Page 7 of Crossover

I didn’t want to interrupt him if he was fast at work, tracking her.

“What happened after I left?” I asked.

Hunter recapped the events. The flicker of the security feed, which, in hindsight, was a symptom that it had been hacked and put on a loop, so neither he nor his security team saw the men approaching. The problems with Ivy’s texts not going through—a symptom of the cell phone blockers they’d enabled. The front door busting open, a smoke bomb going off. Men taking Ivy while others stayed behind, only to be tackled by my brothers seconds before they believed they’d get shot.

Pride swelled inside me that my brothers had gained the upper hand in the end. I just wished I could have been there to help, could have stopped them before it had started.

“So, you’re CIA?” Jace flipped his visor down and raised an eyebrow at me.

“The hell, Hunter?” I snapped.

“I didn’t tell him,” Hunter said flatly. “One of those assholes called himself CIA.”

“Hewhat?”

“Apparently, if you gain the upper hand after the smoke clears and have weapons to alltheirheads, some talk. And swear they’re not organized crime members, breaking into your house.”

Jesus.

“Did you kill them?” I asked.

Hunter’s eyes, illuminated by the dashboard lights, met mine in the rearview mirror.

“Why would I do that?” Hunter challenged flatly.

This was why it was tricky having Jace here—Hunter and I had shared secrets of the past that I had no interest in divulging to our brother.

Not now, at least.

Then again, what did it matter?

“Where are the operatives now?” I questioned.

“Surrounded by my security guards until we can figure out our next steps.”

Good God. “I’ll call my handler,” I said. “Maybe he can send someone over to sort out this mess.”

I pulled out my phone, but uncharacteristically, Daniel didn’t answer.

Which was particularly odd when you consider I’d told him I was about to go stop a mission.

Me: I need to talk to you. It’s an emergency.

But even after a few seconds, my text also went unanswered.

“Ivy went willingly.” Hunter’s voice was full of admiration, his stare holding mine in the rearview mirror again before returning to the road. “When she realized our lives might be in danger, she surrendered on the condition no one would hurt any of us.”

A sharp ache built behind my temples.

What a selfless and brave move, to go willingly when you know the people intend to kill you. Ivy was a better fighter than a lot of the CIA operatives I knew. Chances were, she could’ve taken out a couple of men on her own. Sure, the smoke bomb would’ve made it more difficult, but for her to not even fight at all? To give up her life to protect my family?

Just like she’d risked her life the day we met, when she’d gone into that dark parking garage, all in an effort to help her grandmother. Ivy was always selfless, always willing to risk her life for others.

The thought tightened my chest with anguish and admiration, making me want to save her all the more.

I was grateful they hadn’t put a bullet in her skull right then and there, but after thinking about this while I was waiting for Hunter, I’d come to a sickening conclusion—the kidnapping meant they intended to interrogate her first. With that mountain of evidence against her, with those links to the most dangerous criminal in the world, the CIA might go to any length necessary to extract as much intelligence out of her as possible.

One drop of blood at a time…

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