Her heart ached.
What am I going to do?
The words were like a roar in her head. Geneva was building her savings and planning to relocate to a larger facility, but that wasn’t for another year. Financially, she couldn’t make that move yet, and she sure as hell wasn’t asking her family for money. They had already done more than enough to help her realize her dream of being a business owner.
Dread settled around her and the tension in her chest intensified.
“I’ll get someone to board up the place,” Reuben said and turned her to face him. “Then I’ll take you home.”
“She’s not going anywhere with you.”
Geneva’s head jerked up and her gaze collided with Myles. Standing slightly behind Reuben, he was looking tall, fierce, and in complete charge. Supreme required their security team to dress in all black when on duty, and the black suit and shirt molded over his lean, muscular body like it had been tailored just for him. His team was also required to wear black ties, but Myles wasn’t the buttoned-up shirt and tie kind of guy. He had discarded his.
Geneva didn’t know what it was about seeing him, but tears filled her eyes.
She didn’t cry.
She never cried.
Yet, that’s exactly what she felt like doing.
She didn’t know if she moved toward him. Or if he moved toward her. All she knew was that one minute she was standing in front of Reuben, and the next, she was clinging to Myles.
I will not cry. She told herself that as she buried her face in the crook of his scented neck.
I will not cry.
Myles secured the blanket around her. His arms, like steel bands circling her back and waist, tightened as he held her against his hard body. No words were spoken, which wasn’t a surprise. His quiet strength was more than Geneva could ask for at the moment.
All the emotions she’d been feeling the last few minutes collided, and her tears flowed freely. She had put everything into her salon, and with one evil act, it was ruined. Everything she had worked so hard for was destroyed.
Myles placed a gentle kiss on her cheek that made her tears come harder. “Besides your head, are you okay?”
She nodded, unable to quiet the sobs that were wracking her body and stealing her voice.
“Shhh… Sweetheart, this can all be fixed,” Myles cooed close to her ear. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”
Keeping one arm around his waist, Geneva swiped at her tears that wouldn’t seem to stop. His kind words were like a salve to her defeated spirit. Of all the people to soothe her, she never expected it to be Myles. Heck, she wasn’t even sure how he found out about the fire.
He placed another kiss near the bandage on the side of her forehead. “Don’t cry. This could’ve been a lot worse. As for you getting banged up, it’s a good thing you have a big, hard head.”
Geneva sputtered a laugh and elbowed him playfully in the ribs. “You’re such an asshole.”
“Yes, I’ve been told,” Myles said, the deep rumble in his voice bringing her even more comfort. She was glad he was there. He might’ve been a stubborn, bossy jerk at times, but deep down, Myles was a good guy who had shown her his true character on more than one occasion.
He was also right. The incident could’ve been so much worse. She and Vanessa could’ve been seriously hurt, and the place could’ve burned to ashes. And though the shop was a wreck, structurally, it was fine. So, it wasn’t a total loss. She had to dig deep and look on the bright side and not lose hope.
Geneva lifted her head and, with the heel of her palm, dabbed at the tears. She must’ve looked a mess. But the kindness in Myles’s intense dark eyes helped ease some of the anxiety that had been sparring inside of her.
Cupping her face, he brushed the pads of his thumbs across her cheeks. Geneva’s heart melted at his tenderness. Who knew this tall, strong, unyielding man had a sensitive side?
“Thank you,” she said. “I can’t tell you how glad I am that you’re here with me.”
He placed a lingering kiss on Geneva’s lips that sent fireworks shooting off inside her body, then lifted his head and gazed into her eyes.
“There’s no other place I’d rather be.”
Chapter Five
Myles would be the first to admit that he liked driving with quietness surrounding him. But having a silent Geneva in the passenger seat was unsettling. In the time that he’d gotten to know her, she always had something to say. She could keep a running monologue about nothing and everything, not caring if he interjected or not.
