Page 20 of Chain Reaction

By piecing together these findings, she could determine whether the bomb was a genuine relic of the past or an elaborate forgery meant to deceive investigators. If the evidence overwhelmingly pointed to modern materials, artificial weathering, and recent explosive compounds, it would suggest someone deliberately constructed a fake to look old. On the other hand, if every test aligned with historical expectations, she may have found a true artifact with a deadly story waiting to be uncovered.

She couldn’t wait to dig in and find some answers.

And the remnant was fascinating.

But working with Jake . . . it hadn’t been on her agenda.

He’d broken her heart when, after a whirlwind romance, he’d left.

She’d thought what they had was love. Instead, it was just adrenaline and fading feelings—their romance hadn’t been based on anything solid.

She’d thought she’d found her storybook romance. Instead, she’d found the harsh reality of heartbreak.

She’d never put herself through that again.

No, Jake was off limits. She had to remind herself of that fact and protect her heart at all costs.

CHAPTER 9

When Jake pulled back up at the scene, Ty Chambers, Cassidy’s husband and one of Blackout’s leaders, was on site.

Ty, a former Navy SEAL and one of the most outstanding men Jake knew, gave him a nod.

“What a day, huh?” Ty started.

Jake let out a small laugh. “You can say that again.”

“I’m glad you’re here. I didn’t anticipate having to assign you to a case here on Lantern Beach, but they could really use your expertise right now.”

“Happy to serve however I can.”

They began walking the area.

“Have you seen anything of interest yet?” Ty asked. “Cassidy said you’ve already examined the site.”

“Whoever is behind this is sophisticated,” Jake told him. “And I believe they’re playing games with us. It’s the only reason I can think of that they’d add the ticking sound to the bomb. Also, this person was watching, almost like he wanted to see the fruit of his labor.”

Ty grimaced. “I don’t like the sound of that.”

“Believe me, I don’t either.” He paused. “I’m going to keep examining things here.”

“Let me know if you need anything. In the meantime, I’ll stay out of your way.”

As Jake wandered the scene searching for more evidence, his mind drifted back in time to the day he first met Raven.

He’d been assigned to rescue and then protect her—an ambassador’s daughter. The ambassador himself had a target on his back, and he was afraid those opposing him would make good on their threats.

From the moment Jake had laid eyes on Raven, her beauty captivated him. He’d known that protecting her would be a difficult assignment—difficult because he would need to keep his professional boundaries in place.

She was, however, an adult. She’d been twenty-one at the time—and he’d been twenty-six. Her mom had been killed three years earlier in a car bombing.

Though they’d kept things professional between them, neither had been able to deny their attraction. He’d craved spending time with her. He’d known he would give his life to protect her.

The feelings had been there. They just hadn’t acted on them.

Until his assignment was up.

He just needed to escort Raven back to the States.