Chapter 4

CHAPTERFOUR

“To explain, I have to go back,” Cora told the man across the table.

She couldn’t believe she was here, having dinner with the very person she’d been semi-stalking since finding out he’d be in DC. She’d been prepared to pay big bucks for this moment, but somehow, thanks to Eleanor’s bitchiness—she’d be pissed if she knew her big mouth had given Cora exactly what she wanted, rather than having it stolen out from under her nose—she was sitting at a greasy diner, for free, getting a chance to potentially help Lara.

“I met Lara when I was fifteen. I’d changed schools, again, and things weren’t going well for me in the new place. I didn’t fit in…which wasn’t really a surprise, as I rarely fit in anywhere, but I really didn’t mesh with the kids at Harrison High.”

“Why not?” Pipe asked.

“They mostly all came from rich families. Ones with political ties. I was a nobody. A foster kid who was shuttled from one house to another. I had a huge chip on my shoulder, didn’t give a crap what anyone thought about me, and honestly, I’m not all that smart.”

“Now that I don’t believe,” Pipe said with a small smile.

Cora studied the man, still a little stunned that she’d ended up sitting in a restaurant with him. His hair was longer in front, with a curl flopping onto his forehead. His beard and mustache were full and a little unkempt. His nose was long and narrow, his cheekbones high, and his dark eyes were focused on her with an intensity that was a little disconcerting. She instinctively knew this man didn’t miss much, which both intrigued and scared the crap out of her.

Both arms were covered with tattoos, and she could see them peeking out behind the few open buttons of his white dress shirt as well. Some people would be turned off by all his ink, but not Cora. They fit him.

“Cora?” he prompted.

Realizing she’d been staring at Pipe without talking, Cora felt her cheeks heat and she forced herself to stop examining the man sitting across from her and kept talking.

“I’m not being derogatory toward myself, just telling the truth. I was a solid C student in high school. I’m sure it didn’t help that I had to change schools every time I had to switch foster homes, but still. Anyway, I’d been there a week and the popular kids, like Eleanor, had already homed in on me as a target. I didn’t care. I was used to being bullied. I’d learned to mostly ignore the juvenile insults and attempts to make me feel like shit.

“But at lunch that particular day, apparently Lara had heard enough. She stood up for me. Told Robbie McCallister to stick his head in a bucket of cow dung. She said it just like that too,” Cora said with a fond chuckle. “Too sweet to swear properly. And she looks like an angel. Tall, blonde hair, blue eyes, slender…all the boys were in love with her, and Robbie immediately backed off.

“Then she sat down next to me, and when the attention turned away from us, she started shaking a bit. I thought she was having a seizure or something. But she assured me it was simply delayed reaction. She hates being the center of attention. It literally makes her have a panic attack. Ironic, since her gorgeous looks are like a beacon to everyone around her. Anyway, to try to help, I talked to her about stupid shit, just babbling really, until she felt a little more in control.

“Eventually, she held out a hand to me and said, ‘Hi, I’m Lara Osler. Your new best friend.’ She was kidding, but little did we know how true that would become. We spent the next two and a half years of high school fending off the cruel bitches who ran that place and have been thick as thieves ever since.”

The words seemed so lame, considering how close Cora and Lara had truly become over the years. Nothing happened in either of their lives that the other didn’t know about…until recently. And Cora couldn’t, wouldn’t, believe that Lara had simply moved on. They’d been best friends for over two decades. A friendship like that didn’t simply disappear because of a man.

“Neither of us dated in high school. I didn’t have any interest in the assholes who came after me because they thought I’d be easy, and Lara was too shy, too focused on getting good grades. We spent every extra moment we had together, which was a godsend. After graduating, Lara headed off to college, and I moved with her. I found a job to help support us. We got a small, crappy apartment together, and things were pretty good. When she graduated with her early childhood degree, she got a job at a preschool near our place. I worked a bunch of different jobs as she continued to get raises and more and more responsibility.”

“After a few years, we decided the time had come for us to find our own places. I was all right with it, although I knew it would be tough to swing the rent by myself. But I could tell Lara really wanted to spread her wings. She was finally dating a little bit, as was I, and it felt like what we were supposed to do…you know, grow up, get a job, get your own apartment.

