Love & Compromise (Agents in Love Book 3) Read online

  Jenessa nodded, still not opening her eyes. She couldn’t stand to see the false hope she’d put on Kole’s handsome face. In the end, Carter was a killer, and nothing would make that okay. Still, if S.A.T.O. were behind his actions, they needed to learn why. And possibly use Carter to finally catch Paul Billings and his henchmen.

  “I know you said I’m not to leave my bed tomorrow, but I really think I need to search Victor’s computer. We need to discover whatever we can before something more happens.”

  “The computer...” Kole sighed heavily and the sound of him slumping into the recliner in the corner of the room reached her. “He must have something on my brother, and it would make sense to store it on his laptop.”

  “It’s possible S.A.T.O. blackmailed Victor into blackmailing Carter,” Jenessa pointed out. “This could all be more complicated and twisted than we know right now. We need to figure it out as fast as we can. Paul’s a crafty man, and he likes to create chaos and suspicion within law enforcement. I wouldn’t be surprised if he set the entire thing up, even though your brother was the one who ended up doing the dirty work.”

  She finally peeked at him to see how he took that information.

  Kole was nodding. “Ross’s wife was drugged with what sounded like MG-37, S.A.T.O.’s signature drug.”

  “I have to wonder about the chocolates too,” she admitted. “How did the acid not eat through the candy and the box? This is something new. Your brother isn’t an inventor or a scientist. I doubt he has something like that readily available.”

  “It sounds like another one of Terrance Couch’s inventions.” Kole leaned back in his chair and stretched his legs out in front of him, folding his hands over his stomach as though he intended to sit there a while. “The poison only would have killed Victor. Why the acid? It seems like it was added purely for shock value.”

  He was right about that, which pointed more firmly in Terrance Couch’s direction. “There’s nothing Terrance likes better than scaring and surprising with his inventions. Considering what happened to my lips after only a brief contact, I’m afraid to ask what Victor looked like by the time the cops arrived.”

  Kole shuddered. “It wasn’t pretty. The acid continued eating away while we were in the bathroom rinsing you off. His finger that I noticed the residue on was badly burned. As far as the lips and mouth...”

  “I get the picture.” Jenessa gave a small shudder of her own. “Also, the poison and acid had no taste. I remember how excited Victor was about his chocolates, saying they tasted delicious and offering one to Carter.”

  “Yeah. Also, it didn’t do anything for a few seconds. Not until Carter had left the room.”

  Jenessa could only imagine Terrance made a new compound, something to use on their enemies when they wanted to do more than knock them out. That man really needed to be stopped. Paul Billings was the mastermind and horrible in his own right, but at least there were reasons for what Paul did, even if Jenessa didn’t fully understand them.

  Terrance was another story. From everything Jenessa had seen and heard from Nick, Carlie, and Shelley, Terrance’s main goal was to cause pain, fear, and harm. It drove him forward and he loved it, always working on ways to make his inventions more effective and never caring if they turned deadly.

  “Let’s get some rest tonight,” she decided. “I’ll search Victor’s computer tomorrow and hopefully find new clues as to what is going on.”

  “Thank you,” Kole murmured quietly. “I can keep hoping my brother isn’t a monster for a little bit longer.” Kole rose and went to the light switch, turning off the overhead light and leaving the room illuminated only by the lamp near the bed. “You need to reapply the medicine every two hours. I’ve set alarms to keep us on schedule.”

  To Jenessa’s disappointment, instead of joining her in the bed, Kole returned to the chair, scooching down on it and closing his eyes. She didn’t know what to think about that. Maybe he didn’t want to assume he’d be welcome to sleep next to her. All she wanted was for him to hold her and make her feel safe tonight.

  “You aren’t sleeping in that chair,” she said. “Come climb in bed. It’s more than big enough for the two of us.”

  “I...” He shook his head. “I’m sorry, Nessa. I can’t.”

  “Oh.” Maybe his preoccupation wasn’t entirely due to his brother. Kole didn’t want to continue any sort of romance between them.

