Turbulent Intrigue by Melody Anne

Table of Content

• 1. Unnamed
• 2. ALSO BY MELODY ANNE The Billionaire Aviators series Turbulent Intentions Turbulent Desires Turbulent Waters
• 3. Unnamed
• 4. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, events, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Text copyright © 2017 Melody Anne All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher. Published by Montlake Romance, Seattle www.apub.com Amazon, the Amazon logo, and Montlake Romance are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc., or its affiliates. ISBN-13: 9781542046206 ISBN-10: 1542046203 Cover design by Eileen Carey Cover photography by Regina Wamba of MaeIDesign.com
• 5. I want to dedicate this book to Emmy McCormack. You have changed my life in all the best ways. You make me realize the person inside me has always been there, wanting to come out. I’m stronger, happier, and ready to say, “I can” instead of “I failed.” I love you!
• 6. CONTENTS NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR PROLOGUE CHAPTER ONE CHAPTER TWO CHAPTER THREE CHAPTER FOUR CHAPTER FIVE CHAPTER SIX CHAPTER SEVEN CHAPTER EIGHT CHAPTER NINE CHAPTER TEN CHAPTER ELEVEN CHAPTER TWELVE CHAPTER THIRTEEN CHAPTER FOURTEEN CHAPTER FIFTEEN CHAPTER SIXTEEN CHAPTER SEVENTEEN CHAPTER EIGHTEEN CHAPTER NINETEEN CHAPTER TWENTY CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE CHAPTER THIRTY CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN EPILOGUE ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ABOUT THE AUTHOR
• 7. NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR This book was so fun for me to write. I truly enjoyed both Ace and Dakota. I’ve never made a heroine quite like her, and she mimics very strong women I have so much respect for. Something that will be fun for readers is to look for all the places she gets common sayings wrong. I made sure to change them just enough to make it fun in both her internal thoughts and when she’s talking to people. The more flustered she gets, the more she will slay a common saying. Send me messages and let me know when you find them.
• 8. PROLOGUE The house was in utter disarray, with the doors hanging on their hinges, the floors scattered with blood and soot, the walls torn to pieces, priceless paintings broken, vases shattered. Nestor walked through the rubbish, his face blank, the men around him uneasily looking around as they carried weapons in their tense fingers. Slowly, the group advanced, walking through the hallways, practically hearing the cries for help. It was over. The fight was over, but the blood splatter told the story of a vicious battle. War had been waged, and someone would pay the price. They moved to the kitchen, where the walls had been blown apart, where it was impossible to tell the blood from the ash. Nestor stopped. His men were silent. Maybe it was seconds, and maybe time didn’t matter. But finally he looked up, his eyes filled with hatred, his body trembling. “Find out who is responsible for this,” he said, his voice cold. “They will pay.” Those were the last words spoken in this broken house
• 9. CHAPTER ONE ONE DAY EARLIER His adrenaline pumping, Ace Armstrong watched as the final pieces went into place in the huge house he was using as a front to draw in the heavy players in this drug cartel. There was one person he was after in particular—Anton Pavlov. He was the worst of the worst in this twisted family, having killed hundreds of people with his own hands and thousands of others through his command. But he couldn’t just go after Anton. He had to take down the entire gang. If he didn’t, there would be loose ends—there would be too many people seeking revenge. When this was over, Ace wanted it to be absolutely over. He wanted to be able to go home without putting his family in danger. When he had walked away from those he loved so many years before, at the reading of his father’s will, when the old man had listed the provisions to earning their inheritances, he’d been angry. Over time, that anger had faded, but then he’d stumbled into a man who had recruited him for the CIA.
