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

  Kole shook his head and took the menu from her grasp. “She’ll have Poulet Grand-Mère and so will I.”

  Jenessa didn’t know whether to be upset that he ordered without consulting her, or grateful she didn’t have to admit she couldn’t read French.

  “That’s perfect,” Lynn said. “We’ll order a bottle of champagne since we’re all having chicken.” She turned to William. “Do you want to try the Cristal or the Dom Perignon?”

  “Cristal will complement the chicken better,” William decided.

  “Very good, monsieur.” The waiter gathered the menus and left.

  “So, Jen,” Carter said after the waiter cleared the room. “Do you live in D.C.?”

  “No, I don’t.” She hoped it would go no further than that. They hadn’t discussed her living arrangements. She was sure telling Carter about her apartment down in Virginia was the wrong thing to do. There were so many questions she didn’t have answers for. This was definitely trial by fire. Then again, if Jenessa could fool Kole’s family, she could probably fool the board members and whoever worked for S.A.T.O.

  “Interesting.” Carter leaned forward, his eyes boring into her. “Are you planning to sponge off my baby brother like his other light ladies?”

  Jenessa dropped her gaze from Carter’s, trying to control her trembling body. She didn’t know what response to make that wouldn’t give her away. What would she say if she were one of those women, but didn’t want Carter to know?

  Kole’s warm hand squeezed hers, and he cleared his throat. “Carter, I assure you that I know how to take care of myself. Jen’s perfect for me. She’s not using me.”

  “Yeah?” Carter asked. “You said the same thing about Clarissa, right up until you found out she screwed anyone with money.”

  “Carter!” Lynnette patted Jenessa’s shoulder in a consoling manner. “That’s quite enough. We’ve just met Jen. We can’t assume she’s anything like Clarissa.” Lynette turned her clear brown eyes on Jenessa. “You’d never do that, would you dear?”

  Jenessa batted her eyelashes with what she hoped looked like innocence and then caressed Kole’s cheek. “Of course not. Who needs money? Kole and I could live in a shack out in the middle of nowhere, for all I care.”

  “You say that now,” Carter grumbled.

  Apparently, he was over protective of his baby brother. Jenessa could appreciate that, but it made her job harder. As much as possible, she’d have to avoid Carter in the future.

  Kole leaned into her, his lips brushing her cheek. “Jen would never hurt me, brother. We’re in love.”

  “Then it’s settled.” William clapped his hands once as if to close the issue. “Let’s enjoy our dinner and welcome Jen to the family.”

  Chapter 4

  Jenessa kept quiet on the way home. The silence was nearly unbearable for Kole. He had assumed she’d chatter away like she seemed to enjoy when she wasn’t angry with him, but she stared out the window, not even expressing excitement at the decorations.

  “You okay over there?” he asked.

  “Fine.”

  Great. That always meant a woman was upset. “What’s wrong?”

  “If you must know, I’m worried about your brother. He’s awfully suspicious and protective of you.” Jenessa ran a finger along the inside edge of her seat belt as though it dug into her neck. “I think your dad might be wrong in not telling him the truth. If he’s suspicious of me, won’t other people be too?”

  Kole chuckled. “Don’t worry. He’s suspicious of you in the exact way we want him to be. He sees you as a social climber, and that’s what we wanted. He’ll help plant the correct suspicions in everyone’s mind, including anyone spying on us for S.A.T.O.”

  “I thought I would blow it for a second there when he first started questioning me. You saved me.”

  True, but she’d recovered nicely. “Carter believes you’re after my money. Everything’s on track.”

  She nodded. “You know him best. I’ll trust your judgment.”

  “That’s the first sensible thing you’ve said.” He flashed a grin. “This may work out after all.”

  “Good heavens, but you are charming.” She stuck her tongue out before turning back to the window. “Are we heading to your house?”

  “Where else would we go?”