  She rolled over to face the wall, trying hard not to let herself feel hurt. Whatever she’d felt in that kiss this evening was one sided. She should be happy Kole was a gentleman about it and didn’t tell her outright how much he didn’t want her.

  Blinking back tears that threatened no matter how much she told herself she was stupid to be offended, Jenessa cleared her throat and hoped her voice wouldn’t waver. “You can sleep in your own bed, Kole. I’m capable of keeping the medicine schedule.”

  “I’m fine here.” His voice was harsh, as though her telling him to leave pissed him off. “I promised to take care of you, and that’s what I’m going to do.”

  “I’m a grown ass woman.” Forget the tears, now he’d pissed her off. It was fine if he wasn’t attracted to her, but he couldn’t then play the part of concerned boyfriend—at least not when they were alone. She needed the lines clearly marked. How else could she could remind her heart this was all pretend, and he didn’t feel the way she’d hoped? She wasn’t letting herself get caught in the same situation she had with Dan—convincing herself a man cared for her just because he was a good actor. “I’ll take care of myself. Get out.”

  Kole adjusted in his chair, but he didn’t walk across the room or leave.

  No longer caring if he saw the tears in her eyes, Jenessa rolled over. She lifted her hand and pointed at the doorway. “Leave, Kole!”

  He shook his head. “I don’t want to leave you.”

  She huffed out an exasperated sigh and dropped her hand to the bed. “Look, I’m okay, alright? You don’t have to try and make me feel better. I thought after that kiss in the office you wanted to have a fling or something, but if you don’t, it’s really okay. I’ll get over it. Just don’t sit there and act all strong, protective man toward me. I’m fully capable of taking care of myself. In public, sure, knock yourself out with the devoted boyfriend crap. When we’re alone, I need you to treat me the way you really feel.”

  His eyes narrowed. “Who says I’m not being honest right now? And what do you mean about having a fling?”

  “I was stupid enough to let myself think the attraction I felt was mutual.” She gave a slight shrug with one shoulder.

  “Nessa, I never would have kissed you for real like that if I wasn’t attracted to you.”

  No. He couldn’t do that to her. Not tonight. She’d watched a man die, had a brush with mortality, and embarrassed herself by thinking Kole wanted to be with her. He couldn’t toy with her emotions.

  “But you don’t want me,” she said forcefully. “It’s okay. Please, get out of this room and leave me be.”

  “I never said I didn’t want to get in the bed,” he said, the volume of his voice rising with obvious frustration. “I said I couldn’t. But now that I know you’re looking for a fling, I guess it’s a good thing you misunderstood and told me off. I’m not a man built for a fling, Nessa. You’ll have to get that somewhere else.”

  What the hell was he saying? He had her so confused. He was attracted to her, but couldn’t be with her, but he’d like something more than a fling. What in the hell did that mean?

  Finally, she thought she’d pieced it together. “Okay, so you don’t do flings, and you’d never really be with a girl like me, so you can’t flirt anymore or get in bed and comfort me. I get it.”

  “What do you mean, I’d never be with a girl like you?”

  All the fight ran out of her when faced with his indignation. He honestly thought he was the person who should feel offended in this situation. Jenessa wished he’d make this easier and leave. “I’m
tired. Let’s forget about everything and get some sleep.”

  “So, you want to forget the kiss?” His hard gaze compelled her to answer.

  “I don’t think I can,” she admitted. “I felt desirable for the first time since Dan...” Heat crawled up her neck, and she tore her gaze from his.

  If he hadn’t thought she was a loser before, now he certainly would.

  “I’m not Dan,” he replied. “I would never use you like that. But it hurts that you wanted to use me.”

  “I didn’t want to use you, Kole!” Her hands folded into fists, matching her exasperation. “You made it perfectly clear what you think about the real me. The me who doesn’t spend hours on hair and makeup. That woman, the FBI agent, you’d never look twice at her. I thought you wanted a fling with the pretend socialite.”

  “You’re never going to forgive me for being such a jerk at first, are you?”

  “I’ve forgiven you,” she snapped.

