Dare Me (Take Me 2)

It appeared they were now in a park.

Garcia wove through a widespread grove of trees and then, called out, “This might hurt!” She sped up.

“They’re right on our ass!” another agent bellowed.

“Good.” She accelerated a bit more. “Everyone hold on!” She slammed on the brakes while sharply turning the wheel—and the back quarter of the SUV hit a large tree trunk, shattering one of the side windows and likely denting the entire panel.

She quickly drove off and a second later, there was a loud crash that echoed all around them.

“Please tell me those motherfuckers just had a head-on collision with that tree,” Nikki said.

“Spectacularly,” Damen said. And shot a look of appreciation Garcia’s way, which Nikki caught in the rearview mirror.

So maybe Garcia really was on their side.

Damen and Nikki transferred into a Town Car awaiting them in Jersey. Nikki was shocked the SUV had made it that far. Apparently, the back wheel well hadn’t collapsed in enough to rub against the tire or some such thing and they’d actually been able to continue on.

Though Damen had insisted on separate transportation when they’d ascertained they weren’t being tailed further.

Nikki didn’t even bother asking where they were headed as she and Damen settled into the backseat. She already knew: D.C.

She whipped out her iPhone and sent a text to her SAR contact in Switzerland to alert him she wouldn’t make her morning flight and that she’d send a replacement ASAP. Then she sent a broadcast message to her network to let them know her spot on the team had opened up and anyone immediately available was welcome to fill in.

Replies began to pour in, since the majority of her contacts were in international time zones, and she worked the logistics while serving as liaison between the entities. And ended up with six spare bodies on-board for helping out with the massive train wreck.

Nikki felt a twinge a disappointment she wouldn’t be onsite to assist them.

But there was evidently something on a grander scale for her to address. A couple of things, she realized as the Town Car pulled up in front of tall, decorative black wrought-iron gates on a large estate. Beside her, Damen punched numbers into an app on his phone. The gates gradually swung open in an inward fashion and they passed through.

The grounds were covered with a light blanket of snow. There were various species of trees dotting the premises, including majestic pines and clusters of dormant cherry blossoms that likely looked striking against the rich green foliage during the warmer months.

The long driveway wound toward a towering mansion and Nikki slid a glance Damen’s way. “The spy business pays well, I see.”

“Indeed, it does. There’s family money, too.”

“You mentioned your mother watches your niece while you’re…indisposed. What about your father?”

“He’s dead.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” she sincerely said.

“Thank you. He died with my brother and sister-in-law in an earthquake.”

She sucked in a breath. “That’s horrific.”

“Yes.” His jaw tightened.

Something tickled the back of Nikki’s brain. She said, “When you told me that a few agents you were close to passed away… You weren’t indirectly referring to your family members, were you?”

“No,” he said with a shake of his head and a half-smile. “They weren’t exactly spy material. Better suited for the business arena. Though, they were all weekend warriors. If they weren’t deep-sea fishing, they were hiking or biking, skydiving, kayaking, things of that nature. And traveling. They’d racked up more than their fair share of frequent flier miles.”

“Losing them had to have been—”

“Yes,” he quietly interjected. “And that’s the most we’re discussing on the subject.”

Painful was what she was going to say. The flicker of agony in his blue eyes told Nikki to step off for the moment.

She knew that expression all too well, had seen it too many times in her own mirror. Years ago, yes. It’d softened recently. As was typical when the raw edges dulled around the emotions of someone who’d suffered a travesty such as this. They might not smooth out completely—ever—but oftentimes they were less jagged, less dangerous to the heart and soul.