Deceived (15 page)

“No you don't, Sarah,” he said on a harshly exhaled breath. “You really don't.”

She could feel the tension in his entire body—his muscles taut beneath her fingertips when she placed her hand on his chest. “Yes, I do. I've wanted it since the moment I saw you coming toward me at the festival.”

He hissed a curse and took a deep, ragged breath.

Sarah's heart cracked a little bit at his response, wondering if maybe she'd misread him, but then his arm went around her waist and he jerked her against him, his mouth claiming hers, his lips hard, hungry, demanding.

God, for the first time in years she felt alive, desirable and
desired
. And she wanted more.

She slipped her arms around his neck, going up on her toes so that she could press closer to him, and nipped at his bottom lip, then swept her tongue across the seam of his mouth. He groaned as he sank into the kiss, his tongue caressing hers. His arm around her tightened and his other hand tangled in the length of her hair.

Sarah shuddered as lightning hot desire filled her veins, thrilling her and terrifying her at the same time. And she abruptly pulled back, leaving them both panting. “Oh, God,” she rasped. “I'm sorry.”

He took a half step back, giving her some space, raising his hands as if she was aiming a gun at him. His head dipped down as his chest rose and fell with each ragged breath. “It's okay,” he managed. “It's fine.”

But it wasn't. Not for her. She'd thought she was ready, thought she could want another man without feeling that tug of guilt at the center of her chest. But even as much as she was drawn to Luke and in spite of the way her heart ached now at leaving his arms, she couldn't help feeling that she was betraying Greg somehow—even after all she'd learned.

“I'm just confused,” she told him.

“Sarah, you don't have to explain anything to me,” Luke assured her. “I get it.”

But she wasn't sure he did. She wanted him. Dear God, she wanted him with an urgency that was shocking. But the way she felt, the intensity of it all, made her feel out of control—and control was something she was a little light on at the moment.

“Luke—” Her words died abruptly at the sound of the front door opening and Eli's hurried footsteps as he jogged into the kitchen.

“Hey, Luke! Mom!” Eli called. “You gotta come see this!”

They followed him back outside to see the snow coming down at a rapidly accumulating rate. Chief alternated between pouncing on the snowflakes as they hit the ground and barking at those still falling.

“Isn't he hilarious?” Eli laughed.

Luke rifled Eli's hair. “Yeah, he's an entertaining little guy, I'll give you that.” At that moment, his cell phone beeped with an alert. He grabbed it off the clip at his belt and frowned.

“Everything okay?” Sarah asked.

He sighed. “Yeah. Vehicle coming in.”

“Dinner guests?” she guessed. When he nodded, she slipped her hand into his, giving it a squeeze. “It'll be okay.”

He turned his eyes down to her, studying her intently, no doubt wondering if she was talking about what had happened just a moment before in the kitchen or about his family's visit. His thumb smoothed over the back of her hand. “You sure?”

She didn't respond right away, not sure what to say. But then she took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I want it to be. I really do.”

At that moment, an aged Bronco pulled up in front of the house and Mel hopped out with her normal boundless energy and easy smile. A tall, handsome African-American man got out of the driver's side and sent an adoring glance Mel's way. The man was clearly and adorably head over heels for Mel.

Sarah couldn't help but smile.
So this must be Davis. . . .

As Mel moved around to the back seat to help the third passenger, Davis came toward the porch, his hand extended.

“Good to see you, man,” he said, shaking Luke's hand and pulling him in for a brief man-hug. “Been way too long.”

Luke was actually grinning and appeared to be genuinely happy to see his old friend. “Good to see you, too, Davis. And congratulations. I'm happy for you and Mel.”

“Thanks. She's one hell of a woman,” Davis said, glancing over his shoulder at Mel.

“She'd have to be a saint to put up with your shit,” Luke said with a chuckle.

“Look who's talking,” Davis said, jerking his chin at Luke. Then he extended his hand to Sarah. “I hear you're the one who's managed to get this loser in line.”

She shook his offered hand. “I'm Sarah. And this is my son, Eli.”

