Page 18 of Deadly Hope
She nodded as she stood from her seat and tilted her head slightly. The gesture exposed the curve of her neck, and his jaw clenched at the sight of those purple-black bruises. The surge of anger was far from professional.
With careful fingers, he brushed her thick, red hair back, trying not to think about how silky it felt against his skin. She smelled amazing—something subtle and warm that made him want to lean closer. Instead, he kept his movements clinical as he positioned the device.
“The sensor needs to rest here.” His fingertips ghosted over the sensitive spot behind her ear. He felt her slight inhale, saw the flutter of her pulse at her throat.
He adjusted the earpiece until it was snug. “Perfect.”
He should step back. But for just a moment, he let himself feel the gravity of what he was doing—protecting a woman who, for all her protests, triggered something deeply primal inside him. Something he hadn’t felt in a long time. If ever.
“Double-tap if you need me,” he said softly. “Anytime—no matter how small the worry.”
She hesitated, gaze locked on his. “I still hate this. But … thank you, Axel.”
He let out a slow breath, stepping away and clearing his throat. “We’ll start today. Let’s grab some breakfast, then we’ll head over to your office and make sure we’re all on the same page. Someone will be watching your place tonight from a distance you won’t notice. I’ll get you a schedule by the end of the day.”
She nodded curtly, a new weight in her eyes. It wasn’t relief—more like uneasy resignation. “All right, then.”
They stood in silence for a beat, the swirl of tension still thick in the room. Finally, Olivia turned and crossed to the door. Axel’s heart thudded as he watched her go, determinedto keep that promise—even if it meant colliding head-on with her stubborn independence.
He knew with absolute certainty that he was knee-deep in trouble. Not just with Knight Tactical’s leadership …
But with her.
11
Olivia couldn’t helpbut smile as they made their way out of the airport terminal’s main corridor toward her office around the corner. The breakfast stop at Tailwinds Café had been Izzy’s idea. Watching the petite security expert juggle their coffee order while maintaining surveillance had almost made this feel like a normal morning.
“Clear on your six,” Izzy murmured through an answering smile, her casual tone belying the way her eyes swept the space around them. She handed out the coffees.
“You know,” Ronan teased the woman as they passed the terminal’s security checkpoint, “most people don’t speed-eat their breakfast while planning entry points and exit strategies.”
“Most people aren’t us,” Axel replied, falling into step beside Olivia. His shoulder brushed hers as he adjusted his pace to match her shorter stride, and she tried to ignore the little flutter that contact triggered. “Though I have to admit, watching Izzy try to surveil while balancing three coffee cups was pretty entertaining.”
“Hey, I didn’t spill a drop,” Izzy protested. “And I caught that suspicious-looking guy with the newspaper.”
“You mean the elderly man doing his crossword puzzle?” Ronan’s voice was dry.
“Better safe than sorry,” Izzy sang out, but her playful tone shifted to professional focus as they approached Olivia’s building.
Olivia felt the change in energy immediately. The team’s loose formation tightened, their banter falling away as they climbed the stairs to her suite. The space would be empty, with her office mates out of town and Marisol not due to come in today with Olivia’s schedule cleared.
She hated cancelling clients, but until she could be sure her friends and patients were safe she couldn’t risk them showing up.
The door keys bit into her palm as she gripped them, every shadow in the familiar hallway suddenly deeper, every distant sound magnified.
The lock caught the morning light streaming through the corridor windows, its brass surface winking in the light. She tried not to think about the violated sanctuary that lay beyond. As she fitted the key into place, Axel stepped closer, his presence solid and steady at her shoulder.
“Me first,” Axel said softly, and she felt a rush of both gratitude and frustration at needing this level of caution in her own office. He moved past her with fluid grace, and she watched as he signaled to Ronan and Izzy with nothing more than a slight tilt of his head and a quick gesture. They split off smoothly, checking corners and shadows while somehow making it look like they were just casually walking through the space.
The morning sun streamed through the waiting room windows, painting familiar patterns on the carpet. Deke’steam had put everything in order as best they could, considering the mess. If she hadn’t known she and Deke had fought off an intruder the signs would be hard to spot. But the silence felt wrong. Usually by this time, Marisol would be humming quietly at her desk, updating patient files. Stuart would be frowning over billing reports, and Janelle would be making her signature terrible coffee in the break room.
Olivia forced herself to step fully inside, trying to shake off the lingering unease. She should be relieved to have a quiet day to regroup, to not have to paste on a reassuring smile for her friends or maintain a calm facade for clients. Instead, a deep sadness settled in her chest. This place had been her sanctuary, her mission, her proudest achievement.
Now, with threats looming, it was none of those things.
“You okay?” Axel appeared at her elbow. His expression was neutral, but she caught the concern in his eyes.
“I will be,” she answered, wishing she felt as confident as she tried to sound.