  “But you can’t forget.” The honest regret was evident in his voice. “I’m sorry I hurt your feelings. I’m too mixed up and emotional about Carter tonight to make any decisions. That’s all I meant by not being able to join you in your bed.” He stood and crossed the room to the doorway. “Make no mistake about it, Nessa, I’m attracted to you. The real woman, not the fake one. Don’t forget to set an alarm and treat your wounds.”

  With that, he flung open the door and stormed down the hallway.

  Jenessa breathed in deeply, letting his words wash over her. He was attracted to her. He wasn’t Dan. Maybe something could happen in the future, but for now they had to figure out what to do about his brother... the killer.

  Chapter 13

  Jenessa stepped off the helicopter at Camp David, unsurprised to see the line of Navy officers awaiting their arrival. They’d probably go through the belongings of every bag before dropping them off at their rooms. It’s what she would do if tasked with protecting President Sharp and his guests.

  William and Lynnette had left D.C. the day before, and Kole’s mother awaited them at the end of the walkway.

  “I’m so glad you came,” Lynn gushed, rushing forward to wrap her son in a hug. “While it’s nice having you back in your house and nearby, this place is where my heart belongs.” She turned to Jenessa and squeezed her as well. “I’m so excited to share Camp David with you, Jen. You’re going to love it.”

  Jen returned her embrace and then smiled when the First Lady released her. “I’m sure I will. It looks beautiful.”

  “Your room is absolutely marvelous.” Lynn winked. “I should know, I designed it myself.”

  Jenessa blinked in surprise. “I had no idea you were a designer.”

  “That was my passion before politics took over our lives. My gift to Camp David has been the small, five-star cabins I had built near Aspen Lodge.” Her brown eyes, so like Kole’s, glowed with happiness. “Yours has a giant whirlpool tub, a king-size bed, a gas fire place, and basically anything you could wish for.”

  “It sounds fantastic. Thank you.” Jenessa gave a sidelong glance toward Kole. They hadn’t talked much in the last two days since their argument in her bedroom. Tensions were especially high because Jenessa had been unable to discover anything pertinent on Victor’s computer. “Where will Kole stay? Nearby, I hope.”

  Lynn laughed. “I’m not old fashioned, Jen. Besides, no one’s here to judge us or care where we sleep. Kole’s staying with you, of course.”

  Jen tried to hide her surprise, but felt the tell-tale warning of heat flooding to her cheeks. With them not on speaking terms, this weekend would be a disaster.

  Lynn chuckled again and looped her arm through Jenessa’s. “Don’t be embarrassed, sweetie. I remember what it’s like at the beginning of a relationship.” She wiggled her thin eyebrows, in a suggestive manner at odds with her proper lady look. “Right now, though, Kole with have to do without your company. After your recent brush with that horrible poison and seeing what happened to poor Victor, I decided to hire us a private spa staff. We can be pampered while learning more about each other.”

  With that proclamation, she walked toward a nearby golf cart, forcing Jenessa along through their linked arms.

  Jenessa threw a panicked look over her shoulder, hoping Kole would rescue her.

  He simply waved, flashed her a wink, and pursed his lips in an air kiss. “See you later, baby. Have a good time.”

  Absolutely no help.

  She hated lying to Lynn about the true nature of her relationship with Kole. Now, she had to spend the entire afternoon trapped with the woman, lying her ass off. Not only did she have the secret about the fake romance to keep, Jenessa also knew Carter was a killer. What if Lynn mentioned her elder son? As a proud mother, Jenessa wouldn’t be surprised if Lynn wanted to talk about her kids.

  Kole had yet to share with his father what really happened in Victor’s office the other night. Jenessa certainly couldn’t let Lynn discover how much she disliked Carter. That would bring up too many questions.

  It looked to be an uncomfortable day of pampering. Maybe she could claim fatigue from the poison exposure to escape Lynn early.

  Kole unpacked his and Jenessa’s bags into the wardrobe of their luxurious cabin, trying to keep calm and not slam drawers as he went. Nothing was going right lately! Not only had he been unable to start a conversation with Jenessa and fix things between them, he was no closer to discovering why his brother did what he did.

