They're living a lie…

…But the passion is real.

Undercover FBI agent Fiona Evans is determined to bring down a deadly cult. But the cult leader's estranged son, Jake Anderson, warns her she's in danger. Jake can't believe he's attracted to someone who could fall for his mother's scam - until he begins to suspect that Fiona's not what she seems...

KAREN WHIDDON started weaving fanciful tales for her younger brothers at the age of eleven. Amid the gorgeous Catskill Mountains, then the majestic Rocky Mountains, she fuelled her imagination with the natural beauty surrounding her. Karen now lives in north Texas, writes full-time and volunteers for a boxer dog rescue. She shares her life with her hero of a husband and four to five dogs, depending on if she is fostering. You can email Karen at kwhiddon1@aol.com. Fans can also check out her website, karenwhiddon.com

Also by Karen Whiddon

The CEO’s Secret Baby

The Cop’s Missing Child

The Millionaire Cowboy’s Secret

Texas Secrets, Lovers’ Lies

The Rancher’s Return

The Texan’s Return

Wyoming Undercover

The Texas Soldier’s Son

Texas Ranch Justice

Colton’s Christmas Cop

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk

Colton’s Last Stand

Karen Whiddon

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-0-008-90536-1

COLTON’S LAST STAND

© 2020 Harlequin Books S.A.

Published in Great Britain 2020

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

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Once again, this book is for my husband, Lonnie.

He eagerly awaits each book release and

reads every single one. I'm so happy to have

him in my corner always.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

Note to Readers

Dedication

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

About the Publisher

Chapter 1

For the first time in her life, undercover FBI agent Fiona Evans truly understood how someone became indoctrinated into a cult. Ever since arriving at the Affirmative Alliance Group center, she’d been bombarded by a relentless onslaught of information, all presented in such a smiling, feel-good, we-only-want-the-best-for-you way that she felt guilty asking for a break. There were seminars and classes, films and audio recordings that were piped into her room at night under the guise of helping her learn while she slept. The other members, so earnestly pleasant and cheerful, were supportive, telling her over and over again that they - and AAG’s founder, Micheline Anderson - only wanted to help her become the best person she could possibly be.

Luckily, Fiona considered herself strong and capable, well trained and not the slightest bit susceptible to either criticism or brainwashing. If she weren’t, even she might have bought in to the relentless indoctrination of nonsense by AAG.

Teeth aching from all the saccharine, Fiona smiled and nodded and pretended until she thought she would scream, which she did sometimes inside her head while smiling back at them.

Even Micheline, a woman Fiona thought of privately as the cult’s supreme ruler, went out of her way to show an interest in her group’s newest arrival, sending a personal note of welcome along with fresh flowers. “An honor,” whispered Leigh Dennings, one of Micheline’s protégées. “So rare. True proof of how special you are.”

With difficulty, Fiona kept from snorting at that.

Gullible she wasn’t, though she definitely wanted Leigh and the others to believe she was. In fact, she’d taken great care to make sure she appeared to be exactly the kind of vulnerable person they sought out as recruits.

They’d found her, destitute and alone, on the streets of Mustang Valley, asking where she might find a shelter to get a free meal.

Instead, one of the AAG members had found her and taken her to its lovely and welcoming center, ten miles from downtown Mustang Valley. It had a long, tree-lined dirt drive leading in from the main road, an always open, hunter-green gate, and big potted plants in front. Fiona had stared at the woodsy, yet fancy log cabin exterior, large triangular roof over two sprawling stories, before being led into the large, open lobby. She’d been served complimentary beverages and a light lunch and told someone would be out to speak with her soon.

Affirmative Alliance Group had been founded forty years ago by Micheline Anderson, formerly known as Luella Smith. Ever since the FBI had been given an anonymous tip hinting Micheline’s involvement in numerous crimes, including money laundering, they’d researched her. A gifted nurse, Micheline promoted herself as a healer and self-help guru. These days, her followers numbered in the hundreds of thousands, most of those via the internet. Locally, members were only in the hundreds, most of those living in their own homes.

Only about twenty people lived in the AAG center full-time, mostly Micheline and her inner circle as well as new recruits who were in the process of being converted.

Like me, Fiona thought grimly. She’d bear it - she had to. As long as she kept her eyes on the big picture, the reason she’d come here, she would survive.

Trying to grab some alone time, Fiona hurried from the crowded room where she’d just attended yet another seminar on becoming your best you - or some variation thereof - and rushed toward the ladies’ room. She’d learned early on that around here, the only place they’d leave you alone was either in the shower or the toilet.

Just as she reached the door, someone grabbed her arm.

“I’ve been looking for you!” Leigh gushed. “You’re not going to believe who asked about you.”

With difficulty, Fiona kept from rolling her eyes.

“Micheline?” she guessed.

Clearly astonished, Leigh giggled. “Wow, you are amazing. Smart as well as lovely. Come with me. Micheline asked me to bring you around to talk with her.”

Though Fiona actually considered refusing, she reminded herself of her task and nodded. For such a petite and delicate person, Leigh kept an awfully firm grip on Fiona’s arm as she steered her down a long hallway, through some double doors marked Private and into a part of the center where Fiona had never been.

Here, plush carpet softened their footsteps to a hush.

Elegant mahogany tables displayed expensive-looking vases and statues, matched with clearly valuable artwork hung under muted lighting. Fiona felt as if she’d left the Old West and stepped into the corporate offices of some über-rich CEO.

Giving herself a mental shake, she made a show of gaping around her at everything all at once. Seeing, Leigh laughed, the sound like bells tinkling. “It’s something else, isn’t it? I remember the first time I saw it. I was overwhelmed, too.”

They stopped in front of an intricately carved mahogany double door. Spine straight, like a soldier standing at attention, Leigh knocked three times, the staccato sound sharp.

“Come in.” A warm voice, inviting confidences. Micheline Anderson. Finally. Playing the role of everyone’s friend. Fiona’s gut tightened. Funny, in this place, her gut was the only thing she trusted.

Stepping inside, Fiona eyed Leigh, half expecting her to bow. Instead, Leigh murmured something that sounded like, “Here you are,” and turned to leave.

“Wait.” With a benevolent smile, the leader of the AAG waved Leigh to a chair. “You may have a seat also, Fiona,” she offered, making it sound as if Fiona actually had a choice.

“We are to have a special visitor this afternoon.”

Bright blue eyes sparkling, Micheline pushed back a strand of her well-coiffed blond hair. “My son, Jake.

I haven’t seen him for twenty-three years. I would appreciate if both of you helped in making sure he feels welcome.”

Immediately, Leigh nodded. “Will do,” she chirped.

“If you could provide me with some sort of list of his likes and dislikes, I’ll have staff get to work immediately.”

Micheline’s broad smile faltered. Just a tad before she had it firmly back in place. “Honestly, I have no idea. The last time I saw him, he was only seventeen.”

Fiona looked from one woman to another. “I’m sorry, but I have no idea why you wanted to talk to me.”

Leigh snapped her head around to eye Fiona, her perfect brow creased in a frown. But then, so quickly Fiona wasn’t sure if she might have imagined it, Leigh smoothed her expression in a return to the ever-pleasant, eager-to-please beauty queen she was. “Patience, Fiona,” she said, folding her hands neatly in her lap.

Micheline watched them interact with the same compassion that had endeared her to her followers. A slight smile curved her red-painted lips as she waited. “You’re new here,” she told Fiona. “Tell me, what do you think of the AAG?”

Heart skipping a beat, for a split second, Fiona found herself at a loss for words. She recovered quickly, remembering all the hours of intensive research she’d put in. “It’s a bit overwhelming at times,” she volunteered softly. “I can see so much happiness, so much good.

I’m just not sure I could ever be worthy of belonging.”

There. Textbook. No doubt exactly the sort of thing Micheline had hoped she would say.

“Of course you’re worthy,” Micheline purred. “I see great potential in you. Which is why I’m going to assign you to my son. Show him around, keep him company while I’m in meetings, and make sure he has a good time.”

“She’s giving you a great honor,” Leigh prodded when Fiona remained silent.

Not sure how she felt about this, Fiona pasted a smile on her face and nodded. Best to play along. “Thank you, ma’am,” she stammered, hoping she appeared dazed enough. Her role was to play a grateful and zealous convert while obtaining concrete proof of even one of the crimes Micheline was suspected of being involved in.

She already had substantive leads on Micheline’s varied schemes, including running a fake marriage counseling center outside town, and scamming people out of money with phony self-help seminars.

Apparently, she did. Micheline leaned back in her chair, her expression satisfied. “You and Leigh will meet him when he gets here. He’s driving down from northern Arizona, and I expect him sometime between two and three.” With that said, she picked up a stack of papers from her desk and began reading through them, a clear dismissal.

