Page 55 of Wired Courage

Jake ran too hard to think, blazing along the paved walkway past old ladies on park benches, tourists with cameras, mynah birds on palm trees. Every time he thought of Sophie, he stopped and did push-ups.

If push-ups worked as punishment for the recruits of the Yam Khûmk?n, they were good enough for him.

Making a formal statement to the police with Bix on Oahu had been a sobering exercise. He’d had to describe the men who had left on the ill-fated mission with them, the progress of their journey, and their bloody and fatal end. Reliving those moments of horror in detail had left him cold and shaky.

“Are you sure you’re okay, Jake?” Bix hadn’t wanted to let him leave Oahu so quickly to return to running the Big Island office alone. The President of Operations had let him go eventually, on the condition that he would speak to Dr. Kinoshita. If the psychologist gave Jake the all clear to work, he could get back into the office.

He didn’t think Sophie would be coming back to the Big Island anytime soon. She wouldn’t want to work with him in close proximity any more than he’d want to be near her, and Alika would want time with his daughter. She’d either end up on Kaua`i or Oahu.

Momi.Now there was a painful thought. He hadn’t just lost Sophie, he’d lost the baby he’d chosen to think of as his daughter.

But she never had been.

Just as well that Jake had never been able to get to know her.

Jake dropped to the ground for more push-ups, besieged by unwelcome thoughts.

He just couldn’t take any more of the lies and betrayals.

Secrets would always be a part of his life if he stayed with Sophie. There would be things she wouldn’t tell him. People she saw that he never knew about.

He’d gotten used to Alika being a part of the picture by truly believing that, in spite of Momi’s existence, any romantic connection with Sophie was over.

But Connor was another story.

Connor still loved Sophie. And all this time, he’d likely been trying to get her back, trying to get her to forgive him for faking his death.

Connor was a major player. Who could resist a good-looking billionaire entrepreneur hacker dude with a private island? The man was perfect for Sophie, except for that one glaring problem—his addiction to vigilante justice.And honestly, Jake couldn’t see that being that much of a problem after all they’d been through lately. Whether or not she had ever had sex with Connor while she was with Jake, she shared an emotional connection with the man, and he just couldn’t tolerate it.

And Connor was his boss.

That was something else that needed to change. When the man came back from Thailand, Jake would quit the company. Leave this scuzzy apartment and move on with his life somewhere else. He’d done it before, and he could do it again—never mind how sick his stomach felt at the thought.

Jake cursed aloud. He’d promised himself he was done thinking about it, going through the loop again!The push-ups weren’t enough. He jumped into some burpees, heaving his legs out so hard they tore holes in the grass, then jumping back up. Sweat poured into his eyes and blinded him.

“You okay, uncle?” A little mixed-Hawaiian girl stood in front of him, holding the leash of a shaggy dog that was much too big for her. “You get pilikia?”

Pilikia—the Hawaiian word for trouble. Yep, Jake had that in spades. He swiped his forehead with an arm. “Nah, kid. I’m fine. Just some problems at work.” Jake smiled, but it hurt his face.

“You should drink water. There’s some over there.” The child pointed to a nearby water fountain. She was so cute, this little girl like so many in Hawaii—all big brown eyes, long black hair, warm brown skin.She looked just like Momi would someday.

Jake dusted off his hands. “I’m good, thanks. Have a nice day, kid. And remember not to talk to strangers—not everybody deserves your sweet smile, okay?”

She giggled. “Okay.”

The dog spotted something more interesting than Jake, and towed the child away to investigate. Jake looked around for a parent. He finally spotted a chubby woman pushing a stroller and hollering for her daughter. He waved to her and pointed to the kid, and then moved off at a jog.

He forced himself to think about reentering the office and picking up his long-neglected cases.

Felicia would have things in order. She had kept the whole Big Island operation running while they were tied up with the birth and then the kidnapping.

That girl was a gem.

Jake ran back to the house, feeling better. Looser. A little more alert. He’d gotten a few endorphins going, he was on his way back to getting in shape, and he even had a plan: he’d find another security outfit to work for, maybe even leave Hawaii. There was work all over the world for someone with his skills.

Never mind that he’d been looking forward to letting that lifestyle go, and settling down with the woman he loved and their child . . .

Jake jogged up the stairs to the third-floor landing, and pulled up short at the sight of Felicia standing outside his door. The pretty blonde was balancing an extra-large pizza on one hand, and holding a six-pack of beer in the other. She was staring at the door, clearly debating which to put down in order to ring his bell. She turned and smiled. Jake blinked at the radiance of her grin.

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