Targeted Risk (R.I.S.C. #7) - Anna Blakely Page 0,54
I’ll prove to you that what I feel for you is real. I’ll spend the rest of my life proving to you that what we have together is real.”
She walked over to the cabin’s large, picture window and looked out at the surrounding landscape. With the softest of voices, she asked him, “Do you remember our walk down to the river?”
He remembered it had been a nice, pretty day. But he’d focused more on the beautiful woman sitting next to him than the scenery.
“Of course, I do.”
“We were sitting there, looking out over the river. It was so quiet and peaceful, and I thought, this is it. This is what I want our life to be like.”
Turning around slowly, she faced him once more. The sad, almost tortured expression on her face gutting him raw.
“We can still have it, Jules.” He risked moving in a little closer. “Baby, we can have any kind of life you want. Just name it, and it’s yours.”
“I want that life.” She blinked setting free yet another set of twin tears. “I want it with you, but...”
Mike covered the remaining distance between them. Slowly, giving her plenty of time to move away if she wanted, he brought his hands toward her, cupping her face. “I want that with you, too, baby.”
“But how?” Her voice cracked. “I don’t even know what to call you anymore.”
“Call me whatever you want, baby.” Mike stared deep into her ocean blue eyes. “As long as you call me yours.”
Her breath stuttered inside her chest. “I don’t know what to believe anymore.”
“Believe in this, Juliet.” He pressed his lips to hers in a barely-there kiss. “Believe in us.”
She opened her mouth to respond, but an alarm sounded on his phone, cutting off whatever she was about to say.
Shit. “It’s the gate. Damn it, I have to check it.” Mike brushed his thumb across her soft skin. “I have to keep you safe.”
Pulling his phone from his pocket, he opened the security app Ben had him download in order to access the property’s cameras and, if necessary, open the gate remotely.
The image appeared, and Mike damn near broke the phone when he saw the face of the man waiting at the gate.
Sonofabitch. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Fucking Fuller.”
Juliet frowned. “The FBI agent?
“That’s the one.”
“What the hell is he doing here? Did Ben send him?”
“I don’t know.” Mike tapped his screen to allow the gate to open. “But we’re about to find out.”
He wanted to continue their conversation, but with Fuller headed their way, they were forced to table it. For now.
While they waited for the prick to make it down and around the road to the cabin, Mike shot off two fast and furious texts to Ben. One to let him know what a dick move leaving that folder with Jules had been and another asking why the fuck the asshole FBI agent was here and how he even knew where to find them.
The CIA agent responded almost immediately, answering Mike’s second question with a vague as shit explanation. The asshole completely ignored the first one.
Juliet hugged herself nervously while they waited for Fuller to arrive. By the time the dickhead pulled up, the entire cabin had become filled with thick, nervous energy.
Mike had the front door open before the man had fully exited his car. “What the fuck do you want?”
“Nice to see you, too, Bradshaw.” The man glanced at Juliet from over Mike’s shoulder. “Oh, shit. Sorry. You still going by Reynolds, these days?”
“It’s Bradshaw, and she knows everything so cut the crap and tell me why you’re here.”
“Why do you think?” Fuller made his way up the porch steps. “I’m here, for her.”
“Fuck off.” Mike backed up and started to close the door, but Fuller’s foot got in the way.
“I have a court order to take her in.”
Mike pulled the door open again. “The hell you do.”
“It’s right here. Judge’s signature is barely dry.” He waived a folded bunch of papers in Mike’s face. “Just like old times, isn’t it?
Snatching the papers from the man’s hand, Mike unfolded them and scanned the documents. His heart sank.
“This is bullshit, and you know it.” He smacked the order against Fuller’s chest. “This didn’t work before. It’s not going to work this time.”
“That’s where you’re wrong.” Fuller took the papers and shoved them into his jacket pocket. “You see, last time Juliet’s dipshit of a brother was here to run interference for her. But since Mikhail decided to put a