Page 73 of Dangerous Games (Tempting SEALs 2)

As she neared him, she was surprised when Clint's arm came around her and he pulled her against him. Just like that, he tucked her against his chest, his gaze never leaving the computer Macey was working on.

"Shit. What's this?" Macey hit a key, bringing up several pictures and a text report.

Morganna recognized the picture. Devin Markwell. He was young, smiling. Beside that picture was a chalked outline of a body in a garbage-ridden alley.

"No fucking way," Macey muttered as Clint tightened beside her. "This happened this morning. He was found outside a bar in downtown." Macey shook his head before turning back to Clint, his gaze shocked. "He's dead, Clint."

"How?" Clint's voice hardened, chilled.

Macey turned back to the computer, hitting more keys, his fingers flying over the keyboard until another page came up. "They found another guy. A naturalized South American. A dealer." His voice was quiet, emotionless. "Devin was beat to death. The dealer was gutted like a fish. Santos. Wasn't Santos-"

"Part of the Fuentes Cartel. He's Roberto Maneulo's bastard brother. He was born here. But Roberto has looked after him." Clint finished for Macey before a curse sizzled from his lips. "And Roberto is a member of the Masters clubs."

Morganna stood still, staring at the picture of the dealer on the screen.

"He's one of the three men Joe arrested at Diva's," she said quietly. "He was the one dosing the drink with the date rape drug. There was Santos, Robert Lewis, and Donny Caine."

Macey typed in the names. "Dead." The report wasn't unexpected at this point. "Found this morning. Lewis and Caine were found this evening outside town. Suspected drug deal gone bad."

"Fuentes is cleaning house," Clint said. "He tried to hit me and Morganna this evening."

"Check for Roberto Manuelo," Morganna suggested. "He's our suspect at the moment in the supply of the drug. Though there was no report of a suspected connection to the cartel. I also saw him in Diva's Downstairs the night we were there."

The search took longer. Morganna nibbled at her thumbnail as Macey pounded on the keys, cursed, sweet-talked the computer, then finally grew silent.

"Manuelo is breathing," he finally said. "His cell phone number matches that of the ones I've been tracking since the search for you and Clint began. I caught your names being bandied on the receiver I use to monitor unsecured cells." He flashed her a cold smile. "He's leading the search."

"Not for long."

Morganna jerked around, staring up at Clint as he stood alone several feet from her.

"Contact the Admiral, Macey," Clint ordered, the muscles in his jaw working tensely. "We have a possible hit on our men. We need Reno's location checked, secured, and he needs to be apprised of Markwell's death."

"I'm on it." Macey turned back to the computer as Morganna stared back at Clint.

"What are you going to do?" she asked, though she sensed she already knew.

He stared back at her, his blue eyes blazing in his dark face. He seemed so remote, so self-contained. This was the Clint that worried her. Cold. Unemotional. This Clint needed no one, especially not her.

"I'm going to take care of it, Morganna," he told her softly. "However I have to."

"The Admiral is in contact with Reno as we speak." Macey's voice was clipped. "He's moving himself and Raven to an undisclosed location for the time being. He warns you to keep Morganna locked up."

There was no amusement in Macey's voice. His voice was just as hard as Clint's.

First Nathan during the operation in Colombia, now Markwell. And if Fuentes wasn't taken out, then he would come after Morganna again. He wasn't a man who gave up. but he also wasn't an easy man to take out. He surrounded himself with lackeys, with men willing to die for him, to protect him no matter the consequences.

"I have to get rid of the truck." Clint had to get out of there, he had to track down information, and he had to do it alone. "Macey, keep her down here." He turned to the other man, seeing the horror in his eyes. "If I'm not back in five hours, you know what to do."

"No!" Morganna's eyes widened in fear. "You're not leaving me here-"

"The hell I'm not," Clint growled fiercely, gripping her shoulders as she rushed up to him, clamping them tight, staring into her eyes as the rage and pain burning in his stomach threatened to overwhelm him. "You're safe here and I don't know what the hell is waiting out there. You're not trained for this, Morganna, and you know it."

"I can watch your back." She was shaking her head, her eyes filling with tears.

"No, Morganna," he snapped, the thought of her out there, in the line of fire, more than he could handle. "I have to check some sources, I have to ditch that truck and find out what the hell I'm looking at. I can't do that with you with me, baby."

He couldn't kill while she watched. She was strong, stronger than he ever imagined, but he couldn't bear for her to see him as he really was.

---