True Deceptions (True Lies) (7 page)

Simon should really take more interest in the Ripon’s Women’s Group. Henry had founded it to pay homage to their respective mothers. Their father had beat the shit out of both his wife, Henry’s mother, and his mistress, Simon’s mother. Each woman had made excuses about why she needed him in her life. The abuse ended after the boys had discovered each other’s existence in their teenage years and joined forces. They’d met up with their father late one night and gave him some advice. If either of their mothers showed up with even the slightest bruise on any part of her body, the boys would inflict triple the pain on their father.

When Alex finished her detailed description of their wedding, Simon refocused on business. Keeping his attention on her, he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. He needed her and had only a few minutes to convince her to come with him. “Do you still appraise art since becoming a countess?”

She nodded. “I hire myself out as an independent consultant, so I can work as much as I’d like and escape up to Ripon with Henry when I need a break.”

“Are you currently engaged?”

“Why?” Henry interrupted. Damn. He knew where Simon was headed with his questions.

“I may have a short term project for her.”

“No.” Henry’s eyes narrowed. Simon couldn’t blame him. His work was never benign.

Alex stopped Henry from continuing by flashing him the palm of her hand. “Henry, you have no say over my professional life.”

“Right, but I have a lot of say regarding your health and safety, and his assignments tend to involve guns. Lots of them.”

Alex’s expression brightened. She loved challenges, and Simon was more than willing to provide her one.

“This doesn’t involve art. I’m doing a simple trade with several hundred diamonds. I just need an appraiser,” he told her.

Henry shook his head. “She’s not a jeweler.”

Simon glanced at the heirloom ring on her finger. “She can tell the difference between a black diamond and a black sapphire with her naked eye. I think she qualifies.”

“When?” Alex ignored Henry.

“Next weekend.”

“Where?”

“Sofia.”

“No.” Henry stood and walked over to him. “Simon, don’t mess with our lives anymore.”

His younger half brother’s face turned an unflattering shade of crimson, and his hands tightened into fists, but he wouldn’t swing. Henry had never bested Simon in a fight. What really caught Simon’s attention, however, was how Henry’s anger had been directed at him. In fact, he hadn’t once tried to influence Alex’s decision.
Interesting.

Simon took a casual sip of his drink and leaned back, as though the assignment would be risk free. “It’s one favor. I’ll even let her choose a diamond to keep, if they are indeed real.”

“What are you exchanging for the diamonds?” Henry asked.

Enough guns to supply a rebel militia in Africa. “You don’t want to know.”

Alex stood and headed to the hallway. “Sure. Sounds fun.”

“If you go, I’m going too.” Henry called out after her. “Someone needs to look out for your safety. Lord knows Simon’s focus will be elsewhere.” His mouth curled into a snarl. “If one pink hair on her head is harmed, I’ll rip out your heart and use it for target practice.”

His threat was weak. Henry had used his tactical skills from his days as a sniper to rescue Alex. For his efforts, someone had blown off a knuckle in his right hand. His aim had to be as off as his crooked finger.

“I’ll take care of her.”

“Damn you, Simon.” Henry’s shoulders sagged. “I can’t lose her again.”

He had a point, and yet Simon was a selfish son of a bitch. He knew it. If he used Alex just this once, he’d be back in the game and able to save thousands of lives by keeping guns from the enemy. He’d return the countess to Henry within a few hours.

Several minutes later, Alex called out from the other room, “Simon, you left the light on in your car. I’ll get it.”

Damn. Cassie is awake.

He leaped toward the door and sprinted out the back, only to watch Alex introducing herself to his new partner. The women walked back to the house together. Cassie still wore her skyscraper boots and towered over Alex by more than a foot.

Henry approached Simon from behind. “Cassie?” His tone had softened, but he still sounded aggravated.

“Yeah.”

A smile curved his mouth up, and he smacked Simon on the shoulder. “Wow. I’m impressed.”

Wow
pretty much described the Amazon goddess walking into the kitchen. Even tired and a little wobbly in her sky-high boots, she dominated the space.

“Cassie Watson, I’d like to introduce Henry and Alexandra Chilton, the Earl and Countess of Ripon.” He left out the family ties.

