Nicole’s heart was in her throat as she ran after Nick through the woods. She didn’t want to be like all those stupid movie characters who’d trip and fall and then get attacked by the villain, zombies, or whatever was after them.

She sprinted over branches and slick leaves, careful not to lose her footing as Nick led the way.

They hadn’t stuck around to do a tally, but by her count, there were at least two or three men—operatives of some sort—who were seriously injured by the blast… or worse. When they were far enough away from the house and ensuing fire, Nick pulled her down into a thicket.

“Stay here.”

She grabbed him before he could rush off. “You’re just going to leave me here?”

“No,” he said, his eyes dimming as dawn approached. “I’ll double back and find us a vehicle.”

“But, Nick, what if the—”

Even though she could tell he was still pissed off at her, he kissed her soundly on the lips and said, “This time, do exactly as I’ve fucking instructed you. Got it?”

She nodded.

“I’ll be right back. Do not move, Nicole. I mean it.”

“Go,” she said, now feeling like a scolded child. However, he had every right to treat her that way. It was her fault they were now in this situation. His idyllic, secret retreat had paid the price. She didn’t know if she’d ever be able to live that down or get him to forgive her.

It was all a damn shame considering the magical night they’d spent together, loving each other every way they could.

She harrumphed at her own choice of words.

Loving? Was that possible? Could it have really been more than fucking each other’s brains out?

Deep down, she hoped so. Nick was unbelievably sexy, a skilled lover, and he made her laugh, matching her wit for wit.

She didn’t want things to end. They couldn’t.

He stirred reactions in her she never knew possible and made her want to do all sorts of crazy shit.

Earlier this morning, after they’d had sex for the third time, he had fallen into a deep, satiated sleep in her arms. She’d wanted to do the same thing, but couldn’t do it. She was consumed with him, his smell, his feel, and she couldn’t doze off yet for wanting more of him. It wasn’t simply how his cock felt inside of her or how he made her come like a water hose. It was his eyes, and his voice, and his gentle, caring touch. The incredible sex was the final bonus on what she felt was the sharpest and most poignant connection she’d ever made.

She squinted as she tried to make him out. She saw movement and didn’t know whether it was Nick or someone else. Wanting to go to him, she remained where she was, not wanting to go against him this time. She owed him that much for all he’d done for her.

A few minutes later, an armored vehicle barreled through the woods, crushing brush and bushes as it crawled toward where she was hiding. Her heart raced out of control. This felt like one of those defining moments. A moment of truth. A line in the sand. Life or death. The assault team had found her and were about to end it.

Which sucked because she and Nick had just found each other and had some real plans and purpose for her life for the first time. More than punching a clock, answering to a boss, or doing a job for however long they chose to employ you. She was tired of bouncing around and trying to figure out who was on her side, who was against her, who wanted to use her for something, and who wanted to toss her aside.

Fuck them all. Especially the pricks in the Hummer.

When the lights hit her, highlighting her location, she stood tall, straightening her back, and proudly raising her middle finger to let them know she wasn’t going down without a fight.

The vehicle swerved and came to a stop next to her. The window rolled down, and Nick smiled out at her.

“Thatta girl,” he said. “You’ve got balls the size of Maryland.”

Her shoulders slumped in relief, and she could probably pass out from the adrenaline loss. “Is that a good thing?”

“It is in my book. Get in.”

Nicole ran to the other side and climbed in, slamming the door as he took off. He drove one of these with the precision of a man who’d gotten a lot of experience getting out of impossible situations.

“Where did you get this?” she asked, holding on tightly.

“The ambush team stashed it after their arrival. I literally ran into it.”

He steered through trees working his way back to the road they’d come in on yesterday. She was finally able to lock her seatbelt when he gunned it and high-tailed it out of there, steering south back toward New York City.

“Do you have a new plan?”

“Damn right I do,” he said.

She cocked her head and waited.

He pulled off the road and put the vehicle in park. Stretching his arm out over the seat, he faced her. “We’ve been doing this all wrong.”

“How so?”

“We’ve been on the run, but no more. Now, it’s time to turn the tables on the situation and take control.”

She frowned at him. “I don’t understand. Wouldn’t it be easier to go north to Canada?”

He shook his head and grinned. “Nope. It’s time we go on the offensive. Reacting to what they might throw at us is too much work. We’re going to steer them the way we want. And, I have the perfect leverage.”

Nicole lifted a brow and shrugged at him, wondering what it was.

He reached into the pocket of his jeans and withdrew the small silver device, holding it up to catch the morning sunlight. “This.”

Seeing the data drive she’d escaped the office with, she flattened her mouth. “You son of a bitch. You had it all along.”

“As I said, leverage.”

“But against who, Nick?”

He flipped the USB drive over in his fist and tucked it back into his pocket. He connected his eyes with hers and pressed. “Back there you said something about ‘not again’ regarding your father. What was that all about?”

Nicole’s heart lurched to her stomach and back, but she had to tell Nick.

Leverage…

Not that she needed to have something over him. Though he needed to know the dark secret in her past. Perhaps they could use the information to get themselves out of this mess.

She licked her lips and swallowed hard. “My mother, Anna, was a very beautiful woman. So kind and loving and I really was the world to her.”

“I can understand that,” Nick admitted.

Trying not to let that sink in too much, she continued. “I always thought she was from Boston, a first generation American, but she was actually born in the Ukraine and raised in Russia until she was a teenager when she was sent here to live an American life, but she was really an embedded Russian spy,” Nicole said.

“Shit,” Nick said, breathing out. “I didn’t know that.”

“I know. No one does now. Just Dad and me.”

“What happened?” Nick asked.

“What usually happens? A poor kid from Eastern Europe becomes enamored by the American dream and switched sides, working as a double-agent. All the years she and Dad were together, she was still reporting into the Russians with fake information while still getting their secrets. It was her own arrangement, but her contact was killed in Berlin, and she was left high and dry.” She took a break to recall what her dad told her when she was eighteen. “Dad discovered that she was a Russian spy and did what he thought was best… what was right. He turned her in, and she was to be sent back to Russia. I remember her being so sad and upset. I didn’t know what it was all about at the time. Then, it all came out about her double-crossing, and she was granted asylum in exchange for Russian secrets. A few weeks later, she was dead. Hit and run accident. I don’t think Dad ever forgave himself for it.”

“He did what he thought was right… for his country,” Nick offered.

Nicole wasn’t hearing it, though. “He should have done what was right for his family!”

Nick reached over and placed his hand on her leg for support. “I know. You’re right.”

“He’s being overprotective of me again, wanting to keep the same situation from repeating. I mean, I respect him and love him, but ever since he admitted what happened, things have been tense between us. I’ve kept my distance for a long time.”

“Do you think he knows something we don’t?”

“Something like what?” she asked.

“I don’t know,” Nick stated. “But, he knew who to call when he heard from you. They were exactly the wrong people. One of the three groups out to silence you. The Chinese, the black-suited goons, and me.”

She switched her eyes over to him. “Yeah, but you were hired to watch me. So, we’re looking at a fourth entity.”

“Right. So, we need to bring everyone together and get all the players in one room to sort this shit out.”

“Even Dad?”

Nick sighed. “I suppose so. You need to understand once and for all where his loyalties lie.”

“Meaning, will he sell me out like he did my mom, all in the name of the country?”

With a shrug, Nick said, “The lines of patriotism are sometimes blurred.”

She hoped Dad would do the right thing this time.