Covert Vengeance

by Kaylea Cross

  Amber didn’t blame her, but a tendril of dread wound around her stomach at the thought of having to face him so soon. “Sure.”

  If she saw him. She planned to avoid him as much as possible from now until he left, which would hopefully be soon.

  Why was he still here, anyway? He’d helped her and Kiyomi get out of Syria, so his job was done. She and the others would take it from here.

  “Are the others all downstairs?” she asked Megan.

  Her sister nodded. “They’re all eating in the breakfast room.”

  “There’s a breakfast room?”

  She grinned. “Yep. We eat other things in there too, though.” Picking up Kiyomi’s tray, she stood and looked down at the battered Valkyrie. “You’ll text if you need anything?” She nodded at the phone on the bedside table.

  “I will. Thanks.”

  “No worries.” Megan carried the tray out of the room and Amber followed her into the hall. “You hungry?”

  “I’ll just grab a piece of toast maybe, and coffee if there is any.”

  “Oh, there’s definitely coffee. I insisted on coffee when I moved in here. Marcus drinks tea. Yorkshire Gold, to be exact.” She shook her head, an amused expression on her face. “It’s growing on me, but it’ll never be able to replace coffee in my heart.”

  They started for the stairs. “You guys are really close, huh?”

  Megan lifted a shoulder. “As close as people like us can get, I think. I love him to bits, and on top of everything he’s done for me, he’s now put his neck out for all of us by hosting us here. He’s a good man. Private, hard to read until you get to know him a bit, but definitely one of the good ones.”

  “I want to hear the story about how you rescued him in Syria sometime.”

  “We rescued each other. I was near Aleppo doing some recon on a target when I heard chatter about possible friendly POWs being held nearby. They were being held by the same group I was interested in. I infiltrated the building to check it out, and there he was—the sole survivor of his SAS troop. He was in bad shape. Real bad shape, much worse than Kiyomi. I couldn’t just leave him there.”

  Megan sighed. “Suffice it to say, he didn’t want to be pulled out, he wanted to stay and kill the men who’d killed his troopers,” she said as they reached the top of the stairs. “He didn’t come quietly, but in the end he came, because I didn’t give him a choice. We got pinned down in a bad spot after that. He’s the reason we survived it.”

  “After that, I got him to friendly forces and they evacuated him,” she continued. “I checked up on him later, and he’d left his contact info for me with one of his commanding officers. We kept in touch on and off. Then when this whole thing about the Valkyrie program blew up in the media and I needed somewhere safe to go, he was the first person I thought of to call.”

  Amber was impressed. And grateful that Marcus had stepped up to help her sister. “Now I respect him even more.”

  “Good. He deserves it.”

  The carpet runner was thick and plush beneath their feet as they made their way down to the main floor. The murmur of voices and clink of silverware on plates came from the back of the house.

  Amber braced herself for the sight of Cordova, but when she entered the breakfast room and saw him sitting at the round table with the others, their eyes locked and her stupid heart skipped a beat. Maybe even two beats.

  Hell. She fought a scowl, not wanting him to know he’d gotten to her.

  “Morning,” Trinity said brightly as she spread jam on her toast. The slices were sitting in the center of the table in actual toast racks that looked like they were made of silver.

  “Morning.” Bautista and Georgia were there too, leaving the only remaining available seat beside Cordova, and after what he’d done last night, she’d rather starve than sit there.

  He raised his dark eyebrows at her, his stare knowing. “Sleep okay?”

  She refused to look away. “Fine. You?”

  “Like a baby once I finally did fall asleep.” The look in his eyes told her he’d taken care of business the same way she had. “Time change must have messed me up.”

  Not likely. And now all she could picture was what that would look like: Cordova naked on his back in bed, his fist wrapped around the thick length of his cock as he stroked himself off. His muscles bunching. Whole, gorgeous body tightening. Face awash in ecstasy as he made himself come while thinking of her.

  Heat bloomed in her belly, a current of arousal flowing through her.