Cassie lifted her eyebrows at the mention of the title, but otherwise held it together. “Nice to meet you both.”

“Call us Alex and Henry.” Alex clasped her hand. “Would you like a drink?”

“Water would be great.”

Alex buzzed around the kitchen and asked her a thousand personal questions. Cassie answered like a pro with her fake story—meeting Simon at a party, never finishing college, moving to England for a change of pace. She’d led an interesting fictitious life, although Simon preferred her real history.

When they all settled at the table, Alex and Cassie fell into a longwinded discussion about living on the East Coast of the United States versus living on the West Coast. Benign enough. Simon ran up to his room to pack a few of his things, including a tuxedo, three suits, and a briefcase containing several guns and ammunition, which had been hidden under the floor in his closet. This had been his primary residence before Alex attached herself to Henry, and before Nicola died. He placed the clothes in a suit bag and carried everything downstairs.

When he arrived back in the kitchen, Henry was sitting at the island, nursing his drink. Alex and Cassie remained at the table, completely engrossed in each other.

Simon sat on the stool next to Henry.

“She’s not your usual type,” Henry said with a smirk.

“Yes, she is. All the women I date are gorgeous.”

“Maybe, but Cassie seems more intelligent than the women you used to bring around. She mentioned her preference for the Ninth Doctor, knew Sofia is the capital of Bulgaria, and laughed when we told her how lucky she was to be with you.”

Simon froze. “You mentioned my assignment to her?”

“Alex said she was excited to travel to Sofia. She never told Cassie why she was going.”

“Do not speak to her about my work. Do you understand?” His voice came out threatening. He didn’t want Cassie in Sofia. She was assigned to work with him on the drones, not on an unrelated arms deal in Bulgaria.

Henry raised his eyebrows. “You’re taking my wife into a dangerous situation. God knows why I trust you, but I do. I’d appreciate you reciprocating the feeling. Calm down.”

How could he calm down? The more she knew about assignments that didn’t concern her, the more vulnerable she’d be later. He needed her safe in the flat until SOFEX Jordan. Not because he cared about her, because he didn’t. Yet her expertise made her a valuable commodity.

He turned away from Henry and approached Cassie, his suit bag slung over his shoulder. “Time to go, angel. We have a long drive.”

Henry followed Simon to the table and placed his hand on Alex’s shoulder. “Call me later. I want details.”

“Will do.” Simon waved to Alex, then clasped Cassie’s hand and led her to the door before she had a chance to make plans with her new friend.

His arm gripped her elbow to prevent her from falling over in the boots.

“I like your friends,” Cassie said, strapping into the SUV. She turned toward him, her expression skeptical. “They don’t act very dangerous.”

“You’d be surprised.”

“How do you know them?”

He fired up the engine. “Old acquaintances.”

She sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. “You’re not going to tell me anything, are you?”

“You know everything you should. Don’t try to make this relationship personal.” He didn’t want to like her, but he did. If only he could erase all the ple
asant memories of the evening—the romantic dinner, meeting his family. This was just a job, and she was merely the hired help.

They rode in silence.

She closed her eyes and remained quiet until they arrived in London. Why did she have to be so beautiful? And trusting? And nice? If he took her to Sofia, Teodor would follow her around like a teenage boy with his first hard-on and screw up Simon’s ability to focus on the deal. She was better off in London for the time being.

He opened her door and shook her shoulder. “Get up.”

Blonde hair covered her face. She shifted, and her hair fell over her shoulders. “I’m up.”

She arched her back and stretched her legs. Part of her makeup had smudged around her eyes. The slight imperfection annoyed him. He licked his finger and rubbed it smooth.

Yes, she was intelligent and articulate, but she’d never develop into a competent field agent. In his experience, people either had street smarts or not. She didn’t. She’d probably take a bullet rather than harm someone. The urge to protect her overrode his instincts. Nicola took care of herself and would think nothing of slitting a man’s throat if he attempted to hurt her. It was one of her best qualities. Cassie wouldn’t be able to fend off a mosquito. He shouldn’t lose sleep over her inevitable demise. She wasn’t his responsibility. In fact, he’d transfer her back to MI6 headquarters at Vauxhall Cross if he could. So why the hell was he so conflicted about her?

