Page 36 of Being Bold (Tactical Operations & Protection (TOP) Security #1)

Selene

Something rattled and buzzed near Selene’s head.

Her first thought was to ignore whatever it was as she basked in the comforting warmth of the body wrapped around hers.

When the sound didn’t stop, she cracked an eye open, not fully awake.

The black burner phone from Mr. Dao vibrated, the screen lighting up, as it moved across the white marble top of the circular nightstand next to the bed in her and Bo’s hotel room.

Dread spiked in her stomach, and her head cleared.

Judging by the soft orange light filtering through the sheer panels over the window, dawn was coming.

Still, she wanted more time. More snuggling, more kissing, more everything with Bo before she had to face the reality of her situation. The danger they’d meet today.

Bo was big spoon to her little, and from the even rise and fall of his chest against her back, he slept deeply. Knowing she couldn’t put it off, she reached for the phone, careful not to disturb him.

Mr. Dao hadn’t called. He’d sent her text messages in standard written Chinese instead. As she read them, a skitter of fear traveled down her back, and she gulped, clutching the phone in her fist.

He knows about Bo.

Mr. Dao had told her to ensure she came alone. To leave her ‘janitor friend’ behind, or their deal would be off.

Selene forced herself to take a deep breath.

It wasn’t like she trusted Mr. Dao to keep their deal anyway.

He wanted her dead, but he wanted the microchip more.

Whether Bo went to the meetup with her or not wouldn’t make much of a difference.

That’s why they had to use this opportunity to . . . she stuttered over the thought.

To kill him.

Closing her eyes, she shook it from her mind.

She couldn’t focus on that. Getting rid of Mr. Dao was the only way she’d get her life back, wasn’t it?

When doubts plagued her, she chewed her lip.

If she were going to get through this, she had to remember her parents and her need to ensure they were safe.

Nerves caused her body to buzz with restless energy. There was no way she’d get back to sleep now. Setting the phone on the nightstand, she rolled, trying to get out from under Bo’s arm, but her movement made him clutch her tighter.

“Nrhmm,” he mumbled incoherently.

It would’ve made her chuckle if Mr. Dao’s message hadn’t set her on edge. She tried to sit up, and Bo’s arm pulled her back down. With a sigh, she twisted to face him. His rugged features were relaxed, still half asleep. A soft smile tilted the corners of his lips up. His eyes remained closed.

She lifted a hand to his chest, laying it over his heart. “Bo, I have to get up,” she whispered.

“Stay, ocean-eyes.” He tried to nuzzle into her hair, but since she’d turned around, his forehead met her collarbone. A sound rumbled from his throat, then he started kissing and sucking at her skin, sending ripples of pleasure across her senses.

Which only made her feel worse. Because this night they’d stolen was a fantasy. Real life knocked at the door. When tears sprang to her eyes, she tried to blink them away. She wanted to stay in this bed with Bo more than anything, but it was time to confront the future. “Mr. Dao texted.”

Bo’s eyes shot open. With an angry growl, he asked, “When?”

He wanted to know how long they had left.

It wasn’t long enough. “Noon.” Only a few short hours from now.

Her heart squeezed, and she had to swallow before continuing, “He wants to meet at noon.” Bo’s arms tightened around her as if noon were too soon.

She sighed as disappointed as he seemed.

“He told me to come alone. To leave you . He must’ve seen you helping me at Saber Tech. ”

A deep frown line marred Bo’s forehead. “Yeah, or Felix told him before . . .” he trailed off with a wince as if sorry he’d reminded her. “Uh, because Yumi said she’d scrub the footage.”

Worry for her friend stirred in her gut. “I need to see if she’s called or texted.”

Bo gave a slight nod. “And I need to tell Victor about Dao.”

Despite their assertions, neither moved. Her limbs felt heavy, weighed down with sadness. It must’ve shown on her face because Bo’s eyes lost their hard edge. He lifted a hand toward her and traced the mole by her right eyebrow. “Don’t be sad, ocean-eyes. You’ll have your life back.”

She wasn’t sure that’s what she wanted if it meant he wouldn’t be in it. But she’d told him she wouldn’t ask for forever.

Stupid, Selene!

