Page 69

R owena sat in the back of the helicopter as the pilot landed on the end of a slender ribbon of tropical beach. Her teeth wouldn’t stop chattering.

A group of men approached cautiously down the beach, weapons drawn. She didn’t know who these people were or where they’d landed.

They removed their headsets as the rotors wound down.

“I’m gonna need to search you when we get out and officially detain you before I can talk to the AG.

Standard operating procedure. Plus, these guys won’t allow you to wander around the island, not with their loved ones here, so accept the restrained hospitality, and I promise I will talk to the justice department ASAP and get that plea deal sent through.

Once it’s signed and they’ve run some background checks, we’ll get the WitSec thing started.

” He held out his hand to shake the pilot’s.

“Trust me to come through for you. We wouldn’t have gotten out of there without you, and I won’t forget that. ”

She loved that about him. He kept his word.

The pilot nodded, looking apprehensive but understanding.

“George, I’m gonna need you to step out of the machine and lie on the ground.

Arms wide over your head. You’ll be safe here.

I give you my solemn oath that no one here will hurt you—unless you do something stupid.

” Kurt watched the man get out, then he turned and met her gaze.

His eyes softened. “Ready to meet some of my friends?”

She nodded rapidly. “Friends?”

“I didn’t know they’d all be here, but am I glad to see them.”

“We’re safe?”

“Safer than you’ve ever been in your life, babe.”

A shiver fluttered over her skin, emotions catching up to reality in slow motion.

It was hard to believe their ordeal was over.

Impossible really. She wanted to know how Kurt had escaped from the ship.

She wanted to know everything—like who these people were—but other things needed to be taken care of first, and they had time now.

They had time.

She fumbled with her seatbelt. Kurt climbed over the middle console and took her hands, led her as if she was some delicate creature and opened the door. He climbed down, and she saw the shocked surprise on the faces of two approaching men and one woman.

He ignored them and lifted her down. She held onto his waist. Looked into his deep navy eyes. “Kurt, he’s definitely my father. Gilder.” She swallowed hard. “I share that mad man’s DNA.”

Would he turn away from her? Be repelled?

His eyes were steady as he stroked his hand over her hair. “Thankfully, you favor your mother.”

Her throat closed.

How could she not love this man? She hugged him, and then he kissed her, on the mouth in front of all his friends. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back.

A voice called out. “What was it he said to me and Haley that time?” the taller, dark-haired man asked. “‘Never had a declaration of love at a takedown before.’” He gave a good imitation of Kurt’s gruff, no-nonsense tone.

Kurt pulled away. “This isn’t a takedown.

You guys missed the takedown.” He held her hand and drew her forward.

“Guys, meet Miss Rowena Smith. She prefers to be called Row, but in my head, I always call her Rowena. This is Unit Chief Quentin Savage, SSA Eban Winters and Special Agent Mallory Rooney. And boy, do I have a present for you guys.”

Kurt walked around to the other side of the military chopper still holding her hand. He let go, and she stepped back. Another man was zip-tying the pilot as he lay in the sand. Then he helped George sit up and stepped over to greet them.

Kurt held out his hand to the man. “Hey, Parker. Row meet Alex Parker, another friend of mine and Agent Rooney’s husband.”

She smiled at him and wished she didn’t feel like everything was going to fall around their ears. “Are you sure we’re safe?”

Kurt framed her face. “The only place more secure is the HRT compound in Quantico.”

“Debatable.” Alex Parker cocked his head. “I could get inside the compound without raising any alarms, and you’d struggle to penetrate the house after all the modifications we made this past year.”

“I think we should put that to the test sometime, but for now, good,” Kurt responded.

“Are we expecting trouble?” Parker’s silver gaze scanned the horizon.

Kurt shook his head. “It’s not impossible, but with George’s help”—He pointed to the pilot—“we disabled the ability of our enemies to pursue us. As far as I’m aware, Interstellar doesn’t have fighter jets under its command, so we should be safe enough.

