Colton's Last Stand Read online

  “I’ve been waiting for them to ask me to take one,” he said.

  “Go ahead and take it. I guarantee it will confirm you are a Colton. I should know.”

  “I will. The sooner I can prove my identity beyond a shadow of a doubt, the quicker I can get what I deserve.”

  Too much? Conscious of holding his breath, he forced himself to exhale. Meanwhile, Micheline watched him with narrowed eyes and flat expression.

  “Let me think about it,” she finally said. “Once I devise a workable plan, I’ll let you know.”

  Which meant she hadn’t fallen for it. She didn’t believe him. Maybe she knew him better than he gave her credit for.

  He dipped his chin. About to tell her it sounded good, he reconsidered. “I thought you already had some sort of plan,” he said.

  Her blank stare didn’t fool him. “Why would you think that?”

  “I don’t. Maybe because you so badly wanted me to stick around for a while. I knew there had to be a reason.”

  She blinked, a rapid fluttering of her false eyelashes. One of her tells, which meant she was about to straight up lie.

  “Don’t.” One hand forestalled her. “I’ve had enough of your BS. Just give it to me straight.”

  “Fine. How would you like to become not only CEO of Colton Oil, but a multimillionaire?”

  Though these were all things he could get on his own, he decided to play along to see where she might be going with this. “I’m listening.”

  “Let me work on it.” Confident again, she reached out and touched his arm. It took every ounce of self-control he possessed not to flinch away from her.

  “Make it worth my while,” he said. “And I promise I’ll make sure it’s worth yours.”

  With a smile and a brusque nod, she spun on her heels and left his room, closing the door firmly behind her.

  After she’d gone, he debated taking a long, hot shower. Even pretending to go along with her made him feel unclean, like no amount of soap or water could wash the stain away.

  Instead, he found himself crossing the hall to stand outside Fiona’s room. He tapped lightly, in case she’d fallen asleep. A second later, she opened the door with the wild hair and wide-eyed yet sleepy look that he found sexy as hell. She still wore the outfit she’d put on to have dinner at the Coltons and hadn’t yet washed her makeup off.

  “Did I wake you?” he murmured.

  “No,” she lied. “I might have just closed my eyes for a minute or two.” Stepping aside, she gestured at him. “Come on in.”

  He did. Once she’d closed the door, he took in her room, a carbon copy of his but in reverse. Odd how a few items here and there could make her space so feminine. She’d clearly made an attempt to decorate, which for some reason surprised him.

  “It’s not much, but I tried to make it feel like home,” she said, correctly interpreting his thoughts. “I mean, why not? I knew I was going to be living here, after all.”

  “Micheline just left,” he began.

  Fiona quickly shook her head, one finger against her lips to quiet him. She moved forward, wrapping herself around him. “Not here, not now,” she murmured, so quietly he had to strain to hear it. And then she kissed him.

  Instantly aroused, he let himself drown in her, the contradictions of her athletic yet soft body, her sensual nature and the air of innocence she managed to maintain despite no doubt having seen things that would give grown men nightmares.

  She was wild yet restrained, beautiful and smart and the most interesting woman he’d ever met.

  Still kissing, they helped each other get rid of the clothing that stood between their skin. Naked, eager, they rushed to press their bodies together once more.

  Later, much later, he held her in his arms as she dozed, wondering how the hell he was ever going to be able to let her go.

  Waking in the early morning, Jake gathered his clothing and crept back to his room. Good thing he did, because no sooner had he gotten out of the shower than Micheline knocked on his door.

  He couldn’t help but remember how he couldn’t even get her to talk to him when he’d first arrived.

  “Here.” She shoved a cardboard cup of coffee at him as she breezed past. “Drink up. I want you awake when we hammer out the details.”

  Details. At any second, he expected her to whip out a contract for him to sign.

  Taking a sip of his coffee, he eyed Micheline fidgeting near the doorway. The coffee—whatever it was—tasted rich and expensive. It certainly wasn’t what they served in the lunchroom or the lobby. “What is this?” he asked, making sure his appreciation showed in his voice. “It’s amazing.”

