4 days later

Suitcases stood piled next to the bedroom door. In 24-hours she would leave for Georgia and his heart would break.  It wouldn't be long before he followed, but they wouldn't be together.  She'd be with the monster and he'd be in mission control in her Marietta, GA. home.  Everything was so surreal. He couldn't imagine anything worse than handing the love of his life over to Ethan. A mix of shock, rage, and deep concern toyed with his mind. One thought came and then another. Dizzying was the mere word that could describe it best. 

His heaviness couldn't compare to Zara's. She'd felt choked up all day. He'd seen her wiping tears that she didn't want him to see. Few words past between them the entire day. Watching her pack the bags now situated at the door ripped his heart out. He gave her space to sort her thoughts. The clink of dishes floated in the air as she put things away from dinner. He watched from a crack in the door as she put the plates and pots away. When it was all done, Zara wiped her hands on a dishrag and left the kitchen.

She walked into the family room and slumped into the sofa. When she stuffed her face in her hands and moaned it crushed Roman. I wish there was some other way, treasure. But there wasn't.  This was an unavoidable head-on collision with Ethan. Roman was not in despair that he didn't know how to handle this situation.  He was in despair because he didn't know if he could stay out of the situation and let his team handle it. Lack of objectivity could leave Zara dead.  He thought back to a conversation that he had with T-30...

***

"We've never seen love like you have for Zara.  We're going to make this work."

"I'm trying to be the client, but it's difficult."

"Yes, I know, said Max.  But you have a long history with Zara, you know how she thinks and that will help us.  Instead of focusing on what you can't do, focus on what you can do to help us when this rolls out. Now, tell us more about Zara." 

The members of T-30 stayed silent, soaking everything in. Roman hated to give his staff such personal information, but it was necessary. To plan a proper mission they needed to account for the emotional toll involved. Emotions could blow a successful mission to pieces. From what Roman explained he would need to be on the outside looking in. Objectivity would come from the team because he was in too deep emotionally.

"Just imagine this," Roman said, striking the podium until each beat sounded like the rhythm of a heartbeat. Thump-thump, thump-thump.  "Zara is every beat of my heart.  She's been with me all of my life.  I've got a second chance with her and can't exist without her.  Imagine if this mission fails," said Roman, lifting his hands from the podium. Total silence engulfed the room.

Members of his staff shook their heads. Sad tension filled the room as if they wore mourning clothes. The way that he described the relationship left no doubt that they must succeed.  They couldn't allow him to lose Zara.

"My life had a restart because Zara is with me. We fail, my heart stops, plain and simple."

***

The conversation faded from his mind, when he looked out again Zara was in the same spot clasping her head. We can't spend our last hours together like this. He stepped out of the door.  Zara glanced up hearing his footfalls. She smiled but it didn't reach her eyes. Roman sat next to her, tucking her under his shoulders. "What can I do to make things better?"

Make it so that Ethan was never born. "Nothing.  There is nothing you can do. I have to go through this."

"We have to go through this – we.  You are not alone. There are 500 people on this mission not including Trevor's team."

Zara thought about all the conferences that she'd attended with the staff. Knowing that she was flanked made her feel protected.  The surveillance ensured that every action and sound that she made got monitored. For several days the team had shown her how to use all the surveillance devices.

She had diamond earrings that were video/audio feeds straight back to headquarters. She had bracelets and shoes that tracked her every move at any location. Most important of all is the espionage training that she'd received. Zara would be on the inside gathering information to shut down the ring. Roman and his team had been thorough.  If the mission failed, it would link to emotions, not preparation.

"I know, Roe. I'm overwhelmed. I'm so angry with Ethan right now."

"Keep that anger.  But just keep it controlled."

"I hope that I can."

"You must because I can't survive without you."

"Make love to me, Roe," she whispered. "I just need to be with you."

***

Unbridled passion consumed them. She undressed him with quick intent and desperate urgency. He slung the gown over her head and tossed it to the floor. Need called. Desire screamed. They clung and kissed rapturous kisses – hot and demanding. His love was never more sweltering. Dropping his lips to her mouth and neck he touched and tasted. Deepening kisses like snatching for air. Flicks of his tongue licked at her neck, down her shoulder and nipples. Roman's name spilled from her lips, branding in his mind.  He learned her body like a map, traveling down the length of her from north to deep-south. She clenched the sheets, while he lingered heightening her pleasure. Fire spread from her toes to the tips of her nails.