He liked that about her. Well, most of the time. He had never been a big talker, preferring to listen, knowing he could learn more about a person if he let them do most of the talking. As long as Geneva’s one-sided conversations weren’t about fashion, hair, or gossip, he could tolerate them.
Right now, though, her silence bothered him. She wasn’t her animated self. She had barely spoken two words since leaving her shop. Myles couldn’t imagine what she must’ve been feeling seeing her place of business destroyed within minutes, but she was a fighter. She’d bounce back, especially since he and Laz planned to help her. They had already discussed some ideas regarding the salon. Now all he had to do was figure out what to do about Reuben. Myles didn’t like the way the guy hung around. And he definitely hated the way the man looked at Geneva.
Arriving at the strip mall and finding her hugged up to the piece of slime had caught him off guard. If it hadn’t been for Laz telling him to slow his roll, Myles probably would’ve done something stupid, like punch the former gangbanger. He wasn’t usually a violent man, unless he had to be, but he didn’t trust Reuben. For all Myles knew, the guy could’ve been responsible for the fire, as well as sending those guys to the shop to destroy her car. No doubt, the two incidences were connected. Reuben could claim to be reformed all he wanted, but Myles wouldn’t believe it until he saw proof. In the meantime, he didn’t want Geneva anywhere near the man.
Glancing at Geneva, who stared out the passenger window, Myles reached for her hand. He wasn’t the most compassionate person and had no clue on how to console her. Maybe it hadn’t been the best decision to insist she go home with him, but there was no way he was letting her out of his sight. At least not until the police determined if the two incidents were retaliation for something.
“Are you hungry?” he asked.
“No.”
She might not be hungry, but he was. After he shooed Reuben away from the shop, Myles and a couple of guys from Supreme boarded up the salon. He then drove Geneva home so she could shower and pack an overnight bag for her and her dog, Coco.
Myles glanced in the back seat. The two-year-old black-and-white border collie-boxer mix lifted her head and looked at him as if he had called her name. The intuitive beauty had stuck close to Geneva at the house as if sensing her distress.
Myles squeezed Geneva’s hand, and she glanced at him. She gave a slight smile but still didn’t say anything before turning back to the window.
Releasing her hand, he activated the car’s Bluetooth and called his neighborhood pizza joint. He ordered a large veggie pizza and a medium Hawaiian chicken pizza that he knew Geneva liked.
“Can you add a side of wings and cinnamon sticks to the order?” Geneva asked. With the phone on speaker, the woman on the line heard her.
“I sure can.” The woman’s chipper voice rang out. “Will there be anything else with the order?”
Geneva shook her head.
“No. That’ll be it,” Myles said.
After the woman gave him the total for the order, he disconnected the call and went back to holding her hand. He didn’t hold hands. Yet, the need to touch her was stronger than he could resist.
“I thought you weren’t hungry.”
“I wasn’t until you mentioned Hawaiian chicken pizza. Now I’m starving.”
Myles chuckled. Some of her humor was peeking through. Unfortunately, her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes.
> After picking up their meal, he pulled into the underground parking of his loft. The old warehouse had been converted years ago and now housed several loft-style units. He had purchased the three-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bathroom place from Mason a couple of years ago. His boss and Mason’s wife London had lived in the loft until they finished building a massive home out in Kennesaw, Georgia. Even though Myles didn’t entertain much, it was the perfect bachelor’s pad. The exposed brick and ductwork gave the place an industrial feel while still feeling homey.
When he let Geneva and Coco into the house, Geneva made a beeline to the wall of windows. Myles set her bag near the stairs and stood back, watching as she stared out into the night. Four stories high, his unit had a good view of the manicured park across the street that hosted blooming trees and flowers for much of the year. Geneva had once commented that the scene had a calming effect.
“I’ll take Coco outside. Make yourself comfortable.”
