“There will be an envelope waiting inside your apartment when you arrive home.”

  Inside her apartment? They knew where she lived? “Wait. What?”

  The call went dead. And Alexis hoped she didn’t end up the same way. She had a feeling for all her politeness, Charley and her we were very dangerous people. And she’d just gotten in bed with them.

  Chapter Three

  After earning his SEAL Trident, Kane thought nothing would ever rival the challenge of Hell Week.

  He’d been wrong.

  Training with the master warrior monks at the Shaolin Temple challenged him mentally and physically like BUDs never had.

  The only thing missing at Shaolin was the Navy’s unique torture of lying in the sand while being battered by the cold Coronado surf.

  Even after nearly a year of life in the Shaolin monastery, the monks still impressed him and outdid him every day.

  He got in a few good shots now and again, but they routinely beat him in sparring.

  He’d been consistently bruised, sore and hurt to various degrees in various places on his body, and grateful for the miracles of Chinese medicine, since the day he’d arrived.

  And every morning he’d wake before the sun rose for another day of Buddhist study, temple chores and mainly, twice a day for up to three hours each session, kung fu practice.

  His day ended at eleven p.m. when he was grateful to be exhausted enough to sleep through the night to wake again six hours later.

  He’d come to them in what he’d considered peak physical condition. His mind and his soul had been broken, but his body had been in top shape. Yet the monks had then and continued to now push him toward greater endurance than he’d ever achieved in the teams.

  The monks possessed strength, precision, and agility he could only hope to equal one day through hard work and practice. But they also possessed tranquility. A peace of mind he knew he’d never achieve, no matter how many months—or lifetimes—he trained with them.

  “Brother.”

  The word brought his head up, interrupting both his solo session of Tai Chi Chuan and his thoughts.

  “Yes, Shifu Yon Yun? Is it time for practice? I didn’t hear the gong.”

  “No, brother. It is time for afternoon rest. Why are you not?”

  Because during the daily hour and a half scheduled downtime after the noon meal, rest didn’t come easily to him, but the demons in his head did.

  The only way to avoid the thoughts in his head that made his stomach twist and his heart heavy was to keep moving. It was also the reason he failed miserably at meditation.

  “I feel quite rested from my nighttime sleep, shifu.”

  The master who acted as his teacher as much as his father leveled an emotionless but none the less intense stare upon him.

  He tried another approach. The truth. “Tai Chi Chuan settles my mind, when rest cannot.”

  “Perhaps sitting qigong can also settle your mind.” The master’s slow response finally came after a moment of quiet contemplation, before his gaze dropped to Kane’s foot.

  He’d injured it yesterday when his foot landed badly during sanda practice.

  “It’s fine,” he said.

  Funny that his shifu was concerned with his injury now when he would no doubt beat the shit out of him in sparring practice later.

  His master’s serene expression still managed to show his disapproval.

  Kane had given up a lot when he’d been accepted. HBO. Pizza. Sex.

  He did whatever else he was instructed to do, but he couldn’t do what they asked of him now. Sit for an hour and a half each day and think. Remember.

  The memories would destroy him from the inside—if they hadn’t already.

  “Thank you, shifu, for your concern.” When the man continued to hover, Kane asked, “Are you here just because I’m not resting, or do you need me for something? I am at your service.”

  “You have a phone call. A woman.”

  His heart clenched. “Is it my mother? Is my father all—”

  Yon Yun held up one hand. “It is not regarding your parents. It is a woman who seems not to know you but to also know much about you.”

  He frowned. Sometimes getting information out of the monks could be a bit like solving a word puzzle.

  Who could be on the phone for him here? He couldn’t imagine. But they’d been on hold for long enough.

  “I’m sorry this person has interrupted your afternoon rest time, shifu. I will find out what they want and ask them not to call again.”

  Kane turned after a small bow and strode to where one of the abbot’s phones and computers, internet connection and all, were located.

  Everyday life here was still lived pretty much like it had been in the fifteenth century, until he stepped into this room and the trappings of doing business in the twenty-first century slapped him in the face.

  He bowed to the brother currently working on the Apple computer, most likely responding to the many messages the temple’s website received. Then he moved to pick up the phone receiver.

  “This is Kane Lee.”

  “Lieutenant Lee.”

  His jaw clenched as he drew in a chest expanding breath. “I’m no longer… that.”

  The only thing he’d taken away from the Navy was a black mark. On his record and on his soul.

  “Brother Lee then?” she asked as he listened closely, trying to place her voice.

  It didn’t sound familiar. So if he didn’t know her, who was she? A reporter? An investigator?

  He’d avoided the former and been forced to speak with the latter enough during the court martial.

  That was over. He didn’t have to talk to any of them anymore. If he’d been alone in the room, he’d tell her what he thought of her bothering him here—bothering his brothers—and hang up.

  “Who is this?” he demanded.

  “You can call me Charley.” Her voice sent chills crawling across his skull.

  He didn’t like the feeling.

