Love & Deception (Agents in Love - Book 1) (48 page)

Carlie wished she had a way to turn the
lights out. It would give Nick a better chance at whatever he
planned to do. The only problem was, Paul warned if she tried
anything he’d shoot Shelley, this time in the head. What she needed
was a distraction.

“I guess we’re at a stalemate,” Nick called.
“What now?”

Paul kept Carlie firmly secured from behind
in a bear hug, squeezing her a bit tighter as his gun pressed into
her side. “There is no stalemate. I have the upper hand, as always.
Put your gun down and walk slowly forward. You too, Hal.”

Carlie watched as Nick turned to Hal, though
the pair talked too low for her to catch their words. She needed to
do something. Looking across at Shelley, the woman swayed on her
feet. As she looked at her, Shelley moaned loudly through the tape
on her mouth and fell to the ground.

“What the hell?” Stephen yelled.

Paul’s grip loosened slightly as he turned
his gun Shelley’s direction, and Carlie sprang into action. Letting
her body go through the motions like Nick taught her without
thinking about it, she brought her foot up hard and slammed her
heel into Paul’s knee. At the same time, she popped her head
forward and brought it back quickly against his face.

Paul yelled and released his hold. Carlie
reached behind her head and jabbed her thumb in his eyes with as
much force as she could.

His gun thudded to the ground. “You stupid
bitch. Shoot her, Stephen!”

Carlie looked behind her. Paul clapped both
hands across his eyes. She swooped down and grabbed his gun,
pointing it at Stephen and Ryan.

“Don’t get crazy,” Stephen said, releasing
Ryan and backing against the van. “Ryan did this to you. Not me.
Everything’s his fault.”

Carlie gripped the gun in both hands,
spreading her feet slightly like Nick had taught her. She stared
Stephen’s direction, hoping she looked threatening enough.

The bright headlights now partially obscured
him, but she saw Stephen turned toward Paul. “It’s time to go,
boss. This client is on his own.”

“What?” Ryan whipped around. “I’m in charge
here. I paid you to kill her. Do it.”

“And let Nick kill me? No way. He’s much
scarier than you.” Stephen took a slow step in Paul’s direction.
“Don’t shoot, Carlie. If you let Paul and me go, you can do
whatever you want to Ryan.”

“Get in the van,” Paul growled.

“No, Carlie!” Nick yelled. “They’re traitors
to the United States. Don’t let them leave.”

She turned at his words and watched him run
across the field, Hal close on his heels.

“Everyone, freeze!” yelled a female voice
from behind Carlie. “FBI.”

Suddenly, voices shouted ‘freeze’ all around
the space and gunshots erupted the night air.

“No!” Nick’s agonized cry cut right through
her. “Carlie! Get down.”

A stinging pain pierced her leg. Carlie
flopped to her stomach, knocking the wind from her. Next to her,
Ryan fell, too.

Gunfire continued over her head, and Carlie
sent up a silent prayer that no stray bullet hit her or the people
she loved.

The headlights of the van shifted
orientation and the sound of tires spinning in the soft sand
penetrated the fog of fear around her. The van was on the move, and
she was in front of it.

Light illuminated the ground around her, and
Carlie rolled to the side. The tires bore down faster than she
could move. She gave one last lurch and slid into a ravine she
hadn’t seen in the darkness, rolling quickly down a hill as the
wheels zoomed by.

There was a wet crunch above her, and
pain-filled shrieks replaced the sounds of gunfire as the van sped
off onto the desert road. The cries continued for a few
seconds—though seemed to last an eternity—and then silence
descended on the area.

Nick had been running for her. He was in the
path of the van. What if those were his screams?

She struggled to get up, pain flaring in her
leg. Desperate to find him, Carlie ignored the discomfort and
clawed her way up the sandy slope. She ripped the tape from her
mouth, heart in her throat as her head crested the top of the hill.
“Nick? Nick? Please say you’re okay!”

***

At the sound of her sweet voice, Nick’s
knees buckled with relief. In the moonlight, he saw her head pop
over the ridge to the side of the field, and he took off
running.

“I’m okay.”

He reached her as she regained her feet, and
swept her into his arms, twirling her into a circle and crashing
his lips into hers.

