MARCO STEERED THE OLD pick-up truck out of Denver and headed west toward the Utah border.He'd really fucked it up this time. One way or another, he was going to pay for this. Helping Fiona appeased his conscience. A little. If Ghost could figure out who'd hired Scott and why,and removed all traces of the spyware, they could feasibly steal what Scott had already stolen, and Fiona would never be the wiser.Except he had to lie to her face. Keep her mind off what was going on. And that was the hard part. He could do it. But he didn't like to. He'd wound up on more covert gigs than he wanted to in the SEALs. He'd faced down some bad motherfuckers in those days. Fiona was an innocent and that changed the game.This was a shitstorm.He should turn the truck around now, come clean, bring in the cops, and let the chips fall where they may.This sort of crap was why he'd gotten out and gone to work for Aegis. People hired their team for a job, they did a job. It wasn't often that thi
FIONA SLID OUT FROM the truck and stretched. She wouldn't think of grumbling about the ride, but damn. There had to be some shocks or something that could make the truck a smoother ride.They'd passed through town, turned off the main highway and kept going a little ways into what felt like nowhere. He hadn't offered an explanation, but most of the mailboxes along this dirt road had the same surname written on them.Marco's house was at the end of a cul-de-sac, pushed off a little ways from the road. It was an honest-to-God log cabin, with a wide deck and a second-story balcony. Actually, the deck and balcony might be bigger than the whole dang house.He paused at the front of the truck, staring off to his right."Something wrong?" she grabbed her stuff from the back of the truck and joined him. She stared at the house next door, a good thirty or forty yards away. Shrubs and desert trees created a bit of privacy, but she could still see the lights on as the sun set, throwing vi
SCOTT MADE ANOTHER DRIVE past the house.He'd gone by once every hour for the last five hours, and still, he didn't see any movement within the condo.Either Fiona and the Hulk were fucking, or they'd split.The only way Scott could find out was to go looking for himself.Time to see if he'd successfully hacked her house.He parked his car around the corner and down almost a block, far enough away it wasn't noticeable, but still close enough he could make it there in a sprint. He could only hope that the Hulk wasn't much of a runner.The street was quiet, no other pedestrians around, so Scott kept his head down until he could cut through the alley behind the condos. He leaned up against the privacy fence and pulled out his phone.Fiona had taken his key back and changed the security system code. But he'd expected that. Which was why he'd had a copy of the key made and programmed a back door into the security system. That was the thing about the so-called Smart Home. They
Marco gripped her hips, pulling her up against him, close enough he could feel her intake of breath and the clench of her stomach.He bent his head, sealing his lips over hers. He stroked his tongue into her mouth, and fuck, when she sucked he nearly lost his mind.Fiona planted her hand against his chest. She pushed, only a little, but he wasn't about forcing a woman, so he let her go.She took a few steps back, her chin lowering. The way she stared at him was a clear come-fuck-me look, but she'd pushed him away. He gripped the edge of the counter and watched her pull the elastic band out of her hair. She shook her head, the strands falling below her shoulders, and then, with almost artful precision, she smiled at him and slid her fingers around the tab of her jeans. He was pretty sure he heard the button pop free."Come and get me." Her voice was playful, sensual. The woman from last night.Those four words had his world narrowing to the curve of her hip, the swell of her b
"OH, SHIT! OH, SHIT! Oh, shit! Oh, shit!"Fiona screamed, the wind whipping her hair back, and the little ATV roaring as it charged up a nearly solid wall of rock. She laughed because she couldn't help it. They should have died a dozen times over on this course, and yet the little buggy seemed to stick to the rock, crawling up, down, and over impossible bits of terrain.Marco gunned the engine, sending them careening around a bend. She held her breath.If someone was coming from the other way...There wasn't enough room on the rock for two ATVs...The trail opened up and he eased off the accelerator.This was...amazing. Fiona had never done anything like this. Even rollercoasters couldn't compare. Of course, on a ride there were safety precautions. Out here, they had helmets, a seatbelt, and...a first aid kit. There was nothing keeping them from sliding off the rock if Marco misjudged the path or if a rock came lose. They'd tumble to their death. And as far as she'd seen, t
