Crossing the Line

Chapter 4 

A taxi honked twice, then zoomed around a minivan that halted from pulling away from the curb. Magician tamped down her annoyance and held back a curse. Where the hell was Romeo? Between the impatient drivers and loud arrivals, the drop-off zone at Asheville Regional Airport could make her deaf if she waited outside much longer.  

She fingered the scar marring her left cheek until it disappeared into her hairline. She hated the hideous thing and the attention it brought. It had taken a while, but in the last eight months, she had learned to ignore the gawking stares . . . like the ones aimed her way right now. For five years, Delta Squad used her beauty as a weapon or distraction when targeting a mark and having this ugly defect spoiling her face . . . to say it had shaken her confidence was an understatement. The plastic surgeon tried to fix the blight, but the damage was too deep. She sought second, third, and fourth opinions with no luck. Now, she used her vast knowledge of makeup to tone down the scar.  

Dropping her hand, she glanced at her watch for the eightieth time and growled under her breath. A warm October breeze slapped her face, placing another clump of hair into her mouth. Every type of conveyance except the one shuttling her partner pulled to the curb near the airport’s entrance.  

“Where the hell is Romeo?” She eyed exuberant family goodbyes mingled with tearful partings as piles of luggage circled travelers’ feet. 

“I’m sure he’ll be here any minute,” Michelle answered. 

Magician turned away from the chaos and focused on the only civilian she called a friend. A steady stream of black ops missions didn’t leave many opportunities to meet anyone outside of the team . . . not counting one-night stands. Michelle was Cappy’s—Magician’s commanding officer—girlfriend. That connection to the squad allowed Magician the refreshing freedom to speak candidly without worrying about giving away classified secrets. 

“I appreciate you dropping me off.” Magician repositioned her carry-on suitcase to save it from the arguing couple barreling through the drop-off zone. Apparently, the wife wanted door-to-door transportation to the airport while the husband maintained parking in the long-term lot was fine. Domestic bliss. She had never experienced it.  

“Don’t worry about it.” Michelle swiped her hand dismissively. “It’s nice to get away from the renovation noise for a bit.”  

Magician snorted and fiddled with an unmarked, white envelope in her hands. “I swear the construction on the compound will never end.”  

Four out of six members of Delta Squad had bought a house sitting on three acres situated behind the house owned by the fifth and sixth members (Wraith and Grady, a new couple who did everything together). Walling in the combined acres and homes and renovating the one to accommodate four active adults had been a project in patience and never-ending home improvement samples.  

Magician smoothed a hand down the lapel of her favorite tailored pantsuit and tapped the envelope’s corner against her palm.  

“Is that what I think it is?” Michelle pointed to the white casing. 

Magician forced her fidgeting to stop. Unsurprisingly, the trembling in her hands continued. Damn nerves. Where the hell was Romeo?  

Michelle shifted and Magician realized she hadn’t answered yet.  

“Yeah.” The brilliance of her reply was staggering. 

God, why can’t I control this anxiety? Peering into the business end of a gun and taking down scumbags didn’t freak her out as much as this “vacation.” 

“I saw Ted working until late last night,” Michelle interrupted Magician’s mini-meltdown, referring to the squad’s computer genius—literally. The guy’s IQ was off the charts. “I guess you made a decision?”  

Magician clutched the envelope until the paper crinkled. “Uh, yeah.” She held it up. “Inside are documents for the original me before SBG and ‘Magician.’” She air quoted with a strained chuckle. “Back when I was an idealistic girl, having no clue what my life would become or what I’d have to endure or how close to death I’d get too many times in order to rid the world of evil.” 

Michelle’s breath caught. “I know all about evil, believe me.” She shuddered. And she would. Michelle had endured two days of torture by a Colombian drug cartel that left her physically scarred from head to toe, but with Cappy’s help, the emotional wounds were healing. The ghosts of Michelle’s horrific past cleared, and she whispered with awe, “This is huge. You’re going to use your real name?” 

“Yup.” Magician swallowed. Intelligent responses were beyond her ability at the moment. 