• 10. CHAPTER TWO Dakota Forbes wasn’t a meek woman—not by any means. And when she wanted something, she had no problem going for it. Yes, sometimes she was impulsive, and yes, that could certainly get her into trouble—once in a while. But without a little danger, life was too dang boring. She smiled as she sat back at the small airport—in the cool zone, the place only those with a special badge got to be. She didn’t know why that made her feel haughty, but maybe it was because she was somewhere the average person couldn’t access. She watched small aircraft lift off into the sky and then land again. It was utterly mesmerizing. Yes, this might be another impulsive decision, but the joy in her heart, and the itchiness in her body, told her it was the right one. She stood up and moved inside the hangar, where Sherman was speaking to a young teenage boy with hair too long and eyes filled with excitement. She probably wore the exact same expression he did. “Okay, you go out and chop some of that
• 11. CHAPTER THREE Pulling from what could only be described as a deep sleep, the first thought Ace had was how he’d never thought about how loud silence could be. Tuning in, he heard the ticking of machines and the quiet breathing of people around him, and he knew for sure that silence was louder than screams. He wasn’t alone, which automatically made him tense as he tried to remember where he’d last been. He chose not to open his eyes, giving him time to assess the situation. He had to figure out exactly where he was and who was with him. His head was throbbing—his body aching in unbearable ways—but he couldn’t focus on that right now. First, he had to understand his surroundings. He had to figure out if he was safe or in danger. There always had to be an escape plan in motion. “Is he waking?” Ace tensed. He tried not to, but he knew that voice—knew it well. It was his uncle Sherman. Oddly, he felt a strange stinging sensation in his eyes. Irritation flooded him. Ace Armstrong didn’t cry—
• 12. CHAPTER FOUR Ace adjusted the ridiculous bow tie that was trying to strangle him as he looked around the crowded ballroom. Only for his brother would he be willing to slip into a monkey suit and dance for the masses. He’d been in the field for so long pretending to be someone else that he wasn’t quite sure who he was anymore. It wasn’t a feeling he liked at all. On top of all that, to be thrust into a regular life with the force of a hurricane wasn’t helping. He was on leave from the CIA, had managed to find a tiny apartment in the city of Seattle, and was finding it more difficult to reintegrate into normal society than to dodge a bullet. Why was it so much easier to live a lie than real life? He wasn’t sure. He leaned against the wall, desperately wanting to sneak out of the room and smoke a fine cigar. But he’d promised Nick he’d stay for the entire wedding and at least part of the reception. He wasn’t sure how long he’d actually last, though. “Ace, time to take a walk down the aisl
• 13. CHAPTER FIVE Dakota couldn’t help but smile as she watched the incredible view of Ace Armstrong walking away from her. She’d heard a lot of stories about the rebel brother of the family, and she had to say they hadn’t done the man justice. His old photos hadn’t done him justice, either. He’d most certainly grown from a boy to one hell of a hot man. Her heart was thundering, and she actually felt her skin tingling from nothing more than simply being in his presence. He was a dangerous man—and Dakota had a serious problem with hazardous males. He was something she didn’t want a cure for. She also had a thing with wanting to meddle in people’s lives—she could see the restlessness in the man’s otherwise confident eyes and wanted to ease his pain. He’d been away from his family for a long time, and he looked like a lost and frightened animal who’d been dragged home. That brought every meddlesome instinct alive for Dakota. If there was one thing she knew how to do, it was delve inside the ar
• 14. CHAPTER SIX Ace wasn’t a man to sweat a difficult situation, but he felt nerves skittering through him as he and the incredibly sexy Dakota Forbes stepped up to his brother’s hotel room door. He wouldn’t admit it, but his fingers shook slightly as he swept the key down the lock and saw the green light telling him it was okay to push the door open. “I think you have it from here,” Dakota told him. “Are you afraid I’m going to bite you?” he asked, sending her a challenging look. Her shoulders stiffened, and she stepped forward. He hadn’t known this woman long, but already he was learning what made her tick. She didn’t like to be considered weak, and all it took was a challenge and he had her doing exactly what he wanted. There was power in that knowledge. He liked it. The sound of the door closing behind them was louder than a gunshot at close range. Damn, Ace wanted to push this woman up against a wall and make her scream. But he had to tell himself that anticipation was part of the fun
• 15. CHAPTER SEVEN Dakota was off balance as she walked back into the room filled with hundreds of people all laughing and drinking and having a great time. They had no idea what had just taken place on the highest floor of the hotel, but Dakota felt as if it was written all over her cheeks. She was flushed and hot, and her body was feeling things she hadn’t imagined ever being able to feel. She’d barely been able to keep it together as Ace’s hands had roamed across her body, as his mouth had masterfully worked her lips. Never before had she been as turned on as she’d been with that man worshipping her body. Dakota was used to men giving her attention. She was a flirt, was confident in herself, and felt as if she had nothing to prove. But being with Ace was like being on another planet. She had never felt such an immediate and intense attraction to another person. It might be foolish of her to make the man her pet project. But she’d already made a decision, and she wasn’t one to turn away f
• 16. CHAPTER EIGHT Slow music played, and Dakota fit in Ace’s arms as if she’d been made just for him. Normally Ace avoided slow songs like they were the plague, but as Dakota melted against him, he knew it was the ultimate in healing after being analyzed like a bug on a slide since he’d returned. He could get lost in this woman—in the magic she seemed to bring with her very presence. Yes, he knew he was potentially putting her in danger, and yes, he knew he was leaving again soon and shouldn’t make these connections, but he couldn’t seem to stop himself, and he was getting really tired of the internal battle. It was just a dance, he silently muttered. He wished he could let go of the edge of danger he constantly felt, but too much had happened to him while he was away with the CIA. He understood his family wanting to know about it, wanting to understand why he’d been gone. They probably thought it had been easy on him. They were wrong. But Ace didn’t articulate that too well, so they looke
• 17. CHAPTER NINE Two days after the wedding, Ace still hadn’t thought of anything other than the beautiful brunette who’d so easily slipped beneath his defenses and caught his attention. After leaving Nick and Chloe’s wedding and saying a very disappointed good-bye to Dakota, he’d told himself his feelings had been caused by the atmosphere of the event and the amount of liquor he’d consumed. If that were truly the case, then why was he still thinking about her? Why did he want to find out exactly where she lived so he could go stand before her house with a boom box in hand, vowing his loyalty to her? Because he was an idiot, he decided. Even while sitting in Cooper’s house with his family, getting ready to go to a game, he still couldn’t focus on what was going on around him. Dakota filled his thoughts during the day, and she certainly filled his dreams with erotic visions that woke him up hard and unsatisfied. “Are you ready for some football!” Mav yelled, breaking Ace from his brooding.
