True Deceptions (True Lies)

by Veronica Forand

  Perhaps all of this had gone too far. He considered contacting the South Korean authorities to raid his operation before he sent the weapons to North Korea. It might mean a few years in jail for him, but Cassie and the baby would stay safe and so would a bunch of villagers who had done nothing wrong. He tried to call her again, but she didn’t pick up her phone. Dane probably forbid her to answer it so he could control the situation. He would have done the same thing.

  A flight from Hong Kong to Seoul would only take three and a half hours, and they could charter a boat or helicopter to the island. He’d see her that afternoon.

  The waiting was difficult, so he walked through the transfer details with his team. A few members of his most elite team had flown in after finishing a deal with a terrorist cell in Syria. These men had been through this many times and would make sure everything went as planned.

  He sent them to rest in a house further in the village, leaving two men standing guard with the crates.

  The only taxi on the island dropped Dane and Cassie off at ten minutes to midnight. Far later than he expected. Perhaps Dane had more trouble with the passport than anticipated.

  Cassie, looking as though she’d walked all the way from Hong Kong, pulled her bag from the car at a slow rate. She was dressed in a tight red skirt, high red heels and blouse, and wasn’t wearing the ring he’d given to her. He jumped up to assist her.

  “Nice place you got here, buddy.” Dane slapped him on the back.

  “Fuck you.”

  “Right back at you.”

  “Cassie, follow me.” Simon led her to a bedroom in the back of the hut. “I understand your inability to understand simple directions, but I’ll try again. Stay in here until I come for you.”

  He didn’t want her here, but now that she stood before him, he needed to hold her tight. He dropped her suitcase and pulled her into his arms. At first her muscles were tense, but after a few seconds, she relaxed and let out a heavy sigh. He kissed her with as much restraint as he could muster when all he really wanted to do was throw her over his knee and spank her for insubordination—and because she had an amazing ass.

  Her body leaned into his for support. He couldn’t convince himself to release the warmth she sent through him for another minute or two. Dane could wait.

  She pulled her head back and stared at him with a strained expression. “I was wrong.”

  He held her tighter. “I wasn’t. I want you, but I don’t want you here. It’s not safe and you need to trust me, or we have nothing.”

  She nodded. “I’m sorry. When Tucker told me about the villagers, I panicked. And I didn’t know Dane would order me around so much.”

  “You spoke to Tucker?”

  “I called him for help, but he refused.”

  “Back up a second. Tucker told you about where the drones would be stored? How did he know? He should have no contact with the buyers.”

  “I thought he arranged everything.”

  “No. I arrange my own deals. MI6 will send me in the right direction as they hear requests by target groups under their surveillance, and they’ll occasionally bail me out, but the less people I work with, the less things tend to go wrong. This whole project is starting to smell.”

  His heartbeat pushed up three notches. Tucker should be in the dark on this assignment except for connecting him and Cassie to the contacts in Jordan. “How much did you tell him?”

  “I told him the drones had been armed, and they were on the way to South Korea.”

  Damn it. “I told you not say anything to the prat. Don’t you ever listen?”

  Cassie pulled back from him as though he’d slapped her with his words. Shit. He shouldn’t be taking out his anger on her.

  “Sorry,” he apologized. The stress she’d experienced couldn’t be good for Junior. She needed forgiveness, and he needed her safe. He rubbed his thumb over her lips and dropped his mouth to taste her again. Her lips parted, allowing him to savor her intoxicating essence. She couldn’t be that mad at him.

  His work ethic stopped him from lowering her onto the bed. “I need to meet with Dane. Stay here. I intend to make you scream tonight.”

  She pressed further into his embrace. “In pleasure or pain?”

  “Exactly.”

  When Simon returned downstairs, Dane was sitting at a table thumbing through information Simon had left in plain sight. Nothing important. Timetables, flight schedules, and a list of materials needed to finish his preparation for the transfer.

  The simple room decorated with a clean white design with black appliances and a wooden table felt crowded with the two large men in it. Simon grabbed two beers from the refrigerator and a box of Saewookkang.

  Dane took one of the beers and a handful of the shrimp crackers. “I don’t get it. She’s crazy about you.”

  “She tell you that?”

  “She didn’t have to. Everything in her body language screamed taken. You’re a lucky bastard. She’s a terrific woman.”

  “I know. That’s why I didn’t want her here.” He took a breath and shook his head to rid himself of the dread filling his psyche. “She’s pregnant.”

  Dane’s hand paused before the cracker hit his mouth. “Didn’t see that coming. Yours?”

  Simon nodded, and a slight smile lifted his expression. Definitely his.

  “Congratulations, I guess. Are you ready for a shift in priorities?”

  “More than ready. I asked her to marry me, after I left her in Hong Kong. She hinted that I had no chance in hell of marrying her. Although after she spent time with you, I think I can change her mind. I see myself retired and living a quiet life in the countryside somewhere, with a few hellions and a certain blonde bombshell.”

  “You better have a top-notch security system. I know several people who would love to pay you back for arms deals gone wrong.”

  Simon laughed. “I hear Iceland is nice.”

