Silver Shield Security Box Set

by Dee Bridgnorth

They thought they had beaten him, whoever they were. But they would soon discover that he was not that easy to beat.

  **

  Just across the road from the hotel, a man walked down the street. There was nothing unusual about him. He was dressed in a pair of jeans and sneakers, with a simple jacket over a sweater. He had a dark bucket hat drawn low over his head so that his features were not visible. To the casual observer, he was just a man out for a late evening stroll. He had a large trash bag in his hand and as he passed the trash bin, he dumped it inside and kept on walking.

  A few moments after the man turned the corner, another man stepped out of the shadow wearing the dark uniform of a trash collector. His features were also hidden behind a hat, this time, a baseball cap. He picked up the trash and walked in the opposite direction from the man, disappearing into the shadows once more.

  The entire exchange went unobserved.

  **

  Sunday, 8:00 a.m., The Hague, Netherlands

  Mila sighed as the expert hands of the masseurs worked their magic. If she had to sit through a nine-hour flight, give or take a few minutes, she needed to have some pampering and so she booked herself a ninety-minute deep tissue massage before her flight. As the masseurs worked on the knots on her shoulders, she could not help the moan of pleasure that slipped out.

  Enveloped by the warm fuzzy fog of a really good massage, she heard her phone ring from a distance. She thought briefly of ignoring it. She usually did not like any interruptions during any of her frequent trips to the spa, but this was different. She was waiting for news and she could not afford to wait. So without lifting her head she stretched out her hand and her phone was placed on her palm.

  “Yes?” she said into the phone.

  “Is this Mila?”

  “Who else?” she all but growled, then added, “This better be good news.”

  “Well, it depends,” the calm voice said over the phone. “I have a bit of both. Which do you want to hear first?”

  She thought about it and though it did not make much of a difference to her, she decided to go with one.

  “The good news first.”

  “I got the prototype and I’ve handed it over to your contact.”

  She felt her heart soar at the good news. She shut her eyes and let out a deep breath. It felt so damn good when her plans came together.

  “That’s splendid. So no auction then?”

  “Not if there’s nothing to auction.”

  “Hmmm. The bad news?”

  “The man got away.”

  “What!” This was not just bad news, it was terrible news.

  “I said the man—”

  “I heard you the first time,” she bit out. “How did that happen?”

  “We set off a bomb in his room, but for some reason he was not inside when it went off.”

  “The ex-wife?”

  “They were together.”

  Mila did not like the sound of that. If those two teamed up, really teamed up, then they wouldn’t stand a chance. Their best bet was to have them working against each other, at least for the moment.

  “I’ll be in Washington later this evening. We’ll work something out.”

  “Okay. But what about the target’s daughter?”

  “What about her?” she asked absently, her mind already on several other matters that she needed to attend to.

  “Without the prototype the parents can’t ransom her from the Chinese. They will kill the girl.”

  Mila gave a mental shrug. “There’s nothing I can do from here. Sadly, there’s always collateral damage in situations like this.”

  “But the girl—”

  “Is none of our business,” she cut in sharply.

  There was a brief pause, then, “Fine, Mila.”

  She cut ended the call with a slight frown. She needed to think about what to do with the man and the ex-wife before they posed a problem to her later on. But she had the prototype. Or she would have it once she landed in Washington. She would focus on that and face one problem at a time.

  With another sigh, she settled back into the rhythmic strokes of the massage, feeling her muscles ease and tension flowing out of her.

  She was not Mila K. Meyer for nothing. She would make this work for her. Somehow.

  Chapter Ten

  Sunday, 10 a.m., Washington D.C.

  Emily sat on one end of the sofa and stared at the blank screen of the large TV in front of her. How could things have gone so wrong, so quickly? She glanced at the windows; the blinds were drawn so she could not see out to the street. Almost absently, she brought her hand to her chest and rubbed gently. Then rubbed again. Why wouldn’t the ache go away? Why did it feel like her entire body had become one great big ball of hurt? She had always heard that there was no pain like the pain of losing a child, and she’d gone through that pain so she knew how excruciating it could be. But this…this was different.

  This was the pain of knowing that your child’s life was in danger and you had failed her.

  She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around herself. For the first time in her life, Emily began to question whether life was worth it. What was the point of her existence if she could not even keep her loved ones safe? She was a security operative. A retired military officer. Her life was about keeping people safe. And she’d failed. She’d failed spectacularly.

  She remembered the way Wayne’s hotel room had looked, the devastation, and shuddered. They’d been in that room just a few minutes before the blast went off. If she had not gone to his room that night, he would have been blown to bits. The thought distressed her so much. She blinked hard, fighting against the tears that were burning her throat. Crying never helped anyone; it sure hadn’t helped her all those years ago.

  You need to pull it together, Silver.

  But no matter what she told herself, she couldn’t seem to achieve the calm she so desperately sought. Her mind flashed back to the different combat situations she’d been in while in the Middle East. The time their vehicle had tripped on a mine and several others had exploded. She’d brought up the rear that time and had watched in horror as her friends and teammates had gotten blown up right before her eyes. Her breathing became shallow as her mind replayed the event. It had taken a long time for the nightmares to stop.

