Last Chance (27 page)

we'll do what needs to be done. If we can take Hughes peacefully, we will. I

think we can ensure that the next prison he's taken to will hold him."

She didn't know how she felt about that. For so long she had dreamed

about killing Damon. Of course, that was always once she got up the

courage to actually confront him. But now that she would soon confront

him, how would she feel if the man didn't die? She needed to think on that a

little more.

"So the plan is for me to contact Damon, tell him I'll exchange myself

for Jamie. We set up the meeting. As soon as she's safe, I get away and you

guys come running."

Noah nodded. "He'll probably expect a setup, so you'll need to make it

convincing. Make him believe that this is just something between you and

him...no one else is involved. You saw a news report, saw Jamie's

photograph, and immediately knew. Let him think you've changed your

mind...say whatever you have to say to make him believe this is what you

want."

Since she knew what Damon wanted, what Damon liked, that

shouldn't be a problem. There were things he liked to hear her say and he

had done things to her to make her say them. Hearing the words without

coercion would be like an aphrodisiac to the lunatic.

"I'll be convincing." What else could she say? They would know the

truth tomorrow. Giving them details today wouldn't do any good.

When everyone nodded, she said, "I need to go shopping...get my hair

done. Damon doesn't know about my training. I need to look as unchanged

as possible. Feminine and weak. If he thinks I'm the same person I was years

ago, he'll be less likely to suspect anything."

"Your hair has grown out in the last few months, but it's still much

shorter than Jamie's," Samara said. "Getting it back to your original color

should make a big difference, though."

Noah checked his watch. "Why don't we meet back here tomorrow

afternoon?" He glanced at McKenna. "Will that give you enough time to

shop and get your hair colored?"

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"Yes. I'll only get a few things."

McKenna started toward the door. She stopped and turned when Noah

said, "What about Lucas Kane?"

"What do you mean?"

"Does he know about any of this?"

"No. He needs to stay out of it."

She waited for him to say something else, but instead he just gave her

the small, enigmatic smile he was famous for and said nothing at all.

McKenna went through the door and thought about all the things she

needed to do. Shopping for clothes to wear to lure a killer. Gee, that sounded

like such fun.

"Want some company?"

She turned to see Samara standing behind her. Relieved that she didn't

have to face this alone, she nodded. "Love some."

Samara pulled her cellphone from her purse. "I'll call my hairdresser

and see if she can squeeze you in. She's a whiz with color."

The elevator doors opened and McKenna entered, listening to Samara

talk in broken French to her hairdresser. A surreal feeling washed over her.

It was about to happen. She was finally going to face the man who'd killed

her family. She had dreamed about it, had nightmares about it, and even

fantasized about the actual deed. Deep down she had never believed she'd

have the courage to really carry it off. Now she had no choice. She had to do

it, to save a young woman's life. And in the process, she might lose her own.

That seemed only fitting. Because of her, the monster had taken the most

important people in the world to her. Dying to avenge them seemed only

fair.

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Sixteen

"I know you're nervous, but you look wonderful."

Aware that Samara was only trying to boost her confidence, McKenna

managed a small smile. Yesterday, at the salon, the stylist had turned her

chair around so McKenna could look at the final results of her hard work. A

slap in the face couldn't have had more impact. Seeing the old McKenna

Sloan staring back at her wasn't something she had been prepared for.

Last night she'd spent a sleepless night convincing herself she could

do this. This morning, determined to go forward, she had dressed in her new

clothing and practiced being McKenna in the mirror for several hours. After

changing everything about her persona for so long, she'd felt the need to

relive who she had been back then. The experience hadn't been pleasant but

had been necessary.

This afternoon she'd walked into Noah's office as the old McKenna

but with a few important changes. She might look the way she had years

ago, but there was a core of strength she hadn't had before. She could and

would rescue Jamie Kendrick and in the process deal with Damon Hughes

one last time.

If yesterday had been difficult, today would go several steps beyond.

And despite what she'd told herself, she could feel the panic rising again.

Giant winged gargoyles had replaced the butterflies in her stomach. She was

about to make a call to her worst nightmare, the man she feared above all

people, and now she didn't know if she had the courage to go through with

it.

"McKenna."

Noah's voice snapped her out of her terror. She lifted her gaze to see

his expression of compassion and concern.
Oh hell
. Seeing Noah McCall

worried grounded her and brought her back to where she needed to be. The

man was rarely blatant in showing his concern for an operative. The fact that

he was allowing her to see it turned the job back to what it was. A job.

Nothing more. She'd taken down evil bastards before; this was just one

more.

"You don't have to do this," Noah said. "We'll find another way."

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"No. We have no other way of getting to him without me."

Noah handed her a small plastic bag holding a ring. "One of our

designers came up with this. If something goes wrong and you get taken, the

ring has a GPS device in it. We can track you up to a thousand miles."

McKenna pulled the silver ring from the bag. Celtic in design, simple

yet intricate. Since she had never worn a lot of jewelry, she was glad the ring

was unpretentious. It shouldn't attract Damon's attention.

"You'll be wearing an earpiece. We'll hear everything and you'll hear

us. That way, as soon as Jamie is safe, we'll be able to alert you." Noah

looked around the room, his eyes stopping on everyone. "Are we ready?"

When there was a round of head nods, McKenna took the disposable

cellphone that had been purchased just for the occasion. Trying to act like

this was any other op, she took a breath and punched in the number she'd

memorized long ago, then pressed the speakerphone key so everyone could

hear.

