Toxic Vengeance

by Kaylea Cross

  “She still walks like she’s drunk,” Briar laughed, hovering over her daughter to catch her if she fell.

  The transformation in her friend was incredible, and beautiful. Briar had been one of the hardest and most lethal snipers the Program had ever turned out. While she would always be deadly, motherhood had softened her entire personality. Briar lived for her daughter and, after a rocky start that had shaken her, now adored being a mom.

  That was why Briar was taking Rosie away for a while. Valkyries were used to taking a stand and fighting to the end. But with the current security situation facing them all, ensuring Rosie’s safety was as important as completing their mission.

  Trinity caught Rosie and lifted her into the air for a big hug, making smacking kissing noises against the toddler’s neck. “You did it, clever girl.” It was four in the morning UK time, she was jetlagged as hell, but it was all worth it when those little arms closed around her neck and Rosie chortled in her ear.

  A sharp pain stabbed through her chest, so intense and unexpected her lungs seized for an instant. She forced a deep breath, locked the grief in the vault inside her, and focused on the sweet baby in her arms.

  “You gotta be wiped,” Briar said. “Want something to eat quick before I go? Matt made a lasagna I pulled from the freezer last night. I can warm you up a piece.”

  Trinity grinned at her. “You still can’t cook?”

  “Please. I barely have time to shower with this little one underfoot, and you expect me to cook?” She snorted. “And she’s being sweet right now, but Rosie hasn’t eaten her snack yet, so we’d better feed her before she realizes she’s starving. Then we can get going.”

  Trinity carried Rosie to her high chair and set her in it. The suitcases were ready to go by the back door, awaiting departure for the airport. After Eden’s handler and Penny had been murdered, it was no longer safe for Briar and Rosie to stay here when it was so easy for enemies to find them.

  Trinity and Rycroft had told Briar and Matt what was going on, and as a precaution their friends had decided it was best for Briar to take Rosie to San Diego and stay with Matt’s parents in an undisclosed location until the threat level reduced.

  “But I can cut up fruit and stuff,” Briar said as she walked into the kitchen, then aimed a smile over her shoulder at Trinity. “Still good with a blade.”

  “Yeah? Not rusty? And how’s your shooting?”

  “Meh, I haven’t been to the range lately. Too busy, and the guys have been out of town a lot recently, so Matt hasn’t had much free time anyway. When we do get free time together these days, we nap.”

  That made Trinity laugh. “Oh, my, what a difference a year makes.”

  “Tell me about it.” She smiled at Rosie. “Good thing I love you, little stinker.”

  Another bittersweet pang hit Trinity. She was happy for Briar, and her friend knew how lucky she was to have Rosie.

  But it underlined the stark reality that Trinity would never have a baby of her own.

  She rubbed her thumb over her diamond engagement ring, thinking of Brody. Even now she sometimes still couldn’t believe he was hers. He’d been more than patient with her. They’d been engaged for two years and she just kept putting off setting a date for the wedding.

  It was wearing thin on him, she could tell, slowly eroding the foundation of their relationship, and their conflicting work and travel schedules kept them apart for long stretches of time. They were slowly drifting apart and she was afraid the distance was only going to grow, because she couldn’t give up on this mission, couldn’t give up on the others when they needed her.

  With her back to Trinity, Briar pulled items from the fridge and started cutting them while Trinity amused Rosie with a game of peek-a-boo. “So, what’s the latest from headquarters?”

  “We’ve brought on two new members.”

  “Including Eden?”

  “Yes, and Zack’s an intel specialist. I don’t know the details, but they’ve got a history together neither of them are forthcoming about.”

  “Ooh, juicy. Sorry I’m gonna miss out on all the fun when you guys go hunting.”

  Before Rosie, Briar would have been the first one to volunteer to be on their team, doing anything and everything to get the job done, up to and including giving her life. Now everything had changed. “We’ll miss you. But we’d all rather know you and Rosie are safe.” All the others understood.

  A brisk knock came at the back door.

