Page 31 of The Agent

C ALEB CROUCHED BEHIND the tall hedges of the house three doors down from the Kincaid bungalow. Fear continued to slither up and down his spine like a hungry snake, cold and relentless. He’d been in this state since the moment he’d agreed to let Marley go and meet Patrick.

For the last ten minutes, he’d been listening to their conversation on his earpiece while AJ and Hernandez coordinated with the other agents and police officers on the scene.

Four teams had been set up—all out of Patrick’s line of sight—and they were all raring to go. Waiting for Marley to say the word.

“She’s good,” Hernandez admitted with great reluctance as he came up beside Caleb.

Marley had just convinced Grier she was willing to leave her family for him. To anyone else, her tone must sound strong and confident. Ringing with conviction.

But Caleb had spent enough time with her to recognize the nuances of her voice. He knew when she was fighting back laughter, when she was aroused, when she felt vulnerable.

And when she was scared out of her wits, the way she was right now.

“She’s terrified,” he corrected.

Hernandez’s shoulders drooped. “I know.” He sounded ashamed as he added, “And I know you despise me for the way I treated her.”

Caleb sighed. “I already told you, I understand what drove you to it. The James case hit you hard, I get that.”

The detective gave a sad nod. “Yeah, it did.” He glanced at the four men standing nearby. They were armed and ready to take down the bastard whose clutches Marley had willingly put herself in. “But I’m not sure that excuses the way I acted.”

Caleb didn’t answer, too distracted by the relieved cry that rang in his ear.

Patrick had just taken Marley to her father, who Caleb figured was tied up as he heard Marley ask about his wrists.

Sam Sr. was apparently in perfect health, unlike his son.

“Did you have to knock him unconscious?” Marley asked.

“He tried to attack me,” came Patrick’s muffled voice. “It’s only a sedative, sweet pea. He’ll come to in an hour or so.”

As Caleb listened, Marley tried to convince Patrick to untie her father, but he wouldn’t have it, insisting that her brother would take care of the bindings when he woke up.

Now that Marley had seen to her family’s safety, Patrick was all action, going on about the money and the new IDs he’d arranged for them.

Footsteps echoed in Caleb’s ears. His muscles tensed. They were heading for the door.

“I’m so happy we’re doing this,” Marley said, sounding nearly giddy. “I’ve always wanted to go to South America.” She giggled. “The most exciting place I’ve ever been to is Disneyland.”

Disneyland—there it was, the go word.

Caleb and his team sprung into action.

“Let’s move,” Hernandez hissed.

The men emerged from their hiding place, moving in unison toward the Kincaid bungalow. They reached the front lawn just as Patrick and Marley stepped outside.

Grier’s eyes flashed with red-hot fury at the sight of Caleb and the other men.

He spun around as two cruisers, along with an unmarked SUV, flew into sight.

One cruiser drove directly onto the front lawn, another came to a grinding halt in the driveway, while the third skidded over the curb.

Car doors opened and slammed, men in tactical gear, carrying gleaming black weapons, swarmed the yard.

Caleb heard his own voice shout, “Hands in the air, Grier!”

Rather than obey, Grier’s right hand snapped down to his waist and he whipped out a gun. Caleb’s heart dropped to the pit of his stomach as Grier then took that gun and jammed it into Marley’s temple.

“I’ll shoot her!” Grier screamed, his face bright crimson.

“Put the gun down,” Caleb ordered. He took another step forward.

“Don’t move!” Patrick yelled.

Caleb stopped in his tracks and shot a sideways look at Agent Tony D’Amato, who was kneeling behind the open door of the police cruiser on the lawn.

D’Amato lifted his rifle slightly, asking a silent question, which Caleb answered with a hard glare.

D’Amato wanted to take out Grier. Caleb wanted the same thing.

But there was no way in hell he was doing anything until Marley was out of the line of fire.

He forced himself not to look at her, but it was damn near impossible. Her heart-shaped face was ashen. She stood motionless, with Grier’s weapon pressed to her temple.

“You’re completely surrounded,” Caleb told Grier. He lowered his voice. “Just let her go and give yourself up, Patrick. This doesn’t have to end with another life on your hands.”

“I killed that agent in self-defense! I’m not a murderer!”

“Of course not,” Caleb soothed. He took another step. “But you will be, if you use that gun on Marley.”

“Don’t say her name,” Grier hissed. “She doesn’t belong to you. She belongs to me!”

