Page 11 of Explosive Vengeance

“Talk,” she growled, the prick of the blade against his inner thigh telling him she meant business. From the way she gripped it she knew how to use it, and would do some serious damage if she didn’t like what he said.

Holy shit. He was an expert in CSAR missions, had saved dozens of lives in the line of duty. Rescuing people was his specialty, but from the glint in those narrowed brown eyes, she sure as hell didn’t look like she was in need of—or wanted—rescue.

“I’m not going to hurt you,” he ground out.

“That’s right, because I’ve got a knife to your balls. Now what’s your name?” she demanded.

“Heath Barrett, and I’m here to help you. Now lose the knife.” He could snap her wrist and disarm her, but there was serious risk she’d slice him up pretty bad in the process, and the glint in her eye said she knew it.

“Help me?”

“To make sure you’re safe, because you’re in some sort of trouble. My friend sent me to follow you to make sure nothing happened to you,” he told her, keeping his voice low and calm because the position of that blade made him damn nervous. One wrong move and he could find himself castrated—or bleeding out alone on this sidewalk.

“Who sent you?” She was stronger than she looked. Even with his grip on her slender wrist, she wasn’t budging. The sharp point of the blade pricked the juncture of his thigh and groin, and it took everything he had not to snap her wrist right then and there. A few more ounces of pressure and she could slice through his jeans, thigh, and even sever his inguinal artery.

“My buddy Ty Bergstrom. He called and asked me to make sure you’re safe.” Ty had always teased him that his white-knight complex would get him in trouble one day. Ironic that it happened when Heath was trying to help him out.

“Who does he work for?” Chloe pressed harder on the tip of the blade, breaking his skin. “Talk,or I start cutting.”

Shit, Heath wasn’t sure who Ty worked for at the moment. And Ty had conveniently neglected to mention she might have a knife. “No one, but he used to be a security contractor with me, and before that he was military. You’re an old friend of his girlfriend, Megan.”

She stilled, her expression changing ever so slightly. “Megan who?”

“I don’t know her last name, but you guys were roommates or something.” College maybe? Hell if he knew, but now he wanted to, because if hehadknown he would have protected his balls better.

His explanation meant something to her because she stiffened, her eyes no longer narrowed but still cool, filled with suspicion and doubt.

He upped the pressure on her wrist as warm beads of blood dripped down his inner thigh. His temper surged. “Chloe. Lower the damn knife and put it away. I’m not here to hurt you.” Well, he didn’twantto hurt her, but if she didn’t move that blade away from his nuts in the next few seconds, he might be forced to snap her wrist.

Rather than reassure her, his words made her brows crash together in a fierce frown. “Did he give you my name, or did she?” She didn’t move. Didn’t flinch as he squeezed her wrist harder, though it had to hurt.

Don’t make me hurt you.“He did when he contacted me an hour before your train left, and said to follow you and keep you safe. That’s it.”

“Keep mesafe? You’re not even armed,” she said in disgust. “And I’m supposed to believe you would hop on a train in the middle of the night to watch over a total stranger?” She snorted. “What does Megan look like?”

Heath didn’t need a weapon to protect her, he could do enough damage with his hands and feet when necessary, but clearly, he’d better keep talking or this could get ugly quick. And keep her safe from what? Ty had been so damn vague about it. Heath should have pressed him harder for more details. “I dunno, I’ve never met her. She and Ty have only been together for a couple months.”

“He’s such a good buddy that you’d drop everything to do this favor for him, and you’ve never met his girlfriend?” she pressed.

“Yeah, because I’ve been in northern Africa on a security contracting job until a few days ago.” He pushed down on her wrist, his patience running thin. “Now lose the damnknife.”

She studied him for a tense moment, then twisted her wrist against his hold, moving the blade away from his groin. He let go, relief washing through him when she slid the knife back into a holster hidden beneath her waistband. She did it without looking, and so smoothly it was clear she’d done it a time or two—or a thousand—before.

Then she stepped back, just out of reach, her left foot slightly in front of her right, weight on the balls of her feet and her hands curled slightly at her sides. A fighter’s stance, and it made him wonder again exactly how much and what kind of training she had. Why hadn’t Ty told him? He’d said to be subtle because she’d ghost on Heath if she noticed him following, but hell, he hadn’t expected any ofthis.

“And just where were you planning on following me to?” she asked, cocking her head slightly. Not backing down, but no longer feeling threatened. He wasn’t sure if he should feel insulted or not.

“To wherever you were going.” Who was she? What was the real story here?

“And then what?”

“Then I let Ty and Megan know where you are.” And oh, he couldn’t wait to talk to Ty. He had a few choice words for his buddy for leaving out some important fucking details.

“What do they want with me?”

“They want to talk to you about something in person. I’m not sure what, Ty didn’t say.”

“Yeah, well, we’ll see about that.” Before he could move, she snatched his phone from his pocket. Heath bit back an annoyed retort as she considered him a moment longer, then came out of fighting stance and took a step back. “All right, you’re coming with me.”

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