Page 8 of Fast Vengeance

Thirty minutes later, to his surprise the kitchen smelled freaking amazing. He was just basting more of the homemade glazing stuff onto the chicken for the last part of the cooking time when Victoria texted that she was in the underground parking garage. A surge of excitement hit his bloodstream, similar to when he was about to lead the team on an op.

She was still at the WITSEC safe site here in D.C. even though her testimony was over. Maybe the government thought she could still be of help with the ongoing Nieto and Montoya investigations, because they hadn’t sent her to her new life yet. The marshals in charge of her security had tightened protocols even more after the breaches with other witnesses pertaining to the Veneno cartel six months ago. Her driver would wait in the vehicle while the other marshal came in and checked the building.

Brock met him at the door. They knew each other, so he went back to finishing up dinner while the marshal checked his place.

“Okay, I’ll bring her up in a few minutes,” he said to Brock when he was done searching. If the marshal wondered what the hell was going on with this visit, he didn’t let on with his tone or expression.

“Sounds good.” He couldn’t wait to see her, had taken the two books she’d written with him to reread at Bagram. Both were about her investigative work on North American drug cartels, mostly about the Venenos. Incredible, detailed work he admired, but respected tenfold more now that he had gotten to know her and her story. The cartel had targeted her because of her work, yet even everything she had endured at their hands hadn’t crushed her spirit. The woman was a serious badass in her own right.

He’d still been overseas when she’d given her victim impact statement to the judge in front of Ruiz, and he wished like hell he could have been there to support her. They’d talked about it a little afterward, over the phone. Facing down Ruiz after so many months and recounting aloud the things his men had done to her and her family must have been tough.

Tough but awesome, because she had so much strength in her. Maybe more than she realized. She amazed him.

At the knock on the door, more excitement tingled in his gut. He answered it, nodded once at the marshal before allowing his gaze to drink in the sight of Victoria as he stepped back out of the way. “Come on in.”

The marshal headed back down the hallway. Victoria aimed a little smile at Brock and walked past into the entryway, her coffee-brown eyes filled with warmth. “It’s good to see you.”

He put his hands in his pockets to stem the urge to hug her. “Good to see you too.” Better than good, although he was careful to hide it.

She took off her coat, revealing a short-sleeve cherry red turtleneck that hugged the lean lines of her torso. Dark, snug jeans made her legs look a mile long. She’d grown out her hair since he’d last seen her, the deep brown waves caressing her shoulders.

She was even more stunning than he remembered.

She glanced around his place. “It smells fantastic in here.”

He hoped it tasted decent. If not, he’d order another team dog pile on Maka as punishment. “It’ll be ready in a few minutes. Come sit and make yourself comfortable while I finish up.”

She followed him into the kitchen and took a seat at the far counter, composed. Contained, as always. It made him wonder what lay beneath that cool exterior. He’d seen glimpses of the fire in her. He wanted to see more of it.

“I bought some wine if you want some,” he said.

“Love a glass, although I already had one earlier with Trinity and Briar and I’m a bit of a lightweight.”

He raised an eyebrow as he poured the ruby liquid into a glass for her. “How’s training going?”

“Good. We’ve been working on breaking chokeholds and disarming moves. I can give you a demo later if you want to see.”

He smiled. “I might.” Especially if it gave him an excuse to be close to her. Although after what she’d been through, he was scared to touch her in case it triggered a bad memory.

After making up their plates he carried them over to the counter and paused beside one of the stools, leaving one empty in between him and Victoria. He was always careful about not crowding her or making sudden moves around her, especially when they were alone. “You okay here, or do you want to move to the table?”

“Here’s fine.”

He lowered himself onto the stool and raised his own wineglass. “To you.”

She blinked at him. “Me?”

He nodded. “You.”

A startled smile spread across her face, and she touched her glass to his gently. “Well, thank you. And here’s to you being home safe and sound.”

“Cheers.” He deliberately kept the conversation light as they ate, attuned to her body language, her face. She seemed relaxed around him, more so than she was with most other people, but there was definitely something going on in her head. What did she want to talk to him about?

“What rank did you have when you left the army?” she asked, surprising him.

“Captain. I’d just finished off my master’s degree in leadership.”

“So does your team call you Cap because of that, or because you’re a Captain America superfreak?”

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