Nick took a bow. A laugh slipped before she could stop it. If he managed to hit the bell, she wouldn’t hear the end of it for weeks.
A crowd gathered as the carnival man raised his voice, creating a spectacle that might keep him busy the rest of the night.
“Military?” a woman said to Kaylan’s right.
Kaylan smiled. “Yes. How’d you know?”
“They have a look about them. You hang around long enough and you can spot ’em. Every branch carries themselves differently.”
“Do you have family in the military?”
“My ex was a marine.”
Kaylan nodded. The stout lady had a look about her, too, like she could eat Kaylan for lunch. Nick got the crowd clapping as he gripped the mallet in his hands like a bat and prepared to swing.
“It’ll never last.”
Kaylan turned to look at her, really look at her for the first time, but the woman’s attention was firmly fixed on Nick. “Excuse me?”
“Take it from me, honey. You’ll never be able to hold onto a man like that for long. Another woman will get him. Or the job will. But in the end, it’s all the same.”
Nick swung and the bell rang out loud and clear. The crowd cheered as he took a bow. Kaylan clapped and smiled as Nick came and placed a quick kiss on her cheek. But deep inside, she wrestled with the woman’s words. She never worried about Nick with another woman. Women looked at Nick all the time, even with Kaylan present, but he never noticed them, never responded with anything other than friendly courtesy. But his job?
Kaylan glanced down at the palm of her hand, the very hand that she’d fought to open after the pastor’s sermon. All she wanted to do was let go, surrender Nick and their relationship to the Lord. Surrender her fear, but at every turn something warred with that decision.
But she’d lived with the conflict long enough to realize that as long as the war raged on, it meant her fear hadn’t won. She leaned closer to Nick as he walked her to their car, talking and laughing about their night. The man next to her meant the world to her, and she would keep fighting.
Even when the tiny voice within her told her the woman might be right. She might lose him.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Snow fell outside Anya’s Virginia “home.” Despite a step up in comfort, she found that a house too could be a prison. She’d known that for years. Her comfort came at a price. She sold her soul to stay alive, and now it just belonged to a different master. Was it really living if she was never truly free? Anya wondered.
A tree obscured her view of the street, snow coating each branch. She pressed her fingertips against the glass, her mind falling back to the warmth of her childhood home. Her mother kneaded fresh dough in the kitchen, her brother Andrei read in the corner of the room, and her papa smoked his pipe near a roaring fire that heated the whole room while snow softly fell outside. A scientist and innovator in an age in Russia where innovation had become welcome once more, he thrived. When his young daughter had been recruited by the Stasi for her brains and her demeanor, he’d been thrilled.
Anya had become part of the Hauptverwaltung Auf Klarung, or Stasi, at a very young age, responsible for espionage and covert operations abroad, often posing as a student. She was responsible for infiltrating Western intelligence agency operations and preparing acts of sabotage. In contrast, her younger brother, Andrei, grew up struggling against Russian propaganda and the ideals encouraged behind the Iron Curtain. In his late teens, he began to smuggle those mistreated or wrongfully hunted over the wall.
Until he’d been caught the week before Anya turned twenty-three.
She broke into a coughing fit. The room now seemed much colder, but the memories refused to freeze. Andrei had been hauled into their small home, the home she was visiting for only two days. Her superior held a gun to his head. His eyes never wavered from Anya’s. He fired.
In that moment, Janus was born, a woman with no country, loyal to no man, and concerned with only one person. Herself. After that she began to spend more time near the Berlin Wall, where she met an enlisted American airman. Under the guise of gaining information, she began to flirt, but all too soon she fell for the naive boy from Kansas. Handsome and carefree with a laugh that made her melt, he stole her heart. Then one day, he was gone, and she found herself pregnant.
Her fingers traced patterns over her wrist where the faintest string of black numbers interrupted her pale skin. The squadron number of the only man she’d ever loved. She later learned of his death. Killed off duty while in the city, and she had a feeling she knew exactly who ordered the hit. The same man who now held his life in her hands.