  A light tap on the door to the cabin alerted Kole just before the door swung inward without invitation.

  He shouldn’t have been surprised to see Carter standing there. The man never did understand boundaries, or keeping his nose out of Kole’s business.

  “What are you doing here?” he asked.

  Carter let out a soft chuckle and stepped into the room, swinging the door closed behind him. “Is that any way to greet your brother?”

  Kole folded his arms together. “What do you want?”

  Carter’s eyes narrowed slightly, the only indication that he realized Kole wasn’t in the mood to deal with him. “Are you still mad at me for dancing with Jen at Mom’s charity event? Get over it. I can’t help it if she chooses the better man and you lose out.”

  “She will never choose you.” Kole’s voice ripped out in a growl. The thought of Carter putting his hands on Jenessa’s body made Kole want to pummel him into a bloody pulp. “She’s mine. You aren’t going to change that.”

  Carter crossed the room and sat in one of the chairs at the glass circular table. “So much passion? You didn’t even try to fight for Clarissa. Do you really care about this one? You hardly know her. You’d been with Clarissa for years and tossed her aside without a second thought.”

  Little did Carter know, Kole had thought of Clarissa every single day—thought about how stupid he was to trust her, heaping all the blame on her so he wouldn’t hate his brother. Kole couldn’t stop the way he felt for Jenessa. There was no way he’d lose her to Carter.

  While he had a lot on his plate right now with the truth about his brother coming to light, but that didn’t mean Kole wasn’t also focused on finding a way to get close to Jenessa. He had to convince her that the asshole she first met wasn’t the real him. It might take time. Even if they found out Carter wasn’t guilty—something Kole secretly hoped for despite how big of an asshat his brother was—there was no way he’d let Jenessa slip away or turn to Carter. She was his, even if she didn’t know it yet.

  Kole continued to glare at Carter, deciding not to dignify his observations with an answer.

  Carter finally shrugged. “Whatever. She’s capable of making her own decisions, so I guess we’ll see. I just came over to tell you Dad asked us to meet him over at Hickory for a game of pool.”

  There was no time like the present to confront Carter. While Kole and Jenessa hadn’t discussed this method of getting answers, Kole couldn’t go the entire weekend without finding out why Carter gave Victor those chocolates. Th
ere was no information forthcoming for Victor’s computer. That made Carter the only source he had.

  “I know where you were the other night,” Kole said softly, pacing slowly across the room and taking the seat across from his brother. “I don’t know if you heard, but Jen and I were the people who found Victor.”

  Carter’s eyes widened slightly and the color drained from his face. “What are you talking about? I wasn’t at that party.”

  “Don’t bullshit me. I saw you leave the office right before we went in.” A small lie, but better than Carter knowing the entire story. If he had a good reason for what he’d done, maybe he’d come clean if Kole didn’t press with full aggression. He’d try to toe the line between firm yet understanding.

  Carter sagged in his seat and rubbed a hand across his face. “Is it true the chocolates are what killed him?”

  “As if you didn’t know.”

  “No, I really didn’t.” Carter looked back up, and the desperation in his eyes begged Kole to hear him out. “I picked those chocolates up, already sealed and ready to be eaten, at the chocolatier Victor demanded I buy them from.”

  Jenessa had mused about the fact that Carter wouldn’t have access to the sophisticated acid it took to keep the chocolates from being puddles of goo before Victor ate them. If Carter’s claim that he never touched the chocolates was true, Jenessa had been right.

  Kole drummed his fingers against the table, thinking it through. “Why would a businessman want to kill Victor? Judging from the way he ate chocolates by the pound, he had to have been a good customer to a chocolatier.”

  Carter stared at him for several long moments. Finally, he heaved a loud sigh. “Perhaps Victor blackmailed him too.”

  “Too?” Finally, they were getting somewhere.

  “Victor’s been running my life for weeks,” Carter admitted.

  Now was the moment of truth. “What did he make you do?”

  “Kill Tanya’s father.”