Page 13

CHAPTER 12

The next morning…

Shadow abandoned the computer program that was still working to ID the bomber. She glanced up from where she sat on the couch to glance across the room to where Slade stood.

He was in the kitchen, whipping them up something that smelled absolutely heavenly, and if she wasn’t mistaken, the stoic former SEAL was…smiling.

To be fair, she’d been doing a lot of that herself this morning. Smiling. Humming. Remembering.

Memories from the night before—and their unexpected lovemaking session in the shower a couple of hours ago—were still so fresh and all-consuming it was nearly impossible to concentrate on anything else. But she had to.

For her mother and father.

For herself.

Because Michael Stanton was still out there, rubbing elbows with many of the country’s top leaders. The asshole was walking around, spending his days as a free man and believing he’d quite literally gotten away with murder.

But Shadow was going to put an end to that even if it was the last thing she ever did. Whatever she had to do, no matter how long it took, she was going to make sure he paid for his crimes.

I won’t let him get away with it, Mom. I promise you, I won’t.

“Order up!”

Slade’s deep voice called to her from the other side of the kitchen’s sizeable island. She blinked her thoughts back into the present and refocused on the sexy man staring back at her instead.

Shadow pushed herself to her feet with a smile, secretly wondering when she went to mentally referring to him as Slade, rather than Digger. Her smile grew even more with her very next step, because she knew exactly when the mental change had occurred.

Say it again.

His whispered plea from the night before sounded inside her head. A familiar tingling in her lower belly made its presence known.

Between last night and that morning’s mind-blowing scene in the shower, she would have thought her libido would be ready for a break. But as Shadow made her way over to where her sexy personal chef was waiting, she wondered if there would ever be a time when she didn’t look at him and crave more.

“This looks amazing, thank you.” She walked over to him with the sole purpose of going in for a kiss.

Shadow started to rise onto her tiptoes to reach him, and Slade leaned in to meet her halfway.

“You’re welcome.” He pressed his lips to hers. “Now go sit down and eat while it’s still hot.”

“Yes, sir.” Shadow gave him her best imitation of a military salute before turning to round the island’s end. When she did, he gave her rear a playful slap with his palm. “Hey!” She swung her widened gaze back to him with a mental note to pay him back in full when he least expected it.

Not bothering to hide the breathtaking smile on his rugged face, he motioned to the mounds of food he’d spent the last forty-five minutes preparing.

“Dig in,” he handed her a plate and a fork, waiting for her to take her portion first before getting his own.

A gentleman at heart.

After dishing up some of the breakfast casserole he’d so generously made, Shadow slid onto one of the island’s four barstools before giving into temptation and taking her first bite.

“Oh, my gosh!” she exclaimed before she’d finished chewing her food. “This is so good. Where on earth did you learn to cook like this?”

While she took another bite, and then another one after that, Slade dished out a heaping portion of the cheesy egg, onion, and sausage bake he’d created and placed it on his plate.

“I’m self-taught, thank you, very much.” He shot her a look. “And you don’t have to sound quite so surprised.”

“Can’t help it.” Shadow flashed him a grin as he came around the island to sit on the stool to her left. Using her best British accent, she jutted her chin and tilted her head. “If I’ve learned anything the last few days, it’s that you, sir, are a man of many surprises.”

The crooked smile he gave made her heart flip inside her chest.

“Yeah?” Slade flattened his palms against the granite before leaning toward her. “Well, stick around, princess.” He gave her a wink. “’Cause you ain’t seen nothing yet.”

Her shoulders shook with soft laughter as she filled her fork with more of the deliciously savory food. The domesticated moment was interrupted far too soon when her computer released a loud ding .

Slade stopped his fork midway to his mouth before turning and looking her way. “What was that?”

“The program got a hit.” Shadow shot up from the stool. With hurried steps, she rushed back to the coffee table and spun the device around to see.

“Holy crap!” She sent Slade an excited look from over her shoulder. “It worked!”

“You got him?” he asked, moving toward her like a man on a mission.

Needing to be sure, she turned back and scanned the data that had popped up on the screen. “Andrew Reiner.” She began reading what she saw out loud. “Thirty-seven, married, and…” Shadow’s breath hitched with a gasp. “No way.”

“What?” Slade came to her side, placing a warm hand to the small of her back.

“Look at this.” She pointed to the screen and began reading aloud. “This says he’s currently employed, and according to last year’s tax return, his employer for the past four years is the?—”

“Central Intelligence Agency?” His spine grew stiff as a board. “The son of a bitch is CIA?”

“According to the facial rec software, he is.”

“And how accurate is the software?”

“Very.” But then she admitted, “I’m pretty biased, though, since I am the one who designed it.”

“Seriously?”

“Yes, seriously.” Shadow’s brow arched high. “And you don’t have to sound quite so surprised.”

