Page 79 of Stealth Mission

The man rises, walks around the counter and pushes me down on the kitchen stool. “When was the last time you ate?”

It’s hard to recall. A gazillion and one things have been on my mind. I shrug and make a vague sound. “Last night when you made me eat that sandwich.”

“It’s ten, Marianna. Your brain needs to break fast.”

“I am breaking my fast.” I hold up my cup of juice.

His scoff is loud. “Don’t be ridiculous. The body needs protein.”

Spoken like a man that spends a lot of time under a barbell.

He sticks his head in the fridge. I’m staring into my mango juice when he cracks eggs into a pan. I’m still staring at my cup when he drops bread into the toaster.

When Vik slides the plate in front of me a few minutes later it’s loaded with enough food for a bear.

“Vik, I’m not an army. You didn’t have to make this much.”

“Eat.” A one-word rumbled reply.

I push around the eggs, take a bite and chew, tasting nothing. Not that it isn’t good. He even put my favorite salsa on the eggs and butter on the toast. The eggs are even fluffy and perfect. Chalk up another surprising thing about the man to the growing list.

Only, he’s still staring a hole in me.

“What?”

“He’s been outside the whole time. He also brought your truck back here.”

My fork falls on the plate with a loud whack as I snap my eyes to his.

I’m scared to ask him to repeat what he said. Or who he is talking about.

The air crackles. We stare at each other until I break. “Who?”

“The SEAL. Evan Walker. Alias, Walt Goodlove. His team calls him Storm.”

I leap off the stool and stumble backward. “No, you must have seen Hector. He’s the man that works on the farm.”

Vik frowns at me and makes an incredulous sound. “I’m not blind,Marianna. This is the man that sat in your house guarding you all night after the bomb at the party.” He makes an exploding motion by closing his fingers then snapping them open.

Now my heart is thumping so hard I wonder how my sternum doesn’t crack. Words fire out of my mouth. “Where is he?”

“Today he’s sitting on the ridge watching the house.”

He tips his head to the East. “That man’s one stubborn fuck. I told him to get off your property.Vhatdoes he do? He goes just to the otherzideof the line and plants his ass like a tree.”

I rub the heel of my hand over my chest. “What does he want?”

Vik stands up, resting both his hands on the counter top, not moving his direct gaze from me. “You.”

Gulp.

I start to panic. “No, seriously, Vik. What does he want?”

Now Vik stares like I have a flower sprouting out of my head. “What do all men want with a beautiful, smart woman?”

Eeek.

I swallow a few dozen times. Fidgeting madly with the napkin in my hand, I fight the urge to run. “I’m not. I’m not beautiful or smart. I’m an idiot actually.”

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