Wicked Intentions (Steele Secrurity Book 4) (9 page)

“He’s still in LA. He’ll contact Noah as soon as he can. They have specific times they’re required to check in when they go off on their own, and he hasn’t missed it yet.”

“Well, he’ll meet us here, won’t he?” Liz demanded rather than asked.

Brianna hid her smile at Liz’s infatuation with Shadow. “That depends on what he’s found in LA. We may want him to stay there more than we want him to come here.”

“There is nothing that could happen in LA that would make me want him to stay there more than I want him to come here,” Liz retorted. “There are tricks of the trade he needs to teach me. He’s withholding information from me.”

“I don’t doubt that at all, Liz.”

Brianna smiled after she turned to leave the room. Liz’s fascination with Shadow had more to do with his undercover spy skills than with his looks. But she also enjoyed the playful exchange of teasing and razzing the two of them engaged in. She’d lived alone for so long. After her children moved to different states and her husband died, she’d never allowed herself to hope she’d have a family again. She found a new fervor for life when they’d adopted her into the Steele family.

“Liz, let me know if you want me to help you unpack, too,” Brianna offered.

“I know you think you’re supermom and superwife, but you just had a baby a few weeks ago, little girl. I’ll do the unpacking, and you relax in here with Sara and Amelia,” Liz insisted.

“Yes, ma’am,” Brianna agreed. When she took a seat, she looked at Sara and loudly whispered, “She’s so bossy.”

“I’m not bossy,” Liz corrected. “I
am
the boss. There’s a big difference.”

Brianna and Sara smiled at each other as Liz continued into the master bedroom. “I hope I don’t find any of those crazy sex toys in your suitcases. Blow-up dolls and such. That’d be embarrassing for Noah, because I’d blow it up and have it sitting on the couch when he walks in.”

Sara and Brianna both busted out in laughter at Liz’s suggestion and the way she giggled diabolically at herself.

“You don’t have to worry about any of that, Liz,” Brianna called out to her.

“It could be fun to get one and mess with Shadow, though,” Liz replied thoughtfully, as if she were already calculating a plan.

Brianna and Sara locked gazes, each secretly hoping Liz would be successful in her endeavor, while also fearing that very thing. “Never a dull moment,” Brianna quipped.

A couple of hours later, Noah, Chaise, Bull, and Silas arrived at the hotel. Chaise was the first one to join Brianna and Sara in the living area. The three-bedroom luxury suites Brianna’s father, Evan Tate, had secured for them had every amenity they could possibly need. He insisted on the best for his granddaughter, plus that particular floor was inaccessible to anyone without a keycard that had been specifically programmed for it. For Noah and Brianna’s suite, he’d also made sure the staff provided a crib beside the bed in the master bedroom.

There were four identical suites on the same floor that Evan had also reserved for the others in the Steele clan. If anyone who didn’t belong on the floor showed their face, they’d be immediately spotted by the security team. Brianna knew the added protective measures her father had put in place for his family helped him sleep better a little better at night, even though he’d worry about them regardless.

Brianna stood to hug them as they walked into the suite, pulling Chaise into her embrace first. “Hi, Chaise. Did you go by to see your father first?”

“Yes,” Chaise replied as they released each other. “He looked well rested when we got there. Noah said he was pretty worn-out by the time he agreed to let go of Amelia.”

“Yes, he was. But it was his own fault,” Brianna chuckled. “Where are the guys?”

“They’re out in the hall having a secret decoder ring meeting.” Chaise rolled her eyes. “They received a call while we were at the hospital. They wouldn’t tell me what’s going on, but it has to be something big about Rashad and his cell with the way they’re acting all secretive about it.”

“That’s rude.”

“They said something about it being a matter of national security. It’s top secret, it’s their job, blah, blah. Like we’re not eyeball-deep in this case with them. Don’t worry, I’ll get it out of Colton later. None of his training prepared him for the torture I can inflict on him.” Chaise smirked knowingly.

“It’s like they don’t know us at all.” Brianna teasingly rolled her eyes.

“You need information out of those men? I can get it out of them,” Liz added. “I’ll have them singing like little girls and begging to tell me all their secrets. The trick is all in how you flick your wrist. Get a good hold and just flick it. Works every time.”

“There will be no holding and flicking going on around here,” Bull announced as he strode into the room. “Especially from Liz.”

