Page 43 of Explosive Vengeance

Okay then. “You go on board, meet the broker and verify the women are there. Then you go on deck to do the fund transfer. To signal that the deal’s done, drop the stylus.” As soon as Fleur gave that signal and left, Chloe and the others would take over, infiltrating the ship to neutralize the crew and free the women.

“Got it.”

“But if something’s off, if something doesn’t feel right, you leave. Immediately,” she stressed. She didn’t want to scare Fleur. She just wanted her friend to be on guard.

“I will.”

Chloe eyed her. “Promise?”

“Promise.”

A reluctant grin tugged at Chloe’s lips. “I ever tell you I adore you?”

Fleur lifted a shoulder. “Once or twice.”

She sipped her wine, waited for Fleur to finish her meal, then paid the bill and stood. Dammit, she wanted more time. More time to spend with Fleur, to prepare her better. Chloe gave her a warm, genuine smile. “It was good to see you.”

“You too, my friend.” Fleur enveloped her in a floral-scented hug that made Chloe’s throat tighten. “Think of the stories we can tell each other after this,” she whispered. “And you’re going to owe me several bottles of my favorite red wine, by the way.”

“Deal,” Chloe whispered back, squeezing her tight. “And take this, just in case.” She slipped one of her blades into the pocket of Fleur’s trench.

“Ugh, you and your knives,” Fleur said with a mock shudder. Releasing Chloe, she stepped back and gave her a brave smile. “Guess I’ll see you later, then.”

Chloe nodded. “Yes, you will.”

She stood there and watched her only true friend walk out of the pub in her disguise and disappear into the misty rain outside, while an ominous weight gathered in her chest.

Drawing in a deep breath to counteract the heaviness, she exited the pub a few seconds later and turned the opposite way up the sidewalk, resisting the instinctive urge to look back at Fleur one more time.

Chapter Fourteen

She was deep in her head.

Heath followed Chloe up the sidewalk, keeping a safe distance as she entered their hotel while he waited outside. He had only known her a couple of days now, but he could tell something was different. That edgy, high-energy vibe she always emitted was dimmed now. She seemed uncharacteristically somber, almost subdued when she stepped out of their small hotel a few minutes later wearing a different disguise.

She pasted on a smile as she walked toward him, her brown wig plaited into a long braid that draped over her shoulder. “Hi,” she said in English and slipped her arm through his, posing as a couple of American tourists here on vacation.

“Hi.” Heath glanced at her as they strode back down the cobblestone street together. The main tourist areas of the city were fairly safe, but there were pockets where you definitely had to have your wits about you. “Everything okay?”

“Yes, great,” she said brightly.

He didn’t push. She wouldn’t tell him anything she didn’t want him to know, and she was concerned about her friend. Hell, Heath hated putting Fleur in this position too, but they really didn’t have a choice at this point if they wanted to save those women. “Ready to explore the waterfront a bit?” They needed to get a good read on the setup down there before they could finalize the plan for tomorrow’s op.

“Sounds good.” Already doing recon at the south end of the waterfront, Ty and Megan could hear everything they were saying via their earpieces. Heath and Chloe would check out the north side.

Wanting to reassure her, wanting the chance to hold her, he pulled his arm free of hers and curled it around her waist instead. She didn’t stiffen or break stride, but she gave him a little quirk of her lips that made him grin in turn. He would take any excuse at this point to touch her, and posing as a couple gave him the perfect excuse.

He walked her down to the water’s edge, pretending to point out various historical things as they surveyed the structure of the harbor. Boats and ships of various sizes were moored along the docks, cranes and other equipment busy loading and unloading the cargo. The ship they were targeting tomorrow was a smaller vessel, ironically calledLa Liberté.

But the only freedom the captive women aboard would find was dependent on this op going as planned.

Chloe was quiet but alert beside him as they continued their recon, and he could practically hear her brain humming as she processed everything. This was way different from anything he did on his security stints, but he wanted to do whatever he could to help.

After an hour or so they’d seen everything they needed, and headed back to the hotel. They were staying in adjoining rooms on the third floor, while Ty and Megan were booked in a different hotel a few blocks east.

Heath was just taking off his jacket in his room when a knock came at the adjoining door. He opened it, his heart giving a hard kick to see Chloe without the disguise. She’d washed her face so it was completely devoid of makeup, her thick, honey-blond hair falling in waves around her shoulders. She was effortlessly beautiful, and so sexy it was all he could do not to wrap his hands in her hair and kiss her until her knees gave out.

“Megan and Ty are on their way up,” she said, all business as she moved past him with her computer when he stepped aside. She smelled like shampoo and the mint gum she always chewed.

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