Page 48 of Explosive Vengeance

Soundlessly she gathered her bag and crept to the adjoining room to change into a different disguise. Making sure he was still asleep, she snuck out of the room and walked out into the brisk night air. A light drizzle fell, the city blanketed by a shroud of fog.

She zipped her jacket all the way to her chin and set off for the harbor once more. Crews were still operating the cranes and other machinery, loading and unloading the ships. She took everything in, staying vigilant to her surroundings and on alert for any threats.

When daylight broke, she had wandered to the far southern end of the city. Her phone buzzed. A message from Heath.

Where are you?

Again with that hitching sensation in her chest. Normally she would have ignored the message, but it didn’t feel right after what they’d shared, and he was sticking around to help her and Fleur.Getting the lay of the land.

You okay?he asked a few moments later.

Yes. See you later, she typed, ending the conversation. It wasn’t uncommon for her to go without sleep, or to do more recon in the middle of the night. But it had never happened because she needed space from a man she was developing feelings for, or because she wanted an excuse to avoid him for a while.

Somehow Heath was already under her skin, and he threatened to burrow even deeper the longer she was in his company.

She hadn’t realized men like him existed in the real world, but she needed to get her emotional shields back in place before she saw him again. He tempted her like no one else ever had, made her want things that were impossible. She wasn’t “normal” and never would be, and he was leaving soon anyway. Better to deal with that now so she could simply enjoy whatever time between them remained.

But she couldn’t afford any more distractions until this op was over.

She stopped for something to eat, kept in contact with Megan and Amber via text on her encrypted phone. Amber had shored up Fleur’s cover and was monitoring everything electronically from her end. Her boyfriend Jesse was helping Ty review and tighten security measures around the port in anticipation of the ship’s arrival in a few hours.

All too soon, it was go time.

She met the others in Megan and Ty’s hotel room. She’d steeled herself for the sight of Heath on the way over, but the moment those impossibly blue eyes locked with hers, that ache hit her beneath the ribs again.

Blocking all of that, she changed into her op clothes—her standard black cargo pants and a long-sleeved black T-shirt. The team reviewed the plan once more, including contingency plans.

When they were done, Megan gave Chloe a bright smile and slid her weapon into the holster in her waistband. “See you on the other side.”

“You know it.” She watched Megan leave, followed by Ty, who carried the backpack with the disassembled rifle and other gear in it.

Avoiding looking at Heath, she triple-checked her own bag. She stiffened when he came up behind her. Pressed her lips together when he put a caring hand on her shoulder.

“You okay?”

She moved away from his touch and stood. “Yeah. You ready to go?” More than anything she just wanted this over and done with, to have Fleur and the others safe.

He gave her an unreadable look. “What do you need from me?”

The question pierced her so deep she almost flinched. Her entire life as an operative, she’d never had teammates to rely on. People capable enough to hold their own on a mission, let alone ones she could trust. Someone to give a shit about her beyond her accomplishing the mission.

Yet here was this solid, caring man she barely knew, standing in front of her asking what she needed. And she got the feeling that he’d give her anything she asked for.

“I need you to do your job,” she said curtly, hating herself for being so bitchy but not knowing how else to protect herself.

He gave a slow nod, those gorgeous eyes searching hers. “I will.”

She knew he would. That almost made this worse.

She hitched her backpack onto one shoulder and adjusted her waistband holster to make sure her weapon was concealed beneath the bottom of her jacket. “That’s it. I don’t need you to watch over or protect me. I’ve been doing this shit for a long time.”

His jaw tightened, annoyance burning in his gaze. “Maybe. But I’m going to watch over you anyway.”

Because that’s just who he was.

Hating the way he threw her off balance, and the sudden tightening in her throat, she sighed. “That’s a sweet sentiment, but you need to know it irritates the shit out of me.”

He stared at her. “You’ll live.”

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