Chapter Twenty

LILY

After our incredible connection, we fell asleep in each other's arms. Sleeping next to Kace, wrapped by his body, made it seem like there was not a problem in the world. No one was after us. The world wasn't flawed and corrupted, and I wasn't going to possibly die at the hands of his friends. None of that existed. It was just us, in our bubble, and I'm relishing in it.

But now, in the light of morning, I know we have to face the world again and come back to reality. If the truth of the matter is I only get that one night with Kace, at least I have this beautiful memory. It was perfect. It was romantic, and even though walls are still up between us, we broke a few down last night. Being with him might be scary, dangerous, and well, let's face it—life threatening—but it feels right. I might be his light, but he is my fire. And I burn for him.

We're back in the painter's van and on the move. I'm sore, I'm tired, I'm hungry as hell, and my glow from last night is wearing thin because I know that last night probably won't happen again, not unless we can figure out what the hell is going on.

"So, any idea on where we're headed now?" I ask as he drives down a long highway.

"I'm thinking we head to an asset. Talk to them about what they might know. See if we can start to put the pieces together?"

Nodding, I sink into the seat. "And you think we can trust them?"

He looks at me and exhales, then turns back to face the road. "I don't know. But we don't have many other options, Lily."

Swallowing hard, I nod again and chew on my bottom lip.

If his own men can turn against him, how can we trust anyone else?

***

We've been driving through the countryside for a little while now, and I'm wondering just where this asset lives as we turn off the main highway and head down a winding dirt road. Tall elm trees line the sides of the road glistening in the Autumn sunlight, sending a dark shadow over the road we travel. It feels ominous like we're heading into our demise, but that could just be my mind playing tricks on me, or the fact that now I have something I want to keep, and I'm scared of losing it. Either way, the road ahead looks dark, and I'm worried about the asset and the truth they hold, but more importantly, which side they are on.

A house comes into view at the end of the road, and I sit up taller in my seat taking in the log-style cabin as we approach. Pulling into the driveway, the front porch sings of country-style America—apple pie and knitting spring to mind. It settles my nerves slightly.

Kace parks the van and turns to look at me. "Stay by my side at all times. Okay?"

My nerves are definitely not settled anymore.

"Okay," I simply murmur.

We hop out of the van, and Kace is by my side in an instant. He looks at the door and moves me behind him. I furrow my brows wondering what he's doing when suddenly the front door flies open, and a loud bang echoes through the quiet surroundings. A patch of dirt flies up in front of Kace's feet like something just pounded right into it. It takes me a second to register.

"Yana, it's Kace," he yells, raising his hands in the air in a surrender motion. It's only now I look up to see a woman, a stunning woman with jet black hair standing before us holding a rifle. The loud bang and the ground shifting must have been her shooting at us.

Shit! We're not safe here either!

I reach forward grabbing hold of Kace's bicep for comfort, and he tenses sensing my fear.

"It's okay, Lily."

" Zalupa! I could have killed you!" Her Russian twang doesn't go unnoticed by me as she lowers the rifle and steps off the porch toward us with a smile. "Kace, my old friend. It's been a while, da?" she states coming up to us with her hands stretched out.

Kace smirks and drops his arms with a nod. He steps forward forcing my hand to detach from his bicep as he reaches forward taking Yana into his grip. They hug, and she runs her hands up and down his back a little too familiarly for my liking.

That's not how friends hug.

She's stunning, and I don't mean a little bit, I mean swimsuit model, Miss World, Vogue magazine type of goddamn stunning. She oozes sex appeal with her curvy body, hair as black as ink, and bright red lips. She even has a beauty mole just above her top lip. She's ridiculous. I'm sure she isn't even real in all the right places if you know what I mean? Scowling slightly as they hug for a little too long, I clear my throat making them break apart.