  From the corner of his eye, he saw her shake her head, the curly locks of her brown hair curving around her shoulder. “I don’t know where I’m supposed to live while I’m here. Nick didn’t say anything, and I doubt it would be smart for me to go to my apartment. I had hoped you knew the plan.”

  Nick was rushed, wanting to leave for his honeymoon. It was a good thing Kole had made most of the arrangements himself or they might not have been completed. “You’ll be living with me, of course. Everyone’s supposed to think we’re on the brink of marriage.”

  “Your mom won’t find that... improper? We just met.”

  He laughed. “With my past history, people will be surprised if I let you out of my sight to use the bathroom. Don’t worry, Nessa. Everything will be fine.”

  “You’d better call me Jen. And no one calls me Nessa. Besides, it’d be a disaster if you slipped when other people were around.”

  Kole knew she was right. “Jen just seems so plain. Now that I’ve spent time with you, I can’t think of you as plain. You’re, well, interesting.”

  “Interesting?” She sighed. “I’ll read that as weird, but it’s okay. Tell me what the overall plan is. How I am gaining access to people’s personal files and who, exactly, are we targeting?”

  He didn’t find her weird, but it would make things awkward to go back and explain now. “Tomorrow we’ll get you outfitted to be the newest, most beautiful social climber in town. I’ve got a beautician who comes highly recommended to help with your makeup and hair, and an old friend of mine, Bethany, is going to be your personal shopper.”

  “I’m getting the royal treatment, I guess. There’s an upside to having no fashion sense beyond business suits. I don’t have a ton of money though. Is Nick paying for this?”

  “Not exactly. I didn’t realize you had no sophisticated clothes, so I didn’t check with him about a budget.”

  Jenessa folded her arms together. “My clothes are plenty sophisticated. They get the job done. I’m not wasting a fortune on dresses I’ll never wear again.”

  “Calm down. I’m paying, okay?” He reached over to pat her upper arm. “I have everything under control. Just trust me.”

  “I’m not so sure I want to be indebted to you.”

  He figured she tried to be difficult just to piss him off. Kole took a few seconds to ready his argument as he turned onto his street. “You seemed to know about me and my breakup with Clarissa. I’m assuming you also know about my trust fund.”

  She inclined her head the tiniest bit when he glanced at her.

  “Then you must also know I give more money to charity each month than I’m likely to spend on your clothing.” He didn’t want to sound like he was boasting about the money he had. After all, he’d done nothing to earn it himself, which was why he gave so much away. “It’s not a big deal. You must look the part to be convincing. People will expect me to give you lavish gifts. Clothes are just a part of that.”

  “Your world is so alien to mine. When I get extra money, it goes into the bank for retirement.” Her words had a hard edge to them. “Must be nice.”

  If only money could solve real problems. Jenessa might be irritated that he had more than most, but he could at least let her know that hadn’t saved him from humiliation. It hadn’t saved him from the last five years of being alone, avoiding his family, and feeling like a failure as a man.

  “Money is just money, Nessa. Don’t ever forget that.”

  “Easy for you to say. You have more than you need.”

  Kole could tell she was gearing up for a heated argument, but as he opened the locked gate to his home’s driveway and pulled in, his heart hitched into overtime.
“We have a problem.” He punched the button to turn off the car’s headlights, wondering if he should turn around and leave.

  “Oh, Kole, calm down. I’m not going to make an issue of your wealth.”

  “No. Look.” He pointed to the house, and the light burning in the window to the library. “Someone’s in the house.”

  Jenessa shrugged. “Maybe you left the light on, or your housekeeping staff did earlier and you didn’t notice.”

  Looking across the street, Kole didn’t see any unfamiliar cars on the road. Then again, if the intruder were smart, he’d know better than that.

  “I went into the library while you worked on your makeup,” he said. “Checking lights before leaving a room is just something I do. I didn’t leave it on.”

  “Okay, if that’s what happened, what do you want to do?”

  If that’s what happened? She didn’t trust his judgment yet, but she’d learn in a hurry. He knew what he was talking about. Having done security and investigating for the last five years, some things had become habit.