Tears streamed down her face and she wrapped
her arms around his neck, kissing him while trying to speak. “I
thought they hit you. I thought I lost you.”

“No.” He kissed her again. “No. We’re okay.
We’re okay.”

Suddenly, Carlie released him and looked up,
her eyes wide. “Shelley. Was it her?”

“I don’t know.” He took his hand in hers and
they walked toward the unmoving form on the ground.

“Nick?” Jenessa’s voice came from their
right-hand side, opposite Muscle Man’s truck. “I have a man down.
Is Carlie okay?”

Nick waved his hand above his head. “Yeah,
she’s fine.”

A few more steps and they could clearly see
the body. Though the head was a mass of blood, moonlight glinted
off the dark hair.

Carlie turned, dry heaving into the
sand.

Nick knelt down, feeling for a pulse. “I
take it this was Prince Rayhan?”

She stood up, wiping her mouth with a
trembling hand. “Yes. He’s dead?”

Nick nodded.

She swallowed hard and then shook her head.
“That’s good for his people. They’ll get the better prince.”

Although Nick was uncertain what she meant,
he didn’t have time to ask as she walked around the prince’s body.
Nick saw what caught her attention, another form lay on the ground.
He did a quick head count, knowing Jenessa had one agent down next
to her. The person on the ground had to be Shelley.

Carlie began running in front of him,
limping on her right leg. That didn’t slow her down much. She
dropped to her knees when she reached Shelley.

By the time Nick caught up, Carlie nearly
had the tape pried off Shelley’s mouth.

The other woman breathed deeply and then
sighed. Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled at Carlie. “Damn,
girl. No wonder I never had any girlfriends before you. I’m not
sure I like your idea of a party.”

Carlie laughed. “How’s your pain?”

“My chest feels like it would be happier if
I’d died tonight, but I’m still alive and I assume the bad guys are
taken care of?”

“Well...” Carlie shook her head. “Paul and
Stephen got away. Ryan’s dead.”

“At least we got one of the bastards,” she
said. “That’s a start.”

“The FBI has a lead now,” Nick said, trying
to look on the bright side.

“Yeah,” Carlie agreed. “They’ll probably
need your help, Shelley. You know more about that compound and the
people working there than anyone. First, we need to get you to a
hospital.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Shelley agreed. “I
could use some really excellent pain killers.”

“I have ambulances on the way,” Jenessa
yelled. “Everyone just stay put.”

“Hear that?” Carlie stroked Shelley’s head.
“You’ll be okay.”

“Good.” Shelley sighed and closed her eyes.
“I want to be the maid of honor at your wedding.”

Carlie stood up. Her hand found Nick’s and
she twined her fingers with his.

Nick squeezed her hand tightly as terrible
guilt overcame him. “I’m sorry I lied. I’m so sorry for—”

“Don’t.” She glanced up. “I know why you
didn’t tell me you were an agent.”

“It would have saved a lot of trouble if you
knew the truth.” Nick didn’t know if he’d ever forgive himself.

“No, it wouldn’t have.” She leaned in to
him, circling her free arm around his waist. “Neither of us knew
Ryan was alive or that he was after the bracelet. They wouldn’t
have stopped coming after me. Eventually they would have killed me
if you hadn’t figured things out. Plus, you saved me, so many
times. Even tonight. Without your training, I would have never
gotten away from Paul. Don’t apologize for that.”

“It doesn’t stop me from feeling
guilty.”

“Fine. Feel guilty.” She smiled up at him.
“As soon as we’re healed up, I can be the one to take control
again, and you can make it up to me.”

Laughing and feeling much better, he wrapped
her in his arms. “Does this mean you’ll do another strip
tease?”

“Oh no, honey. It means you’ll have to do
one for me.”

Kissing her softly, he pressed his forehead
against hers. “My lady, that’s the best offer I’ve had since I left
Canada.”

Carlie pulled him in for another kiss as
sirens sounded in the distance and emergency lights flashed across
the horizon. “All strippers require a lacy thong, though,” she
murmured. “I’ll have to order one in your size.”