Another step. “Then I’m sure you don’t want to hurt her, Patrick. I know you care about her.”

Grier’s features twisted. “She’s mine.” He jabbed the gun into Marley’s temple again. “But I will kill her if you sons of bitches don’t get out of my way. Marley and I have a plane to catch.”

Caleb moved closer, then stopped and caught Marley’s eye.

The panic on her face tore at his insides, but he pushed away the primal urge to launch himself at Patrick Grier and wrench Marley away from him.

Instead, he sent her the signal they’d agreed on back at her house, two quick nods and the lift of his right shoulder.

She answered with an imperceptible nod and followed his orders to a T.

Pride mingled with the fear pumping through Caleb’s blood as Marley made her move. With a little cry, she pretended to trip, then dove to the side, pressing her body flat to the ground.

While Patrick blinked with shock at losing his hostage, Caleb charged forward. “Put the gun down!” he yelled.

Grier blinked again. He suddenly snapped out of whatever trance he’d gone into, his lips tightening. He stared at Caleb running toward him, then at Marley, who was a couple of yards to his left.

With lightning speed, he spun the gun at Marley.

Caleb didn’t hesitate. He squeezed the trigger of his Glock, eliciting an outraged shriek of pain from Patrick as his arm took a hit. The other man stumbled, but not before his gun spat out a wild, desperate bullet in Marley’s direction.

A bullet that Caleb dove in front of.

* * *

M ARLEY LIFTED HERSELF onto her elbows in time to see Caleb’s big, strong body thudding to the ground.

Chaos ensued. The hurried footsteps of the other agents rushing for Patrick. Patrick’s shouts of indignation as he was thrown down, his arms yanked behind his back.

Still stunned, Marley watched as a pair of handcuffs were snapped around Patrick’s wrists. And then the agents hauled him toward one of the cars, while he spat and struggled.

She winced when she heard him call her name.

“Marley!” he wailed. “You tricked me! You little bitch!”

He was still shouting at her as the cops shoved him into the cruiser.

“Are you okay?” a deep voice asked, and then a big hand helped her to her feet.

She flinched when she realized the hand belonged to Detective Miguel Hernandez. “I’m fine,” she squeezed out.

“Ms. Kincaid,” the detective started awkwardly. “I wanted to apologize for—”

She was already rushing away before he could finish the sentence. She didn’t want or need Hernandez’s apology, not when Caleb lay there on the grass after taking the bullet that was meant for her. What if the bullet had missed the vest?

“Caleb,” she said urgently as she fell to her knees beside him.

He let out a groan and then, to her relief, sat up. Marley scanned his torso, wincing at the neat hole in the middle of his dark-blue button-down shirt.

“It got the vest, right?” She ran her fingers over him, checking for damage.

With a soft chuckle, he unbuttoned his shirt and spread it apart, revealing the black Kevlar vest molded to his broad chest. A small bullet was lodged in the material, an inch to the right of Caleb’s heart.

“They always aim for the vest,” he said gruffly.

“Unless they’re aiming at your head,” she said, mimicking his earlier words. “Seriously, are you okay?”

“I feel like I got the wind knocked out of me, but I’m okay. I’m more worried about you.” Caleb stumbled to his feet, pulling her up with him. “Did he hurt you?”

She stared into his gorgeous blue eyes and the love and concern she saw shining there robbed her of breath. He was worried about her . He’d just taken a bullet while trying to save her, and he was thinking about her?

“He didn’t hurt me,” she assured him. “He was too busy planning our happy little life together. I did good, didn’t I? I really had him going.”

Caleb’s eyes became cloudy. “You took a big risk, Marley. You could have gotten yourself killed.”

“I knew you would protect me,” she murmured. “I knew you would save me.”

He opened his mouth to respond, but someone called his name. Agent D’Amato, a tall man with shaggy red hair, stalked toward them. “Agent Ford, we’re taking the perp to lock-up. Stevens said you’d want to head up the interrogation.”

Caleb didn’t even glance at the other man. “You take care of it, D’Amato. I’m staying here.”

“Yes, sir.”

As the other agent walked toward the cruiser by the curb, Marley shot Caleb an inquiring look. “Shouldn’t you go with them? You’ve been working this case for months. Don’t you want to be there to see it come to a close?”

He shook his head. “I’m not leaving you. D’Amato and AJ can take care of Grier. I need to take care of you.”

“I told you, I’m fine. I—” She halted. “But I do want to see Dad and Sam.”

