Between Shadows Read online

  “How are we going to play this?” I ask.

  “Table in the back. You take point while I talk to Oscar. If you see anything, signal me.”

  A loud group of young boys jostles us and Luke bumps into me. The telltale shape of a gun is tucked into the back of his jeans. I stiffen.

  “Where did you get that?” I hiss.

  “I know a guy.”

  There’s no doubt he’s not the same person I once knew. That boy was dangerous; this new Luke is scary enough to give me pause.

  The restaurant’s interior, like Havana, is a relic of a time long since past. The floors are chipped and scratched; the walls are covered in faded paint, names and messages covering the surface. Framed pictures of revolutionary figures seem to be the art of choice. I tear my gaze away from the scenery, focusing instead on the other diners.

  The hardest part of identifying an asset is that we’re the ultimate chameleons. We’re trained from the beginning to adapt to our surroundings, to blend wherever we go. It’s what makes us deadly; it’s also what makes us very, very difficult to catch.

  “Do you see anything?” Luke asks, pulling me out of the way of some of the diners, his knuckles grazing the small of my back.

  “It looks clear.”

  Luke stops to talk with one of the hostesses, money changes hands, and we’re led to a small table at the rear of the restaurant. We both sit with our backs against the wall under the pretense of wanting to sit next to each other, our gazes trained toward the doorway. We order mojitos, but neither one of us takes more than a cursory sip. There’s music playing, a beat I don’t recognize. The sound winds its way through the small space, the drums creating a rhythm that fills the dance floor.

  Luke’s gaze is trained on the entrance despite the lazy smile on his face.

  “He’s late,” I comment.

  “That’s Oscar.”

  “Sounds reliable.”

  Luke’s gaze shifts away from the entry, his dimple winking back at me. “To know Oscar is to love him.”

  “You’re friends.” I don’t bother to keep the surprise from my voice.

  “In a manner of speaking, yes. You’re the only one who has this strange aversion to friends.”

  “I don’t have a strange aversion to friends—”

  “Sure you don’t.”

  “I don’t.”

  “Then why don’t you let anyone get close to you?”

  “I’m close to Grace.”

  “Grace doesn’t count. She’s your sister. You have a duty to her. But what about friends, people with common interests, that sort of thing?”

  I laugh. “Common interests like killing? I mean I’m not exactly quilting in my spare time.”

  Luke grins. “True. Scratch common interests. You must have some friends at the Academy, though. A boyfriend, maybe? I’ve seen you with that guy Josh.”

  I roll my eyes, beating back the heat creeping over my cheeks. I don’t want to talk about guys with Luke. Not when his voice is deceptively casual and his gaze is anything but.

  “Are we going to talk about our feelings now?”

  “Thought you didn’t have any,” he teases.

  I bare my teeth, flashing him an easy grin that’s all shine and no substance. “Fair enough.”

  Silence fills the table, tension rising between us. I take a sip from my mojito, the potent mix of mint and rum hitting me. Luke drains his, setting the glass down on the table.

  “Let’s dance.”

  I nearly choke on my drink. “Absolutely not.”

  “It’s part of our cover.”

  “I don’t dance.”

  Luke winks at me. “Now you do.”

  ###

  Without waiting for my answer Luke grabs my hand, pulling me up from the table. He yanks me close to him, his lips hovering at my ear.

  “We need to blend in. Couples on their honeymoon dance.”

  I follow him onto the dance floor, annoyance filling me. On some level, I know he’s right. Besides, making a scene would only draw attention to us. But this—in his arms—is the last place I want to be. It’s too much. He’s too much.

  Luke weaves his way through the crowd, maneuvering us into a corner, our backs to the wall.

  “Ready?”

  “I hate you,” I hiss, joining hands with his, ignoring the goose bumps that rise at the touch of his skin against mine.

  Luke chuckles softly, moving closer, brushing against me.

