Ultimate Prey (Book 3 Ultimate CORE) (CORE Series) (47 page)

“Ian,” her mom called.

“Mom, don’t. It’s the right choice, and Ian wants someone from CORE at the house with you.”

“Harry CORE,” Vlad said.

“That’s right.” Her mom nodded, then yelled for Ian again.

“Please stay out of this,” she begged her mom. “I
chose
to go to Ryan’s.”

Her mom shifted her gaze to Vlad’s. “My daughter is a terrible liar. Did you see how her eyes widened just a fraction and her eyebrows rose ever so slightly?”

“Vlad no see.” The Russian stared at her. “Asian Lola, lie to Vlad.”

Lola half-chuckled and smoothed her eyebrows. “Vlad, I’m
not
going to lie to you. Look, let’s just get out of here. We have all day to hang out and talk.”

“Maybe not,” Ian said, and stepped into the room. His gaze fell onto her mom. “Still feeling good?”

“I felt great until you crushed my daughter’s dreams.”

“My what?” Lola threw her hands up, then let them fall and smack her legs. “A little melodramatic, don’t you think? There was no crushing going on, and I never said—”

“You didn’t have to say anything. I can read between the lines. Ian told you to leave, you didn’t
choose
to go.” Her mom glared at Ian. “I would prefer if Lola came to Ryan’s, but I don’t like that you’re singling her out and acting as if she isn’t capable enough to stand with you and the others.” She winced when she moved her legs off the chair to place her feet onto the floor. “Have you ever been to the firing range with her?”

“I have,” Dante said, also entering the kitchen, followed by John, Hudson and Ryan. “She was dead on every time.”

A smug smile tilted the corner of her mom’s mouth. “You know she has a black belt in
Jiu Jitsu
, but have you ever seen her spar?”

Ian let out a deep breath. “Actually, I—”

“I’ll have to show you a few videos I’ve recorded. Trust me when I say that I feel very comfortable walking into a dark alley with my daughter.” With tears shimmering in her eyes, her mom looked at her with pride, and stood. “Huò yuán jiă hŭ,” her mother began in Chinese, “you know in your heart what you’re capable of doing. I always have, too, which is why I tried to cage my fearless tiger.”

Lola’s throat tightened, while pure gratification filled her. She straightened her spine as her mom’s words sank into her heart, soul and thick skull. Her dad had nicknamed her huò yuán jiă hŭ, which translated to fearless tiger, because she had been born during the Chinese year of the tiger and had shown no fear as a child. After her father had died, she’d lost that fearlessness, that urge to challenge herself. She had never understood why, but knew now that her mom had taken advantage of her wavering insecurities to keep herself from being alone. Yesterday, when they’d heard the gunshots, she hadn’t given a thought about her own safety, but about her mom, Ian and Ryan’s. Maybe, on some level, she could regain some of the boldness and courage she’d lost over the years. Not with CORE, but in another line of work, or with another agency where she would be appreciated for her skills.

“Thanks, Mom,” she said, then careful of the cut on her arm and the gunshot abrasion, she gave her a hug.

“We want the tiger to stay here,” John said.

“With six of us,” Hudson began, “we’ll be able to cover every angle of the yard and house.”

She turned and faced the men. “I appreciate the effort, but I’m okay with this.” While she wasn’t, she also didn’t want to remain at the house because her coworkers felt sorry for her, or because Ryan had threatened to leave.

“I’m not,” Dante said. “Hudson’s right. We talked about it after you left the room. I need two people covering the front of the house, two at the back, and two on the second level. Since you’re a good shot, I thought you could use the rifle with the night vision scope and cover the back guest room upstairs. We think Steven used the deck attached to that room when he originally broke into the house. He might try it again.”

“Meanwhile, Ryan will take the master bedroom and front guest room.” John moved to the coffee pot. “Hudson and I are going to be down here watching the front, Ian and Dante the back,” he finished, then poured himself a cup of coffee. “Does that work for you?”