"Shit! Sorry. Yana, this is Lily. Lily, Yana. She's Russian. Don't hold that against her," Kace says with a chuckle. Yana scoffs and slaps his chest like it's an old joke between them. Jealousy rears its ugly head, and I want to break all her fingers for touching his chest.

I'm his puzzle piece, his light, not you!

"Da. I might be Russian, Kace, but I can still kick your zhopa!"

"Doubtful. I'd never let you near my ass, Yana."

She laughs a belly laugh and rolls her eyes. "Da, this is true. Come. I must know why you're here," she says, turning and walking toward the cabin.

Kace spins to look at me and smiles. I swallow hard and fake a smile back at him. Something about me doesn't trust Yana. I know they're obviously good friends and all, but something about her irks me.

"C'mon," he says, reaching out for my hand. I let him take it, and we walk toward the cabin.

I can't help but look over my shoulder. I'm waiting for Luca or Axel to pop out of the shadows at any minute. I'm on edge, and I hate this feeling.

We step inside the cabin, and it looks even more country than the outside. I wonder how a Russian can have a place that looks so not Russian. To be honest, I don't even know what a Russian place is supposed to look like, but I don't picture this. A giant open-planned cabin, the living room, kitchen, and dining are all in one. The couch has a circular rainbow patterned rug placed over it. The dining table with a plastic tablecloth draped over the sides and has doily table settings. The kitchen has bright yellow cabinetry.

This is blowing my mind a little.

"Don't look so shocked, Lily. You don't choose the place you're sent to. Trust me, I wouldn't live like this unless I had to," Yana says as if to read my thoughts.

Chewing on my bottom lip, I nod and give her a curt smile as she pulls out a seat at the dining table gesturing for us to sit down. Kace pulls out a seat for me. I smile at him and his gentlemanliness and take my seat as he sits next to me.

"So, you obviously haven't been kept in the loop?" Kace asks, and Yana rolls her eyes, shaking her head.

"Kace, the only time I'm in the loop is when they send me for a waste order."

He nods.

I raise my eyebrow. "A waste order?"

Kace stiffens, and Yana smiles. "A kill job… Lyubimaya moya," she replies, confusing me with her Russian tongue.

"Lubimaya… what now?" I ask, and she rolls her eyes as Kace smirks.

"Urgh. It means a waste order is a kill job, my love. There… you happy. God, why are civilians always so dense?"

I furrow my brows as Kace stiffens beside me. "Yana, stop! Lily is an innocent in all this. She doesn't need to be insulted by you as well."

She looks from Kace to me, then back to Kace, and a small smirk crosses her lips. "Da. Da. Okay. So talk to me. What's going on?"

"Shit is happening with SO7 and The Agency. What can you tell me about them?"

She purses her lips and shrugs. "They weren't really on the Russian government's radar until a few years back. As far as I know, they deal mostly with domestic threats to the United States, which are far more common than the public realize. There was a movement at some point. They started branching out, trying to break down outside countries' agencies before they came in with threats against America. Suddenly, they weren't the protectors anymore… they became the aggressors. Anyway, this happened around the time when your mom took over, and your dad was killed."

I open my eyes wide. I had no idea his dad was killed and his mother was a part of his agency, let alone took it over.

I guess she's the boss?

No wonder he's stressed.

His orders were given by his mother.

Shit!

"But this doesn't make any sense? Why would we be the aggressors?" Kace asks, furrowing his brows so tightly together they join.

She stands and takes a deep breath as she begins to pace around the dining area. "People like power and fear. You make people fear you, you gain all the power."

Kace shakes his head like he's battling the thoughts inside his head. "But The Agency is about peace, not power?"

She tilts her head frowning. "Is it?" She walks toward him, swaying her hips slightly as she steps up to him. Standing directly in front of his knees, he looks up at her as she sighs. "There's so much you don't know. I could tell you." She moves her finger out and runs it along his arm, then up to his cheek. He flinches as she smiles. "But it would cost you."

