Lach scoffed. The last CIA guy he’d disagreed with openly was Heath. Obviously, it wasn’t him. No, that bastard had already ruined Lach’s life the day he died. But, there was someone else, someone unknown to Lachlan, and he didn’t dare bring them up. So he told Gina the first lie of their relationship.
“No one in particular.”
“So, you stopped searching,” Gina said.
“I ran out of leads.” And he’d almost run out of money. He had tried to get on with security companies but it was as if he carried a stormcloud directly over his head. No one would follow up or even give him the damn time of day. He woke up one morning and came to his senses—he couldn’t win.
First, there had been one message from Gina after Paris explaining that Heath was dead and she needed to clear her name and bring justice to the bastard responsible. As wary as he was, Lach understood. That was her nature.
But when he returned from his long mission, there was nothing else from her. Not a word, text, or letter. Only a second message waiting for him that amounted to blackmail. He had no idea who had sent it, but whoever it was knew all about their affair. If Lachlan contacted Gina again, there would be repercussions for her that would send her to prison. Lach pulled every string he knew to try and find out who was threatening them, but no luck. Then after the second mission, he was falsely accused and kicked out. Were the two linked? Undoubtedly. But by then, he was near broke and it appeared Gina had made her choice to stay with the CIA and had moved on.
He’d never be reinstated as a SEAL. He’d lost Gina and he’d lost his career—his identity. Lach had just enough scratch left to get him to Key West and so that’s what he’d done—hopped on a plane and disappeared into a bottle and a carton of cigarettes.
He’d thought maybe he could at least pick up a bouncer job here and he did, hating it with every inch of his being. The place he worked was a strip club as skeevy as they get. He didn’t like having anything to do with it, but at least he made sure the women working there were protected and that none had been trafficked.
“You’re holding something back,” Gina said. Her eyes softened. “What is it? And why…never mind.”
“Why what?”
“Why did you never…why did you give up on us? On me?”
“Because you gave up on me first, lass. Not a word after that first message. Not a single?—”
“That’s not true.” She looked devastated. “I got nothing fromyou. I tried calling, but the number was disconnected. I wrote but you’d moved. You disappeared on me without a word and I was…” She stopped talking and shook her head.
“That’s not how it was,” Lachlan pleaded. “I swear, I got nothing from you.” He hung his head.Damn it all to hell. “But there was something else.”
He told Gina about the message and his move to Key West, and how he’d been living—no, existing—ever since.
Let her judge me, he thought.I’ve judged myself enough times already.
They sat in silence, neither looking at the other.
“Would you still like the chance to find out who framed you?” she finally asked, her voice quiet and casual. Cold.
Was that why she’d come? Did she already know who in the CIA had burned him? Jesus, had she asked someone to tell him to leave her alone?
“What do you know?” he growled. “Is that why you’re here?” He looked up at her only to find those fierce golden eyes burning with rage.
She held up her hand, palm out. Then she said, “No, that’s not why I came here. But now it’s the reason why I’m staying. We were played.”
“Seems that’s the case, lass.”
“I don’t know who left that fucking blackmail message. I don’t know who framed you. I didn’t know the storyat allbehind your ‘retirement.’” She spit out the last word with sarcasm. “What I’m offering you is a chance to start over and maybe—maybe—find out who fucked you over.” She smiled softly and he saw the sunshine in her eyes, the light she hid away like a precious treasure. It still killed him to watch her do it. “Who fuckedusover.”
Lass, I’d follow you anywhere. Search for that light and bring it back out for the world to see.
“Tell me what we need to do.”
Gina looked relieved as her golden eyes fluttered closed and she sighed. When she opened her eyes again, she said, “The group I’m with now—not the CIA—needs a cover. A security company. You’re going to help me run it.” She grinned. “I’ll even let you name it.”
Not with the CIA? “Black-ops. Is that what I’ll be doing?”
“Only as needed. It’ll be a legitimate company, and well-funded beyond your wildest dreams. You can hire anyone you want. Locate anywhere you want. You can get out of here. Get your life back on track. Get everything back that you lost.”
“Including you?” The words were out before he could stop them.Fuck it anyway.
Devastation crept into her eyes, blotting out the light. “You don’t want me.”