“Come on.” Leigh took Fiona’s arm. “Let’s go up to your room and see if we can find you something suitable to wear.”

Allowing herself to be led away, Fiona glanced down at her fashionably torn jeans. “What’s wrong with what I have on?” she asked.

Leigh only shook her head.

Once they reached Fiona’s room on the second floor, Leigh followed her inside. “Micheline has great plans for you,” she announced the moment the door closed.

Every instinct on alert, Fiona turned. “Really? What kind of plans?”

“She’s grooming you to become a welcome coordinator like me, to help find people just like yourself who need help and could use the AAG’s warm and welcoming family.”

“Wow.” Pretending to be awestruck, Fiona waited to hear the catch. One thing she’d picked up early on here was that AAG did nothing out of the simple goodness of its hearts. It was all about getting money out of its followers.

“Wow is right,” Leigh gushed. “She wants you to focus on Mustang Valley College. Mainly on one particularly lonely, wealthy freshman named Theodore Royce the Third, whose money hasn’t brought him happiness.”

“But AAG will,” Fiona finished, her tone bright, even though her stomach churned.

“Of course. He’s already sought us out, attended a few seminars and talking to one of our counselors. You will take over for her.” Leigh had begun riffling through Fiona’s closet. “You don’t have many dresses.”

Fiona crossed her arms. “I’m not really a dress-up kind of person.”

“Why not? You’re so pretty and you have an amazing body,” Leigh gushed. “Why not use that to your best advantage and show it off to prospective members?

How do you think I became Miss Mustang Valley?”

Weighing her options, Fiona decided to play along.

“Such an amazing accomplishment.”

“It is, isn’t it?” Leigh wrinkled her nose. “Now I’m going to help you. We’re going to do a makeover.”

“When?”

“Right now, silly.” Patting the desk chair, Leigh picked up Fiona’s admittedly small makeup bag and looked through it. “This won’t do at all,” Leigh muttered. “I’ll be right back.”

And she dashed off, leaving Fiona staring after her.

A moment later, Leigh returned, carrying a much larger makeup case. “I want you to pay close attention to what I do,” Leigh instructed her. “So that you can replicate the look on your own. I’ll let you borrow some of my makeup even, since I have tons more.”

As Leigh began rummaging through her stuff, Fiona put her hand on the other woman’s arm to stop her.

“What’s the point?” she asked, honestly bewildered.

“Why are you having me change the way I look?”

Batting her long - surely false - eyelashes, Leigh sighed. “To help you attract Jake, Micheline’s son. No offense, but Micheline feels you might need just a little help in that department. And I agree with her.”

“Attract Micheline’s son?” Fiona felt as if they’d entered an alternate universe. “Why would I want to do that?”

“Because he’s quite the catch, I hear.” Leigh leaned closer, meeting Fiona’s gaze directly. “And Micheline has given her blessing.”

Ewww. Creepy. Wisely, Fiona kept these thoughts to herself. Everything Micheline Anderson did had a reason. So what hidden motive might be behind her using Fiona as bait for her son?

“You’re a beautiful woman, Fiona,” Leigh continued, not noticing. “But honestly, you present yourself as stern and serious and strong. Men don’t like that sort of thing, you know.”

Resisting the urge to gape at the other woman, Fiona widened her eyes instead. “I’m proud of being strong,”

she said quietly. “And any man who doesn’t like that doesn’t need to be hanging around me.”

Her comment had Leigh giggling. “You’re so funny.”

Even though Fiona hadn’t been joking. “Now sit still and let me show you how to enhance what the universe gave you.”

Fiona sighed. Why not? If this was the worst thing that happened to her while here, then she’d take it.

Though she already knew how to apply makeup, it’d be interesting to get Leigh’s take.

She sat unmoving while Leigh, humming tunelessly under her breath, applied foundation, blush and powder before moving on to her eyebrows. Fiona didn’t balk until Leigh came after her with a pair of spidery-looking false eyelashes.

“Please.” Fiona held up her hand to ward her off.

“How about we just use mascara?”

“They’re magnetic,” Leigh explained, as if that made all the difference in the world. “I just put a little bit of special eyeliner on you and they’d attach right to it.”

“No, thank you.” Keeping her tone polite, Fiona shook her head. “I have some great mascara that I’d prefer to use instead.”

Leigh heaved a disappointed sigh, but she put the lashes back in a box. “Fine. You won’t look as dramatic, though.”

Fiona nodded. “I understand.” She did suffer through letting Leigh apply three painstaking coats of mascara.

“There you are,” Leigh finally cooed. “Look at yourself and see how stunning you are.”

Half curious, half dreading it, Fiona strolled into the bathroom to take a peek in the mirror. As soon as she caught sight of herself, she froze. Leigh was good, she had to admit. She’d used the makeup to highlight Fiona’s cheekbones and make her eyes appear huge.

Even her lips, painted a reddish-purple color, appeared plumper, more sensual.

In short, she didn’t look like herself at all. In fact, Fiona thought, if anyone at the Bureau were to see her like this, she’d get laughed out of the building. But thank-fully, she wasn’t in the office - she was undercover.

No one would see, she reminded herself, willing her heart rate to slow. Since here she’d been playing a role, she might as well embrace a new look along with it.

“Well?” Leigh demanded, poking her head in the door. “What do you think?”

“I love it!” Fiona enthused. “I don’t even recognize my face. You’re amazing.”

Leigh smiled at the compliment. “See, I told you with a little work you’d be gorgeous. Now all you have to do is get Jake Anderson to look at you and he’s a goner.”

“I see.” Though Fiona didn’t. “I’m still not sure-”

“Failure is not an option,” Leigh cut her off, her normally breezy tone turning emphatic. “I need you to get super close to him, as close as possible.” Unexpectedly, she pulled Fiona in for a hug. “And then since we’re BFFs now, you can tell me everything about it.”

Fiona hugged her back, pretending to be hugely grateful for the other woman’s friendship. Her cover had just gotten even more perfect. “Of course I will. You don’t know how long it’s been since I had a real friend.”

Leigh’s bright blue eyes got a little misty at that.

Either she was a master actress, or her emotions were easily swayed. “I’ll always be here for you, girlfriend,”

she declared. “Now let’s go downstairs and wait for Micheline’s son to arrive.”

Battling a strange mixture of anger, hope and frustration, Jake Anderson finally turned onto the long driveway leading to the AAG center. He hadn’t seen his mother in over two decades, and really hadn’t cared to. Now, at forty years old, part of him couldn’t help but wonder if his seventeen-year-old self’s perception of her might have been slightly tainted by his youth.

Nah, he didn’t think so. Micheline Anderson might be beloved by her thousands of followers, but inside she was a monster to the core.

And, if she was to be believed, now dying of some rare form of fatal cancer. Somehow, she’d tracked him down and called him, tearfully begging him to come see her so they could reconcile before she left this earth.

What kind of a man would he be to deny the woman who’d given birth to him his presence in the last moments of her life?

The sad thing was, he didn’t believe her. From his earliest recollection, his mother had done nothing but lie.

When he’d escaped her clutches right after graduating high school early, he hadn’t bothered to change his name, since Jake Anderson seemed so common. He’d worked hard, managed to erase the scars of his past and built a life for himself. After putting in several years as a ranch foreman, he was now the proud owner of a small but growing property of his own, a couple hours north of Mustang Valley.

He didn’t know what Micheline had planned, but he knew for certain he wanted no part of it. He’d go visit her, stay a couple days and get out. Hopefully untouched and unscarred.

Pulling up to the building, he parked and got out of his truck. Though he’d seen photographs of the place in a few newspapers, he allowed himself to admire its clean, woodsy lines. Welcoming and neat, the renovated ranch house seemed the perfect place to allow Micheline to ply her trade.

None of his business, he reminded himself. Still, every fiber of his being clenched in dread as he forced himself to walk through the front door.

Blinking at the change in light, he suddenly came face-to-face with the most beautiful woman he’d ever met. Wide, dark eyes met his, and a graceful hand came up to push back silky black hair away from her face.

He couldn’t help but let his gaze roam, from her slender shoulders to her full bust and narrow waist.

“Excuse me,” she said, her voice throaty and sexy as hell. “Can I help you?”

“Yes.” He managed to rapidly collect his wayward thoughts. “Sorry. I’m Jake Anderson. I’m here to see Micheline.” Damned if he could bring himself to call her his mother.

She blinked and extended her hand. “Oh. Welcome.

I’m Fiona Smith.” She used her fake name rather than real since AAG had tech experts. “I was asked to show you around until Micheline’s schedule clears enough so she can see you.”

