Sworn to Secrecy (Special Ops) (9 page)

“She would have been working on this even without you. You know that.”

He was right; she did know that. “Why would they kill her? She’s not the only person investigating them.”

“But she is the only person with access to you. I’m guessing they planned to get your location out of her.”

“But she didn’t have it; did she?”

“No she didn’t. But they wouldn’t have known you hadn’t contacted her yet. They can’t find you and they’re reaching for whatever possible connection they can.”

“So it is my fault.”

“No, it’s not.” He placed the palm of his hand on her cheek and smiled at her. He had the most calming way about him. She imagined it was difficult for anybody to be afraid around him because he just had an abundance of goodness that made him seem safe.

“Come on,” he scooped her up in his arms. “It’s time for you to get some rest.” He carried her to the bedroom. She hadn’t wanted to rest before, but right now she felt as if she needed to. She needed to close her eyes and sleep because it was the only possible way to shut out the memory of the current events. At least she hoped the memories wouldn’t haunt her in her sleeping world.

Chapter Four

P
reston was smart enough not to walk into the lion’s den. He knew too much about self preservation to do something so stupid. So instead of going into Ronald Jones’ office or home, he made sure Ronald Jones found his way to him, Or more like, he and Jet made sure they yanked the man out of the parking garage and took him some place isolated. Thanks to Micah they had taken care of the security cameras in the garage long enough to claim the treacherous bastard.

When jet pulled over to the side of the deserted stretch of road that’s when the conversation began. Preston sat there giving Ronald the death stare; letting him know if he moved he would get hurt. Ronald looked like any other man whose day of reckoning had come. He obviously knew his secret was out, and now what Preston wanted to know was just what lie he planned to tell about it. Would he try to continue to say Carissa liked to make things up?

“Overthrow the Government,” Preston sat back in the rotating chair in their SUV. “Was it worth killing your only daughter for?”

“She’s dead?”

“Was it worth it?”

“I…” Preston watched the baldheaded man struggle for words. Ronald had been going bald at one point, but Preston could tell the completely bald look was partially genetics and partially due to a razor. “I asked you all to go in for her because I knew they would kill her. But I couldn’t tell you why.”

“You expect us to believe that?” Jet narrowed his ash eyes and stared at Ronald.

“I didn’t have a choice. I had to help them. I never expected her to find out and when…when Dallas Ferguson saw her coming out my office, and he saw that I didn’t have to unlock my desk drawer to get in it, he just put it together that the leaks must have come from her.”

Jet snorted in disbelief.

“Start from the beginning,” Preston growled. “And try not to lie to me.”

“Fifteen years ago they approached me— Dallas Ferguson’s father actually…before he was killed in that attempted subway bombing. I said no then and I meant it…but…Eleanor—my wife,” he shook his head and lowered it. “I told her about them and what they wanted. I told her I thought it would be best if she and Carissa stayed with her mother for a while. Eleanor wanted to go visit her anyway. She was planning for it…but she didn’t want to leave me. She wanted me to go with them. Nobody knew they were going for the visit because we didn’t give out that information. We were always worried somebody would grab Carissa because of the money they could get.” He sat back and rested his head against the headrest of his seat. “I told her I had to stay. I wanted to contact the Feds and let them know what happened. She warned me not to,” he chuckled. “She was always the smart one,” he looked at Preston and Preston could see the truth written on his face. This man was in over his head and he couldn’t get out.

“Anyway, we agreed that she would go. We argued about it because I wouldn’t go with them. That night she said she should leave Carissa with me because then I could bring her out after I met with the Feds. She said it would look less suspicious that way. And then the plane crashed and they all died…I received a letter after that, in typical computer print it had the words how would you like to lose another; and that was it. I knew it was them. I knew what they had done and I knew the only other person in my life they could go after was Carissa.”

“Why didn’t you go to the Feds?”

“Because a Fed is the one who delivered that letter.”

“What? Which one?” Jet was ready to go on the hunt, Preston could tell that. But they needed to focus. They had somebody they had to keep safe right now, thus taking their search and rescue job in an entirely different direction once again.

“He died in the line of duty five years ago, but if there’s one I knew there had to be others. Plus, by the time he died I was already in too deep. They wanted money at first and I made sure they had it, but the more I gave the more they wanted. I knew they’d go after Carissa and that’s why I came to your agency. There’s no secret in the right circles of how good you guys are. Air Force men and a Marine with decorated honors and I figured retired or not you all had to be above board honest. At least I hoped so because I didn’t know where else to turn.”

Preston watched the tears start to stream down the man’s cheeks. “My baby girl is dead,” he cried.

“She’s safe, for now,” Preston added and he saw the look Jet gave him. He believed this man. He wouldn’t give away location, but he would at least let him know she was alive.

“She is?”

“I won’t be telling you more than that.”

