Black Ops Chronicles: Dead Run (16 page)

They glanced at each other and glared at Levi but didn’t speak.

“Nick and Tony are up to something,” he continued. “And I’m sure you know what’s going on.”

The men squirmed but, other than a few choice swear words, still said nothing. Popping the magazine out of his pistol, Levi showed them it was full then jammed it back in and screwed a silencer on the end of the barrel.

“Since a friend’s life is in danger, I don’t have the time to be gentle. None of you will die tonight, but you’ll all bloody well wish you had.” He looked each man in the eyes. “Anyone want to come clean and save
yourself
some pain?”

No response.

“I didn’t think so.” Shaking his head, he got up and walked toward one of the men. “Okay, Darrell, why don’t we start with you?”

***

9:49 p.m., Su Casa Motel, La Paz, Baja California Sur:

Another thud landed on the motel room door. Max motioned for Tess to freeze then eased off the bed. Grateful he was still dressed, he slipped his pistol from his waistband, crept to the window, and peeked out through the split in the curtains.

Tess edged up beside him. “Who is it?”

“Quiet,” he hissed, though her voice had been so low he’d barely heard her.

By the light of a quarter moon, he saw a man standing at their door. Max frowned as images flashed through his mind—not of this man, but of others with the same black hair, dark skin, and narrow, pointed features. Max didn’t need the hair prickling on the back of his neck to tell him it was a good thing he’d been too distracted to bother turning on the lights when he and Tess got back to the room.

The man pounded a third time. Then he rattled the knob, cursed in Farsi, and walked next door.

Max breathed a small sigh of relief as the man spoke briefly with the occupants of the neighboring room, showed them something that looked like a photograph, and then moved on to the next door in line.

“Whoever he is, he’s going door to door.” Easing away from the window, Max sat back on his heels. “Showing a picture. Searching for someone specific.”

“Probably me,” she said. “This guy looks like someone who showed up at my cottage yesterday.”

“This man showed up at your house?”

“No. Another guy, with same type of coloring and sharp facial features as this one. He knocked on my door yesterday morning, but I didn’t answer it because I didn’t know who he was.”

“Good. That’s smart.”

“But if he’s looking for me, why would you recognize him? Because you looked like you did.”

“I didn’t recognize him, just that he wasn’t a friend. He cursed in Farsi. And since people usually swear in their native tongue, I’d say he’s Middle Eastern. He looked it.”

“You speak Farsi?”

“Apparently. I understand the swear words, anyway.” He rose and put his pistol on the table. “By the way, I thought I told you to stay put while I checked it out.”

“No, you didn’t. You just made a hand gesture. One that could’ve meant anything.” She sat on the edge of the bed only to jump up again and pace the room. “And if you haven’t figured it out yet, I don’t much care for following orders.”

“Yeah, I got that.” He doubted her sudden nervousness had anything to do with the man who’d knocked on their door. Imagining what they’d be doing right now if they hadn’t been interrupted, he swore under his breath. “You change your mind about wanting me, angel?”

“No.” She stopped pacing and faced him. “Not really.”

“Not really?” he asked, stepping toward her.

She moved back. “I just—” She linked her fingers then pulled them apart and ran them through her hair. “I’m afraid of what will happen when you get your memory back.”

“Okay, let’s talk about it.” Reminding
himself
to go slow, he walked to her, relieved when she didn’t scramble away, and put his hands on her shoulders. “Afraid I’ll turn on you?”

She shook her head. “Afraid you’re taken.”

Cupping her face with his hands, he kissed her gently. “I think I’d know if I was taken, Tess. In my flashes of memory, and the things I sense about myself, there’s nothing that says I am.” His lips moved to her throat, and she trembled. It thrilled him. “I need you,” he murmured. “Don’t let what might be, ruin what is.” He brought his mouth back to hers then gripped the bottom of her sweatshirt and pulled it off over her head along with her T-shirt. Brushing his thumbs over the lace at the top of her bra, he watched her eyes. “Tell me you want me.”

