Baby Battalion

The rejection seared his soul, burning away the thick protective shields he used to keep his distance from anyone who tried to get too close. He must never let Tess know that Nolan Law was, in fact, her beloved Joe. It was better for her to remember him with fondness than to face the god-awful truth.

Meeting his son was bound to open an even deeper wound. Kids weren’t hampered by manners; they pointed at him and hid their faces in their mother’s skirts. In the early days before his burns and facial reconstruction had healed, Nolan couldn’t stand being out in public. His appearance was better now. After more surgeries than he could count, he looked almost normal. But not normal enough; his face was still distorted enough to drive Tess away from him.

What the hell had he expected? That she’d take one look at him and leap into his arms? No such happy ending was possible for him.

Though he wanted to run from her and hide himself in a dark cave where he could lick his wounds, solitude wasn’t the answer. The minute Jessop mentioned Greenaway, Nolan knew the threat had returned. He had to put aside his feelings and dedicate himself to protecting her and Joey.

The main reason he’d wanted Tess to meet Omar was so that he could gauge the other man’s reaction to the mention of Joe Donovan. Nobody, except for Bart, knew that Nolan was Joe. Keeping his identity and the fact that he’d survived was vital to the safety of his wife and child.

Omar had passed the test. Though the longtime CIA operative had been trained to conceal his reactions, Nolan’s perceptions were razor sharp. He had sensed no interest from Omar in Joe Donovan.

Nolan wished he hadn’t promised to escort Tess to her next meeting. He was anxious for this misery to end, and it took every tattered shred of his self-control to behave in the cool, collected manner that befitted a marine. Remaining civil was killing him by inches. Combat would have been easier.

After they left the café and were back in the Mercedes, he tried to fill the uncomfortable silence. “Tell me about the people we’re going to see.”

“The Zamir family,” she said, “is filthy rich and socially connected at the highest level. The three daughters are always dressed head-to-toe in designer fashion, even the fourteen-year-old. The father has a diplomatic post in the Royal Saudi Embassy, but I don’t think it’s a real job. Just a title.”

Nolan trusted her instincts. He always had. “Why do you think he’s lying?”

“I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s a lie. Mr. Zamir’s connection to the embassy is a convenience while he’s handling his other business.”

Keeping his focus on the traffic around them, he stole a glance at her. Her shoulder-length black hair fell forward, obscuring his view of her lovely face. Her slender fingers laced in her lap, and he noticed that she still wore her platinum wedding band. She’d moved it from her left hand to her right, but it was still there. She hadn’t forgotten him.

He cleared his throat. “What’s Zamir’s real business?”

“I have no idea. This town is so full of intrigue that the truth is little more than a rumor.”

He didn’t like the idea of Tess being swept up in one of these intrigues. “How did you meet these clients?”

“You have a lot of questions.”

“I’m an investigator,” he said. “Did you meet the Zamirs through Bart?”

“A lot of my clients were referrals from Bart, but I met the Zamir family a long time ago when I was catering. They use high-profile event planners most of the time, but I’m the one they call for last-minute things. Like this dinner for ten in January.”

Though her explanation was plausible, he couldn’t help having suspicions. Bart’s kidnapping had opened the door to long-buried dangers. “It’s not a problem if I accompany you inside, is it?”

“Well, I don’t usually travel with a bodyguard, but I’ll introduce you as a friend. You’re not going to believe the inside of their house.”

“Why is that?” He glanced toward her again. Though she wasn’t looking at him, she was grinning.

“The Zamirs have tons of stuff. All of it glitters. Their decor is incredibly ornate—gold-leaf furniture, polished brass vases and crystal chandeliers.”

“Snazzy.”

He heard her gasp, and he knew he’d used the wrong word. Whenever she described something that was over-the-top, she called it snazzy.

“You’re right.” Her voice was breathless. “Snazzy is exactly what I would say.”

He cursed himself for being careless. An apology would only make it worse. He drove in silence. The air inside the Mercedes clouded with suppressed emotion. There was so much he wanted and needed to say. Even if he tried to explain, he didn’t know where to start.

The GPS navigator in the Mercedes had directed him into an upscale, exclusive neighborhood. “We’re getting close,” he said.

She reached over and rested her arm on his shoulder. “Would you pull over? Just for a moment.”

Her touch suffused him with a warm glow. Clearly, she had no idea of the effect she had on him. Tess had always been unaware of her own beauty.

As he parked at the curb, he steeled himself. “What is it, Tess?”

“We seem to have gotten off on the wrong foot.” When she frowned, her eyebrows crinkled. “I want to apologize.”

He knew she was trying to be polite. Though her reaction to his ugliness was natural, she didn’t want to offend. “You don’t have to say you’re sorry.”

“Let me explain, please. I’m not usually so tongue-tied and clumsy. My event-planning business is largely based on my ability to get along with people, and I’ve got to clear the air.” She stared into his sunglasses. “I know this is a cliché, but it’s not you. It’s me.”

“Okay.”

“You remind me of someone,” she said, “someone who was very dear to me. It doesn’t make sense. You don’t look like him. And your tone of voice is different. But there’s…a certain something. Being with you is bringing back a whole lot of memories that are…inappropriate.”

He couldn’t believe what she was saying. She’d recognized him. In spite of everything, she had known in her heart that he was her husband. By God, he loved this woman.

“It’s all right, Tess. I understand.”

“How could you?”

“I’ve lost someone, too.”

And he would find a way to win her back.

Chapter Five

Inside the Zamir mansion, Nolan was glad to be wearing his dark glasses. Tess’s description of the garish, snazzy decor had been accurate. She had, however, failed to mention the several mirrors and reflective surfaces. As always, Nolan avoided looking at himself. He focused instead on Tess as she approached the lady of the house and a stunning young woman who had to be her daughter. All three ladies were slim with black hair, but that was where the similarity ended. Both Zamirs were olive-skinned with dramatic makeup and strong features. Tess had a porcelain complexion with pink roses in her cheeks. Her bright blue eyes with naturally thick lashes needed very little makeup.

After Tess introduced him, they went down the hallway to a long, polished table under two sparkly chandeliers. Green chai tea that reminded him of Afghanistan was served in tiny, ornate china cups. He halfway listened as the women discussed the small dinner party that would be taking place in a few weeks.

Their meeting gave every appearance of an everyday transaction for an event planner, but Nolan sensed an undercurrent. Did the Zamirs have something to hide?

He inserted himself into the conversation. “Your home is beautiful, Mrs. Zamir. You have elegant taste.”

“Thank you.” Her full lips parted in a smile. “My daughter thinks I should scale back. She likes the plain, boring modern style.”

“Just for myself,” said the younger woman who was dressed in a snug turquoise top with silver embroidery at the plunging neckline. “Glitz suits you, Mama.”

Nolan said, “Tess mentioned that you met her when she was a caterer.”

“Her orange truffles brought us together,” Mrs. Zamir said. “My husband tasted those chocolates at a dinner he attended and asked me to try Tess. I have never been disappointed.”

Nolan’s suspicions deepened. The husband had arranged the contact with Tess. Her shift from catering to event planning was six months after Joey was born—a time that coincided with speculation that Joe Donovan might still be alive. He had to wonder if the Zamirs were using Tess because of her friendship with Bart.