Last Stand In Texas. Robin Perini

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       Chapter One

      Three months later

      The gray clouds threatening the West Texas sky earlier in the day had turned black. The air sizzled with electricity, and a rare drizzle of rain seeped into Stefan’s skin. He peered at the sky. Strange, but the weather matched his mood today, so he’d go with it.

      He ducked his head and darted up the Carder Texas Public Library’s steps. Rain rolled off the brim of his Stetson, the incessant damp reminding him of the mountains of the tiny European country he’d once called home. A home on the other side of the globe. A home he hadn’t visited in years. A homeland that believed he’d been assassinated along with his older brother during a failed coup d’état.

      Instead, he was alive and well and impersonating a native Texan so convincingly he sometimes forgot he wasn’t one.

      “Hey, Léon, how’s it going?”

      “Can’t complain.” Stefan didn’t blink at the use of his long-term alias. He tilted his hat in acknowledgment as the deputy limped past the library. Smithson had almost died a few years ago. Now he and his wife had a couple of kids and the guy never stopped smiling.

      Something Stefan could never see happening for himself.

      He couldn’t afford connections or family. Which was why last night he’d made one of the toughest decisions of his life.

      Stefan tapped his Stetson to remove the water and pushed through the double doors of the library.

      A small girl sat at the front desk. A too-big baseball cap cocked to one side on her head. Her light brown hair fell halfway down her back. She looked up at him and smiled. “May I help you?”

      He really should ignore her, or scare her with a terrifying frown, but instead he walked over to the desk. “Just browsing. Worked here long?”

      “Do you have a library card?” she asked in a very professional tone. “You can’t check out a book without a library card. My mom told me that.”

      Stefan fought back a smile at the girl’s confident antics. “Nope. I like to read here.”

      “I don’t have one, either.” She leaned forward. “It’s a secret.”

      He bent down so he could make out her whispered words. “I’ll keep your secret.”

      “You’re funny. I like you.” She grinned up at him.

      “Zoe.” An urgent whisper sounded from his left.

      “Uh-oh.” The little girl bit her lip. “That’s my mom. I’m not s’posed to be up here.”

      A woman hurried over, an adult version of the imp in front of him. However, instead of Zoe’s charm, she wore an expression that froze him.

      He recognized the look. Not apologetic, not angry, not worried. Panic laced her eyes and had tightened her mouth.

      Stefan took a step back from Zoe, putting space between them.

      Zoe’s mother scooted between her daughter and Stefan in mama-bear mode. “I’m sorry if she bothered you.”

      “Zoe was very helpful,” he said with a wink at the little girl. “I definitely need to get a library card.”

      “See, Mom.” She straightened her shoulders. “I told you I could help.”

      Her mother closed her eyes for a moment and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Do you need any assistance?” she asked him, entire body taut, practically begging him to refuse.

      If he had any sense, he’d walk away right now. Most women would have smiled at him with warm eyes, but she did the opposite.

      Retreat would be the best option. These two weren’t any of his business, but something made him hesitate. Should he break his own rules, just this once? They looked like they could use someone in their corner.

      The grip on his hat tightened. He couldn’t believe he was even considering the idea.

      “I’m browsing for now. I expect I’ll see you around.” With a quick nod at Zoe, he headed to the fiction aisles, keeping the pair in his peripheral vision.

      As soon as he’d turned away, Zoe’s mother ushered the little girl toward the back of the library.

      Interesting. The sleeves of the woman’s shirt showed a bit of fraying. Her shoes were scuffed. He recognized the Magic Marker polishing up the toe, but she colored her hair. The brown was almost too perfect. She’d fastened her locks away from her face with a clip, the strands hanging long and silky and infinitely touchable down her back, but with a slightly uneven edge, as if she’d cut it herself. Her gold-colored small hoop earrings might have appeared real at one time, but the tinge of green peeking through revealed the truth.

      Her gaze had darted back and forth, hyperaware of her surroundings. He’d like to have seen her smile. He’d bet her eyes would light up just like her daughter’s.

      Stefan caught himself in his poetic musings. Okay, so she was attractive. Very attractive. Her body filled out her jeans very nicely with just enough curve to make a man notice twice. And he had. He’d also bet she was on the run and low on cash.

      His curiosity—and interest—aroused, he worked his way down the book stacks. He could use a bit of intel, and he knew just who to ask. After he completed his primary task.

      He scanned the sea of authors’ names and even flipped through a couple of books. Surely one of the monikers would appeal.

      A new identity came with a new name.

      He’d be relieved to get rid of Léon Royce. He’d never liked it, but he’d been almost dead when it had been decided so he’d made the best of it. In some ways he already regretted this decision, but he didn’t have a choice.

      If he were honest, at first, he’d loved the CTC job: danger, excitement, helping people no one else could help. But ever since the Jennings fiasco, he’d volunteered for every dangerous, out-of-the-way job that CTC could throw at him, praying the next challenge would reignite a spark. Something inside of him had broken when that family had died.

      Truth was, he should’ve left sooner. Would have, if not for the connections he’d made at Covert Technology Confidential. Except those relationships that kept him here also made him vulnerable.

      He needed a new start, a new life, which made his curiosity about Zoe and her mother all the more odd.

      Stefan wandered the stacks and each time he rounded the south end, his gaze veered to the woman. Definitely an upgrade from the middle-aged, sour-faced library assistant who’d stalked him when he’d visited several months ago.

      The sound of creaking footsteps stiffened his spine before he recognized the rhythm of the familiar gait of the head librarian.

      “Léon. You’re back. I haven’t seen you all summer,” a familiar voice said.

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