“I do.”

“Then show me.”

As her arms came around his neck, he lowered his head again. Her soft moan of surrender shot straight to his loins. Forcing himself to be gentle, he deepened the kiss. He wanted to please her, to let her know she mattered. His hands stroked her shoulders and back, teased through her hair, and fisted there as his mouth devoured hers. Taking his time, he undressed them both, always keeping his lips in contact with her skin. As he slid her panties down, the hunger sliced through him like a knife.

When he led her back to the bed, she hesitated. “What if that man comes back?”

“I’ll shoot him in the head.” He scooped her up and laid her on the bedspread. “Trust me, Tess. I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

“Even you?”

“Hurting you’s the last thing I want to do.” He ran his tongue over her nipple. Heard her moan. “This shouldn’t hurt a bit,” he murmured and drew the peak into his mouth.

She was lithe and slim, her skin as soft as silk. Her lovely curves drew his hands like magnets. Her hair fanned out around her head like a pool of fragrant water, shining in the moonlight that slipped through the gap in the curtains.

“You’re beautiful, angel. Absolutely perfect.”

His hands roamed over her while his tongue stroked and teased. Had he ever had anyone more responsive?
he
wondered as she came alive beneath him. Bolts of pleasure zipped through him at the taste of her skin. So he nibbled her everywhere. Her body was a banquet. He feasted. Crying out his name, she convulsed then lay limp and trembling.

He felt like a conqueror. The blood roared in his brain, and the urge to possess her overwhelmed him. Pulling out a condom—and thanking God he’d bought some when she sent him for new clothes—he slipped it on.

Her hips rose to meet him, welcoming him as he plunged inside her. Home was the word that ran through his mind. I’m home. With slow, deep thrusts, he built her fires again and watched her rise from need to pleading and desperation then shatter beneath him. As her eyes glazed over, he surrendered to his own release.

***

Stunned, Tess snuggled against Max while their bodies cooled. She’d never imagined making love could be like this. Nick had been her only other lover, and obviously he’d been a selfish one.

Figured.

Her whole body purred with satisfaction. She stretched, wondering how soon they could do it again.

“You know.” Max’s breath ruffled her hair. “When I got just the one room, I was actually planning to protect you, not seduce you. Of course, that plan didn’t last long.”

“So then what just happened was Plan B?”

“Apparently so,” he agreed with a chuckle. “You should always have a Plan B.”

“This one worked for me.” Her conscience kicked her in the ribs, and she let out a long, hard sigh. “What’s going to happen when you get your memories back and find out you’re married and have six kids?”

His sigh echoed hers. “Then I’ll probably feel guilty as hell.” He rolled her over, kissed her forehead, and started migrating kisses over her face, his breath a soft breeze on her skin. His lips moved to her neck, sending shivers of ecstasy up her spine. “I want you, Tess. Way too much.”

She uttered a small moan of pleasure as he brushed his lips over her shoulder. “So it doesn’t bother you that this situation may be painful and complicated when you finally ‘wake up’?” she asked, forcing herself to concentrate despite the sensations assaulting her. “I don’t want to cause you grief.”

“There’s already plenty waiting for me when my memories return. I can feel it just under the surface, trying to break through.”

“That may be true, but it doesn’t mean I shouldn’t worry about causing you more.”

“Hush,” he murmured, raining kisses on her stomach. “You’re worth whatever consequences come up when they do.”

As he traced flaming patterns on her skin with his tongue, she raked her fingernails over his shoulders and made him groan. Working his way back up, he treated her mouth to tender, nibbling kisses that nearly drove her insane.

“You’re here. You’re now,” he whispered. “And that’s enough.”

She ran her hands down his body and heard him gasp when her fingers closed around him.

“No.” He reached down and gently moved her hand aside. “This time I want to
do
it right. Very, very slowly. I want to spend hours driving you absolutely crazy.”

