HARD LINE

by Justice, A. D.

  “Silas, I can’t help but think this wouldn’t have happened if we’d moved faster on investigating who was behind the documents you showed me. Is this my fault for not telling Roman about them before now?” I lean forward in my chair, my chest filling with dread at the mere thought.

  Roman’s head jerks up, and his eyes search mine. I know the underlying heartbreak he’s dealing with right now—he’s remembering when he lost his mother and thinking about how close he came to losing his dad too.

  If I contributed to that by my inaction, by not telling him everything when I had a chance…

  “You know, Tawnee, I’ve been over and over that in my mind. I’ve let the other guys go through every page and tell me if I missed the mark too. None of us has found anything that even remotely connects the information in that folder to what Gerald is working on. Not one single piece of it.” Silas scrubs his hand over his face. I’ve never seen him look as weary as he does this morning. Makes me wonder if he personally escorted Gerald to Miami then flew straight back here.

  “Here’s a novel idea. Why don’t we just tell Roman what’s in the fucking folder so he can help decide if his dad is in any way connected to what everyone else fucking knows but Roman? Why don’t we just do that?”

  Shadow, Reaper, Silas, and I all stare wide-eyed and slack-jawed at Roman for several heartbeats. When he refers to himself in the third person like that, he’s pretty much at the end of his rope. Then Silas folds his arms over his chest and levels Roman with his piercing gaze.

  “You’re doing it again, rookie. We didn’t show you the file to begin with because you’ll go ballistic when you read it. I know you all too well. There’s still another part of this operation we’ll execute next. You won’t like it at all, but you’ll suck it up and take it like a man, regardless. If you can’t do your job, I’ll get your walking papers drawn up right now, and we’ll finish without you. You feeling me, Roman?”

  “Yeah, man. I hear you. I refuse to say I’m feeling you.”

  I don’t know why I bother trying to hide my outburst of laughter behind a cough. Shadow and Reaper respond with full belly laughs. Silas smiles—a genuine ear-to-ear smile—and nods.

  “All right, then. Do whatever you have to do to find your Zen-zone. You will need it.” He walks out to the garage and returns with his laptop case. When he hands the folder to Roman, I instinctively hold my breath.

  Here we go.

  He flips the front cover open and is mainly unimpressed with the list of Rafael’s businesses. Then he turns the page and starts reading Exhibit B.

  State of Florida.

  Application to Marry.

  Name of Spouse: Rafael Tomas Cruz

  Name of Spouse: Tawnee Lia Milano

  Both “spouse” signatures are in place, along with the first two state seal stamps to certify its authenticity. All that’s needed now are the signatures and the seal under the “Certificate of Marriage” section that confirms the ceremony took place.

  He holds that page in his hands a little longer than the average CIA officer would. His jaw muscles tick and flex with the gritting and grinding of his teeth. I remain silent because there are still several more documents to go through. He finally flips the page and begins reading the next one—the prenuptial agreement. After seeing Raf’s and my names, he’s not interested in the details, so he flips to the last page and sees the signature lines are complete, as is the witness’ signature.

  He blows out a hard breath, but the red creeping up his neck toward his jawline is a dead giveaway.

  The next document is a copy of significant life insurance policies that were taken out on Rafael and me, listing each other as the beneficiary in the event of the other’s death. Roman’s empty hand curls into a tight fist, and his perfectly plump and kissable lips disappear into a hard line. Following the lump-sum payout are several property deeds showing my name has been recorded as the new owner recently. Though Roman didn’t take the time to read it, the properties I now own are the ones that were negotiated in the prenuptial agreement, regardless if the marriage survives. The deeds to the homes, businesses, and land combined put my new tax bracket somewhere in the stratosphere.

  He runs his fingers roughly through his hair in frustration, making his already tousled strands even sexier without trying, then he drags his hand along his short beard. He’s working hard to keep from blowing up. The old Roman would have already smashed the glass table and stormed out of the room. The man sitting in front of me is earnestly trying to see past the betrayal he’s feeling right now.

  All eyes are on him, patiently—or impatiently, in my case—waiting for him to turn the page. I can’t save him from self-destructing this time. His genuine reaction is important to me… and to us, but he doesn’t realize that yet. He suddenly jumps to his feet, sending his chair flying backward from the force. But he doesn’t leave. He plants his hand on the table beside the folder, takes a deep breath, and flips the document over at last.

  Since I already know what he sees, my eyes are glued to his face. Just a second ago, his gorgeous features were distorted by rage and distress. Now they’re slowly morphing into shock, then confusion, and ultimately understanding. He quickly goes through the remaining images, recognizing what he’s seeing without realizing the significance yet.

  “All right. I’ve memorized everything in this file. I can assure you that every single page is burned into my brain for all time now. Can someone explain to me why this is evidence against Tawnee? And why the fuck did I need to see this?” He’s not looking at anyone when he speaks. In fact, he hasn’t looked away from the last image at all.

  “The answer to both of your questions is the same: because none of those documents are real, except the pictures of Tawnee and you at the very back. Those were printed from her phone… the same phone that was stolen after the car chase here in Dubai. And all of the documents are hidden in a single folder on Tony’s laptop.” Silas speaks slowly and calmly so Roman can follow the bread crumbs.

