Rekindled (Titanium Security Series) by Cross Kaylea

lethally charming, and a skilled liar. No, she was going to get the information she wanted, say what she had to say, then leave.
    Realizing she was still fiddling with her glass, she put her hands in her lap and laced her fingers together to keep from fidgeting. She would not let Alex know how nervous she was, or how much the sight of him affected her. Pulling in a calming breath, she turned her attention to one of the TVs mounted on the opposite wall. One of the staff members had turned the channel to an international news station broadcasting in English.
    Grace read the Breaking News subtitle. From where she was sitting there was no audio, but she could see the picture clearly enough. Another bombing right here in Islamabad. Eleven people confirmed dead, more still unaccounted for.
    Grace continued to watch the footage unfold, keeping an eye on the clock at the bottom of the screen. Alex was already a few minutes late. It wasn’t like him. The man might be a consummate liar, but back when she’d known him—or thought she had anyway—he’d always been on time for everything, and usually a few minutes early. For the first time, doubt began to replace some of her anxiety. He wouldn’t stand her up, would he?
    Just then a hotel staff member walked up to her from the bar. “Ms. Fallon?”
    “Yes.”
    “I have a message for you from a Mr. Rycroft.”
    Grace tightened her hands in her lap, steeled herself as she raised her chin. “What did he say?”
    “He regrets that he won’t be able to join you this evening. He’s left a number for you to reach him at, and asked that you leave him a message when it’s convenient.”
    Oh, did he? Grace took the slip of paper and thanked the man, stifling an ironic laugh. Had she seriously expected anything different? God, would she never learn? She shoved the piece of paper into her purse without looking at it and took a gulp of her water to ease the tightness in her throat. Her gaze strayed back to the TV as a new picture flashed onto the screen. A familiar-looking middle aged Pakistani man with deep set eyes and a neatly trimmed goatee. She stilled in shock as the subtitle changed.
    Malik Hassani reported to have escaped U.S. custody
    Grace couldn’t believe it. They’d only captured him a few days ago—it’d been all over the news and in the papers and—
    Understanding hit. Alex worked for the NSA. He’d undoubtedly been here because of involvement with Hassani’s case. And now the most wanted terrorist on the planet was once again on the loose.
    She snatched up her purse to fish the piece of paper out, her stomach sinking as she stared at the number scrawled there. Alex, what have you gotten yourself into this time?
     
    ****
     
    Alex strode into the luxury hotel lobby at just before two in the morning after Evers and another Fed dropped him off at the front doors. When Alex had told him to drive him here rather than their hotel, Evers just grinned and shook his head. Alex wasn’t sure how the Fed had found out about Grace, but was pretty sure either Gage or Hunter had spilled the juicy details about him going all territorial caveman with her after the fender bender. He might be dead on his feet and in desperate need of sleep, but this couldn’t wait. The lobby was empty except for the single employee behind the front desk. Alex headed straight for him.
    All night they’d been tracking Hassani, organizing various taskforces and getting people in place to hunt him down. At that moment, six different teams were out doing recon on various target locations, acting on tips from reliable sources about the terrorist’s whereabouts. Alex and his intelligence community counterparts had been in contact with their informants to find out if anyone knew anything about the breakout from the medical facility today. So far nothing useful had been uncovered, and they still didn’t have a firm location for Hassani. It was like the bastard had vanished into thin air.
    Alex walked up