“If you drive me any crazier, I may not recover.”

He trailed his tongue down her body. Found the heat. “Why don’t we find out?”

CHAPTER 11

Friday, February 15
^th
, 6:31 a.m., La Paz, Baja California Sur
:

No! Oh, no. David
!

Snapping out of the dream, Max bolted upright. He scanned the room for danger then groaned as his memories flooded back, bringing the pain he’d feared. “Christ, no!”

“Max, what’s wrong?” Tess cried.

“David.” He buried his face in his hands. “Oh, Jesus. Why?”

“I take it your memories came back. Guess you were right about them hurting.” She knelt beside him on the bed, held him close. “You want to talk about it?”

Max lowered his hands, opened his mouth, and closed it again. What the hell could he say? If he told her he was CIA and had orders to bring her in, he’d destroy what had been building between them. Just as he would if he lied to her. And he couldn’t bear to lose her. Not now that he had his memories back and knew she was everything he’d ever wanted but had never expected to find.

Still, he had to tell her
something
.

“It’s a long story,” he said at last.

Her hands moved to his shoulders, and her thumbs began working the tension out of the knots in his muscles. “We’ve got time. Karl’s letter won’t get to the marina office until eight this morning.”

“Parts of it you may not want to hear.” Pulling away from her, he climbed out of bed, yanked on his jeans, and hit the lights. When he saw the panic on her face, he cursed himself and hurried back to her. “Take it easy, angel. I don’t work for Nick.” He took her hand and brought it to his lips. “And I’m not married.”

“Then what is it?”

“I’m not sure where to begin,” he said, trying to stall.

“Why don’t we start with your name?”

“Yeah.” He took a deep breath. Exhaled. “My name’s Allan Robert Maxwell, the Third, but I’ve been called ‘Max’ all my life. I’m thirty-four. I was born in Seattle, Washington, but my parents moved to Virginia when I was fifteen.”

“Okay.” She hesitated, her eyes full of doubts. “So what are you doing in Baja?”

He stroked her cheek with his free hand. “I’m here on assignment, part of an American paramilitary unit fighting international terrorism, looking for a group of Middle Eastern fanatics planning an attack on the U.S. in the near future.”

“You’re in the army?”

“No, not exactly.” He hesitated, choosing his words carefully. “It’s, um, a federal agency designed to protect the country, but we’re not officially part of the U.S. Military.”

“Oh.” She shifted on the bed. “Go on.”

He knew his omissions and evasions would seem like lies to her when she found out the rest of it. But he didn’t have much choice. If he told her now, he’d lose her. He would tell her as soon as—later. He’d tell her everything later. When she knew him better and trusted how much she meant to him.

“I work in black ops,” he continued. At her blank expression, he added, “It means that while my organization is government funded, some of our missions don’t have authorization from the president. In fact, he doesn’t even know about them. That way, he can’t be held responsible if something goes wrong.”

“Oh.” This time the word was ripe with sardonic understanding.

“I’m here in Baja because we had an informant in Salt Lake City named Jose Vargas,” he said then nodded at her sharp intake of breath.

“But Nick’s not involved with terrorists.” She hesitated. “Is he?”

He sat down on the bed beside her. “I’m afraid so. Vargas worked for Nick, but his niece married an accountant in the—in my organization. Apparently, Vargas had an attack of conscience and told his nephew-in-law about a deal between Nick and some Middle Eastern radicals. Though the plan was in the early stages, Vargas was worried about its consequences. He was scheduled to talk to someone in Counterterrorism, but before they could meet, he was murdered.” Remembering all the months of frustrating and fruitless investigation, he grimaced. “All we knew was what Vargas had told our accountant—the deal would close in mid-February of this year, and the rendezvous would take place somewhere south of La Paz. When we couldn’t uncover any more, David and I were sent to find the terrorists.”

“David?”

He groaned. “My partner. They killed him.”