  Dammit…

  She shot out a hand to grab two slices of toast, then turned her back on the table and started for the doorway.

  “Not going to join us?” he asked.

  “Nope. On my way to tour the property with Megan. Ready?” she said to her sister, who stood poised in the doorway, having just returned Kiyomi’s tray in the kitchen.

  Megan caught on immediately. “Right. Let’s go.”

  “Good.” She couldn’t wait to get outside and enjoy the fresh air, away from all the pheromones or whatever the hell was polluting the space between her and Cordova. He muddled her brain and she didn’t like it.

  Holding the second piece of toast in her teeth, she helped herself to a cup of coffee from the sideboard on the way to the door and allowed herself a single glance at Cordova’s broad back and shoulders on the way out of the room. Was he still in a lot of pain?

  Gah. She shouldn’t give a damn whether he was feeling better or not.

  After putting on her boots, she followed Megan out the back entrance. As soon as the door shut behind them, it was suddenly easier to breathe. A formal, manicured garden lay before them. Rows of tightly clipped boxwoods in geometric patterns with golden-toned gravel paths dividing them, topiaries and various flowers filling the beds.

  Tipping her head back, Amber closed her eyes and inhaled a deep breath of the sweet, pure air. A bumblebee buzzed past. “Mmmm.”

  When she opened her eyes, Megan was smiling at her. “I know. It’s amazing here. Want to check out the stable?”

  “Sure.” She was glad to be able to spend a little time together, just the two of them.

  Pea gravel crunched beneath their boots as they walked down the center path that led to an expanse of lush green lawn, and beyond that, the path to the stable. “How many horses does Marcus have?” Amber asked.

  “Eleven right now.”

  She nodded. “He a drug lord or something?”

  Megan laughed. “No, he inherited the place from a relative. Do you ride?”

  “No.”

  “Want to learn? We’ve got some really gentle mounts here. Even kids can ride them.”

  “Maybe another time. I’d rather stretch my own legs for now.” To be honest, the idea of riding a thousand-pound, unpredictable animal didn’t thrill her.

  “Sure.” Her sister gave her a sidelong look. “So, what’s up with you and Cordova?”

  Amber shot her a frown. “Nothing, why?”

  “Uh, because the way he looks at you makes me feel like I’m interrupting something?”

  She snorted. Yeah, he definitely wasn’t subtle about wanting her. Didn’t even try to hide it in front of others, even though he’d pulled the emergency brake last night, and how screwed up was she that she wanted him even more now?

  “There’s nothing going on. The sooner he leaves, the better.” He was a serious distraction she didn’t need, especially considering the situation with Stanislav.

  Megan nodded and kept walking for a few moments. “Have you… I mean, have you ever dated anyone?”

  “Dated? Not really, other than the doomed relationship I told you about. It only lasted a few months anyhow.” She looked at her sister curiously. “Did you? Before Tyler?”

  “I wouldn’t call it dating. Too risky and complicated. You know?”

  “I totally know.” They’d all been trained to avoid that kind of attachment. They were tools. Expensive ones, with extremely sharp edges. All that mattered we
re results, getting the job done, no matter how dangerous. No matter what the cost.

  That familiar, deep resentment that had formed inside her from the day her trainer had died and she’d learned the truth about what the government had done to them began to burn once more. She’d adored Barry, and still did, even though he’d lied to her too. They’d used him as much as they had her and the others.

  She drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly, focusing on the beauty around her rather than the rage in her heart. Despite all odds, her sister was beside her again.

  That was worth every single sacrifice Amber had made along the way.

  The sweet scent of hay and horses reached her as they neared the stables. Megan flipped on a light inside the open door and Amber gazed around in awe. “Wow, this place is insane.”

  It was spotless, for one, cleaner than a lot of the places she’d slept in over the years. The floors were made of some sort of rubberized tiles. Each horse had its own private stall, and there were iron chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.