Figured. He suppressed a flash of resentment. Micheline couldn’t even bother to make sure her afternoon was open enough to see her own son.

For a moment, he seriously considered turning around, getting back into his truck and heading home.

But then Fiona took his arm and leaned close, bringing a tantalizing feminine scent with her. “Please,” she whispered, distress shining in her eyes. “I’m new here.

Showing you around is the first task I’ve ever been given. I don’t want to fail at it.”

What could he do but go with her? Still, she might be attractive, but what kind of person could she be if she belonged to his mother’s cult?

She led him down a long hall into a large room dominated by a huge stone fireplace. A fire blazed cheerfully, despite the relative warmth of the Arizona day.

People were seated on various couches or at tables, some reading, a few talking, and he even saw one or two playing a board game or doing a puzzle. Almost, he thought, as if he stood in the lobby of some fancy hotel.

He eyed them as he passed, trying for casual but wondering if he’d be able to see something on their faces or in their eyes that might reveal what had made them ripe for Micheline’s indoctrination. When Jake had been younger, she’d talked about someday starting her own church. In fact, she’d managed to create her own group of followers.

He wanted no part of it.

Fiona continued on, her hips swaying as she led him to a door on the far side of the huge room. Just as they reached it, an overly made-up young blonde woman rushed over.

“Hello there,” she murmured, looking him up and down, her predatory manner reminding him so much of the way his mother used to act that he nearly took a step back. “I’m Leigh Dennings, a welcome coordinator here at the AAG. And the reigning Miss Mustang Valley,” she chirped.

Not sure how to respond to that, he settled on “Congratulations.”

“Thank you.” She smiled sweetly at him before turning her attention to Fiona. “If you need anything, anything at all, just ask someone at the reception desk to call me and I’ll be right there.”

Fiona nodded. “Will do.” She checked her watch.

“Do you have any idea what time Micheline will be available?”

Good question. Eyeing Fiona, Jake waited to hear her answer.

Leigh shrugged. “I know she’s booked solid all afternoon. I’m sure she’ll be out here as soon as she can.”

“You know what?” Jake decided he’d had enough.

“Take me to her. Right now.”

“I… I don’t think she’d appreciate me doing that,”

Leigh stammered, eyeing him as if he’d suddenly sprouted a pair of horns and a tail. Fiona, on the other hand, looked at him with what he’d swear was approval.

In fact, she appeared to be struggling not to laugh.

“I don’t care,” he told Leigh. “Not only is she the one who called and asked to see me, but it’s been years. If today is not a good day, then I’ll be heading home and you can tell her if she really wants to see me, she’s welcome to make the drive to my place.” Which he knew she’d never do in a million years. Micheline preferred to remain in her place of power.

Still staring, Leigh finally nodded. “Give me five minutes,” she said and then rushed off.

Both he and Fiona watched her go.

“I take it your relationship with your mom is strained,” Fiona drawled. She sounded completely different than the nervous, uncertain acolyte she’d resembled a few minutes ago. Was it because Leigh was gone?

“Strained doesn’t even begin to describe it,” he replied, flashing her a sideways grin.

Her dark eyes widened, and then she grinned right back at him. “I like you.” She jerked her thumb over her shoulder. “Here comes Micheline. Give ’em hell, cowboy.”

Stunned, he barely managed to collect himself in time to turn and watch as his mother barreled toward him, her high heels clicking on the wood floor.

“My boy,” Micheline boomed, causing more than a few heads to turn. She held out her arms, clearly expecting him to rush into them.

Since he didn’t want to cause a scene, though he stayed in place, he allowed her to hug him, hoping the grimace on his face looked more like a smile than it felt.

“Let me look at you.” Pulling back, Micheline made a show of pretending to take in every detail of his appearance. “Wow, son. Forty sure looks good on you.”

The slight edge in her voice told him how little she liked the idea of having a child so old.

Already bored, Jake thanked her. “Is there somewhere private we can go and talk?” he asked.

To his disbelief, she actually checked her watch, a flashy designer thing that cost more than several head of cattle. “I don’t live too far from here,” she mused, considering. “But I’ve got a magazine crew arriving in thirty minutes to do a photoshoot and feature on me for Mindful Living magazine.” She shook her head, sending her artfully styled blond hair swinging around her perfectly made-up face. “I know.” She brightened. “We can chat in my office.”

Chat. He’d driven all this way so she could squeeze out thirty minutes to chat with him.

“Follow me.” Without waiting to see if he would, Micheline spun around and marched off in the direction from which she’d come. Leigh trailed along after her.

Fiona put her hand on his arm, as if she understood exactly what he was thinking. “I don’t know what’s going on here,” she said. “But maybe it wouldn’t hurt to give her a shot.”

Jaw clenched, he nodded.

When they reached Micheline’s office, the double mahogany doors were wide-open. Jake stared as he realized several other people were already there. In addition to his mother, Leigh and Fiona, a big blond guy with a crew cut and a physique that screamed bodyguard stood with his arms folded.

Moving with all the grace of a queen, Micheline sailed around to the other side of her massive desk and settled herself in her luxurious leather chair. “Have a seat, Jake,” she said. “And then we’ll talk.”

Instead, Jake took his time looking around the room, taking care to make eye contact with every single one of them. “Could we have some privacy?” he asked the room at large.

Fiona actually took a step toward the door before apparently realizing no one else had moved. They all looked to Micheline, clearly waiting for her approval.

An expression of shock crossed her face. But then she slowly nodded. “Everyone out.”

“Even me?” the muscular guy asked.

“Yes, Bart,” Micheline said, smiling. “You can stand guard outside my door.” She looked at Jake, one perfectly shaped brow raised. “He’s my bodyguard.”

“I figured.”

As soon as the door closed, Micheline came around the desk and took Jake’s arm. He didn’t jerk away, but he felt himself tense up even though he knew better than to show any weakness around her. He let her lead him over to a small, overstuffed couch in a little sitting area to one side of her office.

“Sit.” She patted the space next to her. “When I’m gone, all of this will be yours.”

He didn’t bother to hide his distaste. “I don’t want it.

Any of it. Micheline-” damned if he’d call her Mom or Mother “-you said you were dying.”

“Yes.” She looked down, hands twisting in her lap.

“Stage-three bone cancer. I’m not sure how much time I have left.”

“Tell me about your treatment,” he asked. “I assume you’re doing chemo and some sort of radiation?”

Grimacing with distaste, she waved her hand. “I don’t want to talk about any of that right now. We’ll have plenty of time for that later. How long are you staying?”

He didn’t have the heart to tell her he had planned on heading home in the morning. The less time he spent under her roof, the better. The things he’d witnessed her do to others when he’d been a boy still made him shudder. He’d seen her order beatings when someone defied her and once, he seriously wondered if he might have witnessed her disposing of a body she’d murdered. As for himself, he guessed he’d been lucky that she’d pretended he didn’t exist.

“I’m not sure,” he replied instead. “I definitely don’t want to intrude on your busy schedule.” Said without even a hint of sarcasm.

Micheline’s expressive face fell. “I have so much to make up for with you,” she mused. “Before…you know.”

She waved her hand vaguely.

By that, he deduced that she didn’t want her assistants, or whatever they were, to know about her cancer.

None of his business, he thought. “The question is,” he said, deciding to be blunt, “are you going to have time?

It’s clear you’re insanely busy.”

Eyes narrowing slightly, she regarded him. While he waited for her answer, part of him wished she’d just dismiss him and let him go. Another part, a tiny kernel of the child he’d once been, hoped she’d put him first for once.

“Can you give me a couple of days?” Micheline pleaded. “Too many people depend on me for me to just drop everything. If I can tie up some loose ends and delegate a few things, I’ll be free to spend a day or two with you. Will that work?”

This from a woman who hadn’t ever seemed to care if her own son was lonely. And when he’d craved a father figure, she’d told him coldly that she had no idea who his father had been.

“We’ll give it a shot,” he responded, his expression as neutral as his voice. “I’ve got people taking care of my livestock. Let’s play it by ear and see how it pans out.”

Was that surprise that flashed across his mother’s face? Surely not, especially when she let out a cry of pure joy and wrapped him in a hug. “Thank you, Jake.

Thank you. I promise you won’t regret it.”

He couldn’t shake the feeling she was playing a part.

But then again, what did he know? He hadn’t seen her in years. Maybe she’d changed. Doubtful, but who knew?

Micheline released him, pressing a button on a walkie-talkie on her waist and summoning Fiona and Leigh back in. A moment later, the door opened and the two women entered. Micheline turned to Fiona and smoothed her face into a benevolent look. “I’m entrust-ing him into your care,” she said, patting the younger woman on the shoulder. “Looking after Jake is to be your only task while he’s here, and he’s to want for nothing, you hear?”

