Mission: Undercover

Chapter 26

In the Middle Central Alps / Robert Danforth's headquarters

Robert Danforth sat in his leather chair behind his desk, and Jack Turner stood in front, reporting to him. "Everything is calm in Russia. Valery Egorov is still there. News from Italy is also good. I spoke with Alberto De Fiore yesterday. But I think something is going on in the agency. Agent McKenna has been acting strange lately."

"Looks like my trap went off." Robert pulled a thick Cuban cigar from his drawer. He lit it, inhaled, and exhaled the smoke. "Don't worry about McKenna, my boy. He's just a pawn."

"Maybe if you tell me more about the project, I'll know better what to be on the lookout for. So I don't miss something."

"Not yet."

"But what if she doesn't kill him?"

"She will. I gave her a good reason to do so."

***

LA, USA / 7 a.m.

Vanessa woke up in Cole's room.

Damn it! She looked around. She was alone in the bed. Damn it!

Just as she got up, Cole came out of the bathroom with only a towel wrapped around his waist.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Shit!" she muttered, unable to look away from Cole's naked body.

He was still wet. Drops slid down his body. Vanessa's eyes followed them, enjoying how they were making their way through every muscle of his body until they finally reached his towel to be absorbed by it.

So many thoughts. Wrong thoughts. Everything was so wrong. In so many ways.

She shouldn't have spent the night there in the first place. She shouldn't have slept in his bed. She shouldn't have kissed him.

But that very moment kept coming back before her eyes. The moment he saved her. Not just from the bullet. He had saved her from the darkness. Or he had doomed her to it. At that point, the meaning was the same.

Vanessa moved closer to Cole, ran her hand over his chest, and looked into his eyes. "Evil needs to be repaid with evil, Cole."

He looked at her. Any girl would say a million other trite, stupid, pointless things in this situation. But not her.

Cole caressed Vanessa's face and then told her in a low but severe tone, "Don't worry. Now, put on some pants. It's full of people downstairs. They don't need to look at your bare ass. You gave the crowd enough pleasure yesterday."

"You were shot, for fuck sake, Cole! I doubt anyone was looking right at my bare ass!"

"I wouldn't bet on it. It's worth the view."

Vanessa crossed her arms.

"What? Two can play your game, Vanessa."

In an instant, Vanessa's irritation turned to pain. She lowered her eyes. "This isn't a game, Cole." Then she returned her gaze to his eyes again. "This is my living hell."

She walked out of his room, leaving Cole stunned.

Her words hurt. Hurt like hell.

***

A few minutes later, Cole opened the door to her room.  "I want you down with the others in two minutes."

He closed the door and went downstairs.

Vanessa rolled her eyes. "Back in the mood."

She put on a pair of denim shorts and went downstairs too.