Page 39 of Security Breach

Knowing all those things gave her the confidence to take that last leap of faith into David’s arms. Her SEAL wouldn’t let her down no matter how difficult the fight with the Butcher. “I believe you,” she murmured. “So, the hunter is going to become the hunted?”

Satisfaction gleamed in his eyes. “Oh, yeah. We’re going to run this man to ground and make sure he never hurts anyone else again.”

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

David pushed his coffee mug aside, his gaze sweeping over the black ops team seated around the table. “Time for the next watch shift. Who’s up?”

“That would be me and Jon,” Eli said as he stood. “You and Elliot have the watch in four hours. Are you bunking in the same place as two months ago?”

“The sofa in Emma’s suite. I don’t want to be far from her. When I’m on duty at night, one of my brothers will be there.” He trusted Wolf Pack, but with Emma’s safety at risk, David wanted one of his brothers protecting her.

“Although I don’t blame you, we have your back and Emma’s. If a problem arises, I’ll let you know.”

David headed toward the stairs as his need to check on Emma grew more urgent. Even with two of his brothers on watch in the security room, he wouldn’t rest easy until he witnessed for himself that Emma was safe.

“David.”

He stopped halfway up the stairs and turned to Rafe Torres, the former FBI agent. “Yes?”

“Are you sure Emma didn’t break WITSEC protocol?”

David scowled.

Rafe held up a hand. “Answer the question without decking me.”

“I’m positive. If she had broken protocol, Emma would have called me. Where are you going with this?”

“If you’re correct, the FBI has serious holes in their security. I have to tell you, buddy, the US marshals know their job. As long as witnesses follow protocol, the chance of a breach in security is low. Something is way off if your lady’s security was breached that many times.”

Four times in 18 months pointed to Marshal ineptness or a leak. “Your point?”

“If the feds have that many holes in their security, then the Butcher knows exactly where Emma’s hiding, and he’ll be coming for her.”

“This isn’t on Emma.”

Rafe stepped closer and lowered his voice. “That leaves two possibilities. The FBI has a hole in their cybersecurity or they have a mole.”

David rubbed the tight muscles in his neck. “Tell me something I don’t know.” He pieced that together the first time he heard Emma’s story at the FBI field office in Nashville.

“Assume anything you tell Jordan and his cronies the Butcher knows.”

“Noted. Thanks.” After Rafe nodded and returned to the first floor, David took the stairs two at a time.

He opened the door to the suite’s living area, surprised when he noticed Emma sitting at one end of the couch. Why was she awake? He’d encouraged her to go to bed two hours earlier. “Everything okay?”

Emma tossed her blanket aside and came to him, wrapping her arms around his waist. “Even though I’m tired, I couldn’t sleep. Too worried about the Butcher, I guess.”

Despite the circumstances, David couldn’t deny that having her in his life again, in his arms, was worth every bit of pain he’d suffered during her absence. “If he shows tonight, we’ll know. The Rocking M isn’t like your other safe houses, Em. We have perimeter alarms at the borders of the property as well as at half-mile increments to the ranch house. We also installed cameras with infrared capability. The Butcher won’t catch us by surprise.”

He tilted up her chin and captured her mouth in a tender kiss that he hoped conveyed the depth of his feelings for her. “You need to sleep, baby,” he murmured, hugging her close.

“What about you?”

“I’m on night watch soon.” David kissed her temple. “Sit with me a few minutes.” Maybe his body heat would help her relax.

David led her to the couch, tucked her close to his side, and draped the blanket over them both. Grabbing the remote, he searched for a slow movie or television program. After he found an old mystery series he knew Emma loved, David urged Emma to lay her head against his chest.

By degrees, her muscles relaxed until she drifted to sleep. David lowered the television’s volume and dozed.

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