Slowly, Fiona nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”

Micheline and Leigh exchanged a look. Jake wasn’t sure what it meant, but it clearly made Fiona uncomfortable.

“Are you all right with that, Jake?” Micheline asked.

Glancing up, he saw both Fiona and Leigh watched him expectantly. He had no idea why it mattered, but he suddenly didn’t want Fiona to think him heartless.

“That’s fine,” he replied.

“Perfect. Fiona, be your best you and take good care of my son,” Micheline reiterated, taking Leigh’s arm and sailing away.

Chapter 2

Be your best you. AAG’s stock phrase and one of many catchy little sound bites Micheline fed like pap to her followers. They set Fiona’s nerves on edge. She swallowed, willing away her embarrassment and hoping Jake didn’t pick up on his mother’s underlying message. Did Micheline and Leigh seriously think she’d fall into bed with Jake simply because the head of AAG wished it?

Undercover while undercover could be a tricky thing.

Luckily, Jake appeared to be oblivious. He watched his mother go, his hard expression at odds with the hurt she could swear she saw briefly flit in his gaze. His broad shoulders and narrow waist filled out his western shirt well and the way his brown hair had started graying at the temples gave him a look of distinction. But his compelling blue eyes were what attracted her the most.

Despite his guarded manner, they glowed with warmth.

“What now?” he asked, noticing her staring.

Improvising, since she truly had no idea, Fiona figured she’d first need to find him a place to stay. “Let me get you a room. I imagine you need some time to freshen up after your long drive.”

“That sounds great.” Jake glanced around. “Will I be staying here or somewhere else?”

Crud. Though Fiona had hoped she would, Micheline hadn’t mentioned letting him stay in her house. Despite decreeing that he’d be bunking in the center, Fiona couldn’t imagine a mother wanting her son to stay elsewhere. Still, she knew better than to offer up something that might be wrong. “As far as I know, you’ll be staying here with us. But let me check with Leigh. She’s one of Micheline’s right-hand people.”

He nodded. “Thanks.”

Fiona fingered the walkie-talkie Leigh had given her earlier. Taking a deep breath, she thumbed the unit on, bringing it up to her mouth and murmuring Leigh’s name.

“On my way,” Leigh said. A moment later, she appeared, striding through the room with her usual exuberant self-confidence. Her silky blond hair gleamed, and her long, perfectly toned legs flashed beneath the hem of her short skirt.

When she reached them, Leigh flashed Jake a flirty smile before turning her attention to Fiona. “How can I help?”

Tamping down an irrational flash of jealously, Fiona briefly wondered why Micheline hadn’t chosen Leigh to fix up with her son. This thought stung so badly that Fiona wondered at herself. He might be handsome as all get out, but her job came first. Centering herself, Fiona managed a smile. “Since Jake is going to be staying a few days, I thought I’d find out where he’s-”

“I’ve had a room prepared for him,” Leigh interrupted with a small laugh. “Right across the hall from yours, as a matter of fact.”

It took an effort, but Fiona managed to appear happy about that news. A quick look at Jake reassured her that he didn’t appear to notice Leigh’s innuendo.

Thank goodness, because the last thing Fiona needed was fighting off a man who believed he was entitled to anything solely due to being Micheline’s son, even if he really wasn’t.

Though so far, Jake seemed the opposite. Almost as if he too saw through all the BS. Nah. She knew better than to make quick assumptions about anyone, most particularly someone related to this cult.

“Here,” Leigh chirped, batting her false eyelashes.

“Take this.” She handed Fiona a one-hundred-dollar bill and a card key similar to the room keys used by hotels. “The two of you go out to dinner tonight, on Micheline, of course. There are several excellent restaurants nearby. Enjoy yourselves and get to know one another.” She simpered prettily. “And if you need a recommendation, please let me know.”

Then, with one more pointed glance at Fiona, Leigh sashayed off.

Every male in the room watched her go.

Except Jake. When Fiona looked up, she caught his gaze fixed on her. Her lips parted, and her heart skipped a beat. “What?” she asked, hating how breathless she sounded.

“I’m just wondering at the difference in my mother’s choice of aides,” he said, shrugging. “You and Leigh are like night and day.”

If only he knew. Handing him the hundred-dollar bill, she flashed an impersonal smile. “If you follow me, I’ll show you to your room.”

He stared at the money as if it was tainted. “I don’t want this,” he said, holding it out. “Please. Take it.”

Instead, she looked up at him, frowning. “Why not?

Micheline is your mother. I don’t feel comfortable accepting her money.”

“Neither do I.” Once more, he thrust the money toward her, his jaw clenched. Again, she ignored it.

With a grimace, he tossed it on the floor. Horrified, she eyed it, torn between not wanting to be wasteful but also not wanting to let him win. Finally, she couldn’t stand it anymore, so she retrieved it and jammed the bill into her pocket.

“Let me show you to your room.” She turned and walked away, not bothering to look behind her to make sure he followed. When she reached the second-floor hallway, she headed toward her own quarters, stopping right outside the door. Checking the room number on the card key, she saw he was indeed directly across from her. This knowledge caused her stomach to swoop alarmingly, since under any other circumstances she’d be teasing him about sneaking into each other’s room.

“Here you are.” She used the card to unlock and open the door. “I’m right there,” she said, pointing at her door. “Knock if you need anything.”

Following her inside the compact space, he looked around with interest. “Not bad. Not what I expected, but still…”

She dropped the card key and the hundred-dollar bill on the dresser. “I’ll see you later,” she said, her voice as stiff as her spine.

“Wait.” He caught her arm. She tensed, not sure what she expected but hoping she was wrong. When she glared at him, he released her. “Sorry. But please, can we talk a minute?”

“Sure.” Aware crossing her arms would be a defensive posture, she kept her hands down at her sides. “If you want to know where I want to go for dinner, it doesn’t matter. I’ll eat whatever you’re in the mood for.”

“I don’t want to talk about dinner.” He gestured to the room’s lone chair. Once she’d taken a seat, he sat down on the edge of his bed. Elbows on his knees, he studied her.

“Why are you here?” he asked, the intensity in his voice matching his eyes. “Leigh, I can understand. But you? You seem like a levelheaded person, someone who considers her options carefully and deliberately before making a choice. What made you choose to join the AAG?”

Her cover story stuck in her throat. For whatever reason, she couldn’t lie to him, this handsome man she’d just met and barely knew. Something about him… He appeared to be the first genuine person she’d met since arriving at AAG, though she really didn’t know enough about him to reach that kind of a conclusion. She settled for a shrug instead of telling her story.

“You know this is a cult, right?” he continued, his expression fierce.

Making sure to act alarmed, she made a sound of indignation. “Do you truly expect me to sit here while you say bad things about AAG? Your mother is practically a saint.”

He laughed at that. “You clearly don’t know her, then.” He held up both hands in a defensive posture as she deepened her frown. “Never mind, Fiona. I didn’t mean to upset you. Forget I said anything.”

She nodded, careful and cautious. Still smiling, he looked at her, rugged and masculine and the sexiest damn cowboy she’d ever met.

“I’m looking forward to having dinner with you later.” He jumped to his feet, dusting his palms off on the front of his jeans. “But right now, I’m going to get my bag from my truck, shower and unpack, and maybe even take a quick nap.”

Considering him, she stood. Ignoring the insistent tug of attraction she felt when she looked at him, she nodded. “I’ll see you later, then,” she said, her voice clear and steady.

He followed her toward the main entrance. As she turned to walk away, he called her name. “Fiona.”

Her heart skipped a beat. “Yes?”

“Seven tonight?”

“I’ll be ready,” she said, her heart racing for absolutely no reason whatsoever.

Back in her room, she shook her head, making a face at herself in her mirror. Now was definitely not the time to be acting like a teenager with a crush. Especially since putting her and Jake together was something Micheline wanted to do. That alone made Fiona want to do the opposite.

In her five years working in the Phoenix FBI office, she’d been jockeying for a prime undercover operation like this one. She’d known in advance of coming here what kind of woman led the organization. She’d spent hours prepping, learning everything she could about Micheline Anderson and the AAG. Naturally, she’d also read quite a bit of material on Micheline’s estranged son, who actually was Ace Colton.

For all intents and purposes, Jake appeared to be the polar opposite of the woman he apparently still believed to be his mother. As if when he’d left home, he’d asked himself in every situation, what would Micheline do, and then done the exact opposite. Of course, that made sense. Jake wasn’t Micheline’s biological son.

He led a quiet life, running a small cattle ranch north of here. At first, Fiona had suspected Micheline had asked him to visit with the intention of bleeding him dry, but judging from bank records, every penny Jake made went right back into his ranch. He wasn’t exactly flush with cash.