• 18. CHAPTER TEN Dakota had been cheering for the Seahawks for three years, and never had she had such an intense game as the one she’d just participated in. It was even worse than the first time she’d taken the field, hoping and praying she wouldn’t fall on her ass in front of the tens of thousands of people in the stands, along with the millions of people viewing her from the comfort of their living rooms. But with Ace’s eyes on her the entire time—and she had felt his gaze burning into her—she’d had to concentrate even harder than normal on not messing up. The man was messing with her in far more ways than she felt she was messing with him. It wasn’t something she was used to, and she was more determined now than ever to get the hell over it. Stepping inside the limo, she didn’t even give herself a choice of what to do. She swiftly moved through the large seating area and plopped herself down right next to Ace. She felt his body tense beside her, and that gave her a bit of her confidence
• 19. CHAPTER ELEVEN Ace was leaning against the small four-seater Cessna 400 he’d chosen for Dakota’s flying lesson. Yeah, he knew this wasn’t a plane most students would fly for the first time, but Dakota wasn’t just any student. She could handle the sexy plane and would appreciate its composite construction and lack of lumpy rivets. He also wanted to impress her. Besides that, Sherman had assured him she was ready for a powerful plane. Ace had a clear view of the door, and he was highly anticipating the moment she walked into the room. In his life, Ace had done a lot of jobs, had been to many places. Never had he thought he’d so look forward to teaching someone how to fly. But he was more amped up about this job than any other he had ever had. The thought of the two of them being side by side for hours high up in the sky was unbelievably appealing to him. He was closing in on making her his. And his conquest couldn’t come soon enough. He feared the consequences of making Dakota his own, b
• 20. CHAPTER TWELVE Dakota paced her house as she fanned her hot cheeks. She couldn’t quit smiling. She’d had such an exciting first flying lesson, not to mention being pressed close against Ace’s side all afternoon. It had been a thrill in so many ways. This man was getting under her skin unlike any man before him, and she wasn’t in the least bit afraid anymore. It had scared her a little bit at first, but she’d gone beyond that to now being excited for her next visit with him. She could tell herself all day long that it only had to do with her wanting to help him, that her instincts had kicked in and she knew he needed the kind of therapy she was known for giving, but her connection to him went way beyond that. She was attracted to Ace in the most basic of ways. Her instincts were to follow through on that attraction. When he’d invited her to spend some private time with him, she’d been more than willing to say yes in a big, bold, exclamation-mark kind of way. But part of the fun was the
• 21. CHAPTER THIRTEEN Ace had never been one to kick himself. He didn’t believe in wrong decisions, or regrets. Everything happened for a reason. But what he couldn’t figure out as he drove away from Dakota’s place was how he couldn’t have known how innocent she truly was. He felt as if he’d taken advantage of her, and he really didn’t like the feeling. He wasn’t a man who slept with women who didn’t know the score. Sex was as natural to the body as food and water. He didn’t like going too long without it. But that’s why he was always with women who believed that as much as he did. He’d never have guessed Dakota hadn’t been with a man before. And while he felt shame at having taken her so fast and hard, he also felt an immense sense of possession over her, which was making his brow furrow. She was now his—only his! Ace wanted to push those feelings away, wanted to think of her as nothing more than a good time, but no matter how hard he tried to reset his mind, he couldn’t do it. He cared ab
• 22. CHAPTER FOURTEEN Standing in her doorway, Dakota looked at the two stoic men in suits. A sliver of fear ran down her spine, and she didn’t know why, but she did know it was better if she didn’t ignore the feeling. “Can I help you?” she asked, her voice slightly shaky, irritating her. Everything inside her told her she was in danger, though the men didn’t look particularly menacing. She forced a smile, knowing what she was feeling was utterly ridiculous. They looked more like Bible salesmen than muggers. Still, she didn’t move from her doorway, somehow trying to block their entrance, even if they weren’t attempting to push through. Her body was pulsing with a need to protect herself, but she didn’t understand why. She was in that in-between of not knowing if she should just slam her door shut and lock it or if she should find out why these strangers were at her home so late at night. They said nothing, and that was only making her more nervous. Why were they just staring at her? But jus