Davis shook Eli's hand as well. “Mel tells me you have quite a way with horses, Eli. You want to come take a look at them with me after dinner?”

Eli's eyes lit up. “Sure!”

Sarah felt Luke stiffen next to her and followed his line of sight to see Mel escorting a frail-looking man toward the porch. Davis turned and hurried down the steps to offer his arm to the man as well. As the man made his way up the stairs, his eyes began to glimmer and a smile lifted the left side of his mouth, the right remaining turned down.

When he reached Luke, he stepped away from Mel and Davis and took Luke's face in his hands, pulling him down to press a kiss to the top of his head. “It's good to have you home, boy,” he said, his words a little slurred.

Luke's voice was strained when he replied, “How are you holding up, Jim?”

The man chuckled. “Freezing my balls off at the moment. How about some coffee?”

Luke leaned back in his chair, listening to Jim tell Eli the same tales he'd heard during his own youth, marveling at the man's storied life. But it was tough to see the man who'd been so strong and rugged reduced to a shell of his former self. Jim's stroke had left him limited, but it hadn't dampened his sense of humor or his ability to hold his audience rapt with a story.

When Sarah got up to clear the table, Luke leaped to his feet, grabbing some of the dishes and following her to the sink.

“Jim is an incredible man,” Sarah told him softly. “And Eli adores him.”

Luke nodded. “I wish you could've known him before.”

“We're heading out to the barn,” Mel called to them.

Luke grabbed the coffee and a few cups and carried them back to the table. “Jim, you need a refill?”

The man nodded. “So, you doin' okay, Luke?”

Luke refilled his cup, then poured a cup for him and Sarah before responding, “Yeah, I'm good.”

“We're enjoying our visit,” Sarah said. “The property is absolutely gorgeous, Jim.”

Jim offered her a smile. “Thank you. Wish I could get around it like I used to. But Mel drives me around the land at least once a week so I can take a look. When Luke's mother was alive, we'd ride out to the lake and spend the entire day there, just lying in the grass, watching the clouds.”

Luke's heart ached at the remembrance of those too few happy days. As if sensing his shift in mood, Sarah reached over and took his hand.

“I'm sure it was beautiful,” she said.

Luke met her gaze and impulsively brought her hand to his lips, pressing a lingering kiss to her fingertips. “I'll show it to you sometime.”

“Glad to see you happy,” Jim said, dragging Luke's eyes away from Sarah. “I worried about you.”

Luke's conscience twisted his gut. “Jim, I owe you an apology for all the shit I put you through. I know I was a pain in the ass.”

Jim chuckled and winked at Sarah. “Oh, you got that right. But a father loves his son no matter what. And I know I didn't raise you, boy, but you'll always be my son.”

The twisting in Luke's gut made the meal of steak and roasted potatoes churn ominously. “I'm sorry I can't be home more.”

Jim lifted his good shoulder and let it drop in a slight shrug. “Army keeps you busy.”

Luke sighed, suddenly feeling the need to unburden his soul and come clean. “Jim, there's something you should know about the work I do. . . .”

Jim lifted a hand. “I don't need to know anything except that you're keepin' yourself safe.”

Luke narrowed his eyes a little, studying his stepfather. The man knew more than he was letting on. There was no way he'd know about the Alliance—their existence was too buried in secrecy. But it wouldn't have been too tough to figure out Luke was no longer in the army. And yet Melanie still seemed to buy it, so Jim apparently hadn't shared the truth with her.

“I do the best I can,” Luke told him. “But sometimes danger can't be avoided. It's part of the job.”

Jim nodded. “Well, now you have someone to come home to. Just keep that in mind.”

Luke smoothed his thumb over the back of Sarah's hand. As much as he hated to admit it, Jim was right. The way Luke was starting to feel about Sarah and Eli was a game-changer. He'd been ready to rip off the arms of that fucker in town if it meant protecting his family.

What the fuck? His
family
?

What the hell was he thinking? He had no right to think of them that way. They were a job—his mission was to protect them, nothing else. He needed to check that shit right fucking now. He'd been wandering his entire life, never fitting in, never feeling like he belonged until joining the Alliance. He wasn't about to screw that up by getting attached to something he had no right to.