Unlike the head of AAG, who spent money as if there wouldn’t be a tomorrow. Which explained why Micheline was behind in her personal income taxes and appeared to be struggling to juggle all her bills. She booked speaking engagements and even organized a few crowd-funding events, lining her pockets with donations, fees and contributions from people desperate to live their best lives. Despite that, she managed to stay cash poor.

Fiona planned to take her down. She wouldn’t rush, she’d be careful, her methods above reproach. But she would stop her. The money laundering was bad enough, but her some of her investment schemes had bilked a lot of people out of cash.

During her training at Quantico, Fiona had learned to trust her instincts. Her gut told her that Jake wasn’t involved in Micheline’s scams, ongoing or pending. As far as Leigh, who appeared to honestly believe in her boss and her mission, Fiona thought the young woman might have been blinded by what she viewed as altruistic behavior. Either that, or Leigh was a very good actress.

Intelligence had indicated Micheline had something big coming up, though no one had been able to learn what exactly it might be.

Before taking this assignment, Fiona had gone over every possible scenario with her colleague Holden St.

Clair. He’d recently spent some time undercover investigating a killer who targeted beauty pageant contestants - the same beauty pageant Leigh Denning had won. He’d even fallen for, and gotten engaged to, a contestant - a distant Colton cousin named Isabella.

Appearances were definitely deceiving when it came to Micheline and her people. No one had known the prodigal son would return, but she’d been prepared just in case. She hadn’t expected Micheline to try and push them together or her own, visceral reaction to Jake’s rugged masculinity. In the past, Fiona had been drawn to more clean-cut, law enforcement types. Jake, with his wavy brown hair and easy, relaxed attitude, seemed the exact opposite.

Cowboys had never been her type. Until now, apparently, when she needed to stay focused on her job - digging up information that would expose Micheline.

Maybe it wasn’t too late for some of these poor, deluded people.

At least Jake appeared levelheaded and unwilling to put up with any nonsense. Yet one more thing she liked about him.

Whatever Micheline was plotting involved Jake and, to a lesser extent, Fiona. Not for one second did Fiona believe Micheline had cancer. She’d lied to get her son to come visit, and she lied to her followers, not just seeking donations, but stripping people of their entire savings by getting them to invest in her schemes. While gathering proof of this, as well as investigating allegations of money laundering, the Bureau had been unable to find even one recent instance where Micheline had visited a doctor - any kind of physician at all. Not a general practitioner and certainly not a specialist like an oncologist.

Thinking of the Bureau had Fiona grabbing the untraceable cell phone she’d been issued when she’d taken this assignment. She had a text from Holden, saying he had news and to text back when she could talk. They’d settled on a basic sort of code in case someone else managed to get ahold of her phone. If she texted back anything but the number 1, he knew not to call.

She texted 1 and waited. A moment later, her phone rang.

“Big goings-on at Colton Oil,” Holden said. “Seems Micheline paid them a little visit recently. She’s still claiming she’s dying from stage-three bone cancer.”

“Okay.” Since this wasn’t news, Fiona waited. She also had to be careful what she said, just in case someone might be listening in via a hidden bug or recording device in her room.

“She told Ainsley Colton and Ace Colton about her son Jake Anderson’s upcoming visit,” Holden continued.

“Yes, he’s here now. He got in today.”

“Wow. Then things are about to get really interesting. Does he know? I mean, rumors have swirled about a Colton baby switch for months.”

“He doesn’t appear to know, actually,” Fiona responded. “He’s never mentioned anything about Micheline switching babies in the hospital when both Ace and Jake were newborns.” If Micheline had done this, she might be guilty of additional crimes, too.

“That’s really odd, since the entire Colton family does, and they raised Micheline’s birth son, who grew up as Ace Colton. My fiancée, Bella, has gotten closer to Marlowe throughout all of this, and of course I’m old army buddies with Spencer, and they shared this with me.”

“Then what game is Micheline playing?” she asked.

“That’s for you to find out,” Holden replied. “How are you and Jake getting along?”

Rubbing her now aching temples, Fiona sighed. “For whatever reason, I felt an instant connection to Jake.”

“Micheline instructed you to cozy up to him?”

“Yes. We’re going to dinner tonight, on her.”

Holden laughed, a short bark of sound. “Have fun with that. Remember, stay out of trouble.”

Ending the call, Fiona stashed the phone back in her pocket. Its compact size made it almost undetectable, and she kept it on her at all times. She wouldn’t put it past Micheline and her crew to periodically search her room.

Replaying the information Holden had given her, she kept circling back to Jake. Did he know? Could that possibly be the reason he’d stayed away all these years?

Right then and there, she knew she had to do what Micheline had asked of her - get close to Jake and find out exactly what kind of information he had.

all the way to his car, Jake gave himself a mental tongue lashing. Fiona Smith might be one of the most beautiful women he’d ever met, but she certainly didn’t need rescuing. As an adult, she’d clearly made a conscious choice to join his mother’s “self-help” group. He barely knew her and did not have the right to try and change her mind. However, that didn’t stop him from wanting to.

Hefting his bag over his shoulder, he gave a quiet groan. He’d never been able to resist attempting to right a wrong, especially when said wrong involved children, animals or women. Micheline was a parasite, preying on vulnerable people, using them for her own ends and twisting their minds. He couldn’t stand to see Fiona meet that sort of fate.

Since he didn’t intend on being here long enough to have time to persuade her, he figured he’d sound her out at dinner tonight to ascertain her true thoughts about the AAG. One thing he’d noticed in particular was that many members didn’t even seem to be aware it was a cult. If he could get her to admit that, she might be agreeable to talking to one of his friends who worked to deprogram cult members. It was worth a shot.

Back in his small room, which seemed just as antiseptic and impersonal as that of any chain motel, he walked to the window and pushed aside the curtains.

Instead of a view of cement and parking lots, he saw a lush garden filled with vibrant flowers of every color.

A large metal bench made an inviting place to sit, and he could have sworn he saw a koi pond on the other side of the bench.

For just an instant, he allowed himself to enjoy the restful beauty of it all. And then he remembered who had most likely arranged that lush garden, and why. Micheline would do anything-anything-to get what she wanted. She’d move people around like chess pieces, manipulate their emotions and their surroundings, as long as she thought it would benefit her in some way.

She cared nothing for the wreckage she left in her wake.

Collateral damage, she’d always said, as if the wording made it right. The garden no doubt played some role in her schemes. She never did anything reason.

At thirteen, he’d come to the realization that if she found a way to use him, she would. As a kid, he’d been forced to charm elderly couples into investing with his mom, aware his mother only wanted their money. Back then, she’d marketed herself as a skillful investor, but secretly priding herself on taking every cent of people’s life savings. She also lured in a rotating crop of men in her personal life, all wealthy, training Jake to make them all feel as if she might be a doting mother and a wonderful girlfriend. Of course, once she’d managed to use them, she’d dump them and move on to another, uncaring that her young son might have just been happy to have a father figure around.

At seventeen, having seen far too much of the awful things she did to people, he’d taken off before she could.

Shaking his head, he reminded himself not to focus on the past. Yet, even now, with his mother claiming to be dying, he had difficulty believing anything she said.

In fact, he couldn’t help but suspect she had an ulterior motive for wanting him to be here. She never did anything reason, usually one that benefited her.

He took a hot shower and then stretched out on his bed with the intention of dozing. But images of a doe-eyed woman with a sleepy smile had him tossing and turning. He finally abandoned the idea of a nap and decided to go for a walk instead. Might as well explore the AAG headquarters and grounds.

Managing to slip through the lobby unnoticed, he headed in search of an exit that went to the back and the garden area he’d viewed from his room. To his annoyance, Micheline’s overly chipper minion caught sight of him and made a beeline for him, her heels tapping a staccato beat on the floor.

“There you are!” Leigh beamed at him as if she felt so delighted to see him. “Where are you going?”

He explained he’d decided to tour the premises, which appeared to distress her.

“Alone?” she asked, her tone appalled. “What happened to Fiona? She was given the task of escorting you anywhere you wanted to go.”

“I told her I wanted to take a nap,” he clarified, not wanting to cause trouble for Fiona. “She has no idea that I’ve even left my room.”

“I see.” Still frowning, Leigh thumbed her walkie-talkie and spoke a few words into it. When she met his gaze again, she’d smoothed out her expression. “Fiona will be here momentarily.”

With an effort, he kept from groaning out loud. “I really didn’t want to disturb her,” he said.

Leigh’s brightly painted lips widened into a smile so false, it made him want to grimace. “For the time that you’re here, Fiona is to devote herself completely to you. Micheline has given her that assignment, and it’s in her best interest to make sure she does what she’s asked to do.”