He helped her inside the flat and almost came undone when she faced him to say good night. She stared at him, and her lips curved up. It wasn’t meant to be seductive, but the gesture brought his focus to her mouth. He turned without a word and headed to bed.

Several hours later, a vibration on his phone woke him. Someone was at the front door. He grabbed his gun and headed to the monitor in the closet to see who thought a five a.m. visit was a good idea. A sharp intake of air, a high-pitched squeak, and a deep laugh greeted him as he left his bedroom.

What the hell?

In the foyer, a man wearing a delivery service uniform and a ball cap pulled over his eyes pointed a gun at Cassie, who stood against a wall with wide eyes and a pale complexion.

Son of a bitch.

“Put the gun down, Tucker.”

“Tucker?” Cassie asked in a faint voice. She appeared unable to function and, may God strike him dead, enticing as hell wearing a low-cut pink nightgown, probably one of Pauline’s purchases.

Tucker noticed. His eyes lingered on her breasts as he aimed the gun at her. Nicola would have held her head up and spit in his face, but Cassie wasn’t the spit in the face type. She was the “die while pleading for her life” type.

Tucker carried a large envelope in one hand and continued to train his gun at Cassie, who stood several inches taller than her assailant. He turned toward Simon and tipped the brim of his baseball cap back, revealing his pretty boy face. “I’m impressed with your ability to recognize me. Cassie thought I was with DHL, not the man she’d had lunch with two months ago.”

Simon aimed at Tucker’s forehead. “I have an innate ability to spot an asshole, even one in disguise. Put the gun down.”

Tucker chuckled. “I wanted to see how she’s doing. Not very well. I could have been an assassin.” He faced her. “Didn’t you learn anything in training?”

Cassie backed into the table behind her and clenched her hands together, tight enough to turn her knuckles white. Her breathing sounded shallow and rapid. Not the reaction expected of a field operative.

Simon sealed his emotions inside and pointed his Glock toward the floor. “Go ahead, shoot her. I could care less, but don’t get blood all over the flat. By the way, you suck at choosing competent agents. Next time, send me someone at least as good as Nicola.”

Tucker smirked and holstered the gun. “Same cold bastard as always.”

Leaving Tucker with Cassie, Simon headed to the kitchen for a shot of something strong. Cassie’s unique knowledge of robotics applications, particularly as they applied to drones, would protect her from Tucker’s threats for a little while, until Simon could locate a safe position for her, away from fieldwork.

“Don’t get me wrong. I think Miss Watson here is quite necessary,” Tucker called out to him. “Apparently, no one else is as capable in her minuscule area of expertise. I just hope she doesn’t get you killed before you complete your objective.”

By the time Simon had returned to the foyer, Tucker had wrapped his arm around Cassie and pulled her in close. She focused her gaze away from him. Rushing to comfort her would give Tucker too much ammunition to use against them. Humiliation was his specialty.

Simon took a sip of the vodka, his temper almost at the boiling point, and focused on his guest, ignoring the trembling woman in his arms. “Where’s Pauline? I don’t recall inviting you into my home.”

“I prefer a more personal approach lately, so I reassigned her.”

Cassie straightened up to her full height, a good three inches taller than Tucker. For a moment, Simon thought she’d fight him, but she remained passive. Tucker held her tight.

“Too bad. She’s more competent than you and has better legs.”

“This is for your
partner
.” Tucker released her and then threw the large envelope in his hand at Simon’s head.

Simon caught it with ease and opened the package. A U.S. Passport and a California driver’s license for Cassie Watson. They’d made her an American. He’d prefer she was British, but wouldn’t challenge Tucker. Not yet.

“I want her to accompany you on the Sierra Leone transaction. She’ll benefit from the experience,” Tucker said. He wore a grin that someone would punch off his face someday.

“She’s not ready.”

“
If she’s not ready now, she won’t be ready for Jordan, which means she’s expendable.” The prat had enough authority to hamper Simon’s efforts as well as to pull Cassie out of his operation and place her in some even more dangerous assignment.

A deep-rooted desire to protect her overwhelmed Simon, despite the professional instincts that urged him to let this beautiful weak link in his team fade into obscurity.