  “I’ll check it,” Trinity said, hand on the weapon in the holster at the small of her back. Not that she expected to find an assassin on the other side of the door. Killers didn’t usually knock first.

  Her heart flipped when she found her fiancé standing on the doorstep. She unlocked the door and whipped it open to throw her arms around him. “What are you doing here?” she breathed. He was supposed to still be on the flight back to Quantico.

  His warm chuckle fanned her temple, the strength of his embrace making her eyes sting. “Wanted to surprise you.”

  “Boss gave him the rest of the day off,” a familiar voice said from the direction of the driveway.

  She peered over Brody’s shoulder to smile at Matt DeLuca, Briar’s husband, wearing his cherished Chargers cap and carrying a duffel. “Did he?”

  “Yeah. He’s the best boss in the history of bosses.” He raised his eyebrows at Brody. “Right?”

  “He’s a prince among men,” Brody answered, grinning down at her.

  Trinity took his face in her hands and kissed him, her heart about to explode. It had been weeks since they’d last seen each other, their contact limited to texts and brief calls. “God, I’ve missed you.”

  “Missed you too.”

  They all went inside together. Rosie stopped eating her snack and broke into a huge smile when she saw her father walk in.

  “Rosie cheeks,” he called, feigning openmouthed astonishment as he went to her, arms wide.

  “Dada!” Rosie cried, bouncing up and down in her seat, little fists opening and closing.

  He pulled her out of her high chair and covered her face with noisy kisses, earning an endearing belly chuckle. “How’s my sweetheart, huh? Ready for your first plane ride?”

  “God, I hope she’s a good flier,” Briar said. “Can you help me get her diaper bag together?”

  “Sure.” Matt turned to Brody. “Take her for a minute.”

  Rather than balk or look uncomfortable, Brody took Rosie from him and settled her against his broad chest in the crook of one muscular arm. “Hey, lady. You’ve grown again since I last saw you.” Rosie reached up to pat at his short beard with her tiny hands, and Brody smiled down at her with such warmth…

  It hurt so much Trinity had to leave the room.

  She ducked into the powder room to collect herself, fighting back the sadness and…grief clawing at her. When she came back out a minute later with a smile on, Briar and Matt were gathering up everything by the back door.

  They said their goodbyes, then Briar tugged her aside, her dark eyes serious. “Keep me updated about what’s going on. Whatever happens, if you need me, just call. I’ll be on the next flight out with my gear.”

  That Briar would even contemplate leaving Rosie behind and put herself in danger to back Trinity and the team up, was everything. “Thank you.” She hugged Briar goodbye, hiding a smile at the momentary stiffness in her friend before Briar returned the embrace. Briar had come a long way since meeting Matt.

  Brody grabbed his bags and climbed into the front passenger seat of Trinity’s SUV as she got behind the wheel.

  “Sucks that Briar has to take Rosie away,” he said. “Matt’s so attached, I’ve never seen him so happy.”

  “Same with Briar. After those first few weeks she just blossomed. She’s an incredible mother.”

  “Yeah, she is.” She glanced over at him, her belly flipping. He never failed to take her breath away. “Tired?”

  “Yeah. But not too tired.” Grasping h
er hand, he raised it to his lips for a kiss, a grin tugging at his sexy mouth.

  She laughed softly. “You’re never too tired.”

  “Nope. Not when I’ve got the sexiest woman on earth beside me.”

  Trinity smiled, but his words had her all up in her head. Brody was the most family-oriented man she’d ever met. She was an orphan with no relatives. Meeting and falling in love with him, being welcomed into the Colebrook clan, had been hard for her. Was still hard.

  No matter how often he told her he loved her, no matter that he’d put a ring on her finger, she couldn’t shake the thought that she just didn’t fit into his family. He wanted to make it official and marry her, but she wasn’t convinced he would truly be happy if they did.

  She was…damaged, and no amount of time or love would change that. That’s why she’d held off on naming a date. While they were just engaged, there was still a chance for him to back out if he wanted to, without all the legal mess necessary after marriage.

