Captured in Surrender
Page 8
“What do you think?”
“I think she’s as capable as ever. Her background is impressive. She was Mossad before she was recruited by the agency. Kidon.”
“Jesus. And they just let her go?”
“She’d been shot three times and left for dead. And that’s after she’d already survived being tortured by the Syrians some years before. They thought she’d be ineffective.”
“But you don’t.”
“No. I want her for MacKenzie Security. We need another agent and she’s more than qualified. And Oblivion might not be worried about what she knows, but she knows something. I’ve been following her pattern. She’s hunting. Trying to stay off the grid as much as possible.”
Declan smiled when he said it and Archer let out a short laugh. Dec could find anyone, anywhere. It didn’t matter how off the grid they were.
“All of the information is in the file. You’ll pick up her trail. Convince her to come back with you.”
“And what about this personal mission she seems to be on?”
“Help her if need be. Or see if she’ll abandon it altogether. We need her, and the sooner the better. I’m taking myself out of the field. The idea of being away from Sophia and a warm bed isn’t all that appealing. And the business has reached the point where I do more good behind a desk than in front of it.”
Archer ignored the pang of envy he felt whenever he looked at Declan. They’d shared similar lives and worked for the same organizations, but Archer didn’t feel the same contentment that his friend did. His marriage had failed—because his wife couldn’t handle not knowing about the secret missions and whether he’d come back alive—and he’d been young and arrogant enough to not bother trying to convince her that what they had was worth fighting and working for.
Now his daughter was being raised by another man. Granted, his ex-wife’s husband seemed like a good guy and he was good to Stella, but Archer was jealous that the other man was the one getting to see his daughter grow into a woman.
But he’d blown his chance. Which was why Declan was sending him on this mission and not one of the other agents who had a family. He’d bring Audrey Sharpe back with him and then he’d go on the next mission, and then the next after that. And he wouldn’t think about being content. He’d think about surviving.
“I’ll bring her in for you,” Archer finally said, grabbing the file and opening it. And then he felt the air whoosh out of his lungs and his heart pump faster. The photograph was taken from her CIA file, but there was nothing ordinary about the woman in it. Her face was clear of cosmetics or any enhancements, and still he had trouble believing what he was seeing.
Audrey Sharpe was the most breathtaking woman he’d ever laid eyes on. In the photo, dark hair was pulled back from an oval face. Her cheekbones were high, her chin slightly pointed, and her nose small and straight. Dark brows winged over almond shaped eyes the color of melted chocolate, and he felt his body stir as he scrutinized the photo and looked for flaws. There weren’t any that he could see. Her lips were full and ripe and he wondered what they’d feel like against his skin. His cock spiked to full attention and his balls drew tight against his body, and he repositioned the file in his lap so he was covered.
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” he said, looking at Declan’s amused grin. “No fucking way was this woman Mossad or a member of Oblivion. She’d stick out like a sore thumb.”
“Don’t be deceived by her looks. Mossad has a long history of recruiting beautiful and deadly women for just that purpose. I’d pit her skills against yours and mine any day.”
“I have a feeling I’m going to hate this assignment.” He’d never reacted to a woman, much less a photograph, like he had when looking at Audrey Sharpe. He couldn’t imagine what the impact would be when he saw her up close and in person.
Archer turned the photo facedown, hoping to get the image of her out of his head, but there was another behind it. It took several seconds for him to comprehend what he was seeing.
“Jesus Christ.” Where her face was a study in sheer beauty, her back was gruesome in its display of cruelty. Thick white scars marred almost every inch of skin where she’d obviously been flogged. Scars on top of scars. And along her ribs the skin was puckered where it had been burned.
“From her time with the Syrians,” Declan explained. “She didn’t talk, so the torture went on for almost seventy-two hours before U.S. agents were able to extract her.”
Cold fury slid through Archer at the thought of what she’d endured. But he turned to the next photograph, wanting—no needing—to see it all. The next photograph showed the front of her torso. The burn scars extended to the front of her ribs and just beneath her breasts, though her breasts remained untouched and smooth, making the scars seem all the more monstrous.
This photograph must have been the most recent, because three white bandages were placed over the wounds from where she’d been shot. It was a miracle the one in her upper chest hadn’t pierced her heart.
Archer nodded and looked at Declan. “This much injury can damage the mind as well as the body.”
Declan looked beyond him to the room where his brother lay. “Sometimes it can. But there are special people in the world that are worth pulling out of the abyss. I believe she’ll be worth it.”
“She’s not going to want to come with me. If you say she’s hunting, then she’s got an agenda and nothing will make her stray from that.”
Dec’s lips twitched. “I guess that means you’ll be helping her. Call me if there’s trouble and I’ll spare a couple of extra men, but I think she’ll be more agreeable if it’s just you. We wouldn’t want to scare her off.”
“A woman who’s been tortured and left for dead isn’t likely to scare easily.”
Dec smiled again and the scar along his jaw tightened. “Just make sure you’re not the one with your tail tucked between your legs at the end of it. MacKenzie Security has a reputation to uphold.”
Archer shot Dec the finger, making him laugh. “It takes more than one woman to have me running scared.”
Declan waited until Archer was out the door before murmuring, “We’ll see, my friend. We’ll see.”
Also from Liliana Hart
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THE MACKENZIE FAMILY SERIES
Dane
A Christmas Wish: Dane
Thomas
To Catch A Cupid: Thomas
Riley
Fireworks: Riley, Coming July 1, 2014
Cooper
1001 Dark Nights: Captured in Surrender
A MacKenzie Christmas
MacKenzie Box Set
Cade
Shadows and Silk
Secrets and Satin
Sins and Scarlet Lace
The MacKenzie Security Series (Includes the 3 books listed above)
Sizzle
Crave, Coming May 27, 2014
THE COLLECTIVE SERIES
Kill Shot
THE RENA DRAKE SERIES
Breath of Fire
ADDISON HOLMES MYSTERIES
Whiskey Rebellion
Whiskey Sour
Whiskey For Breakfast
Whiskey, You’re The Devil, Coming August 5, 2014
JJ GRAVES MYSTERIES
Dirty Little Secrets
A Dirty Shame
Dirty Rotten Scoundrel
Down and Dirty, Coming November 25, 2014
STANDALONE NOVELS/NOVELLAS
All About Eve
Paradise Disguised
Catch Me If You Can
Who’s Riding Red?
Goldilocks and the Three Behrs
Strangers in the Night
Naughty or Nice
On behalf of 1001 Dark Nights,
Liz Berry and M.J. Rose would like to thank ~
Doug Scofield
Steve Berry
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Asha Hossain
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BookTrib After Dark
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and Simon Lipskar