He reached out for her arm, stopping her. “Wait. I…I wanted to tell you something.”

He bent forward a little, and she experienced a spark of concern, but when he met her eyes again, she realized the pain he was feeling had nothing to do with the fact that he’d been shot. “I thought he was going to kill you,” Caleb whispered.

“But he didn’t. I don’t even have a scratch, Caleb. I promise you.”

“I…” He released a breath with obvious effort. “I watched him hold that gun to your head, and I knew that…that if he pulled the trigger, I’d die right along with you.”

Her heart did a little flip. “Caleb…”

“Please, I have to say this.” He swallowed. “I know this isn’t the time to ask for your forgiveness, or to figure out the future, but I need to say this.”

Tears pricked at her eyelids. She tried to speak, but he pressed his fingers to her lips. “I love you,” he said thickly.

All around them, things were still bustling. The cruisers were speeding away, sirens flashing. Several residents gathered on their front porches and lawns, whispering as they stared at the scene across the street. But Marley was oblivious to the activity. She couldn’t look away from Caleb.

“I didn’t think it could ever happen to me, I was always too shut off from people, but I fell in love with you.” His voice cracked. “You made me see that there’s more to life than just work. That I don’t need to control my emotions all the time.”

Marley was stunned. It was impossible to breathe, let alone speak.

At her lack of response, Caleb barreled on. “I’m sorry I lied to you. But I do love you, Marley, and I want to be with you.”

She stood rooted in place, so overcome with joy she was unable to say a word.

Caleb’s broad shoulders sagged. “Sorry, I guess this isn’t the time to unload all this on you. I know you want to see your family.” He let out a breath. “Okay, go do that. I guess I’ll go to the station and we can talk later.”

He started to walk away. His normally smooth strides were ungainly, as if walking in a straight line took too much effort.

She stood there, dumbfounded, then cleared her throat and shook her head, regaining her senses. “What the heck are you doing? Come back here,” she called after him.

He froze, then looked over his shoulder, revealing his unbelievably gorgeous profile. Slowly, he turned to face her. A few yards separated them, but despite the distance, Marley could swear she heard his heart pounding.

“You’re angry,” he said with a sigh, bridging the distance between them.

She shot him a no-kidding look. “You were going to leave just like that?”

“You didn’t say anything. I figured…you might need space or something.”

The awkwardness of his voice made her laugh.

God, he could be totally clueless sometimes.

She thought of the way he’d launched himself in front of her when Patrick pulled the trigger.

How he’d chosen to stay behind with her instead of going to the station to process the criminal he’d been hunting for months.

He’d been so confident, so determined to protect her.

And now he was standing here, back to his gruff, serious self, missing every last signal she sent in his direction.

“I didn’t say anything because your words made me all emotional, you idiot.”

The corner of his mouth lifted in a hopeful smile. “So you don’t want me to go?”

“Of course I don’t want you to go.”

“Are you sure?” he asked, searching her face.

She nodded. Her throat went tight again, but she managed to say the most important thing. “I love you.”

“You love me,” he echoed in amazement.

“Yes.” She drew in a breath and decided to do something crazy—trust him again. “I’m willing to work on the whole trust-and-forgiveness thing…if you’re willing to stay.”

Caleb touched her cheek so gently she felt like crying again, this time with joy.

“I’m not going anywhere.” He smiled ruefully.

“Scratch that. I will need to go to Virginia to be debriefed about the case, but when I’m there, I’ll request an immediate transfer to the west coast.” He stroked her lips with his thumb.

“And if they deny my request, I’ll quit. ”

Her heart skipped a beat. “Are you serious?”

“You’re more important to me than a job,” he said.

Marley stood on her tiptoes and brushed her lips over his. Smiling, she pulled away. “I have one more condition for taking you back.”

He grinned. “I knew this was too easy. Okay, lay it on me.”

“You have to promise never to videotape me again.”

A glimmer of guilt filled his eyes. He opened his mouth, but she raised her hand, adding, “At least ask me first, will you?”

The guilt faded into amusement. His smile consumed his entire face as he drew her into his arms and bent close to her ear.

“There will never be another video tape of you again, sweetheart. Unless you want it.” His voice grew husky as he murmured, “And if you do, let’s make sure you’re naked next time. I really like it when you’re naked.”

Laughing, Marley wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned in for one of Caleb’s warm, toe-curling kisses. As their lips met, her heart sang with delight and forgiveness and trust.

And most importantly, love.