Page 83 of Operation Heartbeat

He found Henner in the kitchen cutting vegetables. He had his earbuds in and was bobbing his head to music. Con walked over and plucked a chunk of tomato out of the bowl and popped it into his mouth. The ripe flavor burst on his tongue, reminding him that he hadn’t eaten in hours.

Once he got to the hotel, he’d order room service for Sophie and him. Maybe have a picnic on the terrace and then swim as the sun set and the stars blinked in the evening sky.

Henner removed his earbud and focused on Con. “What’s up, man?”

“I’m going to the hotel. I won’t be back tonight, so I’m leaving the team in your hands.”

He eyed Con. “You’re head over heels for this woman, aren’t you?”

His chest grew tight. “What makes you think that?”

“I’ve seen the guys on Alpha. They have women in their lives—even families. Plus, Apollo was one of our own not too long ago.”

Apollo had served with Charlie. Then an op went south and he faked his own death in order to go deep undercover and find the terrorist they’d been hunting. A woman got caught in the middle and suffered just as much as Charlie team at Apollo’sloss. When he returned from the dead, he got a second chance at love.

He’d also turned to the dark side. He chose to keep serving with the Alpha team instead of Charlie, and that left a sour taste in a lot of their mouths, even as they wished him the best.

Apollo had been Con’s closest confidante. As far as he was concerned, he’d betrayed his trust.

“I’m nothing like Apollo.”

Henner eyed him, brows drawn together. “We all know you’d never abandon us, Con. I only meant that I’ve seen Apollo with Indika. They’re made for each other. And I see the same thing with you and the professor.”

At the sound of the endearment he used with Sophie, Con’s chest heated. His heart felt too full to fit behind his ribs. There could be only one reason for this sensation.

He loved her.

He couldn’t deny it anymore. Couldn’t lie to himself.

“I’m going to the hotel.”

Henner flashed a grin and then stuffed the earbud back into his ear. Con left to the sound of him singing offkey and the thump of the knife on a cutting board.

He couldn’t get to the hotel fast enough.

When he entered the room, he froze.

She’d locked the deadbolt. He’d heard her.

Heavy silence greeted him.

“Sophie?” he called.

She wasn’t seated at the table, and a glance at the terrace doors showed that she wasn’t outside either. He strode to the bedroom, expecting to hear the hiss of the shower, but it wasn’t running. She wasn’t here.

“Sophie!” He ran back to the main room, his gaze landing on the laptop still set up on the table. Slowly, drawn to the screen bythe burning electric fear lashing through his body, he stared at the image on the screen.

A picture of him with the word “Target” underneath it.

“Fucking hell!” He whirled, searching for Sophie’s boots, but they weren’t by the door where she usually took them off. Her purse was gone too.

She’d seen that picture and left to find him or warn him. Where did she go?

She would never go to the dock, knowing what was about to go down.

But she might go to the safe house.

He raced out of the room and downstairs. He knew exactly where to find the security footage and burst into the small security guard’s office, barking orders at the guard sitting there.

---