Was that a threat? The words seemed to indicate it was, though Leigh’s vacuously pleasant expression told him she wouldn’t see it that way.

Fiona rounded the corner, hurrying toward them. The first sight of her caught him like a punch in the stomach.

Dark eyes troubled, she swung her gaze from him to Leigh. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t here to help you,” she began. “I had no idea.”

“Why would you?” he asked, watching her for the slightest indication that she might be afraid. There. That slight tremble in her lush lips. So help him, if Micheline dared enact some sort of punishment on Fiona, he’d have her hide.

Leigh watched Fiona, her eyes narrowed, her expression hawkish. Suddenly, he realized what he had to do.

“I apologize,” he said, softening his tone. “I give you my word I won’t go anywhere without letting you know.”

Fiona locked gazes with him. Finally, she gave a quick nod. “Whew. Glad we got that sorted out.”

“Me, too,” Leigh chirped. She patted Fiona lightly on the back and then marched away, her task clearly completed.

“What was that about?” Jake asked. “Did I get you in some sort of trouble for going off without you?”

“Of course not.” Her small flash of a smile contained no humor. “I imagine your mother is just overly concerned with making sure you have a good time.”

“That has to be it,” he agreed, even though he knew damn good and well it wasn’t. “I saw a beautiful garden area from my room. Would you take me there?”

Though she gave a confident nod, she leaned in close.

“I’m new here, so I’m not exactly sure what you’re talking about. But unless you want me to call Leigh, how about you and I try to find it on our own?”

The warmth of her breath tickled his ear, sending a shiver down his spine. Her scent intoxicated him. Resisting the urge to reach out and touch her hair, he managed to agree. “No Leigh. You and I will just wander around until we find it ourselves.”

“We’ll just go out back. Since your room faces that way, I’m sure we can manage to happen upon it.” She shrugged. “I’ve only been outside a couple of times, but I remember how to get back to that walled-off area. I’m sure that’s where the gardens are.”

It turned out she was right. They followed a peb-bled stone pathway bordered by lush plants and flowers. When they turned one corner of the building, he saw the bench he’d spotted from his window.

“Wow.” Fiona stopped short, one hand to her chest.

“I can’t believe I never knew this was here.”

He took a seat on the bench, gesturing her to sit beside him. Moving gingerly, she did, leaning back and stretching her legs out in front of her. She sighed. “This is nice.”

Chancing a glance sideways at her, he admired the way her dark hair gleamed in the sun. Sensual, he thought of her expression, and then pushed the thought away. Not going there. With her eyes half-closed, she actually appeared relaxed, no longer vibrating with tension.

Because of this, he allowed himself to let go of some of his own stress. He hadn’t wanted to come and he didn’t like being here with the knowledge that his mother somehow was manipulating him, but for this small moment in this peaceful garden, he could release all that.

They sat for a few moments in companionable silence. He liked that she didn’t feel compelled to fill the silence with chatter. Again, he found himself wondering what it was about this woman. One look at her and he’d known immediately that he wanted to get to know her better. She fascinated and intrigued him, made him ache in ways he hadn’t since he’d been a teenager. Of course he’d dated, but he’d never allowed himself to get serious. After all, he didn’t want to take a chance on loving someone like his mom.

Yet here he was, fighting his attraction to this woman who clearly didn’t understand the evil behind the head of AAG’s smiling façade. Fiona seemed too innocent, too trusting.

And the thought that she was under Micheline’s thumb galled him. Clearing his throat, he broke the silence. “Tell me, what appeals to you most about AAG?”

he asked.

Slowly, she opened her eyes and focused on him. “I like the idea of evolving,” she said, the answer seeming to come easily. “Of becoming the best person you can be.”

Micheline’s stock phrase. Be Your Best You. She’d developed it when he’d still been a teenager, living with her. If she’d even once thought her behavior to be the best version of herself, he shuddered to think of what the worst might be.

“Is that what you think Micheline and Leigh are doing?” he asked, keeping his tone mild. “To me it seems like they’re awfully concerned about money.

Even more than truly helping others.”

She blinked. “We all have to find ways to use the tal-ents we’ve been given,” she said, once again parroting his mother. “The AAG has to have an influx of cash to support itself. All Micheline is doing is taking her talent for helping others and soliciting donations to keep us going.” She shrugged. “You honestly can’t blame her.”

He could and he did, but knew better than to say that out loud. Did Fiona honestly believe that crap?

Though he knew he’d probably get nowhere, he’d hate himself if he didn’t at least attempt to help save her.

“Are you aware that many people consider AAG a cult?”

Something-Surprise? Dread?-flashed in her eyes.

“Many people?” she asked, her tone dry. “That’s kind of vague. Who exactly do you mean?”

Unable to help himself, he covered her hand with his.

“What I’m trying to say is that I know someone you could talk to, if you want help trying to make sense of all this. He’s a therapist who specializes in this kind of situation.”

She’d gone absolutely still, her beautiful eyes still fixed on him. “This kind of situation?”

“Cults,” he finally admitted. “He deprograms people who’ve been indoctrinated into a cult.”

Though she looked down, he could have sworn her mouth twitched in the beginning of a smile.

He squeezed her hand once before releasing her.

“You don’t have to decide right now. All I ask is that you think about it. There’ll be no cost to you - I’ll take care of all that. And if you need a place to stay, I’ve got that covered as well.”

When she finally met his gaze again, her face had gone expressionless. “Thanks for your kind offer,” she said. “But none of that is necessary. I’m fine where I am. Right now, at this point in my life, this is where I need to be. I belong here.”

Her words made his heart ache. “Fiona, I know we’ve just met, but I’m attracted to you. The thought of you under Micheline’s thumb is…unpalatable to me. Please, at least say you’ll think about it.”

“I need to get ready for dinner,” she stammered, the heat appearing to simmer in her eyes matching what thrummed in his blood.

He opened his mouth and then closed it. With a curt nod, he pushed to his feet and turned to head inside and up to his room. “Just knock when you’re ready to go.

I’ll be there waiting.”

She didn’t follow.

All the way back to his room, he cursed his impet-uous words. She must think him a complete idiot. He definitely felt like one. He couldn’t help but wonder if Fiona might run to Leigh or Micheline and tell them what he’d offered. That would definitely be…interesting, to say the least.

Back in his room, he checked in with Tom, the hand he’d pegged to run his ranch while he was away. Though he hadn’t expected any trouble, he couldn’t help but feel relief to hear that everything continued to run like clockwork in his absence.

Though he only planned on staying two more days at the most, he went ahead and unpacked his suitcase, hanging his clothes up in the closet. Wherever they ended up going for dinner tonight, Western shirts, blue jeans and boots would have to work, since that’s all he had.He turned on the television to kill time and watched the evening news, glad of the sense of normalcy in a place that felt anything but.

The tap on his door came just as the news program ended. He shut the TV off and opened his door.

Fiona stood there, wearing a form-hugging dress of pale yellow and a pair of killer stiletto shoes. Somehow, she managed to look both virginal and sexy as hell. His body responded immediately.

“Are you ready?” she asked, clearly unaware of the effect she had on him.

“I am.” If he could walk. “You look…amazing.”

Instead of smiling, she grimaced. “Thanks. Leigh picked this dress out and brought it to me, along with the shoes. Micheline bought it. Your mother told her that yellow is your favorite color.”

He gaped at her for a moment, and then everything clicked into place. “Did Micheline ask you to get close to me?” he asked.

She blinked. “Yes,” she finally answered, surprising him with her honesty. “For whatever reason, she thinks you and I would be a good match.”

This both infuriated him and intrigued him, even without knowing his mother’s reasoning. “Then you know what? You and I ought to give her a good show.”

“Excuse me?” Clearly startled, Fiona eyed him.

“What do you mean?” A slow, sultry grin spread across her face as his words sank in. “Are you saying we should…pretend?”

Careful to keep it casual, he shrugged. “If you’re up for it, sure. I’m not planning to be here that long anyway, so…”

Slowly, she nodded. “Okay. I think that’s a great idea.” Again, she flashed that smile, lighting up her dark eyes. “It’s easier since you’re so hot.”

“Hot?” It took a moment for him to understand.

“You think I’m hot?” The thought was so unbelievable it made him laugh. He realized she’d already begun playing her role. He held up a hand before she could respond. “No need to explain. I get it. And for the record, I find you hot, too.” She didn’t need to know he truly meant it.

They exchanged grins. Again, that pull. Leaning toward her, he found himself fighting the urge to kiss her.

Later, he thought. When necessary to help with their acting. Fiona didn’t need to know how much he’d enjoy it. If only he didn’t get the sense she was hiding something.

