Page 6 of Dangerous Protocol

“I’m sure.”

“All right then.” She nodded once. “I’m going up to talk to Casey about those videos.” Maria lifted her hand in a slight wave. “Good seeing you guys.”

“You, too.” They responded in unison.

She headed up the stairs.

“She’s a great asset,” Beck said.

“She is.” Jeffrey pointed at him. “And don’t get any ideas about stealing her.”

They all chuckled, and he walked with the O’Hallerans to the back door.

Beck lifted his brother’s coat and scarf from the hook and handed it to him, then grabbed his own. They wrapped the scarves around their necks and shoved their arms into their coat sleeves.

“When are you headed our way again? Ashling misses her Unca Jeffwey.” Jonathan mimicked his four-year-old daughter, which was pretty funny coming from a guy his size.

“Molly took pity on me and invited me out for Christmas,” Jeffrey said.

“Mom wouldn’t take no for an answer, right?” Beck spoke with certainty.

“Never got that far—I know how determined she can be.” Wasn’t like he had any other plans.

Their mother, Molly O’Halleran, was the salt of the earth, and she treated him like family. Jeffrey’s mom died seven years ago, his dad, two years later. No siblings, aunts, uncles, or cousins. As a somewhat solitary person, he found being embraced by a large, warm family like the O’Hallerans had taken some getting used to, but they had all become very important to him.

Jeffrey promised the brothers he’d see them at their folks’ house in a few weeks, and they said their goodbyes.

Once they were gone, he lifted his semiautomatic pistol from the holster at his hip and pulled back the slide to assure there was a round in the chamber, then tucked it safely away. He grabbed his coat, slipped it on, and hung his scarf over his neck.

He swiped his access card over the sensor by the front door and stared into the retinal scanner. He pulled the door open, swung it shut behind him, then stood on thetop step and casually glanced around as he adjusted his scarf.

There was no clear view into the coffee shop, so he popped up his coat collar, turned in the opposite direction, and headed down the sidewalk.

Maya was just about ready to give up when the front door of the brownstone opened and Jeffrey stepped out. Her breath caught in her throat, and their time together flooded through her mind in a splash of memories and emotions.

He was forty-six years old now, and bloody hell, the years had been good to him. His hair was an appealing mixture of black with gray striations running through it, and it was swept back, leaving his handsome face in full view. From the look of his broad shoulders and narrow waist, it was obvious he’d kept himself in great shape. At six feet two, his physical stature enhanced the innately dangerous man ensconced beneath those expensive, custom-fit togs of his.

He also happened to be incredibly powerful, with dossiers containing damning information that, if revealed, could destroy some of the most influential and powerful people in the world. What better way to keep bad actors in check than the looming threat of being exposed?

How different would her life be had she not run from him?

Jeffrey turned and started walking away from the coffee shop.

Maya jerked herself from the past, shoved back her chair, and winced when it scraped across the concrete floor. The sound echoed and bounced around the open, industrial-style space. She jerked her backpack up from beneath the table and dashed out the door.

CHAPTER FOUR

Jeffrey sensed someone behindhim before hearing a footstep crunch over one of the random patches of snow on the sidewalk. Whoever it was, they weren’t trying to hide their approach. He subtly drew back the right side of his coat, as if putting his hand in his pants pocket, giving himself better access to his weapon.

As a test, he quickened his pace, and the person behind him did the same. Just as he was about to turn and confront his pursuer—

“Jeffrey.”

He stopped short at the sound of a voice he hadn’t heard for twelve years. He knew exactly who it was—he could never forget the soft lilt of her British accent. No matter how hard he tried.

Jeffrey slowly turned to face his past, and their eyes connected.

The beautiful woman he knew twelve years ago stared back at him … with brown eyes. Aside from the eye color change, she looked different … tired, scared, hunted even.

---