by Jill Sanders
“We roll in twenty,” Raul supplied, as he lay back down on the sofa.
As Cole stepped into the lukewarm shower, he thought of how he’d ended up where he was.
Knowing three languages had helped make him one of the most sought-after field agents. Being best friends with Mason also had helped. Mason had talked him out of joining the military and convinced him to take a job under his father with him at the FBI.
At first, he’d thought he’d be nothing more than a paper pusher, but after his Special Agent Selection System aptitude test, he’d been moved ahead. His SASS scores were some of the highest they had seen. He’d been given his Top Secret-SCI clearance, a special age waiver, and had trained at a top-secret field office in the States.
His first mission came less than two months later. Since then, he’d learned three more languages, the basics of them anyway. Enough to get around and ask questions. He’d traveled to almost every country in the world, been shot at more times than he could count, and had numerous liaisons with beautiful women, all, of course, in the name of gaining secrets.
He’d hated lying to Ashley, but he didn’t really think of himself as a spy. He was more like a spy catcher. He hunted people who stole things, expensive things that had more than just monitary value. Plain and simple. And he was good at his job. Really good.
Less than twenty minutes later, the three of them filled the van with all their bags and headed out across the city to meet their next contact. When they pulled in front of the Arc de Triomphe, he was ready for the meeting. He had so many wires strapped to him—hidden cameras, microphones, and tracking devices—that he wondered if he could pick up the local radio station. He had two guns strapped to his body, along with three knives and his body armor.
He’d learned early on in the job to never underestimate a simple meeting.
Standing under the arch he pretended to take pictures with his phone and acted like a tourist for the next five minutes.
When the woman with jet-black hair approached him in a sleek black overcoat, every muscle in his body went on guard. She was known in Russian circles as Badumna, the black spider. One of the best hitmen-for-hire in the world, she left a trail of blood everywhere she went. It was unheard of for anyone to walk away from an encounter with her.
He knew instantly that it was a setup and didn’t give her a chance to speak. He reached for his gun, but before he could wrap his fingers around it, he felt the first bullet tear through his armor and into his skin.
As tourists ran around screaming, he lay there looking up at the arch and the sky thinking about holding Ashley again.
5
Ashley had been home in Colorado for the past three months. Three long months of trying to figure out what to do with her life. Even after spending a full year in Paris, she still wasn’t sure.
Her brother, Aiden, and his wife, Kristen, had had a son, Camden Eric Scott, and Ashley loved being an aunt.
Her sister, Amber, had returned from Hollywood to film her latest movie. In the process, she had almost been killed by her crazy agent and was now engaged to Tom, Aiden’s best friend.
Everyone’s lives were lining up, except hers. She really did enjoy being home, but a part of her had stayed in Paris, or had gone wherever Cole had. The case was simple now—she no longer felt whole.
She had continued painting even though most of her pieces had turned hollow and dreamy, in her mind. She had shipped the pieces she’d completed in Paris home, and her mother had, being her mother, shown them to the owner of a local art gallery in Golden. He had instantly snatched half a dozen of them up for a small showing the month she’d returned.
Her paintings had started reflecting her new mood of uncertainty. Since her return home, she felt like she hadn’t done anything as wonderful as she’d done in France.
Still, they continued to sell in the local gallery and in a few other mountain towns as well. She was slowly becoming known as a local wonder. She was in demand at galleries in some of the most elite mountain towns in Colorado such as Aspen, Vail, Breckenridge, and Estes Park.
The prices of her pieces had skyrocketed, and she had signed a deal with one of the top artistic agencies. Still, the emptiness and loneliness kept her from feeling too happy.
“You aren’t even listening to me,” Amber said from across the room.
Ashley returned to the here and now. The dress and shoes she was wearing were the most uncomfortable she’d ever worn.
She wasn’t used to long flowing material wrapped around her, or the tall heels that were held to her feet with only a small strap.
Amber had demanded earlier that week that she go with her to get a mani-pedi, and her fingers and toes matched her sister’s perfectly.
Her hair had been pulled, curled, and sprayed with all sorts of things by the hairdresser her sister had hired for the special day. And her makeup had been perfectly applied by one of the best Hollywood artists, no doubt one that had worked with her sister on one of her many films.
“What?” she asked, focusing her eyes on Amber, who was standing in front of a full-length mirror, trying to slide her wedding dress over her shoulders. Their mother and Amber’s other maid of honor, Kara, were both helping.
If it wasn’t for Kara, Amber wouldn’t be alive. The woman had been Amber’s stunt double during her last movie, but more importantly, had taken a bullet for her sister.
Ashley had instantly liked the woman.
“I asked you if you knew whether Cole’s parents were coming. We sent them an invitation, but never heard back from them.”
“Oh.” She sighed. “I’m not sure. The last I heard, they were in Jamaica. Or was it Haiti?” Cole’s parents were both doctors and had dedicated the last year to Doctors Without Borders. She bit her bottom lip and received a scowl from her sister’s reflection. Amber had nagged her about her lipstick coming off if she continued the habit, so she stopped.