  She’d never considered herself a coward, but in all honesty, part of her was basically waiting for the day he woke up and realized he’d be better off without her.

  “How long you in town for this time?” he asked as she drove away from Matt and Briar’s place.

  “Not sure. We’re following a promising lead right now. If we get a location, we’ll be going after our target.”

  “Who’s the target?”

  “Former Deputy Director of the CIA.”

  Brody gaped at her. “Jesus Christ, Trin.”

  “I know. But even if he’s not directly involved, he knows something. We need to find out what.”

  “And the others?”

  “Everyone but Kiyomi and Marcus are here, along with our two newest members.”

  He was silent a long moment, watching her. “You staying tonight?”

  She wanted to. She desperately wanted to, given how strained things had become between them lately. “Wish I could, but no. I’ve only got a few hours.”

  He didn’t say anything else on the way home, but she could feel the silent tension rolling off him, and her own stomach tightened in response. This mission couldn’t have come at a worse time for them, but she couldn’t stay.

  Knowing she’d disappointed him yet again, she braced herself for cool indifference once they reached the house, but the moment he locked the door behind them, Brody grabbed her and pinned her up against the wall. Relief and desire hit her all at once. She wound her arms around his neck, staring up into his beautiful brown eyes.

  His mouth came down on hers, and it was like a lit match touching accelerant. Heat exploded between them, punching through her whole body. She lost herself in the moment, in him. His taste, his scent, the feel of that long, lean and powerfully built body straining against hers.

  They tore at each other’s clothes, dropping them in a messy trail on the hardwood floor as he wrapped one arm around her hips and carried her to their room, kissing her with a desperate passion she shared. Her back hit the duvet and he came down on top of her, his urgency making the need sharper, deeper.

  He used his intimate knowledge of her body to his advantage, doing all the things that shot her arousal to red-line level. She was on the verge of exploding when he entered her with a single hard thrust. He was relentless, restricting her movements with his weight while hitting all her sweet spots in a bid to push her up.

  Then he held her there, his eyes full of molten heat as he pinned her beneath him. “Say you need me.” His voice was raspy, full of need.

  “Need you,” she gasped out, quivering.

  He gave her what she needed. She flew over the edge, soaring, her cries ringing off the ceiling. All she could do was cling while he surged in and out of her, low, throaty groans of pleasure tearing from his throat before he shuddered and moaned aloud, his whole body cording.

  Slowly they came back to earth together. Trinity cradled him to her, sliding her fingers through his hair, tracing the muscles in his back and shoulders.

  After a minute he withdrew, rolled to the side and pulled her into his arms, tucking her face into the curve of his neck. “I love you,” he murmured, sounding half-asleep.

  “Love you too,” she whispered back, her throat tightening. She did love him. More than anything. But this mission wasn’t something she could walk away from. She had to do this, had to see it through. And thankfully Brody loved her enough to never stand in her way.

  He fell asleep within minutes, but she couldn’t. Gently extricating herself from his embrace, she used the washroom and then went into their walk-in closet to pack a new bag.

  Catching sight of her naked reflection in the full-length mirror hanging on the wall, she stopped to study her reflection.

  She was no longer the firm-bodied femme fatale the Program had created so many years ago. The operative who had seduced and killed dozens of targets. That life was over now, yet she would always bear the scars.

  Her gaze dipped down to the curve of her belly, lower, to the hysterectomy scar just above her pubic bone. A constant reminder of what had been taken from her. A reminder of a cold, sterile room and a stainless steel table beneath her. Restraints around her wrists and ankles. And blindingly white lights overhead.

  At the time she’d believed them. That it was for the best. She’d given her consent, not understanding how much it would matter to her now.

  They’d taken so much from her. She wouldn’t let them take anything else—not from her, and not from the others.

  Looking down at her left hand, she touched her thumb to her ring one last time. This mission to go after those behind the Program put her relationship with Brody in jeopardy, but she couldn’t walk away now. For better or worse, she had to see this through, no matter the cost.