  “I have it flown in from Jamaica,” she said, drinking deeply of her own mug. “My own personal blend.”

  Noting the way her hands shook, he wondered if she was on something. Or perhaps, off her meds. He had no idea what she might be taking or for what. One thing was for sure—he didn’t believe she was doing anything for her supposed cancer.

  Finally, she stopped moving long enough to perch on the single chair. “I’ve thought about several possible scenarios,” she began. He couldn’t help but notice the way her pupils seemed enlarged. Definitely drugs, he thought. Though what kind?

  He took another drink of the rich coffee, allowing himself to savor it. “Go on,” he replied, his tone neutral. He realized how little Micheline truly knew about him. Did she really think he’d go to such lengths to avoid the work of getting to know his family?

  “You could sue the Coltons,” she announced. “They owe you for all the years of lost benefits. I bet they would have paid for you to go to college. And your rinky-dink little cattle ranch—they probably would have bought you a much nicer one. You should take them to court and make them pony up. I bet they feel so guilty, they won’t even fight you.”

  Was she high? Because that was the craziest bunch of nonsense he’d ever heard her utter.

  Remembering Fiona’s advice, he swallowed back an incredulous response. Instead, he pretended to consider Micheline’s words.

  “I’m not sure that would work,” he finally allowed. “I’d become their enemy. I want power and influence, as well as money. That can only be gotten if I’m part of them, not against them.”

  She narrowed her eyes at him before sipping again on her drink. “That takes time, which is the one thing I don’t have an overabundance of. I need to get my hands on a lot of cash fast.”

  “Why?”

  The disgusted look she shot him made him want to smile, though he managed not to.

  “Because I don’t have long to live,” she snapped. “Are you honestly that stupid?”

  He locked his jaw, breathing deeply, summoning up enough self-control so he didn’t snarl something equally rude back at her. Old habits apparently died hard. Instead, he arranged his features into what he hoped would be a suitably abashed expression. “Sorry. I guess I just don’t like to even imagine the possibility of you being gone.”

  Instantly gratified, Micheline preened. “I knew you hid your attachment to me,” she gloated. “I never could understand how you made yourself stay away so long. You must have missed me terribly.”

  Talk about wanting to gag. He managed to make himself nod.

  “You may be right,” she admitted, jingling multiple bracelets on one of her arms in a repetitive motion that set his teeth on edge. “I’ll need to think on it. Now that we’re working together, if any good plans occur to you, be sure and discuss them with me immediately.”

  “Of course I will.”

  “Good.” She pushed to her feet, finally stopping the noise. “I’ll be working mostly out of here the next week. Let Leigh know if you need to see me.”

  “Will do.” He held back his sigh of relief until she was actually gone.

  At the doorway, she spun around so fast, she s
taggered. For one awful second, he thought she might go down. Instinctively, he moved to catch her, but she managed to grab on to the door frame and catch herself right before he reached her. Her coffee, however, slipped from her grasp and spilled all over the floor.

  “Are you all right?”

  She lifted her head and met his gaze, her lips pulling back from her teeth in what he supposed she thought was a smile. “I’m fine.” With that final lie, she shook her head and pointed to the spilled coffee. “Make sure you clean that up.”

  Once she’d gone, he grabbed one of the extra bath towels and mopped up the mess. Luckily, the AAG center provided maid service, so he knew someone would change the towel out later that day.

  Wow. Eyeing his own coffee cup, he carried it over to the sink and poured the rest of it out. Quite simply, he’d lost his taste for Micheline’s expensive coffee. In fact, he wasn’t even sure he could eat breakfast.

  One thing was for sure—he now had a newfound respect for Fiona and her ability to do her job and somehow manage to maintain her sanity.

  He decided he’d go across the hall and see if Fiona needed some help waking up.

  Just the thought had his body instantly hard.