Damon answered on the first ring. "McKenna."

The familiar oily voice knotted her stomach even more. "Yes."

"At last, my darling. I'm so pleased you called. Are you ready to come

home?"

"Yes. On one condition."

"Condition?"

The anger in his voice didn't surprise her. Damon didn't like

conditions. He insisted on total control. She'd learned that the hard way.

"I know about the woman you took."

"What woman?" The words were a denial, but she heard the shock in

his tone.

"The woman who looks like me. Her name is Jamie Kendrick. You

took her from Little Rock, Arkansas. What did you do with her?"

There was a long pause. It seemed everyone in the room had stopped

breathing. When he spoke again, collective soft breaths were released.

"Say I did take a woman who looks like you. What about it?"

"Is she still alive?"

Another long pause, then he said, "Yes."

Praying he was telling the truth, she said, "Good. I want an exchange."

"An exchange?"

"Yes. If you'll release her, I'll come back to you."

Fury filled his voice. "Are you working with the police? Because if

you are, you will fucking pay for it and so will the woman."

"No, this is between you and me, Damon. I saw her picture on the

news. She looks just like me. I don't want her to pay for my mistakes. This is

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all my fault. If I had done what you wanted me to do...given you what you

wanted..." She trailed off.

Knowing that all eyes were on her, McKenna turned slightly away.

Every word dripping with submission, she continued, "I'm ready, Damon, to

be what you want me to be. You were right...we were meant to be together.

I'm nothing without you."

There was such a pregnant silence, McKenna felt as if the entire world

were holding its breath. Finally Damon said, "You'll submit to me? Be what

I need you to be? Give me everything I want?"

"Yes."

"I want to believe you, McKenna. I want to believe that you've

learned your lesson. How do I know this isn't a trap?"

"How could it be a trap, Damon? You convinced the authorities that

you were dead. No one would believe me if I went to them."

He chuckled. "That is true. The beauty of having greedy friends in

high places."

"So you'll agree to the trade?"

"If you've learned your lesson, why should I have to give something

up?"

"Because you love me...and I know you want to make me happy." Her

stomach clenching, she forced even more submission into her tone. "I'm

begging you, Damon...as a favor for me...please."

He sighed. "I don't know why I'm so good to you...but yes, I'll let the

woman go."

"Thank you, Damon. I'll make it up to you. I promise."

"Yes, you will."

"When can we make the trade?"

"I ask the questions, McKenna. Have your forgotten your lessons?"

"Yes, Damon. I'm so sorry."

"Monday afternoon, three o'clock. Mandeville Wharf isn't far from my

home in Tampa. I'll be waiting at the end of Pier 77. As soon as I see you

walking toward me, I'll let the woman go. If you try to trick me, she gets a

bullet in her back. Got it?"

"Yes. Thank you, Damon."

"We're going to have a wonderful life together, McKenna. Once

you've proven yourself and I know I can trust you, we'll start out brand new.

I'll forgive your betrayals and we can finally be together the way we were

always meant to be."

"That's what I want, too."

"See you soon, darling."

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McKenna closed the phone and turned back around. Unable to face

the people at the table who'd heard every groveling, sniveling comment she'd

made, she kept her head down as she put the phone in her purse.

"McKenna, look at me." The compassion in Noah's voice almost

crushed her. She looked up, surprised to see that only Samara and Noah

were still there. The other operatives were gone.

"Dylan and Aidan left. They knew this wasn't something they needed

to hear," Samara explained.

"You have nothing to be ashamed of...nothing to hide from," Noah

said. "Damon Hughes is the monster."

Working to keep her emotions on lockdown but unable to articulate

her feelings, she gave a small nod of thanks. "I guess it's best if they come

back in so we can discuss any last-minute details."

Samara went to the door and opened it. Both men returned and sat

down. Dylan shot a glance at Noah. "When and where's it going down?"

"Monday. Tampa, Florida. But I doubt he really lives there. There's no

reason for him to tell you where he lives other than to throw off anyone he

thinks you're working with."

"You're right," McKenna said. "I'm sure he expects us to trick him.

That's why we can't."

Dylan leaned forward. "What are you talking about?"

"Until Jamie is completely safe, we have to make it seem as though

I'm the only one involved."

"Agreed," Noah said. "But don't think for a moment that you're alone,

McKenna."

She nodded, reassured but feeling oddly disconnected from

everything. The feeling wasn't unusual for her. When she worked an op, she

often put herself into that kind of mode. One where she felt as if she were

acting on automatic pilot and saw everything from a distance. A coping

mechanism she'd learned during the worst of Damon's torture, it had kept her

halfway sane during her time with him and had kept her alive for the last

several years.

She only hoped she could stay disconnected. Just hearing Damon's

voice after all this time, every word tainted with evil, brought back the old

fears and insecurities she thought she had conquered.

She stood. "When do we leave for Florida?"

"Tomorrow morning. Ten o'clock."

McKenna headed to the door. "We can go over scenarios on the

plane."

She hurried out before anyone could stop her, needing to be by herself

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for a while. She'd been so busy gearing herself up for what she had to do,

she hadn't even allowed herself to grieve over Lucas. Once that was done,

she would return to the hell she faced. But just for a few hours, she wanted

to relive the wonder of what she had found with him. And then she would

put all of that behind her and do what she should have done years ago.

Palm Beach

Excitement beat within Damon as he closed the phone. The one he'd