She glanced to Ian, who walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder. “I’ve observed you at the firing range, and I also snuck into the gym and watched you spar. I know if I gave you the chance, you would excel as an agent. But, if something were to ever happen to you…” He squeezed her shoulder. “We’re family, and I don’t want to live with the guilt.”

“
We’re
family,” John said. “I gave you a granddaughter and you have no problem putting my life in danger.”

Hudson smacked John on the back, which caused coffee to spill onto the floor. “Quit your whining. Come on, let’s check the yard and look for places where Steven might hide.”

“While you guys do that,” Dante began, “I’m going to check all the windows and gauge our visibility from the interior.”

After the three men left the room, Ryan said, “The tripwires aren’t going to make themselves.” He looked to her, his eyes holding both pride and relief. “Want to help me?”

Grateful the conversation no longer centered on her, she nodded.

“I’ll be on the front porch,” he said, and left the kitchen.

Before she followed Ryan from the room, she faced Ian. “Whatever your reasons are for letting me stay…thank you.”

After Lola left the kitchen, Ian turned to Cami. “Of all the times for you to
not
try to sway her…” He moved to the counter and looked out the kitchen window. The ominous mangroves at the edge of the backyard had his stomach tightening into a knot. If he’d had it his way, he would be the only one to remain at the house. He’d voiced the idea to John, Hudson and Dante, and had been met with threats of them leaving CORE if he brought it up again.

Damn it, this wasn’t their fight, but his. Steven wanted
him
to suffer, and he would, dearly, if anything happened to his men…or Lola.

“Do you really think I want my daughter to stay here?” Cami asked, a hitch in her voice.

“Asian Lola new child on street.”

Ian turned away from the window. “It’s more than her being the new kid on the block. She’s my
fiancée’s
daughter.”

The Russian shrugged. “So?”

His patience thin, he shook his head and glanced to the ceiling before meeting Vlad’s eyes. “So? That means something to me.”

Vlad pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and stood. “Vlad understand. Ian love Cami, Cami love Asian Lola.”

The Russian came off as simple, yet Ian sensed there was more to the man, and that a keen intelligence lay beneath the broken English and brawn. Plus, he’d become fiercely protective of Cami, which, to Ian, said something about his character. “I’ll bite,” he said, curious. “Say what’s on your mind.”

Vlad held the pack of cigarettes in one hand and used his free arm to lift Cami, then set her back onto the kitchen chair. “Cami need stay off feet.” He then turned to him. “Is not Asian Lola grown woman? Captain Ryan think so. Harry think so. Ian and Cami?” He shrugged. “Treat Asian Lola as little baby.”

“Vlad,” Cami began, her tone defensive, “I know my daughter is a grown woman, but it’s hard not to worry. If you had children of your own, you might understand.”

“Maybe.” He nodded his blond head. “But Vlad see how Ian and Cami make fun of Asian Lola. The two of you, do not.”

“You misunderstand. We’re protecting her.”

“No. Cami keep Asian Lola in diaper. Ian, too. The others…will put Asian Lola in diaper.” The Russian walked toward the back door. “Vlad have work with many men. Vlad would work with Asian Lola. The other agents need to know they can count on Asian Lola. Vlad think that will happen if Ian can count on Asian Lola, too.” He opened the door. “Vlad have smoke, then we go.”

Ian leaned against the counter. In other words, he needed to stop treating Lola as his future stepdaughter.

“He’s right.” Cami let out a breath. “Which is why I stuck up for her, but I shouldn’t have done it in front of John, Dante and Hudson.” She rubbed her temple. “Or Ryan. God, if my mother did that to me I’d be furious and embarrassed. She obviously likes Ryan and likes working for CORE. I don’t want him or your other men questioning her qualifications because you and I want to roll her in bubble wrap and keep her safe.”

“I don’t, either,” he admitted, while his mind instantly flashed back to two years ago. To the fear, the guilt and worry over his own daughter. “You know Celeste is psychic.”

“Yes, and I wish she could have predicted this.”

