Caught in the Crosshair (20 page)

Chapter Seventeen

By the time Lauren settled into the safe house, her body was nearing exhaustion. Alone was how she came into the world, and alone was how she’d probably leave. Life had a way of charting courses for people, she guessed.

The place was cozy, comfortable. Leather club chairs flanked an ottoman across from an exposed brick fireplace. An armoire in the corner encased a TV and DVDs. Save for the man parked outside her door, this felt as close to home as anything could, under the circumstances. But without Jaden, even home seemed hollow.

All she could think about was a hot bath, candlelight, and a tall glass of wine.

Arranging all her props, Lauren stepped into the bath water. She eased in and practically glided down the back of the tub. In the warmth, her aches and pains melted into the water. She exhaled slowly to clear her mind. No pressure. No outside distractions. She was alone with her thoughts.

They wandered to Jaden first. Her heart tore in half from missing him so much. She could scarcely breathe.

When the pain eased, her thoughts lingered on the amazing nights she’d shared with him. Steamy curls rose from her warm bath water.
You can’t fake feelings that strong.
It didn’t matter that Jaden’s job was to convince people of what he wanted them to believe. Lauren could see beyond the exterior. She’d seen it in his eyes. What they’d shared had been real, damn it.

She feared her heart would never right itself again without him.

The bath oils filled the space with the calming scent of lavender.

A full hour later, she stood, rinsed off, and put on her favorite pajamas. Curling up in a surprisingly soft bed, the distant rumble of a thunderstorm comforted her. She missed Jaden’s arms around her. Why had he pushed her away? A few choice words popped into her mind.

If she were being honest, he had good reason. Jaden made a life out of being on his own. But that wasn’t the question swirling around in her head as she drifted off to sleep. Why did he push her away
now
?

Lauren fell asleep as the rain came, flooding the hot, cracked sidewalk.

When she checked the clock the next morning, she realized she’d slept for nearly twelve hours. It was late morning before she rolled out of bed and ambled into the kitchen.

Her feet hurt. Her heart was beyond pain. She needed to find something for the blisters. That could wait. A strong cup of coffee couldn’t.

She moved to the cupboard, praying her security detail had stocked it. Thank God for beans grown in golden fields, sent down from Heaven itself. Or from Jamaica. Actually from the gourmet coffee store on the corner, but she’d been told they flew beans in fresh weekly.

Crossing her fingers, saying another silent prayer, she checked the fridge. Creamer that wasn’t past the date stared back at her.

Small miracles.

After pouring a fresh, steaming cup, Lauren opened the sugar canister. Light sparkled off the tiny granules. Looked just like the sugar-white beaches of Antigua.

Her heart skipped a beat. Her thoughts slammed to Jaden. He’d been the one to teach her the lesson looping through her thoughts.
You can’t change someone else,
he’d said
.

Lauren slipped out onto the tiny patio. The noon sun was already overhead. Her black hair whipped around in a rare cool summer breeze. The dye was already fading in streaks, leaving peeks of her true color showing through.

She slowly sipped her coffee, savoring every drop before thinking about putting the pieces of her shattered life back together. She had a business to salvage. A heart to heal.
Business can wait.

She couldn’t quite remember what day it was anymore and allowed herself not to care for a few minutes longer.

When she was sufficiently awake and grounded, she decided to plug back into life and watch the news. Maybe she could catch up a bit while she got ready for work.

Facing the mirror brought her back to the stark reality of all she’d been through. It would be a challenge to hide all the bumps and bruises on her face. Walking around like that in the city and in front of customers would be embarrassing. She could use sunglasses.
Then you’ll look like a battered wife
.

If foundation couldn’t cover, there was probably no use. Blotting the skin-colored cream over her cheeks and forehead, she did her best to hide the gash and bruises with makeup.

After gathering her hair into a ponytail, she pulled out a pair of black slacks and a silk blouse. Nah. Too uncomfortable. She slipped on jeans and a T-shirt instead. Besides, with the blisters on her feet, she was looking at wearing flip-flops for at least a week.

One glance at the TV and she froze.

