Agent E2: Aidan (Superhero Romance) (The D.I.R.E. Agency) (12 page)

Just because her father lay in a hospital bed under D.I.R.E. security didn’t mean he had no power, either. She’d seen him pull off miracles in the past – Riordan for one. Not one bread crumb had been found in his disappearance.

She would never take that chance with Aidan. Never.

“Cass, what are you doing in there?”

Swallowing hard, she took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “None of your business.”

“Damn right it’s my business.” He jiggled the handle. “Open up.”

“No, I’m… not through.”

He remained silent a moment. “Cass, what the hell
are
you doing?”

Lifting her chin at the closed door, she decided to give him a little shock of her own. “Enjoying the mile high club by myself.”

Silence met her retort before the door shoved open in her face. Aidan appeared in the doorway, his nostrils flared, his beautiful green eyes nearly black. He gave her a slow perusal before giving her a fierce glower.

“I miss you.” Her voice shook.

The glare faded from his face, his shoulders relaxing. He skimmed his gloved knuckles along her jaw. “Cass-“

“What’s going on in here?”

Mitchell appeared behind him, looking as big and mean as a bulldog. Aidan’s hand fell away from her face.

“Nothing.” Aidan turned his back on her and walked out. “Absolutely nothing.”

#####

“Her mother was just as beautiful as Cassandra.”

Aidan whipped around to stare at Mitchell sitting beside him on the airplane. Staring out at the Grand Canyon below, Mitchell’s voice sounded low and melancholy.

Ever since Mitchell found him with Cassandra in the restroom, Aidan’s gut had churned like a garbage disposal. After the warning Tristan had given him, Aidan feared what Mitchell might do, knowing he broke the rules.

Aidan had never been one for following rules, although his SEAL training had pounded the necessity of it into his brain.

Somewhat.

Now, he sat in a state of shock that Mitchell had made personal conversation with him. He also wondered about the woman that had taken her own life and left two small children to be raised by someone like Robert Naylor.

Mitchell turned to him. It surprised Aidan to see sadness in the navy depths of his sunken eyes. He hadn’t noticed the black circles until now.

“The first time I saw Angela, I was tongue-tied. Made a total jackass out of myself.”

Aidan frowned. It seemed a little odd that Mitchell would speak of Naylor’s wife that way. If it were Cass, he’d kick his ass.

“Jim and I stopped to change her flat tire. Jim talked while I changed the tire.” He chuckled to himself. “I hit my hand with the damned tire iron I don’t know how many times because I kept staring at her instead of the wheel lugs.”

“How did she end up with Naylor?”

Shrugging, his gaze returned to the window. “I wasn’t around when they… got together.” Taking a deep breath, he sat up and faced Aidan. “Anyway, consider yourself notified that D.I.R.E. has a strict no frat-”

The airplane rumbled and shook before veering left with a sharp drop.

Cass gasped. Papers and computers fell and tumbled to the floor and sidewalls. Aidan’s water bottle rolled and bumped against the opposite seat. He gripped the armrest to keep from falling out of his chair.

Hitting the intercom, Mitchell called the pilot. “Tompkins?”

Silence.

“Lisa?”

“We lost a wing.” Dar’s voice boomed like cannon fire in the falling plane.

Unbuckling, Aidan balanced himself on the lopsided floor. The plane had to be a good forty-five degrees off, and falling. He had to get to the cockpit.

The cockpit door slammed open against the wall. Lisa’s body fell over the threshold. Aidan could see Tompkins slumped in his seat.

“They’re dead, Mitchell.”

Mitchell unbuckled his seatbelt.

“I can fly,” Dar said. “But, this plane’s going down, either way.”

Aidan shook his head. They had to get out of there, quick. However, between the canyons and the mountains below, a jump would be tricky. They also had to get out before the plane spiraled. “We need to jump.
Now
.”

Mitchell went to a cabinet at the front of the cabin. “I’ll get the chutes.”

Bracing his arm on the side of the plane, Aidan rushed to Cassandra and Dar. Cass’s blue eyes were huge in her face when he squatted at her feet.

“Ever gone skydiving, baby?” He unlocked her feet and turned to Dar.

“No. I’m afraid of heights.” Her voice shook as she braced her hand against the wall to stay in her seat.

The plane veered hard left again. Cass caught her breath.

“We’re screwed,” Dar said.

The plane fell into a nosedive. The three of them tumbled to the front of the cabin and hit the wall where Mitchell already lay.

They were losing altitude fast.

Standing, Aidan pulled Cass to her feet. Dar followed.

“Here.” Mitchell shoved a chute at Aidan. “Get it on her.”

Aidan strapped the chute on Cass while she watched him work. Mitchell handed a chute to Dar then set Aidan’s at his feet.

“Where’s your chute, Mitchell?” Aidan said.

“We only have three.”

Dar shoved his chute back at Mitchell. “It’s yours.”

Mitchell stared at him, eyes wide.

What the hell? Naylor sacrificed his chute for Mitchell?

“Dar, no.” Cass clutched his arm, her eyes wide.

Aidan cursed mentally. “Naylor, take my chute.” He shoved it at Dar. “Mitchell get yours on. I’ll go down with Cass. We have to get the hell out of here.
Move
.”

Dragging Cass by the hand, Aidan went to the door, his hands on the lever. He looked into her wide, terrified eyes. “Stay behind me and hold on tight. We’ll get out of this. Trust me.”

She gave him a wide-eyed nod. “I do.”

With Mitchell and Dar holding onto him, Aidan shoved open the door. Rapid decompression whipped at him, threatening to suck him from the plane. Aidan held the door frame in a white-knuckled grip, his gloves glowing with restrained current. His system revved higher and higher, his blood pumping wildly.

