Page 94 of Covert Temptation

Con nodded, acknowledging the fact.

“Think he’ll give up Cipher?” Dante asked.

Steele raked his fingers through the longer hair over his forehead. “Eventually. He’s a hired hand. He has no loyalty. Only fear.”

Dante was going to see red for a long time to come. It would take him longer to heal from what Kennedy went through than his own injuries.

“You didn’t hear what she went through,” Dante grated out. “I want to take down every last person who wronged her.”

Steele’s face darkened. “I’m with you, bro. She’s one of us now.”

That struck deeper than Dante expected.

“One of us,” he echoed. “And part of me.”

Con crossed his arms, watching him with an inscrutable expression.

He met his commanding officer’s steady stare. “So, what’s going to happen to her?”

Con didn’t answer right away. Instead, he nodded toward the window where Kennedy stood. To Dante’s surprise, she was speaking to a couple of government suits.

He started to get up, but Steele put out a hand to stop him. “She’s all right. Alyssa and Chase are with her.”

He swallowed hard. “Then tell me what happens to her.”

If he lost Kennedy now…he didn’t know how the hell he’d go on.

“You really want to know?” Con asked.

“Yeah.” His voice cracked. “I do.”

“We’re going to offer her a position,” Con said plainly.

Dante blinked. “Like, a job?”

“Analyst,” Con confirmed. “She’s got instincts, background with international relations, the ability to keep secrets and, unfortunately, experience with Cipher. That makes her valuable. And you know how the government treats people with useful skills.”

“They use them,” Dante said grimly.

“She’s good, Dante. She could really help.” Steele sat back, looking relaxed, ankle hooked over his knee. The special operative was known for being chill. Few things ruffled him. But Dante always suspected Steele just hadn’t yet encountered something that would.

Kennedy was nodding at whatever the suit was saying to her. Then Alyssa stepped up to her and hugged her again.

Seeing that Kennedy had her friend back on her side, the knot loosened in Dante’s chest. “Good. That’s good. She deserves something solid.”

Con leveled him in his stare. “And what about you?”

Dante blinked. “What about me?”

“You left your post. Your ward got kidnapped. You flouted half a dozen protocols.”

Dante’s gut clenched. “So how much trouble am I in?”

Con’s lips quirked. “You detained a guy connected to Cipher. You extracted your target with no civilian involvement. And you came back with all your limbs intact.”

“Though he does have a nicked liver.” Steele sounded all too amused by that.

Dante shook his head. “Asshole.”

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