“I hope they come. It’s strange that no one has heard from Cole since graduation,” Amber said once her head was free of the white lace.
“There,” their mother said, smiling at Amber. Ann Scott could have easily been Amber’s sister. With the exception of the laugh lines and slight wrinkles here and there, they looked the same age. “Come here and let me see my two daughters.” Her mother waved her over.
Ashley stood up and tried not to break her ankle as she made her way across the room.
Her mother pulled out her phone and took more than a dozen pictures before they all climbed into the back of the waiting limo to drive into the mountains towards the church her sister and Tom had picked out for their special day.
An hour later, Ashley was feeling antsy and wanted to stretch her legs. Even though there was plenty of room in the limo, she wanted fresh air.
They finally stopped in front of the old stone church that was a local landmark in Allenspark. It was rustic and smaller than she remembered. Amber and Tom had chosen the small venue for what was one of the most sought-after events of the year in elite Hollywood circles.
Ashley had helped her sister send out the invites and had been a little shocked at some of the names. Still, Amber had kept the list to under a hundred. Close friends and family were invited to the actual ceremony, while others were invited to the after party back in Golden.
As they stepped outside, the cool mountain air hit her face and she felt her entire body relax slightly. She could hear the music already playing inside and knew by the look of the parking lot that most of the guests were already there.
“Ready?” She turned to help her sister out.
Amber looked like a million dollars. Her silk dress flowed around her while the diamond crusted top clung to her curves. Her arms were covered in a sheen layer of lace.
Ashley and Kara’s own dresses were a simpler version of Amber’s, only in a warm cream color.
“I’ve been ready for this day my entire life.” Amber smiled as she took her father’s arm. “Ready to give me away?” Eri
c Scott played the perfect proud papa. His smile filled his face and tears threatened his eyes. Ashley knew that by the end of the day, he’d shed more tears than she would.
“I’ll never give you away, but I’ll loan you out. That man can keep you, as long as he’s good to you.” He leaned down and placed a kiss on her sister’s cheek.
“That’s our cue.” Kara nudged her.
Ashley looked up the stairs at the usher who was waving them in.
Kara went first, followed by Ashley. At the top of the stairs, Ashley glanced over her shoulder and watched Amber and her father climb the stairs behind her.
When she entered the building, it took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the darkness. Even with the light streaming through the large windows, it took a few seconds before she could see clearly enough to follow Kara down the aisle towards the front.
She was halfway up the short aisle when she felt a familiar feeling. Her eyes found him instantly, sitting near the front, alone. Her step faltered, and she had to catch herself before she landed face first on the stone floor.
Cole stepped off the private plane and smiled when the Colorado air hit him full force. He’d missed this. Turning his head, his eyes ran over the mountain range in the distance and his smile grew even more. He was home.
He grabbed his small bag and headed towards the terminal. Grabbing the first cab, he made his way home.
When he got there, he was surprised to find the place empty. He let himself in with his keys and set his bag down inside the doorway.
Looking around, he gauged that his folks had been gone for a few weeks. The plants were droopy, the cat, Chuck the third, was begging for attention, and there was a stack of mail on the table inside the door. The neighbor must have been picking it up and taking care of Chuck.
Picking up the cat, he almost walked past the mail when he noticed the thick envelope on top. The name Scott jumped out at him.
Setting the cat down, he opened the thick cream envelope and smiled. Then he glanced down at his watch and groaned.
He had less than three hours to get there. He’d hoped for a very long shower, followed by at least twenty hours of sleep.
Instead, he took his bags upstairs, quickly showered, and pulled on one of his father’s best suits. He found his dad’s spare keys to the Vette and headed into the mountains for the first of what he knew would be many personal obligations now that he was home.
He was seated near the front on the bride’s side. Waiting for the back doors to open seemed to take forever. There were a handful of people he knew, but instead of chatting like everyone else, his eyes remained glued to the back door.
When it finally did open, he held his breath as the first bridesmaid strolled down. Instantly, he knew it wasn’t Ashley, and his eyes narrowed past her, ignoring the woman as she walked by him.
Then he saw her climb the stairs. He knew that she couldn’t see him, since her eyes needed to adjust to the darker interior.
When she did spot him, he smiled as her eyes widened. She almost stumbled, but caught herself quickly as their eyes locked. She stood, stiff as a board at the front of the church. She avoided looking in his direction the entire event.
He sat through Amber and Tom’s wedding, not really paying attention to anything other than Ashley. In the past seven months, she’d changed a lot. Her hair, what wasn’t piled on top of her head, was longer. She had a tan going and he could tell that she’d spent a lot of time outside. She looked happy enough, except for the determined look in her eyes.
He guessed that she’d be upset with him, as before. Especially since he hadn’t even called her since he’d left Paris, though he’d wanted to a hundred times. Women didn’t like it when men didn’t talk to them for months at a time.
His own mother had yelled at him the last time he’d spoken to her.
When the newly joined couple was finally introduced, loud cheers filled the small church as they kissed.