  “Enjoy, old man. I’m not ready for the farm yet.”

  “Trust me. When it’s time, you’ll know. I’ve been thinking about it since Nicola died.”

  “That was a huge loss. You had a great partner.”

  Simon nodded and took a large swig. He missed her competence, but she’d never have settled down with him. She’d lived and died for her job. Cassie was different.

  “Still do. But I don’t want Cassie to end up like Nicola, especially since she prefers playing with computer programs in an office.”

  Dane grabbed some paper and a pen. “Then let’s get ourselves out of this mess. What do you know about Tucker handpicking Cassie for the job?”

  Tension clamped his chest. Tucker handpicked her? “Nothing. Why would he put her in an impossible situation and then mock her when she failed?”

  “Maybe he wants her to fail.”

  “No. Cassie’s only collateral damage. He wants you and me.” Simon paused as his brain unscrambled the puzzle that had twisted his thoughts since Cassie’s arrival in his life.

  Collateral damage.

  Tucker’s interest in the transaction suddenly made sense. “I can’t believe I missed it. He’s after blood. Yours and mine. He linked this assignment to your company to drag you in. This assignment is officially over.”

  Dane clenched his fist around the pen. “He’s tangled me in this shit up to my eyebrows. When this is over, I’m seeking my own revenge. Tucker won’t know what hit him.”

  “You’ll need to beat me to it. He’ll never work in the government again when I finish trashing his reputation and revealing his illegal collaboration with the North Koreans.”

  Dane drew out a timetable to provide the South Koreans with enough information to thwart the sale of the drones. The South Korean government would receive credit for stopping an anonymous plot against them and look like heroes, the North Korean businessmen would never be named, and the drones would stay in Dane’s possession. Most important, the plan would enable Simon to start his family life in peace. As much peace as he could find, al
ways looking over his shoulder.

  Dane tapped his pen on the table. “I recommend having an escape plan to pull you and Cassie off the island. If the authorities come, you don’t want to spend your kid’s first ten years in prison for selling arms to the wrong people. I’ll arrive in time for clean up with the South Korean authorities. And I want the drones destroyed or returned.”

  That was fair. Dane didn’t need to take the fall for Simon’s lack of foresight.

  “If you can get them out of here, they’re yours.” Simon leaned back in his chair, beer in hand. There had to be an easier way to handle this. “We might be able to make this go away without any government involvement. If the drones never enter North Korea, the businessmen will be unable to complain about the loss. They certainly won’t complain to their own government. I’d need to return the capital they provided, but I have enough to cover the cost of the operation and reimburse the buyers. If they realize how close they came to being to ratted out, they may just fade back into the shadows.”

  Standing up and taking his phone out, Dane walked to the living room. “I need to make a few phone calls to obtain transport for the drones to a more secure location. If I can succeed without any government’s involvement, we may be able to use them for retirement purposes sometime in the future, and I may avoid being demoted to mail boy.”

  “If you organize the transport, I’ll give you the directions to my warehouse in Turkey. They should be safe there until we either disarm them or sell them.”

  “Perfect.”

  Simon heard the door close outside as Cassie peeked her head into the room. She looked tired, but gorgeous. Her typical appearance lately.

  “I’m assuming you heard everything.”

  She walked up to him and rested her hands the table. “I didn’t realize how dangerous this was. Could you really go to jail?”

  “Occupational hazard. Let’s hope everything gets cleaned up before that happens.”

  She paced back and forth, and Simon knew she had more on her mind than arms deals.

  “Spill it, Watson. You suck at keeping issues to yourself.”

  “It’s not about the assignment. It’s about us.”

  “I’m listening.”

  “Do you really want to marry me, or are you just trying to make the baby legitimate?”

  “My parents weren’t married, since my father happened to be married to Henry’s mother at the time. So I won’t lie and tell you it’s not a concern of mine. But I wouldn’t marry just anyone. I’ve wanted you since you first pointed a gun at my head.”

  “That’s the most romantic thing anyone’s ever said to me.” She laughed and her whole face lit up. She bent forward and kissed him. He needed to ship her away from this nightmare immediately. The next boat to the mainland was in ten hours, and she’d be on it. He pulled her onto his lap.

  “If you won’t include me in your little romantic interlude, then keep it behind bedroom doors.” Dane strolled into the room and sat at the table next to them.

  “You’re definitely not included,” Simon said.

  “No loss. I wouldn’t mess around with a pregnant woman, especially when her overprotective baby daddy is in the room.”

  “Keep it that way.”

  Dane nodded with a smirk. “Everything’s set. We have fifteen hours to clean up and abandon ship. If we scrub everything thoroughly enough, the authorities don’t need to be involved.”

  “Great. Let’s get to work.” He stood up, still holding Cassie. She slid down his body and stood nestled in his arms. “Cassie, there’s no need to reprogram the drones since they aren’t traveling to North Korea, so go get some rest. The ferry will be leaving in the morning and I’m asking you to get on it and travel back to Seoul.”

  “But…”

  “Please. I’ll follow you as soon as everything here is finished. If we get caught, we’ll end up in prison. And we’ll lose custody of our child. I couldn’t bear that to happen.”

