Curves For The Agent Cowboy

Chapter 34

The drive to Jantrece's house was quiet, the air thick with exhaustion and disbelief.

Catalina sat curled against Kerian in the back seat, her trembling hands gripping his arm. Her parents followed close behind in Jack's truck, headlights cutting through the night. Jonathan drove while Erica scanned the rearview mirror, always alert—always expecting another shadow to follow.

When they finally pulled into Jantrece and Nick's long gravel driveway, Catalina's heart ached with guilt.
She didn't want to bring this to her best friend's doorstep.

The porch light flicked on, and Jantrece appeared in the doorway, wrapped in a soft robe, her belly round beneath it.
Her husband, Nick, stood beside her, broad-shouldered, calm, his posture unmistakably military—ready for anything.

Kerian was the first out of the car. "Nick," he greeted, voice low but steady. "We had trouble."

Nick's eyes scanned the group—the bruises, the exhaustion, the tension simmering beneath the surface. "Get inside," he said immediately. "We'll talk in the den."

The warmth of Jantrece's home was a sharp contrast to the chaos they'd fled.
A fire crackled quietly, and the scent of lavender drifted from the kitchen. Penelope's toys were scattered across the floor, a small pink blanket draped over the arm of the couch.

Catalina stopped short, staring at them—reminders of innocence, of normalcy—and her chest tightened.

"Cat," Jantrece said gently, coming over to hug her. "You look like you've been through hell. What happened?"

Catalina's throat tightened. "I didn't mean to bring this here, Jantrece. I swear. I shouldn't have—"

"Stop right there," Jantrece said, squeezing her hand. "You're family. You don't apologize for surviving. You hear me?"

Tears pricked Catalina's eyes. "But Penelope—"

"Penelope's fine," Nick said firmly, stepping forward. "And she won't be here much longer. I'm sending her and Jantrece to my father's place tonight. It's secure. Remote. I'll take care of things from here."

"But Nick—" Jantrece began, frowning.

He turned to her, his expression softening but resolute. "Honey, you know the drill. I can't protect all of you if you're in the crossfire. You and Penelope go to Dad's. I'll join you when it's safe."

Jantrece sighed, resting a hand on her stomach. "You better. I'm too pregnant to run after you."

Nick smiled faintly, kissing her forehead before looking at Kerian and Jack. "Now, let's hear what happened."

Kerian explained everything—the ambush, the coordinated strike, the way the attackers seemed to know the layout of the property. Erica filled in the tactical details while Jonathan sketched the field positions on a napkin.

Nick studied the crude map, his soldier's instincts taking over. "This was too precise for random mercenaries. They knew entry points, fallback lines, and blind angles. Someone fed them intel."

"That's what we thought too," Erica said. "But we cleaned up all leaks after the last incident. Our father fixed everything on paper."

Before anyone could respond, Jack's phone buzzed.

He stepped into the kitchen to answer it, his voice low but urgent.
When he came back, his face was grim. "That was Brian."

Maire tensed. "What did he say?"

Jack exhaled heavily. "They traced the comms chatter from the assault team. It wasn't random. Someone gave them the coordinates—Vivienne."

Catalina froze. "Vivienne?!"

The name hit her like a slap. Her stomach twisted. "She's the one who... who set me up before. Why would she—"

"Because she's obsessed," Kerian said bitterly, his voice low. "I should've seen it. She tried to get close before—too close—but I shut her down. Guess she didn't like rejection."

Nick frowned. "So she's working with your old enemies?"

Erica shook her head. "Not exactly. She's double-crossing them. She wanted Kerian for herself, but when that didn't happen, she sold his location for leverage. Problem is—she underestimated how far they'd go."

Catalina pressed a trembling hand to her forehead. "So all of this—all the danger—came back because of her?"

Jack's tone hardened. "We'll stop her, sweetheart. But right now, we need to make sure she doesn't get another chance."

Nick stood, grabbing his phone. "I'll contact a few people from base—quietly. If she's moving people or supplies, we'll know. You said your dad hid your records?" he asked Kerian.

"He did," Kerian confirmed. "But we forgot one thing—Vivienne already knew."

Nick nodded grimly. "Then we erase her reach. Every alias, every resource, every account she's touched. By the time we're done, she won't have the means to blink without us seeing it."

While Nick made the calls, Jantrece sat beside Catalina, holding her hand.
"You know," she said softly, "you always seem to find the most dramatic way to spend time with me."

Catalina gave a weak laugh, wiping her eyes. "Guess I've got a talent for trouble."

"Yeah, well, next time, let's stick to coffee and gossip, okay?"

Catalina nodded, her voice barely above a whisper. "Deal."

Nick returned a moment later, setting his phone down. "It's done. Jantrece, pack a bag for you and Penelope. My dad's already expecting you."

Catalina stood. "Nick, I can't let you do this—"

He stopped her with a steady look. "You can and you will. This isn't just about you anymore—it's about all of us. We end this now, before she finds another way to strike."

Kerian nodded in agreement, jaw tightening. "Then we find Vivienne before she finds us."

Jonathan leaned forward, eyes cold and focused. "And this time, we make sure she doesn't get back up."

Hours later, as Jantrece hugged Catalina goodbye and headed out with Penelope, Catalina stood on the porch, watching the taillights disappear into the night.
Kerian came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"You okay, KittyCat?" he murmured against her hair.

"No," she whispered. "But I will be—once this is over."

Kerian pressed a kiss to her temple. "Then let's finish it."

Behind them, Jack, Erica, and Jonathan gathered around Nick's kitchen table, spreading out files and maps.
The war room was forming.

And though exhaustion hung heavy in the air, so did resolve.

Because this time, they weren't just running.
They were coming for Vivienne.