“An operative, known as Jaden Dean, linked to a secret organization called ManTech is speaking out against evil.”

Her pulse climbed. Lauren raced to the set, cranked up the volume.
You gotta be kidding me. Why would you do this? You would you blow your cover? This is a death wish.

Maybe he had left to protect her?

“The ex-Army Sniper not only gives away his identity, but he delivers a call to action in this YouTube video, which is going viral on the Internet …”

Lauren had to blink to see if she was awake. The homemade video came up on the screen with a man who was unmistakably Jaden.

“This is David Wells. My company, ManTech, has been infiltrated by a South American cartel. Our operatives are being killed on assignment left and right. If you’re listening, assholes, you missed one. Me. You tried and failed. You want me? Come get me. I’m here in Caracas at the Parque Carabobo subway station, and I’m waiting for you.”

Lauren’s heart dropped to the floor. Why would he do this? Why was he exposing himself? Taunting them.
Why would you say your name?

The shot in the video panned out to reveal several red tables and stools with men playing chess against the backdrop of what looked like a subway hub. Jaden seemed to be exactly where he said he was.

Oh God.

They’ll find him and kill him. He was in
their
element.

He was doing his job. Maybe he had a death wish, but she couldn’t sit idly by and watch.

Tears streamed down her cheeks as she turned off the TV. Besides, she had a life of her own to put back together. Except that a life without him felt hollow.

The doorbell rang.

Lauren answered quickly, fearing there’d be news about something happening to Jaden.

“Ma’am, it’s shift change. I need you to wait here while we secure the perimeter,” he said before disappearing down the hall.

Her nerves were fried. She couldn’t stop thinking about Jaden. He’d blasted his location to the world. Sitting there, waiting, made it worse.

She slipped outside, not caring that security didn’t follow. She needed a minute to breathe, anyway. Besides, they’d figure out where she was and pick back up with her at the store.

On the walk to her shop, anxiety caused her knees to shake and her shoulders to slump forward. Her knuckles felt like they would bruise from dragging the pavement. Every step was a chore. She was tired. The physical bruises pounded, and she was starting to rack up emotional ones of a similar scale.

Why would he do it? Why would he push her away and then go to Caracus to expose his identity?

A dumbstruck thought hit her. If Jaden’s feelings had been real, and she knew in her heart they were, what if he’d pushed her away for her own good? He’d said he would do anything to keep her safe again. Did that include forcing her away to reveal his own identity?

Try as he did to hide his true feelings, the pained expression he wore at the restaurant tipped off his real emotions.

Another thought occurred to her. When she’d visited Max the other day, he’d said herrr. A woman?

Frustration climbed up Lauren’s throat causing a heated rash. How could she find him now, even if she wanted to? He was on another continent. He was making himself a sitting duck for hired killers.

Lauren opened her shop, ready to focus on work, knowing she wouldn’t find Jaden if she tried. He was a professional. It was his job to disappear when he wanted to, and he was the best.

Lauren flipped on the light switch, but nothing happened.
Shoot.
A breaker had probably been tripped.

The thunderstorm last night was the likely culprit. She pulled the emergency flashlight out from behind the counter, set down her keys, and moved to the stock room.

It didn’t take but a minute to locate the box. Power outages during storms were becoming more and more common in Texas, and Lauren knew far too much about how the power box worked at her store because of them.

The door chimed out front.

That’s weird.

Lauren could’ve sworn she’d locked it.

At least she had lights now. She moved from the storeroom quickly and back out onto the floor. “Morning,” she said, looking around.

No one answered. She didn’t immediately see anyone, either. Her heart skipped a beat, her thoughts snapped to Jaden. But that was impossible. Jaden was in Caracas. He was miles and miles away in another country. He would not be there, in her store.

Probably her security detail catching up to her.

“Anyone here?” she asked, scanning the racks. Funny. She could’ve sworn someone came in. She shrugged. Her mind was playing tricks on her.

If no one entered the store, then she still had time to lock the door and gain a few moments of privacy before facing the day.

Now, where’d she put those keys?
On the counter.

