“I wanted to see your reaction.” Shrugging, she began to help herself to her own plate. “Fresh,” she managed, speaking around mouthfuls. “So, so delicious.”
Together, they finished off all the food she’d ordered. To her delight, as he sampled various rolls, Jake ate with gusto.
“Dessert?” the waitress chirped. They both shook their heads.
After paying the check with Micheline’s hundred-dollar bill, they walked out to Jake’s truck in a food-coma silence.
“I enjoyed that,” he said, smiling at her across the seat.
“So did I,” she responded.
“Clearly.” He made no move to start the truck. “Before we head back, I wanted to talk to you about the AAG. Did you happen to do any research before you joined them?”
Though she knew where he was going with this, she pretended not to. “No. I needed help, and they offered it. Right now, I owe them a debt, and I’m working to repay it.”
When he started to speak, she held up her hand. “Please. I can see that you have issues with the organization. But don’t project them onto me. I promise you, my head is clear. I completely understand what I’m doing. Okay?”
After a moment, he nodded. “Okay,” he agreed. “Let’s head on back. Just promise me one thing?”
Brows raised, she waited.
“If you ever need help, no matter what time of the day or night, you’ll call me.” He reached into the center console, extracted a business card and handed it to her. “This is my ranch, but my cell phone number is on here, too.”
Accepting the card, she slowly nodded. “Thanks,” she said. If he noticed she made no promises, he didn’t comment.
As they turned onto the long driveway leading to the AAG ranch, the tall streetlamps Micheline had installed came on.
Though the sun had begun to sink below the horizon, the sky had not yet fully darkened. This, the gloaming, was Fiona’s favorite time of the day. Spectacular skies that seemed to go on forever, the way the sky lit up in swirls of orange, pink and red.
Once he’d parked, they were walking from the back lot toward the house when movement behind one of the large storage buildings caught her eye. Two men, one of them a college-age kid, making her wonder if he was a brand-new recruit or the target Leigh had mentioned Fiona working with. She saw only a quick blur of movement, though it was enough to convince her something had gone wrong.
“Just a sec,” she told Jake, pulling free. “I need to check something out.” Without waiting for him to answer, she strode away, cursing the high heels.
Halfway up the grassy hill, she said the hell with it and yanked them off. Grateful for the mild Arizona weather, she dropped her shoes. Now barefoot, she broke into a run.
As soon as she rounded the corner, she saw the college kid, down on the ground huddled into a ball, arms up in a defensive posture to protect his face. The older AAG member, a stout, bald man with a mustache, kicked and pounded on the younger guy.
“Stop,” Fiona ordered, her hands clenched.
Instead, the assailant smirked at her, one arm up in the air, halfway to throwing another punch. “Make me,” he said, sneering.
Aiming low, Fiona charged him, twisting at exactly the right moment and taking him down with a kick behind the knees. He lurched forward, bloodshot eyes wide with surprise, as she came back around with a second, well-placed blow, sending him face-planting in the dirt.
Slowly, he climbed to his feet, warily eyeing her.
Fiona rounded on him, hands up, glad for all those martial arts classes she’d taken as part of her FBI training. “Ready for round two?” she asked, her voice cool, even though she was vibrating with adrenaline.
Scrambling up to his feet, the bad guy shook his head.
“What’s your name?” Fiona demanded. “I want to give it to Micheline so she can make sure you face appropriate punishment.”
For the first time, stark fear shone in his face. “Please don’t tell her. She’ll put me in one of the cells. Let me just go pack my stuff and clear out of here.”
“Cells?” Fiona cocked her head. “What cells?” she asked. Maybe, just maybe, she was about to learn something new. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
But he’d already begun backing away, his large stomach shaking. “I can’t,” he stammered. He turned without another word and ran away, heading toward the same parking lot where Jake had left his truck.
Jake. She spun around to find him eyeing her as if she’d suddenly sprouted horns. Just then the kid groaned and staggered to his feet.