  Roman looks up at Shadow. “So, when you said you had to make sure Tawnee wasn’t involved, you meant in forging the documents so everything would go to her if Rafael meets an untimely death.”

  “Exactly. She’d be too smart to keep that kind of proof on her own laptop, especially if none of it appeared on Rafael’s. But it would make sense if Tony was the keeper of one set of the documents. As Rafael’s right-hand man, he’d be privy to their personal life together,” Shadow explains.

  “Wouldn’t he need to update his will with all this for it to be binding?”

  “Not in this case. The prenuptial agreement is evergreen, so there’s no expiration date. It meets all the parameters of being fair and just to both parties—it even spells out the distribution of any properties, businesses, or financial gains after the agreement is signed. I’m waiting for a full copy of his will to verify who his beneficiary is, but prenups trump state property laws in most states, if they meet certain criteria. This one meets all the criteria.”

  “So how does a fake marriage and prenuptial agreement between Rafael and Tawnee connect to my dad and me?” Roman paces back and forth, the wheels in his mind spinning as he attempts to complete the puzzle. “Did the men who stabbed my father say anything when they got close to him? Anything at all?”

  “Unfortunately, I wasn’t close enough to understand their words. They just sounded like angry Arabs to me.” Reaper shrugs his big shoulders, aggravated that he doesn’t have more to go on. “I don’t know what the fuck to think anymore. I’ve racked my brain trying to make a connection between all these bits and pieces.”

  Roman stops dead in his tracks, and he swivels his head toward Reaper. “Wait. What did you just say?”

  “I can’t make a connection.” Reaper’s eyebrows draw downward, and he cocks his head to the side in confusion.

  “No. Before that. You said the men after my father were just angry Arabs.”

  “Yeah. So? Is that supposed to mean someth
ing?”

  “Shadow, when you pulled this list of Rafael’s companies, did you have the analyst look at Rafael’s name only?”

  “Yes. He’s never been married. No kids. No family to speak of—not immediate anyway. What are you thinking, Roman?”

  “I think you should have them run the trace again, but search under Tawnee’s name this time.”

  “Let me help you out there,” I interject. “The only business I have is my security business that you men have pulled me out of this week. Why would you think… That motherfucker!” I drop my head in my hands and bite back a scream. How could I be so stupid and blind?

  “My sentiments exactly, sweets. That motherfucker. Now, can I kill him?”

  “Only if you beat me to him, Roman.”

  Okay, now I get it, and I can’t blame Roman for feeling this way ever again. The urge to throw shit, break glass, and pitch the biggest fit the world has ever seen almost overpowers me. I think I would feel much better if I could demolish everything in my path and get all this rage out of my system.

  “Does someone want to include us in this big revelation? We may be able to offer some assistance if we know what’s going on.” Reaper waits for a reply from either Roman or me.

  “Reap, if the information on the search comes back with what I think we’ll find, I’ll fill in all the holes. Since we can’t dismiss the possibility that Tony’s the beneficiary and the one behind all this, I don’t want to get too ahead of myself. For once.” Roman turns his attention to the other Steele in the room. “Silas, what’s the next step in your plan? The one you said I wouldn’t like. Might as well lay it all out on the table now.”

  Silas glances between Roman and me before a devilish smirk appears. “Rafael is paying the ransom for you two. The money drop is tonight. After we confirm the payment, we’ll send him instructions on where he can find you. Once Tawnee is back on his team, her job will be to stay as close to him as possible, so he doesn’t suspect we’re investigating him. Our focus is still on both Raf and Tony, but one doesn’t go anywhere without the other. Since Raf has professed his feelings for Tawnee, she’ll confess she realized her mutual feelings for him after the harrowing ordeal with her kidnappers.”

  There’s a pronounced moment of silence while the two men have a silent face-off in the breakfast nook. Not exactly an area conducive for the whole duel at twenty paces analogy, yet that’s exactly where my thoughts go, anyway.

  “Are you fucking insane, man?” Roman bellows and throws his arms up in the air, conceding to Silas. “You want to send her right back into the arms of the two men we suspect most of all?”

  “Exactly. You can’t say I didn’t warn you first.” Silas beams at Roman. He may enjoy this part of his plan a little too much.

  Chapter 17

  Roman

  After that announcement, I need fresh air to clear my head and accept this ridiculous plan Silas is pitching. I turn and walk out the back door and straight into the ocean, where the waves lap at my bare feet and the soft breeze provides some respite from the scorching sun overhead. I close my eyes and drop my head back, soaking up the rays and using the salt and sand to calm this storm raging inside.

  When I hear the door open behind me, I assume Tawnee is coming out to check on me. That was an intense few minutes in there, going through all the documents that suggested she was set to marry another man. My thoughts and emotions were all over the board as I moved from one piece of evidence to the next. What grounded me were the memories we’d made over the past few days. The woman they have held me captive with isn’t someone who could spend several days in my arms then run off to marry someone else.

