CHAPTER ONE

 

Trevor Reed took a sip of his vodka before setting the glass down on the table. He was meeting with the Gregorian brothers, arms dealers who also dabbled in human trafficking, preparing to take them down hard. From the VIP booth he shared with the brothers, he could watch the club’s dance floor and the dancers moving to the pounding music. He’d much rather be having dinner tonight at one of the intimate Parisian bistros he’d come to love instead of posing as Dante Andreas, a broker with a reputation for procuring illegal weapons. The open market at Rue Cler, not far from the Eiffel Tower, was one of his favorite places. He often strolled the streets for hours, taking in the sights and dining on the food. It was a good way to unwind while making sure no one was following him. Looking over his shoulder had become an occupational hazard, but it kept him alive.

Lately, though, he found himself wondering why he kept putting his life at risk. Pretending to be a weapons dealer had taken a toll on him, and he was in danger of becoming jaded about his purpose. For several months he’d lived an indulgent life, residing in a lavish apartment, wearing five-thousand dollar suits and throwing money around to show he was a big league player who could get things done.

But for every group he’d been instrumental in taking down, another would pop back up and become the new bad guy. He’d sacrificed so much in the name of doing good, but the truth was, he’d missed out on having a normal life. His family was back home living, loving, and making plans for the future. He was alone, playing a role he didn’t enjoy, knowing his life was on the line. But most importantly, he missed Theresa, the only woman he’d ever loved. Lately he’d lain awake many nights thinking of the road not taken. She would have enjoyed the romantic allure of Paris. Paris at night was magical, and he often wished he could share it with her.

He turned his attention back to the group. He’d been undercover for months waiting to meet with the Gregorian brothers. The two arms dealers lived in excess, driving big exotic sports cars and staying in ostentatious homes, a cautionary tale of what not to do if you were trying to keep your criminal enterprise off the radar. He detested them, but he was there to do a job. Or he had been here to do a job until this new development had changed things. The spy world was abuzz with chatter about the whereabouts of Jack Stanton’s daughter, who’d been kidnapped days ago from a Paris nightclub and was being held for ransom.

It was time to get to work. He stood and fastened the button on his suit jacket.

“Dante, where are you going?” Paolo Gregorian gave him an odd look. “We have food and drink. The party’s right here.”

“I gotta take a leak. I’ll be back in a few minutes,” he replied.

“When you come back, I want to finalize the deal,” Paolo said.

“You got it.”

He blended in with the sweaty dancing crowd as soon as he left the VIP booth. He was pretty sure Anatoli, Paolo’s right-hand henchman, was following him. He knew Paolo had him watched carefully. He looked at his watch. It was almost time. Five, four, three, two, one…and just like that, the house lights went out and a pulsing multicolored strobe light began flashing. He slipped on his sunglasses that were equipped with special night vision capabilities and tried to get his bearings as clubbers donning neon necklaces thrashed about to mind-numbing music that blared from the speakers.

He moved through the crowd and saw the perfect opportunity. He approached a group of pretty girls. One of them pulled on his hand trying to get him to dance. He allowed the ladies to surround him, and as Anatoli got closer, he made a sharp turn and left Anatoli in the middle of a crowd.

Once he made it over to the door marked private, he stealthy sneaked up behind the other henchman, Hugo, and pulled out a small device and opened it to reveal a needle at the end of it. He pricked Hugo with it in the neck and within a matter of seconds Hugo slumped forward. Trevor opened the door and pulled him inside and moved him into a corner so he couldn’t immediately be seen if someone opened the door. He then liberated Hugo’s gun and continued down the hall.

There were multiple doors down the passageway. Maybe he should’ve asked Hugo to point him in the right direction before he knocked him out. He glanced at his watch again. Paolo had to be questioning where he was by now. He opened each door cautiously and kept his finger near the trigger. He kept moving until he reached the fifth door. He opened it and saw a terrified young woman. She matched the description of the missing young woman. She was sitting on a dirty mattress, her mouth was gagged, and she was handcuffed to the bed frame. She had on a black dress and looked like she’d been crying.