"HAVING FUN?" MARCO LEANED back, taking in the sight of Fiona's flushed face, the sun on her skin, the dazzling smile. She was something else out here. Freer."Best weekend hookup ever." She popped the top on her soda and drank deeply, lashes casting crescent shadows on her cheeks.He grimaced.Hookup.Right.That's what they were.The carefree mood withered. For a few hours out on the rocks they'd lost themselves. He loved it out here. There was a freedom that didn't exist anywhere else. And she felt it, too. But nothing could loosen the weight of guilt from around his shoulders. Not until Ghost undid the whole fucking nightmare.Marco pulled out the sliced strawberries, the little sandwiches and snacks. Most of it was leftovers from last night that could be eaten chilled. A little fancier than what he'd have packed for himself, and unless he was mistaken, there were a few things his mother had included with probably the wrong idea. Like the strawberries and cream. This,
FIONA FLOPPED ACROSS MARCO'S bed, deliciously exhausted. Who would have guessed that just driving an ATV would be such hard work?She grabbed her phone charger and held her breath.Marco had pulled her out at one point to hike up a bit of rock and she'd dropped her phone, face down, on the rock. The screen was busted, cracks spider-webbing across it like a work of art. She'd been able to use it, snapping a few pictures here and there of Marco and the view before her battery had died.Usually something like this would be the worst thing ever. After the day she'd had, the news about Scott notwithstanding, it'd been...amazing. The drive, the impossible rock crawls, it was the experience of a lifetime.The home screen popped up and, one after another, text messages popped in.Scott.All of them.She considered ignoring them, but curiosity got the better of her.Where's my phone charger?I need my battery pack charger back.Where the duck are you? I need the por
Fiona slowly, carefully slid around the bench until she was adjacent to him. The churning water made it hard to see, but she could guess where her target was just by the way he was sitting all slouched down like that.Fiona stretched out her arm until her fingers brushed Marco's stomach. The muscles under her touch jumped, but he otherwise didn't move. He wanted to be the stone man? She'd give him a helping hand.Her grip.She drifted lower until her fingers found his cock. As of yet, she hadn't touched him, not like this. Their coupling had been too fast, too urgent to allow for her exploration of his body. She wrapped her hand around him and swallowed. He wasn't even hard yet. No wonder she'd been sore.Marco didn't so much as crack an eye at her. Was this simply expected? Or was he waiting to see what she'd do? Well, she had plans.Fiona squeezed, just a little bit, and stroked, running her fingers along his length, feeling his size. He shifted his hips a bit closer. Permi
Two months later. Ekko's Apartment, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.EKKO STARED AT THE table with the spread of food laid out.Was there enough? Did she need more? Would Coco and Paxton like it?She reached out and adjusted the tray of cheese so it was at more of an angle instead of perfectly aligned to everything else.It looked too neat."Stop." Silas took her hand and spun her toward him, capturing her against his chest with strong arms around her waist."It looks like I'm trying too hard." She smoothed her hands up and over his shoulders."Stop. It's just Paxton and Coco.""Your best friend and his fiancé, who I haven't met yet.""What?" Silas' face scrunched up. "You've talked to her dozens of times.""In the background of you and Paxton talking. That doesn't count." She pulled away from him and proceeded to turn dishes a little this way and that."You do realize Coco spends most days digging in elephant shit and stuff, right?""Silas." She scowled at him."What?" He gr
IT FELT LIKE THE weight Silas had been carrying around in his gut had now attached itself to his eyelids. He floated in darkness, no longer asleep but not yet awake. Someone had called this twilight once, though he couldn't recall who. Something wouldn't let him go back to sleep. There was something he needed to do. It was urgent.What the hell was it?That nagging question hounded him as he ever so slowly gathered his strength.He wasn't aware of time or how long it took to wrestle one eyelid open, but at long last he peered out of his darkness into...more darkness.Well that was just dandy. What the fuck?He blinked that one eye again, letting his vision adjust. He was in a room and there was a light on, it just didn't do much.Machines beeped and whirled around him.That was a sound he could never mistake and it told him the first piece of his puzzle. From there the others fell into place, one after another.He was still in the hospital.He'd been hurt.There was a fight.
EKKO CLUNG TO THE stretcher bearing Silas out to the parking lot.She hadn't realized how bad his injuries were. He was barely keeping his eyes open. Tears leaked out of her eyes as she kept pace with the two paramedics. Silas covered her hand with his as they came to a stop at the bumper of an ambulance.Paxton, Brett and Vito were sitting inside. They were worse for wear and grim, but seemed okay.All around them police were marching uninjured people they'd arrested to sit in a line next to a chain-link fence blocking the sidewalk. The night was lit up with swirling lights that made her head spin."Where's Chayan?" she asked. Her heart was tearing in two, aching for both men.A little distance away an ambulance took off, sirens blaring. She hoped it was the one with Pasley in it."Ma'am, I need to look at that wound," a paramedic said to her.She held tight to Silas' hand. "What about Chayan? Older man, little taller than me? Salt and pepper hair?"Silas had said he was fine.
