Cold Day in Hell (34 page)

She nodded. “Home field advantage works for me. Plus, he and his men aren’t used to the snow and cold. We’ll have Mother Nature on our side.”

“You,” he tapped her nose, “will be safely locked away on my island. And we men will be taking care of Cruz and his thugs. Now, what were you doing at Sanctuary?” If he thought he would tuck her safely away when she could help, he had another think coming. “I was training on their software systems before I began my search for the hidden accounts. Keely’s program is far superior to what I used in college. Also, Ren wanted me to pass his weapons certification so I could get a license to carry concealed in Idaho for when I’m there. I already had a license in Illinois and Chicago, but that wasn’t good enough. Keely just laughed at him when he said he wanted to see how out of practice I was.”

Big Earl placed their bowls on the counter. “Eat, Risto. You have time to get your groceries later. There’s supposed to be a calm between the weather systems, might as well take advantage of the break so Callie won’t get sick on the ride to the island.” Then he looked at her with something akin to reverence. “You shoot?”

“Oh hell yeah, she can.” Risto laughed as he put brown sugar on his oatmeal and tossed some raisins on it. “Tell him, baby.”

“Expert-rated with both sniper rifle and hand gun.” She took the raisins from Risto and added them to her oatmeal along with maple syrup. “I used Keely’s sniper rifle, she has a really sweet Lapua, and scored one hundred percent kills at every distance. Scored a hundred percent kills with three different pistols, none of which were fitted for a woman.

Ren shut up then and asked me if I wanted to train to be a field operative rather than an analyst. Said he needed some female operatives for personal security jobs and some undercover HUMINT work.”

“Fuck no. Not gonna happen. Keely might want to do…”

Callie touched his chest and turned into the body which had automatically surrounded her at the perceived threat. “Calm down, tiger. I told Ren no. I can’t fight hand-to-hand worth a damn. I’m an analyst—period. And while I did okay in Colombia and Chicago when confronted with a threat, I couldn’t live like that. I want to be there when you come home so I can help you decompress and shut out the rest of the world.”

“Sweet Jesus, I’ll love coming home to you and our babies and the home you’ll make for us.” He touched his forehead to hers. “I can’t handle you being in danger, baby.

But just so we’re clear, you’ve handled everything thrown at you better than anyone could’ve ever expected. You are one of the bravest women I’ve ever met, and I know you’d defend our home and children until I could get to you. No warrior has ever had a better woman by his side.”

Callie leaned her forehead on Risto’s shoulder, hiding the tears his praise brought to her eyes. She sniffed. “Damn hormones.”

Risto laughed and kissed her ear, then nuzzled her neck. She lifted her head and kissed him, then turned back to her oatmeal.

“You are one lucky son of a bitch, Risto. Got any sisters, Callie?” Big Earl smiled at them, but his eyes held sadness.

“Sorry, Big Earl. Just eighteen-year-old twin brothers.” She took a bite of the oatmeal. “Yum. You’d make some woman a great husband—you can cook. Did you train as a chef? I noticed some unusually gourmet items on the menu.”

“No trained chef.” Risto spoke before Big Earl could. “Earl’s a former Army Ranger.

He worked some joint covert ops with Ren while they both were in Special Forces. He came home to Osprey’s Point when he mustered out and decided to be a regular civilian.

We resumed our childhood friendship when I came back home after I left the Marines.

He was one of the people who sent me to the Maddoxes when I couldn’t adjust to civilian life as well as he did.”

Callie smiled at the big man. “Well, I’ll keep any eye out for just the right woman for you, Big Earl.”

Earl chuckled. “I’d appreciate that. Ex-models who can shoot and like to nest would suit me just fine. But I figure you’re one of a kind. I’m happy my friend managed to find you.” He turned serious. “So, I need to keep my eyes peeled for Cruz and his mercenaries? I’d heard through the ex-military grapevine Paco threatened old Jaime with the whole Colombian neck tie if he ever showed his face in the country again. I had no idea you were involved in all that. Some bad shit, brother.”

“I’ve got help coming, but we’d appreciate all the extra assistance you’re willing to give. I’ll be flying to Watersmeet to pick up Conn and one of his men, Berto, later today.