With a shake of his head and a roll of his eyes, he brought the conversation back around. “Just want to make sure we don’t waste time going after the wrong guy, princess.”

“Mmm hmm.” Her eyes narrowed with an exaggerated, playful glare. But then she grew serious again as she looked back at the screen, scrolling and scanning for additional information. “No criminal record, top of his class in college, and top half of his class at The Farm.” She referred to Camp Peary, which was the CIA’s covert training facility near Williamsburg, Virginia. “Finances appear to be in order, he pays his taxes on time, there’s no massive debt…” Her fingers tapped against the keys. “And according to his bank statements for the past twelve months, there haven’t been any significantly large deposits.”

“Could he have a different account you aren’t seeing? Like one off-shore?”

“It’s possible.” Shadow shrugged. “I’ll have to do some digging.”

“But you’re sure he’s our guy?”

“I could bore you with all the technical descriptions and steps if you want, or you could just trust me and take me at my word.”

His dark eyes lasered in on hers. “I do trust you, Shadow.” Slade’s throat worked with a hard swallow. “I trust you with my life.”

“Then I guess it’s time to call in the team, because this”—she pointed to the digital image of Andrew Reiner—“is definitely our guy.”

* * *

“Not to be that guy, but…” Bones turned away from Shadow’s computer to look over to where Slade was standing. “Should we maybe turn this information over to the police?”

Slade opened his mouth to explain why they’d decided against that plan, but the woman beside him answered the question before he got the chance.

“It’s too risky.” Shadow gave her head a definitive shake. “Andrew Reiner’s CIA. So was my mom, and though he’s clearly done everything in his power to erase any evidence proving it…so was Stanton.”

Bones frowned. “You think he has the cops in his pocket?”

“The asshole managed to get a government spook to carry out at least one of the attempted hits on Shadow.” Slade shot the other man a serious look. “You tell me.”

Falcon nodded. “Digger’s right.” The sniper’s gaze remained on the intel filling the laptop’s screen. “For now, we have to assume that anyone in authority has been compromised.”

“Authority, hell.” Apollo chimed in next. “I say we don’t trust anyone outside the team.”

Shadow turned a smile in the man’s direction. “I always knew you were the smartest one of the bunch. No matter what these guys say about you.”

The woman never ceased to amaze him, and Slade couldn’t stop the grin curling the corners of his lips. Without thinking, he lifted his hand as if to reach for her. But then he remembered they weren’t alone and let it—and his small smile—fall back into place.

He blinked, realizing only then that Bones had been watching him from a few feet away. The nosey medic’s eyes twitched with what appeared to be an assessing glance, his gaze dropping to Slade’s hand before shifting over to Shadow.

Slade cleared his throat, and the other man blinked. They shared a look, and he knew his friend knew. Or at the very least, Bones had his suspicions.

Well, shit.

Thankfully the other man kept whatever he was thinking from the rest of the room. Instead of embarrassing both Slade and Shadow, Bones picked up where their original conversation left off.

“Okay, so until we hear otherwise, this stays between us.”

Apollo looked over at him and asked, “How do we want to proceed?”

“We need to talk to Reiner.” Shadow responded before anyone else had the chance.

Slade immediately swung his attention back to her. “There is no we , princess.” That was a total non-negotiable. “It’s just going to be me and the guys.”

Fire shot at him from the feisty woman’s baby blues. “Like hell. No way you’re leaving me out of this. Not when I’m the one he’s trying to kill.”

“That’s exactly why I’m not letting you anywhere near the son of a bitch.”

Shadow blinked, her expression twisting with exaggerated confusion. “Wow. The bonk on the head I got from the explosion must’ve done a number on my hearing. Because I could have sworn you just said you weren’t letting me go with you to confront the man who nearly blew both our asses to bits. And, for all we know also shot up the motel.”

“You heard right.”

“Dammit Slade, I’m going with you.”

But Slade simply put his hands on his hips and leaned in, lowering his voice when he told her with clear enunciation, “No, you’re not.”

“Yes.” She seethed. “I am. ”

“Uh…kids?” Bones stepped toward them, his wary gaze bouncing between them. “Is everything okay here?”

“Everything’s fine,” Slade grumbled sharply. “She’s just apparently forgotten that she’s not the one calling the shots.”

“ She is right here and can speak for herself. And I refuse to be left alone in this apartment while you guys go off to fight my battles for me!”

“Never said you’d be staying here alone.”

“Well, if you and the guys are going after Reiner, then who?—”

The door to the apartment opened and, right on cue, Rafe Owens stepped inside.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Shadow stared at the man who’d just crossed the threshold before turning her fiery gaze back on Slade. “You seriously called my dad?”

“You seem to forget that your dad is also our boss,” he reminded her. “And I didn’t call. I texted.”

“Semantics.” She fumed.