• 23. CHAPTER FIFTEEN Ace didn’t know what was going on with him, but he knew for sure that he was in some serious trouble where this woman was concerned. He looked over at Dakota as she snoozed restlessly in the seat beside him. He also knew he was a sick bastard for noticing the sleek curve of her thigh as her robe bunched up around her. He couldn’t shake the feeling that he’d been the one to put her in danger. Yet he was still lusting after her. The best thing he could do for her would be to put her in a safe house and stay the hell away from her. But the thought of doing that had him feeling . . . panic. That was an emotion Ace didn’t feel—didn’t allow himself to feel. What was this woman doing to him? He didn’t know, but no matter how much he wanted to fight the emotion, he couldn’t. He cared about this spitfire of a woman, and he didn’t want her out of his sight. Not only because he knew he could protect her better than anyone else could, but also because he couldn’t seem to let her go
• 24. CHAPTER SIXTEEN Never in Dakota’s life had she been so relieved to see a group of people as she was when they pulled up in front of Cooper’s front door and she saw Ace’s three brothers and their wives anxiously standing by waiting for them. The vehicle didn’t even have a chance to get put into park before they were swarmed by Ace’s family, all of them wearing looks of concern as they yanked open both the driver’s and passenger doors. “You took longer to get here than you said. We were growing concerned,” Cooper said as he leaned down and looked inside. “Is that blood?” Maverick asked, instantly doing a visual of the yard, searching for danger before his eyes focused back on Ace. “What in the hell is going on?” Nick piped in as he assisted Dakota from the car. Cooper and Maverick tried to help Ace out, but he brushed away their hands, grumbled about being perfectly capable of getting out of the car on his own, and then wobbled on his feet as he stood. Dakota rushed around the vehicle to
• 25. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN Standing in the bathroom, Dakota looked into the mirror, barely able to recognize herself. No wonder Chloe had seemed so worried about her. Dakota always smiled and was able to find joy in almost any situation. But she didn’t recognize the image staring back at her as she turned her face to analyze her appearance. She was washed out, with specks of blood on her hollowed-out cheeks. Her eyes were dull and her lips tight. She began shaking as she stood there, the shock of the night overwhelming her as she thought about the situation. Never before had she even come close to experiencing what she’d just gone through. Fear and the need to escape had been with her from the moment those men had pushed their way into her house until Ace had charged in to save her. She’d managed to catch a few minutes of rest in Ace’s car, but he’d spoken on the phone, rousing her. She now knew just how dangerous Ace’s job could be. She couldn’t believe he was trying to blame himself, though.
• 26. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN Before Dakota turned the corner into the sitting room, Ace felt her presence. She was drawing nearer to him. In his line of work, he had to be observant, but his senses were even more intensified when it came to this particular woman. He hadn’t been able to rest. Part of it was the fact that his adrenaline was still running on high, and part of it was concern for Dakota’s safety. He had almost convinced himself that those men truly had been robbers, but still . . . just in case, he wanted her in his line of sight. Of course, that made him also worry about his family, but he knew his brothers could take care of themselves, and they would die before letting anything happen to their wives or children. Dakota had him to look out for her. He realized he didn’t know much about her, though. Did she have a big family? Would they want his head on a platter because he’d almost been too late to save her? Would she rather be with anyone other than him? Ace wasn’t used to worrying
• 27. CHAPTER NINETEEN Stepping into the master bedroom, Ace found Dakota sitting in the corner, her legs crossed, her eyes intently watching him. There was confusion, desire, and so much more in her deep-green depths. He didn’t know what to think. “We shouldn’t do this tonight,” he said, surprised at his own words. “A lot has happened, and you’re exhausted.” She smiled at him as she reached for the hem of her shirt and pulled it over her head, not leaving the chair. The pain in his arm was nearly forgotten as he gazed upon her beauty. “And you’ve been shot,” she said as she unclasped her bra, her eyes never leaving his. He was practically shaking as he watched her. She smiled as she finally looked down. His eyes raked over her upper half, devouring her beautiful breasts. He kept his feet firmly planted on the ground, but it was taking all his strength to stay where he was. There was no way he could deny her or himself if this was what she truly wanted, but a part of his brain was resisting.
