Page 34 of Fatal Intent

“You mean awkward.” Rayne pushed the button for the subbasement level with vaults filled with supplies. “I thought he’d tell me to stay here while the rest of you deployed, and I didn’t want that to happen. I can do this, Grant.”

He tugged her into his arms. “I know you can. So does Maddox.”

“Then why did he question my ability to pull this off?”

“I think he wanted you to conclude for yourself that you could handle the mission. You’re the one who knows yourself best. If you don’t believe in your abilities, you could question your responses at the wrong time and end up hurt or worse.”

“Okay. I get that, but why did he question you, too?”

“There’s no doubt I’ll be distracted on this mission, Rayne,” he admitted softly. “I’m crazy about you. I have been ever since I met you. My first instinct will always include protecting you.”

“I can take care of myself.”

“I know. I’ll still protect you if the opportunity presents itself.” He brushed his mouth across hers in a light kiss. “I’ve been doing it for months. Why should this mission be any different?”

Rayne couldn’t fault him for his instincts. Truthfully, she’d been watching his back for months, too. “So we’ll protect each other.”

“Good plan.” He led the way to the closest supplies vault and passed two layers of security to open the heavy steel door.

Together, they restocked supplies for their Go bags. Taking Maddox’s warning to heart, Rayne selected extra knives and magazines for her pistols, more flash bangs, grenades, and an extra rope. A woman never knew when more hardware would come in handy on a mission.

After a quick glance at Grant, she also selected the supplies to make a bomb. While she likely wouldn’t be called on to create an explosive device, Grant would. He was Echo’s EOD expert.

When they finished loading up on supplies and left the vault, their Go bags weighed a good deal more than they had when they entered. Rayne motioned to the rooms across the hall from the vaults. “I hate to sound like a total girl, but I need more clothes.”

Grant chuckled. “I do, too.” He sobered. “We should take clothes for the Whites.”

“Good idea.” Rayne slid her phone out of her pocket. “I’ll ask Zane if he knows their sizes.”

“The tech crew surprises me with the amount of information they collect about people.”

A minute after sending the text requesting the Whites’ sizes, Rayne received a response. “Got it. Come on. We need to go to supply room six. That’s where the clothes for kids are stored.”

After passing through more security measures, she stepped into room six and scanned the shelves until she found what she was looking for. Rayne plucked lightweight long-sleeved shirtsand pants for the children along with socks and underwear, then shifted to the other side of the supply room and chose clothes for the adults, too. At least the Whites wouldn’t have to wear the same clothes for the flight back to the US.

Grant took the clothes for the adults and stashed them in his Go bag, leaving Rayne to put the children’s clothes in her bag. That done, she walked to the back wall and searched for the correct boot sizes for the family. Since no one knew what shoes they wore, she wanted the Whites to have footwear appropriate for tromping through the jungle. She and Grant grabbed pairs of tactical boots for them and left the supply room.

They rode the elevator up to the garage level and exited the car. The cavernous interior echoed with the voices of their teammates as they loaded up their vehicles for the journey across Nashville to John C. Tune Airport.

Iona shut the hatchback of her SUV and turned toward them. “How did it go?”

“As you’d expect.” Grant unlocked his SUV and raised the liftgate. “He wanted to know everything that had happened this morning and how we were handling the pressure and scrutiny from law enforcement.”

Her eyebrow rose. “That’s all?”

Her team leader knew they were holding something back. Leave it to Iona to call them on it. “He warned us to be on our guard and not get distracted by what’s happening between me and Grant.”

Andre folded his arms across his chest. “What is happening? Something you need to tell the class, Bowen?”

He captured Rayne’s hand in his and kissed her knuckles. “Rayne and I are officially dating.”

Cheers erupted from the operatives, who each congratulated them.

“It's about time you wised up,” Elias said. “The rest of us knew you were meant for each other weeks ago.”

Grant scowled.

“He’s right.” Andre grinned. “The only people who couldn’t see the truth were you two.” He glanced at Seth, eyes twinkling. “You owe me dinner.”