Page 16 of Kyle (Gold Team #3)

Dec was giving me a wide berth.

The moment I’d closed the door behind Anaya, I knew I’d made a mistake.

Arguably the biggest one of my life.

I’d let her go even after she’d kissed me.

The only conversation that had passed between me and Declan since I’d watched Anaya being driven away was him informing me Tex had already arranged a local organization to come in to handle the girls who had been left at the orphanage.

I had to stay on target and stop thinking about how sweet Anaya tasted. How hard I’d fought the urge to deepen the kiss. How I’d wanted to throw her over my shoulder and run away with her. How I never wanted her to leave me.

She was gone and I’d allowed that to happen. It was for her own good—now our only objective was to take out Preston Lockhart.

We’d been in Cambodia ten hours and had already recon-ed the area.

“There’s only three guards,” Declan unnecessarily told me .

“I guess they feel safe with the area being so remote.”

“That’s my take, too.”

“Preston will be there for the buy, that makes four. Possibly more if one of the men on the premises isn’t the boss.”

“Tex said Preston is travelling alone. We’ll take him out en route.”

“Agreed.”

Declan leveled me with his stare and I braced. “We should talk about Anaya.”

Nope. That was the last thing I wanted to talk about.

“Nothing to talk about,” I told him.

“You didn’t—”

“I did, Declan. You were right. I wasn’t thinking. Bringing her along would’ve been too dangerous. She’s safer where she is.”

“We’ll be back home in a few days, her a couple more after that. You could—”

“Could what?” I snapped. “Call her? Ask her out on a date? We’ll be in Maryland, she lives in San Diego. Then there’s the fact she’s off to South America for two years and we’re at war with Omni.” I wanted to tug at my hair in frustration but I refrained. “I’m not cut out for that shit anyway.”

“What shit?”

“A woman. A family. None of it. Hell, I don’t even want kids. What the hell’s the point of being serious with a woman if you don’t want a family? I have nothing to offer her. She’s better off on the other side of the country as far away as she can get from me.”

Declan’s gaze lost some of its hardness and he turned thoughtful.

“Just saying, maybe you should reconsider.”

“Come again? ”

“Nothing better than waking up next to the woman you love.”

What the fuck, who was this man? And love? Who the hell said anything about love?

“If that’s the case, why don’t you have a woman in your bed?”

“Had one. So fucking sweet all she had to do was smile and she made me forget all about my shitty life.”

“What?”

“I’ll never get back what they gave me, but it doesn’t mean I don’t remember every goddamn second I had with them.

It’s branded onto my soul, that’s how I know.

I fucking know in a way I can never forget how great it is waking up with your woman in your arms knowing that your once-lonely and dark life is so fucking bright you’re damn near blinded with it. ”

A cold dread hit my chest and Declan looked like he was far away, lost in his memories.

“Them?”

“Had a daughter, Violet. So damn beautiful just like her mama was.”

I didn’t like how he was talking about his family in the past tense. And I didn’t know what to do with the fact he’d named his daughter after his sister.

“Christ, Dec. I don’t know what to say.”

Puzzle pieces were snapping into place at a rapid rate, so much about Declan made sense now.

“Brother—”

“There’s a lot I regret,” he cut me off. “Loving my wife isn’t one of them.”

His wife?

Declan had been married, too?

Holy shit .

“Can’t say how fuckin’ sorry I am that you lost them. But—”

“If you’re still thinking about her in a week, reconsider and call her. That’s all I’m sayin’.”

I wasn’t gonna argue my case with Dec, not after what he’d just revealed. Instead I gave him a chin lift in agreement and said, “Means a lot you told me about your wife and daughter. Swear, I’ll take it to the grave.”

“Know you will.” And just like that, Declan checked his emotions. “I’m gonna grab a shower and try to get some sleep. You should do the same. As soon as Tex calls back, it’s go time.”

Declan disappeared through the door connecting our hotel rooms and I sat on the bed reeling from all that he’d told me. The man couldn’t catch a break, everything good in his life had been torn away. How he remained standing I did not know.

Dec was right, I needed to catch a nap before we hit the road. But I couldn’t bring myself to lie down. The last time I was in a bed, Anaya was with me.

