Falling for Agent Cox:A Falling Novel Read online

  “Glad you are coming willingly, Baylor. I’ll give you a few moments to say goodbye to your sister, and I’ll arrange for my partner to escort you there. I’ll join you later once I’ve finalized a few things here in the city.” Again I get the feeling she’s hiding something from me but before I can press her, she exits the room leaving Ave and I alone.

  Looking back to my sister, I see tears in her eyes. “Don’t cry, Avie, I’ll be fine.”

  “But I just got you back.”

  “And I’ll be back again soon…ish.”

  “But what if—”

  “Nope, no what-ifs. I will be back. Promise.”

  She wraps her arms around me, tighter this time. I do the same. We hug each other, squeezing each other for dear life. A knock on the door pulls us apart, we look over and in steps Flynn with a guy I recognize from the day the bust went down. He gives me the heebie-jeebies.

  “I’m Dean Chikatilo, I’ll be your escort today.”

  “I’m Baylor. This is my twinsie, Ave, and her fiancé, Flynn.”

  “Nice to meet you all. Ms. Evans, we must get moving. Say your goodbyes and leave your phone and purse with your sister.”

  “I can’t take anything with me?”

  “I’m afraid not. Everything you need will be provided.”

  “Ohh, okay then.” Standing, I look at Ave. “I guess this is goodbye, again.”

  She shakes her head. “No! It’s not goodbye, it’s I’ll see you later.”

  “See you later, I like that.” We hug each other one last time and surprisingly, Flynn wraps his arms around the two of us. Ave and I are both blubbering when I pull away.

  “I love you, BayBay,” she tearfully says.

  “Love you too, Avie.”

  Turning away from my sister, I follow Agent Chikatilo out of the room. The sound of Ave crying stays with me as we walk away.

  He escorts me to an awaiting van, opens the door, and I climb in. He follows and takes the seat next to me. Looking to the front seat, I see Agents Hall and Oats. “What’s up, guys?” I say.

  “Ms. Evans,” they both say in their stick up their ass, hoity-toity agent way. Turning back to face the front, they pull away from the hospital curb. Settling in, my eyes become heavy and I drift off to sleep.

  I’m shaken awake. “We’re here,” Agent Chikatilo says, before he opens his door and hops out. He comes around to my side, opens my door, and offers me his hand. I take it and he helps me out. My body is stiff from the uncomfortable position I was in, we drove through the night and the sun is just starting to rise.

  Behind the gorgeous cabin is a lake. “Where are we, Agent Chikatilo?”

  “Silver Springs Lake,” he tells me, as we begin walking toward my new home. “And call me Dean. We’ll be together for the foreseeable future and my full name is a mouthful and a half. So Dean is fine.”

  Nodding my head, a creepy feeling runs over me. I don’t like this guy but since we will be roomies for who knows how long, I smile at him before turning my attention to the cabin before me, it’s gorgeous. This won’t be such a bad place to live for the foreseeable future. It has a rustic charm to it with a wraparound porch, shutters, and planter boxes. Climbing up the few stairs, we walk around the side and my mouth drops open at the view before me. The cabin sits right on the lake and has its own private jetty. Looking around, there doesn’t seem to be any other dwellings nearby, hence why we are here, dear Baylor.

  Dean unlocks the door and steps to the side to let me pass. Stepping inside, I find I’m in the kitchen. This place is nothing like I pictured. I imagined a dingy room in the bumfuck of nowhere. I got the bumfuck part right but the living quarters, I was way off base. Looking around, I smile at the room before me. It’s a dreamy country-inspired kitchen; I’d love to bake up a storm with Avie in here. The farm-style sink sits under a picturesque window that overlooks the outdoor patio area and lake. An island counter with a marble top sits in the middle. The rich wooden cupboards complement the hardwood floors. Past the kitchen is the dining room and off that a large living room with stone fireplace. Off the living room is a hallway leading to the bedrooms, bathroom, and stairs up to the master suite.

  “Dibs on master suite.” I shout, as I make my way over to the stairs.