He had to calm down or he’d shock Cass.

“Mitchell, go.”

Without hesitation, Mitchell stepped forward and jumped out of the plane.

“Naylor, you’re up.”

Dar stood at the door and stared down at the Valley of Fire below. “No time to be a wuss, Naylor.
Go
.”

Dar squeezed his eyes shut and… stood there.

He had to be afraid of heights, too, but they had no time to mess around.

Slapping Dar on the back, Aidan shot a jolt of electricity through him. He shot out of the plane with a loud, sharp curse.

The desert floor rose up fast. Aidan cursed aloud. They had to hurry.

Turning around, he hauled Cass against him. Electricity hummed in his body. She jumped back.

Get a grip, Monroe. This is for Cass.

“I won’t shock you. I promise.” He held out his arm to her. “We have to go.”

Nodding, she wrapped her arms around his neck.

“Wrap your legs around me, too.”

Cass locked her legs around his waist.

“Get used to this position, baby. We’re going to use it a lot.” He jumped out.

The plane smashed into a cluster of rock formations, shooting a fireball into the sky. Aidan covered Cass’s head with his gloved hands.

His feet hit the desert floor, kicking dust in the air. He dropped and rolled in the sand, with Cass in his arms. He ended up on his back, Cass on top of him, their legs under the parachute.

“Are you okay?”

Lifting her head from his neck, she looked around. A beautiful smile blossomed on her face before she looked down at him. “You did it.” She gave him a smack on the lips.

“Damn straight.” Clutching the back of her head, he pulled her back down for a long, slow kiss.

“Monroe.” Mitchell called over his armband.

Breaking the kiss, Aidan raised his armband to his mouth. “Mitchell. Do you have eyes on Naylor?”

Dar’s voice came over the airwaves. “You freaking shocked me for the hell of it, Monroe. I was going to jump.”

Cassandra laughed as she ran her fingers through his hair. God, he loved when she touched him.

“I’ve seen calendars move faster than you, Naylor.” He grinned up at the most beautiful woman on the planet. “I had to get your ass out of there.”

“You’re full of shit, Monroe.” His voice echoed over the armband. Looking right, Aidan saw Naylor and Mitchell step over the rise.

“And by the way, get your hands off my sister.”

The D.I.R.E. compound was a large, intimidating complex nestled in the rocky desert north of Las Vegas. Shaped like an asterisk, it contained state-of-the-art fingerprint scanning and touch screen technology throughout, and ultra-modern furnishings of navy, gray and white.

The center of the complex housed a cafeteria as well as retail and recreational areas. Each wing: security, fitness and training, science and technology, medical, and housing had its own security clearance. Cass had never encountered security systems like those installed at D.I.R.E. Once again, Naylor Interests had been bested.

Cass paced the passage off of the main garage as she waited for Dar and Aidan to return. Two hours ago, a D.I.R.E. convoy had been sent to investigate the crash site. She and Mitchell had ridden back in one of the jeeps, while Aidan and Dar remained behind to answer questions. Mitchell had assigned a team to guard Dar, a team to investigate the deaths of the pilot and stewardess, and another to oversee the crash.

The crash. Cass should’ve been terrified, should’ve been frantic. In all honesty, she could’ve screamed her head off if she’d allowed herself.

However, Aidan’s presence had taken off the edge. He’d taken charge with no backlash from Mitchell, had gotten them out of a spiraling airplane and safely on solid ground.

Cass never wanted to experience anything like that again.

She’d entered her
private quarters
in the security wing to find most of her personal belongings in her room. Under different circumstances, she would’ve been excited to see her clothes, purses, shoes, etc. from her home at Grand Lake. Now, she knew she’d never see home again.

Mitchell Jacobs didn’t have to treat her this well. He could have her out in the desert with no food or water. He’d given her and Dar rooms as though they were guests, rather than prisoners.

She just couldn’t figure out why.

And Dar. He’d handed over his parachute to
Mitchell Jacobs
. That told her one thing.

Her twin had given up.

After Aidan had single-handedly taken out the Naylor team at the hospital last night, Cass knew Dar had surrendered. Knew he took the blame for the loss of Naylor Interests, knew he realized their family unit was gone.

Robert Naylor would never forgive them for any of it.

Cass twirled her damp hair. The cool shower relaxed her after standing in the heat of the desert so long. She’d donned a sky-blue, strapless sundress that fell just above her knees, with silver sandals on her feet. She wanted to look her best when Aidan saw her. Hopefully, that kiss they’d shared in the desert meant he’d given her another chance.

Walking at a brisk pace, Mitchell approached her, his black hair slicked back from his face. “They’re coming in, Cassandra.”

Excitement coursed through her veins. She fell in step beside him as they headed to the garage, her long legs serving her well with his all-business stride. Opening the door, Mitchell stood aside and allowed her to pass. She walked onto a landing that overlooked the garage below. The caravan of SUV’s entered the garage, lining up side by side, one per bay.

With a hand at the small of her back, Mitchell guided her down a set of stairs to a second landing. They waited there as the agents emerged from each vehicle. Cass stood on her tiptoes, looking out over the mob of activity, searching for Aidan and Dar.

Leaning in close, Mitchell pointed to the far end of the building. “It looks like they’re down there.”

With the noise amplified by the metal walls of the structure, Cass bent closer to hear. Nodding, her gaze connected with Aidan’s swirling green glare as he climbed out of a far vehicle.

Her body, her mind, her
heart
wanted to run to him and throw herself into his arms.

His glare left her rooted to the spot.

Marching toward her with obvious intent, Aidan took the steps up, two at a time. Storming across the landing, he grabbed her by the hand and hauled her behind him - before shoving Mitchell against the railing. Electricity zapped and buzzed around him.