Page 104

Nash

Today

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"I’M GOING. THIS ENDSwith me."

Knew that was coming. As soon as those words flashed on the screen, there was no doubt she would want to take this on alone.

Shooting Drake a scowl, I stop fighting him and turn to Fate, who's still on floor, staring at nothing. "You're not doing this alone. This time around, you have me, us. We need a plan, but you're not going in there alone like you did before."

Not even a single look acknowledging my response, which I have to say came out way better than the “hell no” that was my first thought.

She bobs her head up and down. "Fine, what's the plan, then?"

Drake steps in, no doubt sensing the growing tension between me and the beautiful, selfless woman on the floor. She'd do it too, go in alone and risk her life again so no one else could be hurt. No clue where this drive and passion comes from, but it’s what kept me from getting on that chopper.

"We need more than a few seconds here," he says with a smile. "Let's get downstairs, wait for Raider to get back, and go from there. We need to loop your FBI boys in on this too to make sure everything’s legal going forward. Last thing we want is to catch this bastard and then him go free on a technicality."

Damn, didn't even think about that. "What about the CIA fucker?"

Drake stares me down as he pauses for a moment. "As much as I hate to say this, we need to wait." I start to protest but stop at the narrowing of his eyes and balling of his fists. "If he learns that we know he’s behind all this, then he could tip this guy off and disappear. Pretty fucking sure that's not what we want to happen, seeing as your girl here would be looking over her shoulder every damn day until she can find him again. So no, the CIA fuckstick can wait. Find this other bastard." He turns the intense stare he's perfected over the years to Fate. "Speaking of, what's this back room he wants to meet you in?"

She shrugs and ignores his question.

Shit, she's had a hard day. First the debriefing and now this; I have no idea how she's still functioning. The woman has no clue how strong she really is, and it doesn't matter how many times I tell her. At some point though, she'll have to believe it, see it in herself.

Grabbing Drake’s shoulder, I pull him out of the room and shut the door. "She's been through a shit storm today, boss."

A nod in agreement as he stares down the hall. "Let's go down and get our plan together. She's safe up here alone. All the windows are bulletproof and monitored by the alarm."

At the foot of the stairs, I sink to the bottom step. Fuck, what just happened? Mya and Liza are in danger, this bastard wants Pops all to himself, and the CIA fucker isn’t just an asshole but one of the bad guys. Massaging the bridge of my nose with two fingers, I sigh and close my eyes. "What's your plan? I know you came up with one in the two seconds she asked you up there, so what is it?"

I sense instead of see him pace the length of the room. "Do you have any idea what the back room is he's talking about?"

A dark lock of hair falls with the shake of my head. "No fucking clue."

"We know it's somewhere they both know, so it’s safe to assume it’s somewhere in DC. He wants her to come alone." Looking up from the floor, I shoot a glare across the room. "I'm not saying we send your girl in there alone, but we need to make it look that way. Two o’clock." He looks to his watch. "That gives us a little more than four hours." The stomp of his boots stops in front of the fireplace. Staring at the stone, he says, "Call up the FBI. We need their help."

The phone's barely out of my pocket when a chirp from the security system sounds. I'm off my ass and halfway up the stairs before Drake stops me.

"What in the hell is she doing?" He smiles at his phone and turns it to me. Clomping back down the few stairs, I rip it from his hand and watch. A smile spreads across my face as I shake my head at the screen. Of course she's trying to climb out the window. It's only a two-story drop.

"I'll go stop—" The second she vanishes from the screen, a short scream comes from the back of the house. "Wow."

Drake grips my shoulder with a little jostle. "You sure know how to pick ’em, Snowflake. That one out there has bigger balls than half the CIA." Halfway to the door, he turns with a smirk. "Don't let her near Raider."

Grabbing a fresh cup of coffee, he heads out the back door to stop whatever the hell she has planned next in her grand escape.