“It was okay for a while. Until my douchebag landlord decided to come into my place at two in the morning to,” she made quotation marks in the air as she spoke, “check my fire alarm batteries, and found himself staring down the barrel of my pistol. He wasn’t too happy. The next morning, after the cops left and I’d gotten some sleep, I found an eviction notice on my door.”

“That’s illegal,” Pipe growled.

Cora shrugged. “Of course it was, but who was going to defend me? It wasn’t as if I could afford to hire a lawyer or anything. And no one in the complex was going to stick up for me because they needed a place to live just as much as I did. Anyway, Lara didn’t hesitate to take me in. I slept on her couch for almost six months, and she never, not once, made me feel as if I was a nuisance.” Cora paused, a slight smile on her face. “For someone who’d been a foster kid, you have no idea what a big deal that is.

“Eventually I found a new place to live and moved out again. Of course…a couple of months later, I lost my job. My boss decided she liked me, and when I wouldn’t go out with her, she came up with a reason to fire me.”

Pipe growled across the table. Cora looked up and was surprised to see how angry he looked. Reaching out her hand without thought, she gripped his arm. “It’s okay.”

“It’s not okay,” he said between clenched teeth.

“It’s the way of the world,” she said with a small shrug.

Pipe put his hand over hers on his arm. He leaned forward a little more and shook his head. “I’ve never been fired from a job for not returning someone’s interest. I’ve never had a landlord come into my flat in the middle of the night.”

“You’re a guy,” she said immediately. “And you have friends. I’m thinking Ned—and yes, that really was my landlord’s name—knew that I didn’t have a lot of visitors other than Lara. Family, other friends, boyfriend, that kind of thing. I was an easy target and he knew it. Same with my boss. People can sense when someone doesn’t have a support network. Especially in this town. Of course no one messes with you, Pipe. Even without your badass tattoos, you ooze confidence and fuck-off vibes.”

He continued to frown.

And for some reason, Cora really wanted to soothe him.

“I was a foster kid. I wasn’t wanted. I had fourteen foster homes, and not one family ever gave the slightest indication that they wanted to keep me for good. I wasn’t a bad kid, I didn’t cause trouble, but they still always sent me packing after a while.”

Her chin came up at the look of sorrow on Pipe’s face.

“It’s fine. I’m fine,” she insisted curtly. “I survived, and I had Lara. I’m not telling you all this for your pity. I’m telling you so you truly understand that Lara was my family. Is my family. I’d do literally anything for her. She’s been my rock since I was fifteen. Even she probably doesn’t know just how much she means to me. She’s the sister I never had, and I wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for her.”

With a sigh, she continued. “Moving this boring-ass story along, when I was fired, she got me a job at the preschool where she worked. By then, she was the executive director. She hired me as a teacher’s aide. It’s like the lowest member of their staff, but I refused to let her down. And a funny thing happened…” Her voice trailed off.

“What?” Pipe asked.

Cora realized then that he was still basically holding her hand. His large palm was resting over hers, where it was still lying on his arm.

“I realized that I loved it. Loved working with the kids. I’d been a waitress, a stripper, a valet, and what feels like a hundred other things…but I’d found my niche. Kids that young don’t care about your skin color, your sexual orientation, your weight or height, if you have a family or not…all they care about is whether you’re nice to them. If they feel safe in your presence.

“So not only did Lara stick up for me in high school. She gave me a place to stay when I needed it, she fed me, and then she gave me a job that I love more than I ever thought possible. And now she needs my help—and no one will listen to me.” Her voice cracked on the last few words.

“I’m listening,” Pipe said gently.

Looking up at him, Cora stared for a long moment.

“Talk to me,” he ordered. “Why do you think she’s in danger? Where is she?”

Cora opened her mouth, but the waitress returned at that moment. “Here we go,” she said perkily. Cora was forced to let go of Pipe, and she sat back as the plates were put down on the table. “Can I get you two anything else?”

“No, thank you,” Cora said.

“We’re good,” Pipe agreed.

“All right. Enjoy, and if you need anything, don’t hesitate to let me know.”

Cora studied the food in front of her, but she’d completely lost her appetite.

“Eat,” Pipe said in a low, growly voice.

She looked up at him.

He nodded to her plate. “It’ll make you feel better.”

“Actually, it might make me puke,” she grumbled.

Pipe’s lips twitched. “When was the last time you ate something?”