Because that was what she wanted. Forever with him. The tears she’d been fighting sprang free and spilled down her cheeks.

Alarm widened his eyes, and he swiped at the droplets with his thumbs. “Don’t cry, beautiful. It’ll all be over soon,” he crooned in his gruff voice.

His statement made her feel worse. A noisy sob shook her chest and scratched up her throat. Bo rubbed her back, pulling her closer while murmuring soft words she was too full of anguish to comprehend.

“Don’t leave me!” The words rushed from her throat on a keening gasp. She hadn’t meant to say them, but they were out now, polluting the air with her desperation and fear. Not of Mr. Dao, but of Bo walking away from her for good.

He went stiff next to her, then she heard him draw in a ragged breath before he rolled away. She sat up when he stood from the bed. He croaked with his back to her, “I can’t, Selene. I’m sorry.”

The heart she hadn’t meant to give him cracked down the middle like a tree struck by a powerful bolt of lightning. Scorched and broken, she whispered, “Yes, you can, but you won’t.”

His shoulders slumped, but all he said was, “We’ll talk about it later. Right now, we need to get TOP together.”

“Fine,” she answered, though he didn’t wait for her response. He disappeared into the bathroom, so she pulled herself from the bed. The tears had dried up. They were pointless anyway. Bo had made up his mind, and what she felt didn’t matter. She got dressed in a fog of misery.

When he exited the bathroom, she sat on the bed, staring out the window. She didn’t even turn as he said, “Meet me at Victor’s room in ten.”

“Okay.”

Footsteps moved in her direction, then stopped. She waited, but they retreated. The sound of the room door closing behind Bo widened the crack in her heart a little more. With a sigh, she pushed to her feet and headed for the bathroom.

After making herself ready, she grabbed the phone from Mr. Dao and her TOP burner.

Remembering her need to hear from Yumi, she checked for messages.

There were none. Worrying her lip, she dialed her friend’s number.

It rang and rang until the voicemail recording came on.

Instead of leaving a message, Selene hung up and texted Yumi.

Selene: Are you okay? Did you find what we were looking for?

She didn’t get a response right away and realized that, as early as it was in Montana, her friend was probably still asleep. Hopefully, the agent would get back to her before the meeting with Mr. Dao.

A chill washed over Selene, stopping her stride from the room. She didn’t know if it was worry over Yumi or herself. Trying to shake off the unease, she exited, tightly closing the door behind her.

No turning back now.

She drew in a deep breath and headed for Victor’s room.

◆◆◆

Bo

Victor answered the door after one knock. The man didn’t look the least bit groggy. Had he even slept?

“Frogman,” he greeted Bo with a head lift, stepping aside to let him in.

As team leader, Victor had a suite. The door opened onto a living room with a deep blue velvet “L”-shaped couch.

Behind it sat the king-size bed that had been meticulously remade—or never slept in.

A four-person round dining table took up the corner of the room immediately behind the couch, with a chandelier resembling an exploding star hanging above it.

A gilded mirror, the height of the wall, hung opposite the window along the right side of the room.

It reflected the first rays of morning sunshine that pierced the panes, keeping the room from being too dark.

Bo walked into the sitting area and sat on the corner of the couch when Victor waved for him to take a seat.

“We have contact?”

Bo scrubbed his hands over his face, regretting not getting coffee before heading up here. “Yeah. Noon.”

Victor crossed his arms and leaned against the wall opposite Bo’s seat. “Where?”

Bo huffed out air in a derisive laugh. He didn’t fucking know where Dao wanted to meet because he’d run out of the room like a coward.

He hadn’t thought of the details, only the need to escape, so he wouldn’t have to see the hurt and disappointment on Selene’s face.

“Selene can tell us when she gets here.”

Victor’s voice broke through the nasty pot of emotions stewing in Bo’s gut. “You fucked it up, didn’t you?”

He blinked at his team lead. “What?”

“Things with Selene.”

“Yeah.” Bo had to look away from the disapproval on Victor’s face. “I was always going to.”

“Maybe. Doesn’t mean you can’t try and fix it.”

He didn’t look up at Victor’s comment. His hands clenched and unclenched as his skin stretched too tight. He started to feel trapped, but bolting out of there wasn’t an option.

