Page 13 of Don't Look Back

Foamy pink spittle poured from his mouth. His eyes rolled back as his body convulsed.

ChapterSix

Kira was chilled to her core. She sat alone in a room on base that she assumed housed Naval Special Warfare Command or base security. She and three others who’d been sheltering in the sea of cubicles had been brought here even as an ambulance was loaded with the gunman. She’d met Rand’s gaze as she was escorted away while he was being questioned.

Kira and the other civilians had given their accounts separately. One by one, the other three had been dismissed. Only she remained, but she understood why.

The man had been huntingher. He’d called her by name. Shot up her car.

Investigators were bound to have more questions to which she didn’t have answers.

She paced the small room, rubbing her arms as she waited on hold with the airline, once again changing her flight. The person at the call center was getting authorization to bump her to first class as that was the only seat available on the flight leaving later tomorrow. The shooting had made national news, and she explained to the airline employee that she was currently stuck on the base, having been directly involved.

After a lengthy wait, the airline associate came back on the line with the good news that their supervisor had approved the upgrade for only half the cost.

Kira swallowed and pulled out her credit card. Truth was, she’d have paid full price if she had to. She was getting the hell out of this country where men had a nasty habit of hunting her.

She was still flying tomorrow, but instead of leaving at five a.m., she would now depart at four p.m.

Nothing would stop her from catching that flight. Her car would probably be in impound, but she’d ask someone from Friday Morning Valkyries to have it towed to a repair shop when it was released. She would rent a car, drive back to DC, get her bags, then return the vehicle to the rental company at Dulles.

She had a plan. And a ticket.

The door opened. She turned to see Rand’s wide shoulders filling the opening. He gave her a weak smile, and she couldn’t stop herself—no matter how much she believed allowing herself to get close to him was a mistake—and flung herself into his arms.

He wrapped her in a tight hug. She buried her face against his hard chest. He was warm and comforting, and the shakes that had been plaguing her since she climbed under that desk finally faded.

Tears burned, but she forced them down. She would not fall apart in front of the strong man who’d faced down a machine gun with a rock and a pair of scissors.

The game Rock, Paper, Scissors came to mind, and she said, “Thank god you didn’t throw paper.”

It took him a moment, but then she felt his chest move with a silent laugh. “Sweetheart, I’m also deadly with paper.”

She snickered, but then his word choice sank in, and she raised her head to meet his gaze. “Did he die?”

He nodded.

She studied Rand’s face. She had no doubt he’d killed before. Probably many times. But that was different. He’d been on ops. Serving his country. Rescuing abductees. Taking out terrorists.

This guy was a terrorist too, but an unexpected one, attacking his military base. Still, he hadn’t been aiming to kill the man.

“I’m only sorry because it means it’ll take longer to get answers as to why he was hunting you.”

She nodded. “They haven’t told me anything. Did he…was anyone hit by all those bullets?”

He gave a sharp nod. “C’mon. Everyone’s gathered in the main conference room. They have more questions for you.”

“I don’t know anything.”

“Doesn’t mean they won’t ask.”

He released her, and she immediately missed his warmth. Comfort. He’d never held her before.

He’d given her a fleeting forehead kiss before she hid, and six months ago, he’d placed a hand on the small of her back. That was it. The entire sum of their touches. The ones she could remember, anyway.

She didn’t want to think about the condition she’d been in when he rescued her last time. He’d most certainly had to touch her to check for a pulse.

What had she said to him?

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