Page 11

W hen morning came, I found myself in bed with the sword and my gun on the nightstand. Nothing was going to happen to my only connection to Caiyan.

Gertie left early for work. She had research she wanted to get in before her Sunday shift at the library.

Jake arrived after my second cup of coffee.

He leaned over my kitchen table, where I had placed the sword, and examined the blade with the eyes of a CIA agent, taking in every detail over the damaged area.

“Damn.” His fingers traced the word ending in burg. He retrieved Gertie’s magnifying glass from the table next to the sword and hovered over the scratched-out words. “I agree with you, this word looks longer than the word key, but maybe it was two words—like ‘the key.’”

I placed a cup of coffee next to him and folded my right leg under me as I sat at the kitchen table. “First Texas is a regiment under Major General John Hood. It was part of Longstreet’s First Army Corps. I looked it up.”

Jake picked up the coffee and placed the magnifying glass on the table. He sat next to me and took a gracious sip. “You’ve been doing some research.”

“I don’t think my research will be needed anytime soon. Ace told me Caiyan’s already been to Gettysburg.”

“Yeah?”

“I sort of told him I found the sword.”

“Jen.”

“I know you told me not to tell anyone, but he would find out eventually.”

“When I tell you not to do something, it’s for your protection.”

I sulked into the bottom of my coffee mug like a bad child.

“There aren’t any records when McGregor was at Gettysburg, when he was absent from the WTF. Don’t you think that’s odd?” Jake asked me.

“They didn’t have Pickles then, maybe someone took them.” I sipped my coffee and watched Jake go over the sword again.

“Word on the streets says Mahlia is planning a formal wedding. Surely, it will take a few months to pull it together?”

“My field operative tells me the same thing. I don’t know why we bother paying men to do surveillance when I have Ace’s ear to the gossip ground.”

“Jake, I need to speak to Caiyan before the wedding. He’s got to have a good reason for marrying Mahlia.”

“Maybe they deserve each other, and—”

Jake stopped when he saw my eyes fill, “Crap, Jen, I’m sorry. It’s been tough not having him as an agent. I hoped he would get his key back and return to the WTF. It’s been longer than I expected. Although his methods may be illicit when he goes after a brigand, his reasons are solid. He’s a good agent, and I hate to admit it—I need him.”

“Why hasn’t he reported in?” I asked him, wiping a random tear from my face.

“I don’t know what’s involved this time. He refused to go in undercover, he told me it wasn’t worth the risk.”

“He won’t get his key back if the Mafusos discover he’s undercover. I can see how that’s a risk.” My sarcastic tone caused Jake’s face to drop.

“Jen, the risk he meant was you.”

“Me?”

“If they found out he was working undercover, the Mafusos might harm someone he loves. You would be a target.” He finished his coffee while I digested the information. “The reason they’re forcing him to marry Mahlia is to prove his loyalty to the Mafusos.”

“I get that. If Caiyan was concerned about me, why did he hide the sword in my closet?”

“It’s possible, by committing to the wedding, he’s convinced them you’re the past.” Jake rubbed a day’s growth of beard bristle over his chin and jawline. “I wonder how Mahlia feels about all of this?”

“What do you mean?” I’d never given her a thought. She’d been spitting mad when I started dating Caiyan. Envious. Evil in fact. She had gone to great lengths to sabotage our relationship, and now she would wear his ring on her finger.

Another tear leaked out, and it made me fume. Why was I crying over him? Caiyan still had a choice. He didn’t have to marry her, no matter what it cost him.

“A few months back, my intelligence discovered information that she’s seeing someone else.”

“Who?”

“They can’t catch the guy. He meets her at McGregor’s apartment wearing different disguises. I didn’t say anything to you because, at first, they pegged him as McGregor—same body type, hair, dark sunglasses.

“Finally, one of my agents got close enough and realized the man was shorter than McGregor.” Jake shifted uncomfortably. “I was relieved because when he met Mahlia, they were…uhm…together.”

Curious as to how they discovered the man was meeting Mahlia, I opened my mouth to ask, then it clicked. “You bugged the apartment.”

Jake’s face flushed a light pink.

“How long has his apartment been bugged?” I cringed.

“Whoa,” Jake held his hands out in front of him. “Only since he left to join the Mafusos, and only the living area and study, but they don’t exactly spend most of their time in the bedroom.”

My insides tickled that Caiyan wasn’t sharing a bed with Satan’s bitch. “Any ideas on who it might be?”

Jake shook his head. “The last guy she dated for any length of time was Eli. We haven’t seen the guy in two weeks. I don’t know if he’s slipping past us or if they aren’t dating any longer.”

“Regardless, if she’s being coerced into the marriage, I deserve to know the answer. I need to speak to him.” I set my empty coffee cup on the table and caught a flash of white fluff in my backyard.

“Dammit!” I bolted from my chair, rushed past Jake and out the back door.

He was on his feet, gun drawn, pushing past me onto the patio. We both stared at the white Pygmy goat eating my blue moon rose bushes.

“Stop that!” I hollered at the beast.

Jake holstered his gun and grabbed the goat’s pink rhinestone collar. “She’s not going to stop by your charming words.”

Darryl stuck his head in through the opened back gate. “Hidee ho neighbor!” He moved into the yard and took the goat by the collar.

I introduced him to Jake.

“I see you met Lucy.” Darryl looked down at the goat who was chomping her way through a planter of periwinkles.

“Lucy?” I huffed, and Darryl moved her away from the flowers.

“Lucy keeps the coyotes away.”

“No coyotes in this neighborhood, Darryl.” Jake said to him.

