The Cinderella Mission (Family Secrets #1)(60)
Author: Catherine Mann

“Over here, Ethan my boy.” Peter Miller stepped out of the shadows, Kelly tucked against him, gun in her side. Two henchmen, more spa workers, loomed behind him.

Ethan allowed himself three precious seconds to absorb the vision of Kelly alive, and apparently unharmed, other than the hint of a bruise on her face.

Peter Miller would pay for that. Slowly. Painfully.

But first he had to take care of three sets of enemy hands holding guns. Two-against-three odds. Not what he’d hoped for but losing wasn’t an option.

“What the hell’s going on, Peter?” Ethan bluffed.

The feds couldn’t be more than a couple of flights below. Stall. Pray the helicopter couldn’t land and that there wouldn’t be a hail of gunfire.

“You should have stayed downstairs, Williams. Now we’re going to have to take you, too.” Peter nodded to one of his henchmen who swung around and aimed a Glock at Ethan. “Of course you shouldn’t have started asking all those questions about your parents. I had it good here and you screwed it up. Now I have to leave.”

Ethan kept his stance loose, deceptive, trying not to think of the gun pointed at Kelly. She stood limply against Peter, no doubt luring him into assuming weakness. The wind blasted snow around her feet. Her teeth clattered but her eyes sent a clear message of honed training.

Ethan eased forward. “Messed up a good thing?”

Crooks always loved to brag, ego ruling them. He could use that to distract Peter, and get as much of the confession as possible into the mike. Ethan eased closer. “What do a few questions have to do with a jewel heist?”

Peter asked. “You’re thinking small. I’ve been collecting secrets for years and giving them to my country. I wish I’d killed that bitch Eugenie and taken my chances with her ridiculous press-release threats.”

“But you didn’t.”

“No. My mistake then, but not now. Too bad you didn’t die in the mine. That would have paid her back. Her snooping cost my homeland a big piece of what the CIA had going on back then.” His boots moved backward as he dragged Kelly with him. The odd shuffle, the snow, the boots all merged with the image of another pair of boots in Ethan’s memory.

The day his parents died.

“Or maybe I should kill you after all. I walked away from you alive once before thirty years ago. I won’t make that mistake again. So what if the old bat talks? Who’ll care about one of your long-gone turncoat agents selling my country a few laboratory secrets thirty years ago anyway?”

The irony of it nipped Ethan with more power than the tearing wind. There had been a Judas in their social ranks all along—Peter Miller. The guy had been using his position catering to the DC politically powerful to pilfer secrets, and had no doubt used his position to watch over Eugenie, as well. The stakes were too high for Peter to negotiate. Any hostage was as good as dead. “Let Kelly go. I’m a more valuable hostage anyway.”

“How short-sighted of you. It’s not just about money. It never has been. It’s all about country.” The barest hint of an accent slid past his flat broadcaster’s voice. “My sister Iona was prepared to die serving our homeland, and so am I.”

Peter and Iona, linked, thirty years ago and now, danger so close. Every muscle in Ethan contracted with the magnitude of what could have happened. He’d been so focused on Kelly and future threats, all the while this slime had put his hands on Kelly and Eugenie countless times. Hell yes, Ethan could understand well a fury that would rage for years—for a lifetime.

Helicopter blades slapped the air in the distance. Closer. Time to trust his partner.

“You’re not leaving with Kelly.”

Peter shifted his gun from Kelly to Ethan. “How do you plan to stop me, pampered rich boy?”

“I won’t need to.” Ethan smiled at Kelly and winked. “My partner will.”

Kelly jammed her elbow back. Stomped Peter’s instep. And whipped out her weapon.

Ethan rushed the nearest henchman while Kelly swung her gun and fired at the other, twice, in a clean double-tap. Blood pumped from the man’s shoulder. He stumbled back off the roof.

The helicopter eased out of the haze, hovering inches from the roof and swaying in the wind.

Peter shoved a hand into his pocket. Ethan stiffened, ready for anything. Another weapon. A grenade. Anything…

Except a rock?

Roof lights gleamed off a fist-sized sapphire. Peter backed away, turning, running and pitching the sapphire ahead into the helicopter cockpit.

Ethan sprinted after him, even knowing he wouldn’t make it in time. At least it would give him a closer shot. Peter’s back made a perfect target, a deserving target after what the man had done to Ethan’s family. To Kelly.

“Ethan! Think. Don’t let the past screw with your mind.” Kelly shouted with the uncanny ability to read his intent. “Damn it! He can’t talk if you kill him.”

His logical Kelly.

Peter’s back might offer the perfect target, but Kelly’s voice offered the perfect promise for tomorrow. A promise he couldn’t throw away. Years of survivor’s guilt peeled away in soul-releasing loads. Time to step out of the past and into a life with Kelly.

Ethan adjusted his aim. Squeezed the trigger. Pumped two quick bullets into Peter’s kneecap. Blood spurted.

Three steps shy of the helicopter, Peter stumbled, fell. Screaming in agony, he rolled on the ground. Immobilized.

Just as Ethan started to launch forward, feds poured through the door, swarming the roof and surrounding Peter and the other downed henchman.

Leaving Ethan free to focus on Kelly.

Three strides and he locked her to him, against him, a part of him.

Alive.

Warm and alive. He backed her away from the scene. Their time had faded. ARIES operatives didn’t take credit. Hatch would clear away any hint of their participation, already the director’s voice echoed in Ethan’s ear with orders to that effect.

Ethan wrapped Kelly closer to his chest, breathing in her scent and molding her body to his.

“Kelly,” he whispered against her hair.

Just Kelly. A single word said it all.

The helicopter rose out of sight. One jewel, one man flying an escape. But millions of dollars worth of gems and a ballroom full of people saved. And foremost, the location of Alex Morrow had been narrowed considerably from anywhere in the world to the small region of Rebelia. Not bad odds for one op.

He and Kelly made a damned fine team.

His hand clenched around Kelly’s semi-precious rock that had purchased her priceless life. Now, he just had to convince her to take a chance on him. No doubt, a riskier proposition than dodging bullets on a snowy rooftop.