Page 22 of Forbidden Access

“Yeah, he’s the only one I know who could pull this off.”

“Did you get a chance to study the drone?” Thorn asked, her tone all business.

Hawk’s jaw tightened. “It was a high-tech model. Commercial grade, modified to carry a payload. It had six rotors for stability and could fly long distances. The explosive was cleverly concealed to look like part of the drone’s structure. It was equipped with GPS, programmed to navigate through the estate’s perimeter undetected.”

Damian watched Thorn’s eyes narrow, her mind clearly racing as she processed the information. “It must have flown in low, avoiding radar and thermal detection. These drones are designed to be quiet, almost silent at high altitudes.”

A shiver ran down Damian’s spine. The fact that Alek had followed through on his threat shook him to his core. They had been close once, as close as father and son. He had trusted the man—hell, he’d idolized him, seduced by his wealth, power, and his beautiful daughter. Alek had filled a void in his life, a void he hadn’t realized was there until it was too late.

“Exactly,” Hawk confirmed. “Fortunately, we detected it just in time. Our snipers took it down before it reached the house. The explosion detonated mid-air, causing no damage to the estate.”

Thorn pursed her lips, and for a fleeting moment, Damian’s mind flashed back to their kiss. There was something about the way she held herself, a mixture of strength and vulnerability that drew him in, despite his better judgment. He still couldn’t get her out of his head.

“We need to figure out a way to detect these drones before they get too close,” Thorn said, her voice steady. “He might try again, and we can’t rely solely on visual confirmation and shooters.”

Hawk nodded. “We’re working on that.”

Damian’s eyes shifted from Hawk to Thorn. “Alek won’t stop. Once he knows this attack failed, he’ll try again.”

“There’s a lot of money at stake,” Thorn agreed, biting her lip in thought. Damian clenched his fists, resisting the urge to pull her lip from between her teeth and taste it himself. “Not to mention that Alek knows that once your update is implemented, he’s shooting to the top of the FBI’s Most Wanted list.”

Damian noticed Hawk’s gaze drifting over the equipment in the garage—carbon-fiber bicycles, golf clubs, scuba gear, and more. The toys of a man who was used to living on the edge, who needed constant challenges to keep his mind from spiraling. How long would it be before he got to use any of them again? He ground his jaw at the thought. That wasn’t going to happen. He wasn’t going to let Alek win.

Hawk turned back to him. “When we fly out to Miami next week, it would be best if we left at 0100 hours. Fewer people around, lower visibility, and reduced risk of an attack. Can you inform your pilot?”

“One in the morning? Sure, I’ll let him know.”

“Great. You guys get indoors.” Hawk nodded to Thorn. “Stay on comms.”

Thorn gave a curt nod. “Will do.”

As Hawk walked away, Thorn ushered Damian back inside the house and closed the garage door. Just as they stepped into the hallway, Damian’s phone began to buzz.

He glanced at the screen. “It’s Doug. I need to take this.”

“Who’s Doug?” Thorn asked.

“A friend,” he mouthed, moving into the living room for privacy. “Hey, Doug, how’s it going?”

“Hey, buddy. The real question is, what’s up with you? I leave for two friggin’ weeks and come back to find out you got married? What the hell, man?”

“Yeah, it’s pretty wild, right?” Damian sank onto the couch, the weight of the day pressing down on him.

“You could say that.” Doug’s voice held a note of skepticism. “Who is she? How come I’ve never met her?”

Damian hated lying to his friend, but he had no choice. The truth was too dangerous to share. “Thorn’s an old girlfriend,” he said. “We’ve been seeing each other for a few weeks now.”

“And you didn’t think to mention it?”

“With everything going on with Christine, I figured it was better to keep it quiet until we were sure.”

Doug paused, processing the information. “It’s not like you to date two women at once. I’ve known you for almost six years, and you’ve never cheated.”

Damian stayed silent, his mind racing for a response.

“How does Christine feel about this?”

He laughed dryly. “She quit. Can’t say I blame her.”

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