Page 7 of Secret Mission

A silent groan fills my chest.

This is bad. If ever a man looked immovable, it’s this mountain of muscle. The expression tightening his unreasonably handsome face matches the way his body is coiled. All six and a half feet of him.

I might as well be fighting a bear.

Panicked, I wrack my brain for ways to get this guy and his team to back off.

“I’ll find a way to pay your team. You can just say you’re done.”

Problem with that is money doesn’t come easy, and companies that do international search missions are not cheap.

“Maybe we are done if you come with me,” he quickly replies, never taking his gaze from mine. “You won’t be paying our team. Ever. Come on. Let’s go.”

Staring at the shifting color of his irises, I do my damndest to stand my ground even though it feels like I’m careening toward him. “I can’t.”

My reply doesn’t sit well.

His shoulders and chest tense, stretching his jacket tight. Challenge flashes in his expression.

Something about that flashfire look makes me want to wither and fight at the same time—causing my breath to pump and my heart to yo-yo.

“Really, I need to go. Please, don’t look for me anymore.”

He makes a rumbly sound. His head cocks to the side.

There’s a primitive part of me that shrieks and demands that I flee for my life. Everything about the gladiator-look-alike promises he’ll chase me down and enjoy doing it.

When he speaks this time, there’s a dark undercurrent of authority. “You’re coming with me.”

“No.” I take a step back. I can’t trust these men. “If you have any decency left in you, you’ll?—”

My plea is stopped cold when a gunshot shatters our tense standoff.

Foliage shreds in front of me.

A hot rush of air sweeps by my face as the projectile passes.

My body collapses on instinct.“Oh god!”

But before gravity takes me all the way down to the wet Vandemoran soil, I’m airborne.

The man hits like a tank. Sending me flying.

A thousand pounds of muscle barrels into me, shoulder first like I’ve got the football and I’m about to score against his team.

Ooof!

My breath punches out of my chest. Stars pop in my eyes, and then everything stops.

A massive arm is locked over me. I’m panting in ragged, tiny puffs.

Someone just tried to shoot me.

This can’t be happening. Shock chills my cells bit by bit, icing me over like a pond in winter.

The pit of my stomach quakes.

They found me. These innocent people could die.