Fire and Ice (Guardians Book 1)

Jack took the Capital beltway exit towards Baltimore. He’d been in meetings all day and was now stuck in rush-hour traffic. He couldn’t wait to get back to Maia but also decided that the delay may have been a good thing. It would probably give him time to cool down.

He was still seething at the latest information from Derek regarding the truth about Maia’s injuries. He had seen the bruising on her abdomen and had been appalled at how bad it looked. The doctor had been more concerned about the head injury after the full body scan revealed no internal injuries; everyone assumed that most of the bruising had come from the blast. And now he found out that Sergei Reznikov had beaten Maia and it made his blood boil. He was impotent with rage because the man was dead and there was nothing he could do in retribution. So now all his anger was directed at Maia, because Rick was right, she had no instinct for self-preservation. It was as if she had a death wish.

Jack ran down the incidents so far: first was the jet ski, second was setting herself up as bait, third was challenging Reznikov to beat her up and shoot her, and then taking a shot at the gas tank. Other hints of self-destructive behavior included taking down the three thugs at Betty Banning’s grocery store when she could have had the choice to stand down. What bugged Jack was that he couldn’t say he would not have done the same thing given the circumstances. But why, damn it, did it happen to Maia every freaking time? And that pissed him off.

She wasn’t an adrenalin junkie, she didn’t go out of her way looking for danger. In fact she could be mellow and just sit still when she wanted to. Heck, she loved to bake, sit out on the deck, drink tequila and enjoy the sunset.

Jack thought about the recurring nightmares of her parent’s murders. Those may hold the key. He had woken up a couple of more times to those heartbreaking dreams that Maia never remembered. He had never mentioned them to her either. Well, that was about to change now that they could finally slow down and work towards having a relationship.

When he was a Navy SEAL he had heard stories of soldiers who had been lone survivors of attacks. There was a phenomenon called “survivor’s guilt” and he wondered if eighteen years down the road this had been the motivation for Maia’s actions, even without her realizing it. If she was still having nightmares, that trauma may not have truly been resolved and was lingering in her subconscious and had been manifesting itself in her decisions. That she should have died eighteen years before with her parents, that she should not be living this life might explain why she was willing to sacrifice herself at every chance she could get. The thought made Jack’s blood run cold.

Somehow he didn’t think she would be open to seeing a shrink.

But there were so many things he wanted with Maia. He felt his chest tighten when he realized he was contemplating a future with her. It would be great if she stayed alive long enough for her to share it with him.

By the time his SUV pulled into the parking lot of the hospital, he had his anger in check. Now was not the time to go off on her when she was at her lowest. He could wait. He could be patient.

“Thanksgiving is next week,” Jack remarked casually as he handed Maia another slice of pizza. “You’re invited too, Derek.”

“What do you mean?” Maia asked in confusion. She must not have been recovering her wits fast enough because she’d been having trouble understanding Jack.

“Mom called,” Jack said, taking a bite out of a slice of pepperoni pizza. “She’s been so happy about the end of Brett’s protective custody she thinks she could pull off a grand party by next week. She’s invited fifty people for Thanksgiving dinner. We’re heading to Richmond, babe.”

“Okay, okay,” Maia said holding up her hands as if trying to figure out something. “Hold it right there.” By this point, her voice had risen in pitch. “I am not going to Thanksgiving dinner at your Mom’s”

“Maia, calm down,” Jack said softly.

“No, I won’t calm down!” Maia screeched. She started hyperventilating.

Derek chuckled while Jack tried to control a grin.

“It’s not funny!”

“Sweetheart, you just annihilated a Russian drug lord and you’re panicking about Thanksgiving at my mother’s, of course it’s funny,” Jack said with amusement. He put his pizza down and scooted closer and tried to hug her. She pulled away.

“I can stay at your apartment, you don’t have to worry about me,” Maia said in a small voice.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be there. You won’t be alone with his busybody nosy relatives,” Derek added.