Coughing seized her again and she doubled over. It was getting worse.
A loud rap interrupted her reverie. She jumped and fought to regulate her breathing. Jake. Too smart and too observant American. She’d outsmart him yet. She had to. But for now she’d play his game.
“They told me, you know.”
“Told you what?”
“About the coughing. The wheezing. The meds they had to give you.”
She refused to answer as his eyes probed her. She knew what he would find. Nothing. She’d been trained by the best, the most deadly men. If she didn’t cower in front of them, she wouldn’t cower in front of him.
“Cancer. Lung cancer, isn’t it? You don’t have long anyway. Why don’t you just help us? Redeem yourself.”
She could almost hear the distant shouts of men banging down her door. It became the night she vowed no man would control her. It became the night that demanded revenge.
“We will do it my way.”
“Wrong.” He took a step into the room, his legs spread and arms crossed over his slender chest. “We will do it our way. You don’t really have a choice.”
But she did. She had to get away. Death chased her one way or another. She would meet it on her own terms.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
The buzzer reverberated through the gym as the crowd cheered. Cheerleaders shouted and waved blue and white pom poms in front of the risers as Kaylan shifted on the tan plastic bleachers. Tanner Carpenter received the ball and began dribbling it down the court as their small group cheered.
“Shoot, son! Shoot!”
With a jumpshot that promised a future in many games, Tanner sent the ball sailing through the hoop. Two more points for the Bluedevils, the local elementary rec team.
“That’s my brother,” Molly shouted from her place between Kaylan and Nick. She’d perched on one or the other’s lap all night, eating up the attention that Nick lavished on her. Titus sat with his arm draped around Liza. Micah, Colt, and Jay stood at the edge of the bleachers next to Logan, their eyes glued on the court, yelling encouragement to Tanner. They’d been home over a week now, and quickly fell back into their routine. Their crew not only worked together but also spent free time together, and this Thursday night was no different.
On the court, a red-headed, freckle-faced kid shoved Tanner, knocking him to the shiny gym floor.
“Don’t you take that from him,” Jay shouted as Tanner surged back to his feet and into the game.
“Jay, rein in those protective instincts and don’t encourage my son to be a poor sport,” Kim warned.
Stunned, Jay looked back and forth between Kim and Logan. Logan grinned and fixed his eyes on his son. “She’s the boss.”
The buzzer announced halftime and Kaylan motioned to Molly. “Want to go get some popcorn from the concession stand?”
Her blue eyes lit up, full of wonder. “With extra butter?”
“You got it.” Kaylan reached for her hand as they stood, winking at Nick. The fire in his eyes lit a slow burn in her stomach. If this is what nights looked like in their future—kids, friends, games—then the future looked bright indeed.
The roar and cadence of the gym dimmed as Kaylan and Molly passed through the metal doors and into the atrium of the middle school. A small concession stand off to the side served the families.
“Can we get candy, Aunt Kaylan?”
“I don’t know that your mom and dad would want you eating candy this l—” she stopped cold as the man in line in front of them turned around. The same man who had visited her home less than two weeks ago.
Dressed more casually in a polo shirt and loafers, he held a box of Milk Duds. “Evening, Miss Richards. I trust you are doing well.” His gaze raked her from head to toe as he popped a piece of chocolate in his mouth. He bent down in front of Molly. “And who is this beauty?”
Kaylan’s fear fled and her protective instincts kicked into high gear as Molly curled against her side. “What are you doing here?”
He looked up from where he knelt and slowly rose. He smelled of peppermint and liquor and the faintest flicker of tobacco. “I wanted to take in American culture while I am here. Neighborhood sports seemed like a good way to achieve that.” He smiled, but it fell flat, rippling on his face like crackling paper.
“I think you need to go.”
Inside the gym, the announcer’s voice boomed through the mic, announcing the beginning of the second half. The man popped another Milk Dud in his mouth. “I wouldn’t want to leave when it is getting good. Little Tanner is doing an excellent job tonight, wouldn’t you say?”