“You packin’ a SIG 226?” Darryl’s eyes went wide at Jake’s gun.

“That’s right.”

“You a cop?” Darryl took a step back.

“Jake works for the CIA.” I placed my hands on my hips and frowned at the half-eaten rose bush.

“CIA? I thought you smart fellas did the spy decoding; I didn’t know you carried guns.” Darryl eyed Jake’s weapon.

“Special ops division,” Jake said.

“Seen any combat?”

“I was part of the Abu Anas al-Libi Capture.”

“Whoa, speak American dude.” Darryl help up his hands.

“Darryl, we need to talk about your animals,” I said. “They need to stay in your house and your backyard. You can’t allow Lucy to run all over the neighborhood. We have an HOA and they have rules.”

“She won’t be no problem. She never strays too far from home. Now, Chuck, he’s the troublemaker. Hard to keep him penned up, but I can’t bear to part with him.”

“Who’s Chuck?” I asked.

“My tarantula.”

Jake and I stood, mouths open. “You have a deadly spider that escapes from his cage?” Jake asked.

“He’s sneaky, but he wouldn’t hurt a fly.”

When I didn’t respond, Darryl headed toward the gate, trailing Lucy behind him. “I’m singing at the club tonight. Why don’t y’all come down and I’ll buy the first round of drinks for all the troubles Lucy caused.”

“Maybe,” I said as he slammed the gate shut behind him.

Jake and I returned inside.

“My parents bought the townhouse next door and thought Darryl should live there.”

He grinned down at me. “I thought I’d met all of your crazy family.”

“Darryl’s a distant cousin. He didn’t come around much.”

I hadn’t spent any down time with Jake in a while. “Are you interested in going to the club tonight to see Darryl sing?” I asked.

“Can’t, I’ve got a date.”

“With the mystery girl?”

“You’ll meet her when I’m sure it’s going to be a thing.”

“You’ve never been so secretive before about the women you date.”

“There’s a few details I need to work out.” He walked to the refrigerator and opened the door.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m looking for— Ahh…here it is.” He pulled out a container of leftover chicken piccata. My mom had dropped the chicken dish by on her way to my dad’s store yesterday. He lifted the lid and inhaled deeply. “Guilt, conveniently packaged in Tupperware. I love your mom.”

“How’d you know she’d bring food?”

“You’re two peas—but your guilt comes in a Fendi bag.”

Jeez.

“I need to head out.” Jake placed his empty mug in the sink and tucked the container of leftovers under his arm. “I’ll arrange for the sword to be picked up tomorrow.”

“Jake, I just don’t get it. Why would Caiyan come to see me and then spring the wedding on me?”

Jake bit his bottom lip, and his dimples dented inward. He thought Caiyan wanted booty.

“I don’t think sex was his primary intention. He tried to tell me about the wedding before the booty call.”

“He didn’t try hard enough,” Jake said.

“It doesn’t make any sense. Why would the Mafusos force him to marry Mahlia if they don’t even like each other?”

“It’s a guarantee. If Caiyan marries Mahlia, they have him in the family, so to speak. They’re Mafia, things run in the family with them. It’s the reason Toches struggles. He’s an outsider. Toches has been trying to become a part of the family for years, but acceptance by the Mafusos is rare. Gian-Carlo wants proof McGregor is loyal to them.”

“I don’t know why he would go through with the wedding.”

“I’m sure the Scot has something up his sleeve.”

“If he thinks he’s going to marry Mahlia, earn his key back, get a quickie divorce, then resume our relationship, he’s got another thing coming.”

“If he does, the Mafusos will have him in cement shoes at the bottom of the Hudson,” Jake said.

“He’ll be joining quite a cast.” Brodie stood at the edge of the kitchen, coffee cup in hand. His shorts hung low on his hips and his shoulder-length razor-cut hair was mussed from a busy night.

“Hey Brodie, I didn’t know you were here,” I said.

“Stopped by late last night. Things were going smooth at the farm.” He walked toward the pot of coffee. “Boss.” He nodded at Jake.

An awkward tension spiked the air. Boss Jake didn’t approve of his agents mingling with people he cared about.

After Brodie filled his mug, he ambled over to view the sword.

“She’s a beaut, I can see why McGregor wanted her.”

“Apparently more than he wanted me,” I said.

“Don’t worry your pretty blond head. Caiyan’s not going to marry Mahlia. He’s got a plan. You’ll see.”

“I want to be there,” I glanced at Jake. “When the wedding goes down.”

“Absolutely not.” Jake crossed his arms over his chest.

“He’s right. It’s a dangerous gig.” Brodie leveled his hazel eyes at me.

“I need to see for myself. Maybe Caiyan will need my help.”

Both men stared at me, speechless.

“You have to admit, I’ve learned a lot, I’ve trained hard, and I’m a decent agent.”

“No way am I allowing you anywhere near the wedding. I’m sending in outside intelligence.” Jake moved toward the back door.

“Don’t you think we need to have a traveler inside? I’m the only one that can carry Caiyan safely away.”

“There’s Ace, and Tina,” Jake said.

I frowned.

“I’ll go undercover. I can change my look. Ace can go with me.”

“Naw, I’ll go. McGregor will let me help him…if he needs it,” Brodie said.

“After we know the date, I’ll decide who goes,” Jake said.

Jake was making me insane with all his overbearing goodness.

Brodie leaned against the kitchen counter. “Mark my words, whatever Caiyan has plotted out, it will be good in the end. The guy always comes out smelling like a rose.”

Dead roses smelled, too.