  The soft tap on his door startled him. Had Micheline come back? He swore under his breath and went to the door.

  Fiona stood there, barefoot, wearing a T-shirt and tiny shorts, her eyes huge. “Mornin’,” she said, her husky voice stirring up all kinds of trouble inside him. “May I come in?”

  Instantly, he stepped aside. Barely had the door clicked shut behind him than they were wrapped up in each other’s arms.

  They shed what little clothing they had on quickly, still kissing. Skin to skin, they fell together onto his bed. One thrust and he buried himself deep inside her. Instantly, she convulsed, her body caressing his. So warm, so tight, enough to drive him mad.

  Somehow, he managed to hang on to his rapidly shredding self-control. Once her shudders had subsided, he began to move. Slowly at first, but as momentum built, he abandoned all attempt at restraint.

  Each time they came together, it was fireworks and trumpets: crazy stuff he’d never really believed in. They fit perfectly, and though they hadn’t known each other very long, lovemaking felt instinctive. Somehow, he felt he knew just what to do and how to do it to take her to the edge of the cliff and beyond. And as for her...just one touch, one look, one kiss and she sent him over the moon.

  After, sated and content, they lay in each other’s arms. He propped himself up on one elbow and looked at her.

  “What?” she asked, peering up at him through drowsy eyes.

  “You’re beautiful,” he mused. “And special.” Taking a deep breath, he decided he might as well go for it. “I’m falling in love with you.”

  She froze. Then, refusing to look at him, she slowly edged herself out of his arms. “Don’t,” she said.

  Whatever reaction he’d expected, it hadn’t been this. “Don’t what?”

  “Don’t ruin this.” Still, she wouldn’t look at him. He felt the awful weight of her words settle in heavy in the pit of his stomach.

  When she finally turned to meet his gaze, her expression stern and full of resolve, he knew what she was going to say before she even opened her mouth.

  “We’re good together, true. And I like you, Jake Anderson. I like you a lot.” She reached out her hand to touch him. He jerked away.

  “Don’t be like that,” she urged, her voice soft. “We’re good together. I know it as well as you do. But I need to focus on my life here, becoming my best me. You know what I mean. Until I do that, I won’t be able to—”

  “I get it.” He cut her off. Ever conscious of the probability of someone listening. Two could play that game. “What if Micheline herself wants you to be involved with me?”

  Her eyes widened. “She does.” She sounded confident. Certain. “At least that’s what Leigh told me. I’m not sure what her motivation is, though. I’m sure it’s something nefarious.”

  “We’ll see about that,” he muttered, more for the benefit of anyone listening than anything else.

  “Jake. You don’t mean that.”

  “You’re right,” he responded immediately. “But there’s one thing you should know about me. I don’t give up easily. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that we can have something special.”

  She nodded, her expression sad. “It’s just bad timing,” she began.

  Since his chest already hurt, he knew he didn’t want to hear anymore. Not right now. Not for a good while. Hell, maybe not ever.

  A horrible revelation hit him. Was Fiona using him to help her make the case against his mother? Again, he didn’t have to wonder if she could actually be this deceitful. Micheline had long ago set the bar for that.

  He needed to shut down the emotions swirling through him, and quickly. If he’d truly been such a fool, he’d deal with it later, when he could go off somewhere and lick his wounds.

  Grabbing up his clothes, he dressed hurriedly, without looking at her. “Take care, Fiona.” He crossed to the door without a backward glance, opening it and stepping aside so she could pass. “I’ll be seeing you around, I’m sure.”

  Chapter 9

  She’d done the right thing, turning Jake down, Fiona thought. Even though right now, it didn’t feel like it. She truly believed this, beyond any shadow of a doubt. But then why did her heart feel as if it was breaking? Why did the backs of her eyes sting and her throat feel like it had closed up?