“It’s not that,” Maia said. “I’ve met your parents, Jack. They’re very traditional. And you’re not the type to bring home someone you’ve only just started dating. How many of your girlfriends have you brought to Thanksgiving dinners?”

Jack scowled but admitted reluctantly, “Only Claire.”

“See, my point exactly,” Maia replied. She chose her next words carefully as Jack’s expression started to darken. “Look, I know you’d feel guilty about leaving me at New Park while you take off to go to Thanksgiving dinner at your mom’s. But don’t. I’m used to spending it alone even if…”

“It has nothing to do with guilt!” Jack snapped angrily, all the amusement of earlier disappearing.

Derek mumbled something about leaving them to settle things and retreated out the room.

“I just want you to be with me,” he added roughly, not looking at Maia’s eyes. He stared at his feet. “Look I don’t know what you’re waiting for me to say … I … it’s too soon.”

“I’m not expecting you to say anything,” Maia cut in quickly, her panic returning but for a different reason. She could feel that Jack wanted to tell her something but was struggling with the words. And they were the words she dreaded to hear because they might echo her own feelings. She was falling in love with him and there was nothing she could do to stop it. She was addicted to his presence, to his touch. No man had ever made her feel like this. It made her feel unsettled, like she had no right to these feelings.

“Oh, for heaven’s sake, I’ll go then. Sorry for making such a fuss about it.” Maia tried to make light of it. “I guess with fifty other people it would hardly be an intimate family affair.”

Jack’s eyes shot to hers suspiciously and narrowed. Maia grinned back innocently and called out to their friend. “Derek, you can quit hovering and come back in.”

“Any relative I should steer clear of?” Maia asked leading the subject away from dangerous ground.

“His Aunt Nat,” Derek replied. “She plays the matchmaker all the time. And she’s been after Jack to settle down for the past, what? Seven years? Oh, and if Stephanie Locke is there, stay away from her too.”

“Who’s that?”

“She’s a long-time family friend, Derek,” Jack said exasperatedly.

“Who’s got the hots for you.”

“She was Anna’s best friend!”

“Anna was your sister?” Maia asked.

Jack nodded. “Steph is like a little sister to me.”

“Oh yeah?” Derek said. “The way she looks at you, I doubt she thinks of you as a big brother.”

Jack suddenly looked uncomfortable, his bronze skin turning ruddy. “Can we drop this? It doesn’t matter does it? Maia will be with me.”

“Did anything happen, Jack? With Steph?” Maia asked, because Jack looked like someone had set his ass on fire.

He sighed. “Last Thanksgiving, she was waiting for me in my bedroom. Naked.”

“And?”

“We slept together, alright?” Jack said irritably. “It was just that one time and wasn’t one of my proudest moments.”

“That’s kind of pervy seeing as you thought of her like a little sister,” Maia teased as Derek laughed his head off.

Jack glared at both of them before breaking into a wry grin as he wrapped his arms around Maia in a gentle bear hug.

He leaned in and whispered into her ear, “Well, you’re there and all I want in my bed. I’d like to do the most pervy things to you.”

“Uh, guys, really?” Derek muttered.

“Get over it, Lockwood,” Jack retorted as Maia smothered her laughter in his chest.

The beautiful federal house was built among the historical townhomes on 35^th street in the old Georgetown neighborhood. It had an antique buttery-yellow facade with wrought-iron gates and a brick walkway that led to a covered front porch.

Maia took out her keys, opened the door and motioned for Jack to walk in. He carried her LV suitcases so they could switch up a few of her things before he took her home to his apartment.

“Charming place, pricey neighborhood,” Jack observed. “AGS must pay you well.”

“The property belongs to Viktor, he lets me live in it in between assignments,” Maia said. “He said since it’s on my cover anyway might as well make it feel like my own.”

“How long have you had it?”

“Eight years now, I think,” Maia said. “I love this old house. He’s even renovated the kitchen for me knowing how much I love to cook.”

For some reason, Jack wasn’t thrilled about Viktor renovating any kitchen for Maia. That went above and beyond an employer’s duties.