She tried to remember if she’d had lunch that day, and realized she’d been so nervous and worked up about the auction, she hadn’t. “Breakfast?” she said, the word coming out more as a question than a true answer.

“You need some calories,” Pipe said in a gentler voice.

“It feels wrong to eat when I can’t help but wonder if Lara’s okay. If she’s getting food.”

Pipe tensed. “Look at me,” he said in a tone Cora hadn’t heard before. It was harder, more commanding. She couldn’t help but lift her gaze to his.

“Would Lara want you to starve yourself just because she wasn’t getting enough to eat? Would she really want you to suffer along with her?”

“No,” Cora whispered.

“Right. Eat, Cora. We’ll talk after. And if I can help your friend, I will.”

Her eyes widened. “You will?” she couldn’t help but ask.

“Yes.”

“But you don’t know the situation. I mean, I might be wrong. She could be perfectly fine.”

Pipe stared at her for so long, Cora squirmed in her seat. “You aren’t wrong,” he finally said.

Her eyes closed as she struggled to process what was happening. No one had believed her. Not the cops, not Lara’s family, not their co-workers. They all told her she was jealous, or overreacting, or just plain wrong. But she knew better.

The extremely short email Lara had sent to Human Resources with her request for a leave of absence was shady as hell, but no one other than her seemed to even think twice about it. Lara wouldn’t just up and leave without talking to her first. Cora knew that without a doubt.

And this man, this stranger, believed her without even really hearing what had happened.

“Eat,” Pipe said again, a little gentler.

Cora’s eyes opened and she looked down at the turkey club sandwich she’d ordered. Suddenly, she was ravenous. She reached for the ketchup bottle on the table and smothered her sandwich in the stuff. She also poured it all over her French fries.

Looking up, she caught Pipe smiling at her. The change it made in his countenance was astounding. It was like a completely different man was sitting across from her.

“I take it you like ketchup,” he drawled.

“I don’t like it, I love it,” she told him. “It makes everything taste better. When I was little and forced to eat food I didn’t like, putting ketchup on it made it palatable. When I was on my own, and short on cash, I could put this stuff on just about anything and it somehow made me feel fuller.”

He frowned at that, but Cora simply smiled. “It’s okay, Pipe. Really. I survived. A lot of people have been way worse off than me. And ketchup is honestly the world’s perfect condiment.”

He didn’t look so sure, but picked up the hamburger he’d ordered, one without any sauce or condiment on it whatsoever—heathen—and took a large bite.

They ate in companionable silence. When she was nearly finished with her meal, Cora felt herself smiling. “What do you think they would’ve served at that fancy restaurant? I mean, if I’d won and we were there now?”

In response, Pipe put down his hamburger and reached for his phone. Cora frowned in confusion. He typed for a moment before his lips quirked upward. “According to their website, ‘carpaccio of herb-crusted elysian fields baby lamb loin with Caesar salad ice cream, or pecan-crusted, mushroom-stuffed loin roulade with mustard and drunken prunes.’”

Cora couldn’t stop her nose from wrinkling. “Do you know what any of that is?”

“Nope,” Pipe said breezily.

“What the hell is Caesar salad ice cream? And drunk or not, prunes are not my idea of a good meal.”

This time, he chuckled. “Agreed.” He put his phone back in his pocket. “I’m much happier with my burger, and I don’t think putting ketchup on the prunes would help them sober up any.”

Cora giggled. As soon as the sound left her mouth, she felt guilty. Here she was having a wonderful time, eating a great sandwich, when she had no idea what Lara was going through.

“Don’t,” Pipe said, his brows drawing down.

“I can’t help it. I’m so worried about her.”

Pipe pushed his plate to the side and reached for her hand. Cora let him take it. His thumb brushed over the skin on the back as he spoke.

“I don’t know your friend, but to have inspired such loyalty in you, I know she has to be an amazing person. And she’s tougher than you’re giving her credit for.”

“You don’t know her. She’s…not like me,” Cora finished somewhat lamely. “I’m not afraid to say what I’m thinking. She’s nice. Sweet. I told you before that she didn’t date in high school, but even after that, she didn’t go out much, despite wanting desperately to find her Prince Charming. She always sees the best in people, and they frequently take advantage of her. She doesn’t like to rock the boat, in a relationship or in her professional life. I think that’s how Ridge hooked her. He pretended to be a gentleman. But he’s not. I mean, from what I’ve seen, that is.”