Clearing his throat, Bo changed the subject. “Can we focus on the op? The rest of the team needs to get here so we can nail down our plan.”

“They’re already on the way.”

On cue, what could only be Herc’s massive hand pounded on the door.

Victor opened it, then Herc, Romeo, and Duke filed in.

The room suddenly felt too small, but Bo dealt with it because the tantalizing scent of coffee wafted in with the guys.

He surged to his feet, snagging a paper cup from the holder Romeo carried.

“Sure, Bo, help yourself,” the former SEAL sniggered.

Bo downed a gulp that burned his tongue and cursed. “Thanks,” he barked before taking another searing sip. He didn’t care that he scalded his mouth. After what he’d done to Selene, he deserved the pain.

When everyone who wanted one had grabbed a coffee, Romeo set the last two cups on the rounded table in front of the couch. Then, he and Duke snagged seats at the dining table.

They’d taken a brown paper bag with them. The smell of baked dough wafted from it, but Bo’s stomach roiled, too upset to eat.

Herc sat down, taking up the entire chaise portion of the couch. “Where’s Selene?” he asked before shoving a muffin into his mouth, whole.

“She’ll be here in a minute.” And he wasn’t looking forward to facing her.

“Oh.” Herc didn’t often frown, so when he aimed one at Bo, he knew whatever was coming next wouldn’t be good. “You left her alone?”

Dammit all to hell!

He’d left Selene alone when he was supposed to be protecting her.

Rage at himself exploded through his veins.

Bo shoved to his feet and stormed out of the suite.

On his way back to their room, he berated himself over and over.

He should’ve waited outside their door at least. Then he could’ve had some space, but he’d have known she was safe.

By the time he made it back to their hall, his jaw ached from grinding his teeth. He swiped his card and barged into the room, yelling her name. It took him less than five seconds to see she’d already left. “Fuck!” he cursed himself and headed toward the elevators. Maybe he’d just missed her.

But no one waited in front of the double lifts. He pushed the button to go back up to Victor’s floor and tried to think around the beat of his pulse pounding at his temple. How the fuck could he have left her like that? Not only was it his job to protect her, but he fucking loved her.

I’m in love with her.

His chest started to heave in panic as he acknowledged how he felt.

Where is she? What if Dao has her? What if she left to meet him on her own?

Bo had to find her. If anything happened to Selene, it would be his fault.

When the elevator doors opened, he was ready to bolt inside, but by some miracle, Selene stepped out.

“Hey,” she said. “Can you take me to Victor’s? I got turned around. All these hallways look the same.”

“Fuck me,” he mumbled before pulling her into a crushing hug. He closed his eyes as relief crashed into him. Lying his cheek on her head, he breathed in her wildflower scent and stroked her hair. “You scared the shit out of me.”

“What?” Her question was a pained squeak, making Bo realize she was stiff in his arms. She hadn’t returned his embrace.

His heart withered, collapsing against his rib cage, but he only said, “Nevermind. Let’s go.”

When they’d stepped inside the elevator together, she moved as far away from him as possible.

He knew the distance was his fault but couldn’t help feeling slightly bitter at how quickly she’d changed her tune.

Less than half an hour ago, she hadn’t wanted him to leave, and now, she acted like she couldn’t wait for that to happen.

“I texted Yumi, but she’s probably asleep,” Selene commented without looking at him, breaking the tense silence that hovered between them as thick as humid air.

He only grunted in response. Is this how things would be now? When a scowl followed the thought, he pushed everything he felt aside. What mattered was keeping her safe.

Trying not to growl, he said, “You didn’t tell me where Dao wanted to meet.”

“Oh,” she spoke softly, her voice flat. “He gave me the location of a building, 1 Square Phillips.”

Bo nodded. “Then our first order of business is scoping the place. Find the weak points in its security and all the modes in and out.”

“Okay,” was her only response.

The elevator stopped on Victor’s floor. As the doors opened, he wanted to keep her from exiting. Pull her into his arms and tell her what his mind screamed at him.

I love you, dammit!

But it didn’t matter because their future didn’t involve being together. After the op was over, they’d go their separate ways. She could start somewhere new, be happy, and he would be . . . as fucked up as he’d always been.