Lauren moved to the cash register, but they weren’t there. She searched around and found them tucked between the register and the wall.
Weird
.

At the door, the deadbolt was locked, which meant Lauren had to be going crazy. And who could blame her? She’d been through hell and back. The door chime must’ve been her imagination.

As she turned, she saw a figure move behind a clothes rack. Lauren froze. Her heart stuttered. A little gasp escaped her before she could swallow it.

Someone was there, messing with her.

Impossible as it was, her heart wanted it to be Jaden.

She unbolted the deadlock in case she needed to make a run for it. “Who is it? Who’s there?”

Jaden’s words came back to her.
Use things from your surroundings.

Sticking near the front was her best opportunity to escape. With her back to the door, she fisted the key ring, allowing the jagged edges of the keys to poke through her balled fingers. It wasn’t much, but they were the only weapons she had.

Fear and panic welled in her throat. She stifled a cough. Who was there?

It could be a vagrant. That happened from time to time. Anyone else would’ve identified himself.

The room was quiet. Tense. They were at a stalemate.

Lauren heard the squeak of a dressing room door opening. She ventured a few steps forward.

From seemingly out of nowhere, she felt a blow to the back of her head, and something heavy smacked against her back.

She stumbled a few steps forward, blurry-eyed, but managed to stay on her feet. A rope pulled tightly against her neck, and a white cloth covered her mouth.

There was something on the rag. A strong odor. It wasn’t a scent she could identify, but it was screaming at her. She held her breath and fought.

She jabbed her arm backward. A strong elbow to the ribs of the person behind her shocked them enough to loosen their grip.

Spinning around, she pushed off.

It was a woman.

A blonde woman.

The door chimed as a punch landed on Lauren’s solar plexus. Air flew from her lungs with an audible whoosh. The voice she thought she’d never hear again cut through the ringing sound in her ears.

“I’m the one you want. Leave her alone, Helena,” said Jaden, his voice angrier than she’d ever heard it before.

The next blow dropped Lauren to her knees.

Before she could scream, a strong hand guided her upright again.

“You came back for this one. Just as I knew you would. I saw the way you looked at her in Antigua. Did you think I would not hunt you?” the now-blonde said, her honey-coated Latin accent couldn’t hide the bite in her words, the venom on her tongue.

“She has nothing to do with this,” Jaden said, bitterness deepening his tone as he stood between Lauren and Helena.

***

The blonde’s eyes twinkled, and her lips turned up in a sarcastic grin. “You like this one. Is Jaden Dean, excuse me, is David Wells finally in love? Then you’re about to know what it’s like for the one person you love to die!”

“You don’t need her to make your point. You found me. I promise you won’t kill me.”

Helena’s cat eyes stayed intent on Jaden. “Don’t be so sure.”

Jaden’s grip tightened on his gun. “It won’t bring him back.”

She let out a pained screech. “You keep slipping out of sight, you sonofabitch. You won’t do it again,” Helena said before disappearing behind a rack of clothing.

“I mourn his loss too. Your head’s not on straight. We can get you some counseling.”

“Don’t pretend to be my friend. You killed him.”

“I wouldn’t do that.”

“You might as well have. You sent him to his death.”

“Sent him? I didn’t have to. He begged me to go.”

“Liar!”

“You didn’t know? He wouldn’t take no for an answer. Said he wanted to earn some time off.”

“We were supposed to be married.” Her pitch rose in anger.

“He wouldn’t want this, Helena. Think about it.”

Jaden spun around to the sound of her every move, protective of Lauren, who he’d tucked behind him. “Where’s Gage?”

A bullet pinged off the metal clothing rack next to her head. In one swoop, Jaden had her on the floor, using his body to cover her.

“Gone.”

Damn it. He encouraged Lauren to inch forward as he scanned the floor for Helena’s feet. She was most likely using the cash register station for cover. He squeezed the handle of his Glock. Waited. The last thing he wanted to do was use it on her.

A creak from the wood floor sounded by the door. Jaden tracked the noise with the barrel of his gun. He glanced at the wall of mirrors and caught sight of Helena coming up from behind.