“Me too.” He pushed off the counter and knelt next to her. “What you don’t know is that I made sure she was used in a case involving serial killers. Because of my decision, she was nearly killed.” Regret ate at him as he took Cami’s hand. “I know everyone thinks I’m a manipulative son of a bitch, which I am, because even after she survived what she’d gone through, I still wanted Celeste to come work for me.”

“Why is Lola different then? I know she’s young and green around the gills, but—”

“When I worked for the FBI, those were my favorite types of recruits. I could mold them and make them into the agent I needed, so it’s not that.”

“Then it must be my fault. I’m the one who asked you to give her a job and to make sure her assignments were easy.”

“It’s more than that.” He looked into Cami’s clear blue eyes. “She’s yours. You’ve entrusted her to me. And I’m selfish, because I know if something were to ever happen to Lola while she worked for CORE, you would leave me. I said many things yesterday I didn’t mean. I have no little black book filled with names of women who would love to be with me. There hasn’t been a woman in my life for more than a decade, and that didn’t last long. I don’t know many women who would put up with me the way you do.” He touched her soft cheek. “I love you, and I don’t want to be without you.”

She took his hand and kissed his palm. “I love you, too. And, for the record, when Lola ended up with a concussion and broken ribs after she took on five men by herself, I was never angry with you. I know that’s hard to believe considering I might have gone a little crazy after I saw Lola in the hospital, but honestly, I was proud of her.”

Cami had gone more than a little crazy. At one point during her meltdown, he had thought she might actually come at him with the kitchen knife.

“So,” she began, “let’s make a promise to each other. Let’s not worry about what might happen, and concentrate on treating Lola as the intelligent, level-head and competent adult she is. If your men don’t see her that way, they could place themselves in danger because they’re too worried about keeping her protected and not focused enough on doing their jobs.”

“They
were
the ones who said they needed her here today. And that tells me they’ve already seen what I was too afraid to admit—she’s one of them.”

Vlad stepped back inside. “Barney pack wagon. Vlad will bring Cami bag to car, then come for Cami.”

“Do you want me to bring the deck of cards with me?” she asked the Russian.

The big man nodded and grinned. “Vlad have axe to grind with Cami and this game of gin,” he said, then left the room.

She chuckled. “He finally got one saying right. You know, I really like Vlad. Have you ever seen the movie,
The Blind Side
?”

“I have, but don’t get any ideas about adopting a grown Russian man.”

“That would be odd,” she said with a grin. “But maybe Vlad could work for you.”

He’d already been considering employment possibilities for the Russian, ones that would keep him off the books and show no ties back to CORE. Vlad was a wanted man, but he could prove valuable to him in the very near future.

“Maybe,” he said, then helped her when she started to rise.

As they left the kitchen and walked down the hall, Cami rested a palm on his chest. Her touch reignited the urge to scratch the rash he’d contracted after Steven had knocked him unconscious, and he’d passed out on a bed of what Barney claimed was likely stinging nettles. “What is it?” he asked, then followed her gaze to the screen door.

Ryan and Lola worked side-by-side, talking and smiling, their shoulders brushing. Ryan had also proven his worth and, with his background as a Navy SEAL, would make an excellent addition to CORE.

“I know I said I would concentrate on treating Lola as an adult, but I do worry she’s taken to Ryan a little too quickly,” Cami said with a sigh.

He put an arm around her, and hugged her to his side. “I draw the line at getting involved in anyone’s love life.” He kissed her forehead. “I’m lucky if I can handle my own.”

“True.” She grinned. “But maybe you can offer a job to Ryan, too.”

“If I need a company recruiter, I’ll let you know. In the meantime, don’t quit your day job.”

“Cami,” Vlad said, his tone filled with irritation. “Vlad say no walk.” He gave Ian a dirty look, handed him Cami’s bag, then lifted her in his arms.

The Russian carried her to the wagon, where Barney and Harrison waited. After Vlad gently set Cami in the backseat, Ian leaned in and gave her a kiss and hug. Once he said his good-byes to the others, Barney started the wagon, then backed out of the driveway.