Navy and Coast Guard are on the way, and DOJ has been informed of the threat, so I hope to hell they’re taking it seriously. ”

Savage shook his head. “This sounds like a hell of a story. You’re supposed to be dead. What happened?”

“It’s a very long story that I will tell you in full soon. But what’s going to be of most interest to you guys is the fact I completed my mission.” Kurt opened the door and pulled Hurek out of the helicopter and into the sand.

Eban Winters’ and Quentin Savage’s expressions changed from amused curiosity to pure hatred. Eban punched Hurek hard enough on the chin to make him roll back in the sand.

Rowena startled, and Alex Parker drew her back to stand beside him.

Kurt hauled Hurek back to his feet. “You want a go?” He addressed Savage. “This is your one and only chance, and he’s earned it. After today, Darmawan Hurek will be handed over to the DOJ, and he’ll be out of reach.”

Savage’s black eyes glittered with rage. “He’s getting a deal.”

Kurt gave a slight nod. Savage looked furious.

“You want a pop? This is the time.”

“I’d rather watch him get a lethal injection,” Savage gritted out.

“I’m game for another pop and giving him a lethal injection,” Eban agreed.

Hurek cowered like the coward he was.

Kurt took a step forward. “I get it.” He pointed to his bearded face and then to her. “After what we’ve been through, I really get it. But can you trust me to do what’s right?”

Both men paused, drew in long breaths, and then nodded.

“Okay.” Kurt nodded in turn. “We need to start interviewing him as to where he hid evidence of mass murder committed by Nolan Gilder and Leo Spartan. I offered him immunity from the charges of kidnapping me and protection against Nolan Gilder’s long reach.”

Both men exchanged a calculating glance and then looked back to Kurt. Nodded again.

“I need to debrief him and get the immunity deal for my pal, the pilot, rolling. You guys have a place we can use? I’ll need internet and a printer. We need to secure this information ASAP before Gilder is able to intercept it.”

“We built a new office building. We can lock Hurek in one of the new bunk houses we have, which are secure and have bathroom facilities. Your pilot friend can stay in the other one.” Parker pointed off to the right.

Kurt turned to Row, took her hand, and kissed the tips of her fingers.

The fact he wasn’t hiding their relationship, that he was being open despite the fact she knew he still worried people might judge him harshly for being older than she was, filled her with happiness.

“Will you be okay with these guys? Someone’s going to have to take your statement about everything that happened. ”

She looked at his friends who all gave her concerned looks. She hugged herself. “I’ll be fine.”

Mallory stepped forward. “Come with me. You look like you could do with a drink and a change of clothes.” She eyed her up and down. “I bet Haley will have something you can wear. We can take your statement in the kitchen while these guys set up everything we need.”

She led the way, and Rowena followed, looking over her shoulder at the man who was now her center. Her heart.

He watched her with a pirate’s grin.

Suddenly, her heart felt lighter. He wouldn’t be letting her leave if he didn’t think she was completely safe. He had work to do.

They were free.

She followed Mallory up the steep path to a house built into a cliffside. Mallory was talking, but Row wasn’t really listening. She felt lightheaded suddenly. Weak.

She arrived at the door and was met by a tall, stunning blonde wearing skimpy shorts and a bikini top.

Beside her stood a redhead in a beach coverup, a mass of curly red hair tumbling from a ponytail as she jiggled a baby in her arms who was holding a strand of her hair in an attempt to eat it. The redhead looked vaguely familiar.

Mallory walked forward and lifted the rosy-cheeked baby into her arms, gently disentangling the woman’s hair from the baby’s powerfully clenched fist. “This is Haley Cramer, Darby O’Roarke, and this little cherub,” she kissed the round cheek of the bright-eyed baby, “is my daughter, Georgina.” She slid her onto her hip, and they all looked at Row curiously.

Row seemed to have forgotten how to talk. She stared at these women, wondering where to begin.

“I have some shockingly good news.” Mallory jiggled the baby. “Kurt Montana is alive and on the beach with the guys.”

“He’s alive?” Haley’s mouth dropped open. “How is that possible?”