  “I know. These horses live better than most people I know.” Megan crossed to the third stall where a dark brown horse had stuck its head over the door, its ears pricked forward. “This is my buddy Rollo.” She walked up and began stroking the animal’s sleek, powerful neck. “How are you this morning, pal? Sorry I didn’t get to take you for our run this morning, I had things to do. But tomorrow, okay? I promise.”

  Amber walked over and held her hand out, palm up, to let Rollo sniff at her. Then she stroked the velvety muzzle. “Where do you ride?”

  “Wherever I want. I shoot targets, mostly.”

  Amber was surprised. “It doesn’t freak him out?” She nodded at Rollo. “You firing a weapon while you’re in the saddle?”

  She smiled. “Not a firearm. Archery.”

  “Oh, badass,” Amber said with a chuckle. She could just picture Megan galloping along slinging arrows left and right.

  “It is kinda badass. You should try it. We’ll get you comfortable on a horse first, then you can add the bow and arrow after.”

  It sounds nice, but I don’t know how much longer I’ll be here. Sadness filled her at the thought. She glanced down at Megan’s left hand and the shiny ring on her finger. “So did he propose, or what?”

  Megan looked at the ring. “No, it’s a promise ring. We’re not in a rush.”

  Amber nodded. “He seems like a really good guy.”

  Under the circumstances, not everyone would have helped her escape that facility in London. She was glad her sister had found someone who had her back—because Amber knew the only reason Tyler had helped had been because she was Megan’s sister. That kind of loyalty was rare, and almost impossible to come by.

  “He is.” Her sister’s expression was so full of love it almost hurt to look at it. “I never expected any of this, or him, but he didn’t give me a choice in the matter. Wouldn’t listen to any of my warnings about getting involved with someone like me.”

  Good, although Amber worried about her. She didn’t want to see Megan get hurt after everything she’d been through. “But you’re happy?”

  Megan stilled, her hand resting on Rollo’s shoulder as she met Amber’s gaze. “Yeah. Really happy. And if you want the truth… It scares the shit out of me sometimes.”

  “Well, yeah. I mean, it’s not like we have a lot of experience with being happy, right?” They were way out of their depth when dealing with messy things like emotion and relationships. “You seem to be doing okay with it, though.”

  Megan lifted a shoulder. “I’m just taking this day by day, and being myself. I want to look farther ahead, but part of me just can’t go there, even for him.”

  “Because you’ve been trained to expect the worst and be prepared for it.”

  Megan nodded, relief filling her pretty hazel eyes. “That’s exactly it.”

  “I get it. Trust me. We all get it.” A tiny pang hit her. A tiny needle prick in a vulnerable spot she never allowed herself to acknowledge. The one that wondered what that would be like—to have that kind of bond and a chance at some level of permanency with a partner who loved and respected her.

  She might as well wish for the moon.

  Cordova sure as hell wasn’t partner material. She’d never envisioned settling down with someone anyhow. Murky as they were, her memories of her parents’ happy relationship was something she could never aspire to.

  “So maybe you can try riding tomorrow?” Megan asked, pulling her from her thoughts.

  The eagerness in her sister’s expression made it impossible to say no. “Sure, I’ll give it a shot.”

  A big smile formed on Megan’s face, and Amber was once again reminded of the little girl she’d loved so fiercely all those years ago. God, it hurt, to think about all they’d lost, all they’d missed out on together. But she couldn’t focus on that. She had to focus on here and now and be grateful they’d had this reunion.

  “I’m so glad you’re back. We’re gonna have so much fun.” Megan started to reach for Amber as if to hug her, then stopped, hesitating as they stared at each other.

  Amber grinned, dispelling the awkward lapse. “Come here, goof.” She hugged her sister, the feel of Megan’s arms wound around her back knitting a few of the broken pieces in her soul together again. Healing. They both needed it.

  They all did.

  “Am I interrupting?”

  They stepped back from each other as Tyler entered the stable. “No, I was just introducing Amber to Rollo,” Megan said. “I’m taking her riding tomorrow.”