She’d allowed me to wrap my arm around her and hold her close. And, Jesus, I couldn’t close my eyes without thinking about her lips on mine. And damn if it hadn’t set me on fire and made it all that harder for me to let her leave.

But that was what she’d wanted.

I was soaked through with sweat, my body armor trapping heat and moisture making my wet tee cling to my skin. The sun hadn’t risen and it was already in the eighties. In another hour the rays would peek over the horizon and the temperature would soar .

“I feel like I’m in Florida with all this humidity,” Dec grumbled.

“Brother, I’d take Florida any day over this.”

We continued to walk the last quarter mile to the only road leading into the camp where the girls were being held and stopped to survey the area. A one lane dirt road that wouldn’t be travelled by anyone who didn’t have business down the road.

“What do you think?” I asked Declan.

“Looks good.” He glanced around. “There’s a downed tree, we don’t even have to cut one down.”

And thank God for that. Not only would us axing down a tree make noise but it would take time.

Declan and I dragged the large tree across the lane, blocking the path of all vehicles, making sure Preston Lockhart couldn’t swerve around it.

“Now we wait,” Declan said when everything was in place.

We disappeared into the overgrown brush on the side of the road to conceal our presence and waited. With nothing else to do to pass the time, my thoughts wandered to Anaya.

I couldn’t stop thinking about her nightmares and if she’d been able to sleep.

Would they subside now that the girls were rescued?

I’d spent the last twenty-four hours trying to tamp down my worry.

But a niggling feeling in my gut wouldn’t stop.

She was supposed to stay in the truck away from prying eyes.

What if someone had seen her? What if they were followed?

Declan and I had stayed behind to make sure the truck had made it out of the neighborhood safely but someone could’ve picked up their tail anywhere in the city.

Amisha was dead, so were her two bodyguards.

But we hadn’t made an attempt to enter the other house.

Was someone in there watching? Tex had called the Timorese officials, and as we were leaving, a swarm of people had approached the orphanage.

Would those girls be safe? They were all younger; they’d have time but how much time? Something felt wrong.

“You’re thinking,” Dec commented.

“What’d Tex say about the girls in the orphanage?”

“He said an Australian-run charity already took custody of the girls and were moving them. It’s all good.” I nodded thinking that was good. “What else is on your mind?”

“You didn’t see anyone watching the truck, right?”

“No. But it’s always a possibility.”

That was one thing I liked about Declan, he didn’t sugarcoat shit. He was a straight shooter and would tell you the truth even if it wasn’t what you wanted to hear.

“You’re worried about Anaya?” he surmised. “Call her and check in when this is done.”

“I’m being—”

“Fuck, Kyle, just call her. When we get home, we got shit to do. Important shit that’s going to require your full attention.”

He was not wrong. Omni had waged war, and I couldn’t have my head full of Anaya. I needed to sort myself and put her behind me. She was gone. And most likely safely getting the girls she’d rescued settled before she headed home, then off to South America for two goddamn years.

“I’ll check in with her later.”

Declan perked up and tilted his head. “You hear that?”

I nodded and adjusted my Colt M4 and watched as Dec did the same. We inched closer to the road, staying hidden behind the thick brush, and listened as the crunching of tires on gravel got louder.

We didn’t have to wait long for the car to roll to a stop, unable to pass thanks to our trap. The driver’s door opened and a man stepped out and looked around .

Declan nudged me and I gave him a quick lift of my chin acknowledging the nonverbal question positively identifying the man.

Preston Lockhart.

Declan didn’t delay. Though he never did. Two snaps rang out and the man dropped where he’d stood. The gunshots echoed through the forestry and we moved.

Dec went to the vehicle and I moved to Preston’s body. Confirming he was indeed dead, I checked his pockets and came away with his wallet and phone.

After the car was thoroughly checked, we slipped back into the woods and started our trek to the camp.

“One down,” Declan said into his phone, calling in the kill. With no other conversation he slipped it back into his pocket.

Two more hours max and this would be done.

Two more hours and I could call Anaya and check in.

She’d tell me she was fine and I’d fly home.

Then what?

I’d go about my life, she’d go about hers, and never again shall the two pass.

Fuck, that thought turned my stomach.