Noah and Silas walked in and stood behind Bull. Brianna immediately recognized the seriousness of Noah’s expression and the fighting stance he innately reverted to when danger was imminent. His eyes swept around the room until they landed on hers, and for the first time since she’d seen him on a mission, there was a hint of something else in his eyes. He crossed the room, making a beeline for her, and wrapped his arms around her.

“What is it, Noah?” she murmured in his ear.

He shook his head lightly. “We’ve received our new orders from the top. We were also briefed on new intel about our target.”

When Noah released her, she saw Sara had her arms wrapped around Silas’s waist. “How’s my oldest child?” she asked as she squeezed him. “I’ve missed you so much.”

“I’ve missed you, too, Mom. But I’m here now, and I’m not going anywhere else,” Silas replied and protectively squeezed his mother to his side.

Brianna felt Noah staring at her before she glanced up at him. “It’s bad, huh?” she asked, although she already knew the answer.

“More of his team has moved into the Houston area. They haven’t identified the exact target yet, but they know from the chatter that he’s managed to infiltrate whatever it is they’re planning to attack.”

“
S
urprise
!” Braxton called out to his parents as he walked through the front door. “I’m home for Christmas!”

“My baby is home!” Jackie squealed and ran into his outstretched arms. “Why didn’t you tell us you were coming home?”

“Because I wanted to surprise you. Besides, I wasn’t sure what exact day I’d get here until the last minute.”

“How long are you home, son?” Bryan asked before he pulled Braxton into a fatherly embrace.

“I get two weeks off for Christmas Exodus then I’m headed back to Arizona for more training.”

“Isn’t your AIT completed by now?” Bryan asked.

“I just completed the intelligence analyst training course. It was pretty grueling, but I aced it. With everything that’s going on in the world right now, we need more intelligence officers. I’ve been offered a chance to attend counterintelligence training next. If I complete it as well as I did this one, they’ll advance me up to a sergeant sooner than most.”

“How’d you get picked for that?” Jackie asked suspiciously.

Braxton shrugged, giving the appearance the answer was boring and unimportant. “I guess I did pretty well during the first round of training. They said my ASVAB and test scores were high. My marksmanship is one of the best.

“Plus, I’ve decided to make a career out of the Army. I’m signing up for every type of advanced training I can get into. Jump school will have to wait a little longer, but I’ll get there. I’ve been accepted to a college near the base, so I can get a degree and move up to an officer.”

“Son, you’re taking on way too much all at once, don’t you think?” Bryan’s concern for his son was written all over his face.

“Might as well do all I can while I’m young, right?”

“You won’t have any spare time, Brax. You’ll spend every waking moment training, going to class, or studying,” Jackie warned.

“That’s the point, Mom,” he finally revealed. “It’ll keep my mind and my hands occupied. I won’t have time to think about anything else. I’m actually looking forward to it.”

“You’ll probably be stationed somewhere else after you finish this training, though.”

“I’ll just transfer and keep taking classes somewhere else. It’ll be okay, Mom. Quit worrying about me so much.” Braxton put his arms around her in an attempt to reassure her.

“Brax, you’re my baby. I’ll never stop worrying about you as long as I’m alive.”

“Are you worried that I’m hungry? Because I’ll let you worry about that all you want every time I come home.”

Jackie released him and rolled her eyes exaggeratedly at him. “Of course, you’ll let me worry about that. Come on, I’ll feed you.”

“Okay. I’m going to put my stuff in my room first. I’ll be right there.”

When he opened the door to his childhood bedroom, the past rushed over him in much the same way a tsunami crashes onto land and obliterates everything in its path. Memories of Heather filled the room—from their friendship as kids to their first time as lovers, these four walls had seen it all. The crushing weight of his past failures settled on his chest and threatened to choke the life out of him. Dumping his duffel bag on the floor by his bed, he quickly retreated back to the kitchen.

“How the fuck am I supposed to sleep in there?” he murmured to himself as he walked back down the wall.

“Brax, while your mom is cooking, I’m going next door to help Frank with his car. I’ll be back in a little while.”

When Bryan was out the door, Brax looked at his mom and smirked knowingly. “That wasn’t obvious at all.”

“What?” She feigned innocence, knowing exactly what he meant.

“Dad rushed out to help Frank with his car, but he didn’t ask me to help, too? Come on. I’ve known him all my life,” he deadpanned. “So, what is it you want to talk to me about? Let’s have it.”