He carefully pulled the gag out of her mouth. “Shannon Stanton?”

“Yes.” She shrank away as far as the handcuffs would let her, the tears leaving tracks on her cheeks.

“My name is Trevor.” He held up his hands. “I’m going to get you out of here. We need to leave quickly because I’m pretty sure your captors know what I’m up to by now. Do you think you can walk?”

“Yes.”

“Is there anyone else here with you?”

“No. There were some girls here before, but they took them away. They were going to take me too, but I said my dad was rich and would pay a mint to get me back safely.” She sniffed.

“That was good thinking. It bought you some time.” He picked the handcuff lock, freeing her. Then he checked the mag in his stolen gun but hoped he didn’t have to use it. “I need you to stay behind me. Keep your hand on my back.”

Trevor opened the door and peeked down the corridor. He could take his chances and navigate the unknown maze of the building’s empty side, or he could go for a bolder move.

“Shannon, you ready?”

She nodded, trembling.

He stopped. She wasn’t ready. He put his hands on her arms to calm her. “Listen to me. I know you’re scared, but we’re going to make it out of this. I know you can do this. You’re a country girl. You’re a topnotch equestrian, and you like shooting crossbows. Anybody who can wrangle a horse and come in second place in a national archery competition can make it out of a club filled with scumbags wearing sparkly suits and too much cologne.”

She looked like she was considering his words, then she straightened up a bit.

“I’m ready,” she said again, but this time with the confidence that Trevor believed.

“Good. Hand on my back at all times, and you have my word I’ll get you out of here.”

Trevor opened the door again and proceeded down the corridor with Shannon close behind. He winded stealthily back through the labyrinth of a hallway and hoped he wouldn’t encounter anyone else. But he had no such luck. As soon as a guy in a gray turtle neck turned the corner and spotted them, the guy drew a gun and opened fire. Trevor shot back, catching the thug in the knee and the shoulder.

He ran back down the hall with Shannon on his heels until he reached the original door and opened it. The club was still dark, which was good. He needed to get out of there, but he knew if Paolo’s people saw him, they’d be liable to open fire in the crowded venue. He moved along the wall with Shannon behind him until he reached the fire alarm. He pulled it and the alarm began to blare. People began to scatter for the exits. He grabbed Shannon’s hand and blended in with a crowd of people headed for one of the side doors.

As soon as they were through the door and a few feet away from the club, he activated the GPS signal on his phone, signaling he was ready to be picked up. They hurried down the street, leaving the club and the confused crowds behind. They finally stopped at a corner that was dimly lit and had no traffic. A few minutes later, a van came racing down the street, but slowed down as the side door opened. As soon as it was safe, he hoisted her toward the van. Someone took Shannon’s hand and helped pull her inside as Trevor jumped in right behind her. The van picked up speed again and made a left turn at the end of the block.

Trevor grimaced and glanced at the man who’d helped Shannon inside the van. “Rick, that was cutting it pretty close. Did you stop for a scone?”

“You know me. I always have to make a dramatic entrance.” Rick went back to his conversation on the cell phone. “Target acquired. Have the bird fueled and ready to go.”

“Would you mind driving a little faster?” Trevor yelled up to the driver.

The driver glanced back at him. “This van is already defying the speed of light. But I’ll try.”

“What’s wrong?” Rick asked.

Trevor held up a bloody hand. “I’ve been hit.”

“Oh my gosh!” Shannon shrieked.

“It’s OK, Shannon. I think it’s just a flesh wound. It just stings like hell.” Trevor took a closer look. He could see the bullet wound in his side and the spreading stain of his blood.

“Hang on, buddy.” Rick disconnected his first call and started dialing on his cell phone. “Yeah, we’re going to need medical assistance on the bird. No, it’s not the woman. It’s one of ours.”

“You’re not going to take it out yourself?” Trevor winced as he let out a dry laugh.

