Payson let it go for the moment, but shewasn’t done grilling him. Ronan may have made a new friend, but shewasn’t risking his safety. “Was it Sharpe that ordered you to killRonan back in London?”
Connor slowly chewed his croissant, not surehow to answer. He didn’t have to. From behind her, the petite blondwoman entered from the hallway. Payson about jumped out of herskin, her pulse quickened at the sneaky arrival.
The woman stood in the doorway, ringing herhands in worry. Ronan stared her down, brow scrunched in confusion.“It wasn’t Connor. I shot you.”
Speechless, Ronan stuttered, “Rose, you…? Whydid you try to kill me?... How are you alive?”
A single tear fell down her cheek. Sheremained frozen in the doorway, knowing she wasn’t welcome. “I amtruly sorry. I shouldn’t blame Sharpe; I should have seen him forwhat he was. He called me shortly after we parted that night. Saidyou were a mole, working with the terrorists to get theweapons.”
Ronan shook his head, furious. Payson watchedas he shut down, leaned back in his chair to distance himself.Staring out the window into the misty morning, he brooded.
Connor rose from his chair. “There, therelass. You were doing your job.” He stood behind Rose and rubbed herarms gently, soothingly. Turning to the others, Connor continuedfor her, “I approached Rose shortly after; I’d been watching all ofyou for some time. I didn’t know where else to turn. She was prettyjaded at being ordered to kill a friend, so she wasn’t hard toconvince.”
They sat silently for a few moments. Paysonached for Ronan. No wonder he wanted out so desperately. Every timehe dug further, everything he knew jumbled and turned him insideout. Payson stalked closer to Rose, enjoying her height advantage,despite the fact that the woman could likely kick her ass. “Howcould you think you could come here?”
Rose looked up so her eyes met Payson’s.Filled with tears, Payson didn’t know if she could believe thegrief. Like Ronan, she was a professional. Trained to manipulate,lie, kill.
“I know I can never win his trust, or yours.But know that I will never forgive myself for not listening to myinstincts. For blindly following orders. Well… mostly. I called theparamedics before I even shot him; I… it was the best I could comeup with at the time. This whole business, it’s bullshit. That’s whywe faked my death, so I could get the hell away from the lies.”
Shaking his head, Ronan finally looked overat Rose, “This is where you and I differ. No matter what intel Idig up, I trust myself first. I just wish I’d followed my instinctsabout Sharpe sooner.” Drawn to him, Payson moved to sit in thechair at his side.
Rose nodded somberly, “I know. There’s areason you’re Sara’s favorite. Why Sharpe fears you. I know I’llnever be able to make up for what I did, but I will do all that Ican to help take down Sharpe…”
Done with the chit-chat, Nicolas, from hisperch on the barstool, looked to Connor and demanded, “Where didthe weapons come from?”
“Where else? Sharpe. Fresh from the lab,All-American Weaponry.”
Payson shook her head in disbelief. Takingher hand in his, Ronan nodded, unsurprised. “Part of the reason Iwanted out, long before January, was the fucking politics. Theshady dealings. I signed on to eliminate threats, not brewviolence. If Sharpe obtained those weapons from the US government,then he wasn’t alone. Proving it will be the challenge.”
Connor nodded, sitting back down and stuffinga piece of brie into his mouth. “We need to pin Sharpe down. Eithercatch him in the act or nail down a feckin’ detailedconfession.”
Ronan shook his head as he swallowed a finalgulp of coffee and set the mug back on the smoothly weatheredtabletop. “He’s too shrewd; we won’t catch him in the act. If hethinks I know where the weapons are, let’s let him believe that.”Ronan gave a half smile, ego shining bright, “Tell him you’ve founda way to twist my arm, for me to give him the location of theweapons.”
“He’ll want to see the weapons himself. Aftereverything we’ve all worked for, I’m not letting him near thoseweapons. Nor will he believe you got scared and wanted to give upthe weapons to save your own ass.”
“Not without a damn good reason, no. Tell himyou’re holding Payson hostage,” he gave her a quick wink and asqueeze of her hand. “If he’s been watching me as closely as Isuspect, he’ll know I’d do anything to keep her safe. But, tell himthat I’ll only meet with him directly. No more middlemen… nooffense.”
The scot snorted. “None taken. She’s afine-looking lass, but I’m not so sure he’d believe you’ll give upweapons of that magnitude for a woman. I guarantee, he’s noromantic.”
Alain cleared his throat. “Perhaps you oughtto tell him she’s pregnant with Ronan’s child. If he doesn’tunderstand love, maybe he’ll understand fatherhood.” Payson triedto hide the blush, but it wasn’t possible. Hopefully, Ronan wouldthink it was the idea rather than the truth.
With a wicked grin, Ronan nodded, “That woulddo it. Payson, mind if I tie you up?”
~
Sitting in the corner of the mostdesolate-looking outbuilding on the grounds, Payson pulled andstretched her hands to free herself of the bindings. She rolledaround on the ground until dust packed into her clothes and herhair turned into a tangled rat’s nest. There, that should doit.
“Honey, I think you’re getting a little toointo this. I’m really not into the hostage-captor fantasy if that’swhat you’re thinking.” Ronan rolled his eyes with a playfulsmirk.
“Ha ha. I’m making it look convincing. How doI look?”
The ex-merc and the ex-spy stood side-by-sidewith identical expressions, arms folded, accenting thosespectacularly developed biceps. “Lass, you look like hell. Now, trynot to smile.” Pulling out his phone, Connor snapped a few shots ofher looking terrified. “Ya know, she even has a nice glow abouther.”
Payson laughed off the joke, hoping Ronanwouldn’t look too closely and figure out she was pregnant beforeshe was ready to tell him. “Funny. Help me up, I’m hopping in theshower now.”
Alain walked in the room, taking in thestaged captive scene, he offered, “Please, Payson, we can protectyou here.”
Ronan nodded in agreement, unmistakablyconcerned.
