The Dom Who Loved Me (Masters and Mercenaries #1)(60)

“Very nice, Tag. The lady is scared as it is and you offer to beat her,” Adam said, his disdain apparent. He carried her briefcase with him.

Grace heard a car door open and then another. She was shoved into the backseat. The minute her body hit the leather seat, she scrambled, trying to get out the other side. She wasn’t sure where she was going. She just knew she needed to find out a few things before she went anywhere with Sean. It was plain to her that she didn’t understand what was going on. She managed to find the door. Her fingers curled around the handle. She heard a click as it locked, and then Sean was pulling her back. Frustration flooded her as Grace pushed against him. “Let me go or I’m going to call the cops.”

“With this?” Sean held up her cell phone. He must have taken it out of her case. He handed it to Jake, who was starting the car. Adam settled himself into the front seat beside him. “You don’t want to call the cops. Trust me. With the evidence we have on you, they’ll take you into custody immediately.”

Grace felt tears well up. “What are you talking about? What evidence? What is going on, and who the hell is Sean Taggart?” She practically screamed the words, and they seemed to bounce around the cab of the vehicle as Jake backed up.

“I’m Sean Taggart, Grace. That’s my name. Sean Johansson was a cover while my group investigated you and your boss.” The sudden trill of a phone cut through the tension and then Sean was talking softly to someone on the other end.

“Yes, Ian, that’s what I said.” Sean continued as Adam turned in his seat. He looked at Grace with no small amount of sympathy in his eyes.

“My name really is Adam Miles. I don’t have the service record Sean does, so I can go by my real name from time to time. Grace, I want you to know I don’t believe you’re involved in any of this. You just got caught up in it. I meant what I said earlier. Jake and I want to take care of you.”

“Damn it, Adam, do you want him to kill you?” Jake snarled the question as he pushed some buttons on the console of the SUV. Grace was surprised to see several different views pop up on the mirrors of the vehicle. It looked like there was a camera in the back of the car, and the view was plain in the rearview mirror. Grace cocked her head and could see both of the side view mirrors had small monitors as well. Whoever was driving would be able to see anyone or thing coming toward the car from several angles. She doubted this was a standard feature.

“She deserves to know the truth. You don’t believe she’s involved any more than I do,” Adam argued.

Jake shook his head. “That’s not our call.”

Sean seemed to be finishing up his conversation. “All right, but I won’t let them take her, Ian. You understand?” He shoved the phone back in his pocket. His face was a block of granite as he looked straight ahead. “We’re going to Ian’s. He called in Black. The Agency wants to talk to her, but they’ve agreed to do it at Ian’s. We’ll be holing up there for the night, and tomorrow we’ll figure out what to do.”

Adam’s face went ashen. “They’re going to take her, Sean.”

“Take me where?” Her hands had started to shake, and she couldn’t stop the tears streaming down her face. Jake turned the car toward the freeway. The rain had started again. It pounded against the roof. Grace was grateful for it. Maybe they couldn’t hear how hard her heart was beating.

“It’s called rendition,” Adam explained. “The CIA takes you to another country to interrogate you so they don’t have to follow Geneva Convention rules.”

“CIA?” What the hell had she gotten into? What did the CIA want with an administrative assistant?

“I’m not letting Black take her anywhere,” Sean growled. “Damn it, Adam, do you want her panicked? Do you honestly believe I would allow some Agency * to waltz off with my sub?”

“Well you certainly didn’t have any problem walking away from her. You gave her to me. Jake told me you said we had your blessing to pursue her.”

Grace could see Jake’s hands tighten on the steering wheel. “I also told you he didn’t really mean it.”

“Screw all of you!” Grace screamed, startling the men. She was done listening to them argue. “Tell me what is going on, and tell me now, or I swear I’ll fight. I’ll kick and scream and punch whoever I can get my hands on.”

Sean turned his cold blue eyes on her. “Nicely played, sweetheart. Are you going to seriously tell me you have no idea what’s been happening right under your nose?”

Grace met his eyes. It was starting to sink in that she’d been used. These three men knew each other and had for a long time. They were playing some sort of game. Bitterness welled up. “Well, as I apparently have no idea who any of you people are, I think we can discount my intelligence. Treat me like a five year old. Give it to me in words I can understand.”

Sean sighed and briefly closed his eyes. “God, you’re going to play this out until the end, aren’t you? You don’t have to pretend, Grace. I’m the idiot who knows what you’ve done and still intends to protect you. After this business with Black is over, we’re going to talk about the conditions of my help, but I’ll play along with you for now. The CIA has been tracking a rogue agent for the last several years. When they first approached the firm I work for, they gave us his cover. It wasn’t until we had solid proof that he used to work for the Agency that our contact admitted it. The man we’re tracking has been working the underground as an ecoterrorist for several years. It’s given him some inroads with certain groups that have proven useful to him. Is that where you met him?”