Her Lost Lover

by Jade James

  Her Lost Lover

  By Jade James

  www.cobblestone-press.com

  Prologue Three Years Earlier

  Devin Cruz entered the shadowy bar wanting to get drunk, wishing the alcohol would dim the pain that clawed at his heart.

  Disbelief was what he felt, along with an endless hopelessness that their love couldn’t survive the problems in their marriage.

  He ordered a glass of bourbon from the bartender before he walked to a table in the corner, choosing the shadows as cover and remaining obscure.

  The bar was packed with people wanting to unwind after a long day, but all he wanted to do was drink away his problems. He clenched his hand around the glass.

  How could she leave him? Did their vows mean so little to her? He hadn’t expected to be welcomed home with open arms after their last argument, but he sure as hell had expected her to at least be there.

  He collapsed onto a wooden chair. With a flick of his wrist, he drank the liquid. It raced down his throat with a hot burn, dulling his senses. The slight numbness seeped through him as he tilted his head back, guzzling down another shot.

  Where did they go wrong in their marriage? Devin knew he wasn’t blameless, but he damn sure wasn’t going to take all of the blame. Somewhere down the line, they had both decided their careers were more important than the love they had for each other.

  It hurt like hell to know his beautiful Miranda had walked out instead of trying to work out their differences. The love they had for each other should have been enough influence for her to try and resolve the problem. But it wasn’t.

  He could easily find her. Nothing was beyond his resources. It wouldn’t be a hard thing at all to discover where she went, but the question was did she want to be found? Shit! She shouldn’t have left him in the first place. They could have worked anything out.

  Devin signaled to the waitress, ordering two more glasses of bourbon. The petite blonde brought the alcohol, placing the glasses in front of him and practically shoving her breasts against his face in the process. Her perfume almost brought him out of his haze. He slid his chair back, distancing himself from her, breathing fresh air in as he gave her a scathing glance. She got the hint, threw him a dirty look, and sauntered off to the next table.

  He drank the liquid, his heart thudding heavy with pain. He had a violent urge to pound someone’s face in. But why take out his problem on others?

  As much as it hurt, maybe the separation was what they needed—a little space and a span of time might be just the thing to heal them both.

  Somewhere along the way their priorities got mixed up. Devin knew it wasn’t a question of whether she loved him or he loved her. The sexual attraction along with the bond they shared spoke for itself. He had never felt with anyone what he’d felt with Miranda.

  It had been love at first sight for him. The Latina goddess had walked into his life one night and, for a long while, they were inseparable. It was a love he thought he would never feel, and Devin was shocked when the instantaneous emotion assaulted him. But it still wasn’t enough; a part of him had needed something more.

  At first, neither of them noticed the change, the alteration wedging them apart. In hindsight, he could tell it had all started six months ago. His decision to go back to doing something he loved had been the breaking point. Her hours at work had been the catalyst. They’d drifted apart while trying to save the world in different ways. But neither one of them saw fit to find a way to save their marriage.

  Devin clenched his teeth against the urge to scream out his pain like a wounded beast, trying to echo its devastation. He’d give her the space and time she needed, but he wouldn’t stay away forever.

  * * * * *

  The impulsive decision would have dire consequences, Miranda thought as she felt her heart break with each beat. She eyed her new home in distaste, a two bedroom furnished apartment in the center of the city.

  She closed her eyes against the pain in her chest as she took a deep breath to calm her nerves. It was almost too much to bear, the hurt like a wound, raw and open. The love they shared hadn’t been enough to hold them together. They were both leading separate lives, so Miranda only did what she thought was best. But with each breath, she felt the bitter taste of regret in her mouth, and the need to rush back to him.

  She loved Devin with all of her heart. That had never been in question. She would always love him until the day she died, but could the love they shared withstand this?

  Sacrifices needed to be made, and Miranda just made the biggest one. She was on the verge of a scientific breakthrough, a potential cure that would save perhaps billions of lives, and it had cost her everything she held dear.

  A huge burden had been placed on her shoulders, and Miranda couldn’t say no. It was as simple as that. Saying no would cost the lives of too many, and she was on the very edge of something that could catapult the United States into a healthy future.

  Her breath hitched as the pain rushed through her, forcing the tears to spill from her eyes. She missed him already. It had been two weeks since she had packed up her things and left their home without a word or a note. She had to fight back the urge to run to him and beg for forgiveness.

  Miranda had thought that he would have searched for her, or even called her at work. But nothing. It was silly how much it hurt that he hadn’t looked for her, when she was the one that left.

  Once this was over, she was going to take the decision out of his hands, and go after him. Their marriage wasn’t over, even though the separation was destined to hurt them in so many ways. Her heart would always belong to him. And, when all was said and done, Miranda was going to make sure he knew it.