Chapter 3

Fiona loved the idea of playing along with Jake to fool his mother and Leigh. And who knew, Micheline might be so pleased with her apparent success with Jake that she’d accidentally reveal something that might help the FBI build their case against her.

And, since Fiona always tried to be honest with herself, the notion of getting all up close and personal with the sexy cowboy made her entire body hum.

Even if Jake did happen to believe she needed a deprogrammer’s help to get her out of the cult. He’d simply have to continue to think that. She had no choice in the matter, at least until she had enough evidence to secure an arrest.

As they strolled arm in arm through the now-crowded lobby, she felt as if she floated in her pretty dress and heels. With her chosen career, she rarely if ever got to dress like this. And the appreciation she’d seen glowing in Jake’s blue eyes made her feel feminine and beautiful. In her line of work, if she wanted to be taken seriously - and she did - she’d learned to underplay her feminine side. She couldn’t even remember the last time she’d dressed like this.

“They haven’t yet rung the dinner bell,” Fiona mused.

“You should see these people move when they do. They all jostle for a good place in line. It’s amazing and sometimes slightly scary to watch.”

Jake nodded. “What kind of food do they serve here?”

“It depends.” She shrugged. “I think they mostly try to keep it healthy.” She grinned. “Though everyone seems happiest when they have pizza night.”

When they reached his truck, she stopped and studied it, letting him see her appreciation. “Latest model Ford F-250,” she mused. “With a lift kit, custom wheels and a bed cover. Not at all what I expected.”

He unlocked the doors. “I’m almost afraid to ask, but what did you expect?”

“A farm truck.” She got inside, running her hand over the soft black leather. “You know, big and kind of beat-up. Not a beautiful new truck like this.”

“You sound as if you know a lot about trucks,” he said, pushing the start button.

“All vehicles, actually.” She smiled slightly. “I’m a bit of a car nut. I’ve been that way ever since I was a preteen. My dad worked for a dealership in Phoenix, and he sometimes let me go to work with him.”

Jake nodded. “Does your family still live there?”

“Yep.” Sticking to the truth, without elaborating.

Less chance of slipping up, or giving herself away.

He waited a heartbeat and then nodded. “Where to?”

“Do you like sushi?” She braced herself for him to decline. Even before she’d gone inside AAG, she never could find anyone willing to eat sushi with her.

“Sometimes.” He shrugged. “Only if it’s really great.

Is there a good sushi place around here?”

Nearly humming with anticipation, she nodded.

“There is. Turn left on Fifth Street.”

When they reached Purple Sushi, she barely restrained herself from bouncing up and down in her seat like an excited child. “It’s been so long since I got to have sushi,” she said, not bothering to hide her glee.

“Thank you so much for agreeing to come here.”

Eyes gleaming with amusement, he watched her.

“I’m guessing AAG doesn’t ever serve it.”

Just like that, she sobered. “No, they don’t.” She supposed she should thank him for reminding her of the reality of her life right now. She couldn’t let her love for a good tuna roll make her forget the entire reason she was here in Mustang Valley.

“Don’t.” He lightly touched her shoulder.

“Don’t what?”

“Dim your joy just because I mentioned AAG,” he said.

Since she couldn’t tell him that wasn’t all of it, she simply nodded and got out of the truck.

Once they were shown to a booth near the back, a waitress came and gave them menus and took their drink orders. Fiona stuck to water while Jake ordered a beer.

“It’s been so long since I had sushi, I’ll let you order for both of us,” Jake said, pushing his menu away.

She narrowed her eyes. “Have you ever even had sushi?” she asked.

His sheepish grin was answer enough. “I’m game to try it,” he said. “Since you’re such a big fan, it can’t be all that bad.”

This made her laugh. “You know what,” she mused.

“I like you.”

“I like you, too.” He studied her for a moment. “I just can’t help but wonder what my mother’s motivation is for wanting us to get together. She never does anything unless it’s going to benefit her in some way.”

Here was where she should rush to Micheline’s defense, as any good little disciple would. But right now, Fiona didn’t have the heart. She just wanted to enjoy her meal and the company. She’d go back to her role once they’d returned to the AAG center.

Right now, she just wanted to enjoy a couple of good sushi rolls and the company of the handsome cowboy sitting across from her.

Instead of responding to Jake’s statement, she smiled at the waitress, which brought her over to see if they’d decided. Fiona ordered an assortment for them, wanting to give Jake a chance to sample several of her favorites.

Through it all, Jake sipped his beer and watched her, his expression contemplative.

Once the waitress had gone, Fiona eyed Jake. She wanted to see if she could find out how much he knew.

“Since we’re getting to know each other, what’s the deal with you and your mother? Is it true you haven’t seen her for years?”

“Yep. All true.” He eyed her. “I’m sure you probably won’t agree with me, but Micheline is not a good person.”

Now they were getting somewhere. “Why do you say that?” she asked mildly, clasping her hands on the table in front of her.

Instead of answering, he leaned across the table, his intense stare locking on her. “My turn,” he said. “What made you decide to join AAG?”

“They found me roaming the streets,” she said simply. “They offered me a place to stay and a hot meal.

They were kind to me when no one else was. I owe them for that.”

He took another sip of his beer, clearly considering what he should say next. She could tell he badly wanted to talk to her about leaving the cult, getting some help. While she found this admirable - hell, it was something she would do herself were the situations reversed - she couldn’t tell him the truth and risk blowing her cover.

Luckily, their food arrived. Happily, she eyed everything, enjoying the colorful artistry of the two elaborate sushi towers. Jake eyed them, too, his expression a mixture of curiosity and confusion. “Do we eat those?” he asked. “It seems a shame to mess up the artwork.”

This made her laugh. “It kind of does, doesn’t it?

Just wait until you taste it.”

They passed the serving platters around, taking samples of each. She waited for Jake to try one, wanting to see his reaction when he had his first bite. In her experience, people either loved or detested sushi. She had to see in which camp Jake would fall.

He chose a crab roll. “Good choice,” she said, nodding in approval as he popped it into his mouth.

Chewing slowly, he appeared to be savoring the taste.

He swallowed and inclined his head. “That was pretty good, actually.”

“Only pretty good?” she challenged. “Try the California roll. Most people like that one.”

“Why aren’t you eating?” he asked instead.

“I wanted to see your reaction.” Shrugging, she began to help herself to her own plate. “Fresh,” she managed, speaking around mouthfuls. “So, so delicious.”

Together, they finished off all the food she’d ordered.

To her delight, as he sampled various rolls, Jake ate with gusto.

“Dessert?” the waitress chirped. They both shook their heads.

After paying the check with Micheline’s hundred-dollar bill, they walked out to Jake’s truck in a food-coma silence.

“I enjoyed that,” he said, smiling at her across the seat.

“So did I,” she responded.

“Clearly.” He made no move to start the truck. “Before we head back, I wanted to talk to you about the AAG. Did you happen to do any research before you joined them?”

Though she knew where he was going with this, she pretended not to. “No. I needed help, and they offered it. Right now, I owe them a debt, and I’m working to repay it.”

When he started to speak, she held up her hand.

“Please. I can see that you have issues with the organization. But don’t project them onto me. I promise you, my head is clear. I completely understand what I’m doing. Okay?”

After a moment, he nodded. “Okay,” he agreed.

“Let’s head on back. Just promise me one thing?”

Brows raised, she waited.

“If you ever need help, no matter what time of the day or night, you’ll call me.” He reached into the center console, extracted a business card and handed it to her. “This is my ranch, but my cell phone number is on here, too.”

Accepting the card, she slowly nodded. “Thanks,”

she said. If he noticed she made no promises, he didn’t comment.

As they turned onto the long driveway leading to the AAG ranch, the tall streetlamps Micheline had installed came on.

Though the sun had begun to sink below the horizon, the sky had not yet fully darkened. This, the gloaming, was Fiona’s favorite time of the day. Spectacular skies that seemed to go on forever, the way the sky lit up in swirls of orange, pink and red.

Once he’d parked, they were walking from the back lot toward the house when movement behind one of the large storage buildings caught her eye. Two men, one of them a college-age kid, making her wonder if he was a brand-new recruit or the target Leigh had mentioned Fiona working with. She saw only a quick blur of movement, though it was enough to convince her something had gone wrong.

“Just a sec,” she told Jake, pulling free. “I need to check something out.” Without waiting for him to answer, she strode away, cursing the high heels.

Halfway up the grassy hill, she said the hell with it and yanked them off. Grateful for the mild Arizona weather, she dropped her shoes. Now barefoot, she broke into a run.

As soon as she rounded the corner, she saw the college kid, down on the ground huddled into a ball, arms up in a defensive posture to protect his face. The older AAG member, a stout, bald man with a mustache, kicked and pounded on the younger guy.