“Oh, God, Max, I’m so sorry.” She started to reach for him, then her eyes went wide. “Wait a minute. That’s why Nick’s after me. He thinks I know about this deal and I’ll tell the authorities.”

“That would be my guess, too.”

“But that makes no sense,” she said, rubbing a hand over her face. “He doesn’t have any reason to think I know anything. Until the night of the murders, all I knew was that he worked for his grandfather.” She gasped and grabbed his arm. “Oh, God. Jonas doesn’t know about the terrorists. He’d never allow the family to be a part of something like that. He couldn’t.”

Max tended to agree. From what he knew about Jonas, this was a line the old man would never cross. He opened his mouth then closed it. Tess had sounded so sad and uncertain, he wanted to reassure her, but he couldn’t. She probably knew Levi and knew he still had friends in the CIA.

Rather than chance it, Max changed the subject. “Why did you come to Baja, Tess?” he asked. “Especially, to Southern Baja where this deal is going down?”

“What the hell do you mean?” The outrage on her face made him wince. He could have fried an egg with the heat blasting from her eyes. “You think I’m
in
on this?” she demanded. “That I’m
helping
Nick and the terrorists?”

“No, of course, not,” he said hastily. “But I did think you might be trying to stop them.”

“I might have,” she confessed, apparently mollified. “If I’d known where they were and what they were up to. But I didn’t.”

“Well, you have to admit it’s a pretty big coincidence—both of you showing up here at the same time.

“Damn it, Max, I told you I didn’t even know he’d be here,” she growled. Then she sighed. “If you must know, this is the last place my father and I came on vacation before he died.” She crossed her arms over her chest and looked away. “When I first ran from Nick, I bounced around mainland Mexico for a while, but ever since that summer when I was nine, I’ve always longed to come back here. I remembered how simple and easy the life of the people here had seemed to me when I was a child, and I—I just wanted some peace.”

“Jesus, Tess.” Torn between wanting to comfort her and shake some sense into her, he jammed his hands into his pockets. “Didn’t any of that stuff you read about surviving on the run tell you not to go to any familiar places? This was probably the first place Nick thought to look.”

“Nonsense. Nick knows nothing about my father or my life as a child. I never told anyone about this.”

He cocked an eyebrow. “If that’s true, you’ve really got shit for luck, kid, let me tell you.”

“I’m well aware of that. But then, my luck has always sucked.” She shot him a sideways glance then cleared her throat. “So how come you’re not married?”

He winced. She wouldn’t like his answer, but she deserved as much honesty as he could give her. “I’ve actually been trying like hell to avoid getting married for the past six months.” His mind cringed as the image of Monica’s face flooded it. “There’s a woman. She’s the niece of the—the head of my organization, the niece of my ultimate boss. And she, ah, Monica and I, ah, what I mean is, she claims we’re engaged.”

“
Damn
you, Max.” She scrambled off the bed, grabbed her panties and jeans, and began yanking them on.

“What the hell are you doing?”

“I’m getting dressed. What’s it look like I’m doing?”

“It looks like you’re planning to leave.”

“I am.” She snatched up her bra and struggled into it. Slipping on her sweatshirt, she snagged her shoes off the floor then sat on the bed to put them on. “I know this isn’t your fault, since you couldn’t remember your engagement. But that doesn’t change the fact that you belong to someone else.” She got to her feet, tears shimmering in her eyes. “I have to go.”

He grabbed her by the arms. “The hell you do. Nick’s still out there, and
I’m
not letting you go until we have a plan to keep you safe.” Ignoring her struggles, he pulled her close and pressed her head down on his shoulder. As her tears dropped onto his bare chest, each one felt like a stab wound to his soul. “It’s not like that, angel. I’ve never had any intention of marrying her.”

She sniffled and wiped her cheeks on his shoulder. “Then why’d you propose?”

“I didn’t.” Stroking her hair, he marveled at how right it felt to hold her. “It’s another long story.” He sighed. “She’s beautiful, at least on the surface, and I was very attracted to her.”