  “No, can do,” Dean retorts, stopping me in my track as I step onto the first step. “You need to be on the ground floor so we can easily protect you.”

  “Fuck that,” I snark, as I make my way up the stairs and much to my dismay, there are already things in that room. Turning around, I stomp back downstairs.

  “Who’s up there?”

  “Charli,” he says, as he walks past me and heads down the hallway. “This is yours,” he says, stopping in front on the first door. “Mine is down the hall across from the laundry and next to the bathroom.”

  Nodding, I walk into my room and sit on the bed. At least the mattress is comfy, I think as I flop back.

  “Get some sleep,” he tells me, “Charli will be here in a few hours and then we can go over everything.”

  Nodding, I stay where I am and I drift off to sleep straightaway.

  I’m woken a few hours later from an amazing dream. As I wake up, I must still be in my dreamland because I hear his voice, as if he’s here with me. Shaking my head, I wipe the sleep from my eyes. Swinging my legs over the edge, I sit there for a few moments and when I hear his voice again, I realize it wasn’t a dream. He IS here.

  Standing up, I walk down the hallway but before I make myself present, I stop and listen to them talking…about me.

  “She’s a wild one,” Dean says.

  “That’s the understatement of the century but she’s…she’s, I have no words for Baylor Evans.”

  Hearing that pisses me off, so I make my presence known. Dean and Corey both turn their heads to look at me. Corey is sitting on the sofa and Dean is in the armchair. “And I have no words for you too, asshole,” I snap. “I’m in this mess because you guys didn’t do your job.”

  “Baylor—”

  It’s the first time he’s used my real name in forever and hearing that hurts, he’s always called me Kitten. Clearly, I mean nothing to him. My anger and hurt explode and I scream at him, “I fucking hate you!”

  “I fucking hate you, too!” he spits back at me. “You’re a stuck-up, pain in my ass who won’t take responsibility for anything. It’s always someone else’s fault.”

  “For once, asshole, this isn’t my fault. Creed fucking Dawson ratted on me and now I’m stuck here in the bumfuck of nowhere with you, Lara Croft, and Agent Wankstain.” He has to hide the laugh right now. “What the fuck are you laughing at?”

  “Watch your mouth, Kitten.”

  “You’re not the boss of me.”

  “No, I am,” Lara Croft aka Agent Davis says, as she steps into the living room from the kitchen. “I suggest the two of you learn to live together because for the foreseeable future, we will all be living in close quarters.” She emphasizes the word all.

  “As long as HE stays out of my way, I have no problem.”

  “As long as SHE stays out of my way, I have no problem.”

  Corey and I stare intently at one another, these next few months are going to be fun…or not.

  26

  Corey

  Baylor and I continue to glare at one another. It’s a Mexican standoff and neither one of us is willing to make the first move and concede defeat. This woman is frustratingly stubborn but guess what, Kitten? So am I.

  Dean stands up and breaks the silence, “I’m doing a perimeter check.” He heads toward the front door and exits the cabin.

  “Great,” Charli says, “I’ll get started on lunch.” She turns around and walks back the way she came.

  Now it’s just Baylor and me in the living room. We continue to stare at one another. Surprising me, she walks over and sits down next to me. That’s when she notices my shirt undone and the bandage covering me.

  “What happened?” she questi
ons, and I hear genuine sincerity in her tone.

  “Got shot,” I tell her.

  “Kye?” she questions.

  “Courtesy of him, yes.”

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah,” I reply nodding my head. “Takes more than a car bomb and a few bullets to bring me down.”

  Her eyes widen at my confession. I see concern in her eyes and I hate that she’s hurting for me. I hate that this is all because I brought her in. I never should have floated this idea because now, she’s in WitSec and that asshole is roaming free.

  “Baylor,” I say, while at the same time she says, “Corey.”

  We both laugh. “You first,” she says.

  “I’m sorry,” I tell her.

  She scrunches her face in confusion and it’s adorable to see. “Why are you sorry?”

  “You’re in this mess because of me.”

  She shakes her head from side to side. “No, I’m in this mess because of me and a fucking psycho, narcissistic, dickwad asshole named Kye Vlahos.”