Anger and fear fought for prominence as Kaylan realized his question to Molly was a formality. He knew where she lived. He knew their routine. He knew their names. And he didn’t want anything except to terrorize, to keep them aware of his presence.
“Kayles, what’s taking so long?”
Molly dropped Kaylan’s hand and darted to Nick, flying into his arms. The princess dress she’d insisted on wearing billowed around her.
For the first time since their run-in, the man took a slight step back, but his poise remained firmly in place.
Kaylan watched Nick’s guard slip into place as he approached, regarding the scene in front of him. He took one look at Kaylan and turned to face the man. She held her breath, wondering how he would handle this. He held out his free hand. “I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m Nick.”
“Vlad. Pleasure, Nikolai.”
Nick froze before allowing a small smile to slip through. “I’m sorry. You must be mistaken. It’s just Nick. How do you know my fiancée?”
Kaylan noticed his deliberate use of their relationship as he slipped his arm around her shoulder. Molly curled into his chest, her eyes wide.
“Miss Richards and I were just having a conversation. I am a basketball fan. Chicago Bulls, actually.”
Nick’s smile cooled. “I guess you are at the wrong game then. This is just a bunch of kids.”
“I think it’s important to interact with American families when I come to the States.” He shrugged his shoulders. “It makes my experience more authentic.” He popped another piece of chocolate in his mouth and chewed slowly while regarding Nick.
Kaylan could feel Nick tensing more next to her. She spoke up. “Like I said, you need to leave.”
“Again, Miss Richards, you are proving me wrong about Southern hospitality. But clearly what you lack in manners, you make up for in beauty.” He took a step back. “I expect next time I pay you a visit, there might be a warmer welcome. Perhaps sweet tea? It will make our conversation much more cozy.”
Kaylan knew the man had crossed a line, and she knew Nick had put the pieces together. He let Molly slip from his hip. “Hey ladybug, why don’t you go see your parents. We’ll be right there.”
“But the popcorn . . .”
“I’ll bring it, munchkin,” Kaylan reassured her.
With a nod, the little girl turned and ran back into the gym.
Nick came closer, his tall frame towering over the mousy man. “Since you’ve visited my fiancée at her home and threatened her, that leads me to believe you know exactly who I am and what I do.”
Vlad only stared. The amusement in his eyes made Kaylan nervous. Was he here alone?
“So then you must know that within a few seconds, a few more SEALs will probably come through that door.”
“I am not afraid of your threats. I am a Russian diplomat here on business. You can do nothing to me.”
The squeak of shoes hurrying over tile reached Kaylan’s ears and she turned. Jay, Colt, and Micah appeared and quietly stood behind Nick and Kaylan. Micah turned to Kaylan, a question in his brown eyes. For the first time in minutes, Kaylan relaxed.
Nick took another step forward, his body moving a bit in front of hers. “That’s the thing, Vlad. I didn’t say we were going do what we normally would to any terrorist we come in contact with.” His voice remained calm but deadly as he took another step. Kaylan noticed a wariness creep over Vlad’s features as he fought to stand his ground, but Nick kept advancing. Micah, Jay, and Colt followed in his wake, slipping to block her. “I did mean that we don’t take kindly to strange men attending neighborhood basketball games. It can look bad, if you catch my drift.” Nick stopped inches away from the man. “So kindly remove yourself, or we will do it for you.”
Kaylan felt more than saw the guys around her tense ever so slightly, now clearly aware that something wasn’t right. The crowd cheered from inside the gym and Kaylan heard the announcer say Tanner’s name over the mic, but in the atrium, nothing sounded except the quiet chatter of the teens at the concession stand and the sound of popcorn popping in the machine.
After what felt like an hour, Vlad finally smiled. But Kaylan thought he looked more like the Cheshire cat. Her breathing stalled.
“I guess I will be going. Such a shame to miss the rest of the game.” He chomped down on another Milk Dud, the box rattling as he righted it.
“I’ll be seeing you again, Miss Richards.” He looked at the guys. “Do tell little Tanner hello and commend his athletic performance.”