“You’re a man, so
duh
.”

“Smartass.” He tugged on a lock of her hair. “Monica worked at the embassy in Mexico City,” he continued. “We were good in bed, and I enjoyed her company for a while. But then she started planning our future, just assuming I’d go along with it.”

“And you didn’t correct her assumptions?”

The censure in her voice made him feel small. “It got real complicated, real fast,” he snapped defensively. “I didn’t want to hurt her, so I started backing away slowly. Then while I was off on a mission to Afghanistan, Monica bought herself a ring and announced our ‘engagement.’ I didn’t find out until I got back to Mexico City. And the next thing I knew her uncle was on the phone, full of congratulations and plans. He seemed so delighted. And I was...I guess shocked, angry, and embarrassed about covers it. I didn’t know quite what to say to correct the situation.” Irked by his own chagrin, he resisted the urge to clear his throat. “In fact, I felt kind of like I do right now.”

She snickered. “Yes, I guess that would be kind of awkward.” Leaning her head back, she met his gaze. A hint of amusement sparkled in her eyes, mixed with the remnants of her tears. “So what was your plan? Just to stay ‘technically engaged’ until you both died of old age?”

“No, brat. That was Plan B.” When she giggled, he kissed the tip of her nose. “But she was transferred to Virginia, and I hardly ever see her anymore. So I haven’t had a chance to straighten it all out. And doing it on the phone just didn’t seem right.”

“Why don’t you want to marry her?”

“I don’t love her, for one thing. And I don’t really think she loves me. At least not enough to be faithful.” Running his fingertips down her arms, he took her hands and linked their fingers. “I hear rumors, like you did about Jonas. Only in my case, I not only believe them, I’m relieved by them.”

“Wait a minute. She tried to trick you into marriage, and now she’s cheating on you?”

“According to the gossip, she is.”

“That
bitch
!”

The anger in Tess’s voice convinced him to say what was in his heart. He rubbed his thumb over her knuckles then, releasing her hands, slipped his arms around her again. “I know this sounds like a line, Tess, but in this case it’s true. It was never like this with her. In fact, no one’s ever gotten to me like you do.” When she blinked then beamed up at him, he growled, “You don’t have to look so damned pleased with yourself.”

She laid her head back on his shoulder. “I can’t help it. It was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. You’re a wonderful lover.”

Surprised at the pleasure that gave him, he buried his face in her hair. “Okay, then I
guess
we’re even.”

“Good.” With a wicked little giggle, she nuzzled his neck. “So, what do we do now?”

He heard the invitation in her voice and laughed. “I’d love to stay here in bed with you all day, however, we need to get some breakfast and head over to the marina.”

But he didn’t release her, wanting to hold on just a little longer. A little tighter. This time, he decided, he wouldn’t go by the damn book. No way would he turn her over to the CIA. An innocent bystander in all this, she didn’t have any information that could help them. And she was much more than an assignment to him.

I’ll find a way to stop Nick, he promised himself, and a way to keep Tess safe. Then somehow, he’d find a way to tell her everything. And he hoped to God she’d understand.

***

7:23 a.m., the country estate of Jonas McKenzie, outside Salt Lake City, Utah
:

Levi hesitated at the door to Jonas’s study, rubbed his hands over his face, and rolled his shoulders. Lord, he didn’t want to do this. He hated causing the old man pain, and the news he’d brought would hurt.

Trying to relieve some of the tension, he massaged the back of his neck. It’d been a hell of a night. But his job wasn’t done. And though his heart filled with pity for Jonas, Levi knew it wouldn’t get done by standing in the hall. Wiping all emotion from his face, he opened the door.

Jonas glanced up. “You’ve got bad news,” he said immediately. He rose from his chair by the fire and hurried across the room. “I recognize that look, young man. Whatever you’ve found out, it’s not something you want to tell me.” His face paled. “Dear God, it’s about Tess, isn’t it? We’re too late.”