  Chapter One

  Present Day

  Miranda unlocked her door, a peculiar sensation making her halt before she entered her car. She turned and looked around the garage, trying to find the source of her uneasiness. The garage was well lit. Only a few cars were still parked, typical for a Saturday evening, but something was off. The hair on her nape rose in silent warning. It almost seemed as if she were being watched.

  She scanned the area one more time. Nothing but cars and a garage attendant in the office. Miranda shrugged the feeling off and slipped in behind the wheel.

  Perhaps she’d put too many hours on this project. But she wasn’t going to regret that now, not when she was finally done.

  After cranking the car, Miranda shifted into reverse, pulled out of the parking garage, and headed home.

  The nights were the worse. It was then, she would allow herself to really think about what had happened in the past three years, and it was the only time she would lay down on a cold bed and cry. The silence helped in momentarily unloading her burden, in easing the pressure of her emotions.

  She didn’t regret saving the lives of millions, but what she did regret was how she had to go about it. She would go after him and try to make things right for the both of them. It was time she put her fears to rest and get on with her future. She had her dreams and because they included Devin, once the distribution codes were in the right hands, she would try and repair her marriage.

  Her biggest fear, however, was whether she’d waited to long. Would he let her come back after three years?

  Miranda steered onto the road, the rain making navigation a bit difficult. Orange cones stood in the mud, warning her of a closed lane ahead. She steered to the only available lane. The rain was pouring in heavy, quick drops from the cloudy skies. Her windshield wipers didn’t help her see anything clearer. She narrowed her eyes, focusing on her driving.

  A pair of bright headlights from behind forced her to cast a quick glance at her rearview mirror. A large, dark SUV was approaching a little too fast for comfort. She tapped her br
eaks, hoping the driver would get the idea and give her some space.

  She saw the SUV speed up even more, closing to within mere inches of her back bumper. In that instant, Miranda knew the driver wasn’t going to stop. She tried to swerve her car to the right, an impossible fete when the lane was so narrow. She screamed as the car rammed her at high speed, the jolt knocking the steering wheel from her grip. Her car skidded out of control, broke through a leafy shrub, and then crashed into a ditch. Her body shot forward with the force of the impact, and her head slammed against the steering wheel.

  The image of Devin passed through her mind, and Miranda wished, for a blissful second, that she had the opportunity to make amends with her husband.

  She opened her eyes, trying hard to assess the damage. Thank god the car didn’t flip on its side. Her foot still pressed hard on the gas, and the tires were still spinning, spraying dirt onto the car and into the air. She lifted her foot off the pedal, and winced. The simultaneous pain in her foot and head forcing her to shut her eyes.

  Someone yanked her car door opened. Wind and rain hit her like a whiplash. With a moan, she turned her head slightly, opened her eyes, and fought against the need to pass out.

  A black cloaked figure watched her. She couldn’t drop her gaze as she sat staring in horror at the ski-mask that shielded his face from her view. She could only make out two black eyes and a thin-lipped mouth, through the openings. But then, her focus dropped from his mouth the moment he raised a gun, which he aimed at her head.

  Terror made her limbs immoveable as she stared down the barrel, wondering if this was how her life would end.

  “Dr. Miranda Cruz...” Hearing him say her name left her cold and ensured her that she was the target. “What are the distribution codes?”

  Numb, she shook her head and cringed as renewed pain swept through her head at the sudden movement. Her foot throbbed, but even without the injury she’d never outrun a bullet.

  Then another male voice, concerned and distant, called out. “Everyone all right? You need an ambulance?” A Good Samaritan...a passing motorist, just stopping to help.

  She wanted to scream a warning... Would he kill them all?

  Then, the man’s gun disappeared inside his clothes.

  “A warning, Dr. Cruz. You best listen. Stop the distribution of the vaccine or die.”

  * * * * *

  “I need you on a particular mission.”

  “I’m all ears,” Devin replied, interlacing his fingers while he eyed his boss, Lincoln Cross.

  “I need you to take the next plane to New York. An assassination attempt has been made on the leading researcher of the biggest distributor of influenza vaccines. This has not leaked out to the press, yet. The CEO of the company, John Yates, has hired us to protect this person, who also happens to be the Vice President of their Research Department...at least until we find out who is behind the attack. You were requested because of your knowledge and acquaintance with this particular person.”

  Devin clenched his hands into tight fists. A low burn of despair rankled his stomach as his body tensed at the news. His heart raced, the blood rushing through his veins in anger. There was only one person he knew personally who worked as a vice president for a company that size. His estranged wife, Miranda.

