Page 43 of Cooper's Command

Nova leaned into him. “Is that your way of saying you’d break ranks and run off with me if it comes to that?”

“As long as you promise we’ll go somewhere other than Bogotá.”

“I’ll let you pick.”

Cooper nodded and removed his hand, but she reached behind his neck and pulled him down for a long, wet kiss.

Nova brushed her thumb across his mouth. “I wanted to do that last time, but…”

Then she was off, walking into the room with her head high. Though, Cooper noticed the way she still favored her side. What was likely his fault for letting his need get the better of him. Not that Nova seemed to care, waiting in front of the monitors until he moved in behind her. She shifted back, pressing her body against his ever so slightly. A silent declaration that she’d meant everything she’d said — that she wanted him in her life for the foreseeable future.

Forever was the only option for him, but…

Cooper placed his hands on her hips, giving them a gentle squeeze. A signal he was all-in.

Porter, Milligan and Emery were on one monitor, Hawk the other. Bellamy glanced back at them, then hit some switch — made all the mics active.

He cursed when the monitors flickered, a series of lines filling the screens before they stabilized. “We’d best make this quick. This storm cell is only getting stronger, and the wind and rain are already disrupting the signal.”

Porter snorted. “Glad you finally joined us, then, Harris. Have you got somewhere else you need to be?”

Cooper shrugged. “I guess that depends on what Bellamy’s parents found — assuming they were able to access the database.”

“Of course they were able to access it.” Bellamy glared at Coop and Nova. “Though, my mom’s talking about china patterns and flower arrangements now, so I hope this is worth it.”

“And…”

Emery leaned forward and tapped some keys on her end. “As you can see from the two reports, the chemical makeup is identical.”

Cooper studied the numbers. “So, this proves Nova was telling the truth.”

“It proves they’re the same drugs.” Porter focused on Nova. “Not who took them.”

“I swear, Porter. You imply Nova’s dirty one more time?—”

“Easy, Coop. He’s not wrong.” Nova ran her hand through her hair. “I’m missing something because there’s got to be a link that ties Paulin and Simmons together before Paulin moved to the island. Did Simmons ever live in Miami?”

Hawk cleared his throat, looking at Milligan and Porter. “You two need to tell them what you told me and Emery earlier.”

Porter leaned back. “It’s only a theory, Hawk. Not one I’m ready to make public.”

“It’s more than a damn theory, Adam, and you know it. Cooper was there. Hell, he and his team patrolled the ranch — put their lives on the line — to keep Emery safe.” Hawk archeda brow. “Were you aware that Cooper served with Blake for four years when they were part of the same TACLET unit? That he knew exactly who she was the moment he saw her? But he never once let that slip because the man’s got more honor than most. They deserve any intel we can give them, substantiated or not.”

Cooper inhaled, taking a step closer to the monitor. “That’s what you think this is about? That it’s connected to those assholes who were trying to muscle out the Russos from establishing a presence on the island?”

Nova grunted. “Wait. The Russos? As in the Miami cartel family?”

Porter muttered under his breath, glaring at Hawk. “Way to go, Hawk. You just blew a year of undercover work. And no, Harris, we don’t think it’s directly linked to the Russo cartel. We think that by preventing that incursion from taking root, we left the island vulnerable for the next up-and-coming drug lord to just waltz right in.”

“And the fact Paulin was stationed in Miami before coming here? Is that just a coincidence?”

“It’s a piece of the puzzle.”

“Well, damn.” Cooper crossed his arms over his chest. “You think both Paulin and Simmons were working for the Russos all along. That Simmons was one of their police connections you didn’t quite stamp out. But when the family decided Hawai’i was too hot for their well-being, Paulin took the initiative and hooked up with Simmons to start their own little drug ring being funded by… who? The Moreno cartel that Nova’s investigating? The Triad? Maybe the Yakuza?”

“If we knew that, Harris, it wouldn’t be a theory. As it stands, all we can prove is that Paulin hadofficialdealings with the Russos in Miami and Simmons has been a bit too quick to clear drug-related scenes for the past few years.” Milligan shuffled in his seat. “It wasn’t until recent events that we thought we mightbe able to prove there was more between them than a couple of old-school boys having a beer.”

Hawk snorted. “You mean until Nova got her hands on that ledger.”

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