Page 99 of Stealth Mission

Why fucking now?

All these years I’ve yearned for a woman to look at me like I’m something to be proud of, and it happensnow.

With me behind bars.

In the middle of an op.

In a foreign country.

With a murder investigation unsolved.

I straighten, hoping it bolsters my resolve. “Marianna, look. The best thing you can do for both of us is leave. You don’t need to be burdened with this.”

Quickly, she reaches through the bars. Her small hand fists my shirt and she yanks me forward with surprising strength. “Stop. Juststop.”

Why does stop sound so damned good right now?

“Beautiful girl, you need to listen to me.”

She sucks in a breath and presses a hand to her chest. “Okay.Heart, stop stuttering. Now, why does you calling me beautiful girl feel like the first ray of morning sunshine?”

I laugh darkly when I really want to roar. “Please, for the love of sanity, don’t say that.”

“It’s true,” she breathes and moistens the lush curve of her lower lip.

Lust scorches through me.

I scrub my hand over my face with my insides glowing hotly. “Dammit. Listen to me. This crazy thing, whatever it is between us, can't go anywhere.”

“Clearly, you’re right. This, whateverthisis, can’t go anywhere with you behind bars.”

And after?

I want to ask what exactly she thinks is going to go on afterward, but my tongue has glued itself to the roof of my mouth.

Frowning over her shoulder at the closed office door, she scoffs. “He’s acting so weird.”

“I understand what’s got his duty-belt in a twist. This is his town. I broke a law. Hell, I probably broke several, and he hasn’t even mentioned the fact that my truck had a bomb on it.”

She groans as she faces me again. “This is so scary. You didn’t plant the bomb. And for God’s sake, you were trying tohelp.”

“I know. But this is the consequence of my actions.”

Blowing out a breath, she licks across her bottom lip again, making my stomach dip like I’m screaming down a hill on the world’s tallest roller coaster.

I barely hear her when she speaks.

“Did he explain why he’s pushing this? And what about the murders? I’m terrified for you.”

I shake my head as I rub the back of my neck.

Focus, Evan.

Half distracted, I stare at the scuffed floor. “No, he didn't explain. He’s been on the phone. I have lots of questions, but standing on the wrong side of a cell is not the time to ask them.”

“What now?”

“We wait. If he talks to the embassy he’ll get a ton of information and hopefully reassurance. Not that it fixes my crime, but if I’m lucky he’ll reconsider what I was doing. Maybe drop the charges. Plus, my friend will be here soon. He’s known for being very persuasive.”

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