  “Watch your mouth, Kitten.” She smiles when I say this. “Why are you smiling?”

  “You called me Kitten again.”

  “I always call you Kitten.”

  She shakes her head, “Not since arriving here. You’ve called me Baylor and while I like the way you wrap your tongue around my name, I prefer when you call me Kitten.” She purses her lips. “It’s almost as if you care.” She lifts her head and stares at me.

  “Kit—” but before I can answer her, Charli pops her head in.

  “Lunch is ready.”

  Baylor smiles at me and hops up, offering me her hand when she notices I’m struggling to stand on my own. Placing my palm in hers, an electrical current zaps between us. From the look on her face, she felt it too. She pulls me into a standing position and we stare at one another. Her blue eyes are so radiant in the light; it feels like she’s staring deep into my soul. “

  “Thank you,” I tell her, that’s when she realizes she’s still holding my hand. She quickly drops it and steps around me toward the dining room. She looks over her shoulder and states, “I’m glad he didn’t kill you.” Then she turns around and continues on.

  Shaking my head, I follow, and when I enter, my eyes widen at the spread before me. “Holy shit, Charli, when did you become a MasterChef? This all looks amazing.”

  “It’s nothing,” she nonchalantly says as she takes a seat next to Baylor.

  Taking my seat across from Baylor, my eyes take in all the food before us. There’s two different salads, chicken strips, chicken skewers, dinner rolls, corn on the cob, and behind her on the counter are her famous brownies. “Can I just skip to dessert?”

  “Not until you eat your salad,” she tells me.

  “Yes, Mom,” I tease.

  She flips me the bird. “Just sit down, asshole.”

  “How come you don’t get mad at her for swearing?” Baylor asks me as she fills up her plate.

  “She owns a gun and knows how to use it,” I tell her, placing a chicken skewer on my plate.

  Baylor looks to Charli. “Think you can teach me to shoot?”

  Charli nods. “Sure.”

  As I growl, “No fucking way.”

  “Watch your mouth,” the two of them sass me in unison.

  “Jinx!” Baylor yells at Charli.

  “Double jinx!” Charli shouts back.

  “Triple jinx.” Baylor’s throws back at her with a laugh.

  “Quadruple jinx,” Charli sasses in return, leaving Baylor speechless. And then the two of them cackle like hyenas. Putting these two together is going to be trouble; I can just see it now.

  “Oh My God, it’s like dealing with children,” I say, biting into a chicken skewer.

  “Your just jealous you didn’t get to play,” Charli says, taking a sip of her soda.

  “Yeah, so jealous,” I sarcastically reply.

  “Why you jealous?” Dean asks, the kitchen door slamming shut behind him. He sits next to me, fills a plate, and digs in.

  “Wash your hands, you grub,” Baylor says, her face scrunched up.

  “Fine,” he huffs, standing up he walks into the kitchen and washes his hands.

  “So how do you two know each other?” Baylor asks Charli.

  “Corey and I went through the academy together and over the years we’ve stayed in touch. Met here and there on cases. This is a first though.”

  “How so?”

  “He’s the first colleague I’ve had under my protection. It’s a little daunting, to be honest.”

  “Pffft,” I tell her, “there’s nothing daunting about me.”

  “I agree,” Dean says, rejoining us. “Just like you, Baylor, he’s just another witness we’re babysitting. He’s nothing special.” He looks to me. “No offense.”

  “None taken,” I tell him, but from the tone of his voice, I know he’s full of shit. This guy really grates on my nerves, it was easy to mask it when I’d only see him here and there but living with him, well this is going to be fun.

  Looking across the table, I see Charli and Bay chatting away. Those two clicked immediately. It’s nice to see Bay finally relaxing. When I first saw her earlier and we began to fight, that wasn’t how I wanted this to go. What I really want to do with her is not appropriate but ever since I saw her almost a week ago now, I’ve wanted nothing more than to fuck the life out of her.

  Dean nudges me and asks, “You gonna tap that?”

  “What?” I ask him, unsure if I heard him correctly.