  She shook her head in an effort to dispel the images.

  Then her mind went back to the time she’d stood in front of Wayne in confusion.

  Kendra’s gone, he’d said then.

  She’d blinked in an effort to understand what he was trying to say. Had their daughter run away? Had the cops been informed? Why were they just standing around doing nothing? Where had her daughter gone to? It had taken a while for it to sink in that her daughter had been kidnapped. On top of everything else and the PTSD, she’d cracked.

  She could not afford to crack now. Kendra needed her.

  “This will help.”

  She looked up to find a coffee mug thrust in front of her. She stared at it for a moment, then her eyes trailed up and she found herself drowning in the midnight blue of Wayne’s eyes. She had always been fascinated by the way his eyes seemed to change with his emotions. When he was angry, they became dark, almost black. When he was aroused, they were a greyish blue. When he was happy, they cleared up and became sapphire blue. Now they were midnight blue…he was feeling too much and trying hard to suppress his feelings. She lowered her gaze.

  With a sigh, she took the cup from him and murmured her thanks. She took a sip and this time the sigh was longer. It was coffee and hot chocolate, just the way she loved it.

  “Thanks,” she said lifting her eyes to his briefly. He nodded then turned to leave. “Wayne?”

  He paused.

  “Will you sit with me a little?”

  He turned to look at her in surprise. She tried to put her feelings to words.

  “I’m feeling…I can’t…” She looked away as she tried to gather her thoughts. He waited without saying a word,
giving her time. She shifted her gaze to him once more. “I’m not handling this very well,” she finally admitted. “I’m scared.” She met his gaze and let him see the trepidation that had invaded her soul. “I’m scared we won’t ever get her back.”

  Wayne swore then. He took a step forward and sat beside her on the sofa. He took the mug out of her hands and gently placed it on the coffee table next to the sofa. Then he reached for her.

  Emily went into his arms without a word. She desperately needed the comfort she’d only ever been able to find in Wayne Carter’s arms. As his arms tightened around her, she felt some of the fear and despair she’d been feeling slowly begin to ebb. Even after all the years that had gone by, somehow, he had not lost the ability to calm the troubled waters of her soul.

  “We’ll get her back, baby,” she heard him say as he rested his head on her hair. His hand began a gentle up and down stroke over her back, further easing her torment.

  “We were so close,” she said into his chest. “So close, Wayne…”

  “We will get her.” He spoke with absolute certainty.

  She drew back and glanced up at him. “How can you be so sure?”

  “We haven’t heard from the people who have her. That means that they aren’t the ones who took the prototype.”

  “Or it could mean that they have no need to contact us again. Since they have the prototype.”

  Wayne frowned. “When did you become so negative, Em?”

  She broke their gaze and shrugged.

  “You are the one who did not give up looking for her. Seven years, Em, for seven years, you kept searching. And now that you are this close to her, you’re giving up?”

  Emily felt her eyes fill with tears. She was not giving up. As long as she knew that Kendra was alive somewhere, she would always search for her. But that did not change the fact that she felt washed up. Weary. Wrecked. And yeah, worthless. What kind of mother could not keep her own daughter safe?

  “Em?”

  She shook her head, looking downwards. She did not want him to see her cry, but she could not help the tears that were rolling down her face. She parted her lips and took a silent gulp of air, then bit them to keep from making a sound.

  Wayne placed a finger beneath her chin and gently lifted her head up. He was silent for several moments.

  “Emily.”

  He said her name like a soft sigh then wrapped her in a hug once more, cradling the back of her head against his chest.

  “You know, it’s okay to cry sometimes.”

  Almost as though his words opened a dam, the tears began to fall in earnest. She tried to stifle a sob, but it came out anyway. Then another. And another. Until her entire body was shaking. She clutched a fistful of his shirt as she cried her heart out. She cried for Kendra, for all the years she’d missed of her child’s life. She cried for Wayne and all he must have gone through in that time. She cried for herself as well, and how lonely and empty her life was without those two. Emily cried until she was all cried out.

  She felt something soft thrust into her hands and looked down to find a pristine white handkerchief. She blew her nose, not caring that she sounded like an elephant with the flu. This was, after all, Wayne.

  Somehow, as she was crying, she found herself seated on Wayne’s lap. She had no idea when she’d moved there. He must have carried her. Whatever, she did not intend to move anytime soon. She remained leaning against his chest as the sobbing gradually stopped. She felt drained, totally wrung out, but in a strange way, she also felt peaceful. More peaceful that she’d felt in years.

  With a sigh, she pulled back. Then gasped in dismay when she saw the mess she’d made of his shirt.

  “Don’t worry about the shirt,” Wayne said gently. Then he used his knuckles to gently wipe away some remaining tears. His other hand had gone to the back of her head and he was staring at her with a tenderness that almost made her blush.

  “I’m sorry I slobbered all over you,” she said with a wry smile.

  “Slobbering is okay,” he said, returning her smile. Then he looked at her intently. “Do you feel better?”

  Emily nodded. She did feel better.