“Okay. But just remember you asked,” Jackie began. “Why haven’t you answered Heather? You’ve kept her waiting for months now.”

“Why do you think I’d answer her, Mom? If that’s what she wants, she can do it without me.”

“Do what without you?”

“Divorce me,” Braxton bellowed. “I’m not signing those damn papers. There are other ways she can get it without my consent.”

Jackie shook her head and gave him a sad smile. “Why would you think she sent you divorce papers?”

“Because I saw them myself,” Braxton replied sadly. “I went back to the apartment before AIT to talk to her. They were on the kitchen counter, ready to dissolve our marriage. All they needed was our signatures.”

“Oh, my baby boy.” Jackie put her hands on his shoulders and shook him gently. “You didn’t even open the envelope, did you?”

Braxton shook his head from side to side.

“She didn’t mail divorce papers to you. Do you still have the envelope?”

“Yeah. It’s in my duffel bag. I was going to leave it here with you.”

“You need to go open it. I promise it’s not divorce papers.”

Suddenly, Braxton couldn’t wait to get back to the very room he’d just left. Question after question flashed through his mind in the few steps he took toward his room.

If she didn’t send the divorce papers, why did she have them?

The envelope was very thick. What else could she have sent?

Is it something I even want to read?

Dumping all of his neatly folded clothes out of his bag onto the bed, he rifled through the clothes until he found it. With his heart beating wildly against the side of his chest, he absently sat down at his old desk and slid his finger under the envelope flap. His eyes were fixed on the contents of the envelope as he gingerly removed the papers inside. After inhaling a deep breath, he held it as he unfolded the letter and began reading the words Heather had poured from her heart onto the pages in front of him.

He allowed himself to feel the emotions her words invoked. As she moved through their time together, the memories resurfaced in the form of tears flowing down his cheeks. The good and the bad times, they were all still right where he left them, and he felt them one by one all over again. Only this time, he was reliving them through her eyes, through her words, all in exactly the way she’d perceived the events as they unfolded. Thoughts and feelings they should’ve shared with each other, only they were blinded by youthful inexperience and their self-imposed confinement in a hellish prison.

She didn’t blame him, she didn’t hold him responsible, and she didn’t hate him. She actually still loved him. Nothing that had happened changed or lessened her love for him, and she wanted their marriage to last. At least, she’d felt that way when she wrote the letter a few months before. His mind worried that she would’ve given up on him by now because he never answered.

His heart told his mind to shut the hell up because Heather would never do that.

Jumping up from his seat, he tore out of his room and ran back to the kitchen.

“Mom—”

She was waiting for him with her car keys in her opened palm. “Go, son.”

After kissing her cheek and grabbing the keys from her hand, Braxton rushed out to the car and sped all the way to their apartment. He mentally berated himself for not getting more information from his mom before he left. Heather said she’d been staying in his room. For how long? When did she stop? Did she move back in to their apartment, or was she at her parents’ house now?

Since it was the week before Christmas, she may not even be home. She could very well be visiting other family members. If that was the case, he didn’t know what he’d do, other than wait for her, however long it took. The undeniable truth was they were made for each other. They were one of the rare couples who’d always known their union was meant to be and their hearts would never be satisfied with anyone else.

The tires skidded to a stop in the parking space, and he rushed up the flights of stairs as fast as his feet could carry him. Standing in front of the apartment door, his chest heaved forcefully from the emotion that welled up inside it. He raised his fist in the air, poised to knock on the door, but it swung open widely before his knuckles could connect.

Heather stood in the doorway. Her eyes were wide open, her mouth ajar in a silent gasp, and her muscles were tensed. She was still the most beautiful girl he’d ever seen. She was still the best friend he’d ever known, and she was still the person he loved most in the world.

She was still his wife.

Recognition that it was actually Braxton who stood before her took a few seconds to register in her shocked state. He knew the very second she realized who he was—the expression in her eyes instantly changed from slight fear to passionate love. As if to further validate their connection, they spoke at the same time.

“Heather.”

“Braxton.”

Desperate need for the other overtook them, their bodies collided and melded into one as their arms encircled each other. When their lips met, time and troubles melted away until there was nothing left except their love and need for each other. Lips crashed together, teeth collided, and tongues caressed with a heated fervor. Though it took all of his restraint, he slowly halted their passionate embrace.

