Page 67 of No Going Back

CHAPTER TWENTY

Over the next couple of weeks, Guy became a fixture in Maddie’s life. On the few occasions he wasn’t around, she was aware of other watchful eyes upon her—friendly, protective eyes that belonged to members of Spectrum Security’s growing ranks.

The sense of being surrounded by the kind of people she’d once called comrades brought back other feelings, too. After turning her back on that world of shadow and subterfuge, she’d never expected to feel this way again. In spite of time and her best efforts to convince herself otherwise, the rush of adrenaline that came with the job she’d once excelled at was every bit as addictive as it had ever been.

With each day that passed, it became more and more difficult to convince herself that her future lay in event management. There was only so much glitter and sparkle a grown woman could take. A fortuitous conversation with Guy’s niece drove the last nail into the coffin of the life she’d once been convinced was the answer to her prayers.

“You know this means you’re part of the family now?”

At the sound of Ros’ voice, Maddie stopped sifting through the pile of advertising materials. The caterer’s brochure could wait. “Excuse me?”

“You and Guy. You being his plus one for the wedding.”

Thank God the bride-to-be was smiling about it. “Is that okay with you?”

Ros almost rolled her eyes. “Maddie, please. Ever since you started helping me out with this, I’ve been trying to work out a way to ask you to the wedding as our guest. I was thrilled when Guy told me he was seeing you. He’s been very cagey about his love life for years, so I had an idea you might be special to him. Seeing you at Aegis with him proved that, but it’s not just that—you’re good for him.”

“It’s mutual.” The admission made Maddie feel good, but she did wonder what Ros might think if she knew the whole truth, about Maddie’s past relationship with her uncle. At least Ros was aware of the kind of relationship she had with Guy, as Maddie was aware that Simon was Ros’ submissive. She didn’t have to worry about the possibility of letting something slip. And she had to admit, there was something very comforting about knowing Guy’s nearest and dearest were in the lifestyle, too. Sometimes, it was difficult to remember she wasn’t a part of this family, a job that Ros hadn’t made any easier with what she’d just said.

There was, however, another vibe she was picking up from Ros, one unconnected with the subject of the wedding. Maddie put all thoughts of the celebration out of her mind, and turned all her attention to the young woman seated opposite her. “Would you like to tell me what else is on your mind today?”

Ros’ gaze was direct, as were her next words. “I’ve always been fairly good at putting two and two together. Both of you have let slip certain things, and for two people who’ve supposedly only recently met, you’re moving pretty fast.”

“What do you want to know?”

“Whether I’m right or not. I think you and Guy knew each other long before the day we walked into your office at the hotel. If I am right—and I’m pretty sure I am—I’d be willing to bet you worked for the intelligence services, especially since he happened to mention you’re fluent in Russian. You’re one of us.”

Maddie took a deep breath. It was only a matter of time before the truth came out. “I used to be.”

“Are you happy doing this?” Ros waved a hand over the mass of wedding-related paraphernalia in front of her. With the big day mere weeks away, they were ironing out last-minute details.

Maddie’s mouth curved into a half-smile. “I used to be.”

Ros rested her forearms on the desk and leaned forward. “Does that mean we could tempt you into leaving all this behind to join Spectrum? We could use your expertise.”

“I’ve been out of the game for a long time. That expertise is well out of date. And I’m older. What you do… It’s a young person’s game.”

Ros snorted. “Age is just numbers, but if you’re trying to play that card, you’re not that much older than me. With a little effort, your expertise could be updated. Spectrum is like a family, and with the direction we’re going in, I know there’s a place in it for you.”

Family. There it was again, the word that was fast becoming her Achilles heel. A remembered sense of belonging overwhelmed Maddie, and wafted the scent of temptation under her nose. So much for her determination to leave the spy business behind.

“Only if you count a decade as ‘not much’. I don’t know—it’s a huge decision.” For her own peace of mind, she had to offer an initial resistance to the idea.

“I know. All I’m asking you to do is think about it—don’t dismiss it out of hand.”

“All right, but I can’t make any promises, and I can’t give you a decision until a certain situation is resolved. Depending on what happens, I may have to leave this area anyway.”

The news was clearly a shock to Ros. “What? But why?”

“Because it’s dangerous, and I can’t bring that mess to his door or yours.”

An aura of fierce determination about her, Ros shook her head. “Don’t you dare! It won’t come to that—whatever the problem is, we won’t let it. Tell me everything, then we can work out what to do.”

That confidence was what Maddie remembered much later when she was curled up in her bed, waiting for Guy to return from his latest clutch of meetings in London. Her mind was still going around in circles when he finally arrived.

“It’s all right, you don’t have to be quiet—I’m awake.” Maddie reached for the bedside lamp, squinting in the direction of the door, where Guy now stood wearing a serious frown.

“At this hour? It’s bloody late, Maddie mine. Don’t you have to be up early tomorrow?”