And as Maia led him to the kitchen where she deposited her keys on the counter, he became unhappier. The kitchen had top-of-the-line appliances and cabinets and opened through French doors into a surprisingly well-maintained garden. There weren’t many blooms since it was autumn but the fall foliage was remarkable.

“Before you say anything, no I do not take care of the yard,” Maia laughed. “Viktor has an arrangement with a landscaping company that makes sure everything is neat and tidy.”

“Viktor sure takes care of you,” Jack muttered irritably.

Maia angled her eyes at him, “Do I detect some disapproval in that tone?”

Might as well get it out of his system, Jack thought so here goes. “Maia, have you and Viktor had any, uh…any…have you ever slept with him?”

Maia’s eyes widened in horror. Jack felt a wave of relief.

“Oh my God, ech!” Maia said as she dissolved into a rare fit of giggles. “No, he’s like an older brother to me.” And then remembering their previous conversation, “And not in the sense you were to Stephanie. Oh, wait until I tell Viktor. Wait, I probably shouldn’t. Don’t think he’s gonna find it amusing,” Maia said as if talking to herself. “Not that I didn’t have a crush on him at some point in my life. Lots of women find him attractive, so I can understand why you thought that. He’s a player though.” Then she gave him an appraising look. “Well, you should know.”

Jack grunted. The reason he did not like Viktor was because that man reminded him too much of himself.

They made their way to the second floor, where her bedroom was located. It had a huge walk-in closet with drawers full of expensive garters, silk panties, bustiers, hose and bras.

Jack lifted one particularly intricate garter with a finger and raised a brow.

“I get carried away with those. I love sexy underwear,” Maia said.

“I do too,” he said thickly. “Come here.”

Jack didn’t exactly wait for Maia to walk up to him and instead, while mindful of her injuries, reached out and pulled her towards him. He lowered his head to kiss her, tilting her chin up gently to receive his probing mouth. He slipped his tongue playfully through her lips and tasted the hints of the chocolate she had eaten right before they arrived. Jack groaned; if he didn’t stop now he may lose all control and hurt her. Setting her from him, he murmured, “The things I want to do to you. Seriously, I think you get into all this trouble on purpose to torture me.”

Maia smirked up at him and pulled his head back down to her, “Well, Jack, we can always treat this as extended foreplay.” She licked the edge of his lips before pressing hers to him, running her tongue along the edge of his mouth, her other hand heading south to unzip his jeans. She reached into his boxer briefs and stroked his rapidly growing erection.

She pushed him against the drawer, driving the pace of their kissing. Jack grabbed her buttocks and pressed her closer to him, her hand wedged between them, her thumb rubbing the silky tip of his cock and driving him insane with desire. Suddenly, Maia whimpered and leaned into him almost with her full weight.

“Maia, are you all right?” Jack croaked worriedly, snapping out of his haze of lust.

“Um, dizzy. I guess I’m not in full seductress mode just yet,” she murmured apologetically. “Sorry.”

“Hey, it’s okay,” Jack said stroking her hair. “I enjoy fooling around. But we should take it easy, okay?”

Maia nodded and sat down on the hardwood floor of her closet while Jack went back to the bedroom to bring in the suitcases.

“Take your time,” Jack got down on the floor beside her, pulled her into his arms and kissed her forehead. He began stroking the side of her arm absentmindedly. “Just pick out the clothes you want and I’ll pack them for you.”

She looked up at him and smiled weakly. Jack felt his heart lurch. God, how he loved her and longed to tell her but he was afraid she would shutdown on him. Did she think he had not noticed her about-face on the Thanksgiving plans because she realized he was on the verge of admitting his feelings for her? It annoyed Jack at first, but he welcomed the respite as he was saved from blurting out his feelings like an inexperienced teenager. The challenge between Maia and himself was their perceptiveness in assessing motivations because they were both trained for that in their jobs. It was hard to hide emotions or intent.

He was 39-years old damn it. Maybe it was not required to say the words anymore. As the thought crossed his mind, he knew he was a hypocrite. He would like to hear Maia say the words, that she was in love with him and that he belonged to her. Jack kissed her forehead again. Because she certainly belonged to him and he was definitely in love with her.

