Page 99 of Security Breach

“Not sure yet.” He couldn’t leave with Emma until he’d spoken to Jordan. If the agent insisted on taking Emma into protective custody, David would go off the grid with her.

“I don’t want to run anymore.”

“I understand.”

“No, sweetheart, you don’t. You haven’t spent more than a year on the run. You were right. It’s time to take a stand and fight back. No more running.”

Yeah, that was before he realized more than one man wanted to kill the woman he loved. “Don’t ask me to do this, Emma.” David didn’t know if he could risk her life. He shuddered at the possibility of losing Emma. Facing an endless, empty existence without her wasn’t an option. He couldn’t do it again. During the past year, he’d been living a half-life. “I love you too much to risk your life.”

Emma cupped his face with her soft hands. “Do you love me enough to help me bring my family’s killers to justice?”

“I don’t have to risk your life, our life together, to find these men and take them down. Trust me. I’ll get the job done.”

“How many innocent people will die while you, your brothers, and Wolf Pack identify and locate the teams?”

He flinched.

She brushed her mouth over his in a gentle caress. “I know you and the others will find them, but time isn’t on our side. We have to end this nightmare soon. The Hunt Club can’t continue operating.”

Emma was right, but that didn’t make the decision easier. “One more day, Em. If we don’t make enough progress by then, we’ll revisit your option.”

Emma’s expression softened. “All right.”

The reprieve wasn’t long. David prayed Zane, Jon, or a contact would come through before the woman he loved risked her life to stop the Hunt Club.

He stood and held out his hand. “I’ll walk you to your room. You need rest.”

Emma sent him a sideways glance. “So do you.”

True, but he wouldn’t get it. Hopefully, he’d have time for a nap when he was off guard duty. “I have work to do before I sleep.”

At her bedroom doorway, David captured her lips in a blistering, lengthy kiss that set his blood on fire and left her trembling. Long minutes later, he broke the kiss to Emma’s soft moan of disappointment. Leaving her at the doorway took every ounce of discipline he had when he wanted to follow her inside the room, lock the door, and forget the world for a few hours.

David blew out a breath as he descended the stairs. Around Emma, his legendary control was almost nonexistent. His SEAL teammates would howl with laughter if they saw him now. He headed for the coffee pot and poured the hot black liquid into a mug.

“How’s Emma?” Jon asked as he typed.

He leaned back against the kitchen counter. “She wants to use herself as bait.”

The operative froze. “Will you let her?”

“As a last resort.” He sighed. “I convinced her to give me one more day.”

A slight nod. “We need to work fast.”

David grabbed his laptop. “I’ll be in the security room.” He walked down the hall, making enough noise to alert the operative on watch.

Eli turned at his entrance. He motioned to an empty chair and returned his attention to the screens. “Sit rep.”

He updated Wolf Pack’s leader, ending with, “If we don’t make significant progress by tomorrow night, Emma will insist we use her as bait.”

“Keep Maddox in the loop. He needs to know how fast to mobilize our units.”

David tapped the lid of his laptop. “Updating him is the next thing on my agenda.”

“I’ll wait until you finish the email before I hit the rack for three hours.”

“Thanks.” Ten minutes later, David sat back. “Go sleep, Eli. I have the watch.”

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