"You've got to be kidding me?" I murmur under my breath.

Kace abruptly stands from his seat and takes a step back from Yana and her flirtations. "I know what you're selling, and we aren't buying."

Yana smiles. "Oh, c'mon, Kace. Remember that time in Prague when we were trapped in that freezer, and we only had our bodies to keep us warm? You remember… don't you?" she asks, and my eyebrows raise in complete jealousy.

Kace screws his face up and huffs. "Yes. Only because I needed you alive."

She chuckles. "Oh, I was alive, all right. My whole body was alive that night," she says, stepping closer to Kace and pushing out her fake breasts accentuating her amazing body.

I almost gag on the spot. Fuck my life! She's so stunning, and she's throwing herself at Kace, and I'm here watching it all unfold like a voyeur. It's like I've stepped into a porno.

"Can you just give me something solid, Yana?" Kace demands.

"You know how this works, Kace. This isn't worth giving my life for. Unless I get something worthwhile in return?" She winks suggestively.

I hate this, so I do the only thing I can think of. "It's time to go," I call out, standing up suddenly drawing all the attention back to me.

Yana smirks as Kace furrows his brows and nods.

"Yeah, I think it is. Thanks, Yana. Don't tell anyone we were here. Got it?"

She tilts her head and smiles, placing her hand over her chest and scoffing. "Oh, Kace… you hurt my feelings. You know I would never betray you."

He flares his nostrils and nods. "Thanks, Yana, you've helped a lot."

"I know, now go," she says, picking her rifle back up and aiming it at us. I open my eyes wide and grab onto Kace as he rolls his eyes at Yana. He quickly runs his fingertips up my arm to soothe me and turns us. We walk out the door onto the porch, down the steps, and toward the van.

"Kace," Yana calls out. He turns back to look at her. "Don't come back." Her voice is hard, and I can tell she means it. It sends a chill down my spine, and my stomach flips. I don't like Yana, not one little bit. And it's not just because she was hitting on Kace in front of me, she gives me the uber-creeps. He nods, then turns us, and we head for the van.

"Get in and buckle up, Lily," he announces.

I don't want to argue with him because right now, I just want to get out of here. So, I jump into the van and slam the door shut quickly behind me and click my seat belt into position. He slides in through the driver's door and looks back at Yana. She stands on the porch and watches us leave, and I can't help but think she's opened up a can of worms with Kace.

The silence as we drive down the darkened road away from the cabin is eerily quiet, so I decide to break the tension.

"Well, that was…" I pause not being able to find the right word.

He turns to look at me, a worried expression on his face. "I didn't sleep with her, Lily," he says.

Instant relief hits me like a tidal wave. I know I have no right to be jealous, after all, it was way before me. But nevertheless, I want to scream and yell from the rooftops and dance in the streets that he hasn't been with a slithering snake like Yana. However, I keep my face calm and shrug instead. "Doesn't matter if you did," I reply blasé.

He furrows his brows and keeps looking from me to the road then back again. "She was just trying to make you think that. She could see there's more to us than meets the eye. She's a bitch when she wants to be… she was trying to cause an issue between us. Yana wanted you to be jealous."

Chewing on my bottom lip, I sag in relief. "You really didn't sleep with her?"

He chuckles. "No, I didn't."

"Even though you were freezing and only had your bodies to keep you warm?" I mock in a terribly bad Russian accent.

He laughs, pulling the van onto the main highway with a bright smile. "Even though we were freezing. No, she isn't my type. I don't fornicate with the enemy."

I raise my eyebrow at him, and he seems to get my message instantly. "Hey, you're not the enemy."

Scoffing, I shrug. "Your friends seem to think otherwise."

He reaches out grabbing my hand and squeezes. "My friends are wrong. I'll make them see that… somehow."

I don't answer but figure I'll change the subject. "Okay, where to next?"

He sighs and shakes his head. "Philadelphia."