With their foreheads touching, Braxton lovingly caressed her cheek with his thumb while keeping her held tightly against him with the other hand. “Heather.” He whispered her name with such reverence, such devotion, it was as if her name had become his prayer. “I’ve missed you so damn much.”

“Braxton, where have you been?” she implored. “I’ve waited so long for you to come home.”

“I’m here, and I’m so sorry I’ve kept you waiting. I just read your letter this morning, and as soon as I finished reading it, I rushed straight over here to you.”

“You only read it today? But I mailed it months ago.” The confused look on her face was endearing and heartbreaking.

“Can I come in and explain?”

She smiled bashfully. “Of course you can come in. It’s your home, too.”

Those four words coming from her meant more than she’d ever know. He walked her backward into the apartment while not letting go of her and closed the door behind him. “Were you going somewhere?”

“Nowhere important.”

“Good. Because I’ve been away too long, and I don’t want to share you with anyone else for however long I can keep you locked away.”

“What took you so long to read it?”

Knowing he put the uncertainty in her eyes cut him to the quick.
She thought I quit loving her,
he thought.

“I came by here to see you on my way to Arizona. Took the long way and rushed over here on a layover, but you weren’t here. When I was looking for something to leave you a note on, I found the divorce papers on the counter. So when I received the envelope, I assumed it was the papers for me to sign.”

“So if it had been those papers, you wouldn’t have signed them?”

“Not a chance in hell.”

“Brax, I promise I didn’t want them. I’ve never wanted that. They were actually in with the papers I needed to shred. My dad pushed it for a while, but he knows better than to do that now.”

“There are a lot of things we need to talk about, Heather. We’ve both been guilty of letting our misconceptions and assumptions rule us. We’ve been apart for way too long already.”

She led him to the couch, where they sat together and talked for hours. Through their tears, they discussed the events that led up to their separation. By laying their feelings out on the table to examine, they exposed every vulnerability and made their relationship stronger.

“I never blamed you, Brax,” Heather said through her tears. “My world revolved around you and Dalton, and I never doubted that your world revolved around us. The last thing I’d ever do is blame you for his death, but I understand why you’d think that. I blamed myself for not waking up to check on him earlier. Part of me just assumed you blamed me for that, too. It wasn’t a conscious thought, though. In my mind, it was just a given that it was my fault.”

He shook his head from side to side. “No, baby. It never occurred to me that anything was your fault. Now I have to get past the fact that I put even more pain on you when I left. At the time, I obviously wasn’t thinking clearly, but I honestly thought it would be easier on you without me.”

She sighed heavily and placed her palm on his cheek. “Aren’t we a pair, Brax? Losing Dalton sent us both into a tailspin. One neither of us had a clue how to handle. I should’ve told you that your mere presence grounded me. Your love carried me through many dark nights I wasn’t even sure I’d survive while we were going through it. The only thing I was sure of was you.”

“Promise me something.”

“Anything.”

“No matter what happens in the future, this is how we talk about it. No matter what it is, no matter how hurt, mad, depressed, or confused we are. Two heads are better than one. Facts are better than assumptions.”

“I promise this is how we’ll talk about everything. I’ve been going to a therapist the last few months, and she has really helped me. I’ve told her everything that’s happened, and she had an interesting observation.”

“Yeah? What’s that?”

“First, she’s very impressed with our commitment to each other. I explained that we started out as best friends first and how our love and loyalty have never been in question. She doesn’t think we’ve had a chance to develop as individuals. We went from friends to lovers to a married couple to parents, on top of being so young. She suggested we use this time apart to grow as individuals, so when we’re reunited, we’ll be stronger as a couple.”

“How long do you plan to stay apart from me?”

She smiled at him lovingly and stroked his jaw with her fingers. “I don’t plan to stay apart from you at all. But you’ve joined the Army now, and I don’t really know how that works. Are you still in training? With everything that happened on 9/11, will you be sent away to fight? If not, where will you be stationed, and can I go with you?”

“Okay, I get your point,” Braxton chuckled. “I can only take things a day at a time right now, except over the next two weeks while I have a break over the Christmas holidays. I’m finishing up my first round of individual training, but I’ve been selected to go for a second round with a group of handpicked soldiers. I’ll be away another four months for it. After that, I have jump school in Georgia and hopefully Ranger training after that. Those two trainings will add at least another three to four months, depending on timing.”