  “You already know that Sterling Corp. is the largest distributor of influenza vaccines in the world. Your wife was on her way home last night when someone rammed her car from behind, sending it into a ditch—”

  “God damn it!” Devin jumped to his feet, irritated that he was still hundreds of miles away from her. He felt helpless, an emotion that washed through him, only one other time in his life.

  “Devin, she’s fine. She’s alive and at the hospital now. Doctors say she’s going to be okay, but she suffered minor injuries, including a slight concussion and a sprained ankle. We’ve sent Mark there to watch her until you arrive. Miranda and John have both agreed not to go to the police with this. They know the importance of something like this being kept private. Mark has taken her statement. He faxed it to me this morning,” Lincoln said as he handed the file to Devin. “In there you’ll find everything you need, including airline tickets and background reports on the executive staff at the company. We suspect it’s someone who knows her pretty closely.”

  Devin’s gut tightened as he asked, “What makes you say that?”

  “Before Miranda passed out, she remembered a car door slamming and heavy footsteps. Devin, the guy held a gun to her head and gave her a warning. If she doesn’t stop the distribution of the vaccines, they’ll kill her. I cannot emphasize how important an assignment like this is. She holds a key for a better future. I need you there as soon as possible. Mark will be helping you.”

  “I’ll leave right now,” Devin replied as he walked to the door.

  “Devin?”

  Devin slowed down and turned as he struggled with the need to run out the door to see his wife, to hold her in his arms, and swear to her he would never let her go. “Yes?”

  “You are not to leave her side. I’m getting orders from the World Health Organization on this. It’s imperative we get this vaccine out so a pandemic won’t occur.”

  “Don’t worry, Lincoln. She won’t have a chance to leave me this time.”

  * * * * *

  JFK airport was a mess as usual, with heavy lines and crowds. Devin made his way to the luggage pick-up area, squeezing his body through the throng of people. He had gotten used to living in Miami, the gorgeous sun glaring down, the beautiful sandy beaches with calming waves. With a job like his, Devin cherished the time when he could go down at night and just stare at the water under the starlit sky.

  Devin knew his job was a dangerous one. Not too many people chose to live their lives in danger on a daily basis. It was probably one of the reasons why Miranda had left him. He suspected she had always wanted that peaceful secure life, including the home with a white picket fence. He couldn’t blame her. She deserved the best and, as much as he wanted to give her that, he couldn’t. Somewhere along the way, their marriage had taken a back seat to their careers.

  Devin thought he could change her views with time. The first year of marriage was great, laughter and love filling their hearts. Retired from the special forces, Devin had enough time on his hands and enough money to concentrate on their marriage. He didn’t need to worry about an income, which freed up much of his time to devote to his wife. So he took care of Miranda, making sure she never wanted for anything.

  Both in their late thirties, they had fallen for each other at first sight and were married within four months. After so many years of being alone, Miranda had made him feel alive again, made his heart pound with joy. He loved her deeply, the emotion as foreign to him as it was exhilarating. Devin felt humbled and shocked that someone so beautiful, so innocent inside, could return that love to him—a man used to seeing death and war surround him.

  Their whirlwind dream marriage had lasted eleven months, before he got antsy and felt closed in. Miranda had a tendency to work long hours for Sterling Corp. Devin knew she was motivated to make the company a huge success, so he hadn’t said anything.

  Besides that, Miranda had confided in him of a breakthrough vaccine that could help all but eliminate the influenza season. There were times he wouldn’t see her for days, but Devin always reasoned that she was making a difference.

  However, it became too much. He wasn’t the only one feeling the effects of their separation. When he did see her, she would be exhausted. She’d drag herself in at eleven, sometimes midnight, take a quick shower, and head straight to bed.

  His cock would lay stiff, hard as a pole, aching for her. And still he would reason, she needed her rest. Devin ached with need every time she was near him, but he knew how tired she was and never had the heart to wake her up.

  But there was only so much a person could do alone without feeling as if the walls were closing in. Perhaps it was his fault in letting it go this far. He was th
e type of a man who had to keep busy, loving the adrenaline rush his type of work gave him.

  Devin had been contacted by an elusive company called the Spectra Group with a very generous offer as a field agent. Intrigued, he researched the company from top to bottom and was pleased with the work they did.

  His mind made up, Devin had presented Miranda with the offer.

  “I got a call today from Lincoln Cross.”

  “Who’s he?”

  “He’s the director of the Spectra Group. They deal with special field work, ranging from computer intelligence to foreign assignments. They offered me a great compensation package, Miranda, to go and work for them. They are based in Miami, and I will be required to do some traveling at times.”

  Her eyes misted, but the tear clung to her lashes. She swallowed hard as her hands clenched into fists.