Relentless (Option Zero 2)

His heart filled with love for this amazing woman, Ash covered her smiling mouth with his own. How he’d gotten so lucky he would never know. He was just grateful and humbled that he had.

Pulling away, breathless, Jules beamed up at him. “Let’s get out of here. I’ve got a hankering for more than an early dinner.”

Holding hands, they walked out the door together. Yeah, damn lucky.

The instant the bedroom door shut behind Aubrey, she wrapped her arms around herself and closed her eyes. Was Lawrence Medford dead because of her? The awful thought drilled like a carpenter bee into her brain. What had she started?

Pacing back and forth, Aubrey reviewed her actions. What could have tipped Ferante off that she was investigating him?

She had been so careful. She had used incognito mode and a VPN for all her research. All searches had been scrubbed from her computer. No one could trace them back to her. She had told no one about her suspicions regarding Ferante, not even her team.

As much as she wanted to deny the possibility, Asher Drake was right. Medford’s murder and the bugs and cameras found in her home were likely related.

When she’d first begun filming documentaries, the idea that she could be putting herself in danger had been nebulous. She was one little filmmaker. No one would care what she had to say. All that had changed after her first film. Not only had it received critical acclaim, she had gotten attention from people who wanted her to shut up. She had received numerous threats, all anonymous. She had taken them seriously, even going to the police. Nothing had been found. The police file was still open, and she would occasionally send the detective a copy of a threatening email or social media post. Like so many things these days, people could make all sorts of anonymous comments and be confident their identity would never be found out. She had been told to get used to it.

And so she had. But she’d still been cautious.

Not cautious enough, apparently. And Lawrence Medford might have paid the price.

Dropping onto the bed, Aubrey faced a harsh possibility. Should she scrap the film? The last thing she wanted was to put anyone in danger. Her films were made to save lives, not put them in jeopardy.

She would hold off on making that decision. For now, she would take the opportunity that Asher Drake and his OZ organization were offering her. Participating in the rescue of trafficking victims had been a goal of hers for years. Seeing it firsthand would give her the insight she would never get just by talking to the victims or the rescuers. Even if she ended up scrapping the project, she desperately needed to witness this event.

Wanting to get her mind off her sorrow, Aubrey unpacked her bags and then took a quick shower. Someone would be by soon to give her a tour, and since she didn’t want to make anyone wait, she rushed through the shower. As she hadn’t had the chance before she’d left home, she did take the time to wash her hair, though, as it still smelled of chlorine from this morning’s swim.

Had that only been this morning? She felt as though she’d lived three lifetimes since then.

As she stepped out of the stall, she realized she had not even taken the time to appreciate her accommodations. She could be staying in a luxury ski resort. From the claw-foot porcelain tub to the marble double vanity with its array of top-of-the line personal care products to the extra-large shower stall, everything was designed for the comfort and delight of the guest.

Rubbing down her wet hair with a soft, fluffy towel, Aubrey returned to the bedroom and took in what she’d missed before. Hardwood the color of soft teak covered the floor. In the center was a queen-sized bed with a bedspread of muted green and pink. One wall was brick and stone with a gorgeous fireplace in the middle. Another wall was painted a light moss green. Between those two walls was a huge window with another breathtaking view. Two chairs had been placed before the window, a table between them. She could imagine waking up and sipping coffee while drinking in the beauty of the morning.

Knowing she was running out of time, she blow-dried her hair and applied a minimal amount of make-up. A little blush, mascara, and lip gloss went miles in making a girl feel better. Grabbing a pair of jeans and an olive-green sweater from the drawer, she hurriedly pulled them on. As she dressed, her eyes kept darting to the window numerous times. Amazing what peace she could get from just those few glimpses of the view.

The knock on her door came just as she finished dressing. She took one last glance back at the view and then straightened her shoulders.

She opened the door to a smiling Serena. “Ready for your tour?”

“Absolutely.”

Chapter Twenty-One

A size-fourteen shoe zoomed toward his face. Liam pivoted, whirled, and came back with a double kick to his opponent’s sternum. The surprise on Sean Donavan’s face would have been comical if he’d had a chance to enjoy it. Donavan recovered in an instant and came back full force, socking Liam in the gut. Though he wore protective padding, the force of the blow knocked him on his ass. He was back on his feet in seconds, coming hard at Donavan.

Muscles sang and adrenaline surged. This felt good. The first thing he’d enjoyed in months. He needed this to balance the frustration and fury bubbling inside him. Every single time he thought he was close to finding those victims in Colombia, they vanished. He wanted to find them. He needed to find Drury. So far, he’d come up empty on both.

Time was running out. He felt it in his gut. Something was going to happen. What, he didn’t know. Death? Or were the victims going to be split up, and he’d be able to save only a few? What if one of them was Cat? He had to find them soon. Or else.

A thump on his jaw had him flying back onto the mat again. A good reminder that he was sparring with one of the most gifted fighters he’d ever faced. Losing his focus was not a good idea.

Jumping back to his feet, Liam went at his opponent even harder and faster. Donavan moved at the last second, and the uppercut to his jaw glanced off his chin, but the double punch to his belly took the man’s breath. Liam seized the opportunity to shut him down completely.

With stealthy precision, Liam punched, jabbed, whirled, and kicked. Since this was a training session, he didn’t use full force. Still, he went for maximum enjoyment of getting the best of Sean Donavan. In hand-to-hand, no one at OZ was Donavan’s equal. For the first time ever, Liam knew he had him. The other man had no defense other than to keep his forearms up to protect himself.

Feeling triumph, Liam was set up to send a final blow that would send his friend to the mat. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw someone watching. For a millisecond, he looked. The thought flashed in his mind that s

he had changed little in the four years since he’d first seen her. Her skin still glowed with a translucent light that he found mesmerizing. Her wavy golden-blond hair might be a little longer. She—

Liam flew backward as Donavan clipped him hard on the chin. Landing with a hard thud, flat on his back, he fought to catch his breath.