Page 6 of Hidden Attraction

The light graze of his knuckles against his brothers-in-arms’ felt like a deal made. Above all, Chase was a survivor. They all were. And they would continue fighting until the bastard responsible for all of this was in a maximum-security prison…or better, six feet under.

Minutes later, the couple was in the air on their way to New Mexico. Chase widened his stance and followed the plane’s ascent until it disappeared from sight.

“Now we wait for the diplomat,” he muttered.

“Think she’ll remember you?” Denver asked.

He grunted. “We never interacted. I only picked her out because of her appearance, and I remember every face.”

Denver nodded. They were all trained to do exactly that.

“Besides, I was wallpaper in the background, a common soldier in the trenches, while she worked to free that hostage.” He could remember a lot about the woman. Like how she tucked her hair behind her ear when she was deep in thought.

“Echo was there that day?”

He dipped his head in a brief nod. “There was a journalist held by a group of terrorists trying to strike a deal with the US. Our team was called in to guard the negotiator and handle the terrorists…after.”

Denver didn’t need more intel on the situation. He’d been on plenty of similar ops. “She went from hostage negotiator to ambassador in a few short years. Fast climb.”

“Not surprising. It was a big victory. Probably launched her career.” He scanned the sky again, but there was no sign of the damn plane.

Long minutes passed, and Chase’s nerves surged into overdrive. Waiting wasn’t one of his strengths, and he wasn’t looking forward to this duty. Dealing with women usually brought trouble.

He dragged in a deep breath, filled his lungs to bursting, and released the air in a whoosh. It didn’t alleviate the stress arcing through him like a lightning storm.

Finally, Chase caved to the need for distraction and spoke to Denver. “I get you’re the strong, silent type, but I could really use some conversation here.”

Denver let out a snort. “Sorry, man. I get it. This whole thing has to have your sanity fucked.”

“You could say that. It isn’t helping that we’re waiting on this Vargas woman.”

Denver swung his head to pierce him in his stare. “Women are difficult on the best of days. My little sister is a huge pain in the ass.”

Chase studied his friend’s face. The men in Blackout rarely spoke about their pasts. Families, friends, their former lives, it was all wiped out the minute they signed their Blackout papers and became dead men walking.

“It’s even worse waiting on a stuck-up one with power. She’s going to be insufferable.”

“You make it sound like you know her. Wait—I saw the way you looked at that photo of her. You thought she was pretty. Do you have a crush on her?” Denver’s teeth flashed with his grin.

Chase grated out a rough laugh. “It’s not about the woman.”

“Sure.”

“You realize we’re sitting ducks out here.”

“I get it now. You’re feeling hunted.” Denver glanced around at the vacant lot where they were waiting. Only a few cars for the airstrip personnel were parked far away and there weren’t many places a sniper could hide. “Doesn’t look very perilous to me,” Denver said.

He cut his fingers through his hair, warm from the sun, agitation a hot coal in his chest.

“I could get shot just as easily as you, bro. Not that big a deal. No reason to be edgy, not even about the woman.”

Chase huffed but he was far from amused. “She’s nothing to me.”

“You better watch yourself. Look what happened to Con and Henner after they were alone on an op with a woman. Believe me…you don’t want to put yourself through that. Don’t get involved. There’s no future in it.” He leveled a look at Chase.

That coal in his chest swelled to twice its size and spread to his lungs. First he wanted Denver to talk—now he wanted him to shut up.

“Getting involved is the last thing on my mind. I don’t even know this woman.”

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