  “Awesome.” He walked up and wrapped an arm around Megan’s shoulders. “Hate to cut this short, but Trinity’s got news. She wants us all to meet in the study in five.”

  Megan made a face. “She does that a lot, calling last minute meetings.”

  “What’s up?” Amber asked him.

  “Guess we’ll find out,” Tyler answered, pressing a kiss to the top of Megan’s head as he led her away.

  Amber hung back a bit to give them some privacy on her way to the main house. Inside, the others were already gathered in the study. Marcus was absent but Cordova was there, leaning against a bookcase near the door when she entered. Her steps faltered for a second as their gazes met, and in that instant she could see in his eyes all the hot, filthy things he wanted to do to her. Things she wanted him to do.

  She ripped her gaze from his and went to stand on the other side of the room. He’d had his shot last night and blown it. He wasn’t getting another chance to play with and humiliate her like that.

  When everyone was settled, Trinity stood in front of the desk and began. “We’ve got a loose plan to try and draw Stanislav out.” She glanced around the room, then looked meaningfully between Amber and Cordova. “Rycroft wants Jesse to post an untraceable message on the original forum he was hired on, saying he’s got Amber and wants more money. If he bites, we’ve got the go ahead to plan an op.”

  “How much money?” Cordova asked.

  “Three million.”

  Amber’s insides tightened, already knowing what was coming next, and dreading it.

  Trinity’s deep blue gaze moved from her to Cordova and back again. “So you two will have to work together to make sure he can’t find the origin of the message and trace anything back to us. Because if he does, we’re all basically sitting targets here.”

  ****

  Yury had to read the message on the forum twice to make sure he wasn’t seeing things.

  Have the target, alive. But you didn’t mention the danger factor in getting her. I want three million for my trouble, not two.

  He leaned back in his chair, the noise of busy central London traffic passing by below his hotel room window, staring at the screen in shock. “The fuck?”

  His eyes bulged at the insolent message, the muscles in his jaw aching as he clenched his teeth together.

  Cordova had balls. Balls he longed to crush for fucking with him like this. But what did he ex
pect? There was no code of honor for people like them.

  A fresh wave of rage swept through him, pulsing through his entire body. The original price he’d offered for Amber had been more than generous. Yet Cordova thought he could play with him this way?

  His answer was succinct and to the point, pride and anger swelling in a toxic, red tide in his brain. Three million would wipe out everything he had. Everything he and Zoya had built together.

  Everything Zoya had died for.

  Fuck you, he typed back.

  He hit send and slammed the lid of his laptop shut, his heart racing so fast he was practically panting. “I’m going to kill you next, asshole.”

  He shoved to his feet and paced the room like a caged tiger, clasping both hands behind his head as he forced his breathing back under control.

  This didn’t change anything. He would still get Amber. But now he wanted more.

  Cordova had succeeded where Yury had failed. That made him a serious rival. And there was only one way to deal with serious rivals.

  Wherever Cordova was, Yury would find him. Cordova wasn’t the only one with a super hacker in his possession. Yury now had one of his own, and he would use him to hunt Cordova and the bitch he was holding down. Then Yury could kill them both and get all the money back.

  His heart rate slowed, his breathing calming. He crossed the room to grab one of his burner phones and send a message to his hacker, alerting him to the email exchange so he could track where Cordova’s message had originated from. Once Yury had a starting point he could begin the hunt.

  Then he snatched his leather jacket from the back of the chair and stalked out of the hotel room, melding with the throngs of people crowding the sidewalks. Crowds of businesspeople and tourists, clueless that a lethal predator like him walked amongst them.

  He had everything he needed to get what he wanted.

  It was only a matter of time before he found Cordova, and thus Amber. When he did, he would kill them both. First her, then him. But he’d make them both beg for death before giving either of them that release.

  No one threatened him or tried to take what he had. Anyone who was stupid enough to do either, died.