A few weeks ago, Senator Bob Harris assumed control of SBG—SweetBriar Group’s covert side—and immediately enacted desperately needed changes, like abolishing the Clean Slate Rule.  

Magician tapped the envelope again. “It’s time to introduce that girl to the squad and merge her with Magician.” 

Michelle’s eyes widened. 

Yeah, that’s about on par for a civilian reaction. No one outside of SBG understood how enormous this choice was.  

Michelle grinned and broke the tense silence by feigning wiping sweat from her brow. “Whew. We need the happy mood back before you go.” 

Magician laughed, though it sounded a touch hysterical. Seriously need to wrangle my nerves under control. Think of this like an op. 

“Can I ask you something idiotic?” Bright red spots popped on Michelle’s cheeks. “I’ve been too embarrassed to ask this in front of the team.” 

“Sure.” Magician braced herself for some remark about going home with Romeo. Lord knew the squad had constantly been razzing her about this trip. When Romeo realized he no longer had to sneak visits to his family—Magician always covered for him—he bought airline tickets. Two of them. The man refused to leave Magician behind—no matter what she said. He wanted her with him. Period. 

“How do you run, fight, climb, whatever in that high of a heel?” Michelle pointed at Magician’s shoes. “Put me in two inches and I’m wobbling across the floor.” 

* * * 

“Just park it here,” Romeo instructed the cabbie, pointing to the back of an extensive line of cars. “I’ll hoof it. It’ll be faster.” 

“You betcha,” the older man named Jeb cheerily responded and did as instructed. 

Romeo added an extra ten-dollar bill on top of his fare and slid it through the designated slot. “It’s been good chatting with you, Jeb. Good luck with your daughter’s new house.” 

“You too, sir.” Jeb pulled the money out of the tray. “Appreciate the tip. Hope you have fun on vacation.” 

“If my partner doesn’t kill me for being extremely late, I plan to.” Romeo laughed and hopped out of the cab, then pulled his luggage out of the trunk. Automatically scanning the area, the knot from his screwup this morning unraveled the instant he spied Magician standing with Michelle. Her epically gorgeous and achingly familiar face instantly lifted his mood and had him grinning stupidly.  

Christ. He needed to figure out how to shut this shit down and move past the uncomfortable blip on his libido’s radar. And while he was at it, quiet the weird longing growing inside him.  

Quickening his long strides with his luggage in tow, he dodged and weaved through the incoming passengers, steadily closing the distance.  

“. . . five inches is too big,” Magician’s sultry voice drifted on the breeze to him.  

Romeo slowed his steps. What the— 

“I’d say four inches max,” she continued, and he choked. “But I’ll confess, I prefer three inches.” 

Romeo marched up to them. “Oh, Mag, I don’t even know where to begin.” 

Magician whirled.  

Michelle’s cheeks flared red as she covered her mouth to hide a giggle.  

He threw an arm over his partner’s shoulders and peered into her ocean-blue eyes. “No wonder you’ve been so cranky lately. Three inches? You need to find a better crop of men.” 

Magician jabbed him in the ribs. 

“Oomph.” He dropped his arm and laughed, rubbing the sore spot. “Point proven.” 

Magician’s eyes narrowed and raked him from head to toe. “That’s the same charcoal suit and tie you wore to the bar last night.” She let out a disgusted sound. “Talk about taking your walk of shame to the next level. Seriously? I can’t believe you stood me up this morning.” 

“I lost track of time—” 

“On this fun note,” Michelle interrupted, backing away. “I’m leaving. Airport security’s already headed toward the car.” She pointed to a woman in uniform who was, indeed, walking down the line of cars parked at the curb. With another wave, she sprinted away, deserting him to dig himself out of the hole. If Mag only knew the truth about how I spent last night. Not that his pride allowed him to voice what he couldn’t explain to himself. 

Magician shook her head. “Never mind.” 

He peered closer at her tightened expression and pale skin. “What’s going on with you?” 

