Page 6 of Secret Mission

“Ma’am, I don’t think you understand. We’ve been hired to make sure you’re safe and right now I’m looking at a woman that’s ten pounds thinner, a whole lot paler than her photo, and skittish as fuck. She’s also alone in a country with dangerous rebels. So you can forget about us stopping this mission until we know what’s going on.”

This time she meets my gaze and there’s something new blazing there.Rage?

“You need to leave me alone. You could die. All of you could die because of talking to me.”

Like that’s going to happen. “You’re not walking away until you give us answers. Until you’re safe.”

Closing her eyes, she mumbles something. For a beat, she twists and presses her pale pink lips into a display of frustration. Like she’s counting back from one hundred to cool her murderous anger.

I can’t look away. Every flicker of emotion tattoos itself on me. Fueling my addiction to her.

“I shouldn’t have come,” she blurts when she finally pins me with another glare.

Too late for regrets. She’s caught now.

“Why did you?”

She exhales loudly as she shakes her head, causing her damp hair to cling to her cheek.

My fingers twitch. I need to move that tendril of hair—to touch her—as much as I need my next breath.

“I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to innocent men who dive in that treacherous cave because of some concocted story my father sold to your company.”

I know I’m staring, but there’s nothing I can do. A whirlpool is tugging me under. And when tears build on her lashes, I curse silently.

Don’t cry.

“You’re safe now.” My voice has gone rough. “You can trust us.”

The first tear falls.

Then I do.

Chapter Three

Safe.

Trust.

I’m not alone.

God, how I wish that was true.

But I can’t. It’s too dangerous.

Choking back the tears that have no place here, I take a step back.

This isn’t the first mistake I’ve made in my life. But it might be the worst one yet.

I need to get away fromhimnow.

This man isn’t only going to force his way into my life because he claims to want to protect me, but he’s unraveling me by his presence. Strong. Protective. A bold, brash mix of wild and steady.

Shrinking back another step, I look for an escape—maybe a trail into the jungle foliage that will allow me to evade this guy.

“I need to go. Please just…” My throat clogs painfully with tears that I’ve been holding for weeks. “I have to deal with this. Take your team and go home.”

Focus sharpening, he shakes his head. “Thisismy home until you’re safe and your case is closed.”