Page 2 of Renegade (The Santini Assassins #2)

“To hell and back,” he replied.

They grew silent as the plane climbed higher. “Okay, King Cobra, I’m closing out this mission. Excellent job.”

“You’re gonna make a great IO,” he said.

“Be my mentor,” she replied.

“You could do a hella better than me. I don’t follow the rules.”

“Neither do I,” she replied. “You’re at thirty-thousand. Safe travels, Rambo.”

“Thanks for the extraction, Bella.”

The line went dead. He pulled the small device from his ear and stared at it. His only connection with her had been severed. She was nothing more than a coworker, yet she was one of the most important people in his life.

I’ma miss the hell outta her.

He had no idea where Langley would be sending him next, but there was no way it could be any worse—or any more dangerous—than the middle east. He’d been living in the shadows, running from job to job to job for so long, he needed a break.

Time to stop running.

The flight attendant moseyed over and peered down at him with doe eyes. “Is there anything I can get you?” she asked. “Anything at all?”

Six Months Later

CAROLINE

Caroline Austin had spent the past six months training as an intelligence officer.

The change had been exhilarating, challenging, and freakin’ awesome.

Ever since joining the CIA, she’d been chained to a desk for too damn long.

Soon, she’d be out in the field. Working informants for intel, vetting new ones, and providing her country with the secure information it needs to keep Americans safe.

Today, she was meeting her mentor.

Excitement pounded through her. She hadn’t talked to Grey Stone in months.

And she hadn’t seen him either. Six months ago, when he’d returned to HQ, she’d expected he’d swing by and say hey.

After all, she had gotten him out of several tight spots while he’d been stationed overseas.

She wasn’t looking for anything special.

Just a brief in-person acknowledgment that he was alive, in part, because of her.

That first week passed without a visit. Same the second week. When she’d asked around about him, she’d been told nothing. No one had seen him and no one knew where his next assignment had taken him. In true form, Grey Stone had vanished.

Today, however, she was confident he’d be sitting at the conference table.

She’d offer a polite smile, all the while being thrilled out of her mind to work with him.

Learning from him would be a dream. He was well-respected at the Agency, and he was easy—too easy—on the eyes.

He was like a rock star and royalty all rolled into one hot package.

With butterflies whizzing through her, she knocked on the closed conference room door .

“Come in,” said a familiar voice.

Her trainer was sitting at the table talking with another woman.

Figures, Grey’s late. Rambo’s gotta make an entrance.

After shaking each of the women’s hands, she sat across from the stranger.

“Caroline, you’ve done an outstanding job during training, finishing at the top of your class,” began her training officer. “Considering your skillset as a handler and your performance under pressure, we’re sending you to the middle east.”

Caroline’s heart fell while her stomach lurched. That was one of the few places on planet earth where she didn’t want to go.

Damn .

Rather than show her disappointment, she kept her expression flat. No smile. No frown. Just a simple nod. Even if she pushed back, it wouldn’t have changed a thing. This wasn’t an option, it was an assignment.

“You’re well-versed on the Haqazzii terror cell,” said her training officer. “So, initially, you’ll be stationed in Karakistan.”

Caroline didn’t want to know where she’d be stationed next. At this point, not knowing was the better option.

“This is your mentor,” said her trainer.

As Caroline shifted toward the woman, her chest tightened.

What happened to Grey Stone? Did he reject my request to work with him?

This felt like a punch to her gut.

Caroline blanked at the woman’s name as they shook hands.

Did she say Laura, Laurie, Lauren?

“Pleasure, ma’am,” said Caroline.

The woman offered a friendly smile. “I look forward to working with you, Caroline.” She stood. “I’ve got a meeting, but we’ll sync up later today. ”

After her mentor left, Caroline addressed her trainer. “These past months have been intense. I’m grateful for your support.”

“You did so well. You were the only student in your group who didn’t break under interrogation. That never happens.”

Her motivation? Grey Stone’s handsome face and rugged body popped into her head time and time again. He’d been her motivation, the cheese at the end of the rat maze. The reward of rewards. She’d been a total badass in the hope of improving her odds.

So much for that.

Even with her valiant efforts, he hadn’t been the person waiting on the other side of the door.

“I thought you’d want to see something,” her trainer said as she swung her laptop toward Caroline.

It was an email from Grey Stone.

Caroline Austin has been the best handler I’ve ever worked with. Promote her to IO and watch her fly.

While she should have been elated, this made her feel worse. Before she could check herself, she blurted, “Did he reject my mentor request?”

Her trainer clicked into Caroline’s online file and scrolled through emails. She got to the one where she’d forwarded Caroline’s request for a mentor, then opened a document.

“He never got it,” her trainer replied. “He was sent to an undisclosed location, off the grid. For all I know, he’s back in Karakistan.”

Caroline left the meeting with more questions than answers. While she shouldn’t let her emotions get in the way of her job, she was disappointed. How could she not be? She’d spent the last six months working her ass off for her new position… and for the chance to work with the best of the best .

Grey Stone.

But in true form, he’d vanished. And she’d probably never see him again.

You better be careful, Rambo. Without me, you’re gonna get your ass killed.