• 28. CHAPTER TWENTY A smile rested on Dakota’s lips as she slowly began waking up. Stretching her arms above her head, a slow ache burned through her body, and that only made her lips turn up more. She opened her eyes to the sunlight streaming through the windows. This was how she should have been able to wake up after her first time making love with Ace. Whether her choice to sleep with him was a stupid or not, it was a choice she’d consciously made. She wouldn’t allow herself or Ace to think of it as a mistake. Not when it was so damn wonderful between the two of them. The bed beside her was cold, telling her Ace had been up for a while. She wasn’t worried about it. The day before she hadn’t wanted him out of her sight, but after the night the two of them had shared, she felt as if she were still in his safe embrace—at least for now. The smells of coffee and bacon drifted into the room, and her stomach rumbled. Food had been the last thought on her mind the night before, but now that they
• 29. CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE Dakota and Ace were having a standoff, and there was no way she was backing down. He paced the floor in front of her, stopping every once in a while to send a withering gaze in her direction. Dakota leaned back against the counter and shot him a look that was most certainly calling him several names. “This isn’t acceptable,” Ace finally said, a dramatic sigh slipping from his compressed lips. “I agree. You’re being a controlling lout, and I won’t have it. And if you think you’re going to bed me into submission again, you have another think coming. I paid for flight lessons, and I’m going to have them. You either come with me or I am going there on my own. I’m sure Sherman will find me a new trainer.” Dakota didn’t want a new trainer. She wanted to be in that tiny plane with Ace, and only Ace, but she wasn’t going to sit by if he chose not to go with her. She’d let him keep her cooped up at his brother’s place for two days. She was now done. “But what if it isn’t safe
• 30. CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO Ace smiled as Dakota impatiently followed him around the plane while he took his time doing the preflight check. He made her look at everything after he did, and then check it off a list. He knew what she was feeling. She wanted to get into the air. “I know this part isn’t exciting, but doing it will save your life,” Ace assured her. “But we just did it a few days ago,” she pointed out. Ace laughed. “It has to be done every single time you fly,” he assured her. “Otherwise disaster strikes.” “You think disaster is striking all the time,” she told him. Ace understood why she thought that, but she didn’t have the same knowledge he did. She had never seen what he’d seen, and she just didn’t understand true evil. He was glad she didn’t. If she were truly aware, she wouldn’t be the same woman. He’d seen too many instances of good people having their bubble popped, and then he’d had to watch the light go out of their eyes. He missed the light—he missed being that happy. “If
• 31. CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE Sirens were blaring when Ace regained consciousness. Dakota felt tears streaming down her face as she saw the beautiful sight of his eyes opening. She ripped off her headset and reached over and tore his off too. “How long was I out?” he asked. He looked a bit dazed, but he was waking up fast. “Only a few seconds, but you scared the hell out of me,” she told him. “We have to get out of here. She could catch on fire,” he said. He ripped off his seat belt, then reached over and undid hers. Dakota’s fingers were trembling. The doors were jammed, so Ace leaned back and kicked with all his strength. It took a few tries, but he finally broke the window out. He pushed her through, and then he quickly followed her. He directed her away from the plane. They were damn lucky it hadn’t gone up. Dakota was trying desperately to be brave as fire engines and an ambulance drove quickly to find them. The whole ordeal had been terrifying. “Still want to be a pilot?” Ace asked. He wa
• 32. CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR Sunlight streamed in through the guesthouse windows at Cooper’s place. Dakota woke with a smile. She wouldn’t admit aloud how frightened she’d been the day before when she and Ace had dropped from the sky. And though she hadn’t wanted to go to the hospital, she was a little glad his family had insisted. Though it had taken hours, they’d walked out knowing they were fine. She’d been aching when, with Ace’s assistance, she’d gone to bed once again at the cottage, but the pain was endurable with Ace by her side. She was growing a little dependent on the man, and that worried her. Ace was unlike any other man she’d ever known, though, and she was enjoying her time with him even if she was scared of what that meant. Though Dakota had always enjoyed her alone time—especially since she’d never had much of it growing up—these days, she felt this invisible string tying her to Ace. She rarely wanted to be away from him for too long. After the newness and exciting adventures t
