Page 83 of Killer Secrets (Tempting SEALs 5)

The bleak existence he had known before her would be too dark, too brutal to bear.

After crossing the stone fence they crouched side by side, surveying the darkened landscape carefully. He had ordered the Fuentes guards to stay clear of Kira and her bodyguard, and his orders were normally obeyed to the letter. The blood he had shed in the beginning of his rule of the Fuentes cartel had ensured that.

But every now and then Diego managed to secure a soldier's loyalty to him instead. He couldn't be sure they weren't being watched, but he knew they weren't being followed. Deke would be watching for spies though, and if they were out there, he would have the report when Ian returned.

"It's clear," Kira whispered, turning until her face was directly below his. "He's pulled Macey and Kell back if they were out here."

"They were out here," he murmured. "Kell's still out here, trust me."

He stared at her upturned face, the delicate features, her unusually colored eyes, and felt his heart clench again before he looked around carefully.

Now wasn't the time to become mesmerized by the woman at his side. She was his partner here, she demanded nothing less. He would cover her to the best of his ability, and that meant making certain his senses stayed on alert.

The night vision goggles he wore pick

ed up everything but a sign of human life. Kell was getting better. The last time they had practiced stealth, Ian had been able to track him easily.

"Stay close to the wall," he ordered. "Move around until we reach the back of the house; there's enough foliage cover there to keep us in shadow and night vision can't see through stone."

She nodded as she bent to a half crouch and began moving carefully along the side of the wall.

Her pert little butt was right below his face and he felt sweat bead his forehead. That particular part of her anatomy had the ability to make his dick swell impossibly hard, despite the release he had experienced less than two hours before.

Shaking his head and turning, he swept the area again, paying particular attention to the top of the wall and the branches of the trees that grew along the side of the estate.

Within minutes they paused directly across from the veranda doors, hidden by the wall at their backs and the staggered landscaping of the yard.

Using hand signals, he directed the route for her, then watched, his weapon held steady in his hand, as she crossed half the distance and ducked behind the huge cement fountain. Pausing, she swept the area before turning back to him and holding her own weapon ready.

Ian moved quickly to her position, then, staying close to her back, pushed her toward the veranda door that had been left open.

Of course the team was expecting them and he had no doubt Kell was covering their back the whole way. He and Macey. Ian could feel it, felt the security and the sense of teamwork that had always followed him on the missions they were assigned to work together.

They moved quickly onto the sheltered veranda, straightened and stepped into the open breakfast room it was attached to.

Handguns held ready at their sides, Ian went in first, moving quickly to the side, bringing up the gun at the sight of the figure standing still, arms held out from his side, as Kira swept in low.

"The house is secure," Clint informed them, his voice quiet. "Come into the sitting room. Kell and Macey will be in as soon as they sweep for any lagging shadows."

Ian holstered his weapon slowly then pulled the goggles from his eyes and stared at the man he had called friend eight months before.

He came to attention; the former easy familiarity with his lieutenant commander hadn't necessitated military protocol in such settings, but for some reason, the gesture of respect triggered intuitively.

"Bastard," Clint growled. "At fucking ease, Lieutenant. This isn't a goddamned firing squad."

It sure as hell felt like one though.

Clint was quiet then, watching them both with brooding intensity as Kira holstered her own weapon and removed her own goggles.

"How long have you been set up here?" Ian asked as Clint turned to lead the way through the house.

"Since the night you installed Kira at Fuentes villa," Clint answered, his voice biting. "Of course you already know that. You had one of your men watching this place like a gator watches fresh meat."

Ian's lips quirked. He would have expected to hear that from Kell, not Clint.

"I assumed you would take the hint when I left you the message to stay out of this."

"Killer Secrets?" Clint grunted. "Yeah, we were just going to drop off the face of the earth for you, bro. You forget, 'Killer Secrets' was for personal endeavors only, not drug cartels."

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