  Very slowly, Wayne leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her forehead. It was a very platonic, brotherly kiss, but her pulse skittered. She held her breath as he moved to her eyes and kissed each one. Then he kissed her lips.

  It was not the sort of kiss one gave a lover. It was a gentle kiss clearly meant to offer comfort. Sort of what one would give a child that had been hurt. But somehow, Emily’s body did not get the memo, and when he kissed her, her brain short circuited and sent the wrong message to her lips, and her lips, acting on that message, clung to his when he would have lifted his head.

  Wayne went still.

  Emily went still.

  Then almost of their own will, her traitorous lips moved against his. He did not respond, but she could tell that he was holding his breath. Her tongue decided it wanted in on the action and against all good sense, it stole out and flicked against his upper lips. He moaned deep in his throat, but still did not respond. Then the tip of her tongue made a circular motion around his lips. The effect was so electric that Emily trembled. Closing her eyes, she took her time and kissed him thoroughly. One hand clutched his shirt, while the other snuck up, brushing the sides of his neck, and went around to his nape.

  He did not kiss her back, but she could hear his breathing, harsh and shallow. His body was taut with the effort to remain still and let her have her way. After a few moments, she pulled back and raised her eyes to his. Their gazes met and clashed. The heat burning from the stormy grey-blue of his eyes reached out and almost engulfed her.

  He gazed into her eyes intently, like he was searching for something. He must have seen it because he suddenly closed the distance between them and captured her lips in a kiss so sizzling, she felt it all the way to her toes. She parted her lips and his tongue dove in, exploring with decisive intent. This was nothing like the kiss they’d shared in the gazebo in New York. This was more like the kisses they’d shared ages ago, yet it was more.

  It was bold.

  It was savage.

  It was demanding.

  And Emily met it with equal fervor. She arched her back and felt the tips of her breasts press against his hard chest. Fire flowed through her veins, taking the heat to every part of her body. He broke the kiss with a groan and trailed his mouth over her jaw to her neck. Then he lightly grazed his teeth over the sensitive flesh there, sending a tremor down her spine. Her lips parted in an effort to draw in more breath. She shifted uncomfortably and felt his hard erection beneath her. A burst of passion exploded in her, tugging at her womb down and releasing a pool between her thighs. She moved over his hardness again and moaned at the feeling. Her eyes were at half-mast and everything was beginning to fade, leaving only a consciousness of the pleasure that was beginning to build.

  She moaned as she began to slowly move her bottom over the bulge in his jeans. Suddenly it was not enough. She readjusted her position until she was seated with each leg on each side of him. Her legs were bent at the knees, but it brought her heat in direct contact with his hardness and as she moved back and forth, it released several sparks of pleasure.

  She tugged at his shirt until she found the hem, then slipped her hands beneath. She placed her palms flat over his burning flesh, still keeping up the rhythm that was slowly but surely driving her out of her mind.

  She felt his hands on her bare waist as he continued to trail kisses over her neck. He found that place just behind her ear lobe and flicked the tip of his tongue there, eliciting a deep moan from her. His hands moved upward, lightly brushing the edge of her bra. She arched her back instinctively, pressing her breasts more firmly into his palms. When he grazed his thumbs over the hard peaks, Emily’s head fell back and her eyes went completely shut. She ground her hips more firmly against him, wanting more…needing more.

  The only sounds were her moans and h
is grunts as she felt herself gradually reaching her peak. She increased her pace, until she was moving frantically against him. Her arms had gone over his shoulder as her hips and waist moved. She knew her panties were completely soaked but it didn’t matter. Nothing mattered except the wave that was slowly washing over her. She began to make small moaning sounds as she got closer to her orgasm. Then out of nowhere it hit her, sending her spiraling. She kept grinding against him, letting out a little scream from the back of her throat as she crested.

  **

  Watching Emily climax was one of the most erotic things for Wayne. He never got tired of it. And since he had not had the privilege in so long, he felt like he’d just had a tall glass of water after a dry spell. He brushed her hair away from her face, taking a fistful of her beautiful hair in his hand as he kissed her temple. She was so beautiful. So gorgeous. So giving. She made love the same way she lived her life…holding nothing back. Giving as good as she got. Everything about this woman turned him on.

  From the first moment he’d seen her almost two decades ago, he’d never stopped wanting her. He shifted slightly, not wanting to disturb her, but needing to ease the tightness at his crotch. He shut his eyes as he tried to bring himself under control, but it was no use. He needed her in a bad way. Needed to lose himself in her heat. But no matter how much he craved her, it was her call. He was not going to do anything about it unless she was on the same page. So he waited.

  Moments later, she drew back from him and lifted her eyes to his. Her pupils were large and she looked dazed.

  “That was so good,” she said in a voice that had turned husky. “But, I need more.”

  Wayne’s breath caught in his throat. “Yeah?” he croaked.

  “Yeah,” she replied. Her gaze fell to his lips and she licked hers. It was quick, but it felt like a punch to his gut. He drew in a quick breath and let it out in a rush.

  “How much more?” He needed to know.

  Her gaze moved further down, then slid back up to his eyes.

  “As much as you can give.”

  “Oh shit,” he could not help himself. She was so damn sexy.