Maia’s recovery progressed rapidly over the next few days. She was confined to the bed and the couch upon arrival at Jack’s penthouse apartment. He occupied an entire floor in one of the city’s trendiest apartment building, but despite the amenities of a huge comfortable bed and home theatre in the living room, there was only so much Maia could take for 72 hours of convalescence. This was in addition to the three days she had already spent in the hospital. So she demanded to be let out of the apartment, to which Jack reluctantly agreed.

He couldn’t stay with her during the day and started working late at nights since he couldn’t ignore the responsibilities of his company any longer. He had to drive to his manufacturing plant outside of New Park a couple of times to meet with his design engineers and workers which added to his time at work. He said he wanted there to be no interruptions to their Thanksgiving weekend and wanted to make sure everything was taken care of before they left.

His assistant, Laurie Stone dropped by a couple of times to check on her to make sure she had everything she needed.

Maia snickered to herself. So this was what a mistress feets like.

The building had a doorman and a concierge whom she had gotten to know fairly well when she had started her morning walks around the neighborhood. It was Sunday, she had been at the penthouse for almost five days. Jack spent almost all of Saturday at work, coming home exhausted late the night before only to leave again very early this morning. She had not heard a peep from Derek either.

Maia was starting to feel neglected. Why insist on bringing her home with him when he was not going to be around anyway? As soon as that thought crossed her mind she felt embarrassed. When had she become so needy? Jack had put her ahead of his company for over two weeks and she was feeling neglected now? What was wrong with her? That concussion may have messed up her head more than she realized.

Shaking her head, she rounded a corner and ran into Mike Callahan. It looked like he had just come from the gym as he was wearing sweats, a hoody and had a big gym bag slung over his shoulder. His eyes widened when he saw her.

“Maia, oh my God,” he walked over to her and gave her a tight hug. Luckily her ribs felt a lot better and she didn’t even wince at the tight squeeze. “I heard what happened in Baltimore. Are you all right?”

“Pretty much,” Maia replied. “I was a bit banged up but you know how hard-headed I can be.”

Mike stroked the fading bruise on her cheek. “Yes, I know. Listen, do you wanna grab coffee? There’s a bagel shop around the corner.”

Maia didn’t even think twice. Nearly going out of her mind with inactivity for almost a week, she welcomed some company. Even if it was from an ex-boyfriend. “Sure, why not?”

It was 4:00 p.m. when Maia made it back to the apartment building. What had begun as just coffee, turned into a walk in the park, which ended up with a late brunch. She had forgotten what a great conversationalist Mike Callahan was and how animated he could get when he talked about his crusade to clean up the streets of New Park. That was what attracted her to him. What he lacked in brawn, he made up in courage and sharp intellect.

Of course they had to talk about the elephant in the room: her relationship with Jack McCord.

“So you and Jack, huh?” Mike said curiously. Though he tried to keep it out of his voice, Maia noted the hint of bitterness.

“Yes, me and Jack,” she replied a bit too goofily.

“Is it serious?”

“He says it is.”

“Are you serious?”

“I think I am.”

Mike snorted. “We were serious too. I guess the question is, will you leave your work to be with Jack? Because that will come up, honey. I don’t think any man who is serious with you will let you put your life in constant jeopardy.”

“Well, that hasn’t come up yet.”

“Well, hypothetically, will you?”

“Of course not.”

Mike shook his head and said in disgust, “That asshole was right.”

“Jack?”

“No,Viktor. He said he’d always win.”

“He said that to you?”

Mike nodded, his jaw clenching. “He said that if you were forced to choose between me and him, you’d always choose him.”

“I’m sorry, Mike,” Maia whispered.

“By the way, it’s Sunday, where’s Jack?”

I’m wondering the same thing, Maia thought as her feeling of abandonment returned.

“He said he had a lot of work to catch up with before the Thanksgiving Holiday.”

