Her Heart's Desire

*

Two days later, and Tiffany still hadn’t heard a word from Ivan. She determined that enough was enough. It was time to get some answers herself. She took a leave of absence and put Celeste in charge, confident that that between her and the other staff, they could handle the shop while she was gone. She told Milán her plan to go to Dubai to see for herself what condition Ivan was in.

“Tiffy, are you sure?”

“What choice do I have? I’m not getting anywhere waiting for him to tell me what happened, and when he did text, he just said he was fine, so yes, I’m going. I need to get a few things straight with Colonel Mangum, and that’s better accomplished in person. Since Cole let it leak that he’s been injured, how do I know that he even told Cole the full truth? Maybe it’s more severe than even he knows. I won’t feel better until I can see him face-to-face—to know for myself that he’s on the mend.”

“I don’t know about this. I’d feel more comfortable if Adrian and I went with you.”

She hugged her best friend. “I know, Lani, and thank you, but I’ll be fine. This is something I have to do on my own. I won’t be babied by Ivan or anyone else. It’s time he found out that there’s no I in team.”

Chapter 20

There was an intruder at her door. Tiffany was in the middle of packing her passport and other travel documents when she heard a thump from the other room. She glanced at the clock on her nightstand. It was too late to be Milán, and she had just seen her an hour ago. Her heart started pounding in her chest. She had to do something!

Silently, Tiffany grabbed her cell phone out of her purse. She crept over to her dresser and opened the top drawer. She took out the Taser that Ivan had given her. She hadn’t told him, but she had practiced several times with it, and she knew how to use it. She got it ready to fire, and then stealthily made her way out of her bedroom.

She eased along the walls, ready to defend herself. When she saw her door open, she raised the weapon and took aim.

When she saw Ivan, Tiffany cried out and dropped the Taser and her phone. She bolted across the room and threw herself into his arms.

“Ivan,” she exclaimed. “What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be in Dubai.”

She searched his face, and frowned when she saw the numerous cuts and bruises splattered along the planes of his jaw, as well as the butterfly Band-Aid over his right eye. There were dark circles under his eyes, and his face was transitioning between a five-o’clock shadow and a full-grown beard.

Her hand went to her mouth. “Ivan,” she breathed. “My God.”

“It’s okay,” he said tiredly. “I look worse than I feel. At least I do now.”

“Good.” She helped him over to the couch. Her shock and concern at seeing him were suddenly replaced with anger. When he sat down, she sat next to him and punched him in the arm.

“Ow.”

She pointed a finger into his chest. “How could you do this to me, Ivan?”

He stared at her. “Do what?”

“Withhold information.” She got up and put some distance between them. He was too close, and she needed to get everything eating away at her out in the open before she caved.

“You were hurt—and from the looks of it, badly. You didn’t think that warranted a phone call to let me know what happened? I’ve been trying to reach you for days, Ivan. Days!” she yelled. “I had no idea where you were, what was happening, or if you were…” Tiffany stopped. She couldn’t put a voice to what she had feared above all else.

“This was a complete contradiction to how we’re supposed to function. We’re a team, Ivan. A team. It’s not just about you anymore, remember? You have a responsibility to me, and I to you.”

“Tiff, I’m sorry. I just didn’t want you worrying about my condition when I was so far away and there wasn’t anything you could do.”

“That’s not your call to make, Ivan. I deserve to know if something happens to you. I should also have the right to decide if I’m going to come wherever you are to be with you. It doesn’t matter how far away you are, I’d be on the first plane to Kathmandu if you needed me. It doesn’t matter, Ivan. I’d worry about you whether you were two inches away, or two million,” she said, using his words.

“But I’m fine, Tiffany. I’m on the mend so there’s no need to worry about me.”

Her mouth dropped open, and she stared at him. Without another word, Tiffany walked away from him. She strode into the bedroom, retrieving her cell phone and Taser off the floor, and paced back and forth. Her skin felt like it was on fire, and her breath shuddered from her body as though she’d just run a marathon. Tiffany could not remember the last time she had been this angry.

She heard a knock on the door. “Tiffany, open up.”

“I don’t want to see you right now, Ivan. I’m too mad, and I’ll only say something I’ll regret later, so just leave me alone.”

“Leave you alone? I flew over seven thousand miles to see you, and now you want me to leave you alone?”

Something in his tone set her off even more. She stomped to the door, unlocked it and flung it open.