Page 63 of Killer Secrets (Tempting SEALs 5)

She knew. The adrenaline wasn't as all-consuming for her as it was for most men she had worked with. She had seen some of the operatives and SEALs she had worked with fight or fuck for hours after coming down from a dangerous situation.

Fucking just for the sake of the adrenaline had never been her thing, until Ian. She could definitely see the benefits of it now.

She pushed her fingers roughly through her hair at that thought. She could have lost him today. And she knew it wasn't the first time he had been attacked. In the past eight months there had been half a dozen attempts.

Turning away from the door, she walked halfway across the room before she realized she had left her shoes in the damned limo. They were a favorite pair too.

She paced to the couch, pulled the slender strap of her clutch purse from over her head, and lifted the cell phone from it.

She glanced around before moving into the bathroom, standing inside the doorway and reaching in to turn on the water in the porcelain sink before hitting the speed dial.

"Son of a

bitch, I knew this was a bad idea." Daniel answered on the first ring. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." She kept her voice low and hoped any listening devices Ian might have in the room couldn't pick her voice up over the flow of water beside her. "Who was it?"

"We're working on it."

"We?" She pinched the bridge of her nose. "God, he's going to have a cow if you mean who I think you do."

"Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, dammit," Daniel cursed. "We're tracking down the boats. We've narrowed them to one rental agency but they weren't listed as rented. We should have more info soon."

"Get it fast. He's in a killing mood. This could get ugly."

"Any fatalities?"

"None. His head bodyguard is unconscious though. The wound to his head didn't look pretty. Head to steering wheel, I suspect."

"He needs to accept the hand reaching out to help," Daniel growled. "Broach the subject, Kira. He's going to need it."

Her laughter was low and bitter as she kept her eyes on the door. Ian wouldn't accept the risk to his friends and she knew it. He considered this his battle because Diego was his father.

"Won't happen. Tell your gift horses he sent them a message though. Killer Secrets. And let me tell you, he was serious."

Daniel's curse sizzled over the secure line.

"My thoughts too . . ." She flipped the phone quickly, disconnecting the call and shoving the phone back into her purse as the doorknob twisted.

Sliding in front of the sink, she bent and splashed water over her face, her heart racing in her chest at the close call. If Ian caught her on the phone he'd likely tie her to his bed for the remainder of this operation, because he would know damned good and well what she was doing on it.

Eyes still closed, she turned off the water, gripped the hand towel on the silver rack and pulled it free. Covering her face with it, she quickly dried off, then opened her eyes and didn't bother restraining her gasp.

Diego stood in the doorway, black rage flickering in his gaze as he stared back at her.

"Does he know who did this?" His voice was low, filled with death.

This was the Diego Fuentes she had investigated, the one she had worked to break, in several different missions, and failed.

She shook her head slowly. She didn't have to fake the flash of fear she felt, especially when she saw the butt of the weapon sticking from above the band of his pants.

"You fear me." There was an edge of satisfaction in his voice and a flash of smug amusement in his gaze. "I think I am too used to dealing with Ian. He knows no such fear."

"You're his father. Why would he fear you?" She cleared her throat, wondering if he was susceptible to a bit of flattery.

"Yes." He looked away for a moment, but when his gaze returned to her it was as flat as it had been before. "I am his father, and I still do not know what happened. You will tell me."

She shook her head, swallowing tightly, as she let in the memory of the limo flying and crashing into the rocky outcropping across the road. Fear had nearly immobilized her, but not fear for herself, fear for Ian.

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