Mike’s eyes flared angrily. “You got hurt badly just a week ago and he left you alone on a Sunday? I presume since he’s at work today you haven’t seen him all week.”

“Mike, Jack spent a lot of time with me the past two weeks and then I got hurt. He was supposed to be back at work but he took the time to check me out of the hospital and bring me to New Park. He had a lot of catching up to do.”

Hearing her own words in defense of Jack made Maia feel better. She had taken up a lot of his time. But then Mike’s next words cut into her.

“I don’t know, honey,” Mike said gravely. “I was hoping with a special woman like you, Jack McCord had mended his ways. He’s always been known as a player. A new girl on his arm every few months though this last one before you lasted longer than others. You’ve got a soft spot in you Maia. I’ve never been able to get close to it but I know it’s there. I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

And with that thought echoing on her mind, Maia walked through the doors of the apartment building to be met by expressions of relief from the doorman and the concierge.

“Miss Pierce, thank God,” the concierge said. “Mr. McCord is frantic wondering where you were. He searched for you for a couple of blocks and is now back upstairs.”

“Jack is back?” Maia asked in surprise. She thought she was going to have to spend another evening alone.

“Over an hour ago.”

Knowing Jack’s temper, Maia wasn’t surprised when he was waiting for her by the elevator doors when she reached his floor. Obviously the concierge let him know that she was on her way up.

“Where have you been?” Jack thundered, his face a mixture of fury and relief.

“I went for a walk.”

“For six fucking hours?”

Maia lifted her chin in defiance. “I ran into Mike Callahan. We had a lot of catching up to do.”

Okay, that probably wasn’t the right thing to say. Jack flushed with renewed rage and he turned away from her, breathing hard as if wrestling for control.

When he swung back, he barely had it under check. “I’ve been worried sick for over an hour wondering if you had blacked out somewhere and you were out catching up with an ex-boyfriend?” He spat out the final word in disgust.

For a minute, Maia felt guilty that she had indeed been inconsiderate, but the unusual insecurities she had been feeling today returned. And she couldn’t stop herself from blurting out her own angst.

“First, if you had given me my cell phone back, you would have a way to contact me and you wouldn’t be so worried. Second, you insist on bringing me to your penthouse and, in your words to”—Maia raised her fingers to insert air quotes around the next two words—“take care of me, but you’re hardly ever around. And lastly, if avoiding me is your way of telling me you’re done with me”—by this time her voice was near shouting—“just tell me to my face! You’re obviously regretting bringing me back here with you. You’re feeling sorry that I got hurt while I was your girlfriend and it would suck to be the man known for abandoning me while I was injured.” God, someone shut her up!

“Maia…” Jack tried to pull her to him but she swatted his hands away.

“Don’t touch me! Mike was right. You’re a fucking player. You’ll never be satisfied with one woman,” Maia hissed, and then cursed. “God, you’ve turned me into a blathering idiot!”

She stormed into their bedroom and started pulling out her stuff to pack into her suitcase.

“You are not leaving,” Jack said curtly. He approached her from behind and wrapped his arms around her like bands of steel. Maia struggled furiously, even pretending to yelp in pain so he would loosen his grip. But Jack was onto her and instead hauled her to the bed, tipped her on her back and landed on top of her immobilizing her lower body. He gripped both her wrists on either side of her head and glared down at her.

“Listen, I don’t know what bullshit Callahan has fed you,” Jack ground out. “But know that I feel differently this time. It’s different with you.” He leaned in to brush her lips in a gentle kiss and his expression softened. “I don’t feel sorry for you, you silly goose. I genuinely want to take care for you.” He sighed. “I’m sorry that I had underestimated the demands of MDI on my time. We got slammed by an unusually big first quarter order from the DoD and I had to make sure we had all the raw materials ordered and personnel ready for production. You can ask Derek, he’s been with me the whole time.”

“I just missed you,” Maia replied in a small voice, then averted her eyes. When had she become so pathetic?

“Babe, I missed you too,” Jack whispered back and gave her a deep, soul-searching kiss. He dropped on his back and dragged her on top to straddle him, stroking her thighs.