• 33. CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE Ace paced his brother’s living room as he went through every curse word he could think of. He’d just gotten off the phone with Bill again, and his boss assured him no one was coming after him. He’d yelled, he’d threatened, he’d told the man to dig deeper. His brother’s truck getting blown up couldn’t be a coincidence. His brothers were sitting there waiting for him to calm down, and it wasn’t happening yet. He didn’t even want to dull his senses with a glass of bourbon, though he was sure he could use it. What if . . . That was all he was thinking. “You know, things do just happen,” Cooper finally said. Ace turned to him with an incredulous look. “Not to me they don’t,” he said through clenched teeth. He forced himself to calm down enough so his brothers would truly hear him. “I’ve lived in this evil portion of the world for a very long time. When you let down your defenses and relax, that’s when people strike.” “I agree you’ve lived in a world that is full of distr
• 34. CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX It seemed like any other normal day. Well, it would seem like any normal day for a regular family. But the day was odd for Ace. His family wanted him to go on like nothing was happening around him, but it was impossible for him to relax and enjoy himself with his gut tied in knots. Dakota had insisted on everyone attending a charity event addressing violence against women. The other cheerleaders were all going. His sisters-in-law were thrilled to attend, leaving Ace the only one protesting. He’d been outnumbered. Ace hadn’t been in the loop with his family in a very long time, and he couldn’t say he’d attended any sort of event like this one before, but it would be much better if he wasn’t so damn worried about something bad happening. “Stop being paranoid,” Dakota whispered in his ear. “With strange things continually happening, I can’t relax,” he told her. “Everything will be okay. I’m not allowing a few unfortunate events to alter my life. No way, no how,” Dakota
• 35. CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN His phone rang, and he looked down to see Bill calling him back. He hit the green button on his wheel and waited to see what the man had to say. If he again told Ace he wasn’t in danger, Ace wouldn’t be responsible for his own actions. “Ace?” Bill said after a moment, obviously irritated Ace wasn’t speaking. “I’m here,” Ace said through clenched teeth. “You better have something for me, because I’m getting really tired of shit happening.” “You were right,” Bill said, tightness in his tone. “Someone is after you.” Ace was silent for a beat as he tried to wrap his mind around his boss’s tone. He knew someone was after him, but to have it confirmed nearly made his throat close. He was responsible for the threat against Dakota . . . and his family. “Tell me,” Ace said through his tight jaw. “We know who it is,” Bill said. Ace’s blood ran cold. “Where did you get the information?” Ace asked. “Isn’t it more important to find out who it is?” Bill asked. “Don’t mess with m
• 36. CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT Ace was flanked by Cooper and Maverick, while Nick stood in front as they entered the secure building where they were meeting with Bill. Nick had been beyond ticked all morning. It was all fun and games until your truck got blown to smithereens. Now he knew the reason why. Nestor had officially gone too far in his revenge scheme. No one else was going to get hurt. And there wouldn’t be any further property damage, either, if Ace had his way. Ace was in his zone—he was one hundred percent the agent he’d been for nearly the past decade as he moved with ease, knowing exactly who he was. Moving across the room, they came to the reception desk, where an alert woman sat. She remained emotionless as the four hulking men approached her, showing various scowls on their faces. “I’m here for a meeting with Bill Hammond,” Ace said. The woman looked down at her screen before meeting his eyes again. “Name?” she asked. Though Ace was sure she knew exactly who he was. “Ace Armstro
• 37. CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE Dakota stood in the cottage, not a muscle moving in her entire body as she listened to Ace try to explain how putting himself in danger wasn’t the most idiotic plan she’d ever heard in her entire life. She schooled her expression, not wanting him to see how upset she was, afraid if she showed it he wouldn’t finish telling her what his plans were. There wouldn’t be a way for her to stop him from acting the utter fool if she didn’t know what was going on. She’d learned that much from growing up with brothers who were bred to be idiots. She’d identified their idiocy by the time she was three. When she was sure Ace had finished his entire explanation, Dakota hugged herself, her body tense. It was either that or she feared she was going to come unglued and smack the guy in the head for being such an idiot. “No.” Just the one word slipped from her lips. Ace looked at her, clearly not understanding. “What do you mean?” he asked. He was finally tuning in to her body languag
