Page 25 of Killer Sins

Jane’s laughter pealed, the joyous sound warming his soul. He loved making her laugh.

“Seriously?” She shook her head in disbelief. “And Mr. Gruff Marine agreed to this fake newlywed act?”

Bridger winced. “After some serious convincing, yeah. But he insisted no suits.”

Jane pressed her lips together, eyes dancing. “I can’t even picture Tai playing a slick LA businessman.”

“He insists he’s going to play the casual trust-fund baby. No suits that way.” Bridger outlined the rest of the plan, explaining Paige’s new cover role in the mailroom at Tenaya’s law firm and the surveillance protocols the team would run.

Jane listened intently, then sighed. “I wish Jason could be part of this. He’d love it.”

Bridger ran his thumb over her knuckles. “I know, babe. I’m still trying to get word to him about the wedding. Haven’t heard back yet.”

Disappointment clouded Jane’s expression. “If anyone can bring my brother home, it’s you,” she said softly.

He drew her close, breathing in the floral scent of her hair, and stared into the darkness beyond the windows, resolve hardening within him. Priority one was neutralizing Tenaya’s psychotic stalker before anyone else got hurt. Locating Jason was a close second. He’d move heaven and earth to reunite Jane with her only remaining family in time for their wedding.

Jason was sacrificing everything to protect the rest of the team from the Consortium’s malignant grip. Only he didn’t need to do this alone. Somehow, Bridger needed to convince the hard-headed Delta Force operative that there was no “I” in T-E-A-M. He shuddered. Tai and his old-timey sayings were wearing off on him.

He’d love more than anything to promise he’d drag Jason back to Redemption Creek for the wedding, but Jason had gone deep underground, hunting the Consortium’s top brass. So far, Jason has declined all their pleas to help in the hunt.

Not that the team was giving up. Far from it. They had feelers out.

If it took his last breath, he would find Jason and bring him home where he belonged. Jane deserved nothing less.

He pressed a kiss to her head, breathing deep.

They lingered a moment longer in tender silence before Bridger reluctantly pulled away, needing to pack and prep for the mission ahead. He had a murderer to catch and a brother and sister to reunite.

15

Harsh sunbeams glared off the upper windows of the sleek high-rise condominium building, stoking the irritation simmering in Tai’s gut. He’d been in LA exactly forty-seven minutes, counting the Uber ride from the airport, and he itched to leave.

It wasn’t like he wasn’t used to crowds. He’d operated undercover in every major city in Asia and the Middle East, places where there was barely enough room to breathe. And don’t even talk about traffic. Horns. Pedal cabs. Livestock. Horns. And more horns. By those standards, Los Angeles was a palm-tree-lined driver’s delight. He shifted uncomfortably as the hired car pulled up in front of Tenaya’s sleek condo complex. He couldn’t put his finger on it, exactly. Something about the busy energy, the over-abundance of shiny, useless vehicles, and the way too cheerful sunshine.

Or maybe it was knowing he had to pretend to like it here. To be at home.

This whole plan was a terrible idea. Not that anyone had listened to his objections. Now here he stood, about to play husband to a woman who could barely stand him.

Probably that was coloring his opinion of the place.

Beside him, Tenaya fidgeted. She shot him an apprehensive look. “Are you sure this will work?” she asked as the car rolled to a stop in front of the glass-fronted structure.

He held up a finger. “Sit rep?” he asked over the comlink, ignoring her question for the moment.

“You’re clear to exit the vehicle,” Bridger assured him.

Tai hopped out to help the driver retrieve Tai’s stupidly-fashionable suitcases from the trunk. The late autumn heat radiated through the light jacket he wore to conceal his M18.

Another reason to hate the city.

Once the driver sped off, he shrugged, hands shoved deep in his pockets and returned to her question. “It’s the best bad idea we’ve got.”

Paige snorted in his ear. “Gee, don’t oversell it to the new wife, Romeo.”

Tai bit back a rude response. Having his teammates privy to every interaction only heightened his tension. This whole scheme already grated on his last nerve. He itched to click off his transmitter, but the team was his eyes and ears until he got Tenaya safely into her condo.

If he was on edge, how did Tenaya feel? He gentled his tone, even as impatience roiled inside him. “We talked about this,” he said to her. “Drawing Zhezhnov out is our best shot to end this fast.”

---