Brittney Peek
The glass vase shattered as they hid behind Emma’s once one-of-a-kind coffee table. Wood shards flew in every direction as more bullets slammed into their shield. But the only thing on her mind was the woman whose lifeless body lay on the floor on the other side of the room.
“Sarah wasn’t your cousin … was she?” Emma locked her eyes on Jacob, who appeared unfazed by the life-threatening situation they were in.
“Can’t we talk about this later?” Jacob peered around the table, trying to get a visual on the shooter.
“You can’t keep lying to me. We’re getting married tomorrow … or at least, I thought we were.”
“Emma—sweetheart—I promise I will tell you everything once we’re safe. But right now, I need you to trust me and do what I tell you.”
Jacob placed his steady hand on her shaking knee. Everything had happened so fast that Emma didn’t even realize her body was trembling. All she could think about was Sarah and the fact that possibly everything Jacob had ever told her had been a lie.
“Okay.” She took a deep breath. “What do you need me to do?”
“I’m going to create a distraction. I need you to get my coat off the couch and pull it over here.”
“Jacob, unless your coat somehow has the secret ability to make us invisible or is made of Kevlar, I really don’t know why you need it right now.”
“You watch too many movies.” Jacob shook his head. “I have a hidden holster inside. If I can get to my gun, I can get us out of here.”
“You—Mr. Can’t Even Hit the Ball in Slow-Pitch Softball—are going to shoot our way out of here?” She stared into the eyes of the man she thought she had known for years. “Is Jacob even your real name?”
Bullets continued to rip their shield apart. Jacob glanced around the corner only for one to fly inches away from his face. He slammed his back against the table.
“Emma, can we please do this later? I will tell you everything once we’re safe.”
“No, if there’s a possibility I’m going to die today, then I need to know. Is Jacob your real name?”
He paused, seeming to mull over his answer. The fact he even had to think about it told her everything she needed to know.
“Yes … but also no. Jacob is the name that my parents gave me, but I’ve also spent most of my adult life being other people.”
Now wasn’t the time, but she had to know. Her heart needed the answer. She pleaded with her eyes for him to continue.
“Arms dealers, doctors, bankers, even bartenders. Before I knew it, my life became a series of legends and lies … of covers to keep my real identity safe. The only thing I’ve never lied about is my feelings for you, Emma. And right now, I would love nothing more than for us to get out of here so I can tell you everything and marry you. I know I’m asking a lot, but I need you to trust me right now. If you never want to speak to me again after this, so be it. But on the count of three, I need you to try and get my jacket.”
Emma took a deep breath and focused on the sleeve of his tan jacket, hanging slightly off the couch, just out of arm’s reach. She listened for him to count, knowing if she watched his distraction, a state of fear paralysis would overtake her. When she heard his “three,” she dove forward, a scream escaping her mouth as the ensuing chaos rose to a new level.
Pulling the jacket to her chest, she slid back behind the only shelter she had left. With her eyes squeezed shut, she smelled the cologne of the man she loved on the jacket. The scent brought back all the happy moments they’d shared the last three years.
She loved him. She’d fallen in love with him after their first date. But she couldn’t open her eyes out of fear something might have happened to him.
“Jacob?” she asked, giving the collar another sniff.
“I’m right here. You can open your eyes. Everything’s going to be fine.”
Emma opened her eyes to her new normal. There was silence in the room around them. Without her even realizing it, Jacob had grabbed his gun from the jacket and taken out the men shooting at them.
She scanned the room as Jacob helped her to her feet. Four bodies and her entire world shattered in a brief moment. Emma took a deep breath and faced Jacob.
Sirens echoed in the distance, each one getting closer and closer to them. Jacob put his strong hands on her shoulders, but she couldn’t meet his gaze. He gently tilted her chin up and pulled her to him. The embrace reminded her of the promise he’d made after they got engaged.
“Emma, I promised I would never let anyone hurt you, and I’m sticking to that. I planned to tell you the truth after we married. That’s how it works. But Sarah came here today to let me know that my cover had been blown. We just didn’t realize hers had as well. Emma, I’m a spy. I work for the CIA and right now, we have to go. I’m so sorry for dragging you into this, but the people I’m investigating … we can’t trust the police. We need to get to Langley. I’ll explain everything on the way. Do you trust me?”
She didn’t understand the surge of passion and energy that flooded her body, but she didn’t have to. All she knew was she still loved Jacob. Nothing, not even his profession, would change that. So, she stood on her tiptoes, kissed him, and said, “I’d follow you anywhere 007. Let’s go.”
She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and was a 2021 First Impressions finalist. When she’s not writing, you can find her going to concerts, taking scenic photos, or planning her next adventure.
You can find her online on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Spark Flash Fiction 