Page 27 of Redeeming Meg

Accepting the weapon, she checked the safety and flipped it off. “What’s your plan to distract Hagar?”

“Thought I’d take out a few of his men to warm up, then confront the SOB to his face.”

Her stomach crawled. “Swans do not cause a spectacle.”

“You can fire me once we’re back on US soil.”

She narrowed her eyes. “I might do that anyway.”

He flicked the end of her nose. “I welcome the challenge.” Opening the door, he gestured for her to follow. “On three.”

She held her breath as he counted and then they were racing down a central corridor toward the building’s once beautifully appointed entrance and bright foyer.

As they reached a set of double doors behind the main reception area, Dec held up a hand for her to stop. One of the doors stood cracked open as if someone had just run through it.

Meg’s heart raced as she peered through the slit, hearing raised voices, the splintering of wood, and the crunching of glass. People milled about, bent on destroying every last plant, picture, table, and chair. Through the melee, she caught sight of the man who terrorized her dreams.

Mosai Hagar stood in the center of the lobby atop a glass and steel coffee table, surveying his handiwork. The front doors were missing, an open maw to the world outside, the protestors rushing in and out.

Three armed men flanked him, all of them keeping their beady gazes on who and what entered the embassy.

As he felt the weight of her gaze, he swiveled, looking directly at her.

Dec jerked her back, but not before she saw Hagar smile.

The walls and ceiling began to close in on her. A weight crushed against her chest. She couldn’t breathe.

There was no way he knew it was her. No way he knew she was here or that the sliver of her that he had seen revealed her identity.

And yet, even in that split second, it felt as if he had looked directly into her soul.

The image of Jessie on her knees flashed in front of her. That same look he’d given Meg had been on his face, then—a horrible, pure evil smile as he brought the machete down...

She stumbled as Dec hustled her down the corridor. A lifeline. Her lifeline.

“One foot in front of the other,” he murmured as he kept her close, only stopping when they were around the corner. He pressed her against the wall, staring into her eyes. “I won’t let anything happen to you. Not this time.”

She clung to him and renewed her vow—for Jessie and herself.I will get revenge on Hagar, one way or another.

TEN

Declan’s ears roared with his pulse, seeing the recognition in Hagar’s eyes when he’d spotted Meg through the few inches of open door. How could he have known it was her? He couldn’t have seen enough of her face to make her.

And here she was, eyes wide, body trembling, breathing in gulps.

He wanted to punch the wall. Punch Hagar. Instead, he kept a steadying grip on her shoulders. “I’ll handle him once we retrieve what we came for. Just breathe, Meg.”

She did, keeping her focus on him. In and out, he breathed with her.

Determination hardened her pretty eyes. She still leaned against the wall, trembling, but said, “He’s mine.”

He knew what she meant, even though he didn’t like it. She wasn’t a vigilante, and while she had the skills to take out any terrorist or criminal if necessary, this act would be far too personal for her ever to come back from.

She stiffened. “Listen.” She pointed back toward the lobby. Hagar’s men were shouting for the crowd to disperse. A smattering of gunfire went off, and people started screaming. “What are they doing?”

What, indeed. Why hadn’t Hagar sent his goons after Meg?

Going against all his instincts, Declan released her and stole around the corner toward the double doors. They were still open a crack, and he watched the crowd scrambling out the gaping hole in the front. Only Hagar and his men remained.

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