“You know my fake medical license was revoked years ago.” Rick looked at his wound. “We’ve been through too much for you to check out on me now.”

It wasn’t the first time he’d been shot while on an assignment, but it was the first time he’d forgotten to mail the Fantasy Locales Travel package to Theresa. An image of her floated into his mind. She’d been as stunning as ever the last time he’d seen her, back when he went home to Philadelphia. He’d have someone retrieve the package from his apartment and send it to her. Theresa. Thinking of her sent him to happy places in his mind. Places where he didn’t leave behind the ones he loved in favor of global intrigue. As he closed his eyes, it was her perfect face he saw and her beautiful voice he remembered. Her voice…saying his name…

 

* * *

 

Theresa Rodriguez looked at her calendar and sighed. Having a successful travel agency that offered deluxe guided tours was a blessing and a curse. Great Escapes Travel was gearing up for the holiday season, and there would be no relief until after Valentine’s Day. She always enjoyed that two-week period after the most romantic holiday when she and the staff could regroup and look for new and interesting places for her clients.

She remembered the days when she’d struggled to keep her business afloat. The digital age had hit travel agents hard, and everyone scrambled for new and interesting ways to attract people into their offices. She’d plugged along and enjoyed what she did for family and friends. Business really took a turn for the better when her friend Morgan Blake, in a rare magazine interview, had talked about how she’d met Seth on an island and mentioned Theresa had booked her trip. When the woman who’d married Seth Blake tells thousands of readers you were partly responsible for that fateful journey to meet the love of her life, it was bound to get attention.

Suddenly her one-woman band had turned into a lucrative enterprise with a staff of eight. People flocked to her travel agency, hoping she’d help make their dreams of finding the perfect mate come true too. Coincidentally, quite a few singles she’d sent on great vacations did end up meeting someone, but she couldn’t take the credit for that. Their hearts were already open before they set out to find someone to love. Still, she was happy to secretly believe she’d had a little part in the happiness she saw all around her.

If only she’d had the same luck with her own love life. She may have been able to make someone else’s dreams come true with a few keystrokes, but she hadn’t been as successful dating. She was picky and had high standards and—who was she kidding? None of the men who’d come into her life held a candle to her high school sweetheart Trevor Reed.

Trevor, that jerk. The man who’d stolen her heart and never bothered to return it before he left Philadelphia for parts unknown years ago. So what if he was tall, handsome, and had an impeccable sense of style? Or his dark, coffee-colored, sexy bedroom eyes and playful smile? And smooth, brown, sun-kissed skin that felt like silk over taut muscles when she touched him. When he looked at her, the rest of the world melted away. Truth was, she still hadn’t gotten over him after all these years.

Her ears perked up when she heard the bell to the front door of her travel agency. They received packages daily from various vendors and people interested in doing business with them, but the mysterious parcels from Fantasy Locales Travel were her favorite. The packages usually included authentic bits and pieces from the destination along with commentary on where to dine, shop, tourist traps to steer clear of, and most importantly, how to stay safe. She loved the journal entries the most. When the first package had arrived years ago, she’d received a binder-style journal and ever since then she’d dutifully added the new pages that came with the items. There was something about the style of writing and wry humor in the entries that reminded her of Trevor Reed’s sense of humor.

She got up from her office chair and made the trek down the hall to the front of the office. It was lunch time, so it was pretty quiet. She welcomed the reprieve from the busy morning. She’d just got a contract to put together a guided vacation tour to Hawaii for some of the wives of the players on the Pirates hockey team and still needed to designate a guide. The women in the office were all vying from the plum assignment and weren’t above bribery or fights.

“Was that a package delivery?” She came out of her office, trying to sound casual to Gilda, her assistant.

“Just the contract from that new resort. They sent a few promotional items.”

“Oh.” She sighed.

“No worries, I remember you’re on the lookout for that new leather jacket you ordered online.”

“It’s not that. But I can’t wait to get that jacket. I think I’ll wear it for the holidays. It has soft black leather and a faux, white fur collar and—” She shook her head. She could daydream about her jacket later. “I was just wondering if something else had arrived.”