  The vulnerable look in Jake’s eyes, the hope turning to pain, killed her. He’d eyed her steadily, as if he knew the truth no matter how much she might deny it. But how could he, when she didn’t even know it herself? The only thing Fiona knew for certain was her job. Over the years, she’d built a reputation as someone reliable, someone who didn’t make mistakes. She’d already made a huge one by revealing her mission to Jake. She couldn’t compound that by making another one.

  Rule number seven of the undercover handbook: don’t get seriously romantically involved with someone. Male agents had casual flings all the time. She’d definitely heard the stories.

  Since Micheline herself had, for whatever reason, wanted Fiona to get close to Jake, everything had seemed to naturally fall into place. A little fun, some mind-blowing sex and no one got hurt. Except now apparently, Jake had.

  When she’d allowed herself to give in to the insane attraction she felt toward Jake, she’d never expected this. The absolute certainty that he could definitely be the one. Even worse, she wasn’t sure she could trust the feeling. How much of it was due to the role she played while undercover here at the AAG center? If she’d met him during her regular, normal life, working from the FBI field office, and they’d gone on the usual dates at trendy gastropubs or bars, would things have ignited so quickly between them?

  She didn’t know. For that reason alone—okay, that was only one of the reasons—she had no choice but to focus on the mission. When all of this was finally over, the case wrapped up in a neat little bow, maybe then she’d have the luxury of finding out if what she and Jake had might be real.

  Leigh buzzed her a few minutes later, summoning her to her suite. Instantly alert, Fiona told her she was on her way, glad to have something to focus on besides the mess she’d made of things with Jake.

  When she got to Leigh’s hallway, she realized Leigh stood in the doorway, waiting for her. The other woman practically buzzed with excitement.

  “Come in, come in,” Leigh urged. “There’s a lot going on today, but Micheline asked me to speak to you specifically.”

  Fiona followed her inside. “About what?” she asked, wondering if she’d be called on the carpet for her rebuff of Jake. While she knew they listened in on her, if Leigh brought this up now, it would be tantamount to admitting her room and Jake’s had been bugged.

  “Ta
ke a seat.” Leigh gestured toward a pair of antique chairs near her fireplace. Idly, Fiona wondered how many of the rooms in this place actually had fireplaces. Not too many, she’d bet.

  Fiona sat.

  Instead of sitting next to her, Leigh bounced around the room. In place of her usual fashionable high heels, Fiona noticed Leigh was barefoot. And so hyped up, she couldn’t stay still.

  Drugs? Fiona wouldn’t have thought Miss Mustang Valley was the type, but who knew. If Micheline had ordered her to take something, no doubt Leigh would have obeyed. Though why?

  Increasingly alarmed, Fiona repeated her question. “What’s going on, Leigh?”

  “I’ve just been enlightened,” Leigh exclaimed. “And it’s like a giant lightbulb just turned on. I can see much more clearly now, and everything is so beautiful.”

  “Did you take something?” Maybe not pills. Maybe she’d eaten peyote or smoked mushrooms in some sort of bizarre ceremony Micheline had organized.

  “Of course not.” Rather than indignant, Leigh appeared distracted. “I’m hyper because I’ve got a lot on my mind.”

  Fiona nodded, pretending she understood. Better to say nothing and simply wait Leigh out.

  “Micheline sometimes gives me private lessons,” Leigh finally said. “She and I were talking about a new philosophy she came up with. It was sent to her in a dream.”

  With difficulty, Fiona kept from rolling her eyes. “What is it?” she breathed instead, leaning forward and hoping she looked intensely interested.

  “What if—” Leigh’s earnest expression seemed at odds with her giant dangling feather earrings swinging furiously every time she took a breath. As usual, the beauty queen had dressed more like a fashionable coed than a competent employee, minus the shoes. “—to be our best selves, we must die and be reborn?”

  Religion? Or something else, something darker? Every instinct on alert, Fiona slowly nodded. “I’m listening,” she said. “That seems intriguing. What exactly do you mean?”

  “I know that sounds like a religious teaching,” Leigh continued. “But when they say ‘born again,’ they mean it figuratively. I’m speaking literally.”