“Stop,” Fiona ordered, her hands clenched.

Instead, the assailant smirked at her, one arm up in the air, halfway to throwing another punch. “Make me,”

he said, sneering.

Aiming low, Fiona charged him, twisting at exactly the right moment and taking him down with a kick behind the knees. He lurched forward, bloodshot eyes wide with surprise, as she came back around with a second, well-placed blow, sending him face-planting in the dirt.

Slowly, he climbed to his feet, warily eyeing her.

Fiona rounded on him, hands up, glad for all those martial arts classes she’d taken as part of her FBI training. “Ready for round two?” she asked, her voice cool, even though she was vibrating with adrenaline.

Scrambling up to his feet, the bad guy shook his head.

“What’s your name?” Fiona demanded. “I want to give it to Micheline so she can make sure you face appropriate punishment.”

For the first time, stark fear shone in his face. “Please don’t tell her. She’ll put me in one of the cells. Let me just go pack my stuff and clear out of here.”

“Cells?” Fiona cocked her head. “What cells?” she asked. Maybe, just maybe, she was about to learn something new. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

But he’d already begun backing away, his large stomach shaking. “I can’t,” he stammered. He turned nother word and ran away, heading toward the same parking lot where Jake had left his truck.

Jake. She spun around to find him eyeing her as if she’d suddenly sprouted horns. Just then the kid groaned and staggered to his feet.

He had a bruised lip and a purpling under his left eye, which was swollen shut. Blood still ran from his nose, though he tried to wipe it away with the back of his hand. Standing, he swayed slightly as he studied Fiona with his one good eye.

“Are you okay?” Fiona asked.

“I think…so.” Flexing his arms, and then his legs, he eyed her. “I don’t think anything is broken.”

“Luckily. What on earth happened?” she demanded.

“Thank you for helping me,” he managed, wincing as his fingers came into contact with a large gash on his cheek. “I came out here for a smoke, and he caught me.”

Smoking was definitely not allowed at AAG. “He took my e-cig away, and then he demanded I pay him one hundred dollars to keep quiet. Once I told him I didn’t have that kind of cash on me, he just started whaling away on me.”

“Come on.” Fiona slipped her arm around the kid’s slender shoulders. “Let’s get you to the infirmary and see if they can patch you up.”

Clearly forgotten, Jake trailed along behind Fiona and the battered kid, turning over what he’d just seen in his mind and trying to make sense of what he’d just seen.

Quiet Fiona had fought the guy like a badass. Mull-ing this over, he waited outside in the hallway while Fiona talked to the person inside the area that apparently served as the AAG medical center.

When Fiona finally emerged alone, she seemed surprised to find Jake still waiting. “Oh,” she murmured, her eyes widening. “I’m so sorry. I had to fill out a report while I was there, so Micheline can review it.”

Micheline. Everything centered around the most ava-ricious, self-involved, evil woman he’d ever met. Sometimes he wished he could purge his veins of her blood.

Shaking his head, he focused once more on the slender woman standing in front of him.

“Do you have a moment to talk?” he asked, his tone clipped, though he struggled to keep from showing any emotion.

“Sure,” she replied, her easy tone at odds with the quick flare of panic he caught in her eyes. “Let’s go for a walk.”

“Good idea.” Away from the AAG center and any possible cameras or recording devices. No doubt she knew he planned to ask her what was going on and wanted to make sure no one else overheard.

She definitely wasn’t what Micheline and the others believed her to be. He couldn’t help but wonder what kind of explanation she’d give.

Side by side, not touching, not speaking, they strode out the front door. This time, instead of heading around back to that secluded little garden, she led the way down the driveway. By now, dusk had settled in. Soon it would be full dark.

“Well?” he finally demanded, when it seemed she didn’t intend on speaking.

“Well what?”

“Who are you?” Stopping, he crossed his arms. “And don’t say some random homeless woman who was found wandering the streets. I saw how you took that guy down earlier.”

“Why can’t I be both?” she asked, her tone reasonable. “You never asked about my past. How I became homeless, what the circumstances were leading up to my change in lifestyle. Isn’t it obvious that at some point, I took some martial arts classes? Yes, and it was before I became homeless. Thank you for not asking.

All you ever wanted to focus on was the AAG.”

Stunned, he swallowed. Because damned if she wasn’t right. He’d been so blinded by the need to get her away from the cult that he hadn’t taken the time to try and get to know her as a person. Of course, he’d only just met her earlier in the day. And he recognized her deflection as a way to avoid answering his question.

“I just got here,” he protested. “And yes, of course I’m going to focus on what’s right in front of me. I’m not planning on staying long. There’d be plenty of time to get to know you and your reasons once I got you away from this craziness.”

“Why do you even care?” Her direct look challenged him. “As you said, we barely know each other. Maybe it just so happens that AAG is exactly what I’ve been searching for my entire life. The one place I fit in. Has that ever occurred to you?”

He blinked. Damn if she wasn’t good at deflecting.

He had no patience for games like this. All his life, he’d been a straight-shooting kind of guy. Micheline’s opposite. Naturally, his mother would choose to surround herself with people she could manipulate. Sadly, as much as he hated to admit the possibility, Fiona felt she belonged here, no matter what he thought of her reasons.

Maybe she was right. What business of his was it whether she chose to stay with his mother? Yet every single time he glanced at her, his heart turned over in his chest. He’d never felt such a strong tug of attraction, such a powerful urge to spend time with someone.

And yes, to get to know her better, in every way possible. Too bad he wouldn’t have enough time to do that.

Since it seemed clear that continuing to press her wasn’t going to work, he decided to let it go. For now, maybe even forever. It depended on how long he actually stayed.

“Sorry.” He grimaced. “It’s been a long day. I woke up on my ranch this morning and…”

“Now you’re here, right in the middle of a bunch of drama.” She touched his arm, the light touch of her finger sending a shiver through him. “It’s still early, though. We have a few seminars that run at night if you’d like to attend one of those.”

So earnest, so sincere. Even though she had to know attending an AAG seminar ranked among the very last things he’d ever want to do.

“No, what I’d like is to see my mother,” he said. “I just need a few minutes of her clearly precious time. I’m intending on going back home tomorrow.”

Fiona eyed him, her face blank. “Let me check with Leigh,” she began.

“Not necessary,” he interrupted. “I’ll just take myself to Micheline’s office and see if I can catch her myself.”

Full of righteous indignation that he hadn’t had to work too hard to manufacture, he stormed off in the direction where he’d met his mother earlier.

The heavy wooden doors were closed this time.

When he tried to open them, they wouldn’t budge.

Locked.

Rattling the handles one more time for good measure, he turned. “Frustrating.”

“I’m sorry,” Fiona said, her voice as calming as her serene gaze. “I haven’t heard back from Leigh yet, but I know Micheline keeps an impossible schedule.”

“This is ridiculous.” He glanced at his watch. “She tracks me down after so many years of no contact, informs me she’s dying - which I’m not sure I believe, by the way - so I drive all the way down here, and now she disappears. I might as well go home tonight.”

A slight widening of Fiona’s eyes was her only reaction. “Let me see if I can track down Leigh,” she said, her voice still soothing. “Please. I’m not sure how well it will go for me if I lose you the very first night of your visit.”

Masterful manipulation from Fiona, he thought. In fact, he nearly complimented her out loud. She intrigued him, this woman who fought like a ninja but made herself appear quiet and docile in order to remain under the radar. Unraveling her mysteries nearly made him want to stay a couple of days at least.

Nearly.

Except the one thing he could not stomach, thanks to his mother, was a liar. He avoided them like the plague.

And the more time he spent with Fiona Smith, the more he realized she wasn’t on the up and up. If he had any common sense, he’d go pack his suitcase right now and get the hell out of here. In fact, he’d go do that right now. The sooner he’d left this place in the dust, the better he’d feel.

Then he made the mistake of glancing at Fiona. She studied him, her gaze warm, her lips parted. Desire short-circuited his brain. “Don’t do that,” he rasped.

“Do what?” Picture of innocence.

“Look at me as if you want to eat me up.” His body stirred - hell, more than stirred. Rock hard, in an instant.

She took a step closer to him. His mouth went dry.

His heart thudded in his chest.

“Common sense be damned,” she said before wrapping herself around him and pulling his head down for a kiss.

The instant she pressed her mouth against his, heat flared, consuming him. Openmouthed, he lost himself in the taste of her, the lush curves of her body molded against his.

When she finally stepped back, they were both breathing hard.

“I think you ought to stick around awhile,” she murmured, the heat in her eyes matching the one in his body. “It’ll be…interesting, to say the least.”

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