• 38. CHAPTER THIRTY Ace was busy over the next few days, having meetings with Bill and a special team along with his brothers. The more he met with this group, the more nervous Dakota became. He had made a promise to her that he wasn’t going to put himself out there as bait without telling her. Yet she feared he was so confident in his plans, he might go through with the mission quietly and only tell her it was over when all the danger had passed. This made her watch him all the more. Still, they fell into a comfortable routine as the two of them retreated to Coop’s cottage each night. It seemed that the longer this danger went on, the more they clung to each other. Dakota knew it was only because it was a high-stress situation, but that didn’t change her feelings about Ace. She’d resisted falling in love for a very long time. She’d never found a man who stimulated her, made her feel like she was free-falling, and made her want to follow him wherever he chose to lead her. But this thing wit
• 39. CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE Ace pulled back up to the house, cursing that he’d forgotten his phone. He needed to have it on him in case Dakota wanted to call. He avoided considering what it meant that he had to stay in constant contact with the woman. He walked into the cottage and found her gone. He didn’t like that one little bit. She had to be at the house. He moved quickly up to the main place and found she wasn’t there, either. Where had she gone? “I saw her sneak out through the front driveway,” Stormy admitted when it appeared as if he was going to panic. “And you didn’t stop her?” Ace thundered. “I figured she needed a minute by herself,” Stormy said as she shifted on her feet. Ace didn’t say anything more. Instead he ran back to his car and peeled out of the driveway, his windows down as he frantically searched for her. He was sure there was nothing wrong, but he wouldn’t feel better until he saw her. He was pulling through an area where a trail started when he heard a scream. Without
• 40. CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO Ace woke up, found himself strapped to a gurney, and felt a renewed sense of panic and fury. What in the hell had happened? He turned, trying to find Dakota. “Dakota?” he called out, his voice barely a squeak. “Sir, we’re almost to the hospital. You’ve been shot and have a head injury,” the paramedic hovering over him said. Ace tried to move again, but he was held down tightly. There was a gunshot wound and a hit-and-run. They weren’t taking any chances with him. “I’m Ace Armstrong, I’m with the CIA,” he said, but by the look in the man’s eyes, the paramedic didn’t believe him. They screeched to a halt in front of the ER, and the back doors flew open. It was only seconds before Ace’s gurney was on the ground and he was being rushed inside the room. “We have an adult male in a hit-and-run accident with an injury to the head and two bullet wounds, one to the side, one in the left shoulder,” the paramedic shouted as a nurse began taking his vitals. “I don’t have time fo
• 41. CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE Dakota’s head was pounding as consciousness slowly returned to her. She couldn’t open her eyes, the throbbing was so great, and when she tried to lift her arm to massage her head, she was unable to raise it, which sent a jolt of panic through her. Struggling, she finally wrenched her eyes open as she tried to figure out what was going on and where she was. The room was dark. She closed her eyes again and forced herself to calm down. She concentrated on what she remembered last. Forcing her breathing to calm, she remembered rushing Ace to the hospital. Then they’d been hit by another vehicle. He’d flown forward. She would never forget the sound his head had made as it came into contact with the windshield of his SUV. She had to fight back tears as she lay tied to the bed. She didn’t know if Ace was alive or dead. One second she’d been panicking as she’d tried to help him; the next, someone had grabbed her, punched her in the head, and the world had gone black. Now s
• 42. CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR Ace came around the corner, ignoring the pain throbbing through his body. He found Maverick, Cooper, and the other men who were there to save Dakota. He stood back as they spoke. He wasn’t going to interrupt them if they could do the job, but he had to be close, had to help if he could. “I can’t tell how many men are in there,” Maverick said. “I don’t like going in against all these odds.” “We don’t have a choice,” Cooper responded. “I know,” Maverick agreed. “I would be a lot happier, though, if we knew exactly where she was,” one of the men said. “We’ll find her,” Mav said, his voice sure. That made Ace feel a hell of a lot better. Ace glanced around the neighborhood at abandoned businesses and crappy homes. These men were either arrogant or they had a lot more traps than what was obvious to the naked eye. Ace didn’t believe in luck. He waited to make sure his family was being cautious. “Okay, we’re wasting time,” Cooper said. “Mav and I will take the front of the
• 43. CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE Ace didn’t leave Dakota’s side as she lay in a hospital bed, monitors hooked up to her, her heartbeat steady. The bullet had missed her heart, and they’d gotten it out without complication, but it had been way too close for comfort. She was so pale and small lying there. She shouldn’t be in a hospital room, shouldn’t be in this situation at all. It was all on him. If he hadn’t ever gotten involved with her, she’d be living her life, stress-free, happy. He truly was no good for her. But even knowing this, he couldn’t walk away—not now. A shudder racked his body as he thought about how close he’d come to losing her forever. If the bullet had penetrated even an inch to the left, she would be gone. One small inch and he never would have seen her smile again. It was something he couldn’t even begin to imagine. His brothers and sisters-in-law hadn’t left his side in the waiting area those first twelve hours when she’d been in surgery. He’d practically torn off heads as he