The dog trotted over to him as if she understood everything he had just said. Sitting at his feet, her tail thumped loudly against the hardwood floor, patiently waiting for him to grab her leash.
Considering Geneva could be loud and quick-tempered, her dog was calm and well trained. Myles had taken a liking to Coco immediately, especially since she had a similar demeanor as his dog, Pepper, a black Labrador retriever he and his siblings had growing up. Pepper had a sixth sense, able to detect their moods, especially Myles’s. When he was happy, she was playful. If he had a bad day, it seemed she stayed close to him, wanting to offer comfort. Similar to what Coco had done with Geneva.
Instead of heading out the door as planned, he strolled across the dark hardwood floor toward her. She didn’t turn to him, but he was sure she saw him approach through the window. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her back against him and placed a kiss just below her left ear.
Myles held her without speaking. He normally wasn’t the cuddling, comforting type, but with Geneva, it was different. He was different. He didn’t recognize himself whenever they were sharing the same space. She brought out a side in him that Myles didn’t know existed. And right now, all he wanted to do was hold her. She felt so perfect in his arms, and he never wanted to let her go.
“I got you,” he said quietly. “Whatever you need. I’m here, and you’re going to get through this. All right?”
Geneva turned her head slightly as if to say something to him, but instead, she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and nodded.
Coco whined near the door, but Myles wasn’t ready to release Geneva. He held her a few minutes longer before placing a kiss on the side of her head and slowly stepping back. “I’m gonna take her out and be right back.”
“Okay,” she said.
He hooked on Coco’s leash and opened the door.
“Myles,” Geneva said, glancing over her shoulder at him. “Thank you for everything.”
His heart squeezed at the sadness in her eyes and the defeat in her tone. “No problem. We’ll be back in a minute.”
Once outside, a strong, cool breeze whipped around him, and he shivered, wishing he had thought to slip into a heavier coat than just his suit jacket. As Coco sniffed around the yard, Myles stood with his shoulders hunched and a billow of vapor coming from his mouth with each exhale.
He glanced around his surroundings, taking in the quiet block and tree-lined street as he waited for the dog to handle her business. His mind immediately went to Geneva and the situation with her salon. Furniture, equipment, drywall, and a host of other items would need replacing. Also, a good cleaning would have to happen before she could operate again. It would be weeks—or maybe even a month—before she’d be able to get back to work.
Myles wanted her business up and running again, but in a better neighborhood. Which was why he planned to talk to Geneva about finding another location. She might balk at the idea, but it couldn’t hurt to put the suggestion out there.
The wind picked up, and an uneasy sensation crept across the back of Myles’s neck and down his spine. His CIA experiences had sharpened his senses and had saved his life on more than one occasion.
Now he stood frozen in place, his ears straining to hear anything outside of Coco’s movements. The eerie feeling of being watched was strong, stronger than anything he’d felt in a while.
Coco lifted her head, then glanced up at Myles.
Okay, so he wasn’t the only one who sensed something. Then again, it could be nothing, and he was on edge after having a long day. Still, Myles took in the neighboring building, a warehouse that had also been converted to lofts. His gaze swept over the few cars parked on the street. Empty. No one in sight. That didn’t mean he wasn’t being watched.
Hearing movement behind him, he slipped the switchblade out of his pocket quicker than most people could blink. Holding it close to his side, he remained perfectly still. Waiting. Listening.
Coco’s low growl turned into barking, and she ran toward the street, but the leash held her back just as two kids on skateboards came rolling into view. They were laughing and talking but grew quiet when they saw the dog. Seeing that she wasn’t going to chase them, they kept rolling until they were around the corner and out of sight.
“Quiet,” Myles said when Coco continued barking. She stopped, but her attention stayed on the direction the kids had disappeared. After a few minutes, she went back to roaming around the grassy area.
Myles kept his blade out. The tension swirling inside of him eased, but not completely. He didn’t relax until he and Coco were back inside the building.