  Dane left the room, probably to avoid a possible battle between lovers. Cassie, however, had more sense than that.

  “The drones are going with Dane?” she asked.

  “Yes.”

  “And I’m not needed?”

  “By me, yes, but not for the rest of the assignment.”

  She let out deep breath and then nodded. “Should I meet you in the penthouse suite at the nicest hotel in the city?”

  “You read my mind.”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  In the earliest hours of the morning, Cassie put on jeans and a shirt and walked out to see the drones. She waved to the guards and moved authoritatively from crate to crate. She added another safeguard to the drones, just in case. Then she needed to run to the bathroom. The little guy or girl inside her decided to create more havoc in her digestive system. If this lasted every day until the baby was born, she’d weigh only fifty pounds when she delivered.

  She returned to an amazing sight—Simon sleeping. He was completely naked and sprawled out across the bed without any show of modesty. He didn’t need any. Having a body like that would make most men confident. The long, thick muscles of a heavyweight boxer, the face that showcased masculine, hard features, and the ability to fulfill this woman’s every sexual fantasy. What would it be like to wake every morning in his arms? She might know when this assignment is over. Would he ever regret asking her to marry him? Doubts bubbled up through her indigestion. She needed fresh air.

  She slipped out of the house and began walking toward the ocean. The morning air was salty and cool. The path curved down the side of the small mountain for a mile or so to the village, a picturesque place sitting on the edge of the sea. The dark water moved slowly, in subtle waves that hit the wharf with a billowing exhalation followed by a deep inhalation. Several fishermen were preparing their boats for a long workday. They didn’t speak, just moved heavy coolers into place and prepared their nets and lines. Otherwise, everything was silent.

  She sat on the dock and returned the waves of several of the local men as their boats chugged away from the island. Her stomach growled, and she placed a hand over it. A sense of calm filled her. The doubts floated away with the early morning boats. She trusted Simon without question. He’d be there for her. Perhaps it was the hormones warping her intuition, but she would stake her life on his commitment to her.

  The walk up to the house took longer than the descent. Simon and Dane stood outside directing men to load the crates into a helicopter. They needed to get the drones out of there to stop the mission.

  “Good morning, beautiful.” Dane waved her over.

  Simon stood with his feet apart, and his hands fisted by his sides. He wore a frown held up by a clenched jaw. “You need to be down at the boat in half an hour. I’d appreciate you informing me when you take off on one of your long walks.”

  “Nervous I’ll leave you?”

  “No. Nervous someone will take you.” He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a bear hug, kissing her temple. “Seriously, don’t leave this area. It’s not safe right now. I don’t know who to trust, except Dane. And even he wants you in his bed.”

  A smile appeared on her face. Simon, the big threatening arms dealer, cared. He cared about her, he cared about his family, he cared about his friends, and he cared about complete strangers. How cool was that?

  Dane stepped back and put up his hands in surrender. “I’m not ready to settle down and be a father. She’s all yours.”

  One of the helicopter crew jogged over. “Mr. Dunn, several small crates are in the barn. Should we leave them?”

  “Small crates?” Simon released her and stepped toward the man he’d introduced to her earlier as Greg, a four-year member of his security team. “The drones never left the large crates, so there shouldn’t be anything left in the barn. Did the guards see anything last night?”

  “I don’t know,” said Greg, “but the loading crew asked me to get you.”

  “I’ll meet you back in the cot
tage,” Simon said to Cassie before walking to the barn.

  Dane turned away to take a phone call. Cassie’s stomach told her it was time to find something to eat before Simon returned and forced her to eat dried fish or something else with extra protein.

  Simon made his way to the barn with Greg a few steps behind him. Why were there extra crates? He’d counted the freight himself when it arrived. He’d never worked with this particular helicopter crew. Another mistake. Another weak link. He signaled Greg to back him up.

  The barn doors were propped open. The place was empty, as it should be, with the large crates already loaded on the helicopter. Then he saw the massacre in the back corner of the barn. Regret erupted into pure rage.

  All of his security team, except Greg, had been shot dead. This was a set up. Before Simon could reach his weapon, a member of the flight team shot Greg in the temple. The kid didn’t stand a chance. The asshole who shot him would not die without serious pain inflicted upon him first, because Simon hated traitors more than he hated any other type of human. He reached for his gun and calmly pointed it the murderer.

  “Put the gun down, Mr. Dunn.” The man was already pointing a Browning handgun at his forehead.

  Where was Cassie? Simon kept his pistol directed at the guy’s face and stood completely still. The asshole smiled, too comfortable looking down the barrel of a gun aimed to kill.

  “This doesn’t bode well for your life expectancy.” Simon shifted toward a wood column in the center of the room with a rigid precision meant to keep his enemy calm.

  “I’ll be compensated well for my work. Don’t worry about me.”

  “Is your boss anyone I know?”

  “I’m quite sure you know him.” He glanced over his shoulder at the sound of a footstep by the door.

  The man’s knee exploded like a balloon filled with red paint. He fell to the ground, howling.