  She slipped the ring off and set it in her special jewelry box on the shelf.

  “I knew I should have gotten you a size smaller. That way it would be harder for you to take it off,” he said in a wry voice from behind her.

  She focused on Brody in the mirror, leaning a thick shoulder against the doorway. He’d given up on pushing her directly about getting married, switching to the occasional pointed remark tempered with humor. “You know I can’t wear it on—”

  “I know.” He crossed to her, no hint of anger in his tone or expression, but she knew it disappointed him that she wouldn’t set a date, and her taking her ring off was a reminder of that. Wrapping his thick arms around her middle, he set his bristly chin on her shoulder and met her gaze in the mirror. “You okay?”

  He somehow knew that seeing Rosie today had been hard for her. “Yeah, fine.” He’d told her over and over that it didn’t matter if they couldn’t have a baby together. That he’d be totally fine adopting one day if that’s what they both wanted. But that wasn’t the point.

  “When this is all over, you’ll go away with me for a while? Just the two of us.”

  God, he was so wonderful, putting up with her. “I’d love that.”

  “Good.”

  Silence stretched between them, and it made her uneasy. “You know why I have to do this, right?” It was important for her to know that he understood.

  He ran a hand over her hair, kissed the side of her jaw. “Yeah, I know. Just be careful. You’re the only fiancée I’ve got.”

  She gave him a smile, her heart twisting at the unspoken yearning in his eyes. For just a moment she let herself imagine standing in a wedding gown, Brody before her in a tux while a small gathering of his family and their close friends looked on.

  She would be proud to become the wife of such an incredible man. But not yet.

  Before she could make that final commitment to him, she had faceless enemies to eliminate…and personal demons to conquer.

  Chapter Thirteen

  The most frustrating part of conducting an op was the waiting.

  Glenn walked through the back exit of the condo building and headed for the staircase, reining himself in. He hated waiting. Always had, eve
n back when he’d been a Paramilitary Operations Officer with the Agency.

  Killing Trinity Durant was a risky enough venture, but trying to target her when her HRT sniper boyfriend was there too? Suicide.

  Much as it annoyed him, he’d just have to wait for an easier opportunity. He’d planted an undetectable tracker on her vehicle. He’d follow her progress via his phone, then do some recon at different times to find out when she was at her most vulnerable. When that chance came, he’d strike.

  The hallway was deserted save for one cleaning person entering another room with her cart and vacuum cleaner when he walked past. This place was expensive and exclusive, affording him total privacy. He’d checked in under an alias as a precaution. No one knew he was here, or why.

  He paused at the door to his room to ensure it hadn’t been tampered with in the short time he’d been gone. The little slip of paper he’d wedged between the top of the door and the jamb was still in place.

  Stepping inside, he glanced around. The side table lamp was on as he’d left it, and the bathroom door was still a few inches open. He locked the door and removed his concealed holster from the small of his back, a wave of relief and fatigue hitting him.

  He’d served his country for his entire adult life. The Valkyrie Program had been his proudest contribution to the security of it. He was a patriot, full stop. Oftentimes that meant operating in shades of gray as far as legalities went. When he’d helped the fledgling Valkyrie Program come into existence, he’d seen the beauty of it. Female assassins could go places men couldn’t. Were often overlooked until it was too late. The whole thing had been a stunning success.

  Glenn had never thought of the women as his “creations” the way the Architect did, but he was proud of what they’d accomplished together. Having to kill the operatives he’d helped produce was a last resort, yet a necessary one.

  He tossed his jacket on the back of the chair and began unbuttoning his shirt as he headed to the bathroom for a shower. Stepping inside, he flipped on the light switch.

  He barely caught the flash of movement out the corner of his eye, then an elbow slammed into the side of his head an instant before he could block it. Pain exploded through his skull. He grunted as lights exploded before his eyes, raised an arm to deflect the next blow and spun to face his attacker.