“I can’t wait to make love to you again,” he continued. “Though I missed you like hell, I welcome the heavy workload to keep my mind off my craving for you. And believe me, the work hardly dented it. I hunger to be with you. I was afraid I would break down and do something barbaric and force myself on an injured woman.”

“I am feeling better. I haven’t been dizzy in 48 hours.”

“I want you in top shape when I make love to you. I’m thinking Thanksgiving weekend,” Jack smiled roguishly. “You know, you haven’t worn that black bustier set I got for you yet.”

“I’ll make sure to pack it,” Maia said softly as she bent down to kiss him.

The silver Escalade crawled slowly down Interstate 95, caught in the Northern Virginia Thanksgiving traffic. Richmond was 90 miles south of Washington DC, but at the rate they were going, it would take them three hours to reach the Commonwealth.

Maia had had an early morning follow-up check up with Doctor Anderson. It was surprising that the doctor was available on the eve of Thanksgiving, but Jack figured that was the business of the medical profession.

He made sure that he would be on hand to accompany Maia on her follow-up visit with the doctor which was why he worked his ass off the previous week to get everything settled at MDI before he took off for the Thanksgiving weekend. Jack remembered their brief fight the previous Sunday and realized how far he’d come from his previous relationships. First of all, if any of his girlfriends had complained about him working too much and not spending enough time with them, that was a death knell and he would have found a way to get rid of them instantly. But when Maia threw his neglect at him, he was oddly pleased. Finally, she needed him and missed him! Of course, Maia had to ruin the moment by mentioning Mike Callahan.

Jack knew exactly what Mike Callahan had told her. Jack’s reputation in New Park and DC’s social circles was well-known. He was a serial dater. He was one of the tri-cities’s most eligible bachelors but tabloids always warned the socialites to proceed with caution when entrapping Jack McCord. He had called Callahan the next day and told him to mind his own fucking business.

To which the New Park DA replied coldly, “I will. But if you ever hurt her, know I will find a way to make your life miserable.”

Jack looked over at the slumbering redhead curled up in the passenger seat. One thing was for sure: his woman seemed to inspire lifetime loyalty from her previous relationships. This irked him no end. It was as if there were any number of ex-boyfriends waiting in the wings for him to fuck up. Yes, that pissed him off no end.

“Jack, why are you growling?” Maia asked sleepily.

Startled that he had actually been doing it out loud, he lied, “Traffic. Go back to sleep, babe. This is going to be a long trip.”

Maia sat up. “Well, I should be better company then.”

Jack angled his eyes over at her as if assessing her mood.

“Well, if you’re up to it, now might be a good time for a conversation.”

She eyed him warily. “What conversation?”

“Those risks you take, Maia. Why do you take them?” Jack asked bluntly.

“What are you talking about? My job?”

“Let’s begin with the jet ski incident. We never did get around to do a post-mortem of that,” Jack said. “Was that truly the only option, Maia?”

“Yes,” Maia said indignantly. “I did that to save your parents, Jack. And everyone else.”

“Yes. But you see, they are my parents, not yours,” Jack said. “Why would you give your life for them like that?”

“I always have a backup plan. I knew exactly how to get off that jet ski before it hit,” Maia replied. “I wasn’t being suicidal.”

“And goading Reznikov to beat you and almost shoot you?” Jack asked acidly. “And taking a shot at that gas tank?”

“With Reznikov, it’s a psychological war. Look at his dossier and you know he’s a coward. I only wanted to shake him up. He didn’t have the guts to shoot me,” Maia snickered. “And really? That illeoic gas tank plan was brilliant. Rick was just jealous he didn’t get to take the shot. You would have done the same thing,” Maia added. “You need to believe in me more, Jack.”

He stared ahead at the lines of cars in front of him, confusion muddling his brain. Viktor’s words came back to him, about needing to know the woman she is. But then he also remembered what he and Derek had discussed: that Maia was cut from the same cloth as Viktor. There was a thin-line between being suicidal and feeling invincible. Derek thought it was the latter. Maia thinks she can overcome and survive any situation.