Pipe stared at her for a long moment before reaching for his pocket. He pulled out his wallet and threw a couple of twenty-dollar bills on the table. Then, without a word, he stood and reached for Cora’s elbow.

She was too surprised to resist when he pulled her to her feet. He grabbed her bag and put it over his shoulder. With his hand still under her elbow, he walked to the door. When they were on the sidewalk, he turned right, back the way they came.

“Pipe?” Cora asked. “Where are we going? The Metro is the other way.”

“My hotel,” he said shortly.

Cora stopped in her tracks, surprising Pipe enough that his hand slipped from her arm. “I already told you that I’m not sleeping with you,” she growled. Disappointment swam in her belly. Had she really been so wrong about this man?

Pipe ran a hand through his hair, mussing it further. “I’m not good at this stuff, Cora.”

“What stuff?” she asked, confused.

“Planning. Figuring shite out. I’m the muscle. I’m sent in to do the dirty work. My mates are better at the pre-mission details. I don’t know what you’re going to tell me about your friend, but my instincts tell me that it would be better if Owl was there…the guy who came to DC with me.”

Cora nodded. “Callen Kaufman. Former Night Stalker Army helicopter pilot. He was shot down in the Middle East with his copilot, Jack ‘Stone’ Wickett—who also co-owns The Refuge with you and your other friends. They were held for a couple of weeks while the terrorists tortured them and filmed it all.”

Pipe blinked. Then smirked. “Stalker,” he joked.

Cora couldn’t help returning his smile, but it quickly faded. “I needed to know if you guys could really help me find and rescue Lara.”

The humor fell from Pipe’s face. “If you truly believe she needs to be rescued from wherever she is, and our skills are needed, trust me, you want Owl to hear your story. He doesn’t have as much experience as the rest of us with boots on the ground, but he’s smart. It’ll help to have his input.”

Every instinct was screaming that Cora could trust the man in front of her. He’d been nothing but gentlemanly and courteous. He didn’t have to walk her home. Didn’t have to buy her dinner. But here he was. Though…she didn’t believe for an instant that Pipe couldn’t plan a rescue mission by himself.

“Okay,” she said after a long pause. This had been her goal from the moment she’d realized one of the owners from The Refuge would be at the auction. She’d wanted a chance to talk to one of them, to plead her case. To explain what was happening to two of The Refuge owners was more than she ever dreamed she’d get.

They continued to walk, stopping at a hotel just down the street from where the auction had been held. It wasn’t fancy. A chain hotel Cora herself sometimes stayed at when she traveled, which wasn’t often.

Pipe opened the door and he led her up an escalator to the deserted restaurant on the second floor, toward a table in the back. He sat, gesturing for her to do the same.

“Um, are we supposed to be here?” Cora asked nervously, looking around at the empty tables and the semi-dark room.

“It’s fine,” Pipe assured her. “Not going to take you to my room, that would be disrespectful,” he said as he typed out a text on his phone.

Cora stared in surprise as his concentration remained on the screen in front of him. Many men wouldn’t have thought twice about taking her to their room, even if they weren’t planning on making a move on her. In her experience, guys were largely clueless to the things women went through to stay safe. It wasn’t that they were unsympathetic; they just had no reason to worry about walking across an isolated parking lot, getting in an elevator with a man, walking up an empty stairwell, being anywhere alone in the middle of the night, getting gas, and a million other everyday scenarios.

But she probably shouldn’t have underestimated Pipe. He wasn’t like most men, which was precisely why she’d wanted his help.

“Owl’s on his way,” he told her.

“I’m still not sure why you think he needs to be here.”

“I told you, I’m not a good planner.”

“I don’t believe that for a second,” Cora said firmly. “You wouldn’t have been in the SAS if you sucked at that kind of thing.”

Pipe shrugged. “You’d be surprised. The military the world over is the same. They need foot soldiers. Men and women willing to give their lives if necessary, without question. Just like any organization, there are those who excel at thinking and those who are best at doing.”

Cora frowned. “And you’re saying you were an unthinking robot who simply did what he was told?”

His lips twitched. “Not exactly.”

“I know you realize by now that I did my research on you and your friends,” she said, wanting him to understand why she was here with him.

“Yeah, you made that clear.”