• 44. CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX Ace felt confident as he went to the location Nestor had agreed to meet him. Of course, it was a trap. Ace wasn’t a fool. But Nestor’s ego was going to be what took him down. Yes, the man would have his goons there, but he wasn’t prepared for Ace’s backup, either. He wouldn’t be so foolish as to assume Ace would come alone, but he knew Ace had injuries, and he was counting on that to make him weak. The man didn’t know who he was. Rage was all he needed to wipe this man out. There was no way Ace was going to leave any more stones unturned. Not only had this idiot been foolish enough to come after Ace, but he’d attacked Dakota. Ace wasn’t going to allow that to happen again—not ever. This ended today—one way or another. His body was weak, and Ace didn’t try to hide that fact. The worse off Nestor thought he was, the more victorious the creep would feel. His overconfidence would be his undoing. All along Ace had planned on being the bait. He had done it before, and this
• 45. CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN Ace was having déjà vu when he awoke to the sound of hospital monitors and the smell of antiseptic. This time, though, he wasn’t worried about his safety. This time he knew his family would be there, and Dakota couldn’t be far away. He didn’t hesitate to open his eyes. His head was pounding, but he blinked away the blurriness of his vision as he tried to focus on who was in the room with him. He was pleased when he saw his uncle Sherman, his mother, and his brothers. He wasn’t happy when he didn’t find who he truly wanted to be there. “Where’s Dakota?” he asked. “We’re happy to see you too,” Sherman said with a half smile. “Where is she?” he repeated. “She’s in the room next to you, just as grumpy as you are,” Cooper told him. “Take me to her,” he demanded. “You have been shot multiple times, stabbed, and you have lost a lot of blood. You shouldn’t be going anywhere,” Nick said. “You can either help me or I’m ripping out lines again,” he threatened. Cooper sighed a
• 46. EPILOGUE Looking into the mirror, Dakota couldn’t quit grinning, though her cheeks now hurt from doing it all day long. Today was the day. Today she had married the man she couldn’t live without. He was not only her hero and protector; he had saved her as much as she had saved him. He’d wanted to marry her that day at the hospital, but not only had she insisted on having her fairy-tale wedding, but her mother would have beaten Ace alive if he’d deprived her of an extravagant wedding celebration. Dakota was her only daughter, and Juliana had dreamed of this day for her daughter’s entire life. And so far, it was more perfect than Dakota could have ever imagined. Her brothers had put Ace through hell for risking her life, but with time, they’d seen how much Ace loved her and how much she loved him, so they’d loosened up—a little. The wedding had been planned in three months. Ace had been a mess the entire time. She didn’t know why. They hadn’t spent a single night apart until last night,
• 47. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This is always the hardest part for me to write, because there are hundreds of people who help me, influence me, and make it possible for me to succeed. I can’t do this alone, and I never would want to. Being an author is a privilege that I will never take for granted. There are still days I don’t want to blink for fear that it will all have been nothing more than a dream. Then I wake up, come to my computer, and realize it’s real, that I’m living this dream of a life. First off, thank you so much to my fans. Thank you for believing in me and my stories, for sharing my love of writing, for sharing your experiences with me, and for always being there. I love to talk with you, meet you, and share our lives together. I am nothing without you, and that is something I will never forget. Thank you to my amazing editors. Again, this process can’t be done alone. I don’t want to write the same story over and over again. I don’t want to repeat myself, or get lazy in my writing. I
• 48. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Photo © 2014 Edward Hart Melody Anne is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who has written a number of popular series, including Billionaire Bachelors, Surrender, and Baby for the Billionaire. Along with romance and young adult novels, Melody has also recently collaborated with fellow authors J.S. Scott and Ruth Cardello for Taken by a Trillionaire. Turbulent Intrigue is the fourth book in Melody’s Billionaire Aviators series. A country girl at heart, Melody loves the small town and strong community she lives in. When she’s not writing, she enjoys spending time with her family, friends, and beloved pets. Most of all, she loves being able to do what makes her happiest . . . living in a fantasy world (for at least 95 percent of the time).