A week later, Carlie sat in the Blue Room of
the White House, awaiting President Sharp. Nick sat next to her,
and Shelley and Agent Jenessa Jones took up the chairs across from
them. Nick held her hand and gave her an encouraging smile, but it
was hard not to feel overwhelmed by the opulence of the room. Not
to mention the fact that they were about to meet the President of
the United States.

Gold and blue curtains flanked the
full-length windows, complimenting the blue and gold rug in the
center of the circular room. Pictures of past Presidents hung at
intervals on the white and cream walls, and a beautiful chandelier
with false candles commanded her attention, hanging in the center
of the room.

Carlie closed her eyes and took some calming
breaths. She never expected to tour the White House, let alone pay
a visit in the evening at President Sharp’s request.

“Excuse me?”

They all turned their heads to the doorway
where an intern stood, cell phone in hand.

“Is one of you...?” The man looked at the
phone, shaking his head, and then looked back up. “Is someone here
Princess Stephanie?”

“Who’s asking?” Nick said, before Carlie
could answer.

The man seemed to shrink in on himself at
Nick’s glare. “She has a phone call.”

“Don’t scare the poor guy.” Carlie stood
from her chair. She smiled at the intern, though anxiety fluttered
beneath her breastbone. “The call’s for me.”

He scuttled forward and thrust the phone at
her. “I’ll wait in the hallway. Take your time.”

Carlie sighed, wondering how many people
Nick would intimidate for speaking to her today. She wouldn’t be
surprised if he stared down the President himself. While in the
hospital to take care of the bullet wound that grazed her leg, Nick
had made it known to all the staff if she didn’t get top priority,
there’d be hell to pay.

It was nice, actually, knowing he cared so
much. Now that their secrets were all out in the open, Carlie
looked forward to their future.

She just didn’t look forward to this phone
call.

Clearing her throat, she put the phone to
her ear. “This is Stephanie.”

“Sister-in-law, I cannot tell you how happy
I was to learn you survived the car accident six years ago.”

The heavily accented English brought a smile
to her face.

“Prince Ehud? I never imagined I’d talk to
you again.” She paused, uncertain what emotion to express. Though
she didn’t feel grief at Ryan’s death, condolences were in order.
“Sorry about your brother.”

“Rayhan made his choices and paid for them,”
Ehud said. “I will be confirmed as heir in three weeks, and you
will no longer be princess. Are you okay with that?”

Relief flooded through her. “I never wanted
to be a princess in the first place. I’m happy for the people of
Maharla. When your uncle passes, they’ll be blessed to have you as
king.”

“I am glad you feel that way, sister,
because I have a favor to ask.”

That figured. She wondered if she’d ever be
rid of the royals of Maharla. At least they weren’t trying to kill
her anymore. “What do you need?”

“I want you to come to the ceremony. The
people look for happiness after the death of Rayhan. The ones
terrorized by him also want to thank their savior and the lady who
will always be their princess.”

Carlie shook her head. “I’m supposed to be
dead. How will that work?”

“I have said there was a mistake and another
woman is buried in your grave. They want to see you. My mother told
me what she and Rayhan did to you. This is my way to make it
right.”

“You’re a good man, Prince Ehud.”

“Also,” he continued, “you could visit the
grave of Princess Gabriela.”

Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes.
“I’ve wanted that for a long time.”

“Then it is settled. I will make travel
arrangements for you and one guest. Thank you, my sister. This
country owes you a lot.”

She was a little afraid to ask, but she had
to know. “Ryan mentioned people he had trapped, planning to torture
them if I didn’t cooperate. Have they been found and released?”

“Yes, and their captors have been dealt
with.”

Carlie shuddered, deciding not to ask how he
dealt with them. Ehud was a good man, but Maharlans were more
bloodthirsty than Americans. The captors’ punishment couldn’t have
been easy. “Thank you. I’m glad they’re safe. I’d hate if innocents
suffered because of me.”

She gave him a number where he could contact
her directly before hanging up. After that, she walked swiftly to
the doorway and returned the cell to the intern. His relieved eyes
told her he was grateful to deal with her, not Nick. She offered
him a smile before making her way back to their group.

Nick stood. “What was that about?”

“How do you feel about a trip to
Maharla?”

“Definitely up for that.” He gathered her in
his arms and kissed her softly. “You’ll finally get to say goodbye
to your daughter.”