They tangled across the silk sheets in each other's embrace releasing grief and despair. Zara clung as he filled her, wanting his imprint deep in her soul. She moved hard, sometimes beneath him, sometimes above him and sometimes him behind.  From behind, he locked arms around her waist and pumped hard into her body, holding tight. Her fevered rear slapped against steel thighs, as the feeling of losing control soared. She arched against him and cried out.  It was as if their skin caught fire, everything burned to a pleasure point. One last thrust – one last loving thrust. She collapsed, screaming his name. He released the fire raging in him, falling onto her back. "Oh God," he whispered. Their bodies heaved under the weight of subsiding passion.  They laid wrapped tight in blissful recovery. Roman's husky voice dripped with seduction.  "I can never get enough of you." Then he flipped her onto her back and they started all over again.

***

Zara knew that Roman would be mad as hell when he woke up and found her gone.  He'd get the text message that she sent to his phone. But she couldn't do it.  She couldn't bear to say goodbye – knowing that it might be for the very last time. The love that they shared last night would keep until she could see him again. The memory of their passion played out in her head.  It had been spectacular, and her body bore the brunt of it. Stiff legs and ruby blisters were a sure sign of the countless times they made love through the night. She kissed him on his cheek before she left, but he didn't stir at all. Zara slipped the wedding ring from her finger placing it on the nightstand next to Roman.  It nearly killed her to remove it.

***

Ava picked Zara up from the private airstrip and drove her to the villa that Ethan had purchased for them.  They maintained separate homes but kept the villa for the time that they spent together.  It was space for them to use to see their compatibility before committing to an arranged marriage. 

Before finding out about his treachery, the home served them well.  Ava pulled off the private road to the main road.  Within a few hundred feet she accelerated onto the freeway.  The mood was as somber as the gray clouds overhead.  It was such a dreary day. Soft rain sloshed from the wiper blades.

"Does the buzzard know that you are coming?"

"Yeah, I texted Ethan last night."

"Girl, this is too much.  How are you feeling?"

Zara ran her hands through her hair, looking blankly out the window.  "I miss Roman and I'm upset with myself because I didn't wake him up before I left."

"Don't feel bad about that.  He will understand. I am sure that it killed you to walk out the door."

"It did."

"I never say goodbye to Trevor."

They were silent for a good space of time.  Zara tapped her fingers across her lap.  So many emotions swirled in her head.  She'd been rehearsing, over and over, how this was going to play out.  But now since reality set in, her thoughts were muddled. Not that she was afraid, but that she didn't know what to do first. The only thing that she knew for sure is that she would have to be a much better actor than Ethan to pull this off.

"I thought that I would be nervous, but I'm not.  I'm so effin angry with him.  I'm boiling with rage."  She turned facing Ava, eyes glaring.  "This organization is so smooth. They don't give a shit about the lives that they're destroying.  That could have been me on those videos, Ava."

"I know.  I've been angry, too. I want to see this thing destroyed."

"We have to succeed with this."

Ava stretched her hand across the seat and squeezed Zara's hand. "Don't you worry about a thing.  Our men have this under control."

She exited the freeway, drove up the winding mountain road. Twenty minutes later they pulled into a long wooded trail that led up to an exquisite villa.  It had an alpine look, full glass panel front, and A-line roof.  The property was two stories.  From the distance, they could see a fire blazing in the hearth.  Tendrils of smoke came from the chimney flue.

Zara looked at her grey Honda Civic parked in the drive.  "Well, it looks like he kept my car clean while I was gone.  Normally, it would be piled with pine straw."  She glanced over to his black Porsche.  "I want to burn that thing.  I can't tell you all the deceptive conversations that we've had in that car."

"It's your time to deceive.  Trevor and the team have this place fully wired. They've been watching his every move."

"Good," Zara said. She glanced up.  "Look, it's showtime." 

She nodded to the front door.  Ethan, with his disarming good looks, opened the door and stepped out.  His salt and pepper hair fluttered against the chilling breeze.  She looked into his haunting grey eyes and trimmed beard.  The smile on his face made her nauseated. "Look at him," she spat. "I want to bash his head in."

"Calm down, you've got to be the wallflower that he knows."

"I feel like gagging."

"Take a deep breath.  You're acting now – remember.  Get in sync."

"You're right," she breathed. Zara's eye's never left his.  Ethan stepped into the ground level snow.  He wore a black leather jacket and had his hands stuffed in his jeans.  Zara heard Ava pop the trunk.  Ethan pulled Zara's bags from the trunk.  Then he opened the door, helping Zara from the car.  He nodded at Ava, and she returned the nod.

"Darling, you're back."

"Hello - Ethan."

******************

We finally get to meet Ethan. I hope you enjoyed the additional chapters with this update.