  “Charley. Great. What do you want, Charley?” His tone was so sharp, the monk at the computer cut his eyes up to give him a brief sideways glance.

  Kane moved as far away from the desk as the cord on the desk phone would allow.

  “We’re calling to offer you an opportunity.”

  “Not interested.”

  He was in the process of pivoting back toward the desk so he could hang up when she said, “We can wipe your record. We can get you your SEAL career back.”

  Now he really wasn’t interested.

  “Don’t call here again.” He slammed the receiver down in the cradle of the desk phone, bringing the startled monk’s head up.

  Palms pressed together, he offered the man a small bow and spun for the door.

  He’d gone to the opposite side of the globe. As far as he could get from Virginia. He had no social media. No cell phone.

  How had she found him here? And why had she gone to the trouble?

  Chapter Four

  Her phone vibrating across the nightstand yanked Alexis out of a sound sleep.

  She squinted at the clock on her bedside table through eyes that were mere slits. The glowing blur of red numbers told her it was eight something in the morning.

  Who would call her this insanely early?

  At least, it was insanely early in Alexis’s opinion.

  She’d only gotten to bed a few hours before. She hit the sheets about six, after she’d given last call at the bar at four a.m., got the drunks out the door, cleaned up, counted and split the tips, and then made her way home to her apartment in Hamilton Heights.

  Even though she felt sticky and smelled like spilled beer, she was too tired to shower. She’d fallen into bed exhausted just before the first glow of sunrise shown on the horizon.

  And now someone was calling her while she was still so tired it hurt to open her eyes.

  Reaching out, she blindly slapped a palm on the nightstand until her hand hit the cell. She pulled it toward her and forced her eyes open.

  She could barely focus but through the blur she could make out the caller ID. Blocked number.

  That figured.

  She swiped the screen. “Yes, Charley?”

  A quiet chuckle greeted her ears. “Good morning, Alexis. How did you know it was me?”

  “You’re the only one rude enough to call this early knowing how late I got in.” And she had no doubt this woman knew she worked late. She knew everything else.

  “Did you receive your payment?”

  Remembering the thousand dollars, in crisp hundred-dollar bills, in the sealed envelope with her name on it that she’d found on her pillow when she’d arrived home, Alexis said, “I did. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. You earned it.” After a pause, Charley added, “Would you like to earn more?”

  She struggled and finally got herself upright. This seemed like a conversation she should be sitting up for.

  “Doing what?” Suspicious, she answered the question with one of her own.

  “Paying a visit to your old friend Kane Lee.”

  That information opened her eyes.

  “In China?” she asked.

  “Yes. Is that a problem? Your passport is valid.”

  And how the hell did Charley know that, when Alexis hadn’t even been sure herself?

  It was obvious this woman and her associates were connected. Part of one of the three letter organizations, no doubt.

  Having worked briefly for one of those organizations herself, Alexis figured that was the best explanation for how they seemed to know everything about her. Right down to who her big sister’s college ex-boyfriend was.

  “How much?” she asked. The question felt mercenary but she needed the money.

  “Ten times your last payment.”

  Ten thousand dollars. Her heart beat faster. That would cover a full year’s tuition at CUNY plus textbooks.

  “You’ll cover all my travel expenses?” she asked.

  Flights to China had to be expensive. And who knew what sort of arrangements she’d have to make to get to the monastery. Hire a Sherpa? Rent a pack-mule?

  “Of course,” Charley answered, relieving her worry. Or at least that one worry. There were still plenty more.

  “What do I do when I get there? I mean what do you want me to do regarding Kane? Why am I visiting him?”

  “We’d like you to present our job offer to him in person.”

  Charley was back to talking about the mysterious we. Alexis didn’t care because apparently the we had money and they were willing to give some to her.

  “That’s all? Just present the offer?” she asked.

  There had to be a catch. God, how she hoped there wasn’t. She’d have to work for months to earn what they were willing to give her for this one task.

  “And convince him it’s in his best interest to take the assignment we’re offering,” Charley added.

  “What is this assignment?”

  “It’s not necessary for you to know that.”

  “It’s not? So, uh, how am I supposed to convince him to take it if I don’t know what it is?”

  “You can convince him to speak with us and we’ll explain it to him.”

  “So he doesn’t even know what it is yet? Great.”

  “I’m sure you can sway him to listen.”

  Sure. With all her feminine wiles? She smothered a snort at that.

  “And if he doesn’t want to listen? If he doesn’t accept the assignment?” she asked.

  “Make sure he does.”

  Two could play at this game. “And if he doesn’t?” Alexis repeated with more force.

  “Do your best.”

  She let out a huff. Time to cut to the chase. “Do I still get paid if Kane won’t accept the assignment?”

  After the slightest pause, Charley answered, “Yes.”

  “Well, all right then. When do I leave?”

  She ran through her To Do list. Find her passport. Pack a bag. Fly to China—how cool would that be? And then talk to Kane.