“Are you serious?” Micah spat. In one quick motion, his fist drew back and connected with Vlad’s face. Kaylan squealed as the man landed with a splat on the floor. Blood dripped from his nose as he stood slowly. His glare filled Kaylan with terror, but none of the men moved.
“Don’t you ever come close to this family or this team again,” Micah whispered, his voice deadly calm.
Kaylan glanced at the teen watching with wide eyes from the concession booth. “Micah . . .”
“He can’t do anything and he knows it, Kayles. Otherwise he would have to ’fess up on why he happened to be stalking Logan’s family at a neighborhood basketball game.”
Kaylan slipped to her brother’s side. But Nick gripped her hand and held her back. “Let him be, babe.”
Micah said, “My sister and my friend have asked you to leave.”
Vlad slowly stood to his feet. His hand tucked under his nose to stem the flow. His gaze landed on Kaylan. Her stomach clenched. This man wouldn’t stop. With a final glare and a dip of his greasy, thin haired-head, he exited into the night.
Kaylan realized she’d been holding her breath. She released it in a whoosh as Nick rubbed his hands up and down her arms. “You okay?”
She only nodded, not sure what to think or feel or do.
“Why didn’t you send Molly to come get me?”
“I was hoping he would leave without a confrontation.”
“Anyone want to fill me in on who I just punched? Who was that guy and how did he know you, sis? And why was he here?”
Kaylan turned to face the guys behind her who looked more like combat-ready men than the guys that joked and laughed with her all the time. She secretly applauded Vlad for standing his ground as long as he did, until Micah let him have it. At this moment, they looked so intimidating she wanted to run back into the gym.
But another thought smacked her as quickly as her realization. He hadn’t been eager to run. In the presence of these strong men, he’d been calculating, amused, interested even, but not afraid. Not until Nick began to threaten and Micah hit him. Even then, she’d only seen a glimmer of fear, before it faded into his cold veneer. That told her more about Vlad than any
thing, and that alone made her spill everything to the men in front of her.
Jay swore under his breath. Micah gripped her shoulder. “We are going to lock you and Megan in a padded room until all of this is over. Seriously, why does this keep happening?”
Nick’s hands on her waist kept her grounded. “It’s time to end it, Bulldog. We end it, all of it so that this stops. No more bringing it home with us. Life goes back to normal.”
Colt shook his head. “This is not normal, and I’m getting tired of it. Next time we go out, I don’t want to come back until this is finished.”
Inside the circle of SEALs, Kaylan realized for the first time, that though they all operated individually and brought different personalities, strengths, and skills to the table, they acted as one.
She was still learning the SEAL community, but the more time she spent with Nick’s team, the more confident she became that Nick and her brother were in good hands. That and under the protection of a good God. She slipped her hand into Nick’s as the men walked back into the gym. Cheering erupted as Tanner fired another shot. Nothing but net. As they settled back into the bleachers, she heard her brother mutter to Nick, “Game on.” She steeled herself for another departure, but this time, she would greet the goodbye with hands wide open.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Nick had imagined this moment for months in the deepest parts of his heart, never dreaming it would become a reality. Truth be told, he didn’t quite know how to handle it. He’d faced down men with guns and terrorists with evil intent. He’d survived distant blasts of IEDs, the death of loved ones, Kaylan’s disappearance. And just two days ago he’d stood up to the latest threat to those he loved, Sasha’s right hand man, Vlad. But for some reason, meeting the sister he’d never known had him twisted in knots. A whole different kind of nervous than he’d ever experienced. And Nick didn’t like nervous.
He’d driven over an hour to meet her at a diner somewhere in between Coronado and Edwards Air Force Base. Truth be told, he couldn’t even list the name of the town. He’d plugged in the address, followed the direction of the automated voice drifting from his phone, and had somehow arrived. Over an hour of silence, praying, wondering, and he still wasn’t prepared.
Surrendered (Heart of a Warrior Series Book 3) Page 17
