Page 20 of Stealthy Seduction
He raked his fingers through his hair. “She’s walking into a trap. Anonymous donors don’t just appear out of nowhere to fund medical clinics. Not unless they get something in return.”
“Which is why Chase and Chickie are going to make sure nothing happens to her,” Con replied. “And why you’re staying here where you can think with your brain instead of your emotions.”
The logic was sound, but it didn’t make the decision any easier to swallow. Steele sank back into his chair, fists clenched, every instinct screaming at him to go after Izzy himself.
Her background, her time as a hostage, the trauma that still made her tuck her thumb with the scar from Syria into her fist—it all painted a target on her back.
“Steele,” Dante called out, not looking up from his screen. “You need to see this.”
He didn’t like the tone of Dante’s voice. At. Fucking. All.
He looked up at the screen as Dante filled the remaining team members in on what they were seeing.
“Hartwell and Associates’ client list. There were three other anonymous charitable donations in the past two years, all to organizations with ties to conflict zones. Medical facilities, refugee assistance programs, trauma counseling centers.”
Steele’s blood chilled further. “This benefactor isn’t funding random charities.”
“No,” Dante agreed grimly.
Con was already reaching for his radio. “Chase, Chickie—be advised, this may be bigger than a simple meet-and-greet. Approach with extreme caution.”
Steele pulled out his phone and fired off a quick text to Izzy.
Let me know you’re safe. Please.
He stared at the screen, waiting for the three dots that would indicate she was typing back.
They never came.
“She’s not responding.”
“Steele.” Con’s tone was a warning.
Reeling, he gripped the table edge to keep from disobeying orders. He was never rattled. Not even in the heat of battle.
But his next thought made his blood run cold.
“What if Cipher’s got access to her communications the same way he did with Kennedy?”
Dante’s stare flashed to his. He knew better than anyone about that.
If Cipher was monitoring Izzy’s phone, every text Steele had sent, every flirtatious message, every hint of connection between them—all of it could be used against Blackout Charlie.
“We’ll handle it,” Con said quietly, picking up the fear in Steele’s statement. “But I need you focused on the mission, not on worst-case scenarios.”
Steele gave a jerky nod, but his gaze drifted back to the silent phone in his hands. Somewhere across the city, Izzy was walking into a meeting with people who might want her dead, and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it except wait.
And pray that his teammates got there in time.
* * * * *
Izzy’s heart beat a little too fast. Felt a little too fluttery.
And her palms were sweating.
She touched the crystal around her neck and drew a deep breath as she entered the restaurant.
Nothing bad was going to happen to her. She was surrounded by people talking and laughing as they enjoyed their meals. She had successfully completed her first assignment after a long hiatus and was on to the next.