“I wouldn’t ask you to. Just knowing they haven’t gotten to her makes a world of difference for me. They won’t stop though. I know they won’t stop.”

Preston kept his distance from the man because he had no intention of making him completely comfortable. He was still a traitor, no matter his reasons for doing what he did. “It’s time you do the right thing Mr. Jones. It’s time you step up to the plate and be a dedicated American.”

“Will you keep her safe if I do?”

“We’ll do our best.”

“Tell her I love her. Tell her I didn’t do this to her. She needs to know that. Everything I’ve done I’ve done it to keep her safe.”

Preston saw the man’s dilemma but there had to have been another way. He didn’t have kids so he didn’t know what kind of love a parent felt, what kind of obsession with protection they felt in order to do something this drastic to ensure the survival of their child. Preston brushed his hand through his hair, black with little slivers of silver strands told of his aging, but not of his own heartache. He couldn’t relate to what a man would do for his child, but he could relate to the pain a man in love went through when he lost the woman he loved no matter the type of loss. Not to mention the fact that Ronald was no doubt blaming himself for his wife’s death.

“I have connections—connections that I trust. They’re going to put you some place safe while you help them.”

“What about Carissa?”

“The two of you won’t be seeing each other for a while. But it’s time for you to step up to the plate and do the right thing. Make her proud.”

Ronald nodded. “She took something from my office. If she still has it then she can help take a sizable chunk out of their organization. It won’t completely shut them down. They’re too big for that, but it would at least crumble their fortress a little.”

Preston nodded. He had already talked with Alex so he knew there was something of importance that they needed to get Carissa back to find, but he wasn’t going to tell Ronald that he knew that already. There was no need to completely show his cards, not when he still didn’t fully trust the man in front of him.

Chapter Five

“W
e’ve been here long enough. We have to get ready to leave.” They had been there two and a half weeks and counting. He didn’t want to chance staying there for another week. It was time to get moving. Preston had their next location set and secured now, they needed to move. When he didn’t receive a reply from Carissa he looked up to find her standing there watching him.

Alex looked over the sexy curves of the woman in front of him. This much one-on-one time with her had stretched his restraint to the limits. She was getting around much better than before, and on many occasions she had graced his ears with her laugh. She had the most intoxicatingly beautiful laugh he had heard in a long time. While he wouldn’t profess love for the sexy vixen, he would profess lust. He was lusting after her with a vengeance.

Julian had bought a few clothing items for her before he left, a few summer sundresses to get her by, which she had worn the past couple weeks. But he had also bought the sexiest pair of form fitting, hip-hugging white pants and simple yellow button down that clung to her body in all the right places. Did she have to, out of all the days to wear that outfit, wear it today? Did she have to entice him with every move of her body, every hint of laughter in her voice, or every whispered word that she thought he hadn’t heard? Looking at her standing there in that body flattering outfit was setting him on fire. He had held out this long, but by God he couldn’t hold out any longer. He needed to taste her, touch her, feel her.

Alex pulled Carissa flush against his body, her soft feminine curves melded with his hard angles in a way that increased his need to claim her. Forget the danger, the right and wrong of taking her when she was emotionally torn between the battle of loyalty to her country and loyalty to her father. He couldn’t wait. He couldn’t push himself away from her. He needed to claim her and possess her completely.

He dipped his head, not asking permission, not seeking to seduce her slowly; he claimed her mouth with his, using his tongue to part her lips and there he devoured her. His tongue dueled with hers for domination. It wasn’t enough, it would never be enough. He slipped his fingers into her hair and grasped tight, gently pulling her head back and exposing her to more of his hungry assault. He kissed her passionately, with a fury of a man possessed by uncontrollable desire.

The fires raging within him made him ache with need for release. Right now this was a woman he planned to conquer completely.

His mouth left hers as he trailed succulent kisses over her neck. “Alex,” she moaned as he sucked and kissed and licked at her skin. It wasn’t enough. He needed more, he needed all of her.

He gripped her blouse, ripping it from her body. There was no room for finesses in his touch because he had no control left. He had been watching her move, watching her sleep, watching her breathe and every second of every day had turned his flame higher.

He tore at the buttons on her pants and tugged them down her legs, taking her panties with them. Her moans were setting him on fire. “Step out of them,” he growled and she unsteadily complied. His lips trailed passionate sucking kisses up her thighs and a low growl escaped him as he saw the wound he had wrapped.

“Don’t stop,” she begged.

He couldn’t stop even if he wanted to. His need for her was too great. He placed a kiss to her sex, sliding his tongue up her folds and she screamed out his name. Her fingers went to his head as if she were looking for hair she could grab and hold on to. He kept his hair cut low, lower than he wore it in his military days so there wasn’t anything to grab. Her tiny fingers felt so good against his scalp that it edged him on. He licked slowly, methodically, tasting her wetness and listening to her moans of desire.