He waited outside with the rest of the crowd as the wedding party’s pictures were taken inside the church.
He hadn’t had a chance to talk to Ashley, but had gotten stuck talking to others who had quickly approached him and asked him where he’d been.
He was in the middle of telling the vague story he’d decided to tell everyone when he saw Ashley exit the building.
“They’re coming,” she called out, her eyes scanning the small crowd. When they landed on him, they narrowed slightly.
He cheered with the rest of the group as the couple loaded into a white stretch limo. Then he made his way to the bottom of the stairs and grabbed a hold of Ashley’s arm before she could shuffle off with her parents.
“Ash,” he said softly. Then he turned his attention to her father. “Mr. Scott.” He shook the man’s hand firmly. He’d always liked Eric and Ann Scott. They knew his parents and had been friends with them most of his life. The couple acted as his second parents when his own folks had taken off on one of their medical trips.
“Cole.” Eric glanced between him and Ashley. “It’s good to see you again. We weren’t expecting you back…” He turned to his wife. “Didn’t Debbie tell you Christmas?”
Ann nodded. “She’d hoped, at least.”
His hand remained on Ashley’s as he felt her try to jerk free. “It’s an unexpected trip,” he answered.
“How long will you stay?” Ann asked him.
“Not long,” he supplied. In truth, he didn’t know himself. He turned to Ashley. “I was hoping that you’d ride with me to the reception.”
“I’m riding with my parents…” she started, but her mother jumped in.
“Oh, honey, I forgot to mention, we are going to take the Johnsons down with us. They rode with the Duffeys who got a call that their son was sick, so they have to skip out on the party.” Ann smiled. “Why don’t you go with Cole? I’m sure you two have a lot to catch up on.” Ann and Eric turned away. “It so nice to have you home,” Ann called over her shoulder as they made their way across the parking lot.
He chuckled softly, knowing full well that her folks had played into his game.
“Dumped by my own parents.” Ashley sighed, then turned to him. Her eyebrows shot up. “You have some explaining to do.”
Instead of answering, he started walking towards the car. When he opened the door, she slid smoothly into the low seat.
“Does your dad know you borrowed the car?” she asked when he climbed in beside her.
“I could fill a book with the things my dad doesn’t know,” he joked.
She rolled her eyes and slipped on her seat belt.
“Why didn’t you call?” she asked after he’d pulled out of the parking lot and started following all the other cars down the two-lane road.
“I had… some complications.” He glanced over at her. He planned on telling her, but not this soon. He hadn’t worked out all the details in his own mind yet. He wanted to come up with a plan before he started making promises.
“What kind of complications?” she asked.
He glanced at her. The slow procession of the line of cars was killing him. He wanted the speed he knew the car was built for and made a quick decision and turned off the highway.
“Where are we going?” she asked, looking behind them.
“Taking the long way.” He smiled. “I want to enjoy the view, and the Vette wants speed.” He pushed on the pedal and the car purred under him. “God, I missed this,” he said, enjoying the tight turns of the narrow road as it weaved in the mountains.
“Well, at least one thing hasn’t changed. You still won’t answer any of my questions.” She crossed her arms over her chest and stared out the window.
6
Ashley sat in silence for a while as the car weaved its way through the mountain roads. She had to admit, this drive was much more enjoyable than the trip up in the back of the limo.
As they passed the second small mountain town, she turned slightly towards him. “Where did you go after Paris
?”
He glanced at her, a slight frown on his lips. “Moscow, for a while.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “Russia?” She frowned as she thought of him there. “Then?”
“Seoul, Hong Kong, Tokyo, then Mumbai.” He paused as if to remember. “Oh, somewhere in there was Jordan and Mecca and Cairo.” He shrugged. “It’s kind of a blur.”
“I bet.” She shook her head, thinking of all the places he’d been in the seven months since she’d seen him. “How long are you home for? Do you even know?”
“No.” He glanced at her again quickly. “Did you stay in Paris the full school term?”
“Yes.” She looked out the window again. Remembering all the nights she sat up, waiting for him to come down the stairs, she closed her eyes to the view. “You could have called.”
“I should have,” he said, softly. When he reached over and took her hand, she looked at him again.
“Why didn’t you?”
“I didn’t want you to worry,” he said after a moment of silence.
“Worry?” She frowned. “Why would I… Did something happen?” She sat up a little.
“No.” He shook his head quickly, then released her hand so he could grip the steering wheel as they rounded another sharp turn.
“Why do I get the feeling you’re not telling me the entire truth?”
He shrugged again. “So, Amber and Tom, huh?”
She chuckled at his attempt to change the subject. When he glanced at her, waiting for her answer, she sighed.
“Yeah, everyone knew they’d get together sooner or later.” She shrugged. “It only took a mad woman almost killing Amber to seal the deal.”
“What?” He frowned over at her.
“Long story.” She sighed. “My brother married as well. Kristen and he have a son now, Camden Eric Scott.” She smiled.
“My mother filled me in on that part.”