  The band changes songs, the beat slowing down. The singer’s rich voice sends a thrill through my body. I don’t know if it’s the mojito, or the music, or the heat, but I’m about to jump out of my skin.

  Luke’s hand travels down the small of my back, steadying me, his body flush with mine. His legs fit in between my legs, our knees barely grazing each other.

  I wish I were wearing more clothes—jeans, a sweater, something. My strappy little dress and my bare skin are too much.

  I follow his lead, the cramped dance floor making it difficult to put space between us. The song changes and the dance becomes frenzied; my feet, arms, and legs move in tandem to the beat of the drums and the sound of the trumpet. Luke’s heart pounds against me. I count time to the rhythm of the music.

  My head tilts and I open my mouth to speak.

  Luke stares down at me. His eyes seem darker, his gaze intent. There’s something in his expression—I’m afraid to put a name to it, afraid to give life to this emotion springing up between us. This desire that was always there in the background is now ready to change everything.

  My heart tumbles in my chest.

  His gaze narrows. “You never answered my question about the boyfriend.”

  “Luke—”

  The music swallows the sound of my voice.

  He leans down, his face inches from mine. I feel him everywhere, our legs entwined as our feet move to the beat of the music, his fingers teasing the hint of skin exposed by my dress.

  I can’t tear my gaze away from his.

  “Has there been anyone else since me?”

  His question causes me to stumble. He reaches out and catches me, and suddenly we’re not dancing anymore, not moving, our bodies plastered against each other on the dance floor.

  For a moment, I don’t answer him. Can’t answer him. And then, as if of its own volition, the word tumbles from my mouth.

  “No.”

  His arms tighten around my body, pulling me up against him—hard—until my limbs are practically wrapped around his like a vine. His mouth descends and all I can think is—

  Finally.

  The brush of his mouth changes everything. It’s both familiar and completely new, the difference between kissing a boy and a man evident. This is no sweet, gentle kiss. His mouth ravages mine like he’s been waiting forever to kiss me. His teeth scrape my bottom lip—tugging, sucking, drawing my flesh deeper into his mouth. He kisses me like we aren’t in public, standing in the middle of a crowded dance floor. He kisses me like we’re naked and alone. He kisses me like he wants to fuck me blind.

  It’s passionate and intense; it’s enough to make me forget where I am, what I’m doing, everything except his mouth on mine. Our tongues tangle; a moan escapes my lips. His hands slide down my body, cupping my ass, hauling me up against him until his cock grazes me through the thin layers of our clothes. Neither one of us controls the kiss; instead we fight for it, matching each other in passion and heat.

  I don’t even see it coming. Cold metal scrapes the small of my back, hovering where Luke’s hand rests. It takes a second longer for me to realize it’s the barrel of a gun.

  Shit.

  Luke moves in front of me and in a flash the gun is gone, the stranger disarmed. Luke pulls me to the side, yanking me up against his body, moving me out of the stranger’s reach. His free hand tucks the gun into his waistband, the movement so practiced no one around us even seems to notice.

  My attacker is a dark-haired guy, probably around Luke’s age. A pair
of wire framed glasses balances precariously on his nose. Up close he hardly looks intimidating, but he could have killed me. I was so distracted by Luke’s hands, his body, his mouth, that I completely forgot the danger we’re in and the threats that surround us.

  Stupid. So stupid.

  “Man, how many times have I told you? If you can’t handle a gun, don’t carry one. And don’t ever fucking point it at her again.” Luke’s voice is low, but I can hear the force behind his words, can read the anger in his eyes. He’s as pissed off and confused as I am. This is why we aren’t supposed to get involved with other assets—we can’t afford to lose focus. Even for a moment. That’s all it takes for us to be killed.

  The guy grins, an easy flash that transforms his entire face. “Sorry about that. Had to make sure it was really you.”

  Luke’s shakes his head. “X, this is Oscar. Oscar, X.”

