where I’d parked I ducked into a coffee shop and texted Travis Sanchez because I’d just been talking to him in the lobby before I left.” She shot Porter an annoyed look when he made a grumbling sound. “I knew he was close and he’s incredibly good at his job. It’s the only reason I didn’t contact you first.”
Mara nodded, hoping she appeared calm as inner alarm bells went off. She didn’t know all the employees for Red Stone Security but she knew Travis. He’d been at the last barbeque Grant and Belle had at their house. The man had piercings, tattoos and a Mohawk. He was not only qualified, but he looked intimidating too. “So what happened?” Mara tried to keep the panic out of her voice. Her friend was sitting right in front of her. She was unscathed and there were thousands of blond men in Miami. Still…Neville Perdue had blond hair and just thinking about him being close to someone she cared about sent chills down her spine. Not that she even knew it had been him.
“The guy was loitering outside the shop but he saw Travis and literally ran. I guess Travis must have looked pretty intent or something. I didn’t want him to scare the guy off, but…” Lizzy shrugged.
“So he didn’t touch you? You weren’t actually hurt?” Mara needed to hear the words.
“I’m fine, I swear. What about you? I heard about your accident.” Lizzy picked up the mug for Mara and placed it in her hands.
Mara didn’t want to talk about the accident, not when all she could picture was that monster Perdue’s face and what he could have done to Lizzy. But she wrapped her fingers around the mug, savoring the warmth. She ignored the soreness in her shoulders and ribs as she said, “Nothing’s broken.”
Lizzy’s eyes narrowed in concern but she didn’t say anything as she picked up her own mug and sat back.
“So who the hell was tailing my fiancé?” Porter ground out.
Flinching at his tone, Mara turned toward him and Harrison.
“Damn it, Porter,” Lizzy muttered.
Keeping her gaze on Harrison, Mara decided to lay herself bare. At this point, she had no other choice. “I don’t know what Harrison told you guys, but I used to be MI6. For eight years.”
Lizzy sucked in a surprised breath and Porter sat up straighter as he let out a low curse. Okay, maybe her husband hadn’t said anything.
“I didn’t tell anyone,” Harrison said into the silence. “I just gave them vague details…since that’s all I have anyway.” There was an underlying note of bitterness in his voice.
Well deserved, but…ouch. “I grew up in Boston with my father who was American, hence the reason I don’t have an accent. He died when I was ten so I went to live with my mother.” She’d already told Harrison some of this so when she saw the relief in his gaze she realized it was because he’d probably been wondering if everything she’d told him was a lie. “Life with my mother was…hard.” And she didn’t plan to go into any of that. Harrison knew the details about her past and her mother’s abusive boyfriends, but that wasn’t what she needed or wanted to talk about now. Rehashing that would be pointless and just serve to depress her.
“I grew up in London and as soon as I could, I moved out. I attended Cambridge on scholarship.” She couldn’t keep the pride out of her voice. It was the best school in the country and she’d managed to not only get in, but excel. “I was approached by an officer in the Secret Intelligence Service. At first I thought it was a joke, but, well, all the history isn’t important. They wanted to recruit me and I accepted. I have an aptitude for languages and had no living family that I cared about.” She’d been a perfect agent. No life. No family. All she’d cared about was her job and she’d been very good at it.
Harrison watched her quietly, but she couldn’t get a read on his expression. He was almost preternaturally still.
Her mouth dried up so she took a sip of
Mara nodded, hoping she appeared calm as inner alarm bells went off. She didn’t know all the employees for Red Stone Security but she knew Travis. He’d been at the last barbeque Grant and Belle had at their house. The man had piercings, tattoos and a Mohawk. He was not only qualified, but he looked intimidating too. “So what happened?” Mara tried to keep the panic out of her voice. Her friend was sitting right in front of her. She was unscathed and there were thousands of blond men in Miami. Still…Neville Perdue had blond hair and just thinking about him being close to someone she cared about sent chills down her spine. Not that she even knew it had been him.
“The guy was loitering outside the shop but he saw Travis and literally ran. I guess Travis must have looked pretty intent or something. I didn’t want him to scare the guy off, but…” Lizzy shrugged.
“So he didn’t touch you? You weren’t actually hurt?” Mara needed to hear the words.
“I’m fine, I swear. What about you? I heard about your accident.” Lizzy picked up the mug for Mara and placed it in her hands.
Mara didn’t want to talk about the accident, not when all she could picture was that monster Perdue’s face and what he could have done to Lizzy. But she wrapped her fingers around the mug, savoring the warmth. She ignored the soreness in her shoulders and ribs as she said, “Nothing’s broken.”
Lizzy’s eyes narrowed in concern but she didn’t say anything as she picked up her own mug and sat back.
“So who the hell was tailing my fiancé?” Porter ground out.
Flinching at his tone, Mara turned toward him and Harrison.
“Damn it, Porter,” Lizzy muttered.
Keeping her gaze on Harrison, Mara decided to lay herself bare. At this point, she had no other choice. “I don’t know what Harrison told you guys, but I used to be MI6. For eight years.”
Lizzy sucked in a surprised breath and Porter sat up straighter as he let out a low curse. Okay, maybe her husband hadn’t said anything.
“I didn’t tell anyone,” Harrison said into the silence. “I just gave them vague details…since that’s all I have anyway.” There was an underlying note of bitterness in his voice.
Well deserved, but…ouch. “I grew up in Boston with my father who was American, hence the reason I don’t have an accent. He died when I was ten so I went to live with my mother.” She’d already told Harrison some of this so when she saw the relief in his gaze she realized it was because he’d probably been wondering if everything she’d told him was a lie. “Life with my mother was…hard.” And she didn’t plan to go into any of that. Harrison knew the details about her past and her mother’s abusive boyfriends, but that wasn’t what she needed or wanted to talk about now. Rehashing that would be pointless and just serve to depress her.
“I grew up in London and as soon as I could, I moved out. I attended Cambridge on scholarship.” She couldn’t keep the pride out of her voice. It was the best school in the country and she’d managed to not only get in, but excel. “I was approached by an officer in the Secret Intelligence Service. At first I thought it was a joke, but, well, all the history isn’t important. They wanted to recruit me and I accepted. I have an aptitude for languages and had no living family that I cared about.” She’d been a perfect agent. No life. No family. All she’d cared about was her job and she’d been very good at it.
Harrison watched her quietly, but she couldn’t get a read on his expression. He was almost preternaturally still.
Her mouth dried up so she took a sip of
Similar Books