When they walked into his unit, Geneva was nowhere to be seen. The two pizza boxes and wings were still on the counter and hadn’t been touched. No sounds flowed through the loft.
Myles washed his hands in the half-bath, then dug around in the canvas bag that held some of Coco’s items. He found two bowls and set them out near the door, filling one with dog food and the other with water.
Once Coco started eating, Myles headed upstairs and shrugged out of his suit jacket along the way. After barely getting any sleep the night before and having an early morning, the plan had been to get home at a decent time, eat a little something, then hit the sack.
So much for making plans. The day had been nothing like he expected.
Myles pulled up short at the bedroom door, surprised to see Geneva stretched out across the bed. Still fully clothed, she hadn’t even bothered to kick off her black ankle boots.
He dropped his suit jacket on the bench at the foot of the bed. Staring down at the woman who had crashed into his life like a meteor slamming through the earth’s atmosphere, a calmness swept through him. Even though Geneva drove him nuts with her smart mouth, quick temper, and her ability to invade his mind at the most inopportune time, Myles loved having her around.
He stood over her, brushing a few strands of hair away from her eyes. Originally it had been piled on top of her head but was now hanging loosely around her shoulders and face. The bandage on the side of her forehead stood out like a blinking neon sign, reminding him of her traumatic day.
Not wanting to wake her but wanting her to be a little more comfortable, Myles gently tugged off her boots and set them on the floor. No way was he removing her clothes. No sense in torturing himself with seeing her in the sexy underwear she usually wore. He lifted her slightly and moved her higher up on the king-sized bed. Geneva mumbled something, snuggled into the pillow, but didn’t wake up.
She had only been to his place a couple of times, and Myles had never planned to have her in his bed again. Yet, here she was. He was playing with fire. His feelings for her were stronger than anything he had ever experienced with a woman, but if he wanted to ensure things between them didn’t go any further, this setup was a bad idea.
Say what you mean. Mean what you say.
That was something his father constantly preached before dying a few years ago. Words that Myles lived by. Until now. He meant it when he told Geneva he wasn’t looking f
or anything serious. She was only supposed to be a one-time hookup. Yet, there was something special about the complex woman that kept him from moving on.
If he were smart, he’d sleep in the guest room to eliminate any temptation. He wasn’t feeling that smart at the moment. Curling up on the bed with her securely in his arms was an enticement he didn’t know if he could walk away from. Then again, she’d just been through hell. The least he could do was act like he had some type of self-control. But when it came to Geneva, his self-control and common sense were nonexistent.
Myles shook his head and huffed out a breath. “It’s going to be a long night.”
Chapter Six
Present day…
Cyrus slowly pulled over to the shoulder of the road. He had intentionally kept his distance several vehicles behind Samantha Cooley. Or as he now knew her, Whitney Spencer.
Finally, finally, he had gotten a little justice, though it had taken over four years. It took that long to learn the identity of the CIA agents responsible for destroying his family.
But they would all pay. Them and their families.
The CIA had buried their true identity under layers and layers of bureaucracy and lies, making it nearly impossible to track them down. But Cyrus wasn’t a quitter. He never gave up. After serving in the army and doing three tours in Afghanistan, protecting his country, he had learned patience and had gained a never-say-quit attitude. He only left the military because of his father’s plan to run for president. His dad would’ve been a great commander-in-chief, and Cyrus had intended to return home and work on his father’s campaign.
He never got the chance.
His family had been ripped apart, shredded into tiny pieces, and practically left destitute because of lies. Just thinking about that time in his life had him squeezing the steering wheel tighter. His father had given his life to politics, with Cyrus’s mother right by his side. But devastating lies dug up by the CIA and the FBI had ruined them. They had ruined everything, and his parents hadn’t been able to withstand the shame that came along with them. The smear campaign had resulted in his father’s suicide and his mother dying from alcoholism.
Hunted Page 5
