Page 17 of Hidden Attraction

Con cleared his throat. “We’re treating her as an unknown variable. Not guilty. Not innocent. Which means extreme caution. Chase, your orders are to watch her. Guard her. And if you have to choose between your safety and hers…”

Chase nodded grimly. “I keep us both alive.” He eyed his leader. “Are you sure us traveling together is a good cover? Look what happened when you ‘honeymooned’ in Turkey.”

A couple grunts of amusement circled the table at what happened between their leader and the cryptologist he was working with. Falling in love—despite Blackout’s no-attachments requirement—wasn’t just a risk. It was a seismic event. Every party involved could feel the quake.

Con’s stony features didn’t crack as he swept a glare around the group.

Chase pushed out a breath through his nose. He had orders. And he had to suspect Alyssa Vargas until he didn’t.

He twisted to look at Dante, their expert hacker. “What’s the status on the women’s phones?”

“I need two more hours, tops.” He darted a quick glance at their leader as if eager to be released from this meeting so he could get back to work.

Denver grunted. “Should only take you an hour at most.”

Everyone knew Denver taught Dante everything he knew and ribbed him about how slow he was every chance he got, even though Dante was at the top of his game.

Dante swung toward him. “You care to do it?”

Denver held up both hands. “I’m too busy looking out for Cobra here. Once again, for the record, I don’t think it’s a good idea for him to go alone with the ambassador.”

“The decision’s made. The order is given.” Con’s bark brooked no arguments. “Dismissed.”

Chase pushed away from the table and his long strides carried him swiftly to the door.

“Wait up, Cobra.” Denver caught up with him in a few steps.

He slowed his pace but made sure they cleared the door and were out of earshot of the rest of the team before he spoke. “You gonna bust my balls again about some alleged crush I have on the ambassador?”

“You think you can protect her and watch her at the same time?” They matched their pace as they navigated the corridor.

“You think you’re the only one capable of doing both?”

“Well, yeah.” He cracked a rarely seen crooked smile. “I’m just that much better.”

He snorted. “Asshole.”

“In all seriousness, man. Don’t forget why you’re there. She may be your asset…but she’s not your future.”

Chase stopped walking to stare at his teammate. “What’s with the caution against something that’s never going to happen? Even if I did have any interest in the woman, she’s a diplomat. I’m a ghost. There’s no future in it even if I wanted one. Which I don’t,” he added firmly.

“That’s what I needed to hear. Because thereisno future when it comes to relationships.”

He narrowed his eyes at Denver. “What’s with the ominous advice? Do you have something you want to share? Con and Chickie both broke Blackout rules and they’re still happy. You got someone on the side?”

“Nope. No one in my life. Just remember our odds on the battlefield are high…but not in the real world.” Denver’s gray eyes were a piercing echo of the truth they all knew.

The weight of Chase’s orders to go to Syria with the ambassador was greater than any combat gear. He wasn’t just walking into an unfriendly land with questions nobody would like answering. He was walking in beside a woman he couldn’t afford to trust—or stop thinking about.

The clock was ticking. Every second got them one step closer to Cypher.

Or carried them deeper into his trap.

* * * * *

A smoky, gritty voice tugged Alyssa from a light, restless sleep. The unfamiliar shape of the mattress beneath her confused her as much as the beige walls of the room. She blinked, momentarily disoriented.

Then everything rushed back in. The long international flight. The ride through the sleepy streets of Syria. The safehouse.

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