Ren told me he’s sending us the Walsh twins, both just left the SEALs within the last week. They’re coming from Chicago. We’re setting a trap for Cruz.”

“Conn Redmond?” Risto nodded. Big Earl smiled. “Haven’t seen old Conn since, well, it’s classified, but it’s been a while. Count me in, buddy. You know several of the locals are ex-military and can cover your asses. Just yell.” Callie looked between the two men. “Cruz doesn’t have a chance with men like you on the job.” She glanced out the window to see a sliver of sun shine through a break in the snow-filled clouds and sparkle off the steel gray waters of the lake. She smiled.

“Damn, I love cold, snowy weather. No anacondas. No mosquitoes. No heat stroke.” She turned to Risto. “I can live here, Marine. Here or Sanctuary. Either place I can make us a home. As long as you come back to me, I’ll be happy. And if you don’t, I’ll come find you.”

“Shit, Risto.” Big Earl punched Risto in the arm. “I said it before but it bears repeating, you are one hell of a lucky man.”

Risto took Callie’s face between his hands. “Yeah, I know.” Then he kissed her, right in front of Big Earl, as a ray of sunshine came through the windows and warmed their bodies. She took it as an omen that whatever happened, it would be a cold day in hell before a cretin like Cruz could take this new life away from her.

Chapter Eighteen

Later Wednesday morning. Risto’s island.

Risto entered the unlocking code, then a security disarming code on the front door to his house, then ushered Callie inside. “Make yourself at home. I’ll bring in the groceries and your other bags.”

Awe-struck, Callie turned around in a circle, taking in the large open room. She’d been impressed with the size of the island and the house’s exterior but the interior stunned her. This was
Architectural Digest
gorgeous. She sat on a contemporary version of an Amish settle and took off her snow-covered boots, then stood up and walked into what she would call a great room.

The main living area was open-concept. The great room flowed into the kitchen and eating area. A wall of floor-to-ceiling windows, some with French doors, overlooked the lake and a patio area carved from the escarpment upon which the house had been built.

She wiggled her toes on the stained-concrete floors and found them warm to her stocking-covered feet. The house had radiant heat, very eco-conscious. The furnishings were contemporary, mostly Scandinavian in design, with touches of Native American textiles and accessories. The rugs scattered about the room belonged in a museum. While contemporary rooms often seemed cold and sterile, this one was warm, lived in.

She walked to the bar counter separating the kitchen from the great room and placed her tote on top of the black granite and her coat on a bar stool. When she heard the low beep of the security system, she turned and eyed Risto as he brought in the rest of their things through a side hallway off the kitchen leading to another exterior door. She waved a hand around. “This is amazing.”

His face blank of all emotion, he eyed her closely. After a few seconds, he nodded, then smiled. “You like it. Good. That’s good. If you want to change … um, redecorate…” This place was important to him and she hurried to reassure him. “You’ve never seen my house in Lincoln Park. While the exterior is early twentieth century Chicago-style, its interior could be almost a duplicate of this house. I have different accents, mostly items I picked up in places I modeled, many of them are primitive pieces and textiles. When we close up my place, I’d like to bring some of those pieces and mix them in. They’d blend nicely.”

“You don’t have to close your Chicago house, Callie. We can afford both places.

You might want your brothers to have it someday. And, of course, you should bring some of your treasures here. This is your home now.”

Risto set the groceries on the counter top and approached her. He pulled her to him.

With her head resting against his chest, he smoothed a hand over her tousled hair. “We’ll also have a cabin in Idaho once we build it. Right now, my suite of rooms is in the main lodge at Sanctuary. You’ll have to take some of your things there also.” He kissed the top of her head. “Want to help me put the groceries away?”

“Sure. I need to learn where everything is so I can cook for you.” She stroked a hand over his chest. The flare of his nostrils indicated he liked her touching him. Good, she intended to touch him a lot more once the groceries were stored.

“You can cook?” he teased. “I thought models existed on air, water and lettuce.” She punched him on the arm. “Yes, I can cook. I had two brothers otherwise known as bottomless pits. I can also grill and I make a mean barbeque.” She had an outdoor kitchen on the patio. She swept a hand over her torso. “Plus, do I look as if I missed many meals?”