  So this is the techie. How could I have been so stupid? How could I have forgotten everything I ever learned?

  I lost my focus in the most spectacularly awful way.

  I blame Luke, but most of all I blame myself.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Oscar joins us at the same table we sat at before. Luke pulls his chair next to mine, leaving inches of space between us. It’s not enough. Not if I’m supposed to concentrate on the task at hand.

  “So why are you here? And who is she?” He jerks his head in my direction.

  “She’s an asset.”

  Oscar’s gaze lingers on me. “She’s cute.”

  My eyes narrow. “She can hear you.”

  Oscar’s lips curve. “So the little kitten has claws.”

  I flip him off.

  He chuckles. “And teeth.”

  Luke shakes his head. “You don’t know the half of it.”

  I elbow him in the side.

  “Ouch.”

  I roll my eyes. “You’re fine.”

  Oscar grins. “Not that this isn’t entertaining, but perhaps we should get down to business.”

  “We need help,” Luke begins.

  His smile disappears. “I figured.”

  “A few nights ago, a group of men followed us from the Academy in London and tried to kill us,” Luke says. Surprise flickers across Oscar’s face. “They were heavily armed and they were definitely professionals.”

  “Are you sure they weren’t from the Academy? Maybe it was a test.”

  “It wasn’t a test.” I lean forward in my seat. “I think I’m being followed. It’s subtle, but I can’t shake it.”

  “And you brought that shit here? To me?”

  “We’re not stupid,” Luke interjects. “We took precautions coming here. No one followed us. Besides, you owe me.”

  Oscar groans. “Why did I figure I would pay for that eventually?”

  “I saved your life.”

  “Yeah and you’re making me risk it again by asking me to help out here. You know better than anyone what these people are like. Do you really think they’re just going to let the two of you poke around without any repercussions?”

  “We don’t really have a choice. They brought this to us; we didn’t go looking for it.”

  “You could run.”

  “That’s not an option.”

  “Then you don’t seem to have a lot of options.”

  “We need help,” I interrupt. “We flew all the way down here because Luke thought you would help us. You owe him.”

  Oscar stares at me, his expression calculating. “I heard Luke’s side. What’s in it for you? How did you get mixed up in all of this? Why’d they start following you?”

  There’s no way I’m telling him everything.

  “I don’t know. We don’t even know if they’re after Luke or me. We don’t know who they are or what they want. But they came after us. They tried to kill us in London; we want answers.”

  Oscar’s eyes narrow. “You’re not out on your own, are you? You’re still at the Academy. You’re what, seventeen?”

  “Nineteen, actually.”

  “And they aren’t looking for you? They just let you walk away from the Academy like it was nothing?”

  “I’m her handler,” Luke interrupts. “They think we’re out on an assignment. I vouched for her.”

  Oscar whistles. “You’re sticking your neck out for her. Are you sure this is how you want to call in your favor?”

  “I’m sure,” he answers. “Are you going to help us or not?”

  Resignation flashes across Oscar’s face as he gestures toward the door. “Come on then. Let’s go back to my place.”

  Oscar throws some money on the table for the drinks and we head out, Luke behind me. The restaurant is packed now, a large line of people outside. The noise is loud, spilling out onto the street.

  It’s difficult to focus, easy to get distracted by the sights and sounds of Havana. I struggle to keep my gaze trained on the crowd, searching for anyone who could be a threat. I sense a similar tension in Luke. His body is full of energy, his gaze sweeping over our surroundings.

  We follow Oscar, walking until the neighborhoods look older, the streets deserted. Even for a city as ruined as Havana, it’s clear this is the dodgy bit of the city, the part no tourist visits.

  Luke walks next to me, his body shielding me from the street. With each step he brushes against me, his hip against my hip, his hand grazing mine. Each touch sends a little shock through my body. And yet each time, I make no move to walk away.