“Besides you pushing me aside for Trixi and Mixi?” She dropped her arm containing an envelope and fiddled with a carry-on bag handle. “I’m nervous.” 

“My family is going to welcome you with open arms.” 

Her straying eyes snapped back to his. She leaned toward him and lowered her voice. “That’s just it. Us having personal lives is a huge deal. Going home is a private event. You don’t need me chaperoning your homecoming.”  

In the wake of SBG’s former CEO revealing himself as totally unhinged, killing off operatives due to paranoid delusions, and landing in jail, Senator Bob Harris had become the provisional head of SBG. He stated operatives could finally have lives outside of SBG without fear of retribution. They could be friends with and fall in love with civilians and reconnect with their pasts as long as they kept the existence of SBG a secret. And just a few days ago, he officially abolished the Clean Slate Rule that kept them from divulging anything about their histories, including something as basic as their real names.  

“Mag, we’ve been best friends and partners for five years. It’s only right you meet my family. That’s a normal thing to do.” He cocked his head, studying her. “Tell me what’s really going on.” 

Her eyes skated away to follow a boisterous family of five sporting Mickey Mouse ears. They laughed and bounced their way inside the airport. 

“What do I know about a wholesome family life?” she finally asked, looking at him again.  

Now they were getting somewhere. When he’d initially asked her to go home with him, he’d admitted to being the youngest of four brothers and that his father was the current mayor of Boulder Point, New York. Before she had schooled it, her expression revealed the mini bio had freaked her out. He just hadn’t realized how much.  

“I’m from what you might call a more free-range home,” Magician confessed, claiming Romeo’s undivided attention.  

His pulse thumped and he had to stop himself from leaning forward. To hear any morsel about this woman’s past fed a deep-seated craving.  

You’re pathetic. She’s your best friend.  

Yep. All the more reason to want to get to know who she is.  

Sure, that’s why you’re barely breathing. 

“My parents are nomads,” she continued. “Think hippies. They made a profession out of championing causes and political protests. Fostering roots was never their forte.” She shuffled her feet. “We moved so many times I stopped unpacking boxes and making friends in school. The only thing I truly inherited from them was the love of theater.” 

Ah. Those few tidbits explained so much and confirmed what he’d suspected for years. Her tendency to isolate herself had been ingrained from an early age.  

Unable to hold back, he caressed her bicep, trying to convince himself the action was just one friend consoling the other, not this overwhelming need to touch her. “Doesn’t sound like a lot of fun, but trust me, you have nothing to worry about with my family.” He grinned, picturing a typical day growing up. “They’re Italian. That means they’re loud, passionate, and love to gossip over divine food.”  

Spotting the envelope gripped in her clenched hand, he pulled a matching one from inside his suit coat pocket. “Picked this up from Ted when I swung by the house to grab my luggage.” Delta Squad’s computer wizard, tech genius, and alias maker was scary good at creating aliases and all the supporting documentation. Not that the genius had to do much for Romeo this time around. 

Magician’s gaze flew to the envelope, and she swallowed.  

He understood the feeling. The loud, erratic airport noises and arriving passengers receded. His entire focus narrowed to this incredibly significant and historic moment. 

“Do you want to know who I am this week?” he asked, his voice huskier than he wanted. He meant the loaded question on every level. 

She chewed on her bottom lip, erasing some of her lipstick, then held her envelope up. “I opted to use my real name.” 

Everything inside Romeo froze. Then, as if someone zapped him with a defibrillator, his heart slammed against his chest. Her real name. After five years of fighting side by side, saving her life and her saving his in too many shitty situations, and loving her as his best friend and partner, he was finally going to learn her name. He’d asked her once, shortly after the squad had gotten her back to the states from Mexico for medical care, but she’d remained silent. While he understood her reason for not answering, it still hurt like hell. But now . . . Holy fuck. This pivotal moment blew his mind. The day he thought would never happen had finally arrived. 

It took him two tries before he could finally croak past his dry throat, “Me too. Not that I had many options since I’m going home.” ….

**Pick up your copy to read more!

Her eyes widened and she looked about as shaken as he felt.