In the Middle Central Alps / Robert Danforth's headquarters
Robert Danforth sat in his leather chair behind his desk, and Jack Turner stood in front, reporting to him. "Everything is calm in Russia. Valery Egorov is still there. News from Italy is also good. I spoke with Alberto De Fiore yesterday. But I think something is going on in the agency. Agent McKenna has been acting strange lately."
"Looks like my trap went off." Robert pulled a thick Cuban cigar from his drawer. He lit it, inhaled, and exhaled the smoke. "Don't worry about McKenna, my boy. He's just a pawn."
"Maybe if you tell me more about the project, I'll know better what to be on the lookout for. So I don't miss something."
"Not yet."
"But what if she doesn't kill him?"
"She will. I gave her a good reason to do so."
***
LA, USA / 7 a.m.
Vanessa woke up in Cole's room.
Damn it! She looked around. She was alone in the bed. Damn it!
Just as she got up, Cole came out of the bathroom with only a towel wrapped around his waist.
"Did you sleep well?"
"Shit!" she muttered, unable to look away from Cole's naked body.
He was still wet. Drops slid down his body. Vanessa's eyes followed them, enjoying how they were making their way through every muscle of his body until they finally reached his towel to be absorbed by it.
So many thoughts. Wrong thoughts. Everything was so wrong. In so many ways.
She shouldn't have spent the night there in the first place. She shouldn't have slept in his bed. She shouldn't have kissed him.
But that very moment kept coming back before her eyes. The moment he saved her. Not just from the bullet. He had saved her from the darkness. Or he had doomed her to it. At that point, the meaning was the same.
Vanessa moved closer to Cole, ran her hand over his chest, and looked into his eyes. "Evil needs to be repaid with evil, Cole."
He looked at her. Any girl would say a million other trite, stupid, pointless things in this situation. But not her.
Cole caressed Vanessa's face and then told her in a low but severe tone, "Don't worry. Now, put on some pants. It's full of people downstairs. They don't need to look at your bare ass. You gave the crowd enough pleasure yesterday."
"You were shot, for fuck sake, Cole! I doubt anyone was looking right at my bare ass!"
"I wouldn't bet on it. It's worth the view."
Vanessa crossed her arms.
"What? Two can play your game, Vanessa."
In an instant, Vanessa's irritation turned to pain. She lowered her eyes. "This isn't a game, Cole." Then she returned her gaze to his eyes again. "This is my living hell."
She walked out of his room, leaving Cole stunned.
Her words hurt. Hurt like hell.
***
A few minutes later, Cole opened the door to her room. "I want you down with the others in two minutes."
He closed the door and went downstairs.
Vanessa rolled her eyes. "Back in the mood."
She put on a pair of denim shorts and went downstairs too.
She stayed on the last step. There were indeed many people in the living room. Cole was standing in the middle, Danny across from him, and there were at least a dozen people around the dining table. Jackson had stepped over one of the chairs and was sitting facing the back with his arms resting on top.
Andrea ran to Cole from the other end of the room and threw herself on his neck. "Cole, are you alright, babe? I was so worried!"
Cole grabbed her by the shoulders and moved her aside. "What the hell are you doing, Andrea?"
Angry at the sight, Vanessa walked past them and entered the kitchen.
"Damn you, Cole," she whispered, pounding her fists on the counter.
Why? Why? Why? One unanswered question asked about so many things.
Why did the thought of Andrea touching him make her blood boil? Why did the thought of her kissing him make Vanessa want to blow up the whole world?
With every single day, she was feeling losing control of herself. She was feeling how she had lost herself. She had betrayed herself. Because of him.
At that moment, filled with self-pity, Cole walked in and stood behind Vanessa.
"Go back to your girlfriend, Cole," Vanessa said as soon as she felt his presence. "You don't owe me anything. We both know that last night doesn't mean anything."
Without even looking at him, she was feeling his eyes on her. She was feeling his breath on her neck.
He stood there saying nothing. He was waiting for a sign. For her to give him a sign. A reason to stay.
But she didn't.
From the beginning, the two spoke to each other without words. The eyes. The hands. The actions. Or inaction. They were saying more than words could ever say.
A few more seconds. Then he left.