  “Hand me the gun from the glove box. I’ll take care of this.”

  Jenessa fumbled to open the compartment, pulling out the gun that actually belonged to her. Kole thought for a moment she might argue about him taking it, but she handed it over without complaint.

  “Wait here. If I don’t come back in five minutes, call the police.”

  “Such a big, strong man.” Jenessa snorted. “That isn’t how this is going down. I’m not here as a pretty decoration. After all, you’ve disabused me of any idea that I might be pretty. I’m coming with you.”

  Kole put his hand on the door latch. “No, you’re not. This isn’t the time to get difficult. If someone already guessed that I’m here to investigate the accidents, there could be trouble. I know what I’m doing.” He shot her his fiercest glare. “Stay.”

  Stay? He didn’t just say that, did he? Jenessa matched Kole’s dirty look with one of her own. “Are you going to teach me fetch and roll over later, master?”

  Kole raised his eyebrows, obviously surprised she’d challenged him. “I don’t have time for this, Nessa. Just sit tight until I check things out.”

  Kole hopped out of the car, shutting the door softly, before she could reply.

  Watching him make his way carefully up the walk, Jenessa hesitated. If someone dangerous was in the house she should be helping him, not sitting in the car as though she really were the social climber she pretended to be. On the other hand, people would expect that of her, and she couldn’t break her cover by acting like the agent she was.

  Jenessa chewed on her fingernail, apprehension making her stomach hurt as Kole disappeared through the front door. No shadows had moved in the library the entire time he went toward the house, but suddenly the light in the window went dark.

  Gasping, Jenessa quietly opened her door. There was no way Kole already walked to the library and turned the light off. Someone was in the house with him. Someone who didn’t want to be found.

  Adrenaline dried out her mouth and sped her heart rate. She didn’t know what to do. Kole had taken her gun, and she wasn’t trained in karate like Nick and Shelley. She was defenseless. Why had President Sharp picked her for this job?

  Indecision tore at her. Three minutes had passed since Kole entered the house. He had two minutes to let her know he was fine before she called 9-1-1. Phone in hand, she swung her legs from the car and stood on the snowy driveway, praying Kole would pop through the front door and wave her inside, but knowing he wouldn’t.

  Suddenly, the door burst open and a man in a black ski mask ran out.

  Without her gun, there was nothing she could do to stop him as he rounded the house and raced for the back yard. He must have parked his getaway car out back.

  Jenessa waited a few breaths longer, but Kole didn’t chase after the intruder. With dread forming a cold pit in her gut, she made her way into the house.

  “Kole?” she called softly at the threshold, hoping he would answer. “Is everything okay?”

  Silence loomed over the house like a death dirge, and every instinct told her to run away. But Kole could be hurt. She might not necessarily like the man, but she had to check on him.

  Slipping out of her heels, she left them on the porch and entered the dark house. She tried to visualize the layout and remember where the end table with the expensive-looking crystal vase was so she didn’t run into it and announce her position. While it was true one man had run away, it didn’t necessarily follow that there wasn’t a second intruder.

  Padding down the foyer, Jenessa lightly ran her finger along the wall, avoiding picture frames and turning at the first doorway. Her eyes finally adjusted to the darkness and she peered into the library, not seeing any moving shadows. She backed against the wall, concentrating on slowing her rapid breathing.

  Kole must have gone to another room. She wondered why he hadn’t turned the lights on.

  As her breathing slowed, Jenessa became aware of the sound of someone else’s breaths coming from further inside the room. Perhaps she should have listened to Kole and called the cops instead of charging inside like the idiot Kole accused her of being.

  Whoever was inside the library, she’d be better able to defend herself if she could see. Decision made, Jenessa fumbled for the light switch and the room flared to life.

  Though she kept her fists balled in a defensive gesture, no one jumped her from behind the furniture. The breathing sound continued, unchanged.

  She took a step forward to see past the overstuffed couch blocking her view of the interior of the room.

