"Has anyone talked to my family yet?" Erin asked to say something."No, when I spoke with Riley he said you wanted to do that." Melody took a few steps toward her until she was at the far edge of the vanity."I have to call them and tell them I'm coming home." There wouldn't be any ducking questions then. At least she'd have more pressing things to think about than Riley."I can arrange that."It would be good to go home and see her family. Figure things out. Chances were, she could squeeze some sort of severance package out of NexGen to tide her over for a while. "Thanks." Erin tucked the clothes under her arm and pushed her hand through her hair."How are you doing? Really? Did Riley do something?" Melody leaned against the sinks, hands at her hips.That last question stopped Erin in her tracks.Her silly heart clenched at the sound of his name.She barely knew the guy. Her attachment was born out of a high stress situation and vulnerability. That was it."No." E
SUNDAY. ERBIL INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, KURDISTAN.RILEY'S NECK AND SHOULDERS were tighter than a hidebound drum. He dreaded the upcoming flight, and not just because he'd been seated next to Erin for over thirty hours in the air. He kept telling himself that what mattered was that they were all going back in one piece.Melody's heels heralded the woman.He leaned his head back and closed his eyes. She'd been telegraphing not so subtle you're in the doghouse vibes at him since they'd left the police station. He knew what side she was on in all this."What is your problem?" Melody nudged his boot. "I know you're not asleep.""Can't a guy dream?" He cracked one eye open and watched Melody take the seat next to him, Erin's computer bag in her lap."What did you say to Erin?""Nothing.""Bullshit. When you got to the house yesterday you were inseparable, now you can't even look at each other.""I thought you'd be happy I was doing my job and keeping my distance.""Why t
"Jimmy, but the idiots called him JimBo. He talked slow. Kind of funny, but he could outshoot us all. Fuck." Riley shook his head. All those days squirrel hunting had paid off.Erin reached over and took his hand as though she knew the next part was bad."We got into a bad situation. Jimmy and I were bringing up the rear, but I was too distracted with what was going on ahead of us. He took one shot. Killed him instantly." All because Riley couldn't do what he was supposed to."It-""Please don't say it wasn't my fucking fault, or it's war, or any of those other bullshit lines." He turned his head to stare at Erin. "I fucked up. And I fucked up again today.""I forgive you. For the fuck up. Jury is still out on if I'll forgive you for being an ass."Riley held onto her hand. He couldn't make himself let go."I still haven't called my parents," Erin said."You want to do that now, or wait?""I should do it, shouldn't I? Tell them I'm coming home.""Now or in Frankfurt
SUNDAY. HILTON GARDEN INN, FRANKFURT, GERMANY.ERIN'S WHOLE BODY HURT. Each step jarred her poor muscles and she couldn't take a breath without wincing in pain. And that was from three hours on a plane. What the hell was she going to do in eight hours when they got on their trans-Atlantic flight? Was there some way she could buy some muscle relaxers? Was booze the answer to her problems?She'd worry about that later. Right now, it was one foot in front of the other. Soon she'd have somewhere to hide.Erin squinted at Melody chatting with the concierge. What Erin would give for some sunglasses right about now. The posh, glistening lobby of the airport hotel was so bright it hurt. She needed water, for sure. Not drinking anything while in the air was a mistake she was paying for now.Falling asleep on the plane was a terrible idea. Those seats were not made for comfort, much less sleeping. She didn't know how Riley or the other guys did it with their sizes."Okay." Melody ap
Erin reached out and covered his hand gripping the edge of the tub. She'd already forgiven him. He might still be the wrong man for her, but they'd survived this together.He glanced at her hand on his, then her face."We're good," she said. "You have to figure out how to forgive yourself. For this. For Jimmy. You can't keep blaming yourself.""If I'm not responsible, who is?" Riley turned his hand and squeezed her hand back."Sometimes it's no one's fault. If you'd been looking behind you, do you think you'd have seen the guy who shot Jimmy?""There wasn't anything there..." He stared at the tile, but she knew it wasn't this room he was seeing."Take it from me. You have to figure out how to forgive yourself." She'd made her share of screw ups to know the truth."I'll get there." He smiled weakly at her. "Hungry?""Yeah.""Would you mind some company?"That was a dangerous question right now.She couldn't say no to Riley."This stuff smells good. Want to eat he
SUNDAY. HILTON GARDEN INN, FRANKFURT, GERMANY.RILEY WRAPPED HIS ARM around Erin's waist, holding her to him. The water clinging to her skin soaked his clothes and the smell of her girly soap clogged his nose. Her mouth slid against his, urgent, needy.The only thing that made sense to him right now was that being with her, right now, was where he belonged. That went against everything he'd learned, but the voice saying stay was louder than the one that wanted to run.Her arms slid around his shoulders and she leaned against him. Her tongue slid into his mouth, teasing his.She was amazing. Plain and simple. She took the kind of stuff that would make other people fall to pieces and she built a tank out of it. He wished he had half her wisdom. Listening to her helped him understand his own shortcomings. He knew what he needed to do to fix them, but he had to focus on her first.His hours with Erin were limited.He didn't know how to ask her for more, but he was getting th
Riley would have to be very careful.He dug his fingers into her hair and bent her head backward. She sighed and her body slumped against him. He was learning her ways, the things that made her tick.Riley used his grip on her hair to turn her then walk Erin back until they ran into the mattress."Sit," he said."I didn't think you liked giving orders." She perched on the edge of the mattress, one leg crossed over the other."You like taking them, so I do what I can."She arched a brow at him but couldn't hide the way her skin tinged pink. He bumped her chin with his fingers and buzzed her lips with a kiss. He wasn't stupid enough to think this side of her extended beyond the bedroom.Riley backed away, memorizing the picture she made sitting there on the bed. Her crossed legs seemed almost demure, as though she were hiding herself from view. Her tight nipples telegraphed the message he'd already received loud and clear.He knelt, wincing at the sudden tightness of his
SUNDAY. NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK.MARK GLANCED UP AND down the landing, but the hall was clear. He didn't want an audience for this visit.Over the years his company had sponsored a number of individuals coming to America for a variety of reasons. With Khalil Muhssan Al-Araji, it was about separating the brains from the body. The young man had been too smart to leave alone and too well-connected to kill. Giving him a one-way ticket to America got him out of Mark's hair and let him bank a favor.He strolled down to the last apartment on the right. Music blared inside. Khalil was home. Mark knocked and leaned against the wall.After a few moments with no answer, he knocked again."It's Mark. Open up," he called out.The scrape of a lock and the jangle of a chain were enough to let him know further threats weren't necessary.A narrow crack opened and a thin, young man with dark, shrewd eyes stared back at Mark."Mr. Forest, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Khalil asked.