“I do the same thing when I order shoes online. I have to pop an antacid to stave off the tummy ache I get from anticipation.” Gilda giggled. “Do you have any plans for Thanksgiving?”

“I think I’ll pick up some takeout from a restaurant and tackle that wallpaper in one of the spare rooms.”

“That sounds awful. If I weren’t going to my husband’s family’s house in Jersey I’d have you come over to my place.”

“I know you would.”

“Hey.” Gilda snapper her fingers. “Didn’t you say Mrs. Reed invited you to Thanksgiving dinner?”

“She did, bless her heart, but I think going solo is best for me this year. It will give me a chance to get over my holiday fatigue, which starts around Halloween.”

She was happy at the Reed matriarch’s offer to come to dinner until she’d thought about it longer. What if Trevor came home for Thanksgiving? He was usually MIA, but ever since his sister Charisma married and had a child, he’d been coming to town more often.

“I know what you mean,” Gilda said. “If only they’d prescribe antidepressants for anxiety caused by Christmas decorations in September in most retail stores.”

“Don’t forget Halloween costumes in August.” Theresa giggled and turned to go back into her office.

“I’ll let you know if we get anymore deliveries today. What was it you were expecting?”

She played with her sleeve. “I ordered the T-shirts for the seniors cruise. I thought they’d be here by now. I’m meeting with the group in a few days to give them the final itineraries and I thought it would be nice to hand them out.”

“I can call and see what—”

“No. It’s not necessary.” She cleared her throat. “I’ve been checking for updates on the delivery site, and they say they’re still en route. I was hoping they’d surprise me with an early delivery.”

“Oh.” Gilda handed her a piece of paper. “You got a message when you were out to lunch from some guy named Lawrence. He said he was calling to confirm your date tomorrow. He sounded cute. Is he a good prospect?”

“He seems nice.” And eager. He’d left her a message on her cell phone too.

“Maybe he’s the one?” Gilda winked. “But then again, you’re pretty picky.”

“‘Discerning’ is a more sophisticated word.” Truth was, she was tired of giving her number to presumably nice guys who turned out to be losers and who drunk-dialed her occasionally asking for a second chance. Thank goodness for the call block feature on cell phones. “Don’t forget I’m leaving at four for my seminar at Reed Bradley this evening.” She turned to head back toward her office.

“And I’ll let you know if you get anything from Fantasy Locales Travel,” Gilda shouted after her. “I think whoever sends you those packages has a crush on you.”

She slowed down. Gilda knew her too well. “Thanks.”

She’d wondered herself how the person sending those packages seemed to know what she liked. It was as if they already knew the questions she’d want answered and put everything in a concise presentation that excited her imagination. She’d be deeply disappointed if there were no more of the mysterious packages coming.

Theresa went back to her office and reviewed the itinerary on the screen. This would be her first time out with a seniors group, and she wanted to make sure they had fun. They were a feisty group. A few of the women reminded her of her abuela. They’d already told her they didn’t want seven days napping on the high seas. If she didn’t find something entertaining for them to do, the cruise ship might be facing an elderly mutiny.

Funny how she was always planning someone else’s grand voyage while she remained chained to a desk, daydreaming about a life of adventure. Maybe it was time she thought about sending herself on a dream vacation. Catching rays by the pool and sipping on an exotic cocktail at a luxury, all-inclusive spa sounded like heaven.

It had been a while since she’d taken some time to decompress. Because this was not how she’d imagined her life years ago. Well, she did imagine the successful business and the house, but these achievements also included a certain man she couldn’t stop thinking about. Trevor had been ingrained in her mind for so many years, and every time it felt like her heart was ready to heal, he’d pop back into town. It wasn’t fair that he kept doing that to her. It wasn’t fair that she was still in love with him.

She went back to working on the things on her desk. She welcomed anything that would distract her from thinking about Trevor and whether he’d blow into town for the holidays and break her heart all over again.