And once back in the living room, he was different. He was the old Cole again—the one from before he met Vanessa.
"First, Dan,"—Cole drew everyone's attention with his booming voice—"I want you to deal with your man who allowed this to happen. I was left without security at the house for one hour. And this hour was critical. This is unacceptable. Someone shot at me in my own house. So, instead of boasting everywhere that you own a great security company, start to act like a boss and properly manage this fucking company and prepare your people to do their job! Or else I'll keep you responsible for their mistakes!"
By this time, Vanessa had also returned to the living room and was standing next to Jackson.
"Max will take responsibility for his mistake Cole," Danny replied. "The problem is we can't find him so to find out why he didn't show up for work."
"I don't care. I am warning you. You are here because of my father, but I won't tolerate an amateur job. And one more thing—how hard is it to find Jerry and his stupid little gang? Got the best hardware and software but can't track down a single fucking person?"
"I'm working on it, Cole. We're a security firm, not investigators."
"You think it was Jerry?" Jackson interrupted Cole and Danny's conversation.
"He is. And if I knew where to find him, non of this would happen. So Dan,"—Cole addressed Danny again—"do something useful and provide quality security in the house. The meeting is over."
The guards who were already there spread out in different parts of the house and outside.
Danny went out as well, and Andrea followed him.
"You stay, Andrea." Cole stopped her.
Then he called his mother and sister.
Vanessa was still standing beside Jackson. It wasn't long before Rebecca and Kristen came down and immediately rushed to hug Cole.
"Everything is okay, Mom. Don't cry," Cole began to soothe his mother after tears flowed from her eyes again. "I'm fine, but the wound still hurts," he added as Kristen's hands were right on his shoulder.
She and Rebecca took a step back and smiled slightly. Kristen wiped away her tears.
"Mom." Cole continued. "I want you to leave. At least for a while. Till I deal with everything that's going on here." Cole said these words with sadness as he knew his mother had decided to return to America for good. Her decision to pursue her business outside the country was the medicine she needed to overcome the loss of her husband. And just when she felt at least somewhat healed, she had to leave again.
But she also knew that it would be better that way.
"Take the girls with you." Cole finished.
"I will not go—" Vanessa immediately began to oppose him.
But he cut her off. "I can't force you to go anywhere, Vanessa. But if you stay here, you will be bodyguarded." Without letting her answer anything, he turned to his brother questioningly, "Jackson?"
"Right behind your back, bro."
"Okay. Mom, Rebecca, pack your bags. The jet is ready. You're leaving in two hours. Vanessa, don't leave the house until Dan gets back. Jackson, drive Mom and Rebecca to the airport. Take two people with you. Then call me. Andrea, you're coming with me." He finally finished his orders and headed for the door, Andrea following with a smug smile.
After they left, the living room fell silent. Or so it seemed to Vanessa, lost in thoughts again.
His voice sounded so cold. So foreign.
"Are you okay, honey?" Kristen hugged her and broke her thoughts.
"Excuse me, Kristen, what did you say?"
"No problem, dear. How are you feeling?"
"I am fine."
"Come with us. I'm worried about you. I can imagine what you're going through. You don't have to be alone."
"Nessa, please!" Rebecca begged.
It was inexplicable. Vanessa wanted to comfort them. She wanted to tell them everything was going to be all right. But nothing was alright. Everything was so messed up. Beyond all the limits of rationality. She wanted to help them—to all of them. But the only thing she should think about was supposed to be her revenge. Her job. And she hated herself more and more. Because she has stopped hating him.
"I appreciate your concern," Vanessa said kindly to Kristen and turned to Rebecca. "Becks, I am sorry. But I have to stay here. Don't worry about me. I can take care of myself. I will be fine. And I will be waiting for you." She paused for a while, then smiled. "Now, go, girl! I am sure you have a ton of dresses to pack."
Rebecca smiled, too but then became sad again. "I'm so sorry, Nessa."
"About what, Becks?"
"I invited you to live together, and everything was supposed to be wonderful, but now everything is terrifying... And for the second time, I leave you alone here."
"I'm not alone. I have Jackson." Vanessa turned to him. "Right, Jacks?"
Jackson put his arm around Vanessa's shoulders. "Of course. Don't worry about Nessa, sis. We'll keep her safe."