Chapter 8: Mark, Riley

SATURDAY, ERBIL, KURDISTAN.

MARK FOREST CHECKED HIS phone again.

His bad luck was changing. The dark cloud that had shadowed him ever since the day that woman stepped into his life was finally clearing out. His little kidnap scheme might have failed, but he'd entrusted ignorant people with a task far beyond their skills. What did he expect was going to happen?

This time, he'd chosen his team wisely.

Every man stood to lose everything if they let Erin Lopez live. They were committed to shutting her down and salvaging their futures.

It was only a matter of time until she realized what she'd inherited. Mark had assumed they'd nipped the problem in the bud when he'd organized Osman Elahi's death. He was just another NexGen employee. Mark had found out too late that Osman was a paranoid bastard who made backups of his backups.

Finally a text message came through.

An address.

"Buckle up," Mark said to the men clustered into the back of the van.

They'd get one shot at this, and there was a good chance that if they were too close to a security checkpoint, he and his whole team could end up dead. It was a risk they had to take. If they did nothing, they were as good as dead anyway.

***

SATURDAY. AEGIS GROUP SAFE HOUSE, ERBIL, KURDISTAN.

RILEY WAS GRATEFUL THE drive into Kurdistan wasn't empty stretches of road with nothing to think about. Between keeping an eye on fellow travelers and the numerous security checkpoints he didn't have more than a handful of moments to think about last eight hours. He tried to admire the scenery, how it changed the further north they went, but his mind kept bringing him back to last night.

Somehow, despite a serious case of blue balls, he'd managed to sleep a little. At some point in the not so distant future he was going to crash for a solid sleep, but he hoped they'd be at the next safe house by then. He and Erin hadn't spoken since she'd passed out. He'd woken early enough to slip out of Erin's room to do his morning duties before anyone came looking for him and started asking questions about where he'd spent the night.

There was no company policy about falling into bed with assets. Hell, a few guys had married people they'd met on the job. Riley didn't have an ethical reason why he'd always kept things platonic with assets, it just wasn't something that tempted him. He had a job to do. If he was more interested in a person than he was the threat to them, he wasn't doing his job properly. Which brought him back to last night.

He was attracted to Erin. Had been since he'd seen her picture and that crooked smile of hers. He couldn't put his finger on why.

Riley eased the SUV to a stop at yet another check-point and glanced in his rearview mirror. The second transport vehicle was sticking close, keeping a direct line of sight open at all times. Riley had known it would be slow going once they got past the Kurdistan boundary. Now he understood why Grant had said it would take them most of the day to reach Erbil. They had about ten miles to go before they reached the city, then they had to get to the safe house to rendezvous with Melody.

A checkpoint officer approached their truck, his gait easy and relaxed.

Today must be a good day, or there'd be more of a show of force. Riley lowered his window and took the stack of documents out from the cup holder. After a few moments chatting with the officer and going over their papers, both of the Aegis vehicles were waved through yet again.

He glanced in the rearview mirror, intending to ensure the other vehicle was following close, but his gaze snagged on Erin's.

She was looking at him again with that quizzical expression on her face. The same one she'd given him last night at the dinner table. This time it didn't seem entirely pleased. Because she'd woken up alone?

Fuck-he wasn't sure if he'd done the right thing. If he asked himself, had he done what was best for her, the answer was yes, but that was just his side of things. He'd have to bide his time and have a word with her later.

By the time they pulled into the gated yard of the safe house it was late afternoon. The sun was dipping toward the horizon, baking the landscape. The vehicles were covered in a thick layer of dust from their cross-country drive. And he had a permanent crick in his neck from avoiding the rearview mirror.

Riley climbed out of the truck slowly, his muscles protesting the hours of hunched sitting. He glanced up and down the street, at the new homes with their distinctly contemporary style. This was not what most pictured when they thought of the Middle East. The lane was pretty, the homes works of art. Hell, it was probably a nice place to live.

"Where does Zain find these houses?" Brenden got out of the back seat and reached for the sky.

"Who knows?" Riley peered at the two story Mcmansion they were in for the night. The house sat on a corner, giving them sight lines on three approaches, with six-foot walls surrounding the modern home.

Riley felt eyes on him. He turned and glanced at Brenden studying him.

"What?" Riley frowned right back at him. The only person who knew he hadn't slept where he was supposed to was Grant and Erin. Brenden couldn't know.

"Nothing." Brenden shrugged. "Unlock the back?"

Riley jabbed at the button. He was ready to get inside, cool off, change, and get ready to wrap this job up. He had a bad feeling a pair of brown eyes were going to haunt him for a long time.

He closed the driver's side door of the SUV.

A figure he wasn't expecting stood on the other side, dark eyes boring into his skull. He took a step back at the hostility aimed his way.

Erin closed the distance between them, the fury coming off her in waves.

Oh, shit.

"What happened last night?" she whispered.

"You know." He glanced over his shoulder at the others.

"The way I woke up, I'm not sure I do." Her tone was downright chilly.

"Ms. Lopez." Melody strode out of the house, a pleasant smile on her face and a bottle of water in hand. "It's good to meet you."

Erin turned and gaped at Melody. She was a bit out of place in a pantsuit and heels, but if memory served, she'd met with the CEO of NexGen's Erbil offices today. Melody's gaze flicked to Riley. He did his best smile, but the sweat pouring off him likely gave him away.

"If you'll come this way, we can get you situated and go over a few things?" Melody gestured at the house.

"One moment?" Erin turned her back on Melody, aiming those eyes back on him.

Melody glanced from the back of Erin's head to him, glaring daggers.

Fuck.

He was going to get it from all sides.

"I'll be inside," Melody said.

"I'll ask you one more time..." Erin whispered.

Melody stalked inside the house.

"We slept." He held up his hands. "When I left, you were passed out, wearing a t-shirt."

"We had sex." The furrows across her brow deepened.

"No. Not-I mean, we didn't." He glanced over his shoulder. Nolan and Vaughn stared their way, no doubt curious about why he was squaring off with Erin.

"You mean you..." Erin tilted her head and blinked, as if that meant something. "And then we slept?"

"I think so? I'm not really sure what this," he tilted his head, mimicking her, "means."

"Oh my God." She turned away from him.

"Can we go inside, please?" Riley took a step toward her. Whatever she was upset about, they could have it out inside and out of view from the general public. And his team.

Erin had one hand over her mouth, eyes wide.

Shit. This was why he didn't get involved with assets.

Riley led Erin into the house through a glass sliding door. The interior was cool, the furniture more modern and familiar than their accommodations the night before. Melody stood in the kitchen, glasses of water with slices of fruit waiting on the bar along with some finger foods.

"Hungry? It's been a long day, I'm sure," Melody said. Her smile was back in place and she didn't look at Riley.

"Actually, is there a bathroom?" Erin pasted on a fake smile and aimed it at Melody.

"Sure, it's just around the corner here." Melody gestured at a short hall on the other side of the kitchen.

"Oh. Thanks." Erin ducked around the corner and a moment later a door clicked shut.

Melody whirled, pinning him with an angry stare.

"You slept with a client?" she snarled in a whisper.