“I don’t think I did. Pipe, I live in Washington, DC. You know how many military guys there are around here? Generals? Special Forces? Even private security, people who’ve spent years guarding the freaking President of the United States. Not that I know them personally, but I could’ve used my six thousand dollars to hire one or more of them. I didn’t. You know why?”

She had Pipe’s full attention now.

“One, because the people I did contact only wanted my money. Didn’t seem to care about Lara as a person. But mostly because I wanted the best. I wanted someone who would take this as personally as I do. Who would believe me when I told them my best friend was in trouble. Not someone who’d just take my money, do a shit job researching her situation, maybe a little recon, and then tell me they couldn’t help.”

“How do you know I won’t do just that?”

“Because of Alaska,” Cora said softly. “And Jasna. And Reese. You and your friends…you’re protectors. Not only of all the men and women who come to stay at The Refuge, but especially for the people you love. I’ve read all about how you guys used your skills to help the women who now live at the resort with you. And while you don’t know me, or Lara, I instinctively knew without a doubt that you’d do whatever it took to help me bring her home.”

Pipe stared at her for so long, Cora struggled not to squirm in her seat. But she tilted her chin a touch higher and refused to give in to the unease swimming in her veins. She’d spent her life being judged, and she didn’t care about this man’s opinion of her, as long as he agreed to help Lara.

Refusing to admit she was lying to herself about caring what Pipe thought about her, Cora waited for him to say something.

“I can’t promise you anything,” he finally said.

“I know.”

“And we aren’t in the military anymore. We’re civilians. We can’t exactly use guns, grenades, and the might of the government to break laws.”

“I know that too. I’m not asking you to do that. All I’m asking is for you to use the tactics you’ve learned to help me get in to see my friend, and possibly get her out of a bad situation.”

“And you’re sure she’s in a bad situation?” Pipe asked.

Thankful he didn’t sound skeptical, just curious, Cora nodded firmly. “One hundred percent.”

When he didn’t respond, Cora said a little desperately, “And I still have my six thousand dollars. It’s all yours to use for flights or supplies or whatever you need.”

“If we decide to help you, we aren’t taking your money,” Pipe said firmly.

Cora wasn’t certain how to respond to that. He had no idea what she’d done to come up with that amount of money. The fact that he’d let her keep it meant the world to her. She could use it to get Lara counseling, to move them to another city…whatever it took to make sure her friend was okay after whatever she’d been through.

And that was the most terrifying thing—Cora had no idea what was happening to Lara. She might be fine. Might be perfectly safe and being treated kindly.

She mentally snorted. She didn’t believe that for a moment. Whatever her friend was experiencing, it wasn’t good. Cora had no doubts about that.

The sound of footsteps startled her, and she turned toward the entrance to the restaurant. She half expected an employee to be standing there frowning, but instead, the man she’d seen earlier that night, Owl, was walking toward them.

“He really does look a little like Ed Sheeran,” she mused.

“If you want to get on his good side, whatever you do, don’t bring that up,” Pipe said before standing and greeting his friend.

Owl pulled a chair out from one of the empty sides of the square table and nodded at her. “So you’re Cora.”

“And you’re Owl,” she returned.

He grinned. “That’s me.” He turned to Pipe. “You didn’t miss much. The MC was a little peeved that you weren’t there, but since they raised over a hundred thousand for veterans, he’ll get over it.”

“And the bitch?”

“Ran off with her equally bitchy friends,” Owl said with a shrug.

“You made it clear that I wasn’t taking her to dinner?” he asked.

Owl smirked. “I don’t think that was ever a part of her plan.”

“Right. What was it she said?” Pipe asked, looking at Cora. “‘No way would I sully my reputation by being seen out and about with someone who looks like a gang member.’Right?”

“I don’t remember every word, but that sounds right,” Cora said. It was a lie. She remembered exactly what Eleanor had said as she’d insulted Pipe. His memory was spot on.

She once more doubted his claim that he wasn’t a good planner. Anyone with that good of a memory had to be an asset when planning some top-secret op.

“Anyway, she left, I paid her bid, all’s good,” Owl said. “Now…what’s up?”

Pipe looked at Cora. Having both sets of eyes on her was a little disconcerting, but she did what she always did. Straightened her shoulders and refused to show that she was intimidated.

“My friend Lara was kidnapped by her so-called boyfriend, and I need help breaking her out and bringing her home.”