There was a reason recruiters had been hot to get him into the program.
She sighed. “Still, I don’t like the idea.”
Dee reached across the table and took her hands. “Listen. I know it seems we might have exposed you. And we might have.” Devon opened his mouth, but Dee held her hand up. “Don’t argue with me, Dev. We have no idea what the hell is going on, or if we tipped them in her direction.”
She turned her attention back to Alicia. “But wouldn’t you want Devon to figure out how and who? I promise you, he can find them if they are lurking there. We have a great group of friends who can help out in this situation. It might have been what Micah said, a coincidence.”
She opened her mouth to argue, but Dee shook her head. “At least give yourself and Bridget some time to regroup. And it’s Hawaii. How hard will that be? She’ll get to know her cousin, and you will get to figure out where to go from there. And there’s always a way off the island since Devon has his own plane.”
She wanted to say no. Life would be easier without Devon in it. No complications, just her and Bridget. She glanced at him. Determination stamped his features. Well, that wasn’t going to happen any time soon.
“Okay,” she said. “But first sign of trouble, I am gone and so is Bridget.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
About an hour later, Micah and Devon settled in the kitchen at the same table by themselves. Both Dee and Ali had gone to bed, leaving them alone to discuss the situation.
Devon was exhausted, both emotionally and physically, but he didn’t think he could get to sleep. His brain working through all the connections. Devon knew he would never figure out what the hell was going on right at this moment. Still, he couldn’t seem to stop thinking. He’d shut down one idea and another would pop up.
“So, you have a plan?” Micah asked, bringing him back to the present.
Devon jerked a shoulder and took a sip of his coffee. He instantly regretted it. It was cold. He needed something stronger, something more fortifying. He rose and went to grab the scotch he’d brought with him.
“Grab two glasses,” Micah said.
Devon did and joined him back at the table. He poured them both a couple of fingers of the scotch and they sat in silence.
“So, you have a woman and kid to look out after.”
A statement—because his brother-in-law knew his character. There was no way in hell Devon would walk away now. Knowing Ali was in danger was enough to send him over the edge.
“Yeah,” he said and tossed back the scotch. He poured more in his glass. This time, though, he sipped at it. They drank in silence. Devon knew better than to talk. Micah was going through the problem in his head.
“Do you think you could have led someone to her?” Micah asked.
“I’m not sure.” And that was the one thing that had been bugging him all night. Had he put his child in danger? He had just found out about her, and the idea that he might have led the intruders to the house made him sick.
“I am going to lean heavily in the negative category,” Micah said.
He studied his brother-in-law. “Why?”
“First, they would have known you went back there tonight. If they know you, they know you’re trained. Alicia seems pretty well trained.”
“Yeah, her father was MI-6 so it’s a family kind of thing.”
He smiled. “Great. You have a woman who can kill you in your sleep.”
He hated to admit it, but that was kind of a turn on. She was a woman who didn’t need to be taken care of…and the element of danger made her even more attractive. He had sensed it that night, felt it course through her when he touched her. She was beautiful, but that inner strength was sexier to him. Of course, the sexy underwear was fantastic too.
“Earth to Stryker.”
He blinked. “What?”
“You’re sitting there staring off in the distance with a goofy smile on your face.”
“I am not,” he said.
“Yes, you were.
She sighed. “Still, I don’t like the idea.”
Dee reached across the table and took her hands. “Listen. I know it seems we might have exposed you. And we might have.” Devon opened his mouth, but Dee held her hand up. “Don’t argue with me, Dev. We have no idea what the hell is going on, or if we tipped them in her direction.”
She turned her attention back to Alicia. “But wouldn’t you want Devon to figure out how and who? I promise you, he can find them if they are lurking there. We have a great group of friends who can help out in this situation. It might have been what Micah said, a coincidence.”
She opened her mouth to argue, but Dee shook her head. “At least give yourself and Bridget some time to regroup. And it’s Hawaii. How hard will that be? She’ll get to know her cousin, and you will get to figure out where to go from there. And there’s always a way off the island since Devon has his own plane.”
She wanted to say no. Life would be easier without Devon in it. No complications, just her and Bridget. She glanced at him. Determination stamped his features. Well, that wasn’t going to happen any time soon.
“Okay,” she said. “But first sign of trouble, I am gone and so is Bridget.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
About an hour later, Micah and Devon settled in the kitchen at the same table by themselves. Both Dee and Ali had gone to bed, leaving them alone to discuss the situation.
Devon was exhausted, both emotionally and physically, but he didn’t think he could get to sleep. His brain working through all the connections. Devon knew he would never figure out what the hell was going on right at this moment. Still, he couldn’t seem to stop thinking. He’d shut down one idea and another would pop up.
“So, you have a plan?” Micah asked, bringing him back to the present.
Devon jerked a shoulder and took a sip of his coffee. He instantly regretted it. It was cold. He needed something stronger, something more fortifying. He rose and went to grab the scotch he’d brought with him.
“Grab two glasses,” Micah said.
Devon did and joined him back at the table. He poured them both a couple of fingers of the scotch and they sat in silence.
“So, you have a woman and kid to look out after.”
A statement—because his brother-in-law knew his character. There was no way in hell Devon would walk away now. Knowing Ali was in danger was enough to send him over the edge.
“Yeah,” he said and tossed back the scotch. He poured more in his glass. This time, though, he sipped at it. They drank in silence. Devon knew better than to talk. Micah was going through the problem in his head.
“Do you think you could have led someone to her?” Micah asked.
“I’m not sure.” And that was the one thing that had been bugging him all night. Had he put his child in danger? He had just found out about her, and the idea that he might have led the intruders to the house made him sick.
“I am going to lean heavily in the negative category,” Micah said.
He studied his brother-in-law. “Why?”
“First, they would have known you went back there tonight. If they know you, they know you’re trained. Alicia seems pretty well trained.”
“Yeah, her father was MI-6 so it’s a family kind of thing.”
He smiled. “Great. You have a woman who can kill you in your sleep.”
He hated to admit it, but that was kind of a turn on. She was a woman who didn’t need to be taken care of…and the element of danger made her even more attractive. He had sensed it that night, felt it course through her when he touched her. She was beautiful, but that inner strength was sexier to him. Of course, the sexy underwear was fantastic too.
“Earth to Stryker.”
He blinked. “What?”
“You’re sitting there staring off in the distance with a goofy smile on your face.”
“I am not,” he said.
“Yes, you were.
Similar Books