His dark eyes held lambent heat as he scanned her body. “You look perfect.” She blushed. As many times as she’d heard those words, they meant so much more coming from the man she loved. “Good genes. Lots of exercise. And keeping junk food binges to a minimum. But I love meat, potatoes, any carb form you can name. My man won’t starve.” She winked then walked around the counter and began to take things out of the sacks. “I’ll unload. You give me the tour of the kitchen and show me where things go.”

“Okay.” He walked around the kitchen, gesturing as if he were a realtor. A fun side she had never seen in him before. She was enchanted. “Here we have your gourmet gas range with a pop-up hood.” It was opposite the bar counter which had a built-in sink and a dishwasher underneath. “We then have a double oven, one is convection and one, microwave. And here is the all-important, big-ass stainless steel refrigerator. There’s a stand-up freezer in the mud room, just off the kitchen. The laundry facilities are there as is an exit to the covered boat dock.” He gestured to the hall he’d used earlier.

“And here,” he opened a door between the gas cook top and the refrigerator, “is the walk-in pantry where all the dry goods go.” He took some of the items she’d set out and put them away in the pantry. “The kitchen cupboards contain all the usual dishes and cookware. Feel free to poke around.”

“Spices? Are they in the pantry?” She liked to make spicy food and she wanted to make a list of any additional spices and herbs they might need to purchase. Idly, she pulled open a drawer next to the sink and found dish towels.

“All dry seasonings are here, next to the gas cook top.” He opened an upper cupboard and showed her a highly organized set of spice shelving. “By the way, the gas supply for the cook top and the steam radiant heat is propane, and the tanks are full. I have them checked monthly.” He cornered her against the counter, then gathered her into his arms. It was nice to know she wasn’t the only one who needed to touch. “You think you can be happy here?”

She leaned back and looked at him. He sounded worried—looked it too. Her dominant,

drop-him-in-the-middle-of-nowhere-and-he-could-survive

marine

was

insecure as far as it concerned her. That was unacceptable.

She rushed to reassure him. “I’m happy wherever you are. Here. In Idaho. On a boat on the Atrato River. In a hovel in the middle of Siberia. Anywhere. You complete me.” He smiled, the coming-from-his-heart-and-soul smile she wanted to see more often.

“God, baby. I feel the same way.” Then his smile dimmed somewhat. “I don’t want you on any more boats in the Darien Gap. And a hovel in Siberia is out, also. I can’t stand the thought of you in danger.”

She petted his chest then trailed a hand to his face where she swept her thumb over his mouth. He kissed it. “I really liked the people in Ungaía. It’s not the place that’s bad, Risto, you know that. Those people were living their lives just as we do, but it’s people such as Cruz and his kind who spoil such places for everyone else.”

“I agree. But from here on out, you are an analyst—and analysts don’t need to physically go out and nab the bad guys. Agreed?”

“Agreed—after we get Cruz out of our lives.”

“I’ll get Cruz out of our lives.”

She mentally sighed. Whether he liked it or not, she would be right there with him when he and the others were taking Cruz down. There was always a role to play—she could be back-up, but one thing was for damn sure, she refused to be stuck away on this island while he was out there risking his ass. But that argument was for later—now was the time for loving.

Risto took the hand touching his face and placed a kiss on her palm, then enfolded it in a gentle grip and held their joined hands against his chest. “Let’s get the perishables put away, Callie. I want you to lie down and rest before the men get here. I’m betting you haven’t had more than short naps in the last twenty-four hours.”

“You’d be right on that point.” She looked up. “I haven’t slept well since the last time I was in your arms at Conn’s.”

His eyes dilated and the heat she sensed earlier now glittered in his gaze. “I remember. You were like quicksilver in my arms, made to fit only me. I loved holding you as you slept, protecting you with my body. I knew I wanted you forever, but I was afraid…”

“Afraid?” She kissed his chin then scolded him gently. “Yeah, Conn told me what you were afraid of. How could you think you weren’t what I needed? I knew instantly you were the man I’d waited for all those years. A man like my father and the men he trained. A brave and honorable man. A man who’d protect me with everything in him.