  Seeing him again wouldn’t be a hardship. Was he still as hot as he had been in college? Probably hotter.

  The decade or so that had passed would no doubt look great on him.

  She wrestled her mind off her imaginings about Kane and back to the situation at hand.

  This job would be easy money. And since nothing had been easy for her since she’d lost her real job, she wasn’t going to turn down the offer.

  Unfortunately, it turned out it wasn’t as easy as digging out her passport and boarding a flight.

  Apparently, according to Charley, she wasn’t ready to leave just yet because she had to look the part.

  Look the part of what? That was the question. And when she asked it of Charley, her answer was nothing more than the time of her appointment for a makeover at the salon at Saks Fifth Avenue for later that morning.

  “Do you know where that is?” Charley asked.

  Of course, she knew where Saks was.

  She went there every Christmas to stand in the street and look at the famous window displays. Sometimes she went inside, if she wanted to feel bad about all the things she could no longer afford to buy. Usually, she didn’t.

  “Yes. But I don’t understand. Why do I need a makeover?”

  She might not look perfect, admittedly she hadn’t had a professional haircut in about six months, but she didn’t think she looked bad enough Charley would feel compelled to foot the bill for a makeover at Saks.

  “Because you’re representing us,” Charley had said.

  Whatever.

  “Fine. I’ll be there.”

  Alexis had figured that as long as they were paying, she would play their game. And she might as well try to enjoy it.

  That was the attitude with which she walked into the salon. She let the front desk employee lead her back and that’s when they descended upon her. No less than four spa technicians.

  One started on her hair, while another put her feet in hot soapy water in the whirlpool foot bath to soak.

  Two others flanked her, each taking one hand to groom her fingernails. All while she could do nothing but lean back, relax and let them do what they wanted.

  Well, lean back and answer the myriad of questions.

  “Do you want to keep the length?” the one asked in relation to her hair.

  “I usually keep it just above shoulder length.”

  “We can do that. You’ve got beautiful texture. I’m assuming we’re keeping the curl?”

  “Yes.”

  “Got it. I’ll do a good trim and a conditioning treatment.”

  “What color polish for your fingernails?” one of the women pushing back her cuticles asked.

  “Um, nothing too bright.”

  “We can do a French manicure.”

  “Okay.”

  “What color for your toes?” the woman sitting between her feet while scraping off half a year’s worth of callous asked.

  “Uh, red, maybe?”

  She grabbed a bottle and held it up for Alex’s inspection.

  “That’s fine. Thank you.”

  She thought the questions must be done, until a new woman walked up.

  Actually, walked wasn’t quite the right term for what the store’s employee did as she strained to push the laden rolling clothes rack across the spa.

  “Hello. I’ve taken the liberty of pulling a few outfits for you to look over. I wanted to get an idea of your taste and what you had in mind so I can tweak the selection. When your nails are dry and after you’ve eaten lunch, we can try some things on in your size.”

  Alexis stared at the rack opened mouthed, until she remembered to answer. “Okay. Thank you.”

  “My pleasure. Now, for your travel days, since you’ll have a long flight, I’ve chosen something both comfortable and professional…”

  Jeez. Just when she’d thought she had no more questions about this assignment for Charley, more arose.

  How much money were they spending on her? And why did she get the feeling that this personal shopper knew more about her travel agenda than she did?

  Chapter Five

  Buddhist lessons, every day, twice a day, were a normal part of daily life at the monastery.

  Kane didn’t mind. He found the lessons fascinating. More than that, while they were learning was one of the few hours during the day that they weren’t pushing their bodies to the limit.

  For one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening, the study time was a nice break from the hours upon hours of physical training, punctuated by chores and meals, that filled the remainder of his daily life.

  The evening lessons had just ended and Kane was heading toward the kitchen to fulfill his duty of helping to serve that evening’s dinner when his teacher rushed toward him.

  “Brother, you have a visitor.” For the first time ever, his teacher looked rushed. Discombobulated, even.

  There wasn’t much the monk could have said that would have surprised him more.

  A visitor?

  His parents were in the States. They wouldn’t travel halfway around the world as a surprise. They were too practical for that.

  The Lee family plans had to be talked about ad nauseam before being made and then confirmed.

  Spur of the moment was not in the Lee’s vocabulary.

  So if it wasn’t his parents, who?

  Kane frowned. “I don’t understand.”

  His teacher asked, “What’s to understand?”

  “Who would visit me here?”

  “A woman. A pretty woman.”

  And there it was, the one thing able to surprise Kane even more. Shifu Yon Yun noticing and specifically mentioning a female’s attractiveness.

  A female here at the monastery and looking for him.

  Kane stood, open mouthed and speechless as his mind churned with confusion and more questions than answers.

  He realized the shock had caused him to forget his place. “Apologies, shifu. I’m just surprised.”

  “No more than the abbot was when she arrived and demanded that she see you.”

  Kane’s eyes widened. “Shifu, I promise. I don’t know who this could be. I didn’t invite anyone to visit here.”

 

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