  “You gonna tap that?” he says, enunciating each word and royally pissing me off.

  “Charli and I are friends. Nothing more,” I tell him, but I know he’s referring to Baylor. I know that what I want and what I should do are two different things and I really don’t want to voice it aloud.

  “Not referring to her.”

  Looking to him, I stare at him, unsure what to say.

  “Your silence tells me everything.” He stands up, leans down, and quietly whispers, “I’d tap it the first chance I got.”

  Grinding my molars, I glare at him and breathe deeply. It’s taking every ounce of my strength to not deck this motherfucker right now. If I hated him before, now I despise him.

  He laughs as he grabs his empty plate and walks into the kitchen.

  Watching him walk away, I feel her eyes on me. Turning my head, my gaze catches her and we stare at one another. She brushes a tendril of blonde hair behind her ear and smiles. It punches me right in the heart and it hits me. Ohh fuck, I’m falling for Baylor Evans.

  27

  Baylor

  …two weeks later

  Once again, the sun is shining brightly but as soon as the sun starts to dip, there’s a chill in the air. I’m sitting out on the end of the jetty with a coffee in hand and a bag of taffy. Someone, I’m guessing Corey, arranged for them to appear in the groceries each week.

  Sitting out here, it’s my happy place. It’s so peaceful. When I sit out here, it’s as if everything is right with the world. I pretend I’m not in WitSec. I pretend that Corey is my husband watching me from the deck of the house and not an agent also under protection. Charli is my best friend and not our handler. The best friend part is the only true statement. She and I bonded immediately, I feel as if I’ve known her longer than two weeks. The only thorn in my side is Dean. There’s something about him that grinds me the wrong way, but I can’t put my finger on it.

  If it wasn’t for Charli, I don’t know that I’d be able to survive this. Charli really is a kick-ass chick and my original assessment of her being a cross between Lara Croft and that chick from Chicago PD is one-hundred-percent true. Her mannerisms remind me so much of Ave, she calms me in the way Ave does. Thinking of Ave, it hits me right in the chest how much I miss her. I miss her like crazy. At least when I was in prison we could talk on the phone, but while I’m here, it’s radio silence. I’m not sure how much longer I can take the isolation. Being here is different from
my time on the inside. In prison, I had jobs to keep me busy. But here, there’s not much to do at all. Living with three people is hard, especially when one of those three is a douchecanoe, wankstain asshole.

  The jetty jiggles and I know my serenity will be broken any minute, but I don’t mind because I know it’s him coming to join me. Whenever he’s near, the air around me crackles and zings to life. I’ve never felt this before, but it can never be more than a fantasy. If our circumstances were different, I’d make a move but I know that once this is all over, he’ll go back to being the sexy-assed agent he is, and me, well I have no clue what I’m going to do. I do know that Bitchy Baylor has left the building; I just wish I knew what I wanted to do with my life.

  “It’s beautiful out here,” he says, taking a seat next to me.

  “It sure is. Sitting here at the end of jetty is my most favorite spot to be.”

  “I guessed that.”

  “How so?” I ask.

  “You’re down here each and every day.” I laugh. “You know, it’s probably not the safest spot to hang out.”

  “There’s no one around for miles. We are literally in the bumfuck of nowhere.”

  “You underestimate Kye. He will find us.”

  “You trying to scare me?”

  “No,” he says shaking his head. “Just being realistic. And I…” He drifts off.

  Turning to face him, I rest my hand on his knee. “And I what?” I ask. I really want him to finish that sentence.

  “I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

  “Awww, does the big bad agent care about me?”

  “Yes, I do,” he honestly tells me. His eyes are locked intently on me. In this light, I can see flecks of gold around his irises. He really has the most mesmerizing eyes. “Kitten, I don’t want anything to happen to you. You’re here because I didn’t protect you.”

  “Cox, no,” I say, shaking my head. “I’m in this mess because Kye Vlahos is a fucking psychotic asshole, who thinks the world owes him. Now, before you berate me for my language, there are no other words to describe him so I’m given a pass when it comes to him.”