everything. And he’d shown no emotion whatsoever about Jonah.
But Jonah had been an asshole. Ian knew it as well as she did, so why would he show any regret over Jonah’s loss? The dumb bastard had gotten himself killed, and she’d been relieved more than anything.
She lowered her head and sucked back the uncertainty rolling through her. She’d nearly been killed today, she had no idea if her boss had known what would happen when he gave her the information on the meeting place, and she was no closer to finding Emily.
Victoria was used to being alone, used to feeling alone and having to take care of herself, but this time she just wanted to lean into the big body of the man beside her and have him put his arm around her again.
It had felt so nice when he’d done that. But the heat prickling her skin had surprised her. Worried her. Since when did any man make her feel like she was missing something in her life? Sex was not something she’d ever cared about in the past. She firmed her jaw. It wasn’t something she cared about now .
Nick Brandon might be sexy and prickly in a way that made her want to get under his skin, but that didn’t mean a thing. She felt drawn to him because he was from the past, and she had precious little contact with anyone from her life before she’d lost Emily and gone to work for Ian.
Ian, who’d betrayed her.
You don’t know that.
It was true she didn’t know that for a fact. Nick could be making it up. This colonel of his could be making it up. Anything to separate her from Black Security and make her willing to talk.
Well, she wouldn’t talk. She wasn’t gullible, and they didn’t own her. She’d broken no laws—and she wasn’t breaking any trust, either.
When they finally stopped in front of a building, Victoria sucked in a breath and smoothed her skirt self-consciously. God, why had she worn this silly dress?
The men poured from the van one by one, and then Nick held out a hand for her and helped her step down. She stood straight and tall—or as tall as someone five foot four could stand—and let her gaze slide over the men.
They were an impressive sight, these nine big bad warriors bristling with high-tech military gear and a whole lot of muscle. They turned and walked ahead of her toward a bunker surrounded by razor wire. Nick held out a hand, indicating she should follow.
She started to walk and he fell in beside her. He made her jumpy, and she wished he’d go away so she could stop feeling like her skin was on fire.
But the thought of him leaving her side made her frantic in an odd way. She kept her head down and walked the narrow path toward the building. Nick didn’t speak. She filed into the building behind the last man and in front of Nick. No one held a weapon on her, but she felt like she was being marched in as a prisoner anyway.
Finally the men went into a room off to her left. Nick stopped her from following and pointed down the hall. She kept going, stopping when he indicated. He knocked on a door, and a gruff “Enter” was the reply.
Nick grabbed the handle and swung the door inward.
“After you.”
Victoria went into a makeshift office. A man in civvies sat at a desk. He stood when she entered, his dark eyes raking over her. He was tall and handsome, but older than the men who’d brought her here. His salt-and-pepper hair was a bit more salt than pepper, and it made him look older than he probably was. Late forties, she guessed, and clearly in charge.
“Miss Royal, we’re pleased you could join us.”
“I didn’t think I had a choice.”
One corner of his mouth lifted in a smirk. “No, not really. Though I think this is preferable to the alternative, isn’t it?”
The alternative being her lying in the sand with a bullet in her head? Yeah, no doubt.
“I guess I should say thanks for the rescue.”
He nodded as he walked around to lean on the desk. Oh, so casual, when she was certain he was anything but.
He stuck out
But Jonah had been an asshole. Ian knew it as well as she did, so why would he show any regret over Jonah’s loss? The dumb bastard had gotten himself killed, and she’d been relieved more than anything.
She lowered her head and sucked back the uncertainty rolling through her. She’d nearly been killed today, she had no idea if her boss had known what would happen when he gave her the information on the meeting place, and she was no closer to finding Emily.
Victoria was used to being alone, used to feeling alone and having to take care of herself, but this time she just wanted to lean into the big body of the man beside her and have him put his arm around her again.
It had felt so nice when he’d done that. But the heat prickling her skin had surprised her. Worried her. Since when did any man make her feel like she was missing something in her life? Sex was not something she’d ever cared about in the past. She firmed her jaw. It wasn’t something she cared about now .
Nick Brandon might be sexy and prickly in a way that made her want to get under his skin, but that didn’t mean a thing. She felt drawn to him because he was from the past, and she had precious little contact with anyone from her life before she’d lost Emily and gone to work for Ian.
Ian, who’d betrayed her.
You don’t know that.
It was true she didn’t know that for a fact. Nick could be making it up. This colonel of his could be making it up. Anything to separate her from Black Security and make her willing to talk.
Well, she wouldn’t talk. She wasn’t gullible, and they didn’t own her. She’d broken no laws—and she wasn’t breaking any trust, either.
When they finally stopped in front of a building, Victoria sucked in a breath and smoothed her skirt self-consciously. God, why had she worn this silly dress?
The men poured from the van one by one, and then Nick held out a hand for her and helped her step down. She stood straight and tall—or as tall as someone five foot four could stand—and let her gaze slide over the men.
They were an impressive sight, these nine big bad warriors bristling with high-tech military gear and a whole lot of muscle. They turned and walked ahead of her toward a bunker surrounded by razor wire. Nick held out a hand, indicating she should follow.
She started to walk and he fell in beside her. He made her jumpy, and she wished he’d go away so she could stop feeling like her skin was on fire.
But the thought of him leaving her side made her frantic in an odd way. She kept her head down and walked the narrow path toward the building. Nick didn’t speak. She filed into the building behind the last man and in front of Nick. No one held a weapon on her, but she felt like she was being marched in as a prisoner anyway.
Finally the men went into a room off to her left. Nick stopped her from following and pointed down the hall. She kept going, stopping when he indicated. He knocked on a door, and a gruff “Enter” was the reply.
Nick grabbed the handle and swung the door inward.
“After you.”
Victoria went into a makeshift office. A man in civvies sat at a desk. He stood when she entered, his dark eyes raking over her. He was tall and handsome, but older than the men who’d brought her here. His salt-and-pepper hair was a bit more salt than pepper, and it made him look older than he probably was. Late forties, she guessed, and clearly in charge.
“Miss Royal, we’re pleased you could join us.”
“I didn’t think I had a choice.”
One corner of his mouth lifted in a smirk. “No, not really. Though I think this is preferable to the alternative, isn’t it?”
The alternative being her lying in the sand with a bullet in her head? Yeah, no doubt.
“I guess I should say thanks for the rescue.”
He nodded as he walked around to lean on the desk. Oh, so casual, when she was certain he was anything but.
He stuck out
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