IGNEY PACED IN A circle, looking down each hall in turn.Where were they? Had he miscalculated? Were they willing to lose the woman so long as they got the man?His orders were clear. Get both the man and the woman.The woman was a symbol. Too many young people had taken to the streets because they listened to others like her.The man though, he knew things.Killing the woman was personal. Chasing her had cast him in a bad light. But the man was more important in the grand scheme of things."Fuck," Igney muttered. He glanced at a pair of men striding for the doors. "You. Come here."The men never glanced at him. Because they didn't understand him?He whirled to face Alban. "Where are the others?""I don't know where Delem and Michil are." He grimaced. "I haven't heard from them since we split up to search the building."That wasn't good.Igney had heard a lot of gunfire. Was it possible the other men he'd brought with him were dead?If both Chayan and Pasley escaped, leavin
EKKO'S ONE OFFENSIVE ATTEMPT was an utter failure. Her head spun and she was going to be sick.This wasn't good.She felt like a ragdoll being drug around, first by Igney then another man she didn't recognize. He spoke Daurian though which could only mean one thing.He was London DSS.Her body chilled. Was that from fear or the blows to the head? She didn't know anymore."Come find me, Pasley, or your little bird dies," Igney cackled into the radio.She tasted bile.Pasley had called her little bird back in the park.Igney cackled like a bad movie villain. The man was enjoying this. He was getting off on torturing them all.What about Silas?Pasley was with him.If Pasley told Silas, if he knew, they would come for her. Silas was determined to bring them all home and to keep her safe. But if he did, if he came to her rescue, Igney would kill them. Igney needed her and Chayan. Which meant he couldn't kill her here and now. It was an empty threat. Wasn't it? Did she dare belie
SILAS PUSHED HIS GROUP hard as they traversed the second floor. The sun had fully set, plunging them into complete darkness where there weren't windows or other lights.This building was a damn maze, and every turn they needed was blocked by too many people to fight their way through.There had to be more than the fifteen or so they'd estimated. More like thirty.This wasn't good.What about Ekko? Where had the others gone to?He'd hoped getting down here meant they would find her and Paxton, but so far all they'd found were a few bodies. At least they knew Paxton and Brett were eliminating the other side. But no one had taken the ammo or guns. Why? When resources were this precious, why not take them?Could they have gotten free? Did he dare hope?Something thumped in the darkness. Like a heavy footfall.Silas cursed himself as he skidded to a stop. He didn't see anything, but his gut screamed at him. He pivoted and threw himself at Chayan, shoving the other man aside. Silas w
THE DARKNESS FELT AS if it were swallowing her.Ekko clung to the back of Paxton's shirt like he'd directed. She couldn't shake the sensation that there were hands out there reaching for her. That Igney or one of the others were biding their time and waiting for the chance to kill her.Where was Silas? What about Chayan and the others?They'd been separated before she realized what was going on.Behind them a burst of gunfire spurred her on, shattering the silence.She knew it was Brett. Was he trading gunfire with someone? Those shots all sounded the same to her. She hoped he was safe. He was only one man and they had no idea how many were behind them."Stay close." Paxton reached back and pressed her hand to his back.Her head pounded with each and every step. It hurt so bad, but she didn't want to say anything. Her pain was minimal compared to what could happen."Will you cut that out?" Paxton yelled behind them.He side stepped and sort of skipped through a narrow gap betw
SILAS GRIT HIS TEETH to keep from telling Paxton to hurry the fuck up. It wasn't like Paxton was slow. The knife on his belt tool was small and no doubt dulled after cutting through several sets of thick, plastic restraints.Sitting like this it felt as though there was a ten pound weight sitting on his guts. He didn't know what the knife had cut, but Silas knew from the woozy feeling and blood making his jeans sticky it wasn't good. He had to get the others out of here before his clock ran out."Which way did they bring you up?" Silas asked Brett instead of chafing at how long getting free was taking.Brett stood by the door, a discarded piece of wood held as a weapon. "We came in some doors, up a stair to our right then a long walk down here. You?""Different way." Silas grimaced. "Do we retrace our path, or avoid it? How many people were with you?"Brett grimaced. They'd been hooded when they arrived. "Hard to say.""Let's assume at least the three that came in here plus one o
EKKO STARED IN SHOCK, her head spinning as the men left the room again."S-Silas?" she whispered so softly she barely heard herself.He slumped sideways groaning.Had that man-that monster-just stabbed Silas?"Man, Silas, dude, talk to us." Paxton had scooted forward, his arms extended behind him, attention on Silas."I'm fine." Silas' voice was strained. "Brett, Vito, how are you two?""Alive," Brett groaned."Vito? Man?" Silas shook his head and sat up straighter."Fine."This was it.Ekko swallowed.They'd done everything and in the end, they were outplayed.The DSS would kill them. She wasn't sure why they hadn't already, but she didn't doubt that death was the final move. All of these people, they were going to die because she'd been arrogant. She'd thought she knew what she was doing, when in fact she hadn't a clue.A sob tore out of Ekko making her already aching head pound harder."Ekko?" Silas called out. "Ekko, listen to me, this is going to be okay. Pax?"A ch