate that fucker.”
Mitch shook his head. “Dude, not in front of the lawyer. How many times do we have to go over the fact that you can’t plan murders around me?”
“The only reason I didn’t do it today was his entourage of soldiers,” Ian admitted, ignoring the attorney the same way he apparently ignored legal advice.
“I’ve thought the same thing.” Beck stared at the screen. “We should take him out. I’ll take the fall if we get caught.”
“We’re not assassinating him.” At one point she’d thought about doing it herself. She’d even planned it out. Then one pregnancy test had changed everything, and she wasn’t going to lose Beck now that she’d just found him again. Found him for Roman. Roman would be hurt if his father went to jail. “I need some time to think.”
“Think on the plane,” Tag commanded in that I’m-the-boss-of-the-world way of his. “Theo should be landing soon. He’s bringing you all back to Dallas. The best thing we can do is act as normally as we can while we try to figure out what Green’s doing.”
“Normal for me is on Malta.” Though it seemed odd to think about going back. How could she resume her regular life?
“No,” Beck said. “That was where you hid.”
“It’s where I made a home.” She said the words, but she didn’t really believe them. She hadn’t made a home. She’d taken a room in a place that didn’t belong to her, that could have gotten her uncle in trouble. She could move them over the bookshop.
She didn’t want to leave Beck.
Not even one day back in his company and she didn’t want to leave him. She wanted the excuse of fear to force her to stay.
That was what Levi had done. He’d taken away her need for protection. He was forcing her to make the decision to stay or leave.
“Solo, the very least you need to do is come to Dallas for the time being,” Ian said. “The case against you is done, but I want to figure out why there was a case in the first place. If he did it, he had a reason, and we need to figure out why.”
“Or I should take the fact that he’s walked away as my cue to do the same.” What if the war was over? Not that she thought Levi was telling the truth, but he did have the power he’d always wanted. What if that was enough for him? “Maybe he has what he wants, and he knows keeping this war going could cost him. You know a man with something to lose is far easier to deal with than a desperate one.”
“Ian, we’ll be on that plane,” Beck announced. “She’ll stay with me at my place until we can figure out what we’re doing.”
“Excellent,” Ian replied. “I’ll see you here tomorrow. I’ll have one of the guys go out to your place and make sure your security system is working at full capacity. Send me a list of whatever else you need and someone will go shopping. I don’t want Solo walking around Dallas for a little while, and I definitely want someone with the kid until we figure out how to quietly off Levi.”
“Agreed. See you soon,” Beck replied, and the screen went dark. “Jax, can you pull up the replay? I want to go over everything he said again.”
“I’ll do you one better.” Jax had a remote in his hand. “I finally got the Wi-Fi working and I can throw it to the TV screen so we can all watch it. I’m going to send a copy to Eve. She’s been working on a profile of him for a long time. She might catch something we miss.”
“I don’t need to watch it again.” Something about the way Beck had simply made the decision for her rankled. “I need to figure out how to get home. I’ll go and see if Ezra can get the boat again. I don’t want to make you late getting to your plane.”
“You can’t be serious,” Beck replied.
“We’re going home?” Roman stood in the doorway, his eyes wide. “But what about the bad man?”
Beck put his hands on his hips and frowned as Ezra showed up behind Roman. “I thought you were watching him.”
Ezra winced. “He can be slippery when he wants to. Sorry. But I’m also kind of worried about the bad guy. Could I watch the tape so I know who to look for? If we’re going back to Malta, I should know who might…show up.”
She knew what Ezra had been planning on saying. Who might murder us. But what the hell was she supposed to do? She couldn’t simply allow Beck to walk in and take over. It had been one thing when she had no other options, but now she did.
“Set it up, Jax. Owen, see if you can get an ETA on Theo and the others,” Beck said, obviously taking charge. “I’m going to have a talk with Kim, and then we’ll get ready to move out. Roman, I’m not going to leave you. No matter what. Do you understand?”
Her son slowly nodded his head. “Yes. You won’t let the bad guy get us.”