  Legs?

  A gasp left her throat and Jenessa hurried across the room. Sticking out from behind the desk along the back wall were legs clad in dark black slacks. Kole.

  She hurried to his side, dismayed to see the gash on his head oozing blood sluggishly. Crouching beside him, Jenessa grabbed her gun from where it had fallen next to him. “Kole,” she said softly, shaking his leg. “Come on. Wake up.”

  Holding the pistol ready in case there was another person in the house ready to attack, Jenessa fumbled to open the zipper of her purse one handed and grab her cell phone. She should have called the cops in the first place, and now they needed an ambulance.

  Just as she pulled the phone out, Kole’s hand landed on her arm.

  “Shit. That was a bad idea to come in alone,” he said.

  She looked down, uncertain if he was talking about her or himself. “I saw a man run out of the house. I’m calling the cops and an ambulance for you.”

  He shook his head softly, eyes blinking slowly and looking dazed. “Help me up. If they had planned to kill us, we’d be done for.”

  Pulling him into a sitting position, Jenessa knelt beside him, gently probing the cut on his head. “What happened?”

  He hissed in pain and pushed her hand away. “He outsmarted me, obviously.”

  Kole certainly wasn’t the type of man who could handle being rescued by a woman. Jenessa refrained from rolling her eyes, knowing it wouldn’t help his foul mood. “Shouldn’t I call the cops? Won’t it seem odd if we don’t?”

  “What you can do,” Kole said in a quarrelsome voice, “is stand up before your tits bust out of that damn dress. Unless, of course, that’s how you plan to make me feel better.”

  Glancing down, heat inflamed her face. Busting seams was the last thing she’d been worried about, but her cleavage was getting dangerously close to popping loose. Leave it to Kole to be a dick about it. She stood, pulling the dress into place. His rudeness was better left ignored, or she might bust him in the face and give him a black eye to match the cut on his head.

  “What do you think he was after?” she asked.

  “Your guess is as good as mine. He was going through the desk, so I’m guessing he wanted to find out why I’m back in town. Some people know I’ve been working as a security consultant. That might make S.A.T.O. nervous.”

  Jenessa looked at the papers
scattered across the top of the desk. “I wonder if he found anything.”

  “Not in my stuff. The only thing here that could hurt us is your laptop.”

  She shook her head. “He had nothing in his hands, and my laptop is password protected. If he didn’t take it, there’s no way he could have found anything useful in my stuff.”

  “Unless he hacked your password and found out who you really are. I understand Paul Billings and S.A.T.O. are aware of you because of your love affair with one of their double agents.”

  Jenessa spluttered for a moment, unable to think of a suitable response. She should have guessed Kole would already know about Dan, but the scorn in his voice didn’t make her a member of the Kole Sharp fan club. “I’ll check my suitcase and see if anyone touched the computer,” she said after a few seconds, deciding that getting away from Kole was her best bet.

  Just because she had to work with him didn’t make them friends. Kole was the kind of man who’d use any information to get what he wanted. True, he had started to act halfway human at dinner, but she couldn’t be fooled into thinking he actually was.

  Besides, she didn’t want him to see her tears. Dan might have used her to get the diamonds, but he was never so cruel as to throw past mistakes in her face.

  Chapter 5

  Kole hung up with the detective after the man assured him they would post extra patrols and search for the intruder. Luckily, being a Sharp had its benefits. The cops wouldn’t bang on the door tonight. He could give his statement tomorrow.

  He looked up the staircase toward Jenessa’s room, knowing that facing the cops would be easier than apologizing. Wiping away the blood dripping into his eyebrow, Kole decided there was no time like the present. It had embarrassed him to have Jenessa find him knocked down, some thug having gotten the best of him. Still, he shouldn’t have taken it out on her. Their pretend romance had begun, and now he needed her to stay cooperative or the plan wouldn’t work. S.A.T.O. had to believe Kole was simply here to rejoin the family fold, now that he’d found himself a new woman.