“Relax, darling.” Owens joined them. “I’m just here to keep you company while they have a talk with our suspect.”

“Andrew Reiner’s more than a suspect. My program positively identified him as the bomber, and I want to be there when he’s?—”

“I’m afraid this isn’t about what you want.” Owens interrupted her. “It’s about keeping you safe. Which, in case there was any question regarding the matter, is our number one goal.”

Her blonde hair swayed back and forth with a shake of her head. “Our only goal should be bringing Michael Stanton to his knees.”

“And we will,” Slade vowed. “But not at your expense.”

“That’s not your call.”

“No, but it is mine,” Shadow’s father reminded her. A beat later, the powerful man turned his intense stare Slade’s way. “Go.” He used his salt-and-peppered chin to motion for the door. “I’ve got her.”

With a dip of his head, Slade acknowledged his boss’s order before sliding a quick glance Shadow’s way. The woman looked made enough to spit nails.

He wanted nothing more than to pull her into his arms and hold her close until she could finally understand his true motive in leaving her behind. She was so hellbent on being the one to take down her attackers she couldn’t see that he was doing everything in his power to keep her safe. And since she clearly wasn’t ready to listen to reason…

Keeping his gaze locked onto hers for a full two seconds longer, he said nothing before turning and walking away.

“So.” Bones spoke in a hushed tone as he hung back to walk with Slade as the team headed from the apartment to the elevator down the hall. “You and Shadow, huh?”

Slade’s chest tightened as he worked like hell to school his expression. “Me and Shadow what?”

“Oh, so that’s what we’re doing?” The other man sighed. “Come on, man. I saw the way you two were going at each other in there. We all did.”

“What you saw was a woman who’s pissed because she can’t tag along while the trained operatives go after the guy who almost killed us.”

“True.” Bones didn’t so much as attempt to deny the claim. “I also heard you call her ‘princess’.”

Slade’s brows dipped together with a frown. He thought back to the heated exchange but couldn’t recall every word that was spoken.

“She hates it when I call her that.”

“Oh, so you were just poking the bear, is that it?”

“Pretty much.”

He could feel the other man’s disbelieving stare but continued on down the hall as if the conversation had come to an end. Of course, Bones being Bones, the infuriating medic couldn’t keep himself from pushing for more.

“Really? Because the tension between you two sure seemed like there was a lot more going on. Like maybe you’ve been poking more than the?—”

“Finish that sentence, and Andrew Reiner won’t be the only one getting his ass kicked today.” Slade sent his teammate a warning stare, his tone as lethal as he’d ever used.

He loved Bones like a brother to the point he wouldn’t think twice about laying down his life for the other man’s. But this was Shadow, and he wasn’t about to allow anyone get away with disrespecting her in any sort of way.

Not even another member of his own team.

To his credit, Bones didn’t flinch or try to defend his insinuating comment in any way. Instead, the dumbass met Slade’s gaze and then…he smiled.

“I’ll be damned.” The other man gave an approving nod. “Never thought I’d live to see the day. I’ll admit this was not one I saw coming, but I also can’t say I’m all that surprised.”

“What the hell are you rambling on about?”

“Oh, nothin’ much. Just the fact that you’re head over boots for our girl.”

“Our girl?”

She wasn’t theirs. Shadow belonged to him. He was just too chickenshit to admit it to the guys.

“Don’t think I didn’t catch the way you started to reach for her earlier.” Bones grinned. “Between that, the way you two were shooting daggers at each other, the adorable nickname you gave her, and how defensive you’re acting…” Bones shook his head and chuckled. “I mean, you can deny it all you want, brother, but I know a man in love when I see him.”

In love?

“I’m not?—”

“It’s okay, Dig. Really.” Bones slapped a hand on Slade’s shoulder, giving the muscles there a friendly, supportive squeeze. “In fact, I think I speak for the rest of the team when I say…it’s about damn time.”

Slade opened his mouth, ready to finish the point he’d been trying to make. But something strong and determined reached up from his heart and stopped him before he could lie.

Holy shit. I love her.

The realization nearly caused him to lose his footing right there in the hall. Sure his feelings for the maddening beauty were growing stronger, but love? He’d never been in love with a woman in his entire life.

Just because it’s never happened before doesn’t mean it never will.

The four-man team got onto the elevator and began their descent from the fifth floor to the first. Slade didn’t speak the entire ride down to the lobby. He refrained from uttering a single word as they walked half-a-block to where the team’s SUV was parked.

As he and the others began the ten-minute drive to Andrew Reiner’s home, Slade’s mind became filled with thoughts of Shadow and what Bones had said.

She needs to know how you really feel.

Fear raced through his veins at the thought of putting himself into such a vulnerable position. Then again, Slade had never been one to let fear stop him from doing the right thing.

I’ll tell her the truth the first chance I get. Just as soon as I get done beating Andrew Reiner’s ass.