  Keeping that in the forefront of my mind wasn’t easy, though. Flashes of her lounging in the cabana with Rafael fought for their place in the equation too. I’d be stupid and careless and reckless if I didn’t at least consider there was more than an employer-employee relationship between those two. I couldn’t bring myself to look at her while looking through that folder—I had to work through my own issues with it first.

  “How are you holding up, Roman?” Silas asks.

  When I open my eyes, he’s standing beside me, shoulder to shoulder. “Great. I’m about to send the love of my life right into the viper’s nest. Other than that, really good.”

  “Unfortunately, I know exactly how you feel.”

  “I know you do, man. Would you do it again if you had to?”

  “That’s not a fair question, Roman. Kira’s out of the game.”

  “Yeah, she is. But she’d jump right back in if she had no other choice. How would you deal with that?”

  “You know what I’d do. I’d break shit, punch holes in walls, and bite everyone’s head off who dared to speak to me.” His dark chuckle matches mine.

  “That’s what I thought. You couldn’t patch into his comm lines and eavesdrop on his conversations since we’ve been abducted?”

  “Do you honestly think I’d violate Rafael’s civil rights like that? He’s a private citizen, Roman. That hurts.”

  “Cut the bullshit, Silas. What’d you hear? And why are you keeping it from Tawnee?”

  “My allegiance is to you, Roman. I’m trained to suspect everyone until they give me a reason not to—it’s simply the way I’m wired now. Shadow and I talked about it beforehand. I allowed her to review that file, and I had him keep it from you for a reason, and it wasn’t because of your temper. Though you do need to control yourself better.

  “She’s been with him for the last three years, practically around the clock. She excuses his behavior when she shouldn’t. She gives him the benefit of the doubt when she should question his motives. That’s all normal for someone who has an established relationship. We want to see the best in the people we’re closest to, so it’s not a big deal on its own. But I thought her reaction to the forged documents and life insurance policies would be stronger. And I thought she’d tell you everything over the past few days when you were alone. But your reaction to seeing the file for the first time was genuine. She didn’t tell you about any of it—and what he did is just cause for a serious ass-kicking. Don’t you find that odd?”

  “Are you saying the documents are real and she planned to marry him? Or are you saying you think she’s involved in something shady and trying to hide it from us?”

  “After hearing Rafael’s phone calls on what he thought was a secure phone, I don’t believe she’s involved in anything shady at all. But it’s my job to question if the documents are forged or if they’re legitimate. We need to know exactly where her allegiances lie, because when she goes back to him, she may realize how much she’s missed him. That was a great call to search for companies in her name, by the way. Good catch.”

  “Silas, I don’t know if anyone has ever told you this or not, but I think you need to hear it from someone who knows you very well.”

  “This should be good. Let’s hear it.”

  “You should never, ever go undercover as a therapist. Especially not a relationship counselor. You can’t say shit like that to people then follow up with an attaboy comment. That’s not even in the same hemisphere of how that’s supposed to be done.”

  “I felt it was important to end my little speech on a positive note. That didn’t do it for you?” He has the nerve to look offended.

  “No, it didn’t work for me at all. Your people skills need a lot of work, man.”

  “I’ll get right on that. I’ll take sensitivity training or whatever bullshit it is all you pansies do.” He gestures toward me when he refers to “pansies.” Nice.

  “That’s Step One, right there, Silas. Self-awareness.”

  “Oh good, maybe I don’t need that class after all.”

  “Just tell me what you heard on his secure phone calls.”

  “He called our Arab friends and very angrily demanded to know why they took the two of you early. Apparently, they were supposed to get all three of you at the same time. We caught wind of that plot a few days
ago, which is why we took you and Tawnee when we did—because Rafael was watching it happen.

  “He came to the conference to have plenty of alibi witnesses when you two were reported missing. But he was so focused on being innocent, he couldn’t improvise and change his behavior when the deed went down. Even his table buddies were trying to alert you to the danger coming up behind you, but Raf didn’t move a muscle. When he realized Gerald was still there, he lost his shit and called his buddies on their burner phones.”

  “What did they have to say about that?”

  “They swore up and down they hadn’t made a move yet and that they didn’t know who had you. When they finally convinced Raf they were telling the truth, that’s when he really started panicking. He hung up and made another call to his lawyer, who advised him to get Tawnee back immediately because it takes seven years to have someone declared legally dead. Everything he has in her name would be in limbo without a body and confirmation. There was also a vague reference to multiple attempts in a short period of time being too suspicious and therefore not recommended.

  “Just before we had our impromptu meeting in the spare bedroom of his suite, I slipped my own bug into the living room. It’s a new design that’s not detected by normal sweepers. He seems to spend more time in that room than any other. Perfect timing, too, since we wore out our welcome as soon as you two went missing. We’ve been listening to the others’ conversations from our hotel room, too. So far, Tony is the only potential accomplice out of the people on his staff. He’s overly stoic about her disappearance. Normal people would be more concerned than what he’s displayed.”

  “Tony wants her job. Tawnee told me she’s had trouble with Tony not following her orders and she’s had to jump his shit more than once to get him in line.”