He released Sarah's hand and massaged the back of his neck. “I should probably go see what Davis has to say about the horses,” he said, abruptly standing, needing to put some distance between himself and Sarah.

But he was cut off from his escape as Mel, Davis, and Eli came inside, stamping off the snow on the rug inside the front door.

“It's really coming down, Dad,” Mel called out. “We should probably head home.”

A few minutes later, after a brief report from Davis, Luke helped Jim back into Mel's Bronco with a promise that he'd bring Sarah and Eli over to the main house once the weather cleared up.

As they made their way back into the house, Sarah said, “I'm not sure how you can say you have no family, Luke. Those people love you.”

Luke grunted. “That's exactly why I stay away. You've seen the kind of enemies the Alliance has, Sarah. I don't want to bring any of that shit down on them. I brought them enough grief when I was younger.”

“But Luke—”

“I need to go check in with my commander,” he said, cutting her off. “See how much longer you and Eli will need to be here.”

He hadn't meant to hurt her with his comment—or, hell, maybe he had. It was better for both of them if things between them came to an end before they could really get started. He didn't need any emotional tangles—and the last thing Sarah needed was to get involved with him.

Still, as he went to his office and closed the door, the sound of her chatting and laughing with Eli about Chief's antics filled him with the kind of peacefulness of spirit that his mother had always spoken of to him, a harmony that she'd wanted for him.

So, half an hour later, when his commander finished reporting to his men that the relocation of Alliance assets should be completed within the next two weeks at the latest and that any security risks should be fully evaluated and addressed in the same time frame, Luke's heart began to pound.

“So, what does that mean for Sarah and Eli?” he asked, trying to keep his tone neutral.

“You should be able to deliver them to Chicago as soon as we have confirmation that the relocation is complete,” Will assured him. “Then we'll evaluate what else Hal might've shared with Eli and go from there.”

“I know it's an inconvenience, Luke,” Will continued. “We're doing the best we can.”

Luke gave him a terse nod. “Understood.”

“You can tell Sarah that her father's improving,” Jack chimed in. “He actually opened his eyes today.”

“Is he talking yet?” Luke asked. “Did he say who he thought might be after Eli?”

Jack shook his head. “No, he wasn't coherent. Jacob Stone is coming in tomorrow to see him. We're hoping he might be able to talk with him, get some answers.”

“Jacob Stone?” Luke repeated. “As in billionaire tycoon and political golden boy Jacob Stone? Word is he will be tapped for secretary of state by the presidential front-runner.”

“He's one of us,” Jack explained. “Or was. He was born into the Alliance—his grandfather was in line to become high commander but got involved in some shady dealings and was ousted. And Jacob's father was killed in an op in Russia. Jacob was a brother until he totally fucked up a mission.”

“It was decided that his talents and skills could be better utilized as an embedded
confrere,
” Will interjected. “Hal was his mentor and has guided his career, making sure Jacob reached a level of success that was most useful to us.”

“And you think Stone can jog something in Blake's memory that you guys couldn't?” Luke asked.

“Stone's the son Hal never had,” Jack told him, something in his voice making Luke frown. Was it possible that Jack had hoped to fill that role for the senator?

“Keep me posted,” Luke said. “I'm sure Sarah will want to talk to Blake when he wakes up.”

“Any progress on your end?” Will asked.

“Check into a therapist in Portland named Dr. Locke,” Luke suggested. “Sarah told me that Eli was in therapy with the guy for a while. Apparently, Hal had suggested the guy—would've been right around the time he filed his plan of succession.”

“You're thinking embedded memories?” Jack asked, brows raised. “Are we still doing that? I thought the practice was frowned upon.”

“We only use it when necessary,” Will said, his tone clipped. “It's probably still the safest way to hide classified data—for both the subject and the information he's carrying. If it's done right, he won't even know the information's there, so you can't get to it even with torture or Sodium Pentothal. The intel is buried too deep in the subconscious to be accessed without careful backtracking.”

Luke ran a hand over his hair, his concern for Eli making him practically growl, “Yeah, but if it's
not
done right . . .”

