The Girl Next Door (Shadow Agents #6)(50)
Author: Cynthia Eden

“I know you did.” Cooper took a step toward him. “You paid for my college. You’ve been the one in the background, all my life, watching me, haven’t you?”

“Not all your life. I wasn’t there when Annalise needed me most.” His shoulders hunched at the memory.

Cooper walked around the desk. He put his hand on Mercer’s shoulder. “My mother loved you,” he said again. “And she wouldn’t want you blaming yourself for the way things ended.”

Annalise had been good. Such an open heart, a warm smile. “You have her eyes,” Mercer whispered.

Cooper’s hand tightened on his shoulder. “I gave Gabrielle the ring.”

Mercer nodded. “Annalise…she would have liked Gabrielle.” He found that he could smile. “Gabrielle’s got a lot of fire in her. She’s not afraid of anything. Just like you.”

“Oh, I’m afraid,” Cooper surprised him by saying. “Because of Gabrielle, I’m terrified. I’m afraid that if I don’t grab on to her, if I don’t take my chance with her, I’ll lose out on the best thing that could have ever happened to me.”

Mercer glanced up at him. “Hold her tight. Fight like hell for her, and never let your enemies get close.”

Cooper nodded. He lifted his hand and turned to walk away.

Mercer stood. The chair rolled back.

Cooper glanced over his shoulder.

“And…if you ever need me,” Mercer managed to say, “I’m here. I—I know I’m not much, not in terms of…” He trailed off because he didn’t know what to say.

Not in terms of family.

He’d been a shadow in Cooper’s life for so long. Mercer knew he didn’t have the right to ask for anything more.

Not that he could. Not really. He’d made sure that no one would ever be able to trace his blood link to Cooper. That protection was his gift to the man.

Not that he expected Cooper to believe that.

Not that he had the right to expect anything of Cooper Marshall.

But…Cooper hadn’t left yet.

“Gabrielle and I are talking about a wedding in the fall. We have to, uh, wait for her boss to get back in town.” Cooper’s lips twisted. “Seems someone sent Hugh to the Cayman Islands, and seeing as how he’s the one who will be giving away the bride, Gabrielle wants to make sure the guy’s back.”

“I can make sure of that,” Mercer promised softly.

Cooper nodded, but he still didn’t leave. “You know, when Gabrielle found out that I was an agent, she could’ve kicked me out of her life. Told me that I was a liar and just walked away from me.” He paused. “She didn’t. She gave me a second chance. She’s letting me prove myself to her. I’m going to show her that there’s a whole lot more to me than she thought.”

Mercer’s fingers had started to tap against the desktop once more.

“I believe in second chances,” Cooper said. “Deuce didn’t. I do.” Then he exhaled slowly. “So don’t make me regret this but…you’ll be invited to the wedding, too. I’d like to learn more about you. About the soldier my mom loved so much.”

Mercer’s hand lifted and rubbed against his chest. It wasn’t his new wound that was aching.

It was something that went much deeper.

“Maybe you can tell me about her, too,” Cooper continued softly. “Because I’d like to share those stories. I’ll have kids one day. They should know about her.”

“Yes,” Mercer’s voice was too rough. He couldn’t help that. “They should.”

One more nod and Cooper slipped away.

The door shut behind him.

Mercer closed his eyes for a moment. You have a good son, Annalise.

His eyes opened.

And I’ll damn well be worth the second chance that he’s giving me.

He’d prove himself to Cooper. After all, he’d never failed a mission. I won’t fail him.

A knock sounded at his door. “Mercer,” Judith called.

Judith hated using the intercom. It wasn’t personal enough for her.

She opened the door and poked her head inside. “Dylan Foxx is here to see you.” A pause, then, “He has an appointment.”

Mercer inclined his head. “Send him in.”

She turned away.

Speaking of missions…

Dylan Foxx stalked inside Mercer’s office. One glance and Mercer knew Dylan was different. Rachel’s attack had changed the man, just as Mercer had feared.

The news Mercer was about to give him wasn’t going to help the situation. In fact, it might just push Foxx over the edge.

Mercer motioned to the seat before him. “I’m afraid we have a problem,” he said, as Dylan sat down.

Dylan stared back at him.

“It’s seems Rachel Mancini’s past isn’t dead.”

The agent turned to stone before him.

“And if we don’t act to permanently bury that past, I’m afraid that Mancini will find herself in the crosshairs of a killer once more.”

A muscle jerked along Dylan’s jaw. “Tell me what I have to do.”

Yes, that had rather been the response that Mercer expected.

He leaned forward and got to work.