  Ten minutes pass in silence before Oscar stops in front of a doorway, motioning for us to follow. The stairs creak as we walk up to his room, the paint on the walls peeling around us. Oscar stops in front of a blue door, pulling out a set of keys and fitting them into a series of six keyholes.

  “It’s quiet,” I comment.

  “I have the whole building.”

  He pushes open the door, motioning for Luke and me to follow him.

  The room is small, each wall filled with computers and other equipment. It looks like a techie’s wet dream. It’s the kind of sophisticated setup you would expect to see at the Academy—not in Cuba.

  “How do you get around all of the restrictions?” I ask. I don’t know much about the country, but I’m finding it hard to believe he evaded the government’s tight Internet control.

  He grins. “I have my ways. This what you need?”

  “This is exactly what we need.” Luke pulls the flash drive out of his pocket, handing it to Oscar.

  Oscar looks like it’s going to bite him. “Do I want to know where this came from?”

  “Probably not.”

  Oscar motions for us to sit on a sagging couch pushed against a corner before settling into a chair in front of a large bank of computer screens.

  “Let’s see what we have.”

  His fingers fly over the keyboard, codes and sequences flashing on the screens in front of us. Luke seems to follow some of it; it mostly looks like gibberish to me. No doubt Grace would be in heaven right now. I pull out the burner phone from my purse. Still no messages. I send her a quick text, using our special code. I slip the phone back into my bag, turning my attention back to the screens in front of me. Minutes pass with Oscar and Luke hunched over the desk, staring at the monitor.

  “The level of encryption on this thing is insane,” Oscar complains.

  Luke walks away from the computer, coming to sit next to me on the couch. He raises his arm, propping it on the back of the couch, resting around my shoulders. The kiss hangs between us, the third person on the couch.

  It’s so unlike me to lose control like this. There’s been no one I’ve wanted to kiss since Luke left, no one who has tempted me. Luke’s been back a week and I’m practically ready to have sex with him again. It’s like my body and mind are operating at a huge disconnect. I can’t afford any distractions and Luke is about as big of a distraction as you can get.

  I want his mouth on me again. Want his hands running all over my body. Want him inside me.

 
Luke shifts against me and I sneak a peek at him. His eyes are closed, his chest rising and falling slowly with each breath. He looks so different now, so vulnerable, that layer of cockiness stripped away. It reminds me of how he was when we were younger—before we really began our training. Before they taught us to trust no one, to fight and claw our way to the top. Before we knew what we really were. Before they taught us to kill.

  “I’m in.”

  I tear my gaze away from Luke. He stirs at the sound of Oscar’s excited voice, straightening on the couch and pulling away from me. A sleepy look covers his face as he pushes back a lock of brown hair tumbling down his forehead.

  Something inside of me clenches.

  In the background, Oscar gasps. “What the hell did you guys do?”

  I turn, staring at the computer screens in front of us. A list of academies around the world stares back at me. Hundreds of them.

  Holy shit. We’re in.

  Chapter Seventeen

  “Where did you get the flash drive?”

  I hesitate, my gaze drifting to Luke. Do we really want to trust Oscar with this?

  “Where do you think?” Luke answers for both of us.

  “This is bad news, man. Do they know you have this?”

  “We don’t think so,” I interject. “Not yet, at least.”

  “But you don’t know.”

  “No,” Luke answers, his face grim. “We don’t know.”

  Oscar pushes away from the desk, his lean body rising from the chair, moving to pace around the small room. His expression is agitated, his movements erratic. I’m almost guilty for dragging him into this.

  I walk over to the computer, staring at the list in front of me. There are so many locations, so many more than I ever imagined. London is just the tip of the iceberg; nearly every major city appears to have an academy. My whole world has been turned upside down.

  It’s different for me. Luke met other assets when he was out on his own, but I never heard about them at the Academy. This is infinitely worse than anything I ever imagined.

  “Did you have any idea it was this massive?” I ask Luke under my breath.