Will hesitated, but then finished Luke's thought with a solemn confirmation. “Digging it out the wrong way will seriously fuck with someone's head.”

Luke hissed a curse. “And Blake thought this would be safe to use on a kid? His own grandson? What the fuck? I'm beginning to think Sarah's right about her dad.”

“I'm sure he wasn't anticipating this scenario,” Jack interjected, his sympathetic tone only serving to piss Luke off even more.

“I don't give a rat's ass what he
anticipated
,” Luke ground out. “There's no way in hell I'm letting some sadistic motherfucker dig through Eli's brain.”

Will's brows lifted almost imperceptibly before he said, “Jack, that'll be all.” Jack immediately disconnected, his commander's tone leaving no room for argument. As soon as they were alone on the secure line, Will gave Luke an expectant look. “Wanna tell me what that was all about?”

Luke shook his head with a shrug. “I'm just doing my job. I was assigned to protect Sarah and Eli. That's what I intend to do.”

“You know how this works, Luke,” Will reminded him. “We make sacrifices for a greater good, put our own personal wants and desires aside for the Alliance. I'm not saying this to be a dick.... I'm telling you from experience.”

Luke crossed his arms over his chest. “Does that experience have anything to do with the One True Master bullshit?” When his commander's expression hardened, Luke knew he'd hit on a nerve. “You know what that son of a bitch in Oregon was talking about, don't you?”

Will didn't immediately respond, his face impossible to read. Then he nodded. “Yeah. I've heard it before. It was mentioned in my father's notes on the op he was running when he was killed.”

“And how's not getting personal working out for you?” Luke pressed.

“When this mission's over, it's over,” Will barked. Luke had obviously hit on a raw nerve. “Just make sure when it's time to move on that, your shit's squared away.”

Luke clenched his jaw. “Copy that.”

* * *

Will rested his forehead on his clasped hands, his thumbs pressing against the bridge of his nose to try to reduce the pressure building in his head.

Luke was right. This shit was getting personal. And not just because of the possible connection between the security breach and the Illuminati. He'd long suspected those power-grabbing assholes were behind his father's death—unlike his grandfather, who preferred to keep his head up his own ass and refused to face facts. But the look he saw on Luke's face when he'd spoken of Sarah Scoffield and her son was one Will had seen before. And Luke's frustration and helplessness to protect the people he cared about were far too familiar.

Will hated himself for spouting the exact same bullshit rationalization to Luke that his grandfather had spewed to him almost a decade before. But the fiery resolve in Luke's eyes told Will that Luke wasn't about to just puss out and walk away. Not without a fight.

Will's hands slid around to grasp the nape of his neck. He wished he'd had the same resolve when he'd had to walk away from his one chance at happiness. He should've fought harder. But, God, he'd still been a kid—just twenty-six—with only a few years in the CIA when his world had been turned upside down.

But he'd made his choice. He'd left that world behind. He'd left
her
behind. And he'd regretted his decision ever since. He didn't regret his oath to the Alliance, following in his father's footsteps and taking on the role of regional commander as well as provincial commander from the word go, fulfilling his family's legacy. He'd always known on some level which direction his path would take him. But he regretted bowing to his grandfather's will and leaving behind the one person who'd mattered most. She'd trusted him with everything—with her life—and yet he couldn't bring her into his world in return.

He'd watched Jack Grayson and others under his command do the same goddamned thing. And now he was practically ordering Luke to cut and run. Jack was right. Will was becoming more and more like his grandfather—a total fucking hypocrite.

With an angry groan, Will pushed away from his desk and strode from his office, not sure which he was more pissed off with—his grandfather for being such an overbearing prick who insisted that the Templars have no life outside the Alliance unless it fit with his very narrow, grim definition or with himself for not having the balls to stand up to him. . . .

If Phillip Asher, high commander of the Alliance, wanted his grandson to demonstrate that he was worthy to ascend to the highest position of authority within the Alliance someday, then Will was sure as hell going to show him he was. And odds were the self-righteous, condescending asshole wasn't going to like it.