“You need to remember that there’s me now who worries about you,” Jack replied. “Put yourself in my shoes, will you?”

He reached over to her left hand and brought it to his lips to kiss the back of her fingers.

Jack gave her a wry smile. “All I’m saying is, don’t take risks if you don’t have to. That’s all.”

Maia pulled her hand away. Jack felt her retreat, but he wasn’t going to let her. He grabbed her hand back and said firmly, “Talk to me, babe. Don’t pull away like that.”

Maia huffed irritably, that’s a good sign. He liked the fire better than the ice. “You know what makes me a good agent, Jack? My willingness to take chances. It’s called a calculated risk. If I play it safe all the time, it reduces my effectiveness. Viktor should just stick me in the data center.”

“Would that be so bad?”

“Yes! I’m not an analyst.”

Jack sighed. He was getting nowhere fast with this.

“Is my job going to be a problem between us, Jack?” Maia asked quietly. “Because I’d rather know now than later before … before … I get too involved and it’ll be harder to let go.”

And just like that, she had handed him the answer.

“After everything we went through, Maia, I’m still here, aren’t I?” Jack said and kissed her hand again. “I have no problem with what you do, just how you handle some situations.”

That was a lie of course. He was going to make it impossible for her to let go. He was going to show her how much he loved her, spoil her, make the sex so good she would be addicted to him as he already was to her. Bind her to him in a way that would make her give up her reckless ways. Sometimes people took risks because there was nothing to live for; he would make sure that she would want to live for him.

They arrived in Richmond late in the afternoon. The McCords lived on a three-acre manicured estate in the River Road district known for its well-born local gentry. The main house was a magnificent two-story colonial-style brick home. According to Jack, there were ten bedrooms and just as many baths. The front of the property was fenced with a brick and wrought-iron wall that delineated the estate line.

A cobblestone driveway began off the main road and curved and widened in front of the house before narrowing to lead back to the main road on the opposite side of the brick wall. It was a beautiful property befitting a real-estate mogul.

Frances and Robert were already waiting in front of the house when they arrived. Jack had called them when he got off the Route 288-exit.

“Maia!” Frances almost squealed when she saw her. Jack’s mom hugged her while Jack shook his dad’s hand and gave him what Maia called a man-hug.

“Is that a bruise on your face?” Frances shrieked as she quickly looked at Jack.

Jack rolled his eyes as he kissed his mom on the forehead, “I hope you’re not thinking what I think you’re thinking, Mom.”

“Of course not!”

Maia touched her face self-consciously, “Oh no, I think the concealer faded. I got banged up in the last job.”

Frances tutted at her and dragged her into the house. “You should think about changing your job.”

Jack had explained what Maia did for living after she had saved his parents and Brett from the assassins.

“What I said,” Jack muttered behind them as Maia shot him a glare.

Robert, who was normally more an observer than a talker said, “Maia, sweetheart, it’ll probably be better for everyone’s peace of mind if you um, find a desk job.”

Maia sidled up to Jack and said sweetly, “I hope you didn’t get your parents to gang up on me.”

“Of course not, sweetheart,” Jack smirked.

“I’m putting you in the gardener’s cottage so you two lovebirds can have some privacy,” Frances said coyly.

“A cottage?”

“There’s a cottage behind the main house connected by a portico,” Jack said. “It used to be a gardener’s cottage but it’s used now for guests who have children.”

“We have a full house. Most of the guests should be arriving soon. Why don’t you two freshen up? I’ll have someone bring your luggage over.”

“Mom, we can take care of that,” Jack said. “Seriously, relax and don’t worry about us.”

“It’s just that …” Frances broke off as she got teary-eyed as her gaze fell on Maia.

Maia felt like a rabbit caught in a trap. Jack noticed her reaction and quickly grabbed their suitcases and nudged her out of the living room and out the back door.

“See you later Frances, Robert,” Maia mumbled as she followed Jack to the exit.