“I won’t.” Beck turned her way, and she felt the weight of all his stubborn will. “Come with me. Roman, I’m going to talk to your mom and then we’ll be back. Ezra, try not to lose my son.”
Before she could say anything, she felt Beck’s hand on her arm, leading her down the hallway. He was right. They shouldn’t have this argument in front of their son.
How would she explain to Roman that yes, his dad was back, but he lived in the States and they wouldn’t see him. Unless…
“What did you mean you aren’t leaving? You can’t promise Roman things like that.” Kim turned on him as soon as they got to the small bedroom they’d spent the night before in.
He closed the door behind him, and the room seemed to get even smaller. “Why won’t you come back to Dallas?”
“Because it’s not my home.”
“No, it’s mine, and it’s the safest place for you and Roman right now. So explain to me why you’re fighting me on this.”
“You don’t know that it’s safe. You don’t know anywhere is safe. And don’t pretend like you’re the only one who can protect him. What the hell is that about?”
He pointed a finger her way. “You are out of practice. You panicked yesterday. You need me. So if I can’t get you back to Dallas, then I’ll uproot my life and move into the fort.”
That would almost be worse. He wouldn’t even have a job to go to. He would be close to her all day. He would try to take his place as Roman’s father, and she wouldn’t be able to hold back. And it would all go wrong because that’s what happened with them. Why would she put herself through that again? Why would he want to? “I don’t want you there.”
He stared at her for a moment as though assessing how to proceed. “This is not you. You are a practical, logical woman. You know that going back to Malta isn’t what’s best for you or Roman. So what are you really afraid of?”
He was right. She wasn’t being practical, but she couldn’t seem to give in to him. “I don’t want to be around you.”
“No, that’s not it either. Or maybe it is, but not because you’re afraid of me.”
Stubborn will rose inside her. “Do you honestly believe I’ve been pining after you all these years? After everything you did?”
“Baby, you lied to me about my brother’s death.” His voice had gone low, intimate. That deep baritone of his was a caress she could feel against her skin. “I’m really hoping you can take my lead and forgive me for some stupid, cruel words that I did not mean. Now tell me why you won’t come with me.”
He’d been slowly moving her back until she was against the wall with nowhere to run.
“I don’t want you.” The words came out awfully breathy, even to her own ears. And they were a lie. She already wanted him again. She might have spent the last few years tricking herself into the belief that he had no more power over her, but he’d so recently proven he could upend her whole world with
his mere presence.
His hand came up and flattened against the wall next to her head. He gazed down at her. “Who said anything about wanting me?”
Frustration welled, and it was all with herself. “I meant I don’t want you around.”
“That’s not what you said. You said you didn’t want me, and as we’re two people who created a whole other human being because we wanted each other so much, I think that’s exactly what those words meant. I also think you’re lying.”
“You always think I’m lying.”
“I’m sorry I did that to you. Although, again, you were lying about some very important things. But I know you’re lying about this. Do you know how I know? Because I pushed you away all those years for the very same reasons.”
“You pushed me away because you were an asshole, and I should have listened to you. You didn’t want me. You didn’t want us. I was wrong, Beck.”
“No. You weren’t wrong. I pushed you because if I’d let you close even once, we would have more than one kid now. What do you say, Kim? You want to give it another go? Roman might like a little brother. We’ll make sure he’s not an asshole like mine.”
The idea of having another baby with Beck…she pushed at his chest. “Yeah, that’s happening. I don’t know if you’ve noticed but we’re not exactly young anymore.”
“All I’ve noticed is how gorgeous you are.” He moved back, giving her the space she’d demanded. “Do you have any idea how much I’ve missed your face, your body? How lonely I’ve been without you?”
She hadn’t even thought about it. The day before had been so hectic, and then she’d been weary. It was the only reason she’d let him climb into bed with her. It had nothing to do with the fact that she’d felt safe for the first time in seven years. But she hadn’t asked him about the life he’d left behind when he’d come after her. “Somehow I doubt you’ve been lonely. If you’re working in Dallas, I suspect you spend your nights at Sanctum.”