“I don’t know yet. There’s more.” She stared at the redhead. “He has Darmawan Hurek in custody. Here, on the island.”

Darby O’Roarke sagged against the wall, her pale face draining of all color.

Haley went over to her and hugged her.

“He’s in custody. He can’t hurt you anymore, Darby,” Mallory assured her. “Eban hit him, but he was so pathetic Quentin didn’t even bother.”

“I’d like a shot at him,” Haley muttered angrily. “I want to beat him until you can’t recognize him.”

Then Rowena realized why the women were so familiar. They’d both been kidnapped by Hurek last year, then rescued by the FBI. She’d seen their faces on the BBC news.

“Kurt’s working to get some information out of him to help nail Nolan Gilder for some pretty serious crimes. He’s convinced Hurek he’ll be getting some sort of immunity deal.”

The other women stared with matching expressions of outrage and horror.

“What he didn’t mention was a whole host of other crimes Hurek can be charged with.” She glanced at Rowena. “Not to mention what the Brits can throw at him. He’s not getting away with anything. He’s not going free.”

Darby drew in a shuddering breath then released it. “Okay. Between you two, Eban, Quentin, Alex, and Montana, I have to believe I’m not in danger. But I’d like to face him. Here on this island. I want to face him when he’s tied up and helpless and I’m the one with the power.”

Mallory nodded. “We can arrange that.”

“Can I take a kitchen knife?” Haley sounded only half-joking.

“It’s your island. Anyway,” Mallory brought attention to Row as she stood awkwardly in the hallway, “this is Rowena Smith, Kurt Montana’s…” She tilted her head. “What do you prefer? Girlfriend? Lover? Partner? Squeeze?”

“Let’s go with partner.”

“Montana is really alive?” Darby whispered.

“Yes.”

“And apparently doing very well for himself.” The blonde’s eyes gleamed. “I’m so glad. I also cannot wait to tease the hell out of him.” She touched Row’s shoulder. “Ignore me when I call him a cradle snatcher. It’s not personal, but I owe him a few comments .”

Rowena gave a soft snort. “Oh God. Please don’t. It took me ages to wear down his resistance.”

Haley gave a loud laugh. “Ha. I can see him trying to fight you off—for five whole minutes. Come on in. I’m going to help you clean up while you feed me enough fodder to have him squirming for weeks if not years .” Haley wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Let’s have a drink and some food.”

Row stopped short. There was no subtle way to ask this. “That sounds great, and I could really use a drink, but I don’t suppose you happen to have a pregnancy test here? I don’t want to drink alcohol if I’m pregnant, although I could murder a glass of water too.”

Haley stopped and gave her a look of concern. Darby’s expression turned stricken.

“No. Not that. I was very lucky. I wasn’t raped.

Kurt protected me, and then Hurek decided I was worth bartering for.

Otherwise, I would have been. I realize that,” she admitted to the other women.

“But we didn’t have any contraceptives except for the obvious, and we were stuck in a cabin together for more than a month with little else to do except learn some self-defense moves and… ” She swallowed. “You know.”

Haley stared at her for a long moment, then she began laughing so hard she bent over at the waist. “I’m so sorry. I don’t know why that seems so funny to me. Probably the stress of seeing that helicopter coming this way. Brought back some bad memories.”

Mallory kissed the baby and handed her off to Darby. “I have some. We’re not trying for another baby yet, but we had a scare a couple of months ago which seems to be how we roll. I bought a couple of tests and got my period on the way home from the drugstore. They’re still in my bag.”

Row followed the women into the open-plan lounge with the most fantastic view of the sun as it began to set. She felt like she’d once again been thrown into an alternative reality.

Mallory disappeared into a room and came out with a box that she handed over.

“Come with me, Row.” Haley took her into the master bedroom and opened the drawers. “Sun dress or workout gear?”

“Workout gear would be great. Thanks.”

Haley scooped up some items and pointed to a bathroom that looked like a spa. “Take as much time as you need. We’ll be in the kitchen when you’re ready.”