Page 2 of Alex

Chapter One

Ever since thecall had come in from her boss, Evelyn had felt an itch on her skin that told her something was very wrong. Evelyn—also known as Siren to many—was a member of an elite and secret organisation known only as Zenobi. As such she was attuned to every single undertone in the air. Right now, her senses were telling her someone was watching her, and they were not a friend.

Evelyn resisted the urge to turn around. Years and years of practice and experience telling her turning and looking would tip them off. They would know she knew they were watching, and it would give them the upper hand. Right now, though, they did because she had no clue what was going on.

Tucking her hands into the pockets of her camel coloured lambswool coat and hunching into the winter white cashmere scarf at her neck, Evelyn pushed open the door of the sleek new building where Zenobi now had their base.

A lot had changed in the last few years with her boss. Roz had finally got her head out of her ass and married the love of her life and adopted two adorable girls. It had changed everything for Zenobi but mainly because the new base had moved from France to England. Mustique was working out of the France office while Roz was based here in the UK.

Evelyn had been flitting between France and England. Her soul was in France but just before Christmas she had found out her heart was England. Her mind went to the tall, handsome man who had stolen her heart as a boy and had never given it back.

Pain lanced through her when she thought of Alex, the ever-familiar knot of grief stealing her breath. Shutting it down with an efficiency born of practice she locked the pain tight knowing it would do her no good to think of him and what they could have had or where their lives could have taken them if only things had been different. But they hadn’t and she had learned to live with that years ago. Seeing him in the flesh though had ripped the wound wide open. Now she had to concentrate on healing it closed again before it infected her whole life.

Heated warmth hit her skin making her cheeks tingle as the ice from the cold, northerly wind receded as the door closed behind her. The interior of the new Zenobi office was sleek and classy but with Roz’s personal flair in touches here and there. Cream and black leather couches lined the reception area along with a low, glass table. Slashes of red in the artwork on the walls gave it an edgy feel. It suited Zenobi even if nobody knew they were the ones behind the façade. Matching their France office, it had been set up under the name The Athena Art Gallery (UK) and was marketed as ‘By appointment only’ to stop the general public walking in off the street.

Pax, acting as office secretary, smiled as she looked up from where she sat at a large glass reception desk with a MacBook computer in front of her. Pax was tall, slim but curvy, and had a mass of shiny red hair. Today she wore a tight burgundy dress with a vee neckline and cap sleeves. It was classy and sexy and perfectly Pax. She was also deadly. Not in a conventional way although she could shoot and fight as well as the rest of the Zenobi girls, rather, Pax’s talent lay more in the finesse with which she knew things or could find them out. Her personal network of contacts in both high and low places was a highly guarded secret and one she didn’t share with anybody, even her sisters at Zenobi.

That didn’t mean she wouldn’t utilise those contacts for her friends though. Pax was a team player, her love for her friends was unquestionable and her loyalty devout.

“Hey, Pax,” Evelyn greeted with a smile wondering if Pax knew what was going on.

“Hey, Siren,” she responded, her American accent clipped and cultured, her private education shining through despite her trying to hide it. Her lips tilted in a way that said she had a secret nobody knew. It was a familiar look for Pax.

“Is she in?” Evelyn asked not wanting to stop for a chat when the sense of urgency clawing at her was increasing with every second. Pax’s face softened slightly and then blanked and Evelyn knew she was right—this wasn’t good.

“Yes, go on through. She’s expecting you.” Pax indicated the door to Roz’s office which was closed.

Evelyn didn’t waste time. Taking a deep breath, she knocked once, opened the door, and went in.

Roz was sitting crossed legged on the floor surrounded by papers and pictures. Her sleek black cigarette trousers and cream sleeveless blouse were as far as she would go for workwear. If Roz had her way, she would live in either skin-tight jeans or leather biker trousers. She looked up at Evelyn and frowned.

“What’s going on, Roz? What’s so bad that you couldn’t tell me it over the phone?”

Roz stood and hauled herself on to the opposite couch tucking her leg beneath her as she did. Her black stiletto ankle boots looking as sexy as they did lethal. “I got word this morning the British Government, or moreover the British Monarchy, have issued an elimination order on you,” she stated with her usual no-nonsense way.

Evelyn masked the shock at her words and spoke with a calmness she wasn’t feeling. “Go on,” she said knowing there was more.

“They believe you stole something that could cause the downfall of the Monarchy and they want it back and you dead for your part in it.”

“I have no idea what they are talking about.”

“I know, but for some reason they think you do. Can you think of any reason why your name would come up?”

Roz’s faith and belief in her girls was one of the things that made them so loyal to her. That, and Roz had literally saved most of them in some way or another or at the very least given them the skills to survive whatever they were running from. Those who stayed became part of Zenobi and worked deep in the underbelly of the world rescuing people from horrid situations. Sometimes at the behest of governments, sometimes through family members stumbling upon them, and sometimes just because Roz saw fit to do so.

“I helped a woman about six months ago. Her boyfriend was the cousin of a Duke. He was an asshole and was beating her badly, so I helped her get away from him. But he didn’t know me or see me.”

“Where is she now?”

Evelyn looked up sharply at Roz’s tone. “I haven’t heard from her in a while. I assumed she was living her life. Do you think he got to her?” Evelyn cursed herself inwardly for not being more diligent about the woman.

“Maybe. I’ll get Pax on it. For now, you need to go dark. This is serious business and I won’t have your dead body on my conscience. Get yourself somewhere safe and I’ll contact you personally through the normal channels with updates. If you need me do the same.”

Evelyn’s mind raced with her exit strategy. She knew where she would go and how.

She walked to the door but stopped with her hand on the doorknob and twisted back to Roz. “One more thing,” Evelyn’s voice was soft although the question was vital.

“Yes?”